Harry had settled into Grimmauld surprisingly quickly, and was dubbed "the young master" or "the young prince" by Kreacher almost immediately. The house-elf seemed to like that there was someone young to serve, and, by the same token, seemed to be quite eager to learn all about Harry's likes, dislikes, habits, and hobbies. He was constantly bowing to Harry, and while it took a little getting used to, he heard from Ron via letter that house-elves liked that sort of thing. It was on the occasion of July formally dawning that he had an unexpected visitor in the form of Dobby, who threw himself at Harry, as per usual.

"Hey, Dobby," Harry said, patting his head.

"Headmaster Dumbledore sends Dobby with a note for great Master Harry Potter, sir!" the little elf cried out, and held out the piece of parchment.

Harry took ahold of the parchment and looked it over for a moment before opening it up, while Dobby still clung to his legs.

Harry—

I do hope this summer finds you well, when you are finally in your proper home.

As an early birthday present and with Dobby's full agreement, I've released him from service to Hogwarts, as he would rather make a home with you at Grimmauld. It appears as if young Dobby thinks of you as his master, and I wouldn't wish to have him saddened. If you agree to this, then, by all means, retain him into your service.

I will see you later this evening, during the first meeting of the Order of the Phoenix, scheduled to meet in the kitchen. Now that you are a permanent resident of the household and under Sirius's guardianship, I doubt you will be excluded.

Signed,

Headmaster Albus Dumbledore

"Dobby," Harry said carefully, and the elf detached himself Harry's legs to look up at him. "Do you truly want to be my house-elf?"

"Yes, great Master Harry Potter, sir!" Dobby crowed. "Dobby always wants to help and serve great Master Harry Potter!"

Harry chuckled. "Very well, then," he said, getting to his feet. "Kreacher is preparing a feast in the kitchens for the order meeting this evening. Why don't you go and help him?"

"Yes, Master Harry!" he cried, throwing himself at Harry's legs again, before he vanished with a sudden crack.

Harry chuckled, putting the note from Dumbledore into his pocket as he moved out of the library and down the stairs. He could hear Sirius speaking to someone via the Floo Network, and assumed that it was Remus, due to be there later that evening. He was just concluding the call as Harry stepped into the living room, and gave his godson a smile.

"You look happier," he observed.

"Dumbledore's sent an early birthday gift," Harry replied.

"Oh?" Sirius asked. "What is it?"

"Well..." Harry began.

"Dobby only wanted to help!" came a shriek from the kitchen.

"Oh, Merlin," Harry said, and took off, Sirius at his heels, and threw open the kitchen door, and saw Dobby cowering in a corner, with Kreacher holding a cleaver aloft.

"Kreacher!" Sirius shouted, and Kreacher promptly took on a straight-backed stance, and lowered the massive knife.

Harry stepped forward then, beckoning to Dobby, and the younger elf promptly threw himself around Harry's legs. "Are you all right?" he asked him, looking him over for injuries. "Did Kreacher hurt you?"

"Just Dobby's feelings, great Master Harry Potter, sir," Dobby said, wiping tears from his eyes and cowering into Harry's shins.

"Kreacher," said Sirius, his tone firm, "what happened?"

"Dobby touched Kreacher's things," came the drawl of the older elf.

Sirius turned to Harry, and noticed that Dobby looked plenty frightened. "Harry, am I to assume that Dumbledore bequeathed Dobby to you for your birthday?"

Harry nodded, absentmindedly stroking the elf's head. "Yes. I didn't think that him being here would upset anyone..."

"It certainly doesn't upset me," Sirius said, smiling at Dobby, who returned one to Sirius, albeit in a tentative manner, before turning back to Kreacher. "Kreacher, as Dobby is now Harry's elf, you will treat him with the utmost respect, as befits a member of the family, which you both are, from this moment. Dobby is still quite young, and I am sure that he can learn from you, but you should also know that he once served the Malfoy family."

Kreacher appeared interested in this. "Did Dobby serve the Malfoys?" he asked.

Dobby nodded fiercely, his ears flapping. "Dobby served them, despite the death threats five times a day," he whimpered, and Harry immediately stroked his ears, which readily seemed to calm the poor thing. "Dobby was saved by great Master Harry Potter, and was freed from former Master Malfoy..."

Kreacher considered this for a moment. "Kreacher understands."

"Do you, Kreacher?" Harry demanded.

Sirius placed a hand upon Harry's arm, knowing that an all-out row was not the best way to solve their differences. "I am quite positive Kreacher does understand," he assured him with a small smile. "Kreacher, you will treat Dobby like one of the family, and permit him to help you with things around the house. Understood?"

