Author's Note: Thanks to Daxed for pointing out the error in CH3 regarding Harry's birthday. Sev does remember it correctly in the story and I have now corrected the text to reflect this.

Thanks also, to all of the reviewers who left messages for Chapter 6, your encouragement and appreciation is greatly appreciated and will get the chapters written and posted faster, it really spurs me on. This is my first HP fanfic and I am so glad you are all enjoying it.

In Chapter Seven - After two angsty chapters and a bit more in this one, Harry and Sev have a little wander around Edinburgh. The Waterstones bookshop mentioned in the text was the location of the midnight signing of The Order Of The Phoenix on 21st June. The maps are on the top floor, accessible only by stairs, poor Sev.

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Chapter Seven - Temporary Peace

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And there's so many many thoughts

When I try to go to sleep

But with you I start to feel

A sort of temporary peace

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After an hour Harry became fairly sure that Severus was asleep and crawled back into the tent to watch over him. Not to stop Death Eaters or stop him drinking potion but to make sure he didn't just die anyway. Harry wasn't sure how serious something like this could get and Severus didn't look well at all. He was desperate to lay his hands on Severus' chest again but he had been right, as always, it would be better in the long run if he waited. It didn't mean he couldn't straighten Severus' hair out though.

As Harry reached out Severus started to move and he had to pull away as he turned onto his back. Harry sat back a little; he could watch him now without being so near. Severus' left arm lay on top of the coverings, holding them just below his chin. His face was relaxed in a way it never was when he was awake. The crystal ball had shown Harry his affection; Harry leaned over and laid a hand over the slim elegant one lying on top of the covers. He could make up some excuse if he woke, Harry thought, be brave, you're supposed to be brave. Somehow, despite everything else, this felt a bit like happiness.

If Severus were being honest with himself, he would have to admit that he hadn't really thought beyond September either. He had known in the back of his mind that this wasn't going to be over very quickly but he had no more idea than Harry what was going to happen or how long it would take. He had no idea what they were going to do once it started getting colder and there was a distinct chill to the morning air already. In addition to the weather problems they would also start to look more conspicuous wandering around the countryside allegedly 'on holiday'. Harry had managed to make him well again but it had taken a few days and they were still, rather recklessly, very close to Drumossie Muir, the top portion of which was Culloden.

"Now what?" Harry asked as Severus was fixing them some breakfast, resuming the duty after being banned from it for the last few days.

"Hmm?"

"We need to discuss where we are heading next." Harry announced more clearly, "That means you talking to me, telling me your thoughts, then I will reply, then WE will make a decision."

Severus frowned slightly, pretending to concentrate on the pan and stove.

"We also need to discuss our overall strategy for the coming months." Harry continued.

"I've been thinking about that." Severus announced at last.

"Yes?"

"We can talk about it while we walk." Severus replied buying himself time. He was supposed to know, Harry might think he wanted them to decide things together but he would still want him to know things and lead the way.

Severus fell silent again and Harry was psyching himself up to ask what he really wanted to know, before anything else.

"Were you serious when you said I might have to kill you?" Harry asked before Severus could look up and make him more nervous.

Severus stopped stirring with his spoon at the words but he didn't look up.

"I was wondering whether it was just something you thought about when you're not feeling too happy." Harry continued.

"Happy? What is happy?" Severus muttered to himself then looked up, "It might become necessary, I know no more than you do what will happen. They cannot know what I know, that's all."

"You know I can't do it." Harry reminded him trying to fight back the emotion that was threatening to break his resolve to get this matter discussed. He held the crystal ball in his hand and connected with Severus' emotions and found he felt the same but he remained composed.

"I know, you said." Severus replied.

"I have the Blissful Death, amongst my things, if ever the situation is looking seriously bad I will give you one to carry. I can't do any more than that." Harry told Severus looking down at the grass so that he could get the words out.

"That will have to do." Severus replied.

"But understand, Severus, I hold the rest." Harry continued feeling moisture on his cheeks but continuing anyway, "If you ever go before your time I swear I will take one myself, and then where will our world be and the precious prophecy and the bloody Dark Lord. Do you understand?" Harry demanded.

"Yes." Severus replied feeling more stunned than he ever had in his life. "I understand."

"We don't speak about this again." Harry announced wiping his face with his sleeve. "Give it to me."

"What?"

"The THING, whatever it's called." Harry continued, "Give it to me."

"The Talisman Of The Keeper Of The Portals? Why?" Severus asked.

"For the same reason you don't keep the key to your house under a mat in front of the door. Maybe being able to separate the knowledge from the talisman might buy us some time, if it ever came to it."

