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A/N: Originally published: 03/09/2006 on the original The Silver Snitch

Disclaimer:
The world of Harry Potter, its characters and settings are the copyrighted works of J.K. Rowling, Warner Bros., her publishing companies and affiliates. No profit was made from the writing of this story nor was any malice intended in any way, shape or form to the author or the actors/actresses who so brilliantly have brought them to life.

This author is not responsible for underage readers. Please observe the ratings, warnings, and age of legal consent for your country.

In honor of Remus J. Lupin’s birthday, 10 March (per HP Lexicon c. 2006)

In three days, the full moon would reign in the night sky. But, tonight, the tenth of March, the lycanthropes of Great Britain found some energy to rejoice. Four years prior, Harry Potter had not just defeated Lord Voldemort and his Death Eaters, he’d freed many Dark Creatures from their servitude to the vile thing. In his honor, they celebrated by holding a masquerade.

Severus Snape found himself at the Masque of the Were. He’d promised his conscience, after waking up in St. Mungo’s two years ago, that he’d find the wizard who’d saved his life. Little had he known it was Remus J. Lupin! The thrice-damned werewolf had dragged his ravaged carcass from the battlefield after the shock of Potter’s win had turned Death Eater against Death Eater. Luckily for him, Lupin had been in on Dumbledore’s distasteful plan and he’d had access to information that would clear the Potions master.

Adjusting his doublet and hose, Severus stalked into the crowded hall. Some well-to-do lycanthrope had thrown open his doors for the masque this year, and the hoi polloi of werebeasts were swirling and twirling around the rooms. The once feared professor sneered under his mask, squinting at the dazzling array of feathers and furs, wondering if some were real or not.

“I say…you smell familiar. Have we met?” an affected voice breathed into his ear. Severus didn’t deign to answer, merely shrugging as he continued to survey the crowd and the ballroom. Somewhere in the seething masses was his ‘hero’, and all he wanted to do was find him, thank him, and leave him.

When the next masked person stopped him, it took mere moments to realize he’d found the man he was seeking. The tawny head streaked with grey and the hazel-gold eyes were a dead giveaway, not to mention the scars that he could see on the man’s cheek; he’d recognize those no matter how blind he got. “Lupin….” he growled.

“Fancy meeting you here, Severus. I never would have taken you as a supporter of the rights of lycanthropes, or even other were-creatures.” Remus’ eyes crinkled at the corners as he laughed at the sour look on the other wizard’s face. “Still uncomfortable around those who are different, Severus?”

“Only around you,” he muttered. Nerves had him tugging at the lace of his sleeve, looking anywhere but at the man who’d haunted his memories—and his dreams—for years. After two years in a coma and two more years learning to live in a world without the Dark Lord, Severus was nervous; something he’d never felt before. That would be his excuse later.

Thin fingers, dotted with scars, stopped Severus from unraveling the lace falling over his hands. They also stopped his heart from beating for a split second. “Severus…Look at me! Why did you come here? You’ve been terrified to be in the same room with me for decades. Why now?”

Gritting his teeth, the lanky brunette answered, “You saved my life, you miscreant! Why!? I never did anything for you.” His voice broke. “Why did you save me?”

Maneuvering the once fearsome spy into a shadowy alcove, Remus plucked the mask from his face and reached out for the other man’s. Jerking away from that hand, Severus found himself pressed up against the casting of a running wolf…. Fitting, his mind noted. “No…don’t touch me. I’m still…damaged. I only came to thank you, and then, I’ll leave you in peace.” He tried to sidle away from his heart’s desire.

Stepping closer, almost flush against the body he’d saved, Remus drew in a deep breath of Severus’ scent. “You smell like rose hips, Severus. How did you know I love rose hip jam? Was it you who gave it to me last year for Boxing Day?”(1)

Pressed against the lycanthrope’s firm body, Severus’ couldn’t help but begin to react. He had to get away; he couldn’t let him know just how much he really needed Remus in his life. So, he resorted to his best shield: unremitting sarcasm. “Go rub up on some other body, Wolf! I’ve got more important things to do.”

Unfortunately, he didn’t reckon on the changes in Remus’ life. “You’ll notice I’m a bit better fed and healthier these days, Severus. Over the past few years, I’ve found a few researchers who’ve tinkered with the Wolfsbane Potion. We’ve come a long way with the efficacy and dosage.” He nodded as he saw understanding beginning to creep into the Potion masters’ eyes.

“Yes, Severus, I know you’re one of the men who have been working on this. You are, after all, a well-respected Potions master in your own right.” He sniffed again, leaning in toward the delectable neck. “And, that scent is on a great many pieces of parchment in my library.”

Catching the emphasis in that last sentence, Severus bucked his hips, trying to dislodge the werewolf. Instead, he came hip-to-hip with evidence his ardor was returned. “You can’t want me, Lupin! I’m broken; I’m no longer of use to anyone. Even Malfoy’s whelp has become a better Potions master than I was!” he cried.

“Nonsense, Severus. You are still at the peak of your knowledge. I’ve read the article about infusing chamomile into calming draughts to keep the essence while reducing dosage…Brilliant work! You’ve forgotten more than Malfoy will ever know.”

