Sixth Year, Part 2

Severus had feared the marauders would torment Skyrah for having helped him in their fifth year. That hadn't happened for the time being. Not once had he needed to go to the infirmary this school year. That was not to say the bullying was nonexistent. The bullies weren't as aggressive as they used to be. That was all. Maybe Potter was too busy making Lily swoon for him to get bored and, consequently, target Severus. Or Maybe Lupin had reminded his friends they weren't to cross the line or else Prefect Riddle would get them all in trouble.

These weeks with Skyrah as his secret girlfriend had been the best time of Severus's life. She always asked about his well-being and listened to him. If he'd had a bad day, she'd hug him and kiss his face until he forgot about the bad things and he could only think about her. If he'd had a good day, she'd experience his joy. She often asked him to cuddle up with her, especially if they read together. Long gone was his initial self-doubt and embarrassment. He was thirsty for their cuddling sessions, having missed such affection all his life. Occasionally, the Room of Requirement conjured mirrored walls as it used to when he taught her how to dance. Her dancing skills hadn't improved much since then, the perfect excuse for Severus to invite her to dance with him. Other times, they just talked, challenged each other in a friendly duel, did their homework together, or baked after a tough day.

One night, they crept to the Astronomy Tower to stargaze. It was something Lucius had told him he'd do with Narcissa. Severus thought Skyrah would enjoy it, too. He'd guessed right.

"Thank you for reminding me it's possible for me to live," she whispered, embracing him.

Severus couldn't see her. They were aware it was a place frequented by couples like them. Since being caught wasn't an option, the dose of invisibility potion they'd drunk was considerable. He did feel her soft lips kissing him so tenderly that he melted. How had he survived without her for so long? This was what he'd always wanted: the complicity and intimacy he'd always craved.

Their first meeting in the Prefects' Bathroom was the most awkward of all. They only chatted and exchanged shy kisses. Nevertheless, Severus kept imagining her taking a bath there and he had to inwardly list the veritaserum ingredients so as not to get overexcited. It worked better than counting from ten to one, the technique Lily had taught him to calm down years ago.

As the weeks flew by, their kisses got more daring and heated and landed not only on the mouth and cheeks but also on jawlines and sensitive necks. Sometimes they licked, sucked, or softly bit. The resulting hickeys resembled bruises too much to his liking. Fortunately, Skyrah had seen her dorm mate Lucinda removing hers with a charm and learnt how to remove them herself.

Severus looked forward to their encounters. He was relaxed with her... Except when he had to adjust his trousers and hope Skyrah hadn't seen the bulge. The most innocent touch was enough for his body to respond that way. If she'd noticed, she hadn't commented on it.

On the first day of December, Severus told Skyrah about a passage he would sporadically use with Lily which led to the cellar of Honeydukes. It was located beneath a one-eyed witch statue by the stairs of the Defence Against the Dark Arts classroom. They only needed to utter 'dissendium' to the statue while tapping the hump with their wand, sneak out of the cellar and go to Hogsmeade's forest, where creatures no more dangerous than squirrels inhabited. That turned out to be the perfect place to host a snow sculpture competition in which Skyrah tried and failed to build an owl, and Severus surprised her by building not one but a whole family only to tease her. The teasing prompted Skyrah to take her owl's head and throw it to Severus's chest. From that moment on, their spot in the forest transformed into a battlefield for several snowball fights, most of which ended up with them snogging by one of the trees. That was what exactly happened on their last day of school term before Christmas.

"Are you sure you shouldn't accept the Malfoys' invitation to stay with them for a few days?" she asked amid kisses.

It wasn't like she fully trusted the pair of wealthy pure-bloods, but she knew one thing: they had looked after Severus when he'd needed someone and she hadn't been available. She'd rather he spent the winter break with them than all alone at Hogwarts. He'd felt lonely too many times in his life already. Narcissa seemed to be fond of him, too. He deserved to feel cared for.

"Positive. I don't fancy being a burden."

"If they invited you, they don't see you as one."

"I feel like one. I stayed with them last summer. That's more than enough. Hogwarts is better than home anyway. My father can't reach me. Yours, on the other hand… Please be careful."

"I'll be okay. I'll be with my mother and grandmother."

"And a murderer."

"Father will likely visit, yes, but he doesn't live with us. Please don't worry about me."

"I can't not worry. He crucioes you," he said through bare teeth. "I feel helpless knowing I can't do anything to prevent him from hurting you."

"My grades are impeccable. I'm a prefect. I play my role well. I think I haven't done anything to cross him, and if I have, I can take whatever punishment he has in store for me. I'll be fine. My mother and grandmother will look after me."

He hated the fact that she was so used to his punishments that she felt like she could take them. Saying that out loud, though, wouldn't solve anything. If anything, she'd try to reassure him again.

