I apologise for the hasty post last night. *smiles sheepishly* This is the edited, not-so-sucky version of the story.
Written for multiple challenges on the Hogwarts School of Witchcraft & Wizardry forum.
Assignment #8:Celtic Studies: Celtic Deities
Task #2: Diancecht (Ireland) -Write about helping someone to heal (physically/emotionally).
Disclaimer: J.K Rowling is not a goddess, but her writing is magical, and I can never compare. So, she keeps the characters, the places and her own created world, while I borrow them all every now and then like the pathetic human I am. The plot is all mine though!
This piece is dedicated to Bex (DobbyRocksSocks). She asked me for a HarrySev, and let me tell you, Bex, when I promised that it was on the table I did not expect that I'd be writing this within 24 hours of that promise. So much for easing into it, huh? I couldn't let it go once I had the idea for this plottish thing :p
Part of the prompts I used for this involves a certain bouquet-making challenge I think you know about (since it's yours and all that), and this is my message to you:
:- I Love You — I do. You know this, but still. Gotta say it. ;)
:- Bonds of Affection: You are a brilliant hooman. And I love that we can geek out about geeky things, have serious conversations, and complain about life in general, and that we can even do all of them at once when we want to. It's the perfect recipe for a friendship, if you ask me.
:- You Are Wise: Nope, don't choke because it's true. You may be a disaster child, but you're the most adulty of adults where it counts. And how many times have you given me sound advice now? Face it, you are a Wise One.
I hope you like this!
Warnings: none, unless fluff counts.
Word count: 3325 words
"You look happy."
Harry stands in the doorway to Severus Snape's inner quarters with his arms crossed, his eyes on Severus' brooding form on the couch. The man doesn't flinch or look up, just stares unblinkingly into the flames of the fireplace.
"Good visit?" Severus asks in his hoarse voice. Harry's vision isn't the best, but even he can see the faint tremors in the man's hands.
He pushes off of the doorpost, crossing over to the couch so that he can be closer to Severus. The movement of his shadow thrown across the stone floor at his approach makes Severus snap out of his trance.
"You good, Sev?" he asks cautiously, telegraphing his movements so that the older man is warned of his touch. When his hand rests on black robes, the shoulder underneath is tense.
"Nap. Nightmare. Nagini."
Harry sighs, getting the picture. Severus doesn't like speaking much when he is vulnerable like this, his voice as much a reminder of his horrors as the glistening silvery scar on his neck.
"And to think the potions were finally starting to do their job."
Severus scoffs, a barely audible sound. "The potions do nothing, brat. Nothing can magically cure nightmares."
"Then why do you take them?" Harry asks for what feels like the twentieth time.
"Mandated therapy," is his terse response, as it always is—but Harry has never once known the man to do something he thinks is useless. It's obvious that Severus was hoping they would help.
"The nightmare… was it just Nagini?" he asks instead.
"No. Longbottom. Crucio. The Carrows…" Severus closes his eyes, the only sign of weakness he would allow himself to show.
Harry shushes him with a wince, a gnawing pit in his stomach telling him that he should not have asked. Severus takes a few deep breaths, taking in the comfort of Harry's presence. Harry lets him.
At length, Severus sighs and opens his eyes, shifting on the couch to make room for Harry. "How was your visit, Harry?"
At this, Harry smiles. "Teddy's great, having fun with his Quidditch game-set. Remus is going crazy trying to stop Sirius from teaching him inappropriate phrases."
Severus snorts. "Black's a child."
"Well, I'll have to agree with you there," Harry laughs, "but it's fun to see Remus arguing with a portrait, is all I'm saying."
"Fair," Severus responds, his features relaxing minutely. Harry smiles. Progress.
"Remus threatened him with the paint stripper again," he remarks, grinning fondly at the memory. "I distracted Teddy while they were getting into it."
"Lupin versus a portrait of a teenaged Black," Severus murmurs to himself, the corner of his lips twitching. "How delightful."
