The Journey Cycle pt 1: Europe *pt 1 now complete*

16

Christmas morning was deliciously lazy for Harry and Severus. The goose had been taken to Spiro’s, the man who baked the bread for the village and whose kitchens boasted many large ovens, the night before. Their guests were taking care of the rest of the cooking including a Christmas pudding that Oliver’s mother had made for them the previous year but which he had been feeding with brandy since June and that he had carefully packed for the flight over.

They could hear the early bustle going on around them and paid it no mind, ignoring all the polite knocks on the door. Harry gazed down into his lover’s eyes, “Our second Christmas together, our second on the road”, he sighed and smiled. Severus pulled him down, “The second of many, I hope”, before opening his mouth to Harry’s ravishing tongue.

As they peeled from each other stickily a little while later, they exchanged gifts; not items, for too many bits of junk just weigh the traveller down, but promises, places that each wanted to see, things they promised themselves to do. Harry wanted to see the Pyramids and the Namib desert. Severus wanted the Taj Mahal and the Painted desert. Harry pouted, “At least mine are on the same continent”. Severus shrugged elegantly despite lying down, “So, I thought we were going everywhere”, and Harry grinned from ear to ear. This travelling was going to encompass much more than he had at first envisaged. The bug had bitten his beloved fair and square and Harry revelled in this. He would be happy wandering like this for ever.

There was eventually a general shout for all to assemble at the table and they all did, Harry and Severus had only emerged minutes before to the general amusement of the gathered company and after snagging beers from the fridge sat beside each other as they surveyed the table. Hermione and Neville had brought a centrepiece of holly and ivy with them and this was in pride of place on the long table. Their were a few jars into which candles had been placed and despite the paucity of decoration, the setting was surprisingly festive as soft light illumined the whole scene. There was a pile of brightly wrapped gifts to explore in a pile to one side of the room, grouped around a pot plant for want of a Christmas tree. Someone had suggested configuring the pot plant but no-one was that bothered and so it remained, a rather bedraggled ficus benjamina with gifts piled around the pot.

They gave things from their travels, textiles mainly as they were light and attractive, in local cottons and silks, shirts, skirts and shawls that everyone loved. As usual, Harry had the sizes right. Hermione’s gift to them was a better database for storing all their info on plus a pirate copy of a hot game that she knew Severus liked. Neville chipped in with a DVD full of new sounds for their hard drives.

Ron and Oliver treated them to a magnetic traveller’s wizarding chess set. The pieces didn’t annihilate themselves in the usual way just insulted each other in the language of the country they found themselves in before slouching from the board in high dudgeon. The box bore the imprint of Weasleys Wizard Wheezes and Harry laughed. Ron assured him that the longer the game continued, the more biting and original the insults. It was stashed away for now.

Ron spoke up, “The most amazing thing though, is you can have a game set up at any angle, including vertical or even on the ceiling above you and the pieces don’t fall off. So George says anyway”, he finished, but Harry grinned, “If it’s one of your kids’ inventions then they haven’t failed in years now so we’re probably all right here and these pieces do exactly what it says on the tin”. Ron just smiled.

Ernie presented Harry with a splendid new set of metric socket ends and he was delighted, he had a full Imperial set, but the fittings inside were metric and the few he did have were a bit ratty. He was delighted. To Severus he presented a smart any year diary with a soft leather cover and ample room to expand, not to mention the pages set aside for photos. A traveller’s journal. Severus smiled. This is where the postcards and photos that graced the wardrobe door would end up. Untacked to leave room for the next lot on the next journey. He grinned suddenly hugging the journal to his chest and thanked Ernie wholeheartedly.

Ginny was shy about stepping up with her gift. She plonked it in Harry’s lap before tapping it with her wand and restoring it to it’s correct size. It was about a foot cubed, compressed against the wrapper. Harry felt around it, puzzled at the ceremony, especially as Ron now divined the gift and made to say something, only to be hushed by his sister. “Three words, Harry, ‘I finished it’, and here it is, after all this time”.

He poked it some more until realisation dawned and he laughed aloud, “No way!!”, he exclaimed as he started to rip into the wrapping. Severus just looked confused. Harry started to murmur as he tore the paper away, his eyes enlarging on a thick wad of folded silk which he grabbed and undid quickly going over to a large clean area of floor and shaking the thing out, laying it down.

It was a quilt made of many silk pieces that had themselves been embroidered before being fitted together to tell a story that ran from top to bottom, left to right across the thing. An appliqued title across the top read, ‘The Life and Times of Harry Potter (And Severus Snape), by Ginevra Weasley’.

And there it was, Harry’s life to now, described in exquisitely embroidered panels of eight inches square. Severus looked the thing over and was amazed. He fetched his small reading glasses to scrutinise it further. “You started this as a child?”, he whipped his head around. Ginny tried not to flinch but blinked hard a couple of times and nodded, “Started it in my first year, Harry’s second year”. Severus turned his attention back, to the cupboard under the stairs, the troll, Quirrell, the basilisk, Ginny herself lying cold and white, the tri-wizard contest, this was not a romantic view of Harry’s life but it was a respectful one, a realistic one. “This is an incredible piece of work, Ginny”, and he meant it. Harry was equally as enthusiastic, but sighed, “I’ll have to send it back to England”....., to see Ginny shake her head, “It’s made of fine silk but it has been spelled to behave like nylon so you can wash it in a machine loads of times and you won’t wear it out. If you’re happy with sleeping under an embroidered diary then it’s meant to handle some rough stuff”, she glanced at them meaningfully, then laughed.

