Not quite a honeymoon
A/N:
This fic plays in an alternate universe, where Voldemort slipped in the shower, cracked his head open, and the bit of a brain he still possessed (it wasn´t much, anyway), ran down the drain.
Also, Dumbledore is not dead and still a meddling old coot. And need I really say that Snape is, indeed, alive? Thought so.
"I hope for your own sake that you didn´t just say I am to supervise a camping trip to Germany alongside Professor Potter?!" Snape spat.
"Severus, dear boy – you know that you are the only choice possible, what with Pomona being in St Mungos, having been exposed to squabberschnitz pus," Dumbledore said in a consoling kind of tone.
"Hrmpf."
"If that is all you have left so say to that, I wish you a great time in Bavaria. At this time of year it´s supposed to be stunning. I´m sure, you´ll enjoy yourself. Both of you. My dear, dear boys..." Dumbledore popped one of his heart-shaped candies into his mouth, and contorted his face, giggling madly. "I´m sorry, Severus, this one really tickles the insides," he cackled. Meanwhile, Snape´s complexion changed from sallow to a furious red, and further on to a sour green.
Without saying goodbye to the headmaster, he strode out of the office, smashing the door as loudly as possible. Of course he had no chance to reject Dumbledore´s orders, and in spite of everything he had had to go through because of him, he still loved him like a father.
He stalked directly to his quarters, flinging open the door to his sleeping chambers, raising his wand and summoning random items of clothing (muggle fashion, of course), which – due to his forceful spellcrafting – flung themselves directly in his face. Severus Snape let out a deep sigh and sat down on his bed. He had survived the Dark Lord. How much worse could this camping trip be?
"Can I have your attention for one second please? Alright. If everyone´s ready, we´ll go down together to the Hogwarts Gates. There we will all take the portkey to Munich. Has everyone travelled by portkey before?" Harry looked around, taking in the nodding heads and some subdued "yes".
"Great. We will be transported to the north part of a huge park in the middle of the city called `Englischer Garten´, which is German for `English Garden´. After our arrival, we will set up our tents without magic. I need not remind you that we are trying to blend in with the muggles as well as possible, and also want to develop a sense of independency from magic. This trip is sponsored by the Ministry, department for wizard-muggle relations."
Indeed, Hermione was working in that area, and it had been her idea. Thinking, that if everyone at school, especially the purebloods, got to know muggle culture in a positive setting, one might prevent future Voldemort-scenarios as well as ignorant, unfounded rancour.
Of course, Dumbledore was happy to include such an outing into his syllabus, and Harry – usually instructing the pupils in Defence against the Dark Arts - being the only Professor having truly lived as a muggle, chaperoned the project each year. Usually, he took Pomona Sprout with him. She was a very dear colleague and enjoyed being away from the greenhouses for a few days.
This year, to Harry´s absolute horror, she had had an accident involving one of the most clumsy first years Hogwarts had ever seen, and although the extent of the damage to her skin which the pus had caused wasn´t exactly severe, she needed to have applied a salve every hour for 48 hours to prevent scarring.
Which meant that Harry would be stuck with his least favourite colleague during the trip.
In none-too-great a mood he ventured down the path to the gates, the students trotting behind him like a flock of lazy sheep.
Harry produced his wand and cast a quick Tempus, noticing that it was five minutes to ten, the time the portkey would activate. Now the only person missing was Snape.
Impatiently, Harry surveyed the horizon until he saw a black dot that got bigger and bigger and finally ressembled the lean figure of the potions master.
Harry´s jaw went slack. This couldn´t be Snape! The man advancing wore anthracite-coloured slacks, a dark-blue button-down shirt, a black leather jacket and black dress shoes. His hair was pulled back in a ponytail, and slung over his shoulders was a bag made of fine suede.
Harry goggled, but recovered quickly. He himself had donned a pair of stone washed blue jeans that hung a bit too low (the stress of teaching at this time of year costing him his usually healthy appetite), and a shirt saying I 3 München, which he purchased the year before. Now he wished he´d dressed up a bit more, immediately feeling self-conscious in Snape´s presence. But then again – didn´t the old bat always provoke this feeling in him?
When Snape eventually joined the group, Harry curtly nodded by way of greeting and addressed the students once more.
"Here we are. Everyone hold onto that rope, make sure you don´t let go until you´ve safely arrived and your feet touch solid ground. One, two, three..."
Snape stood around akwardly in the English Garden, while the students set up the tents under Harry´s supervision. The area had been prepaired by the German Ministry of Magic, and made muggle proof with notice-me-not spells and the like. The northern part of the park was much more natural than the southern part, which held some attractions like the `Chinese Tower Beergarden´, a greek temple and a Japanese teahouse. They had found a beautiful place surrounded by old foliage trees.
