Disclaimer - I own nothing you recognise.
This is an AU, in which Harry is very competent at Mind Magic. Please don't tell me that Harry sucked at Occlumency - I'm aware of how he was in canon, I promise.
Rated for language - Harry isn't a happy camper.
Word Count - 6122
Breaking Barriers
Harry lay in his bed, nervous about going to sleep. For once, it wasn't nightmares he was avoiding, but an expected dream that sent shivers of anticipation and fear through his skinny body.
It was common knowledge that upon the first sleep after coming of age, one would join dreams with their soulmate - unless that soulmate was younger than them.
Hermione had dreamt of nobody, and was awaiting her younger soulmate to visit her in sleep. That had been a shock to many. They'd expected Ron to join her in sleep upon his coming of age, but the redhead too had dreamt easily with no joining.
To Harry's knowledge, most people expected his dreams to remain his own as well. They expected him to remain unsullied by a soulmark until Ginny's birthday came around, when she would be able to claim him as her man.
Of course, it being common knowledge, Harry only learnt of it when Hermione was leading up to her seventeenth birthday.
As the sandman stole away his consciousness, Harry fell into slumber.
Hogwarts was empty.
That was the first thing that occurred to Harry as he looked around the Great Hall. It didn't look correct, with no students laughing and talking amongst themselves, with the sky so black and unmoving, with the house point counters empty.
Harry left the hall, wandering the lonely corridors of the only place he'd ever thought of as home. He passed the classrooms he spent his days in, the library that he was sure he'd spend much time in the upcoming year studying for his NEWT's.
He made his way up the many stairs of the Astronomy Tower, drawn there by some explicable force. At first glance, that too was empty, but as Harry crossed to stand by the window to look out upon the grounds, movement caught his eye.
"I can't even escape you in my dreams, can I, Potter?"
The voice was quiet, the usual sneer missing, and yet, Harry could only stare with dawning horror of what this must mean. Looking down at his wrist, he saw, as he expected, a mark appearing there.
Snape was his soulmate.
Concentrating as hard as he could on his occlumency barriers -
Harry woke up.
He hadn't been so grateful for his skill at mind magic since he'd been able to use it to kill Voldemort at the Ministry of Magic.
Snape? Snape was his soulmate?
He thought destiny's fuckery was done with. He thought he'd had enough bad to measure out some good. He'd hoped that the fates would smile on him for a while.
Holding his wrist up in the dim light from the window, he looked at his mark. A doe lay with her head down, staring at him judgmentally. He flinched when she moved.
He hadn't realised that the mark moved. He'd thought them a tattoo, staining the skin. Getting up, he put his glasses on and silently padded down the stairs. He hoped he hadn't woken anyone up.
Harry loved the Weasleys, and staying the summer at the Burrow had been a godsend, but sometimes, especially with the whole family being home, it was a bit much and he rarely got any time alone.
Grabbing a glass of water on his way, he moved outside, sitting down on the bench. It was a warm night, the summer was being kind to them, and he enjoyed the light breeze against the bare skin on his arms. There was no way he'd be able to hide the mark indefinitely. He couldn't exactly wear long sleeves when it was so hot, and people would surely be looking for it.
Staring down at his wrist, he murmured, "Why did it have to be him?"
The doe looked up at him, before uncurling and walking up his arm. It was a strange sensation, a whisper along his skin. He watched her until he could turn his neck no more, feeling her stop at the bottom of his neck, just below the cuff of his t-shirt.
Huh.
Maybe he would be able to hide it.
"You alright, Harry?"
Harry looked up to find Percy standing at the back door, wearing shorts and a vest top. Harry nodded.
"Bit hot upstairs is all," he replied, holding up the water.
Percy offered him a small smile, walking out to join him on the bench.
"So this has nothing to do with finding out who your soulmate is?" he asked, raising an eyebrow.
Harry shook his head. "I didn't see anyone."
"No? Are you sure about that?"
When Harry frowned, Percy sighed. "Sometimes I forget you were raised by Muggles. When someone discovers who their soulmate is, their aura changes a little. Now that you've come into your magical maturity, you'll start sensing auras on people as well."
"Is that something everyone can do?"
