Author Notes: This OS is a continuation to my Valentine`s Day`s One Shot "Ultimate Proof". Please read that one first, if you haven`t!

Appreciation:Thank you to YenGirl. She urged me to write this sequel and supported me in any possible way, not only with words, but also by beta-reading the OS. It wouldn`t be the same without her help!=)

Ultimate Truth

Warmth.

That was the first thing that registered in Harry's senses when his still sleepy mind came back to awareness again. A small smile ghosted on his lips. He had had a wonderful dream, a dream about Severus and their very first kiss.

Harry sighed happily and drew the covers closer around his body, not willing to get up just yet. It was much more comfortable to lie here and relish the images of his dream.

Yes, they had kissed and Severus had held him close and whispered sweet nothings in his ear, all the while playing with Harry's messy hair.

The young Gryffindor grinned.

Severus had done these exact same things when they had shared their first kiss on Valentine's Day and many times afterward. Who would have thought that the dour Potion Master was capable of such sweet gestures?

Probably no one, since even Harry had been surprised at how demonstrative Severus could be… at least when they were alone. Not that he minded. Far from it. He was even willing to do more than just kiss and cuddle, but he hadn't yet dared to tell Severus that since the Potions Master seemed determined not to cross a certain line.

A pout appeared on Harry's lips.

Severus probably didn't want to become more… intimate as long as Harry was still underage. Or perhaps Severus wasn't sure if his young lover was ready for more and had held back for his sake.

Harry sat up abruptly, his sleepiness having finally vanished and made room for more constructive thoughts. It would be so like Severus to hold back for Harry's sake and not demand anything of him, when he wasn't sure if he would get it willingly. Sweet, but also… annoying. This time, at least.

Harry sighed, reached for his glasses on the nearby table… and frowned. Green eyes gazed around the room in confusion. Everything was blurred, thanks to his bad eyesight, but he was still able to tell that he wasn't in his dorm up in Gryffindor Tower.

No, he was… Harry slapped his forehead with his hand. How could he have forgotten?

Severus had helped him with his essay for Defense Against the Dark Arts and when they had gone through everything for the hundredth time; it had already been past curfew.

Harry chuckled quietly and put on his glasses. Severus could have walked him back to Gryffindor Tower, but he had demanded that Harry sleep on his couch instead, he wasn't going to walk through the castle at night just because Gryffindors weren't able to read a clock.

Yes, those were his exact words!

Harry gulped and got up from the couch. He had slept in Severus' private chambers for the first time. Color started to rise in his cheeks although they hadn't even done anything besides some kissing before going to bed. Well, Severus had gone to his own bed at least.

Harry looked at the closed door beside the fireplace. Behind it was Severus' bedroom and since the man was nowhere in sight that meant that he was still in there.

Harry hesitated. Severus hadn't forbidden him to enter his rooms, but he hadn't hinted that he wanted to see him in there either.

Seconds ticked by. Nothing happened. The door remained closed.

Harry shrugged. Surely Severus wouldn't kill him if he entered his bedroom. Besides, Harry would get the opportunity to watch him in repose, something he had wanted to do for quite some time.

Steeling himself, he crossed the remaining space and opened the door before he could think twice about the consequences. He stopped abruptly on the threshold, green eyes going wide as all thoughts of catching Severus asleep were forgotten at once. Yes, it would have been nice to see him sleeping and maybe even wake him up with a good morning kiss, but this… was so much better.

Harry gulped again. Never before had he seen his lover with less than trousers and a shirt on, so the sight before him was even better than it would have been otherwise.

Bare skin, only hidden from view around the waist by a towel, lay completely free for Harry's hungry gaze. Obviously, Severus had only just showered for there were still pearls of water glistening on his exposed skin.

Harry's still wide eyes followed a particular drop of water as it made its way down the pale back. He had already suspected that Severus was skinny. Really, the man ate barely enough to stay alive! Nevertheless, Harry hadn't expected that he could even count those ribs, since they were partly visible from where he stood.

An unexpected sight, but not an unpleasant one.

Harry wasn't normally so fond of people who looked like skeletons. No, he definitely wasn't, but he realized that he didn't mind Severus' appearance. Somehow this look fitted him perfectly and even the scars that were scattered all over his back didn't put Harry off.

