Differences

"Pleasure. The bite causes the victim to feel pleasure, to keep them malleable as we take our fill. Is that what you are wanting Harry? To tremble with pleasure in my arms as I suck you dry, knowing you offered yourself to me?"

Between his realisation of his crush and now, it had gone so very fast. Harry was not worried about the vampire hurting him, he trusted the man with his life, he was worried about his own reaction. His body had been set ablaze yet he still shivered from head to toe at the words spoken to him. It was an odd feeling, feeling hot and cold at the same time, but it was worth it to be so close to him.

Harry had already decided he would not mind Severus feeding on him, new knowledge of the effects or otherwise, so he was not planning to put up a fight if the words coming from Severus's mouth meant he himself had changed his mind on the subject. The man was leaning closer, Harry noticed, taking his time and tilting his head into Harry's neck. The hand ever-present on the back of his head was tugging to make Harry tilt it back so Severus could access the exposed skin. Ok this was happening, breath fanning on his neck telling Harry just how close they were. Lips skimmed the skin before he seemed to decide he would rather nudge his nose into the area, taking in a breath. Both men stilled.

What happened? Snape seemed like he was about to bite him but stopped?

"I can't do this," said man pulled back, taking back his hands to bend over and place his head in them with a sigh.

"But you said you were hungry Severus, whatever the other reason why I am causing it is can't effect you feeding from me. I am offering no matter the effects!" Harry was getting riled up now, the man needed blood and Harry was giving a solution, so why was he not taking it? "If you are worried about it changing how I act around you-" Severus scoffed, unbelievable. "You are changing your mood at the snap of your fingers yet you are scoffing at me?" This made the man lift his head.

"You think I am worried about you acting differently around me? I told you the bite would evoke pleasure, you already seemed to be wanting that based on how you have been acting!"

"How I've been acting?" Harry knew he had been flirting with the man but Severus had appeared to not take notice, had he just been acting oblivious? He wanted to hear the man admit he had noticed now. He would tell Harry what he had felt about it if he played his cards right.

He scoffed again, "like you weren't doing it on purpose. No matter, I will remind you. Your shameless comments, your constant staring at me, your state of dress this very morning!" His voice rose as he continued, "you seem insist ant on getting me to look at you as if I was not looking anyway!" Harry barked out a laugh at this.

"Ha! 'as if I was not looking anyway'," Harry deepened his voice to mimic Snape's, "you have hardly looked at me since Draco came around, actually you had even started speaking to me less after that! I thought we had gotten to a good place but you keep making me feel as if a 'good place' is not what you want!" His face had a solemn look now. "I won't deny I have been flirting with you Severus, I am not ashamed. But if you would like me to stop, I will. I do not wish to make you feel uncomfortable at all, let alone in your own home." Severus turned away with a sigh.

"The flirting is not what I have been distant about Harry."

"Well what is it? Not to push you but I am starting to get fed up of the hot and cold. If me being around is disrupting your feeding, I will work out another place to stay and hide from the order," his voice went quiet, "there must be some other Potter or Black properties I could go to..." The Slytherin beside him turned so fast Harry was worried he would get whiplash. Serves him right if he did, he's been giving me whiplash with his changes in mood.

"No. You are not leaving this house." Harry had never had a strong urge to drink before but this conversation was making him crave some firewhiskey.

"Severus I feel like I am having a conversation with a brick wall. You need to give me more than that. I can not have this conversation with you if you are going to give me such short answers, am I supposed to decipher what you say by myself?" He looked to be contemplating what to say, opening and closing his mouth but not knowing where to start. "Look, Severus, just tell me what I have done to weaken your blood substitutes. I know you don't want to tell me but you always make me feel comfortable enough to tell you anything and I would like for you to be able to say the same about me."

---

Now this was not how Severus imagined to be telling Harry about them being mates but he could not say no the the hopeful innocence shining in his eyes. It was better now than later for Harry to find out, he would have the rest of the summer to process it. Severus would give him longer but the more he thought of his mate roaming the school with newly presented creatures unmarked had him nearly growling.

He looked into the Gryffindor's eyes one last time, searching for anything that was not that warm openness Harry always had, before resigning himself to his fate. He only hoped it went better than what he imagined.

"I never did tell you everything about vampires, although I presume you may know of this certain part but with other creatures." He contemplated how he should go about this. "Did Lupin ever speak to you about him and Nymphadora?"

"There wasn't much to say other than the fact he was in a relationship with her. It was nice listening to him speak about her though. He always sounded so besotted, saying how he loved her and she was his perfect other-half." Harry's voice took on a dreamlike quality, "that made me want a relationship just like theirs, they were so happy." Unbidden tears began streaming out of Harry's eyes. "I miss them." Snape was never good at comforting people when they cried, not that people ever expected he would be. But he was even more lost with his mate.

