AN: Sorry for the long wait - I had a change of eye sight help that didn't help. They were changed again, and I can see comfortably! It is amazing how nice seeing without pain/eyestrain is.

As always, thanks to YenGirl for her quick beta-ing. This chapter is the final chapter for both The Dungeon and Making it Work, so you have Severus, Harry, and Ron's point of view.

Working Out

Ron stood on the edge of the walkway, waiting for Severus to join him. He distinctly remembered how he had ended up in this position. It was near the end of his internship with St Mungo's – they had granted permission for him to study with Healer Cotsworth while Ron was visiting his home.

Jeremiah Cotsworth was raving about Pomfrey's book and Severus' notes and Ron had suggested copying at least the notes for him. Miriam Cotsworth, who he learned later was the chief editor and partial owner of Edgewater Publishing, had stormed into the room at that moment, her red-brown eyes glowing with fury. Ron learned that copying someone's words without their permission was not going to happen. In the end, he succeeded in convincing her he wanted to give a publishing deal to Severus as a Christmas present. Miriam had looked through the journals and requested to see Severus about publishing them. To this day, he thinks that is the only thing that saved him that day.

It was also what had him standing at the end of the walkway leading to the Cotsworth's house at dusk in the middle of February.

The brisk tap of footsteps pulled him out of his thoughts. "Severus, over here!" Ron waved the Potions Master towards the path.

"Ronald." Severus nodded in greeting.

"Come on, Miriam is waiting." Ron headed for the house, positive the vampire would be up now. Knocking on the door, he wished he had permission to warn Severus what she was, but he didn't. Even so, he was fairly certain the man will have it figured out before they left.

Jeremiah opened the door. "Welcome to my home, Mr Snape." He stepped back to give them room to walk in. "Ron, Miriam is in the parlour. I'll get the tea if you will please escort Mr Snape there."

"Of course." Ron flashed the Healer a smile before signalling Severus to follow him. Just a few steps later he entered the front parlour and called out a greeting. "Miriam, we are here. Jeremiah went to get the tea."

The vampire crossed the room and hugged him gently. "Thank you, Ron."

Returning the hug, he let her go and turned towards the wary looking Potions Master. "Severus, this is Miriam Cotsworth."

The wariness vanished from the thin face and Severus nodded. "Mrs Cotsworth, it is a pleasure to meet you."

"Mr Snape, the pleasure is all mine – or will be if you allow my company to publish your work." Miriam gestured towards the sitting area before settling in the wing backed chair near the fireplace. "Has Ron informed you of my offer?"

Ron nodded as they both sat on the sofa. "Yes, I did. I also showed him the way I put his notes together."

Severus' hands rested on his lap, his eyes taking in the room before returning to Miriam. "I am not willing to have them published as they are. If this work is going out to the public with my name on it, then it needs to be more than just polished."

Miriam leaned forward, her eyes bright. "What changes would you make?"

Jeremiah's entrance with the tea service halted the conversation until everyone was served.

With a fine bone china teacup of Earl Grey and a plate of shortbread biscuits at his elbow, Severus answered her. "The information was written for someone who had seen the potions once, who had sat through the lessons before. I like how Ronald divided the potions up, but inside each potions section I would start off with a basic walkthrough on how to brew it, and then follow up with the intricate details that a serious student or brewer would need to know. There should also be a section – an appendix – on proper preparation techniques with illustration."

"Maybe one on equipment as well?"

Ron sipped his tea, waiting to see what Severus would say to Jeremiah's question.

"If you think it would be helpful."

Ron quirked a partial smile as he spoke. "Your comments throughout your notes helped me. There was a number of things not mentioned in our potions book that helped me understand why Neville had issues and not just because of the ingredients."

Dark eyes contemplated him before Severus nodded slowly. "Then I can write up an appendix on equipment and care as well." He turned his attention back towards Miriam as he continued. "I would also request the books be divided by levels, OWL years and then another for NEWT years."

