"So that's the problem, that's it. That's all I need to do to get him to be nicer."
"I don't know Harry, it all sounds a bit dodgy to me. I mean why would anyone want a fat husband?"
"It's actually quite a common thing Ron, you just don't know if it's because they want it or if it's just another case of over-indulgence."
"But Harry fat?"
"Not quite fat. It's just ten pounds. Five kilograms and then he says he'll be happy to leave it there." Ron thought for a long moment.
"I don't like the way he treats you and I don't think you should have married the greasy git in the first place, but if it'll make you happier, then you have my support." Harry smiled at his friend and Hermione put a hand on his.
"Just promise us that if at anytime you don't like it, you'll stop. That you'll leave him. You know you always have a place at our house."
"I promise."
Harry only got home from Ron and Hermione's house late in the evening. He quietly closed the door behind him and moved through the darkness.
"Where have you been?" He heard a familiar drawl and turned around. Severus was standing at the door of his study, clearly not happy.
"I was out with Ron and Hermione." Severus walked forward slowly and Harry held his breath, his heart beating fast with fear as he saw the anger in Severus' eyes.
"I come home to an empty house, no dinner and no idea where my spouse is." He took another step forward.
"You said you were going too be working late tonight…"
"That is not the point." Harry expected Severus to hit him again, but it didn't happen. "Come, I took the liberty of preparing dinner anyway."
"Oh no thanks, I already ate dinner with them." Severus, who started towards dining room, turned his head to look at him.
"That'll just make what we talked about last night easier." Harry felt a lump form in his throat. Already? He hadn't realised that Severus was in such a hurry. He didn't say anything and followed him. As Severus flicked the light on, Harry had to hold back a gasp. He'd never seen Severus cook anything before, but clearly the potions skills came in handy.
The table looked like it was going to break under the weight of the food. Baked potatoes covered in melted butter, steaks that probably weighed more than his head, thick rich stews…
Surely Severus didn't expect him to eat all of it…
One look at his face told Harry that he did.
"What are you waiting for? Sit down." Harry stared at him.
"Do we really need to do this?"
"What are you talking about?" He put a hand on his husband's face, cupping his cheek in it.
"Severus, I don't want to do this… Please, couldn't you just try to accept me like I am? I know you could…" For a moment Harry thought Severus would say okay. That he would sweep him up in his arms and tell him how he loved him. He'd push all the food off the table and make slow sweet love to him right there…
Of course, this was just a fantasy.
Severus pulled away from him and without a word, turned around and walked out, slamming the door to his study behind him.
Harry sat at the kitchen table, staring down into the bowl in front of him. He'd probably eaten more ice cream in the past few hours than in the twenty-six years he'd been alive. He groaned and picked up the spoon, slurping some of the melted dessert into his mouth.
He groaned again and dropped it back into the bowl, pushing it away from him and resting his head on his arms. Severus hadn't spoke one word to him in an entire week. Not since that night. He had no idea where Hedwig was and when he had gone to use the floo it had thrown him back against the wall. Likewise, the doorknob had burnt his hand and he now sported blisters all along his right palm.
His eyelids drooped and he slowly drifted off to sleep.
When he woke, it had started to get dark and he groaned, his neck clicking as he sat up.
"You've come to your senses I take it?" Severus said from the stove and Harry blinked, adjusting to the light and looking around. "Or did you just have a compulsion to eat three litres of ice-cream in a day?"
He rubbed his eye, looking at Severus and sighing. "If this is what it takes to save our marriage, I'm willing to try." He admitted and stood up, going to look over Severus' shoulder at what must have been their dinner.
"Go sit down, I shall call you dinner is ready." He said and Harry smiled, kissing his cheek and turning around. As he went towards the door, a bowl appeared in his hands. He looked down and groaned.
"I think I've had enough ice cream for today, Severus."
"You said you'd try." Harry sighed and carried on to the sitting room.
Severus had not been quite as harsh as Harry would have thought. In fact, with the encouragement he'd given, he hadn't even realized how much he'd eaten.
He'd only grasped how full he really was when he was changing into his pyjamas and the food started coming back up. He'd pushed down the nauseous feeling. After all, he didn't want Severus to think he didn't like his cooking…
The following morning, Harry woke up feeling nauseous and bloated, the other side of the bed empty. He braved it and though feeling horrible, got dressed and went downstairs. As Severus served him a full English breakfast, he wished he had stayed in bed.
He would have told him that he was still full from dinner, but out of the corner of his eye, saw Severus' sharp glance at him and started eating. The eyes didn't leave him until he'd finished the entire plate. Severus left soon after and he groaned. It felt like his stomach would explode if he moved.
True enough, as he tried to stand, hoping the half hour at the sitting still table had settled it, he was rushing to the bathroom and before could stop himself, was heaving it all up.
He felt horrible and panted as he rested his head against the toilet, but once the nausea went, he found that his empty stomach felt much better. He tactfully neglected to mention his vomiting to Severus when he came home that night.
His vomiting continued after that, almost in a cycle after each meal or so. Harry honestly did try to keep his food down, but it seemed now that his body had found a way of ridding the sudden large amounts of food, it wouldn't stop.
It had to happen eventually, but after a week (Harry thought he would have figured it out sooner), Severus caught him.
Deciding that they were getting somewhere, Severus had prepared at least double what they would usually eat and after only a small amount himself, made sure Harry ate until there were only scraps left in the bowls. Harry tried to hold it down, but it was like his stomach had flipped itself upside down and he quickly excused himself.
He was on his knees, everything coming back up again, when he felt a presence next to him. (Wait; hadn't he locked the door behind him?)
Severus looked down at him and he resisted cowering in fear. Severus wouldn't like that.
"I'm sorry Sev…" He said in a hushed voice, the silence finally getting to him. He knew by the feeling deep in his stomach that it meant trouble.
"How long?"
"Since the first breakfast. I tried Sev, I'm sorry." Severus hauled him up by his arm and instead of shouting or slapping him, carried him to bed, where he fell asleep without a second thought.