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“You’re overreacting,” Severus insisted. He pulled his robes away from Harry when he made an attempt to look under them. “There is nothing wrong with my leg.”
“Severus, don’t be ridiculous,” Harry said, making another attempt to grab at the material. “A cursed plush snake bit your leg. You have to at least look at it. Quit being so stubborn.”
“I’m not being stub – AHH! What the hell do you think you’re doing, you stupid, foolish boy?”
Harry had the audacity to roll his eyes even as he helped Severus off the floor. “I barely tapped your shin with my foot. If all was well, there was no way that would have sent you stumbling to the ground.”
“Cruel, sadistic bastard,” Severus grumbled.
“Funny, that’s what I used to say about you,” Harry smirked. He guided Severus to a chair. “Now, let’s have a look.”
Severus wanted to protest, but he was in too much pain to put up much of a fight. He bit his lower lip to keep from crying out when Harry’s fingers brushed too closely over his leg. He had survived much worse from the Dark Lord, including a bite to the jugular from a live snake, thank you very much. He wouldn’t cry out over a cantankerous child’s toy.
“Merlin, Severus. Your leg! It’s blue!”
Severus peered down, curious. “You need new spectacles. I’m quite certain it’s green.”
“You know, Severus, just because you’re Supreme Slytherin of the Universe doesn’t mean everything has to be green. Your leg is clearly blue.”
“It doesn’t have to be, but it is. Besides, it’s more of a sea foam than a true Slytherin green.”
“True Slytherin…oh, for fuck’s sake, Severus,” Harry sighed. He removed his wand from his pocket and started performing some simple diagnostic spells.
“If you keep rolling your eyes they’ll freeze like that,” Severus sniffed.
“How can they freeze if they’re rolling?” Harry asked, not looking up from the leg. “By definition, wouldn’t they stop rolling?”
“Oh, now he’s interested in definitions,” Severus muttered. “Couldn’t be arsed in them to pass his potions exams, oh no…”
“Shut up.” Harry rose to his feet. “We’re getting you to bed and I’m calling a healer.”
“No you’re not. I am perfectly fine, and I know exactly the potion that will cure me.”
Harry arched an eyebrow. Severus winced; he knew exactly where his husband had learned that expression.
“And is the potion already brewed?”
“Of course. I naturally keep antidotes to cursed stuffed animals brewed at all times,” Severus replied with a huff. At times Harry still struggled to know when he was serious and when he was sarcastic. Hopefully this would be one of those times…
“Yeah, nice try,” Harry snorted. “Fine. Either you tell me exactly how to brew this potion, or Healer Tanner will be here in ten minutes.”
“You?” Severus gasped. “My leg would end up purple! Or detached from my body as it danced a merry one-legged jig out the door!”
Harry crossed his arms over his chest. “Quite possibly. Your choice.”
~*~
Healer Tanner arrived in seven minutes and had poured the antidote down Severus’s throat thirty seconds later. “A fairly common curse,” she explained. “A bit of impulse magic, quite common among younger wizards, before they master the more complex spells. I’m not surprised it was a stuffed animal that bit you. You usually do find these types of spells in that form.” She took the empty phial back from Severus. “The potion will work through your system in fifteen to twenty hours, but you’ll still need to stay off your leg for a couple of days. There was a bit of damage to the blood vessels. Whoever cast that spell was one angry young wizard.”
Severus decided now was a fine time to feign sleep. He certainly didn’t want to make eye contact with Harry. The boy had never managed Legilimency, but somehow he still seemed to always know exactly what was running through Severus’s head.
The Healer explained some of the potion’s possible side effects to Harry (headache, tiredness, increased feelings of codependency, a tendency to babble, the usual) and left. Severus kept his eyes shut even after he heard the door close and felt Harry take his hand.
“You cast that spell, didn’t you?” Harry whispered. “When you were a little boy.”
Severus couldn’t help it; he squeezed Harry’s hand back. “I was angry with my father. I thought Sigmund would protect me.”
Harry snorted. “You named your attack snake Sigmund?”
Severus opened one eye to glare at him. “What of it?”
Harry smiled, but Severus thought he looked quite sad. “Nothing. Just trying to picture you as a child.”
“Hmph.” Severus let his eye close again. He felt sleep’s grip on him tighten. “Regretting…your decision to live in Spinner’s End?” he managed to make out between yawns.
