Disclaimer: The characters and places and stuff belong to JKR. But for now, they are at my mercy. *evil grin* I'll return them as soon as I'm finished…maybe.
LunarMist DarknessEclipse: I'll finish the Harry/Draco fic as soon as I can find my disk. I've had my whole family looking for it, but I'm still determined to find it.
Author's Note: I doubt you'll find out who the attacker was…Though I may change my mind…Maybe I'll just leave it as a mystery, considering I don't even know who it was. *grin*
Thanks for the reviews, everyone!
In this chapter: Sev's sick…Hermione…and a trip to Hogsmeade
~~~
Chapter 24
When Harry awoke the following Saturday, he found a note on his pillow. He rubbed his eyes and sat up, looking around the dorm. All of his dorm mates were already out of bed, except for Ron, who was still snoozing. Harry opened the note and read it to himself.
Harry,
If you wake up in time, come and have breakfast with me at 8:00.
Love,
Sev
Harry smiled happily, then looked at his clock and gasped. It was ten to eight already! He jumped out of bed and pulled some clothes on, then brushed his teeth and ran a comb through his hair before pulling it into a ponytail. Finally, he ran downstairs to the portrait of Salazar Slytherin and spoke the password. When he stepped into the suite, it was two minutes to eight, and Severus was nowhere in sight. Harry went to the master bedroom and slowly opened the door, giving a soft smile when he saw that Severus, though dressed, lay in bed, seeming to be asleep.
Harry carefully climbed onto the bed and placed an arm on either side of Severus's body, leaning over him. He placed a light kiss on Severus's mouth and smiled when the other man opened his eyes.
"There's been a change of plans," Severus murmured. "I'm not having breakfast..."
Harry pressed his lips against Severus's forehead, frowning when he felt the heat radiating from his skin.
"You have a fever," Harry stated, softly, as Severus stifled a cough. "Can I get you anything?"
"I need some Pepper-Up Potion," Severus mumbled, miserably. "Can you go up and ask Poppy for some? I don't have any in my stores, and I don't feel well enough to make more."
"Sure. Just make sure you don't, you know, die or something before I get back." Severus just chuckled as Harry left.
When Harry went into the infirmary, Poppy looked up from Mandy Brocklehurst's arm that she was mending. She glared at Harry, then gave Mandy's arm a gentle pat and told her to go. Poppy then stood and folded her arms across her chest.
"Harry Potter, I told you that I didn't want to see you again for at least a week," she said, shaking her finger at him accusingly. Harry held up his hands in defense.
"It's not for me, I swear!" he insisted, grinning. "Severus needs some Pepper-Up. He doesn't have any in his stores, and he doesn't feel well enough to make more."
"I think I have some in the back," Poppy replied. "Stay out here. I'll go and check."
A minute after Poppy went into her store room, Hermione came into the room, carrying a tray of supplies. She glanced at Harry, then turned to the cupboard that she was stocking.
"Hello, Harry," she greeted him politely.
Harry looked up in surprise.
"Hi, Hermione," he said, calmly, though he was excited that she was actually speaking to him. "How is the apprenticeship going?"
"Great, I'm learning a lot," Hermione replied, nodding her head.
Harry just smiled and thought, Same old Hermione.
Before he could speak again, he suddenly felt a weight jump on him. Hermione threw her arms around his neck, nearly knocking him over, and she cried into his shoulder.
"I'm so sorry, Harry!" she sobbed. "I've been so stupid, and I'm sorry!"
Harry reached up awkwardly to pat her shoulder and comfort her. After a moment, she pulled away, wiping her eyes and sniffling.
"I know you probably can't forgive me," she said, quietly, her voice still choked. "But it just hasn't been the same without you. You were right in your letter: you are the same person, and I've missed you. I don't care what my parents taught me. I can learn to live with your...sexual orientation. If you'll let me, I mean. I'm so sorry, Harry."
Harry stared at her briefly, surprised. He hadn't been expecting her to apologize to him. In fact, he had accepted that she didn't want to be his friend weeks ago. Finally, his face broke into a grin, and he wrapped Hermione in an embrace.
