Death Eater Takes a Holiday

Chapter 62 ‘Ordinary’ Life

\"I can\'t tell you how much I appreciate you’re helping me out,\" Hermione pushed a shopping cart through the aisles at the grocers. \"So, it turns out there is a good reason to serve all the comfort foods after a Warding,\" she knew this to be true, as Harry had already answered all her questions three times over, but he did enjoy seeing her so excited. He couldn\'t imagine what she would be like after Ron popped the question later that night. \'Off the wall\', a little voice provided. \"Are you sure you don\'t mind taking care of the food for me? It would make things so much easier, since we still have errands to run,\" she was practically bouncing at the checkout counter.

\"Are you sure your mum knows I\'m coming? I don\'t want to freak her out,\" Harry remembered the first time Ron Apparated into the Granger home. Poor Mrs. Granger had taken it fairly well, once she came to. Harry took as many sacks as he could pick up himself and stood still as she piled on a few more. \"Is that all of them?\" he hoped.

\"That\'s all of them. I told her to expect you within the next twenty minutes or so. She promised to stay away from the corner of the kitchen opposite the back door.\" Hermione had previously drawn Harry a map, and then taken and shown him a photograph, and tried not to take offense when he made fun of her obsessive-compulsive attention to detail. With a \'Pop\', Harry arrived in the kitchen and managed not to drop a single package. Crookshanks however, hadn\'t expected a sudden arrival next to his water dish, and swiped at his ankle.

\"That\'s twice in one week, you mangy…\" Harry trailed off when he noticed Mrs. Granger smiling sweetly at him from the next room. She cautiously entered and side-stepped the ginger cat that was darting from the kitchen with a hiss. She fussed over Harry and took some of the sacks he was ready to drop. She fussed over his scratch and offered to dab it with antiseptic. He remembered Hermione once mentioned her mother was feeling a little useless since her daughter could now openly do magic at home and could do most of the chores in no time at all.

Harry didn\'t have the heart to say no when she pulled out the first aid kit and cleaned up his scratch and applied antibacterial cream and a small bandage to keep it covered. Even Crookshanks made another appearance, rubbing on his leg, looking for forgiveness.

\"You better get used to it, pal,\" Harry picked up the heavy cat. \"Very soon, your mummy\'s going to be popping in and out at odd times,\" he waggled a finger at his furry face. Addressing Mrs. Granger, he explained, \"She\'s waiting for me. I had better get going. Are you sure you don\'t need any help with these?\" Harry felt a little bad about dumping a bunch of food to be put away. He hated that part of food shopping. Hermione\'s mum shooed him out, getting an appreciative smile from him in return. He thanked her again for the first aid and Apparated back to Hermione. Remembering Kieran\'s advice, he used a quick healing spell on his leg.

\"Everything go all right?\" she asked, resisting the temptation to ask what took so long. He teased her about not mentioning the cat\'s bowl when she drew him a diagram of the kitchen. It hadn’t been there in the picture, either.

\"Did you want to run one of your errands while I go to the bank?\" he asked, checking his watch.

\"Would you mind terribly if I went with you?\" she asked timidly. \"To your vault,\" she added quietly.

\"I don\'t care. Let me guess, you like going for the ride in the carts?\" he teased.

\"I\'ve never actually seen a vault there. My mum and dad have always given me my spending cash. So I\'ve no need to open one of my own, at least not until I get a job. I always thought it would be fascinating to see one, but you know how sensitive Ron is about money,\" she said with a wince.

Ten minutes later…

With a squeal and a hand over her mouth, Hermione enjoyed her first cart ride to vault number 687. Harry pulled out a small leather pouch from his pocket and filled it up. Hermione didn\'t think much of it as she\'d seen him use the very same pouch for years. It was when he pulled out a much larger pouch that she did take notice.

\"Plan to do some shopping?\" she asked playfully. \"I do hope that\'s for my Warding gift,\" she added with a chuckle.

\"Nah, bookmarks don\'t cost all that much,\" he replied with a wink. \"This is to pay my rent,\" he told her honestly. She almost fell over. It was a substantial amount of gold. In fact, as he continued to pour, she thought it might have been a magically enlarged pouch, if the load of gold he put in was any indication.

Once finished with the bank, they set off to go see Mr. Jennings, Harry\'s landlord.

\"I know it\'s none of my business, but when you rented this place, you said you had two choices. You could either pay monthly or quarterly. That seems like an awful amount of gold, even if you chose the latter.\"

\"Consider it a WWW tax,\" he joked, giving no explanation until she was ready to bust. Eventually he relented and explained it to her.

\"I was trying out a new set of listening devices the twins invented. I listened from the bedroom as they spoke softly in the other room to see if they worked well enough. Well, they worked better than expected. What I didn\'t expect, was to hear Mr. Jennings in his shop after hours. Turns out, the spells used to contain explosions work, but during a big blast,\" Harry rolled his eyes, and continued, \"during a big blast, the plaster on the ceiling rains dust down across the antiques downstairs. I overheard him telling his wife he wanted to evict me.\"

\"Those idiots,\" she scowled.

\"The Jennings are nice, but I guess that was one too many explosions,\" Harry said in their defense.

\"I was referring to Fred and George,\" she said in an annoyed tone.

\"No worries, I took care of it. I waited a few days for Jennings to calm down and went in to ask him if he wouldn\'t mind me paying six months in advance.\" Harry grinned. \"Money talks. The poor man started to sputter and next thing I knew Mrs. Jennings was out of the back room like a shot, telling me they didn’t mind at all.\"

\"That\'s very shrewd of you, Mr. Potter,\" she tucked her arm under his and enjoyed the walk to the antique shop. The air wasn\'t too cold yet.

\"I also like knowing I\'m paid up in advance. If something were to happen to me, no one would be pressed for time to figure out what to do with my things.\"

\"Harry, that\'s positively morbid! Don\'t talk of such things,\" she gave his arm a squeeze as if it would keep him there longer.

\"I didn\'t mean if I was dead,\" his tone was as exasperated as hers. \"I have a will for that sort of stuff. I meant other things. I\'ve spent a substantial amount of time in a healing coma in the past. You never really know what\'s going to happen. I\'m sure if something were to happen, my things would just go to my room at the tower in Hogwarts, but this way no one has to make any hasty decisions. I\'d hate to accidentally eat a box of Forge\'s Ginger Naps™ and find out I\'d lost my apartment when I woke up a week later,\" he kidded, trying to lighten the mood.

