The Blitz

The Blitz

Harry pulled the key to the small house from where it hung about his neck on a cord, unlocking the door; he pushed it open and stepped into the darkened hallway. “Sev… are you home yet? Sev?” he called out as he tried the light switch on the wall and wasn’t surprised at all when the darkness stayed dark.

“Stuff and bother,” he muttered out loud as he made his way into the small house he shared with his roommate and lover, Severus. Both men worked at the Rolls-Royce factory there in Acton making ammunition for the War, but they worked in entirely different areas. Severus was a designer for the War Effort, he made the stuff that exploded to kill off the Jerrys.

Harry however, wasn’t in management; he was a floor worker, just a common labourer. The military had denied him when he’d tried to sign up back in September of ’39, after Britain had declared war against Germany, saying he was too unhealthy to serve. He’d been despondent for days, it hadn’t been his fault he’d had tuberculosis as a child. He was still susceptible to colds and any respiratory ailment that seemed to find its way into their building or his line at work.

He walked into the small sitting room and drew back the drapes to allow the late afternoon sunlight in, bathing everything in a somewhat welcoming light. In the kitchen, he checked on the pantry and tried to decide on what he would make for their evening tea. It was mid July, so he picked up the basket he kept on a nail by the kitchen door and went into the back garden to see if their few hens had laid any eggs since this morning and to pick what was ripe in their little vegetable garden.

Harry smiled as he reached into the crates that housed the birds whilst they were away from home. Three eggs! It was a good day indeed. He went through the garden, picking the ripe runner beans, tomatoes, and peas he found, there was also a bit of lettuce and a few small courgettes. Going to the rabbit cages, Harry set his basket down and then checked the water bowls and feed in the little beasties hutches. Everything was alright for now, but he’d water them again before bed and he poked the lettuce he’d picked into each hutch as an added treat.

Humming to himself, he went back in the kitchen and found that the electricity had once again come on. Harry set about scrubbing the vegetables and putting the eggs in the wire basket they kept in the cupboard, deciding that Severus would have the eggs that night for his tea. He glanced at his watch and realized it was close to five thirty and the older man should be pedaling up anytime now on his old bicycle. They’d sold their car cheaply at the beginning of ’40 when the rationing simply made it impractical to drive when they could use their bicycles, the buses, or the train to get to where they needed to go. Luckily they lived within two kilometres of the factory so it wasn’t a bad ride on the two wheeled contraptions.

Since it was a Friday, he was looking forward to listening to his musical programme on the wireless after the dishes were done up and Severus settled in with the book he’d been reading the past few nights. Harry liked the big band music and laughed when Sev complained about it being musical suicide to his sanity, but the older man only grumbled and a time or two Harry had caught him humming one of the popular tunes as he shaved in the mornings.

The two men were a study in contrasts. Severus was older in his middle forties, had served his country during the Great War back in ’17, only to come home with a permanent limp from a shell fragment still buried deep within his hip. He was tall, lanky, and not exactly handsome in a conventional sort of way, in fact he rather enjoyed the fact he frightened the hell out of the neighbourhood children. He claimed it kept them from pestering him for odd jobs, and Harry would have to admit that his lover was probably right. From Yorkshire, the man had a quiet nature that many perceived as dour, a wicked sense of humour, and a tongue that could and did cut deeper than the sharpest rapier.

Harry on the other hand, was in his middle twenties, deemed unfit for military service, somewhat short and a bit frail looking. He’d grown up outside London as an only child and orphaned at a young age. Most neighbours found him helpful and pleasant to chat with over the front gate in the evenings if they were taking a turn about the neighbourhoods and Harry happened to be out tending to his little flowerbeds. Many would say his sunny disposition and warm smile made up for his friend’s scowling countenance when they were out together, but none could say the older man was not keenly aware of the younger man’s safety and health at all times.

Their neighbours turned a blind eye to the fact they were an unconventional couple, the two men would always lend a neighbourly hand when it was needed and were generally some of the first to be on the scene if someone in the area had been bombed. They didn’t throw wild parties or have all sorts of unsavoury types in and out at all hours and best of all, they contributed vegetables to the few that were unable to grow their own gardens for whatever reasons.

While he was changing out of his work coveralls in the bedroom in the back of the house, he heard the back gate open and shut, letting him know his man had returned home and was putting his bicycle away in the shed for safe keeping. On a whim, Harry went ahead and set out Severus’ house slippers beside his chair in the sitting room before the man came in the kitchen door with the evening post in his hand and a smile for the younger man on his lips.

