Disclaimer:
I'm not J.K. Rowling and Harry Potter isn't mine. Sadly.

Author's Note:
Please note that I had to increase the rating to "M" for this one :grins:

Chapter 25
"Awakening"

It didn't take long and the pounding in Severus's head became weaker and weaker and soon vanished all together. The Dark Lord had not managed to enter Harry's mind – or rather their minds - over such a distance and Severus guessed that, without direct eye contact, it would still be a while until he was able to.

For now his mate's mind was safe and so were they.

When Harry's body slackened and his head, which Severus was still cradling in his hands, lolled back, Narcissa – fearing for the worst - gave a small, terrified scream. Severus calmed her.

'Don't worry,' he said, gently gathering Harry in his arms. 'He's alright. The Dark Lord did not succeed.'

Overwhelmed by the strength and intensity of their previous connection and not yet trusting himself to get up on steady legs, Severus remained seated on the floor of Draco's bedroom. Harry's head was resting on his shoulder, his even breath delightfully tickling Severus's neck. The teacher tightened his embrace protectively. Possessively.

Meanwhile, Draco sighed in relief. 'How Potter could ever become famous for repeatedly escaping the Dark Lord is beyond me,' he sneered nervously. 'I mean, all he ever does is faint when life gets too uncomfortable.'

'He hasn't fainted. He's fallen asleep.'

'Big difference,' Draco retorted. 'So the Golden Boy takes a nap when things get rough.'

At that, Lucius, whose face had been etched with worry until now, grinned.

'What did you do with Harry just now, anyway?' Draco wanted to know from Severus.

Calmly Severus looked at his godson. 'I entered his mind and blocked out the Dark Lord for him,' he answered truthfully.

'Uh-huh,' nodded Draco casually, but his brows furrowed ever so slightly.

Severus had expected this. Draco was smart and knew too much about the art of Occlumency – and its limits – to be fooled easily. Severus knew that behind his indifferent manner, Draco's brain was now working furiously, trying to add up the facts. Trying to make sense of what he knew to be unachievable for an Occlumens (even one as skilled as his godfather), all the while unsuspecting, of course, of the soulmate bond that Severus and his charge shared with each other.

'And Harry fell asleep because…?' Draco asked, stretching the last word invitingly, offering Severus the opportunity to present a plausible explanation.

The only plausible (and true) explanation would have been to admit that this first thorough bonding of their minds had left Harry in such a state of perfect tranquility and bliss that he had simply fallen into a very peaceful, very heavy slumber. However, Severus knew that this was neither the right time nor place to reveal to Draco that his godfather was bonded to a boy of Draco's own age. One of his classmates, too. The boy who lived, no less.

He got up from the floor, safely carrying Harry's sleeping form in his arms, and simply replied: 'He must have been tired.'

'But isn't it dangerous for him to be asleep now?' Draco frowned. 'Sleep makes the mind even more vulnerable. What if Lord Voldemort tries to attack again?'

'He won't,' answered Severus. 'The Dark Lord is not as strong as he fancies himself to be.'

'But how do you know he won't try again?' Draco insisted.

'It's enough that he does, son!' Lucius replied sharply, effectively silencing any further inquiries. 'Now Sev, I expect you are not going to floo back with the boy?'

Severus shook his head. 'No. Although I highly doubt it, our passage might not be safe anymore and I'm in no mood to find out tonight.'

'Then I will accompany you and Potter back to Snape Manor,' Lucius offered.

Severus smiled. 'You're more than welcome to take a walk with me, but I don't need you to guard me, my friend. I won't be taking Harry back with me, Priya will.'

With a nod of his head he acknowledged the Indian who had just entered the room. Priya smiled, nodded back almost unnoticeably and (with a grotesque strength that no unsuspecting onlooker would ever expect of such small and gracile woman) took Harry from Severus's arms. Effortlessly she carried the sleeping teenager out of the room.

'What if he wakes up?' Narcissa asked, wide-eyed.

