Chapter 7

Friday night finally came and Severus was unknowingly mirroring his date's actions, pacing up and down the room, his robes billowing about him. Draco Malfoy was sniggering in the corner making sure that he was not noticed. It was not every day Severus Snape acted like a girl getting ready for her first date.

There was a small pop from the living room and a minute later Albus Dumbledore stepped out of the fireplace. Walking into Severus's bedroom his twinkle became blinding and he had to cough to cover a laugh. He went over to Draco and asked, "How long has he been like this?"

"Snigger…half an…snigger…hour."

"Severus, what is wrong?" Dumbledore asked the pacing man.

"I can't decide what to wear. This is the first time we will have been alone. It is easier to talk to someone when you are not facing them. What if I make a fool of myself?"

"Uncle Sev, I'm sure you'll be fine. You two have so much in common it's impossible for you not to have something to talk about." Draco reassured his godfather, "Right, lets get you ready."

He walked over to Severus's wardrobe and started sorting through it. After a few minutes he pulled out an emerald green shirt and black pants.

"Here put these on." Draco said as he passed them to the still pacing Potions Master.

Severus took them and strode into the bathroom to change. Leaving an amused headmaster and godson in his bedroom.

When he came out he still had his hair tied back. Draco looked at him and frowned. When his godfather sat on his bed to put on his socks Draco pounced on him.

"Draco! What are you doing?"

"You suit you hair down." He answered patiently, taking his hair down.

"Thank you Draco. I'd have still been pacing if it wasn't for you." He said as Draco finished with him.

"Your welcome." Draco replied. "Besides as fun as it would be I couldn't let the Head of Slytherin be seen acting like a Hufflepuff girl. It would ruin our reputations." He finished with a wicked smirk.

"Enjoy yourself, my boy." Albus called as Snape walked out to meet Harry.

Walking into the Entrance Hall he noticed that he was there first. Within a few minutes Harry also entered. Severus turned around and looked at Harry, he didn't speak. Neither did Harry but he didn't notice. He was wearing a midnight blue shirt and jeans. Severus guessed that Finnegan had styled his hair it was slightly messy. Severus's fingers itched to run through it. He looked beautiful.

Shaking his head slightly Severus asked, "Ready to go?"

"Yeah. Are we apperating there?" Harry asked him as they stepped out the door.

"Apperate to The Leaky Cauldron. We'll walk it from there." Severus told Harry.

They walked to the edge of the apperation barrier in companionable silence. When they reached it they looked at each other, said "See you in a minute," and vanished with a crack.

Arriving at the small dingy pub Severus looked around to see Harry appear next to him. They set off into Muggle London. After a minute Harry grabbed Severus's hand. He looked at Harry sharply, his eyebrow rose questioningly. Harry just smiled softly at him and when Severus squeezed it gently and kept hold of it his smile grew larger.

As they entered the restaurant Harry informed Severus, "Ron and Hermione told me to tell you hello."

"Oh really? Well then tell them hello back." Severus said with a small smile. He gently, unwillingly released Harry's hand.

Sitting down at a table they talked about non-consequentional things until the waitress came for their orders. One topic was the incompetence of the Ministry, especially Fudge.

"Can I call you Sev?"

'Huh?' "What? Why?" Severus asked bemusedly.

"Because Severus is a bit of a mouthful isn't it. Besides I give all the important people in my life a nickname." Harry told him with a mischievous glint in his eye.

"Really?" Harry nodded. "What about Dumbledore?"

"Easy. He's Smiley."

Severus snorted with laughter. Yes that was definitely the headmaster.

"Voldemort?" He asked curiously.

Harry recited grinning wickedly, "Well… he has a few. There's The Git Who Just Won't Die, The Pain In My Ass, Snakeface, Grumpy or my personal favourite Voldie. However Tom seems to piss him off a lot so I use that too."

Severus burst into laughter imagining Voldemort's face if Harry called him Snakeface. It was a few minutes before he stopped but when he finally did he noticed Harry looking at him oddly.

"What?" He asked nervously.

"Oh nothing. I've just never seen you laugh like that before. It suits you. But you'd give the whole school a heart attack if you did it in the Great Hall." Harry replied laughing softly.

"Yes." Severus told him. He had decided that he liked the name Sev.

Harry just looked at him confused, "Yes what?"

"Yes, you can call me Sev. I like it. Much better than Greasy Git." He clarified for his date.

"Oh good and you aren't greasy. People just don't look close enough to see that your hair is very fine and silky." Harry said looking sad.

Their meals cam then so they ate as they talked about duelling techniques. Severus decided to tell him something of his father and his pranks. Even though he had bullied him mercilessly he had gotten his own back many times. He told Harry about a potion he had brewed in their sixth year and slipped into the Marauders drinks that would make them tell the truth for twenty-four hours.

