Title: The Art of Necromancy

Author: Artemis Luna Diana

E-Mail: artemislunadiana@yahoo.com

Rating: R

Pairing: Harry/Severus

Time: begins right after GoF

Summary: Harry returns to Hogwarts to spend the summer. Out of sheer boredom, he scours the library for books to read and stumbles across a book that will change his life…

Disclaimer: I own not a thing

WARNING!!!! THIS IS A SLASH STORY!!!! IF YOU DON'T LIKE SLASH OR THIS PARTICULAR PAIRING… LEAVE NOW!!!!

Chapter Seventeen: Behind Door Number One…

When Harry awoke again, he was dressed and alone on the floor. He rolled onto his back, searching the bubble for Severus. Severus was standing with his arms folded across his chest, staring down at him. Harry stood, watching Severus warily. He stretched as a few pains in his back made themselves known. "Is something wrong?"

Severus shook his head. "It's just… we've been in here an awful long time. There is no question that the students will have seen the dome of protection spells, and a few of the smarter ones will recognize it as the spells used in a bonding ceremony."

"Unless we drop the spells in front of them, they won't know who is in here, though."

Severus shook his head again. "We don't have that kind of luck. Someone will see."

"Well there is no sense in just standing here hoping no one is out there. Let's just drop the spells."

Severus reached out and pulled Harry to him by a hand on his waist. Harry wrapped his arms around his lover, looking up at his worried face. Severus wrapped his arms around Harry, pulling their bodies tighter together. There was a shudder in the walls of the bubble before it burst with a soft pop. Severus pulled away slightly to look around the Great Hall.

"Well, don't just stand there," Madam Pomfrey said. "Both of you, off to the infirmary."

Harry smiled in relief. Only Dumbledore, McGonagall, and Pomfrey were in the Great Hall.

***

Harry groaned as Poppy directed him to levitate the feather again. "Don't you think you've seen me do this enough? What is this the tenth time I've done this?"

"You will continue to cast the spells I say until I'm confident that your bonding is proceeding naturally," she replied irritated. "Now, once the melding of minds was complete, what happened? I didn't expect you all to be in there for so long."

Albus, Minerva, Severus, and Harry all blushed. "Oh." Poppy blinked. "Well," she said brightly. "I think that's enough for now."

Harry bit back a laugh and saw Severus attempting to hide a smirk.

"If you feel anything odd, come see me immediately," Poppy said falling back on her training to cover her embarrassment. "I'll be in my office if anyone needs me," she said and fled the room.

Harry grinned. "If I'd have known she'd do that, I'd have said something earlier."

Severus laughed and the two left the room. A blushing Headmaster and a chuckling Deputy Headmistress followed after them.

***

Severus sat on the couch in front of the fire in his rooms… soon to be their rooms. He shook the thought off for later perusal and studied his mate. Harry was pacing in front of him. Apparently, he thought better when he did so. Harry paused and turned to face him.

"Where are they?" Before Severus could respond, Harry continued. "I'm so nervous! They should have been here by now, right?" Harry flung himself down onto the couch beside Severus. He cuddled up against his lover.

Severus chose not to respond, instead he returned Harry's embrace, bringing his mate closer to himself. He sighed and closed his eyes. He was still tired from the bonding, and the idea of Miss Granger and Mr. Weasley invading his rooms wasn't doing anything to improve his mood. He heard Harry echo his sigh and felt the lithe body relax against his own. Harry's breathing began to even out, and Severus opened his eyes, surprised that Harry had fallen asleep so easily against him. He looked down at the sleeping face and brushed a lock of hair away revealing the trademark scar. His heart clenched in his chest. "What am I going to do with you?" he whispered softly with a slight smile.

***

Albus whistled cheerfully as he walked down the corridor towards Snape's rooms. He was followed by Hermione Granger and Ron Weasley. His little entourage was silent, probably wondering where he was taking them. When he reached the portrait guarding Snape's rooms, he simply said the password and entered. The sight that met his gaze made him chuckle. Harry and Severus were curled up on the sofa sound asleep.

Ron and Hermione entered and the portrait shut behind them. Their mouths dropped open in shock. "Well, I expect we'd best wake them. It can't be comfortable to sleep on the couch anyway," Dumbledore said before either of the students could speak.

He walked over to them and gave Severus a shake. Snape opened his eyes slowly with a yawn. He looked at Albus, confused for a moment before it dawned on him. He started to sit up when he realized that Harry was still asleep and draped slightly over him. He took a second to feel grateful someone had woken them up. Sleeping on the couch all night would have been very uncomfortable. 'Harry, wake up,' he said mentally, figuring that saying it directly to Harry's mind would wake him faster than saying it aloud, and shifting to help him sit up.

Harry stretched and then tightened his hold on Severus. "Where are you going?" he asked sleepily without opening his eyes.

"Harry," Albus said smiling.

Harry's eyes snapped open. He groaned, closing his eyes, when he saw the group clustered around him and his mate. "I'll open my eyes, and they'll all be gone," he said and opened his eyes again. "Shit," he said when his guests didn't conveniently disappear.

Hermione and Ron remained silent, to which Harry was grateful for. Once Albus left, he could talk to them without having to worry about a witness.

"How are you feeling?" Albus asked.

"Tired," Harry replied. "But that's normal."

"Anything odd happen after you both left the hospital wing?"

Severus shook his head no.

"Well then, I'll be going. I want you to call me the instant you think there might be something wrong."

Harry bristled. "Nothing is going to go wrong."

Severus took Harry's hand in his and the Necromancer calmed down. He turned to Albus. "Goodnight, Albus," he said pointedly.

"Goodnight," Albus replied and left the room, smiling at Ron and Hermione as he did so.

Harry sighed. "I'm sorry that you all found out about my relationship with Severus this way. I meant to break it to you easy, not have it thrust upon you by seeing me sleeping next to Severus."

Hermione and Ron remained silent, waiting for an explanation.

"You should sit down," Harry said. "This is going to take awhile."

***

TBC…