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A Marriage of Convenience	By : NinaSweets Category: Harry Potter > Slash - Male/Male > Harry/Snape Views: 159311 -:- Recommendations : 6 -:- Currently Reading : 45
Disclaimer: Harry Potter characters and places all belong to JK Rowling this is a not for profit story.

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Oh dear three months into the new year to get out a new chapter. Sorry for the wait gang, your wonderful reviews helped kick start this chapter but I got stuck in the middle and it just wouldn’t flow properly. Anyway, thank you to my lovely reviewers, Jan, djaddict, cat, SlythindorMalfoy, Stacey, cullengal101, Sablesilverrain and jules3677 for your kind words. On with the story!

Chapter Thirty-One

Snape had very interesting teaching techniques. He had been thoroughly tortured during his Occlumency lessons into a highly excited state and then promptly kicked out into a cold hallway with a door slammed in his face. Snape was trying to teach him to turn off his physical responses to his kisses which was just stupid, annoying and oh so incredibly frustrated. The man insisted that turning off his physical response would turn off his mental one but Harry didn’t see why he had to be sexually frustrated by it.

His life back at Hogwarts hadn’t really changed much since returning from winter break. Except for the awful Occlumency lessons, Umbridge was still causing havoc driving everyone crazy with her role as Hogwarts high inquisitor. She had brought in over a hundred new and ridiculous rules and breaking any of them could result in detentions or expulsion if she was feeling like it. Harry had been treading very carefully around her.

Right now Harry was sitting on Snape’s desk as the man stood between his spread legs thoroughly ravishing his mouth. Harry gripped the desk tightly in his hands so hard his knuckles were turning white. Trying to turn off his body’s physical response was impossible. Most of the time it acted without him even thinking about it.

Harry let out a yelp of pain as Snape zapped him with a stinging hex.

“What?” he gasped and Snape raised an eyebrow.

“Where are your hands?” Snape asked.

Harry pulled his hands off Snape’s body with a guilty smile. It was probably a good thing Snape had noticed, his right hand had been heading straight for the man’s trousers.

“Sorry,” Harry said quietly.

“This isn’t working Potter, you have no control,”

“Of course I do! I sit in your class and I don’t have one sexual thought about you through it all! I have extremely good control.”

“What’s that on your hand?” Snape snapped.

Harry hid his injured hand behind his back and shrugged. Umbridge wasn’t one to change up her detention tactics.

“Another souvenir from our esteemed High Inquisitor?” Snape guessed correctly.

“Yes,” Harry mumbled.

“You can’t control yourself. She riles you up and you snap back like a rabid guard dog!”

“But-”

“SILENCE!” Snape roared and Harry leant back out of instinct trying to get away from the noise.

“You don’t think the rest of us are immune to her irritations do you? She’s the proverbial fly in the ointment. She’s pissing us all off, students and staff alike. The difference between everyone else and you is that they all know when to keep their mouths shut!”

“I was-”

“QUIET!”

Harry bit his lip to hold his words in and let Snape go on.

“If you come in here again with a fresh wound from Umbridge you are going to find out exactly why Dumbledore doesn’t want me teaching Defence Against the Dark Arts!”

Harry sat silently and Snape calmly settled himself back into his stern expressionless mask.

“Your homework is not to rise to Umbridge’s foolish bait, am I clear? I want nothing coming from your lips in her presence but ‘yes Professor’ or ‘no Professor’, understood?”

“Yes Professor,” Harry said quietly.

“Good. Now go before I decided to see if I can slap the stupid from you.”

Harry slid off the desk and skirted around the man heading off upstairs to Gryffindor tower.

Ron and Hermione had waited up for him making Harry smile.

“Hey guys,” he said and sat down in beside Ron on the couch.

“How was Occlumency?” Hermione asked.

“Terrible, I can’t keep my mouth shut. Snape said if I showed up again with fresh wounds from Umbridge he’d show me why he’s not allowed to teach Defence Against the Dark Arts,”

“The man is an excellent duellist,” Hermione offered. “He’s also right, you have to stop letting Umbridge get to you, you’re only making it worse for yourself.”

