Hush Hush16 : The Snake's Second Chance is a submissive Severus story by me, and its sequel- The Snake's Seventh Year is as well. Sub!Severus is my favourite Severus. :)
Severus woke up slowly, and the first thing that he was aware of was how well-rested he felt. He hadn't had any nightmares or terrors last night.
The second thing was how warm he was, and how relaxing the slow rise and fall of his pillow was.
Wait.
He peeled his eyes open, squinting at said pillow- which so happened to be Harry's chest.
He was comfortable yes, but still he made to shift off- happy that no one was awake to see him blush.
"Where do you think you are going?" Harry mumbled, causing him to freeze in his position.
He glanced up guiltily, finding a bright green gaze trained on him.
Harry smiled lazily, pushing the hair away from his face.
"Good morning. Sleep well?"
Severus nodded before crinkling his eyebrows in confusion.
"I don't remember laying down."
Harry chuckled, moving up to use the couch as a backrest.
"My inheritance knocked us both out."
He winced, lifting his hand to call a pain potion to him.
"I do not feel any pain," Severus remarked, sitting up as well.
Harry gulped down the potion, nodding towards him.
"And you shouldn't. My creature would have made sure to place me below you. You wouldn't have felt any pain."
Severus leaned forward, studying him.
"You mean that I landed on top of you?"
Harry smiled.
"Yes, Severus."
"I apologize."
Harry frowned at him.
"Why? I am not. You are not in any pain and mine is disappearing by the second. There is no need to be sorry."
Severus shook his head.
"This is surreal."
He was growing more and more uncomfortable by the minute, an itching sensation crawling its way about his body.
"Come here," Harry gestured him forward with his hand.
"Why?"
Harry sighed exasperatedly.
"I'm going to make you stop itching. Come here."
He crawled forward on his hands and knees, yelping slightly when Harry pulled him onto his lap so that he was straddling him.
"Harry-!"
Harry rubbed his fingers up and down his neck soothingly.
"Calm down."
He pushed the man's long hair behind him, bringing his lips to the silver mark between his neck and shoulder.
Severus couldn't stop the slight moan from leaving him, nor could he stop the rose dusting from filling his cheeks.
Harry lifted his head.
"Relax, Severus," he told him. "It's natural."
He traced the mark with his forefinger, watching with satisfaction as Severus drooped and rested against him.
"I marked you as my mate last night," he told him. "The mark is new and will require some touch for a little while. Don't worry about it, alright?"
Severus nodded, trying to keep Harry from feeling the excitement in his Netherlands.
"It's natural, Sev," Harry assured him. "Don't worry. I won't do anything before you are ready."
Severus nodded, keeping his head buried in Harry's shoulder.
"Good morning!"
Hermione's greeting nearly made Severus jump, but Harry's hand on his back calmed him.
"Have you spoken to Remus this morning?" Harry asked.
"Yes," she answered happily, "and we think that we know what creature you are, as well as the next horcrux."
Harry smiled.
"Well, that's wonderful."
He didn't make any move to adjust Severus, gently drawing shapes onto his back, and Severus was quite honestly very comfortable so he turned his head so that he could see the young lady that was speaking and let them continue.
"What creature is he, Miss Granger?"
She blushed when she looked him in the eye, remembering what she had read about the type of relationships that Harry's creature has.
"Harry is a Phoenix Fae."
The blood drained from his face.
"Fae?"
She nodded seriously.
"Fae. Because he is phoenix however, he is a force of good- that is what makes his character unique. A Phoenix Fae is looks human and is for all intents and purposes, just a very powerful wizard- though there is a even rarer race of Phoenix Fae women. They are very… dominant- creatures, and they usually drink the blood of their mate. If they do not have a mate, they will have no choice but to kill when they drink, because the blood will not satisfy their thirst in any lower of a dosage."
Harry frowned.
"I don't feel any urge to drink any blood."
She stepped forward, squinting at him.
"Have you left your claiming mark on your mate?"
Harry blushed, lifting Severus's chin to show her the silver line.
She nodded.
"Then you will feed from that spot once you feel that your mate is ready."
Harry turned to look at Severus, who, in turn, backed away from him.
"Please don't be frightened by my, Severus," Harry pleaded. "I will not bring you any harm."
Severus took a deep breath before moving to Harry's lap again; nearly sighing in relief when Harry enclosed him in his arms.
"The bond tying you will push you to be close to one another, at least until you mate. It's trying to strengthen itself. I don't know if you two will even be able to go into separate rooms for an extended amount of time."
The floo roared to life, Remus stumbling out of it with his face pale.
"What happened?" Harry questioned.
"Death Eaters came to the wedding. It was chaos. We have to block the floo and activate the blood wards."
Harry stood, setting Severus down on the couch to rush about the room, waving his wand in an intricate dance.
"Don't you need to get back to Tonks?"
Remus nearly choked.
"What? No. That witch has decided to go off to Romania with one of Charlie's old friends."
Harry paused.
"She left you?"
He shook his head.
"I told you all- she is simply too young."
"Age isn't really that big of a deal here in the wizarding world, Remmy. You were not that much older than her," Hermione rebutted.
He growled, his eyes flashing gold.
"I did not mean in age. She may be an auror, but she is childish! She is not nearly mature enough for a relationship with a werewolf, especially one that is not mated to her!"
Harry gasped, clutching his chest.
"I am so sorry, Remus. I didn't know that Moony had found another mate."
"Well, he has, and it's tiring trying to fight him all the time."
Harry sighed, finishing with a final flick.
"You should not fight so much with your inner creature, Remus. He is not a monster, you just anger him so."
Severus stood.
"I'll start making him more Wolfsbane, then," he said.
He was down there for an hour, Harry up in the kitchen discussing the locket with Kreacher, when he felt a sharp pain in his chest.
Harry immediately stopped his conversation, telling Hermione to take care of it as he flew down the stairs. He threw open the door to the lab, casting a hurried stasis charm on the potion simmering on the table and moving to crouch by Severus. The man was on the ground with his arms around his knees, shivering.
"I'm so sorry, Severus," Harry whispered, lifting the man up into his arms and carrying him to a nearby chair. He sat with the man sideways on this lap, bringing his head to rest against his shoulder.
"I didn't realize that we had been apart for so long that the bond would react."
Severus wrapped his arms around Harry's neck.
"Not your fault."
Harry kissed the mark on Severus's pulse point, enjoying the feel of his mate in his arms.
"I know that this is going to be hard," he said. "But just try to bear with me, eh? We'll get through."
Severus nodded.
"Are you willing to stay while I finish brewing?"
Harry smiled, placing Severus back on his feet.
"Of course."
TBC