Yule Balls Fic
Well, months after everyone has cross-posted their stories to various sites, I'm putting mine here. Erm. Right.
Author: mabonwitch
Recipient: anya_elizabeth
Title: The Long Way Around
Rating: NC-17
Pairing(s): Snape/Harry, Snape/Lucius, Snape/Lily, Snape/Sirius, Snape/Remus
Disclaimer: All Harry Potter characters herein are the property of J.K. Rowling and Bloomsbury/Scholastic. No copyright infringement is intended. All characters engaging in sexual activity are 16 years or older.
Summary: Severus Snape falls in love. It takes him awhile to do it right.
Warnings: Slight dub con
Word Count: ~6,000
Author's Notes: Grateful thanks to my beta, nolagal, who saved me from a dreadful misspelling and a plague of pronouns. All remaining mistakes are my own. I was inspired by swtalmnd’s amazing “Flora and Fauna” and also by lolafalola who wrote “Harry Potter realized that he had fallen in love for the last time.” and sparked the plot bunny for this story. Also, to the best of my knowledge, the Incendius potion is Sushi's invention.
Dear Mr. Snape,
Please be advised that, as set out in the will of Eileen Prince Snape, vault #34 and the contents therein have been transferred in their entirety to your care. Please complete the enclosed forms and return to Gringotts under your seal by January 30th.
Grug Gripernott
Head Goblin, Department of Death and Transfers
Gringotts
London, England
Severus carefully smoothed out the crumpled note. How had it happened? When? Why had no one- no, he supposed that last was easy enough. His mum had no friends in the Wizarding world. Tobias Snape was the only one who knew how to contact Severus. Severus hoped viciously that the reason his father hadn’t was that he had somehow been killed.
“Sev?”
Of course. His exit from the Great Hall had hardly been unobtrusive. “I’m here.”
Lily Evans poked her head around the corner of his favorite courtyard. “Brr. You realize it’s January?”
“Is that why there’s a foot of snow out here?”
Severus' voice sounded off, even to his own ears. Lily frowned and hurried over to him, plopping down on the bench without even clearing the snow away. She held her hand out for the letter expectantly. Numbly, Severus let her have it, his hands falling to his lap.
A sharp gasp brought tears perilously close to the surface. He closed his eyes.
A small, warm hand wiggled into his. “Sev?” Her voice had gone painfully quiet. Severus forced
himself to open his eyes, looking into sad, solemn green ones. “I’m so sorry,” Lily whispered, squeezing his hand.
He nodded and looked away. As they sat there, hand in hand, not speaking for hours, Severus thought he might be a little in love.
**
“Lucius,” he gasped.
“Mmm?”
The kiss was slow; a hot, seductive glide coaxing his lips open. A perfectly manicured hand framed his face, sliding gently over his cheek. His eyes flickered open at the unexpected tenderness, only to find that Lucius’ eyes were closed. It touched him, somehow, to see such a trusting gesture from the normally cold Slytherin.
Severus let his eyes fall closed again as the kiss deepened. He felt a hand moving slowly down his back, and raised his hands in turn to smooth over Lucius’ shirt, feeling the heat of his skin. He shivered as Lucius’ hand came to rest at the small of his back, teasing at the very top of his arse. He moaned softly. Teeth scraped his bottom lip, followed by warm lips trailing down his neck.
“Severus,” Lucius gasped, “I-” His thumb stroked slowly downward, making his meaning clear.
Severus caught his breath and nodded, hoping it would be enough of an answer, hiding the faintest tinge of embarrassment beneath arousal.
“My room?”
Another quick nod and Severus was following Lucius down the hall and into the Head Boy’s room, trying to look studious. The door safely shut, Lucius wasted no time kissing him again, fingers moving to open both their shirts. Lucius’ skin was like satin against him, as delightful as he remembered from the few encounters that had ended this way before. He knew this time would be different, though.
Indeed, just as he thought that, Lucius slid a hand down his trousers and cupped him, massaging firmly while opening his fly. Lucius nipped his ear, before murmuring, “No pants? Delightful.” and squeezing.
Severus couldn’t quite control the soft sound he made in response, or the way his fingers fumbled over undoing Lucius’ belt.
“Here-” Lucius drew him close and walked them back to the bed. Once there, he urged Severus down while they slid out of open trousers and discarded them to tangle together. Both boys gasped at the sensation; Lucius with pleasure, Severus with surprise. Severus felt his cock jump at the wicked smile Lucius gave him and the smooth slide of Lucius’ silk-clad length against him. He let Lucius part his legs and thrust helplessly upward. He felt wild, and much too close to the edge. Lucius was murmuring again, sometimes audible, sometimes not. Soft exclamations of, “Severus…yes!” reached him as he clung to Lucius’ back. They were rocking together and he could hardly breathe, hardly think. Fingers crept down to clutch at his bum, moving slowly inward. The moment they touched his anus, Severus came with an embarrassing cry. By the time he had calmed, Lucius had shoved his silk pants down. Lucius guided his hand to his own cock and showed him how he liked to be touched. He felt even more embarrassed when Lucius took several more minutes to come, but Lucius held him after and spoke softly to him.
There followed many more nights, when Severus let Lucius do anything he wanted to him. And though he never said it, he was sure Lucius read love in his adoring gaze.
**
It took him a long time to recover from Lucius’ betrayal.
**
He did not mean Narcissa.
**
Remus was- short. Painful. Severus had most definitely not intended to fall in love with the man. Hell, he had barely intended to sleep with him. There had been something, though, between the faint ache of his Mark, and the reminder of pain and failure that drove him. Grateful and weak and dependent, Remus was everything he despised; yet he craved the other man’s vulnerability. It made him wild. One night, Remus had looked up at him, so transparent and hopeful, and Severus had bent down and kissed him. Everything had fallen apart from there. One moment, he was falling in love, and the next he was waking alone while Remus hared off to provide safe haven to his worst nightmare. The whole situation, he rather thought, might constitute a new ‘worst nightmare’.
**
This, Severus knew, was not love.
The sharp, bitter irony of Lupin leaving him for the mutt, only for him to end up here- oh- it was delicious. Severus grasped Black’s hair tighter and pulled. The man whined urgently in the back of his throat.
Black, it transpired, did not want Remus and his gentle love and quiet adoration. Black wanted this. Him. Pain. Where Remus and he had escaped the hard edges of the world together, Black wanted everything made real. In the terror and rising frenzy of Voldemort’s reign, Severus was more than willing to fuck everything out into a tight arse. That said arse belonged to his ex-lover’s wet dream and the idiotic Potter’s godfather made it taste all the sweeter on his tongue.
Not that Severus would bother putting his tongue anywhere that might please Black. Occasionally, he would exert himself to humiliate Black with images of the shocked looks on everyone’s faces were they to be discovered, or tease him about having forgot the Silencing Charm. Not tonight, however; tonight he just screwed in short, hard thrusts until his orgasm shot threw him. He left Black hard and dripping come, slumped against the wall in Grimmauld Place.
**
Severus paused in his monthly trek to deliver potions to Poppy. What on earth? Just past Hagrid’s old hut, in the opposite direction from the Quidditch pitch, there was movement and shouts. A goodly number of adults, moving- he squinted- rocks?
“Oh!”
Severus whirled, hand dropping to his wand.
“Sorry, sir.” Granger smiled nervously at him. “We didn’t mean to startle you.”
He took in the infamous trio. The years since the war had been good to them, easing the hollow-eyed tension they had all carried after the last battle. Even the strain that he had noticed around Potter’s mouth was gone. It had, he supposed, been nearly two years since Severus was released from the hospital, and Potter's rather haphazard visits had stopped then. Everywhere, hints of the adults they were growing into were present: Granger’s hair was pulled neatly out of her face; Weasley’s shirt was tucked properly in; and Potter had acquired more flattering glasses.
“Are you here to help with- ah,” she waved her hand toward the noise.
Severus canted an eyebrow. “I’m afraid not, Miss Granger. I am only delivering potions.”
“Oh! We’re-“
“It’s the last bit of rebuilding,” Weasley interjected. “Well, not rebuilding really- it’s, er, a garden. For the war.”
