Severus looked down at the boy. They were in their room. Severus had kept the bed the way it was since Harry kept rolling in his sleep. He had been 'gone' for weeks and it was almost Christmas. The last few weeks had been traumatic for Severus. He didn't wake up for a few days after the incident in the back yard... but he did wake up. Which meant Harry would wake up. He just wish he would wake already. He missed him so much. He missed his smile and those damn Emerald eyes that captivated him. But he knew Harry knew he was there. Almost every night Harry would roll into Severus' arms. And almost every night Severus would hope he was awake, but he wouldn't be. "Please wake up Harry," he said but the boy stayed still. There was a knock at the door. "Enter," He said, putting a safe distance between him and Harry.

The door opened slightly and Draco stepped in. "Hi, Uncle Sev," He said sympathetically.

The man chuckled. "You still call me that?" Draco hadn't called him that since he had started school. He had forgotten all about the name.

Draco smiled. "Not really, but it got you to smile," he said. He thought for a moment. "How are you?" He asked, his smile fading.

Severus' smile faded as well. "You really have to ask that?"

"Snape... He will wake," Draco assured. "Draco, you don't understand. He isn't eating, he isn't drinking. The only way we are keeping him alive is with nourishing spells. Those only last for so long until the body shuts down. I can feel him getting weaker, and this is all my fault. I should have never cast that spell."

Draco knew about the spell... Well everyone knew now. After Snape had woken up, he was questioned thoroughly by the order as to why he cast the spell. He had told everyone about his and Dumbledore's theory and how that it had to have been right because if it hadn't, it wouldn't have had any effect on him. "Have you tried going into his dreams?"

"Can't. He's not dreaming."

Draco thought. "Have you tried talking to him?"

Severus looked at him like he was a little crazy. "What are you talking about?"

"Well it's sort of a muggle thing. They talk to people who are in comas or who won't wake up. They think they can hear them and that it helps wake them." Draco looked down at his watch. "Oh. Damn it. I am late. Ron and I are meeting with mother at Grimmuald Place."

"Good luck," Severus said with a smile. He knew what they were going to do. Narcissa did need to know about him and Ron.

"I'll need it," He said closing the door.

Harry woke up in their quarters in Hogwarts. He smiled. All of it had just been a bad dream. He was more than happy that it was all just a dream. The last thing he needed was his and Severus' lives to get more out of hand than they already were. After the incident that happened with Ron's kidnapping, he just wanted to survive the rest of the year with his mate and figure out the rest when he turned seventeen. He looked to the side of him and saw Severus sleeping. "Sev...Sev...Sev wake up!" He said shaking him.

The man rolled over and looked into his eyes. "Good morning. Why are you up so early?" "Harry if you can here me, please wake up."

Harry looked at the man next to him. "How did you do that?" He asked, knowing his lovers voice anywhere.

"That wasn't me," he said. Severus took the boys limp body into his arms. He felt a little like a fool. There was no way Harry could hear him. "Harry... I miss you so much," he continued anyway.

"Severus... I know it's him." Once again he looked at the man next to him and he looked around. "This has to be a dream," he said and made a motion to get up.

Dream Severus pulled him back to the bed and kissed him. "Or we can stay in bed..." he said seductively. Harry smiled and kissed him back. They were getting wrapped up in each other, when Severus' voice sounded again. "I need you to wake up."

"Severus..." He whispered.

"What is it Harry?"

"I need to wake up," he said almost repeating Severus' words.

"No you don't, love. We can stay here and continue."

"No... Severus needs me to wake up."

"But why would you want Severus, when you can have me?" Severus' voice changed and Harry's eyes widened. He recognized the voice he hated so much. He watched as Severus turned into Lucius Malfoy. The man rolled on top of him and immediately Harry felt disgusted with himself for kissing him.

"Get off me! I hate you!" Harry yelled as he fought the man who was trying to pin his arms over his head. He was so much stronger than him and it was so hard to fight back. This wasn't a dream, this was a nightmare... And Harry couldn't wake himself up.

"Harry, don't try to fight it. Besides, you can't hide your attraction to me," he said seductively but Harry just found it disgusting. The man brought his knee between his legs and started kneading his crotch. Harry hated to admit the fact that he was being aroused, but only because of the friction, and could only think that this was how Severus began. Was he going to rape him? Even though this was a dream, would he feel it?

"The only person I am attracted to is Severus! I could never be physically, mentally, or even emotionally attracted to an asshole like you! I hope you rot in hell." "Severus..." Severus heard Harry whisper in his sleep and his heart skipped a beat.

