Disclaimer: I don't own anything of Harry Potter.

Note: Thanks for the reviews. So this is it. The final chapter of AB. It has been a ride, I can tell you that much and while I am sad to see this story coming to an end it is time that it ended. I am sure that not everybody agrees but that is alright. I am glad that you guys stuck with this story and I am thankful for all the support I have gotten from you so thank you so much for that. Let's begin.

Goodbyes were never easy; Harry knew that in the back of his mind. But he had never really said goodbye to anybody. His parents had been killed when he was too young to get to know them, well he had never really not wanted to say goodbye to the Dursleys because he had been so glad that he was out of there. Sirius, well, he had been ripped from Harry's life so suddenly that Harry had never had the chance to say goodbye. The same with Remus. So on goodbyes, Harry really had no experience.

Severus, he knew, had more than enough experience for the both of them so that may made up for something. But this time their goodbye was different. Because Harry knew it was only a temporary goodbye. He would see his friends and loved ones again, probably soon if he could help it.

He was not good at sudden goodbyes however. That was for sure. One moment Severus and him had been at Grimbauld Place and had been packing up when suddenly Ron and Hermione had appeared through the floo and invited them to an impromptu dinner at the Burrow. The moment they had arrived at the Burrow it had turned into a surprise birthday party.

Harry hung back a little, staying close to Severus and surprise at all the people gathered here. He didn't even know they knew so many people.

The reassurance flowing through the bond was making him feel a bit stronger. The hand that touched his shoulder in a fleeting caress. The next moment Severus stepped away from him, leaving Harry to bask in the feeling of the bond that tied them together. He could do this.

He followed Severus, smiling as he greeted his friends.

"How did you know?"

"Know what?" Ron seemed baffled but Hermione smiled knowingly.

"That we decided that we are leaving tomorrow night?" During the silence that fell Harry realized they didn't know at all. Hermione glanced at him, forming a small o with her mouth and Ron drained his glass in one go. Harry glanced down and away from them as Ron said.

"That is one way to break the news, mate. But next time I hope that you do try a bit more tact. I'm the one with the emotional range of a teaspoon, remember?"

"And you think that mine is better?" Harry grinned at Ron and his best mate smirked back.

"It should. You're gay; I thought that it meant that you were more sensitive than a normal bloke. And when you compare yourself to Snape or me, you're still more sensitive than both of us. But really, tact may not be your strong suit. Even I'm better at that than you are." Harry rolled his eyes.

"Perhaps you can get yourself a drink to overcome the shock and if you're getting one, get one for me as well." Ron shook his head.

"I doubt your husband will appreciate it if I'm getting you drunk. No, perhaps it is better if I take you to the pub tonight. I'm sure Neville and Luna want to come as well. We can do a pub-crawl as a belated stag night; get you wasted before bringing you back home. You live in London anyway, easiest place to do a pub crawl. Would you like that?"

Harry had to take a moment to think. This was unexpected. He had never been on a pub crawl again. Hell, he had never been on a bender before. It would be cool to have an old fashioned stag party, especially because it had been denied to him because of his quick marriage to Severus. It wasn't that he regretted it but it would be cool.

"I will have to speak to Severus but yeah sure, I think he would be okay with it." He nodded and took a sip of the butter beer Ron handed him. He tried not to focus on the bond with Severus. His husband was on the other side of the room, chatting to Professor McGonagall and what looked like Professor Flitwick.

He remembered the last time they had the talk about the stag party. Severus had been against it and Harry understood why but he wanted to do this with his friends. It was one last night that they could spend together so why not?

"But Harry, I thought you would not be leaving until the first of September?" Harry glanced up at Hermione. She didn't look upset but she didn't look happy either. He stepped forward and took her hand.

"I know that is what we said but it isn't a promise. I can't stay here, Hermione. I am afraid to even go outside because what if somebody decides to attack me? I hate being here. I want to be somewhere where nobody recognizes me or Severus. Somewhere where we can walk around and not have to be afraid that somebody will try to harm us because of what we did. And please don't say that it is not that bad because it is. It is just the next step that people will take and I'm not surprised that they have not attacked us yet. They burned down our house and attacked me with a letter. It is just our luck that we rarely venture out for anything so they cannot target us but I cannot stay cooped up in the house just to be safe. So yes, we are leaving tomorrow night, weeks earlier than our promised date but so be it."

"But Harry is that smart? I know why you would want to go away, I understand…"

"You only do partly, Hermione. You have been targeted for what you are, not for what you are or for what you have done." Harry quietly interrupted her. She smiled sadly at him and then continued.

