Title: The Ties That Bind

Beta: She's wonderful, she's amazing, she's on vacation (gasp, I know), she's Shadowfax999!! I love her- and she loves this chapter. I dunno- she keeps saying that she doesn't have enough work to do when I send her things... should I be evil and mess up a bit? LOL- no, I'd never do that to her.

Authours Note: Below, and yeah, it's a short chap, I know... but there's SMUT! lol!

Summary/ Warning: Dom/ Sub, HGRW, PPBZ, RLSB, LVBL …and of course HPSS.

Chapter 8: Maintaining the Discipline

:Parseltongue:

"Conversational thoughts"

Private thoughts, shared memories

It was early the next morning when Harry woke to persistent hissing. Scrubbing at his eyes with one hand and reaching for his glasses with the other, he was finally able to make sense of the snake.

:Your sister is in the living room.: When the snake realized Harry was awake, he added :She's getting impatient.:

Grumbling, Harry stood slowly so as to not wake Severus and stretched, sighing as muscles relaxed and knots released. As he dressed, he looked at the snake (who he vaguely recalled as being Severus' favourite), and mumbled a sleepy :Thanks:. Then he walked softly over to the door, easing it open and slipping through, grimacing as it creaked. He froze, and when he took the chance to listen to his mate, and found that he was still deeply asleep.

He turned and stumbled into the living room, stopping to look for Hermione. When he found her, she was standing in front of Sscazzs and watching in astonishment as he twisted and twirled in on himself without knotting, no matter what shape he took. Harry let out a low laugh, and Hermione glanced over at him for a brief moment before turning back to the snake.

"He's amazing," she breathed, and added after a second "What is he?"

"His name is Sscazzs and he's in love with you." Harry said as he listened to the snakes excited hissing. He laughed again. "Have you been feeding him the 'you're an amazing magical creature who should be revered above all else' bit?" That got her attention, and she spun to face him in high dudgeon.

"Harry James Potter! How dare you say such a thing! I never-" she cut herself off at the site of his laughing eyes and crossed her arms, huffing.

"I don't know why I bother," she said, "You don't appreciate me anyway." Harry, still chuckling, came over and pulled her into a one- armed hug.

"I love you. You know that, right?"

She grumbled at him, "You better be glad I do."

He smiled at her, and turned to look for the bag she had brought him. "What did you bring me?" he said, rummaging through it.

"Oh, the usual," she replied casually. "Birth Control, make- up, feminine hygiene products. The works." His horrified face had her hooting with laughter.

"Why I oughta," he started to chase after Hermione, threatening to strangle her, and she fled merrily, still chuckling at his face.

"While this is most heart- warming, I must say I do not agree with the practice of disturbing another's slumber. It is a quarter of six in the morning on a Monday," A sleep- roughened voice interrupted, and they turned to see Severus with a slightly pained expression on his face. "Why would you possibly feel the need to run around screaming like grindylows now when you will do it all day anyway?"

Harry and Hermione stopped immediately upon hearing Snape's voice. Harry was faintly apologetic for waking his mate up, but he heard the smallest hint of what might possibly be amusement under the tired and elegant voice, so he just smiled and ogled Severus. Hermione, on the other hand, was attempting to look anywhere besides her Professor's body. What was not covered by the open black silk shirt and matching bottoms.

"Sorry, Professor." Hermione replied. "I had to bring Harry his stuff, and we got a little carried away."

Snape glanced at her as if contemplating the importance of her presence, and then sighed. He scrubbed his face with his palms, and tuned away, telling Harry silently, "When you're done with Ms. Granger, come back to bed." He disappeared into the bedroom stating, "It's cold," and slammed the door shut behind him for affect.

Hermione's eyes were wide as she turned to look at Harry. "Did I offend him?" She had had such hopes to learn from Professor Snape, and was terrified to think that she could have lost that chance. But Harry eased her fears shortly, grinning at the bedroom door distractedly.