They continued to run errands, and eventually stopped for butterbeer, where Harry explained he couldn\'t stay long after the Warding of her parents’ home.

\"But the wards will already be up,\" she pressed.

\"I know, but they’re not like the wards at Hogwarts. You\'ll understand after the Warding and you’re drained. Please trust me on this,\" Harry took a swig of his drink and hoped she\'d get over it soon enough.

\"Aren\'t we doing almost the same Warding for my house?\" she asked, wanting to understand.

\"Yes, but try dining with Severus, Filius and Albus and tell me you don\'t feel safe,\" he said with a wink.

In the end she understood that he couldn\'t chance leaving himself vulnerable when he was exhausted, and in part he was concerned not to make a target of Hermione’s family. She chose to change the subject.


\"Ron\'s taking me out to dinner. He didn\'t say where we were going. I hate that, since I wont know what to wear,\" she whined.

\"He mentioned he had to get dressed for a meeting today. Something about he Minister for Magic possibly showing up. I guess his boss told him to wear decent robes. You know Ron; he probably wants to take you out since he had to get dressed up anyway. You might want to wear your new dress,\" he added casually, hoping she wouldn\'t think much of his suggestion. He was glad now that she didn\'t know about the ring yet.

\"Better to over-dress I suppose. I had fun last night. Please thank him again for me. I feel so much better, having talked to him about the Warding plans,\" she knew not to say Severus\' name.

\"Whenever I see him again,\" said Harry dejectedly, and whispered. \"He got called last night. I think something\'s going on. It was a rough night,\" he didn\'t make eye contact with her, and she wondered who it was a rough night for—or maybe both of them? \"I’d better get going. Use that new stuff you got for your hair tonight,\" he said with a wink, and left a few coins on the table for the waitress.

\"Is there something you\'re not telling me?\" she asked with narrowed eyes.

\"Yes, that I\'m jealous I can\'t go on dates with my significant other and must live vicariously through you,\" he gave her a kiss and grabbed her packages.

Hermione took the Floo home from the Three Broomsticks and picked up Crookshanks. Harry Apparated into the kitchen once again and handed over her packages.

\"Thanks for everything,\" she gave him a big hug and wished him well with his next meeting with Kieran.

~\\*'

Harry was concerned. He was starting to notice a pattern. He\'d been complaining about Voldemort having such bad timing when he realized what might have been happening. Severus and he had been relaxing on the sofa, watching a show on the telly, when Harry turned to find dark eyes gazing over at him. Severus had been watching him with a look that made him want to melt. The programme forgotten, they simply sat quietly gazing into each other\'s eyes. Harry could see Sev\'s love for him, and sighed contentedly. It was one of those moments when you realize how truly wonderful your lover is. It was just at that tender moment when a flash of pain struck so hard he almost heaved.

Poor Severus, having a special moment with Harry, and the next thing he knows his lover looks like he\'s going to be sick. That was when the Dark Lord summoned him to make a strong pain killer.

Thinking back, Harry remembered how happy he was the night before when his friends were over having dinner with them. Later, they\'d rutted together like a couple of overeager kids and he\'d loved it. He had been thinking back to their time together as teens, along with his new discovery of Sev\'s hot reaction when he heard Harry speaking Parseltongue. He\'d been very happy and horny as well.

He wanted to tell Severus about his suspicions regarding the Dark Lord feeling Harry’s own intense feelings, but hadn\'t had a chance. He knew Severus well enough to know he\'d felt bad about the other night. He wanted to tell him it was all right. Sure, he\'d felt bad at the time, but something like that is quickly forgotten when you lover is under an Unforgivable and you\'re forced to watch and feel it through a vision.

Later that evening, Harry chilled out, reading while he watched the telly. He barely paid attention to the show as his mind was on the treatment plan Kieran had explained. It sounded as if they\'d managed to take away the pain for the serious parts, but he couldn’t help but feel anxious. Every so often he would check the fire to see if Ron and Mione were coming. Ron had told him to leave the fire open just in case. Harry expected they\'d go off and shag somewhere, but then again with Hermione flipping out, you never knew exactly what to expect.

A flash of red hair in the fire and he thought he\'d seen Ron. Except then he noticed there were two of them, looking too much alike to be anyone but the twins, even if Harry wasn\'t wearing his glasses.

\"Hey, mate!\" chorused the duo. \"Want some company?\"

\"You mean do I want to sit alone watching the telly while you stink up the place brewing a potion?\" he grinned, and flicked his hand in a welcoming gesture. \"You may as well come in,\" he couldn\'t help but think he sounded like Severus.

Fred tumbled in, with George following shortly behind. \"Tonight\'s the night,\" George sang.

\"Ron\'s been walking around for days acting barmy, half the time with a big goofy grin on his face, the rest just jittery as a cat in a roomful of rocking chairs,\" groaned Fred.

Harry laughed. \"They’re a pair then. You think Mione\'s barmy now, planning the Warding? Just wait until she\'s planning her own wedding. I think I\'ll be taking a nice long trip, soon,\" laughed Harry with a snort.

A few butterbeers and half a cake later, the twins were explaining a new idea they had.

\"If you\'re going to brew, you\'d best get going. I have to whip up a few things myself,\" Harry remembered he needed to restock his potions. It wasn\'t like him to leave Hogwarts without some, but between the night he\'d suffered and his meeting with the Healers, he had forgotten.

Harry froze when he heard a knock at the door. He pulled his wand, and spelled a view window. It appeared to be Kieran. \"Who is it?\" he asked, though he was fairly sure.

\"Delivery! Flowers for Mr. Potter,\" came the announcement.

\"No thanks, I\'m allergic,\" replied Harry, and almost jumped when the door was pounded on again. \"Who is it?\" he sang out once again.

\"Fawkes! Open this door before I give you something worth healing! It\'s not too early to start your treatment!\" Kieran threw a hex the moment the door opened, but Harry\'s shield was already in place.

\"Hey, Kieran, you remember Fred and George,\" Harry hadn\'t even acknowledged the hex thrown at him.

