A Beltane Gift

A/N: This was a pinch hitter story begun at the last moment for the hds_beltane fic fest on LJ for lomonaaeren and megyal.
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It was a near thing. Harry didn't like thinking about it, how very nearly they lost Snape, but as always, the dour professor surprised them all once more.

It had been Draco's idea to look for Snape after the battle. Harry had been ready to crawl up to the dorms to find a bed or sofa to sleep on, weary from the fighting and even more so from the sight of those poor bodies covered to rest eternally. What if he'd believed in Snape earlier. Could he have avoided this somehow? Colin. Fred. Tonks and Remus, sweet Merlin. The Wizarding world was safe, but at such a cost.

Draco separated from his parents and blocked Harry's way up the stairs. "What happened to Severus?" He asked, looking pale and defiant, his cheeks still smudged with ashes from the remnants of the Room of Requirement. There was a light in his eyes that Harry hadn't seen before, a fire. His hand gripped the sleeve of Harry's robe almost painfully.

Harry pulled away harshly, the sight of Snape dying still fresh in his memory. "Killed, by Nagini," he said thickly, feeling the tears prickle at his eyes.

"Where?" Draco demanded, grabbing Harry by the hand. "Show me!"

The grip was insistent, desperate even. Harry found himself being dragged down the hallway by his former nemesis. "He's dead, don't you understand! I saw him. I watched him die!"

A stinging blow to the face from Draco's free hand caught Harry by surprise. There was a fierce anger in Draco's face, and Harry actually saw tears, real tears, sliding down Draco's cheeks. "You idiot. He's not dead. Now show me where he is!"

Harry stared at Draco in shock. "You hit me! Why should I show you were he is? What is it going to change?" Draco had not reacted with this much emotion to Vincent Crabbe's death. Why Snape? Why did he finally have to grow a backbone now?

Draco snarled. "A stopper in death, you idiot! You think our Potions Professor would be dim-witted enough to let an oversized snake kill him? He's not dead! Now bring me to him!"

Harry's jaw had dropped; he closed his mouth with an audible click. Could the chance really exist? "Come with me," he said gruffly, and began running out of the castle towards the Whomping Willow and the secret passage to the Shrieking Shack. His thoughts were whirling. Had he been sure that Snape's heart had stopped beating? But he'd seen the life leaving those dark eyes! Still, he'd been wrong about Snape about so many things. Maybe this was just one more thing . . . .

They ran out into the night and hurried through the secret passage, Draco stumbling in his haste, his face set in a grim determination that completely changed how he looked. Not a weasel, not a cowardly pointed ferret, but fierce and beautiful, Harry realized. Heroic. Harry shook his head at himself. He must be seeing things. Since when had Draco ever been heroic?

They entered the ramshackle room of the Shrieking Shack, and Draco fell upon Snape's body, pulling the limp form into his lap, cradling Snape's head. With shaking fingers, Draco felt at Snape's pockets until he found a tiny vial; he held it up and hissed sharply at Harry. "Light! I don't have a wand!"

"Lumos," Harry said in a low voice, feeling sick inside. Draco was holding Snape like a best friend. Like a lover.

As light filled the room, Draco looked at the vial and shook it; it was empty. Draco swallowed, hugging Snape close. "He took the potion." He said it in a low voice, filled with relief. "He took it. He's not dead." Turning his head, Draco kissed Snape's pale cheek, flecked with blood, and then his lips. Harry felt his cheeks heat up. "The other half is in his other pocket; he told me," Draco murmured, reaching deeper into Snape's robes, unbuttoning them and peeling them back from Snape's body, soaked in his blood. Harry couldn't see how Snape had possible survived, not with the puncture wounds to his artery. But Draco found a matching vial. He uncorked it, and with extreme gentleness, tilted back Snape's head to carefully pour the concoction into his mouth, massaging the man's throat to help him swallow. Harry waited anxiously, afraid to tell Draco that this might not work, afraid to intrude on such a private moment.

A long moment followed, during which more tears streamed down Draco's cheeks, and one little hiccupped sob; Draco pulled Snape to him, hugging him hard. Harry could barely swallow past the lump in his throat. Just when he was ready to tell Draco that it hadn't worked, that perhaps the snake's venom had been too powerful, or the bite wounds too deep, Snape suddenly gave a shudder, and rasped in a harsh breath, which he immediately let out with a wracking cough. Harry gasped, and Draco gave a cry of joy. "Severus!" Draco glared at Harry. "Water! Get him some water!"

