Charades and Masquerades

by anonyminous

There's a new type of party infesting the wizarding world... And it comes from the muggles. Headphones and earbuds are worn by every participant, and everyone listens and dances to their own music. Outside the devices, there is only silence. They call it "Charades."Headmaster Dumbledore decides that the Hallows Eve ball will be done like this, costumes and masks mandatory.

Charades and Masquerades

Disclaimer: Characters don't belong to me, nor does the wizarding world as seen by J.K Rowling, or anything else that is part of the books and not my terrible, horrible, awful imagination.

Rated M for semi-graphic sex scene between two men. If that ain't your cup of tea, please just leave and don't come back.

Summary: There's a new type of party infesting the wizarding world... And it comes from the muggles. Headphones and ear buds are worn by every participant, and everyone listens and dances to their own music. Outside the devices, there is only silence. They call it "Charades."Headmaster Dumbledore decides to make the Hallows Eve Ball like this, costumes and masks mandatory. The Charades Masquerade. Harry Potter makes a stunning Salazar, Severus Snape makes a dashing Opera Phantom. Shagging ensues.

A/N: Characters are so out of character I should really just shoot myself now, I had to bribe them so much to do what I wanted that they're barely themselves anymore. I'm a bad person and I feel bad. Regardless, I have written this drivel, you may read it and leave me comments if you wish it.

One-shot

"Costumes and masks are mandatory for chaperones as well," Dumbledore said with a twinkling smile. His mischievous blue eyes landed on every staff member as he continued. "I'm sure every one of you will honor this should your name be picked."

He waved his hand to conjure a jaunty top hat, blue with yellow polka dots. Every teacher silently agreed it was hideous. Another wave of his wand and Dumbledore placed about a dozen slips of paper into the horrid accessory, each reading the name of one of the professors in Hogwarts that were available for the Hallows Eve ball.

The headmaster's twinkly grin graced his old face once again, "luck to you all," he said jovially before setting a charm on the hat to spit out five random staff members. He caught them all and read them off.

"Sinistra, McGonagall, Snape, Hagrid, and myself." A sigh came up from the ones who hadn't been called a relieved his of collective breaths. The old man looked a tad put out that he was included, but quickly put a smile on his face. "A well rounded group to be sure, I'm glad you all can make it." the chosen professors looked like they had been sentenced to death. One teacher had a particularly deep scowl etched into his dark features.

"Albus, you know full well I refuse to dress up for these ridiculous dances you dream up." Some of the others looked hopeful that the man could convince the Headmaster to take back the costume idea.

"Nonsense, Severus. I have every confidence that you can find a wonderful costume. It shall be great fun trying to figure out who everyone is."

Severus' frown deepened. "Headmaster, no one is in the mood for costuming this Hallows Eve. There is too much fear, too much paranoia. Not knowing who you might be looking at could cause a panic."

"Now, now, put your fears to rest dear boy. I think it will be exciting to give the students a chance to pretend that the war is on hold for one day, we have so many protective measures around the school We've practically smothered the poor thing. We will all be fine."

Severus' shoulders sagged minutely and the rest of the teachers resigned themselves to their fate. If Severus couldn't change the headmaster's mind they had no chance. Dumbledore glanced over the staff and clapped his hands together.

"Excellent! I will see you four in the great hall on Saturday at seven." They all mumbled their acquiescence. "And chin up, we will have a grand time!"

Blasted old coot. Severus stalked the hall angrily. There were so many things wrong with this dance he didn't bother counting, it would be an undoubtedly depressing number. His headache pounded between his eyes, spurring his irritation to greater heights. He closed them for a moment, reveling in the dark behind his eyelids. Until he was hit by a flying person. Because surely no one could move that fast of their own accord.

"Uunf," The body grunted as it landed on top of him. All he wanted was to keep his eyes shut, pretend it was all a terrible dream and curl up on the cold stone floor. He blinked his eyes open to the sight of stupid round glasses hanging awkwardly on two perfect ears half covered in soft black hair that stuck up in odd places. It just wasn't fair that he could look so pretty without trying. The boy's eyes were shut tight, his body tense as if waiting to be hit.

