Darkness Shadows Light

CHAPTER EIGHTEEN - DON\'T BOTHER ME, I\'M LIVING HAPPILY EVER AFTER

Harry woke up the next morning feeling relaxed and happy and in the arms of his future husband. Just the thought of that brought an extra singing joy to his already over-filled heart.

He was lying on his back - now the only comfortable sleeping position - with Severus on his side facing him, one arm thrown possessively aroHarrHarry. Harry turned his head to look at him, it was the first time he had ever seen him asleep and he was surprised how peaceful he looked. Happy as he was, it seemed a shame that he had to move, but the baby appeared to have found his bladder, making an urgent trip to the bathroom a priority.

Slowly he slipped out of the bed trying not to disturb the other wizard, who murmured something incomprehensible, turned over and settled once more back to sleep.

Once in the bathroom, Harry was stopped dead by the sight of himself in the mirror, he was not normally vain, but even he was startled by the extra sparkle in his eyes and the slightly dreamy expression he couldn\'t wipe from his face.

When he eventually headed back into the bedroom, Snape was sitting up regarding him with steadily with his piercing black eyes.

\'Damn!\' said Harry, going towards the bed and climbing back under the covers. \'I was trying not to wake you.\'

\'Any why would you do that?\' he enquired.

\'Because you look really sweet when you sleep,\' Harry grinned. \'And also now you\'re awake I bet you won\'t let me go back to sleep either!\'

\'Certainly not,\' Snape replied with a dark look for the \"sweet\" comment. \'It may be Sunday, but your exams start tomorrow and you ought to be studying.\'
\'I\'m way ahead on my revision,\' Harry said airily. \'I\'m sure I could spare a couple more hours.\' He leaned in for a kiss, but after only a moments supplication, he was gently pushed back.

\'And what about Weasley?\' Snape enquired. \'Won\'t he notice you are missing?\'
Harry sighed as some of the joy drained out of the day. What to tell Ron? *How* to tell Ron?

\'I guess I\'d better go and see him,\' Harry said reluctantly. \'Tell him my decision...God, that is one conversation I really don\'t want to have!\'

\'Well I have to inform the Headmaster that we wish to marry and ask him to officiate,\' Snape said dryly. \'I can\'t begin to imagine what he\'ll say.\'

\'You don\'t think he\'ll stop us?\' asked Harry anxiously.

\'I certainly hope not,\' he replied, a trace of iron in his voice. For the first time in his life he knew exacthat hat he wanted, and he would be damned if he would let *anyone* ruin it.

\'Good,\' said Harry, snuggling close. \'Severus?\'

\'Yes?\'

\'What about the witnesses? I can\'t really ask Ron and the only person besides him who knows the whole truth is Sirius.\'

\'I imagine your godfather will wish to be there, as for the other witness...well I have someone in mind, but I would prefer not to say who yet. That is if you will trust me to tell them about us?\'

\'Of course I trust you!\' Harry exclaimed. \'I trust you more than anyone else.\'

Snape couldn\'t help the glow of warmth that suffused through him at this pronouncement. Knowing that Harry trusted him above all others meant as much, maybe more, than the knowledge that he loved him.

\'Thank you,\' he said in a rough voice, kissing Harry affectionately on his forehead, right on the scar. \'And I trust you as well.\'
ry sry smiled, not really understanding the effect his words had had on his lover, or how much Snape was giving by admitting he trusted Harry.

\'And now I think you had better go, before I start something we haven\'t got time to finish.\'

Harry nodded his acquiescence and obediently got dressed. Just as he was finishing buttoning up his robe, he noticed that Snape had not moved.

\'So what are your plans for this morning?\' he asked pointedly.

Snape smirked. \'Well as it\'s Sunday morning, I thought I\'d have a couple hours more sleep.\' He laughed openly when he saw Harry\'s mock-furious expression.

\'So you\'re going to lounge around in bed whilst I have one of the most difficult conversations of my life?\'

\'Yes.\' Another smirk.

\'Fine!\' Harry said, slightly loudly. Then an evil expression entered his face. \'I was going to offer to come with you to see Dumbledore, but as you\'ll be so well rested, I guess I\'ll leave it in your capable hands!\'

And with that he left the room with a smile, leaving a glowering Snape behind him.

Harry entered his room cautiously, half-expecting an irate Ron to be waiting for him. Instead what greeted him was the sight of Ron, fully clothed, laid out asleep on Harry\'s bed.

Harry silently walked over to him and shook him gently; Ron opened bleary blue eyes and looked up at him. With shock, Harry recognised the very same look of contentment that he had seen on his own face earlier that morning. Then, as Ron obviously became more awake, he frowned, and a look of betrayal red red his face.

\'You spent the night with *him*, didn\'t you?\' Ron said, his voice tight and slightly lower than usual. Harry saw no point in denying it.

\'Yes, yes I did. I\'m sorry Ron, I love him and he finally admitted that he loves me too.\'

\'Well how perfectly wonderful for you, I\'m sure you\'ll be very happy together.\' The sarcasm in his voice adding to the deep hurt showing in his face. Then whatever control Ron had, left him. \'I can\'t believe you\'d go back to him after all he\'s put you through!\' he ranted. \'Who\'s looked after you through these past few months? Not him. All he\'s done is make you miserable and pushed you away. *I\'m* the one whose been there for you.\'

\'I\'m very grateful for the support...\' Harry started to say, but was quickly interrupted.

