I don't own the characters, etc. All the usual disclaimer stuff...
Sorry it took so long to update. Its exam period here at my university and I haven't had the time until now to finish this final chapter. I really appreciated all of your encouraging comments, though. The number of reviews is currently 100, which is more than I though I'd ever get. So thanks. I have plans for a new story, but haven't given up on the possibility of writing a sequel to this one.
Hope you like it!
Allohamorah
_-_-_-_-_-_
Hearing the door shut behind Harry, Severus slumped into the nearest chair. Well, he thought, that was the last time he tormented Harry in that fashion. He found it to be extremely difficult on him as well, having almost losing his nerve. His arousal was flooding his body, every inch of his body aching with need. His hand rubbed at the now painfully hard bulge in his pants. Imagining that it was Harry's hand, not his own, resulted in a small moan escaping his mouth. He scraped his fingers along the denim, the tiny vibrations traveling though the material into his erection, as his free hand slipped under his shirt to pinch at his nipple. A few minutes of rubbing and caressing brought him to climax, Severus panting out Harry's name as he released. Sated for the moment he retired to his bed and tried to sleep.
Hours later Severus found himself still wholly unable to sleep. Thoughts of Harry plagued him and kept him up. Cursing, Severus gave up trying to sleep and decided to try and tire himself out by taking a walk. He threw on his black robe and headed out. He paced the halls for an hour trying to rid his mind of any and all impure thoughts, with little success. Finally he gave up and made his way back to his chambers. He ignited the fire and then collapsed into Harry's chair. Harry's chair, he remarked. How was it that in the span of four days he had already claimed some of his furniture? That boy had far too much impact on his life.
"I thought I said you weren't to wear your black robes while I owned you." The voice startled Severus, jumping up. He followed the voice and saw that Harry was sitting in one of his chairs. Not only that, it was the chair he had just hours ago jerked off in. The sudden clash of fantasy and reality sent him reeling. He went over to his desk and shuffled papers around in a pathetic attempt to regain composure.
"Harry, what do you think you're doing here at this hour?" He was stammering, though it didn't occur to him to be irritated by it. He was too busy fixating on the fact that Harry was in his chambers in the middle of the night.
"I couldn't sleep. I thought maybe you could help me." The boy looked impishly at him. Standing up, Harry started moving slowly towards Severus. The paper shuffling increased.
"I already gave you dreamless sleep draught. You should return to your chambers." Yes, he thought. He should return to his room. Flirting in the evening while Longbottom was in the room was one thing. Having Harry in his chambers, in the middle of the night, while both were in their pyjamas was altogether different! The impropriety of it was much more. obvious.
"Yeah, about that potion," Harry said, stilling Severus' hands with one of his own, "I can't help but think you overheard a conversation I had." Raising his gaze to Harry's face he found he didn't see the expected anger on his face. Instead he saw Harry looking amused and curious.
Severus cleared his throat guiltily.
"Now Professor," taunted Harry, "why are you acting so nervous?" Harry stroked Severus hand with his fingertips.
"Why the hell aren't you anymore?" Severus asked, giving up.
"I was more shocked than nervous this evening. Also, realizing you heard my conversation, thus hearing that I was attracted to you, made my shyness dissipate. Why bother hiding the truth, huh?" Harry grinned. "Also, the fact that you A: followed me, and B: tortured me this evening, tells me that you very well may be attracted to me."
Another guilty cough.
Harry smiled.
"Now," he said motioning to the couch, "Lets sit down and have a cup of tea and talk about this." Harry sat down and poured two cups of tea. Sighing, Severus sat down and gulped down his tea... then paused... Harry was looking at him over the rim of his own teacup.
"You.." Severus sneered. He hasily put the now half full teacup back on the table.
"Don't worry - I have it too."
"I cannot believe you did this." Severus stood up and pointed angrily at Harry. "This is... this is.." Severus sputtered, and kept pointing.
