Unfortunately, Harry and Severus didn't get to pick up what they were doing in the Defense classroom. When Harry came to Severus's room that night, a note was left on the man's desk that Voldemort had summoned him and he had to go. This only slightly upset Harry because the two of them were getting on great and actually had a good night planned until the dark lord got in the way again. Harry knew that if Severus had been at it then, hopefully, he wouldn't call another for tonight. It was the 18th of January, now Saturday.
Harry didn't see Severus at breakfast, which was a little worrying and the teenager knew that usually meant Severus got hurt. Whenever Tom didn't like the report or things weren't going how he wanted; he would use the Cruciatus curse on his followers.
Harry didn't want to bother his husband if the man was resting, so he used the day to go to Hogsmeade with friends. Harry had lunch in the village, and returned later on before supper, which Severus was also not present at. Just wanting to make sure his husband was okay, Harry decided that after the meal; he would go to the room and check in.
"You alright, Harry?" Draco inquired.
"Yeah, fine." The teenager responded. "Just worried about Severus." He said in a hushed tone.
"Why?" Draco wondered.
"He got called to Voldemort last night, and I haven't seen him all day." Harry admitted. "I'm going to head to his room after dinner."
"Let me know. We can use the two way journals." Draco suggested.
Harry nodded to his friend and continued eating his food. When supper ended, Harry moved along to the dungeons with the other Slytherins and got upstairs to fetch his cloak then sneak back down and out the common room entrance when others were coming in.
Harry moved in the halls carefully and got to Severus's quarters, uttering the password and slipping inside. Once through the door, Harry checked the room before he pulled off his cloak and left it draped on the hook before going to Severus's bedroom and knocking lightly.
"Harry? Is that you?" Severus asked.
Harry opened the door and peeked inside to find his husband laying on the bed. "Sev…" He walked in more and closed the door behind him. "Are you alright?"
"Doing much better now that you're here. I think that settled the theory we had about the bond working to help us," Severus stated gently. "Are you okay? You seem shaken."
"I've been worried about you all day." Harry glanced down. "I didn't see you at breakfast, or dinner. I-I thought you were hurt."
"It was just the usual, Harry, and it was a long meeting too. I've been sleeping most of the day." Severus informed.
"The usual is the Cruciatus curse, and you say it so relaxed like you don't think I know what it feels like…" Harry sighed.
"Harry, come here…" Severus scooted a bit to give his husband some room to sit in the bed with him. Harry sat himself on the bed and leaned into Severus, who wrapped his arms around his husband. "I know you know what it feels like, but you, Harry, have an upper hand in being able to resist it. The rest of us do not. I say it relaxed because I've been dealing with it for years, and yes, it hurts…But it's part of my job as a spy for the Order." He explained.
"Why do you think I resist it?" Harry inquired.
"Because you were able to stand up when Voldemort put you under it in fourth year." Severus informed. "You survived the Killing, and you resisted Cruciatus. Now, people can resist Imperius, if they are particularly strong willed, notably in the mental sense."
"I've thrown off Imperious before." Harry informed. "Fake Moody, Barty Crouch Jr, when he was teaching Defense that year. He put me under it when he taught us what the three unforgivable curses are."
"Then you, Harry, are the only person I know who has beaten all three unforgivable curses. You survived the Killing curse. Resisted the Cruciatus, and threw off Imperious." Severus told him. "Even if you felt the pain of Cruciatus, you forced yourself to move and stand through it enough to send a spell of your own at Voldemort in fourth year. You did it twice, in fact, after having been under it five times the first, and another two. It's highly impressive, actually."
"I have ridiculous pain tolerance because of the past…" Harry mumbled.
"You've told me what happened between the abuse, and being raped," Severus nodded.
"Sev, I know what you do for the Order…But it's wrong of Albus to subject you to this. You're not just spying, you're being tortured and he's okay with it. I mean come on, Neville's parents were in the Order too and they were tortured to insanity by Death Eaters. And they weren't even spies. I don't want that to happen to you." Harry cuddled up closer to his husband.
"I don't care what it takes. I'm using all my free time after my assignments are done to figure out how to remove that dark mark. Risking and sacrificing you might be in his grand plans, but it isn't in mine and husband trumps boss. I'll get that mark off you, and then I'll do it for Lucius too. I know he wants out."
"You don't have to work yourself into an early grave over this mark. I've had it for years." Severus told him.
"Nothing you say will change my mind. I'm not going to let you suffer anymore and if Tom has a problem with it, he can come take it up with me." Harry remarked.
