A Twisted Web We Weave

CHAPTER 34

Harry was dizzy as he writhed around talentlessly between two slender, good looking young men who’d weaseled their way over to him gradually throughout the night. It hadn’t really occurred to Harry that he was pinned between two men, their slight erections rubbing against his backside and thigh. After all he wasn’t gay, and there was just something about being an anonymous face in a crowd, doing what he felt like doing and knowing no one cared that he was the savior of the wizarding world. Harry was enjoying himself thoroughly as he had been most of the night. He’d seen little of Snape all evening, hardly stepping off the dance floor accept to pee. The toilets had been scary the bathroom used more as a make shift bedroom for couples who couldn’t wait rather than a place to relive oneself. Harry hadn’t lingered in there anyway and had got straight back onto the dance floor. Now though the two men who’d singled him out were getting a little too close. The blonde was kissing Harry’s neck while the brunette had his hands wrapped around Harry’s waist and was nuzzling into Harry’s chest. Harry panicked a little when he felt a wandering hand slipping down the front of his pants. As if someone had snapped their fingers too close to Harry’s ear the emotions of needing Snape came rushing back to him. It had been days since he’d had an attack, the potion in his system lying deceptively dormant until now. Breathing heavily Harry pushed away his two dance partners and began scurrying back towards where he knew Snape was still sat at the bar. Unfortunately though the two men were not easily put off and followed him. Snape was in sight at the edge of the dance floor but before Harry could go to him a strong arm wrapped around his waist and dragged him strongly against a bear chest, a horrid smoke laced mouth latching onto his own. Harry struggled against the man, the kiss from the stranger not Severus igniting the potion induced emotions inside of him even more. Before Harry knew what he was doing the curse had left his mind the blonde haired young man falling to his knees in silent agony as the curse took hold of his throat and began strangling him.

Snape who’d seen the entire situation spiraling out of control in the mirrors sprang to his feet and dashed over to Harry. Instantly Snape wrapped his arms around Harry’s waist pulling the boy tight against his chest and holding the shaking boy still.

“Let him go Harry.” Snape growled in Harry’s ear as nuzzled into the boy’s neck. Harry went weak at the knees at Snape’s touch and practically collapsed against the elder Wizard. The curse lifted from the young dancer who was now convulsing on the floor and foaming at the mouth.

“Christ what’s going on?” Security was on the scene quickly as the first aid officers began to appear from behind the bar.

“Drugs by the look of it.” Snape offered as he continued to hold Harry against his chest ignoring the fact that his young charge was clutching at his shirt like a dying man.

“Bloody idiots the lot of them, taking this kind of shit!” Snape took the moment to step away from the chaos. It was time to take Harry home. Grabbing their cloaks from the checking room Snape guided an unsteady Harry from the club and into the refreshing air of the early morning. The cold air seemed to snap Harry out of his phase enough to walk on his own. Harry didn’t dare say a word as they walked the several streets back to the Leaky Cauldron. The pub was empty and closed up as the pair of them made their way up to their room in silence. Harry felt awkward, childish and completely embarrassed. Just as Snape had predicted he’d made a complete fool of himself in public. In the safety of their warm little room Harry sat down quietly on the rocking chair by the fire as he watched Snape discard his cloak before disappearing into the bathroom, the door closing behind him in silence. Harry sighed heavily and closed his eyes tightly in humiliation. He’d over reacted to the men’s advances, or at least the potion still tormenting his system had over reacted. The cravings for Snape’s touches had gotten worse not better. It was just as Snape had said, there was no cure. With tears threatening to spill out Harry curled up on the seat and reached for Snape’s cloak. The woolen material was still warm, and smelled of Snape all over. Harry inhaled on it deeply before wrapping himself up in it tightly. He felt like shit, and if it took this to make him feel better he might as well give in to it.

Snape emerged from the bathroom fifteen minutes later having stood under the hot spray of the shower in order to relax himself after a tense moment. If he was going to discuss what had happened tonight with Potter, then he needed to calm down. Snape stopped in his tracks as he came out of the bathroom a wet towel wrapped around his waist and his hair dripping down his back. The sight of Harry curled up in the rocking chair; Snape’s cloak wrapped around him was heart breaking. The boy didn’t know it yet but there was no use in fighting it, it was fact more than potential now.

“Harry?” Snape whispered as he came slowly around to sit on the ottoman in front of Harry in the rocking chair. Harry didn’t open his eyes but Snape knew he was listening.

