Disclaimer: Please see previous chapters.
A/N: As I write this I still haven't got my copy of OOTP, (bloody BOL.com) so I'm using this time to keep you all interested! Thanks to Sunglow for beta reading, and to everyone who has reviewed so far.
Sev and the Family Snape
Chapter 15 – Weddings
"We are in deep shit," muttered Harry and stepped forward.
"And you, Draco." Chastity called.
"Deep, deep, shit." Draco agreed.
~~@~~
"In so deep it's going to take days to dig yourselves out." Molly pinned her son with the patented Weasley glare. Ron swallowed, wishing he hadn't drunk so much. Draco decided foolishly to open his mouth and bluff it out; anyone would think he was a closet Gryffindor.
"And just what is going on in here?" he lifted his aristocratic nose in the air, and both Harry and Ron were impressed.
"None of your business, Draco Malfoy. This is supposed to be a hen party, which means that no men are allowed." Chastity narrowed her eyes at her fiancé.
"And what was that we just witnessed?" Harry took a stance beside Draco.
"That was a chair, Harry Potter." Ginny faced him.
"Didn't look like a chair to us." He indicated the group of men who were now surprisingly sober. Severus cleared his throat and attention was diverted to the expression on his face as he looked at his wife. Hermione looked back at him, refusing to feel guilty.
"Hermione?" A raised eyebrow and she flushed. There was a faint cry heard from the next room.
"Saved by the breasts." She muttered and moved past the men. Severus caught her wrist as she went by. "I'll come with you."
As they shut the door after themselves, Severus spun her into his arms.
"You didn't tell me you were going to pull that little stunt."
"What stunt?" she asked innocently.
"The 'transform into Cleo while wrapped round a doppelganger' stunt."
"Didn't you like it?"
"Do I really look like that?" his voice dropped.
"Now do you believe me when I say you're Hot with a capital H? And did you see the look on Lavender's face?" she smiled up at him seductively. A small hand tugged at her robe and she looked down to see Winky hopping from foot to foot.
"All right, Winky, I'm coming." She said and then looked at her husband, "Are you staying or will you be refereeing out there?"
"I think I'm safer in here, much as I'd like to see the Hero of the Wizarding World brought to his knees by a small redhead."
"Your Slytherins are out there too."
"They can look after themselves; I've taught them well."
"Come and help me with the twins, then."
"But don't think I'm going to forget about it." he said.
"About what?"
"The Keanu Reeves business, that's what."
"Oh, that." she waved a hand in the air as she hurried to where the babies were crying.
"Don't you come the 'Oh that' with me, young lady.." he followed after his wife.
~~@~~
There was a face-off in the Gryffindor common room, consisting of aggrieved men one side and some very putout witches on the other. Remus and Sirius were unfortunately stuck in the middle.
"You told Hermione that you'd organised a stripper!" Ginny defended their actions.
"Ron was joking!" Harry replied heatedly.
"And, of course, Ron's never joked about that before!" She snorted, knowing full well what had happened at Percy's stag party. She'd overheard Fred and George laughing about how red Percy had got when a half-naked girl had stepped out of a huge cake and smothered him in whipped cream.
"Well I really was joking this time, Ginny! Would I do something like that to my best friend?" Ron demanded. The girls looked at him.
"Yes!" they chorused, as Fred and George snickered in the background. Ginny stepped forward and poked her fiancé in the chest.
"There was no need for you to barge in like this, Harry."
"I am not having you stare at naked men, Ginny Almost-Potter!"
"It's still Ginny Weasley, and likely to stay that way if you don't change your tune!" Remus could see the wedding being cancelled at this rate and tried for some damage control. He cleared his throat and stepped between them, thankful that Chastity hadn't started in on Draco yet, although from the looks of them it wouldn't be long.
"How about we settle this amicably, eh?" he looked to Minerva to help him.
"Butt out, Remus." Harry almost snarled, which got Sirius's back up.
"That's enough, Harry! Sit down, the lot of you!" Sirius growled. "Draco, you sit there, Harry, you sit there. I think it's time this party was wound up until the air's been cleared. Perhaps you gentlemen would escort the ladies to their rooms?" he didn't give them a choice in the matter.