\'Grateful! You\'ve use. e. I was just a shoulder to cry on whenever Snape didn\'t want you. You made me fall in love with you, but now that he wants you back again I\'m no use anymore. Well don\'t expect me to be here next time he changes his mind.\'

\'That won\'t happen,\' Harry said quietly. \'We plan to marry as soon as possible.\' Harry hadn\'t wanted to tell Ron yet, but he couldn\'t listen to these aspersions being cast against his lover.

Ron went white, his freckles standing out fiery red on his face.

\'Well how sweet!\' Ron sneered. \'I\'m sure You Know Who will be thrilled.\'

\'Obviously it will have to stay a secret.\'

\'More secrets!\' was the bitter reply.

\'It\'s not how I would like to get married, but we want to make a commitment to each other now.\'

\'Well that is your decision, but I don\'t want any part of it.\' Ron got up off the bed and headed towards his own room.

\'What are you doing?\' Harry asked.

\'Packing. I\'m moving back to the dormitory.\'

\'What will you tell everyone?\' he asked fearfully, only now realising what harm Ron could wrought if he wanted to. Ron looked back at him and saw the fear, but if anything it made his frown deepen.

\'Don\'t worry,\' he replied. \'I won\'t tell anyone your pathetic little secrets. I\'ll lie for you again and tell them that we argued and decided we don\'t want to get married. Though god knows what mum will say!\' With that he entered his room, slamming the door behind him. Harry sank down on his bed and for the next half-hour just lay there almost in a trance. He was only brought out of it when Ron\'s door opened and he came out, his trunk hovering behind him.

\'Thank you for all you\'ve done,\' Harry said, feeling guilty. \'I\'m sorry I can\'t be what you want.\'

\'Don\'t give me your thanks or pity!\' Ron spat out. \'All I ask is you stay away from me.\'

\'Please Ron,\' Harry pleaded. \'Can\'t we still be friends?\'

\'Not at the moment,\' Ron said, suddenly looking very young and vulnerable. \'It hurts too much...I need some space.\'

Harry nodded his head and blinked furiously to stop the tears that wanted to fall. Ron had been his best friend for almost seven years and though he had never felt more than that for him, it was not a relationship he wanted to lose.

\'I understand,\' he said softly and watched whilst Ron left his room...and possibly his life.

******

Snape, however, was faring much better in his conversation with Dumbledore.

He had not, as he had teased Harry, lain in bed, but had risen as soon as he had left. Not one to delay, he had been determined to get over the unpleasant duty of informing Dumbledore of his intentions as soon as possible.

Refusing the inevitable cups of tea and lemon drops once he had sat down, he had got straight to the point.

\'Albus, Harry and I have decided we wish to marry.\'

If he had expected to get an extreme reaction out of the older wizard, he was disappointed.

\'Ah, that is good news.\' Dumbledore replied, his blue eyes twinkling with pleasure at the thought that his plan had indeed worked. \'And when were you thinking of this happy event taking place?\'

\'I thought once the exams were finished, and we would be honoured if you would officiate.\' Snape decided that if Dumbledore could show no surprise at his announcement, then he\'d be damned if he would show his own surprise.

\'Of course, I will be delighted to marry you both. Have you discussed witnesses?\'

\'Yes, that is a slight problem. Obviouslyry wry would like Sirius to be one of them...?\' Dumbledore heard the slight question in his voice and was quick to reassure.
\'Naturally. I believe I will be able to get a message to him in good time and I\'m sure he will beightighted.\'

Snape gave him a disbelieving look.

\'Last time I saw him, he hit me,\' he dryly informed the Headmaster.

\'Well I\'m sure he won\'t this time!\' Dumbledore beamed. \'As for the other witness, I assume young Ron will do the honours?\'

Snape frowned. \'I\'m afraid that could be a problem.\' Briefly he told Dumbledore what had happened, bringing a touch of worry to the Headmasters face.

\'Now that I did not expect,\' he murmured troubledly.

\'So I suspect he will not be willing to witness mine and Harry\'s marriage.\' Snape finished.

\'No, indeed not. It would be cruel even to ask. Have you any other ideas?\'

\'I have one, but I believe it would be best coming from you...\' Dumbledore listened attentively and nodded his agreement.

\'An excellent idea, I will get in touch with him immediately,\' he said warmly.

\'Thank you, Headmaster.\' He went to stand up. \'That is everything I had to say, so I will take my leave of you....\'

Dumbledore motioned him to sit down again.

\'I have one more thing to say. Harry should not be wandering around the castle by himself at night, invisibility cloak or not.\'

At once Snape looked mortified, hardly believing that he had not thought of that himself, but then he had plenty of others things on his mind at the time.

\'I\'m sorry...\' he began to say, but Dumbledore held up a hand to stop him.

\'It\'s not your fault, Severus. Harry is very headstrong and always does what he thinks is best, regardless of what danger he might put himself in. I was just thinking that it would be a good idea to open the floo between your chambers and his. Then we wouldn\'t have to worry about him so much.\'

\'That\'s very good of you, Albus,\' said Snape, looking surprised.

Dumbledore waved away his thanks.

\'You are both very important to me and I\'m glad that you have each other to love,\' he said seriously. \'I trust you will let Harry know before his midnight wanderings?\'

Snape nodded, and once again rose form the chair.

\'Thank you,\' was all he said before he left the room, but it was heartfelt.