Secret Snarry Swap: FIC: Well Met Title: Well Met Author:Goddess47 Rating: PG Word count: 2125 Content/Warning(s): Fluff, snogging Prompter/Prompt: No. 38 from lilyseyes: Harry has excelled at being an Auror, but his PTSD infused nightmares are debilitating and he quits. Taking up his titles, Harry decides on a new direction, while searching for some way to relieve his past trauma - until he bumps into a man he thought dead, Severus. Summary: Harry was taking a leisurely, late-morning stroll on a London street when he saw something familiar out of the corner of his eye. A/N: Many thanks to M for the review and suggestions! It's a much better fic for your help!
Harry was taking a leisurely, late-morning stroll on a London street when he saw something familiar out of the corner of his eye. He stopped to look around, to see if he could identify what he might have seen.
There! That was it! A familiar billow of a cape. A Muggle cape and not a Wizarding robe, but the flare was distinctive. One Harry had not seen in almost ten years.
"Professor Snape?" The name escaped before he could stop himself.
A tall, thin man on the sidewalk hesitated for a moment. Then continued walking.
Harry looked closer.
"Professor!" Harry repeated. Louder.
The man stopped and turned toward Harry. He sighed and rubbed two fingers on his forehead. "Potter." It was a reluctant admittance of acknowledgement.
"What are you doing here? I mean... you're alive!" Harry breathed.
"That much is obvious," Snape replied. He turned to walk away.
Harry took a step closer and stood tall. "Sir. If I may, can we talk?" Harry looked around and spotted a pub. "May I buy you a drink?"
Snape hesitated. "If I have one drink with you, will you go away?"
"Maybe?" Harry equivocated.
"As obtuse as ever, I see," Snape replied. "One drink."
"Two."
"None, then," Snape turned away.
"One," Harry offered frantically. "And... lunch."
"Ploughman's lunch," Snape shot back.
"Deal!" Harry grinned. He gestured towards the pub. "Shall we?"
"If we must," Snape grumped.
Luckily, it was after the lunch rush and they had no problem getting a quiet booth off to one side. Harry ordered the Ploughman's lunch for them both and a pint of draft beer for himself. He looked at Snape. "What would you like to drink?"
"The pint is acceptable," Snape said.
The barmaid bustled off to place their order. Their pints were efficiently delivered.
Harry took a moment to study Snape. The man looked healthy. Thin, but in a good way, and still pale, but rested. The close-cropped hair was unexpected but Harry decided it was a good look. It made him look younger, although Harry knew wixen could easily live 200 years, or more. At forty-eight, Snape was still relatively young, even if he was still twenty years older than Harry.
"What happened?" Harry said. "I'm amazed and, I'll admit, pleased to see that you're alive. I went back for you and you were gone!"
"I will admit to be surprised you would even think to come back," Snape said. "You had what you needed to defeat Voldemort..."
"But... you were an important part of everything!" Harry protested. "You were injured. You deserved to be recognized for what you did! I did what I could to ensure that!"
Snape shrugged. "All I really wanted was to be left alone. I had a bezoar and replenishing potions with me. I called for a Hogwart's House-Elf and one came. She took me to Ableforth and he took me in."
"But... we looked for you!" Harry protested.
"I did not want to be found," Snape admitted. "As soon as I was able, I went to Gringotts. I begged for a job and I've been working for them ever since."
"Damn it!" Harry groaned. "Ragnok owes me one for that. I begged for help to find you and he said he couldn't possibly help."
"And how are you on a first name basis with the leader of the Horde?" Snape asked with a frown.
"Oh. A lot of groveling and restitution payments," Harry admitted. "And I let the Horde search all the vaults I own for both Dark and Horde created items. We jointly destroyed the Dark items and I gave back most of the Horde created items."
"But not the Sword of Gryffindor," Snape pointed out.
Harry shrugged. "That's entitled to the Gryffindor line, so I had no control over that," he admitted. Lady Magic had a firm opinion that Harry couldn't fight.
"You've been busy, playing Lord of the Manor," Snape commented.
Harry grinned. "You have been paying attention!"
"It's difficult not to," Snape replied drolly. "With your fistful of titles, you've all but taken over the Wizengamot and there's rumor that you'll be running for Minister for Magic."
"Ha, ha, no!" Harry laughed. "That's a thankless job and I've come to love the freedom of being 'Lord of the Manor' as you said. Being able to do what I want is... something I never thought I'd get to have."
Their lunches were delivered at that point.
"What brings you to London?" Snape asked. "Specifically, Muggle London?"
"Just... I have good days and bad days," Harry admitted. "I didn't sleep much last night and needed to be reminded there is a whole world out there that functions without me." He gave a wry grin. "Wizarding England never stops taking, as you know."
"I do know," Snape nodded.
"It's why I left the Aurors," Harry felt the need to explain. "I was actually doing well but I have these... flashbacks, I've learned they are called. I had one while we were chasing a suspect. I," Harry swallowed, "I thought he was Voldemort and I froze. He nearly killed my partner that day. I had to walk away from it before I really did get someone killed."
"You could have moved into administration," Severus said.
"I considered it," Harry replied. "But, well, I wasn't in a good place then. Luckily, Hermione talked me into seeing a Mind Healer. A Squib who knew about Magic, so it was someone I could talk to about everything in my life. They called it Post-Traumatic Stress Syndrome and, well, it's gotten better but it may never go away."
Snape nodded. "I have similar issues," he admitted. "Luckily, most potion brewing can be put under a Stasis Charm and I can walk away as I need to."
The bar maid came up. "Another round?"
Harry looked at Snape. "Stay. Please?"
