Severus was finding his new life quite pleasant. At first his position at the chemist's shop was filled with enough daily challenges to keep his mind and his hands occupied and busy, but as the days wore on, he found that he could be even more useful. The local Muggle physician was intelligent enough, but not overly imaginative, and Snape sometimes added his own little special touches to the bottles of elixirs, or a slight wave of his hand over an envelope of tablets.
"Interesting," Martin said as he eyed Snape one morning, "Old Mr. Vanderplug has been complaining for years that the arthritis medicine we bottle for him is totally useless. Today he came in praising the pharmaceutical laboratories for finally making it stronger. He said that all of a sudden his aches and pains have disappeared."
"Mm," Severus kept his eyes on the measuring apparatus as he poured in a dose of liquid.
"And Cynthia Marble no longer has a bit of trouble with her acid indigestion, even though the tablets haven't ever before given her relief. She has never followed her diet and I have no reason to believe that she has started to do so now, and yet suddenly she is amazingly heartburn free. How would you suppose… "
"Ah, the delivery man," Snape nodded his head to the door, "and just in time. We are completely out of wart remover."
"Yes," Martin gave him a curious look. "just in time."
Evenings were equally pleasant as Severus and Lara often found an excuse to cross each other's doorsteps to ask a question or borrow a cup of sugar, always ending in a shared glass of wine or a meal. Soon it became an established routine that each of them looked forward to eagerly.
They especially enjoyed cooking meals together and Severus took delight in chopping and grinding the herbs and vegetables, while Lara sautéed and stirred the ingredients on the stove, wonderfully fragrant smells coming from the kitchen as they talked and laughed and sipped their wine.
"Severus, look!" she called from her doorstep one evening after they had finished a dinner of veal chops in a Marsala and mushroom sauce that both had announced as perfect.
"What's wrong?" he walked to her side, wondering if something was stirring in the woods surrounding their cottages.
"Nothing is wrong. Look at the moon," she moved to the side and in to his view came a most lovely sight.
The big, round balloon was hanging in the sky, just over the ocean, and it appeared to be tossing diamonds into the water below. They sparkled and shimmered as they danced and played in the light chop of the waves.
"Have you ever seen anything quite so beautiful?" she murmured.
"Yes," he put his mouth to her ear and said, "standing right in front of me."
Her skin warmed to his touch and she turned her face to his, then dropped her head to her chin.
"Look at me," he whispered.
"I… I've never been kissed before," she stated the admission, his breath so close to hers.
"Then you won't be able to say that tomorrow, will you?" he brushed his nose against her cheek, feeling her body tremble against his, before covering her mouth with his full, soft, warm lips.
She sighed as he slowly pulled his head back and looked into her eyes.
"I've wanted to do that from the moment I first saw you," his black pupils were even larger than usual.
"I'm half afraid to believe you, but… "
"Don't you ever doubt me," he folded her in his arms, kissing her once again, but this time with the passion that was stirring inside of him. "At least not when it comes to my feelings for you," he murmured in her cheek briefly, then kissed her again.
"Three kisses in one night," she managed to say and laugh at the same time when they paused for a breath.
"Well, since you're counting, be prepared to get out one of those Muggle calculators," he now stroked her hair and nuzzled her shoulder.
"Muggle? That must be a colloquialism from that town of yours," she giggled. "What does it mean?"
"It means that I'm spending much too much time with foolish talk when there are many more important things to do with my mouth… and yours," he found her lips once again, as the moon looked on.
He was prepared to stop, not wanting to do anything to frighten her away, but as he held her and kissed the soft, warm curve of her throat, she pressed her body into his and sought out his lips with her own. He could feel her heart pounding against his chest and he knew that she could feel the hardness of him pressing and growing against her body.
"Lara, very soon I won't be able to stop," he whispered against her cheek.
"I know," she slid her hands around his back and pulled him even more closely into herself.
He groaned and with his lips still on hers, he lifted her and carried her into the bedroom, and lay down next to her. For the briefest of seconds, they looked into each others eyes, and Lara smiled.