"Harry? Harry! Wake up!" He shook Harry. Was he finally going to open his eyes?

Harry could hear the mans voice again. Tears ran down his face. "I'm trying, Severus, I'm trying," he whispered weakly.

Lucius smiled. "You'll never wake up. This story doesn't have a happy ending. Sleeping beauty stays asleep in this version."

"Sleeping beauty... That's it! SEVERUS, KISS ME!" He screamed. "Kiss me! Kiss me!" He said hoping he would talk in his sleep or Severus would hear him through their bond.

"Happy to," Lucius said and tried to kiss him. Harry thrashed his head from side to side, not wanting to kiss the man. Without thinking Lucius grabbed Harry's chin, making it stay in place. Harry brought his, now free, hand back and punched him square in the face with all his might. Lucius reeled back at the pain and Harry pushed him off the bed and towards the wall. Harry was standing now, ready for a second attack.

"Kiss me! Severus, you have to kiss me," he said. Merlin he hoped this worked. "Kiss me..." Harry whispered.

Severus was so confused. He wanted him to kiss him? He took his face in his hands and gently put his lips to his mates. He waited but nothing happened. He kissed him again and felt his lover move under him and he deepened the kiss. Harry felt himself being pulled out of his dream. Immediately he felt his eyes open. He saw the familiar room and his lovers closed eyes, leveled with his. He smiled then close as he pushed back into the kiss. He remembered what happened in the yard and he felt so bad. How could he have just stopped fighting like that?

"Severus... I am so –"

"Don't apologize. Not everything bad that happens needs an apology. Though being in a relationship with you; extremely cliché."

Harry smiled and brushed it off as he was lost in thought. His smile slowly turned down. "Voldemort? What happened to him?"

Severus sighed. "Almost immediately after he went down, death eaters came and took him."

"Severus... What... What did you do to me?" He asked nervously. He remembered thinking that the love of his life had actually tried to kill him... but could that have really been it?

The man sighed again. "Why don't we talk about that after you have a shower and something to eat?"

Harry nodded. "Are you going to come with me again? It's sort of routine now," he said.

"Let's not make a habit out of it. You were out for almost three weeks. Christmas is three days away." Harry looked at him shocked but Severus continued. "All that matters is that you are awake now. Can you stand, or do you need to be carried?"

Harry wrapped his arms around the mans neck and kissed him. Water cascaded down both their bodies, making their skin slick. Harry couldn't believe that he had been gone for so long. Or how long he let time slip away from him. He was so weak, just like he had been before when he had only been out for four days. But this time he didn't get the leisure of having a potion to re-energize him. But the longer he spent in Severus' arms, the stronger he felt. Harry connected their foreheads and looked straight into the mans eyes. There was no doubt in him that he loved this man.

Severus looked into the emerald eyes. He could hear the thoughts of love that were running through his mates head. He smiled at him and kissed him again. He couldn't believe how much stronger he felt now that Harry was up, awake, and regaining his strength. He had been so weak, and getting weaker, the past three weeks. So when Harry had woken up and they already had immediate contact, there was a burst of energy that had surged through him.

"Now are you going to tell me what happened?" Harry said after eating.

Severus sighed and motioned for Harry to follow him in the living room. Harry willingly obliged. Severus sat on the couch and Harry sat in his lap, almost making the man smile. Harry hadn't missed a beat. He looked into the emerald eyes he had been wanting to see for weeks and suddenly felt sentimental. But he hid it and started to tell the story. "Dumbledore and I had a theory; you were an involuntary horcrux," he explained. Harry looked at him with a confused expression and waited for Severus to elaborate. "The night the dark lord, gave you that mark," he said as he touched the mark on his lovers forehead and Harry leaned into his touch. "Not only did he give you some of his power, but he gave you some of his soul.

"You know how a horcrux works, you put some of your soul into an object in case you are killed so that you cannot die. But if you were to destroy the object, that part of the soul is killed. The spell I cast at you was designed to destroy any soul that I said the name of. So when I pointed my wand at you instead of Voldemort, the only reason you went down was because some of Voldemort was in you. Do you understand?" he asked, thinking it as confusing as it sounded. Harry nodded slightly.

"So ultimately you proved your theory by casting that spell at me? And if I hadn't been an involuntary horcrux, I wouldn't have gone down?" he asked, making sure he understood everything.

