Smooth Talker

A/N: After a half-year bout of writer's block, I have finally managed to continue this tale! I'm quite relieved, as this fic means a lot to me and I have long wanted to finish it. So here is chapter eight and I'm pleased to say I've started chapter 9 as well! Hopefully, there will be no more long breaks between updates. Keep your fingers crossed!

My especial thanks to the lovely (and comma-wielding) Vaughn. Despite my long break from writing, she has graciously continued to be my beta, and a fantabulous beta she is! Vaughn, you rock!

Disclaimer: They are not mine; I only take them out to play.

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Smoothly, Severus used Ron for support as he deftly maneuvered Ron to the bedside. Sneakily, Severus leaned upon Ron as he swiftly divested Ron of his pajamas. Indeed, the older wizard was so slick that--had Ron not known better--he'd have no idea that he was dealing with a man who could scarcely stand unassisted. Thoroughly distracted by both Severus' aggression and the hot, demanding mouth that never broke free of his own, Ron was startled at how quickly he was tumbling naked onto the bed with an equally nude Severus landing atop him. Then it seemed that Severus' hands were everywhere, stroking, squeezing, pinching, and caressing.

It never failed to drive Ron wild when Severus showed his aggressive side. Certainly Ron enjoyed it when the sex was slow and easy, but times like this--when his lover turned demanding--literally made Ron's toes curl. Even when Severus was at his most aggressive...as he was now...Ron knew that his lover would never hurt him. Indeed, every move Severus made seemed specifically calculated to melt Ron's every nerve. When Severus took the lead in bed, he did so fast and firmly but with an underlying gentleness that aroused Ron's heart as much as his body.

Ron lay flat on his back in Severus' narrow hospital bed with Severus pressing him firmly into the mattress. While Ron moaned encouragement, Severus attacked Ron's mouth as he shamelessly rubbed their hips together. It wasn't long before Ron and Severus were both panting hard, their bodies straining against each other as if they wished to crawl inside each other's skin. The very moment that Ron feared he was going to lose his mind if they didn't proceed to the main event, Severus rolled them over so that Ron lay half atop his lover.

Pulling Ron down into one more ravenous kiss, Severus then pressed the jar into Ron's hand as he growled, "Now!"

All at once, Ron's earlier fears came crashing back. He loved Severus with all his heart; he couldn't bear the thought of causing him even a moment's pain. Severus seemed to read the worry in his eyes.

"It's all right, love," he said softly. "It's time. I need you...I need you now."

"Don't you," Ron began, pausing with surprise at how rough with emotion his voice sounded, "don't you want to turn over?"

"Indeed not," Severus replied, that aroused growl slipping back into his voice. "I want to see you. I want to see your eyes as you slide into me for the first time. I want to have your mouth as you thrust into me again and again."

Severus' obvious desire did much to sway Ron's feelings on the matter. When Severus finished his short but devastating speech, he tugged the pillow from under his head and handed it to Ron. Lifting his hips so that Ron could place the pillow underneath them, Severus then pulled Ron's head down into another searing kiss. Ron's last fears fled at the naked need in that kiss. Opening the jar of ointment and slicking a generous amount onto his fingers, Ron returned to kissing Severus' insatiable mouth as he began to carefully prepare his partner.

This, at least, was familiar territory to them both, and the ointment made for far easier passage than soap and bathwater ever had. Ron had scarcely slipped a second finger into his love's tight channel before Severus was moaning into his mouth, biting at his lips, and thrusting his arse fiercely onto Ron's hand. Before Ron could add a third finger, Severus clenched his hands in Ron's hair and pulled the redhead back far enough to look into his eyes.

"Now," he hissed.

"It's not enough--" Ron stammered.

"It's more than enough," Severus interrupted firmly. Bringing his mouth to Ron's ear, Severus nibbled on Ron's earlobe as he softly hissed, "Now, love. I need you inside me now before you drive me mad. Please...please."

As always, that softly spoken 'please' was more than one Ronald Weasley could withstand. With a heartfelt groan, Ron gently removed his fingers from his lover's channel and, after rubbing more ointment on his twitching cock, he placed its head firmly against Severus' entrance.

"Yes..." Severus hissed into his ear. "Yes, love...now."

Bending his knees and wrapping his legs high on Ron's waist, Severus left his hands clenched in Ron's hair. He lowered his head onto the bed so that he could look deeply into Ron's eyes. Ron saw no fear there, only desire and love. Severus' black eyes shone like stars, his lips were parted and swollen from kissing, and his breath came in uneven panting gasps. Here, locked in this eternal moment, Ron's rather unattractive former Potions master was the most beautiful sight he had ever seen in his life. He stared at Severus for a moment, as if memorizing this instant, burning it into his mind so that he would never forget it. Then, while he held Severus' intense gaze, he slowly slipped inside his love.

