Ch 5
"Remember when it rained…What did Snape mean by that?" The clock on the mantle began to sound indicating the early morning hour of two o'clock. Harry and Ron had been talking now for over two hours discussing the incident in the Headmaster's office when Ron remembered the phrase he had heard Snape speak to Harry.
"You answered him saying something just as cryptic. I remember that, but I can't think of what it was."
Harry shrugged picking at a piece of lint on the blanket he had bunched around his bare legs. "I would have to tell you everything for that statement to make any sense and as it is already two. I think we should call it a night. Our story will take more than one night to tell."
Ron stood stretching his arms high above his head, screwing up his face in a yawn. "You aren't coming back, are you?" Ron asked when Harry remained seated.
"I belong here now. This is my home, Ron. Not the tower and…I don't think I can face them again so soon."
"They don't hate you. Neville's been quite helpful actually." He smiled at Harry.
"Earlier today he yelled at a group of Hufflepuffs for insulting you and Snape. You know, Neville…Loyal to the last."
Harry chuckled at that.
"Malfoy hasn't spoken to anyone since Snape left the grounds. Pansy told me."
"She spoke to you?"
"She wanted to know how you were doing."
Harry blinked, "Oh…" He didn't know how he should feel about that. "What did you say?"
"Well, I told her I hadn't seen you since your spectacular performance in the hall, and that was when she mentioned Malfoy had locked himself in his room and refused to talk to anyone. He is taking Snape's arrest really bad. They were close, apparently."
Harry leaned back in the chair, closing his eyes. "I am sure they were."
"He's facing expulsion for what he did."
"They aren't going to expel him. Yes, they'll bring him before the board as a formality but they won't actually kick him out."
"Why do you say that?"
"They don't intend to expel me after being involved with Snape, I highly doubt it they will expel him. Remember we are victims of circumstance."
"Is it because you are The-Boy-Who-Lived?"
"No, because Severus asked I not to be expelled. It was a bargain of sorts, if he didn't put up a fight when they arrested him, I would not be expelled."
"They threatened him."
"Yes," Harry shook his head. "As long as my future isn't irrevocably damaged…that's all he cares about. He was always worried about my image. Worried how the world would perceive me if they knew I were cavorting with an Ex- Death Eater."
"That's the rub, that. They wouldn't have arrested him had his status not been against him, had be not been a Death Eater."
"I looked up school records and old newspapers and found there have been six instances of relationships forming between a teacher and student who were caught in the last century. All the teachers, all men, were relieved of their duties; three left the country, two moved to Wales and, the other went into seclusion. None of them were arrested and charged with student endangerment. Each student, all female I might add, were expelled and transferred to other magical schools to finish their magical education…No, I am sure if he and I had been anyone else they would have just shipped us off in separate directions."
"They also don't see your involvement together as a relationship. They think he forced himself on you, bewitched you, or something."
"There is no evidence to disprove that."
"There isn't any proof it wasn't either."
"People are going to believe what they see and all they see is a male teacher inappropriately involved with a male student half his age. Whether or not he forced himself upon me, which he didn't, is completely beside the point."
Ron lowered himself next to Harry's chair laying a hand on his knee. "As long as there are those who know the truth, who accept it for what it really was…, we'll find a way to free him, Harry. I promise. You will see him again. We owe you both a hell of a lot…"
Harry's eyes brimmed with tears. He moved his hand and clasped Ron's between his. They smiled at each other.
"Now, are you sure you will be alright down here all alone?"
"I was here alone for most of the evening. I think I'll manage, Ron."
"Alright then." With one last squeeze he stood up. He headed towards the door he entered from.
"I'll come by in the morning. Classes were cancelled for the next few days."
Harry nodded at him. Turning around to close the door Ron watched as Harry got up and walked across the room, through a doorway. He glimpsed the edge of a bed before the door was shut.
"I hope you know what you're doing, Ron Weasley," he said to himself before heading back up through the castle.
Harry leaned against the door staring at the carefully made bed. Snape preferred to make his own bed rather than have the house elves step foot inside his quarters. Not one crease marred the flat service of the down comforter. Harry had quickly learned that Severus was a perfectionist in everything he did. Harry accounted that for his strict demeanor in the classroom and almost anal retentiveness towards proper potion brewing techniques.
