Pledges

Part 16

He stalked into his empty classroom. He had 10 minutes before Harry was supposed to show up.

Sitting down with a pile of essays, he spent those minutes doing absolutely nothing.

But he did have a good glare.

A squeak of the door signaled Harry's arrival.

"You're late." He bit out tersely.

Indignant outrage colored Harry's reply. "No, I'm not."

"You are, if I say you are." He was the teacher. What he says, goes.

"That's not fair."

He answered with the air of someone who, most certainly knew better. "Life isn't fair." They
stood there and stared at each other for a bit. Finally, he could take the tense silence no more.
"Are you feeling better?" Good lord, why on earth ask that?

"You don't care." That child certainly knew how to be petulant.

Then again, so did he. "If I didn't care, I wouldn't ask."

More staring, then finally, Harry asked, "How can this not affect you?"

"I never said that it didn't."

Harry began to pace back and forth restlessly. Finally, in a fit of frustration he threw his hands up
in disgust. "I hate this!" He yelled.

"This?" That's right. Be coy. That'll really help now.

"This. This constant... want." Harry raised a hand to dismiss anything he might have said. "Don't
you dare try to tell me its all hormones. I'm 16 years old. I *know* hormones. This isn't it. It may
not be *real*, but its there." He punctuated it with a curled fist thumping against his chest. The
tirade was delivered with anger and frustration and had left him panting.

Beautiful.

Eyes aflame with passion.

Pale skin flushed and gleaming in the candlelight.

One long, delicious throb went through his entire body.

He resisted for a moment, but he was so tired of resisting.

"You think I don't hate it as well? I... ache for you, Potter." He had to stop. Turn away.

Step.

"Every second..." This shouldn't go on.

Step.

"...of every minute..." Send the boy away.

Step.

"...of every hour..." Oh god. Don't let this happen.

Step.

"...of every DAY." He was breathing as if he'd just run a marathon.

They were inches apart.

"I. Ache. For. You."

He ran a finger from temple to nape. "To touch your cheek."

A foray into soft locks. "To stroke your hair."

A firm grasp on each arm. "To take you in my arms and offer comfort."

A quick tug. "To crush you against me."

Harry let out a soft gasp. Instinctively hooking his arms up and around strong shoulders.

Softly cupping a cheek. "To know you." Murmured so softly.

Leaning forward. Lips barely touching lips. "Inside. And. Out."

"If you stop now," Harry choked out in a harsh whisper, "I'll hex you."

"I'm damned already." He closed the space between them.

He captured those soft lips that had been taunting him for days. Worried one gently between is
teeth before abandoning it for the hot, wet depth behind it.

Chests heaving, their lips broke apart.

He gently nipped the skin under Harry's ear. Then licked it. Tasted it. Soft, wonderful, clean skin.
Better than he imagined. And he HAD imagined it. Despite vehement mental lectures.

They were suddenly jarred by something.

Oh, they'd been moving. They're run into a desk.

What was Harry-

Oh. On the desk.

He settled between two strong legs, which instantly wrapped themselves around him.

Full body contact.

Closer than they'd ever been before.

Just leaning in to capture those wonderful lips again caused sensations that nearly undid him.

Oh god. They were moving. Swaying. Grinding.

Completely in time.

Lips and tongues and hands and arms all found purchase and added to the spiraling, dizzying,
amazing feelings coursing through his body.

Small gasping sounds filled the room.

Belatedly, he realized that some of them were coming from him.

But he didn't care.

This was too perfect.

So good.

So close.

So close. Yes. Oh yes. Oh yessss. Yes. Yesyesyesyesyesyesyes. Oh don't stop. Please. Don't
stop.

Too perfect. So completely, utterly-

Bells?

He stopped. Harry gave a frustrated whimper.

BELLS!

"Bells!" They yelled in unison.

Warning bells.

Attack bells.

Shit.

They ran.
_________

The Headmaster's office was already filled with teachers.

"We've been given warning. But we still have very little time." The Headmaster stated.

"What happened, Albus?" A teacher asked.

