Title: Decoy
Author: lilyseyes
Team: Cauldron
Genre(s): Crossdressing
Prompt(s): Man in Uniform ~ Consequences
Rating: NC-17
Warning/Kinks: *Crossdressing, non-graphic Mpreg, semi-public!sex, wall!sex, rimming, fluff*
Word Count: +/- 10,800
Summary: Auror Harry Potter needs assistance from an unlikely source as he is given the assignment to be the decoy for a wizarding serial killer.
A/N: This fic wouldn't have been possible without the_minx_17 who helped write, beta read, hand-held, and co-conspired through it all/ JKR owns the Potterverse — I just play in it. No money is made from these amateur works/
Betas: rakina, whitecotton and sassy_cissa Thank you so much!
And thanks to alisanne and leela_cat for your help! *smooches*

Decoy

Auror Harry Potter stared at his supervisor, unable to keep the incredulous expression off his face. His fingers tightened reflexively in the rich fabric of his uniform robes, as if hanging on to them would prevent anyone from stripping them off him.

"You want me to do what?"

Dawlish's grin turned into a smirk as he gestured towards the pink box sitting atop Harry's desk. "You're being assigned to the joint Muggle-Magical task force attempting to catch the wizard responsible for those murders in the Soho District. Your assignment is to be the decoy to lure the bastard in."

"And I have to be wearing this?" Harry focused his glare on the offensively girlie box.

"If you actually want to help catch this bastard…" Pure glee flashed in Dawlish's eyes. "Yes, it does."

Harry's fingers crushed the cloth in his hand. His maroon robes were much more to him than just a uniform, they symbolized his acceptance into a group on his own merits, not because of a scar. Harry wore them proudly, even more of a badge of honor than the Order of Merlin stashed in the back of his sock drawer. Ginny was forever going on about his obsession with his uniform, more than once harping on at him to wear dress robes to the Ministry functions they attended. Besides being simple working robes, his uniform clashed with her hair and that, in her opinion, was unacceptable.

Dawlish knew the importance Harry placed on his uniform; there were very few in the MLE who didn't know. But Dawlish was one of the few who teased Harry about his rookie mentality and Harry suspected it was one of the reasons he'd been singled out for this assignment. Dawlish was always testing him, making sure he was worthy of the Auror Corps and Harry itched to hex the sadistic smirk off the man's face. Instead, he took a deep breath.

"Any particular reason why I'm the lucky Auror who gets this assignment?" he asked, struggling to keep the sarcasm out of his voice.

"You fit the victim profile, Potter." Dawlish was all business now, gesturing to a thick file on his desk. "Dark hair, slender build, not overly tall, and young. We're still not sure if he's targeting women or men, as two of his victims have been women and the other two were men dressed as women. All were raped and murdered."

Harry nodded. This was the information they had all been briefed on immediately after it had been determined the Killing Curse was used to murder the victims. That information led to the formation of a joint task force between the MLE and Scotland Yard. Kingsley Shacklebolt had personally selected the two senior Aurors for the squad, both of whom were Muggleborn and had easily interfaced with their Muggle counterparts.

"Report to the Task Force office tonight, Potter, wearing that." The smirk was back as Dawlish pointed at the pink box.

Severus Snape carefully slid a vial of the still-warm potion into his inner pocket before smoothing the front of his black, summer-weight robes. The frantic fire-call from Potter had startled him. The young Auror's demeanor was so out of character that Severus thought Harry was furious with him, despite the fact that they had managed to become friends in the aftermath of the Battle of Hogwarts. It was a friendship earned by the boy's calm determination to do anything necessary to ensure Severus was not only saved from Nagini's attack, but honored as a hero of the war as well.

Friendship hadn't been an easy journey for either of them, Severus recalled as he set the wards on his house, but the two had found a common interest in the form of Lily Evans Potter. It had been a delicate dance but now, almost four years after the final battle, Severus grudgingly admitted (if only to himself) that Harry had become as good a friend as his mother had once been. Something about the young man seemed to energize Severus when they spent time together.

With a pinch of Floo powder, Severus entered the fireplace and stepped out into Harry Potter's sitting room in short order. He froze. It looked as if a battle had been fought in the room and his wand was instantly in his hand. Bits of torn-up pink tissue paper littered the low table and plush carpet; a large, battered pink box lay against the sofa and several articles of clothing were strewn haphazardly about.

A sound behind him had Severus whirling around, wand at the ready.

"Severus!"

Harry Potter stumbled into the room, a black corset, unlaced and loose, around his chest as he hobbled around trying to pull a stocking over the calf of one leg. Maroon boxers, the same shade as Auror robes, were the only other piece of clothing on the toned, slender body. Much to his amazement, Severus could only stand and stare, his cock lengthening and hardening as he ran his eyes from Harry's toes to the top of his tousled hair. His conscious mind had never allowed any thought of Lily's son as a sexual being, but apparently his subconscious had been well aware and was now bringing that potential to the forefront.

Swallowing hard, Severus followed the curve of a hip and the lines of the muscular thighs, back up to the trail of dark hair that began on the flat stomach and disappeared into the waistband of the low-slung pants. Unable to tear his eyes away from the delectable sight of the black satin against that perfect skin, Severus' response came out harsher than he'd anticipated.

"Potter! What idiotic situation have you blundered your way into this time?"

Harry's head snapped in Severus' direction, and Severus was surprised to see the crestfallen expression on the young man's face. Lowering his wand, Severus moved to stand in front of the still-hopping Harry and reached out a hand to steady him. His fingers brushed the corset before wrapping around Harry's arm.

"I've been chosen to be the decoy for the Soho Silencer."

"The Soho…" Severus shook his head and then glared. "In the name of all that's holy, why did you volunteer for such a thing?"

"As if it were that simple!" Harry snorted. "Apparently I fit the victim profile."

Sliding his wand back into its pocket, Severus retrieved the vial of hair-lengthening potion that Harry had requested. Taking it with a grateful look, Harry overbalanced, falling against Severus, who looped his free arm around the slender waist. Harry slumped against him, a thrilling shock of sexual awareness jolting Severus' entire being.

"Gods, I'm pants at this!" Harry turned pleading green eyes at him. "You’ve got to help me, Severus!"

"Me?" Severus narrowed his eyes. "Why not ask your… Miss Weasley to assist? She certainly has more expertise in this area than either of us!"

Severus wasn't able to keep the sneer out of his voice. The youngest Weasley had been one continuous point of disagreement between them, her manipulative ways both irritating and, in Severus' opinion, demeaning. Harry could do much better.

"Ginny? No way. First off, I don't think she'd actually help, and," Harry looked away, a faint blush working over his cheeks, "secondly, she'd just try and turn it into a joke. You know, lacy knickers at Yule…"

Not a bad idea, if one were to ask Severus.