Severus could see the sense in the idea, though he knew how heavy it felt on him, the way it dug into his ribs every time he moved, and he didn't want that for Harry. But it seemed it was heavy on him anyway.

"In the tent." Severus suggested.

Severus shuffled over to Harry on the sleeping bag where he now sat, their breakfast forgotten. He took off his coat and started to pull his shirt over his head. When he had placed his shirt to the side and turned to Harry he had his shirt pulled up over his head but the braids in his hair were catching on the buttons. Severus reached out to help him gently freeing his hair from the tangle. Severus lifted the shirt the rest of the way off Harry's head.

They were sitting so close, Severus noticed, if it hadn't been for their most recent conversation he would have been enjoying the experience very much. He wasn't enjoying this at all, but one thing was the same as it would have been, he wanted to close the rest of the distance between them and hold Harry tight against him. Severus looked up at Harry at the same time as he felt for the tucked in end of the bandage round his waist and started to unwind it.

For what Severus thought was the first time ever, their eyes met and they maintained the look as Severus got the entire bandage unwound.

Severus eventually sat with the little velvet pouch in his hand, Harry looked down at it.

"It isn't very big is it?" Harry commented.

"No, it doesn't need to be." Severus replied.

Harry raised his arms above his head, "Do it."

Severus reached inside for a fresh bandage; he had been buying them from Muggle shops as they travelled, always changing it discretely away from Harry.

"This is a crepe bandage, you will find it fits very snugly but it will stretch as you move." Severus explained as he leant over and secured the talisman to Harry's waist, talking more to alleviate his nerves than anything else. "The talisman itself will dig in a little bit but you'll find it reassuring that you can feel it. You can't be checking all the time."

They put their clothes back on and went outside to salvage breakfast, letting the tension of current events ebb away till they reached a grim but companionable silence.

Once they were packed up Harry and Severus started on their days walking, Harry led the way south.

"So where are we going?" Severus asked gently prodding Harry into making the decision.

"South, let's go back to the south." Harry replied.

"But we've just got the train all the way up here, now you want to go back down?" Severus said catching Harry up and walking at his side.

"Yes, what a silly idea, who would think we would do that?" Harry replied.

"Exactly, south it is then."

"Besides I want to visit Edinburgh."

Severus gave Harry a disapproving look, "Big city."

"Been there already." Harry countered.

"To catch a train."

"Won't be expecting us back again so soon."

"Tent pitching opportunities?" Severus queried.

"We walk in, spend the day and walk out again or get a bus." Harry continued feeling determined.

Severus sighed. "All right then, Edinburgh it is."

"Thank you Sev." Harry said looking very pleased with himself.

'Sev'!? Severus thought, where had he heard that before, "Have you been at the whiskey?" Severus accused.

Harry didn't bother denying it. "Just a little bit."

"Harry, you can't do that, not during the day, not without telling me." Severus snapped more out of fear for the both of them than anger at Harry.

Harry stopped walking, the alcohol-induced cheer wiped from his face in an instant, "I just wanted to forget for a little while." Harry said his arms wrapped round his waist.

Severus placed a hand on Harry's arm. "I need to know so that I can look out for you." He tried to explain hoping that Harry would see his intentions.

"Sorry." Harry replied.

They had reached a fence and Severus climbed over it into the next field. As Harry climbed up Severus held out a hand to him.

"Come on, you usually ending up falling flat on your face, I don't suppose a skin full of Jack Daniels is going to help your balance any." Severus snapped, a look of Snapey disdain on his face.

Harry reached inside his coat for the crystal ball, affection, amusement, "You think you're being funny and you care." Harry said giggling a little.

Severus rolled his eyes in mock irritation. "Of course I care, I always did, take my hand."

Harry felt the chilly, smooth, slender hand close over his own, then jumped down from the fence, Severus steadied Harry's landing by pulling him towards him and letting him collide with his chest.

"Sorry." Harry whispered looking up sheepishly.

Severus straightened Harry up and pointed him in the direction of their destination. "Come on, ten miles to go before supper." He said leading the way.

Harry and Severus pitched the tent that night amongst the mountains in a valley a short way outside a village called Tomatin. From the first map Severus had ever bought for them they could tell that the mountains were called Beinn Bhreac, Carn na h-Easgainn, Meall a' Bhreacraibh and Carn a' Choire Mhoir. Severus seemed to find this sort of thing interesting but Harry thought it funny that the names of the mountains all sounded like the words used to cast dark curses.

"So we go due south till the names get less cursey?" Harry commented sipping on a bowlful of whiskey that Severus had given him.