"Settle down my headstrong husband." Severus said. "I spy to protect you. I'm the insider to know what his plans are against you…"
"I rather take my chances not knowing if it means you're safe. I promised you before we got married that I would protect you, Severus. From any negativity about the decision and Voldemort himself." Harry reminded. "And I don't go back on my word. I swore you this on my magic…I will see it through and set you free. Let's see how strong Tom is without his followers."
"I doubt you're gonna get many of the others to leave." Severus mentioned.
"You'd be surprised." Harry remarked.
Severus pulled back a bit to eye his young husband. "Do you know something I do not about the loyalties of the dark lord's followers?"
"I know that Crabbe, Goyle, and Nott want out. Their sons have told me. Draco told them I'm working to remove the mark." Harry stated.
"Harry! No one is supposed to know that I-," Severus said quickly.
"Severus, relax, will you?" Harry sat upwards now, still on the edge of the bed and looking at Severus. "They do not know you are involved with the dark lord, or even me. However…Draco knows the truth, and mentioned to Vin, Greg, and Theo that I'm the chosen one and I might have the power to remove the marks. Draco only told them that I was working on it to free his parents, and the boys asked me if I could get their parents out too." He stated.
"I know there are some among the Death Eaters who will refuse to leave, like Bellatrix, the Carrows, and likely a handful of others. But there are some only there because they can't escape Voldemort while they bear his mark. I will still get rid of Voldemort, but if there's a way to free those who want to leave before I kill him; I won't deny them that chance."
"You're such a good person, Harry. With all you've been through in your life, most would have turned to the dark to rise above those who hurt them." Severus said.
"You rise above by turning that pain into power, and using it as your drive to keep going. Live your life as you want to. Your choices, your life. And you show those who had hurt you, tried to break you, that what they did only made you stronger." Harry informed. "Are you really rising above if you've fallen to the same level of hurting the people who hurt you?" Harry smiled at his husband.
"You are, Harry, wise beyond your years." Severus sighed gently. "But you are right." He added. "I am sorry about being called away, it interrupted the plans we made…"
"We have a lifetime together, Sev. I'm not worried about one night." Harry told him. "But for the record…It's one more reason I have to get that mark off you. Cock-blocking bastard…" Severus couldn't fight the laughter which escaped him. Harry wasn't mad at Severus for having to leave, rather, Voldemort for deciding to call a meeting the night they planned to have sex for the first time in months. "What?" Harry asked. "Is what I called him that amusing to you?"
"Harry, you just called the dark lord a cock-block." Severus said.
"Am I wrong? You didn't interrupt our plans, he did." Harry chuckled.
"I suppose it cannot be argued." Severus calmed down. "I haven't laughed like that since your mother was alive…"
"Glad I could cheer you up." Harry smiled. "If the twat does it again, I may just grab onto you when you leave and give him a piece of my mind in not calling my husband away when I'm trying to get laid."
Severus blinked. "Harry! You wouldn't…"
"I absolutely would. Just because he's too focused on power to get laid, which might calm his ass down, doesn't mean I'm missing out." Harry remarked. "Now…I should let you rest." Harry leaned over to give the man a light kiss before getting off the bed.
"Wait," Severus reached out and stopped Harry from walking away. "You don't want to stay with me? I wouldn't mind the company. I've…Missed you."
"I assumed you might have been recovering all day, so I just wanted to make sure you were okay…" Harry told him.
"I've spent all day recovering, I'm alright." Severus replied. "You can stay. Maybe we can have the night we planned?" The man's cheeks flushed that he was now basically suggesting or offering that they sleep together.
Harry kissed the man's forehead. "I have a little work to finish up and no one knows I left the dorm to come here except Draco. I did come with my cloak, but everyone will wonder where I've vanished too," Harry said. "How about I let you rest a bit more, I'll go get my work done…And I'll return later tonight after curfew when everyone is in bed and won't look odd if I'm not seen all night." He suggested.
"I'll see you later then?" Severus asked.
"You definitely will, Sev." Harry winked.
The teenager then turned and left the room, dawning his cloak over himself; he returned to Slytherin common room.
. . .
Later that night, around 10:30 pm, Harry escaped the dorm after drawing his bed curtains closed and snuck down the hall to get to Severus's room. Harry whispered the password and got through the door, pulling off the cloak once the door was closed. Harry found Severus in the main room, nursing a cup of tea.
"Welcome back." Severus greeted. "The boys out?"
"Everyone is in their beds and curtains drawn." Harry informed.
"Get all your work done?" Severus asked.
"Everything due for Monday, yeah." Harry replied. "How are you feeling?"
