Author Notes: This story is part of my "World" series, so I suggest to you to read the other stories of this universe first, before you come back to that one. Otherwise, Harry`s and Severus` relationship won`t make much sense to you.^^

And to everyone, who has already read the other parts of this universe: Enjoy! =)

Appreciation: A big Thank You to Yen, who has beta read this story in record time and who improved it a lot.*hugs* Thank you, dear! =)

Opening our World

The sound of the bell signaled the end of the class.

Students hurried to pack their things together and flee the classroom as fast as possible.

After all, Potions had been the last class of the day and they wanted to have some free time to themselves before starting on their homework.

Harry watched as his peers disappeared through the open door into the corridor of the dungeons. The Gryffindors were faster in getting away from their Potions Master than the Slytherins, he noted with amusement as Neville almost tripped over his own feet in his hurry.

Despite that, Harry felt a little sad that most Gryffindors were still afraid or at least suspicious of Severus. He had hoped that after Severus' true allegiance was revealed, the other Lions would be more accepting of the man, but obviously he had been wrong.

Harry still didn't know why Dumbledore had decided that it was too dangerous for Severus to keep spying on Voldemort, but he was very relieved when the Potions Master had told him about that development. It meant that he didn't have to lie awake in his bed at night whenever Severus was at a Death Eater meeting, imagining all kinds of horrible things happening to his lover, while he couldn't help him in any way.

Of course, Harry had never told Severus of his fears since he didn't know how the Potions Master would react to such a confession. He might be happy that Harry was worried about him, but he might also feel offended that the young man thought he wasn't able to look out for himself.

If the latter had been the case, Harry would have feared for the end of his Saturday evenings which he always spent in Severus' quarters. He smiled to himself as he pretended to look for something under the table as the last of the Slytherins left the classroom.

Today was Friday. Normally, he would be heading for his weekly Quidditch practice now, but since it had been raining hard for the past two days and the wind was very strong in the afternoons, Harry had cancelled it.

There was something good about being the captain after all, especially since it meant that he had the rest of his afternoon and evening free. Green eyes flicked hopefully towards Severus, but the man sat at his desk, seemingly immersed in a stack of parchment and not looking in his direction at all.

Harry waited a little longer until the footsteps of the last straggler had faded before making his way over to the teachers' desk. He didn't stop in front of it like what was expected of a student, but instead, circled the desk and stood behind the Potions Master.

"Mr. Potter!"

Dark orbs glared up at the young Gryffindor, but Harry ignored the warning in them.

"We are alone now. I just wanted to tell you that I don't have any plans for this afternoon and evening, so I could…"

"For the love of Merlin, Harry! You know that you can come to me whenever you want to. There is no need to risk getting caught just because you want to ask me something which you already know the answer to!"

Instead of being offended by Severus' harsh words, Harry only grinned. Each time the Potions Master made it clear to him that he was more than welcome in his quarters, he felt like Easter, Christmas and his birthday had all arrived on the same day.

"I didn't come here just to ask your permission to visit you."

Ignoring the raised eyebrow, Harry leaned forward and sealed the thin lips with his before Severus could utter a protest.

OOO

Damned Gryffindor!

Severus cursed inwardly as an eager tongue slipped past his lips and deepened their kiss. Instead of pushing Harry away like he should, he felt his arms closing around him of their own accord, drawing the young man closer. He knew that they shouldn't do this in a classroom. They were likely to get caught, but he still didn't stop Harry from straddling his lap.

Merlin, he had missed holding his young lover in his arms even though they had been intimate just last Saturday. Of course, they still saw each other during the week, but they had to keep their feelings to themselves while in public.

Severus tightened his hold on Harry as the latter shifted until their chests were pressed together. He groaned quietly into their kiss when Harry's erection brushed his through the layers of fabric between them.

He had missed this. He had missed kissing Harry, holding him and making love to him, but it wasn't just sex. It was so much more… it had always been more.

