Chapter 35 – The Much-Anticipated Event

Harry woke to a feeling of contented warmth and he cuddled in closer to the strong body behind him. The sun was slowly beginning to stream in through the window, illuminating the room with little patches of light. He sighed happily and ran his hand along the arms that encircled his waist.

"Morning," came the sleepy-heavy voice behind him.

He smiled and replied, "Mm morning. How do you feel about spending the entire day in bed?"

"I'd love to," Severus murmured, lowering his head to press kisses to Harry's neck, "but unfortunately I have plans for us today."

Harry groaned, partly in response to Severus' declaration and partly in response to the man's ministrations, and replied, "I hate it when you get all productive, it always means trouble for me."

"Harry you and trouble go hand-in-hand without any help from me," Severus told him affectionately. "But hopefully trouble won't find you today, so get up and we can begin."

Severus slid out of bed and Harry sighed, pulling the covers up over his head and muttering in response, "This is supposed to be a week off."

"That doesn't mean you can slack off," he heard the man reply. "So," he felt a sharp prod to the head, "get up, get dressed, get prepared."

Harry sat at the breakfast bar in the kitchen, cradling a mug of coffee, trying his best to ignore his husband as the man told him what they would be doing that day. He had insisted on a cup of coffee before doing anything and Severus had grudgingly acquiesced, though he wasn't giving Harry much time to enjoy it.

"You're not listening are you?" he asked as Harry continued to stare blankly ahead.

"I'm trying my best not to," Harry replied with a yawn, running a hand through his messier-than-usual hair. "If I listen, that means I actually have to do all this stuff you're talking about, whereas, if don't listen, I can just claim ignorance."

"This is important," Severus insisted, taking the mug out of Harry's hand and placing it on the side, earning himself a dirty look from his husband. "We need to understand your ability with Air Magic, we need to know what happened with the mind connection."

Harry sighed and nodded in grudging acknowledgement. "Do you always have to be so practical?"

"Well Merlin knows you're incapable," Severus retorted.

Harry smirked and rose to his feet, moving closer to Severus and looping his arms around the man's neck. "Well then it's a good job I've got you to keep me on the straight and narrow, isn't it?"

"Though you do all you can to try and deter me," Severus responded with mock severity, settling his hands on Harry's waist.

"Oh if only I succeeded," Harry chuckled, leaning forward to meet the man with a kiss. Severus pulled him close and kissed him firmly, wrapping his arms around Harry as the boy pulled himself flush against his body, desperate for as much contact as possible. Harry's lips moved against his own, demanding and sure, and Severus found it hard to believe that there was once a time when this had not been the most natural thing in the world to them.

"Have I successfully deterred you?" Harry murmured against Severus' lips.

"It was a valiant attempt," Severus replied, then pressed one last kiss to Harry's lips and said, "but not good enough, we have work to do."

Harry smiled and disentangled himself slightly, but stood with his hands resting upon Severus' shoulders. "You're right, I promise I'll behave...within reason."

They moved into the Great Hall, which still needed a vast amount doing to it, but was by far the biggest space they had at their disposal. They stood opposite each other and Severus instructed Harry to relax and to try and clear his mind of everything other than the task at hand. Harry nodded and rotated his shoulders in their sockets and steadied his stance, preparing himself.

"Do you know," Harry said, the idea suddenly occurring to him, and he couldn't believe he hadn't thought of it before, "I've just realised – I don't have my wand. Aldrington must have taken it. How could I not have realised that?"

"Well you have been rather preoccupied the last couple of days."

"With more things than one," Harry replied with a smirk. "But still, it's rather remiss of me not to notice that the most important magical tool is missing."

Severus paused for a moment or two and then said softly, "Has it occurred to you Harry, that perhaps you don't need it anymore?"

Harry frowned and asked, "What do you mean?"

"You haven't used it for quite some time, and if what everyone suspects about you is correct, I doubt very much whether you'll be needing it again."

Harry considered Severus' assertion for a moment before he emitted a quiet, "Oh."

