Disclaimer: I don't own anything of the Harry Potter universe.
Note: another story, yay. My gift to you. I was in the mood for something fluffier and I was inspired by the song close to me by Ellie Goulding and Diplo. Go listen!
Title: Close to me
Summary: Harry Potter has a secret lover, one that many would think he was ashamed of and insane to keep but Harry did not mind. But Harry Potter would not be Harry Potter if he did not show the world just how perfect they were for each other.
Warning: slash and fluff. And sex, that snuck in there. Not sorry at all.
The Great Hall was decorated beautifully, the house elves had definitely outdone themselves. Or perhaps they had merely catered to the wishes of the students that the first big event after the War had to be perfect. The Great Hall was decorated to an inch of its high ceiling with small tables dotted all over the place for dinner, a stage for the band that had been hired, intimate nooks that invited people to kiss underneath the mistletoe, the Christmas trees of various sizes, the snow that was falling gently and the doors that led to the lawn outside with gentle light inviting couples to walk around the garden.
The students rose up to the occasion with the boys dressed smartly in dress robes or tuxedos and the girls dressed in beautiful gowns. The Professors had outdone themselves as well. The Headmaster had opened the ball and now the band (The Grinning Gargoyles) were sweeping the students up in a mass of bodies on the dancefloor after the dinner.
Harry Potter stood on the edge of the room, sipping from his goblet. The wine went down smoothly, and he was a little bit tipsy. Perhaps more than a little bit tipsy but who cared? It was the gala and he was allowed to drink a little, especially after working so hard during the term to stay on top of his classes.
To say the end of the year had been easier after the War would have been an understatement. Harry had returned to Hogwarts, keen to resume his life and to have something else to do but think. He had not thought that he would survive the War and he had not taken into account just how hard it would be to live and not just survive.
The end of the War had brought him many tears as he mourned those, he had lost but it also brought a peace he had never known before. For the first time in his life Harry was free of expectations and commitments and he do with that freedom what he wished. It was maddening. So, Harry returned to Hogwarts, despite those that assumed he would follow in his father's footsteps and become an Auror. Or go into the Ministry to become at some not so distant point in the future, the youngest Minister for Magic. But Harry didn't want any of those things.
He had surprised himself with the realisation of some of the things he did want. He had expected that his job wishes would change as he was tired of the violence and the bloodshed. He longed to do other things with his hands and magic. There was so much more to discover now, and Harry wanted to. He longed for it. He also began to discover other things about himself, other longings that he had not even able to place quite so suddenly.
Instead of longing for gentle kiss and sweet curves, Harry began to develop an appreciation for the male form. Harry had always been a little bit late with exploring and the exploring he had done had been limited to holding hands and stealing kisses in corners with Ginny when he had tried to escape the war and his memories. Now, Harry longed for things he could not have. He had longed for one person, Severus Snape.
Harry had fallen hard for the complex and passionate man behind the sneer when Snape had taken him in hand after the war. Harry had been restless and looking for an outlet for his frustrating energy and when Snape had caught him wandering the hallways at night, again, he had taken Harry through a gruelling duelling session. Much to his surprise, it was the first decent night sleep Harry had gotten in a while and much to Snape's surprise, Harry showed up two days after that asking for more.
And more quickly became more. More than Harry had ever assumed or thought he would have wanted. He began to appreciate more than Snape's mind as he saw the Headmaster's body. Once Snape had become aware of Harry's desires, well let's just say Harry appreciate just how quickly Snape became Severus to him.
The Daily Prophet quickly caught on that Harry Potter had a lover but to this day Harry refused to say who it was. He wanted something that was his and only his. He did not want to be judged for his choice of lover because to be honest, there were days when Severus was the only thing keeping him sane as the masses demanded their saviour became what they expected of him and Harry almost buckled under the pressure. They had already mapped out his life, graduate Hogwarts, become an auror and marry his childhood sweetheart and raise a family. Harry snorted into his wineglass. He did not want any of it.
When the Daily Prophet had corned Ginny Weasely to ask when she would marry Harry Potter and carry the first of the Potter offspring, she had burst out laughing and told them in no uncertain terms that would be the last thing that would ever happen. She then snogged Draco Malfoy and that was the end of that.
