Deserving (Final Chapter)

A/N Surprised you; didn't I? Happy New Years to all my wonderful readers who have taken a leap of faith and believed that this is a Snarry.

PS Chapter 34 was revised 3 times so if you were one of the first to read it you may want to re read it. The only thing that was added was Harry's release from prison.




Chapter 35
Neville was at Kings’ house bright and early to pick Severus and Richard up. He apparated them to a clearing next to a mountain in the middle of nowhere. Snape looked confused and Neville cleared up his confusion by parting some bushes to reveal a whole community living next to a stream.

“Neville!” yelled a group of children that were playing nearby as they came running to hug him.

“Professor!” yelled another voice coming up and giving Severus a bear hug.

Severus had no idea which one of his former students would feel comfortable enough hugging him, but this was shortly answered when the stout man finally let go and looked Snape right in the eyes.

“Crabbe? Vincent? Is it really you, child?’ asked an incredulous Snape. Last time he had seen the kid he was barely skin and bones.

Crabbe smiled at him with a mouth that was missing at least three teeth. “Your nutrient potion really works Professor.”

Snape could feel his heart warm up. He had done something right.

“Hold on, Professor, I want you to meet someone,” said Crabbe holding up his hand to keep Severus from moving. “Angela where are you? Angela” he yelled until he saw a little girl that could barely walk come wobbling to him. “Professor, I would like you to meet my daughter, Angela. Angela this is a fine man you’re meeting today,” proclaimed Crabbe with a smile of pride.

Severus shook her little hand and smiled at her. “Luckily this child has no idea the magnitude of your lie,” said Snape, raising an eyebrow at Crabbe.

“Come off it Professor, Neville has told us everything you have done for us.”

Severus looked at Neville who went red in the face as he did in his first year at Hogwarts. “Vincent, I would advise you not to listen to Mr. Longbottom too much. His opinion of me is quite biased.”

“Oh, we know that Professor, he is head over heels over you. He was cleaning the cave all night long. He wanted everything to be perfect for your arrival.”

“Cave?” asked Severus.

“Yes, Severus, we live in a cave. I wanted you to see it before you say ‘I do’. You should know what you’re getting into. Please follow me,” said Neville guiding Severus and Richard towards the entrance of a cave on the mountain wall.

“Papa, I want to play too,” protested Richard who wanted to stay playing with the other children.

“It’s alright Severus; I assure you it is safe. I would not allow the children to play outside if it weren’t. The house elves guard the premises.”

Severus wasn’t comfortable letting his child out of sight but he figured he would have to allow him to play with other children and out of his sight sooner or later. That is what children do. They grow up. He nodded his agreement, and then followed Neville into the cave. In it he found many tents placed around the walls of the cave. In the center there was a big fire and all sorts of chairs around it, from beach chairs to comfortable recliners. This put a smile on his face.

He followed Neville into a tent marked with a red cross and there he saw Poppy hard at work.

“Severus! So nice to see you free from harm, you do not know what a relief that is. Now Neville here is a true gentlemen and he will treat you as you deserve to be treated. I am looking forward to seeing many smiles on your face,” proclaimed the matriarch while giving him a warm hug.

Severus gave his fiancé a cheap smile and looked away. At that precise moment three elves snapped in. One levitating a young, emaciated women that everyone rushed to help. They got her on a bed and Poppy began her scans as Neville debriefed the elves.

“Where is he? And the baby? Where are they?” questioned Neville obviously upset about the absence of two others.

“He is having the baby. He is running. He is saying to bring her here. He is saying he is coming later,” said one of the elves twisting his fingers with anxiety.

Neville noticed the behavior and backed off. “Look I am sorry I yelled but this was supposed to be a smooth mission.”

“Mr. Longbottom, I assure you there is no such thing as a smooth mission,” interjected Snape with his years of experience.

“Neville,” corrected Longbottom. “And you are right Severus; I shouldn’t have sent a boy to do a man’s job. If something happens to Dennis I will never forgive myself.”

“Dennis! You sent a kid on a mission? A rescue mission?”

“Severus, it’s not how it seems. You see Dennis has a way with house elves. He has charmed half the elves in this place. That is how he gets close enough to liberate the Marked Ones. Sometimes he even achieves the help of the house elf that should be guarding the Marked One. He is good. He is very good,” Neville tried to explain.

“He is a child!”