He had already suspected some reminders of old injuries to be there ever since he had learned of how cruel Voldemort could be. The scars were the proof of Severus' brave deeds for the Light and a part of the man himself, just like his sarcastic arguments.

Harry frowned slightly when his eyes traced back an especially long scar, which ran from one shoulder blade to the other. He wondered where had Severus gotten it from. His frown deepened, lips pressing into a thin line when he realised the wound must have been extremely painful.

Then Severus turned around and black eyes met green. Time slowed down.

Severus had known that Harry was there from the moment the young man entered his bedroom. He cursed himself for not putting a locking charm on the door.

Since when had he gotten so careless?

He was an ex-spy after all. The most hated teacher in Hogwarts. He should expect a possible attack every minute of the day even in the safety of the school and in the privacy of his rooms, but he had been careless. He had let his guard down and allowed himself to feel complacent after the wonderful evening he spent with Harry.

Yes, Severus had relaxed enough to even sleep without having any nightmares about past torture sessions with the Dark Lord. He swallowed against a suddenly dry throat as he forced himself to hold Harry's gaze. He wasn't able to do anything else once the young Gryffindor came in.

Severus Snape, the only teacher at Hogwarts with the reputation of giving detention for just breathing too loudly, was paralyzed by the mere presence of the Boy Who Lived.

A bad joke, but nevertheless true.

Even though Severus had felt Harry's gaze on him, he hadn't been able to cast a charm around himself. He could have at least hidden the scars from those searching green eyes, but he hadn't and now, he had to live with the result of seeing Harry's brows knitted, his mouth pressed in a thin line of disapproval and an indefinable expression in his eyes.

Severus wished that he hadn't turned around. He had known all along that he wasn't handsome. The cruel descriptions of his appearance by so many students were nothing but the truth and yet, he had still hoped that Harry didn't share their opinion.

Apparently, to no avail if the disgusted expression on Harry's face was any indication.

Severus forced his hands not to tremble. He knew that this day would come. The day when Harry finally realized that Severus wasn't worth his attention, that he had wasted his Valentine's Day gift on someone totally unworthy of it. Only he had hoped that he would have more time with Harry, before the boy left him.

No, he shouldn't have turned around.

He should have waited until Harry decided that his Potions Master was too disgusting to even think of touching him and fled the dungeons. Instead, he had turned around and made it worse by confronting the boy with his skinny, bare chest and his much too long nose.

"Severus…"

The Potion Master swallowed hard. Obviously, from the uncertainty in Harry's voice, the boy didn't know how to tell him that he didn't want to be near him anymore after having seen how ugly he actually was.

Well, Severus would spare him the effort and himself the torture of looking into those expressive eyes any longer.

"Since my appearance has obviously robbed you of whatever little vocabulary you possess, I'll spare you the effort of searching for a nice phrase, Potter. Get out!"

Harry blinked.

"Severus, what…?"

"Get out! Now that you've seen how poorly the man you declared your love to looks, Potter, you surely can't want to linger in his presence any longer!"

"No, Severus, I…"

"Out! Now!"

The last command, combined with a blast of angry, wandless magic that made Harry stumble backwards, left no room for any other interpretation of Severus' words. Huge green eyes gazed back at him one last time before their owner turned around and fled.

Severus heard the slam of his front door. He imagined he could even hear Harry's footsteps moving down the corridor outside, going further and further away from him. Dark eyes closed as a sudden wave of pain shook his body.

Harry was gone… for good.

The realization hit Severus like a physical blow. Yes, he had known that Harry would leave him one day, but he hadn't thought… that it would hurt this much. A throaty noise escaped past his lips. No, that wasn't a sob!

Severus Snape wasn't sobbing and his eyes were only burning because he had gotten soap in them. He was only sitting on the floor and shaking like a leaf because he had forgotten to heat his rooms.

Yes, those were the only reasons and not because he felt like he had just ripped out his own heart.

OOO

The large bathroom was filled with hot steam. It ghosted over the water like mist and prevented anyone from seeing more than what was right in front of his eyes.

That was fine with Severus. He didn't need to see anymore than necessary, especially since he was naked right now. He closed his eyes and leaned back against the wall of the bathtub.