Percy nodded. "It's not as intimate as it sounds. You'll just be able to get a sense of if someone is magically powerful, if someone has a soulmate. Occasionally, you'll get a hint of dark or light about them, if the inclination is strong enough. It doesn't take long to assimilate to it."
Harry eyed Percy for a moment, before he realised the man was correct. Harry could feel… something different. He instinctively knew that Percy was a moderately powerful wizard who'd found his soulmate.
He blinked.
He already knew that about Percy though, so perhaps his imagination was just being particularly overactive.
"Regardless, people will know that you've dreamt your soulmate, Harry. I hope you know that a lot of them will have absolutely no decorum and will immediately ask you who it is, particularly because its you."
Harry nodded. He expected as much - the Wizarding World at large seemed to be of the opinion that they owned him body and soul. The price, he knew, of being a public figure, despite that he didn't want it.
"Don't panic about it, Harry. If you don't want to tell people, then that is your right. It's not like anyone could pull if from your mind, right?"
Percy smiled at him, standing and patting him on the shoulder. "Goodnight, Harry."
Harry watched him go with a sinking feeling in his stomach.
Why did everything always have to happen to him?
Harry let his head rest against the window, closing his eyes to ward against the headache that was already threatening.
The rest of the summer had passed with the Weasleys trying not to pry while really wanting to know who he'd dreamt and the papers forever speculating on who the lucky person was. While they'd been in Diagon Alley, collecting their school supplies for the year, people had realised that he had in fact found his soulmate.
Ever since then, whenever he ran into anyone but his closest friends, he was bombarded with questions and demands for a name.
He was tired of it.
He'd managed, so far, to not speak the name. Ron and Hermione were both understandably hurt by his silence, but he'd assured them both that it was of no matter because he didn't plan to do anything with it. There was certainly no chance that he'd be crawling to Snape to beg the bitter old bastard to love him.
"Are you alright?" Hermione asked, as they pulled into the station.
Harry nodded silently, offering her a tired smile. He'd kept low level mind defences in place since his birthday, to shake off the worry that anyone would attempt to pull the name from his mind, but as he'd never had to keep them up for such a length of time, it was tiring him slightly.
Not enough to affect him daily, but enough that when he was stressed, he felt the strain easier. As they left the Hogwarts Express for the last time, Harry couldn't stop the warming feeling taking over him.
No matter the stress of the last few weeks, he was finally home.
Thankfully, the trip up to the castle was quiet, and as he took his place at the Gryffindor table, he wasn't looked at anymore than was usual. He kept his eyes fixed on the his friends, determined not to look up at the teachers table.
He could feel his soulmark moving around on his back, where she'd made her home. She ventured down his arms occasionally, but generally stayed on his back. He'd grown used to the sensation of her moving and didn't so much as twitch as he felt her move onto the front of his shoulder.
He could only hope that she'd remain hidden when he was in company. He didn't need any more speculation after all.
Hermione had suggested that, should people see it, he could say that it only made sense with his Patronus being a stag. Harry hadn't actually thought of that, but he'd been grateful for the logic. He'd wondered if perhaps the doe was Snape's patronus, a matching pair for soulmates made sense he supposed.
Dumbledore cleared his voice and the murmure of chatter around the hall silenced immediately. Harry looked up at the Headmaster, keeping his eyes once more on a fixed point, refusing to let them seek Snape out, even if only for a second.
The man had to know, after all. He'd have had the same dream, would now have the compatible mark to Harry's somewhere on his body.
He barely heard a word of Dumbledore's speech, and startled slightly when the tables filled with food. He served himself, paying little attention to the contents that he'd put on his plate.
"Harry, are you sure you're alright?" Hermione asked quietly.
He nodded again, unsure as to what he could say to reassure her. Whenever he told his friends he was fine, they seemed to automatically take that to mean that he was anything but.
As soon as the call was made for bed, Harry stood up, more than ready for the day to be over. He made the mistake of glancing over the hall as he moved to leave, and his eyes met black eyes that were boring into him.
Harry blinked, pulling his gaze away. He stumbled, earning him another worried look from Hermione, and left the hall with the crowd.
This school year couldn't end soon enough.
Weeks passed, with Harry steadily growing tenser by the day, sick and tired of the constant hounding and harassment.
Snape had made a few pointed comments about Harry running scared from his Soulmate, but so far, Harry had managed to ignore him.
