SNARRY SWAP: Gift for: wordslave, "Of Marks and Memories" Title: Of Marks and Memories Author:calpuriel/phoenix_of_time Gift Recipient:wordslave Other pairings/threesome: None Rating: R Word count: 2,470 Warning(s): (highlight for spoilers) *Mild D/s, piercings, post-war AU.* Summary: The very nearly not beginning of a relationship, some kinks, some marks and some memories. A/N: Thank you to my beta N who was so brilliantly helpful and made this whole process so much easier.
Recipient, I hope you like it, think I managed to include a large number of your likes, I hope it’s managed to at least live up to the wonder that was your prompt list!
Of Marks and Memories
As Severus opened the door to the piercing room, the rush of warm air made Harry shiver slightly, pleased that he wouldn’t be too cold if they were in the room long. Drawing Harry into the room by their clasped hands, Severus walked towards the large piercing table in the centre of the room. Finally untangling their fingers, Severus motioned for Harry to stand next to the table and take off his shoes.
Positive that these few moments apart would do them both good, Severus moved over to the cupboard where he kept the piercing tools. Taking out what he needed and floating it over to the counter at the far end of the table, he cast the antiseptic spell over the instruments, the slightly acidic, bitter smell of the spell filling the air. As he returned to the middle of the room, he was pleased to note a pair of shoes under the table and Harry smiling away; his eyes indicating his awareness of Severus’ movements.
Reaching forward, Severus began to unbutton Harry's shirt, taking time to smooth his hands down Harry’s chest and then up his sides and along his shoulders as he pushed the shirt until it fell onto the floor. By this point Harry was indicating his impatience to start as he reached up to wrap his hands around Severus’ neck. Severus placed his hands on Harry’s hips, supporting Harry as he made the small jump that enabled him to wrap his legs around Severus’ waist and be held safely within Severus’ grasp. Severus placed Harry on the piercing table, the contact causing Harry’s legs to fall away and his arms to clasp tighter around Severus’ neck. Severus swept the fringe away from Harry’s scar and pressed a light kiss to it.
Smiling up at him, Harry placed a kiss on Severus' nose and snickered when Severus' face scrunched up at the action. Harry liked this small ritual they had, a mark of acceptance of all the parts of the other person, scars and noses included.
Clasping both of Harry’s hands briefly in his, Severus gestured for Harry to lie down. Picking up a small cushion, Severus gently lifted Harry’s head and placed the cushion on the table before lowering Harry’s head back down. Looking into Harry’s eyes as he lay happily on the table, shifting every so often as if trying to get comfortable, Severus shook his head at the unbelievable turn his life had taken. Handing Harry the selection of piercings that he could chose from, Severus couldn’t stop himself from looking back at the events that led to him having the trust of one of the strongest men he had ever met. To think it had been in this very shop that it had all very nearly never happened.
~~~Flashback~~~
Having made it through a war that made even the most stalwart of soldiers break down from sheer emotional and physical exhaustion, where so much had happened and so much had been witnessed, Severus Snape had decided never to deny himself a wish or joy. In a kind world, he would have been left to enjoy his retirement from teaching brats who never wanted to learn and instead dedicate his time to fulfilling requests of select customers to have various body parts pierced or tattooed, on themselves or others. In a kind world, he would not have stumbled upon the Golden Boy loitering outside his shop, The Serpent’s Lair: Tattoo and Piercing Parlour.
Hastily casting a makeshift glamour, Severus strode towards the door. The closer Severus came to his shop, the more it appeared that Harry was not loitering but absorbed by looking through the window at everything he could see inside. Even with a mere two meters between them, the boy did not notice Severus' approach. Taking out his wand to whisper the counter charm to all his protections, Severus turned and eyed the young man, ‘May I help you?’ Suppressing a smirk at the jump the boy made, he waited patiently whilst the Chosen One tried to stammer out an excuse.
‘Oh…um…I was just trying to look at some of the…um… tattoo designs and the piercing prices, I’minterestedingettingsome!’