"Yes, master," Kreacher replied, bowing low. "Kreacher longs to serve the House of Black," he said, his voice that of a drawl.

"Now that that's settled," Sirius said, watching as Dobby detached himself from Harry's legs and proceeded to assist Kreacher once more, "we've got a great many things to do before we have the meeting tonight."

Harry sighed, and proceeded to trudge back out into the living room with a heavy heart. "Like locking me up in my bedroom?"

Sirius immediately shook his head as he moved to follow his godson. "Of course I don't intend upon locking you up in your bedroom, Harry. While you're under my guardianship, you will attend order meetings as long as I and you see fit."

Harry blinked, turning to look up at the man. "I get to attend the meeting?" he asked, shaking his head. "But what about Mrs. Weasley? She doesn't want me to..."

"As much as I value Molly's friendship and opinions, Harry, I will not have her barring you from a meeting held in your own home," Sirius said firmly, squeezing the young man's shoulder. "She considers you a son, and I thank Merlin that there are others out there who love you. However, the decision falls to me, as your guardian, and I say that you can attend."

Harry grinned, practically bouncing up and down on his heels in a moment of excitement. "Will Ron be here, too?" he asked.

Sirius laughed at that. "I don't know about Ron attending the meeting itself, or any of them until he reaches seventeen, but Ron is actually visiting Hermione. She wanted to introduce him to her parents officially as her boyfriend, and now seemed an appropriate time."

Harry stopped his bouncing and turned serious for a moment, wanting to be diplomatic about his further questioning. "Ron can come and visit sometime, though, can't he?"

"Of course Ron can come and visit, Harry," Sirius assured him, and smiled down at him readily, knowing that he would acquiesce to nearly anything Harry wanted. "With or without Hermione, as well as Ginny and Draco, if you'd like. Remember, this is your home, too."

Harry had been relieved following his conversation with Sirius, and spent the next several hours helping the man get ready for the meeting. Of course, with Kreacher cooking and Dobby cleaning, there wasn't much to do other than showering and dressing themselves. Harry found he was feeling slightly nervous about attending the meeting, given that Severus was a member of the order as well, and would likely be there to give a report on the Death Eater meeting that Sirius had mentioned he had been summoned for just after the leaving feast.

Harry settled on some informal slacks, a button-down shirt, and a cardigan for the meeting that evening, wanting to look as smart as possible. He was due to turn sixteen at the end of the month, and he knew that a lot was riding on his shoulders. The blocks within his mind were still quite powerful, as were his magical abilities. He had gotten O's and E's in each subject he'd taken in his OWLs, and Sirius couldn't have been more proud. Harry knew that Sirius, Remus, and Mr. and Mrs. Weasley were already discussing ideas for his upcoming birthday, but what he wanted most of all, he knew was impossible to have.

Harry stepped into his new pair of trainers just as he heard the Floo repeatedly going off in the living room downstairs. Sirius had taken him shopping just after he'd gotten settled in the day before, and Sirius remarked on how well Harry looked in clothes that actually fit him. Harry, of course, had been in his element during the shopping spree—in both Diagon Alley and Muggle London—finding out what colors looked good on him for the first time. He discovered just how much he loved the color green, and realized what Hermione had meant during the Yule Ball when she had stated the bottle-green in his dress robes made his eyes pop.

Harry made his way downstairs when he deemed it appropriate to do so, and was promptly pulled into hugs from all sides. Mrs. Weasley first, then Ginny, then Draco, followed by Remus and even Tonks. Ginny, at fourteen, was considered too young to attend the meeting but, since Draco didn't have any formal guardians at the moment, Severus gave his consent. Ginny, just slightly put out, kissed Draco goodbye and went upstairs to the Black family library, and Harry knew she would find something to read up there.

Harry avoided eye contact with Severus all throughout the meeting, and sat just next to Sirius at the head of the table. Draco sat beside Harry, and Harry realized that the disinherited Malfoy heir was acting more like a guard than a friend. Harry didn't question it, and instead listened to Dumbledore make plans for the upcoming term, and said that Draco could practice with Harry in some defense measures, now that the blond was on the side of the Light. To Harry's relief, Draco seemed all for it; however, when it got to the topic of Death Eater meetings, everyone involved, including Harry and Draco, decided it was too much.

Harry excused himself from the meeting, Draco just behind, and they moved to go hang out with Ginny in the library. As they climbed the darkened staircase, however, Harry felt Draco place a hand upon his arm and, turning, he regarded his friend. "Is everything okay?" he asked, hoping that he and Ginny hadn't just been putting on a show earlier and that the pair of them were just as in love as ever.

"Me and Ginny are fine," Draco assured him, as if following his train of thought. "In all honesty, it's you I'm worried about."

