The Journey Cycle Pt 2: New Zealand (pt 2 complete

4

Harry awoke teetering on the edge of the sofa, wearing his husband like a blanket draped over him. It was pitch black both inside and outside of Bessie and he had ricked his neck as he lay, his head propped on the sofa arm.

Reaching down and fumbling about, Harry found his phone peering at the time, four thirty. His bladder needed emptying, he was freezing cold as was Severus lying mainly atop him and he was starving hungry, the last food that they had ingested being almost twenty hours ago.

He slowly inveigled his way out of the tangle of limbs and stood up, unkinking his back and twisting his neck until it clicked. He recalled Severus’ words of earlier, they really were to old for all of this, he thought as he rotated his tired shoulders. He picked up the quilt from the bed and laid it over his husband and set to rummaging through the cupboards for any remnants of food. Their precipitate departure had precluded stocking up and on examining their fuel stores, divined that all they had left was kindling, not enough wood to boil a kettle. Harry found the single ring cooker and shook it, certainly enough gas for a brew or two.

He found a little bacon, a couple of eggs, some tea bags, a couple of stale-ish slices of bread, but no butter and the milk had gone off. He shrugged, this was the beginnings of a meal at any rate and set about cooking as quietly as possible.

Inevitably, the smell of cooking awoke Severus and, lost in a reverie, Harry jumped slightly as he was embraced from behind then relaxed as he was given a kiss under his ear, “Mmm, smells good”, Severus murmured thickly. Harry chuckled, “Me or the food?” to get a tap on the arse as Severus drew away to use the loo. Harry fried the bread and dished up as he put the small kettle on the stove for tea and they enjoyed an ad-hoc breakfast on the sofa desultorily discussing plans. Aside from deciding that they needed a trip to the nearest hypermarket for stocks and another into the woods for fuel, the concensus was just to keep heading south until Hermione contacted them again. With that, they finished their food and went to bed, curling around each other properly and sighing in contentment as they let sleep claim them again.

****

The next day found them pushing a trolley apiece in this hangar-sized supermarket and enthused by all the food that you rarely found in similar British establishments, stealing looks at each other or catching the other’s eye and smiling or winking. One would call the other over, “Shall we get some of this/these?” “What the hell are they?”. Maybe they would find a description somewhere but they got tossed in the trolley anyway, “Let’s try it out and see, shall we?”. The spirit of adventure made them laugh at the ridiculous items they were purchasing along with the staples and several treats plus a healthy (or otherwise) amount of alcohol. Severus took a shy delight in handing over his plastic at the checkout.

Harry’s main wedding present to him had been putting Severus’ name to his Gringotts vault and signing him up to the muggle bank account, placing it in joint names. Not without a few bob himself, especially after coming into the Malfoy funds, Severus was astounded to find out just how well off his younger husband actually was. Harry had been right, if they wished to live their lives in idle luxury, then between them they had the means to do so.

They amalgamated all of their monies into the two accounts and had the appropriate accesses to them, a vault key each inscribed with their married names and the relevant plastic for the muggle accounts in both of their names. Severus was still a bit shy about putting the plastic down, but he was learning. Another facet of life with the incredible Mrs Snape!!!.

They struggled with their trolleys across the car park, both alternately cursing at and laughing at the wonky wheels. Harry fell behind and Severus paused to wait for him, an idea flashing through his mind. As Harry caught up, Severus glanced swiftly about and planted a kiss on Harry’s head, then took off again for Bessie. Harry was slightly stunned, Severus had just kissed him in broad daylight in a public place!!.

The older man was slightly pink as he turned to Harry at Bessie’s door, “Sorry about that. I didn’t mean to embarrass you or....”, he tailed off seeing the smile on Harry’s face. Harry climbed onto the step, having unlocked the door and turned, taller than his partner. He grabbed Severus’ shoulders and pulled the man to him placing a wet tongueless kiss full on his mouth, “I love you, Mrs P”, he exclaimed as they separated, then before Severus could react, he hopped aboard and started to load up the shopping.