Severus smiled into the kiss as he rocked his hips slightly against Harry's. He couldn't deny that his young lover was very attractive, but he didn't love Harry for his looks alone or because they could be intimate. He loved him because it felt right to be with him.

Sometimes, they would just sit on the couch for hours, just talking or cuddling or they would have dinner together and play cards afterwards. Severus had never done those things with his former affairs and that was why these precious moments meant so much to him. There was one other thing though that he had done with a few of his former lovers and he knew would mean much more now that he was with Harry.

Breaking their kiss, he placed his lips next to Harry's ear.

"Harry," he whispered. "I want you to…"

"HARRY!"

OOO

Holy shit!

Harry all but jumped up from Severus' lap when the Potions Master struggled to get up from his chair. It was only thanks to Harry's good reflexes that he was able to grab Severus' sleeve to steady himself otherwise he would have fallen flat on the floor.

The tense way Severus held himself was enough. Harry didn't have to look into those dark eyes to see the panic in them. He squeezed Severus' arm briefly to reassure him that everything would be all right, but he doubted that he had succeeded.

After all, it was hard to convince someone else that everything was fine when you didn't believe it yourself.

"What the bloody hell is going on here?"

Harry took a deep breath before turning to face his best friends. Ron and Hermione were standing a few feet away from him, both of them looking completely shocked.

"I…" Harry shook his head. "What are you two doing here?"

Hermione raised an eyebrow at him, but answered his question nonetheless.

"We thought you had left the classroom with us, but when we didn't see you, we headed back here. We wanted to prevent you from getting into trouble again."

Harry nodded and grimaced to himself. He should have told his best friends that he wanted to talk to their Potions Professor so that they wouldn't have worried about him and come back to find…

He bit his lower lip. He should also have told them a long time ago that he was together with Severus. Maybe they wouldn't have accepted it right away, but they would have had the time to think about it and how they wanted to react to the news.

Now that they had caught him kissing Severus, he didn't know what they would make of it. He didn't think that they would tell anyone, but he also wasn't sure if they were going to support his relationship.

Harry dared to look up at Severus who was holding himself perfectly still, his face a stony mask of indifference. He could feel how tense Severus was and still remembered how he had broken down when he thought that Harry didn't want him anymore. It was likely that Severus feared he would be rejected now that his lover's friends had found them out.

Harry gulped. He didn't want to lose Ron or Hermione, but he didn't want to lose Severus either. At the same time, he knew it was harder to win Severus back if he hurt him now.

Taking a deep breath, Harry faced his best friends. It was amazing that they were still waiting for his explanation, especially Ron, who normally acted before thinking. Harry just hoped it meant that they would hear him out.

"I wanted to speak with… Severus," Harry began and paused when Ron raised an eyebrow this time while Hermione bit her lip. "I told him that I was free to spend this evening with him, because I had cancelled Quidditch practice due to the bad weather."

"Why would you want to spend your evening with him?"

Ron sounded more confused than angry, but Harry didn't know how long the redhead would be able to keep his temper in check once he found out the truth. Noting that the door of the classroom was still open, Harry closed it with a wave of his wand and cast a silencing charm.

Ron and Hermione had every right to know about his feelings for Severus, but it wasn't any business of the Slytherins who were the only students to wander the dungeons after classes were over.

"Well, it's…" Harry took another breath and decided to make it fast and painless for everyone concerned. "Severus and I… we are together. We are a… couple."

Harry's words were met with utter silence. Ron and Hermione just stared at him with unreadable expressions as if he had said something in Parseltongue. Harry gripped Severus' sleeve harder and waited for whatever reaction he would receive.

He didn't have long to wait. Ron was the first to recover and voiced his opinion most decidedly.

"Oh, fuck!"

OOO

Hermione Granger and Ronald Weasley!

Of all the people who could have caught Harry and him snogging, it had to be these two young Gryffindors! If it had been one of his Slytherins, Severus would have Oblivated them without a second thought, but he doubted that Harry would allow him to manipulate his best friends even to keep their relationship a secret.

