Chapter Five
by Sev1970
Harry stood in the shadows watching for over an hour as Severus fished. He missed the warmth that he had felt in the older man's arms, as well as the completeness he had felt when they had been together. Jaina was a nice diversion and did help to alleviate his nightmares. But, she was not Severus, there was only one Severus. Harry turned to head back to his cabin when he heard someone clearing his throat.
"I see, some things never change, Harry."
Harry removed the cloak and approached Severus. "And some do."
Severus quirked an eyebrow and let a small laugh escape. "Obviously. Tell me, wherever did you find her Harry? She is simply… simple."
"Well, seeing as how your approval means so much to me I'll just go tell her my 'Physics' teacher does not approve." Harry rolled his eyes. "Really Severus, why do you care who I choose to be with anyway?"
"I care because you deserve someone who genuinely cares for you, not some twit like… Jaina."
No matter how badly Harry wanted Severus back, he was incensed that his former lover would makes such rude comments about someone whom he had only met once. "How dare you, Severus. Just because you royally screwed up our relationship and pushed me away for no good reason does not give you the authority to tell me who I can and cannot see. Jaina is the best thing that has happened to me since you kicked me out. If you cannot say anything nice then I suggest you don't say anything at all."
Severus shook his head and turned from Harry, gathered his fishing pole and bait and began walking towards Albus' cabin without another word.
The younger wizard did not want the man to leave, he wanted Severus to take him in his arms and apologize, and he wanted them to go back to how things had been two years ago, when the two of them were together and in love. "Yes, that's it Severus, walk away, just like you did when you pushed me out of your life." Severus stopped walking but did not turn around. "When I saw you yesterday, it hurt. I had missed you and seeing you saddened me and made me realize how much I missed not having you in my life, but I was wrong. I could never love someone who is as cruel as you are. You don't know Jaina, Severus, and apparently, I never really knew you, either."
Severus turned around with a saddened look on his face and said in a dejected voice, "You do know me, Harry." Without any further comments, he left. Hearing Harry saying he had missed him gave him some small hope that things could work out between them, but he could not be too happy about that because of Jaina. He would not just come out and tell Harry what he had overheard the overly exuberant gold digger talking about with her friends, he needed proof, and before the night was over, he would have that… and revenge, sweet revenge. No one treated his Harry the way the conniving thing that had forced herself into his former lover's life was, and got away with it, if Severus could help it.
Harry was going to be in for quite a rude awakening; Severus had it all planned out. He would get back at the wench and knew the Weasley twins would not disappoint him in that endeavor. He was going to force the girl to reveal her true colors. He wanted Harry to see for himself what the girl was really like. It had taken all of Severus' restraint not to tell his former lover everything he had overheard the girl saying but even if it hurt Harry, Severus wanted Jaina to be the one to open the young wizards eyes, not himself.
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Harry stormed back to his cabin and slammed the door as he entered. Jaina walked in and gave him a questioning look but Harry only shook his head and went to the bedroom before shutting the door in her face. A few minutes later, Harry heard Jaina yelling his name from outside and groaned. He could ignore her, but she would not stop until he went to see what she needed.
Huffily making his way outdoors, Harry saw that Jaina was sitting in the porch swing, beckoning him to join her, which he did. "What do you need?"
"I need you to tell me the real story behind your Physics teacher, Severus. And don't even try telling me there isn't a story, Harry, Gods, men are so obtuse, I swear. I saw the two of you down there talking earlier, rather heatedly from what I saw, and I noticed how sad you looked when he left. Is there something I should know?"
"No, there isn't, Jaina." The girl wrapped her arms around his neck and brought his head down to meet her in a kiss, one that Harry eventually gave in to.
After the two pulled apart, the girl smiled, "Good, because you are mine and I don't intend to ever let you go. And since he is coming to our get together tonight I wanted to make sure there was not going to be any problems between the two of you."
"He's what? You invited him?" The obviously confused girl nodded. "I really wish you would not have done that without asking me first."
"So… I was right; there is a story there, I knew it. Well, obviously you saw the light and let him go. He's a bit creepy looking if you ask me. I must admit, I would never have thought you would be interested in men. So, you're bi then? Gee… you think you know someone."
"And what if I am, Jaina, will you kick me out as well? Is sleeping with a bisexual 'freak' not your cup of tea? Well, you haven't minded sharing my bed with me thus far, have you?"
"No need to get all huffy on me, I just made a simple observation. I could care less that you are bisexual, love."
Harry cringed but tried not to show it; Jaina never called him love, thankfully. That had been Severus' way of getting his lover's attention, and Harry was not keen to hear anyone else using his Severus' endearment for him.
Harry gave the girl a quick kiss on her cheek before standing. It was only a few hours until their guests would be arriving and they both needed to get everything prepared. Jaina went into the small kitchen as Harry went to take a shower.
Standing underneath the warm water, Harry thought back to what Severus had said earlier about Jaina and as it had then, it made him mad, even if some of what the man said had been partially true.
Harry did not love Jaina, and if he was completely honest with himself, he knew he was not bisexual, he preferred men, one in particular, to be exact. He did receive comfort from Jaina, but felt nothing for the girl and was surprised she had remained with him this long, surely he did not impress her in bed. He could never give another himself fully as he had done with Severus.
Turning off the water, the confused wizard stepped out of the shower and dried off before dressing. He looked at himself in the mirror and couldn't help but smile; he was wearing khaki pants and a black polo shirt, one that Severus had given him. He knew it was wrong for him to be with Jaina and flirt with his former lover, but he wanted the man to know he was still thought about. For whatever reason, Severus had pushed him away, but from what Harry had seen and heard from the man recently, he was beginning to wonder if the older man still had feelings for him.
Of course, he knew Severus would always care for him, but there was more to it, and Harry had seen it in the eyes that had bore through him earlier. Harry had given the man his heart and soul only a few years earlier, and both had been stomped on and decimated when Severus ended things between them suddenly with no real explanation; Harry could not handle going through such a loss again. There was no doubt he was still in love with Severus, but the hurt had never left and he would not be the one crawling back. He could, however, let the man know he was still thinking of him. Their talk had not gone well earlier and Harry needed Severus to understand that he did care for him still. What the older man thought of Harry meant a great deal to him, and it had hurt to think that the one person that Harry loved was disappointed in him.
"You look good, hon." Jaina approached Harry and gave him a quick kiss on the lips. She pulled back and looked curiously at her meal ticket. "You smell different, what are you wearing?"
"Oh it's just some cologne I haven't worn in awhile; thought I would try it and see if you liked it." Harry had not worn this particular cologne since he and Severus had ceased being lovers. It had been a gift from him and Harry had tried throwing it out on several different occasions but did not have the heart to. Just smelling it brought back all of the happy memories that he and his former lover had shared.
"It's okay; I prefer your usual, but this is fine. I am going to get ready, hon, if anyone shows up, I'll be out soon."
Harry nodded as he walked into the sitting room.
~tbc~