"Potter," Severus wheezed. Two elbows had been jammed painfully into his sternum. "Get off me."

Bright emerald eyes snapped open in surprise. "I-I'm so sorry, professor!" he jumped up and held out a hand. Severus took it before he knew what he was doing, Harry looked as surprised as Severus felt as he tugged the professor from the ground.

"May I ask why you felt it necessary to attack my person?" Severus crossed his arms and raised one eyebrow in expectation. Peripherally he noticed that he stood at the junction of two hallways. He'd been going down one and Potter must have run around the corner of the other.

"I'm really sorry, I was in a hurry. Hermione is gonna kill me if I don't find the homework assignments that I finished. I left them in the library and they're not there anymore." as an afterthought Harry tacked on "Sir."

Severus sighed internally, he wasn't sure if he should condone the finished homework, or punish the lack of it. Eventually he took a scrap of parchment from one pocket and a muggle pen from another and penned a few words. He held the paper out to the still slightly frightened child. "Use that spell and think of the work you did. It should come to you. Now excuse me I have important work to do." he then twirled dramatically and continued down the hall towards his rooms. Bothersome students.

Harry stood and gaped after professor Snape, the man had helped him. That was extremely improbable if you weren't in Slytherin, almost impossible if you were in Gryffindor.

Unheard of if you were the boy-who-lived.

He glanced at the scrap of parchment clutched lightly in his fingers. He was surprised he hadn't dropped it in his shock. He pulled his wand from the holder he'd gotten from Remus the Christmas of fifth year and waved it languidly.

"Noscere meus possesio," he muttered, thinking of those assignments. He felt a burst of power leave his body, alerting him to the huge amount of magic used in the spell. Despite the pull on his magic core nothing seemed to happen. Harry knew that Snape wouldn't give him a false spell, the guy might be a git, and occasionally cruel, but he wasn't stupid enough to give a student something that could go wrong and really hurt someone. So he waited. And waited. He cast a quick tempus and noticed he'd been gone from the library for all of ten minutes. Felt like longer, he frowned. A fluttering sound suddenly burst through his lost concentration before he was hit in the face by a small stack of papers. He picked them off the floor grinning wider and wider as each one was one of the assignments he was looking for.

"Huh, he really came through. I should send him chocolate or something," Harry murmured to himself and started walking back to the Gryffindor commons thinking back to the way he'd watched those closed eyes squinch tighter before starting to open. At that point he'd squeezed his own shut to avoid eye contact. And maybe fist contact. Or perhaps nasty hex contact. None of which actually occurred, the man had looked exhausted. He was certain the glamour the teacher used was the culprit. He was pretty sure that he wasn't supposed to know about that, but he'd been able to see through glamours and feature changing charms and spells since he found out what they did. The changed bits looked ghostly around or in the person affected by it. He couldn't see through polyjuice though.

He still wasn't sure why Snape used the glamour. All it did was make him look mean and old. It made his skin look sallow and thin, it made his nose look long and hooked, it even made his hair look greasy and gross. If the man wasn't so scary Harry would ask why, but Snape hated him. Harry couldn't hate the man, he'd seen him laugh while the ghost over his smooth ivory skin scowled. He seen his dark brown eyes shine with mirth, the ghost glinting in angry warning. Harry wanted to know the man with the feathery soft hair held back in a ponytail, the man who smiled kindly at the first years. Not the one who let his greasy hair swing free, and looked apathetically at the new recruits. He wanted to see those eyes spark with fondness in his direction, he needed to know the person that made his heart race with a word. He didn't want to know professor Snape. He wanted to know Severus.

"The dance this Hallows Eve will be different from other years," Dumbledore preached to the great hall on Tuesday at dinner. "I've been made aware of a new type of clubbing, it's called 'charades'. Everyone brings their own music, usually on a muggle device, and headphones or those weird ear bud things, and plays it in their own ears. Each person dances to their own beat, their own songs, and outside of the music, it's silent. We will provide music devices for those who have none. Also, costumes /with masks/ are mandatory. That is all, you may eat."

The next day posters went up about the 'Charades Masquerade.' Harry thought the idea had some merit given that there was a midweek hogsmead trip on Thursday. He turned to Ron across Hermione on his left with a grin.

