"What were you thinking? Have you lost your mind?"

Dumbledore yelled at him furiously, and Snape did not interrupt him. He understood that the situation was complicated to explain, and if he was honest with himself, he had to admit that it had all been his fault.

He couldn't have been more of an idiot. After weeks of careful preparation and dissimulation, his secret had been discovered by the most stupid of carelessness.

The night before, he had not dared to leave the Lady alone, for fear that she would be discovered by Alecto or one of the professors in the middle of her episode of distress.

They must preserve her reputation as a cold and unflappable witch at all costs, so Snape had led her to his own quarters in the dungeons, so that she could calm down away from prying eyes.

But the Lady was very affected by what had happened, and had cried until she fell asleep, hugging his chest. Shortly after, he too had dozed off, without letting go of her. It had been a long day, and they had barely managed to take off their shoes.

But Dumbledore had barged in without warning, and found them cuddling in bed, automatically assuming the worst, and now Snape was in the headmaster's office, trying to talk to him.

"Dumbledore, you should listen to me," he implored, trying to keep his voice calm.

"What for? You have clearly allied yourself with her. I trusted you!" Dumbledore glared angrily at him with his blue eyes. "What is your plan behind all this? Do you crave power that much? Do you think seducing Voldemort's daughter will make you his favorite again?"

"Dumbledore..." Snape took a deep breath, knowing he couldn't lie or give vague excuses. At that moment, the only thing he could do was confess the truth. "She is my wife."

Dumbledore looked at him in silence, not believing his ears. He seemed to be totally petrified. Slowly, he lowered himself into his chair, without taking his eyes off the professor.

"Your wife," he repeated, astonished.

"The Dark Lord does not know."

"Since when?"

"Eight years."

Dumbledore stiffened at that.

"Then you lied to me," he accused him. "You told me you hadn't found her. You said all clues about her whereabouts were false."

"I did not lie. I was looking for the Lady, the heiress of the Dark Lord. The woman I found was someone else," Dumbledore looked at him in disbelief, and Snape felt he had to continue with his explanation. "She had changed. She lived as a muggle; she had disowned her father and her magic and left it all behind. She would never have contacted the wizarding world if it hadn't been for me," Dumbledore did not miss the hint of regret he detected in his voice.

"You could have told me."

"I swore that I would not reveal her identity. If the Dark Lord found out what she had done, he would kill her."

"I do not make deals with lord Voldemort," Dumbledore reminded him, his voice dangerously icy.

"But you would have involved the Order, and maybe the Ministry would have found about her and... By Merlin! Even I don't know why I kept the secret. But I did it and–"

"Do you love her?" Dumbledore interrupted, staring at him. Surprised, Snape hesitated.

"If I didn't, you wouldn't have found us like you did."

Dumbledore continued studying him over his half-moon glasses.

"How do you know she's not lying to you? She could be manipulating you to fight for her. How can you trust her?"

"Dumbledore, she could have betrayed me to the Dark Lord and she hasn't. She knows the truth about me, she has known since the First War, and she has never said anything."

"And yet, today she let Vaitiare blame you for the disappearance of the students."

"Of course she did, do you think I don't know? She's just doing her job," Snape faced him, starting to get angry. "I don't understand Dumbledore. You pride yourself on giving everyone a second chance. You have done it for me, you have always trusted me, despite my past. Believe me when I tell you that we can trust her."

"I trust those who tell me the truth," Dumbledore narrowed his eyes. "And the only truth I know about her is that she is Voldemort's daughter."

"She is not at his service. It's all a pantomime."

"But she has returned to his side."

"Because she had no other option! The Dark Lord knew that there was another Parseltongue speaker in the country, he would have found her anyway. If she had waited for him to force her back, she couldn't have made him trust her like he does now."

"I think you are delusional, Severus. I never thought you would let yourself be carried away by your feelings like this, after all this time. Haven't you learned anything?" he ruled, earning a furious look from the professor. "Anyway, back to the matter that led me to look for you in your room... I know that you have found the missing elf."

