A/N: chapter two

Severus was panting hard as he sat with his back pressed tightly against the wall in the shrieking shack, while his wide eyes stared unblinking at the large beast before him.

The raven's heart was beating harshly against his chest while his body had gone completely numb and his horror stricken mind refused to function properly as the thoughts to get up and run refused to properly register. Not that he'd be able to run with his body too petrified to move and even if he could, Severus doubts that he'd be able to get far enough for it to really matter.

The large animal snarled and barked at him, razor sharp teeth bared and gleaming brightly in the dim lighting of the shabby room. Severus opened his mouth to scream but no sound came out.

What good would screaming do anyway?

There's no one that knew of where he was, no one that would venture out that close to the whomping willow to hear his screams and absolutely no one who would have the strength to stand up against a werewolf anyway.

So what's the point, he dies either way.

Today Severus Tobias Snape dies.

It's actually quite funny.

He was born into misery, was forced to live a pathetically lonely existence and now he's going to die in excrutiating pain.

His life is quite the comedy indeed.

Shakespeare would be jealous.

Severus let out a deep breath as the animal crouched down to attack, still snarling menacingly. The slytherin trembled at the sight which is understandable considering the fact that he was about to be ripped to pieces by Remus Lupin who he just discovered was a werewolf. Severus never would have guessed.

While Remus' choice in friends was... dissapointing to say the least, Severus never would have guessed him to be a murderous monster.

Black, yes.

Potter, definitely.

But Lupin?

If Severus wasn't so terrified he'd really be impressed. That such an innocent saintly boy could turn out to be a ferocious beast... Although Snape didn't like Lupin any more that he hated the other two morons, he's never really disliked him either.

Sure he basically just stood there and watched every time Potter and Black humiliated him and treated him like dirt, but he never actually hurt Severus either. He's always seemed like the moral compass that the group never followed. You know the sin-less angel that made up for the two demon's sins.

If anyone had told him just a day before that this dark creature was hiding just beneath that quiet gryffindor's skin well Snape would have called you delusional, hexed you and told you to get out of his sight.

Really, if Snape wasn't as terrified as he was at that moment he actually would have been impressed.

And he thought his mask was good.

Remus should have been in slytherin, Snape almost gave a snort.

What's next?

Is that simpering fool Pettigrew going to turn into a spy for You-Know-Who? Now that's rich.

The werewolf let out one more menacing growl and Severus knew his time was up.

'What? No final requests?' Severus thought bitterly as his executioner's growling reached it's crescendo and his eyes began to sting.

If he could wish for anything in that moment, it's that he could have at least had the chance to find some kind of happiness. For a better existence than the one he was about to lose.

In his next life perhaps.

Severus took a deep breath and fought against the tears that welled up in his eyes as he stared right back into the animal's eyes.

If he's going to die he might as well die with a slytherin glare that would make the great Salazar Slytherin proud.

Suddenly the growling came to an abrupt stop and the werewolf froze as it locked eyes with Severus. Silence fell in the shrieking shack and nothing other than Snape's harsh breathing could be heard as the beast just continued to stare in complete silence with it's eyes suddenly glazed and misty. When the creature blinked and it's muscles relaxed before it slowly took a step forward with a loud creak in the wooden floor.

Snape flinched back on instinct and a single stream fell from his eyes, making the wolf flinch back as well before it lowered its head and began to whimper.

Severus could only stare in confusion as the beast's ears went down flat against his head and it's tail moved in back between it's legs while it whimpered and slowly tried to edge closer to the raven in front of it.

Completely puzzled at the sudden turn of events and at a complete loss for what to do Severus just sat perfectly still as the animal moved closer and closer while it whimpered and whined the whole way. Until it eventually reached him and lay its head on his lap, almost making Severus jump before he realised that it had no intention of harming him.

Although he couldn't understand why, when it was ready to massacre him just moments before.

The werewolf seemed to sniff at Snape's hand before he slowly lifted the pale hand with its snout and tried to move closer so Snape's hand was resting on his head. Just before it just sat there watching him with large amber eyes.

Quickly getting the hint Severus started to stroke the wolf's fur earning a slight grunt of approval while the wolf settled itself onto the floor and it's tail started wagging.

Snape's head tilted in utter confusion at the wolf, not understanding the situation at all.

Isn't he supposed to die?

The wolf then slowly moved up and licked the tears that seemed to now be flowing freely across his cheeks leaving a trail of thick saliva in its wake and making Severus tense before a look of pure disgust painted his face while the beast just sat there seeming to grin with its tail wagging high.

Xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

James lay back on his bed, staring at the canopy of his four poster bed as he wondered how things could have possibly changed so drastically in just three months.

Mc Gonagall still had the marauders on lock down since the werewolf incident, but thankfully hadn't given them more than a weeks detention since things had actually turned out much better than one would have expected.

