Love of a Leo and a Capricorn

Harry stared up dreamily at the pine branches and caught a few glimpses of the blue sky high above them. He let his mind drift, while his body felt the warmth and the utter possessiveness from his lover. Severus had not stopped holding him. He had even held Harry close as they were taking another quick bath, after they had made love. The slight squeeze on his waist made him smile, and he dropped his eyes to watch Severus’ face.

They stared deeply into each other’s eyes and Harry’s heart fluttered upon seeing the loving look in the pair of black eyes.

“What are you thinking about?” he asked in a quiet voice.

“You by my side,” Severus answered simply.

Harry smiled gently. Then he closed his eyes and pressed his cheek against Severus’ chest. “I’m glad,” he murmured. “I’m glad we have survived this.” Severus’ hold on him tightened suddenly. “Hey, relax. I’m not going anywhere.”

“I was afraid.”

Harry’s hand drifted and he started to stroke Severus’ back soothingly.

“I was afraid that I might lose you to him.”

“He hasn’t got me. I’m here. With you. I won’t be going anywhere.”

Fingers came to lift his chin, and Harry stared into Severus’ dark eyes again.

“Do you know how important you are to me?” Severus asked in a hushed tone.

Harry turned fully on his side and captured Severus’ hands in his. He held them tenderly, as though they were precious things, while his eyes never left the older man’s face. He had heard the anxiousness in Severus’ voice and he could not help but respond to it.

“There were times when I had wondered if your feelings for me were true,” Harry admitted. “Sometimes, I had even questioned mine. Sometimes, I find it hard to believe that we are lovers. Most of the time, it all feels like a dream to me, because I have never felt so happy in my life.” Harry paused and took a bit of time to swallow the tight lump in his throat. He brought Severus’ knuckles to his lips and kissed them lovingly. “I know for certain, however, that if you were to walk out of my life, I will never be the same again.” He closed his eyes and shoved that possibility as far away from his mind as possible. “You make me whole. I know it sounds selfish, but I feel as though you’re my other half – the half that is able to cover my shortcomings. You’re the half that will support me but will still give me room to walk on my own. The half that will allow me not to take action, but to simply rest, instead of trying to do everything by myself.” He looked at Severus again before burying his face into the pale chest. “And I will never regret this. I will never regret that I have given my heart to you.”

There were many things he had wanted to say but he just did not know how to put them into words. He kissed the flesh within reach gently.

“Harry, I wish to ask you something.”

“Hmmmm?” Harry smiled inwardly. It was funny how Severus had always phrased questions. Harry knew that he could choose not to answer, he knew that Severus would give him the choice, but for some reason, Harry, most of the time, answered the man’s questions.

“Why did you not continue your relationship with Ginny Weasley?”

He knew that question would come up some day. After several minutes of thoughtful silence, he answered. “We’re too alike, she and I. I know that it’s important to have something in common with a partner. We could have that ... Quidditch, for example. We would have worked well to accomplish a goal as we have the same kind of fierce determination. But both of us are too hotheaded. Adventures, outrageousness, and spontaneity are good, I suppose, but they’re not what I was hoping for in a relationship.” Harry stretched a little. “I did not realize that I was already beginning to look for certain traits in people ... prospective partners you may say ... after...” He shook his head. “I was already searching for someone who can give me peace. I was already searching for someone who would allow me to be dependent once in a while. I was in need of someone to put a bit of order into my life. Fun is fun, but it can be exhausting sometimes. I need someone to give me work so that I’ll stay out of needless troubles.”

“Hmmmm. I’m not your baby-sitter.”

“Who says you are?” Harry nuzzled Severus’ skin and when he came upon a nipple, he took the opportunity to suckle it. “You’re my lover,” he said around the mouthful of flesh. Harry told himself that he should not have started that because it made him feel needy again. His groin was already stirring with want. “That’s why I didn’t go back to Ginny. I had already told myself that you’re the ... ah ... perfect catch.”

“I am perfect ... for you,” Severus murmured.

“Exactly,” Harry agreed. “You keep me in balance, don’t you know?”

“And you are here to keep me on my toes, are you not?”

Harry laughed softly. “Yes. Sometimes, you do need just a dash of excitement in your love life.”

“Love life?”

“Yes, your love life. Things are already exciting enough in the other aspects of your life,” Harry said a little philosophically. Severus snorted with amusement. Harry grinned and teased the wet nub with his fingers. “I think this is by far the sappiest conversation we ever had,” he said playfully after listening intently to Severus’ soft hiss of excitement. “Right now, I wish we were back home. I want you. To myself. For hours and hours.”