"Its just a little Veritaserum. Its not a big deal, Severus," Harry comforted.
"Do not call me Severus!" he roared.
"Why not?"
"Because I like it!" he hollered, immediately clasping a hand over his mouth as soon as the words left his lips. He glared at Harry, hand still covering his mouth.
"I see its started to work..." Harry said, matter of factly. "Why don't you sit down?"
"Because I don't want to give you the satisfaction." At least the truth was scathing this time, he thought to himself. "Leave."
"Do you really want me to leave?"
"Of course I don't, you daft twit!" Severus stomped with the frustration of it. "Stop making me say things!"
"I will once we get some things out in the open."
Severus sneered. He must remember to take one hundred point off of Gryffindor for this. Not seeing any other option Severus threw himself onto the couch and crossed his arm angrily.
"Why don't we trade question for question? That way its fair."
"Fine. I go first. What made you think you could slip Veritaserum in my tea and get away with it?"
"I thought that since you were flirting with me this evening you'd wanted something to develop between us, and I knew that your pride would keep you from really instigating anything, so I decided to do this so as to force you to admit to your feelings, to me and to yourself. That, and it sounded pretty fun, making you admit to anything I wanted, as did the prospect of you possibly giving into your feelings." Harry smiled, not at all embarrassed. "My turn. How long have you been attracted to me?"
"Since the haircut. My turn. Why did you really buy me?"
"Because I loved you and wanted to make you mine, even if it was against your will." Harry didn't show any signs of embarrassment other than a slight blush rising to his cheeks.
"You LOVED me?" Severus was somewhat aghast.
"Yes, and that's two questions. Now I get two."
"That's fair!" Severus whinned, clearly having failed at saying 'that's unfair' in a whining tone. Harry chuckled.
"First question, do you like your new clothes?"
"Yes." Severus pouted.
"Do you like your haircut?"
"Yes. My turn. Why did you make me tutor that idiot Longbottom?" Severus grinned at the realization that he really thought Neville was an idiot. Harry must have caught that as well because he started laughing.
"Because he really needed help and because I outbid him."
"How kind of you," said Severus blandly, but noticed that he really thought that was a kind thing to do. The pleased look on Harry's face showed that he didn't miss that either. "Did you have ulterior motives when you gave me the massage?"
"Of course," grinned Harry. "Why did you make me stop?"
"Because I became aroused."
"You got a hard on?"
"Yes, and that's two so now I get two questions. First, did you have anything to do with Albus tricking me into signing the contract?"
"No, but he told me later that he did it for me, knowing that I was in love with you. He also gave me the Vertiaserum."
"What??" Did he hear that correctly? Albus sanctioned this teacher/student liaison? Not only that, he gave Harry Veritaserum?!?
"No, but he told me later that he did it for me, knowing that I was in love with you. My turn, Has it b-"
"That's only one question!" Severus interrupted.
"'What' counts as a question." Harry grinned smugly. Severus was about to protests but found that he couldn't because he knew that it was true, if unfair. He grunted and nodded for Harry to continue.
"Has it been at all unpleasant having me own you?"
"Yes and no." Severus put up his hand to halt Harry's question. "One at a time. My question is did you - or any of your friends - steal ingredients out of my personal stock in your second year?"
"Yes."
"Ah HA!" Severus called triumphantly, pointing again. "I knew it!"
"My question," Harry said eagerly. "Why has it been unpleasant having me own you?"
"Because it isn't enjoyable becoming aroused by a student that you can't have, nor is it fun to lose the ability to instill fear in your students, something I worked hard to get. And those benches are exceptionally uncomfortable."
"I'm sorry." Harry looked a little sheepish.
"Its alright, Harry," he said, realizing for the first time that it really was. Not scaring his students wasn't as disastrous as he thought it would be. As for the benches, well, he made up for that with the massage. "Regardless, I want you to tell me what you stole those ingredients for."