“Now Severus don’t exaggerate. According to our laws he is of age. He is slight and still very cute and this is why we tend to see him as a kid but he is not. He is twenty years old. Only three years younger than Harry and I and we…”

“Neville, he is the only child left to Mr. Creevey, do you think it fair that this muggle lo…”

“Neville Sir, please come promptly,” called one of the elf snapping out of the room with Neville by his side. The other two elves followed.

He was left with Poppy and the patient in the room.

“May I help?” he asked, trying not to interrupt her work.

“Can you believe it? Do you remember when she used to stroll down corridors of the castle with Draco as if they were royalty? Now look at her. It is not fair, I tell you. They were children, mere children.”

Snape eyes grew wide, Pansy! Pansy Parkinson! She was alive. She had been rescued.

“May I help?” he pleaded.

Poppy could see his eyes glossed over with moisture.

“Sure you may help. See that cabinet, find the restoration potion and some pain relievers and …”


But Severus did not wait to hear the rest he knew the drill. He might not have magic but he knew what was needed in these cases. He knew potions. Once they had tended to her wounds and bathed her they allowed her to rest. Severus turned to an exhausted Poppy.

“Where are they? Why aren’t they back? If she wakes up and sees that her child is missing she will be devastated.”

“I know Severus; I will keep her asleep until they get back. If I know Neville he will not return without her child,” assured the medi-witch. “Why don’t you go rest? Your tent is that one, to the left.”

Severus did not want to rest but he welcomed the opportunity to be alone.

“Yes, thank you, I believe I will lay down for a bit.”

Once in his tent he called for Kreacher who popped up immediately.

“I need you to tell Mr. Potter that Dennis is missing. Tell him that he was on a rescue mission and got …” but he stopped. It was not wise to tell him about Pansy yet. Harry would want to come see her and Severus didn’t think he would be welcome here. “He was able to rescue the girl and send her to safety but he is out there with her child trying to elude his Single’s men. Can you tell him that?”

Kreacher smiled, pleased that he could be of service to both his masters and popped away.

He found Harry on the sofa with a vacant look on his face.

“Severus is calling Kreacher,” was all it took for Harry to sit up straight. “Severus is sending Harry Potter Sir a message. Severus is saying that Harry Potter’s friend Dennis Creevey is missing. Severus is saying that Dennis Creevey is rescuing girl but is still with girl’s baby trying to escape mean Mr. Single,” reported Kreacher in on breath.

“Dennis! Dennis is missing. Kreacher, can you find him?”

The little elf shook his head. “Kreacher is not being able to find Mr. Creevey until he is calling Kreacher.”

“But you found Mundungus Fletcher,” protested Harry.

“It is taking Kreacher one whole day to find bad wizard,” explained the little creature.

Yes, Kreacher was right; it had taken practically twenty-four hours to find Mundungus. Time that Dennis didn’t have if Single was after him.

“Will you help me look for him?”

Once again Kreacher smiled. He was not so old after all. His masters still needed him and knew that he could do the job. He simply popped out of the room as a response to Harry’s question. Harry got ready in full Auror garb and began the search. He had no idea where he was going but he would look everywhere. He called Kreacher every half hour to see if he had found anything and to keep the elf informed of his whereabouts. It wasn’t until the third time that he called Kreacher that he had news. Apparently Dennis was spotted by one of the house elves roaming Knockturn Alley. Harry flew in and out of every crevice on his broom looking for his friend. It was in one of those dark coves that he found Dennis guarding a little boy with his life.

“Dennis is that you?” said Harry not being able to see clearly in the dark alley.

“Harry?” asked Dennis cautiously. “How do I know that is you?”

Dennis was standing with his wand out and in front of the child. He was obviously scared and Harry wanted to assure him that it was all right.

“Well Izzy if you come home with me we can have one of our famous showdowns on who can eat more of Kreacher’s pastries.”

“Harry it is you!” said Dennis picking up the child and running to Harry.

“Yeah kid it is me,” said Harry receiving them in his arms.

“Oh Harry I was so afraid I wouldn’t be able to deliver him safely. She trusted me with his life. That wasn’t easy you know,” rambled the relieved kid.

“It’s alright Izzy. It’s alright,” he said caressing Dennis’ hair in the same comforting way that Dennis had done the night before. “Kreacher!” he called and as soon as the little elf appeared he took the child from Dennis and gave him to the elf. “Take him the Snape. He will know what to do.”

