Ah, here we are, the last chapter.. Once again, I'd like to thank you all for joining me on this journey. I do hope you enjoyed yourself and that I managed to give you a few hours of reprieve from the madness of the world. I would like to thank you all for the faves, kudos and lovely comments; they truly mean the universe to me and it's fantastic to read your thoughts on the story!

Alright, enough of me, let's see what the Easter Bunny has brought you.

Happy reading, my Lovelies!

Chapter Seven: Hellfire

o.O.o

Harry sat at the edge of the bed, while Severus kneeled in front of the fire, his head in the green flames.

"What do you mean, we have given all our antidotes to the Minister? Why did we not keep some for emergencies?"

"It was you, Headmaster, who said, everything goes to the Ministry." Reminded him Professor McGonagall's snappy voice.

"No, I said give everything to them that we don't need. We need some now. There has to be at least a few more lying around. For Merlin's sake, we produced two hundred vials not an hour ago, Minerva."

"None of which we needed, or so I believed at the time. Apologies, I thought Professor Potter took one for himself, after he was done filling the vials."

"It slipped his mind." Severus sneered.

"I understand the urgency, Severus, trust me, I would love to help, but the Healers already left with those two hundred vials, and the brewers are resting. They will start on the next batch of potions tomorrow morning. I'm afraid you will have to wait until that one is done."

Severus excused himself for a moment, stood up and walked to the bed. Harry watched him expectantly, but Snape just grabbed a pillow, pressed it against his face, then Harry heard his muffled scream.

Then, as if nothing had happened, he tossed the pillow at Harry, glared at him for a long moment, then went back to the fire and kneeled down again.

"Is everything alright?" Minerva asked, her voice concerned.

"No. Yes." Severus corrected quickly. "You are sure there isn't a single vial left on the entire grounds of Hogwarts?"

"Absolutely sure," McGonagall told him. "Talk to Kingsley, Severus, he might be able to send you some."

"I bet he already gave it away to his precious Aurors." Snape grumbled.

"That might be so. But it is still worth a chance, unless you'd like to wait two days for the next batch of serums."

Snape just growled, but then he nodded and pulled out of the fire. Minerva's face vanished, and Snape tossed another handful of powder into the flames that turned green right away. "Kingsley's office," He called, then tossed his head back into the fire again.

Motionless, Harry waited on the bed, not daring to move. If they had to wait two more days to be together, it was all his fault. The idea that he was not allowed to touch Severus was unbearable to begin with, but the fact that even a gentle caress would burn the man's skin made Harry feel utterly wretched.

It had been almost an hour, since they realized what was going on, and during that short time, some changes already happened. Harry's condition grew worse with almost alarming rapidity. Scales now bloomed on his skin as well, and while they were just as pretty as Severus', they all itched like hell. He was still in an early stage not to breathe fire, or even to cough sparks, but he could feel the heat inside of him that made this sickness truly maddening.

He was burning. He could feel it in the pit of his stomach, in the marrow of his bones, behind his eyes. There was fire everywhere in his body.

"Severus, my dear friend, good to see you. How are you?"

"I'm fine, Kingsley. Do you still have the vials we just gave you?"

"Oh no, they went straight to my Oblilviators, and the rest to St. Mungo's. Why?"

Snape slapped an open hand against the cold stone. "Dammit!" He grunted.

"What happened, Severus?"

"Potter happened, of course. He forgot to take the antidote." Severus snapped.

"I was distracted, okay?" Harry shouted from the bed. He threw the blanket off his shoulders, since it was getting rather hot under it.

Snape pulled his head from the fire to glare at him, but the moment his gaze met Harry's naked upper body, his expression turned smouldering. His eyes once again had the colour of amber and he had to shake himself to pull his attention from the distraction.

"Oh, Harry's there?" Kingsley asked. "Come here a second," He called for him.

"He won't." Severus stated, head back among the flames.

"Why?"

"Because he's stark naked, that's why." Snape answered without missing a beat.

Harry heard Kingsley's booming laughter the next moment. "I see now, why you want the antidote so badly."

"Do you have some, or not?"

There was a moment of silence, then Snape gasped.

"I haven't taken mine, yet," Kingsley said solemnly. "You've been a great help to us, once again. And I guess, you need this more than I do."

"Just the one?" Snape asked.

