Rating: PG-13
Genres: Romance, Angst, Fluff
Warnings: n/a
Spoilers: n/a
Summary: Harry's in love with Severus, but the wizarding world doesn't approve. What will they do?
Song: Unaffected
Artist: Hoobastank
Author's Note: Originally a songfic, the lyrics have been removed from this fic to comply with FF rules. Song lyrics can be found here: www (dot) azlyrics (dot)com (slash) lyrics (slash) hoobastank (slash) unaffected (dot) html
For the original version of this fic, please check out my livejournal:
www (dot) livejournal (dot) com (slash) users (slash) Harry (underscore) sev (slash)
xxx
Since Voldemort was dead, Harry figured it would be a safe time for him and Severus to come as a couple.
WRONG
Everyone seemed to start freaking out. They didn't like their savior dating a Death Eater. No matter what he said, no one seemed to believe that Harry would actually want to be with Severus. The Daily Prophet was constantly filled with articles saying that Harry was losing his mind.
xxx
Severus could tell that Harry was trying to pretend that he wasn't bothered by the articles. It hurt Severus to see Harry in such distress.
"I don't see why you worry so much about what they think," he commented one morning over breakfast.
"I don't see why you're not upset about this," argued Harry.
"Because I knew the moment we started this relationship that not many people would support us," said Severus gently. "You love me. I love you. That's all that matters."
Though he was deeply touched by what Severus had said, Harry couldn't bring himself to think the same. They were insulting the love of his life. How was he supposed to pretend that that didn't matter?
xxx
Harry was in Hogsmeade one day buying ingredients for Severus when he overheard two witches talking. They seemed to think that Harry was turning to the Dark Side. Furious, Harry slammed down the ingredients and left without buying anything. He hurried home to talk to Severus.
xxx
"They think I'm turning to the Dark Side!" ranted Harry. Severus was sitting down at the table calmly drinking some tea while Harry paced back and forth across the room.
"I mean, seriously, what sense does that make?" Harry insisted. "If I wanted to be all dark and stuff I would have taken over the Death Eaters, not date one!"
Severus raised an eyebrow.
"Not that I think you're a Death Eater," Harry hurried to correct himself. "But in their minds you are one, so I just don't understand their reasoning."
xxx
Harry stopped pacing for a moment to look down at Severus.
"Why aren't you upset?"
"Harry, we've gone over this before. There is never going to be a time when everyone supports us. You're their savior. You're good and pure and beautiful, while I'm evil and tainted and ugly. That's just the way the world works. You should learn to just accept that fact and move on."
xxx
"I can't 'just accept that fact and move on,'" argued Harry. "I love you more than anything else in this world and no one supports us. Not only do they not support us, they're violently against us!"
"Violently?" asked Severus. Harry frowned.
"Severus, I've seen some of the hate mail you've received. You can't tell me that none of that is violent."
"Well, then what do you say we move somewhere else?" asked Severus. "Somewhere that no one knows who either of us is?"
"We could do that?" asked Harry, shocked. Hogwarts was Sev's home. Hell, it was Harry's home, too. Severus would move simply to make Harry happy?
"Yes, move. We could move to America. They might recognize you, but you wouldn't have nearly the same popularity over there as they didn't have to worry about the Dark Lord any. What do you say?"
"When can we move?"
xxx
Harry curled up around his husband and snuggled close. He loved this man so much, this man who had given up his home and everything he knew so that Harry would be more comfortable. Truth be told, Harry knew that this move was good for Severus as well. Besides, here they could officially get married. (They moved to Massachusetts.) Most of the people around them seemed to accept them, and if they didn't it was because they were gay, and not because Severus was a Death Eater. Harry loved it here, but he loved Severus even more.
"I love you," Harry whispered.
"I love you, too, brat," replied Severus. "Now stop your incessant babbling and let me get some sleep."
Harry just laughed and snuggled closer to the man he loved.