The hazel eyed wizard pushed his glasses back up the bridge of his nose as he gave a sigh and tried to will away those recurring pangs of heartache that have been tormenting him since that fateful night when he suddenly heard a soft shuffling behind their dorm room door just before the door opened.

"Remus-"

"Shhh."

James propped himself up on his elbows as he watched the shadows of two figures move across the room where the boys slept and settled on the vacant bed that lay right across from his beside the window. The wizard carefully reached over towards the curtains hanging around his bed to get a look at the new visitors when a the sound of lips separating in a soft snap stopped him short.

No, not here...

"Remus, what are we doing in here?" A voice James knew all too well asked, you could hear the clear anxiety and worry in the person's voice.

"If we go to the room of requirement then Filch might catch us and I don't want to see you punished Severus, but I-" James took a deep inaudible breath as he pulled up some of that gryffindor courage and pulled the curtains open just a bit so he could see the two sitting on Remus' bed while the moon just outside the window illuminated them in its light.

Remus sat facing Severus with one leg braced on the bed while the other remained on the floor as he kept one hand on the slytherin's cheek and the other around the back of his neck, while Snape sat in front of him. Staring up at the werewolf with that same anxiety in his eyes and his hands braced on Remus' chest.

"I wanted... I need to be around you just one more time, before I'm too weak to hold you during the full moon." Remus whispered as his tongue briefly slipped out to wet his lips and he leaned forward a bit more. "I need to be with you Severus."

Snape gulped as he stared into the gryffindor's eyes, before diverting his eyes to give the room a quick glance luckily missing the glass frame peeking at them through the red curtains on the other side of the room.

"I'm not supposed to be here."

"Don't worry, they won't wake up. And even if they do they already understand that I'm your's and you're mine." Remus breathed as he leaned in a bit more causing his breath to fan out over Severus' cheeks and make the loose strands of hair blow out back before he quickly leaned forward and caught Snape's lips in a deep kiss. Severus' hands clenched in Remus' shirt and the werewolf let out a hungry moan as he gently pulled the slytherin's hands off his chest and forced him back onto the bed. Remus quickly settled himself on top of Snape's lap and deepened the kiss even more before suddenly releasing the raven's wrists and pulling back to start unbuttoning his own shirt.

However just as Remus was about to pull the shirt off his shoulders Severus stopped him short.

"Wait."

"What, is something wrong?"

Severus seemed to gulp as he stared at the scarred expanse of Remus' chest that was revealed through his shirt.

"No, I just..."

Severus was silent for a moment and he bit his lip staring up with something close but not quite the same as fear in his eyes. Remus paused and leaned down to press a kiss on the raven's forehead before pulling back a bit to look into Snape's eyes.

"I just want to be close to you, we don't have to do anything you don't want to Sev."

Snape's eyes went wide at that, "No! I-I want to...I just don't want to do that here." The slytherin said wryly as he glanced at the room while he mumbled, "I'd never survive it it Potter and Black knew."

Remus' expression fell into one of deep regret as he stared down at the raven beneath him and his words almost choked as he spoke.

"I'm so sorry for everything that they did to you Severus. I should have done more to stop them. They could have gotten you killed three months ago-"

"And this wouldn't have happened." Severus said softly as he raised his hand to rake through Lupin's hair making the werewolf shut his eyes and let out a deep sigh as he leaned into the touch.

"That's the only thing I don't regret."

Snape watched Lupin's expression as he let his hand drift down towards his chest to trace along the scars that marred his skin, causing Lupin to let out a moan.

"What are you doing?"

"What?" Remus' eyes snapped open as he stared down at Snape with a look of -dare he say it- adorable confusion on his face.

"What are you doing here with me? What could you possibly see in me that would drive you to do this?"

Remus frowned.

He hated it whenever Severus belittled himself.

The werewolf leaned down and to start leaving kisses on the slytherin's pale neck while he spoke, "You're intelligent and witty and funny... in your own way." Severus gave a snort at that and moved his arms up to wrap around Remus' neck when the gryffindor looked up to lock him in his amber gaze.

"But most of all you're beautiful Severus."

Snape paused as he stared back into Remus' eyes before looking away, "That's just the werewolf talking."

"No it's not." Remus almost sighed in frustration, "Merlin Severus if you only knew..."

The raven looked back at him and frowned, "Knew what?"

James held his breath as he prayed that Moony wouldn't tell and Remus almost glanced back at James' bed before he bit his lip before looking back at Snape and giving him another kiss. The werewolf's hands slipped in underneath Severus' oversized second hand jumper and down under his shirt, letting out a deep moan when his hands made contact with Snape's skin while the raven arched into his touch and spread his legs a little more so Remus could settle himself in between.