"Is it not enough?"

Snape sighed. "You are the Minister, Kingsley."

"And I've done all I could. I can wait two more days. You… you waited enough, my friends."

Harry stood and walked closer. He could see beyond the green flames as Kingsley held the vial out for Snape to take. Severus, however shook his head. "Thank you, Kingsley, but it's no use. Goodbye." With that he severed the connection and extinguished the flame in the hearth.

"Why did you do that?" Harry yelled. "He would have given it to us!"

"One's not enough." Severus said softly as he stood up and faced Harry.

"What? Why?" Harry asked confused. "I thought your version is potent enough to –"

"It is. But I need one, too. I can feel the heat returning. I've been in your vicinity for too long. Fire is catching, Potter, that's why the Dragon pox is so contagious."

He pulled up the sleeve of his shirt and showed Harry the green scales that now covered his lower arm again.

"But…"

"I could have gotten that serum for only one of us. But that would have meant one was healed and the other remained in quarantine all alone. Call me selfish, but I'd rather be in isolation with you, than by myself."

Harry lifted a hand and held it close to Severus' face, keeping it an inch away not to burn him. "I'd kiss you now if I could."

"You don't begrudge my decision, then?" Severus asked in a soft voice.

"Listen, you couldn't send me away the last couple of days, what makes you think this would be any different now? The very reason I caught the pox is because I wasn't willing to leave you alone while you had it. That potion is wasted on me, if you're getting sick again."

"As it is on me." Severus answered with a smile, then reached out to stroke Harry's face. The moment he touched him though, he yanked back his hand with a painful hiss. "Fucking hell," he cursed, sucking the burned fingertip into his mouth. "So that's what I get for being romantic, huh?" He grunted then turned away.

Harry watched him walk away, wanting to laugh and cry all at the same time.

o.O.o

It took no more than an hour to organise everything. Minerva was quickly named acting Headmistress, and entrance to the Headmaster's office was denied for everyone except Kreacher, who became Harry and Severus' personal server bringing food three times a day, and anything else they might have needed. The elf was to leave whatever he brought in the office and knock three times, then disappear. They didn't dare risk him carrying anything out to the now healing occupants of the Castle.

Severus's health quickly returned to the stage he was in before he took the antidote. His scales now covered half his chest and back, sneaking up on his neck and spreading slowly on his chin. Harry could only guess what was going on below, since - unlike him – Severus decided he was able to wear pants. He kept his shirt on too, although with most buttons gone and the rest undone it was just hanging loosely on his shoulders. They had opened the windows to let in some cool air, which came in refreshing breezes that toyed with the light, white material in such an indecent manner, it all but boiled Harry's blood.

As they sat on either end of the couch, one working, the other simply staring, Harry couldn't help but allow his eyes at least, if his hands were forbidden, to trace the man's body, explore it how he should have done when they had the chance before his symptoms started showing.

Severus sat tucked against the corner of the couch with his legs crossed. Letters, notices, important missives scattered around him in a mess kept him busy. Harry understood why he buried himself in work, he too had some tests there with him ready to be marked, but unlike Severus, he couldn't concentrate on what he was supposed to do.

Instead, Harry did the only thing he could to do: he eyed what he wanted to taste and caress, what he wanted to trace with his fingertips.

Severus' long fingers held the quill lightly, brushing the soft tip of the eagle feather against his lips as he thought of how to word his displeasure with his correspondent in a civil manner. The back of his hand glimmered with a blue-green tint already, but it was no surprise really, the man's whole right arm looked emerald now underneath his shirt.

Harry suffered. The heat inside him made him all but delirious, but it was memories of what that hand did to him, that made his temperature rise, not any sickness. He was all too lucid, the pox did not affect his mind, just his body, but everything was burning. The tips of his fingers itched to explore; his mouth watered as he looked at the column of Severus' bared neck.

He summoned an ice cube from the bowl on the table and pressed it against his neck. Rivulets of melted water quickly started streaming on his naked back and chest as the ice melted rapidly against his heated skin. It was to no avail, though, it didn't manage to chase the flames dancing in front of his eyes, nor the low simmering heat bubbling in his crotch.

All too clearly, underneath the shirt Snape's scaly body was visible and not even an avalanche would be enough to quell the heat that sight raked up in Harry.

