Chapter Three: A Special Something

Day Two

"Hnnnn..." He moaned softly as something hot and wet coaxed him to wakefulness. "Enough ... enough. I'm up." Stirring, he forced his eyes open and blinked several times. The chuckles were faint but at least he knew what they were. "You're a sadist, Severus Snape," Harry sighed. He lay flat on his back and Severus hovered above him. He felt the cool piece of metal slide on his face and his lover's face came into view. "Tell me..." He remained still as a thumb brushed across his lower lip, and let the effects of a refreshening charm work in his mouth. "What sort of alarm call was that?"

"That was a kiss, you idiot," Severus answered with a lopsided smile.

Harry closed his eyes in contentment as Severus' long fingers threaded through his hair several times.

"Slept well?" Harry asked.

"I did." Severus placed a kiss on his forehead. "Ah ... which reminds me, Harry. What are you going to do about that friend of yours?"

"Hmmmm? About what friend of mine?" Harry looked curiously at Severus.

"That one." Severus jerked his chin in the direction of their familiars' perch. He moved away slightly so that Harry could sit up to get a better look.

Hedwig appeared to be dozing, but her companion was quite awake, and he seemed to be in a playful mood.

"Okay..." Harry scratched his arm.

Yesterday, Hermione had asked him to deal with a fairy that had been accidentally summoned into her class. For some reason, it had attached itself to her. After a brief chasing, the fairy had finally stopped following his friend. However, that solution was somewhat temporary, as the fairy had chosen someone else to follow. Fawkes. The phoenix was dealing with it kindly enough – he was even playing with it.

"I know nothing about fairies," he looked thoughtfully at the dark blue blur that was the creature. "What does Fawkes think about it?" Severus gave him a mildly surprised look. "Well, it is him that the fairy chose to follow. What if it annoys him, somehow?"

"Perhaps it would be a better idea to consult with Flitwick," the wizard murmured. "Teaching the students to summon live creatures ... we are fortunate that it is a fairy, and not something more sinister." In an abrupt change of mood, Severus tugged at him for a brief kiss. "Now, get dressed. Your class starts early today, and you have Quidditch practice to supervise. That redhead friend of yours will be coming to visit, is that right?"

"What? Crap ... I had forgotten about it. Yeah, Ron's coming ... but he's actually coming for Hermione." He snorted with amusement. "I'm quite glad that we don't appear as cloying as they. I'm not saying anything bad," Harry held out his pillow as protection, when Severus feigned a predatory look, "just take it as a compliment. You have maintained self-control when it comes to me."

"Is that right, Potter?"

Uh-oh. Harry blushed and carefully inched further away from Severus. "I have an early class today," he said warningly. He gasped when Severus caught him, and pinned him firmly down against the mattress. "Severus! Stop joking around!" His heart started to pound within his chest; his stomach flipped. It was strange how Severus was capable of rendering him helpless with that seductive expression.

"Hah! That is because you want to fall prey to it!" his inner voice answered sarcastically.

Severus leaned forward and kissed his cheek tenderly. As his lips brushed along his jaw, Harry trembled with pleasure. He moaned, but quickly clamped his mouth shut. Severus chuckled against his ear.

"But there is no need for me to restrain myself when we are alone. Right, Harry?" he whispered enticingly.

-oOooOoo-

"Merlin ... this does bring back memories," Ron commented as they walked past the courtyard.

Harry, who had just finished with supervising Quidditch, had met up with Ron, who was wandering around the stands. Hermione had to go to the library to get some books, but she had promised the red-haired wizard that it would not take long, which was why Harry had not left yet.

"Of course, they were rather silly, but still..." Ron smiled, absently raking his hair back with his fingers.

"They were somewhat accidental," Harry said and took a good look around him. In each shadowy corner, fairies were up and fluttering about with floating, pink-hearted balloons. "From what I'd heard, there is a Slytherin who actually has a flair with summoning fairies. The only problem is, she could somehow influence them with her thoughts."

"Just what is it about Valentine's day that the girls have to get all excited?" Ron grumbled.

Harry raised his eyebrows at his statement. "Well, it is for lovers..."

"I know, I know. But getting gifts ... do you know how stressful that is? Especially if it is hers that I'm getting." Ron's silver-blue eyes grew dreamy.

"I'm not a girl, so I wouldn't know if not getting gifts would be acceptable," Harry said, patting Ron's shoulders in sympathy.

"How about you? Are you getting anything for Snape?" Ron inquired as they climbed up the front steps to the main entrance of Hogwarts.

"I don't quite know," Harry answered with a faint smile. "Like you, choosing gifts for Severus is hard." He turned his head, and an electric feeling ran through him as he met a pair of intense black eyes. The pair flitted over to a student, and Harry watched as Severus give a lecture to the young boy. By the time he was finished, the boy looked as though he was going to fall apart. Severus dismissed him, and without turning to look at Harry, strode gracefully toward the narrow staircase. The black-robed wizard quickly disappeared from sight.

"He has not changed a bit. I mean as a professor," Ron quickly corrected.

"Yeah, he hasn't. Still damned sarcastic to the students," Harry sighed. "Hey, there's Hermione." At that, Ron's face brightened. Harry smiled inwardly as the two exchanged a greeting.

"Harry, why don't you and Snape join us?" Hermione suggested meekly.

"Hermione!" Ron protested. He looked quite aghast that Hermione had even thought of it.

The emerald-eyed wizard laughed and shook his head. "Sorry, guys. We don't want to intrude on your time together." He smiled apologetically and gave a small wave as his friends left the castle.

Being left alone, Harry turned his mind inward. Valentine's day was coming up. Due to the eccentrity of the Headmaster, the professors did not know if he would conduct a surprise event of some kind. Valentine's day. What should I get for Severus? His footsteps echoed softly as he descended the stairs. A couple of Slytherins were heading out, and they gave him curious looks. At least some of them are still wondering why I'm always going into Severus' office. Rather habitually, Harry knocked on the door before turning the knob. Quickly peeking through the small gap, he saw that Severus was not in the office. He's still in his classroom probably. He sighed as he went in. It's Friday ... I hope he isn't holding any student back for detention. Earlier in the morning, Severus had teased him, but since he had a class to conduct at eight in the morning, things did not proceed beyond touching. It had left Harry feeling somewhat unsatisfied.

The secret door to their quarters was locked, indicating to Harry that Severus had not been in there yet. He headed straight for his desk, and propped his Firebolt against the wall. Undoing the clasp holding his protective cloak together, he ran up the stairs leading to their bedroom. He took a quick glance at the large perch standing in one corner of the room, but both the users were not there.

"Since I'm alone ... I might as well take a quick shower," he mumbled to himself as he undressed.

It was while he was bathing that he had remembered something vague. Severus' birthday ... Valentine's day... He froze. But Severus' birthday is before Valentine's day. He swore. Bloody hell ... did I forget about his birthday?

He was so preoccupied that he failed to notice that Severus was watching him from the doorway. He was trying to remember when was Severus' birthday when hands had grasped his waist.

"Ah!" He gasped. The feel of Severus behind him scattered his thoughts, so much so that his mind became blank.

Severus gathered his hair and pushed it aside, before starting to kiss his neck. Harry's knees shook, and he gasped again, as arousal flared.

"You should have been expecting me, Harry," Severus murmured against his skin.

"Severus ... oh..." He squirmed when Severus fondled him.

Harry could no longer think. His worries that he had actually forgotten about his lover's birthday were pushed to the back of his mind. Tonight, Severus was going to monopolize his thoughts.

-oOooOoo-