Kyla: And here it is... the last chapter of "Hush, Potter"...! I've decided to set it a few years down the road, but there's a flashback in here to graduation as well.

Also, I will say that I AM considering a sequel, where Harry and Severus go to adopt a child. Perhaps the child they fall in love with is just in foster care and to get custody, there are some problems? Anyway, review and lemme know if you like the idea, or feel free to PM me with any ideas you might have for a sequel.

Lastly, I want to say thank you SO SO much to all my readers and all of my reviewers! You guys have been just awesome! And I hate to see "Hush, Potter" end, but sadly... all things must come to an end. No worries, I have another HPSS titled "Trust Me" that is going, and I also might do a sequel to this, if you guys convince me well enough. And I also have an HPDM fic idea that's been swirling around in my head for a while...

Any additional thoughts, let me know by review, e-mail or PM! Thanks again to all of you!! I appreciate all the help and ideas I received and I hope you enjoy the last chapter of "Hush, Potter"!

"Hush, Potter"
Chapter 30
by
Kyla Mizuki

"Severus, are you getting up any time soon?"

Harry's voice carried those words down the hall and into the two men's bedroom, rousing Severus from his half-awake slumber. Groaning, the man rolled over and burrowed his head under his pillow. "Must you be an early bird?" he snarled at the Gryffindor propped against the doorway.

"Well, I've lived with you for the last five years, haven't I? Besides, it's all ready 11 o'clock in the morning."

Severus sat up with a glare implanted on his face. "Tell that to someone without a hangover," he grumbled and collapsed back against his sheets.

Harry sighed and pulled a Hangover Draught from the nightstand drawer. "You're the one that challenged Fred and George to a drinking contest," he scolded the Potions Master lightly for his actions the night before and held the vial down, "here, take this and come for breakfast, okay?"

Severus's hand snaked up into the air, snatching the potion away. He sat up and threw his head back. The potion vanished down his throat in three fast gulps. "Why can't I remain in bed and sleep?" he asked in a voice as close to whining as Severus would ever get.

Harry scowled. "Because you promised me that we could talk about adoption," he hissed, "but since you don't want to, never mind. Just stay in bed and sleep," he snapped. With one more icy scowl, he spun on his heel and stormed from the room, slamming the door in his wake.

Severus groaned and collapsed against the pillows. An arm tossed itself over his face to block any light from his dark eyes. He gathered up what strength he could and clambered from the bed.

"Harry," the Potions Master stumbled against the door frame groggily, the effects of the Hangover Potion slowly settling his stomach and taking away his pounding headache.

Harry ignored Severus as if he had never spoken. His shoulders were hunched and fingers clutched tight over his cup of morning coffee, face grim and mouth set it a thin line. He glared at the tabletop in a brooding pout.

"Harry."

Severus sighed, the crippling guilt and knowledge that he was being ignored settling heavily over his sleep-slumped frame. He shuffled forward to the table, cursing mildly at the reduced but still pounding headache that had yet to fully disappear. Out of the corner of his eyes, he saw Harry flinch, as if the Gryffindor wanted to turn around and comfort the obviously miserable Severus, but the younger man remained facing away stubbornly.

"Harry," Severus said for a third time, sounding thoroughly haggard and admonished thanks to the silent treatment. He knelt beside Harry and set a hand on the other man's knee, the other hand drifting up to cup the farthest cheek and swivel Harry's gaze to meet his own penetrating dark eyes shifting between guilt to hope to pain and all back again in a continuous rotation.

Harry's emerald eyes softened behind his glasses, losing their cold, hurt look. He pushed the chair back from the table and sat his hands on the long-fingered one on his knee. Reluctant to meet Severus's eye, he absently stroked the palm in his hands.

Severus's free hand stopped trailing down Harry's cheek and tipped up the young man's chin until their gazes matched. He leaned up and kissed his husband gently. "I promise that we will discuss this... I had hoped you would want to wait until at least tomorrow to talk about this... It is a big decision after all, and since we're going on only a little sleep, I figured it would be best to wait until tomorrow... I had hoped to lounge around with you all day today, just relaxing and recovering from that party at the Weasley's house last night," he said, pecking his husband's lips for a second and then a third time as his fingers brushed along Harry's jaw.

