Harry knocked on the door of Severus' office. He waited patiently, pointedly ignoring the memories of doing precisely this as a student, to be invited in. When the call to enter came, he opened the door and stepped inside, closing the door just as quickly. He opened the book in his hand to the place where he'd tucked his notes into the pages.

"Severus, I need your help," He said in annoyance. "Master Ailin has me researching this damn nonsense about the original uses of Animagi, and I can't find anything in the library that dates back far enough on the subject."

Harry looked up to see Severus smirking a little endearingly. "I wonder, does she come up with these queries at random?"

The Gryffindor chuckled appreciatively. "Sometimes I wonder," He agreed. "But I think this one is actually important. She's writing an article for some Defense journal in Egypt, where another Master has claimed that Animagi originated under Pharoah's law. Master Ailin knows for a fact that it originated in Ancient Greece, but she wants me to find the evidence to back-up her claim. She says if I find enough evidence, dates and all, I can write and post the rebuttal myself, as my first independent work, but I've run out of ideas. I have my own text detailing the first recorded mention of Egyptian Animagi, which I bought while we were in Egypt over the summer, but I have no idea where to get the opposing Greek texts. I just heard back from Flourish and Blotts that they don't have any idea, and I don't exactly have friends in Greece that I can call up to ask them to check the bookstores there."

Severus continued to smirk as he stood. "It is lucky for you, then, that I have such differing interests. Come."

Harry grinned as he followed the Potions Master a little apprehensively into the man's quarters. It was the first time he'd been in here, and he looked around unabashedly. "That's me, Severus, chalk full of dumb luck."

"Indeed," Severus answered with a dark chuckle. He moved over to a row of bookshelves beside his fireplace. He pulled a text off of one shelf almost at random. "This should suit your purposes."

Harry's grin widened as Severus turned back to where he was standing in the open doorway between the Potions Master's office and living quarters. He held out the text, and Harry moved further into the room. He took the book and tucked into his arm atop his own Egyptian text.

"Thank you, Severus, I can't tell you how much I appreciate your help. I hated the idea of returning to Master Ailin empty-handed."

Severus surprised him by taking the books from his hands and setting them aside on the arm of a nearby chair. Harry gasped slightly when he was drawn into the long-armed embrace.

"I do require a small repayment for my help," Severus levied.

Harry chuckled. "Is that right? Well, I haven't any money on me, Professor, and I've done my days of cauldron cleaning."

Severus raised an aristocratic eyebrow with a playful smirk. "Then I suppose a kiss must suffice me. Unless you would prefer I exact my pound of flesh some other way?"

"A kiss sounds perfectly acceptable," Harry murmured as he leaned up on the balls of his feet. He wrapped his arms around the man's stiff neck as the man leaned down to meet him halfway.

Harry moaned softly as their lips met in a sensual pressing of flesh. He immediately opened his mouth invitingly as his eyes slid shut. Severus took the invitation willingly and deepened the kiss. Soon, the sensual innocence descended into a passionate clawing. Harry felt his body respond, the usual fire setting his nerve-endings alight wherever their bodies met through their stifling robes. He pressed against the man, finding an answering pressure, and knowing he wanted more but not knowing how to ask. Before the answer came to him, a distant knock intruded on their private moment. Severus pulled away with a groan of annoyance, and Harry laid his head against the firm chest, breathing heavily. The knock came again.

"It is likely a student," Severus muttered in distaste. "Except for your Master, everyone else knows to enter and try knocking on the door to my rooms if I don't respond immediately."

Harry nodded. "S'good to know for the future. Do the rules apply to me as well?"

Severus smirked down at him. "Hardly," He said smoothly. "Should you ever find you have need of me, you may come here at will."

Harry smirked as well. "Careful, Severus. I'm a Gryffindor, I may take you up on that."

Severus leaned down and Harry closed his eyes as he enjoyed a chaste kiss.

"Would you join me for dinner this Friday?" Severus asked softly.

Harry frowned; Friday was Halloween. "Do you mean the feast?"

"No," Severus answered. "We are required to attend the feast, but my intentions were for afterwards. You could meet me at the gates, and we could walk together to Hogsmeade for our own private celebration."

"I can do that," Harry agreed, smiling. "What time?"

"It would have to be a late dinner, considering the feast. What say you to 9'o'clock? It would give the majority of the students time enough to adjourn to their respective common rooms."

"What about your Slytherins?" Harry asked as there came a third, impatient knock from the office.

Severus growled slightly over Harry's head at the open door into his office. "They would survive a few hours of my absence. Though, if that is one of mine, he or she may not survive this night."

Harry pulled out of Severus' arms, knowing he could have stayed there for hours, knock or no, and picked up his texts. "It's a date, then."

He leaned up and pressed another kiss to Severus' thin lips for good measure before they both moved back into the office. Severus resumed his place behind his desk. They shared a tender look of adoration before he called for the persistent student to enter. Harry snorted slightly when his Master, rather than a student, opened the door.

"Goodness," Master Ailin said, chuckling. "I come here to ask if you've seen my apprentice, and lo I find you're holding him captive, Severus."

Harry chuckled, as well, as Severus scowled. "Actually, I've been in the library the last several hours. I just came down to see if Severus had some books that might help me with my research. Turns out he did."

"Harry, you look positively disheveled!" Master Ailin accused, narrowing her eyes playfully.

Harry blushed. "Well, you know what they say, Master. What goes on in the library stacks, stays in the library stacks."

Master Ailin laughed warmly. "Well, whatever it was, I hope you got the better end. Come, I found something interesting while I was going through some old things that I want to see if you can identify. A sign of a good Defense Master is one who can identify artifacts both of the Dark Arts and that defend against them. Thank you, Severus, for whatever help you've offered my young apprentice. I daresay, I've never seen anyone go to such lengths for research as he typically does."

"Think nothing of it, Professor Achesan," Severus replied smoothly. "It is an honor to assist someone so dedicated to their craft as Mister Potter is."

"Dedicated, fanatical," Master Ailin said, giggling. "Really, what's the difference? Thank you again, Severus. And please, call me Ailin. I actually think we've done this a few times before. Come along, Harry, there's testing to be done."

Harry nodded as his master turned to leave. He looked back at Severus and smiled. "Friday?"

Severus offered up a small half-smile that made the Gryffindor's heart flutter.

"Indeed."