Disclaimer: I don't own anything of Harry Potter.
Note: Thanks for the reviews and sorry for the long wait. I know that it has been a long time but I've been busy. Let's begin.
"Harry, dear, you know that you are more than welcome, and Severus as well, to come and stay with us?" Harry shook his head as he glanced up from his packing. Mrs. Weasley was standing in front of him, looking straight at him as if she could implore him with her eyes to return to the Burrow with her.
He forced a smile to his face and said, strengthened by the feeling of sheer resolution and conviction coming from the bond.
"Thank you for the offer, Mrs. Weasley but I think it is for the best if Severus and I go to Grimauld Place. We would not wish to crowd the Burrow."
Harry knew that Severus hated to rely on others and while the offer had been made in kind, Severus would rather stay in Sirius' house than to come to the Burrow.
"We have adequate space for some extra guests." Mrs. Weasley's smile was tight and Harry immediately said.
"I don't mean it like that, Mrs. Weasley but I have grown used to having my own place. It would feel weird to share now. And if it was just me then I would do it in a heartbeat…." After thinking it over carefully. "…But I have to respect Severus' wishes as well. He has had his own space for years and to ask him to come and live with you, well, it would mean a heavy adjustment for him."
"I understand that it will be hard for a man like Severus to share a house but surely there are worse things out there. Grimauld Place is far from being livable." It wasn't as if Harry didn't know that but where else could they go to?
They couldn't stay at Hogwarts, not that Harry wanted to stay there, but still. The offer to stay at the Burrow had been sweet but it would make the place even more crowded.
And not to mention that Ginny will be there. I have done my best not to be in her way and I doubt that the feelings she has for me have disappeared. But what does that say about my feelings regarding her? I moved on so quickly to Severus and while it may feel natural to love your own husband, we've only been married for about two months.
Could I really have loved Ginny if I fell in love with Severus immediately? Or did I merely love the idea of Ginny and the family it would give me? I was always content to just cuddle and kiss with her. I never wanted to have sex with her. Even when she gave me those looks that I know she wanted me to. I was always content to ignore them but when Severus gives me such a look, I just want to jump his bones.
Harry shivered slightly. He was absolutely sure that Severus could sense his arousal. He glanced up to search for Severus before remembering that Madam Pomfrey had taken Severus with her for a quick examination.
Surely the snake venom would be mostly gone by now. Since Snape had the relapse when he had gone back to testify in front of the Wizengamot, Harry had been happy to see that Snape was well. If he was honest with himself the Potions Master looked even better than he had in his days at Hogwarts.
But could Harry take credit for that or was it simply because Snape's life had changed? Snape didn't need to live the life of a spy anymore. He was free to do what he wanted now. Well, he was free now, wasn't he? Snape had been exonerated, right before they had been attacked.
They had spoken about what they were going to do yesterday. But first things first and that was to get themselves settled and sorted. They needed time to think, or at least Harry did and to come to terms with what had been going on his life.
Annoyance and irritation followed each other up so quickly that Harry had to be careful not to snap.
He took a deep breath and then said without thinking. "I think that Madam Pomfrey shouldn't poke Severus too long. He doesn't like to be fussed over."
"It seems that is one thing that you both have in common. But you must tell me one thing, Harry, if you are not going to come and stay at the Burrow. How was the rest of your birthday? You left so quickly as if you had taken ill and I hope that it certainly didn't spoil Severus' plans for you. He was so secretive about them."
Mrs. Weasley allowed herself a smile and then laughed as Harry could feel his face flush with the happy memories. His birthday had been excellent, well more than excellent, that was for sure. It seemed that Mrs. Weasley received her answer but Harry still managed to stutter.
"We had a lot of fun. Severus made dinner for me and…yeah, it was a good day." He cleared his throat loudly before he continued. "I wasn't feeling ill or anything like that and I had a really good time at the Burrow but I just wanted to go home. It was just a feeling that I got…I am sorry that I left so suddenly and…"
"Harry, there is no reason to make any excuses. I'm glad that you feel that way. It means that you are comfortable enough with Severus to actually long to be home. Do you know how long I have wanted that for you? You wanted to celebrate your birthday with your bond mate, as it should have been. I am so happy for you."
Harry wasn't surprised when Mrs. Weasley hugged him. The maternal woman was always looking out for his best interests and now that he had confessed that he was happy when he was around his bond mate, Mrs. Weasley couldn't help but hug him.
The sense of jealousy wasn't as strong as it had been when Madam Pomfrey touched him upon the wrist but it seemed that the tattoos still reacted when another person touched Harry. He could sense how Severus tried to curb the instinct immediately to rush out and make sure Harry was alright.
Harry held himself tense as he waited for whatever was going to happen. He wasn't disappointed when something else flowed across the bond.
Confidence in Harry that he wouldn't betray him was the warmest feeling Harry had ever received from Severus. To be given so much trust was exhilarating. He knew that it could only be topped off by the knowledge that Severus loved him.
He grinned and relaxed fully into the embrace. It was nice to know that Severus trusted him this much. Severus may have said that he trusted Harry but to really know was something else. He could feel it and that knowledge was more powerful than anything else.