Slowly but surely the wizarding world was starting to realize that their heroes would choose their own lives and that would have to be enough. So, when Harry came out as gay, though no fault of his own, the wizarding world had almost declared it a national holiday and then speculated who Harry Potter's lover was.
The Daily Prophet had run a popular editorial naming all the eligible bachelors at Hogwarts who could be warming Harry's bed and even the elusive but handsome Headmaster of Hogwarts had made an appearance on number 10. Number 1 had been Blaise Zabini, not that he had not been in a relationship with a super model witch from Italy, but it was the thought that matter. Severus had laughed very hard when he had seen the piece.
"So, Mr Potter, tell me, what does your lover have that I do not have?" Harry turned to see Blaise grinning at him. He and Blaise had a good laugh and a drink after the article. It may have sparked some more rumours, but it had been in jest.
"He is less glamourous then you, for one. He…is less sophisticated but he has a lot more world experience….and well, is older and he makes me feel amazing…."
"Let me guess. He is a Slytherin."
"How the fuck did you gather that?" Harry drowned his wine. A house elf immediately refilled his goblet. He could feel the dark eyes on him as Severus did a sweep of the Hall.
"Oh, come on, as though precious Potter would have settled for a Gryffindor, a Ravenclaw or Hufflepuff to feed his passion. Gryffindors would have been a match and brave enough but they would never let you put them in the shadows. Hufflepuff and Ravenclaws would not have dared to stand next to you so that leaves Slytherins. Only those know that standing in the shadows is just as nice and sometimes better then sharing the bloody limelight. Especially if your lover is Harry Potter, as famous as they come No, only Slytherins would be equipped enough to handle you." Blaise grinned at him.
Oh, my lover is certainly equipped enough to handle me…. Harry took another sip of his drink and said.
"Congrats, you figured it out. No point keeping a secret here…."
"Well, it doesn't help if I walk in on you when you leave a particular office in the morning. You really must learn to be more discreet."
"Mmm, discression and passion don't always go hand in hand." Harry remembered the few times Severus had him in the corridor. When suitably motivated the former spy could not always contain himself. Harry prided himself on motivating the Headmaster often…
He licked his lips, the drink warming his blood. Perhaps the proper motivation was just what he required. For a while now, Harry had been a little bit tired of attending all the many Ministry events, he had been invited to, by himself. He had asked his friends first but now, he wanted his lover by his side. Whenever he asked Severus, the Headmaster said he was busy and would rather do other things, involving Harry and his hands and mouth but….
Harry had his way to convince Severus that perhaps it would be time for them to come out too. And this time he would do it his way, not overheard in a pub by Rita Skeeter. No, he was ready to share with his lover. He wanted to keep their relationship private and especially he was when he was with Severus but at least they would leave him alone.
The funny thing was Severus had never made an issue of making their relationship public. Harry had wanted to keep it private. He wanted to keep who he was with Severus private for a while longer. But now…now he was done…he was ready to face the world and he would take the first step tonight.
He waved goodbye to Blaise and he stumbled his way towards the glass doors. He had last seen Severus out there, he was sure of it. He may be a bit more drunk then he realized. He giggled. It wouldn't matter, Severus accepted him the way he was.
He accepted Harry's nightmares, his needs and wants and his dreams, his insecurities and his personality…. He confronted Harry and they argued, passionately but they also made up and Harry was held when he needed to and left alone when that was what he wanted. Severus was there, even if it was just in the background, but he was there for when Harry needed him. And Harry hoped that it worked the same for Severus. That their relationship was equally, and Severus would confide in Harry when he needed to….
Harry sighed as he stumbled down the steps that led to the garden. He almost spilled his drink and paused to take a sip. Perhaps he was a little bit more drunk then he realized. But it didn't matter. A little bit of Dutch courage would not be amiss.
Well, well, Mr Potter, do I need to dock points for drunkenness now?" The silky voice sent shivers down his spine.
"I thought you had been a little less strict with the rules tonight…" Harry cuddled into Severus' side and nuzzled his neck. His Headmaster looked delicious in his form fitting dress shirt and longer waist coat. Severus had elected to dress between muggle and wizarding fashion and Merlin, Harry almost jumped the man when he walked onto the stage.