"How do you know?"

"A ghost told me," he lied. "Was the house-elf captured by the runes? And if so, how did you know where to find her?"

Snape weighed his words before responding.

"The Lady sent Win to investigate the disappearances that have occurred outside of Hogwarts because she believed they could also be related to the runes. I only searched near the area where the elf was investigating before we lost contact with her."

"Why did she die?"

"I don't know that," for the first time, Snape looked disconcerted. "The elf looked very old and weak. It reminded me of what happened to the Lady the day she was trapped by the rune. I think... something took away all her strength and energy. I don't know what could have done that, it's like nothing I've ever seen before."

"And are you sure that Voldemort has nothing to do with it?"

"You have my word, Dumbledore. This is a different enemy."

"And what about Vaitiare? Have you found out anything else about her?"

"We still do not have conclusive information. The Dark Lord claims that she is at his service, but the Lady and I think that this is not the case, and that the veela has her own interests. But we still can't prove it."

Dumbledore clasped his hands in front of him, thoughtful. He was still angry about the secrets and lies of his most valued spy, but his curiosity was also very strong.

"Why don't you call her by her name? Isn't she called Hellen?"

Snape shifted uncomfortably, avoiding looking the headmaster in the face.

"It's easier for me to stay in my role this way," he murmured. Dumbledore still didn't take his eyes off him.

"Will you ever tell me the whole truth?"

"What exactly do you expect to hear from me? A romantic novel?"

"I just want the truth, Severus, nothing more."

"The only thing you should know for the moment is that she is here because she has no other option. It is not a mission she likes, but she must obey the Dark Lord's orders so that he does not suspect her. However, she does not wish to harm the students, and will not put them in danger."

Dumbledore nodded slightly. That confirmed the promise the Lady had made him in the infirmary.

"Why haven't you asked me for help? I know you don't want to talk about your private life, but I could have made your mission easier."

"That would have ruined our alibi. You and the other teachers had to fight her, otherwise, it would have been very suspicious. Furthermore, the Lady is not like me, she has not been trained as a spy, and her link with the Dark Lord makes it difficult for her to keep dangerous secrets."

"More dangerous than your relationship?"

Snape narrowed his eyes stiffly.

"That could be explained. As you said, it could very well be an attempt on my part to gain power within the dark side. However, it would be much more complicated to explain that we have reached an agreement with you."

"I understand," Dumbledore leaned his back against the back of his chair. "That's all? Is there nothing else you want to tell me?"

"There is nothing else that is of relevance to you at the moment," Snape replied, locking his eyes with Dumbledore's. The headmaster sighed sadly.

"I hope you are careful, Severus, you are in a very precarious position."

"Do you think I don't know? Let me do my job, and don't even think about talking to anyone about this."

"Don't be afraid, your secret is safe with me. It's not the first time I've hidden something like this."

ooo

From that day on, Severus went every afternoon to heal Hellen, and every night without fail, Win arranged for him to stay for dinner.

Hellen had no choice but to get used to it. After all, he was putting a lot of effort into perfecting potions and healing spells, and the death eater wasn't so unpleasant once she learned his quirks.

Sometimes they had to wait until the ointments were absorbed and the spells needed to be restored. During those long waiting periods they would go out to the beach and sit on the sand, as the cold night air relieved the stinging of the wound, and despite their initial reluctance, they began to talk.

"So, you decided to live like a muggle to hide," Severus looked at her smugly, as if mocking her. "Has it been a pleasant experience?"

"As pleasant as can be expected," she replied, in a sharp voice.

"I can barely imagine the pleasures that surround you," Severus spoke sardonically, sketching a mocking smile.

"In fact, the most basic pleasures do not need magic. Eating, drinking and..." Hellen controlled herself in time before saying a foul word, "intimate relationships can be done without having to raise a wand," Hellen gave him a mocking look, realizing how surprised he was by her words. The woman smirked when she got no response.

Severus had not expected such a bold response, and for a few seconds he did not know what to say.

