Perfectly Partnered , for carawen Title: Perfectly Partnered (2/2) Author:alisanne Giftee:carawen Word Count: ~13600 (total) Rating: R Pairing: Severus Snape/Harry Potter, Ron Weasley/Hermione Granger (heavily implied). Warnings: DH spoilers, character death mentioned, semi-public sex. Disclaimer: This story is based on characters and situations created and owned by JK Rowling, various publishers including but not limited to Bloomsbury Books, Scholastic Books and Raincoat Books, and Warner Bros., Inc. No money is being made and no copyright or trademark infringement is intended. Summary: Auror training brings Harry a bit more than he bargained for. A/N: Thanks to my beta reader, S, and I hope you enjoy this, Carawen!
By the time reinforcements arrived, they had six Death Eaters captured and trussed up like livestock. The remaining ones had long since fled, and Snape was critiquing Harry’s technique.
“...stand with a narrower stance, then there will be little chance for a hex to find its way through your shields,” Kingsley heard Severus saying as he Apparated in.
“Snape. Potter,” he greeted them, almost smiling at the look of relief on Harry’s face. Evidently Severus had been lecturing again. “You made a good haul, gentlemen. Six Death Eaters, including Darrow, who we’ve been searching for since his raid on St. Mungo’s last month.”
Severus nodded. “It appears we were fortunate,” he said. “If you can call it that. We did not even have to go looking for them, they attacked us here.”
“It looks as if you gave a good accounting of yourselves, though,” Kingsley observed, looking around at the ruined hut. “It may not be possible to keep this location hidden from the local populace for much longer.”
“What I was wondering was is why they came here in the first place?” Harry said. “We were out in the woods in a remote location, and we hadn’t even done anything yet.”
Severus smiled bitterly. “That would have been my doing, Potter,” he said. “Wherever I go, it appears Death Eaters follow.”
“What? How?” Harry looked puzzled and Severus looked at Kingsley for a long moment, unspoken words seeming to pass between them before he turned away.
“Head Auror Shacklebolt can tell you,” he said. “I should leave before more of those idiots show up. And, Kingsley, Potter here did well. There’s no need to send him out with me anymore.” With that, he Disapparated.
Harry spun and looked at Kingsley, who smiled, holding up a hand to stall the inevitable questions. “Come, Potter. Let me tell you a story...”
~*~
“Oh but that’s horrible, Harry!” Hermione appeared outraged, and even Ron seemed disturbed. “So Snape is confined to the Ministry and to Hogwarts, basically?”
Harry nodded. “Yes. Apparently someone’s turned the Dark Mark into a tracking device and any Death Eaters out there can find him if he’s outside of maximum security wards.”
“How long have they known?” Ron’s mouth was set and he seemed to be holding back an outburst.
“The first time they moved him out of St. Mungo’s and to Spinner’s End, it was attacked, and it was only Pomfrey’s quick thinking that saved him. Luckily, she was making a house call and she Apparated him to safety.” Harry sighed. “I think he’s going to use this as an excuse to not go out with me.”
“What? Why?” Hermione rolled her eyes. “So you can just stay in.”
“My thoughts exactly,” Harry said, blushing. “And I would tell him that if he’d return my Floo calls.”
“So that must be why he’s been living at Hogwarts. I’d wondered.” Hermione pursed her lips, and Harry could tell her quick mind was already thinking through the problem. “Seems to me that if someone can track a specific person through their Dark Marks then the reverse should be true, too.”
“What do you mean?” Harry asked, leaning forward.
Ron was ahead of Harry, though. “You’re brilliant!” he exclaimed.
Hermione blushed. “That’s sweet, Ron, but you don’t even know what I mean to do yet.”
Ron winked. “You plan to reverse it somehow so that the Aurors can track the Death Eaters through their Marks,” he said, smiling as Hermione’s mouth fell open.
“How did you kn...?” She sputtered as Ron winked at her.
Harry shook his head. “You two scare me sometimes,” he said. “Is it possible to do that?”
Hermione, still seemingly surprised that Ron had her so well pegged, shrugged. “Of course. If the Death Eaters came up with a way to do it, I surely can.”
Harry hugged her. “Hermione, I love you,” he said.
“Oi, mate! Hands off!” Ron mock-growled. “You have your own man.”
Harry nodded. “That I do, and now I plan to go and get him.”
~*~
Minerva sighed as the knock sounded on her door. It had been a rough couple of days, what with Severus returning in a foul mood from whatever assignment Kingsley had sent him on, and isolating himself in the dungeons. For the first time in years, no students were staying over the Yule break and she had hoped to have a nice relaxed celebration. Unfortunately, a sulking Severus did not a relaxing holiday make.