“I’m sorry I did that to you tonight, but I had to see for myself if it was true.” Snape watched as Harry cracked open his eyes, all watery with unshed tears.

“Did what?” Harry mumbled childishly as he tightened his hold on Snape’s cloak.

“I tested Albus’ theory regarding your condition.” Snape sighed and reached back to tie his hair back off his neck, the icy water now running down his spine into his arse crack making him extremely uncomfortable.

“Tested me?” Harry sat up a little in the rocking chair crudely wiping his eyes with the collar of Snape’s cloak. Snape pursed his lips together tightly at the snotty trail Harry left on his clean black cloak but said nothing regarding it, after all it would wash.

“Yes. I wasn’t going to tell you until I was sure but after tonight’s performance I believe the theory correct.” Snape paused and stood up from the ottoman his legs cramping and his towel beginning to slip, threatening to expose himself to Harry more than he wished at present. “The Constantine Potion Julius made you ingest has it’s origins in Love potions. It uses various ancient ‘love’ incantations to achieve its form. These incantations have evolved over time to create the Constantine potion, as we know it today. However while these ancient ‘love’ incantations are so evolved that most wizards taking the Constantine Potion are not affected by them, you on the other hand have tapped into them instead.” Harry stared at Snape a little blankly not really wanting to hear what he instinctively knew was coming. “I think it was your way of coping with the actual potion and what it was forcing your body to do. You changed it from the ‘controlling aspect’ back into it’s more primitive and ancient ‘love potion’ beginnings. That’s why you ultimately favored me over my brother because dare I say it, your already attracted to me and the love potion you changed the Constantine potion into reacted to that emotion inside you.”

“I changed a potion into another?” Harry muttered staring at Snape like he was completely out of his mind.

“No, not physically but more magically. Another words you altered the magical signature of the Constantine Potion in your body into its ancient form. Even if unconsciously it takes some power to be able to do that.” Snape was surprised that Harry hadn’t focused on the other aspect of the conversation he’d casually dropped in. Snape however thought too soon as Harry continued.

“I’m not gay.” Harry muttered determinedly still clutching at Snape’s cloak. Snape snorted an amused laugh and shook his head at Harry as he began pacing back and forth past the warm fire, unaware that the towel had slipped lower on his waist revealing the muggle tattoo on his hip bone.

“You don’t have to be gay to be attracted to another man Harry and we’re not talking about love here either. The love potion merely sought out a hidden emotion in you that you have towards me and exploited it for your own protection. That’s why your bodies still retaining the effects of the potion even after most of it should have left your system. Tonight when those men approached you, your body automatically reacted to the threat just like it did with Julius and you came to me for protection because you’re holding on to the magic of the potion. God knows why?” Snape muttered under his breath as he wandered over to the window to look out onto the darkened train tracks that ran along side the room. “If you want to be free of this potion you need to let go of what ever feeling you had for me in the first place before the potion entered your system.” Snape turned around from the window to stare at Harry who was now sitting on the edge of the rocking chair Snape’s cloak tucked under his chin.

“I hated you.” Harry whispered icily remembering how much he loathed Snape. Snape tutted loudly and rolled his eyes as he sat down on the end of the bed.

“Indeed I kind of figured that Potter, but there must have been something you liked about me enough for the potion to have grabbed a hold of.” Severus supplied trying to be as patient as possible. Harry twisted his hands in the cloak nervously, one thought suddenly coming to mind.

“I liked the way you treated me with the same disdain you treated everyone else with.” Harry whispered hoping that Snape hadn’t heard but knowing that he had. “I guess I felt kind of normal.” Harry continued before trailing off to stare into the fire.

“No, I don’t think that’s it Potter there must be something else.” Snape tugged the towel back up around his waist his body already drying in the warmth of the room. Harry sighed and closed his eyes, knowing he would regret the day he ever admitted to what he was about to, especially to Snape.

“Your voice.” Harry breathed out unsteadily not daring to open his eyes as he heard Snape stand up from the bed and walk over him in curiosity.

“My voice?” Snape inquired cautiously wondering what exactly had been going on behind the emerald green eyes of Harry Potter for the past six years.

“Yeah, I never noticed it much but I overheard some Hufflepuff girls in the Quidditch locker room one day talking about you, about how good your voice was, rich and smooth like velvet. I started taking notice then…” Harry muttered awkwardly unaware that Snape was staring at him strangely.

“Taking notice of my voice?” Snape prompted hoping that the young wizard hadn’t finished. Tonight’s conversation had taken a sudden turn for better.

