A year later, Harry stood with Severus under the eaves of Hogwarts, beside the lake, in the light of the summer sun. Their hands were clasped between them as Albus recited the usual matrimonial speech. Surreptitiously, Harry glanced over the crowd seated in glistening white chairs on the vast lawn. Everyone he cared about was here. Hermione sat with Remus in the front row, beside Master Ailin and her husband. The entire Weasley clan had come, and Molly was already dabbing at her eyes emotionally. The professors of Hogwarts were gathered weeks before they had to return for work. Ginny sat away from her family, with Dean, her belly slightly distended with the first Weasley grandchild. The rest of Harry's friends sat sporadically mixed with the others.

Harry turned back to the Potions Master, who had eyes only for him, and grinned as Albus continued to speak. It still seemed so surreal to him, that this was happening at all. He had moved into Spinner's End at the start of the summer. There had been some argument over where they would live in the summer months, but it had been quickly settled when Harry was reminded that, at Spinner's End, they could go to their park and sit on their bench whenever they wanted. During the school term, Harry would technically remain in his quarters, for the sake of the students, but they had already connected the floo between their rooms and would split their time between the two.

"I believe you have both written your own vows for this blessed occasion?" Albus said gently. Harry nodded, as did Severus, their eyes never leaving one another. "Very well. Severus, your vows?"

The Potions Master cleared his throat subtly, tightening his grip on Harry's hands. "Brat…Here and now, before the eyes of our friends and what little family we can claim, I dedicate myself to you. I know you wondered why I asked that Remus be the one to 'give you away', as it were, rather than your own choice. I have evaded the question until now. Your father was instrumental in creating the man you are today, and in my becoming who I was before you. Remus Lupin, as the last living vestige of your father, represents our past. By giving you away, Remus has symbolized that, today, you and I leave our pasts behind and begin a new future, together."

Harry fought the desire to swoon as his engagement ring was slid back into place on his finger. "Severus…" He began softly, staring into the earnest coal gaze. "You are a git." Polite chuckles moved over the assembled audience, and Albus snickered beside them. Harry grinned wryly at the playful glare he received. "But…well, now I suppose you're my git. We've been through a lot, you and I. There's been more troubled times than twenty wizards could reasonably survive, but somehow we both pulled through our trials and found each other in the aftermath. If someone had told me as a First Year that I would one day stand before my friends and family and declare absolute fealty to you, I think I would have had them institutionalized. Like I said, you and I have been through a lot, and not a little of it did we do to each other. We've butted heads more than our fair share. I would never, in a million years, have guessed that your companionship would be so fundamental to my own happiness. I don't imagine our time of arguing is over, not by a long shot, but I know now that nothing can tear us apart. Today, I give myself freely into your hands, and vow to remain by your side until the sun explodes in the sky. Today, I declare absolute fealty to you, Severus Snape."

There were assorted sniffles from the crowd, as Harry stared adoringly at the man before him. He glanced away only long enough to slip a silver band that matched his own onto a long, potion stained finger. His eyes returned to the earnest gaze as their hands rejoined.

"A-hm," Albus began, his voice tight with emotion. "Harry, do you take Severus, to have to hold, until death parts you?"

"I do," Harry answered immediately.

"Severus, do you take Harry, to have to hold, until death parts you?" Albus asked the Potions Master in turn.

No response was forthcoming. Whispers moved through the crowd as time slipped innocently by. Harry couldn't find it in him to worry, though. He could see the affection and devotion shimmering in those deep, black pools. Distantly, a voice echoed in his mind.

"It is his decision…He must choose…"

Albus cleared his throat in a gentle prompting for the Potions Master to speak, but still the man remained stoically silent. Calloused thumbs rubbed along the backs of Harry's hands, reminding him that they had come to this together. Severus would speak, in his own time. The whispers grew.

"Severus?" Albus tried again. "Do you take Harry, to have and to hold, until death parts you?"

Severus drew a deep breath, his chest expanding. His baritone voice projected softly over the silenced crowd.

"I promise."

A/N: Wow. That kind of really got away from me. Also, the inscription reads "Eternal Love", in case you were wondering. I chose Latin, since it's pretty, and runs rampant through the Wizarding World.

Things I bet you didn't notice:

Such a Small Thing

Harry switched to calling Snape 'Severus' at Christmas.

Harry initiated holding Severus' hand, and such, but he never initiated anything with Neville.

Harry was never "the Wizarding Savior" when he was with Severus, only when he was with his friends.

The "small things" were generally BIG things.

After Christmas, whenever Harry thinks of his relationship, he isn't always thinking of Neville.

Harry never actually addressed Severus, by 'Snape' or any other name, except for that first clashing of tempers on the track around the park.

In this one, it was always a walk of silence, suggesting unbroken silence is the norm.

Guilt is always a dagger-point of ice, the exact opposite of the burn of desire. I had fun playing with that.

No Promises

Except for the (introspective) once at the end of Such a Small Thing, Harry never again refers to this thing between him and Severus as 'love'. I didn't use the word once between Harry and Severus (Latin doesn't count). You will never know the absolute struggle that was.

Severus never categorizes their relationship, keeping Harry on the edge of uncertainty up 'til he proposes. Then again, I bet you never noticed that Harry didn't label them either. No boyfriend, no lover, nada.

Whenever Severus says he won't promise, he winds up doing exactly that with his actions.

It's never vocalized that they should hide their relationship from the people they're closest to. Harry and Severus separately never say anything, for their own reasons, each thinking that the other would rather keep things under wraps up until Harry's celebration dinner.

In this one, it's always a walk in silence, suggesting that they share more openly and freely.

Starting when Harry is about to lose his virginity, Harry begins to note and simultaneously accept the difference in their backgrounds, namely Gryffindor vs Slytherin. Could also be said that Harry notes and accepts that he's being somewhat manipulated into chilling the f* out.

Didn't once refer to Severs as the 'older wizard'. I decided to let Harry's inexperience and insecurities speak to the age difference. That way, when Harry grew emotionally, you sort of forgot that there's about 20 years between them.

In regards to their relationship, Severus never asks for anything except a little patience (and forgiveness that one time). Harry instigates the renewal of the relationship, Harry instigates the "next step" and asks for the "next, next step". Up until Severus proposes, he gives to the relationship and asks for almost nothing in return.