Although one could spot the odd muggle taking their dog for a walk, pushing a stroller or going for a run, not one of those could see the young wizards and witches, bustling with excitement around their campsite.
"Professor Potter, can I switch tents with Gemma? I wanted to stay with Marianne!" a blond girl asked in a petulant manner.
"Absolutely not, Sophie, you sorted it out at Hogwarts, and I will not let everyone play the tent version of musical chairs here. I don´t need more chaos as it is," Harry replied strictly. He had learned the hard way that if he was too soft with his fosterlings, they only would presume on his good nature. After several years of teaching, he knew how to rein with a firm hand.
Snape was watching the scene from a safe distance, and felt a grudging sort of respect for his younger colleague. But even if he admired how Harry had found the balance between friendly and strict that he himself never achieved – not that he´d tried – he didn´t have to like the brat.
Still lost in his thoughts, he hardly noticed the young man stepping up to him.
"Just wanted to say that the tents are ready. Ours is over there, the blue one." Harry pointed north.
"You didn´t just say OUR tent, did you, Potter?" Snape said threateningly, as if he still was Harry´s professor.
"Of course, our tent. Something wrong? No worries. I might be gay, but I surely won´t molest you in your sleep. Munich has got a great gay scene, and I´ll be paying it a visit. Perhaps tomorrow..." Harry´s eyes sparkled with mirth.
Snape, just now taking in what the other had said, gulped. Not being involved in the social life of Hogwart´s staff, this revelation was news to him. Not that it mattered. Even if Potter didn´t look half-bad in his jeans. (Wherever had that come from, Snape thought.)
"At least there is wizard´s space, so we can set up our beds far apart from each other. And that has nothing to do whatsoever with your inclination," Snape said sourly.
"You do know that this trip is all about coping without magic? We are to be a good example for the children after all. No wizards space. And no transfiguring mats into bets. We´ve got sleeping bags like the rest of them, and it´s fun, too. You´ll see." Harry tried to sound assuring.
"We´ll be going for a walk through the city centre later, after everyone has had the packed lunch the houselves prepared for us. Dinner will be at the famous Hofbräuhaus, including typical Bavarian dishes. The walk back to the campsite will take us about half an hour, depending on how fast they can walk after a hearty meal. Curfew is 11pm, and after that the students aren´t to be outside their respective tents anymore. From then on, the evening is yours."
Seeing Snape´s sulky expression that got worse and worse during Harry´s speech, he just grinned, having lost any real anger towards Snape long ago, and strode to their tent to set up the sleeping bags and his toiletry.
Snape´s feet were aching. They had been walking around the city centre for what felt like hours, had been to `Marienplatz´ with the column of St Mary, which was the supposed centre of Bavaria. There, a guide had told them that the cities name `Munich´ stemmed from the latin term `forum apud munichen´, which meant `at the monk's´. It had been an early settlement founded by a confraternity of monks. With 1,4 million inhabitants, Munich was the biggest city in Bavaria, and the third biggest city in Germany, following Berlin and Hamburg.
Although Snape swore to himself not to enjoy the outing, he couldn´t help being impressed by the huge gothic townhall, and the abundance of beautiful churches, as well as the cathedral in the pedestrian precinct with the distinguished round church spires, probably being Munich´s most famous landmark.
They had been to the `Viktualienmarkt´, which was famous for fine delicacies and produce of nearly any kind (Snape couldn´t resist and purchased several fresh ingredients for potions he wanted to brew), to the `Gärtnerplatzviertel´, with a gorgeous theatre that unfortunately was being renovated at the moment and not open for visitors, as well as the famous `Stachus´, actually called `Karlsplatz´with the Karlstor, an old city gate, and a huge circular fountain.
Harry hauled them along to a square being built in the fashion of ancient greece, with several temples that housed old collections of artefacts and art.
And as if that wasn´t enough, the brat made them visit an art exhibition in the `Lenbachhaus´, which was famous because a guild of artists had lived and worked there, and now held a well-reknown collection called `the blue horseman´. Once again, Snape couldn´t help but be affected by the elaborate paintings and artwork found there. Also, the house itself was absolutely beautiful, and Snape rested his feet in the adjoining garden.
Following the exhibition, they had a quick look at the National Opera House, trodded to another famous square called `Odeonsplatz´ with a curious looking yellow church, and had tea and cake in the famous café `Tambosi´.
"If we walk even one more metre, I´ll draw my wand and AK myself!" Richard said, a lanky boy with spiky purple hair and rectangular, black glasses.
"No more walking today, I promise. We will take the tube back later. You´ve been so good today, and I really appreciate that."