The orchestra secreted somewhere in the ballroom struck up a waltz. All this time, the music had been a low hum in the background. “Would you care to dance with me, Severus?” Remus stepped back, holding out his hand. “The Viennese Waltz is a wonderful dance for two people in love.”

Blinking at the other wizard as if he’d just woken up, Severus began to bluster, “What makes you think I’d dance with you? You’ve just held me here against my will. You think I want to spend more time with you?”

Pulling the fuming man with him, Remus twirled the two of them into the swirl of dancers. “You don’t deny we’re in love, Severus. And, I for one, know that I am…that I have been for years. I visited you every day in St. Mungo’s. I bullied the nurses and mediwizards into coddling you when they wanted to leave you to your own devices. Do you know how hard it was to leave you when the full moon approached?” The arms around the thin brunette tightened.

“I hated to be apart from you. Always wondering if you were going to wake up and always worried that you’d never wake up. It was the hardest thing I’ve ever done in all my life.” They turned and danced, lost in their thoughts for a bar or two.

Leaning his head against the broad shoulder before him, Severus whispered, “I thought I dreamt you there. The only thing I could think of was getting back to you, making that damned Wolfsbane. I couldn’t let you become less than you were.”

They finished the dance in silence, both of them lost in the moment. The crowd swayed and stilled as the music drew to a close.

“It’s time I was going, Lupin. I’ve done what I came to do.” Severus pulled himself from the arms that had held him so gently. At least, he tried to.

“No, Severus Snape. I won’t let you go so that you disappear into the ether. You came here by your own free will, but, by my will you shall stay.” The words had the feel of an oath, binding Severus to Remus, with or without his consent.

Writhing, trying to get away, Severus moaned, “What are you doing, Lupin? I can’t stay! I told you, I only meant to give you my thanks. I’ve done that, now leave me be!”

The clock struck midnight, and all the revelers began removing their masks. In the confusion, Remus began dragging Severus out to the gardens. When they finally stumbled upon a small arbor, the werewolf stopped and turned to his unwilling partner. “Severus, you are the most stubborn creature to walk this world! I’m trying to tell you I want you and all you can think of is leaving me alone again!” Remus couldn’t help himself and he stamped his foot like a child.

“Why would you want a man like me?” Slowly, as if waiting for him to run, Severus removed his mask. Under the moonlight, the slowly healing burns on his face were ugly pits and whorls. They were the remains of a melting curse one of the Death Eaters had flung at him as he lay unconscious after the battle. They hadn’t stopped eating away at his flesh until he’d finally woken up and found an obscure potion that would begin regrowing his flesh. “I’m nothing to look at, as you can see. And, I refuse to be pitied, Lupin. I’ve had enough of that over the past two years.” He closed his eyes, not wanting to see the truth on Remus’ face.

It wasn’t until soft lips touched his brow that he opened them again. “You insufferable prat! You forget I have my own scars, even some from the war; we all do. Wounds or not, I still want you, Severus. Remember, I was there when they began working on you. I helped lift some of the Dark Magic curses from you.” Gentle fingers traced the raised skin of Severus’ right cheek.

“I fell in love with the snarky bastard underneath this skin, Severus Snape, not the skin itself. The man you are is more enticing than what covers you, and I’d like to spend the rest of my life showing you this.” On that note, Remus finally plundered that mouth like he’d wanted to for ages.

When they surfaced for air, Severus realized his arms had wound themselves around Remus’ body without conscious volition. And, thinking on his situation, he found that he didn’t want to remove them. Pressed up against the very virile form of Remus Lupin, Severus felt as if he’d finally come home.

“Will we be spending the night upright, Lupin? Or do you have someplace more comfortable for me to lay my head?” Severus smirked into the strong neck he’d been nuzzling.

“Well, if you turn around, I can take you home,” Remus replied.

“Home? This is your home?”

“The Ministry let Harry pick over the spoils of war. One of the lower level Death Eaters had owned this manor, but never lived here. Harry wanted me to have something of my own, and voila!” Remus indicated the building they’d come from. “My manor house.”

“A land-owning lycanthrope, eh? Where do I fit into this new life, Lupin?” Severus settled himself back in Remus’ arms. “What do I get out of this?”

“Why, Severus Snape, you snake! You get a world-class herb garden, a solid roof and four walls, and you get someone to love you.” Remus leaned down and snogged the daylights out of his man. “And, you get some measure of peace. Do you need anything else?”

Secure in arms he never thought would want to hold him, Severus thought long and hard. Laying his head on that oh-so-comfortable shoulder, he replied, “A bed, Lupin…Remus…a bed for the two of us.”

Eyes shining, Remus picked up the thin brunet and whirled him around. “Oh, that’s easily arranged, my good sir. Most easily arranged.” Laughing, he carried his lover into their home, past the surprised faces of the milling guests.

Ignoring everything but the man in his arms, Remus climbed the stairs until he got to his bedroom. “Open the door, love. I don’t want to let you go just yet.”

“No, and you’ll not be letting go any time soon, if I have my way, Remus J. Lupin,” snarked the snarkiest of all former Hogwarts professors. He tempered his comment by bestowing a mind-blowing kiss. With an awkward flourish, he threw the door open. “Now…show me this bed!”