Asylum

A special thanks to my beta, Saeadame.


Asylum

Chapter 14

Three days before Christmas found Harry lying on his bed stroking Saami’s head who only hissed in contentment. Harry was thinking, which he seemed to be doing a lot of recently, his thoughts usually going round in circles, always coming back to the Potion’s Master.

Harry didn’t know why Severus always seemed to be on his mind, he just was. His pale skin, deep velvety voice, his large nose, anything and everything made him think of Severus these days. Whenever he saw a spoon, he’d think stirring rod, which made him think of potions, which in turn made him think of Severus. If he saw a black curtain he’d think of Severus’s robes or hair.

At Hogwarts it was normal to think of Severus. They sat by each other at meals, worked together, and even stayed in the same rooms, so it was easy to think of someone you saw so often. Lately though, he had no excuse. For the past week they’d been at Grimmauld where Harry usually only saw brief glimpses of the man, so why was the older man always on his mind?

:I just don’t get it Saami! Why can’t I stop thinking of him?: Harry asked his snake while stroking the scaled head.

:Maybe your close to your mating season?: The snake hissed in pleasure, not exactly seeing the problem.

:Mating season? What are you talking about?: Harry stopped his stroking.

Saami gave a hiss like sigh. :You know mating season? When most animals are ready to procreate with another. For example, most snakes mate during the spring after a period of hibernation. Other animals mating season are in the fall so they can have their young in the spring when it isn’t so cold out. I don’t know the gestation period for humans though, or if the male can even carry children. But if they can then your senses might be on high alert looking for a strong mate to give you hatchlings.:

Harry looked at his snake wide eyed. :Hatchlings? Mating?:

Harry blinked a few times before blushing. :Oh.:

He remembered all to well the conversation Sirius had given him in earlier in the school year. He had asked why so many of the girls would point, giggle, and then bat their eyelashes at him. He was not exactly used to such behavior. Sirius gave him a funny look before laughing and looping an arm around him. Sirius then began, “You see Harry, and it all has to do with the act of mating…”

Harry was unable to look Sirius in the eye for nearly a week. Sure he had heard of sex, and even seen some stuff on the TV, but to actually have it explained, and just KNOWING that people wanted that from you was a whole different story.

But did he feel that way about Severus? He was a man. But then again, Sirius and Remus were together and no one seemed to have any problems with that. But thinking of Severus all the time and him wanting sex were two completely different things. At least he thought it was. He had never thought of Severus naked or in some kind of compromising position.

He blushed further. Well, now that he thought about it, he wouldn’t mind seeing Severus naked and in a compromising position, especially if it were on top of hi-

Harry cut off his own thoughts. Okay, so maybe he had just the tiniest crush on the Potion’s Master. Surely, for someone his age it was normal to think of such things. Now the question was, did the Potion’s Master like him that way?

:Saami, do-do you think Severus would like me that way?: He asked his most trustworthy friend. After all, who could Saami tell his secrets to other than snakes?

:Oh, he’d be a fool not to, Harry. You are so much more interesting than those other humans. They smell horrible.: Saami proceeded to nudge his head against the hand, wanting to be stroked again. The warm hand felt so good against his cool scales.

Harry gave a lopsided grin. :Oh, and I don’t smell horrible?:

:Of course you do, all humans smell horrible.: Harry frowned. :You just don’t smell as bad as most humans do. You smell like dried seaweed and musty wood.:

Harry sniffed himself, he did not smell like that. He thought he smelled like cherries, complimentary of his new cherry cologne.

:And what does Severus smell like, does he smell bad too?: He asked rather sarcastically.

:Of course he does, like I said, most humans do. Actually, I haven’t met a human with a nice smell. Not like us snakes. Severus smells like burned ashes and rusting metal.:

Harry blinked again. He didn’t think Severus smelled like that all. He thought Severus smelled like vanilla and sandalwood. :Well I like how Severus smells.:

:Like I said your senses are sending out signals on what you are looking for. You obviously like his smell as part of the package.: Saami grumbled, getting ready to sleep. :Well, I’m going back to my tank. This conversation is boring me.: And with that the snake slithered off the bed and headed to the tank on the nightstand.

With a sigh Harry removed himself from the bed and went down the stairs. It was time for lunch anyways.


