You all know how bad I am with updates, and I'm sorry, but that's life or 'shit happens' as my cousin says. I'm trying (rather unsucessefully) to keep this around the same general timeline as the fifth book, but I think I'm about ready to give that up (I already changed a few key elements) at which points, updates should be coming a little quicker, and hopefully have a little more substance. Besides, I'm new to the whole fluff thing, so you have to give me lots and lots of slack.

Thank you all my faithful readers who have continued to read my wayward little story even though I'm a horrible mother and have been terribly neglectful.

SEVEN

Harry knew he was still smiling like an idot, eventhough class had started and he and Severus had decided to be 'Snape' and 'Potter' in class.

"Mr. Potter..." Snape drawled, looming over his desk with an expression that Harry used to associate with terror, but now he couldn't help but term it as 'sexy'; granted, his professor didn't really look anything like his impromtu, nocturnal lover, but they were the same person, and that made Harry see him in a different light. Enough of a beautiful light to even momentarily forget about his upcoming detention with Umbridge and his talk with Hermione that had been stalled until the afternoon.

"Care to enlighten the class as to what you find so positively amusing?" Snape asked, crossing his arms over his chest and glarring. Harry swallowed and tried to look abashed, or at least embarrassed, but his blush was not remorsful in the least. "Found a first love, perhaps?" The professor prodded. Harry felt like giggling; Snape was playing with him.

"No, sir. I'm sorry; I'll pay better attention," he said, lowering his eyes to the ground and regaining his composure. Snape sniffed reproachfully and moved away. Ron gapped after him for a moment; he hadn't taken-

"And five points from Gryffindor for not paying attention, Mr. Potter."

-points. Class went by more or less smoothly, though Harry was having a great deal of trouble in paying attention to what Snape was saying and not thinking about Severus' lips and how they felt against his.

I am so lost... he thought to himself with a mental sigh. But then again...was he really lost or just...curious? Enamored with this creature that wasn't quite human? The thought was sobering and he calmed drastically for the rest of the class.

"So what's up with your good mood, anyway? I mean...you've got detention with Umbridge, you just spent the last hour and half in Snape's hole of hell and your still smiling?" Ron asked. Harry was still smiling, though his smile was much deminished; he had come the conclussion that his interest in Severus was genuine, though he didn't know how long his interest would be peeked. He would just have to see it through.

"I dunno. I just had this really good dream last night..." It was a weak excuse and Ron was eyeing him suspiciously, but said nothing more as they walked to their next class.

xXx

"Teach, Hermione! Are you insane? I don't know the first thing about teaching!" Harry said; where did she get such hair-brained ideas from!

"Harry, just listen to me for a minute!" Harry closed his mouth and simply steamed while she tried to convince him to teach Defense Against the Dark Arts; it was absurd! "There are a lot of people who would rather learn Defense than read about it and a lot of people who would like to learn from you. Think about it, Harry: you are the most qualified student to teach Defense after all," she reasoned. Harry continued to glare. "Would you please just think about it? And besides, this would be the ultimate spit in Umbridge's face."

Harry rolled his eyes and sighed, not quite willing to admit that the last part made teaching quite an inviting prospect. The fact of the matter was that DADA wasn't a text-book class, it wasn't something you could really teach people about unless you knew what you were doing...people could be hurt.

"I'll think about it. But no promises!" He snappped quickly when Hermione suddenly grinned.

Severus was waiting on the lake's bank when Harry finally made it out, much later than normal: for some, unknown reason, everyone had hovered around him like flies on a hot day for hours on end. He was still a little irrated.

"I was almost afraid you weren't coming," Severus said conversationally as he flipped his tail through the water gently. He looked casual enough but Harry could tell he was tense; his shoulders were tight and his eyes were much darker than normal.

"I have something to tell you," Harry said as he fell on to the grass. Severus tensed visably and Harry put a calming hand on his shoulder, then gently tugged the other man's head into his lap where he started to rub the tappered ears. "Hermione and Ron want me to teach DADA," he said sorely. Severus, who had been relaxed in his lap now sat bolt up-right.

"And you told them no, right?" he prompted and for a moment he sounded a lot like Snape.

"Well...not exactly," Harry confessed. "They wouldn't leave me alone!" he said in his defense. Severus took a slow breath and let it out in a huff.

"You know what that abominable woman will do to you..." he said. Harry rolled his eyes.

"Yeah, I'm pretty well aquainted with it, actually," he said sorely, rubbing his right hand subconsciously. There was still a spidery thin set of lines there where the words 'I must not tell lies' was etched. Severus snatched his hand up and brought it to his face. He growled -it was a gutteral, frigtening sound that startled them both.

"What has that bitch been doing to you!" he asked, holding Harry's hand possessively, running his fingers over the lines.

"How could you even see that out here?" Harry asked a little nervously. It had just hit him that he really didn't know anything about Silke except what Severus had told him...and if the way the Silke's eyes were flashing were any indication, Severus was quite ticked and possibly not in control of himself. He swallowed hard.

"I have very good night vision," Severus muttered, almost absent mindedly, but his tone was dark. Dark like a hundred deaths.

"Sev-verus? You're...you're hurting my hand..." Harry whispered, trying to pull away. The Silke was very strong. This seemed to break whatever spell Severus was under and he looked up sharply.