She had tried to talk to him several times but had been rebuffed, and when she had Flooed to question Kingsley, he’d simply told her that it was Severus’ story to tell.
And now someone was at her door, no doubt with more bad news... “Come in!”
When she saw who it was, she smiled for the first time in what felt like a week. “Oh, it’s so good to see you all!”
Standing up, she ushered her visitors in and ordered tea from the kitchens.
When they were all settled she relaxed in her chair. “So, what can I do for some of Hogwarts’ most illustrious erstwhile students?”
Hermione smiled and leaned forward. “Headmistress, it’s come to our attention that Professor Snape...” She hesitated and Minerva smiled.
“He’ll always be Professor Snape to several generations of students, dear. Go on.”
Hermione nodded. “Well, he’s in a bit of a pickle.”
“Is that so?” Minerva narrowed her eyes. “And why is that?” She stared at Harry, who squirmed.
“He didn’t tell you about the mission we were on, I guess?” he asked. When she shook her head, he sighed. “Right, well, long story short...”
By the time he got to the end, Minerva was clearly seething. “So they used him as bait?” she hissed. “Hasn’t he been through enough?”
“I would say so,” Hermione muttered.
“That’s why we’re here,” Harry said. “He won’t return my Floo calls, and Hermione thinks she knows a way to fix it, only we can’t get to him to tell him about it.”
“And why do you care, Mr. Potter?” Minerva asked.
Harry flushed, yet held her gaze. “I care because he’s become my friend.”
“Is that all he is to you?”
Harry inclined his head. “I’d like him to be more,” he admitted softly, “but he won’t let me help him. If he’d only let me talk to him and tell him the plan...”
Minerva smiled. “That, I can assist you with,” she said.
Walking over to the fireplace in the corner of her office, she threw in some powder and leaned down. “Severus!” she called imperiously. “Severus, I know you’re there.”
They couldn’t hear the rest of the conversation, but after a moment Minerva withdrew her head and turned to her visitors. “He’ll see you,” she said.
As Harry stepped forward, Minerva grasped his arm. “Harry, he’s not used to people caring about him and he’s put up a lot of walls. Don’t let him convince you that he doesn’t care, because he does.”
He nodded and stepped up to the Floo. “Snape’s rooms,” he called out, stepping into the green flames.
When he was gone, Minerva turned towards Hermione and Ron. “This may take a while. More tea?”
~*~
Harry stepped with trepidation into a dimly lit room. He looked around, immediately spotting Snape reading in a chair.
“I understand you have some thoughts on ways to ameliorate my problem?” he said, not raising his head from the book he was perusing.
“Yes,” Harry said. “I do.”
Snape’s head snapped up. “Potter? What are you doing here? Minerva said that someone from the Ministry was here to speak with me.”
Harry shrugged, now knowing how Minerva had gotten Snape to agree to see him. “Technically I am from the Ministry,” he said.
Snape’s eyes narrowed. “What game are you playing, Potter? You cannot help me, and it’s not safe for you to be around me...”
“It’s safe enough here,” Harry said, stepping forward. “That’s why you’re living here, right? The wards? So that means we can talk here for as long as we need to.”
Snape set down his book and stood up. “You are a persistent one, aren’t you? Yes, I suppose it’s safe enough for you here, but did it occur to you that I didn’t want to talk to you?”
“Too bad,” Harry said, quelling the stab of hurt the callous words caused. “I want to talk to you.”
“Very well,” Snape said, looking away. “Talk.”
“We can help you, I know we can. Kingsley told me about what’s been happening with your Dark Mark, and we think we know of a way to reverse it.”
Snape looked askance at him. “Who is ‘we’, and why do you care?” he asked dryly. “Are you still entertaining that insane idea that we can have some sort of relationship?”
Harry nodded firmly. “I am,” he said.
“Potter, with my being confined to Hogwarts or the Ministry, it’s not tenable,” Snape scoffed. “That’s no way to live your life. You’re a young man, your entire life is ahead of you. Why would you saddle yourself with someone who cannot even go to Diagon Alley to purchase potions ingredients without risking a murderous attack?”
“One: as I said, we think we have a way to fix that problem,” Harry said, his eyes hard and determined. “And two: even if we can’t fix it, I have no problem being with you here or at the Ministry or somewhere else where we can set up wards. The important things is, I’m interested in being with you, wherever that has to be.”
Snape stared at him. “Who is this ‘we’ you’re prattling on about?”
“Me, Hermione and Ron. We’ve been working on the problem and--”
“You’ve involved Granger and Weasley?” Snape shook his head. “And they agreed to help? Why would they do that? What did you tell them?”
Harry smiled. “I told them what happened to you and how... how I feel about you. They agree that it’s unfair and Hermione thinks she’s found a way to reverse it so that you can track the Death Eaters through your Mark rather than vice versa.”