"But the city is lovely," said Edward, a usually rather shy Hufflepuff.
"Yes, isn´t it? I´ve been here many times before, and I look forward to every visit," confessed Harry.
"How did you like the walking tour, Professor Snape?" Harry adressed his colleague, who was sipping a black coffee in a very distinguished manner. With his grey slacks, and today a purple button-down, he fit into the fashionable city very well.
"It´s passable," was the short reply, although Harry noticed any absence of rancour.
"If I´m not entirely wrong, you liked the Kandinsky paintings best, didn´t you?" Harry enquired.
"He was a rather capable artist, I must conceed."
After that, Harry didn´t try making any more conversation with Snape, and chattered away happily with the youths, who savoured their gateaux and cakes.
"You have to try the dumplings, Snape, they are delicous! And be sure to order `Schäufele´, which is a juicy bit from the shoulder of a pig. Don´t take the white sausages, we will have them tomorrow for breakfast." Harry perused the menu once more, while Snape wasn´t sure what was worse: the traditional Bavarian Oompah-music, the feisty waitresses, whose breasts nearly jumped out from the neckline of their `Dirndl´ (the traditional costume for girls and women), or the heavily inebriated Japanese tourists, swinging their huge beerglasses and taking pictures with rectangular electronic devices.
"Thank you, I shall pass. I´m not especially hungry this evening."
"Fair enough. But you can always try mine, if the fancy strikes you after all."
When the waitress came and took their order, all of them were glad that she spoke fluent English, as none of them knew more than a few words of German. Even Harry, having been to Munich several times before, could never be bothered to learn it, as it wasn´t exactly a walk in the park.
At last, she expectantly looked at Snape.
"Ich hätte gerne die Kartoffelsuppe und etwas Brot dazu. Und zu trinken ein Helles vom Fass, bitte."
All eyes were on Snape in an instant. The waitress smiled, jotted down the request and left.
"Wh- I didn´t know you were fluent in German," Harry said awestruck.
"You don´t know anything about me," Snape replied, and left it at that.
Soon, their food arrived, and everyone tucked in with gusto. Harry devoured his `Schäufele´with dumplings, and sampled the `Sauerkraut´, that was in a big bowl, available for everybody. Most of the students had dumplings with some kind of gravy and several slices of meat.
Unfortunately, the music was too loud to have a conversation, so they ate in silence. But, being exhausted as they were, it didn´t really matter.
Some time later, Harry motioned for the check which was taken care of with the money the Ministry of Magic had provided for the trip. All in all, the `Hofbräuhaus´ wasn´t really expensive, although overflowing with tourists from over the world.
"As I promised, we´ll go back by tube. If anyone gets lost, remember to take the U3 or U6 til ´Münchner Freiheit´ in the direction of the Allianz Arena. There´s a football symbol right next to the signs, so it should be easy to spot. But I´d rather the group stay together, I´ll not take any chances in losing one of you. Come here and get your tickets, everyone!" Harry reached into his pockets and retrieved the little pieces of paper that entitled them to riding with any of the public transport vehicles.
"Do we have to validate them or something?" one of the boys asked.
"No, in this case they are already validated. But when they´re not, just put them in one of those blue stamp machines at the entrance. Over there, next to the escalator, you see?"
Snape came closer to Harry and held out his hand for a ticket. When he received it, he snared a short "thank you." Harry had become sensitised towards Snape´s presence, particularly to a Snape wearing muggle clothes and looking- no. Don´t go there, he berated himself mentally. And Snape´s voice had always been kind of a weak spot for him, even when he was a pupil himself and had loathed the potions professor.
The group rode down the escalator ("It´s nearly like the moving spiral staircase leading to Dumbledore´s office," Sophie remarked.) and caught the next train. When they got off at the proper stop, Snape shielded his eyes. The tube station was lined with neon yellow lamellae, and the columns holding the roof were blue. As if that wasn´t enough of an optical insult, the whole ceiling was covered in mirrors, which doubled the effect of the blaring colours.
"Muggles nowadays seem to have no taste whatsoever," Snape said darkly, and produced some fashionable sun-glasses, with which he shielded his eyes.
"What?" he inquired, when the group of students, including their DADA professor, regarded him curiously. "I do have sensitive eyes, I´ll have you know. I don´t work in the dungeons for nothing!" he added and strode towards the exit, so as to quickly escape the riot of colours.
Outside, they had a bit of a problem orienting, as they had left the campsite by foot. Luckily, Harry spotted a young woman sitting at a fountain, playing around with her smartphone. When he spoke to her, she looked up. Harry nearly laughed – with her dark, long hair, her prominent cheekbones and her rather distinguished nose, she could have been a relative of Snape´s. Not that he found her ugly, on the contrary.