"I'm glad you have a family that takes care of you," he said instead.

"I'm lucky to have them. Grandma Brighid and Mum would adore you. I think even our House Elf would like you, and he's quite overprotective of me," she said with a giggle. "I'd love to spend Christmas with them and you, in Ireland."

"Do they even know you're dating?"

"No. I've never kept anything from them except for this. I'd feel awful about it if it wasn't because I truly believe I'm doing the right thing to keep us safe. It was wishful thinking. Only that."

Soon, she wouldn't be at school. He had to use his time wisely, and so he kissed her against a tree, hoping to erase the sadness from her smile and make her forget about what-ifs.

They didn't meet again until a Tuesday after Christmas break, after dinner, in the Potions classroom. She assured him that her father had paid only one visit and hadn't found anything for which to punish her. Christmas had been almost perfect.

"Why almost?"

"I missed you very much," confessed Skyrah.

Oh, Merlin. So had he. Those weeks had felt way too long without Skyrah by his side. He couldn't wait any longer. Severus kissed her, forgetting about the potion they were supposed to brew. He kissed her like he had daydreamed throughout the break, until their lips ached and reddened.

"If we keep snogging, I'll forget to give you your Christmas present."

"I haven't got one for you. I c-can't afford—"

"That's okay," she assured him so that he wouldn't feel so ashamed. "I didn't mean to make you feel bad. The present is for both of us, actually."

She took the present from her robes' pocket and engorgioed it until it was slightly bigger than her hands, wrapped in Slytherin green gift paper with a silver bow. He opened it slowly, savoring the unfamiliar feeling, and lifted an eyebrow.

A plain black swimsuit piece for him.

Well, that was unexpected.

"I've never owned one," he said, standing in awkwardness.

"I figured. Do you think it's the correct size?"

"Yes. You've got a good eye."

She smirked. "I did study your butt and groin quite thoroughly when you weren't looking."

He spluttered her name, red-cheeked.

"I know you stare at me, too." She hesitated only for a moment before adding, "Here and here."

She placed the swimsuit on the desk and guided one of his hands to her butt and another to her boob. It did little to help his case. It felt so soft, so inviting, better than his dreams had conjured. Shit. She was lightly squeezing the hand on her buttock. Did she want him to touch her? Now? In the classroom? Thank Merlin his school robes occulted his tented trousers. He inhaled sharply and removed his hands from her, bringing his eyes from her chest to her face. Was it disappointment he saw there? He was aware he should give some sort of explanation or discuss what had happened. Nothing sounded right to his mind, though, so he did the second-best thing: act as if she hadn't just encouraged him to fondle her body and tell her he couldn't swim. She followed his suit. Her dignity wouldn't have allowed her to talk about what had just happened. Instead, she asked him if he wished to learn how to swim, to which he replied it was a practical skill.

"If the Room of Requirement transforms itself into a pool or a beach, I could teach you," she offered. "But that isn't the reason I gave this to you. Your birthday's coming. It falls on a Thursday."

Otherwise known as Prefects' Bathroom Day.

"Oh," he mumbled, envisioning them taking a bath together for the first time. She'd said it was a gift for the two of them, after all. "Will you be wearing one of these, too?" Logic said she wouldn't have gifted him one if she'd planned to bathe in the nude. Logic reminded him, too, that she'd been staring at certain parts of his body the same way he did with her. He knew why he looked at her that way and the thoughts which invaded his mind when he did so. Was she experiencing similar thoughts? Would she feel offended if he asked her? While his brain reeled, Skyrah took his hands in hers to bring his attention back to her.

"Yes, I will. We've been using the bathroom as if it were any other room. I thought we could change that and use the bathtub. It could make a special birthday unless you'd rather do something different."

No, thank you.

A bath would be a dream come true. He only hoped his body behaved itself.

On the Thursday Severus turned seventeen, he followed Skyrah into the bathroom, unseen by others thanks to the invisibility potion he'd previously drunk.

She was sitting cross-legged by the edge of the bath. She opened each bottle of bath salts so that he could get a whiff of each: coconut, lavender, and almond. One by one, the bottles were raised in the air and returned to their place.

"Lavender," he decided, finally materializing before her.

"It's the most relaxing one. Are you nervous?" she teased. He wished the effects of the potion had lasted for a while longer. She wouldn't have seen his blush. But then again, she wouldn't have put a hand on his cheek either. "I am, too, a little, but I want to do this. Don't you?"

"Yes," he murmured.

Skyrah began to pour the bath salts and a matching lavender soap into the warm water. She kicked off her shoes. Her outer robes, jumper, and tie went off next. Severus imitated her. When she stepped out of her skirt, leaving her in gray woolen tights and a white shirt, he turned around with a gasp.

"Are you okay?"

"I'm merely giving you space."