Harry realized he was the only one in the room with a wand. Remembering Hermione's trick this time, he summoned a flask and the spell to cast water out of his wand, and handed the filled flask to Draco, who carefully gave it to Snape in little sips. Then Draco began removing Snape's robes, presumably to check him for other wounds. It took him a moment to comprehend that wasn't the reason at all. Draco was touching Snape's body all over, like a desperate lover, kissing his chest, nuzzling against him, murmuring in a soft voice, "Bloody hell, thought I'd lost you . . . can't be alone, please . . ."

"You two are lovers? But he's a Professor!" Harry cried, not sure whether to be embarrassed to be witnessing this, or horrified and repulsed. Or turned on. Beneath those black robes, Snape was thin and muscled, and far more beautiful than Harry could have imagined. And Draco--well Draco had always made him feel uncomfortable that way. He could feel his groin tightening, and that was all wrong. This was all wrong.

Draco gave him a heated look, bare-chested now, pale cheeks flushed as Snape began to respond, touching him, almost reverently, and so gently. Harry had never seen Snape gentle with anything with the exception of his potion ingredients. "Severus saved my life, that night you tried to kill him for killing Dumbledore. He's kept me alive while the Dark Lord tried to destroy me. He's kept me sane. I didn't see you coming to help at all." There was such bitterness in the words, a sense of hurt and loss. Harry thought back to that day in the boy's bathroom, that day when he might have helped Draco . . . and instead slashed him with the Sectumsempra. He swallowed guiltily.

"Harry's a blind idiot," Snape said in a rough voice, but the malice was no longer there. If anything, he sounded weary. "But then, it suited my purposes for him to be such." He turned and granted Harry a sneer. "If you've come back here to save me and Voldemort is still alive, I'm going to cut you to ribbons."

Fury rose in Harry. How dare he! "You could have told me you were working for Dumbledore all the time! Yes, Voldemort is dead! And so are a lot of other people! We could have saved lives if I'd known more!"

Snape's face darkened and he rose to his knees, greasy hair falling into his eyes, his white chest half red with the blood he'd lost. "I did tell you. So did Dumbledore. It's not our fault you wouldn't believe. But then again, it was useful. I couldn't have protected the children if Voldemort hadn't entrusted me with the Headmaster position. You think many have died? You have no idea how bad it could have been!"

That shut Harry up; he watched, feeling sick inside again as Draco coaxed Snape to sit down again, whispering to him, easing Snape out of the remainder of his clothing. "We don't need him," Draco murmured bitterly, threading his fingers through Snape's hair. "We didn't then, and we don't now." He began kissing Snape, passionate kisses that made Harry tingle all over.

Snape kissed back for a moment, then gently pushed Draco back a little, stroking his shoulders, soothing him. "Ah, but I'm afraid that's not true. We do." He turned and looked at Harry, looking stern and tired, but very much alive; the colour was back in his face. "Harry, if you're going to stand there gaping, you might as well do something useful. Like conjure some blankets." He gave a twisted smile. "And some almond oil."

Harry knew he should leave, as the two began kissing again, but he couldn't help but watch, feeling a need of his own, one that he'd very much like to deny. He conjured the items and resisted the urge to adjust his now painfully firm erection. "But he's your student!"

"And he's been legal for almost a year now," Snape reminded him. He turned to Draco and gave Draco's nipple a hard pinch, which drew a loud needy whine from the young man as he arched into the touch. Draco's hands were busy stroking Snape, who was much longer than Harry ever would have expected. He couldn't seem to look away from them.

The two were back to kissing, exploring each other's bodies as if there was no tomorrow and they had not seen each other for weeks, which as far as Harry knew, might be true. He knew he should go. This was insane. Yet he was rooted to the spot.

"Either join us or leave, Harry," Snape drawled in a low voice as he spread a blanket for Draco to lie on, completely unconcerned with their nudity. Draco was beautiful and pale, his cock jutting out eagerly from a nest of silvery blond. Harry knew the image would be burned into his brain forever. Snape glanced at him and chuckled. "I never took you for a voyeur. But then again, given your propensity to hide under magical cloaks, I should have known."

Draco laughed. Harry thought his skin might catch on fire, he was blushing so hard. All of him was poised and ready, wanting to know what Draco's skin felt like, or Snape's. What their kisses tasted like. They were alive, and celebrating that fact. As the two began kissing once more, Harry very slowly took off his shoes.

He didn't dare do more than that, however, until Snape glanced over his shoulder, throwing Harry a smouldering look. Snape whispered something into Draco's ear and Draco turned to look at Harry warily. Harry felt distinctly uncomfortable with the two of them staring. "He's wanted you since you first met, you know," Snape said in a low voice, sounding disgusted. "You could have shaped each other's lives from the beginning, if you both hadn't been so thick-headed and arrogant. I have no illusions about my own place in this." A bitter note entered his voice.

