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Ashes of Armageddon	By : emilywaters Category: Harry Potter > Slash - Male/Male > Harry/Snape Views: 96542 -:- Recommendations : 0 -:- Currently Reading : 1
Disclaimer: I do not own Harry Potter, nor any of the characters from the books or movies. I do not make any money from the writing of this story.

Chapter List
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A Hero's Welcome

Severus awoke to the sensation of someone's fingers locked with his. Severus recognized his lover's touch at once, and gave Harry's hand a gentle squeeze.

�Hey there,� Harry whispered.

�The children?� The automatic question fell off Severus' lips at once, before he could think of anything else.

�Safe,� Harry assured him. �They are sleeping. Al is shaken up, Hugo is faring somewhat better. But they are both going to be fine. You did it.�

Severus opened his eyes and allowed his eyesight to adjust to the dimmed light of Hermione's guest room.

He was home, and Harry was sitting next to him, scrutinizing his face intently. His mind reeled at this stunning realization: he made it. He survived. He hadn't expected to...

He sat up abruptly, and felt instantly lightheaded and dizzy.

�Easy now,� Harry said softly, offering his arm for support. �How are you feeling?�

He wanted to equivocate, and deny the lingering discomfort and ache, but he decided that in the last few days, he had told enough lies to last a lifetime.

�Rough,� he admitted reluctantly, �but I am definitely on the mend.�

�Yes, you are,� Harry said. �Hermione wanted to take you to St. Mungo's, but I wasn't too sure about the healers there at this point. Some of them might still be working under Security Council's orders, and we just had Pomfrey come in and check you out. She said you were going to be fine.�

�That's good,� Severus approved automatically. �How is everyone else?�

�Fine,� Harry said. �Ron is here. Neville and Luna, too. They are all waiting for you to wake up. You gave us quite a scare, you know.�

�I know,� Severus conceded, making himself comfortable and looking at Harry. For a few minutes they simply sat quietly, with Harry's fingers stroking the back of Severus' hand. He tried to evaluate the nature of the silence that was hanging between them. Was it rife with unvoiced accusations, or unasked questions? He could not tell easily.

�I suppose we should talk,� Severus said finally.

Harry's smile was a little sad, but truly genuine. �You don't need to explain yourself to me, you know. I understand why you did it this way.�

�You do?� Severus was surprised by Harry's easy acceptance.

�Yes. I don't like the fact that you went alone, without backup, and I am still scared that I nearly lost you, but... I understand.�

Severus nodded silently and looked around. His gaze stopped on the Elder Wand sitting on the bedside table and he smiled slightly.

�You found it,� Severus said.

�We did,� Harry confirmed, handing the wand to him. �It was blasted about twenty feet away by the explosion from the wards. One of the Cockatrice was sitting on top of it, hissing Parseltongue obscenities at anyone trying to get it,� Harry added with a grin.

�The Cockatrice,� Severus remembered. �How are they?�

�Not exactly happy with you,� Harry said, �but they'll get over it. They are being moved back to the island as we speak.�

�That's good,� Severus said approvingly.

�Do you want to venture out and say hello to everyone?� Harry asked. �If you are up to it, that is.�

�I'm up to it,� Severus said firmly, standing up.

They entered Hermione's living room together, and Severus stared at the young people gathered in silence. Luna and Neville were sitting on the couch, with Luna's head resting against Neville's chest, and his arm wrapped around her. Ron was sitting in one of the arm-chairs, Hermione nestled in his embrace.

For a brief moment, everyone gazed at Severus in awed silence, and then, spontaneously and wildly, everyone cheered and applauded. Hermione jumped up and rushed to him, gathering both Severus and Harry into an awkward hug.

Ron and Neville followed her suit, and for a minute it was uncertain who was hugging whom, and who was laughing, and who was crying, nor did it matter. Severus made his way cautiously to the couch, and Harry sat next to him.

�Tell me what happened,� Severus asked.

�There really isn't much to tell,� Hermione said. �We followed your instructions to the letter. By the time the children were with us, and the emergency printing of the Quibbler went out, the Security of Council sent a team of Aurors to storm the building and do damage control, except...�

�Except we were ready for them,� Harry said. �We reassembled the Order and Dumbledore's Army, and along with Ron's team, we sent them scrambling.�

�Then, me and Hermione, accompanied by my team, took the children to Wizengamot, and Harry took Dumbledore's Army and the Order and tracked you down,� Ron completed. �Though from the sound of it, you weren't the one who needed rescuing in the end.�

�What do you mean?� Luna asked with slight surprise.

�Oh, it's just that when I got there, there was one dead body at Sev's feet, and the rest of them were shaking in their boots, afraid to touch him,� Harry explained with a slight note of malicious satisfaction in his voice.

�Well, serves them right,� Hermione muttered. �Honestly, trying to use Legilimency on Severus, of all people, what were they thinking?�

�Looks like they forgot who they were trying to fuck with,� Ron said with a grin.

