Fic title: Once Upon A Blue Moon
Penname: DBZVegeta
Summary: Written for the TSS Contest # 5 – Other Challenges #10: Harry wakes up after a pub crawl with "B (Surprise)" and is sore, there, yes there. The problem is did they use protection?
Rating: R
# of Chapters: 5 of 6
Word Count: 1,917
Category: Romance / Angst / Mystery
Disclaimer: This story is based on characters and situations created and owned by JK Rowling, various publishers including but not limited to Bloomsbury Books, Scholastic Books and Raincoast Books, and Warner Bros., Inc. No money is being made and no copyright or trademark infringement is intended

Chapter 5

Three Months Earlier

Severus staggered as Harry nearly tumbled from his arms when they appeared in the entryway of his house. He cursed under his breath as he tightened his grip on Harry and pulled him up and into living room.

"Dingle," he yelled and a faint pop followed the arrival of his house-elf, dressed in a tiny yellow polka-dotted dress.

"Yes Master Severus, Dingle is here," came the squeaky voice of the tiny elf.

"Go to my lab and bring a sobering potion, also bring a large carafe of coffee."

"Yes Master Severus," Dingle said as she disappeared with another faint pop.

"I don't wanna sobering potion. I don't wanna feel again," Harry mumbled as he was dropped down onto a large soft couch. He leaned over until he was half lying on his side, feet still planted on the floor.

"Why don't you want to feel, Harry?" Severus asked quietly as he knelt and proceeded to pull of Harry's boots. With his feet free, Severus swung them up onto the couch and pulled down the throw from the back of the couch, tucking it in around the sleepy man.

"I don't wanna feel lonely anymore," he mumbled, snuggling his head down into the fabric of the couch.

"You aren't alone Harry. You have friends and family who love you," Severus said softly, not completely understanding how he could feel lonely when he had so many people who cared for him.

"But I don't have anyone who 'loves' me," Harry sighed softly, rolling over and opening his eyes to look up at the ceiling. "Someone to hold me through the night and chase away the nightmares. Someone to take care of me and be there for me always."

Understanding finally dawned upon Severus at Harry's words. "Harry, I'm sure that one day you'll find that perfect person."

"No I won't. No one will ever see me behind the fame," Harry whispered so softly, that Severus almost hadn't heard the words.

"You're wrong Harry, I know there are people out there who will see the real you. I know that I see you."

"Now you do, but you didn't at one time," Harry accused, his green eyes meeting Severus's black ones. "You thought I was arrogant, but I was just ignorant."

"Yes, I know Harry. I treated you unfairly all due to my experience with your father and his friends. When I saw you, looking so much like him, I automatically attributed his behavior to you. I didn't understand until much later that you are your own individual, not your father," Severus said as he knelt next to the couch, reaching out a hand to push the hair that had fallen into Harry's eyes away.

"Harry, can you ever forgive me for the way I have treated you in the past," Severus said softly, looking down into the hazy green eyes. As Harry opened his mouth to reply, a faint pop echoed thorough the room as Dingle appeared carrying an overly large silver tray. Severus sighed at the interruption, but pushed himself to his feet giving Harry an apologetic smile as he bent to take the tray from the house-elf.

"Thank you Dingle, that will be all for tonight."

"Yes Sir, Master Severus," Dingle chirped as she disappeared with another faint pop. Severus turned with the tray and placed it on the low table in front of the couch. He picked up a small blue bottle from the edge and popped it open before holding it out to Harry.

"Here take this," he said and frowned when Harry sat up, violently shaking his head.

"No, I don't wanna take it," Harry whined, crossing his arms over his chest and glaring up at him.

"Harry, you are going to feel incredibly miserable in the morning as it is, this will at least alleviate a few of the symptoms now. As much as you have consumed tonight, I don't even think this will be totally effective. It will however, allow your mind to think clearly for the remainder of the evening," Severus said, his hand still outstretched with the potion.

Clearly Harry didn't completely trust him yet, so he pulled back his hand and emptied the container evenly between the two cups on the tray. He poured a bit of the coffee into each cup and then handed one to Harry. While the half-dose would not be as effective as a full-dose, at least the little amount would clear Harry of a significant amount of alcohol, thus allowing them to converse freely, since it seemed that he wasn't ready to relax for the evening. He brought the cup to his lips and tilted it back, grimacing slightly at the flavor of the potion mixed with coffee. He much preferred milk to potions in his coffee, as he drained the cup and placed it back onto the tray. He looked over when Harry giggled at his expression and cocked one eyebrow up, gesturing for him to drink up also.

