"Does it bother you?"

Severus looked up from his book and into worried green eyes.

"Does what bother me, Mr. Potter?"

Harry fidgeted in his chair as he struggled to find the right words.

"Us, I mean."

Dark eyes narrowed in exasperation. "What about us, Potter? I wish you would learn how to form your questions before speaking. It's a rather tedious task to attempt to decipher your ramblings."

"Severus—"

"Potter, what is it that you want to say? I was enjoying my book until you interrupted me for nonsense. What is it?"

"What they say about us," Potter asked tentatively, "does it bother you?"

Severus' face softened in understanding, but only for a moment. "No. It does not. I am quite used to being vilified and remarked upon."

"But…these last few weeks have been… Well, they've been down right horrid to you!"

Yes, Severus was quite aware of The Daily Prophet's newest smear campaign against him. It started the moment it was uncovered that The-Boy-Who-Lived and the wizarding world's least favorite Ex-Death Eater Potions Master had secretly been married in a private ceremony just before Voldemort's demise. They had managed to live five wondrously happy years without anyone finding out. It was by accident that they were discovered, but once they had, everyone felt the need to comment on the suitability of their marriage.

He knew that Harry was outraged at the things being said about them: that he had drugged Harry into marrying him, put him under Imperius, or worse. In the latest affront, someone had drawn a caricature of Harry and himself and labeled it "Beauty and the Beast: Love or Imprisonment?" It broke his heart a little to see Harry so affected by the public outcry.

"It doesn't matter," Severus said brusquely. "They don't matter!"

"I'm so sorry Sev. Maybe it would be better if I just lef—"

"Don't you say another word," Severus demanded, cutting Harry off with a look. "You will not leave me. You are mine, do you hear? Their vile words will not rob me of the one thing…they will not take you from me. Are we clear?"

"Yes," Harry said softly as he crossed to Sev's chair and fluidly sat in his lap.

Severus looked into his husband's eyes. "I know that I am not a…nice man, but Harry I swear I do—"

Callused fingers silenced him with a gentle touch to his lips.

" I know you do, as I do you. You will always be my Prince, no matter what they say."

Later that evening, with Harry's head on his bare chest, their bodies entwined after their frantic coupling, Severus found peace. He had his Beauty, his love, his life, and his Happily Ever After and no one could take that away from them.