Revelations of Love - Moment by Moment Book #3 (Harry Potter, Drarry)

The Pain of Separation

Harry woke slowly, his thoughts unwilling to leave the sexual high of his dreams. Yet, gradually his senses told him that there was no body pressed close anymore, that the shared frenzy was over. The young wizard came out of oblivion with a strong sense of loss, and he mourned the missing intimacy with a low moan. His magical instincts were already searching for the power he wanted back as he opened his eyes to look for his partner. Yet it was not Draco on whom his gaze came to rest, and Harry frowned as his still dazed brain recognised Severus Snape. The awakening gaze interrupted the man in mid-stride, his face as black as thunder, his arms crossed so tightly across his body that breathing must have been difficult, and his wand tapping madly against one arm. Harry felt the weight of his ex-professor's enraged glare, but for a moment there was frustrated silence as thoughts visibly warred behind the older man's eyes. Harry sunk into pillows, recognising the feel of his own bed, and he stayed very still, suddenly embarrassed, as he concluded how he and his lover must have been found for him to be back here. At that instant, anyone, even Amelia Bones would have been preferable to facing down the often-cutting adversary, and Harry cursed his luck as the uncomfortable impasse continued.

Harry tried to steel himself for whatever scathing comment Snape produced, but his mind refused to respond too quickly, distracted by memories of the intense union even as the consequences mortified him. He hovered between humiliation and want, unable to think of anything to say to the accusation which he saw very clearly in his opponent's eyes. Yet the young man could see other ideas in Severus' harsh expression, things he couldn't decipher, things which confused the moment, and he was totally unprepared for the actual words which finally came from Snape's mouth.

"Would you agree, Potter, that if you had left this to your betters this would never have happened?" the man asked haltingly, clearly searching for the right phrasing.

Harry just blinked back at his adversary, confused by the strange question and wary of the conflicting mixture of signals he was reading from Snape. The older wizard was holding back his emotions, barely, but he was making a desperate effort to control his temper. That made no sense to his subject, who was more than used to flaming rows with the severe man: ever since they had left behind the teacher-pupil relationship, neither had held back when their emotions had been inflamed. For Severus Snape to restrain himself, now, of all times, when he had so much ammunition, made no sense to Harry. Unless something was wrong. Instantly the thought occurred, Harry's concern skipped from facing down his opponent to worrying about Draco. His lover's name slipped out of his mouth as anxiety took the place of anything else, and he sat up rapidly.

Severus took a step away from the bed, and his face showed uncharacteristic alarm.

"Draco," Harry repeated, distressed by the reaction, which could only mean something bad.

"Do you agree that you put yourself into harm's way?" Snape recovered himself and asked his question with more urgency.

"Where is he?!" the young man demanded, ignoring the enquiry as nasty ideas occurred to him.

"You cannot deny that some of the responsibility lies with you, you knew the danger you faced," the tall figure's expression grew harder, but at the same time his voice sounded more desperate.

The confusing stance of his adversary just began to annoy Harry, and he wasn't really listening to the words as his instincts were screaming at him that something was wrong. As unconsciousness cleared, his body was clarifying the loss he felt: it was Draco's presence in his spirit that was missing. The link had been severed and the space where it should have been ached.

"Where's Draco?" Harry insisted, louder this time, defensive anger coming through with his worry.

The young wizard had rarely seen Slytherin's old housemaster out of his depth, but the stiff, awkward attitude from the wiry man told Harry that he had the advantage. He knelt up, aggressive in his concern, and commanded in a shout, "Tell me where he is!"