"You up to sneaking to muggle London tomorrow?" he asked the freckled boy. Ron's read head lifted from inches above his plate ("perfect shoveling height!" "Ronald, that is perfectly disgusting!" "But Hermione!") and smiled while he chewed.

"Absolutely! I've got some money saved up from all the summer jobs I've done, I'm guessing you're planning on getting a muggle music playing thingy or something like that?"

"Got it in one!" Harry replied laughing at his friend. He looked at Hermione with her bouncy brown hair, straightened only enough to keep the frizz to a minimum. "Hermy? You gonna break the rules with us? We'll only complain about studying when there are major exams happening," Hermione sent him an almost glare and he knew he was in for a round of bartering away his free time for some of his friend's genius.

The chaperones spread out throughout the snowy streets of Hogsmead. All of them watching for trouble, monitoring charms at the ready. None of them noticed the three children hidden cleverly in plain sight, giggling and talking as they left the boundaries set for trips like this. They turned a corner and broke into a run for the end of the apparation barrier. Three pops later they stood in a back alley very near to a huge shopping center.

"Wow, I can believe that worked, you're brilliant 'Mione!" Ron whooped, doing a little jumping victory dance.

Hermione blushed, forcing out a hesitant thank you before glaring and reminding them of how much homework they were going to do when they were finished with their ill-advised excursion. Harry tuned out the lecture and used wandless magic to transfigured their robes into jeans and sweaters.

"Harry!" Hermione shrieked, "You're not of age, that will be tracked! We're going to get caught! We're-" Harry put a finger to her lips, shocking her into silence.

"For someone who's read the rule book twice you sure don't know many laws." he smirked. "No student is supposed to be learning wand less magic, so when they record the use of such, it isn't ever seen or dealt with because they automatically assume its accidental magic." Harry smiled at the suspicious look in Hermione's light brown eyes.

"You're not the type to do extra reading up on laws, Harry. Where did you learn that?" She took a step back and looked over Harry's form as if sizing up and adversary. Ron noticed this and fell into a protective stance just behind his friend.

Harry rolled his eyes, "I've been doing wand less magic since I was thirteen at home. Now come on, that fantastic technology isn't going to buy itself!" Hermione kept up her glare for a second longer before she shrugged and slipped her arm through Harry's and Ron followed behind, just a little put out that the girl had chosen to walk closer to Harry. Green eyes noticed the redhead's predicament and glanced toward a street vendor selling little trinkets.

"Hey, I'm going to check those out real quick, okay?" he said sliding Hermione's elbow into Ron's and jogging from Ron's huge smile and Hermione's blush. As he approached the table of wears a piece caught his eye. It was a band of jade on a silver chain, but it was beautiful in its simplicity, Harry loved it.

"That one is four pounds, mate," the vendor drawled cordially. Harry pulled some newly converted muggle notes out of his deep pocket and handed over the right amount. "Thanks for your business, sir," the bloke manning the stall chirped. Harry nodded, slipping the chain over his head and walking back to his best friends who walked ahead and were waiting at the entrance to an electronics store.

"What took you, mate?" Ron asked, secretly happy he'd had some alone time with Hermione.

"Just bought a necklace from that muggle street vendor," he shrugged nonchalantly. I'll show it to you later. He walked away from his friends into the store. He looked at the signs going to different sections and headed towards the one labelled 'Music'. The selection of players was phenomenal, cd players, tape players, radios, mp3 players, iPods. Even the selection of apple products was overwhelming.

"So, you're saying I can play games like chess on this thing?" Ron was asking Hermione.

"Yes, the entire screen is a touch pad, it recognizes your bio electric energy-"

"My What!? Is that contagious?"

"Ronald! Pay attention! It's the energy that your body uses to function. There is a small field of it around your skin, and this can detect that field and use it to manipulate the software in the device.

Harry was looking at the iPhone. It was everything he needed, a music player a game player, a telephone, it could text, and he didn't even need to pay for a plan if he could hook it up magically to the nearest satellites. He waved to a bloke wearing a shirt with the store logo on it.

"May I help you with something, sir?" He asked.