Miriam leaned back in her seat, a look of contemplation covering her face. "How about the healer's potions? My husband was most interested in that set of notes."

Severus frowned as he studied them. Ron remembered his complaints about the possibility of those being published and was positive he was about to hear them again.

"Madam, I taught Potions at Hogwarts for many years – many of those dunderheads would try to make them only to blow up their lab, or kill themselves or the person they were attempting to heal." Severus set his cup onto the small table in front of them, his gaze resting on her.

"We can regulate the purchasing of the books to those who are qualified to use them. I know that there will be some who will get them and try what you fear, but it would be a great help to the students at St Thaddeus." Miriam glanced between Jeremiah and Severus.

Ron jumped in. "Maybe it can be a limited print." He caught Severus' eye before he continued. "Or maybe you can write it to a level that only healers-in-training and actual healers would attempt it. Them and maybe a potions master."

The narrowing of Severus' eyes showed that his suggestion had fallen on fertile ground. Ron knew good and well that the Potions Master could easily write the notes so only a select few would dare attempt to use them.

"That would defeat the purpose." Jeremiah jumped in causing Severus to look at him. "I want something that can help our students, just like you helped Ron here. Making it overly complex would not achieve that."

Miriam's soft soprano slipped into the conversation. "How about we figure that out later? We shall write up the contract for the first two books, see how they are received and then move forward."

As Severus nodded, Ron gave a soft sigh of relief.

§§§§§§

Bryan McAron folded his hands on his desk as he watched the man on the other side. Severus Snape was his hero, more than Harry Potter ever was. Potter just saved the world, Snape had saved not only him personally, but his family and friends as well. He had defeated the monsters that stalked Bryan's childhood – hunger, cold, and ignorance. Growing up in the Barrel was not the best life, but it was a sight better than other slums all because of this man. Snape provided basic food staples – not the fancy things others thought they would want – grains, vegetables, beans, and dried meats were given in small quantities, but given nonetheless. Cold was combatted with clothes, firewood, and blankets – not the newest clothes or blankets, but warmth was never mocked at in the dead of winter. Ignorance was defeated with quills, scraped used parchment, almost worn-out books while at home, and then access to clean, neat almost new robes, books, and supplies while at Hogwarts along with an ear. The children of the Barrel, no matter which House they went into, were always guaranteed a councillor who knew how to talk to them. Snape didn't sugar coat things, he didn't dress it up in fine linens. No, he laid it out like it was and made sure you understood just what you needed to do to get to where you needed to. 'Of course you had to understand what he was saying – he was never a blunt as a Gryffindor.'

"Mr Snape, what can I do for you today?" Bryan let a small smile slip across his face – this man had more power than many people thought. The old inhabitants of the Barrel – the ones who had broken through the barriers and entered positions of minor power and importance, places far higher than they had ever dreamed they could reach – all were willing to help him. He himself sat here behind a desk deep in the bowels of the Ministry all because of him, and he knew of at least twenty others that worked in the building.

"I wish to be married." Snape's answer didn't surprise Bryan, his grandfather had kept him abreast of the relationship of Potter and Snape. He and his fellow Ministry workers were part of the 'calming the hype over Potter' team.

Flipping his calendar open, he picked up a quill. "When, sir?"

He wanted to say it was an honour that Snape chose him out of all the officials who were licensed to bond and marry couple, but after working with and under this man he knew better.

"This coming February fourteenth."

Bryan felt his gut tremble as he flipped the parchment pages over to the right month and day. February fourteenth, Valentine's Day, was the most popular wedding date in the Wizarding world. It was so popular that in the eighteenth century the Archbishop of Canterbury had granted all marriages on that date had the rights of a special license. They could happen any place at any time as long as all of the other legalities were handled. That was a relief to the ones officiating the celebrations as there was no way to marry everyone between the hours of eight in the morning and noon in the seventeen hundreds or even six in the evening nowadays.