Harry hums in agreement. "Seventeen-year-old Sirius has some wild retorts," he points out, still grinning.
"I'm aware." At his dry response, Harry laughs, nudging his shoulder companionably. Severus glances at their point of contact, but doesn't pull back. He never does.
"Oh yes," Harry exclaims belatedly, "Sirius and Walburga say hi."
Severus turns to him, raising an eyebrow filled with wry amusement. "Just a hello?"
"Er… there may have been some remarks about half-bloods and traitors thrown around by Walburga—"
"Expected."
"—and something about your nose from Sirius—"
"Predictable."
"—but essentially, yes," Harry concludes sheepishly. "They said hi."
The barest hint of a smile plays along Severus' lips. "The next time you go, tell him he can dunk his head in a cauldron full of Doxycide." It startles a laugh out of Harry.
"Oh, he'll love that."
Sirius' portrait is part of the reason he visits Remus Lupin's home in Grimmauld Place so often. Of course, his little godson is an adorable attraction, and he loves having tea with Remus. It's relaxing. But having the old portrait they had found of Sirius from Alphard Black's vault reanimated had given Harry a chance to get to know his godfather once again—albeit a younger, more headstrong version.
Now that the desperation in his attachment to Sirius was appeased, he finds it much easier to accept seventeen-year-old Sirius Black's flaws. It's a good thing, because there are many of them. Remus and Harry have had quite a few long chats with his portrait to get him used to the idea of Severus, and what Sirius and Severus have now is an odd but hilarious companionship that seems to be rooted in petty insults, with Harry as their unfortunate messenger. Not that he's complaining.
Walburga Black, however, could give them a run for their Galleons. Harry chuckles to himself as he recalls her latest try—and epic failure—at staying resentful of little Teddy Lupin for his parentage.
"Teddy ran out to the hallway to fetch something today," he tells Severus, "and Walburga decided to make him aware that the troll's leg umbrella stand would make a good place to hide."
Severus' eyes widen. "Is the child okay? He could have been hurt!"
Harry smiles at his concern, remembering Severus' own attempts at staying aloof from Teddy years ago, when he was still a toddler. Teddy Lupin was innocence personified, no one could resist him for long.
"He's fine, Sev," Harry assures him, "Teddy might be small for a five-year-old, but he is not nearly small enough to fit in there. He, uh, got his leg stuck in the stand trying to get in. Spent nearly five minutes flailing and on the verge of tears, but you should have seen Walburga. Screaming like a banshee for us. The woman was hysterical!"
"As she should have been," Severus retorts firmly, looking offended. "Edward could have been gravely injured!"
"Relax," Harry says with a chuckle, "Walburga looked very chastised. Besides, Teddy's like me, always finding trouble. Always finds himself out of it, too," he ends on a wink.
"Yes, you've taught him well," is Severus' dry response. "It seems he has also picked up on your complete lack of grace."
"Hey now, that hurts!"
"Really, someone should teach Edward not to trip over things like you. Lupin's going to have a hazard on his hands."
Harry rolls his eyes, ignoring the second insult to his person. "Will you please stop calling him Edward, for the love of Merlin?"
"That's his name, Potter."
"He is five."
"And Edward is a good, strong name for a child his age."
"And we want him to grow up without issues."
"He will have issues being relegated to a children's soft toy!"
"That is a piss-poor excuse of an argument, Severus."
"Oh, and your argument is perfect airtight, Potter."
"And look, you're talking in normal-length sentences again," Harry points out gleefully. You're cured, hallelujah!"
At this, Severus blinks. And stops.
"Well, now that we've distracted you from The Thing We Do Not Speak of," Harry continues, grinning triumphantly, "Let's get you cheered up! We have to do something fun together, c'mon."
He reaches out for Severus' hand, but the older man bats him away. "Wait a moment, you do not mean to drag me away to some dilapidated pub in London again, do you? Harry, it's the weekend, we have grading to do."
