The Fountain Part 19/?
Title: The Fountain 19/? Author: Eriador117 Pairing: Snape/Harry Rating: Adult Warnings: I am not putting warnings as I do not want to give away the plot. Everyone is over 18. Summary: Non-magic AU. Severus Snape is a world renowned archaeologist and needs student volunteers for his new project. What the students and Snape don't know is what it is they are searching for and Lord Thomas Riddle intends to keep it that way... Disclaimer: JK Rowling owns the Potterverse; I just play in it from time to time Beta'd by R and WP, thanks so much!
The city spread out below them was built on terraces, each tier slightly smaller than the one before it so that it resembled a pyramid or a very strange wedding cake. Harry had never seen anything like it in real life, only from pictures of ruined cities in his text books. But this city was no ruin.
Steps were cut into the rock of the mountain below the tunnel; the tribesmen marched down them, expecting the three of them to follow. It was awkward trying to negotiate the steps; it had rained recently and they were slippery in places. A few times Harry wanted to reach out and grab Severus' hand, but he was unsure how such a thing would be viewed by their guides so he kept his hands to himself and struggled on.
When they reached the city proper, all of the inhabitants stopped in their tracks to stare at the newcomers. Market stall holders gaped openly from behind their carts; women who were grinding corn outside doorways stopped work to stare at them and children gazed at them with open curiosity. Like the tribesmen who had led them here, the women's chests were bare except for necklaces, but instead of teeth or bone, the women wore beads of many different colours. Some even had beads woven into their dark hair and Harry tried to focus his gaze there rather than on their bare breasts. He'd never seen a woman's breast before and flushed as he tried not to stare.
The children were completely naked but they too wore necklaces: beads for the girls and bone and teeth for the boys. They seemed unashamed and nonchalant about their nudity. Harry supposed it depended on what you were used to. The children grinned at the visitors before heading off to continue their play.
The head tribesman said something to Luna, who then translated for them. "A feast will be held in your honour tonight and then tomorrow you will be shown what you seek."
"Tell our hosts, 'thank you'," said Severus. Harry wondered how the tribesmen knew what they sought when even they weren't sure of it. Luna and the chieftain conversed as if they were old friends and soon the novelty of them wore off for everyone returned to their normal business.
Harry was feeling very uncomfortable being around so many half-naked people and he knew his prudish upbringing from the Dursleys was to blame. There was nothing wrong with what they were wearing (or not wearing) as they case may be. Being naked didn't necessarily have to mean anything about sex but Harry's body had other ideas and much to his mortification he felt himself growing hard in his shorts.
One of the little boys who'd been playing near them stopped his game to point and giggle at Harry's groin. Harry blushed even harder and placed his hands in front of his crotch, before realising that that brought even more attention to it. He wished the ground would open up and swallow him.
The elder chieftain said something to Luna, who smiled at Harry. "Don't be embarrassed, Harry. It's a very good sign for the tribe. It means you're very virile. They approve."
"Kill me now," Harry mumbled to Severus' shoulder, closing his eyes.
"No, but I might give you a little death later," Severus whispered into his ear. "It seems I've been neglecting your lessons for too long if you get hard at the slightest thing."
Harry's vision swam with what might happen later and his cock twitched in anticipation. "Not helping," Harry muttered, but Severus only smirked at him.
The chieftain pointed in the distance and they soon found themselves wandering up and down the different terraces as they made their way to the chieftain's house. All of the houses were stone but there was no glass in the window holes and most had no doors, just a leather curtain marking the entrance. It didn't seem very private, but then Harry supposed it was what you were used to.
The chieftain's house didn't look any bigger or different to the others that lined the streets with one exception. Above the doorway was a carved bird painted red and gold. It reminded Harry of a picture he'd seen once of a phoenix, but he thought that was a Chinese legend, not Peruvian.
Severus was staring around at all the different people in awe. "Imagine it, Harry! We're seeing a society living like its ancestors, unchanged for hundreds of years. It's history come to life!"
