Rating: PG-13 (for now, it may change later on depending on how the story progresses)
Pairing: HP/SS
Summary: This story continues on with the relationship of Harry and Severus, with a few new surprises in store for them both.
Disclaimer: I don't own any of the Harry Potter characters. I'll give them back to JK Rowling when I'm done. No money was made from this endeavor.
Feedback: Please read and review, flames are not welcome.
A/N: Continuation of A Camping We Will Go and Wanted: Single,Older Male for a Roommate. Thanks also go to Sherdelune, my beta and dear friend and Mandi for her constant pushing for me to get this written.
Anything italicized and not between quotes, denotes a thought.
Chapter 2 - Gossiping
by goldenpaw
Previously
He tiptoed in when he noticed that Severus was sleeping and Harry pulled up a chair next to the bed quietly to sit and watch the other man sleep. He truly loved Severus, and would do anything and everything within his power to make sure he got better quickly and with as little pain as possible.
However, in the last three months, Harry realised that he was wanting more with his life. Yes, work and having someone to come home to was lovely, but there was still something missing. He just didn't have a clue yet as to what it was. He knew however that the missing piece of this little puzzle would appear sooner or later.
Until then, I will have to wait and be patient.
****
Severus woke slowly from his much needed nap and found that he couldn't move his legs as he went to stretch. He opened his eyes and saw Harry slumped over from a chair next to the bed and was lying over his feet. Severus, who might be feeling still somewhat dazed from the measles, smiled at the sight of his lover. He knew how much Harry loved him and the feelings were definitely mutual. These three months together so far had been the best of his life. Though lately, he'd seen a look of puzzlement gracing the younger man's face when he thought no one was looking. Severus had yet to broach the subject behind the look, he figured in time Harry would bring the matter to his attention, for now he would be patient.
Severus, however much he wanted to leave Harry to sleep, felt his feet turning numb from Harry's weight cutting off the circulation to them. He jerked at his feet to remove them from under the other man and caused Harry to wake with a start.
"What? Everything alright?" Harry blinked his blurry eyes until he focused them on his sick lover. "How are you feeling? Any better, Severus?"
"A bit. The rest helped somewhat. My body still aches and my fever is still there, just reduced. Thankfully the swelling hasn't returned yet, but it could. I might need you to make me some more of that reducing potion I had you retrieve earlier."
Harry gasped. "Me?! You'd trust me to produce something you would actually ingest? Oh, Severus!" Harry threw his arms around his love and hugged him for dear life at the trust the other man had just shown. This was just another sign of the love and respect the other man had for him and it pleased him greatly.
"Yes, you. And yes, I trust you to produce the potion. You did show me you were capable of making a credible potion when no other Slytherin was around. And as much as I love you, get off of me Harry. I can't breathe; you're hugging me too tightly.
Harry jerked away just as suddenly as he had launched himself at the other man. "Sorry." He looked contrite and Severus chuckled dryly before the ache in his chest made him stop.
"I wanted to ask you about Wizarding Measles. How come you don't have angry red spots or something all over you?" Harry asked inquisitively.
"That's not until the very last stage. There are two others phases between this initial one and the last. In the second stage, wizards and witches actually turn blue and the fever abates temporarily, as does the swelling. However, this terrible itching will begin. The itching will last into the next stages, which is where a wizard's or witch's temperature will spike incredibly high and they can become delirious. The last stage is when the blue colour will fade and the angry red dots will appear. The itching, fever and general miserableness will be gone. By then, no one else can catch or spread the measles. That's only if someone else had never had it, like yourself. So you are a carrier now as well as myself. If you don't show any symptoms within the next day or so, then you don't have it at all. Generally, the whole process can take anywhere from four days to a whole week. Personally, I'm hoping for the four day cycle."
Severus paused and reached for the pitcher of water sitting on the night stand next to him. He poured himself a tall glass and drank it all down before continuing, "So everyone that needs to know of our quarantine has been notified?"
"Yes, I owl-mailed Arabella. Hedwig hadn't returned yet when I fell asleep. She might be back now though, so I'll go check. Be right back." Harry left and returned moments later carrying a rolled up piece of parchment.
"Looks like Arabella wrote a letter in return. Do you want to read it or shall I?" Harry held out the piece of parchment to Severus, who waved a hand indicating that the younger man should read it instead.
Severus watched as Harry unrolled it and quickly scan through its contents. He was disturbed to see Harry frown a bit, then chuckle. "What is it?"
"I'll read it and you can decide for yourself whether what she writes is good or not."
Severus (and Harry),
Thanks for letting us know your current condition. Everyone at the shoppe hopes you get better quickly. I'll alert you if we need anything else, but as of right now, I think with the stock we have we are in good stead.
Before I could reply to Harry's post, the Twins came in and I accidentally let slip that you were sick. I'm so sorry. I totally forgot who their mother is. So it would not surprise me if Molly dropped in on you sometime this afternoon. Just a little warning.
Good luck and get better,
Arabella Figg
Severus just groaned at this. "Molly Weasley is the most irritating, mothering woman I know. She will definitely be here before the day is over, mark my words."
Before the last words Severus uttered could die, they both heard a knocking at the door. Severus just quirked an eyebrow as if saying, 'See, what did I tell you.'
Harry was about to go down and answer the door when he heard Dobby answering it instead. His excitability could be heard quite clearly through the closed door.
"Mrs. Weasley! Dobby is so ever glad to be seeing you. Why Master Harry and Master Severus will also be glad you are being here. Come in, come in. What does Mrs. Weasley have in her arms? Is it something for sick, Master Severus?"
