Just Always Be Waiting For Me
Chapter 3
Disclaimer: I do not own Harry Potter and I'm not making a profit from this.
On Harry's birthday, Severus suggested that they go to Diagon Alley, under the guise that he needed to purchase some potions ingredients. He shrugged and agreed to come along, if for no other reason than to get out of the house. It was one of the first birthdays in a long time that he had spent away from his friends. Ron and Hermione were off on their honeymoon, and he couldn't be happier for them, but that meant he was left to celebrate on his own. He had gotten a lovely card and a necklace containing the ash of a phoenix from them that morning, but he still missed them. Mrs. Weasley had sent her usual gift of homemade sweets and she even sent along a small cake for him. Then the owl from Hogwarts came baring the gift of Hagrid's rock cakes and a small bottle of cake flavored vodka. Then there was Severus' gift that out shined everyone's, hanging in the wardrobe in his room.
Diagon Alley was bustling as always and he wasn't sure if he'd ever get over the bout of whispering that tended to follow him. It was distracting and he often felt like he was underneath an eye glass for everyone to see. Severus on the other hand walked beside of him paying little to no attention to the whispers of their impending marriage and about how poor Harry was being forced to marry a Death Eater. He wanted to shout at them the truth, but part of him knew that Severus wouldn't appreciate him making a scene in order to defend him to the public. He knew he wore his emotions on his face and heart on his sleeve most of the time, and part of him envied Severus' stoicism.
"You're a bit of a prat sometimes," Harry mused as the assistant at the apothecary went away flustered.
"Only a bit? I must try harder in the future," Severus shot back and Harry couldn't help but smile.
"I think you like your reputation as the resident dungeon bat at Hogwarts," Harry said examining a jar of powdered asphodel. "He was only trying to help."
"I'd like it more if it kept more idiots away, and does it look as if I need help?" Severus asked plucking the jar from his hand and placing it in his basket.
"You're impossible," Harry said in mock defeat.
"Nearly," Severus said and placed more jars in his basket.
Severus had disappeared down the alley to take care of some business and Harry wandered into the Quidditch shop. He hadn't gone with the intention of buying a new broom, but something about the new Firebolt caught his eye. His old one had been destroyed in the final battle and he hadn't thought of buying a new one until now. This one was amazing and all of the best professional teams were flying on them. He knew that if he had this broom he'd be nearly impossible on the pitch, and there was a brief pang of misery at the thought of not playing Quidditch anymore. He wasn't a student anymore, and now he would have to take the title of spectator. Maybe Madam Hooch would let him help out sometimes, but it wouldn't be the same as playing, he would definitely miss it.
It was much sleeker than his old broom and the new black design, accented with the color of your choice was amazing. The little stats chart claimed that it was loads faster than the last model and there was a picture of Viktor Krum flying on one during a match. It was the broom of every wizarding boy and girl's dreams, or at least that's the tagline that the company had gone with.
He ran his hand down the sleek, black handle and felt the broom hum under his touch.
"Shall I buy it for you, for your birthday?" Severus asked from behind, causing him to jump in surprise.
"What? No, just looking is all," Harry said embarrassed at having been caught.
"Mmm," Severus mused looking at him with interest. "If you want it you should buy it. I think you should indulge yourself in some situations. I think it's a frivolous sport, but it's clearly something you enjoy."
"Was that you trying to be nice?" Harry asked amused.
"An endeavor in that direction perhaps," he said inclining his head. "If you tell anyone I will be forced to kill you and cook your remains into a very dark potion."
"I'm shaking in my boots," he laughed turning back to the broom.
It took a lot of debating, but Harry decided against buying the broom, because he wasn't even on the school's team. It would spend too much time in the corner for him to rationalize spending that much gold on it. He took one last look at it before leaving to find Severus, who was waiting out front for him.
After a lunch at The Leaky Cauldron, Severus said something about needing to go to Flourish & Blotts and Harry followed after him. He was browsing through books on Quidditch when he noticed the little girl that kept watching him from across the shop, she couldn't have been over 6 or 7. She looked as if she was debating on whether or not to come over to him. He watched as she ran out of the shop and felt sort of relieved at having not been confronted by her. He browsed through the books a bit more and when he looked up the girl was standing a few feet away from him holding an ice cream cone and beaming at him.
"Happy Birthday Harry Potter," she said softly and handed him the cone.
"Uh, thanks," he smiled uneasily. "What's your name?"
"Amber," she beamed at him. "I was wonder if you might sign this, please?"
She extended a copy of Witch Weekly that had declared him bachelor of the year and a pen. He sat the magazine on one of the shelves and signed it quickly with an added XO. She squealed an excited thanks and ran from the shop.
"You're not going to eat that are you?" Severus said from behind him.
"I was, why shouldn't I?" He asked eyeing the chocolate cone.
"Little Amber might have an older sister or cousin who is quite handy with a love potion," Severus said annoyed.
"Alright then, test it," Harry asked holding out the cone to the man. Severus took out his wand and scanned the cone. "Seems like a lot of trouble to go through for an ice cream."
"You're impossibly dim at times, but the cone is clean you may eat it," Severus nodded in approval.
"Cheers!"
