Bring Me To Life : A Continuation
by I Got Tired of Waiting

Part II : Dearly Departed
Intermission Seven : A Private Place for Private Things

"Argh!" Harry exclaimed, throwing the quill down on his desk. He looked longingly out the window at the fine spring afternoon and wondered for the thousandth time why he was in here and not out there.

"You're in here because you procrastinated on those lesson plans I've been requesting for the last four weeks; they're due tomorrow and now you have to do them," Severus said serenely behind him, sitting at his own desk with some correspondence he was answering.

"I don't know why you make me write them every year, they never change. Why can't I reuse the one from last year?"

"Perhaps because you hadn't thought of it... until today? And I do not 'make you write them', you do."

Harry turned around and glared at Severus. "You mean, I could have..."

Severus shrugged. "Everyone else does with some minor changes here and there for new material. I don't ask you to rewrite it every year, I merely ask you to submit this year's plan. There is a subtle difference, you know."

Severus deftly ducked the inkwell thrown at him and laughed aloud when the reflecting charm he cast sent the ink back, pouring all over Harry's head. Harry laughed as he used the cleaning spell to remove the dripping ink from his head and shirt.

"You... bugger! You've let me write this over and over for the last four years... without telling me?"

"It's the simple things that keep me going."

With a wave of his hand, Harry turned Severus' hair bright pink. He was hard pressed to keep from laughing outright.

Harry felt a tingle in his backside just as Severus said, "I felt that!"

Harry started laughing but stopped suddenly when his tail hit the back of his head.

Severus wore a silly smile as he eyed the outrageously long prehensile tail twisting over Harry's head. "Young Peavsey did that the other day at breakfast to Jason, the Hufflepuff Prefect. Since Jason is such a pompous oaf sometimes, just about everyone, including three other teachers and myself, have neglected to give him the counterspell. I believe he's learning parlour tricks with it now. It was imminently satisfying."

"Very funny. Still, I suppose it could have its... uses," Harry leered evilly. "Maybe I should turn it pink to match your hair."

Severus leapt out of his chair and ran to the mirror. "Ha-arry," he drawled warningly.

"Sev-rus," Harry said slowly. "Are you planning on fixing my tail."

Severus glared at him in the mirror and muttered something about his "tail". Harry suspected it wasn't about the long one he was sporting, either. Severus put his hand up to his head and held it there a few seconds before muttering a counterspell. It turned a lovely bile green. "I never should have let you study with Flitwick this past winter," he muttered darkly.

"Hair for my tail?" Harry asked, pleased with his pun.

Severus rolled his eyes and groaned, waved his hand, and Harry felt a little lighter in the backside. He waved his hand at Severus, restoring his black hair.

"Rather boring. I sort of liked the green," Harry snickered.

"Oh? And I was rather anxious to see what you could do with that tail..."

They eyed each other a moment, hands poised, when as one they laughed and said, "Nah."

"Let's get out of here," Harry said on a whim. "I can't stand being cooped inside. Let's take a walk or something."

"Not until you finish that lesson plan."

"No problem." Harry rummaged around his messy desk and, fishing out his lesson plans from last year, handed them to his spouse.

Severus shook his head. "How you ever find anything is a bloody miracle." Looking over the stained parchment with distaste, he asked, "Where are the additions we put in at the end of the term?"

"Oh, those are scribbled on the back along with some other notes."

Severus turned it over and read the corrections along with a helter-skelter list of all the points Harry had awarded and Severus had taken away with a running total for each house. They all added to zero. He mentally smiled and resolved to make it more difficult for Professor Potter to undermine his artistic work next term.

"I can't use this. It's a mess," Severus said severely.

Harry grinned unrepentantly. "You never said it had to be neat, just complete; it's the little things, remember?"

Severus glared at him, "Prat."

"What? No nasty adjective? Severus, you're slipping." He chuckled. "Now can we go?"

Severus thought about it a second and, holding the lesson plan by only a finger and thumb, said, "It is rather confining and I'm certain... this... will wait until the morrow."

They donned their robes and left the castle this fine Saturday. Lifting their faces to receive the sun's benediction, the warm breeze stirred their robes around them as they made their way down to the lake. After taking a turn around its perimeter, talking about inconsequential things, Severus grew quieter, longing to take Harry in his arms out in the full sun and let the breeze waft across their skin. But he could also sense the eyes in the castle looking down at them, making such fancy impossible. Watched, always watched, he thought, scowling.

Catching his souring mood, Harry looked up at the castle, feeling those same eyes but caring less about them. Without a word, he took Severus' hand and, not letting it go when he tried to pull it away, led him towards a grove of willows off to the side. Let them think what they think.

They entered the grove from the side furthest from the castle. As many times as they'd been down at the lake, Harry wondered why he'd never been here before. Struck immediately by how quiet it was inside, his second thought was that he couldn't see the castle. Maybe if I can't see them, they can't see us?

