Chapter 7

I spent the next few days in a fog of complacency. With school out, Harry was home more, and we were together for most of the time. Either in the pool, or lying lazily on the oversized couch. He charmed me like no one ever had. Even Remy in his younger years wasn't this enticing, and—given that I had spent my youth dreaming of Remus—that was saying something.

I had never been one to stop at a kiss. If I found someone attractive, I fucked them and forgot them. The fact that I had kept things the way they were was proof of my infatuation, but I don't think Harry saw it that way. He would always get this look of rejection in his eyes. Despite his claims to understand, I could see that it hurt him. He thought that perhaps I was afraid to proceed because I found him lacking. The time we spent in the pool was always quickly followed with him covering his legs as fast as he could. It was disheartening to see, but I wasn't ready for more yet. Harry had broken more of my defenses than anyone ever had, and even that wasn't enough to take away my trepidation.

By Wednesday, I had a condo picked out and paid for. Though it wasn't readily wheelchair friendly, the realtor told me he would contact someone to at least build ramps to the front and back doors. What had really caught me about the place was the backyard. The pool was magnificent and had an adjoining hot tub, but the real eye catcher was a little rock garden and gazebo with a swing on it. I hired a decorator and gave him very specific directions and an nearly unlimited funds to furnish the place. This was the first time I had owned a home in almost a decade, and I was a bit anxious to be moved in. However, I hadn't told Harry or Remus about this yet. I couldn't imagine how.

Before I knew it, Saturday rolled around. My Armani suit was pressed and lying on my bed. I was even less enthusiastic about this little event than I had been a week before. Harry's intense dislike of the whole thing only made it worse, but I decided that I would at least put up a good front for the evening. I showered, shaved and pulled my hair back. Call me an old fool, but I still refused to cut my long, black hair. Once I dressed, I waited in the living room for Harry. Remus had decided to meet us there. Then I heard and odd, almost tapping sound. I looked to the hall and my mouth nearly dropped open.

Supported by metal crutches, Harry was standing there. I had no idea that he could walk, albeit with aid. He was still a lot shorter than me, and he looked extremely uncomfortable…not to mention odd. "Ready?" he asked with a grin.

I merely nodded.

"You can pick your jaw off the floor, Severus. I don't look that good," he teased.

"You do, but then again you always do." I couldn't resist kissing him like that. He leaned his weight on me and I barely had to bend down to touch his lips. It was definitely not what I had become used to with him. I wouldn't say that I liked it better though. I wasn't blind to the discomfort in his beautiful green eyes.

"We'd better go. I'd hate to be late for the banquet I put together."

We took his van, and I watched him forcibly bend his legs to sit properly in the driver's seat. I raised an eyebrow, and he lifted up his pant leg enough to show me the heavy braces beneath.

By the time we got there, Ginny was waiting in the foyer. She looked stunningly beautiful in an expensive black dress with her long, red hair styled on top of her head. Any straight man would have been drooling, but Harry wasn't straight…which I thanked God for that everyday. She fixed us both with a dazzling smile. "There you are! I thought we were going together."

Harry smiled back. "No, Ginny that was your plan. You look great."

"Thanks. So do you," she returned coyly. It made me want to break her pretty little neck.

I cleared my throat. "Shall we."

The ballroom was very elegant. Flowers and candles appointed the tables alongside fine china. White clad waiters hurried about with trays of champagne. The was probably costing Harry a fortune, but with the money that would come in at three hundred dollars a plate would do the center good. I recognized a few celebrities, but they weren't quite as amazing to me as the entire table of redheads sitting at the table beside ours.

I had never seen hair so bright, or a clan that huge. The mother and father looked to be about sixty, and their children ranged from mid thirties to early twenties. Ginny introduced them all as her family, and they all began to chatter on with Harry.

"Where are Ron and Hermione?" Harry asked.

"Probably where most newlyweds are," one of the twins said with a grin.

Mrs. Weasley smacked him. "Behave. We're in society."

I laughed at that remark. "How true."

She smiled at me. "And what do you do, Mr. Snape?"

