CHAPTER 23

A/N: I have created a blog (cf. bottom of my profile page) for Snarry! You may submit your comments if you wish (no flames, of course!) AND vote in the poll over there for the kind of plot you fancy for my fourth Snarry story. Okay, so this is a small and rather short chapter for you. I am in the final stages of writing my Master's thesis, and I got so carried away during the past few days that I wrote more than foreseen and had a little time to write this up. Chapter 24 will be up after the 22nd November; I won't get lucky again even if I get carried away a second time. Thanks for being so patient and understanding that I can't post regularly at the moment. Je vous adore.

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Harry rubbed his temples tiredly. He was wondering what to get for Severus's birthday. The inspiration for the cloak which he had given Severus for Christmas had happened to come at the right time and because Severus had been complaining about his old cloak. Harry could not recall Severus expressing a wish for something he needed – unless it was a wish for capable students. Not an evening went past when Severus did not make an acid comment about the students' lack of talent, attention, concentration etc. It was the same on this evening. Severus swept inside the dungeons in a state of complete irritation.

"Well, you are rather strict, Severus," Harry observed gently.

"I seem to recall that your Potions brewing abilities are not exactly impressive, husband of mine," Severus drawled casually.

"Will you stop calling me that?"

"Calling you what?"

"'Husband of mine'."

Severus bent a little.

"Aren't you my husband?"

"You meant it sarcastically."

"I enjoy sarcasm. So should you."

Harry smiled a little.

"I can't really imagine you without sarcasm," he admitted.

"Your natural charms are quite sufficient."Harry could hear Severus's comment in his mind, feel his arms around him when they had hugged on Christmas. There had been no sarcasm in the comment…

Severus, in the meantime, was studying Harry's smile.

Now that he was used to Severus and his ways, Harry smiled and laughed a lot. The dull dungeons became alive as soon as Harry slipped into their rooms. Severus valued his presence but never said so to Harry. Instead, he preferred to show his appreciation in ways which did not require words. Touching Harry's shoulder, arm or hand, or even resting his hand briefly on Harry's messy hair – gestures which meant a lot to Harry, more than Severus could imagine.

He now shared his quarters willingly with Harry, though Harry never stepped into his bedroom and rarely went into his laboratory; and if he did, he always knocked. He liked talking to his young husband, who was a good listener and good questioner – maturity had brought patience and pensiveness to Harry. And, of course, there were Harry's sketches and drawings. Severus liked to watch Harry at work. Harry even managed to coax forth Severus from his laboratory and involve him in games like Snakes and Ladders or Wizard's Scrabble. Both of them had never had anyone to play with when they were small. It was as if they were catching up together on what they had missed out in their childhood.

Severus's birthday had never been celebrated at home. Later, at Hogwarts, his fellow-teachers had always sent him a big card signed by all of them as a polite gesture. Dumbledore would go a step further and give Severus a gift – usually something rare, expensive and very useful. Even then, Severus would tell himself that Dumbledore was only trying to keep his spy happy. Who could possibly like him, Severus Snape? However, he knew that Dumbledore, with his astonishing capacity of seeing the good in nearly everyone, regarded him as a son. Dumbledore would often invite him for tea, or walk with him in the grounds, talking to him about things which did not have the remotest connection with his work as a spy. He therefore did not expect any birthday celebration, and in any case he hated events and gatherings; so when he left his bedroom, ready to teach classes, he had actually forgotten that it was his birthday – a clear crisp January day. He was reminded by Harry.

"Happy birthday, Severus," he said, smiling cheerfully.

Severus stared at him for a moment, then he snorted.

"Birthday," he muttered contemptuously, brushing past Harry, whose smile only widened.

After class, he took tea with Dumbledore, who gave him his gift – a brand-new wizarding chess set of the rather pricey sort. Severus was a chess devotee; Dumbledore and he had spent quite a few sessions locked in mortal combat over protesting pawns. Severus had given up on Harry as a chess partner. The strategies and tactics Harry had learnt during his Duelling lessons with Kingsley Shacklebolt had stubbornly refused to be transferred to a chessboard.

