The light coming out of the window of the bedroom made fireflies gathering there. The sun had long since set and darkness shrouded the outside world.
Severus, after the long sleep felt fresh. The warmth of the blanket woke him. He was already dressed up so the thick blanket just made him sweat. His head rested on the soft pillows and his hand…
He opened his eyes and found Sarah cuddling to him. They slept holding each other.
"What…" He shrank back and he almost woke the girl up.
He remained calm and watched the sleeping beauty. The proximity of her body made him excited. He stroked her face and kissed her lips. He snuggled closer to her and closed his eyes again…
Not much later they both woke up. Sarah blushed when she realized that the man knew she snuggled to him. But a sweet kiss was enough to calm the beauty. They went to the kitchen and looked for something to eat.
"Are these potions so important that you have to hurry with them?"
"I have four days to make them… But not all of them are ready when poured into a bottle. Some of them have to cool a little… I made them first… I only have three more… Those are the easiest ones."
"I'm sorry for you…" The girl stroked his cheek.
"It's not a burden to me… I like doing this…"
"But you won't be making any more today, right?"
Severus shook his head with a smile.
Sarah's eyes gleamed unusually seductively that evening. She attracted Severus' lips like a magnet. The magician pulled the girl to him and they shared the intoxication of the kisses. Longing for air they had to stop for a moment: Severus started kissing the girl's neck making her tremble and sigh. Their hands wandered on the other's body. Their eyes met: both of them had longing for pleasure in them. Severus didn't wait: he lifted the girl and took her to the bedroom all the while kissing her. He laid her on the bed and took off his own shoes.
Both of their heart pounded with excitement. They began getting rid of their clothes.
Severus stroked the girl's hot, tight legs. He managed to unbutton the last button on the girl's shirt and his hands were about to made their way to her breasts but he stopped for a moment.
"Wait…" He whispered. "Wait, you have to know something… I don't expect you to… do this with me out of gratitude." He sighed because the girl's hands were playing with the button of his trousers.
"I feel gratitude too." She muttered. "But I am doing this because… my heart thinks it is right…"
Severus didn't need anything else.
"I love you…"
"I love you too…"
They managed to get rid of the remaining clothes. Severus started playing with the girl's body gently; he kissed her upper body and slowly made his way down. Sarah moaned loudly, smiled at the ceiling and clutched the sheets. For long minutes they just played making them desire each other more and more. Finally Severus lay between the girl's thighs and waited for encouragement. He got it with a shy kiss. They huddled close together and with a quite sigh the two bodies became one…
"Avery." Severus nodded.
In the pouring rain he pulled his cloak over his head but he still was soaking wet.
"These are the potions the Dark Lord asked for." He handed him the basket full of bottles. "They are all labeled. Take care of them!"
The man nodded silently.
"The Dark Lord won't forget your faithful service."
The nodded silently and apparated.
Sarah was waiting for Severus at home.
"Did you give them to him? Come, you're soaking wet!"
After she freed the man from his wet clothes she wrapped towels around the shivering body.
"Yes, and I hope I won't have to make anything in the near future…" Severus sighed. "These are horrible poisons; I don't even want to know what he will do with them."
Sarah didn't say anything.
"You hate me now, right? You hate me because I give him a weapon!"
"I don't hate you… you know that. I love you and I'm scared for you… scared that you might get captured and made responsible for these."
"How can such an innocent woman love such an evil man?" The man asked with a smile.
"You are not evil. You are a good man… you deserve to be loved…"
She cuddled closer to warm him up. They kissed and desired each other like every young couple did…
Weeks went by peacefully. The weather became more and more cold by the day; however the mood in the Snape house was far from cold. The young couple took every opportunity to satisfy their lust.
Severus enjoyed the peaceful happy moments – because he had never had the opportunity to laugh freely before. The girl managed to turn not only the house but the lord of the house too upside down. He left his sullen, serious self behind. He didn't even think about sending the Muggle away, in fact, he jokingly threatened to chain her to him like some do to their house-elves if she tried escape from him.
He felt his love for the woman getting stronger.
One night they were lazily lying on each other after making love. Severus stroked the girl's back while staring wistfully at the flames in the fireplace.
"What are you thinking about?" Sarah asked softly.