Draco turned to Snape. "But I love you!"

Snape gave a pained smile. "As a mentor, as protector, as a shield and comfort against the horrors of war . . . yes. You adore me. But you don't really love me. You'll understand some day." All tenderness left his face as Snape glanced at Harry again. "Well get over here!"

Harry rushed to obey, shedding his shirt and tossing it aside as he knelt down by Snape and Draco. He looked at Snape in wonder, still trying to comprehend the fact that he was very much alive and as full of spirit as ever. "But you hate me."

"Your mother was a far worthier person than you. And yes, I still love her. But you're not a complete waste. And I relish the thought of teaching you humility." With that, Snape raked his fingernails down Harry's back. Harry cried out, arching, his cock twitching and sending an unexpected jolt of pleasure through him, even as he was hissing with the pain. The pain felt good. It felt cleansing. Punishment for letting Fred and Colin die.

Snape worked at the fastenings of Harry's jeans, working them off of him roughly, giving Harry's cock a harsh pull which made Harry gasp and almost fall over. Draco stared at the two of them with a hungry look on his face but didn't move. Snape gave him a nod. "Go ahead, Draco."

It was like a floodgate was lifted; suddenly Harry found himself being kissed hard and passionately, and Draco's hands were all over him, touching, exploring. Harry moaned, dizzy with the sensations coursing through him. Making out with Ginny hadn't been anywhere near as exciting as this. Draco's mouth was amazing. Even as their tongues duelled, Harry was aware of Snape beside them, watching. With a little chuckle, Snape gave Harry a shove and Draco willingly gave way, lying down so that Harry was on top of them and their cocks were brushing each other. Draco gave a low groan, grabbing at Harry's arse, grinding against him.

"Oh God," Harry sighed, letting his own instincts take over, rubbing back against Draco and almost shivering with the need to touch and be touched. Nothing but a little kissing and fondling, and he was already close to coming. Dimly he was aware of the light from his wand moving, and then he realised Snape had his wand and was muttering something. A band of tight heat wrapped itself around his cock and balls, constricting them. The urge to come was held back by that almost painful squeeze. A look at Draco's face said that he was experiencing the same thing.

"Young brats," Snape said, sounding pleased with himself. "You'll come only when I say you can."

Draco murmured agreement, apparently unconcerned. Harry bit back a retort. It was frightening to think that his fulfilment could be based on a man who despised him--and yet, there was something thrilling in the idea as well. Harry decided to concentrate on Draco for the time being, because as annoying and cowardly as the prat could be, Harry had to admit one thing. He was absolutely gorgeous naked. And soft to touch; soft skin over muscle, too thin, and scarred by more than Harry's spell. He shuddered to think what punishments Draco must have endured with Voldemort living in his home. Perhaps that was why Draco reached for him with such abandonment and fervor, nipping at Harry's neck, sending little shivers through him. For a moment, Harry almost forgot Snape was there, lost in the feel of Draco's body.

Until he felt a sharp nip at his buttocks. Harry let out an unmanly squeak, squirming as he felt Snape's teeth digging into the tender flesh, hissing at the pain. This only seemed to spur Draco on even more; he slid a hand down between them to wrap around Harry's flesh, stroking him. "Want him to fuck me," Draco rasped out, and Harry supposed he must be talking to Snape, because Snape answered with a dark chuckle.

"I'd like to see that too. And I think that arrogant little arse of his needs a screwing as well." Harry could hardly believe he was hearing those words from Snape's mouth, but as he turned around, he could see the lust in the man's eyes. He's a Professor! Harry's mind thought frantically, but even he could see the fault in that claim. Snape hadn't been his Professor for almost a year now; they'd barely even seen each other. And Harry wasn't a little boy any longer. He wanted this.

Draco brought Harry's attention back to him by pulling Harry's hand down to press against Draco's hard weeping cock. As Harry began to stroke him, Draco's eyelids fluttered in pleasure and he nodded, kissing down the side of Harry's throat, his own hand busy on Harry. God, why can't he be like this all the time? Harry found himself wondering. He was just about to reach for the oil when a swipe of something warm and wet over his arsehole nearly made him fall on his face in shock.

It was pure heaven--or deepest Hell, Harry decided once the initial shock of having someone's tongue licking him there was past. He found himself panting, spreading his legs for more. The sensation stopped for a moment and he whimpered, until Snape's sharp tone brought him back to his senses. "I suggest you get working on Draco there, or I'll take him back and leave you hanging, Potter."