"…telling Ron and George," Harry continued, oblivious to Severus’ wandering attention. "I can just see the pranks they'd come up with."

"Very well. If it is to me you turn, then it is I who will help." Severus eased Harry down onto the sofa and, motioning to the potion, muttered, "You drink that – in full, Potter – and I will attempt to procure some necessities."

Severus was gone before Harry could utter the words, "Thank you."

"How… how did you know what to get?" Harry stared at the array of items on his bed. "I mean, really, how do you know about this stuff?"

Severus busied himself aligning the items, almost as if he were avoiding Harry's eyes. Tilting his head minutely, Harry was sure he could see a splash of color on the sallow cheeks. He bit his lip to keep from smiling: a blushing Severus was unexpectedly alluring.

"You don't necessarily hold a monopoly on reckless behavior or a misspent youth, Potter," Severus snapped as he placed a pale pink jar on the bed. After a small pause, he continued in a softer tone, "There are those who find the feel of satin against their cock addictive. Perhaps you will even be one of them."

Harry’s prick twitched at the thought, and something in the way Severus' voice dropped an octave made him shiver.

Before Harry could force himself to speak, Severus pointed at a wide-mouthed jar. "Use that. Rub it on your legs, wait five minutes, and then wash it off."

Harry grabbed the jar and, with a wrinkle forming over his brow, asked, "What's it do?"

"Removes that mass of hair covering your legs," Severus ground out through clenched teeth. When Harry simply started reading the label, he snatched the depilatory cream and nudged Harry towards the bath. "Must I do everything myself?"

"Huh?"

Severus rolled his eyes and, dipping his fingers in the thick cream, said, "Sit."

Harry quashed the temptation to bark in reply and instead perched on the tub's edge. "I think… oh…" Harry stammered as Severus' fingers started spreading the pale yellow potion over Harry's calves. "I can probably take it from here."

"It is better this way, Harry."

No kidding, Harry thought, his prick filling inside the silk boxers: definitely better than doing it himself.

"Wh-" Harry cleared his throat, biting back the groan working its way to the surface. "Why is it better?"

Severus smirked, his fingers moving higher up Harry's leg. "I'll be able to make sure nothing is missed."

Harry blushed bright red, sure that Severus was staring at his cock and the damp spot spreading over the front of his boxers. Mortified, he tried again. "You know, um, I could just use the mirror."

"Nonsense." Severus Banished Harry's boxers — inciting a squeal of surprise — and then pushed his way between his thighs. "Trust me, Harry," Severus' breath ghosted over Harry's bollocks, sending shivers along Harry's spine. "I'll be thorough."

"How?" Harry gasped as Severus' knuckles brushed his sac, allowing them to linger for a moment as he savored.

"Stand up."

His order came out more breathless than Severus would have liked, but Harry immediately obeyed. Backing up quickly as Harry's sweet, young prick seemed to take aim at his mouth, Severus swallowed hard and turned his attention back to what he was doing. He tried to focus on the task at hand, that of turning the very masculine young man into one who, with a few purposely softened edges, appeared more feminine. Cross-dressing was an art form in some of the more elite wizarding circles and Severus had never lost his weakness for the sight of a nubile male form in satin and lace.

A glance at the flush of arousal on Harry’s face and the hardness of the cock twitching in front of him, Severus realized for the first time that he wanted this man. Severus Snape wanted to fuck Harry Potter through the mattress, or desktop, or really, any available surface. Based on the display in front of him, Severus thought he might just have a chance. Slytherin wheels began turning in his head.

"It is not unusual for a wizard to be attracted to both men and women, Harry," Severus purred, dropping his voice to a near whisper, his fingers slowly smoothing the cream in slow circles onto the back of taut, trembling thighs. "I find myself in that category, although my preference leans more towards men."

Severus swore he felt Harry's entire body shiver.

For the most part the evening had been boring and, as midnight approached, very long. His feet ached from walking in the torture devices that women called shoes, but on the other hand, the sensual slide of the stockings and satin knickers had kept him half-hard the entire time. Severus had been right, the git: Harry could become addicted to this very easily – there was just something incredibly erotic about the feel and the thought of what he was wearing. Somehow, Harry didn't think Ginny would understand if she saw him in any kind of women's clothing.

Suddenly, the hair on the back of his neck stood up and Harry turned slowly, carefully stepping into the shadow of a doorway. This feeling of being watched had happened several times over the course of the last hour or so, but it wasn't the feeling Harry had prior to being attacked. This seemed more like the gaze of an admirer or a protector, but he hadn't seen anyone loitering around the side of the famous Admiral Duncan pub, and knew none of the Task Force was there.

Idly, Harry's mind wondered how Severus was spending his evening. Was he bent over a cauldron working on a complex potion, perhaps? Suddenly, the image of Severus, large, thick cock in hand, wanking slowly with the aid of a pair of green satin knickers, rose unbidden into his mind and Harry almost stumbled. The image was so arousing that Harry was afraid the slide of fabric over his suddenly rock-hard prick would be enough to make him come. He stopped, leaning negligently against the building, until he could wrestle his increasingly wayward libido back where it belonged.

Keeping to the shadows despite being concealed beneath the borrowed Invisibility Cloak, Severus watched as Harry stalked up one side of the street and down the other. A wobble made his lips twitch into a smirk as Severus watched Harry settle down into a glide. Before venturing out, it had taken Harry quite a while to manage the stiletto heels enough to achieve the correct gait, but once he had, Severus' whole body had jerked with each sway of those slender hips. Watching him sashay now wasn’t helping to deflate his prick, however, which was still hard and throbbing after several hours of silently shadowing the Auror. It required all his considerable self control not to soil his trousers like a pubescent teenager.

Severus peeled his eyes away from Harry and returned to studying the passersby and the dense shadows that possibly hid more nefarious others. He didn't care how good Dawlish thought his monitoring charm was, Harry Potter had always attracted trouble like raw meat attracted Thestrals. There was no doubt in Severus' mind that the elusive murderer was already stalking Harry as he loitered outside Soho's most popular gay bar. The laughter and inane giggling of both genders grated on his nerves as it drifted to him, adding to his overall irritation.

Harry stopped, leaning against the wall, the streetlight illuminating him. Severus stole closer on silent feet, wondering exactly how long Dawlish would drag this out. Just as he was shifting and attempting to get comfortable, Harry shifted and then bent over to do something with his shoe. The short, black skirt rode up, giving Severus a clear view of stocking tops and a peek at the lace-edged satin knickers. Shifting, Harry spread his legs further apart as he adjusted his other shoe, smoothing his stocking up his leg as he slowly stood, the corset riding up enough to reveal a strip of pale skin.

With a silent groan, Severus was lost, and his whole body jerked and exploded with pleasure.

Harry tugged at the hem of his skirt. Again. If it weren't for the clusters of half-dressed, tittering females, he'd swear that Dawlish had purposely sent him out dressed like a two-bit tramp. He couldn't believe that women found this… this get-up comfortable.