Even Dumbledore had called Harry up to his office, questioning without actually asking the question everybody else had.
"Potions, Harry," Hermione said, getting up from the bench. It was Friday morning, and they had double potions.
Harry nodded, picking up his bag and throwing it over his shoulder. They walked down to the dungeons, Ron following with a piece of toast in hand. Harry took his usual seat, not looking up when Snape walked in, banging the door.
He set them to work quickly, and Harry lost himself in the brewing process. Without the stress of Voldemort and with his Occlumency to block out unwanted emotion, Harry had improved in potions considerably in the last year, though of course Snape was still never happy with his efforts.
Distracted as he was, he didn't realise Snape was watching him with a glint in his eye and a smirk on his lips until he was standing right in front of Harry's cauldron.
"It appears that you've stopped hiding from your soulmate, Mr Potter," he sneered, pulling a newspaper from Merlin only knows where. "Congratulations."
Harry blinked. "Sorry, Sir. I've got no idea what you're talking about."
"The lovely woman in this morning's Prophet, of course. She's done a full expose on the letter you sent her, professing your love."
"She's clearly lying, Sir," Harry replied quietly, willing himself to keep a hold on his temper.
"I don't see why, Potter. It's not like you're running to claim your soulmate; you haven't even told anyone their name."
"It's nobody else's business, Professor. And since my soulmate is also keeping their silence on the matter, people should take the hint."
"Ahh, yes of course. Clearly they're embarrassed to have the boy wonder as their soulmate," Snape smirked gleefully. "It wasn't your choice to keep it secret after all, was it Potter? They don't want you!"
"You bastard," Harry whispered, standing up. "If you're so embarrassed to have me as your soulmate, Snape, then why the fuck do you keep bringing it up?"
Grabbing his bag, Harry stormed from the classroom, ignoring the shouts of his name from behind him.
Harry spent two days in the Room of Requirement. He knew he wouldn't be able to hide forever, but he took the time regardless, knowing it was better to spend the time alone than the weekend answering the same questions over and over again.
He strengthened his Occlumency barriers to breaking point, locking away all emotions. He clearly couldn't afford to allow his access to them continue - look where that had got him. Not controlling himself properly had led him to spill his secret in the middle of a classroom.
Sunday evening, Harry left the room and, after a brief stop in Gryffindor Tower for a shower and a change of clothes, headed down to dinner. He took a seat on the end of the table, ignoring the rising chatter at his appearance, and after filling his plate, opened a book and buried his head in it.
"Harry?"
He looked up to see Hermione and Ron had rushed up to sit in front of him, both staring at him like he was a ghost.
"Where've you been?" Hermione demanded. "We were worried sick! All the teachers have been searching for you!"
"I was in the Room of Requirement," Harry replied flatly. "Kreacher told Dumbledore where I was on Friday evening, and that I'd be out before the end of the weekend. I don't really understand the problem."
"Harry, what's wrong with you?" Ron gasped. "We're your friends! And that in potions on Friday! Snape's your soulmate?"
"As you know, I didn't choose him to be my soulmate."
"Well, yeah, but to blurt it out in class!"
"A mistake," Harry agreed, his tone still flat. "That surely won't be repeated. I've studying to do, if you don't mind."
Ignoring that they did, in fact, mind, Harry turned his attention back to his book and quietly ate the food on his plate. Eventually, Ron and Hermione gave up and left him in peace.
He was sure it wouldn't last.
"Headmaster, he's been like a blank slate for months! He doesn't react to anything! His eyes are dead, his tone is always that horrible flat tone that doesn't even sound like Harry, and he does nothing but study!"
Hermione's voice was unbearably shrill by the end of her speech, but Dumbledore kindly made no mention of it.
"Miss Granger, I'm afraid there is nothing I can do. I've tried to speak with Harry, but he is much the same with me as he is with you. Medically, there is nothing wrong with him, and so as he is an adult, there is nothing I can do to help him."
"But… what's wrong with him?" Ron asked. He'd been chewing on his finger while Hermione spoke, but he removed it, sitting up in his chair. "What made him like… this? It's like someone took away his emotions."
"I believe Harry has strengthened his Occlumency barriers to their highest point, that is to say, completely locking his emotions away. As strong as he is, there's little anyone would be able to do to get passed them - they are unsurpassable."