"We made a polyjuice potion so we could transform into Slytherins, thus allowing us to ask Draco who the Heir of Slytherin was."
Severus raised his eyebrows. "I had assumed it was to concoct some illicit alcohol. I must say I'm impressed."
"Hermione would be pleased to hear that."
"That girl should consider doing her masters in potions," Severus said seriously.
"I'll be sure to tell her." Harry looked into his eyes and Severus found himself unable to break the gaze, getting lost in the green of Harry's eyes. "I think its my turn..."
"Yes, it is," Severus said quietly. "Whats your question?"
"I can't think of anything..." he purred, still gazing into his eyes. "What about you? Can you think of anything?"
"My mind has gone blank except for thoughts about you." Severus didn't bother being embarrassed over the brutal honesty of what he said. He reached out and ran his thumb over Harry's cheek and across his lips. "Your skin is amazingly soft."
"I've lots more that you can touch," said Harry brazenly. He pulled the hand from his face and gently guided it to his abdomen, pulling up the hem of his shirt to expose the skin. Severus' fingers slid under the shirt to discover the soft skin of Harry's chest, feeling the gentle rise and fall of his breathing.
"Tell me how you want me to touch you," breathed Severus. "Do you want it soft-" he ran his hand lightly over Harry's nipple "-or rough?" he asked, pinching Harry's nipple roughly.
"Rough." He answered hoarsely. Severus gave his other nipple a hard pinch and Harry moaned, arching into the touch. Severus brought his hand out from under the shirt to pull it off. He pulled Harry towards him and forced him down flat onto the couch.
"Tell me what you want Harry. Tell me what to do."
"I want you to kiss me," he said huskily. Severus leaned down, flattening his body over Harry's, and kissed him, softly, on the lips. He pulled his head back and looked expectantly at Harry. "Again," Harry instructed. He leaned down again, this time kissing him more passionately. He was going to pull back and await more instructions when he felt Harry's tongue slide lightly over his lips. Severus lost all sense of restraint and moaned into Harry's now open mouth, his tongue sliding slickly over Harry's. It was now Harry's hands that did the touching, grabbing greedily at his back, sliding lower to seize his ass, pulling him to force groin into groin. Both men moaned simultaneously.
"Why don't we take this to your bedroom..." whispered Harry. "More room." Wordlessly Severus slid off of Harry and stood up. He offered Harry a hand, which he took, and they walked quietly to his bedroom, hand in hand.
__________________
"Well done, Mr. Longbottom." Severus patted the boy on the congratulating on the back. He actually managed to brew a rather complicated potion on his own and deserved acknowledgment. The stunned look he got back was reward enough for him. "Now clean up." As he put the excess ingredients back into their respective bottles he thought about how much his life changed in one month. He would never have believed five days could change his life so dramatically but here he was, a changed man. The auction was a month past, his ownership having ended three weeks ago. To the shock of the school he kept his haircut and continued to wear the sneakers Harry had provided for him (and was secretly looking into procuring more pairs). Even more shocking is that he offered to continue tutoring Neville Longbottom in potions. Neville initially suspected Severus was plotting against him, but soon realized his motives were surprisingly pure.
Since his and Harry's night with the Veritaserum they had been secretly seeing one another. Almost every night since Harry would sneak down under the veil of his invisibility cloak to his chambers to spend the night with him, returning early in the morning before anyone noticed he had left. Harry was an understanding and kind lover, knowing that Severus was functionally a virgin. His sexual training went smoothly, though occasionally he had a difficult time matching Harry's stamina. However, not every night was spent engaging in sex. Harry usually came down just to sleep beside him, curled up at his side. After a week Severus opened his floo to allow Harry to enter his room more quickly and easily. Albus, of course, knew all about it, of this he was sure, though he never spoke of it with the man. All the twinkling, knowing glances and comments on how happy he seemed, however, was enough to prove to him that Harry was keeping him well informed, not that he really minded. For the first time he could recall Severus was truly happy and, shockingly, in love.
