A/N: Oh me, Oh my. Read and Review darlings.

Chapter 3. I only have the next chapter written halfway. XP So it might be a bit... I love you. You inspire me with your reviews... Not just subscriptions... hint hint

As a king in his own right, Hades was unaccustomed to not getting what he wanted. Over time, he had developed an uncanny knack for manipulation by remaining impassive on the outside. Of course many saw this as an evil thing for a god to have, but others, such as Ares, saw it as a powerful tool in an ally and was one of the Lord or the Underworld's few friends. Hades himself considered it one of his better points.

Currently, the darker god was striding through an immense white marble hall filled with pillars. In between the columns, there were pedestals with various unique trophies on them. Unlike the other gods' trophy rooms however, for they all had their own secret stashes of memories, Hades collected beauty rather than the heads of beasts. There were several sculptures and a few murals, pottery, and a single crystal flower suspended a few inches in the air above the marble.

Making his way deeper into the room, Hades carefully set his Helm of Invisibility back onto it's proper pedestal. He stared at it for a moment, the gleaming gold reflected him back to her golden glow in the water. Clenching his fists, he whirled around and stormed towards the throne room.

Sitting slowly down on his throne calm and collected, inside his thoughts were wild over a certain goddess whose womanly attributes alongside her innocent curiosity were causing him to lose control. He wanted her, he knew they were connected, and he couldn't understand why she would deny him and herself.

Her purpose as a goddess was life. He ruled the dead. They were nearly perfect opposites, but it was an even more perfect fit. Her purity soothed his soul and made him feel complete when he touched her. Her smile, or the way she looked at him... Tartatus, her eyes alone made him react. He had wanted women before. He had had women before. This was different, unnameable. And it fascinated him to no end.

Allowing himself a scowl, he stood and began to stride through the halls in his black boots, glaring at anything that crossed his path.

So was the frustration of the Lord of the Underworld.

Rising with the sun, the lord of the Underworld's frustration got up and went to the table at the far side of the temple's small room and gazed her reflection in the round bowl of fresh water that rested on the table's surface. Though she had slept through the night, she did not feel particularly well rested. Persephone's eyes were slightly haunted and her hair refused to lay straight, instead curling and waving around wildly. She splashed water on her face to try and once more wash away the memory of him. This time it was to no avail.

Dressing herself in a fresh white dress, this one had two square pockets, one on each hip, and had slightly longer sleeves, Persephone went out into the larger room under the statue in the temple.

Demeter was already up and had left a piece of warm bread and some berries on a plate on the table, along with a piece of parchment. It listed a few chores for Persephone and a note about where Demeter would be all day, in the Orchards of the Gods giving her blessings to the trees. Persephone noticed with a smile that her mother had left her the pomegranate orchard south of all the other orchards to bless. They were her favorite fruit, not for any reason but that they fascinated her. Tiny seeds with minuscule juices, a thousand flavors in a single taste. Not sweet or bitter, not sugary or tart. Perfect.

Most of her chores were located back at their cottage near Olympus, so she magicked herself there and followed a side path to the cabin. Persephone was oddly not surprised to find a white stag waiting for her at the door to the small house. Around it's neck on a silver beaded cord was a roll of parchment. It was a note from Artemis. Feeding the stag a few berries from a bowl just inside the house, Persephone quickly scanned the message. Nothing. Apollo had seen nothing unusual near the woods, Artemis said that he didn't see her either, and that he knew of no clearing like the one she had described. Persephone was unhappy that he hadn't seen the intruder, and although disturbed that the clearing was not one he knew of, she was privately glad he hadn't seen her bathing. So she told herself she'd try to let the issue drop, she was very stressed yesterday after all.

Persephone saved the pomegranate orchard for last, completing her other tasks quickly, even though her mind was half unfocused. Constantly reflecting on the intrigue of a certain god. She would mumble things to herself about being stupid and obsessed for nothing. But she could not stop.

It was just after midday when Persephone arrived at the orchard. It smelled lovely. It was not a huge orchard, for merely a hundred trees would serve the gods for a year, and as they were blessed, they produced more than most trees.

While Demeter's blessing involved only a touch or glance, Persephone's blessings were more intimate. Like the tree in the forest, she would wrap her arms around the trunk of each fruit giving tree and it would glow for a moment and hum. Blessed. Pulling a piece of twine from the pocket in her dress, she swept her hair up onto her head and tied it there securely. Barefoot as always, she began with the row to the far left and with the first tree, setting up a system: caress and bless, caress and bless.

Halfway through the trees, a shadow seemed to pass over the sun, although it was a cloudy day, it was suddenly too dark for a normal cloud. Looking up, Persephone shivered, it wasn't a cloud so much as a screen of grey that coated the sky. Suddenly, she straightened. An odd tingle went from her neck to her center, making her muscles clench. She didn't want to turn around.

He was there.

Slowly she turned around. Her summery sky eyes met his black ones and neither god or goddess moved as they took each other in. He still wore his black robes, and he had his arms folded across his chest. This was all that was needed to complete his intimidating, powerful look.

Persephone tried, and subsequently failed to hide a shiver. Her hair had loosened a bit and several wisps hung around her face. Her cheeks had turned pink from the heat and she had a bit of mud smudged on her cheek.

Hades resisted the fleeting urge to stick her on one of his pedestals just like that. She was a perfect image of beauty to him.

