When morning came, they lounged in bed. Somnus was already on his way with the acceptance letter to Durmstrang, Hades was curled at Severus' feet, and Harry's head was in his lap. Potions Quarterly rested on top of his hair.

"We should celebrate our new jobs. Dinner in London or at home?" said Harry, peering around the journal. "I like taking you out."

Severus looked up. "I don't mind, so long as I'm with you."

"Out it is. We can head into Camden. Really, being what I am," he swallowed thickly, and spoke louder, "a werewolf, has woken me up and made me realise what I need and want from a partner."

Severus returned to his reading. "You need to get over it. I slave over a cauldron for three weeks, we lark around at the full moon, and then return to our humdrum lives."

Harry snorted. It was hard to be offended by Severus. "You know, you always treated me the same."

"Like shit, you mean?"

"Well. Yes, but—that's not what I meant. You were just so…consistent. It didn't matter when I'd fallen off a broom or been confronted with Voldemort, I still needed to work hard in lessons and do my homework. I hated being treated differently, so…thank you."

Severus' thumb rubbed the shell of Harry's ear. "I resolve to be a considerably more patient teacher, this time around. No doubt having students genuinely engaged in my subjects will help."

"You deserve a good job. You know what you're talking about, and you've worked so hard."

His brow furrowed. "I'm not familiar with receiving or keeping good things."

Harry pulled him down to kiss him on the cheek and stroke his hair. Severus leaned into the touch like a freezing man crowding a fireplace. His eyes closed in contentment, and each time Harry ended a kiss, they would reopen. Harry laughed and rained kisses all over his face. "You do know I've fallen in love with you."

The laughter died away. Harry's messy hair splayed across his lap, and Sev twirled some around his fingers. Then, the back of his index finger pursued a course down Harry's nose to his Cupid's bow. "You make me feel like a teenager."

Harry kissed his finger. "I love you very much." He surged up to brush his lips across Severus'. "May I keep you forever?"

"Harry," he said against his lips, "you may."

Harry smiled and decided to tickle his armpits. Severus pinned his arms down and said, "You are the most annoying person I've ever met." He nuzzled his neck and nibbled his way to behind Harry's ear.

"But you love me anyway?"

Severus was now tonguing the edge of his ear. "Evidently. If that word were enough to describe the depth of this situation, I would use it. It is wholly deficient."

The following evening, Harry sat down to write to Ron. There were no words he could express. How do you say goodbye? He was his best friend, who had fought by him for all of his teenage years, and had stuck by him since the war. And Hermione? It was impossible. He had to see them.

He Apparated to the Burrow. It hadn't changed a bit. The light was failing, and so he dodged a gnome on his way through the garden. He could hear the faraway cluck of chickens. He knocked, and his heart raced at the prospect of seeing Mr. and Mrs. Weasley again.

As the door opened, he heard a squeal, and his face was full of flaming red hair. "Arthur! Harry's home!"

"What?" called a distant voice.

Mrs. Weasley held Harry at arm's length to inspect him. "It's so lovely to see you, my dear. Come in, and have some tea. I don't know who's been taking care of you, but you're looking very tired."

Mr. Weasley arrived in the hall and shook his hand. "Harry, what a pleasant surprise! Come in, come in. Have you been living with Muggles? You must sit and share all your news."

In a flash, Harry was at the kitchen table, mug of tea in hand, Celestina Warbeck on the wireless, and looking at the smiling faces of his surrogate parents as if no time at all had passed between them. "I'm sorry I've gone a bit off the grid," he said contritely. "I've been having a hard time. Thank you for welcoming me."

"Oh, pooh!" she flapped her hand. "You're always welcome here. However, a letter to say you were well would not have gone amiss," she chided.

"I'm sorry. I was hoping to speak to Ron, too. We've been writing, but I'm moving away, you see, and…"

"You wouldn't know what to say?" Mr. Weasley answered kindly.

It was just like that day on 1st September 1991, when the Weasleys bridged a gap he could not cross on his own.

He nodded. "Do you think he'd want to talk? I've been a bit rude. I've been abroad, as well."

"Of course he wants to see you!" She sounded exasperated. "I'll fetch him directly." She walked over to the fire, and got out a pinch of powder from the tin on the mantelpiece.

Mr. Weasley winked encouragingly at him. "Everything will be fine."

Within minutes, Ron had whooshed through the grate, and brushed off ashes and looked around. His mouth fell open as his gaze landed on him. "Harry!" He crossed the kitchen in two strides, pulled him up out of his seat, and gave him a crushing bear hug. "You're back!"

