The very next morning, he stopped in before his Transfiguration exam.
"Save it, Potter," Snape growled when he opened the door, working on a replacement potion of the destroyed one last night.
"I just wanted to…"
"It doesn't matter," Snape raised his voice. "Focus on your exams—you should be studying."
"I don't want to leave things like-"
"LIKE WHAT!? Everything is fine," he violently threw something into the cauldron. "There is nothing to talk about."
"But…"
"PERHAPS I overreacted," he yelled at the potion. "I don't think I did, but it is possible. Do you know what is the greatest Enigma to both Muggles and Wizards? Time. I think we need more of that. Contrary to what you might believe, I have many regrets. There are many things I wish I talked Dumbledore out of, and I am not opposed to you asking me questions or keeping me out of trouble if you allow me to do the same. And although I HATE my work or intentions questioned, it is only natural for the uninformed to do so. Now—you have an exam to prepare for. Do not disappoint me. I will not have McGonagall saying I distracted you."
Harry could breathe again. He couldn't find the words…that just sounded like a half-legitimate apology. "So… so about McGonagall…"
"I've already told her. Go—study. These are my mistakes to fix."
"Did you?" Harry breathed, his heart lifting. "Okay… uhhh… well, as long as it all gets fixed up. Right then… I'll see you later." Snape did not reply, eyes only for his potion. Harry hurried back through the classroom and down the hall.
"Potter!" McGonagall barked at him on his way to his Transfiguration exam. Harry jolted.
"Oh, uh… hello Professor."
She looked stern as she approached and Harry wanted to cower, guilty by association. "One hundred points to Gryffindor!"
"Oh… thanks?"
"One hundred to Hermione too, I think. Excellent work. Thank you for inviting Mr. Borgin to look at the castle. Severus has informed me of the mishap with the new castle protections."
"Really…? That's good." He still felt guilty and he didn't know why. "So… uhh… fixed by next term, perhaps?"
"I think so," and she actually sounded quite confident. "I heard you gave Severus quite the earful."
"Did he say that?"
"He did. And I think he needed to hear it."
"Right," Harry said.
"And tell Miss Granger thank you as well. I did not expect you two to solve yet another one of Hogwarts problems this year."
"Do you think the protections will still leak when the castle is complete?"
"That Potter, is actually quite easy to test."
"Oh?" Harry was again taken back by her confidence.
"Our preliminary tests say yes. We took some stone this morning, created a large cube on the grounds, added some doors, some windows… and Professor Snape added the spells, brick by brick. We thought about destroying it for an hour and we didn't feel a thing. We had to break a brick before the defenses leaked.
"That's great!" Harry said, feeling infinitely lighter. He imagined Snape and McGonagall with their fingers to their temples, shooting mind spells at it. "So, the castle must be complete first and we're good to go?"
"Mmmm, easier said than done. It will be an undertaking. But! The protections work. Unknown magic, or Enigma Magic, has it's uses, Potter. There are few defenses for unknown magic, therefore it's quite lucky we have them if Hogwarts becomes a battle ground again, no matter how many years in the future."
"Yeah, I guess so. "
"How are you holding up, Potter?" and Harry could feel the question was not about exams.
"How are you holding up, Professor?" Harry asked her back.
"Seventeen Howlers this morning."
"Oh, I'm sorry," and he was mortified. "But just seventeen?"
She smiled weakly.
"Will Snape… will he be…"
She shrugged. "Not by me. Kingsley and the Wizengamot have a thousand other things to worry about. This might slip by. And Rita is not known for her honesty."
"That's good…" Harry remembered something that Snape said. "You know… Slughorn is not as young as he used to be… and in about ten years, there will be quite a few… werewolf children… getting their acceptance letters." He let this hang in the air.
"TCK," she made a disgusted noise in the back of her throat. "I forgot about that. I will inform Kingsley IF it needs to come up. Well Harry, keep Severus in line, won't you?
"Isn't that your job?"
"A job for two, I think."
"Well, I've got to go Professor, or I'll be late for my Transfiguration exam."
"Make me proud, Potter."
"Right," and he turned around and headed off in the opposite direction, feeling hopeful.
Transfiguration was his best so far: he transfigured everything perfectly, although his Intelligent Motivational spells were a mixed bag. The stone gargoyle he created to play a round of chess lost quickly, but it at least showed basic protection towards its pieces. It even flipped the chessboard in a nice display of anger, pouting, but then got upset when it noticed one of its pieces chipped. The examiner scribbled notes right behind it, and when it got too close, the gargoyle erupted and broke the examiners quill. This got him extra marks for some reason.