When the common room had been reduced to hosting just the three couples, Sirius cleared his throat again.
"Now then, we will get this sorted out right now before someone says something they'll regret."
"We didn't ask them to interrupt our party." Chastity sulked.
"Severus told us you'd arranged your own entertainment." Draco accused.
"He didn't tell you what kind, though, did he?" Ginny flung her arm towards the table in front of the fireplace. Harry and Draco swung their gazes across and their eyes widened. Draco's, because he didn't know what he was looking at, and Harry's because he did.
"Videos?" his tone got higher, "Videos?"
"What the hell are videos?" Draco was puzzled.
"Tell you later, Draco." He turned to the girls; "You were watching videos?" he shot up and stalked to the table, looking at the pile of films, "Gladiator? Blade? The Matrix? Who's idea was this?"
"What does it matter? It was nothing like the entertainment that you thought we had planned." Ginny said. Draco was looking at the video cases, reading through the blurb on the back.
"Hey, this one is about vampires." He held up Blade.
"So what were you doing with that chair then?" Harry's eyes conveyed his insecurity, and the fight went out of Ginny.
"Just having some fun with you. We knew you were there." She moved closer to him.
"This one looks good." Draco had picked up Gladiator. Sirius relaxed slightly when he saw Harry drawing Ginny into his arms; there was still the matter of Chastity and Draco, but it looked like Draco was distracted. He was poking his finger into the video recorder and Chastity sighed in exasperation.
"How much have you had to drink, Draco?" she pulled his hand away from the video machine before he could magically electrocute himself.
"Not enough to make me forget you ogling that..that..thing!"
"I was not ogling!"
"Then what were you going?"
"Appreciating the beauty of the male form?"
"Male form my arse!"
"And a very nice one it is too." she brushed one hand over his rear, "At least it was your arse I was ogling."
"Ah ha! You admit to ogling then!"
"All right, maybe a little bit."
"What about Ron's arse? You were ogling that." he whined.
"We were teasing you, Draco, you know your body is the only one I want." she snuggled closer to him. Remus breathed a sigh of relief; disaster averted.
"Can I stay? I missed you." Harry was murmuring to Ginny. She glanced over to where Chastity and Draco were cuddling on the sofa.
"Only if you promise to buy a pair of leather trousers." she nuzzled his ear with her lips. Harry felt his trousers become tighter. "I'll buy as many as you want." before claiming her mouth in a kiss. Two throats cleared and the engaged couples drew apart. Sirius was grinning at them, his arm around Remus.
"Can we all have a drink now?"
"Is it safe to come out?" Ron poked his head around the entrance of the staircase. Various heads appeared from other doorways; it was obvious no one had gone too far.
"We might as well make it a joint party now." Draco helped himself to a drink from the table, "Have you seen this?" he tossed Blade over to Ron.
"No, is this one of those muggle movies I've heard Hermione talk about?"
"Yes it is, Ron Weasley, and we haven't watched it yet." Hermione appeared from the other room, closely followed by her husband.
"Well what are you waiting for? Transfigure some more seats and we'll watch it with you." he plopped down in an armchair and pulled Susan into his lap.
"Make yourself at home, why don't you?" Ginny grumbled.
"Thanks, I will."
"I don't see the fascination, myself." Severus murmured as they all settled down in the darkened room, "It will be nothing like real vampires."
"That's the whole point, Severus. It's escapism, and no interruptions." Hermione glared at Sirius, "From anyone."
Half an hour into the film the comments started.
"I thought silver only harmed werewolves?"
"It does. This has got to be the most inaccurate film about vampires, ever."
"No, that's Buffy."
"What's a Buffy?"
"Some stupid chit of a schoolgirl calling herself a vampire slayer."
"Is she prettier than him?"
"Depends on which way you want to look at it. I think he's not bad looking."
"Oi! You're with me, remember?"
"Now I know why you girls planned on watching this."
"Will you lot be quiet? I've lost the plot now."
"We weren't watching it for the plot."
"He's rather nice."
"Minerva!"
"There's life in the old girl yet!"
"Not so much of the old, thank you very much."
"They do not re-grow body parts. This is crap."