\"Snape didn\'t get a chance to see you, so I offered to drop these off.\" Kieran handed over an assortment of potions, much to Harry\'s relief.

\"You offered, or he threatened your life?\"

\"I may have owed him a favor,\" Kieran said evasively with a grin and looked over to the twins. \"Snape may have mentioned you two once or twice. So, we finally meet,\" Kieran eyed the redhead on the left who was sporting a hand-knit jumper with a large \'G\' on the front. \"You must be Fred,\" Kieran smirked, having guessed right.

\"He\'s got you two pegged. I\'d be careful if I were you,\" Harry laughed all the harder; Fred and George already looked as if they\'d be careful around Kieran. \"Drink?\" he offered.

\"I\'ve got someplace I have to be, but I have time for a quick one,\" Kieran gave the twins an evil grin. He could have fun with these two.

\"I don\'t remember what you drink,\" Harry doubted Kieran was a big fan of butterbeer.

\"A little birdie told me if you were to look behind a certain sack of sugar in the cupboard, there may be something I like,\" Kieran strolled over to the cauldron, looking to see what was brewing. Harry rolled his eyes and checked behind the sugar to find a small bottle. He poured the contents into a worn, old glass, confident Kieran would care less if he didn\'t have fine crystal glassware like Severus had.


\"You\'re a friend of Snape\'s,\" George remembered Harry telling him that the night they met Jo Black. He hoped never to see Harry in drag again. He\'d never imagined Snape having a friend before. \"Were you at Hogwarts for lunch? We heard the founder of the Wellingfield Institute was there today.\"

\"Is that right?\" Kieran seemed only vaguely interested. \"How did you hear about that?\" Kieran thought the news had spread quickly, since it\'d only been hours ago.

\"Our sister\'s a seventh year,\" Fred explained. \"I hear Frances Wellingfield herself was there to discuss the use of potions in healing with Professor Snape,\" George stirred while talking. Harry kept a straight face as best he could.

\"Maybe Severus will introduce you to her,\" Harry said helpfully to Kieran. Kieran had meant to go along with the gag, but remembered something else.

\"I can\'t believe what you said to her.\" Kieran emptied his glass. \"How many Healers can one kid offend in a month’s time?\" he asked with a laugh. Harry grumbled indistinctly about not being a kid. Kieran only laughed harder. Harry sank onto the sofa and made faces at the Scot\'s back as he found his way to the loo. Fred and George jumped at the opportunity to have Harry alone for a minute.

\"Was she there for you?\" George asked quickly. Harry gave a short nod, and turned his head when their eyes widened. \"Are you okay?\" the twin asked nervously. \"Did something bad happen when you um…when you got our letter, the portkey?\"

Harry had never seen the twins look so pathetic. They had come close when they thought Harry was out of money, but this was unnerving him. \"I\'m fine,\" he said flatly, only causing them to look more worried. \"Look, I\'m not ready to talk about this one just yet,\" Harry said in what he hoped was a calm tone.

\"Can you tell us if it\'s something from your test?\"


Harry could see they still felt guilty having sent him the portkey, especially with his past experience with them. He sighed before making eye contact as best he could with both of them. \"I have no residual problems from the test at all. You know how it is, I can\'t tell you two something before I get a chance to tell Ron. When I\'m ready…\" he added, exasperated, \"would you guys please not look at me like that?\"

\"But…\" Fred started, but George took it from there. \"We saw the letter you got from the Institute. We wouldn\'t read it of course, we um, just happened to notice the stationery. That\'s a place for Healers. The only time regular people go there is when…\" he trailed off.

Kieran entered the room noticing the sudden silence. \"Don\'t stop on account of me, that is, unless you were talking about me,\" he grinned at Harry who looked relieved to see him.

\"No, we weren\'t talking about you. We were talking about Healers,\" Fred supplied nervously.

Kieran smirked. \"Is tha\' right?\" he said with a wink to Harry. Kieran picked up a small cookie from a plate on the table. He pretended not to notice the twin\'s reaction. He watched them seemingly have an entire dialog without speaking a single word, and wondered if it was a twin thing, or because they\'d spent so much time together. At ten years old, he and Severus could easily do the same.

Kieran asked them what they knew about Healers and talked with his hands, waving the cookie around. Never once did he mention he was a Healer himself. Every time he looked as if he\'d take a bite, he would suddenly think of something to say and wave it around again. Harry chuckled as cookie crumbs sprinkled the floor.

With all the hand gestures, the twins missed Kieran\'s quick flick of his wand, making the Ginger Nap ineffective. He finally ate the cookie and dropped to the floor in a heap. Harry didn\'t think for a minute he was actually asleep. The twins weren\'t sure if they should be celebrating a good prank or running for their lives.

\"Does he have a good sense of humor?\" asked George worriedly. He\'d forgotten this same man had helped kidnap Harry, turn him into a girl and take him out drinking for his birthday.

\"His best friend is Severus Snape,\" Harry said flatly, letting them take that however they wanted. Pleased with their matching panicked expressions, he did not attempt to alleviate their fears.

\"Get him onto the sofa. When he wakes up, we could talk as if he\'d been awake the whole time. It worked with Ginny,\" Fred looked nervously at the intimidating looking wizard on the floor. While they levitated him to the sofa, Harry flicked his wand, using a spell the Scot had taught him.

\"What did you do to him?\" asked Harry dramatically when he saw his spell take effect. George watched in horror as the face beneath the three-day-old beard turned blue. \"Is he choking? You better do mouth-to-mouth,\" Harry said, trying not to crack up. That was Kieran\'s breaking point. He quickly announced the next lips on his had better be a woman\'s or he was going to start hexing anything that moved.


~\\*'

Remus Lupin shuffled through a stack of essays he was dreading to grade when he heard a knock on his office door. Severus came in and they spoke of recent events. Remus reported there had been no indication any students were told of their supposed relationship. Severus confirmed Flynn, the student who blackmailed them, had brought the information to show Voldemort he would be a good follower should he be allowed to take the Mark.

\"The Dark Lord was none too happy that I hadn\'t told him of our arrangement,\" Severus sat in a chair across from Remus\' desk.

\"What exactly does the Dark Lord think our \'arrangement\' is? Are we lovers, coworkers with benefits?\" questioned Remus and not looking at all happy about it.

