New Beginnings

✨ Snapecember 2021 ✨

Week Four prompt: “Always.”

feat @snapecelebration @hpdestress Day 31: Ringing in the New Year

Summary: Sev woke up at St Mungos to find Harry by his side.

Tags: Angst with Happy Ending, Post-War

Severus

Severus’ recovery after Nagini’s attack had been long and painful. He spent a year in a magically induced coma which straightened his immune system, but weakened his muscles.

When Severus woke up, at first he was too weak to truly understand much of anything and especially that Harry Potter was by his side at the hospital.

The day a hand holding his finally made sense, Severus didn’t know how to cope.

It began slowly. The joy of seeing Harry, the sorrow of waking up alone, worried he dreamt the whole thing up.

When he would squeeze back (albeit weakly) the hand holding his, his heart would skip a beat. He wasn’t foolish enough to pretend it didn’t mean anything.

That is why it didn’t come as much of a surprise that it suddenly meant everything.

Finally, Severus realised he was in love and the best thing he could do for the person he cherished the most, was to set him free.

“You shouldn’t be here, with a dying man,” he said as soon as he was capable of thinking and speaking clearly on this matter.

“You’re not dying and I’m not going anywhere,” was what he got in response, as warm fingers gently squeezed his own.

Severus was still too weak to speak for long, even weaker for an argument.

It took a few weeks for him to gather his strength and broach the subject again where he knew he could speak for a longer period of time.

Harry sat on the chair by Severus’ bed, holding his hand as he always did and talking animatedly about Ginerva Weasley’s outstanding Quidditch career.

Severus listened and felt his heart contract almost painfully upon hearing each word.

He’s in love with her.

“You could be doing something worthwhile instead of playing a mediwixen to me,” said Severus, his voice as calm as he could make it. His feelings raged inside his heart.

He didn’t want to show how much Harry moving on would hurt him. It wouldn’t be fair.

Keep reading on Ao3

10 things I hate about you

" Done " Draco yells from the living room.

Harry yells back a second later " I'm done too" and he walks into the living room with 2 cups of hot chocolate filled with marshmallows and a box of cookies.

"I've cancelled all my meetings and I've set the blanket" Draco tells Harry jumping up and down as if he was getting ready for a marathon. Truth be told, he was getting ready of a Marathon, just not the running types.

" I've made 2 cups of hot chocolate, already set a box of tissues over there and bought cookies to dip into the hot chocolate later so I wouldn't have to get up" Harry tells Draco.

Draco nods and picks up the remote " Ready to cry ?" He challenges Harry.

Harry set the box of cookies over the table and sat down underneath the puddle of blankets joining Draco with cups of Hot chocolate in his hand.

" you're the one who should be scared " Harry teased

" Right, like I cry like baby " Draco scoffed.

" Last I remember-"

" Don't " Draco pointed his finger at Harry who funnily enough put it into his mouth.

" Harry- eww- you're so gross " Draco whined wiping his finger against the blanket while Harry laughed at him.

" Are you serious for watching this now ?" Draco asked next.

Harry got in position and nodded " Bring it on"

" whoever cries first, loses " Draco declared.

" We both know who's it gonna be " Harry boasted.

Draco rolled his eyes " we'll see Potter"

__________________________________

" Are they both really crying over 10 things I hate about you ?" Pansy asked Ron who was standing beside him watching Harry and Draco cry in each other's arms like babies.

" Apparently Heath ledger gets to them " Ron mumbled eating another one of the cashew nut.

" Do you think they knew we're here ?" She asked again.

" Nah " Ron shook his head " They won't know for another hour. At least not until after they're done crying over Heath ledger"

" So supposedly if we steal all their money-"

" Nope. Never" Ron frowns.

Pansy nodded impressed and picked on another cashew nut and eating it away.

HP DE-STRESS DECEMBER REQUEST OPEN

MASTERLIST

More than Black Boxes

It was Christmas morning when they both had woken up before time and were sitting next to each other, cuddled into the blanket with their legs intertwined with another’s. It was a perfect lazy day,to be just inside the house in warmth and drink hit cocoa and be peppered with kisses but the plans of the day had already been set. 

“ Can we just not skip the thing’s and be here all day ?” Draco groaned in Harry’s neck while he was kissing him softly there. 

Harry tightened his arms around Draco and replied “ I wish we could but we have lunch at your parents to attend then the gala with the weasley’s. We’re packed for the day”

“Please can we just stay here ?”Draco moaned. 