"Yes, is it possible to get the iPhone without the plan? I just want the extra features minus the phone calls." Harry asked. The worker nodded and briefly explained what doing so would do, Harry thanked him and took the little box to the cashier. He was in line for a minute before he realized he'd forgotten headphones, but there were ten people in line behind him. He sighed and looked ahead, only two more people. One with a small boy that was staring up at him with wide curious bright blue eyes. Harry smiled at the child and the little boy smiled back before looking away shyly and fiddling with something on the shelf next to him. Harry glanced over and noticed that the rack that would usually be candy and chewing gum had different brands of headphones on it. He grabbed a box that looked good and checked out. He waited with his bag at the door for Ron and Hermione, both decided on the same thing Harry had except Ron's was white.

"Let's go, we're almost out of time. Hermione, what's our excuse if they noticed we were missing?"

"You and Ron decided to experiment with your sexuality in a private room in a motel just beyond the Hogsmead bounds, I went to the library next door." Hermione said. Ron blushed bright red.

"Mione! You can't say that! I'm absobloody fucking straight as an arrow!"

"Well, Maybe it was for my benefit then," Harry said, "I found out I'm gay."

"But that'll ruin your reputation, Harry," Ron complained, "There's got to be something else we can say."

"Ron, I am gay."

"oh yeah."

"Look, we might not even get caught, and it's a plausible explanation. I've been asked by a few guys if Harry is gay, and Ron, you were just doing a favor for Harry. I thought it was fine, and so I waited for you next door. No biggie." Hermione wrapped her arms around their shoulders and pushed them all to move.

Ron whined as they walked back to the alley and apparated back to Hogsmead. Later he decided it was a waste of brain power trying to think up all those things to complain about. They didn't even get caught.

Severus was at a loss. He was glad that he wasn't required to chaperone the Hogsmead excursion the day before, but the dance was tomorrow and he had no idea of what he was going to wear. He felt silly thinking about it at all, he thought it would just come to him eventually, but he had nothing. /I wear a costume all the time and that's plenty scary for most folks,/ he thought. Then an idea came to him. He could take off the glamour. Just for one night he would be free of the terrible sight of himself, wear that black German masquerade mask that he'd gotten as a gift a few christmases ago, and a tailored muggle suit. He'd look fantastic, feel fantastic... He'd be a whole different person for a night. He grinned wildly feeling the glamour pull down into one of the deepest scowls he'd even worn. He stood and walked over to the mirror, no longer surprised when he saw the face of Professor Snape, and waved a hand in from of that overly large nose.

All of those nasty bits of himself disappeared, leaving behind unblemished alabaster skin, full pink lips, straight white teeth, and brown eyes that gave away every emotion. It still surprised him that people believed that a gay man could just let himself fall into such horrid disrepair, but he was glad his day to day disguise worked. He smiled wide, pleased that the expression looked natural and almost handsome on his face.

/Yes/, he thought getting ready for bed. /Just one night."

When Saturday evening came around Ron found himself outside the boys dorm room talking to Hermione through the door.

"We've dressed up as the same things every year since second year, don't you think we should try something different this time?" Hermione complained holding her Rowena Ravenclaw costume away from herself in slight distaste.

Ron piped up from outside the room holding his own Godric Gryffindor outfit. "But we play the parts perfectly, especially since Harry is the spitting image of ol' Salazar."

"Ron, I think I'd like to try something else, couldn't we go as something else, I think it would be fun to go as a magical creature, maybe a Phoenix or something." The girl part of the golden trio whined.

"Next year, Hermy." Ron compromised. "You can go as whatever you like, it'll be our seventh year, we'll all go as something that no one could ever forget."

Hermione was quiet for a second, "Fine, but we're going to look perfect. All three of us." Ron nodded and a few seconds later he agreed verbally when he remembered they were separated by a door.

"Just out of curiosity," She continued, pulling the blue and black tunic over her head, "Who'd you rope into being Helena this year?"

Ron smirked, "We've got Neville."

"What!?"

"I said Neville agreed to be Helena Hufflepuff, he's got temporary gender changing charms all ready. shows how much he deserves to be in Gryffindor, doesn't it. I'm not that courageous."

"Wow, brave soul."

"Yep."

