Severus

It was like he was forced through a tight rubber tube, then his feet slammed into a thin tarred road. A cityscape of somber theatricality surrounded him. Crags and hills surrounded tall buildings and spires of dark stone towered above the wet street.

Ah, Edinburgh?

Severus looked up, the Graves Bed and Breakfast was wedged between two empty apartment blocks at the dead-end of an alley-like street. Rain pattered against his cloak and slipped past the lip of the hood, falling into his eyes. He kept his hands balled in his pockets, wand ready.

It was the same image the Oculus potion had shown him earlier. The wind toyed with the once-grand sign above a deep-set door. The building seemed to have known better days. Its paneled facade was peeling in most places and the windows were small and dark, most curtains drawn. The success of his first ever blood tracking potion, which was written to be notoriously difficult, was overshadowed by his expectation of the full spectrum of unpleasantness that was sure to ensue soon.

Severus brushed rain from his face and pushed into the door. A bell announced his entry somewhere in the warm darkness. He wiped his boots on a particularly weary doormat. The reception desk was manned by a young Muggle with an earring and scraggly brown beard. Severus removed his travel cloak, trying to limit the dripping water to the welcome mat.

The room was low-ceilinged and small, lit by a single lamp on the desk.

Severus stepped into the light.

'Greetings,' the innkeeper said, eyeing him up and down.

'Afternoon,' Severus answered, trying to smile. But by the look on the man's face, he must have failed miserably.

'I'm looking for a woman. Green eyes. Scar,' he indicated to his forehead by way of explanation.

'Oh. Yeah,' he gestured to a dark stairwell. 'Room four. I can let her know—'

'Imperio.'

Severus put the man fall asleep in his chair before making his way toward the stairs. He did not use his wand as a light source and thus ascended slowly and silently.

He reached the landing and made his way down the corridor. Room four was marked with a brass numeral. He took a moment to compose himself ere knocking.

The sound of his two sharp raps carried uncomfortably down the hall.

A shuffling inside and then the door opened to reveal the green-eyed witch. His heart leaped at the sight of her.

'Holly—' he began desperately, fighting to keep his voice low.

'I told you to stay away,' she hissed, closing the door in his face.

Severus caught it with a boot.

'I wish to speak with you,' he said firmly.

Her eyes narrowed to slits.

'Five minutes,' she ground out, letting go of the door and marching inside. Severus entered quietly behind her. The door clicked closed. They were alone.

A small wood stove heat the room near a quarter bed, which bore a colourful quilt and a scattering of books. Holly's Firebolt stuck out from underneath it. The ancient wooden floors were covered by a few loosely woven carpets. The curtains were only slightly open, letting the dim light into the small room and illuminating a seat by the boxed window. It smelled a bit of his grandmother's house, but Holly's scent was almost as prominent. Jasmine and lemon.

She hovered by the window with folded arms, eyes burning holes through him. She wore a simple black dress reaching her ankles and white socks. Her hair was pulled into a long tail, showing more of her face than was usually visible. She really did have a spectacular jawline. In the shadow of her anger, she was even more beautiful. Those familiar eyes, alight as if with fire.

'Holly,' Severus repeated, forcing down his ill-timed desire, 'What were you thinking—'

'I'm said I'm fine,' Holly spat, expression flashing with fury. 'You shouldn't have come here.' She faltered, 'You—you're just one more thing Voldemort can use against me.'

He winced at the name so casually spoken.

Straight to the point then.

Severus walked the length of the room, performing a few warding spells to protect against potential intruders and eavesdroppers. She watched his progression with great irritation.

He stepped back to stand in front of an amateur seascape oil painting next to the door, pocketing his wand. 'I made a promise to aid you,' he said, crossing his arms.

'I knew you'd make this difficult,' Holly sniffed. 'What do I need to do to make you leave? Hurt you? Again? Make you really hate me?' Her voice and eyes were hard and cold. For a second, he was reminded of his childhood. Parents fighting. Hateful memories never visited voluntarily. Memories he would have preferred to abandon in a Pensieve forever.

'Why this… hostility?' He asked, not taking her bait.

'No one else will get hurt because of me. It's easier that way. Just me and Him. Like it started. I saw that it had to be like that, on Christmas.' Her expression grew more strained, her scar deepening her frown.

'I can still help you,' he begged. 'They think I'm dead… and I may have killed Umbridge in the process,' Severus looked at his hands, horrified.

'You… WHAT? How?' in contrast to him, she laughed. In disbelief or humor, he knew not.

'It will probably make the Prophet tomorrow,' Severus went on, sighing. 'I obliterated my office. Just as you suggested,' he said quietly, drawing closer to her. 'I'm a dead man, either way, Holly. It's too late to turn me away. We have to do this together. Or die trying.'

Up close and looking down on her, she was less frightening. He reached for her hand, but Holly jerked away, hooking his skin with a nail. Her face was a turmoil of conflicting emotions, teeth bared.

'You told them where I am, didn't you?' She accused, stabbing his chest with a finger. Severus seized her finger she'd used, his Dark Mark burning in acknowledgement of her.

'I did no such thing,' he snarled, emotions finally boiling up to match hers.

This witch does not care what I just threw away for her.