Severus shrugged, unconcerned. 'Then he'd be in for quite a ride, wouldn't he?' he asked with half a smile.

'Ride is not quite the word I would have used myself, but I suppose you're right,' Lucius muttered.

The two men grinned at each other.

Priya handed him a hot steaming mug of coffee with a smile.

Severus accepted it gratefully, climbing on one of the high chairs behind the counter in the middle of their kitchen. 'Did he wake?' he asked quite needlessly, knowing the answer already.

'Of course not,' Priya replied. 'One shock is quite enough for one night. The poor boy! Are you sure Voldemort hasn't noticed anything?'

Severus took a large gulp of coffee before answering her. 'Yes, I'm sure. But it's only a matter of time until he will be able to connect with Harry. And what if I'm not around then? What if the Dark Lord finds out how attached he's become to us all?'

The latter was another rhetorical question and Priya knew it.

'You know that he won't,' she said to him. 'Thanks to future Harry, we already know that none of us will be harmed by Voldemort.'

'Except Harry himself,' Severus replied gravely.

'You don't know that.'

'Because the little brat just won't talk to me about what will happen to him, that's why!' he answered heatedly, banging his flat hand on the table. 'There's so much I need to ask him! About the memory I've kept hidden in the Pensieve, for example! If at least he would tell me when and where he and the Dark Lord will have their final confrontation, so that I …'

Severus broke off, tiredly rubbing his eyes, and Priya put a hand on his shoulder.

'It has to be enough for us to know that Harry will defeat and survive that monster in due time,' she said quietly. 'Don't pressure him. Harry's future self will have his reasons for not telling you more and you have to respect his decisions.'

Severus sighed. 'Well, I couldn't do any different even if I wanted to, for I haven't seen my dear husband in quite a while.' For a moment he looked almost sad, but the clouds quickly disappeared from his face and he smiled at Priya. 'Then again, that's not quite true, is it? He's right upstairs.'

'He is, Sev,' Priya confirmed gently. 'Harry's right where he belongs.'

If Severus had known just how literally true both of them were with regard to his "future husband", he most likely would have retired to his bedroom right away. As it was, he remained seated and smiled back at her before nodding almost thoughtfully. Then, after taking another sip from his coffee mug, he quietly began to tell Priya about his first bonding with Harry.

'I've read his thoughts before, so maybe I shouldn't have been surprised by how easily I entered his mind,' (here he chuckled lightly) 'but it blew me away just the same. We connected instantly, Priya, and I located the spot where the Dark Lord was trying to enter at once. I didn't even have to think about what I was doing, it just happened! Our souls became one, just like that!' He snapped his fingers. 'I … I "sealed" his mind, I guess is the best way to put it.'

His testimony became more and more animated and Priya watched lovingly as the usually so reserved man continued to talk about his experience with glowing eyes.

'Harry, he … he trusted me! He was never scared, not for one moment. Oh Priya, who could blame me for wanting to know his every move, to be there to protect him on every step of his way? Who could blame me? The way he trusts me already, Priya, it's unbelievable. He-'

He stopped, overcome with emotion.

'He loves you,' Priya finished his last sentence tenderly.

The Potions master looked at her. Then he nodded in silent amazement. 'He does,' he agreed quietly. 'I think, he really does.'

He got up from his chair and dropped a kiss on Priya's temple, wishing her goodnight. With a flick of his wand he cleaned his now empty coffee mug and put it back on the shelf. But before disappearing through the kitchen door, he turned around once more.

'I love him, too,' he said.

Severus was still so wrapped in the evening's events and the first bonding with Harry that, when he stepped into his bedroom, for one surreal moment he thought his mind was playing tricks on him.

There in his bed lay Harry Potter. Sleeping soundly.

After blinking in disbelief and consequently making sure the boy was no delusion, Severus mentally began ticking off the next possible options – all within the flash of a second.