The door opened and Hermione stepped out hair and face charmed by the outfit to look like Rowena.

"You look..." Ron trailed off looking for the right words.

"Old," Hermione scowled.

"Fantastic! As long as you're still you in there you look absolutely wonderful," Ron said smiling gently and trying not to blush at his own sappy words.

"Well if that was any sweeter I might have gotten a cavity," a voice said from the room next door. Both red and bushy brown heads whipped towards the sound to see Salazar Slytherin leaning against the doorframe, his costume tight in all the right places, tunic clinging to his hips, showing off his quidditch toned physique perfectly.

"Wow, Harry," Hermione muttered. "You changed how they fit didn't you."

He smirked, his hair the same color had been grown out to just past his shoulders and tied back in a green ribbon. He looked older, but somehow that grin made him look like he was about to prank the hell out of someone. "Looks good doesn't it," the way he said it wasn't a question at all. He looked amazing and he knew it.

"Poor chits and gay blokes won't know what hit them," Ron murmured. "You're hot, Harry."

Harry laughed, deep and mirthful with his head thrown back and shoulders shaking. "That's the point!"

Ron then took his place in the bathroom to change into his own costume his charmed golden hair fell in waves to just above his shoulders. When he stepped back out Salazar and Rowena had been joined by Helena, an amiable and smiling person.

"Wotcher, Ron." she said and tittered behind a hand.

"Looking good, Nev." Ron come Godric smirked.

"I know," Neville winked. "But look at that one," he said pointing at Harry. "He's going to have people fawning all over him even when we're wearing masks." Rowena nodded in agreement and Godric muttered that he totally knew and that it wasn't even fair.

"Here," Hermione said brightly to change the subject handing each boy a plain white mask. "Put those on and I'll transfigured them." they were simple masquerade masks, covering the eyes and top of the nose and tying behind the head. Harry watched the others put theirs on first before taking off his glasses and tying the mask on. Hermione pointed her wand at Ron first and the plain mask grew a fierce mane and golden fur with streaks and swirls of red. It was extremely impressive. She turned to Neville and his mask grew the black and white fur of a badger, yellow tribal shapes framed the eye holes tastefully. Harry was so proud of Hermione's beautiful work. She turned to him and even though he couldn't see the changes he knew they looked amazing as the mask shifted to fit his features perfectly, especially since with a few words his vision cleared and he could see perfectly without his glasses. Harry thanked her with his eyes.

"I need a mirror so I can do mine." Hermione muttered.

"I'm going too, I have to see what my mask looks like," Helena chattered lightly.

"You coming Harry?" Ron chuckled following behind the girls. Harry smiled and went with them. They all bustled into the closest bathroom that just happened to be the boys to Hermione's disgust. Godric, Helena, and Salazar stared amazed at their own masks, Harry was hypnotized. The dark green scales and swirling silver seemed to set off his eyes so they glowed an eerie luminescent bright green. Rowena admired her handiwork on the other three for a second before pointing to herself and watching her mask erupt in Black feathers tipped with bronze, and blue tribal shapes. She smiled and had the others line up against the wall as she had a hayday adding little things to their costumes. Harry's arms, once clad in a white undertunic, were scaled from the end of the tunic sleeves to wrist, His eyes charmed so his pupil were slitted like a serpent and his canines grew slightly (Hermione decided the forked tongue would be overkill, the other three stood and nodded, murmuring their agreements to each other). Helena got claws that covered her fingers without losing her use of them and shaggy black and white fur from elbow to wrist. Godric also got longer canines and the collar of his tunic grew into a mane that matched his hair. Rowena placed dark wings on herself, small ones of course, and added a beak to her mask. Once she'd used one more spell that made their masks sink into their skin so it couldn't be taken off until she said the counter spell she smiled and proclaimed them perfect.

"Doesn't get much more perfect than this," Harry smiled giving Hermione a big hug. "Have I ever said how glad I am that you're our friend, Hermione? Because you are so good at everything you do."

