Disclaimer: I don't own it

Disclaimer: I don't own it. JKR does…

A/N: I love writing this story and I LOVE reading the reviews! Thank you so much to all of my readers and a special thanks to all of you who left such WONDERFUL feedback! You all put such a smile on my face! And now, on with the story!

Chapter Seven

XXXSNARRYXXX

"So, mate, are you really coming back to school?" Ron asked.

Harry nodded.

"That's great!" Hermione said, "I'm glad you changed your mind."

Harry grinned, thinking about how it had actually been Severus and Draco who changed his mind. However, if his friends wanted to think that he had come to the mature decision on his own… who was he to deny them?

"Yeah, well… in the off chance that I survive this ordeal, I won't have much of a future if I never finish school," he said, grinning, "Plus, I don't think they offer apprenticeships to drop-outs."

"What? Harry! Who are you going to apprentice with?" Hermione exclaimed excitedly.

"Madame Pomfrey, hopefully. Apparently, my kind already have amazing healing powers, but I'd still like to learn the spells and potions, as well as the psychological aspects," he explained.

"You seem to have really thought this through. I'm impressed," she replied.

"Yeah, mate. I think it's brilliant, you wanting to be a Healer," Ron said, "But I always thought that you wanted to be an auror or a professional Quidditch player."

"I've the last six years of my life fighting, and I'm not even done, yet," Harry said, "When Voldemort dies- and he will die- I don't want to spend the rest of my life fighting, too. I want t do something that doesn't require apprehending that psychopath's followers, but still makes a difference. Like help to heal the victims of the Cruciatus Curse."

"You can do that?" Hermione asked, awe-struck.

"With my powers, yes," Harry replied.

"He's got the strongest healing powers of any Caelestis in over three centuries," Draco said, grinning.

"He always has to be special. Even among an incredibly rare race!" Ron said, laughing.

Harry blushed. "Sod off, Ron…"

Hermione grinned. "It's nothing to be embarrassed about, Harry. You've always been an exceptionally powerful wizard."

"You're not helping…" he groaned.

"He's got some issues, doesn't he?" Draco said, smirking.

"Yeah, he's always hated that he was special, y'know? Absolutely loathes all the attention he gets…" Ron said, smiling sympathetically.

"Please don't talk about me like I'm not here…" Harry said, looking up at them, "I like to participate in dialogue, too."

"Oh, of course! Pardon us, Oh Great One," Draco said, quirking an eyebrow at him.

Harry flung a pillow at the blonde, nailing him in the face.

"Oh… Now it's war!" Draco said, grabbing the pillow and attacking him.

Ron and Hermione shrugged before joining in the playful brawl.

x

Severus raised an eyebrow when the heard a high pitched shriek. "That sounded like Harry."

"Yes, well… I expect there's some kind of potentially fatal brawl going on up there," Tonks said nonchalantly, "Best let them have it out."

Severus smirked at her.

Remus laughed. "More like a tickle fight or some other childish thing… They may be of age, but, well- they are teenagers."

"Please don't remind me," Severus said.

Tonks grinned at him. "Feeling a bit like a cradle robber, are you? Don't think anything of it, Severus. Harry's the kind of guy who knows what he wants. Only problem is he rarely ever gets it. He's gotten one of them in you, so just relax."

"How can you know that?" he asked.

"I know, trust me," she replied, "I can see it in the way he looks at you."

Remus smiled. "It's brutally obvious to everybody, it seems, but you."

"Yes, well, I fear I'm a less than experienced when it comes to- those kinds of things…" Severus said.

Tonks laughed. "I'm afraid we're making him uncomfortable, Remy. Perhaps we should discuss the weather?"

"What's to discuss?" Remus said, wrinkling his nose in distaste, "It's been dreadful around here. Nothing but rain, day in and day out for the last four days."

"Oh, don't complain so much!" she said, "I happen to love the rain."

"Well, it's been nothing but sun since Harry arrived," Severus grumbled, "I'd welcome some rain…"

"Take some of ours! By all means!" Remus said.

Severus grinned.

"So…" Tonks said, searching for something to talk about, "Is- the sex good?"

"Dora!" Remus exclaimed indignantly, "That is not something I want to know about a boy who is like a son to me!"

Severus raised an eyebrow at them. "Dora?"

"Well, I can't go around calling my lover by her last name, can I?" Remus said, with a smirk, "And she absolutely refuses to acknowledge her full name… so I came up with a nickname of sorts."

"I like it quite a bit more that Nymphadora… sounds far too similar to nymphomaniac, if you ask me," Tonks said, grinning.

Severus sighed and rolled his eyes at the couple. 'Merlin, help me if I ever have to hear the word 'lover' come out of Lupin's mouth again… I may just gouge my eyes out at the unpleasant images it brings forth…'

x

Upstairs, the war was finally won, and Ronald Weasley stood as the victor. He grinned at the three of them, collapsed on the floor and breathing heavily.

