pekeleke

Title: Home, At Last.

Fandom: Harry potter (Snarry)

Characters: Harry Potter, Severus Snape.

Author: pekeleke.

Rating: G.

Word count: 987.

Disclaimer: Don't own these characters. No money is being made out of this work.

A/N: Unbetaed. Written for the adventdrabbles 2012 Prompt 25: Winter Sunshine.

This is the twenty-fifth, and final, part in my Seeking Home series.

Summary: Severus embraces his every need and finally finds his way home...

A/N 2: I want to dedicate this particular piece to YenGirl, who used one of her reviews to put a picture in my mind that I couldn't shake off. This might not be the exact scene she envisioned, but it's close enough for her to deserve being credited with having given me the inspiration for this drabble.

Home, At Last.

Severus lifted his face towards the sky, allowing the last rays of winter sunshine to paint his face with gold. Christmas day was almost over and it had proven to be an exhausting roller-coaster ride of emotions. He'd never had a partner to wake up to on this particular morning, let alone one as popular as Harry, and the experience had been truly disorienting. Owls had began arriving at daybreak, making an absolute mess of his sitting room, until they'd been literally buried under a ton of gifts. Harry had laughed at his grumbling, calling him a grumpy scrooge, while kissing him straight into a more accepting mood.

They shared breakfast among gift-wrap and laughter, answering calls from a truly dizzying number of well-wishers. Ten o'clock had found them hand in hand, knocking on the door to Malfoy manor, and the hours spent there hadn't been as difficult as he'd initially feared. Draco had been in high spirits, due to his mother's steady recovery, and they'd exchanged gifts with a strained cheerfulness that was shattered by absolute shock when an unexpected parcel had arrived for the master of the house.

He'd been disconcerted by the fact that Charles Weasley had sent a delicate snowman-shaped ornament to Draco. Although the accompanying card simply stated how much the dragon-tamer had enjoyed the day they'd spent together, playing with the orphanage's kids, the underlying message was crystal-clear: there was interest there. Interest that went beyond sexuality, judging by the fragile beauty of that exquisitely crafted gift. He'd been overjoyed to see the small smile that appeared on Draco's face as he stared, wide-eyed, at that delicate snowman. It may not happen overnight, but he was now convinced that Draco would eventually return to his former confident self. He'd go back to laughing and plotting. Back to being the charming, spoiled and disarmingly generous boy he'd always been. Back to believing himself worthy of love.

Watching the sun's slow descent towards the lake Severus held his breath, utterly awed by the beauty he beheld. He was content to be here, he was... happy. His hands curled around the small pocket-sized painting that Harry had given him for Christmas. It showed an empty office: a huge desk dominated a scene where a high-backed chair appeared to be quietly awaiting it's absent owner. A giant bowl of yellow-coloured candy sat atop the desk, opposite an ancient tea-set.

His throat closed with the same kind of overwhelmed emotion that had brought a fierce burn to his dark eyes when he'd seen the painting for the first time. He knew exactly what it represented. Knew who should be sitting on that chair, drinking tea from that small cup. He could even understand Harry's reasoning for giving him this gift and the idea that his needs were so transparent to his lover humbled him beyond words.

Conflicting thoughts whirled in his head, reminding him that no one could force him to accept this. No portrait could enter this particular scene unless it was magically opened for them, so... He could turn his back on this painting, shove it inside a drawer and leave it thus forever: empty. Uninhabited. Barren.

He could also scrawl Albus' name onto the canvas, allowing him entrance into this space that had been so obviously created for him. He could abandon the old regrets that plagued him, discard his heartbroken guilt towards the murder he'd committed out of loyalty on this very tower, and allow a dear old friend back into his life. He could welcome Albus into this painting and tell him that he'd finally found peace. That he'd survived. That he was happy and safe and loved.

He could walk back into the soothing warmth of Hogwarts, carrying his beloved mentor in the palm of his hand. They could walk into the staff-room together, and smile once again at the sight of the rickety star that still shone atop the teacher's Christmas tree. He could bring Albus into his rooms and walk towards the couch where he'd left Harry, sleeping under the blanket that Mrs. Weasley had knitted just for them, and show his old mentor the source of his new-found joy...

It took him barely a second to scrawl Albus's name onto the canvas and he stared, wide-eyed, as the office's door opened and the old man he'd so dearly missed walked in. Twinkling blue eyes stared up at him from behind familiar half-moon spectacles and a bright, loving smile curved Albus' lips, adding unmistakable warmth to his voice:
“Merry Christmas, my dear boy. I've been waiting a long time to talk to you”

Severus' throat burned with emotion. He was grateful for the opportunity to see those eyes again. He'd missed that soft voice and tender smile with every fibre of his being since they been... gone.
“Merry Christmas to you, too, Albus. I'm delighted to see you. I have so many things to tell you about...”

Albus sat behind his desk, old hands reaching for the teapot as those eyes looked straight at him.
“Then we're we having tea, are we not, Severus? You must tell me everything, my boy. I've heard wonderful things about your current life. Harry told me you're in love.”

“Yes, we are. So many things have changed, Albus...”

Gentle blue eyes softened with affection.
“I'm listening, Severus”

Severus smiled, returning to the welcoming warmth of Hogwarts with Albus safely cradled between his palms. He spoke quietly as he began descending the stairs towards the dungeons, feeling finally complete, guilt-free, content. After taking a million wrong turns and surviving two dark wars he'd managed to reach the happily-ever-after that he'd been desperately seeking all his life. He'd found acceptance and safety. He'd found the happiness that had, so far, evaded him. He belonged, at long last, to another human being. Had found his destined home within the warm folds of Harry Potter's heart...

The End.

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The Seeking Home Series.