Slowly and carefully, with trembling fingers, Severus undid each and every button of her blouse, finally drawing the material to the sides. Her bra was fragile and lacy, and did nothing to hide her full milky white breasts, nor the pink of the taut nipples that lay within. He lowered his face between the cleavage, smelling the sweet perfume of her skin, and felt himself harden with an exquisite pain inside the tight jeans. He kissed the velvet mounds that lay outside the delicate garment, then ran his tongue over the protruding nipple, feeling it stiffen through the lacy cloth. Unfamiliar with this clothing, he did not know that the clasp was in the center, but he watched as her hands reached up, undoing and separating the cups, and suddenly her breasts were free, full and round, the nipples engorged from her passion, inviting his tongue to touch them, his lips to encircle and suck them.
He couldn't bear it any longer, and within seconds he was free of his shirt and his jeans, his silky dark hair now sticking to the perspiration on his forehead.
He was nervous and clumsy, she excited and anxious, the recipe for certain disaster, but as he slid himself into her warmth, he felt that he had finally found the home that had eluded him his entire life. What he wasn't prepared for were the fireworks that accompanied this discovery, and moments later he collapsed at her side, his heart beating wildly in his chest.
He kissed her eyelids, caressing her cheek.
"It's the first time in my life… "she whispered.
"You don't need to tell me anything about past experiences," he whispered back, "I don't care. All I care about is who we are to each other."
She touched his lips with her fingertip. "No, Severus. The first time in my life that I felt… pretty."
He wrapped his arms around her and held her tightly. "Well, in that case, will you allow me to apply for the full time position?"
She answered him with a deep and searching kiss that made him smile inwardly in surprise. Already, Severus? Perhaps you're not so old after all. He slid his hands over her bare midriff, stopping at the soft breasts, and, with a sigh, the nipples that seemed once again to beg for his lips.
"These are mine now," he murmured, looking up into her eyes, his voice that of a small boy, claiming full possession.
She giggled and stroked his silky black hair. "Alright, Severus. You may have them. Do you have anything in trade?"
"Oh, indeed I do," his black eyes twinkled as his lips met hers once again.
"Severus, is it something serious?" she grinned up at him over her morning coffee.
"What do you mean?" he raised his eyebrow at her. "Why would you say that?"
"I can always tell when you are thinking about something serious. Your brow knits together to form that crease above your nose, and you purse your lips in that little boy way," she stroked his cheek.
"To be honest, I was wondering whether I should invest in a suit," he cocked his head in her direction.
"Oh, are you going somewhere fancy?" she asked.
"We are going to the Snow Festival Ball, aren't we?" his face reddened. Bloody Hell, he thought, she probably already has a date and here I am presuming… "I'm sorry…, "he stammered. "I didn't stop to think that you may have promised someone else," he stiffened, now suddenly embarrassed.
Lara fell silent and fingered the remaining cookie crumbs on the plate in front of her.
"That's it, isn't it? Oh, I feel rather foolish now. I just assumed… "
"No one else has asked me," she pushed the plate away and stood up to clear the dishes. "Severus, you seem to forget that we live in our own little world here. I don't know what kind of magic surrounds us, but in this house, I am beautiful and desirable and deliriously happy. But that is not how the rest of the world sees me."
He stood up and circled his arms around her waist. "Lara, the rest of the world is blind, and I'm glad for it. I wouldn't stand a chance with you if they all saw what I did."
"And oddly enough, I believe you," she returned his embrace. "But I know how the people here think. They will assume that you are taking me to the ball out of pity or playing some kind of malicious practical joke. I think we will both be quite uncomfortable."
Snape curled his fists into tight balls. "I don't give a tinker's damn about how or what they think. I suppose I am being selfish, but I want to go to the ball with my sweetheart. I've never done, and for the first time in my life, I want to dress up and go to the dance and hold my lady in my arms. I know beyond any doubt that I will be with the most beautiful woman in the world, and if their eyes can't see it, Merlin's Beard, they are the blind fools!"