Severus placed his hands on the boy's shoulders and rubbed them gently, saying, "One step at a time Harry, that's the only way you'll be able to do this. Don't put too much pressure on yourself and don't try to think about what everyone else is expecting of you. This isn't about anyone else, it's about you, just remember that." Harry nodded and offered a small smile, a little soothed by Severus' words, but still concerned about what the future was going to hold for him. "Now I want you to think carefully," Severus said, his voice clear and even, effectively ending Harry's internal debate, "when your mind sought out mine, did anything in particular happen, did you do something specific?"

Harry considered the question and then replied, "Not that I can remember. It was more of an...unconscious action. I was so exhausted, so broken, I just collapsed and the next thing I knew...I was talking to you. I don't think I consciously did anything to make it happen."

Severus nodded and said, "I suspected as much, but it still shows an innate ability. Do you think you could do it again?"

Harry let out a breath and replied, "I honestly don't know, I'm not even sure how I'd go about it."

"Are you prepared to try?"

Harry bit his lip in hesitation and shifted uncomfortably. "I'm not sure, our past history when it comes to this kind of area isn't exactly encouraging."

"This is different," Severus insisted gently, laying hand on Harry's shoulder. "Neither of us is trying to force or block the other's mind, we're trying to use a connection that already exists. This won't be like the other times."

"I hope you're right," Harry murmured, only mildly convinced. "I just...I just don't want to end this day not speaking to you."

Severus smiled and ran a hand through Harry's hair, saying, "I promise, we'll be fine. And even if we're not speaking, I'm sure we'll find something else to do." Harry smirked at the glint in Severus' eye and, feeling slightly more at ease, replied,

"Ok, let's try it then."

Severus nodded, pleased, and said, "Ok, close your eyes and take my hands," which Harry did, feeling slightly foolish, but prepared to try nevertheless. "Just focus on trying to reach out to me, to make our minds meet. Concentrate on the feel of my hands, hold onto the physical connection to try and achieve the mental one," Severus instructed gently, his voice washing over Harry, enveloping him in warmth.

He tried to do as Severus instructed; he was just as eager to understand what was going on as Severus was. He focused on the feel of Severus' hands entwined with his own and imagined their mental energies converging in the same way. He reached out with his mind, hoping for some tendril of awareness that Severus' mind was there, at least on the edge of his consciousness, but he was aware of nothing. He frowned and concentrated harder, gripping Severus' hands more tightly, but it was pointless, nothing happened.

He sighed and dropped Severus' hands in frustration, opening his eyes and saying, "This isn't working. This...this isn't how it happened last time, I wasn't thinking about it like this, I wasn't trying to make it happen."

"I don't know how else to do it," Severus replied, sharing Harry's frustration.

Harry considered the matter for a moment, then said, "I think I do. Stay here, don't do anything special, read a book, have a drink, just...wait."

Severus sat in the kitchen, his hands wrapped around a mug of steaming coffee, wondering what on earth Harry could be doing and why it was taking so long. He'd been waiting for ages, hoping to feel something, anything, even if it was the slightest brush against his senses, but so far, there had been nothing. He knew Mind Magic, knew it better than most, but he didn't know what he was dealing with when it was tied in with Elemental Magic. For Harry to forge such a connection when he was that close to death...it was a testament to the kind of power he possessed.

It amazed Severus, and it worried him. People were going to want to use Harry and exploit him and his power. Hell, Dumbledore even practically had the boy packed and off to Switzerland. New worlds would be opened up to him, new people, and then where would that leave him?

"As my husband you fool. And I'm not going to buggering Switzerland!"

"Harry?" Severus ventured, then realised he hadn't spoken, and neither had Harry, nor was the boy anywhere in sight. "How did you do this?" he asked in amazement.

"It's not about focusing on making the mind connection work, it's about focusing on the person you want to make the connection with. I just needed to go away and...think about you. Quite an easy task actually," he said, and Severus could hear the smile in his voice.

"Where are you?" Severus asked, looking round, as if expecting to see the boy.

"Just walking in the grounds. I had to stop trying to make the connection before I could do it. It's more of a natural think than something you make happen."