Hermione leant back in her chair, her eyes filling with tears. "There's really nothing we can do?"
"Be there, when he finally lowers his barriers," Dumbledore said with a sad smile. "He will need you then, more than ever."
As Hermione and Ron left the office, Snape entered from the library where he'd been hiding since the teenagers arrival. He collapsed into the chair Hermione had been seated in, his face even paler than usual.
"Have I ruined him, Albus?"
"Not beyond repair, Severus, although I will concede that you've done a considerable amount of damage," Dumbledore replied, peering over his glasses at Snape.
"I don't know how to try and fix what I've done. He's like a blank slate. I try and make him angry with me, and he just stares through me as though I'm not even there."
"Perhaps you should stop trying to make him angry then," Albus suggested lightly. "Since that isn't working. Perhaps, you should try a little honesty with him. Tell him you miss the man he was."
"I…"
"Just food for thought, Severus."
"Potter, remain after class."
Harry looked up at him and nodded once, before continuing to pack his back. He was vaguely curious as to what Snape could possibly want after months of them ignoring each other, but he was sure it was for something he'd done wrong.
Oddly, there were no sniggers or whispers as there had been the last time Snape had told him to remain behind. Harry supposed that since he'd gained control of himself and given his classmates nothing to gossip about, they'd simply lost interest
He remained at his desk as his classmates filed out.
"Potter, this has to stop."
"What has to stop, Sir?"
Snape huffed. "This… behaviour! You're behaving like an animated statue. No feeling, no emotion, no… nothing."
"Is there something wrong with my work, Professor?"
"No, Potter, the work you've been turning in has been impeccable - as your grades will tell you. I'm talking about the fact that you've got your occlumency barriers up far too high. What you're doing to yourself is dangerous!"
"Sir, with all due respect, what I do with my barriers is my business."
"Potter, you could damage your mind," Snape sighed. "I understand that you're doing this to keep me out, but I'm not worth you hurting yourself."
Harry shook his head. "This isn't about you, Professor. If you don't mind, I have Transfiguration?"
Snape gestured to the door, and Harry turned away and left, his bag on his shoulder. He pondered Snape's behaviour for a moment before waving it off as unimportant. Turning his mind to Transfiguration, he made his way to the classroom.
"Severus," Poppy called from the fireplace.
Snape walked over from where he'd been seated at his desk, crouching down so she wouldn't have to shout.
"What do you need, Poppy?"
"Wizard Flu cure, if you can? As soon as you can?"
Snape nodded. "I've already made it, the Headmaster mentioned there had been a strain making its way around at Diagon. We figured it would end up here eventually. I'll fetch it up shortly."
"As quickly as you can, Severus. He's already at the hallucination stage," she added, rolling her eyes.
"Which idiot decided not to seek medical attention when he got a temperature?"
"Who else?" she asked, the exasperation clear in her voice. "Potter."
With that, she was gone, and Severus was left staring into the flames. Wizard Flu. Possibilities swirled around his mind, but one point was fixed.
Wizard Flu would force Potter's defences down to nothing. They had a chance to bring back the Potter they all knew.
Harry hurt everywhere. He had vague memories of dancing hippos and flamingos stealing Professor Dumbledore's robes and doing the can-can, but not much beyond that.
He tried to open his eyes, but the brightness made his head throb, so he quickly closed his eyes again.
"Potter? Can you open your eyes?"
Madam Pomfrey's voice made Harry feel a little better. Whatever was wrong with him was clearly being seen. He tried to shake his head, but that hurt, so he forced the words "too bright" past his dry throat.
A muttered spell, and she murmured, "Try again, dear."
Harry opened his eyes slowly, wincing only a small bit at the low lighting.
"I imagine you're feeling rather dreadful, young man," she commented, running her wand over him.
"What's wrong with me?" he asked, coughing rather violently. She helped him sip at a cup of water, the cold liquid heavensent to Harry's sore throat.
"Wizard Flu," Madam Pomfrey informed him, shaking her head at him. "Why on earth didn't you come and see me when you had a temperature?"
"I… didn't notice one," Harry replied, frowning.
"What's the last thing you remember?" she asked, her brow furrowing.
"Erm. I was in the library, studying Charms, I think. After dinner."