He'd just started another rant – internally only, of course – when a familiar laugh broke through his thoughts: Ginny.

"Have you told your fiancé about our little weekend getaways?"

Harry goggled. Fiancé? It was expected, anticipated, but thank Merlin's faded knickers, it wasn't like he'd actually proposed.

"He knows I spend some weekends with you." Ginny grinned and threaded her arm around her… friend?

The other woman snorted. "Everyone knows the Boy Who Lived was raised by Muggles, Gin. You really think he gets what you're saying when you tell him 'I'm spending the weekend with Chelsea'?"

The two women were no more than a couple of yards away, and Harry could see that Ginny was smiling in a way Harry hadn't seen for a while. She looked… happy.

"He's been away from the Muggles long enough to know by now."

Harry held himself statue-still, praying he was blending into the wall behind him. What was he supposed to know?

"I don't know, Gin," and then Chelsea seemed to look straight at Harry, her brown eyes flashing with calculation, "I really think you need to make sure he understands. I mean, Muggles are weird about relationships, you know, especially the whole friends with benefits thing. They are almost as bad as about that as magical folk are about reproducing, the Weasleys notwithstanding."

Thanks to the brisk pace of their walk, Harry didn’t hear Ginny's response. Rolling the words over in his mind several times, Harry knew there was something significant that he was missing, but he was just glad that Ginny had such a good friend. With a shrug of his shoulders, Harry turned and sauntered back up the street.

By the fourth night Harry was much more comfortable about the whole process of preparing and donning his corset, satin knickers, and short skirt, but he'd come to rely on Severus' help. Something about the older man's presence both calmed his nerves and brought his body to an awareness he'd never felt before. His reaction to Severus had Harry questioning the direction his life was drifting and, much as he loved Ginny, Harry wasn't sure it was the kind of love she wanted from him. Both of them seemed to have fallen into a dating relationship and Harry knew that after almost four years he was expected to marry Ginny. An expectation Molly had made more than apparent.

Embarrassment heated his face as Harry thought about the several times they had attempted to have sex, and how he'd failed miserably on every occasion. Ginny was so very obviously the more experienced and Harry had felt as though he bumbled through their encounters, never truly satisfying her. He'd hoped to improve with time, but, even when they were only cuddling, it always felt strained to him.

"Harry? Are you home?"

Ginny's voice echoed through the Floo and Harry groaned. Summoning his dressing gown, Harry was glad he'd only put on his lacy knickers as he hurried into the sitting room. The youngest Weasley stepped gracefully from the fireplace, dressed in fine robes of light blue that hugged her lithe form. Ginny had done well working with George since finishing Hogwarts, pulling her brother out of the spiral of depression into which Fred's death had sent him. Together they'd continued the prank sweets and joke items, but had also branched out into beauty products for witches and wizards. The temporary glamour potions and creams had been an instant hit and highly profitable.

Ginny threw her arms around him and lifted her face for a kiss, one Harry dutifully pecked onto her lips. He took a half-step back as she smoothed a hand over his chest.

"I was just about to get ready for work, Gin," Harry said as casually as he could. "What's up?"

"Ron said you were on some special detail," Ginny smiled at him as her eyes darted around the room, "but I thought I'd just stop by and say hello. It's been ages since we've been out!"

A hand clenched at his chest and Harry swallowed against the sudden dryness in his throat. "I, uh, wanted to talk to you about that."

Ginny's eyes narrowed and her whole body shifted towards him. "About what specifically, Harry?"

Harry jammed his hands into the dressing gown pockets, one hand moving straight to the handle of his wand. He remembered well the strength of Ginny's Bat-Bogey Hex.

"I've just been thinking that maybe we need to take a step back, see other people for a while," Harry tried to explain, all too aware of the hardening of Ginny's eyes. "It's just that we've been dating since we left Hogwarts and I just want to make sure this is what we both want before we take it any further."

Harry felt his cheeks grow red and tried to keep his expression neutral. Ginny watched him silently for several long moments, crossing her arms over her chest and looking remarkably like Molly in miniature.

"I can't think of any stupid noble reason this time, so who is she?"

Harry flushed guiltily, his eyes dropping. "No…Ginny, it's not like that!"

"Really? Then tell me what it is like, Harry."

Looking up, Harry met the flashing brown eyes, and he sighed again. "I'm pants in bed, Gin, so you know it can't be another woman. I just thought that if I went out and tried a few different things, you know, before I settle down, I might be able to do things better."

Ginny raised an eyebrow in an almost perfect imitation of Severus and Harry started babbling. "I…god…Ginny, it's just that I saw…there was this guy who…"

"Merlin," Ginny said, rolling her eyes. "I can't believe Chelsea was right." Sighing, she dragged a hand through her hair and snapped, "You're breaking up with me just because some guy turned you on? You're a wizard, Harry, for Merlin's sake; you're expected to be attracted to either sex, including men! We all realize there just some things a wizard can do that a witch can't and vice versa. We all have our…friends!

"It isn't something to break up over." She stopped, head canting to the side. "Unless I'm not enough… that I'm lacking…"

Either anger or tears could have caused the wobble in her voice, and Harry started to reach out a hand only to drop it. It was better to make it a clean break, he thought, knowing he could never make any move towards Severus if he didn't.

"You are perfect, Ginny. Lovely, intelligent and powerful. This is definitely about me lacking something, but I don't know what and won't ever find out unless I take a chance." Harry stepped closer, laying a hand on her arm. "Don't you see, I could never make you happy with this uncertainty between us."

Ginny searched his face with narrowed, angry eyes. "All I see is that this is probably the worst decision you've made since you refused to let me search for the Horcruxes with you. Times are different now, Harry. I'm not a sixteen-year-old kid forced to stand by and do nothing!"

Pulling away from him, Ginny stormed back to the Floo. "Don't expect me to be waiting quietly while you come to your senses!"

Harry watched her disappear into the swirl of green flames with a heavy heart. It certainly wasn't Ginny's fault that he couldn't feel what everyone expected him to feel. Regardless of what happened with Severus, Harry just couldn't envision himself married to Ginny or any other woman with this new knowledge of where his desires truly lay.

"Problem, Potter?"

Severus' deep voice immediately soothed his jagged nerves and Harry managed a small smile.

"No, I was just saying goodbye to Ginny." Harry shivered with awareness as Severus stepped closer. "I don't think she'll be back anytime soon."

"No need to be maudlin, Harry." A warm hand settled on his shoulder, guiding him towards the bedroom. "Come along now, time to get dressed."

Smiling at the no-nonsense tone, Harry allowed Severus to guide him into the bedroom – no one like Snape to put things into a proper prospective.

