A/N: Well you all demanded it and we delivered. Here's the epilogue to The Retreat. Hope you enjoy it and thanks once again to everyone who has reviewed this story.
Epilogue
By Corgi
Severus' last week at Albus' cabin was one of his happiest in years. Having Harry back in his life made it so. They spent their time together just talking or walking by the shore of the loch arm in arm. Their time talking spanned every subject imaginable, but frequently turned to the two years they spent apart. As the week came to a close Severus found that he bared all of his fears and insecurities to his younger partner and had the younger reciprocate. Severus reveled in the re-established closeness between them once the rift he caused healed.
Sadly, all good things come to an end and Severus found himself packing his belongings and closing up Albus' cabin. Harry walked with him down the village's mains street to the little clearing behind the post office's wooded back lot that the wizards and witches used as an apparation site. Severus dropped his bag to the ground the moment they were out of sight and turned to Harry, who was leaning against a nearby tree.
"I really don't want to go back." Severus said with a resigned sigh.
"I know you don't, but I promise to visit before the students return." Harry promised with a smile.
"Make it soon, Harry."
"I'll do my best." Harry gave him a bright smile and stepped closer.
Severus gathered him into his arms and met his lips with his own as they wordlessly said their farewells. Severus deepened the kiss as he determinedly mapped his lover's mouth so he could imprint ever texture and every taste in his mind for the weeks ahead. Much too soon for Severus' taste Harry pulled away and gave him a gentle shove.
"You've got to go and get set for the school year. If you stay any longer the next witch or wizard that passes through will be scarred for life."
"Brat."
"But I'm your brat. Now go. If you don't you'll have to rush to finish your work and you won't speak to me when I come to visit."
Severus gave in to the inevitable and picked up his bag. He backed away a few steps without taking his eyes off of Harry. Severus quickly apparated away so he couldn't change his mind and return to Harry's arms. He found himself just outside the gates of Hogwarts. With a sigh Severus made his way up the long walk way to the school.
A week later found Severus storming down the hallways to the dungeons in a rage. Once again he applied for the Defence Against the Dark Arts position and was denied. This time Albus didn't even have the courage to tell him in person. Instead he roped Minerva into telling him and she couldn't even tell Severus who the new teacher was. All she could say was the new person would be there today's meeting. The whole situation drove Severus up the wall. He wanted to teach a class he had the patience to teach. Certainly he loved potions, but he loathed teaching his art to others. They didn't have the patience for the subject and he hardly had the time to spend with those that enjoyed the art in that environment. At least they would pay attention to his lessons if he taught defence. Resigned to another year teaching potions, Severus made his way down to his private lab to work on some of the research projects that were waiting for his return.
When he arrived at his chambers he found a postal owl waiting patiently on his desk. He handed the owl a treat from the glass container on his desk and removed the letter from its leg. He smiled when he noticed the handwriting on the outside.
Dear Severus,
I hope everything is going well for you. It's been a hectic week for me, but I've found gainful employment. I'll be start work soon, but I do have this weekend free. Would it be possible for me to stay the weekend? If I hear from you then I'll meet you at the Three Broomsticks tonight. If I don't, I'll meet you at the school, bag in hand.
I miss you very much, Severus, and I can't wait to see you again. I'll see you very soon.
Love,
Harry
This was just what Severus need for an incentive not to hex his new co-worker. The hope of a distraction for the whole weekend from his disappointment is just what the medi-wizard ordered. Severus cheerfully started his work and as he chopped, peeled, minced, sliced, crushed and sifted he planned out what he was going to do with and to Harry this weekend. His potions research and planning for the weekend succeeded in taking his mind off his displeasure. It also whiled away the afternoon quite efficiently and by the time Severus was done cleaning up his workspace it was time for the blasted staff meeting.
Severus strode through the halls and said a fervent prayer for a short meeting. Harry didn't mention when he was arriving and Severus never told the younger wizard the summer password for his rooms. He didn't want to keep Harry waiting around while his was wasting time at a staff meeting. Severus arrived at the staff room shortly after Minerva's arrival and sat in his usual seat at the oval table Albus used for their meetings. One by one the other staff members trickled in and, as they normally did, avoided Severus like the plague. As always there were empty seats next to Severus, a tradition started when Potomac was hired as the Defence teacher and Sybil was hit by a hex Severus sent at the man. Now all the staff stayed well clear of Severus' side of the table and all new defence teachers were warned to stay away from Severus.
