Tie Me Up, Tie Me Down
After his annoying encounter with Lupin, Severus was in dire need of something stronger than brandy to soothe his temper. "Absinthe," he growled to Tom, pulling more money from his pocket.
He hadn't drunk absinthe in years, but the first taste of the heady green liquid brought memories rushing back. He could almost feel it like fire in his blood, mingling with the brandy he had already consumed, the combined effects kicking in swiftly. The tension in his neck and shoulders drained away, and by the time half of the contents of his glass were gone, Severus was beginning to relax -- and to undergo a change.
His shoulders dropped, and his expression -- normally pinched and surly -- smoothed out into something which, if not exactly open and inviting, was at least pleasant, his thin lips quirking upward at the corners. His movements became infused with a slow, languid grace, and he had the distinct air of a predator as his hooded eyes swept the room, searching.
Draco had arrived, but he appeared to have his hands already full with Miss Parkinson. Pity, Severus thought and continued his assessment of the room. His gaze fell on Percy Weasley, who looked as wretched and out of place as Severus had felt, and he nodded, darting his tongue out to lick his lips.
His glass was empty, and so he ordered another, carrying it but not drinking it yet as he pushed himself away from the bar and began moving towards Percy's table with the easy rolling gait of a hungry jungle cat that has its prey in its sights.
He stared at Percy, wanting to make eye contact to see if the young man would welcome or rebuff him, and stopped just short of the table. "Good evening, Mr. Weasley," he purred.
Percy looked up in surprise. "P..professor Snape?" he stuttered. "Um...join me?"
He wasn't sure exactly what to say or do. What, really, was the proper procedure when one of your former professors, that you had just a wee bit of a crush on though you'd never admitted it even to yourself, walked up with a glass of absinthe and started chatting out of the blue?
This pub might just be trouble. And Percy was still too toasted to leave under his own power.
"Thank you." Severus claimed the chair across from Percy and placed his glass on the table, leaning back and regarding Percy for a moment, his expression inscrutable but containing no hint of mockery or dislike.
It amused him that he had been silently railing against Gryffindors a few minutes before, and now he found himself sitting across from one with the intent of luring said Gryffindor into bed with him, but Percy had always been the most tolerable Weasley of the lot. He was orderly and understood the importance of rules, and he had never seemed as enamored of Harry Potter as the rest of his clan always had, which gave him bonus points in Severus' book.
He wasn't bad to look at, either. Those red curls were rather tempting, in fact, and Severus imagined how they might feel twining around his fingers.
"What brings you here, Mr. Weasley?" he asked at last, continuing to study Percy as he picked up his glass and took a sip. Percy's glasses were sitting crooked on his nose, he noted absently. They needed to be straightened. Or perhaps removed altogether.
Percy was rather stunned that Professor Snape had so easily accepted his invitation. Gathering as much of himself as he possibly could, given the sheer amount of gin coursing through his veins, he smiled. "You can call me Percy, if you wish. I must admit that I'm not quite that close with my family, you see, so..." Before he ran off and babbled, he changed the subject. "I thought this place would cheer me up a little, get me out of the house. I'm out, but I'm decidedly the worse for wear. And you? I have to admit surprise, Professor. I didn't ever envision you as a pub type, though I could imagine a cauldron of absinthe stored somewhere."
Percy hoped he didn't sound as stupid as he felt. Perhaps another drink. He raised a finger towards Lucky, who was lurking nearby, and another gin and tonic swiftly appeared.
"I too wished to 'get out of the house', so to speak," Severus replied. He leaned forward, his dark eyes intent on Percy's face; his attention is entirely riveted on Percy, as if there is nothing and no one else in the world beyond their little table. "I find myself in want of a diversion, Percy." His voice doesn't change when he speaks Percy's name, but there's something underlying his low, hypnotic tone that makes it sound almost like a verbal caress.
Percy was nearly swept away by the voice, as he'd been a more few times before the last couple of years of school.
Almost. But he kept his wits.
He backed his chair away, chancing a glance over at his brother and Professor Lupin, who seemed to be involved in some kind of drinking game. It made Percy unaccountably furious to see Lupin fawning all over Bill, and Bill clearly welcoming the attention. Bill always got whatever he wanted. It was irksome and, right now, nauseating.
"What did you have in mind, then?" Percy said, trying to scrabble for a little control in his voice.
Severus took another long drink and then set his glass aside. He noticed Percy's glance at the pair fawning over each other at the bar, but they were the furthest things from his mind right now. The absinthe was heating his blood, making his inhibitions melt away, and he wanted nothing more than to bury his fingers in Percy's hair and to taste Percy's creamy skin to see if it tasted as good as it looked.
"You," he said. "I have you in mind." He reached across the table and captured Percy's tie, running it slowly through his fingers. "You and certain scandalous things I should like to do with you."
Percy found himself, for once, completely and totally speechless. He was mesmerized by the long fingers, ones he'd had guilty fantasies about several times over the years, running up and down his tie.
The rational side of Percy worried that Snape was just having him on. Perhaps fortunately for the boy with the wounded ego and pride, his cock had other ideas as he watched Snape's fingers and looked back at his dark eyes. He gulped, realizing he would have a tiny bit of trouble walking, and not entirely because of the gin. But suddenly, he really wanted to walk; run, perhaps, but follow Snape's orders.
He downed his gin and tonic. "I'm not much for scandal, or hadn't you heard? I'm all about doing what I'm told, even if it costs me." His eyes glittered in an odd mixture of fear, unresolved anger, and not a little lust.
Severus curled his fingers around Percy's tie and tugged, just enough to force Percy to draw closer as he leaned forward, meeting Percy half-way across the table. A wicked gleam shone in his dark eyes as he thought about Percy's words. He didn't know if Percy was aware of how much he had just given Severus, practically handing over the keys to his psyche.
"Then perhaps a little scandal is just what you need," Severus said, leaning close enough for Percy to feel Severus' breath warm against his cheek. "Go and speak to Tom about getting a room upstairs." He released Percy's tie and sank back into his chair, his tone brooking no argument. "Now."
Percy sprang from the chair as if he'd been waiting for the order. He didn't look back; he simply strode to the bar, head held high, and motioned Tom over. "Any rooms for the evening?"
A discreet exchange followed, and moments later Percy was back with another absinthe and a gin and tonic for himself, and pushed a long black brass key at Snape.
"I do what I'm told," Percy breathed, eyes never leaving Snape's.
--
Severus picked up the key in one hand and the glass of absinthe Percy had brought in the other, and then he rose to his feet, meeting and holding Percy's gaze. "Well done, Percy. Now let's go and see exactly how well-behaved you can be."
