Chapter Thirty-One
Severus Snape pinched the bridge of his nose, turning abruptly and hurrying in the opposite direction down the corridor as a flicker of red caught his eye - He really wasn't in the mood for a confrontation. Itching the burning, smouldering mark etched onto his forearm he decided that he was going to have to take the long route to the Forest.
He sighed, listening as the pattern of his footsteps changed when he broke into a run, free from the boundaries of the castle and out into the refreshing, crisp night air. His black cloak caught the breeze, ripping loudly through the torrenting night as the castle became smaller and smaller, limestone walls bathed in dripping moonlight.
The Professor was plunged suddenly into darkness as he escaped into the welcoming shadow of the trees. His feet pounded relentlessly against the pine needles as his breath condensed in the strangely cool, early spring environment.
His ragged, shallow breaths filled his ears along with his throbbing heartbeat as he came to a sudden stop, ducking out of sight behind the mangled corpse of a lightning struck tree as he tried to relax. With sweating palms he lifted the hood upon his head, coming low over his eyes as he swallowed loudly, prepared to step out into the clearing just visible in the distance.
The first thing he noticed was the sudden lack of atmosphere, the thickness almost suffocating as he felt his throat constrict. The man standing in the clearing lifted his head as he approached, slanted red eyes fixed on his as he tried to keep eye contact, knowing that breaking for just one second would have serious consequences.
"You came, Severus, Earlier than expected."
"Yes, My Lord." Voldemort smiled a disturbingly crooked, twisted smile before gesturing with abnormally long, spindly fingers for Snape to stand beside him.
"Come, let us walk." He said in his silky, airy voice reminiscent of snake hissing. Snape nodded silently, falling into step beside his master as he fingered his wand inside his pocket. "I have a lead as to where the boy might be."
"I see."
"It would seem that I cannot... extract this information without your help, Severus. Do I have your word?"
"Of course, My Lord!" Snape exclaimed, eyes trained solely on the path infront of him to avoid Voldemort's frightening gaze. He could sense his smirk, shuddering when he uttered a small, gleeful laugh.
"As I expected, Severus, Always eager to please." Snape said nothing. "Now, this matter needs a delicate hand. The... source, shall we say, will need some avid persuasion."
"How can I be of service, My Lord?"
"The girl knows, Severus. I need you to get it out of her." Snape went rigid, an icy chill sweeping his body as he managed to choke out,
"What girl?"
"Don't be so ignorant, Severus. That... whore, you've been seeing. She knows."
"What do you want me to do?" Snape asked in a forced voice and the Dark Lord chuckled darkly.
"Do as you see fit, Severus."
"I do not want to hurt her-"
"You will do as I say!" He hissed. "Torture her, kill the stupid bitch, I don't care, just do it and get the information or you shall recieve her punishment instead."
"But, My Lord-"
"ENOUGH!" Voldemort stopped walking, hand slipping inside his robes as Snape's eyes widened.
"My Lord, Please, I beg you-"
"You dare disobey me, Severus? Do you not think that I am right? Are you still loyal to me, your master, or am I going to have to make an example of you-"
"Please!"
"Crucio!" Snape grunted, crumpling to his knees as his face landed heavily on the dirt, fingers clawing at his scalp as a pain like a thousand knives ripped though his body. He groaned, begging repeatedly for it to stop, for it to all end, but Voldemort just drew the curse out, manipulating the pain until Snape thought he could take it no more.
"I should end your life right now." Voldemort hissed, releasing Snape who slumped lifelessly against a tree, gazing fearfully up at him through clouded eyes. He could barely speak through the agony still reverberating through his shattered body.
"Please, My Lord, Have mercy!" He begged.
"Mercy? You do not deserve my mercy, Severus. You are weak." He pulled himself away, watching as Snape squirmed beneath another cruciatus curse, screaming and begging for him to stop, curled up upon the floor.
"I'm sorry! Please, stop!" He gasped between bursts of sudden pain. "I'll do it!" Voldemort broke into sinisted grin, retracting his wand out of sight before taking a step backwards.
"Good." He smirked as Snape writhed before his feet. "You have one week, Severus. Do not dissapoint me."
Snape didn't notice as he melted away into the shadows, he was too absorbed in his own suffering. He groaned, burrowing into the ground as he panted, back pressed against the tree trunk. No matter what he did, he felt like he would be perpetually broken. The pain would not cease, as he thought it was fading it would suddenly burst into intollerable bloom once more.
He dragged himself partially upright, letting out a howl of agony as his fragile ribs bent inhumanly. He was breathing heavily, sweat pouring down his forehead as his fingernails scrabbled at the dirt. Footsteps, seemingly unbearably loud, thundered towards him as he struggled to clasp the fringes of consciousness.
"Severus?" A soft voice breathed before becoming more panicked. Snape was slightly delirious when he felt cool hands grasp his face between them, small tears dribbling onto his clammy skin as a small kiss was planted upon his lips.
He reached up, grabbing tightly onto Melody's tattered robes from where she had been running through the brambles to reached him and refused to let go. She sobbed slightly, caressing his cheeks with her fingers as she shifted him into a more comfortable position, unable to tear her eyes away from his agonizing expression.
"Oh, Severus." She pressed her forehead against his, noses brushing as his ragged breathing marred her cheeks. "Please don't leave me, you're stronger than that." His eyes opened and closed softly and she knew he was loosing consciousness, causing her to cry harder. His hands reached for hers and she gripped them tightly, the coldness scaring her.
"I'm sorry." He breathed, wincing as another bout of pain bullied his body.
Melody never found out what for as he fell unconscious.
*~*~*~*
"You're awake." Snape awoked, clutching his throbbing head and glaring at the girl sitting on the end of his bed. She was massaging his aching thigh muscles as he groaned slightly, from both the pain and the positioning of her hand.
