Death Eater Takes a Holiday

Chapter 19 (






For xikum, who makes me look beta.

 

Chapter 19 Ten points from Gryffindor

 

Severus lay in bed, unable to sleep. Maybe it was
the many things on his mind, or perhaps it was that he missed sleeping with his
limbs entangled with those of an able-bodied quidditch player. He even thought
to put up a silencing charm when he crawled into bed. It's absurd; we didn't
spend that many nights sleeping together. Well, there was the time he slept by
my side at the lake. Where did Harry go that day with Ron and his Mum? Severus
thought to himself. The sound of his bedchamber door opening startled him.
Harry smiled brightly at Sev; only his green eyes could outshine his smile.
Severus hadn't noticed what Harry was wearing when he entered the room, but
when Harry climbed on the bed he wore only a grin.

 

"I missed you," he murmured.

 

"Harry, you shouldn't be here, there are
rules…" Harry's tongue assaulted his mouth. Severus could hardly breathe
with Harry ravishing his mouth with intensity.


 

"Rules don't apply to me," said Harry,
nipping at Sev's nipple.

 

"How did you get in?" Sev shivered when
Harry nipped harder. "The wards, did you get past my wards?"

 

"Are you going to keep worrying about every
little thing that in the end doesn't matter, or are you going to relax and
enjoy what we could have?"

Whatever Severus was going to say vanished from his
mind. The words on the tip of his tongue were soon replaced by moans of ecstasy
as Harry engulfed his entire shaft in one go. He released a shuddered breath as
Harry pulled back sucking hard, and plunged down again, taking in every inch
without effort. Sev fisted his hands in Harry's hair, quiing ing the pace. He
was getting close to orgasm. The sensation was almost too much, hot wet mouth
sucking hard, the locks of hair between his fingers, the burning pain on his
forearm. Pain?

The sensation of Pleasure was ebbing away as the
awareness of Pain increased. Severus woke with a start as he realized his
nighttime visitor was only a dream. He unconsciously rubbed his arm where the
dark mark burned. It didn't hurt terribly, since he was not being called. It
was merely a reminder of his servitude. It usually meant he would be called
soon; something must be going on to aggravate the dark lord. Perhaps it was the
upcoming trials.

 

Severus opened a cabinet in his spacious bathroom,
pulling out a large green towel. His bathroom was more luxurious than most
would think a 'greasy git' would enjoy. In fact it was nicer than most of the
professors baths; but then he was the only professor coming back from Death
Eater meetings in need of a soak in a hot bath. In the corner of the room was a
large glass shower stall. It had several showerheads aiming from different
directions. He climbed into the hot shower. One stream of water rained over his
head, while the other two massaged his back. It was then that he realized that
he still had a hard-on from his dream. Infuriating boy, he thought. How
many times am I going to find myself in the shower with an erection due to him?
Severus lathered up, closed his eyes and let the memories of his dream flood
his mind. Sure it was conflicting to be enraged about what happened this week
and still think about it while masturbating in the shower, but he would deal
with conflict later; for now only thoughts of Harry sucking his cock would fill
his mind. Unsure whether he wanted the thoughts of Harry to last longer, or if
he was putting off seeing him for real at breakfast, he took a long time
leisurely pumping his erection. Eventuall fin finished with a shudder, breathing
hard against the glass wall he didn't even notice he was leaning on.

 

After putting on the shampoo and getting a
surprising amount of lather, it occurred to him that he hadn't made a potion in
over a week. He didn't have the need to use the hair tonic that kept his hair
clumped together, preventing any stay hairs from becoming an unwanted
ingredient in his cauldron. That, and leaning over a steaming po for for hours,
made his hair curl up like Hermione Granger's on a rainy day. When he had longer
hair it was fine to have a little extra curl, but that wasn't practical for a
potions master. There was a charm that would keep his hair in place. It was
originally a spell only used by vain witches trying to keep their coif just so,
but he had read in a potion journal that potion brewers had been using the same
spell as an alternative to the tonic. His thoughts went back to when he used to
use this spell for potions class in his sixth year.