"Yeah! I've been living at headquarters. Look, I'm moving away. I came straight here to tell you. I'm sorry I've been a bit of a dick to you and Hermione. Things have been rough, but it's no excuse, I know—" he looked miserable.

Ron cut in. "It's fine, say no more about it. Is it okay if I tell Hermione…?"

"Of course! Is she home at the moment? Can she come 'round?" Mrs. Weasley went to get her whilst Ron dropped into her chair, and poured himself a cup from the teapot. "So, what about you? How is everyone? And Ginny, and George?" He turned to Mr. Weasley. "Everything okay at the ministry?" He had missed out on so much.

Harry then wandered over to better examine the family clock. There were several more hands. Hermione, Angelina, and Blaise were all pointing to 'home' and, with a jolt, he saw that Harry and Severus were pointing to 'safe.'

"Severus is on here!"

"I know." Mrs. Weasley winked. "You see, we knew you were all right. We would wait until you were ready."

Harry spluttered, but was saved by the arrival of Hermione.

"Harry!" He was engulfed by frizzy brown hair.

"I must say, I didn't see this coming, but I hope he makes you happy," Mr. Weasley interjected.

Hermione still hadn't let go of him.

"I know it's a bit weird," began Harry.

"No. Well, yeah." Ron looked a little stunned. "How did it happen, mate? His hand just appeared on here a few months ago!"

"Well—er—funny story…" Hermione pulled back, beamed and tugged him down to his seat at the table.

"Go on!" she urged. "We're dying to know."

"I sort of ran into him when I needed a potion. Then he moved in, 'cos that house is huge, and he needed somewhere to stay. And we sort of became friends, and in the last couple of days we started seeing each other," he said, with a sheepish smile.

"That's how we knew you were safe and back in England. Is he still a snarky bastard?"

"Ronald!" cried Mrs. Weasley.

Ron winced. "Sorry."

"Nah, it's okay. Yeah, kind of. I don't mind though." Harry blushed. "I have a lot of worries about the future, but not about him."

"So, he's nice to you?" asked Hermione.

"Yeah. He's still himself, though. It's just—he's kind, and he's generous. He's…good."

"He has a very good soul," Mr. Weasley said kindly.

Ron looked a bit uncomfortable, but smiled anyway. "Er, I suppose. Is he coming 'round for Christmas, then? That'll be weird! Good, though, I mean."

"It's August!"

"He absolutely should, dear. I'll start on his jumper straightaway."

This was escalating a bit fast for Harry. "Um. Possibly. Listen, I'm moving away soon. We've got jobs at Durmstrang." Hermione bounced a little in her seat, but contained herself. "I'd like to see you again before I leave." He grinned and said, "Come to Grimmauld Place, we've renovated it, and bring George and Ginny."

"Professor Snape," said George mournfully. "The business will really suffer without you." He shook Severus' hand vigorously, and Ron grinned at Harry's astonished look.

"I am confident that you possess the skills, although I appreciate you might not have the time. I shall compile a list of competent potioneers for you. In the meantime, I trust you are well-stocked…?"

"What's going on?" asked Harry, shouldering through with an armful of Butterbeers.

"Your lover here has been working with us for a couple of months. Don't tell me you didn't know?"

"No. Why didn't you tell me?" he spluttered. "How did this come about?"

"Funny story, mate. Ron nearly had a fit," said George. Ron scowled. "We were at Mum's for a much-needed Sunday feast, when your clock hand appeared," he said, nodding at Severus. "So I wrote straight away. The most potent Babbling Beverage in Britain, I'll bet."

He smirked. "As I am no longer your teacher, I have no compunctions against supplying the menaces at school."

Hermione pulled Harry aside. "We really must keep in touch. I've missed you. And I'm dying to hear more about Durmstrang. I've looked out a translation charm for you, here…" She dug out a scrap of parchment from her jeans. "It's a bit tricky, but you've got a few days to practice. Of course, I didn't know which language—"

"—Norwegian!"

Her jaw fell open. "Wow!"

"Once we've settled in, I'll see if you can stay during the holidays. Maybe in the New Year."

"Oh Harry, could we? That would be so incredible! It would be so amazing to visit another school, they're so secretive. Oh, and the Northern Lights!"

"I'll have to check with Grumpy." Severus turned around, and Harry smiled at him. "But I think he'll be persuadable."

"Honestly. It'll be a dream come true."

"Yeah," he said. "It is."

He was still smiling at Severus, who returned it.

It is.

The afternoon before they left for Norway, Harry took Sev to a Puddlemere United home game. He couldn't resist getting tickets after Harry caught Severus tuning in to the Wizarding Wireless Network commentary. He'd presumed Severus liked Quidditch simply because of house rivalries, and was delighted to have been proven wrong.

