The Potions Master's Courtship II
The windows were streaked with grime that no Scourgify could remove. Harry glared around his cottage as though the armchairs were to blame.
Swallowing his pride, he penned a note to Professor Snape. Hedwig fluttered back in through the open window, carrying no return message. Harry glared at the windows again. He told himself that he hadn’t expected Severus to help.
The dark, lanky man walked through Harry’s wards, not bothering to knock. He thrust a sparkling white potion at Harry. “This must be rinsed off with distilled water.”
“I’ll accept the dinner you promised,” Severus said. “Tonight at seven?”
------
Long, graceful strides, fluttering black robes, the deft motions of Severus’s elegant fingers - Harry watched as his kitchen was transformed into a potions lab.
“You eat all your meals at Hogwarts, Professor Potter. You’ll never need a kitchen.”
“I’ll never use a potions lab, either.”
Pale fingers clutched the rim of a dark pewter cauldron. “Nonsense.”
Harry helped him arrange the ingredients in orderly lines on the shelf, the clean glass bottles gleaming in the light. “You - you could call me Harry, you know.”
“Don’t put the asphodel next to the belladonna unless you’d like to test your fireproofing spells.”
------
Severus’s long fingers wrapped around Harry’s hand and changed the angle of his stirring. “You may add the unicorn hair now, Harry.”
He felt the heat of Severus’s body and leaned back against him. He felt Severus’s heartbeat against his shoulder.
Severus took hold of his other hand, encircling Harry in his arms. “No, add it slowly.”
Their hands lingered together for a moment after the potion was finished. Harry turned to look up at Severus.
“We wait to add the …”
Harry put a hand on Severus’s neck. The first touch of their lips together was hesitant, sweet and addictive.
Swallowing his pride, he penned a note to Professor Snape. Hedwig fluttered back in through the open window, carrying no return message. Harry glared at the windows again. He told himself that he hadn’t expected Severus to help.
The dark, lanky man walked through Harry’s wards, not bothering to knock. He thrust a sparkling white potion at Harry. “This must be rinsed off with distilled water.”
“I’ll accept the dinner you promised,” Severus said. “Tonight at seven?”
------
Long, graceful strides, fluttering black robes, the deft motions of Severus’s elegant fingers - Harry watched as his kitchen was transformed into a potions lab.
“You eat all your meals at Hogwarts, Professor Potter. You’ll never need a kitchen.”
“I’ll never use a potions lab, either.”
Pale fingers clutched the rim of a dark pewter cauldron. “Nonsense.”
Harry helped him arrange the ingredients in orderly lines on the shelf, the clean glass bottles gleaming in the light. “You - you could call me Harry, you know.”
“Don’t put the asphodel next to the belladonna unless you’d like to test your fireproofing spells.”
------
Severus’s long fingers wrapped around Harry’s hand and changed the angle of his stirring. “You may add the unicorn hair now, Harry.”
He felt the heat of Severus’s body and leaned back against him. He felt Severus’s heartbeat against his shoulder.
Severus took hold of his other hand, encircling Harry in his arms. “No, add it slowly.”
Their hands lingered together for a moment after the potion was finished. Harry turned to look up at Severus.
“We wait to add the …”
Harry put a hand on Severus’s neck. The first touch of their lips together was hesitant, sweet and addictive.