 

~*~

A young James Potter and Sirius Black entered the
potions classroom to find Severus Snape already at his worktable with
ingredients ready and organized. They had found out the week previous that
Snape had been practicing the concealing charms they learned that year. At
first no one noticed the subtle changes, but by the end of he week it was
Sirius that had spotted it. At first it they would just poke fun at him, but by
the end of the week it was more fun to mess with Snape when he wasn't aware of
it.

 

"Finite Incantatum," muttered Sirius under
his breath, pointing his wand at the unsuspecting Slytherin. James snorted as
the petite feature on Snape's face returned to the original hooked nose he was
born with. He hadn't realized his concealing charms were gone, nor had he known
the charm on his hair was also gone. Twenty minutes later his now blue potion,
that was supposed to be violet, was ruined.

 

"Mr. Snape," drawled the professor when
she was in sight of his cauldron, "You need to do better than this if you
want to be offered an apprenticeship next year. Blue? Only two things would
cause this to turn blue, either you incorrectly chopped the gingerroot or
you've inadvertently added a human hair. Which do you think it was?" she
said, tugging on a long black lock of his hair. He knew he had charmed his hair
to stay put. Then it hit him. He looked down to see his nose back to normal,
just as a fit of laughter burst out from the back of the room. Severus scowled
as the Gryffindor pranksters relished hiserysery. "You have thirty-five
minutes to complete this potion Mr. Snape. I suggest you get busy".
Severus growled, there was no way he could prepare all the ingredients and have
the potion brewed in that allotment of time.

 

One of Severus' remaining ingredients slipped
from his hand, landing clear across the room and hitting Black. Oops. It
caused angry red welts to form on his face. After James was instructed to
escort Sirius to the infirmary, Severus was only too happy to assist in
cleaning up the abandoned Gryffindor workspace, taking the prepared ingredients
for himself. Thirty-four minutes later his potion was completed, and the class
was dismissed. The professor strolled up to the only remaining student in
class.

 

"Practicality Severus, there is no room for
vanity in potion brewing. The beauty you will find here is in the softly
simmering cauldron. The moment just before this potion sta to to bubble,
turning from pink to violet, that is beauty." Severus wasn't sure if he
agreed with the woman or not, but knew he would have to be practical if Black
was always going to be there to antagonize him.

 

~*~

 

Once again in treseresent time, Severus thought
about Sirius Black some more. For now he needed to get on with his day, but he
would have to put some time aside and think about that fateful day. The day
Death Eaters attacked # 4 Privet Drive. The day he watched Sirius Black take
his last breath. He owed it to Harry to tell him what he knew. If nothing else,
he owed him that much.

 

 

In the corridors students began their invasion of
the great hall for breakfast. Ron walked alongside Hermione in a crowd of
students coming together for the first time back from holiday. Harry had told
them to go on ahead. He had so much on
his mind that he didn’t get much sleep last night and was still getting
dressed.

 

"What do you mean the note is for Harry, but
your not giving it to him yet?" said Ron.

 

"Just what I said. The note he sent asked that
I give Harry the note in potions class, and that's what I'm going to do,"
she said with a huff. "I think it's romantic and even if he is mad about
all this, he is still Sev deep down. I don’t really expect he would ask for my
help now that he's back to normal, but at least I can help with this," she
said with an odd expression Ron wasn’t used to. It was one of those few times
when she let the logical part of her mind rest and allowed herself to fantasize
about what could happen. Even if it wasn't herself directlvolvvolved, it was
still a very romantic idea.

 

"Let’s just hope Snape doesn't see you passing
notes or you'll get your first detention since you've been made Head Girl.
Hell, he'll know it was you since he sent it to you in the first place."
Ron groaned. Hermione laughed and took her boyfriend by the hand. It felt good
to hold his hand in public for a change.

At the Gryffindor table students had lively
conversations about their holidays. Harry had not been far behind his friends.
When he came in holding a camera, Ron knew right away that Harry was going to
talk to Colin this morning. So he wasn’t surprised when Harry didn't sit
directly across from him, but a few seats over where Colin had sat. Ron
explained to Hermione about the picture he had taken of Harry and Sev earlier
in the week. He assumed that Harry was asking Colin about developing it for
him. When Harry had turned back around and was going to sit with his friends,
the table had started to fill up and he was stuck sitting with Colin and his
little brother at breakfast.

