DISCLAIMER: I do not own any of it, JK Rowling and associates own all rights, no infringement intended, no money is being made, unfortunately.
WARNING; HP/SS Slash if you do not like do not read remember you have freedom of choice. Reviews appreciated but no flames, as I will trash them.
People can get away with saying the most cutting things to others by saying "Just Kidding" not realizing the damage they are causing or sometimes not caring. Harry comes to that realization when he almost lost the man he loves because he refuses to see what his friends are doing.
Chapter 2 Dealing with Friends & Lovers.
Harry walked out of the castle and down to the edge of the wards. He decided that Ron, Hermione, and the other Weasley's would be getting the house ready for Ginny's engagement party. It was now or never he thought and he Apparated to the Burrow.
As soon as he arrived Ron and Hermione both called out "Harry's here" rushing over to greet him; from the back room the twins made an entrance and Arthur and Molly came from the kitchen; and the first thing he heard was Ron saying "at least you left the slimy git home this time."
Harry gritted his teeth and said, "That's enough Ron." Man, no wonder Sev did not want to come with remarks like that being thrown at him.
Ron smiled, slapped him on the back, and said "Just kidding mate! You're early want to help set...."
Harry shrugged off the hand, stepped back, and spoke in a loud voice "QUIET! I have something to say to all of you FRIENDS."
Suddenly the room was as silent as a tomb. Bill and Charlie Weasley walked in the door right about then and saying nothing joined the rest of the family. "I have something to say" Harry repeated and began speaking in a loud clear voice "I have had enough of the rude comments and obnoxious treatment that my so-called friends and adopted family have been giving Sev. There will be no more Just Kidding. You keep pretending the insults you give him are friendly insults that you give to a good friend. They are not and you know it, I know it, and he knows it. I know that you figure that if you say Just Kidding then it is okay to be insulting. If he is insulted by what you say then you say he has no sense of humour. However, it is not right and I have let you get away with it for too long. Because of your behaviour he doesn't want anything to do with you."
"Well that makes us even" said Ron belligerently then shut up when Hermione jabbed him in the ribs.
Harry just glared at his best friend and continued, "Regardless of how you feel about him, we are a couple, and our relationship is going to continue. You will learn to deal with it and give him the respect that he has more then earned and deserves. If you cannot treat the man I care for more then anything in this world, with that respect then you do not deserve to be around him. If you don't want to be around him then you don't want to be around me."
This brought gasps, shouts of "What," "How dare you," "We only want what's best for you," and surprisingly enough "It's about time."
At that last remark, everyone turned to the door where Ginny stood having entered the room unnoticed.
"Ginny, how you can say something like that is beyond me," shouted Ron.
Ginny snorted inelegantly and said, "In case it has not crossed your tiny mind yet brother dear, Snape loves Harry and more importantly Harry loves Snape. If you force Harry to choose between him and us, you'll lose him."
Turning to Harry, she held out her hands and as Harry took them spoke again looking at him and at the others in turn. "Severus has put up with all the insults and taunts you lot have handed out because he cares deeply for Harry and would rather give up his comfort then make Harry choose. He has definitely shown more character then anyone I've seen in this room."
Harry looked at their clasped hands and smiled sadly at her "I've come so close to mucking things up Ginny, I never realised how bad the remarks had become and how much they were hurting him. I intend to spend the rest of our lives making it up to him, if he'll let me."
"He will Harry he loves you very much you know" Ginny said comfortingly.
"He's not talking to me right now. I've hurt him and I have to make things right. Confronting my family is only the first step."
Hermione came over to them ignoring the arguing that was going on behind them with Ron and the twins yelling. "Harry do you really love him then, it's not just a fling or a reaction to the war?" she asked.
Shaking his head, he smiled at her "No Mione, I've loved him a long time and I've come so close to losing him. I'm scared he won't let me back in, that he'll shut me out again."
Hermione smiled "My money's on you" then with a mischievous grin and a sidelong look at Ginny said, "You could always get him drunk, kidnap him to an exotic location, and keep him there until he gives in, it works in all the romance novels anyway."
Both Hermione and Ginny were giggling and Harry started to laugh, "If all else fails I'll try that."
Ginny said, "If you do send us a postcard. Now get out of here, don't worry about the others we'll take care of it and don't you dare show your face again until Snape is standing next to you, got that."
