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Seraphim Beneath The Christmas Tree	By : starstruck86 Category: Harry Potter > Slash - Male/Male > Snape/Ron Views: 8943 -:- Recommendations : 1 -:- Currently Reading : 0
Disclaimer: I do not own Harry Potter nor do I make any money from these writings.

Chapter List
- 8
- 9
- 10
A/N: Eeeee you guys make me so
happy with your reviews. You sure know how to make a girl feel better about a
chapter she�s not sure of!

EvaNone �I know, sorry! *grin*
Read on!

Sheree �you love me really. You
should like the end of this chapter, I think.

LoveLee �A bit longer I�m afraid�
but all in good time, I�d say. Glad you�re still enjoying!

Kai �It would be boring if it were easy, right?

Abbi cee
�They wouldn�t arrest but I can�t see he�d get away without being taken for
questioning which would blow all his cover and that is essentially what S
dreads the most.

Anon �ta very much! Hope you�re
enjoying.

Davinci �I agree with you, I would
have been the same as the MediWitch, wanting out! R is very worried but he�s
just trying to get through the day first. His worry will primarily hit him
later.

Tambrathegreat �I promise that
this will all end happily. I just� well. I make things difficult!

Morganabythesea �Here you go, hope
this alleviates the waiting tension!

hairsprayX12- Hmm� Harry� be a
wanker? �. *intense sarcasm* never! ;)

Lady Zombie �she won�t be happy, but more on that in the
next chapter.

I hope this serves as a suitable follow up. As for Severus�
reaction, remember that the man has been blindsided by his illness, all the
repetitive faces and coming to terms with what happens in this chapter, so his
reactions in this chapter may be somewhat subdued� that doesn�t mean that he
won�t recover his senses at a later date. I also apologise that this chapter is extremely dialogue heavy if that sort of thing isn't your bag. Enjoy! x

----

�What the fuck is she
doing here?!� Harry�s gasp heralded Hermione�s arrival and he blinked at Ron
like he�d gone mad.

Maybe I have. Bitch.
Wish I was dressed properly.

Harry was glaring between them waiting for an explanation
for everything. Ron was leaning back on the closed door to his room with his
arms folded, trying to ignore the fact that he was standing in the hospital
corridor with nothing but extremely thin cotton separating his modesty from the
reporters in the next hallway.

�She�s here because I called her here,� Ron said quietly,
wincing as the speech made his ears ache.

He had decided to wait until all of his Patronuses
had been answered before explaining. Not only did it give him more time to
think, it meant he would only have to get the first push over with once.

�Why?� Harry�s face was incredulous. �You should be lying
down, you don�t look well and you certainly shouldn�t be confronted with her.�

�I don�t have a name any more, then?� Hermione looked at him
contemptuously.

�I called Hermione here,�
Ron said with emphasis, determined to be polite, �Because she was� well. She
deserves to know what�s going on. I�m
not cruel enough to let her read it in the morning papers.�

Ah, shit. Well. It was
good whilst the politeness lasted.

�Weasley, you called?� Kingsley�s voice rang out as he
strode towards them. �You shouldn�t be out of bed!�

�I know,� Ron sighed. �Look. I have some news. Can one of
you cast a silencing charm please?� Harry complied.

�News?� Hermione asked, moving to stand next to Harry
so the three of them faced Ron �it felt somewhat like a firing squad.

�I�� Ron faltered. He thought about just opening the door
and showing them but he owed Harry, at least, much more than that. �Kingsley.
On Christmas Eve you sent me up to the middle of nowhere to investigate magic
being picked up by the sensors, d�you remember?�

�Yes, you filed the report and said it was malfunctioning.�

Man�s got a memory
like a bloody elephant. He couldn�t have forgotten. �Yeah.�

�So?� Harry shrugged.

�My report wasn�t entirely truthful.�

Three blank stares. Oh for fuck�s sake Ron, suck it up and grow
some balls.

�The truth is I found the source of the unexplained magic,�
Ron avoided looking any of them in the eyes. �And it was a massive fucking
shock, because I thought he was dead. We watched him �die�.�

�Who?� Kingsley asked with
interest.

Dragging his eyes up to make contact with Harry�s, he shot a
distinct look of pleading to his best friend. �Severus Snape.�

There was a silence which was beautiful to his aching ears
but terrifying to the rest of him. And then Harry�s hand shot out and lay
across his forehead, obviously checking his temperature.

�I�m not going mad,� Ron made a face and batted it away.
�There�s� well. I uh� this isn�t easy to explain, alright?�

�You should be in bed,� Kingsley looked at him clearly thinking
along the same lines as Harry.

�I know I should,� Ron growled, and his point was proved as
his left ear finally joined in the party and shot a hideous ripping pain
through his head. It was lucky he was leaning against the door for support. �Spells
have worn off,� he hissed, his eyes leaking with the pain.

�You need to be in bed,� Harry reached for the doorknob
behind him.

�No!� Ron cried, throwing his arm out and blocking the way.
�He didn�t die in the Shack. He woke up, healed himself with antidotes he
carried and ran. I met him on Christmas Eve and ever since I�ve been travelling
back and forth between Scotland
and here� we�re� together.�

If his visitors looked surprised before now they were borderline
steamrollered, and Ron wasn�t surprised �it did
sound rather whimsical when put like that.

�Ron, I think we need to get you a little trip to the therapy wards,� Harry
whispered softly, worry blossoming over his face.

�For the last time, I�m
not mad. And if you don�t believe me� he�s in there.� Ron jerked his head
back. �He� well. I was due to visit on Saturday and when I didn�t turn up the
silly fucking bastard came looking for me�� He swallowed. �He�s hurt, badly
hurt, and he has been for years. But he�s been living as a muggle, not really
using magic until I� until I came along� he apparated down here for me, and
he�s� you wait until you see the Aura Scan. It�s��

Ron broke off and looked down at the floor.

�Are you seriously
telling me that Severus Snape is behind that door?� Harry asked him, his face
paling to an unhealthy white.

�Unconscious, but behind the door,� Ron sighed.