"So...you can hear my thoughts?"

"No, not really," Harry answered thoughtfully. "I'm aware of them, sort of like peripheral vision, but they're not clear, I don't think they're meant to be. It's more a case of connecting with you, sharing thoughts back and forth. It's not like I can just invade your mind or spy on your thoughts...not that I would. I think this kind of connection is intended mostly for communication."

"A useful tool then," Severus replied.

"Yes it is," came Harry's voice and Severus turned to find him standing in the doorway, a satisfied smile on his lips.

"I suppose you're pleased with yourself?" Severus asked as Harry moved towards him.

Harry nodded and replied, "I am actually. It just goes to show that I'm perfectly capable of learning all this on my own, that I can hone my abilities without running off to Switzerland, or anywhere else Dumbledore thinks I should be."

Severus said nothing, merely offered Harry a small smile and nodded slightly, then turned away and quietly asked if Harry was ready for lunch.

Harry wandered lazily through the corridors of the mansion. It was late evening and the sun was starting to set on the horizon, casting a warm orange glow through the windows of the estate. As he walked, he occasionally looked at the rooms; some were now finished, some were half done and some had yet to be started at all, but it was all coming along nicely and he was very proud of his and Severus' achievements.

He sighed contentedly and walked through the kitchen, smiling when he saw Severus leaning against the doorframe in the open doorway, a glass of wine in his hand as he stood looking out across the grounds. Harry walked quietly up behind him and stood on tiptoes to whisper, "Penny for 'em."

Severus turned around to face him, pulled from his reverie and said, "Hm?"

Harry laughed softly and said, "I said penny for your thoughts, although by the looks of things it'd take more than a penny."

"Oh I was just...daydreaming," Severus replied, offering a smile that Harry didn't quite believe.

"And the truth?" Harry asked gently.

"It's nothing," Severus answered, his attempt at being convincing falling decidedly short.

"You can't lie to me, you've not been yourself since lunch time, what's going on in that head of yours?"

"Honestly Harry it's nothing, I've just been thinking about things that's all," Severus replied, running his hand through Harry's hair and resting it on his cheek.

"You want to tell me what kind of 'things' you're thinking about?" Harry asked, not wanting to push, but anxious to know what was troubling Severus so.

"It's nothing particular, really," Severus replied, dropping his hand and returning his attention once again to the grounds. Harry sighed, not surprised but slightly annoyed at Severus' elusive responses, and was about to press the matter further when Severus asked, "Shall we go for a walk around the grounds before we lose the light?"

Harry regarded him for a moment, knowing that the man was simply trying to avoid answering further questions, but nevertheless he nodded and followed Severus out into the grounds.

The air was warm and fresh, and the promise of summer lay in the evening's stillness. Despite Severus' reluctance to offer information, Harry couldn't help but feel content as they strolled through the less wild portion of their grounds. There was still so much to do to the land, but their main priority had really been the house itself, and there were parts of the grounds that maintained themselves and had retained their beauty. The main portion was made up of one kind of garden of another, but there was also a large portion of forest to the back of the property which was a wilderness of trees and foliage, but that would, one day, be very beautiful.

Harry glanced across at Severus, and although the man seemed content enough, Harry could discern that his thoughts were still troubling him. He reached across and gently took hold of the man's hand as they continued to walk. Severus looked over to him and offered him a small smile, pulling him a little closer.

Harry knew what was bothering him, even if the man wouldn't say it, and it was something that had been on his own mind too. "I'm not going you know," he said quietly.

Severus stopped walking and turned to face him, saying, "Not going where?"

"To Switzerland. I'm not going to that academy or whatever it is, I have absolutely no intention, whatever Dumbledore might say."

Severus was quiet for a moment or two, looking down at Harry, his expression uncertain and he was clearly debating with himself how best to answer.

"It would be unwise to rule anything out at this point Harry. It might be that it's the best course of action for you. You need to understand your power and how to use it; this academy could be the best way to do that," Severus said quietly, avoiding Harry's eyes.