"Once you get into the tub, you'll see me anyway, wearing fewer clothes. You can watch me now." In a whispered voice he almost missed, she followed, "I want you to watch me."

So he turned around slowly, with his heart beating so fast he was starting to sweat.

She took her shirt off, revealing the upper part of her bikini (dark teal in color), and removed her tights. His eyes roamed all over her body, taking in every detail. The bikini bottoms looked like a skirt that would have been too revealing had this not been meant to use in the water. Muggle bikinis were even more revealing, similar to panties, from what he remembered. Thank Merlin she hadn't gone for the muggle version, or he'd be breathing harshly. Skyrah pulled her hair into a messy bun and got into the bathtub, letting out a long sigh. Between that and the views, he found himself inwardly reciting the veritaserum ingredients once again.

"The water's perfect, Severus. What are you waiting for?"

Her chin rested on her arms, crossed by the edge of the bathtub. Her curious eyes lingered on him as he clumsily removed his clothes until he was only clad in the swimwear she had got for him. A swish of his wand, and his glamour faded away. The new scars didn't escape her notice. He didn't tell her the werewolf had caused them. She didn't ask, anyhow. She assumed the marauders or Tobias were behind them, as always.

He wallowed in the water. She didn't make fun of him or the embarrassing moan he let out.

Instead, she asked, "Is it good?"

Good? At home, the ice-cold water froze his bones. Showers at Hogwarts had warm water, a considerable improvement. In summer, the Malfoys had told him that he was free to use one of their bathrooms while staying at their Manor. Severus had felt like he was abusing their hospitality and chose to shower. This, being submerged in scented hot water, was heavenly.

"I've never felt anything quite like this," he confessed, laying his head back against the edge of the tub, eyes shut.

The lavender fragrance helped him clear his mind with no occlumency. He forgot about the Herbology project he still needed to finish with Avery, the insults Potter threw at him behind Lily's back, the nerves he'd felt upon sharing a bath with Skyrah… By the occasional swashing and sighs from the other side of the bathtub, she hadn't left.

"You're quiet," he commented, opening his eyes to look at her lest he fell asleep in this new-found oasis.

"I thought I should give you some space first, having never experienced anything similar. You deserve to relax… Do you fancy a massage? It could help." She paused. "You look like you dislike the idea. Forget I said anything."

"It isn't about liking the idea or not. You're virtually naked. If you give me a massage, I'm afraid I'll react inappropriately."

"What exactly would the inappropriate reaction be?"

If she hadn't been approaching him with those inviting eyes, he might have been able to keep his mouth shut and not reveal getting aroused.

"If that's inappropriate, I tend to react very inappropriately when I'm with you. It wouldn't bother me at all to know that I affect you the same way. Quite the contrary."

He blushed and looked up at the window of the siren to avert Skyrah's gaze. She, realizing she must've been too direct, chose to distract him. What better way than splashing him? A moment later, they were half-kneeling, half-crawling, moving their arms wildly, gasping, laughing, and chasing each other. Was this how children felt when playing in the swimming pool with a friend? Lily had invited him to accompany her to the public one in town several times. Several times, he'd made up an excuse not to go. It'd have brought him shame to admit his mother barely managed to feed him. When he had to choose between a meal or a ticket for the pool, the former would always win. It was yet another reason why he'd never had the chance to learn how to swim.

Her black hair, though Syrah hadn't planned on washing it, ended up soaked to the point she thought it best to let it loose and later wash it anyway. His ended up equally wet. She waded through the water and pressed their mouths together. Sweet as the kiss was, the feeling of their chests pressed together with no clothes separating them other than a thin bikini bra was too much for Severus, who broke it off too soon to her liking. He kept his arms around her, though, not ready to let her go yet.

Oh, Merlin.

He was touching her bare skin, and not an ounce of her looked repulsed by him.

"I'm sorry if I made you feel uncomfortable. If you aren't ready, I'll understand."

"Ready for what?" he inquired.

Her face was starting to heat up. He made a choking sound when she finally revealed she was referring to sex.

"I've thought about it. I'd like to share that with you when we both feel ready. I didn't intend to have sex today. I thought that perhaps I could try to make you feel good with my hands."

"Hence the massage?" he deduced.

"It was supposed to be the beginning of something else if you were willing to let me touch you more intimately."

"You organized this to give me a… handjob?" By then, he was as red-cheeked as her.

"I organized this to celebrate your birthday, communicate, and start experimenting if you happen to feel the same way."

"Don't we communicate every day?"

"We never talk about our needs and expectations when it comes to sex. You go as far as hiding it when you get hard as if your natural body reaction embarrassed you."

"…So you've noticed." His head drooped. "Of course you have. It was stupid of me to think I could hide something from you. Why haven't you mentioned it until now?"

"I didn't want to make you feel uneasy, but I won't deny I'm confused. I've got questions I don't dare ask for fear they could upset you."