"I think, in the end," Albus looked at him, "our little lie wasn't as believed as we thought it was."

Everyone turned to him.

Flitwick spoke up. "Harry. You should be in your rooms."

"Harry is staying exactly where he is." Albus answered.

No one questioned them any more.

"Minerva. You, Severus, Harry and I will strengthen the wards. Poppy, prepare the hospital wing.
Take any seventh years you think can help. Madame Hooch get the best school brooms and
distribute them to the best Quidditch players. Everyone else. Take defensive positions around the
castle. We'll be down as soon as we're done with the wards."

With that, they all filed out.

With grim determination, the four people left in the room began with the wards.

Part 17

It began so quickly, Harry didn't even have the chance to blink.

One moment it was silent. The next, the swishing sounds of brooms permeated the air.

They were like a dark malicious cloud on the horizon.

He turned to Snape, who was standing closely next to him. "We might not survive this."

"That's right, Potter. Look on the bright side."

"One of us has to."

They were getting closer now.

Snape offered a hand. "Take it."

"Why?" He asked, but did as he was asked anyway.

Snape gave him a look that implied exactly how stupid he thought Harry was. "I would like to be
able to concentrate for as long as possible."

"Ah. Makes sense." It did.

A small twitch of lips. "I often do." Snape turned his attention back to the sky.

He shook his head. "Not to us mere mortals."

"I see you finally understand your place in the universe."

He said nothing, just pointed to the sky and pulled his cloak tightly around him. "They're here."

The battle had begun.
_________

Snape flung curse after curse, at broom after broom.

His job? Make sure Snape stayed alive. Everyone was working in pairs. One guarded the castle.
The other, guarded them. It was a system that appeared to be working.

After the first horrifying flash of green light, he no longer hesitated to use the most awful of
curses. He'd said it so many times now, he didn't think he'd ever feel clean again.

Ducking. Run. Keep as close as possible.

He be damned if he let anything happen to Snape.

During a slight lull, they took the opportunity to rest fully against each other.

"How are you fairing?" Snape's voice was rough. He'd been yelling for a long time.

"Tired. Very tired." Was all he could think to say. Something moved in the corner of his eye.

He whirled.

There. In the distance, a deatheater headed directly for them.

Without thinking, he raised his wand and cursed the errant rider.

Snape was the first to realize what he'd actually done. "Potter. How far away was that man?"

"I don't know. I could barely... see... him... Oh my god..."

"Precisely. How long have you been able to do that?"

"I don't think I've ever been able to do that."

Snape fired a shot at another attacker. One almost as far away as the first. "Neither have I."

"The pledge?"

"It's the only reason I can think of."

He took Snape's hand and stepped away. "Then let's try to stay as close as possible."

The deatheaters were coming in heavy numnbers again.

They began again.

It went on and on.

Pain became a permanent part of the landscape.

Snape's robes were singed and torn in various places. Small lines of blood trickled slowly down.

They were getting too close. Already he had seen Snape blast more than one death eater moments
before entering the castle.

Even taking out brooms with pinpoint accuracy didn't seem to help. More kept coming.

He was taking aim for the hundredth time that hour when Snape was suddenly ripped away from
him. Pulled from his hands.

He could see the floating head of Lucius Malfoy just above the taller man's right shoulder.

Looks like he wasn't the only one with an invisibility cloak.

"I know there's someone here." The blonde man hissed. "Show yourself." Malfoy ran a
threatening wand across Snape's chest.

How dare he.

How DARE he.

Taking his... his... HIS.

"Mine." He whispered to himself.

Malfoy's head snapped up, listening for the unseen voice.

He looked in Snape's eyes. The bastard looked right back at him. Then nodded.

Harry took a deep breath and circled around.

And charged.

Hitting Malfoy square in the back sent both men sprawling. But Snape had been ready for it. He'd
sprung forward as much as he'd been able to.

It had been enough. Malfoy was now alone.

He lowered his hood and raised his wand.

This one would be face to face.

Swish and fli-

The green glow came from above.