Harry sighed, creating a little distance between both of them, cold immediately invading the space between them “ Draco baby- please. We have to get up eventually” 

Draco pulled Harry back towards him and this time firmly held his torso so he won’t try to it again “ Stop being such an obedient brat and stay here with me for a while” 

Harry chuckled and wrapped his arms back around with Draco’s kissing his eyes softly “ and then you say you’re not a sap” 

“ Shut up” Draco groaned. 

“ This reminds me, I bought you a gift” Harry said. 

“ Harry-” 

“ I know you told me no gifts but I saw it through the window and I couldn’t stop myself from buying it for you” Harry cuts him off sweetly. 

“ But rules were rules- I told you, I don’t need anything” Draco affirmatively replied. 

“ Since when have I ever followed rules- but its not about you not needing it, I wanted to buy it for you “ Harry sweetly told him. 

Draco sighed and sat up a little straighter “ Show me then”

Harry smiled and similarly sat straighter and picked out two small boxes from the drawer. 

“ They’re small. I better hope they’re inexpensive. I don’t want you spending money on me so much” Draco averred. 

Harry kept smiling as he handed him the two boxes and waited for him to open them patiently. Draco however with much hesitation started opening the boxes. When he unwrapped one of them, it revealed a small black box and the other one opened up to another black box. 

“ I see you’ve managed to get code black” Draco frowned impressively. 

“ Just open them already” Harry whined impatiently now because Draco was seemingly taking up too much time. 

Draco rolled his eyes and opened the larger black box which revealed an average beaded pearl necklace and the other one was the watch Draco had been dying to purchase since months. 

“ You- Pearl ? and the watch?” Draco said in choked gasp picking both of them up in his hands. 

“ I know you’ve been wanting this watch for months so I bought you this and the pearl necklace, I thought it would look really nice on you “ Harry shrugged. 

Draco smiled at Harry and hugged him after having carefully put the gifts aside. 

“ You didn’t have to buy me these. They must’ve cost you a fortune” he said after separating. 

Harry shrugged “ My love isn’t based off on how much I spent on you. It hardly matters to me “ 

Draco smiled fondly at Harry “ But you buy me a lot of gifts already Harry “ 

“ Because I like to spoil you- now please just stop being a posh brat and let me help you with the necklace” 

Draco chuckled and handed Harry the necklace and turned around so Harry could put it around his neck and as he did, he loved it even more around his neck. The way the pearl settled around his long neck made Harry love it even more than when he first saw it through the window and even though Draco wasn’t very happy about Harry buying him a gift, he loved the necklace. It certainly made him feel confident and lovely with Harry peppering kisses along the back of his neck. 

“ It looks beautiful on you” Harry whispered. 

Draco visibly shivered with his eyes closed and biting his lip because of the sensation of Harry’s cool breath against his neck. He hummed whilst Harry continued kissing down along the length of his neck. 

“ I love it” Draco murmured. 

“ Really?” Harry asked momentarily moving away to get a good look of Draco’s face. 

Draco turned to him with a smile with his hand lingering over the necklace “ I do but I just don’t want you spending more money on me” 

“I won’t “ Harry replied pressing his lips together. 

“ Promise ?” 

“ I promise” 

He obviously broke that promise in the future and with more incidences that happened in future, Draco gave up asking Harry to not buy him presents because Harry’s love wasn’t fitted into tiny little or big black boxes, It was in the expressions he held when Draco opened the boxes and the smile he’d lit up with when Draco would say he loved his gift. His love was bigger than any black box in the world. He could even buy him the most expensive building in the world and yet his love would be bigger than that.

MASTERLIST 

Pieces of a Puzzle

" Harry, have you seen my sweater Molly gave to me last Christmas?" Draco called from the bedroom while Harry was picking out his shoes for the dinner at the Weasley's.

" Should be in our closet " Harry replied back.

" I can't find it " He yelled back again.

Huffing Harry went to the bedroom to where Draco was standing in front of the closet finding the specific sweater.

" What does it look like ?" Harry asked

" It's a grey sweater with a DM over the front " Draco replied.

" I have never seen you wearing it, why now ?" Harry hummed as he knelt down looking for the sweater as well.

" I thought you know it's Christmas day, so let's wear what she gave me. It'll be like that I saved it for a special occasion, besides I think she'd feel good knowing I wore the sweater she knit me but it's nowhere to be seen " Draco replied.

" did you burn it ?" Harry joked but Draco didn't find it funny, obviously.