Actually, it was more like a little swimming pool than a usual bathtub. Its floor was adorned with tiles and a structure similar to a fountain placed in the middle. Its function was to fill the tub with water, but not with the usual clear kind. No, of course Albus had to install something as useless as this equipment which released water in all shades of the rainbow.

Dark eyes blinked open only to glare at the water surrounding him The knowledge that he, Severus Snape, was bathing in iridescent water right now was enough to make him want to kill Albus.

Still, he was grateful for the steam otherwise his eyes would have been tortured by all kinds of happy colors every time he opened them, when he had only came here to take a hot bath. To tell the truth, he could have done so in his own bathroom, but after what had happened this morning, he had felt a sudden urge to leave his chambers for a while.

No, it wasn't because his rooms held too many happy memories of Harry and himself. He just wanted to use the Teacher's Bathroom ever since even McGonagall raved about it and she was notorious was being the most particular professor when it came to her ablutions.

With a wordless command, Severus summoned soap and a sponge. He hadn't taken his wand with him into the water, although that wouldn't have harmed it. He was good enough at wandless magic to not need his wand for every little thing.

Little waves formed on the surface of the water when Severus lifted his arm to wash himself. Then he stopped abruptly. No wonder that Harry had looked so disgusted this morning.

Dark, clouded eyes gazed at the Dark Mark which constantly reminded him what a fool he had been to join the Dark Lord. Yes, and he had been an even bigger fool for hoping that there might be a chance that Harry would look past his Mark… and the scars that graced his whole body.

Harry!

Severus bit down on his lip to hold back the traitorous sound that threatened to escape him when his mind was suddenly filled with images of the young, proud and beautiful Gryffindor again. They had only been together for two months, but the pain didn't feel much different from the pain he had felt when he had lost Lily, his best friend… and they had been together for years.

Did that mean that the pain of this loss would also never leave him? That he would always feel this burning ache in his heart no matter how much time went by?

Severus took a shaky breath.

Voldemort would never know how he could most successfully torture a victim, because he didn't know how it was to love and be loved and to… lose that love.

Dark orbs closed hopelessly.

He would need Dreamless Sleep Draught tonight if he didn't want a certain Gryffindor to haunt his dreams. He was just going through the ingredients in his mind, making sure he had enough to stock to brew the potion when a sudden crack alarmed him.

That had sounded like someone Apparated inside the bathroom although that was impossible.

No one could Apparate in Hogwarts besides the house elves, but Severus hadn't ordered one of them in here. Cursing himself that he had been so careless and left his wand with his clothes, Severus clambered out of the pool.

The hot steam wasn't an advantage anymore since it slowed him down in his attempts to find out what had just occurred. He only hoped that it wasn't an attack or he wouldn't stand much of a chance against an enemy.

No, his lips curled up in a sarcastic smile. He, Severus Snape and feared ex-Death Eater, would be an easy prey right now. He would be killed while wandering around a bathroom, naked, without as much as a towel to cover him. The students would have a good laugh.

His dark thoughts were disrupted when he spotted a little creature beside the stone bank where he had left his belongings.

Floppy ears, a long nose – even longer than his - and the ugliest face he had ever seen gave away the nature of the invader: a house elf, after all.

Severus heaved a heavy sigh. The little creature probably just wanted to make sure that he was enjoying his bath and…

Severus' mouth dropped open when the house elf grabbed his things, turned around to smile at him and then disappeared with another loud crack. He blinked. This couldn't be happening! A house elf didn't take away the belongings of a teacher of Hogwarts, not even if someone were to ask it to do so.

Severus rushed to the stone bank only to find out that the only thing left behind was a towel… the little creature had even taken his wand! Forcing himself to remain calm, he reminded himself that he could still perform wandless magic. He would just summon some of his robes and then…

Dark eyes widened in disbelieving horror when nothing happened. No robes appeared, not even a pair of shorts.

He couldn't do any magic now! But why…?

A dark scowl graced the Potion Master's features. Of course, that house elf must have performed its own magic to prevent him from doing any of his own.

Clever. Far too clever for a creature, which was supposed to work in the kitchens of Hogwarts. Probably, a few students had put it up for this prank. They were probably just waiting to see their most hated Potions Master running through the drafty castle with only a towel to cover his essentials.