Harry blinked. "Me? Why me?"

Draco sighed. "I've been attempting to put my finger on it for weeks, but there's no more hiding it anymore..."

"What?" Harry whispered.

Draco stepped closer then, and dropped his voice to a whisper, in case they had been followed. "I know that you have feelings for Severus," he whispered back.

Harry felt his entire face heat up then, and he cautiously dragged a hand through his hair. "And you're going to tell me not to pursue it, or you'll hex me into next week if I hurt him?"

Draco looked appalled at the suggestion. "No! Merlin, no," he said, shaking his head. "That's not what I was going to say at all."

"What were you going to say, then?" Harry whispered.

"Just to be careful," Draco said, patting his shoulder. "We all know that romances have the chance of ending badly. Just be sure of what you want," he said, and, lowering his eyes, nodded to someone behind them, and went further up the staircase himself.

Harry turned around then, spotting Severus at the base of the stairs, and felt a lump rising in his throat, especially when the man stepped forward. "Not here," he whispered, and beckoned to him, quickly turning around and heading upstairs. He made his way to his bedroom then and invited Severus inside, before shutting it. He felt a wave of lust then when Severus put up Silencing and Locking Charms so as they would not be disturbed. "All right, I suppose we can speak freely now," he remarked.

Severus sighed. "Let me just tell you, first and foremost, that I was never in love with your mother, Harry," the man said.

Harry stumbled backwards then; of all things which could have been said, he was not expecting that one. "What? You didn't love her?"

"No," Severus replied, "I didn't. I feel for her the way you feel for Miss Granger. I loved her, but as my dearest friend, a sister."

Harry shook his head at the man. "Why are you telling me this?"

"Because I cannot stand you believing such a thing of me," Severus replied. "I have always had an attraction for men, Harry, never for a woman."

Harry lowered his eyes. "Just not me, right?"

"What are you talking about?"

Harry immediately looked up at the man. "I fancy you," he whispered, knowing he had to get the words out there before his courage waned. "I've done for a while now, and there's no calling it back, not anymore."

Severus gave a slight nod. "I see."

"I don't expect you to do or say anything about it," Harry assured him. "We'll just go on as we have been. No need for you to cater to the whims of the Boy Who Lived..."

Severus reached out then, and gently tilted his chin up. "Harry, why would you ever believe that your feelings aren't reciprocated?"

Harry swallowed. "Well, mostly because you hated me since my first-year..."

"I never hated you, Harry," Severus told his gently, dragging the pad of his thumb along the younger man's cheek. "I admit, I acted wholly inappropriately towards you from the start, and I will spend the rest of my days apologizing for my abhorrent treatment of you. But, although I am loath to admit it, my feelings for you changed after the graveyard..."

"Loath because you still resented me for who I was?" Harry guessed.

"No, Harry. Loath because I found myself lusting after a child," he replied.

Harry shook his head, leaning into the hand which cupped his face. "Don't think that," he told him softly, never taking his eyes from his. "I haven't been a child for as long as I can remember, and although I am only fifteen now, I am fully capable of deciding what I want."

"Harry, perhaps you should think on it..."

"I don't need to think about it, not anymore, Severus," Harry declared, and stepped forward, wrapping his arms around the man without hesitation and kissed him. His heart pounded from within him then as the man's mouth slowly opened from beneath his, and pulled him lengthwise against the hard body, his tongue tasting the younger man's.

When Severus finally pulled away, he rested his forehead against Harry's. "You know that people won't approve of this."

Harry sighed. "I know."

"We will have to keep this quiet, Harry," the man said gently.

Harry worried his lower lip. "'This' being?" he whispered.

Severus reached out then, gently pulling Harry's lower lip out from between his teeth. "Our relationship," he whispered, before dipping his head back downwards to kiss Harry again, leaving Harry to stand up upon his toes to meet him, stroke for stroke.

~*~

Minister for Magic Sacked.

It was front-page news in The Daily Profit and The Quibbler that Fudge had been sacked from the Ministry of Magic, after Riddle and his followers had attacked several Muggle villages since term had ended at Hogwarts. Apparently, the Department of Magical Law Enforcement—which really meant out of the mouths of Moody and Kingsley—was saying that Fudge, while still adamant that Riddle hadn't returned, and, by extension, hadn't protected the Muggles appropriately from him, as was his due. Rufus Scrimgeour, former Head of the Department of Magical Law Enforcement, had taken up the mantle of minister, with Pius Thicknesse, who was rumored to be a Death Eater, becoming head of the department.

