How Severus Spends His Summer Hols

Lucius Malfoy stepped out of the upstairs bathroom of the Overlook, his hair neatly brushed back and held in place with a dark green leather tie that went well with earthy colours he was wearing for his dinner with Kat. A small smile played over his versatile mouth; gone was the cruel smirk that had seemed to be carved there for eternity. He\'d found a nice companion that he enjoyed time with, the pity was that they lived on separate continents.

He went lightly down the stairs on cat feet, his footfalls silent and disturbing nothing in the house. At the bottom of the staircase, he stepped around the small stack of lumber that had been delivered that morning after Severus and Harry had left. With an appraising eye, Lucius looked over the light fixtures that would be installed in the under stairs alcove. He didn\'t know exactly why Severus had decided to tear out the cupboards, but it wasn\'t his house and if his friend wished to paint it magenta with puce polka dots he wouldn\'t say a thing. Wait, that was a lie, he\'d certainly say something about that.

Lucius wasn\'t sure how to define what he felt about being here. Yes, it was rural, rustic, simplistic, and rather unpolished; but he was beginning to understand why his friend had returned year after year and why he\'d chosen to stay. Perhaps a vacation home here would not be remiss.

He stepped out onto the front porch and looked around in the autumn sunlight, the leaves were beginning to turn and he could feel a slight chill to the breeze. As he stepped down from the porch there was a loud popping noise and all he saw was red hair.

A Bloody Weasley. Which one he didn\'t know and didn\'t particularly care. A Weasley was a threat to his oldest friend\'s husband and unborn child. He had his wand drawn and aimed in a split second.

\"Just what pray tell do you think you are doing here, Weasley?\" he snarled as the red headed man in question staggered on the uneven ground.

Ron\'s head jerked up in surprise. Arms flailing, he lost his footing and fell hard to the ground. A second later trunks with Harry and Severus\' belongings cracked loudly into existence and began depositing themselves on the ground. He groaned and looked up into Lucius Malfoy\'s wand. He crab walked backwards away from the steady tip.

\"I... I... am expected.\" He nodded at the trunks that continued to arrive. \"Stuff... got Harry\'s and Severus\' things...\" He swallowed. \"Where are they?\"

Lucius peered down at him, advancing slowly. With a muttered charm and a quick flick, he\'d Accio\'d the Weasley\'s wand and tucked it into his jacket pocket. Cocking his head, he looked at him. \"Which Weasley are you?\" he hissed just before he placed one soft booted foot under the other man\'s chin, pushing him to lie flat on the ground. He exerted just enough pressure to let the red head know he\'d cheerfully crush his throat if he so chose.

Ron tried to gasp in air and stared up at the tall blond man, eyes wide with terror. What the bloody hell was going on? \"R...Ron..ald. Har... Harry\'s friend...\" He tried to swallow and get another lungful of air, his hands went to the suede clad ankle and tried to pull up on it so he could breath. \"P...plea...sssse.\"

Icy grey blue eyes stared down at Weasley as Lucius pondered the information. \"Where is your brother, Percy? How does he know Harry lives here?\" he demanded as he eased up a bit on the pressure he was putting on the prone man\'s throat. \"Speak up.\"

\"I... I don\'t know.\" Ron sucked in life giving oxygen and shook his head. \"He\'s estranged from the rest of the family.\" He drew in more air, nearly hyperventilating in the rush to get enough in before Malfoy crushed him like a bug. He began to babble out the whereabouts of the rest of his family. \"Mum...Mum\'s... still in the Burrow... Bill\'s in Egypt ... Charlie still... still in Romania. Ginny\'s in... Gloucester. Twins and I work in Diagon ... and Hogsmeade.\" He swallowed and closed his eyes. \"None... none of us would... have told.\"

Lucius moved his foot back to earth and squatted down to dig the point of his wand into Ronald\'s throat. He let his carefully cultured voice drop an octave \"Why does your brother wish to harm Harry Potter-Snape and kidnap his child?\" he purred as he drilled his calculating stare into the young man.

