After the war

Harry looked at the dagger that had been plunged between the older man's ribs, and with a strangled cry of revulsion he slid the blade out. He was startled by a faint gasp of pain, and the dark head rolling slightly against the ground.
"Oh God, you're alive. Hold on for me, please hold on."
He threw the knife aside and gathered the limp body close, cradling his head securely against his chest.
A moment of panic seized Harry, where the hell was it safe to take Severus, when every other hallmark of safety he had ever known lay dead out there on the field of battle. Fresh tears slid down Harry's face, and much as he hated the thought right now, he closed his eyes, pulled Severus closer to him, and then focused on the only place that had ever really been home to him.
The wards must have fallen when the headmaster died, was Harry's first thought as they apperated straight into the middle of the Hogwart's entrance hall.
Harry looked down at the limp figure he still held, and sighed. He knew if he tried to move Severus now, he would finish him, he was too weak, had lost too much blood and he didn't want to leave him unguarded while he went looking for what he needed, so that didn't really leave him much of a choise.
"Come on Harry, you can do it. You know he would do it for you, and what is a little more pain after everything else?" He chided himself as he drew the small knife from his boot.
He pressed the blade against his arm, his heart thundering in his chest.
"Come on Harry, you can do it. He needs you." He said as he closed his eyes, took a deep breath, and drew the blade across his arm.
There was a brief, bright flash of pain, which quickly subsided to nothing more than a dull ache, and he looked in fascination at the runnels of blood that flowed down his arm. Pulling himself together, he held his arm closer to Severus's face, allowing the crimson fluid to drip onto the pale lips.
"Come on Sev, yummy blood. You know you want it, its right here." He whispered.
He saw the sharp white fangs extend, and gently pressed his arm against them, more blood flowing into his mouth. After an eternal moment, Harry felt the fangs finally slide into his arm, and Severus began to drink.
Harry idly stroked the long, dark, silky hair as he sat there, surprised to find it not at all greasy.
He allowed Severus to drink until he started to feel light headed, then gently eased his arm away from the fangs, casting a quick spell to stop the bleeding.
"Right, now, first, we need to get you somewhere safe, then, we need to find you a better source of blood than me. I wonder if the wards are still up on your quarters?" He mused.
"Yes...can sense them." The strained, faint voice almost made him jump out of his skin, he hadn't been expecting an answer from his seriouly injured charge.
"Damn, you scared me. I don't suppose you feel like telling me the password?" He asked.
"Stone.....heart." Severus gasped before passing out again.
"Well, who would have thought it. I expected a potions ingredient." He muttered as he gently eased Severus off his lap and scrambled to his feet.
He cast a spell to make Severus float behind him and set off down into the dungeons, heading for the relative safety of the still warded quarters.


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Well, slightly longer.

I would really like to thank Firena, jjbreitwieser, Sophia, Angel, Manda, Legyviel, Betty and Phoenix 5. This chapter is for you guys, because without your encouragement, I would not have carried on, and I hope you continue to enjoy the story.