"But you may need to prepare or…."

"There is nothing to prepare. The clothes on my back are literally the only thing I own. Well except for everything that is in my bank account. It is the same for Severus. He owns even less. So we are basically already packed. And it is no use buying anything new now, not when we are all ready to leave."

Harry shrugged. He was ready to leave. He was ready to leave this country behind him and start afresh. He was going to miss his best friends, that was for sure but he needed a new start. And he knew Severus felt the same way. He glanced at his husband, smiling when he noticed Severus was deep in conversation with Harry's former Professors.

He sent a trickle of love through the bond, reliving in the fact that he shared this with his chosen wizard. He was blessed and excited about the future for the first time in years.

Hp

Severus tried to unsuccessfully ignore Harry's emotions through the bond. He focussed on his conversation with Filius and Minerva. Filius was looking at him expectantly and he wondered what the Charm's Professor had asked again.

"I am sorry, what did you ask?"

Filius shared an amused glance with Minerva and Severus eyes narrowed. He tried not to bite out a sharp "what" and then Minerva said. "Ah, young love. Filius wanted to know where you were heading on your travels."

"Ah yes, we start out in Paris and afterwards we are heading to Rome. I was thinking that after spending some time in Rome we can go to Constantinople and I am not yet sure if we shall go to Asia or somewhere else. I am interested in visiting China and Japan and South America. A lot of the ingredients I use in potions come from those continents. I am sure that Harry will enjoy visiting those countries as well."

"I remember when I was younger I travelled the world as well. But I stayed in Germany for a long time, studying with an old Charms Master who taught me everything that I know. It gave me a new perspective on life. It can really mature one. I think that your Harry will enjoy this as well."

"I am sure that he will. He seems to be quite enthusiastic to leave as soon as we are able." Severus cast a look at Harry. His husband was chatting with his friends but the bond between them continued to pulse with emotions.

"When was your leaving date again?"

"It is tomorrow night. We have decided to set an earlier date. We can stay here for another month but it is not going to make anything easier. We are both anxious to leave and start our journey."

"I take it that you are longing for warmer weather." Minerva smiled at him and Severus frowned. He was not one to lie about on a beach. Suddenly an image flashed into his mind. Of Harry dressed in short swimming trunks that showed off his physique very well. Of those wet trousers clinging to slender legs as Harry walked out of the water. Harry sucking Severus off on the beach… Harry who was currently standing beside him and sporting a light blush.

"Ah, Mr Potter, I am glad that you could join us. We have spoken about your plans with Severus for a while. It seems that you have got quite the trip planned out." Harry glanced up at Severus for a moment before he said.

"Yeah, I believe that we do. I know for sure that we are going to Paris and Rome but afterwards, I don't really know. I know that Severus is interested in quite a few places though he hasn't shared all of them with me just yet. But I think that a few surprises would be nice." Harry grinned and to Severus he seemed lighter.

"And you are comfortable with leaving so quickly?"

"Yes, of course I am. I am the one who suggested it actually." Harry's smile was still bright and Severus merely inclined his head. It had caught him by surprise to be honest when Harry had told him at the dinner table that he wanted to leave as soon as possible. They did not need to do a lot of packing and Harry had seemed anxious to be on his way.

But as to the reason, Severus could only guess. He knew that Harry hated being forced to live in fear and hide who he was and what he had done. He wanted a fresh start. And he was not getting on in Britain. The wizarding world was too small and too judgmental. It didn't matter that Harry had saved them all or that he had earned his peace but still people sought to judge him for marrying Severus and for choosing to do what he did. No, Harry would never have freedom here and Severus longed to give that to his husband most of all. A safe place to live his life in whatever form he wished, as long as it was with Severus.

Hp

Harry grinned at the smell that came from the long table full of food. It smelled amazing. The food looked amazing as well but he had not expected anything less from Molly. He was contemplating what he was going to get when hands on his hips gently stopped him from moving further.

The next moment Severus reached around him to grab a sandwitch. The dark eyes of his husband caught his own and then Severus said. "So a little bird told me about your exciting plans for a pub crawl tonight."

"Uhm yeah, I was kind of ambushed by Ron who claimed that I never had a proper stag party…"

"I thought that the last time that we discussed this pub crawl that the plan was that you were going to wait until you were in either Rome or Paris? What changed your mind?" Harry tried to focus on the bond to try and figure out Severus' emotions. But the bond between them was very silent and Harry frowned.

