Second Place - Romance

Harry slowly awoke the next morning. Grumbling slightly, he sighed as he felt the warmth radiating from his bed partner. Carefully opening an eye, Harry realized he was nestled against the side of the larger man and his head was resting on the firm chest. An arm was holding him closely and the young man decided he could easily stay here the rest of the day.

Severus awoke to the feeling of a warm, hard body next to him. The events of the prior evening came back to him and he frowned. He had the vague feeling that they hadn't heard the last of the debacle that Fudge had started. Firmly he stopped that line of thinking and instead decided that getting up and going to the bathroom sounded like an excellent idea.

Hearing his husband grumble at the loss of his pillow, Severus laughed while extracting his body from the grip of the young Gryffindor. The potions master crossed the room and entered the bathroom. Closing the door behind him, Severus left his young husband to sulk about his sudden abandonment.

Finally giving up on the idea of being able to stay in bed with his husband all day, Harry reluctantly got up and pulled on his night robe. He called for Tizzy to deliver them a nice breakfast and waited for Severus to join him by the fire. Tizzy returned in a few moments with a tray of food and a copy of The Daily Prophet. Harry frowned at the house elf's apparent distress, wondering what she had seen in the newspaper.

Opening the paper, he quickly saw the reason for Tizzy's reaction. There, splayed across the front page was a picture of Severus and him dancing along with a smaller picture of a scowling Fudge. Harry read the headline and first part of the article.

�The Boy-Who-Lived Defeats Another Opponent - The Story of the Forbidden Love Between Our Hero and the Death Eater.
By Rita Skeeter, special correspondent.

At the much-awaited Ministry Ball held to celebrate the defeat of You-Know-Who, the Minister of Magic, Cornelius Fudge, accosted our young savior and his husband. The obviously unbalanced Minister accused Harry Snape-Potter of being a danger to the wizarding world and his husband, a respected Hogwarts professor and a world-renowned potions master, of being a pedophile.

The Boy-Who-Lived responded by demonstrating the power he so carefully controls with the help of his mate. For it was only with the calming presence of Severus Snape-Potter that our hero was able to rein in his anger at the Minister of Magic.

As if that were not bad enough, Cornelius Fudge then accused the potions master at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry of molesting his own godson, Draco Malfoy. Lucius Malfoy, infamous Death Eater and current resident of Azkaban prison, reportedly informed Auror Brighton Smythe that he believed Severus Snape-Potter to be abusing his son. Sources reveal, though, that the Death Eater is bitter at his former friend's betrayal, as Severus Snape-Potter had long served as a spy for the Order of the Phoenix and stood at the side of his future husband as they faced He-Who-Shall-Not-Be-Named. Harry Snape-Potter insists that he would not have been successful without the aid of his husband.

Minister Fudge was forced to leave the ball in disgrace after angering anyone with any sense of decency. Auror Brighton Smythe was also identified by young Draco Malfoy as being a frequent guest of the Death Eater, Lucius Malfoy. The Auror was taken into custody for questioning. Madame Amelia Bones, an upstanding member of the Wizengamot, has already called for a full review of Cornelius Fudge's role as Minister of Magic. It is this reporter's humble opinion that we will be seeing a new Minister of Magic very soon. (See page 7 for the story �The Minister of Magic's Many Misdeeds').

After the removal of our current Minister of Magic, the celebration took off with our savior being led out to the dance floor by his husband. The looks of absolute adoration were indeed breathtaking and left no doubt that the two are truly soul mates. The potions master refused all attempts at snatching his young husband away from him and the two danced exclusively together all evening. Fireworks finished off the evening and this reporter spied the two lovers in a tender embrace as they watched with the rest of the guests.'

Well, that was unexpected, Harry thought as he sat back. Who knew that Rita Skeeter could actually write something nice without first being threatened? Harry looked up as his husband entered the room.

Severus had taken his morning shower and had entered the bedroom to find Harry reading the paper. With a feeling of trepidation, the older man sat down and poured cups of coffee for each of them. Harry gave a small smile and exchanged the paper for a steaming cup.