Sneering, Severus fought to control the urge his eyes had to roll heavenward. It was not unusual to have young men and women linger outside his shop; some in search of answers for themselves, but more often than not, they appeared due to a dare to find out what it was like inside.
Severus takes a moment to think, started by the realization that he hopes Harry is here for the former reason, rather than the latter. Harry's eighth year had been memorable for many reasons, but mostly for the change that had occurred within Harry. No longer wanting to lead, Harry declared himself too tired to be in command. Severus had suspected Harry would seek out a dominant eventually, and in the sanctuary of his own mind, that role was filled by him.
Aware that his silence was probably unnerving the young man, he forced himself to ask Harry a question that would show him which stage of self discovery Harry had reached. Would he be able to acknowledge his submissive side and thus kindle some twisted kind of hope for Severus?
Severus took a deep breath and asked, ‘Are you aware of the clientele that normally frequents my shop? Usually someone as submissive as you would have been brought here for the express purpose of being claimed.’
Expecting some kind of negative reaction, but secretly praying for a positive life line, Severus was surprised when Harry shakily closed his eyes briefly and turned towards him, ‘I’m aware, but the person I wanted to claim me ran away, and doesn't seem to want any contact with those from... before.'
Shocked, Severus moved sideways, allowing Harry through the doorway. So, it was clear that Severus had been right and Harry was, at least, aware of the possibilities open to him within a relationship. But what was Harry doing here? Had he heard about the reputation of The Serpent’s Lair? Did he think that he could ask for information at the shop? Or was he hoping to find someone to help him work out what he wanted? Yet…the way Harry had phrased his answer hinted at some other meaning. Wary of the motives that had brought the boy to his door, Severus followed the boy into the shop to try and gain some kind of understanding.
And somehow all the time he was thinking, Harry must have been watching him and all his thoughts must have played across his face. All Severus' years of training defeated by one boy.
‘I know why they ran,’ Harry said. ‘And I knew that following them could make things easier or harder for me, but I needed to, and that need led me here.’
The words seemed to paralyse Severus; he couldn’t move or speak as his brain tried to work out whether to believe the words Harry had spoken. He still hadn’t moved when Harry reached out his hand and lightly touched Severus’ cheek.
‘I know what I want, who I want, and what I’m getting into. I want to be yours and I think you want me too or your glamour would never have fallen.’ This final remark was made with a slight smile to counteract the steely look of determination within Harry’s eyes.
Turning to look in one of the many mirrors in the shop Severus was unsurprised to realise it was true. His glamour must have dissolved as both the surprise and truth in Harry’s words had filtered into his brain.
In the face of such evidence, Severus had two choices: deny everything and frighten Harry so badly that he ran from the shop and never returned, or tell the boy how he felt, embrace the possibility of having everything he had ever wanted and take the chance of rejection turning his heart to stone.
Knowing this was his only chance, Severus turned back to face Harry and saw in Harry’s eyes a reflection of his own hope and reticence, the fear of expecting too much and coming away shattered.
Something must have changed in Severus’ eyes as a smile slowly spread across Harry’s face. ‘You’ll have me?’
Severus couldn’t help but smile at the eagerness attached to the question, which seemed to be answer enough as Severus suddenly found Harry's body attached to his with Harry's arms wrapped around his waist and Harry's head resting against his chest. Deciding that such an emotional display would be something he would have to tolerate, if not get used to, Severus returned the hug with a brief squeeze with one arm whilst the other ran through the inky black hair obscuring the boy’s, now his boy’s, face.
Gently but firmly pushing the young man away, Severus took a long look at him. It felt like such a long time since they had last been in a room together that it took a minute for Severus to reconcile the twenty-something man in front of him with the wise teenager he had last seen.
Harry seemed to realise Severus’ needed a moment and stood quietly waiting for what was to happen next.
