Hi everyone! I'm sorry it has been so long. I've got big plans for the next chapter...*wrings hands together*
Also, yes Snape is written out of character, so stop telling me. I am quite aware.
Please enjoy, I'm sorry it took so long to get up. Bear with me, Ive got big plans...big plans.
Severus met up with Harry in Dumbledore's office. Harry had already removed his glamour and looked amazing in tailored gray pinstripe pants, a tight white tee shirt that freely exposed the snake tattoo on his wrist, a fitted black 3 button vest, a green tie and black dragon skin boots. His hair was pulled back into a loose braid that framed his face and accentuated his sharp features. He guessed that there was a glamour over the famous scar since he couldn't see it. Severus secretly wondered whether Harry had any wizarding robes outside of his school uniform but decided not to complain, especially since his current outfit hugged in all the right places.
Harry turned around at the sound of the door opening, instantly breathless at the sight that beheld him. Severus had removed the protection charm on his hair that he used when brewing potions. His hair was soft and styled into a windblown look that complimented his features, his green shirt with poet sleeves was covered wonderfully by a high necked black vest, that gave off the tiniest hint of old Victorian style. Of, course Harry thought, maybe it's just because of all those infernal buttons the man insists on always wearing. Though I suppose I can't complain when he looks this good. Harry noticed the black dress pants and leather boots the man chose. All nicely complimented by the modest outer robes the man wore, made of a black matte fabric on the outside and a dark grey material inside. Severus needs to dress like this more often, although, I do like the idea of keeping him to myself. Harry smiled.
"Severus you look amazing."
"I should say the same to you, Harry. It is chilly out; I do hope you brought a robe to wear."
"I did." Harry said as he pulled on his robe of black fabric with embroidered black filigree, the lining made of silk the same shade as his eyes. Harry tried a couple times to try and tie the ribbon that secured the robe around his neck and failed.
"Allow me" Severus said as he walked toward Harry
"Thank you. I always seem to have trouble with ones that don't have just a simple clasp." Harry said raising his chin to allow Severus' long thin fingers tie an elegant bow.
"There, all done." Severus said as his fingers lingered just a little too long, and their eyes locked. Severus was lost, looking only into those emerald depths, thinking about those pink supple lips, the lips that were growing steadily closer with his own. He thought of what a wonderful moment this was, what a lucky man he was, with Harry's mouth so close he could feel the sharp breathing from the young man on his own lips. His eyes began fluttering closed…
"Have fun my boys!" Dumbledore exclaimed in his usually excited voice.
Severus and Harry parted quickly, both shyly looking down with rose tinted cheeks. Severus coughed.
"Well, Harry, shall we be off then?"
"Yes, of course."
"Okay, hold on to my arm we are going to port key to Diagon Alley so that no one sees you in the castle."
"Alright." Harry said hesitantly, constantly reminding himself that he was safe with Severus.
With a loud pop, both men landed in a cobblestone alleyway at the far end of the town. Severus ran his hands down his outfit making sure he looked nice before looking at Harry. The young man was tense; the muscles in his jaw stood out and his hands were in fists by his side.
"Harry?" Severus asked worriedly "Are you alright?" Severus' worry grew as the young man only nodded.
"What's wrong?" Severus asked as he heard Harry take several deep breaths, relaxing.
"Sorry." Harry whispered "That was the first time apperating since the end of my 4th year."
Severus had been briefed by Dumbledore on what had happened after the boys touched the cup. How Harry faced Voldemort, watched his friend die, saw the ghosts of Lily and James, then appeared in the middle of the stadium. Severus suddenly understood.
"I'm sorry, I didn't know, but why didn't you tell me? I would have had the headmaster arrange something else."
"It's alright; I have to do it sometime, right? Besides, I know that I'm safe with you. Now let's go, I have to pick up some new potions books and would like your opinion. Also, call me Evan." Harry said grabbing the older man's arm and pulling him onto the main street, completely missing the smile on Severus' face.
After several hours of shopping for books, potions ingredients and some new school supplies they walked past Weasley's Wizard Wheezes. Severus was impressed at how mature Harry was, how his etiquette improved so drastically when he wasn't "playing Potter", but no matter how eloquent he was acting he couldn't miss the sparkle in the young man's eye at the unspoken question.
"Fine, but we can't stay long." Harry smiled and dragged Severus in. All manner of flying and whizzing and buzzing things filled the air, the colors almost offensive to the eyes, the noises as varied as a flute to a tuba. Children were running around, parents were trying to keep up, and everyone had a smile on their face.
The twins looked to see who entered the shop and both shouted out "Evan!" before going over and greeting him.
"How ya doin' Evan?"
"Did you hear about Bill?"
"He got a new job in Switzerland."
"Loves it, although-"
"The wife constantly complains, not that we blame her-"
"Yea, we'd be complaining too if we had to spend that much time with Bill."
Harry, Fred and George laughed while Severus could never tell which twin was which.