No matter how much Harry hated the Dragon pox for keeping them apart in the last few days, not even that could take away the beauty of the scales themselves.

The low afternoon sun, hanging lazily on the sky lit up the few patches in its direct light, making them gleam like the surface of the water. Colours shifting between green and teal, glimmering with a golden hue were so mesmerizing to watch, that Harry couldn't tear his eyes away.

Cool wind dried up the ice on his skin, bringing a moment of ease, but the heat returned with vengeance, because the same breeze that calmed him, lifted Severus' shirt away from his chest, like a curtain revealing the main attraction.

Harry exhaled shakily, bit his lower lip as his eyes were stuck to a bare chest. Scales glinted here and there, a nipple, dark pink against otherwise white skin and now flat and soft teased him, challenged him to change that.

"Fuck…" Harry murmured, then bit into his lower arm that was resting on the back of the sofa. He buried his head there and felt with his forehead the warmth of his skin. Strangely he wasn't sweating. Maybe it was a lizard thing, maybe his body needed all the wetness. He was burning alive and not a single drop of sweat was on his forehead.

"What's wrong?" Severus asked, because of course Harry's pitiable state did not elude his attention.

Harry answered against his arm. "It's hot. It's so hot here."

There was a moment of silence then he felt something cold brush against his fingers. He opened his eyes, hopes plummeting when he noticed it was just a glass of water and not Severus' touch.

"Drink this, it will be better." Snape said softly then returned to his letter.

Harry twined his fingers around the cool glass and even managed to take a couple gulps but the water seemed to have evaporated from his body before it reached his stomach.

It was agony. How could it be that what he wanted for so long was only an arm's length away and yet he still wasn't allowed to touch it?

Emerald and teal and gold glinted in the sunlight and Harry let out a soft moan.

"I want to touch your scales." Among other things, he added in his head.

"Touch yourself," Came the answer and Severus didn't even look up. "You're covered in them too."

Teeth pressed against the soft flesh of his arm, Harry waited for Snape to comprehend what he had said. No realisation came on the man's part though, and perhaps it was only Harry's mind who took those words and interpreted them in such depraved manner.

Harry closed his eyes, but it was pointless. The flames still danced in the dark in front of him, wilder than ever.

Softly, he asked, "Would you like me to?"

There was silence for a moment and Snape lifted his head. He didn't look at Harry but straight ahead, as if he was replaying the conversion in his mind to understand Harry's word.

Harry felt his pulse quicken, the crescendo coming to a quick halt when Severus turned to look at him, eyes not black but gleaming like amber. It was the pox doing it, he knew now, but it was still a breath-taking sight to behold.

Snape wetted his lips, the motion barely anything, yet it still brought an explosion to Harry's inside.

"Would you like me to do that, Severus?" He asked again, his voice barely stronger than a dying man's last exhale. His hand slipped over his scale-covered chest then dipped under the thin sheet he was still wearing to cover his lower parts.

Severus' breath hitched. He said carefully, "Are you being ingenious again? Because I can't touch you without hurting one of us at least."

"As ingenious as I can get in this state," Harry answered with a keen moan as his hand twisted around his hard cock. He stroked himself under the covers, heat rising in his cheek as his eyes locked with Severus' burning gaze.

Severus slowly swept one hand across his lap and pushed his work onto the floor. Ink dripped on important letters and ancient rug, but it didn't matter anymore. He grasped into the edge of the white sheet and tugged, slowly pulling it off Harry's body.

Breathing hard, Harry stroked himself, while he never looked away from Severus. The man's half covered chest was now bared to him to explore at least with his eyes.

"I tried so hard not to think of you," Harry admitted. "I swear…"

"I couldn't think of anything but you," Snape said still pulling on the sheet tantalizingly slow. "A part of me wants to die, let the flames consume me, because I don't know how I'll survive the next two days having to keep my hands off you."

"I can bare the pain. I burn for you anyway." Harry whispered, fingers fisting around the head of his cock. He moaned as he twisted his hand and he could feel a firmer tug on the thin sheet.

"Fuck Harry…" Snape hissed. "How can you be so tempting even now? You're like a flame I want to curl around, I want to feel your hot touch, feel you lick my body, keep me warm. I should crave ice not fire, fresh air and not the heat of your skin."

