Seduction of the Snake God

Well I thought this story was finished, though I agree that the previous chapter ended rather abruptly. The other chapters of this story were written and posted in summer just prior to HBP. Then came HBP making this story AU. What the hey, said my muse, who is an extremely nasty creature though often quite wise. So here we are again dear readers. I hope you find this a worthy addition to my little story. In any case, my muse is certain, that in some other dimension where HBP does not exist, this is what really happened:

Snakes and Ladders

Sometimes that coil we reach for is a snake. Sometimes that snake we fear is just a rope- Old African proverb

Severus performed a cleaning spell on himself. He pecked Harry's lips and told him that he would take care of Malfoy and the mess while Harry bathed. Harry was in no mood to argue. He showered Malfoy's pure and ancient blood down the drain, then filled the tub and settled in for a nice long soak. He had barely closed his eyes when Severus was shaking him awake.

"Have you no instinct for self-preservation? If you want to end it all I will thank you not to do it in my bathtub!"

He pulled Harry bodily from the now very cold water and threw a thick cotton towel at him, which Harry caught easily.

"Oh gods Severus, I'm too tired for any more drama. Look, I would have woke up before I drowned."

Severus took off the necklace and tossed it to Harry, too. "Wear it! Clearly you need it far more than I do." He spun on his heel and slammed the door behind him.

Harry spelled the catch to his magic, put it on, and followed Severus. The bedroom was spotless- literally. There was not a drop of blood nor any indication that Malfoy had ever visited. Harry followed the noise, drying himself half-heartedly along the way, to find Severus banging around in the kitchen.

"What are you looking for?"

"Something on which to vent my anger!"

"Will I do?"

Severus stopped his rummaging. He took a deep breath and let it out. "Harry, do you -wish- to drive me insane?"

"As Muggles say, I prefer driving long distances."

"Nehebkau!Nehebkau! So. You really are capable of learning."

Harry smiled and wrapped his arms around Severus, "Thanks for saying it twice though. I'm not going to drive you insane, Severus. This is going to be fun."

"Is it?"

"Mmmhmm."

Severus pulled him closer and buried his nose in Harry's wet hair.

"Do not fall asleep in bathtubs."

"From now on, when I'm tired I'll only shower. I promise."

"Are you hungry?"

"Now that you mention it, I could really eat!"

"Fine. Get out of my kitchen so that I may poison you in peace."

After much convincing, which involved kissing and rubbing his still nude and slightly wet body on Severus, Harry got to help by slicing bread for their sandwiches. Their very late dinner commenced with pin-dropping quiet after a couple of Harry's failed attempts to bait Snape into further conversation.

Finally Harry took a sip of his wine and said, "I don't know what Malfoy was complaining about. I think this wine is excellent."

"You would."

"Of course I would! I don't know a thing about wines. I don't suppose you could afford some time to educate me?"

"I have already wasted nearly half of your life trying to do just that."

Harry raised his glass. "To Severus Snape, never a quitter," Harry grinned what he knew was his goofiest grin and drained his glass. He was delighted when Snape's mouth twitched slightly which was right around the corner from a genuine smile and the closest Harry had ever seen Snape come to one.

"What is it that you wish to know?"

"Well, what was that then, a chablis?"

Harry -was- having fun. He smiled around his sandwich when Severus finished rolling his eyes, poured Harry another glass of the truly horrible local stuff, and launched into a lecture on different types of wines, their characteristics and making. It wasn't exactly a conversation but was far better than listening to Snape's brooding silence.

Harry had helped clean up, performed a teeth-cleaning spell, and was crawling into bed, when he interrupted a highly scientific explanation of the fermentation process to say, "Wow, you sure do know a lot about wine! Now, why wasn't that red wine a chablis again?" Severus hit him with his pillow and Twilighted the room. Harry rolled over on top of him.

"Severus? I don't want to be a virgin forever. Do you think you could help me out with that? Please?"

A thumb brushed over his cheek and those bottomless black eyes bored into his very soul. Harry wondered what they saw there. Snape's voice spread like silk when he whispered, "Not tonight, Harry. Sleep now."

Harry wasn't sure if it were a spell or just a brilliant suggestion. Either way, he had no idea how late it was and felt completely knackered. He let Severus pull him down so that Harry's head was nestled under Snape's chin. Harry fell asleep in Snape's arms and slept hard.

When he awoke, far too much sunlight was streaming in through now bare windows. The second thing he noticed was that except for him, the bed was empty. Next, when Harry had sat up and rubbed the sleep out of his eyes, he realized that the room held a lot less furniture than it had the night before. In fact, there was nothing in the room, apart from the bed and one small table. As soon as Harry crawled out of bed to investigate the table, the bed disappeared.