That last sentence changed his shy attitude. He put his hands on her shoulders and looked her straight in the eyes. "What questions?"

"They're unimportant right now. The last thing I want is to make you feel bad. You aren't ready, and that's okay."

"No, it isn't. Ask me."

"Severus–"

"I feel like I can talk to you about anything. You're the only one I confide in like that. Let me return the favor. Ask me now. Please."

Skyrah hesitated only for a moment, seeing how serious Severus was. "Am I wrong to assume that what Potter and his friends did to you last year is the reason why you act as if your attraction is inappropriate and why you haven't brought sex up yet?" He gulped loudly but didn't say no, so she put her hands on top of his. "I can't imagine the pain and shame that caused you. They laughed at you, but I'd never… Nothing about your body should bring you shame. If you aren't ready, I'll respect it, but know that I like it that you desire me, and I desire you, too. If you ever feel like going one step further with me, you only need to tell me."

He suddenly was tempted to give in, to kiss her and get her naked, and do things with her he'd only dared in his fantasies. He held back, though. Some things should be said first. "I'd be damned if I allowed four cretins to influence my sex life. They won't. I've thought about sex, too. The reason I haven't brought it up isn't them. It's me. I'm scared of you regretting sex with me."

"Why would I regret it?"

"I'm... inexperienced."

"Do you think having sex with me would be bad because I've never done it before?"

"By no means!"

"So why do you reckon I'd think something different about you? I don't. There's no need to feel self-conscious about your virginity."

"Maybe, but there are more things that worry me: I'm not like Lucius or Mulciber."

"Thank Merlin," she said, letting out a chuckle. "I know you like them, but, if you ask me, they're too boastful and self-centered. Not to mention–"

"I was referring to their physical appearance."

"Right. I'm not sure if platinum blonde hair would suit you. My guess is it wouldn't look as good as your dark hair. Also, green eyes are overrated. Yours are unique. It's so easy to get lost in them. Don't you dare to glamour them to look like Mulciber's." She poked his chest for emphasis.

"Not funny."

"Good. I'm very serious. If I made you laugh, my arguments wouldn't be so effective."

He shook his head as if he didn't quite believe his ears.

She got angry with Tobias and the marauders for destroying his self-esteem to the point he didn't understand why she'd want to have sex with him, her boyfriend. She didn't show it, though. She could tell he needed her to reassure him, so she squeezed his hands.

"Call me a romantic if you must, but I only want sex if it's with the one I'm in love with. That's you, Severus. It's only ever been you for me. I want you to be my first if you also want me that way."

He made a strange sound. She couldn't tell if it was more akin to a cry or a relieved gasp.

"You mean that?"

"I do. It's you the one I choose, the one I'm attracted to." Her fingers began to trace his scars reverently. She caught him off guard when she kissed one of the scars on his chest. Another kiss fell on it, and another, and another. Each kiss reassured him that she hadn't lied and that it was okay to desire her, since she, for some inexplicable reason, wanted him too. How would she react if he were to caress her chest and belly or kiss her cleavage? Would it feel as good to her as it felt to him?

"Skyrah."

"Mmh?" She looked up at him, her lips brushing his chest.

"It feels good, very good, but I was wondering… Is the offer still on the table?" With an adorable blush, he clarified he meant the massage. He was getting more and more curious about how those hands and fleshy lips would feel on other parts of his body. The massage was the perfect excuse to learn the answer.

She kneeled behind him while he sat cross-legged. Her fingertips began tracing his back scars, light touches which drove him crazy with anticipation. A kiss landed on his nape. It took all of his willpower not to whimper. From that moment on, her hands pressed harder on his back muscles and shoulder blades. Had he thought the warm bath was heavenly? A massage in the water beat it. The sweet kisses that kept dropping enhanced the experience. For all he knew, this was a dream. In his dreams, he didn't meditate on his actions. He acted.

He took action now, too, and turned around to kiss her. He started with her forehead. Then her nose, her mouth, oh, her sweet mouth that always knew what to say to him to make him feel better. It was now smiling through the kiss. He slid a hand down her side and towards her buttock. When she didn't protest, he squeezed it lightly, as she'd wanted him to in the potions classroom and he'd been too scared to try. Her reaction? One of his dreams, too: whimpering into the kiss and slightly pushing her butt into his palm. After another squeeze, he sat her on his lap and began to kiss her earnestly, hands caressing her back, abandoning her mouth in favor of her neck. Through it all, she sighed. When she moaned his name so wantonly, he was lost. By the way she tensed, she'd noticed the effect she was having on his body.

"We don't have to continue. Do you want to stop?"

She wouldn't have asked that question in his dreams, for she'd known he was eager to keep going. He couldn't help but feel a tingle of excitement at the realization: this was happening for real.