Nodding towards the stairs, he swept across the room without looking back, assuming Percy would follow. Checking the number embossed on the key, he found their room, unlocked it, and stood aside to let Percy enter. The room was no different from any other at the Leaky Cauldron: a fire blazed on the hearth, a heavy four-poster bed dominated the room, and the windows looked out over Muggle London. There was a small wardrobe and a dresser with a pitcher and basin resting on top -- the basic amenities.
None of that held any interest for Severus, however. He was far more interested in Percy than in the decor. He locked the door behind himself and tossed the key on the dresser before turning to face Percy, a predatory glitter in his eyes.
"Undress, Percy, and then lie down on the bed," he instructed, his tone remarkably similar to the one he used in the classroom -- only with a purring undercurrent that had nothing to do with detentions or House points.
All that control Percy thought he'd had over the situation had disappeared. He was completely Snape's.
Fudge had done this to him, once upon a time. Ordered him to do things, and he just complied. He realized that part of the problem with working with the Order, all the time after he'd been forced out of his job at the Ministry, had been the lack of direction. It was all touchy-feely, do-what-you-think-is-best rather than a superior giving orders and Percy following without question.
Before that, Snape had done the same in a classroom, over a simmering cauldron. He had done everything the Professor had commanded then, hoping to please him, striving for the good marks. The drive to be Prefect, the drive to be Head Boy...and now, the drive to be whatever Snape wanted...these were the things that made Percy what he was, made him feel secure and strong.
He'd missed it, much more than he realized. He quickly did what Snape had told him to do: he shed his clothing, trying not to think of what Snape must think of him and his instant compliance, and got onto the bed. Despite the day of hard drinking, he was a little frightened, and utterly fascinated. He just kept looking into Snape's eyes to try and steady himself.
Severus was surprised at first by Percy's eagerness to obey, but the more he thought about it, the more it made sense. Percy had always shown the signs of being one who worked best when given concrete direction, thriving amid order and stability. He was still surprised that Percy was so willing to obey him, but they had both been drinking, and they had both been out of place downstairs. Perhaps it was inevitable that they should latch on to one another, socially inept misfits that they were.
"Very good, Percy." Severus kept his voice low and soothing; he could see apprehension in Percy's eyes, and he didn't want it to turn into outright fear, especially considering what he was about to do. "I'm pleased with your obedience, and I shall reward it if you continue."
He let his gaze wander over Percy's body as he unbuttoned his jacket and shrugged out of it, his own arousal growing at the sight of Percy's lanky frame and freckle-spotted skin. Tossing his jacket aside, he unfastened the top three buttons of his starched white shirt and then bent to retrieve Percy's tie.
"Put your hands over your head and cross your wrists," he said. The headboard was ornately carved -- perfect for what he had in mind.
Percy squrimed a little at the request, thinking about it for a second. It seemed so sudden; No kiss, no touching, but Snape was clearly intending to do something to render Percy helpless.
This was a good thing, Percy decided suddenly. He could feel his cock getting harder, and instead of shame, he felt delight in being under someone else's control. He crossed his wrists over his head. A tiny, practical voice in the very back of his mind tried to remind him that this was Professor Snape and that this was highly improper and illogical and...more than a little scary, and...
Oh, fuck that. Percy's eyes were wide with anticipation now.
Severus allowed the tiniest hint of a smug smile to curve his mouth as he gazed at Percy, noting with satisfaction that Percy was already growing aroused. He hadn't any idea that when he came to the Leaky Cauldron, he would end up with such a biddable, delectable young man -- things had certainly taken a turn for the better.
He perched on the edge of the bed beside Percy and trailed one end of the tie up and down Percy's chest, teasing him lightly before dropping the tie and letting it pool on his stomach. Bending over, he removed his shoes and socks and then climbed onto the bed, picking up the tie again as he straddled Percy's hips.
Drawing his wand, he ran the tip of it along the tie, and the fabric stretched and twisted as it elongated; when he was satisfied that it was long enough, he put his wand aside and leaned over, securing the tie around Percy's wrists and then binding him to one of the sturdy curlicue carvings on the headboard.
Sitting back, he admired his work for a moment, enjoying the apprehension blended with excitement in Percy's wide eyes. "There now," he murmured, reaching out to stroke Percy's chest lightly with just his fingertips, running them from shoulder to waist again and again. "I want you to tell me something, Percy." His long fingers glided continually over Percy's pale skin, bypassing his nipples for the moment. "Tell me what you want. Not what you believe you should want, or what you believe is proper. I want to know your true desires."
Percy was, for the first time, a little confused about the situation, even as he closed his eyes and felt the touch he craved so very much. The direction had been so clear before. He hadn't been his own man, and that had been pleasurable in itself. "My desires...I...well, this isn't about me. I don't really understand the request. I thought this was about you, and what you want. You tell me, I'll do it, I want to."
Severus' hands stilled on Percy's chest, and a hint of steel crept into his voice as he replied. "I told you what I want. I want you to tell me your deepest desires -- the things you've never admitted to anyone, perhaps not even yourself. The things you want more than anything. Tell me the truth, Percy, and do it right now, or there will be consequences."
Oh no, Percy thought, this won't do. Things had been going so well, and now...
What did Percy want? Was it sad that he didn't know?
He wanted out of his mother's house.
He wanted his old job back, but he didn't want his old life back.
He wanted a little respect, damn it. And he wasn't going to get it this way, but... he needed the touch. Must get the touch back, must...
He had to admit that he didn't know himself at all. That was even more frightening than whatever punishment the Professor had in mind.
"I don't have anything left," Percy said honestly, "nothing that I call my own. There's nothing there, I swear to you, I am just an empty shell. I swear."
Severus let out a harsh bark of laughter. "No one is an empty shell. You may feel as if they've taken and taken and taken until you're hollow, but you aren't. Believe me, I know."
He leaned over until he was nearly nose to nose with Percy, his voice low. "You're disappointing me by not doing your best. This is not satisfactory at all, Percy."
With that, he shifted away from Percy, moving to sit next to him. He hooked one arm beneath Percy's knees and lifted both legs, rolling Percy up until his hips were raised off the bed. "I regret the necessity of this, but you leave me no choice but to administer a proper punishment."
Drawing back his free hand, he landed a stinging swat on Percy's bare arse, glancing at Percy's face to gauge his reaction before landing another blow.
Percy winced at the spanking, but he knew he deserved it. And Snape's words rang in his ears. You may feel as if they've taken and taken and taken until you're hollow, but you aren't. Believe me, I know.