"It seems that whenever I leave you alone, Mr. Potter – Snape, you go about embracing people. Perhaps I should never leave your side."
Harry didn't pull away as if burned because otherwise then a faint lingering annoyance and a sense of amusement Severus didn't seem that surprised by Harry's hug with Mrs. Weasley. Perhaps he knew the Weasley matron better than Harry suspected or perhaps he had gotten to know Harry better.
"Ah, Severus, there you are. Now that you are here I have to ask you something."
A black eyebrow rose and Severus shifted his stance slightly as he said. "And what can I help you with, Madame?"
"To tell me just what you had planned for Harry's birthday. He is being very secretive about this." Harry knew that his face was telling Mrs. Weasley enough about just what they had been up to.
Luckily for him Severus' face revealed nothing. The older wizard merely crossed his arms over his chest and said. "But Madame that would be telling. You should know that spouses do not betray bedroom secrets. But I will entrust this with you that it lived up to the very highest of Harry's expectations. I even think that it went beyond them."
The leer Harry got made him feel flustered all over, especially with the feeling of arousal that travelled alongside his spine. He knew that it wasn't a feeling that was induced by the bond but he wondered what lovemaking was going to be like with the bond.
He would feel every emotion as if it was enhanced. He would feel Severus' every emotion. He actually shivered slightly and had to shake himself out of his reverie.
Severus seemed to read his every emotion and the dark eyes searched his face hungrily and he flushed. He closed his eyes for a moment but the trickle of arousal that came from the bond was enough to make him bite his lip to prevent from moaning.
He opened them again when a hand touched his shoulder.
He could remember the heat in those dark eyes and the hands that went down his side and then back up to cup his cock. Palming it in a large hand and then the fingers stroking it as the thumb stroked over his slit…. He would have tossed his head back and groaned loudly before the fingers would tug gently, setting just the pace Harry liked…
"Mr. Potter, while I enjoy seeing your face in rapture perhaps this is neither the time nor the place?" Severus' voice was a whisper but Harry glanced up into the dark eyes. They were filled with heat and immediately Harry glanced down at the jeans Severus was wearing.
They had been able to salvage some of the clothes they owned but most of them were reeking of smoke and it would take time before they would be wearable so Ron had loaned Severus dark jeans. After sneering at it Severus had accepted them with a nod of the head.
Unless Harry was very much mistaken, he could see a definite bulge in the jeans.
"Perhaps we should hurry up and pack so we can go to Grimauld Place. We still need to do a lot of things in the house and well…if Madam Pomfrey cleared you that is."
He cleared his throat and allowed his gaze to drift lower towards Severus' groin.
"Do you plan to ravish me, Mr. Potter?"
"Well, the kitchen table is sturdy and very large."
Hp
Impossible minx. It seems that I have created a monster when I took him to my bed. Not that I mind terribly. I have always wanted a lover who knew who he wanted.
Severus had never had a very healthy or varied sex life. It was not because he didn't want to but it was because circumstances were not ideal to keep a lover. He walked a too fine line between the dark and light side to bring a lover in to complicate things.
He did have the occasional one night stand but that had always been when he was far away Hogwarts and any potential danger was kept to a minimum. It was usually the case when he had a potion conference to attend.
He had learned the hard way that spies didn't do love. They could ill afford to so it had come as a real shock to find himself falling in love when he was done with being a spy. Not that anybody was ever done.
He merely sighed and then glanced back down at Harry. The beautiful green eyes glanced up at him before Harry glanced away again. Severus was impatient to get a move on. He had been probed by Poppy long enough for him to be entirely comfortable, not that he ever was and he longed for a cup of tea and a nice long shower.
He wanted to wash the smell of smoke out of his hair. He wanted to have his own clothes, or at least something resembling them instead of these tight jeans and the dark shirt.
He could almost feel Harry's eyes upon him when he had put them on this morning. Imagine his surprise when Weasley had actually agreed to loan him some clothes. Severus could have worn the robe he had worn the day before but the thing reeked of smoke.
The twinges of arousal that came through the bond all day had been a true distraction but Severus had managed to keep his cool. He glanced down when Harry brushed his side.
"Yes, Harry?"
"I am all packed so I am ready to go." Harry had packed a small trunk which Severus shrunk with a wave of his wand.
They didn't even feel the pull on their magic when he used a spell or another.
Perhaps the bond is content and finally mature enough with the aspect of not only our linked magic but with the tattoos now as well. I suppose that more research would be needed to determine how mature the bond between us is. We have never been apart for more than a day since we consummated the bond, unless you count Azkaban but it was involuntary.
Anxiety seeped through the bond like a thief, making Severus do something he hadn't done in years. He shifted from foot to foot.
Immediately he stood still but one glance at Harry who was wringing his hands showed him just who the nervous one was. His gaze narrowed, as he contemplated his husband. What was Harry afraid of or nervous about?
He gestured for Harry to precede him as his brat said goodbye to Mrs. Weasley. The maternal woman extracted a promise of a dinner at her place sometime soon, probably within the next few days; Severus noted when she turned on him.
He had been lost in thought and therefore had not seen the hug coming. If he had there would have been consequences, or he could have moved away. But Mrs. Weasley embraced him like a long lost son and Severus sputtered. "Really, Madame, release me…You are better of hugging Harry, he likes this sort of thing…."