"Grading schmading," Harry scoffs, standing up and waving off his words. "We can get to it later; I know for a fact that you finished most of yours by Friday itself."
"And I know for a fact, Potter, that you have not."
Harry pouts exaggeratedly. "Come on, I'm the youngest Defence Against the Dark Arts professor in Hogwarts! Cut me some slack."
Severus aims a mild glare at him, rolling his eyes when Harry's pout deepens. "You've been part of the staff for two years, you should know the ropes. None of your impetuous excursions, Harry."
Harry grins. "Wasn't planning on one. We can have fun without going out, Sev."
Severus raises an eyebrow. "Forgive me for being wary, but your ideas of fun seem to involve either fire, dragons or spells."
"You think so little of me?" Harry puts a hand to his chest, playing at being hurt, but gives it up when Severus stays unmoved. "You're a cranky old man, Severus. Always assuming the worst. Nothing's gonna happen. Now, I know I hid one of my cassettes somewhere around here, where could it be?"
He looks about the room, hoping it sparks recognition. For all that he is hailed as the Savior of the Wizarding World, the Man-Who-Lived-To-Not-Become-An-Auror, he has the memory span of a gnat—something known only by the ones who are close to him. And in times like these, it comes to bite him in the arse.
Looking around progresses to physically searching which progresses to crawling on the floor, one knee digging into hard stone and the other cushioned by the springy purple and blue fireplace rug, hoping to spot his cassette lying untouched under the couch. Severus looks on in silent amusement the whole time like the evil old troll that he is, and when Harry finally gives up, he brushes back the stray black curls falling over his glasses, sits up, and cocks his head back at Severus in displeasure.
"Mantle." Severus points with a smirk at the side of the mantle with the hidden enclosure, and Harry sheepishly gets up to open it up and pluck out the cassette from the tiny space, wondering how Severus always knew where he hid his cassettes. So much for surprises.
Two years ago, he'd have instead asked himself why Severus hadn't thrown it out, but well, their friendship is way beyond that point now. Both Harry and his cassettes are welcome in Severus' personal quarters, even if the man wouldn't explicitly admit to it.
The antagonism between the two of them during Harry's school years is notorious around Hogwarts, and none of the students would ever believe that Harry Potter, their beloved DADA teacher, spends every night in the dungeons with their greasy old bat of a Potions Master. But then again, none of the students knew the history between them either.
"So," Harry says, trying to read the cover while he waves his cassette around enthusiastically, "Looks like we have my Elton John compilation today. Perfect for the mood."
Severus watches silently while he sets it on the player deck and adjusts the reel, and he sits back on his heels with a smug smirk when the first notes of Tiny Dancer sounds loudly in the dim room.
"I'm going to go get us drinks," he says to Severus over his shoulder with a smile, patting his knees as he jumps up. Crossing over to Severus' kitchen, he gets out two glasses, rinses them out vigorously, and walks over to the alcohol cabinet for the half-full bottle of Severus' preferred brand of Scottish whiskey. Severus didn't want his alcohol sitting within reach in his living room, finding it far too tempting—especially since the end of the war.
He pours a couple of fingers into Severus' glass, recapping the bottle and putting it back in place. He then heads to the unassuming cupboard holding his pumpkin juice, finding it hard to fight off that unconscious smile yet again when he sees his favourite brand sitting proudly in its dark depths. Severus would never have kept the stuff in his quarters if Harry didn't like it so much.
It's when he reaches up to put back the pumpkin juice bottle that it happens. His fingers slip on the cupboard door, which offsets his balance. His wand is in his hand before he even knows it, a reflexive reaction born from years spent in war, and a spell whooshes from its end before he even sets himself upright. He cringes at the small fire licking at the beige cupboard door.
Scrambling to put it out before Severus sees, he catches a little burn in the process, but a quick Episkey takes care of it. He aims a hissed Reparo at the cupboard door and yanks the two filled glasses off the counter while the spell does its work, practically running in his haste to get out of the kitchen.
