Emerald eyes blinked open, taking in the fuzziness of the room Harry automatically assumed his glasses must've been removed at some point. Harry shut his eyes against the brightness coming in somewhere to his left and took a deep breath, immediately recognizing the scent of potions and sterilizer and, along with the scratchy sheets wrapped around his aching form, he found it safe to assume he was in the hospital wing. How long I've been in here is different story.
At first the savior of the wizarding world thought he'd woken up alone, but after focusing for a bit he could make out the whispered, hurried words of two people having a very quick discussion slash argument in Madam Promfrey's office. The first logical person to think of in the office was, of course, the head nurse herself. Who she was talking to Harry had to strain his ears a bit harder without having to move. His heart rate picked up first and it was only a second after that when the green-eyed teen recognized the tone of voice being used from the mystery person. Even though he couldn't make out any actual words, Harry could never mistake the permanent sex voice that could easily make him cum in his pants just from talking alone. Not that he'd ever admit it out loud, especially to his two lovers. No, they'd be much too inclined on testing the theory out and Harry would've been fearful for his very life if that ever happened.
Upon glancing around the room though the teen was disheartened to learn that Draco wasn't somewhere in the room also. The ticking of the clock shoved against the far wall caught his attention next and the panicky feeling that clawed at his chest eased. Of course Draco wouldn't be hanging out in the hospital wing at this time of day. Severus would never let him run around after hours. All the same though, Harry was certain his older lover was keeping their blonde boy-toy probably more up to date than even his friends. He knew, they both knew, how Draco could fuss when he was worried.
The muscles in his arms protested angrily as Harry tried to shift himself into sitting up. Once he was pushed halfway up though he immediately regretted it. A sharp, pulsing agony of pain from every pin point of an ache had multiplied it to feel as though a thousand Cruciatus curses were focused solely on him. His eyes hurt, his scar hurt, bones and muscles, from the tips of his fingers to the very edges of his toenails and Harry had never known nails to hurt before unless they were ripped off.
The weird and sometimes annoying magical wards he must've had buzzing around his bed were set off when he moved. Either that or it was just the very odd and perfect timing the fussy school nurse always seemed to have when it concerned him had sent the signal to her brain announcing that Harry Potter was trying to get out of bed. The door to her office clicked open and both her and Potions Master extraordinaire bustled from the small office to his bed.
Madam Promfrey poked and prodded at Harry for several minutes. She even went so far as to take his temperature and make sure he could tell how many fingers she was holding up with and without his glasses on. Afterwards she bustled off to fetch a few potion-filled bottles of which Harry had no doubt would be so awful and foul tasting and, even worse, he'd have to down them in one go or risk being scolded and poured another serving.
After the infirmary's potion store room closed with an audible, resounding click in the otherwise silent and empty hospital wing the professional sneer on Professor Snape's face softened. He offered a very gentle, small smile to the injured teen, leaning forward to press a ghost of a kiss to Harry's forehead. "We were so worried for you," Severus told him in the quietest of whispers directly to his ear. He stayed there, nuzzling the teen's cheek for as long as possible, until the click of the door opening again had him pulling away and replacing his scowl.
While the nurse went about pouring several different colored potions, one for each color of the rainbow Harry noted with amusement, into seven different cups and stirring one or the other with a powdery substance she sprinkled in, Severus shifted behind Harry and fluffed up his pillows for him. Harry hid a grin though when he realized that his Potions Professor was more interested in rubbing small circles into his back though than adjusting his bedding, not that Harry had any complaints about his lover wanting to sneak little touches to him.
"For heaven's sake, Severus, are you going out of your way to make sure he's uncomfortable," the nurse scolded. As bold as ever, the lady actually had the nerve to bump the stoic and highly feared Potions Master out of the way, instructing him to instead help Harry lean forward. They shared a quick grin together and Harry considered it a special treat that she didn't like the small touch up Severus did to his pillows. So, while she was busy rearranging them Harry was allowed to lean against Severus, more heavily than he probably should've considering there was still another person in the room who was unaware of their relationship, but he could care less at that moment. He held on tightly to the man's shoulders and inhaled his musky scent with a short exhale and a long inhale of air, loving the potion ingredient and older man smell that clung to his lover's robes and skin. However, his joy was short lived when Madam Promfrey ordered him to lie back again, but he was pleased when he was at least sitting up a bit rather than a complete lie down.
"You're just exhausted, is all," Promfrey told him curtly, bustling about and handing him the potions she'd poured. Harry cringed at each one but swallowed obediently and quickly with the only hope that the burning acid that accompanied every potion he'd ever swallowed along with the individual horrible tasting trademark taste would fade eventually. You'd think after centuries of brewing the stuff someone would've come along to try at least making them taste more bearable? But no, it seemed like every person who ever brewed potions had a sick sense of humor by making poor, sick people like himself drink nasty, vile liquids to get better. Severus certainly did. "It'd be better if you healed naturally so I'm not going to give you any more potions. Once you've recovered a bit more on your own than I can finish you up in a jiffy," she told him promptly, before bustling from the room with the empty cups and potion bottles.
With one last grin Severus leant over and placed another kiss to his temple and offered his rare reserved-for-two-people smile. "Let's see how fast our Draco can be," he suggested. At Harry's confused look Severus wrote out a short two line letter and then instructed Harry to write something short at the bottom before sending it off with an owl. While they waited, Severus played with the fuzz of Harry's hair, running his long fingers through the messy strands while talking about how long he'd been in the hospital (Four days, huh, I expected to be out a little longer…Oh well, the sooner I wake up the sooner I can get the hell out of here) and that because of his defeat of the Dark Lord the minister had deemed Harry a fully trained wizard and rewarded him with an Order of Merlin: First Class. "So you don't have to worry about taking your finals anyway. I'm sure that was the first thing on your mind when you woke up," Severus noted sarcastically. While he spoke though Harry felt his eyes droop closed and he was out faster than he ever thought possible before.
The next thing he heard as he was waking up was the hushed arguing and fervent voices he recognized immediately and he grinned inwardly as he caught Draco's voice. "Why didn't you call me right away, Sev! I didn't want him to wake up alone!"
"I assure you, Draco, I was simply right in the next room when he woke up and I hurried to his side as quickly as possible without setting off one of Pomfrey's blasted internal, motherly instinct alarms. Besides, it was after hours. I couldn't send for you until I was certain she was going to leave him be."
Draco growled, but settled for whining instead and then suddenly there was a rustle of cloth. Harry cracked his eyes open just a bit and felt his heart crush inside his chest. Sitting on the bed beside him were his two lovers. Severus was petting the blonde hair of their youngest Slytherin in the trio, comforting him and shushing him while Draco hid his face in the Potions Master's heavy black robes, dry sobbing and hiccupping quietly. He called him using his nickname, but his voice cracked heavily and it sounded more like 'Ay' than 'Dray', but it was enough of an attention getter. The blonde looked up only briefly and then tore away from Severus with a half cry half squeak, jumping on the bed and crushing the brunette in a very large, tight hug.