Just like that, Harry's Hogwarts life came to a close. In less than two months he would be starting as an Auror. He wouldn't officially know his .R.M.S. results for weeks, but he was sure he passed most of them. What worried him now was returning to Grimmauld Place and sinking into his old habits of sleeping through the afternoon. This might be difficult with both Kreacher and Snape keeping tabs on him, but Harry was sure if he tried hard enough, he could be just as lazy as last summer.
Most of his belongings fit easily in his trunk. Instead of giving Snape's seventh year potions book back like he was supposed to, he packed it along with his Defense Against the Dark Arts notated field guide and his first Half-Blood Prince book. What was he doing this year, being depressed? Did he really never go flying, not even once? How did he waste months hiding, and not out on the grounds, laughing, spending time with his friends or visiting Hagrid. Or heaven forbid, maybe learning useful spells to help him avoid life or death situations at work.
Checking himself one last time in the mirror, he surveyed his appearance. Yeah, that looked alright. Yeah. Shrinking the trunk, he pocketed it, and gave one last glance into the room that meant so much to him. He left, letting the door melt away, wondering if he should tell anyone it's new location. But he decided students would find it on their own… when they needed it.
The end-of-year feast would be starting in just a couple of hours and Harry didn't know if he should go. He felt like going, but all those students… it would be the first time he left himself exposed in the Great Hall since the article. But in the back of his mind, he already made his choice to go. One final feast, really, how could he miss the last one?
He let himself into the Defense Against the Dark Arts classroom, proceeding to the room in the back.
"Escaping early, I see."
"No, I've decided to go to the feast after all."
"Brave choice." Snape stopped mid-potion at the sight of him, looking him up and down, then abandoned his work, fingers finding the green and black scarf Harry had draped over his on the ends of the Slytherin scarf, he took Harry with it, kissing him.
"You look ridiculous," lips whispered to him as they broke.
"I thought you'd like it."
"You thought I'd like your ridiculous antics? Tell me—when ever did I like those?"
"Are you coming?"
"I don't have a choice." Snape went back to his cauldron, stirring. "Is the Savior of the Wizarding World passing his exams?"
"Failed at least one. Did well on Potions, Transfiguration… passed Healing. Others, debatable."
"Are you sure you passed the Healing C.H.A.R.M.S.?"
"Quite sure, yeah." Snape looked at him doubtfully. "I'm serious!" Harry laughed. "You were the one helping me—do you think I passed my Healing C.H.A.R.M.S.?"
"Your cutting is better than your healing," he shot at him. "You shouldn't be healing anyone unless it's an emergency." He flicked the fire out under the cauldron to let it sit, whisking a magical smoke timer in existence, heading to the couch. "And in an emergency, you still shouldn't be healing anyone."
"I'm not that bad. Do you honestly think I'm that incompetent at healing?"
"Yes." Snape stood above him, not sugar coating this opinion.
"You're so terrible to me."
"Yes," Snape smiled at the thought, sitting with him. Tea flew over, clinking on the coffee table.
Fingers found the scarf again, feeling the fabric. "Where did you get this?"
"I found it in the snow after Christmas."
"This isn't even wool."
"Can I borrow yours then?"
Harry jumped.
The Slytherin scarf around his neck erupted into flames, scaring the daylights out of him. But the fire that burned was not hot. Snape was already gone, bringing back a better scarf, his own, wrapping it around him lovingly, straightening it and patting it. Harry didn't know if he should yell at him for the pyrotechnics but felt like he already missed his window. Instead, he watched hands methodically straighten the scarf and redo it several times. And then perfect fingers with perfect finger nails pulled out fuzz balls or the odd hair. Harry enjoyed this show of fussy perfectionism, watching him work.
"…Can you brew Felix Felicis?"
"Of course I can." No hesitation.
"Oh," and Harry's mind wandered.
"Why? You want a dose, I'm assuming? You can't use it at work—it yields unexpected outcomes. The Ministry doesn't like unexpected outcomes. It brings luck to the person, not to an organization or cause."
"No, I was just… thinking," and he was thinking. A lot of possibilities. "What are the unspoken rules? Once every ten years?"