Potter finally spoke, “A memorial garden. It’s good to see you, sir. You look…well.” A blush painted his cheeks. “We should go, though. It looks like they’re starting.”
Watching Potter’s back as he scurried away, it occurred to Severus with a sudden, sharp burst of amusement that the boy was attracted to him.
**
Unaccountably, Severus found himself at Hogwarts again the following week. Poppy had filled him in on the memorial garden, gushing about the inspiration to be gained by such a healing, community-building exercise. He had barely refrained from rolling his eyes as she explained how, guided by Pomona, volunteers had created the grand outlines of the garden. A small group had then taken each section and decided upon the plants, subject for final approval by, of all people, Neville Longbottom.
Severus found himself oddly drawn to it all.
Approaching the garden area, Severus frowned. It appeared that Potter, Weasley, and Granger were all in different sections. Potter was working with- ah. The Creevey boy. The surviving one. He wandered closer.
“Professor!” Potter stood with a smile, brushing dirt from the knees of his denims. “Are you- would you like to see what we’re doing?”
That, after all, being his purpose here, he answered with a nod.
“Actually,” Potter peered up shyly from under his fringe, “we’re in charge of the Potions section.”
“Potions section?” His curiosity perked up. What on Earth would lead Potter to be involved in such a thing?
The boy grinned. “Don’t worry, nothing is going to blow up or melt out here!”
Severus snorted.
“I--” Potter hesitated, then went on in a quieter voice. “I meant what I said about you.” In front of the Wizengamot, Severus translated. “I really admire what you did. So this is just-” he gestured helplessly. Severus was strangely touched at the gesture. “Um. Anyway. And Dennis here,” Potter clapped the younger boy on the shoulder, “he’s a bit of an expert on certain potions, you might say.”
Severus glanced from Potter’s keen, almost bloodthirsty smile to the slightly red-faced determination on Creevey’s face and came to an interesting conclusion. “Ah. The source of the Incendius potions last year?”
Creevey nodded.
Severus offered a thin, approving smile. “Well done.” He paused. “Alecto looked quite singed after the explosion in her bathroom. Sadly, the infirmary was out of burn paste at the time." Her eyebrows had been gone, her hair full of soot, a nasty red gash along one cheek when she had stormed into his office. "So was I,” he concluded blandly.
Potter's eyes bulged a moment before both boys burst into startled laughter. Severus allowed a second smile to grace his face. As they calmed, he quirked an eyebrow at their small plot. “You have plans?”
Potter appeared to be too busy staring at his lips to respond- Severus felt a small burst of
smugness at that- so it was Creevey who answered. Excitedly, he described the sweep of their plot. One area would be comprised of several ingredients in fire potions and ingredients that brought fire to mind: red fire lilies, orange riots with their fern-like leaves, poppies and an olive tree. A smattering of others would fill in the space. In the next section over, a group was working on a small pond, so some transition plantings were planned. Their little piece of garden sloped gently down toward the pond, with the high portion being full of fire plants.
“We haven’t quite got to this last piece. We need something to unify it. Potions plants are too broad, obviously, which is why we have fire plants and water plants, but earth or air plants is a bit of a contradiction.”
Severus nodded thoughtfully. He bent and sifted a handful of soil through his fingers. It could be magically enriched, but it was best to know what one was starting with. Especially as too many different enhancements in such a relatively small space would cause problems with fertility. “Many of the plants most suited for these climes are growing in the Forbidden Forest. However...” He tapped a finger against his lips. “Have you considered night-blooming and night-potent varieties?”
Dennis stared. “Brilliant! We could use moonflowers and lunabells-“
Potter frowned. “Wolfsbane?”
He shot him a wry look. “Yes, Potter, many of the ingredients to the potion could be grown here. Including Wolfsbane itself. We might even line part of the path with moonstones. They charge particularly well near some night plants.”
Potter looked sad for a moment. “Greyback’s pack bit nearly a hundred children in that last year. That we know of.” He took a deep breath. “Remus would have loved the idea that there was something to both honor them and heal them.”
Severus remained silent.
“What about tinker lights?”
“They would grow well with night-blooming jasmine, and perhaps-”
And just like that, he became a part of Potter's team.
**
“It looks awfully green.”
Severus huffed. “Patience, Harry. It’s spring. Of course it looks green: the fireflowers and riots won’t bloom until next month. And the maple shall stay green until fall.”
“I guess.”
“You are aware that green is the color of most foliage?”
Harry pouted before his lips turned up in wry amusement. “Is that so, professor,” he teased, “I had no idea! The things I can learn from you…”
Brat! Harry's flirting had grown increasingly bold over the last few weeks, as Severus did nothing to rebut him. Severus had known, during the war, that he was lonely, but he did not think he had grasped the full extent of it until he was suddenly among people again. He had been naturally wary of company immediately after the war’s end, while the public was still settling. And then, well, he had fallen into routine, until Harry had lured him into this. All these people, working easily side by side, with no one to sneer or hex him, had set him strangely at ease. The attentions of a younger man were not as horrifying as they might once have been to him.
It was odd, Severus supposed, to develop an interest in someone he still thought of as a boy. He was certainly no pedophile. Severus knew, really, that Harry was of an age that most would call him a young man- at least to his face. Perhaps that was it, then, that he thought of Harry as "boy" the same way that he was sure Minerva and Albus had still thought of him as a boy. That made him feel oddly better. There had been hints, toward the end of the First War, that perhaps...Well, if he had not been so crushed by Lucius, he might well have been Dumbledore's man in an entirely different way. Albus was certainly quite a bit older than him, yet his regard had never made Severus uncomfortable. Instead, he had felt flattered and relieved, as though Albus' liking had redeemed him somewhat.
Harry's flirtation had something of a similar effect. Severus had no desire to hang onto the burdens of the past. The bitterness of his war-time tasks had been soothed by public recognition, the Ministry's recompense, and time. These last years had been a blessing, and Severus had worked in fits and starts to flush out old pains and change the protective anger that had seen him through two wars into something more neutral. The hard work, magical and physical, that he was doing in the garden was helping him to sleep soundly without aid for the first time in years. He had found himself enjoying hearty meals, and other appetites had roused as well. Each pout and piece of banter that Harry sent his way made Severus feel lighter. It was a pure pleasure to watch the boy fill with happiness at each casual, unspoken invitation Severus issued to come closer.
“Some help, here!” They both started, turning to find Dennis struggling with a levitation spell and a star-jeweled evergreen. Hastily, Severus reinforced the levitation while Harry widened the hole it was meant to settle in. Three of the star-jeweled evergreens were meant to be the center of their night garden, surrounded by fairy light bushes. A moonlight honeysuckle would wind its way up one of the trees, in hopes of attracting the rarer white hummingbirds. As they guided the tree into place, a cool breeze caused them all to shiver.
“It’s getting late. Let’s call it a day once we have this filled in,” Dennis proposed.
Severus assented, though he felt oddly reluctant to leave. A few minutes of careful shoveling later, Dennis was calling his goodnights as he headed toward the garden entrance. Potter shuffled. “I guess I should-”
“If you do not mind waiting a few minutes, it will soon darken sufficiently to show our work in its best light,” Severus found himself saying.
Potter turned an excited face toward him. “We’ll be able to see the stars?”
A half-smile curled his lips. “Yes, Harry, we’ll be able to see the ‘stars’.”
Potter nodded, and shifted to face the trees. As Severus had predicted, dusk fell quickly. One by one, the lights in their star-jeweled evergreen appeared, echoing the glory of the night sky. “Quite magnificent, aren’t they,” Severus breathed.
Close beside him, Harry agreed huskily, “Beautiful.”
Severus turned to find Harry admiring him, instead of the tree.
“Um.” Harry's eyes darted wildly. “Can I…”
Snape put a hand on Harry’s waist and drew him closer. “Yes?” From here, he could hear Harry panting softly, and knew that he’d rightly deduced the question.
“K-kiss?”
