Chapter 26 – Epilogue

~15 years later~

"Have you seen my cufflinks? I swear I left them in the kitchen."

Severus looked up from attending to his own cufflinks and said, "I thought you'd put them in that little box on the windowsill."

Harry clapped his hands together and said, "That's it! What would I do without you?"

"I shudder to think," Severus replied, looking up at the mirror to check his tie was straight. He checked the clock on the mantlepiece and said, "We'll have to leave soon, where's Cassie?"

"She said she'd be right down. What about Ted, where is he?"

Severus rolled his eyes and said, "Where do you think? He spends more time in the lab than I do."

Harry grinned and crossed the room to place his arms around Severus' neck. "It's your fault," he told the man certainly. "You set him on this path years ago. You have only yourself to blame."

"Pa!" came a voice down the stairs. "Did you move my necklace? I can't find it anywhere."

"Definitely your daughter," Severus told Harry, running his hands up and down his husband's sides. "If it weren't for her intelligence I'd swear she hadn't inherited anything for me."

Harry's eyebrows rose and he said with a smirk, "Did you just call me stupid?"

"I've called you far worse, love."

"Pa!" Cassie called again.

"Coming honey. I'll help you look," Harry called back, then reached up on his tiptoes to place a quick peck on Severus' lips. He disentangled himself and said, "Please go and check that Teddy's at least halfway ready. I really don't want to be late."

"Why change the habit of a lifetime?" Severus asked, and Harry paused halfway up the stairs to poke his tongue out at his husband before carrying on his way to help their daughter.

Severus smiled and made his way out into the garden. It was early August and Teddy had completed his time at Hogwarts a couple of months ago. He had been accepted to the Central European Institute of Potions and was starting in September. Of course, his time at home was always spent in Severus' potions lab.

The lab had changed somewhat since Severus and Harry had set it up all that time ago. Severus had taken Haizea into partnership after the woman achieved her Mastery and the two had forged one of the most successful potions business both domestically and internationally. They had expanded into new premises and taken on a proper staff, but Severus had retained the lab in the garden for his own purposes. Now, it had largely been taken over by Teddy.

He knocked on the door and waited for the somewhat distracted 'Come in' before he entered. Teddy was, as Harry had hoped, half ready. He was in his smart trousers and dress shirt, but the sleeves were rolled up to his elbows and there was no sign of his outer robes.

Severus took a moment to take in the sight of his son. At 18-years-old Teddy was turning into a handsome man. He was tall and lithe with a mop of sandy-coloured hair and kind, intelligent eyes. He had turned into a confident, kind and compassionate man, and Severus couldn't have been prouder of him.

"We're going to have to go in a few minutes," he told Teddy and the man nodded absent-mindedly, peering into the cauldron in front of him.

"You know," Teddy said, his brows knitting in a frown. "I think this could be improved if I froze the viper eggs a couple of days beforehand, then let them thaw naturally before adding them. Their altered properties could be a game-changer."

"I hadn't considered that," Severus said, approaching the workbench.

"Neither had I," Teddy said, looking up at his father, his amber eyes bright. "It just occurred to me when I thought about that research we did last Easter with the Runespoor eggs. I dug it out and read through it and I think I've really got something."

"How long would you freeze the eggs for?" Severus asked, drawn in as he always was by anything pertaining to potions.

Teddy's interest in potions had been piqued all those years ago when he had first begun to spend time in the lab with Severus. That interest hadn't waned over the years and he had shown a natural aptitude and deep understanding of the subject. He had graduated Hogwarts with one of the highest potions NEWTs the school had ever seen. To say that Severus had been proud would have been an understatement.

"Well, that's the hard part," Teddy said pensively. "A couple of hours the wrong way and the potion will be ruined. It'll take a bit of trial and error."

Severus nodded then shook himself slightly to remind himself why he was there. "You'll have to cast a stasis spell over that for now. We have to leave. Where are your robes?"

"In the kitchen I think. Or perhaps in the study," Teddy said and Severus couldn't help but smile.