 

Harry glanced up at the teachers’ table again. Snape
hadn't arrived for breakfast. He pushed his eggs around his plate. This time
when he looked up at the teachers’ table, he locked eyes with Professor
Dumbledore looking back at him. He gave Harry a reassuring smile, and went back
to his conversation with Professor McGonagall. Harry realized that Colin had
been talking to him. He offered to show Harry some of the pictures he had taken
over the past year or so. Apparently after years of snapping everyone's
pictures Colin had quite a collection of photos. Harry explained that he and
Ron had taken a picture with the camera and asked if he could have it when the
roll was developed. Colin offered to have it done by tonight.

Harry moved over across from Ron when the table
started to empty out.

"Alright mate?" inquired Ron. Harry
shrugged.

 

"Yeah, I'm fine, just tired. My scar kept me
from sleeping this morning. No big deal, it just ached. It reminded me I still
need to replace that one potion, and I can't ask Pomfrey for it."

 

"Why not go right to the source?" asked
Hermione. "It would give you a reason to talk to him."

 

"He needs time to settle down. Remember what it
was used for. I think it's bif tif that's not our first conversation." Ron
called him a chicken, and Hermione rolled her eyes at the both of them.

 

 

 

 

 

Classes seemed to go on forever on their first day
back. During a break they had midmorning, Harry and Hermione headed out to see
Hagrid. While Hagrid was learning the spell to clean a horse stall without a
shovel, Ron was in the dungeons with an empty potion vial in his pocket and a
look of determination on his face.

Severus sat at his desk, reviewing the pop quiz he
had given to his first class. In his tirade the day earlier he’d left little to
no time to prepare for the classes. He always kept quizzes on hand in the event
a Death Eater meeting kept him from organizing ingredients for the day's
classes. Severus was almost grateful for the knock on the door taking his
attention away from the worst possible test score. Rotten Hufflepuffs.

 

"Come in." The door opened slowly.
Determined or not, Ron wasn’t too sure about being the first one to talk to the
adult Snape. "What is it, Weasley?" Ron took a few hesitant steps
toward the large desk, pulling an empty vial from his pocket.

 

"Harry thought it was best not to disturb
you." Wise of him. "But he should have this refilled." Oh
shit.

 

"You're telling me this why?" Ron shuffled
his feet thinking of what he wanted to say.

 

"I told him he should just tell Pomfrey,"

 

"Madam Pomfrey," Snape corrected.

 

"Yeah, I told him to just tell her he spilled
it and she would give him a new one but he refused." Severus thought about
this for a moment. Did this mean Weasley thinks it was spilled? Does he not
know? Certainly Pomfrey would have given him a new potion if he spilled it,
unless he wants the potion for something else, or someone else.

 

"If Potter gets his potions from Madam Pomfrey
then that's who he should be speaking with. It's always been against the
rules for a student to have potions in their rooms. Every other student goes to
the infirmary for medications. Just because everyone else sees fit to bend the
rules for the Golden boy, doesn’t mean I have to."

 

"But you…"

 

"I what?" I lower my voice to a
friging ing tone. Careful Weasley.

 

"But you two are friends." Severus stood
up to properly glare down at the boy. Damn he's gotten tall. No matter, he's
still scrawny.

 

"Friends? Try professor and student." Ron
was a little disappointed that things seemed to be going just has he thought
they would between Harry and the older Snape, but he was a Gryffindor and would
not give up.

 

"Yes, well my friend Professor Flitwick and I
will be playing chess together on Thursday; we seem to manage to be both."
Ron didn't stick around for a response from Snape. He made his point and got
out before he could lose house points. He didn't push for the potion; it was
obvious Snape wasn't going to give it to him. He would have to talk Harry into
asking Pomfrey for more.

 

Severus sat back down when the redhead left. He
looked back at the quiz in his hand, but couldn't concentrate on it. His day
continued on like that. He handed out the quiz to each student and spent the
class time reviewing his list of questions about Harry. He also spent some time
thinking about Sirius Black, and what he would tell Harry. The more he thought
about the day, the more disturbing he found it. Was he so blinded by his
dislike for the boy? A long day and three classes of quizzes later, Severus
headed up to the great hall for dinner. While he was much more aware of his
surroundings than the evening Lucius caught him off guard, he still didn't
notice Seamus giving Ron a signal that Snape was about to come around the
corner and enter the great hall. Ron had told Seamus it was a prank on Snape.
No one had to know that Harry had his own agenda.