Her English was more than adequate, and she quickly explained the shortest way back to the English Garden. He thanked her politely.
When they were away several hundert metres, Harry said to Snape "that young woman there at the station... she somehow ressembled you. Funny, huh?"
"I found her rather attractive. So she can´t be much of a lookalike," Snape responded sarcastically.
"I did think she looked quite beautiful," Harry said, blushing. "I like distinguished facial features, as I myself have a fairly boring face."
"You most certainly do not. Stop fishing for compliments, Potter."
"So does that mean you don´t think I´m bad-looking?" Harry asked intrigued.
"So does that mean you do find me attractive?" shot Snape back.
"Uh, you´re, uh... not half-bad, no..."
"Eloquent as ever, Potter." Snape shoved his hands in his pockets, and tried not to be annoyed by Harry´s sulking look. He failed, however. Why did the whelp evoke those feelings in him? Against his usual nature, he took pity in the young man.
"Do I really have to spell it out for you? I am not one to give compliments freely, you – having known me for nearly two decades – should know that. Yes, I find you to be more than adaequate. Can we leave it at that and finally head back to the campsite?" Snape hissed lowly, so the students walking before them wouldn´t overhear his involuntary confession.
Harry´s complexion turned to a deep red and he couldn´t help the wide grin that spread on his face, nearly taking out his ears in the process.
Snape sighed profoundly and noted the warmth spreading around in his stomach. Great. Now you are starting to form a crush on the Saviour of the Wizarding World, who only flirts with you to make the time go faster. You are an old, stupid fool, Severus Snape.
The potions master, owning a pair of very long legs, reached the campsite first and crawled into the blue teacher´s tent to have a bit of peace and quiet. As it was July and therefore still bright outside, the students were allowed to roam the park on their own, as long as they didn´t do magic or disturb the muggles in any way.
Snape pulled out the latest Potions Magazine and got comfortable – at least as comfortable as possible in such close quarters while sitting on a mat on the ground – when Harry barged in.
"I meant to ask you, how come you speak fluent German?"
"It is none of your business, Potter."
"Ah, come on. I know it isn´t. But can´t you at least try and be civil? I´ve been nothing but polite to you the last years, and I don´t mean you any harm. I´d like for us to try and be friends," Harry said with a bit of a pout.
Snape closed his eyes for a moment, then opened them again and looked at Harry. Loath as he was to admit, his colleague was right.
"Forgive me. I´ll strive to be more agreeable as of now." He put his magazine away and steepled his fingers over his drawn-in knees. "I used to be in a relationship with a German wizard. It was quite a while ago, but I used to speak the language almost perfectly, having been to the country for extended periods of time. Although I know I´ve got a strong English accent."
"I wish I could string together at least a few sentences. But languages are really not my strong suit."
"Which sentences would you wish to learn?" Snape inquired, slightly amused.
"Uh... now that you ask me... I know bitteschön, dankeschön, wo ist die Ubahn?, but that´s about it. How do I say You´ve got a very sensual mouth?"
Snape´s heart did a jump in his ribcage, and only years of spydom helped him retain a modicum of composure. Potter was openly flirting with him? What in Merlin´s name had the world come to?
Although now that he thought of it, he remembered several occasions where Potter had been friendly, if not flirtatious with him; and Potter always sat next to him during staff meetings. Severus had previously assumed, that it was only due to the circumstance that the chair next to him always remained empty, but in fact, Potter must have sought out his presence then, for there were a lot of free chairs to choose from. Interesting. Even intriguing.
"You don´t need to say, it´s okay," Harry mumbled and shifted awkwardly.
"What? No, sorry, I was somehow lost in thoughts. Er... That would be Du hast einen sehr sinnlichen Mund."
"Alright." Harry shifted a little closer to his colleague and tried out his new language skills.
"Du hast einen sehr sinnlichen Mund." Harry smiled as Snape´s harsh features softened when Harry said the words back to him.
"Thank you." Snapes corners of his mouth lifted a little, as if they didn´t quite know how to smile after having been unemployed for such long a time. But Harry got the idea. He settled back against his sleeping bag and smiled to himself. Snape fished for his potions magazine once again and they fell in a companionable silence none of them had thought possible even a day ago.
When night fell on the Bavarian city, the students went to brush their teeth with water from bottles Harry had brought with them. Snape took his toilet bag and disappeared into a group of trees. Somehow Harry thought, that he would have liked seeing the man do something as mundane as cleaning his teeth and washing his face. That wish stemmed probably from the notion, that that would render the mysterious potions master more human in his eyes. Harry did his evening ablutions quickly to get it over with, and checked the tents for their inhabitans. Some of the students must have accidentally mixed up their dwellings, because he found lanky Richard from Gryffindor in a tent with a muggle-born witch called Marianne, and if one put those two together, there was almost as much mischief-planning going on as when the Weasley twins were still attending Hogwarts.