They were kneeling in a heap of empty carrier bags, trying to fit all the shopping into the fridge and the new freezer box that Harry had built in, when Severus sat back on his heels and frowned. Harry caught the look and quizzed Severus on it. He shook his head as if trying to clear his vision, pinching the bridge of his nose, “I don’t know for sure, but I can say this, I never kissed another living soul in a public place before. That’s what I meant by being ‘soft’, Harry, not fit for fighting and all of that carry-on, but, hang me, I want it, that so-called softness. I don’t want to be what I was before. I know real love now and I can say, with no reservations, that I have never been this happy in my entire life, even if it is just fooling around over the shopping. Oh, shit, I don’t know what I’m saying. Except this”, he paused as he looked at Harry with such a look of love, “Whoever said that marriage is just a piece of paper is talking rubbish. That much I do know”.

Harry was pleasantly stunned at this outburst, “Sev, the ability to fight and the ability to love are not mutually exclusive”, he whispered. “I love this ‘you’ that is emerging all the time from the carapace that you had built and I am delighted and honoured that it is I who is helping this shell to shed itself. Today, while we were in that damn supermarket, I never felt so ‘married’ and I revelled in it, if that’s what you’re trying to say”.

A simple nod and Harry launched himself into his husband’s arms. They kissed without restraint this time, making each other moan before Severus pulled away, “We need to get this food stored, love”. Harry gave him a soft growl that made them both laugh and they turned their attentions back to the matter in hand.

A short while later found them pulling off the car park, their food stowed. Now all they needed was firewood. Severus navigated Harry out of the Parisian suburbs and back the way they had come for a few kilometres then a turn south along a peaceful B-road. Severus stole a glance at Harry as he drove, watching the positions of his shoulders, his back. They had installed a new driving seat for Harry as the old one had left him with aches and pains and they had decided that the old seat was too ‘tall’ for a man of Harry’s shorter stature. Severus was monitoring Harry’s progress with the new seat, but he let himself get distracted by the lively flicking of Harry’s eyes as he ‘read’ the road and acted, the steering wheel an extension of his arms. He felt a sadness creep over him as he watched.

“Sorry about the driving, love”, he murmured to his husband, whose attention was nearly fully on the road. Harry quickly flashed him a smile, “Don’t worry about it, love, you tried your best, but I think a properly structured programme of lessons and practice will be more suitable to you”, he said, trying to mollify his husband, but Severus shook his head vehemently, “No, Harry, I was an idiot, and treated that poor girl like shit”.

He was referring to the accelerated driving course that he had booked himself on once they were back in England. He took himself off to a seaside town out of season and tried to do the course but had been expelled, for foul language and almost hexing his instructor. He had honestly never realised that driving was so damned complicated. After all, millions did it, and he had genuinely thought he would be able to pick up the skill in a couple of weeks, but his calls to Harry had been full of ‘blithering idiot’s and, ‘these imbeciles know not of what they speak’ and other scathing remarks until Severus had arrived back at Hermione’s, his tail between his legs, expelled after six days. Harry had tried not to smile as he commiserated with his lover and they had continued to organise the whirlwind event that was their wedding.

Harry glanced in the rearview mirror before casting his eyes quickly over Severus, “It’s okay. I don’t mind the driving, in fact, I enjoy it, and this seat is loads more comfy than the last one. We’ll teach you to drive eventually, love, don’t worry about it”. He heard the sigh from the other side of the cab, “In truth, I’m not awfully sure I’ll ever make a driver, Harry. The roads are too busy and I just become so wretchedly nervous out on the roads that I just want to explode at folk. I don’t think it’s good for my blood pressure”.

Harry swallowed the smile that rose to his lips at this and agreed solemnly, “There will be some areas where our skills do not cross”, he stated, simply, “But right now, I need you to take us towards Rennes by the back roads, before we turn south at Le Mans”. Harry knew he could have probably found his way on his own but he keenly felt Severus’ disappointment at not becoming a driver, so determined that he should be the crack navigator instead. Severus turned on the tiny light, the neck of which could be stretched or retracted over the atlas as the reader wished, and, furrowing his brow, he began to plot them a route. This was another new feature that Harry had added that Severus loved. It was as if Bessie was a work-in-progress, being infinitely adapted to see to their every wish, as indeed she was.

