Courting Disaster. Chapter 10.

[pekeleke]

Title: Courting Disaster. 10.

Rating : NC-17.

Author: pekeleke

Word Count: 2096

Warnings: None.

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

Summary: For once in his life Harry Potter has a plan. A carefully plotted plan to help him conquer the heart of an extremely reluctant Severus Snape, only... conquering a suspicious ex-spy isn't for the fainthearted and soon Harry finds himself -quite literally- courting disaster.


Courting Disaster.

Severus plops on one of the many benches dotted along the walk-around path that runs along the Serpentine (*) with a low groan and closes his dark eyes against the sharp light of the bright January afternoon.
“I'll never be able to even look at chocolate again.  Not ever again, Potter.”

Harry reaches his side in the next second, takes a seat right next to him and laughs with crystal-clear delight.
“You wanted to know what makes me tick, Severus, and I've waited a veritable eternity to be allowed to indulge your every desire.”

Severus groans once again.  The sound is heartfelt, low-toned and so quiet that it's barely even noticeable, but it makes Potter gasp so loudly that he opens his eyes with a startled little jolt and looks around them inquiringly, attempting to identify what, precisely, has elicited that thoroughly unexpected sound from his companion.
“What's the matter?  Is there someone you recognize around here?  Do you think we are being followed?”

The Gryffindor's response to his understandable alarm is a rather puzzling bout of nearly hysterical laughter that catches him by surprise, so he abandons his careful appraisal of their surroundings in order to fix his puzzled gaze upon the seeker's inexplicably flushed expression instead.
“What on Salazar's sweet Earth is wrong with you, Potter?”

His companion refuses to look him in the eye even as he throws a rather weak smile in his general direction before shaking his left leg with enough force to draw Severus' attention to the oddly uncoordinated motion.
“There's nothing wrong with me, Severus.  I had a bad cramp, that's all.  This cold January wind doesn't agree with me much and I just sat on a frozen bench without bothering to cast a warming charm first.  My coach would have had my head for it, if he'd seen me.”

“Oh!”  Severus gasps, uncertain of the sincerity of that explanation but thoroughly unable to imagine what else the Gryffindor could be trying to hide from him while they are both so far away from home.  “We could leave, if you want.  I'm so used to the cold environment of basement laboratories and dungeon classrooms that I no longer react to the unpleasant contact of frosted surfaces.”

“No.  No, please.  I was enjoying how relaxed you looked a minute ago.  I can't remember ever hearing you whine about anything so much before.  It's really cute.”

"Cute?  I'm not cute.  And I wasn't whining, Potter.  Slytherins are physically incapable of whining, that's a Hufflepuff trait.  I was actually dying right here, on this bench, before your leg cramp interrupted me so rudely."

Harry laughs with delight and shakes his messy head from side to side.
“I knew you were going to love that chocolate tour.  As soon as I realized that the elves at the manor kept serving you the most outrageous chocolate concoctions that I've ever seen every single time you were over there for dinner I came to the conclusion that you must be some sort of closet chocoholic.

"I promised myself to bring you out here one day and watch you eat sample after sample of every single piece of the most delicious chocolate that's on sale on the poshest side of London these days.  I figured you'd be able to order as much stuff from Honeyduke's special selections as you like, but this would be something a little bit more... exotic.  The historical facts about the different stores and the people who runs them that are also part of the tour provided that extra pizzazz that I was certain you'd enjoy.”

Severus groans again at the memory of precisely how much chocolate he's eaten.  He has no problem recognizing that he enjoyed every single second of their tour.  The trip has been a wonderful surprise.  Something that he hadn't even been aware was possible to do as an activity in muggle London and he certainly doesn't regret his decision to trust Harry's insistent reassurances that closing his shop on a Saturday morning in order to accompany him on another mystery date -to a fully muggle destination, no less- was going to be worth his while.

It has been worth it.  Of course it has been.  Potter's activity of choice had first surprised him and then driven him to such absurd levels of unfettered delight that he has spent the entirety of the morning grinning like an old and ugly fool.  But now, seating for the first time in his memory on one of the hundreds of benches dotted along Hyde Park in the company of a gorgeous man who seems genuinely interested in him romantically, Severus finds himself unable to care all that much about whatever amount of dignity he's allowed himself to lose in the course of their outing.

Harry has been equally buoyant during their tour, smiling constantly at everyone and everything with the gleeful satisfaction of a man who has managed to dazzle him not only with the sheer amount of chocolate to be tasted -and learn new things about- but also with this new and undeniable proof of how much emotional investment the Gryffindor seems willing to pour onto their budding relationship.

It's plain to see how much effort the seeker has been putting into each and every single one of their planned outings.  How much attention he must have been paying to Severus' every action, voiced opinion and response to literally everything in the last couple of years in order to have gathered such varied and absolutely spot on knowledge of his likes and dislikes.  Of his seldom referred to hobbies.  Of his day to day routines and the real nature of both his affections towards others and the closely guarded vulnerable spots of his suspicious personality.