"I relaxed the rules slightly, but for you I may make an exception…" Severus hauled Harry inside, the younger wizard stumbling over his own feet. He tried to keep up with the long strides and he leaned heavily against the wall as Severus stopped in the corridor outside of the Great Hall.
He smiled at the Headmaster and said, pulling at Severus' tie. "I think…I think that it is time to come out…."
"I believe you have been out of the closet for a while, Mr Potter…." Severus' voice dropped into a purr.
"No, I meant us. I want others to know why I want you close. I want others to know who I am with you…. who we can be together…. I want to show others who I belong with and that they have no place in that life, except for the ones that we want in there…." He was babbling but he didn't care.
"I see, and have you considered what I want?" He pulled Severus closer, nuzzling at him.
"Me, for one…." Harry grinned and then went back to kissing Severus' throat. The older wizard swallowed and then hissed.
"Well, did you? Did you think to consider what I want? That perhaps I want to keep us private! To not have the world barge in when they want to…." Harry paused and swallowed thickly. He…he had assumed Severus wanted the same things as him. To have them be out on the open. He glanced up to see the impossible dark eyes look staring down at him, unreadable.
"Severus, I am sorry…I did not think…. Please forgive me…."
"No, I concur! You did not think, Mr Potter! You assumed your wishes were mine when they are not so aligned! You planned to fumble your way through this! You want to invite the world to barge in on us! You are too Gryffindor for a carefully planned coming out, Harry!"
Tears were making it harder for Harry to see. But he could not look away. He could not break the eye contact because he was sure that if he did, he would break what was theirs.
"Not like I have been preparing for months! Waiting for you to be ready to finally step out in the world with me! I have invited the world to watch this moment, to watch us and to see a glimpse of who we are together but after that, we decide on the moments when we want the world to watch, not the other way around!" Murmurs began to sound as the band took a break and students began to move towards the entrance for some air.
"Because honestly, brat, I do not wish to be somebody without you next to me. And if it is not you, I do not care for anyone else. And the world needs to know that you are mine." And to the surprised gasps of the students Severus kissed Harry deeply.
"What is the meaning of this? Why are you all stopping and gawking…? Headmaster Snape!" Professor McGonagall sounded shocked when she appeared in the doorway, pushing through the students.
Harry was breathless when Snape broke the kiss. He hid his flushing face in his lover's shoulders as he widened his stance slightly to steady himself. Severus' thigh brushed his cock and Harry had to use all his power to keep it from showing on his face.
"Yes, Professor McGonagall, was there an issue with the students that you needed my support with?" The Headmaster steadied his lover with a hand on Harry's hip. He certainly did not sound like he had been kissing someone deeply.
"No, I…. that aspect of the evening is under control. I was currently going to do my walk to make sure the students were not getting up to any displays of affection which are certainly not suitable for public." The older witch crossed her arms over her chest and said. "Come on then, Headmaster. To you the dubious honour of joining me in my round of the garden to catch any other students."
The Headmaster straightened, and Harry grinned as Snape muttered. "The perks of being a Headmaster….my arse…."
"Perhaps you can say these are the perks of shagging Harry Potter, his arse!" Severus simply stared at him and Harry giggled. Normally he was a little bit more reserves. The dark-haired man shook his head and then said.
"I think I need a drink for that remark." It may be Harry's imagine but Severus sounded almost wistful as he left Harry and gestured with his hands to the students to scatter them. The students finally did, and Harry leaned back against the wall with a sigh. He was quite sure he needed another drink.
Bloody hell, why does Severus decide to show his possessive side now? The only thing I want to do is to drag him off to a secluded corner and kiss him senselessly…. Could he not have done this on some boring Ministry function that I had to appear at last month?
"Harry?" Harry opened his eyes to see Blaise extend another goblet towards him. Not caring what was in it, he took a sip. He coughed as the fire whiskey burned down his throat. His eyes watered, and he managed to say. "Next time, a bit of warning would be appreciated."
"Right back at you, Potter. Bloody hell, shagging the Headmaster, were we? A little bit of warning would have been appreciated."
