The Journey Cycle: pt 3: Australia *pt 3 complete*

Well!

This is now the most starred and reviewed of my stories (big hugs to both stepmnstr and bella-the-dark for your sweet reviews), so, as a reward, I'm posting 2, yes, 2 chappies this week.

Thanks everyone.

Lotsa smut comin' right up!

11

They sat side by side propped up by the headboard silent but for gurgling innards after Harry had Banished the tray and it’s contents to the kitchen. They held hands and thought on the day. Harry turned his head slightly and met the gaze of his beloved. Their smiles were tremulous but they moved into each other’s arms. Harry tugged them both down the bed until they lay, {Think I’m gonna do that passing out thing I do. Sorry baby, hold me....} and he was asleep in seconds.

This really did seem to be some kind of stress mechanism for Harry. When things got too much, he simply shut down. It was entirely unpredictable thought Severus as he held him, he was all right through the most stressful moments but once the initial crisis had passed then wham! Down he went.

With a smile, he recalled the wedding. With a frown he recalled the night of the battle:

Harry was magnificent, but then we all knew he would be come the final reckoning. The way he stood over Voldemort, his wand tight in his hand, as if willing the evil one to his feet. He wasn’t going to miss the opportunity but several that night put his initial hesitation to Harry not wanting to kill someone that was already down.

Somehow, the import of the moment got through to Harry and he did the final deed, looking thoroughly disgusted as he did so. Maybe this was the cause of the angst Harry had over killing the evil bastard, mused Severus, before he sank back into memory.

The rush of battlefield rescue, the whirl of activity as the Death Eaters had realised that their master was no more and the resourceful ones fleeing to the four winds to save themselves as they may. He recalled looking over the smog-filled battlefield, his stinging eyes searching out whoever may need his attentions.

I picked someone up and carried him bodily to the triage station in the front entrance hall. It turned out to be Neville who thanked me most eloquently afterwards, but I was restless. Remus was still happily engaged ripping throats out so I left him to it. I sought out either Harry or Draco. I remember seeing the white-blond head on the ground and ran for it, no longer fearing the enemy as they were fleeing pell-mell before the last of the Aurors that could still stand.

Picking him up, I also deposited him with Poppy and other medi-staff that had appeared during the course of the day, he wasn’t too injured, thank Merlin.

I set out to find Harry next and he was still where he had fainted dead away on the battlefield, his face almost in the pile of bones and tissue that had once been Voldemort. I picked him up and carried him myself, all the way up to the hospital wing. I would trust no-one with this precious soul. I placed him on a clean bed with the groans and cries of the other wounded in my ears and conjured curtains around me.

I cast a silencing charm and got to work, stripping him and cleaning him with nothing more than my wand, a few potions and my ingenuity. I ripped a piece of cleanish shirt and conjured a nightshirt for him after seeing to his wounds. Thank Merlin, mainly minor save a gash on his right shoulder that was easy to fix. He came round as I was ministering to him and groaned loudly. I hushed him and he clung to me. “Draco?”, he whispered and I reassured him that both Draco and Remus were fine as was myself.

His eyes opened wide then and he grabbed me by the bloodied shirtfront, pulling my head down until our lips met. Then he kissed me. No innocent kiss but one of lust, savagery almost, shoving his tongue in my mouth, sending heated shivers all through me. He broke away as suddenly as he’d begun and muttered, “Need a nap now”, and promptly collapsed in my arms.

I was at a loss until Poppy found us. “Has Harry passed out on you rather suddenly?” she asked and I simply nodded, my mind still reeling from the passion in that kiss. “Oh, he’s always done it, bless him. Once the crisis is over, he’ll conk out for a bit. Remus told me he did this after the Dementor attack in his third year and when I finally obtained the full story of the Basilisk from Ron Weasley, then he told me of Harry passing out once the immediate danger was past. Apparently, according to Miss Granger, he did the same after Banishing Voldemort in his first year and obtaining the Philosopher’s Stone. Once Voldemort’s shade was gone, he passed clean out, poor lamb, that’s how he was found”.

After she left to see to more urgent cases I simply held him limp in my arms. It was as if Providence knew that this was what I also needed somehow. Harry was all right and safe here with me and, sentimental fool that I am, I cried. Cried bloody buckets if you must know. Was it for the casualties of the battle? No. For the friends I had lost? What friends?!! No, my tears were purely for the boy in my arms. He had cried out for Draco as his first words and my heart felt heavy. I had Remus now and I really should see if he is all right but I cannot relinquish this delicious weight in my arms and nor do I wish to. I place several unobserved kisses on his cheeks and brow as he sleeps.

Eventually he comes round again, asking for his lover and I reiterate that Draco is fine and being patched up as we speak. There is a commotion by the infirmary door and we both look up. We can hear the imperious bellow from here and I can feel Harry laugh in my arms. I help him to sit up, my heart breaking, this is the one and only time I will ever get to hold him like this and now it is over but there is Draco running the length of the ward still yelling his lover’s name.

Harry is a bit hoarse still and can only croak for Draco but their reconciliation is sweet. I watch that little deviant snakelet godson of mine for any harm he may wish Harry but there is none as he falls on Harry’s bed, into his arms and bursts into tears.