Severus managed to bury amusement under desire as he leaned in. “Yes,” he breathed against Harry’s lips and brushed gently against his mouth, rubbing their lips together in the slow opening movements of the dance they were engaging in. The kiss was soft and delightful, Harry’s mouth eager against his. Hints of moistness were followed by a brief touch of tongues before he drew back. Severus made a low sound of approval so that there would be no doubts. “Perhaps,” he said, still quiet and near, “you would like to join me for dinner sometime?”
The boy’s smile at close range was nearly blinding.
**
Severus regarded the ruffled boy sprawled across his couch with some amusement. Apparently, an evening of dining and dancing, which had involved remedial waltz lessons, was exhausting. That, or having his hair stroked always put Harry to sleep. He was quite soundly out, and even a trip to the loo couldn’t quite make Severus want to wake him. With a resigned sigh, he pulled his wand and widened the couch, before lowering himself onto it. He had already traded slacks for a house robe, so there was nothing to do but put his arms carefully around Harry and think of the sweet kisses they’d shared while he drifted off to sleep.
Mornings were generally unpleasant. Awakening to Harry shifting against his morning erection was decidedly not. Harry made a soft, pleased sound and pressed back more firmly.
Severus chuckled. “Good morning.”
A yawn answered him. “Mornin’. Mmm.” Harry stretched, shivering as his body relaxed against Severus’.
Harry had apparently awoken at some point in the night and removed his trousers, because there were only boxers and the thin layer of his house robe between them. The steady push backward and the hungry noises left no questions about exactly what Harry wanted. Potter was literally panting for his cock. He hardened further at the thought, drawing a moan from Harry.
Severus cleared his throat. As delightful as this was… “I don’t fuck on first dates.”
Harry rolled his hips backward and rotated them in a move that had Severus’ eyes rolling back. “Pity.”
Pernicious little brat! Severus leaned forward and nibbled on the boy’s earlobe as he moved one hand forward to Harry's chest. For a moment, he let his hand rest in the center of Harry’s chest, before sliding to one side, teasing his nipples. He moved his mouth too, trailing hot kisses and soft bites down Harry’s neck as he continued to play, stroking and pinching to evoke responses. Once Harry was emitting choked cries, he slowly slid his hand down until it rested on Harry’s stomach, just above his hard erection. “Isn’t it?”
Harry made an entirely different sort of choked noise and then laughed wryly. “Alright. Fuck. I deserved that.” He rolled out of bed and stood up, adjusting his glasses with one hand.
He arched an eyebrow from his reclined position. “You did.”
Harry made a pained grimace that might have been an attempt at apology. “Um. I think I should go.”
He smirked as Harry shifted restlessly.
“This was- good. I’d like to do it again. But, um, right now I’m going to go find something to transfigure into a dildo and- right, I’ll stop talking now.”
Harry bent and kissed him briefly before snatching his denims up and making a rushed exit.
Well. That was unexpected!
**
Severus had come to understand, in the intervening weeks, just how much Harry enjoyed having his arse played with. No matter how they started, Harry always managed to maneuver himself so that his back faced Severus. Severus had even begun to think that perhaps Harry was weary of looking at him, right up until that delightful incident with the mirror last week. If they were snogging, the slightest brush would lead to shivering and moans. Severus certainly enjoyed a good buggering, but he had never before encountered someone quite so sensitive. It made him harder than a rock, and Severus found himself wanking twice a day.
Though it was probably more frustrating for Harry, Severus mused, since Severus had not let things between them progress to the point of climax.
Severus was, therefore, unsurprised when Harry broke off mid-kiss to gasp. Severus squeezed the handful of arse he had just grabbed firmly. Harry shuddered in his arms. “Please! Please, God, Severus, I can’t-” Another of those delightful shivers worked its way through him, and Severus felt his cock strain against his trousers.
“Let’s get you out of this, hm?” Severus quickly divested Harry of his shirt, then reached for his trousers. The incredulous hope written so clearly on Harry’s face made him bite back a laugh. “This is what you’ve been wanting, isn’t it?”
“Fuck!” Harry exclaimed, “Yes, Merlin, since the first day, please!”
“I know.” Slowly, carefully, he undid the buttons.
“I- yeah. I’m not pushing, am I? I mean, I’ve been trying not to...”
Harry sounded adorably uncertain. Severus smirked. “No,” he reassured, “the temptation has simply become too much.” Harry’s answering grin went lax as Severus slid his hand into Harry's trousers, easing the zip down. “And you are a temptation,” he purred.
“Oh God,” Harry gasped.
Severus guided Harry several shuffling steps back into his bedroom and tumbled him onto the bed. He worked quickly at his shirt buttons while Harry wiggled around on the bed to kick off his trousers.
“Wait!” Harry sprang up and moved Severus' hands away, replacing them with his own. “I love this part,” he confessed, grinning blindingly at Severus.
“Unbuttoning?”
“Revealing,” Harry corrected, and hummed a little stripper tune.
He couldn’t help the chuckle that emerged. “You’re a very strange boy.”
Harry pouted. “’m not a boy.”
Severus tugged Harry close and rested his chin on his head. A surge of protective tenderness washed through him. “Are too. My boy.”
Harry melted against him. “Oh.”
There were too many emotions in that one syllable to trace them all, but he caught the gist. He turned Harry’s face up to his and leaned in for a long, slow kiss. When they resurfaced, they climbed into his bed together. For awhile, they kept to previous explorations, tracing the muscles of chests and tugging at nipples. He had hit upon a good spot early on, and paid loving attention to Harry’s ears. Eventually, however, Harry reached for his trousers and made a discovery.
“You- you’re-” Harry spluttered, “You’re not wearing any pants!”
A small smile curled Severus' lips. “I don’t, no. As a rule.” Harry stared, with predictable results.
“I’m going to be picturing you pantsless for the rest of my life!” And then Harry pounced, pushing Severus’ trousers to the floor and wrapping a hand around him, then moving to lie on top of Severus. Severus reached to carefully lower Harry’s pants, earning a moan that rose in pitch once they were naked together. Harry thrust against him for a minute before abruptly scrambling off. Before Severus could question him, the boy leaned down and swallowed Severus’ cock.
“Ah!” Severus bucked, then held himself still. “H-Harry.” Oh, Merlin, whatever he’d done before, Harry clearly had some experience here. His tongue was- everywhere, moving in broad strokes up and down, then pressing firmly along the vein in his cock, lapping delicately at the head and poking into his slit. Fuck, he’d been damn near celibate for the last five years and no one had sucked him like this for longer than that. He writhed against the sheets, fisting his hands in them as he pulsed. It felt like his heartbeat, his breath, bloody everything was in his cock and Harry was sucking, bobbing his head steadily up and down and reaching a hand up to cradle his balls. He tensed, thighs quivering with strain. Harry slid a hand back and pressed firmly against his perineum and he knew this was it. Severus came, gushing into Harry’s mouth, a wave of pleasure raking through him and wringing him dry.
He lay there gasping, shaking with reaction and the little jolts of electricity that came with Harry’s soft nuzzling, which moved slowly upward. By the time he had surfaced fully, Harry was leaning over him, a smug, happy smile tugging at his lips. He pulled the boy down into a warm kiss and released him with a smile. “Need something, Harry?”
Harry blushed and glanced down involuntarily, to where his cock was rubbing against Severus’ stomach. “Er.”
Severus nudged Harry to the side, encouraging him to roll until his back was to Severus. He could hear Harry’s breathing pick up, obviously deluding himself about how quickly Severus could get hard again. He eased close behind him and wrapped a hand firmly around Harry’s cock. Merlin, it was lovely: plump and flushed in his hand. Perhaps a bit shorter than his own, but thicker as well. It felt, he considered, weighing it, like the moonbeam vines, alive and twitching. And, he smirked, ripe. Ready to burst and give up its precious nectar with the right handling.
With that in mind, Severus went to work. Short, quick strokes, encouraging Harry’s cock to arc upward, aided by a quickly cast lubrication charm. The slick slide of his palm slapped in wet counterpart to Harry’s panting. When he felt himself harden slightly, he moved even closer to allow Harry to feel his cock sliding between the cheeks of his arse. Harry mewled, and Severus sped his strokes to match Harry’s cries. He felt Harry’s balls draw up against the head of his cock, and Harry arched his back and came, spurting come through Severus' slick fingers.