"Yeah, that is still happening but I do want to have a sort of last night with my friends before we leave the U.K possibly forever. I don't know….it just seems right. Are you angry that I didn't discuss this with you?" He turned to fully face Severus to gauge his reaction. His husband's face was impassive. Harry chewed on his lip. Severus soothed a thumb over it as he said.

"I am not upset, Harry. And no you are not disappointing me. I just want to make sure that I know what state you are going to be in tomorrow morning when you come home from a bender." Harry sometimes still wondered if Severus could read his mind because he knew just the right things to say to Harry to put him at ease. But that must be the bond between them, Harry's insecurities spilling over onto the bond and onto Severus.

Severus' lips quickened into a small smile and then his husband's eyes hardened. "You are aware that there are some rules. You better not be going to be dancing with any strange men because I will find out if you do and you will not like the consequences. You can dance with the ladies. Do not flash your wand around for anybody to see, either wand! Other than that I'm quite sure that Mr Weasley and Mr Longbottom or Miss Granger can take care of you. Feel free to get drunk, feel free to dance or run naked in the street, just don't let anybody find out your real name. Because I do not need for the British wizarding world to have one last image of your naked ass running through the streets of London. That image is reserved for me alone."

The next moment thin lips caught his in a hungry kiss and Harry responded in kind. He clung to Severus, making sure that his husband didn't bend him over the table. It was one of his fantasies but not where everybody could see him. The kiss was broken off suddenly and Harry gasped for breath.

He turned back to the table and leaned his hands on it, making sure that his arousal was hidden from everyone in the garden. He knew that Severus knew how he was feeling by the bond pulsating between them with need. He exhaled loudly and glanced up at Severus. The man wore a smirk and Harry knew that it had been done deliberately. Severus had done it to make sure that Harry would not dare to touch another. Hell, Harry wouldn't even think of touching another person.

He wondered briefly if that had been Severus' aim. The man did seem satisfied enough for it and Harry frowned. He focussed on the bond, trying to get a feel for it but the next moment Severus reached out to lay a hand against his cheek and Harry glanced up. There was a very tender look in the man's eye as Severus said.

"Go and have your fun. You deserve it. Just as long as you remember who your lover is and who you return home to." Harry blinked up at Severus as though in a daze.

"As though I could forget." He sent tendrils of need through the bond and he could see Severus' eyes narrow as his husband responded to the intense feelings.

The feeling of want that came from the bond made Harry groan softly. If only they had been alone so he could drag him off to a dark corner and let Severus have his wicked way with him.

A soft coughing behind them had him turning around. Arthur stood behind them, smiling slightly as Severus straightened up. Harry fought his blush. They had nothing to be sorry for. They were newlyweds after all.

"So I heard that you were leaving sooner than you had at first planned. I am glad that you still came to this farewell party. I can imagine that you are quite busy with preparing everything."

"Apparently we're not busy enough with packing because Harry planned a night out with your sons to explore muggle London and try the local ale." Harry rolled his eyes at Severus' comment. He elbowed his husband in the ribs. The next moment Severus casually dropped his hand against Harry's neck and squeezed. Harry winced but didn't say anything. The squeezing turned into Severus lightly running his fingertips up and down Harry's neck. Harry bit his lip to and prevented the moan from escaping. It felt amazing and his cock hardened in his jeans. His eyes fluttered closed and he heaved a soft sigh instead. Severus must know what he was doing to Harry because his husband never did anything that was not deliberate.

He pushed the feelings that the touch inspired into the bond, hoping to distract Severus enough that he would at least see it through instead of teasing him or stop what he was doing.

"Severus." He whispered, smiling at Mr Weasley as he led Severus away a little bit so they had privacy. Severus glanced at him, raising an eyebrow. Harry sighed and said. "Would you either stop it with the touching or see it through? You're driving me insane."

"Well, I'm hardly going to have sex with you at the Burrow. What would your friends think? No, if you have need of me in any way, Mr Potter, you can come and find me tonight when you're done partying."

And as his husband walked away, Harry groaned because he just knew that Severus would continue to tease him throughout the day and the night.

Hp

In hindsight Harry was right that it was going to be a long day. Severus had a teasing streak nobody seemed to know about and Harry had not even expected it. He tried to smile as Mrs Weasley was explaining something to him but he couldn't pay attention.