"How are you and Harry getting on, Severus?" Dumbledore asked after Severus thanked him.

"It is satisfactory," Severus said, "we consider each other's presence fairly tolerable."

"That is good to hear. Is he giving you any trouble?"

He is giving me many opportunities to smile, Severus thought with a warmth with was new to him.

"None at all, which is frankly quite amazing."

Dumbledore's eyes twinkled.

"I have observed that you are becoming friends."

Severus did not say or do anything. It was a silent agreement with Dumbledore, but he felt it would be embarrassing to admit it verbally.

After Severus had left, Dumbledore turned to the phoenix.

"It's time Severus got some sunshine in the dungeons, Fawkes," he said, scratching his pet's feathery neck. Fawkes began to sing.

Severus was welcomed by the sight of a birthday cake on the hall table and by Harry, who deposited a package in his arms as soon as he stepped inside their rooms.

"Just something small," he said. His cheeks were red.

Severus found his voice.

"It really wasn't necessary, Harry," he said, trying to sound detached and casual.

"Unwrap it," Harry said.

"Hm…" Severus hummed and examined the packet for a few seconds before opening it carefully, as if savouring the procedure. Harry watched him nervously.

Severus drew out a large book. On opening it, he discovered that it consisted entirely of Harry's artwork. There were sketches Harry had made of him brewing a potion, drawings of potions ingredients, scenes of the Hogwarts grounds, a close-up of Severus's own hand…

"Uhm, I know it's nothing really practical or special, but I thought you'd like it. You gave me a lot of inspiration, Severus." He smiled a little.

Severus closed the book slowly and caressed the cover with his hand. Harry noticed the gesture and knew at once that his gift was a huge success.

"Thank you, Harry. I like it very much," he said, placing his hand on Harry's shoulder and looking into his eyes. What a long way we have come, you and I, Harry Potter. That in itself is a gift, he mused silently.

"There's something else. You'll probably think it sentimental or whatever, but I've got to say it. I want to say 'thank you' for what you've done and are doing to protect me," he said somewhat shyly but clearly in a tone which revealed that he was not ashamed to thank Severus.

Severus reached out with a spontaneity which came as a surprise to himself and put his arm around Harry's shoulders, drawing the youth to him.

"It's the first time I'm having a birthday cake…Well, apart from Albus's chocolate monstrosity." He smiled a little.

Harry put his arms around Severus, closing his eyes. Severus's voice floated in close proximity to his ear.

"If anyone had told me that I would find you tolerable a few months ago, you impossible Gryffindor brat, then I would have hexed that person's tongue off."

"Only tolerable?" Harry asked, drawing back a little and grinning up at Severus. The man's face was completely different from the impassive or sour expression which usually dulled his features. The black eyes were quickened with life, and the thin rigid mouth, frequently compressed to a hard line or curled with scorn, was curved in a genuine smile.

"Very tolerable. Does that sound satisfying enough for his fastidious Majesty?" Severus asked dryly.

Harry laughed. The only other person besides Albus to laugh in the dungeons, Severus mused.

"It is…quite passable," Harry responded, using one of Severus's favourite assessments.

Severus touched Harry's forehead gently with the back of his hand and opened the book of sketches again. He saw that Harry had included another sketch of the flask containing their bonding blood. Severus felt a strange gladness that it was Harry he was protecting. He looks like his father, except for those eyes…and his nature is…sweet, Severus thought. The irony of pushing a kind-natured youth into a union with the worst-tempered person within miles! But maybe it was one of the reasons why Albus Dumbledore had been so insistent about a marriage between them…And somehow the persistent Gryffindor had managed to go beyond scratching at the tenacious surface of Severus's protective armour.

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