Areas of Expertise
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Harry Potter › Slash - Male/Male › Harry/Snape
Rating:
Adult ++
Chapters:
44
Views:
42,587
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137
Recommended:
1
Currently Reading:
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Category:
Harry Potter › Slash - Male/Male › Harry/Snape
Rating:
Adult ++
Chapters:
44
Views:
42,587
Reviews:
137
Recommended:
1
Currently Reading:
1
Disclaimer:
I do not own Harry Potter, nor any of the characters from the books or movies. I do not make any money from the writing of this story.
Can't Think of a Good Title
-- I was feeling utterly uninspired today, so I figured I'd update TMDOAOT instead. Once I'd done that, this chapter just gushed out. Plenty of angst in this one. Our heroes (nad others) are all in pretty crap places at this point in the story.
-- I can't believe this bloody thing is *still* going! I'd planned to end at chapter 25!
-- Thank you to my delightful reviewers, you're just the sweetest! SP
Chapter Twenty-Three
“What we have to do is to be forever curiously testing new opinions and courting new impressions.” Walter Pater
***
Harry lay next to Severus that night, pondering how he truly felt about the other man. He was still deeply unsure about the whole situation – about the child, about Dumbledore’s part in it, about what Voldemort might do, about what the future would bring – in fact, almost the only constant in his life was Severus.
But LOVE? Isn’t that just too huge? How can I love him? We spent five years loathing each other. Can that just change over night?
Harry chewed on his lip, still thinking.
A sigh came from next to him. “What’s wrong?” Snape’s voice held a nuance of ‘now what?’
“Nothing.” Harry replied, not ready to discuss this particular problem.
“Is it Sapphire?” Severus’ voice softened slightly on the last word, and a strong arm slid over the sheets to curl protectively over Harry’s stomach.
The Gryffindor felt the urge to purr, but repressed it ruthlessly. “I am a little worried about her, obviously. Who wouldn’t be in my situation?”
The teacher pulled the youngster towards him and pressed his lips against the boy’s neck. “I understand your concern.” He breathed, his touch sending sparks to Harry’s groin, “We will deal with whatever the Dark Lord puts our way. Even if it costs me my life, he will not harm you or the child.”
The green eyed boy’s stomach clenched at the idea of Snape dying. “You can’t die.” He decided, “Sapph and I need you too much.”
“Death is a tricky master, Harry. It calls for whoever it wishes, despite our plans.” The older man paused before going on, “You will not be left unprotected should I be unable to stay with you. I have put considerable thought into how to ensure the safety of you both. Whatever happens, know that you will be safe, whether I am there or not.”
A muscle clenched in the lad’s jaw. “Stop talking of dying! It’s depressing.”
Severus twisted the other so that he was lying flat on his back and kissed him softly. “It may be that I have to leave you. It may be ordered that I return to the Dark Lord’s side more permanently. It may be, yes, that I die, but it will never be that you are left alone.”
“Promise?”
***
Dumbledore sat behind his desk, rubbing his dead arm and thinking. He was expecting Severus at any moment, and he had the feeling the other wasn’t happy.
Not that Severus is ever HAPPY. He thought wryly.
The tall man strode abruptly into the room. “Albus, may I please tell Harry about you? The boy is terrified, worrying about the future, and I could not say enough to reassure him.”
Snape paced the room, tension clear in the set of his shoulders.
“Severus,” Albus responded softly, “it must remain a secret. He must fight on, even if he feels desolate. I hate it to be so, but he must learn to rely on his strength. He is a strong wizard, and will be a strong man.”
“He is already a strong man.” Severus answered. “He has been used shamefully by you, on more than one occasion. He has submitted to living with a man he loathes for the sake of his child, and he has accepted the very real possibility that his child will be taken from him.”
Albus shook his head sadly. “You are in error, Severus. Harry does not loathe you. He may once have done, but that has altered.”
The potions teacher was irritated, and showed it. “Regardless, Albus, he is already strong. Be careful you don’t break him. If he really is our only hope we must protect him.”
“You do.”
“He’s carrying my child!” Snape yelled, “Of course I do! If I thought for one minute I wouldn’t be laughed at, or if I imagined I might survive this war, I would bond with him. He will have my protection, Albus, forever.”
Albus’ blue eyes shone with suppressed tears. “My dear boy, I am so glad, so very glad.”
“Eh?”