Severus bent his head, donning his reading glasses, the lamp showing the way clear, “Turn left in half a mile”, was the first instruction, “Should be signposted for”, he read out the name of a tiny hamlet and Harry flicked on the indicator....

This was it. This was travelling. Harry held out his left hand. When he noticed it, Severus grabbed it briefly and squeezed it, before Harry took hold of the steering wheel again. They were off again, for good or ill, the team, the two of them, that had been such good travellers before. As they barrelled through the night, they stole looks at each other, then faced front as Severus guided them along the tiny back roads of rural France.

****

When Harry was nodding and shaking his head to stay awake, Severus guided them to a farm gate and Harry gladly killed the engine. He had had enough for one day. Severus had a headache and Harry’s shoulder ached still. They massaged each other before Severus arranged supper for them. They ate with relish before collapsing together on their bed, holding and being held. Harry dusted soft kisses along Severus’ spine as they drifted off.

They were woken up at some ungodly hour by banging on the side of Bessie, accompanied by swearing and shouting in rapid French. Harry was the first out of bed and into some clothes replying, “Si, si, una momento”. Severus chuckled and handed him his glasses, “Wrong country, love”. He called out, “Oui, un moment, m’sieur”, as Harry struggled with the door and wrestled it open. Before him stood the irate farmer and they were blocking his gateway. Harry apologised as prettily as he could, in French this time and said he would move immediately. The farmer growled at him but pointed him to a more appropriate park-up less than a mile further along the road. Harry thanked the man and had Bessie’s engine sparked in seconds.

The park-up was perfect for now, just off the road and hidden in some woods. Harry stilled the motor and crawled out of his seat, sliding straight back to bed but was unable to sleep so gave it up as a bad job and sighed, sitting up. Severus kissed him and puttered about fixing breakfast. Harry’s favourite, scrambled eggs with smoked salmon. They wolfed down the food and drank lots of tea then both got up and dressed warmly. There was a nip in the air outside and they needed to go ‘wooding’ and this was as good an opportunity as any.

Harry fished out the raggedy old basket that he held large branches in and off they went, locking and warding Bessie’s door. They headed into the early morning and found plenty of large-ish boughs littering the floor of the woods. Over the previous winter there had been many windy storms and the ground was still covered in the damage that the high winds had wrought. Harry set about gathering up branches to be wrapped in the loosely woven basket and carried the first lot back to Bessie. It was when he was on his way back into the wood for the third foray that he heard the tiny plaintive sound.

Severus spotted him listening intently, his face angled upwards looking up into a tree. He walked over to his husband, loaded down as he was with larger logs and asked what was the matter. He, too, heard the plaintive cries, “Sounds like a bird, maybe nestlings or something”, he made to turn away when Harry cried out, “That’s no bird, look up there”. Severus followed the line of Harry’s finger and saw a smudge of pink high up in the tree that moved. He frowned, unable to make out what the creature was but it was small and in some distress.

In moments, Harry had placed the basket on the ground and was removing his jacket before cautiously ascending the tree trunk, clinging on to small branches as he snaked his way upwards. Severus’ heart was in his mouth as he watched his husband’s lithe body as he climbed higher and higher. He heard the triumphant “Gotcha!” and a loud mewl of complaint as Harry fastened something inside of his shirt and began his descent. He jumped the last few feet wriggling as he freed the creature from the cloth confines of his shirt, “Ow, the little bugger’s scratching me to death”, he exclaimed withdrawing a hissing, spitting kitten of about ten weeks old, “This little minx had herself well and truly stuck up that tree”, he said turning the kitten in his hands to face him, “Pretty little thing aren’t you?”, before nuzzling her with his face whereupon the little thing began to purr.

Severus rolled his eyes, “You always have to be rescuing something, my Harry”, as he picked up the bundle of wood and they made their way back to the van. Harry stopped them on the way, and, tucking the wee cat into his shirt once more, collected a few handfuls of wood shavings from the dirt floor to bring along with him.

Severus went back into the wood to collect the logs, returning to find Harry playing with the kitten, coal-black with slightly orange-y eyes. He shook his head, “We can’t keep her, you know”. Harry looked up, “I know that, silly, we’re sailing in a few days but I couldn’t just leave her there. She’s a healthy enough thing, a bit hungry but she has this bow around her neck that tells me that she is someone’s pet and is much loved. She freaked a bit when I plucked her out of the branches but she isn’t ‘hand-afraid’ and is quite an affectionate little thing which suggests to me that there is a small child nearabouts who has lost a new pet. We’ll take her up to the farm in a bit and see if the farmer knows anything”.