His nerves were oversensitive because his lover kept teasing him. It had started out with small suggestions whispered through the bond that would have made Harry blush if he had been paying attention to them. The suggestions had turned to ideas and in the end there had been fathom hands running over his body. No matter how much he squirmed or anything he could not find any release.

In the end Harry had escaped to the bathroom, locking the door behind him as he leaned his head against the door. His cock was throbbing and he sighed loudly. He undid his belt and breathed a sigh of relief as his cock sprang free.

He needed release but he knew that the moment he touched himself, Severus would know. And despite anything, Harry was not looking forward to his husband's reaction when Severus found out. And Severus would find out, he always did.

There was a knock on the door and Harry called out. "Just a moment." He needed a lot longer than a moment if he was honest but that didn't matter.

The knock came again and Harry bit back a growl. He hadn't even been in here for five minutes; would it hurt people to have some patience? He fastened his jeans again and called out when another knock came. "Just a moment."

"Alohomora." The next moment the door was unlocked and before Harry could say or do anything, Severus was inside and had locked the door behind him. Soon Severus had him pressed against the sink, pulling Harry into a deep kiss. Harry clung to his husband, moaning into the kiss as he answered it. The bond pulsated with need and Harry gasped when Severus moved away to nip at his neck.

"Won't they…ah… be suspicious if we're both missing from the party?" He gasped as Severus sucked on a particular spot behind Harry's ear.

"I'm sure that we can make it back before anybody misses us. So was I just in time or were you getting ready to do unspeakable things to yourself, Mr Potter?" Severus' eyes shot over Harry's body, taking in his unbuckled jeans and his scrunched up t shirt. The dark eyes caught Harry's green eyes and Severus raised an eyebrow. Harry shook his head, smiling up at Severus.

"Nope. I'll admit that I was toying with the idea for a while but I decided not to do it. I rather that you do wicked things to me, Severus." He tried to make it sound sexy but he wasn't sure if he pulled it off.

"Then why are we wasting time?" Apparently he had pulled it off just right because Severus kissed him hungrily. His husband's hands were everywhere, feeling very real right now. They pinched his bum and then curled underneath his thighs, lifting them up. Harry wrapped his legs around Severus' waist, enjoying it when Severus rocked into him. He was set on the edge of the bathtub, clinging to Severus and kissing him again, moaning against the thin lips.

"I want you, Severus. I want you inside me now…" He didn't care that he sounded wanton but his need spilled over onto the bond, making Severus growl lightly. The man pulled away for a moment before kissing Harry again, sliding a hand down Harry's chest and into his jeans.

Harry leaned into the touch, moaning. "Yes, just like that, Severus…"

"You like my hand there, Harry? You liked it when I do this…?" Harry groaned yes each time, trying to capture Severus' lips but his husband kept pulling away. The smirk Severus wore was sexy as hell but Harry knew it meant one thing, he wasn't getting anything tonight. Severus could be a real bastard sometimes.

"I am sorry, love but I cannot reward you with sex if you mean to go out with your friends. No, it is better that you remain frustrated enough to know who you belong to when other men touch you or try to touch you. You know I will not condone that. I will make certain to have a chat with Weasley about certain rules because I will hex him the moment something happens to you. I believe I shall go and do that right now."

And with those words Severus pressed one last kiss against Harry's lips before leaving him, closing the door behind him and Harry groaned loudly as he dropped his head in his hands. Yes, today was going to be a long day.

Hp

"Here's to Harry!" Harry grinned at his friends as Ron, Neville, Luna and Hermione raised their glasses together in a toast. He looked each of his friends in the eye before drowning the shot of vodka. He gagged at the taste but then grinned when Ron ordered another round.

They were at their second bar which Harry liked better than the first pub they had gone to. It had been filled with a lot of tourists and older people. But this pub was livelier with a band playing and younger people there. Harry could almost imagine that they were uni students. Harry liked the atmosphere here. It felt alive and the band was good.

He accepted the ale Ron handed him and glanced over at the band. They had a pianist, a guitar player and one person that played the trumpet. Harry had never seen a band played but he liked their music. He ignored the bond that pulsed with his happiness and that seemed closed off from Severus' end. But Harry had received the occasional whisper from Severus.

He had asked Ron what they had talked about but his best friend had refused to say anything. Ron had been rather pale when he had come back from the chat with Severus. Harry could only guess what Severus had said to Ron.

Ron bumped his shoulder into Harry's and Harry glanced back at his best friend. He raised an eyebrow, asking what Ron wanted. While the music was not extremely loud, Harry still had trouble hearing the conversations around him. He had his wand in his wrist holster but he didn't want to draw any attention to themselves because he was using magic. No, tonight he was out as a muggle and if that meant getting a little bit deaf in a pub then so be it.