Thus presented a problem. Harry was graduating in a month and a half and the prospect of him leaving made him terrified. He was intensely attached to Harry, and even though it was only a month since their relationship started (three weeks since it really began) he didn't think he'd be able to just let him walk out of his life. Harry, too, was worried but kept insisting that they enjoy the time they had.
"All done Professor. I'll be heading out then."
Severus, jolted from his thoughts, wished Neville a 'good evening' and sat down by the fire to wait for Harry to arrive. He didn't have to wait long.
"I have huge news!" cried Harry, tumbling out of the fireplace.
"And what news might that be?" ask Severus evenly, smiling.
"Well, you know how I'm graduating..." Severus's stomach dropped.
"Yes."
"And you know how Hogwarts doesn't have a Defense Against the Dark Arts teacher for next year..." Harry grinned.
"You can't mean..." He didn't dare believe it.
"Yup. Albus seems to think I'd do a pretty good-oof!" The rest of Harry's sentence was squeezed out of him as Severus pulled him into a tight hug. He showered kisses onto the sooty face. "So you like this solution," laughed Harry.
"Yes, I like this solution very much," he answered.
"So it looks like you're stuck with me," said Harry, wrapping his arms around the older man's neck.
"It appears to be so."
"What shall we do to celebrate... Hmmm..." Harry's mock pensiveness make Severus laugh.
"Well, I have a suggestion." Releasing himself from the embrace he guided Harry into the bedroom and muttered a spell. Suddenly the bed transfigured into a large bathtub. Harry looked surprised. Tapping the tub with his wand it filled with hot fragrant water and bubbles.
"I thought the bubble bath thing at the auction was a joke," said Harry with one eyebrow raised.
"One hundred percent true," he answered and began to undress Harry.
"You will never cease to surprise me, will you?" he asked.
"We have our whole lives to find out."
THE END
Sorry it took so long to update. Its exam period here at my university and I haven't had the time until now to finish this final chapter. I really appreciated all of your encouraging comments, though. The number of reviews is currently 100, which is more than I though I'd ever get. So thanks. I have plans for a new story, but haven't given up on the possibility of writing a sequel to this one.
Hope you like it!
Allohamorah
_-_-_-_-_-_
Hearing the door shut behind Harry, Severus slumped into the nearest chair. Well, he thought, that was the last time he tormented Harry in that fashion. He found it to be extremely difficult on him as well, having almost losing his nerve. His arousal was flooding his body, every inch of his body aching with need. His hand rubbed at the now painfully hard bulge in his pants. Imagining that it was Harry's hand, not his own, resulted in a small moan escaping his mouth. He scraped his fingers along the denim, the tiny vibrations traveling though the material into his erection, as his free hand slipped under his shirt to pinch at his nipple. A few minutes of rubbing and caressing brought him to climax, Severus panting out Harry's name as he released. Sated for the moment he retired to his bed and tried to sleep.
Hours later Severus found himself still wholly unable to sleep. Thoughts of Harry plagued him and kept him up. Cursing, Severus gave up trying to sleep and decided to try and tire himself out by taking a walk. He threw on his black robe and headed out. He paced the halls for an hour trying to rid his mind of any and all impure thoughts, with little success. Finally he gave up and made his way back to his chambers. He ignited the fire and then collapsed into Harry's chair. Harry's chair, he remarked. How was it that in the span of four days he had already claimed some of his furniture? That boy had far too much impact on his life.
"I thought I said you weren't to wear your black robes while I owned you." The voice startled Severus, jumping up. He followed the voice and saw that Harry was sitting in one of his chairs. Not only that, it was the chair he had just hours ago jerked off in. The sudden clash of fantasy and reality sent him reeling. He went over to his desk and shuffled papers around in a pathetic attempt to regain composure.