"I'm sorry!" he said quickly, bringing the offended hand to his lips and kissing it reverently. "I didn't mean to hurt you...she just makes me so!" he actually hissed and Harry involuntarily jerked his hand back. "I'm frightening you, aren't I?" Harry nodded slowly, cradling his hand to his chest and eyeing Severus warily. "Perhaps...if you would be comfortable, of course...perhaps we could retire to my quarters? I'm afraid I'm in a bit of state...and well...perhaps I should dry off?" Harry nodded again, understanding what Severus hadn't said: he was dangerous when he was angry.

Harry stood off to one side while Severus dried himself and dressed.

"If you would rather return to your room, I understand completely. Don't feel obligated in any way-"

"Severus...it's okay, really. I'll come with you. I haven't barely been here fifteen minutes." Severus nodded and Harry drapped his cloak around his shoulders before following Severus back to his quarters, trailing him silently through the halls.

"Hello, Mr. Filch," Severus greeted, almost amiably when they passed the man.

"Seen any students about, Professor?" Filch asked, and his right eye narrowed speculatively.

"No. You?" Filch shook his head but Mrs. Noris was suddenly at his feet and then hissing with her ears laid back.

"Mrs. Noris smells somethin'," the man said with a grotesque smile twisting his features.

"Does she?"

"Mmm hmm. Come on then, Mrs. Noris!" the man called. "You commin, professor?"

"I'm sure you can handle it, I have things to take care of tonight."

"Alright, we'll get 'em!" He started walking off, but Mrs. Noris stayed with Harry, hissing at him disaprovingly. "Now, what's the matter, there?" Severus muttered something under his breath and Mrs. Noris' ears perked up. "What's that, professor?" Severus shook his head dissmissively and Filch shrugged and gestured with his hand.

"Come on!" Mrs. Noris, having lost Harry's scent padded after her master without protest. The rest of the trekk to Snape's quarters were without incident and Harry gratefully let his cloak slide off his shoulders when the door was closed.

"Thanks," he breathed.

"For?"

"For rescuing me from Mrs. Noris."

"Ah." Severus crossed the room to his bedchambers and dropped his cloak off. "Neptune says 'hello, dear', by the way." Harry smiled.

"Tell Neptune I said hi," Harry shouted back.

"Tell the little bugger yourself," Severus replied. Harry smiled again and approached the tank. The little fish swam up to the glass and Harry waved his finger. Neptune waved his tail, causing Harry to laugh.

"What's he saying?"

"How do you know he's saying anything?" Severus asked, suddenly behind him. Harry shrugged.

"I just thought he might be."

"Well he is. He's gloating, actually."

"About what?"

"That I'm 'finally spending time with people my own age' and what not," Severus said mockingly, sticking his tongue out at the fish.

"Your...your own age?" Severus waved invitingly to a seat which Harry sank into gratefully, the feeling of fear that had been building by the lake completely erased as he settled into the warm chair and a cup of hot tea that Severus offered him.

"I've already told you that Silke are nearly immortal?"

"Yes."

"Well...because of that, we measure age in decades. So...I'm almost four," Severus confessed and a blush actually rose to his cheeks. Harry laughed.

"You're just a baby!"

"I'm a baby? If I'm a baby, you're an infant - one and a half to be exact." Harry just laughed and they settled into a comfortable silence.

"Harry?" Severus finally probed, breaking the stillness.

"Hm?"

"I don't want you to teach this class." Harry set his cup down.

"Why?"

"That...bitch-" and he hissed again, though the sound was considerably less frigtening in his human voice. " could expell you. Do you understand that: expell, Harry."

"Severus...I think I need to teach this class -don't interrupt me!" he snapped when Severus opened his mouth in protest. "Voldemort-"

"Don't say his name!" Severus hissed and Harry rolled his eyes.

"You-Know-Who," he ammended. "Could attack at any time and Umbridge...she's not preparing anyone. If we don't know the practical side of defense then...well, we're sitting ducks. What then?" Severus sighed.

"You are right...I just...don't want to see anything happen to you," Severus muttered sorely and Harry smiled: it was strange what one (okay, more than one) kiss could do to a relationship.

"I'm as much a part of this war as anyone, more than a lot. I'm already risking a lot, I might as well risk a little more. In for a penny, in for a pound, huh?" Severus nodded.

"I am...I'm sorry about out there...I forgot myself for a moment. I'm sorry if I frightened you." Harry shook his head dissmissively. Now that he was removed from the situation it wasn't half as frightening as it had been.

"Don't worry about it." He smiled reasurringly and reached across the space that seperated them to take Severus' hand. Yes, he was definitely, genuinely, utterly lost. Severus smiled after a moment and Harry took the oppertunity to kiss him. Severus was in the act of pulling his compainion in his lap when he abruptly stopped and choked on his own breath.

"Could we...do this somewhere else?" Severus breathed.

"What? Why?"

"Well..." he blushed "You can't hear him...but I can." It took Harry a minute to grasp what Severus was talking about and then he blushed as well.

"Oh! Oh, yes...um...where?" Severus jerked his head toward the bed chamber. Harry looked between it and him a little speculatively, a little suspiciously, but agreed. Severus laughed as he led him toward the bedroom.

"And you don't' have to worry about me doing anything you don't want to... my element, so to speak, is the water. Not the bedroom." Harry blushed crimson.

"Do you mean...you...in the water?" Severus just laughed as he shut the door and plunged them into darkness.