Ron leaned in closer and said. "You want to go to the next pub? There is a club in the area, a gay club. I'm sure you're keen to check that out."

Harry shrugged at Ron. "You want to go somewhere else then? I thought that Severus would have told you not to take me to a gay club."

"It is worth a try, right, mate?"

"You really want to test his temper? I am going to be the one suffering, you remember that, right?"

"You never really minded suffering, mate." Ron winked and Harry shook his head. He really didn't need that mental image, thanks very much. He glanced up to see Neville had pulled Hermione up to dance.

"I think you may need to rescue someone." He grinned, pointing Ron towards his girlfriend and Neville. Ron merely shrugged and turned back to Harry. Harry knew that he was not getting rid of Ron that easily. Ron didn't seem to be the jealous type of guy, which surprised Harry but Ron must be secure in knowing that Hermione loved him not to be jealous. Not that Harry wasn't secure in his feelings regarding Severus, he was very sure in fact, but sometimes he did secretly like that Severus was possessive, actually very possessive and it made Harry feel good.

"Nay, it is all good, mate. Besides, I'm talking to you. So you game?"

Harry sighed. "Perhaps we can stay here for a bit. I really like the band that's playing now…"

"Yeah and somebody in the band likes you." Harry glanced up sharply at Ron's comment. His eyes sought out the band to find the guitar player was watching him. The guy was young, early twenties Harry assumed and had dark hair, cut short and a body that was fairly muscular. His smile was easy and when Harry caught his eye again he winked.

"Ron, I'm married. We're here to celebrate my stag party for Merlin's sake."

"So, you can still flirt. You're a catch, Harry. And perhaps Snape needs to see just how much of a catch you really are." Harry drowned his glass before he glanced back at Ron.

"Ron, really, he doesn't…"

"Yeah, he's very lucky to have you. And I know that he does know and that he does show you, I'm sure because we have all seen the way he interacts with you but sometimes it can be nice to flirt with somebody else. You're young and you're entitled to be wild." Harry shook his head and then Ron grinned at him. "Come on, you're young. So live a little. I know that you love Snape and I'm really happy for you, really am but tonight let's celebrate our first night out as adults. We're young, we're both here with people we love but let's have fun tonight. Let's flirt with other people, dance with other people and let's get absolutely wasted. Let's just let go. Because if anybody deserves it, it is you."

"Alright then." Harry finally agreed and put his glass away before following Ron to the dance floor. The band was picking up the music and Harry closed his eyes and began dancing. The music changed as the band stopped but Harry didn't care, he kept on dancing, twirling first Luna around and then dancing with Hermione. He even danced with Ron.

"Do you want to get another drink?" Neville grinned at him, apparently pleased to see Harry happy and dancing. Harry shook his head.

"You okay here on your own while we go and get the drinks?" Harry nodded and waved Ron away. He didn't need his best friend to keep watch over him. He kept on dancing, rotating his hips in time with the music as he focussed on the bond with Severus.

He pushed his happiness towards his husband. He wanted Severus here; he wanted to share a dance like this with his husband. He wanted to have Severus' hands on his hips instead of….

He turned around immediately, backing into the guitar player that had his hands on Harry's hips. Harry's eyes must have narrowed in a glare because the guitar player held up his hands and mouthed. "I'm sorry. You were just dancing here and looking so sexy while you were doing that that I couldn't help myself. Perhaps I can buy you a drink."

The guy smiled sweetly and reached down to take Harry's hand. Harry pulled away. He didn't mind some flirting but this guy was being very forward. He shook his head. "Thanks but no thanks. I'm married actually."

The guy backed away immediately and held out his hands. "Oh, I'm so sorry. Is that your boyfriend over there then? The guy with the red hair and the glare?"

Harry didn't need to turn around to know that he had described Ron and he shook his head with a smile. "No, he's not here. But yeah, I think I better go. It was nice meeting you and the music you guys played was brilliant."

The guy merely nodded and Harry began trekking back to his friends. He didn't even want to think of why this guy assumed he was gay; it was something he could live with. He reached Ron and taking his best friend's ale, he drowned it and said. "Come on; let's go to the gay club."

Hp

The rest of the night passed in a blur as Harry was drinking more and more of drinks he couldn't even pronounce. They managed to get into the club just fine, each one of them adopting fake names and fake ages but it seemed that the bouncer was taken by pretty green eyes and he allowed them to pass without a comment or any of them having to resort to magic.