"No, not quite." Severus said pointing to the Cairngorms on the map. "If we head into that lot, we might not see a town for days and I'm not prepared to carry enough food for that long."

"So we move east to the coast."

"Yes, we go round to the east, where the walking is a little easier and we can get supplies." Severus continued.

"It's going to rain," Harry pointed out looking warily up at the sky, "Next time it rains we're hiding in the tent."

It was getting very chilly at night now and Harry wore his patchwork coat over the grey wool one and Severus sat with his sleeping bag unzipped and wrapped around his shoulders. They both leant back against a rock they had found, which had a reasonably smooth side and sheltered them from most of the wind.

"I think we deserve a little treat." Severus announced dipping a hand into his rucksack after he had pulled it up onto his lap. He removed a small tin box.

"What is that?" Harry asked peering into the box and seeing what looked like dried grass.

"A little smoke." Severus replied rolling some of the stuff into papers.

"Oh, like the cigarettes."

Severus nearly smiled, "A bit like that. This isn't going to be much use for anything if we don't use it soon. Doesn't keep very long, especially in damp conditions."

Severus lit one with his wand and took a drag, and then he handed it to Harry.

"Do I not get one too?"

"See if you like it first."

"We're both doing this together, Mr Cautious?" Harry asked taking his first smoke, inhaling like he had done before in the pub.

"Well, you can clear it again with your wand. Bi sobarra."

"They don't teach that one at school."

"It's banned by the Ministry."

Harry smiled wickedly, "Naughty Sev." He took another drag on the smoke, "Oh, not quite like cigarettes is it?" He giggled.

"No, give it back. You like?" Severus said smiling a little.

Harry nodded and handed the smoke back, he received a new one in return.

Harry shuffled closer to Severus, "So cold now. But warm and fuzzy too." He said leaning his head on Severus' shoulder.

"So are we friends then?" Severus dared to ask.

"Oh yes," Harry smiled, "You're my biggest, bestest friend."

Severus leant towards Harry and let his cheek rest against Harry's head.

They smoked some more till a quarter of Severus' stash was gone. Then, tired of holding back, Severus reached out and took one of Harry's hands in his and gently held it, Harry's fingers curled round to make the hold firmer. Severus reached inside his coat and drew his wand, he passed it over himself whispering, "Bi sobarra." Before putting it safely away again. He then got Harry to go inside the tent and climb into his sleeping bag. After quickly shovelling all their things into the tent too he placed Harry's wand, which had so far been providing their light, beside Harry by his head. The gentle glow lit his features and Severus lay down beside him. He laid a protective arm over Harry's chest and Harry held Severus' hand again, eventually relaxing as he drifted off to sleep.

In the following days they travelled more towards Aberdeen than Edinburgh but at least the going was easier. After a week they found themselves pitching the tent near Brechin, finally heading south. The weather had turned warmer, almost summery despite the evidence in the browning leaves of the trees.

Harry lay back on the grass underneath the tree after a long days walk, Severus was sat up against the trunk and Harry looked up at him as he just sat there with his eyes closed feeling the late autumn sun, the Indian summer, on his face. They had just shared the last of the Jack Daniels, which amounted to only two mouthfuls each.

"Ho, ho, ho, to the bottle I go, To heal my heart and drown my woe, Rain may fall and wind may blow, And many miles be still to go, But under a tall tree I will lie, And let the clouds go sailing by." Harry recited from memory.

Harry saw that Severus actually smiled, "Think of that by yourself?" He asked.

"Like you don't know."

Severus opened one eye slightly, "Know what?"

"You bought the book."

"What book?"

"THE book."

"Oh, THAT book, well I didn't have time to read it all while I was waiting for you at the station you know."

"You don't know? I thought you must have chosen it for a reason, because of the ring."

Severus sighed, "What ring?"

"THE ring."

"This is quite possibly turning into THE most tedious conversation I have ever had with you, Potter. Now, please explain yourself or I shall have to deduct ten points from Griffindor."

Severus was joking, Harry thought, well, he couldn't possibly be being serious even though he still sounded as stern as ever.

"I thought you knew, one of the characters has to go on a journey with one of his friends, on foot like us, there is a Dark Lord and there's a magical ring which the Dark Lord wants but they can't let him have it. That's how I guessed we were carrying the talisman."

Severus sighed again, "Well that explains why it is called The Lord Of The Rings but I bought it because it had a nice cover, all black with glossy symbols that you couldn't see at first. I only had a few minutes and it seemed quite magically orientated for a Muggle work."

"Oh." Harry replied. "That's weird."

"Why don't you read it to me," Severus suggested, his eyes closed again, "While we sit and while we walk, sometimes I get tired of just sitting here."