�And you didn�t think telling any of us would be a fucking
good idea before now?!�

Harry�s voice escalated and Ron winced at both the pain and
the anger in the man�s tone. �Harry, I couldn�t. He�s been living hidden for
years, it was what he wanted �he didn�t want to come back and it�s only because
of me he�s in this mess.�

�When you say� with him,�
Hermione ventured her first words. �Do you mean��

�In a relationship with him, yes,� Ron raised his jaw and
looked her square in the eye. �I don�t know how it happened, I don�t know why,
other than he� well. He�s sorted through the bloody mess you left behind and
helped me become a person again.�

�I�m not believing anything until I
see it,� Kingsley was looking at Ron strangely. �Do you know how many codes of
the conduct you�ve breached?�

�I know,� Ron shrugged. �Sacked, right? Don�t care, Kings.�

He turned then and looked over his shoulder. �Anybody who�s
going to throw hexes about can fuck off now, understand?�

His coarse vocabulary was aided by the relief tugging at his
body �without it he wouldn�t have been swearing in front of his boss. No matter
what the outcome was, he had told them now. And whilst he felt utterly wretched
at spilling the well kept secret, he couldn�t help how the weight lifted from
his chest. He entered the room, saw George still sitting by the bed, and then
resumed his position at the head, not bothering to wait and see who followed
him in.

�Oh�� Harry�s breaths rose to hyperventilation and he choked slightly. �I
can�t� he��

There was a slight bang as Harry connected to the doorframe
on the way out and the door slammed hard behind him.

�Fuck�s sake can people stop hitting things,� Ron groaned as
his head ached. �My other ear went,� he added conversationally for George,
trying his hardest to hold it together even though Harry had bolted. �Any
change?�

�No,� his brother answered quietly, though his eyes were
fixed on Hermione with dislike. �Why is she here, Ron?�

Ron swallowed and looked down at the man�s head that he
cradled in his arm. �No matter what she�s done recently, at the time we were
all in it together. She deserved to know. And if our
relationship was going to get out� I thought it would be kinder to hear
it straight from the horse�s mouth.�

�Why?� George cried. �She didn�t show you the same
courtesy.�

�I didn�t have to tell him anything!� Hermione frowned. �We
split up, that doesn�t mean my business is his.�

�It was his business you were cheating on him for a fucking year,� George flew
to his feet heatedly, his chair scraping back over the floor and damaging Ron�s
hearing again. �How dare you stand there and tell me that what you did was none
of his business?�

�Typical,� Hermione rolled her eyes. �And I thought Fred was
the mindless one of you two.�

There was a tremulous moment as George absorbed her words
and Ron�s head snapped up, wondering what his brother would do. He braced
himself for the ear-shattering crash that came from the door when George
stormed out and immediately pitied the loss of the one person who knew
everything and had become somewhat rationalised by that point.

�Thanks, Hermione,� Ron hissed. �Thanks a lot.�

�Can we get past the love life trauma for a minute?�
Kingsley barked, and Ron recognised the forbidding tone which had the staff of
the Auror HQ scurrying for cover when it rang through the corridors. �So, he�s
alive.�

Ron looked up and saw large hands smoothing over the metal
frame at the end of the bed. �Yes. Though, with how badly he�s injured
himself��

�And doing illegal magic since the Battle?�

�Not much, tiny things, and he�s been hiding everything from
the Muggles. Kings, look� he doesn�t want to come back to our society. He just
wants to live quietly.�

�And you called me because?�

�You�re� my�� Ron didn�t know how to finish. Friend? Boss? War
Veteran just like him? �I thought if anyone could help us, it would be
you. You and Harry.�

�So is he� does he know everything?� Hermione piped up
again.

�He knows some, but he�s adamant he doesn�t want to hear what
he didn�t know about at the time... He asked after us, our lives� and asked
about some of the people who died.�

�He doesn�t want to know?� Kingsley�s voice was softer then
in its astonishment.

Ron shook his head. �And he didn�t want to come back here,
he�s� well. If you heard him talk about Harry you�d know that aspect of him hasn�t
really changed at all. I think to be honest�� Ron turned and stroked the dark
hair. �I think to be honest, if he had died, he would have been happier.�

�Still tragic then?� Harry breathed
and everyone awake jumped, looking round at him.

�Still tragic,� Ron smiled without humour, stomach flipping
that Harry had returned.

�I�m sorry I� George is outside��

Ron looked up at Harry and saw red eyes and an obviously
scrubbed face. He walked around the side of the bed and looked down into the
slack expression.

�He looks� well. Older.�

�He is older, forty-seven.�

�And you�ve been�� Harry�s eyes lingered over Ron�s hand
which was still sunk into Severus� hair, and then sniffed the air. He met Ron�s
eyes with a flicker of recognition at the jasmine.

�Yeah� I was� well. What I hinted at during dinner on
Friday��

�Understood,� Harry exhaled, looking down at the man who had
saved his life over and over again and loved his mother to, what they had
thought, had been his grave. �But how does he� I
thought he loved��

�I think he still does,� Ron chewed on his lip. �But then I
showed up and I� may have accidentally kissed him and it all went from there.�

�But I remember, and I quote, you saying that he �had a face
only a mother could love�?� Harry frowned.

Ron flushed an ugly red and hissed, �Well, everyone says
unfair things when they�re fifteen, Harry.�

Out of nowhere a deep cough sounded and Ron jumped slightly
when there was movement in his arms. There was more coughing and wheezing, a
crumpled face and deep swallowing, and then Ron found himself looking into onyx
eyes.

�Typical,� he breathed. �You wake up just as he lets that
out.�

�It was the truth,� there was a brittle wheeze left of
Severus� voice and Ron hated it.

�Do you remember where you are?� Ron tried to break him in
easily.

�Hospital. I heard e-everything,�
Severus closed his eyes again.

�I�m so sorry, Severus,� Ron mumbled.

Severus did not answer him and chose to keep his eyes shut,
childishly playing along with the idea that if he did not look at the people
from the past in the room then they would not exist.

�Did you hear about the Aura Scan?�

�Yes. But I� knew��

Ron stared down at him with blazing eyes.

He fucking knew and he
couldn�t have told me quite how badly he was ripped up? Fucking
hell.

�Should have said,� Severus� vocabulary was broken and
short.

�Just� stay quiet,� Ron sighed, and lowered his lips to
place a gentle kiss on Severus� forehead, once more forgetting quite who he was
in front of.

�Who is here?�

�Erm,� Ron shot a nervous look
around the room. �Harry, Kingsley and Hermione.�

Severus coughed somewhat violently in his haste to question.
�Why her?� He didn�t think he could quite stand it if
he had blown everything �his health, his cover and probably his sanity just to
find that Hermione had crawled back to Ron�s bedside and been accepted.

�Because I was doing that �being the bigger person� thing
that we talked about,� Ron looked down at him and was pleased to see a little
colour creeping back into the cheeks, or as much colour as Severus Snape could
get, being pale and slightly sallow on a good day.