"We can have this conversation another time, I did not mean to upset you," he questioned. Although this was the wrong response as tear-filled eyes turned sharp and Harry began angrily using his shirt cuff to wipe away the tears.

"No, you aren't getting out of this conversation that easy Severus." He could not help but chuckle, his mate never failed to amuse him no matter the situation.

"Fine," he sat back to get relaxed, "I will continue." The smaller man sniffed, nodding his head resolutely, evidently happy he got the conversation back on track. "Lupin and Nymphadora were mates, I mentioned this when I told you about my vampirism, remember?" Stealing himself for Harry's reaction, he continued. "Werewolves are one of the many creatures that are blessed with mates, as well as vampires." Harry now had that curious look he had when Severus first told him about his vampirism, leaned forward and soaking in every bit of information he could. At the moment he had obviously not jumped to conclusions to where Snape was going with this. "A creatures mate is, as Lupin said, their 'perfect other-half' meant to complete one another better than any other would. Vampire's identify their mate through the smell of their blood. I previously did not believe I had a mate as the only person who's blood had ever smelt significantly better than others was your mother's." Harry's face scrunched at this.

"So my Mother was your mate? Then why did she end up with my dad?" He looked downtrodden all of a sudden at this.

"No Lily was not my mate. I loved her like a sister. As for why she ended up with your father, that is still one of the world's greatest mysteries," this pulled a chuckle from Harry. "I thought it was strange it was her blood that smelled good because not only was she like a sister to me, but she was also a woman. Why would my mate be a woman if my tastes ran with the opposite sex?" The blush was back on the young mans cheeks. "In the end I wrote it off and accepted that since I didn't find anyone else's blood attractive, that I just did not have a mate. It made sense, I was never a good person, so why would I be blessed with a mate?" Harry was about to speak up but looked as if he had a small war in his head and decided to let Severus finish before he asked questions. "I spent much of my time on attempting to a create a potion to which would subdue my instincts, the blood substitute was relatively easy in comparison as many had tried to create it before me so I had notes to base my research off of. As you know, I was successful in the end and have been producing and consuming it for years." Harry nodded along, "My lack of mate meant I did not know whether my potion effected a vampires' instincts in such a way."

"Could you not have asked one of the vampires you supplied the potion to?" Ever the brash Gryffindor, Harry blurted out at the pause.

"As curious as I was, no I could not. Mates are a private subject for vampires, we are naturally secretive creatures and our mates' are the thing most precious to us. It is considered rude to ask vampires about their mates, so I was left to just hope my potion did not affect them. Recently, I was glad to find out that it didn't." Severus needed a moment before he came out with his secret. Harry deserved to know but the ever-present feeling of unworthiness was eating him from the inside-out. His mate would be stuck with a man 20 years his senior who is cranky, mean and disliked by all he came across. Snape knew he was not a good man, he was also aware he would never be. Harry Potter-Black, as much as it pained himself inside to admit, deserved another who was just as kind as himself, someone who would not drag him down in the eyes of others.

"Severus, you need to tell me whatever is in your mind. I can tell this is weighing on you, it is better to share it with someone else, you do not have to carry everything alone." Too intelligent for his own good. Sometimes Snape cannot believe he ever called this man a dunderhead.

"This information does not only affect me, it has the protentional to hurt another."

"Severus," their eyes met, "who is your mate?" Of course the man saw right through him. "Whoever it is would be lucky to have you, if knowing you are their mate hurts them, it is their loss." His voice was firm and sure but did nothing to ease Severus's worries that he himself would reject him at the knowledge. Although, Harry's eyes did not match the surety within his voice, in fact, if Snape did not know any better, he would say he saw sadness in the smaller man's eyes. Well it was now or never, their relationship would grow cold if he did not tell him so neither option was preferable to the potions master.

"Harry," he waited a beat to ensure the man's attention was on him, "you are my mate."

There were no explosions. The world did not go up in flames. The Dark Lord did not appear in the room alive and well. No there was just shocked silence.

"I understand this is not the ideal situation for you Potter-" The kiss was gentle and gone fast enough for Severus to question if it had been there at all.

"My name is Harry," his tone was not angry and he did not, as far as Snape could see, appear to be about to strike him. Although a smile could hide anything. "I cannot believe you Severus Tobias Snape, we just had a full conversation on the fact I have been flirting with you since you brought me here and how I would happily allow you to feed on me despite the," the blush on his cheeks was fetching, "consequences. Yet you did not want to tell me that it was me who was your mate." His smile went from ear to ear, green eyes scrunching to accommodate yet not losing their shine. "You are the dunderhead Severus, letting me think I had to move on and bury my feeling for you." Now this earned Severus a sharp look and a reprimanding light smack on the arm.

In all honesty Severus was stunned, he had not recovered from the kiss, still a statue with rosy splotches adorning his high cheekbones. It was then he realised Harry Potter-Black would forever surprise him and Merlin could he not wait to be surprised again. "You do not mind?"