Ron\'s eyes widened and he swallowed as the air came back full force. His chest heaved as his lungs worked like bellows. \"What are you talking about?\" He rasped. All he was doing was bringing the newlyweds belongs from Hogwarts, taking a simple day off from his duties at Weasley\'s Wizarding Wheezes #2. \" \'M just here to bring them their things. Talked to Harry this morning about it. He.. made breakfast for Severus... was all excited. I swear.\"

With the tip of his wand still pressed into tender flesh, Lucius looked around them and saw the trunks littering the immediate vicinity. \"I see,\" he said and stood gracefully, holding his wand at his side. \"Get up.\" He raised his wand once more and with several flicks, the trunks flew to the porch and neatly stacked themselves to await their rightful owners.

\"When was the last time you saw Percy?\" he asked after Ron had gotten to his feet. \"It\'s rather important I find him to have a... chat.\" A cruel smile turned up the corners of his lips and his eyes narrowed in anticipation. He\'d take care of this matter, perhaps as a welcoming gift to the unborn babe residing in Harry\'s belly.

Ron\'s throat worked painfully and he rubbed the long column carefully with his large hand. He stared at Malfoy and shook his head. \"I\'ve not since him since he showed up at Christmas about seven years ago. Harry and I were still in school. Last I heard he still worked at the Ministry, divorced Penelope and got remarried to Cho Chang. Mum\'s still upset about his defection.\"

\"Harry, he\'s like another child to mum and dad.\" His eyes narrowed and he held out his hand for his wand. \"You need the talents of the Brothers Weasley? I am certain Fred and George would be most willing to help with any thing you might need. Bill and Charlie would come home to assist as well.\"

Lucius narrowed his eyes and looked away for a moment. \"You don\'t seem surprised at your brother\'s actions. I find myself wondering why that is,\" he said softly before turning back to the other man. He looked down at the outstretched hand and casually handed the man\'s wand back. \"Why should I believe you would bring Percy to justice?\"

Ron took the wand and ran his hand along the wood, twirling it in his fingers. \"Percy\'s a git. Always has been. During our fifth year he wrote the family telling us to avoid Harry. The next year, that Christmas I spoke of, he demanded Mum and Dad toss him out of the house or Percy would never come back.\" He looked up at Malfoy and met the steely blue with his own blue eyes. \"He\'s turned his back on his family. We may not be as pure as the Malfoy\'s but you don\'t do that to family, regardless if they are blood or not.\"

Malfoy chuckled at that. \"The Weasley line is one of the oldest and purest in the Wizarding world,\" he said shaking his head. \"Your brother is a danger to Harry and the unborn child. I may assume you know of a Morgan Taylor?\" His eyes flicked down to the stone shed wherein the-afore-mentioned had met his demise not long ago. Now, the same shed needed a visit by Percy and Cho Weasley to ensure the safety of his friend\'s family.

\"Coming from you, that means a lot.” The red headed nodded. \"Taylor is on the list as well. His family is high in the Parliament and we\'ve not had the chance to get to him. Believe me, we\'ve tried.\" Ron\'s eyes followed Malfoy\'s then widened. \"He\'s in there?\" He asked softly.

Lucius smirked. \"Traces perhaps,\" he chuckled. \"Taylor will not be bothering Harry again. Your brother gave him the information on how to find him. I\'m sure you were not aware of that.\"

He peered closely at the young man in front of him. \"If you find your brother, you will owl me immediately, is that understood?\" he asked softly.

\"Brill and no, we weren\'t.\" Ron grinned wolfishly. \"If you will extend the same courtesy, Mr. Malfoy.\" He bowed. \"The Brothers Weasley are in your debt and they will be informed as soon as I return. Please feel free to call on us.\"

Lucius grinned eerily and nodded. \"Of course, Mister Weasley. A joint venture should prove to be quite... entertaining,\" he smirked as he finally tucked his wand back into his jacket. \"I\'m afraid you will not find Harry at home. It seems he and Severus are out for a time. I would invite you in, but I am leaving as well. Would you like me to inform them that they missed your visit?\" Lucius wasn\'t going to let the man in to remain unwatched in Severus\' home, but he didn\'t quite know what to do with him since he had port keyed all this way after all.