Hermione slapped him playfully on his scaled arm as the other two joined the hug. "Thanks you guys, now let's go, we've got to make an entrance." The four founders of Hogwarts glided down the halls of their school, looking regal and gorgeous. They turned many heads, most to look at the sensual creature dressed in silver and green, slightly slouched but still managing to look like a sex god. No one had told anyone else what they were dressing up as unless they were matching so everyone's costume was a surprise.

They walked in a tight line through the doors of the great hall with their iPhones connected to their headphones hanging around their necks looking like they stepped out of a lovely painting all eyes found themselves on the four. Salazar searched for one pair in particular. It was possible that Snape wasn't a chaperone at the dance, but he was going to look until he was sure. Then his eyes met ones that were brown and open surrounded by a tasteful black and white mask. He was dressed in a tuxedo, all black with white accents to match the mask. Harry suspected it was also spelled not to be taken off if he knew the man behind it at all. He told Hermione he was going to go dance and started through the crowd.

When Severus acquiesced to this mad idea he hadn't expected to see /that/. Those four absolutely gorgeous costumes of the founders deserved their own magazine cover. Especially that Salazar whose eyes were currently searching the room for someone. They caught his own stare, flickered as if to continue then returned. He was drowning in that glowing green. The costumed boy whispered in Rowena's ear without breaking their eye contact and started wading through the throng of students. As he came closer the details of his mask and arms became clearer, and it was sexy as hell how that boy managed to make his slouched walk look like a slithering slide.

"Hello," The boy had stopped about a foot and a half away and Severus was still staring in awe.

"Salazar," Severus smiled amiably. The boy looked surprised for a second before relaxing into a easy pose with a grin.

"I wonder if you would like to dance," He said holding out his hand and bowing slightly. A headphone share cord connected to his ipod sat in his palm. A very clear invitation. His manners were impeccable. Severus knew that no one knew who they were so he unplugged his headphones and connected them to Salazar's connecting cord before taking his hand and allowing The boy to lead him to the dance floor. With serpentine movements the boy slipped his iPod out, started a song and put it away. A playful waltz started and Salazar silently took the lead, guiding them in and around other dancers. His eyes, however remained locked Severus', it was a little disconcerting that the green depths were filled with tenderness and lust. He was a bit embarrassed that such emotions would be shown to someone like him, but then he remembered that he /wasn't/ him tonight. He could go by his middle name or something. Salazar pulled one ear of his headphones to the side and popped one of Severus earbuds out. They could still hear the music, but now they could talk to each other.

"What can I call you tonight?" Salazar whispered close to his ear.

Severus shivered as warm breath slid across his cheek. "I can go by Tobias." he whispered back.

"Tobias," Salazar's voice a husky hiss, it was highly arousing. "I'm willing to bet that's a middle name, isn't it?" Severus froze and tripped up his waltz steps. Salazar gently teased his body back into movement as the waltz ended and a quick paced samba started. His scaled cheek slid forward to Severus' ear as he whispered in what must have been his sex voice "I fully intend to find out who you are, Tobias, and mark my words, when I find out expect me to ask you to dinner." Severus chuckled and let his head fall forward onto Salazar's shoulder. Their movements were simple, but well practiced and obviously well known. The sound of Salazar's voice promised much more than dinner.

"Good luck, kid" Severus murmured against Salazar's collarbone as their hips snapped together and apart again with the beat.

"I bet I can figure it out by the end of the night," Salazar muttered into Severus' hair. "I've got a few ideas about who you're not already."

Severus smirked, "Oh?" He ground his hips into the slightly shorter male's. The snake-like man barely flinched.

"Your're not a first through sixth year student, and you're not female, you aren't wearing a glamour and I can only feel a couple charms on you," Salazar murmured. Severus was mildly impressed. "Meaning you could be a black haired brown eyed member of the seventh year contingent, or a staff member." Severus fought to remain relaxed. He was well on his way to figuring out who he was. He needed to get away fast.

"Wait, please," he said trying to back away. Salazar tightened his hold, the song changed once again to a very slow waltz.

"Don't go," Salazar whispered. "I know who you are, I've known since the beginning, please. Just don't leave."

Severus' heart beat a rapid tattoo against his rib cage, and with how close they were the other boy must have felt it too. "I can't, if you truly know my identity then you know why."

"But have you ever thought why not?"