Severus looked down at his young lover who was clinging onto the sleeve of his robes as if it was a lifeline and from the look on Harry's face, it probably was. He had seen Harry face a werewolf and a dragon, but he couldn't recall the young wizard ever looking this… panic stricken.

If Severus didn't know that Harry was being confronted with only his two best friends, he would have thought they were surrounded by all the dangerous creatures which inhabited the Forbidden Forest.

This must mean that... that Harry would probably prefer fighting monstrous spiders instead of admitting to his two best mates that he was together with their hated Potions Professor.

Severus swallowed hard. He knew that Harry would one day tell Weasley and Granger about their relationship since the young man hated lying to the people who were important to him. Otherwise, Harry wouldn't have been so uncomfortable each time he told these two a false reason for meeting their Potions Professor on Saturdays.

Severus forced himself not to close his eyes or display any sign of weakness. He had been a spy for years and if it hadn't been for Dumbledore insisting that he quit this role, he was sure that the Dark Lord would have never found him out. It wasn't a problem for him to control his feelings and only show his stoic mask to the world. Even after suffering the Cruciatus several times, he had still been able to keep up his appearance of a loyal Death Eater.

Now, confronted by only two underage students, Severus felt like his emotions would spill out and betray him at any moment now. It sounded ridiculous, but it was true. It was taking all his willpower to stand calmly next to Harry and not say anything, not because he feared that he would worsen the situation by making a sarcastic comment, but because he didn't trust his voice not to betray his feelings.

Granger and Weasley didn't have to know how much he feared them… or rather, their influence on Harry. It was only a question of time now until he lost Harry and the mere thought of that was enough to make Severus swallow against the lump in his throat. He had hoped that Harry would remain with him a little longer together before realizing that Severus wasn't a good match for him, that he was just an old, scarred, bitter and cynical ex-Death Eater.

Severus had always known that their relationship wouldn't be forever. But after they had made love for the first time during Halloween, he had allowed himself to hope that Harry would be an exception to the rule, that Harry's love for him was strong enough to withstand any obstacle thrown their way.

Truth be told, they had already been together for far longer than Severus had thought possible, but that was because no one had found out about them. Now that their secret was out, he was sure that Weasley and Granger would do everything in their power to convince their friend that this relationship was wrong.

Severus had witnessed how bad Harry had felt when Weasley had turned away from him before the first task of the Triwizard Tournament in his fourth year. If that happened again and Granger joined forces with the redhead, Harry would be forced to decide between Severus and his best friends.

The Potions Master clenched his fists at his side. It didn't take a genius to guess who Harry would choose. It might take a few days or weeks until the young wizard realized that his best friends were more important than his lover, but to Severus, the day of their breakup already seemed very close at hand.

Severus' heart clenched painfully in his chest. If only he had been a little less insecure, he would have been able to give himself completely to Harry. He had already thought of that at Halloween, but Harry had asked to be cherished then and Severus hadn't acted on his feelings after that day.

And now…

Severus took a deep breath and felt it burning in his lungs. He fought against the moisture that tried to form in his eyes. He would never display such weakness in front of his students.

Never!

"Oh, fuck!"

Against his former determination, Severus closed his eyes briefly as he heard the curse word from the Weasley boy. The Gryffindor had obviously made his mind up and would certainly try his best to make Harry see everything from his point of view.

"Ron!"

Severus forced himself to look at Harry who was now glaring at Ron.

"I can understand that you are shocked, but…"

"Yeah, shocked is the right word."

Ron sighed and shook his head, but Granger hadn't said anything so far. That wasn't normal for her, but Severus supposed she was still busy calculating how many school rules Harry had broken by starting a relationship with a professor while still in school.

Severus feared that her first reaction to the news would be even worse than Weasley's. She was very good at arguing and her logical points against their relationship would convince Harry faster than any insults the redhead could throw at them.

Severus itched to take Harry's hand in his, if only to assure himself that he still had the right to. He doubted that would be the case for very long, but still, he didn't move. He was afraid he would betray his feelings if he so much as touched the young wizard at his side. The burning sensation in his eyes was embarrassing enough without giving into the tears which threatened to fall.