Slowing down once in Severus' sight, he prays that the other man didn't notice anything, but he isn't in luck if the quirked eyebrow is any indication. Severus' very expression mocks him—fire, dragons or spells, Potter—but years being victim of these accidents has taught him to shrug his shoulders and pretend that nothing has happened.
Hold me closer, tiny dancer, Elton ends the song as he hands the other man his glass, Count the headlights on the highway.
It's nice to sit in the light of the fire with Severus, pleasant. Harry tells him every little detail of his day spent with the Lupins, Severus listening closely as his sips at his whiskey. Harry talks enough for the both of them, as always, but Severus also comments every now and then. It's nice.
Harry grins when Piano Man starts, aiming a look at Severus. The other man rolls his eyes fondly, but he clearly recalls the memory of little Teddy dancing to the chorus on Harry's last birthday. They take a while to finish their drinks, and it's relaxing. Conversation peters out after a while, both of them staring at the flying sparks from the flames in companionable silence, but Harry doesn't mind the quiet. Not when it's Severus.
Severus… is a soothing presence. Acerbic as the man is, there is this quiet peace about him in these silent moments, and Harry wonders when his safe place had changed from Hogwarts as a whole to just Severus' quarters.
Harry is content to linger in Severus' contemplative aura forever, but when the soft yet urgent opening notes for Crocodile Rock starts up, he has the best idea.
"Severus, let's dance!" he exclaims, snatching away the older man's empty glass and setting it aside on the nearby table quickly. Severus' eyes widen.
"Harry?"
"Come on, come on! I love this song, Sev. Let's have fun!"
"I don't dance, Potter."
Harry rolls his eyes and holds out his hands for Severus to grab, giving him his softest encouraging smile.
"Dance with me. Please."
I remember when rock was young, me and Suzie had so much fun…
After what feels like the longest time, Severus sighs and takes his hand. He grins happily, pulling the other man up with a laugh.
Well, crocodile rocking is something shocking, when your feet just can't keep still...
"This is your idea," Severus mutters. "How do we do this?"
Harry laughs again. "We don't need a plan to dance, you berk," he says fondly, "We just do what we like." He grabs Severus' hands and swings them back and forth, grinning at the scandalised look on the other man's face. "Come on! Copy me if you have to."
He shuffles his feet to the rhythm, looking up at Severus hopefully. The man still looks a little pale, but the resigned expression and hesitant attempt to follow Harry makes him feel warmer than the fireplace behind him.
"The things I do for you, Potter," Severus mutters, glaring at him without heat.
"And I appreciate all of it," Harry responds in an instant, grabbing Severus' hand and holding it to his chest with a cheeky sort of earnestness.
"Brat," Severus murmurs, letting out a single hoarse chuckle as he shakes his head. Harry lights up at the sound.
They dance to quite a few songs, Elton's bouncy voice adding to the pleasure Harry feels in the moment. Harry shows Severus a few more simple moves, which the older man imitates with much less enthusiasm. Severus loosens up more and more as they dance, however, and Harry is relieved to see the last vestiges of the terror from Severus' nightmare erased from his lined face.
They slow down when Sacrifice plays, their joined hands letting them sink naturally into a slower dance, and Severus looks relieved at the lack of hand pumping and leg shaking for all of two seconds before the nervousness sets in. He is good at hiding it, of course, but over the years, Harry has learned to read him well.
Harry himself feels like he is jumping out of his skin at the close contact. He can get whiffs of Severus' natural scent from this distance, and the cottony softness of Severus' thick black robes glides over his arms. They gravitate closer and closer, and his eyes cannot help but widen ever so slightly when Severus' jaw clenches with decision and he pulls Harry into his arms.
He feels like he cannot breathe.
His mind, traitorous as it is, harks back to the conversation he had with Remus only a few hours ago. He had dismissed it when Remus brought it up, but looking into Severus' dark eyes now, he sees a different story.