“That I shall not be leaving you alone. I have worried about you Severus. You have always been so cut off from those around you. I am glad that you and Harry have found each other. I admit I had hoped this might occur, but I was aware of your stubbornness and the history between you.”
Snape glowered. “So now you tell me there was another reason for Harry and I to sleep together? At one point will you reveal the truth, Albus? What did you actually intend?”
Albus’ good hand rose in a placatory gesture. “I assure you, Severus, whilst my actions are not things to be proud of, my motives have always been of the purest.”
Snape looked at the other man with a cold look in his onyx eyes. He was disgusted with the older teacher. “Don’t you dare,” he spat out, fists clenched around his sparking wand (the portraits on the walls looked quite nervous), “give me that ‘end justifies the means’ rubbish. I have never believed it, and certainly not when you force sex and an unwanted pregnancy on a sixteen year old boy.”
Agitated, he prowled around the room, glancing up at the pictures. Most of the occupants were horrified, only Phinneas Nigellus seemed happy with the argument. He was calling at Severus to ‘Keep at him!’ and praising him with ‘Attaboy!’
“For years,” Severus went on, anger burning through him, yet his voice was deathly quiet, “I have done as you wished, despite you not saving Lily as you promised. You even ordered me to violate her son, and I obeyed. From that dreadful situation, Harry and I have found a way to cope. Neither of us much cares that your motives are ‘pure’. That will be no comfort to Harry when he has to care for our child alone, because more of your noble meddling has brought about my death!”
There was murder dancing in Severus’ eyes at that moment. “You have ordered me to kill you, to save Draco. I don’t suppose you’ve considered what that action will do to Harry – seeing his lover killing his old mentor?” He returned to his opening idea, something like a plea in his voice, “Let me explain it to him, Albus, please.”
The old man sat still for a long moment beforer slowly shaking his head.
“There are times,” Snape observed, before striding angrily for the door, “when killing you would be a pleasure!”
***
“Goddamit! What does it take to get this poxy door to open?!” Draco kicked the tapestry concealing the entrance to the Room of Requirement. “Ow!” He yelped as his shoe connected with the stone work.
He took a deep breath, fighting the panic growing within him. “He’ll kill me.”
-- Erm, like the chapter title says, I can't think of an appropriate one. Suggestions most welcome! (HARRY: You're just begging for reviews in a slightly different way! SP: Er.. well, yeah. SNAPE: Typical! *Pulls Harry towards him* HARRY: Mmmmm. SP: Hey! Stop that! Wait til I'm ready to write it guys! HARRY: Oooooooooooh!) SP
-- I can't believe this bloody thing is *still* going! I'd planned to end at chapter 25!
-- Thank you to my delightful reviewers, you're just the sweetest! SP
Chapter Twenty-Three
“What we have to do is to be forever curiously testing new opinions and courting new impressions.” Walter Pater
***
Harry lay next to Severus that night, pondering how he truly felt about the other man. He was still deeply unsure about the whole situation – about the child, about Dumbledore’s part in it, about what Voldemort might do, about what the future would bring – in fact, almost the only constant in his life was Severus.
But LOVE? Isn’t that just too huge? How can I love him? We spent five years loathing each other. Can that just change over night?
Harry chewed on his lip, still thinking.
A sigh came from next to him. “What’s wrong?” Snape’s voice held a nuance of ‘now what?’
“Nothing.” Harry replied, not ready to discuss this particular problem.
“Is it Sapphire?” Severus’ voice softened slightly on the last word, and a strong arm slid over the sheets to curl protectively over Harry’s stomach.
The Gryffindor felt the urge to purr, but repressed it ruthlessly. “I am a little worried about her, obviously. Who wouldn’t be in my situation?”
The teacher pulled the youngster towards him and pressed his lips against the boy’s neck. “I understand your concern.” He breathed, his touch sending sparks to Harry’s groin, “We will deal with whatever the Dark Lord puts our way. Even if it costs me my life, he will not harm you or the child.”
The green eyed boy’s stomach clenched at the idea of Snape dying. “You can’t die.” He decided, “Sapph and I need you too much.”
“Death is a tricky master, Harry. It calls for whoever it wishes, despite our plans.” The older man paused before going on, “You will not be left unprotected should I be unable to stay with you. I have put considerable thought into how to ensure the safety of you both. Whatever happens, know that you will be safe, whether I am there or not.”