Severus crossed his arms in front of his chest. He wouldn't need to go through the whole castle. As a teacher, he could still contact Albus and…

Severus grabbed the towel and wrapped it around his hips. He would rather risk being seen half naked by the whole student body than to be found by the Headmaster in such a state.

OOO

The castle was colder than he had thought. Maybe it was because he was in the dungeons and it was always colder in there than in the rest of he castle… or maybe it was because he was only vested with a fucking towel!

Severus was glad that he had at least toweled off before going out of the bathroom, otherwise he would probably spot icicles by now.

With long, angry strides and a glare that could have killed a basilisk, he made his way back to his chambers. It was a good thing the Teacher's Bathroom was also situated in the lower part of the castle otherwise he would have run the risk of also being seen by some of the Gryffindor students.

However, for the first time today, he was lucky since he had yet to run across anyone. Nevertheless, if he ever found out which students had dared to prank him like this and which house elf had participated in it, he would…

Oh, Severus didn't know what yet, but he would find a way to make them regret that they had ever been born. He was a former Death Eater after all.

With these thoughts of revenge in his mind to keep him warm, he turned the last corner to his chambers, only to freeze on the spot.

No, this couldn't be happening!

Severus swallowed. He could have lived with Albus finding him in the bathroom, he could have survived even if Minerva had found him wandering around like this, but he wasn't able to face Harry right now. He stared at the young Gryffindor who seemed to be waiting in front of his door and who looked right back at him.

Severus' first instinct told him to flee, but that would have been the height of indignity. Someone like Albus might not think twice about running around the castle with a towel around his waist, but Severus Snape couldn't do that.

It would be… a bad laugh!

And since he also wasn't able to perform any magic right now thanks to that fucking house elf, there was only one option left for him.

Taking a deep breath, Severus held his head high and forced himself to walk straight to the door of his chambers without wondering what Harry might think of him now. He steeled himself for whatever insult might slip past the lips of the young Gryffindor and stopped in front of his door.

To his bewilderment, Harry still didn't say anything. Severus supposed it was further proof that the young man was just too put off by his appearance to even utter a word.

Good, that gave him the opportunity to enter his quarters and…

Severus frowned. Normally the wards on his door would recognize his magical signature and open on its own, but this time… nothing happened.

"It won't open as long as Dobby is blocking your magic."

Slowly, very slowly, Severus turned to face Harry. Green eyes returned his surprised look innocently and it was then that all the pieces finally fell into place.

"You!" Severus snarled. "You have put up your little house elf to take away my clothes and block my magic!"

Harry nodded. That single gesture couldn't have hurt Severus more than if the Gryffindor had stabbed him with a sword. There he was, thinking that the pain couldn't possibly get any worse, that he would just have to endure it and then… the boy he loved more than his own life, had played a prank on him, the likes of which not even James Potter had ever attempted. It was all Severus could do not to scream out loud in pain and curl up twitching on the cold stone floor.

"How dare you?"

Severus took a step in Harry's direction and was amazed when the boy didn't even flinch in the slightest. Any other student would already be cowering at his feet, but the young Gryffindor only looked back at him with a determined expression on his face.

Harry had known that Severus would come back to his quarters eventually. After all, Dobby had taken away his clothes and blocked his magic. Severus had no choice but to go back if he didn't want to spend his whole day in the Teacher's Bathroom.

Harry had to admit that he was very grateful when Dobby informed him that Severus intended to go there to take a bath. Otherwise, he would have had to come up with a different idea to make Severus listen to him, because that was exactly what he wanted him to do right now.

Truth be told, Harry was furious and hurt after Severus had thrown him out this very morning, but after a few hours flying around on his broom, he was able to see things clearer.

The things Severus had accused him of came back to his mind and he had finally understood the Potions Master and why he had acted just like… a hurt animal.

"I wanted to talk to you."

Harry was thankful that his voice came out as steady as he had intended it to be. It wouldn't do them both any good if Severus thought that he felt unsure in any way.

The glare of the dark eyes only increased in intensity.

"I wasn't aware of a rule that one partner of a conversation has to be naked."

If Harry wasn't so desperate to set things straight between them, he would backed off now after the killing glance Severus sent him.

"You might not know this, Potter, but students can make an appointment with their professors if they wanted to speak with them… but that's probably too much to ask of the celebrity of Hogwarts!"

