Thanks for all the reviews, people! And apparently I was evil...sorry! I kinda knew I was, but that's ok
I couldn't update until now because I had to go spend Wed night-Sat afternoon with my sister at her college cuz she wanted to see me. Good stuff, dude. So I'm sorry for the long wait, but I had a legit reason
Here's the next chapter, and the review responses are at the end
They awoke at the same time, be that possible
"So you made it back, I see," Severus warily said to the lump on his chest and in his arms
"Yes, I'm here now," Harry tried not to snuggle into the embrace, unsure of how they stood in this time
"Have fun on your little vacation, then?"
"You would know," Harry pointedly looked up at this
"But I don't know if you had fun. I believe you left before I had the chance to ask all those years ago"
Harry lifted himself a little so his chin was on his left hand and his right was still on Severus' chest
"You weren't some filler; just something to pass the time, if that's what you're asking"
"Well that makes me feel better," Severus said, a tad sarcastically
"So that's it then?" Harry asked indignantly as he backed away from his professor completely
"What?" Severus was stunned by the movement and he sat up on the hard dungeon floor
"That's it?" Harry repeated, "After 20 years you've lost all feeling except hate for me? Are you mad because I left you back there? Is that why you treat me horribly?"
"No, Harry, I don't hate you for leaving me. I'll admit that I did for awhile, but you were right: I understood as I got older...as both of us did. And I treated you horribly because I was afraid that if I didn't, that I would act on my feelings before you reciprocated them," Severus admitted, looking at his hands
"You don't think I fell in love with you because you gave me that hand job a few nights in, do you?" Harry asked incredulity
Severus flinched from hearing it said so blatantly, "It's not like there was anything worth while to see before going there"
"Are you kidding me? Let me tell you something: I don't fall in love in six days. This has been building for awhile...I was just in denial about what it meant before going and meeting you when you were my age"
"I hardly think...but...I was so cruel"
"Yeah, but I began to see past that, which was probably the weirdest part of it all for me to accept," Harry smiled
"I don't know what to say," Severus admitted quietly
"Do you still love me?" Harry whispered, smile gone
There was some hesitation and a look of sadness fell over the man's face, "Yes. I really do. I'll understand if you don't, however," he said, still looking down
"Why wouldn't I? I just returned from you"
"I was different back then"
"Yes, you were. But I fell in love with the man you are, not the boy you used to be. Not that there's anything wrong with how you were"
"You know, I tried being nice to James, knowing he would help to bring you into the world, but him and his friends started...talking about you and making up situations to put us in"
"But they weren't even there while I was," Harry said indignantly
"Trust me, there was plenty of talk about you for awhile, so they had heard plenty about you. But anyway, your father stayed out of it for the most part, but the others were trashing something so sacred to me that I didn't care about looking good to James anymore. I knew he'd still bring you into the world and I'd have to treat you badly once you came to Hogwarts anyway, so it became more important for me to protect what we had"
"So that's why they treated you horribly!" Harry realized, then went over and hugged Severus, "I'm so sorry. It's my fault"
"No, Harry, it was my decision"
"But if I...if I hadn't..." Harry stuttered but was cut off by a pair of lips on his. They were familiar lips, different only in the size; definitely bigger
Severus kissed his way down Harry's neck, back up again and went to kiss, tongue and suck the earring he'd given the boy 20 years ago
"Jesus, Severus," Harry moaned, gripping the others shoulders for support
"Told you the earring was a good idea. Plus, it makes you look so hot," Severus kissed him passionately once more and Harry wondered when the word 'hot' got into his teachers vocabulary, distracting him from blaming himself for the torture Severus was put through when he was younger
They were interrupted a few minutes later by a knock on the door, which was opened before receiving an answer
"I see Harry's finally back," Dumbledore smiled after a few seconds of shock
Harry scooted away from Severus and they both stood up
"Somehow he came back, yes," Severus said, scowling at the twinkle in his mentor's eyes, "but how still remains a mystery"
"I recreated the potion...messing it up as I did last time. It brought me back," Harry stated
"Was this right before you came back?" Severus asked, though it was really a dumb question
"Of course"
"I was making the same potion right before you came back, except I didn't get to add the Ground Dragon Scales because...something came up," Snape looked away from the two at the end of the sentence
"What happened to make you not finish it?" Harry asked, but Severus resolutely kept his mouth shut
"One over-done potion and one nearly done...I never would've guessed that," Dumbledore smiled, "However, I shouldn't be too surprised, now should I?"
The two men looked at the Headmaster questioningly, unsure of his meaning
Dumbledore walked to the door, then, turning around, said, "The power of tears is very great," and with that, he was gone
"Tears? How does...?" Harry started
"Leave it, Harry," Severus warned
"You know what he means!" Harry accused, "Tell me!"
"No"
"But..."
"I said no, Harry. Leave it," Severus said as he turned to walk towards the cauldron to clean it up
A look of comprehension dawned on the boys face and he said excitedly, "You cried! You cried as you were standing over the potion, the tear fell in and brought me back! That explains why it bubbled so much suddenly"
Severus groaned as he buried his face in his hands
"Oh Severus!" Harry walked over to the man and enveloped him in a tight embrace
Once he drew back, Harry saw Severus was resolutely looking down
"Are you ashamed?" Harry's smile was gone again, and a nod of the others head was his answer, "Ashamed that you did it, or ashamed of why you did it?"