He looked up.

Draco Malfoy sat shakily on his broom looking down. "The Aurors are here." Was all he said
before flying off.

Well. That had been unexpected.

He ran to Snape who was crawling towards their original hiding place.

"Did you hear him?"

Snape nodded tersely. He arranged himself leaning against an especially large rock. "Come here.
The Aurors are performing up their usual standards. I think we can take a few minutes rest."

Harry crawled forward and positioned himself between Snape's outstretched legs. Back leaned
against stomach and relaxed.

Long, lean arms came around to cradle him.

Easing into the embrace, he sighed. "This could have been worse."

*CRUCIO!*

Ok. Between large cramping pains, he admitted it. This was his fault. Though, crawling back to a
hiding place where they'd already been found once was probably not smart either. But he should
really have know better than to tempt fate with strait lines like the one he'd uttered.

The arms around him spasmed tightly.

Their heads had been thrown back in unison.

He gasped for air as his body refused to obey any but perhaps the most primitive of commands.

"Se-ev-er-u-us..." A voice hissed. "Se-ev-er-u-us, my loyal follower." It spat. It was obvious
Voldemort knew exactly where Snape's allegiances lay. "A gift? For me? That's so sweet, Se-ev-
er-u-us."

"You've lost, you know." Harry gasped between breathes. That's right. Taunt him. That will
make this so much more fun.

"I know. But if you think I'll let either of you live, even in my defeat, then you are sadly
mistaken."

*CRUCIO!*

More pain.

Wave after wave.

Just kill them already.

Something metallic was biting into his skin. The ring.

A harsh whisper rang in his ear. "Together... resist..."

Slowly, painfully, their hands moved until they were interlocked. Ring touching ring.

Resist.

He felt a swell of power from within... them?

They let it rise. Grow, until it encompassed both of them.

It was electric. A strange mingling of who they both were. For one moment, they were both,
Severus Snape and Harry Potter. And more. More than the sum of their parts.

Then, they resisted.

"No!" Shouted as one.

They shoved. Voldemort flew backwards.

Rising together, they approached the sprawled body.

Together. "Aveda Kedavra." Not yelled. Not shouted. But said calmly. As a statement of fact.

Green light.

Intense, powerful green energy hit the twisted, parody of a man who called himself ‘The Dark
Lord'.

It fought and it won.

They'd won.

Then the power was gone. Or rather. It had gone back to where it belonged withing each of them.

He was so tired. Snape looked similarly exhausted.

He took a step and missed the ground completely. "Oh... I think... I'll stay here..."

Snape sank to his knees beside him. "Best idea you've had in ages."

As the world spiraled down into darkness, he realized, belatedly, that they'd never even drawn
their wands.

Part 18

Severus Snape awoke to the sounds of many people milling around and talking in muffled voices.
Even the annoyance of being woken up by anything other than his own will was muted by the fact
that he was alive at all.

He stretched a little, testing out his muscles. Everything seemed to still be there. Though he was
sore in several places. A few more moments of careful consideration went by before he opened his
eyes.

White. He was surrounded by white. The Hospital Wing then. He'd survived AND they'd won. It
could almost qualify as a good day.

Something wasn't quite right though. He scratched his chest idly trying to figure out what it was.
The glint of his ring caught his eye. Suddenly his entire body... itched. Then he realized, he was
alone.

Where's Harry?

He swung his legs off the bed and met a cold marbled floor. His boots where no where to be
found, he grunted in minor annoyance, but continued on.

Shuffling out from behind the curtain surrounding the bed, his eyes came upon controlled chaos.

Almost all of the beds were filled. Poppy and several others were walking back and forth checking
on patients.

He scanned each bed carefully, searched each face. Harry was not among them.

Then a mind numbing though flashed through his head.

But no. He'd know. Wouldn't he?

He absentmindedly caressed the ring.

Stupid. Of course. He closed his eyes and thought of Harry.

Ah. One of the private rooms. He started to head in the proper direction when a voice called to
him from across the room.

"Severus!"