“Too much notice.” Harry continued still with his eyes tightly closed not wanting to face Snape as he spilled his secrets. “I lost concentration really easily whenever you started to talk in class.”

“And here I was thinking the problem was that you weren’t listening to me at all.” Snape smiled to himself in amusement as Harry finally opened his eyes and glared at him.

“It wasn’t like I meant it to happen. I really did hate you, but after I started taking notice of your voice I began noticing other things I liked.” Harry snapped sharply beginning to loose his confidence now that he’d opened his eyes. “Things I shouldn’t have liked in a man, things I’d never fucking admit to, ever, to anyone.” Harry declared as he stood up abruptly and strode over to the window trying to get as far away from Snape as possible. “Do you think Dad or Sirius or anyone else would be proud of me for wanting you, when I could have my pick of anyone else. They hated you, and I did too but fucked if I can explain why the hell I want no one else but you!” Harry screamed angrily at Snape who stood shell shocked beside the fire one hand loosely holding up his towel as he stared at Harry in complete shock.

“You don’t want to let go.” Snape muttered in disbelief, hardly registering what he was saying.

“No!” Harry cried out half in anger half in shame. “This gave me an excuse to be close to you, to get to know you without you constantly looking at me with disgust like you did my Dad. No one questioned anything I did around you because they all believed it was just the potion. I probably would have never have done any of those things I’ve done without the potion’s help but the reason I did them certainly wasn’t the fucking potion itself. ” With his arms folded protectively in Snape’s cloak Harry turned away from Snape tears rolling down his cheeks like a waterfall. “You’re a total bastard but I can’t help myself…” Harry trailed off as he collapsed in the window seat his teary faced pressed against the iced up windows.

Snape sighed raggedly as he processed everything that had happened and what Harry had said. In hindsight Snape should have known Albus Dumbledore was right about Harry, but Snape had been determined to find out for himself and disprove the old man’s theory about Harry’s hidden feelings. Now though with the truth out in the open Snape had to tread carefully, one wrong comment could fuck everything up.

“Harry.” Snape whispered calmly as he approached the younger wizard slumped on the window seat.

“Don’t waste time with bullshit Professor, Just say it and be done. I always knew what the reaction would be anyway so it won’t come as a surprise.” Harry’s tone of voice was one of defeat and Snape inwardly cringed at having sounded so pathetic in his approach.

“We’re not exactly a perfect match are we Potter?” Harry looked up into the refection of the glass unsure how to take Snape’s comment without seeing the man’s facial expression. Standing behind Harry, Snape gingerly placed his hand on Harry’s shoulder allowing his cold fingertips to brush gently along the side of Harry’s chin and neck. “You can’t honestly say this is what we both expected out of life?”

“Yeah it’s pretty fucked up.” Harry muttered unable to stop himself from leaning against the warm brush of Snape’s fingers on his skin.

“I’d sooner say its a little queer Potter, there’s going to be people who just don’t accept it. Even I’m having trouble comprehending what is going on between us.” Harry’s emerald eyes flickered with hope as Snape bent down and pressed a chaste kiss to Harry’s forehead.

“What….” Harry turned around to look at Snape his eyes flashing hopefully as he stared up at the elder wizard.

“Let’s just sleep on it Harry, I need some time…” Snape smiled at Harry weakly and having squeezed the boy’s shoulder comfortingly stepped away towards his bed and his nightshirt. Harry watched as Snape dropped the towel and slid his nightshirt on, acutely aware that the younger wizard was watching him.

“I didn’t know you had a tattoo.” Harry whispered as he stood up from the window seat and made his way over to his own camp bed beside the double Snape was sleeping in.

“Peer pressure to try something new in school. It wasn’t meant to be permanent but Gregory Goyle messed up the incantation.” Harry chuckled to himself as he undressed and got into his pajama’s before climbing into his bed. Snape chuckled to, the springs of his bed creaking ominously as he shuffled about to get comfortable.

“Thank-you for taking me out Severus, I had a good time this weekend.” Harry smiled up at Snape who was reaching for his wand to extinguish the candles.

“The pleasure was all mine Potter.” Snape replied before plunging the room into darkness with a flick of his wand…

TBC>>>>>>>>>>

A/N Yes, finally I've got my act together and intend finishing this bastard story....god knows where the hell it went after my muse lost interest but I'm hoping the ending is as satisfying as the begining was, soooooo long ago.

Cheers and I hope I've got some of you still reading

RIFFRAFF