Since he had started looking for the Lady, she had only been a target, a piece to achieve something more. He had never thought of her as a human being who had needs and desires. What kind of... relationships would that woman have with the muggles around her?

Since he had found her, he had seen more than once how Hellen flirted without shame with muggle tourists, and he suspected that more than one had been her lover, but until now he had not given it any second thoughts.

In a barely concealed way, he looked at her out of the corner of his eye, noticing her for the first time, beyond the scar and the reputation that preceded her. Hellen had a well-built and curvy body, and her sun-kissed skin was hardly covered by the scant clothing she was wearing.

Following the muggle fashion of the moment, and adapting to the weather conditions, Hellen shamelessly showed her arms, cleavage and back, while her naked legs extended sinuously over the sand. His eyes lingered longer than desired on that part of her anatomy, betraying him.

"What's the matter? Have you never seen bare legs before?" she provoked him, moving her legs flirtatiously. To her surprise, he looked suddenly away, without saying anything, and Hellen thought she saw a light blush on his cheeks.

That reaction surprised and intrigued her in equal measure and gave her an idea about how to torture her reluctant ally.

After all, he had enjoyed terrorizing her, so she didn't see why she wouldn't get a little revenge using her feminine arts.

ooo

The Lady was also worried, and not exactly because of what Dumbledore had seen that morning. That was the least of her problems now.

Win's sudden death weighed on her heart, opening a deep wound that might never heal, but she must suppress any emotion about it at all costs. She couldn't allow herself to show any more signs of weakness at that moment, no matter how much she wanted to lock herself away and cry for her dearest friend.

No, now she had to focus on the news the snakes had brought to her: they had not located any of the missing girls at Hogwarts.

Although she already feared this could happen, the confirmation of her fears had diminished her hopes.

But ready to burn her last trick, she advanced through the corridors until she found the person she was looking for.

"Potter!" she shouted. The boy jumped when he heard her, and those around him automatically moved away from him, as if he had a contagious disease. But the Lady had no time for niceties.

"Have you found anything?" she asked in Parseltongue. Harry identified her nervousness and tried for once not to confront her.

"I haven't seen anything," Harry tried to focus his thoughts on Ginny, to avoid thinking about what he had seen the night before, but the Lady wasn't trying to delve into his mind.

She wrinkled her face in a gesture of helplessness and rage and rested a hand on the base of her neck. Harry watched as a small snake peeked out from under the sleeve of her robes.

"Look for them all over the country," she ordered in Parseltongue. "Don't stop until you have found them."

ooo

The next few days were strange and intense. Severus had to visit Hellen daily, to apply the new potions and repeat the spells.

They always followed the same protocol: she would greet him with some suggestive joke to which he responded with a snort, and Hellen would lie down on the sofa, stretching her shapely legs over the cushions, trying to provoke him.

Severus, however, entered a state of total concentration when he worked. The mixing of the potions had to be done on the spot, and he was always very meticulous with that process. He also took special care when applying the ointment, since the scar area was very irritated and sensitive, but his hands were always careful, and his gestures were gentle and confident.

Curiously, Hellen felt safe under his care, knowing that he was taking it very seriously, and during the long minutes that the treatment lasted, he abandoned his hurtful tone, and she her cheeky responses.

During the long waiting periods between treatments they would go out to the beach and sit on the sand watching the calm sea. And although they still showed some irritability towards each other, they continued talking.

Severus updated her on what was happening in the magical world, and Hellen finally told him how she had ended up on that island so far away from the world she knew. Win watched them from afar, silent and cautious.

It wasn't long until her initial misgivings disappeared, and she dared to leave them alone.

The results of the potions were immediate. The scar became lighter and thinner, and in some places it disappeared, leaving only a thin, elongated, whitish trace.

The eye, however, was much more difficult to treat. The fog that covered it had become clearer, but she still did not regain her sight.

Severus modified his potions and tried new spells, not wanting to give up. This healing exercise was becoming a challenge, and far from getting frustrated, he was especially encouraged by each small progress they made.