Finally feeling that actually, yes, he could have what had been featuring in his fantasies for some years; Severus picked Harry up and slid him on to the middle of the table that took up most of the piercing room. Turning round he slowly removed his shirt and placed it over a chair out of the way. When he moved back to face Harry, a soft gasp followed by a long moan escaped Harry’s mouth. Stretching a hand out Harry made to touch the single nipple ring Severus wore as if it were the answer to so many prayers. This unconscious action caused Severus to smile and fully begin to believe that Harry really did want to be there and, even better, obviously had a hidden kink for nipple rings. Something Severus would definitely have to exploit.
Leaning over Harry, Severus took his mouth in a soft, powerful kiss, trying to impress that he recognized Harry's submissive side, and that possession was an important part of the relationship they could create.
~~~end of flashback~~~
It had been a year since the incident that had put both him and Harry onto a path that allowed them to develop a relationship that both felt fulfilled their wants and needs. It had also taken nearly a year for Harry’s friends to stop trying to remove Harry from Severus and the relationship they were developing. It had come to a head when Harry stormed out of the Weasley family Sunday dinner, and it was only then they realised that they had no say in Harry’s life or the person he had decided to spend it with. Since that point the friendship between the “golden trio” had been strained, but Harry didn’t seem to care. He had other friends but most of all he had Severus, and as far as he was concerned that was all that mattered.
That year had allowed them to feel their way around each other and the dynamics of their relationship. In his younger years, Severus had taken every opportunity to learn all he could about the baser instincts whilst Harry needed this time to learn and grow. Unlike Severus, Harry had been waiting and hoping that he would finally be able to chose one thing within his own destiny and enjoy his first sexual experience the way he wanted, without worrying that his reactions or kinks would be judged or splashed across the newspapers.
Severus remembered the fun while introducing Harry to his own body as well as the human body (specifically Severus’) and the reactions that could be drawn out. The biggest shock after Harry’s obvious love of Severus’ piercing was how quickly he became aroused by Severus talking dirty to him. In fact, Severus delighted in being able to control his boy’s arousal through the content and tone of his speech. Recalling the first time caused Severus’ cock to half harden.
Harry had just returned from the shops and was in the kitchen of Severus’ house preparing the meal they were about to share when he had spilt some of the single cream used in the soup over the counter and his own t-shirt. Severus had walked in to discover a half dressed Harry with cream dripping off his stomach. It had been too much to try and resist the urge to drop the tone of his voice and say ‘I always knew that you would look slutty with cream covering you, but it would appear that only with my cream could you possibly look more debauched’.
It hadn’t appeared all that significant a sentence to Severus until he had noticed the hitch in Harry’s breathing and the sizeable bulge in his trousers. It had begun the introduction of dirty talk into their sex life but it had also uncovered another kink of both Severus and Harry…Severus marking Harry’s body with his come.
In truth, it was this need for a claim by both Harry and Severus that brought them back to Severus’ piercing and tattoo parlour a year later. It was time they took the next step; by piercing both of Harry’s nipples not only would Severus feel his claim on Harry was stronger but Harry would feel like he finally belonged.
It was Harry’s slightly questioning ‘Severus?’ that caused him to realise he must have been reminiscing for quite a while. Looking back at Harry’s face, he was pleased to see that Harry hadn’t been bothered by Severus’ lack of attention and had used the time to select the piercings he wanted.
Both pieces of metal glinted in the light from the overhead lamp, and Severus was pleased and intrigued by the ones Harry had chosen. Picking up the piercings he raised a questioning eyebrow at Harry who grinned and said ‘the plain silver hoop is for my right nipple and the snake is for my left. It represents my feelings for you and by placing it on my left nipple, it will be closest to my heart, which is where you belong.’
This admission by Harry only strengthened Severus’ belief in the commitment they were making to each other. As he readied the equipment to begin the piercing, he ran his hand one last time over both Harry’s unadorned nipples, pleased to notice that Harry was still warm even after his long daydream. He gave them both a quick pinch before looking up and getting one last nod from Harry.
This was it, finally they could begin the rest of their lives together with a commitment that was special to them both and would enable them to begin to create their happy ever after.