Severus sat up from the carpet and moved away. Shame stabbed at his heart angrily, ripping a hole in his chest even as he began to seek out his clothing. What…what had he just done? He had come here as a friend and his thoughtless, selfish desire had destroyed that. Severus flinched as calloused fingers touched his back hesitantly.

"I'm sorry," He said quickly, hoping to preempt the anger no doubt brewing under that golden skin. "I-I shouldn't have…I'm sorry."

"Why?" Potter queried innocently.

"I shouldn't have done that."

"Done what?" Potter demanded.

Severus turned to see Potter sitting up behind him, staring at him with unveiled curiosity and hurt. "I took advantage of you," Severus said as if it were obvious. "I for-"

Potter cut him off rather spectacularly by pulling him into a hard, insistent kiss. Despite his guilt and shame, Severus returned the kiss immediately, trailing his fingers over bronze flesh. Potter pulled away with a smirk.

"You did no such thing," The Gryffindor said. "I wanted it as much, if not more, than you did."

Severus smirked, laying his forehead against his young lovers. "I find that hard to believe. I'm more than twice your age."

"Your point?" Potter hissed, his hand trailing over Severus' naked thigh. Severus was surprised to feel himself hardening again already as calloused fingers trailed near to his burning desire. Strong fingers wrapped around him, drawing a gasp of need. "Your body seems to disagree with your assessment."

Severus drew the younger man into a slow, agonizing kiss as he lay over top of him, pressing him back onto the rough rug that had already left it's mark on them both. Their bodies glided against each other, slickened by sweat. Without hesitation, the Savior of the Wizarding World impaled himself slowly on the spear of the former Death Eater's passion. When they rejoined in the hollow of lovemaking, Severus continued to glide forward again and again in a deliberate, lethargic press of his hips. This was an act of discovery, rather than the harsh drive of lustful desire they'd experienced only moments before.

The copulating press and glide of their hips was slow and exploratory. Desire sparked between them, but a deeper emotion lit Severus' blood aflame as his soul yearned to mesh with his former student. There was no fervent need here, as their bodies arched together, consummating unspoken vows of love and devotion.

Slowly, so slowly, Severus felt it as he was led again to the edge of the world. He stared fearlessly into the abyss beyond, and let gravity carry him over into clarity's blinding embrace. The universe exploded within him with a cry of spent passions. Exhaustion stole over them like a thief in the night. Severus lay beside his beloved Gryffindor, drawing his very own robes up to shield them from the naked air. As Potter began to drift in his arms, the Potions Master felt worry gnaw at his heart over what he would find in the light of a new sun when he woke. Worry carried him gently down into sleep's warm embrace.

-Break-

Severus awoke with a start. The vision of his dream, of the disgust on bronze features and in green eyes, played against his mind's eye even as he pulled free of his nightmare. He looked immediately for the warmth that he'd fallen asleep with, but there was none to be found. A dagger of fear and hurt stabbed at his heart. Potter had gone.

Shame hurried the Potions Master's movements as he dressed in discarded clothing. Of course Potter had gone. What could an old Death Eater possibly offer to a young man as beautiful as that? The pain of resignation slowed his fingers as he picked up his robes. The black cloth had lain against that golden, naked skin unabashedly through the night. Jealously, Severus tossed the robes aside and returned to pulling on his clothes. He looked up as the door to the library opened and Potter walked in, shirtless and barefoot.

The Gryffindor grinned. "I guess that answers the question about whether I'd have to wake you. You spoil my fun. I've got coffee brewing if you want some."

Severus looked away in shame. "Potter…I must apologize. Last night…I never intended-"

As he had the night before, Potter silenced Severus with an earnest kiss that sparked desire low in his belly. When Potter pulled away this time, however, there was no smirk. His emerald eyes were hard flints, and he wore a serious frown.

"If you regret last night, then tell me now. I'd rather have a broken heart than foolishly let myself believe in a false love for another moment," Potter said sternly.

Severus frowned. "I do not regret last night," He assured the younger wizard. "But, should anyone find out, the accusations-"

"Shouldn't matter," Potter interrupted. "I think you're worth fighting for, Severus. If it's your job at the school that's worrying you, I'll back off and we can revisit this in a year or so when suspicions have died down. If, however, you simply don't feel the same about me as I do you, then say so. Don't hide behind prudence. I'm a big boy, I can take it."

"I do not regret last night," Severus said again more insistently. He wrapped his arms around the low-slung hips. "And you need never worry if I would fight for you. Whatever we face as a result of what we've just done, I know I can survive with you at my side. My reputation has survived worse disasters than this. Yours, however…"

"Could use a few black marks," Potter said, wrapping his own arms around Severus' neck. "It's about time the Wizarding World stopped seeing me as their perfect little savior. As to what we've done…I don't care about your past, Severus, or what the public sees when they look at you. I only care about you, and I pray that you feel the same."

Severus smirked. "I am afflicted with a deep fondness for you, as well."

"Thank Merlin for that." Severus instinctively tightened his hold on the young man in his arms as Lupin came into the room. "Because otherwise I'd have been forced to kill you on principle for what I heard last night. I don't think either of you realized that my room is directly above the library, or that werewolves, even docile ones, have excellent hearing."

Severus felt a tan cheek heat up against his chest. "Moony…we-"

"Don't, Harry," Remus said, smiling at them both. "Neither of you have to explain anything to me. I'm glad you've found each other, I really am. I presume none of this was going on at the school."

Severus drew to his full height angrily. "I would never!"

"I believe you," Remus said calmly. "As for the rest of the world, I don't see why anyone has to know about this until you're both ready. You're both rather adept at discretion, as far as I've seen, and Grimmauld has an unmonitored floo network because of the Order."

"Are you suggesting we lie to everyone we know?" Potter asked incredulously.

"It's not a lie if no one asks. And I can think of no reason why they should."

Potter grinned. "Thanks, Moony." He turned to Severus, who looked down into his earnest green gaze adoringly. "Okay?"

Severus frowned. "It is not, as a matter of fact." Potter frowned as well. He tried to pull away, but Severus held tight to him as he continued. "As I said, I am as willing to fight for you as you are for me. I refuse to hide in the shadows, where I have spent most of my life. If it weren't terribly cliché, I would announce my devotion to you from atop the Astronomy Tower. I will settle, though, for being sure everyone knows you are mine, and I am yours. Unless you'd prefer otherwise?"

Potter struggled visibly for a moment, chewing his lower lip adorably, then nodded firmly. "Then a fight we shall have. I love you, Severus…and if you're okay with that, then I don't care who knows about us. Are you sure, though? There'll almost certainly be another inquiry."

"With you by my side, Harry, I could face that and worse," Severus murmured. "I love you, too."

Forgetting for the moment that they were not alone, Severus melted into the tender kiss that he shared with his young Gryffindor. There would be a fight, but they would face it together. And, thanks to the presupposing suspicions of their closest friends, they already knew that they would, eventually, be accepted, at least by those who mattered most.

A/N: If you want a sequel, read the story again while pretending Harry and Severus are giving testimony under Veritaserum at the second Inquiry hearing. There, you've got your sequel.