The hair on the back of Harry's neck stood up and not in a good way. His body stiffened as a feeling of pure evil washed over him, and Harry turned slowly, coming to a stop just beyond the pool of light from the streetlamp. Every instinct screamed at him either to start firing hexes or run like hell, but he stood his ground, ridiculous strappy heels poised for flight.

A soft whistle had Harry's head whipping around towards a dark doorway to his left. Something shifted in the depths as a shadow detached itself from the wall and took a step towards him.

"Hello there, love, looking for some company?" A meaty hand fell heavily on Harry's bare shoulder.

Gathering his wits, Harry shrugged out from under the hand and spun around. The overweight Muggle cross-dresser reminded Harry of his uncle, even in a cocktail dress a bright shade of purple and a cheap blond wig.

"Aw, come on, love!" The man leered at him. "We don't get many new boys as pretty as you who're unattached. How 'bout having a go with me?"

Forcing a breathless laugh Harry danced out of reach and tried to look coy. "Maybe another time, er, love. My… boyfriend is expecting me home any time now, and you really wouldn't want him to come looking for me."

The large man made a lunge at him before falling heavily to the dirty pavement, his snores reverberating through the street. Harry blinked as he felt the brush of magic and glanced around before he bent down to make sure the man was all right. Funny, the Muggle hadn't seemed that drunk.

"Potter! Report!"

Looking up, Harry almost groaned as Rodney Crawford, Senior Auror in Charge of the joint taskforce, came running into the street, followed by his Scotland Yard counterpart. Resisting the urge to tug his skirt down, Harry silently cast Muffliato as he glared at the older men.

"Are you trying to blow my cover, Auror Crawford?" Harry hissed, stepping over the snoring Muggle.

Crawford flushed. "Someone cast a spell here and we were… concerned you might be in danger!"

Harry rolled his eyes at the pompous arse, itching to throw a hex that would remind him who had been the one to defeat Voldemort just over four years ago. "I really don't need your protection, Senior Auror! And if there was a spell cast in this street, then it was our perpetrator! I think the Mug…er, man here frightened him away when he showed up."

The Scotland Yard inspector – Jensen, Jetton, something – leaned closer and spoke in an urgent whisper. "What makes you think the suspect was here, Potter?"

The man held his eyes but Harry could only shrug, trying to put the feeling he'd had into words. "I felt him, Inspector, in that doorway over there. Then I saw his shadow just before this man stumbled over here."

The Inspector nodded slowly, bowing his head slightly in a show of deference. "I have been told that you have highly refined instincts in that area, Potter." With a glance at Crawford, the older man nodded towards the recessed doorway. "Perhaps we can see this bloke safely home and send the techs to gather anything useful from that area."

"Capital idea, Archie," Crawford agreed as he turned around, throwing over his shoulder. "You're dismissed, Potter!"

Harry happily Apparated home.

Severus tucked the Invisibility Cloak into Harry's bag before heading into the kitchen, glancing into cupboards until he found a couple of glasses. He had a feeling Harry would be ready for a bit of a dram when he arrived home, especially after the way the evening had ended. There had definitely been a malevolent presence in the street with them and Severus had experienced a surge of fear just before the Muggle had stumbled onto the stage. A Sleeping Charm had quickly dealt with the oversized queen and Severus hope someone had arrested him for extreme bad taste in clothing.

Pouring two healthy measures of the fine, single malt Scotch Severus favored, he arranged them on the small table in front of the fireplace, before sinking into one of the leather chairs. Between these nightly self-assignments in Soho and being in a near-constant state of arousal, Severus felt exhausted. Being this unusually close to Harry – who had transformed from a very good friend to the lone object of Severus’ desires – and enflamed by the satin and lace Harry currently wore, his resolve was wearing thin. It would take only a nudge to step over the line Severus had drawn for himself. That he was reluctant to do, determined that Harry should make the first move, as Severus refused to pressure him into a previously unthought-of relationship.

The soft crack that Severus recognized as Harry Apparating brought his head up. The Auror's face was flushed but Severus wasn't sure if it was from anger or exertion as Harry made a beeline for the tumbler of Scotch, downing it in one gulp. Severus could have predicted the resultant sputtering and rose to his feet to administer the prerequisite slaps on the back, his fingers unable to resist the temptation to linger.

He was surprised when Harry grabbed his arm as Severus attempted to step back. Emerald eyes snared him with the need and uncertainty he saw there.

"Severus? Would you…would you kiss me?"

Not sure if Harry was asking him for an opinion of the possibility or the wonderful reality, Severus turned back to face him fully Sliding his fingers up the arm still holding onto his robe, Severus risked stroking a bare shoulder.

"I would indeed kiss you, if that was what you wanted," Severus told him carefully.

"I do," Harry tilted his head up. "But I only want you to kiss me if you mean it. I mean, as if you were, um, attracted to me."

Severus' fingers tightened and he stepped closer as he splayed a hand across Harry's corseted back, leaning down to whisper against the full lips. "You have no idea how attracted I am."

Severus brushed his lips across Harry's, surprised as they parted with a whimper of need. Pressing against the barely-clad form, Severus covered the moist lips and delved into the sweetness. Responding enthusiastically to him, Severus felt Harry weave a hand into his hair and move even closer. Dropping his hands, Severus cupped Harry's arse, aligning their hardening cocks as he acquainted himself with the unique taste of this extraordinary man. They fit perfectly, he noted idly as his fingers dug into the taut, silk-covered muscles, tongue tangling with Harry's.

His balls tightened and Severus groaned as he lifted his head, eyes feasting on the flush of arousal that colored Harry's cheeks and the desire in those eyes. He tried to step back, but Harry wound himself even tighter around him, whimpering with need.

"Harry," Severus' voice was rough. "If I don't stop now, I'm going to want more than you might be ready to give."

"No!" Harry shifted to cup Severus' face, thumbs stroking across his cheekbones in an unexpectedly sensual caress. "I want you, Severus, please! Show me what it feels like to be loved by a man."

"You're sure, Harry?" Severus had to know this wasn't a one-off for Harry. "Do you want me as a lover?"

"Yes. Oh, yes," Harry hissed as he pressed kisses along Severus' jaw.

Diving in to devour that luscious mouth, Severus walked Harry backwards into the bedroom. This was his chance to pleasure Harry so well that he would never seek out another, and Severus knew he was capable of that: there was nothing more sensual than a Slytherin with a precious prize as a goal.

His mouth never leaving Harry's skin, Severus slowly stripped first the corset and then the skirt off the writhing body, nuzzling, licking and sucking his way across the nearly hairless chest. Pressing Harry backwards onto the bed, Severus continued to kiss and lick down the flat plane of Harry's abdomen, then rubbed the tip of his nose through the dark treasure trail that disappeared into the lace of the satin knickers. Harry arched upward, his fingers spearing into Severus' hair as Severus pulled back slightly, taking in the erection pressing against the knickers and the ever-growing damp spot.

