Thank you for the great reviews :) I promise the new chapter will be up today, and if not, tomorrow.

Disclaimer: Still don't own Harry Potter

Talking - quoted from book.

Chapter 4:

Detention with Dolores

Dinner that night went by so slow that Harry swore the clocks were mocking him. Every few seconds he would look up at the Head Table and see Severus staring down at him. Whenever Severus met Harry's gaze they would lock eyes and Severus would offer us a quick smile that Harry returned immediately.

Despite that small reprieve, Harry was going to go insane from all the lustful glances shot his way. Ron and Hermione did their best to block him from view, but that didn't mean he couldn't sense their looks. Severus, too, looked like he was suffering from a complex when he looked at at the lustful expression's shot towards his mate. He wondered if Dumbledore would mind if he cursed a few students...

Remus and Sirius were torn between watching Severus's reaction to Harry's attention with amusement, or helping him beat them all off. Sure they didn't want Harry to to be so disrespectfully grabbed and groped, but staring at Snape's murderous expression was just so entertaining.

Finally Severus had had enough when he noticed a sly Ravenclaw approach Harry then walk by and playfully squeezed Harry's bum. Harry practically shot a foot in the air and yelped rather loudly, drawing everyone at the Gryffindor and Head table's attention to him. Harry blushed and looked down. Severus growled to himself and stormed out of the Great Hall, hoping Harry would catch the hint.

Sure enough, not two seconds later Harry rushed away from all the students eating and threw his arms around Severus's neck. "I can't take it!" he burst, looking completely upset and frazzled.

Severus sighed and wrapped his arm around Harry's waist. "I know, my love. I'm sorry you have to go through this, but I will try my best to protect you."

Harry sighed. "I know you will Severus, but you can't stop all of it."

Severus frowned and tightened his arms. "I know I cannot, that is why your godfather and his tag-a-long are here to help."

Harry grimaced and Severus placed a chaste kiss on his cheek. "Now hurry along love, you don't want to be late for your detention."

Harry groaned then reached up to peck Severus's nose. "Alright, I promise not to give her a reason to make me stay late."

"That would be appreciated." Severus said dryly and shook his head when he watched Harry sprint to Umbridge's room as to not be late.

When Harry knocked on the door Professor Umbridge called, "Come in," in a sugary voice. He entered cautiously, looking around.

He had known this office under three of its previous occupants.

In the days when Gilderoy Lockhart had lived here it had been plastered in beaming portraits of himself. When Lupin had occupied it, it was likely you would meet some fascinating Dark creature in a cage or tank if you came to call. In the impostor Moody's days it had been packed with various instruments and artifacts for the detection of wrong doing and concealment.

Now, however, it looked totally unrecognizable. The surfaces had all been draped in lacy covers and cloths. There were several vases full of dried flowers, each one residing on its own doily, and on one of the walls was a collection of ornamental plates, each decorated with a large technicolor kitten wearing a different bow around its neck. Severus would have died of a heart attack if he saw the room.

"Good evening, Mr. Potter."

Harry started and looked around. He had not noticed her at first because she was wearing a luridly flowered set of robes that blended only too well with the tablecloth on the desk behind her.

"Evening, Professor Umbridge," Harry said stiffly.

"Well, sit down," she said, pointing towards a small table draped in lace beside which she had drawn up a straight-backed chair. A piece of blank parchment lay on the table, apparently waiting for him.

She was watching him with her head slightly to one side, still smiling widely, as though she knew exactly what he was thinking and was waiting to see whether he would start shouting again like he had done in class. With a massive effort, Harry looked away from her, dropped his schoolbag beside the straight-backed chair and sat down.

"There," said Umbridge sweetly, "we're getting better at controlling our temper already, aren't we? Now, you are going to be doing some lines for me, Mr. Potter. No, not with your quill," she added, as Harry bent down to open his bag. "You're going to be using a rather special one of mine. Here you are."

She handed him a long, thin black quill with an unusually sharp point.

"I want you to write, I must not tell lies," she told him softly.