"Nonsense, Severus, you are almost like a son now…"
He stiffened as she pulled away and said. "I am not a son to be proud of, Molly."
The normally kind eyes hardened as Mrs. Weasley said. "I do not want to hear such talk from you again, Severus! You are an honest and a good man and you make Harry a happy man. That is all I require from you, except perhaps the chance to fatten you up some but we shall cross that hurdle when we come to it. I would be honored to have you and Harry over for dinner next week. You will come, do you understand?"
Severus could feel a rare smile stretch across his lips as he promised. "I wouldn't miss a chance to sample your cooking, Molly. We shall be there."
"Excellent. Now you boys know where to reach us in case of an emergency."
And with those words Molly walked towards the floo and floo'd away.
Severus glanced up at Harry's snickers as he scowled and said. "Will you hurry up and get a move on, Mr. Potter? We have work to do."
And while he couldn't be too angry, he did allow himself a smile again because truthfully, it made him feel good that Harry was smiling.
Hp
Harry coughed when he stepped out of the floo at Grimauld Place. He moved away from the fireplace and glanced around. The study they had floo'd into was dirty and dark. There were books on shelves. It was one of the rooms they had spent so many times cleaning, in that terrible summer before Harry's fifth year.
Harry shivered as he took out his wand and cast a Lumos spell. The tip of his wand lid up but it did little to warm up the room. Hearing the sound of the floo behind him, Harry turned to see Severus stepping out of the fireplace gracefully.
The older wizard glanced around the room, not an expression on his face before he said. "The building is secure?"
"Professor McGonagall said that Charlie has been staying here for some time and he fixed up a good part of the house. Some of the nastier hexes couldn't be removed but when we stayed here last year we did some remolding as well. Charlie said that the attic was closed off for a reason and it would be best not to go up there. They also haven't managed to extract Mrs. Black from the wall."
Snape sniffed before he said. "I suppose that we should find a room to sleep in. The Blacks had enough bedrooms for a family the size of the Weasleys. If Albus managed to store most of the Order here then we should have sufficient room for ourselves and Charles Weasley."
"I could call Kreacher and see if the kitchen needs restocking. I know that Mrs. Weasley said that we could eat dinner at the Burrow but I just want to have some peace after the last few days." His shoulder stiffened when he felt Severus' hand on it but then he released a big breath and relaxed.
He turned to his husband. The dark eyes were looking down at him and they were as cold and empty as they always appeared but Harry knew what Severus was feeling. He leaned into the warm hand when it came to rest on his cheeks as Severus said.
"First I think that we need to locate a bathroom and see about getting a shower. I reek of smoke and you of an impertinent brat."
"I don't know if Sirius' room has an en suite." Harry knew better then to riffle Severus up but honestly, it was too much fun to see the widening of the dark eyes and the sneer that cross the thin lips.
There was a rush of emotions. There was distrust and disgust about being in an enemy's house. There was regret that his own house had not proved adequate for protecting his family. The shame in knowing that Severus could not protect Harry properly as he viewed it….
"Severus, enough!" The emotions halted and Severus' eyes locked with the green ones of his husband. There was so much that Severus couldn't say but Harry could feel it through the bond.
Respect, affection but above all gratitude made Harry smile.
"I am not keen to be sleeping in Black's bed, though I suppose it would be amusing to imagine the expression on his face when we…"
Harry pulled a face.
"I have no intention of doing that in Sirius' bed. The thought is just too weird."
"Regulus' bed doesn't fill me with tempting thoughts either."
"Perhaps we should see about moving into a guest room then. I don't put it beyond Mrs. Black to hex her bed so that when somebody who isn't here goes to lie in the bed. I am sure that there are plenty of rooms left over."
"Then lead the way, Mr. Potter. I will make sure to memorize it."
"Be sure not to get too distracted by me." Harry grinned. Severus pulled him against his body and Harry could feel just how distracted Severus was by him. He groaned when lips kissed him and he kissed Severus back.
Surely he hadn't forgotten in the past few days just how well his husband could kiss. He twirled his fingers in Severus' hair, pushing him down into the kiss. Severus' hand moved over Harry's arse to pull him into a deeper intimacy. Harry rubbed against his husband, feeling the answering hardness against his stomach.
He bucked his hips and then Severus' other hand curled around his arse as well, squeezed before he broke the kiss to growl. "Get up!"
Harry responded immediately and soon he had his legs wrapped around Severus' waist. He went back to kissing his husband, not caring if Severus' steps were faltering. He hissed when his back hit the wall behind him hard but all he cared for was to find release now.
Unbridled lust and arousal was shooting across the bond and echoing Harry's feelings. The need was overwhelming and Harry's magic reacted instinctively.
Severus bucked his hips as he balanced Harry against the wall. Their kiss intensified and Severus broke the kiss to suck on a sensitive spot on Harry's neck. It proved to be too much because Harry came spurting as he tried to keep his muscle spasms under control but he could tell by the spreading of the wetness beneath his arse that he needn't have bothered holding back.
Severus staggered and Harry said. "Let me down."
