Where Others Fear to Tread

A/N Sorry it\'s taken a while to update, I\'ve really had to think about this bastard story, so that he makes a nice round circle at the end. I also had to re-read it to make sure I haven\'t forgot anything. Sorry but I think these long chapters are worth the wait.

Chapter 43

“…and the derivative of that would be?” Snape looked up from where the potions textbook was lying open in his lap, waiting for the answer from his young lover. Harry was miles away though, his head tilted back soaking up the sun as he reclined on the picnic rug at Snape’s feet. When Harry made no attempt at answering him Severus sighed and closed the book with a sharp snap. “You’re not listening to me are you Potter?”

“It’s boring Sev.” Harry whispered quietly closing his eyes as a light breeze blew up across the lake.

“Need I remind you Potter, you still have three exams left to complete before the ministry recognise you as a fully trained wizard.” Harry groaned and lay back down on the picnic rug, his hand coming down to rest on the little bulge of his stomach hidden beneath his school robes.

“This is crap, Ron and Hermione have already graduated, even bloody Neville has been granted his certificate by the ministry.” Severus sighed heavily having already had several useless arguments with Harry over this very topic. It wasn’t helping either that Harry’s pregnancy was making him grumpy and fatigued, a lethal combination for anyone stupid enough to get in Harry’s way.

“Harry please don’t start this again. The ministry granted you clemency on Defence and Transfiguration, it’s only fair that you sit for the three other subject exams you have shown no competency in knowing about or using in practical situations.” Severus watched as Harry turned over away from him, his eyes remaining stubbornly closed and his face schooled in the usual disgruntled scowl.

“Fucking ministry, they didn’t even believe Riddle was back let alone that we were fighting him. What do they know.” Severus bit his tongue, knowing that arguing with Harry in this mood was pointless. Not that he didn’t agree with the boy concerning the ministry, after all the sods had labelled him a murder. “Did you read the headline in the prophet this morning?” Harry muttered angrily fiddling with the corner of the rug as the sun disappeared behind a cloud.

“You know I didn’t Potter, you tore it into shreds and incinerated it before I had a chance.” Snape muttered casually as he put aside the textbook his leg beginning to ache at having sat so long on the stone bench.

“They’re bastards, they say they still won’t release your families assets even though Albus told them what you’d been doing all these years, the spying and all. They’re accusing you of killing Malfoy now, they don’t know when to quit. The big headline across the page, ‘Potter’s Secret Marriage to a Murder.’” Harry trailed off as Severus stood up hissing a little in pain at the ache in his leg. Grabbing for his walking cane Severus propped himself up against it, as Harry stood up slowly as well.

“I never expected to see any of my families assets again Harry, I had quite resigned myself to that. As for our marriage, it’s been headline news now for weeks, you should be used to it.” Harry linked his arm through Snape’s as they began to walk back towards the castle, slowly taking their time to compensate for Severus permanently injured leg.

“And what of Malfoy?” Harry whispered cautiously, still wary about asking Severus questions about the night of the final battle. Severus pursed his lips together momentarily before answering.

“Lucius Malfoy was a nasty individual who just happened to get between the end of my wand and my lover at the wrong time.” Severus whispered quietly his gaze never leaving that of the path ahead of them. Harry smiled secretly to himself. Rumour had it Malfoy senior had been found in two pieces, his internal organs liquefied and strewn about around the body. The papers had it that in the heat of battle some dark wizard had turned on his own kind. At present the ministry were searching for the ex-death eaters wand, which had yet to be recovered from the battlefield. What the ministry didn’t know however that Lucius Malfoy’s wand had already been used by one Severus Snape as kindling for his wood fire.

“They’re going to find out eventually how you got me out of Malfoy manor Severus, and they’re going to want to know how you came by a lock of Malfoy’s hair, three days after he was already reported as dead.” Harry tucked himself closer to Severus as they walked up the stairs of the castle into the front foyer where a few seventh year students eager to finish their schooling were waiting for lunch in the great hall.

“Strange things happen in wars Potter, not everything can be explained.” Harry smiled again as Severus led him through into the great hall, where the house elves were scurrying about making the single banquet table down the centre of the hall ready for lunch. With Voldemort gone and the war officially over, Dumbledore had while reopening Hogwarts, not declared the school year to commence until after Christmas. There was grieving to do for those who’d lost loved ones, and the three months left before Christmas had been kept aside for those seventh years wanting to finish their schooling as they should have done before the war. Harry let go of Severus’ arm as they reached the top of the table, Dumbledore was already sitting there lost in a book, and Severus pulled out a chair for Harry to sit down before sitting down himself beside the elder headmaster.