He turned carefully to great the Headmaster. He was a bit dizzy and the itching wasn't helping
"Albus."

"Severus, my boy! How are you feeling?" He sounded almost joyful.

"I am... well. I was wondering where Mr. Potter was residing." He carefully phrased the sentence
for the many ears in the room. What he'd really meant was, ‘Why the hell hadn't he been there
when I'd woken up?'

He watched Albus's face shift for a moment before answering. "He's in a private room in the
back."

"Albus, you can't keep giving him special treatment." In other words, ‘Why wasn't I there too?'.

"It was insisted upon, I'm afraid."

"Insisted? By whom?" It couldn't have been Poppy. She had been far too accommodating in the
past few days to suddenly get shy about it now.

"Sirius."

Damn. Never should have made that verituserium for him. "I would like to see him, Albus. To...
thank him for saving my life."

The bearded face nodded. He understood. Of course, understanding is often very far from
accomplishment.

He led him into the back, where the private rooms resided.

Poppy was just exiting from the first door on the left. "Severus!" She smiled at him warmly. "I'm
glad you're awake."

"How is he?" No time for niceties.

"He hasn't woken up yet. He's fine. Just not awake. I think its because..." She trailed off and
looked at him meaningfully.

Because they hadn't spent nearly enough time together in the last day.

Damn Black! Damn Sirius ‘I'm meddling because I know better, even if you do hold more
degrees than I do, in what we're talking about' Black!

He was almost enough to make him get a new wardrobe just to distance himself from that man's
name.

Albus nodded. "I thought as much. Well, we're going to try and correct that now."

"Try not to give him a heart attack, Severus. I'll be busy enough as it is."

He simply raised an eyebrow. His feelings on the subject of Sirius Black were well known.

Poppy shook her head and walked off.

"Onward, unto the breach, Albus." He walked inside.

Not two feet in he got a snarl. "What are you doing here?" A record.

"I'm here to see Mr. Potter."

"Why?" Another snarl. Doing a fare imitation of him.

Don't argue. Just get him out of the way. "He did save my life." He moved towards the bed.

Black stepped in front of him. "And you think that entitles you to some sort of rights?"

"I am here to see how he's doing, Black. Not that its any business of yours."

"What I don't understand is, why didn't the Aurors take you away with the rest of the trash."

He walked around him. "Don't be ridiculous, Black."

"All I know is they found you unconscious next to my godson, who has yet to wake up."

Oh for gods sake. "You're being irrational."

"Sirius," Albus called from the doorway, "Come, let him have his peace."

Bless you, Albus. He stepped next to the bed. Harry looked exhausted, even in sleep. Dark circles
marred his youthful face. He longed to wrap his arms around him in comfort.

"I'm not leaving Harry alone with him." Black persisted.

He ignored the comment, carefully sat down and took Harry's hand in his own.

Even that much helped. Already the itching was down to a tolerable level. Even the remaining
aches faded to the background.

In the back of his mind he noted that, while Albus had not gotten Black out of the room, he was
defiantly distracting him.

Hoping Albus could keep it up for a little longer, he lifted his other hand and carefully moved the
boys hair out of his face.

Harry moaned lightly. Was this really enough?

"Don't you dare hurt him!" Black roared in his direction. He must have heard the soft sound also.

"I have done nothing of the sort."

"Then why are you touching him?"

"I'm offering comfort, you imbecile."

"You wouldn't know a kind touch if it backhanded you across the face."

"...sirius..." The voice was so small, so fragile.

Something inside him didn't like that Sirius was asked for first. Though, there was no reason why
he should expect much else.

"I'm here Harry. What is it?"

"...back off..."

"You heard him Snape, back off!"

"No." the voice was getting stronger. "You. Back off." The boy defiantly had some redeeming
qualities.

"Harry?"

"The Professor hasn't done anything wrong."

"I'm just trying to look out for you..."

"I know... I just... ugh... I can't think... Headmaster I need to think could you..." His eyes pleaded
with Albus.