“I know I know,” Harry muttered tiredly. Hermione had been saying some various incarnation of that phrase since she noticed his injured hand.

“Let’s move on to a nicer topic shall we?” Ron suggested and Harry smiled nodding in agreement.

“We can all exchange Charms essays and offer corrections to one another,” Hermione said brightly. Harry and Ron stared at her blankly and her face fell a little.

“You haven’t started them have you?” she asked and both Harry and Ron shook their heads simultaneously.

“Well you can use mine as a reference I suppose but don’t forget to change the wording, Ron,” she said his name with a pointed glare at him, “Flitwick isn’t stupid, he knew you copied mine.”

“I’d just run out of time,” Ron said with a careless shrug.

“Honestly Ron, how are you expecting to do well in your OWLs if you don’t study? Don’t you want to be an Auror? I know you need at least an O in Potions to get into the NEWT classes and you’ll need that to be an Auror.”

“An Auror?” Harry asked and Ron looked at his knees, scratching his neck awkwardly.

“Yeah, you know, I like helping you help people and stuff and think all dark wizards should rot in a hole somewhere so it seemed like a good choice,” he said sounding kind of embarrassed.

“No, I think it’ll be great,” Harry said with a smile, “you’ll suit it well I think.”

“What about you Harry?” Ron asked and Harry shrugged.

“I don’t know, when I had the career meeting with McGonagall I was leaning toward Auror as well but the rate Voldemort is moving his forces I don’t think I’m going to make it to graduation.”

“Oh Harry don’t say that,” Hermione said sternly. “You’ll feel right foolish when you planned on dying and then don’t. You won’t have anything in place for your future. A future you’re definitely having!”

“Well I’ve never disobeyed an order before,” Harry said and Hermione gave him a playful glare.

“You won’t be disobeying this one I can tell you that.”

Harry walked around the Room of Requirement carefully readjusting people’s grips on their wands to make sure their spells would fire correctly. He stepped over Ron, lying on the floor from where Hermione had knocked him down with a well-aimed stunning spell, and headed to where Neville was having a bit of trouble stunning Pavarti Patil.

“Harry Potter, sir!”

Harry turned to find Dobby standing behind him.

“Hello Dobby,” Harry said

“Umbridge is coming, she’s coming here, she knows sir, she knows!” he squeaked before disappearing with a loud crack.

Harry stared at the spot where Dobby had disappeared. The room had fallen into a deafening silence. Harry spun on his feet to where Hermione and Ron stood, their faces frozen in shock and fear.

“RUN!” Harry shouted.

Everyone bolted for the door scrambling through it and scattering like frightened mice.

Hermione ran toward Harry but he shook his head and shoved the invisibility cloak into her hands. Harry watched them disappear and followed them into the corridor. He held the Marauders Map in his hand watching the dots labelled with the DA members names hurrying off down the stair cases and splitting off into smaller groups. He watched the little over lapping dot labelled Ron Weasley and Hermione Granger heading down a little used flight of stairs to get to the Gryffindor Common room. He noticed the Hufflepuff’s make it down to the hallway with the kitchen where their dormitory was and the Ravenclaw were rushing either to the library, a logical place for a Ravenclaw to be caught with their wands and text books on Defence, or off to the western side of the castle. Harry assumed that was where the common room was. He had never bothered to study the map for other houses common rooms. The map had been made by his father and his friends when they had been at Hogwarts. It contained a highly detailed map of the school and all the secret passageways in and out of the castle. The friends, the Marauders, as they called themselves had spent their seven years here making this map and adding to it as it went along. Harry wondered if his father had discovered the other houses common rooms, they were heavily guarded secrets amongst the houses.

Harry watched the dots move off into the safety of their various spaces and gasped when he saw a jumble of dots heading toward him. One name stood out before he quickly blanked the map. Delores Umbridge.

“Mr Potter!”

Harry turned and saw the familiar pink robes the hideous woman favoured. There was a group of smirking Slytherin’s behind her. Her hand-picked Inquisitorial Squad. Malfoy offered a cocky grin and Harry flipped him off.

“Mr Potter, you have been accused of organising an illegal club, as you know that any type of club not personally approved by me will result in serious punishment,” Umbridge said with a sickly sweet smile.

