Summer Challenge 14: Framed (General)
Title: Framed Author: elmyraemilie Other pairings/threesome: None Rating: General Word count: ~530 Theme chosen: Travel (memories) Warning(s): None Summary: Souvenirs are hard to resist. A/N: Unbetaed. When Severus came home from the lab, Harry was sprawled on the sitting room floor with photographs spread out to the very walls on every side of him.
"What on earth?"
"Oh, Severus, hi!" He rose and picked his way through to give Severus a hug and a kiss. "Our holiday photos were done. I stopped for them on my way home."
"So I see. What are you trying to do?" Severus sidestepped around the room, craning his neck to see if there was any identifiable order to the mess.
"That's a good question. I thought we could pick out a few to frame, maybe put them on the table in the hall or something. But I can't make up my mind. Every single one of them deserves a frame. Like, look at this one." Harry held up a picture of Mont Blanc. "Remember when we took that hike and you got this picture just as the sun hit the mountain?" He selected another one. "And this one! Remember the juggler? I thought you were actually going to laugh in public." He waved his arm over the sea of glossy prints. "They're all like that. I'll never be able to pick just two or three."
Snape took the photos Harry had in his hands and looked at them, then at the ones spread all over the floor. "You are right. Every one of them holds some unique memory. We could paper the walls with this many pictures, though." He stood with his arms crossed, staring down at them. "They can't stay here. We need to use this room. Help me gather them up and I will take a look at them. Perhaps a different eye will help."
The following Saturday, as he came home with the shopping, Harry thought about the box of photos. This afternoon might be a good time to review them together. He went in search of Severus, but only found a note on the kitchen table: Running an errand. Back shortly.
So much for the pictures. Harry put away the food and began cleaning the kitchen. He had just finished the floor when the front door opened. "Severus? Don't come into the kitchen, the floor's still damp." He hopped across and recharmed the footprints he'd left.
Severus was standing in front of the hall table. He had a sheet of crumpled brown paper in one hand. "What have you got there?" Harry asked.
Severus bent to kiss him. "I believe I have solved the problem of the souvenir photographs." He stepped aside to reveal a single large photo displayed in a plain silver frame. It had been taken in Provence by Madame Fournier, the owner of their lodgings. There Harry and Severus stood, with the lavender of her herb garden a cloud of purple behind them. Harry's face was raised to smile at Severus, whose eyes smiled back. They moved closer together, as though they might kiss, but then parted again to look at the camera, their arms still entwined.
"That is what I remember most. You beside me, smiling."
Harry swallowed a little, and his voice was husky when he replied. "You're right. That one picture will be just fine."