Thinking logically about it Severus realizes that he should be feeling a lot more threatened than he does.  He remembers feeling that way at the beginning of Harry's pursuit, but now everything is changing so swiftly and so consistently that he can't help but marvel at the smoothness with which they seem to click together.

“Severus?  Are you alright?  You must have gone a million miles away from here...”  Harry's gloved hand settles over his forearm suddenly, dragging his wandering attention right back to their shared park bench.  He blinks slowly, as if waking from a pleasant -if short- daydream and allows his gaze to settle over the winter-gray surface of the huge body of water so pleasantly displayed before him.

He drinks in the soothing peacefulness of being able to just watch the rest of the world walk or jog slowly past them without having it attempt to intrude inside the small private bubble that he shares with his companion.  The few people dotted about are so utterly uninterested in the fact that they're together that they can't be bothered to pry into whatever reasons brought them here or what, precisely, they are saying to one another."

“I'm just wondering how on Earth you managed to come across a London-based chocolate tour.  I've seen what Draco's elves bring for you, too.  Treacle Tart and Pecan Pie, if I remember correctly.  You are a man of syrupy taste, Mr. Potter.  I can't recall ever seeing you eat a proper dessert.”

“Chocolate is not a dessert.  It's candy, Severus.”  Potter points out, grinning from ear to ear at the outraged expression that such scandalous remark must have brought to his pale face.  ”Never mind that.  I'm not going to argue with you over the true nature of chocolate, my prince.  The point is that I've been dying to drag you here since I came across the group on one of my Saturday morning outings.  I often wander around muggle London during the weekend.  It's a relaxing way to spend my free time, since nobody knows me here and I can do what I like without having to look constantly over my shoulder, checking for the presence of camera-wielding journalists.”

Severus shivers visibly as the idea of what awaits him once they make their relationship public hits him with more force than ever before.
“I'm honestly dreading the three-ring circus that my life will most likely become once our association goes public.  I've never had the most suitable disposition to dealing with members of the press in general and they despise me probably as much as I detest them, if not more.

"They are going to relish being given the opportunity to rip my character to shreds under the guise of informing their readers of my moral unsuitability to become your romantic partner.  They'll rake up bucketfuls of the most unpleasant facts that my colorful past has to offer and delight in the task of presenting them in the blackest light possible in order to sink my battered reputation lower than it already is, if that's possible.  They'll...”

“Hey... hey... Nobody is going to harm either you or your reputation in any way, I swear.  I'm here for you, Severus, and I'm no Dumbledore.  I'm not my mother, either.  I protect the people I love and that most certainly includes you.  I'm not going to let anybody get away with hurting you.  Not the press.  Not my fans.  Not the members of my family and other assorted friends.  You will be safe in every possible meaning of the word, I promise.”

“You won't be able to deliver that safety, Harry.  I've been around long enough to know precisely how the world outside my limited social circle sees me.  I'm a two-faced turncoat at best and a cunning Death-Eater who literally got away with murder at worst.  No one is going to want that kind of scum anywhere near you.  Attempting to deny that simple fact is foolish.”

Harry's hand slides so very gently down his forearm until those gloved fingertips find his own, squeezing them briefly in silent reassurance before pulling on them upwards, dragging his arm higher and higher.  Then Harry places a single, close-mouthed kiss over his leather-covered knuckles while he watches him do it with wide-eyed trepidation.

Severus is strangely incapable of moving a single muscle, of pulling his hand away.  And so he sits there, mute and paralyzed by shocked surprise, while those lips press themselves onto the aged leather of his dragon-hide glove and his heart begins to pound a mile a minute, pushing the blood that runs inside his veins into a veritable whirling that rushes through his entire body with the speed of a hurricane sweeping through the coast.

He is unable to feel the touch of those pink lips on his skin trough the layer that protects it against the winter cold, but he watches as the contact is both initiated and carried through, becoming undeniable reality.  The image of that innocent touch that he sees, but can not feel, does something odd and frightening to him.  He feels that kiss all the way down to his bones.  Feels it like a touch that's meant to brand him far more permanently than the Dark Mark ever did and he blinks in utter shock, reacting purely on instinct as he tightens his own fingers over Harry's trembling ones in the next second.

“What are you doing to me?”  He whispers in a small and frantic tone, attempting to understand what's happening, what's changing.  What's making every hair on the back of his neck stand on end and every muscle in his body feel as if he's been suddenly turned to wobbly jelly.

Green eyes settle over him with tender devotion and those lips that have just branded him with their quiet little kiss smile at him gently.
“I'm trying to love you with every breath I take.  I'm not doing anything more than that, Severus, but I promise never to do anything less.  That's a vow that I can and will deliver, my prince.  I'll move Heaven and Earth to help you believe it, if you need me to.”