\"A barter of sorts,\" Severus said vaguely, but Remus saw the smirk. \"You get a better Wolfsbane potion, with advancements not available in the apothecary form, in exchange for sex,\" Severus raised a brow as if to ask what could be wrong with such an arrangement.

\"Reports of you being seen with me several times is enough to confirm this with him?\" asked Remus skeptically.

\"There may have been a few months where I was less than my usual daunting greasy git the morning after the full moon,\" Severus again answered vaguely.

\"Why would that be? Even if I agreed to have sex with you, I\'m hardly in any shape for it the morning after a change,\" Remus hadn\'t caught on to what he\'d actually meant.

\"Oddly enough, the Dark Lord asked a similar question. I simply explained that it was a struggle for you to come to terms with having sex with me and it was easier to take you the morning after, when you were too weak to resist my advances,\" Severus watched for Remus\' reaction amusedly.

\"Why did he ask in the first place? I didn\'t think the great spy would slip up and give anything away like that.\" Remus could give as good as he got. \"Was it for my benefit that you looked well shagged the morning after?\"

\"I have never taught a class looking \'well shagged\'!\" Severus wasn\'t having as much fun now. \"Perhaps I\'m just in a better mood on the mornings I wake with a hot mouth wrapped around my cock,\" he said crudely, getting the expected response from the wolf, the protective wolf that didn\'t like to think about his friend\'s son fellating Snape.

\"Are we finished? I have work to do,\" Remus said shortly. \"You realize I only tolerate this for Harry\'s sake,\" Remus stood, indicating they were finished. Snape\'s lips thinned.

\"About Harry,\" Severus\' words softer now. He had to learn not to annoy people he needed favors from. Luckily, Remus sat back down. \"I was summoned before I had a chance to speak with him about all this.
I mentioned it to Albus just in case, Gods forbid he find out some other way. At least someone can confirm the truth, but…\" he tailed off, thinking about the last time he\'d seen Harry, wanting to hold him and tell him he was sorry.

\"I need a favor,\" Severus spoke evenly. Remus could see what a struggle it was for him to say those four words. \"I\'m not comfortable with the way things were left. I need to contact him, but I\'d never risk sending a letter directly.\"

\"Would you like me to send him one?\" Remus offered. Severus was grateful for the offer even if it was only for Harry\'s sake.

\"If you wouldn\'t mind,\" Severus thought about what he wanted to say while Remus retrieved the needed items. He then narrated what he wanted to say in the letter. Remus wrote as if the words were coming from him. With a few key words, Harry would know it was actually from Severus.

In the letter he warned Harry to be careful, and avoid exposing himself after his friend\'s Warding, when he would be vulnerable after doing a great deal of magic. He also mentioned that they had something important to discuss, but if he didn\'t get a chance, he should go to Albus for the information. After several more lines, Severus paused.

\"Should I close it here?\" Remus asked helpfully. He could see the turmoil on the Potions Master\'s face. His lips thinned. He didn\'t speak, but started to look annoyed or frustrated. Remus watched all this for a moment longer before refilling the quill with ink.

Severus watched intently as Remus scrolled I love you, at the bottom of the page. He gave a quick nod of approval with a terse \"Thank you,\" before leaving.

~\\*'


A wise man recognized the need to continue learning throughout his life. That was a firmly held belief of Albus Dumbledore. But, though he kept up on many things, it had been a number of years since he\'d read an advanced class text on theory and practice of modern healing magic. After hours of reading the dry text, Albus took a leisurely walk in the sun, across the grounds of Hogwarts, cheerfully greeting students as he went. With a last look at his pocket watch, Albus reached the edge of the Wards and left with a \'pop\'.

An enthusiastic receptionist met Albus at the Apparition entrance of St. Mungo\'s. She lead him to a quiet room where he would meet the doctor of a friend who had gladly agreed to teach Albus the spells he needed to help Harry with the treatment plan presented by Kieran.

While the doctor was teaching Albus, Harry was far off in a muggle home congratulating his best friends on their engagement. Hermione had screamed his name the moment her mother opened the door to let Harry in.

\"Guess you said yes!\" Harry grinned from ear to ear. He\'d never seen Hermione so happy. She had a similar smile the day the N.E.W.T. results came out; only today her whole face was lit up with joy. \"I\'m so happy for you guys,\" Harry grabbed Hermione tight and spun her around, while her mother nervously watched the floor lamp they were dangerously close to knocking over. \"Let\'s see it!\" he said, putting her back down.

Hermione proudly held up her left hand, showing her sparkling diamond ring. It had a petite band of yellow gold with a diamond set high in white gold prongs. The diamond was small, slightly yellow and had a few flaws, and in her eyes it was absolutely perfect.

\"I would show you all the markings on the inside, but I don\'t want to take it off,\" she said excitedly to Harry.

\"That\'s alright, I\'ve seen it before. You remember the day I stopped by with a friend?\" he said referring to Severus. \"We may have taken you by surprise that day,\" he teased. He expected her to snarl at him, but she was too excited, already moved on to wanting to begin measuring for the Warding.

\"We\'ve got work to do!\" she announced energetically. \"The Warding is in two hours!\"

She continued to bustle around the house, making preparations, checking on the food and measuring to mark the points where the people participating would stand during the actual spell casting. She checked, rechecked, and then wanted to go through it all again. That was when Harry and Ron each grabbed an elbow, and dragged Hermione to the kitchen to eat something. Mrs. Granger had been quite amused to see her daughter carried in, her feet barely touching the floor. She happily set a plate down in front of the frazzled witch.

To Ron\'s relief, his fiancé had calmed, but it was short lived. It was the first time she\'d entertained more than Ron\'s folks, and this was a big deal as wizarding traditions go.

Bill showed up early, complimenting her on the impressive job of preparations, reassuring her the measurements looked spot on. She did believe him, but it was a crucial part of the Warding, still leaving her nervous.

Harry tried to pacify her by making light of it. He should have known better. \"If you screw it up, you can always call this a warm up for when you ward your own home,\" he ducked as a heavy object came spiraling toward his head. Impressively, it was Mrs. Granger that saved him and her favorite stone carving from impact. Hermione continued to stress while the boys were annoyingly acting like boys.

Everyone turned around, eyes widened when Mrs. Granger opened the front door and exclaimed. \"Severus! How good it is to see you again!\"

They were equally shocked to see the Potions Master kissing her hand.

