Part 34

He woke to the sound of deep breathing. The slow even movement at his side added to his
relaxation and nearly lulled him back into sleep.

That is, until he remembered what happened last time Harry had spent the night.

Maybe he should have gotten drunk. Then at least he'd have a headache to distract him.

The warm tufts of air against the side of his neck was starting to feel a little too good.

He gently shook the closest shoulder. "Harry."

"Mmmphgm."

"Harry." A little louder.

Stretch. Squirm. Settle.

Sigh. Time to try another tactic.

He carefully rolled them over on to their sides and cupped the slack cheek. The gentle press of
lips on lips sparked the familiar sensation in his body.

"Mmmmm"

He couldn't agree more. The kiss continued in a languid fashion, until they were both breathless.

"Good morning." His voice was a husky timbre.

"Guh."

Well he was awake. But apparently coherency seemed to be far behind. "You need to get back to
your friends and I need to find Draco."

The body in his arms stiffened.

"Right. Yes. What are you going to tell him?" Harry sounded dismayed.

Good question. "A great many things, I suppose. I believe he should know about his father."

Harry stiffened up further. "Right. His father." he said and started to roll away.

He tightened his arms around Harry, reflexively.

Without looking at him "Let me up."

He let go and watched Harry practically throw himself out of the bed. "You're in a bad mood."
He drawled.

Harry's shoulders visible tensed. "No I'm not."

Bullshit. "I'm not an idiot."

Harry swiftly turned around. "For someone who's not an idiot you certainly feel the need to point
it out often enough."

That. Arrogant. Boy.

Seething. "Get dressed and get out."

"What's the matter Snape," Harry spit his name out like an epithet, "You can put people down,
but only if they don't fight back?"

"I don't like being blatantly lied to." His voice had gone deadly quiet.

"Too bad!" Harry's nostrils were flared and he was breathing heavily.

"You miserable wretch!" He swung his legs out of bed and stood up. "Can't you control yourself
for ten whole minutes!"

Harry crossed his arms. "Apparently not!"

He stalked across to room to where Harry was standing and grabbed him forcefully. "What is the
matter with you!"

"Nothing!" Harry barked.

"Why do you insist on lying!" He snarled.

"Because, I don't want you to know-" Harry cut himself off.

A deft shake to the arms he was holding. "Don't want me to know what?"

"Nothing!" Harry turned his face away. "Just let me go."

He lifted a hand and forced Harry to look at him. "What. Is. Your. Problem."

With and angry snarl, Harry finally gave up. "Lucius Malfoy makes me angry! Ok! Happy?"

Blink. That was not what he had expected.

"He makes you angry?" He sneered. "That is what this little temper tantrum is about?"

"Yes! He makes me angry. He's using you! Using whatever you had to get what he wants!"

He looked down at the green eyes. Intense emotions swirled about. "That's not the whole truth."

Harry leveled a glare in his direction. "What, you haven't humiliated me enough?"

"Humiliate?" He seethed. "I have not humiliated you. Humiliation is when two of your colleagues
ask you, if in between make out sessions you've been allowing your partner to see his
GIRLFRIEND!"

"Girlfriend? What the hell are you talking about?" Harry yelled back.

"I don't know!" He stopped and took a deep breath. "I don't know." He said more calmly. "What
are you talking about?"

Harry's eyes were blank for a moment. Then they widened. "Oh! No. Not like that. She was
helping me get rid of the rumors."

"A cover?"

"I guess. Was mostly her idea. We didn't have time to discuss it before hand."

"That explains one thing. Now, why are you angry?"

Harry looked up at him defiantly. "Why were you?"

Why couldn't he just answer a damned question? "You are infuriating."

Said calmly. "So are you."

"I was angry because... because you are the most frustrating person alive."

"Not that. The other thing."

"The other thing?" Feigning innocence.

"When you mentioned Hermione, you're mouth did that thing it does in potions when Neville's
screw ups are particularly spectacular."

Glare.

Harry didn't budge.

"Fine. I don't know why. Something about being asked about your girlfriend... irked me."

"Ah." Harry started to wiggle out of his arms.

"Uh uh. Tit for tat young man. Why. Were. You. So. Angry."

Another defiant stare. "Lucius Malfoy makes me angry."

He pushed Harry a few feet until he was flush against the wall. Using his body weight, he trapped
the young man and cupped his cheek. "Why?" He asked with an intensity that he hadn't expected.