"Once every stage of life. Four, and that is the absolute ceiling. But the general consensus is that it can be taken exactly three times. Some people take a final dose near death as a sendoff, that being the hidden 'forth dose.'"
"Three? That's it?"
"That's it. I would not waste it, having the bottle with you or thinking about using it can be just as tantalizing as using it, so do with that what you will."
"Hmmm, I know. I once pretended to slip Ron Felix for a match and he saved everything."
Snape made a face between disgust and amusement.
"So… when am I going to see you? A week? Two? Should I meet you here or are you coming to me?"
"I won't have much time over the summer, not until the castle is finished. If two weeks is acceptable..."
"Alright. What about June 21st?" he tried to solidify a date.
"Fine."
"Is Grimmauld Place too weird? That Dumbledore thing is gone."
"Dumbledore added character. You should have kept it." Snape straightened the scarf for what felt like the 10th time. He was brought in again, but instead of having hands for Harry, he held the scarf, feeling it, touching it, undoing his own work.
"I thought you hated it."
"I do. But it matches your eyes."
"Oh." Visions of Lily Evans in the Pensive popped into his mind. He threw away these thoughts into his mental trashcan, stomping on it with his mental foot, trying to allow the compliment.
Harry slinked an arm around his waist, pulling Snape in a little, and he graciously allowed the contact. Brushing the hair out of his face for him, they leaned in. This was good. Harry had his waist, there was a hand on his chest and he did not feel emasculated in this moment. Feeling bold, he pulled again, forcing Snape in close, and this was allowed too.
When an arm slinked around his neck, Harry could have purred. The hand that rested on his chest played with the scarf. Every minute or so Harry caught Snape opening his eyes to look at him.
He kept moving Snape's hair out of the way for him, stroking an ear as he did so. He wanted to grab the small waist with both hands and drag him into his lap but knew it would be over if he tried.
Snape didn't even mention the 'essay' he gave him. It was an intense scene, that was for sure, and maybe he wasn't interested in any of the things he wrote down. Perhaps he was bluffing about allowing him in the dominant role. But he was letting him at least hold him right now. After ten glorious minutes of kissing, he felt almost like a proper man again, arms around him, and Harry felt content.
"You're so hot."
"Am I?" came a legitimately confused voice.
"Yeah, you look really good this year." Harry eyed him: his face, his hair, his well-made clothes paired with those ridiculously expensive looking shoes. Snape pushed his hair back behind an ear, scrutinizing Harry, concerned someone confunded him on the way down.
"I like your little waist," Harry divulged, pulling him in more. "So… what are we going to try this summer?" he whispered in his ear.
"You want Felix?" Snape asked, arm still around Harry's neck, talking directly into his lips. "It will cost you dearly."
"Yeah?" Harry asked breathily back. "What will it cost me?"
Snape bit his lip, thinking about what he could get away with. "Potions. What are you willing to try?"
"What are the options?"
A minuscule shrug. "As varied as any spell. Potions yield superior results but are trickier to make… so, that is not a problem."
"Whatever," Harry shrugged. "What do you have in mind?"
"A lust potion." No hesitation.
"I'm guessing it's powerful?" Harry didn't like the sound of this, he didn't need to be anymore lustful, thanks.
"It is…" Snape confirmed.
"Hmm, I don't know…"
"Would you take Amortentia?"
The timer went off. Snape was gone from his embrace. The fire crackled again, potion stirred, ingredients added. Harry waited on the couch for a solid five minutes, which was plenty enough time to think.
You don't love me and I know you don't love me. Would you pretend?
Harry drank the tea, biding time for this loaded ask.
"Why Amortentia?" Harry asked when a second magical timer was set and thankfully his words came out calmly without judgement.
"For fun," Snape said, rejoining him on the couch. "Temporary. Don't be confused, Amortentia is obsession."
"I don't know…" but he did know, and the answer was definitely no. "I've seen people drunk on love potion, and it's stupid."
Snape smiled. "It is stupid. Just an amusement… forget I asked."
Harry could feel Snape's disappointment though he gave no indication, he just knew without knowing how he knew. But he was not punished for this rejection, fingers finding him again, pulling him in, allowing Harry to put his arm around his waist again, an arm around his neck. He was kissed, slowly and completely.
"A word of warning," lips said into his. "The Slytherins will not take kindly to this little 'stunt.' They will perceive it as mocking."