Ron shook his head and was about to speak when the big black truck he remembered from Sturgis pulled in, filled with people. They spilled out of the cab and Ron plastered a happy grin on his face for his friend. \"Harry!\" He shouted and waved then turned back to Malfoy. \"Let me know when you return to London and I\'ll call the others.\"

Lucius nodded and smiled as well as Harry hurried to where Ron was standing to embrace him. He nodded to Damon and Grant and grinned at Severus. \"I am leaving, most likely I shan\'t return before morning,\" he said as he walked over to the Harley parked under one of the trees. He simply had to acquire another one once he returned home, he\'d forgotten how much he enjoyed the freedom one felt on one.


**********


\"Ron! I\'m so glad you\'re here,\" Harry exclaimed as he stepped back and let his friend get a good look at his bulging midsection. \"Oh! Severus look, he\'s brought our things as well.\" Harry pointed to the porch and grinned, he was missing his clothes even if he wouldn\'t fit into them for awhile yet.

Ron stared at what looked like a Quaffle his friend had swallowed. \"Merlin Harry, look at you.\" He reached out to place a hand on the swollen tummy then stopped. He looked down into Harry\'s eyes. \"May I?\"

Severus watched as his bike sped away with Lucius on it his blond hair flying behind him as he vanished into the horizon. He shook his head and looked at all the trunks on the porch. \"Wonderful, my books and my lab. Looks like we will be heading back into town to the shop.\"

Harry grinned at Ron and took his friend\'s hand and placed it on his belly. \"She\'s been really active... well except for Damon,\" he laughed and smiled again as he felt the baby kick again.

Grant moved up beside Harry and gave him a one armed hug about the shoulders before he went on to the porch and looked through the trunks for the ones marked as potion ingredients and equipment. Finding the first one he bent down to pick it up. All of this had to go to the bed of the truck.

The kick to his hand surprised Ron. It was stronger than he expected. \"Feels like you\'ve got a Beater in there, Harry.\" He smiled at his friend. Harry\'s face was filled with good cheer and it appeared he had gained some weight although he was still slender. Hermione would be happy to hear these things. The baby kicked again and he smiled. Maybe Hermione wouldn\'t mind having one of their own. He rubbed the taut tummy and looked up when he heard grunting.

Damon was standing behind Harry, sneering. \"Little brat moved for you, did she?\" He shook his head and ran a hand down Harry\'s hair, patted the boy\'s shoulder then went to help his husband on the porch. \"Injun, put that down before you hurt yourself.\"

Ron looked around as Severus and the Wolffes began to move trunks to the truck. Harry was well cared for here and he would tell him mum as much. \"I\'ll just go help them unless you need something?\" He raised an eyebrow at the dark haired man.

\"I\'m fine and I\'ll help too,\" Harry said as he walked with Ron up the steps and began poking around through the trunks.

\"Sev, here\'s another one,\" he called out as he bent over the trunk and began to drag it to the steps. Grant looked up and his tanned face went as pale as milk.

\"Stop that Harry!\" he yelled and swatted Damon on the shoulder. \"He\'s trying to move that trunk. Do something!\"

Harry looked up at Grant\'s yell and shook his head before bending back down to grab at the handle. He wasn\'t breakable after all.

Damon and Severus looked up at the same time and Harry tugged on a handle of a large trunk. \"Fuck.\" Damon muttered. \"Harry, stop. If you want to help you could go inside and fix us some tea or something. Grant\'ll help you.\" He pushed his husband over to Harry. He gestured to Ron. \"This strapping lad can take your place.\"

Severus looked at the older men and noted Grant\'s face. He nodded at Damon\'s words. \"If you don\'t mind please, Harry. Grant\'s looking a little peaked.\"

Harry stood up and shrugged. \"Alright. Come on Grant, let\'s get them something to eat,\" he said as he stepped out of the way of one glaring Ron Weasley, who he stuck his tongue out at. He waited as Grant made his way, muttering, to where he was standing before he went into the house.

He led the way into the spacious kitchen and opened the refrigerator door to dig around for something to make sandwiches with, only looking up when he heard a quiet chuckle from Grant. \"What\'s so funny?\" he asked as he looked back at the older man who was sitting in one of the kitchen chairs.

