EPILOGUE
NOTES
Dear readers,
THIS IS IT!
The last chapter of this wonderful adventure. Let's dive in!
"Daddy, wake up!"
Harry snapped his eyes open at the voice. He blinked as he awoke from his slumber until his eyes fell onto one of the cutest and most heart-warming sights he had ever seen.
Severus Snape, clad in a pair of light blue shorts and a grey T-shirt was sitting cross-legged on the bed next to him. He was holding his beloved Circe in one of his arms, he hadn't wanted to part from the toy ever since Ron had given her to him.
His eyes were glistening with playfulness, his toothy grin creating dimples on his cheeks. His raven black hair with streaks of silver was messy and tousled from sleep, with knots and tangles everywhere. And yet Harry felt his heart warm up at the sight of his beautiful boy, who was smiling wide.
"Morning, baby," Harry answered as he smiled, "you're up early."
"I'm hung-y," Severus answered touching his tummy, "b'eakfast?"
Harry's smile grew wider when he noticed Severus's pattern of speech, that was one of the things that told him the age range Severus was in. He only really went little and non-verbal when he was sad, hurt or overwhelmed, otherwise, his range was as a young boy.
"Sure, buddy," Harry answered, "but first... will you give daddy a good morning kiss?"
Severus shook his head no, but his eyes were sparkling with mischief.
Harry immediately plunged onto him, pushing him onto his back as he attacked him with tickles all over his body and bearded kisses over his face. He heard Severus's crystalline laughter as he attempted to get away from Harry's prodding fingers, but his attempt was feeble at best.
After Harry thought he'd had enough tickles he stopped, Severus still giggling uncontrollably, until he curled up next to him on the bed. His own wavy hair fell onto his eyes and he felt Severus's long fingers pushing it away from his face as he breathed close to him.
Harry wrapped his arms around the warm body and pulled him in, letting him rest his face against his chest. He felt him accommodating himself a bit better as he pressed his ear against his chest and exhaled. Something tender shook Harry to his core as he felt tenderness and love explode in his chest while Severus listened to his heartbeat. It was something Severus just did, as if telling himself he was safe, alive, and there.
"Breakfast, sweetie?" Harry asked in a warm and calmer tone now that Severus had stopped laughing.
"Yez, b'eakfast!" he exclaimed, "can we 'ead Cha'lie's book?"
Harry smiled and nodded.
"Yes, we can read the book later, but not while at breakfast. We don't want the book to get dirty, do we?" he answered with a soft smile, "come on, let me prepare some delicious pancakes for you."
Severus jumped from the bed, excited, and he practically ran towards the kitchen, his beloved Circe still in his hands.
Harry laughed slightly as he got up from the bed and throwing a worn T-shirt over his head he walked to the living room to prepare breakfast for his boy.
.
.
Severus Snape was walking down the corridors, and he smirked as he remembered that morning. Waking up naturally as a kid was one of the best feelings he'd ever had. His regressions now happened seamlessly, jumping back to his adult self almost effortlessly. So different from a year ago when he had never even given himself the chance to be a boy.
Focusing, and remembering the reason why he was doing this, he murmured the password. Next, he stepped next to the gargoyle, allowing it to take him to the Headmaster's office.
He knocked on the door, opening it when he heard the soft "Enter" Dumbledore said.
"Ah, Severus, what a nice visit. Lemon drop?"
The voice of the Headmaster took Severus out of his own thoughts completely, as he fixed his gaze on the man with light purple robes. He shook his head.
"No, thank you. I wanted to give you the news myself, Albus," Severus said, steeling his nerves, "I will not be returning to my post this coming September 1st."
Dumbledore blinked repeatedly, his eyebrows raised so much they almost got engulfed by his hat.
"You are... leaving Hogwarts?"
"That is correct," Severus answered.
"May I ask what you will do?"
Severus felt his lips tugging at the corners, and he nodded.
"I have recently been bequeathed the apothecary at Diagon Alley, previously managed by my very good friend Rosie," he explained.
At those words, Dumbledore straightened his back and softness replaced shock.
"And you will continue her life's work," Dumbledore continued as Severus nodded.
"I feel it is my duty, and after all, we are both aware that there are better ways I can apply my knowledge than to teach unruly teenagers," Severus answered.