At only 18, Teddy was already beginning to have the air of an absent-minded academic. He was so singularly fixed on potions that often other things simply eluded him. His nose was so often buried in a dusty potions tome that Severus was reminded so sharply of himself that it seemed unbelievable that Teddy wasn't biologically his.

There was one aspect though in which Teddy differed completely from him. The man was an open book and was one of the most loving people that Severus had ever met. He was affectionate, as he had been as a child, and he had a fierce love for his family that was unrivalled by anything else in his life.

Severus had been worried when Cassie had been born that Teddy would feel left out, that he would resent the little girl, but his fears had been unfounded. The day they had brought Cassie home from the hospital, Teddy had gazed at the bundle in Harry's arms and had smiled, saying, "I'm her big brother. It's my job to look after her."

And so he had done. Cassie was a fierce and independent little madam, but she had long ago learnt that her brother took his job very seriously and would always be there to look out for her. They were as different as night and day, but, amazingly, they rarely argued. They bickered and teased one another, but Teddy was so easy-going that things never escalated.

"Right, come on or your Pa will kill me."

"Perhaps I could join you all there later?" Teddy said hopefully and Severus quirked an eyebrow at him.

"That's likely, isn't it?" he said dryly. "If we leave you now you'll never show up. So come on, out," Severus said, giving the man a gentle shove towards the door.

"I would have thought you of all people would understand, Dad," Teddy grumbled, allowing himself to be led out of the lab.

Severus laughed and slung an arm around Teddy's shoulders. "Any other night I'd let you get away with it, but you know how important this is."

Teddy sighed. "I know. Of course I want to be there, but don't expect me not to let my mind wander to my potion."

"I would expect nothing less," Severus said.

They came back into the house to find Cassie straightening Harry's tie, muttering slurs about his incompetency. Severus smirked. Oh yes, she was definitely his daughter.

"You look very pretty sweetheart," he said, moving to drop a kiss on the top of her head.

At 13-years-old she was already nearly as tall as Harry and looked as though she would at least match Severus' height. She had long black hair that cascaded down her back and eyes almost exactly the same colour as Harry's.

She was sharp, quick-witted and full of mischief. She wasn't as intense as Severus but she had inherited his sense of humour, though thankfully she wasn't as acerbic as he had once been capable of being. Even at her young age, she was aware of who she was and was confident and comfortable in her own skin.

When they had learnt they were having a girl, Severus and Harry had worried that they would somehow not be enough for her. What did they know about periods and hormones, or indeed any of the things a young girl would go through? They needn't have worried. Molly, as usual, stepped into the breech, as did Hermione, whom Cassie absolutely adored. She also had an array of aunts and female cousins surrounding her, so she was never lacking for female company.

"Found them!" Teddy called from the study and came back into the living room slinging his outer robes around his shoulders.

"They're creased!" Harry said, approaching Teddy with his wand drawn. "Honestly, what am I going to do with you?"

He cast a couple of quick charms and the creases fell out. Teddy grinned at him and said, "Always there to save the day, Pa."

"Right, stand back and let me look at you," Harry instructed both his children. Teddy and Cassie did so, rolling their eyes at one another. "Lovely, you both look very smart. Now, this is a very important evening and I know I don't have to tell you both to be on your best behaviour, but Teddy – go easy on the champagne. I know you're old enough but I don't want to find you throwing up in a potted plant."

Teddy looked mildly affronted but Cassie snorted and said, "Imagine that. Or even better, imagine thinking you were in the bathroom and actually throwing up in Nan's wardrobe."

Teddy blushed, as well he might have done. His 18th birthday party, which had been hosted at the Burrow, had indeed ended with him throwing up all over Molly's clothes after mistaking the closet for the bathroom. The entire family hadn't let him live it down and clearly had no intentions of doing so.

"And you, young lady," Harry said, turning his attention to Cassie, "no tricks, no pranks. I don't want to find anything in your pockets from Uncles George's shop."