"How many times?" Harry asked, with a creditable imitation of politeness.

"Oh, as long as it takes for the message to sink in," said Umbridge sweetly. "Off you go."

She moved over to her desk, sat down and bent over a stack of parchment that looked like essays for marking. Harry raised the sharp black quill, then realized what was missing.

"You haven't given me any ink," he said.

"Oh, you won't need ink," said Professor Umbridge, with the merest suggestion of a laugh in her voice.

Harry placed the point of the quill on the paper and wrote: I must not tell lies.

He let out a gasp of pain. The words had appeared on the parchment in what appeared to be shining red ink. At the same time, the words had appeared on the back of Harry's right hand, cut into his skin as though traced there by a scalpel - yet even as he stared at the shining cut, the skin healed over again, leaving the place where it had been slightly redder than before but quite smooth.

Harry looked round at Umbridge. She was watching him, her wide, toad-like mouth stretched in a smile.

"Yes?"

"Nothing," said Harry quietly.

He looked back at the parchment, placed the quill on it once more, wrote I must not tell lies, and felt the searing pain on the back of his hand for a second time; once again, the words had been cut into his skin; once again, they healed over seconds later.

And on it went. Again and again Harry wrote the words on the parchment in what he soon came to realize was not ink, but his own blood. And, again and again, the words were cut into the back of his hand, healed, and reappeared the next time he set quill to parchment.

Darkness fell outside Umbridge's window. Harry did not ask when he would be allowed to stop.

He did not even check his watch. He knew she was watching him for signs of weakness and he was not going to show any, not even if he had to sit there all night, cutting open his own hand with this quill…

"Come here," she said, after what seemed hours.

He stood up. His hand was stinging painfully. When he looked down at it he saw that the cut had healed, but that the skin there was red raw.

"Hand," she said.

He extended it. She took it in her own. Harry repressed a shudder as she touched him with her thick, stubby fingers on which she wore a number of ugly old rings.

"Tut, tut, I don't seem to have made much of an impression yet," she said, smiling. "Well, we'll just have to try again tomorrow evening, won't we? You may go."

Harry left her office without a word. The school was quite deserted; it was surely past midnight.

He walked slowly up the corridor, then, when he had turned the corner and was sure she would not hear him, broke into a run. He wanted to go and see Severus now more than anything, but he was fearful of what his mate would do if he found out what Umbridge had done, so instead he ran up to the Gryffindor common room.

"How come you didn't do the essay last night?" Harry asked as he slumped down in the empty chair besides Ron during breakfast the next day. Ron stared wildly around the Great Hall for inspiration.

"That'll have to do," Ron sighed as he closed his journal, quickly stuffing it in his bag then standing from the table. Harry rose as well and they waved to Hermione before setting off to the North tower.

"How bad was the detention? What did she make you do?" Ron asked, breaking the easy silence.

Harry hesitated for a fraction of a second, then said, "Lines."

"Could've been worse." Ron shrugged.

Harry bit his lip then vaguely nodded.

The second detention was just as bad as the previous one. His right hand was now red and inflamed, and despite all the creative spells he had tried on it, the words refused to fade. Not only that, but Umbridge had also starting keeping him even later, sometimes only letting him out after midnight.

The effects of the detentions were obvious not only to him, however. Every night he barely had the energy to crawl back to the common room and collapse in bed, much less finish all his assigned homework.

Thursday passed in a haze of tiredness. Severus had sought Harry out and demanded an explanation for why he hadn't seen him anywhere. Harry had looked so exhausted that Severus hadn't even waited for an answer. Instead he dragged him to their room and forced Harry to lie down.

"What's going on Harry?" Severs demanded roughly. "Has someone been hurting you?"

Harry groaned and shook his head quickly. "No, it's nothing like that." Harry tried to explain.

Severus paced anxiously in front of the bed then pinched his nose, a sign that instantly gave away Severus's frustration. Harry sat up in bed and grabbed Severus wrist. "I'm fine Sev, please stop worrying."