Hellen let him experiment, after all, she had nothing to lose, and she was especially aware of how difficult the task was. It was not easy to undo a wound caused by black magic, and for her, the disappearance of the scar was more than enough.

And yet, one day an unexpected miracle occurred.

"I see something."

"What?"

"I have seen something. A small light," Severus had brought the glowing tip of the wand closer to her eye until it almost touched her cornea. "It's very faint and it's very far away, but I see it," Hellen smiled, very happy. "Severus, I see it!"

"Calm down, there is still a lot to do," but he was also smiling. After weeks of trying, they finally had a small victory.

"Win! I see the light!" but the house-elf shook her head. So much fuss over something so small. But at least it was something.

ooo

Ginny and Susan Abbot had approached one of the walls, grouping themselves with the other Hogwarts girls. All their wands had been stolen, but they were trying to remain calm, despite not knowing what was happening.

"And we are in better condition than the muggles," Hermione pointed out. "At least we know about the existence of magic."

Ginny silently agreed with her. Looking around, she noticed the nearest group. They were the girls from the Scottish primary school who had been featured in the newspaper. They were very young, and sat close to each other, crying.

The mysterious men approached the group, causing greater terror. One of them grabbed one of the girls, who was hugging a stuffed seal.

The girl screamed, kicking, and a halo of energy came out of her, hitting the man. He showed no pain, but looked at her curiously, not letting go.

"She's a witch!"

"Fretzu ordered to take the muggles first," another growled, after observing the incident. The girl was pushed to the side, and the man grabbed one of her classmates. That time, there was no display of magic to save her.

"They can't take her," Ginny growled, standing up.

"Stop, what are you doing?"

But Ginny had already advanced to them and was reaching out with her hands to grab the captive girl. One of the men hit her without looking at her, and the impact was so hard that Ginny was thrown backwards, tripping and falling to the ground.

"Do not move!"

Susan ran to help her, while Ginny caught her breath. When she finally managed to sit up, the captors had left the room, taking the girl with them.

ooo

Severus had to return to England for the school year, but he continued to send the potions to Hellen.

Slowly, she was able to see shadows, shapes, and finally colors. At six months, Hellen could make out a blurry world around her. At nine months, the level of sharpness was much greater, and she could try to use both eyes at the same time.

Summer came, and Severus returned. The new potions didn't need to be applied every day, and he barely needed to cast spells, but he still visited her every day, taking an interest in her progress.

Hellen told him how she was getting used to the new eye. She could now let her eye uncovered under the sunlight, and she was learning how to focus again, and how to read and walk. He listened to her without interrupting, and then they talked about something else.

They had gotten used to watching the sunset together, on the beach, while talking non-stop. And something changed little by little, something that had already been planted the previous year.

That summer, Severus found her much more attractive and suggestive. He didn't know what it was, but there was something about the combination of her black hair and light eyes that made her look very pretty. And although of course he could never compare her to the perfect and immutable memory of Lily, he had to admit that Hellen produced in him some sensations that, while confusing and unexpected, were also pleasant.

Hellen had also noticed this change, especially in herself. She didn't find him as unpleasant as before, and although he wasn't as attractive as the muscular muggles who came to the island to surf, there was something about that dark, impenetrable gaze that made her heart race.

She missed the days of treatment, because it was the perfect time to feel his fingers gently running over her face, while that sinuous voice spoke to her from just a foot away. Perhaps for the first time, Hellen wished the treatment would never end.

And yet, Severus' healing abilities far exceeded any expectations either of them had.

The horrible scar had vanished, leaving behind a fine line, which with the effect of the sun and makeup was practically invisible. She no longer needed to wear any camouflage charms to cover it up.

Restoring her sight was the issue that worried them the most, so they both went to the eye doctor for Hellen's last check-up.

After several exhaustive tests, the doctor declared that her vision was as perfect as it could be, although she was recommended to wear reading glasses.

She felt immensely happy, and Severus couldn't be more proud of himself. He had managed to break a curse created by the Dark Lord himself in just one year. He doubted there were many wizards who would be able to do something like that.