"I thought you liked to just sit there."

"Oh yes, It's all I've ever dreamed of." Severus replied sarcastically. "I have been used to my time being taken up by teaching, marking and reading. My so-called spare time was often taken up with potions and detention. This has been very difficult."

"And any remaining time was used for getting drunk and stoned."

Severus' face twisted into a smile, "Yes."

"I would like to read it you." Harry offered.

"Good." Severus replied, "But you will have to start at the beginning."

Harry rolled his eyes, "I did realise that."

Severus remained with his head resting back against the tree, feeling pleased that at last they were getting on with each other. He had so desperately wanted it and now it looked as if at least they were truly friends now.

Severus sat looking out into the distance thinking about the other little secret he hadn't told Harry about. Harry was reading his book, burdened enough by the truths he did know; too much of that, to worry that there might be something else. Though, Severus knew, he had made an extra special effort to conceal this one. He would have to tell Harry, he would have to tell him soon but Harry would have to make a decision, and Severus needed Harry to make the right choice, make a lifetime commitment. The timing was everything. He needed Harry to be his friend; he thought he had that now. Severus knew his own regard was enough to make it work, but was Harry's regard deep enough for such a choice? Everything Severus thought he had with Harry was stolen from the neck of a bottle, or so it seemed to Severus' pessimistic mind.

Once they reached Princes Street in Edinburgh Severus unexpectedly gestured to a park bench a little way in from the main road facing towards the castle.

"Wait here," Severus told Harry pulling his rucksack off his shoulders and handing it to Harry, "I'll be back in a few minutes."

Harry nodded and sat with the two rucksacks as instructed. He watched Severus as he crossed the busy main street and approached a bookshop called Waterstone's, the shop's name in gold lettering over a black background. He was impressed by the way Severus seemed to tower above everybody else as if he was even taller than he actually was. Harry knew that he might be in line for the third part of the book he was reading. Although Severus might be only looking for a map, Harry felt fairly confident.

To Harry's eternal amusement Severus returned with a harassed and murderous expression on his face, but more importantly a little black plastic carrier bag.

Severus purchased two cups of tea in polystyrene cups from a man who was strangely selling hot beverages in the middle of the park. He sat down on the bench, gave one cup to Harry and pulled a map from the black plastic bag, which he had placed by his side. Harry could hardly believe he had been watching and waiting and hoping. He felt like a complete idiot for only a few minutes before Severus also produced a thick black covered paperback from the bag and handed it to him.

"So what do we do today?" Harry asked.

"This is your day, nothing to do with me." Severus replied as he fought with the map to get it unfolded.

Harry took his tea so he could use both hands. "Shall I read to you for a while?" Harry offered.

Although it was a bit cooler now the sun shone in a cloudless sky and they were wearing all of their coats to save carrying them. It was quite pleasant sitting out in the park.

"Let me work out where we're going next then you can read." Severus suggested.

Harry opened the new book at the first page and read to himself while he drank his tea. When he noticed Severus putting the map away Harry dug into his rucksack and pulled the first book out.

Severus sat on the bench leaning back slightly wanting to close his eyes but not daring to because of their location.

"Read now?" Harry asked.

Severus nodded; Harry gave him both rucksacks to hold then swung his legs up on the bench and laid his head back on Severus' lap. Severus knew Harry hadn't been drinking, they didn't have any left, he didn't say anything. He was a little unsure where he was meant to put his hands though.

After the reading Harry and Severus went for a walk around Edinburgh heading over towards the castle. Harry wasn't enjoying it as much as he thought he would. All the people, things going on, it was what he thought he needed a bit of. Now all he wanted was to get into the middle of nowhere and sit with Severus while they read together. The crowds were making Severus very twitchy, which was part of it. Part of it also was the way people kept walking into them, never giving them any room despite the fact they couldn't miss seeing the rucksacks. Time after time Harry was knocked into Severus and though it didn't happen so often people knocked into Severus too. Harry could tell he was getting more and more annoyed, he only hoped it wouldn't bring on a Snapey relapse. Harry persevered, this had been his idea, but he really just wanted to get out.

They eventually came across a street full of more interesting shops, little wizard statues were in display cabinets near the window of one. Some of the shops sold clothes that were similar to the ones they were wearing and their path through became less plagued by trouble. Harry thought he actually heard Severus start to breath again.

"Hey." Harry said noticing the people milling around the shops, "People like us."

"People dressed like us." Severus corrected, "Be careful, we have never been in danger of being approached before."

The potential assailants continued to mind their own business.

