Simple

Chapter 10

"Harry…Harry! For fuck's sake, Harry!"

"Mhhmm, Ron…Leave me alone…its just Potions, Snape hates me anyway…"

"Harry?"

"Nehhh?"

"I have never been more insulted in my life," Draco Malfoy said bluntly.

"Hmm?"

"Weasley? Me?"

"Neehhh?"

"Can't you speak in the morning?"

Draco sighed, rolling his eyes and with an experienced flick of his wand dropped a bucket of ice water over Harry.

"Ahh!" Harry squealed, jumping from the bed. "That was cold!"

"Well done, maybe tomorrow you will get up faster. What were you doing last night that made you so tired?" Draco said, his voice practically dripping with innuendos.

"Nothing," Harry sighed truthfully.

Draco nodded, noticing the regret in Harry's words but deciding not to mention it. Severus was like a father to him, he did not want to hear about his sex life or apparent lack of it.

Neville had been roped into their training much to his dismay. He complained and groaned and said he would hold them back but was Draco was insistent; he would not have time to dart about wildly trying to save Neville from stray death eaters.

He was paired with Harry, they figured that was safer.

Harry seemed to be a more natural teacher than Severus and Draco, who would scream furiously at Harry for moving a fraction to the wrong side or twisting his wrist at the wrong angle.

Magically, they had stacked all of the furniture from the Potions class room against the dungeon walls, giving them plenty of space. The decided to play a game, Draco and Harry would duel and then whoever won would duel Severus. Give Neville a better impression of the physical side, instead of just the magic.

Harry was a confident person but he seemed shy in front of Draco, who swaggered, his head held high to shake Harry's hand. His grip like a vice, his long fingers wrapping around Harry's hand and squeezing tightly.

Harry flashed a smile and said, " Good luck Draco."

"Pfft, luck is for Griffyndors."

"That's what all the Slytherins say," Harry barked with laughter.

Suddenly, their light air was over. Their faces hardened and became emotionless, determination bright in both sets of eyes.

"Ready….Go!" announced Severus, leaning casually against the wall, pride evident in his eyes as he watched his pupils charge to one another.

Draco was of course, eager with the jinxes, his wand swinging wildly as he cast spell after spell in Harry's direction. But Harry was quick.

He dodged hit after hit, moving like an electrocuted frog about the room.

Finally, Draco caught Harry with a hex that made his feet stick fast to the concrete floor and his arms plaster to his side.

"Got you Potter!" Draco said triumphantly but Severus seemed reluctant to declare him the winner.

"Aw, c'mon Uncle Severus. If he gets out of that then I am the Dark Lord."

"Well, you're going down Voldy," said Harry, in Draco's ear with his hand stabbing into his temple.

"What the hell…?"

"Confidence, not arrogance Mr Malfoy," drawled Severus, pushing himself up from the wall and stalking towards Harry.

Draco threw himself huffily to the ground next to Neville who offered a hug. Draco shook it off, his eyes shining with irritation.

"Okay, Mr Potter? Ready for a real challenge?"

"Always, Professor," said Harry, taking five steps back until he was in the corner of the classroom.

Severus' face was the picture of serenity, his eyes blank but his body stiff and ready for any sudden movements. Harry was less tense but the fear was stronger, rolling off him in waves.

"Why is Harry scared?" Neville mumbled to Draco.

"Severus likes to teach by example."

"What do you mean?"

"He's not going to be sending baby hexes Harry's way…"

Neville squeaked and praised Harry mentally for his kindness in volunteering to be his partner.

Harry raised his wand to cast a spell but Severus was quicker, a bolt of red light racing for Harry.

Harry crossed his arms over his body, his wand nestled inbetween his wrists and a bubble enveloped him.

"Good work Mr Potter."

Harry did nothing, not letting a single noise distract him.

Neville was enchanted by Severus' sudden and obvious grace, he would move barely a centimetre in one direction and the flash of magic would not even brush his sleeve. He wondered what it would like to be so talented at something so useful. All he could do was grow plants and everyone could do that…

"You alright?" Draco whispered.

"Yeah…Just thinking…"

"About what?"

"Just that I am never gonna be that good…"

"I don't think anyone will be."

"You better be soon…"

"Why?"

"Remember you are not allowed to die…"

"Yeah," laughed Draco.

Finally, Severus aimed his wand at Harry and tied his legs and arms to his body, making Harry resemble a pencil. He then, like a pencil balancing on its tip, fell hard to the ground. His face smacking against the solid ground with a painful slap.

"Harry?" Neville said quietly, his face screwed up.

"Oow…"

Severus sighed and picked him up.