"Do you want to stop?" he asked her.

"The truth is I've never been so turned on in my life."

Her confession almost rendered him speechless. "Neither have I."

"I'd figured. Your erection is quite the blunt statement."

"Why did you ask if you know what I want?"

"I don't know, actually. You might be feeling as turned on as me but not feel ready to do anything else for now. Is that the case?"

"Not at all. Don't stop touching me."

So Skyrah kissed his neck, her hands displayed on his chest, his erection occasionally brushing her covered sex. When her hands began to lower slowly, he made no sign to stop her. If anything, he held his breath. It was the encouragement she needed to touch him, truly touch him. She began from the outside, rubbing, experimenting, fascinated with the desire in his eyes, the way he buckled into her palm, and how he bit his bottom lip as if afraid he'd make an embarrassing sound.

"Is it okay if I remove...?"

He lowered his swimwear just enough to free his erection even before she could finish the question. His response wasn't that fast when she tapped at the edge of the bathtub and asked him to sit there.

"Y-you'd see me naked."

"Which would make my job easier. I can't see well with all this soap... Unless you aren't ready for me to see all of you."

He almost asked her what would happen if she didn't like what she saw. It was going so well… He didn't open his mouth, though. He'd do his best to confront his insecurities for her. He owed her. He sat where she'd requested, leaving his swimwear beside him. The floor tiles were cold and a bit wet due to their previous water fight, yet he was close to sweating. She kissed his mouth, her tongue seeking his. Soon, his hands were tangled in her soaked hair, resting on her nape. She pulled away, their gazes locked.

"May I look?" She waited. He was panting. "I haven't yet. You don't look convinced. You can go back to the water and soap if you aren't completely sure that–"

He was inclining her head so that she'd see. She didn't only see, actually. Staring was more like it. If a voice in his head that sounded a lot like Black's began chanting she'd be disgusted by the sight, it went mute after she began lowering her head. Her breath caressed the tip, and then her lips were planting a kiss right under it, making it twitch and his mouth hiss. She must've liked it or else she wouldn't be kissing him on the same spot again.

"S-Skyrah…"

She licked her lips and looked up at him. He was flustered, looking at her in awe. He wouldn't survive it if she sucked him, much as she wanted to. Today had been full of new experiences already. No, she'd planned to touch him, only touch him. She grabbed his hand with her free one and put it on top of hers. Her expectant eyes invited him to show her the proper rhythm and pressure. He guided her until she got the hang of it. It didn't take long. After that, he let out sounds he never thought he was capable of making.

By the four Hogwarts founders, his hand, though bigger than hers, had never felt this good. So why did he go soft? Why was she apologizing?

"It isn't your fault," he said.

"It's my inexperience's fault. I don't know how to touch you."

He thought she'd be ashamed of that, as ashamed as he was of his incapability of staying hard when he couldn't be more turned on.

Far from that, she flashed him a playful smile. "That gives us the perfect excuse to keep practicing."

"What you were doing to me was better than anything I've ever felt when touching myself."

"So why…?"

"Nerves, I suspect." He averted her gaze. "The lavender bath salts fell short."

Skyrah stayed quiet, measuring the words she was about to say in her head, to spare him further embarrassment. "I meant it when I said I'm a bit nervous too. I don't think less of you because of this. I just wanted you to feel good. Did you?"

"Immensely."

"Mission accomplished."

She gave him a grin that did weird things to his stomach. He couldn't help but kiss her deeply again. He loved kissing her: the little sounds she made, the small breaths she took, her taste, the smile that'd spread on her face between kisses. Normally, she'd sit on a desk and hug him with her legs, pulling him in for a snogging session. This time, he was the one hooking his legs around her. He was starting to relax into the kisses and didn't realize he was starting get hard until she pulled away with a loud gasp.

She eyed his semi-hardness, licked her lips, and met his gaze. "Can I?"

"What if it happens again?"

"It'll be okay. I'm only asking to share some intimacy with my boyfriend so long as he's willing. Are you willing?"

She bet.

Her hand resumed teasing him. It didn't take long for her to feel him completely hardening in her hand. If he'd looked closely, he'd have noticed the effect he was having on her: her slightly parted mouth, her erect nipples brushing against the fabric of her bikini, her thighs occasionally rubbing together as if looking for some friction… Instead, he'd arched his neck, eyes closed, lost in the pleasure her hand was providing. Again, he was helpless against the sounds that escaped him. Her movements became gradually confident. The color of his cheeks deepened when she started nibbling his earlobe and peppering him with neck kisses and soft licks. She rotated her wrist by the head, which was so pleasant he almost forgot his name. Divine. It was divine. And again, she did it, making him groan. Lovely sounds, they were. They made her feel powerful and sexy…

Until he caught her wrist to stop those pleasurable strokes.

"Am I doing this wrong?"