Severus bent his head and drew Harry into a kiss that grew slowly sloppier, drawing back at last only far enough to whisper, “Sleep.”
**
The humming lightorches had finally come in, and Severus, Harry, and Dennis had each taken one. Imported from Japan, it was only possible to grow them here because of the careful microclimate they had created. The roots of the fire lilies exuded a fine dust that was in turn vital to the growing hot chiles. The chiles, trailing along the ground, warmed the soil enough for the smokebuttons and riots to grow. The combined effect was one of warmer temperatures. The lightorches, therefore, were placed carefully near the center of all the heat.
Half-squatting, feet braced so as not to step on anything or light himself on fire, Severus laboriously dug. He scraped aside the dragon dung mulch and dug into the amended soil. He inhaled the rich, moist smell, with its odd undertone of burning wood. Ensuring that the hole was wide enough, he retrieved the lightorch from its stasis globe and lowered it. Working quickly now, he filled the hole back in and covered all the way to the base with dragon dung mulch. He held his breath and cocked his head to the side. Faintly, the plant began to sing.
Smiling in satisfaction, Severus stood and extracted himself from the garden, retreating to one of the paths. Dennis was already waiting, but Harry was bent over his own plant, showcasing his firm arse. Severus watched in lazy appreciation until Harry straightened and joined them.
“Well. That’s the lot then.”
“Hmm.”
“Can’t believe it’s done.”
Indeed. Severus had been coming here nearly daily for five weeks now. He could not quite picture going back to his mostly solitary existence.
“Say,” Dennis said, “would the two of you like to go out for a lager sometime?”
Severus blinked. “I do not drink.” Though the idea was a nice one.
Both boys gaped. “Really? Not at all.”
“My father was a drunkard. Besides, it was not particularly…advisable.”
“Ah.” Dennis frowned. “Don’t suppose you’d object to fish and chips, though?”
Severus snorted contemptuously. “I’m a teetotaler, not bloody French.”
“Right,” Dennis grinned, “Friday next at the Leaky? My treat.”
Severus put on his best professorial air. “I will hardly refuse to allow you to waste your money, Mr. Creevey.”
Dennis smiled. “Harry?”
“’Course. You’re a mate, Dennis.” Harry clapped Dennis on the shoulder.
Just then, a call of ‘meeting’ rang through the garden. Though not frequent, these meetings had happened often enough that gardeners from every plot knew to pause in their work and head toward the gazebo at the center. With a theatrical sigh, Severus followed.
Neville Longbottom stood like a rock, calm and patient, on the uppermost step. Once the nearly three dozen gardeners were gathered, Neville smiled out at them. “Thank you all for coming.
Many of you are probably aware that your own plots are nearing completion, or may even be wholly done. What you may not realize is that the Memorial Garden as a whole will be finished in the next few days.” A murmur of surprise and excitement rose from the crowd. “We expect all but one or two plantings to be completed tomorrow. Sunday, small plaques will be placed throughout the garden to explain the various plots to visitors and there will be an official opening ceremony Monday, with Minister Shacklebolt in attendance.”
The murmur broke into a burst of noise. A flash of blonde caught his eye. He had known, in an abstracted way, that Draco was here, working with Longbottom. He focused for a moment and was mildly appalled to find Draco giving Longbottom a look of cow-eyed adoration.
“Sunday evening,” the crowd quieted again, “the garden will be open to those of us who created it, for a private celebration. Good work, everyone!” Longbottom clapped his hands and descended, casting a warm, amused look at Draco. Severus thought he might be ill.
Harry tugged Severus up to the gazebo. “Let’s take a look,” he enthused. Severus turned and looked out, stilling. It was breathtaking. The plots spun out: a solemn reflection of Hogwarts, a paean to House unity, a spiral that might have represented Albus’ life, a splash of pink under an oak that was surely a reminder of the fallen Tonks and Lupin, an entire field of fire poppies in the shape of a phoenix, a corner which would become a small forest in remembrance of the help of those creatures some had decried, their own fire display and moon garden, a simple display that evoked all the innocents that had been killed, a wild clash that called the final battle to mind, a plot filled with Healing herbs. Finally, in what had to be Longbottom and Draco’s work, a stunning display so intense it was like watching an actual sunrise and had sufficient variety to remain so year-round. Severus smiled wryly. Through the darkness, into the Light, hm? He slipped an arm around Harry, feeling unusually at peace.
Harry leaned in. “How about a private celebration?”
Severus squeezed Harry closer in response, anticipation coiling in his gut, and Disapparated them both.
**
Harry splayed himself naked over the bed, feet on the ground while he leaned on his elbows. The position left his arse open, a fact which Severus knew he was well aware of. It was obvious in the eager little looks he kept sending over his shoulder as Severus undressed. In the hot way his eyes dropped to Severus’ cock, staying until they were both panting faintly. Severus reached down and grasped his cock, stroking down as he lengthened, holding Harry’s gaze.
“Fuck,” Harry breathed, and Severus smiled his most predatory smile. Harry broke away, burying his face, glasses and all, into the bed.
“You don’t seriously believe I’m going to take you for the first time like this?” Harry raised his head, confused. “On the bed,” Severus barked. Harry scrambled to obey, draping himself face down. Severus sat on the side of the bed and brushed his fingers gently over Harry’s neck. Slowly, he traced the boy’s spine, stopping at this tailbone. He leaned forward to kiss the nape of Harry’s neck, keeping his fingers still while his mouth followed the path his touch had traced moments before. Harry tasted of sweat. Severus paused to suck and bite, but finally his mouth rested next to his hand. The smell of fire rose from his hands as he allowed his fingers to trace down, parting Harry’s cheeks but avoiding his anus, moving forward to fondle his balls. Harry rutted softly against the bed, almost uncontrolled movements of his hips, which Severus relished. He loved that he could make Harry so wild, and the lost noises he was making only reinforced that.
Severus moved finally to press his thumb firmly against Harry, breathless at the way Harry went utterly still. He rubbed in sure circles, pressing as his thumb slipped inward. As he had expected, Harry kept himself scrupulously clean here. He withdrew long enough to reach the lubricant stored in his bedside drawer, slicking himself and the fingers of one hand.
“Aaah!” Harry cried out softly as Severus slid his index finger into him. It left Severus biting his lip for restraint. Oh, he had urged that they wait, even when Harry thought he was ready, but that had not lessened his desire to do this. To work his fingers up Harry's exquisite arse, watching him flail and moan and nearly scream when Severus brushed against his prostate. To kneel between those taut thighs while he worked him open, the smoothness inside grasping his fingers while his other hand clenched on Harry’s buttocks. And, finally, to drag Harry to his knees and press himself along his back, to murmur, “Ready?”
When Harry choked out, “Please,” Severus let himself shift and inch, painstakingly, into Harry. Harry clenched around the head of his cock, so tight it verged on pain, but he continued easing forward. Harry trembled and said, “Oh,” and then repeated it, “Oh!” When words turned into a panicked whine that had nothing of pain in it, Severus knew that he was pushing past Harry’s prostate, and that neither of them was going to last long.
“Shh,” Severus whispered, “just feel.” He had a brief vision of doing this in their garden, fucking Harry into the dirt between fire and moonlight. And then he gave up thinking for moving, deep thrusts that kept almost constant pressure against Harry’s prostate. Harry rocked urgently back, little cries escaping him with each motion. Severus clenched his hands on Harry’s hips and surged, feeling heat spiraling through his body, tingling through his toes and darkening his cheeks. His heart pounded as he took Harry’s prick, slick with pre-come, into his hand. Harry tossed his head back and tensed, mouth open in a silent moan, as he splattered come everywhere. Severus had just enough time to feel the heat covering his hand before his vision tunneled as his orgasm wrenched through him. He slumped boneless against Harry.
Harry giggled, sounding euphoric. “We smell like spunk and dragon dung.”