"Harry, what do you think you're doing here at this hour?" He was stammering, though it didn't occur to him to be irritated by it. He was too busy fixating on the fact that Harry was in his chambers in the middle of the night.
"I couldn't sleep. I thought maybe you could help me." The boy looked impishly at him. Standing up, Harry started moving slowly towards Severus. The paper shuffling increased.
"I already gave you dreamless sleep draught. You should return to your chambers." Yes, he thought. He should return to his room. Flirting in the evening while Longbottom was in the room was one thing. Having Harry in his chambers, in the middle of the night, while both were in their pyjamas was altogether different! The impropriety of it was much more. obvious.
"Yeah, about that potion," Harry said, stilling Severus' hands with one of his own, "I can't help but think you overheard a conversation I had." Raising his gaze to Harry's face he found he didn't see the expected anger on his face. Instead he saw Harry looking amused and curious.
Severus cleared his throat guiltily.
"Now Professor," taunted Harry, "why are you acting so nervous?" Harry stroked Severus hand with his fingertips.
"Why the hell aren't you anymore?" Severus asked, giving up.
"I was more shocked than nervous this evening. Also, realizing you heard my conversation, thus hearing that I was attracted to you, made my shyness dissipate. Why bother hiding the truth, huh?" Harry grinned. "Also, the fact that you A: followed me, and B: tortured me this evening, tells me that you very well may be attracted to me."
Another guilty cough.
Harry smiled.
"Now," he said motioning to the couch, "Lets sit down and have a cup of tea and talk about this." Harry sat down and poured two cups of tea. Sighing, Severus sat down and gulped down his tea... then paused... Harry was looking at him over the rim of his own teacup.
"You.." Severus sneered. He hasily put the now half full teacup back on the table.
"Don't worry - I have it too."
"I cannot believe you did this." Severus stood up and pointed angrily at Harry. "This is... this is.." Severus sputtered, and kept pointing.
"Its just a little Veritaserum. Its not a big deal, Severus," Harry comforted.
"Do not call me Severus!" he roared.
"Why not?"
"Because I like it!" he hollered, immediately clasping a hand over his mouth as soon as the words left his lips. He glared at Harry, hand still covering his mouth.
"I see its started to work..." Harry said, matter of factly. "Why don't you sit down?"
"Because I don't want to give you the satisfaction." At least the truth was scathing this time, he thought to himself. "Leave."
"Do you really want me to leave?"
"Of course I don't, you daft twit!" Severus stomped with the frustration of it. "Stop making me say things!"
"I will once we get some things out in the open."
Severus sneered. He must remember to take one hundred point off of Gryffindor for this. Not seeing any other option Severus threw himself onto the couch and crossed his arm angrily.
"Why don't we trade question for question? That way its fair."
"Fine. I go first. What made you think you could slip Veritaserum in my tea and get away with it?"
"I thought that since you were flirting with me this evening you'd wanted something to develop between us, and I knew that your pride would keep you from really instigating anything, so I decided to do this so as to force you to admit to your feelings, to me and to yourself. That, and it sounded pretty fun, making you admit to anything I wanted, as did the prospect of you possibly giving into your feelings." Harry smiled, not at all embarrassed. "My turn. How long have you been attracted to me?"
"Since the haircut. My turn. Why did you really buy me?"
"Because I loved you and wanted to make you mine, even if it was against your will." Harry didn't show any signs of embarrassment other than a slight blush rising to his cheeks.
"You LOVED me?" Severus was somewhat aghast.
"Yes, and that's two questions. Now I get two."
"That's fair!" Severus whinned, clearly having failed at saying 'that's unfair' in a whining tone. Harry chuckled.
"First question, do you like your new clothes?"
"Yes." Severus pouted.
"Do you like your haircut?"
"Yes. My turn. Why did you make me tutor that idiot Longbottom?" Severus grinned at the realization that he really thought Neville was an idiot. Harry must have caught that as well because he started laughing.