Harry ran his hand along the dark blue velvet drapes that hung from the four poster bed. The room was decorated in deep mahogany furniture decorated with intricate, Celtic designs carved out of the frame work. Florentine tapestries lined the walls to keep out the chill.
Harry stripped off his shorts and shirt, and climbed in to bed naked. He slid beneath the covers, his skin settling between the cotton sheets with goosebumbs rising on his flesh against the cold linens. Harry settled down on his side of the bed, the right side, facing the empty spot next to him. As soon as he closed his eyes his mind was immediately accosted by memories shared in that very same bed at a time when the sheets were never cold when they would come to bed. He clutched at the pillow digging his face into it. He flinched in expectation of a warm body to come into contact with his own and moaned in disappointment when such warmth never came.
He shifted over to the other side of his bed, 'his' side. He curled up inhaling Severus's lingering scent of mild spices and the aroma of tea tree products that clung to skin after his shower. Harry hugged the pillow to him, extinguished the light, and finally fell into a fitful slumber.
Lips ghosted over his shoulder, parting for the wet tongue darting out to feast on his skin. "Sev…"
"Shhh, Harry…" That voice, a sweet luscious timber laced with lust brushed across his ear. Hot breath from a mouth so close sent shivers down his spine. A warm suction latched onto the side of his neck as a finger traced its way from the base of his neck down his sternum, and over his torso, the hand resting on his hip…so close…
"Sev…" An equally naked body crawled along his…
"I'm here, Harry…" The weight of his lover chased away the fear…
"They took you away..." His lonely soul was soothed by Snape's proverbial presence…
"I'll never leave you, Harry…" His essence spilt over him clearing his mind of doubt and dread…
"But you did. They came after you and you left me alone. I'm all alone…" He felt a spark of pleasure soar through his veins as a familiar nudge prodded his entrance.
"Please…" Harry brought his hands up wanting to hold Severus close when his hands moved through the body that was never there…
"Remember when it rained, Harry…" The voice moved away…
"I do…I will remember…" The touch abandoned its post…
"Say it, Harry…" The warmth began to recede…
He stumbled over his words, the security he remembered was disappearing into the air once again leaving him empty and cold, "In the water, I'll remain…"
Gone, his phantom lover was completely gone again. He sat up in the bed searching into the darkness for his apparition.
"I can't survive this alone."
Harry laid awake the rest of the night thinking and remembering: the last time they made love, the few moments he stole to kiss Severus one last time, and the last thing Snape said to him.
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Harry and Ron walked away from the Headmaster's office in silence. Sorrow curled its cruel tendrils around Harry's being; each step became progressively heavier as lead filled his body. He refused to succumb to the sadness that threatened to shroud his vision in darkness forever. Harry's hand shot out coming into contact with the side of the wall. He couldn't see now, his breath came in short rasps burning his lungs fighting off the loss he felt from watching Severus's retreating back vanish through the door.
"Harry!" He heard a voice call his name over the loud thrumming in his ears. He reached out to that friendly voice and caught an arm in his pulling on it wanting to drag himself out of the precipice he had fallen into.
He hazily heard a conversation somewhere to his right. Too many voices sounded in his head all at once for him to distinguish anything coherent.
"Release me!" Someone demanded.
"Too dangerous…upset…"
"I think he's going onto shock!" The friendly voice so close yelled in his ears scaring him, he yanked away slamming his back into something hard wanting to get away, needing to find relief from this torment.
"Losing…a few minutes…won't hurt…"
"Help…Free…"
"Settled…"
…And then strong arms wrapped around his middle hauling him up from the ground, a familiar scent wafted across his nostrils and he knew 'he' was there; then he was standing with those brilliant hands, warm and roughened by calluses, cupping his cheeks.
Snape had been dragged through the castle after his departure from the Headmaster's office to his dungeon lair, a place he knew after this day he would never see again, he doubted if he would ever set foot back inside the castle itself. trepidation settled over him at that thought. Hogwarts was his home and had been for so long, his years as a student coupled by the last sixteen years housed as a teacher at the majestic fortress amounted to nearly twenty-five years. That was more than half his age spent incased inside these walls.
