Chapter 67: A Moment's Pause

Wolfback Summit, Uncharted Forest, Unknown World...

Yawning rather casually, Severus Snape got up from his haystack and made his way toward the curious witch Hermione as she tried to soak up as much knowledge within the inner sanctum of the werewolf civilization as possible. She knew there would be things she needed to know given that Severus would be forever afflicted with lycanthropy and gathering as much information as possible on the subject of his illness could only benefit them in the future. A contented sigh fell from her supple soft pink lips as his evidently strong arms wrapped around her slender waist.

"Did you get any rest?" she asked leaning back against his chest noting the familiar and intense pounding of his heart beating beneath his rib-cage.

A low growl rumbled from deep within him as his pale lips began to glide rather slowly across the exposed flesh of her neck. Unbeknownst to them, the old shaman was watching from afar with a pleasant smile filed across his notoriously grim looking face. He had seemed impressed with the Alpha's chosen mate despite her being a mere witch. His years of study and keeping with the ancient werewolf traditions he had given him advantage as far as understanding the selective impulse of an Alpha wolf and as such he respected the choice presented.

The Alpha being bound was as much a defense mechanism for the werewolf tribe as it had been for the other less capable races of witch, wizard, and muggle alike. For without a mate, the Alpha would roam the world driven insane by the call of the beast blood. The Alpha's mate had been the only means of staving off the effects of such madness giving the menacing wolves a purpose other than to destroy the world for the thrill of the hunt. As much as the wolves loved running free, many of them were once human and still possessed the Hearts of men and none wanted to see the world destroyed to amuse even the father of man-beasts.

Hermione giggled a bit when Snape nibbled at the soft flesh of her neck never once letting her go as he inhaled the scent of her unruly hair.

"It's beautiful here." she said with a sigh of contentment.

"Somewhat." agreed the rather lazy werewolf as he found himself yawning once more.

"It's beautiful here and you know it git." replied Hermione continuing to look around.

The two of them had been so engrossed in their presentation of the werewolf settlement that they had not noticed the shaman approach them. Snape snarled hearing the foot steps approach and pulled Hermione closer toward him ready to attack at a moment's notice.

"I bid you welcome Alpha Severus." said the Shaman. "And to you Lady Hermione."

Hermione smiled turning her attention toward Snape.

"He's a nice werewolf." she said pleased to meet the shaman. "Please be civil Severus."

Snape growled once more but continued to allow the shaman to speak.

"I thank you for your patience." he said before looking back n forth between Snape and Hermione. "You too are mated?"

"No I'll thinking about skinning you alive because you are near her just for kicks." said the Potions Professor bitterly.

"Severus." said Hermione choosing to ignore his aggression. "I suppose it's safe to say that we are."

The Shaman nodded.

"Rather unusual." he said looking them over. "It doesn't appear that you've ingested the fruit of the elders but you claim to be mated?"

Hermione arched a brow at this strange werewolf's words.

"What is the fruit of the elders?" she asked.

Despite his aggression, Snape found himself curious to know the answer to that as well.

"When you first felt your attraction...did you once see a strange floral bloom?" asked the shaman. "It has no name in the wizarding world...but the best example I can give is that it's prone to shifting colors."

It was Snape's turn to arch an eyebrow upon hearing this.

"Does...is the floral bloom prone to shift colors during sexual encounters?" he asked speaking as the Potions Professor in place of the jealous Alpha Werewolf.

"It is the gift of lovers." replied the Shaman with a smile. "Especially for the female...it is sometimes difficult to endure the mating rituals of aggressive males the bloom protects her from unnecessary harm while readying her womb to carry the seed her mate."

"I have no plans to sire children any time soon." said Snape flat out.

The Shaman seemed confused for a moment.

"It is more than that." he explained. "It's difficult to explain all of the effects of the bloom but it is vital that it is eaten by those whom have discovered it."

Snape looked at Hermione, whom stared at him with wide eyes.

The Shaman seemed to understand their horror.

"Y-You've been mating with her without the assistance of the bloom?" he asked in shock as he looked over Hermione. "I do not understand...even the strongest of female wolves need the bloom to stave off the lust of their mates."

"I'm use to it." replied Hermione as Snape pressed his body harder into her own.

The Shaman shook his head.

"None the less I recommend you both consume the plant before it withers and dies." he said before taking one last look at the two of them and walking back toward his hut.

Snape turned his attention back to Hermione.

His acute sense of smell had picked up the intense scent of arousal radiating from her trembling slender form.

"Come." he said taking her hand and leading her toward the biggest hut in the village.

Hermione knew very well what her werewolf wizard had in mind as they ventured into the hut and closed the door behind them.

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The Hut, Wolfsback Summit...

Amber eyes burned with arousal and need as Severus Snape's obsidian orbs flickered with heat as he crawled into the make-shift bed with his witch. The rugged animal skins used for bedding had not bothered either of them as they noted the warmth filling the seemingly unassuming hut that sheltered them from the elements of the wolven village.