"You guys are weak! Didn't even last a full twenty minutes… pathetic…"

"Oh, do shut up, Ron!" Harry laughed, "I guarantee we won't last a full two minutes of your gloating."

"You're just mad because I'm in better shape than you," Ron said, "Maybe if you spent less of your time in bed, and more of it exercising you could keep up with me."

Draco burst into laughter while Hermione tried her best to look offended and hide her smile.

Harry gaped at his friend. "I can't believe you just said that…"

Ron smirked. "Well, believe it." He sat down on the bed and sighed. "I still can't believe you're shagging the most hated professor at Hogwarts… it's so weird!"

"What's it like?" Hermione asked eagerly.

"Hermione!" Ron exclaimed in disbelief.

"Oh, come off it, Ron!" she said, grinning, "It's bloody hot! So, Harry? What's it like? Is he any good?"

Ron groaned.

"Absolutely amazing!" Harry said, smirking when both Ron and Draco's hands flew up to cover their ears, "He's got the most talented hands… and his mouth- oh Gods! I know it always looks so thin, but- when he's not teaching us 'dunderheads' it's… perfect. It's brilliant, his mouth."

"Did it hurt? Because I know the first time with Ron… well, it hurt," she said.

Harry nodded. "Of course it hurt. Like I was being split in half… I swear, 'Mione, he's huge! But it only hurt like that for a bit and then… it felt good, you know? Really good."

Draco growled. "Are you done? Please?!"

Harry laughed. "I guess we can stop, now."

He and Ron sighed in relief. "Harry, that was cruel…" Ron said.

"I know!" he said happily.

"Anyway, do you think that maybe we should go back down there?" Draco asked.

"Yeah, it might not be a good idea to leave Snape alone with Remus and Tonks," Ron agreed, "They might be scarring him for life."

Harry nodded. "Let's go down, then, shall we?"

Draco and Ron had to bite their tongues to avoid saying some smart-ass comment about the implications in that statement. Hermione glared at them, noticing their snickering. 'Boys!' she thought, shaking her head.

They came down the stairs to find that, not only had they not killed each other, they seemed to be involved in a rather entertaining conversation.

"Looks like we were worried for nothing, guys," Harry said, taking a seat right in Severus' lap.

"Can I help you?" Severus said, raising an eyebrow at the boy who had so gracelessly deposited himself on his legs.

"Nope. I'm fine," Harry said, grinning.

"Cheeky brat…" Severus growled affectionately.

Harry took the glass of whiskey from him and took a long drink. He made a face and shoved it back into Severus' hand. "Merlin's balls, that shit burns!"

"You shouldn't drink things if you don't know what they are," Hermione said, smirking at him.

He stuck his tongue out at her.

"Real mature, mate," Ron said sarcastically.

"Oh, like you have any room to talk about maturity, Lord of the Pillows!" Draco said.

Remus laughed. "Well, you bunch certainly liven up a room."

"When is Mum supposed to be back?" Ron asked.

"Your Mum is here?" Harry asked, "Who else?"

"Well, Molly and Arthur come over in the afternoon and stay until late in the evening, Fred and George- bless their little prankster souls- are staying here, but have gone out for a bit, and Mad-Eye, Kingsley, Minerva, Bill, and Fleur usually come over for dinner and stay a bit," Tonks supplied, grinning, "Gonna be a full house."

Harry groaned. "Lovely…"

"Would you prefer to leave?" Severus asked.

"No!" he exclaimed, "I want to see them, I just don't want to have to do much explaining…"

"They've been worried about you, kid. Nobody knew where you were, nobody could get a hold of you, and the only correspondence you gave them were a couple of quick letters that said you had suddenly become some kind of rare magical being," Tonks said, smiling, "Don't you think you should tell them about the man you're going to spend possibly the rest of your life with?"

Harry sighed. "Yeah… I suppose they have a right to know. You're good at that guilt trip thing, you know that?"

"Then she'll make a brilliant mother," Ron muttered resentfully, "Mum can get you to talk about anything with that trick. It's bloody foul-play, if you ask me."

"Only because it works on you every time!" Fred laughed, stepping into the room.

"When did you get here?" Hermione asked.

"About the same time I did," George replied, grinning.

She rolled her eyes at them.

"Hullo, Harry!" Fred exclaimed, bounding over to him, "Care to explain what you're doing sitting in our dear Potions Master's lap?"

Harry blushed, searching for the words to say. "Er… well, he's my mate?"

"WHAT?!"

They turned to the doorway to see Arthur and an irate Molly Weasley. Harry groaned, cursing their bad timing.

"Severus is… my mate," he repeated, "Erm- I don't suppose you read those letters I sent?"

"Of course we did. We already knew about Severus and Draco's situation, though," Arthur said, "Molly here is their Secret Keeper."