Severus forced himself to focus on Harry's best friends to judge their next moves, instead of concentrating on his dark thoughts and feelings. Weasley was still looking like a Bludger had hit him in the head while Granger was… grinning?

Oh. Of course, Severus thought with a sinking heart. She probably thought that Harry was just pulling their legs. Who in their right mind would believe that someone like Harry – or anyone, really - was interested in the dungeon bat of Hogwarts, the old and greasy haired Potions Master?

It was just too…

"I won!"

Granger's grin grew even wider as she turned to Weasley who just shook his head with a defeated look on his face.

Severus blinked. And blinked again.

Had Granger inhaled some potion fumes? Why was she behaving so oddly?

Harry must have thought something along these lines too if his question was anything to go by.

"Hermione, I don't… what do you mean?"

Granger laughed quietly before directing a brilliant smile at Harry. Despite the fact that she wasn't the prettiest girl in school, Severus still froze. If Harry was interested in girls, then Granger would be the perfect match for him, he realized with a mix of jealousy and despair.

Anyone would be a better match for Harry than him.

"Ron and I made a bet."

Weasley groaned at that. He had obviously found his voice again.

"Yeah, I thought you two were still dancing around each other, but Hermione was certain that you were already together." A pained looked crossed his face. "Now, I have to finish my homework right away for the next couple of weeks."

Severus didn't move a muscle but stared at those two Gryffindors as if he had been Petrified, while his mind tried to process what he had just heard.

It sounded like Granger and Weasley already suspected their relationship.

It also sounded like they… but surely, they wouldn't approve of…

"How did you - I mean, you… you two don't mind?"

Again, Harry asked the exact question that Severus was wondering about. He held his breath as he waited for the two Gryffindors to answer.

OOO

They knew!

That was Harry's first thought when he listened to Hermione's explanation. Or at least, they had guessed that something was going on between him and Severus. He just couldn't figure out how they had found it out since he was very careful whenever he came down to the dungeons to spend time with his lover. His confused thoughts were obviously written on his face, since Hermione gave him an indulgent smile.

"Harry, we have known you for more than five years already. Do you really think you can keep such a big secret from us?"

Harry just shook his head. He was just about to repeat his question when Ron beat him to it.

"Mate, I know that I haven't always been the most understanding person, but I wouldn't spoil your happiness. And it seems that you are happy with…Sna… ehm… Professor Snape."

That made Harry blink in surprise. Since when did Ron sound so reasonable? Had aliens kidnapped him and brainwashed him?

He had fully expected his best friend to rant and rave once he heard the news, instead of acting in such an understanding and matured way.

"Oh, Harry, don't look so surprised!"

Hermione shook her head in exasperation like she always did when Ron and Harry left their homework until the last minute.

"We are your best friends and after everything you have been through during the last few years, we are happy that you have found someone."

The brilliant witch smiled at the Potions Master and Harry glanced up to see that Severus looked as surprised as he himself felt.

"And as to how we find out, well," Hermione shrugged, "it wasn't that hard since you gave us enough clues to guess."

Harry gaped at her. Clues? What clues?

He had never gushed about Severus in front of them or even talked about the Potions Master if he could help it. So, how could they…?

"Mate, you suddenly stopped saying anything negative about...Sna - ehm… Professor Snape! You kept looking up at the staff table at every meal only to stare at him and you seemed unreasonable happy to spend every Saturday evening with him, even though you told us that you were only having practice lessons at dueling. Even I got it!"

Judging from the slightly abashed look Ron gave Hermione, Harry suspected that she had come to a conclusion sooner than his best mate. He just hadn't realized his actions were so easy to read.

"So, you really don't mind?" He asked again. He knew they didn't, but he just had to hear it once more. It was almost too wonderful to be true.

Hermione chuckled and shook her head.

"No, Harry, we don't mind. That is a good reason to break the school rules."