It was truly a magnificent piece, the technique improving over the years as the overall piece was no longer about a crush but about a friend. They had had many a laugh about it over the years, Ginny had even shown him the odd half-finished square that she was working on but he had no idea that she would put it all together like this. And now here it was. Portraits of his best friends, Sirius, Cedric, then many of him and Draco, one while they were enemies, the rest later. As Harry’s hand trailed slowly over the quilt, there was one image that brought him up short. Four men. In a bed. An accurate rendition of him, Draco, Severus and Remus. Naked to the waist, leaning against a headboard of a large bed. With a pang, Harry recognised the bed in the cottage, but his further pang was when he noticed.....himself in Severus’ arms, resting against his chest. He glanced at Draco, holding fast around Remus, his mouth out of sight, buried in sandy hair. His hand shook slightly as he pointed at the square, “Whoa, who told you about this then?”. Ginny grinned at him, “Oh, behave, it was common knowledge, not to mention that a certain Remus Lupin, deceased, Merlin rest his soul, was the biggest gossip on the planet”, Ginny finished, “Well”, she said, her arms folded across her chest eerily reminiscent of her mother, “Is it true or not? ‘Cos I can’t have lies on a binding quilt”.

This boggled the two recipients. “Binding?” squeaked Harry. Ginny nodded, “You intend to marry albeit in muggle world so in this world you are effecting a binding, and a female relative or several is responsible for your binding quilt. I don’t know much of your past, Severus so you don’t feature in it until relatively recently, but once you told us of your engagement, I had to finish it and involve you of course”. She pointed to the few squares that had him in them. One of him scowling at a terrified class with an exploding cauldron just lifting clear of the burner and just beginning to fragment, the next was an oddity. He was seated beside Harry in the ‘Cauldron and he recognised Ginny’s brother Charlie to the other side of Harry, but it was the look on his own face that made him start. It was the night Harry had revealed his intention to travel and Severus’ expression was the one he wore between hearing the news and being invited to go with him, a mixture of shock, longing and the look of the totally bereft, and Ginny had captured it perfectly. The last small square was a gesture that had barely lasted a minute or two and Severus traced a finger over the raised ridges of stitching, awed. The panel depicted himself and Harry seated on the chaise in the apartment in Venice. Harry had set up the camera but just as the shutter clicked, they had looked at each other with such expressions of undisguised want. Harry had thought that he had missed that one from the travelogue but apparently not, and Ginny had nailed the look with a few deft passes of needle and fine black thread.

The final panel had one square in it, fourteen by fourteen inches, taking up the space of four other squares. It showed both of them in the front of Bessie. Harry’s eyes on the road and Severus’ head buried in the atlas with the words ‘happy trails’ in sloping script across it and he laughed aloud, and felt himself gently drawn into Harry’s side. He didn’t trust his voice just then and just stayed staring at the piece as it grew more and more blurred. He finally managed, “It’s beautiful”, but there was a ragged edge to his tone. He took a few deep breaths before looking up, then smiled shakily at her, “You have captured us both very well and I thank you”, his voice still soft.

She blushed, “Well, many years ago, when I thought I might be Harry’s future intended, then that’s when I started it, but when Harry turned out to be gay and then you and Draco got together, Harry, and he was already married and going to stay that way, I stopped it then for years, although I’d done some panels with you and him in anyway, after all, this is supposed to be about your life, but then when it was obvious Draco wouldn’t be with us much longer, I added that one”, she pointed to Draco in his dressing gown enjoying some early spring sunshine in the small garden, a tiny panel bracketed between two larger ones. “It was the last time I saw him look happy. When it was obvious that you and Severus were going to give things a go, I had a feeling that this could be more serious than either of you had had before and when I first saw the photos that came to us, I was convinced and began work on these final patterns. So, there you have it, and when you told me you would wed, well, what’s a sister to do?”, she finished lightly although the atmosphere was a little tense.

The border was worked in patches of blue of many hues but there were two small square white patches. Harry frowned, “What are these for?”. Ginny laughed lightly, “They’re for the bride to sew her own memories of the marriage, she usually does them later in the marriage, you know, looking back, all that stuff and adds them later. It’s supposed to be one of her memories and one of his, some small defining moment of some sort”. She opened a small slit along the edge of the quilt and drew out a flat soft box containing silks needles, scissors and a few pre-cut silk squares, “Here’s the rest of the materials needed, just remember to remove them before you sling the thing into a washing machine. You’re not expected to be a seamstress at all or anything, but that’s traditionally how these quilts are made”.

Ginny shut up then and sat back, allowing the others to crowd around and look. Severus couldn’t help himself, he kept tracing that shocked face with his fingertips. Harry tilted his head and murmured, “That’s the night you thought I was going to abandon you”. Severus looked down into those arresting eyes and nodded before biting his top lip and touching his head to Harry’s, “Yes, that’s the night I thought you were leaving forever. I never thought I could feel so damn bereft all in a matter of seconds until you whispered to me that you wanted me to come with you, you imp, then you marched us all off and showed me Bessie”, then lifting Harry’s face with his fingers, he kissed him, in the middle of the press of friends all around and they were lost in each other until the drape of cloth over both their shoulders brought them round. Ginny had placed the quilt around them both and the others all cheered.

Later they escaped and instead of going onto their room at the villa, they snagged some snacks, a few beers and the quilt and sneaked out to Bessie. Harry hugged it to him, “I feel like a sixteen year old bride with the first bit o’ me trousseau”, he batted his eyes and Severus laughed as they crossed the front lawn space. They were idly watched as they left, “Aaah, love’s young dream”, remarked Oliver drily as he watched them go.

He turned back into the room, “I thought Harry was going to blow a fuse when he saw the fourway, Gin”. She was musing, “But neither of them denied anything, you noticed?”, she murmured. Hermione reddened, “Of course, it figures. Warriors on and off the pitch, so to speak”, she lapsed into silence, then Ron started to laugh followed by his partner, “Horny old buggers”, he guffawed, “Wonder if they still play”, his voice tailed off and he shared a ‘look’ with his significant other. Hermione rolled her eyes, “I don’t think this was about just anybody you know, but something special that we have no right to be making fun of”. “Oh, hark at you Mrs Primknickers”, Ron sniggered, “Come on, they were all boffing each other for years. We wondered why the other two didn’t adopt Snape when his Wolfie died”. No-one could answer this.

Ernie tossed in casually, “So why are the partners swapped in the afterglow, Gin, me old girl, why not the original couples?” That made Ginny start, “Dunno”, she extemporised quickly, “Just made it seem more .... decadent some how, you know, all relaxed in their opposite’s arms”, but Hermione shot her a grateful look as the subject was dropped in favour of a round of Whist. It wouldn’t do to speak ill or otherwise of the dead, not without the others there to defend themselves, Hermione thought virtuously, but deep in her heart, she knew the truth as Harry had admitted it to her, that the four were exactly as in Ginny’s depiction, or should have been.