The club was pretty full, not too full so they could move around easily and still could find one another. Ron had gone to get them drinks before Luna had pulled them to the dance floor. The music was even better than it was at the pub and as the evening grew later the music got better or Harry got more drunk. He didn't care. He was singing and dancing along, grinning widely as he danced with Hermione and then with Luna.

He even danced with some of the guys that were flirting with him. He didn't care that he was surrounded by Hermione, Luna, Neville and Ron, just as long as he could dance. He grinned up at Ron as his best friend brought him another drink. They toasted, dancing together and singing loudly to the music, not caring that they were out of tune.

The soft hazy caresses that he had been receiving through the bond made him aware that Severus was keeping an eye on him. Harry happily pushed his happy feelings towards his husband, the neediness and the lazy arousal that was curling in his belly.

The next song that came on was a slow one and Harry was pulled into a dance by a young bloke. The hands on his waist pulled him against a tight body and Harry frowned at the other male. He glanced over his shoulder at his friends, hoping that at least one of them was sober enough to keep an eye out on him.

"You're looking for your boyfriend?"

"No, he's not here. But…."

The other guy grinned at him. "Name's Simon. And don't worry; if you look over your shoulder you can see my boyfriend. He doesn't like to dance and you looked so lost dancing with your straight friends. I just wanted to give you a good time. Cause if this is your first time at a gay bar; you really should spend it with gay people." Simon had stepped away from Harry, just giving him the space he needed. Simon was about as tall as Harry was, with friendly blue eyes and spikey blond hair. He was dressed in faded jeans and a tight white shirt.

Simon's boyfriend seemed to be older than he was, with longish brown hair and a lean build. His eyes were on his boyfriend but he did raise his glass when Harry met his eyes. He seemed to be alright with Simon dancing with Harry. This made harry feel at ease and he nodded and grinned.

"Yeah, sure. You're actually the only other gay man I know, well except my boyfriend of course." They were dancing closer together now and Simon laughed. He nodded and said.

"Yeah, I know the feeling. And you need somebody to guide you through this. Cause coming out for the first time can be hard, especially if you don't have anybody to share it with you. Your boyfriend must be older than you, I think. Else he would be with you to share this moment."

"Yeah, he's not really the party type. But this was a moment between friends and we can share one dance, but that's it…."

"Can I at least know your name?"

"Of course, my name is Harry." Harry grinned. He held out his hand and Simon shook it. The other man held his hand a moment longer and looked at Harry's tattoo. Simon whistled slowly and looked up at Harry.

"Nice ink, man. What does it mean?"

"I…it is for my boyfriend. To show him what he means to me. He has a similar tattoo."

"You must be pretty serious…" Harry nodded and Simon smiled before holding out his arms, inviting Harry for a hug. The hug was quick before Simon said. "You need to go home to him cause he's very lucky to have you and he needs to share this moment with you. Go to your friends and go home. I'm going to do the same with my boyfriend. I hope you are really happy with him."

"Yeah, I'm." And much to Harry's amazement, he really was happy with Severus.

Hp

Severus woke instantly the moment the floo sounded. He glanced up sharply as he quickly sat up. Giggles came from the other room and Severus rose to his feet silently. He didn't need Harry to know that he had stayed up waiting for him.

He took his wand with him when he heard the soft call of his name. Then there was a crash and Severus increased his steps. He went into the library to find Ron on the floor and both Harry and Ron were laughing so hard that Harry even had trouble standing up. Severus crossed his arms over his chest and leaned against the doorway of the library.

"Hush, keep it down. I don't want to wake Severus." Harry had to stop a few times because he was laughing so hard. Ron was trying to stand up but he kept falling over because he was laughing so hard. Severus could feel his lips twitch. It was amusing to see.

There was no doubt in his mind that both Harry and Ron were drunk but apparently they had a good time. When Severus allowed his eyes to run over Harry, he could see that his husband did appear exhausted but he was still laughing, laughing so hard that he had trouble standing up and there were tears in his eyes.

"Too late." He softly said. Harry and Ron both glanced up in his direction so fast that Ron fell over again. Harry's face lit up; there were no other words for it. He smiled in such a way that his eyes brightened and he then whispered Severus' name. Severus was taken aback by the emotions that pushed through the bond and Harry approached him.