Softly but steadily Harry began to speak, "I think of him and I think of you and it makes me...
itch. Worse, he's probably using you to get away, or to get to me and you don't deserve that."

He stared at Harry for a few moments. How did one respond to that?

He swooped in and kissed the young man warmly. Almost tenderly. When they parted he pressed
their foreheads together. "Right now. I don't know of anything that can come between us.
Including Lucius Malfoy."

Harry's hand freed itself and came up to touch his face. With a shaky voice, "Oh... good."

Warm lips touched his and he greedily took them in. Their hips ground into each other creating
waves of sensation. When Harry attacked his neck with sharp teeth, his knees buckled and they
slowly sank to the ground.
_________

He escorted Draco into his study. While under normal situations, it would have been highly
inappropriate, he did not want to have this conversation in his office and he figured why break the
trend of highly inappropriate things now? After all, he was on a roll.

He motioned for the young man to take a seat on the couch while he sat in the armchair. He
winced as a jolt of pain went through his lower back. While idly thinking about whether he had
the correct pain potion he made a mental note to never do anything that gymnastic on the floor
again.

Before he could speak, Draco did. "Is this about my father?"

"Some. There are actually several things we need to discuss."

Draco looked surprised and a bit wary. "Several?"

"Several." He confirmed. "Since none of them are pleasant, I shall take them in chronological
order." He looked at Draco for a moment, studying the serious, young face in front of him, before
continuing. "In a few hours, right after lunch, I am getting married."

He watched Draco stare at him for several seconds. A small snort, then a larger one. It was
obvious that he was trying not to laugh.

He sighed. "Don't fight it. You'll only make yourself look foolish."

Draco resisted for a few more moments and then let loose a low snicker. "I'm sorry sir, but you
make it sound like a fate worse than death."

"Wait until you hear the entire story."
_________

Draco gave him a calculating stare before responding. "That's... that's very entertaining, sir."

He raised an eyebrow. "I'm glad I can amuse you."

"Sir," Draco said, sounding confused. "I'm not quite sure why you told me all of this."

"I am in need of a witness and I find the irony in asking you appealing."

Draco looked at him with a smirk. "I don't hate you either, sir."

He sobered for a moment and formalized his request using the traditional phrasing, "Draco, will
you stand by my side and Witness my binding to another?"

With a solemn nod, Draco answered. "It would be an honor and a privilege to stand by you and
yours."

He wasn't surprised he knew the correct answer. "Thank you."

Draco nodded. "Are you ok, sir?" The end of the sentence was interrupted by a large yawn.
"Sorry."

He raised an eyebrow. "Am I boring you?"

"No sir, I just haven't been sleeping much."

"Nightmares?" He enquired.

Draco considered the question for a moment. "Those too."

He sensed there was something else going on, but now was not the time to play verbal games.
"Draco, there is also... the matter of your father."

All the humor in Draco's face was gone. "My father."

He sighed. "Yesterday morning, I received a letter-"

"Please just tell me, sir." Draco interrupted.

He gave up any attempt at tact. "He is alive. The man that you killed was under the influence of
Polyjuice."

"And the letter?" Draco prompted.

"He wants to meet me."

Draco nodded. "Should I assume you said yes?"

Who was in charge of this conversation? "Yes."

"It's a trap, you know." Draco said matter-of-factly.

Dryly, "So I've been told." He paused. "I have received permission for you to be there."

"Thank you, sir." Draco looked at him, "Where and when?"

"Two days, here."

"What!" Draco yelped.

His sentiments exactly. "Believe me, it is not my idea. There will Aurors and several staff
members. We should be fine." He tried to reassure him.

"I'm not convinced." Draco looked away. "But I will be there."

"I knew you would be. I will see you in the Headmaster's office after lunch."

Draco got up and began to leave, but stopped and turned around, "Sir, if it looks like... if it looks
like a trap, don't hesitate. I wouldn't. The man that you knew, that my mother married, wouldn't
want to live like that."

He nodded, understanding better than he thought possible.

"And sir? Can I... Am I allowed to talk to someone about this?"

"If you feel they can be trusted."

Draco nodded and left.
_________

He knocked gently on Minerva's office door.

"Come in!" She called from inside.

He entered and waited for her to look up.

She finished whatever she was writing and glanced in his direction. Pulling out the next sheet of
paper, she continued to write. "Severus, to what do I owe the pleasure."

Her majesty didn't deign to look at him.