"I was so worried about you. You passed out on the field and you wouldn't wake up. There was so much. There was so much!"
"I'm here now," Harry whispered, feeling the very rare burn of Draco's tears as they slid down his bare neck. He didn't really understand what the blonde was talking about by 'being so much' but if all three of them were together still and as happy as can be than he didn't really care at that point. If it still mattered later than he'd ask when the time came. He pet his loose blonde hair back, closing his eyes and feeling the comfort that came with having one so close to him. Two was always better but he was so focused on Draco at the moment that he didn't realize just how relaxed he really was when he should be feeling sorer than ever before.
Draco suddenly shot up, not pulling away, but just enough to glare at him with his beautiful ice blue eyes that Harry could always stare into for hours. "You can't ever leave like that again, you bastard," he scolded, clutching the shirt of Harry's pajamas in tight, pale fists. "You just up and left the bed and I was so scared I almost ran out into the halls bare assed!" Harry managed a chuckle but it soon turned into a coughing fit and Severus immediately pulled Draco off his chest, holding him back until it stopped. When it receded enough that he could breathe again, Severus handed him a glass of water which he sipped thankfully, sighing back against his pillows.
Without prodding Severus continued on his earlier conversation. He explained that the night of the Dark Lord's death there had been a huge celebration and classes were cancelled for the next day. All the bodies of the Death Eaters that had dropped when Voldemort died took the next two days to clear out, much of the seventh years along with teachers, the D.A., and the Order of Merlin helped the Aurors accomplish. Draco then added that there was no doubt going to be another huge party when Harry was well enough to be walking around. "You did receive thousands of gifts," Severus added, rubbing the back of his neck, "but Pomfrey was having a fit that it was taking up most of her ward to hold them so they were forwarded to Gryffindor Tower."
"No doubt all my wonderful friends are enjoying my gifts by now then," Harry joked, laughing at the thought of only ever hearing about all the great things sent his way. The joy on his face quickly turned to pain when he started coughing again and he took another few sips of water to ease the burn in his throat. "Sorry," he muttered tiredly, taking Draco's hand at the blonde's worried expression.
The explanation continued on for another several minutes. With each tick on the clock though Harry's eyelids drooped further and further until, just before passing out, he felt the glass in his hands taken away and a kiss to both his forehead and his cheek.
B R E A K
The final time Harry Potter woke up in the hospital wing he was completely alone and with no voices to direct him. He knew right away that somehow he felt very different – stronger. He no longer felt the urge to moan at his pains and his muscles no longer throbbed when he shifted or moved or thought about how much they hurt. Sitting up effortlessly, rubbing his eyes and putting his glasses on, Harry noticed a single card and a lonely chocolate frog sitting on the table beside his bed, innocently waiting for him. The only gifts I'll ever see Harry reminded himself with a grin. Opening the card he grinned at the curt order that instructed him to recite his name clearly. Doing so made the words disappear and then fading onto the page were two very long messages, heartfelt and wonderful, written in two perfect handwritings from both Severus and Draco for him. As he read he nibbled on the chocolate and couldn't wait to find his two lovers and thank them for the gift. Simple but it still made his heart burst to know they were still thinking of him. No doubt if he thought about Ron and how he could have a glutton of a sweet tooth, this chocolate frog would be the only candy he'd see of his gifts.
Harry swung his legs off the edge of the bed and glanced around, waiting for the inevitable moment when Madam Pomfrey would come running in to scold him for trying to leave the bed. When it never came he grinned, shrugged his shoulders, and stood up the rest of the way. The least he could do was fix the bed to ready it for the next student to come along and need healing. Pulling off the linen himself, if only to keep the poor mediwitch from having more to do on his account, he then dropped them into the hamper that magically sent everything to the house elves for cleaning. He used the wrapper left behind from his chocolate frog to write out a quick thank you note for the head nurse and set it on the side table before pushing open the ward doors.
The halls were strangely quiet and deserted and Harry felt oddly very alone. Suspicion immediately turned to what day it was and the only place he could find out was the dungeons. McGonagall would've no doubt changed the password to the tower during his time in the hospital wing, but he knew Severus never would've changed it without letting them know first. He met nobody on his way down the several flights of steps and he wondered if he'd actually slept through the rest of the school year. No, because Severus and Draco would've been in there. Depression immediately dropped into his stomach though at the thought that his two lovers wouldn't be there when he woke up when school let out.
Nobody was in their rooms in the dungeon but he did change into some new clothes. The idea of being in the same clothes for a week was a little unappealing for him. He was dying for a shower, but he rather find out what was going on first and then worry about the very alluring soap and shampoo calling to him. For obvious reasons he wasn't expected since there was no note from anybody so he went to the next best place.
He cracked open the door to the Potions Classroom and cringed at the loud thud as it banged against the adjacent wall. When he opened his eyes again his took in the room and his cheeks burned with the flush he was sporting at all the stares turned his way. Just from looking at the giant hour glass sitting on Professor Snape's desk Harry immediately guessed this was the Potions final and he scooted backwards out the door just as he heard Severus' breathy, "Mr. Potter, what a surprise," as the door closed. At the same time he also caught Draco's worried look and twitchy legs underneath his desk and his two Gryffindor buddies unified shouts of "Harry!"
Breathing heavily in nerves Harry leaned leadenly against the stone wall, and closed his eyes. Hardly the way he wanted to be introduced into the world by walking into the middle of a finals session. When the door opened again he heard the loud talking of everybody inside the room and he caught his name a few times before the door shut heavily again. He shut his eyes in an attempt to block out words just before he was enveloped in a warm hug.
"What are you doing here? Madam Promfrey didn't send word that you woke up."
Harry hid his face in the heavy robes, blocking out all the light from the candles brightening up the dungeons so he could only see pitch black. "I-I'm sorry, Sev," Harry gasped, rubbing his eyes tiredly. "Merlin…I-I woke up alone and I felt great so I left. I couldn't find anyone and…Bejeezus! I didn't even think about finals. I couldn't figure out what the day or time was...-"
"Shh, Harry, Harry," Severus soothed, petting his hair and holding him tightly. "It's okay, I understand. There's nothing to be sorry for. It was just a bit of a shock."
The door opened again and then was pulled shut heavily before Severus pulled away and Harry had an armful of Draco in his lap, holding him tightly. "All for the entrance, eh, Potter," Draco joked, but it held no bite to it and Harry just held him tighter. He never would've pictured either of his lovers for the kind that would break down, at least not in front of other people, but he supposed after what happened they deserved it. So he smiled and held him for as long as possible. When he finally did pull away Draco quickly rubbed his face and explained that he finished his test to Severus and that he placed it on his desk. Severus nodded approvingly and then told him to take Harry to the kitchens to get something to eat.
B R E A K
That night there was, indeed, a larger party than what they'd had the first time just because he'd woken up. Hundreds of owls had landed in front of him in the Great Hall with letters of congratulations, gifts, and, surprisingly, even wedding proposals. Draco was happily given the pleasure of burning each of those with a smile on his face. The first he did out of anger, which shocked Harry and then pleased him warmly, so he gave each one to his blonde lover, kissing his cheek discreetly each time he handed him one.