"Cheery lot, you are." And he was bit on the lip. Harry moaned. "Slink on top of me—go on. Let me miss you."
"No."
"Come on," Harry whispered, begging. "What will you allow?"
"Anything," Snape whispered into his ear. Harry shuddered, not expecting this answer and his genitals twitched their approval. "But not right now. You have somewhere to be." Harry groaned, trying to pull him in again, but hands stopped him.
And despite that it was time for the end-of-year feast, they got caught up at the door, Snape regaining control, pressing him against the stone, hips both agreeing they could probably be late if they wanted as if they knew their time was almost up, each of their mouths got desperate and practically swallowed each other, being rather indecent about the whole thing, good kissing be damned.
Contact broke. Harry's Slytherin scarf was straightened and patted into perfection, and the door was opened for him.
"If you get hexed for wearing that, you deserve it."
And the door shut on him.
"There you are Harry, you said you were coming but…" Hermione looked him up and down. "Wow, your lips are bruised. You better do something about that."
"Is it that bad?" Finding a suit of armor, he tried healing spells on his lips to make them return to an acceptable color. "Is that less noticeable?"
"Yes, I suppose it is. Were you there all day?"
"Only for an hour and a half. Slept in, packed my stuff."
They entered the Great Hall which buzzed with excitement.
Parvati and Lavender spotted them, coming up to hug him and then Hermione. They laughed at his attire.
"Wow, Harry, what are you wearing?"
"Slytherin for the Cup! How did you do on your exams?"
"For taking them a year late? I think I did alright," Parvati shrugged.
"Don't know why I bothered," Lavender huffed, "I don't even need them with the job I've got right now, I just didn't want last year to be a waste."
"It's so nice to be back at Hogwarts." Parvati switched her tone to a more concerning one. "I can't believe they're still printing all that stuff about you. Lavender and I think it's ridiculous. We tell everyone outside of Hogwarts that stuff they print about you isn't true."
"Thanks, well, you know, it's good for sales and all that. Wish they'd focus on someone else though."
"Why the scarf Harry, are you mad at Ginny? Who's she dating now? She looked quite cozy with Zabini yesterday, but I heard she's dating someone else," Lavender asked scandalously.
"No, of course not… Slytherin was bound to win this year," he smiled at them, leaving them wondering if this was some sort of prank.
"School unity," Hermione divulged to them. "It's been a thing this year. Ignore him."
And then Cho, looking stunning, joined their group. "Harry! Oh my—why are you wearing that?" She looked at his scarf reproachfully. "People died last year."
"What are you doing here?" Harry asked in wonder, cracking into a smile just at the sight of her.
Hermione's expression hardened, like she knew exactly why Cho was here. "McGonagall asked Harry to champion school unity, SO he's been having a laugh with it."
"It's not a laugh," Harry corrected her. But at that moment several seventh year Slytherins passed, looking at Harry's scarf like he was the grossest thing at the school.
"Blimey Harry, WHAT are you wearing!?" Ron clapped him on the shoulder, hard.
"Don't listen to him, you look great." George clapped him on the other shoulder blade. "Ron doesn't understand school's not real life yet. Despite that he's already in it."
"Are they just LETTING people in today?" Harry looked at them both, amazed and happy to see them.
"Little Ronnie here couldn't miss his girlfriend graduating top of Hogwarts, could he?"
"That's not how this works, George." Hermione eyed them both disapprovingly but softened under Ron's presence.
"Well, we don't know. Only have our N.E.W.T.s, don't we? And Blimey Harry, snogging Snape now, are you? What did you do to Rita Skeeter?"
"Hermione didn't tell you? Pissed her off good, declined about two dozen interviews. An owl every morning, she was relentless!"
"An owl every morning? Really?" Neville asked, joining the group, trying to remember that many owls at breakfast.
"Oh yeah," Harry said nervously, George eyeing him like he didn't believe a word he said.
"So Harry, why are you wearing that?" Ron pointed to the scarf. "What's the joke?"
"Lost a bet," Harry lied. Hermione rolled her eyes.
"Oh, that makes sense. When is the feast starting? We've been waiting thirty minutes. If they're paying the house-elves now, they could at least be on time. OUCH!"
"You should have come back for your seventh year, Ron," George mentioned. "You still haven't learned enough not to piss off your girl."
"Slytherin for the Cup," Ginny toasted at Harry with a nasty smile as she walked by with Blaise, who glanced at Harry's scarf without comment.