The Headmaster nodded and stepped forward placing one hand on Black's shoulder.

So that was it, huh? Brave boy. Though, considering he was about to go through with any plan
Harry was going to offer...

Those green eyes turned to him, asking him if he was willing. He nodded his ascent.

Harry shifted over in the bed to accommodate him.

He got up and slid in beside him.

"What the HELL do you think you're doing, you greasy bastard!"

Albus's firm hand kept Black restrained.

"He's doing exactly what I want him to do." Harry answered while wrapping securely around
him.

Yes, this was much better.

"WHAT?!?" Black was beginning to turn a lovely shade of purple. "Albus! Are you just going to
let him do this?"

"My dear boy, if you would just listen to them, you will find, not all is as it seems."

"Fine. I'll listen. To Harry." Stubborn git.

"Well Sirius." Harry began. "We seem to be suffering from an arranged marriage."

He looked down at Harry incredulously. "How long have you been waiting to say that?"

"Days."

"You! You did this to him." More accusations from Black. What a surprise.

"Actually Sirius," Harry corrected, "technically, he's under *my* spell."

He snorted. "Do I even dare ask about that one?"

"Don't ask questions you don't want the answers to." Smart advice. He's obviously been
spending time with the right people recently.

"Spell? Explain, now." Black demanded.

So they did.
_________

When all was said, that could be said, Black just shook his head in disbelief. "I just don't
understand how you could want to be around that greasy git."

"You say that like there's much of a choice." Harry paused a moment and added. "And he's not
greasy." That also sounded like he'd been waiting for days to say. Interesting.

"I don't like it. I don't trust him-"

"*He's* still in the room."

"I don't like him" Black continued without a pause, "and I STILL say he had something to do
with it."

"Sirius. I love you, you know that. I think the world of you and I never want anything to happen
to you."

The look on Black's face softened a bit. "I didn't, but thank you for telling me."

"I just wanted to say it first. I wanted to say it before I told you." Tell him what? Oh please, Harry
don't say anything stupid.

"Told me what?" Black looked confused.

"To grow the FUCK up!"

He blinked. Well that was most satisfying.

"Harry?!"

"Go away. Don't come back until you can talk about this reasonably. I'm too tired to get into
stupid arguments about old grudges and things that don't mean anything. Professor Snape has
saved my life more times that I care to count, done more to prove himself than anyone should
*ever* have to and been a hell of a lot more decent about this than you have!"

"Harry..."

He closed his eyes and snuggled down further. "Go away Sirius. Go away and let me recover in
peace. Get some therapy. Work through your issues. Come back and tell me you love me no
matter what. Because I love you, even now."

Albus gently tugged on Black. "Come Sirius. Harry needs his rest."

For once. Black did what he was told.

Once the door was safely shut, Harry turned to him. "I bet you enjoyed that."

"I did. Greatly. Though I do wish that you weren't the one that had to do that."

"Stop that."

"Stop what?"

"Being nice. It creeps me out."

"Be quiet you, insolent boy, I'm trying to sleep."

"Much better." Was the sleepy reply. Soon Harry was reduced to soft snores.

He lazily stroked the supple back before him and sighed contentedly before joining his companion
in sleep.

Part 19

Snape woke feeling incredibly rested.

He checked the time, it had been nearly twelve hours since the last time he'd woken.

Taking a moment, he savored the comfortable lump laying on top of him.

Opening his eyes, he discovered they were alone.

Thank Merlin, for small favors.

He sat up in the bed, trying not to dislodge the person using him as a pillow. "Harry." He gently
shook the first shoulder he could get a hand on. "Harry, wake up."

"Mmmfffshlp."

It was a wonder the boy ever got to class on time.

"Harry." A bit louder this time. "Come on. Wake up."

Bleary eyes looked up at him. "What?"

"I said, wake up."

"Why?" A sleep roughened voice questioned.

"Because, I thought now would be the perfect opportunity to discuss some things."

"Fine. You talk, I'll listen. I swear. Don't mind the snoring."

"Harry."