“Of course not,” Harry said, and kissed his forehead. “You’d never be happy at Grimmauld Place. But perhaps if you’re going to keep being attacked by your childhood toys we should look for a new place once you’re better.”
“Yes,” Severus agreed. He could barely find the strength to move his lips. “Stay with me?”
He felt the covers pull back and Harry slide into bed next to him. Strong arms wrapped around him, making Severus feel safe and warm. “Of course.”
~*~
Harry was too far away. He was right next to him, but he was too far away.
“Mine,” Severus murmured, and pulled Harry tightly against his chest. “My Harry.”
“Ooof,” Harry grunted. “Severus, I can’t breathe.”
Severus loosened his grip reluctantly. “Love you,” he said apologetically.
Harry smiled. “I know. I love you, too. How are you feeling?”
“Like how I feel all the time, but more.” Severus frowned. That didn’t make much sense. “I love you. I need to be with you. You are the very air that I breathe. When I am touching you I feel at peace. I’m afraid of what would happen if you were to walk out the door.”
Harry pecked Severus on the lips. “That’s very sweet, Severus. But I was asking about your leg.”
Severus frowned and gave his leg an experimental shake. “A bit sore.”
Harry nodded. "Healer Tanner said that's to be expected. I'm sure you'll be back to your usual self tomorrow."
Severus nuzzled his face against Harry's chest. "Still stay with me when I'm better?"
Harry's laugh tickled Severus's neck. "Of course, you git. What part of 'for better or for worse, in sickness and in health' did you miss?"
"You might forget," Severus said, but he was already slipping back into sleep. He clutched at Harry, desperate to keep him with him.
"Never.”
~*~
Severus hid his face in his hands, humiliated. All Harry had done was leave to take a shower, and he had acted like some lovesick chit whose husband had gone off to war for the first time. At least when the potion was still fresh Severus hadn’t been aware of how embarrassing his behavior was. Now that it was finally starting to wear off, he was much more cognizant of his actions, at the dear price of his dignity.
Harry finally reemerged, looking a bit wary but also quite wet and delectable with that towel draped dangerously around his waist. Severus breathed in the fresh scent of his aftershave and resisted the urge to leap at him and drag him to bed.
“Feeling better?” Harry asked.
Severus nodded. His tongue felt several sizes too large in his mouth. “Yes. You needn’t worry yourself over me. I’ve endured much worse side effects from potions.”
“Well, I don’t want you to suffer needlessly,” Harry said, and kissed Severus’s cheek. “But I do need to make us some breakfast. After skipping supper last night, I’m afraid my stomach’s about to eat itself.”
Severus took several deep breaths in an attempt to quell the panic fluttering in his chest. On some level he knew Harry would be just downstairs, but he couldn’t help feel uneasy. Damn this potion! Fortunately it would likely only be affecting him for another hour or so.
Harry frowned. “Stay here. I have an idea.”
“As if I could go anywhere with this flobberworm of a leg,” Severus called after him as Harry vanished into the loo. He sank back into the blankets, annoyed with himself. How ridiculous.
When Harry came back out, he was, unfortunately, dressed. Severus mourned the loss of the vision of Harry’s bare chest briefly, then decided it was for the best if Harry didn’t fry his morning bacon naked. He always was unaccountably messy.
He squinted as he noticed Harry was clutching something behind his back. “What is that?”
Harry grinned and held out the object. “It’s a HarryBear! Like it?”
Severus gaped, appalled. The blasted thing was unquestionably a scarlet, furry, bear-shaped version of Harry, right down to the lightning bolt emblazoned on his belly and the tuft of messy black hair on top of his head. “You’ve gone mad,” he said.
“Not at all! It’s brilliant, see.” Harry tucked the bear into bed where he usually slept. “I transfigured him out of my aftershave, so he’ll even smell like me, and don’t give me that look, I know for a fact you love the way it smells.”
Severus crossed his arms over his chest. He would not give Harry the satisfaction of knowing he was right. “It’s a teddy bear, Potter,” he said, careful to lace each syllable with the derision it deserved. “I am a grown man. I have no need for such things.”
“What if I say I imbued it with some special magic?” Harry asked with a waggle of his eyebrows.
Severus held up two fingers. “Fine, Potter. Abandon me. Just make sure you bring me some bacon on your return.”
Harry laughed all the way to the kitchen.