"Bastard."

Harry padded over to the table. His clothes had been cleaned and were neatly folded. His glasses and wand were placed atop his clothes. Next to the pile of clothing a pomegranate acted as a paperweight. Under it was a folded piece of parchment. Since Harry dreaded reading what ever was written there he dressed first. While he dressed, Harry tried hard to imagine something so horrible that even Severus Snape wouldn't say it to him in person. He failed miserably.

Harry could still see perfectly well. Thanks to Severus, and Voldemort's magic, he didn't know when or if he'd ever need to wear his glasses again. He put them in his pocket. When Harry could think of nothing else to do he rolled the pomegranate carefully aside so that at least the table would stay for a while and picked up the note.

H,

Am unable to receive gifts at this time. Will find you six months from today. If you do not come to your senses will accept any you then wish to offer.

S.

Harry sat down on the tiled floor. 'Not tonight, Harry.' Bastard Slytherin! He read the note several more times. He glanced up at the pomegranate on the table, considering the Snape situation. Buggered off to Greece then, has he? If he thinks I'm just going to stalk him around the bloody globe-

No. That's not what Snape wants. That's what I want. What he wants is to give me six months of a chance to go off of him and find someone else. Noble bastard.

When Harry finally stood up again, he carefully folded the note and put it in his pocket. He briefly considered charming the word 'Bastard!' into the wood grain and spelling the table to kick Snape, if he ever came close to it again, in the shin or a bit higher up even. Instead he snatched the pomegranate like a snitch and watched the table disappear.

On his way out, he looked room to room. Each was as empty as the next. Harry found the door and walked through it. He realized that he was on the street across from Omar's Wand Repair near the Wizarding Bazaar, which made no sense to Harry because-

And when Harry spun around, the house was gone. Complete and total bastard. Well, I'll show him what he can do with his six months and a pomegranate!

Harry returned to Bill's to find him perusing the morning paper over a cup of tea.

"Morning, Harry!"

"Morning."

Harry poured himself a cup and fell into the chair across from Bill. Bill looked up from his paper.

"What's happened to your glasses?"

"Nothing. They're in my pocket."

Bill's concerned expression gave way to a knowing grin.

"Hard night?"

"Not really."

"Didn't find Snape by any chance? Did you?"

"I walked around the Wizarding Bazaar until late. I found a room." There, thought Harry, misleading but not at all untrue.

"Floo-called Melvin this morning. Apparently he's got some new project he's keen on, but says he'll be available in a couple of days. Can always ask someone else if you're in a hurry?"

"Doesn't matter, Bill. I'm leaving."

"Oh?" Bill tossed the paper aside and picked up his tea."Mind if I ask why the sudden change of heart?" He took a sip.

"Snape's not here."

"I see. Where you off to next, then?"

"Athens."

"Why ever not? Travel's good for the soul."

Harry looked down at the pomegranate he was holding in his hand under the table.

"Bill, do you know the story of Persephone?"

"Sort of. A real looker, so much so that Hades himself fancies her. So what does he do? He kidnaps her, whisks her off to the Underworld with him. Trouble is Persephone's mum goes mental. Can't do her job since she's out looking everywhere for Persephone. Being that her mum's Demeter, the goddess in charge of making everything grow, the whole earth dies out. Now that gets Zeus' attention. He sends Hermes to the Underworld to demand Persephone's return. Well now, old Hades- what a sneaky fuck he is. He pretends that he can't be arsed if Persephone leaves him. He just gives her a pomegranate before sending her on her merry way. Persephone, poor anorexic flower, eats some of it but can't finish the whole thing. Still, that wee bit she does eat binds her to Hades in the Underworld, but only for a part of every year, instead of the whole thing like Hades was hoping. When Persephone is with him in the Underworld, her mum does a nutter and goes on strike again. Those months of the year are what we mere mortals refer to as winter."

"That's pretty much what I thought. First day of winter is exactly six months from today."

"So it is. Any reason why you're asking after Miss Persephone?"

Harry held up the fruit. "Found one for breakfast. Made me think of her."

Bill grinned and took another sip of his tea. "Eve too, I'll bet. You certain he's not a vampire?"

"Who? Snape? Why?"

"Harry, mate, that's quite a love bite you're sporting under your new necklace."

Harry only smiled. He peeled away the leathery skin of his pomegranate and took a love bite of his own. Juicy red kernals exploded tartly on his tongue. Unlike that poor, anorexic Persephone, a little taste of The-Fruit-From-Hell was not nearly enough to satisfy Harry Potter. Unlike Persephone's soul-sister Eve, Harry wasn't about sharing. By all the gods, Harry hungered for Snape's whole sweet deal.

-That really was the end. Thanks for reading!