"Good afternoon, Persephone." Her eyes narrowed slightly.

"What do you want?" She asked, her voice was much softer and shakier than she had intended. Dammit.

"Why, Persephone, I simply came by to inquire after your health and well-being." He took a step towards her, smirking slightly.

She hastily took two steps back, the distance was roughly equal to the single step he had taken, as she was much smaller than him. "I'm fine. And I have work to do." He scowled for a second but then it was gone.

"I see. May I be of any assistance, Persephone?"

"Stop saying that!" She hissed suddenly, her skin flushed. He began to take slow, steady steps forward and she, in turn, began to move backwards.

"Saying what, Persephone?" Her eyes flashed.

"My name! Stop saying my name?"

"But why? You hardly use mine, I am pressed to make up for your neglect." She gaped for a moment then bit her lip to close her mouth.

"Go away." Step.

"And if I say no?" Step.

"Then I'll go." Step.

"And if I stop you?" Step.

"You wouldn't dare." He chuckled and she realized he had backed her up against a tree and was now only a few feet away from her, and closing the remaining distance rapidly.

With a small, ironic smile he growled, "It is unwise to test me when it comes to your lovely self, my lady." One of her hands moved to hold herself steady against the trunk of the fruit tree.

"And why's that?" Damn, she hadn't mean to say that. What was wrong with her, she should be running. He hadn't trapped her completely... yet.

He fought not to grin at her question. "I believe we've already covered this, my dear, we are connected and... I desire you." She blinked. Then, not knowing what else to do, she began to giggle.

He stopped his movement towards her. She laughed harder at his expression. "And what, may I inquire, is so hysterically amusing?"

The curvy, and nervy little goddess gasped for breath. "Y-you a-are!" She clutched her stomach and nearly doubled over. "This whole s-situation is r-ridi-c-culous!" She gasped the words, now nearly howling with hysterical giggles. Her hair loosened further and fell from the bun on her head, cascading over her shoulders and down her back softly. The God of the Underworld expression was darkening rapidly. He did not enjoy being laughed at, especially when he was very seriously concerned with a matter.

With a single stride he was pressed against her and held her face between his long fingered hands. Her laughter stopped, and her expression was instantly replaced with a slightly stunned, mesmerized one. Leaning close to her mouth, the tall, dark god hissed, "No, Persephone," He spoke her name like it was an illicit caress, "What is ridiculous is your refusal to acknowledge your own feelings."

Though she could barely breathe with his presence so near her, she managed to gasp, "I feel... nothing for..."

With a suddenly angry growl, he swung her around by her waist and pushed her back against another, slightly larger tree. Her arms were pinned by his grip on her wrists and his knee was against the tree, positioned between her thighs. In an instant her crashed his lips against hers. After the faintest hesitation, she committed the unthinkable. She responded.

On the verge of hysteria, but with aroused need this time, Persephone clutched at his shoulders, pulling him as close as she could. In return, he wrapped one arm around her waist, forcing her onto tiptoe, and placed his other hand around the back of her neck, tilting her head for better access. She was like sweet wine, intoxicating and ripe, while he tasted like barely sweetened cocoa, dark and mysterious, with the promise of sugar.

With a groan he pulled away, causing her to emit a tiny whimper in the back of her throat. She was deaf to it, but it struck a chord in him. A tiny victory. "That... was nothing?" He mocked lightly.

She could do nothing in that moment but stare, dazed, into his dark eyes, which now seemed to glow they were so dark with passion. Pressing his lips to hers once more he gave her a more gentle, chaste kiss than the previous one and pulled away, though he did not release his hands hold on her.

Now standing a foot away from her, Persephone found herself leaning towards him again, wanting contact. He smirked at her behavior. Bastard.

With a tiny shake of her head, as if to clear it, she stepped back, scowling. Her voice was trembling and not nearly as sure as before. "Go away." It sounded like a whimper. His smirk only intensified at her vocal reaction to him.

"You don't sound sure, my lady."

"I-I am." She cursed under her breath at her stutter. Ugh, she was acting like a little girl. "And how dare you treat me like this."

"You responded eagerly enough." His eyes were gleaming.

She looked like she wanted to roar. "Well what did you expect? But it doesn't matter. I said no and I meant it. You have no right to override my authority over my own body." She was nearly shaking with anger. Even her anger at her own reaction to him was now focused on him instead.

His smirk faded and he stepped back. His tone was so low when he spoke that she had to fight to hear him. "I would never force you to do anything that you did not wish. But your denial of your own feelings astounds me like nothing save your own beauty." He straightened and spoke clearer on his next phrase, "Very well, Persephone. I shall make no more advances towards you unless you imply that they are welcome."

"In words."

"In words." He agreed.

She snorted. "That will never happen." He seemed to smile, though it resembled more of a smirk than a smile.

"Never say never, dearest." With a fluid movement away from her and one last glance, he was gone.

Hugging her arms around her, she looked at her feet, furrowing her eyebrows as she bit her lip again. Remembering his taste. Softly she murmured, quite petulantly, "...never."

A/N: painting my nails in rainbow strips with a glitter overlay while typing gingerly I keep feeling like I'm missing something here. Like I'm gonna end up slapping myself halfway through this... Oh well. Also, I'm almost at a standstill with H/P fics, so I need to keep it different. Don't expect lovey dovey... it's a rocky road when one person clings to denial. XP