"You don't have to watch it if you don't want to."
"No, no, I'll see if it improves."
"I like his coat."
"You can get one when you buy those trousers."
"Ooh, Harry's getting new trousers."
"Shut it, Weasley."
"Pass the snacks."
"Levitate it yourself."
"Can you move, honey? My leg's gone dead."
"That's it, I'm pausing it until you can be quiet." Hermione was in charge of the remote.
"Good, I need the loo." Seamus jumped up, "Don't start until I get back, will you?"
"Anyone else?" Hermione looked around and rolled her eyes as at least four others got up.
"I need another drink. Potter?" Draco lifted his glass, "Are we still on?"
"Last one standing." Harry nodded.
"You are not getting into a pissing contest, Harry Potter." Ginny frowned at him and Draco smirked.
"Hiding behind skirts now, are you?"
"And neither are you, Draco." Chastity scolded. Severus smirked at the sight of the two young men effectively cowed by their girlfriends. At least he ruled the roost in his household.
~~@~~
Harry and Draco were reluctant to leave the girls to go to the boy's dormitory after the party wound up. The Matrix hadn't fared much better in comments department, and there had been a lot of sniggering about Hermione squirming when Keanu Reeves had appeared on the screen.
"You must have a thing about men in black." Fred had teased her. Severus smirked from the where she was cuddled against him; he'd shed his robes and was dressed in a black shirt and trousers.
"I can't help it." she shrugged, squeezing his thigh under her hand.
"Good job it's dark in here," Ron shuddered.
"Ten points from Gryffindor." Severus said automatically.
"School's out, Severus, no deductions allowed." Minerva said.
"Bugger."
"Severus!"
"What? I'm on holiday, and they're not my students anymore."
"It's nearly midnight, time to say goodnight." Molly stood up and started to clear the rubbish and empty bottles away. A few waves of her wand and they disappeared, then she started shooing the girls towards their rooms. Ron started to follow Susan but was stopped by his mother.
"Don't even think about it, Ronald."
"But Mum.." he whined.
"Don't you 'but Mum' me, young man. You will sleep in your own bed. Alone."
"But.."
"No buts. Now be off with you." She pushed him towards the boys' staircase.
"Let's go, Hermione." Severus murmured and they collected the twins from the other room, disappearing down a hidden passageway that led to the dungeons.
"Since when did this passage appear?" she said softly, following him.
"It's always been here."
"I wish I'd known about it when I was a student."
"Now why would you want to have known that?"
"I could have got a bit more study time in and then used the shortcut to get to Potions."
"Damn."
"Language, Severus. I could also have stayed a bit longer with you last year as well."
"That's what I was swearing about. I never thought of that."
"You wouldn't. You were too knackered."
"I was not knackered. I was tired; I hadn't been sleeping well." He defended himself.
"Tired, knackered; it's the same thing." She smiled behind his back, teasing him.
"Knackered implies worn out and useless. I think I have a long way to go before I'm that." They'd arrived back at their rooms and Hermione set about settling the twins into their cots.
"Yes dear."
"You're humouring me, aren't you?"
"Of course not." She lowered the lights in the twins' room and slid past him in the doorway, rubbing herself against him as she went. He followed her, unbuttoning his shirt as he went.
"Mmmm, my own private strip show." She smiled approvingly, "Now all you need are those leather trousers."
"Like these?" he muttered a few words and he was wearing a replica of the earlier 'Severus', with the exception of the loose black shirt.
"Just like those." She sat back on the bed to enjoy the show, "Carry on, you're doing wonderfully."
"I don't know," he toyed with the snap of the waistband, "You seemed to like what that Reeves looked like."
"He's too pretty. You know you're the only man for me." She kicked her shoes off, "Now lose the shirt."
"Demanding, aren't we?" the shirt fell to the floor and the snap popped open.
"I've learned from the best." Hermione lifted one leg, pulling her skirt higher to reveal a stocking that she proceeded to roll down.
"Oh?" his fingers faltered on his zip at her actions.
"You always demanded our complete attention in class." The other stocking was similarly despatched.
"So this is another lesson?" the tab inched downwards.
