Lentesco

OK - my apologies. I thought I\'d manage to get some smut in, but it looks like that\'s not gonna happen just yet. Still, I have now worked out how much of the story is left - and it\'s not much! YAY! SP



Lentesco – Chapter Thirty-Six



Harry had finally decided exactly how he was going to help Severus and had made a start on what needed to be done. He now had to collect certain items – one of which he had no idea how he would get – and wait.



He also had to make Severus see that he – Harry – actually liked the crochety old bugger.



He knocked on Severus’ door.



“Yes?” came the cold voice from inside.



Taking a deep breath, and swearing he would make his case calmly and firmly, Harry pushed the heavy oak and slipped into the room.



“It’s you,” Severus said without enthusiasm. “How can I help you, Professor Potter?”



Harry felt anger begin to burn, but resolutely fought it down. Fine, if this was how Severus wanted to do this, he’d go along with it. For now. “Professor Snape, I would welcome some technical help regarding a potion I am in the process of making.” See! Harry thought rebelliously, I can use stupidly complex ways of saying stuff too!



“Indeed. And what particular area of Defence Against the Dark Arts requires a potion that might require my assistance?”



Harry cleared his throat. “It’s not for school, it’s for a private commission. You, see, professor, I have a problem and perhaps you can help.” He went on before his courage failed him. “Recently I discovered the way to end a rather unpleasant Dark curse. However the cure is almost as unpleasant as the effects of the curse itself. I am attempting to circum… erm… get around that problem, through a potion.”



Severus quirked an eyebrow, making Harry’s heart ache – he had taught the other that. “Indeed. You seek to end a vicious curse with a potion? Do you not think that perhaps I might have already tried something like that, had this curse directly affected me?”



“I’m sure you would have done,” Harry agreed, beginning to get a little confused about which tense he should be using, “but this potion isn’t one that would occur to you as a means of curing your curse.” He shrugged before adding, “Because, in itself, it doesn’t cure you, but it will help.”



Severus, much better at distancing himself from problems than Harry, said, “I trust that you are not intending to dose the spell caster or the sufferer with a variation of “Puppet Potion”. It may not be illegal – the Ministry is still deciding that one – but ethically it is most certainly wrong. And besides,” he went on, tone altered slightly, “how do you intend to dose either myself or Lucius with it?”



Here, Harry grinned. “I’m not dosing you, either of you. I’m … look, before I tell you, would you just listen?”



Severus nodded warily.



“Ok, you were completely wrong before about why I was helping you. Yes, ok, lust is a good motivator, and I do want to have sex with you again. But that’s not everything. It’s not just about the challenge. I actually quite like you, in spite of your bloody difficult, stubborn, and downright rude nature!”



Snape opened his mouth to comment but Harry held up a hand.



“I’m not done! If we were American, I’d be telling you that you suffer from ‘self-esteem issues’. This isn’t America, so I’ll just tell you that you’re wrong about me. I don’t look on you as a challenge, and certainly not as something that isn’t worth fighting for. I am fighting for you, Sev, and if this doesn’t work, I’ll try something else.” He stopped, blushing, and lowered his eyes to the stones before continuing, “I can’t wait for the day I get to wake up beside you and tell you I’m too tired to do anything.”



Severus was stunned. Harry wasn’t the most eloquent of people, but his words had touched the other. “Ve-very well,” he said, in a voice suddenly croaky, “what does your plan entail?”



Harry lifted his eyes, hope written clear across his face, and lunged at the older man. He flung his arms around Severus and kissed him passionately.



Snape, despite finding Harry’s exuberance a little alarming, nevertheless enjoyed the kissing that ensued. Enjoyed it, that is, until he felt Harry’s hardness pressing against him, and felt his own gathering arousal, without the required alteration in his flaccid penis.



He gently (for him) disentangled himself from the younger man. “Now, tell me what you intend to do.”