"Precisely. And even though I hate apologizing, I must say—"

"Don't say anything. There's no reason you should feel one bit guilty for what you did. It was brave. So brave it was down right Gryffindor," he said with a smile and Severus scowled.

"Call me that again and I will show you my best Slytherin traits."

"Oh? And which ones might those be?" Harry smiled big and sarcastically, remembering how much fun it had always been to argue with Snape in class. But this was different in a more flirtatious way. He liked it.

"Cunning, and deception, as I plot your down fall and you never see it coming," he said darkly.

Harry giggled and put his arms around the mans neck. "Severus, the only thing that could ever be my down fall is you," he said.

"Exactly," he said with an evil smile.

There was a sudden slam of the front door and Draco and Ron came in. "Harry! You're awake!" they said together, and hugged him awkwardly since he was sitting in Snape's lap.

"So Severus told me that you guys went to tell Draco's mum about you guys." Draco started mumbling incoherently under his breath as he sat down on the couch, Ron next to him.

"Did it go that badly?" Severus asked.

"Oh no, it went wonderful," he said and Draco scoffed. "Well for me anyway. When we got there, Narcissa wasn't at all surprised by the fact that Draco was gay. She was surprised that he was dating a Weasley, but she didn't mean it offensively. Unfortunately when she asked how long we had been together and I told her... She sort of went off on Draco. Yelling at him for not telling her sooner. He tried to explain to her that it was because he didn't know how she was going to take it. That's when she got really mad. She told him that he should have known that as a mother, she was going to love him not matter what and he should have known that especially when she helped him so much when he refused to get his dark mark. Then she said that he owed her an apology. Well when he refused to apologize, she practically kicked him out, saying that I could stay. But I knew that if I stayed, I would never be forgiven, and it would just be me and my hand tonight," he said, threading his fingers into the blondes.

"Really Ron? That last bit was a little much," Harry said. Severus was tracing patterns in Harry's back as he let the three talk. He was just glad that he had his Harry back. He noticed the boldness in the red heads last sentence and noticed it was more something Draco would say. Draco smiled at Harry's comment and Ron was happy to see the smile on his face.

"Did you really mean that earlier?" Draco asked as he was curled into Ron's naked chest, coming down off an orgasm.

"Mean what?"

"The fact that if you hadn't taken my side earlier and come with me meant no sex for you?"

Ron scoffed. "Of course not, Drake. It was a joke. We could never have sex again and I would still be happy with you. You're my mate, that's how it goes. And besides, your mum was right about you trusting her more but I understand more where you're coming from. It's not easy to tell your family you're gay. So no I wouldn't have stayed whether I was going to make love to you or not," he said. He smiled and leaned down to kiss him lightly.

"I guess we won't be spending Christmas with your family..." Draco said, immediately disappointed. He had been excited to truly getting to know the Weasley family other than Ron, Fred, and George.

Ron nodded. "There will be other Christmas'. And besides we're all alive and well so that's a good enough present for me. I mean this year hasn't been all that good anyway. I almost got killed before the summer, at the Ministry, then I got kidnapped and almost died and both times you could have died as well. And then you all risked your lives to save me. Then all that with Harry, who I'm so glad woke up or we would have lost him and Snape. To be to be honest, I can't wait for this year to be over so we can all start fresh," he said, truthfully.

Draco laughed in agreement. "I think every one is looking for a new start this year, even if the war isn't over," he said, his eyes closing slightly as he fought back the urge to yawn.

Ron smiled. "Come on, let's sleep. We will be up in time for dinner," he said looking at a clock that was on the wall. It was only twelve in the afternoon. The blonde smiled back and cuddled closer, the blanket being pulled over them by Ron. He let his eyes droop as he felt Ron intertwine their legs for ultimate closeness.

They all came down in excitement. George and Fred had no clue Harry was awake, along with Luna and Hermione.

"So how have you all been?" he asked, shoving turkey into his mouth.

"Harry, don't talk with food in your mouth," Hermione said.

Harry rolled his eyes. "Hermione, I am a boy. No matter how many times you tell that to me or any other male, will never listen or learn. Except maybe Severus. He's the perfect gentlemen," he said as he leaned against his lover. He wrapped his arms around Snape's waist, abandoning his empty plate. Severus finished the last of his dinner and wrapped his arm around the boys shoulders. Severus kinda smiled at the teasing way Harry called him a perfect gentlemen. They had been sarcastic with each other all day. It was like before they entered their "honey-moon stage."