****

Harry was buzzing about, lighting lamps while Severus drew curtains and blinds. He turned to find Harry with the quilt spread over their bed, sitting cross-legged and examining it. Severus crawled onto the bed and took Harry into his arms, “It’s really stunning isn’t it? But right now I want to explore something even more of a work of art, my very own ‘David’, he whispered close to Harry’s ear. Harry turned and saw the expression greeting him and smiled, “Oh yes. You now, quilt later”.

He rose and gathered into a rough pile, dumping it on the sofa then turned back to Severus, now lying on his back, sprawled across their bed, his hair fanned out in all directions. Harry took one look at his lover’s face and grabbed the nearest photo-taking paraphernalia to hand; his phone, and quickly shot a couple of frames of his man’s wantonness, before putting it down and advancing slowly, a light in his eyes and his tongue circling his lips.

He detoured to the computer cupboard with a, “Hang on a sec”, and dived into the base of it, inelegantly rummaging around. Severus leaned up on his elbows, frowning. Harry emerged with a beaming smile and stood, “Your last Christmas prezzie, love. I didn’t want to give it to you in front of the others”, he handed Severus what was obviously a jeweller’s box.

Severus frowned seriously then, “Not fair, I thought you were serious about the travelling thing, so I didn’t sneak you a last little present”. Harry smiled, “It’s just a little charm I worked for you, that’s the main gift, but it has to be carried. I didn’t mean to pip you in any sense, this is something that I hope you’ll make use of”, he proffered the box.

Severus slowly lifted the lid.

On a length of dull chain lay a bolt of lightning shaped pendant of some rough crystal. Severus wasn’t sure what to think, the thing was, in truth, a bit rough and ugly for his usual sartorial tastes, but he tried not to frown too deeply as he drew the thing from the case to hold it to the light or to show other gestures of appreciation. He was a bit lost here. So far, Harry and he had exchanged occasional gifts but had got them just right for each other but this was, erm, “Well, Harry, would you explain it’s use?”, he couldn’t help blurting out. Harry laughed out loud, “I know it’s not very pretty, so you don’t have to go into raptures over it or anything. No, it has one use and one only. It calls me to you in thunderstorms, hence the lightning bolt, nothing to do with Voldemort’s, not the same shape at all, but that pendant is made with seven carats of unpolished flawless diamond as it’s completely inert electrically so you cannot be hurt through it in a storm. If you close your hand around it then it acts as a locator and I feel it in my wand, so if I’m wandering about as I often do in storms then I can come to you and cuddle you. So you see why I wanted to give it to you away from the others?”

The man was astounded and lifted the jewel from the box carefully, “Oh, Harry”, he breathed. Harry drew his wand and tapped the jewel, “I know it’s not the prettiest and I can’t reduce it much, no inclusions or air pockets, it was the prettiest uncut I could find in one piece that size you see and they made a passable lightning bolt through it though the carving’s a bit crude but I suppose there’s only so much you can do with a diamond that weird shape before you bugger it and.....”, he was promptly cut off by Severus’ lips claiming his in a deep wet kiss that made Harry moan and shut up. “Harry, that is the most personal gift I have ever had. I love it, and believe me, if we are above ground in storms, then I will use it. It’s the most......thoughtful gift I ever received”.

Harry was slightly bemused but thought it over, “So, you and Remus never sent charms and things to each other?”, he enquired tentatively. Severus shook his head, “We never went beyond favourite booze and socks or the latest book that one or the other of us would drop as heavy hints about from August onwards, and, no, not at school either”. Harry sighed, “Oh. Drae and I used to charm all sorts of things, at the beginning anyway, though it sort of dropped off along the way. I just thought of the way that you hate storms and I got the idea....”, he tailed off.

Severus chuckled as he took Harry into his arms, “It’s a wonderful gift, Harry, and I thank you, with all that is in me. Come on, fasten it around my neck”, he gently untangled the fine chain and wound the ends around his neck, flipping his hair aside. Harry beamed as he clicked the clasp open and closed using his thumbnail, “There you go, no more fear from storms”, and Severus grabbed him, none too delicately, and hauled Harry across his lap and into his arms for a grateful and happy kiss. As they surfaced, Severus looked over Harry’s face several times, his eyes flickering hither and yon. He came to rest gazing deep into Harry’s eyes, “Harry, I’ll only say this once. Remus taught me how to be a human being, but you’re teaching me how to be me”.

Harry glanced at him sidelong before he was hit by a bludger of memory:

Christmas day, six years ago, and as usual the four spent it together, their hair well and truly down. Waking, all four in the big bed in the boys’ cottage as the two older men insisted on calling it even though said boys were now in their mid-thirties, they all scrambled into a sleepy heap of cocks and tongues, slipping under slightly stale foreskins to awaken a little residual passion still unspent.

After a hilarious shower involving lots of cleaning spells in the aftermath, they would all dress to some degree before tackling the tree and the presents therunder, usually fortified by at least one of the bottles that was habitually under the tree, usually a fine Scotch from Severus’ ex-colleague, the inestimable Professor McGonagall. They would all howl with hilarity at their respective gifts then Harry and Remus would prepare the dinner and present it proudly. Severus always carved, with a flourish and short bows as he presented a plateful of sliced meat to each of the others.

They would pull crackers with each other, toast each other, fall asleep for the rest of the afternoon, wake up after dark and hunt for munchies in the kitchen before ending up as a debauched heap again, on the bed/on the rug in front of the fire or draped variously over sofa, banister rail or an assortment of kitchen cabinetry, including the kitchen sink.

He came to with Severus’ arm around him, “Where were you, Harry?”, he asked gently. “Six years ago, the last really rude Christmas we ever spent together”, Harry admitted shyly. “I still miss them both so much, and somehow, being out here like this, it would be perfect, you know, the four of us again. I did think that Draco would have hated Bessie, but not for one afternoon”. Severus divined the mood instantly, “So they would be at that end of the bed, giving us one of their customary shows?”, he purred against Harry’s ear, laying them both down across the bed at the foot end and facing the head.