As a sleepy smile tugged at his lips, Severus thought that perhaps, at last, he had fallen in love with the right person.
Author: mabonwitch
Recipient: anya_elizabeth
Title: The Long Way Around
Rating: NC-17
Pairing(s): Snape/Harry, Snape/Lucius, Snape/Lily, Snape/Sirius, Snape/Remus
Disclaimer: All Harry Potter characters herein are the property of J.K. Rowling and Bloomsbury/Scholastic. No copyright infringement is intended. All characters engaging in sexual activity are 16 years or older.
Summary: Severus Snape falls in love. It takes him awhile to do it right.
Warnings: Slight dub con
Word Count: ~6,000
Author's Notes: Grateful thanks to my beta, nolagal, who saved me from a dreadful misspelling and a plague of pronouns. All remaining mistakes are my own. I was inspired by swtalmnd’s amazing “Flora and Fauna” and also by lolafalola who wrote “Harry Potter realized that he had fallen in love for the last time.” and sparked the plot bunny for this story. Also, to the best of my knowledge, the Incendius potion is Sushi's invention.
Dear Mr. Snape,
Please be advised that, as set out in the will of Eileen Prince Snape, vault #34 and the contents therein have been transferred in their entirety to your care. Please complete the enclosed forms and return to Gringotts under your seal by January 30th.
Grug Gripernott
Head Goblin, Department of Death and Transfers
Gringotts
London, England
Severus carefully smoothed out the crumpled note. How had it happened? When? Why had no one- no, he supposed that last was easy enough. His mum had no friends in the Wizarding world. Tobias Snape was the only one who knew how to contact Severus. Severus hoped viciously that the reason his father hadn’t was that he had somehow been killed.
“Sev?”
Of course. His exit from the Great Hall had hardly been unobtrusive. “I’m here.”
Lily Evans poked her head around the corner of his favorite courtyard. “Brr. You realize it’s January?”
“Is that why there’s a foot of snow out here?”
Severus' voice sounded off, even to his own ears. Lily frowned and hurried over to him, plopping down on the bench without even clearing the snow away. She held her hand out for the letter expectantly. Numbly, Severus let her have it, his hands falling to his lap.
A sharp gasp brought tears perilously close to the surface. He closed his eyes.
A small, warm hand wiggled into his. “Sev?” Her voice had gone painfully quiet. Severus forced
himself to open his eyes, looking into sad, solemn green ones. “I’m so sorry,” Lily whispered, squeezing his hand.
He nodded and looked away. As they sat there, hand in hand, not speaking for hours, Severus thought he might be a little in love.
**
“Lucius,” he gasped.
“Mmm?”
The kiss was slow; a hot, seductive glide coaxing his lips open. A perfectly manicured hand framed his face, sliding gently over his cheek. His eyes flickered open at the unexpected tenderness, only to find that Lucius’ eyes were closed. It touched him, somehow, to see such a trusting gesture from the normally cold Slytherin.
Severus let his eyes fall closed again as the kiss deepened. He felt a hand moving slowly down his back, and raised his hands in turn to smooth over Lucius’ shirt, feeling the heat of his skin. He shivered as Lucius’ hand came to rest at the small of his back, teasing at the very top of his arse. He moaned softly. Teeth scraped his bottom lip, followed by warm lips trailing down his neck.
“Severus,” Lucius gasped, “I-” His thumb stroked slowly downward, making his meaning clear.
Severus caught his breath and nodded, hoping it would be enough of an answer, hiding the faintest tinge of embarrassment beneath arousal.
“My room?”
Another quick nod and Severus was following Lucius down the hall and into the Head Boy’s room, trying to look studious. The door safely shut, Lucius wasted no time kissing him again, fingers moving to open both their shirts. Lucius’ skin was like satin against him, as delightful as he remembered from the few encounters that had ended this way before. He knew this time would be different, though.
Indeed, just as he thought that, Lucius slid a hand down his trousers and cupped him, massaging firmly while opening his fly. Lucius nipped his ear, before murmuring, “No pants? Delightful.” and squeezing.
Severus couldn’t quite control the soft sound he made in response, or the way his fingers fumbled over undoing Lucius’ belt.
“Here-” Lucius drew him close and walked them back to the bed. Once there, he urged Severus down while they slid out of open trousers and discarded them to tangle together. Both boys gasped at the sensation; Lucius with pleasure, Severus with surprise. Severus felt his cock jump at the wicked smile Lucius gave him and the smooth slide of Lucius’ silk-clad length against him. He let Lucius part his legs and thrust helplessly upward. He felt wild, and much too close to the edge. Lucius was murmuring again, sometimes audible, sometimes not. Soft exclamations of, “Severus…yes!” reached him as he clung to Lucius’ back. They were rocking together and he could hardly breathe, hardly think. Fingers crept down to clutch at his bum, moving slowly inward. The moment they touched his anus, Severus came with an embarrassing cry. By the time he had calmed, Lucius had shoved his silk pants down. Lucius guided his hand to his own cock and showed him how he liked to be touched. He felt even more embarrassed when Lucius took several more minutes to come, but Lucius held him after and spoke softly to him.
There followed many more nights, when Severus let Lucius do anything he wanted to him. And though he never said it, he was sure Lucius read love in his adoring gaze.
**
It took him a long time to recover from Lucius’ betrayal.
**
He did not mean Narcissa.
**
Remus was- short. Painful. Severus had most definitely not intended to fall in love with the man. Hell, he had barely intended to sleep with him. There had been something, though, between the faint ache of his Mark, and the reminder of pain and failure that drove him. Grateful and weak and dependent, Remus was everything he despised; yet he craved the other man’s vulnerability. It made him wild. One night, Remus had looked up at him, so transparent and hopeful, and Severus had bent down and kissed him. Everything had fallen apart from there. One moment, he was falling in love, and the next he was waking alone while Remus hared off to provide safe haven to his worst nightmare. The whole situation, he rather thought, might constitute a new ‘worst nightmare’.
**
This, Severus knew, was not love.
The sharp, bitter irony of Lupin leaving him for the mutt, only for him to end up here- oh- it was delicious. Severus grasped Black’s hair tighter and pulled. The man whined urgently in the back of his throat.
Black, it transpired, did not want Remus and his gentle love and quiet adoration. Black wanted this. Him. Pain. Where Remus and he had escaped the hard edges of the world together, Black wanted everything made real. In the terror and rising frenzy of Voldemort’s reign, Severus was more than willing to fuck everything out into a tight arse. That said arse belonged to his ex-lover’s wet dream and the idiotic Potter’s godfather made it taste all the sweeter on his tongue.
Not that Severus would bother putting his tongue anywhere that might please Black. Occasionally, he would exert himself to humiliate Black with images of the shocked looks on everyone’s faces were they to be discovered, or tease him about having forgot the Silencing Charm. Not tonight, however; tonight he just screwed in short, hard thrusts until his orgasm shot threw him. He left Black hard and dripping come, slumped against the wall in Grimmauld Place.
**
Severus paused in his monthly trek to deliver potions to Poppy. What on earth? Just past Hagrid’s old hut, in the opposite direction from the Quidditch pitch, there was movement and shouts. A goodly number of adults, moving- he squinted- rocks?
“Oh!”
Severus whirled, hand dropping to his wand.
“Sorry, sir.” Granger smiled nervously at him. “We didn’t mean to startle you.”
He took in the infamous trio. The years since the war had been good to them, easing the hollow-eyed tension they had all carried after the last battle. Even the strain that he had noticed around Potter’s mouth was gone. It had, he supposed, been nearly two years since Severus was released from the hospital, and Potter's rather haphazard visits had stopped then. Everywhere, hints of the adults they were growing into were present: Granger’s hair was pulled neatly out of her face; Weasley’s shirt was tucked properly in; and Potter had acquired more flattering glasses.
“Are you here to help with- ah,” she waved her hand toward the noise.
Severus canted an eyebrow. “I’m afraid not, Miss Granger. I am only delivering potions.”
“Oh! We’re-“
“It’s the last bit of rebuilding,” Weasley interjected. “Well, not rebuilding really- it’s, er, a garden. For the war.”