Snape seemed momentarily reluctant but nodded. "One more."
"Yes, please," Harry told the woman. "And, do you have anything for pudding?"
"Just some biscuits," she shrugged. "But they're fresh made. Bar-keep gets them from the bakery down the street. Not much call for sweets around here."
"We'll have that," Harry replied with a smile. "Just what I wanted."
"Just a mo', then," she replied. She got their drinks and set a plate with a variety of six cookies on the table.
"Perfect, and thank you," Harry said. He took a cookie and bit into it. "Have one, they are very good."
Severus looked over the assortment and took what looked like an oatmeal cookie. He bit into it and nodded. "This is good."
"A pint and cookies isn't the standard pub fare, but my Healer says I should eat whatever I want," Harry said. "My magic uses a lot of calories and I'd have to work hard to put on too much weight."
Snape's eyes widened a bit at that. Then he looked carefully at Harry. "You're a Magus? that's quite rare these days."
Harry nodded. "When I went for Auror training, a full medical check-up was required. They found a block on my magic that had been put there when I was very young. It had been long enough that they weren't quite sure who had done it. Their theory is my parents but, well, from what I've learned that seems unlikely."
"Who do you suspect?" Snape asked warily.
"Dumbledore," Harry said flatly. "So many of the bad things in my life trace back to him. If he weren't dead, I'd be asking some very pointed questions about what he knew about my life." Harry took a measured breath. "But since I cannot, I let it go and work to do better." He took a bite of his biscuit and chewed steadily.
"Not a discussion we should have in a public place," Snape agreed. "So. I read about your... entanglement with Miss Weasley."
Harry snorted. "Luckily, Ginny and I figured out that we were better off apart than together. She flitted off to play professional Quidditch and she's still playing. We keep in touch and she's considering moving into coaching in the next three to five years."
"And Miss Granger and Mr. Weasley?" Severus asked.
"They flirted with being a couple but Ron had problems with Hermione's ambitions," Harry replied. "She earned her Mastery in Runes and is also working for the Horde, out of the Rome branch of the bank. Ron's still an Auror and is still unhappy that I quit. He had hoped we'd be partners forever. He's doing okay at it but doesn't want to work on the N.E.W.T.s he'd need to be promoted. That's his choice. But they're doing well at this point."
"That is good to hear," Snape said. He finished his second pint and started to gather his things.
"Umm... can we meet again?" Harry asked, trying not to sound too desperate. "Would you like to come to dinner?"
"I... I shouldn't," Snape demurred.
"Why not?" Harry asked. "It's been ten bloody years and..." Harry sighed. "I'm sorry. It's just that you did so much for me. For us. I want to have a chance to get to know you again."
"We were never friends," Snape said, somewhat sadly.
"I was a kid," Harry replied. "You were an adult. One of the few who actually tried to help me."
"I don't need your thanks," Snape said bitterly.
"Merlin! I'm not saying this right," Harry blew out a breath in frustration. "I want to get to know the man my mother would have had as a friend."
Snape looked away. "I was the cause of her death."
"Voldemort killed her, not you," Harry said fiercely. "Even I had a part in her death, if you take everything into consideration. If I had not been born, that bloody prophesy would have played out differently. And my parents were younger than I am now and reckless. They had options outside of what Dumbledore 'suggested' and didn't take them. Voldemort killed them but other, older Wizards, played a hand in their deaths." Another steadying breath. "Your part was the least of all. You at least tried to save them. Save her."
Snape looked at Harry in amazement. "You really believe that?"
"I've had time. and the resources, to look into what really went on," Harry replied evenly. "It's amazing what the Horde can do when you're willing to spend money on it."
"Those potions were for you," Snape said in realization.
Harry nodded. "Most likely," he agreed. "I needed to do a number of rituals, most of which I cannot talk about. But a combination of petitions to Lady Magic and some research into Ministry records have served me well."
"Some of that is Dark," Snape frowned.
"None of anyone else's business," Harry replied cheerfully.
Snape snorted. "Too true," he agreed.
"Again. Dinner?" Harry asked.
"Do you like Indian food?" Snape asked.
"I love curry," Harry replied.
"I know just the place. Next Tuesday?"
"I'll be there," Harry promised. He left with a bit of hope in his heart.
One Year Later
Harry and Severus -- it took two dinners and another pub lunch for 'Snape' to turn into 'Severus' -- were sitting closely together on the oversized couch to watch the latest Dr. Who on the telly.
"That was fun," Harry said as the show ended.
"It was," Severus agreed.
"More cocoa?" Harry asked. "Or something stronger?"
"How about a splash of that bourbon in the cocoa?" Severus suggested.
"Good idea!" Harry got up and fixed their drinks. He brought them back to the den.
"Here you go!" Harry said, handing one mug to Severus.
"What shall we watch next?" Severus asked. "You promised me a full evening of shows."
Harry set his mug on the coffee table and took Severus' from him to set it down.
"I'd... I'd like to try something," Harry said nervously.
Severus looked apprehensive but then nodded. "Go ahead."
Harry leaned close and pressed their lips together. As he started to lean back, Severus wound an arm about him and brought him close. Harry plastered himself to Severus, enjoying the warm body next to his.
"I knew Gryffindors could be brave," Severus smirked at Harry when they came up for air.
Feeling braver, and unbearably relieved not to be rejected, Harry poked Severus gently in the side. "You were hoping I'd do that!"
Severus grabbed the offending hand and pressed a soft kiss to it. "I was," he admitted. "I have enjoyed your company and did not want to lose that. But, this is better."
"How about if we be brave together for a while?" Harry leaned in for another kiss.
Even warming charms could not save their drinks by the time they remembered them.