�People can be very forgetful,� Luna murmured, bemused.

�We should get going,� Neville said, standing up, and drawing Luna to get up as well. �We'll hang out with you later, we were just waiting until you woke to make sure...�

�Well, thank you for that,� Severus interrupted gruffly.

Neville and Luna made it to the door, with Ron following them. A quiet conversation ensued, with Ron apologizing for something, Neville giving a strained chuckle, and Luna saying something reassuring. Then Ginny's name came up, and Ron issued a choked sob, and Severus saw out of the corner of his eye Luna reach out for him and hug him tightly.

Hermione touched Severus on the arm and looked up at him, undisguised concern in her eyes. �Do you need anything?� she asked. �Are you hungry?�

�Not yet,� he said tiredly, �but I imagine I will be in the morning.�

�We should all go out for breakfast, first thing in the morning,� she said, obviously trying to keep her voice as normal as possible. �There's a wonderful Muggle cafe that I know...�

�Forget it,� Harry said. �I don't want to be around strangers now. In the morning, I'm cooking breakfast.�

�Burned oatmeal for all us then,� Severus said dryly, exhausted by the emotional turmoil and trying for humor this time. �I can hardly wait.�

�Says the man who keeps liquefied carrots in his fridge,� Harry shot back almost playfully.

�They weren't liquefied, merely aged to perfection,� Severus said solemnly. �Just like me.�

Luna and Neville departed shortly, Hermione and Ron went upstairs, leaving Harry and Severus alone.

Harry came up to Severus from behind, and nuzzled the back of his neck, while wrapping his arms around him.

�Welcome back,� Harry said.

�It's good to be back,� Severus answered absently. �And ... good to see that everyone worked things out.�

�Yes,� Harry confirmed. �Good to see Ron and Hermione back together. Luna and Neville...�

�It's about bloody time, too,� Severus said approvingly. �What brought this on?�

�As Luna put it, life is too short to play hide-and-seek,� Harry said.

�What an odd thing to say,� Severus murmured.

�That's Luna for you,� Harry said. �So say, do you need anything? Can I get you anything?�

�As a matter of fact, yes,� Severus agreed. �You can get me a fresh towel. I am going to shower, and go to bed. And you'd better be there.�

Harry chuckled quietly. �Where else would I be?�

The hot streams of water soothed him and calmed him, like they always had. When Severus stepped out of the shower, and dried himself off, his gaze stopped on his reflection in the mirror, and it was as if a stranger's face stared back at him. He almost did not recognize himself, as he stared at the slave-brand, that he got used to being hidden and obscured.

No wonder the Aurors who captured him thought he was trying to rescue �little Riddle�, Severus thought tiredly, but he was through trying to explain himself, or prove himself. He was what he was � no more, no less.

When he returned to the guest room and shed his clothing, Harry gave him a wary look, likely noticing the change in his expression.

�What happened back there?� Harry asked.

Severus issued a slight sigh. �They were trying to access my memories. Some of the recollections were very vivid.�

Harry paled slightly, but did not ask what recollections Severus was referring to, he understood at once.

�I'm sorry,� Harry said. �Do you want me to give you some space?�

�No,� Severus said softly. �I don't need space. I need you.�

Some time ago, this admission might have scared him, or at least embarrassed him; but now there was not even a trace of discomfort at the admission of need, and no shadow of doubt that his need would be acknowledged and met, to the best of his lover's ability.

Harry stared at him quizzically.

�Touch me,� Severus said. Harry's hand trembled slightly as it reached for Severus' face, brushing the damp hair away from his eyes. Severus chuckled ruefully and shook his head. �Give me your hands, Harry,� he said. Harry obeyed, and Severus pressed Harry's palms to his own chest. �See? I'm still alive. You can touch me. I am not made of glass. I won't break,� he said with a small smirk.

�I know that,� Harry muttered, even as his fingers stroked Severus' body absently. �But � you said, the memories...�

�The memories are just that, memories,� Severus said sensibly. �Both our bodies have been used by Tom Riddle's soul-fragment, and I suppose your lot had been more difficult than mine in many ways. But the bottom line is, we both survived. That's what matters most, don't you think?�

�You are right,� Harry agreed, as his caresses ceased being tentative and became more confident.

Severus smiled slightly and slid off the bed, kneeling before Harry, and pressing his lips to Harry's thigh. Harry shuddered slightly under his kiss, and leaned forward to kiss the crown of his head. Severus wrapped his arms around Harry's waist and continued to kiss, pressing his lips to Harry's abdomen, and then, lowering his mouth to Harry's manhood, that went from half-hard to fully erect in a matter of seconds.

