Harry frowned as he stared at the charms list he was trying to memorise. He'd missed too many days of lessons and with the NEWTS coming up he was eager to learn everything. Not necessarily to the extent of Hermione, but he didn't want to be another year behind.
"If you keep that up people will complain that I'm rubbing off on you." Snape said from his desk, not even looking up. How did the other manage to do that?
"It's just a lot to learn." He grumbled changing position so he was sitting sideways on the chair, back and legs resting on each armrest respectively. Reading some more the office once more fell silent. All you could hear was the whispers between the portraits and the scratching sound of the headmaster's quill. Looking at the spells on the book Harry lay further back, his head tipping backwards to look at the headmaster, seeing him upside down. "Am I even allowed to do the practical part wandless?" Harry asked.
Severus looked up at him then, seeing him looking at him upside down. "… As long as the end result is the same it doesn't matter. So make sure you've got those spells under control and don't go beyond them. Besides impressing the examiners, it won't actually get you any marks." He said turning back to his work.
Harry sighed and turned to look back at the book. His brain was ceasing to function at this point. His brain felt fuzzy and his eyes lost focus on what he was reading every time he tried to once more. Closing the book he figured he was just tired. He put it to the side and stood, wandering to the window overlooking the grounds. It wasn't what you'd call a beautiful day. The skies were grey and the heavily cloaked students he managed to see walking on the grounds told him how chilly it was. But he still wanted to go out. He looked at the happy couples walking together.
He wondered if asking Severus on a date was too much of a stretch on his luck. He instantly shook his head just imagining how it would go and he wasn't really in a mood to spend a dreary day like this in awkward silences. Not to mention the people that would stare and talk around them, seeing the saviours of the wizarding world. Harry had been told the Daily Prophet had written that he had been captured by deatheaters and the last thing he wanted was a bunch of star-dazed wizards and witches, who thought they understood him and who he was, trying to comfort him or asking him about it.
He shook his head, trying to stop thinking about that time, trying to forget the crucios, the Carrows and Greyback. Greyback… that… filth… Thanks to him Harry would wake up in the middle of the night in terror, waking up the headmaster as well. Harry thought of going back to the Gryffindor common room the second night it happened, but everytime the thought crossed his mind Severus would pull him close and kiss him back to sleep. Harry blushed remembering, his body reacting differently to how he had been with Greyback.
Harry hadn't heard him, but he must have sensed it, because he didn't jump when Severus placed his hand against his neck, rubbing soft circles to the back of his neck with his thumb, making Harry shudder slightly.
"You need a break. Why don't you go spend some time with your friends?" He asked.
"No… they can hardly keep their hands off each other since they found out they're soulmates, I don't want to get in their way." Harry said shrugging his shoulders.
"I'm sure your friends don't agree." Severus said, overlooking the grounds with him. Harry sighed and leaned back against the other's chest.
"Oh! I know who's available. I'll just go off with Viktor." Harry said pulling away. He tried to contain his laughter and smile as he felt Severus grab his wrist and pull him back.
"Mister Krum is very busy." Now Harry laughed.
"Only because you keep him busy with your soulmate research." He said.
"He volunteered." Snape said simply. Harry looked up at him stepping closer to the headmaster.
"Are you busy?" He asked, maintaining eye contact at all times.
"I'm currently on a break." He replied casually as he placed a hand on the other's shoulder and Harry let himself be pulled into a kiss. It was sweet and short but it lighter up every nerve ending in Harry's body. He was about to kiss him again when Snape sighed. "Damn that Krum." He grumbled. "He's here." He said and opened the door, allowing the other to come in. Harry was disappointed but smiled at Krum nonetheless when he came in, several rolls of parchment in his hand which he passed to Severus.
"Zis is all you'll need headmaster." He said and smiled at Harry. "Harry, vould you like to go for a walk?" Harry didn't think it was a good idea but seeing as Severus was now reading the research he smiled at Viktor, not having the heart to say no.
"Sure, let's go." He said going off with the other. Severus watched them go, glaring at the back of Krum's head until the door was closed. Then all he could hear was Dumbledore's chuckle.
-o-O-o-
"You're leaving?" Harry asked. Krum smiled and nodded.
"Ze headmaster is staying here vith you, I must go back and help prepare ze final task." He said. Harry looked down, fidgeting with his fingers.
"Viktor I…"
"It's alright Harry, I know you love ze headmaster." He said. Harry was taken back. Love? He didn't know if he could quite call it that but… "Though if you ever realise zings are vorking out, just send me a letter."
"I'm sorry Viktor… but thank you." Harry instantly answered. "If this whole soulmate thing hadn't happened and we met… I probably would have been able to give you more of a chance." He said. At this Viktor smiled none the less and kissed the back of his hand.
"You are a frighteningly powerful wizard, Harry. I'm honoured to be your friend." He said. Harry smiled and nodded. He watched him go quietly before turning to go back to Severus' side.
However, when he got back to the office he saw the grim expression on the other's face.
"What's wrong?" he asked glancing at the scrolls Viktor had given him.
"This soulmate thing… the ministry must have been mad to enforce it." He said not looking up at Harry. Harry frowned and came forward, taking a scroll and reading it.
'The soulmate can be a chain. In the past, when soulmates were from different stations the higher up partner would keep their soulmate as a slave, able to control their powers and use them at will. Rarely did it involve affection of any kind, though in present years the bond seems to have grown into what some would call a romantic relationship, though the slavery aspect could still be enforced. It's all about the way the two parties use the bond.'
"Slavery…" Harry chuckled putting it down. "Unbelievable…"
"I'm sending a letter to the ministry, make sure that wretched mirror is locked deep underground once more." He said. Although Harry didn't curse the mirror that much. After all, it brought him closer to Severus.
Before Harry himself registered what he was doing, he stopped the other from getting up, straddling him on the chair. He felt Severus tense up and look at him as if considering to throw him off or yell at him. But Harry ignored those warning signs, leaning in to kiss him.
"Careful Potter… temping a man when you're not ready might not be a wise idea." Severus whispered against his ear. Harry shuddered.
"Who says I'm not ready?" He replied, kissing him again. He felt Severus' hands wrap around him then, pulling him closer. Harry tried to catch his breath between the kisses and suddenly, with strength he had no idea the headmaster possessed, he was laying on the headmaster's desk with the other between his legs.
Harry tensed as he felt trapped. But he didn't want to stop… not after he'd already put Severus in this state. One of Severus' hands sneaked beneath Harry's shirt and the other closed his eyes tightly, just letting him continue. But he didn't. He stopped. Harry slowly looked up only to see Severus looking furiously at him.
"I'm sorry…" Harry whispered.
"You should be, Potter. If you wanted me to stop you should have just said something!" The other said and pulled back, straightening Harry's clothes, but going into his room and shutting the door. Harry held himself quietly, feeling stupid for staying quiet and getting the strange sensation that he'd have some fixing to do next time he saw the headmaster.