"Bit of a mistake to buy me all that stuff for my birthday then," Cassie returned smoothly, then held her hands up and said, "I'm kidding! I promise, best behaviour."

She grinned at him, then winked at Severus and both men couldn't help but laugh. Cassie spent half her time at George's shop, fascinated not only by the funny side of the things he sold, but by the magic behind them. She was beginning to show a talent for Charms and she had a very creative side to her nature that helped her to understand how magic could be woven into objects.

"Right, we'd best be on our way then. Cas, you first. Do you know where you're going?"

"Of course," Cassie said, as though the notion that wouldn't was a ridiculous one. She stepped towards the fireplace and grabbed a pinch of floo powder, stepping into the flames and clearly intoning, "Ministry reception room 12."

She disappeared and Teddy went next before Harry and Severus joined them both. The room was already full of people and conversation and laughter filled the place. Severus and Harry waved their hands in greeting to many of the people they knew and within a few moments Ron and Draco joined them.

"Where's Bonnie?" Cassie asked as Ron wrapped her up in a hug.

"Hello to you too, darling," he said with a smile. "She's over there somewhere with Adam," he said, waving towards the far end of the room.

"Great, I'm going to go and join them," said Cassie, leaving without so much as a backwards glance at her parents.

Bonnie was Draco and Ron's oldest child and although there was a couple of years between them, she and Cassie had been friends all their lives. Adam, at 12-years-old was their middle child, and their youngest was their 10-year-old daughter, Beth, who, at that moment was attached to Draco's side.

She was a shy little girl and more attached to her parents than either Bonnie or Adam had ever been. She was also very close to Severus and it was only when she saw him that she extricated herself from her father to move to give Severus a hug.

The two families had remained close over the years. Draco and Ron still lived in their cottage a few miles from Harry and Severus', and all the children, including Teddy, were forever flooing back and forth to spend time with all four men.

"I can't believe this day is finally here. It's so exciting," Draco said with a smile, looking around the room in wonder.

"It's been such a long time coming," Harry said, reflecting Draco's expression. "All those years fighting, trying to change things. I feel like we've finally made it."

"Have you got your speech ready?" Ron asked Harry, clapping him on the shoulder.

Harry shook his head. "I don't intend to make one, this isn't my moment. I'll be making the introduction and that's all. We all know who this day belongs to."

"He'd say it was a collective effort, of course," Teddy said, helping himself to a glass of champagne and earning a raised eyebrow from Harry.

There was a little time before the proceedings properly began, and Severus and Harry took the time to catch up with friends and family. Teddy made a beeline for Victoire, and Severus and Bill exchanged wry smiles as the two shared a chaste kiss.

They had grown up together and had been friends throughout their time at Hogwarts, but in Teddy's final year and Victoire's 6th, that friendship had blossomed. Of course, now that Teddy was off to obtain his mastery and Victoire had her own education to attend to, they would be faced with the challenges of trying to maintain their relationship.

Severus didn't think it was too much of an issue. After Victoire completed her final year at Hogwarts, she had a position lined up with the Northern Hurricanes to play Keeper. She had been scouted in her 5th year, playing for the Hufflepuff quidditch team, and had eventually accepted an offer from the Hurricanes.

Fleur was horrified that her eldest daughter had decided to devote her life to what she viewed as a barbaric sport, but Bill was almost beside himself with pride. Having seen the girl play, Severus had no doubt that she would enjoy a very successful career. Whatever happened between her and Teddy, they both had bright futures ahead of them.

They found George and Maggie in conversation with Hermione and Blaise. The former couple had been married for nearly ten years, while Blaise and Hermione had been married for twelve. Severus had never seen a man look at his wife the way Blaise looked at Hermione. He was completely devoted to the woman and genuinely thought that no better person existed.

Hermione had joined the Zabini law firm, which was now the very successful company Zabini & Granger. They had two children, twins, which, ironically, none of the Weasley offspring had had. Noah and William were only 5-years-old, as Hermione and Blaise had decided to wait until they became parents, preferring to focus on their careers as a priority first of all.