Might as well take the plunge. With a deep breath, "Will you stand by my side and Witness my
binding to another?"

The quill she was using broke and large splotch of ink stained the parchment. "What?"

"It seems, I am to be married, this afternoon."

She slowly put down the quill and gestured for him to take a seat. "Does young Mr. Potter have a
say in this?"

"Do I?" He winced. "And please... don't call him that."

"Mr. Potter?"

"Young."

She looked over the rim of her glasses. "Ah, you do have a conscious."

"Damnit! You're just as bad as Black! I did not do this on purpose! In fact, I did not do it at all!
Have you spoken to Albus at all?" He was getting tired of explaining this.

She nodded. "He informed me of some of the more... complex aspects of the spells, as well as the
visit from our local Minister of Magic."

"Then stop looking at me like that!"

She raised an eyebrow and he felt, for all the world, like a student telling his teacher his wand ate
his homework. "I just want to make sure that *young*" she emphasized the word, the old bat,
"Mr. Potter is not... overwhelmed."

Dryly. "I assure you, he has as much control of the situation as possible."

"Severus." She looked at him seriously. "You had to want it?" She was clearly asking for some
sort of explanation.

He sighed. "Yes, that was part of the requirements of the spell."

"He's a student, Severus."

"Really?" He sneered, "I had no idea."

"Severus," She leaned forward, placing her elbows on her desk, "tell me why I shouldn't demand
that you be fired."

"Because I haven't broken any rules!" He threw at her.

She rolled her eyes. "You're talking semantics."

"No I'm not!" He yelled.

"How do I know!" She shot back.

"Because I wouldn't have!" His chest was heaving. Oh god, what had he said?

Quieter, almost unsure, she asked, "Severus?"

He buried his face in his hands. "I wouldn't have." He whispered. "No matter how compelling, the
temptation for comfort, for company," He looked up, almost pleading, "I would not. Have done.
Anything."

Minerva's eyes were wide. "Albus and Ms. Granger were right. You had to want something, but
it wasn't necessarily sex was it?"

He was slumped in the chair. "God help me, no."

"Severus..."

"Will you stand by my side and Witness my binding to another?" He asked again, before she could
say anything else.

Minerva walked out from behind her desk and placed a comforting hand on his shoulder. The itch
increased. In a low, comforting voice, she answered him. "It would be an honor and a privilege to
stand by you and yours."

He gave her a sharp nod, got up and left.

Part 35

Harry eventually made it back to his common room. Limping. And a bit sore.

Parvati was lounging in front of the fire reading some sort of book, she glanced at him when he
entered and blinked at him owlishly, but wisely said nothing and went back to reading.

"Have you seen Ron or Hermione?"

Without looking up, "Upstairs I think. Her room." She gestured vaguely in the direction of the
stairs.

Made sense. She was a prefect. Why not take advantage?

He knocked on the solitary door and waited patiently for an answer. He once again pondered the
pluses and minuses of prefects. Yeah you got your own rooms and a wicked bathroom, but he had
already had a great deal of responsibility thrust, oh not a good word, onto him in his life that he
couldn't imagine voluntarily taking on more.

He noticed that it was taking a bit longer than usual for Hermione to answer. He knocked again,
slightly louder.

Another minute went by and the door slowly opened. A bleary eyed, robe clad Hermione
answered. "Harry, what time is it?"

"Around nine."

"Oh." She just stood there in the doorway, staring at him.

"Is Ron there? I need to talk to both of you." As he asked the question he realized his mistake.
She had obviously just come from bed.

She blinked at him for a few moments and then slowly nodded. She stepped aside and allowed
him to enter. "Wait here."

He suddenly had the urge to tell her to forget it, he'd come back later. Except that there really
wasn't much later to fall back on. He reasoned that they had to go to breakfast at some point.

That thought had sufficiently satisfied him until he saw Ron appear in the bedroom doorway
followed closely by... a... blond... head...

Draco.

It was too early in the morning for this.

Clear blue eyes looked at him. "Potter."

"Malfoy." He acknowledged

Ron looked about, a bit confused. "Harry? Why're you here?"

"I need to talk to you two." He answered and still looking at Draco. "And I imagine that Snape'll
be looking for you soon."

Draco paused at this. "Looking for me?"

Harry noted that he wasn't questioned on his information. Though sharp eyes did look at him with
unsaid knowledge.

Yes. Draco had definitely changed. How much was still waiting to be seen.