�Idiot,� the choked rebuke came out and Harry snorted in
agreement.

�Christ, you just agreed on something,� Ron was suddenly
struck with the absurdity of their situation and his hands gave a wobble.

�Alright?� Harry frowned at him.

�Yeah,� Ron swallowed.

�You should be in bed,� Severus said slowly, and opened his
eyes looking at Ron and only Ron.

�Probably. But you had to go and
get all dramatic didn�t you?�

�Learnt it from you.�

�This is weird,� Harry breathed, raking a hand through his
hair.

�What do you want?� Kingsley asked Ron.

�What Severus wants,� Ron looked up at him. �For him to live quietly and out of the limelight.�

�But you�re you,� Hermione said. �You are in the limelight whether you
like it or not.�

�Which is why I have been travelling to Scotland every
week for half the year,� Ron pointed out. �And I would have carried on doing
it.�

�He�s not going to be well enough to travel,� the MediWitch
slid inside the room. �I�ve got the readings all marked down and this man
shouldn�t be leaving the hospital for a good few months.�

�I�m not staying here,� Severus felt the need to protest
even though the lethargy held his body down and made his words slurred. �Ron,
can you��

�See what I mean?� Ron gestured to him. �He didn�t want to
come back. And here in the hospital� you know what it�s like��

�But he�s in no fit state to discharge himself
and I refuse to let someone this damaged leave.�

�How damaged are we talking?� Kingsley turned on his
business voice.

�Move away from the bed,� the witch instructed and Ron
hopped off to stand by the wall, bringing his hands up to gingerly touch his
ears. The pain had abated a little.

He watched as once again the witch cast the Aura Scan and
then had a fun moment looking at the shock blossom each of the faces around the
bed.

�The black patch undulates when Mr. Weasley speaks to him,�
the witch waved him forward to try and demonstrate.

�You had to go and get all freaky on me, didn�t you?� Ron
sighed. �You couldn�t have just told me about this?�

�What does it mean that it changes?� Harry asked worriedly
as the spell was cleared and the coloured haze faded to nothing.

�I� well. The aura is a complicated thing to explain, and
even more so to heal. It is very like your soul, but with the crucial
difference that it can be continually damaged by outside influences.�

�But other people can harm your soul,� Kingsley pointed out.

�Yes, but� look at it this way. You hit your fist against a wall, it will hurt,
yes? You do it again, it hurts more, because you�re
already injured. A third time, maybe you bruise. The forth, maybe you break the
skin. If you keep going and going, you�re going to wear away at the bone
structure. An Aura is no different. If I were to cast the spell on Mr. Weasley,
he would show prominent redness by his ears as they are damaged, and yellow on
his wrist which he broke when he fell over. It would return to green in a few
days.�

�Nobody tells me anything!� Ron exclaimed, trying to figure
out which wrist.

�But the black patch was once red, but was left too long to
be healed, or it was healed and the damaging action kept happening.�

�And the damage can be physical or emotional?� Hermione asked.

�Even worse, it can be both. But I would say Mr. Weasley,
for whatever reason, makes the hole attempt to heal. I
would hazard a very tentative guess that with continual presence it would heal
completely. Whilst auras can be damaged by outside influences, they can also be
healed by them �which is not so simple for the soul.�

Harry looked at Ron uneasily, then down at Severus who had
closed his eyes again on the bed, letting them talk over his head as though he
were not there.

Probably wishes that
he wasn�t at all.

�Why did you come after me?� Ron breathed. �I would have
come as soon as I could.�

�Thought you had left me.�

The raspiness in Severus� tone
made the words much more blunt than he had intended, he had meant it to come
out softly and emotionally, but he knew that the words would have done nothing
to endear the figures from the past lurking by his bedside to his personality.

But then Severus had never quite understood what he had done
to endear Ron to his personality, either. He coughed and his body shook
painfully. Severus accepted that he was very ill and had done extreme damage
forcing himself to apparate. But that did not mean he
was willing to stay put.

�I want out of here,� he said as loudly as he could.

�Not possible,� the MediWitch ruled.

�But doesn�t� when this stuff happens�� Harry said
tentatively. �I remember when I was in here for... well.�

�He knows,� Ron blushed and looked guiltily away.

�Oh, well. When I was in here because I went a bit mad,�
Harry continued. �When your Aura is affected you have to be somewhere you feel
comfortable for it to heal. If Prof- oh. Um. Snape?� Harry stumbled over his indecision of what to call
him. �If he doesn�t want to be here, he�ll never heal.�

�Well I�m not releasing him to Scotland,� Kingsley said flatly.
�The man needs rest and medical care, which the muggles won�t give him.�

Ron looked up at him and could literally see the cogs
turning in the man�s clever head. He could see sparks in his eyes seeing that
they finally had a missing link to all the Death Eater practices they had never
been able to fully uncover and the final movements of Voldemort.

�Kings, he�s not here for that,� Ron warned. �And I won�t
let you abuse him for your information.�

�What kind of monster do you have me down as?� Kingsley
asked him angrily. �He was absolved of all his crimes and I don�t intend on
throwing them back up. On account of the history I�m even going to overlook the
blatant violation of the laws he must have committed if he�s been living
unregistered. And I�m willing to overlook them for you too. But I�m not willing
to let him just disappear �we owe him more than that.�

�I want him safe,� Ron repeated. �And my job will be no kind
of bargaining tool for you to get what you want out of him.�

�You really care about him, don�t you?� Hermione asked with
a sick kind of fascination in her voice.

�I am not discussing my feelings about him with you,� Ron heard the first real strains
of contempt in his voice.

�Good for you,� Severus wheezed with a slight attempt at a
smile.

�You can go now,� Ron said to Hermione. �I just wanted this
all explained so that it was fair. You have every right to know but this won�t
change anything between us.�

�Or us,� Harry turned to her, eyes stony.

�Please can�t we just be friends again?� Even Hermione
seemed to realise her words sounded incredibly juvenile.

�Maybe if you wanted to be friends you should have told him
a little earlier than three hours before the wedding,� the effort of getting
the sentence out made Severus� breath catch hard in his throat and he coughed.
Ron wondered how long it would be before he brought up blood with the effort.

�Severus, as much as I really love that you�re sticking up
for me,� Ron bit down a grin, �Save your breath. I think it�ll do much better
in your lungs than spouting off at Hermione.�

Ron was still looking down at him when he heard the door
close.