“Unless you intend to embarrass your friend, I think we should get dressed,” Severus whispered.

“I don’t want to embarrass Charlie, but I still want to be naked, with you,” Harry grumbled and he sat up gloomily. Severus laughed when he pouted and he shook his head contritely. “I’ll go check and see if our clothes are dry.”

Harry quickly gathered their dried clothes in his arms before removing the magical clothesline. He sauntered back to Severus, who stood immediately to get his robes. It was not long before they heard the steady beating of wings.

“Charlie’s here,” Harry muttered and he hurriedly put on his boots.

“Harry, button up properly,” Severus instructed blandly.

“All right, all right.” Once his boots were firmly on, Harry had joined Severus in ridding the perimeter wards. Then, with Severus in the lead, they walked cautiously to the spot where Saerna had landed earlier.

Charlie was waiting idly astride his dragon, and Saerna was amusing herself with blowing dry leaves away from her.

“So, did you have a good bath?” Charlie smiled crookedly.

“Mind your own business,” Severus muttered darkly.

Saerna made a soft gurgle at the Potions master’s response and blew dust in the wizard’s direction. Severus frowned but the dust stilled and dropped without dirtying him or Harry.

“There, there, girl. You know how that wizard is so ignore him,” Charlie said meekly.

Harry chuckled and helped Severus up. “Severus, try to be more polite.” He laughed again when Severus muttered something inaudible under his breath. After they were completely secure on Saerna’s back, Charlie had nudged his dragon and she had launched into the air.

The sun was scorching hot above their heads and Harry was already wishing for another bath. “Bloody hell ... it’s hot,” he muttered. He squinted and tried to shade his eyes from the torturous glare as well as he could.

“Well, it’s a change from the sodden rains the Dementors bring with them.”

“Any trouble up at the lake?”

“No,” Charlie answered gravely. “Ron thinks there’ll be trouble close to home though. Most of us agree with him.”

Harry sat up straighter at the news. “Then that means...”

“It can’t be helped. They have to defend themselves.” Charlie sighed. “Well, I believe in them. They should be able to take care of themselves until we get there tomorrow morning.”

“Tomorrow morning?” Harry exclaimed. “But ... things can happen!”

“I know. However, unless you are willing to try Apparating or using a Portkey, you aren’t getting home any earlier than that.”

“So, they have their limits,” Severus said thoughtfully.

“What?” Harry looked at his lover inquiringly over his shoulder.

“The dragons are tired,” he supplied.

“Yes, they are. They don’t show it, but we know they are. That’s why we’re taking off at night. It’s cooler and the dragons prefer to use the night as camouflage. Right now, nobody is of the mind to work. The others are taking turns to rest and guard.”

“Even though the war is over, there are many things to be done,” Severus said quietly. “The effects of this warfare will take years to disappear ... or maybe not. The Ministry has to be rebuild.”

“You don’t like it that the Aurors are in full control,” Harry said shrewdly.

“Don’t speak of it in front of Remus, if you can help it, Snape. He is still affected with the circumstances of Tonks’ death.”

“Do you know if Kingsley will rejoin the Aurors?” Harry asked with a deep frown.

“Out of duty, I think he will. Someone has to keep a close eye on the Aurors. They are becoming more tyrannical ever since the war was coming to a close.” Charlie fell silent, but he spoke again several minutes later. “If only Tonks had told Remus earlier, it wouldn’t have happened. We still had time ... we could have found a way to help her.”

“It could not be helped – she had broken the vow. The only way she could have survive it would be for someone to kill the oath-maker,” Severus interjected in a serious voice. “I do not think anyone is brave enough to assassinate Scrimgeour.”

“Someone will,” Charlie muttered darkly. “He’s the one responsible for the deaths of several hundreds of Muggle school children. He had pulled the Aurors out of the school even when he had known that it would be attacked.”

“Where did you come by that information?” Severus demanded sharply.

Charlie’s replied with a voice filled with sarcasm. “Believe me, Snape. Some of us dragon-riders are spies. We have contacts, both in the Muggle and the wizarding world.”

A peculiar, gurgling sound rumbled in the air and Charlie suddenly began to groan. “Blasted heat...”

“What’s wrong?”

“The heat is making their blood warmer,” the dragon keeper moaned.

Harry assumed that Charlie was talking about the dragons.