- Priya had placed Harry in his bed instead of his own. - Unreasonable. Besides, she would have told him so just now.
- Harry had snuck into his bedroom on his own account. – Nonsense. Unfortunately.
- Harry had been sleepwalking. – Unreasonable. Potter might love roaming the dark corridors of Hogwarts at night, but he was no sleepwalker.
- This wasn't Harry. – Reasonable. Except that it was Harry. He could feel it.
- This was his time-traveling future husband…

There, his racing mind came to an abrupt halt and confirmed. Severus smiled.

Speaking of the devil.

With a flick of his wand he ignited some candles before switching off the main lights in the same manner. After that he quietly walked around the bed and sat down on the arm chair that stood next to Harry's bedside. Severus bent forward until his elbows touched his knees, folded his hands underneath his chin and watched the sleeping, young man contemplatively.

God, he's beautiful.

Harry lay on his side, facing Severus. The candle-light danced upon his serene features and his breath was calm and even. Harry's head (the raven-black hair slightly longer than that of his younger counterpart) was resting on one of his arms, while the other arm was hidden underneath the blanket. Only the hand was visible, curling around the excess material of a white long-sleeved shirt. Automatically, Severus's eyes searched for the wedding band. He frowned slightly when he saw none on either one of Harry's hands, but of course this could mean many things. Maybe it was lying on the bedside table, left behind in the future.

Suddenly Harry's even breathing stopped. He shifted slightly … and opened his eyes. Drowsily, he blinked a few times before he spotted Severus. Harry smiled.

'Hullo,' he greeted in a hoarse whisper, his voice thick with sleep.

'Hello,' replied Severus, suddenly rather hoarse himself.

'You're back,' Harry said. Severus, thinking that this should really have been his part, merely nodded.

Harry sat up sleepily. 'I hope you don't mind me being here,' he croaked while rubbing his eyes with the knuckles of both his hands.

Severus shook his head. 'Of course not,' he said softly.

Why would he mind? Why would Harry think he'd mind?

But before Severus could make up his mind to ask, Harry threw back his covers and got up from the bed. Only now did the teacher recognize the too-large shirt that Harry was wearing as one of his own dress shirts and he briefly wondered whether its present counterpart was still hanging in his closet. Either way, Severus doubted it had ever looked this good on him. Underneath the white shirt that was buttoned up only half-way and slipped over one of his shoulders now, exposing a delicate patch of light marble skin, Harry wore a pair of black boxer shorts.

Severus felt his heartbeat quicken.

Harry walked over to Severus's armchair, stopping so close in front of him that their knees were touching. He looked down at him somewhat shyly yet expectantly, as if he was unsure of what to do next. Severus leaned back in his chair. Pleased with the invitation, Harry climbed onto his lap and straddled him. For a while all they did was look at each other attentively.

'They don't know I'm here,' Harry confided at last. 'You won't tell on me, will you? Lucius would have a fit if he knew I'm not at school.'

Severus could only shake his head no rather stupidly, because Harry's statement caused his heart to get caught in his throat for two reasons. For one thing, Harry's reference to Lucius implied quite clearly that the Malfoys were his guardians. So he had been right after all!

Go me.

The other reason Harry's confession stunned him was that it gave the lack of a wedding band on Harry's finger a whole new meaning. If Harry ought to be in school instead of, well, sleeping in Severus's bed … did that mean he was still a student? Did that mean they weren't married yet? And did that mean that Harry's time-travels into the past did not happen in chronological order?

Severus's mind was swirling. And it didn't exactly help that Harry suddenly announced: 'Professor Snape, I'm going to kiss you now.'

Severus smirked. 'Are you now?' he asked.

'I am,' Harry nodded very gravely. 'And there's nothing you can do about it.'

Severus smiled.

'No!' Harry said sternly, shaking his head. 'Your protests will get you nowhere, Mister! I've made up my mind! I will kiss you now and no one can stop me, least of all you.'

'Potter?'

Harry grinned. 'Yes sir?'

'Do it already.'