Severus sighed and pulled a handkerchief from his pocket to mop his brow. He took the paper into the sitting room and smiled even wider once he saw the slippers at his chair. "Harry?" he toed off his shoes and slid his feet into the cool slippers and sighed again.

"Where are you, Harry? It's bloody hot outside and the troops are out in the streets again calling for the children to be ready for the train tonight." He padded to their bedroom.

Harry poked his head out of the toilet. "I'm here Sev, just washing up a bit. Are you hungry now or would you rather wait?" he asked as he dried his face off on a hand towel and looked ruefully at his mop of unruly hair and the scar on his forehead he'd gotten as a child when he'd fallen into a corner table.

He walked into the bedroom, slipping his arms around the taller man's waist from behind and giving him a gentle squeeze. "I traded half of my milk this week for the youngest Weasley’s tea ration. Missus Weasley said they had more than enough since the youngest didn't drink tea yet and she could use the milk more." He knew how much the tea rationing had gotten to Severus; how he hated reusing the leaves time and time again until eventually it produced naught but tinted hot water.

Since he was classified as an invalid from his childhood illness, he received seven pints of milk per week instead of the normal three, so he was glad to be able to barter some of it for comforts for Severus.

Severus smiled and ran a hand through Harry's hair. "That's fine by me, Harry. I appreciate it and her brood could use it more than we. I am famished but it's still too warm to eat. Shall we see if there's some shade in the garden before tea?" He frowned. "You didn't over do it today at the factory did you?"

Harry laughed and pulled away to sit on the bed, bending down to unlace his boots and slip his feet into his own house shoes. "We had a reasonably quiet day on the line. The machinery was running smoothly for once and we made our quota before the whistle. So I don't have to work this weekend," he said with relish, he was looking forward to a quiet weekend of puttering in their garden and doing little else.

The younger man looked up at his companion and chuckled. "You can sit in the shade; I think I'll find some sunshine since we have it today. It always amazes me how you get so warm in the summer. Just think of what you would be like if we ever should travel to Egypt to see the pyramids like you've said we should. You'd die I fear and then where should I be?" He stood and leaned up on his tip toes to press a gentle kiss to the corner of the man's mouth. "Come on, let's go old man, your garden throne awaits you."

Severus smirked at his lover and captured his lips quickly. "I may just have to bury you in the sand out there if we did and get me a new fan boy." He took Harry's hand and led them out to the garden and looked around at the fruits of their labour. He sighed and sank down into a wrought iron chair under the tree. He leaned his head back and eyed the bomb shelter. "Did you get our unwelcome guests out of the shelter?"

Harry snorted in amusement at the mention of the two small garden snakes they'd found in their Anderson shelter earlier in the summer. He found it so odd that a man as old as Severus and as worldly wise would harbour such a strong dislike of serpents. Each time they'd run for cover to the shelter during the night, Severus would remain standing at the door while Harry did a hasty search with his torch to let him know the snakes were not in residence at the moment.

"I'd think they'd slither out for their lives at your complaining about them, you know," he chuckled as he opened the door to the earth covered metal shelter that stood in the corner of their small back garden. He peered in with dismay and turned to the other man whilst heaving a disgusted sigh. "We've to bail the bloody thing out again." He grabbed the tin pail kept beside the door for the purpose while he stepped out of his house shoes, pausing only to roll up the legs of his trousers as not to get them too wet before he stepped down into the muddy, cold water that came up to his ankles.

Severus jumped up from his chair and grabbed Harry's shoulders pulling him out of the shelter. "Did you even look before stepping down into that bloody mess? You need to be careful out here, Harry. There's no telling what's floating just under the surface in there." He reached just inside of the shelter for a torch and shined it into the water, trying to see anything in the murky inches.

"Honestly Severus, you act as though a bloody anaconda is in there waiting to eat me," Harry laughed as he waited for the other man to finish scanning the flooded shelter. "The door was shut tight, so all that's in there may be a snake, a drowned rat, or some wriggly insects. This isn't the Amazon, you know." He gently pushed Severus to the side and stepped down onto the first of two steps leading into the three foot deep trench, surveying the water distastefully. "I wish there was some way to keep this dry. Do you think we could put in planks for a gangway to step on?"

He stepped into the cold water and shuddered as the muddy bottom oozed between his toes. "I'm definitely going to need a cuppa after this."

