Chapter 8
Harry's eyes fluttered open and immediately closed again when the bright light assaulted them. He heard a chuckle. 'Severus?' he thought and opened his eyes again, more slowly though. It was. The Potions Master was sitting beside his bed. He looked fine.
"You had us all worried Harry," he admonished gently.
"How long was I out?" Harry asked croakily.
"A week. It's Friday now." Sev replied.
"How are you?" he asked looking Severus over closely.
"I'm fine. No serious damage. But you Harry. You took away the Mark. How?" he asked seriously.
"I don't know. I just looked at you holding your arm in pain and all of a sudden I knew." Harry said frowning slightly trying to remember.
"Thank you Harry."
Harry reached over to kiss Severus but he moved away. Harry's face fell. 'He's rejecting me? But he asked to court me.'
Snape saw Harry's face fall and hurried to explain.
"Harry you haven't given me your answer yet. It's against tradition."
Now Harry went red with embarrassment.
"It's been six weeks. Have you made a decision?" Severus asked softly, nervous.
"Yes." He replied simply.
"Yes?" Sev repeated hopefully.
"Yes. I accept." Severus's face lit up with a smile and he lent down to kiss Harry. Their first kiss. It was perfect. Severus ran his tongue over Harry's bottom lip asking permission. Harry gave it, parting his lips to allow Severus access. Duelling for dominance finally the need to breathe overcame them and they broke apart panting slightly.
Dumbledore walked in with a knowing smile, like he knew exactly what they had just been doing.
"Ah Harry, your awake. Poor Severus has barely left your side all week."
Severus glared at him and Dumbledore just looked at him knowingly, he blushed. Harry just laughed at the exchange.
Still smiling Dumbledore crossed the room and stood on the other side of Harry's bed.
"How are you feeling my dear boy?" Dumbledore asked seriously.
"Fine, sir. Why was I unconscious for a week?" Harry replied.
"Well Harry, you depleted your magic considerably. We came very close to loosing you at one point but Severus transferred some of his own magic to you." Albus answered. His twinkle on blind.
Harry frowned confused. Looking between Severus and Albus he said, " But that would meant that…"
Sev was currently finding the floor of the Hospital Wing extremely interesting so the Headmaster answered the confused Gryffindor.
"Yes Harry. That your magic accepted Severus's means that you are soul mates. Congratulations," and with that the he left humming absently.
Harry turned to look at his soul mate who was still absorbed in the floor design.
"Sev?" he asked quietly.
Severus finally looked up and at Harry. He looked slightly nervous for some reason.
Harry guessed at what was bothering him, "Thank you."
"I'm sorry?" Severus replied confused.
"Without you I'd be dead. You've saved my life again, love"
Severus smiled brightly when Harry called him love.
"I wasn't sure how you'd react. Our magic's have already joined together. It happened during the transfer. I didn't tell you because I wanted you to accept or reject my offer on your own. Without interference." His lover admitted.
"Thank you for giving me a choice but my answer won't change. It is still yes for as long as you will have me." Harry told him with tears in his eyes.
Severus got down on one knee, "I know you have accepted my courtship and normally I'd wait before we got to this point but I'd like to ask if you'd do me the honour of bonding with me?"
Harry burst out crying and threw himself at Severus, "Yes, yes, yes!" he shouted kissing him.
Severus picked him up and put him back into bed. He kissed his forehead.
"I love you Harry."
"I love you too Sev."
Severus headed to the door and had opened it when Harry's voice stopped him.
"He can't come back again can he?"
"No love, he can't. You destroyed his soul completely. There is no way for him to return. It's over. You did it."
Harry sighed relieved. Severus promised to return later. Harry lay back down, suddenly exhausted and fell asleep.
It was a week after graduation. Hermione of course was top of the year. Ron had gotten the results he needed to enter the Auror training program. While Harry did very well. He got an Outstanding in Defence Against the Dark Arts, Potions, Transfiguration, Charms and History of Magic. Exceeds Expectations in Astronomy, Care of Magical Creatures and Herbology and Acceptable in Divination. Since he had defeated Voldemort he had had more time to study and his grades reflected it. He was planning to do his Masters in Defence Against the Dark Arts and History of Magic during the summer and then become the Professor for those subjects. Professor Binns had vanished sometime in July. It was assumed that he had finally discovered that he was dead and moved on. Now that Harry had graduated he and Severus had decided to have their bonding as soon as possible.
Harry was pacing up and down his room eerily reminiscent of the day Voldemort had been defeated. Ron and Hermione were with him as his witnesses. Severus had Draco and Remus, who he had become friends with in the last few months. Ron was trying not to laugh as Hermione reassured Harry once again.
Walking to the lake, where the ceremony was taking place, Harry was unexplainably nervous. 'I want everything to be perfect today. Please Merlin, don't let anything go wrong.' He was wearing traditional robes of forest green trimmed in sliver. As soon as he lay eyes on his husband to be and soul mate his breath caught in his throat. 'He looks gorgeous.' Severus was also dressed in traditional robes but his were deep blue trimmed in gold. They each had one colour of the others house on. Harry and Severus walked, side-by-side, to the alter where Albus Dumbledore stood.
It was Harry's turn to say his vows.
"Repeat after me. I, Harold James Potter, do take you, Severus Sebastian Snape, as my bonded until death and beyond. May our souls be one and our love eternal."
"I, Harold James Potter, do take you, Severus Sebastian Snape, as my bonded until death and beyond. May our souls be one and our love eternal." Harry replied confidently as Sev had, slipping the matching bonding ring onto his love's finger.
"I now declare you bonded, soul mated and husbands in the eyes of the law, witnessed by the witnesses gathered here today. I present to you Mr and Mr Potter-Snape.
EpilogueFive years later Professor Harry Potter-Snape, the Defence Against the Dark Arts and History of magic Professor, was once again pacing his living room. His husband Professor Severus Potter-Snape, sill the Potions Professor, came in, looked at his bonded and asked, "What's wrong love? Did you go and see Poppy?"
"Yes."
"And?"
"Well she said 'Congratulations'."
"Why?"
"Well…I'm pregnant."
Thud"Sev?"
The End