"No I do not mind! I mind that you made us go through all of that song and dance to get here! While we are on the subject, aren't you still hungry? The offer is still there for you to drink from me, even more so now I know I have no reason to be embarrassed of my reactions."

"Did you not have any questions? You can not just be happy to brush over that information, can you?" The man had come a little back to himself.

"I do but I have been worried about you feeding for days, we can discuss more tomorrow, I can live with my questions for one night." Harry himself knew he was acting a bit out of character but damn him for being excited for the vampire to feed off of him. It felt right and it helped Severus's feeding predicament that he himself inadvertently caused, it was a win-win situation in his book. Not to mention his kiss with the man, as small as it was he could tell Severus enjoyed it as much as he had.

Snape inched closer, intent on assuming his previous position above his mate. "You are sure?" His hesitant words contradicted his actions. He was in the process of lying Harry across the sofa with his head on the arm as his slender fingers ran through messy black locks until he was cupping the back of his mate's head again.

Arms came up and around the vampire's neck, linking together and tugging his head down until they were nose to nose and Snape's hair was creating a curtain between their faces and the outside world. "Yes I'm sure and if you do not get on with it I will be 'sure' to put my foot up your arse." If that wasn't confirmation, than Snape did not know what was. If his mate wanted something, Snape new he would tear down the world to give it to him.

He begin nudging his nose down Harry's cheek and across his jaw, breathing in the extraordinary scent of his mate properly for the first time. He truly had never smelt anything like it and could not wait to finally get a taste. Suppressed instincts were coming to the surface with his mate so docile and pliant beneath him. His vampire was practically purring, wanting to reward the behaviour with gentle kisses to follow his noses exploratory trail. By the time he had reached Harry's neck, the man had his head tilted back to give Snape access while keeping his eyes on the top of the vampires head, not wanting to miss a thing. With the hand not occupied with cradling his mate's head, he trailed fingertips up the buttons of his old favourite shirt to unbutton a few of the top buttons, revealing more skin. The Gryffindor was sneaky to have used this shirt again, he knew the affect it had on Severus and would probably use it again in the future, Snape found he actually looked forward to being manipulated in this way.

The skin revealed was not unblemished, he knew of the scars but it would never be nice to see them and know the cause of some was still alive and breathing. Taking a breath, Severus forced down a growl and simply kissed any scar revealed, he did not want to ruin the calm state his mate was in. The kisses had the opposite effect as the chest beneath him began rising and falling faster than before. Black and green eyes met as Severus glanced up. Harry's eyes could barely be described as green anymore with how his pupils were rapidly swallowing the colour until only a ring of the emerald could be seen even in the pairs close proximity.

"Are you going to get on with it or not?" Evidently he was not as docile as Severus had previously thought. He was going to have to step up his game.

Starting with a small nip at the sternum to reprimand his mate, he continued his way back to his neck, nipping skin in replacement of the kisses he was giving before. "Watch your tongue," he hissed into the man's ear before licking a stripe up his neck. The arms around his neck tightened with a sharp inhale before the body beneath him relaxed once more.

The hand at the smaller mans collar stilled as he bared his teeth to the column of skin in front of him. He grazed his fangs along were he had licked in a small warning as to what is about to come. He lowered his body onto the one beneath him to show his mate he was just as affected by the situation as he was, if the hardness in his trousers was anything to go by. His crotch hit the mans thigh as he felt the responding clothed flesh pressing against his stomach. Both men moaned at the contact, Harry unconsciously closing his eyes at the feeling. Severus took this moment to pierce his mate's neck and begin to feed. The moans from the man heightened as he began rubbing himself against Severus. He tasted divine, Severus could hardly believe he went through his life without having tasted anything close to this before. The vampire could do nothing more than savour the taste and the feeling of his mate against him as his moans were muffled against the honey skin. Harry was squirming, his hands were searching for purchase and had found it in the back of Severus's robes and his hair. He was fisting the inky black hair as if it were a lifeline having given up on hiding his reactions. Severus would have been worried about a noise complaint should he have had neighbours. It had been that thought that had forced him to think of how much blood he had taken so far, as much as he was enjoying himself, he did not want to take too much and drain the man. Reluctantly, he withdrew his fangs and began sucking on the wound, feeding magic into it to heal. Harry had not realised he was no longer feeding so he covered his open mouth with his own and began kissing him, rolling his hips down onto the body beneath him.

Once he realised what was happening, Harry began eagerly participating in the kiss, pushing his body up into the other man's. They were both chasing completion having weeks of pent up arousal for one another to release. Harry used his grip on Severus's hair to pull the man back, he wanted to look in the man's eyes as he came, leaving no doubt in the sour man's mind that his affections were returned. A chorus of 'uhs' was all that could be heard before they came together, still clothed, looking into each others eyes.