Harry slammed down his copy of The Profit and abruptly left the breakfast table, stomping up the stairs and shutting himself up in the library. Sirius, sitting at the head of the table, alongside Remus and Tonks—who were staying at Grimmauld for the time being—looked at one another after Harry's hasty exit. Tonks was then called to the ministry to plan strategy, while Remus and Sirius took turns attempting to coax Harry out from the library. However, nothing they said or did worked, and so they ultimately left the teenager alone.

Upon entrance to the library, Harry repeatedly slammed his fists into the ancient bookshelves which were mounted to each wall. A subsequent story in The Profit that morning had been the report of the assassination of Amelia Bones from unknown assailants. Harry was forever indebted to the woman, especially due to her prominent seat on the Wizengamot, and her influence to get him cleared of all charges in the wake of the Dementor attack upon him and Dudley the summer before. Harry felt embittered by the news, knowing that Riddle and his followers likely had something to do with her untimely death, and knew full well that, the sooner Riddle was eliminated, the better.

Dragging a hand down his face and crossing the room, he knelt before the massive fireplace and tossed in some Floo Powder, calling out for 93½ Diagon Alley, Fred and George's address. With Draco and Ginny likely glued to each other's faces, and Ron and Hermione the same at her parents' house, Harry thought it best to speak to the twins. When the Floo decided to connect to the small flat that Fred and George now resided in, Harry quickly plastered a smile upon his face, but knew that the twins would deduce that it wasn't convincing.

"Harry! Blimey, mate, you all right?" Fred demanded, staring into the flames.

Harry shrugged. "No, not really," he admitted.

"I should think not!" George put in, shaking his head. "It was high time for Fudge to get out of office, but not like this..."

Harry dragged a hand through his hair. "I have to get out of here," he said quietly.

"Verity's ill today," Fred said quickly. "Come through and help us."

"Really?" Harry asked.

"'Course," George replied. "The shops' heavily warded, of course, and it'll probably increase business two-fold to have Harry Potter here with us."

Harry laughed and quickly casted his Patronus, letting Sirius know where he was, and stepped through the Floo and into the twins' flat. He accepted hugs from the both of them, before they all three headed downstairs to do some rudimentary cleaning before the shop opened. Harry was assigned to work the till, with George tinkering in the back, and Fred popping around the store to make sure the customers had everything they needed.

Ten o'clock arrived and the shop opened, with many young witches and wizards streaming inside to play with the merchandise, with plenty of them dragging their parents inside as well. It was all well and good for Harry, who took to the magicked till almost immediately, and spoke to the various customers who came into his midst. He didn't mind the constant ogling, as it was the particularly young children who did so. They would whisper excitedly and point at him, but he especially loved it when the children stepped forward and asked him questions. The most popular one, of course, was to see Harry's scar, which Harry, again, didn't mind, as they were so very young and merely curious for curiosity's sake.

Lunchtime arrived and Fred and George closed up shop for an hour, and took Harry down the road to The Leaky Cauldron, where Tom immediately put them in a private booth in the back. It was quite pleasant for Harry, just to have a day with the twins, whom he quite considered his brothers, despite the knowledge that things with Ginny wouldn't work out romantically. As he pawed at his fish and chips, he felt a pair of eyes upon him, and slowly looked up.

"Something on your mind, mate?" George asked.

Harry shrugged. "Constantly," he replied.

"Maybe it would do you some good to talk about it," Fred said quietly.

Harry swallowed, setting down one of his chips and leaning back against the wooden surface of the booth. "Are you disappointed that Ginny and I won't be together?"

Fred immediately laughed aloud at that. "She's crazy about Draco, so that's a 'no' from me, mate," he assured him.

"Yeah," George went on, "not like she's your type anyway."

Harry felt his face flushing immediately. "What?!" he demanded.

Fred waved his hand then, and Harry felt the effects of a Silencing Charm immediately bubble around them all. "Well, for one thing, mate, you're gay," he told him.

Harry sighed. "Is it that obvious?" he asked.

"For people who know what to look for," George said with a grin.

Fred lifted his tankard of butterbeer to his lips. "Not to mention your attraction, and likely relationship, with a certain former professor of ours."

Harry felt himself going pale. "What?" he whispered.

"You're with Snape, aren't you?" George asked for clarification.

Harry looked around then, heart beating in his ears. "You can't tell anyone. Severus will be sacked for sure, and—!"

"Harry, wait a moment," Fred said quickly, holding up his hand. "We'd never tell anyone, because it's not anyone's business."

Harry blinked. "Wait... You won't say anything?"

"Why would we?" George asked. "You and Snape clearly aren't completely happy people. If anyone deserves happiness, it's the two of you."

Harry dragged his hands along the wood grain of the table. "I... I don't exactly know what's going to happen," he admitted. "He came to the Order meeting last night at Grimmauld, and he followed me upstairs..."