Harry could only shook his head in shock as he heard these words from Hermione. Why hadn't he gotten a memo when hell had frozen over?

"I agree with her, but," Ron turned to Severus and frowned at him. "If you hurt him, I… will tell my mother!"

Those words broke the tension which still existed between the four of them. The three Gryffindors broke out in laughter and as Ron and Hermione pulled Harry into a hug, he noticed a small grin on Severus' lips as well.

He breathed a sigh of relief. Although he had hated to fight with his best friends, he would still have done so for Severus, but now, everything had turned out much better than expected.

OOO

Severus closed the door to his quarters quietly. He still felt a little shaken from the encounter with Weasley and Granger. He was so sure that they would try to tear them apart, but instead they supported his and Harry's relationship.

He didn't know if he was more amazed by that or by the fact that Weasley had acted so mature today, but in the end, it didn't really matter. The important thing was that Harry was here with him now and that he didn't have to fear that the young wizard would leave him in the near future.

Severus allowed himself a soft smile as he looked at Harry who had just sat down on the couch and looked like he belonged in his quarters. Weasley and Granger had practically forced their friend to go with Severus right away and they had promised to make up an excuse for his absence at dinner later. But what amazed Severus most was the fact that Granger had also promised to help Harry with his Transfiguration essay tomorrow.

That was the best proof that she supported them, otherwise she wouldn't have told Harry that schoolwork wasn't always the most important thing in the world.

"What are you smiling at?"

Severus moved to join Harry on the couch before he answered.

"I'm just amazed that Miss Granger is of the opinion that our private time together is more important than homework."

The sound of Harry's chuckle made Severus smile. His life was so much brighter with Harry in it… and that was one reason why he dreaded the moment when the young wizard would leave him.

"I couldn't believe it myself, at first. It's even more amazing that Ron and Hermione are so supportive of us."

With a happy sigh, Harry leaned against him and Severus put an arm around his shoulders. It felt good to be so close to Harry. He breathed a gentle kiss on the black, messy hair.

"You know, I think it's good that they know me so well by now and already suspected that we had something going on. They had the time to come to terms with it before today… because I would have hated to argue with them until they accept that we will never be parted."

Severus froze. His heart skipped a beat before it started to hammer against his ribcage.

Did Harry mean what he had just said?

It sounded too good to be true. Of course the young wizard would never prefer him to his friends like that!

"Severus, look at me."

When Severus obeyed and met those green eyes, he felt as if Harry could see right into his soul, something that not even Dumbledore or Voldemort had ever succeeded in.

A gentle smile graced Harry's features as he stroked Severus' cheek with his fingers.

"I won't give you up, just because someone thinks that we don't fit together. If it had been necessary, I would have fought with Ron and Hermione until they saw reason."

Severus nodded numbly. It looked like Harry had become much too good at reading him, otherwise he wouldn't have guessed his thoughts.

"But… what if they hadn't accepted… us?"

A frown appeared on Harry's forehead. "They would have, in the end. I'm sure about that and if not, then I would have known that their prejudices are more important to them than my happiness and that they aren't true friends. But that hasn't happened."

Severus could only stare at him. Yes, Harry's points sounded logical, but he still couldn't believe that the young wizard would have turned away from his friends if they hadn't accepted their relationship. No one had ever chosen him over someone else. Even Lily had turned away from him in the end, when she had to choose between him and the approval of her Gryffindor friends.

To Severus' shame, he felt hot moisture well up in his eyes at that painful memory and Harry's face blurred.

"Severus…!"

A thumb wiped away the single tear which was sliding down his cheek. Merlin! First, he allowed himself to be surprised by three Gryffindors, including Harry, and now he was crying when there was no reason to… Harry was still here after all.

"I won't leave you, Severus. Anyone who minds our relationship can just go to hell." Soft lips sealed over his right after that declaration.

Sighing into the kiss, the Potions Master closed his eyes as two more tears ran down his cheeks. He didn't care. He only cared that Harry was in his arms right now and that he was finally able to voice the wish, which he had believed was lost, when Weasley and Granger had caught them.