Everyone who was anyone wanted to be married on that date. Not only was it the day that celebrated romantic love, it was also a date that was magically strong. The fourteenth day of the second month. Centuries ago, not long after it was made Valentine's Day, Clarence Newsgood, a numerologist, wrote a treatise explaining how this date's numbers divided down to the number seven – a magically strong number. The treatise also pulled in a number of other specialist from the fields of History, Runes, and Divination to add more evidence to his proposal of the strength of the day. Any marriage, oath, or promise made on that date supposedly holds more power than if they were made any other time of the year.

"I have no open time on that day, sir." He looked up from his filled calendar, his sorrow written across his face.

The twist of the thin lips made him look back at the pages only to see that even lunch and dinner were blocked in for a ceremony. He would not make it home until eleven-thirty that evening.

"How about at three minutes after midnight?" The black eyes that studied him held a quiet mirth as Bryan listened to his question.

"The Ministry isn't open at that time." Bryan paused as Snape nodded and then continued. "Would you consider..." He stiffened his shoulders slightly,trying to garner the courage to ask. "… consider having the ceremony at my place? From what Grandda say, your intended doesn't care for crowds or press. I suspect he would only be inviting his family. I can magically enlarge the parlour; Da, Ma, and the family would be willing to decorate, I'm sure. The dining room can be made into a robing room. Then we can start just after midnight, and if we use the short version, you can be bonded at seven minutes afterwards."

He held off mentioning that he could then head up to bed, crash, and be at the Ministry by six to start his official day.

"Thank you, Bryan." Satisfaction glowed in those hooded dark eyes, and a true smile graced his face. "I appreciate you opening your house to me. We shall be there by eleven thirty, is that acceptable?"

"Yes." Bryan didn't bother to write it on his calendar, he knew as Snape left his office, he would call his wife, Bethany, to let her know. "Now, do you wish to post the banns or obtain a license?"

Snape set a packet of paperwork and a handful of galleons on the desk. "A license."

§§§§§§

Severus shut his door behind Marcus McAron and headed for bed. He was going to catch a quick nap before heading back over to Bryan's house now that the basic transfigurations were done, final ideas were given, and the last question was clarified.

At eleven o'clock Harry was there, looking anxious but happy, along with the rest of the Weasley family. Minerva had agreed to let members of the faculty out of Hogwarts as as long as they were back at a reasonable time, so they were there as well. Severus refused to think of the fact that the school was only being watched by ghosts, elves, portraits, and one poltergeist. "Bryan has opened his floo to us. When we arrive, please listen to all the directions given by his family. The address is 'Baron's barrel'."

Tossing floo powder into his fireplace, he went through first, knowing Harry would make sure everyone got through from the other end.

"Snape!" Marcus McAron grinned at him. His clothes were still worn, but they were not to the point of scruffiness, and they were clean.

"McAron," Severus nodded a greeting. "The others are coming through now."

"I'll watch fer them, yer to go in there and get ready." McAron waved him towards the far door.

After a moment, Severus heard Harry enter the same room, but the McAron family had succeeded in dividing it into two separate sides so neither could see the other. Running a hand down the rich blue robes, Severus stepped out of the room at one till midnight. An opaque barrier appeared beside him, so he knew that Harry was on the other side. The barrier dropped the moment they entered the magically enlarged parlour. Against the far wall was an arch of flowers – mainly roses with carnations, pansies, baby's breath, and others he had noticed Harry liked woven together – over the spot where they would speak their vows. The perfume from them was wafting over the rows of chairs arranged in a curve before the arch. They were all transfigured to look alike and be comfortable. Blue cloth, the same colour as his robe, draped the back of the chairs on one side in which sat the faculty of Hogwarts and a number of prominent Barrel patriarchs and matriarchs. Burnt sienna graced the ones on the other side that sat the Weasleys and Hermione Granger along with a few other of Harry's friends – the colour matched the robe Harry was wearing.