�No,� Harry protested. �You are tired. It's late. You had hellish three days. You should be resting...�

Severus looked up and responded to the kind words with a well-executed sneer. �It might shock you to no end, Mr. Potter, but I do not consider this work.�

Harry gave a strained laugh at that. �You know what I mean... you shouldn't... not after all this...�

�I want to,� Severus said with something like desperation entering his voice, to his own surprise.

�Why?� Harry asked, not bothering to contain his bewilderment.

�To feel that I am alive. To know my own strength. To believe that at the end of the day, after all that had happened, I still have something left to give.�

�I -� Harry stammered, clearly at a loss for words, and Severus lifted his hand, placing a finger to Harry's lips.

�Indulge me,� Severus asked.

When Harry's silence was assured, he moved down, and licked, enjoying the familiar scent and flavor that was distinctly his lover's. Harry's hand roamed down and his fingers carded through the length of Severus' hair, reaching for his hair tie, and taking it off.

His face concealed by the cascade of his own hair, he indulged himself and Harry for a long time, finding the sensitive spots and points of pleasure, and thrilling as his lover's body responded to him.

He withdrew when he sensed that Harry was close, and climbed onto the bed. Harry shuddered slightly at the loss of contact. Severus stretched himself out to lie face down, and parted his legs slightly in silent invitation.

�Oh,� Harry whispered, leaning down to kiss his back, his dry lips sending shivers down Severus's spine.

A moment later, the flattened palm of Harry's hand rested on Severus' backside. Even though they had done that once before already, Harry's touch still seemed to be hesitant and tentative, and perhaps it was not surprising. Their explosive, needy sex the day of Neville's arrest was a mindless and desperate affair, almost accidental. This, however, was different, an intentional surrender, a deliberate taking...

�You must be finding my nervousness very irritating,� Harry said with a small, self-deprecating chuckle.

There had been times when Harry's hesitation and tentativeness grated on Severus' nerves immensely, but that was no longer the case.

�No,� he said gently and he meant it. Why wouldn't Harry be nervous? What man with a conscience could go through what Harry had, and still remain sane, still press on, choosing to confront the reminders of his past day after day, without laying blame onto anyone else?

Severus reached back with his hand, and stroked Harry's in brief encouragement.

He sighed slightly when Harry's lips pressed to the small of his back, and Harry's fingers made their way to the cleft of his buttocks, stroking, and teasing his opening.

Severus shut his eyes, losing himself to the sensation.

He had half-expected for the recollections of violence, helplessness, terrors and abuses to resurface and grip him in this moment of needy surrender, but instead, those memories simply took flight and disappeared from his awareness altogether, leaving his mind serene and untroubled.

Harry's anxiety appeared to have vanished as well.

Harry teased him and played with him, mischievously and gently, but without a trace of malice or cruelty in his touch. Harry's fingertips discovered the small nub inside him, and brushed against it, causing Severus to issue a mindless grunt of pure pleasure. Harry himself appeared to be lost in the moment, as he continued to probe, and kiss and lick recklessly, his tongue caressing the faded scars on Severus' backside.

Severus was so relaxed and lost in the blissful delight that all he could do was follow Harry's guidance meekly when Harry finally reached for his hips to issue a gentle tug and guide him to his hands and knees.

He was marginally aware of something changing between them, as if an invisible wall came crushing down, or old barriers broke down, when Harry's erect member entered him, meeting almost no resistance. When Harry began to thrust, the sensations became overwhelming, nearly to the point of being blinding. When Harry pulled out of him, it felt almost like an abandonment, when Harry dove back, Severus' entire body welcomed him back. Harry's hand snaked underneath Severus' belly and found his cock, giving it a firm stroke with every thrust.

Harry managed to time it perfectly, somehow, as they climaxed together, and Severus folded under his weight. They lay in silence for a few minutes, as Harry's fingers traced the sticky release off Severus' abdomen, and then, Harry brought the stained fingertips to his own mouth and smiled devilishly, licking the milky fluid off.

�Naughty brat,� Severus murmured, his mind still reeling from the aftershock of his orgasm.

�Exceptionally,� Harry confirmed. �You should put me in detention, or something.�

�If only I thought a detention would do any good,� Severus smirked, and rested his head on Harry's shoulder. �I am afraid I will have to settle for or something.�

�I think I can live with that,� Harry said sleepily. �Severus?�

�Hmm?�

Harry's hand stroked his back, and his lips pressed to Severus' temple.

�You really scared me when you went off on your own like that,� Harry said, but without a trace of accusation in his voice. �I know I've told you you could come and go as you please.... but... do you think you are done running?�

�Yes,� Severus agreed. �Never again. I am done.�

A brief silence ensued, but Severus could tell that Harry was pleased by his response.

�Well then, good night, my hero,� Harry whispered.

�Not your hero,� Severus corrected, but not in a contentious tone of voice. �Not anymore. I am done being a hero, or a tool, or a servant. Now, I am just yours.�

To Be Continued...

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Ashes of Armageddon