"I should go back and get dressed anyway. I'll see you two later."

He watched Draco make an aborted hand movement to both of his friends. The thin should tensed
and then shrugged. Fingers deliberately brushed against the back of hands and silent nods were
given.

Harry suddenly felt like an intruder. He used to be able to do that.

Not shag them senseless. Talk with their eyes.

Closing the door behind Draco, they turned to him and silently asked what he wanted.

Ok. Maybe he still could. But it wasn't the same. How many things had he missed about himself
and Ron and Hermione?

He felt like an utter prat.

"Stop berating yourself Harry, you're still my best friend." Hermione spoke up.

He was suddenly elated that she had practically read his mind. First time for that in weeks.

He noted it wasn't half as annoying as when Dumbledore did it.

She continued. "Sex doesn't have to define every relationship. We're all... in flux at the moment.
The whole school is really. We promise not forget you're alive as long as you promise to do the
same for us."

He nodded and felt a better. Until he realized she'd mentioned sex. That meant... things he wasn't
going to think about. Too many things were threatening to make his head explode as it was.
Which reminded him, "I need to ask you guys a question."

Ron spoke up. "Go on Harry, I'm sure Hermione, 'I'm as blunt as a bludger', Granger will tell
you if its too personal." He gave his... girlfriend? Lover? Shagbunny? A goofy grin.

Hermione smacked Ron on the shoulder. "Ask whatever you want, Harry."

"Well, I told you, yesterday, that I'm... we're getting married, right?"

They both nodded slowly, is seemed he wasn't the only one having a hard time swallowing... oh
god... it.

With a gulp, he plowed on. "Well, the Headmaster has managed to arrange everything for today,
after lunch, to be exact, there are just a few minor details that need to be ironed out."

"Like what?" Hermione asked.

"I need my Witnesses."

Ron looked at him seriously. "Are you asking us?"

"Of course I am."

Ron, once again, smiled widely. "I always pictured being asked formally the first time, but then I
never imagined being asked while I was still at Hogwarts."

"Formally asked?"

Hermione must have sensed the void of knowledge because she instantly shifted into lecture
mode. "The marriage ceremony is one of the oldest in the wizarding world. It predates almost all
of the more complex spells and charms that modern wizards use by hundreds of years. Its also
unique because it invokes formal phrases that have nothing to do with spells or charms."

"Formal phrases?"

She nodded. "For example, asking your Witnesses to stand with you. There's a traditional saying
that's used."

"What is it?"

She thought about it for a moment and then carefully said the phrase.

He nodded and said it back to them, "Will you stand by my side and Witness my binding to
another?"

"It would be an honor and a privilege to stand by you and yours." Hermione and Ron both
answered.

At the same time.

God it was getting worse.

"Thank you." Was all he could get out. He was suddenly choked.

He was getting married.

He had been ORDERED to get married.

By the Minister of Magic.

His life was getting more absurd by the minute.
_________

Severus Snape stalked up to the entrance to the Headmaster's office and ground out the
password, once again going over exactly how far out of control this was.

He was getting married.

To Harry 'I'm a walking target' Potter.

Godson of the bloody Sirius Black.

Thorn in his side.

Best lay he'd had in years.

He stopped and blinked.

He really wished his mind would stop coughing up little doozies like that one.

"Ah, Severus, please come in. Minerva and Draco are already here. We're just awaiting on the
other Bridegroom and his party."

He leveled a glare at Albus that would have made Longbottom pee in his pants. Of course the old
coot did nothing but sit there and smile at him.

Infuriating. Insufferable. Old. Man.

He took a seat in the corner of the room and glowered, wishing he'd cursed him when he had the
chance. Knowing the Headmaster, he would have enjoyed the more sedate ones.

/Oh Severus, I really did enjoy the wiggling underwear./

He settled for another glare.

They sat, waiting with palpable tension in the air.

His thoughts had just gotten to the point where he was weighing the pros and cons of running
away when Harry and company made an appearance.

Harry looked at the people in the room sheepishly, "Sorry, we lost track of time."

Albus just smiled and waved them in. "That's all right Harry. You're here, that's all that matters."

Yes. Harry was here. Lets do get on with taking all control of his life out of his hands.

Albus stood up and walked to the front of his desk. "Severus, Harry, if you'll stand in front of
me."

They didn't move.

"Gentlemen." Albus gently pushed.

He braced shaking hands on the arms of the chair, stood up and slowly took his place. Harry soon
appeared next to him.

