I know it's been a while since I've updated at all. My creative juices are running dry. Just give me some time. I have a renewed vigor for this story, so hope is not lost! As for anyone reading Life Debt, that one will be updated within the next few days. I just have to work out a few kinks. Anyway, thank you for the reviews! I hope to see more by my next update :) thank you!

Disclaimer: not mine, but sometimes I find myself wanting Snape, almost as badly as Draco lol...I know, I'm a creeper haha...

Chapter Nine: Memories

He left the room, but not before handing me a coin. I was confused, but he explained it was a method of communication that the Mudblood of the Golden Trio had come up with. All I needed was to press my wand to it and Snape would know to come.

I watched Snape walk out of the room, and I couldn't help but let the errant thoughts take over. He couldn't possibly be jealous, could he? What were we, seventh years? There wasn't room for romance in the service of the Dark Lord, even less as double agents. Narcissa and Lucius were a marriage of convenience, as mine had been, and the love there was one-sided. I was getting ahead of myself. If Snape felt anything, it was lust.

I got up, not really wanting to deal with whatever emotions the memory had evoked. I walked out to the back of the house, deciding to sit on the floor and watch the outskirts of the forest. The random animal here and there would appear, but none of the magical creatures dared a peek to the outside world. I heard the faint sound of Apparition, and I knew I couldn't stall for long.

I went back into the house, reaching the bedroom before Greyback did. There was really no motivation for me to want to seduce the dog. I collapsed onto the bed in disgust, staring at the ceiling. The only thought that kept me going was the fact that it would contribute to my daughter's safety. With a grimace, I listened as he walked into the room. With a sideways glance, I could tell he was smug. The Dark Lord must have given him something important to do. Now my curiosity was contributing to my meager motivation.

Without as much as a word, he continued where he left off, looming over me, hands roaming. He wasn't as animalistic this time, as he was the first. He didn't tear my clothes to shreds, but he did stake claim on my neck again. I knew the mark wouldn't get a chance to fade. I closed my eyes, trying to take a deep breath, but my exhale came out like a love-sick shuddering sigh. My body was betraying me completely. And then he did the worst possible thing he could have done. He kissed me.

His lips were rough, like the rest of him, and hungry, demanding. I had no choice but to comply, kissing him back. I was going to have to seduce him anyway. No time like the present. I forced my hands to move up to his neck, one of them trailing into his hair. He grabbed a chunk of my hair, pulling me closer to him. The force of his kiss broke the soft skin of my lips. He lapped at my blood with his tongue, and again my body betrayed me. I shivered, but I took advantage of my body's reaction and huddled closer underneath him. I felt him smirk against my mouth.

"I knew you'd come to accept it eventually." His words were a primitive, possessive growl. I had to fight the urge to shove him off me. His lips left mine to reclaim his spot on my neck. One of his hands slid down my side, tugging and pulling at the material of my clothes. He wanted me to remove it. It would be the ultimate show of surrender. I moved my hands between us and undid the corset, soon afterwards slipping out of my dress. He smirked again.

The way he'd tugged and pulled at my clothes reminded me of Snape. I fought the memory, but soon gave into it, hoping it would get me through my ordeal with Greyback.

We were in the same room as the week before, where we'd shared our first kiss. Despite the strange atmosphere that now hovered around us, or because of it, he still came to visit me. Rodolphus was away again. It was as if Snape kept tabs on when he would be sent out on assignments.

I was sitting on the floor this time, leaning my back against the couch, while Snape sat a small distance away, my arm nearly touching his leg. He had yet to speak. He'd arrived a few minutes before, and had shown himself into the room, knowing he would find me there. I was the one who broke the silence.

"Why are you here?"I couldn't help but look up at him. He shrugged.

"Good question." What was coming over me? I stood from my spot on the floor and sat beside him on the couch. He looked at me, surprised. "Why haven't you kicked me out yet?"I didn't look at him when I responded.

"Maybe I don't want to." When he didn't respond, I nearly looked at him, but he beat me to it. Light as a feather, his hand moved to cup my face, making me look at him anyway. His black opal eyes looked deep into mine, the fire throwing strange colors into them, and I felt the invasion, knew what he was doing. The Dark Lord had done this to me enough times, but it never seemed as intimate as Snape was making it.