"Merlin's Beard?" she laughed out loud. "Goodness, Severus, you have the most charming expressions. But if Merlin is a hero of yours, you are my Knight of the Roundtable, my Lancelot. So how can I deny you? If you truly want to go, I will attempt to look as nice as possible."
"Then in that case, let me do it properly," he stepped away and took her hand. "Lovely Lara, would you do me the honor of accompanying me to the Snow Festival Ball?"
"I will," she whispered, the tears glistening in her eyes. It would be her very first date.
Her gown was a deep emerald green, matching her eyes perfectly and complimenting the ginger hair that she wore swept up from her long elegant neck. Severus didn't think that she required any additional coloring on her face, but even he had to admit that the touches that she had applied made her beauty even more radiant and startling.
"Oh!" he exclaimed as she opened her door.
"I could say the same." Her eyes danced appreciatively over the tall and handsome man who would be her date that evening.
As they walked into the clubhouse that held most of the special events for the village, Severus proudly put his arm on her bare shoulder, leading her to a table where Martin waved his arm at them in a wide arc.
"Severus, Lara," he kissed the girl's cheek and shook Snape's hand. "You both look… " he stopped momentarily, "well, very interesting, together," and suddenly noticing Snape's dark scowl, added, "and very pretty, Lara."
If Lara noted the faux pas, she did not let on, only patted his hand.. "Thank you, Martin. You look very nice yourself."
As the band struck up a mellow tune, Severus stood and reached for Lara's hand, but she remained frozen in her seat, her face flushed.
"If you don't let me hold you in my arms on the dance floor, I will have to embarrass you and set you in my lap," he bent down and whispered in her ear. "I can't leave my hands off of you for another second."
She smiled then and arose, following him onto the floor. At first he held her at a respectable distance, but soon, not being able to help himself, pulled her tightly into his arms, his cheek next to hers, his breath in her ear.
He heard the raucous giggle as they glided past the table and at first thought nothing of it, until he saw the face of the blond haired boy who pointed at Lara and poked his fist into the arm of the gum chewer next to him. The boy then cupped his hands to his mouth and mocked the sound of a howling dog, laughing once again. In the din of the ballroom, no one but Snape had observed this extreme rudeness, and his eyes blackened. He drew in his breath and imperceptibly nodded his head.
The boy suddenly shot up out of his chair and started to scream in a voice that much resembled that of a chipmunk: "I AM A BASSETT HOUND. LOOK AT MY BEAUTIFUL BLUE BALLS!" emitting a wailing howl and jumping on his chair to do a tap dance.
All heads turned in his direction, and a few voices were heard to snort, "Drunk," and "Completely pissed, he is."
Two men approached the blond headed teenager and his friend, and led them out of the ballroom, hands firmly gripping them by the shoulders.
"That was interesting," Lara looked up at Severus as the dance ended. "I've never known Sam to be drunk, although he can be a handful," she shrugged. "Poor boy, I hope that he doesn't have a terrible hangover in the morning."
"Yes, we can only hope," Snape led her back to the chair, a smirk on his lips. "But he probably will."
"Mr. Snape," a voice drawled in his ear as he seated himself. "Don't get too comfortable, because I'm hoping that you will save a dance for me."
He looked up into the face of Loretta Venson and recoiled somewhat, wincing at the turquoise blue eye shadow and the overbearing perfume wafting in his direction.
"I thought that this would be the perfect opportunity for us to get to know each other," she continued, completely dismissing Lara's presence.
Lara shrunk just a bit in her chair and seemed to disappear from view.
Is this what they have done to her throughout her life? Snape thought. Treated her as though she is invisible, or an object to be blatantly ignored.
"How kind of you, Miss Venson," Snape gave her a cold smile. "Yes, of course, a dance…," he paused, "but you have something on your cheek. Just there," he pointed to the black beauty mark, darkly penciled in.
"Oh, this?" she showed a row of large protruding teeth as she gave him a smile. "This is a natural beauty mark."
