Work Text:
Harry Potter was sitting on the highest point of the castle, accessible only through flying, his legs dangling from the windowsill while staring at the void just underneath him. It was a long way down, even the moonshine did not reach the lowest depths.
“Feeling melancholic, Harry?” His lover asked, floating just a few meters away, just out of reach.
“It’s a Sunday night, inevitable, innit?” The boy-hero now turned man took another drag. He needn’t worry about his own mortality, not when Death was his servant.
“Only you can come to such conclusions, my love.” Thanatos got rid of his skeletal robe and transformed into his human form, floating to be on Harry’s side. “Have you been thinking about my proposal?”
“I will not move into Limbo with you, T.” Harry deadpanned. His lover groaned and went back to floating.
“Oh, but it’ll be so much fun!” He did a little spin in the air and offered his hand, and the mortal, no matter how tired, would always take it. “Come on, now.”
Death manipulated the air around him so that Harry could float alongside him, and the wizard could not help but smile in pure joy every time he flew without a broom, nothing felt better than being in the air, the moon shined during their flight, Artemis herself giving the blessing for the lovers, intertwined in an intimate embrace among the stars.
It was the most romantic moment of his life, not that he’d ever admit it out loud.
Ever since he and Death started dating, the younger never once expressed any form of affection (except while in bed), but here, with his partner trying to make him feel better, despite it being such a desolate night, it was impossible not to feel this fluttering in his stomach and ache in his heart.
I love you had always been on the tip of his tongue, in cases like this, where reality seemed nothing more than a small detail in the background, and he could only focus on him.
The couple flew around Hogwarts, drinking in the sights that had accompanied him during part of his childhood and adolescence. Up until the Battle, this castle had been his home.
Now it felt like limbo. Not quite hell or heaven, the wait before the eternal rest.
“I wanna be a normal person, T.” Harry whispered, thinking he’d go unheard underneath the wind, but Death scoffed and stopped their flying.
“You can never be normal again, my love.” Death kissed his forehead and cradled his face. “But if you want to live amongst the mortals until you accept your place, then I shall be accommodating. I am nothing if not a generous lover.”
Harry chuckled and leaned into his embrace, caressing his wings softly.
“I love you, Death.”
“I love you, Harry, and I have eternity to prove it to you.”
“Always?”
“Always.”
-
Thanatos attended Harry’s graduation from Hogwarts, he wouldn’t have missed it for the world.
His lover shined bright amongst the rest of his mortal friends, he was finally getting away from this godforsaken castle, that still reeked from the death of so many young.
Seriously, Hades had complained about the castle endlessly to him.
They called out the names from the rest of his boyfriend’s classmates, those that had fought alongside him valiantly, and that made him happy when he couldn’t yet interact, not until he possessed all the Hallows.
The moment that Harry fell for a second time, Death could not help but revive him, he should have kept him in the underworld, it was Harry’s duty to act upon his responsibilities as his new master. But he couldn’t, not when his love had so much going for him amongst the living.
Even then, Thanatos was delaying his rightful responsibilities and facing his boss’s possible wrath, just so that his green eyed protegee and master could get away from Fate.
He indulged his lover, how could he not? After he had passed through so much suffering at such a young age, he deserved the world, the stars and everything in between.
“Disgusting, to see you so smitten.” Persephone chuckled alongside him, she had decided to accompany him, despite technically being on her break from the underworld.
“Can you blame me? It’s the first time I feel such a way.” He answered, looking as Harry picked his diploma. “I can understand Hades now. After so many centuries of mocking his yearning.”
The gods laughed, still under their mortal disguises, no wizards around them dared to question their disregard for silence.
“He’s going to be a good Master, but a better human, I believe.” Persephone mused, as the last students were called.
“He better be, I am putting my ass on the line for that to happen.”
Persephone chuckled, she did not face Hades’ wrath.
“You know that he is happy, right? After so many millenia of solitude, this is a refreshing change, you are almost like a son to him .”
“I know. Very deep in his cold hard heart, Hades feels affection for me.” Still, to hear it from Persephone, was a relief, that he had his boss’ (and father figure), approval of his lover.
The ceremony finally ended and the last years had one hour to salute their loved ones before going to the boats for one last ride. Immediately, Harry jumped from his seat and hugged Thanatos, clearly suppressing the kiss that he had wanted to give.
Persephone had vanished by the time Harry appeared.
“SIX NEWTS! I CAN’T BELIEVE IT.” Harry whispered against his chest, pulling him impossibly closer. Thanatos found it really hard to not melt into the hug, giving in eventually. He could never deny his lover of anything.
“Congratulations, my beloved.” Thanatos whispered, kissing the top of Harry’s head. “I am so proud of everything you have accomplished.”
He could feel his Master flush which made him smile warmly. It was becoming quite the habit with Harry, that almost never happened before.
“Can you take me flying? One last time around the Hogwarts grounds.”
Thanatos nodded and gripped his lover’s hand, transporting them to the Astronomy Tower where they could take flight.
“Ready, my love?” Thanatos asked, and Harry nodded, shedding his formal robes. Death jumped out of the window, his beloved following close behind, smiling gleefully.
“I can’t believe I am leaving this place.” He whispered in Thanatos’ ear, as he took them as high up as his lover’s lungs would allow.
“You have your whole mortal life ahead of you now, and if you allow me, I’ll be there every step of the way.”
“Of course you will, you are not getting rid of me that easily.”
Harry and Thanatos laughed, still flying in circles around the towers, so very close to the moon, swimming amongst the stars.
“Look, you can see Sirius from here.” Death pointed towards the star, making Harry turn wildly. It was not the first time that they saw it together, but on his last night at the castle, the bright star felt more poignant.
“He was present at my graduation after all, wasn’t he?”
“All your loved ones were. They are all so proud of you.”
Harry started to slowly tear up, hugging him once more.
“I truly do love you, Death.”
The god caressed his lover’s hair and gripped him tight.
“I love you too.”