Later, after the kisses, some of which threatened to become exceedingly erotic; down Severus, think of your Wolfie who you are going to shag into the nearest horizontal surface later; there are the ‘looks’ the furtive licks before Draco sat at Harry’s head, ousting me gently. Though when Harry was asleep again, head cradled in Draco’s lap this time, Draco leaned over and gave me the sweetest kiss on the lips. Chaste and loving with just the hint of knowingness, “Thank you, Severus. Thanks for bringing us both in. I think Remus needs you now, it’s nearly dawn and the moon is nearly set. Thanks for looking after Harry for me”.

I went to turn away when I had to ask, “Draco, this passing out thing, does he do that a lot?” Draco shrugged and nodded, “Yeah, when he’s stressed. Last time I saw it was after one of your sessions and another during the NEWTs. I remember one on the train in third year. I remember taking the piss then but I think it’s an illness of some sort”. I smiled at him then and at Harry wishing them goodnight. “Take care of him, Draco”, I added. The lad gave me the most incandescent smile, “Oh, I intend to. Believe me. Harry and I have all sorts of plans”, but of course, none of us knew the plans his mother had for him.

Severus gazed at the mop of hair that was visible to him and holding tight, the memories of the battle still sour in his mouth. So, he had had to wait for Harry for years, he had him now. Also justification for the extreme emotions he had always exhibited around him whether good or bad. Even then, the bond called them together. He remembered a much more recent occasion:

A beautiful spring morning and I’m out in Diagon Alley doing a spot of shopping. I’d even sneaked off to Bourgin and Burke’s for a bit of a look around, they did always have a more interesting class of knick-knacks. Remus wasn’t well by this time although we didn’t know how bad it was, so I was just glad to leave his whinging behind for a morning.

I met Harry coming out of Flourish and Blott’s, his arms full of books for Draco who apparently was also laid up. I recalled vividly what my godson was like as a patient and took pity on the man. Neither of us had lunched and I think that neither of us particularly wished to return to our petulant other halves so we decided on a civilised luncheon instead, well as civilised as it gets in a back booth at the overcrowded Leaky Cauldron.

We caught up on news. I have to admit that I enjoy Harry’s tales of derring-do and he has an excellent way with a story especially after a couple of pints. I find myself relaxing in his company as I always do these days. The man is balm to my soul and I suspect that is why I resisted him so hard when I taught him, why I was always such a bastard to him.

Though the history I had with his father and ruddy godfather was also a spur, I have to admit. I know, a man in his late thirties still nursing childhood grudges, but that’s how sad my life was until the ‘fearsome foursome’ became a fighting unit and stirred my frozen blood again, not to mention the extracurricular activities that we had indulged in for many a year now at least once a month and sometimes more in the summers when the boys were frisky.

I am trying hard to keep recent images from my mind as he talks. The last time the four of us all ended up sticky and debauched in the boys’ sitting room, sprawled over a large fluffy rug. Harry is relating the breaking of a Death-Eater and all I am doing, to my shame, is watching his mouth as he speaks and wanting to crush mine to it. He notices somehow and makes more and more ludicrous statements until he has my attention again. Bugger it! I blush for Merlin’s sake and he has caught me out fair and square. I laugh and admit it. We share such a loaded look that I nearly come in my pants but we back off. No playing unless we are all together. Damn his bloody Gryffindor morals.

He watched his lover sleep and soon he knew; the little signs that Harry will awaken soon, the snuffle, the movement, the low incoherent mumble, he can almost hear him climb through the layers into the light, {I love you, Harry}, he sent to receive a garbled, {Me love you too, boo’ful} and, his heart bursting, he gathered Harry to him and positively smothered him in kisses as he woke.

“Mmmm, sorry about fading on you like that. I think it happens when I’m stressed out. We had a bit of a shock this morning”. Severus smiled, “We did. I just held you as you slept it off and thought on things” Harry closed his eyes again and murmured through their link, {And what were you thinking about, pray?}. Severus grinned even though he knew Harry didn’t see him, “You, mainly. Fancy that. The night of the battle and the night you and I went and had a drink as a matter of fact”. Harry started, “The battle? Were you having a nightmare?” Severus shook his head, “I was thinking back to the first time I ever saw you have those pass-out naps, after the battle, you just keeled over on me with barely any warning”.

Harry grinned sheepishly, {I checked it out on the Internet and I actually think I have a kind of narcolepsy but the stress I am under must be pretty extreme for me to actually pass out. So I guess it acts like a ‘Harry stress-o-meter’. If I fall over I need less stress, like being pregnant isn’t a stress}, his face changed and crumpled as the reality sunk in again. Severus just held him tight, “Yes, it’s all still true”. Harry shook with the delayed shock, letting it ride over him, glad of someone to hold him.

Sometime as the evening set in, they finally came to some sort of terms with the condition they found themselves in. So it had been an accident. So they could blame the ladies if they wanted to but Ginny had left enough messages and they hadn’t got back to her for so long, being a little arrogant perhaps, about the fact that the messages may have been urgent. They talked it all over and then some as they ventured out on their small terrace on the beach with beer. They stayed touching all day, albeit only hands or a shoulder but right now they truly couldn’t bear to be parted.

They were each only clad in pyjama bottoms when the doorbell rang. Their guests. Harry was blushing as he invited them in. Hermione stepped into the living room with another tray of delicacies, Ginny following behind with various sweetmeats and pastries. They laid them on a low table and bowed slightly, backing away.