"And it might not be," Harry countered. "I can figure this stuff out on my own; all I need is a little help from you and Lars. I don't need to go away from my home to learn about my power. Do you want me to go?" Harry asked, confused by Severus' reaction.

Again the man avoided his gaze and replied, "I want you to do what's best for you, whatever that may be."

"What's best for me is to stay with you," Harry said firmly, "not to go half way across Europe with a bunch of Elemental hopefuls. I don't want to leave you," he finished quietly.

Severus sighed and let go of Harry's hand, his stance firm but his expression troubled. "You can't make decisions about your future based around me," he said, his voice low.

"Why the hell not? You're my husband!" Harry exclaimed.

"Only for the next two and a half months!" Severus countered, his expression pained, completely taking Harry aback.

"What are you talking about?"

Severus emitted a noise of frustration and moved a little way away from Harry, his back to him as he said, "In case you've forgotten, our marriage was only meant to last a year and a day. In two and a half months it'll be over and...then you'll regret any decisions you made with me in mind."

Harry couldn't believe what he was hearing and he was so startled that he actually couldn't form an answer. Severus apparently took his silence for an agreement and shook his head, moving to return to the house. Harry snapped back to his senses and quickly followed him inside, grabbing the man's arm and pulling him back round, saying,

"Have you completely lost your mind?! Just because the contract ends doesn't mean our marriage has to. I thought...I thought that was how you felt about it too. I have no plans to go anywhere when the contract ends."

Severus looked as though he was torn between relief and confusion. "And that's...that's what you want?"

"Of course it is," Harry said earnestly. "I don't want our marriage to end when the contract does." He stepped closer to Severus and placed a hand on the man's cheek. "You're my husband," he said softly, "and that's the way I want it to stay. When I think about my future, it isn't even a question that you'll be in it." He let his hand drop and he asked quietly, "Don't you feel the same way?"

Severus sighed and said, "Of course I do, but are you sure this is what you want?"

Harry smiled and moved forward to wrap his arms around the man and answered him with a firm, confident kiss, pulling himself up flush against the man's body. He only broke away slightly to whisper, "Of course this is what I want, I'm in love with you, you idiot." He found himself pushed back against the wall as Severus' lips met his once again, apparently rather pleased by Harry's declaration. The intensity grew by the second as the contact between them increased and Harry pulled Severus as close to him as was physically possible as the man continued to kiss him senseless.

"Bed," he murmured against Severus' lips, not ceasing his endeavours for one moment as Severus pulled him away from the wall and they made their tangled way through the corridor to the study where their trusty old mattress resided, shedding various pieces of clothing along the way. By the time they stumbled in through the door, they were both shirtless and breathless, though they hadn't broken the contact once.

Harry ran has hands along the smooth skin of Severus' shoulders and dug his fingers in slightly as the kiss intensified and Severus demanded more. Harry's eyes shone as he broke away slightly and looked up at Severus and said with an impish grin, "So do you think I'm well enough yet Professor?"

Severus answered his question with a slight growl as he pulled Harry down onto the old mattress and continued to kiss him, pinning him gently but firmly beneath him, emitting a soft moan as his hardness met with Harry's.

"Fuck," Harry muttered, his head arching backward as his hips involuntarily bucked upwards to meet Severus better.

"An excellent assessment of the situation Mr Potter," Severus said, smirking down at him, though Harry could discern an absence of the usual control that was always so evident in the man.

"For the last time," Harry said, "it is Potter-Snape. Care to make it official?"

"Oh, with pleasure," Severus said, his voice almost a purr, sending delicious shivers reverberating throughout Harry's entire body. Severus dipped his head and pressed firm, slow kisses to Harry's throat, knowing exactly the right places to attack to elicit the sounds that followed. He created a trail up to Harry's ear and gently nipped at Harry's lobe, smiling slightly as he felt the boy's breath hitch. He slowly made his way back down Harry's neck and then across the smooth planes of his chest as Harry's hand came to tangle in his hair. He was already painfully hard himself and he knew Harry was in a similar situation, but he was damned if he was going to rush this, as much as he wanted to. This wasn't merely about satisfaction, this was about Harry and the final, longed-for moment of the consummation of their marriage.