�Why did you call her, Ron?� Harry sighed.

�Because� she deserved to know, like I�ve
said.�

�She deserved nothing but a slap,� Harry snorted. �And what if she��

�Runs to the papers? She won�t,� Ron shook his head. �Not whilst she knows I
remember all her little secrets.� Like all the spells she uses without
permission�

�So what are we going to do with him?� Kingsley asked. �I
understand his reluctance��

�He has a name, and he is here�� Severus was getting angry
at his lack of breath and the way everyone was speaking over him.

�Sorry, forgive me,� Ron was surprised to see his boss
actually redden and look down at the floor. �Severus, we are indebted� and I
know what we��

�Not the time,� Ron ruled loudly. �If
Severus wants to� well. Later if at all, right?�

�Got it,� Kingsley swallowed and Ron was shocked he�d won so
easily. �So.�

�If you were willing to house him safely,� the witch spoke up, �The
Hospital is perfectly capable of treating him. Just needs to be connected to
the Floo and have permission to enter at pre-determined times.�

�Well, that�s sorted then,� Ron looked up nervously. �He can come and
live with me.�

�You are not well yourself,� the witch looked at him
blankly.

�I�ll heal though, and I� I don�t want him with anyone else;
I don�t trust anybody else to look after him.�

�Not even me? I have a huge house?� Harry pointed out.

�Um, Harry, in case you haven�t forgotten� this is him we�re
talking about,� Ron grimaced and nodded down at the prone figure between them.
�The man needs to heal and you�re��

�Oh,� Harry flushed, and looked down at the floor.

�And there is the matter of payment for treatment,� the
witch reminded them. �I am assuming he has no healthcare scheme?�

What might have been a bitter laugh rumbled out of Severus�
throat but it only made him choke again. Ron threw him a disparaging look and
then said, �No, but I can pay.�

�This is why I did not bother to come here.�

�Well you were stupid, weren�t you?� Ron growled at him.

�I would rather he were placed with someone whole and
healthy,� Kingsley commented. �But,� he raised a hand when Ron opened his mouth
to protest. �If Severus consents to staying with you I don�t see how we can
really act to change his mind. It is
his life, after all.�

�Severus?� Ron was afraid of the answer, he wasn�t going to
lie. This was a man who had been alone for years, lived a very simple life since
his departure from the wizarding world and was now faced with months of intensive
healing treatment and moving in with his twenty-years-younger lover. �Choose
what you need, Severus.�

�You.�

Ron caught sight of Harry�s face �he looked as though he
might well have been pushed over with a feather if anyone had had the
inclination to try.

***

�This is unbelievable!�

�I know, Harry,� Ron sighed.

�But he� he died��

�Well, no, he didn�t, that�s the point.�

It was roughly the tenth time that they had had the
conversation in quick succession.

�And now you�re� with him� and you�re��

�Fucking?� George threw in helpfully with a tiny grin.

�I need a drink,� Harry breathed, slumping back in his
chair.

They were waiting in the hospital dispensary for the
necessary medication that Ron was being released with. It had taken a real
fight to get him out of the room to go; he had not wanted to leave Severus. But
the Healers (sworn to secrecy by Kingsley, who had so much power it was almost
frightening) were running more tests and wanted to ask questions which Severus
had clearly wanted privacy to answer. Ron didn�t know whether it was his
presence causing the difficulty or the entourage, he had left reluctantly,
anyhow, under the premise of getting his medication and sending a note to Helen
on Severus� request.

I really thought that
old bint of a ward sister was going to insist on keeping me in here� thank fuck
she didn�t.

His ears were painful, still, and especially sensitive to
loud noises. He would be subject to the same home visits as Severus.

I dread to think what
he�s going to say to me when he comes out of the funk and finds himself in my
flat and known to my entire family, the head of the Auror Squad and Harry.

�Here you are!� There was a loud voice and Ron groaned as
Charlie and Bill rounded the corner into the waiting area. �What the fuck�s
going on? Kingsley�s barking orders, there�s a dead man alive in Ron�s room and
Harry looks like he�s going to throw up in that fake Yucca Plant.�

�Can someone else do it?� Ron pleaded. �I�m all explanation-ed out.�

He leant forward and covered his ears with his hands and
closed his eyes, sighing at the relative quiet and the peace which the darkness
afforded him. He felt quite sure it was the last he was going to be receiving
for a while. Not only was he now faced with admitting his sexuality to his
parents �oh yeah, that�s always going to
be a fun conversation- he also had to explain the live-in invalid.

Talk about jumping out
of the frying pan into the fucking fire.

There was a gentle nudge on his shoulder and he looked
sideways and saw a pair of knees. He sat up and looked at Charlie who gave him
a surprised grin.

�Always have to go one better, eh?� he winked.

�Shut up,� Ron sighed.

�You�re much better at keeping a secret than I ever thought
you were,� Bill commented. �Not like when you were little and everything would
tumble out of your gob the second you shut it.�

�Well, maybe if I hadn�t had five big brothers doing mean
things to me I would never have needed to snitch.�

�Man�s got a point,� Charlie said fairly.

�Is it true you called Hermione, Ron?�

�Yeah,� he replied despondently.

�That took balls,� Bill praised him. �Noble
of you to include her.�

�Stupid,� Harry muttered, rejoining the conversation.

�Well, you�re the king of being both noble and stupid,� Ron reminded him.

�This is true,� Harry stared with glazed eyes at the wall
opposite. �So what do you� what do you even talk about Ron? I�m having a bit of
a brain failure here on the whole relationship part of this.�

�He�s a person,� Ron shrugged. �He doesn�t say a lot, not
the type to sit and inanely gab on,� he pointed sneakily at Charlie and Bill
snorted, �But he�s good company. Especially when he�s pissed
off at someone. He�s quite� witty.�

�Can I shout at him when he�s healthy for the ear?� George
asked with a smile.

�He�ll probably apologise before you can do that.�

�It seems wrong to imagine Snape apologising,� George kicked
his legs out and crossed his feet at the ankles, staring off at the ceiling. �Fred�d be having a bloody field day with this.�

�Can you imagine?� Bill muttered, looking at the floor. �Be
all hell to pay.�

�Aye, probably best that he�s gone,� George commented sadly but
shot Ron a warm smile. �Can�t believe you gave us all the
slip for nearly six months, though.�

�So, when you disappeared when you got signed off work��
Charlie started.