His legs had cramped in the short moment that they had been wrapped around Severus' waist but it was hard to stand. He limped towards one of the chairs that stood in front of the fireplace. Severus wasn't far behind him as his husband settled himself in a chair with a pained glance.
"Have I hurt you?" Harry cast a concerned look towards his bond mate.
Smiling ruefully Severus shook his head as he said. "No, you have not. It has been a while since I last had anybody up against a wall."
"You do this type of thing often then?" Harry tried to keep a casual air but by the smirk on Severus' face he knew he was failing. His husband stretched out his legs and leaned back in his seat as he said.
"When one is overcome by desire and there is the choice between the stone cold floor, a cluttered desk, a hard chair or the wall, it is really not that much of a choice. You have noticed yourself how quickly need can overcome even the most basic desire of comfort."
Harry fought his blush and his renewed arousal as he looked away before he managed in a strangled voice. "You mean that it is nice to do it in other places than bed?"
Severus leaned forward and Harry was captured by the dark eyes. They burned with an inner fire as the Potions Master purred, lips forming each word carefully. "I can show you just how nice it is to make slow love in front of a fireplace. The heat of the fire on your back and the body warmth of your partner. It is intoxicating."
"So then that is what we'll be doing tonight?" Harry didn't care that his voice was a bit breathless. He knew it was summer but the house was always damp and cold so a fire wouldn't be too terribly remiss to warm up the house and them.
"If that is what you want then I do not see how I can say no. It would be a true joy to have you spread underneath me before a fire."
"Then it is a date." Harry found himself whispering suddenly.
"Yes, Harry, it is. Now with that happy promise I am going to continue my search for an adequate bedroom and I suggest that you go and see about the state of the kitchen."
And as Severus walked past and Harry tilted up his face, the kiss Harry got was a very happy promise indeed.
Hp
Severus had his wand in hand as he walked through the dark house. He had been here plenty of times before invited and once uninvited. But it didn't mean that he would allow whatever it was that was hiding in the house to overcome him.
The house was practically breathing dark magic and Albus had put up extra spells when the house began to serve its need as the Order House. The spells were designed to recognized people keyed into the wards and that was the thing that had enabled him to return to Grimauld Place to search for whatever it was the Order was hiding.
Moody had been the only one who had been smart enough to realize that the moment Albus had died the wards had died with him. Severus had just been on his way out when the old auror had popped into the place.
He had escaped unscathed because he was quite sure that Moody would never have forgiven him for killing Albus Dumbledore, even when they had been on the Headmaster's orders. Moody had never trusted Severus, even when he was a spy for the Order.
Absentmindedly Severus rubbed his left forearm. He shook his head sharply. There was no point to live in the past. He had managed to survive this war and while he may not be proud of some of the things he had done, there was no reason to keep the past alive.
He had paid dearly for his mistakes and he hadn't been the only one to pay for them. He called himself to a halt before he could go round the same circle again as he had been doing for the past few days.
Severus, you are becoming sentimental in your old age. There is no use to keep reviewing the past. You have always made due on what life handed out to you so why not do the same now? You have been exonerated; you are free for the first time in your life. You have a husband who likes to have you around. One who isn't afraid to speak his mind or to stand up to you. It is something you have always wanted.
It was the truth. Severus had told Harry as much. Harry was becoming the companion Severus had always desired.
Perhaps he already is. He doesn't become it, you are just aware of the fact that he is your companion. It is still amazing how one can go through so much and instead of coming out bitter as you have, he is full of life and joy. He is not afraid to be insecure and he is loving. He is respectful, delectable and smart.
This time Severus had to shake himself more firmly. It was one thing to fantasize and think about Harry, it was another to lose himself in his thoughts so completely. He had to smile at himself. It was rare to lose himself completely. He must be wearier than he thought.
Muttering softly to himself, Severus vowed to be back on his guard and went to search for a room for them to sleep in and a bathtub to bathe in.
Hp
Descending the grand staircase into the dark hallway wasn't something Harry enjoyed doing. He expected Sirius or somebody else to wait at the bottom of the stairs or perhaps a left over death eater to lie in wait for him.
He had his wand in hand as his eyes searched the hallway. Hardly any natural light came in and the hallway was filled with dark corners where people could hide in.
He told himself it was just an irrational fear but he couldn't shake the feeling. Who knew what kind of hexes the death eaters had set in the house when they had owned it briefly last year.
The hallway didn't look any different than Harry remembered. There weren't any curse streaks on the walls and even the old curtain which hid Mrs. Black's picture was in the same spot. The only thing that seemed to be missing was the umbrella stand that looked like the foot of a giant or a troll. That was one thing Harry wasn't sad to miss.
He remembered just how many times Tonks had tripped over it, rousing the whole house whenever she entered through the front door. There were new locks on the massive doors and Harry flickered his want at the door in a careless gesture only to discover that there were wards in place too.
Feeling more relieved than he dared to admit he turned to go down to the kitchen only to trip over a piece of loose carpet. He fell with a loud thud and cursed loudly. The curtains shot open and immediately Mrs. Black began to shriek.