"It was hilarious. They ended up with detention for a month for insulting their professors. And most of them were from McGonagall."

Suddenly Harry gasped and turned while, looking at something behind Severus.

Severus looked at him concernedly 'What could have made him act like this?' He turned around and knew immediately. He saw a large purple-faced man, a horse-faced woman with a neck like a giraffe and the largest boy Severus had ever seen. He was the size of a whale. One of the waiters was leading the family to a table close to their own. He looked disgusted with them. Sev knew that these where the Dursleys. He could tell from Harry's reaction, the young man was currently sliding down his seat, trying to hide, not to mention they matched thedescription that he had been given earlier.

However it was too late to hide. Petunia, with her eagle eyes, used to spotting gossip from her neighbours had spotted her nephew and informed her husband. Who marched over to where they were sat.

He didn't seem to see Severus sat there as he started to lay into his nephew. "What are you doing here, boy? I didn't think they let freaks like you out at night and especially not in nice restaurants with normal people."

Harry just turned red, although from embarrassment or anger Sev was unsure and attempted to sink further into his seat. People were beginning to stare.

Severus had had enough. There was no way he was going to allow this bull-like man to speak to his beloved like that. "Excuse me sir but what right do you have to come marching over here and start harassing us?" He asked icily.

Dursley looked to Severus and then back to Harry. "So you didn't stop at being a freak did you? You're a flaming faggot on top of it all! Does he know what you are?" He shouted at Harry.

Severus flew out of his seat, ready to defend his date, he opened his mouth to show this impertinent muggle just how he could make first years wet themselves at a mere sentence but Harry beat him to it.

"Yes, I' gay but I'm not a freak. I'll only ask you to leave me and my lover alone once, Uncle Vernon," the 'Uncle' was spat with disgust. Severus was impressed. "You have no right to speak to me. You are abnormal and disgusting. You, who act, strive to be so normal. I'm more normal than you will ever be and you call me freak. At least I have friends and people who care about me. I would never do what you have done to a child, you own nephew, a child who had done nothing to you, who was entrusted to your care." Harry practically shouted at the man who had tormented his childhood. He stood up and began to walk out. Severus quickly put the money for the meal down on the table and followed him, glaring at Vernon Dursley, who was glowing a wonderful beetroot colour and gaping like a fish, as he passed. 'He called me his lover! Does this mean he loves me?'

As they passed his Aunt Sev heard him ask his Aunt sadly, "How could you possibly share blood with my mother?"

They moved away from the doors and Harry flung himself into Sev's arms crying. Severus just held him whispering that everything would be fine.

"Well well well. What have we here? The Boy Who Just Wouldn't Die and the traitor on a date. What luck!"

Severus would recognise the voice of his old master anywhere. He felt Harry stiffen in his arms and them leave his embrace. Looking over to Voldemort he saw that the monster had brought thirty of his Death Eaters with him. They were seriously outnumbered but that was no problem. They were both very able fighters. This is after all what Severus had been training Harry for.

He spoke to Voldemort with a steady mocking voice, "How wonderful to see you Tom. Now my night is complete."

Severus saw Harry wandlessly stun three of the Death Eaters and hit two others in quick succession with his wand. They worked perfectly as a team, each knew the others weaknesses and strengths. Harry moved forward, fighting his way to Voldemort who hadn't moved since he had come upon them, he just looked at Harry with a smug smirk. Severus covered Harry's back making sure no Death Eaters snuck up on him.

Severus had managed to take out ten Death Eaters when Lucius Malfoy snuck up behind him and cast crutacius. He struggled not to cry out but eventually the pain was just to great. Death Eaters surrounded Severus but behind the all-consuming pain he could feel Harry's gaze on him and took strength from it.

The Death Eaters looked on triumphantly as Voldemort hissed at Harry. The Boy Who Lived hissed back in reply, no one could understand what was being said and neither adversary's face revealed what they were thinking.

The next thing they heard was two simple words, "Avada Kedarva."

The Death Eaters and their leader looked on helplessly as a bright red light sped towards Voldemort. It hit its mark and the dark lords dead body hit the ground. 'It is red! That it the power the Dark Lord knows not. His ability to love changed the killing curse.' Severus thought as the cruciatus was lifted.

As that happened all the Death Eaters fell to the floor screaming in anguish, clawing their left arms.

With Malfoy being distracted the crutaciushad beenlifted although Severus was also in anguish from his Dark Mark. Harry rushed over to him and placed his hands on Sev's left forearm, chanting in Parsletongue. Severus passed out from the pain; the last thing he saw was Harry's loving gaze.