"If you want it to be, so pay attention Professor." She shimmied out of her skirt, wriggling back on the bed, and started to undo the buttons of her blouse. Her breath hitched in her throat as Severus fully lowered the zip of those trousers and stalked towards her. She wasn't sure now who was teaching whom as he placed one knee on the bed beside her and brushed her hands aside to finish the job.
"I've always liked the hands-on approach myself." His voice lowered to 'I can bring you to orgasm by voice alone' level and she whimpered.
"Approach away." She panted and pulled him down on top of her.
~~@~~
Both Harry and Draco were relieved the wedding was to take place in the afternoon, rather than the morning. Unknown to the girls (and his mother), Ron had sneaked a supply of alcohol up to the boys' dorm, and Harry and Draco had continued their 'competition'; Ron keeping count to make sure there was no cheating on Draco's side.
Now neither of them could remember who had won, or lost, as the case may be; it was all a blur to both of them. Harry cracked one eye open, hoping the room would stop spinning long enough for him to get to the bathroom and hurl his stomach up. His mouth felt like a herd of hippogriffs had taken up residence there and his legs were dead from the knees down. He carefully raised his head and found out the reason why. Draco was draped across them, one arm dangling down the side of the bed and a streak of drool spreading a damp patch on the coverlet underneath his open mouth. He tried to clear his throat but his tongue felt as if it had fallen prey to one of Fred and George's Ton-Tongue Toffees. He tried again, and a nearly recognisable sound came from it.
"Wha..?" Draco lifted his head sharply and then moaned pitifully, "My head..!"
"Get off me, Malfoy." Harry croaked.
"Potter? Why am I in your bed?" one silver eye opened.
"You're on it, not in it. Legs. Now." Harry tried to move his leg and Draco shifted enough for Harry to free his legs. Harry slid off the bed and crawled towards the bathroom and Draco heard the noise of an extremely hung over Harry Potter throwing up into the toilet. The sound made him remember the delicate state of his own stomach and he gingerly patted his trouser pocket, relieved when he felt the bottle there. It took him two goes to undo the stopper, but he finally managed it and gratefully tipped the hangover cure down the back of his throat.
Grimacing at the taste, he was relieved when his head cleared and stomach settled down. He grinned as he heard a faint moan from Harry in the bathroom and debated with himself whether to floo Severus for another bottle. Feeling extremely generous, as it was his wedding day, he ran lightly down the stairs and threw some floo powder into the fire. Before he could even say anything, a small crate of hangover cure with an unbreakable charm on it, courtesy of Hermione, appeared in the fireplace.
"Some of us don't need cures," she said smugly.
"No, the sight of Snape in the morning is enough to sober anyone up." Ron had dragged himself down the stairs and grabbed a bottle, downing it before his soon-to-be ex-friend could step through the fire and hex him.
"I heard that, Mr Weasley." A voice growled in the background, and Ron gulped. Then he grinned as he remembered that there was nothing Snape could do to him.
"And I can think of numerous scenarios to make you pay for it." The voice said before the floo connection was severed, leaving the vision of a dismayed Ron behind.
"You enjoyed that, didn't you?" Hermione smiled at her husband.
"Immensely."
~~@~~
There wasn't a huge guest list for the weddings. Harry's side consisted of Sirius, Remus and Hermione; Draco had no immediate family, but had included Vincent and Greg. Lavender and Parvati were there, with Chastity's family and the Weasley family that made up the biggest group. Sage caused a stir when he arrived with Kailani looking fit and tanned from his work with the dragons. He immediately made his way over to Saxen who was standing with Severus and Hermione. Both he and Kailani made a fuss of the babies, surreptitiously checking Saxen for signs of distress at the sight of Charlie with his guest; Lucas Wallis. Saxen had watched, unnoticed, from a distance, and had been able to school his features into the expressionless mask he now wore.
Saxen's hands clenched in the folds of his robes as Charlie and his guest were greeted enthusiastically by the Weasley clan. He noted the slight changes in Charlie's appearance; longer hair, more tanned, a slight hint of dark circles under his eyes, and ground his teeth at the possible cause of them. He didn't notice Charlie's eyes come to rest on him, or the flash of surprise in them when he saw he was alone.