Severus obviously had the same thoughts, for he hesitated only a fraction before pulling Harry into a loose embrace, his head dipping to place a quiet kiss on his mouth. It wasn't long before passion ignited and they were locked in a deep embrace and an even deeper kiss. Their robes shucked off, the sunlight on their exposed skin was like an aphrodisiac. Shirts swiftly followed the robes onto the grass behind them.

Dropping to the grass in the clearing, though, instantly killed the mood as hundreds of tiny little rocks bit into their bodies.

"Damn!" they exclaimed in unison. "That hurt," Harry added. Frustrated, he began to laugh ruefully. Sitting up, he carefully looked over the entire clearing and noticed the little rocks were everywhere; there was no place clear. "We could just move the stones out of the way. Maybe make a pile?" he said to Severus, a plan beginning to form in his mind. This place was just too perfect to let something like a few rocks spoil it.

Seeing where his thoughts were going, Severus scrambled to his feet and, holding out his wand hand, said "Lapido Leviosa."

Bemused, Harry watched as every rock in the clearing lifted as one into the air, including the few underneath him. Severus then spoke, "Accio Centrum." The rocks obediently settled into a pile in the centre of the clearing. A rather large pile of mixed sizes.

Harry stood and, getting into the swing of it, said, "Lapido Leviosa," and once again the pile hung in the air. Severus looked askance at him, but he continued, "Talis Parvum Magnum Lapido." The rocks then separated, smaller separate from larger. He grinned and then said, "Accio Parvum Lapido Circus Fugio." The smaller rocks settled gently to the earth in a flat circle about ten feet in diameter.

Severus grinned at him. "Accio Magnum Lapido Orbis Parvum Lapido". The larger rocks still hanging in the air settled down in a line around the perimeter of the smaller stones.

"Now what?" Harry asked him, running his hands up his arms.

"Well," he said, distracted by the soft stroking, "I either take you right here on the ground or we do something with that pile of stones."

"Hmmm," Harry said, "while the thought of you... taking me... anywhere has its definite appeal, I vote for doing something with the rocks."

They turned to look at the stones, hands entwined, both deep in thought. Severus had an idea. He walked over to the flat bed of rocks and perused them until he found one to his liking. Harry couldn't see anything special about it but shrugged mentally waiting to see what Severus had in mind. He placed the flattish stone in the centre and, holding both hands over it, whispered gently, "Natus."

Harry had heard Professor Sprout use the spell on several occasions when some plant or other was especially stubborn and watched in awe as a smattering of green started out from the stone and slowly started inching its way out from the centre of the pile of rocks.

Severus came back to his side. "Maybe we should do something with the outer rocks while we wait for the other to grow."

He'd no more said it, when Harry raised his hands and incanted, "Sero Sterno Rapacia Magnum Lapido." The larger stones around the perimeter linked together, the tops smoothing to form a type of bench or table around the edge of the smaller stones.

"Clever. I see the extra work with Flitwick has been beneficial," Severus murmured. Harry glowed under the rare praise. "As much as I would like to stay here, I think we need to return. It's drawing late and the centre section will take a few more hours to grow. It should be finished by tomorrow."

Harry made a face but knew Severus was right. With one more brief kiss and heart-felt embrace, they left the grove and made their way back to the castle.

They had to brew a sunburn cure that night.

With the good intentions of rodents and Muggles, they were detained the next day and were unable to find the time to return to the grove. They were both antsy to see how their work had fared.

Midweek, after dinner, Harry packed (in a wicker basket he'd filched from the kitchens) a bottle of wine with two glasses, a candle, a small glass bottle, and a soft blanket. Waiting until after curfew, he convinced Severus to sneak out of the castle to go to 'their' grove.

Feeling like a couple of errant school children out after curfew, they crept to the grove of willows, the stars lighting their path on the moonless night.

Once inside, Harry turned to Severus before the other could grab him and said, "There's one thing we need to do before anything else and I need your help to do it." Severus raised an eyebrow. Harry leaned over and whispered in his ear. Severus straightened with a strange softness filling his face. Moving to the centre, they took off their boots and walked barefoot into the raised area.

They groaned at the sensual feel of the moist velvet beneath their feet, their toes kneading the incredible surface. Holding hands, they faced each other and, raising them to the sky, palms joined, they cried out in unison, "Defendo Maritas!" Protect My Lover.

A powerful ward, it shot out of their hands in a blaze of light, spreading until it caged the entire grove with a soft glow. Then it faded, but they could feel its presence.

Harry bent down on his haunches and ran his hands over the soft carpet they stood on. It was moss. Soft moss thickly covered the whole area making a springy, fragrant mattress just for them. He stood and evaded Severus' kiss, his hands resting on his arms. A bit confused but sensing Harry's intentions, he stayed still and waited.