Harry forced himself to take a deep breath. Severus' words hurt. They cut deeper than any direct insult would have been able to do, but Harry knew by now that Severus' lashing out was his way of self-preservation. He just had to endure this and then everything would turn out fine, he told himself.

It had to, otherwise it would kill him!

Severus saw the moment when his words hit home. He knew that Harry hated it when someone called him a celebrity. Yes, his words had definitely hurt the boy if the pain in those expressive, green eyes were any indication.

Severus swallowed. He only wanted to protect himself from more sorrow), but it left a bitter aftertaste in his mouth to see the unmasked pain in those eyes.

"You would never have given me an appointment, Severus."

Harry glared at him and Severus remembered how the boy didn't like it when he called him by his last name. Why did he have to hurt the one person he loved most in the world only to protect himself?

"Fine. Tell me why I should waste my time with you."

Harry heaved a sigh.

"I know that you don't mean it like this."

"You know nothing about me, Potter!"

The resultant glare from these green eyes was enough to shut Severus up.

"Yes, of course no one knows anything about you, Severus Snape!"

Harry clenched his fists. It took all of his willpower not to slap Severus in the face, in order to make him see that his stubbornness was only hurting them both.

"No one understands you or wants to have anything to do with you, because you're nothing more than an ugly, self-hating, sarcastic Death Eater who shouldn't even be allowed to be around other people!"

Harry had screamed out the last few words and regretted them almost at once. If Severus had been pale before, now he looked like walking Death. Even the last hint of color had left his face.

"Yes! That's exactly what I am! Remove yourself from my doorstep at once. I want to enter my quarters. Even you should have had enough fun now, Potter!"

Harry shook his head.

"You don't understand me, Severus." He ignored the pleading note that had crept into his voice. "It's not me who sees you like this, but you yourself!"

"Yes," Harry insisted when the Potions Master looked like he was about to deny it. "You do, but there's no reason for you to feel like this."

A dark laugh echoed through the dungeons.

"No reason, you say?" Severus sneered. "Then why were you so disgusted by my appearance this morning that you couldn't even greet me?"

Wide green eyes stared angrily at Severus.

"I couldn't greet you because you didn't give me the time to do so! Remember, you threw me out before I could even tell you how good you looked and that there wasn't anything in the world I would rather do at that moment than to kiss every inch of your body. I couldn't even tell you that I didn't mind your scars, that they are a part of you, because you had already jumped to your own conclusions!"

Harry looked like he had reached the limit of his control, his face red with fury, his eyes sparking with anger and his chest heaving with every large breath he forced into his lungs.

"Do you think I love you so little that my feelings could be shattered because you don't look like a male model?"

All in all, Harry looked beautiful. The anger highlighted his already bright green eyes and made him look even more attractive than he already was.

Severus would have given his right arm to be able to believe Harry's words and kiss him right where they were, but he couldn't. Yes, he wanted to believe that Harry meant everything he had just said, that he didn't care how Severus looked, that he loved him for who he was, but he… just… couldn't.

The Potions Master swallowed dryly.

Harry was still so young, he had his whole life ahead of him and even if he wanted Severus now, he would be undoubtedly regret it in a few years.

Severus shook his head. No, he couldn't do this. He wouldn't survive if he his hopes were destroyed a second time.

Harry sighed. It was clearly written in Severus' eyes that he just didn't know how to believe him. Really, it was annoying!

Harry loved Severus and Severus loved him back. There shouldn't be any problem between them, but obviously there was and Harry wouldn't leave before he solved it.

Only he didn't know what else he could do to convince Severus that he was serious. Hadn't he already done everything possible to show the man that he loved him?

Harry frowned. Well, there was still one option left, but he didn't know if he…

Oh, to hell with it! The situation couldn't possibly get any worse than it already was!

Without giving Severus any warning, Harry closed the gap between them and grabbed him by the arms, forcing a kiss onto his lips.

Severus stiffened. He didn't know what to make of this. One moment Harry was standing there and trying to convince him of his feelings, and then he was kissing him!

Severus shuddered. Deep down, he knew that Harry loved him. He just couldn't think of a single reason why such a brave, attractive young man would fall for him.

He remembered of course what Harry had told him on Valentine`s Day, that he wanted Severus, because he didn`t worship the ground Harry walked on. Back then, Severus had believed him and he still did. Nevertheless, the Potion Master hadn`t dared hoping that that was enough to keep Harry forever… until now!