Harry could picture it in an instant, “Yeah, Drae is getting Remus ready, stripping him, preparing him. How hard did we get watching that?” Severus held Harry from behind and pressed them together, “This hard, perhaps?”, and Harry groaned, pushing back. Severus made a sound deep in his throat then coughed slightly before purring, “You always did like to watch, didn’t you, you trollop?” Harry shivered. “Oh, definitely. I always liked to watch, particularly my boyfriend fucking your wolf while your cock plundered my arse until you came so deep inside me you nearly came in my throat”. A tiny sound, needier than a mere moan, escaped. To Severus’ eternal chagrin, he felt the vibrations in his throat and knew that it was he that had uttered same.

But it goaded Harry on, “Oh, yes. I would watch them preparing and feel you doing it at the same time, greasing my arse for your cock, opening me, spreading me”, he tailed off breathlessly as he was kissed again feeling his lower garments disappear he knew not where, and warm oiled digits enter him. “Like this?”, a faint shifting of air on his cheek. “Yessss”, he pushed hard onto the invasion, spread as far as he liked. Severus spread him again, this time all wide and tilted up so his greedy little hole was on view. A view that his lover showed appreciation of by grabbing Harry’s hand a moment and closing a fist over his own erection. “This is how much I want you”, and Harry purred, “I know. And I love that you want me so much. Now come here and fuck me”. Severus withdrew his fingers and looked down at his Harry all spread and flushed before him. He was turned on beyond reason as he pushed his cock into his wanton Harry who took every loving inch with burning cries of entreaty until he hooked strong feet beneath the firm arse and pulled in with a twitch of his hips and both shouted aloud as Severus was fully inside.

Harry forbade movement for a moment, enjoying that blissful time of being filled totally, then tilted his hips lasciviously, inviting deeper penetration. Severus pulled nearly all the way out, then slammed back in, skimming Harry’s sweet spot. His lover’s eyes rolled back in his head and Severus knew no mercy. Grinning ferally, he repeated his onslaught on his lover, plunging in and out, fucking him to the balls and back. Harry shrieked and came suddenly, between their bellies. Severus calmed the pace then and fucked Harry long and slow until Harry came again before his beloved soaked his insides with toe-curling come and convulsed around him, kidney-bean-like. Rocking gently, this is how they fell asleep.

****

Ron woke early the next day still a mite uncomfortable around the midsection owing to the vast amounts of food consumed the previous day. He leaned over his lover and nuzzled his ear, gently poking his stiffie in Oliver’s side. No response, save a slight shift in position and a gentle snore. Ron sighed and rolled over onto his back, another lone session it was then. Why, oh why did his lover have to develop piles of all things just when they had the perfect getaway planned? He took his less than small problem in hand. Oliver still slept as Ron muttered a cleaning charm and pulled on a pair of ancient track pants, picked up his wand and silently left the room on bare feet.

He could hear sounds from the kitchen and decided to investigate. Pattering along the landing soundlessly, he began to descend the stairs and was halted by the nature of the noise now emerging. A moan. Definitely male. Not pain. Ron groaned softly and sank to the step on which he stood. Damn!! Everyone was getting more sex than he was this holiday.

He strained his ears but could only hear the wet sounds of........, “Oh, Yes, harder. Fuck, close..so close”. A voice he knew but hadn’t ever heard like this before. Oh, God, his ex-teacher and now friend was having sex in the kitchen.... A strangled cry made his ears keen.... Snape coming. Breathy sounds of completion. A muted chuckle, higher pitched, Harry.

A few moments silence then a throaty purr, “Lie on the table, Mrs Snape. I think a wee aperitif then breakfast, hmmm?”. Ron stifled a giggle, Mrs Snape?!!!, even while he felt his cock twitch again. He cast a cautious glance upstairs and listened hard, no sounds of movement yet from the others. Feeling only the faintest twinge of guilt, he resumed his attentions on the imagined tableau downstairs, particularly as the wet noises had started again. He could see quite clearly in his mind’s eye, Harry laid out over the breakfast table, cock stuck up like a pepper grinder and his lover hard at work over it with his mouth.

He sneaked a hand under the waistband of his pants and toyed with his own cock while he heard every slurp and suck being administered in the room below, every moan and sigh. A wet popping sound as the noises increased in volume and a muttered “Ssshhh. You’ll have everyone in the house down here and what would your friends think, you laid over this table like the fatted calf waiting for my knife”. A giggle, “Mouth, more like it”, the reply as the sexy wet sounds continued. Ron was fully hard again by now and tugging in earnest on his dick as the moans started again. He could ‘see’ Harry, as he had many times as schoolkids, hand stuffed in mouth trying to muffle the sound and failing, then with that image in mind, he came over his own hand as the breathy pantings ended on a high humming wail.

There were definite kissing noises now then the clatter of the grill pan. Ron got his breath back and waited for something like normal conversation to start before he left his spot on the stairs and continued his journey down. He sauntered breezily into the kitchen, “Mornin’”, he affected rubbing eyes and stretching. The other two were once again almost decent, at least the bits and bobs were tidied away and Harry was holding Severus from behind as his lover started the bacon cooking.

Harry let go and turned, “Wotcha, Ron. You’re up early”. Ron grinned, “Gob feels like a flobberworm crawled in and died. I need coffee”, he went to the percolator. “Toothpaste is, I believe, the remedy for that affliction, Mr Weasley”, snarked Severus but Ron just grinned, ‘funny sort of toothpaste you two have just been using’, crossed his mind but he just busied himself with coffee preparations, his back turned to the room. When he next turned holding out the coffee pot, his companions were ignoring him again and Ron could see the light in Harry’s eyes as he hooked Severus towards him by means of a foot behind his thighs and into the ‘vee’ of his legs. Severus leaned down and hoisted Harry onto the kitchen counter and ran his hands along Harry’s thighs then onto his waist and Ron watched as their heads tipped together in a long exquisite kiss, Harry’s hands in the heavy fall of black hair, Severus’ joined behind Harry’s back. Ron sighed quietly and put the pot down lifting his own mug once more and sidled from the room on quiet feet, flicking a glance back over his shoulder and smiling to think that his best friend was happy again.