"BLOOD TRAITORS! SCUM! MUD BLOOD LOVERS, GET OUT OF MY HOUSE!" Her beady eyes narrowed on Harry as he crawled up to his knees and the thin lips curled into an arrogant smirk. "Oh it is you! Must be your favorite position to lie in, arse in the air. Ready to take it like a good little bitch."
Harry could feel himself coloring. "I don't lie like that…"
"Oh really boy, so you don't take it up the arse then? Then what, into your mouth? Not that it matters. You are all disgusting queers anyway."
"I am not…"
"Oh you want to tell me that you don't enjoy it when he shoves his prick into you? My son may have done terrible things but at least he wasn't a fag. Unlike that werewolf who was always in heat! I am surprised he has never tried to hump Sirius, though I suspect that my son would have liked that. He always enjoyed rolling over onto his back and showing off his belly to dominant men! Quite like you in fact!"
"I do not roll over…"
If a portrait could lean forward then this one would have done so. "Are you sure, boy? Because to me it looks like you have. So you secretly fantasized about men while you were sleeping around with the girls, were we? Not too confident to come out? You are the kind of boy, the freakish kind, who would just wait until somebody swept you off your feet. It wouldn't have mattered what gender it was, you are just happy to turn over and be fucked, up the arse or otherwise. You are an unnatural freak."
Harry knew that blowing up was not going to make things better. He didn't know what it was that was making him feel this way, scared and small. It was like she was speaking his mind.
In his darkest hours Harry had often wondered what had attracted him to Severus. Did he truly love his bond mate or had he merely settled for him? Severus had been the first for him so did that mean that Harry was just having a reaction to being introduced into sex?
If it had been somebody else, would Harry have craved their touch as well? Perhaps he was unnatural. He was the only one who moved from Ginny to Severus so quickly. And they were nothing alike.
Ginny was feminine and Severus was masculine, there was nothing feminine about the Potions Master. So was he attracted to both males and females or was he simply picky? Perhaps he was gay….
Did it matter? He was feeling so confused and hurt. Why did it have to be so confusing? Why couldn't he just pick one gender and stick with it?
"See boy, you don't even know what gender you like best. You are a freak because normal people like one gender best. Sexual deprived freak! You settle for a half blood Death Eater because you know you can't get anything better. Get out of my sight!"
Harry fled. He didn't know what else to do. He tried not to listen to his thoughts but it was useless as his mind supplied him with what he had grown up to believe.
You are a worthless freak, Potter! Why did you even think that this marriage could make you happy? You forced your magic upon the first person you saw. Severus was right to be so disgusted by me when he first met me. I keep throwing myself at him and demanding sex. Why would he turn me down when I present myself to him so?
He didn't even know where he was going. He walked aimlessly, looking for something but he didn't know what.
Uncle Vernon knew it all along. I am a freak. Why would it make a difference that it would extend to my love life as well?
"Harry?"
Out of habit he turned towards the room Severus' voice came from. Severus was standing in the middle of a decent sized guest room. The room had a large double bed, an en suite bathroom and a fireplace in which Severus had placed several logs to burn later.
The older wizard's hair was damp and his shirt unbuttoned. Harry immediately tried to glance away.
"Would this room suffice?" Severus' voice was a low murmur and Harry stepped into the room. He moved forward when Severus reached out with a hand to touch him. He flinched away but the next moment the hand did come to rest on his shoulder.
The silence between them was heavy and Harry hung his head.
"Harry, what has gotten you so upset?" The question was pitched low and Harry knew better than to shrug it off. He had forgotten the bond and that Severus probably felt every ounce of confusion, shame or whatever else Harry had been feeling.
"It is nothing…"
"It is hardly anything when it warrants such a strong reaction in you. Even I recoiled and I was three floors up."
Harry glanced up towards his husband's face as he chewed on his lip before he began to talk. The tale came haltingly but Harry didn't edit anything. Severus listened silently up to one point before he snarled.
"How many times have I told you that you are not a freak? There are plenty of people who are confused about their sexuality and it is nothing to be ashamed of. And there are also plenty of people who prefer one gender over the other or there are people who are attracted to both genders."
"But I….is it natural then when you had sex the first time then you try to have it again as many times as you can? I feel like I am throwing myself at you…." Harry chewed on his lip.
A faint amusement came from the bond and Harry focused on it.
"You're hardly throwing yourself at me, brat. You found that you enjoy sex and you should. I hardly mind that you wish to experiment or demand more. If we are being honest with each other, I will do my best to encourage that you keep up this curiosity."
Severus leaned forward and after he lightly kissed Harry upon the lips, he softly said. "I will hex the damn portrait off the wall and I will find your muggle family and curse them straight into next year for filling your head with this nonsense. You are not a freak. You are a beautiful young man who is just realizing what he is worth. It is more than alright to make mistakes along the line, Harry, or not to know what it is you want…."
"But I think I know…." Harry was careful how he phrased it and Severus raised an eyebrow.
"Oh, and what is that?"
"I do really want to be with you. I know that but I have just never felt like this before and sometimes I think that it may not last, you know. I moved on from Ginny awfully quick."
"Have you ever considered that you may not have loved Miss Weasley as you thought you had?" Severus was cautious, Harry could tell.