To celebrate Hellen's successful recovery, they went out to eat, and then spent the rest of the day together. That day they did not exchange poisonous phrases or angry glances; they were too euphoric for that.

In the afternoon they ended up on the beach, eating ice cream while watching the surfers riding the waves from afar.

"I don't understand, why do they do that? It seems like a stupid way to risk your life," Severus growled, squinting against the sun.

"It is fun."

"Have you done it?" he looked at her with surprise and doubt, as if he thought she was kidding him.

"Do you think I can live in Hawaii and not participate in local sports?" Hellen tried to keep the drops of melted ice cream from staining her fingers, licking them.

He snorted and shook his head, still not understanding where the fun was.

"You still have time to try it," Hellen tempted him, but he made a strange gesture with his face, looking at the sea. "It's okay, if you fall you just have to get back on the board or swim to shore and start again."

Severus muttered something, still sulking.

"What?"

"I said I don't know how to swim."

That made Hellen give him all her attention.

"I didn't know when I got here either," she earned a look of irritation from the wizard, but that day Hellen was too happy to let herself be intimidated by something like that. Finishing the ice cream, she stood up, making the sand fly everywhere, and extended a hand to Severus. "Come with me."

That caught him off guard, and he didn't know how to escape from the situation.

"What? I... no–" but Hellen had grabbed his wrist and was pulling him to the shore. "What about our clothes?"

"We take them off!" with a laugh, Hellen removed the straps of her dress, let it fall on the sand and ran in her underwear towards the water.

Severus looked at her dumbfounded, undecided about what he should do. He looked around, embarrassed. What if someone saw them?

But Hellen seemed oblivious to those concerns and gestured for him to come to her side. The waves gently lapped against her body, wetting her skin and hair.

"What the hell..." he muttered, and fighting his nervousness, he also got rid of his clothes and ignoring all the instincts that told him to stop, he ran towards the sea and did not stop until the water reached his waist.

It was then when he regretted what he was doing and wanted to go back, but Hellen grabbed his hands and pulled him back.

"Don't worry, I'm not going to let you go," she reassured him, pulling him towards her. "We still have a foothold here; nothing will happen to you."

He didn't say anything, it was hard enough not to lose his nerves. He was in an unknown and disturbing situation, and to make matters worse, a half-naked girl was holding him down so he wouldn't float away. And for some reason, Hellen's closeness was what scared him the most.

And it was no wonder, because her wet bra became see through, but she was not aware of it, and he did not dare to say anything to her. Although thinking about it, maybe Hellen did know, because she kept giving him a look that made him feel hot and cold at the same time. Why was she biting her lip like that?

With the excuse of teaching him to swim, they had to touch each other, and more than once, a slip or the impact of a wave caused them to place their hands where they shouldn't.

But she laughed and he pretended nothing had happened, although he was very aware of the softness of Hellen's skin under the water and how close he was to her.

Hellen, for her part, did not leave his side either, and looked at him with such intensity that Severus more than once forgot what he was doing and simply let himself be rocked by the waves, only paying attention to the accidental touch of their bodies and her smile.

They spent a lot of time in the water, fooling around, laughing, and looking for any excuse to touch each other. Their nerves were on edge, and they didn't know how things were going to end.

When the sun began to set, they decided to get out of the water to dry off, lying on the sand. Severus no longer felt the shame of before, and like her, he felt very comfortable in that situation.

He wanted to prolong the moment as long as possible, and without knowing why, he brought up the topic of healing. After all, it was the only legitimate reason why he was staying in Hawaii.

"What are you going to do now?"

"What are you talking about?"

"The muggle doctor told you to wear reading glasses. Are you going to listen to him, or do you want to continue with the potions?"

Hellen looked at him strangely.

"Severus, I don't think my eye can get any better. Now my eyesight is no different from people my age."

"But that means..." Severus didn't finish the sentence, but they both realized what that meant.

If Hellen didn't need the wizard's care, Severus no longer had any excuse to stay there.