"Because he really needed help and because I outbid him."
"How kind of you," said Severus blandly, but noticed that he really thought that was a kind thing to do. The pleased look on Harry's face showed that he didn't miss that either. "Did you have ulterior motives when you gave me the massage?"
"Of course," grinned Harry. "Why did you make me stop?"
"Because I became aroused."
"You got a hard on?"
"Yes, and that's two so now I get two questions. First, did you have anything to do with Albus tricking me into signing the contract?"
"No, but he told me later that he did it for me, knowing that I was in love with you. He also gave me the Vertiaserum."
"What??" Did he hear that correctly? Albus sanctioned this teacher/student liaison? Not only that, he gave Harry Veritaserum?!?
"No, but he told me later that he did it for me, knowing that I was in love with you. My turn, Has it b-"
"That's only one question!" Severus interrupted.
"'What' counts as a question." Harry grinned smugly. Severus was about to protests but found that he couldn't because he knew that it was true, if unfair. He grunted and nodded for Harry to continue.
"Has it been at all unpleasant having me own you?"
"Yes and no." Severus put up his hand to halt Harry's question. "One at a time. My question is did you - or any of your friends - steal ingredients out of my personal stock in your second year?"
"Yes."
"Ah HA!" Severus called triumphantly, pointing again. "I knew it!"
"My question," Harry said eagerly. "Why has it been unpleasant having me own you?"
"Because it isn't enjoyable becoming aroused by a student that you can't have, nor is it fun to lose the ability to instill fear in your students, something I worked hard to get. And those benches are exceptionally uncomfortable."
"I'm sorry." Harry looked a little sheepish.
"Its alright, Harry," he said, realizing for the first time that it really was. Not scaring his students wasn't as disastrous as he thought it would be. As for the benches, well, he made up for that with the massage. "Regardless, I want you to tell me what you stole those ingredients for."
"We made a polyjuice potion so we could transform into Slytherins, thus allowing us to ask Draco who the Heir of Slytherin was."
Severus raised his eyebrows. "I had assumed it was to concoct some illicit alcohol. I must say I'm impressed."
"Hermione would be pleased to hear that."
"That girl should consider doing her masters in potions," Severus said seriously.
"I'll be sure to tell her." Harry looked into his eyes and Severus found himself unable to break the gaze, getting lost in the green of Harry's eyes. "I think its my turn..."
"Yes, it is," Severus said quietly. "Whats your question?"
"I can't think of anything..." he purred, still gazing into his eyes. "What about you? Can you think of anything?"
"My mind has gone blank except for thoughts about you." Severus didn't bother being embarrassed over the brutal honesty of what he said. He reached out and ran his thumb over Harry's cheek and across his lips. "Your skin is amazingly soft."
"I've lots more that you can touch," said Harry brazenly. He pulled the hand from his face and gently guided it to his abdomen, pulling up the hem of his shirt to expose the skin. Severus' fingers slid under the shirt to discover the soft skin of Harry's chest, feeling the gentle rise and fall of his breathing.
"Tell me how you want me to touch you," breathed Severus. "Do you want it soft-" he ran his hand lightly over Harry's nipple "-or rough?" he asked, pinching Harry's nipple roughly.
"Rough." He answered hoarsely. Severus gave his other nipple a hard pinch and Harry moaned, arching into the touch. Severus brought his hand out from under the shirt to pull it off. He pulled Harry towards him and forced him down flat onto the couch.
"Tell me what you want Harry. Tell me what to do."
"I want you to kiss me," he said huskily. Severus leaned down, flattening his body over Harry's, and kissed him, softly, on the lips. He pulled his head back and looked expectantly at Harry. "Again," Harry instructed. He leaned down again, this time kissing him more passionately. He was going to pull back and await more instructions when he felt Harry's tongue slide lightly over his lips. Severus lost all sense of restraint and moaned into Harry's now open mouth, his tongue sliding slickly over Harry's. It was now Harry's hands that did the touching, grabbing greedily at his back, sliding lower to seize his ass, pulling him to force groin into groin. Both men moaned simultaneously.