Potter finally spoke, “A memorial garden. It’s good to see you, sir. You look…well.” A blush painted his cheeks. “We should go, though. It looks like they’re starting.”
Watching Potter’s back as he scurried away, it occurred to Severus with a sudden, sharp burst of amusement that the boy was attracted to him.
**
Unaccountably, Severus found himself at Hogwarts again the following week. Poppy had filled him in on the memorial garden, gushing about the inspiration to be gained by such a healing, community-building exercise. He had barely refrained from rolling his eyes as she explained how, guided by Pomona, volunteers had created the grand outlines of the garden. A small group had then taken each section and decided upon the plants, subject for final approval by, of all people, Neville Longbottom.
Severus found himself oddly drawn to it all.
Approaching the garden area, Severus frowned. It appeared that Potter, Weasley, and Granger were all in different sections. Potter was working with- ah. The Creevey boy. The surviving one. He wandered closer.
“Professor!” Potter stood with a smile, brushing dirt from the knees of his denims. “Are you- would you like to see what we’re doing?”
That, after all, being his purpose here, he answered with a nod.
“Actually,” Potter peered up shyly from under his fringe, “we’re in charge of the Potions section.”
“Potions section?” His curiosity perked up. What on Earth would lead Potter to be involved in such a thing?
The boy grinned. “Don’t worry, nothing is going to blow up or melt out here!”
Severus snorted.
“I--” Potter hesitated, then went on in a quieter voice. “I meant what I said about you.” In front of the Wizengamot, Severus translated. “I really admire what you did. So this is just-” he gestured helplessly. Severus was strangely touched at the gesture. “Um. Anyway. And Dennis here,” Potter clapped the younger boy on the shoulder, “he’s a bit of an expert on certain potions, you might say.”
Severus glanced from Potter’s keen, almost bloodthirsty smile to the slightly red-faced determination on Creevey’s face and came to an interesting conclusion. “Ah. The source of the Incendius potions last year?”
Creevey nodded.
Severus offered a thin, approving smile. “Well done.” He paused. “Alecto looked quite singed after the explosion in her bathroom. Sadly, the infirmary was out of burn paste at the time." Her eyebrows had been gone, her hair full of soot, a nasty red gash along one cheek when she had stormed into his office. "So was I,” he concluded blandly.
Potter's eyes bulged a moment before both boys burst into startled laughter. Severus allowed a second smile to grace his face. As they calmed, he quirked an eyebrow at their small plot. “You have plans?”
Potter appeared to be too busy staring at his lips to respond- Severus felt a small burst of
smugness at that- so it was Creevey who answered. Excitedly, he described the sweep of their plot. One area would be comprised of several ingredients in fire potions and ingredients that brought fire to mind: red fire lilies, orange riots with their fern-like leaves, poppies and an olive tree. A smattering of others would fill in the space. In the next section over, a group was working on a small pond, so some transition plantings were planned. Their little piece of garden sloped gently down toward the pond, with the high portion being full of fire plants.
“We haven’t quite got to this last piece. We need something to unify it. Potions plants are too broad, obviously, which is why we have fire plants and water plants, but earth or air plants is a bit of a contradiction.”
Severus nodded thoughtfully. He bent and sifted a handful of soil through his fingers. It could be magically enriched, but it was best to know what one was starting with. Especially as too many different enhancements in such a relatively small space would cause problems with fertility. “Many of the plants most suited for these climes are growing in the Forbidden Forest. However...” He tapped a finger against his lips. “Have you considered night-blooming and night-potent varieties?”
Dennis stared. “Brilliant! We could use moonflowers and lunabells-“
Potter frowned. “Wolfsbane?”
He shot him a wry look. “Yes, Potter, many of the ingredients to the potion could be grown here. Including Wolfsbane itself. We might even line part of the path with moonstones. They charge particularly well near some night plants.”
Potter looked sad for a moment. “Greyback’s pack bit nearly a hundred children in that last year. That we know of.” He took a deep breath. “Remus would have loved the idea that there was something to both honor them and heal them.”
Severus remained silent.
“What about tinker lights?”
“They would grow well with night-blooming jasmine, and perhaps-”
And just like that, he became a part of Potter's team.
**
“It looks awfully green.”
Severus huffed. “Patience, Harry. It’s spring. Of course it looks green: the fireflowers and riots won’t bloom until next month. And the maple shall stay green until fall.”
“I guess.”
“You are aware that green is the color of most foliage?”
Harry pouted before his lips turned up in wry amusement. “Is that so, professor,” he teased, “I had no idea! The things I can learn from you…”
Brat! Harry's flirting had grown increasingly bold over the last few weeks, as Severus did nothing to rebut him. Severus had known, during the war, that he was lonely, but he did not think he had grasped the full extent of it until he was suddenly among people again. He had been naturally wary of company immediately after the war’s end, while the public was still settling. And then, well, he had fallen into routine, until Harry had lured him into this. All these people, working easily side by side, with no one to sneer or hex him, had set him strangely at ease. The attentions of a younger man were not as horrifying as they might once have been to him.
It was odd, Severus supposed, to develop an interest in someone he still thought of as a boy. He was certainly no pedophile. Severus knew, really, that Harry was of an age that most would call him a young man- at least to his face. Perhaps that was it, then, that he thought of Harry as "boy" the same way that he was sure Minerva and Albus had still thought of him as a boy. That made him feel oddly better. There had been hints, toward the end of the First War, that perhaps...Well, if he had not been so crushed by Lucius, he might well have been Dumbledore's man in an entirely different way. Albus was certainly quite a bit older than him, yet his regard had never made Severus uncomfortable. Instead, he had felt flattered and relieved, as though Albus' liking had redeemed him somewhat.
Harry's flirtation had something of a similar effect. Severus had no desire to hang onto the burdens of the past. The bitterness of his war-time tasks had been soothed by public recognition, the Ministry's recompense, and time. These last years had been a blessing, and Severus had worked in fits and starts to flush out old pains and change the protective anger that had seen him through two wars into something more neutral. The hard work, magical and physical, that he was doing in the garden was helping him to sleep soundly without aid for the first time in years. He had found himself enjoying hearty meals, and other appetites had roused as well. Each pout and piece of banter that Harry sent his way made Severus feel lighter. It was a pure pleasure to watch the boy fill with happiness at each casual, unspoken invitation Severus issued to come closer.
“Some help, here!” They both started, turning to find Dennis struggling with a levitation spell and a star-jeweled evergreen. Hastily, Severus reinforced the levitation while Harry widened the hole it was meant to settle in. Three of the star-jeweled evergreens were meant to be the center of their night garden, surrounded by fairy light bushes. A moonlight honeysuckle would wind its way up one of the trees, in hopes of attracting the rarer white hummingbirds. As they guided the tree into place, a cool breeze caused them all to shiver.
“It’s getting late. Let’s call it a day once we have this filled in,” Dennis proposed.
Severus assented, though he felt oddly reluctant to leave. A few minutes of careful shoveling later, Dennis was calling his goodnights as he headed toward the garden entrance. Potter shuffled. “I guess I should-”
“If you do not mind waiting a few minutes, it will soon darken sufficiently to show our work in its best light,” Severus found himself saying.
Potter turned an excited face toward him. “We’ll be able to see the stars?”
A half-smile curled his lips. “Yes, Harry, we’ll be able to see the ‘stars’.”
Potter nodded, and shifted to face the trees. As Severus had predicted, dusk fell quickly. One by one, the lights in their star-jeweled evergreen appeared, echoing the glory of the night sky. “Quite magnificent, aren’t they,” Severus breathed.
Close beside him, Harry agreed huskily, “Beautiful.”
Severus turned to find Harry admiring him, instead of the tree.
“Um.” Harry's eyes darted wildly. “Can I…”
Snape put a hand on Harry’s waist and drew him closer. “Yes?” From here, he could hear Harry panting softly, and knew that he’d rightly deduced the question.
“K-kiss?”