Harry just heard some low mumbling following Dobby's questioning and then the sound of footsteps came as Molly ascended the staircase. Severus hissed at Harry to get her to go away and Harry looked at him as if he were insane. No one, but no one could get rid of Molly Weasley when she was on a mission to take care of the ones she loved and admired. And as loathe as Severus was to admit it to anyone, even Harry, he knew that Molly Weasley cared for him, especially since he had always looked out for Harry and protected him when he could. The feeling was mutual. He had a great deal of respect for the woman who could command her family like an army and yet be caring about it.
Harry sat there and waited, as did Severus for the door to open and the whirlwind that was Molly to come through. They didn't have long to wait.
She entered at full velocity and full chatter going. "Severus, you poor man. I heard from the twins you had the Wizarding Measles and I just had to come over to make sure you were well taken care of. No offense dear Harry, but you've never really had anyone to take care of you when you were sick and I felt that you needed a good role model to learn from. So I'm here now and I will be for the rest of the afternoon. Have you been drinking lots of water, Severus? How are your fever and swelling doing?" Harry was pushed out of the way as Molly went straight to his lover to mother him. He wondered if she would even need to take a deep breath before she nattered on about how to best treat the measles.
Harry just watched in awe and little bit of chagrin. He loved Molly like a mum, and normally he would just let her have her way and stand back, but now that she was fussing over his lover, he was just a bit upset. He sighed in resignation though and figured it was just for the afternoon, she would be gone soon and it would just be Severus and himself again.
Harry went and got another chair for himself and let Molly have the one he had been occupying. He sat down on the other side of their bed and listened in while Molly went on about how her kids had all gotten the measles at once when Ginny had been one year old. Harry watched as Severus just looked at Molly with a glazed look to his eyes and said nothing. Harry bet Severus had phased her out long ago and was probably thinking up a new potions to sell at his shoppe.
Harry spoke up just to spare his love some of the torment and torture of a mothering Molly. "Molly, how is Ginny? Now that Hogwarts is back in session and she's begun her seventh year, how do you feel about your youngest almost finishing up?"
"Oh, you haven't heard have you. Honestly, you'd think Fred and George would tell you something other than what's happening with their shoppe. Ginny was made Head Girl this year. Isn't that wonderful?" Molly didn't really expect an answer from either of them and plowed right on. "She was also made captain of the Gryffindor quidditch team. I'm so proud of my little girl. She's done just as well as the others have. Well, even Fred and George have made me proud with their business acumen. Who would have guessed two pranksters like them could be successful. I guess it just goes to show that people like to have a laugh and are willing to pay for it. You're probably also wondering about Ron. He came home briefly with Hermione this weekend. They are both doing well. Hermione is looking forward to her studies at the Uni and Ron, well ... Ron is Ron. He's happy and in love and that's all I need to know to make me happy as well."
Harry just nodded and let her talk on. Harry turned and saw that Severus had drifted off to sleep once more and he mentioned that to Molly, who took the hint and ushered herself and him out the bedroom door.
They entered the kitchen and took a seat at the table, when Dobby appeared with a cup of tea for their guest and a glass of juice for himself.
Before he could get a swallow down, she shifted her focus to him. Just what I needed, he thought to himself.
"How have you been dear? Work going well for you?"
"The business is going quite well. I had to postpone a few appointments with Severus getting sick and the possibility of my having it as well, but otherwise my customers are happy and so am I."
"That's good, dear. I'm so glad you and Severus are both doing well, outside of this measles business. In fact, now that all my children are out of the house... Well, they do come home frequently for visits bless them, but really the house seems empty without them in it. I just haven't felt needed much anymore. The Order still exists and we all get together and discuss any potential rumours we hear about discontent amoung the wizarding world, but really I have nothing to do with my days. I'm suffering from Empty Nest syndrome, I believe those muggles call it. I was wondering if perhaps, you might like an assistant. Part-time of course. Someone to manage your calendar and communications for you, perhaps?"
Harry watched as the Molly he had come to love and cherish, who was always so upbeat and cheerful most of the time, look lost and alone. His heart went out to her and something inside of him finally fell into place. An empty nest, she had called it. That's what he knew was missing. She'd had children in her life for over 30 some years and now they were gone, but she'd had that experience and he knew she wouldn't have traded it for anything in the world. Before he could answer her, to say he agreed with the idea of her working for him part-time, there was another knock at the door.
Harry watched as Dobby popped away from the kitchen and would assuredly appear at the front door. He heard Dobby's excited chatter, and when Dobby called out the Headmaster's name, Harry got up to go see what the old wizard could want.
Standing at the door, was Albus Dumbledore and in front of him, was a little girl of about five years in age who was holding a little doll and a blanket.
"Albus, what a surprise. And what are you doing here? You do know we are under quarantine because Severus has the Wizarding Measles, don't you?" Harry asked the old wizard.
"Oh my! I had no idea." Albus bent down and looked the little girl squarely in the face. "I'm sorry, my dear, I had no idea that today of all days would place you in this situation. I'm afraid now that you might also get sick. Do you understand this?"
Harry watched as the little girl nodded quietly. He was puzzled as to why Albus had brought her to their place and decided to ask as he watched the headmaster straighten.
"Albus, who is the little girl and why is she here?"
"This, my dear Harry, is Alicia. She is here hopefully to be you and Severus' new little girl." Albus said with the twinkle in his eyes shining brightly.
~tbc~
AN: Thanks go to the following reviewers: biblios, angel of darkness 4585, darkanglefrmhell, Sakura Snape, Stryfechild, SEP, LeeLeePotter, Anarane Anwamane, Angie/Les', TommieBoy182, Jaded Angel8, hermionegree, selua, HecateDeMort, Mikee, LMK, Elehyn, Kristine Thorne, Felinity, athenakitty, xikum, Garner, NT1 (thanks for the pushing Mandi), Corgi, and last but very much not least, sherdelune.