Remus sat back pulling Severus with him so he could pull off the jumper and shirt, tossing both at the end of the bed, before pausing to let his hands drift along Snape's pale chest.

"Your skin is pale but so beautiful, like porcelain only much softer that I could have ever imagined." Severus blushed and tried to look away when Remus grabbed his chin and gently brushed a finger against Snape's bruised lips as he stared intently into his eyes.

James almost winced at the very same words he remembers telling Lupin just four months ago.

"And your eyes...I swear I could lose myself for ages just staring into them and your hair-"

"Isn't as greasy as you thought it was and my nose really isn't as big as your friends say it is." Snape dead panned and Remus frowned at him. Severus watched as those gold eyes narrowed in slight annoyance while the blonde hair glowed beautifully in the pale moonlight and almost regretted his words.

"You know James never actually thought that about you. In first year, he was just desperate for something to say and after he said it the first time and you reacted so strongly he started saying it all the time. But he never actually-" Remus stopped himself short and shook his head before letting his free hand drift back down Snape's chest making Severus let out a small gasp while the other moved up into his hair.

"What's important is that I... I care about you Severus and I might not have seen you for what you were before that night but now..." Remus moved forward to the small space just beneath Snape's ear where the scent of lavender, vanilla and some form of potion or potions ingredient lay the strongest and took a deep breath. The werewolf groaned and Severus blushed at the sound and the temperature he could feel rise on Remus' skin while the werewolf gently pulled his head back by his hair.

"Now I honestly couldn't imagine spending my life with anyone other than you."

Severus' eyes widened for Merlin only knows the how-many-th time that night, "Really?"

"Yes. I've been owling my parents for since it happened, they can't wait to meet you. Mum already has the guest room ready for when you stay with us this summer." Remus almost gave a pout, "Apparently it wouldn't be appropriate for us to share a room just yet, but it's right across the hall from mine so-"

"I have to go home this summer Remus."

Remus froze before pulling back and staring at Severus in confusion, "What do you mean? You can't-"

"Yes I do," Severus sighed, "Dumbledore won't-"

"No!"

Snape was cut off when Remus suddenly forced him down against the bed with a soft thud and he growled as he stared down at the raven beneath them.

"Remus!" Severus hissed when he heard Peter's snoring stop momentarily before it continued as if he was never disturbed. "Keep your voice down!"

"I'm not letting you go back to those people." Remus almost whined with a pained expression on his face. "They'll just hurt you again. 'He' will hurt you again."

He? James frowned as he wondered what on earth they could possibly be talking about.

"I can take care of myself."

"I know that, but..." Remus paused as he tried to think of putting this in a way that won't set Snape off, since the last time Severus was angry at him, they hadn't spoken let alone touched for days and Remus really couldn't go through that kind of torture again.

"At least do it for me. You know I fuss like 'an insufferable old woman' when you're out of my sight for too long. I'd probably drive you insane if you were gone for two months and my parents really are so looking forward to meeting you."

"I..." Severus stared back into Remus' eyes and almost groaned. Lord knows he doesn't want to go back to Spinner's end. But he won't have Remus treating him like some incompetent wilting damsel in distress.

"Please Severus."

Snape bit his lip and Remus almost smiled since he knew that meant that the slytherin was giving in.

"One summer."

"One summer." Remus beamed with a nod before leaning down to capture Snape's lips in a kiss, letting out a lusty moan as Severus' hands continued to trail all along his chest and he quickly pulled off the rest of his shirt and tossed it along with Snape's.

Severus gasped giving Remus more than enough room to slip his tongue in, causing both wizards to groan loudly, when Severus suddenly pushed him back making the werewolf whimper at the loss.

"What's wrong?"

"Curtains." Severus panted out and Remus smiled as he quickly leaned back to pull the red drapes around the bed. Before Snape suddenly sat up and started kissing down the werewolf's chest and tracing each and every scar with his tongue making Remus moan.

"What is it with you and my scars?"

Snape flushed but managed a shrug as he sat up a little more on his knees while Remus' hands tangled in his hair. "They're... Beautiful."

"No," Remus sat down and pulled Snape into his lap forcing him to stop before he ran his hands down the expanse of Severus' back as he felt along the long scars that marred his skin as well. "You're beautiful."

Snape smiled before he pressed his lips against Lupin's and started grinding in onto his lap. The two continued with the soft touches and caresses that led to heavy breathing and panting. The quiet snaps of kissing became louder and more defined while harsh whispers of names and pleas echoed in the room, until the sounds eventually died down and silence fell in the dorm room.

James lay staring at the canopy over his bed, wondering if the ache in his chest would ever fade when Sirius' voice suddenly whispered across the room.

"James..."

...

"I'm sorry."

James gave a sigh as he took off his glasses and placed them beside him on the bed. To try and call the sleep he knew would never come.

"Me too."

The End.

A/N: Please review