"Fine, fine. I'm up. What?" Harry made a big show of opening his eyes and trying to look
attentive.

"You're quite annoying, does it take much effort?"

"I don't know, you tell me." The green eyes rolled in exasperation. "Is this what you wanted to
talk about? Because I'm sure it'd be even more annoying if I went back to sleep."

He chose to ignore him. "How much of the battle do you remember?"

Pain lanced across Harry's face. "Too much."

"I agree. But I meant, when we killed..." He trailed off, for the first time, not even wanting to say
his name.

"The arrogant bastard?" Harry supplied. "Yeah, I remember."

"We didn't use our wands, did we?"

"You don't remember? Getting old?"

He frowned."Don't be obnoxious. I just wanted to be sure."

"Sorry." Harry sounded far more tired than any 16 year old should. "I just... there's a lot going on
in my head right now. Well... there was a lot going on before. Now there's so much, I can't
decide what problem to start with."

"So you decided it would be easier to simply grate on my nerves?"

An impish smile appeared. "Basically. I figured if I got you angry enough you'd either drop the
subject or..."

"Or what?"

Harry looked away. "You'd solve one of my problems for me."

Really? "And how would I do that?"

"You'd kiss me again and you wouldn't stop."

"Oh." He should have been expecting that. Really.

Sitting up a little more, Harry raised a hand and let his fingers lightly trace a cheekbone. The soft
caress continued for long moments.

Finally, Snape raised his own hand and captured Harry's. "We really shouldn't."

"I really don't care."

Dryly. "I noticed." He pressed the hand gently to his lips. "This is an incredibly bad idea. The
spell-"

"- can sod off for all I care. I admired and respected you before the bloody thing ever happened."

"Admiration and respect are completely different from-"

Once again, Harry interrupted. "Not from here. I feel the same I always did. There's just... more."

"More?"

"More. So much more. That's what has me so confused. Part of me doesn't feel any different. But
another part... Another part feels... alive... when you're around."

"There *are* other reasons that this isn't a good idea."

Harry sighed impatiently. "Fine. For right now. We're soldiers. We're survivors. We're two
people who need a little comfort. A little love. I've given enough to the bloody world. I want
something to myself."

Snape took the hand he was holding and gently twined their fingers. His other hand came up and
lightly trailed a path across a smooth cheek. Magic allowed for amazingly close and long lasting
shaves. He let his thumb dip and run gently over yielding lips.

Harry's eyes closed in obvious pleasure. He leaned into the simple touch. Soaking up as much as
possible.

"Harry..." His voice was husky, "Say no and I'll get up and walk out of here. But say yes and I
may drown."

Green eyes opened and met his. "I'll save you."

A soft whisper. "Then say yes."

Harry ran his free hand up a strong, lean chest, letting glide up and find a place on the back of
Snape's neck. "Oh... yesss." He groaned out. "Please god, yes."

This time, they met in the middle.

This kiss was not the hungry animal of the first two. It was slow, languid. Sweet and oh so
sensual.

Their clasped hands let go so they could explore more freely. Harry gently pushed him down on
the bed and moved to cover him completely. Strong hands stroked up and down his sides.
Tangled in his hair. Cupped his cheek as the kiss went on and on.

Tongues braved out into hot, moist caverns. Learned their paths well and revisited often.

Snape ran his hands down the lithe body on top of him, enjoying the smooth play of muscled
under skin. They cupped a firm ass and gently kneading. Harry gasped and plunged forward.

He encouraged legs to straddle him and-

Oh god.

They rocked back and forth, moaning with each gentle thrust.

Harry began to work at his neck. An agile mouth licked and sucked in time with their movements.

He pulled Harry up for another deep, consuming kiss.

Sensation was beginning to build.

He wanted more. Wanted to explore everything. Touch, taste, feel it all.

But it was too much.

They'd been circling each other for daysreplreplay had begun the moment the spell had started.

Hips began to move faster.

Jolts of energy started at the tips of his toes and traveled deliciously up his back.

Oh yes. Finally.