Harry leaned forward until their noses almost touched. 'Stop protesting,' he whispered. 'I'm telling you it won't help you, Professor. Mark my words, if I say I'm going to kiss you, then I will and-'

He never finished his last sentence because Severus had decided to take matters into his own hands, by putting same on the back of Harry's head, pulling him closer and pressing his lips onto Harry's in a rather rough kiss.

'Tease,' he growled and Harry chuckled into their kiss before wrapping his arms tightly around his neck. Severus folded his arms around the young man in return.

'I've missed you,' Harry said and the urgency in his voice matched that of his kiss.

'Did you, Potter?' Severus breathed, his mouth never leaving Harry's. 'Is that why you're sleeping in my bed when you should be in school? Wearing one of my shirts?'

At that Harry pulled back, so that he could look into Severus's face. 'Do you mind?' he asked, suddenly worried. 'It's just … I can't seem to sleep when … and I figured you'd … and I wanted …'

Severus interrupted the stuttering time traveler by catching Harry's bottom lip between his teeth and biting it softly. Harry quiet laughter turned into a moan, when he began to trace his upper lip slowly with his tongue, and he quickly opened his mouth to grant Severus entrance.

A small portion of Severus's brain screamed for him to stop. Screamed at him, that this was wrong. Just wrong! His mate was sleeping just across the corridor at this very moment, innocent and unsuspecting, while he was busy taking advantage of the boy's future self.

His dick, however, didn't seem to share these reservations.

Protesting fiercely against the confinement of his pants, it was all but begging Harry for attention. Besides, Severus tried to reason, what was he supposed to do? He couldn't tell Harry that he had traveled back into time. Because … he already knew that he wouldn't. Hadn't.

This particular future version of Harry was obviously younger than the one that had landed in his bathroom a good two years ago. And if the latter Harry had been so startled and greatly scared by his transfer into the past, it meant he had never been conscious of any of his time-travels before. Thus, nobody had ever told him before that particular day, which meant that Severus would not reveal it today.

Dizzy, yet?

But any thoughts Severus might have had about time as such or the fifteen year old Harry Potter sleeping next door or, say, a troubling memory in his Pensieve that demanded answers, were wiped away when he felt his shirt slipping off his shoulders and, Harry's mouth following the same direction down his exposed chest soon afterwards. He shuddered with anticipation, when a playful tongue pushed at his erect left nipple; gasped, when Harry sucked it gently.

Only when his clouded brain registered that the nimble fingers that were reaching for his belt now, undoing the buckle and then releasing one button after the other with a slight pop, were trembling slightly, did Severus manage to wrench his eyes open again.

'Harry,' he rasped. 'You don't have to do this.'

Just ignore the fact that my dick begs to differ, will you?

But it seemed as though Harry was unwilling or unable to ignore just that, because he raised his eyebrows rather skeptically and smirked in a very Malfoy-ish way.

'I don't?' he asked (Severus could swear that there was a purr in his voice!) and before the teacher knew what was happening, Harry ran a bent index finger – ever so gently – up the goddamn piece of fabric that still imprisoned Severus's cock. Slowly. Just once. Teasing.

Damn the brat.

'Are you sure about that?' Harry whispered.

Apparently, the fact that Severus couldn't answer was all the answer Harry needed and he leaned forward, eagerly capturing Severus's mouth with his own. For a while their tongues fought a silent battle that knew no losers, but when Harry slipped his hand inside Severus's briefs and boldly wrapped it around his erection, Severus gave up all resistance. His head lolled back until it rested against the back of his chair and, with his eyes closed, he gave in to the waves of pleasure that rolled over him with every single one of Harry's strokes. They were tentative, even a little clumsy at first, and altogether the best thing Severus had ever felt in his entire life. Enthusiasm made up for inexperience and Harry soon found his rhythm. It didn't take long and Severus found himself thrusting upward into the young man's hand.

