• 1-Chapter 1
• 2-Chapter 2
• 3-Chapter 3
• 4-Chapter 4
• 5-Chapter 5
• 6-Chapter 6
• 7-Chapter 7
• 8-Chapter 8
• 9-Chapter 9
• 10-Epilogue

He slid onto the ground below him, placing his head on his knees. I don’t. I do not deserve him. He sighed. Now, if only he could convey that to Harry…

~*~

Severus woke cold and stiff the next morning. He had spent hours in the cool night air thinking about Harry. When he had finally returned to Albus’ cabin, he was too drained to do anything more than change and crawl into bed. He decided it was time to do what he had come there for. He got out the fishing gear and headed to the lake.

He set up a chair on the little dock and set up his rod. He couldn’t remember the last time he had gone fishing. He had forgotten how relaxing it was. All his worries faded to the back of his mind as he cast out. He smiled as he felt a tug on the line almost immediately. He settled back in his chair after taking it off the line and setting it free. He wasn’t a big fish eater, so most of the fish would be returned to the lake for someone else.

After several hours, Severus felt the weight of a stare on his back. He tried to ignore it, but found himself becoming more and more anxious.

“You might as well come out, Harry. I know you’re there,” he said with as little emotion as he could. He still didn’t know what to say to the young man.

“Why did you push me away?” Harry’s voice drifted over him like a dark cloud.

“Because I don’t deserve you,” he said softly, cringing at the pain he heard in his own voice. He waited for Harry’s response, not daring to look at him, but only got silence for several moments.

“SEVERUS SNAPE THAT’S THE STUPIDEST THING YOU’VE EVER SAID TO ME!” The intensity of Harry’s anger startled Severus. He stood up so fast, he knocked his chair over, the fishing pole forgotten in his hand. Looking at Harry finally, Severus could see the rage that filled his every pore.

“How dare you! You, of all people! The only person in my entire life who did NOT treat me as some fucking God! You have never treated me as anything other than Harry FUCKING Potter!” Harry was seething with fury, his eyes blazing right through Severus.

“How dare you put me on a pedestal and say I’m too good for you. I’m as flawed as any other man. I have made my share of mistakes, too, you son of a bitch! You deserve to be happy as much as anyone else, but you’re too damn stupid to see your own worth.”

Harry stepped up to him, noting the tears in Severus’ eyes that he had never seen before. “If you dare use that lame-arse excuse again, I’ll hex you into oblivion!” He grabbed Severus roughly by the back of the neck and pulled him into a kiss.

“I love you, Severus Snape,” Harry said with a hitch in his voice when he finally released Severus’ lips. “Don’t you ever say I’m too good for you!”

“I… I love you, too, Harry.” Severus let go of all the emotions he had been harbouring and allowed himself to sob into Harry’s shoulder.

Harry pulled back and took Severus’ face in his warm hands, brushing away the tears with his thumbs.

“I won’t let you retreat from me again, Sev,” he whispered against Severus’ lips before kissing him again, tasting the salt of his tears and tea. He let go when he felt Severus jump and turn toward the lake.

Severus’ arm was nearly pulled out of its socket when the pole he had forgotten about gave a sudden lurch. He was certain he’d have fallen over if Harry hadn’t been holding him. Harry giggled and wrapped his arms around Severus’ waist, holding tight. Just as Severus began reeling in the fish, the line snapped.

“Humph, got away,” he mumbled.

“But you won’t!” Harry kissed his neck, sending shivers through his body and soul.

Severus dropped the pole onto the dock and turned in Harry’s embrace. Harry’s tongue slid up his throat before diving again into his mouth. Severus moaned with pleasure as Harry’s hands roamed down his back and came to rest on his arse.

“Isn’t it a little warm for this,” Harry whispered as his fingers trailed back up Severus’ body and began undoing the buttons of his Muggle jacket.

“Why, Mr. Potter, are you getting a little hot?” Severus asked with a gasp as Harry bit down on his neck.

“Maybe a little,” Harry snickered, relishing the clean, fresh scent coming off Severus’ skin in the open air.

“Hmm… I know just how to cool you down…”

“Oh?”

Severus turned them slightly, then gave Harry a push, throwing him off the dock into the cold lake water below. He howled with laughter at the astounded look on Harry’s face as he surfaced.

“BUGGER!” Harry yelled. Before Severus could move, Harry grabbed his ankle and pulled, knocking Severus onto his back with a thump, then pulled him into the cold water. They were both laughing as they resurfaced, holding each other tight.

Standing up in the water, which barely reached their waists, Severus jumped at Harry and wrapped his slender legs around the slightly shorter wizard’s waist, his arms around his neck.

“I missed hearing your laughter,” he said, staring seriously into Harry’s emerald eyes.

“I missed yours, as well. I missed YOU, Sev!” Harry held Severus close as they kissed again, lips moving in a long lost rhythm.

Harry wondered if now would be a good time to tell Severus he had finally accepted the DADA position. He decided it could wait until the end of summer. No need to scare the man just yet. He smiled into the kiss just before letting his knees give way, dropping them back into the cold water.

A/N: On behalf of all my fellow authors at the Harry Potter/Severus Snape Round Robin, I would like to thank everyone who's reviewed this story and encouraged us to go on. We appreciate every review that's come our way and thank you for your patience while we whipped our muses into shape after they've gone AWOL on us. Currently we are concentrating on three of our current story lines. We haven't abandoned the others, we're just concentrating on three to end them since we've gone a little overboard when we started. Currently we are focusing on 'Walking in His Shoes', 'A Wedding Story' and 'Hex-crossed Lovers'. Thanks once again for reading and please keep reviewing.

With much thanks,

Corgi1