"Of course I forgive you," he said, softly. "What you said hurt, but if you think you can accept it, then I can forgive you."
"Oh, Harry, I'm so glad!" Hermione exclaimed, kissing his cheek. "I've missed you so much!" She glanced at the cupboard that she'd been restocking. "I should probably get back to work."
"We'll get together and do something sometime, all right?" Harry suggested. Hermione nodded, smiling.
"I'd like that, Harry. Thank you."
With that, Hermione went back to restocking, and Harry turned to Poppy, who had been waiting patiently with a smile on her face. She handed him a small phial of Pepper-Up Potion.
"Here you go, dear," she said. "Tell Severus to get some rest, and don't tire him out!" Harry blushed slightly, but he nodded.
"Yes, ma'am. Thank you very much."
Harry headed back down to the dungeons with a smile on his face. He was still grinning when he went into the bedroom to give Severus the potion. Severus sat up against the headboard of his bed and downed the potion, and almost immediately, his ears started steaming, causing Harry to giggle.
"What are you so happy about?" Severus demanded, wrapping his arms around Harry, who laid on the older man's shoulder.
"Hermione apologized, and she's learning to accept my sexuality," Harry explained, happily.
"It bloody well took her long enough," Severus grumbled. Harry laughed and kissed Severus's cheek.
"Take your shirt off, turn over, and lay on your stomach," he requested. Severus glared at him.
"Why?"
"Because you're too damned tense and grumpy!" Harry shot back. "I'll help you to relax."
Severus reluctantly complied and turned over after removing his shirt. Harry straddled him and sat himself down on Severus's butt. Harry then cracked his knuckles and lowered his hands to Severus's back. He gently but firmly began to knead the knots out of Severus's muscles, grinning when the older man moaned under his fingers.
"There, does that feel better?" Severus's response was a delighted moan, and Harry laughed. "I told you I'd help you relax."
"God, Harry, you have no idea..." Severus murmured. "Where the hell did you learn that?"
"It comes naturally," Harry replied. "It can't be learned, but Remus gave some pointers. He's quite good at massages."
Harry kept massaging Severus's back until all the tension was gone. When he stopped, he lay down next to Severus, who gave him a sleepy smile.
"That feels much better..."
"Good," Harry replied, kissing Severus's cheek. He chuckled slightly. "And here, Ron and I thought you never get sick."
"It's rare, but when it happens, I drug myself up during the week, and then I hide away during the weekend." Severus yawned and closed his eyes. Harry reached over and gently caressed his cheek.
"I'll leave you alone to sleep," he said, softly. "I'll come back around lunchtime, all right?"
"Mmm-hmm..."
Severus didn't open his eyes, as he was already half-asleep. Harry gave a soft smile and pressed a light kiss to Severus's lips.
"Feel better," he whispered in Severus's ear. "I love you."
~~~
"Harry!"
A voice stopped Harry as he headed for Sirius and Remus's quarters. Harry turned around, and Draco ran up to him.
"Hey, where are you going?" Draco wondered.
"To see Sirius and Remus," Harry responded. "Come with?"
Draco draped an arm around Harry's shoulders, and the two continued walking.
"Sev's sick," Harry reported. "I left so he could sleep, but I'm going back down around lunchtime, if you want to come."
"We'll see," Draco replied. "I was thinking about going into Hogsmeade for a few hours. Maybe I can get my Christmas shopping finished early."
"In-sane-ly early," Harry corrected his friend, grinning as they came to a stop in front of Sirius and Remus's portrait door.
Harry said the password, and the two seventh years entered the rooms. In the living room, they found Sirius sitting in an easy chair with Remus on top of him, and they were locked in a passionate make-out session. They didn't even notice that Harry and Draco had come in until Harry cleared his throat. The two older wizards looked up and blushed, scrambling to straighten their hair and their clothes. Harry chuckled and waved them off, heading for the bathroom.