Everyone was dancing or talking excitedly that evening and Harry must've danced with every person in the room except for the very two he wanted to be with the most. What could he say without drawing suspicions though?
If no one had mentioned how distraught Draco had been that last day he was fully awake just before passing out or how it seemed surprising that Severus Snape, greasy git Potions Master, and Draco Malfoy, slut extraordinaire and Prince of Slytherin were the first to his side to hear his first words as Hero of the Wizarding World than it just hadn't occurred to anyone that it was out of place. If either of them were asked about how odd it was though, knowing how quick his two lovers could be, they must've made something up or lied about something to say.
As he was about to leave the festivities, not quite in the mood for celebrating with everyone, Harry was yanked into a hidden alcove tucked away in the shadows and was promptly kissed fervently. He kissed Draco back hungrily with all the strength of not being able to properly love either of his two most favorite and important men for over a week. He knew the three of them would be celebrating together in a much more private manner that night if the hardness against his thigh or the roaming hands up his shirt were anything to go by.
"Let's go," Draco breathily whispered.
B R E A K
Harry lay shirtless, sweaty and panting, in the middle of the bed with Draco lying on top of him. The blonde was flushed, staring at him through half-lidded eyes before he leaned down and started suckling on his collarbone, drifting downward to tease his nipples. "The only thing that could make this better," Draco noted, switching to the other dusty pink disc while tweaking the other pert nipple, "was if Sev didn't have to finish up those blasted tests first."
Moaning, Harry agreed, holding onto Draco's head as he slid down his body, licking his navel as he undid the belt buckle around his waist. "He'll be here soon," the brunette told him just hissing out when Draco enveloped his hard-on. He grabbed onto the blonde strands of hair and bucked up before Draco had a chance to grab his hips. "D-Dray," Harry whimpered, feeling sweat drip from his forehead as he cried out with each lick and suckle to his erection.
Draco pumped Harry's member, squeezing and licking alternately. When a cool hand touched his back he looked up quickly and grinned. "Sev," he whispered. Harry groaned at the loss of stimulation but didn't end up caring when he saw Severus standing beside the bed. Reaching over for him eagerly the dark haired Slytherin leaned down and kissed him deeply just as the blonde started again, causing an elongated, pleased moan to be swallowed up by Severus.
"May I," the oldest asked in his gruff, hungry bed voice. Draco smirked and pulled away, allowing Severus to take his place. "Help me, Dray," he asked, spreading Harry's legs while giving the tip of his member a lick, causing a throaty groan to be pulled from the brunette's throat and he bucked his hips.
Together the two Slytherin's prepped their little Gryffindor, fingering him and purposefully rubbing against his swelling prostate. Tears burned in Harry's eyes by the time they finally pulled their digits out simultaneously and he whimpered quietly on the bed, already knowing that he wouldn't last very long. Draco swallowed his erection again just as Severus drove into his very willing body and the green-eyed seventeen year old cried out with pleasure, much too limp from his lovers' earlier ministrations to even notice or care about the pain that might've been there. Severus thrusted continuously into Harry, slowly moving faster and faster and Draco suckled him, teasing him mercilessly with his tongue and his lips. Just as Harry knew it would, he came quickly, exploding and releasing himself inside Draco's mouth with a loud cry, grasping his blonde hair tightly while bucking his hips.
Draco pulled away, stroking Harry's chest soothingly as the Gryffindor all but passed out on the bed, breathing heavily in large pants and sheen with sweat. Then he turned to Severus, shifting to straddle Harry's waist backwards so he could face their Potions Professor. He grinned and then pressed his lips to Sev's, kissing him deeply and sharing the taste that was Harry with their other lover. Severus groaned into the lip-lock, releasing himself deep inside Harry's body with a throaty moan, allowing Draco to swallow all of his noises as they swallowed together what was left of their brunette. Then, together, they leaned over and pressed chaste kisses to Harry's cheek and lips. "We love you, 'Ri," they whispered and watched as he drifted off to sleep.
"Poppy must've had a cow when she found out he was gone this morning," Severus noted, stroking the dark, damp strands covering his forehead. Draco nodded, pulling the glasses off the serene face and placed them on the side table. "She came to find me to see if I had something to do with it."
Draco smirked, curling up into Harry's side and throwing an arm over his waist. "I wouldn't want to be in there after a week either." His voice was slightly shaking though and he knew he wouldn't able to hide his fear from Severus. Maybe Harry as his condition was right then, but definitely not Severus when he was coherent with everything that had been going on lately.
Severus moved his fingers from Harry's face to Draco slowly, slipping his long fingers down his pale cheeks. "Hey, it's going to be okay," he promised. "Harry's back by our side and you saw him and talked to him yourself, he said he's feeling better than ever."
"But, Sev, there was so much – ."
"That's over now," Severus interrupted, voice hardening. "Harry doesn't need to know. 'Ri doesn't need to know about that. We both agreed so we aren't going to say anything. Poppy had alerted Dumbledore about it as well and you heard him tell the whole student body not to say anything as well. Harry will never know what happened on that field, okay, Draco?" The blonde nodded, curling in tighter to Harry's body and rested his cheek on the cooling, still somewhat damp chest.
"You promise?"
"Always, Dray; always," Severus swore, petting the blonde hair until both of the teens were sleeping.
B R E A K
Harry was awake first the next morning and he felt amazingly sore. He couldn't move, but he found himself not really wanting to move even if the two bodies sleeping against him hadn't been there. Instead, he found his thoughts wandering to the previous night and how Draco had seemed…odd. At first his attention hadn't quite seemed to be there until they'd gotten to the room and he wondered what had made him so out of it at first until they'd actually reached the dungeon. He'd been…unusually nervous, which made Harry worry about how he was acting himself. Maybe it was just Harry who was acting strange and he wondered about that.
Draco shifted and then rolled entirely off the bed, sauntering off while yawning and still half asleep. Harry watched him go and was about to slip out of bed too if it hadn't been for Severus, who stayed a hand on his shoulder before going after him. The older man shifted out of the bed as well, grabbing his robe on the way and hurried to Draco. Sitting up in the bed, Harry grabbed his glasses and looked around the corner just enough to catch Severus wipe tears from the blonde's eyes and whisper something in his ear. There was something in the way Draco gazed at Severus that made Harry's heart slam into his throat at the intensity of raw emotion he saw there.
When the two of them shifted to head back into the bedroom Harry hurried back, covering himself quickly to look as though he was just getting up. He smiled brightly and warmly at his two lovers and pushed the covers over to invite them both back in. The two climbed in next to him, nuzzling into his side and wrapping their arms around him. Draco rested his head in Harry's lap, holding onto one of his legs tightly. Severus reached into the side drawer beside him, pulling out a thin slip of paper, folded in thirds, which he handed to Harry without a moment's hesitation and a heart-wrenching smile.
"What's this," he asked curiously, staring at the paper.