"Slytherin for the Cup!" Harry toasted back at her, thankful she was at least talking to him. When Ron continued to look suspicious he said: "Play along mate."
"So, what's the joke with the scarf? Is it because you're supposed to be snogging Snape? Nearly died when I saw that article." Ron picked it up and felt it, realizing it was not a student issued scarf.
"Yeah, but luckily everyone knows that Draco's not my best mate." Harry pulled the scarf out of Ron's fingers before he could get ideas. "And what's wrong with supporting our Slytherin friends like… Blaise Zabini, who I still owe an apology, now that I think about it."
"What'd you do to Zabini?"
"Blasted him in a duel. Accident. Trying to hit your sister, got him instead."
"What?"
"Oh yeah. Well, she didn't go easy on me either, so, all is fair."
"And WHY were you dueling my sister!?" Ron said, starting to look a little pink.
"Oh, that duel was incredible. Everyone stopped to watch," Luna joined them.
"Slytherin for the Cup!" Harry toasted Luna.
"Slytherin for the Cup," she agreed. "And oh no, that won't do." She took a handkerchief out of her pocket and transfigured it into a Ravenclaw scarf, wrapping it around Harry so now he had two scarves.
"Oh, can we just bury it?" Ron pulled off his shoe and then a sock, transfiguring it into a Gryffindor scarf. He mock-strangled Harry with it for fun, and then re-arranged the scarves to make sure the Slytherin one was completely covered. Thankfully it didn't smell.
"Now I just look ridiculous."
"Did it to yourself, mate. That's what you get for supporting Slytherin."
"They need a win," Harry reminded him.
"They've been winning all year, the nerve. Ginny is convinced you didn't take the Captain position because you knew how bad the team was going to be."
"Well, we didn't have you this year, defending our goalposts, did we?" Harry gestured, Ron smiling at the compliment.
"Harry, what are you wearing?" Justin joined the group. "You're taking this 'unity' thing seriously, aren't you?"
"Justin, can you get your scarf? We're giving Harry one from each."
"He's not getting my scarf!" Justin said, offended they would ask. "I'll find something though," and he left, talking to some girls, and came back with a Hufflepuff pin that he attached to the front of Harry's robes.
Draco Malfoy passed them, catching Harry wearing three house scarves in June, shaking his head in shocked disbelief that Harry Potter could make a spectacle even in their last hours.
The staff arrived and all the students seated themselves. Snape entered and his eyes found Harry for only a second, his normal confident day-sneer turning into a frown, squinting at Harry's three-layered scarves. Several students muttered at Snape's arrival as he was absent all week.
George scored a seat right next to Harry. "Quite the rumors, Harry... how far did you get in that book?" George whispered slyly so no one else could hear.
"Depends," Harry gritted through his teeth. "Loose Lips Lose Lives. Pray the rumors aren't true or you're dealing with two."
"I. Won't. Tell. A. Soul… but for real this time. Harry, I am impressed. Adventuring into dark waters there."
"Six pages. That's it. Planned out another twelve."
"Only six?"
"Mixed pages, mind. I'm not going in order."
McGonagall stood up at the podium. The hall quieted.
"Before you get any ideas," Harry whispered, "I'm dating Goyle's sister. That's my story and I'm sticking to it."
"Goyle's sister?" George laughed. "Goyle doesn't even have a sister."
"Half troll," Harry continued,"strong thighs."
Hermione shot George disapproving looks as he laughed while the rest of the hall quieted, looking up at the headmaster. Her eyes swept over them, looking at her students fondly. Her chest swelled.
"Good Evening... If I could have only seen a glimpse into the future to see you all looking back at me in this moment, I would have known. It has been a hard year, but we have prevailed." She took another breath. "This year has been challenging, different, and bittersweet. But seeing all of your faces tonight lets me know that delaying your education would have just prolonged our grief. I hope this year was a year of healing for many of you. Words cannot describe how PROUD I am of the students of Hogwarts. You have allowed yourselves to be ushered into a new year despite the tragedies of last, and we all have grown together. You have proven to me why Hogwarts is a stronghold, regardless of magic, and has stood up to the vision of its founders. Each new generation of student strengthens Hogwarts' Legacy. The lessons were not in the classroom this year, but in the common rooms, the hallways, and in our hearts. I commend you."
