Chapter thirteen
Harry gazed at Severus as he swallowed the potion he was given. The boy felt himself grow weaker still as the potion circulated through his system, then he quickly began feeling better.
"Hey, the burning in my veins has stopped," the young man said more to himself than anyone else.
"Good this means that the ju due toxin has taken effect. How are you feeling Harry?" Snape asked with a smirk planted firmly upon his face.
"I am feeling fine now, save the fact that I have this strong urge to kiss that stupid smirk off your face professor." The Gryffindor's eyes widened with each word that passed his lips. 'There is only one explanation for this…' "Was that truth serum professor?"
"Yes, Mister Potter I laced your dose of ju due toxin with truth serum." For an all too brief moment Harry thought he saw a sliver of fear enter the potions masters onyx eyes. "Damn it all!" the vampire exclaimed, clamping his mouth shut with a look of barely suppressed fury upon his pale face. Harry Potter smiled as all the pieces began fit into place. 'Sometimes you really have to love Albus Dumbledore.'
"It would appear that great minds do indeed think alike, Sir. Tell me, am I am correct in assuming that you are also under the effects of a truth serum?" Harry asked rather smugly.
"Just because you managed to trick me into drinking a potion does not make your mind all that great, Potter!" William shouted, his once pale face going slightly pink.
"Okay, one, I did not slip you that damn potion! I could never do that to you, it's wrong! Two, for all I knew vampires are immune to the stuff, or worse we could be allergic to it. And three, why would I give you truth serum when I already know you hate me Severus Snape!" Harry asked bitterly as tears began to form in the corners of his eyes.
"You're quite right Mister Potter, it was wrong of me to assume you had drugged me," Severus' eyes widened and he fruitlessly struggled to stop speaking. "Only someone like the headmaster would have known that it takes a certain type of truth serum to work on a Vampire such as myself. I am sorry for my rash behavior," the older man apologized.
'Damn you Albus! What are you trying to do to me! I owe Harry no explanations on how my mind works… I will get even with you for this, you manipulative old bastard!'
"Hey Sev, lets play a game," Harry said suddenly, breaking into his thoughts.
"A game? What sort of game mister potter?" Severus asked nervously.
"Well have you ever seen the muggle movie 'The Silence of the Lambs' Severus?"
"As a matter of fact I have. Allow me to guess, quid pro quo…I tell you things and you tell me things? Very well, since I see no better way of getting you to stop your pouting, Mister Potter. You may go first."
"Okay then Sev tell me why do you do that?" Harry questioned.
"Do what?"
Call me Potter all the time. It's most infuriating you know.
"I do so because calling you Harry seems much too intimate for me. But if potter upsets you I will call you Harry, but only in private.
"That is all I ask, Severus. Okay, it's your turn to ask me a question," Harry said almost sounding anxious.
"I know this, Harry, please allow an old man time to think," Snape said jokingly before he went on. "How long have you known you were gay?"
"Well I have only known for about 12 hours, I have suspected it since my 4th year though," Harry answered blushing madly.
"And what made you question your sexual preferences Harry?" Severus asked the young man.
"Hey, that's not fair that was two questions, Professor!" Harry yelled before sitting back and pouting.
"If I remember correctly, Harry, we did not state the number of questions one could ask in a single turn. So answer it, or maybe you're afraid to," Severus challenged.
"I am no such thing and you know it! If you must know it was the end of fourth year when you and Professors McGonagall and Dumbledore burst in on the fake professor Moody. The look of pure anger and disgust set upon your face made me wander what your face would look like alight with pure and utter passion," as Harry finished his answer he was unable to meet his professors eyes. It was a shame too, for if he'd done so he would have seen Snape's mouth fall agape in shock.
"Harry from now on when we are alone you may call me Severus," Snape stated.
"Alright Professor...Severus. Though I think Sev sounds better," the Gryffindor joked.
"Oh how I do love the wit of you Gryffindors, Potter," upon saying this, the potions master cracked the first real smile he had in years. One that reached the black onyx orbs that were has eyes. Harry stared transfixed.
"You know Sev, you should smile more often it makes you look…"
"What does it make me look, Harry…?" the potions master asked dropping his voice two octaves on the word Harry. He just couldn't resist doing so. He wanted to make the boy lust for him, the same way he did for Harry. Speaking of the boy, he had at some point in time, for who knows what reason, nestled himself so deeply within Severus' embrace that he was practically in the man's lap. The potions master found he could no more berate the boy for this, than for calling him Sev. Heaven help him this whole situation sounded and felt well, right.
'Stop it you fool! It is only the blood bond that makes you feel this way.' The ex death eater mentally chided himself.
"Well Harry do you have any more questions for me?" The potions master asked as the young man began to trace shapes on the chest he had so recently discovered was bare.
"Just two Sev," Harry answered. "Why did you lace the ju due toxin?"
"I would have thought would be obvious. I wanted to find out what it was that you and the headmaster had discussed."
"Is that all? He just wanted to tell me that since I also tested out of transfiguration that I was to assist you during those times as well. He threatened to remove me from the Gryffindor Quidditch team if I were to refuse him," Harry finished smiling.