"Nah, he's just cold." He turned back to his sister, and gave her a short, strong hug before walking with her to the back of Ssselevesssa's portrait.

"Thank you for the stuff," he said, holding the door open after asking Ssselevesssa if there was anyone nearby and getting a negative, "Go back to bed and get some sleep. We still have another two hours or so before breakfast." Hermione nodded, and stepped out of the opening in the wall into the hallway.

"I'll see you later, Harry. You owe me." Her voice trailed off as she walked down the hall, and Harry shut the door with a smile on his face. He did indeed owe her.

As he walked back through the rooms, he listened in on his mates mind, and a small smile flitted over his face at Severus' thoughts. … taking his bloody time, my feet are freezing… I don't want to do a warming charm, I want him… Severus rolled over and snuggled deeper into the covers, trying to find warmth. …hurry up, Potter, if you're listening to me I'm COLD!

Harry stifled a smile as he opened the door and climbed back into bed with the older man, wrapping his body around Severus and tucking the sheets around them firmly. "I'm right here. Go back to sleep." He slid his arms around the man and rested his head on a shoulder as Severus tucked his frozen feet into Harry's calves. They slid back into sleep, each enjoying the feel of the others body.

"Harry, wake up," Severus shook the younger man, slightly annoyed by his persistence in staying unconscious. He kept up his shaking until the other finally grumbled and sat up, glaring at Severus with intense dislike in his eyes.

"I don' wanna get up yet." He mumbled, still more than half asleep. His mate just grunted, and threw a towel at the black- haired boy, gesturing for him to lead the way out of the room.

A rushed shower and separated dressings later, and the two of them were ready to go, Harry finally fully awake. Severus waited until Ssselevesssa had told Harry it was clear before opening the door and allowing them both to exit. He didn't relax until they were well away from the dungeons, and only then did he turn to make sure Harry was still with him. He stopped when he saw the expression gracing his mate's face, and turned into an alcove to see what was wrong.

Harry followed dully, knowing they were going to be early. He knew why Severus was hurrying, there was no reason to make anyone suspect anything- and he agreed- but this goddamned need to touch and kiss and caress the other man was maddening. So he masked his expression with the dull, bored look he had perfected after more than six years in school. Harry wasn't listening in on the thoughts at the back of Severus' mind, so he didn't know until Severus actually turned a corner that he was going to. But Harry dutifully followed.

Turning so the sulky boy was in front of him, Severus asked, "Well, what is it?" Harry just looked away. He knew Severus didn't want any of their relationship to be made public, and he thought that if Severus knew he was cranky because they hadn't so much as kissed once in the new day he would be disgusted- and probably annoyed- that the teenager couldn't control his hormones for a few minutes. So he kept quiet.

Severus waited for a moment, and then sighed distractedly as he checked the time. We're going to be late for breakfast if he keeps this up.

Harry's head whipped up and he stared at Severus in shock. Does he think I'm doing this to get attention!? I'll show him then, what's happening to me. Consequences be damned.

Severus barely had time to react to Harry's incredulous stare, the thought what did I do?, did flit through his head before the boy pushed him against the wall and forced their lips together. As his mouth was being plundered, despite the fact that it felt so good, Harry pushed into his mind an echo of the urges he had been feeling all morning. Severus groaned low in his throat as Harry detached his mouth from his lips and moved it to his neck, lost in the sensations flicking through his body and the impulses Harry was feeding him.

Severus let his head drop against the wall as Harry licked and sucked his neck, his fiery tongue leaving behind a burning path as he moved across his mate's pale, delectable skin. The images Harry was feeding him danced through his mind, weaving a tangled web of heat, arousal, and need as Severus finally understood what Harry went through.

A hushed whimper forced its way out of his throat as Harry replaced the memory of the instinctual needs with that of more primal urges, and his hand pressed against unruly black hair as Harry returned his lips to his mate's mouth, slipping his tongue easily between the partially opened lips.