" Please Harry, I really want her to know that I care about her presents " Draco complained

" I'm sure you do, the broken vase stands in accord to that statement "

" I still have all it's pieces " Draco rolled his eyes at Harry

" and yet you never reparo it " Harry countered back

Draco hummed momentarily pausing his search" how come that never crossed my mind?"

Harry got up after that, exhaling harshly " It's not here "

" Where could it possibly be then ?" Draco whined

" I'm sure it must be somewhere but we don't have enough time to look for that sweater. Just wear any of them " Harry suggested

" But I wanted to wear her gifted sweater " Draco sighed taking a few steps back to sit on the bed.

Harry came and sat down next to him and took his hands in his own " If you don't wear her gifted sweater, she won't stop loving you Draco. She really really loves you alright and nothing can change that-"

" But-"

" No buts Draco- I know you want to show her that it matters to you and I know it does but losing that Sweater doesn't mean that, that sweater doesn't matter to you. Just wear any of them, she'll love it nonetheless" Harry smiled reassuringly at Draco.

Draco pursed his lips then smiled back, leaning his head on Harry's shoulder " I still wanted to wear her sweater "

"Then you can wear one of mine that she gave to me. I'm sure she would absolutely adore it " Harry smiled.

Draco nodded. He turned his head a little so his head was fitted in Harry's neck and softly kissed him there " I don't know what I'd do without you somedays "

" Absolutely terrible if I have to be honest "

Draco laughed shortly then was pulled up by Harry to get dressed.

They left the house in an hour and Draco as decided wore one of Harry's black sweater with small H's knitted all over. Upon reaching as usual they were engulfed into huge hugs and for an enormous amount of time until they would slightly push to breathe in properly.

When Draco was helping Molly after all the celebrations in the kitchen, she noticed his sweater and said " It looks way better than it did on Harry. I appreciate you wearing that"

" I love them. I wish I could wear these more often but I save these for occasions very special " Draco smiled at her.

" and this is a very special occasion ?" Molly asked

" Of course. You make it special "Draco smiled adoringly.

Molly's eyes filled with little tears due to the overwhelming moment and immediately hugged Draco " You are an absolute gem Draco Darling. Absolute gem"

Draco himself felt too overwhelmed and hugged her back " I love you Molly, I really do"

" Oh Draco-" she choked and hugged him tighter as her voice broke too " I love you too Darling, I love you too "

Little did they know Harry was watching them from the corner and smiling at the way the moment came into being. Harry knew what that affection meant to Draco. All his life Draco was suppressed of so many emotions, so many feelings that he wasn't able to express, love he didn't recieve the way he should've but him coming into the family had shown him ways to express his feelings more so than often and some turned into one of these beautiful moments. Draco finally felt loved and even though sometimes he doesn't admit it but falling in Love with Harry had made him fall in love with so many things that remained out of the count on fingers but he was so glad of that and Harry was even more proud of Draco.

The next morning when they woke up and checked under the Christmas tree of the Weasley house, Draco had received almost 10 gifts from Molly, all of them were the sweaters she might've knit overnight and having Draco's and Harry's initials. Draco had never felt so loved before in his life and he wept sitting there holding onto them tighter to his body enjoying the warmth of the sweaters.

" You like them?" He suddenly noticed Molly had came into the room and was watching him hold onto the sweaters.

Draco stood up and immediately hugged her for a very long time, no words spoken just the affection that developed in the moment. Molly herself didn't say anything but Just kept hugging him back the same way knowing that no words needed to be spoken, no sound had to be made to convey anything. It was only when Ron came into the room and joked about the universe probably imploding with so much love that they separated.

" I love them Molly, every single one of them " Draco said after a while.

Molly smiled in her acute, wide grin and sparkled eyes way that she does so often that said so many more things than the words that could've been spoken.

Harry had been leaning against the door the whole time and now finally he reached behind Draco and hugged him from the back when nobody was looking so they had their privacy " I was right, wasn't I ?"

But Draco didn't reply instead he kept smiling.

Harry, worrisome tried to catch a look on his face " Dray- baby- are you crying?"

" what- no -" he choked.

Harry chuckled behind him and hugged him even tighter, kissing the side of his neck " I'm so proud of you "

Draco hummed, snuggling himself into Harry's arms wiping the corner of his eyes " Thank you "

" For what ?" Harry asked smiling.

Draco only kept looking forward as the hustle in the house that started with Ginny who came into the kitchen with her flowy ginger hair and Ron's hands which roamed over the leftover cakes, Fleur who spoke posh-ly even yet, Arthur who came with his morning energy and his dad jokes, Hermione with her another day of helping Molly with the breakfast and the rest that fitted into the scene like the pieces of a puzzle.