Severus threw his hands up in the air. "If you please, get out of that nastiness." He pulled Harry from the shelter once more and picked up the hosepipe, tossing one end of the rubber hose into the water. He turned the spigot on and ran just a bit more water into the puddle then turned off the water and quickly unscrewed the hosepipe from the faucet creating a suction pump of sorts. The water ran clear for a moment then the muddy brown water from the shelter followed. "There are easier ways of removing that if you would just ask for a bit of help, Harry."

Harry looked on gobsmacked and then shook his head. Well, he'd always known his better half was the smart one. "Thank you Severus that would've taken me the better part of the evening to finish." He picked up the end of the hosepipe and moved it to where it would run into the vegetables; he didn't want to waste anything. That done, he left Severus supervising the draining and went to let their chickens out to scratch for insects and the like since they were home to make sure none got away.

"Oh, we had three more eggs this afternoon. Your suggestion of crushing up the shells and adding it to their feed was a wonderful one. I'll scramble them for you and make some chips to go with, alright?" he asked as he lazily shooed one hen away from his house shoes.

Severus turned to watch Harry and the hens and nodded. "I am glad you finally decided to listen to me about something." He shooed away one of the chickens out of his chair and sat back down. He cleared his throat. "That sounds wonderful, Harry. Would you like me to help with anything?"

"Just the washing up, if you don't mind, my programme starts at seven and I'd like to catch all of it tonight," the younger man said as he dragged his own chair out into the fading sunshine and sat down wearily. He was more tired than what he was willing to admit, but he didn't want to worry Severus, the man worried too much as it is.

"Missus Weasley asked me this morning if we would like to join her and Arthur for a game of gin tomorrow evening. I told her I'd ask you and let her know. She's offered to make one of the hams her brother sent her from the country," he said as he watched Severus chase the fowl from his chair.

Severus eyed Harry with a raised brow. The younger man's face was flushed from exertion and possibly exhaustion. He frowned. "I don't know, Harry. Are you up for something like that? That's a lot of people for you to be around and those twins of hers are a wild pair of heathens. She should get those children out of here, at night at least."

Harry smiled up at the tall man. "You are only saying that because they can both beat you at chess," he chuckled. "It's alright if you don't want to Sev, I just thought it might be a nice way to spend the evening, but I think the cinema is going to be running this weekend if you'd rather do that instead."

He well knew Severus had little tolerance for the Weasley children, it wasn't as though they were ill-behaved, there were simply so many of them. Seven to be exact. Harry had no idea how they managed in this day and time to feed and clothe all of them. Even though Severus didn't care for children, Harry knew that if they had an odd job to hire out, his lover would always offer it to the elder ginger haired boys first.

"Well, I don't know about that. It's not like my lover can provide me with a challenging game. At least they give me a run for my money and don't give up and let me win." Severus chuckled at Harry and patted his leg. He eyed the younger man once more. "Are you certain you want to go out anywhere, love? You are looking a little peaked this evening."

Harry pulled a face and grimaced, he didn't like being reminded he was frailer than most. "I feel alright Sev, just a bit tired. Nothing a night's sleep won't cure," he said with certainty. "The sun's gone now, so I'll go start cooking. Would you like one of the rashers we have with your eggs?"

He got to his feet, collecting his house shoes as he waited for an answer.

Severus raised an eyebrow and leaned back in his chair. "I suppose." He flipped the paper out in front of himself and began reading the articles, muttering. "Fine. Fall over dead on me as if I care."

Harry smirked at him and replied cheerfully, "Just use my corpse as fertilizer; I’m sure it would help the garden tremendously."

He entered the darkened kitchen, deciding it was still light enough he didn't need the overhead lamp on. Puttering about the kitchen was a way for him to relax most days, the same as working in the garden. He lit the hob and set the kettle on to boil for tea before he set about peeling and slicing a few of their vegetables for their evening meal. Harry soon had a pot boiling with a bit of veg soup for himself and a pan with potatoes cooking for Severus, the rasher finished and set on a plate in the warming drawer, while the eggs would be the last to be done. He went to the door and looked out to find Severus asleep in his chair, the newspaper still firmly in his grasp.

"Oi Sev," he said softly as he went over to shake the man's shoulder. "Wake up and help me catch the chickens. Tea is almost ready." Once he was certain the other man was awake, he turned to the task of catching each of their eight hens and popping them back into their crates.

Severus opened one black eye and watched Harry chase the chickens for a moment, laughing as the swift hens ran from him. "Harry put down some feed in one spot and they'll come to you."

