Disclaimer - I own nothing you recognise.

Written for -

The 2nd Annual Triwizard Tournament - Use a cliché. (I've used quite a few)

Raise a Witch Or Wizard Challenge - Write about Harry Potter.

Take A Risk

"I don't know what else I can do, Hermione," Harry complained. "I drop hints, we go out to dinner, we spend nights in front of the tv together. How obvious do I need to be?"

Hermione rolled her eyes. "Clearly more obvious than you're being now. Why can't you just tell him you like him?"

"Because if he doesn't like me back, then I'll lose him as a friend and that will suck even more than never being with him," Harry replied, as though his reasoning was completely obvious.

"Harry, you're twenty six years old. You've spent four years mooning over him. It's time to tell him how you feel!"

Harry scoffed. "And if he laughs in my face?"

"He wouldn't do that and you damn well know it. He puts up with the Weasleys for you, he goes into Muggle London for you, he watches movies when he could be making potions. He loves you, Harry."

"Then why hasn't he said anything?"

"Perhaps he has the same fears as you do? He has more to lose, after all."

"How so?"

"He's older than you for a start, and honestly Harry, you have males and females throwing themselves at you on a daily basis. That's got to make him feel insecure."

Harry fell back in his seat. "So I have to make the first move?"

She nodded. "You do."

"What would you suggest?" he asked, frowning. "Severus isn't really the type for flowers and hearts, you know?"

"Of course he isn't. You should just tell him. I mean, not much would change for you two anyway. You've been platonic dating for years."

"Platonic Dating?"

"Sure. You're totally monogamous, even though it's not actually a relationship. As you said, you eat out, you have nights in by the fire, you spend the majority of your time with him, you spend holidays together."

Harry nodded, looking thoughtful. "Platonic Dating. I like it."

"I thought you wanted not-so-platonic dating?"

"Well, yeah. I do. Of course. But... Platonic Dating is better than no dating, right? So... maybe I should leave it alone. And -"

"That's it," Hermione groaned. "You are officially going to drive me around the bend. I'm setting you up on a blind date. If nothing else, it will tell you how Severus feels about you. If he's jealous, snog him and cancel the date. If he's not, well. You can platonic date him to your hearts content."

Harry scowled. "I'm not going on a blind date."

"You are," she replied. "This Saturday. I'll owl you the details."

"Hermione -"

"I have to get back to work. See you later, Harry."

"Hermione!"

With a vague wave in his direction, Hermione called out "Ministry of Magic," and stepped into the fire. Harry sighed. This was not supposed to be the outcome of their weekly coffee.

"What on earth is the matter with you this evening?" Severus asked when Harry sighed for the umpteenth time. It was Friday evening, and they were sitting side by side in Harry's quarters in Hogwarts, each with his own pile of marking to work through. It was a tradition they'd had for over a year, not least because it usually gave them an excuse to polish off a bottle of elf made wine while they complained about the idiocy of their students.

"Hermione has set me up on a blind date," Harry admitted, dropping the essay he'd been trying to read back onto the pile. He watched Severus carefully for a reaction that never came.

"You should have told her no if you didn't want to go," was all the reply that came.

"Have you ever met Hermione?"

"Of course."

"Ever tried to tell her no when she's got her mind set on something?"

Severus tilted his head slightly. "You make a valid point. Surely it would be nice for you to get out of the castle though? Perhaps you will enjoy yourself."

With his opinion given, Severus turned back to his marking. Harry gaped at the older man for a moment, his heart sinking, before he picked the essay he'd been reading back up. With another sigh, Harry forced himself to focus on the task at hand, ignoring the feeling of his heart shattering into tiny pieces.

Harry stumbled inelegantly through the floo into his quarters. His date had been a disaster of epic proportions, not least because the man Hermione had set him up with wasn't Severus. Massaging his temple to fight the headache that was threatening, Harry blinked against the light in his sitting room.

Odd. He was sure he'd left the room in darkness.

"Good night?"

Harry almost jumped out of his skin. Severus sat in the only armchair, a book resting open on his knee.

"What the bloody hell are you doing here?" Harry yelped.

Severus snorted. "I came to comfort you after your bad date, obviously."

"How'd you know it was going to be bad?"

"I was the one who suggested Mr Williams as your date," Severus replied, closing the book and watching Harry cautiously. "I rather hoped that you'd realise how much we have in common if you met with someone so..." He trailed off, apparently unable to think of anything descriptive enough for Andrew Williams.

"Idiotic?" Harry offered. "Moronic? Imbecilic? Why would you be suggesting dates for me, Severus?"

"Are you really that dim, Harry?"

Rolling his eyes, Harry shook off his cloak and hung it up. "Either explain yourself properly, or go and give your riddles to someone else. I have a headache."

Severus stood up, stepping closer to Harry. "I hoped spending an evening with someone other than myself might make you realise that we... we have something special. Something that could be more."

Heart beating faster in his chest, Harry took two steps across the room to meet Severus, closing the gap between them.

"You put Hermione up to setting me on a blind date with a goon to show me how good I have it with you?"

"Something like that."

Shaking his head, Harry smiled. "Bloody idiot. I already know how good I have it with you. I just... didn't know how to turn our platonic dating into not-so-platonic dating."

"Platonic dating?"

"Ask Hermione."

Severus nodded, lifting his hand to caress Harry's cheek. "So you have thought about it?"

"Of course. I guess I'm just scared of losing what we have now."

"Me too. Right now, it feels worth the risk. Take the risk with me?"

Leaning up on his tiptoes, Harry smiled against Severus' lips.

"I love you."