"I think you should have a bandana too, it might keep your head warmer. Plus your hair won't get in your eyes when the wind is behind us." Harry suggested.

Severus didn't exactly look pleased at the idea but Harry could see that he was considering the practicalities. "Did you see any of these bandanas in any of these shops?" he asked.

"Oh yes, over there." Harry said pointing back down the street; it was only a few doors down.

"Did you have a particular one in mind?" Severus asked regarding Harry with interest, he was starting to dress him up now?

They approached the shop and tentatively stepped inside, in amongst all the people that looked like them, but were apparently still to be regarded as the enemy. Harry picked up the one that had taken his fancy.

"Oh, burgundy." Severus stated, "Not black then?"

"You have too much black."

"My shirt is white."

"Not through your choice." Harry argued.

"All right, but you have to have the one with the little coins on the corners."

"I'll jingle when I walk."

"Maybe not." Severus said almost smiling at the idea of Harry jingling.

"Can I have some hair bands though? To tie it back with." Harry asked, he couldn't remember if he'd ever been brave enough to ask Severus for anything. Severus certainly looked a bit surprised.

"Of course, can you find some?" Severus replied looking around the little shop, which was quite dark inside and crowded with stuff.

After they had finished their shopping Harry and Severus took a bus out of the city and to the north. They were heading for Stirling next, going across country to vary their route a bit. They got off the bus at its terminus point and walked the rest of the way to the first spot they could find which was secluded enough.

Severus held the bandana in his hand after they had finished eating. Harry had picked out one, which was almost exactly like his own in colour.

"So how do you put this on?" Severus asked, "Can you show me?"

Harry came to Severus side and took the bandana from him, "I'll do it for you." He offered. "Turn around."

Severus shuffled round so his back was turned to Harry. Severus then felt Harry gathering his hair back so it lay behind his shoulders, completely un-phased by their proximity. He then folded the cloth into a triangle and wrapped the widest part round his head and tied the two ends at the back. The remaining point was tucked underneath the knot at the back. Harry shuffled round to sit in front of Severus and gave him a smile the likes of which he hadn't seen since Harry had been drunk in Dunoon.

Harry and Severus sat in the tent having had their breakfast, the temperature had plummeted over night and Harry was wearing everything he owned, having woken up shivering.

"We really need to do something about this." Harry said looking pleadingly at Severus, "I mean, why didn't Albus just get us a better sleeping bag if we were going to be here into the winter?"

"Maybe he didn't expect us to last this long." Severus pointed out grimly.

"Muggle tent, Muggle sleeping bags! Do you know, these sleeping bags actually came with instructions! They don't keep you warm but they come with instructions."

"You are ranting Harry."

"I don't care, I'm cold, it will keep me warm." Harry searched around in the bottom of his rucksack and produced the instructions in question, "Here, look at them."

Harry thrust the glossy little piece of paper at Severus.

Severus took the instructions from Harry wondering what he was supposed to do with them and settled for reading the text alongside the little photographs, if only to help calm his companion.

"Oh." Severus said with economy.

"What?" Harry asked wondering what Severus could have found that warranted any kind of response at all.

Severus handed him the instructions back, "See for yourself."

Harry read from the beginning, "'A set of two sleeping bags ideal for a camping holiday for two, also available in navy blue'. Fascinating to know that since we have two red ones, shall we get both and alternate? 'Both sleeping bags can be conveniently unzipped and placed together'… 'to form one single double sized sleeping bag'." Harry finished his reading with a flutter of nerves. Was this what Severus wanted him to notice? He couldn't look up.

"Bloody Albus." Severus said with the kind of irritation that Harry recognised as being mixed with amusement and fondness for the old man.

"Of course, it was one of the Order who picked it up from the shop, probably at random." Harry pointed out.

"I don't believe in coincidences." Severus stated.

Harry smiled, "Neither do I." He replied.

"Well."

"Well, we would be able to get all of the coats laid over both of us." Harry said daringly, still not looking up.

Severus didn't reply and Harry knew he had just suggested something so ridiculous that things would never be the same again. He had allowed their new found friendship to cloud his brain into conjuring up all sorts of silly ideas, but he was an idiot to even go near voicing one. Severus wasn't giving him any indication of how thoroughly horrified he was, he would have to look up. Harry slowly raised his head; Severus had unzipped one of the sleeping bags and was now unzipping the other. Harry smiled but didn't say anything; somehow he knew further words wouldn't add anything to the moment.

He wants to sleep that close, Severus thought as he zipped the two bags together, 'is that enough to make him say 'yes'?' he asked himself. Somehow he just didn't have the courage to ask, not yet.