Just so it's clear at the end of the chapter, I know what year this takes place, but I am going to be using modern technology in this story. It makes things easier on me. Thanks for reading!

"You look happy." Hermione comments when I get to the tower after returning to Hogwarts.

"Ryan and I made up." I say simply.

The simple explanation does not, however, do anything to hide my blush over our activities over the last few days. Hermione doesn't seem to notice, but the three boys all start giving me suggestive looks.

"Shut up." I growl at them.

"We didn't say anything Harry." Dean points out innocently.

"You were thinking it too loudly." They break into laughter, making Hermione look between us with confusion.

"What? What happened?" She asks.

"Mione, you're clearly too innocent for this conversation. Ask us again when you're older."

"Neville I swear to Merlin I'm going kill you myself! Save him the trouble this time."

"Oh!" She gasps in realization, turning as red as I am. "You mean Harry and he, did... that?"

"I should have just let him kill me. Maybe it's not too late." I moan into my hands.

"What's going on?" A voice asks from behind us, sending the three into another fit of laughter.

"Nothing! They're just being arses."

"Harry language!" She yells.

"Come on Mione, I doubt he was using pretty language when Ryan had him be-"

"I'm leaving now!" I shout. "If you need me, I will either be owling Ryan to tell him to avenge me, or I will be jumping off the astronomy tower. I hope you guys are happy cause you've driven me to suicide."

The laughter that follows me is ignored as I go to the Chamber to train. Luckily, the third years aren't here right now. Terra greets us when we get there, and Athena slips off of my shoulders to go hunting with her.

I set up some training dummies, and practice my hand to hand, and enchanted weapons. Athena and Terra come back after a while to tell me that people have started gathering in the Great Hall for dinner. Casting a quick cleansing charm, I leave the Chamber after Athena assures me there's nobody on the other side. When I get to the Hall, I make a show of going over to the Ravenclaw table to sit between Hermione and Luna, who saved me a seat that will keep the others from sitting nearby.

"Luna, I don't think you'll ever know how much I love you, no matter how much you see." I tell her, kissing her cheek.

"I aim to please you my Lord." She answers.

"Harry, just ignore them. They're all just immature." Hermione tells me.

"I've noticed."

As we eat, we listen to Luna explain something called a floofer. Despite being one of two people that understands her best, I have no clue what she is talking about this time.

"It's always scary to have a floofer, but as long as you take care of the floofer, everything will be alright. They like to mess with you, it won't last forever though. They're absolutely delightful when they aren't messing with you."

"I'm sorry Luna, I can normally figure it out, but I just don't have it this time." I tell her.

"That's alright. You've never had one before. You'll understand better when you get your first floofer Harry. Just remember what I'm saying now, and you should understand what's happening when you get one. Then you can explain it to Hermione too."

"Well then, it sounds like a plan." I agree.

—-

"Hey mate, I tried to talk to Mum about staying here for the Hols, but she said she wants all of us home after what happened with Ginny. You'll be on your own this year." Ron says as he sits next to me a few days before break.

"Oh, I'm not staying at Hogwarts this year." I reply absently, continuing to jot notes and quick sketches of runes.

I'm working on a new set for quidditch equipment. It will go on a face mask to produce its own oxygen so players can get higher in the air without worrying about lack of oxygen. Like carrying an oxygen tank while climbing mountains or diving, only without the extra weight of the tank.

"Wait, you're not staying at Hogwarts? Why not?" He asks in surprise.

"Because I'm going home." I say slowly. "Ryan and I are trying to work out when we'll be at his place, and when we'll be at mine, but we're going to be at one place from the first day of break till Christmas Eve, then on Christmas morning we'll be switching."

"You're really going to put people in danger just so you aren't here alone on Christmas?" He asks.

"I'm going to say this one more time. If I have to repeat myself again, you will not like the consequences. Where I've been is the safest place I can be, and that safety extends to anyone else there. Sharing it's location would take away that level of safety. Besides, it's under fidelius on top of several other protections, and the location isn't just handed out to anyone. You have to go through a series of tests, and even then there is an unbreakable oath you have to take. Those protections are only scratching the surface. I will be safe, and so will anyone near me. I am going home for the Holidays, and that is the end of it."

I snap my journal shut, and walk to my first class of the day.