He looked up at Snape, trying not to whimper, but daring to trust because he knew. He did know, and he was older and he had been through enough to maybe help Percy understand a little. "I'm sorry, sir. Please. I'll try to please you. I just don't know how to answer the question. But I want..." Percy's voice broke, "What do you want me to say?" he whimpered, hoping secretly he'd be spanked again.
Percy was inexperienced, that much was clear now. Severus had thought his willingness and alacrity in obeying indicated that Percy had been in this role before, but his confusion was very real, and Severus knew he had landed himself inadvertently in the role of Percy's teacher. Even in his state of drunken relaxation, he realized that Percy had given him a surprising amount of trust.
The question was what to do about it. He could end things now, or he could continue and hope that he didn't traumatize the boy into celibacy. He frowned slightly, wondering where that sudden burst of altruism had come from. Something about Percy's outburst -- I don't have anything left... nothing that I call my own -- had resonated in him. He knew that feeling, knew it all too well. Percy was too young to give in to that kind of despair; he needed something -- anything -- to hold on to as his own. Perhaps tonight could give it to him.
Doubtless, Severus thought, he would damn himself for a fool in the morning for giving in to such maudlin sentiments. But right now, with a young man who reminded him far too much of himself in his arms, ready and willing to be taught, he couldn't muster the will power to refuse what he was being offered.
Percy had seemed to respond best when Severus was giving orders, perhaps indicating a desire to give up control. Well, if he wanted to be told what to do, that could certainly be arranged.
Severus gazed down at Percy sternly and swatted him again, bringing a pink tinge to Percy's pale skin. "Since you insist that you don't know what you want, I shall simply have to find out myself." Another swat, harder this time. "You will tell me if you like what I do, and you will tell me if you don't like it. Is that understood?" One more swat punctuated the question.
Suddenly, once again, Percy was in a familiar element. "Yessss," he hissed, straining against his bonds with every slap, desperately craving every correction. "Yes sir." All of Percy's trepidation was gone. He wanted the fingers again, the ones he had seen on his tie and trailing down his chest. "I am obsessed with your fingers," Percy blurted out, "and I want to be touched, but I want to do whatever it takes to be allowed to touch you, too. I'll tell you anything and everything I can, even if I don't like it."
Obsessed with my fingers? Severus glanced down at his hand, taken aback by Percy's admission. His fingers were long and thin, and he didn't see anything particularly special about them, but at least he had something to work with now. Not only did Percy want to be given instructions, but he was touch-starved as well.
Lowering Percy's legs to the bed, Severus reached for the other pillow, the one Percy wasn't using, and yanked off its case. Folding the case the long way, he wrapped it around Percy's eyes and, retrieving his wand, he murmured a simple darning spell to sew it in place rather than tie it so that Percy wouldn't have to lie on a knot.
"You want to be touched, do you?" Severus said as he unbuttoned his shirt the rest of the way and shrugged out of it. "You are naughty, Percy -- very naughty indeed -- and this is what happens to naughty boys." He began unfastening his trousers then, stripping away his trousers and underpants at the same time. "Let's see how you like being touched when you don't know when each touch is coming. When your blindness heightens the sensitivity of your skin."
Naked, he straddled Percy again, giving a little hiss of pleasure at the feel of bare skin against his own; it had been so long, and he had almost forgotten how good it felt. Reaching out, he flattened his palms on Percy's shoulders and ran them down to his waist, skimming his thumbs across Percy's nipples on the way down and splaying his fingers to caress every bit of Percy's skin that he could reach.
Percy was drowning in sensation, so very, very much stronger than he'd experienced in his limited encounters before. Whether it was the blindfold, the alcohol, the fact that he was rendered immobile by his own tie, or that it was those fingers touching him, he wasn't sure. He let himself go, forced himself to stop thinking about it, and just be. He knew that Snape (would he give him permission to call him Severus someday? Percy sighed again) was naked; Percy desperately wanted to break free and give him the same pleasure he was receiving, but he knew that he simply had to be obedient. Perhaps he would get that, in time, if he was good.
When Snape's hands left one part of him, and touched another, it was like opening a gift on Christmas Day. Percy remembered when he had tried to do different things with lovers before, spice up otherwise straight, vanilla situations, and they had turned away in disgust. He had never imagined that he would be the one to receive such a gift.
"You're incredible," Percy finally whispered, arching into fingers on his chest and trying to hold back a most unmanly squeak.
Severus went still for a moment, staring at Percy as his absinthe-fogged mind tried to process what he had just heard. Incredible? No one had ever called him incredible before, unless "incredible" was immediately followed by "git", "prat" or "bastard". If it weren't for the fact that Percy was utterly at his mercy, he might have thought he was being mocked, but considering the circumstances, he had to concede that all evidence suggested Percy was being sincere.
He didn't know what to say; compliments and praise were somewhat outside the bounds of his experience. In the end, he took refuge in the only kind of acknowledgment he knew.
"Five points to Gryffindor," he said softly.
Maybe it was the alcohol, maybe it was Percy's responsiveness, maybe it was his sudden, unexpected sense of understanding -- this was the first time in longer than he could remember that Severus had felt sympathy for someone other than himself -- or maybe it was all of these things combined, but he found himself wildly aroused, wanting nothing more than to make Percy scream with pleasure.
He raked his nails lightly along the undersides of Percy's arms and continued down the length of Percy's torso, down to his stomach, and then he trailed his fingertips back up, bending over take one of Percy's nipples between his teeth while tweaking the other with his fingers, tugging a little harder each time to see how Percy liked it.
"Kiss me," Percy begged, before he could stop himself. Oh, dear Merlin, was Snape going to punish him for that? It was so forward, and he'd agreed to let Snape do what he pleased and then he was going to tell him whether he liked it or not.
But he was imagining the lips on his nipples kissing his own, that tongue and teeth, and it just popped out. Here was a young man who walked into a bar with no other notion than getting out of the house and getting away from the shambles his life had become, and now he was having the finest sexual experience of his life. He wanted every single part of his former professor, and he was having trouble with patience all of a sudden. It was a Weasley family trait, impatience, or so his father had always said; certainly, it had gotten Percy into trouble before.
"And keep doing that. With my...oh, yes, harder," Percy whimpered, "please, oh, yes."
Severus worried Percy's nipple roughly with his teeth and then lifted his head, a smirk curving his lips as he continued playing with Percy's other nipple, his fingers pulling and pinching harder.
"You want a kiss? Very well."
Releasing Percy's nipple with one last hard tweak, he leaned over, bracing himself with one hand and cupping Percy's cheek in the other. He brushed his mouth against Percy's and nipped at his bottom lip before returning for a deeper kiss, slipping his tongue between Percy's lips and claiming his mouth in a deep, demanding kiss.