"Says the guy who is shagging the supermodel and had to ask for special leniency to miss several of his lessons for important events." Harry resorted. One could not open a magazine without a picture of Blaise and his girlfriend.
"Well perhaps now that you are out of the closet with your lover, we can finally share the front page. I am sure your fans would love to see pictures of you. It makes a nice break from seeing the same old same old second class famous citizen. I mean, the public really want to see you…"
"I am not sure if they wish to see me with a former Death Eater. I think that even my fame would not be enough…Even if that man is a former spy and an undistinguished hero."
"I think that the fucking papers will romantize the shit out of this. Gryffindor sweeping in to save the day and to save a former Death Eater, turned spy for the light side out of love and our redeemed Headmaster. The youngest Potions Master in history and one who is not traditionally handsome."
"Oh god next they are going to call for our wedding." Harry drowned his fire whiskey as he led the way out to the garden.
Blaise chuckled beside him and said. "Or some may think that you are getting all the experimenting out of your system while you are still young. I mean, everyone knows Slytherins make for excellent lover. But anyway, who cares what the public thinks? I am very sure that Snape can protect you. It isn't like it is a though job. He spent years protecting all his Slytherins from Dumbledore and you from any Death Eaters. Just hex anyone of the public and you'll be fine. Maybe not something horrible but you catch my drift."
I have a feeling Severus would even be strangely proud if I hexed someone. He's always telling me I'm too nice anyway.
His eyes searched for the imposing figure of his lover. He was drunk enough to not to think clearly any longer and honestly, Severus' possessive display of just that he wanted Harry close was arousing as fuck….
He always wanted someone he could be himself with, be a little bit insane in a world that expected him to confirm to their wishes. And…. well Severus fit him better than anything else. Perhaps it was time to show his lover that he returned his affection wholehearingly.
He drowned the glass that some house elf had refilled and said. "Fine, that is it. I am done for tonight. I have other places I need to be…"
"You mean other people you need to do." Harry stumbled in his sure step and turned to give Blaise the finger and a wink. Really, he did not need his friend to comment on his love life.
Hp
Where the hell is Severus? I mean the castle is not that big that the Headmaster can just disappear. I wish I had the Marauder Map, so I could actually bloody see where he is. Great, I am the one in the mood for sex and I can't fucking find him.
"Looking for someone, Mr Potter?" That silky voice had never been so welcome as Harry rounded the corner up the staircase that led to the Great Hall. They were just out of sight and Harry could hear the music loudly from the open doors to the Great Hall.
"Why yes, sir. I was looking for my lover. Have you seen him by any chance?" Harry tried to walk confidently towards Severus. He stumbled slightly and a strong arm around his waist caught him. He grinned and then pulled Severus' head down. He kissed his lover deeply.
"Do you normally go about kissing random men?" The deep voice was slightly husky, and Harry said.
"Not just kissing." He saw the dark eyes widen as he began undoing Severus' tie. The dark-haired man stumbled slightly, and he hissed, trying to tug Harry's hands away.
"Do you have any idea what Professor McGonagall is going to do to me when she catches us?"
"Suppose we'll have to be quick then and not get caught. Besides, do you really think I could let that display downstairs go unpunished?" The dark eyes narrowed, and Harry swallowed thickly as Severus leaned in to whisper, his voice dangerously low and as honey over Harry's senses.
"Punishment, really, Mr Potter? I believe that word never existed in your vocabulary. Do you really think that you are suited for this?" Teeth grazed his neck and Harry shivered. He buried his hand in the long dark hair to pull his lover closer to him.
He could hear the murmurs of the students, the music and the singing but he didn't care. He only wanted Severus. He may have even said as much as he dropped his hands to fumble with Severus' belt and his zipper. Hands clamped down on his and Severus hissed. "You sure?"
"I really don't know how much more I can make it clear to you, Sev, except to perhaps to suck you off…" Now there was a thought and with a quick move he had learned on a broom, but which worked just as well as on the ground, Severus was the one with his back against the wall. Harry looked up as he sank down on his knees, his hands working to undo the zipper on the dark pants. He licked his lips and heard the groan above him. The slight thump as Severus dropped his head back against the stone wall. Harry free the thick erect cock, quite sure that if he made the right moves both of them would not last long. He may have been innocent, but Severus had certainly made sure he brushed up on some necessary skills, and not only in the Potions classroom.