" For this " Draco replied.

Harry looked forward to what Draco was watching and smiled himself. He was himself thankful for all of it and now he was even more happier to have shared this with someone he wanted to spend the rest of his life with. It all started with just a train compartment with a ginger head boy who was messy, shabby, a smile so keen and a heart of gold.

HP DE-STRESS DECEMBER REQUEST OPEN

Family trip gone wrong

Harry huffed in frustration as he tried to find the safe gears to put on Albus and Scorpius but apparently they were nowhere to be found and soon they would become impatient to the point that it's unbearable. Ever since Harry and Draco came on the trip with their kids, nothing had gone right, not even a single thing, it was like living the movie of the worst day ever on repeat. This trip was supposed to be a fun, bonding time for the family but apparently it was everything but that. To Begin with, on their way over their car broke down and the mechanics seemed to have been very far away and Albus and Scorpius decided that it would've just been marvelous to throw a fit, the next was the room they got, it was supposed to be 2 large rooms and instead of it being as large as it was in the pictures, it was only large enough to have bunk beds in it; next was the dinner night they planned on, it was supposed to be a fancy dinner at a fancy place but a blizzard had to come right then when they were walking to it and due to the damning Blizzard, their night got cancelled and the list goes on. Harry would rewind every single one of them but that wasn't an available option.

He eventually gave up finding the gears and practiced how to break his kids heart by telling them that they can't go sledging but when Harry reached where the kids were supposed to be, they weren't there.

" Draco, where are the kids ?" Harry sounded exhausted and yet stressed at the same time.

Draco's head immediately whipped around with a handful of things to eat " I swear they were right here, just now. I swear, I promise "

Harry sighed closing his eyes momentarily then began again " It's fine, we'll find them together. You take that way, I'll take this way " He said pointing towards different directions but as soon as they were going in different directions, they heard screaming which sounded awfully familiar until they both turned around and their kids jumped up in the air in the sledge and their heart's fell right out of their chest.

" Albus-Scorp" they simultaneously screamed and immediately ran after them with hooked ropes to get them to stop but sliding on ice wasn't a piece of cake. Draco hit his head on a massive ball of ice and some kid nearby thought it was funny to hit him right in the stomach. Harry gave him an apologetic look then continued running after them. Hurdles are hurdles like Albus throwing snowballs to hit Harry, the slippery ice that made him fall over, their kids basically jumping up in the air without any protection when a slight cliff came around, his throat growing dry from all the yelling, maintaining a safe look on Draco who had now joined him and last but not the least the trees that somehow had started appearing in the middle. Harry wanted to cry at this moment and just when he thought it couldn't get any worse, he fell over his bum and slid over the ice and due to the slope it became incredibly hard to get back up. His heart hammered like a wrecking ball inside his chest and now he was scared to death for two reasons, himself and the kids.

" Albus-Scorp- Please stop the sledge " Harry shouted.

" We can't " Albus yelled back laughing and that was all it took Harry to turn at an edge to he started slipping on ice even after. When he heard another scream he turned his face to his side and saw Draco sliding down over a piece of wood, recklessly.

" Harry, save me " Draco screamed and he slipped more ahead of Harry.

Harry groaned loudly and screamed back "I'm coming"

Seconds turned into minutes and the screaming grew louder while the people all around watched them finding it absolutely hilarious how the kids drove the sledge while their father ran after them like absolute maniacs. It was finally when the steep gradually lessened and it started rising upwards that the kids sledge slowed down, not the same with Harry and Draco and they were still screaming until they both collided into each other and then into the kids.

" Ouch Dad's " Scorpius groaned.

Harry breathed heavily, holding onto the kids " that was very very dangerous "

Draco remained in shock for a while, catching his breath and holding onto the family together until later his eyes noticed the high cliff and he started laughing looking at their kids. His Laugh eventually grew louder and contagious to the point that everyone was laughing so hard that they rolled back to the ground.

" I hate to say it but this was the most fun thing that happened over the entire trip " Harry told after the laughter controller down.

Draco turned to Harry and nodded smiling.

" Then Can we do it again ?-"

" No " they simultaneously replied.

HP DE-STRESS DECEMBER REQUEST OPEN

MASTERLIST

A thousand times better

" Can I take the blindfold off now ?" Harry asked stumbling over his own feet only to be caught in time by Draco.

" We're not there yet "Draco replied

" But I'm falling all over " Harry whined

" and I'm here to catch your fall " Draco replied back.