Harry was totally befuddled, “What the hell.....?” Severus hissed, {It’s in the book. It’s a ritual gift to the bondees from our sisters. The gifts have to be food, from women, the nurturers. After two wizards have decided to follow the way of the bond}. Harry’s thought, {Oh}, made Severus smirk. He replied to the women in ritual-specific language making Harry feel all at sea, {Come on, Harry, they have to do this less than 24 hours after us learning of our pregnancy}. Harry mind-snapped, {Sorry!! Lot on m’mind just lately. Tell me the words. Please}, he amended at the end. Severus sighed and related them for Harry to follow along with the appropriate bows and other moves.

The ladies left giggling between themselves. At least the rituals had been observed. Harry just wished someone had worded him in advance. He missed Hermione’s input here. Severus would presume that he had read the book when he hadn’t and he realised just how much he had relied on her over the years. He really hoped they would end up working together again.

They devoured the food on offer. Someone, and they both suspected Ginny, had been really busy in the kitchen. Their evening meal was wonderful, a Chinese banquet that they could feed each other from chopsticks. A ritual meal for lovers. Each bite followed by kisses. Severus was awash in Harry’s attentions. He had never been fed before, never seen the erotic possibilities in food and surmised that this had been a game that maybe Draco had taught him until Harry murmured, “Never saw food as sexy before”, in the low tone that made Severus hard.

~~~~~WS (mention but explicit)~~~~~~~

As the meal was finished and the remains Banished to the kitchen, Harry pounced, {You are what I want to devour the most}, but Severus held him off. He slowly parted the panels of his dressing gown and took his erect cock into his hand, drawing it lazily up and down his length. {Harry, I want you to dress for me, the white I think, with the stockings this time, oh, and full make-up. One thing out of place and I will have to chastise you}.

Harry groaned at his lover’s inner purr. His insides were on fire as he went to do Severus’ bidding, Accioing the dressing up box (which was a plastic carrier bag in actuality, hidden in a false bottom in Harry’s case) and fishing out the requisite items.

He shrugged off his gown withdrawing his wand before he did so. Placing one toe delicately on the bed, he rolled the tip of his wand over his leg, depilating as he went until he was hairless from heel to upper thigh. He found the stockings and made to roll them on when Severus stayed him, {Allow me}, in that voice that made Harry’s cock leak. Lying down, Severus balanced Harry’s foot on his chest as he unrolled the first stocking over the foot and up the leg, smoothing and massaging as he did so. He got a small gobbet of come on the back of his hand for that. He licked it away.

He fastened the suspender belt around Harry’s hips and snapped the stockings in place, Harry’s jutting cock a counterpoint to the point d’esprit lace. He imprisoned the reddening delight behind tight white lace while he knelt behind his debauchee and bent him over, dislodging the tiny g-string at the back of the panties with his tongue and plunging it into Harry’s arse.

Harry yelped and pushed backwards, {Haven’t even made up yet. Gerroff me, oh shit, fuck, more. Aaah wait ye git} Severus loved it when he made Harry babble but desisted. When Harry had the use of his legs again, he wobbled off to fetch the make-up before sidling back to the bed.

Severus in the meantime had ‘dressed’ magically, in his teeny loincloth, stockings and towering heels. Harry moaned at the sight, {How the fuck am I supposed to keep a steady hand while you look like that?}. Severus smirked, {You aren’t. Remember if you look a mess then I get to chastise you and I fancy giving you a spanking}.

Harry parted his thighs and straddled Severus, moving up really close. Close enough so their cocks met and rubbed together, {If I make a fuck-up then it’s your face, sweetie, ‘cos I’m doing you first}. Severus laid strong hands on Harry’s twitching hips, stilling him. They gazed lustfully into each other’s eyes but the rage cooled a little.

{Now make us both up}, Severus’ send growled. Harry’s hands had steadied and he did just that, brushing on the colour, combing and curling the lashes, adding the mascara, using the brow brush. Severus had a few reluctant hairs at the start of each brow that would not be tamed. With the tip of his tongue out as he concentrated, he painted his lover’s lips. Severus saw the tongue and wanted nothing more than to suck it into his mouth but he stayed still.

Harry then pushed Severus onto his back before mounting him properly, starting to twitch his hips and rub his lower crack and balls over his beloved’s iron-hard dick as he made himself up. Severus pushed up as he watched, not a swipe of colour out of place, no clumpy mascara, no going over the lip-line. Perfect. The blackened eyes and the red mouth. Severus nearly came from being ridden as he watched. His cock was leaking copiously, making strings all over his belly before Harry descended on him, mouth first.

He watched. As that red mouth ate him alive munching enthusiastically at his hole. As his cock ached for contact but was denied. As he arched his back and begged. As a hot stream washed over his nakedness soaking his tiny loincloth, Harry kneeling over him, dirtying him, readying him, then himself.

The fingers, sweet contact, Severus pulled up his thighs and rocked onto the fingers filling him. He heard the wet smack of Harry oiling his cock then it was in him, all bluntness and mute pain turning to joy as his prostate was buffeted and he was fucked hard until he saw stars. Harry refused to touch him and swatted his hand away when he tried to grip himself, {No, lover. Mine}, Harry purred and thrust harder and faster. Severus came first in white heat that blacked him out, Harry a moment later as he read his lover perfectly, trying to laugh as consciousness slipped away for a moment and piss seeped into the mattress.

Several Scourgify’s later and the place was reasonable again. They didn’t know if they were celebrating or commiserating but somewhere along the way they accepted it. Somehow these two had always had a fate, something pulling them along, an unseen force. That night, as debauched as it was, they both bowed to it.

Later. Much later, they collapsed in bed together, clean and showered, the linen sweet again. They had fucked in the shower, Severus emptying his bladder over a gasping kneeling Harry before cleaning them both and fucking his husband comprehensively against the tiles. They had managed another in the kitchen as Harry prepared midnight munchies, Severus spread and tied over the kitchen table like a sacrificial offering and Harry taking him roughly so his cock scraped over the rough wood of the table. They had tenderly fed each other and led each other to bed. There was more emotion as they curled up together but by the time they slept, they were fully aware of their fate and willing to face it.