He kissed her forehead chastely, and she knew she'd been doing well.

"I need to think to form intelligible sentences and tell you something important. Your hands are highly distracting."

"What is it?"

"I want more."

"…A blowjob? I've wondered how you taste far too many times. I'd love to find out."

The flirty spark in her eyes made him want her even more. Granted, he couldn't imagine what part about having a penis inside your mouth was appealing to anyone, but he was glad she looked so interested.

"I was thinking about something else. I'd like to pleasure you as well if you let me. Would you tell me what makes you feel good so that I can do it for you? Or show me? I'm afraid I wouldn't know where to begin otherwise."

"I'll teach you what I know." Her plan was quite appealing to him, or so his smile of anticipation suggested. "But we don't have to start today. It's your birthday and–"

"–And I'd like for you to enjoy yourself as well."

"I'm enjoying myself."

"Sexually. I want our first sexual experience to be worth it for you."

"It's worth it. I enjoy touching you."

She meant that.

Sweet Salazar. He loved this witch. He put a hand on her cheek, caressing it like she'd caressed his back in their second year.

"You can enjoy the experience even more. Would you agree to it?"

"I…"

"Please say yes. Allow me to make you feel as good as you're making me feel."

Her lips curled into the sweetest smile he'd seen on that day and he knew he'd persuaded her. She got out of the tub, arranged some towels on the floor, and invited him to come over. With shaky legs, he lay down on the floor, as she instructed him. She sat astride his thigh. Despite her bikini, her heat was palpable on his skin. She began to grind on his leg, rotating her hips in such a way Severus couldn't stop thinking about her sitting on him and moving just like that with him inside her. It was the most erotic sight he had ever seen. The faint moan that escaped her was the most erotic sound he'd ever heard. He didn't realize he'd begun pumping his hardness until she put her hand around his. Again, she eyed the first penis she had truly seen outside of a biology book, let alone touched, and felt herself dripping her bikini bottom. Knowing it was that hard because of her flattered her. She had to be closer to him. She straddled him properly so that her crotch ground on his.

The views enchanted him. Her wet hair cascaded over her shoulder on one side. Her lips were reddish and parted; her eyes, dark with lust; her skin, glistening with drops of water. Her breasts bounced in time with the motion of her curvy hips. He didn't realize he had lifted a hand that had initially settled on her narrow waist towards her breasts until she halted. For a moment, he feared he'd gone too far, only for her to give him a naughty grin and remove her bra. Severus almost came when she took his hand and brought it to knead one of her round perky breasts and brush her nipple, something which made her gasp. The moment couldn't compare to that one time in the Potions classroom when her chest had been covered by layers of a bra, a shirt, a sweater, and the outer uniform robes.

"Oh, sweet Salazar… Gorgeous. You're drop-dead gorgeous," he said in slack-jawed bliss.

He'd seen naked women before, not in real life, but in muggle magazines Tobias kept hidden (not in a safe place, considering a six-year-old Severus had stumbled upon them). The real thing was better than anything those magazines could have prepared him for. Seeing her practically naked and being in the nude himself, with her touching places that no one had ever touched but himself was a magical experience. He'd longed to be this intimate with her for a long time, and at the same time, he'd dreaded it because of the vulnerability and insecurities that came with it. Yet she knew exactly what to say and what to do for him to relax and focus on the pleasure that was building in him. She laughed at herself, was willing to experiment, and did it all with a slightly impish attitude that at the same time was caring and respectful. Not only did his body not disgust her, but she was attracted to it, to him. Her touches, even if awkward at times, showed it. It could have been a deeply embarrassing moment, with the noises he was making and the faces he was sure he was pulling, but it wasn't. It felt right, natural.

He lowered his hands from her breasts to her hips, stopping the rocking motion.

"Doesn't it feel good?" she asked.

"It feels too good. I'm…" Sweat glistened on his brow. He'd gone from going soft due to nerves to being too close to coming when the fun had only just started. "I'm very close."

"Isn't that supposed to be a good thing?"

"This is the most pleasurable, beautiful thing that's happened to me. I don't want this to ever end."

He looked so helpless, with his voice so pleading and his eyes so glassy, that Skyrah brought both her hands to his cheeks.

"You can let go now. We'll have more moments like this," she said, planting a kiss on his forehead.

"You promise?"

"I promise, Severus. Can I move again?"

Not trusting his voice, he nodded at her, and she ground on him.

"Sky–"

Again.

"Nnguhh."

Again.

He grunted and shuddered. His release hit her already wet bikini plus his belly. His breath came in huffs. The humping ceased. Gentle caresses on his torso replaced it. She waited until his breathing became regular to clean the mess with a spell and cuddle by his side, with her head on his shoulder. He couldn't think of anything better than what they'd shared.

"Your face when you come is the sexiest thing I've ever seen."