The mystery was sorted out sooner rather than later. Severus was stacking and sorting the wood in the side boot keeping some for the night’s fire when he and Harry turned at the sound of voices in the woods. “Minou. Petite Minou!”, came in two voices. One a woman’s, the other clearly a small child on the edge of tears. Harry hopped onto the bus, scooped up the kitten and made his way to the sounds, calling out so as not to startle anyone.

He spied a dark-haired woman through the trees with a little girl of no older than six or so, and hailed them. As they walked towards the sound, their boots crunching through the dried bracken, Harry crooned at the animal, “So you are ‘Minou’ are you?”, the kitten made a small sound and nuzzled Harry’s cheek as the two females hove into sight. The little girl’s eyes lit up as she caught sight of the kitten. “Mama! Mama! Il sont trouve ma Minou. Ah, ma Minou, ma petite chat”, she ran towards him, her mother hot on her heels. Harry held a hand out and introduced himself to the woman, “We found her up a tree near here, I just climbed up and got her down, little minx, she is”, in perfect French. The woman blushed at the good-looking man and returned the handshake.

“Anglaises?”, she enquired before complimenting Harry on his good French. He grinned and told her, “Yes, my husband and I are on our honeymoon in this beautiful country and heard your kitten crying up a tree”. The woman’s eyes widened, “Vous etes marite? A un homme?” Harry nodded, “It is legal now in England”, then watched as her face fell, frowning slightly at her reaction, but she was obviously a country girl and such things had never crossed her path before. She didn’t seem disgusted, merely curious. Harry bent and lifted her daughter into his arms, re-uniting her with Minou and they chatted a while, the child clearly enchanted with the stranger.

They chatted stiltedly for a moment longer before Harry waved them off and watched them go, the girl, Mariette holding tight to little Minou. Her ‘merci.s’ could still be heard when they had passed beyond sight. Harry stood for a moment and watched them go then turned to make his way back to Bessie to see Severus standing watching at the edge of the glade.

He had witnessed the whole scene, but the bit that had piqued his interest was when Harry had hefted little Mariette into his arms with practiced ease and the trust that the little girl had shown him. This was definitely a part of Harry’s life that he had not seen before. Most of his contemporaries had had children although for the most part they were pretty much all grown now but Severus realised in that moment that Harry had been around for these children as they grew up and had had plenty of practice with them. He sighed as he recognised a natural father in the man before him, someone who genuinely did love children, someone who had an instinctive connection to them and in that instant decided that, trying though it may be for himself, at some point in their future, he had to let Harry follow his natural destiny. In that same moment, he also knew that he loved Harry enough to be a part of this with him. The thought floored him as Harry approached but he decided to keep his own counsel for now.

Between them, they split and stashed the wood, they had enough for a few nights now, enough to get them to Santander. Severus was all for staying another night at this spot and he argued the toss with a still-tired Harry who was equally insistent that they move on, but Severus brought his full powers of persuasion to bear and it was decided to spend a day here then make the big push for the border on the morrow.

The decision was helped along when Harry’s phone trilled later in the day as they were relaxing after a superb mushroom omelette smothered in melted local goat’s cheese and Harry allowed himself one too many beers to be driving. Hermione as usual was on the other end.

“The funeral is in two day’s time”, she announced, “At the family estate outside Bilbao. We have ordered the wreath, a fabulous phoenix in shades of red and gold that will be from the official British contingent and will send out a message to the mourners who can interpret it. I would suggest that you two get as close as you can then call me back with your map co-ordinates so we can make an Apparation spot for you. We don’t want the spot to have your signature all over it. We are readying a squadron of crack troops to be there as quite often the perpetrator will appear at the funeral and we have picked up something strange from her wand. I’ll explain more later when I see you. It should only be a few more days ‘til you sail. I bet you’re looking forward to it, aren’t you?”