"Well, it seems I have to find two new Professors for the upcoming term. Have you got anything to do with Harry's resignation, perhaps?"
Severus had the decency to acknowledge the words with a nod.
"We are going to live together," Severus supplied.
He didn't particularly desire to explain more than necessary, but Dumbledore's affable smile and a glint in his eyes seemed to tell him everything he needed to know.
"Well, after the events of the school year, I can't say I am surprised at these developments," Dumbledore said.
Then he stood up, walking around the table as he approached Severus. He let him, his eyes following his steps until he stood next to him.
"I am sorry to see you go, but this year I have come to realize that your happiness lies somewhere else," he said. Then, his old and frail hand travelled to Severus's shoulder, squeezing, "and I am glad you are finally pursuing it."
The feelings Severus hadn't anticipated made themselves known, clogging up his throat. He hadn't thought saying goodbye would be so difficult, but it suddenly dawned on him that it was.
Despite all of Dumbledore's shortcomings and his manipulation of him, he had been his mentor for over two decades. They had shared things no one else had. Even if he had been hurt by the old man, he knew without a shred of doubt that it would be difficult to live life away from him.
He blinked, looking at Dumbledore's blue eyes behind his glasses, the wrinkled face and the long, grey beard. He felt his vision blurry and let a couple of tears descend his clean-shaven cheek, as Dumbledore's hand squeezed his shoulder.
The hand was old but strong and warm. And it was saying so much with no words. He locked eyes with the Headmaster, a man so complicated, so full of secrets and mysteries as the life he himself had led.
The moment he felt Dumbledore's presence closing in Severus responded to the embrace, holding onto his emotions by a thread. Only his vast experience in practice in Occlumency allowed him to not start weeping like a boy at the utter sadness he felt in his heart.
He knew the path he was taking was the correct one, yet it didn't make things easier.
He'd never imagined saying goodbye would be so hard.
"I think someone here has come to say goodbye too," Dumbledore's soft voice said close to his ear.
When he moved away from Dumbledore, a bit abashed at being caught in such a position with the Headmaster, his eyes fell on the Deputy Headmistress. She seemed to already be failing in holding her tears at bay.
"I hope you didn't expect to leave without saying anything to me, Severus," she said with a feeble voice as she walked up to him.
Severus wanted to say that indeed he was, not wanting to face saying goodbye to his colleagues when Minerva all but engulfed him in a soft hug.
After that, Severus lost all sense and only wept in her arms, mildly aware of Dumbledore's hands on his back.
It wasn't until much later that he could safely leave Dumbledore's office, marks of the tears still in his eyes and cheeks. H
They still had to attend the End-Of-Term feast, so it wasn't the last time he would see the castle. Yet he was already feeling the feeling of sadness and melancholy seeping through. Severus glanced at it from the gates, just outside the apparition wards.
The building was indeed magnificent, with all its turrets and towers, its corridors and staircases. Severus knew the passages, the rooms and the corridors intimately. Almost like a blueprint branded into his mind, as it couldn't have been anything else after over two decades.
Hogwarts held many hurtful memories, but it had also been the place he called home for many years.
It was strangely scary and exhilarating to think he would be calling home someplace else from now on.
Sighing as he took in the castle one last time, he closed his eyes and disapparated away.
When he opened them, his gaze fell onto a beautiful rustic cottage. The branches of ivy had disappeared and the stone had a lighter colour. It was summer so there was no cloud of smoke coming from the chimneys, but they looked as if eager to do so.
Before he could continue admiring the cottage from outside, he spotted someone in the garden.
Harry was kneeling in front of a flowerbed, his hands picking some flowers from their pot and transplanting them onto the ground. He could see the beads of sweat on his forehead and his long, wavy hair slightly damp, his white shirt was also wet and clinging to his skin.
The striking beauty of the scene blew Severus's breath away. The realization that he was sharing his life with this man, with the person who'd stolen his heart and was making his stomach flutter, was almost too much to bear.
"Are you going to stand there all day, Sev?" Harry asked, leaving the flowers and looking at him, a smile dancing on his lips.
"I was admiring the view," Severus answered with a mischievous smirk, gathering himself in time.