Nervously, Harry waited while his mate read the account of last night's ball. His stomach knotted as he watched Severus' brows knit into a scowl. After several tense moments, the potions master pushed out of his chair and went over to his wardrobe for his clothing.

Confused, Harry quietly asked what his mate was doing.

"What does it look like?" Severus curtly responded.

Uh-oh, this did not look good, Harry thought glumly. "I know you are getting dressed, Sev, what I wanted to know was why? Aren't you going to eat breakfast with me?"

"No," his husband answered shortly. "I have potions to make. I shall be busy all day." So saying, the potions master swept out of the room, leaving behind a perplexed young man to wonder what had just happened.

Harry sat for several minutes after his husband's abrupt departure. Forgetting about his rapidly cooling coffee and the food-laden tray, the young man shakily ran a hand through his hair. He had thought that overall the article was good in that it put them both in a good light. Obviously their performance had been convincing' as the reporter seemed to believe that they were truly in love. Harry ignored the twinge in his heart and he frowned again. Finally deciding that he was getting nowhere thinking about this, he sighed and got up to get ready for the day.

The thoughts wouldn't leave the young man alone as scenes from last night kept replaying in his head. The intense gaze his husband had he leveled at him had taken his breath away and Harry had found himself getting lost in those dark eyes. He now wondered what it would be like to be truly loved by the man he was married to. Stepping under the strong spray of the large shower, Harry allowed the water to course over his toned body. Picking up the cloth, he began soaping himself, while still thinking of being in his mate's arms. Groaning, Harry realized that his body was enjoying the memories too and he dropped a hand to his now turgid erection. His soapy hand stroked his cock as he imagined Severus leaning down to kiss him, strong arms enfolding him and pulling him closely to his body. Harry moaned as his hand sped up and he reached his other hand down to rub and pinch a taut nipple. He leaned back, steadying himself against the shower wall as he felt his arousal grow and his climax approach. Harry bucked into his hand as the hot creamy liquid spurted out over his hand. The young man collapsed back and watched as the evidence of his activities washed down the drain. Sighing, he rinsed off his hand and finished his shower.

Toweling off in front of the never-fog mirror, he looked at his reflection and wondered what was happening. Dimly he was aware that his feelings toward Severus were changing, but he still didn't know exactly what that meant. Did he love the man? Running a hand through his hair in agitation, Harry reflected that given his upbringing, he probably wouldn't know love if it bit him in the arse. He had a lot more thinking to do, he thought as he went back into the bedroom.

Severus stormed into his potions lab. Just to make sure he wouldn't be interrupted, he cast strong locking charms on the door. For good measure he also cast a few silencing charms as he didn't wish to be heard.

Angrily gathering the ingredients for a pepper-up potion, he wondered at what he had done. How could he have been so stupid as to forget that Harry didn't really love him? Last night's performance had been just that. But in sweeping Harry around the dance floor, he had allowed himself to believe that what he was feeling and experiencing was real. He knew that he loved Harry, but somehow he had forgotten that Harry was just acting. And now there was that damn picture and article that proclaimed his love. What would Harry think of him now?

After three failed attempts to brew the simple potion, Severus finally gave up. Wearily he sat down at his potions table and placed his head in his hands. What was going to happen now? Would Harry even be there in their chambers when the realization fully hit him? He knew that Harry had been feeling comfortable around him lately and they had even been having some incredible sex, but how would this change things?

Severus spent a miserable day holed up in his potions lab, refusing his house elf's pleas to eat even a little. The man had no desire to go back out and face the results of his foolish hopes and dreams.

Harry prowled endlessly around the dungeon chambers. He had no desire to face the rest of Hogwarts as he struggled to work out his emotions. It scared him that it had felt so right to be in Severus' arms on the dance floor and the penetrating gaze holding his own had awakened long dormant feelings. Shivers ran down his spine as once again his body reacted to the thoughts of his mate. Was he really falling in love? Is this what love felt like; this longing to be held, this need to see and be with the other? Harry sighed. Yup, he had it bad. Now the question was what was he going to do? How would Severus react if he knew that Harry had been foolish enough to fall in love with him? Would he laugh at him, would he kick him out? No, as brave as he might be, he couldn't face the idea of Severus sneering in disgust at the foolish Gryffindor.