"What happened?" Fred asked gently.

"We kissed," Harry said.

"For the first time?" George wanted to know.

Harry shook his head. "No. I kissed him a few times last term, but he always came up with reasons for us not to," he admitted. "Last night was the first time it was all right on his end, completely, mind you. It... It was sublime," he whispered.

"Ah, young love," Fred and George said together, putting their shoulders together, clasping their hands beneath their respective chins, and batting their eyelashes.

"Love?!" Harry demanded, immediately shaking his head. "Oh, bloody hell..."

"You're against love?" George quipped.

"Not the institution of it," Harry told them. "Just..."

Fred blinked. "What?"

"I don't know if it'll turn into anything, let alone love," Harry said quickly. "It just started last night, you know. I'm hardly considering marriage or adoption..."

"Adoption?" George asked with a smirk.

"Well, yeah," Harry said, spreading his hands. "Not like two wizards can..."

Fred threw his head back and laughed then, cutting Harry off. "Given the right circumstances, mate, anything with magic is possible," he said. "Not like we'd tell you who to fall for and who not to fall for anyway."

George grinned. "Wouldn't have happened for me and Angelina," he put in.

"Or for me and Alicia," Fred said with a lazy smile. "We can't constantly want to please other people when it comes to our romantic inclinations."

"And although it's horribly cliché," George concluded, "go with your heart."

Harry sunk lower in his seat then, wondering what this new development would mean for any potential future with Severus Snape.

~*~

Three days later, Harry was called downstairs and into the kitchen, and was slightly surprised to only see Sirius and Remus sitting at the table. After the news about Riddle's return had surfaced in The Profit, he had been systematically taking down all the Muggle villages he could. As a direct result, Tonks had been working round-the-clock shift with Moody, Kingsley, and many other Aurors in an attempt to irradiate the new hoped-for regime. By some standards, however, Harry knew that there were plenty of people who supported the Order of the Phoenix and also hoped, by the same token, that their organization would prevail.

"Sorry about rushing out the other day," Harry said softly, and slipped into his customary chair at the table, a sandwich appearing before him, with he proceeded to pick at.

"It's all right, Harry," Sirius assured him, but made no moves to reach out to him.

"Anyone in their right mind would've been upset," Remus put in, as he sipped a cup of tea and leaned back in his chair.

"Something going on?" Harry wanted to know, finally picking up his sandwich and taking a cursory bite or two.

Sirius nodded. "Yes. The two of us have been given a confidential assignment by Albus," he said quietly, "which means we're due to leave Grimmauld for a few days."

Harry gave a slight nod in return. "So, do I have to go to the Burrow?"

"No, nothing like that, unless you'd like to," Remus said.

Harry cocked his head to one side. "What's the alternative?"

"Albus will be providing a protector for you within the order ranks," Sirius said, and Harry could tell from his brooding expression that Severus had been chosen.

"Who?" Harry asked.

"Severus," Remus responded, and Harry was quick to note that his other godfather didn't seem to mind the development.

"I would prefer to stay at home," Harry admitted. "Maybe Snape can be persuaded to give me some pointers for Advanced Potions next term."

Remus placed a hand onto Sirius's arm as the man began to protest. "I think that's a wonderful idea of how to spend your time, Harry," the man said, and Sirius glared at him.

Harry said goodbye to Sirius and Remus around four o'clock, after they'd had their tea, and went upstairs to his bedroom. He quickly scrawled out a shopping list and summoned Dobby, and the little elf immediately agreed to go to the shops on his behalf. Next, Harry informed Kreacher that he would be preparing dinner that night, and Kreacher bowed his head, not seeming to mind being given the night off. When Dobby returned from the shops, Harry journeyed into the kitchen and unloaded the shopping, taking note of the expensive cuts of steaks that he'd instructed Dobby to buy; the homemade tagliatelle pasta, fresh heads of garlic, basil, a block of parmesan, a ball of mozzarella, white truffles; and the carrots and leeks he intended to roast in a pan in the oven with some butter. The freshly-picked blackberries had been a last-minute thought of Harry's, who had decided to prepare a blackberry Clafoutis for pudding. There was also a bottle of 1996 Carruades de Lafite that Harry had read about somewhere and asked Dobby to procure, and was delighted that the house-elf had readily done so.