"Guys, I'm sure you know Severus." Harry said
"Professor." Both men said politely.
"Evan, we have some new product on the table in the corner, go take a look and tell us what you think."
Harry walked away towards the table not noticing when the twins held Severus back from following.
"We have some product to show you in the back, sir."
"Yes, we need some help from a potions master." The twins rushed Severus into the back stock room and closed the door.
"What's goin' on?"
"What do you mean?" Severus asked knowing full well where this was going.
"Look, he has obviously shown you his true appearance, which means one of two things. Either you are dating, or you are on the road down that path. Seeing as you were not holding hands with our little brother when you came in, I'm going to go with the second option."
"Impressive, Mr. and Mr. Weasley." Snape said
"Are you serious about him?"
"Because if you are then that's fine; but if you're not serious for either a long term or lifelong commitment, then end it now and save him the pain."
"I assure you that I am very serious about Harry." Severus reassured the twins, loathe as he was to talk about this, at least it wasn't Albus again.
"Do you love him?"
"I'm not sure if it can be called love yet, but he makes me feel something I've never felt towards anyone before." Severus admitted feeling uncomfortable and exposed.
"From here on out, if you hurt our little brother, you will be exposed to a hell you can only imagine."
"We will give every child in Hogwarts an entire trunk of our products with instructions to use it only on you. And believe me when I say that a Portable Swamp in your classroom is the very least of your worries."
"I assure you that I will treat Harry with the upmost respect and care." Severus said
"Sir, I recommend one thing in regards to your relationship, when he is ready to take the next step, do not do so unless you can tell him with all honestly that you are truly in love with him. If you take that step and those words are left unspoken-"
"It will break him completely." Fred finished.
"Thank you, for your advice Mr. and Mr. Weasley." Severus nodded his head in genuine appreciation
"Call us Fred-"
"And George"
"Very well. I do have one question, something that I have been curious about for quite some time. How did you manage to save up enough money to open up an entire shop right after you left school?" Severus asked wondering if he had somehow offended them, by the way they stared at each-other.
"Harry didn't tell you?" George asked
"Tell me what?" Severus asked
"Of course Harry wouldn't tell him, he never even told Ron and 'Mione." Fred said elbowing his brother.
George shook his head in disbelief, "Professor, he gave us the remaining Tri-Wizard Tournament winnings."
Severus was taken aback wondering if he had heard right.
"The remaining Tri-Wizard winnings?"
"Yea. He spent some of the money on wine-"
"Only round ten galleons-" Fred chimed in
"And got really smashed, I think he was trying to get rid of the guilt he was feeling over Cedric's death. The next day and told us that the Diggory's would not accept his winnings, so he wanted us to have the remaining galleons."
"Why didn't he keep it or spend it?" Severus wondered
"That's what we wondered-" Fred began
"He told us that he believed in us and our products and said that there needs to be a bit of light and laughter in such a dark and dangerous world. He told us that if we didn't take it, he was going to burn it."
"We thought he'd gone marbles-"
"When we asked why he wanted to get rid of the money so badly he just mumbled something about 'blood money'. We promised that we'd never tell who the money came from. We tried to pay him back with the first of our profits, but he refused."
"So we told him that he could have anything in the store for free anytime he wanted."
"He rarely takes us up on our offer-"
"We have to practically throw it at him before he accepts it."
"He's a wonderful little brother, but an even better person."
"He's been through so much with the war and the Dursley's; and the sad part is, I don't think anyone honestly knows the half of it. He's grown into a strong man, but not as strong as everyone thinks, he is still fragile inside. So be careful with him." George warned looking at Severus.
"Yea, or you'll have a whole flock of Weasley's to deal with until you go old and grey." Fred added for good measure.
"I promise that I will do everything in my power to make him feel loved and happy." Severus said rolling his eyes. How much longer is this going to go on he thought.
The three men walked out of the back room and found Harry showing a little boy how to use some of the toys. Harry watched the 5 year old's eyes light up at all the different toys Harry was showing him. Harry took the boy's hand and put several gold galleons into it, winking. He pointed to the Ton Tongue Taffy and told him "I used this on my mean cousin once, he never bothered me again." Harry walked away ruffling the child's hair. (Harry knew it was a lie, but he still enjoyed seeing his cousin like that, and that little boy would have fun as well.)
Harry looked up and saw his date walk out of the back room with the twins.
"Gred, Forge, are you finally done interrogating my boyfriend? Let's go Sev, we have to go before were late for dinner." Harry smiled up at Severus and walked out of the shop with him arm in arm. The twins watched as the couple walked away. George leaned against Fred and pretended to cry.
"There there George, he'll be back." Fred patted his brother's head
"No…it's not that…it's just…they grow up so fast!" George wept for effect before both brothers broke out into hysterical laughter.
Severus and Harry walked down the street together laughing and talking. Severus shrunk the bags and put them in his robes before escorting Harry into the restaurant.