He continued his trail of kisses and Harry murmured appreciatively beneath him, the hand in his hair tightening as he neared the waistband of Harry's trousers. He looked up briefly at Harry, marvelling at just how beautiful the boy really was, and Harry gave an almost imperceptible nod that was accompanied by a whispered, "Please." Severus smiled and slowly undid the buttons on Harry's trousers drawing them and the boy's underwear down over his knees and out of the way. Harry lay naked before him, his expression uncertain and slightly shy, a tinge of embarrassment suffusing his cheeks, but he didn't look away, he met Severus' gaze full on, and Severus could see the question in the boy's eyes. As he allowed his eyes to take in the vision before him, the body that somehow now belonged to him, he couldn't imagine how Harry could imagine the answer to be anything else. He met the boy's eyes once more and said gently, "You're beautiful."

Harry's face softened into a relieved smile and Severus could hardly believe he was capable of housing all the emotions that were within him at that moment. He leant forward and captured Harry's lips once more as he allowed his hand to travel down Harry's body, slowly, agonisingly, until it finally wrapped around Harry's erection. Harry moaned against his lips and his nails dug into Severus' neck as he gripped on tightly as Severus began moving his hand in sure, firm strokes. Severus' lips never left Harry's as he continued his ministrations and Harry was lost in a world of sensation, he didn't know which to pay attention to first. This was new territory for him; before it had always been his own hand in the privacy of his bed or the bathroom, but this, this was something else entirely, and the fact that it was with Severus, was almost too much for him to process. He could feel himself drawing dangerously to the edge and he bucked into Severus' hand, desperate for release. But before that could happen, Severus removed his hand and smirked in amusement at Harry's noise of indignation.

He leant down so his lips were level with Harry's ear and he whispered, "Not until I'm inside you Harry," and that comment was almost enough to finish Harry off there and then. He grasped Severus tightly and groaned into his neck, relishing in the feel of the man's weight pinning him down, and then he was being kissed again, thoroughly and insistently, with Severus' words resounding in his head, going straight to his already painfully hard erection. He heard the belt on Severus' trousers jangle and he was vaguely aware that the man had removed the rest of his own clothing; his heart skipped slightly as he realised that what he had been waiting for for so long was actually about to happen. He was suddenly nervous, afraid that he wouldn't live up to Severus' expectations, that he wouldn't know what to do. Severus had clearly sensed the sudden tension in his husband's body and he pulled back slightly, meeting Harry's eyes and said breathily, "If you don't want – "

"Of course I want this," Harry said quickly, and truthfully, "I'm just...I'm just a little...nervous that's all. I've never...you're...you're my..."

"I know Harry," Severus said gently, brushing the hair away from Harry's face. "We'll go slowly ok?"

Harry nodded, smiling, and Severus couldn't imagine loving anyone more than he loved Harry at that moment. He rested a hand on Harry's cheek then reached out and grabbed his wand from the nearby table. "This will feel a little strange," he said softly, then muttered a spell unfamiliar to Harry's ears, though Harry didn't waste time pondering it as he was suddenly hit with the oddest feeling, the feeling of being somehow stretched and lubricated. He looked up at Severus and said, "You weren't kidding. That's a nifty little trick Professor, you'll have to teach me some time."

"Oh, you have no idea the things I plan on teaching you," Severus replied, his voice low and playful and Harry grinned up at him and said,

"Well, if it's not too much trouble, would you mind awfully divesting me of my virginity?"

Severus laughed and replied with the same exaggerated formality, "I would consider it an honour." He kissed Harry softly again and positioned himself so he was leaning more directly over Harry. "Are you ready?" he asked gently, and the joking of the previous moment was gone entirely, replaced only with sincerity and warmth. Harry nodded and he felt Severus' erection prod lightly at his entrance. "We can stop anytime you want," Severus assured him but Harry simply pulled his head down until their lips met and murmured,

"Now Severus."