Grant shook his head. \"I made a big dish of tuna salad at the house and we never ate it,\" he laughed. \"Here, you come sit down and I\'ll make them some egg salad or something.\" He stood and gently guided Harry to the table where he pushed him down in a seat. Going to the refrigerator, he pulled out two dozen eggs and then got a large pot from the cabinet. Filling it with water, he set the eggs to boil while he put on another pot of water to boil for ice tea.

Harry watched him and smiled. He was looking forward to the day he was this comfortable in the kitchen. \"I\'m sorry if I scared you, Grant,\" he said with a cheeky grin.

Grant looked at him and frowned. \"Don\'t take any risks Harry, okay? Promise me that you will be safe and not do something stupid. I don\'t ever want you to go through what I did,\" he said gently as he finished what he was doing and sat back down at the table.

From outside, they could hear the curses and bitching of the others as they wrestled the trunks into the truck and then into the house. Harry raised an eyebrow and smirked. \"Think they will remember they are wizards and can use magic to move that stuff?\"

Grant burst out laughing and shook his head. \"Not likely, I know how bull headed Sev and Damon are and your friend strikes me as being cut from the same cloth,\" he said with a grin. \"And we\'re not going to tell them either.\" He gave Harry a conspiratorial wink as he got up to toss the tea bags into the boiling water.

Outside, Severus looked around at the trunks strewn over the porch, one propping the door open and some stacked haphazardly in the back of the Dodge. \"Hold the phone.\" He drew his wand. \"Damon, summon the potions baggage. Ron, Harry\'s trunks and I\'ll get the rest.\"

All three wizards spoke at the same time and the front yard became a tornado of flying luggage. Ron cursed as one trunk, heading for Severus, nearly took him out. \"Blimey! Watch what you are doing, Professor!\"

Damon laughed aloud at the younger men then took a blow himself from a trunk as it came from behind Ron. \"Heed your own advice there, Red.\" He grunted and rubbed his stomach.

Grant opened the door in time to duck as the trunks came flying in the front door. \"Are you trying to kill me?\" he snapped at a very sheepish red head that was following the luggage with his wand upraised. \"That door there is their bedroom, put the trunks there.\"

The little man stepped out of the way and then onto the porch. \"There\'s sandwiches in the kitchen if you lot are hungry,\" he called and then smiled down to his husband.

Ron grimaced. \"Sorry, sir.\" He slowed the trunk’s flight and manoeuvred them into the aforementioned room.

Damon finished loading the trunks onto the back of the truck, all neat and stacked efficiently, military style. \"Be there in a bit, Pet.\" He looked over at Severus. \"What\'s left?\"

The dark hair man waved a hand at the last pile of trunks. \"That goes to the cellar.\"

Damon waved his wand, lifted the pile and dragged it around the back of the house. He stopped and opened the outside basement doors then guided the luggage down into the darkness. He reached in and flipped on a light and set the pile down just to the left of the stairs and then closed the doors. He walked the rest of the way around the house and went in the kitchen door. \"Hey Bit.\" He kicked the door closed behind him with a bang.

Harry had his back to the door and at the sound of a voice behind him. He dropped out of his chair into a low crouch with his wand drawn and a curse on his lips.

\"Merlin, Damon! I\'m sorry, I\'m so sorry,\" the young wizard said as he got back to his feet and put his wand away sheepishly, ashamed at having drawn on his father-in-law. \"You... I wasn\'t expecting you to come in from the back of the house.\" He moved to the counter where he and Grant had made several plates filled with egg salad and tuna salad sandwiches. \"Let me get you some lunch please.\"

Damon stared at Harry. He cleared his throat and nodded. \"Only family will come in the back door, Bit. Did you notice Severus always comes into our place like that?\" He moved to sit at the table and eyed the younger man. \"That was some quick reflexes there, Harry. You alright?\"

Harry kept his eyes averted. He\'d messed up horribly. \"Yes sir, I\'m sorry sir. I\'ll give my wand to Severus,\" he said as he carefully set a plate and a glass of tea on the table in front of the older man before turning to flee the kitchen.