"Severus…" Harry hissed, almost dragon-like, then he choked on air he inhaled, his mouth open, eyes closed, fingers tensing hard around the wet head of his cock. "Fuck, Severus… this is unbearable…" Whether he meant the heat underneath the sheet or inside him, it was unclear even to him.

"Can I…? I want to… so badly…" Snape breathed and Harry looked up.

With eyes the colour of lively fire, Snape's gaze was stuck to his midsection, which was still covered, although every motion he did was visible: the movements of his hand lifting the pristine fabric, twisting it, precome making an indecent wet spot.

He wanted to say yes, but only a moan slipped from his mouth. He wanted to nod, but it was nothing more than a blink. Avidly, with eager anticipation he watched as, at last, Severus pulled on that sheet, just one more quick tug. The fabric that had pooled in Harry's lap was slowly slipping away, slithering softly on his oversensitive skin, down on his stretched-out legs, like a rivulet of innocence, gone completely the next moment.

The sheet fell away, lay crumpled on the ground, one corner still fisted between Severus' whitening fingers.

Harry sat naked, a hand on his hardness, almost still at the moment, only his thumb moved, brushed slow, lazy circles around the tip, smearing wetness.

Their eyes connected and the miles and miles of sofa that kept them apart, was suddenly reduced to mere inches. Severus kneeled up on the soft pillows, one hand grasping the back of the couch, the other descending on the armrest next to Harry's head, who slipped further down just as Snape towered over him.

They couldn't touch, both of them knew that perfectly well, and they did not in fact. Like pieces of jigsaw they would have fit, but they remained inches away. One leg on the ground, one between Harry's shaking knees, Severus lay over him, body waving, wanting to press down, but knowing he shouldn't.

Black eyes twisted with heat and fire, glowed amber as Severus took in the sight beneath him.

"Lord have mercy on my soul…" He breathed as he pulled slightly back to admire the heaving chest beneath him.

Harry could swear it was not the setting sun but Severus' intense gaze that lit up the scales over his ribs and abdomen. They glimmered, colours shifting between teal and blue and emerald, like waves of the sea.

"Give me strength…" Snape begged as he leaned to Harry's stomach, lips inches from the skin of his belly.

Harry sucked in a shaky breath, anticipating the burning heat of the touch, all but welcoming the pain now, but Severus stopped at the last moment.

He only breathed in the air over Harry's skin and nothing but the long, black strands of his hair touched Harry. Feather-soft and silky his tresses caressed Harry's chest. Like myriads of small snakes, they slithered across his ribs, hundreds of tongues slipping out, tickling Harry's heated skin. They licked at his nipple, it was nothing but a soft caress of light, black bodies, as they sneaked further up and twined around Harry's neck.

Harry's hand, trapped between their bodies, flexed and he moaned harshly. Severus stole the sound, echoed it right back, the heat of his gasp knocking against Harry's collarbone.

"Severus…" Harry moaned, his hips rising, as he thrust into his hand.

The black snakes shifted again, and he felt the humid touch of air as Severus whispered close to his skin, "I'm so goddamn hard…"

Reckless, foolish, and mind numbingly aroused Harry acted on impulse and let go of his own cock. Too late did he realize what he was doing, his palm was already shifting on a rigid hardness, fingertips skimming, exploring Snape's still covered cock.

Severus tossed his head back and moaned, not from pain but from pleasure. He pressed down, rubbed himself against Harry.

"Careful," Harry wanted to say to remind both of them, that the fire they felt was more real than they thought, but the next moment there were lips sucking the scale covered skin of his neck and his overworked body screamed at the sudden touch, while not a sound come out of his mouth.

He choked on sheer desire, but the next moment Severus realized what he was doing and pulled away. Harry cried out at the loss, almost sobbed as his hand desperately clutched towards Severus, who just pulled back and back and away until he was on the other side of the couch.

"Fucking hell, I'm so sorry!" Severus panted looking down at Harry.

Harry writhed in sheer agony. He dug his heels into the couch and lifted his hips, seeking a body over him but finding nothing but thin air. He covered his face as his back arched and he whimpered needy. It took him a moment to understand that while the touch burnt his skin like nothing before, it wasn't pain he felt.

Breathing hard, he tore into his mess of a hair. "Touch me!" He demanded.