Given that way, Harry knew how to take a hint. He poured some oil on his fingers, but he was hesitating. He knew what the oil was for. It was just the particulars of how to apply it that troubled him. Hesitantly, not wanting to admit to either of them that he hadn't done this before, Harry reached under Draco, rubbing his fingers around the soft pucker, coating it. Either Draco was an old hand at this or he was exceptionally eager; it was almost as if his body drew Harry's fingers in, sliding inside into heat as Draco gasped, nodding urgently, rocking back on the fingers. Oh that was hot, Harry thought. He bit his lip as the veins in his cock pulsed in time with his rapid heartbeat.

Harry wriggled his fingers around a little, exploring, and Draco seemed to like that even more, so Harry concentrated on that, as Snape bent down again. Harry felt Snape's thumbs spreading him open, felt the shiver of anticipation, and then Snape was licking at him again, and Harry all but forgot about Draco, moaning, trying to press back against that wicked tongue. When Snape tongue-fucked him, Harry thought he would die with need. He made a strangled sound at the back of his throat, and realised suddenly that he was thrusting his fingers into Draco like a miniature cock.

"Please, Harry," Draco begged, his grey eyes looking hazed with lust, luminous by the light of Harry's wand. "Please fuck me."

Harry paused. Suddenly the weight of what he was doing falling down on him, making him wonder if he was insane to be here, doing this with the likes of Draco Malfoy. Draco must have noticed his pausing; he blinked, and sense returned to his eyes, as he arched insistently, whimpering. God, Harry wanted him, he did. "But you were helping them," Harry murmured, torn.

Draco shook his head. "Severus told me to hide in the Room, to not get involved in the fighting. I never expected you to show up there. I was trying to save Crabbe and Goyle too, but they . . ." He blinked, tears creeping into his eyes. "They wouldn't listen to me. They changed. They thought they were powerful." He bit his lip, looking grieved.

What could Harry possibly say to that? “I’m sorry,” he murmured, glancing back at Snape to confirm Draco’s words. Snape gave a small nod, eyes boring into Harry. The look was clear enough; there would be time enough for this discussion later. Right now they had other pressing needs. Very pressing, Harry thought, as Snape pushed an oil-slicked finger into him, rubbing against something that drove all other thoughts away, except for an intense need for Snape to continue that.

Spurred on by the intense stimulation, Harry pulled his fingers out of Draco and quickly dabbed some oil on himself, pushing Draco’s knees to his chest, fumbling in his haste to try to get inside, get some relief for his pulsating cock. Snape was good enough to let him get into position, moving with him, but not removing his fingers. When Harry pushed into Draco’s willing body, there was a collective groan from all three of them. Draco nodded, a blissful look of surrender on his face. A fierce sort of joy flared inside Harry, startling him in its intensity. Try as he might to deny things, he liked this.

Really liked this.

Harry tried a few experimental thrusts, gasping at the way Draco’s body seemed to pull him in, how the muscles clenched and eased around his cock, massaging it in the most amazing way.

Just before he could settle into a comfortable rhythm, however, there was movement behind him, and then Harry felt the firm head of Snape's cock, pressing up against him, and Snape's hands on his hips, demanding that he still. Harry sucked in a shaky breath, feeling a spike of fear, but beneath him, Draco reached up, pulling Harry in for a soft kiss that promised that this would be good, this wasn't something to fear.

Harry waited for the penetration, not entirely believing that things would be so easy, but Snape wasn't moving. "Say it, Harry. I'm not about to do this unless you explicitly ask for it." Snape's voice sounded a bit strained, Harry thought. Small wonder.

As tempting as Draco and his kisses were, Harry had to see the man who had given him such grief over his school years, the man who had also saved them all. Snape wasn't classically beautiful, with his thin hooked nose and pale lips and the wear of years upon him. But there was something dark and powerful in his eyes, something that somehow put all Harry's fears to rest. He'd wronged this man. They'd wronged each other. If it hurt, it would make things right. Harry found himself wanting to submit to Snape. To be taken by him. Owned, even.

Harry nodded. "Fuck me, Sir. Please."

No acknowledgement, no gentleness now; with a sneer Snape thrust forward and Harry cried out, walls of his anus stretched and protesting as Snape worked his cock in deeper. The burn felt good, cleansing. And it only lasted a moment, until Snape was fully inside him, holding Harry still with his hands to allow him to adjust to things, to the fact that he was being fucked by Severus Snape.

Beneath him, Draco moaned, as Snape's movements caused Harry to slide deeper, pressed hard against him. The combination of having his own cock engulfed in Draco's body and Snape piercing him with his own member was almost too much for Harry; his eyes rolled in pleasure as Snape began to move, thrusting slowly into him, causing him to in turn thrust into Draco. "Oh . . . my . . ." He couldn't even finish the thought.