"Yeah, I have. I mean, I think I loved the idea of her. You know, being normal and all."
"And I am not?"
"You are not afraid to be yourself and Ginny…well; she doesn't know what she wants either, the same as me. We never had a chance. I just wanted a break from the war and Ginny was the one who offered it to me. I wanted to be a part of a family and the Weasleys always accepted me. She was somebody who had always been after me and it just seemed right at the moment."
Harry didn't know how Severus had done it but the older wizard had coaxed him to sit in front of the fireplace. Harry was sitting cross legged in front of Severus who didn't look so out of place as Harry had assumed. The older wizard stretched on his side and was listening attentively.
It encouraged Harry and it pleased him and he was sure that it was humming alongside the bond at the moment so he continued.
"I ended things with her after Dumbledore's funeral but I guess I should have known that she was going to wait for me until the war was over. She had always been thrilled by the prospect of marrying the Boy Who Lived. I have no doubt that she would have married me if I had said so, probably straight out of Hogwarts as well but it just doesn't seem right."
"You must not forget that Ginevra Weasley was brought up with the idea of marrying after she graduated and having children. The Weasleys are a modern family compared to for example the Malfoys but they are still as old fashioned as the rest of the wizarding world. "
Harry made a face and sighed as he said.
"So I would have to do that as well? Marry Ginny because the wizarding world demanded it?"
"You would have been allowed a little more time to roam around before you would have to settle down and start thinking about siring the next generation of Hogwarts' terrors." Severus grimaced.
Harry watched his husband's face as the light danced over the harsh lines. Severus looked thoughtfully but Harry knew he was brutally honest. Severus never minced his words for anyone, so why should he do so now for Harry?
"But what if I didn't want that?"
"Would you have been man enough to stand up to the whole wizarding world? All your life you wanted to belong so why would you jeopardize that all to get what you want."
It was an honest question, as honest and direct as only Severus could be and Harry mulled it over before he said. "So if I had married a witch and had a couple of children and then let's say, I discovered I was also attracted to men. So if I had done my duty in the eyes of the wizarding world and then divorced her and found somebody else to settle down with, it would be alright?"
Severus only had to nod once.
"But it doesn't make any sense? Why would they accept it then and not when I was twenty and not married the witch and sired the children but instead simply married a wizard?"
"It is easier to allow a hero a few eccentricities, such as gay tendencies than to think of your loved hero as a man who likes to take it up the arse. You are an example to them and the people like for their children to see how things should be done. Imagine and reputation is everything in the eyes of our society."
"But you haven't settled down with a witch, have you?" Severus bit back a smirk and said.
"Well, she is in France, living the good life…."
"Stored her in a manor somewhere where she is content to spend the rest of her days persuading whatever she desires so you can spend your free time buggering me?"
"You got it in one, Mr. Potter." Harry never noticed just how the dark eyes sparkled when Severus was pleased but then his husband sobered as he said.
"I was damned from the beginning. I came from the wrong family and I made the wrong choice. So when I knew that my preference ran towards my own gender, why should I hide it? There wasn't much else I could do wrong. I was a Death Eater with a taste for dark magic whose looks wouldn't attract any witch unless I was rich. Which I am not, so do not get your hopes up of becoming a kept man."
"But don't Potions Masters normally make a tidy sum?" Harry was puzzled. He had actually touched some of the Potions Quarterly that were kept in the Library when he was bored and it seemed that the Potions Guild had always regulated the prices and the fees of the Potions Master's under contract.
"They do, when they can actually make potions and invest in their own research. But I never had the time nor was I sought after much."
"That is a lie and you know it, Sev." Harry glanced up at his husband. The dark eyes stared back at him impassively. "You are the youngest Potions Master in Britain and one of the most sought after, regardless of your past. I did some reading when I was in school. That is why I could never figure out why you would stay at Hogwarts when you could have gone to teach at a Potions Academy or work for the Guild."
"I did it out of respect for Albus and it was the perfect place to utilize my role as a spy. I have worked on projects that have caught my fancy whenever the offer was high enough. For example the wolfs bane potion that I brewed every month for Lupin in your third year was a great opportunity to see about improving the excising potion to make it better usable on werewolves and more reliable."
Harry smiled. He couldn't help it. Severus' face transformed when he spoke of his beloved potions.
Our new home needs a basement or some other room where Severus can brew to his heart's content. I have rarely seen him so animated, unless you count out lovemaking.
"So I suppose the best thing for us to do is to ask for a representative from Gringrots to find out if the Potters or the Blacks owned any land that we can use for the time being before we decided upon a plan of action."
"Yes, I will fire call them immediately. The prince vault should have some interesting things as well but I have never tried to reclaim that part of my heritage."
"Right, I'll contact Professor McGonagall to ask if she is willing to send Kreacher over. I am sure he wouldn't mind being here to help us out."
Having decided upon a plan of action, they both rose. Harry took two steps towards the door before he asked. "Severus, so you are alright if I would be bisexual?"
He caught Severus off guard but his husband merely smiled as he said. "Harry, I do not care to what gender you are attracted to as long as you are comfortable with yourself. As long as you remember our agreement."