"I'll hurt you!" Snape said, but his hand moved, reached towards Harry instinctively. He pulled it back the next moment, hesitant. "We need to stop this."

"Severus!" Harry growled. "I swear to god I'll curse you if you don't touch my body right now."

Snape raised an eyebrow, then gently put his palm against Harry's scale covered thigh. He pulled it back the next moment, even though Harry made no painful move. His muscles jumped slightly at the touch but it was only because he was still hypersensitive and his lover was touching him inches from his hard cock.

"It doesn't hurt." He stated, then to prove it, he grasped Snape's hand. His fingers drifted on scales first then on normal human skin, but Severus never pulled away.

They both watched their connected hands with awe.

"How is this possible?" Severus asked. "You burned me. You did burn me."

Harry shook his head, gobsmacked. "We're the same temperature for first time in four days. Maybe that's why?" He guessed. "Besides, you can't set fire to something that's already aflame."

"Do I really not hurt you? Am I really allowed to touch you?" Severus breathed.

"Why don't you do it and find out?" Harry asked with a wicked grin.

Severus edged closer and Harry's legs parted to give him space. Long fingers touched down on his bare chest and stroked him all the way down. There was no pain whatsoever, just heat, welcoming and sweet as Severus pressed him back down on the couch.

"I had to stop once today," Snape growled. "I don't think I can bare it if I have to again."

Harry reached up and slipped his hands beneath the white shirt and explored Severus's body. He sat up enough to reach his collarbone and ladened it with kisses. He pressed his tongue against hot skin and licked over Severus' sternum.

"How does that feel?"

"Bloody fucking good," Snape growled, then lowered his body fully over Harry. "Kiss me," he whispered and Harry grabbed his nape, fingers tangling in long tresses and pulled the man closer.

The first kiss was hesitant, careful, lips brushing, a tongue teasing Snape's lower lip, Harry waiting with a tight stomach for any hiss of pain, of Snape simply jerking away. But it didn't happen, he was allowed deeper in, and while Severus felt warmer in every way, he wasn't painfully hot, not even close.

His scales even felt cool to the touch, like coloured glass shards under his fingertips, drawing his hands further along a lean body. He pushed off Severus' shirt, hands skimming broad shoulders, being led down on firm back. He slipped beneath Snape's pants, grabbed his ass and holding him in place, grinded up against him. Snape gasped, broke the kiss, but then pressed down too.

"Do you think…" Harry started to say, lips against his neck making his thoughts hazy. "Do you think…? Do you want to risk…?"

A trail of sweet kisses drove Severus up on Harry's neck to his jaw, then his ear. "There won't be a risk," said the hoarse voice, as Harry felt a hand move down between their bodies, "if I put a couple fingers up there first, right?"

Harry moaned, thrust up again. Shivers ran down his body, heat filled his limb. Electricity tightened the muscles in his abdomen, when Severus grasped his cock and give it a few strokes, just a tease, just a quick remind of how it felt, of what those hands did to him. Whimpering, Harry just grasped into mounds of firm flesh, body undulating.

He felt the wild heat between them, the air sizzled, the couch beneath him warmed, but not them. Their blood burnt like dragon's, it craved that heat, nothing was enough, not even walking through fire that melted off their skin would have been enough, but Severus' touch eased something in Harry. Some carnal demand, some violent craving was satisfied by his touch, while desire rose in him like flames burning higher when a gust of wind whipped them up.

Wet finger slid over his perineum, following a trail. He was kissed and his hands entangles in black hair as that digit strokes him down there, slow circles, tentative, almost hesitant at the beginning. Little nudges sent wild electricity cursing through his body, steady pressure made him let out a long whimper, right against Severus' mouth.

Black eyes watched him and Harry realized suddenly, there was no hesitance here, Severus was doing this on purpose, watching Harry's reaction, as his expression changed, as arousal made his brow furrow, and his trembling lips parted with an excited sigh.

"You bastard," Harry growled, captured Snape's lips in a heated kiss, tongue prying apart teeth to lick inside the wet mouth. His hand fisted around the black tresses and he pulled, forceful enough to have Severus hiss, but Harry swallowed that sound, muffled it with his own mouth.

The pressure grew then, and slowly, the finger started pressing in and Harry threw his head back, eager cry erupting from his lips. Hot breath ghosted on his face, and shaky inhales signalled just how pleased Severus was at his reaction.

