Previously

'You…are ridiculous,' he muttered, frowning, as if he was suddenly completely unsure of himself. But Harry had never been surer.

'You…are amazing,' he smirked, planting his lips firmly on Severus'.

New Beginnings

Severus felt the kiss like an electric shock that sparked at his lips and coursed all the way through his body. His hands went up and grabbed the back of the hopeless Gryffindor's head, pushing. Their lips mashed closer together as the intensity of their kiss skyrocketed. He felt Harry's sharp intake of breath and relinquished some of his grip. Severus tentatively slipped his tongue along Harry's lips and as soon as he was allowed entrance, he smashed his way inside.

He had been deprived of physical contact for too long, held back from love for too long; he kissed Harry like a starving man eats food. They stumbled towards Severus' desk, and Harry sat down clumsily on the surface as Severus devoured his mouth. Harry moaned softly. He felt sick and gloriously warm and elated all at the same time. The butterflies in his stomach had turned to birds, clamouring to get out. But the kiss – this acceptance of him, this wanting of him – was warming him head to foot.

They broke apart breathlessly and stared into each others' eyes intently for a moment.

'This is wrong,' Severus said quietly. His eyes were searching, as if yearning for Harry to deny it. Harry wanted to deny it, wanted to refute it.

'It can't be,' he whispered. But he knew it was true. They still had to maintain the decorum of a student-professor relationship, in the very least for another month. Harry felt the birds calm as Severus leaned back, looking down at Harry condescendingly.

'You know it is, Potter.'

Harry couldn't help it. After their friendship had grown, after their connection, after their kiss, he was calling him Potter. Angry tears welled up in his eyes.

'Of course, sir,' he spat.

Severus noticed the vitriol in Harry's answer. He leaned over and lifted Harry's chin with a long finger, staring down his nose into Harry's eyes.

'Please call me Severus,' he breathed. Harry swallowed. Hard.

'Only if you call me Harry.'

Severus nodded, once. He made to move back, but Harry caught him.

'Sir…Severus,' he said quietly. 'I just…need to know.'

'Know what?' Severus asked delicately, raising an eyebrow eloquently. Harry sighed, rolling his eyes and tossing his head. He was obviously at a loss for words. Harry stood, grabbed his face, and slammed his mouth into Severus', pushing with so much need, so much desperation, that they crossed the room and knocked into the closed Potions classroom door. Harry left Severus' mouth to trail small, delicate kisses along his jaw line.

Severus grunted, trying desperately to maintain his self control and push Harry off.

'Enough,' he said half-heartedly. The kisses felt so nice. He felt a thrill go down his spine as Harry trailed down the side of his neck. He grabbed Harry's arms firmly and pushed him back. The youth stood back, looking hurt.

'We cannot,' he insisted.

'I know,' Harry admitted, trying to turn away, but Severus held firm.

'P-Harry, you've given me so much,' Severus began. 'Books, potion ingredients, your time, your effort, and now you are offering you, yourself. I do not take this lightly.'

Harry blinked, waiting.

'I will wait,' Severus said slowly, letting the meaning of his words sink in, 'to pursue you, if you will do the same.'

Harry deflated slightly, the breath he'd been holding finally released. He grinned and Severus felt his heart lighten.

'I'd wait a whole 'nother year!' he said jubilantly.

The corners of Severus' mouth threatened a smile.

'We will keep our chess appointments and Occlumency lessons as they are,' Severus continued, reluctantly letting go of Harry's arms. 'Perhaps we could add a night to enjoy dinner in one another's company?'

Harry smiled, then looked thoughtful.

'No more antidotes?'

Severus couldn't help the smirk this time.

'No, I'm quite certain you are incurably crazy.'

'Good,' Harry told him. He gathered up his bag, then, with another small smile gracing a rather red face, Harry made his way past him and left.

'That wasn't so bad,' Severus admitted out loud, once he was alone, 'for an Occlumency lesson.'

Harry's days were full. Quidditch was finally over, with Gryffindor bringing home the cup. Draco Malfoy looked like he was sucking on lemons for a week afterwards and didn't even have anything snide to say to Harry. Ron was talking to him again, but Harry was terrified to tell him about the new Wednesday night dinners, or the kiss. He had told Hermione, of course, who was perfectly scandalized by Harry's account of the kiss.

'But he's a professor!' she had exclaimed.

He placated her by telling her their deal.

Harry and Hermione were walking on eggshells around Ron, careful not to let anything slip. It was tiring, what with everything else they had going on.

Classes were growing more and more busy, with more assignments, more practicums, more essays. Hermione had drafted up version three of a study schedule, fine tuning it to what she believed each of them needed to work on the most.

'Ron, you're terrible at these six charms, you need to work on the practical side of them. But to do that, you need to know the theory and the base,' she instructed him. 'Harry, you need to study the plant family Solanacea, and I need to work on my wand work for these defensive spells,' she finished with a sigh, gesturing to their study schedules.

But despite the stress and busyness and the inability to physically further his relationship with Severus, Harry couldn't have been happier. Voldemort was quiet; Severus admitted that he was waiting for the prime opportunity. Dumbledore seemed optimistic, and despite the way the Quidditch cup worked out, house tension was at an all time low.

It was June seventeenth and Harry and Severus were enjoying their fourth Wednesday night dinner together. Severus was an amazing cook, it turned out. Their first dinner, when Severus had tried to give Harry an antidote, had been put together by the Hogwarts kitchen and was botched by nerves and poorly administered potions. Now, Severus was in his element, creating delicious masterpieces for their enjoyment.

'It's really only a useful extension of Potions,' he had told Harry when Harry had expressed his surprise that Severus liked to cook. 'Chopping and dicing ingredients, heating over a flame for the right amount of time. It's a very similar, but generally tastier, science.'