Severus growled then forcibly calmed himself down. It would do him no good to scare his submissive, not if he was trying to get the truth of of him. "Please sweetheart, trust me."

Harry swallowed and looked at him with pleading eyes. "I do trust you." he swore and gave Severus a soft smile to try and relax him. "I'm tired and I have a little time before detention begins, can we please snuggle?"

Severus's face immediately softened and he climbed into the bed and pulled Harry close to his chest. "Of course, Harry." he murmured smoothly.

Harry sighed and relaxed further into his arms. "I like it when it's just you and me, and no ones trying to...feel me up or anything." Harry muttered. "You're nice and warm and safe."

Severus chuckled and Harry blushed when he realized what he had just said. Harry was tempted to tell Severus the truth, that he was forced to carve words into his own hands, and that everyone's lust towards him was only getting worse, and that all he wanted to do was stay with Severus forever. He was just about to slip the fatal words too, when he checked his watch and cursed.

"I'm going to be late for detention, Severus." Harry said as he tried to squirm out of Severus's arms. "Come on, let me go."

Severus chuckled and released his little mate. He sat up on his elbows and called out to Harry before he could run out the door. "Harry, I want you to come back to my rooms tonight. I don't care how late it is love, but I want to sleep knowing that you're safe in my arms."

Harry hesitated, but at Severus's serious face, he finally agreed then hurried to Professor Umbridge's classroom.

This detention was worse. With every word he wrote on the paper, the quill only dug deeper into his hand. Deeper than it ever had before. He bit back a wince of pain and stubbornly clenched his jaw shut, feeling slightly queazy as blood ran down his wrist. The pause in the pointed quill's scratching made Professor Umbridge look up.

She rose from her chair and slowly circled Harry before nodding once and placing a sweet smile on her face. "You may leave for tonight."

"Do I still have to come back tomorrow?" said Harry, hiding his gasp of pain as he picked up his schoolbag.

"Of course," said Professor Umbridge, smiling as widely as before. "Yes, I believe more work can be done here."

Harry slowly walked back to Severus's quarters. He had to find a way to heal his hand, or at least hide it so Severus didn't see it. He quickly scanned his brain, trying to remember if there was a healing spell that he knew. "Tergeo!" he whispered quickly, almost shouting in relief when he remembered the spell that Hermione had taught him last year. It was a fancy spell, and it was used to clean the blood of a wound and heal it. Harry looked upon the barely noticeable scar with satisfaction. Severus would have no idea.

"Locomotive." He whispered quietly to the portrait standing guard. Harry quickly scurried in, hoping that he hadn't woken Severus. His efforts at silence were pointless though. Severus was sitting in his favorite armchair by the fire, sipping a glass of brandy and reading a new potions journal.

Harry smiled and padded over to his mate. Severus looked up, set down the items in his hand and quickly pulled Harry onto his lap. "She kept you late," he observed, his voice was flat, angry.

Harry sighed. "I'm sorry, I didn't mean for you to wait up."

Severus's face only got angrier at that. "I'm not mad at you, sweetheart, I'm angry at her. She had no right to keep you in detention for that long."

Harry sighed and wrapped his arms around Severus's neck. "I don't want to talk about this tonight, please Severus," he begged. "I just want to sit here in your arms."

Severus quirked an eyebrow. "You would have done well in Slytherin." he chuckled. "Fine Harry, we'll forgo the topic for now. After all, we have an entire weekend coming up, and I'm not planning on letting you out of my arms once."

Harry rolled his eyes. "I don't think Sirius and Remus will be too fond of that idea."

Severus snorted and placed a kiss on top of Harry's inky hair. "Well, that's just too bad. You've been distant lately, and I'm not sure if it's because of your detentions, your admirers, or something else."

Harry scowled. "For the last time Severus, I'm not worried about my 'admirers.'"

"I'm glad to hear that." Severus said lightly. "Now, I haven't had you in my arms for two entire days, and I am definitely in the mood for kissing you."