'Do you hate me?' Severus found himself asking slowly. 'Don't. Lie.'

She was silent for a while, trying to pull her finger back. He did not let her.

'If I do. Will. You. Let. Me. Go?' She used her other hand to push at his chest. He caught her other hand too, pinning them to her sides with ease. Her wand clattered to the floor.

'Let me go.'

'Say you hate me.'

When she did not reply, he matched his body to hers and ducked down to kiss her hard. It was a mistake. He knew it was. But he grabbed her anyway, pulling her into a rough, tight embrace and pressing his mouth to hers, unable to contain himself. His mind screamed at him. But a part of him wanted to do this for weeks. The taste of her - the smell of her, the warmth of her pressed against him - was too sweet. For a moment, her proximity banished everything. He couldn't remember the shame at forging his death and abandoning his post. He could only think of her. Beautiful, delicate yet strong at once. He clung to her, something he could hold on to as the rest of the world churned around him. After a few seconds of pure bliss, she turned her head sharply, breaking their lips apart.

Severus growled, spinning her around and forcing her against the seat of the box window. She exclaimed in surprise and clutched at the wooden lip as he bundled her dress around her hips.

He bent her over, one hand gripping her hair and the other pulling her knickers to the side. Her knees shook when he nudged them apart and brushed a shaking finger between her thighs. She was dripping wet.

'You don't hate me at all,' he murmured against her ear. 'do you, witch?' He emphasised the question by tugging her long black tail backwards and smacking her arse. Hard. And again. Until his handprint reddened her milky skin.

She yelped, head turning to the side, opening her mouth wide. He slid a finger to her slit, drawing a whimper from her and relishing the way she tightened and squirmed under his touch.

'Tell me to stop,' he whispered, pressed against her and waiting for a response with a hammering heart.

'Don't…' she gasped, cheeks pink and eyes rolling back.

'That's what I thought,' he said, bending over and licking her arse. It was hot and pulsating where he hit her. Severus spread her cheeks and began trailing his tongue around her sweet hole. She tasted sweet, with a metallic aftertaste. She moaned in a way that compelled him to straighten and free his hard cock with one hand, while penetrating her with two fingers in preperation. The sight of her had him ready to come at once. He kept his thumb moving on her nub. Severus pressed the side of his face to hers, breathing in her scent like oxygen. She was biting her lip to keep from screaming.

'Let it out. No one can hear you now.'

Holly did. Howling and arching her back as he pushed himself into her. Severus delighted in the animalistic sound. He groaned at the sensation of being inside her again and whipped his cloak away to get a better view of her backside as he mounted her with zeal.

'I'm coming,' she gasped after a few strokes, her body going rigid. He used her aggressively still, careless of her orgasm. He wanted more, but at the same time he was too close to the edge.

More.

Severus pulled out, watching her pussy spasming and shoving his cock into her tight arse. Holly screamed in pain and pleasure, tensing around him as he emptied himself with a grunt.

The world stilled around them. He swore and stumbled back from her staggered form, bent over the narrow seat and hanging onto the floral curtains.

'Forgive me,' he whispered, flicking his wand to clean her up and tucking himself away. 'That… was very wrong of me. I will take my leave.' He stumbled back to the door, breathing hard.

'Stay,' she panted, getting up with a whimper and letting her skirt fall over her bruised backside. 'That was— Bloody hell. I don't know what that was,' she hugged herself, shivering. 'You know, Sev…' her green eyes burned into him, searing into his soul. 'You really are the most stubborn wizard I have ever met.'

He cleared his throat and tried to find his tongue to retort. All he could find was another apology, 'I'm sorry,' he murmured, his back meeting the door.

Holly stepped closer, opening her arms to him. Severus hesitated, but met her halfway across the room. He pulled her to him and laid his lips to the crown of her head when she nested into his chest.

'You gave me one hell of a fright, Princess,' he said, thinking of Draco telling him she'd fled the Castle.

'You just gave me one hell of a shag…' she said laughter in her voice, but he was unsure how to feel about it. 'It was too short. But… wow.'

'I hurt you.'

'I'm fine, Sev. I just won't be able to sit for a day or so,' Holly said, holding him as tightly as he held her. 'It was… a weird feeling. Not unpleasant. Very full. I might like it if you warned me first next time.' She paused for a few breaths, and he wished he could know her thoughts. 'But that's beside the point, I had to give you a fright…' she made a choking sound. 'You could have left, you know. You should have. Get out of this thing before—'

'I will never abandon you, Holly Potter.' He pulled away, tilting her chin up with a hooked finger. Sweat curled the fine hair around her face and glued them to her forehead. Her eyes shone with moisture.

Merlin's beard, he thought, she's crying. A small tear ran down her cheek. He had rarely seen her so sincere. And so he kissed her again. He tasted the salt of her tears as they ran down to her lips and met with his.

Eventually, he broke the kiss. She looked up at him, dazed. Guilt flooded him again. He tried to push her away gently, but she clung to him, holding tight.

'Holly,' he said.

She buried her head against his robes, 'Shhh.'

He closed his eyes, 'How can this work?'

'We'll find a way,' she said softly.

Severus took a deep breath and opened his arms, pulling back.

'I will be by your side. Always.'