"I've tried that, but at best I can only catch two or three before they figure out what I'm about and it is useless after that. Now if you were to get up off of your arse and help me, we should manage to catch them all at one go," he said as he looked expectantly at his mate. He'd already caught two of them, so the remaining six would be easy if he had another to help. "Come on Sev, or I'll end up burning your chips and it will be entirely your fault."

Severus raised an eyebrow and stood. "Well then why do you let them all out at once?" He stepped forward and plucked up two chickens quickly and tossed them into the cage. "Go catch my chips and I'll get the chickens, don't burn the potatoes for the birds, Harry and quit running around so much."

"Thank you Sev," Harry said as he left the birds to the other man and went back to the kitchen to finish up. He was just plating up their meals and setting the teapot on the small kitchen table when the other man entered and washed his hands at the sink.

"You know, I think the red hen is for the pot this Sunday, she's nearly stopped laying altogether," Harry said conversationally as he waited for Severus to sit before he poured their tea and pushed the little pot of honey to Severus for his.

Severus scoffed and sat at the table. "Like you could kill one of those biddies. They are like pets to you, Harry." He stirred his tea and shook his head at the rationing that kept them from brewing the tea as dark as he liked it. One did what they must though and being good British citizens Severus made certain he and Harry put forth the valiant effort. "I suppose if you are up to it we could visit the Weasleys tomorrow, I know how you love to play Gin."

"I mightn't be able to wring its neck, but I know you can and I also know you do like a nice roast hen from time to time," Harry said cagily as he dipped a spoon into his soup. "The idea of having ham got to you, didn't it?" He snickered and ate a piece of bread, as he finished up.

Severus glared at him. "No the idea of fine company is what clinched the deal."
Harry snorted and finished up his soup, taking his bowl to the sink and his warmed cup of tea into the sitting room where he turned on the wireless. He tuned it in carefully to Radio Two for his programme and sat down in his armchair, waiting for it to begin.

Soon the sounds of Louis Armstrong were in the air and Harry leaned back against the cushion and closed his eyes, letting the music carry him away. He could remember watching his Mum and Dad dancing in their sitting room before they'd been killed. He'd also danced with his Mum while he was a small boy and remembered her letting him put his tiny feet atop hers as they danced about the room laughing. Music was a bittersweet relief for him and he was thankful that they still had their wireless and that Severus understood that he needed this.

He could hear the sounds of Severus doing the washing up as the music changed to Cab Calloway's band and the notes washed over him like a soothing balm.

Severus finished the dishes and was drying his hands when he looked into the sitting room and saw Harry's feet moving to the music on the Wireless. He disliked the jazzy style but it made Harry happy and that was all that mattered. He strode into the room, tossing the towel over the chair and pulled Harry to his feet. He wrapped an arm around the younger man and pulled him flush against him and twirled them around the room. Smiling at his lover, he bent and captured his mouth for a kiss.

Harry kissed him back passionately and then pulled away to draw their drapes closed, they didn't need their neighbours prying like nosy Parkers on what they did.

"Did you know I'm mad for you?" Harry asked, laughing softly as Severus pulled him back into his embrace and they danced closely for a time. He let his hands roam over the thin back and then down to the slight curve of his bum.

"What do you think? Do we dare attempt a cuddle tonight or do you think we'll be interrupted again?" he asked, referring to the last few times they'd attempted intimacy and the bloody air raid sirens had gone off at inopportune moments. He swore to himself that if Severus were up for it, he'd not stop even if the house caved in on them.

"But of course. I am irresistible." Severus ground himself into the smaller man and leaned closer to his ear. "What does it feel like to you? I would love to have you inside me tonight."

Harry grinned wolfishly and swatted Severus' arse playfully. "Then we both need to bathe. I know I want the stink of the day off of me. Missus Weasley sent over a few bars of her homemade soap yesterday, bless the woman," he said as he reached over and snapped the wireless off and took his lover by the hand and led him to the lavatory. "Go on, you first." And with that, he gave the older man a gentle push in the right direction and went on to the bedroom where he pulled back the coverlet and sheet, folding them neatly at the foot of the bed.

He laid out both of their nightshirts for afterwards and a small worn towel for cleaning up on the chair next to the double bed. He went back through the house and switched each light off before returning to light the candles in the bedroom and pull the blackout drapes tightly over the windows.

Severus quickly stripped, stepping into the tub and turning on the spray. He wet the handmade soap and flannel under the stream then his body and turned off the water in hopes there would be enough of the hot water left after his shower for Harry. He lathered the flannel and scrubbed his body making certain he was very clean, and shampooed his hair before turning on the water and rinsing the bubbles from his body. "Alright, Harry, your turn." He laid out a towel for his man on the toilet and began to dry himself off.