"I was just thinking that… I don't want you to ever leave… I want you to stay here with me forever."
The girl sat up and looked at him mischievously.
"Is this a… marriage proposal?"
"You can say that…" He smiled. He sat up and became serious then took the girl's hand. "Dear Miss. Sarah Sampson, my only love." He started but the girl barely could stop without a chuckle. "Will you marry me?"
"Yes!" The girl yelled. "I would marry you anytime but you have to ask my father too. I suggest you to wear proper clothes." She stroked the man's naked upper body and her hands slid down playfully.
Severus frowned.
"Your father?" He asked a little anxiously. "You mean I have to ask you hand from your father?"
"Don't wizard do this?"
"Yes, b-but… your father is a Muggle and I'm…"
"We are not allowed to tell him? Is there a law in the wizarding world against it?"
"No there isn't any. If a wizard or a witch marries a Muggle then it is wise to tell the family about it…"
"But you're afraid."
"Yes, I'm afraid. How do you think they would react?"
Sarah couldn't hide the doubt she felt.
"I think it will be a difficult conversation. But they love me so they will agree." She sat closer to him. "I love you so much I would marry you here right now. But my mother always told me how much she wants to see her little girl in her wedding dress. I don't want to stand before the alter without her standing next to me… Do you get married in churches too?" She frowned.
"Of course. Why?"
"Well, you know… the Church has been hunting witches…"
Severus smiled.
"All right, we'll go to your parents." He kissed the girl.
"Don't worry." Sarah said while crossing a road.
Severus rarely visited the Muggle world so he found the cities very frightening. The cars and their honks scared him. He squeezed the girl's hand so hard it turned blue.
There were people everywhere: going to work or to school.
"We arrived in the morning crowd." Sarah said when they arrived to the railway station.
"What is this?" Her lover asked quietly, staring at the rails.
"Public transport. It's powered by electricity and it takes a bunch of people from one place to another."
Severus looked around. People were everywhere with bags and food and coffee. School girls were standing in small groups watching other people, and boys were smoking nervously. He looked at the punks with horror. They had tattoos everywhere with chains, bright makeup and with their scowl they successfully kept everyone away from them.
"Why do they wear those barbed colts?" He asked.
"I don't know. I think it's just decoration." The girl shrugged.
"Oh my God!" Severus whispered, making Sarah smile.
The approaching train honked and the loudspeaker warned everyone to step back.
The magician jumped like he was shot with electricity. Sarah just giggled.
"You see, how different it is?"
"Now I can believe how afraid you must have been when you came to my place." He muttered. "After this, I just hope everything will go smoothly…"
They had to press together on the train and the wizard started to get sick of all the people.
"Come, we take off here." The girl stroked his hand.
When they left the underpass a much quieter and friendlier place welcomed them. The street was narrow and just a few cars were parking there. Big, white houses stood next to each other with dark-leaved trees in front of them.
"You live here?" Severus looked at one of the houses in surprise. "It's beautiful…"
"Come!" Sarah took his hand.
They walked up the stairs.
"This is it. I hope they are home…"
"What if they won't allow it?" Severus asked.
"Then I will say what women say in the movies: that I'm pregnant…"
"Wait!" The man pulled her back. "Don't joke with this! I really do want kids!"
"R-really?" Sarah's face softened. "Oh Severus, I love you so much!"
They embraced happily.
"Let's go in, okay?" The girl sniffed.
She was reaching for the doorknob when the door opened and a young man in trousers wanted to come out. They all froze for a minute. The man dropped the umbrella he was holding and his eyes filled with tears.
"S-s-s-… SARAH!" He threw himself at the girl.
Severus recoiled.
"You're here! God, we thought you died! You're alive! I'm so happy! Mom! DAD!" He shouted. "Come here! Sarah's here! My dear sister came home!"
"Hey, hey, hey, Patrick! Let me breathe, okay?" She stroked the boy's head. "Patrick! Calm down! And don't disturb the entire area, if possible. Let's go in, I want to introduce someone very important."
All three of them entered the hall. Severus found the place very beautiful.
While Sarah closed the door Patrick looked at the man with narrowed eyes. This was mutual, although Severus did it to hide his nervousness.
The parents rushed from the kitchen and started crying when they saw their daughter. They were hugging for minutes and Severus was watching them.
