How Severus Spends His Summer Hols

DISCLAIMER: JKR owns everything that is in reference to the Harry Potter world if it is in one of my works of fiction. If it is not found in one of her creations, then it is mine unless otherwise stated. I am not making any profit from the writing of this story.

The men drove on for several more miles discussing the possibilities of opening an apothecary catering to both the muggle and wizard communities when Harry began to show signs of life once more. He rubbed his eyes sleepily and looked up at Severus with blurry green eyes.

“Did I do anything stupid, Sev?” he asked softly, his face starting to colour as small snippets of things said while the potion had affected him came back to him. Severus only smiled and stroked his cheek gently.

“No Harry, nothing stupid.” Severus reassured. “Did you rest well? Max’s calming draughts tend to be stronger than mine, I’ve noticed. The last time I was dosed with one I slept for nearly four hours.”

Max snorted at that. “Well you were being an ass as usual, my friend. Damon has serious issues about you starting fights with that acid tongue of yours.”

Severus just smirked and Harry covered his smile with his hand and giggled at the image of his husband starting a fight. If they only knew how taciturn the Potions Master was at the boarding school, they’d never believe this was the same man.

“Well the overgrown cretin needed an upbraiding; he just didn’t know it yet.” Severus sniffed trying so hard not to laugh with his friend at the memory; he wanted to feel properly offended.

“Uh huh…you’re all mouth when you’ve had a couple of beers in you.” Max chuckled as he shook his head. He liked seeing his friend as happy and as content as he was with Harry, even with the problems they had.

“Ummmm…” Harry interrupted softly as he looked around the town they’d just come into. Both men turned to look at him and then Max gave his attention back to the road.

“What is it Harry?” his husband asked as he smoothed the younger man’s hair back from his forehead. He couldn’t believe the man wasn’t showing any signs of any of the memories he’d relived while asleep.

“Could we maybe stop at a hardware store?” he asked as he worried his lower lip. He knew the bill of rights said he could make requests, but he wasn’t sure. “Please?” he added softly.

Max glanced at Severus, he didn’t care if they stopped and there was a Wal Mart coming up on the left, it was up to the other man. Severus shrugged his shoulders and nodded, he didn’t care either.

“Sure Harry, what do you need to get?” Severus asked his curiosity was piqued by his husband’s request. He watched his husband’s face, he could see the immediate response Harry had was to obey and to answer the question, but he didn’t think Harry wanted him to know.

“Can it be a secret for now, Sir?” Harry whispered softly, his fingers twisting nervously in his lap. He really didn’t know how to behave in this situation. A large hand covered his smaller ones and gave them a comforting squeeze.

“Of course Harry. You don’t have to tell me a thing. Do you want Max to go with you?” Severus wasn’t too sure just how well Harry would be able to function by himself in a muggle store and truth be told, he was a little worried about him. Harry shook his head and smiled shyly.

“I’ll be okay Sev. May I have some money please?”

Severus pulled his wallet from his back pocket and looked at Harry as he opened it.

“How much do you need Harry?”

They younger man bit his lip and concentrated, he had no earthly clue how much he needed. Sighing in disappointment at his stupidity he shook his head and looked down.

“Never mind stopping Sirs, I don’t know how much I need and I don’t want to waste your time.”

Max pulled the truck into a parking spot and shut the engine off as Severus cocked a brow at Harry and handed him a folded bill.

“That’s nonsense Harry. Here is a hundred dollars, if you need more come and find me, don’t be afraid, it’ll be okay if you do.” He said as he folded Harry’s fingers over the money. “Now you go get whatever it is you want. I am going to stretch my legs a little as well.”

The three men approached the front of the store, and of course it being an early Saturday afternoon at Wal Mart in the summer there was the requisite tribe of children with a large cardboard box in front of the store giving away puppies. Or in this case three tribes of said children. The two older men noticed Harry speeding up as he heard the yipping of a puppy. Max turned to Severus and grinned.

“You are so screwed dude.” He laughed as they watched Harry lean down into a deep box and then come up with an armful of what had to have been a nightmare cross of Great Dane and St. Bernard puppy. Severus looked in horror at the animal in his husband’s arms. The creature was nearly as big as the young man and nearly as shaggy. He was staggering under its attempts to lick his face and wiggle out of his arms when his husband rescued him and plucked the pooch from his arms.

Undeterred, Harry leaned down again and picked up another and ended up knocked on his bottom on the sidewalk as the side of the box collapsed under the weight of the behemoth pooches and spilled out against him. Giggling, he looked up into the face of an unsmiling Potions Master. Severus bent down and helped his scrabbling husband to his feet.