They had wanted his Mastery License as well as other documents that would make it easier on their behalf so that his paper work would be filed quickly and accurately as soon as he was behind bars. He remembered his last encounter with Azkaban. It had been after Voldemort's first downfall at the love of a mother for her child when they detained him under charges of treason for his involvement with the Dark Lord.
That was how they had happened on the two boys in the hall in the first place, preparing to march him off the grounds. His heart constricted painfully at the sight of Harry buckling under the same pressure Snape was fighting to succumb to. The Aurors slammed him against the wall the second he tried to step toward Harry. He yelled at them to release him when he recognized the tell tale signs of shock cast its hold over the young man. He was finally able to reason with them that a dead boy-who-lived was worse than the boy-buggered-by-his-professor. The second the magical bonds holding his hands behind his back fell away he rushed over ignoring the pain thrumming through his shoulders.
"Harry? Can you hear me?" He looked intently into the unseeing eyes, glazed over and unfocused somewhere over his shoulder. He couldn't fight the urge to rub his thumb over Harry's smooth skin feeling his nerves seize up in a blaze of sensation.
"Harry…You need to calm down. You need to relax…breathe…" Harry could here the voice far off in the distance aimed at him, an anchor back to reality but still he could not see.
He was turned around and pulled back against something warm. The solid form radiated warmth, the heat seeping into his back a cold sweat had conquered. He leaned back into that blessed sentinel resting his head on the shoulder behind him willing the darkness to go away so he could see his seraph.
"I want you to listen to my voice, Harry," he turned his head to the left and his cheek and settled in the crook of Snape's neck. Ambiance from the man's voice vibrated through Harry's back.
"Pay attention to what I say." A hand rose resting on his forehead and the other moved under Harry's arm and was pressed flat on his chest just over his heart. Snape closed his eyes blocking out everything else focusing his attention on the pounding of the organ beating beneath his hand.
"I want you to breathe with me. Follow me…breathe in and breathe out…Match my rhythm, Harry. Listen to the beat of my heart, synchronize with me…," the chest Harry was leaned against expanded as his lungs filled with air. Snape let his breath out in a whoosh and took another deep breath…
"In…Out…In…Out…" They stood like that, in silence and breathing deeply for a while. Snape concentrated on Harry's aura penetrating his mind seeking to drag him from the abyss. For every pound of his heart he could feel as well as hear Harry's start to harmonize with his as one; and with every breath he took Harry started to take shuddering breaths mimicking his own, in and out, allowing air to enter his body.
Harry's awareness awakened when he realized he was being held closely and lovingly, a hand caressing his sweaty fringe. He wet his parched lips with his tongue, his mouth just as dry feeling like cotton. He opened his eyes to at the whole of Hogwart's population, teachers and students alike, staring, flabbergasted at him. Fudge and the Ministry Officials were sneering at him, disgust written in every line on their snot-nosed faces. Dumbledore who kept his gaze locked anywhere but at him stood close to the Minister. The expressions on his fellow classmates were another story. Most held scandalized looks in their eyes, ogling the feat before them, mouths permanently dropped open in disbelief. Others bordered tame curiosity and even respect. There were no slack-jawed looks among the Slytherins. Each stood watching with interest, almost in pity, in empathy for him...or was it for Snape? Draco Malfoy grey eyes locked with his and immediately shifted to the man behind him.
Harry brought his shaky hand to the one still covering his chest knowing it belonged to Severus. He was in Severus's arms, he was encased in his lover's arms and the thought that it could be there last moment together knocked him from his stupor. He squeezed Sev's hand tightly in his desperation to maintain contact. Tearing his eyes away from the intruding crowd he turned in around to face Snape, the arms falling to encircle Harry's waist. His own traveled up Snape's chest burrowing into the black wool of his frock coat.
"Sev…"
Snape lowered his head resting it on Harry's own forehead, simple skin on skin contact, a guilty pleasure they could not resist.
"I thought you were gone already," Harry spoke low for only Severus to hear.
"Not yet."
"No…"
"This is the way it has to be…"
"No, no…you did nothing wrong…tell them…"
"It doesn't work that way, Harry. You know that."