"Mom, mom, don't cry! Wait, let me introduce someone!" Sarah wiped her eyes. "Come here, Severus!" She took the man's hand. "Mom, dad, Patrick, let me introduce you to my fiancé, Severus Snape!"
Stunned silence fell on the living room.
"But honey…" Her mother said.
"Mom, let me explain! Severus saved my life, healed me and we… fell in love." They looked at each other. "I've been staying with him ever since then…"
The woman's face softened and cried happily. She stretched out her arms and hugged the young man.
"Oh, God bless you! You saved our little Sarah! Thank you!"
Severus couldn't say anything but hugged the woman with a smile. The father, seeing the woman's actions, stepped closer and shook the young man's hand and thanked him too.
"It's nothing. You don't have to thank me."
"Severus Snape…" Patrick muttered quietly. "What kind of name is it?"
The young couple glanced at each other.
"Mom, I think you should sit down.
They all sat down and Sarah looked at Severus who cleared his throat and began speaking.
"Mr. and Mrs. Sampson, have you ever hear of a different world… separate from yours… where wizards and witched live?" He said finally.
The old couple's eyes widened in horror.
"What… what do you mean?"
"I… came from a family of wizards… I am a wizard."
Screaming, praying to God and shouting were the response. Severus bit his lip and looked at his lover with a sour expression.
"Devil!" Mr. Sampson shouted and took the shotgun from above the fireplace where the trophies were and pointed at Severus. "Get out of my house!"
"P-please, Mr. Sampson, calm down!" The magician begged.
"You tainted my daughter, you damned devil!"
"Dad, put the gun down!"
"Oh, Jesus, help us!" The mother cried.
"Dad, wait, he might be a good guy!"
"Mr. Sampson, put the gun down!"
But the man fired. He seemed to have used it a long time ago because the gun threw him. He fell and the shot missed. It hit the ceiling.
"Your father wanted to shoot me!" Severus shouted at Sarah.
"God, drive the devil out of our house!" Mrs. Sampson prayed with a cross in her hands.
"Take the weapon from dad, Patrick!"
The whole room was filled with white dust. Everybody coughed and choked. When the air became a little clear total chaos ruled the room. The father was still sitting in front of the fireplace, the mother was hiding behind the couch, Patrick was sitting on the windowsill awkwardly clutching the rifle and Sarah…
Sarah was sitting on the couch crying. Severus was very angry because of the fuss these Muggles made, but when he saw the girl his heart sank.
"I just… can't believe you… How can you behave like this? We… we came to you... because I didn't want to get married without my father's blessing and my mother seeing me in my wedding dress… so I persuaded Severus to come and he agreed… though he knew this would happen… though this is not his world, and he was afraid of everything… And he still came because of me… And you behaved horribly!" She said angrily. "You shamed all decent people! I'm ashamed of your behavior! I wish I never came ba…"
But Severus knelt in front of her and put his finger on her lips.
"SSShhh!" He said, stroked her back, wiped the tears from her face then kissed her forehead and her lips. "It's okay…"
They embraced and comforted each other, despite the fact that the living room was half ruined.
Patrick put the gun down.
"Look dad… and mom you too… Why… why don't you give a chance to him to prove himself… he might be a good man… despite the fact that he is… a wizard…"
The young couple looked at him gratefully and the man gave them a reassuring grin and winked. Mr. Sampson stood up and his wife looked at her daughter with pity.
"Oh, honey…" She sniffed,
"Can we sleep here or should we go straight back home?" Sarah asked irritably.
"Of course you can stay… both of you." Her father said. "Your room… is still there. We left everything the way you left it…"
Sarah stood up, took her lover's hand and walked up the stairs ignoring her wondering family. When she closed the door behind them she started crying again.
She threw herself on the bed and cried into the pillow. Severus sat next to her silently and began rubbing her back.
"It… it could have been worse." He tried to smile.
"But… how? If the bullet had hit you?"
The man grinned and lay down beside her.
"I don't care if your parents don't like me… I think my own parents don't love me either." He said wryly. "As long as you love me, I don't need anything else…"
Sarah turned around the bed and looked into his eyes.
"I love you so much."
"I love you too."
They cuddled closer and talked softly…