"You know he has a point, 'Mione. Men will always be the same," Luna said and Hermione just chuckled.

"Yes, I suppose you're right," she said.

When dinner had finished, they started to talk idly, not ready for what Severus was about to do.

"Well, now that you have all eaten, I think it best if we leave," he said.

"What?" he heard from most of them.

"Well we can't stay here forever. Voldemort and his death eaters know where this place is. We can't take any chances. We must leave. We do have to travel together this time, though. We are going to need every mind working as one to find those horcruxes," he said which made the crew less upset but only because they would all be together.

They all lowered their wands as they finished casting their protection spells on the house. Now that Voldemort knew where the house was, there was no telling what could happen to the house. They apparated on top of stone and dirt. Harry looked behind him at the familiar sound of running water. His eyes widened as he saw a beautiful large waterfall. Behind that; an even more beautiful sunset.

"We are very far from home this time. We will need to be extra precautious. Mr. Weasley, can I see you over there for a minute?" Snape said and gestured toward an extremely large rock. "I would like to have a word with you."

"Sure. And Snape, you can call me Ron. You've done it before," he said and followed Snape behind the rock.

"Harry... What is your mate gonna do to mine?" Draco asked nervously. He wasn't going to hurt him... Was he? He didn't have a reason to... Did he?

"I have no idea," he said with a shrug.

Suddenly the group watched as Draco cried out and clutched his gut and head with pain. As soon as the pain was there it was gone and he was sprinting towards the rock. Everyone followed and didn't like what they saw. When Harry cornered the rock, Draco having been faster, he saw Draco and Severus leaning over Ron as he writhed in pain. "What did you do to him?" Draco shouted.

"I told him I had to take the tracking spell off him and that because it wasn't my wand that cast it, it was going to hurt. He gave me his consent so don't blame me," he said.

Ron stopped writhing and settled into the leaves on the ground. His eyes were placid as they stared into the sky. "It's okay Drake, I'm fine. You know what they say, that which doesn't kill you, makes you stronger," he said.

Severus rolled his eyes. "Now that we're all done being dramatic. You all need some rest," he said and walked away.

They all watched as he set up the tent. It didn't look like much to set up. "Oh how looks can deceive when it comes to Severus," Harry thought. The tent was set up and finished. Hermione had cast a few very strong silencing spells around their small camp. You could put the entire great hall into that's space and no one would hear a thing. Severus had put up all the other protection charms and closed their apparation path.

Harry sat in their room, book in one hand, wine glass in the other. He sipped the wine and read a biography about Voldemort. It had been written by an anonymous death eater who had just escaped from Voldemort, who knew him in school and was his right hand man and knew all his secrets. Severus said there were only two copies in existence. One that was hidden in the school library, and another which he owned. As soon as it had been written, Voldemort had ordered all his death eaters to burn every copy and didn't care what they had to do to get their hands on every book. Harry thought it made sense. You didn't want your weaknesses to get out when you want to seem strong. In the end, the books were all destroyed, with an exception. Harry thought that made sense too. No one would want to read a book about him, so no one bought one. The man who wrote the book was killed shortly after the books were collected and destroyed. But he accepted his death with courage, having told at least one person about at least one of his secrets that could lead to his down fall.

"Mr. Potter. Underage drinking?" Severus tutted. He walked into the room and stripped himself of his shoes, socks, and shirt. He lied down next to Harry and took the wine glass from his hands, finishing the last of it before it refilled itself. "That wine glass is dangerous, refilling itself like that," he said.

"I'm not underage. It's sixteen in the wizarding world, and next time get your own," he said and pulled the glass out of Severus' hands before he could take another sip. He set the glass down on the bedside table and lied down more comfortably in the bed as the man next to him slipped his pants off.

Voldemort is and always will be human, just like most of us. He may be a very powerful wizard but he is nothing more than a coward. This man created six horcruxes just so that he wouldn't perish. If he was really the great wizard he claims, he wouldn't need to use that dark magic. But his one weakness will always be—

Harry was interrupted when a hand snatched the book from him and closed it, losing his page. He went to roll over and yell at his mate but was caught in a kiss. He closed his eyes and wrapped his arms around the mans neck as he heard the book hit the floor.

"I wasn't done with that, you know," Harry said in between kisses.

"I haven't been with you in three weeks. You are done now," he said.

Harry smiled and kissed him again. Severus was right, he hadn't been with him in too long. But he did need to read that damned book. If he was going to defeat Voldemort, he needed to know everything he could. Harry summoned the book to his hands and he felt the spine come in contact with his palm. He broke away from the kiss, that had begun to heat up, and Severus looked at him with a quirked eyebrow.