And it's no sacrifice, just a simple word. It's two hearts livin' in two separate worlds….
He swallows. "Remus said something to me today," he comments softly, swaying to the slow beat. Severus hums questioningly, glimmering black eyes fixed on his.
No sacrifice, it's no sacrifice at all…
"He said that… he remarked on how we act around each other. He said that we're not just co-workers."
"We're not," Severus responds simply. The sparks from the fireplace reflect in his eyes.
"We're friends, right?" he asks softly, more to himself than the other man.
"I suppose you could consider us that," Severus answers, firming his hold around Harry's waist.
"But Remus said… we also act like we're more than friends."
At this, Severus turns guarded. His expression is neutral, not giving away anything, but his eyes burn. Harry feels a light blush heating up his gaze at the intent gaze.
"Are we, Severus?" Harry whispers, tilting his chin to look up better. "Are we more than friends?"
Severus is silent for a while, and Harry's anxiety increases with each second. Sacrifice ends, the notes blending into the beginning of the next song, but Harry is unaware.
"What are your thoughts, Harry?" he asks at length. His face is impassive, but Harry can read him. He can see the vulnerability behind that non-committal look. They don't stop swaying.
Harry searches Severus' eyes for the answer, searches the low-lit room around him, hoping to find enlightenment. What are they? It seemed ridiculous when Remus had pointed it out in his cautious way that morning, but the question had stuck with him for the entirety of his visit and the hours since. What are they?
And when his eyes rest on the cassette deck, he knows.
Because Harry is the only one who could leave his tapes around these quarters, and Severus wouldn't even dream of throwing them away. Harry is the one who sits by his side while they grade the students' work together, and Harry is the one who knows Severus like the back of his hand. Harry is the one who knows his way around Severus' kitchen like it's his own. Harry is the one Severus seeks comfort from.
Harry is the only one who could get Severus to dance like this.
And Severus… Severus is his safe place.
When he looks at Severus again, the man looks visibly wary. He seems on the verge of letting go, and Harry clutches him tighter, hoping to convince him otherwise. He doesn't want Severus to let go. Not now, not ever.
"You're… you're everything to me, Severus," he murmurs. "You're so much to me. I think I see what Remus meant."
Severus swallows. "You want.. this? Harry, I'm not—"
"If you're about to say something self-deprecating, don't," Harry stops him. "This has been happening for a while now. I just needed to catch up. Because I'm an oblivious arse, as you well know," he adds, trying to lighten the mood, and it gains him a small smile.
"That you are," Severus murmurs, his eyes gentle.
He smiles back. "Can we? We can talk about it more later if you want to, but… can we just enjoy this moment? I like this."
Severus lets out the softest of chuckles. "As you wish, Harry."
With your smile, you pull the deepest secrets from my heart. In all honesty, I'm speechless and I don't know where to start…
His smile softens, and he lays his head on Severus' shoulder, letting the music roll over him. He shifts in Severus' arms, and as they sway, he swears he feels Severus press a feather-light kiss into his hair.
The moment is perfect.
And I can't explain, but it's something about the way you look tonight. Oh, it takes my breath away; it's that feeling I get about you, deep inside.
Harry is in love.
For those curious, the lyrics for the last song are from Elton John's Something About The Way You Look Tonight.