So good. God. Don't stop, please don't stop. Oh. Please. Oh yes.

He was higher than he'd ever been before.

Power was channeling through them. Taking them soaring.

Don't stop. Don'tstopdon'tstopdon'tstop.

Muscled tightened in sweet anticipation.

Oh god. Soft skin everywhere. Lips opening and plunging deep inside. In. Out. In. Out.

Soft gasps and moans punctuating each movement.

Yes. Oh god yes. Yes yes yes.

So close. So close.

A little more.

Hands grabbed hips for leverage.

Thrust. Oh.. More..

Thrust. Just a little more.

Thrust. The energy pooled.

THRUST. Ecstacy.

It exploded over them in large blissful, euphoric waves.

Swell after swell washed through them.

Rippling slowly to an end.

They were gasping for breathe.

Harry was the first to recover. "Wow... that was..." He seemed at a loss.

"...well coordinated." He offered.

Harry smiled. "That too."

He pulled the blankets over them and muttered and cleaning spell. "Now, you can sleep."

"Remind me not complain next time you wake me up."

"Sleep." He brushed a soft kiss against Harry's forehead.
_________

They didn't hear the soft squeaking of the door. Not that it would have mattered much.

"BLOODY HELL!"

Ron Weasley.

Shit, this was getting old.

Part 20

Elbowing him in the stomach, Harry bolted upright. "Ron!"

The red head stood in front of the open doorway, paralyzed.

Snape watched that speechless jaw move soundlessly up and down for a few moments before
saying, "Mr. Weasley, please close the door."

A few more flaps, then, "Close the door?"

Children. "Yes. Close. The. Door."

"No."

Harry spoke up. "Ron, please close the door."

Weasley shook his head. "And risk him doing to me whatever it is he did to you?"

Harry rolled his eyes. "He didn't do ANYTHING to me. He may not be a nice person most of the
time, but he's NOT evil."

His lips twitched. "Well, not in the classical sense, anyway."

Green eyes took aim at him."You're not helping."

"That was never my intention." There was something very calming about snapping at one another.
Though, Mr. Weasley didn't seem to think so. Someone should tell him that staring like that isn't
very polite.

Harry just sighed and poked him in the arm. Turning to the red headed statue, he said, "Just get
the Headmaster, you're not going to believe me unless he's here anyway."

"I'm not leaving you like this, Harry."

"Like what? The most harm that's been done is that I was woken up from a very well deserved
nap." A small, very satisfied smile crossed his lips before his face once again was a mask of
exasperation.

"Harry, something's not right here."

Another long suffering sigh. "Ron, just get the Headmaster. I promise, nothing is going to happen
in the next five minutes."

Having finally decided that getting Albus was probably the lesser of two evils, Weasley left.
Without shutting the door. He weighed the merits of taking points for the lapse.

Harry flopped back against him. "That did not go the way I wanted it to."

He took the opportunity to card through the sleep tousled hair and dryly asked, "Did you really
expect it to?"

"No. But it would have been nice." Harry answered.

"A lot of things would be nice. That does not mean l evl ever actually get them. That, by the way,
is one of those many reasons I was talking about."

"Reasons?"

He lightly traced Harry's lips with the pads of his fingers. "Reasons."

"Oh." Harry's eyes looked far away for a moment. "Wait. Ron was a reason?"

"Don't be dense. Your friends. Don't fool yourself into thinking no one else is going to find out.
I'd wager there are already interesting rumors flying about."

"What would they have to talk about?"

He began to tick off reasons on his fingers. "Neither of us are in the main ward, Black's probable
zombie like walk through the hallways and a thousand other little things that the trained,
professional, gossip mongers that this school calls students could easily pick up on."

"Oh."

"That was very articulate."

Harry threw him an irritated look. "I try."

"That" He pointed out. "was a blatant lie."

Shoulders shrugged. "Caught me. I guess that's why you're the teacher."

Teacher. Yes, he was. "Ah... Then there's... that."

"That?"

"Do try to catch on a little quicker. Conversations with you are starting to become tedious."