Tonight they were feasting on stuffed pork tenderloin. Harry had helped chop the peaches, apple, cherries, sage and onion for the stuffing. Severus had been in charge of actually baking the thing, and together they had thrown together a crisp tossed salad. Along for the ride were some boiled baby potatoes in a cheesy dill sauce and a bottle of white wine.

'Don't tell the headmaster,' Severus half-smiled as he poured wine into Harry's glass.

The conversation, as usual, turned to the upcoming NEWTs.

'By this time next week, I'll be done my Potions NEWT,' Harry said with a mouthful of potato. Severus frowned.

'If I don't see at least an Exceeds Expectations…' Severus warned.

'I know, I know,' Harry said. 'You'll never speak to me again, right?'

'You need it for your choice of career, do you not? That in itself should be motivation,' Severus told him. He had no intention of holding back communication from the young man, but it would be highly disappointing, especially since Harry was showing such promise in the field.

Harry poked nervously at his potatoes.

'I'm not really concerned about becoming an Auror, really.'

Severus knew where this was going. It had been too quiet for too long. Something wasn't right. Even Severus had to admit that even he didn't know when Voldemort would strike. The tension in the wizarding world was starting to mount again.

'I have no doubt that no matter what, you will be able to vanquish the Dark Lord,' Severus said mildly. 'You need only have faith in yourself and your abilities, and trust in those around you.'

Harry nodded, digging back into his meal.

'Next week it starts,' he said reluctantly at the door when it was finally time to go. NEWTs began on Monday.

'We shall forgo our chess match this Saturday. Devote your spare time to study. There will be plenty of time after your exams for chess and idle chatter.'

'You sound like such a professor,' Harry muttered. Severus smirked.

'I am your professor. For another week and a half,' he added.

The graduation ceremony was quiet. A dinner with invited family was held in the Great Hall, the absence of other students made up for by the presence of parents, siblings, grandparents, cousins, aunts and uncles. Harry was alone. No family had made the trek, and some parents were rather surprised, looking over at Gryffindor table, at Harry Potter, The Boy Who Lived, surrounded by Weasleys instead of his own relatives.

The dinner had been nice. Good food, good friends. Harry and Hermione had been able to avoid the topic of Severus, Potions, his feelings, everything, so the talk was fast and cheerful. Harry sat wedged between Ron and Mrs Weasley, across from Hermione and her parents. Every so often, Dumbledore would walk by, offer congratulations, talk with Hermione about a Transfiguration question and compliment Arthur Weasley on recent work at the Ministry. Dessert was finished by nine, and slowly, the families made their way to the entrance hall.

Hermione melted down first, tears leaking from her eyes as she hugged Professor McGonagall.

'There, there, Ms Granger, you are always welcome to visit,' she said kindly, patting the bushy-haired young woman on the back.

Ron seemed rather pale and miserable when the realization came to him that this was his last moment in Hogwarts as a student. Harry felt weak and shaky, even though he had already made arrangements with Dumbledore to stay at the school over summer. Even though he was staying, he was no longer a student.

They went around to their various professors, saying goodbyes and receiving well-wishes in return. Hugs and smiles were exchanged. Professor McGonagall remained stoically misty-eyed, but never did her tears fall. Dumbledore, however, had an unabashedly wet face as he hugged his students farewell. Ron, Harry and Hermione made their way through their professors, coming at last to Severus Snape.

'Well, sir, I guess this is goodbye,' Hermione said wistfully, snuffling. 'You were an amazing professor. Really.' She nudged Ron in the ribs and he nodded.

'Oh, yes. You really knew how to teach,' he added lamely. Hermione didn't try to hide her eye roll. Severus shook Hermione's hand, but made no move to take Ron's, and Ron made no move to offer.

Hermione convinced Ron to move away with her, towards Dumbledore and the front door, keeping him distracted enough not to notice Harry staying behind.

'Sir, it's been a pleasure,' Harry said confidently, holding out his hand. Severus took it with a smile. They had already been given their results so all the graduates could start their job searches over the summer. He had received an 'outstanding' in Potions. Severus couldn't have been more proud.

'It certainly has,' Severus said shortly, taking Harry's hand and pulling him close to whisper in his ear. 'My quarters, eleven o'clock?'

'Done,' Harry said firmly, pulling away. They nodded and parted ways.

'And here is Mr Potter!' Dumbledore gestured fondly as Harry joined his two friends in front of the headmaster. 'You three have something very special, you know.'

They all smiled at each other, Hermione tearing up again already.

'I see many students make and break friendships over the years, but few remain with the same strong bond that you have,' Dumbledore said, with a meaningful look at Harry. 'Don't let anything come between it.'

Hermione rushed forwards first, burying her crying face in Dumbledore's beard before anyone could stop her, arms clamped round his middle in an undeniable vice grip. Ron rolled his eyes, but stepped forward to hug the headmaster nonetheless. Harry grinned at Dumbledore and received a bright, twinkling smile in return. He joined the hug and instantly felt enveloped in warmth and comfort.

You need only have faith in yourself and your abilities, and trust in those around you.

Harry stepped through the portrait, unsure of what he would find within. He feared finding multitudes of candles and a Barry White record playing, with Severus waltzing out of his bedroom in a silken green robe. Thankfully, Severus' quarters looked precisely as they always did, as did Severus. He was in the kitchenette, turned away from Harry. When Harry went to him, he turned and offered him a slender champagne flute, filled with the sparkling beverage. Raising their glasses, Severus offered a toast.

'To new beginnings,' he said quietly. They tinged their glasses together and drank a small sip.

'So…' Harry said coyly, 'now that we're not student and teacher anymore, what's going to happen next?'

Severus took a deep drink from his champagne and smiled.