\"That was unexpected,\" Ron voiced what they\'d all been thinking. Hermione hurried to the entryway.

\"You two know each other?\" Hermione didn\'t know what to make of it. \"Sorry, Hello Professor,\" she apologized for her rude greeting.

\"Of course, dear,\" her mother said as if he\'d been an old friend. \"Who did you think put up the first wards with Professor Dumbledore?\"

Hermione looked dumbfounded. She had only recently learned there had been wards placed on the house back when she\'d been at school. Certainly, that one time wasn\'t enough for them to seem like old friends.

\"I hear congratulations are in order,\" Severus noted the ring on her finger and couldn\'t help but think of the Finnigan boy shouting out \'Oh baby.\'

\"I\'d introduce you, but I guess you know the kids from class,\" Mrs. Granger said, missing the wince on Harry\'s face. \"They grow up so fast. It seems like only yesterday you started coming by to cast the spells on the house. Soon my baby will be married and having her own children. Then we\'ll feel old,\" she laughed. Hermione looked pitifully at Severus, his face impassive.

\"You\'ll have to forgive her, Severus. I\'m afraid Hermione is a bit overwhelmed,\" her mother said in excuse for her daughter’s odd behavior.

\"Quite all right,\" Severus turned his eyes to Hermione, addressing her, \"I stopped by only for a moment. I have something to help calm your nerves. It was Albus\' idea,\" he added the last part. No reason for them to think he was nice, even if he had done it on his own.

\"Oh, I don\'t think I want to take a potion,\" she stammered. \"I hoped to have a glass of wine later.\" To her surprise, Severus held up a bag too large for potion vials. He carefully opened the leather case and retrieved a large stone with a crystal positioned in the center.

\"I trust your measurements are in order,\" he stated, expecting them to be done properly.

\"I\'ve measured several times,\" she began, and he cut her off before she could continue. He could almost see her shoulders rise with tension.

\"We will know soon enough,\" Severus set down the stone and quickly cast the spell showing the five points. He checked to see if the lights matched the markings Hermione had made. \"It would appear your measurements are correct,\" Severus said offhandedly, glancing up at her. \"Better than a potion?\" he asked with a smirk.

Hermione\' s tension visibly diminished. She glowed with pride, having done a great job, and then realized what he\'d done for her. He could have brought the stone earlier, eliminating the need for measurements, but he knew she enjoyed a challenge. With that worry now gone, she could relax a little and enjoy herself.

\"Better than a potion,\" she agreed. \"Will you join us for dinner?\" she asked, but he refused, having important errands to run before heading back to Hogwarts for some research.

Harry wanted to run over and throw his arms around him, but managed to stay still, hoping his eyes at least expressed his need. Severus had always told him how expressive his eyes were. He wondered if his bright greens could convey \'I need to hold you and kiss your whole body, making sure there are no new scars, and then hold you for another couple hours or weeks at the very least.\'

Severus allowed a smile when he saw Harry lost in thought. Mrs. Granger commented on his smile, looking between the two quickly with a quirky smile of her own. Severus left shortly after. Despite interrogations from Hermione, her mum didn\'t answer any of the questions about the odd exchange.

Ron, being the ‘son-in-law to be’, by all rights should have lead the Warding of the Granger home, but he bestowed the honor to his father. Ron would experience this, his first Warding, as a participant, so that in the future he would feel more prepared, having already witnessed it when it came time to lead the Warding for his own home with Hermione.

Standing between Hermione and Bill, Harry chanted along, reciting the spells. He looked worriedly to Ron\'s dad, but relaxed, seeing Arthur’s confidant, reassuring smile. When it came time to set the Apparition wards, Harry stepped back with Bill, only to be pulled back in by Hermione.

\"Are you sure?\" he asked, but should have known better.

\"You can\'t be serious,\" stated Hermione with an exaggerated sigh. \"Who\'ll help me with my packages?\" she teased.

After the Warding was completed, the Grangers and the remaining Weasley family entered for the festivities. Harry noticed Bill and Charlie glance his way while speaking to each other, but he couldn\'t think about that while something else bothered him.

\"Harry?\" Arthur watched him, knowing something had been on Harry\'s mind. \"You did very well,\" he thought Harry had looked unsure earlier on, while reciting the spells.

\"Thanks,\" Harry replied distractedly. \"Did everything go all right? It didn\'t feel the same as mine, I was afraid maybe I made a mistake. I couldn\'t feel the buzz. You know the um…hum of magic I felt at my Warding. Was it because this is someone else\'s home and not mine?\" Harry couldn\'t help but feel a little dim. Arthur chuckled, with a warm smile and a knowing grin. He mussed Harry\'s hair, making him feel all the more clueless, thinking he\'d missed something. It didn\'t help that he was so exhausted he wasn\'t sure how he was still standing.

\"Today was typical of most family Wardings. What you felt at your home, the \'buzz\' as you put it, was the collective magic of very powerful wizards. You Know Who fears Albus Dumbledore for a reason. I myself was honored, having been chosen to stand alongside wizards such as Filius Flitwick and Severus Snape. You, my boy, are a very powerful wizard, more so than anyone else here by far. You gave much of yourself for your friend\'s safety. I could feel it flow through the circle stronger than I could in the shadow of Albus and the others at your home,\" Arthur chuckled again, seeing Harry sway. \"Let\'s get you something to eat,\" he led Harry to the table.

Molly was fussing over Ron, while Mrs. Granger refused Hermione’s attempt to lend a hand in the kitchen. She\'d never seen her daughter so drained. Harry sat for a short time, eating a bite before he left.

Harry noticed Bill didn\'t look any more tired than Arthur had. He wondered if it was age, him not having reached his full potential yet. In the back of his mind, he thought of the magical reserve he couldn\'t tap into. Before he could ask, Charlie offered to escort Harry for the trip home. Molly looked like she wanted to protest, but they all knew it wasn\'t safe for Harry to stay there, nearly defenseless. It didn\'t help matters that anyone who paid attention would know of the opportunity this day presented.

In the morning paper, amongst the wedding announcements and fiftieth anniversaries, read the announcement of his friends\' wedding engagement. The Granger Warding doubles as an engagement party, read the quote. Ginny had excitedly called the paper, wanting to surprise her new sister-to-be. Ron and Hermione had been touched by the gesture, and chose not to mention the added risk caused by her actions.


