Title: The Safest Place
Author: quixotichope
Pairing: Harry/Severus
Rating: PG-13
Disclaimer: Harry Potter and all relating characters/places belong to the wonderful, talented JK Rowling. Song and lyrics belong to Leann Rimes.
Summary: Severus comforts Harry after a nightmare and ponders their relationship.
Author's Note: Originally a songfic, the lyrics have been removed from this fic to comply with FF rules. Song lyrics can be found here: www (dot) azlyrics (dot) com (slash) lyrics (slash) leannrimes (slash) thesafestplace (dot) html
For the original version of this fic, please check out my livejournal:
www (dot) livejournal (dot) com (slash) users (slash) Harry (underscore) sev (slash)
The Safest Place
The day started out like any normal day. Harry woke up in his lover's arms and, after snuggling close and pressing a quick kiss to Severus's lips, climbed out of bed. He hopped in the shower and got ready to face another day of teaching, as Severus liked to call them, the "offspring of some of the most dim-witted human beings alive."
xxx
Nights were what really bothered Harry the most. Even Occlumency, which Harry had finally mastered with the help of Severus at the end of last year, didn't help block out the killing and torturing that plagued Harry's dreams. Whether it was Voldemort or his own imagination that was torturing Harry, he didn't know. All he knew was that he didn't think he would have been able to make it through those long nights without the man he loved.
Severus was always up the instant Harry started to whimper. He would gently shake Harry awake, holding the young wizard in his arms. Severus rocked Harry from side to side, unable to bear seeing the pain in those beautiful green eyes. When Harry's breathing finally calmed down, Severus would lay down and pull Harry into his arms, making them both feel safe and loved.
xxx
Every night was the same. Harry felt so weak. He hated seeing what Voldemort and his Death Eaters were doing. He was the Boy-Who-Lived. He was the one who was supposed to save everyone. But how was he supposed to do it? He was only an 18-year-old wizard. He was hardly old enough to teach. How was he supposed to kill the most evil wizard of a century?
Feeling his love's arms wrap around him, Harry turned his thoughts to Severus. He didn't know what he would do without that man. Severus meant everything to him. He saw Harry at his weakest and, unlike the rest of the wizarding world, didn't admonish him for being who he was. Severus allowed him act like a child, if only while he was in his arms.
xxx
As he held his young mate in his arms, Severus thought back to the beginning of their relationship. He had watched for years as Harry struggled against everything that life handed him. He was amazed that the young man had survived this long. That amazement was nothing, however, compared to the amazement he felt that day of Occlumency. He had never expected Harry to return his feelings. Why would he? Harry was young, beautiful, and kind. Severus was old, ugly, and mordant. He had long ago hardened his heart against all of mankind. He was happy, and scared, to see that Harry had pushed past all of his defenses, had broken down all the walls surrounding Severus's heart. And even if the rest of the world still believed Severus Snape to be a cold-heartedly, malignant bastard, Harry saw the real Severus. And that, thought Severus as he pulled Harry closer to him, is all that matters.
xxx
Harry felt Severus's arms tighten around him and smiled. Three years ago, if someone had told him that he would feel the safest he had ever felt in the arms of his potions professor, he would have assumed they had spent too many hours being Fred and George's guinea pigs. Now, all he could do was smile whenever he thought of the man behind him.
After all that talk about the prophecy, Harry had been sure that his only purpose in life was to defeat Voldemort. He had expected to kill Voldemort or die trying. He never expected that anyone would love him. He was pleased to be proven wrong.
xxx
There were people that didn't understand. Ron had been furious. He accused Snape of "defiling the Boy Who Lived." And he wasn't the only one. Half the world seemed to disapprove of their relationship. But Harry didn't care. Severus was the only person who really mattered to him. The only person who truly cared about Harry, the scared, battered young wizard on whose shoulders so much hope was placed. The only person who actually cared if Harry was happy. As long as Severus is here, Harry mused, snuggling closer to Severus, I'll be just fine.