Severus pushed forward gently and Harry braced himself, a sharp feeling of pain hitting him straight away.

"Breathe Harry," Severus instructed gently, pushing further inside Harry slowly. Harry did as instructed, the pain still there but it was pushed aside slightly by the sense of overwhelmed wonder he suddenly felt. As Severus continued to move, Harry was hit by the situation, the realisation of what was actually happening, and it wasn't until Severus was fully sheathed that he snapped back to his senses. It still hurt, but the pain wasn't as intense as it had been initially and Severus was being so careful with him, letting him take time to adjust before he started moving, though it was clearly taking all the man's restraint to hold himself back.

Harry looked up at him and smiled, seeing his own emotion reflected in the man's eyes. He gave a small nod and the man finally began to move. The thrusts were slow and careful at first, the pain Harry had initially felt had now subsided to slight discomfort and as Severus moved, Harry began to move with him, gripping the man's shoulders tightly as they began to find a steady rhythm.

After a few more steady strokes, Severus began to angle his aims differently and after a couple of attempts, Harry felt him hit something inside him and pleasure swept through his body. "Merlin," he let out in an unsteady breath and Severus chuckled lightly as his thrusts become surer and firmer now he was certain he wasn't going to hurt Harry. He dipped his head and reached for Harry's hands, pinning them gently above the boy's head as he continued his strokes, each time hitting that spot inside Harry, making the boy arch upwards to better meet him. The pace increased and Severus' grip on Harry's hands became tighter and Harry found himself winding his legs around Severus' waist, trying to draw the man in deeper and hit that spot harder.

His breathing was ragged now and he was beginning to become lost in a sea of sensation and feeling. The capacity for thought had long since left him and all he could do was emit noises of encouragement or pleasure as Severus' thrusts became faster and more insistent. He looked up at Severus and saw that the man was in a similar situation and it captivated him completely to see the normally stoic man so undone and unbridled. Their eyes met and Harry felt the man's gaze go deeper than it ever had before, somewhere that could only be shared between lovers.

He was desperate for release and he was moving as one with Severus, his mind beginning to fuzz and the edges of his vision beginning to blur. He was vaguely aware that he was making some sort of noise, probably a plea of some sort, and before he knew what was happening, his orgasm hit him so hard he felt as though it had been torn from his body. He felt himself clamp down around Severus' erection, and a few moments later Severus followed him and came hard, biting down on Harry's shoulder as he found his release.

They lay in a pile of sweaty and sated limbs, Severus weight pressing down on Harry, though Harry was only too happy to lie like that forever. His hand came to rest on the nape of Severus' neck and he gently stroked the hair back and forth, the action serving as a tactile reassurance that he was indeed still tied to the world and that it hadn't all been some wonderful dream. He was breathless and exhausted, but he'd never felt better in his entire life. He pulled Severus even closer to him and whispered next to the man's ear, "Consider my virginity well and truly taken."

Severus laughed, a low rumble into Harry' neck and then slowly levered himself on one shaky arm, looking down at Harry with such affection and warmth that Harry was quite taken aback by it. "Let them try and say our marriage isn't real now."

"Mm," Harry murmured, "although, just to be sure, we should probably have sex several times for the rest of the night...better safe than sorry."

"Oh indeed."

AN: Well...I promised you all you'd get it eventually, and I kept my word! I just hope it lived up to all your expectations, I think our boys enjoyed it! I look forward to hearing what you all thought of it in your reviews. Though the much-awaited event has occurred, this doesn't mean that Sev and Harry are about to go dancing off into the sunset hand in hand. There's still a war on and Harry still has to understand his powers, but hey, at least now they can get a little action in between!

Thank you, as always, for the wonderful reviews. If you haven't received a review response from me then it's because you have disabled the PM tool, it's not because I've forgotten you I promise. And thank you too to those reviewers who don't sign in and whom I can't thank with the review response system, especially to Iforgotmyusername, not only for being reviewer no. 1,500, but for her very complimentary and much appreciated review.

Lastly, thank you to my lovely beta Adapative, who has recovered from the madness of Easter!