By the time he arrives at Harry's, it is late. The door opens at his touch.
Harry sits cross-legged in the living room, and the air is crowded with tiny coloured lights. His glasses sparkle with reflections of plum, silver, periwinkle, red, and bronze. He joins Harry on the floor, who does not look at him, and they don't speak.
Harry huffs a laugh when Severus flies off a spell to switch the nearest specks to green and silver.
"I like to exercise my magic when I'm stressed or upset," Harry says. He effortlessly conjures another few dozen gold and scarlet lights, and they dance above his hair.
"If you forgive me for being a class idiot, I will tell you about your parents."
Harry shakes his head as he says, "It doesn't have to be...transactional. You just say 'sorry', and I go 'okay'."
"...Sorry."
Harry rests his head on Severus's shoulder and sighs. "Okay."
"Is that it? You're not upset?"
"Yeah," Harry says softly. "But you came back. I wasn't sure whether you would."
Emboldened by the touch on his shoulder, Severus finds Harry's hand and kisses the palm. He fingers a small scar in the crook of Harry's right arm. "What happened?"
"Pettigrew. Needed my blood to bring him back."
He tightens his grasp around Harry's forearm. "If he were not already dead—"
"I know," Harry says. "I know you would."
He pulls Harry to his feet, then runs a fingernail over Harry's left forearm, who shivers.
Harry gasps.
THIS IS A TEST
He reads the message and snorts. "Is that the best you can do?"
You look rather nice in that T-shirt.
"Thanks!" Harry says, his face beaming, before he leans in to kiss Severus's cheek. "When I was in hospital and you first sent me some words, you can't understand how incredible it was. It was undeniable proof that you and me...well...how did you put it? Are 'magically and spiritually and physically compatible'."
It's becoming a common problem, Severus kissing him instead of answering when he has no appropriate response. Harry sighs into the embrace, draws him in closer, and then somehow they end up cuddling, his face buried in Severus's neck.
"Do you want to stay?" Harry murmurs.
This is such an alarming prospect that Severus immediately says, "No." He hugs Harry tighter in compensation.
"Oh, of course. The painkillers for your neck."
"Quite." Yes, that's a genuine reason.
"I'm sorry it still hurts." Harry's fingertips dance over the scars.
"A light burden for the cross I bear."
Harry frowns but doesn't speak.
"Get ready for bed and I'll say goodnight," Severus says.
It doubtless takes Severus a lot longer than Harry to dispel the scores of lights. When he's finally done, he tiptoes upstairs to find Harry in his bedroom.
He's got a massive four-poster bed, with sheets in royal blue, and his clothes are strewn over the back of an armchair.
Harry gets into bed—he's scantily clad—and Severus perches on the edge of the mattress. Once his glasses are on the bedside table, and his wand is stowed under the pillow, Severus brings up the younger man's hand to kiss his knuckles.
YOU ARE READING
The Space Between Failing and Falling • Snarry •
FanfictionA very long time ago, Severus resigned himself to the reality that he doesn't have a soulmate after all. He's finally a real Defence Against the Dark Arts teacher and his life is perfectly tolerable, thank you very much. However, at the age of thirt...