Harry's lips tilted up in a small grin. "Well, I suppose... but can't we talk about it while we're lounging around?" he asked brightly and hopefully.

Severus rolled his eyes but allowed himself to relax his tense muscles. "If you come back to bed and spend the day with me, then yes, we can discuss adopting a child," he said and encompassed the hand that held his and kissed the knuckles tenderly. Standing up, he pulled on Harry's hand until the other man too was on his feet.

Halfway to their room, Severus cornered Harry against the wall and kissed him fiercely and deeply. He nipped and licked at Harry's neck, hissing, "This is for waking me up when you knew I would have a hangover."

Harry gasped, "I'm glad I woke you up then, if I get this!" He twined his fingers into Severus's long dark hair and tugged as waves of pleasure rolled over him. "Can't you wait until we at least get to our room to start taking my clothes off?" he asked, chest rumbling in a chuckle as Severus unbuttoned Harry's nightshirt and slid it off his shoulders.

"I'm impatient," Severus said in a tone reminiscent of when Harry had confronted the Potions Master once he was recognized as a Hogwarts graduate.

It was Harry and his friends' last day at Hogwarts. They were made to rise as dinner came to a close, and all the leaving students were noticed by Albus and the rest of the staff as official Hogwarts graduates. Each student walked up to the staff table as they were called in alphabetical order, thanks to Minerva, signing the parchment in front of their Headmaster before raising a wand in salute to the old and wise wizard.

As Harry signed the parchment and saluted to Albus by snapping his wand up high and then bringing it down to rest on the shoulder opposite his wand arm, he moved on to allow the next student to take his place. He walked around the staff table, following after the student before him and shook hands with each of his teachers one-by-one, thanking them.

Harry subtly flicked his gaze from Severus to the door, successfully relaying the message that Harry would come looking for the Potions Master after dinner. He shook the older man's hand and grinned warmly up at the neutral expression on his boyfriend's face. "Thanks, I'll see you later," he murmured. Then, he continued on, clasping hands with Poppy in a friendly handshake.

After all of the graduates had been recognized, Albus bid everyone to bed, watching with twinkling blue eyes as the students left, many returning in the fall. He had to admit that he would miss the ones graduating. It would be especially dull now that Harry and his friends were gone.

The Boy-Who-Lived would now bring his trouble-attracting gifts into the Ministry's Department of Magical Games and Sports, working side along with his best friend Ronald Weasley while the two's other best friend Hermione Granger, would move into the Department for the Regulation and Control of Magical Creatures in hopes of causing a sort of revolution for magical creatures around the world.

Other students filtered off in the Auror program while some decided to apprentice and work for the Master level in certain areas, such as Potions or Charms or Transfiguration. Still others would be making their own way in the world by setting up their own businesses while some would take up work in the Ministry.

As the students scattered amongst the Great Hall, they hugged one another with promises of keeping in touch or of seeing friends the next fall for those that were not in Seventh year. Harry followed Hermione out with Ron, greeting and saying farewell to others as they went.

At the bast of the Grand Staircase, Harry hugged his friends. "I'm going to go see Severus," he told them, promising to not be too long.

Hermione nodded with a smile and started up the stairs, but Ron lagged behind for a moment longer, anxiously glancing up to watch Hermione ascend the stairs as a blush crept over his freckled cheeks. "Maybe I should forget it, Harry," he said, "she may just like me as a friend...! What will I do if she says no?"

Harry rolled his eyes and spun Ron around by putting a hand on his shoulder. He pushed lightly at his best friend's back and said, "Don't you dare chicken out on this. If you haven't asked her by the time I get back up there, I'll tell her myself, and I'll make sure to make it in front of everyone at breakfast tomorrow."

Ron's face paled, afraid of being publicly rejected. It was so much easier to be told no in private. And he was fairly certain she would refuse to be his girlfriend, but Harry continued prodding at the redhead before Hermione reached the top of the Grand Staircase.

"Ron, are you coming or do you want to go visit Snape with Harry?" Hermione asked with a smirk of amusement when Ron yelped and ran up the stairs yelling that no he didn't want to go see Severus and that Harry should have fun and come up soon.

Harry caught Hermione's eye and laughed. So the Golden Gryffindor boy had cheated. He had told Hermione the day before that Ron was planning to ask her to be his girlfriend after dinner and being "recognized" as Hogwarts graduates.