Harry sighed. "You know that I have to read this," He said as he held up the book.

"No you don't," he argued. "I have read that book, and know more than that man. You forget that I was the dark lords right hand man," he said and kissed him on the forehead.

He was right, he had forgotten. He hadn't even thought of asking Severus about Voldemort. He guessed that somewhere in the back of his mind, he thought that talking about 'the dark lord' was uncomfortable for him. And it probably was, but he would do anything for Harry, and Harry knew that.

"Okay," he said as he easily tossed the book on the floor as to not damage the book in anyway. "What is Voldemort's biggest weakness?"

"Well that book would tell you that it is you. And while you are a big thorn in his side, you're not the only weakness he has. He actually has a few. There's you, the horcruxes, but the death eaters are a big one. With out his followers, he wouldn't have gotten very far. Death eaters protect him with their lives, and for that reason, he will always get away."

Harry woke to the sound of rain. He had always loved that sound. Despite the fact that he wanted to stay in bed with Severus, he got up. He put on a pair of pajamas, that he owned and had rarely wore since moving in with his mate, then put on his glasses. He tip-toed down to the kitchen and quietly as possible took down eight cups, then put the tea kettle on the stove. He heard foot steps pad down the stairs and watched as a red-head rounded the corner. "Morning, Fred," he said with an exhausted sigh.

"How do you know I'm not George?" He asked with a smile.

Harry rolled his eyes. "I figured out the difference between the two of you two years ago. You both have freckles under your eyes but yours are more clumped together than his." Fred laughed.

"My own mother can't even tell us apart, but you can," he said as Harry yawned and rubbed his eyes. "Why do you look so exhausted?"

"I was up all night," he answered. Fred smiled deviously.

"Yeah, I know the feeling. George kept me up all night too," he said with a wink.

"Which one of you is the sick minded twin, because I think it's you. No, that's not what I meant. After Severus fell asleep, I think I had a break through with the whole Voldemort thing. But all it is is a plan, the problem is putting it into action."

Fred sat down across from Harry, suddenly serious. "Well, I would love to hear it."

"You will know along with everyone else," he said, moving to get the tea bags.

"You are actually going to drink that in the morning? Well I am going to make a pot of coffee, and I am-"

"There's coffee?" Harry asked. He immediately took the kettle off the stove and turned the burner off. "Thank Merlin. I haven't had any in a while, I am dying for some," he said and Fred laughed.

Very little time passed and the coffee was ready. One by one they all came downstairs, smelling the coffee. Severus was the first, ending with Ron.

"Well? Are you gonna tell them?" Fred asked and Harry rolled his eyes.

"Tell us what?" Hermione asked.

"Harry has a plan to take down Voldemort," he said. There were gasps all around except for Severus, who watched him.

"Well c'mon Harry, let's here it," Ron said.

"Fine. But let me just explain that it is more of an idea than a plan," he said and they all nodded. "I was talking with Severus last night and there are three major aspects in Voldemort's life that keep him on top. There's his death eaters, the horcruxes, and fear. If we can take at least one of those things away from him, he will fall. And from there, he might be some what easier to defeat him," he explained.

"There's no way we can take away fear, he's had it for too long," Draco said, jumping straight into the plan and adding to it.

"And unless we're all okay with suddenly killing off every death eater that comes across us, we can't take his death eaters away from him," Hermione said, clearly not liking the idea.

"That's not true," George and Fred said at the same time.

"When we got attacked by those two death eaters," Fred.

"We didn't kill them," George.

"But we definitely took them away from him," Fred.

"Instead of killing them, we Obliviated them," George.

"So much that they didn't even remember who they were," Fred.

"That could work," Severus said, speaking for the first time. "An Obliviate isn't something that can be undone with out a potion, I invented. Which the dark lord does not have. And not only would we be taking away one of the key elements that give him power, we would also be taking away pieces of his soul along the way."

"We have another problem though. Not only does Voldemort know about the soul mate bond between Harry and Snape, almost every death eater thinks that Harry is dead, and therefore, think Snape is dead. How are we going to take out death eaters if we can't get them to come looking for Harry?" Luna said, also talking for the first time. Harry stared at her. Maybe she had finally touched the ground instead of hovering above it.

"She's got a point," Ron said.

"Well that's easy," Severus said. "Harry has to make a public appearance."