Harry nodded, for he too thought that. The chieftain led them inside the building and said something to a woman who was sewing by the window. This was the first woman Harry had seen who wasn't bare to the waist. Her long grey hair was braided down her back and she was wearing a linen robe with a colourful pattern of red and blue squares around the hem and neckline. She stood, smiling a greeting at them, before calling at the foot of the stairs. Three younger women appeared, who Harry guessed were their daughters. These three were completely naked, not even a loin-cloth to cover their genitals, but their dark hair was dressed with a complicated set of coloured ribbons and beads.
Luna and the chieftain's wife conversed, while Harry did his best not to stare at the three naked women. He could almost feel Severus' smirk at his discomfort. Luna turned to them. "Lady Quella wants to know which of her daughters you choose to warm your beds tonight."
Harry spluttered. "What?" He couldn't have heard that right.
"It's not an unknown custom in some societies," explained Severus. "Especially ones so isolated as this. It helps to broaden the gene pool."
"Severus, I can't sleep with someone else!" protested Harry. "And I don't want you sleeping with strange women either!"
***
It was late when the feast finally finished. Harry had the impression that most of the cities inhabitants had stopped by the chieftain's house that night but at long last he and Severus were alone in the chamber they'd been given. The room was small by western standards, but bigger than Harry had expected for being in an ancient city. A low wood framed bed took up most of the space, but there was room enough for two stools either side of it, each stool holding three candles. The bedcover was some sort of woven fabric in blues, greens and reds. Severus lifted one of the pillows and hefted its weight in his hands. "Feathers, but I haven't seen many birds."
"Maybe they keep them somewhere else," said Harry
There were no decorations in the room: no ornaments or paintings on the wall, just a bare cream wash. A leather curtain hung from the window opening, but like the other buildings in the city there was no glass. There had been no glass with their meals either, just potter cups and beakers. Severus undressed completely and slid into the left side of the bed, his gaze never leaving Harry as he did so.
Harry felt his face flush; he hadn't forgotten that Severus promised to resume their lessons, but what could they do here? If things got messy, and they usually did, they had nothing to clean up with, not even a spare bit of cloth or some water. They only had the clothes they'd arrived in and if they used those then they wouldn't have anything clean to wear the next day.
Harry was hyperaware of Severus' scrutiny as he undressed. Severus' gaze was almost a weight in itself. Maybe it was the dark eyes glittering in the candle light; Severus always looked so intense. Harry tugged of his t-shirt and shorts, but he left his underwear on, even as Severus raised an eyebrow at that. Slipping into this bed in a strange, ancient city felt more intimate than sharing a hotel room in Miami.
Severus sat up a little and leaned his head on his elbow. "Is something bothering you, Harry? You've been very quiet tonight."
"Not exactly," Harry admitted.
"Enlighten me, then."
"It's just, earlier with the chief's daughters, would you really have slept with one of them?"
"Would it bother you that much? It would have only been keeping a custom, nothing like what you and I share."
"So, you have slept with women before?"
"I have in the past," said Severus. "But I much prefer the male form."
"Oh. I see. I mean, if you fancied another man, I might have a chance of keeping you, but if you wanted to be with a woman I can't compete with that." Harry trailed his hands along the wove of the bedcovering, not looking at Severus.
Severus reached out and tugged Harry's face towards his. "Harry, who said you had to compete with anyone? I'm with you because I want to be. I won't be running off with another man or a woman come to that."
"But you don't know that for sure. You must get so fed up at having to teach me things I should already know."
Severus smiled softly at him. "Harry, dearest, Harry. I can assure that it is a delight to teach you things. The wonder on your face when I show you something new, it's wonderful and I would never be without it or without you."
Severus pressed his lips against Harry's, a soft peck that left Harry wanting so much more.
"So you don't mind having to teach me?" Harry asked, still unsure.
"Mind?" Severus pushed Harry flat on his back on the bed. "Hardly. But maybe it's better if I show you. Have you ever heard of the delights of soixante-neuf?"
"I don't understand French, Severus."
"Sixty-nine," Severus explained. "Can you picture it?"
"Well, I can picture the number," said Harry, then his eyes widened in realisation. "Oh! You want to try that?"
"I do, are you game?"
Harry's heart thudded against his chest. "God, yes! What do I do?"
"For now, just relax and let me take care of you."