"More, please," Draco whimpered, scratching at Harry's back, legs wrapped tight around him.

Harry wanted to tell Draco it really wasn't up to him at this point, but no words would come. Luckily, Snape heard and responded, picking up his pace a little, thrusting harder. Harry groaned, just trying to hold on, letting them both move his body as they saw fit. This was going to spoil him for life, he just knew, because he couldn't imagine anything ever comparing to this. He bit at Draco's chest, wanting to taste his skin, wanting to possess. A hitched whine told him that Draco enjoyed that too.

Draco reached down to begin stroking himself, and Harry knew that he must be close. Draco's body was flushed pink, soft mewls escaping him at every thrust, his hand keeping in time with Snape's thrusts. The binding spell must have been cast on him as well, because he seemed so ready he was trembling, but he wasn't coming. "Severus, please," Draco whispered, looking over Harry's shoulder at their common tormentor.

"Patience," Snape grunted, and Harry could almost see his cruel smile. Somehow that idea gave him a thrill. It seemed as if his skin was on fire, nerves all aflame. He wanted to help Draco but he needed his hands to maintain his position, so he settled on just kissing Draco, as much as possible, loving the little sounds escaping the young man.

Finally Snape ordered, "Come," and the spell was released on both of them. Draco came first, shooting gobs of white over his stomach, his insides clenching hard around Harry's cock. Harry wasn't sure if it was that which shoved him over the edge, or a last brutal thrust by Snape. In any case, the room went white as he exploded, coming hard, his whole body stiffening with the climax, until he woozily came back to earth, only half aware of Snape spending his passion with a low hiss, shuddering.

For a moment, none of them moved. It was Draco who first protested, muttering, "You two are heavy!" He tried to wriggle out from under them, as Harry pressed back against Snape, his spent cock falling out of Draco.

Snape was still a moment longer, and Harry wondered if he had exerted himself too much after his near brush with death. He was about to ask something, when finally Snape rolled off of him, lying down on the blanket. "You two will be the death of me, I swear it."

Draco chuckled, and immediately climbed on top of Snape, kissing him and snuggling in against him. "You can't die on me. Ever," he said in a low petulant voice, pressing his cheek to Snape's chest. Harry felt his cheeks colouring again, wondering what would happen now.

Dark eyes met Harry's in a wordless communication; Harry knew that Snape was thinking along similar lines. Harry looked at the way Draco was draped over Snape's nude form, how natural they looked together, how comfortable. He didn't belong here. He'd come here to possibly save Snape, to perhaps redeem himself, and that he'd done. But he couldn't imagine the two of them enfolding arms around him in a similar embrace. Harry swallowed against the painful lump in his throat. "I should go, shouldn't I." They'd be wondering where he was by now anyway.

Snape glanced at Draco, who chewed his lip thoughtfully, looking uncomfortable. "It's more your decision than mine," Snape said in a low voice. Draco nodded.

"He can stay. Or go. I don't really care. I'm staying," Draco said, rubbing at Snape's stomach in lazy circles. "If you go . . . Harry . . . tell my parents I'm fine."

That sounded like a dismissal to Harry. Feeling heavy and suddenly very much alone, he nodded, gathering up his clothing. He could feel Snape's eyes on him, watching. "They'll be waiting for you. I advise against telling them about me for the time being; I don't think they would care to believe our tale just yet." Once Harry had cleaned them all off with a scouring spell and donned his clothing, Snape waved him over. He seemed to choose his words carefully. "I would . . . welcome the opportunity to discuss 'humility' with you again, Potter. I think Draco would too. He's just been hurt a great deal. It's going to be a long road to recovery for all of us, I should think." He gave Harry a meaningful look.

A blush filled Harry's face. There was so much more he wanted to say to Snape. Questions he wanted to ask about Draco. But Snape was right; everybody would be looking for him, would want to speak with him. There would be a lot to do in the coming days. "Where will you be?" He asked, and couldn't help the plaintive note in his voice. He'd found something tonight. Something wonderful.

Snape gave a little smirk. "Come to the dungeons in the castle. I'll make sure you find me."

The dark promise in those words sent Harry's mind whirling down corridors, wondering where they would lead. Harry ventured a little smile as well. "I'm glad you lived." He nodded to Draco. "And glad I saved you. I'll be back."

With that, he crept back to the castle. This Beltane had provided quite a gift. The death of Voldemort. And the rebirth of Snape, Draco, and himself.

-end-