�I spent three weeks in Scotland drinking his whiskey,
eating good cheese and��

�We don�t need to know the last part,� Harry elbowed him in
the ribs. �But right, Ron� do you� once he�s healed,
do you think he�s going to stick around or go back?�

�Depends� if he likes living with me or not.�

�Hell, he�ll have gone before the month�s out,� George
smirked.

�Well you never complained.�

�Snape does know that you have a shadow, right?� Charlie
asked. �Ron with added George is something we�ve all had to get used to��

�He knows,� Ron shrugged. �A couple of weekends ago when you
messaged me I was with him.�

�You came all the way back from Scotland?�
George�s voice took on an awed tone.

�Yeah, brotherly love and all that bollocks,� Ron rolled his
eyes at him.

�Fuck.�

�Awh, you made him cry,� Bill said
with brotherly condescending tones.

�I�m fine,� George growled. �Just now I have to find someone
else�s sofa to sleep on so you three had better just watch out,� he looked
around at his brothers and Harry.

�My sofa not good enough for you any more? Considering that
you�re my �need to bury a dead body� brother?� Ron swallowed dryly, ears
aching.

�Your sofa will always be my preferred of choice, and I�ll
still help you bury anyone you�ve offed if you need
me� George winked. �But I really don�t want to hear you boning Snape. Or is it
the other way round?�

�We are so not
having this conversation,� Harry muttered.

�Amen,� Ron blushed.

***

I knew I should have
stayed in Scotland.

Severus didn�t want to seem ungrateful. He knew that Ron had
worked hard to try and keep his re-appearance from reaching the people who
would abuse the information. It was only natural that his family should know, Ron could not be expected to keep the secret from them
after the events of the day. But as Severus lay in the
basement bedroom, on the thick unfamiliar mattress and beneath the duvet cover
which smelt of Ron, he wished he could get up and walk out.

Being around those people brought back memories which Ron
had not provoked by himself. Just seeing Potter�s face had been enough to turn
his stomach, even though boy had matured to man handsomely. There was just too
much history there for Severus to ever feel normal looking at him again. He had
spent nine years blocking the face from memory, chasing it from his nightmares
and now it had been in front of him in the reality it was no more appealing.

Though he didn�t look
thrilled to see me, either� which surprises me as Ron told me just how ill he
was�

Had he felt on better form Severus would have quipped to
himself sarcastically that Potter�s remorse was merely for show, but even he
couldn�t manage to drum up such vitriol caught in the funk of his illness.

And Severus knew he was ill, that he had really damaged
himself with the ostentatious apparition he had decided to pull. He wished he
could say he didn�t regret his actions, yet lying there he was filled with
nothing but regret.

Ungrateful,
selfish, arrogant bastard. The voice kept calling him names and he
agreed with all of them but it didn�t make him change his mind.

�Severus?� Ron�s gentle voice called out from the door,
which Severus hadn�t seen had opened, spilling light onto the floor. �Can I
come in?�

�This is your bedroom,� Severus wheezed.

�Yeah, I guess�� Ron walked over, placed his hand over
Severus� eyes to shield them and flicked the light on. The sky was darkening
outside but the room had been dark since they�d put Severus there on returning
from the hospital. �Have you been asleep?�

�What do you think?� Severus curved his lips up in a
half-hearted smile.

With much grumbling effort he managed to shift slightly so that
Ron could perch on the edge of the bed, which he did, and looked down into his
tired face.

�Hey.�

The word floated uncomfortably in the ether and Ron cringed
with a shuddering breath at everything that seemed to have changed between them
since they�d arrived home. He knew Severus was ill, but the silence was too
awkward.

�Is everything alright?� Severus asked him. �Or everyone?�

�I guess,� Ron said quietly, raising his hand to press
lightly at his left ear which was hurting despite the painkillers.

�Stop,� Severus muttered.

�Funny how you can still command me from your sickbed,� Ron
sighed. �Look. I�ve been standing outside the door for ten minutes trying to
figure out how to tell you that the hospital has instructed that I feed you to
ensure you�re eating and especially now with your strength as bad as it is...�

�I guessed they would.�

�I�m sorry, Severus,� Ron whispered.

�Do not start apologising�� Severus tested the water in
shifting to sit up but ended up coughing.

Ron got back up and pointed his wand at Severus, shifting
him magically with gentle movements. �I don�t know how muggle doctors deal without
that, you know.�

Head swimming from his elevated position, Severus muttered,
�Painfully.�

Sitting back down Ron levitated the tray he�d brought with
him where he could reach it and set it to hover. �You�re not going to get all
prissy and refuse my food, are you?� Ron asked warily, looking between the bowl
of soup and Severus like one considered a mountain to be climbed.

�Depends,� Severus coughed.

�Just soup, it�s not very exciting.�

�Suppose I had best get used to that.�

�Probably,� Ron shrugged and reached for the spoon. �Now, do
I need to make some sort of noise with the spoon?�

�Please do not make this anymore mortifying than it already
is,� Severus whispered, eyes falling down to the duvet.

�Right, of course, sorry,� Ron flushed as his joke fell
hideously flat. Fucking twat, you really
are, Weasley. Of course this is fucking mortifying for him.

Ron valiantly attempted to keep his hand from shaking as he
fed the man who had been his saviour for the past half a year but he had to
stop because he was in danger of dropping it everywhere.

�Ron?�

�Just give me a minute,� Ron swallowed hard, causing the
pain in his head to spike. He squeezed his eyes shut and pinched the bridge of
his nose firmly to try and get his control back.

�Come here,� Severus murmured softly, spreading his arms as
much as he could.

Ron looked at him worriedly. �I don�t want to hurt you.�

�I am not made of glass.�

Ron remembered something, then, from their very first night
together �how happy he had been that Severus was properly engaging with him
during sex and being rough and not overly protective of him.

But then that was sex,
not sickness.

He shifted forwards and pressed a gentle kiss onto one cool
cheek and put his hands on Severus� shoulders.

�Properly,� Severus whispered in his ear and Ron slid his
palms down over his own loaned pyjamas and wrapped his arms around the narrow
waist, keeping his face level with Severus�, nose inhaling the scent of his
hair.

�And the rest�� Severus� voice was laced with a cajoling drawl
and Ron smirked at the way he asked with such confidence.

Their lips met in a tentative kiss which deepened when
Severus leant forward and opened his mouth, thrusting his tongue into Ron�s
with surprising force. Groaning slightly, at what he realised was their first
proper kiss in two weeks, Ron reacted as he usually would, with smoothing hands
and tender lip movements. Soon Severus was gasping for breath, much quicker
than he typically should have been, and Ron pulled back slightly to give him a
chance to get it back.

