Give or take, two months had passed since students and staff returned to Hogwarts to finish off the term. It had been pretty quiet, no problems. The search for the Horcruxes was still on for whatever one Dumbledore thought he found and also Bill Weasley was working his way through the Gringotts chain to try and get access to Bellatrix's vault. Harry was enjoying the peace, and loving life with his friends and husband.

Things between Severus and Harry were great; the two had equal time behaving like a couple, and staying professional as teacher and student. There was obviously a sufficient amount of time for the two to continue their training, and have therapy sessions a few times a week.

The two always completed their work before switching off serious mode for school to go into married life. Yes, they were still dating within their marriage too. Typically, on the weekends, Severus and Harry would enjoy a meal together in their room and they did do dates in Hogsmeade as well.

Harry hadn't had any breakdowns, or used his room to take time for himself, but he used it as a library and workspace to do assignments and usually kept the door open just so Severus wouldn't worry that something was wrong with Harry. The teenager was still depressed, but he was...Handling it better than before.

Or he was, until this morning when he woke up to his husband running his fingers up and down Harry's arms and back, placing kisses on his neck, then reaching over to hug the teen. Severus hadn't been ready for Harry to flip out in a panic and instantly hold his wand on him.

Severus would recognize a flashback anywhere, and it was clear he did something to trigger one in Harry. The teenager hadn't even spoken when he came out of it and before Severus could say anything, Harry had escaped the bedroom and took refuge in his safe space. As confused as Severus was, he kept his promise and didn't bother Harry once.

Severus only checked in with Dobby to ensure Harry ate breakfast, lunch, and dinner. Also, Harry kept to the conditions, and Ivy was with him the entire time. The only thing Severus didn't know was how Harry was using the bathroom because he was sure he didn't arrange for one to be in there when the room was made.

It was currently about 8:30 pm and Severus had been going over some assignments that needed grading when the man heard Harry's door open and looked over to see him finally come out slowly.

"Harry…" Severus said, relieved to see him. "Are you alright?" He rose from his seat, but didn't make any strides towards the teenager in case he didn't want to be touched. "I-I'm sorry about this morn-," He tried.

Harry put his hand up. "Don't…Please don't apologize. You didn't know." Harry revealed.

"Didn't know what?" Severus asked gently. "I…Think we should talk about this. So I know what not to do next time…We agreed we would give one another time if something happened, and then we'd talk calmly."

"No. No…You didn't do anything wrong, Sev…I-I'm the one who freaked out." Quavered Harry.

"But I still did something to make you freak out, Harry, and I want to know what it is so I don't do it again. Please, sit and talk with me?" Severus hoped.

"A-And we will. Just…Let me shower and change first?" The teenager requested.

Severus nodded for him to go on and Harry left Ivy on the couch before he entered the bedroom to get a change of clothes, and then move into the bathroom and closed the door. Severus sat back down to get back to work because he didn't want anything to interfere with the talk.

It didn't take long, Severus was done after fifteen minutes, and by the end of twenty, Harry came out of the bedroom to sit on the couch as Ivy resumed her place of slithering up his arm to hang around his neck. Severus joined Harry, bringing over two cups of tea and handing one to his husband.

"Thanks…" Harry looked down at the cup softly before lifting it to his lips and taking a sip. "There's a calming draught in this…Isn't there?" He inquired.

"A few drops. I thought it might help." The man admitted.

"It is…" The teen responded. "I'm sorry about this morning. Freaking out and disappearing all day…"

"While I don't understand the reasoning behind the freaking out, you did not disappear. I knew where you were all day, you had Ivy, and you still ate. You kept to my conditions, and used the room for what it was intended to be. A safe place for you to escape to when you need it." Severus reminded. "I just want to understand this morning. It's not the first time I've done that to you, Harry, and you never did what you did before."

"All the times you've done it before, I was conscious and aware you were with me, and we'd be facing one another." Corrected Harry softly.

"You did not know it was me? Who else would you have believed?..." Severus wondered.

Harry looked down, ashamed almost. "It's what Vernon did," He began as Severus listened. "At night, he'd come into my room when I was sleeping and start touching me until I woke up, then he'd rape me…" Harry confessed in a quiet tone. "I never knew when it was going to happen, and it always started the same way. Slip into the room silently, lay next to me…" He took a breath. "I went to bed before you did last night, I didn't even wake when you got into bed. But-,"

"It's so dark down here in the dungeon that when you woke up to me behind and touching you…You flashed back to when Vernon did it, and it sent you into a panic." Severus understood. "Harry, I'm sorry."