He ran out the front door and spotted his husband standing beside the truck. He went to the tall man and dropped to his knees in front of him. There in the dirt, he held his wand in his hands for one last time and then offered it to Severus on upturned palms. \"Please Sir. I cannot be trusted with it any longer,\" he said softly with his head lowered, waiting to feel the brush of his husband\'s fingers as he took the wood.

Severus stared down at his husband. What had happened? He looked up at the porch where Damon was just coming out of the house. The older man shrugged and shook his head. Severus looked down at his husband again. \"What happened, Harry that you feel you have to do this?\" He didn\'t take the wand just yet waiting to see what his sub\'s answer was.

Harry kept his head down as he started to answer. \"I... I drew my wand on Damon, Husband,\" he hoarsely whispered, the realization that he\'d nearly hexed the older man setting in and his body shook. \"I almost cursed him. Please take it before I harm someone by accident.\" He stretched his arms further up, tipping his palms so that the wand rested on his fingertips.

Severus gasped and looked up at the porch again. Damon walked down to the two men and stood next to Severus. \"I came in the back door and scared him.\"

Severus nodded. \"Is that what happened, Harry? Would you hex him at any other time, pet?\" He asked softly. In one way it was good that Harry was able to defend himself instead of failing to his knees in fright but he had to make certain that was the reason he had pulled a weapon on the older man.

\"Of course not Severus, you know I\'d never do anything like that,\" Harry replied quickly. He\'d grown out of throwing hexes after leaving school and now wouldn\'t throw one unless he truly felt threatened by someone or something. \"I was startled by the noise and had my wand drawn without thinking. I\'m sorry.\"

The young wizard looked up to where Damon was standing above him and offered the wand to him. \"I am so sorry I did that.\"

Severus nodded. \"I had to make certain, Harry. I don\'t think you need to give up your wand, love. Master Wolffe?\" He raised an eyebrow at the older man.

Damon swallowed and looked down at the little man, thoughts of the few yahoos and Sev\'s natural parent being out there somewhere running through his mind. \"Harry, I think it\'s good that you thought to protect yourself. I\'ll not take your wand from you.\"

Harry drew his hands back down, his fingers curling around the slender piece of wood gratefully. \"Thank you both, sirs,\" he said and slowly got to his feet, one hand pressed to the small of his back. He gave Severus a little smile before he stepped closer and leaned against him, wanting that bit of physical contact. He closed his eyes and simply breathed in the scent of his mate and felt his emotions calm down dramatically.

Severus wrapped his arms around Harry and rubbed his thin back. \"You did well to protect Reganne and yourself, Harry. I am glad you thought to do that. You have made a lot of progress.\" He looked over at Damon.

The older man raised an eyebrow and stepped closer to the other two. \"Harry.\" He said softly. \"I am proud of you, myself. I couldn\'t ask for a better reaction from one of my recruits in my day.\" He laid a hand on the young man\'s head and stroked the soft hair.

Harry turned and smiled at Damon. \"Please don\'t come up behind me like that, next time I might throw a hex before I realize it\'s you,\" he said with a sheepish grin. \"Severus taught me to curse first and sort the bodies later.\"

The young man hugged Severus tightly and looked up into his face. \"Would you like a sandwich?\" he asked, reveling in the feel of his swollen belly rubbing against his husband.

Damon smiled at Harry. \"I\'ll keep that in mind, Harry. I should have remembered that I was dealing with another veteran.\"

Severus chuckled. \"Yes, some lunch sounds like a good idea for everyone.\" He cupped Harry\'s face and kissed his full mouth. He turned him towards the house and swatted his bottom. \"Go on now fix us a plate.\"

After Harry had left, he turned to Damon. \"Thank you, Da.\"

Damon nodded. \"It\'s all right, Sev. You did well with him.\"


********


Grant stood in the doorway with a restraining hand on Ron\'s shoulder. The red head didn\'t quite understand what was going on, all he knew was that it still made him feel odd to see his best friend on his knees seemingly groveling to another person.

