Bella had came to the room after Quidditch practise, it'd felt strange to return to her normal timetable and not spending the evening with Severus, their time together dominated the past few days, at least it did in her mind. Since he would be spending the night helping Camui with the potion she found herself at somewhat of a loose end, she'd finished all her homework that afternoon and so she'd headed to the one place she knew she could head undisturbed. The room took the same magnificant form that it had the night before and she smiled at the memories as she walked in. She ran the bath as she slipped from the robes, she ached terribly and hoped the warm water would provide some release. Parkinson hadn't shown up to practise so Bella had ran the practise but as a chaser she wasn't exactly well placed to watch the others and as such, splitting her attention between playing her own role and watching the others, had more than a few scrapes with the bludgers. She usually tended to risk her chances with them and as such was very good at playing her position but it also meant that bludger hits had became a common occurance for her, never straight on, she always ducked slightly so that the bludger just clipped her, she struck a balance between sticking to her purpose and safety. But today had been pure agony, on of the new beaters was awful, she'd had to direct him in almost every move he made or else he wouldn't move. It had taken her a shattered shoulder blade to figure that much out though, she'd taken a healing potion instantly but it still hurt.

As the foamy bubbles reached near the top of the tub she turned off the taps and climbed in grateful for the peace and quiet. As her aches and pains began to melt away she allowed her thoughts to stray back to their favourite thought....she wondered idly what time he'd finish tonight, she wanted to see him again, even if it was just to say goodnight, she doubted she had the energy for a repeat performance of last night indeed her eyelids became increasingly heavy in the dimly lit room. That was the main reason she'd chosen to come here, if he wanted to find her then surely this would be the first place he'd look

Snape paced and saw the door appear before him. He took the halde and stepped in and smiled as he saw the dark walls and green flames. He quietly closed the doors and slipped out of his shoes, all without making a noise in the large echoing chamber.

He crept up to Annabella, seemingly asleep in the bubbles and gently started a back massage, kneeling behind her so he wouldn't be seen if she opened her eyes.

Bella dreamed, for some reason she was in ravenclaw robes and playing seeker against her own slytherin team. She was in the middle of debating whether she ought t throw the match when Pritchard sent a well aimed bludger into her back. She shut her eyes as she fell but when she opened them she was in the forest where she and Severus had met that fateful night. She was lying on a pile of their clothes whilst he gently massaged her shoulders. She felt the pain the bludger caused gently melting away but the forest started to melt away. She flicked open her eyes and felt the fingers were still present, she let out a small 'mmmph' of pleasure and turned round to face him. She smiled broadly and planted a kiss on his lips

Snape smiled softly and kissed her back. "I was looking for you Bella. I have to go, I don't know how long I will be." he continued working gently on her shoulders. "You should be more careful when your training." he commented.

"Lestrange has asked me to help her in her plan." he as still peeved at her, sure she had stolen his plans, passing them off as hiw own. But The Dark Lords waith was far worse then his pride.

She sighed "I know, one of the new beaters isn't working out so well". She moved a strand of hair from his face tucking it softly behind his ear before allowing her hand to gently caress the side of his face "how long have we got?" she decided not to mention LeStrange, she was astute enough to notice the shadow that passed across his eyes as he spoke of his plan, she hadn't forgotten who thought of it. She looked at him with a look of soft adoration, she felt like it had been years since they last saw one another not hours

"Well I really must leave..." he kissed her softly, moving around the side of the bath to get a better angle. "So I really can't stay that long...but for you..." he took her hand from the water, ignoring how is robes got wet and kissed her hand hand slowly making his way up her arm to her tender shoulder with a trail of kisses.

"Say you want me to stay here a little longer." he asked in a voice hardly above a whisper. "Even if it is just to watch over you whie you soak your tired bones." he kissed her lips again this time with more urgancy then before. It had felt like months instead of just days since he could have Annabella to himself.

Just as his fingers had melted away her aches, his kisses washed away her tiredness. She pulled herself out of the bathtub slightly to wrap her arms around his neck, she kissed him passionataly, her bare breasts pressing up against his chest sending water coursing down his robes, she pulled back slightly "oh, I want you to stay mon amor, but the Dark Lords need is greater". Annabella had learnt the hard way the priorities of Death Eaters, her mother had left her in her crib when she was just two weeks old to answer the Dark Lords call, it was a mission that the woman had never returned from. She smiled "I'll still be here when you get back"

Snapes hands slide down her wet naked body and pulled her in closer, wrapping his cloaks around her so she couldn't get cold, although the Room would never allow it. "I know." he said quietly as he kissed her lips tenderly. "But you will always be before the Dark Lord." He promised her, looking don into her eyes.