Percy strained against his bonds, again, savoring every bit of the deep kiss and matching Snape's intensity. His cock was about to explode on the sheer force of the kiss, which made every part of him come alive and ready for more.
He realized something through the fuzziness of a buzz that is starting to wear off and be replaced with something even better. The emptiness had vanished. Had it only been that he needed a really, really good lover? Was this something he actually hadn't tried at failed at, just hadn't been in the right role, with the right type of person?
Aching with need, he pulled as far away as he could and whispered, "I've loved everything you've done. I know I haven't been as good a boy as I could have been, but I want more. I want all of you, Severus." The last came out as a whisper, because he was afraid to use the name, but his mind was overwhelmed with the desperate need to be claimed and filled and used and, well, he desperately wanted to make Snape feel as good as Percy was now feeling. He dared not ask about the bonds and the blindfold, but he wanted to make sure that Snape understood that Percy's needs were being met and more. He had an amazing amount of long-denied desire stored up inside, and Snape had just awakened the sleeping dragon.
Severus paused, debating. He could continue domming Percy, chastising him for taking liberties and making demands, but he wasn't certain that was what Percy needed at the moment. Later, perhaps, when Percy knew the rules of the game and had more experience playing, but right now, he might be better off if Severus was less strict and more indulgent.
Besides, he thought as he gazed down at Percy, if he gave Percy what he wanted, he would be able to claim that delectable arse and pound Percy through the mattress that much sooner.
"You've been a good boy," he said, brushing a kiss at the corner of Percy's mouth as he pushed up the blindfold, slipping it off.
The bonds were next to go; Severus sat up and retrieved his wand and then tapped the knot. The tie unraveled and slithered to the floor. Tapping Percy's hip next, Severus murmured, "scourgify" before conjuring a dollop of salve to coat his fingers with.
Putting his wand aside again, he moved off Percy. "Spread your legs," he instructed, slipping his hand between Percy's legs and stroking one slick forefinger along his crease, circling his puckered entrance lightly. "I'm going to put these fingers you like so much to very good use."
Percy had been with another man, of course; he tried not to think about it too much anymore, because it brought a whirl of emotions with it. If he started thinking rationally about it, he once again became Fudge's little whore. It had brought him nothing but grief, and had alienated him from everyone, not so long ago.
This was different. Yes, he'd done everything Cornelius had told him to do. Yes, he'd been a perfect model of a submissive male for his little games, doing what was proper and expected and orderly and efficient. But he'd had no role, really; he'd been a vessel, someone to take from. There was never anything in that for Percy other than a place in the Ministry.
Now he was being given something that was his. He couldn't see what the future would hold, but he realized that he would not again allow someone to take, and never give. When Severus had asked him what he wanted earlier, he had been unable to articulate it because he didn't know himself. It had become clear.
He wanted to feel. He wanted to give, but not have someone take. It was strange, he smiled to himself, that an experience in which he had been tied up and blindfolded would lead him to this conclusion. As Percy felt those magic fingers slide in and out of him, preparing to take him to a destination he had honestly never visited, he realized that had been a step that needed to be taken. Severus had known this instinctively, had done all the right things. As Percy finally allowed his hands and lips to touch Severus, to tweak his nipples and kiss his chest and touch his face and cup his balls, he realized that he had been emancipated in more ways than one. He was free.
"Take me now, damn you," he said, eyes sparkling with desire, head back on the pillow, curls all around his grinning face. "I want you. You're so sexy, and you've done more than you know for me already, and I just want this one little thing more. I know I'm terrible speaking out of turn, cursing you, yes, I'm a bad boy. You can punish me all you want...Severus. But take. Me. NOW."
"I'll give you a thorough spanking later," Severus growled.
At the moment, however, all he wanted was to bury himself inside Percy, his hunger exacerbated by Percy's eagerly roaming hands and mouth. He slicked his cock with the remains of the salve and positioned himself between Percy's legs, pushing into him slowly, releasing a low groan as he slid deeper into that tight, welcoming heat until he was fully sheathed within Percy's body.
Curling his fingers around Percy's cock, he began to stroke it, matching the rhythm of his thrusts as he began to move, his eyes locked on Percy's face.
Percy knew it would be hard to hold back; he'd been ready to come just kissing, much less being filled by Severus. The mention of the spanking, though, was tickling his brain just enough to keep him on the edge for a moment longer, until he accidentally pictured the fingers that were now curled around his cock slapping his arse. That did it.
Percy's eyes had trouble staying on Snape's as the ache became ecstasy, and he finally closed his eyes and let himself just feel. There was a pure joy in what had happened that night, and as Snape moved inside him, he let it permeate every part. He was no longer an empty shell. And he had Severus Snape, the last person he would have ever imagined, to thank for that.
Severus watched the pleasure suffusing Percy's face, savoring the sight and feel of the young man coming undone beneath him. He had forgotten what it was like, what satisfaction it gave.
Releasing Percy's cock, he lifted his hand to his mouth, lapping at the fluid spattering it, making a soft noise of pleasure at the taste. He braced himself over Percy as he quickened his pace, thrusting harder, his hips pistoning as his own release neared, and he cried out as it hit, burying himself deep as he came.
Satisfied, in every way one could possibly be, Percy tried to catch his breath, holding Severus as he the shaking ceased, stroking his hair. "Amazing. And don't let anyone ever tell you otherwise. And I realize I deserve punishment, of course. But you should know that I didn't expect what I've received. You gave me something I'll be grateful for tonight. I don't know how to explain it to you..." Percy trailed off, smiling to himself. "But thank you. Enlightening doesn't cover it. Best class you've ever given."
Severus wasn't certain how to respond to Percy's words or to his affectionate gestures, and he fleetingly wished his glass of absinthe wasn't across the room; he felt in dire need of fortification.
"You're welcome," he said awkwardly. "I didn't expect this either." He stroked Percy's cheek with his forefinger, regarding him for a moment before adding quietly, "You're a strong young man, Percy. You haven't broken, and you won't."
Speaking to Percy in such a way might be a mistake he would regret in the morning, but he couldn't shake the sense that he and Percy shared certain traits, and he didn't want Percy to wake up twenty years later and realize he had a string of regrets trailing behind him, not when the war was over and he still had his entire life ahead of him.
He eased off Percy and groped for his wand, cleaning them both up with a quick "scourgify"; only then did he settle down beside Percy. He doubted he would sleep any more than he did any other night, but he could at least rest with Percy for a while.
Percy spooned up to Snape, closing his eyes and grabbing the hands with the fingers. He might never get this chance again, so he entwined his own fingers with his lover's and sighed, spooning up as close as he could.
