Warning: Slash, mature content though no lemon as such.

A/N: Please review even if just to say you read!

Reincarnation

When Harry was pulled into the foreign world there was only one happiness. Severus was alive. True he was married and to Lily Potter of all people. But Harry did not care. His love, his silent, stoic armor was back. And Harry could tell immediately that Severus was still attracted to him, albeit only physically at that point but Harry was determined he would show him why they loved each other. He was the same after all. Exactly the same.

Lily Snape was a problem though. She didn't care for Harry as a mother at all, and Harry could not see her as one. This meant he had no compunctions against doing all he could to get Severus back to him. Severus was often with him in the hospital wing as the force that had wrenched him from his universe to this one had inflicted a rather lot of damage. One night he was having trouble breathing and was constantly breaking into coughing fits. Severus came and gave him a potion and rubbed his back. And even when the tightness in his chest had eased a bit he let himself fall back into Severus' chest and clutch at his shirt, perhaps let his lips brush against Severus' clavicle.

"Harry, what are you doing here? Lily's at the Charms Convention in Cardiff." Severus said when Harry went to his rooms for the first time. It was about a week since he'd arrived in this alternate plane and Professor Dumbledore had figured out he was stuck. Every chance he'd had he'd talked with Severus, sat as close as he'd dared.

"My chest is aching again." Harry said and Severus looked endearing troubled.

"I'll fetch you the Sutheby's potion again."

"Do you have any of the Easy Breath Balm left?" Harry interrupted.

"If you would prefer it."

Severus went to get the balm and Harry sat on the couch and pulled off his shirt. Severus returned and sat behind him and began to rub the balm into his back. It made Harry cough a bit but then he felt his lungs loosen and leaned back into Severus' hands.

"Better?" Severus murmured near Harry's ear.

"Much. Thank you." He said then paused. "I missed you."

Severus was quiet a moment.

"You said we were we close in your universe?"

"Inextricably." Harry said softly. "I…could I…"

Harry turned around shakily moved his arms toward Severus who tensed. "Just for a moment, please."

Severus nodded, eyes unreadable, and Harry slowly snaked his arms around the man, letting his fingers fall on the other man's hands and then slide across his knuckles and over his arms and shoulders,until his grasping fingers reached Severus' firm back. His body arched forward, almost involuntarily and he tumbled into Severus' lap.

"Harry—" Severus said alarmed.

"Please just one moment longer." Harry choked and pressed himself into Severus' chest, rejoicing as he felt Severus' body begin to respond. And then Severus stood, sending Harry tumbling onto the stone floor.

"I think you should leave." Severus said, which hurt more terribly than Harry could have imaged, and yet somewhat less because Harry could hear it in his voice, the sound of his love returning, slowly, and angrily as it had the first.

A week later he was back. A week of casual touches, of long looks and Severus scowling and flushed.

"I've always loved Lily…your mother."

"I know. You told me. But she was dead."

"And here she is not."

"And I am."

"She is still your mother though. I am still her husband. I don't understand how you can simply…"

Severus let out a harsh breath and Harry put a hand on his shoulder, at the crick of his neck—just the he spot he would hold to when they would have sex, and their bodies would rise and fall in tandem.

"When I remember you…I remember this." Harry breathed out shakily before pushing himself up on to his tippy toes and pressing his lips to Severus', moving his hands down the other man's chest to caress his hips. And Severus responded. Harry would feel his body spark against his wherever their limbs touched.

"No." Severus gasped out, though his face was still pressed against Harry's allowing no other sense to penetrate their two twined gazes, dark eyes flashing with agony. "I love Lily. You…you are mere flesh."

With that he left, pulling away sharply so that his hands tore slightly at Harry's hair. Before he was out the door Harry began to cry bitter, angry tears.

In the Great Hall the next morning Harry watched Severus and Lily hold hands under the staff table and dug his nails into his hand so hard it bled. He would be back again.

"Admit it Severus. I know you better than any of them could. I've felt it, all the things they can't understand, the guilt, the triumph and defeat of slaughter. They won't ever understand that. She won't understand that. I do though Severus. That's why we work. We understand each other."

"You're just a boy." He sounded almost desperate.

"And you are just man." Harry pushed his hips against Severus's. This time Severus began to move forward and pressed his lips to Harry's neck. Harry gasped a little and let his head fall back, exposing his neck to Severus's desperate, hesitant lips. They came closer and closer to Harry's face, to his lips and then they touched and Harry could not help but moan. All this time he'd felt so lost but he was with Severus again, he could conquer the world with a flick of his wrist. Severus gripped his hair and pressed his mouth further into Harry's and then—

"I cannot."

"I love you, oh god I love you, please."

"But I cannot love you." Severus spat out, jaw clenched, hands fairly trembling.

"Severus I love you." Harry chocked out, tears tumbling from his eyes.

"Don't, please just…Just don't cry...You…you are too beautiful for sadness."

"Then hold me, please just hold me." And he did and Harry knew Severus was his again.