There had been genuine fear on Hermione's part that she would never see her lover again following his departure to face Voldemort. The despot had taken so much from Harry and every other Muggle born in the wizarding world that she believed he'd outright kill Severus. Snape knew her sadness and did his best to put an end to it.

Slowly and carefully, he positioned his lean pale form between her slender thighs lapping at the soft flesh and nibbling to get her mind off her horrors. He had bedded the young witch numerous times over the past few years and each time was more impressive than the last. The first night at Spinner's End had not been quite what he expected given his own reservations of having to take her in the first place.

Now.

Now she was what consumed his mind more than this Merlin forsaken war and the call of blood combined.

She was his mate.

His peace in the middle of a warring storm.

She was Hermione and he had promised to treat her with care and respect despite his animal tendencies getting the better of him at times.

"Severus." she said just before she gave herself over to his intrusion into her warm depths. "You promised."

Holding back his expressive lust as he eased his way into the now moaning witch beneath him, Snape fought to control his beastly urge to ravage her if only for the time being.

"I...I love you." said Hermione as something akin to tears streamed down her cheeks.

He noted her mind had been clouded with torrid what if scenarios and they were quite distracting from the business at hand so to speak.

"I'm still here witch." he growled pressing his own pale lips into the flesh of her neck.

"Please tell me you won't ever leave me." she pleaded as the tears continued to pour down her cheeks.

"No if I can help it." replied Snape being realistic about what was to come in terms of war.

If they both were honest, this was merely a moment's pause before the true aspect of their reality hit. They had secured the werewolf army to fight for Dumbledore and the Order Of Phoenix but Voldemort had known of Severus' werewolf transformation thanks to Forengar and there was no doubt in their minds that the despot would find a way to hurt him for his treachery.

"Severus..." said Hermione fearful once more.

"You are mine witch." he replied thrusting rather impatiently into her. "That is all that matters."

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Lupin's Hut, Wolfback Summit...

Remus Lupin's eyes narrowed in horror as he took in the news his mate had for him. Tonks had been nervous but she didn't believe there would be another quiet moment to get this out into the open before the fighting started.

"A-Aren't you going to say something Remus?" she asked terrified of his reaction thus far.

"How could you be so careless!?" asked Lupin in a biting tone. "How the fuck could you let this happen!?"

Tonks narrowed her eyes at her former Professor turned lover. At first she was fearful of his reaction and afraid he'd do something stupid but now her blood boiled as his idiotic words replayed in her ears like the beating of a drum.

"Last I checked Remus, it takes two people to have a baby!" shouted the angry witch. "Perhaps you should have considered the possibility before jumping into my bed in the middle of the night."

"You don't get to go there." said Lupin angrily. "You knew from the very beginning that I didn't want children and you knew damn well why!"

"Fuck you Remus!" shouted Tonks angrily.

"No fuck you Nymphadora!" shouted Lupin embittered.

Before he knew what hit him, Lupin found himself leveled to the floor by an angry pregnant witch bordering on going for blood.

"Don't call me Nymphadora!" she shouted in disgust.

He scrambled to his feet and headed out the door before the beast inside him did real harm. There was no fucking way he was going to stick around now that she was carrying a kid he never wanted.

"REMUS!" shouted Tonks coming to her senses after the door closed and she found herself alone in this strange place.

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The Alpha's Hut, Wolfsback Summit...

Sweat poured off the gasping Potions Professor as he and his witch attempted to drift off to sleep following their less than frantic coupling. He had done his best to keep his word in terms of giving her a less brutal encounter despite his blood boiling in his veins. The exhausted couple had been well on their way into a coma like sleep when the frantic knocking on their door had ended all notion of this being a time of rest. Snape rolled onto his back pulling his share of the animal skins that passed for bedding over his lower body as Hermione spelled on a night gown and answered the door.

The exhausted witch was surprised to see Tonks standing before her in tears.

"Tonks?" said Hermione confused as she looked around. "What's going on...where's Lupin?"

"Who bloody hell knows." replied a clearly embittered Tonks. "Probably going to put an end to his miserable existence as we speak."

Snape had not been of the mind to have to endure female problems and even less of a mind to endure discussion of Lupin. He got out of bed dressing rather moderately in his trousers and boots before taking off into the elements. The heat left over from his coupling with Hermione ensured he wouldn't need anything else as he went to dig Lupin out of whatever hole the sod crawled into when life got too complicated for him.

Despite understanding why the sheepish wolf had taken off, he was none too happy with the sloppy werewolf's mate crying on his mate's shoulder. He had not wanted children either and feared their mutual issues would lead to him and Hermione having a row over the same bloody thing.

Draco had been having his fill of the she-wolf girl he was pursuing earlier. Snape thought better of disturbing him and vanished passed the falls to find the idiot Lupin.

It was strange to be chasing after a man he would have sooner seen dead then assist before hand. Especially given their unsavory history and the fact that Lupin was the reason he bore this curse to begin with.

Still finding the sod would make Hermione happy, and he was all for whatever pleased his witch.