After a busy day in London, they headed home to Spinner's End. Severus had spent the evening teaching him how to make a curry, and that's what they had for dinner that night. That and a slice of Mrs. Weasley's birthday cake that had arrived that morning. It was a really pleasant birthday altogether, and part of him felt that Severus went out of his way to try to make him have an enjoyable weekend. Especially, since his best friends were away and couldn't celebrate with him. He was really thankful to the main for everything, because he'd spent too many birthday's alone as a child.
After dinner, Severus helped him to clean up the kitchen. He put the rest of the cake from Mrs. Weasley away with the other things she'd sent and cleared the table. Harry washed while Severus dried, and together they had the dishes finished in no time at all. After they'd finished the dishes Harry put the kettle on and Severus disappeared into his lab again. He wasn't sure if the man was going to come out or not, but when the kettle went off the man reappeared from behind the door. He seemed to be holding some potion in his hand and looked anxious about giving it to him.
"What's that?" Harry asked gesturing towards the small vial.
"One last birthday present," the man said after a moment.
"What is it?" Harry asked accepting the bottle.
"Felix Felicis," Severus said quietly.
"Really?" Harry asked enthused. "You know I won Slughorn's because of you and your annotated potion book."
"Ah...yeah someone is a little more Slytherin than they'd care to show," Severus teased him. Of all people Severus Snape had just teased him.
"Thank you for this weekend," Harry grinned and pocketed the bottle quickly.
"You are most welcome," Severus replied with a slight bow of the head.
"It really was the best birthday, I can remember," he beamed at the stony faced man.
"Goodnight, Mr. Potter."
"Goodnight," Harry smiled again and leaned up on his tip toes and placed a small kiss on the older man's cheek. "Thanks for everything. I really mean it."
With that Harry bolted up the stairs and into his room, not even taking the time to see the man's reaction. He'd either live to see the morning or Severus would murder him and bury him the backyard for being so brazen. What was so wrong with it, they were going to be married soon, and he was betting that things might be a lot simpler if they were affectionate to one another. Part of him knew that was a fleeting idea, because he and Severus might be amiable and everything, but the man was as uptight as they came. The only indication that the man did indeed prefer males over females was the fact that their marriage arrangement had been deemed valid. Somewhere deep inside of him he felt like he and his hand were going to get better acquainted than they already were.
A few days after his birthday, he was forced to follow Severus to Hogwarts. The castle had given him quite spacious and nice quarters within Severus' dungeon rooms, but he still felt off. There was a weight that hung over him and the entire castle, and it was as if he couldn't shake it. Too much had happened here and everyday he was forced to face it. Whether it was walking to the school's pitch to muck about on one of the school brooms, or going to the Great Hall for breakfast, the entire place was soiled with the deaths of so many good people.
Harry kept telling himself that everything would be better once the students arrived and the halls were once again filled with the hustle and bustle of everyday life. Right now he sort of felt like the entire place was just a monument to those who had died, and the hallowed halls only served as a reminder to him of the final battle. Voldemort had been vanquished, but it had come with a huge price. A price that he couldn't help but feel partially responsible for.
Here he saw even less of Severus than at Spinner's End. The man was busy brewing potions for the hospital wing's stores and preparing lesson plans for the upcoming year. He started staying in bed until lunchtime, because he just didn't want to eat breakfast alone in the small kitchen anymore, and he he lost his appetite in the Great Hall. He spent his afternoons alone on the schools' pitch or kicking around Hogsmeade. Harry had started spending a lot of time in The Three Broomsticks and one day around two weeks after he'd arrived at the school Rosmerta had offered him a job waiting and clearing tables. He had almost refused, but in the end accepted her offer. Any time spent away from the castle, and not on his own must be productive, he had reasoned with himself.
"I got a job," he told Severus that evening over a cup of tea.
"Oh, where?" the man asked looking up from the letter he held in his hand.
"Three Broomsticks," he grinned proudly. "I'm a waiter/busboy."
"A little hard work might do you some good," Severus answered noncommittally. "Are you not worried about drawing attention to yourself?"
"Not in Hogsmeade. It's one of the only places that I feel like people don't fawn over who I am. Besides, Rosmerta runs a tight ship," he shrugged. "I'm glad to be out of the castle, it's starting to get to me I think."
"Nevertheless," Severus said standing and striding over to his desk. "Congratulations are in order."
Harry watched him take a small black box from his desk drawer and set it on the edge of the desk and move towards his bedroom door.
"What's that?" Harry asked puzzled.
"For you. Goodnight, Harry," he said softer than normal and the door shut behind him with a snap.
"Goodnight," Harry said a bit breathlessly.
He stood warily and looked at the box on the desk, then to Severus' door, and back to the box. It was several minutes before he made his move and quickly snatched up the box. Without opening it, he quickly disappeared into the safety of his own room still clutching it. He sat on the edge of his bed for a long while staring at the box. He finally worked up the nerve to open it and inside sat a silver ring with the Prince family crest on it. It was the engagement ring that Severus, as the older party, was required to give him before their marriage.
This made everything all too real for him and he quickly slammed the box shut and shoved it into the drawer on his nightstand. He was going to be married and all too soon. Their vows were permanent and Severus was who he was going to be spending forever with and part of him still needed to come to terms with it.
He hurriedly changed and climbed into the bed for a night of what would be restless sleep at best.
A/N: If you read any of my other stories I'm going to try to update really soon I promise, I feel like I haven't in awhile, but I have. Anyways, I'm working on a big, unrelated project right now, and that's the reason for any delays, but it should be done by the end of the month! Thanks for reading and reviewing!