Disclaimer: See Part 1.

Part 20

Severus barely slept that night. When he woke up the next morning he was still painfully hard and rather annoyed at the resident D.A.D.A. teacher. He took a cold shower, then dressed quickly and headed down to the Great Hall to eat breakfast. The hall was mostly empty, with only a handful of students and teachers up and about. It was the second to last day of winter break and most of the few students still at school were taking the time to sleep in as much as possible. Severus noticed with some interest that Remus was back at the school and was watching the door with barely held excitement. It took a moment for the reasoning to register in Severus' mind. Then it hit him. No one had seen Harry since their treatment the night before last. No one, except for Albus who knew everything that went on at Hogwarts knew the result of the experiment. Not even Poppy had been told. Severus sat back. It certainly would be interesting to watch.

It was half way through breakfast that Harry stumbled into the Great Hall. Remus smiled widely at his entrance. Harry walked with a quickness and lightness that seemed natural yet foreign in comparison to his usual gate. It was something that had shown itself on his better days as a student but had been absent since Harry's return to school to teach. Most of the staff smiled in response to the revelation. Harry looked at Severus and grinned. Severus raised an eyebrow and cocked his head in the direction of Remus Lupin. The green eyes widened and lit up with surprise. He looked at Severus again and then at his usual seat beside the Potion's Professor. Harry bit his lip questioningly. Severus waved him off and turned back to his morning coffee.

Harry slumped down into the seat beside his friend. Remus reached over to offer a hand shake. Harry hugged him instead and then greeted the headmaster. The rest of breakfast passed uneventfully. Remus asked about Harry's leg and congratulated him when he heard of Severus' success in healing the damaged tissue. When the dishes were cleared away and the hall began to empty, Harry moved to talk to Severus.

"Got any plans today?" he asked, sitting in his usual seat beside the Potions Master. Severus raised an eyebrow.

"You aren't going to spend the day with Lupin?" he asked. Harry shook his head no.

"He only had time to drop in for a short visit. He goes back to work tomorrow and he needs to finish some stuff around the house before this evening. He has a date." 

"We could do what we did last night.." Severus fought back a smile as he saw Minerva and Hooch  both lean over to hear the details. Harry saw them too and winked.

"I don't know, Sev. I think I did a little too much yesterday. Too many hours riding. It was a long hard ride, Sev. You really wore me out. It was so nice holding each other afterward." Harry smiled sweetly. He watched both women's mouths drop open as they gasped.

"You two really need to get your own lives..." Harry laughed. The two turned away blushing miserably. Harry shook his head. "Seriously, Severus. I don't think I'm up to broomstick flying," he gave a significant look to the two older women and looked back at his neighbor. "I really am quite sore this morning. Is there anything you want to do?" he asked.

"I don't think this is the best place to be having this conversation." Severus replied, he looked again at the two witches seated on his other side. Harry nodded and stood up. Severus followed his lead and together they left the hall, heading toward the dungeon apartments. Harry seated himself on Severus' couch and lit the fire using his wand.

"Now, what do you wish to do today?" Harry asked, hands in his lap. Severus gave him a significant look.

"You do not have to spend time with me out of some bizarre form of appreciation." came the sarcastic reply. Severus sat down at his desk and produced a stack of scrolls in need of grading.

"Is that why you think I am here? Because I am thankful for your help, these past few months?" Harry shook his head, daring to roll his eyes at the older man. "Severus, I like you. You're sarcastic, and witty and you genuinely make me laugh. You don't take crap from anyone, and your sexy as hell. If I felt only thanks and appreciation, I would send you a card and some flowers and move on with my life. I'm not going to do that. I like spending my time down here with you. If you however would like your evenings back, I can leave.." Harry watched the corner of Severus' upper lip twitch. 

"You may stay. But, Harry I really must get some of this grading done. The students will be returning in a few days. They need to be ready for returning when the students come back." Harry smiled and nodded.

"Fine then, that's what we'll do today. We'll mark papers, that's something I can do in the same room as you isn't it?" Harry asked. Severus nodded. Harry quickly left the room and returned a few short minutes later with his grade book, quill and ink, and a box of scrolls for marking. He sat down at the old round table near Severus' desk and began to set up a make-shift desk. Severus smirked at him and shook his head turning back to a fourth year Hufflepuff paper.

They sat in virtual quiet as they graded. Only the rustle of parchment, the scratch of quill, gentle breathing, and the crackling of the fire could be heard. Harry snickered suddenly as he scratched out an entire paragraph of a Gryffindor first years paper. Severus glanced up at him, raising an eyebrow in question. Harry smiled and clearing his throat began to read from the paper.

"Vampires are creatures of the night. They suck the blood of teenage girls in cemeteries and have no reflection. They talk with Romanian accents and like the slicked back hairdo." he read, amusement ringing clear in his voice. He looked at his companion, watching the older man try and fight down a smile.

"Don't laugh, Severus. The poor boys a muggle-born. He's so stuck on what muggles teach in movies and on television that he sometimes thinks that all that drivel is the truth." he admonished, making notes in the margin and giving the boy a C- for effort. Severus just shook his head again and turned back to the paper in front of him.

They spent hours grading, stopping when the clock on the mantle clicked to lunch and started ringing at them. They stood and stretched, moving from the room with little discussion. As they entered the hall they walked side by side up to the head table and sat down together. Harry sighed  leaning against the table with fatigue. His head ached from all the concentration he had needed to grade some truly horrible essays.

"Are you feeling well, Harry?" Albus asked from the other side of Severus. Harry smiled at the older man, and nodded.

"Concentration headache... nothing more. I'll be just fine, Albus." Harry replied, resting his had in his hand and leaning on it. He noticed the tingle of magic shoot through his arm as the food arrived, much to late to move. He whipped away, clamping his jaw shut to wait for the pain to envelope him. He let out a startled squeak when nothing happened. He felt a warm comforting hand touch him on the back.

"Harry?" Severus whispered.

"I was touching the table.." Harry whispered.

"Are you alright?" Severus asked, louder now.

"I was touching the table when the food arrived." Harry repeated. Severus' hands came to rest on his shoulders, turning him around to look him in the eye.

"Harry!" he hissed. Harry looked up at him and smiled.

"I was touching it and it didn't hurt. It didn't hurt, Sev. Why didn't it hurt?" Harry asked. Severus stood up quickly, pulling Harry with him.

"Severus?" Albus asked as they exited quickly through the side door of the Great Hall. Severus ignored the call, practically dragging Harry down the hall, towards the dungeons.

Tbc.