Harry and Draco stood with Dumbledore, waiting impatiently for the time when their brides would appear to walk down the aisle of flowers that had been created. There would be no Wedding March played by invisible instruments, just a slight increase in volume of the soft music echoing through the hall. The sound of the doors opening alerted them it was time to take their places, and then Ginny, Arthur, Chastity and Devereux were walking towards the three men at the front of the hall.
Ginny's red hair was a perfect foil for her pale gold wedding dress, just as the silver of Chastity's dress shimmered against the ebony waterfall of her hair. Wreathes of flowers encircled their heads with more flowers studded through to fall down their backs. Even more flowers were charmed to follow in their footsteps; Hermione not wanting to take the risk of the girls slipping.
Molly sniffed into her handkerchief at the sight of her only daughter walk down the aisle to be joined with Harry. Nearly all her babies were settled now, except for Charlie, and she wasn't sure what was happening with him. There was an edginess about him that hadn't been there a few weeks ago, and she was sure it wasn't due to the fact he'd brought Lucas with him.
Charlie himself was trying not to fidget next to Lucas, thinking that he'd made a mistake in inviting him. Why was Saxen alone? There should have been a stunning witch on his arm; he wouldn't have expected anything less for a gorgeous man such as Saxen Snape. He groaned inwardly to himself as he acknowledged his continuing obsession with the older man, and decided to try to avoid him for the rest of the day. With luck on his side he may just be able to manage it without making a complete prat of himself…
The ceremony over, the two couples were soon surrounded by friends and family. Both Harry and Draco wore similar smug expressions on their faces as they were congratulated on all sides by the well wishers. With fingers entwined with Ginny's, Harry was enveloped by the Weasley family who were ecstatic that Harry was now officially part of their family. Draco was drawn with Chastity towards her family and was pleased that his Quidditch training had enabled him to stand up to the thumping on his back his new brothers-in-law bestowed on him. Perhaps bludgers were good for some things after all.
As the party wore on into the evening, Saxen gravitated towards where Sirius and Remus were standing by the dais at the back of the hall. He'd already congratulated the two couples and was waiting for them to leave so he could make his escape. He'd had enough of watching Charlie laughing and joking with his family, Sage and that Wallis fellow he'd brought with him. He looked down to where Sirius had thrust a glass of something alcoholic into his hand. Swirling the amber liquid around, he stared into its depths.
"It's a wedding, not a funeral." Remus said softly to him. Saxen looked up at him and smiled slightly.
"Doesn't feel like it."
"Why don't you get some air? They won't notice you disappearing for a while." Sirius suggested, indicating a side passageway.
"I might just do that." Saxen drained his glass in one go and slid into the shadows. Remus looked over to where Charlie was standing with Sage, Kailani and Lucas and decided to meddle a little.
"Good to see you, Sage." the werewolf had crept up unnoticed.
"Remus! I didn't see you there." Sage shook his hand in greeting. "Where's Sirius?"
"He's over there with Saxen." he watched them look over to where Sirius was standing alone, "Looks like Saxen has decided to slope off for a while."
"That's your brother, isn't it, Sage?" Lucas had noticed the other man earlier.
"Yes."
"Not gay, by any chance, is he?"
"I beg your pardon?"
"Pity." Lucas carried on regardless of the shocked looks he was receiving. "I was hoping he was."
"But aren't you with Charlie?" Remus tried not to show his shock too much.
"We're friends, that's all." Charlie set him straight, "And no, Lucas, he's not gay." he grimaced slightly, "He's already bonded to someone."
"So where is she?"
"Didn't you know? His other half hasn't accepted the bond yet." Remus told them.
"Why in Merlin's name not? Is she blind?" Charlie was angry on Saxen's behalf and started to scan the room for him.
"His bond mate isn't aware yet."
"So why doesn't he tell her?" Charlie demanded. Lucas stood and watched his friend become agitated, and it finally clicked with him. Saxen was the reason Charlie had invited him to the wedding, but was unwilling to pick up where they'd left off. He tried to feel angry at the way Charlie had used him, but couldn't; he was a good enough friend that he didn't mind too much.