This wasn't at all what he had expected. It was far better. As he drifted off, he thought: whatever dawn brings, besides the ringing headache, I am very glad I've had this night with him..
He hadn't drunk absinthe in years, but the first taste of the heady green liquid brought memories rushing back. He could almost feel it like fire in his blood, mingling with the brandy he had already consumed, the combined effects kicking in swiftly. The tension in his neck and shoulders drained away, and by the time half of the contents of his glass were gone, Severus was beginning to relax -- and to undergo a change.
His shoulders dropped, and his expression -- normally pinched and surly -- smoothed out into something which, if not exactly open and inviting, was at least pleasant, his thin lips quirking upward at the corners. His movements became infused with a slow, languid grace, and he had the distinct air of a predator as his hooded eyes swept the room, searching.
Draco had arrived, but he appeared to have his hands already full with Miss Parkinson. Pity, Severus thought and continued his assessment of the room. His gaze fell on Percy Weasley, who looked as wretched and out of place as Severus had felt, and he nodded, darting his tongue out to lick his lips.
His glass was empty, and so he ordered another, carrying it but not drinking it yet as he pushed himself away from the bar and began moving towards Percy's table with the easy rolling gait of a hungry jungle cat that has its prey in its sights.
He stared at Percy, wanting to make eye contact to see if the young man would welcome or rebuff him, and stopped just short of the table. "Good evening, Mr. Weasley," he purred.
Percy looked up in surprise. "P..professor Snape?" he stuttered. "Um...join me?"
He wasn't sure exactly what to say or do. What, really, was the proper procedure when one of your former professors, that you had just a wee bit of a crush on though you'd never admitted it even to yourself, walked up with a glass of absinthe and started chatting out of the blue?
This pub might just be trouble. And Percy was still too toasted to leave under his own power.
"Thank you." Severus claimed the chair across from Percy and placed his glass on the table, leaning back and regarding Percy for a moment, his expression inscrutable but containing no hint of mockery or dislike.
It amused him that he had been silently railing against Gryffindors a few minutes before, and now he found himself sitting across from one with the intent of luring said Gryffindor into bed with him, but Percy had always been the most tolerable Weasley of the lot. He was orderly and understood the importance of rules, and he had never seemed as enamored of Harry Potter as the rest of his clan always had, which gave him bonus points in Severus' book.
He wasn't bad to look at, either. Those red curls were rather tempting, in fact, and Severus imagined how they might feel twining around his fingers.
"What brings you here, Mr. Weasley?" he asked at last, continuing to study Percy as he picked up his glass and took a sip. Percy's glasses were sitting crooked on his nose, he noted absently. They needed to be straightened. Or perhaps removed altogether.
Percy was rather stunned that Professor Snape had so easily accepted his invitation. Gathering as much of himself as he possibly could, given the sheer amount of gin coursing through his veins, he smiled. "You can call me Percy, if you wish. I must admit that I'm not quite that close with my family, you see, so..." Before he ran off and babbled, he changed the subject. "I thought this place would cheer me up a little, get me out of the house. I'm out, but I'm decidedly the worse for wear. And you? I have to admit surprise, Professor. I didn't ever envision you as a pub type, though I could imagine a cauldron of absinthe stored somewhere."
Percy hoped he didn't sound as stupid as he felt. Perhaps another drink. He raised a finger towards Lucky, who was lurking nearby, and another gin and tonic swiftly appeared.
"I too wished to 'get out of the house', so to speak," Severus replied. He leaned forward, his dark eyes intent on Percy's face; his attention is entirely riveted on Percy, as if there is nothing and no one else in the world beyond their little table. "I find myself in want of a diversion, Percy." His voice doesn't change when he speaks Percy's name, but there's something underlying his low, hypnotic tone that makes it sound almost like a verbal caress.
Percy was nearly swept away by the voice, as he'd been a more few times before the last couple of years of school.
Almost. But he kept his wits.
He backed his chair away, chancing a glance over at his brother and Professor Lupin, who seemed to be involved in some kind of drinking game. It made Percy unaccountably furious to see Lupin fawning all over Bill, and Bill clearly welcoming the attention. Bill always got whatever he wanted. It was irksome and, right now, nauseating.
"What did you have in mind, then?" Percy said, trying to scrabble for a little control in his voice.
Severus took another long drink and then set his glass aside. He noticed Percy's glance at the pair fawning over each other at the bar, but they were the furthest things from his mind right now. The absinthe was heating his blood, making his inhibitions melt away, and he wanted nothing more than to bury his fingers in Percy's hair and to taste Percy's creamy skin to see if it tasted as good as it looked.
"You," he said. "I have you in mind." He reached across the table and captured Percy's tie, running it slowly through his fingers. "You and certain scandalous things I should like to do with you."
Percy found himself, for once, completely and totally speechless. He was mesmerized by the long fingers, ones he'd had guilty fantasies about several times over the years, running up and down his tie.
The rational side of Percy worried that Snape was just having him on. Perhaps fortunately for the boy with the wounded ego and pride, his cock had other ideas as he watched Snape's fingers and looked back at his dark eyes. He gulped, realizing he would have a tiny bit of trouble walking, and not entirely because of the gin. But suddenly, he really wanted to walk; run, perhaps, but follow Snape's orders.
He downed his gin and tonic. "I'm not much for scandal, or hadn't you heard? I'm all about doing what I'm told, even if it costs me." His eyes glittered in an odd mixture of fear, unresolved anger, and not a little lust.
Severus curled his fingers around Percy's tie and tugged, just enough to force Percy to draw closer as he leaned forward, meeting Percy half-way across the table. A wicked gleam shone in his dark eyes as he thought about Percy's words. He didn't know if Percy was aware of how much he had just given Severus, practically handing over the keys to his psyche.
"Then perhaps a little scandal is just what you need," Severus said, leaning close enough for Percy to feel Severus' breath warm against his cheek. "Go and speak to Tom about getting a room upstairs." He released Percy's tie and sank back into his chair, his tone brooking no argument. "Now."
Percy sprang from the chair as if he'd been waiting for the order. He didn't look back; he simply strode to the bar, head held high, and motioned Tom over. "Any rooms for the evening?"
A discreet exchange followed, and moments later Percy was back with another absinthe and a gin and tonic for himself, and pushed a long black brass key at Snape.
"I do what I'm told," Percy breathed, eyes never leaving Snape's.
--
Severus picked up the key in one hand and the glass of absinthe Percy had brought in the other, and then he rose to his feet, meeting and holding Percy's gaze. "Well done, Percy. Now let's go and see exactly how well-behaved you can be."