"Your gorgoeus you know that." he said as he momentarily stunned by her extream, yet innocent, beauty. "I promise to return." He kissed her passionatly, his tongue snaking into her mouth and holding her impossible close. His rbes were soaked, but a simple spell would be enough to fix that.

His large hands rests on her hips as he lent further into the kiss, wanting to consume her, keep her safe ad well while he was gone. Finally it ended and he hugged her, his robes still drapped around her. "I will return as soon as I can." he kissed her a final time before finally surrendering to time and releasing her.

"Be safe." he said before turning and leaving the room, wishing he could have taken Annabella with him, but her safety ent more to him ten anything. And Harry had quite a few good spells under his sleeve, he had proven that time and again.

No it was best that Snape go this alone.

"Good luck" she smiled as she watched him go, infinately proud that he was hers. Her skin still tingled from his touch and as she sank back into the bath she smiled in spite of thedread that his leaving caused. She wanted so badly for him to be safe, but she knew he had to go, much though she hated being left behind she knew she'd probably wind up getting Severus hurt as he tried to protect her.

She smiled contentedly as she realised what he'd said, he'd put her before the dark lord. She wondered idly if he would have plans for the christmas holidays? She'd stayed at Hogwarts one christmas and had seen him on christmas day in the great hall but she didn't know if that was his usual plan. Were teachers allowed to leave for christmas? She assumed so, the whole staff hadn't been present for christmas dinner. Her family always invited him to their christmas feast but every year he politely refused. In fact, her step-mother was telling her just the other day that they'd already allocated all the guest rooms. She couldn't help but suppress a grin, when Severus suprised everyone by accepting she'd offer one of the guest rooms in her private wing - he could arrive whenever he wanted and nobody would be any the wiser, he could spend the entire holidays in the wing. She was grinning manically before she realised that all this relied on his wanting to, she shook the thought from her mind and dipping her head under the water for one final time, got out of the bath. She towelled herself off on a soft bath-sheet before dressing in simple emerald silk robes.

She wanted to wait as long as possible before going back to her dorm on the rare chance that he came back that night. A desk appeared at the side of the room, it had a few sheets of paper on it and a set of sixth year texts. She sat down and started a DADA assignment

Snape burst into the room, not saying a word. The door slammed behind him. He growled lowly and started to pace. He had to much energy and didn't want to take it out on Annabella.

Slowly he calmed down enough that he refound his words. "Sorry Bella, I had to go somewhere were I wouldn't have to worry about people." he spoke lowly, a tone in his voice that people never heard, not even when he was angry at students he didn't sound quite like this.

"I knew that Lestrange was a little warped, but this is rediculas." he growled as he leant on the black marble wall and hung his head forward, his hair falling forward and hiding his face. "Sorry to disturb your study." he mumbled

'Bella put her quil down, the essay was already a foot over the required length, she'd do a conclusion later, she still had the best part of the week to work on it. She got up from the chair and walked silently to Snape, she wrapped one arm around his back and lifted his chin gently with the other so she could look into his eyes. "What happened?" her voice was gentle but curious

Snape shook his head and sighed. "The girls she recruited, Lucy and Midori, are both pregneat." he groaned and lifted his head, swiping his hair from his face. "Maybe I am old fashioned but I would never expect a woman in their situations to risk their lives and their unborn child."

He moved out of his touch and started pacing again. "I told them to go home, since I refuse to lea such a misson, and I do not fear the Dark Lord. I may have done alot in my life, but I will not march them to that room and lead an attack with them like that."

"Imbeciles the pair of them, why'd they volunteer for such a dangerous mission?". Her father had raised her on war stories, how valently her mother fought whilst pregnant, how she'd never let it stop her fulfilling her duty, but Lucy didn't even seem that happy about his return, why on earth would she risk her life and the life of her child for a man she only half-heartedly served? Not for the first time 'Bella found herself confused about te enigma that is Lucy Knox. Midori she barely knew but the girl seemed to have her head firmly on her shoulders, not the type 'Bella would have expected such recklessness from.

She watched Severus pace, she'd never seen him so rattled and agitated. She realised with a start that she felt an apprehension not dissimilar from that when she failed to turn in homework or blew up half his classroom. She shook her head as if to dispel the thought then walked over to the bath and started to fill the tub "take a bath, it'll help you calm down"

Snape turned, stopping his pace and watched her. "I'm sorry to disturb you. I just needed to be...elsewhere." he finished lamely before he strode across the room and took her hand in his and kissed it softly. "I don't know why it bothered me so much." he confessed quietly as he let her run the bath.

"they are adults and know what they are getting themselves into but I just could not lead them onward to danger like that." he shook his head and started to strip himself. Soon he stood in just his pants. He untied his shoes and kicked them off.

