Ever After Ch. 5
A/N Thank you so much for reviewing. Just so that you don't get confused, this whole chapter is a flash back to his sixth year. Its one of those defining moment for a character!

Chapter Five

Flashback 'denote thoughts'

"Hey mate! Harry, wake up!" came Ron's hoarse whisper.

"Ron, go away!" Harry said bringing the covers to cover his face. "It's too early to play chess right now, Ron!"

"This isn't about chess, Harry! I'm going to do it! Today!"

Peeking his head from underneath the covers, Harry peered at his best friend. "You for real?"

He nodded.

"This isn't going to be like last time when you chickened out at the last moment?"

He shook his head no.

Jumping out of bed, Harry ran to his dresser. "Well lets get this day started, then!"

They met Hermione in the great hall for breakfast. Sitting on either side of her, the trio began to eat breakfast with gusto.

Once Harry had his fill, he sat back and watched his two best friends interact. The feelings that went through him confused him. He was happy for Ron that he was going to approach Hermione tonight but at the same time he couldn't help but be a tad envious. Even jealous.

He was so confused but then all at once it became obvious.

He had no one. Oh yes, Harry has 'Mione and Ron but it's not the same as having friends and having a significant other, lover, a soul mate.

That was what he wanted more than anything. A soul mate.

Taking a sip of his water, he tried to make it look casual as he sought out Professor Snape with his eyes.

It had been over a year since his feelings of hate for the potions master had turned into something else entirely. Something attuned to love.

Throwing caution to the wind, he began to study the object of his affection.

He was not the most handsome man in the world, but he was every inch of the cliché… Tall, dark, and handsome. He had long, beautiful hair that itched to be played with. How Harry could have ever thought it was greasy was beyond him. It wasn't greasy, it was silky. His eyes were a clear black. Every time he had the pleasure of looking into them, he had to stop himself from falling victim to their never-ending magic.

Harry was so far gone by now, he couldn't have stopped examining him even if he wanted to.

He has the most luscious mouth and voice in the world or so in Harry's love struck head. Snape was the only one that Harry knew of, that could make a snide remark sound dead sexy, even if the comment was malicious and cruel. It wasn't the words he listened to, but the sound behind them. And it aroused the hell out of him. As he was now.

"Mate? Mate? Hey Harry, are you alright?" Ron asked waving a hand in front of his face.

Snapping out of his thoughts, he turned to Ron.

"Are you alright, mate? You're wearing the strangest look. Isn't he, 'Mione?

"Yes," she said thoughtfully staring at him in concern.

"I'm fine, you two. Really," Harry said trying to put their fears to rest.

They left it alone much to his relief. He didn't need them to start worrying about him. 'I have to snap out of it,' he berated himself in his head.

Sighing again, he raised his eyes in time to come in contact with Professor Snape's. Heart pounding deep in his throat, he refused to be the first one to break eye contact… not that he really wanted to.

Snape seemed to sense that this was a war. he too, refused to be the one to back down.

The more he stared at Snape, the harder he got. it soon turned painful, but he refused to turn away. He had to do something.

Never taking his eyes off Snape, Harry reached foreward and withdrew a banana form the basket. He slowly began to peel the banana, still keeping eye contact. Soon the banana laid naked within his grasp.

Harry knew the exact moment Snape realized what he was about to do. His eyes narrowed and he shifted in his chair as if he was uncomfortable.

'It's now or never," Harry thought right before he deep throated the entire banana.

A sudden commotion at the head table had Harry looking up. It appears that Snape had spilled his morning coffee on his robes.

"Shit!" Professor Snape snapped standing up quickly.

The great hall was suddenly quiet as every student stared at their potions master. They had never seen so much emotion coming from him when he wasn't yelling at them for being dunderheads.

Harry bent his head in an effort to maintain his laughter.

As graceful as ever, Snape swept out of the hall in a floury of robes.

Harry snorted. And then he did it again.

Alarmed at his friend's mental state, Ron and Hermione turned to stare a Harry. What they saw was Harry shaking violently all over.

"Mate, are you alright?" Ron asked putting a hand on Harry's shoulder in an effort to calm his convulsions.

Nodding his head vigorously, Harry took a sip of his water. The water came right back up as he choked on it, spraying all over Seamus.

"Oh, god! I'm sorry! Are you ok?" Harry asked jumping up and conjuring a towel to clean Seamus with.

He snorted again as he wiped the bigger boy up.

"It's ok, Harry! Its just water," Seamus said when he realized that Harry was not himself at the moment.

"No, no, it's fine! I did this, now I have to clean it up," he said making a belated effort to talk. He coughed.

"Why don't you just use magic?"

Harry stopped his movements and thought about it for a few seconds… then began to clean him up again. "Nope, this is much more fun."

"Well if that's the case, who am I to argue?" he said leaning back and calmly gave himself up to Harry's attentions. He had a feeling that Harry needed to get his mind off other things. "Hey Harry, I don't suppose you could go a little lower with that towel, can you?"

Looking up, Harry gave Seamus a wink. "Careful mate, I might just take you up on that offer. I'm feeling frisky at the moment."

He chuckled quietly. "I wonder what or who could have gotten you in such a mood?" he asked with a wink of his own.

"Wouldn't you like to know!"

Both laughing now, Harry sat next to Seamus.

Leaning foreword on his elbows, he addressed Ron and 'Mione. "What are we going to do for today?"