Harry looked down at the cup and then back up at Severus before his sighed and downed the drink. He grimaced also, understanding the expression that had flitted across the other man's face when the taste hit his mouth. He quickly gulped down the mixture before shoving his hand out towards Severus with the empty cup. He quickly brought his empty hand up to cover his mouth as his stomach wanted to rebel against the mixture.

As the sensation passed, he opened his eyes and noticed that the room was no longer wobbling and that his mind seemed somewhat clearer. He sighed, while it was good that he was sobering up, the feelings that had been suppressed by the alcohol began welling to the surface. Tonight had just about taken him over the top with his suppressed emotions and a sob caught in the back of his throat.

He curled up on the couch, wrapping his arms about his hastily drawn up knees and proceeded to bawl his eyes out. He felt strong arms slid around him, gathering him close as a soothing murmur filled his ears. He burrowed into the warmth of the man next to him, almost trying to crawl into his skin.

Severus held Harry close, rocking his slightly as one hand stroked gently up and down his back. He realized that Harry was emotionally fragile and that this night, with the encounters from himself and Draco, the stress of having people he knew find out about his sexuality had finally pushed the young man over the top of his emotional balance. As Harry's sobbing trailed off, he leaned back and looked down into tear-reddened eyes, smiling softly as he raised a hand to wipe away the tear trails along one cheek.

"Feel a bit better, Harry," he said softly, his fingers lingering on the smooth skin of Harry's cheek, before he caught himself and dropped his hand.

"Yes, sorry for crying all over you," Harry whispered as he looked up into Severus's face. He could see the deep concern in his eyes, and something else that he couldn't yet place.

"It's all right, I don't mind being here for you," he replied, starting to move back from his embrace around the young man. Harry suddenly gripped a hold of his arm, stopping him from moving as he stared up at him. Severus was confused by the expressions that began to dart over Harry's face when abruptly the young man surged forward and locked his lip over his.

Harry's hand came up caressing the hard jaw and the side of Severus's face. He deepened the kiss, feeling Severus hesitate for a moment before falling deeper in and when Severus's lips parted he dived into his mouth.

Tongues battled, darting and teasing, tasting and seeking, tangling with each other until they could know longer tell whose belonged to whom. But, when Harry's arms came up and dragged him into a tighter embrace, the feeling of skin on skin, did Severus jolt back to reality.

"No," he started as he pulled back from Harry, wondering when his and Harry's shirt had come undone. He shook his head slightly, trying to clear it and holding out a hand to stop Harry from lunging at him again. "We can't do this Harry."

Harry stopped and looked up at Severus, as he teasing trailed fingers along the outstretched arm, "Why not Severus," he purred, looking up from under lidded eyes, the emerald green of his eyes almost glowed.

"Harry," Severus started, his fingers clamping over the top of the wandering digits and he did his best to ignore the pout forming on Harry's face. "Harry, I am not a man to do casual flings. When I find someone, I want them to be the one that I will stay with forever."

Harry looked up at Severus, a confused expression darting over his face. "Does that mean that you have never…"he trailed off, his mouth dropping open when Severus nodded. "Really?"

"Yes Harry, really. I never had much of a chance during school to form any type of relationships, then I was inducted by Voldemort when I was eighteen and when I became a spy, I felt it best to hold myself aloof from other as I would only place a potential mate in danger."

Harry leaned back slightly as he looked up into face of the other man, understanding exactly where he was coming from. He too had felt that if he pursued any relationships with someone that they would become a target for Voldemort's wrath. He wanted someone with whom he could have a permanent and stable relationship, without the threat of death hanging over them. Here in front of him was the same type of man as he was, and he was just beginning to see that. They were the same in so many ways, and maybe they could be the same together.

"Severus," Harry said softly, reaching out a hand to trail one finger down the side of his face. Severus looked surprised by the soft touch and almost unconsciously leaned into Harry's hand. "I want that too, I want forever."

Severus opened his eyes, unaware of when he had closed them and looked intently into Harry's face. He could see the honesty and sincerity in that open expression, and for a moment he struggled with the little voice inside him that told him not to trust.

"If I do this Harry, it will be forever. I will never look to for another. Are you willing to be with an old greasy git like myself for the rest of your life? I'm not perfect Harry, I'm cranky and moody and I'm not a romantic."

"I understand Severus, and I think that maybe I have been falling for you for a long time. You were the only person ever in my life to treat me as a person and not a savior. You may have been cruel at times, but I understand now that it was for my own good. And I would love to stay with a person like you forever," Harry said, he leaned forward and sealed his lips over Severus', reaching one hand up to twine in the inky black hair that was incredibly soft to the touch. When they broke apart, they both were panting heavily. Severus stood up, holding one hand out to Harry.

"Harry, take me to bed and make love to me."

--TBC--