"Nothing of importance," I replied. Have I mentioned how much I hate having this conversation?

Luckily, she ended it at that when she saw her son and daughter-in-law come in. "Ronald Weasley, you are late!"

The young man and his wife both flushed a bit. "Hermione takes forever to get ready, mum," he protested, but his wife looked like she had something different to say about that.

Ron and his wife joined us at our table. "You just had to show off," he whispered smugly to Harry.

"You look really uncomfortable," Hermione agreed.

"I'm fine. The only thing that isn't fine is at the table next to us," he grumbled.

"Well, you bought her the dress!" Hermione scolded him.

I froze. I couldn't believe that Harry would do something like that while trying to avoid the girl.

"I couldn't help it! She whined about how she wasn't going because she had nothing to wear. I couldn't have my associate director blowing this off."

Ron rolled his eyes, and I was apt to agree with that sentiment.

Remus barely made it in before the speeches began. First, Ron gave an overview of what the center did and what they wanted to do in the future, and then came a few community leaders. Harry was up last and he looked none to happy about it as he stood. By the time he made it to the podium, that had changed.

"I'd like to thank you all for coming," he began. "The fact that you're hear tells me that you are all open to helping the children. Helping the children is what is all about. When I first came up with the idea for a program like this, I thought that maybe I would be able to help a few kids have a better understanding of what it means to work together and to play. At best, I thought I would influence a few kids make good choices. I was wrong though; this center has a scope much wider than that. This is about children influencing each other. Sure, we have the facilities, and all of our staff love the kids, but they are the ones making the real difference. By building relationships and learning together, they are making a better future. Many of them consider this to be their family. I think it's time to extend that family. With your help, that's exactly what we intend to do."

The room filled with applause and people began to stand. I wasn't the only one who found him amazing. Watching him come back to the table, I wanted nothing more than to carry him off and make love to him.

After that, diner was served, and then the music began. Couples migrated to the dance floor. Strains of cool, romantic jazz filled the room. Uninvited, Ginny absconded an open chair at our table beside Harry.

"That was perfect," she told him as she leaned in to kiss his cheek.

"Thanks, Gin." Harry squirmed.

"And that's why I love you so much," she teased, but anyone could tell that it was only half in jest. It was also obvious that she had taken quite a few flukes of champagne from the passing trays.

Harry looked so flustered that I had to save him. "Would you do the honor of dancing with me, Ginny?" I asked.

The stupid girl beamed at. "I'd love to."

I shot a glance at Harry that told him exactly how much he owed me, before leading her to the floor. She couldn't dance to save her scrawny arse, but I wouldn't have enjoyed if even if she had.

I was ready to fall asleep standing when we finally made it back to Harry's. After stripping off my suit, I met him in the living room. He seemed relieved to be back in his chair. Cuddled up together, the evening seemed forgotten. "It's good to be home," he murmured. "My back is killing me."

"Is it that painful for you?" I asked.

He shrugged. "It can be after a while. I guess I just don't like it."

"Why not? I should think that you'd prefer walking."

He snorted, and I could tell that I'd said the wrong thing. "Why? Just so I can be at eye level with everyone else? There isn't any real advantage. I'm always uncomfortable in those braces. All they do is prop me up; they don't make me better. I'm a gimp either way. The chair gives me a lot more freedom." He stopped for a second. "Are you more attracted to me like that?"

"No," I assured him. "I like you any way you come. It doesn't matter to me if you are in the chair or standing."

He smiled. "I hope you stay here forever."

My conscience pricked. "Harry, there is something I should tell you."

He looked stricken. I could see Oliver Wood's influence written across his face. "You're leaving."

"In a manner of speaking. I bought a condo less than two miles away," I confessed. "Harry, I want to be with you, but staying here doesn't seem right."

"Why not? Am I not giving you enough space?"

"That's not it at all. Most couple meet, fall in love, and then move in together. We seem to have switched a step or two. Trust me when I tell you that I wouldn't have done this if I didn't care for you."

That made him relax some and before long, he was asleep. Staring at him, I wondered when I should tell him that Draco would be staying with me, but I didn't want to spoil his peace. Not now.