Harry couldn't believe he'd lost his notes. He was almost completely sure he'd packed them when he'd left the Library, but they had been annoyingly absent by the time he'd reached his rooms. Now he was walking back, hoping Madame Pince hadn't banished three hours of work as simple trash.
Master Ailin had announced a deadline for this most recent essay, something she'd never done previously, and he had only two days left to write down everything he'd discovered about Nifflers in some semblance of prose. Harry stopped curiously as he caught something out of the corner of his eye. He turned to see Hogwart's Potions Master and Head of Slytherin leaning casually in the doorway of an abandoned classroom, holding out a scroll.
"Would you, by chance, be searching for these?" Severus asked, wagging the parchment in his hand.
Harry frowned and reached for the notes, only to have them pulled out of his reach. "How did you-"
"You should really be more aware of your surroundings, Mister Potter," Severus remarked.
Harry scowled and reached again for his notes. "Severus, I really have a lot of work to do."
Again, the notes were held out of reach, and Harry followed them irritably, stepping towards the Head of Slytherin. Severus allowed Harry to take his notes, which were immediately stuffed into his bag, and instead grabbed Harry by the lapel of his robes, dragging him into the abandoned classroom. Harry frowned as the door was kicked shut and he was pressed back against it. His frown deepened as his bag was lifted over his head and dropped haphazardly onto the ground.
"Severus, I really don't have time for this."
A warm hand cupped his head while the other gripped his hip almost bruisingly.
"Surely you can spare a moment, Harry." Severus breathed.
Harry melted into the kiss that immediately set his skin alight with need. He'd taken to calling these rare kisses as Severus' "claiming" kisses, as they were always slightly possessive and usually took place after too much time had passed between them. Severus pulled away, smirking when Harry tried to follow.
"I could spare a moment or two," Harry murmured, snagging his fingers in the thick robes and dragging the man hard against him.
Severus followed his "claiming" kiss with one Harry had begun to associate with teasing, where his body moved just enough against Harry to hint at a delicious friction that sparked up Harry's spine like lightning. This time, though, Harry was having none of it. He was stressed, overworked, and right now what he needed was not torture that would only add to his frustration. The Gryffindor pressed Severus back, the Potions Master stumbling only slightly until he was pressed back against the dusty teacher's desk at the front of the room. Harry ground his hips forward, standing on the balls of his feet for proper leverage, and hissed at the sensation this caused.
Severus pulled away slightly. "Harry-"
"Please," Harry moaned needily, grinding forward again.
He felt Severus tense against him hesitantly before he found himself turned so that he was being pressed over the desk. The kiss Severus instigated now was full of raw passion and Harry groaned wantonly into it. This was what he needed. Without even realizing that the man had begun, Harry groaned again as the Potions Master finished unbuttoning his shirt under his open robes. A firm hand swept over his exposed chest before reaching under the shirt to claw at his back, drawing Harry hard against the firm body. Severus ground against him, one hand poised on the desk for better leverage than Harry could ever have hoped for.
Harry gasped as the Potions Master drew away to sink his teeth into the junction between his neck and shoulder. It hurt, but it also felt incredible, and Harry buried his hands into the lank, black hair of his former professor as he gasped desperately for air that refused to fill his lungs. He moaned frustratedly, feeling his eyes well-up slightly. He could feel himself dangling just on the edge, but a deeper need kept him from falling over the precipice.
"Ah, Severus, please," He cried into the still air of the classroom.
Severus growled darkly, consuming Harry's lips once more as his hand slithered from Harry's back to his stomach. With a flick of talented fingers, Harry felt his pants button loosen. He pressed against the fingers that ripped his zipper down roughly, but soon they were gone. He had a moment to mourn the loss of the near-contact he desperately needed before long fingers plunged into his skivvies to take him in hand. He cried out roughly as his body convulsed on the edge. Before long, the feel of calloused, potion-stained fingers against his burning rod, expertly tugging and gliding, had him plunging head first into the dark abyss.
It was by far the strongest orgasm Harry had ever experienced as his vision darkened to black. He knew distantly that his hips were convulsing into Severus' hand, and that he'd shouted the man's name, but this was all unimportant in the face of blinding clarity. In the next moment, the clarity was gone, and he collapsed in exhaustion against the shoulder of his companion. They were both breathing heavily, and it took Harry a moment to wonder why. He knew why he couldn't catch his breath, but Severus had seemed in complete control before now.