"Care to join me?" he asked her with a soft smile, taking her hand again and pulling her into his embrace, his naked flesh pressed against her robes. "Or should I do the responsible thing and tell you to get back to work?"

"I have ages to finish the essay" she grinned and unfastening the buttons shrugged off her gown so that it landed in a pile at their feet. She wrapped her arms around his bare back and kissed him passionately

Snape watched her unrobe and moaned without realising he was doing it. He kissed her back, his hand gripping the back of her neck and kissed her harder.

Finally he pulled away. "Oh god Bella." he moaned as he ran his hands down her arms, his eyes roaming down her body, his mouth wet dry with this look and he could not believe he wa lucky enough to have her.

She stepped out of his pants and kicked them away. He pulled her back in for a hug and trailed kisses up her shoulder, neck and finally met her lips, forcfully kissing her, pressing up against her so she would back up to the tub

Annabella met his kisses with equal passion, for a moment she held still enjoying the force of his body pressing hard against her then she yielded and took a step back, her arm wrapped tightly round him holding him close.

She explored backwards with her foot and found the bath tub, she pulled away from Snape gently and stepped in

Snape grinned, following her into the tug, the water was hot and bubbly, and he relaxed a little as he pulled Annabella over him him, causing her to rest on his chest a little as he took deep breaths and sighed.

"I just can't believe her foolishness." he muttered darkly as he patted her hair, just glad he had her close. He kissed her softly before going back to his thoughts

"We're talking about Lestrange I assume?" she smiled darkly as she looked up at him, "father told me she was an arrogant fool and since I've met her I've seen little or no evidence on the contary"

Snape nodded, still patting her hair, letting the water relax him. "She is foolish and just plain annoying. Did you see her stealing my ideas right infront of the dark lord and claim them as her own." he was still fumming about that.

He did not care about his reputation much except infront of The Dark Lord and as Potions Master. And Lestrange had taken him down a little in the eyes of the dark lord. He growled deep in his throat.

She smiled indulgently, "she is transparent, her claim was obviously forgery, the Dark Lord will recognise it as your genius." She planted another kiss on his lips, much though she wanted to sooth his bad temper she also wanted to give him the oppertunity to get it out of his system

Snape sighed, returning her kiss, although half heartedly. "I apologise Bella, the rambleing of an old man..." he dismissed his words and sighed. "and we are yet to see what the dark lord commands. So far he is proving to be less then extraordary." they were words he would never speak alloud to anyone but Bella, and in the safetly of the room of requirement.

Now it was 'Bellas turn to sigh, she had waited to meet the Dark Lord for years and if she was honest after the initial flurry of excitement she found herself dissapointed. After years of her fathers stories she'd been struck by how human the Dark Lord had seemed, "I have to agree with you on that, perhaps my expectations had been overinflated." She smiled softly "and you don't need to apologise to me, you can ramble whenever you so desire," she smiled playfully and kissed him yet it was as as half-hearted as his had been

"Ahh so you admit I am an old man?" he said with a small smile, lightening the mood the little with his joke. "I knew it would be time until you admitted that." He kissed her softly.

"And I fear that His time will come, and I think it will come soon. I am sorry he disappointed you so. He had such pressence at one time."

She laughed "Older certainly, there can be no denying that. But old? Most certainly not..." she smiled playfully "...you have far too much stamina to be an old man." She kissed him again, whole-heartedly this time.

"And I'm quite sure I've been overly rash in my judgements, he's only just returned, who knows where he's been and what happened to him. Perhaps it'll just take him a little time to re-adjust"

Snape nodded, keeping his thoughts to himself. He had given up on the Dark Lords return to how he used to be long ago. It was time for a new terror, a new threat.

Voldemort was simply a wizard who had once been great and has now grown lazy. Perhaps some competition is what he needed to get back to his old ways.

He looked down at her and took her skin in his hand, bringing her lips up to kiss him again. "Well thankyou for saying so." he smiled

His response to her comment about the Dark Lord had been unreadable but certainly not what she had expected. She shrugged the thought from her mind and kissed him again, "you are most welcome," she grinned and looked deep into his eyes

Snape looked back into hers and touched her face gently before leaning in for a kiss. He kissed her softly, gently running his hands down her bare sholders and back. He looked at her and let out a slow breath.

"What would I do without you?" he mused to himself as he stroked her face gently.