The kiss grew in intensity; both needing the contact now and Harry slid his hand slowly down to Severus' groin, smiling as Severus broke the kiss to throw his head back at the unexpected but entirely welcomed contact. Harry bit into the fair neck exposed to him, and sucked the skin into the moist cavern of his mouth as he stroked Severus, gradually increasing the speed of his hand until Severus was panting and whimpering from the sensations. Emerald eyes gleamed as he released the once snowy skin, leaning back to watch his mate's face.

Normally pale features were flushed pink with pleasure and cold black eyes shone warm and glazed from beneath heavy lids. His own dick increasingly hardened as Severus' breath came in short, ragged gasps, and as Harry moved his hand faster experimentally, Severus' eyes rolled back into his head with the force of the sensations Harry was giving him.

Harry sank into Severus' mind and settled into the still new familiarity of it. He was almost overwhelmed by the feelings flowing through the teacher's body, and he grinned as he realized that Severus no longer cared about anything other than the here and now.

His hand sped up of its own accord, and grounded his mate's cock hard through the rough material of his trousers, running up and down the length of it, exciting the burning bliss his mate felt, bringing the man closer and closer to the edge.

With one final rough drag, Severus came, hard, Harry stroking his pulsing member, bringing out the last drops and massaging the softening cock. Severus just breathed for a few minutes, recovering from the orgasm as Harry still rubbed him, for comfort now, not stimulation. As he got his breath back, Severus looked down into his mate's satisfied eyes and raised an eyebrow.

"Well," he stated, "I guess we'll just have to wake up earlier." Harry grinned, and as he stepped away gave his mate one last caress before letting go completely.

"Well, now you see why I was so… dull… weird… before." Severus nodded, then pulled his wand out and cleaned himself up, looking at Harry in question.

But Harry shook his head to the silent inquiry and answered "I'm fine." And he was. Now that he had satisfied the demon that had taken up residence in his body, he could deal with the erection straining to get free from his pants. His school robes hid it, anyway.

Severus called out Tempus to check the time, and chuckled as they read it. "Eight minutes? And we'll still be on time." Harry smiled, not saying anything for fear of spoiling Severus' good mood. He had always known they would be early, but whatever. He'd gotten what he'd needed, and he was happy. He watched silently as his mate checked himself over, looking for anything that might be out of place or rumpled and smiled in satisfaction when Severus asked him silently if he looked alright.

Harry reached up with his hand and ran the very tip of a gentle finger over one of the bruises he'd left on his mate's neck, and his eyes gleamed as Severus shivered from the contact.

The black- eyed man grimaced as he realized why he'd trembled. "Tell me, Harry, do I have the indignity of displaying a hickey on my neck?"

Harry smiled unrepentantly at the older man. "Yes," he replied, "I like them." And to prove it, he brushed his thumb over the mark and smirked when Severus shuddered again.

But he pulled his hand away and let Severus cast glamour spell on the marks, since hickeys were notoriously resistant to healing spells, and said "Now you look like the Professor Snape we all know and fear." He snorted quietly in response to Severus' silent, snide answer to that statement, and gestured for his mate to precede him. "I know the way from here, Severus. It would be best if you arrived first anyway."

The teacher walked out of the alcove like he owned the world, and Harry stared after him with hunger in his gaze as he picked up his bag from where it had fallen. Later, later, later. I can get him later.

A sudden thought caught him as he was about to leave the shadowed niche, and he froze. I wonder if I can get detention. Harry shook his head at himself. I'm reduced to wanting detention… wonderful.

He left the alcove and walked towards the Great Hall confidently, hitching his bag higher onto his shoulder, and desperately trying not to laugh at Severus' already pissed off, death- threat laden thoughts.

So here it is, a bit short but SMUTTY. So it's all good, right? LOL- anyway, do any of you read Drarry's? I've got a one shot called 'One Fine Line' in the works, and almost finished, but I wanna let people know it's coming. :)

So, lovelys, I hope I've made the beginning of your week that much better, and I hope you've enjoyed it!

Netrixie