There was no response
"Severus," Harry begged and the man met his gaze, "Do you love me still? Do you truly love me?"
"Yes," was the croaked answer
"Then don't be ashamed to cry over me. I'm going to do my best to make sure you never have to again, but I'm only human"
"I know"
"Then what's the problem?"
"I cried, that's the problem," At the confused look on the boys face, he elaborated, "In all your years of knowing me, have you ever seen me as the crying type?"
"Well...no, but..." he started, but Severus cut him off
"That's right. I don't do crying or sentimental"
"Don't do sentimental my butt! I was with you for 12 days, Severus, and was surrounded by caring and love and sentiment every moment"
"I never did they type of stuff before you came along. In fact, I never cried until you came along, either, just so you know"
"Well I'm sorry I'm breaking your wall," Harry said dejectedly, staring at the ground
"No, that's not what I meant," Severus said tiredly
He made his way to the younger man and wrapped him in his arms, "I'm glad you're breaking the wall, it's just scary is all"
"I can understand being scared of it"
"Thank you. And I'll try not to let myself fall back into defensive mode when it happens"
"Is that what these past five and a half years were?"
"Defensive mode?"
"Yes"
Severus considered before answering, "I never really cared to read into it too much. Part of it was, yes, but it was partially keeping up appearances of hating your father and Gryffindors in general"
"I see..." Harry was confused on what it all meant
"Harry, look at me," he waited until the boy complied before continuing, "I love you. I'm sorry for how I've treated you these past years. That boy back there...he's buried under me...in me now"
"I understand. I don't want him; I want you," Harry admitted
"I know that now. I just wanted you to know that I'm sorry for treating you so poorly"
"It's ok. You're yourself now and we can be happy"
Harry smiled weakly before they kissed gently, promising things of the future
"Lay with me?" Severus whispered in Harry's ear
Harry chuckled lightly at hearing the phrase again, "Of course, Severus"
As the pair laid down in Severus' bed, they both crawled under the blankets, covering their heads in the process
"The future can't harm us here," Harry said as he snuggled against the others chest
"We don't ever have to worry about that again, Harry," Severus said as he kissed the top of the others head before they fell into a peaceful sleep
THE END
That's the end. Take that! If you all ask very nicely and give me some ideas, I may consider writing a sequel...though I really don't know what I'd write it about
I hope you enjoyed the story and the ending...and I'm sorry if you didn't. This was a fun story to work on, and despite a few angering things (aka people yelling at me for things I already admitted were wrong), I'm glad it received positive feedback
HecateDeMort- Thank you, once again. I hope you enjoyed the story
kears- You really are an odd cookie, dude, lol. Bad! You and Katie need to do your homework instead of reading my piece of crap story!
Miki23- Sorry for being evil in stopping there. I actually tossed around the idea of sending him far ahead in time to where him and Severus are happily living together and all that good stuff and then going back to his own time, but I decided against that. Glad you enjoyed the last chapter. I think the hiding under the covers thing was so cute, lol
Pirate Bitch nut- Glad you're so enthusiastic about the story, lol. I'm also glad the repition of history was not only noticed, but liked, as well. Thanks for the reviews!
Oreopet- I updated! I updated! Lol, hope you liked it. Thanks for following this story
Suzuki-chan- Woah! I've never been hissed at before, lol. That was interesting. I hope you enjoyed this chapter and the whole thing in general
Lenora- Glad you like it. And yeah, I put the things at the beginning knowing that no one will understand till they get to it...wish there were a better system, cuz the end seems a little late for them, ya know? Anyway, I hope you liked this story
Phoenix 5- I'm not really moving to Canada...I should, though...I'm not happy that Bush is president again, that's why I said it. Sorry to've confused you...I like Canada, too, so it wouldn't be a bad switch. Hope you liked the ending
Hyouden- I updated as fast as I could. I hope you approve of the ending!
darkanglefrmhell- Sorry to've made you mad, as well, lol. I hope you liked this ending chapter
Cat Samwise- I thank you for sticking with this story regardless of the time stuff. I hope you approved of this ending
valanthe- Hahaha, I remember you! I know I'm evil, but I hope this chapter made up for it? A little?
tree potter- Glad it was fast enough for you! I hope you still like this story after the end, lol
Ruth- Hope the way things played out worked for you. I made them get together! Hope it worked out as you thought it would
LadyWolvie- ::cowers:: I'm sorry...I'm horrible, I know. I learn from the best, though
kimmistar- I hear that. I'm evil, I know. So sorry! You didn't have to wait too long, though. I hope that helps
Hobbs- Thanks. And for you, it wasn't a long wait at all, lol. Compared to some of the others that waited like...7 days...wow...I'm really mean, now that I see that. LOL! Glad you like it
So that's the end. You guys are lucky you got this typed up today, cuz my CTS is really bad today and all this typing isn't helping. But oh well, it was worth it. Hope you guys liked this ending and please keep an eye out for any of my later works