“I’m here alone, can’t really have a club by myself, well I could but it wouldn’t be a very good one, I’m kind of annoying.”

“We’re going to the Headmaster!” Umbridge snapped and Harry sighed but followed her down to Dumbledore’s office.

Harry calmed himself with a little pep talk, she didn’t catch anyone else. She had nothing to accuse him of; it was before curfew so he was within his rights to wander about the castle alone.

Dumbledore’s office looked the same as it always did, a large circular room full of curious silver instruments that whirled about or made small tinkering noises every so often.

The Headmaster sat behind his desk and unfortunately Cornelius Fudge sat in front of him. At the sight of the Minister of Magic Umbridge brightened considerably and Harry had a feeling this was not going to end very well for him no matter what happened.

“Ah Delores, how are m’dear?” Fudge said with a cheerful grin. Umbridge hurried forward to sit beside him and they had a few moments of polite small talk. Harry locked eyes with Dumbledore over their heads. Dumbledore gave a small smile and looked to his pet phoenix Fawkes who was trilling with excitement at the site of Harry. He flew from his perch and Harry had to hold his arm out as he attempted to land on his shoulder. He was much too big to perch there so had to settle on his arm. It was like having a small heater on your arm, Fawkes just radiated heat and made Harry feel better by simply cuddling in close. Harry smiled and stroked the beautiful red and gold feathers as Fawkes sang a jaunty little tune for him. Once his song was finished he soared back over to Dumbledore and landed on the man’s desk giving another little trill before ruffling himself and examining the candy dishes looking for treats.

“Harry,” Fudge said drawing his attention. “What brings you in here today?”

“Very bad news I’m afraid, Minister,” Umbridge said before Harry had a chance to speak. Not that he knew what he’d say anyway.

“Mr Potter here and his little friends have been having secret meetings all year. They’re training themselves,” she paused here and looked to Dumbledore, “for him.”

Dumbledore raised bushy white eyebrows in surprise.

“Delores, I’m afraid I’ll need more details on this accusation,” Dumbledore said calmly.

Harry hadn’t noticed the other people in the room but they stepped forward now. Harry recognised Kingsley Shacklebolt form the Order but was not meant to know him in front of the Minister so he kept his face blank. The other was probably an Auror like Kingsley as he was wearing the same navy blue robes with a badge inscribed with the initials M.M

Harry noticed a head of curly brown hair hiding in a set of Ravenclaw robes. He frowned and glanced to Umbridge and Fudge. Umbridge was watching the Ravenclaw with a grin on her face.

Well that solved the mystery of how Umbridge found out about the D.A

“Come forward Miss Edgecombe; tell the Headmaster what you told me this afternoon,” Umbridge said.

Harry glared at the head of brown curls. Marietta Edgecombe, Cho Chang’s friend.

Marietta shook her head wildly and let out a small whimper.

“Head up girl!” Umbridge ordered. Marietta raised her head and Harry wasn’t the only one in the room who gasped. Across her forehead was the word ‘SNEAK’.

Marietta wailed and hid her face in her robes again. Harry smirked at her misfortune; he needed to thank Hermione for that brilliant trick.

“Well, Miss Edgecombe came to my office today to tell me about how Potter and another group of rule breakers were holding secret meetings and learning spells.”

Dumbledore was staring at Harry again and Harry had to turn away from the piercing blue gaze.

Then Malfoy was there and gave Harry a triumphant smile as he handed Umbridge a slip of paper. There at the top of it was Hermione’s neat writing. Dumbledore’s Army.

Fudge took one look at it and exploded. He was ranting and raving about how this had been Dumbledore’s plan all along. The nonsense with Voldemort and such to get him thrown out of office so he could be Minister.

Harry instinctively backed up from the noise taking Malfoy and Marietta with him making sure they were all out of the Aurors way. The two wizards were advancing on Dumbledore who simply smiled at Fudge.

“You’ve found me out Cornelius,” Dumbledore said gravely, Harry could see his eyes twinkling with mirth and his moustache and beard were twitching as he tried not to laugh.