Severus rearranged Harry so he was straddling him, then slowly lowered his head, staring into Harry's eyes. Harry looked back at him and Severus smirked then lowered his head even more. Harry stared back at him and smiled.

Taking this as a 'yes', Severus leaned forward all the way and pressed his lips firmly to Harry's. "I love you." he whispered against the soft skin and Harry beamed into the kiss and wrapped his arms around Severus's neck. "I love you too." he gasped into the kiss and giggled when Severus's tongue peeked forward and rubbed his teeth. Of course, Harry would vehemently deny having ever giggled. No, Harry would insist that he let out a very manly laugh.

Severus pulled away and smiled at his mate lovingly. "Come on Harry, it's late. We should be getting to bed, you have classes tomorrow."

Harry made a face and followed Severus up to their room. Harry was tempted to just strip his cloths and lie in bed; Severus's reaction would be hilarious.

Severus sensed his thoughts and quickly slid behind him. "I suggest you don't do that." he whispered. "I wouldn't have enough control to resist you naked."

Harry shivered and blushed brightly. "You wouldn't do anything, not if I asked you not to." he said confidently.

Severus chuckled and lightly pushed Harry towards the bed after transforming their cloths. "Let's not test it." he said amused.

Harry climbed into the bed and smiled when he felt Severus press up against his back and wrap his arms around Harry's waist. "You wouldn't, I know."

Severus smirked. "No, I would never force you, but that doesn't mean I wouldn't imagine you squirming under me, your eyes closed, whimpering my name…"

Harry blushed brightly at Severus's words. "Severus!"

The older man merely chuckled and laid his head on top of Harry's. "Goodnight sweetheart."

Friday dawned sullen and sodden as the rest of the week. Two things sustained Harry that day. One was the thought that it was almost the weekend and he would be spending it entirely with Severus, Sirius, and Remus; the other was that, horrible as this detention as going to be, he knew he'd be able to come home to Severus.

At five o'clock that evening he knocked on Professor Umbridge's office door for what he sincerely hoped would be the final time, and was told to enter. The blank parchment lay ready for him on the lace-covered table, the pointed black quill beside it.

"You know what to do, Mr. Potter," said Umbridge, smiling sweetly at him.

Three hours into the detention Umbridge rose from her desk and observed Harry through narrowed eyes, smiling sickly the entire time. She took his hand and looked at it closely, her smile only growing in delight. "Yes, yes. I do believe you may leave for tonight."

Harry quickly healed his hand once he was out of sight then rushed down to the dungeons. When Harry opened the door, Severus was already waiting there with an annoyed expression. Harry crinkled his nose, obviously confused. Then he caught sight of Sirius and Remus standing behind him with big smiles.

"Hey Pup, you didn't get groped on the way here, did you?" Sirius exclaimed as he bounded forward and hugged Harry. "You know, when Remus and I moved here, we thought we'd be seeing more of you; I think it's the opposite." he joked.

Harry smiled ruefully and hugged his godfather back. "I'm sorry, Sirius. I've just been so busy. And no I didn't get groped, surprisingly things have died down lately. It must be because Dumbledore already announced I had a mate!" Harry said cheerfully.

Remus, Severus, and Sirius tried to look innocent. Severus mentally chuckled at his submissive's innocence, which was definitely a good thing. He didn't know how Harry would react if he told him that they had gone to every individual who had so much as stared at Harry, and had mildly cursed them along with a warning of what would happen if they continued ogling Harry. Suffice to say that their threats worked out rather well, considering that Harry hadn't been bothered once in the past two days.

"Actually Harry-" Remus began but Severus and Sirius threw him withering glares.

"Sirius, let him tell me." Harry scowled. Come to think of it, Severus was avoiding his glare right now too. "Come on guys, really. What is it?"

Severus sighed and put his arms around his lover. "Don't be angry Harry, but we may have used a bit of...persuasion...to assure that they wouldn't bother you."

Harry's eyes went flat. "You didn't!" he said. "Really, all three of you?" he exclaimed in disbelief. "Remus, I though you would have at least tried to talk some sense into them."