A muscle clenched in the lad’s jaw. “Stop talking of dying! It’s depressing.”
Severus twisted the other so that he was lying flat on his back and kissed him softly. “It may be that I have to leave you. It may be ordered that I return to the Dark Lord’s side more permanently. It may be, yes, that I die, but it will never be that you are left alone.”
“Promise?”
***
Dumbledore sat behind his desk, rubbing his dead arm and thinking. He was expecting Severus at any moment, and he had the feeling the other wasn’t happy.
Not that Severus is ever HAPPY. He thought wryly.
The tall man strode abruptly into the room. “Albus, may I please tell Harry about you? The boy is terrified, worrying about the future, and I could not say enough to reassure him.”
Snape paced the room, tension clear in the set of his shoulders.
“Severus,” Albus responded softly, “it must remain a secret. He must fight on, even if he feels desolate. I hate it to be so, but he must learn to rely on his strength. He is a strong wizard, and will be a strong man.”
“He is already a strong man.” Severus answered. “He has been used shamefully by you, on more than one occasion. He has submitted to living with a man he loathes for the sake of his child, and he has accepted the very real possibility that his child will be taken from him.”
Albus shook his head sadly. “You are in error, Severus. Harry does not loathe you. He may once have done, but that has altered.”
The potions teacher was irritated, and showed it. “Regardless, Albus, he is already strong. Be careful you don’t break him. If he really is our only hope we must protect him.”
“You do.”
“He’s carrying my child!” Snape yelled, “Of course I do! If I thought for one minute I wouldn’t be laughed at, or if I imagined I might survive this war, I would bond with him. He will have my protection, Albus, forever.”
Albus’ blue eyes shone with suppressed tears. “My dear boy, I am so glad, so very glad.”
“Eh?”
“That I shall not be leaving you alone. I have worried about you Severus. You have always been so cut off from those around you. I am glad that you and Harry have found each other. I admit I had hoped this might occur, but I was aware of your stubbornness and the history between you.”
Snape glowered. “So now you tell me there was another reason for Harry and I to sleep together? At one point will you reveal the truth, Albus? What did you actually intend?”
Albus’ good hand rose in a placatory gesture. “I assure you, Severus, whilst my actions are not things to be proud of, my motives have always been of the purest.”
Snape looked at the other man with a cold look in his onyx eyes. He was disgusted with the older teacher. “Don’t you dare,” he spat out, fists clenched around his sparking wand (the portraits on the walls looked quite nervous), “give me that ‘end justifies the means’ rubbish. I have never believed it, and certainly not when you force sex and an unwanted pregnancy on a sixteen year old boy.”
Agitated, he prowled around the room, glancing up at the pictures. Most of the occupants were horrified, only Phinneas Nigellus seemed happy with the argument. He was calling at Severus to ‘Keep at him!’ and praising him with ‘Attaboy!’
“For years,” Severus went on, anger burning through him, yet his voice was deathly quiet, “I have done as you wished, despite you not saving Lily as you promised. You even ordered me to violate her son, and I obeyed. From that dreadful situation, Harry and I have found a way to cope. Neither of us much cares that your motives are ‘pure’. That will be no comfort to Harry when he has to care for our child alone, because more of your noble meddling has brought about my death!”
There was murder dancing in Severus’ eyes at that moment. “You have ordered me to kill you, to save Draco. I don’t suppose you’ve considered what that action will do to Harry – seeing his lover killing his old mentor?” He returned to his opening idea, something like a plea in his voice, “Let me explain it to him, Albus, please.”
The old man sat still for a long moment beforer slowly shaking his head.
“There are times,” Snape observed, before striding angrily for the door, “when killing you would be a pleasure!”
***
“Goddamit! What does it take to get this poxy door to open?!” Draco kicked the tapestry concealing the entrance to the Room of Requirement. “Ow!” He yelped as his shoe connected with the stone work.
He took a deep breath, fighting the panic growing within him. “He’ll kill me.”
-- Erm, like the chapter title says, I can't think of an appropriate one. Suggestions most welcome! (HARRY: You're just begging for reviews in a slightly different way! SP: Er.. well, yeah. SNAPE: Typical! *Pulls Harry towards him* HARRY: Mmmmm. SP: Hey! Stop that! Wait til I'm ready to write it guys! HARRY: Oooooooooooh!) SP