"Sleep!" said Ron.

"Study!" said Hermione.

"Sex!" said Harry.

"Yessss!" Seamus exclaimed.

They went though this routine every morning. To an innocent passerby, the conversation sounded lewd and crude but to everyone else, it was the sound of true friendship.

"Nah, let's do something different today," they said at the same time.

"Hey, finals are over! Let's just relax by the lake today. I'm too tired to do any of the three s's right now," Harry said putting his head on the table.

"Even for me?" Seamus asked running a finger down his spine.

"Oh, don't stop," Harry moaned when Seamus started massaging his shoulders. "Even for you."

"I think Harry has the right idea, Ron. Let's just chill by the lake today," Hermione said grinning when Harry let out another breathless moan.

"Now this is the life," Harry murmured as he flipped over to tan his back. "Now, if you two weren't here…"

Swatting his back playfully, Hermione said, "And what's that suppose to mean, if I may ask?"

"Simple. If the two of you weren't here, I would be able to tan the rest of my delectable body and I doubt Ron would appreciate the show," he said cheekily.

"And me?" she asked.

"Oh, I know you want this," he said running his hand on his side. "Can't touch this!"

"Oh you!" she said swatting him again. "Tell me what this is."

"Wouldn't you like to know! I want Seamus!"

"Did I hear my name?" Seamus asked popping out from behind a tree.

"Hey there, you big stud! Hermione's molesting me, not to mention she's killing my tan. Make her disappear, will ya?"

"Oh, I know when I'm not wanted. C'mon, Ron. Let's leave His Anus alone with his sex servant," she said standing and dusting herself up. She stuck her tongue out at Harry as she walked away. "You coming?"

"Right behind you!" Ron said jumping up.

"Ron?"

"Yeah, Harry?" he asked nervously.

"Be brave. She's not going to kill you. If anything, she'll jump you."

"I don't know if that scares me or not."

"Here!" Harry said throwing something at Ron.

He caught it effortlessly. "What is this?" he asked opening his palm to reveal a white gold chain with a tiny, red ruby pendent. "How-?"

"It's a friendship necklace given to a lover. Remember when you woke up to find that some of your hair had been cut off?'

Nodding slowly, he still had that dazed look in his eyes.

"You seem to forget who was top in our Transfiguration and Charms classes. Hello, dummy! I made your hair into that necklace, 'Mione's and also mine… though not as much.

"How do I do this?"

"You give it to your lover. And since 'Mione is about to be that person, you give it to her."

"But you made it," he said densely.

Rolling his eyes, Harry stood up with him. "Listen carefully, Ron. The process of this necklace is simple. I, the friend, made this necklace, who ends up giving it to his best bud, who will end up giving it to his first love. It's simple. That's all there is to it. Do you understand now?"

"I think so mate." He paused. "You are the best friend anyone could have!" he cried throwing his arms around him.

"Ron… Ron… you can stop now. You're embarrassing me," Harry said blushing, brightly. "You have to go after 'Mione now. She's waiting," he said pointing in the direction where she was waiting. "Go get her, tiger!"

Ron took off in a run for her. Hand in hand, they skipped off into the castle.

"You think he'll do it?" Seamus inquired.

"He better," he said still looking in the direction his friends took off. After a moment he laid back down on the grass next his, smiling, and closed his eyes. "But I have a feeling that he will be just fine."

"And what about Mr. Harry Potter? Will you be alright?" Seamus wanted to know.

Opening his eyes, he looked over at his friend. "I better," he repeated.

"So who is he?"

He didn't even pretend not to know what he was talking about. "Professor Snape."

"You sure do know how to pick them, Harry."

"I know," he said smirking. "After all, I chose you."

"For a little while, you sure did." They grew into a companionable silence. "Tell me Harry… why?"

"Everything! He's like my missing half. Whenever I am near him, its like the very breath have been squeezed out of me; yet I have never felt so alive. He is so amazing. I have never met a more graceful person in my life. He can make a single step look like a glide across the dance floor. His robes seem to have a life of their own. Have you ever noticed the way his robes seem to be trailing behind him- as if to keep a respectful distance? Not to mention, I get turned on by his voice. Just that voice alone and my penis is happy for the rest of the day. It's useless to say that I have never felt this way before."

"I guess so. Harry, I was wondering if you can help me with something."

"If I can, sure."

"can I kiss you? One last time? Please?"

Staring at his friend in shock, Harry didn't say anything back. Then his face softened. "Sure. Of course," he said lifting himself onto his elbows and planting a hand on Seamus's neck bringing him closer and closer until their lips barely touched. "Go ahead, Seamus," he encouraged.

He took what was offered and nothing more.

It was one of the things that Harry loved about Seamus. He never pushed his luck. He was just the laid back kind of guy.

Lifting his head, he gazed down at Harry.

Sighing, Harry moved to a different position so that he could cuddle with him. "I wish I could have fallen in love with you instead."

Chuckling, Seamus put his arms around him. "I wish you could've too. I could take care of you."

"I know."

"But you can't help the fact that you are in love. Nor can you choose that person that you fall in love with. I understand and I accept it."

"You're the best. Now here is the fun part… telling Ron and Hermione that I am in love with our greasy potions master."

"Have fun," Seamus said laughing.

End of flashback

"Harry, breakfast is ready," Snape said bringing a tray into the room

"Thanks Severus," Harry said smiling as he brought himself to the present.

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