"Reservations for Snape." Severus said to the host. They walked into the backmost corner of the restaurant in a corner table.
The waitress came by and told the couple about today's specials and asked if they would like to start with a glass of wine.
"I will have the house red wine. What would you like Evan?" Severus asked
"Armagnac, please."
"Very good, sir" The waitress said excitedly.
"I see you are educated in the art of liquor, Evan."
"I would not say educated, simply informed. A hobby I picked up for a short while."
"I see." Severus smiled and cast a silencing bubble around their table. "I know I have said it before, but you do look wonderful tonight, Harry."
"Thank you, Severus. You look breathtaking as well. I like you in colors other than black, black and more black." Harry added
"Thank you for noticing. I had also noticed that the green matches your eyes perfectly. A shame that you did not choose to wear that color on a regular basis." Snape remarked and watched as Harry stilled in the middle of picking up his glass, as he promptly set it back down.
"What do you mean?" Harry asked
"I was privy to a strange rumor that the sorting hat originally desired to place you in Slytherin." Severus smiled, knowing that if this were true, it was something that Harry would try very hard to hide. He picked up his glass and drank.
"Were you now? Where may I ask did you come by such a rumor?"
"A certain grey-haired fool may have hinted at it."
"Fool, being the operative word. But I suppose that there is a bit of truth to every rumor." Harry admitted before taking a much needed sip of his brandy, smirking.
"You admit it then?" Severus asked shocked
Harry sighed. "What use is there in denying it? Yes, the sorting hat originally tried to place me in Slytherin, it said that I could achieve great things in your house."
"Why on earth did you turn it down?" Severus wondered
"On the train to Hogwarts, I made my first friend. Ron told me of the dangers and dark magic that Slytherins and their house possess. Only later did I work out for myself that most of his family was Gryffindor, and that their familial rivals, the Malfoy's, were all Slytherins. I figured out, years later, that magic is only as dark as the caster. Needless to say, that I don't view the Slytherins with the hatred and malice that the rest of the lions do."
"I would hope not, especially since you are dating their head of house." Severus chuckled and Harry joined in. "But the last part you said about dark magic- that is both a very adult outlook and a dangerous belief. Especially in this time." Severus said.
"You disagree then?" Harry asked, wondering his lovers view on dark magic.
"Actually, I agree whole-heartedly, but to the rest of the wizarding world, it is a black and white issue. May I ask how you came to believe that?" Severus asked as Harry buried his face in the menu.
"I suppose after having the curses thrown at you so many times, you rethink things." Harry said hoping to drop the subject.
"To any normal person, that would simply cement the contrasting values of the popular belief. There was something else that changed your mind wasn't there?" Severus pried
"Perhaps we should discuss this over a glass of wine at your place after dessert." Harry said in a rather serious and forced tone.
"Of course, my apologies. So how trained are you exactly in singing?"
Harry blushed, "I took several classes at the school and won several school wide competitions."
"That's amazing"
"Yes, but I only did it to get some scholarship money. I'm not quite fond of tournaments." At this joke both men smirked
"So, you sing only to pass the time?" Severus inquired
"No, I sing when I'm alone to express emotions that I'm feeling but can't put into normal words."
"I hope one day, you would sing for me?" Severus asked and noticed Harry turn a deep scarlet
"Maybe…one day" At this Harry saw Severus smile a very happy smile.
"Harry?" Severus stood from the booth as a soft song came from the band "Would you allow me the honor of a dance" Harry smiled a full smile and walked onto the marble dance floor with Severus.
They danced to slow music and a sultry tango, but when they began waltzing the floor opened up to them.
"Severus, I never knew you were such a good dancer." Harry said
"Indeed, Evan, I have taken many dancing lessons throughout my years. Though it has been many years since I have had a partner to dance with." Severus
"I would have never known it by the way your feet move." Harry said after a particularly embracing spin, completely oblivious to anything not involving the man in front of him.
"Thank you." Severus said, the song began to end and as the last beat stuck the instruments of all the band members, Severus and Harry came together and stared into each other's eyes deeply, each man seeing the deep emotions the other gave away. Their chests were heaving from the intensity of the dance, from the sexual want and need each partner displayed, they looked at each other, and Harry softly whispered
"Severus" into the soft space between them as the whole restaurant broke into clapping. Both men broke apart and bowed before returning to the table, neither noticing several pairs of stormy grey eyes staring at them while dancing.
The dinner ended as well as it began.
"Perhaps you would like to come to my chambers for dessert?" Severus suggested hoping he was not over stepping any boundaries.
"Will there be a fire we can curl up in front of?" Harry asked
"There will be whatever you desire." Severus stated before taking Harry's hand and kissing the fingers.
Both men walked out of the restaurant past the grey eyes that watched their every movement.
There you go, I hope you like it. It got a bit of course from what I was planning but it will be on track next chapter. Thank you for reading. *bows* please review.
Fact: my husband does not know i write fanfiction. Heehee