He remembered:

Harry pacing about in the waiting room at St Mungo’s, Ron is here for moral support. They are called into the medic’s office but Ron politely declines and waits for Harry in the appropriate place. Harry takes a deep breath and follows the medi-wizard. “I regret to inform you, sir, that this seems to be the same affliction that took your other friend, Mr Lupin. As in that case, there is no known cure and neither can we determine the cause”. Harry snaps, “Voldemort”, and watches while the man in front of him flinches, “Oh, for God’s sake, he’s been dead over twenty years!. This is his final revenge, then, to take from me everyone that I have ever loved. First my parents, then my godfathers, now the love of my life”, before he breaks down, howling loudly. The medi-wizard came to fetch Ron, “He needs you, sir”, he stated baldly and after showing him to his office, left to continue with his rounds.

That is the most devastated I ever saw Harry, including when Sirius and Remus died. And now Draco is also to be a victim.

Two days later when Draco stabilises enough to be moved, Harry apparates them both home. “You will not be left to die in this stinking hole, love. I will look after you”, over Draco’s protests but Harry is adamant. Both know now that Draco will die.

Hermione and I help out the first few days until Harry has sobbed himself raw and has had at least a night’s sleep under his belt, the better to face the trials before him. It cannot be easy watching a loved one wither and die before your eyes, From that day, it took best part of a year and even then the vultures cannot leave these two in peace. Draco’s body is claimed by his ‘family’ and Harry never saw him again. We know he had a night sitting vigil for him, keeping his lifeless corpse warm for a few hours to confound the time of death, just to spend a last few hours with the love of his life saying his goodbyes.

Ron wandered into the lounge and sat down on the terrace beyond the opened windows staring into the pool and thinking. There were other signs of life now. He could hear water running, a loo flushing, smell the bacon cooking then Severus’ voice calling them all to come for food.

Hermione wandered into the kitchen her nose in a book as usual and bumped straight into Harry, “Sorry, wasn’t watching where I was going”, she lowered her tome. Harry ruffled her hair as if she was still his class-mate and they shared a smile as they sat down and Severus dished up. “Well, I’d like to go exploring today”, she announced. Ginny was keen, Neville, too, but Oliver groaned, “No, too much grub yesterday. Anyway, it’s the big match today, boxing day and all that, Man U against Arsenal at Old Trafford”. Ron indicated his agreement, “Yup, telly’s booked this afternoon”, and glanced at his hosts.

Severus sighed, “Must we?”, and his guests started to make apologetic noises. Harry grinned, “Don’t be daft, can’t you tell when he’s pulling your leg by now?” The boys looked happier, “So you don’t mind if the match is on?” Harry shook his head, “Don’t expect me to watch with you, but go right ahead” Severus sighed his dramatic long-suffering sigh, “I don’t know, we invite you thousands of miles from home and all you want to do is watch the television”. Neville spoke up, “You could always come out with us. I think we’re going along the coast a bit”. Severus smiled at the man, “Thank you, Neville, but I’m suffering somewhat from all the food consumed yesterday and will stay close to home today”, he glanced at Harry who gave him one of ‘those’ looks and leaned against Severus’ shoulder, “Yeah, whatever. I want to stay with Sev today, you know?” Hermione shot them a look but saw the heat of the glance that passed between them and let the topic go.

And so it was. After breakfast, they all washed up and tidied the place. Ginny and Hermione prepared a picnic for the three going out. Ernie was to remain behind with the other sporting afficionados, leaving Harry and Severus pretty much to their own devices. Ron leaned in to Harry, “So, what would you and Sev be doing if we weren’t around?” Harry gave him a grin, “Pretty much what we’ll do now that you’re here, except I doubt either of us would have bothered dressing this morning”, and blinked lasciviously. Ron smiled in understanding, “Randy buggers”. Harry threw him a mock-affronted glare, “Who said anything about sex?” Ron laughed then whispered, “No? Only I had to wait a good ten minutes before I dared to come into this room this morning to make coffee until I knew the coast was reasonably clear”, and saw with delight, his friend’s face colour to the roots. “Shit. Sorry. Did we wake you?” Ron’s turn to blush, “Nah, I just sat it out on the stairs twiddling my thumbs”. Harry batted him, “Pervert!! You listened?” Ron rolled his eyes, “Hard not to, the row you two made”. And watched Harry squirm until he relented, “Don’t be daft, I was awake already and it was quite entertaining listening to you both. If I’d have said that twenty-five years ago, I’d expect to be hexed into the middle of next century. Fuck!, I’d have tried to hex myself there”, to laughs from them both.

Harry waved his friends off at the door as the people-carrier eased off the drive. There was joshing and catcalling from the lounge as the three footie fans vied for the best viewing place on the sofa, a crate of lager between them plus various salty snacks to keep them fortified. Severus grabbed Harry out on the terrace and kissed him, “Well, Harry, looks like you and I have a blissful afternoon to ourselves. What ‘shall’ we do with ourselves?” Harry chuckled, “And what would you have me do, Mrs Potter?” Severus leaned in and whispered to him and Harry’s mouth dropped open as he pulled back fractionally to look deep into those lustful black eyes. Oliver caught sight of them from the window, “Looks like the lovebirds are in for a fun-filled day”, he observed, drily. Ron came up behind him, threading his arms around his waist and kissing his neck, “You should have heard them at it this morning. You know he calls Harry, Mrs Snape, don’t you?” Oliver cast a faintly disgusted look his lover’s way, “Yuck, never?”

Ron smirked, “Oh, yes. I wouldn’t be surprised if Harry calls Severus, Mrs Potter”, though he felt his gut drop just a little. A thought struck him out of nowhere, why had he and Oliver never become closer than they already were? At the start it had been about fear of commitment but they had been together best part of sixteen years now and it kind of irked him that they had never suggested bonding or anything. He knew Harry had been unable to do such a thing with Draco due to his being married although he had been there when Draco and Harry had had an unofficial handfasting of sorts three years or so after Draco had returned. It had meant a lot to both of them to perform some sort of binding ceremony before their friends. Ron had expected Draco to sneer or at the very least, pretend, in order to make Harry happy, but both of them took the sham rites just as seriously and both seemed to invest the ceremony with as much gravitas as the other. Ron glanced down at the man in his arms and sighed silently. He had to face facts. Oliver just wasn’t as committed to him as Harry had been to his own relationships and this saddened Ron somewhat.