When he opened his eyes, he saw that Harry was watching him carefully. The look on his face was lingering somewhere between wonder and pride and only then did Severus begin to guess that this was just as new for Harry as it was for him.

Could it really be? Was this Potter's first time? Had he not been intimate with him – or rather, with Severus's future self – before? Could it be?

'Harry …' he groaned, but the rest of the sentence just wouldn't come out.

- I've been waiting for this moment ever since before you were born, but hey, you can stop here if you want. You don't have to go on. We don't have to do this now. I can wait. Really. -

It wouldn't come. Refused!

'Harry …,' Severus tried again, but again it sounded more like an encouragement than a serious attempt of ... of … oh by gods!

'Do you like this?' Harry asked.

Could Merlin conjure up white rabbits?

'Yes,' Severus rasped. 'I … yes!'

'Good,' Harry said matter-of-factly. 'Because you won't stop me this time.'

'Stopping? Who's trying to stop you? Not me!' Severus thought.

'Ughn- No!' was what he said.

'Articulate! Aren't we tonight, Professor Snape?' Harry grinned and quickly covered his teacher's mouth with another kiss, snickering devilishly.

Before I can deduct any house points. Heh.

Harry's hand rested on Severus's throbbing sex. Confidently. Severus felt a stupid grin spread on his face and he reached up and cupped the young man's head in his hands in an unconscious repetition of the position he had assumed with the younger Harry only few hours ago, when he had protected his mind from Voldemort. Hungrily, they kissed each other for a blissful minute or two, during which Harry resumed his attentive administrations.

The feeling of Harry's enthusiastic exploration of his mouth (and his cock, mind!) being so new to him – and so utterly, truly, perfectly amazing – it was all Severus could do to not come right then and there. His hands dropped from Harry's face and blindly he reached for Harry's shirt – his shirt – instead, fumbling open the small shimmering buttons, fingers trembling with impatience.

'Uh-uh,' Harry said and wriggled backwards a few inches. Severus looked at him questioningly. Guilty.

Harry smiled. 'Not so fast, Professor,' he whispered and slipped off the Potions master's lap and onto the floor, so that he was kneeling between the other man's legs.

'Take'em off,' Harry said breathlessly, tugging at the belt hoops of Severus's pant.

Momentarily forgetting to breathe, Severus lifted his hips off the chair, enabling Harry to pull the pants off his body in one fluid motion. Soon completely naked, safe for his open shirt, Severus felt very self-conscious all of a sudden. His hands tightened around the arms of his chair.

What the fuck am I doing here?

Would Harry be disappointed? He was old enough to be Harry's father and, let's face it, not known for his good looks or attractive physique. Not now. Not ever. Just then, however, Severus saw the look on Harry's face and he realized that he was wrong. One person thought him beautiful and that person was all that mattered. For that one person was his mate. His soulmate.

Harry now looked up at him almost questioningly before gazing back down on Severus's engorged member. His tongue flicked out, wetting his lips on a thought, and that unconscious little gesture alone was almost enough to drive Severus over the edge. He was hard as a rock now, almost painfully so, and was about to open his mouth to speak,

- Please! -

when, without further ado, Harry leaned forward and brushed the tip of his tongue over the head of Severus's cock. Probing. Tasting. Savoring.

Mesmerized and unbelieving, Severus watched Harry as he slowly ran his tongue up the entire length of the pulsing erection in front of him, eventually reached the white drop that had formed on its tip and - almost curiously – lapped it up.

Somebody moaned.

With some delay Severus realized it was him.

His entire body tensed when he finally slid into Harry's mouth – so warm, so irresistible – before semi-relaxing into a state of rapture. Instinctively the young man began to suck him and Severus's back arched when the he felt himself sliding against the slick sides of Harry's hollowing mouth. He gasped when a playful tongue twirled around the head and could not stop his fingers from entangling in Harry's unruly black hair. A small hum escaped Harry's throat then, tingling against Severus's cock, and that distinct noise of pleasure more than anything, sent a shiver down his spine. He was going to come. And soon.