The wait was agony for the rest of the staff and after the staff settled down in their seats, Albus arrived. Surprisingly he was alone, but they didn't have long to wait before the door opened to admit a slim form wearing a bottle green cloak, his face hidden by the hood. None of the teachers knew what to make of the new comer, but Severus didn't have any doubts. He recognized that cloak, and he should since he gave the cloak to Harry for Christmas during his seventh year. He was going to give Harry and earful when this meeting was over, but for now Severus would be content with driving the rest of the staff insane.
Harry stepped into the room and ignored the invitation by the rest of the staff to sit with them. Instead he made his way to Severus' side of the table and took a seat next to him and pretended he didn't hear the worried gasps or noticed Severus' sneer. Severus on the other hand was hard put to keep a straight face as he surveyed the growing panic in the faces of his co-workers. Severus gave them more reasons to panic as he eased his wand out of his sleeve to lay it across his lap. Harry settled into his seat without removing the cloak and looked serenely around the room.
"I apologize for being late. I hope I didn't keep you waiting too long?" Harry said in a whisper to his new colleagues.
"That's all, young man. Perhaps you'll join us for drinks after the meeting so we can get to know you?" Filius was the first, as always, to make the new comer feel at home.
"Thank you for your invitation, but I'm afraid I have plans for the weekend that I cannot possibly cancel. Perhaps we can talk after breakfast on Monday before I fine tune my lesson plans for the year?"
"Of course we can." Filius chirped as he turned his attention to Albus, who was sitting at the head of the table with that maddening twinkle blazing in his eyes.
"Perhaps you should change your seat, young man. Severus there beside you gets a little touchy at this time of the year." Poppy told Harry trying desperately to get the young wizard to move before Severus could hex him.
Severus sat there slapping his wand into his hand while glaring at his neighbor. Severus decided to really confuse the rest of the staff and begin a conversation with Harry. They'll be dying while trying to figure out what's going on.
"Gainful employment, indeed. How long have you known?" Severus asked in a barely audible whisper. He watched in amusement as the rest of the staff leaned in and strained to listen in.
"Not gainful enough for you? I've known for two weeks or so." Harry replied in the same way.
"When were you planning on telling me?"
"I was saving it as a surprise."
"I don't like surprises."
"Yes you do, especially if they're something you like."
"I take it my quarters are now cluttered with your belongings?"
"No, I figured I'd ask before I moved in. My belongings are in my office."
"Brat."
"Git. As fun as this is, could we get a move on with this meeting. I do have plans. I do believe I mentioned them."
Harry and Severus turned their attention to Albus, who watching them curiously. The rest of the staff was muttering to themselves and were being eaten alive by curiosity. Albus just sat back and watched and Minerva just sat there serenely as he co-workers tried to figure out what was going on.
"We see you know Severus." Filius stated with full blow curiosity evident in his features.
"You all know the brat. I know for a fact that I've spent seven years keeping him from killing himself." Severus reached out and pulled the hood off of Harry's head, revealing his identity to the rest of the staff.
They didn't get a chance to comment on Harry's identity and his banter with Severus because Albus chose that moment to begin the staff meeting. For Severus it was the same old meeting and he had to once again listen to the complaints of Filch and the usual plea for new brooms from Hooch. Albus confirmed that he received everyone's requests for supplies and for a change the budget stretched to cover the needs of all the classes. Harry's class was the only one that didn't request additional materials, which allowed the rest of the classes to get their badly needed supplies.
"Harry, are you sure you don't need anything for your classes?" Albus asked with a concerned glance at the younger wizard.
"I'm sure. Between my inheritance from Sirius and my arrangement with the Ministry, I have access to the Dark items I plan on using in class. Any creature I may need our allies have volunteered to help capture those around the school or to be the 'victim' for the lessons. Otherwise I'll do without the props."
"Very good. I do believe that's everything, unless someone has more to add?" Albus smiled at his staff and twinkled brightly at Severus and Harry as they started to sneak out of the staff room. "So, Harry, Severus, when did you two get back together?" Albus' eyes twinkled with mirth as all the staff, with exception of Minerva, looked at the two men with stunned expressions.
"Like you didn't know already, Albus." Harry answered before Severus could summon the words. "Considering you planned all of this."
Albus looked confused for several breaths until a click of sudden understanding lit his features and his face rearranged itself into its normal cheerful expression. If it were possible his eyes twinkled brighter than a supernova.
"For heavens sake, Albus let them go before they decide to do it on the table." Hooch called out, noting Severus' stormy look and Harry once again responded before Severus could.
