Something Like a Hero

Part 7

PART 7

Severus scowled as he glanced at the naked form of Harry spread all over their bed. As tempting as it was, it made him rather upset. Once again, Harry was late for work, and Severus was tired of being his personal clock. One would think that Harry would have learned Severus' habits by now. Severus hated to be late for anything, and since Harry was living with him, he should also learn how to be punctual. But instead, it was Severus who got used to Harry's bad habits.

'Did you really get used to it, Severus?' he asked himself, making a face. 'You did, didn't you? How stupid of you... But this is the last time.'

He walked towards the bed, wondering if he should summon a bucket of freezing water. As he got closer, his heart softened. Harry seemed like the perfect image of innocence. Even his soft snoring was angelic. Severus' eyes scanned Harry's body, feeling the familiar heat between his legs. He shook his head. He would be the one in need of a bucket of freezing water if he didn't stop gazing at Harry like that.

He sat down next to Harry and shook him slightly.

"Harry?" he called. Harry said something like 'pisszz off', and Severus frowned. He insisted, shaking Harry's shoulder more insistently, "Harry!"

Harry slapped his hand off his shoulder as if Severus was an annoying bug. That did it for him, who felt his familiar anger rising.

"POTTER!" he shouted with a tone of voice that would wake the dead.

Harry opened his eyes and sat on the bed instantly, trying to make sense of the world. "What? When? Why?" he asked with sleepy eyes. "Where's the fire? Should I get my wand?" he paused, and then he said, "No fire... I'll just get back to sleep." He flopped backwards in bed and yawned, his fuzzy eyes meeting Severus'. He smiled lazily. "Hi, Sev!"

Severus sighed. He'd watched that show a thousand times before. Sometimes he found it funny, sometimes it was just annoying.

"It's time to wake up," Severus said impatiently, handing Harry his glasses.

Harry put them on and got up. He stretched, and when he finally woke up for good, he stared at Severus with his sweet green eyes widely open. And then, as Severus predicted already, he blushed and ran to the bathroom.

They have been together for eight months now. Harry wasn't shy at all when they were making love, but the moment morning came, a strange shyness came upon him, and he always ran to the bathroom flushed from head to toe. Severus had asked him what that was all about many times, but Harry refused to tell him. He found out later – eavesdropping on a conversation between Hermione, Ron and Harry – that Harry thought his body was too skinny, so he felt uncomfortable to be naked in front of Severus. Severus had shaken his head and smiled, muttering 'fool' to himself, while Ron had laughed his heart out and Hermione had tried to comfort him.

Severus wanted to tell him that Harry's body was just perfect; Harry shouldn't worry about it. In fact, Severus loved all of it. But that would raise too many questions. And even if he did say something, Harry wouldn't believe him. He knew Harry's stubborn personality like no one else.

What Severus did very often was to praise Harry's body every chance he got when they were in bed together, or simply get naked around Harry himself so they could get used to one another. The last one had turned out to be very tricky, because it was Severus who felt relaxed when they were together, not the other way around, and that annoyed him to no end. There was definitely something wrong in a world where Harry had intimacy problems instead of Severus.

He watched as Harry got out of the bathroom, dressed with his pants only. Severus didn't hold his tongue this time. The words came out before he could do something about them. "You're body is just fine!"