Draco adjusted his head on the brunette's lap so he could look up into the bright green emerald eyes that sparkled with the early morning light from the magic window to the side. "It's a gift," he whispered, tracing imaginary lines on his thigh. Harry wanted to giggle at the ticklish feeling but instead just ran his fingers through the loose blonde strands.
"An important gift from us," Severus added, kissing the top of his head and slipping a hand around the back of his waist.
Harry gasped as he opened it, feeling tears in his eyes already. The paper was a deed to a house, a beautiful two-story house with a large yard and no neighbors to see if the picture magically paper-clipped on the corner was anything to go by. No, it wasn't either the picture or the deed that got Harry to become such an emotional mess. It was the note that Severus and Draco had added to it that made him feeling like crying.
Harry, our dearest 'Ri,
We love you more than life itself could ever be long enough to describe. The house you see used to belong in the Snape family, but hasn't been used in several years. After our relationship became serious we agreed to live together and chose this house with no argument. It's been fixed up and furnished and we agreed to move in when Draco graduated. We love you Harry Potter and we are very serious in our want and need to stay with you. We would love it more than you could ever know if you would live with us in this perfect house we found, for you are our perfect third and complete us in every way.
Love always,
Severus and Draco
"I – I…"
Draco lifted his head, sporting a beautiful smile as he looked directly into Harry's eyes. "We want you to come live with us, Harry. We couldn't bear to lose you now."
"Thank you," he whispered. Draco grinned warmly and snuggled into his chest while Severus pressed another kiss to the side of his head, letting his fingers drift through Draco's hair from the other side of Harry's waist where it was trapped. Neither would be moving all morning.
B R E A K
The Great Hall that evening was filled with seventh-year students and teachers alike, along with several scattered parents sitting towards the back as proud as can be. Up front with all the teachers sat the Minister of Magic himself, arms crossed and with a bored, tired expression painted across his pudgy face. Dumbledore spoke with the most enthusiasm he'd ever used in any of his speeches before, the twinkle in his eyes extra sparkly and cheeks a bright rosy red.
Most of the students had already received their diplomas, Draco Malfoy included, and Hermione Granger as valedictorian had given her long, month-long thought out speech at the beginning. When Professor McGonagall had reached the 'P's on her list everyone was slightly confused as to why Harry hadn't been called up to receive his diploma along with everyone else…all except the teachers and the student in question himself. His name wasn't called until the very end after everyone else…
"This last student has been an inspiration to a large quantity of all the students seated here tonight as well as several not here and many professors that teach right here at Hogwarts," Dumbledore began with beaming excitement. "I've seen him walk through those very doors, small and confused, at the young age eleven. He battled his way through corrupted teachers, the unfairness of life thrown his way, all the way up to the age of seventeen where he became the single most important savior and hero of our time, and I might like to add the youngest at the same time. Ladies and gentlemen, I present to you Mr. Harry James Potter!" The crowd erupted with fury as the teen stood, blushing and giving a slight wave as he hurried up the steps to shake the Headmaster's wrinkled, but strong hand. He received his diploma with a large smile, giving a bow to both his teachers (sharing a quick look with Severus with a smile) and then to the rest of the Hall (easily pinpointing Draco with his platinum blonde locks near the rest of the graduated Slytherins) before turning to leave.
Before he could reach too far though, the Minister quickly stood and addressed the crowd. "As most of you already know why I'm here and for what reasons I decided there was no point in entertaining the thought of a speech to follow our Headmaster Dumbledore's so, instead, I think I would just like to say the only words that seem appropriate at this time. Harry Potter," he addressed, turning to the teen and offering his hand to shake, "as Minister of Magic and on behalf of every and all magical creature and being, thank you!" The crowd blew up again with cheers and applause loud enough for even the deafest of people to hear. Harry blushed brightly, taking the man's hand and giving it a firm shake. "Also, I present this to you as a token of our appreciation and to show the world what an honor you are: The Order of Merlin, First Class!"
Green eyes shining with tears, Harry greatly accepted the framed paperwork, holding it tightly to his chest as he walked back down the steps to his seat. The applause ended only after he'd sat down, waving one last time for show and then turning back to hear Dumbledore's ending speech before he dismissed the seventh-year students for the last time.
B R E A K
"It's beautiful," Harry breathed, looking up at their new home with wonder. He'd already cried once that morning just because he was finally leaving the first home he ever knew to go to a completely new one. He refused to cry again.
They'd left after breakfast, packing up their things quickly, and then Severus created the portkey using a rock from outside. Several reporters from every kind of newspapers were anxiously waiting outside to know where the Hero of the Wizarding World would be going, but they would all be sorely disappointed. Dumbledore wouldn't let any one of them past the gates and the two new graduates waited inside Severus' rooms for him to return so nobody even saw The-Boy-Who-Triumphed that day. He was upset that he didn't really get to say goodbye to Ron or Hermione but he'd agreed with his two lovers it was for the best that he didn't go wandering the halls just in case one of those really sneaky wizards or witches, like Rita Skeeter who was an illegal animagus, got inside the castle walls and spotted him. So, instead, he watched them from the magical window in the bedroom as they walked down with all the other departing students to the front gates, escorted by Hagrid, to the train. He wasn't worried though because Severus had already promised it would be okay to send letters back and forth and visit them at some point when the media had lost its buzz.
Now that they'd arrived at the house, even though Harry had already seen it from the picture, he could hardly believe his eyes at how beautiful it really was. A two-story house with blue-grey paint and large windows was the first thing he saw when he's straightened up from the disoriented state left behind from the portkey. There were several trees surrounding the dirt path they all stood in and there was no need for a fence since, just like in the picture, there were no neighbors or other buildings for miles around. The exquisite house was positioned on top of a hilltop that overlooked acres of only unspoiled beautiful nature and his heart raced with the thought of flying around to get a better look. On the front porch it curved around to one side of the house where a bench swing had been hung and he grinned as he could already imagine them spending lazy days sitting there, cuddled up together and just enjoying each other's presence.
"Come on, 'Ri," Draco said excitedly, grabbing his hand and pulling him around to the back of the house.
It was even more than he could've expected as he looked around. The picture hadn't given a hint of what might lay behind the house, but just from being in the front he could venture a guess. A medium-sized greenhouse with a pebbled path leading to the porch stairs lay a few feet from the main house. There were several trees as well to give plenty of shade but one particularly large tree stood out from the rest and Harry grinned at the site of it. Tied to one of the higher, stronger branches, was an old tire-swing.
Catching his eye's line of path Draco snickered. "Yeah, I remembered playing on one with Pansy and Blaise when I was really little so I asked Sev if we could have one. My father disapproved of me playing on one after I turned five so I'm really looking forward to breaking that in." Harry laughed and turned to the house where he already saw Severus in the kitchen window watching them. Hand-in-hand they went inside and looked around.