" Yeah not really. When I told you I've fallen in love with you, you told me I've fallen with you too. Can't say I can trust you with a fall" Harey shrugged casually.

Draco chuckled next to him " Well then if you're gonna, we're gonna fall together. That's how it works right. You take the first fall and I take it with you"

" I'm telling you Draco, sometimes these falls are scary. What if one day I'm falling off a cliff, you can't say I'm falling after you, right ?" Harry asked.

" Oh no of couse not Darling, I'd be the one pushing you off the cliff, don't worry " Draco smirked next to him even though he knew Harry couldn't see him.

" You know sometimes your words hurt " Harry pouted.

" That's why I say them. Now just trust me with this. I've held your hand " Draco said holding onto Harry's hands tighter.

Harry mumbled something but Draco chose to ignore, besides it was barely audible in the strong winter winds blowing right in his face.

" Are we there yet ?" Harry asked again.

Draco shook his head then realised Harry couldn't see him " A little bit more "

" How far is this place even ?" Harry complaint again.

" If you do a little less complaining, we might reach sooner " Draco rolled his eyes. Don't get him wrong, he loves his boyfriend beyond anything and he would anything for him but sometimes Harry just annoyed him, irritated him with useless questions that he doubted his entire existence then, like the time Harry kept on asking at 3 am why do we sleep at 3 and not in the morning and why do they have specific meals for breakfast, what if he wanted rice for breakfast and toast for dinner. It drove Draco insane, more than he likes to exaggerates.

" And I thought you loved me " Harry mumbled.

Draco rolled his eyes once again " Just because I tell you to stop complaining doesn't mean I love you any less "

" seems otherwise to me" Harry shrugged and this time he stumbled over something again that he might've fallen over the ground if it wasn't for Draco holding him tightly.

" Told you I'd save you" Draco told him afterwards.

" yeah after I was already sca-"

" we're here " Draco announced cutting Harry off mid sentence and took off his blindfold and putting it in his pocket.

" A sleigh ride " Harry exclaimed.

" I am an attentive boyfriend " Draco smirked.

" I told you this on like our 2nd date, how did you remember ?" Harry grinned at Draco.

" I remember everything babe, everything" Draco smiled fondly at Harry who looked at him in awe before he leaned forward and kissed Draco's nose softly.

" Now you're like Rudolph the Red nose reindeer " He sang.

Draco laughed behind him, following him into the sleigh and sitting down over the uncomfortable seat.

" I feel like Elsa " Harry grinned.

" Elsa who ?" He asked

" Elsa from Frozen. You know in the second movie when they are going to that forest, the enchanted forest. We watched that movie together Draco, like 2 weeks ago " Harry reminded him.

"Oh- the girl who have to wear gloves all the time or she'll turn everyone into ice " Draco replied

" stop Making her sound like a villain-"

" I'm not making her sound like a villain. She did freeze her sister in the first movie-"

" but she also bought her back-"

" but she also struck her when they were just kids-"

" By accident-"

" Not to interrupt your little argument over the girl who froze her sister but do you want a ride or not ?" The man in the front seat holding the leash of the horses in his hands asked.

Draco immediately nodded and they took off.

Harry remained shut after that for a long time but an excited smile pulled over his face as he kept staring at his surrounding and the feeling of being in a sleigh. Draco perhaps might never understand why it was so fascinating for Harry to be on a sleigh but if this is how little it takes for Draco to bring that smile over his face, he'd do them everyday until he dies. When he says he loved Harry with his entire soul and mind, he really does. He loves every little thing about him and sometimes he might drive him crazy or insane but he still loved Harry till the sun rises and the moon sets. What Harry bought in Draco was indescribable but knowing that Harry is the only man he want to ride every sleigh in the world with fills the empty little hole his heart have and that's because Harry is his cure, his medicine and his remedy to everything. One look from Harry and he'd forget a thousand reasons why he shouldn't exist but Harry chose to love a man as such and he would never ever be worthy enough of his love but he knows he'll spend the rest of his life trying to be worthy enough for him.

Harry besides him catches Draco smiling at him and he smiles back. He turns his head to the front and lean his head over his shoulder and takes Draco's hands in his own to intertwine their fingers together.

" It's better with you, a Hundred times better in your arms " Harry whispered, smiling.

Draco wishes he could've said something, anything but all that came out of his lips was " I love you " before he leaned down and kissed Harry over the lips. It's always better with him too, always and a thousand times better.

HP DE-STRESS DECEMBER REQUEST OPEN

MASTERLIST