Severus managed to bury amusement under desire as he leaned in. “Yes,” he breathed against Harry’s lips and brushed gently against his mouth, rubbing their lips together in the slow opening movements of the dance they were engaging in. The kiss was soft and delightful, Harry’s mouth eager against his. Hints of moistness were followed by a brief touch of tongues before he drew back. Severus made a low sound of approval so that there would be no doubts. “Perhaps,” he said, still quiet and near, “you would like to join me for dinner sometime?”
The boy’s smile at close range was nearly blinding.
**
Severus regarded the ruffled boy sprawled across his couch with some amusement. Apparently, an evening of dining and dancing, which had involved remedial waltz lessons, was exhausting. That, or having his hair stroked always put Harry to sleep. He was quite soundly out, and even a trip to the loo couldn’t quite make Severus want to wake him. With a resigned sigh, he pulled his wand and widened the couch, before lowering himself onto it. He had already traded slacks for a house robe, so there was nothing to do but put his arms carefully around Harry and think of the sweet kisses they’d shared while he drifted off to sleep.
Mornings were generally unpleasant. Awakening to Harry shifting against his morning erection was decidedly not. Harry made a soft, pleased sound and pressed back more firmly.
Severus chuckled. “Good morning.”
A yawn answered him. “Mornin’. Mmm.” Harry stretched, shivering as his body relaxed against Severus’.
Harry had apparently awoken at some point in the night and removed his trousers, because there were only boxers and the thin layer of his house robe between them. The steady push backward and the hungry noises left no questions about exactly what Harry wanted. Potter was literally panting for his cock. He hardened further at the thought, drawing a moan from Harry.
Severus cleared his throat. As delightful as this was… “I don’t fuck on first dates.”
Harry rolled his hips backward and rotated them in a move that had Severus’ eyes rolling back. “Pity.”
Pernicious little brat! Severus leaned forward and nibbled on the boy’s earlobe as he moved one hand forward to Harry's chest. For a moment, he let his hand rest in the center of Harry’s chest, before sliding to one side, teasing his nipples. He moved his mouth too, trailing hot kisses and soft bites down Harry’s neck as he continued to play, stroking and pinching to evoke responses. Once Harry was emitting choked cries, he slowly slid his hand down until it rested on Harry’s stomach, just above his hard erection. “Isn’t it?”
Harry made an entirely different sort of choked noise and then laughed wryly. “Alright. Fuck. I deserved that.” He rolled out of bed and stood up, adjusting his glasses with one hand.
He arched an eyebrow from his reclined position. “You did.”
Harry made a pained grimace that might have been an attempt at apology. “Um. I think I should go.”
He smirked as Harry shifted restlessly.
“This was- good. I’d like to do it again. But, um, right now I’m going to go find something to transfigure into a dildo and- right, I’ll stop talking now.”
Harry bent and kissed him briefly before snatching his denims up and making a rushed exit.
Well. That was unexpected!
**
Severus had come to understand, in the intervening weeks, just how much Harry enjoyed having his arse played with. No matter how they started, Harry always managed to maneuver himself so that his back faced Severus. Severus had even begun to think that perhaps Harry was weary of looking at him, right up until that delightful incident with the mirror last week. If they were snogging, the slightest brush would lead to shivering and moans. Severus certainly enjoyed a good buggering, but he had never before encountered someone quite so sensitive. It made him harder than a rock, and Severus found himself wanking twice a day.
Though it was probably more frustrating for Harry, Severus mused, since Severus had not let things between them progress to the point of climax.
Severus was, therefore, unsurprised when Harry broke off mid-kiss to gasp. Severus squeezed the handful of arse he had just grabbed firmly. Harry shuddered in his arms. “Please! Please, God, Severus, I can’t-” Another of those delightful shivers worked its way through him, and Severus felt his cock strain against his trousers.
“Let’s get you out of this, hm?” Severus quickly divested Harry of his shirt, then reached for his trousers. The incredulous hope written so clearly on Harry’s face made him bite back a laugh. “This is what you’ve been wanting, isn’t it?”
“Fuck!” Harry exclaimed, “Yes, Merlin, since the first day, please!”
“I know.” Slowly, carefully, he undid the buttons.
“I- yeah. I’m not pushing, am I? I mean, I’ve been trying not to...”
Harry sounded adorably uncertain. Severus smirked. “No,” he reassured, “the temptation has simply become too much.” Harry’s answering grin went lax as Severus slid his hand into Harry's trousers, easing the zip down. “And you are a temptation,” he purred.
“Oh God,” Harry gasped.
Severus guided Harry several shuffling steps back into his bedroom and tumbled him onto the bed. He worked quickly at his shirt buttons while Harry wiggled around on the bed to kick off his trousers.
“Wait!” Harry sprang up and moved Severus' hands away, replacing them with his own. “I love this part,” he confessed, grinning blindingly at Severus.
“Unbuttoning?”
“Revealing,” Harry corrected, and hummed a little stripper tune.
He couldn’t help the chuckle that emerged. “You’re a very strange boy.”
Harry pouted. “’m not a boy.”
Severus tugged Harry close and rested his chin on his head. A surge of protective tenderness washed through him. “Are too. My boy.”
Harry melted against him. “Oh.”
There were too many emotions in that one syllable to trace them all, but he caught the gist. He turned Harry’s face up to his and leaned in for a long, slow kiss. When they resurfaced, they climbed into his bed together. For awhile, they kept to previous explorations, tracing the muscles of chests and tugging at nipples. He had hit upon a good spot early on, and paid loving attention to Harry’s ears. Eventually, however, Harry reached for his trousers and made a discovery.
“You- you’re-” Harry spluttered, “You’re not wearing any pants!”
A small smile curled Severus' lips. “I don’t, no. As a rule.” Harry stared, with predictable results.
“I’m going to be picturing you pantsless for the rest of my life!” And then Harry pounced, pushing Severus’ trousers to the floor and wrapping a hand around him, then moving to lie on top of Severus. Severus reached to carefully lower Harry’s pants, earning a moan that rose in pitch once they were naked together. Harry thrust against him for a minute before abruptly scrambling off. Before Severus could question him, the boy leaned down and swallowed Severus’ cock.
“Ah!” Severus bucked, then held himself still. “H-Harry.” Oh, Merlin, whatever he’d done before, Harry clearly had some experience here. His tongue was- everywhere, moving in broad strokes up and down, then pressing firmly along the vein in his cock, lapping delicately at the head and poking into his slit. Fuck, he’d been damn near celibate for the last five years and no one had sucked him like this for longer than that. He writhed against the sheets, fisting his hands in them as he pulsed. It felt like his heartbeat, his breath, bloody everything was in his cock and Harry was sucking, bobbing his head steadily up and down and reaching a hand up to cradle his balls. He tensed, thighs quivering with strain. Harry slid a hand back and pressed firmly against his perineum and he knew this was it. Severus came, gushing into Harry’s mouth, a wave of pleasure raking through him and wringing him dry.
He lay there gasping, shaking with reaction and the little jolts of electricity that came with Harry’s soft nuzzling, which moved slowly upward. By the time he had surfaced fully, Harry was leaning over him, a smug, happy smile tugging at his lips. He pulled the boy down into a warm kiss and released him with a smile. “Need something, Harry?”
Harry blushed and glanced down involuntarily, to where his cock was rubbing against Severus’ stomach. “Er.”
Severus nudged Harry to the side, encouraging him to roll until his back was to Severus. He could hear Harry’s breathing pick up, obviously deluding himself about how quickly Severus could get hard again. He eased close behind him and wrapped a hand firmly around Harry’s cock. Merlin, it was lovely: plump and flushed in his hand. Perhaps a bit shorter than his own, but thicker as well. It felt, he considered, weighing it, like the moonbeam vines, alive and twitching. And, he smirked, ripe. Ready to burst and give up its precious nectar with the right handling.
With that in mind, Severus went to work. Short, quick strokes, encouraging Harry’s cock to arc upward, aided by a quickly cast lubrication charm. The slick slide of his palm slapped in wet counterpart to Harry’s panting. When he felt himself harden slightly, he moved even closer to allow Harry to feel his cock sliding between the cheeks of his arse. Harry mewled, and Severus sped his strokes to match Harry’s cries. He felt Harry’s balls draw up against the head of his cock, and Harry arched his back and came, spurting come through Severus' slick fingers.