"Entirely better, Harry." Severus answered. "How was your day?"
"Quiet, mostly. Spent most of it in Hogsmeade with friends, did a group lunch together. Bought a couple sweets. Average Saturday, I guess." Harry sat down beside his husband. "Still working out how to talk to Slughorn and get him to divulge that memory to me."
"Albus is quite insistent on it, saying it's the key to defeating Voldemort, like a weakness. I get why that's important, but still…Why put that on the shoulders of a teenager? Don't I carry enough as the famous boy who lived or the new title, the chosen one. I hate it, Sev. I really do. Can't I just be Harry Potter? Is that really so much to ask?"
"You're just Harry Potter to me. Well, Snape in that too, but you know I've never supported your fame. I used to think you relished in it, but I see that was wrong, and you actually despise the attention it brings you." Severus stated.
"I appreciate that, more than you'll ever know." Harry leaned against the man. "The Slytherins, thankfully, don't pay any mind to it either. Hermione, Ron, Neville, and Luna don't either. I guess Dean and Seamus pass on the not caring part too. But everyone else, forget it." He sighed.
"You know what really sucks about the fame, though…" Severus motioned for him to continue. "No matter what I do, I won't ever lose it. I'm always going to be the boy who lived. Always going to be known as the chosen one to destroy Voldemort…And when the dark lord is gone, I'll always be the one who defeated him and saved the world or whatever. No matter where I go, or what I do…I won't escape it."
"I do find it unfair you carry such a heavy burden and you're right, Albus shouldn't be adding to that." Severus agreed. "You seem to be in Slughorn's good graces, I don't imagine that he wouldn't tell you if you explained why you needed to know. We all want Voldemort gone, Harry. I feel Slughorn would understand why you're asking him such information."
"I'll give it a go eventually. Right now, I'm just focusing on my school stuff, using my spare time to figure out the dark mark to remove it. Dumbledore can wait. None of my years are easy because of all the extra stuff that happens. I really don't feel like adding more onto the pile." Harry admitted.
"And you have every right to refuse Dumbledore's request, Harry. If Albus wants it badly enough, he should speak to Slughorn himself." Severus said. "I respect the man more than anyone will know, but there are things he does that I don't agree with."
"Ah, well…It's not important right now. Like you said, everyone wants Voldemort gone, and obviously Albus has probably tried to get the memory himself and Slughorn refused. That's why he's asking me because Slughorn sees me as a potions protégé or something." Severus snorted.
"Hey, I didn't come up with calling me that. Either way, if whatever Slughorn has in his memory is vital to defeating Tom…I'll get it somehow." He informed. "But again, it's not important right now. All I want is my time with you tonight."
"I'm all yours." Severus finally set his tea cup down on the plate, then put that on the couch-side table. "I know you haven't planned your future yet, and won't until Voldemort is gone…But if you could plan it for after Hogwarts, where would it take you?"
"I don't know," Harry shrugged. "I guess I've always envisioned living in a quiet neighborhood, small house, and a family of my own. Work a regular job."
"What job would you want?"
"I've…Always aspired to be an Auror. It's been back and forth on that idea. Times I want to, others, I rather just avoid it. The avoidance came from all these years fighting Voldemort, why would I want to spend the rest of my life chasing down dark wizards?" Harry stated.
"What changed?" Severus asked.
"The fact I know that with Voldemort gone, it won't stop others from trying to be the next one. There will always be someone who wants to carry out the work of the one before them, finish what they couldn't. Gellert Grindelwald wanted wizarding society to reign over the muggles, but failed. Tom Riddle wants to eradicate the muggles and half-bloods. Tom told me down in the Chamber during second year that he left behind the diary with a memory of himself preserved in the pages to one day return and finish Salazar's noble work. His words, not mine." Harry stated.
"But that's why I decided to become an Auror. I don't want anyone else trying to ruin what is created. Grindelwald gone, there was some peace. Then Tom, and look what the world's become. The next person will do the same. It's never going to stop unless we stop it before it gets bad. Being an Auror does that." Harry explained. "I know it sounds weird, but…"
"No. No, I don't believe it does, Harry. You're fighting to have a normal life, protect the people you care about. You're not wrong, there will always be another threatening the peace to see someone else's work finished. The only way to get what you want is to fight for it. For you, being an Auror would do that. Let you be one of the people who gets a jump on stopping dark wizards before they get to levels like Grindelwald and Riddle."
"It lets you have assurance that you're keeping the world safe, lets you have that normal life you want." Severus said. "I think it's very well thought out, and decided on with good reasoning. You have my full support and I'll help all I can in you reaching your dreams."