"He WHAT?" Severus shouted.
"Relax, I was giving him a hard time about working with you," said Harry.
"You fool! He would have done it, you know! You have to learn that Albus always gets his way. It was in your best interest to just do what he says even though you do hate me Harry," William explained exasperated.
"Stop right there, Severus Snape! First of all, I don't hate you. Second, he would not have taken me off of the house team because it was an act."
"An act?" the older man looked puzzled.
"Yes, an act. The truth is I wanted to work with you, to be with you as much as possible. But I had to appear to be fighting it, otherwise Dumbledore would have nothing left to scheme for… and heaven forbid that I should be the one to take that from him," Harry was laughing outright now.
He stopped laughing when he felt warm breath swirl within his ear.
"And what else did you discuss with the headmaster, Harry?"
Harry's mouth went dry and the saliva seemed to turn to liquid fire that went straight to his groin when he swallowed.
"Um well uhh he said that you once loved my father and that dad hurt you. I am sorry for that Sev, my father was a fool," the Gryffindor finished, locking eyes with his former teacher. "Please don't be angry with Professor Dumbledore. He was only trying to help me understand you Sev," (Our-delete) Harry explained with a pleading look on his face.
The older man had considered teasing, but at the sight of slight pain held within Harry's emerald eyes he changed his mind. "I am not angry with Albus, Harry; in fact I'm grateful to him. I would not have been able to tell you about how I felt about your father without being bitter," William stated. "Now Harry what was your second question?"
Well, I've just decided I have more questions for you Sev," Harry grinned. "1) Do you still love my dad? 2) Why were you attacked that day in Hogsmeade? 3) What am I to you? 4) Could you ever, grow to love me? 5) Why did you save me that day, Sir?"
"Hmm, those are some very good questions, Harry. I see you're planning to take full advantage of this truth serum," Severus smiled yet again. "You could have very well been placed in Slytherin house," Snape finished.
"That is what the sorting hat says," Harry grinned at the surprised expression on Severus' face. "You're avoiding the subject Sev. Please answer my questions? They are important to me."
"Very well then, Harry, but I don't think you will like some of what you are about to hear," the potions master took a deep breath and went on. "The answer to your first question is yes, I still love your father. I always will, he was my first love. However I am not still in love with him, there is a difference, Harry. Second I was attacked in Hogsmeade because it was discovered that I was previously given unsupervised time with you and didn't take you immediately to the Dark Lord. What puzzles me though is why they turned from attacking me to biting you. The only thing I can figure is that they thought you would be easier to control if you were made into one of us. Harry what you are to me is hard to put into words. You are brave, courageous, loyal, stubborn, caring, and sometimes," Severus said with a laugh, "whiney. But I admire you for all those things so yes; I could very well grow to love you Harry James Potter. There is some thing that needs to be said, if I grow to love you it will be just that. It will be you that I love. I promise I will love you for you, not because you are your father's son and not because you are this world's saviour as they have so lovingly termed you. Finally I saved you because, well to be totally honest I don't really know why I saved you Harry."
Harry sat there in total shock with his head on Severus' lap listening to all his words as well as his heartbeat. 'His heart rate has stayed constant, he is telling the truth! Does he really think all those things about me? He must or he wouldn't have said them.' A feeling of happiness enveloped Harry, smiled, 'I have finally found somebody who doesn't see me as my dad, and at least he doesn't anymore.'
Harry was brought from his thoughts when pair of warm lips was pressed to his. Harry opened his eyes in shock. Slowly, very slowly he relaxed into the kiss.
Severus couldn't believe he was kissing Harry. 'What the hell am I doing?' He thought and made a move to pull away, only to discover he couldn't. The younger male had leaned in and recaptured his lips. Severus slowly ran his tongue along Harry's bottom lip. The boy let out a shuddering passion filled gasp. Severus needed no further invitation. He slid his tongue inside the warm cavern that was Harry's mouth. Soon the kiss became more heated and both their arousals became very apparent. Severus reluctantly broke the kiss.
"Wow so that's what it feels like to be kissed!" Harry said breathlessly his eyes glazed over with lust.
"You, you've never been kissed before Harry?" Sev asked disbelieving what he had just heard.
Harry shook his head. "Nope I never let anybody try because I was afraid they just wanted bragging rights, you know?"
"Yes I do, Harry, and I am sorry you had to feel that way but you must sleep now."
Harry had no time to comprehend what Severus had said before being overcome with the compulsion to sleep. Severus caressed the sleeping boy's face.
"I am sorry about this, Harry. I want to make love to you but not until you are sure you want to without the aid of truth serum. If I don't, I will always feel as though I have trapped you. When we choose to, we take mates for life and when I take you it will be forever."
The potions master sat cradling the young man in his arms. Occasionally he would brush the hair from Harry's eyes. Harry mumbled something in his sleep that sounded a lot like "you smell good, Sev" before snuggling deeper into the arms that held him. The last thought that occurred to the former death eater before sleep claimed him as well was, 'I don't just love you, Harry, I am in love with you and have been for some time. I only just now realized it.'