Nodding towards the stairs, he swept across the room without looking back, assuming Percy would follow. Checking the number embossed on the key, he found their room, unlocked it, and stood aside to let Percy enter. The room was no different from any other at the Leaky Cauldron: a fire blazed on the hearth, a heavy four-poster bed dominated the room, and the windows looked out over Muggle London. There was a small wardrobe and a dresser with a pitcher and basin resting on top -- the basic amenities.
None of that held any interest for Severus, however. He was far more interested in Percy than in the decor. He locked the door behind himself and tossed the key on the dresser before turning to face Percy, a predatory glitter in his eyes.
"Undress, Percy, and then lie down on the bed," he instructed, his tone remarkably similar to the one he used in the classroom -- only with a purring undercurrent that had nothing to do with detentions or House points.
All that control Percy thought he'd had over the situation had disappeared. He was completely Snape's.
Fudge had done this to him, once upon a time. Ordered him to do things, and he just complied. He realized that part of the problem with working with the Order, all the time after he'd been forced out of his job at the Ministry, had been the lack of direction. It was all touchy-feely, do-what-you-think-is-best rather than a superior giving orders and Percy following without question.
Before that, Snape had done the same in a classroom, over a simmering cauldron. He had done everything the Professor had commanded then, hoping to please him, striving for the good marks. The drive to be Prefect, the drive to be Head Boy...and now, the drive to be whatever Snape wanted...these were the things that made Percy what he was, made him feel secure and strong.
He'd missed it, much more than he realized. He quickly did what Snape had told him to do: he shed his clothing, trying not to think of what Snape must think of him and his instant compliance, and got onto the bed. Despite the day of hard drinking, he was a little frightened, and utterly fascinated. He just kept looking into Snape's eyes to try and steady himself.
Severus was surprised at first by Percy's eagerness to obey, but the more he thought about it, the more it made sense. Percy had always shown the signs of being one who worked best when given concrete direction, thriving amid order and stability. He was still surprised that Percy was so willing to obey him, but they had both been drinking, and they had both been out of place downstairs. Perhaps it was inevitable that they should latch on to one another, socially inept misfits that they were.
"Very good, Percy." Severus kept his voice low and soothing; he could see apprehension in Percy's eyes, and he didn't want it to turn into outright fear, especially considering what he was about to do. "I'm pleased with your obedience, and I shall reward it if you continue."
He let his gaze wander over Percy's body as he unbuttoned his jacket and shrugged out of it, his own arousal growing at the sight of Percy's lanky frame and freckle-spotted skin. Tossing his jacket aside, he unfastened the top three buttons of his starched white shirt and then bent to retrieve Percy's tie.
"Put your hands over your head and cross your wrists," he said. The headboard was ornately carved -- perfect for what he had in mind.
Percy squrimed a little at the request, thinking about it for a second. It seemed so sudden; No kiss, no touching, but Snape was clearly intending to do something to render Percy helpless.
This was a good thing, Percy decided suddenly. He could feel his cock getting harder, and instead of shame, he felt delight in being under someone else's control. He crossed his wrists over his head. A tiny, practical voice in the very back of his mind tried to remind him that this was Professor Snape and that this was highly improper and illogical and...more than a little scary, and...
Oh, fuck that. Percy's eyes were wide with anticipation now.
Severus allowed the tiniest hint of a smug smile to curve his mouth as he gazed at Percy, noting with satisfaction that Percy was already growing aroused. He hadn't any idea that when he came to the Leaky Cauldron, he would end up with such a biddable, delectable young man -- things had certainly taken a turn for the better.
He perched on the edge of the bed beside Percy and trailed one end of the tie up and down Percy's chest, teasing him lightly before dropping the tie and letting it pool on his stomach. Bending over, he removed his shoes and socks and then climbed onto the bed, picking up the tie again as he straddled Percy's hips.
Drawing his wand, he ran the tip of it along the tie, and the fabric stretched and twisted as it elongated; when he was satisfied that it was long enough, he put his wand aside and leaned over, securing the tie around Percy's wrists and then binding him to one of the sturdy curlicue carvings on the headboard.
Sitting back, he admired his work for a moment, enjoying the apprehension blended with excitement in Percy's wide eyes. "There now," he murmured, reaching out to stroke Percy's chest lightly with just his fingertips, running them from shoulder to waist again and again. "I want you to tell me something, Percy." His long fingers glided continually over Percy's pale skin, bypassing his nipples for the moment. "Tell me what you want. Not what you believe you should want, or what you believe is proper. I want to know your true desires."
Percy was, for the first time, a little confused about the situation, even as he closed his eyes and felt the touch he craved so very much. The direction had been so clear before. He hadn't been his own man, and that had been pleasurable in itself. "My desires...I...well, this isn't about me. I don't really understand the request. I thought this was about you, and what you want. You tell me, I'll do it, I want to."
Severus' hands stilled on Percy's chest, and a hint of steel crept into his voice as he replied. "I told you what I want. I want you to tell me your deepest desires -- the things you've never admitted to anyone, perhaps not even yourself. The things you want more than anything. Tell me the truth, Percy, and do it right now, or there will be consequences."
Oh no, Percy thought, this won't do. Things had been going so well, and now...
What did Percy want? Was it sad that he didn't know?
He wanted out of his mother's house.
He wanted his old job back, but he didn't want his old life back.
He wanted a little respect, damn it. And he wasn't going to get it this way, but... he needed the touch. Must get the touch back, must...
He had to admit that he didn't know himself at all. That was even more frightening than whatever punishment the Professor had in mind.
"I don't have anything left," Percy said honestly, "nothing that I call my own. There's nothing there, I swear to you, I am just an empty shell. I swear."
Severus let out a harsh bark of laughter. "No one is an empty shell. You may feel as if they've taken and taken and taken until you're hollow, but you aren't. Believe me, I know."
He leaned over until he was nearly nose to nose with Percy, his voice low. "You're disappointing me by not doing your best. This is not satisfactory at all, Percy."
With that, he shifted away from Percy, moving to sit next to him. He hooked one arm beneath Percy's knees and lifted both legs, rolling Percy up until his hips were raised off the bed. "I regret the necessity of this, but you leave me no choice but to administer a proper punishment."
Drawing back his free hand, he landed a stinging swat on Percy's bare arse, glancing at Percy's face to gauge his reaction before landing another blow.
Percy winced at the spanking, but he knew he deserved it. And Snape's words rang in his ears. You may feel as if they've taken and taken and taken until you're hollow, but you aren't. Believe me, I know.
He looked up at Snape, trying not to whimper, but daring to trust because he knew. He did know, and he was older and he had been through enough to maybe help Percy understand a little. "I'm sorry, sir. Please. I'll try to please you. I just don't know how to answer the question. But I want..." Percy's voice broke, "What do you want me to say?" he whimpered, hoping secretly he'd be spanked again.