He had to split up another pair, this time romantic in nature, that he caught making out, and told them off with his strict teacher face. Not that his heart was in it, mind.
Finally, he was finished with his tour and returned to his own accomodation, utterly knackered. Snape was already in his sleeping bag, and wasn´t that a sight to behold! He seemed so completely out of his depth, that Harry had to suppress a snicker.
This impulse, however, only lasted as long as he realised, that he had to get out of his clothes and into his pajamas in front of Snape in a too-small tent. Harry gulped. Well, he´d been through worse in his life. Mildly embarrassed, he set to the task of unbuttoning his trousers and slipping out of his shirt. Although he didn´t look in the direction of his tent-mate, he thought he could feel the black eyes boring into his back. He lay down and shrugged out of his jeans, which was more difficult than he expected, as they somehow clung to his legs after a day of sightseeing. He rolled around a bit helplessly until he lay on his back like an overturned beetle, pulling at the seams of his trousers and stretching his legs into the air, so he could get them off.
"I didn´t expect this trip to be so considerably entertaining," Snape remarked with his usual sarcastic edge.
"Ha bloody ha! Of course you were the epitome of dignity, I bet. Or you probably just used your wand and cheated," Harry grumbled, annoyed he had made an arse of himself in front of his colleague that he found more attractive the more time he spent in his presence - against his better judgement.
"I did not cheat. Maybe it is just that I am indefinitely more elegant than you?"
Harry swore to himself to witness Snape undressing the next day, even if it meant he had to stay in the tent for hours before and after curfew.
"No need to throw such a fit, Mr Potter, I really did enjoy your little... show," Snape added silkily.
Harry harrumphed one last time for good measure, slipped into his night clothes – this time with a bit more dignity - and got into his bed, turning off the torch they had used to light the room after sunset. When he lay there, staring at the ceiling of their tent, he realised how small the space was in which they were confined for the night.
As his heart rate slowed and his breathing evened out, he noticed he could smell Snape, who was lying only one or two feet apart from him. He´d never consciously taken in the other man´s odour, and he did so now. It was a surprisingly pleasant smell, Harry found, a mixture of many different notes that he couldn´t quite pinpoint. Something woody, he thought, and a bit of smoke (probably an eternal residue from the potion fumes), and there was also the faint smell of an aftershave applied hours ago. Very manly, in any case.
Harry was grateful for the relative darkness in the tent, as he started blushing when he perceived that he was sniffing Snape. He prayed for sleep to take him, but Harry just couldn´t relax with that man lying beside him.
"What is it," Snape asked in mild annoyance.
"What is it? I´ve done nothing but lie here! How can that bug you?"
"You´re tense as a bowstring, for Merlin´s sake. Can´t you just wind down and sleep like a normal person?"
Harry was fumbling for words. "That´s rich! Next time you´ll accuse me of breathing! How about I die so you´ll have your peace and quiet?!"
"Now that would certainly be a possibility. But no need to be so melodramatic here, Mr Potter. Turn around."
"Pardon?"
"Are you hard of hearing as well? I said `Turn around´."
"And why, pray tell, should I turn my back to the Head of Slytherin House?"
"Fine, don´t then. I just wanted to help you relax, but if you´d rather stay like this until the morning, have it your way."
"You wanted to do WHAT?"
One could virtually hear Snape´s rapidly dropping temper.
"For the cerebral impaired: I wanted to rub your neck muscles, so you could fall asleep more easily. But I´ve already rescinded my offer."
"No! No, no, no! You can´t just rescind like that. You haven´t made yourself sufficiently clear before. I insist on my backrub!" Hearing how petulant he sounded, Harry added a small "Please..." which seemed to do the trick, as Snape adjusted while Harry turned on his side so Snape could access his shoulders.
Harry expected cold, pointy fingers to tweak his neck. What he wasn´t prepared for were warm hands, that slowly sneaked up to his shoulders and started kneading his tense flesh with exactly the right pressure. Snape´s fingers knew expertly how to seduce the tight muscles into losening up.
He gave a heartfelt sigh. "You´re really good at this," Harry nearly purred.
"Am I now." Harry imagined the arched eyebrow that usually came with a statement like that.
"Yes... I´d never have thought you to be so-" Harry abruptly gulped down the word he´d intended to say. It wouldn´t do to let go of all his inhibitions, only because he was massaged in such a highly pleasurable way. The man needn´t have even more ammunition against him.