"Make love to me, Harry."

OOO

Severus was always able to surprise him!

Harry chuckled inwardly as he led them to the bedroom while kissing his lover at the same time. They had often slept together since their first time at Halloween, but Harry hadn't claimed Severus yet.

He didn't really mind. He always enjoyed their lovemaking, especially since Severus was such a considerate lover, but he admitted to himself that he sometimes wished to cherish Severus in the same way.

Harry frowned a bit as they both stumbled to the bed and fell ungracefully down on it. He wondered why he had never before asked Severus if he was allowed to make love to him. He wasn't usually nervous at voicing out his wishes and he had even gotten comfortable doing so whenever he was in bed with Severus.

Still, it had somehow felt off limits to ask such a thing of his lover. Harry couldn't really figure out why he had gotten that feeling; just that it had always been there. Maybe it was just that he didn't want to push Severus, since he knew how insecure his lover could be.

Shrugging to himself, Harry pushed the thought away. It didn't matter in the end since Severus had asked him to make love to him now and that was the only thing that was important.

Harry smiled at Severus when they finally untangled their limbs from the fall onto the bed.

He didn't know why Severus had made the decision to give himself to Harry tonight, but if it had anything to do with the fact that he felt more secure in their relationship now, the young wizard wouldn't complain.

After all, he had felt the tension in Severus' body when they were confronted with Ron and Hermione earlier and knew the Potions Master well enough by now to understand how his mind worked.

Harry had often witnessed how insecure Severus was and hoped that he had been able to erase any doubt about the depth of his feelings for the Potions Master. It had been one reason why he had assured Severus that he wouldn't have left him, even if his friends hadn't accepted their relationship.

And the other reason was because every word Harry had said was true. He smiled softly as he traced the harsh lines of Severus' face with one finger. He didn't want anyone else as long as he had this man by his side.

A wave of magic washing over them disrupted Harry's sentimental thoughts. He blinked and then gasped when he noted that they were both naked now.

"You…"

"I just thought that we would need the whole weekend to do this if you were to keep up that pace."

Harry glared at him, but he couldn't maintain the expression for very long as his gaze fell on his lover's naked body. No matter how often he saw Severus like that, the sight never failed to arouse him and he licked his lips in anticipation.

"Like what you see?" The Potions Master teased.

Instead of a verbal answer, Harry reached for him and brought their lips together in a passionate kiss, pressing their hardening lengths together.

OOO

Severus moaned into the kiss as he felt Harry's erection pressing against his own. He had never thought that he would enjoy such intimacy one day without having to fear rejection afterwards, but when he was with Harry, he even forgot his imperfect looks.

Those green eyes always looked at him like he was the most beautiful man in the world.

Although he wasn't… Harry was much, much more beautiful than him.

Severus bit back a groan as the young wizard broke their kiss and turned him on his back before attacking the side of his throat with his lips. It was a good thing Severus always wore high collared robes or he would have to use a Glamour during classes, since Harry obviously intended to leave as many love bites as possible.

With a tiny smile, the Potions Master moved his head a little to the side so that Harry had better access to his throat. He had always detested love bites and healed them right away, but he never healed Harry's. It felt good to know that they were there and that he belonged to Harry in every possible way.

Severus' own sentimental thoughts were interrupted when skilled fingers pinched one of his nipples while a hand moved over his stomach and down to his thighs.

"Ha… rry!"

A groan escaped past Severus' lips as a finger teased the tip of his erection before moving down the length of his shaft. A warm hand cupped one of his balls and then the other, as if to check the weight of them, before gliding up his hard length again.

Another groan escaped Severus. He was hyper aware of every touch from Harry, his skin tingling as if a slow burning flame had sparked to life within him, burning higher and higher with every touch from the young wizard.

Harry's lips finally left his neck and kissed their way to Severus's other nipple which hadn't gotten any attention so far.

"Ah… Ha…Harry!"