~*~
The damn bear was taunting him.
Severus glanced at it from the corner of his eye. HarryBear just sat there, looking so smug with that cheeky little smirk and sparkling green eyes. It was as if he just knew that Severus was itching to reach across the bed and grab him and snuggle with him close to his body.
Rude.
Severus pulled out a book from his bedside table and opened it to a random page. Ah, the restorative properties of the rat spleens. Fascinating.
A whiff of HarryBear’s scent distracted Severus from his reading. “You’re just as obnoxiously vain as your human counterpart,” he sniped to the bear. “He too thinks nobody can resist him. He’s lucky he has me around to keep his ego down to a more healthy level.”
HarryBear just went right on smirking.
Well, Severus couldn’t stand for that type of cockiness. Deciding that a bit of violence was completely acceptable and would not at all compromise his stern, dignified reputation, he poked HarryBear’s belly.
Then, because he was still annoyed and not at all because the bear’s fur was quite soft, he poked him again.
Then he poked his little heart-shaped nose.
Then he pinched one of his stubby feet.
Then, for good measure, he tousled his black, messy hair.
And then, throwing caution to the wind, he grabbed HarryBear and tucked him under his chin.
Hugging a damn stuffed teddy bear had no bloody right to feel this good.
It went beyond being soft and cuddly and the perfect size for him to squeeze. It wasn’t even that it possessed Harry’s impish charm and his disgustingly delightful scent. There was just something about this bear that made Severus feel unbelievably loved and protected.
It was rather the same feeling that came over him whenever he held the real Harry in his arms.
“Hmph,” Severus sighed as he pulled the blankets over both himself and HarryBear. “That bacon better be arriving soon.”
~*~
“As much as I hate to break up this little love fest, I really do have to insist you eat breakfast. You need your nourishment.”
Severus opened his eyes and glared up at Harry. He hadn’t even realized he had dozed off. Carefully, he slid his arm away from HarryBear and tried to hide it under the covers.
“Too late. You can’t pass it off as an accidental cuddle,” Harry smirked. “I watched you snuggle up with him for a good five minutes before I said anything.”
“Nonsense,” Severus huffed. “Where’s my bacon?”
“Right here.” Harry handed Severus a platter and then tucked an extra pillow behind his head. “Dig in.”
Severus did.
“So, I was thinking that you must be getting pretty bored, and you really shouldn’t be out of bed for another day,” Harry said as Severus shoveled food into his mouth. “So how about once you’ve eaten we play a game or something? We could play chess, or even a nice game of Scrabble.”
“Don’t want to play Scrabble,” Severus grunted.
“Oh, come on,” Harry said lightly. “What’s a little words with friends?”
“I don’t want to play Scrabble,” Severus repeated. “I want sex.”
Harry blinked. “I’m pretty sure Healer Tanner would prefer you not overexert yourself.”
“I wouldn’t overexert yourself if you did all the work,” Severus said. He bit into an especially crunchy piece of bacon. Mmm, delicious.
“I don’t know,” Harry said hesitantly. “It just makes me nervous. I wouldn’t want to reinjure your leg.”
Severus forced himself to set down his fork. “Harry. You gifted me with an appallingly adorable teddy bear that not only physically reminds me of you, but that you somehow managed to imbue all the love and affection you feel for me into it as well. Whereas the impulse magic of my youth brought fear and pain, yours brings me joy and hope. This potion will wear off completely soon, and we both know I am pants at expressing these platitudes in words and that I do much better at showing how deeply I care for you in the way I touch you when we engage in pleasures of the flesh, so would you please do me the favor of riding me so I can show you just how much you mean to me in the only way I am confident I can do at least somewhat adequately?”
Harry grinned and kissed Severus full on his lips, cupping his face with both hands. “I love you, you git.”
“I know, as do I,” Severus said impatiently. “Your answer?”
“Well, as long as we’re careful,” Harry said thoughtfully. “And if we turn HarryBear away from the action. He’s too young to witness these carnal acts.”
Severus set aside his plate, ignoring the last piece of bacon, and carefully placed HarryBear on the bedside table so he faced the wall. He looked at Harry with anticipation. “Now?” he asked.
Harry pulled his shirt off over his head and straddled Severus’s waist. “Now,” he agreed.
Severus sighed and reached his arms up around Harry.
There were some things just worth getting bitten by a cursed stuffed snake for.