Hermione gave Harry a cheeky grin before tsking at Ron after the redhead tripped on the last step and stumbled, his ears a bright red color to show his embarrassment. She ushered the Weasley away and out of sight, wanting Ron to hurry up and ask her so she could tell him yes, that she would be thrilled to be his girlfriend, and then give him a good smack for waiting so long to ask her out.

Harry pictured the scene in his mind. He knew that by the time he walked into the Gryffindor Common Room Hermione and Ron would be curled up together in one of the corner sofas, talking quietly and waiting on Harry's return. The boy smiled and shook his head before refocusing himself. He was on his way to see Severus, the man who had ducked out as soon as the ceremony was over.

Wandering down into the dungeons, Harry made a beeline for Severus's office. Slipping inside, he padded his feet over to behind the Potions Master's desk. His fingers danced under the desk until he flipped a switch. Stone grumbled as it moved to reveal a long dark corridor.

Harry lit his wand with a muttered, "Lumos!" Light immediately was thrown into the corridor as he strode down the way that soon dead ended into an empty portrait. He knocked politely three times on the frame and smiled at the young woman that slipped into sight. "Oh, hello, Harry, dear," the young maiden greeted with a smile stretched over her pale cheeks, blond hair falling in wild curls around her shoulders.

"Hi, Lena," Harry replied, "Yorkshire."

"Severus's been waiting for you," Lena giggled and swung her arm out wide to the left. The frame clicked as it unlatched and swung open from the left side of the portrait.

Harry scrambled through the entrance and dashed into Severus's arms. He curled against his boyfriend on the couch and sighed in content. "That ceremony took forever," he whined.

"You came here this morning and had breakfast with me, Harry," Severus said in exasperation, "why did you rush in here as if death were on your heels?"

Harry grinned a look that only a devil could pull off. He pushed Severus down to lay across the sofa, his emerald eyes flashing passionately as he immediately started undoing the Potions Master's robes and then pants. He forced off the robes and tugged the pants off before hurrying to remove the whie shirt. "I'm impatient," he purred against Severus's chest, fingertips scraping gently over his shoulders and collarbone. "You promised me we could after I was officially recognized as a Hogwarts graduate," the young man reminded Severus with a tongue trailing up his neck and along his jaw.

Severus laughed. "I did promise you, didn't I?" he asked, carding his hands through Harry's hair. At the impatient growl against his chest, he snorted and said, "Very well, but not on the sofa! Let's move into the bedroom, shall we?"

"Most definitely!"

Severus toppled him and Harry onto their bed, and in moments, they were tangled together locked in a frantic kiss. Soft gasps filled the room with their noise, and the sheets, as well as the rest of their clothes, were easily tossed aside, the couple all ready much too hot with passion to have need for them.

"Mm," Harry hummed out in a breathy voice as the man above him possessed him so intimately, "love you, Severus." His arms snaked up to grip Severus's hands that held his hips in a firm caress.

"I love you too," Severus replied and gently pushed into the younger body below him, whispering reassuringly and wiping at the involuntary tears that always sprang to Harry's eyes. "Hush, Harry... Hush, you're okay."

"I know... Don't know why I... always cry though," Harry replied as he was carefully rocked by Severus's hips.

"Perhaps it's thanks to Nott," Severus growled but softened his expression when Harry scowled. He knew that he was killing the mood by bringing up the long-dead Nott, so he leaned over and kissed Harry's forehead, fingertips dabbing the last of Harry's tears away. "Hush, now," he whispered.

An hour later, when the pair were tangled in a hopeless lock of limbs, Harry broke the comfortable silence. "So... about adoption," he began, drawing imaginary circles on Severus's chest, Harry's head cushioned on the older man's collarbone.

Severus caressed Harry's hip, pulling him as close as possible. His other hand trailed up to run fingers up and down the Gryffindor's cheeks. "Yes, adoption... Let me hear what you're thinking," he said lazily, and shifted him and Harry around slightly under the sheets that were pulled to cover their waists.