~~~~WS (end)~~~~~~~~~


****

They read the book over the following day. If, as Hermione had enquired, they were having proximity problems, then they started almost as soon as they had read the book. It was as if the realisation of their pregnancies had sparked something, they could not be apart for longer than literally a few seconds before each or either would feel an ineffable sadness fill his soul. Even going to the loo was problematical. One would emerge to find the other looking with lost longing in their direction.

Both described it as ‘a bit pathetic actually’. Harry frowned, “Why has this suddenly become far worse. I was enjoying it and now it seems....I dunno”. Severus nodded even while he gripped Harry in a tight hug, {Know what you mean. Are we supposed to strangle each other with affection? It does seem a bit odd}. Harry leaned in to the next kiss, welcoming it into his mouth like coming home, {Still, it makes an excellent excuse to snog and grope you whenever I want, and all in the name of the bond, though I’d like to be a bit more, erm....circumspect when the lads get here or else we’ll have the piss taken from here ‘til Doomsday}. As Severus’ tongue met Harry’s and a frisson passed up his spine, he was beyond caring. {Darling. Right now, I couldn’t give a damn what our friends think}. Harry grinned around the soft intruder, {I always did love a maverick, you tart} and they chuckled mindwardly as the kiss intensified.

They did at least make it to dinner that night although the girls had been looking after them admirably while they hid away. They apologised in advance for their excessive ‘amorosity’, as Harry described it, to peals of laughter from said ladies. “Harry, we at least read both books before you did. We know what to expect more than you two do, probably, even the pregnant bit”, Hermione scoffed lightly.

“Ah, yes”, Severus countered, “But at least pregnancy was a possibility in your biological future, was it not? Whereas it was never even an inkling in either mine or Harry’s. Our case is a little different to yours, I think”.

Hermione and Ginny glanced at each other and grinned back at the men, now seated back to chest, sprawled along one of the couches. “Okay,”, Ginny conceded, “You had no idea that you would ever get pregnant, but surely you read about bonds before? Either of you?”, her tone grew less hopeful.

Harry shrugged, “I think you, ‘Mione, told me about such hypothetically a long time ago. I think, if memory serves me, it was you had that monumental crush on Ron, and were rather hoping that it was the two of you that found such a bond, but when the crush evaporated then the info dried up. I think I was a bit busy with Dementors and such at the time and paid it little heed”.

Hermione swirled the last of the wine in her glass before swallowing it all at once, “Yes, well. We were in third year after all”, she muttered.

Severus laughed, “Oh now the secrets of the Trio come to light. I had heard of bonds and the like, but, as a Death Eater and an ugly bastard, I never paid it a moment’s thought, if truth be told”. Hermione was a wee bit too quick off the mark, “Ugly? You? No way. You’re gorgeous. A bit of a tortured poet sort, if you ask me”, she finished lamely sinking her reddening face into her glass.

Luckily the light was low and Harry and his husband were too intent on each other to notice. Ginny merely squeezed her girlfriend when their hosts’ attentions were elsewhere and the moment went unnoticed. Severus quirked a smile, “Tortured poet? I think not, dear, the old proboscis is a tad on the large side for poetry. There’s no way on this earth you could describe my nose as poetic, dear, flattered though I am. Aquiline I am not, nor even Roman. It’s just a bloody large conk”.

Harry smiled and kissed it’s tip, “I love it, all of it. It’s you. What can I say? It just goes with the rest of you. Large nose, large hands, large...”, and said large hand was clamped over his mouth gently, “Now, now, Harry, it doesn’t do to spill all the Potter-Snape secrets, love”. Ginny heard this and laughed aloud. “Oooh, Harry, so that’s why you look so happy all the time?” She turned to Hermione, “So now we know it’s true. Big nose equals big cock”. Hermione’s brows shot into her hairline and she nearly spat out her wine, ‘if only you knew, lover. I’ve seen it spurting. I’ve actually fucking tasted his jism’, she thought but stayed silent.

The rest of the evening was very relaxed. They found a set of dominoes with other mouldy looking games secreted in a cupboard. Harry thrashed the others at ‘three and fives’, then Ginny beat them all in a traditional game. They listened to music and got thoroughly smashed.

At one point they were all dancing in the middle of the huge lounge space, together, separately and swapping partners, but even Hermione managed to restrain herself whilst dancing with a black-haired man nearly a foot taller than her, even when he drew her close in an old-fashioned dance, she behaved with perfect decorum, unless you can count surreptitiously inhaling his delicious scent as she was held against his chest for the waltz.