She grinned "probably be a whole lot better rested." She paused and took a deep breath "I've been wondering, school holidays are coming up, will you be free at all? Only..." the words tumbled out of her mouth with increasing speed, any thoughts of playing it cool long since lost "....only, my family always throws a dinner party, well I say dinner party, it's more like a ball. We've been sending you invites for as long as I can remember but you never come, only I thought that it might be nice if you did. Occasionally we put guests up at the manor, I thought that, well maybe, I could get you assigned to one of the guest rooms in my wing, it's completely out of bounds to any but me and the house elves so we'd have our privacy. Not that that would be an issue for most the holidays because I'm the only family member staying except for the weekend of the party..." evidently she'd either ran out of breath or words for the girl stopped talking abruptly though her breast heaved as she tried desperately to catch her breath.

He smiled and kissed her softly, silencing her with his mouth. "Are you asking me to be your date..." he couldn't help but almost laugh at the thought of the aged Potions Master as a date to anyone. "...then I would be delighted." he smiled warmly at her.

"And as for the offer of a guest room in your wing, does that mean I wouldn't have to sneak into the room of requirement to have you?" he smiled seductively as he kissed her, holding her pressed against himself in the warm bubble filled tub

'Bella gave a weak smile "not as my date, believe me nothing would give me more pleasure, but it would not be the right way to go about getting my family's approval. Although we could tell them, after the ball when the manor has began to empty ocemore."

The smile flickered back oncemore "but yes, in the manor we wouldn't have to sneak around, house elves are known for their discretion"

Snape smiled, playing with her dampened hair. "Then I suppose I shall find the time for a visit this time." he kissed her and sighed. "I sometimes wonder if this relationship would be as exciting if it wasn'tforbiddon. What no longer tempts, is no longer wanted." he quoted to her gently.

He knew how he felt for her, although it was always in the back of his mind that maybe it was just the thrill of the danger that kept her with him. There was no doubt that she was beautiful and funny and smart and everything anyone would want...

"And as long as we have company, I promise to behave." he vowed, but there was a glint in his eye that told her he would be taking advantage of every stolen moment

She grinned "behave? Not too well I hope", she trailed kisses from his shoulder her lips met his.

She tried to ignore the sting ofhis other words, she knew he was probably right yet something in her young heart told her she was more attatched to him than that. She kised him softly and averted her eyes so he wouldn't see her turmoil

He tilted his head to the side slightly as she trailed her kisses and joined her kiss with passion. "You know I could just read your thoughts." he said a little smuggly. "But I prefer you tell me what your thinking about." he said gently, hoping that he had not hurt her felings to badly at his earlier words.

Bollocks! She thought. Damnit, she kne she hadn't broken eye contact soon enough to hide it. She sihed, she knew she might as well come clean "so, you wouldn't be here if it weren't for the fact that I'm a student and off-limits?" She kept her voice determinedly level

Snape knew he shouldn't have sid anything. He wrapped Annabella in his arms, gently snuggeling against her face with his own in a warm conforting hug. "Actually exactly the oppisite thoughts. I would want you because you are Annebella Nott, the person." he told her gently. "If you were my student, my maid or a witch who worked down in the pub. I want you so badly because your beautiful, funny and absolutely desirable to any man on earth." he spoke into her ear, his vice in a low seductive growl.

"I said that before simply to wonder if you wanted me because I am your teacher."

Annabella grinned and kissed him passinately "as far as teachers go, I'm gonna have to say you are somewhat unique." She had to admit, to herself at the very least, that hi power did somewhat ncrease his allure, but not his power as a teacher, it was his reputation as a very powerful wizard. It was his reputation alone that caused Annabella to concede and allow herself to be sent to Hogwarts for she had wanted to go to Beaxbatons like her mother had or Durmstrang becasue of their Dark Arts program, the promose of Severus Snape the infamous Death Eater was all that gave Hogwarts it's charm in her eyes. How magnificant he was in person, she had certainly not been dissapointed

Snape smiled and kissed her, stroking her face, letting his hands to travel the length of her back under the water. "I am glad I found you, regardless of what the future brings." he told her before kissing her heatedly on the mouth and his touch got a little roughier, holding her closer to him as the kiss deepened.

It had been a relief her words and he showed it in the way his body moved, the large tub allowing him room to move, holding Annabella close.

For a moment she enjoyed the passion of his kiss before pulling back slightly "I adore you Severus Snape." She kissed him again and drew herself impossibly close her hands exploring his back

He smiled at her words and kissed her back, his body shuddering under her touch as she touched him. He asked himself every moment since that night in The Forbiddon Forest, how had he managed to get someone as beautiful as Bella? He touched her hair, tugging it slightly, breaking the kiss with the frce and trailed kisses gebtly from her mouth and down her neck.

He kissed along her shoulders and released her hair so he could use both hands, sliding her up in the water until she was almost in a sitting position. He lightly ran his hands down her back and finally grabed her arse forcefully, groaning a little as the touch of her smooth skin. All this time he kissed down her coller bone and down her chest until finally he took one nipple in his mouth and sucked it gently.