“Sir,” Harry said quietly but Dumbledore ignored him.

“I have been training the students to overthrow the Ministry.”

“WHAT?!”

“But Potter-” Umbridge started

“Well it’s not Potter’s Army; it’s mine, Dumbledore’s. You refused to heed my warnings about Voldemort. I will not have my students defenceless because of your blindness.”

“Dumbledore! I’ll have to arrest you for conspiracy against the Ministry,” Fudge declared and nodded to the two Aurors who were still creeping slowly forward.

“Oh well I’m afraid that just won’t do at all, I have many things I must attend to and being put into Azkaban will set me back far too much,” Dumbledore said calmly as he stood up. He was the very picture of calm and collected, the Aurors approaching were very nervous, their wands pointed hesitantly at the Headmaster.

Harry stared at the man, his heart felt like it was stuck in his throat, and he wanted to say something, anything to stop the man leaving but knew he couldn’t.

The next few seconds were chaos, it took a few moments for Harry’s brain to catch up and by that point he was already face down on the floor.

Fawkes swooped letting out a high pitched shriek that shattered the glass around them including the windows. Dumbledore gave Harry a wink and grabbed onto Fawkes’ tail. The beautiful phoenix gave another shriek and then exploded into flames with a blast so powerful everyone was knocked off their feet.

Harry had gone crashing backward into a glass cabinet but the glass had already shattered so he simply smashed straight into the shelves instead. He recovered quickly and pulled himself up to kneel, his hands digging into glass and spindly silver instruments he’d broken in his fall.

Dumbledore was gone along with Fawkes. Harry stared at the smouldering desk in disbelief. Dumbledore was gone. He was gone and he seemed to have taken all Harry’s hope with him.

“Potter!” Snape shouted making Harry jump. “I warned you if you showed up with bloody hands here again I’d flay you alive,” Snape growled but stood aside to let Harry into his rooms regardless.

“This isn’t from Umbridge, it’s from Dumbledore,” Harry replied quietly.

“My, my, he doesn’t do things by halves does he?” Snape chuckled shutting the door with a snap. He turned to face Harry who had sat down on the couch. Harry stared at him blankly and then frowned down at his hands.

“What? No, Umbridge found out about the DA-”

“The DA?” Snape interrupted striding toward him.

“Yes, Hermione suggested that because Umbridge wasn’t teaching any real magic that I should teach some spells I’ve used against Voldemort to those who wanted to learn. We called ourselves the Defence Association or Dumbledore’s Army.”

Snape said nothing to that and simply walked into the bathroom.

Harry sighed and leant back on the couch. Snape had left his teaching robe over the back of his favourite armchair and had been indulging in a glass of finely aged whiskey when he’d interrupted. That explained his irritable mood but then the man was always irritable.

Snape stalked back in and sat beside Harry on the couch, placing various potions, lotions and bandages on the table before them. He took hold of Harry’s wrists and pulled them into his lap inspecting the damage.

“Continue your tale,” Snape said as he set to work carefully removing the shards from Harry’s hands with his wand.

“The DA had been meeting all year in secret, Marietta Edgecombe ratted us out today. Dobby warned us thankfully but I got caught. Umbridge looked like Christmas had come early and dragged me to Dumbledore’s office. They found the sheet Hermione had gotten everyone to sign in our first meeting; she put an enchantment on it so we’d know if we got turned in who did it. Of course it had all our names on it and Dumbledore’s Army at the top, Fudge went nuts and went to arrest Dumbledore,” Harry paused and looked at his hands held carefully in Snape’s.

“Knowing Albus he did not go quietly,”

“No, well he just left… Fawkes exploded or something,” Harry said. The look of incredulity that Snape gave him made him smile.

“Exploded indeed. In dire times a phoenix can teleport short distances.”

“Oh well I suppose your master getting arrested is pretty dire,” Harry said. Snape nodded and carefully began to wipe Harry’s hands with a potion soaked cloth. It stung for three seconds making Harry hiss but then felt instantly better.

“Wow,” Harry said watching his wounds, now free of glass, close with every swipe.

“Yes, for someone who detests potions you certainly benefit more from them then the average person,” Snape said with a pointed look.