Snape raised an eyebrow. “Well, if anyone can accomplish that it’s Granger.” He hesitated before finally asking, “Why are you persisting in this?”
“I told you. I’m... interested in you.” Harry moved closer. “When I kissed you it was...” He blushed but kept going. “I want to see where this, whatever this is between us, can go.”
“You should know that I do not do casual, Potter,” Snape said, arms crossed. He seemed to be holding himself rigidly.
Harry smiled. “Nor do I,” he said. “Now, I think we were in the middle of a lesson before we were rudely interrupted by those Death Eaters?”
Snape shook his head. “This is simply ridi--”
Harry, having clearly lost patience, silenced Snape by the method he knew worked best. Reaching up, he pressed his lips to Snape’s, but this time, Snape was ready, meeting him half way.
As before, Snape took control, his tongue mapping Harry’s mouth while Harry tried to give as good as he got. Their tongues tangled erotically, and Harry soon found himself moaning into Snape’s mouth as his arms crept around Snape’s neck and tangled in soft hair.
When they finally pulled apart to catch their breath, Snape sighed. “Bloody Gryffindor persistence,” he muttered.
Harry laughed. “Hey, it’s Gryffindor persistence that’s going to free you from having to stay confined to this place,” he said.
“And what if I do not want to leave this place. What if, after Granger works her magic, I still prefer to stay in rather than go out and socialize?”
Harry smiled, recognizing the underlying concern. “I’m only interested in being with you, wherever that is,” he whispered. “I think we’ll do fine.”
Snape held Harry’s gaze for a long moment before nodding. “Very well,” he said. “We’ll see what happens. Now, perhaps we should have Granger come in so that we can get the business done.”
“And then?” Harry asked, fingers playing with the folds of Snape's robes.
“And then, brat, as I said, we’ll see what happens.”
Harry shivered at the look in Snape’s eyes, then, with visible reluctance, he extricated himself from Snape’s arms to go to the Floo and call Hermione and Ron. He hoped this wouldn’t take too long.
~*~
“This,” Snape muttered, “is a very bad idea.”
Hermione shrugged. “It’s the best way to test the theory,” she said. “Put your Cloak on over you and Snape, Harry. Ron and I’ll watch from over here.”
Snape shook his head as the two ducked behind a copse of trees. “I cannot believe I agreed to this experiment.”
Harry smiled as he took his Invisibility Cloak out from his pocket and draped it over them. “Just think,” he murmured as he stepped close to Snape. “We’ll prove that the tables are turned and that you can track down the Death Eaters instead of vice versa. They’ll never see us coming and you’ll be free.”
“It’s ridiculously dangerous.”
“We’re Aurors,” Harry reminded him. “We thrive on danger.”
“Merlin preserve me from overeager Gryffindors.”
“Are we really that bad?” Harry murmured. As he spoke he nuzzled Snape’s neck. “We do have good ideas occasionally.”
Snape’s eyes fluttered as Harry’s wandering hand cupped his awakening cock through his clothes. “Potter, this is not the time or the place...”
“It’s never the time or the place,” Harry said softly. “I’ve been itching to touch you all night, and now I can.”
“Potter...”
“Call me Harry. We’re dating, you can call me by my first name.”
Snape shifted as Harry’s hand grew bolder, beginning to trace the shape of his arousal beneath his robes. “Po... Harry, we can’t do this now. We’re on a stakeout.”
“Nothing’s happening at the moment,” Harry said. “I think we should find a way to pass the time. We could be out here for hours.”
His hand by then had worked its way inside Severus’ trousers and had located warm, wet flesh. Harry smiled at the sound Severus made when he ran his finger over the tip of Severus prick. His breath caught when he looked up into Severus’ eyes.
With a growl, Severus spun and pressed Harry against the wall behind where they were standing. “Indeed,” he rasped. “You are a persistent one, aren’t you? Very well. Yes, I imagine we can come up with something.”
Harry gasped, his head hitting the brick wall with a dull thud as Severus undid his clothes.
Nipping at Harry’s neck, Severus murmured, “Let’s make this a test to see how silent you can be, shall we?”
“Ohgods...”
“Shh,” Severus whispered, his hand somehow managing to worm its way under Harry’s robes and shirt to tweak his nipple. “They may hear you, and we cannot have that.”
Harry’s mouth fell open in a silent moan and Severus’ tongue wandered over his neck and jaw, even as his hand moved downwards towards Harry’s straining flesh.
“Spread your legs,” Severus purred, and Harry complied, his breath hitching as Severus’ fingers curled around the length of his cock.
“What shall I do now, Harry?” Severus asked silkily. “Shall I stroke you until you spill into my hand? Shall I take the risk of being seen by getting to my knees and tasting you? What do you want to do to pass the time?”