Sirius snorted. "Remus planned it all out. Snape wanted to poison them, but good Ol' Remus convinced him that it needed to be more forward."

Harry slapped his forehead and glared at Severus. "I can't believe you. You weren't even going to tell me either!"

Severus's lips twitched. "You should have seen them all, one of the Hufflepuffs almost wet himself." he sneered.

Harry groaned and slumped against his chest. "Severus, promise me you won't do this again. I can deal with their advances, there's no need to worry. I am perfectly capable of defending myself."

Severus frowned. "I promise I will not do that again," he swore, smirking when he found a loophole. Harry never mentioned doing anything else to them. He exchanged glanced with Harry's guardians. He wouldn't accept anyone's advances on his little Harry, and Harry was simply going to have to understand that. It was his duty as a dominant to protect him, and he would do so to the best of his ability.

Harry felt a tap on his shoulder and he turned to see Remus with an expectant look. Harry rolled his eyes then turned around and gave Remus a brief hug. "Thank you for actually wanting to tell me." He said, shooting Sirius and Severus annoyed looks.

Remus chuckled and ruffled Harry's messy hair. "Of course I wanted to tell you. Unlike those two idiots, I know that you would have found out eventually and would have been even angrier."

Harry nodded sheepishly. "I don't like people going behind my back."

Severus frowned. "I'm sorry Harry, but you must understand that I can't just let those idiots fawn all over you. You're my mate, and they need to understand that."

Sirius looked at Severus appraisingly. "Wow, you really toned that down. You're insults were much more colorful earlier."

Severus turned to glare furiously at Sirius as Harry exclaimed loudly. "Severus! Really, you cursed at all of the younger years?" he said exasperatedly.

Severus bit his tongue to stop himself from shouting at the stupid mutt. All he had wanted to do was have Harry curl up in his lap while he read his new potions book. But no, the two meddlesome idiots just had to barge into his quarters.

"Sirius, I love you and Remus to death, but how much longer are you going to be here? I really just want to curl up with Severus." Harry finally interrupted Sirius and Severus's glaring contest.

"Well, in that case, I don't think were ever going to leave." Remus immediately interceded. "There is absolutely no reason why you and Severus's must be so physically close."

Severus's patience finally snapped. "If you think we're close when we cuddle, then I have no inkling of what you're going to think when I have my prick up his arse. Now I am exhausted and want nothing more to hold Harry, so I bid you goodnight!" he snarled as he pushed them to the connecting door.

Harry watched this all with amusement. This was what he got for insisting that Severus needn't hold back on the insults. Sirius and Remus looked like they were about to tackle Severus to the floor and beat him up, but before they could get that far Harry quickly jumped in front. "He was kidding!" Harry said quickly. "I'll talk to you both in the morning, okay?" he smiled as he closed the door on them then turned around to Severus and silently shook his head with a smile. "Nicely done," he commented.

Severus shrugged. "They deserved it for being so obnoxious." He reclined back against the armrest of the couch and stretched out his legs. Harry approached him, and as soon as he was close enough, Severus pulled him until Harry was reclined against his chest and sitting between his legs.

Harry purred in contents and relaxed. Severus chuckled quietly. "Do you mind if I read my potions journal?" he asked softly and Harry shook his head.

So for the next hour, Harry dozed against Severus while the older man combed through his hair and read. Finally, Severus shifted and he set his book down in favor of gently rubbing Harry's stomach. "Shall we go up to bed?" he said asked softly.

Harry mumbled something in agreement and Severus chuckled then lifted Harry in his arms and carried him to their room and set him on the bed. He wasted no time in transfiguring both their cloths, then he climbed in. Instead of lying behind Harry, Severus instead pulled Harry so that his head was resting on his chest and his arm was thrown over his stomach. Severus smirked and wrapped his arms tightly around Harry's waist, crushing the boy even tighter to his chest. "Sweet dreams," he whispered then roughly pressed his lips to Harry's forehead and fell asleep.

Review's make me love you all more :)