"Thanks…" Harry smiled. "Yeah. What you said fits. The future I want? I want normal. A normal life living in a little house in a quiet neighborhood with a family, some good friends, job I love. And hey, jumped the gun…I'm already settled down to a wonderful man." He looked at his husband.
"You desire to stay married to me?" Severus asked. "I…Assumed you may eventually wish to end things to pursue a more appropriate relationship."
"Such as?" Harry faced the man.
"Someone younger than I, your own age perhaps. Someone you may truly like and fall in love with. You're only sixteen, after all. I'm sure you have plenty of suitors. That Weasley girl is clearly fawning over you. I heard of your…What do you kids call it these days, snogging, Miss. Chang in fifth year." Severus mentioned.
"Sev," Harry chuckled a little. "Bless your heart, you're so innocent sometimes." Severus blinked at Harry's words while the teenager moved closer to Severus, lightly touching the man's chin so they had locked eyes. "For starters, I don't know if I ever told you this, but I bat for my own team, as it can be said. I have no attraction to females. I can admit there are some beauties out there, but they don't do anything for me. Cho was…Just my eye opener to that."
"Our kiss happened at the end of an army meeting before the holidays that year, and her attraction to me was more gratitude that I saved Cedric from getting hit by Voldemort's killing curse that day. And Ginny, dear Merlin; I've grown up with that girl."
"She's practically family to me, I could never date her. At that…The girl looks like my mum. The red hair, thin…No, I could never. It would be too weird for me. Again, I see her like a sister. Ginny does like me, she's made it no secret she does, but I believe it's more…Because of who I am, another gratefulness that I saved her in second year." Harry informed calmly.
"Secondly…I mentioned once before I have a thing for older guys." Harry smiled. "Severus, I do not care that you're vastly older than me. And I know we are not in love, but that doesn't mean we couldn't eventually. I know we didn't start well, even going back to when I started as a student here, but…Look how far we've come?" He asked as Severus gave it brief thought."
"I may be sixteen, Severus, but I assure you that I take my relationships seriously. Blaise and I were friends for a fair amount of time before we dated, but we gave it our all and yes, in the end, things didn't work out. We were better friends. I know our relationship is a little more…Solid than dating…" He paused.
"But Sev, we're bonded as soulmates. That has to mean something, doesn't it?" Harry looked at the man. "Look, all I'm saying is that while things have been rough in the past, we came together and I'd like to think that while we're married, bonded…Whatever, we've kind'a become friends since talking things out before Christmas."
"I guess I can agree to that idea," Severus nodded.
"But overall, Sev. You told me at the end of that talk that you wanted to give things a real try, and we axed the plan of divorcing when I turned seventeen to see how it goes." Harry reminded. "I agreed, and I want to see that through. Treat this like a real relationship, where the marriage is just a legality. We can…Date within our marriage. Keep working on getting to know one another, spend time together…I personally love the idea of more little date nights during holidays," Harry smiled.
"I want to stay with you, have us both give this all we got in a real chance. See what happens and where it goes. If things are truly not working out after I turn seventeen in…What, six months, we divorce and say our goodbyes. I'd hope to, at least, keep the friendship. No hard feelings, just agree to end it mutually. But…If things are going good, I want to keep it going…Stay married. Hell, after graduation, I'd be fine with doing another wedding, just so we can invite friends to it. Sorry, I always had dreams about sharing that moment with more than just the person I'm marrying. I'm…Big on family, if you haven't noticed."
"It was expected, Harry." Severus replied gently.
"But I mean it…If things are good between us, even great and…Feelings develop, I want to stay with you. Have that future you asked me about…It's odd, but I can see such with you at my side. I may not love you, right now…But I'm about eighty percent sure that I like you." Harry said.
"Only eighty?" Severus teased.
"Hush, it's still kind'a new and over the half-way mark." Harry lightly shoved the man. "I don't know what it is, Sev, but…I kind'a feel like we just fit well with all of the hate gone. Also, that eighty might be more if you forgive yourself for the past and stop arguing with me that you're a good man, Severus. You really are, I have nothing but respect and admiration for you. I feel like you and me work, and we can be so much more if we don't fight it." He admitted.
"Do you truly?" Severus asked.
"I do." Harry winked. "Do you?"
"I do." Severus replied softly.
Harry leaned in and captured the man's lips with his own. It was a nice little chat, but Harry wasn't going to miss this moment of Severus realizing what Harry did; that they were good together, that they could be so much more. Harry did care for Severus, the same Severus cared for Harry and they just needed to stop fighting the pull and give into where life took them together.