“But Harry…” protested Dennis

“Listen to me; I know what I am doing. I will not have you made into a fugitive. Single has nothing on you and I am going to keep it that way. Kreacher, go now!” and the elf obeyed the order promptly.

Harry shrunk his broom and put it in his pocket then he grabbed Dennis’ arm and led him out of Knockturn Alley and into Diagon Alley where Single and his men looked surprise to see them. It wore off quickly and Single gave the order to apprehend Dennis.

“Under what charge?” asked a calm and collected Harry.

“That is none of your concern, Mr. Potter.”

“Oh well,” said Harry uncovering his wrist to show the watch that Mrs. Weasley had given him on his coming of age party. “I will just have to call Hermione. She makes all of Mr. Creevey’s matters her own.”

The name sent a child down Singles’ spine. “And as far as it not being my business, I don’t know if you are aware that I am a divorced wizard now.”

“Yes, I know that you finally came to your senses and kicked the Death Eater out of your life,” said Single with a malicious grin.

Harry felt his blood boil. How dare he?

“Might I remind you that Severus Snape is the father of my child and therefore is still under my protection? That little conversation that we had back then still stands.”

He let the words sink into Single.

“Back to Mr. Creevy, my boyfriend,” Harry dropped the bait.

“Boyfriend?”

“Yes, Mr. Single, as I am now free, I can have a boyfriend and as you well know I am very protective of what is mine.”

Dennis whipped his head to the side to look at Harry. Did he just talk about him as a possession? A thing? Harry tightened his grip to keep Dennis from blowing the whole thing up in their faces.

“Now if you will excuse me, my boyfriend and I are doing lunch and we are quite late. Unless of course you insist on speaking to…” he said as he once again uncovered his watch.

Single motioned to his men and disappeared.

Harry wrapped Dennis in his cloak and also apparated away. Once in Harry’s sitting room, Dennis filled the place with laughter.

“That was brilliant Harry. I can’t believe we walked right pass Single and his men. I had no idea your watch was magical.”

“It’s not.”

“What? But you… You said…”

“I said nothing. I simply wanted to know the time,” said Harry with a devilish smile.

“Harry! You tricked him,” said Dennis bursting out in laughter.


***

That night Harry woke up and sensed that something was off in the house. His instincts brought him downstairs to the sitting room where he found Dennis sitting in front of the fire consumed in his thoughts.

“Hey, Kid, shouldn’t you be in bed? It’s kind of late; you know.”

“Couldn’t sleep,” said Dennis not moving his eyes away from the flame.

“I told you, you have nothing to worry about. He won’t dare touch you.”

But Dennis didn’t seem to be listening to Harry. He was too caught up in his thoughts.

“All my life I have waited to hear you say those words. I know… I know they are not true but I want to keep them fresh in my head. It’s like if I sleep or put those words away from my thoughts they will slip away and I will never have them again,” said Dennis, still looking at the fire as if he were looking into his own mind.

“What are you talking about? Are you alright?” said a lost Harry.

“You have no idea, do you? The letters Colin read were for you, but of course you had no clue, did you?” he said, still lost in the dance performed by the flames.

Harry blinked trying to grasp understanding of what was being said. “But you are so beautiful, I mean handsome. And I am sure you have loads of suitors. And I… I am so not what you would… Dennis you know… Wow! Really?”

Dennis finally turned and looked at Harry. “Relax; I know you could never love me. To you I will always be an annoying kid that follows you around like a lost puppy.”

“NO! That’s not true. Dennis! You’re amazing. I can’t believe you are attracted to me. I mean, you are really nice looking and good and decent and I can’t wrap it around my mind that you would be interested in the likes of me,” said the rambling Auror.

“Harry, you don’t decide who you fall in love with, it just happens. And I just happen to fall in love with you. I have been fantasizing about being your boyfriend since I was eleven years old. And today when I heard you say those words… Harry, I wanted treasure them forever.”

Harry thought about Dennis’ words. He approached the kid and held him by the arms.

“Look, if you are sure of it and it is really what you want, I’d be honored to be your boyfriend.”

Dennis looked into Harry’s eyes not believing what he was hearing. “Do you mean it Harry? Are you really my boyfriend?”

“Look, I don’t think you could put up with me, but yeah, while it lasts we are a couple.”