—-Tom's POV—-

"Are you sure he won't think it's too soon?" I ask Severus and Remus as I pace Severus' office.

"You're planning it for the summer after he graduates. All that asking him now will do is show him that you are serious about him. You know how insecure he is." Remus assures.

"He's right. The more time that passes without something permanent happening, the more likely he is to convince himself that this is all temporary. You want this, and I have no doubt that he does too."

"I know, I just hope it goes well." I say, looking at the ebony and amethyst ring sitting innocently in its black velvet box.

—-3rd person—-

None of the men knew how right they were about Hadrian's insecure mind. For as they discussed, the boy himself was sitting at the top of the Astronomy Tower as he wrestles with his own mind.

—- Hadrian's POV—-

What if that was it? What if he got what he wanted from me, and now he'll throw me away like the trash I am? What if he never really cared about me, and just wanted to be the first one to fuck Harry fucking Potter.

No, I can't think like that. He's not like that. He killed Ginny because he felt threatened by her. He waited till I was ready, and he even gave me several chances to back out. He told me he loved me, and he wouldn't lie about that. He's my mate. He's supposed to love me for the rest of our lives.

But so was Aunt Petunia and Uncle Vernon. If I wasn't a freak they would have loved me. What if he realized that he was wrong, that I really am a freak? Maybe Ron was right. Maybe I really should stay here for break.

But I can still go to my dads, can't I? There's no real reason for him to pretend to care. He won't gain anything out of it like Tom could. I guess if Tom doesn't want me now that he's taken me completely, I will just spend the holidays with Dad, and if he doesn't want me either, I will go to Luna. She'll know I'm coming if it comes to that.

With a plan in mind, I head back to the dorms to get some sleep before I have to face these very fears tomorrow.

—-

I look around the station once I get off, and I'm surprised to see Ryan waiting at the front, right by the door I came out of. He smiles at me and opens his arms. My heart flutters seeing he still seems to want me. He hasn't spoken to me much through the journals since that week, so it was harder to believe he still cared.

I hug him tightly, breathing in his scent. He bends down to kiss me, and several cameras go off. I ignore them, used to them following us around Hogsmead all the time. He gives me the chance to say my goodbyes to my friends, then guides me to the floo.

We go to the Leaky Cauldron, then aparate to Hogsmead, where we change our glamours. The Knight Bus then takes us to Lovegood Manor where Luna and Xenophilius are waiting for us with a portkey that takes us to spinners end, where we take another portkey to private drive. Finally, we take a muggle cab to the house closest to the Haven, which is two miles away, and take a broom the rest of the way.

It seems a little overboard, but we know Dumbledore will send people to track us. He already tried placing tracking charms on the both of us. We can't be too careful. Tom even sent an elf to get rid of our magical signature from everywhere we were since elf magic can't be traced.

"You have no idea how much I have missed you." He says wrapping his arms around me.

"I missed you too." I reply quietly.

"Hadrian, is something wrong?"

"No, everything's fine."

"Really? Cause it doesn't sound like it." I pull away, hugging myself and taking a bench attached to the window, looking out it to help find the right words. "Hadrian, you can tell me anything. Just talk to me. If someone did something to you, I promise I won't go off and kill them." He tries to joke, but I ignore it. "Please talk to me love."

I feel his hand take mine, but I keep my gaze locked on the garden outside. Maybe if I stay silent long enough, he'll get annoyed and kick me out. Then I wouldn't have to wonder anymore.

But he doesn't. He sits on a chair next to me for ten minutes, waiting for me to talk. After fifteen more minutes of silent support from him, I finally say something, without looking at him.

"Do you still love me?" He startles at the sudden noise.

"Oh Hadrian, you have already started thinking that?"

"So it's true then. You want me gone."

"No! Of course not!" He turns my head to face him. "It's just that Severus, Remus, and I were talking recently that we were surprised you hadn't started thinking like that yet. You have been through so much in your life, it won't all go away at once. You grew up believing you couldn't be loved. It was only a matter of time before you started questioning if I really love you. That's why I make sure to tell you at least once a day. I don't say it just to hear myself talk Hadrian. I say that every day because I don't want you to ever feel that I don't love you."

"Then why haven't you been talking to me much. You only talk to me when I message you through the journals every night other than to tell me you won't be at Hogsmead."