George and Maggie had been through some difficult times as a couple. George had had a couple more slips over the years and had sunk into dark times of depression. He had never made another attempt on his life, but Severus knew all too well that the man had come close. Maggie knew the troubles he had had, of course, and their marriage had been fraught with the demons that George continued to fight.

They had decided against children. While George adored all his nieces and nephews and was undeniably the favourite uncle, he felt that he would always be too unstable to fully be there for a child. Maggie had understood and, never having been particularly maternal herself, hadn't felt like she had lost anything. She was perhaps the only person who could have coped with the pitfalls of George's mental health, and despite their ups and downs, they had a happy marriage.

"I'm a bundle of nerves," came a voice next to Severus' elbow and he turned to see Haizea standing next to him, fanning herself with her clutch bag. "Have you seen Jacob anywhere?"

Severus smiled and gestured to where his daughter was standing with a boy her age who was the spitting image of Neville. Both were the only Slytherin children in the bunch and they spent all their time at Hogwarts practically glued to one another.

"Ah, I thought I'd lost him. Should have known he'd been with Cas. Doesn't she look pretty tonight?" Haizea said with a fond smile.

"She scrubs up well," Severus said, mirroring the woman's smile.

While they had been business partners for years, Severus and Haizea had also formed a solid friendship. They had a great deal of respect for one another, both within their professional sphere and on a more personal level. It had been the first time since Lily that Severus had formed a solid friendship with a woman, and he enjoyed the time he spent with her.

"How's Neville?" Severus asked, and Haizea's smile grew more nervous.

"He's wearing a hole in the carpet pacing back and forth. I've decided to leave him to it. I'm just as nervous as he is, I don't think I'm going to help."

"Leave him to Harry, he'll calm him down."

"I hope so. The state he's in at the moment he'll likely throw up before he gets the first word of his speech out."

It had been many years since Neville had reminded Severus of the boy he had known all those years ago, but he had caught sight of the man earlier and had been transported back nearly 20 years. The man had been nearly green with nerves and had actually addressed him as 'Professor', which he hadn't done in over 15 years.

He glanced around the room, watching as Bonnie and Adam joined Cassie and Jacob. Were it not for his daughter's promise not to cause any trouble, he would have sworn that the little group was up to something. Their heads were bowed conspiratorially and they laughed and talked loudly, Cassie and Bonnie breaking out into fits of giggles.

"They make a good group, don't they?" Haizea said with a smile, following Severus' line of sight. "I worried that Jacob and Cassie would drift apart when they got to Hogwarts, but if anything they seem to have grown closer."

Severus nodded. "She thinks the world of Jacob, always has done. She used to boss him around terribly when they were children, I'm glad he's learnt to tell her to sod off once in a while."

Haizea laughed and said, "You never believed in coddling your children did you, Severus?"

"That girl never needed coddling," Severus said with fond smile. "She was born ready to take on the world."

"You couldn't possibly be talking about our daughter, could you?" came Harry's voice as he tucked himself into Severus' side. "Oh Jacob looks so handsome in those dress robes," he said as he looked over at the assembled group. "He gets more and more like Nev every day."

"Only ten times more handsome," said Ron with a grin as he joined them.

"I'll tell him you said that," Haizea threatened teasingly.

"You could tell him he looked like a blast-ended skrewt at the moment and he wouldn't even notice," Ron said and Harry nodded.

"I tried to get him to calm down earlier but he just stared at me like a rabbit caught in the headlights."

Haizea groaned and said, "I knew I should have slipped him a calming draught earlier."

Cassie and Jacob pushed their way through the crowds to join their parents and Cassie said excitedly, "It's about to begin."

She gestured to the stage where a woman in formal robes was making her way towards the microphone. Severus felt Harry give his waist a squeeze and Teddy appeared on his other side, smiling across at Harry and saying,

"This is it, Pa!"

Harry was stopped from answering by the woman tapping on the microphone and saying in a clear, crisp voice, "Ladies and gentlemen, if I could please have your attention."