Harry started at the top, using his hands and his mouth and tongue on Severus. Inch by inch, he covered him with hot moist kisses and languid strokes, lingering on the soft sweet spots on his neck, divesting him of clothing as he went. Hot wet trails of fire over a bare chest, nipples lovingly laved, a tongue dipped into his belly button. Lower he went; hands smoothing then pressing the lean buttocks, tongue flicking on now hot flesh, but purposefully missing the heated length begging his attention.

Severus groaned and shivered as the warm spring air flitted across his bare skin and it was with the greatest effort he kept his hands dormant by his sides. Wanton hands gently stoked his hips, but purposely skipped the deep arousal. Harry stood and leaned in, gently nibbling on his mouth, his tongue tracing a warm wet path along his lips. When Severus raised his hands involuntarily, Harry took them in his own and pulled back.

My turn, his eyes and thoughts said to him.

Severus paid the same loving attention to Harry who groaned and shuddered as Severus' mouth licked and nibbled its way down his body until he was completely unclothed. Severus knelt before him, his arms wrapped around his legs, stroking the sensitive skin behind his knees and up the back of his thighs. His face buried in his stomach, a hot trail of fire ran down him to where he burned, ready for his lover. He'd had no idea till it was his turn just how difficult it was to keep his arms by his side, especially when without warning, he felt himself wrapped in the velvety wet silk of Severus' mouth. Tongue, teeth, and lips created a symphony of sensation running havoc throughout his whole body.

Gods, Severus... stop... I can't take any more... My hair's aroused, he thought as another shudder of pleasure rippled through him. Severus gave a low chuckle and with one final long lick with the tip of his tongue from base to head with a small suck at the eye, which Harry thought was going to explode his heart. Standing, Severus leaned in, joining their mouths and Harry could taste the pearls of himself on Severus' tongue.

As one they lowered themselves to the rich carpet. Soft fragrant moss cushioned them and in the velvety darkness, cradled by the bower they'd created, they began the dance they most enjoyed.

Tongues dancing, exploring each other, Severus covering Harry with his body, lightly touching skin to skin as he moved his hips against him, undulating in an ancient rhythm. Rolling to the side, his hands slick, Severus' long dexterous fingers slid into Harry, in and out as he prepared Harry to receive him. Grabbing those hands, Harry held his over them as he made Severus coat himself, all the while deeply kissing him with drugged nips of lips and flicking tongue.

Severus pushed him gently back into the soft cradling moss, its heady clean fragrance filling their senses as Severus poised himself over Harry, his eyes boring into his, black to light, their colour hidden in the dark. Harry widened his legs, arching himself as Severus slid inside, the low moan torn from his throat reverberating through Harry, sending long shivers up his spine.

He began to move. Slowly at first, long slow pulls out, then firm strokes in, Harry's heat and uncontrolled groans tempted him to go deeper, faster, each sure stroke bringing them closer and closer to the edge.

The stars moved in the heavens.

Bathed in the soft starlight, their rhythm as primal as the pungent smell of the rich moss softly stroking their skin, Harry and Severus loved under the stars. Harry held onto Severus desperately, each withdrawal a little death, each thrust sending heated shocks throughout his whole body. As Severus increased the pace, increased the depth, his mouth fastened onto Harry's, his tongue mating with him even as he joined and separated their bodies below.

Straining... Yes Deeper... Oh gods Biting... More... need more Faster... Ahhhh Thrust... Almost there Thrust... Oh yesss Thrust... Oh, don't stop Thrust... YES!

They strained against each other, shuddering, their pleasure spiralling through them. It was so intense and went on forever. Severus dropped his forehead to Harry's chest, his hips undulating in the involuntary thrusts that milked every ounce of pleasure out of their joining, Harry's hips rising to meet him.

Shuddering once more, they stilled, breath harsh in the silence of the grove.

Severus withdrew, another small death and, muttering their familiar cleaning spell, they wrapped their arms around each other, each pillowing the other's head as they languidly kissed, short nips of lips and tongue, each basking in the soft air liquid on their skins.

We never did get to drink the wine, Harry thought ruefully.

We'd better things to while our time. Perhaps later, when this place ceases to be novel, we'll have the time for... other pursuits.

This place will never be ordinary. It already belongs just to us. We'll just have to stop distracting each other long enough to enjoy it differently.

Leave the wine under the ledge. It will take no harm being here and will give us less to carry the next time. I intend to come here as often as I may.

We may.

We may, and he gave him one final kiss.

Rolling onto his back, Severus pulled Harry with him, draping him half over him, their legs entwined. With deep steady breaths, he dozed while Harry drew small circles into his silky skin with the tip of one finger, his thoughts running unchecked through his head. He levitated the blanket over them as the night became chill.

Cradled in Severus arms, his eyes growing heavy, Harry's last thought before he joined Severus in sleep was that he finally knew the real definition of satiation.

TBC