"There you are. I'm sorry if I woke you but I really wanted to see you." Despite being drunk Harry's speech was still pretty clear. Harry approached him, not walking exactly straight and stumbling when he reached Severus. Severus caught him and Harry wrapped his arms around Severus' waist, hugging him tightly.

"I missed you lots and lots. I had such a great time, we went to a gay club and I danced with a guy. It was a lot of fun but I wanted you there the entire time. Next time you're going with me, because we're going to go dancing and have fun together. There were a lot of couples there and some of them weren't sharing their partners. I want to dance with you and I don't want you to share me cause I really like you all possessive and stuff…. It is really hot…"

Severus blinked at the words that spilled out of Harry's mouth. Harry was nosing at his neck, pressing slow kisses as he kept on babbling. Severus held Harry with an arm around the shoulder but his husband was not pulling away, still babbling incoherently now about his whole night.

Stroking a careful hand down Harry's back in order to calm him, Severus shared a look with Ron. Ron had managed to get to his feet now and was staring at Harry and Severus. He shrugged; telling Severus that he didn't know what had gotten into Harry either.

Harry's energy was putting him on edge as well. There was an edge of arousal but Harry seemed really hyper and happy…

"I love you, Severus." Severus was so focussed on the bond that he almost missed the whispered words. He glanced down sharply at Harry to see the green eyes staring up at him hopefully.

"What?" It was the least eloquent he had ever sounded and Harry seemed slightly surprised by his reaction but he didn't appear taken aback by it. The green eyes were determined and then Harry repeated, a little louder this time.

"I love you." Harry appeared almost sober and the bond was nearly silent. It almost seemed like the whole world was holding its breath and then Severus leaned down to press a light kiss against Harry's lips before whispering, knowing that they had an audience.

"And I love you as well." Harry grinned and then deflated as if suddenly exhausted, hugging Severus tightly. Severus held his husband tightly as well, kissing the top of his head.

"Come on, we still have to get Mr Weasley home before I can get you to bed and set those plans into motions that I have had for you all day. Why don't you go up to the bedroom and wait for me there?"

And Harry's grin said enough as Severus went to take Ron home.

Hp

It took Severus close to 15 minutes to take a still slightly giggling Ron home. They had to be extremely silent as they entered the Burrow where everybody was sleeping. Hermione was waiting up for Ron, she was a little bit more sober than Ron was but not very much. Between the two of them they managed to get Ron on the couch and Severus prepared to floo home.

"Severus, thank you for bringing Ron home." He turned back to Hermione and nodded at her.

"And thank you for taking Harry out. It seems that he has had a very interesting and fun time."

"I think that they did. The next time we should do it again but you should join us. I think Harry would like that as well." Hermione smiled up at him.

"We shall discuss this when you are all more sober and have had time to get the hangover you are getting in the morning. I shall send over some of my anti hangover potions tomorrow morning." With those words Severus went back through the floo and back to Grimmauld Place. He warded the floo behind him. Even the anticipation of seeing Harry couldn't cure him of his paranoia.

He straightened his clothes and then went up the stairs and into the bedroom. What he found there made him pause in the doorway. Harry was fast asleep on the bed, still fully clothed.

Sighing Severus couldn't help the small smile that curled his lips. Apparently Harry was too exhausted to wait up. It wasn't as though his husband had tried. Severus could see that Harry had tried to take off his shirt but either it hadn't worked or he had been too tired because his shirt was still on.

This certainly foils my plans. I had plans to debauch Harry the moment he got home but apparently he's too tired. Perhaps it is better to wait. I doubt I will be able to wake him up anyway…

As if Harry had heard him because his husband snored loudly. Severus shook his head and approached the bed. He would need to get Harry undressed and make certain that he was comfortable. He began by turning Harry onto his back after removing his shoes. The next moment Harry rolled back onto his stomach and into the middle of the bed, hugging his pillows to his chest.

Severus sighed and then pinched the bridge of his nose. He turned Harry over again and he was just in time to take Harry's glasses off his face before Harry rolled over again, leaving Severus to stare at his husband. He took his wand and twirled it around, thinking of a spell that would have Harry naked and still asleep.

In the end he decided against using any spell and instead rolled Harry a little bit to the edge of the bed and then crawled in beside him. He turned over to put his wand on the nightstand and before he could roll back, Harry was laying halfway over his chest. Trying to dislodge his husband proved impossible and even moving was hard. Despite being slender Harry was surprisingly heavy and he slept like the dead. Severus sighed and resigned himself to his fate.