"That little exercise lost its appeal a long time ago. It's more of a case of 'been there, done that' these days. Enjoy your weekend everyone."
Severus and Harry made their way down to the dungeons leaving their fellow staff members in shock, much to Severus' delight. Once they were in the privacy of Severus' quarters, Harry stepped close to Severus and allowed the older man to pull him into an embrace. They stood there just relishing the contact before moving to sit on Severus' couch. They talked about the up coming school year and the things Harry should expect from the students give the fact the upper classmen were in the school when Harry finished his schooling. During the entire time they relaxed with each other, drinks in hand, they felt like they were being watched and none of the spells they cast could detect the intruder or the means of that persons spying.
"It's most likely Albus snooping. The meddling old coot can't resist poking his nose in and admire his handwork." Severus muttered darkly.
"He better disappear when we hit the bedroom. I don't fancy having an audience."
"Neither do I. Besides I've got two years to make up for and I intend on making a huge dent in my debt this weekend."
"How about we start now? Well put out the candles and the fires until our peeping Tom goes away."
"That's fine with me. I don't plan on leaving the bed all weekend."
Harry bounced to his feet and quickly made his way into Severus' room. Severus put his drink down and walked at a more sedate pace. When Severus entered the room and closed the door the feeling of being watched vanished. Both men smiled at each other and Severus began to stalk his prey.
On the other side of the castle the watcher waved a hand in front of the mirror causing the scene in Severus' quarters to fade away. The watcher smiled in satisfaction as the image left the mirror. 'A job well done,' the person thought and turned towards the person standing in the doorway.
"Still worried about the fate of the school in my hands, Albus?"
"Not as much as I was, Minerva dear. Though why you chose to interfere in Harry's and Severus' personal lives eludes me at the moment." Albus replied with a smile as he moved into the room, shutting the door behind him.
"Severus was killing himself by inches, as you well know, and Harry was doing the same thing, thought by a very different means. Also that girl he started seeing at the loch made me want to hiss and claw her eyes out."
"If I remember correctly you didn't approve of their relationship in the first place. I expected you to gather the rest of the staff and lead a crusade against it given how strongly you presented your views to me."
"I would have done so. I didn't feel it proper for a teacher to be involved like that with a student, I still don't. I thought Severus was using Harry as a twisted form of revenge against James and Sirius. I confronted Harry and our conversation forced me to look at their situation from a different angle. I saw little changes about Severus as a result and I also realized from my conversation with Harry that the young man was in many was more mature than most of his classmates. Harry wasn't one to move from conquest to conquest. I at one point feared that Harry would move on and hurt Severus, instead it ended up being the other way around."
"Harry values loyalty as well as many other things, Minerva. He's not one to wander to greener pastures because he already knows how green the one he's in is. How did you find out where Harry was living? I tried to get the information out of the Weasleys, but they wouldn't cooperate."
"When Severus pushed him away Harry came to me. I let him use my cabin after I managed to find out what happened. Harry was devastated and though he tried to move on with his life, he just wasn't the same. It was like his soul was dying, Albus, and I couldn't stand by and watch it happen. Then he met that girl and everything about her bothered me. Then Molly Weasley came to me expressing the same dislike and I knew I had to do something."
"So it was sheer luck that I offered Severus my cabin?"
"Absolutely not, Albus. I mentioned the loch and how good the fishing is there at every meal and meeting we had since you started grooming me to take over the school. I just kept hinting and eventually you thought the whole idea was yours, Albus."
Albus turned his thoughts inward and sorted through his memories of the past few months. Much to his dismay and amusement he found those memories showing Minerva talking about the loch and the fishing. She was right about how often she mentioned it and, silly old fool that he was, fell for the whole scheme hook line and sinker. Albus laughter heartily and opened his eyes to see a smirking Deputy Headmistress watching him.
"It does seem to me that you're completely right. I must be getting old. You maneuvered me quite handily. Now why didn't Harry notice the fact that you weren't surprised by their reconciliation?"
"Simply because I forged your handwriting and signature when I hired him, so he thought it was all your doing. He floo'd me asking what you were planning the day Severus arrived at the loch so he would have believed that I knew what was going on already."
"Well done, Minerva. I've got a lovely old bottle of scotch in my office, would you care to join me?"
"Of course I would." Minerva placed her hand on the offered arm of the Headmaster and the two left her office at stately pace, both elderly magic users had bright, self-congratulatory smiles on their faces.