“Well my teacher is a complete bastard,” Harry replied mimicking the pointed look. Snape deliberately dug the cloth into his hand much harder than necessary making Harry wince and pull his hand away. Snape gave him an impatient look so Harry held his hand out once more.

“What will we do?” Harry asked.

“About?” Snape shot back, not looking up from his task.

“Er Dumbledore, the last time he left the school Ginny nearly got eaten by a Basilisk.”

“The Headmaster has left the school numerous times. You cannot use one example to justify your insane fears. Besides I have it on good authority the Basilisk is dead.”

Harry shook his head, “The other time Dumbledore left Quirrell tried to steal the Philosopher’s stone.”

“You were here to save the day. Don’t fret Potter; I’m sure there will be plenty of opportunities under Umbridge’s rule to prove your heroics,”

“That’s not what I meant. Dumbledore needs to be here, he keeps Voldemort away.”

“The Dark Lord will not be storming the school. He is much more inclined to work behind the scenes and let various puppets face the masses,” Snape said and Harry looked at him.

“I hate how much of an idiot Fudge is,”

“Politics, Fudge is just someone else’s puppet,”

“Mr Malfoy’s,” Harry said and Snape inclined his head.

“Once, Lucius is too arrogant though, too impatient, he played his cards too early and now Fudge won’t listen to him anymore.”

They both fell silent and Snape continued to clean Harry’s hands. Harry watched Snape’s long fingers work on his hands. Snape was pale all over Harry had found and though Harry was pale at the moment he was tanned in the summer months. His hands were naturally olive toned while Snape’s just seemed to be white, pink or yellow in certain spots. His fingers were long but not dainty or powerless, they were strong and firm working with a steadiness that Harry did not have. He was too jumpy and restless but Snape was like an unmoving rock. If Harry hadn’t felt the body move beneath him as he’d slept on the man’s chest he wouldn’t believe Snape breathed at all.

Snape quickly rubbed a green lotion on his skin and then wrapped his hands up in bandages. His fingers had thankfully escaped any major damage so he wasn’t forced into bandage mittens.

“Can I stay here tonight?” Harry asked.

“No,” Snape said roughly and Harry frowned at him. Snape growled under his breath and pointed to his bedroom door. Harry smiled and headed off to get ready for bed. He borrowed one of Snape’s sleep shirts and crawled under the familiar covers. He hadn’t slept beside the man in months and was actually happy to be doing so. He slept much better next to someone.

Snape came in about an hour later and Harry watched sleepily as the man got ready for bed. The lights were extinguished and Harry felt the bed dip as the man slid in beside him.

“No leech tonight?” Snape remarked softly and Harry shrugged in the darkness. He knew Snape saw the movement.

“I don’t know. It’s not weird for you?”

“It’s very…‘weird’,” Snape answered honestly. He sounded so uncomfortable using Harry’s word choice that Harry couldn’t stop the smile on his face. “You’re young enough to be my child; you’re also my student, the antithesis to my being,”

“The light to your dark? The yin to your yang?” Harry asked trying to keep the laughter from his voice.

“In a way.” Snape conceded and Harry couldn’t help shuffling close.

“You are good for me, very good for me in fact. Too good in some ways. I am very bad for you. I’m not enough to properly be your other half.”

“Are you going to tell me you love me? Because I feel I should put my glasses on.”

“Hardly, Potter, the only way those words will pass my lips is if I’m dying,”

“I’ll hold you to that,” Harry said with a grin.

“I’m sure you shall, if I develop those feelings I will endeavour to show you but I will not whisper silly words in your ears.”

“You’re so romantic,” Harry mocked.

“Can you handle it?”

“Your overly romantic nature? Though it will pain me and embarrass me greatly to be showered with constant sonnets and bouquets of roses I will put up with it for you,” Harry said.

“I appreciate your sacrifice,” Snape muttered and Harry laughed.

Harry finally gave in and shuffled over to Snape’s side snuggling close to the man.

“No longer holding onto those ridiculous notions now?” Snape asked quietly and Harry put his cheek on the man’s shoulder shaking his head so he would feel the movement.