They parted ways fondly. Late, very late. But there was no-one in the vicinity to disturb after all. They all hugged and kissed cheeks. If Hermione hung on to Severus a little longer than was necessary then no-one noticed, least of all the man himself, who was fond of the effusive bushy-haired witch. The ladies watched as Harry and Severus tottered back to their cottage, stopping as they went for plentiful kisses before carrying on, welded all along one side of their bodies.

“Bloody hell, Severus is one lucky bloke landing our Harry”, Ginny murmured but Hermione wasn’t so sure. She was coming round to the idea that it was Harry that was the man in luck, capturing the dark and mysterious Severus Snape, the man who looked so damned hot in jeans and t-shirt. She shook herself out of the idea before feasting passionately on the pale neck of her lover. Severus was a crush but her Gin was forever, or so she hoped. Her heart was light as she was led to bed.

****

Harry got the hot and bothered call from his friend the next day. “Fucking hell, Harry, it’s hot enough to melt Hades, we’re due to land in an hour, can you come and pick us up mate?” He whooped and ran across the grass to the main house, “Girls!”, he called, to be greeted with silence. “Okay, if you’re not fit to be seen then chuck me the car keys, I need to go and pick Ron up at the airport”. More silence then the clink of keys as they hit a skirting board on the stairs. Harry retrieved them and set off at a run.

As he swept Ron into his arms, the red-faced redhead sniggered, “The name’s Bonded, Harry James Bonded”, before swinging his smaller friend around in the air. Harry kissed him, “Glad to see you too, love. How’s it going?” Ron’s face grew serious, “Not here, mate, let’s get somewhere quiet first, too many ears about”.

They claimed the baggage and made for the car. Harry had to activate the alarm to locate it as he still wasn’t used to the make or shape. If asked, he would only have recalled it as a maroon people-carrier. This made them all laugh, particularly Severus who would have been hard-pressed to even remember the colour.

Ron snorted, “So my sisters couldn’t even be arsed to meet us. I’m gonna tear them a strip off for this”. Harry glanced in the rear view mirror, catching Ron’s eye, “Nah, don’t do that, this is their holiday, too, remember, and they’ve been looking after Sev and I while the bond has been growing, so to speak. So what news, guys?”

Ollie had stayed quiet up to now and sighed deeply, “The Aussie Minister for Magic is playing hardball with us. We haven’t been granted the extradition order, Unless we can prove that the bastard has actually committed a crime on Australian soil then, nada, we can’t extradite, and, of course, ol’ Lestrange has been whiter than white since he’s been here”.

Harry glanced back and caught Oliver’s expression of disgust. “Well, we had sort of entertained thoughts...”, he glanced at his husband to fill the rest in. Severus turned in the front seat to face the other two. “We need information. We are pretty sure that Lestrange is a Mason, in the same order as Jed and Sammy. Harry saw a pin in the man’s tie. We’ve discussed it and have agreed to do a ‘snatch, grab and obliviate’ on the man. This vehicle has a large boot. It would be a shame to miss out on questioning such a dubious piece of shit since we are all so close to him”.

The other two shivered at the thought but were excited at the same time. Oliver, in his most reasonable voice asked, “And just what were your thoughts on the matter, Severus?” The man glared at him in a way that still put chills along his spine, “Well, as I said, we need information. We need to know how much these muggles are influenced. We need to know how far this has spread, what de Santos’ agenda is, particularly as we now know that the man is either a squib or a wild magical, i.e., untrained, at least in the formal methods. We are also curious in the muggle activity surrounding the death of his niece and the cleansing of her wand and we also suspect the bungled break-in of Hermione’s office to be connected to all of this as, apparently, it bears similar muggle hallmarks. There is a picture forming but as yet it is still a little hazy”.

Ollie frowned, “It’s the muggle angle that confuses me”. Harry replied, “I don’t think it’s all muggles. Sev and I think it’s semi-magicals that are involved, that explains the messy attempts at rudimentary magic possibly from the untrained , particularly the dark spells,. Let’s face it, Sev and I have found two though we have tried valiantly to stay clear of the magical world as we’ve travelled. We found one of his underground escapees too. It may just be us attracted to magical folk but given all the others we have met, I don’t think so. Plus, all these others involved with these Mason blokes. It’s too much of a coincidence if you ask me. Wiping Graciela’s wand with bleach? I reckon that was more about trying to eliminate fingerprints than anything else, the wiping of the magic was just fortuitous”.

This was a shock to all of the other three, although Harry had truly thought of it only in that moment, it made perfect sense to him, “Think about it. A wand absorbs the character and the spells cast all along it’s length, from root to tip. The main part that had been adulterated was after all the handle and further along the shaft. Why Hermione could read what she could was because the tip was only slightly touched by the bleach. I bet wizardkind never knew that one eh? That magic could be erased by bog cleaner. How ironic”, he laughed bitterly.

They all fell silent at this observation. Harry could feel his lover’s moroseness at his side as he pulled onto the drive. {What is it, love?}. Severus glanced at him, {Can you not feel it? I think if I do not kiss you soon, I will explode. It isn’t a particularly pleasant feeling. As if the sun has gone from my life and you are right beside me. I love you so much but this constant neediness is starting to wear a little thin. I feel as if I am being pulled along instead of the spontaneous joy in free will}.

