CHAPTER 37

A/N: MERRY CHRISTMAS! This is your Snarry gift ;-) Hope you like it!

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Harry ran the comb one last time through Severus's thick black hair and reached out for the handsome wooden brush Severus had bought after the wedding. He smoothened the dark tresses with the brush for three or four minutes before stepping back. Severus rose, drew Harry close to him and kissed his forehead.

"Thank you," he said.

Harry grinned.

"It's time I came across hair which is not as stubborn as mine," he remarked.

Severus's eyes glinted.

"The lack of stubbornness is misleading if you go beyond my hair," he murmured to Harry.

"Oh yes, very misleading indeed," Harry agreed.

He loved the teasing conversations between them and knew that Severus appreciated them equally.

"Remember that I will be sharing your bed tonight, my panther, and I will show you just how stubborn I can be," Severus reminded him.

Harry quirked an eyebrow at him.

"It is very difficult to forget about our bed-sharing arrangements."

"Excellent," Severus replied, releasing Harry and settling his teaching robes.

"Wonderful, your students are going to be particularly scared of you this morning," Harry joked.

Severus snorted and swept out of their rooms, hooked nose as arrogant as ever. Harry smiled and put away the brush and comb. He thought of their last night together. How he had pleasured Severus through his clothes. How Severus had come in his arms, the heat radiating off his skin in delectable waves…

Harry was lying in bed expectantly. Sure enough, a gentle knock soon made him look eagerly at the door. Severus stepped inside, a housecoat over his pyjamas. Harry drew back the covers, and Severus lay down next to him. The bed was smaller than Severus's, but they both had more than enough place.

"Well then, I am here with you in your bed. What shall I do with you? I have so many ideas in mind, and I don't know which one to choose," Severus informed him.

"How about a little kiss?" Harry suggested.

"A little one? Why yes, it is prudent to take small steps in the beginning," Severus answered, giving Harry a swift peck on the mouth.

"That was too little!" Harry complained.

"Ahhh. How fastidious we are tonight," Severus observed, kissing Harry and inserting his tongue into the impatient mouth.

"Just like you," Harry quipped breathlessly. Severus's answer was to kiss him again. The atmosphere in the room became charged with high-voltage desire. They were both flushed; Harry boldly unbuttoned Severus's pyjama shirt. Severus did not protest and let him undo the buttons, watching Harry's face closely all the while. When Harry was done, Severus helped remove his pyjama top, so that they were both lying in bed with bare upper bodies. Harry ran his hand slowly across Severus's chest and stomach. The hand was soon replaced by an eager mouth. Severus, impatient to touch Harry in the same manner, wrapped his arms around his husband and changed their positions. Harry lay underneath him with shining green eyes and one of the happiest smiles he had ever seen. The youth held Severus firmly in place by trapping his body between his thighs and pressing him down with his arms around Severus's neck. Severus gazed down at him and slid his hand between their bodies, and Harry's hips jerked violently as those flitting fingers found his heated hardness.

A week later, they took the next step – removing their clothes in front of each other. Harry was self-confident enough about his body. He used to wish that he were taller and not so skinny; but since he no longer had to return to his relatives, and with Severus keeping a sharp eye on his diet, he was no longer so scrawny. He was content enough with his height, though he would be rather annoyed whenever Severus smugly pointed out to him that Harry often rose on tiptoe when he and Severus were arguing or discussing about something while they were both standing. Severus, on the other hand, was insecure about his body. Some of the men with whom he had had his trysts in the past had unmercifully commented that he should eat more, and one person had asked him what he had done to his nose.

"Genetics is what happened to my nose, you moron," Severus had snarled and hexed the man into a pig.

Severus and Harry took turns to share each other's beds. Severus would spend a week in Harry's bed and Harry would spend the same amount of time in Severus's large four-poster. Harry had not yet broached the subject of simply settling on one bed in case Severus felt rushed. A man who had never known what it was like to be loved or to share intimate spaces might feel restricted, Harry thought; and he did not mind the bed-switching at all; that way, he could receive Severus in his bed and be received by his husband, always dressed in pyjamas; so when Severus entered Harry's room, the Potions Master was surprised to find Harry wearing only a towel.

"You aren't dressed?" he half stated.

Harry came close to him, his bare feet silent on the floor.

"Try removing it," he murmured to him. Severus raised his eyebrows.

"Go on," Harry encouraged him, toying with the seam of his towel.

"Are you trying to seduce me, Harry Potter?" Severus asked, drawing Harry to him and taking a fold of the towel. He pulled. Nothing happened except that the towel seemed oddly resistant. A mischievous look appeared on Harry's face.

"Ah. A Sticking Charm."

He hooked a finger into the seam, rubbing his knuckle just below Harry's navel. Two shower-moist hands began to unbutton his shirt even as Severus murmured the counter-charm; the towel and shirt fell around their feet simultaneously. Harry's heart was beating very fast. No one had ever seen him like this before – naked and aroused. He reached up and covered the black eyes with his palm.

"Your pants, too. And…underwear." He moved behind Severus, pressing his naked form against the tall wizard's body.

"This is a most elaborate plan of seduction," Severus commented dryly, sliding his pants and underwear down in one move; he stepped out of them and turned.

Harry flushed as he looked at his husband. It was not the first time Severus had been naked with someone, but it was the very first time he was standing like this in front of someone he loved. He was beginning to feel increasingly insecure and self-conscious under his husband's scrutiny when Harry placed his hand upon his chest, breathing:

"You're perfect."

Severus had heard many assessments about his person and character, but perfect had never been included – rather the contrary. They began to kiss; and, without breaking their kissing, moved to the bed and lay down upon it. Harry embarked on a languid tour of Severus's body with his mouth and hands. Severus shivered at each kiss, lick, nip and touch. He tangled his legs with Harry's, slowly rocking their bodies together. Past and future seemed far away. Voldemort was forgotten, along with House names and values, antagonism and insecurity. Wizarding Hero and Potions Master did not mean anything. Another world seemed to surround them, and it belonged to only them. They were simply Harry and Severus, and they loved each other. Later, Harry looked at the sticky mess on their bodies.

"Sorry," he said, reddening.

"For what?" Severus asked, nonplussed.

"Well, this mess."

"Mess? This is meant to be messy. There is no such thing as neat and tidy sexual explorations."

Harry laughed.

"It's good that it's messy. It's just…no one else has ever seen me like this…until now."

"Yes, it takes getting used to having another pair of eyes see you in complete disarray."

There was a pause during which Severus looked at Harry somewhat cautiously.

"I have to tell you something," he said.

"Tell me," Harry said, playing with his fingers.

"You are aware of the fact that I have had sexual experience before."

"Yes," Harry said calmly.

"I have never been penetrated before. I have always done the penetrating," Severus explained clinically.

Harry's reaction surprised him. The green eyes sparkled.

"Really? That would mean…I'm your first?"

"Yes."

"Wow," he exclaimed, beaming at him. Severus's mouth quirked.

"I am glad that you consider it an honour to attend to my deflowering," he observed. Harry laughed.

"But there's still time for that, isn't there?"

"Yes. There is."

They looked into each other's eyes and knew that there was not much time. It would soon be June. Then July would come. And Harry's birthday. The day on which Severus would have to take him to Voldemort…Severus wrapped his arms around Harry.

"There's something else, Harry."

Harry prompted him with a nod and a squeeze of the hand.

"Would you be willing to go through the bonding ceremony with me once again?" Severus asked.

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