So it came to pass that Helga sat at the dinner table with seven gentlemen and Rowena, in a golden silk dress, embroidered with blossoms in black, red and cold, with a much too low neckline. At the seamstress she had no idea how she ended up with it, but Rowena had been happy with her choice. Most likely Rowena had bullied Helga into choose the dress; she could be manipulative when she wanted. Seeing Rowena so happy at the seamstress had made Helga thought maybe Rowena's troubles had not been as grave as she expected. However, as the dinner party crept closer Rowena fell back into her gloom.

Helga had been well aware of Salazar's eyes, studying her the whole evening. Especially taking in every inch of the low cut on her dress, exposing much more of her bosom than any other dress she ever worn had, and a bit more than was appropriate. Godric had only given her, usually hidden, cleft one glance, a chuckle when she had come down and then kept his gaze on her face for the rest of the evening whenever speaking to her. It was very like him, of all men Godric Gryffindor was the very example of a gentleman. And of course he had seen much more of it in their youth. However, it was more than his guests had done of course, but hadn't that been the point? Helga had guessed Godric had more reasons behind inviting powerful wizards to dine than gaining support for the school. She had guessed it the moment Godric had mentioned the gathering that it was as much as for cheer up her and Rowena. Sometimes Godric was too much of a gentleman, by playing by the rules he would never get Ravenclaw to see him. Helga often seen the longing and loving gazes he gave Rowena, and knew him to well to recognize them.

The dinner she had made, with help of the first house-elves, had turned out a success. It had served her more approving looks and nods from the visiting wizards, and even more she got throughout the evening as she showed her mind and cleverness in conversation. She had more than once caught the colourful Lord Hemming eyes on her. The attention she got made her feel beautiful and confident, one or two glass of wine had already removed her uneasiness. She drank to be polite not because she liked the wine. Rowena's mood had lightened a little by the company but she had been quiet most of the evening and retired after dinner claiming a small headache. Helga had followed her with pitiful gaze as she walked out the Great Hall. If Rowena just could say what was troubling her.

Now it was getting late, Helga covered a yawn with her hand. The men would be up for hours more she guessed, so she could take the dishes in the morning. Or perhaps the dished would already be done in the morning by her new helpers, she smiled for herself and pushed her chair back and rose.

"Gentlemen" She irrupted their discussion on the topic of breeding dragons for transportation. They all stopped talking and rose as well immediately. "I believe it is time for me to retire for tonight. I bid you all a good night and hope to see you before you depart in the morning. Breakfast will of course be served before you depart. Good night." Confident she strode out of the Great hall feeling their gazes in her back. She felt like giggling but kept steady, at least until she was well out of sight. Attention surely got to her brain, she could hardly recognise herself. This pretence was for one night only, she told herself, or she would get nothing done. Helga wondered how Rowena could handle all attention and male interests she received. Lost in her own thoughts she never heard Salazar apologising for him retiring earlier as well, blaming it on early business the next morning. Stepping silently he caught up with her and kept a distance of ten paces between them.

Helga took the stairs in steps of two and hummed with happiness. Perhaps this is what it is like to be Rowena, she thought, only she that can keep her wits about it. She had only one flight of stairs left when Slyhterin caught up the final steps with her. Suddenly he was there, grabbing her by the shoulders and pressing her against the stone wall nearly knocking down a painting by doing so. She was about to scream in surprise but he silenced her with a hand over her mouth. Slytherin's eyes were bewildered and he was breathing quite heavily, Helga wondered by Melin's beard how he had managed to sneak up on her. Had she been that caught up in her thoughts?

"Don't tease me so. My lady," His voice was hoarse. He had moved his hand from her mouth to holding her against the wall in a tight grip. "You torment me. And what is the meaning" a finger ran down over her collarbone down to the laced edge of the dress, ending up resting lightly on her breast. "Of this?" Helga trembled from head to toe, she was afraid he could feel her shaking. He had been avoiding her for so long, making her look the fool and now. And now he stood so close to her, touching her. The confident she had built up during her evening took hold of her again and made her focus, even though her voice shook.