With anyone else, Severus would have felt pathetic at losing control from a few mere touches, but with Harry it was different. He trusted his young lover and knew that he was safe with him, otherwise he wouldn't have asked Harry to make love to him.

A nervous shudder ran down Severus' spine as he thought of it, but it was soon replaced by anticipation as soft lips kissed their way down to his stomach. When the tip of a tongue dipped into his navel at the same time that Harry's fist stroked his length, more blood rushed downwards, leaving Severus positively lightheaded.

Then Harry raised his head, messy black hair hanging in his face and green eyes sparkling mischievously.

"Patience, Severus!" he said and winked.

Harry would have made a good Slytherin, Severus thought to himself, right before a wet tongue licked his shaft and all rational thoughts flew out of his head.

By Merlin's beard!

Severus threw his head back as teeth gently nipped at his shaft and soft lips pressed kisses all over his length. Warm hands were carefully massaging his balls and then his throbbing length was engulfed in wet heat as Harry took him in his mouth.

Oh Salazar, this young wizard truly was a natural talent! Severus forced himself to keep still, breathing hard as a wet tongue pressed hard against the tip of his length. Waves of heat were shooting through his body and he wasn't sure how long he would be able to hold on, if Harry kept on pleasuring him like this.

A wave of magic washed over him, but he didn't pay any attention to it. Only when he heard a quiet 'plop' and felt slippery fingers at his entrance did he realise that Harry had just summoned the lube.

Severus forced himself to relax, but he couldn't prevent himself from tensing up when Harry pushed the first finger inside him. A shaky breath escaped past his lips and green eyes looked worriedly up at him.

"Did I hurt you, Severus?"

The Potions Master frowned slightly and concentrated on the sensation of Harry's finger inside him. No, it didn't hurt and it didn't feel invasive like it had done with others.

The sensation was only a little strange, after not having experienced this kind of intimacy for years. He had thought that he wouldn't be so nervous since he was a grown man and knew what would come next… but he still was.

"Severus?" Harry leaned forward, so that his face hovered direct over Severus', worry and guilt written in every feature.

The Potions Master swallowed hard. Harry shouldn't feel guilty, just because Severus couldn't handle his feelings better. He hadn't intended to tell Harry how much their first time together like this meant to him, but he couldn't think of another way to prevent the young wizard from thinking that he had done something wrong.

"It's nothing," Severus stroked Harry's cheek with his hand and smiled reassuringly. "I'm just… it's my first time with someone, who I… trust so much."

Feeling himself blush at these words, as if his whole face was on fire, he quickly turned his head to the side as those green eyes widened in surprise.

Damn! He shouldn't have exposed himself like this. Harry would certainly freak out at the idea that his older and more experienced lover was so emotional about being taken by him for the first time.

Severus took a shaky breath, not daring to look at Harry.

"Severus," a gentle pressure on his chin forced him to turn to Harry who did look a little disbelieving, but there was another expression in his eyes which Severus couldn't identify right away. Not until a bright smile lit up Harry's whole face and he breathed a quiet kiss on Severus' lips.

"I'm so happy that this means as much to you as it means to me." Harry whispered into his ear. "I promise, I'll make it as good for you as you made it for me."

Severus only stared at Harry before relief washed over him and replaced the fear and nervousness he had felt before. He relaxed back against the pillows and gave a small smirk.

"You are doing very well so far."

Harry returned his teasing grin. "Oh, I'll do even better now!"

"If you were as eager in Potions as you are here, then…ahhh!"

Severus wasn't able to finish his sentence as Harry took him in his mouth again and pushed his finger deeper inside him.

OOO

Their first time together was as meaningful to Severus as it was for him!

Harry couldn't help his goofy smile. Severus had told him that he had had some affairs before Harry had even entered Hogwarts so he didn't think that making love to Severus for the first time would be so important, but the opposite was true.

Warmth spread through Harry's chest as he realized how precious this gift of trust and love was. He couldn't even describe how much it meant to him that Severus was giving himself to him, but he could show the Potions Master how much he loved him.