Harry painstakingly prepared some garlic butter for their cuts of steak, humming to himself throughout the preparation. The pasta water came to a rapid boil, and he moved to add the tagliatelle to it when the time came. He diced up the garlic and basil together to add to the cream sauce for the pasta, and simmered the truffles just until they took on a golden-brown hue. Once the pasta was completed, Harry stirred the sauce into it, before grating the parmesan and mozzarella expertly. While all this had been going on, the veg had been bubbling away in their butter bath in their roasting pan from inside the oven behind him. Harry knew to expect Severus, via an owl from Dumbledore, around eight, and it was after six by this point. He himself had sent a note to Severus, informing him not to have supper, as it would be taken care of by Dobby, which was not a complete lie, he realized, as he put the steaks, pasta, and veg underneath a Stasis Charm, so as he could put together the batter for the Clafoutis. Once that was completed, and he got Dobby to look after it and put it into the oven, it was nearing seven-thirty, and Harry knew he would have to hurry up and change before Severus arrived.

Harry headed upstairs and into Sirius's former bedroom, going into the en suite relatively quickly and stripping down for a shower. He gave himself a cursory glance in the mirror, and hoped that Severus would think he was filled out enough for him. The years of Quidditch and other forms of exercise had been good for Harry, as he had defining muscles, while still retaining that wiry build he seemed to be known for. As he stepped into the shower, he found that he couldn't imagine ever taking Severus, even if asked, and, as his face tinged with heat at the notion of it, mentally crossed his fingers that Severus wouldn't mind being on top during their exploits in the bedroom.

Once his shower was completed and Harry had dried himself off, Harry made his way back into his bedroom and perused his wardrobe and dresser for something appropriate to wear that evening. Ever since his shopping trip with Sirius, upon his move into Grimmauld, Harry now had a pride in his appearance, which had extended just from his Hogwarts robes. Now, he had a wide variety of clothes to choose from, and he hoped that Severus would like what he had chosen. He ultimately selected a pair of dark trousers, a dark green button-down shirt, and some dress shoes which matched his trousers perfectly. Doing his best to tidy his hair before ultimately giving up, he casted a Cleaning Charm upon his teeth and made his way downstairs.

Almost as if Dobby had been listening for him, he heard the elf crack away as soon as he returned to the kitchen, knowing that he wanted the evening to be a private affair. He was unsure how Dobby managed to convince Kreacher to stay away, but found he was pleased that both elves had seemed to put aside their differences and were willing to work together.

As Harry went through the kitchen, checking on his prepared dinner and pudding, he knew that Severus would be along at any time now, and he didn't want the man to potentially wriggle out of the evening he had planned for them. Quickly, Harry summoned good china and added the steak to a platter, the pasta to a serving bowl, and the roasted veg into a silver compote, which was covered by a matching top. He quickly brought these to the main table in the massive, yet seldom-used, dining room, which he was pleased to see that both Kreacher and Dobby had prepared it with fine linens, as well as silver candlesticks, which boasted golden candles. The chandelier, which also held candles, was lit about the table, giving the entire dining room just the right amount of intimacy that Harry wanted.

As Harry headed back into the kitchen to oversee the cleaning, his ears pricked up as he heard the Floo activate from the living room, and next heard the familiar tread of Severus. Thinking quickly, Harry managed to open the bottle of wine, and was already offering the man a glass as he stepped into the kitchen on his own. He showed the man a tentative smile, hoping that the entirety of the evening wouldn't prove to be too much.

"Harry," Severus breathed, taking the wine and immediately setting it aside, before enveloping the young man into his arms. "Are we alone?"

"Yes," Harry replied, breathing in the man's familiar scent. "Sirius and Remus are out on a mission for Dumbledore, and Tonks is working with Moody and Kingsley tonight."

"And your house-elves?"

"Somewhere about," Harry replied with a shrug, pulling back slightly. "I told them to remain scarce tonight, and I think they recognize me as master of the house when Sirius isn't around, so they've agreed."

"Hmmm," Severus said by means of response; one of his arms was wrapped securely around Harry's middle, while the second carded its way through Harry's wayward hair. "What am I going to do with you, Mr. Potter?"

Harry cocked his head to one side then, arching up against the man and biting his lip, taking great delight when the man physically stiffened against him. "Perhaps, considering that I'm considering this our first date, Severus, you could call me 'Harry'."

"At date?" Severus said, looking slightly confused at the expression, and turned to look around the kitchen. He took careful note to see that some dishes that Harry had used were already spelled to wash themselves, while others were already in the drying rack beside the sink. "I smell the smell of something delicious. Did your house-elves make it?" he asked, tipping the wine into his mouth, and his eyebrows raised, likely at how delicious it was.

"No." Harry took his own glass of wine before winding his hand around Severus's, and brought him into the dining room, where the man did a double-take at the spread before him. "I sent out Dobby to the shops, and Kreacher helped with the tidying up. Dobby also helped with the pudding," he continued, hoping he wasn't babbling too terribly much as he pulled out a chair for Severus, inviting him to sit down.