"Don't stop on our account," he called, searching for his extra toothbrush, which he left in his godfathers' rooms. "It's not like I haven't walked in on you two shagging before. A little snogging won't hurt anything!" He slammed his hands down on the sink. "Damn it!"
"What's the matter?" Draco asked as he dropped down to the sofa, stretching out. Harry emerged from the bathroom and showed his godfathers an empty cup.
"Do you need this?" he asked.
Sirius shook his head, though he was confused. He understood, however, when Harry transfigured the cup into a toothbrush and proceeded to brush his teeth again. Then he returned to the living room and gave his godfathers small kisses on their lips.
"Good morning," he greeted them. "I had to brush my teeth before I did that because Severus is sick, and I kissed him. If I got sick from him, I didn't want you two to get sick from me."
"How considerate of you," Remus teased. Harry went to the sofa and sat on Draco's legs. "What are you two doing today?"
"I want to go to Hogsmeade," Draco replied. "Harry's going back down to Uncle Sev's around lunchtime."
"I wouldn't mind going to Hogsmeade for a couple of hours, myself," Harry added. He looked at Sirius and Remus. "Can we go? And maybe Ron, too?"
"I don't want you lot going out by yourselves," Sirius answered, firmly. "One of us has to go, or Charlie."
"Come on, Siri, who would try anything on us in Hogsmeade?" Harry whined. "There'd be too many witnesses around, and besides, there's Rosmerta and Fred and George and everyone out there if we need them."
"One of us is going with you, or else you're not going. That's final, Harry."
"Fine," Harry sighed. "Moony, will you come? I wanted to talk to you, anyway, and don't give me that look, Siri, I'll talk to you eventually as well."
"Sure, love," Remus agreed. "Do you want to leave now?" Draco and Harry nodded. "All right, go and see if Ron wants to come, get your cloaks, and meet me at the passage to Honeydukes. It will be warmer to go that way."
~~~
"What did you want to talk about, love?" Remus asked Harry. The two sat on a bench outside Quality Quidditch Supplies while Draco and Ron browsed the store.
"What do you know about bonding ceremonies?" Harry wondered. "What, exactly, happens during one?"
"Well, it's pretty much like a normal wedding. An elder wizard officiates the bonding of two people who love one another. They vow to love and honor each other until death, but it's only legitimate if there are at least two witnesses. Gay couples are usually the ones who do bonding ceremonies, as they're not allowed to legally marry yet."
"Are you and Siri bonded?" Harry asked, curiously. He thought he saw a flash of sadness in Remus's eyes, and he reached over to hold his godfather's hand.
"Werewolves aren't allowed by the Ministry to bond or breed," Remus explained, softly. "Arthur---Minister Weasley--is trying to loosen the restrictions on werewolves and such, but I don't really see that happening any time soon. There are still too many in the Ministry who are against Dark Creatures."
"That's not fair," Harry sighed.
"I know, love, but nobody ever said that life was supposed to be fair," Remus murmured, placing a kiss on the top of Harry's head. "Why do you ask about bonding ceremonies?" His eyes widened. "Harry, did Severus--" Harry cut him off by nodding.
"He said that he's ready whenever I am," he said with a content sigh as he cuddled up to Remus for warmth. "I was just curious to know more about them."
"Does he have the wristbands?" Remus wondered. Harry nodded.
"They're beautiful, gold," he replied. "I think I'm ready, but I wanted to see if there's anything else I should know about it before I tell him I'm ready."
"Well, make sure you're ready, first of all," Remus told him. "Then the two of you will probably speak with Albus about it, and he'll make the arrangements. Aside from the wristbands, the lovers buy bonding gifts for each other. It's usually jewelry of some sort, to symbolize their love. They exchange these gifts in private, and then after the ceremony there is usually a reception." He was about to say more, but he was cut off by Ron and Draco coming up to them.
"Finished here!" Ron told them. "Let's go down to the WWW and see Fred and George. Harry, they've been wanting you to come visit." Harry gave in and began to follow his friends, though he didn't leave the warmth of his godfather's arms.
"We'll talk some more later, love," Remus promised him.