"Wait, that's what brought this on?" He laughs.

"It's not funny." I defend.

"I'm sorry, you're right. It's just that, the reason I haven't been talking to you was because I was afraid I would give away your Christmas gift."

"It is?"

"Yes. I was really over excited about it, and nearly dragged you here on several occasions just to give it to you."

"Oh." I say with red ears.

"Come on Kitten, it's lunchtime, and your father has mentioned you haven't been eating as much as you're supposed to." He gives me a pointed look.

I smile innocently at him, and take his hand to go to the kitchen. He smiles at me with amusement and wraps an arm around my shoulders instead.

—-

"Hadrian, It's time to get up love. If you hurry, I have a surprise for you. You can have it before breakfast."

"Mmm, but you're comfy."

"You've mentioned. And I will still be comfortable tonight when we go to bed, however, it's already six fifteen, your surprise will be ready at around eight thirty, and then we will eat."

"What did I say about morning rundowns right after waking up?" He laughs.

"Come on Kitten, just because you're on holiday from school doesn't mean you can slack on your training."

—-

"Tom, I swear to Merlin, if you run me into a wall, you will be sleeping alone every night other than Christmas the whole time I'm on break."

"Hadrian?"

"Yes Tom?"

"Your father is in the room."

"Fuck."

He takes his hands off my eyes as the room bursts into laughter. Remus is holding Dad back, looking like he wants to be doing the opposite. Hermione, Neville, Luna, Draco, Blaise, and all of their families are standing there. The twins, Bill, and Charlie are all here too. I'm surprised that Draco and Blaise are standing with the other three as though they were all talking before I came in. The adults all seem to be getting along as well, though that's not as surprising since Tom could have given orders for that.

"Everyone here will be staying until Christmas Eve." He informs me.

I hug him, then I go to greet all of my friends.

"You know, I've suspected you were Potter for a while now, but now I'm sure. I'm just a little confused about which one you really are." Draco comments once we've sat down for breakfast.

"Both. James Potter adopted me when I was a baby to protect me, but Sev is my biological father."

"Wow, Harry Potter is dating the Dark Lord. I wouldn't have ever guessed that one." Blaise says surprised.

"You should all know by know that Hadrian cannot do anything the normal way. It's a part of his charm." Luna states airily.

"That's our little brother for you." Brags Charlie.

"Hey, if Hadrian is our brother,"

"Does that make you our father Professor?" The twins ask.

"No." He snaps.

The whole room laughs.

—-

"Everyone in position? Over."

"Otter is in position. Over."

"Hare is in position. Over."

"Dragon is in position. Over."

"Toad is in position. Over."

"Phoenix is in position. Over."

"Siamese one is in position. Over."

"Siamese two is in position. Over."

"Good. Basilisk is in position. Operation Bat-Wolf is a go. Unit Bat, commence with your mission. Over." I say into one of the walkie-talkies I convinced Tom to get us.

"We have to come up with a better mission name. Over." Hermione complains.

"Oh there you are professor. We were wondering if you could show us something in Hadrian's study." Hermione says from down the hall.

She and Draco and Blaise were assigned to getting Dad into the study. When they give the clear, the room will be sealed so people can get in, but not back out. Then, Neville, and Luna will get Remus in there. The twins and I will be the ones doing the warding, with the help of Kipsy to make sure neither of them can undo it.

We tried to get Bill in on it, but all he did was give me a hint and say that he knew I would figure it out. I did, but it put us a day behind schedule. The wards themselves will only allow for those who entered to leave once both have admitted their true feelings for each other. I know Dad still loves Mum, and it hasn't even been a year since Remus lost Sirius, but I can see the way they've been looking at each other, and they deserve to be happy too.

"Unit Wolf, commence with your mission. Over and out."

A minute or two later, I hear footsteps coming in our direction.

"You said it was in Hadrian's study?"

"Yes. Whatever it was was banging around in there an awful lot. I suspect wackspurts myself. Ditsy creatures, but not dangerous. Still, you can't be too careful. The others got Professor Snape to help as well. He's likely already in there."

Remus sighs, not noticing us hiding due to a lot of precautions. The door opens, and I hear my father calling for him to not let the door shut, but I use magic to shut it, and we immediately reinforce the wards around the room. Finally, all that's left is to wait.