“I think not Harry.” He admonished softly as he replaced the dogs in the box and glanced at the laughing children. Harry immediately silenced himself and dropped his eyes. “You need to go get your marketing done Harry.”

“Yes Sir.” Harry all but whispered as he hurried into the store in near tears from embarrassment at his actions.

Max looked at his friend like he’d grown a third head as Severus looked after Harry’s retreating back, he was waiting until he was out of sight before he turned back to him. Max glowered at him, looking for the entire world like he wanted to take a swing on him.

“Was that really necessary Severus?” Max growled dangerously, he didn’t like seeing Harry upset again so soon. “Don’t you think the kid’s been through enough yet?” Severus turned and looked at his friend in surprise.

“You have no idea Max. And yes it was necessary.” He said as he moved over to a box of puppies to one side of a soda machine that he’d noticed as they’d walked up.

“I need your help. I don’t know how to pick out a puppy Max.” Severus said as they looked down in the box at two small dachshunds. “I know these stay small, Harry can’t have a big dog like that, and it’ll hurt him or the kids.”

Understanding dawned on Max then and he laughed, shaking his head, he leaned down and picked the two pups up. The teenage girl by the box spoke up.

“They are full blooded, we just didn’t register them, they are miniature wiener dogs, both boys. Seven weeks old.”

“How much do you require for them?” Severus asked as Max handed one of the little black and tan wriggling bundles to him. As it licked his face and nibbled the end of his nose, he decided he didn’t care how much he was, he was going home with him.

“Both for fifty misters. I want to go home.” She said as she shifted her weight from foot to foot.

“Have they been wormed or anything?” Max asked as he looked over the one in his hand. It was busy trying to eat his thumb.

“They were wormed last week and we gave them their first shot two days ago. They eat dry food and like to live in the house.” She said quickly, she could smell a sale.

Severus just pulled out his wallet and handed her the money and took the other puppy from Max, snuggling them both to his chest. Then turned and took them into the store to quickly get a few supplies for them.

Walking back to the truck with the puppies and the sacks of supplies, the two men were smiling. Max was very pleased that Severus had gone out of his way to get the little animals for Harry. It seemed that no matter what had been thrown at that little guy he just kept on going, reminded him of some damn bunny that used to be on a battery commercial that wore flip flops and played a drum. Harry’d never give up and Max had nothing but admiration for him.

As they got back to the truck they found a very still and subdued Harry waiting for them in the back seat floorboards on his knees, his eyes closed and his lips moving in a nearly silent litany of his imagined sins. Max nodded to Sev since he’d seen the boy first. Harry didn’t flinch as the back door opened.

“Harry.” Severus said softly and reached out to touch a moist cheek. His husband’s head stayed bowed, but his hands quieted their nervous clenching.

“I..I’m sorry I embarrassed you, Severus,” Harry said quietly.

Severus placed the sacks he was carrying on the seat and reached behind him so Max could give him a puppy. Bringing it around, he held it out to Harry.

“Love, open your eyes. You didn’t embarrass me. I just couldn’t let you fall in love with something that big.” He said gently as he placed the squirming pup in his husband’s shaking hands. He reached behind him again for the second one and then set him on the floorboards in front of his husband.

Harry opened his eyes and made a sound of something between a choking sob and cry of happiness, he scooped both little puppies into the crook of one arm and then flung himself into his husband’s arms. Severus cradled him gently, he didn’t give a damn that they were in the open, he didn’t care who saw or what they saw. He tenderly kissed his husband and received Harry’s kisses in return.

Max, being the awesome man that he is, cast a simple notice me not charm on the two, now any one that noticed would see a man and wife instead.

Harry had himself wrapped around his husband’s body, his legs around his waist and arms around his shoulders. He peppered the older man with kisses and endearments. Severus could see the old Harry, the Harry before the wedding coming out again. Some of the stress was lifting a bit with just the warmth from a couple of two pound canine bug nappers.

“Thank you Husband, thank you,” Harry murmured over and over again as he buried his face in the crook of Severus’ neck.

“Do you like them, then, my love?” Severus asked as he rubbed slow circles on Harry’s back. He could feel Harry nodding his head and could feel the pups wriggling between them. And then he heard it. A low rumbling grumble, loud enough even the pups hushed for a moment. He looked down at Harry and Harry looked contrite.

“Right then. The bump must be fed Max.” Severus said as he swung his husband up into the front seat with the puppies and belted him in.



A/N~ thought we needed some awwwwww now…..now I have to find puppy names….just wait til you hear Sev’s suggestions.