"You did okay…"

"Okay?"

"Yes, I expected better…"

Harry took a deep breath and scowled, disappointment and frustration clear on his face. He felt like a child scorned.

"He's a rough teacher huh?" offered Draco.

"Yes…"

They split into pairs afterwards, once Harry had collecting the last of his dignity from the ground he instructed Neville to practise sidestepping.

For anyone else this would not be a problem but Neville kept tripping over invisible objects and tumbling to the ground.

After a while, even Harry's patience seemed to be waning and he kept throwing longing glances over at the rushing bodies of Severus and Draco.

"I'm sorry," Neville mumbled.

"It's fine, I am still a little bit miffed about earlier," Harry smiled. "Let's try some spells huh?"

"What do you mean?"

"I throw some at you, see how fast you get out the way?"

His heart stopped and panic swept through him but Neville agreed anyway. Taking his place in front of Harry, his face pained.

"Relax, I'll just send a jelly jinx or something okay?"

Neville swallowed.

Harry aimed straight at him and his face lit up when the spell did not hit Neville…

Neville screamed.

Draco whipped his head around and rushed to Neville's side, "You alright?"

"I avoided it…" Neville whispered.

"What?"

"It never hit me!"

That night to lighten the sombre mood they decided to play cards. Harry was unsure of this idea from the get go as he knew that one of the qualities Slytherins shared with Griffynfors was competitiveness and he was petrified this would divide their unusual group.

To Harry's intense surprise, the most competitive, and for good reason, was Neville.

Severus and Draco began to get more and more frustrated as Neville continued to rake in their money with his continual victories.

"How do you keep doing that? Are you cheating?"

"No I am just good at cards I guess…I used to go to hospital a lot…" Neville trailed off and silence descended.

"Your deal Harry," Severus said gently, watching Harry's hand intensely.

"Fuck," Draco hissed, his fingers curling around his forearm.

"Dray?" Neville said, concern in his voice.

"Summons…"

Neville's face drained and fear sang from his eyes. He dragged his teeth over his bottom lip, looking up at Draco who rushed into the bathroom, a sweep of black robes trailing after him.

Draco stepped out. The robes swamped him and his hair made a stark contrast to the darkness of his clothing. His cheekbones were as sharp as glass and his skin was almost grey.

Neville stood up in a daze.

Draco offered a smile but his eyes were locked tight.

"Love you Nev," he said softly, his face remaining unfeeling.

Neville nodded, his teeth firmly gripping his lip causing a tangy metallic taste to fall into his mouth.

"I'll walk you to the boundary."

"No. I need the time to clear my head. Anyway it is not safe for you to be out of these rooms…"

Severus sighed, admitting defeat and slouched on the couch, the sombre atmosphere gnawing at his insides.

Draco draped his own invisibility cloak over himself and with a smile at Neville, vanished into the corridor.

Neville sat very still for so long Harry knew he would be very concerned if he could not hear his raspy breathing and see his eyelids occasionally close.

"You alright?" said Harry, placing his hand on Neville's knee and squeezing it slightly.

Neville nodded.

"Worried?"

"Yeah…Do I need to go back to the Tower?"

"No point…No one there remember. It's the holidays."

"Yeah…"

"I'll fix the couch for you," said Severus, heading into the bedroom, on the guise of looking for sheets.

In all honesty he had to escape Longbottom. His panic, though warranted was not helping his own inner turmoil. He had to sit here, uselessly as his 16 year old godson fought for his future.

How he desperately wished he had not been discovered…

Another aspect of Longbottom's reaction that…disturbed him was his genuine suffering. Draco's pain when he saw Neville hurting because of him.

He was almost jealous.

He had never had anyone to worry about him, except maybe Albus, when he had been at a meeting. But thoughts of this brought memories of the previous night rushing back and Severus would rather not think about that.

Harry may think it was completely mortifying for him but Severus could feel the blood rushing to his cheeks, and to other places, when he thought of it.

Now of course, it seemed like the most sensible thing to have done but at the time it had been agony to tear himself away from the angelic body and part with his first chance at something so pure.

But Severus did not deserve purity.

He wasn't even sure if his life was what he deserved.

Severus and Harry had left Neville alone roughly an hour ago but sleep was not forthcoming. He lay there, swaddled in blankets as the dungeons were known to be artic at night, chewing his nails like a rabbit nibbled at vegetables.