"Not to be unfaithful? Yeah I thought about that and I decided that I no longer want to play nice and share. I think I actually like that I belong to you and you belong to me. Plus the new aspect of the bond is spectacular. If you can just go all possessive next time somebody touches me, I think it would be a very nice touch."
"You like to see me jealous?"
"I love it." And as Harry went to do his task, he knew that with the heated gaze that was sent his way that Severus wouldn't mind either.
Hp
Severus hummed softly to himself as he walked downstairs to the sitting room. When he had called Harry up to tell him that one of the goblins from Gringrots would arrived within the hour with the contents of their vaults, Harry had immediately volunteered the sitting room to gather.
The sitting room was one of the nicer rooms in the old house but Severus could almost see the dark magic that was so embedded in the house that it would take generations of laughter before it could be erased.
This is not a good place to linger. No wonder Black went almost insane when Dumbledore forced him to stay here.
Immediately he shook his head sharply. He was not going to pity Black. The man had deserved everything he got.
Except getting killed but that is because of Harry. Harry deserved to have Black at his side so he didn't have to face the Dark Lord alone. We each had our own battles to fight and we were too busy doing that to think of what it would do to a child prophesied to kill a madman. We should have stood up to Albus. He was a fool to place such trust in an old seer. What if the Dark Lord had been hit by a car if he had crossed the street, what would have happened if that had killed him?
It would have saved Harry a lot of suffering, not to mention a whole generation if somebody had just taken a gun to Voldemort and shot him.
Severus allowed himself a moment of wishful thinking before he stepped into the room. Harry had been chatting to Kreacher and the old house elf looked almost alive. The great bulgy eyes looked at Severus without contempt before the house elf bowed and said.
"Master Severus, may Kreacher serve you a cup of tea?"
"Yes, Kreacher, black please, thank you." Severus sat himself next to Harry on the couch. Harry reached out to take a biscuit and for a moment Severus enjoyed watching Harry nibble on it. He smiled at his husband in such a way that he could see Harry flush and he felt the all familiar twinge of arousal that came from Harry.
The floo flared and Severus allowed his mask to hide any emotions he may be having. Harry stood to brush any lingering crumbs from his t-shirt and Severus' eyes caressed the lean form.
"This is Griggori from Gringrots Bank for All Magical Transfers coming through with the documents from the Black, Potter and Prince Vaults for Mrs. Potter- Snape and Snape – Potter."
A voice spoke from the hearth and Harry glanced back at Severus confused.
"Yes, you may come through. We are expecting your arrival." Severus said instead.
He rose to his feet and said to Harry. "Normally a house elf would take a fire call but in this instance we do it ourselves. Important visitors will never come through without announcing their arrival and asking for permission to come in anybody's home."
Harry nodded at him and Severus placed a hand on Harry's shoulder. Harry turned to smile up at him and Severus nodded.
The next moment the floo lid up and a goblin of average height stepped through. He would have come up to Severus' waist if they had been standing next to one another. The goblin carried a stack of parchment under one arm and had glasses perched on his crooked nose. He peered over the top of his glasses at Harry and Severus and asked.
"Mrs. Potter-Snape and Snape-Potter?"
"I am Professor Snape- Potter and this is my husband Mr. Potter-Snape." Severus took a step forward.
"Ah very good. I am Giggori. You have requested information about the contents of the vaults of the Black family, the Potter family and the Prince family."
"That is correct. I am Severus Tobias Snape Potter and heir to the Prince family vault and my husband is Harry James Potter and he is heir to the Potter vault and heir to the vault of the Black family through Sirius Black."
The goblin nodded and consulted his notes. Severus didn't know that much about the proceedings of Gringrots but he knew enough to know that Harry was not the main heir to the whole of the Black family vault. There were other members of the Black family, such as Andromeda and Narcissa and Harry was only heir to the vault that belonged to Sirius' family.
By Harry's expression Severus gathered that his husband hadn't known that. He shook his head to himself. He had hoped Harry had received a more basic education but while Harry may know a lot about the muggle world, he didn't know anything about the wizarding one. Severus vowed to remedy that.
"Shall we sit?" He asked as Giggori looked up. The goblin seemed pleasantly surprised and sat down in the empty chair.
Severus sat back down on the couch and Harry, after a moment of hesitation perched on the edge of the seat.
"Would you care for some tea, Mr. Giggori?" Harry was quick to jump in. Grinory looked at Harry for a long moment but Harry didn't fidget or break away as the goblin finally said.
"That would be acceptable. Thank you, Mr. Potter – Snape."
"Please, call me Harry. Mr. Potter – Snape makes me feel so old and Mr. Potter reminds me too much of my school days." Severus fought the urge to roll his eyes at Harry's easy smile. His husband knew how to baffle him.
Kreacher was called and asked to deliver tea. When the tea had been delivered and the biscuits refilled, Severus refocused his attention on Giggori. The goblin took this as a cue and took out two sets of parchment. He handed one set to Harry and the other to Severus.
As Severus glanced down the goblin began to speak.
"Before you, you have the contents of the vaults itself, the estimated value of the items in the vaults and the property and the state of the property that is keyed with the vaults. I shall return to Gringrots so that you may read at leisure and shall we set up another appointment for next week so that you can decide what you wish to do with the vaults of the contents. I understood that you were looking for property and I shall be available for questions through the floo or owl post. It has been a pleasure."
