All That You Leave Behind

How we spoil you! We’ve only just posted chapter 36, but this wanted to be written, so it was done!



Anon – We are aware that Anon stands for Anonymous. But can we just give you an excerpt from this chapter with certain key changes:



Anon glanced at the door, hoping whatever Anon was cooking was complicated.



Kneeling down, he stared hungrily at the picture. It was a torn photo, half of the picture he had found in Grimmauld Place so many years ago, back when Anon had still been alive. There was spellotape along the ragged edge, and, across the bottom corner of the image was the faded signature, long ago torn from a letter written by Anon.



See how irritating it is to try and work out who the people are? Just make up a name! Do you really think our names are actually “Queen” and “Angst”?





For Anon. No, not you, the other Anon.





Harry swallowed hard. It felt like a gang of pixies was having a party in his stomach. He crept forward slowly, scarcely daring to breathe. Downstairs he heard the clatter of pots ad pans and knew Severus was occupied for a few minutes. Drawing a deep breath he pushed open the door and stepped into Sev\'s suite.



He remembered, from those long ago days when he had been caring for Severus at Spinner\'s End, that there had been a photograph of Lily in Severus\' bedroom. That would be the logical place to keep any mementos of her – with that picture. Surely he had brought it with him when he moved?



At Spinner’s End, he had spent so many hours staring at that picture, never quite daring to remove it and take a closer look. As close as they were now, Harry knew it wouldn\'t be a problem now, had he asked. But he hadn\'t asked, he had crept in, and was searching Severus\' room without his consent or knowledge.



He just hoped that Severus had brought the pict...ah! There it was! On a low table, facing a pair of high backed, comfortable chairs.



Harry glanced at the door, hoping whatever Severus was cooking was complicated.



Kneeling down, he stared hungrily at the picture. It was a torn photo, half of the picture he had found in Grimmauld Place so many years ago, back when Voldemort had still been alive. There was spellotape along the ragged edge, and, across the bottom corner of the image was the faded signature, long ago torn from a letter written by Lily.



Eyes pricking with tears for a loss he could never fully appreciate, Harry tilted the frame forward and unhooked the back.



The wood slid off and he found himself staring at his own face!



Harry noticed that his own face didn\'t move. Curious, he nudged it with a finger, and was surprised at the total lack of reaction.



Harry had never seen a magical photo that didn\'t react when touched. He wondered if perhaps a spell had been cast to keep it still.



But that made no sense! Why would Severus have a picture of Harry hidden so that it never appeared?



Confused, Harry opened out the photograph, and had to suppress a cry of triumph. He had known it! There, sandwiched between his own visage and Lily’s, was a tiny glowing bubble containing six dark red eye lashes.



Feeling sweat break out on his brow, Harry delicately pointed his wand at one of teh lashes and summoned it. It made the side of the bubble bulge before it poked through. Then it floated gently into Harry\'s wet hand.



He stared in amazement and wonder at this tiny remnant of Lily Potter. This had been part of her, and soon, Harry would use it to give Severus that which he most desired...



Downstairs, Severus was quite content to cook the evening meal. He knew how hard Ginny and Harry worked, and, to be honest, he enjoyed the measuring and mixing. It as like potion making! He thought about his picture of Lily, which sat, facing him when he settled in the evenings. And of course, the picture hid a secret...



It had taken him some time to correctly spellotape the two different pictures together so that Lily could move into Harry\'s photo, and vice versa. Severus, not being a total idiot, had charmed the image of Harry to only move when Severus was alone. Thus, in an evening, alone with his drink, he could look at the man he ached for, with none being any the wiser.



Harry stared at the eyelash. It wasn\'t too late. He could return it, now, put the frame back together and Severus would never know.



And Severus would never get his one time with Lily.



Harry gulped. Could he do this?



Alcohol he thought, Definitely alcohol Sev will know it\'s not really Lily, and, will probably go mental, if he\'s sober. But... if he\'s drunk, then his self control will be less...



Harry flushed a little at the idea of a drunk Severus - one whose self control was lowered. Harry wanted to take advantage of that state, and, he was, really, with his plan.



Harry tiptoed out of Severus\' room, after he had put the photo back into its frame, and went into his own room. He grinned as he pulled a vial from his battered rucksack. The vial was full of green sluggishly moving liquid.



"Severus..." he said softly, "you\'re going to have a night to remember!"



*****************



The days until Ginny left were busy for Harry, but also never ending! He could hardly wait until his wife had left, yet knew he would miss her, and was apprehensive about what might happen.



Ginny had arranged for James to stay with her mother, saying, "You boys won\'t want o be bothered with a baby!"



Harry had argued, but not too strenuously! And now, Ginny was due to depart in twenty minutes – her hotel reservation was booked to begin then. Her bags were packed, her notebooks stuck out of her back pocket, and a meal was sitting on the table, waiting for the two men to eat it after she\'d gone. Ginny herself was too excited to eat, and Severus had thoughtfully made himself scarce so that the husband and wife could have a few moments privacy before she departed.



It seemed hours and seconds to Harry\'s tortured mind before she was leaning in for a kiss, which he returned with barely concealed fury, confusion making him more passionate than normal. Then she was twirling on the spot and telling Harry not to worry about her. Abruptly, in a heartbeat, she was gone.



The house seemed suddenly very still, and much too small to contain the two men.



Severus had entered just as Ginny had left and had waved to her. Now he slid an arm around Harry\'s back. "She\'ll be just fine, you know." Severus reassured Harry.



The younger man nodded and tried not to relax into Severus\' arms. "Food?"



Normally, Severus and Harry had no problem conversing, but for some reason, tonight, they struggled. Long gaps were filled with the sounds of knives and forks being pushed across plates. Neither lifted their forks to their mouths.



Harry fidgeted endlessly; Rising and fetching bread, then butter, before returning them untouched. He picked up his fork. Put it back down, reached for his glass. Drained it and rose to re-fill it. The jug on the table was empty. Harry had drunk glass after glass, seeking to wet his arid throat.



Severus watched the younger man with intense eyes. He followed every movement that Harry made. Watched as the glass went again and again to those lips. It made his own throat dry to look at that wet mouth. He picked up his glass, relishing the coldness of it against his overheated skin, and took a gulp.



Harry\'s head flashed towards him, staring at those thin lips as they stretched around the tumbler.



The meal, as lovely as it was, was inedible to those two men, facing a night without Ginny. Facing a night with just the two of them. Alone. Together.