\"Ron, just let them be. Severus has it in hand and Harry is alright. See, he\'s up on his feet now,\" the older wizard said gently as Ron pulled against his hand. \"I know you don\'t understand everything, but trust your friend. Severus is not that other bastard.\"

Ron took a deep breath. \"If you know about Taylor then I could hope you would appreciate the reasons why it still upsets me to see Harry like that.\" He looked at the smaller man. \"I don\'t see how after all that happened he could want that again. I\'ll admit Severus takes good care of him. He\'s never looked better but I don\'t think I\'ll ever understand the reasons.\"

Grant nodded, he\'d heard the same questions over the years. \"Harry himself may not know why he needs this or why it feels right to him, but it does. He feels safe and secure. He knows Severus will not let anything happen to him or he\'ll die trying to prevent it from happening,\" he tried to explain. \"The closest I can explain it is that in giving yourself over to someone you trust that much can be the freest you may ever be.\"

Grant took his hand from Ron\'s shoulder and hugged his chest, he well knew how he felt and had a good feeling Ron would never be able to understand it.

\"Just don\'t harass Harry over it, what happened before will not happen with Severus. That was not how this lifestyle operates. That was pure evil.\"

Ron nodded. \"As long as he\'s happy, healthy and sane, I\'ll try to keep my opinions to myself. Hermione\'s tried to explain it to me as well.\" He met the older man\'s eyes. \"He\'s family, you understand and we want what\'s best for him.\"

The smaller man smiled. \"He\'s our family too now, and no one is going to harm him,\" he promised and then turned to look where Damon was standing.

\"Old man, your sandwich is getting dried out, you need to come eat. You too Severus, and Harry, I heard your stomach growling while ago. Come on and eat and then we\'ll all go down to the shop and help put things away,\" he called and made a beckoning motion with one hand. \"Ron, go on in the kitchen and I\'ll be in in a moment to fix you a plate.\"


*********


After lunch and a scenic trip for Ron into town, they arrived at the building where Severus was looking to set up shop. The whole bottom floor had been remodeled for his apothecary with a lab in the back and storage room. Severus backed the big truck up to the building around the back and turned off the Dodge.

The tall wizard climbed out of the truck and held out a hand to help Harry down. \"Be careful inside Harry, there\'s fixtures and things still on the floors. I don\'t want you lifting anything heavy.\"

Harry slid to the ground, aware more than ever of his shifting centre of balance as he grabbed for Severus\' other arm for support. \"You\'ll need a charm soon to get me in and out of that thing,\" he muttered under his breath as he caught Damon and Grant smiling at him and Ron openly snickering. \"Oh sod off Weasley.\" He laughed and held onto his husband\'s hand as he followed him into the narrow space.

Overhead lighting came on and soon he\'d seen the front of the shop, a bit smallish he thought, but he supposed one didn\'t want to keep large quantities of potions on open shelves to deteriorate. Honey blond wood made the shelves in the two short aisles and counter as well, behind the counter, the shelves rose to the ceiling with a rolling ladder to access the top shelves. Harry was put in mind of the apothecaries back home and their antiquated air.

Turning loose of his husband\'s hand and mindful of where he stepped, Harry began to look around further. Behind the counter he found a very comfortably padded clerk\'s stool with a supportive back rest. \"Severus, who gets this posh job?\" he asked as he looked up to find the tall man carrying in a trunk of shrunken cauldrons that had been lightened with a charm.

Severus grinned at his husband. \"I figure that we\'ll keep it in the family for now. You may work here with me as long as Max says it\'s alright for you to work, if you wish.\" He set the trunk down and then headed for the back of the store once more. \"Those are my cauldrons, Harry and if you wish you can take them out. They will resize once they are removed and placed on a flat surface. Just stack them on the work table and I will hang them on the rack, later.\" He pointed above their heads to the ceiling where a metal cage looking device similar to a chef\'s rack hung.

\"What about the really big ones? Or are they not in this trunk?\" Harry asked as he walked over and opened the lid to the trunk and took out the first cauldron. Miniaturized, it was almost cute, no bigger than a soup bowl. He placed it on the wooden table and watched as it resized into a small cauldron suitable for brewing small batches. Looking back into the trunk, he saw that all within were close to that size.