"This is why your note stated not to eat supper?" Severus asked.

Harry nodded, pulling Severus's napkin off the table and gently draping it into his lap. "I wanted to make you dinner..." Harry was suddenly pulled in an unceremonious manner into Severus's lap, which would have made their wine go everywhere, were it not for his lover's quick-thinking with a wandless and wordless Levitation Charm.

"No one has ever done something so selfless, yet so simple, for me," Severus whispered, after he had finished thoroughly devouring Harry's mouth.

Harry felt desire quickly pooling into his groin at the statement. "Well," he said quietly, as he shuffled from foot-to-foot, "I just wanted to do something nice for you."

Severus smiled, patting Harry's arse indulgently as Harry walked towards the other end of the table, his hips swaying in a teasing manner as he sat opposite the man. "Although, I must admit, my Harry, I would be remiss if I didn't mention the notion that you were a bit inferior when it came to potions, before you and Draco partnered up."

Harry smirked as he casually lifted his glass of wine to his lips. "Oh, I don't know about that," he said softly, the wine remincient of berries, licorice, and a third flavor that he couldn't quite put his finger on. "I've been cooking since the age of two. When it came to potions, I hardly knew that they were real until eleven."

Severus stiffened at the indirect mention of Harry's childhood living with the Dursleys. "I can never apologize for how many doubts I had about your previous life," he said quietly.

Harry shook his head then, wanting desperately to reach out and take ahold of Severus's hand, but the table was much to big for him to do so. "I've accepted your apology, Severus, and you have been forgiven," he said quietly, giving the man a tentative smile. "Can we merely enjoy our first of what I hope will turn out to be many dates?"

Severus smiled a bit sadly then, and Harry realized that the man was not fully prepared to forgive himself, not yet, but would strive to have a good time that evening. "It all looks delicious, Harry," he assured him, picking up his knife and fork, and stabbing into his stake. "It melts in my mouth," he observed, after cutting, chewing, and swallowing.

Harry beamed under the praise. "The pasta has white truffles in it," he said quietly.

Severus grinned. "So, that is what I smelled, then?"

Harry flushed and lowered his eyes. "Perhaps it was," he replied.

After dinner and pudding, which had been a smashing success, Harry took Severus by the hand and led him upstairs to his bedroom. He didn't need to communicate the notion that he was not yet ready to be fully intimate with the man, and he loved how charismatic and gentle that Severus had turned out to be, in the burgeoning days of their relationship. They lay awake half the night, just talking, and getting to know one another better.

"Tell me a secret," Harry whispered.

Severus chuckled. "I am not a teenager, Harry."

Harry rolled over so that he was on his side, facing the man. "I promise not to tell."

"I trust you, Harry..."

Harry bit down on his lower lip, knowing that another incentive would have to be given. "I'll tell you a secret of mine in return," he said softly.

Severus arched an eyebrow. "Yes, I do suppose you would."

Harry reached out then, gently tracing the planes of muscles on Severus's rippling chest, and smiled to himself as Severus's eyes fluttered at the butterfly-wing touch of his hand. "I could go first, if you like," he offered.

"Very well," Severus replied, attempting to keep in control.

"The Sorting Hat wished to place me in Slytherin," Harry said softly, and Severus's eyes snapped open, causing Harry's hand to still.

"And why, pray tell, did it not?" the man asked.

Harry sighed. "I suppose one can inadvertently blame Ron for it not," he replied, shrugging his shoulders. "Ron told me that, just after Draco's sorting, that only bad witches or wizards got placed into Slytherin. I'd barely known about the Wizarding World being real for a month and, other than Hagrid, Ron was the first person to show me kindness. I wanted to be his friend, and I still am. However, we've both amended our thoughts on Slytherin, Ron though Draco's relationship with Ginny, and mine through... Well, mine with you."

Severus sighed, pressing his forehead into Harry's. "I suppose that all of our perceptions of people and certain things—ideals, if you will—have changed drastically."

Harry swallowed, knowing full well that Severus would be able to hear his heart, pounding away in his breast, due to their closeness. "Yes," he whispered, "they have." He hesitated for a moment and leaned in closer, brushing his lips with the man's. It didn't take long for the kiss to grow intimate, with their tongues dancing in one another's mouths, and Harry felt himself literally rising to the occasion. "Okay, okay," he said quickly, drawing back, not wanting to get too terribly out of hand. "Your turn."

"My turn?"

"To tell me a secret," Harry said, not wanting to blame Severus for a moment if his own brain was fuzzy, for that was exactly what his was.

Severus sighed, and Harry knew that he had won the argument. "Very well," he replied, and tossed his head back for a moment, obviously thinking. "All right. I have one."