Feeling a little guilty over having gotten all of the attention, Harry reached down for Severus' belt a little tiredly. Strong hands curled around his wrists, stopping him before he'd even reached the waist of the man's trousers. He frowned up at Severus in consternation.
"But, you-"
"No," Severus said, placing a chaste kiss on Harry's lips.
Harry pulled away guiltily, realizing exactly what just happened. He scooted back onto the desk he was pressed against and wrapped his arms around his exposed chest and abdomen, hugging himself coldly. He found he couldn't bring himself to look up into the angry or disappointed black gaze.
"I'm sorry," Harry mumbled morosely. He didn't think he'd ever felt like crying more than he did now, but he absolutely refused to let that happen.
The Gryffindor resisted the urge to pull away, disgusted with himself, when a firm finger and thumb on his chin guided him to look up and around into the confused, caring, ebony eyes. Despite the lack of negative feeling in the dark look, he did not feel the weighty guilt on his heart lighten. He cast his eyes away sullenly.
"Whatever for, Harry?"
Harry frowned, looking back up into the Potions Master's onyx gaze. "For pushing you?" It had been intended as a statement, but chose instead to be a question as it left his lips. "You tried to say 'no', and I just kept on. I pressured you into it…and now you don't even want me to touch you."
Severus raised an imperious eyebrow and grabbed Harry's hand, lifting it to press against his cheek. "You're touching me now," Severus said meaningfully. Harry stared at him, unconvinced. "Harry, I tried to say 'no' before only because I didn't want the first time we did something of this sort to happen in an old, dusty classroom. And I said 'no' just now, not because I do not crave your touch, but because this was entirely about your needs. You did nothing wrong, and you should never feel guilty about asking me for something you want. I will always give to you, if it is mine to give."
Harry let a small, bashful smile creep onto his lips. "A-actually…since we're, you know, on the subject, I really want more than this. But…the last time I asked you sort of blew me off."
Severus smirked, touching a reddened cheek. "Harry…that was very near the beginning. It would hardly have been sporting of me to take your virginity before either of us knew the depth of your commitment."
Harry frowned, only a little playfully. "And, of course, your commitment was never in question," He admonished, thinking that he'd been questioning exactly that the last several months.
Severus offered up a tender kiss that was so sweet and meaningful, Harry felt his heart skip a beat. "Never."
Harry sighed lightly as he was kissed again. It wasn't exactly post-coital bliss, but it was near enough, and he slid his hand from a gaunt cheek into the black hair he was growing to love the feel of. When Severus pulled away again, Harry felt leagues better about what they'd just done. He managed another bashful smile as Severus studied him intently.
"Why don't you come to my rooms over the Easter break?" He invited thoughtfully. "The students are usually too busy with their homework during the holiday to be much trouble, we could possibly steal away the entire week without fear of interruption, save the Headmaster."
Harry felt himself blush again. "D'you mean, come to your rooms for…you know…that?" He wanted to smack himself for sounding like a twelve year old girl, but there was no helping it.
Severus smirked a little mischievously. "I should refuse until you can say the word without blushing," He teased.
Harry chuckled. "That's not fair. I can't help my naivety."
Severus offered up a dark chuckle as he placed a tender kiss on Harry's lips. "Very well, Mister Potter, I forfeit the argument." He paused, leaning his forehead against Harry's. "I must away," He sighed regrettably. "I really do have mountains of marking to do, and I believe you have a paper to write. I'll see you at dinner."
Harry nodded, melting into the farewell kiss, and watched the Potions Master leave the room discreetly. He stood with a wistful sigh and began writing himself. He was in the midst of re-tucking his shirt when it occurred to him that Severus had never actually said why he was being invited down to the man's rooms. He'd asked, but Severus had skillfully evaded the answer by reminding Harry of one of his own shortcomings. The Gryffindor sighed and added a little extra shrug as he slipped into his robes. It was about time to give up on getting straight answers out of the Potions Master. There was only one thing Harry knew for sure about his future with Severus, be it the coming weeks or the coming years: There were no promises.