Harry looked up from his parchment slightly stunned at the abrupt departure of the goblin. Severus rose and said. "That shall be acceptable. Thank you for your time, Giggori."
"It is no matter, Professor Snape – Potter."
It didn't take long for the goblin to leave through the floo and Kreacher popped in to collect the empty tea mugs and then went away again after refilling Severus' teacup and Harry's.
Severus turned back to Harry. The green eyes were still confused and Severus said. "Goblins are abrupt, Harry and businesslike. Giggori was correct when he assumed his visit was done. He only had to deliver the requested information so that we can see what the vaults hold and discuss our options."
"Ah, okay. I have never had many dealings with the official branch of Gringots other than collecting money."
"And breaking in and out." Harry blushed to the roots of his hair as he said.
"We had to. It was for the best of the wizarding world and we did a good deed in setting free a dragon. Nobody was injured even when I had to use an Unforgivable."
Severus could feel the remorse coming through the bond but he waited for Harry to come out of it himself. It didn't take long but Harry bought himself time by going through the parchment.
Severus leafed through them himself. There were various pieces of parchment with items listen on them and Severus put them away for later. He would browse through the items and decide which one were keepsakes and which others could be sold.
He was the only surviving relative of his family and the line would die with him. He needn't worry about offending anybody if he sold some of the keepsakes. He moved forward to the list of possessions from the Prince vault.
It was a relatively short list for the Prince's vault. There was prince manor but Severus didn't know enough about his family to consider having a manor. It reminded him too much of Malfoy manor. There was a small cottage in France. A townhouse in London. The list of the state of the properties was longer than the list of prosperities itself. Severus was surprised that some could still be counted as livable.
"Severus, did you know that the Potter's had a house in Scotland? And a cottage in Switzerland? And apparently the Black's have a house in Italy, right near the Como Lake." Harry was busy rattling off properties.
Severus held up a hand and Harry fell silent.
"It sounds as if we had a holiday every year during the summer and visited each property, we would never stay somewhere more than once."
Harry considered the list again and then said. "Yeah, you're right. They're all lovely houses I am sure but I don't fancy living somewhere remote. I want a home…a house without memories and…. Bad things happening…"
Harry fell silent, chewing on his lip as he looked away.
A deep ache came through the bond. A feeling that Severus himself had suffered when he had heard other people talk about going home.
"Harry?" Severus put the parchments on the table and reached out to place a hand on Harry's shoulder. Harry's shoulder shook underneath his hand and then his husband turned back to look at Severus.
The look of longing and agony in those expressive green eyes was so familiar that Severus' breath caught in his throat. Harry took a deep breath and then he said.
"I want a house that is ours. Where we can create the memories and not every corner reminds me of somebody I've lost. Just a place where I can make new memories. Someplace where there is laughter and love. A place that is a home." Harry leaned against Severus' chest. He sighed softly but Severus could feel the turmoil in the younger male.
"I always believed that a home was created by the people in it." He said carefully. He had discussed it with Harry before to move away from the U.K for a period so things could settle down but they had never made a decision. In light of recent events Severus was even surer of it.
"There is no doubt in my mind that I want to create a home with you but I am just not so sure about the place any longer. We have spoken about moving away and travelling for a while before and I keep thinking that it may be the best option that is available for us."
"Do you not think that people will view it as being a coward?"
"Screw what other people are thinking. They tried to hurt us, Severus. Ever everything we have done for them they can't even just leave us alone in peace. We have to be hunted down and…"
"Would you be willing to leave everything behind on the off chance that it may be better someplace else?" Severus had to know. He didn't dare to hope.
"I don't have anything to leave behind, Severus. You are going with me and my friends are all starting their own lives. I have no family here to call my own except for Teddy and I know that Andromeda will understand. If I stay here then the people will demand that I divorce you and if I don't then I will be hunted down. This is just the beginning. If they know that they can't hurt me, they'll go after the ones I love. If the war has taught me one thing, it is that I would rather leave then to have my loved ones being subjected to hate crimes. I mean, that is if you still want to…"
"I would like to show you the world. To introduce you to new things and to broaden your horizon. I want to wander the streets of Paris with you, show you Rome, to take you to the new world, to show you white beaches, to watch the sunrise on the mountains and set in the sea…."
And as Harry smiled up at him and kissed him, Severus knew that Harry and he didn't need to find a new house anymore, because as Harry had kissed him and the happiness spilled through the bond, the promise to see the world together had been sealed and Severus was more excited than he had been in a while to see a new day.
Alright, it may not have been entirely what I had in mind, especially considering the ideas I had for the house but I will put them in the next chapter. So did you like it? I hope you did, review of course. Just a 120 more and then we'll have a thousand reviews. So please leave one everybody.
In the next chapter: Harry and Severus try to make a home out of Grimbauld Place but will they succeed or will the house rebel against them? Will Severus be able to cope with seeing Harry with Ginny or will he snap and stake his claim? How will the dinner at the Weasleys go and will their friends be supportive as they talk about their future plans? That and more in: Family.