"You didn't know, Severus. It's not your fault, I should have told you about it…" Harry said.

"I'm sure you would have, eventually, in our sessions. So far we've only touched on being treated like a slave, the beatings and starvation." Severus comforted. "Don't be upset that you didn't tell me. I know now, and I won't do that again. I thought it would be a nice way for you to wake up," He said.

"It would have been, if it hadn't been something used to cause me pain in the past." The teenager remarked.

"Then for now, I won't do it until we make it something you associate with…Pleasure, and affection. Something you don't have to fear that will result in being harmed. Okay? We'll work on it. Until then, I'll stick to either making sure you know I'm there, or staying in front of you." Severus promised. Harry nodded. "Can I ask…If Vernon raping you is why you prefer topping? Not that I'm against it. I told you I prefer bottom because I feel it's more pleasurable, but…I suppose I'm curious while we're on the topic?"

"I prefer top because I'm leader-like. I used to just be the one to make all the moves. Not just in sex, but life. You've seen my friends, everyone rallies behind me. But I suppose there's some…Psychological component because of what Vernon did. I was never strong enough to stop him, couldn't use magic…Always figured it would be over faster if I just kept my mouth shut and let it happen," Harry paused for a moment.

"Being top lets you be in control." The potions master informed.

"In a way, I guess…But again. I just like it because it's become the norm. Was for me and Blaise, same with me and you. Blaise preferred the bottom too and I didn't have any other partners who wanted to switch it up." Harry stated.

"Did…Blaise ever top you?" Severus asked.

"Once, but it didn't last long." The teen admitted. "He took me from behind, or tried to."

"Why?"

"Because it hurt. I don't know if he didn't do something right, or was just nervous, but it had hurt and I backed away from the idea of doing it again. Blaise said it would be better if I topped him. Why are you so curious? About a year ago, you wanted no part of knowing anything about me and Blaise's sexual relationship." Harry arched a brow.

"When we re-consummated our bond, you mentioned not minding if I topped you one time." Severus reminded.

"Yeah, and I meant that." Harry confirmed.

The man sighed softly, but not angrily. "I know that no one knew you were raped until me, that night New Year's early morning. And if I had to take a guess, Vernon always took you from behind, so when Blaise did it…You panicked, remembering what Vernon did."

"Associated the first time being taken from behind as when you'd been raped so many in that same position. Instead of relaxing and focusing on the pleasure, you were scared and locked up, and you know without relaxing, the ass is tighter, so it hurts with too much force." He explained.

"Am I right, or wrong?" His husband glanced down a little. "I'm asking because if I ever top you, Harry, the times I have topped my partners, I prefer them on their hands and knees. And if I ever topped you, that's how I'd want you. If you have fear about being taken from behind because of Vernon, I want to know about it so I don't needlessly torture you or risk sending you into a panic." Severus revealed.

"These are things we need to talk about and establish before trying, or you will do what you did this morning and I will not have known. I'm trying to help you heal, Harry…I can't do that if you're not telling me what I need to know that hurts you."

Sighing, and closing his green eyes, Harry nodded. "When Blaise tried to top me from behind, I knew he was nervous and that made me nervous. I couldn't relax, so it hurt. I kept from flashing back, but I started to panic and he realized it…He asked if I was okay, I told him it hurt and he just said we wouldn't do that again."

"He admitted he was nervous the first time…But said he had preferred bottom. We kept it that way…I never told him what happened, though, I'm sure now…He's put the pieces together and likely hasn't brought it up because he knows about me being raped…"

"I'm sure if that is the case, he's simply not saying anything out of respect for you in more than one means of context." Severus assured. "The fact you two are no longer together, and just friends. The fact he knows you're with me. And perhaps that he knows it hurts you, and wants you to heal."

"I assumed that may have been the case." Harry nodded.

Severus inched closer, carefully putting an arm around his husband's shoulders, once Ivy got the hint and moved off to sit in Harry's lap. "Listen. I know people who have suffered sexual trauma have issues with intimacy. I am very surprised that you do not, given the repetitiveness of what Vernon did. However, it is clear that there are some triggers that set you off and if we ever want to explore our sexual relationship more, Harry…"

"We'll need to tackle those. It is perhaps not needless to say that you will struggle with being taken on your hands and knees, even on your stomach because you will associate it with what Vernon did to you." The man paused. "But as we saw this morning…There are things to work on. I don't want you to be afraid of anything I do to you, Harry."

"I-I'm not afraid of you." Harry protested.