"Well, I was thinking... we could adopt a newborn, that way we can raise him or her from a very young age, but then I got to thinking about the older orphans, like the ones that lost parents during the war...! And I'm not sure... would a boy or a girl be better to adopt? Or should be decide that before we go to an orphanage? I've been trying to think of how many we could adopt too. I'm thinking at least two, spread out of course, and at the most, five, but I'm not sure..."

As Harry spoke, Severus allowed his eyes to wander their room in the Hogwarts dungeons. Albus had allowed the now married couple to remain at Hogwarts, even during the summer when no one else, save for perhaps Albus, Filch, and one or two of the other faculty, were staying.

Once Harry had moved in with Severus the day after graduating Hogwarts, the Gryffindor had immediately set about redecorating as much as he could while still trying to not change everything around too much. But he had insisted that he and Severus get some pictures together, and framed pictures of the two of them were scattered throughout their private chambers. Harry also went to auctions, picking up artworks that he liked or that he figured his boyfriend—and by summer's end, fiancé—would like.

The bedroom had been decorated with subtle greens and reds that were brought out from the sheets and comforter, but the overall decal of the room were dark colors that resembled dark grays and black. A framed picture of Harry and Severus on a trip to Ireland was on the far wall, Harry smiling bright and waving at the camera while Severus sneered briefly at the camera but wrapped his arm around Harry and kissed his cheek, smiling when Harry mouthed something to him.

"What do you think, Severus?" Harry asked and sat himself up with his extended arm as a prop, staring down at his husband.

Severus scooted back against the stacked pillows and drew Harry into his arms. Kissing his head, he said, "I think that perhaps we should start out by adopting just one child. If all goes well, we can adopt again later," he said, "And I don't think we should make a final decision on which gender we want before we go to an orphanage. I'm sure we'll find a perfect angel, and it's not fair to rule some children out if they're not the gender we want. We shouldn't have any expectations of having to choose a boy when we may find a little girl with green eyes as deep and gorgeous as yours and fall in love with her, now, should we?" he added, cupping Harry's cheek and looking deep into the Gryffindor's anxious gaze.

Harry sighed and nodded his head, relieved. "Yeah, you're right," he said with a small grin. He settled his head against Severus's shoulder and again started to draw the imaginary circles on the pale chest he was cushioned against.

It was at that time that a dark brown barn owl swooped into the room, dropping a letter on Harry and Severus's laps. Harry frowned curiously and plucked up the letter, absently petting the owl that perched itself carefully on the Gryffindor's shoulder. "Oh, it's from Remus," he said with a small amount of surprise.

"What's he want?" Severus asked, stifling a relentless yawn.

Harry opened the letter and read the script inside. "It says that he's inviting us over to his and Tonks' place for dinner in three days," he said and then looked pleadingly up at Severus. "Please say we can go...! I want to see Teddy so bad, please?" he asked, referring to Remus and Nymphadora's son and Harry's godson nicknamed Teddy.

Severus tsked and rolled his eyes. "As if I could tell that pouting Golden Gryffindor face no even if I wanted to?" he smirked and kissed Harry softly, fingers flicking over his cheek. "Send a reply saying we'll be there."

"Thanks," Harry exclaimed and scrambled out of bed in search of some parchment. He quickly penned out an affirmative response, tied it back to the barn owl's leg, and then leaped back into bed, laughing at the way Severus tensed, as if afraid Harry would hurt himself somehow by doing that, perhaps jumping too far and landing with a painful thud on the floor.

"So, when are we going to an orphanage?" Harry asked again, changing the subject back to the biggest issue at hand.

"Would Thursday be to your liking?"

"Yeah, that's perfect! Thanks, Sev," Harry laughed and hugged Severus tightly.

"No problem," Severus replied with a kiss of his own, "no problem at all... I love you, Harry," he added quietly to the Gryffindor.

"Love you, too," Harry answered tiredly as he drifted off to sleep in his husband's arms.

THE END

Kyla: All right, I hope you guys enjoyed this story as much as I have!! I hope to hear from you guys one last time, and remember, any ideas for a sequel or comments on my ideas and ponderings of a sequel, e-mail me or PM me or whatever! xD I love hearing from all of you, and I hope you enjoyed this story as much as I have enjoyed writing it! I'm SO proud of "Hush, Potter" the story that started out as just a one shot and grew to be the long and proud 30 chapters that it is now! Thank you soooo much to all!! -sweeping bow-