Severus hissed loud and long as Ron entered him, but his eyes never closed, and it was easily seen by the fire that kindled in those dark eyes that he was not hissing from pain. Before Ron was halfway inside, Severus was thrusting his own hips up to meet Ron's and Ron suddenly found himself buried balls deep in Severus' arse.

"Yes, oh yes," Severus murmured. "I've wanted this for so very long. Gods but you feel delicious."

That was all the encouragement Ron needed. Severus' body was tight and hot, wrapped around his aching cock. Though Ron started with gentle strokes, Severus' flashing eyes, his eagerly hissing moans, and thrusting hips were all the proof Ron needed that his lover was enjoying this as much as he himself was. It took only a few exploratory thrusts until Severus' hoarse shout told Ron he'd got the angle just right. Soon he was pumping into Severus with long, firm strokes and moaning as desperately as Severus was. Leaning forward, Ron recaptured Severus' mouth, thrusting his tongue between those kiss-swollen lips in time with the pumping of his hips. Their bodies were pressed close together; Ron could feel Severus' hard cock where it was firmly trapped between their sliding bellies. The combined sensations of Severus' cock against Ron's stomach, the legs wrapped so firmly around him, Severus' hungry mouth, and that slick, tight, trembling channel that surrounded his cock were quickly bringing Ron close to the edge of reason. Removing a hand from where it had been clutching Severus' shoulder, Ron started to work it in between their heaving bodies.

Severus stopped him. "No need," he hissed breathlessly. "So close...so bloody close. Harder, Ron. A little harder. Oh yesssss... Like that...just like that."

This time, the hiss that Ron was so addicted to was absent. As Severus came, he shouted; a quavering, triumphant cry so loud that it was lucky that the St. Mungos' rooms had an automatic Silencing Charm. As Ron heard that shout and felt the cock pressed against him pulsing as it bathed him in liquid heat, Ron gave one last thrust and shouted with pure joy as he pumped himself deep within his lover's body.

Almost immediately, it felt as if every muscle in Ron's body had turned to mush. He collapsed heavily onto Severus. Mind reeling, he was only dimly aware of Severus unhooking the ankles which had been firmly locked around his waist and letting his legs drop weakly to the bed. When his gasping breath had slowed and his heart had stopped trying to pound right out of his chest, Ron realized that he had to be thoroughly squishing his partner. When he tried to roll off of Severus, the hands that had still been clenched in Ron's hair moved to Ron's back as Severus clutched him close.

"Don't you dare move," Severus growled.

Shifting only slightly, so that he could rest some of his weight on his elbows, Ron said, "But I'm too heavy--" He stopped speaking abruptly, distracted by the sated and nearly joyful expression on his lover's face.

"Nonsense, love," Severus said as he hugged the young redhead even tighter to his chest. "While I know that we must inevitably part, it's taken me so long to get you inside of me that I fully intend to hold you there as long as humanly possible."

They remained where they were, kissing gently and murmuring soft words into each other's ears until Ron's softening cock slipped gently from Severus' body as they both gave voice to a regretful sigh. Rolling them over, Ron cradled Severus tightly against him. A slightly muffled voice came from where Severus had placed his head on Ron's chest. Muffled as it was, the smug tone was crystal clear.

"I trust that I shall not have to wait such ages before we do that again," Severus said, more statement than question.

"Not to worry, love. I definitely think that can be arranged," Ron replied, his smile apparent in his voice.

As Ron began to fall asleep, he suddenly realized that Severus had called him 'love' for the first time. As he napped, the smile never left his lips.

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The next day, it was Healer Ester who came to room 309 to check the status of the two men. Healer Ester was not a favorite of Severus', she was so banally chipper that the normally rather somber man had to make a great effort to effect a barely civil attitude in her presence. However, this day was different. Healer Ester found both men to be in fine spirits as she worked her diagnostics.

"Well Mr. Snape," she said in the chipper, sing-song tone one might use with a particularly dim-witted child, "you have been making speedy progress indeed. You may feel free to try the canes if you wish. I rather think that you won't need to use two of them for long if you keep improving."

"Be still my heart," Severus said in a tone so droll that Ron had to clear his throat quite loudly to hide a chuckle.

"Mr. Weasley," she continued, her voice getting even more insipid, "I see that you no longer need a cane at all. Good for you, young man!" Here, both men cringed as her voice got a bit high and squeaky. "To be quite honest, Mr. Weasley, I'm surprised that you are still with us at all. You're perfectly ambulatory and my diagnostics show that your magic has returned to a level where you could easily manage your wand. That is, as long as you didn't try anything too strenuous. I can't imagine why healer Cotton hasn't already released you, but I'm sure you'll be out of here any day now."

Healer Ester was rather surprised that her good news wasn't met with more enthusiasm. The young man in question went suddenly pale and his usually disagreeable roommate began to look his old self. She simply didn't understand it. One would think that the sweet and vivacious young man would be eager to be free and in more cheerful company, she thought, as she cut her visit short and left in search of Healer Cotton.