“No, I’m always going to be me and want the things I want but I’m learning… no I’m understanding things better now. It’s not fair asking you to change when I won’t, I’ll just have to hold out for that deathbed confession.”

“Oh I’m sure you won’t have to wait very long with all that’s going on,”

“With all that’s going on I could be dead well before you,” Harry said practically.

“Sounds like a challenge,” Snape said quietly and Harry laughed again.

“Do you care to make a wager?” Harry asked pompously and Snape chuckled.

“Against the Boy-Who-Lived that’s hardly fair, your title is synonymous with survival, keep your money.”

“Good I didn’t know how I was going to give you money if I was dead,” Harry said

“In a will,” Snape said

“Oh yeah, do I need a will? I feel like I need one.”

“If you don’t have one I will inherit everything as I am your spouse,”

“Well we can’t have that; Sirius would blow a gasket,”

“Yes I imagine knowing his childhood nemesis is squandering the Potter fortune will displease him.”

“Do you have money? Not that I care I mean I have enough for the world really but you have a house elf and Ron said only really well to do families had those.”

“No, what money I did have was taken by the Ministry when I was caught and tried as a Deatheater. Now I have only my teachers salary so I have to make ends meet by marrying rich young fools who will buy me the shiny pretty things my heart desires.”

“Oh don’t you worry about that, I will make sure you have all the prettiest shiniest things befitting a man of your station,” Harry said. Snape leant over and kissed him making Harry smile.

“Kisses shut you up,” Snape said and Harry laughed

“They do.”

“I want to sleep.”

“You’ll have to shut me up, I want to talk,” Harry said and was kissed thoroughly into silence.

Harry fell asleep to gentle reassuring chaste kisses pressed across his lips and jaw.

Severus pulled away when he felt the steady rhythm of the boys breathing as he slept. Though it was dark Severus could see the outline of the body beside him. He knew the features on it like the back of his hand having spent a good portion of his life glaring at those features on the faces of his parents. That unfortunate Potter hair sticking up in every direction wasn’t the dark tar of his father but almost a mix of his parents, a black with odd pieces of reddish brown through it from his mother. Those wide almond shaped eyes, so elegant and gorgeous on Lily’s face didn’t seem to be suited for a man’s face but they fit so perfectly above Lily’s petite nose and his fathers upturned lips. Like he was always smiling, even at rest. High cheek bones and a firm jaw that seemed to be permanently gritted in agitation rounded out his face. There was of course that famous scar that had bought all this borrowed time. It was a ticking time bomb. Severus didn’t know when it would go off but it would be far before anyone was ready. Far before anyone would dare to say that he had lived a full life. Then again those who had the privilege of living full lives wasted them. Severus didn’t believe he had lived even a quarter of a full life. He was a selfish person. He saw what hopeless infatuation did to his mother and knew early on that the only person who would look out for him was himself. He gave the boy merely the illusion of choice, there was no way Severus would ever let the boy get away, especially with both their days numbered. No. He couldn’t. He wouldn’t. Give up the only human being who had ever spoken to him freely? Not for personal gain. Give up on someone who kissed him because they wanted to, not out of pity, who found his acid personality amusing instead of disturbing, who wasn’t disturbed by his past but fascinated by it, found his knowledge mesmerising not off putting? Give that up? No. No. He knew Harry Potter deserved more then what he had to offer, he deserved to try all he wanted to in his short life, fall in love (or what teenagers thought was love) with a girl his own age, dream of a future with that girl. He deserved to stress over exams and not Dark Lords, make friends without worrying whether it would wind up getting them killed. Was he going to get it? No. Because Severus was a selfish man and now he had the young man by his side he would never be letting him go. No, Harry Potter was his until the day he died, no matter how soon that was.

Oh I love me some possessive Snape haha. Anyway just a little chapter for you I’m sorry but that’s all I can get out right now. Writers block is awful. Next up I think will be the Department of Mysteries. Though Snape and Harry have changed things a little someone will be meeting their untimely end, I just have to decide who it shall be………

Tell me your thoughts on the chapter or plead for someone’s life or death for the next in your reviews, till next time, Nina.
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A Marriage of Convenience