\"I\'d love to have something to do during the day Severus, I think I\'d like working down here with you,\" he said as he pulled a couple more of the shrunken cauldrons from the trunk. He wondered if there would be enough room on the table.

Severus smiled as he came back in with another trunk. \"These are the big ones and just leave them here for me. They are the iron ones and I don\'t want you lifting them.\" He placed the trunk along the back wall and then hung the cauldrons Harry had already unpacked.

He pulled Harry into his arms and turned him to face the front of the shop. \"I would love for you to be here with me and I am glad you want to work. You will be dealing with the public for me, love. You know how I get once I start brewing.\" He kissed the messy hair. \"Now we just need a name for our shop. Start thinking up some suggestions.\"

Harry laughed softly at the idea of Severus Snape having to deal with customers and not hexing someone six different ways to Sunday. \"You know we\'ll need to put a bassinet behind the counter for Reganne so I can come back to work after she\'s born,\" he said as he ran his hands up and down his husband\'s forearms, his fingers pausing and toying idly with the monitoring bracelet he was forced to wear. With a content sigh, he pulled away from Severus and turned back to unpacking the cauldrons and thinking of a name for the business.

After a little while of unpacking and mulling over names, Harry stood up and conjured a quill and parchment to write down his ideas. He\'d decided simplicity might be the best route. \'The Echo Apothecary\' was one idea, \'Snape\'s\' another, but he thought he liked \'The Mortar and Pestle\' the best so far. Now he just needed to show Severus and get his thoughts.

Severus came back into the work room with to check on Harry with a bottle of water and a bag of apple slices. \"Harry.\" He called out through the maze of trunks. \"I have something for you, pet. Are you alright back here?\"

\"I\'m alright Sev. What did you bring me?\" he asked as he stood up with a hand to his lower back, massaging it gently. He grinned at his husband and smiled wider when he saw the food. \"I was getting hungry!\" He laughed and made his way to where Severus was sitting down on one of the trunks, remembering as he went to bring the parchment with shop names on it with him.

He sat down on his husband\'s knee and took the proffered bottle of water before he gave the man his paper. \"I like the last name, I think the best, but I\'ll keep thinking if you like. Thank you for the food,\" he said as he let Severus feed him an apple slice.

Severus smiled as Harry passed him the paper. He popped an apple slice in his mouth as well and then began to read the names Harry had scratched down. His smile widened as he read the last one on the list. “You know Harry, I think you are right. I like that one best as well.\"

He hugged the small man to him. \"I knew there was a good reason I married you.\" He chuckled.

\"Well it certainly wasn\'t for his cooking,\" Ron called from the doorway as he stood drinking a soda. \"Merlin, that man can kill a pot noodle like no one I’ve ever seen before.\" Laughing, the red head danced out of the way nimbly as Harry threw an apple slice at him.

\"Bloody wanker. You remember that Ron, you are the one that invited yourself for supper tonight,\" Harry said cheerfully with an evil grin on his face. \"By the way Sev, I\'m cooking tonight.\"

Severus choked on the apple slice he had just slid into his mouth and stared at Harry. He coughed and nodded. \"All right.\" He said cautiously. \"Is Grant going to start your cooking lessons tonight?\" He asked hopefully.

Harry looked at his husband thoughtfully. \"I hadn\'t asked. I suppose I can manage something. You have faith in me, don\'t you?\" he asked with a cheeky grin.

Grant had heard the exchange and patted Severus on the shoulder. \"Sorry sweetie, but I\'m working down at the bar tonight to help Damon, but I have faith in Harry and Hamburger Helper,\" he chuckled and wandered off with a jar of something slimy.