"My lord Slytherin, if the indifferent you showed towards me the last weeks is truth then please let me go and I am sure we can find a way to communicate as friends for the future of this school." She was surprised how stern her voice sounded. She even managed to smile sweetly. "But, but I my Dear Salazar remember I have never tried to refuse or stop you."

He took a moment to consider what she had said. Helga felt it as minutes past and she was sure he would divert his eyes, let her go and walk away without a word, and everything would go back how it used to be. Indifference, hostility, and carelessness.

To Hufflepuff's surprise and to Slytherin's as well: his lips pressed down on hers with force. As a jolt of heat leaped through her body Helga's lips welcomed his, parting and deepening the kiss. Her hands which had been hanging by her sides had found their way to his chest when he suddenly broke free. They both were panting hard and his eyes fixed hers.

"I will never be able to let you go" He mumbled so softly she wasn't sure if he had meant to speak it at all, but she heard.

"I do not intend to let you" She said and let her hand caress his chin, pulling Salazar's face towards her, and continued the kiss.

They could not have been far from his chambers, before Helga knew it she was pushed down onto a wide bed with black covers and black drapers. She had never been inside Salazar's chambers before, only speaking with him in the doorway during a few urgent times. She had never had the reason to, and never got invited, but by the fine interior she could not believe where else they could be. His rooms must have been close, she hardly knew how they got there, he had half dragged her, half carried her but she knew their lips had hardly parted. Helga's hair had fallen out of her tight up-do, lying around her head in a soft curled halo.

Salazar had to stop for a second to admire the sight; she lying on his bed, slightly out of breath and with lips already a bit swollen. How he had wanted her, he had believed to have scared her. The anger she had acted out towards him, but still kind as always. She was contradicting, and hard to read. But whatever he had read into her expressions and acts he had never thought of this. Perhaps because he never really know why he wanted this, wanted her. But oh, how he wanted her.

Studying her, he stood by the foot of the bed towering over her. His head was bowed forward with his chin length hair shadowing his face. Finally his eyes had wandered from her body to catch her gaze. His green eyes shone through the curtain of hair and penetrated her. A wave of weakness flew over her and she felt unsure for a moment. His gaze chased it all away, his gaze was as clear as crystal. After all she was not a virgin and they both were on the same page.

Reaching out an arm towards him, he took her hand. She pulled herself into sitting positon and pulled his head down into a kiss. It was gentler than before. With sure fingers she undid the small buttons down her back and let the bodice fall to her waist. She rose into his arms and the gown fell heavy to the floor. With one layer of cloth gone, she hardly showed any more skin than before, except her arms. She still wore petticoats, corset, shift and stockings.

Then everything happened so fast. His hand caressed her skin, her shoulders, so carefully, travelling down her back to in a sudden movement of brutality rip the laces of her corset. Helga gasped as her cramped body earned its freedom. With that ripping sound all his carefulness was gone. Pressing his lips, his body against her, she managed to shrug out of the corset and let it fall, together with the layered petticoat, without a thought of its ruin. Dressed in only her smooth linen shift she pressed just as hard against him, together their force was enough to becoming a single mind.

Salazar's robe had already been discarded as the entered his chambers. Tugging his shirt of his britches Helga slid her hand underneath the cloth and let them rest on the warm skin of his belly for a moment. She let her hands slide upward, over his strong muscles to let them rest with fingers over his nipples. His hand left her to pull the shirt over his head, the shirt parted them from the kiss and on the other side of it Salazar found Helga's calm gaze looked with his. Her left hand travelled upward to rest on his cheek, her right downward to rest on the inside of his thigh. Delicate fingers brushed his lips before she turned and sat down at the side of the bed.

Helga sat half turned from him, her hand pushed up her shift so it laid bundled at the top of her thigh, not exposing anything else than stockings. Slowly she rolled down her stockings, one leg at a time, not looking at him. Her pale skin shone in the dark room, white against his black sheets. Her loose hair fell down to her waist and as she pulled her last clothing over her head the golden locks covered her bare breasts. Turning her head, Helga looked at Salazar and smiled.