A quick glance up showed the candles floating in the air, lighting the room. Severus was grateful that Filius taught him the charm to keep the hot wax from dripping on people. The soft light added just the right atmosphere to the ceremony – the room was a pool of light amidst the inky darkness pressing in through the windows.

Bryon gestured them to walk forward just as the clock struck midnight. Walking forward side by side, they stopped under the arch and turned slightly so family and friends could see them.

"We are gathered this evening to join Severus Snape and Harry Potter in matrimony." Bryon smiled at the happiness in both of the men's faces, happiness that was reflected in all guests' expressions as well. "Please join hands."

Severus gently clasped Harry's hand in his and basked in the smile cast his way. Turning his gaze back to Bryan, he waited.

"Severus Snape, do you promise to love, cherish, and protect Harry throughout your life? Through sickness, through health, through good times and bad, no matter what comes?"

"I do." Severus had considered writing special vows but after the five months of pondering over the exact words to tell how he felt, what he wished, and his reasons for wishing to be bonded with Harry, he gave up. The words would not come, at least not easily. Luckily Harry didn't seem to mind using the standard vows – or the at least the ones Bryan decided to use.

Bryan turned to face Harry.

"Harry Potter, do you promise to love, cherish, and protect Severus throughout your life? Through sickness, through health, through good times and bad, no matter what comes?"

Harry's smile grew even larger as he nodded. "I do."

"Then I pronounce you wed." Bryan's wand rested against their clasped hands and a silver thread circled them before fading into gold. "And bonded. If you have rings to exchange, you may do so now."

As they slipped a plain gold band onto each other's ring fingers, Severus inner clock said that it was seven minutes after midnight. Bryan's timing was perfect.

A quiet reception, just a toast to the couple and a bit of cake, took place in the now spelled back to normal dining room. Severus knew they would be honoured at Ronald and Hermione's own wedding reception later that same evening, so he hadn't planned an elaborate one himself.

Fifteen minutes after midnight, Bryan's house was empty of all but family.

§§§§§§

Poking his head into the waiting room of his surgery, Ron couldn't help the smile that curled the corner of his lips. No one, not one person, could deny he had the cutest receptionist staff. Daisy, Clarence, and Marie were alternating between glaring at one poor sod who didn't look like he needed to be there to running triage on the others. Of course, that was not the reason they were the cutest – no, that was because the oldest of them was ten and the youngest was nine.

He had discovered after his first three receptionists – the adult ones – that the children were far better at picking out the patients who truly were there for his help and those that were there because he was Ron Weasley, best mate of Harry Potter. Add in the children's parents knew where they were and that he made sure they practised quill writing and basic Latin pronunciation, understood basic household charms and general potion ingredient preparation, as well as feeding them two meals, and the arrangement worked for everyone.

After a quick glance at the sod in the corner, he turned his attention to the youngest receptionist. "Marie, who is next?"

The brown skinned girl waved a young woman from her seat. "Mrs Periwinkle needs to see you, sir."

"This way, Mrs Periwinkle." Closing the door behind him, he smiled at her bemused expression. Those who were not regulars at his surgery all wore the same expression the first time.

"Why are they so young?" She sat down on the exam table, her hand resting over her stomach. "My husband and I just moved here, are there so few adults that you must employ children to work? Isn't it against the law?"

Shaking his head in a negative motion, Ron smiled slightly. "No, it is a work training program." Hermione had given him the name as they were not truly his apprentices.

"Oh! Why so young though?"

"Because they will be very busy once they head off to Hogwarts, so I must catch them early on." Ron let his smile fade as he pulled out a quill and parchment. "Now, what can I help you with today, Mrs Periwinkle?"

Blue eyes, the same colour as her namesake, clouded slightly. "The baby, it isn't moving as much as it was before we settled here."