All the rooms were wonderfully spacious with lots of windows for lighting and old, but comfortable furniture that looked as though it had been fixed up to appear new. The living room was towards the front of the house, just across the hallway from the dining room set up for lots of guests. The kitchen already had a smaller table and a few chairs for the three of them. Adjacent to the living room was a small parlor with a bar, several drinks already lining a short shelf behind the countertop. Upstairs there were three bedrooms, one that had served as the master bedroom and was therefore twice as big as the other two. Two bathrooms as well and Harry had almost squealed at the one that was connected to the main bedroom as it had a glass shower as well as a bathtub that could've passed off for a spa from the size of it. Harry had also caught sight of a library and he rolled his eyes just imagining how much fun Hermione would've had in there. Draco wriggled his eyebrows suggestively at the large tub which caused Harry to blush and laugh at the same time. All in all Harry didn't think he was going to have any problems living in this house and he told Draco so as they went to find Severus again.
They found him through a doorway and down some stairs in the kitchen that they hadn't noticed their first time through. "Sev had mentioned a private lab somewhere in the house. I guess that's the basement," Draco explained as they pushed aside the curtain at the bottom and, sure enough, there was Severus unpacking by hand full and empty potion bottles and several carefully wrapped potion ingredients.
Draco grinned and moved forward, looking through some of the boxes still taped firmly shut and started organizing the bottles as well. Severus only shared a look with the blonde before turning away again. Wanting to help as well, Harry moved to another closed up box but before he could put his fingers on it, Severus grabbed his wrist in a firm yet gentle grip. "Sev?"
The Potions Master smiled and pulled Harry into his chest instead, petting his messy dark hair. "We all know how clumsy you can be, Harry, and these are all very important ingredients."
"But I wanna help," Harry told him, looking up dejectedly.
Draco moved over, kissing his cheek. "Hey, 'Ri, there's some boxes in the library upstairs. Why don't you go unpack those and when I'm done here I'll come up to help?"
Harry pouted but turned to go back up the stairs. Shortly after the curtain swished shut behind him the teen stopped and looked behind to watch the silhouettes of his two lovers shift around the room. He took a seat on one of the steps and let out a quiet sigh, resting his chin in the palm of his hands and stared past the curtains obstructing the view of the potions lab.
"Do you think that was okay," he heard Draco asked, looking back at Severus.
There was a small rustle of cloth as the Potions Master shrugged. "He knows he's bad at potions. I can't have him dropping things or shaking up the bottles accidentally. Numerous of these could cause explosions and I know neither of us wants to see him in a hospital bed again anytime soon, right?"
Harry heard the sound of sniffling before Severus' silhouette moved over to Draco's and held him tightly, petting his hair back and giving him kisses. Jealousy settled in his stomach first and then an acid built up in his throat and made it burn when he swallowed. He tried not to be hurt when Draco was allowed to help when he wasn't. He really did try. No matter how hard he seemed to try though tears would blur his vision and he pulled away from the stairs and closed the door behind him as quickly as he could. There was unsettling heaviness in his stomach that he couldn't explain…or rather didn't want to explain because he was suddenly very afraid that this feeling was something telling him there was something important that Severus and Draco were keeping from him since they'd mentioned something about him in the hospital.
B R E A K
All three were sitting at the table in the kitchen one morning, a few weeks after their move in, when Severus set down his fork with a pleased smile. "I'm pleased to announce that after several years of teaching at Hogwarts and dealing with bratty, horrible children all day long, I am now officially an ex-Potions Professor."
"That's great, Sev," Draco congratulated, wiping his face with a napkin.
Harry watched them both for a second, having spent a great deal of time paying extra attention on how they interacted with each other since what happened in the potions lab. So far neither of them had dropped any clues about what could've happened. "Why are you quitting," he asked quietly, pushing his eggs around on his plate.
Both glanced over at him curiously. "Well, I never really enjoyed teaching before. I'm sure you've noticed that." At Harry's nod he continued. "And I was only there to keep on an eye on you as a double agent for Albus while I was a spy. You knew that too." The brunette nodded again. "Well, now that Voldemort's dead there's no need for me to be there anymore. Albus knew that as soon as he was gone I wasn't going to be there anymore so he was completely agreeable when I sent in the papers for resignation."
"So….what are you going to do now," Harry asked just as quietly, setting his fork down and finally looking up at his two lovers.
Draco blinked, looking between Severus and Harry. "You mean you didn't tell him," he asked curiously, looking pointedly at the ex-professor. The brunette perked up at that, staring accusingly at Severus.
Pressing his lips together, Severus nodded. "I received a position at a well-known, very large apothecary close to London. They needed a Potions Master and they hired me while you were still unconscious in the hospital. After you woke up it never seemed like a good time to tell you and then it finally slipped my mind that you hadn't known."
"I see…" Harry stood, taking his plate with him. He hadn't meant to take what he'd said about working with kids to heart but he suddenly felt very young in the eyes of both of his lovers. He tossed out the rest of his food and quickly washed his plate before turning for the stairs. "I'll be in the library," he told them curtly. He only really walked up a few steps before Severus stopped him, wrapping one arm around his waist and pressing his hand to his forehead.
The hot breath on the back of his neck made shivers run down his spine and he breathed heavily when those long fingers slid through his unruly locks, leaning against the hard chest of his oldest lover with relief. He wasn't sure what the relief was for, but his body suddenly felt very light. "Are you feeling well, Harry? You've been acting strangely for a few days."
Harry nodded. "Yeah…I'm okay. I guess it's now just settling in that I'm not going back to Hogwarts," he told him, lying slightly when he finally pulled away.
"Hey, Harry, the mail just came. Granger sent something for you," Draco interrupted, biting his lip as he handed him the letter. Thanking him the brunette took the envelope and turned back towards the stairs excusing himself to go lay down. Before he got very far though Draco stopped him again. "While we were on the subject of jobs, I wanted to let you know I got one too. It's in the Department of Transportation at the Ministry of Magic." He grinned brightly in hopes of lighting the mood. "I get to test broom speeds and check enhancements on a daily basis."
Harry smiled as well, congratulating him. Then he excused himself again and turned back upstairs. When he was in the library he glanced briefly at the letter he was holding and let out a large sigh. He ripped open the top and briefly read the quick invitation, a slow smile creeping over his face as he did so.
"Anything good," Severus asked, sitting down beside him and handing him a glass of water.
Taking it with a quiet thank you, Harry handed him the paper and took little sips as he watched those black eyes shift back and forth over the words. "I-I don't suppose you'd be able to come with me," the brunette asked nervously, grasping the glass in his hands tightly enough to crack it. Much to his dismay though, Severus shook his head.
"We have to lie low still or people will know we were together while you were in school," he explained.
Harry nodded, slipping the paper out of Severus' fingers and giving it another glance. "They're getting married," he sighed. "I knew it would happen…but they didn't even tell me. Ron had to have proposed to her sometime during school if invitations are already coming out though…."
Slipping an arm around his waist, Severus held his young lover close to him, kissing the top of his head and knotting his fingers through the loose strands. "Things were pretty crazy for you towards the end of the year though. I'm sure they wanted to tell you, but the chance never came up."