The noise and chatter died down until the room was silent and the woman smiled at them all before saying, "It gives me great pleasure to welcome you all here this evening. I know for many of us in this room it feels as though this day has been a long time in coming. If you could all please raise your glasses and welcome to the stage the Minister for Equalities, Mr Harry Potter!"

Harry leant up to press a quick kiss to Severus' cheek then made his way to the stage amidst an energetic round of applause. Severus watched as Harry shook hands with the woman then took his place in front of the microphone.

He grinned widely at the assembled crowd and said, "I can't tell you all how thrilled I am to be here with you this evening. This has indeed been a long time coming and I know how much this means to everyone assembled here. I would like to welcome to the stage a man for whom I have enormous respect, a man who has fought tirelessly to right the wrongs that were created after the war. I am proud to call myself his friend and prouder still to be here to bear witness to his inauguration. Ladies and gentlemen, please welcome your new Minister for Magic, Mr Neville Longbottom!"

The crowd erupted into thunderous applause and many whoops and cheers led by the younger generation. Neville made his way onto the stage, his face on fire, and was immediately pulled into a fierce hug by Harry. The two had a brief conversation before Harry stepped to the side, beaming, while Neville moved to the microphone.

He waited until the applause finally died down and gave the room a shy smile. Severus watched as he took several deep breaths then finally cleared his throat and said in a quiet but firm voice, "Thank you all so much for being here this evening. I can't tell you what it means and I am thoroughly overwhelmed with this extraordinary honour.

"I would be lying if I said that the path we've all travelled over the past 17 years had been an easy one. Life after the war was difficult for so many reasons and was only made worse by the appalling treatment suffered by all Slytherins owing to the cruellest legislation ever passed. It has taken tireless and often thankless work from extraordinary people for us to finally live in a society that I am proud of.

"I wouldn't be in this position today were it not for Harry, who is the finest Minister for Equalities the Ministry has ever seen. Nor would I be able to do my job without Ron Weasley, Minister for Education, who had been integral in the reinstating of Slytherin house and the continued improvements to one of our finest institutions – Hogwarts School."

Loud applause rang out again coupled with shouts of "Yes, Pa!" and "Go, Dad!". Severus smiled as Cassie looked up at him and grinned while Draco cuddled into Ron's side and beamed proudly at him.

Neville smiled widely as his confidence grew, and he continued, "It fills me with such pride and such hope when I think of how far we have come. My wife, as well as two very dear friends, Severus Snape and Draco Malfoy, suffered greatly because of the legislation against Slytherins. I know I speak for all of us when I say that I am delighted to know that we have created a world where our children will never suffer in such a way, they will never have to face the indignities and injustices that their parents did.

"I make my pledge to you now, as your Minister of Magic, that such horrors will never happen again. I will fight for a world where all our children will be safe, will be equal, no matter their school house or their parentage. I am proud to be part of the world that we have worked hard to create and I promise you all that I will continue to work just as hard to preserve it. I am your Minister, and I shall endeavour every day to be worthy of the title. Thank you."

The applause this time was deafening and Severus watched as a wide grin split Neville's face before he and Harry finally made their way down from the stage. They were halted by many people who wanted to give Neville their congratulations and best wishes, but eventually the two men came to join the group.

"Congratulations, Minister," Severus said with a smile, shaking Neville's hand.

"I'm so glad my speech is over and done with!" Neville said, his face finally returned to its natural colour.

"You were wonderful," said Haizea, wrapping an arm around Neville's waist and kissing his cheek. "I'm so proud of you."

"See, now that Dad's the Minister of Magic, you have to do everything I say, or he'll put you in prison," Jacob told Cassie with a grin.

She rolled her eyes and said, "The day I do everything you say, I'll put myself in prison. Or possibly a psychiatric ward."

"Isn't this crazy?" Harry said with a smile as he tucked himself into Severus' side. "I can't believe how far we've come, how much we've changed." He tilted his head to look at Severus and said, "When I think about what you went through…how we began…I'm so proud of all the things we've achieved."

