Second Place - Romance

Indeed, Harry grumbled the next morning about wishing to stay in bed for a few more hours as he rolled over in bed attempting to pull the covers over his head. Severus, who had spent years as a potions master and spy, was used to sometimes getting very little sleep. He snorted as he waved his wand at his young husband, causing the sleepy man to be summarily pulled out of the warm bed, along with his bed covers.

Now entangled with the bedding on the floor, Harry shot an angry look up at his mate. The potions master merely smirked and commented that he had half an hour to get ready for the day. Grumbling, Harry extracted himself from the tangled mess and trudged into the bathroom. Twenty minutes later he came out of the room and grabbed his clothing for the day. Harry ran a hand through his still wet and unruly hair. Walking out into the sitting room, he shot a glare at his amused husband. "See if I help you again after any more nightmares," the young man grumbled.

"Hmm, that may be so," Severus dryly commented, "But I have the feeling you rather enjoyed last night's proceedings."

Growling, Harry begrudgingly conceded that his mate had a point, but that didn't make up for the lack of sleep he had suffered or change the fact that he had a full day of classes today.

The two silently made their way up to the Great Hall and Harry was pleased to note that he was quickly learning his way through the dungeon corridors. Harry nodded to Severus as the older man left him at the top of the stairs to enter the Great Hall by way of the staff door, leaving Harry to enter the main doors.

The young Gryffindor walked in and ignored the usual dip in conversation that always seemed to herald his arrival. Making his way to his seat next to Hermione and Ron, Harry sat down and began filling his plate.

"Good morning, Harry," Hermione airily said. She had been trying to get Ron to apologize for upsetting Harry after news of his bonding had gotten out, but the young red head was being typically stubborn. He couldn't seem to see past the fact that it was Snape. Harry was being equally stubborn in that he was unwilling to forgive someone who was not supporting him and his decisions. The young girl sighed; she just couldn't understand how the two good friends could be so obstinate.

Harry nodded at the bushy haired girl and ignored Ron. He was still angry that his friend could not accept that he had done what he had felt was necessary. Thus breakfast was a rather silent and stilted affair, as each member of the Gryffindor trio remained lost in his or her thoughts.

Breakfast was nearing an end when Albus Dumbledore stood up, commanding attention. Immediately the noise level dropped as the students and staff waited to hear what the headmaster had to say. "My dear friends, we are privileged to have a very special event here at Hogwarts this coming Saturday evening. As the wizarding world as a whole continues to celebrate the final demise of Lord Voldemort, the Ministry of Magic has made plans for a huge ball be held here in the Great Hall this Saturday. The guest of honor will of course be our own Harry Potter as the Ministry, and I am sure we all, wish to thank him for destroying such a dark wizard. More information will be posted later today, but for now, I do believe that classes are set to begin shortly. Good day."

Harry moaned and he felt his stomach protest. The last thing he wanted was a party held in his honor. The young man who bravely stood up to Voldemort found the idea of facing this ball to be overwhelming and a bit nauseating.

Next to him, Hermione gasped. "Harry, look up at Professor Snape. I think something is wrong with him."

Looking up, Harry was shocked to see that Severus had paled significantly and he looked a bit sick. Worry shot through the young man and he saw his mate cringe. The potions master got unsteadily to his feet and left the Great Hall through the staff door. Now concerned, Harry ignored everything else as he followed his husband out the door. Walking down the narrow corridor, Harry saw the sign for a men's bathroom and something told him to look in there. Quietly entering the room, he was upset to hear the sounds of someone being sick. "Severus, is that you," Harry called out.

The distressing sounds stopped and one of the cubicle doors opened to show a disheveled and disoriented Severus Snape. "Sev, what is wrong," the young man asked anxiously.

The potions master walked past his mate to run water in one of the sinks. Splashing his face and taking a couple of sips of water, the man worked to compose himself. After a moment, he straightened and turned to face his husband. "Harry, when Albus announced the ball to be held in your honor, what exactly were you feeling and thinking?"

Harry was surprised by the question, but thought for a moment before answering. "I was upset. I remember thinking that I would rather face Voldemort again than to have to go to a ball where I was the main attraction. I was also feeling rather queasy. Why, Sev? What does this have to do with you getting sick?"

Severus closed his eyes. Slowly opening them again, he finally answered. "Because, Harry, I could feel and hear everything you were feeling and thinking."

Shaken, Harry didn't respond at first. "Oh, Sev. I am so sorry. I didn't mean to do that to you. The idea of a party to honor me just upsets me so much. What are we going to do about this? Is this what Professor Dumbledore was talking about?"

"Indeed, Harry. I would have to say that it is. As for how we deal with this new complication, I am afraid that a visit to our esteemed headmaster is in order." Harry watched as his husband drew himself up and schooled his features so that no one would guess that he had just been sick and was feeling anything less than his usual self.

As usual, the password to the headmaster's office was the name of a sweet and Harry suppressed a grin as he saw his mate's mouth twitch in discomfort. They rode the stairs up to the top where a cheerful voice bade them enter. Harry started as he distinctly heard the word �indeed' sound in his head after he had thought about the headmaster's preternatural ability to know someone was coming to visit him. Looking over to his husband, Harry managed, "Sev, did I just hear you in my head?" A raised eyebrow was his only answer as the door swung open on its own and the two entered the circular room.

"Ah, my dear boys, what may I do for you this fine morning?" Albus happily inquired.

Harry stiffened as he not only heard but also felt a long-suffering sigh escape his mate. "Albus, it would appear that Harry and I are experiencing the sharing of thoughts and feelings that you had mentioned."

If it were possible, Harry would have sworn that the twinkle in the headmaster's eyes had gotten even brighter. Clapping his hands together merrily, Albus grinned. "Wonderful, wonderful, Severus, Harry. I must say that I am a bit surprised at the rate at which it is happening, but then I always suspected that you two were more alike than either of you might have liked to believe. As such, the empathy will have a much easier time establishing itself."

"Headmaster," Severus began brusquely as his mate cringed slightly at the rancor he could feel coming through. "What are we to do about this? How exactly are we to deal with this �little development' of ours?"

Albus smiled in answer to his prot�g�'s obvious discontent. "Severus, you will deal with this as you would anything new in life. You simply get used to it and I believe that you will both find that with time and practice that you will be able to regulate the flow of thoughts and feelings more easily. Lemon drop?" he asked as he sat back in his large flowery chair.

"No, thank you, I do not believe that either of us would like a lemon drop, headmaster," Severus ground out. Harry found that he agreed entirely with his mate. "So that is that then?" the potions master continued.

"Severus, you have a light schedule today if I am unmistaken, so your classes will be sent to the library for study. And I will give young Harry permission to skip his classes today so that the both of you may use this time to learn to control your empathetic abilities." Albus stood, silently indicating that the meeting was over.

Two grumbling men left the headmaster's office as a soft chuckling sound wafted down the stairs after them. Interestingly, both were plotting possible modes of revenge against the barmy and manipulative old wizard.

The Flipside of Sanity - Chapter 17

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