The words stopped Severus short. Why, indeed, not? Tonight he wasn't /him/. But he felt vulnerable not knowing who the other boy was.

"I-I don't know," he whispered, "Who are you?"

"Your confidant, your worst enemy, your best friend, someone you can't stand, and the one person you can trust with your heart." Severus heard the hesitance in the sound, but he also heard the confidence. The boy was terrified, but he had something that needed to be said. "I asked around, to find out why I felt like I was being ripped apart inside when you sneered at me. Why I felt like I was hurtling towards the ground from the highest tower when I thought about you. Why I felt like I was walking on air when you smiled. I'm in love with you, Severus Tobias Snape, and my soul is forever bonded to yours whether you accept me or not."

Severus felt like his world was upside down, backwards, inside out, and suddenly very lacking in oxygen. He was shaking and he felt like he was going to cry. "W-who are-"

The Salazar look-alike waved a hand in front of his face that separated the mask from his face and briefly lifted the scaled cover. The eyes, still the brightest green The nose gently sloped with a few barely visible freckles across it. The hair, longer, but recognizable in its messy way. High cheekbones, creamy gold skin.

And the scar.

Severus' eyes were wide and Harry, as that was who this undoubtedly was, replaced his mask and swirled Severus into a dip.

"A chance, that's all I ask. I want to prove to you that my feelings are genuine. Please Severus," Harry potter used the dip to place his perfect pouty lips on Severus' in a sweet kiss, simply moving their lips against each others. Harry pulled Severus up gently from his position leaned over backwards, keeping their lips in glorious contact. It was practically chaste, but filled with undeniable passion. He didn't want it to ever end, but he needed an answer. They broke apart, hearts beating overtime, seeming to echo off each other.

"A chance, Harry," Severus whispered.

Harry smiled hugely, "Perfect. Will you go to dinner with me?"

Severus smiled softly, "Yes,"

Harry leaned in again to brush his lips from the corner of Severus' mouth along a soft jaw to a finely shaped ear and bit gently into the lobe. "Expect me tomorrow at six then, Severus. Smart casual, minus the glamour. I like the real you," he whispered as Severus shivered at the heated feeling spreading through his body from every point of contact with the younger male.

"Okay," Severus breathed, "But I don't know if I can wait that long." It was true, he was getting embarrassingly aroused right there on the dance floor, how could he be patient enough to not be with this charismatic young man for a whole day? Harry chuckled, sending goosebumps racing over Severus' skin.

"I never said we had to wait, Severus," His name ended with a soft hiss. Severus let out an involuntary moan and his hips made an aborted jerky movement. "I don't think I have that kind of restraint either."

Harry's hands were suddenly roaming the expanse of Severus' back beneath the button up black shirt that Severus never noticed had been untucked. Not that he minded in the slightest, his own hands were all over Harry's chest after all.

"I think it's time to leave," Severus whispered after a harsh squeeze to his buttocks startled a pleased squeal out of him.

"I couldn't agree more," Harry took Severus' arm and all but dragged him through a side door, through the charms room, into the hall, and all the way to the room of requirement. He released the limb to pace in front of the wall three times thinking of a perfect room for them. He twined his fingers with Severus' while he waited for the door to appear and pulled the man through the opening as soon as it had finished materializing.

The space was very nice, even Severus had no complaints. Done in mahogany and cream the carpeted room was warmed by a crackling fire in a grand fireplace, a queen sized bed graced the far corner, a door across from it stood slightly ajar showing a sliver of light tiled bathroom. A small set of drawers next to the bed had a single lamp on it, flickering playfully, lighting the entire room.

Severus was thoroughly distracted from his admiration by arms slipping around his waist from behind, soft kisses pressed to the crook of his neck and shoulder. He let his head fall to the side, encouraging the contact.

"Harry," he murmured just to hear that voice answer.

"Yes Severus?" he wasn't disappointed.

"Fuck me."