"Fuck Harry," Severus grunted and pressed his teeth against Harry's neck. He bit down as he pulled his finger back out. "You're insanely hot." And for a long terrifying moment Harry thought it wasn't going to work, it was too much, the heat was just too great but then Severus growled in a low, husky voice, "I'm going to revel in every fucking inch." And there was another finger sliding inside him, moving more urgently now and Harry was trembling with need.

His nails scraped the teal scales on Severus's back as he clung to the man, rolling his hips, easing the fingers further in with every move. He was melting from the heat but at the same tome he was like a flame, flickering, licking against Severus' body, too.

He reached between them, hands seeking out Snape's pants, undoing a belt buckle and annoying buttons, almost tearing at them, too like he'd done with the shirt. He didn't even bother pushing the slacks off, he just reached inside, pulled the hard member out.

He stroked Snape with languid moves, who just grunted over him, needy, pushing forward as if he would be already in Harry. Balls lay heavy on his palm while he slid his fingers over the long cock.

"Do I have to fucking beg you?" Harry nearly snarled, his weak whimpers softened it though, made it sound more like a desperate plea than an order.

Snape huffed, chuckled darkly, there was a smile curling his lips. "Maybe another time," he said then pulled out his fingers.

Harry felt the blunt head of his cock at his entrance, the pressure almost unbearable at the first moment, then he slipped in and that first inch was almost enough to get Harry to come undone right away. His hands were back on Severus's arse, went straight beneath his pants and clasped and rubbed. He pulled him down, made him slide deeper and deeper until there was no more place and Severus was cursing like a sailor over him, breathing hard.

"Oh my god, Harry…" He moaned, tossed his head to the side, so his hair, those wild black snakes that caressed Harry's shoulder all escape to one side, bit into his neck, his lips. "This is probably going to be…"

"Yeah," Harry agreed, breathlessly, laughing. "Right there with you…"

Snape gave a small thrust, experimental almost, slipped all the way out then back again, slowly, maddeningly slowly. Harry whimpered, hands grabbing into the arm of the couch behind his back. It happened again, just a small rut, barely a roll of those narrow hips, but Harry was already clawing at the cushions.

Snape smiled, straightened up then, hands on Harry's thighs that lied across his. Harry knew what was coming, the sheer pressure of that grip told him to get ready and the anticipation almost killed him. It was so sweet, his blood was boiling.

He looked up at Severus, green scales leading his eyes from long arms, to bare shoulders. Black hair, amber eyes bleeding into the setting sun, almost glowing, filled with need and heat, so much heat they made Harry feel like he was on fire. Iridescent scales glimmering on pale skin, like tiny oceans Harry wanted to submerge in, cool down in, but this man between his legs did everything to him but cool him down.

Then Severus was pushing in, one hard shove after the other, his body slapping against Harry's ass, his hands practically pulling Harry on his cock. Fast and unrelenting; like a blaze every motion scorched Harry's whole body.

Dragon Pox was nothing compared to Severus. Fire breathing was only a minor inconvenience, coughing sparks and having cinder on his tongue was a mere discomfort, the heat of the illness was but a little flickering flame on the tip of a match, while Severus made him feel the warmth of the sweltering sun in the desert, the raging inferno of a forest fire, the searing heat of erupting lava.

Severus fell back on him, and the rhythm changed slightly, but not the heat, not the intensity because there was a hand on Harry's cock and he was seeing sparks. Prolonged, deep thrusts made him shudder, fall apart and he was barely aware of Severus' soft, keen whines against his ear, the low grunt that broke up from his throat as he filled Harry's tight channel with hot come.

He couldn't hold on any longer either. He clawed at Snape's back, fingertips slipping on scales, grasping into hair instead. Surges of desire washed over him, making his back arch and twist as his orgasm lit a new inferno in his mind.

They crashed down, squished tight against the couch. Harry didn't mind the weight on him, he barely even felt it, he barely felt anything at the moment, besides sheer elation, pure delight and warmth, steady as a little personal heater against his body.

Heavy breathing filled his ear, broken only by little whispered gasps of "Oh fuck Harry…" and "That was…" but he never heard the end of it only a soft "Fucking hell…" grunted in a low voice as Severus tried to move, tried to pull out, but couldn't budge an inch.