\"Where to?\" asked Charlie, knowing he couldn’t Apparate into Harry\'s home. \"Back door, top of the steps?\"

\"The front gates,\" Harry then clarified \"to Hogwarts. I\'ll be able to sleep like a rock without a worry in the world.\"

Charlie raised a brow with a tilt of his head. \"From what I hear, your place is warded more soundly then Gringotts. You have all the magic that goes into the wards for the entire Hogwarts castle wrapped around your tiny apartment. Don\'t you feel safe there?\" he asked with a chuckle. It was an exaggeration, but still not too far from the truth.

\"You know the twins spend a lot of time there,\" Harry didn\'t need to elaborate. \"It also doesn\'t have a kitchen full of house elves to bring me a huge platter of food,\" he emphasized with a lick of his lips.

\"Or a sexy wizard waiting in the dungeons,\" Charlie winked.

\"That too,\" admitted Harry.

\"Assisted?\" Charlie understood Harry should have help Apparating.

\"You\'re just looking for an excuse to hold me,\" flirted Harry.

Before the door could open more then a crack, a flash went off. \"Your public awaits,\" Charlie said irritably. Harry sighed, but it only took a minute for Hermione to have plan \'B\' in effect.

Mrs. Granger held open the back door. \"Out you go,\" she sang. She continued to hold the door open, ignoring a camera flash. Reporters couldn\'t get too close, but they managed to yell out questions.

\"Can you tell us, was Miss Granger dating Mr. Weasley during his affair with Harry Potter?\"

\"It\'s been rumored the \'Golden Trio\' of Hogwarts are closer then socially acceptable. Are you disappointed she didn\'t choose Potter over Weasley? Will the three share a home after the wedding?\"

\"Can you confirm Miss Granger is in fact pregnant with Harry Potter\'s love child?\"

To her credit, Mrs. Granger remained quiet, though her face flared with anger. She continued to hold open the door, waiting for a fat, ginger cat to waltz out for some fresh air. The clever feline eyed Harry and Charlie knowingly as they stepped out the door under the Invisibility cloak. With a bushy tail held high in the air, Crookshanks followed behind, making his debut.

\"Thank you,\" sighed Harry into Charlie\'s shoulder when they arrived safely at the gates of Hogwarts. They checked around looking for anyone suspicious, finding no one, but remaining under the cloak regardless.

No sooner had they pushed past the large oak doors, Harry called for Dobby. The exuberant house elf bounced with glee, ready to do anything and everything Harry Potter wished.

\"Is Harry Potter joining the Headmaster for dinner? Dobby is happy to set a place at the head table,\" offered the cheerful creature.

\"Thanks Dobby, but I\'m going up to my room. Can you please get a message to Albus that I\'m safe in the castle? I don\'t want him to get up from dinner when he\'s alerted I\'ve arrived in the tower.\"

\"Dobby will inform Professor Dumbledore that Harry Potter sir is safe,\" his head nodded vigorously. \"Would Harry Potter be wanting dinner in his room?\"

\"Watch this,\" he whispered to Charlie, and then turned back to Dobby again. \"Yes please, I\'m really hungry,\" Harry said appreciatively, and tried not to chuckle when Dobby\' s face lit up with glee. He was almost trembling with delight, and would no doubt bring up a magnificent feast... for a dozen.

\"Go, eat, sleep, in that order,\" Charlie ordered him kindly before heading back to the Grangers’ to join his family again.

~\\*'

The first thing Harry did was light a fire. He called Severus, but figured he\'d be at dinner. Sure enough, his fire wasn\'t lit. Dobby soon arrived with a feast fit for a king and possibly all the king\'s court. He had seconds of all his favorites, finishing off with the hugest éclair he\'d ever seen. Having eaten his fill and then some, Harry lay back on his bed, licking chocolate off his finger. He idly contemplated whether he was truly tired from the use of magic, or falling into a food-induced coma. He laughed at his own joke and closed his eyes, fantasizing about a tall, dark, sexy Slytherin.

~Sexy Slytherin Snake~ he hissed with a groan at the memory of his lover’s response to his speaking in Parseltongue. Harry pulled off is clothes and climbed under the covers. He rubbed a hand over his pants where his body began to show signs of interest. Harry didn\'t actually take them off, but continued to rub himself through the fabric, thinking of what else he\'d like to hiss at Severus. His mind replayed scenes of their most recent lovemaking, of Severus losing himself, before totally letting go. Harry felt a shiver down his spine just thinking about having caused Severus to shout.


~*~

Sitting at the Head table, Severus watched over the students and barely acknowledged Lupin greeting everyone, having arrived late. Even if Severus hadn\'t seen the house elf, he knew from the self-assured look Albus gave him, that Harry was safe in the castle. He was tempted to go see his lover immediately, but resisted the urge. He knew Harry would be pigging out after a Warding and would most likely be passed out by the time he could return to his own rooms for the evening.

The Potions Master pushed food around his plate, thinking back to Harry reaching out to him, only to be let down. He wouldn\'t let that happen again, and considered himself lucky Harry had looked so happy to see him at the Granger home.

~*~

Harry woke with his hand in his pants and a need for the loo. Thinking it not worth chancing, he slipped his outer robe on before leaving his room. Harry chuckled at his reflection, his hair sticking out on one side. With a flush and a scratch of his bum, he made his way back to his room, and climbed back into bed. Before he had a chance to fall back to sleep, he heard Albus arrive in his office.

\"Smells like food in here,\" it was Minerva McGonagall Harry heard speak first.

\"No doubt there is still a tremendous amount of food in Harry\'s room,\" chuckled Albus, knowing Dobby as well as he did. \"He must be down in Severus\' rooms,\" Albus hadn\'t felt Harry\'s magic when he entered the tower. Harry found it odd, but then remembered that he\'d used up a lot of his energy and he hadn’t been recovered yet when he accidentally bumped a shelf earlier, knocking over several picture frames and a small statue. He\'d repaired them all, using up the magic he\'d restored during the small amount of sleep he\'d gotten.

In his sleepy state, Harry was vaguely aware the voices were getting closer. He couldn\'t ever remember anyone else besides Albus, Severus and himself in the private area of the tower.