But of course, Snape couldn´t let it slide.
"So what, exactly?" he inquired in a low tone, not needing to speak up because they were so very close to each other. He stopped the massage, but leaving his hands in place.
"Now that´s blackmail," Harry complained.
"Slytherin," Snape gave back evenly.
"Yeah, well..." Harry collected all of that famed Gryffindor bravery and ended the sentence he didn´t dare complete, "I was about to say sensual." He waited for the inevitable ridicule. Only, it didn´t come.
"As I said earlier: You don´t know much about me, if anything."
"But that is because you never let people get close to you."
"Force of habit, I´m afraid."
"Would you... try and be a little more open with me?"
"Seeing as I´m kneading your shoulders, I might as well," Snape mused and found an especially tight knot. The ensuing fingerwork wreaked havoc on Harry´s collectedness, and he melted into the prestidigitation that was Snape´s massage.
"Perhaps it would mean something to you if I said that – in spite of appearances – I don´t actually dislike you as such," Snape whispered.
Flabberghasted, Harry turned around, dislodging the clever fingers in the process.
"Is that your twisted, complicated way of telling me that you like me?" he grinned into the darkness.
"I believe, that is precisely what I just said."
"Uh – wow. I mean... That´s just; I don´t know what to say."
"And that is different from usual as in...?" Snape mocked him.
"No, no, no; don´t go back to your customary meanness!"
"Is that even a word?" Snape chuckled. "Fine. So what is it that you want from me now?"
"I don´t know... Nothing special, I suppose. But the last few minutes have been pleasant. And... I don´t dislike you either, you know?"
"I had figured as much. Now do I need to continue the massage, or are you already well enough to go to sleep?"
Without a further word, Harry turned around eagerly and presented his lean, but Quidditch-toned back to his former teacher.
"That´s very kind of you," he said.
"I am not kind."
"You´re too! Look at you taking care of me. But then again, you´ve been taken care of me when I was a student, but I didn´t see it. Thanks for that, too."
"Leave it be, Potter."
"Alright. Just don´t stop... Oh yeah! There..."
After a few more minutes, Snape pulled back, and Harry mumbled a sleepy "thank you" before both of them fell asleep exhaustedly.
In the middle of the night, Harry woke up due to a full bladder. He crawled outside, walked a bit so to not encounter any students, and watered a big old oak tree.
Back in the tent, he felt a bit cold. Thinking, that he could try to share some of Snape´s body heat while the former was asleep anyway, he snuggled closer carefully. Snape grunted, and Harry held his breath. However, the potions master didn´t stir any further.
Harry got cozy in his sleeping bag, his front near Snape´s left side. Suddenly, the latter turned and faced him, throwing an arm over him in the process. Harry panicked. He prayed to every deity he remembered that Snape would not open his eyes, for he´d find himself nose to nose with his colleague. About ten minutes later, Harry gradually relaxed again, and enjoyed the heat radiating off Snape.
"I haven´t been a spy for nothing, Mr Potter," Snape said quietly. Harry instantly moved back, but failed, as he was held by an arm. "It does get rather cold in such a tent; you may stay, purely out of practical reasons. We wouldn´t want to catch a cold, after all. Who would take care of the students, then..."
"Who would, indeed," Harry whispered, still believing he´d been transported to a parallel universe, where there was a strangely accomodating Snape.
"This is only out of practicality." Snape repeated, more to the benefit of reassuring himself than Harry.
"I understand. Thank you for your leniency, sir."
"Don´t mention it, Potter." Snape shifted a little, and tightened the hold on his colleague.
When Harry awoke, he was alone in the tent. He recalled last night´s events, and was not quite sure, if it had been a dream. It seemed so surreal – Snape giving him a backrub (and done expertly as well!), snuggling (snuggling!), and acting a bit out of character in general. And he had even told Harry that he liked him.
Feeling very warm, Harry got rid of the sleeping-bag and used the opportunity of Snape´s absence to change his clothes unobserved. He picked out something special and looked forward to the students´ - and Snape´s – reaction.
"This is the `Augustiner", a popular tavern with an enclosed brewery. We are here for a traditional `Weißwurstfrühstück´. Bavarian people sometimes have white sausage for breakfast, together with sweet mustard and pretzels. You don´t need to try it if you don´t want to, it´s certainly not for everyone; but I recommend it. We´ve got a reservation for the inner courtyard, so follow me.´ Harry led the flock of students and a muggle-clothed Snape through the restaurant.
"Everyone sit down, the waitresses will be taking your orders shortly!" Harry and Snape took place on a seperate table, a few feet apart from the students. As soon as they were seated, Snape looked at him with an air of incredulity and stated: "You´re wearing Lederhosen."