Everytime he tried to tempt himself into sleep but closing his eyes and wiping his mind clean, Draco's smiling face would drift into his thoughts, then Draco's face when he tries to be brave before meetings…then Draco's face pale and blank, his blond hair knotted with blood…

Braving the freezing wastes of the dungeon floors, Neville hobbled to the hat stand. Grabbing Draco's every day cloak he wrapped himself in it, before crawling back to the couch. He nuzzled his face into the woollen material, savouring the smell that brought his stomach to a simmer.

"It's extra cold in here tonight," Harry shuddered, his teeth chapping.

"Yes, I know. Forgot to put the fire on."

"Ah okay. Warming charm?"

"Good luck, my room has magical wards."

"Draco cast a spell in here this morning!"

"I know but it only comes into effect at night."

"You have to be kidding!"

"I need to protect myself at night…I also need to protect you…"

Harry sighed, " Looks like I will be wearing my clothes to bed then."

Severus did not reply, instead of went into the bathroom to change. He wore flannel pyjamas with a white t-shirt underneath, three pairs of hiking socks and his dressing gown.

Harry giggled from the bed, his whole body immersed in the covers so that only his forehead and tufts of midnight black hair stood out, when he re-entered.

"Oh be quite, at least I will be warm…" said Severus, joining Harry under the covers.

"I could think of other ways to keep warm," Harry said seductively, sliding to press his body flat against Severus'.

"Hormones…" Severus chanted to himself.

"What about my hormones?"

"This is what this is…"

"What do you mean? That I am just trying to get close to you to get some?"

"Hormones," he repeated.

"So what? I can't be attracted to you?"

Severus laughed, his face shocked. "Good joke Harry."

"What? I wasn't kidding…"

"Oh come on Harry, not exactly catch of the staff am I? I am of the firm belief most of the student body would rather kiss Hagrid than me…"

"I wouldn't… In fact I would love to kiss you…"Harry trailed off, pushing himself up onto his elbow, grinning like the Cheshire Cat at Severus, his hand lying flat against Severus' chest.

"Hormones," mumbled Severus, avoiding Harry's face just in case the hormones started to affect him too,

"Hmm…hormones," Harry agreed, leaning down his lips millimetres away from Severus'.

His breath washed over Severus, he could smell the hint of the tea they had drank either and the toothpaste Harry had used before coming to bed. He could see every tooth, perfect and pearl while, gleaming in the dim light from the lamp on the bedside cabinet. Harry's lithe body was an exciting and unknown pleasure to him and the knowledge that through all these layers of clothes was a very attractive young man, aching for him.

Severus decided to ignore the intelligent part of his brain and opt for the irrational side. It seemed to do Harry well, he thought, as he separated the gap between him and Harry, his lips barely touching the ones above him.

Harry reacted enthusiastically with a deep groan as Severus closed the distance, his hands looping under Severus to wrap around him as his lips became more insistent and more hungry as they continued.

Hands waltzing down his back and taking a firm hold of Harry's bum, delighted him as he pushed himself desperately against his husband.

Severus pulled Harry's t-shirt down at the neck to reveal more skin, his teeth nibbling incessantly at Harry's skin sweat damp skin and taking patches inbetween his lips to suck roughly.

Panting Harry began to tug angrily at Severus' clothes, his hands gripping and pulling every piece of fabric they came into contact with.

Severus broke away, a grin plastered over his face and his eyes glinting with mischief. He undressed hastily, urging Harry to do the same. Harry obeyed quickly and lay down on his back, staring up at Severus who kneeled in front of him.

He tried to keep his eyes at his husbands but they kept drifting south, catching sight of something a little more impressive to Harry's lust crazed brain.

Of course, Severus knew of the effect he was having on Harry and revelled in the sensation of having someone want him so badly.

Harry did not give Severus much time to ponder this before he grabbed his legs, pulling his body on top of his and smashing their bodies together.

Their kissing began again but more passionate and rushed, their teeth catching every so often and their hands taking too tight handfuls of each other's skins and they ground against one another.

Fingertips ran down Harry's stomach and suddenly gripped him tightly, squeezing his erection softly.

"Sev…!" called out Harry,

"Shush," Severus whispered in his ear. "Longbottom is sleeping next door."

His hand pumped slowly, Harry longed for something a little more forceful, something to rival his heart rate.

"Faster?" Harry mumbled.

"Faster hmm? You really want me to go faster?"

Harry nodded, biting his lip.

A slight upturn of his lips and suddenly Severus' motions were sped up.

Harry kept his hand held over his mouth, drowning the moans as he travelled closer to being there…Just a few more…

Then the front door threw up and slammed shut and a loud thud was heard. A muffled voice…

"Draco!"

Cliffy? Never!

Hope you enjoyed it. Review, pwease?

And thank for you the kind reviewers already, I'm glad you are enjoying this.