The words didn't make him feel any better. If anything they made a giant rock settle in his stomach and he quickly pulled away, standing up to move towards the door. "Yeah…that seems to happen a lot," he ground out bitterly through his teeth. He hadn't even meant to say it and his own words shocked him, but somehow they actually made him feel better when he glanced back and saw Severus look away in guilt. It didn't make him feel good to know he'd hurt him, but he doubted the same thing would be happening again anytime soon.
B R E A K
Harry Potter was bored. There was no doubt about that. He was straight-out, completely and utterly bored out of his mind and the worst thing about it was that he couldn't even leave. Of course, he also knew that if this wedding had come before Draco and Severus entered his life being bored probably never would've crossed his mind. Nothing actually crossed his mind before his two lovers had saved him from his untimely depression and somewhat obsessive nature that he would die at Lord Voldemort's wand without a fighting chance. Sadly enough, he was also kind of wishing that he was still numb about everything at this very moment because then he wouldn't be watching all of his friends dancing and laughing together at his two best friends' wedding while he was stuck on the sidelines watching in solitude.
It was three weeks after he'd gotten the letter from Hermione announcing the big day and he'd done everything humanly possible, even gotten down on his knees in front of Severus and Draco and begged with well rehearsed tears in his eyes that at least one of them would go with him. They could even stage a fight if they wanted to leave early. Harry had lost…..disastrously. Not only did neither of his two lovers agree to come even at the promise of an early leave but he felt like he'd also lost his humility just because of his desperate attempts. Now, along with the thought they were keeping something from him, he had to wonder if they if they thought lowly of him from the act.
Another young lady fitted in a lovely blush pink dress tiptoed her way over to him. Harry never thought in all his life that he'd ever be able to categorize girls, especially at a wedding, but he was shocked that he knew at least two different types of girls: the shy kind and the bold kind. So far he'd been approached by at least three of the latter type. They'd come straight at him from the front with a determined expression, along with a few twinkles in between their eyes from how hard they must've been telling themselves to keep one foot in front of the other and not embarrass themselves. This girl along with several others that Harry had lost count of, were the much more common shy type of girl at the wedding. They would sneak up from the sides and sometimes behind and stand about a foot away from him blushing madly. Somehow he preferred the bolder type to the shy type (the former tended to begin conversations for him instead of him playing the nice gentleman before sending them on their way) and Harry wondered if that was because neither Severus nor Draco were very shy about things they wanted. Heck, he remembered at least seven different occasions where he'd been woken up because one or both woke up in the middle of the night from a hot dream and were too eager to wait on trying it out.
"Are you enjoying the party," Harry asked, turning to the bright eyed young lady as she blushed heavily at his gaze. Draco had told him once that if he tried hard enough with his emerald greens that he could probably even make him cum in his pants with the right look and his 'sexy bed voice'.
Looking away from him, sneaking only short quick glances his way, the girl nodded. He noticed she fisted her hands into her dress tightly with nerves and felt very bad that she must've mustered every ounce of courage she had just to come over to stand beside him. Was he that hard to approach? Maybe when he was still depressed, but he thought he was much more welcoming now.
Smiling cheerfully, Harry tried again. "I don't believe I've seen you at Hogwarts before. What's your name? I'm Harry," he said, offering his hand.
With a smile that really made her glow, the girl took his hand and shook it. "I'm Lilah," she replied and Harry immediately recognized the accent was the same as Fleur Delacour's, who was happily dancing with her own Weasley husband. "I'm one of Fleur's little sister's friends. She introduced me to Ginny…"
"I see, you're very lucky, Lilah. Ginny's a good friend of mine too."
Blushing heavily again, Lilah turned away and tried to hide her flush with her small hands. "Um…would you…wouldyoudancewithme?" She'd rushed the words out so quickly that Harry was left standing there like an idiot for a few seconds before the question dawned on him.
This is where he always ended up hurting the girls, but he certainly had lots of practice after turning down so many in one day. Something told Harry though that no matter how gentle he was, Lilah would definitely be in tears. "I'm sorry," he whispered, trying to look as though he truly wanted to dance with her. "I'm very honored, really." Too late. There were already tears in her big blue eyes, but he had to commend her for actually staying put for him to finish. "I'm afraid I'm a very poor dancer and your feet would be the one to suffer from that."
"I'm sorry," she squeaked out, trying her best to hold in her tears. She gave him a quick nod of the head, excused herself, and then hurried away much faster than she had trying to approach him.
With a tired sigh Harry rubbed his eyes and leaned back in his seat, closing his eyes as he did. That wasn't true at all. He'd been told he's actually a very good dancer….when he put the effort into it. Good thing the Patil twins didn't know about that for that Yule Ball in their fourth year though. He feared for his life if they ever figured it out too. And, by the looks of things when he peaked through the black fringe of bangs, Ron had improved as well. He'd never seen his best mate look so happy. Even his freckles seemed to be glowing. Sadly, the reason he was declining all the requests to dance was actually because he was feeling heavily bitter about this whole experience. In Harry's mind all he could think about was the fact that dancing was involved with the wedding. Once again there was dancing and yet again neither of his lovers were at his side. He supposed it seemed a bit girly to want to dance with one of his men and get depressed over it when it didn't happen, but hell if he was going to be gay and bottom most of the time than he was allowed some girlish qualities and he'd be damned if anyone was going to tell him otherwise.
A shadow fell over his sun and Harry cracked open his eyes to look into a very red-faced Ginny Weasely, done up in a lovely shade of yellow dress and curled red hair.
"Something wrong," he asked, having an inkling feeling about what this was about. He sat up straighter so he could take his predicted punishment.
"You made Lilah cry," the redhead accused, hands on hips and looking very much like a younger version of her mother. That thought made a shiver run down his spine. He knew all too well how Molly Weasley could've put fear even into the Dark Lord if she'd been faced with him. "You lied to her."
Harry shrugged. "I don't feel like dancing," he explained. "Would you rather I have said that instead of coming up with something slightly gentler?"
The Weasley daughter didn't seem to like that very much at all and her fists clenched tightly at her side. "You could've accepted," she offered. "I invited her here because everybody thought you two would get along."
A smirk curved upward on Harry's face as he realized why so many young ladies seemed interested in him today. "Why, Miss Weasley, you didn't happen to invite all these extra female guests in hopes of setting me up with one of them, did you?"
The angry flush on her face shifted to an embarrassed one and Ginny sat down in the empty seat beside her former crush. "You just seem so lonely whenever we see you. You didn't want to give me a chance so I thought I wasn't your type so we just…you know…brought in a bunch of different types."
There was an uncomfortable pause between the two of them before Harry couldn't contain it and he snorted in his hand just before he actually started to laugh. Ginny stared at him with shock but the chuckling was much too contagious and she soon found herself joining with him despite all the stares they were receiving. When he could finally control himself again, Harry removed his glasses and wiped his eyes, still chuckling every now and again, shaking his head. "I appreciate the gesture, Gin, but I really don't need any help with my love life."
"But you're never with anybody," she complained. "You could have anyone you wanted and yet you -."
"Have exactly who I want," Harry finished for her, smiling brightly.