He felt a shudder run through the body pressed to his back and Harry growled, pushing him towards the made bed. He was kissed with a single-minded determination, distracting all thought. He didn't remember how he'd lost his jacket and shirt along the way, but he was happy to see that Harry too was bare chested and in the process of losing the leggings. His hard on was fighting the confines of his slacks, he'd opted out of wearing underwear, it had felt tacky beneath the silky material of his costume. A quicksilver grin and a shove of hot hands and he was flat on his back with a naked Harry potter on top of him except for a sexy as sin mask and a smirk that could melt the sun. His skin was a creamy gold, not a single tan line, Severus briefly entertained the idea that the man sunbathed naked, but judging by his father's complexion it was simply genetics. If it weren't for the unadulterated lust in the green eyes behind that mask Severus would feel conscious of his pale white skin, but that gaze looked so heated he had no time to think of it. There was a lull in movement as Harry slowly removed his own mask setting it on the bedside table. Severus stared into the brightest emerald eyes he'd ever seen. It wasn't fair that he could look so pretty without even trying. Severus raised his arm to take off his own mask, showing for the first time that night his unglamoured self. He looked nervously into Harry's face searching for any sign of disgust or hatred. He found a soft gaze, fondness and lust warring for attention, making those huge sparkly eyes glow. Soft hands slid up his stomach over his chest and along his arms, raising them above his head and closing around his wrists.

"You are so beautiful," Harry murmured pressing soft flitting kisses across Severus' face.

Severus felt his mouth fall open as his eyes dropped shut, being so lightly restrained had spiked excitement in him beyond anything he'd ever felt before and the butterfly-like kisses sent bursts of affection to spur those waves of arousal into new heights. In seconds he was a writhing mess of strangely high pitched mewls and pleading half sentences of "oh Merlin-", "Fuck!", and "Harry please!" judging by the deep moans and punctuating growls Harry was very much affected by their activities as well. The hands confining his arms released him, but Severus left them clutching the sheets over his head. The sound of a drawer opening and closing barely registered in Severus' brain, but the cap of a bottle flipping open was like a gunshot and he responded, embarrassingly, like a cheap whore. Spreading apart his thighs, thrusting his hips back and moaning wantonly.

"Oh, god, Severus," Harry breathed, spreading a generous amount of lubricant on his fingers. The smell of strawberries and sex was thick and heady in the air.

"Harry, please. I need you," Severus whined plaintively. Harry responded by pushing one of Severus' knees up, leaving Severus spread open and flushed to his seeking digits. He slid one finger in slowly, making sure to get the slippery substance all over the area. Severus breathed in quick soft gasps, dark brown eyes barely slits as he peered intensely at the green eyed man. Harry watched his own finger slick in and out of the tightly sucking hole, adding a second finger and hearing the soft unintelligible murmuring coming from his older lover.

"patience, love," he calmed, adding a third finger, Earning him a high keen. Harry didn't want to brag, but he was very well endowed, he wasn't sure if three fingers were going to cut it. Severus didn't give him a choice as he wriggled.

"Harry! If you don't have your cock in me in three seconds I'm going to kill you!" Severus begged, squirming and arching, thrusting back as well as he could with the limited leverage.

"Far be it for me to deny you my cock," Harry smirked, stroking a good amount of lubricant onto his aching penis and positioning himself over the other man and gently pushing forward, watching Severus' half glare melt into a look of intense pleasure, soft pink lips opening into a high moan. Harry buried himself to the root and stilled, surrounded by the softest warmth he'd ever felt, letting Severus get used to the feeling while panting raggedly. After a few agonizing moments Severus rolled his hips in an invitation to move. Harry pulled slowly out of the sucking heat before plunging back in hard. Severus' back arched clean off the bed as he cried out harshly in ecstasy. Harry set a brutal pace, pulling screams of pleasure from his lover with every thrust. They were spiraling fast towards the abyss. Harry covered Severus' lips with his own, swallowing the noises as they both swept over the edge, coming in shaky bursts, Harry in Severus and Severus on both their stomachs. Harry took a few deep breaths before pulling out of Severus and collapsing next to the man, pulling the pale body to his chest and wrapping around it as much as he could. Severus sighed contentedly and turned in the embrace, nuzzling into Harry's neck.

Harry pressed a kiss to the straight dark hair. "I love you, Severus," he said.

"I think I might be overly fond of you as well, Harry Potter." The words made Harry smile.

"Go to sleep, my love."

"Good night Harry."