"I don't care. They can't do this…It's wrong to tear us apart…I love you, I do. I can't do this without you."
"This is right, Harry. I stole something…I did. I stole happiness with you. I don't mind paying."
Snape looked down at Harry's hands laid against his chest, Harry's milky complexion a stark contrast to the black fabric. He noticed Harry's right hand littered with shallow cuts and gave Harry a knowing look.
"I don't expect you to accept our predicament but you must realize this is for the best…"
"How can you say that when we will be parted? I don't even know if I will ever see you again."
"Have faith, Harry. Trust in this…if it is truly meant to be…fate will bring us together once again…"
"I gave you my mind, my, my body, willingly…my heart will always belong to you," Harry wavered. Shaking his head, he continued, "You made me feel again…showed me things…taught me so many things."
Snape planted a chaste kiss on Harry's forehead his lips lingered in a loving gesture. He spoke, his lips brushing against youthful skin, "I never knew I could feel like this… Love was alien to me, a foreign phenomenon for love-sick fools, not murderers such as I," he held a finger up to Harry's lips before he could protest. "I had been raped by love…torn, used by the greed and hatred of others." Snape backed up from Harry to look him straight in the eye, "You've given me the greatest gift of all, Harry. Three months together is worth a lifetime not shared."
"Mr. Snape!" One of the Aurors stepped forward.
"Give them a moment, for fuck's sake! Can't you see they're trying to say good-bye?" A chorus broke out behind them, students shouting in agreement.
"Mr. Malfoy, that'll do!" Professor McGonagall piped up behind him.
He swung around and spat, "You aren't my head of house!"
"Slytherin doesn't have a head of house anymore!" A sixth year Ravenclaw shot back at him.
"That's what you think!"
Insults erupted from all sides, the Slytherins defending Snape's honor against the houses of Hufflepuff and Ravenclaw while the Gryffindors split, most against the serpent house. Whatever Malfoy's motives, all hell broke loose as a fist fight ensued between the students. It succeeded in drawing the crowd's attention from Harry and Severus buying them more time together in each other's arms.
Harry took advantage of the diversion with the Aurors too busy trying to help the riot that broke out among the houses and pressed himself flush against Severus before placing his lips to the other man's, opening his mouth a little in invitation and moaned into the mouth devouring him when a slick tongue crossed the threshold.
Snape's hands snaked up Harry's back reveling in the feel of toned muscles slide beneath his fingertips before delving into the short raven locks at the base of Harry's neck causing Harry 's body to curve into his even closer.
"Severus…" he gasped out. "Don't leave me…"
Snape breathed in deeply once again overcome by the emotions running through him. He kissed Harry again, softly…deftly; tenderness evident in Snape's embrace never before witnessed by the mass of people still surrounding them.
A hand seized Snape's arm pulling him away from Harry who Severus still clung to.
"It's time to go, Mr. Snape!"
He jerked away meeting Harry half way in one last hungry kiss meant to devour, for comfort, for strength, for the coming time they would be apart; for Snape's impending incarceration and Harry's imminent isolation. They poured all their desperation, their fear, and love into this kiss, this last battle of lips and tongues for dominance, for some semblance of sanity within the madness they were quickly spiraling into.
They tried again, the navy-robed Aurors knocking them apart sending Harry flying to the ground and Snape slamming into the wall. Harry was picked up and held by the others as they bound Snape's arms once again.
"Fucking pervert!" They shoved Snape's head forward, splitting the skin right above his right eye.
Harry fought against his restraints, his body convulsing trying to twist from within their grasp. He stretched his neck to the side and bit down on the hand holding his right arm in a pincher-like grip.
"Ah! He bit me!" The Auror backhanded him as the Auror still handling threw him to the ground. 'The victim indeed'
He was dizzy now and staggered to his feet.
"Stay now, Harry!" Snape was being pulled further and further down the hallway. "Don't follow me out there…Do. Not. Watch me leave…"
Harry nodded numbly…
"I love you, Harry!" Severus publicly announced.
"I love you, too, Severus…"
Yay! Chapter five…Thank you all to have reviewed the story. Knowing there are people sincerely enthralled gives me a reason to keep it going and avoid my schoolwork…who needs a college education anyway:D YOU GUYS ROCK!