Pulling his wand, Ron cast a monitoring charm, before continuing to find out her history.

Not long after assuring Mrs Periwinkle that all was fine with her and the baby, he was called out of his exam room by two voices that should not have been in his reception room.

Even though he was rushing, he made sure to appear calm and composed as he entered the room where his patients were waiting.

"Healer Weasley!" Claire's eyes darted about the room taking in the last couple of patients waiting before settling on him.

Torrance wrung his hands lightly before crossing the room and grabbing Ron's emergency bag. "There you are, sir."

The bag was pushed in to his grasp and the two eleven year olds were directing him out the door.

"The youngest Mitchell boy crashed the eldest's broom." Claire held the door open as she explained. "Torrance and I stabilized him the best we could, but he needs you now. We'll help here. At least we can get the usuals their potions and record the information for the others so you can read over it when you get back."

Glancing back at his patients, he noticed all the usuals were nodding and the poor sod who still had not revealed his reason for being there glaring. With a quick returned nod, he Apparated to the Mitchell's farm. Even as he knelt next to Jerry, Ron made a mental note to let Madam Pomfrey know that two of her incoming students are fully qualified to stabilize and administer potions to patients.

§§§§§§

Setting back in his chair at the receptionist desk, Ron closed the last patient file. The room was empty, even the poor sod, who turned out to be a reporter for some paper he had never heard of, was taken care of.

The door opened, jerking his attention to it, his hand automatically reaching for his bag. He dropped it and grinned. "Harry! I wasn't expecting you today."

Harry grinned and shrugged. "I was passing by?"

"Sure, mate." Ron gestured toward a seat. "What happened? Did Miriam get back with Severus and he is lost in research, or are you escaping the house because of all the extra people there?"

Harry's quiet laugh assured him that he wasn't too far off. Glancing at the books on the lower shelf behind the desk, Ron smiled slightly. It was after Christmas dinner – the one before their dual weddings – and the presents were distributed that he pulled Severus aside and handed him an invitation to the Cotsworth's home to discuss the possibility of publishing his notes. In the past six years there were three books published in the Potions Explained series: Secondary School Years 1-5, Secondary School Years 6-7, Healers-in-training Years 1-2. He and Jeremiah were credited in the last book, and at this moment Severus was finishing one for Aurors-in-training, so Kingsley and other Aurors were spending long evenings at Harry's place.

"Mrs Cotsworth has convinced him to add another to his series: Potions Explained: Apprentice Potions Master. He was concerned about who would buy it, but she explained if he wrote it at the level she expected him to, that no one else would want to. No one but Healers-in-training seem to buy that group, well, except Potions Masters who also brew those potions." Harry grinned as he sat on the edge of the desk instead of the chair. "He has almost finished the Auror book. Kingsley is about the only Auror who has withstood Severus' personality, so the flat isn't too crowded. So, no that isn't the reason I'm here. No, it is … I don't know what to do for Valentine's Day."

"Severus will have something planned for you." Ron knew a sappy smile slipped on his lips, but he couldn't help it, no one ever expected Severus Snape to be romantic. Many still didn't, but the entire Weasley family knew far better.

Five years ago come this Valentine's Day they were all standing in a Ministry Official Bonder's parlour watching Harry and Severus speak their vows. That was the first sign that Severus was a secret romantic person – he was the one who arranged the entire bonding ceremony, including the time and place. He also knew that every Valentine's Day afterwards Severus would have a surprise for Harry, one that started at seven minutes after midnight.

§§§§§§

Harry smiled softly. He knew Severus would have something planned. The shower of rose petals at seven minutes after midnight on their first anniversary might have been a shock, but the slow dancing in candlelight the second one wasn' anything else that Severus had come up with since then. "I want to do something for him though, Ron. I know we will celebrate our anniversary in the early morning, but we will spend the rest of the day working with customers either attempting to rectify someone's potions mistake, or curing them of an ill-advised or unwanted love potion. The next day will be just as bad."