Severus bent his head and drew Harry into a kiss that grew slowly sloppier, drawing back at last only far enough to whisper, “Sleep.”
**
The humming lightorches had finally come in, and Severus, Harry, and Dennis had each taken one. Imported from Japan, it was only possible to grow them here because of the careful microclimate they had created. The roots of the fire lilies exuded a fine dust that was in turn vital to the growing hot chiles. The chiles, trailing along the ground, warmed the soil enough for the smokebuttons and riots to grow. The combined effect was one of warmer temperatures. The lightorches, therefore, were placed carefully near the center of all the heat.
Half-squatting, feet braced so as not to step on anything or light himself on fire, Severus laboriously dug. He scraped aside the dragon dung mulch and dug into the amended soil. He inhaled the rich, moist smell, with its odd undertone of burning wood. Ensuring that the hole was wide enough, he retrieved the lightorch from its stasis globe and lowered it. Working quickly now, he filled the hole back in and covered all the way to the base with dragon dung mulch. He held his breath and cocked his head to the side. Faintly, the plant began to sing.
Smiling in satisfaction, Severus stood and extracted himself from the garden, retreating to one of the paths. Dennis was already waiting, but Harry was bent over his own plant, showcasing his firm arse. Severus watched in lazy appreciation until Harry straightened and joined them.
“Well. That’s the lot then.”
“Hmm.”
“Can’t believe it’s done.”
Indeed. Severus had been coming here nearly daily for five weeks now. He could not quite picture going back to his mostly solitary existence.
“Say,” Dennis said, “would the two of you like to go out for a lager sometime?”
Severus blinked. “I do not drink.” Though the idea was a nice one.
Both boys gaped. “Really? Not at all.”
“My father was a drunkard. Besides, it was not particularly…advisable.”
“Ah.” Dennis frowned. “Don’t suppose you’d object to fish and chips, though?”
Severus snorted contemptuously. “I’m a teetotaler, not bloody French.”
“Right,” Dennis grinned, “Friday next at the Leaky? My treat.”
Severus put on his best professorial air. “I will hardly refuse to allow you to waste your money, Mr. Creevey.”
Dennis smiled. “Harry?”
“’Course. You’re a mate, Dennis.” Harry clapped Dennis on the shoulder.
Just then, a call of ‘meeting’ rang through the garden. Though not frequent, these meetings had happened often enough that gardeners from every plot knew to pause in their work and head toward the gazebo at the center. With a theatrical sigh, Severus followed.
Neville Longbottom stood like a rock, calm and patient, on the uppermost step. Once the nearly three dozen gardeners were gathered, Neville smiled out at them. “Thank you all for coming.
Many of you are probably aware that your own plots are nearing completion, or may even be wholly done. What you may not realize is that the Memorial Garden as a whole will be finished in the next few days.” A murmur of surprise and excitement rose from the crowd. “We expect all but one or two plantings to be completed tomorrow. Sunday, small plaques will be placed throughout the garden to explain the various plots to visitors and there will be an official opening ceremony Monday, with Minister Shacklebolt in attendance.”
The murmur broke into a burst of noise. A flash of blonde caught his eye. He had known, in an abstracted way, that Draco was here, working with Longbottom. He focused for a moment and was mildly appalled to find Draco giving Longbottom a look of cow-eyed adoration.
“Sunday evening,” the crowd quieted again, “the garden will be open to those of us who created it, for a private celebration. Good work, everyone!” Longbottom clapped his hands and descended, casting a warm, amused look at Draco. Severus thought he might be ill.
Harry tugged Severus up to the gazebo. “Let’s take a look,” he enthused. Severus turned and looked out, stilling. It was breathtaking. The plots spun out: a solemn reflection of Hogwarts, a paean to House unity, a spiral that might have represented Albus’ life, a splash of pink under an oak that was surely a reminder of the fallen Tonks and Lupin, an entire field of fire poppies in the shape of a phoenix, a corner which would become a small forest in remembrance of the help of those creatures some had decried, their own fire display and moon garden, a simple display that evoked all the innocents that had been killed, a wild clash that called the final battle to mind, a plot filled with Healing herbs. Finally, in what had to be Longbottom and Draco’s work, a stunning display so intense it was like watching an actual sunrise and had sufficient variety to remain so year-round. Severus smiled wryly. Through the darkness, into the Light, hm? He slipped an arm around Harry, feeling unusually at peace.
Harry leaned in. “How about a private celebration?”
Severus squeezed Harry closer in response, anticipation coiling in his gut, and Disapparated them both.
**
Harry splayed himself naked over the bed, feet on the ground while he leaned on his elbows. The position left his arse open, a fact which Severus knew he was well aware of. It was obvious in the eager little looks he kept sending over his shoulder as Severus undressed. In the hot way his eyes dropped to Severus’ cock, staying until they were both panting faintly. Severus reached down and grasped his cock, stroking down as he lengthened, holding Harry’s gaze.
“Fuck,” Harry breathed, and Severus smiled his most predatory smile. Harry broke away, burying his face, glasses and all, into the bed.
“You don’t seriously believe I’m going to take you for the first time like this?” Harry raised his head, confused. “On the bed,” Severus barked. Harry scrambled to obey, draping himself face down. Severus sat on the side of the bed and brushed his fingers gently over Harry’s neck. Slowly, he traced the boy’s spine, stopping at this tailbone. He leaned forward to kiss the nape of Harry’s neck, keeping his fingers still while his mouth followed the path his touch had traced moments before. Harry tasted of sweat. Severus paused to suck and bite, but finally his mouth rested next to his hand. The smell of fire rose from his hands as he allowed his fingers to trace down, parting Harry’s cheeks but avoiding his anus, moving forward to fondle his balls. Harry rutted softly against the bed, almost uncontrolled movements of his hips, which Severus relished. He loved that he could make Harry so wild, and the lost noises he was making only reinforced that.
Severus moved finally to press his thumb firmly against Harry, breathless at the way Harry went utterly still. He rubbed in sure circles, pressing as his thumb slipped inward. As he had expected, Harry kept himself scrupulously clean here. He withdrew long enough to reach the lubricant stored in his bedside drawer, slicking himself and the fingers of one hand.
“Aaah!” Harry cried out softly as Severus slid his index finger into him. It left Severus biting his lip for restraint. Oh, he had urged that they wait, even when Harry thought he was ready, but that had not lessened his desire to do this. To work his fingers up Harry's exquisite arse, watching him flail and moan and nearly scream when Severus brushed against his prostate. To kneel between those taut thighs while he worked him open, the smoothness inside grasping his fingers while his other hand clenched on Harry’s buttocks. And, finally, to drag Harry to his knees and press himself along his back, to murmur, “Ready?”
When Harry choked out, “Please,” Severus let himself shift and inch, painstakingly, into Harry. Harry clenched around the head of his cock, so tight it verged on pain, but he continued easing forward. Harry trembled and said, “Oh,” and then repeated it, “Oh!” When words turned into a panicked whine that had nothing of pain in it, Severus knew that he was pushing past Harry’s prostate, and that neither of them was going to last long.
“Shh,” Severus whispered, “just feel.” He had a brief vision of doing this in their garden, fucking Harry into the dirt between fire and moonlight. And then he gave up thinking for moving, deep thrusts that kept almost constant pressure against Harry’s prostate. Harry rocked urgently back, little cries escaping him with each motion. Severus clenched his hands on Harry’s hips and surged, feeling heat spiraling through his body, tingling through his toes and darkening his cheeks. His heart pounded as he took Harry’s prick, slick with pre-come, into his hand. Harry tossed his head back and tensed, mouth open in a silent moan, as he splattered come everywhere. Severus had just enough time to feel the heat covering his hand before his vision tunneled as his orgasm wrenched through him. He slumped boneless against Harry.
Harry giggled, sounding euphoric. “We smell like spunk and dragon dung.”
As a sleepy smile tugged at his lips, Severus thought that perhaps, at last, he had fallen in love with the right person.