She nodded, though her frown remained. "You were brought to me on Thursday evening, Madam Pince found you collapsed in the Library. I'm not sure how you missed the temperature, Potter, you should have felt like you were on fire."
Snape's words floated through Harry's mind.
Potter, you could damage your mind.
It was then he noticed his Occlumency barriers had completely fallen away. He attempted to raise them, but it immediately made his head pound so he stopped, flinching.
"The potion we have you on should help alleviate the pain within the next few hours, Potter, but I'm afraid you're going to be with me for a few days yet."
Harry nodded, not overly bothered by an extended visit to the hospital wing. It would give him extra chance to study, he supposed, once the headache left.
"How long have I been here?" he asked, pushing himself up the bed a little bit.
"Three days," she replied, offering him more water, which he gladly accepted. "You should try and go back to sleep, Harry. The more rest you get, the better you'll heal."
He nodded, relaxing back into the pillows. As his eyes fell shut, he could have sworn he saw a black figure appear at the bottom of his bed.
When Harry woke next, it was dark in the hospital wing, the only light coming from a few candles bracketed on the wall.
He grabbed his glasses from the bedside table and pushed himself into a sitting position. He was still achy, but nowhere near what he had been the first time he'd awoken.
He blinked with surprise when he saw Snape sitting in the chair beside his bed, watching him with a calm air about him.
"Feeling better?"
The words were softly spoken and, dare Harry even think it, kind?
He nodded, not knowing what to say. Without his occlumency to block out useless thoughts and his emotions, he was at a loss as to how to deal with his Professor - his soulmate.
"Your barriers are down," Snape commented. It wasn't a question.
Harry narrowed his eyes.
"I won't look inside your mind, Harry, relax. But, I would like to speak with you openly while you are… all present."
Harry frowned. "What do you mean?"
"I mean that you've been ghosting around the school for months, Potter. I mean, that the you that everybody loves has been absent. I mean, that you locked most of yourself away in little boxes and that's not only dangerous, but it's a horrible process for everyone else to watch."
Harry tilted his head. "I've been to every class, I've been at meals -"
"Your body might have been present but your mind has been in a little box. You can't do that, Potter, it's not living."
"Why do you even care?" Harry snapped.
"Of course I care," Snape replied, rolling his eyes. "We might not be fairytale lovers, Potter, but you are my soulmate. Not only that, but I have known you and watched you grow into the young man you are, and to see you as anything less than you, is a crime against nature."
Harry was shocked to say the least. He leant back in his bed, considering his words carefully. "I never wanted 'fairytale lovers', you know? Just… perhaps not open hatred."
"I don't hate you," Severus muttered plainly. "I was… hurt. So I lashed out."
"You were hurt?" Harry asked, gobsmacked. "By what?"
"Do you have any idea how long I waited to find out who my soulmate was? How long I spent wondering if it was someone who'd died young, during the war, or… I was alone for so long, Potter. And then, you were there, and I finally, finally had a mark.
"And yet… you didn't acknowledge it at all. You left the dream without even a single word, and you didn't owl me. Didn't come to me when you reached the school, didn't even tell your friends about me. How did you think I was going to react to that?"
Harry was stunned into silence for a few moments. He'd never once thought about how it would look to Snape, but then…
"You told me off for being in your dream," he murmured. "You said you couldn't even get any peace from me in your dreams."
"Which should tell you that I'd been thinking about you while I was awake, no?"
"I… didn't think of it like that," Harry admitted.
Severus shook his head. "Of course you didn't. Just, please, Potter. No more ridiculous barriers, okay?"
Harry nodded. "I won't. I promise."
He'd never heard Snape say please for anyone or anything before; it was clearly important to the man. He was brought from his thoughts when he heard Snape moving.
He found the older man stepping away from the chair he'd been sitting in.
"Where…" he cut himself off, lest he made a fool of himself. Snape had said he didn't hate him; he hadn't suddenly declared his love and commitment.
"You need to rest, Potter. Go back to sleep."
"I'm… sorry," Harry murmured. "It truly wasn't my intention to hurt your feelings. Honestly, I thought you'd be glad to be rid of me."
Snape nodded his head to acknowledge the apology.
"I'm not saying I think we should… be anything. But maybe we can… try? And get to know each other, I mean? Be… friends?"