Harry hesitated before replying, “Erm, ‘Mione. Won’t you need me there? In the thick of it all again?”. Harry looked up to see the anxious face of his husband. There was a silence at her end then a peal of laughter, “Oh, Harry, that is so funny. Bless your Gryffindor heart. You’re too old for this game now, thanks for the offer, but Ron and Ollie have been bringing on the next generation of troops for just such an eventuality as this. They are all young and trained in Martial Arts from many cultures. No offence Harry, but when was the last time you did a serious workout?” Harry mumbled that he had rescued a kitten from a tree that very morning, “A very tall tree, I might add”, to hear the silvery laugh again, “No you don’t, Harry Potter-Snape. I couldn’t take you from Severus’ side. You’ve been married how long? Less than a week? I couldn’t do that to either of you, and nor would I”.

There was a strangled sound from Harry’s end and Hermione asked them about it. Harry drew back slightly from where he had been clutched hard against Severus’ chest, “Sorry, ‘Mione, I was being smufflicated by a grateful hubby”. Severus took the phone and kissed it, “That sound was a smacking kiss for you, you genius woman. Now, tell him, oh, big sister”, before handing the machine back to Harry.

“I told you this wasn’t your fight, Harry, you berk. We want you well out of this one, particularly as she had your letter on her when she was found. Don’t worry, we still may need to consult with you in any case but that can all be done with e-mails and the like, and I still need those pensieve memories from you both, what say we meet at...”, she rattled off the name and location of the hotel that the British delegation were to stay in, “tomorrow night, if you can get here in time. We should have the Apparation points all worked out, failing that, I’ll make up a couple of portkeys. We’ll have the wreath with us. I think that you being at the funeral is an ace idea, but we don’t think it wise for you to stay for the supper afterwards. Sorry and all that”, she was all business but Severus couldn’t help but glow inside. Harry was neither needed or wanted for this thing and he let his elation bubble up as they terminated the call and he held Harry close.

Harry sagged in his arms and Severus puzzled at this dejection for a moment until he ‘got it’. “You really did want to be involved in this?”, he queried, wide-eyed. Harry flicked a glance his way, “Well, no, but it would have been nice to have been asked, or something. Oh, I dunno”, he slumped down onto the sofa. Severus relieved him of the phone, laying it down safely before he dropped to his knees before his love, “Oh, Harry. It’s the ‘too old’ thing, isn’t it?”, he exclaimed gently, taking Harry into his arms, trying not to smile as he planted kisses in Harry’s hair. Harry quickly denied it but caught himself, “Well, okay, it isn’t nice being told that you’re too old. I’m only forty three for Merlin’s sake. You were forty-odd when we fought the final Battle”. Severus held tighter, “Actually, I was a mere thirty eight but no matter. What’s five years between friends?”. His tone gave the game away and Harry looked up sharply, “You git, you’re glad about this, aren’t you?”

Severus couldn’t help but let his relief show, “Of course I’m glad, idiot. You wanted to rush off and do your hero thing and I was fucking terrified. I can’t protect you any more, not that way at any rate, and she’s right, we’ve been married for less than a week, and you want to rush off into battle....”. Harry saw the delight in his husband’s eyes and saw his point but somewhere deep inside he was still annoyed. He had automatically assumed that if the prophesied one had departed this earth then the previous one would be called upon and he had resigned himself to that fate only to be told he was too old and not up to it any more. The thought riled him more than he thought it would and he felt definitely left out. Not a position he was used to. This would all take some thinking about. He glared into Severus’ eyes before wriggling free and storming off Bessie and into the woods.

The older man watched him go, his heart heavy. There was so much about Harry that he still did not understand. He picked up the phone and opened it. He still wasn’t frightfully au fait with these machines yet but he pressed a few buttons until Hermione’s number appeared on the screen before pressing the green button. He smiled as he heard the ringing tone and then her voice, “Hi, Harry”. He swallowed hard, “It is I, Hermione. He took that last call badly and has stomped off in high dudgeon. I don’t think he appreciated being reminded of his age and his unfitness for the task at hand although I was mighty glad to hear it. I just want you to understand that”. Her reply was heartfelt, “Bugger!!!” Severus murmured, “Quite! This has upset him to a considerable degree. He had resigned himself to being called up and I think a part of him is deeply chagrined that his talents will not be called upon this time around”. She squeaked her disagreement, “But they will!!! We still need his input, just not the actual battle skills. Oh, fuck. I forgot how easily he is hurt and his need to be in the loop. I’m sorry Severus, forgive me. Everything is a bit frantic here at this end”.