He looked up as he heard the splash of water outside in time to see Severus take a perfect header from the static diving board then untangled himself from Ollie at the shout from Ernie, “Hey, guys, the first match is starting. Burnley versus Man City”. Ron’s misgivings were forgotten as he and his lover fought to be first to the couch for premium viewing position. A shaft of sunlight fell across the screen. Ernie tutted and drew the light blinds to greater effect their viewing pleasure.

****

Messing in the pool, Harry noticed the blinds sliding across the window and indicated the same to his lover who smirked and pulled Harry towards him for a kiss that meant it, Harry pushing the heavy wet hair away from that strong face and smiling around that delving tongue. As they came up for air, Harry chuckled, “Looks like we’re on our own this afternoon, love”, his look heavy-lidded. Severus grinned, “Naughty boy”, he purred, then suddenly dived beneath the water and divested Harry of his trunks flinging them across the grass. Harry, when he finally caught up with his lover returned the compliment until they both twisted around each other naked in the cool water and swam lazily playing and kissing, alone again.

“Well, Mrs Potter, any plans for us?”, Harry murmured. Severus held him tight, “Oh yes, my sweet wanton. I want to see you all dressed up for me”. Harry leered and licked his lips, “Just dressed?” Severus clutched Harry’s arse, “Oh, yes, dressed but with the appropriate make-up, too”. They sank into each other’s mouths laughing. “So, the red or the white undies?” Severus cocked his head on one side, “I think the red satin today. I love the way your cock strains against the fabric. With the red mouth and the darkened lashes”. Harry blushed and his lover smiled widely, “Would you like me to.....?”. Harry bit his lower lip and nodded, “Fuck, Sev, you so suit red”, and so it was decided.

Harry climbed out of the pool and wrapped a towel around himself and ducked back into the house. He found a couple of carrier bags and filled them with food and beer. He sought out a piece of paper and a pen and wrote a quick note, Hi, Guys, Sev and I on Bessie for the day, please do not disturb. Enjoy the footie. See ya tomorrow. H. xxx. He stuck the note to the fridge. At half-time, Oliver was sent to the kitchen to replenish supplies and showed the note to his lover. Ron’s brows raised but he wasn’t altogether surprised, “Wonder if they share still”, he murmured. Ollie batted his arm, “So, you fancy your old mate, eh? Surprised that you two didn’t get into it at school”. Ron shrugged, “Not at the time, I was too busy trying to be straight but later it was too late, he had already hooked up with Draco”, he paused, “But now I’m not sure if it’s just about Harry any more”. Oliver’s brows shot hair-wards, “You mean you fancy Snape now?” Ron blushed and shook his head, a frown settling on his brow, “Erm, not sure, but the two of them are hot as fuck”, he related the scene that he had listened to earlier and his lover chuckled evilly, “Maybe we should check them out later, eh? See if we have a chance”. Ron wasn’t sure what surprised him the most, that his lover was amenable to the idea or that he might actually find Severus Snape attractive but just at that point the second half started and all such thoughts were pushed away for now.

Severus and Harry shared a secret laugh as they climbed aboard Bessie, their rightful home, and stashed the beer. Harry had to run her for a while, the engine a low purr in the bottom gear, enough to charge her batteries and keep their little fridge going. Harry peeled off his towel and ducked under the tiny shower, washing himself provocatively with an audience of one. “Shame there’s not enough room for two of us under here. Should have designed this better”, he grumbled goodnaturedly but Severus wasn’t objecting, leching at the sight of his lover slowly washing. Harry shook himself and stepped out to Severus holding a towel for him wrapping him in it and kissing him before stripping his own off and stepping under while Harry watched as he dried off then disappeared from view as he made himself ready taking as much time and care as any woman to prepare for his beloved.

He dressed in the red satin panties, the waspie of the same fabric. Then sat before a hastily conjured mirror and applied carmine carefully to his mouth then, blinking, mascara to his lashes. Thus dressed, he lay back on their bed awaiting his lover.

Severus gasped as he stepped from the shower to see Harry all made up for him lying across their bed arms and legs akimbo. Severus took his sweet time with his own preparations. The slow shave, the anointing with oils and other scented unguents that he knew Harry loved. The tiny leopard-skin print loincloth that barely hid anything, the roll-on black stockings, the high, high heels that they had found in a tranny shop in Barcelona, before he sat, spread-legged before the mirror to complete his toilette. A sweep of carmine to the mouth and the usual blundering with the eye paints until Harry stood sinuously from the bed and sashayed over straddling his lover’s thighs as he sat in his lap and applied said warpaint to his liking. A warm smoky grey to lids, a delicate line of kohl under and over the eye finished with several coats of mascara to complete the picture.

Harry sat back and admired his handiwork before Severus grabbed him roughly and kissed him pulling him close, Harry’s legs locking behind his back, the brushes still in his hand as they twined around each other, Severus’ hands sinking into the back of the shiny satin pants making them tighter against Harry’s crotch as his finger delved Harry’s cleft, Harry relinquished his tools in favour of burying his hands in Severus’ thick shiny hair as they kissed and kissed growing sloppy with it. With a last lick to Severus’ top lip, Harry pulled back and stood, showing out for his lover who’s eyes narrowed at the sight as Harry posed this way and that for him. He leaned down to Severus, “Want to see you walk in those shoes if you can handle it, baby”, he purred, his voice thick with desire.

Harry laid out on the bed again, pressing the heel of his hand into his hard-on wincing with the force of want he was feeling right now at the sight of that perfect arse peeking from beneath that ridiculous cloth as Severus swayed away from him then turned and posed. Harry nearly passed out from the want in his belly as Severus prowled back to the bed never stumbling or missing a step in the towering heels, “Gods, Sev, you have the most gorgeous legs, you sexy bastard”, Harry’s eyelids were lowered, the tip of his tongue peeking between his lips as he licked them watching his beloved advance on him.