Severus smiled and pressed a kiss to his husband's forehead. "I would never have imagined all that has changed since then," he said softly. "When I think of the bedraggled wreck they dragged out of Azkaban and dumped on your doorstep…it seems another world ago."

"Those of us who suffered Azkaban will never forget it," Haizea said gently, and out of the corner of his eye Severus saw Draco nod in agreement. "We've all worked hard to ensure that such injustices never happen again."

Severus reached out and wrapped an arm around his daughter. Under normal circumstances she probably wouldn't have put up with such an open display of affection, but sensing the importance of the moment she simply relaxed into her father's hold and let herself be held.

"Dad, Jake and I are going to stay at Uncle Ron and Uncle Drake's tonight," said Cassie, no doubt eager to break the sombre mood. She had heard the stories, had known what her father went through all those years ago, and had always been uncomfortable with the history.

She was more sensitive than she liked people to believe and the thought of what her father had suffered in Azkaban weighed heavily on her mind. Not wanting to cause her any undue stress, Severus exchanged a glance with Ron and said,

"And do Uncle Ron and Uncle Drake have a say in this?"

"Oh we've been informed that they're all camping out in the living room," Ron said, halting his son's hand as Adam was about to reach and grab a glass of champagne from a floating tray.

"Teddy gets to have champagne!" Adam protested.

"Teddy's a grown up," Teddy told him with a grin.

"Haven't thrown up in any closets yet, Ted?" Draco asked him and Teddy turned a very endearing shade of red.

"Am I never going to be allowed to live that down?" he groused.

"Ooh unlikely," Harry teased. "We'll be making sure that story's told for years to come, including," Harry said, nodding in Victoire's direction, "on your wedding day."

"Pa!" Teddy said, going an even deeper shade of red. "You talk about weddings in front of her and I will knock you off your broom the next time you fly!"

"So sensitive," Harry said, reaching out and pinching his cheek.

Teddy batted him away and said, "Parents are so embarrassing! Look, me and Vic are off out to a nearby bar, I don't know what time I'll be home so don't wait up."

"Maybe this time you'll throw up in a phone booth," Severus said as Teddy walked away, his hand above his head in a very crude gesture.

The party continued in full swing for several more hours. Everyone was in high spirits and Neville spent all his time going from one group to another, receiving their congratulations and speaking about his policies. Harry was also much in demand as the Minister for Equalities, and Severus watched with pride as his husband spoke about all they hoped to achieve in the next few years.

It was the early hours of the morning when Severus and Harry finally tumbled back through the floo into their cottage. Both were giddy with drink and the euphoria of the evening and they stumbled and kissed their way up the stairs to their bedroom.

"Whatever shall we do with this big empty house with no children in it?" Harry giggled as he struggled with his tie.

"A game of scrabble, perhaps?" Severus returned with a snort as he fought his way out of his shirt.

"An excellent idea. I'll set up the board," Harry said, pretending to head towards the door.

Severus caught his arm and swung him around and into a kiss. Harry's body melted against his and all thoughts but each other flew out the window. It had been years, but every time Severus had his husband in his arms nothing else mattered.

They had weathered many a storm together. They had raised a family, navigated careers and fought against the injustices of their society as a strong and resilient couple. They had enjoyed their highs and fought through their lows, their deep love and abiding respect guiding them through their years together.

When they finally succeeded in getting each other naked, Harry gently pushed Severus back towards the bed and Severus allowed himself to be guided down onto it. Harry straddled him with a grin and Severus felt his lip twitching trying to return it. He reached out and trailed his hand over the scar on Harry's abdomen, the scar that they both loved as it symbolised the birth of their daughter.

Harry placed his hand on top of Severus' and smiled. Nothing needed to be said, all those words had come before many times down the years. Harry leant forward and captured Severus' lips in a slow and tender kiss before moving down his throat and over his chest. Severus closed his eyes as Harry continued his ministrations, his kisses firm, his touches light.