“What about it?”

“It makes them sexually active. Just great.”

Below them, Saerna seemed to tremble. Harry looked at her scales curiously.

“It’s not funny, Saerna,” Charlie complained.

“She’s laughing?” Harry asked, surprised.

“Yes, she is. Oh, I’d be careful of what I say to her in the future, Snape. She understands us, if you haven’t realized that yet.”

“They really are not like their cousins, are they?”

“Several generations different.” Charlie nodded shortly. “You two should hang on tight now. We’re going down.”

“Into trees again,” Severus said sardonically.

“Do you want to walk, Snape? There are active traps all over the area to catch Inferi.”

Despite the risky manner of landing onto the ground, Saerna managed to do so without being tangled with the trees. This was a quality which was puzzling Harry greatly.

“How can something so big be so versatile?” Harry muttered as he unfastened his safety belts. As he climbed down after Severus, a series of human-like groans reached their ears. “What’s that?”

“That, my friend,” Charlie started uncomfortably, “are two horny dragons getting what they want.”

“Are you serious?” Harry raised his eyebrow. “I thought only humans would feel horny after a duel.”

Charlie gave him an odd stare. “I don’t really want to know what happened back there at The Pond.”

“What?” Harry scowled. “I was just stating the obvious,” he protested.

“Ron’s there,” the red-haired wizard said and jerked his thumb at a nearby copse. Then he walked away with Saerna following him closely.

Harry was still glowering. “Well, isn’t it true?” he demanded of Severus. His lover just smiled crookedly. Harry swore darkly under his breath and headed for the clump of trees. Smoke wafted up into the air and it drew Harry’s eyes to the small fire. Several stakes of fish were roasting all around it, and at the sight of it, Harry’s stomach had started to rumble. He approached Ron. The wizard was sitting rather awkwardly on a tree trunk and he was picking on his fish rather enthusiastically.

“They taste a bit plain,” Ron warned as Harry jerked a stake well-grilled fish out of the ground.

“I don’t care how they taste,” Harry said with a slight shrug. “As long as they can be eaten, I’m game.”

“Where’s your mate?”

“He’s a big boy. He’ll appear soon enough.”

“Bloody impudent brat,” said a voice behind him.

“I am always an impudent brat to you, Severus.”

“Spare me the mushiness,” Ron grumbled.

Severus only snorted and chose a fish for himself before sitting down beside Harry. Ron rolled his eyes and Harry made a face at his friend.

“How’s the leg?”

“The same. I still can’t feel anything. They should have removed it,” Ron said lightly. He sounded as though he did not really care if he lost his limb.

“What’s cooking?” Charlie came to join them.

“Hey.”

The two brothers hugged briefly and Charlie sat down on the ground. “When are the two of you going to bond?”

Harry choked at the sudden question. Beside him, Severus started to cough.

“Charlie, you’re mad,” Ron scoffed.

“Why not?” Charlie asked pointedly. “They behave like a married couple, although a strange one at that. But I thank the gods that you are,” Charlie looked gravely at Severus, “at least, loving toward each other, no matter how unpleasant you are to the rest of us, Snape. Even idiots will notice that you care for Harry.”

Harry cleared his throat and looked nervously at Severus, before staring at Ron. His best friend appeared offended by Charlie’s words.

“Well ... I’m sorry that I’m not an idiot and I still can’t see how these two ended up loving each other,” Ron growled.

Severus glared and Harry chuckled, albeit a little weakly. The small group of wizards fell into companionable silence as each focused on their tiny meal. Harry stared at the head of his fish for several minutes. He turned his slightly, and watched Severus shyly. Black eyes flickered and they slowly focused on him. Severus gazed fondly at him and Harry smiled.

“It’s not a bad idea, is it?” he asked softly.

“If you care to have me for the rest of your life, I do not think I will mind,” Severus answered with a faint smile.

Several feet away from them, Ron Weasley started to cough violently. “Merlin save me from the lovebirds! I swear, Harry! The two of you are more cloying than Hermione and me!”

“Well, at least I don’t kiss him in front of you,” Harry snorted. “And I don’t fawn over him like Fleur does with Bill.”

“Indeed?”

“Inside the bedroom doesn’t count, Severus,” Harry said absently.

“You’re pulling my leg! I thought he was giving you lessons!” Ron said loudly.

“Oh, he did give me lessons, Ron. Very ... ah ... engaging kinds of lessons,” Harry said meekly.