Severus smiled at her words, “Hermione, dear girl, I totally forgive you, and I know that you are trying to spare Harry, but he needs to be kept in the know, so to speak. For myself, I have to admit to a completely selfish motive regarding him”. He heard her chuckle at the other end of the line, “Of course you do. I take it he isn’t with you now?”. Severus groaned, “No, dear, he stalked off into the woods after the last conversation”. She smiled at the appellation, ‘dear’, and continued, “Go and find him, Severus, he’ll be sitting in an anxious heap somewhere. Give him a big hug and love him like there’s no tomorrow. Get him back and keep him safe and we’ll see you in Bilbao the day after tomorrow, yes?” Severus chuckled warmly, he really did love this woman and her concern and love of his mate, “Aye aye, cap’n, we’ll see you on Thursday and we shall speak properly then”. They said their goodbyes and Severus rang off.

He locked and charmed Bessie’s door before walking out to the small glade. No Harry. He lifted his head, senses on full alert, then heard it, faint, in the distance, the sound of running water. He headed towards it as quickly as he could, dodging the low branches and the roots sticking up through the soil, intent on tripping the unwary and in a small clearing, there he was, head hanging dejectedly, resting on knees drawn up to his chest, arms wrapped around and rocking slightly, the very picture of misery. Severus valiantly fought back a smile, schooling his features to the concern he also felt before approaching, sinking to the ground beside his love and taking him in his arms. “Harry”, was the only thing he said as he tightened his hold slightly.

There was some resistance for a moment before Severus felt Harry give way and relax back against him, “I’m too old, Sev. Too fucking OLD. I can’t bloody believe it. I was sure...oh shite, I sound like a whinging teenager but I was sure, Sev, sure they would need me back to do the deed again. I’ve done it before. I hated it then, so why do I feel so bad about it all now? Help”, he finally looked up at Severus’ face looking down, “Shit”, he whispered as he saw the concern writ there, “I’m turning into the egotistical monster that you always painted me, aren’t I?”

He paused a moment, Severus kept his face impassive from long practice and Harry noted the old behaviours surface in them both and decided to break it, “All right, sod it. You’re all right, it isn’t about me is it? It’s about who the new vanquisher is or are, if that makes sense. I had my turn and that’s it. I did the job, did it well. Voldemort will never return but there’s always going to be a new one and my role now is to know when to bow out gracefully, like a has-been popstar who appears in ‘ironic’ Eighties gear once too often. Let’s face it, I’d been out of front line Auror work for quite a bit before I packed it in”

“If I‘m totally honest, it’s ‘cos all our mates are neck deep in this thing while I have to run away. That, I’m really not happy about. Yeah, that’s what’s pissing me off the most, I think. Fuck, I hate the actual fighting bit but, you know, the finding-stuff out. Yeah, I liked that. Like muggle forensics. Hmmm”

Harry paused, “I thought I was going to have to do it again”, he murmured before sobs shook him, “You know, kill again”. Severus frowned, “Forgive me but I recall you being a front-line Auror?”, he said in gentle tones, “Aye, until a lad got hit ‘in the line of fire’ while we chased down that serial rapist”, Harry shuddered, “And that was my front-line days over. It wasn’t me that actually cast the Avada in the end as various pensieve memories showed, but until the internal hearing I thought it had been, so, no, in answer to your unspoken question, no, I did not kill as an Auror”, he sniffed loudly, “Sorry for getting like this, it still gets to me from time to time”, but Severus just pulled him close. After a moment, he continued quietly, “I feel so sorry for that poor child.”. With that, he turned into strong arms and let it all go and Severus was there to catch him and hold him.

And Severus the stoic held on tight.