"Nothing gets past you, does it?" Harry laughed. "Yes, I bought them on one of my visits some time ago. They´re comfortable. And I have been given to understand that they really bring out some of my better... features."
"Is that so." Snape watched him through screwed up eyes, lips pursed. "I can´t tell now that you are seated. Maybe when you stand up I will be able to give a proper assessment."
Harry thought he´d misheard. "You want to ogle my arse?" he said in disbelief.
Snape did as if he hadn´t heard the question, and signalled for a waiter to take their order. As the day before, his request was stated in German. Harry tried to make sense of the short conversation, but didn´t understand a word apart from `Bier´, which sounded the same as in English. He himself asked for a pair of white sausages with mustard, and took a pretzel from the little basket that was provided on every table.
"What will you be having?" Harry asked.
"Same as you. I´ve have white sausage before. It´s not my favourite dish, but I do enjoy it every now and again. And I ordered a non-alcoholic beer. The brews over here are decent."
Harry noticed that he had come to like Snape´s ponderous, elaborate way of speaking, additionally to the cultivated voice that had a mesmerising quality to it. If he were honest with himself, he´d come to like a lot about the potions master. And now that he was over his childhood anger, he understood, that the scathing remarks and humour were not meant to be insulting – it was just how Snape was.
"How long have you been dating that German fellow – if you don´t mind me asking?" Harry cautiously inquired.
"I do not mind. Three or four years, on and off, while being at university." Snape took a swallow of the beer that had just arrived. Harry held his glass into the air, and Snape let his clink against it.
"Prost," they both said in unison.
"So, what is the plan for the rest of the day? You mentioned something about a zoo?" Right after his question, their food arrived. Snape thanked the waitress who put down a dish in front of each of them.
"Yes," Harry said, while taking hold of the white sausage. He started to slurp it, as it was customary in Bavaria. Although there was another fashion to eat this dish, which Snape preferred, as it was less messy. The potions master used his fork and knife to peel the skin off the white mass.
"Hellabrunn," Harry ventured on where he left off, `is a quite big zoo. The animals there have more room in their compounds than usual. And I wanted the children to have something more than sight-seeing and galleries.´
Snape nodded and speared some white sausage on his fork, adding a small bit of mustard with his knife. Harry admired his composed way of eating. It was so typical of Snape; always controlled and measured.
"In the evening, the students can have a campfire; I already put it up in the morning, so we only need to light it. Everything has been spelled fire-proof, and we´ve got sausages and potatoes to roast, as well as several salads that the house elves will bring over."
"You have all this planned very thoughtfully," Snape remarked. Harry couldn´t help feeling a bit proud at the appreciating words.
"Nah, it wasn´t really me; most of the planning was done by Hermione in her capacity as head of wizard-muggle relations. But I had several ideas after having been here before, and it´s hardly my first time; so..."
"Still I think that this trip is a good idea, and you are doing a good job. Contrary to popular belief, I give credit when it is due. At least, nowadays," Snape said and and finished his dish.
"I appreciate that, sir," Harry said earnestly, and took another swig from his beer, to occupy himself. Praise from Snape was so very new, and together with the attraction that formed in him, he had to digest a lot of new notions.
"There is no need to call me sir. Why don´t we try and use each other´s first names, Harry?"
"Gladly, Severus," Harry said and grinned broadly from ear to ear.
"Is there something special you´d like to see, now that we released the hoard of adolescents into the park?" Harry asked, folding up a map of the zoo.
"I´m fond of reptiles – stop sniggering like a teenager – and if we maybe could look at the fruit bats in that cave; they should be around here," Snape said and smacked Harry with a map of his own that they had received at the ticket office. "I do know that rumour has it I were to be a vampire. Very funny, indeed."
Harry tried to rein in his laughter. "Yes, well, I´ve never seen you feed off someone since I´ve started at Hogwarts, so... Maybe you´re just an ordinary man. As much as one like you could be described ordinary."
At that, Snape arched an eyebrow in that elegant way of his, and stalked off into the direction of the fruit bat cave.
Harry couldn´t help but admire the man´s rear, that was clad in a very dark pair of jeans today, which clung even more to his backside than the slacks he wore the days before. Snape even had gotten so far as to switch the more formal button-down shirts with a dark-green long-sleeved cotton one, that looked very comfortable and made Harry want to run his hands over the soft cloth. As if Snape had felt his thoughts, he turned around and smirked while pursing his lips.
"Are you afraid of myself turning into a vampire, or will you accompany me, Harry?"