Severus had his prey pinned to the bed after a token chase around the bedroom. Slowly they both removed each other clothing, making sure to worship the flesh exposed. Hungry yet painfully hesitant touches punctuated their foreplay as each man struggled to renew themselves with what the other found pleasurable. Once their clothes were completely off their hands and mouths roamed freely until Severus pulled away. Straddling the younger wizards hips he let his eyes roam all over Harry's body.
"I don't believe I did something as foolish as push you away." Severus said softly. "To think I could have lost you forever because of my own foolishness."
"That's enough of that, Severus. Everyone makes mistakes and we all have fears that make us irrational. We've recovered what we lost and we've got all the time in the world to make it stronger." Harry said just as softly, one hand rising to rest on the older man's cheek. "Our time apart has just made us appreciate each other more. Let's reacquaint ourselves with a different language instead of wallowing in regrets."
Severus said nothing more as he leaned forward to capture Harry's mouth for a kiss that said all the things he didn't know how to express. Slowly they deepened their kiss, neither man fighting for dominance, just a slow rediscovery of familiar territory. Severus slowly began to work his way down the thin and lightly muscled body, tasting every patch of skin as he moved closer to his goal. He flicked his tongue over Harry's weeping glans and chuckled when Harry whined at the teasing motion between muttered threats. As he continued with his teasing swipes at Harry's engorged member, Severus reached for the vial of oil he hid under his pillows and liberally coated his fingers with the slippery substance. He trailed his finger up Harry's thigh until he found the younger wizard's entrance and slowly pressed a finger in. Harry moaned his approval as he fisted his hands in the sheets.
Severus worked his finger in and out, brushing against the younger man's sweet spot causing Harry to buck upwards and whimper. When Harry wordlessly demanded more Severus abandoned his torture of Harry's erection to concentrate on adding a second, then a third finger and constantly brushing his lover's gland. He had Harry squirming as he worked his fingers inside him, but it wasn't long before Harry demanded something more fulfilling.
Severus gave in to his demands and before he could do more than lever himself into a kneeling position, he ended up on his back, pinned to the bed by he lighter lover. Harry grabbed the vial of lubricant and poured some onto his hand. He twisted around to coat Severus' raging erection with the oil then lined the swelled flesh up with his opening and slowly lowered himself onto it. Slowly he impaled himself on Severus' length until his arse cheeks rested on Severus' bony hips. Harry held himself still to let them both become accustomed to the sensations, but his hands didn't stay as still as the rest of him. Harry's hands ghosted up his abdomen to his chest where they paused to fondle Severus' nipples causing the taller man to buck in reaction. Harry's hands settled on Severus' shoulders and he began to move slowly in a rocking motion. The platinum pendent Severus gave him swung in time to his motion, thumping against his chest on each of his downward movements.
"Yesssss," Harry hissed when he shifted position enough so Severus' cock brushed his prostate as he moved and the sibilants made Severus shiver in delight.
"Faster, Harry, faster." Severus moaned and Harry responded by speeding up his motions. Each downward motion made by Harry was by an upward thrust by Severus as their pace sped up even more. Severus snaked his hand between them to grasp Harry's leaking cock and began to stroking in time to their movements. Harry threw his head back and closed as he concentrated on the dual sensations and Severus couldn't take his eyes off him.
"Severussss…" Harry hissed as Severus felt the warm liquid of his seed spill over his hand and chest. The drawn out sound of his name in passion, the blissful expression on Harry's face and the convulsive clenching of his muscles around his cock was too much for Severus and he came forcefully into Harry.
Once the tremors of his orgasm eased Severus opened his eyes to find Harry panting bowed over him. Sweat covered both of them and Severus reached out to tilt Harry's head up so he could kiss him. While they kissed Severus flipped them over so Harry was on his back and gently withdrew from Harry's body. Severus broke the kiss to pad into the bathroom to grab a flannel. When he returned to the bedroom Harry had gotten out of the bed and turned the blankets down. Severus cleaned them both up, tossed the flannel into the hamper, climbed into the bed and dragged Harry in with him. Severus reached down to pull the blankets over them and gathered Harry close. Harry molded himself against Severus and their arms wrapped each other tight as their legs tangled together under the blankets.
"I'm never going to let you go again." Severus whispered into the silence. "You're mine."
"Yours forever," Harry murmured into his chest. "Now go to sleep."
They let sleep claim them content in the knowledge that neither was going to be alone for a very long time. Neither man noticed the happy glow that leaked out from between them. The light emanated from the Snape family heirloom around Harry's neck, the pendant generations of Snapes used to bind their mates to them. With their declaration the two sleeping men guaranteed themselves a lifetime together.