As she touched it, however, it grew into a very large, dark wart.
"Loretta, you really should have that looked at," Martin was suddenly taken aback by the gross and hideous lesion.
"Why, it's nothing, I've had it my entire life," she continued the smile, but it quivered slightly as her finger felt what was now the large and warty growth that was rapidly spreading across the better part of her cheek.
She rummaged through her purse, brought out a small mirror and held it to her face. The shriek could be heard throughout the hall, along with the sounds of her clattering heels running to the exit.
"What do you suppose has caused that?" Martin gazed up at Snape.
"Spattergroit," Severus mumbled into his drink. "But it should be gone in a month or so."
"Interesting," Martin scratched his chin. "A new disease I've never heard of, but then again, so many things popping up these days. Things passed on by monkeys and pigs and birds. I really have to start reading my journals more religiously."
"Mm," Severus merely nodded, then turned to face Lara. "I think we should dance," he kissed her fingertips lovingly.
"I'm afraid that we will have to wait now. They are collecting the ballots for Snow Queen, and the music won't continue until after the collection," she watched as several men came around and distributed white cards and pencils. "I used to work the ball serving at the punch table, and it is the tradition for each man to write in the name of one of the single women in the audience."
Severus took a card that was handed to him, as they were to all the gentlemen in the room. He quickly scribbled something on it, folded it and put it in the wicker basket that followed.
She eyed him with a grin. "Well, whoever counts that ballot will be sure to get a good laugh," she squeezed his hand, "and forever after I can say that I was at least lucky enough to… "
"You can't say anything," he grinned back at her. "You don't know what I wrote on that card."
"Of course I don't, but I have a pretty good idea. Like they say in show business, it's an honor just to be nominated," her pretty green eyes sparkled.
He stood and held his hand out to her, once again hearing the orchestra striking up a song. He kissed her neck and murmured in her ear, things that made her laugh and blush at the same time. They were completely unaware and disinterested in any of the other couples around them, despite the whispers and the stares from every direction.
As the music ended, a drum roll sounded, and all eyes were on the stage.
"Ladies and Gentlemen, with a nearly unanimous vote," the M.C. shook his head in obvious disbelief, then quickly regained his composure, "this year's Snow Queen is…," again the drum roll, "Lara Wellington."
A gasp was heard from the audience, followed by several chuckles, then outright laughter.
Lara's face reddened deeply and she turned to Severus. "Please, take me home," she begged.
Regret and anger at his own impulsive action ripped through him, and he let out a low and feral growl. From his suit coat he pulled out his wand, pointed it at the audience of people, and within seconds plates and platters and glasses of blood red wine covered and drenched them. Screams of fright followed, as men and women attempted to run to the door, slipping and sliding and falling in the puddles and the globs of cheese dips and greasy gravies. Some grasped out for the window curtains, tearing them from their brackets. A large man slid feet first into the small bleachers that held the orchestra members, toppling drums and bass violins. A trumpet clanged across the floor and tripped up a shrieking woman, who Snape noticed with some pleasure, had been the first to let out the laugh that had triggered his anger.
Lara stood very still, both of her small hands covering her mouth, her eyes wide in disbelief.
"Do you trust me?" he spoke loudly above the din.
"I… I… "
"DO YOU TRUST ME?" he shouted.
She caught his look, glanced around briefly, then nodded her head.
With that, he took her hand tightly in his own. "Take a deep breath and brace yourself," he commanded, and in the blink of an eye, they both vanished from sight.
The air was torn from her lungs and she thought she might be sick, but his hand remained curled around hers and she willed herself to ignore the panic in her stomach.
When the motion finally stopped, he wrapped her in his arms and held her tightly until she stopped shivering. When she finally opened her eyes, he kissed her softly and stepped aside so that she could see where she stood.
Before her rose a magnificent castle, it's tiers and spires stretching far up into the darkness of the night.
"Where are we?" her voice trembled.
"Home," he said. "We're home."