“Please,” Harry whispered, shuddering. “Anything.”
Severus smiled, and Harry felt the curve of his mouth against his cheek. “Oh you should never say that to a Slytherin. We are far too likely to take advantage.”
Harry was too busy thrusting into the tight channel that Severus’ hand provided to care. He raised dazed eyes to Severus and said, “Don’t care.”
Severus’ gaze focussed on Harry’s lips, and with a muttered oath he covered Harry’s mouth with his own, his tongue mimicking the same rhythm as his hand.
Unable to withstand such a determined onslaught, Harry shuddered and came, screaming into Severus’ mouth, his nails gouging marks into Severus’ forearms as he did so.
When he slumped against the wall, spent, Severus finally pulled away, and raising his hand to his mouth, sucked his fingers clean of Harry’s seed.
Harry groaned loudly, forcing Severus to clap a hand over his mouth as someone emerged from the house.
The man wasn’t masked, but he looked familiar to Harry. Severus stiffened.
Harry licked his palm and Severus removed his hand.
“Recognize him?” Harry whispered as he began to carefully refasten his clothes.
Severus nodded. “That’s Carrow. As you know, he escaped from custody immediately after your defeat of Riddle, and now it appears we’ve finally found him.”
“Great, so it worked! Let’s get him, then.”
“What we should do is notify Kingsley. If Carrow is here, then no doubt there are more Death Eaters inside.”
“All right,” Harry said. “I’ll call for backup.” He paused. “But then Kingsley will want to know what happened and he’ll want a report.” Harry palmed Severus’ erection which had, if anything, grown larger. “If we just capture him and leave him on the front door of the Ministry with a note about where we captured him, we can go home and you can fuck me.”
Severus narrowed his eyes. “Or we can simply allow Granger and Weasley to take him in,” he said. “This ambush was their idea.”
Harry grinned. “I like the way you think,” he said, shifting closer to Severus as they crouched beneath his Invisibility Cloak.
Severus smiled. “Dear gods, I fear the Gryffindorness is contagious.”
Harry snickered, pressing the coin Hermione had given him to indicate the time to attack. This would be the fastest Death Eater capture in history if he had anything to say about it.
~*~
“Here’s to the two most successful Auror teams in history!” Arthur cried, raising his cup in salute.
“Hip, hip, hooray!” the rest of the family cried as Ron and Hermione, recently officially appointed as an Auror team together, blushed and smiled happily.
Severus, half of the other team being celebrated, simply nodded regally as Arthur slapped him on the back jovially and Molly kissed his cheek.
Once the attention was off them, and under cover of the loud celebration, Severus turned to Harry and whispered, “May I see you outside?”
Harry nodded, and within two minutes they were in the garden, under Harry’s Cloak and a Warming Charm to ward against the snow. They could see the Yule celebration as it continued through the window.
“Are you all right?” Harry asked, worried. “I know they can be a bit overwhelming, but they are the closest thing I have to a family.”
Severus shook his head. “They are boisterous, but it’s no less than what I expected.”
“Then why did you want to see me out here?” Harry asked.
“I met with Kingsley today.”
“Okay. So did he give us our next assignment?”
“In a way.” Severus hesitated, then took Harry’s hand. “He offered me a position as an Unspeakable.”
“Oh.” Harry tried to smile but it faltered. “Who does he want to be my partner now?”
Severus smiled. “I told him we come as a package deal. So I’m authorized to ask if you would like to be an Unspeakable as well.”
Harry’s eyes widened and he let out a loud whoop before pulling Severus down for a celebratory kiss. When they surfaced, both men were breathless and panting. Severus’ hands were cupping Harry’s arse.
“I think Molly’s idea that all the men wear kilts for the Yule celebration was a superb one,” he purred.
Harry groaned. “Severus, we can’t do this where they may possibly see u--”
Severus chuckled. “Indeed. But it seems that Granger and Weasley have made their announcement, so we can escape under cover of their news.”
Harry looked in through the window to see Molly and Ginny crying and embracing a blushing Hermione, while Arthur, Bill, George, Dean, Charlie and Percy all converged on Ron.
“Now would be a good time to leave,” he agreed.
They said their goodbyes quickly, and while Ginny sent a knowing look their way, everyone else seemed too preoccupied with the news of the impending nuptials to be too upset at Harry and Severus’ abrupt departure.
Later that night, as Severus clearly struggled to remember his password and lower his wards while Harry frotted urgently against him in the hallway, a bright-eyed cat watched them. When they finally got inside Severus’ quarters, she sat up and stretched before padding away.
Apparently, Severus has found someone to entertain in his quarters after all, Minerva thought as she continued her rounds, happy to see that all was truly well.