Whether Harry sensed this or whether he was getting increasingly excited himself, Severus couldn't distinguish, unable to think but one clear thought as Harry began to move up and down his weeping cock faster and faster.

'Harry!' Severus gasped and then (in an attempt to prove to Harry just how articulate he could be) forced himself to add: 'I'm going to…!'

Again, Harry made a little noise just behind the tip of Severus's violently throbbing cock; something between a mewl and a whimper that could not be interpreted in any other way than encouragement. Contentment.

Lust.

Soon after, the lust that was pumping through Severus's own body found its bittersweet release. The teacher's hips bucked and he only just had enough sense to ease his grip on Harry head, enabling the boy to pull back a little when the first pulse hit his palate. It was reflex rather than want that caused Harry to swallow down this first string of semen, but the surprise did not cause him to choke and Severus groaned loudly as he pulsated down Harry's throat.

At last his now flaccid member was released and the Gryffindor looked up at him. Green emerald eyes sparkled like stars as Harry bit his bottom lip almost sheepishly, yet unable to stop a grin from spreading on his face. He looked liked the proverbial cat and Severus felt his own mouth curl into a smile as well. Lazily.

Not too lazy, though.

Not nearly too lazy to somehow end up on the bed with his mate on top of him, beside him, underneath him – sheets flailing, limbs intertwining, hips grinding – and never too lazy to rid Harry of his clothes. At last. But when his hand curled around Harry's erection the young man yelped, practically squirming at the touch. 'Sev,' he whimpered, 'Sev, I can't.'

He pushed Severus's hand away and for one fearful moment the Potions master suspected that Harry was afraid. He almost laughed when Harry revealed the real reason for his behavior, however.

'If you touch me, I'm going to come! Like, at once,' he confided, his voice stuck between desperation and laughter. 'I can't, I just can not …' Harry faltered, too embarrassed to admit to his inability to control himself under Severus's touch. 'I love you,' he concluded finally. 'And I want you. So much.'

He grinned a little. 'Right now, too much,' he said. Blushing.

Severus felt an almost painful burst of love explode in his chest and placed a tender kiss on Harry's forehead, right next to that hideous, jagged scar that could not, would not, disfigure the face that bore it.

'There's no thing as "too much", Potter,' he smiled.

'I'll remind you next time you'll tell me to go easy on the hellbore in class,' Harry retorted – screwing up his face at the lameness of his own joke a second later – and Severus chuckled.

He kissed Harry tenderly before threatening: 'I might just have to give you detention for your cheek, Potter.'

'Oh, but you were not so unhappy with my cheeks only a few minutes ago, Professor,' Harry returned, waggling his eyebrows suggestively.

Momentarily stunned by this irresistibly lewd comeback, Severus felt his own brows arching in surprise.

'You're right,' he replied at last, 'which gives the term "detention" a whole new idea, of course, and all the more reason to give you some in the future. Detention, that is.'

He grinned and Harry laughed.

'Ugh! That coming from any other teacher than you,' he shuddered, 'and I'd be too grossed out to even think the word detention.'

'Any other teacher suggesting such a thing to you would not live long enough to see his next detention,' Severus smiled pleasantly. Not joking.

His hand sneaked between their torsos and, covering Harry's protests (never too convincing to begin with) with his mouth, Severus let it travel down south, where it curled itself around Harry's need.

Still hard. For me.

Three, maybe four strokes later, Harry came. Trembling, he clung to Severus, burying his face in the crook of the other man's neck.

'I told you,' he mumbled. Then, 'Sorry. I'm sure I can do better than this. Someday.'

Severus pulled away to look at him. Smiling, he brushed a strand of black hair out of Harry's eyes before planting a small kiss on the tip of his nose.

'Well, we have the rest of our lives to practice, don't we?'

Draco was watching Harry Potter closely.

