Snarry One Shots

Love Bites

Summary: It all started with a tick.

Ships: SeverusSnapexHarryPotter

All credit goes to Anonymous on Ao3

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Harry spent the summer following the fall of Voldemort actively ignoring everything that went on in the magical world. He'd given his testimonies, written a few letters on Snape's behalf to keep him out of Azkaban once they'd found him alive, told Professor McGonagall he'd be back to complete his seventh year in the fall, and then immediately set off for Australia to be Ron and Hermione's third wheel. For the first time in his life, he was able to be just another carefree teenager enjoying his summer break (such as it was). A whole new world revealed itself to him in Australia that he'd never known existed – one with beaches and sunshine and opals (who knew there were so many colours?) and muggle blokes named Dominic who knew how to suck your soul out through your cock and were happy to give lessons. The opening of that door had been a revelation all its own, one that hammered the final nail into the coffin for his romance with Ginny but also reframed his other relationships, most notably ones Hermione called his 'fixations'.

Contrary to what she thought, Draco Malfoy was and would always be a smarmy little git in Harry's eyes. Still, he couldn't help but admit she was probably onto something, even if she'd gotten the 'who' part of it completely wrong.

Of course, a crush on Severus Snape was obviously a sign that something had gone terribly wrong in his head at some point, and so Harry was very grateful that Snape had no reason to go on teaching and, therefore, they really had no reason to see each other ever again. It wasn't as though Snape was going to invite him to tea, after all. No, he could just privately acknowledge his little crush, have a wank or two about it, and then move on to a sane, reasonable object of affection once he was back at Hogwarts. As the saying went, out of sight, out of mind, and if nothing else, at least he'd have his growing gem collection.

"What's Snape doing here?" Harry hissed at Ron as they took their seats at the Gryffindor table on September 1st. Ron shrugged, looking just as confused by this development as Harry was, and Hermione rolled her eyes at both of them.

"Didn't either of you read your letters this year? He signed them because he's still the headmaster." She shook her head. "Honestly, how you even function..."

"Well, that's just idiotic," Ron replied, earning himself a pair of elbows to the ribs from either side, albeit for two very different reasons. "Ow? But listen, I get he's not the Big Bad Death Eater, but you can't tell me kids weren't traumatized. I mean, I'm traumatized, and I wasn't even here last year!"

"Actually, we were the ones who petitioned to let him come back after Harry's testimony came out," Neville piped up as he claimed the seat across from Harry. "He saved all our lives. It was the least we could do."

Harry winced and looked up at Snape only to find the man himself already turning the most poisonous of his glares right on him. It had no business being half as hot as his body seemed to think it was. "Are we sure this isn't his punishment? He doesn't exactly look thrilled about it, does he?"

As one, Ron, Hermione, and Neville turned to look. Snape's glare somehow became more deadly but remained locked on Harry alone.

"Mate, I hate to tell you this, but you might be right, and I think he blames you," Ron muttered, quickly averting his eyes. Harry snorted.

"What else is new?" he replied. In pure defiance (of course it was), he shot Snape a toothy grin that would have made Lockhart proud and watched as Snape turned purple in a splotchy sort of way. It was not an attractive look on anyone, frankly. Harry's pulse sped up anyway.