Severus was avoiding everyone. Well not everyone, mostly just Harry, Black, and Lupin. The last two were for different reasons than the first one. Black was always trying to prank him or thought if funny to try and get him to join the holiday festivities. He avoided Lupin because he was always with Black. And lastly, he was avoiding Harry. Harry unlike Black was always kind to him. Giving him timid little smiles with soft gentle “hellos,” that always made his heart beat faster and causes his insides to squirm.

Quite frankly, he avoided Harry so he wouldn’t make a fool of himself. Severus was always a well spoken person, but Harry just made him forget all words. He was a bit worried he would start spouting off sonnets and love songs just to tell the young man how he feels. Severus had only ever felt this way about one other person, and she has been dead for a good 16 years now, and off limits years before that. He didn’t even want to think about the issue that he happened to be feeling the same way about Harry as he did Lily.

But a man had to eat sometime, especially since everyone would be leaving to go Christmas shopping in Diagon Alley. He couldn’t avoid Harry forever; he just wouldn’t talk to him at the table and walk next to someone else in the alley. Catastrophe avoided.

As luck would have it, the only spot open was between two of the three people he was avoiding, Harry and Sirius.

Harry looked up when Severus entered the room. “Hi Severus, I saved you a seat.” He said patting the seat next to him before turning and talking to Ron on his other side.

Severus rolled his eyes. Typical, Lady Luck always did hate him.

Lunch was enjoyable, Molly Weasley was always the best cook. Soon enough it was time to head out.

“Now everyone, I want you to bundle up, it is very cold out. Fred and George, if I find you with one prank, even one, you will be grounded. People get scared enough in the streets without them having to worry about you two. Don’t forget anything. Harry dear, where’s your scarf?” Molly asked while everyone was running around gathering what they needed for Diagon Alley.

Harry gripped his neck, sure enough he realized he forgot his red and gold scarf that Ron had given him. “I must have left it upstairs, be down in a sec.”

He made a mad dash upstairs, grabbed the scarf off the floor before running down and promptly bumping into someone, knocking him off his feet on the last stair.

“Oomph.” He said as he landed on his behind. A strong firm hand gripped his and pulled him up fast, making him bump chests with the taller figure.

“Thank you.” He said as he looked up into the person he had bumped into. Severus.

Severus nodded and went to walk away when he heard someone clearing their throat. He looked over to the source. Molly was watching the two.

“Aren’t you forgetting something?” She asked pointedly.

Severus looked down at himself. He didn’t think he forgot anything. Scarf, check. Boots, check. Long winter cloak, check. Gringotts key, check.

Molly rolled her eyes before pointing up. Severus followed the finger with his gaze. There above their heads on the last step was floating mistletoe. Damn.

“No.” He was not kissing Harry. If he did he would never be able to stop. And if he did, he certainly wasn’t going to do so with so many witnesses around. No need for them to see him get rejected.

“It’s magical mistletoe, Severus. Unless you wish to get a fever and break into large red spots until you kiss, which you will eventually have to in order to break said curse anyway, you’d better kiss each other right now.” She said while tapping her foot.

Severus looked over at Harry who was blushing madly. It was now or never. Severus leaned in to Harry kissing the corner of the mouth with a soft gentle peck. He looked back to Molly who smiled and walked away. Severus didn’t look back at Harry as he stormed into the living room towards the fireplace.

He never saw Harry place his fingers over his mouth, touching the part where he kissed before smiling.

Harry’s first kiss ever.

Harry’s first kiss with Severus.

And hopefully, not their last.


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A/N: What? You didn’t expect their first kiss to be an all out snog session did you? So there it is. The kiss you were promised. And in the next chapter we have….wait for it….wait……DEATH EATER ACTION!!! I know I’m excited for it, are you?

Amysds: I actually was aware of it. I used to be on her mailing list, and that story came out about a month after mine. By then I only had two or three chapters, needless to say I was at first really miffed about it. But held off on any comment. Her story did really turn out a lot different from where mine headed, but the original idea is still mine. I could probably get her in loads of trouble for stealing the idea, especially since her first two chapters or so are so close to mine. This is also not the first time she would be accused of stealing someone’s idea either. Last year she got into some real trouble over Pretty Boy and blamed a beta for stealing other’s work. I decided to let it slide, but it is odd that her story just happened to pop up a month after mine came out, it’s kind of hard to believe that both of us would have the exact same idea around the same time. Needless to say, I’ve stopped reading her work on principle.

On a happier note, I’d like to thank everyone for reading and reviewing! You make my heart feel a bit lighter every time I read a positive review. So thanks for making my heart soar. It’s a good feeling.

Please review!