Severus wrinkled his nose. Hamburger Helper Ugh! \"Of course I do, Harry. How about I help you in the kitchen tonight? What would you like to make tonight?\"

The young man thought for a moment and smiled. \"We could do pasta, just something simple with a salad and bread?\" he asked as he thought of things he actually felt confident in cooking. \"Is pasta alright with you, Ron?\"

Ron nodded. \"If Severus is helping you then I feel safe to eat in your kitchen, Harry.\" He chuckled. \"I guess being your guinea pig is worth it if you are happy doing it.\"

Severus nodded. \"How about an Alfredo sauce and we can add some chicken in it as well? Sound good to you?\"

Harry nodded and then looked at Severus in mock seriousness. \"No broccoli, right?\" he asked with an eyebrow raised. He stuffed another apple slice in his mouth and looked thoughtful for a moment. \"You know, these really taste better with catsup on them.\"

Grant grinned at the remark and poked Damon. \"Remember when all I wanted was squid cooked with grape jam while we were in Japan?\" he asked and laughed at the look of horror and disgust on everyone\'s face. \"Hey, I liked it.\" He shrugged and patted Harry on the shoulder. \"I\'ll make sure you have catsup packets under the counter.\"

\"Brilliant Grant, thank you. Everything just seems better with it,\" he said as he poked another slice in his mouth.

\"Max is right upstairs, why don\'t you go and ask him, Harry?\" Severus smirked. \"It\'s either the broccoli or spinach.\"

He turned to face Grant and smiled. \"I don\'t need your help encouraging the disgusting habits.\" He gave a whole body shiver then looked around their shop, sighing. Their Shop. It was more satisfying than he thought possible to be able to think those words.

\"I\'ll get with the sign company and call Jo tonight about the name and have it registered. We\'ve done enough for today. How about we go home and make dinner?\"

Harry pulled a face for a moment and then smiled. \"I\'ll have spinach in my salad and I don\'t need to go ask Max, I already know I have a lot more to gain,\" he said ruefully and rubbed his swollen belly. \"Can we stop and get something sweet for afters?\"

Grant stuck his tongue out at Severus and laughed. \"Ease up Sev, don\'t you know the Reagan administration declared catsup as a vegetable choice for school children in the 1980\'s?\" he asked, referring to something he\'d ranted and raved about at the time and swore he\'d never vote for a former movie actor again.

Ron looked at Severus and rubbed his chin thoughtfully as he took a seat on one of the trunks. \"Erm, do you know how to make this Alfredo sauce stuff you are talking about?\" he asked a bit worriedly, he had no idea what the food was.

Severus looked taken aback for a moment then pointed at his chest. \"Potions. Master.\" He said slowly. \"Of course I know how to make it. We\'ll just need to pick up a few ingredients from Clangman\'s on the way home.\"

He smirked at Grant. \"All the more reason for a thespian not to go into politics. Besides all the sugar in the catsup will rot his teeth if the baby doesn\'t leech them first.\"

Sev smiled down at Harry. \"I will, however, consider bringing another bottle home with us. It does well on the day old frittata.\"

Harry gave a big grin and slowly got off his husband\'s lap. \"I\'m ready Sev,\" he said and turned to Grant. \"Are you two ready to go as well?\" He wearily rubbed his back and stretched a bit while he waited on his husband to stand up. He\'d spent too much time bent over that trunk, a back rub and a hot bath would be in order after supper, he thought.

Looking up at Harry\'s question, Grant waved at them to go on. \"I have to go up and talk to Max for a few minutes; we\'ll just have him drop us off. You all go on and enjoy your supper, come down to the bar later if you want to,\" he said and took his husband\'s hand and began to lead him to the door so they could go upstairs to Max\'s offices.

Severus watched Harry move slowly about the room as he closed cabinets and trunks slammed shut. Smiling broadly, he scooped up his small husband and planted a kiss to his lips. \"Come along, Ron. I want to get Harry home and fed soon. I think he needs to relax this evening.\"

He started for the door carrying his Harry as the red head began to follow him. Once out the door he turned and looked back at the building. Shifting Harry slightly and drawing his wand, he waved it at the back door and it closed smoothly. Another flick and wards were set. He looked down at Harry once more.

\"I think things are finally going our way, my Own. Are you happy?\"

\"More than you will ever know, Husband, more than I could have ever dreamed,\" Harry replied and smiled brightly at his mate before shifting in the man\'s arms and kissing the corner of his mouth. \"Now feed me before I wither away.\"