“Ah Severus, Harry how is the weather out there?” Albus smiled at the pair warmly from over the tops of his half moon glasses as the few students began filing into the hall, ready for their meal.

“Pleasant headmaster.” Severus spoke calmly as he poured both himself and Harry a small glass of elvan red wine.

“Good, good. Professor Sprout will be happy to see her plants doing so well. All the casualties of the war had quite depleted her stock of medicinal plants. This fine weather is quite a treat.” Harry smiled sideways at Severus who nodded and smiled as well. Albus was cheery as always but those who knew him well could see how he still mourned the loss of some of his friends on the battlefield. When everyone was seated Albus waved his hand and the midday meal appeared on the table.

“Tuna and lettuce sandwiches.” Harry muttered in disgust as like usual his own plate became already filled with his own specially prepared meal. Everyone else was having roast beef sandwiches with hot chips and gravy. Severus chuckled and took a bite out of his roast beef sandwich, watching as his lover prodded the unappetizing sandwich on his plate.

“You know the rules Harry, healthy meals until….well you know.” Severus chuckled again as he stabbed a few hot chips with his fork and greedily ate them. Harry sighed and picked up his sandwich forcing it into his mouth despite how much he didn’t want it.

“Yes indeed Harry, fish is good for you and the little one.” Harry glared at Professor McGonagall over the tops of his glasses as she too teasingly ate her hot chips, still dripping with thick luscious gravy.

“This bites.” Harry muttered as he ate his sandwich, the bowl of chocolate pudding sitting mockingly in front of him.

“I can’t even have bloody chocolate.” Harry mumbled moodily as he finished one of his sandwiches and started on the other. The general acquaintance chuckled quietly at Harry’s distress all of them thoroughly enjoying their meal.

“Oh yes, that’s a big no no I’m afraid Harry. Chocolate stunts the growth of magical ability in unborn wizarding children, it reacts badly with the magic in the womb. It has the same effect like smoking in muggles has.” Harry nodded, having already heard the speech from Madam Pomfrey and Severus a thousand times. Harry sighed and continued to eat his sandwich all the while watching as Severus put chip, after bloody chip into his mouth.

“Oooh did I tell you Harry, Sirius is coming by tomorrow.” Albus spoke up midway through some meaningless conversation around the table, obviously just remembering what he had to say. Harry perked up a little and smiled brightly. He hadn’t seen Sirius since the funeral, and was eager to hear about his godfather’s trip to America.

“Really?” Harry inquired surprised that his godfather had come back from his holiday so soon. It had been devastating to loose Remus and Mr Weasley in the war, the two men laid to rest last month when the ministry had been finally satisfied that they died in fighting for the right cause. Sirius had been a complete wreck, having lost both James and now Remus his two closest friends. Albus had suggested the holiday; the ministry were still investigating Sirius’ status, as escaped prisoner and the man needed time to grieve alone in private. A change of pace for a while was just the thing Sirius had needed.

“Great.” Severus muttered sarcastically under his breath at the news. Despite having fought side by side in the war he and Sirius still weren’t friends, and after news of Harry’s pregnancy had slipped out all hell had broken loose. Sirius had demanded to know why Severus had still allowed Harry into the battle knowing he was carrying, he wanted to know why he wasn’t told, if it was what Harry had wanted, if it was forced, how it had all come about. A fight had eventually broken out, Sirius and Severus laying into one another with their fists. Harry had just let them fight until finally Dumbledore had stepped in and broken them up. Severus and Sirius were never going to be friends but both had become civil to one another after Dumbledore told them they were children, and the time for grudges was over.

“Don’t be a bastard Sev.” With a strategically placed elbow to the ribs Harry continued to his meal, silencing his lovers complains for the rest of lunch.

There was studying to be done after lunch, and Harry left Severus to his tutoring other students for the library. If he could just get through these exams he’d be free of being a student, and he and Severus could actually sleep in the same bed again. As was such, Severus had been with holding all sexual intimacies between them until Harry was officially no longer his student. If there was one thing Severus stuck by, it was his principals, even if they were irritatingly inconvenient for Harry. Harry was sure, if sexual favours had been part of the normal teaching regime at Hogwarts, he’d have learnt Potions a hell of a lot quicker, with incentives like that.

TBC>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>