It was also a kind of test. Whilst they had been out in public, it was limited to Muggle London. He wanted everyone to know he was ridiculously happy with the bravest man that ever lived.

The Puddlemere United match was well-attended and, as he shouldered through the crowds, he thought he could spot Oliver Wood in the stands opposite. Today, they were playing the Ballycastle Bats, and Puddlemere were predicted to win.

Sev came back to their seats with two Butterbeers. He uncorked them and handed one to Harry. "The Reserve Keeper for Puddlemere is marvellous. I read that a Bludger injured the Keeper at the last match, so this may not be as cut and dry as we'd hoped."

"We? Who said I was supporting your team?"

"Brat." He leaned towards Harry's ear. "Perhaps you can be convinced?" he purred.

Harry raised an eyebrow. "Oh?"

There had been a bit of a buzz when they arrived, with a number of people turning around. He heard "Is that Harry Potter?" and whispers of "Professor Snape," but now that the game was shortly to begin, all eyes were on the pitch.

Out of everyone he knew, he guessed Severus was the one wizard who would not tolerate hanging around with a famous person. He still remembered the first time they met, and he'd said, "Fame clearly isn't everything." However, he seemed to be taking today remarkably in his stride. Plainly a break in feeling responsible for hundreds of children's welfare, coupled with not having to lie through his teeth to Dark Lords, had softened him.

He couldn't quite believe his luck that he had a tall and sexy Potions master at his side. He put his hand on Severus' leg and squeezed. Severus kissed him on the ear in reply. Glancing left and right, he saw their row in the stands was largely empty, and there was no one behind them. He gripped the inside of Sev's thigh.

Harry's hand edged between Severus' legs and cupped his swelling cock. All spectators had their eyes glued on the players. Nobody paid them any heed. Harry massaged Severus' cock, and asked, "How long is it on average before Coggins catches the Snitch?"

Severus answered in a deadpan voice. "Approximately thirty-five minutes."

"Excellent." Harry undid some buttons on Sev's robes, and unzipped his trouser fly. Severus looked at him with wild eyes. Harry grinned. "I want to show you how much I enjoy you being here with me," he murmured.

Harry slipped in to stroke Severus' length underneath his voluminous robes. Severus' eyes glazed over and his lips pressed in a tight line. His hand grasped Harry's biceps, and his knuckles whitened around the bottle. He was rock hard. Harry could hear him drawing long deep breaths through his nose. "This is highly inappropriate. Not what I've come to…expect from a Gryffindor."

"Perhaps you'll have to punish me when we get home."

"I must have taken leave of my senses."

Usually, a slow rhythm and a loose grip wouldn't bring Severus to completion, but the adrenaline rushing through their veins at the risk of being caught made everything so much hotter.

Harry decidedly set his beer on the floor, and plucked Severus' away, too. He Apparated them to the back of the stands, on the grassy moor behind the seating area. It was deserted.

Pulling out his wand, he cast a Disillusionment Charm over them both. He wasted no time in pushing Severus' back to the wall, dropping to his knees, and engulfing him in one fluid movement. He pulled away to cast 'Silencio' on Severus, and returned to sucking him down deeply.

Harry looked up and stared at Severus. He could just make the outline of where his eyes were, a bit disappointed by the charm's effectiveness. He wanted to see the ecstasy on Severus' face, Severus to know how much Harry enjoyed giving him pleasure. Sev pulled on his hair as he sucked greedily on the bitter pre-come. His hips shuddered. He heard Severus' head hit the wall as he came, body taut with pleasure, knees buckling, and finally shooting hot salty come down Harry's throat.

Harry drank every drop, and licked Severus clean. He touched his way up Severus' body, and kissed him soundly, sliding his tongue into his hot wet mouth. Severus exhaled at his bitter taste in Harry's mouth. He left lazy wet kisses on Harry's cheeks, chin and lips.

Harry pulled away, and looked around to see that nobody was in sight. He reversed the Disillusionment and Silencing Charms. He tucked Severus' hair behind his ear, and did up his buttons. Apparating them to their seats, he noticed that someone glanced back at them at the sound of their arrival, so Harry gave him a little wave as he picked up his beer. Judging by the scoreboards, it seemed they had missed a few goals.

"Sorry to keep you from the game." He winked.

Severus cleared his throat. "I forgive you."

Harry wasn't really in the mood for Quidditch, and so rested his head on Severus' shoulder and closed his eyes.

Life. It wasn't so bad.