"But there are things I do that remind you of what Vernon did, Harry, and I don't want that. You have every right to be upset and fearful with all you've been through. But I'm hoping that as we move through your healing process…You will not associate my affection with what Vernon did. It's part of healing, Harry…To tackle the things that make you scared, that caused you pain."

"It's the only way to stop being afraid, to put it behind you; face it and move on knowing you've survived, conquered, and thrived from it." Severus explained. "Now, you've survived everything you've been through…But you haven't faced and conquered it all, therefore, you cannot move on from it."

"I know…I know I have to face them, Sev. But there's so much going on right now that I honestly feel like my problems are not top of the priority list." Harry admitted.

"You should always be top of the list, Harry." Severus told him.

"You tell me how much healing I'm gonna do with Voldemort still out there, Severus…Be honest? There is no point right now. I'm not saying I'm giving up, but…I'm putting it aside. I'll never heal properly with him around, knowing how much is at stake. It's war, Sev…In war, there are always casualties. People are gonna get hurt. People are going to die. If I'm going to have to go through all that on top of what I've already been through…I rather tackle it when the danger is done. When the war is over and won by us." Harry revealed.

"I…Understand, Harry…But you must also see my side of not wanting you to put yourself on hold. It's the equivalent of burying it down and the last time you did that, you contemplated suicide again and got yourself addicted to a number of potions." Severus stated. "You must understand my hesitation to that idea. As you said, this will get worse before it gets better…"

"I'll be okay." Harry promised. "Just like with your faith in me removing the mark, I need it now from you. I need your faith in me so I can handle this. No matter what I've suffered, Sev…I haven't let it get in the way of something serious. Defeating Voldemort is too important to ignore for myself. It's never been in me to be selfish, and I can't do it now. Not when there are this many people counting on me to save them."

"If you give me your word you will be selfish when it's all over, I'll give you my faith and support so you can handle the stress of what we're about to face." Severus stared into his husband's eyes. "Do we have a deal?"

"Deal. I give you my word that when Voldemort is gone for good, and the war is won…I'll be selfish and focus on my recovery." Harry vowed.

"Thank you." Severus smiled.

"Thank you…"

Harry leaned his head up and kissed the man gently, but deeply. Severus returned the action and then they stayed cuddling on the couch in front of the fire until the two both decided to turn in for bed. There will be classes tomorrow after all. In just a few more weeks, the term would be over. Harry never said it to Severus, but the reason Harry wasn't worrying about himself is because he knew something bad was going to happen and it was going to be what marked the official start of the war, the countdown to the final battle.

. . .

Only a few days had passed, and it was now June 6th. Classes had ended for the day as Harry and Severus took the afternoon for some time to themselves, it resulted in sex, which the two were still having. Well, they went one round after classes once back in their quarters and then took a break to get some work done. Now, it was long after dinner time around 9:00 pm as they were caught up on work and ended up in a heated make-out session on the couch.

Ivy had already gone away to give the males their privacy, and it hadn't taken long for Harry and Severus to end up back in their room and having sex again. Currently, it was Harry and Severus on their bed with Severus laying on his back and Harry keeping the man's legs draped over his arms while leaning forward so they could kiss while Harry rocked his hips into the man steadily.

"Oh…God, Harry…" Severus moaned.

Harry smiled as he continued what he was doing, and then they were interrupted by sounds from the in room fireplace. "You didn't seal off the room?" Harry asked.

"I had figured it wasn't necessary in our bedroom, Harry," Severus told him as he turned his head over towards the fireplace.

"At-hem…" Came Albus's voice. "I trust I'm not interrupting anything, boys?"

"Not-," Severus began.

"Yes, actually, Headmaster…You are." Harry muttered as Severus's face flushed. "Can we help you?"

"There is, uh, a meeting taking place at headquarters…If you would care to take time from your busy schedules to join us." Albus informed.

"We're all waiting for you two, in fact!" Shouted Sirius.

"Sirius!" Remus scolded.

"Harry, we have to go…" Severus whispered.

Harry grumbled. "Ten minutes, Professor."

"Thank you!" Albus said, then the fireplace went quiet.

"Ten minutes, really?" Severus arched a brow.

"Severus, I have my cock buried in your ass and we're both way too close to finishing to stop now. I refused to let the dark lord be a cock block, I sure as all hell ain't letting the Order do it either." Harry remarked. "If we go now, I'm gonna be hard the entire time and grouchy because we were interrupted."

"Fair enough." Severus agreed.

"Now…Where were we?" Harry grinned as he bent down to capture his lover's lips again and gave another thrust as Severus moaned out.