He waited until Harry shifted in his arms before drawing away. Harry looked up and him wearing his best ‘kiss me’ expression but Severus wrinkled his nose fishing a handkerchief from his pocket and handing it over, “Blow your nose first, you’re all snotty”. With a laugh, Harry complied before folding it over and stuffing it in his own pocket. Severus kissed him then, his cheeks damp, “I’m sorry, Sev, I shouldn’t be such a git about all of this, ‘Mione’s right, they don’t need a creaky old git like me”. As if to illustrate his point, he rose, not without groaning as he stood straight and stretched, “There you go, can’t even sit on damp ground for long without the old rheumatiz setting in”. He held a hand down to Severus who took it, letting Harry tug him upright.

He flung an arm around Harry’s shoulders as they climbed back up the field towards Bessie, Harry shook his head, “I can’t believe I reacted like that, really. I just want rid of the wizarding world for a while, so why the pressing need to get involved again? I think my head’s still a bit fucked-up from the last War”. Severus tightened his grip momentarily, kissing Harry’s ear, “I hate to say it but you may be right. As you said, after the War, there was no-one on whom we could unburden ourselves, and as for we two, by and large, our partners did not want to know, did they?”

Harry turned thoughtfully as they walked, “Maybe because Drae took so long to....die, this did come up between us but not until he knew he was dying. He’d always claimed to enjoy being the gentleman of leisure, it was me that insisted I keep working until I wasn’t able to any more, but sometimes, I knew it gave him time to think, that whether we were Light or Dark, dead was still dead, and killing was still killing for whatever cause and he would get these odd moods on him but you’re mainly right, he would try and change the subject or whatever....”, Harry’s voice tailed away.

As they reached the field where Bessie was, close to the road, Severus enquired, “Will you ever be truly over him?” Harry glanced at his husband, looking for signs of anguish, but it had been a thoroughly straightforward question and Harry felt he could answer truthfully. He leaned his head into Severus’ shoulder as they walked, “There will always be a piece of my heart with that man’s name on it but the rest is yours”. Severus kissed the windblown mat of hair at Harry’s crown, “That’s enough for me, Mrs S. No-one with our range of experience has a whole heart any more and mine was more shattered than most but, Mrs S, you have helped me so much to put the bits back together. Let me help you however I can”.

Harry turned into his man’s arms and pulled the dark head down for a blistering kiss, “You already do more than you either know or give yourself credit for, my love. Forgive me if I get the glums from time to time, or if I act like an egotistical prat”. Severus chuckled, “That’s what I thought for a brief moment until I saw how devastated you were”. Harry swatted him amiably, “It was never an ego thing for me, Sev. It was a fucking prophecy, you arse!” Severus teased him, “I know, silly, and now you’re too old”, he countered, sticking out his tongue then scampering off with Harry in hot pursuit up the hill to the van.

Harry caught Severus and tried to rugby-tackle him to the ground but Severus held his ground turning Harry and pressing him against Bessie’s side, “Got you now, o, saviour of the wizarding world. Now what?!!!” By way of reply, Harry tipped his head back with a small sound in the back of his throat to fell warm lips opening over his and the heat of an invading tongue in his mouth. Harry grinned around the intrusion and replied with his own tongue as Severus twined his fingers in Harry’s hands holding his love sweetly captive against Bessie’s side as the kiss deepened. A polite cough behind them brought both of their heads whipping around at once and Severus backed away from Harry rather swiftly. The farmer stood behind them and even in the low light, Harry could have sworn the man was blushing.

He held out a covered plate and jug to them. Severus thanked the man, clearly puzzled. The farmer then rattled off a string of French, wished them goodnight and stomped off the same way he had come.

Severus had the plate in his hand, the jug in the other. As the man left earshot, Harry murmured, “Something from his wife, to say thanks for rescuing the kitten earlier”, as he unlocked the door and they climbed aboard. Harry relieved Severus of the plate and jug, peeling off the cloth to reveal a toasty warm fresh fruit pie and a jug of cream. He grinned as he sniffed upwards, “Aaahh, good ol’ home cooking. The perfect supper. Stick the kettle on, love, while I dish us some out. At least I can still be a hero to little girls and wayward cats”.

They had an agreeable supper followed by an even more agreeable early night that left them sweaty and sleepy as they cuddled up that night and sticky and refreshed in the morning, which after an early shower made Harry feel energised enough to get on the road early. They had a lot of ground to cover in less than two days.