Sucking Severus in deeper, Harry added a second finger to the first one. He grinned around the hard length in his mouth when Severus didn't tense up at all and teased the wet head with his tongue while slowly easing in a third finger. He crooked his fingers a little, searching for that sensitive bundle of nerve endings that would drive Severus crazy.

"Merlin…Harry…Ahhh!"

If the scream and the hand which grabbed his hair were anything to go by, then he had been successful in his search. Harry kept on stretching and pleasuring Severus, both with his fingers and his mouth. He wanted Severus' first time with him to be perfect and…

The same hand tightened in his hair and pulled, forcing Harry to release the throbbing erection and look up at the Potions Master.

Oh, fuck!

Harry felt whatever blood was left in his body rush to pool in his groin.

Severus' normally pale face was flushed an almost feverish pink, the dark orbs were glassy with lust and his hair was disheveled and spread on the pillow.

Sweet Gryffindor, Severus was so hot!

"Severus?" Harry's hoarse voice came out in a mere whisper.

"Now, Harry… I want to come when you are… inside me."

If possible, the blush on Severus' cheeks became even more pronounced, but the look in his dark orbs was as steady as the nod he gave Harry.

With his prick giving a nervous twitch, Harry withdrew his fingers from Severus and positioned himself between those pale thighs. Green eyes locked again with dark ones as the tip of Harry's erection brushed against the still tight entrance.

"Are you sure?"

Severus' smile was a little nervous, but he managed a smile.

"Yes, I…trust you, Harry."

Licking his suddenly dry lips, the young wizard pushed in and they both groaned in union as the sensations overwhelmed them.

OOO

It felt good!

Yes, there was a slight twinge, but it was nothing in comparison to the knowledge that Harry was inside him. Severus bent his knees to allow Harry better access, another groan escaping his lips as his lover pushed even deeper into him.

The green eyes were clouded with lust and passion, but Harry was obviously holding himself back, if the strained lines in his neck were anything to go by. It warmed Severus' heart that Harry cared so much for him, although he didn't want to be treated like a fragile flower.

"Harry… move!"

The young Gryffindor could still follow orders, Severus realized with amusement as Harry started thrusting into him. Maybe he could use that knowledge for his classes in some way…

But before Severus could come up with an idea, Harry leaned forward and caught his lips in a passionate kiss. Their tongues fought with each other, their teeth clashed together and Severus felt the skin of his lower lip break.

The kiss was messy, wild and… just perfect… as perfect as the rhythm in which Harry was thrusting into him while his hand fisted him at the same time.

The flame which had threatened to consume him before roared again and Severus felt himself getting closer to the edge with every second. He thrust his hips upwards to meet Harry's movements and felt his very blood boil in his veins.

Severus stiffened out as his orgasm set off a whole series of pleasurable fireworks throughout his whole body. He came between their bodies with a scream and felt a hot liquid filling him only seconds later.

OOO

Harry slumped against Severus' chest. He felt totally spent, but happy at the same time as he turned his head so that he could listen to the slowing heartbeat of his lover.

"As much as I love you, Harry, I would prefer you lying next to me instead of using me as a pillow."

Harry chuckled and rolled off of Severus to snuggle against him instead of crushing his lover with his weight. He felt a tingling wave of magic wash over both of them, Vanishing the mess on their bodies and the sheets, before Severus covered them with the blanket and drew him even closer.

The young Gryffindor bedded his head on Severus' shoulder and smiled up at him. There was so much he wanted to say, but when he met those dark eyes, he could only think of one.

"I love you, Severus."

Judging from Severus' brilliant smile and the way his thin lips met his in a slow and sweet kiss, Harry had chosen the right words to say. He would do anything to make sure that Severus believed that he would always love him, no matter what.

Even if it took him forever to convince the Potions Master.

But, Harry thought with a smile as he closed his eyes and felt the warmth of his lover's body seeping into him, forever didn't sound so long, when it was spent with Severus.