The sun was below the horizon already when Severus entangled himself from Harry's hold, pulled away and sat up. Harry followed him, legs still trembling, whole body shivering even though he was still warm to the touch.

Snape brushed a hand through his hair, kissed him softly on the lips then stood up.

"Come on, let's go to bed." He said as he picked up his wand from the clutter on the ground, and summoned two glasses of water. He handed one to Harry and downed the other in one go. Harry sipped his own as he watched Snape flick his wand to clean up the mess.

"You're going to take those off, right?" Harry nodded towards the black slacks that still sat snuggly on Snape's hips.

Severus just raised an eyebrow, but threw his wand at Harry's lap. He grasps the edge of his pants and pushed them down, bending just a little before he stepped out of them.

Harry couldn't take his eyes off the neat curve of his ass and his long legs. He had felt the scales on Snape's butt cheeks before but to witness them, was quite another thing. One of his thighs too, were fully covered in them, while the other didn't even have any patches.

"Listen, Severus, how long until we're fully cured?" Harry asked as he stood up too.

"Two days until we get the potion, then four, five days maybe. Why?"

"Because you look bloody fucking amazing with these scales, and I really want to take my time enjoying them, while I can." Harry answered with a smirk, his fingers tracing the iridescent scabs colouring Snape's leg, up over his hipbones and abdomen.

He looked up into black eyes, that seemed to glimmer with mirth. "Again? Alright, fine, you can enjoy them all you like, once my heart stops beating with the rhythm of a Weird Sister's song."

o.O.o

Next morning Harry woke sore and tired. They were lying still uncovered and naked in the middle of the bed, bodies pressed together, legs entangled, arms around each other. The air around them was cold as all the windows were left open to let in the cool February wind.

Harry stirred, trying to press closer to Severus' heat, instead of revelling in the icy breezes that ran against his bare back.

"I read once that dragons heat up the rocks beneath them because they need the constant source of warmth, or their metabolism slows and they cool down too much. Even the dragonettes don't have a nest, just a pile of warm rocks they huddle against."

"I believe the word you're looking for is cuddling. We're cuddling, Potter, not nesting." A groggy voice murmured against his neck. "I understand the dragons though. This heat is unbearable, but I don't want to leave my pile of rock. It's just… I'm so hot."

"I love your confidence." Harry chuckled. "The scales add a lot to it, but those legs… damn, Severus."

Snape snorted, and hot breath ghosted wetly on Harry's skin. "You're not half bad yourself, Potter."

"I'm supposed to be the one with the brains, don't forget."

"We'd still be two feet apart if not for your ingenuity. I'm satisfied with your brain."

Harry moved his hips, pressing his erection against Severus. "Just my brain?"

"And maybe with a couple other parts of your body, too." Snape smiled against his neck then looked up. "You do realize I'm going to start breathing fire again soon, right?"

"Which will be different from you're normal self how exactly?" Harry teased then hissed when sharp teeth bit into his skin.

Severus licked the spot, then moved a bit further up, showering Harry with sweet nibbles. When he reached his mouth, he let his soft lips caress Harry before he kissed him long and languid, since they had plenty of time now, that they were in quarantine.

Severus moved slowly over Harry and rubbed down on him, bringing last night's sparks back alive, not that they had ever truly faded. Harry moaned into the kiss and Severus pulled away.

"You are a braver man than I, Harry Potter, if you let a fire breathing man near your cock." He said between soft bites on Harry's lips.

"Well, I'd rather not, so you better hurry, Severus." Harry smirked, turning them around. "Besides, these scales won't adore themselves, either and I do want to take my sweet time with them." He licked at the cool scabs over Severus' chin."

Severus sighed deeply, then fingers fisted in Harry's hair, pulled him up into a heated kiss. Delicious waves of warmth spread all across Harry's body as he pressed against naked skin. He licked into wet heat, hands drifting on Severus' bare chest, on his shoulders, up his neck, tracing the sharp line of his cheekbones.

Severus pulled away with a soft moan and look down at Harry. "To think that a couple days ago I said this would be a mistake…" He murmured, watching Harry reverently with a titled head.

"Because you're a fool." Harry teased with a small grin.

"Not just a fool," Severus smiled. "But a fool in love."

Harry laughed happily then kisses him as he turned them around. "Now let me just show you what you get for being a romantic."