"Yes ma'am," Harry snapped a salute and walked out with a clear conscious. 'Now Sev it's your turn.'
Harry quietly opened the door to their room but there was no one visible. He had stopped to see Dumbledore on the way down and told him that they were going to take a couple of days off and to arrange for subs. He was sure Dumbledore knew what had happened but was not saying anything, he agreed that they could use the time off and wished them a happy trip. Shaking his head to get rid of the feelings of unease he checked the bedroom first but was unsurprised to find it empty. Moving to the potion's lab, he undid the wards with a wave of his hand and opened the door.
In the dim light, he saw Sev half lying, half sitting on a lounge with an empty bottle clutched loosely in his fist. Slowly he walked forward and ran his hand gently down the side of his lover's face. Sev turned his head pushing into his hand and murmured in a sleepy voice "Harry?"
"Yeah Sev it's me" Harry said sitting down next to him and removing the bottle. Shaking his head, he wondered when he had ever seen Severus drunk; nothing came to mind, the man like being in control too much to let alcohol overpower him.
"Not Harry," Sev muttered even drunk his diction was perfect. Severus continued in a rambling voice without opening his eyes "Dreaming, my Harry's gone, my fault, always my fault, I mess up everything."
"No Sev, it's not your fault, I'm right here" Harry whispered as tears slowly trickled down his face "I'll never leave you." 'What had he done to this man?'
Sev continued talking while slowly trying to rise to his feet but still not opening his eyes "Got to leave, go far away from my beautiful love, won't hurt him anymore."
Harry grabbed his arm and eased him back down "Shh, no one's going anywhere."
"Yes I am so leaving, I have the papers here somewhere," Severus said opening his eyes and began feeling around on the floor.
Looking around Harry saw parchments littering the floor and picking them up realised that they were letters of resignation and job offers from potion labs. "Oh no, you are not doing this Severus Snape," he snapped; fear sharpening his voice, "you are not running away from this or from me." With a whispered word and a wave of his wand, he sent the older man into a deep sleep.
Standing he began to pace the room. He knew that as soon as Sev woke he would push him away and try do some crazy noble bullshit stunt and leave. Well, he thought that was not going to happen. Suddenly he came to stop as he remembered Ginny and Hermione's words. With a wicked grin on his face, he hurried to the fireplace he needed to talk to the most devious minds he knew, Albus Dumbledore and Draco Malfoy.
Throwing a pinch of powder into the fireplace, he called out Draco Malfoy and waited impatiently. Suddenly Draco's face appeared in fire, "What now, I was just getting dressed to go out. Some of us have a life you know."
"I need your help Draco, Severus plans to quit and go work at some lab or something. I have an idea but I need some help. Well really Hermione and Ginny had an idea."
"Coming through" Draco sighed, his face disappeared, and stepping gracefully through the fire landed in front of Harry. "You want to repeat that."
Harry handed him a couple of the parchments he had picked up. Pacing the room, he waited for Draco to finish reading wondering if things could get any worse.
Draco snorted, "Okay its official Severus has lost his mind. Of all the Gryffindorish things to do this pretty much tops it all. So, what is the plan the ladies came up with."
Harry told him all about taking Sev to a deserted island for a romantic getaway and not letting him leave until they made up. He thought it was a good idea but did not know how to make it happen that is why he needed Draco.
Draco grinned wickedly "Gotta love the ladies you would almost think they were Slytherins. I know how we can get him there and how to keep him from leaving. I am sure Albus knows an island we can use the rest will be up to you. Where is Sev anyway?"
Harry indicated the potions lab, "In there. Have you ever known Sev to get drunk before?"
"Drunk, Sev never gets drunk"
"Full bottle of scotch"
"Damn, I think I'm impressed." Draco laughed. "Now you go talk to Albus and I'll pack a bag for you guys. Though if you play your cards right you should not need any clothes at all." With a slap on the shoulder, he urged Harry out of the room.
Going into the potion lab Draco looked down at Severus sleeping on the lounge. "Stupid git you deserve the hangover you're going to have. I am going to have a few things to say to you when you return. You have the best thing that ever happened to you in your hands and you want to throw it away. Well I'm not going to let that happen I owe you too much to let you ruin your life not to mention it would make you hell to live with." Conjuring a blanket, he tucked it around the sleeping man and went in to pack a bag.
tbc