Harry killed the engine and they all climbed out, “Door’s open, chaps, go on in, I need a word with Sev a moment”. Ron threw them a look over his shoulder but trundled off behind his lover. Harry took Severus into his arms and kissed him, surprised a little at the wildness of the return kiss. {Mmm, lovely}, he moaned, mentally, smiling around the invading tongue, {I need this every bit as much as you do, love. Don’t be afraid of needing. I know you’re not used to it, but there’s no harm in it if the person or people you need have only your best interests at heart. I have often needed Ron, say, or Hermione. I think it’s part of loving}.

Severus broke the kiss and moulded them together, holding Harry’s head to his shoulder and brushing his cheek in Harry’s hair, {I know, but sometimes it seems as if my freedom of choice is being eroded somewhat. It’s a little....unsettling}. Severus could feel Harry’s shoulders shake with suppressed mirth, {Oh dear, love, don’t worry, I won’t ever desert you. We have been through quite a lot, what with the bond and Jed and Sammy and Julia and marriage, now pregnancy on top of it all. It’s enough to try anyone. Give yourself a break, give in to it, go all mushy on me if you need to. You know I’ll be here; I’ll lap it up if you must know}.

Harry slipped his arms around Severus’ waist and they simply stood there holding each other. Harry could feel great turmoil on the edge of his awareness, knowing that it came from Severus. {What’s really wrong, lover, you’re all roiling inside? I can feel it but I can’t ‘read’ it. Too much mental static or something}.

Severus drew back sufficiently to gaze into Harry’s eyes, {I’m trying to send you a memory, but it’s nasty and my brain is refusing to part with it. It’s one of those instances I admitted to on the Veritaserum and one I’m deeply ashamed of in retrospect. One I hoped would never come between us. One which, given our current circumstances and my own feelings at the moment lead me to have to refuse to interrogate Lestrange. I can’t do it, Harry. I just don’t want to any more. I am not that man, not the one in this memory, not any more. I am human again, not a beast and back then I was a beast, a very efficient, ruthless beast and I hated myself. I cannot be that ever again. Please do not make me be}.

The last part of his send was soft and infinitely sad. Harry leaned up and kissed him on the lips, {So don’t be. We can let Ron or Ollie take care of him, though as you said, we might not get the info we’d like, but, sod it, darling, if it makes you feel this strongly, then of course not. You are not a beast, lover of mine, you bear my child, you are a lovely man now, whatever your past. It should never have been asked of you. You did more than enough to help the Light in your day as well as the atrocities you committed for the Dark. You don’t have to tell me if you’d rather not, but know this, I’ll never hate you again, Mrs P. I’ll always love you and in fact, I’m proud of you for making that decision. Gone are the times when we have to sacrifice ourselves against our own wills. We are neither of us yoked any more and we pick our battles from now on, just like we choose how we live our lives}.

This made Severus relax in Harry’s arms, holding him harder, holding him up. Harry read the turmoil diminishing and knew the memory had receded again in Severus’ mind. In truth, he wasn’t sure how he’d react to seeing his husband get off on torturing someone and he knew the man in his arms had regretted all the wrongs he had done to others. Severus had done enough and now was the time to leave well alone, let the past be the past.

Then Severus was trying to shake himself out of Harry’s arms, {What am I talking about? We’re warriors, for crying out loud!}, but Harry refused to let go, {No, we’re not. We’re more than that, love. We are about to do something nearly miraculous. Give birth to each other’s child. We need protecting, not war, right now. Later, we may be of some use in this damn fight but since our discovery, well, I feel different about the whole rushing in thing again. For now, this isn’t our fight. But, let’s face it; you and I have done more than virtually anybody to not only discover and uncover de Santos but we’ve found out more about the rest of where the scum are hiding out, too. So, before you trivialise our involvement, then think on this}.

Severus sagged against Harry, {You’re right, but for the discoveries that we have made, then the others would still be in the dark}. Harry smiled as he held his man close, {You see, we are still at the forefront, but I hope that at the endgame, we are well and truly on the sidelines this time. We have already contributed enough. I don’t care if we get no mention for this, let the one who strikes the eventual killing blow get all the plaudits around the world, then maybe you and I can finally move among the magical world’s denizens again without the constant harrassment I get. The odd knowing smile I don’t mind, but it’s the press. Once they have someone younger to fawn over, I’m history, and not a moment too soon}.

There was silence between them for a moment, Severus frowned, gathering his thoughts. He cautiously ventured,{The thought occurs, you know, Jed offered to help, did he not?}. Harry stiffened and raised his head, {But, darling, he’s no match for Lestrange! He’d make mincemeat of him in seconds!}. Severus looked into Harry’s eyes, {Not magically, no, but he is at least as accomplished a Mason, if not more so. Maybe if we ask him to feel him out, try to obtain information that way. Do we know if he’s been in touch with his lodge since they arrived back in New Zealand?}

Harry shook his head, {We won’t know ‘til weekend when they’re due to show up here}, he replied thoughtfully, {You’re probably right, he will know the sort of questions to ask, won’t he? Maybe we can use his knowledge and prevent unnecessary violence, at any rate. I had no desire to watch you torture Lestrange, any more than you wished to perform it on him, though the bastard doesn’t deserve to get off scot free}.