Bracing his hands against the slender hips, Severus held them still as he traced his lips down the satin-clad cock and paused to breathe deeply of the unique fragrance. Lifting his head, Severus greedily took in the flush that stained Harry's chest and throat, the brilliant eyes dilated with desire. His triumphant smirk didn't go unnoticed.

"Slytherin bastard!" Harry groaned trying to buck his hips.

Severus held those eyes as he walked his fingers up the slick material and carefully lowered the knickers. Dipping his head, he allowed himself a taste of Harry, circling his tongue around the tip and tracing the slit, before nibbling his way down the hard prick. Tugging the knickers down the smooth thighs, Severus was careful not to over-stimulate Harry: he didn't want this over before it could begin.

"Turn over, Harry," Severus said huskily, pulling the knickers off as Harry rolled over. "On your knees."

Pausing only to yank open the drawer of his bedside table, Harry silently passed Severus a small vial and then scrambled into position. Curling his fingers around it, Severus smiled when he saw it was the fragrant lubricant Harry had asked him to brew several days ago. Any remaining doubts that Harry was acting in his usual too-impulsive manner, immediately disappeared.

Running his other hand down the lean back, Severus shifted to kneel behind Harry. Taking a moment to savor the sensuous picture Harry made, he then carefully opened the vial and slicked his left thumb and forefinger. Spreading the sweet cheeks, Severus trailed the slick finger down the cleft of Harry's arse, finding the feel of the skin irresistible. When Harry began to make the most arousing sounds, Severus followed the finger with his tongue, circling the puckered opening and then pressing inward gently with both.

Working finger and tongue in tandem, Severus stretched Harry as quickly as he could. The sight of this stunning young man spread in front of him was almost more than Severus could take. Curling his finger, Severus brushed against the bundle of nerves, causing Harry to jerk and keen. Sliding in a second finger, and then a third, Severus stretched Harry thoroughly, despite the pleading to hurry.

"Severus! Now!"

Severus was amused when all of his clothing suddenly vanished and he leaned down to nip Harry's arse. "Impatient, aren't we?"

Harry could only moan as he watched Severus gingerly coat his cock with the lube. Then, settling one hand on Harry's hip, Severus guided himself to nudge against the loosened ring of muscles.

"Just relax and press back when you feel me."

Taking a deep breath, Severus pressed forward, his whole body shaking with the strain of going slowly. A hiccupping breath from Harry signaled Severus that he was feeling the burn of penetration.

"Move back against me to ease the burning, Harry!"

Gripping Harry's hips, Severus felt Harry push back against him and the guardian muscles give. With short, shallow strokes, Severus felt his own breath hitch in wonder at the tight, velvety heat around him. Fully sheathed, Severus leaned forward and kissed the back of Harry's neck.

"Are you all right?"

"Yes!" Harry panted. "Please, Severus…"

Gritting his teeth against the overwhelming sensations and the feeling of rightness, Severus pulled back, and then thrust in. Setting up a slow, steady rhythm, Severus changed his angle until Harry gasped. Reaching around, Severus groped for Harry's prick, his own body tightening. Just as he stroked his fingers down the length of the heated flesh, Severus felt the muscles in Harry's arse clamp around him and a splash of hot wetness on his hand. His control snapped and Severus thrust hard – once, twice – before he buried himself in the intoxicating heat and filled Harry – his lover – with his release.

Collapsing to one side, Severus managed to cast a cleansing charm and Summon a blanket to cover them as he gathered Harry in his arms. It had been – Harry had been – perfection.

Harry stirred, sated eyes blinking open and a slow smile curling his lips. "Fucking brilliant…"

"Quite."

"Congratulations, Potter."

Harry stopped short. That was the third person today to utter those same words. Could they all tell that he'd had sex with a man last night … with Severus? Harry really hadn't noticed anything different when he'd looked in the mirror that morning, but these were MLE officers. And the sex had been mind-blowing. Maybe they had some sort of charm…

"You dog!" Seamus Finnegan slapped Harry on the back. "I can't believe you let Ginny make that announcement before announcing the wedding. Unless..." Seamus stood back and raked his eyes over Harry. "You do plan on marrying her, yeah?"

Her? Harry blinked. Ginny? What in Merlin's name did she have to do with having sex with Severus?

"Huh?"

"Ron will kill you if you don't marry Ginny soon. Certainly no later than the end of the third month, and that is pushing it some." Seamus looked thoughtful, well as thoughtful as he ever looked, and added, "Ron might kill you anyway. I know I'd kill the slimy bastard that got my sister up the duff."

Up the… "Oh, no! I didn't get Ginny pregnant."

"You sure, mate? Because," Seamus leered, eyebrows waggling up and down, "it can be hard to remember contraception charms in the heat of the moment."

"Heat of the… Yes! I'm sure, Seamus." There was no way in hell that Ginny was pregnant. Not with his child, Harry thought, panicking, was she?

"Then I'd hide if I were you."

"What?"

Seamus tilted his head towards the elevators. "Ron was steps behind me. He'll be here any minute."

Harry was glad to slip into the Task Force meeting room.

Severus scowled at the headline of the Daily Prophet: Boy Who Lived a Father-to-Be?". He threw it aside in disgust and a snap of his wrist and a quick Incendio took care of the offensive rag. Based on what Harry had told him, the Weasley chit had needed to manually stimulate him to bring him to climax, so he was almost certain it was a lie. He narrowed his eyes as he saw the byline – Rita Skeeter. Severus groaned aloud as he envisioned an encounter between Ginny Weasley and the reporter who had never printed anything nice about her family.

It was possible that the young witch hadn't even given any thought to the possibility of being pregnant until Skeeter had attempted to wheedle some sort of information out of her. Severus also knew that Ginny would have been reluctant to admit Harry had broken things off with her. The reaction of her family to this type of headline would have made it even harder on Ginny to divulge the status of their relationship. She might have even entertained the idea that this would bring Harry running back to her, knowing how desperate he had always been to be part of a family.

Slumping into what Severus had come to think of as his chair in Harry's sitting room, he began to ponder the problem. The idiotic Gryffindor complex was still fairly ingrained in Harry, despite Severus' best efforts to bring forth the delightful inner Slytherin that Harry occasionally let out to play. That meant he needed to formulate a plan to prove that not only wasn't the chit pregnant, but that Harry had a clear choice in what direction he wanted his life to go. His gut-wrenching fear was that Harry would pressure himself to do what he thought was expected of him. Severus snorted. The self-sacrificing nature of the brat was as powerful as his magic!

A whoosh of the Floo brought Severus' head up as Harry stumbled out of the fireplace. He straightened and stopped as he caught sight of Severus.

"Oh, thank Merlin! I was afraid you might not come back!"

Harry flushed when he realized what he'd said and Severus couldn't help but roll his eyes as Harry began to pace.