Harry ran his tongue up the thick shaft, feeling fingers settle in his hair. When he opened his lips to take Severus into his mouth and sucked, the fingers tightened almost painfully. When he began to suck in earnest and bobbed his head, setting the pace. He could hear the sigh that Severus could not hide, taste the precum on his tongue as he swept it over the blunt head. He looked up to find the dark eyes looking down at him, intense in their desire.
He curled one hand around a firm thigh, knowing Severus was widening his stance just slightly to bear more of Harry's weight. He took as much of Severus in his mouth as he could, feeling the pressure of the slender fingers in his hair.
He wanted to make Severus come. To be the reason the man lost control. To know that they could be caught at any moment if someone came upstairs. That knowledge made him even harder and he hollowed out his cheeks, increasing the pace just slightly.
Severus began moving his hips in time with Harry's strokes. Harry tried to match it, so he wasn't going to choke. He would swallow everything Severus gave down if the Headmaster lost control. The next moment Severus fisted his hand in Harrys hair and pulled him up.
"That will be enough! If you are determined to see it through, then let's do this." Severus' voice was breathless but steady. Quick fingers made short work of his belt and his pants, pulling them down to rest on his ankles.
Grinning as this was as close as he had ever gotten to make Severus losing control, Harry turned around. He knew just what his lover was going to do but he was not prepared for the spell. He moaned his disappointment as he whispered over his shoulder. "I am sure we have time for the old-fashioned approach, Sev…."
He could feel the warm breath on his ear, intimate as Severus whispered, distracting Harry as a careful finger circled his hole. "No, it is 1 minute to midnight. The ball ends at midnight. In a few moments we shall have all students up here. Do you really wish for them to see you like this? Being fucked against the wall by your Headmaster?"
Harry's breathing left him as Severus licked his ear shell and the painting Severus painted in his mind. The dark eyed man really had a way with words. It was even more arousing as the other man pushed one finger in, distracting him from the burn as Severus prepared him.
"I think you do. I did now you were such an exhibitionist. Does it make you even harder to know that we could be discovered? That your peers could see you at your most intimate? At your most unguarded as only I have seen you?"
Harry growled his agreement but suddenly with another whispered spell, his trousers disappeared from around his ankles and he was turned around. The next moment hands curled underneath his thighs as Severus encouraged him to wrap his legs around the other's waists.
The blunt head nudged at his entrance as Severus balanced him against the wall.
Severus pushed in slowly as he hissed, the dark eyes meeting the green ones. "And you think I will let others see you like this? Hell no, Harry, you are mine! I will do whatever it takes to keep this moment between us private, even if we are in public. I will consent to sharing many things but not this moment, this only belongs to us."
Harry grinned as he caught the thin lips in a searing kiss, feeling the thick cock push in and he yielded to Severus. In turn his Headmaster indulged him and as the clock began to chime midnight, Severus increased his thrusts, bringing them over closer to the edge. It only took a single stroke of the slender hand on his cock that made Harry come in a while rush. His orgasm sent Severus over the edge as he filled Harry up.
They were barely coming down as loud voices of complaining students began to fill the Great Hall as they came outside. Severus let Harry's legs down slowly, aware of the potential for cramping. They quickie straightened themselves as Harry search for his trousers. He quickly pulled them on, not caring he was going commando, hadn't Severus been…. all evening and if that wasn't another turn on, Harry wasn't sure what it was.
Just when the students began to appear Harry used Severus' tie to pull the dark head down as he said. "Having private us moments is all I need, and I don't want the world the see. They can see my love for you and nothing more. Just as long as you are close to me, I am happy."
And as the Headmaster took his Chosen One's lips in another deep kiss, they didn't care about the shocked whispers or the exclaimed "Headmaster Snape, that is the second time this evening!", just if they were close to one another, that was all that mattered.
The end
I hope you liked it. Have a Happy New Year and I hope 2019 will be everything you want it to be.