Harry saw Seamus give his signal and winked at Ron
before yelling in a mock argument.

 

"What the hell's the matter with you!" Ron
gave him a grin and yelled back before shoving Harry forcefully.

Severus came around the corner hearing Harry's voice
in the distance, though he wasn’t sure what he was yelling. He was vaguely
aware of Ron's response when Harry came flying backward through the door, into
his arms. The doors swung closed leaving them alone in the entranceway.

Harry looked up at Severus, purposely not regaining
his balance too quickly.

 

"Glad to have you back," Harry said with a
confidant smile. Severus glared. "I had no idea I'd be in your arms again
so soon." Harry winked at him. Severus pulled him to a standing position. When
did he turn himself around? When Severus realized he had spent entirely too
long looking into those mesmerizing green eyes, he pushed Harry back against
the wall, unsure of whom he was angrier with, Harry for pulling this or himself
for getting into such a situation.

"Look Potter…" Harry winced, more at the
use of his last name than from hitting the wall so hard. Severus saw the wince
and briefly, very briefly, felt a pang of guilt. He hadn't intended to
push him so hard. Harry looked around and saw someone coming far off in the
distance.

 

"Someone's coming, you can't hex me, or kiss me
for that matter," He said glancing back down the corridor. "I guess
you have to settle for yelling at me." Severus was infuriated.

 

"Ten points from Gryffindor for your
cheek!" The student coming down the hall had now passed them and entered
the hall for dinner. Harry now looked up at Severus seductively.

 

"I do love that voice of yours." Snape
freaked.

 

"Have you considered the consequences of your
indiscretion? This whole past week of transgressions and immorality could have
cost my job and your position as a student in this school. Is that what you had
in mind, or were you not thig atg at all? Typical Gryffindor behavior!"
Harry's eyes narrowed.

 

Do you always use such big words when you're
angry?

"Your job was never in jeopardy, and if I'm
forced to be the Golden Boy, than I might as well reap the benefits too. I did
my homework; the only way we could get in to trouble would be if you, or my
guardian or myself made a formal complaint to the Headmaster or directly to the
Ministry of magic. Albus Dumbledore is
my guardian. You on the other hand are welcome to go to the Ministry. You could
probably get me expelled, jeopardizing Albus' position at the same time since
this scheme was his idea. You would have to tell-all in a small hearing to the
student protection and welfare committee. While you're doing all that I go to
France for two months to finish off school at Beauxbatons. On the bright side,
Slytherin would probably win the Quidditch cup.” Severus was seething. Harry
had gone off on his tangent not realizing how irritated the man was getting.
"Look, I just want you to see that I thought this through. I'm not just a
careless Gryffindor. I want to get to know you." Severus took a deep
breath and then backed a step away from Harry.

 

"It is inappropriate for you to have physical
contact with me. I expect you to respect me and not try something like this
again," said a cold Snape. “I don't wish for you to get to know me."
Harry tried not to show the hurt that statement caused.

 

"I'm still waiting for you to tell me if you
hate me or not. Until then I will leave you alone," He said softly.
"Give me a chance, Severus."
The door next to them burst open, and a few giggling second years went
off down the hall. Harry slipped out from between Severus and the wall before
Sev had a chance to think through all the words. It wasn't until Harry was gone
that he realized that Harry had called him Severus.

 

 

A good place to end the chapter? No? I don't think
so either. ;)

 

 

 

Later that evening in his private sitting room,
Severus thought about what Harry had said. No, he didn't want Harry to get to
know him. He didn't like letting people into his world. He guarded that above
most. He was aware of the fact that he held very little say over his life at
this point in time. His past mistakes had placed him in this position. His life
was mostly at he mercy of Albus now, but he was content with the security of
being an unwavering part of Hogwarts. Spying and being an integral part of the
Order gave him the feeling of worth that he needed. He was making things right.
Albus may think that he had paid his dues several times over with the
sacrifices he had made, but Severus didn't see it that way. Apparently Albus
didn’t fully understand to what extent helatelationship with Harry had
progressed. Even so, how could the old man approve of me snogging the boy
who lived? He was starting to see why Harry hated that title. He will not
allow anyone else into the sanctuary that is his private self, but did he truly
hate Harry? I suppose I should answer the question when I figure it out.