Severus stares right into those mesmerizing emerald eyes for a long time.  His gloved hand remains perched delicately over Harry's own, barely an inch or two away from the earnest smile that's so slowly, but so certainly, conquering his every suspicion.  His every misgiving.  Offering him something that nobody else has ever offered to him before now.  Harry is trying to lure him home with the boldness that only a true son of the house of the lion would have ever dared to show a jaded old pariah like him.
“I believe you, Harry Potter."  He whispers into the quiet  "I finally... dare... to believe you.”



A/N: (*) The Serpentine, also known as the Serpentine lake or river is a huge man-made body of water that sits in the middle of High Park, in London, UK.


( Chapter 9. )


( Chapter 11. )

 

Comments

[myk_myk]

Severus is very lucky, their dates are amazing! I love chocolate so I would love this kind of date ^^.
You have no idea how happy you made me with the final sentence of this chapter. Well, I think I'm as happy as Harry is.
Well done, my dear!
Hugs,
myk

[pekeleke]

Hello there, myk!:D

I love chocolate too and that's how I learned about these sort of tours. They are an entertaining way of spending a couple of hours around the city and getting to sample truly wonderful chocolate into the bargain. Obviously the amount of candy you buy while you are at it is just... well. It all ends up on the hips, doesn't it? At least Severus' hips can take the abuse... ;)

I'm thrilled that you enjoyed that last line so much. Their relationship is developing slowly and becoming stronger with every concession that Severus gives Harry. One day soon they'll both be properly together, both finally on the same page and with no reason whatsoever to doubt or be afraid of the other's feelings. Then Severus will discover precisely how wonderful it feels to be truly happy.

Thanks, as always, for taking the time to both read and review, my friend. You know how much I love 'chatting' about the boys with you... :)

Hugs
pekeleke

[soleo]

That was a wonderful date. Harry really goes above and beyond.

“I'm trying to love you with every breath I take. I'm not doing anything more than that, Severus, but I promise never to do anything less." - Is my favorite line. Harry is such a loving, caring, passionate and romantic fool in this. Fool being a relative term of course.

And Severus if finally, finally! understanding that what Harry is offering isn't a mirage that will disappear as soon as he touches it.

[pekeleke]

Yes. Harry is putting a lot of effort into wooing his Slytherin and his thoughtful choices of venue are managing to soothe Severus' initial suspicions into a sense of quiet expectation that keeps pushing their romance forwards.

I'm thrilled that you enjoyed that particular line so much. It does portray the depth of Harry's feelings rather well and I agree with your take on them. Harry is indeed a romantic fool in this story, but then again I honestly believe that Severus deserves someone who loves him just like this. :)

Thanks, as always, for taking the time to both read and review this story of mine. Your lovely comment meant the world to me, SoLeo. :)

Hugs
pekeleke

[teryarel]

Chocolate-man Severus! Wonderful idea. I think that Severus is a very sensual man. It really seems to fit that he would like (dark) chocolate. Did you let them possibly join a "chocolate ecstasy tour"? (How /do/ you keep on comig up with those little tidbits?)

Did Harry really have a cramp? At first I thought that this doesn't fit into the flow of the story, but as I think about it... Perhaps it simply shows those "little things" that a couple shares when they get comfortable with each other. Did you mean it in such a way? Or was Harry trying to divert the topic after all?

I love Severus' humour in this scene. Slytherins cannot whine, huh. :)

But then there is Sev's view of their future as seen through the eyes of the public. He is probably very accurate about the reception of them being together. (At least, that's what you seem to let shine through as being in store for them. If you would have the public accepting Severus, then he wouldn't be as pessimistic as he is about their reactions.) I hope for them that there won't be too many problems.

The kiss was one of the most sensual and touching scenes I have read in a long time. Harry is behaving like a true champion of romance. He could melt a stone (or Severus) with his words and actions. And he (unlike Dumbledore and Lily) will stand by his friend and chosen partner. He will not let Severus down when he needs him most. And now, finally, Sev can see - and believe - this, too.

Thank you for another part of your story.

[pekeleke]

Hello there again, teryarel! :D

LOL. The idea that Severus is a dark chocolate man has been doing the rounds of fandom for so long that I sometimes think it's cannon. I am a shameless chocoholic myself and, since I lived in England for ten years and visited London many, many, times, there isn't much that can be done around there that I haven't already tried. I went in one of these chocolate tours once, so I drew this scene from a very lovely memory of mine.

Harry most definitely did not have a cramp here. He reacted rather physically to Severus' little groan, but was gentleman enough to try to hide that from his date. :D

I'm relieved that you're able to take your queues from Severus' pessimistic expectations of what will happen when their relationship comes out into the open, since that means you're already preparing yourself for what is ahead. Things won't be easy for them, but you nailed there when you said that Harry will not let Severus down when he needs him most. That is what makes him different from both Dumbledore and his mother and it will guide his every step towards the happily ever after he so richly deserves with Severus.

Thanks, once again, for taking the time to both read and review another chapter of this fic. Your beautiful comments never fail to make my day a whole lot brighter.

Hugs
pekeleke