He sighed. "Good… that saves me a huge explanation. Anyway… are you- okay, Mrs. Weasley?"

She pinched the bridge of her nose. "I'm sorry, dear, but this is a bit much. I'm just going to get started on dinner. Cooking helps me think. Something vegetarian for you, right?"

"Yes, please," he replied, smiling at her.

"Good thing Brenna taught you how to filter scents, eh?" Draco said.

Harry nodded. "Yeah… real good."

"Well, this is certainly an unlikely course of events," Shacklebolt said, coming into the room, "I'm sorry, Harry, but we couldn't help but overhear…"

"It's no problem. Saved me the trouble of repeating myself," Harry said, grinning.

"Well, I say it's some kind of enchantment," Moody said gruffly, pulling out his wand.

Hermione stopped him. "It's not. I'd thought about that, too, and I checked him the moment he arrived. It's a clean bond."

Moody smirked. "You're going to make a fine auror one day, girl."

She blushed. "Thank you…"

"Hermione!" Harry exclaimed, scandalized, "I can't believe you…"

"Well, put yourself in my position," she said, "If I walked in here suddenly claiming that Severus was my mate, wouldn't you be suspicious of foul play?"

"I suppose so…" he grumbled, then smiled at her, "Thanks. You really will make a fantastic auror."

"Anyway!" Tonks said, clearing her throat loudly, "Why don't we all go and get ready for dinner, eh?"

"But she only just started-" Ron said, but Hermione cut him off with a glare. She nodded toward Harry, who looked thoroughly disconcerted by all of the attention and he caught their drift. "Right. Off we go to our rooms!"

Harry smiled thankfully at Tonks as she herded everybody out of the room, leaving him and Severus alone.

"Are you going to be okay?" Severus asked quietly, setting the drink down and enfolding Harry in his arms.

"I'll be fine… it's just- I was so afraid that everybody would resent you or hate me or… something," he said, sighing, "That I completely exhausted myself from worrying. And then, Mrs. Weasley…"

"She'll come around. You know her. She just needs some time to wrap her mind around the idea," Severus said, trying to give what little comfort he could.

Harry turned in the embrace to place a soft kiss on Severus' lips. "Thank you."

Severus smiled in response, capturing Harry's lips in a more passionate kiss. Harry moved so that he was straddling the man's lap and moaned into the kiss when their groins connected. He was quickly becoming hard, and he could feel Severus' arousal beneath him. He rocked against him lightly as their tongues met and began a fierce battle.

Surprisingly, it was Harry who broke away from the kiss. He moved his lips to his mate's neck, sucking and biting lightly, fully intent upon leaving his own mark, however temporary. Severus groaned and his fingers dug into Harry's hips, stilling their continuous movement. Harry pulled back and looked at the man, raising an eyebrow in question.

"Not here…" he growled, his voice husky.

Harry smirked. "Then… shall we find a bedroom?"

"Brat…" Severus replied, nevertheless allowing himself to be led up the stairs. Neither were aware of the pair of eyes that had been watching the exchange with interest.

Molly Weasley stepped back into the kitchen and sighed, sitting heavily in a chair.

"Something wrong, dear?" Arthur asked.

"Oh, everything seems wrong, Arthur," she replied, "I just don't know what to think anymore. I know, in my heart, that Severus is a good man, but a part of me will always see him as Albus' killer. And now we find that Harry is of a rare magical race and is bound to him…"

"I don't think that Harry is unhappy with his situation," Arthur said, "In fact, he seems happier now than he's been in- quite a while. And, if it is Severus who makes him happy, shouldn't we support him, at least?"

She smiled at her husband. "I know. I am happy that he's happy, and I will support him in everything he chooses to do, just as I do for all of my children, but…"

"There should be no 'but's, Molly. You were watching them, I know you were," Arthur said, taking a stern tone with his wife for the first time since she had tried to name their first son Gilderoy, "What did you see?"

She smiled. "They were so passionate. When they looked at each other, I could see that they were very much in love… and I've never seen Severus act like he did with Harry. He was so sweet and- affectionate." She sighed again. "I'm being stupid, aren't I?"

Arthur placed a hand on her shoulder. "Yes," he said, leaning down and kissing her sweetly, "But I love you. And you're just overprotective of Harry. I understand… you're always trying to do what's best for him. It's just… time for him to start making his own decisions. Him and Ron."

"I suppose you're right. But he's been through so much, Arthur. I don't want to see his already fragile heart broken beyond repair," she said.

"Neither do I," Arthur agreed, "So, we'll just have to watch them from the sidelines and help where we can and hope to high heaven that Severus will be capable of protecting him…"

X

End of this chapter. It's a wee bit shorter than the last, but I think it's pretty good for everything that I wanted to convey in it. I hope you all enjoyed it and I'll see you next time!