I watched as he replayed the memory of the other night, replayed my emotions. At the same time, it was as if I could feel what he'd felt that night. He was replaying the memory in his own mind, as well. I was in a trance, induced by the Legilimancy, but maintained by the way his hand felt on my skin. Once the memory was over, at the sound of Rodolphus' Apparition in the next room, we were closer together, so all I could see were his eyes.

"Perhaps I don't want to leave either." His words released little breaths of air against my lips. It was as if they pulled me towards him, until our lips met again. It wasn't as urgent this time, or as needy, but still just as passionate. He pulled me towards him, flush against his body, until I had straddled his lap. The kiss went on for Merlin knows how long. It only ended when we needed to breathe. When that happened, however, his lips took to my neck. He claimed the skin where my neck met my shoulder.

Without realizing it, a small moan escaped me in the form of his name. I pulled his face back up to meet his lips.

Greyback stopped, shocking me out of my memory. He looked at me strangely, and I realized I hadn't only moaned in my memory, but in real life as well. Thankfully, I hadn't been so lost that I moaned Snape's name. I simply pulled Greyback's face back down to mine. He complied eagerly enough, and I knew I had nothing to worry about.

Moments later, he was lying beside me, underneath the sheets. I decided to play up my whole new compliance act by moving closer to him. He allowed me to rest over his arm, as his hand caressed my arm farthest from him. Again, I had to fight both the reactions of my body, and how I wanted to gag.

"So tell me, Bellatrix, why the change of heart?" For a second, I panicked, thinking he'd found out about my changing sides. After a moment I realized he was referring to the change in my attitude towards him.

"Don't get me wrong, I still hate you, dog. But, I have no way out of this. The best I can do is to at least enjoy myself." I made sure to keep the contempt clear in my voice. He laughed. I couldn't respond any other way. I had to be myself, or he would grow suspicious. This task became more difficult by the minute.

"I see." I closed my eyes, and again I found myself pretending he was Snape.

Snape and I lay on the black fur rug in front of the fireplace, bare in each other's arms. He conjured a large blanket to cover us both. What had I just done? I was not a whore, nor was I a hormone driven teenager. Granted, I never loved Rodolphus, but I was loyal. Or had been, at one point. The closest I had ever come to feeling love was how I felt for Snape in that moment. Of course, it was mostly lust, as I suspected it was for him, but there was something more, an understanding of some kind.

"What are you thinking about?" He held me close, arms wrapped around me, his hand tracing patterns along my back. I couldn't help the way I shivered and drew closer to him.

"How Rodolphus will kill you, then me."I tried to say it lightly, but the fact that it was more than likely came through loud and clear.

"Maybe I'd be better off that way." His sudden shift in mood was unexpected, so I looked up, letting him see my confusion. When he didn't respond, I tucked myself back underneath his neck, kissing the soft skin there.

"Don't say that. I'd be alone if you were gone." I didn't know what made me say it. Hell, I would never know what made me say it. I didn't have much experience with anything but lust, so these foreign sensations were doing strange things to me. He trembled beside me, and then pulled my face up to kiss me again. His hands slid down my bare body, and it was all I could do to keep myself from losing total control. Not like it could be helped. The damage had been done, and all I could do now was let myself be molded by his hands.

I forced myself from my thoughts, that particular memory of Snape too much for me to take. I hated what all of this was doing to me. For years I had fought to keep whatever I had felt for Snape at bay, especially after our daughter was born.

I turned my attention back to Greyback, who was staring at the ceiling, still absent-mindedly stroking my arm.

"So what did the Dark Lord want?" I tried not to sound to demanding, or to give away the reason for my asking. I kept my voice light, curious. To up the ante, I began to trace patterns along his chest, not realizing until now that he had chest hair. How much of that was attributed to his wolfish condition? He paused in stroking my arm, and I looked up. He was thinking, contemplating. Was he honestly considering not telling me? "I could help, you know. I don't want to be cooped up in here until the day of the battle." I tried not to sound overly eager. He did know I was impatient; it was common knowledge. It wouldn't seem out of character for me to want to do something.

"Potter and his friends have gone into hiding. They won't be returning to Hogwarts to finish their final year. Snape told the Dark Lord that they are on the hunt for his Horcruxes." Only those in the inner circle of Death Eaters knew about the Horcruxes. How did Potter and the rest of the trio find out? "At the next full moon, he wants us to go on the hunt for them. All the Horcruxes are in England, so Potter will not be that difficult to find."