"Why don't we take this to your bedroom..." whispered Harry. "More room." Wordlessly Severus slid off of Harry and stood up. He offered Harry a hand, which he took, and they walked quietly to his bedroom, hand in hand.
__________________
"Well done, Mr. Longbottom." Severus patted the boy on the congratulating on the back. He actually managed to brew a rather complicated potion on his own and deserved acknowledgment. The stunned look he got back was reward enough for him. "Now clean up." As he put the excess ingredients back into their respective bottles he thought about how much his life changed in one month. He would never have believed five days could change his life so dramatically but here he was, a changed man. The auction was a month past, his ownership having ended three weeks ago. To the shock of the school he kept his haircut and continued to wear the sneakers Harry had provided for him (and was secretly looking into procuring more pairs). Even more shocking is that he offered to continue tutoring Neville Longbottom in potions. Neville initially suspected Severus was plotting against him, but soon realized his motives were surprisingly pure.
Since his and Harry's night with the Veritaserum they had been secretly seeing one another. Almost every night since Harry would sneak down under the veil of his invisibility cloak to his chambers to spend the night with him, returning early in the morning before anyone noticed he had left. Harry was an understanding and kind lover, knowing that Severus was functionally a virgin. His sexual training went smoothly, though occasionally he had a difficult time matching Harry's stamina. However, not every night was spent engaging in sex. Harry usually came down just to sleep beside him, curled up at his side. After a week Severus opened his floo to allow Harry to enter his room more quickly and easily. Albus, of course, knew all about it, of this he was sure, though he never spoke of it with the man. All the twinkling, knowing glances and comments on how happy he seemed, however, was enough to prove to him that Harry was keeping him well informed, not that he really minded. For the first time he could recall Severus was truly happy and, shockingly, in love.
Thus presented a problem. Harry was graduating in a month and a half and the prospect of him leaving made him terrified. He was intensely attached to Harry, and even though it was only a month since their relationship started (three weeks since it really began) he didn't think he'd be able to just let him walk out of his life. Harry, too, was worried but kept insisting that they enjoy the time they had.
"All done Professor. I'll be heading out then."
Severus, jolted from his thoughts, wished Neville a 'good evening' and sat down by the fire to wait for Harry to arrive. He didn't have to wait long.
"I have huge news!" cried Harry, tumbling out of the fireplace.
"And what news might that be?" ask Severus evenly, smiling.
"Well, you know how I'm graduating..." Severus's stomach dropped.
"Yes."
"And you know how Hogwarts doesn't have a Defense Against the Dark Arts teacher for next year..." Harry grinned.
"You can't mean..." He didn't dare believe it.
"Yup. Albus seems to think I'd do a pretty good-oof!" The rest of Harry's sentence was squeezed out of him as Severus pulled him into a tight hug. He showered kisses onto the sooty face. "So you like this solution," laughed Harry.
"Yes, I like this solution very much," he answered.
"So it looks like you're stuck with me," said Harry, wrapping his arms around the older man's neck.
"It appears to be so."
"What shall we do to celebrate... Hmmm..." Harry's mock pensiveness make Severus laugh.
"Well, I have a suggestion." Releasing himself from the embrace he guided Harry into the bedroom and muttered a spell. Suddenly the bed transfigured into a large bathtub. Harry looked surprised. Tapping the tub with his wand it filled with hot fragrant water and bubbles.
"I thought the bubble bath thing at the auction was a joke," said Harry with one eyebrow raised.
"One hundred percent true," he answered and began to undress Harry.
"You will never cease to surprise me, will you?" he asked.
"We have our whole lives to find out."
THE END