pekeleke

Title: Tread Softly.
Author: pekeleke
Characters: Harry Potter, Severus Snape.
Rating: PG
Warning(s): None.
Word count: 365
Disclaimer: Don't own these characters. No money is being made out of this work.
Written for: hogwarts365 Prompt #63 – 'Terry Boot', 'Books'
Summary: Harry knew he had to tread softly if he wanted Severus to trust him with his heart.

Tread Softly.
read on rue16

Harry saw him perusing his meager collection of books from the kitchen doorway and took a hasty step backwards, deciding to grant him one more minute before barging back into the room with the tea-tray. He needed to see if Severus had finally reached the point where he felt secure enough in their relationship to actually pluck one of his novels off the shelf and crack it open.

Potion-tainted fingertips traced absentmindedly from one leather-bound spine to the next as his skittish -dare he say it?- yes: boyfriend took another idle turn around the library. Severus looked relaxed at last. Calm enough to allow his dark eyes to shine with the kind of contentment that made Harry's breath hitch and his heart pound with hope.

Severus' suspicious nature tended to flare when he was anxious and, although Harry could understand his inability to cope with the intrusion of the press into the very private -and still distressingly fragile- romantic relationship they were trying to build, he still wished his beloved would let go of the million little hang-ups he constantly used to create unnecessary distance between them whenever he felt threatened by their growing closeness.

“You can do more than touch them, you know?” He said softly, ignoring his own heartache when Severus stepped away from the shelves without exploring any further.

Startled black eyes settled over him as he approached, watching him place their tea on the coffee table with unnecessary guilt.
“I'm sorry. I swear I wasn't trying to pry.”

Harry caught a long-fingered hand and squeezed it reassuringly, wishing Severus would grant him the bloody break he'd earned through single-minded persistence and the genuine desire to have the right to adore this utterly beautiful, but heartbreakingly wounded creature who deserved so much more than he dared to imagine.
“Has it ever occurred to you that I want you to pry?”

“Harry...”

“You'll never fall for me unless you know who I am. I'm willing to bare my heart for your inspection.”

“And what happens when you realize I'm nothing like your ex? Terry Boot is...”

“He's my past. He may have been my first, but you... you will be my last, Severus.”