Harry stripped while he was in the bedroom and quickly stepped into the lav around Severus' lean frame. He ran a critical eye over his mate and noted sadly that the man's rib cage was a bit more prominent then he'd like to see, but said nothing as it would only make the man hide his body.

He pressed a kiss to Severus' right shoulder blade, right below one of his many scars from the Great War. Harry held onto him tightly so he wouldn't move away as he kissed his pale, scarred back again. "You are lovely, pet, simply astounding," he murmured, his lips pressed gently to the skin.

Finally he turned him loose and stepped into the tub, turning the water on and quickly washing.

"You need spectacles, Harry." He flushed slightly though at his lover's praise. Severus shook his head at his mate and watched him bathe for a moment before hanging his towel to dry and then padded into the bedroom to wait for his lover.

Harry was still toweling himself off as he walked through the bedroom door. "I wear spectacles, love, so I already know how perfect you are to me," he said as he looked to where the tall man was lying on the bed, the towel they used to protect the sheet under his slim hips already.

He dropped his towel and sat down on the edge of the bed, smiling as Severus rolled towards him as the mattress dipped under his slight weight. He reached out one hand to caress the sharp cheekbones of the man and leaned down to claim his mouth in a searing, but tender kiss.

"I love you," he breathed as he nuzzled and licked at the wet skin where the black hair of his lover curled against his neck, still damp from his shower. "Tell me what you would like tonight."

"Then you need new ones, my Harry." Severus nuzzled Harry's hand and kissed his palm. He moaned into the senses stealing kiss and reached out to touch the other man's chest then running his hand down to hold onto his slender hips. "I love you as well."

He smiled at Harry and told him softly, "I want you inside me. I don't care how but soon."

Harry gently pushed Severus over on the bed and stretched out beside him, their heads sharing the same pillow as their hands and fingers touched and traced each other's bodies in the dim candlelight.

Harry took hold of the narrow hips of his lover and pulled him closer, letting their growing erections brush against each other, the friction causing heated hisses and whimpers to issue forth from the couple. "So good," he murmured as he thrust his swollen, heavy prick against the hollow of Severus' hip.

He let one hand move down to where it was caressing and kneading the flesh of the man's bony arse, his fingertips just brushing over his pucker. Harry chuckled at the little whimper of need that escaped Severus' narrow lips. Oh, he'd take his time and make his older lover cry out in passion.

He rolled away just long enough to get the half empty bottle of baby oil from the bedside table, careful not to drop the glass. Harry deftly poured a bit into his hand and returned the bottle to the table.

Slowly he teased his fingers along Severus' crease and circled his oily fingers around his opening, all the while still thrusting lazily against his hip.

"Please." Severus whispered huskily. He rubbed up against Harry and pushed back on to questing fingers. "I need you inside me. Please." He ran his hands over Harry's back and chest touching him and trying to hurry the younger man.

Harry smiled against his lover's neck and gently nipped him, careful not to leave a mark. He loved watching the tightly wound man come undone at his touch, listening to him mewling and begging for more touch, more kisses, more endearments, more everything. He alone knew how Severus had grown up and he alone gave the asture man the human touch he craved with every fibre of his being.

"Hush love; let me go slow, I don't want to tear you. You remember how badly that hurt, don't you?" he asked as he slipped one finger into his lover and listened to him ask for more. "Don't worry pet, I'm going to make you feel so good." In and out his finger went, smoothing its way with the oil and with Severus relaxing his muscles. Harry could feel him trembling, could feel his quickening pulse deep within his tight channel.

"I don't care. Make it so I can't sit all weekend." Severus moaned and pushed back onto Harry's fingers. "More, Harry... more. Please....," he panted and reached for the bottle of baby oil. "Fuck me." He grabbed Harry's cock, stroking and squeezing the other man's cock in his fist.

Harry captured the older man's mouth with his and turned him to his back on the towel, lifting his legs towards his chest. "Come on, spread for me love," he grunted and took the bottle from the other man. Carefully, he drizzled a liberal amount just behind Severus' bollocks and used two and then three fingers to spread it around and push into him.

When he felt his lover was as relaxed as he was going to get, he slicked up his own prick with his oily hand and knelt between the taller man's thighs. "Here love, just what you want, isn't it?" he crooned as he slowly worked the head of his erection in and waited a moment for Severus to let him know it was alright to press on.