"You could always find ways to shut me up."

How on earth can anyone look that innocent and be that suggestive at the same time? It was
positively wrong. "Harry, if it wasn't a good idea before, it's an indescribably bad idea now."

"I wasn't suggesting now. I was just letting you know for the future."

"Ah." How the hell was he supposed to respond to that?

"Eloquent as always." Harry told him.

He hated it when people threw his words back at him. Didn't they have enough creativity to come
up with their own insults?

Thankfully, Albus chose that moment to appear with a Weasley in tow.

"Ah. I see where you might have a problem Mr. Weasley. Let me assure you that nothing
untoward has happened."

That's when the sinking feeling began in his chest. Albus had trusted him. Without a doubt, he
had violated it. In the worst way. He couldn't look the old man in the eyes.

Harry asked the Headmaster if he could explain this time. Apparently he'd had enough arguing
and question answering.

It was a slight joy to watch Weasley's face alternate between shocking red and extremely pale.

He noted that Albus's rendition managed to make the whole thing less tawdry than it was even
before... before.

When the third retelling was done, Weasley sat there in blessed silence. Then he began to laugh.

Sarcasm heavily laced his voice. "I'm glad I can be of entertainment, Mr. Weasley."

"I'm sorry," Weasley choked out. "Its just funny!"

It was. In the end, the entire situation was glaringly and disgustingly, absurd. But he wasn't going
to admit that.

Weasley turned to Albus, "Can I talk to Harry alone?"

"I believe they can be separate for a time. Now would be a perfect opportunity to discuss some
things with Professor Snape. Why don't you two head off to the room next door. Come back
when you're ready."

He'd suddenly, never been so glad that he'd learned that simple cleaning spell years ago.

As Harry slipped away, he noticed his side felt cold and bereft. A ridiculous notion. He'd simply
gotten used to having him there. A dangerous thing to have happened.

The two friends left the room and he allowed himself so fall, gracelessly back to the pillows.

Serious blue eyes peered at him from underneath bushy eyebrows. "How are you feeling,
Severus?"

He considered the question for a moment. "Better. But I am still quite tired, despite all the rest I
have gotten."

Albus nodded. "It was a long battle."

A weariness descended over him. "All battles are long."

"Quite true." There was a pause, then the Headmaster continued tentatively. "Severus? How did
you do it?"

"Do what?"

"Win." The serious look was still there. "No one has been able to figure it out."

He chose his words carefully. "At the time, I think it was instinct. Albus, we... we worked
together. Our powers, they linked. WE linked, just for a moment, but it was enough."

"Severus, we found your wands several feet away from the both of you."

"I know."

Understanding graced Albus's features. "I see."

"I don't know if we can do it again." he continued to explain. "I don't know how we did it the
first time. All I do know is, even if we figured out how, I don't think its something we could do
on a regular basis."

Albus nodded again. "Severus, how are you feeling?"

"You asked me that already."

Albus placed a gentle hand on his shoulder. "I did not mean physically."

"I... I don't know how I feel."

"Would you like to talk about it?"

"I..."

"Severus. Look at me. I have had some time to do the research I told you about. I've come to the
conclusion that there is nothing more to be done. I probably should not have tried to do anything
in the first place."

"Albus, I..." What was there to say? What could be possibly say?

"Severus, over your many years here, I have come to a single conclusion. You, are an honorable
man. And I trust in you, that no matter what happens, you will be an honorable man. We as a
generation have been set into impossible situations, with impossible tasks. To judge right and
wrong at the most inopportune times. To know where the grey begins and ends. Do not think that
I don't understand these things and do not think I would condemn a man who had no choice.
Because, I know you. I know that even when you have no choice, you face it with honor and
dignity and most importantly, respect."

"Albus..."

The hand on his shoulder gave a reassuring squeeze. "All I ask is that you always remember the
meaning of the word, no."

Understanding eyes peered at him for a moment more before turning away.

"I must return to my office. Classes have been cancelled for a week, but there is still much to do.
I'll see you again tomorrow." And he was off.