\"Severus didn\'t eat very much this evening,\" commented Albus.

\"I asked him about that. He told me it was not only none of my business, but perhaps I should use my influence to encourage you to wear robes less detrimental to his appetite,\" she sounded amused. Harry didn\'t remember his Head of House ever sounding so playful outside of the holiday they had as teens.

\"You have outdone yourself with this one, dear,\" she added, referring to his peculiar choice in attire.

\"I rather thought you liked this robe.\"

\"I prefer you out of this robe.\"

Harry was suddenly wide-awake, with his eyes large as Dobby’s. He pulled the pillow over his head, but it didn\'t make the image go away. He vowed never to make fun of Ron again when he complained about accidentally hearing his Mum and Dad having sex.

He heard a small sound and chanced looking past his pillow, and was relieved to see his savior\'s face in the fire. Harry put his finger to his lips, keeping Severus from speaking. With a few ridiculous gestures, Severus finally realized Harry was coming through the fire. He wanted to ask what it was that caused Harry to react this way, but would wait a little longer, first enjoying the warm, nearly naked body pressed against him. He felt Harry shiver, but didn\'t think it was a good kind of shiver.

\"I love you.\"

Harry looked up abruptly, having forgotten all about the reason he escaped his room. He had little chance to respond with lips pressed hard against his. Strong hands gripped his shoulders, holding him close, as Severus ravaged his mouth. Harry could hardly catch his breath while a dominating tongue invaded.

\"Oh, Severus,\" panted Harry huskily, his mouth given a reprieve while his lover nipped at his neck. He gasped when Sev\'s hot mouth sucked on just the right spot, marking him possessively. Harry\'s penis had worked its way past the opening in his pants as it rose to the stimulation. It rubbed almost painfully against the rough material of the teaching robes.

\"I\'m a bastard, you disserve better,\" Severus muttered against his skin before latching back onto the forming bruise. It took a moment for Harry to draw words together.

\"Yes,\" he hissed, both in agreement and the desire for more. \"I agree… you need to be better,\" Harry then groaned, feeling a strong hand firmly grab his arse. \"That\'s better,\" he whispered breathlessly. Harry held Sev\'s arm still, taking his wand from his sleeve. \"You have way too many clothes on,\" he murmured before attempting to spell off the teaching robe. He watched dismally as the long line of small buttons fell to the floor, but the robe hadn\'t moved.

\"Pitiful,\" sighed Severus, not hiding his grin, and took his wand back. Harry began to slump in his arms; he needed to be in a bed.

\"Not up for that, I guess,\" he mused groggily, and yelped when Severus grabbed his erection roughly.

\"The important parts are,\" Severus enjoyed the way Harry whimpered when picked up and carried to the bed. He watched Harry\'s eyes dart around as if he couldn\'t keep up with the multitude of sensations he was experiencing. Muttering a lubricating charm, he saw a confused expression cross Harry\'s face. Severus continued his ministrations, grinning against tight abs. Harry would realize what he\'d done at some point.

Harry\'s eyes blurred, feeling his glasses removed. He had thought he heard a spell for lubricant, but felt nothing. He could hardly concentrate on any one thing, until he felt a strong, confident hand once again wrap around his cock. It wasn\'t until he was hit with an unexpected wave of pleasure that Harry realized he was balls deep in his lover\'s hot, tight arse. He felt as if he\'d been knocked breathless. It was all he could do to keep from coming instantly. Thankfully, Severus also needed time to adjust. Harry tried to wrap his mind around the fact that Severus had not been prepared other than the use of a lubrication charm. He hoped his lover was simply relaxed enough and could manage that without too much discomfort, and wasn\'t punishing himself.

Harry\'s concern for his partner ended when Severus began to move. If the sounds he made were anything to judge by, Severus was not suffering. Harry was so caught up in the sensations that several minutes had passed before he realized he hadn\'t yet moved. Harry gripped the sheets for purchase, unable to do much more. When his haze-filled mind registered that he was close to climax, he began to stroke Severus\' cock. Harry\'s rhythm was pitiful, and he took long pauses, lost in the sight, sound, sensation of the moment, but it must have been somewhat adequate. Severus came forcefully, despite Harry\'s inabilities. Even through his tired mental haze, Harry decided he\'d never seen a hotter sight than Sev bottoming from the top.


He only vaguely remembered Severus sliding off his softening member. Harry wasn\'t even sure if he was dreaming when a warm, soft flannel wiped him clean, nor had he remembered much more than a few moments in Severus\' arms before dropping off to a peaceful night’s slumber. He was however, reasonably sure that whatever was now making an irritating buzzing sound needed to die.

\"No,\" he groaned, pulling the pillow and Severus closer.

\"Yes,\" soft lips muttered along the back of his neck. \"Come have breakfast with me.\"

Harry could hear the smile in his words, and was sure Severus was far too refreshed for as early as it felt. \"What time is it?\"

\"Six a.m. I\'m taking a shower. Join me, or take a few more minutes to sleep. Your choice,\" he kissed Harry on the top of his head and briskly got up.

\"Too early,\" he complained, but sat up regardless.

\"You slept,\" Severus checked the clock \"for over ten hours. We were in bed by seven thirty,\" his expression smug.

\"In bed, but not sleeping,\" Harry wriggled at the memory. \"That was nice.\"

\"How could I forget? You\'re correct,\" Severus said sarcastically. \"We didn\'t actually sleep until seven forty-five.\"

Harry had to admit it was a very enjoyable fifteen minutes, and contemplated getting up to join Sev in the shower. By the time Harry dragged his arse into the loo, Severus was finishing up.

\"You\'ll find there\'s an extra toothbrush in the cupboard. As much as I adore your tongue, I\'d rather you kept it off my toothbrush,\" Severus gasped when an unexpected finger slid down his arse.

\"Never can tell where it\'s been,\" teased Harry, and climbed into the shower. \"Aw, you\'re leaving?\" he pouted.

\"I\'m finished. I\'ll have breakfast brought up when you get out. We need to talk about a few things.\"

\"Should I be worried?\" Harry didn\'t think Severus sounded angry.

~*~*~

Severus sipped his tea, smiling. He couldn\'t get over how much food Harry managed to eat, considering the amount of food he probably ate the night before. He took the opportunity to tell Harry about the situation going on regarding Remus. Harry understood that if he were to hear a rumor, not to take it to heart.