"Perhaps my Dementors may assist you?" I half-hoped he would say no. It would seem my luck was holding, for once.

"No. The Dark Lord has a special task for your Dementors. He requested for you to go see him tomorrow." I nodded, taking in the new information. So the Golden Trio would not be returning to Hogwarts. What did that mean for Cassiopeia? She was already graduated from Hogwarts, being a year older than all of them, but part of me had hoped Snape would take her back to the castle and keep an eye on her. Would that mean she was staying at the Black House?

"Very well." I closed my eyes, trying not to let disgust seep in as I fell asleep.

The next day, I awoke as early as I could, glad that I was up before Greyback. I cleaned up and dressed quickly, making my way out of the house as fast as I could. I summoned Arcturus.

We have a task to complete. Come. He appeared moments later.

Did the wolfman hurt you, Bella?

No. I have actually somewhat turned the situation to my advantage. By now we were in the stronghold, on our way to the Dark Lord's quarters.

Something is bothering you. It wasn't a question, so it didn't deserve a real answer.

We have to meet the Dark Lord. We will speak of it later. We entered the Dark Lord's quarters, and I bowed immediately.

"Rise Bellatrix, I have a task for you."

"Yes my Lord. What is your wish?" I looked him in the eye, keeping my mental barriers up. Thankfully, all that could pass through my mind in that moment was my disgust at Greyback. It wasn't anything new, so the Dark Lord wouldn't react when he saw it.

"I need your Dementors to find and capture someone." His hands were held in front of him, fingers touching, creating a small tower.

"Who, my Lord?"

"Minerva McGonagall." That caught me completely by surprise. What did he want with the old woman?

"The old hag of a professor, my Lord?" He laughed darkly, and I was glad to see that I had regained some of his good graces, if he even had any.

"Yes, Bellatrix. Now that Dumbledore is gone, she was left second in command of the Order of the Phoenix. She will be at Hogwarts next week when the students arrive. You are to capture her and bring her to me." It was a simple enough task, almost too easy, so I wondered how the Order would react to the news.

"As you wish, my Lord." He dismissed me, and I promptly returned to the Shrieking Shack, glad to see that Greyback was temporarily gone. It gave me the time I needed to speak to Snape. I went out to the back yard, facing the forest again. I held out the coin he'd given me, pressing my wand against it. Moments later, Snape was emerging from among the trees. I smirked triumphantly, showing him that Greyback hadn't gotten the best of me.

"That quickly, Bellatrix? I'm impressed." I glared at him, knowing that his statement was not meant as a compliment.

"I don't fool around, Snape." He smirked, looking at me with a knowing gaze.

"Really?" I wanted nothing more than to hex him into the next century, but I controlled my anger. What was wrong with me? No one, not even the dog, got to me like this.

"Yes, really. Not only that, but I have also been given a task by the Dark Lord."

"First things first, what's Greyback's task?" He crossed his arms in front of him, impatient. I leaned against the railing of the back porch.

"He and the wolves are to stop Potter from finding the Horcruxes. They're supposed to hunt him down in the full moon. You might want to tell them to be careful." I said the last statement with no concern in my voice, simply a matter of fact. I couldn't care less what happened to Potter.

"And the task you've been set?"

"Kidnapping McGonagall." His eyes widened, and he seemed more concerned about my task than Greyback's.

"Why?"

"How the Hell should I know? Do you really think I asked? He simply wants the Order's leader. I don't know what for. Perhaps to torture her into divulging information, or perhaps to bewitch her into capturing Potter. Merlin knows what he wants." I shrugged, not really caring. "In any case, do something about it, because I have a part to play, and I don't want to be suspected. Maybe have a decoy or something. Polyjuice someone who is willing to give themselves up." He nodded, and I was surprised he agreed.

"Is that all?"

"Yeah. I'll let you know what I'll do. I have all week to plan." With another nod, he turned and left, back into the forest. The entire time he'd been there, I had to fight the bursts of memories coming forth into my mind. Why now, of all times, did these things have to come rushing back? It's been years since we were last together. No-I didn't want to think about it. I went back into the house, trying to hunt something down to keep my mind off things.

Well there you have it. I threw in some Snape/Bella goodness to balance out the horrendousness of what I forced her into with Greyback. :) Anywho, I hope you liked it! Please leave your thoughts and comments by pressing the pretty review link? :)

Much love!