Severus knelt coyly on the bed between Harry’s thighs and lowered himself over his lover, his hard-on pushing the insignificant scrap of fabric to one side as it rose to full strength. Harry squirmed and moaned at the sight, his lips parting as Severus crawled right over him and fed him his cock as he leaned over him. Harry bored deep into those eyes with his own intense green stare as his lips parted still further to take his lover in, finally fluttering shut, darkened lashes lying on a pale cheek as his tongue lapped over the intruder in his mouth, moving around the head, flickering underneath as Severus straddled him. His hands were everywhere, flicking Severus’ stocking tops, diving beneath the scrap of loincloth and playing with his heavy balls as he sucked and licked the solid cock in his mouth until Severus drew away, “Phew, lover, not so fast, or we’ll be done before half-time”, he slid down along Harry’s supple body lying atop him and kissing him deeply. He could taste himself in Harry’s mouth.

As their mouths parted, Harry giggled, “You know we’re a right pair of perverts, don’t you?” Severus chuckled, his lips fastened to Harry’s left nipple, “Oh, yes, and I love you all the more for it, Mrs Snape. You unleash my inner renegade”, he growled, looking up into that untramelled green gaze as he felt Harry arch against his mouth, “What do you want, Harry mine?”, his tone softened to one of pure seduction. Harry gasped, “Want you deep inside me. Want you fucking me, want you to take me so hard, pull my knickers down and fuck me. Keep the stockings and shoes on”.

Whatever else his Harry was, it wasn’t shy, and Severus revelled in this before pulling down the front of the flimsy red satin drawers and taking his beloved into his mouth, tasting the musky sweetness that was purely his lover before peeling the panties to his knees thus disallowing too much in the way of legs spreading then Accio’d the lubricant to him. It slapped into his hand and he dribbled it over his hand before comprehensively finger-fucking his lover adding the next digit as it felt right before burying his length to the hilt in his loving pervert’s arse balls-deep, watching those electrifying eyes the whole time, noting the changes, the darkening of the irises as Harry’s arousal grew.

Harry’s legs parted primly at the knees, each ankle on Severus’ shoulders and his legs pushed to his chest as he was fucked hard, eyes on each other, the panties preventing further contact until Severus ripped them from one leg allowing his Harry to spread himself and Severus to kiss him as they fucked, only breaking off as Severus came up onto his hands and really ploughed his wet depths over and over. Harry reached for his cock only to have his hand roughly batted away, “I’m enough for you, bitch”, growled at him from above, and Harry moaned loudly, “Faster then, trollop, fuck me, take me, yours, I’m all yours, have your way with me, fuck me, fuck me, fuck meeee”, Harry’s hips were lifting clear off the bed as Severus complied, pile-driving in and out of that wet heat. Somewhere in the middle of it all they both lost control thrusting up or in until Severus keened his incipient climax and Harry was in the same place, reaching and arching, “Yes, baby, fuck me, oh, yes, like that, love you, like that, harder, faster, gods yes, yes, yes, coming, make me come, so close, yes, so close”, he was totally losing it and was beyond caring as Severus’ cock pounded into him with increased urgency, he felt his balls tighten and arched right up at the apex of a thrust and held still while he screamed his release, coming all over himself and the band of red satin, pulsing out thick ropes of come over his belly. This unhinged his lover who was right behind him, feeling Harry’s arse clench around his cock, Severus couldn’t take any more and holding on tight, he ejaculated long and hard into Harry’s depths, long loud cries forcing themselves hoarsely from his throat.

Harry’s arms spread wide as he welcomed Severus into them as he collapsed above him and let himself down onto Harry’s chest with a moan, “Sexy little trollop”, he murmured as he was enfolded in wiry arms and kissed to within an inch of his life. Harry held him close until he had slipped free then they both rolled sideways and lay in each other’s arms and rested awhile, gasping and kissing then gazing as deeply as they could manage into each other’s eyes. Harry’s large and innocent behind black mascara, Severus’ louche and knowing beneath the shadow of the dark make-up. Harry knew that his lover had the sexiest eyes imaginable and the warpaint only made them more so. They twisted together claiming each other whispering sweet and perverted nothings to each other as they came down off the initial high.

Eventually, Severus rose, still clad in heels and sashayed to the fridge to bring them refreshments, bending provocatively as he reached in causing Harry to bite his lower lip on a strangled cry as he watched. Severus handed him an icy-cold beer and they lay together and drank, oblivious to the world outside. They were the world to each other right then. They clinked their bottles together and idly wondered how the matches were playing out in the house. Harry giggled, “Perhaps we should go and see”, but Severus reacted somewhat unfavourably to this, “How would that lot respond to seeing me in stockings and heels?” Harry giggled loosely, “I don’t care. You’re mine. Although it’d do their heads in”, he laughed, “I’ll wear the knickers if we need to make another beer raid on the fridge”. Severus shook his head, “No, love, this is just for us. Remus would have a fit if he could see me now”. Harry sobered a moment then giggled, “Drae too. Fuck, he would have looked a treat in stockings and heels, admit it”. Severus couldn’t help but agree. “Why are magical queers so uptight about crossing and stuff?”, he mused. Harry pulled him in tight for another searing kiss, “Maybe it’s the muggle in us that allows us to express this. Never discount your muggle heritage”, he murmured.

For all that, they used a cleaning charm to wash up with before they reapplied their lip paint to each other then sat around talking, drinking, laughing, loving. Harry switched on the computer and selected some sexy chill-out tunes to relax to. Thus it was that they sank another couple of beers before the urge gripped them again, Harry rolling atop his lover as a tap sounded on Bessie’s door.

They ignored it at first until Harry, impish grin firmly in place, suggested that whoever it was wasn’t going to go away without seeing at least one of them and was the Gryffindor brave one to answer the door. He glanced in the mirror to check that everything was in place, then peeked through the curtain to ascertain their visitors, Ron and Oliver. He winked at Severus and went to open the door.