"Not that I would've blamed you if you hadn't," Harry rambled on as he moved, "Seems everything I ever do gets fucked up! I swear I was careful!"

Severus felt an unfamiliar twinge in his chest as he watched Harry’s anguish play across his face.

"I don't want to marry her, Severus! But I can't abandon a child!" Harry stopped in front of Severus, despair brimming in his eyes. "And I don't want to give you up, either, when I have finally found what I've been searching for all my…"

When his voice broke, Harry started to turn away, but Severus reached out to grab Harry's hand and gently but persistently pulled him across his lap. With a final hiccupping sigh, Harry settled enough for Severus to gather him closer, welcoming the reassuring weight. Curling into him, Harry rested his head on Severus' shoulder, legs hanging over the chair's arm.

"Do you believe that I would so easily give you up, Potter?" Harry squirmed, but Severus held him tightly. "You are also assuming that I would reject any child that might be brought into a relationship established between us, or that I would even consider abandonment as an option."

Harry's head lifted and Severus met his gaze with a raised eyebrow.

"Do you not already have a small godson in whose life you are an active participant?"

"But I thought you hated children."

"I loathed being forced to deal with unruly, ill-mannered children whose parents instilled no respect for education or learning. I have never said I am opposed to nurturing a protégé from infancy."

"Really?" The wonder in Harry's tone drew Severus to recognize the longing in those green eyes.

"Really, Harry," Severus said, surprised to find that he truly meant it.

The twinge in what Severus now knew was his heart was more noticeable as he silently acknowledged his own desire for a child. More than that, Severus realized, he wanted to father that child with Harry. But that was a discussion for another day, Severus knew, as he settled Harry against him. Harry needed to be calm before he went back out to face a killer.

The feeling of being watched struck Harry with a fierce intensity as he exited the pub and stepped into the street. The feeling was so strong that it made his skin crawl. Jetton followed closely, an arm draped casually around Harry's shoulders, looking for all intents and purposes like the epitome of a man out for a bit of fun. Harry didn't like this new arrangement, and if the Muggle Inspector's stiff body movements were any indicator, Jetton didn't approve either.

Uneasy, Harry acted as if he were shy, ducking his head and looking everywhere but at Jetton, surreptitiously searching the shadowed doorways of the street. The loosening of his tie had been the Scotland Yard detective's only concession to playing his role, the earpiece for his radio still shoved into his right ear. Harry rolled his eyes as Jetton stiffened for a long moment before leaning close enough to hiss in Harry's ear.

"Bastard's not going to show, Potter, they've found another body!"

As if in apology, Jetton patted him on the shoulder before spinning on his heel and disappearing back into the pub. The feeling of being watched hadn't abated and under the guise of shaking his hair back and smoothing the short skirt, Harry ran his hand over the secret wand pocket sewn into the seam. He'd fantasized on other nights that Severus had followed him to the street, watching him as he moved around in the tight corset and short skirt, feeling aroused by the sight and jealous of the other men who watched. But Harry knew it wasn't Severus who watched him now.

Putting his hands on his hips, Harry rolled his shoulders before turning to walk slowly up the street towards the Prince Edward Theatre. While common sense told him he was an idiot, all his other senses told Harry there was a malevolent presence nearby, one whose evil was seeping into the innocent night. His instincts on alert, he resolved to see the night through, despite the news Jetton had received. Slipping back into character, Harry started walking back up the street, swaying on his heels.

Despite every one of his hairs standing on end, every instinct telling him to run, Harry hesitated in front of a dark, deeply recessed doorway where the sense of malevolence was strongest. A movement in his peripheral vision set Harry into motion and he went for his wand. However, he was not fast enough and a powerful Body-Bind Curse caught him. Fury warred with the panic that swept through him.

"Hello, little wizard."

The voice was eerily devoid of any inflection; it was the voice of a predator playing with its prey. Harry inwardly shuddered as he struggled to clear his mind and control his emotions.

"Just the kind of fresh sweetness that I like in my playthings."

A burly figure detached itself from the shadows, looming over Harry. The transparent attempt to intimidate gave Harry something to focus on, and for a split second, he was thrown back to his first year at Hogwarts and his overbearing, high-strung Quidditch captain. They had always joked that Oliver Wood was nuts, but Harry thought the ruthlessness the Keeper had brought to the game was confined to their Quidditch playing.

Apparently, he'd been wrong.

The bruising grip of a hand closing around his thigh jerked Harry back to the present. The large body pressed closer and Harry felt suffocated. Pushing that feeling aside with great effort, Harry ignored the hand that began to tear at his clothing and concentrated on countering the Body-Bind Curse because he knew Oliver could Apparate them away at any time. Which was how he was getting his victims away from the dragnet the task force had set up, Harry suddenly realized. Suddenly, Oliver circled an arm around him and then Harry was finally able to move his right hand and grab his wand.

"Stupefy!"

The deadly whisper stopped Harry's heart and then sent it into palpations as he spun to the side, the jet of red spell-light narrowly missing where he'd been. Severus was nothing if not precise and the stunner hit Oliver squarely in the chest, dropping him with an incredulous look on his face. Taking a hasty step backward, Harry nearly stumbled on the high heels, but kept his wand trained on the wizard lying supine on the filthy ground.

A rustle of cloth and Severus appeared at his elbow, invisibility cloak disappearing into his pocket.

"Did the bastard hurt you?" Severus growled menacingly and Harry was sure Oliver flinched.

"No, I don't think so." Harry glanced at Severus for a second, then snapped his head back round, startled, when his stunned assailant jerked to one side, wand raised.

Putting all his magical power behind it, Harry cast a Body-Bind Curse just as green spell-light, identifying the Killing Curse, erupted from Wood’s wand. Without thought, Harry threw himself at Severus, directly into the path of the dash of spell-light the murderer had managed to cast. He could feel Severus' body curl around his, protecting his skin from a glancing blow against the gritty pavement, and rolling them both back up to their feet.

"Impetuous, idiotic imbecile!" Severus muttered harshly, but not, Harry hoped, without affection.

"I think I may love you, too," Harry shot back over his shoulder, wand already casting his Patronus to summon the Task Force.

The widening of Oliver Wood’s eyes was the only sign that he recognized the young Auror who at that moment confiscated his wand and whose high-heeled shoe stepped on his chest, pressing him against the pavement as the sounds of multiple Apparations filled the street.

Harry ran his hands over his Auror robes. After so many nights without them, it felt wonderful being in uniform again. The fact that he had decided to keep the lacy knickers even though the assignment had finished was beside the point.

Closing his eyes, he Apparated to the Ministry atrium and slowly made his way through the corridors to the ballroom. Ginny – a supposedly pregnant-with-his-child Ginny – was meeting him as his companion for the evening. As if attending a Ministry function wasn't stressful enough.

The night was sure to be a disaster.