Severus got up from his oversized leather sofa to
sit once again at the little desk. He did not take out his list of questions,
but a fresh sheet of parchment.

 

 

 

In the Gryffindor common room Ron complained about
getting homework the first day back. Hermione thought with only two months
left, they should learn all they could. Harry, on the other side of the table
full of books and parchment, was reading a letter that had just arrived for
him.

 

"Maybe I should go read this in private,"
he said, and packed up his things before heading up to his dormitory.

 

"I hope it's good news," said Hermione
optimistically. Ron picked up the envelope that Harry had left behind. It had a
black wax seal, and when he pushed the two halves together he could clearly
read the imprint of SS.

 

"If it was good news, do you think it would
have come so soon?" Hermione winced at Ron's words. She knew he was right,
but she truly felt they had a chance. She had had the time to speak with Sev
that day by the lake, and really felt he was still a part of Severus Snape.

When it started to get late and Harry hadn't
reappeared in the common room, Hermione left Ron to clean up the table of
discarded notes and parchments and went to check on her friend.

 

Harry was lying on the bed, still dressed. The
letter he had read and reread was on the night table. She could see something
was clutched in his hand, a handkerchief maybe?

 

"Do you want to talk about it?" she asked
softly, sitting on the bed in front of him. Harry scooted back to allow her
room on the bed.

 

"Nothing to talk about." He paused and she
waited for him to gather his thoughts or composure, she wasn’t sure which.
"I had been wondering some things for a long time, and now I know. You can
read it." Hermione put her arms around him, pulling him up for a hug. The
letter could wait a moment longer. Harry reached over for the letter, handing
it to her. He was about to lie back down when she pulled him in the other
direction so when he did so, his head was on her lap. He was grateful for the
comfort as she squeezed and rubbed his arm. Harry had told her and Ron earlier
what had transpired in the hall, and she was shocked that Severus would have come
to a decision that he disliked him too much to be together. At least, not so
quickly. He couldn't have gotten all the answers he was searching for so
soon. "Read it already." She
really does over think things.

 

Harry,

 

I know that you are waiting for an
answer to our question. An answer I've not yet told myself. I appreciate the
fact that you've not contacted me while I consider my options. Killing you of
course not being one of them. If nothing else I am a man of my word.

 

I'm afraid if I were to realize
that my deep ingrained feelings for you are too much to look past, I may never
tell you what I know about the night you say I saved your life this past
summer. So, I will take this opportunity to tell you what I know about what
happened outside of Privet Drive.

 

The battle was very close to what
you told me. I had informed Albus that the plan was to attack Privet Drive in
three days time. I did not know at the time they had been intercepting owls at
your home all summer. As you said, they planned the attack for Sirius' arrival.
He was barely alive when I came across him. Sirius was distraught that he had
brought harm to you while trying to help. He knew he should have let Albus
handle things, but he feared you couldn't wait. He was right. In his last few
moments as we spoke he begged me, as his dying wish, to take you to Hogwarts.
He apologized to me for the events in our past. Although I think it pained him
to do so, he had to be sure I would follow through on his wish for your safety.
You were right. I did not know what he meant at the time, and even though the
evidence pointed otherwise, I was willing to believe that you were indeed
injured as a result of the battle and not at the hands of your relations.

 

I don't yet have an answer to our
other questions; it is not something I will take lightly. I am sorry for not
knowing you better as a student all these years. Even if I did not like you, as
a member of the Hogwarts faculty is was my place to know you and keep you safe.
While I currently hold the record for saving your life, I can't help but think
I've failed you.

 

Severus Snape

 

 

Hermione now realized what Harry had been clutching
was Sirius' award of Order of Merlin. His body shook with grief.

 

"I miss him so much."

 

Tears streamed down her face at the sight of her
trembling friend. She spelled the curtains closed, and held him tight, thinking
to herself, Severus had better not hurt him.

 

 

 

Tbc