"Yes! Pleasepleaseplease!," Severus groaned and panted as Harry's fingers continued to torture and tease him. He mewled loudly as the other man raised his legs and began to press into him. Blowing out a breath he bore down on the other man, gasping once again as Harry's cockhead began to breech him. His eyes rolled up in his head and he nodded at Harry to continue. "More... pleassssse!"

With a careful thrust borne of years of being together, Harry sheathed himself to the root in one go, settling his hips against Severus' and gently rocking them both.

"Put your legs around me, love," he murmured as he leaned forward to look into his raven haired lover's eyes. He was aching to move, to rut furiously into his mate, to leave them both sweaty and senseless. It would come in due time, first he had to see to the other man's comfort.

Severus howled as Harry slid home and he clinched his muscles tight around the other man. Wrapping his legs about his lover sent the man a scant few millimetres further into his arse and he groaned, loudly. He opened his eyes to meet Harry's and grinned then squeezed him again, tightly. "Fuck me Harry. I want to feel you in my throat." He leaned up and kissed the other man's body part in question, sucking on his Adam's apple, lightly. "Make me hoarse from screaming your name."

Harry grinned down at him in lust and love, rocking his hips back only to pound back into Severus time and again. The poor old brass bed squeaked its protest and the headboard pounded into the wall, the new dents joining ones that they'd put there over time.

Harry closed his eyes and focused on his rhythm and depth as he heard Severus cry out beneath him and over that the shrieking of the bloody air raid sirens.

Severus screamed and was just about to orgasm when the siren went off. He screamed anyway but not in pleasure but sheer frustration. Grabbing Harry's shoulders, he rolled them and Harry's cock slid from his arse as he went to his knees. He wrapped the blankets around Harry and scooped him up from the bed.

"Come on, love." He scrambled out of the bedroom on weak legs trying not to drop the other man and make it out in time before the planes and the bombs arrived. He could hear their droning as he made his way into the kitchen and he hugged Harry closer to him.

His hip ached from him trying to move so fast but Harry's safety was foremost on his mind.

Harry screamed out his frustration and anger, all the pain and hell they'd dealt with already in his voice as he looked up into the night sky and heard the heavy droning of the planes overhead. The sounds of explosions and people screaming rent the night air as Severus got them both down into the miserably wet shelter and shut the door behind them.

Fumbling in the dark, Harry quickly found the torch and its yellow light he managed to light the oil lamp they had hanging in the centre of the low ceiling. In its buttery light he looked at their state of undress and began to laugh.

Soon the laughter gave way to hysteria and he was lost in shuddering, whooping sobs that racked his thin frame. "No!," he sobbed again and again as the sounds of the explosions marched closer to them.

He allowed Severus to manoeuvre them both over to the mattress that they had lying on a shelf well above the muck and mire of the floor. The smell of damp and earth invaded their senses and not for the first time was Harry reminded this would be what his grave would smell like.

Severus unwrapped Harry and then pulled him into his lap and rewrapped the blankets around them. He rocked the young man as the explosions sounded all around them. He bowed his head onto Harry's shoulder and pulled him closer praying to which ever goods would listen to him to get Harry out safe as he would trade his own life for Harry's.

The very ground itself rocked and shuttered with each explosion, jarring the two men as if they were toys tossed in a child's wagon. Harry quieted after a few moments and they both sat without talking. The younger man drawing on the strength of the elder as he sat across his lap and waited.

Waited for either their bit of the world to end or for the siren to signal that all was clear and they could now come out and inspect the damages.

There were several deafening explosions nearby, one close enough that it knocked both men tumbling into the mud, but still their shelter from harm held fast.

Maybe twenty minutes more passed and the eerie silence grew as they strained their ears for the sounds of warplanes and explosions, but it was over for now.

Harry pulled the wooden box they had stored on one shelf to him and handed Severus a pair of old trousers and shoes, pulling his own on as well. He was so glad his lover had had the foresight to make sure their shelter could serve as a home of sorts if need be and had made sure there were spare clothes for them both within.

As the all clear sounded, Harry stood and opened the heavy door, taking the two steps up slowly and then reaching back for Severus' hand.

Together they looked about themselves and in the eerily bright light from a house in flames. They saw that their own little home still stood, but the people that lived next door to them, not the Weasleys, but the Grangers, that their house was one that had been hit.

The flames lit up the night sky and both men ran to the aid of their neighbours. Once again thankful that the skies had shown some mercy and they had been passed over once more.