Percy was inexperienced, that much was clear now. Severus had thought his willingness and alacrity in obeying indicated that Percy had been in this role before, but his confusion was very real, and Severus knew he had landed himself inadvertently in the role of Percy's teacher. Even in his state of drunken relaxation, he realized that Percy had given him a surprising amount of trust.
The question was what to do about it. He could end things now, or he could continue and hope that he didn't traumatize the boy into celibacy. He frowned slightly, wondering where that sudden burst of altruism had come from. Something about Percy's outburst -- I don't have anything left... nothing that I call my own -- had resonated in him. He knew that feeling, knew it all too well. Percy was too young to give in to that kind of despair; he needed something -- anything -- to hold on to as his own. Perhaps tonight could give it to him.
Doubtless, Severus thought, he would damn himself for a fool in the morning for giving in to such maudlin sentiments. But right now, with a young man who reminded him far too much of himself in his arms, ready and willing to be taught, he couldn't muster the will power to refuse what he was being offered.
Percy had seemed to respond best when Severus was giving orders, perhaps indicating a desire to give up control. Well, if he wanted to be told what to do, that could certainly be arranged.
Severus gazed down at Percy sternly and swatted him again, bringing a pink tinge to Percy's pale skin. "Since you insist that you don't know what you want, I shall simply have to find out myself." Another swat, harder this time. "You will tell me if you like what I do, and you will tell me if you don't like it. Is that understood?" One more swat punctuated the question.
Suddenly, once again, Percy was in a familiar element. "Yessss," he hissed, straining against his bonds with every slap, desperately craving every correction. "Yes sir." All of Percy's trepidation was gone. He wanted the fingers again, the ones he had seen on his tie and trailing down his chest. "I am obsessed with your fingers," Percy blurted out, "and I want to be touched, but I want to do whatever it takes to be allowed to touch you, too. I'll tell you anything and everything I can, even if I don't like it."
Obsessed with my fingers? Severus glanced down at his hand, taken aback by Percy's admission. His fingers were long and thin, and he didn't see anything particularly special about them, but at least he had something to work with now. Not only did Percy want to be given instructions, but he was touch-starved as well.
Lowering Percy's legs to the bed, Severus reached for the other pillow, the one Percy wasn't using, and yanked off its case. Folding the case the long way, he wrapped it around Percy's eyes and, retrieving his wand, he murmured a simple darning spell to sew it in place rather than tie it so that Percy wouldn't have to lie on a knot.
"You want to be touched, do you?" Severus said as he unbuttoned his shirt the rest of the way and shrugged out of it. "You are naughty, Percy -- very naughty indeed -- and this is what happens to naughty boys." He began unfastening his trousers then, stripping away his trousers and underpants at the same time. "Let's see how you like being touched when you don't know when each touch is coming. When your blindness heightens the sensitivity of your skin."
Naked, he straddled Percy again, giving a little hiss of pleasure at the feel of bare skin against his own; it had been so long, and he had almost forgotten how good it felt. Reaching out, he flattened his palms on Percy's shoulders and ran them down to his waist, skimming his thumbs across Percy's nipples on the way down and splaying his fingers to caress every bit of Percy's skin that he could reach.
Percy was drowning in sensation, so very, very much stronger than he'd experienced in his limited encounters before. Whether it was the blindfold, the alcohol, the fact that he was rendered immobile by his own tie, or that it was those fingers touching him, he wasn't sure. He let himself go, forced himself to stop thinking about it, and just be. He knew that Snape (would he give him permission to call him Severus someday? Percy sighed again) was naked; Percy desperately wanted to break free and give him the same pleasure he was receiving, but he knew that he simply had to be obedient. Perhaps he would get that, in time, if he was good.
When Snape's hands left one part of him, and touched another, it was like opening a gift on Christmas Day. Percy remembered when he had tried to do different things with lovers before, spice up otherwise straight, vanilla situations, and they had turned away in disgust. He had never imagined that he would be the one to receive such a gift.
"You're incredible," Percy finally whispered, arching into fingers on his chest and trying to hold back a most unmanly squeak.
Severus went still for a moment, staring at Percy as his absinthe-fogged mind tried to process what he had just heard. Incredible? No one had ever called him incredible before, unless "incredible" was immediately followed by "git", "prat" or "bastard". If it weren't for the fact that Percy was utterly at his mercy, he might have thought he was being mocked, but considering the circumstances, he had to concede that all evidence suggested Percy was being sincere.
He didn't know what to say; compliments and praise were somewhat outside the bounds of his experience. In the end, he took refuge in the only kind of acknowledgment he knew.
"Five points to Gryffindor," he said softly.
Maybe it was the alcohol, maybe it was Percy's responsiveness, maybe it was his sudden, unexpected sense of understanding -- this was the first time in longer than he could remember that Severus had felt sympathy for someone other than himself -- or maybe it was all of these things combined, but he found himself wildly aroused, wanting nothing more than to make Percy scream with pleasure.
He raked his nails lightly along the undersides of Percy's arms and continued down the length of Percy's torso, down to his stomach, and then he trailed his fingertips back up, bending over take one of Percy's nipples between his teeth while tweaking the other with his fingers, tugging a little harder each time to see how Percy liked it.
"Kiss me," Percy begged, before he could stop himself. Oh, dear Merlin, was Snape going to punish him for that? It was so forward, and he'd agreed to let Snape do what he pleased and then he was going to tell him whether he liked it or not.
But he was imagining the lips on his nipples kissing his own, that tongue and teeth, and it just popped out. Here was a young man who walked into a bar with no other notion than getting out of the house and getting away from the shambles his life had become, and now he was having the finest sexual experience of his life. He wanted every single part of his former professor, and he was having trouble with patience all of a sudden. It was a Weasley family trait, impatience, or so his father had always said; certainly, it had gotten Percy into trouble before.
"And keep doing that. With my...oh, yes, harder," Percy whimpered, "please, oh, yes."
Severus worried Percy's nipple roughly with his teeth and then lifted his head, a smirk curving his lips as he continued playing with Percy's other nipple, his fingers pulling and pinching harder.
"You want a kiss? Very well."
Releasing Percy's nipple with one last hard tweak, he leaned over, bracing himself with one hand and cupping Percy's cheek in the other. He brushed his mouth against Percy's and nipped at his bottom lip before returning for a deeper kiss, slipping his tongue between Percy's lips and claiming his mouth in a deep, demanding kiss.
Percy strained against his bonds, again, savoring every bit of the deep kiss and matching Snape's intensity. His cock was about to explode on the sheer force of the kiss, which made every part of him come alive and ready for more.