There must've been something in his expression because she stared for a while and then a sparkling grin spread out on her face excitedly. "Really, Harry? Who?"
He leaned over to whisper in her ear, honestly debating whether or not to trust her, but he opted not to since, lovers or not, they would probably kill him if they ever found out. "It's a secret," he cooed to her.
"Oh, you," Ginny joked, pushing his shoulder roughly and looking put off that he hadn't actually told her anything. "Come on, for real, Harry," she begged.
He did feel bad that he couldn't say anything, especially when he himself trusted her not to say anything. Harry also knew that Draco and Severus didn't want their relationship out just yet though so he'd go along with it for now. "Sorry, Gin," he replied, shaking his head. "We…want to keep a low profile for a while longer. You know, just to let the whole Voldie business drop. They don't really want a lot of attention on them and I promised to respect that."
The redhead nodded, brightening up at the excuse. "Well, that's good then. At least you know she isn't using you for your fame if she's asking for that."
Harry could hardly push back the urge to correct her, but he managed somehow. He spoke with her for a while longer before she finally stood up and stretched. Kissing him on the cheek she grinned, waved her slim finger at him, and said, "But I will meet her soon, right?"
"Of course," Harry promised, And boy will you surprised he finished in his head.
An hour later, close to four o'clock, Harry finally had to excuse himself and make his way to the exit. As he did an older lady stopped him and he feared that Ginny hadn't just brought younger ladies to try courting him.
"Harry Potter," she asked unnecessarily. She only waited for his brisk nod before she smiled brightly and offered her hand. "I'm Dana Skates, I work at the same department as Miss Grang….Mrs. Weasley's…Hermione." At another nod from Harry she continued. "Sorry, I won't keep you long. You know where Hermione works, am I right?" This time she didn't wait but continued with only Harry's stares to keep her going. "I'm second head in the editorial and publishing offices in London and my boss has been dying to get in contact with you." Here she handed him a card with the address and all the necessary information. While Harry glanced at it she continued. "She…well, mostly I, was wondering if you would like to write your adventures during school for us. We understand if you want to have some time for yourself but please feel free to give it some thought and if you think it's not for you than no harm done in asking right?"
As Harry said his goodbyes and thank you to this new woman he couldn't help but think to himself Now there's a perky type too…
B R E A K
Harry's day might have been considered a very good day despite how down he was being if it had been for the finishing touches that made his bitterly sour mood from not being able to dance with who he wanted to utterly depressed and the kind of day you wished you would've just slept through instead of experiencing. That final icing on his burnt and deformed cake was the hand-written note to him waiting innocently enough on the kitchen table. Severus and Draco had been invited together for dinner at the Malfoy estate.
"So they can go places together, but they can't be seen with me? Talk about a fair relationship," he grumbled, crumbling up the note and glancing through the fridge to see what he could create for a light meal. With nothing much in the way of a quick dinner and his dampening mood already worse, Harry decided he'd skip dinner and probably taking a very long, scalding bath that burnt off his first layers of skin before finally going to bed.
Passing by the hallway he glanced briefly at himself in the full length mirror that made the room seem so much bigger than it really was. Did he always look so down before? Before he continued up the stairs he met his dark green eyes and it felt as though his own reflection were answering the numerous questions he feared too much to even question in his mind, but rather pushed back and forced to ignore.
"You want a fair relationship, Harry? They're Slytherins for one thing and you're the odd one out. What kind of lion belongs in a snake's hole anyway?" The reflection even took on a bit of a smirk in Harry's eyes that made the teen back off a bit until his back hit the stair railing. "They were already together when you pushed your way in. Already wanting to live together before you even entered the picture?"
Tears burned behind his eyes but Harry pushed them away through will alone. "Did they…get tired of me?"
The green eyes staring back at him seemed to darken and Harry actually cowered at his own reflection, seeing but not seeing himself in the replica. "Let's face it, Harry, if snakes and lions belonged together than would they look and act so very different from each other?"
"No…I…I guess not," Harry admitted, looking away while wrapping his arms around him tightly.
Before his one-sided conversation with his reflection could continue he heard the roar of the fireplace as the floo network was opened. The image in front of him shifted back from his imagination to reality and he stared at his cowering form and scolded himself before straightening up to go meet Severus and Draco, who had just slid into the living room with a loud curse.
Ice blue eyes met green as Severus helped Draco up and he grinned brightly, rubbing his bum as he stood up. "Harry, you're back," he exclaimed, causing ink black eyes to turn his way as well and the expression on Severus' face softened.
"We weren't expecting you until later this evening," Severus explained.
"It's a good thing Sev decided to leave a note just in case then, huh," Draco insisted, hurrying over to him and enveloping him in a tight hug and a simple kiss to his cheek. "How was the wedding," he asked politely when he pulled away, though Harry knew he wasn't really interested. That fact was proved when Harry didn't answer and the question didn't come up again.
Instead Harry feigned a headache, which wasn't far off from the truth after his confrontation with…well…himself. He shivered as he glanced at the mirror even though it wasn't acting differently. The only thing he was going to miss out on was his scalding bath but after the mirror he wasn't sure he wanted that anyway. He tended to think too much when he was in a predicament where he should be in relax mode. No, instead, he went to bed early in hopes that all of his uneasiness was gone or at least mostly gone before he even woke up tomorrow.
I think I should take a Harry day and hope everything gets better he told himself while climbing the stairs again, purposefully avoiding eye contact with himself in the mirror. He fingered the card Dana had given him shortly before he left. Maybe even take the writing job so I'm not stuck waiting for things to come up Harry told himself just as he slipped underneath the warm covers and closed his eyes.
B R E A K
Things had seemed to shift back to normalcy after the wedding. The suspicions that Harry had been hanging on towards Severus and Draco had faded with time. All three were now working and had gotten into a comfortable routine eating breakfast that Severus makes and then Draco and Harry alternate on dinner before having some quiet time and then heading to bed at the late hours. Somehow though, a month after Ron and Hermione's wedding, things seemed to shift from comfortable and normal to incredibly painful and awkward and Harry couldn't place how it happened. What started it wasn't anything big at all, he later recalled, but something so trivial and pointless that Harry actually was continuously wondering about it.
He had just finished up his first novel involving Professor Quirrel and the legendary Sorcerer's Stone that Dana had been cracking whips at his back for since he agreed to writing for her, ahead of schedule he was pleased to admit. Draco had walked into the kitchen just as Harry was slipping the eight-hundred pages into a leather-skinned envelope to send her way when he was inevitably sliced with a paper cut.
Draco hadn't noticed at first and, at such a small injury, Harry hardly flinched. Heck, he'd imagined even worse than that, it was just a lousy little paper cut. His fingertip beaded up with the blood and it dripped carelessly onto the marble countertop as Harry looked around for spare paper towels to clot it with. He would've used the sink but Draco was in the way and marble cleans up easily enough anyway. However, when the drips formed a small little pool on the marble that's when Draco shifted his head and noticed it. He followed the dripping up to the sliced fingers and froze, almost shouting when he said his name, nearly shaking him when he touched the hand to see how bad it was, and then he ran from the room.