Suddenly they both felt the cold gripping them, despite the sun's rays, and they proceeded to put on their clothes in silence. But they didn't move from the beach.

They were in their favorite place, and sat ready to watch the sunset, like every afternoon. But somehow, they sensed that this would be the last one they would witness together.

In silence, they watched the colors of the sky and sea change, first to yellow, then to red. It was a beautiful sight that took their breath away.

Hellen sighed, looking at the seagulls flying above them.

"When I got here, I was terrified," she recalled quietly. "I had only known pain and hatred, and they wanted to kill me. But here I was a complete stranger, and no one was afraid of me. When I saw the first sunset... I knew for the first time what true beauty was, and I felt at peace. I knew I couldn't be happy anywhere else."

He wasn't looking at her, but he nodded silently, watching the orange glow in the sky.

"I know what you mean," he whispered. His hand moved subtly, and his fingers brushed hers. Hellen did not move her hand, but remained like that, lightly stroking his fingers through the sand. They didn't dare do anything, for fear of ruining the moment.

They waited until night fell and the stars shone overhead. They did not want to move, but finally they stood up, returning in the darkness, guided by the lights of the house. They stopped, one on each side of the door, like the day they met for the first time.

They looked into each other's eyes, each immersed in a sea of emotions. They were nervous and distressed. Both knew that they would never see each other again.

How to say farewell? What could they say at that moment? How were they going to say goodbye?

Severus reached a trembling hand into his pocket and held out something. His dark eyes stared at her, almost pleadingly. Hellen swallowed and forced herself to look away to see what he was offering her. Her heart leapt in her chest as she recognized the lock of her hair that he had cut two years ago.

"This belongs to you," Severus whispered, without taking his eyes off her. Hellen didn't know what to do. She noticed that she was shaking like a leaf, not daring to move a single muscle. She looked him in the eyes, with surprise and doubt reflected in her face.

"You won't be able to track me anymore," she said in a low voice, and for a second, she seemed sad.

"No one will be able to do it. You will be finally safe. They can't hurt you anymore."

Hellen reached out to take the lock of hair back, but once she touched him, she was unable to let go of his hand.

They continued to look into each other's eyes, without looking away. The air around them seemed to crackle with energy. They trembled, although perhaps it was due to the rapid beating of their hearts.

And then they knew it. They desired each other. They had both allowed that tension to grow during that summer, until reaching that day, with underwater caresses and heated gazes. Now it was a matter of deciding which one of the two would take the first step.

He didn't dare, because he was afraid of doing something wrong, but Hellen, following the impulse of her body, which was quivering with desire, took a step towards him, and taking hold of the front of his shirt, she kissed him.

His lips tasted like saltpeter, but that only encouraged her. He kissed her back, clumsily, letting himself be guided by her, and giving in to his impulses, he hugged her, wrapping his arms around her waist and pulling her towards him, just as he had wanted to do all afternoon.

Their kisses deepened as they began to caress each other, first over their clothes, then in a more daring way. They moaned with pleasure, and when they looked at each other they knew that something had definitely changed between them.

"Stay," she gasped.

"I'm not going anywhere."

Hellen pulled him into the living room, and Severus closed the door behind him. They kissed again, urgently, as if they wanted to drink from each other. Awkwardly, they began to yank their clothes off, anxious to have a closer touch of the other's skin.

They backed away blindly, and Severus pushed her against the wall, making her gasp in surprise and the surge of sudden desire that washed over her. He kissed her neck as she groped for the bedroom door.

Once in, Hellen guided Severus towards the bed, where they fell, still kissing. And then she took control, guiding his hands down her body, telling him where to touch and kiss.

Getting on top of him, she proceeded to guide him, both pleasuring him and enjoying herself. They made love, kissing and scratching each other, until there was nothing left inside them.

And meanwhile, the fallen lock was picked up by the house-elf Win, who took it away to destroy it. That night she would sleep outside, and her absence would not be noticed.

The lovers had everything they needed in each other's arms, and they still had the whole night to enjoy it.