"Why don't you find him and ask him, then." Lucas suggested and raised an eyebrow at Remus.
"I imagine you'll find him down by the lake, near the big willow."
"All right, I will." Charlie put his drink down and squared his shoulders before skirting the room to the entrance doors. Managing to exit the room without being stopped, Charlie strode purposefully out the main entrance and towards the lake. He scanned ahead for signs of the other man, but the deepening shadows prevented him from seeing clearly.
"Looking for someone, Mr Weasley?" his prey was leaning against the willow.
"Why do you ask?"
"Your stride is too firm for someone out wandering."
"You were watching me?"
"You made enough noise to disturb even the squid." Saxen waved his hand towards the lake where the squid was waving its tentacles.
"Sorry. I was looking for you."
"Oh? Why?"
"Did you get my letter?" Charlie said abruptly.
"Yes."
"Why didn't you answer?"
"I didn't feel the need to go over it again." Saxen kept his face in the shadows so Charlie was unable to see his expression.
"That's a coward's view."
Saxen refused to be drawn into an argument, "You're entitled to your opinion."
"Why haven't you told your bondmate?"
"How do you know about that?"
"First Sage, then Remus told me."
"Why do you want to know?"
"I asked my question first." Charlie moved closer to the dark shadow. Saxen tensed, feeling the pull of attraction to the younger man.
"I'm not obliged to answer you." he said and pushed away from the tree, moving past Charlie. Charlie caught his arm to stop him going further and felt a warm tingle in his hand.
"Please." his voice was low and pleading. Saxen turned his head and allowed himself to look at Charlie properly.
"I don't want the bond to force him." he said softly. Charlie recoiled as his words sank in.
"It's a man?"
"Yes."
"So you're gay now?"
"No."
"But you just said.."
"I said it was a man. That doesn't mean I like all men."
"Oh." Charlie's thoughts were racing, wondering whom it was and whether he knew him. "How do you feel about it?"
"I don't have a choice, do I?"
"What about the other man?" Charlie frowned, "Does.."
"He has no idea." Saxen extracted his arm from Charlie's grip, and Charlie felt cold all of a sudden. He shivered in the warm night air. "I'm sorry."
Saxen shrugged, "It's not your concern." the pull was almost becoming painful and he was desperate to get away. His seeming indifference caused Charlie's temper to flare and without thinking he stepped closer to Saxen and pushed him back against the tree.
"But I want it to be!" and angling his head up a fraction, pressed his lips against Saxen's, gripping his biceps to hold him still. A warmth spread through him at the feel of the hard body against his, burning brighter and hotter as each second passed that Saxen allowed him to do this. Risking Saxen pushing him away, he moved one hand from his arm and cupped the back of Saxen's head; parting his lips to coax his partner's mouth open with his tongue.
Saxen was unused to being the passive partner, but was unable to protest as Charlie pressed him against the willow tree. He allowed his body to sag a little and gave in to the warmth of the other man. Sensing his compliance, Charlie pressed closer, sliding his other arm around Saxen's waist and tangling his fingers in Saxen's glossy black hair, pulling him closer. Heat spread from his fingers, down his arms and coiled deep inside him, making him ache. He pressed closer, planting his feet firmly on either side of Saxen's, not giving him a chance to move away, although from the way Saxen was pressing back against him, that wasn't likely to happen anytime soon.
Charlie pulled away a fraction and trailed his lips across Saxen's cheek to come to rest on the pulse at the base of his throat. Nipping it lightly, he felt Saxen's faint moan, and pressed closer.
"Does he make you feel like I do?" his voice was raw with passion.
"Yes." Saxen brought his hand up to cup Charlie's jaw. Charlie stiffened and pulled away, looking into the black eyes that were centimetres from his.
"Oh."
"He doesn't seem to be particularly intelligent, though." Saxen's thumb passed over Charlie's bottom lip, "But he may get the message eventually.."
"It's..me?" Understanding was slowly dawning in Charlie's blue eyes.
"I." Saxen smiled slightly, correcting him.
"Never was one for grammar." Charlie grinned and kissed him again, fully allowing the bond to complete as the tendrils of heat enveloped them.
TBC