�Ready for the rest?� he jerked his head at the floating
soup.

�If you have gotten over your nerves,� Severus arched a
teasing eyebrow at him.

Ron chose to ignore him and scooped up another spoonful.
�Eat. Do you like it?�

Severus swallowed like a good patient and then said, �It�s
nice, thank you.�

�We�re living together now, you don�t have to thank me for
food, especially when you�re ill,� Ron laughed. �But glad you like it. All I
had time to make.�

�You actually cooked?� Severus was shocked by that �Ron had
his own injuries to contend with but the second he had been left alone he had
just carried on like normal and cooked dinner.

�It�s been known to happen�� Ron rolled his eyes.

Severus finished the rest of the bowl without complaint and
accepted the mouthful of water Ron offered him. �You make a rather fetching
nurse.�

�Good to know,� Ron snorted. �Ow.� He frowned and reached up
to rub at his ears again.

�Is the pain bad?� Severus could hear how much stronger he
sounded for some food.

�I�ve been ignoring it all day, best I could. Had bigger
things to worry about,� Ron reached out and cheekily tweaked the end of his
nose.

�Little whore, I notice you only chance to do that when you know I cannot get
out of bed and make you pay for it.�

�I�m not stupid.�

�Well finding yourself next to a muggle explosive in a bin
isn�t smart��

Ron gave a shudder. �Yeah well.
People aren�t dead, that�s the point of my job, isn�t it?�

�But you might have been.�

�You get used to it,� Ron shrugged.

Severus looked at him and appeared to be on the verge of
speaking, but then Ron heard voices in the living room. He paled slightly.

�Mum and dad,� he looked over his shoulder. �I should go�
you alright?�

�Ron, it will be fine,� Severus promised him, hoping he was
right. �I never told my parents, however, so� I can�t offer you any more
advice.�

�You can offer me a kiss,� Ron snatched a quick one off
unsuspecting lips. �They might want to� you know� say hello.�

�Fine,� Severus swallowed nervously.

Ron gave him a small, anxious smile and grabbed the tray
from midair. He left the bedroom and closed the door. �Hello.�

�Tell us what�s going on!� Molly demanded. �All I�ve had all
day is cryptic clues from your brothers and Harry looks like he�s been through
the Cruciatus��

�Sit down,� Ron gestured to the sofa. �Do you want tea?�

�I want to know what�s going on!� Molly hissed.

�Sit,� Ron hissed back, able to hold his own against her
despite not having had to fight her wrath since before Hermione had walked out
on him.

He returned the tray to the kitchen and took a few deep gulps
of the water Severus hadn�t finished before returning to the living room, where
he saw his dad had got his mother sitting down obediently. Ron stood in front
of the fireplace. �What do you know?�

�Something about Snape being alive?� Arthur looked at his
son. �What�s going on, Ron?�

Carefully not looking at either of them, Ron detailed
everything that had happened since Christmas Eve (though of course leaving out
any of the filthier exploits) and what had happened that day. He explained
thoroughly about Severus� injuries, his life in the years since the battle and
what had transpired between them. By the time he had finished, he felt
thoroughly wrung out �like he couldn�t have cared what his parents� reactions
were, because all he wanted to do was to crawl into bed alongside his invalid lover
and sleep for hours on end.

Not a bad fucking
plan, actually. After this I�m going to do just that.

He folded his arms over his chest and waited for them to
speak.

�Ron I�� he watched his father�s mouth fall open with the
trailed off sentence.

�So are you telling me that he�s in there,� Molly pointed at
the bedroom. �The man who cut off my son�s ear is in that room there?�

�Mum,� Ron said threateningly. �He also saved your son-in-law and all of us, it would seem��

�I know that but still, Ron��

�If George doesn�t have a problem with it, I don�t see why
you should.�

�I�m just saying, Ron� you�re� well you�re injured as it is,
how on earth do you expect to support, counsel and pay
for another human living in this poky place?�

�Hey, leave my flat out of this!� Ron cried, making his head
thump. �I love my flat.�

�Well its too small for two,� Molly narrowed her eyes. �Why
don�t you-�

�Mum, the man needs to heal, I hardly think moving home with
you is going to help him,� Ron shook his head.

�But it would take the pressure off you, I have very little
to do these days.�

�Molly, love, I really think that you�re fighting a losing battle. Look at
him,� Arthur said gently. �Have you seen him this defiant about anything in
years?�

�No,� she muttered begrudgingly. �I want to see him.�

�Fine,� Ron gestured to the bedroom. �Go ahead as long as
you�re going to be nice.�

�I am always nice,� she said, sounding hurt, as she got to
her feet and swept into the bedroom, closing the door quietly behind her.

Ron looked at his dad and swallowed. �Dad?�

�Hmm?�

�You�ve not said much��

�What do you want me to say?�

Ron looked nervously at the rug he was rucking
up with his foot. �That this is okay with you.�

�Did you really think it wouldn�t be?�

�You never liked him, dad. And that�s fine, because I didn�t
either� but� I know it�s got to be hard to see.�

�Hard to see what?�

�That I�m� well� kind of��

Arthur laughed softly and got to his feet. �Funny how we can
get as old as we want yet we�re still afraid of disappointing our parents, no?�

Ron accepted the sudden embrace and murmured his assent.

�Not disappointed, not upset. Just a little shocked.
Stronger than I look, you forget that I raised Fred and George��

�Thanks, Dad...�

�Should I go and rescue him from your mother?�

�Heh, she might finally have met
her match. You might need to rescue her
from him.�

They pulled apart as the bedroom door opened and Molly
re-appeared, dabbing at her eyes.

�What did you do?� Ron hissed, springing forward.

�Nothing!� She sniffed. �He just
said some things about my baby boy that I very much agreed with,� she gave an
affectionate and overly motherly pinch at Ron�s cheek and then threw her arms
around him; he was so tall and she so short that she only made it up to his
mid-chest.

Utterly bewildered, Ron hugged her back making shocked eyes
at his father over her head, who was trying not to laugh.

�If you need anything, anything at all,� Molly pulled back
and slapped at Ron�s face gently, �You call me straight away.�

�Soup recipes,� Ron replied instantly. �Something tells me
I�m going to be sick of it before we even get to winter.�

She beamed at him and headed into the bathroom, sniffling.

�Because that wasn�t totally bizarre!
Wonder what he said,� Ron raked his hands back through his hair.

