There's something wrong. I can feel it. I strain my ears to hear any sound that might come from my bedroom, where Harry's sleeping. I hear a low moan, and run in his direction.
I enter the bedroom and see his thrashing figure. I turn on the light and kneel at his side.
"Harry!"
"Hn."
"Harry, wake up, you're having another nightmare."
"Severus... Oh. I'm glad it was only a nightmare."
I sit at the bed's edge.
"Tell me what you have seen."
He sits up.
"I was in an orphanage... full of shabby children. Some of them cornered me and began to mock me, shouting that I was a wizard and that they would burn me in a fire. I was so afraid and so angry that I thought that one day I would get my revenge over those bastards, one by one, for all the suffering they were causing. Then... I don't know how, I was in a basement, surrounded by rats, but they didn't want to attack me. They were afraid of me. I began to... slither in their direction, and I was going to lunge at them when you woke me up."
I try to put the puzzle pieces together. I ponder for some time.
"It looks like you are reminiscing scenes from Tom Riddle's life. The orphanage, and the time when he didn't have a physical body and he incarnated in animals, especially snakes. Those nightmares you had some days ago might also refer to images of Riddle's life. Scenes from Death Eaters meetings, from attacks on Muggles, and so on."
Harry looks frightened.
"What does it mean? Is he possessing my mind?"
"No, Harry. It doesn't seem something voluntary. Perhaps he has suffered some brain damage in that battle, and is in a kind of coma. Probably he's in an altered state of consciousness. What I don't understand is how he could summon me through the Dark Mark... Maybe that wasn't voluntary either. He might have invoked the mark as he remembered a scene. Yes... The fact that you have an influence over the mark also fits with this hypothesis. In this altered state, he's having nightmares, or flashes of reminiscences. There's a strong bond between you two, due to your scar and also to the fact that the potion that has given him back his body has been made with your blood as a main ingredient. That bond makes you see the same images that he sees in his dreams. Involuntarily, his brain waves get in sync with yours."
"Argh. This is horrible. There's no way to stop it?"
"You must resume your Occlumency studies and learn to control your thoughts even during your sleep."
"Can you teach me?" he asks anxiously.
I got up and glare down at him.
"Who would say, Mr. Potter, that one day you would ask me to resume your Occlumency lessons?"
He glares back at me, furious. I turn off the lights and finally slip beneath the blankets beside him.
This time I take the initiative, for he's really angry with me. And I haven't even said anything so bad. Anyway, when I reach for him and run a hand down his side, he moans, turns to me and holds me fiercely, pressing me to his chest.
"Why are you so mean?" he asks.
"If I am mean, why are you hugging me like there's no tomorrow?"
"You greasy git, when McGonagall said I would have to go to the Gryffindor Tower, I thought there wouldn't be a tomorrow!"
Why does he sound so desperate? Doesn't he know there won't be a tomorrow for us anyway? Oh, he's a Gryffindor, and he's 17. He doesn't *think*. Or, at least, he doesn't think with his brain.
I kiss him softly. I take off his pyjamas, then my robes. I'm in no hurry. He's so hot, and I am too, but I try to keep a slow pace. I kiss him on the mouth, neck, shoulders, chest, anywhere, all the way down to the soles of his feet while he squirms and pleads softly on the bed.
I keep my movements slow and very gentle. He touches me languidly too, and it's so good I hear myself gasping. The end came slowly, both of us cocooned in the blankets, rubbing together, pleasure coming in deep, intense and exquisite pulses.
TBC...
Author's Notes:
A clarification: I'm not British nor American. I'm trying to use the British
spell (pyjamas, favourite, characterisation, realise)
because Harry Potter is a British series. As for the word usage, I'm trying
to be British too, but I don't know very well what's British and what's American,
and my beta is American - as, I suppose, most of you. So, you might find my
language somewhat chaotic. Never mind, this is only fan fiction and we are having
fun. (I hope you are; I am.)
Replies to Reviews:
Anarane Anwamane: Oh, you're clever, but this time Sev surprised you, didn't
he? You're right, though. Severus doesn't want to give his heart away. Can you
tell me why?
Heather Snape: Thank you, but tell me, what's a possum story? I've never seen this expression before. I'm puzzled.
Nymphadora Tonks1: LOL! Well, you got some smoochies in this chapter. Now you'll
have to wait a little more... Thank you, sweetie!
MissCrystalix: Oh, I'm sorry, but I can't take requests. The truth is this story
is almost completely written. I liked your idea, but Harry is too inexperienced
yet for something like that.
KittenBabyGirl: Well, I've sent you the link to "Shattered" by email. (To eveybody: Unfortunately, FF.net doesn't let us post links here. So, I've added some blanks before and after the slashes. You can copy, paste it on your browser and delete the blanks, and everything should be OK.) Thank you, Kitten!
Faerie Fighter: Yes! Well, you've got a tiny bit of fluffy sex for now. Mad passionate... perhaps later.
Arili: Can I ask you a favor? Could you send me chapter 11 with tenses corrected? Just this once? You'll be helping me to find out what kind of mistakes I'm making. As for the battle, well, I imagine there will be many battles in Harry's 7th year. That one was a big one! The Order attacked one of the meeting points of the Death Eaters, at a place named Atropos. Should I add this explanation to chapter 12? (I think I'll do it!)
lillinfields: Gee, you're making poetry!