He realized something through the fuzziness of a buzz that is starting to wear off and be replaced with something even better. The emptiness had vanished. Had it only been that he needed a really, really good lover? Was this something he actually hadn't tried at failed at, just hadn't been in the right role, with the right type of person?
Aching with need, he pulled as far away as he could and whispered, "I've loved everything you've done. I know I haven't been as good a boy as I could have been, but I want more. I want all of you, Severus." The last came out as a whisper, because he was afraid to use the name, but his mind was overwhelmed with the desperate need to be claimed and filled and used and, well, he desperately wanted to make Snape feel as good as Percy was now feeling. He dared not ask about the bonds and the blindfold, but he wanted to make sure that Snape understood that Percy's needs were being met and more. He had an amazing amount of long-denied desire stored up inside, and Snape had just awakened the sleeping dragon.
Severus paused, debating. He could continue domming Percy, chastising him for taking liberties and making demands, but he wasn't certain that was what Percy needed at the moment. Later, perhaps, when Percy knew the rules of the game and had more experience playing, but right now, he might be better off if Severus was less strict and more indulgent.
Besides, he thought as he gazed down at Percy, if he gave Percy what he wanted, he would be able to claim that delectable arse and pound Percy through the mattress that much sooner.
"You've been a good boy," he said, brushing a kiss at the corner of Percy's mouth as he pushed up the blindfold, slipping it off.
The bonds were next to go; Severus sat up and retrieved his wand and then tapped the knot. The tie unraveled and slithered to the floor. Tapping Percy's hip next, Severus murmured, "scourgify" before conjuring a dollop of salve to coat his fingers with.
Putting his wand aside again, he moved off Percy. "Spread your legs," he instructed, slipping his hand between Percy's legs and stroking one slick forefinger along his crease, circling his puckered entrance lightly. "I'm going to put these fingers you like so much to very good use."
Percy had been with another man, of course; he tried not to think about it too much anymore, because it brought a whirl of emotions with it. If he started thinking rationally about it, he once again became Fudge's little whore. It had brought him nothing but grief, and had alienated him from everyone, not so long ago.
This was different. Yes, he'd done everything Cornelius had told him to do. Yes, he'd been a perfect model of a submissive male for his little games, doing what was proper and expected and orderly and efficient. But he'd had no role, really; he'd been a vessel, someone to take from. There was never anything in that for Percy other than a place in the Ministry.
Now he was being given something that was his. He couldn't see what the future would hold, but he realized that he would not again allow someone to take, and never give. When Severus had asked him what he wanted earlier, he had been unable to articulate it because he didn't know himself. It had become clear.
He wanted to feel. He wanted to give, but not have someone take. It was strange, he smiled to himself, that an experience in which he had been tied up and blindfolded would lead him to this conclusion. As Percy felt those magic fingers slide in and out of him, preparing to take him to a destination he had honestly never visited, he realized that had been a step that needed to be taken. Severus had known this instinctively, had done all the right things. As Percy finally allowed his hands and lips to touch Severus, to tweak his nipples and kiss his chest and touch his face and cup his balls, he realized that he had been emancipated in more ways than one. He was free.
"Take me now, damn you," he said, eyes sparkling with desire, head back on the pillow, curls all around his grinning face. "I want you. You're so sexy, and you've done more than you know for me already, and I just want this one little thing more. I know I'm terrible speaking out of turn, cursing you, yes, I'm a bad boy. You can punish me all you want...Severus. But take. Me. NOW."
"I'll give you a thorough spanking later," Severus growled.
At the moment, however, all he wanted was to bury himself inside Percy, his hunger exacerbated by Percy's eagerly roaming hands and mouth. He slicked his cock with the remains of the salve and positioned himself between Percy's legs, pushing into him slowly, releasing a low groan as he slid deeper into that tight, welcoming heat until he was fully sheathed within Percy's body.
Curling his fingers around Percy's cock, he began to stroke it, matching the rhythm of his thrusts as he began to move, his eyes locked on Percy's face.
Percy knew it would be hard to hold back; he'd been ready to come just kissing, much less being filled by Severus. The mention of the spanking, though, was tickling his brain just enough to keep him on the edge for a moment longer, until he accidentally pictured the fingers that were now curled around his cock slapping his arse. That did it.
Percy's eyes had trouble staying on Snape's as the ache became ecstasy, and he finally closed his eyes and let himself just feel. There was a pure joy in what had happened that night, and as Snape moved inside him, he let it permeate every part. He was no longer an empty shell. And he had Severus Snape, the last person he would have ever imagined, to thank for that.
Severus watched the pleasure suffusing Percy's face, savoring the sight and feel of the young man coming undone beneath him. He had forgotten what it was like, what satisfaction it gave.
Releasing Percy's cock, he lifted his hand to his mouth, lapping at the fluid spattering it, making a soft noise of pleasure at the taste. He braced himself over Percy as he quickened his pace, thrusting harder, his hips pistoning as his own release neared, and he cried out as it hit, burying himself deep as he came.
Satisfied, in every way one could possibly be, Percy tried to catch his breath, holding Severus as he the shaking ceased, stroking his hair. "Amazing. And don't let anyone ever tell you otherwise. And I realize I deserve punishment, of course. But you should know that I didn't expect what I've received. You gave me something I'll be grateful for tonight. I don't know how to explain it to you..." Percy trailed off, smiling to himself. "But thank you. Enlightening doesn't cover it. Best class you've ever given."
Severus wasn't certain how to respond to Percy's words or to his affectionate gestures, and he fleetingly wished his glass of absinthe wasn't across the room; he felt in dire need of fortification.
"You're welcome," he said awkwardly. "I didn't expect this either." He stroked Percy's cheek with his forefinger, regarding him for a moment before adding quietly, "You're a strong young man, Percy. You haven't broken, and you won't."
Speaking to Percy in such a way might be a mistake he would regret in the morning, but he couldn't shake the sense that he and Percy shared certain traits, and he didn't want Percy to wake up twenty years later and realize he had a string of regrets trailing behind him, not when the war was over and he still had his entire life ahead of him.
He eased off Percy and groped for his wand, cleaning them both up with a quick "scourgify"; only then did he settle down beside Percy. He doubted he would sleep any more than he did any other night, but he could at least rest with Percy for a while.
Percy spooned up to Snape, closing his eyes and grabbing the hands with the fingers. He might never get this chance again, so he entwined his own fingers with his lover's and sighed, spooning up as close as he could.
This wasn't at all what he had expected. It was far better. As he drifted off, he thought: whatever dawn brings, besides the ringing headache, I am very glad I've had this night with him..