Arms encircled him and drew him closer, until Severus was pressed against a warm, slim body. Gentle fingers traced the skin on his back and didn't even falter when they came into contact with some of his more pronounced scars.

"Severus," Harry spoke into the kiss. "I love you."

Green eyes opened to meet dark ones and Severus felt his already shaky barriers shatter all at once. Without thinking about where they were and what might happen if he were seen in such a position with Harry Potter, Severus wrapped his arms around his young lover.

"I love you, too, Harry."

A happy smile played around Harry's lips when Severus finally returned the kiss. It was one full of passion and desperation, but also of sweet longing and unsaid hopes. They probably would have stood there the whole night in the drafty corridor of the dungeons if nearing footsteps hadn't startled them both.

"The door," Harry managed to stammer, his heart still racing.

"My magic…" Severus began, but Harry shook his head.

"Dobby can't block the magic of a wizard or witch for that long. You should be able to use it again."

Severus lifted an eyebrow.

"We will talk about this later!"

Harry only grinned when Severus opened the door to his quarters and let them both in before shutting it. He just managed to catch a glimpse of Malfoy coming around the corner before the door closed.

Harry chuckled to himself. It would have been interesting to see what Severus would have done to Malfoy if his favorite student had seen them kissing in the dungeons.

"So, where did we stop?"

That question was the only warning Harry got before he found himself pressed against Severus again, their lips meeting in a passionate kiss.

Green eyes opened for a brief moment when their owner felt the towel around Severus' waist fall to the ground and a hard sensation press against his stomach before they closed again.

Harry didn't mind. He wanted Severus, all of him, and he was ready to give his lover everything he had to give in return.

The kiss would probably have gone on forever if they hadn't been disturbed again, this time by a distinctive crack. Startled, they broke the kiss and turned to see a little house elf standing there.

"Dobby?"

Harry stared at the creature in bewilderment.

"Master Harry Potter Sir have told Dobby to bring Master Potions Master's clothes back. Dobby is having them with him. Should Dobby give clothes to Master Potions Master now?"

The obliging house elf and Severus' shocked expression were almost too much for Harry. It was only thanks to sheer willpower that he managed to keep a straight face and not laugh out loud.

"Thanks, Dobby, but clothes aren't necessary right now."

The little house elf only bowed and disappeared again.

A faint smiled ghosted around Harry`s lips.

He understood now why Severus had never pushed him. The Potion Master hadn`t feared that Harry wasn`t ready for more, but that Harry would reject him the moment he saw Severus` naked body.

Well, Harry thought, after everything that had happened between this morning and now, he doubted that Severus still minded being naked in front of the young Gryffindor.

A faint blush graced Harry`s face.

Now, when he thought of it… Severus was naked and they were in the Potion Master`s quarters, with no one to disturb them. For the young Gryffindor that sounded like a good opportunity to… get to know Severus better, although he didn`t know if the Potions Master had other ideas.

Harry sighed and looked at Severus. If he had understood him correctly then Severus would surely want to talk with him about his prank right now.

"Severus," Harry started, but stopped when he found these impressive, dark eyes on him. There was an emotion in them that he couldn't quite name, but it sent a shiver down his spine.

"So, we don't need any clothes right now, yes?"

Severus' voice was silky and caressed Harry's body like an invisible touch.

"It's good then that I can perform magic again, isn't it?"

Harry blinked. What was Severus up to now?

Before he could ask the question, Harry got his answer. One moment he was still wearing jeans and a sweater and the next, he was completely naked.

Heat crept into Harry's cheeks as he met Severus' gaze.

The young Gryffindor knew – mostly thanks to the comments of some girls – that he didn't look too bad. Nevertheless, he had never been completely naked in front of anyone other than his male schoolmates while taking a shower, but that didn't really count. Harry just hoped that his look was at least a little appealing for the Potion Master.

"Beautiful," was all the Severus uttered, after taking a long look at the naked body of his lover.

That was all Harry needed to hear to put his worries to rest and he smiled softly at the Potions Master.

"Just like you, Severus."

No more words were needed when their lips met again in a kiss full of longing, which held the promise of even more passionate activities in the near future.