All the students lifted their drinks and toasted. And even from here Harry could see the reflection of her eyes—watery and shining.
"Voldemort… did not define us. Nor does he define Salazar Slytherin's house. This year, we are proud to announce SLYTHERIN as House Cup Winner." Green and Black banners fell and rolled down from the ceiling. "Congratulations. You are not defined by the past, but by the quality of your character. You have been exemplary students, all."
Almost all the student clapped and cheered, but even the ones who didn't could not stop the celebratory commotion.
The feast arrived and Harry couldn't remember food tasting so delicious. Ron ate indecently, Hermione shooting him looks for his lack of manners. George also ate like this was the last time he could eat Hogwart's food, both hands working and shoveling.
After people finished eating, they went about the Great Hall savoring their last few hours inside. George kept giving people smuggled shots of Firewhisky.
"You look like an idiot," Draco drawled right behind Harry.
"And that makes you look better by default, so… no complaints."
He turned, Draco looking dignified as always, representing his house to the fullest. "Granger says Snape is still feeding you potions. Is that true? Not sure if I should hex her or not for the accusation."
"I've drank the relationship strengthening one several times, I bet loads of couple's do that."
Draco cringed at the word couple.' "Is that all? She made it sound dangerous. And no, they don't 'do that.' The Draught of Connection could ruin a relationship if brewed incorrectly. Many 'couples' don't dare try that. Plus—not a love 's delusional."
"Don't know why she's bothered to be honest. Think they'd get along."
"Why?"
"Well, they're a lot alike."
"No, they're not," Draco said, annoyed. "They're not alike at all."
Harry shrugged, taking a drink. He looked over at Blaise.
"Should I… apologize?"
"If you have not done so already, no. He can read people and situations. He is observant—notices things. He knows why you attacked him after that article came out. Despite your lies, everyone in 'our' year can see you're close in some aspect." He shook his head. "You didn't see your face. You looked like you could have killed."
Harry twiddled with his wand, looking down. "Didn't do it on purpose, did I? Automatic."
"If you mess things up, I will never forgive you."
"Then we'll be back to square one, won't we?" Harry smiled and walked off, lifting his goblet in a toast. "NICE Patronus by the way. Cute." And he walked towards the staff table, wanting to talk to McGonagall before the feast was over.
"HARRY!" Hagrid boomed at the edge of the staff table where he was talking to Professor Sprout, pulling him into a big binding hug. "Made it all the way through, didn't yeh Harry? Knew yeh would." Releasing him, he looked at the three scarves and the pin, laughing. "Dumbledore would be so proud. Look at yeh now."
"Yeah, this year… almost normal. Not that there's ever been normal."
"That article, during C.H.A.R.M.S. week an' everythin', doin' alright? Heard students were givin' yeh a hard time."
"Oh, I've had worse," and Harry looked into Hagrid's smiling eyes—the man he loved so much. "I'm sorry... I haven't come to visit… I just..."
A large hand waived the thought away. "Don' mention it, I know things are difficult fer yeh, haven' taken a broom out all year. Yeh need time. How did yer C.H.A.R.M.S. go? Do yeh think yeh managed a few?"
"Oh, yeah," Harry said brightly. "At least three certifications. All things considered, I did okay."
"Tha's good… tha's good…" and his eyes found the older Slytherin scarf underneath all the others—darker, a thicker wool, and perhaps a little longer. Hagrid had seen that scarf many times. "Those rumors Harry…"
"What? Don't tell me? Not you too!" Harry lied effortlessly. "Dumbledore trusted Snape implicitly. Even you trusted him when I didn't. And no one trusted him last year. We couldn't have done it without him, Hagrid, you know that."
Hagrid nodded gravely. "McGonagall. She had hope. Even with Dumbledore gone, she had it. Knew he was plannin' somethin'. We expected the school te be far worse last year but Snape insisted on quite a bit o' order. She was heartbroken, wasn' she? But Snape never turned on her. Firm with her, yea, but never turned on her. Or me now that I think 'bout it, though we had a bit o' words. Allowed the Carrows at the school, but he treated em a lot like naughty students, now that I think about it. An I'll tell yeh what Harry, Snape dosen' think very highly o people that aren't academic-like. An the Carrows, well, they weren' inter teachin' much, were they? I think she knew. Even if 'er brain didn' believe it, I think she knew."
"I think she did too," Harry agreed.
"Hagrid!" George practically attacked him.