Ron’s eyes widened at the sight of Harry leaning against the doorframe, “Yes?”, the simple statement. Ron’s mouth opened and closed like a freshly landed trout. “Harry, is that make-up you’re wearing?”, he whispered. Harry nodded, “And your point is?”, he smirked. Oliver stammered out, “We wondered if you two were up to , erm, playing out?” Severus heard and decided his lover needed backup so swayed the length of the wagon joining Harry at the door winding his arms around him, “And what can we do for you boys? Would you like to come in, have a beer or something?”. Ron nearly fainted at the sight of his ex-teacher in full make-up, a tiny loin-cloth, stockings and perilously high heels. He gulped, “Perhaps not”, he eventually managed to stammer out after giving them both an appraising once-over, although Oliver seemed more susceptible to their charms in their present state, he was dragged away by his partner, who looked as though he may be traumatised for life at what he had seen. Oliver could be heard in the distance, “Ron, for a gay guy you are so straight, those two were H.O.T.”. But it was simply too much for Harry’s best friend, “No, Ollie, sorry, love, too weird for me. Snape in make-up for Merlin’s sake, not to mention sussies and stockin’s and heels!!! Oh, Merlin, I think I’m damaged for life, here. I’d always heard that when those four shared it was sexy but strictly vanilla. Those two have moved on. Whoa, too weird”, his voice faded as they re-entered the house, Oliver still looking longingly at the bus, “Oh, I dunno”, before he was whisked inside.

Severus kissed Harry hard, “Sorry about that, are we too ‘weird’ for your friends?” Harry laughed, “Only Ron, it would seem, Ollie seemed quite taken with the whole idea. Ron always was a bit straight”, then replied to the kiss, “Well”, he murmured into that lush mouth, “We’ve scared them off well and truly”. Both laughed at this. Harry collapsed back onto the bed, “This will be all over the wizarding world when we get home, you realise that, don’t you? Ron is quite good at keeping secrets but Ollie is the world’s worst gossip, after Remus, that is”. Severus shrugged and rolled his eyes, “So be it. I find it hard to care these days. If folk are interested in getting a few prurient jollies from our sexual proclivities, then more fool them, they ought to get out here and have a life, is all I can find to say on the matter”. Harry laughed harder, “That’s the ticket, Sev, me luv. This will make us famous for a whole five minutes. Now come here. There’s all that perfect maquillage to mess up all over again”. Severus moaned and let himself be drawn down into another searing kiss that set them both alight again. Harry muttered, “I bet Ollie is right pissed off about now, imagining he could be stretched out on this bed and being kebabbed by both of us, one in his mouth, one up his arse, he wouldn’t know he’s born and he’d fucking love it”, Harry shrugged and applied himself to carmining his lover’s nipples.

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

Before sucking them, spreading the stain all over his chest, to appreciative sounds from his lover. A faster track began to play and Harry hauled Severus to his feet and they danced, Severus kicking off his shoes until Harry ordered them back on and revelled in the larger height difference between them, tonguing Severus’ chest as they moved together, sucking and biting on mouth-height nipples until Severus drew away and made for the shower room with a kiss, “Need a leak, darling”, he murmured, until Harry called to him, “We disconnected the loo, remember. If you want a pee, it’ll go straight through onto the path and I’d hate to waste it”, his tone was provocative in the extreme. Severus was bursting making his little cloth stand out. Harry licked his lips as he saw and backed towards the sink. He hoisted himself over the sink unit and pulled down his panties revealing his hardness, spreading his legs as far as they would go and cast his lover a lopsided grin which Severus divined immediately. “You fucking pervert”, he breathed as he stepped up to the sink lifting his tiny cloth and holding his cock. “You want me to piss on you?” Harry nodded, tilting his pelvis up slightly, his hard-on laying flat over his stomach, his legs splayed to reveal his balls and the lower part of his arse crack, “Please, baby. You know I love it”.

Severus stood there holding himself willing the piss to come, battling another hard-on at Harry’s willing splay below him, then it started to trickle out of him as he tried to direct it over his lover’s rock-hard cock. More came then, as he was unable to hold it back and Harry moaned as the hot stream played over his rampant cock, balls, and found it’s way into his crack and over his sensitised anal entrance. Harry watched every drop as it left him, moving slightly under the stream of steaming liquid as it bathed him in hot piss, tilting his head backwards at the pure ecstasy as the stream washed over his dick and tackle, shuddering at the heat as he was bathed in it.

Then came the intimate washing as Harry passed his lover a flannel and he was washed thoroughly as water was sluiced down the sink to wash the effluvia away. Then Harry shifted to the front of the sink unit, his legs spread obscenely wide and Severus took him without prep or preamble and fucked him solidly until both came with shuddering gasps. Severus hadn’t quite admitted it to himself yet, but the notion of piss-games turned him on beyond belief and this latest was the best that had worked for him thus far. He gently washed them again after their shattering climaxes and led them both to the bed whereon they collapsed. They just had the spirit and enough energy to strip each other, Harry reached for the make-up remover and cleaned them both off before they fell into each other’s arms and slept the rest of the afternoon away, exhausted by their energetic session.

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

Harry, somewhere fogged with sleep, heard the car returning and the bright chat of the others but neither could face it yet. Later when they were both fully compos mentis, they awoke, themselves once more, their fantasy selves put to bed for now, dressed in jeans and t-shirts and staggered back to the villa to greet their friends. Ron and Ollie were nowhere to be seen, only a pissed-up Ernie snoring on the couch testament to a drunken boy-session of sports of a televisual kind.

Hermione was a bit surprised to enter a house to find only one of the five she had left and seemed quite relieved when Severus and Harry rocked up. She and Ginny cooked the meal that night and the five sat around the table and discussed their afternoon. The three adventurers full of tales of their day, the two lovers a little more reticent, Severus holding Harry to him, back to chest, sinking soft kisses into that unruly hair, receiving kisses of his own from that wantonly tipped back head from time to time as the tales were related. Hermione wondered at their afternoon, particularly as she could have sworn she saw the remains of eye make-up on them both, little smudges that had been missed in the clean-up, not to mention the faint traces of mascara that lay on Severus’ lashes.