"Good work team. You are dismissed."

The rest of the occupants of the house have been warned not to enter the room, so we spread out through the house without much worry. I look on as Hermione blushes and giggles at something Draco says. Neville has a goofy grin as he listens to Luna's story about her creatures. Blaise let's go of his quiet tendencies to laugh and joke with the twins. To think if that day had gone any differently, we may not have this.

It takes three hours for them to finally emerge. As soon as the wards alert me, I make a mad dash to Tom's study, where I jump under his desk and hide. He doesn't even bat an eye, and continues doing his dreaded paperwork. A while later, a very ruffled pair open the door without knocking, something they would never do in the right state of mind.

"Where is he?" Dad asks with a furious tone.

"Clinging to my leg under the desk."

"Hey!!" I exclaim.

My father pulls me out, earning an indignant grunt from Tom as he moves out of the man's way.

"Come on Hadrian, we need to have a conversation."

Remus says in a much calmer tone than Dad. We move to my room, which I haven't actually used this break, and we all find a place to sit.

"Hadrian, what you kids did wasn't funny. A prank like that could have ended very badly if things weren't the way they are." Dad begins.

"He's right. If what we said to get out of there had been mean, we would be fighting all through Christmas holidays. That wouldn't be fun for any of us, would it?" I look down at Remus' words.

"I'm sorry. That's not what I wanted to happen I swear."

"We know that."

"That being said, we didn't fight, but what we talked about will involve you, and I want to speak with you before anything happens involving it." I give my father my full attention when he says this. "Hadrian, Remus and I have feelings for each other. I know it may be difficult to under—"

"It worked?!" I ask with excitement.

"What do you mean Cub?"

"I mean you two told each other about your feelings for each other. So the plan worked. You're dating now right?"

"Wait, are saying that wasn't a prank at all, but a set up?"

"Of course it was! Why else would I have made the requirements to tell each other how you feel about each other? It was obvious you liked each other, and you've both been doing so much to make me happy, I decided it was my turn to make you happy. You both deserve it."

"I can't believe it. He inherited his mother's matchmaking tendencies." Dad says with exasperation.

"So you're not mad?"

"No we're not mad. But remember what I said. Pranks should be fun for both parties, not just one." Remus informs.

"Of course! Can I go tell the others?"

"Sure." Dad complies.

I give them both hugs and run out of the room shouting that the mission was a success.

—-

This morning, I woke up in Tom's arms once again. I made it clear to him that I have no intentions to go back to my own room, so he had the elves move most of my stuff into our room. Anything else went to my study. After breakfast with Dad and Remus, we open presents from everyone.

We started with the ones my friends left behind, each of us getting different things each person thought we would like. I also got the ones from the light side out of the way. Then we handed out the gifts we got for each other.

Nagini, Athena and Hedwig worked together to get Tom and I a dead fox, and Tom used a spell to preserve it, much like muggle taxidermy, and it now sits on the dresser in our room. Remus got me a few different muggle book series that I wanted, Dad got me a phone, and together, they, along with Tom, all got me a laptop. A few days ago, Bill and I sat in my study and worked all day and night until we found the solution to the rune set I had been working on to let muggle technology work with magic. After a lot of hard work, the solution hit me, and we were able to get technology to work around and even run off of magic.

He refused to take any of the credit, but promised to help me get a copyright on the set. These gifts are so I can engrave the runes on them and bring them to school with me. They each have a phone as well, so I can call or video chat them anytime.

I just unwrapped Tom's gift to me to find a memory ball, not to be confused with a remembrall. The memory ball is a crystal ball that will show you your happiest memories.

"There is one more thing." He says as I start to help the elves clean up the mess.

Remus and Dad both straighten up in what appears to be anticipation. Tom takes my hands, and gets on one knee in front of me. One hand reaches into his pocket, and pulls out a small green velvet box. He opens it, and my breath catches. Inside is a black ring with amethysts set in it.

"Hadrian, I know it's only been about six months since we've been together, but I know that I love you, and that I want to spend the rest of my life with you. The summer after you graduate, on our anniversary, I want us to finally make that happen. So, Hadrian Severus Snape, will you marry me?"

He wants to marry me? He really doesn't want to get rid of me? This must have been what he was trying not to tell me early! I look him in the eyes, knowing my answer already.