The Gryffindor was still fast asleep and Draco wondered if he had stirred even once since falling asleep in Severus's arms last evening. He was lying on his stomach, with his cheek resting on his left hand, facing Draco, while his other arm was hanging loosely over the edge of the bed. For a minute or two Draco stood in front of it, studying the other boy's face thoughtfully. Then he shook his head almost pityingly.

'You're supposed to be our Savior!' he whispered. 'Yet you're utterly clueless. And you don't even have the most primal wizard instincts. Sense me already, Potter! I could be the Dark Lord. I could be a stark raving mad Death Eater. Or at least some weird Muggle wanting to rip your throat out. And you wouldn't even know, because you're sleeping like a baby. Sense me, come on! Wake up, Potter.'

Harry Potter did not oblige.

'Wake up, Potter!' Draco repeated, louder. 'WAKE UP!'

If it hadn't been for the even movement of Harry's shoulders, Draco probably would have worried. Now he merely grew bored. And so he climbed on the bed (Harry still didn't move) and began to jump up and down.

'WAKE UP ALREADY, YOU FUTILE, INFINITESIMAL, HOMELESS, POSSESSED-BY-THE-DARK-LORD, GOOD-FOR-NOTHING, FOOLISH, DENSE, IDIOTIC...,' he chanted in sync with each of his jumps (every one of which shook Harry rather violently), which finally woke but didn't seem to disturb the Gryffindor very much. Happily stretching and lolling his limbs, Harry buried his face inside the pillows and yawned heartily.

'...DYSFUNCTIONAL, UGLY, FOUR-EYED, MALNOURISHED, MUGGLE-RAISED...'

Slowly Harry's contented mewl turned into an exasperated groan.

'...TASTELESS, BRAINLESS, SENSELESS, USELESS…'

'SHUT UP, MALFOY!' Harry roared at last. He turned around and squinted up at his friend, who was still using the mattress as his trampoline.

'Have you lost your mind?' he friendly asked.

'Oh-ho!' Draco exclaimed. 'You're one to talk, Mister Oops-I-think-Lord-Voldemort-is-trying-to-get-into-my-head!'

He plopped down next to Harry and looked at him attentively. 'You alright?' he asked.

Harry grinned. 'Never felt any better in my entire life!' he confirmed empathically, but suddenly his smile extinguished. 'Draco, about yesterday...'

Draco stopped him by lightly punching a curled fist into his stomach, his aim surprisingly accurate despite the puffy blanket.

'Shut up, you ninny! I'm in no mood to see the Dark Lord jumping out of your head again.'

Harry grimaced. 'Do your parents know that you're here?' he asked, sitting up.

'Of course they do,' shrugged Draco. 'They're downstairs.'

'They are? They still? They didn't? But I!'

Draco rolled his eyes. 'It takes five of you to ruin our Christmas, Oliver Twist,' he smirked. 'What, did you think my parents would be afraid of you now?'

Harry blushed. 'No … yes … I don't know,' he mumbled. 'I just thought …'

'Stop feeling sorry for yourself, David Copperfield!' Draco ordered sternly. 'And now get up at last, you LAZY, SLEEPY, IDLE…'

'NOT AGAIN, EBENEEZER SCROOGE!' Harry yelled. He got out of bed and walked into the adjoining bathroom. 'What's with all the Dickens characters anyway?' he called out after a while.

'You read,' Draco stated, sounding almost as disappointed as he looked surprised. His mother had been intend on getting Harry a Charles Dickens Collection for Christmas and Draco had been intend on proving that such a treasure of Muggle art would be wasted on the Boy who devoured 'Flying with the Cannons'.

Hmpfh.

He got up as well and followed Harry, stopping short in front of the half open door. 'You're not naked, are you?'

'Not yet, sorry,' replied Harry dryly. 'But if you give me a moment…'

Draco stepped inside the bathroom. 'Witty,' he said, smirking at his friend whose reply was made unintelligible by the toothbrush he had just put into his mouth.

Draco stared at him.

'What are you doing, Potter?' he asked.