"Perhaps. You leave Hogwarts in a few short weeks, Potter."
Harry nodded. "I know. I'm planning to travel for the summer, before I go to Merlin."
Snape nodded, a small smile on his lips.
"Maybe… we could write?" Harry offered. "While I'm away and at Uni, I mean."
"If you should write to me, Harry, then I will always reply."
The words held promise and as Harry watched Snape walk out of the hospital wing, he thought, that perhaps, there was hope for if nothing else, an amicable relationship with his soulmate.
It might not be 'fairytale love' but it was certainly better than hatred.
Dear Professor Snape,
I'm currently in the South of France and the weather is beautiful. I'm sitting in a tiny cafe eating chocolate bread, and drinking iced tea, and I'm somewhat tempted to just move here and be done.
I spent a long time wondering what I was supposed to write in this letter, after all, I'm supposed to be trying to get to know you and you me, but then, I think you already know quite a lot about me.
You know what my childhood was like, you know what I went through with Voldemort. You know what my marks at school were like and who my friends are.
So I'm at a little bit of a loss.
I thought about telling you about the places I'm seeing and the things I've visited but, you know, pick up a guide book, it'll probably explain to you a lot more than I could - a lot more eloquently too, I'd bet.
Instead, I thought I could maybe learn a little bit more about you. Where you live when you're not at Hogwarts, what you like to do, besides potions of course.
Who is your favourite author and why, and do you like music.
Back to basics, you know?
So, my favourite Author, and no, I haven't read too many books outside of text books for a long time, is Stephen King. I've picked up a couple of his books since I began travelling, and since I decided to travel the muggle way, they've helped quell the boredom on the plane journeys.
I love listening to music, although I don't have a favourite at all - I just like melodies. Perhaps I should try an instrument. Do you play any instruments?
I hope you're having a good, peaceful, summer, wherever you are.
Sincerely,
Harry Potter.
Harry,
I think, now that I'm not your professor and since we are attempting to get to know one another, you should call me Severus.
I was surprised to receive a letter off you so soon; I rather thought you would be far too busy exploring the world beyond Hogwarts now that you finally have the chance to do so.
Not that I'm complaining, you understand.
You are correct, in that I know quite a lot about you, but I know more what made you, you, rather than who you are. I would like to rectify that.
So, you asked where I live when not residing at Hogwarts. The answer is that I live at Hogwarts year round, I'm afraid. I have a house, left to me by my parents, in a town named Spinners End, but it has fallen into a terrible state of disrepair and I've never had the will to set it right.
My home is Hogwarts, a sentiment which I'm sure you could empathise with.
I quite enjoy Stephen King myself, which books have you read of his so far? I could recommend a couple if you would like? I also find myself a fan of the classics, Shakespeare, Tolkien and Dickens, to name but a few.
I have no idea of what is popular when music is concerned, but I do like to listen to classical music in the evenings, and I know my way around a violin. Perhaps I will play for you one day.
As to what I like to do when not teaching or making potions, I believe I've just told you. I like to read, and listen to classical music by the fire, occasionally with a glass of fine wine.
I am a simple man at heart, Harry. I enjoy the simple pleasures in life.
I hope you are having a good time wherever you are,
Yours,
Severus Snape.
Harry was nervous. He'd spent three and a half months at Merlin University and he loved it, but it was time for the Christmas holidays, and he was going home. Or rather, he was spending Christmas Eve at Hogwarts.
He was seeing Severus for the first time since he'd left Hogwarts.
The two of them had written back and forth while Harry had been travelling, and even more so while Harry was at Merlin, although most of those letters had been Harry talking about dying from the workload and Severus recommending reference books.
Harry was greeted cheerfully by his old teachers when he arrived, all asking him how he was getting on with University life and if he was enjoying his classes. Severus wasn't present.
Harry was chatting happily with Dumbledore when Severus finally arrived. When their eyes met, Harry felt his cheeks heat with a blush and cursed himself when he saw Severus' cheeks tip up in a smirk.
Dumbledore stepped away, falling immediately into conversation with Professor McGonagall. Harry stepped forward towards Snape, who held his arm out to gesture Harry over to him.
"It's good to see you," Severus greeted when Harry neared him.
Harry smiled nervously and nodded. "You too."