Dennis’ face lit up. “Harry, I am going to make you so happy, you won’t imagine life without me. You’ll see,” Dennis said, planting a kiss on Harry’s lips.

For some reason it didn’t taste as sweet as he thought it would taste. Snape’s kisses were always sweet and he was a sour bastard. It didn’t make sense to Harry that Dennis’ kiss wasn’t as sweet as or sweeter than Snape’s.

“Are you alright Harry? Was that a sloppy kiss? It was wasn’t it? Well you have yourself to blame. I haven’t had any practice you know. I have been saving myself for you,” said Dennis with a blush. “You might think it stupid, but I always dreamed about you being the first one to kiss and touch me. I know what you are thinking, it’s very old fashioned thinking but I guess I am too much of a romantic for these times.”

Dennis was pure. The idea danced in Harry’s head. Dennis wanted to give him his purity and innocence. Harry couldn’t believe what a beautiful gift had fallen into his hands.

***

Neville came into the tent as Severus was putting Richard to sleep. Severus drew the curtains of his son’s bed and Neville took out his wand and cast a silencing spell.

“I hear he had a wonderful day playing with the other children,” said Neville, breaking the silence.

“Yes, he was very excited, telling me everything new he has experienced on this day,” said Severus as he began to wring his fingers in a nervous act that did not go unnoticed. “Has she been reunited with her child?” he asked, dropping his hands to his side and regaining control.

“Yes, mother and child are doing well,” said Neville, turning to leave. “Good night Severus.”

“Mr!… Neville,” he corrected. “Where are you going? Is this not your tent?” asked a baffled Severus.

“Yes, Severus, it is my tent, but for now it will be your tent. I will be in the communal tent just a couple of steps away.”

“But, I see no reason for you to be stripped of your privacy; your comfort. Mr… Neville, we have a pact and I do not go back on my word. You were most kind in allowing me to rest yesterday after such a stressful day, but now it is time to do good on my word,” said Severus, straightening up to his full height.

Neville let out an exhausted breath. “Severus sit down, we have to talk,” he said, guiding Severus to a big comfortable couch.

“Look, I realize you don’t have much experience with love. In fact come to think of it besides the love of your son…”

“My mother,” Severus felt the need to interject.

“And your mother. Your experience is limited. I am not Harry Potter and I do not want to be treated as such. Things with me are very different. I do love you. I do want your happiness and I am willing to wait for you to understand that.”

“I do not understand what you mean by waiting? Are we or are we not going to get married?” asked Severus with a puzzled look.

Neville took a calming breath. “No, Severus, we are not. Not until you can accept my love and not dread it as you now do.”

“Mr… Neville, I assure you I do not dread…”

Neville put up a hand in a request for silence. “Severus, you are having a hard time calling me Neville, never mind accepting my feelings. Look we will take one step at a time. Why don’t we begin with something easy? How about if every day we have tea together and we hold hands for a bit. Maybe that will help you get used to me and my feelings.”

“Surely you will expect more than just handholding,” argued Severus.

Again Neville took a calming breath. “Severus I am not expecting anything. You called me, remember? In my wildest dreams did I ever expect to have you as my fiancé. I want this to be a pleasurable experience for you. I am going to show you how patient love can be,” he said with a tender smile, holding Severus’ hand gingerly.

“Neville, I gave you my word and I am a man of my word. I am a done deal. You do not have to sooth me into anything. If you say I must go to your bed with you tonight I will go. It is your right. You kept your end of the deal and I will keep mine.”

Neville looked at him with pity. Severus had no idea what true love was. It was such a foreign concept to him.

“Severus Snape, I Neville Longbottom, relieve you of your promise of marriage. You are in no dept to me from this moment on,” said Neville, holding Severus’ hand more firmly.

“NO! You cannot do this. Neville, you said you wanted to marry me,” protested Severus.

“And nothing would make me happier but I do not want a martyr as a spouse. Someone that is with me only to save the person he believes he truly loves. You are free to go. I would have liked for you to stay for a bit and get to know me better, but that will be your call. Your free call,” said Neville standing up to go.

“Neville,” said Snape. “What time shall I expect you for tea?”

Neville turned and smiled at Severus. “Well I should advice you that I stink at keeping schedules. We will play it by ear and…”

“Neville, what time shall I expect you?” said a firm and determine Severus.

“Three.”

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