Of all the comments he had expected after their first sexual experience, that hadn't even made it to the list. He held back a small laugh, thinking she must not have seen many sexy things in her life. He wondered, too, what her face would look like when she came. It was then when it dawned on him that she hadn't had any orgasm, or, at least, he thought she hadn't. When he asked her, she confirmed it, suddenly shy. He shifted them so that she was entirely on top of him, her legs parted by his thigh as a silent invitation. There was a carefree, playful spark in his eyes he reserved just for her.

"Let's remedy that. Will you delight me with your captivating wiggle of the hips?"

"It may be useless. I'm in the process of learning what works best for my body."

Oh, thought Severus. So she's never...

"Yet another excuse to practice, together, preferably. You did say you'd teach my what you know."

"I'd rather teach you another day, when we have enough time."

To her surprise, he didn't look disappointed. He believed her when she said they'd have more moments similar to the one they'd share. He, too, thought it a wiser idea to devote time to discovering her body. It surely would be better than competing against the clock to get an orgasm out of her, especially when she'd never had one.

Her fingers began to trace his facial features, from his forehead to his chin. "Don't you ever imply I should prefer Malfoy or Mulciber's looks over yours. You're so handsome." After what they'd done, there was no doubt in his mind: she wasn't lying. Only she would call him that and mean it. He found that was more than enough. The whole world could view him as hideous as an ogre so long as Skyrah thought him handsome, so handsome. "Every single part of you is. This, and this, and this," she kept saying, each time kissing a part of his body: his hair, jawline, collarbone, breastbone, and navel (the last one made him whimper and her smirk). She finished with his hands and eyelids (pretty eyes, she'd told him at the beginning of their sixth year). "Don't you feel handsome?"

"You make me feel handsome." He rolled them over so that he was on top of her. He'd meant to kiss her on the places she'd done. However, by the time he reached the breastbone, he couldn't help but incline his head towards one of her breasts to kiss it. She gasped. He kissed it again, nearer to her erect nipple. Her gasp was accompanied by a shiver now. Tentatively, he licked her nipple and began to suck on it gently, as he often did with her neck. She moaned, and he couldn't quite tell if out of pain or not, so he asked her.

"I'm not hurt. I'm dripping." Her lips twitched at his adorable, confused expression. "Men get hard. Women get wet."

"I see… And my sucking your nipples makes you wet? How interesting. When we start the lessons, apart from telling me what you know makes you feel good, will you let me explore your body?"

"As if I were a potion ingredient?"

"Yes. No. A bit?"

Skyrah laughed softly. His way to understand the world was that of a scientist. It was fine by her, and so she told him as she stood up. They had to wash their hair, leave the bathtub as clean as they found it, and go before Lupin caught them. It was his turn next.

"Can't we cuddle for a while before doing all that?" Severus asked, caressing her ankle, the only part of her he could reach. If he'd sounded pathetic, he couldn't care less.

They cuddled in the water.

Severus discovered he liked her massaging his scalp while applying shampoo almost as much as her hands touching him intimately. The feeling was mutual, for he heard her sigh contentedly as he washed her hair. If not anything sexual, at least they had to do that every week.

Later, they were fully clothed and out of the tub. Though she couldn't see him, she felt him: his arms enveloping her, his chest against her. The hug was as desperate as the one they'd shared in their fourth year, only he was the one clinging to her this time around. Worried, she hugged him back and ran her fingers through his now dry hair.

"Thank you. Thank you so much for everything. This has been the most memorable birthday of my life."

That should've pleased her.

It didn't.

It reminded her what his life at home was like and the little power she had to change that. "You'll have more memorable birthdays. I'll make that possible," she promised, though she wasn't sure he'd heard her. He was caught up in his guilt, telling her he was sorry he didn't give her the seventeenth birthday she deserved. That wasn't her opinion, though. He'd made her a chocolate cake that he'd had to hide with a variety of charms and conjured a rose with white and red petals for her. Victim of nerves, Severus had pricked himself on one of its thorns. Skyrah had healed him and kissed his thumb. The simple action got him blushing deep red, as red half of the petals. They'd had to vanish the rose so that no evidence about their relationship existed. Although it was a bittersweet memory, the fact remained that…

"It was very special to me, Severus."

She felt him shake his head. She pulled back from his embrace, though her hands kept searching for his face tentatively, feeling his invisible features under her palm. It made him smile. She looked a bit ridiculous moving her hands in the air, but, dear Merlin, her touch was so perfect, so warm.

Except when she almost stabbed her finger in his nose.

"Ouch."

"Sorry. This is quite difficult."

"What are you doing, exactly?" he asked, catching the sly glint in her eyes.

Rather than a reply, he got another question: "Was that your nose?"

"It's hard to miss even when perfectly transparent."

"Will you stay still for me?"