"Tell me, Mr. Potter," a familiar voice drawled from a darkened alcove. "Are the rumors that you are meeting Miss Weasley true?"

"Severus?" Harry stepped closer and then a hand shot out and, wrapping around Harry's robes, tugged him into the alcove.

"Why?

"Because she might be..."

Severus pushed Harry back against the wall and silenced him with a kiss. "Are you willing to be manipulated and give this... give me up?"

Before Harry could answer, Severus lifted him off his feet and rucked the heavy Auror robes up to Harry's waist. "Silk and lace, Harry? I am impressed. Much better quality than those the Ministry provided for the case."

Words froze in Harry's throat. His cock was hard, his robes were rumpled, and if Severus Snape didn't fuck him right now he was going to... to... do something really horrendous!

"Hey!" Harry winced when Severus used his wand to slice through the knickers. "I liked this pair!"

And then Severus' finger – long and agile and slick with some magically-created lubricant – pushed into Harry's arse and words fled. "Oh!"

"That's right, Harry."

Another finger wormed in beside the first and Harry struggled to rock back.

"Be still, boy," Severus hissed, working his own robes open and freeing his cock, "I have plans that do not include being interrupted prematurely." Severus replaced fingers with his cock and, using the wall for support, thrust until he was seated balls deep.

Harry's eyes rolled back when Severus' grip tightened and the man set a maddening pace. They weren't making love – Severus wasn't even trying to being gentle. Harry was getting the stuffing fucked out of him yards away from the ballroom entrance. And, sweet Merlin on high, he loved it.

Harry's shoulders were aching, his arse was stretched and there would be no way to hide the evidence of this tryst, and all he could do was beg, "More! Severus, please. Yes, there! Yes, yes!"

And then he was coming, filling the front of the silk and lace with a wet, sticky heat. Only Severus kissing him, covering his mouth and pushing in his tongue, kept Harry's wail from echoing through the Ministry.

Severus' muscles clenched and, squeezing his eyes shut, he shuddered as his orgasm overtook him.

Easing out and back, Severus straightened Harry's clothes and brushed his lips over Harry's cheek. "Go on, Harry. But while you're out there, remember what you stand to lose."

"Severus..."

"Go," Severus whispered, slipping out of the alcove and into the shadows of the hall.

Squeezing his arse cheeks together, smiling at the sting, Harry stood tall and walked into the ballroom. He'd figure some way to work it all out – to raise his child and have his Severus. He had to.

Severus stood at the large window, faintly appalled by the violet hue of the distant mountains and the turquoise tinge to the sky. He suspected a Lovegood relative in the Magical Weather department.

"Severus?"

The booming voice had him turning from the nauseating sight, to face the imposing figure of the Minister for Magic. A smile split the dark face, teeth gleaming, as Kingsley Shacklebolt grabbed Severus’ right hand between both of his. Handsome scarlet robes hung open over a well-cut navy suit coat and matching trousers, and Severus allowed the corners of his lips to curve slightly.

"Minister." Severus inclined his head respectfully, despite the warm grasp on his hand. "I’m sorry to have interrupted—"

Kingsley cut him off, releasing his hand to gesture towards the chairs in front of the fireplace. "I was hoping you called me here to tell me you’ve finally decided to become my Head Potions Master."

Seating himself gracefully in the chair opposite the Minister, Severus opened his mouth to respond, but was cut off again as those shrewd brown eyes watched his reaction.

"Don’t answer too fast, my friend." Severus refused to squirm under the scrutiny. "Does this have anything to do with the young Auror I just left? The one who appears to be going to his own funeral instead of a commendation ceremony? The same young man who’s just ruffled enough to make me wonder what he might have been getting up to, say ten minutes ago? The one, who, rumor has it, had his own personal guardian angel helping him during his apprehension of this mad killer?"

Kingsley cocked his head slightly. "Ah, but you were there, weren’t you, Severus – I'd forgotten." His brown eyes gleamed.

Ignoring the images that rose unbidden in his mind, Severus cleared his throat and leaned forward. "I’d like to provide you with a demonstration of a potion I have been working on. It is a simple and harmless potion, which will enhance a certain pregnancy hormone that identifies a pregnancy within a day of conception."

"You are sure of its safety?" Kingsley asked gravely. But Severus could nevertheless discern the hope in the question. The Minister had been after him for months to research a line of pregnancy and fertility potions to aid the wizarding world with its declining birthrate, so Severus had expected to rouse Kingsley’s interest.

"Emphatically sure," Severus assured him, relaxing slightly. "It is colorless, odorless, and tasteless – a potion that could be used as a drop on the tongue or," Severus smirked, "added to the punch used to toast a hero."

The Minister narrowed his eyes before an answering smirk erupted on his handsome face. "That would be most… interesting, Severus, but not something that I could allow a mere citizen to administer to unsuspecting guests… and Weasleys." The brown eyes pinned him to the chair. "However, I would certainly support such a test if it were being conducted by my own Head Potions Master."

Severus felt the smirk slide off his face as Kingsley's eyes practically twinkled at him.

"Oh, for Merlin's sake!" Severus felt himself backed neatly into a corner. "I'll take the bloody position, you…"

"Ah now, Severus, it's not like you to sputter." Kingsley’s triumphant grin faded quickly into a thoughtful expression. "Harry must mean quite a lot to you, for you to capitulate so easily."

Averting his eyes, Severus tried to put some descriptor on what was churning inside him, before looking up to meet the Minister's watchful eyes.

"He means… everything, Kingsley."

Kingsley nodded once and stood. "Brilliant, Severus, I think you're well suited. Now, let's get your potion into the punch and watch the fun, eh?"

Severus stood, shaking his head. "When are you going to admit to these people that you were sorted into Slytherin?" he muttered as he followed a laughing Kingsley from the room.

The Ministry Ballroom was crowded and Severus had been delighted to find that Harry had saved the seat on his right for him. Ginny Weasley had ensconced herself in the seat on his left, her brother and Miss Granger seated to her left. Across from him were several of the Task Force members, the Aurors looking out of sorts to be placed at the table with the Minister. Inspector Jetton just sat taking in the unfamiliar sights around him. Severus was delighted to find Lexia Shacklebolt seated on his other side, her blue eyes warm with humor and a slight French lilt underlying her perfect English. The willowy blonde didn't seem to mind being overshadowed by her more flamboyant husband, but it certainly did not mean hers was a placid presence. Severus hid a smirk as he remembered the tale of Kingsley being taken to his knees by the French Auror, then Lexia Delacour, with one spell.

Harry shifted at his side, arm pressing against his as he leaned away from the Weasley chit when she hissed something at him. Severus tried to reassure him by surreptitiously brushing his fingertips along the back of Harry's hand. The look of gratitude in those brilliant eyes warmed Severus, as did Harry's furtive shifting in his seat, pressing even closer to him. Looking over, Severus saw that Granger was eyeing them keenly and was startled when she gave him a smile and saluted him with her water goblet.