It had been so long that were very few surprises between them in the bedroom anymore, but that only made things better in Severus' opinion. They knew every inch of each other's skin, everything that would please, all the things that would provoke the best responses. The trust and intimacy between them had grown ever stronger over the years and it meant that sex could be just as passionate as it had been during those first flushes of attraction.

Severus gave a low moan of approval as his cock was engulfed in the warm wetness of Harry's talented mouth. He let his head fall back against the headboard and watched with slightly hooded eyes as Harry moved up and down, taking Severus all the way to the back of his throat.

"You have a sinful mouth, you little brat," Severus said with a happy sigh.

Harry looked up and stopped what he was doing long enough to say, "I'm 36. I don't think you can call me a brat anymore."

"You're my husband. I can call you whatever I bloody like," Severus replied as Harry set back about his work.

Severus revelled at the feel of Harry's tongue lathing him, applying soft and firm pressure in equal measure. He enjoyed the attention for a few minutes, knowing that Harry had no intention of bringing him to completion this way.

Sure enough, soon Harry was snaking back up his body and meeting his lips in a firm, demanding kiss. The man settled himself in Severus' lap and Severus felt his erection slowly, torturously sheathed within Harry's tight heat.

"When did you prepare yourself?" Severus asked, taking hold of Harry's hips as the man began to rock.

"Spell," Harry said with a crooked grin as he gripped Severus' shoulders. "The one you taught me."

"Precocious brat," Severus said, smirking at Harry's look of indignation. "You'll never know how good you look like this," Severus told him, feeling his pleasure grow with Harry's sure and consistent movements.

"You're so beautiful, so perfect," Severus murmured as Harry took him deeper. He had been too embarrassed to speak like this when they had first begun, too aware of himself to let Harry know the depth of his feelings. These days neither of them censored themselves. They said what they thought, for good or bad, and their feelings were never kept from one another. Severus never wanted Harry to be in any doubt as to how much he loved him, nor as to how much he wanted him.

His hips thrust upwards, impaling his husband with each movement. Harry arched and bit his lip, looking delightfully wanton as he increased the speed of his rocking. "Touch me," Harry whispered, and Severus reached out to wrap his hand around Harry's swollen prick.

"So good," Harry said, his eyes bright, pleasure evident in every line of his face.

It was a face that had changed in the years Severus had known the man. It had aged, though no more than his 36 years. The older Harry got, the more he seemed to fit his features. His jaw was more angular, his cheekbones had more definition and he had learnt to school his expressions into those that would serve him best.

Severus increased the pressure on Harry's cock and watched as Harry came with a triumphant cry. Severus grasped hold of Harry's hips and thrust upwards hard several more times before he found his own release.

Harry fell forward onto Severus' shoulder and Severus' hand wound in the man's messy black hair. That was one thing that hadn't changed over the years, and Severus doubted it ever would.

"Love you," Harry muttered into Severus' shoulder. "So much."

"Love you too," Severus returned, stroking Harry's hair as they both rode out the aftershocks.

"We'll have been married 15 years in December," Harry said softly as he snuggled against Severus' skin. "Hard to believe isn't it?"

"Almost impossible," Severus said with a smile. "That poor old spectre in Azkaban would have never believed it."

"And yet, here we are," Harry breathed against his throat. "Married, two wonderful children, a beautiful home. What more could any man want?"

"With you in his life, Harry, a man could wish for nothing greater."

~End~

AN: Firstly, I must apologise for not responding to all your reviews like I normally do. My brain has been like soup this week and I've just been on another planet. I promise to respond this time though.

So, we're done with this fic! I can honestly say that I've enjoyed writing every minute of it and it's turned into something that I'm very proud of. Thank you all for reading and reviewing, especially those of you who have reviewed every single chapter, you guys are awesome! I have several more fics in the pipeline so don't worry, I'm not going anywhere. I just need to take a little time to get these new ones planned and written.

Finally big thanks go to my beta, Tanja. She has guided me through this fic and taught me so much and I will be eternally grateful.

Love to you all xx