Harry chuckled and beckoned him closer, Severus did until he stopped next to him. With calm, as if he wasn't dying to do it already, Severus leaned over just as Harry pulled him in and gave him a soft, tender kiss. Severus drank from Harry's lips, they tasted like nectar from the gods, and he was sure he would never have enough.
"How did it go with Dumbledore?" Harry asked after they separated, but not allowing him to move away.
"It was... harder than expected," Severus answered truthfully. Then he sighed, blinking, "I never imagined it would be this hard."
"Well, it was to be expected. After all, you've been teaching for over twenty years. You've spent there more than half your life."
Severus nodded, his arms wrapping around Harry as he pulled him closer. Their torsos were pressed together, he could feel the warmth of the body next to him. The smell of parchment and ink hit his nose, along with the smell of sweat and musk he'd come to associate with Harry. He was still surprised when, instead of wrinkling his nose in disgust at the obvious smell of sweat, he actually felt enticed by it.
Nothing about what he felt about Harry made sense, and yet... here he was.
"Three decades is a long time indeed," he replied, continuing their conversation, "but it's time to start anew.
"It is. What do you think of the garden?"
Harry signalled with his head towards the colourful plants and flowers he'd been working on, he'd been obviously putting a lot of effort into it.
He gave him a mischievous smile as he arched an eyebrow.
"I think it needs the work of a certain Potions Master..." he began, and chuckled at Harry's pat on his chest, "but I think it's coming in nicely, for a Gryffindor with no botanical talents."
Harry laughed with him, as he shook his head.
"You know, I was never that bad at Herbology, Pomona can tell you about my inherent talent for knowing which plants were venomous," he said.
"That is because you took it upon yourself to try the effects of most venomous plants," Severus teased, smirking.
Severus turned towards the house, placing his arm around Harry's back as he did the same around his own, walking together. Sharing a property felt liberating.
They had been very careful in the castle to keep a low profile, keeping public displays of affection to a minimum. Decorum wasn't the only reason, Severus himself was not comfortable with those displays in front of the student body. But now?
Now his fingers itched to touch Harry, in any part of his body.
"You know, I was thinking of inviting Ron, Hermione and Charlie for dinner, as a celebration," Harry said once they were inside. Severus put the kettle on, the muggle way, and Harry sat on the wooden kitchen table
Severus made a noise of agreement.
Years ago, he would've never imagined he'd have a house to share with, to celebrate moving into. Now, however, everything had changed.
"As long as we can play afterwards, I agree to a dinner with our friends," Severus answered.
His chest fluttered when he saw the wide smile Harry made at his choice of words.
Then he leaned down, capturing Harry's lips in his own. He gently bit the lower lip and drank in Harry's eagerness as he let out a stifled moan.
"What kind of play?" Harry asked in between kisses.
Severus smirked, kissing him again, using his tongue to tease Harry's into coming out. When it did, he gently sucked it, the contact sending explosions to his entire body.
"Whichever you want," Severus responded in a raspy voice, "you know I'm yours, Harry. In any way you like..."
"I want you in all the ways," Harry responded, "and that will never change."
Change.
How much life can change in the course of a year.
Severus pondered as he kept nibbling on Harry's lips, the kettle whistling as the water had boiled, but neither of them paid it any mind.
So what, if he'd had a difficult life? So what, if the traumas of his childhood had prevented him from living the life he truly wanted?
He was now rebuilding it from the ground up. He had found his life companion and caregiver all in one, in the person he least expected.
And he couldn't wait to live what life had in store for him.
THE END
And thaaat's all, my dears!
I hope you have enjoyed this great (and long) adventure, and you have enjoyed seeing Severus and Harry deal with their issues, and finally, start anew. I set out on this journey to give Severus the happiness he had always deserved, and at least for me, I have accomplished it. I hope you believe that too.
Thank you to each and every one who left kudos, who left a comment, who came chapter after chapter to comment, who spared even a minute of their lives to my story. I appreciate every one of you.
But the stories between Harry and Severus aren't over, NO! I have a few in store, so keep checking my profile if you want to read more from me. Otherwise, you can find me on Tumblr and Twitter at memelovescaps. I'll be happy to talk to you.
And that's all, folks! Have a good day and THANK YOU!