'Buffingmahteef,' the Gryffindor informed him. He spit into the sink and asked: 'What does it look like I'm doing?'

'Like you're being a complete Muggle, once again?' Draco offered. 'We haven't got all day, you know? Breakfast is waiting and so are my presents, and I'd be much obliged if you could behave like the wizard you are for once?'

Now it was Harry who stared at him. 'What are you talking about, behaving like a wizard? What am I supposed to do? Hex my teeth clean?'

'Congratulations!' Draco sighed. Rolling his eyes rather spectacularly, he pulled out his wand, pointed it at Harry's mouth and said: 'Munoris!'

A few spells and less than three minutes later, not only Harry's teeth were brushed, but he was magically showered, combed and dressed also.

'There,' Draco said, sounding very pleased with himself. 'Saves time, trouble … movement. Very ecological, too, not wasting a drop of water and all.'

Harry shook his head. 'This doesn't feel right,' he said. He raised his hands in front of his face and sniffed. 'Do you always do it like this?' he asked. His hands smelled nicely of fresh soap.

'Of course not,' replied Draco airily. He shoved Harry out of the bathroom and then out of the main door before adding: 'I'm not a slob!'

'HA HA!' Harry complained. Then he stopped, barely evading yet another push and shove by saying: 'Wait, the presents!'

'You have presents?' asked Draco happily.

'It's not much,' Harry quickly replied. 'It's definitely nothing as great as you have given me.'

'Ah!' Draco waved his hand dismissively. 'Rubbish! Every present is a great present! Okay, maybe not every present, but how do you Muggles always say? It's the thought that counts, right?'

He beamed at Harry. 'Well, what are you waiting for, Potter? Go get me my present, hurry up!'

But Harry hesitated. 'Erm … I have something for Se-Professor Snape as well. Do you think…? I mean, is it okay to give him something? Only, I don't want to seem like I'm trying to suck up. But he's been so kind to me and-'

He stopped himself, when he saw the look on Draco's face, and raised his hand in defeat. 'Alright, alright, I'll get them,' he said, walking back into his room. 'I'll be right back.'

'DON'T YOU FORGET MINE, NICHOLAS NICKLEBY!'

Draco laughed, when he heard Harry grunt in the affirmative and muttering 'You Muggles! What's that supposed to mean anyway? You Muggles. I'm the freaking Golden Boy, thank you very much!'

'HEY, GOLDEN BOY!' he yelled, grinning. 'HURRY UP! THE FAMILY'S WAITING!'

To be continued

EDITED:

AUTHOR'S NOTE: I feel compelled to add this AN after receiving an anonymous review by "I am stopping" that, I must admit, hurts me immensely, simplybecause the reader doesn't "trust" me with the plot and did not even give me a chance to know whom I've "lost" or to reply to them personally, which I would have loved to.

To everyone else who also feels disappointed that Sev got intimate with "future Harry" instead of the "his mate", please know that "future Harry" IS his mate just like "present day Harry". They are the same person, only from different times!
If I have not made this clear enough, I am very sorry and please let me explain this again: Severus loves the "present day Harry" with all his heart, but he is NOT sexually attracted to him yet, simply because he is still a child. I have mentioned in an early chapter that soulmates won't be "hormonally" attracted to each other before both have reached the age of 16.

"Future Harry" is NOT the only one Sev cares about, far from it, but with him he already has a chance to ... well, see his and Harry's future. The future Harry shows clearly how much he loves Severus - and after all these years without him, how could he resist that? Again: "Future Harry" is his mate just like the "present day Harry" and therefore has every right to be loved by Severus, too. Plus, he wasn't aware of his time jump in any way. If you will continue to read the story (which I hope you will), you will find out that the events of that night were indeed a first for "future Harry" as well, so Severus did not "cheat" on the present Harry ;-). But rest assured that I will wait with "the main course" until the present Harry is old enough.

Please have some faith in me :-).

And don't be afraid to leave your name and/or email address with your reviews. Thanks.