Severus smirked, {And no more he shall, although I have to admit, I feel better for knowing I won’t have to inflict anything on him, though if he fell at my feet, they might find themselves connecting with a rib or two, just for old times sake}. This made Harry chuckle too and the atmosphere lightened once again between them. He let a hand drift upwards tangling itself in thick night-black hair even as he was pushed gently back half a pace until his back impacted gently with metal behind him and he grinned, divining his husband’s intention. He barely had time to register Severus’ closeness before a hot tongue was insistently demanding entry to his mouth.

~~~~~~~~~WS (explicit)~~~~~~~~

He moaned as their tongues touched, as parted lips closed over his and he nearly swooned into the kiss, his senses reeling. He tipped his head back savouring the deliciousness of the taste of tongue flooding his mouth, his beloved’s own unique flavour as tongue battled delicately with tongue to the sound of small strangled moans from both of them.

Harry felt Severus’ hands travel the length of his arms, grasp his hands and pull them up to either side of his head, the cold metal against their backs as Severus pinned the pair of them with his weight as the kiss deepened to highly erotic in seconds. Harry arched his back slightly to feel his lover along his body. He squirmed to increase the contact between them, surrendering to the kiss in a way that was making his husband harden beneath his clothes.

Severus pressed them closer together, {I want to fuck you right here, although, for decorum’s sake, we should perhaps take this indoors}. Harry gasped through his nose as his mouth was thoroughly mined, {Sod decorum}, even his mind sounded as if it had it’s mouth full and he felt the vibration of Severus’ amusement through his tongue and smiled as much as his opened mouth would allow.

He threaded a long arm behind his taller husband and, squeezing an arse cheek, pulled him closer still, the kiss still going strong although oxygen was becoming short as breaths came higher and faster. Severus now had Harry’s long hair twisted in his hand, the other in the small of his back, Harry left his other hand beside his cheek in a gesture of submission. Severus growled low as Harry twisted his head to the side, breaking the kiss but presenting his neck for ravishment.

Severus grinned ferally and obliged, his tongue wet and firm, his teeth subtle and his breath hot, he licked and sucked, dipping his tongue to Harry’s collarbone beneath the neck of his t-shirt. Harry left the buttock alone in favour of sliding his hand up Severus’ own shirt and scratching his back slightly. Severus pushed into him harder, {Oh, yes, harder, use your nails a bit}. Harry grinned again and complied, gouging harder, to feel Severus wriggle hard against him and hear him moan, {Kinky, eh?}, Harry sniggered through the link and Severus bit his neck, causing him to yelp then sigh, {Not the only one, it seems}.

Untangling his hand from Harry’s hair he trailed a hand down Harry’s chest tweaking a nipple through cloth hard enough to make Harry cry out again before gripping the bottom of Harry’s t-shirt, pushing it upwards as he pulled back a little dipping his head, taking the stiff little nub between his teeth hard enough to make Harry draw breath sharply through gritted teeth while Severus’ tongue played over the puckered button. Harry gripped his lover’s head with one hand, with the other, he pressed a hard palm against his lower hard-on in such a way as to make Severus chuckle around the nipple he was worrying.

{Fuck, they’re so sensitive now}, Harry gasped mentally, {I suppose that’s more to do with the bond}, to feel Severus shake his head as his tongue swiped over the brown peak, {No, sweetheart, that’s the pregnancy apparently}, but Harry was past caring, trying to fill that wet cavern with his chest, the teeth having relented in favour of the flat wetness of the tongue, Harry fucking Severus’ mouth with his nipple. He was going crazy almost right at the edge of shuddering climax when Severus pulled away blowing gently, making the hard nipple even harder, {You really are reacting tonight, sweet thing}, Severus grinned as his lips sought Harry’s again.

He returned Harry’s hands to either side of his head again, {Keep them there}, he gently commanded and Harry gasped, his eyes half-closed and his glasses askew, his head thrown back over the slight curve of the vehicle’s roof. Severus backed off a fraction to take in the sight of his ravished beloved just begging to be taken, grinning with his lower lip caught in his teeth before descending onto that lush mouth again.

He began to make love to his husband in earnest now, each gesture meant to arouse shamelessly, every slide of hand drawing a moan from his lover. He glanced up from his position on Harry’s chest with the other nipple in his mouth to see Harry’s head thrash from side to side.

He spread wide the fingers of one hand, splaying them over Harry’s quivering belly, letting them ride down the crack between jeans and skin where Harry breathed in to allow them passage. Harry wasn’t wearing anything under the denim so the first touch of fingers was to naked, damp cock-tip and Harry nearly folded in on himself at the intensity before thrusting forward, trapping Severus’ fingers, to get more contact, more friction, yes, there…. just fucking, MORE. He shouted aloud, a long strangled sound until Severus silenced him with his own mouth and tongue.

{So responsive, my sweet}, his rich mind-tone purred as he ploughed his tongue back into Harry’s mouth whilst struggling to undo Harry’s jeans with the other, Harry wriggling with impatience, trying to help but just getting in the way until Severus’ mind barked, {Be still.} and Harry stilled completely as the button and zip were maneouvred open and the cloth was slid down to Harry’s knees. Harry moaned deep at the feel of air on his swollen sensitised cock.

He arched out further hearing his husband’s low words through the bond, {Look at you, all ravished looking and dying for a hard fuck}. Harry mind-moaned, {No, want to feel wet and the air cool me, fuck, so hard, want your mouth round me, your fucking hot mouth, then you can fuck me blind, let me touch you}, but Severus moved away from the hand that had detached itself from the metal.

{Hands back where I said!}, came the command and Harry moaned, {Gods, yes, do what you like, just let me come, I need you so much}, but his hands were both back beside his head in an instant as Severus continued to glare lasciviously at him, {Spread your legs as far as they can}, he murmured. Harry did so until his waistband of his jeans was digging into his outer thighs. {Close your eyes}, was the next order and Harry did so.

He could hear the zipper slide down and the rustle of cloth overlaid with the light clink of belt buckle. He tensed in his excitement, his jutting cock bouncing a little in the cool night air, his whole body trembling with want, not knowing what was coming next.

Then the first burst of heat over the base of his cock, trickling over his bollocks and down over his inner thighs. As the stream strengthened, he felt Severus cockhead rub his length and a little enter his slit. Harry groaned and tried to release a hand to hold his cock at a better angle under his lover’s piss stream but he was magically tied, He tried to arch up but was suddenly flipped over, the trail of liquid arcing over one hip as he was turned, his cheeks spread with insistent fingers as the hot liquid bathed his hole, flowing over his perineum and the backs of his balls. Severus rubbed the head of his thickening, rising cock between Harry’s cheeks as the piss slowed and stopped. He murmured the spell and was inside in a heartbeat to moans and whimpers from both of them.

Harry tried to get a purchase on the shiny car roof to push backwards but ended up flattened against the metal, his boner crushed against the cold of glass as he was relentlessly fucked, his sodden jeans around his knees, his face buried in a crooked arm. Severus latched his mouth onto the revealed portion of neck and sucked as he fucked. When he pulled out, before he slammed back in, he moved them both slightly back, a little clumsily to be sure, but now he could get a hand round to stroke his Harry as he fucked him.

The rhythm speeded up as his hand closed around Harry’s solid cock, wanking him as he thrust and sucked, {Merlin! Harry, not going to last. You’re so beautiful, so tight. Want you. Love to fuck you. My own, Mine, mine, mine. MINE}, and with a last sharp jab he was shuddering against Harry’s back, his come filling his husband up, to hear the urgency in Harry’s send, {Don’t you fucking dare stop! Bastard! Keep going! So close. Fuck me! Oh, Ohhhhhhh, comin’ comin’, ohfuck, my Sev, harder, harder. MINE. Make me come, yes, like that, ohhhhh, ah ahhh, Ahhhhh. Ahhhhh. AAAHHHH. Shit! Fuck! Oh, loverrrr, fuckIloveyou}, and the rest dissolved into mindless babble as Harry liberally anointed the door with his pearly offerings.