"You! Yer not supposed te be here!" Hagrid looked worried and pleased at the same time.
"And how were you going to keep me out? Castle defenses are a little low at the mo."
McGonagall eyed George wearily but only had eyes for Harry as he approached her.
"Thank you for letting me come back."
Snape was sitting behind her staring blankly ahead, glued to the staff table, refusing to be accessible by anyone.
"What are you talking about? You always have a place here…" and she hugged him. They did not break apart.
"Thank you, Professor, for everything."
"Harry… I couldn't possibly… none of this would…" and her voice weakened.
And he held her even tighter before letting go. "You were brilliant," Harry said. "Incredible. Everyone, but especially you," and he could see it in her face, how hard everything has been, his expression mirroring hers.
"Did I hear correctly, Potter? You may be getting a C.H.A.R.M.S. in Healing? Kingsley will be pleased."
"Yeah, I think I managed one. And in Transfiguration."
She smiled.
After the feast Gryffindors celebrated in the common room like they had never celebrated before. Breaking the rules, they snuck in Justin, Luna, Lavender, Padma, and Cho into their common room where they drank several rounds of Butterbeer and had a couple shots of Firewhisky, Hermione shooing away some of the third years from the alcohol. Blaise got snuck in too by Ginny, monopolizing him in a corner while she playfully flipped her hair.
Harry didn't even care that people were staring at him today. Several people quoted Rita Skeeter at him, but he just shrugged them off nonchalantly. When they were unable to goad him, they gave up, but he continued to stick to Hermione where he felt safe.
"Do you really think you passed your Transfiguration C.H.A.R.M.S.?" she asked, leaning in close to him.
"What, and disappoint both you and McGonagall? Transfiguration is not the C.H.A.R.M.S. I'm worried about."
"Harry, that article was ridiculous. I can't believe they printed that. After everything," Cho sided up to him looking beautiful as ever. Too beautiful.
"Oh, yeah, I'm used to it by now. Tell me if I'm misjudging things, did she or did she not hint that Dumbledore molested me?"
"Wow, you didn't even read The Life and Lies of Albus Dumbledore, did you? There was an entire chapter hinting at it."
"No, I didn't! Didn't think I could stomach the whole read. Did it really say that? Wow, the article must be a laugh compared to that. But who cares about that—how are you?"
"Oh, just fine," and she smiled at him.… and kept smiling at him. Things felt different between them, more mature. He liked this calm and collected adult version of wondered if she was still single and if he was allowed to flirt in his current relationship. Inside his chest, his manhood roared under the attention and it started demanding unrealistic things. From across the room, Ginny shot daggers at them despite she was standing with Blaise.
Cho noticed. "Dating anyone then?"
"No," Harry lied. "Yes," he stumbled. "Sort of."
"Really?" She smiled at his awkwardness and inability to be natural around her, even now. "I've heard you've been really nice to the Slytherins this year…"
"Has he? How DARE HE!" Ron yelled, making his way past with another case of smuggled Butterbeer.
"Give it a rest, Ron, he knows his place." George walked by next with a stack of fresh order forms. "He's the moral compass of the Wizarding world, very mature. Isn't that right?" He winked. "Is that a hickey?" he whispered into his ear as he passed.
"Moral compass of the Wizarding world? Hardly." Harry readjusted his robes just in case George wasn't joking.
Maybe it was an excuse not to interact with other people, but he sidled up next to Cho for two straight hours, talking and laughing with her, perhaps being a little too flirtatious. He felt masculine again making her laugh, earning jealous looks from Ginny, reproachful looks from Hermione, a confused look from Blaise, and a thumbs up from George like he was absolutely doing a bang-up job in being an indiscriminate tart.
As the night progressed, the drunker George got, the more jokes he spouted about Rita Skeeter's article. Unfortunately for Harry they were all very funny and kept the room paralyzed with laughter, Ron elbowing him hard, cracking up, too many Butterbeers and shots in to heed Hermione's 'cut it out' warnings. Harry excused himself to go to the bathroom, put on his Invisibility Cloak, and promptly left for the night.
"It's midnight. You should be making a fool of yourself with your little friends. It's your last chance for rule-breaking."
"You don't think I'm going to break rules at the Ministry? And I had to return your scarf."
"No, you didn't."