He gathered Harry closer and settled in to wait. Luckily sleep came quickly and Severus only woke the next morning by a groan.

He opened his eyes to see Harry sitting up, holding his head with a groan.

"What the hell did I have to drink last night? And why am I still clothed? Oh and why does my head hurt so much?" Harry moaned and blinked at the sunlight that came in through the windows. Severus hid a smirk.

He ran a hand through Harry's tousled hair and softly said. "It is called a hangover, Harry. And if you are curious as to what you have drunk last night, I advise that you ask your friends. But I think that they are suffering from the same problem as you are. Go and lay back down and I shall get you a potion and a class of water. It should cure your hangover in a moment and then we can finish packing and be on our way."

At the sound of packing Harry groaned deeper and then lay back down. Severus shook his head. There had been many times that he had suffered the same affects and he could only imagine how Harry was feeling.

The pain was nearly reaching him through the bond but Severus had learned to deal with pain at a young age. He could easily ignore it. Harry seemed to fare less than he did. His husband was lying with his hand over his eyes and he seemed to have trouble keeping his stomach from rebelling.

Severus quickly Summoned the anti-hangover potion and a glass of water. He approached Harry, sitting down on the bed and handed his husband the potion and after that the glass of water. Harry drowned both, grimacing at the taste of the potion before he swallowed it down. He then crawled over to Severus, laying his head in Severus' lap.

"Gonna pack after the nap. I promise…" And with those words Harry drifted off.

Hp

The nap lasted for another two hours and in that time Severus finished packing. He had moved Harry carefully and moved through the rooms as silently as he could. Harry had slept like the dead and his snores could wake the dead, Severus was sure.

After two hours he had decided to wake his husband. They needed to finish packing and he was eager to be off. He eased open the bedroom door and entered the room. Harry was stretched out diagonally on the bed, taking up all the space. Severus stared for a moment before he wondered at the best way to wake his husband.

His frustrating, beautiful husband. A smirk played around his lips when he remembered the frustration he had felt last night. He began by sending phantom fingers over Harry's body. They eased Harry out of his sleep by slipping over his body, stroking all the right places and making Harry twitch and groan in his sleep.

Severus could almost feel the bond coming to life with slow waves of arousal as Harry struggled to wake. Harry rolled over onto his back, throwing an arm over his eyes as he sleepily said. "Sev'rus, stop it! Or come here and do something about it."

"I think not, Mr Potter. You left me in a similar state last night and besides, we have places to be. You recall that I made a reservation to be on the 12 o clock portkey to Paris? If you do happen to recall that then I suggest that you get your arse out of bed and put it to good use."

"Oh come on, I was drunk last night." Harry groaned.

"Yes, I do recall that. Now if you hurry I shall perhaps have time for a quickie before we have dinner tonight. It seems like a most excellent way to start our journey and our new life together." It seemed to be all Harry needed to get out of bed and start getting dressed. He was still moving a little bit slow but that wasn't surprising. The potion could not fix everything.

The floo chimed a few times and Severus took the time to go downstairs and opened up the floo. As he suspected a pale Ron and Hermione came through, followed closely by Mr and Mrs Weasley.

"Ah, Severus, are you all ready to leave?" Arthur was quick to start a conversation as Molly dabbed at her eyes. Severus patted his pockets, feeling the trunks shift in there that he had shrunk so it would be easier to take with him. He glanced over at the flapping of wings but the next moment the raven landed on his shoulder.

"As ready as we are going to be."

"When are you leaving?"

"The moment Harry gets down here."

"So I guess that is now." Harry grinned as he came to stand beside Severus. His lover was still a bit pale but his smile was bright and wide. The bond between them was open and Severus could not sense anything but happiness and excitement for everything. Harry seemed eager to be off.

Just as Severus was.

Hp

Goodbyes were hard, Harry had always known that. And as he looked his friends in the eye and gave them a hug for what felt like the last time he knew that while goodbyes were hard, it also meant that he was going to see them again.

These goodbyes were not forever, they were only for a little while so he could start living his own life together with his husband. His friends would always be a part of his life even if they were not in it every day.

And as he took Severus' hand, he grinned and waved at his friends and family one last time before they floo'd away to the start of their new life together.

The end

So this is it. The end of this story. I want to thank everybody who read and commented on this story from the start and of course the people who came in later as well. I wouldn't have been able to do it without you. Of course I want to especially thank my beta reader Karen for always making sure that this story was up to scratch that it needed to be. So see you all with a new story. Review of course.