Spring Funfair:
Cocktail Bar: Lime Zest - (Trope) Didn't Know They Were Dating
Dog Show: Obstacle Course: (Genre) Hurt/Comfort
Lily Pads: (D6) - (Action) Comforting someone
Milkshake Bar: (Chocolate) Mars - Trope: Didn't Know They Were Dating
Spring Fling: Smile - Uncle Kracker
Cherry Blossoms: Edohigan (restriction) Your fic must include a next-generation character. OC next-gen children are allowed (e.g. Gabriel Finch-Fletchley, Justin's son)
Urban Safari Checklist: Secretary Bird - (trope) coworkers
Wingardium Levi-Kart Racing: Floo Goblet - Setting something on fire accidentally
Paint a Rainbow: Black - Clumsy
Tree Planting: Dogwood - (word) Outstanding
Teddy Bears Picnic: Cheese and Crackers (song) This is Me - The Greatest Showman
Flower Arranging: Red Rose means I Love You - (Character) Harry Potter
Stocks mean Bonds of Affection (and are the perfect flower for a best friend) - (Genre) Fluff
Sage means You Are Wise - (Theme) Music
Birdhouse Building: Step 5 - (genre) Hurt/Comfort
Spring Petting Zoo: Goats - (word) aloof
Bunny Races: (Remus Lupin) - 3325 words
Egg & Spoon Race: (main character) Harry Potter; (supporting character) Severus Snape
Egg Hunt: Stripey Egg - Old Time Rock & Roll - Bob Seger & The Silver Bullet Band [Just take those old records off the shelf/Old time rock and roll/That kinda music just soothes the soul/I reminisce about the days of old]
Spring Parade (Scooby Doo): Daphne - (Colour) Purple
Spring Seasonal
Days of the Year & Important Religious Events: April 20th - Volunteer Recognition Day - Write about volunteering or helping someone.
Aquarium Month: Thermometer - Write about someone that is sick/unwell
Library Week: LGBTQ
Karaoke Week: Happy - Pharrell Williams
World Theatre Day: Grease!AU - alt: 'You better shape up 'Cause I need a man And my heart is set on you'
Crayon Day: Blush
Children's Book Day: The Cheshire Cat - (action) Smiling
World Autism Day: Write about someone who struggles to communicate their feelings.
Zoo Lover's Day: Chimpanzee - Write about someone being playful.
Space Day: Pluto - Trope: Didn't Know They Were Dating
Spring Colours: Beige
Crystals & Gemstones: Ametrine - (action) laughing in the middle of an argument
Hufflepuff Characters: Teddy Lupin
Hufflepuff Challenge: Inside the Tornado – Amanda Marshall - Prompt: write about a person feeling a moment of clarity or an epiphany.
April Writing Club
Twisted Tropes: Deaging - Aging Up
Record Collection: We Don't Have To Take Our Clothes Off, Jermain Stewart - Trope: Didn't know they were dating
Written in the Stars: (word) tactless
Book Club: Serena Joy - (color) blue, (action) frowning, (emotion) resentment
Showtime: Maria - (action) Kissing
Lizzy's Loft: (song) "Love Will Keep Us Together" - Captain & Tennille
Elizabeth's Empire: Rewrite the Stars - Zac Efron & Zendaya - (genre) romance
Liza's Loves: Charlie - [plot point] getting burnt
Sophie's Serial Killers: [emotion] hopeful
Angel's Archive: Surprise your partner(s) with their favorite drink(s)
Scamander's Case: (word) fire
Film Festival: (word) Notorious
Marvel Appreciation: Star Lord's Cassette player Write about music being important to a character
Lyric Alley: Seeing the beauty through the...
TV Spree: (Plot Point) A character from the dark side going light
The Forecast Says: 19th: Rain - Kissing
EnTitled: Stand By Me - (plot point) a fire
Hobby Hole: Song: Paint it Black - The Rolling Stones / alt. "My love will laugh with me, before the morning comes."
Gen's World Tour: [proverb] It will heal before your wedding.
Resolution Evolution (Writing): Write a fic featuring one of the following characters as a main character: Hannah Abbott, Hugo Weasley, Helga Hufflepuff, Horace Slughorn, or Harry Potter
[Spring] Quarterly: Leaving On A Jet Plane: Berlin - (Action) Patting someone on the shoulder.
[April] Fortnightlies:
What's Your Sign? - Write about a secret message.
Switch Off - Book a Ticket to a Mystery Island - (Trope) Secret Identity/Identity Reveal.