Harry, who was several Butterbeers and shots in too, elbowed himself in. Feeling rather manly, he grabbed Snape by the waist and kissed him rather indecently. Snape didn't seem to mind his uncoordinated aggression.
"You don't have to work on the castle tonight, do you?"
"I have all summer."
"Good."
Harry was forced to wait on the couch while Snape had to treat two separate potions before they could turn in. Drunk and horny, he absentmindedly palmed himself through his clothes while he waited (Snape found this very distracting,) and soon the potions were in acceptable state to mature. Back in the bedroom, Harry crawled on top of Snape while he tried to remove his shoes and bodily laid on top of him, one shoe still on.
"You're heavy."
"Since when is that a problem?"
Snape claimed back his scarf and disrobed Harry for bed, who laid there and let it happen. He was pulled underneath the covers and it took them a few minutes to settle into a comfortable position.
Kissing commenced in the darkness.
"Hey, can you help me take some posters down?" Harry breathed.
"Why."
"They're distracting. Trying to make my room my own, you know."
"You want me to spend the little time I have off fixing your house?"
"Asking you to help with things that would probably take you minutes to do? Yeah."
"As much as I would enjoy destroying Black's house, why waste my time?"
"My house now, actually. Five minutes," Harry protested. "I bet you could figure out how to detach them in five minutes. Just try."
"Mmmm… and how will you make it worth my while?"
"Not page 212, I'll tell you that."
Snape laughed like he knew exactly what page 212 was. "Page 81."
"No. And you knew I'd say 'no' to that."
"Why not?" Snape whispered to his cheek. "I thought you'd be open."
"You knew I'd say 'no.'"
"I didn't say pages 81-95, I said 81. Just... page 81."
"I know exactly what page: I've been anticipating the ask, and the answer is 'no.' This is my new rule: don't ask me for anything you're not willing to do first. You first, with anything weird."
"Do you really think I'd look good with a vaginal orifice?" Snape playfully questioned, feeling his lips curl even in the darkness.
"Not really," Harry admitted. "Besides the point though, isn't it? You want me to do it, yeah? You first then."
"No."
"Right then—I'm not going to do it either. You first, me second. That's my new rule for everything."
Instead of arguing, Snape laughed deep and pleasurably. "Mmmm, so as long as I do something from the book first, you'll do it second? My, my Potter, I didn't realize you were so -adventurous!-" and with impending horror Harry realized what he just agreed to.
"I… I didn't mean that!"
"Anything I do first… well, that would be worth a few posters."
"No! Don't ask me to do weird stuff."
"What about 'embarrassing stuff?'"
"No, I don't think I'm ready for more of that either." Harry wondered what he could possibly want to do. Everything in that book seemed embarrassing.
"In speaking of… you seem… undisturbed by this week's events," Snape said, curious.
"What?" Harry practically snorted. "Did you really think I was going to crumble under that article, just like how I crumbled under all the other ones?"
Snape stayed silent.
"Did you really expect me to balk?"
"I don't know what I expected," he went silent before continuing, "No, I expected you to panic and avoid me."
"So you avoided me instead."
"Yes," Snape admitted, readjusting the arm Harry was laying on.
"After the weekend we had and everything?"
"I don't know."
"You're new to my private life… but I'm pretty loyal if I do say so myself. And I thought you'd know by now I can handle pressure."
"Don't you think this is going to hurt your Ministry Career?"
"What, Harry Potter, famous Auror, and his Death Eater Wife?"
"Never call me that," Snape growled.
Harry laughed.
"She's not here, stop fretting."
Snape led him up the spiral staircase by the hand into the headmaster's office. Harry was trying to be relaxed, but his eyes immediately went to Dumbledore's portrait who surveyed them entering together without comment.
"So, June 21st, definitely? Are you going to Floo in or Apparate?"
"Apparate, I think—I prefer the fresh air. And you should close off your Floo for your own safety."
"No, I want to use it to get to work."
"Make your own mistakes then."
"Am I allowed to come see you?"
"I will be busy, Potter. As you well know."
"Alright, but it's going to be weird not seeing you for two weeks."
"You'll survive."
And before Harry was ready, Snape threw in a handful of powder, keeping their goodbyes short. And in front of all the portraits, including Dumbledore's, Snape kissed him goodbye. A rustle of movement could be heard as most of the portraits shifted uncomfortably in their frames.
"Bye then."
"Remember: don't visit," and that was the last thing Snape said to him before shoving him into the fire.