It seemed awkward, now that they were face to face again, and there was a long pause before Harry snorted out a giggle.
"We should probably learn to talk face to face as well as on paper, huh?"
Severus laughed nodding. "Apparently so. Come with me? I have a bottle of wine and a record for you to listen to - and of course, your Christmas present."
Harry grinned, patting the bag that hung from his shoulder. "I have one for you too."
They walked down to the dungeons, slowly falling into the easy banter they'd gained from the letters, and Harry found himself relaxing and enjoying himself.
Severus played the record, and they each sat on one end of the sofa, turned towards each other, as they exchanged presents.
"You're forever telling me that you're cold, so…" Severus trailed off, waving his hand at the box. Inside was a beautifully made emerald travelling cloak, that Harry was certain would keep him lovely and warm against the cold winter. It would certainly help against the chilly morning walk across campus.
Harry smiled. "Thank you," he said earnestly, stroking the velvety material. "It's wonderful."
He was pleased to see a touch of colour appear on Severus' cheeks. Handing over the box containing Severus' gift, Harry held his breath. He really hoped he'd gotten it right.
Severus opened the box carefully, pulling the lid off. Harry watched his eyes widen and he stroked his fingertips over the cover of the book inside.
"How?" he asked quietly.
"You mentioned it in the letter you sent while I was in Portugal. I went into an old bookshop, and he had one of the few copies."
Severus reverently pulled the book from the box, gently caressing the words that said Mystick Magick Potions on the front.
"Thank you, Harry."
Harry nodded happily, pleased that his gift had been well received.
They spent the rest of the evening talking and when Harry fell asleep on the sofa, content and feeling surprisingly safe, Severus covered him with a blanket and placed a soft kiss to his temple before retiring to his bedroom.
Dear Sev,
I'm so ready for summer, I can't wait to go and explore the world some more - and it'll be all the better with you there to enjoy it with me.
(I've attached the revised travel plans - complete with flight times.)
Classes are almost over, I just have two more exams, to get through and then the leaving feast.
Anyway, I gotta shoot to the library, but I'll see you in a week!
Harry.
Severus was waiting for Harry at the main doors, and even as he walked across the grounds, Harry could see the small smile playing on his lips.
Dropping his bag to the ground, Harry ran the last bit, his arms lifting to wrap around Severus' neck as the older man lifted him sightly in a hug.
"I missed you," Harry murmured, pulling back.
"I missed you too, Potter," Severus replied, pressing a chaste kiss to Harry's cheek. "Now, think we can escape before the Headmaster comes out and wants to catch up?"
Harry laughed, looking over Severus' shoulder. "Probably not."
"He's right behind me, isn't he?"
Harry nodded, biting his lip. "Yep."
"Dammit."
Severus didn't like flying. Taking off, he gripped the arm of his chair so tight, Harry told him to be careful of snapping it off.
But now that they were in the air, and Harry was drooling slightly on his shoulder, he thought that he could get used to it.
"It's a pyramid."
"Yes, I can see that, twit, but its -"
"No. Severus. We've looked at four pyramids. It's hot. I'm about to melt into a sticky puddle. I can't do anymore pyramids."
"It'll be cool inside."
"Lead on."
"It's so beautiful," Harry murmured, looking up at the stars from where they sat on a blanket, on a grassy hill.
Severus nodded. "Yes."
When Harry looked at Severus, his eyes were firmly fixed on Harry.
"I think we got this soulmate business down now, Sev," Harry whispered. When he leaned forward, Severus claimed their first kiss, his lips and hands gentle.
Harry grasped Severus' hand with his own and gasped when he felt a the familiar whisper along his skin. His doe hadn't been moving around much lately, she'd settled into the crook of his elbow and seemed content to remain there.
They both looked down at their bare arms, and as Harry's doe moved to the back of his hand, Severus' stag did the same. In the blink of an eye, Harry's doe had moved from Harry's hand to Severus, and they watched in awe as the two deer wound around each other, greeting one another like long lost loves, which, Harry supposed, they were.
"I love you, Harry."
Harry looked up to meet Severus' eyes and smiled. "I love you too."
The doe and stag never parted again, though they freely wandered from Harry to Severus as they pleased when their humans had skin contact. They were never confined to one body for long.