\"Does that mean you have to act like you\'re dating?\" asked Harry, wishing he sounded more confident.

\"No, not on a regular basis, but I may from time to time have to keep up appearances. You understand that would only be for the benefit of one student who is somehow getting word to the Dark Lord. I would never make a public display.\" Severus also explained that it was believed that he was using Remus\' condition to extort him.

\"I would say it all seemed too far-fetched, but that would be calling the kettle black,\" Harry suddenly remembered another unlikely couple. \"Did you know about Albus and Minerva?\" he asked, making a face.

\"No one has mentioned it, but I\'ve lived and worked here a long time, and I too have a room in the tower,\" Severus hadn\'t been surprised to find Minerva in Albus\' room the night Harry went for help. Thinking back, he realized Harry wouldn\'t have remembered being there.

\"Does it bother you that Albus would have someone special in his life?\"

\"I guess not,\" he wasn\'t sure, reaching for what it was that niggled. \"I just thought he was too old, I guess. Isn\'t she like a hundred years younger?\"

\"Eighty-five years, I believe.”

\"But he’s…” really old “and she\'s…\" half his age. Harry trailed off in time to realize what he almost said. If Severus\' expression was anything to go by, he knew what Harry was thinking.

“You don\'t need sex to have love. Of course, there are potions to overcome performance issues,\" he laughed at Harry\'s appalled face.

\"We\'re so close. Why wouldn’t he mention it to me after all this time?\" Harry tried to deflect and redirect, also he didn\'t want to admit he felt somewhat betrayed Albus hadn\'t confided in him.

\"How much do you know about Minerva\'s personal life?\" Severus asked, knowing the answer. \"You may be close to Albus, but that doesn\'t mean he\'s willing break confidence with her. It\'s not easy to keep secrets in this castle; I don\'t blame him for keeping his private life private.\"

\"When Albus took me in, he spent all his free time with me. Madam Pomfrey said he stayed by my side until they were sure I would live. After that, he only left for short periods of time when Ron or someone came by to visit. When I got a little better, he took me on holiday and we spent time with some of his family. It never occurred to me that he would have someone else so close, waiting. I monopolized his time for almost a year.\" Harry felt bad he\'d taken up so much of Albus\' time, day and night, and wondered how Minerva felt. \"The flashbacks alone must have taken quite a toll.\"

\"Albus was devastated to learn he\'d misjudged your situation so badly. Several people put their lives on hold to care for your needs, or the needs of those caring for you.\" Severus caressed the young man’s cheek, seeing Harry looked distressed. \"I didn\'t tell you that to upset you. I want you to understand how much you are loved.\"

Harry visibly relaxed. \"It did seem like Minerva was running Hogwarts for a time. Or maybe that\'s what I told myself when she was in his office so often,\" Harry chuckled at his own ignorance. \"Speaking of unexpected relationships,\" Harry grinned mischievously. \"What the bloody Hell do you have going on with Mrs. Granger? Should I be jealous?\" Harry climbed over to straddle his lap. \"Is that why you already knew the spells used for the first wards put up? She seemed to know you pretty well for someone who spent a few hours there once, a few years ago.\"

\"How perceptive of you,\" Severus sipped his tea again, ignoring the tongue laving his earlobe.

\"Keep talking,\" Harry whispered, and sucked harder, hearing a sigh. \"You owe me, Sev,\" he reminded him.

Severus prefaced his story with a warning.\" If you repeat this, I guarantee, you will live to regret it,\"

\"Yeah, yeah, now get on with it. When did you actually meet her? I\'ve never seen you so pleasant to someone you\'ve known for only a few years.\"

\"You were twelve.\"

That got his attention.

\"When it was clear who your close friends were, Albus suggested Arthur strengthen his wards. Since the Grangers were muggles, we didn\'t want to call attention to them by warding the home, which would defeat the purpose of protecting those around you. Albus sent me to charm the house to alert him if any wizards were in the surrounding area. I needed to adjust the charm each time before Hermione returned home for holidays, be it summer or any week off like Easter or Christmas,\" explained Severus.

\"That makes sense. Is that all? You look annoyed,\" Harry shifted on his lap to look into his eyes. Severus made an indecipherable noise.

\"Considering our recent conversations, I\'m compelled to tell you the whole story, despite my better judgment,\" Severus was not making eye contact.

\"Couldn\'t you have said, \'since I owe you, I\'ll spill it?\" Harry chuckled. \"You\'re not going to distract me,\" Harry added when Severus pulled him closer.

\"Fine, brat. I couldn\'t very well go around the house casting spells without speaking to the Grangers. We sat for tea while I explained the situation and what we wanted to do to keep their daughter safe. Tea became part of the process. During a debate on the merits of muggle dentistry verses magic…\"

\"You were very mean to Hermione when Malfoy hit her with the Densaugeo hex,\" interrupted Harry, recalling Hermione with huge buckteeth.

\"When will you learn that I\'m not nice? Besides the fact that I\'d never be kind to one of your friends, I found Miss Granger to be quite obnoxious,\" Severus said truthfully.

\"Miss Granger?\"

\"Now that Hermione is older, she is more tolerable,\" Severus ignored Harry\'s smirk, or the fact that Hermione wasn\'t much older.

\"My story, before you rudely interrupted, was regarding Mrs. Granger. Apparently, being a dentist, she felt it acceptable to ask why I hadn\'t fixed my own teeth. While I was tempted to hex her, I admitted that whitening my teeth with the use of a spell would be too noticeable a change. I didn\'t want anyone to think I was vain, and didn\'t care enough to find a potion to do it. One day she offered a muggle dental product that would gradually lighten them.\"

\"I never noticed,\" Harry pushed his lips back to get a closer look. Severus glared at Harry and pulled his head away from inquisitive fingers.

\"That was the point, or weren\'t you listening?\"

\"If I can be a good sport about my embarrassing moments, so can you,\" Harry argued, and Severus heard him mutter \"At least no one\'s asking you to get it up while doing so\".

\"No?\" Severus drew him in for a passionate kiss. Harry wriggled on his lap.

\"I guess you can do both,\" conceded Harry, feeling hard evidence beneath him.

TBC