�It takes a lot to fell your mother in a temper. I�ll go and
ask him how he did it,� Arthur smiled and Ron found himself alone as his father
disappeared into the bedroom.

Everything seemed to blur as he stood there, and he moved to
lean against the back of the sofa so he didn�t have to support his weight on
his legs which suddenly felt like jelly. How had everything gone so well?

Somehow they had managed to leave the hospital without
arousing suspicion thanks to a hastily set up portkey
and Kingsley himself had apparated to test the wards around the flat. Ron was
indebted to him for the way he had efficiently handled the situation and been
willing to help.

He could have just
said no�

Shivers ran down his spine as he thought of what might have
happened if Kingsley had withdrawn his support and left them
smack bang in the middle of the hospital with reporters in the very next
corridor �Severus would have been exposed and undoubtedly distressed by the
situation. He pressed his fingers into his closed eyes trying to push the
thought away, wondering when Severus� fears of exposure had become his own.

�Alright?� Molly�s voice asked
quietly. �How are your ears?�

�Honestly?� Ron mumbled.

�Honestly,� she put a hand on his shoulder.

�Fucking excruciating,� Ron breathed with a groan.

�I�ll overlook your appalling language because you�re in agony,� Molly put her
arm around his shoulders. �Tomorrow morning I�ll come back and we can start
going through the healing potions I have to see what works. They�re so tight at
the hospital and so un-experimental��

�Right now I love
that you always think you know best, Mum,� Ron gave her a grateful grin and
moved to rest his head on her shoulder but found it too painful.

Well looks like I�m in
for a night of sleeping on my back then. I hate sleeping on my back. Grr.

�Come on Molly, let�s leave them alone,� Arthur shut the
door to the bedroom quietly. �They must both be shattered.�

�Totally� ow�.� Ron yawned, reaching for his ears.

�You sure you wouldn�t like me to come back with them now?�

�Nnnrgh,� Ron made a tired growly
purr and she laughed at him.

�You used to do that when you were little, that sound. Takes
me right back.�

He hugged both of them goodbye and saw them both through the
fire. He looked at the flames for a while before turning to the rats in their
cage.

�I know you�re not talking to me,� he sighed. �I was out for
two nights and I left the Floo blocked so George couldn�t get in. But you still
had plenty of mix left so I don�t know why you�re pissed off, it�s not like you
starved!�

�Hey,� a voice came from behind him and Ron whipped round
and found Harry on his hearth.

�Hey mate, what�re you doing here?�

�I��

Harry gave a visible swallow and looked down at his feet.
Ron took in his appearance, slightly askew, and how his hair was standing on
end as if fingers had been repeatedly run through it.

�You alright?� Ron asked, taking a
step closer.

�What the fuck do you think?� Harry�s voice rose with his temper and Ron could
smell the unmistakable fumes of alcohol on his breath.

Fucking bastard, how
come he gets a drink when the rest of us are dry?

�I can�t believe that you kept this from me,� Harry turned
and strode to where he could walk back and forth behind the sofa.

�Keep your voice down,� Ron asked �both for his ears and
because Severus would hear every word in the bedroom, and from the look on
Harry�s face he was sure his amazing run of good luck was about to run out.

�No, Ron,� he hissed. �You know how cut up I was, you know how I feel about him!�

�I do know,� Ron immediately fumbled in his brain for a way
to stop the argument. �But he made me promise, Harry, and I� what he gave me
that night� I was so fucking lost I needed it. And I wanted more.�

�Selfish PRICK,� Harry burst out. �So you took a shag over telling me the truth?�

�Harry, you wouldn�t like the truth!� Ron�s temper flared, and
whether it was justified or not, after the long day he�d had, he couldn�t stop
it. �He doesn�t want your adoration! The only reason we ever kissed is because
we got into a fight about you, he insulted you, I took offense, had a fight
with a Christmas tree and ended up kissing him� he doesn�t want what you need
to give. Why would I tell you that?�

�Because you�re my best friend,� there was a definite wobble
to the brunette�s lower lip and Ron didn�t think he could quite handle tears
just then.

�I�m sorry, Harry, I really am but I� can you understand why
I didn�t tell you?�

�Because you wanted to keep your little fuck buddy a secret and thought he
might dump you if you told anybody!�

Harry spat the words so venomously that Ron shivered at the
iciness in his tone.

�No, Harry, it�s more than that.�

�Now it is, at the beginning it was just a fuck, wasn�t it?�
Harry raised his chin and for the first time in a good few years Ron found
himself wanting to aim a punch or three at it.

�No, it was never just a fuck, Harry,� he folded his arms
across his chest to control his hands. �You� he made me realise that there had
been something very wrong with Hermione for a bloody long time, long before she
dumped me.�

�WELL IT WAS YOUR OWN STUPID FAULT IF YOU COULDN�T FIGURE
THAT OUT ON YOUR OWN THEN!�

New levels of pain danced through Ron�s ear canals and he
gasped in response as his hands rose to protect them.

�Shut up,� he begged.

�No!� Harry shouted again. �Do you have any idea how much this hurts? You have
any idea what I went through in that fucking ward with them telling me to talk
about my feelings and my problems and being able to say
everything except what I wanted to
say to him? Do you know how much of an idiot it makes you feel sitting by a
headstone when you KNOW there�s no body there? And you�ve had him for SIX
months Ron and you said nothing!�

�Harry, please, I know you�re upset and I knew you would be
but I can�t have this fight now, I�m not��

�Good!� Harry scoffed. �Good, you�re not up to par so you
can�t turn this all round on me and my problems.�

�This is about
your problems!� Ron yelled frustratedly. �JUST LIKE
FUCKING ALWAYS!�

Whoops. Well. There�s
that step towards making peace you needed. Not. Shit.

�Here we go, as usual,� Harry slammed his hand onto the back
of the sofa and Ron knew what he was going to say before he opened his mouth
�whenever they fought it fell back to re-opening old wounds. �You can�t handle
the fact the past was focussed on me. Well news for you, Ron, IT WAS. YOU
WEREN�T THE ONE THAT CAUSED THIS FUCKING MESS!�

�This has nothing to do with how I feel about you, d�you
really fucking think I�m still jealous Harry? Jealous of everything that
transpired? Jealous of the heartache I fucking nursed you through?� Ron asked,
incredulous. �Because I�m gonna be brutally honest
here and say right now, the last thing I�d be of you is jealous �I wouldn�t
want to end up half the prick you are. Get out of my living room, NOW.�

Fuck fuck fuck fuck
fuck.