Harry was thoroughly confused at his point. He looked from the barely there puddle to his finger and just had to scratch his head at this one. After everything Draco had been through in his life you wouldn't think he had a fear of blood. He shrugged and continued his search for the elusive paper towels when Severus walked in calmly enough despite his raised eyebrow as he glanced at his finger. Did Draco seriously get Severus to help him with a simple paper cut?
"Is Dray alright," Harry asked, chuckling as he checked under the sink instead, sighing when there was only cleaning potions marked with bold letters.
"Fine enough," Severus insisted, taking Harry's hand and running it under lukewarm water and then using a Kleenex to blot it before sealing the cut with some special goo he'd pulled out of his robes. Then he busied himself with wiping off the counter silently before running his fingers through Harry's hair and kissing him lightly before going back to wherever he was before.
That was…odd Harry had to remark, if only to himself. He hadn't even been scolded for getting blood all over the counter in his mission for some paper towels. Of course, Harry would later almost cut several half moon shapes into his palms from his fingernails when he later discovered some paper towels in the cupboards in the laundry room.
Odd would become the most forefront word in Harry's mind after the events that unfolded later and then, of course, complete hurt in betrayal in his mind. Then he'd wished he cursed the damn paper cut to begin with, blaming it all on a little half inch slice into his finger from parchment that didn't want to slide nicely into the envelope.
B R E A K
Harry's feeling a bit out of sorts when he wakes up one morning, several days after the paper cut incident, and neither Draco nor Sev are in bed, not even rummaging around in the room. Confused, and feeling disoriented that he didn't wake up when they moved, he gets up to go look for them. After inspection of the house it seems as though Draco had already left for work and Sev was in his private labs, a threat to be messed with when he was busy working away.
On the table in the kitchen is his plate with a warming spell placed on it along with a quickly scribbled note telling him 'good morning'. He was even more disgruntled when he traced his fingers along the wording and felt the tingle of magic underneath that told him it wasn't even a handwritten note which meant whoever wrote it, most likely Draco by the style of writing, had been in too much of a hurry to grab a pen or a quill. He hated magic notes. They just felt so impersonal and slightly distancing to Harry. The note alone caused Harry to drop carelessly into his seat at the table and stare at the warmed food of eggs and toast dejectedly, already knowing it was going to be a lousy day. He overslept, didn't get to see either of his lovers, he didn't feel like writing today which meant Dana was going to bitch at him for being lazy even though he knew she didn't really mean it, and it was his turn for dinner and he had no clue what to make since he didn't feel like looking through the pantry or the fridge at the moment. "Fan-bloody-tastic," he muttered, poking at the eggs and watching the yolk ooze over and soak into the bread.
He glanced up at the clock every now and then, debating on whether he should go into the office and face the evil editor of his, who loved the stars out of him and who he loved back just as much even in the short time they've known each other, or if he should just crawl back into bed and wait for the national wizard guard sent to him by said editor to come for him. She'd already sworn to do it to him three times now if he showed up late again. Of course, he wasn't sure how to start off the next novel because Dobby could be described in so many different words…a page filled with every descriptive word and half of them probably weren't very nice words too. He didn't want to risk it in case the house elf in question ever decided to pick up one of those books and see what Harry had to say about him.
Harry opted for his third option. He wrote out a quick note on the pad of paper on the counter and floo-ed it through to Dana, telling her he was busy writing away at home and that he thought he was coming down with something and didn't want to spread it through the office and half of London while he was at it. That was sure to keep her away. Sure enough, not ten seconds later there was a reply note that told him to get some rest and she hoped he felt better soon.
Now with no work to worry about for the day Harry poured himself tea after cleaning off his uneaten food and putting away his dishes and then headed for the porch swing calling diligently to him from around the corner. He paused at the closed door to the lab and sighed, feeling very lonely that he didn't get to see his two lovers that morning. It always seemed to make his day that much easier and so much better if he got to see them first thing in the morning rather than his evil-incarnate editor, especially when he was supposed to be starting a new novel soon.
Biting the inside of his cheek, he figured Sev wouldn't be bothered if he really didn't have to stop, just so he could tell him good morning at least. He slipped inside silently and down the magically un-creaky wooden steps to the basement that Severus and Draco had both worked on to turn it into a fully functional lab for the Potions Master. Harry bitterly remembered how he'd been told not to help since he might break or ruin something. He coughed as politely as he could, making sure to stay three steps away from the ground floor and precisely an arm and a half's length away from the nearest shelf so he wouldn't accidently ruin anything even by looking at it.
Severus looked up, scowling, and Harry immediately felt bad for disturbing him. "You're up," he noted grimly before turning back to the five cauldrons he had going on at once. He stirred something in the third one and quickly added something that was wriggling profusely into the second before pausing. "I hadn't realized you didn't leave yet."
"Yeah…uh…I kind of slept in. Sorry." Truthfully, he had no reason to apologize. When he'd looked at the clock earlier it had dawned on him that he hadn't slept in at all. In fact, he was right on time. It was Severus and Draco who'd woken up early and started their day at least an hour ahead of their normal schedule.
The Potions Master only grunted as he concentrated on changing the temperature on the fifth cauldron while simultaneously stirring the fourth.
Harry shifted on his feet, biting his lip and wondering if it was a mistake to bother his older lover. "Um…I just wanted to let you know I was given the day off so I'll probably be doing some housework. So….work hard and have a good day and if you need anything I'm here. It's my turn for dinner so if you have suggestions…" Merlin, when did he become so insecure? Oh, that's right. That damn paper cut somehow made things so awkward he wasn't even sure how to talk to either of his lovers anymore. How do you even start bringing up a conversation about a little cut in your finger and what it has to do with the current state of things? That's just stupid.
"Don't bother," Severus snapped, pulling Harry from his thoughts. It was a bite from the king of rattlesnakes and Harry unconsciously backed up another step, immediately hating himself for feeling this way.
I shouldn't have come down here and bothered him when he's so busy Harry berated himself. "Sorry," he asked quietly, looking up at Severus again, knowing that he missed what was said completely.
Sighing with a horrible, uncharacteristic grunt at the end, he looked up while continuously stirring something in the first cauldron that was now giving out a very faint floristic scent. "Don't bother about dinner tonight, I said." Harry nodded, hating the annoyed glint Sev was sending his way and he backed up another step.
It was tempting to ask. Almost too tempting. But Harry held himself and nodded. "Oh," he said stupidly. "Okay….well…house work calls," he blurted out quickly and then rushed up the stairs. It hurt him just a little bit that when he turned back briefly to close the door Severus hadn't even looked up after him from his hasty departure. The sting of tears was inevitable and this time he didn't bother trying to push them back. Who was going to see anyway? Everyone he thought was close to him suddenly wanted to hurry their schedule up by an hour. And what had just happened in there? He just felt so…brushed off. Draco too. He always left enough time to do things perfectly so why the magical note all of a sudden? As he was heading outside to the porch swing with his tea Harry couldn't help but wonder why the both of them had started an hour early anyway.