~~~~~~~WS (end)~~~~~~~~~~~~

****

They were cleaned and decent-ish again, still holding one another tight, murmuring sweet nothings in the afterglow when a voice beside them reminded them of where they were, “Erm, sorry to disturb a quiet moment, but Ginny has cooked and dinner is ready, we’ll put yours in the oven if you’d prefer”. Oliver.

Harry and Severus emerged from the lazy kiss they were indulging in and Harry turned to his friend, “No, we’ll be in. Sorry about being anti-social”, he shrugged, “It’s the, erm, bond, things get a bit, er, intense at times”. He heard Severus snigger in his head, {You don’t need to explain, love, all our friends are already treading on eggshells around us in case you hadn’t noticed. You have to remember that bonds like ours are little understood, so I think that our friends are quite prepared for any level of antisociability from us and Hermione has probably already informed the others of the likely proximity and closeness ‘problems’ we may be experiencing. Believe me, there’s really no need to be apologetic about this. It is a great honour to be close to two bonded such as we}.

Harry just grinned and said, “Right ho, we’ll be in in a jiffy. Give us five minutes to wash our hands”, and Ollie left, shaking his head and grinning to himself. “Take your time”, he called over his shoulder. Harry buried his face in his lover’s chest planting closed mouth kisses through cloth. Severus’ mind murmured, {You would think, that now the bond is to be fully ‘realised’, so to speak, that we would notice a dip in the frequency of our sexual activity, now that we’re pregnant}.

Harry looped an arm around Severus’ waist, and when they trusted their legs again, they made their way slowly to the house. He nudged his lover’s shoulder, kissing as he did so, {How about that we’re just a pair of randy old gits, fancy the arses off each other, can’t keep our hands off each other and are very highly-sexed into the bargain?}. Severus tightened his grip around Harry’s shoulders planting a kiss in his hair, {That’s an explanation I can live with}, was the older man’s droll reply and Harry butted him again.

They stopped in the doorway and kissed, {Come on, let’s join the fray}, Harry’s mind whispered. Severus tightened his hold fractionally, {Just a moment longer}, and Harry smiled, {Whatever you want, love}, threading his arms about Severus’ neck, lifting the heavy hair as he did so, relishing the touch of bare arm on bare neck and the shiver that ran through his life-mate, not to mention the little moan huffed against his neck as Severus sank his face in the soft warmth between chin and shoulder, taking a last calming inhalation of pure Harry before facing the rest of the evening.