Harry didn�t say a word as he stomped to the Floo but it
flashed green before he could leave; George appeared in a cloud of soot. He
froze the instant that he saw the looks on their faces.

�I�ll go-� he turned.

�No,� Ron said coldly, surprising even himself. �He was just
leaving.�

�Ron, I don�t mean it�� Harry couldn�t find words and it was
very obvious he was floundering.

�Come back to me when you can handle this, Harry, when
you�re not pissed,� Ron looked at the rug.

He didn�t look up again until he heard Harry leave.

�What the fuck?� George exclaimed.

�I wish I knew,� Ron muttered numbly and took a few steps
back.

�You� you okay Ron?�

�No,� he whispered.

There was a movement then as he was swept into familial arms
for what felt like the hundredth time that day and George gently pushed Ron�s
face into his shoulder. It felt odd to stand there with their positions
reversed, thinking on all the times he had performed such a role for his older
brother. To have it returned was almost discomfiting. But the gentle hand in
his hair was nice despite the fact plenty would call it inappropriate. They
stood together for what felt like forever before Ron felt able to pull away. Before he wanted to.

�I should get to Severus,� Ron muttered. �No way could he
have missed any of that.�

�Right,� George stepped back. �I forgot, you have your rock in someone else
now.�

�Don�t you start on the self-pity,� Ron begged him. �George, nobody replaces
you.�

�Good. I don�t do well with replacement,� George turned with
a slight grin. �Except where� well. When it comes to you replacing him, I do
alright.�

Ron managed to crack him a smile. �I�ll firecall tomorrow.�

�Okay. Harry�ll� at the end he just
looked distraught, Ron. He�ll be back. Don�t think he�s gone forever.�

�I guess,� Ron shrugged miserably. �Night�
and thanks, George, for today.�

He watched George leave and changed the Floo to approved
access only. He would have to be up to admit the
healers, but despite how tired he felt Ron he was now unsure he was going to
get to sleep at all. After turning off all the lights he took a deep breath and
entered the bedroom. Severus was still sitting up in bed and looked at him with
pensive eyes.

�Not the best end to the night,� Ron muttered, slouching to
the chair by the wardrobe.

�Ron, as much as it pains me to ask this� will you please help
me to the toilet?�

�Oh, fuck and arse I�m sorry,� Ron groaned, feeling a royal
idiot for forgetting the basic needs of his new flatmate. �I�m��

�If the word sorry crosses your lips one more time I will
expend all of my energy hobbling over there to slug you round the head,�
Severus hissed and managed to ease his legs out of the bed by himself.

�Look, should I just get�?�

�I refuse to relieve myself in anything other than the
toilet,� Severus� voice cut sharply across the bedroom and Ron winced, suddenly
sick of sharp words and treading on eggshells.

Well you�ve got months
of it so fucking get used to it.

Repeating that thought in his head he managed to escort
Severus there and back without much trouble, though he was scared of the man
over-exerting himself. When he was lying safely down in bed again, Ron noticed
how out of breath Severus was and chewed nervously on his lip as he stripped
off his clothes.

�W-what, no strip tease t-tonight?� Severus asked with a
tired grin.

�Like I�m going to fuck an invalid,� Ron snorted with a roll
of his eyes. �Well. This much of an invalid� Ask me again in a few days.�

�So you�re too repulsed by me now, is that it?� Severus gave
an injured sniff.

Ron crawled into bed next to him and groaned at the warmth the sheets already
held from Severus� body heat from his three hours inside it. He sank down and
tested how his head felt on the pillow.

�I can�t lie on my ears,� Ron whispered. �I guess that means
a cuddle is out, which is a fucking bitch because
right now I could do with one or fifty and I bet you could use one as well.�

�Potter lost it, hmm?�

�How much did you hear?�

�Everything��

�Shit thin walls,� Ron swallowed.

�He will come back,� Severus murmured to him. �He loves you
too much as a friend to lose you.�

�I thought he felt like that about Hermione� you saw how he
treated her,� Ron looked miserably up at the ceiling.

�But Hermione didn�t have the key to his absolution,�
Severus pointed out.

�Yeah well. If he thinks I�m letting him near you when he�s being that spiteful
he can knob off.�

�Who came in at the end? You both spoke very quietly.�

�George,� Ron smiled slightly. �Afraid he�s been ousted.�

�It is odd for me to observe you around them,� Severus said
quietly.

�Why?� Ron frowned.

�You are loved and your parents are� very warm people. Other
than you, I am not used to warm.�

�What did you say to make my mum cry?� Ron asked
immediately.

�That is between me and your mother,� Severus said with a small
smile.

�She said you said stuff about me she agreed with, been
singing my praises, have we?� Ron teased.

�Something like that,� Severus played it down.

�Must have been something good to make her
cry.�

�It is not important.�

�Yes it is!�

�I am very tired.�

�Bastard,� Ron growled playfully, and reached for the light.
�Nothing else you need before bed?�

Severus looked at him then and murmured something Ron
couldn�t quite catch.

�What?�

�Your manners are appalling.�

�And you�re a pedantic bastard even when you�re ill, now
what did you say?� Ron demanded.

There was a low growl and then Severus slowly turned in the
bed, breath wheezing, and flung his arm over Ron�s torso, dragging their
pillows closer together with his free hand. He leant forward and kissed him
lightly on the lips.

Ron turned the light off without further comment and the
room was plunged into darkness, the thin strip of window causing a wash of
moonlight along top of the opposite wall.

�Night,� the soft murmur in his ear was beautifully
painless; Ron reached for Severus� hand on his stomach and laced their fingers
together.

�Severus?�

�Mm?�

�I am sorry. I
know you don�t want to be here.�

�How are you sure of that?�

�I can tell in your eyes.�

�It is not you,�
Severus whispered along the pillow after a pause. �Please understand that. You
are the only thing which makes it bearable.�

�It�s just the situation,� Ron surmised.

�Yes.�

�I didn�t know what else to do.�

�Shh.�

Ron felt warm lips on the side of his face and he turned to
them in the darkness.

Say it. Say it. Say
it.

They kissed in a sensual manner which, despite his
tiredness, made Ron�s crotch stir with interest. He hummed his contentment at
the way Severus sucked lightly on his bottom lip as he pulled back. There was a
gentle squeeze on his held hand, and a minute later Severus was snoring softly.

Arse.
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Seraphim Beneath The Christmas Tree