The name sounded so strange on the strict man´s lips, that it almost sounded like a caress to Harry, way too intimate to be used in public. He cherished the moment, tried to commit it to memory so he could revisit it whenever he felt like it. Then he took some bigger strides to join his colleague.
"Oh wait, there´s a petting zoo!" Harry shouted excitedly, and hopped into the area, where there were little goats and sheep, baited by elementary school children with food from automats, that were set up for that purpose. Snape had to school his features so as to not laugh out loudly at the childish antics of one Harry Potter.
Not taking no for an answer – in this case the no being the fleeing little goats and sheep – he trailed behind the animals, trying to cajole them into cuddling, and petting the little fluffy creatures.
After some time, he had enough, so he returned to his companion, who had been waiting in a safe distance at the entry of the petting area.
"You reek of goat."
"Well, Severus, not everyone can smell the way you do..." Harry bit his lip and watched Snape out of the corner of his eye. He hadn´t intended the response to come out quite so flirtatious, but now he couldn´t take it back.
Snape took a step closer to the younger man, and leaned down, as if to smell his colleague, then said mischiviously "Now that I got a closer whiff of your scent, I must correct my earlier statement. Your hands reek of goat. However, the rest of you smells actually enticing."
Harry turned, so he faced the potions master, and raised his head to the level of Snape´s ear. Lowly, he said "Why, Severus, that must have been the nicest thing you´ve ever said to me," and inhaled the scent at Snape´s jugular. He closed his eyes for a moment, to regain his composure. When he looked at Snape, the man wore a curious expression; one, that Harry had never seen in Snape´s face the many years that he had known the man.
His heart beat a bit faster, and when he noticed he had little dragons flying in the area of his stomach, he knew he had it bad. Oh no, I´ve got a crush on Snape of all people! Harry thought helplessly. Maybe it was just because he had been without companion for so long; and came to the decision to frequent one of the gay clubs in the evening, to take on step back and free himself from Snape´s compelling aura.
He tried not to give into his impulses to seek out the other man´s personal space and flirt like he so desperately wanted to, because he had no idea, if that would destroy the new-found, fragile comradeship that he and Snape had developed. He had always been oblivious when it came to the question if someone was interested in him like that or if they were just being friendly. Although friendly wasn´t the right word in Snape´s case. And with such a private, sarcastic and cryptic person like Snape, Harry could say even less where he stood.
There was an interesting moment in the reptile house, when Harry spoke to one of the snakes (bred in captivity, like most of the zoo inhabitants), and where he noticed Snape paying attention to every hissing sound he uttered, and getting a very curious look between embarassement and rapt attention, if Harry read the signs right. He stored that information away for later assessment.
Finally, they had walked the park, which was big enough to spend several hours in. Harry loved the tropical houses with the exotic plants (Snape explained him a lot about them, and it had been surprisingly intriguing, even the parts where they were used in potions and healing salves), the colourful birds and the tropical fish.
The piranhas, shimmering in grey and yellow, reminded Harry of Crabbe and Goyle, due to the underbite. When he said as much so Snape, the latter couldn´t help but laugh out aloud. Harry loved the dark chuckle that rumbled in Snape´s chest, and he tried to evoke it again, though unsuccessfully.
The group of wizards went back to the underground, over a bridge crossing the `Isar´, the river passing through Munich, and marched back to the camp site. Harry lighted the camp fire, and left them to deal on their own. The students had acted surprisingly mature, and he was glad for it, as he enjoyed spending some time alone or in the company of the usually reclusive Snape.
"I´m going out tonight, I need a bit of children-free time I hope that is okay? I mean, you could always join me, if you´d like to, but I´m not sure that would be you cup of tea..." Harry informed Snape, as he rummaged around in his trunk to look for something a bit more stylish than the Lederhosen he´d worn that day.
"I´ll be fine," Snape said curtly. Harry turned around, seeing his colleague sitting stiffly on his bed. Had he unintentionally hurt him? He couldn´t figure out why Snape reacted the way he did.
Meanwhile, he had practised the art of slipping in and out of clothes in a non-embarassing manner, and put on his club-clothes – a tight jean, and an even tighter grey t-shirt.
Snape watched mutely, his expression turning sour. "So you are going to pull tonight, as they say?" he asked levelly.
"Well, I dunno, I just wanted to hit the clubs, go dancing, maybe meet new people..." Harry trailed off. He didn´t want to deny the statement, because you never knew – what, if he met someone interesting... it had been too long a time for him, and he needed to get Snape out of his head. No good could come out of this... whatever it was.
"Have fun then," Snape said, and fled the tent.
Harry didn´t even find him to say goodbye and just hoped, that the children would be fine.
He went in the direction of the underground and boarded the train to the gay district.