"Why?" As he asked the question he got the answer in the form of yet another kiss on his hooked nose.

"I only kiss the noses of the people that make me feel special. You made me feel so special on my birthday. You make me feel special every day, and I hope I make you feel special every day too."

She received a kiss on her nose as a response.

Throughout the following months, they had similar dates. It was after some snogging that things would get steamy. He always came by simple frottage or thanks to her hands or mouth. Their first blowjob had been in the Potions classroom. They'd been brewing when Skyrah began kissing his nape and neck, sliding her hands under his robes to pump him to hardness.

"Sk-Skyrah... The potion."

"Add the next ingredient now. We'll only have to wait after that, and I know exactly how to spend the time."

She turned him around after pouring salamander blood into the cauldron, undid his belt, and pulled down his trousers and pants.

"Can I taste you?" she asked, her hand brushing his testicles.

He could only nod, not speak. He had to grip the edge of the desk for support. The feeling of her mouth sucking him was intense. The sight of her on her knees rubbing herself at the same time with her free hand was too much. It was over too soon, and she coughed when his semen hit her throat. Mortified, he was tempted to run away, only to be trapped in her arms and listen to her say that making him lose control like that had turned her on. Regardless, he promised to do his best to warn you next time.

"You caught me off guard. Now I know what to expect. Next time will be even better."

And it was better. She wasn't a top student for nothing. She learned fast.

Although she'd come close on several occasions, she'd never finished. Skyrah had shown him how she touched herself, and he'd explored her body, touched her everywhere to study her reaction. It wasn't enough. Albeit she assured him that he was doing fine, fine was insufficient for a Slytherin like him.

"I must be doing something wrong."

"You aren't. I adore your touch, Severus."

"I haven't made you come yet."

"I haven't made myself come either." She lowered her voice, her hand on his bare chest. "Maybe I need more to come."

"More?"

"I asked Madam Pomfrey to teach me the anti-conception spell." The sex education they'd received in their second grade hadn't covered this important part. It'd barely covered anything, to be frank, and asking her mother hadn't been an option. She'd have asked Skyrah too many questions. Madam Pomfrey was known for being the one you turned to when you had questions about sex, especially when they had to do with health. Her choosing the matron to teach her hadn't surprised Severus. What had surprised him was why Skyrah would want to learn the spell in the first place.

"You want to...?"

She nodded, a pretty blush covering her face, and for a moment Severus thought he should go ahead and give her what she wanted, but something stopped him.

"I'm sorry. I can't give you that yet."

"All right."

"All right? That's it?"

"Did you expect me to force you to have sex with me when you aren't ready?" she asked with a frown, removing her hand from his chest.

"No, but I expected you to be disappointed with me, especially when you feel like you need it to have an orgasm."

"If you don't want sex, I don't want it either. You must have your reasons, and that's okay. You haven't disappointed me. Besides, penetration may help or not. I don't know yet. What I know is it isn't hard to wait when you can barely keep your hands off of me," she said with a chuckle. "I wasn't exaggerating when I said I adore your touch."

Was he thankful she was so understanding and asked no questions.

The truth was simple: he refused to have sex with her, full sex, until he learned to make her come first. He'd heard stories of Rosier and others not lasting long on their first times. Skyrah herself had heard 'horror stories'; that was the term she'd used. How humiliating would it be to suffer the same fate and still be unable to satisfy her by other means? Or worse: what if he hurt her without meaning to? He hadn't heard the guys saying anything about pleasuring the girls. Didn't they know how to? Did they not care for the girls, or did they simply prefer not to disclose details? He couldn't quite tell, and he wouldn't ask. It'd be too awkward.

It was during spring break, alone in his dorm, when he found Rosier's collection of sex magazines. Severus disregarded them at first. If they were anything like Tobias's, they wouldn't be much informative. Soon, though, curiosity got the best of him. They were wizarding magazines, after all. They had to be different from Tobias's. Most featured pictures with positions only athletes could pull off in real life, even with the assistance of magic. There were several articles, all directed at pleasing somebody with a penis. All bar one alongside a photograph of a woman straddling a man's face. How to Please Your Witch. Tips to Perform Cunnilingus and More, it was titled. By the time he finished reading it, his pants felt too tight.

Luckily, the break came to an end soon. Barely hiding his excitement, he drank the invisibility potion and followed Skyrah from their Common Room to the Prefects' bathroom. Neither could have imagined that it'd be occupied by four boys; that these boys would accuse the pair of being together and scheming something sinister; and that the invisibility potion's effects would wear off at the most inappropriate moment, making it impossible for Skyrah to deny Severus's presence. Unfortunately, even the most cunning plans failed at times.

"How did you find out about us?" Severus yelled, pointing his wand at the marauders.

But Skyrah wasn't aware of it. Her whole world had turned upside down, and she could hardly breathe.