Ron's sigh made Harry shake his head. "Yes, I know, you see the same crowd or worse. What are your plans?"

Ron smiled. "I am taking Hermione out dancing."

Harry's eyes widened. "The gala the Ministry is putting on? The Masquerade?"

Ron nodded. "I figured it was about time I officially asked her to one since I missed my chance during our fourth year. She'll enjoy it, and then we'll come home and have a wonderful evening to ourselves before the crowds descend the day after. Why don't you take Severus out for dinner? I know, it is a typical thing, but it is still nice."

"Dinner? Maybe we can go some place different." Thoughts of beaches, mountains, and foreign cities flitted through his mind. "I will have to arrange a portkey or find somewhere we can Apparate to that is close enough to be back by morning, but that might be fun."

§§§§§§

On Valentine's Day, just after the clock struck midnight, the sound of soft classical music work Harry from a dream-filled sleep. Leaving his eyes shut, he listened to the mellow tones of the cello backed up by the deep thrums of the bass and soared over by the violins. Even as the winds wove their way into the melody, warm hands brushed across his sides and down his legs.

"That sounds and feels lovely, Severus." Harry opened his eyes and smiled at the man leaning over him. "Happy anniversary."

Fingers glided through his hair and down his cheek as the dark eyes above him warmed.

"Happy anniversary, Harry."

Soft thin lips pressed onto his, tempting Harry into a world filled with passion, music, and the scent of roses, carnations, and Severus.

§§§§§§

Clarence did his best to hold the man in his chair without resorting to rope while Daisy ran into the back.

"Healer Weasley!" Daisy's voice came through the door just as Ron administered the sleeping draught to his current patient.

"Coming," Ron rushed out the door, gesturing for the ten year old to go in. "Make sure that Ms Bratton falls asleep and not off the table."

Daisy nodded and darted passed him as he strode to the waiting room. The sounds of a struggle changed his pace to a sprint.

"Stupefy!" The spell left his lips the moment his entered the room and the man slumped into his seat, capturing Clarence against the arm of it. Freeing the boy, Ron checked the man's vitals while waiting for Clarence to get his breath back.

"He was dropped off by Madam Bridgeport, she said he was acting strange after meeting a girl in the tavern." Clarence sounded winded.

"Did she say how?" Ron bit back a sigh when the boy shook his head no. "Marie, run down to Brewer's Tavern and get a report from Madam Bridgeport and any other patrons there about how this man was acting."

Running a critical eye over Clarence, he nodded towards the far desk. "I'm taking him to the back, you sit over there and rest. If anything hurts, let me know."

Clarence held the door for the floating body. "Yes, sir. I'll also send Marie back to you the moment she gets back. Would you like some tea while we're slow?"

Ron nodded. "That would be lovely."

§§§§§§

Severus watched as Harry skilfully manipulated the belligerent customer into one of the small rooms he opened just for today. Shooing Harry back to the front, Severus closed the door, leaving the customer to face him. Reading the note Harry had tucked into his hand when he slipped out, he trapped a growl in his throat.

Barton! Yes, he really liked the man, but this was going too far. That Healer expected him to administer the antidote to this misapplied love potion. True, it was his creation, and it would cure the man, but the Healer could have just sent for the potion versus sending him the patient. 'It's payback for not giving them the recipe.'

A quick binding spell later, he pried the man's jaws open and poured the cure down the man's throat. Luckily the man swallowed, Severus would have hated to force him to – he didn't have the best bedside manners.

A shudder wracked the short man's thin frame and his eyes closed. Soon sobs came from the once clenched tight lips.

Severus opened the door and ended his binding spell. One look around his front room was all he needed to spot the man's companion. "You can take him now. He will be emotional for the next twenty-four hours."