Albus nodded, "Minerva, Hermione, on either side of me please, Draco, Ron, behind Severus and
Harry."

Places were taken and the urge to run increased.

Albus turned worried eyes on them. "I'm afraid I'm going to have to ask you to take the rings off,
its part of the ceremony and its tied into the signing of the parchment. I'm sorry."

The rings off?

It was becoming readily apparent that they could barely control themselves with the rings *on*.

He cast a look at Harry and gave a tight nod. Together they slipped off the rings.

As the cool metal left his finger and wave of pure longing swept through him and he gasped. He
was distantly aware of a similar sound coming from Harry. His knees where threatening to buckle.
Strong hands latched onto him. Warmth seeped into his robes where they made contact. He
looked up and there was delicious soft skin staring back at him.

Those green eyes were haunting him. Beseeching him silently to stop the ache. He took those
grasping hands into his own and tugged Harry closer and until the full length of the younger
man's body was felt against his own.

Finally some relief.

Without looking away from those eyes he spoke, "Albus. Start. Now." Or god knew what would
happen.

A crinkle of parchment told him that Albus had picked up the scroll. In a slow careful voice, the
Headmaster began. "We are here to Witness the binding of two people in a form more ancient
than time. Severus Lucius Snape and Harry James Potter are here to join their lives together.
*Bindus*." The last word had an echoing, enchanted quality that old magic tended have when
wielded by an especially powerful wizard.

The parchment transfigured itself into a length of satin chord.

"Right hands, gentlemen." Albus gently reminded them.

Slowly, they manipulated their hands so that only the right ones were clasped between them,
palms together, fingers entwined and facing up.

Albus slipped the chord between their hand and carefully wrapped it in the pattern that would be
familiar to any wizard that had attended a similar ceremony. It only took a few seconds to fully
bind them down to the elbows.

The two ends were tied to together and Albus began again. "The ring, a reminder and symbol
serves to finish this joining.

A ring was pressed into his left hand. He slowly lifted it and said, "Will you wear my reminder and
symbol to finish this joining?"

Green eyes looked deep into his before a hand came into view. "Yes." Harry rasped. "I will wear
it."

He slipped the ring onto Harry's finger.

Albus turned to Harry and handed him the other ring.

Harry lifted it and asked, ""Will you wear my reminder and symbol to finish this joining?"

He swallowed, emotion thick in his throat. ""Yes." He whispered. "I will wear it."

The ring was once again slid onto his finger. He still couldn't tear his eyes away.

Albus's deep, intoning voice once again spoke up, "Is there a witness to this binding?"

Minerva stepped forward and placed her hand on their bound ones. "I am here to witness Severus
Lucius Snape and his binding to his other." She stepped back.

Draco was next, "I am here to witness Severus Lucius Snape and his binding to his other." He had
stumbled slightly on the middle name, but looked deeply honored to be included.

Once Draco's hand had been removed, Ron stepped forward, "I am here to witness Harry James
Potter and his binding to his other." Before stepping back gave them both a short, supportive nod.

Next, Hermione. ""I am here to witness Harry James Potter and his binding to his other." She
gave them a warm smile.

Finally Albus stepped forward and placed both of his hands on theirs. "You have chosen your
others and bound yourselves to them, even without these bindings," Albus tugged on the satin
chords sharply and flash of power went through him, "you are bound." The cord had come away,
unraveled from its complex weaving without having been unwound. Before their eyes it
transfigured back into the specialized parchment.

The only difference was that the names of everyone in the room were now on it, in the
appropriate places.

He looked down at their still clasped hands in wonder. God, he was married.

He gave a sharp pull and Harry was in his arms. Warm tingling was once again invading his entire
body.

Harry gave a muted gasp and tangled his left hand in his hair.

He mirrored the action.

Soft lips called to him, parted sweetly and beckoned him in. He leaned in tasted them.

Oh it was sweet.

They slowly broke apart.

"Severus, thank you for your restraint." Albus had a disgustingly cheerful manner of breaking the
mood.

"Shut up, Albus." He put a little more space between them, but their hands refuse to let go.

A voice from behind him muttered, "This is so strange."

He turned to Ron, "Strange?"

"You're married to Harry Potter." Came a chorus of voices. Draco, Ron and Hermione had all
answered at once.

Harry snickered and muttered something he didn't hear.

"What?" He questioned

Harry cleared his throat and repeated it again, with more volume. "Gotta be the sex."