"So it would seem." He grumbled, pulling himself upright before she leapt over and threw him roughly back down.
"Oh no, you're going nowhere. I didn't waste hours of my time bringing you back here and reviving you to have you hurt yourself in the first minute." He scowled as she smirked triumphantly, quickly retracting when she realised she was practically straddling him.
"Why did you save me?" He asked suddenly and she looked away, embarassed.
"I couldn't just leave you there, could I? I mean, he could have come back at any moment." Snape furrowed his eyebrows, shuffling away from her as she sighed wearily.
"How much did you hear?" He asked fearfully and she frowned at the floorboards.
"Enough." She said simply, still not looking up.
"You stupid girl!" He sudden yelled, causing her to jump upwards and glare at him.
"Excuse me? I saved you, you ungrateful git-"
"I didn't ask you to! Voldemort wants you dead and you just wonder into his trap willingly? Honestly, do you have a brain?"
"Shut it, Snape. I didn't have to save you."
"You did though, didn't you?" He smirked, pulling himself upright but this time she made no attempt to stop him.
"I'm beginning to wish I hadn't."
"You're being ridiculous." He snapped and she narrowed her eyes.
"No, you're being ridiculous! Maybe I should have just handed myself over to the Dark Lord, at least then you wouldn't get your hands dirty, hurting me!"
"Foolish girl! I got in this state because I didn't want to hurt you-"
"Why not? Because it would be too easy? You didn't want to do all the work-"
"BECAUSE I LOVE YOU, GODDAMNIT!" He yelled, causing her to falter and finally fall silent. "Honestly! You are one of the most idiotic, moronic people I have ever met. I wish you hadn't saved me-"
"UNGRATEFUL BASTARD!"
"INSOLENT, CONNIVING BRAT-"
"THAT'S RICH, COMING FROM YOU!"
"OH, EXCUSE ME, I WASN'T THE ONE WHO FUCKED MY EX-"
"AT LEAST I DON'T WRITE SICKENING, NAUSEATING LOVELETTERS!" Snape fell silent, eyes widening slightly before narrowing. His lips curled with disgust as Melody's fingers curled around her wand.
"Ah, has the sarcastic Headmaster lost his tongue? Dear, dear." She taunted as he scowled.
"What makes you think I would ever do something like that for a slut like you?" She hissed as he snarled at her. "You're nothing but an immature girl who loves getting attention like some pathetic five year old."
"What're you going to do Professor?" Se hissed, leaning in an jabbing a finger into his chest as he gripped her wrist, dragging her closer so their noses were brushing. "Kill me? Torture me? Go through with the dark lord's wishes? Because I'd like to see you try. You're nothing but a coward."
"I AM NOT A COWARD!"He roared and she laughed incredulously.
"Prove it. Prove to me, to yourself that you wouldn't just crumble and do whatever's easiest."
"You want me to be brave like some foolish Gryffindor? Fine! I can do that-"
"Oh? How so?"
"This." His hand roughly cupped her chin and he brushed his lips against hers. She made to pull away when he kissed her again, harder, rougher, until she was occupied with his tongue, begging him to kiss her harder still. And he obliged.
She pushed him onto his back, hand fiddling with his belt buckle as his tender body groaned with the sudden pressure. It had been so long, too long. He never realised before how muc he had missed her - missed her lips against his, her hands running through his hair, trailing his cold fingers across the soft contours of her body, pressing himself against her, being beside her - it all felt so right, yet wrong at the same time.
She lay there in his arms, clothes thrown hastily upon the floor. The rumpled bed sheets folded over her body as she nuzzled into his neck, wanting to please him now than anything. His scent filled her mind as she tasted the warm, delicate skin of his bare chest, feeling the firm muscles underneath and moaning with pleasure as she felt him harden against her. He groaned, dragging her bare form so she was straddling his legs, moaning as he slipped inside her.
"Severus." She purred, nibbling his ear as he kissed and caressed her bare chest delicately, fondling the exposed skin with his lips. "Don't stop."
"God, how I've missed hearing you say my name." He groaned and she complied, moaning it over and over again.
*~*~*~*
"Was it worth the wait?" Melody asked, laying with her stomach pressed against him as he wrapped his arms around her bare waist and pulled her closer.
"Most definitely." He breathed, kissing her forehead as she snuggled into him, pulling the covers tighter over them. He turned from his back, pressing his forehead against hers as she softly kissed his nose, gazing adoringly into his eyes. He planted a tender kiss on her lips, hand stroking her porcelain cheek as she grazed his jawline which she so loved. Her head settled into the crook of his neck as she wrapped her arms around his broad shoulders, just wanting him to hold her. She dozed off and he laughed gently, pressing his mouth into her hair and holding her bare body against his, feeling that they fitted together perfectly.
"HEADMASTER!" Someone burst through the doors, eyes widening as Snape sat bolt upright, pushing Melody behind him.
"FILCH!" He bellowed at the goggling caretaker.
"OUT! NOW!"
"But Headmaster! Potter's been sighted in hogsmeade!"
"Get out, now. I'll deal with it." Filch hurried away, slamming the door as Melody burrowed into his back, arms flung around his neck as she planted small kisses up his spine. She slipped her hands round his front, causing him to groan when her fingers massaged his thighs. "Melody, get off me!" He snarled, throwing off the covers and scrabbling for his clothes a she frowned at him.
"Severus?" She whispered and he fixed her with a scowl, throwing her clothes which landed in her lap.
"That's Professor to you. Get those on and get out of my sight!" She stared at him and he narrowed his eyes. "IMMEDIATELY!" She hastily threw her clothes on, sobbing as she did so with no idea what she had done wrong.