"Thank you, Master Snape." The older man slid three coins across the front counter and then walked into the small room, collecting the man. "Come on, Rupert, we need to go home."

"Oliver, she … she … poisoned me!" Rupert clung to Oliver's arm as they exited the store.

Shutting the small room's door, Severus headed back to his lab. Valentine's Day was one that he was always glad to see the end of the business day. Today was even more so. Harry suggested they had plans for the night and he couldn't wait to see what they were.

§§§§§§

Flinging a dark blue cloak over his impeccable eighteenth century evening clothes, Ron hunted down the powdered wig and mask to finish the look. Hermione met him downstairs, her skirts making her stand sideways in the hall. Running an appreciative look over her, Ron decided that the dark gold dress edged with lace fitted her to perfection. Her hair was powdered and arranged in curls the back and high in the front, making her face look dainty.

Offering her an arm, he smiled down at her. "Are you ready?"

A beaming smile flashed up at him. "Let's go. It shall be interesting to Apparate in these skirts."

Laughing, he pulled her close and twisted them about, popping them out of their hall and into the Apparation point at the Ministry chosen ballroom. A quick stroll brought them to the ballroom door. Handing over their invitations, Ron swept Hermione through before the man could comment on who they were.

All about them were people dressed up as anyone from the Roman era to the modern one. There were fantastical creatures, mythological ones, people of legend, and everything in between. The room was swathed in every shade of red imaginable, and the ceiling was the night sky.

Pulling Hermione onto the dance floor, Ron swooped her about. He did his best not to step on her feet while paying attention to the width of her skirts – the last thing he wanted to do was to run over other dancers.

The happiness glowing in those brown eyes was bright enough to remove the memory of Hermione's expression during the fourth year Yule ball.

As they slipped out onto a balcony after the dance, Ron decided it was a perfect night. He was positive of it when Hermione kissed him under the cloak of darkness.

§§§§§§

Harry locked the doors behind the last patron who was now free of his stomach ache – he had eaten too much chocolate – and turned to convince Severus to leave his lab which he had been holed up in for the last three hours, hiding as much as he could from their patrons.

"Severus," Harry called out as he poked his head into the lab. "We need to change into something more... Muggle like. Not super fancy, but nice."

Severus looked up from his cauldron, his smile wreathed with the fumes rising from its surface. "Give me ten minutes, and I'll be up."

With a wave of his hand, Harry headed up the stairs to pick out just what he wanted to wear. Tonight was going to be perfect, he hoped.

An hour later found them in a small restaurant in Bath. Harry used to visit it with Hermione occasionally while Ron was still in St Thaddeus. After they were seated and their order taken, he could see Severus visibly relax.

Harry reached across the table and rested his hand next to Severus'. "I hope you don't mind dinner out tonight. I know it has been tradition for us to cook it together..." He trailed off as Severus shook his head.

"I don't mind, Harry. It is nice to find some place not too pink on this day." Severus smiled, his eyes warm with the pleasure of where he was and whom he was with.

Harry returned the smile and let himself relax as well. Tonight was going to be perfect. After dinner they would go walk on the seashore, let the waves caress their bare feet while they enjoyed the salty breezes, and then before either of them were too tired, they would go home. It was going to be a quiet romantic evening – just the thing both of them needed.

§§§§§§

Ron shut the door quietly behind him, leaving Hermione tucked under the covers, sleeping soundly. It was time to open the Surgery and see who would come in. Clarence, Daisy, and Marie would be there shortly to help sort out the patients. Today was going to be busier than yesterday.

§§§§§§

Harry warmed up the Brown Betty, the kettle already on the hob. Breakfast was over an hour ago, and he knew he was ready for a cuppa. Experience told him that Severus would be as well.

A few minutes later, with a plate of shortbread to go with the tea, Harry headed down to the lab. No matter how much time had passed since he first ran through that door, he still wanted to show just how much he cherished the man he loved.