It likely does not need to be stated that Healer Ester wasn't the most observant of the St. Mungos' Healers.

After the Healer had left, Ron sat quietly thinking for some time. The Healer's news had not gone over well at all. Ron had been focusing so much attention on simply enjoying Severus' company and on sorting out the beginnings of their unexpected relationship that he hadn't spared one thought on what would happen when he left. While the thought of getting back into the world was nice enough, Ron didn't want to leave Severus alone in this drab little room. Not to mention the fact that he would miss the other wizard horridly. A bit taken aback by how upsetting the thought of being away from his new lover was, Ron tried to make some sense of the situation.

When Ron had first come to his senses after the last battle and discovered who his roommate was, he had been furious. Never having liked the man when he was at school, Ron had also considered Snape a traitor and a murderer. Only his terribly weakened state had kept the hot-headed young wizard from physically attacking the older man. By the time Ron could leave his bed, Severus' name had been cleared. Then the nightmares had started.

It still amazed Ron how quickly a relationship based on distrust and mutual hatred had turned into one of love and respect. Ron now cherished his budding relationship with Severus and the last thing he wanted to do was jeopardize it. But what was to be done? Would they suddenly kick him out? Would he be now limited to a few precious visiting hours everyday? And who would take care of Severus in the meantime? Certainly the Healers and orderlies were very kind and helpful, but his distrustful boyfriend hated relying on either, and Ron was very sure that if he wasn't around to help Severus, Severus would try to do too much on his own.

Those fearful thoughts led to others. The two men had never discussed what they expected to happen when they left St. Mungos. It was true that Severus had told Ron that he didn't view their relationship as a casual affair, but what exactly were his feelings on the matter? Ron was hyper aware of how little he had to offer. He had left school and never held a job; he'd been too busy fighting and then recuperating to worry about money. Hermione and Ron had both lived with Harry while the war raged. Though Ron knew that Harry would be happy to help him, he already felt so indebted to his friend that he knew he could never ask for anything more. Hermione was in the same trouble as he, save that she had not had to spend so long in hospital and now held a job as a clerk in a shop in Diagon Alley. It wasn't much of a job, but it paid the bills while she studied to take the Practical Recognized Adult Test, which the Ministry offered to anyone unable to take the N.E.W.T.s while in school. Ron supposed that he should take those at some point as well. However, at the moment, studying was the furthest thing from his mind. He wanted to make a life together with Severus, but with what? While Severus might enjoy Ron's company just fine here in the hospital, that was hardly a guarantee that the man would want to be saddled with a penniless wizard once they left. Well, he'd have to cross that bridge when he got to it. The immediate problem was that Ron needed to find out if he was on the verge of being thrown out on his ear and whether there was any way to stop it if he was.

When Ron looked toward Severus, meaning to tell him that he needed to go out for a moment, he was shocked by the cold and shuttered expression on his boyfriend's face. Severus sat quietly at the table, staring resolutely at the bare tabletop. There was no help for it, Ron needed to find out his status and he needed to find out as soon as possible. He would just have to try to smooth Severus' ruffled feathers after he knew exactly what the situation was.

"Severus, I need to go run an errand. I shouldn't be gone long. Is there anything you wish? Shall I fetch you another cup of coffee?"

"You needn't do me any favors," Severus snapped. "It's obvious that you cannot wait to be quit of this situation, so by all means take yourself off with all speed. I assure you that I'll manage to survive your absence."

Looking at Severus' steely expression, Ron knew that it would do no good to try to explain himself, but he had to try.

"Severus," he said softly, "you don't understand..."

"I believe I understand perfectly well," Severus shouted. "Stop that unattractive sniveling and get out of my room."

With a heavy sigh of resignation, Ron decided it was dead useless to try to quiet the furious wizard. As he put on his slippers and headed for the door, he only said softly, "I'll be back."

Severus' only response was a disbelieving snort.

After Ron had shut the door behind him, it was only a moment's work to find the nearest orderly and ask the way to Healer Cotton's office. Another moment and he was standing hesitantly before the Healer's open door. Ron cleared his throat to get the busy witch's attention.

When Patricia looked up, she greeted Ron with a genuinely happy smile. "Mr. Weasley, how nice to see you. I just had a bit of a chat with Polly, so I can guess why you're here."

"Healer Ester said that she was surprised I hadn't been released yet," Ron muttered glumly.

Misunderstanding the young man's distress, Patricia's smile tuned a bit guilty. "Well, Mr. Weasley, about your release. You see, I have a bit of a confession to make. Won't you please take a seat?" she said kindly, gesturing at the chair in front of her desk.

With the air of a man walking to the gallows, Ron entered the office and slumped into the indicated chair.