"Ladies and Gentlemen!"

Severus winced. Kingsley Shacklebolt hardly needed the Sonorus Charm he'd cast on himself.

"We gather tonight to celebrate a tremendous achievement by our Auror Corps as well as a step forward in wizard-Muggle relations. The Soho Silencer Task Force has successfully turned the table on a madman who thought nothing of killing five innocent people before the Task Force was able to silence him. All members of this partnership between the Magical Law Enforcement Division and Scotland Yard, including the support staff that made their undercover operations possible, deserve our thanks and congratulations. Honorable Mention goes to Auror Harry Potter, who was able to detain the killer until other members of the team could arrive to assist him."

Clapping and cheering thundered around them and Severus felt Harry flinch. Goblets popped into sight next to each guest and Kingsley lifted his high. With a last reassuring brush of his fingers across Harry's wrist, Severus pushed his chair back and stood with everyone else in the room. Harry shot to his feet as well, goblet in hand.

"Let us toast a job well done by the Aurors, Scotland Yard, and our own Chosen One, Harry Potter!"

Severus thought Harry cringed at that, but dutifully lifted his goblet and drank. Looking beyond Harry, Severus watched as Ginny Weasley also drank, smiling coyly at Harry and making Severus want to hex her.

"I'd also like to take this opportunity to thank Potions Master Severus Snape, whom Harry tells me was an invaluable help to him on this assignment. Severus has recently agreed to fill the position of Head Potions Master for the Ministry and has given us the honor of being the first to try the fruits of his latest research."

Counting down the time in his head, Severus stared back at the sea of eyes directed his way, wishing the Minister would finish his dissertation.

"Included in the lovely punch you just drank was a tiny amount of a potion which will be able to tell you whether you are pregnant within a day of conception."

Ginny Weasley gasped, snapping round to glare at him accusingly.

"This, the first in a series of fertility and pregnancy related potions, will help everyone realize their dream of having a family. This particular potion keys in on the hormone produced in pregnancy, a lactogen, which prepares the body for incubation. If the potion detects the presence of this lactogen, a temporary yellow aura surrounds the individual…"

As if on cue, pale yellow, cloud-like coronas appeared above various heads in the ballroom. Severus speared Ginny Weasley with a sneer as a beautiful and intense nimbus materialized around Hermione Granger. Mildly interested, for scientific reasons, of course, he continued to scan the room as the chit fumed, still red-haired and dull-looking. Draco Malfoy stared for a moment at the pale cloud above him before landing at the toes of his father's highly-polished dragon-hide boots, in a dead faint. Severus pondered the scene briefly, rather amused, before moving on. Another witch from Harry's year, Violet…Lavender…something, ran from the room in tears, a rather deeper yellow aura haloed around her, leading Severus to assume at least one person’s fears had been realized. Then, glancing at the next table, Severus watched with horrified fascination as the familiar figure of Rita Skeeter, a rather acid yellow cloud above her head, was petted by a tall, statuesque witch.

"Lexia?" Kingsley Shacklebolt's normally booming voice was but a whisper, laced with both hope and happiness as his wife sported another beautiful, pastel yellow corona.

His elation for his old friend was forgotten as Severus heard a gasp to his left, and with his heart threatening to tear in half, he schooled his expression into a neutral mask before he could turn to look. Served him right, Severus supposed, to be slapped down when he had come so close to finally achieving happiness. There had been little of it in his miserable life, so why should he expect anything different now? Therefore, when he slowly turned around Severus was completely unprepared to find his arms full of a laughing, gasping, tearful Harry.

Relieved beyond measure, Severus clasped Harry to his chest and held him tight, the yellow haze, barely an inch from his nose, making his heart thrill and soar.

Ginny Weasley gaped at them for a moment before quietly walking away. But Severus barely gave her departure a thought. All Severus could do was hold on to Harry tightly.

"Severus?"

The need and uncertainty in that one word brought Severus to his senses and he gave silent thanks to the Earth Mother as he gathered Harry closer. Taking his handkerchief from a pocket, Severus wiped his lover's face of its tears and, ignoring the eyes witnessing his actions, gently smoothed the tousled hair back.

"As it appears you are determined to reproduce, Harry, I only hope that this child has your looks and my intellect."

The brilliant smile that lit Harry's face banished the final bit of insecurity and coldness from Severus’ heart.

"Watch the subtle ripples in the potion, Tristan, and you will see why the proper stirring techniques are so vital."

The little boy standing on the stool beside him watched with rapt interest, dark green eyes following each movement as Severus stirred in the last pennyroyal flower. The almost-four-year-old leaned into his father's side as they both watched the potion deepen to a lilac color. Unable to resist, Severus ran a hand down the soft, wavy hair, loving the auburn highlights and nose that were purely Lily's, along with the high cheekbones and slender build that had come from Severus' mother. Their son didn't look like either he or Harry, but a blend of their mothers.

"Excellent," Severus told the child. "This will need to continue to brew for twenty-eight days, a full month cycle, for the contraceptive properties to reach their full potency."

Tristan hung on to his every word, drawing a smile from Severus, who knew the little boy didn't understand the majority of what he'd said, but Severus refused to talk down to the child. A muffled snicker from the doorway drew both of their attention. As his son carefully climbed down from his perch, using Severus' arm and robes for hand-holds, Severus caressed his husband's slender form and rounded belly with his eyes. The special smile which was reserved just for Severus played around Harry's lips and Severus found his own curving upward in return, the warmth that blossomed in his chest a now familiar sensation.

"And as Isolde is due at any moment, our timing should be perfect, Tristan."

His son ran across the room and carefully slid his arms around his father, leaning in to plant a noisy kiss on Harry's belly. "Da! Is my baby ready yet?"

Leaning over slightly, Harry smoothed Tristan's hair back before looking up and meeting Severus' eyes. There was a hint of tension around them that Severus hadn't noticed before and the slow straightening up that was indicative of lower back pain.

"Yes, sweetie, I think your baby is finally ready to come out and meet you."

Severus already had his wand in hand and was casting a stasis charm on the contraceptive potion. Moving to Harry's side, Severus lifted his gleeful son and leaned over to brush his lips across his husband's. His free hand slid into Harry's robes and brushed the fine satin knickers to press against the distended abdomen, where his daughter was pummeling her carrier from the inside.

"She'll make a fine Seeker, I'm sure, beloved," Severus reassured Harry as he pulled back slightly, using the hand at Harry's waist to propel him toward the stairs.

"Feels more like a fine Beater at the moment," Harry grimaced.

"She's just playing decoy to keep us guessing." Severus pressed a kiss to the tousled hair. While Tristan chattered non-stop, they moved together towards their bedroom, where the Healer would bring their little girl into the world he and Harry had created together.

THE END

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