Tizzy banged her head against the cupboard door in frustration. Both of her masters had been too busy sulking and wallowing in self-pity to even bother to eat today. She had tried unsuccessfully several times to bring food to each man, only to be rebuffed each time. What was a house elf to do, she miserably wondered?

It was quite obvious that Master Sevvie had been the happiest she had ever seen him after his bonding to young Master Harry. But, the little house elf was certain that he had never told his bond mate the truth about his feelings. Tizzy also sensed that Master Harry had deeper feelings than he had ever let on. Shaking her head, the house elf sadly prepared another meal that she was sure would be ignored by the two stubborn wizards.

Severus stared at the contents of the cauldron as they swirled in an unrecognizable mess. Even Longbottom could have brewed a better concoction than he had just managed. Sighing, the potions master cast an Evanesco, vanishing yet another ruined potion. At this rate he would be better off not even trying as every single attempt had ended in failure today.

The normally stoic man was at a loss when it came to emotional issues. While he excelled in abstract and logical problems, as soon as human foibles and sensibilities came into play, he was woefully unequipped to deal with the situation.

Looking at the clock over his potions table, Severus realized that while he had managed to spend most of the day away from Harry, he still had to return to his husband. With one last sneer directed toward his beloved potions, the dark haired man rose to face the inevitable; he was going to have to go back to Harry.

Harry impatiently threw his body onto the sitting room sofa. He had spent nearly all day going over the events of the past few weeks, yet was no closer to figuring out what had happened and why. While he had known for quite some time that he no longer hated the irascible potions master, that was still a long cry from falling in love with the man. Belatedly, Harry began to realize that he had been happy since marrying Severus. Funny how that had crept up on him, he thought wryly.

The connecting door from Severus' private potions lab opened, signaling his husband's return. Harry wearily lifted his head and saw that Severus looked little better than he felt. Harry frowned when the man paid him no attention and stalked into the bedroom, slamming the door behind him. Harry gave him a few minutes and then followed. He reasoned that he lived here now too and he had just as much right as Severus to be in the bedroom.

Quietly and cautiously opening the door, Harry peered around the frame to see that the bedroom was empty. Stepping in, he saw that the door to the bathroom was closed. Fleetingly wishing he could join his husband in the shower, Harry slumped his shoulders and went over to sit in his chair by the merrily crackling fire. Lost in thought, he was startled when the door reopened and his mate walked in.

Severus pulled up short when he saw that Harry had followed him into the bedroom. He couldn't deal with this right now, he realized. "What are you doing in here, Potter?" he irritable asked.

Harry raised his head to look at the man he now realized he loved. "That's Snape-Potter, Sev," the young man glumly reminded him. "And as I recall, this is my room too."

Severus put on his best Death Eater glare causing his mate to slightly recoil. "Fine, then I will sleep out on the sofa tonight," the potions master snarled.

Harry closed his eyes against the sudden stab of pain in his heart. Opening them again, he sighed. "No, that won't be necessary, Severus. I am shorter so I will sleep on the sofa. This was your bed first, after all." The defeated young man rose out of his chair and gathering his pajamas and a blanket, silently left the room.

The door closed firmly behind him and Harry thought that it seemed appropriate, seeing as how Severus was shut away from him again. He hurriedly changed into his pajamas and worked on settling in on the sofa for the night. As he pulled the blanket up around him he wondered how everything could have gone so wrong.

Severus pulled his arms around him as his husband left him alone in the bedroom. The fire put out no heat and the bed seemed too big as the potions master readied for bed. Getting in on his side of the bed, he tried in vain to get comfortable. He was altogether too aware that that was not possible without Harry next to him.

Tizzy frowned when she silently popped in only to find her masters sleeping in different rooms. Her efforts at supper had been wasted as neither man ate any of it. And now it appeared that they were determined to sleep separately also.

In the dark sitting room the house elf's eyes brightened as an idea popped into her little mind. Yes, it should work wonderfully, Tizzy thought. Now, to get to work, she decided. With the abilities honed by years of patient servitude, Tizzy crept unnoticed to the door of her master's private potions lab and used her powers to get past the security wards.

The Flipside of Sanity - Chapter 22

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