Harry grinned up at him. "Let's hear it."

Severus leaned forward then, and Harry immediately felt goosebumps on every inch of his flesh, due to Severus's hot breath at his ear, and his tongue coming out to play. It gently licked along his shell, before sucking his lobe briefly into his mouth. "I've never felt this way before about anyone in my life," he whispered, which caused Harry to immediately throw his arms around the man, never wanting to let him go.

~*~

The following day, Harry had an owl from Sirius, letting him know that he and Remus would be away for another couple of days on their mission. Harry didn't mind, as this meant that Severus would be extending his stay at Grimmauld. Once asked, Severus confirmed he had gotten his own owl from Albus, letting him know that he was needed to continue to watch Harry. Harry, in excitement, proceeded to laze about the entire house that day with his lover, loving the fact that they were together, and hoping against hope that Riddle wouldn't see fit to call a Death Eater meeting, thus taking Severus away from him.

They ordered takeaway from The Leaky Cauldron, with Tom coming into the living room himself to drop it off. Harry gratefully paid the proprietor of the wizarding establishment, and even gave him a few Galleons extra for his secrecy. He plated up their respective dinners—roast chicken with boiled potatoes and roasted veg—before wandering upstairs to see where Severus had gotten to. After checking the library and his bedroom and finding them both empty, he decided to try the attic, and was rewarded with the sight of his lover speaking in soft tones to the hippogriff they kept up there.

"I see you've met Witherwings," Harry said, stepping into the room. He automatically bowed to the great creature, who let out an indulgent trill in Harry's direction and bowed back, watching with his beautiful yellow eyes as Harry sat beside Severus.

"Harry, don't take me for a fool," Severus said gently, carding his fingers through Harry's hair as the latter placed his head upon his shoulder. "I know that this creature is Buckbeak. Albus informed me of your heroism, alongside Miss Granger, at the end of your third-year."

Harry peered up at Severus. "I thought you hated Sirius."

Severus sighed. "While I will never like him as a person, I will readily admit that the Wizengamot did him wrong by not investigating in the case of the murder of your parents, plus those twelve Muggles," he remarked, and Harry was surprised at this declaration. "No innocent man ever deserves Azkaban."

Harry leaned upwards then and peppered kisses along Severus's jaw. "You're a better man than you give yourself credit for, Severus Snape."

Severus sighed. "I am no good man, Harry."

Harry shook his head, picking up his head so that he could regard him. "You are an amazingly brave man, Severus. Nothing you say or do will convince me otherwise. You put your life on the line, day in and day out, all for the side of the Light and the Greater Good. You've got many things to be proud for..."

"It's for you," Severus said softly. "It was always for you."

Harry blinked. "It was?"

Severus dragged a hand down his face. "I promised myself that I wouldn't permit anything to happen, given that you were Lily's son," he whispered. "But things are different now. Now that we've made the leap from professor and student into something far more dangerous."

"I wasn't placed into Gryffindor just because I asked the hat, you know," Harry said. "I'm also good at breaking the rules. And I've been told that I'm brave."

Severus sighed, gently pulling Harry by the collar of his shirt and kissing him. "I am content with knowing that you want this as much as I do."

"Of course I am, Severus," Harry assured him. "Of course I want this."

"And, speaking of wanting," the man continued, grinning now, "I seem to recall that a certain young man's sixteenth birthday is in a few weeks."

"Hmmm," Harry murmured, nuzzling into Severus's embrace, and found he was quite content to stay there. He was not especially looking forward to the massive celebration that Mrs. Weasley was more than likely planning for him at the Burrow, given the fact that it was deemed far too dangerous to go public with his lover. "I don't need anything, Severus."

"I never mentioned 'needing', Harry," Severus said gently, guiding him back and staring down into those lust-filled green eyes of his. "I specifically said 'wanting'."

Harry sighed. "It can be anything?"

Severus smiled. "If it is in my power to do so, yes."

Harry swallowed then, knowing that he had to speak, and gently ran his tongue over his lips once, twice, and inwardly smirked at how much it affected Severus. "I want you," he said softly to the man, and Severus blinked.

"What?"

"For my birthday," Harry told him.

Severus shook his head. "You have me, Harry."

Harry sighed. "Not in the way I want..."

Severus raised his eyebrows. "Harry, are you...?"

"Sure?" he asked, and smiled. "Yes," he assured him. "For my birthday, I want you to have me completely, just as I want you."

Severus smiled then, and gently pulled Harry closer. "Then I shall endeavor to get you what you want on that day, my Harry," he replied, before he bent down his head and kissed the young man who would soon be his lover in truth.