Where They Belong

Hermione giggled at his wry tone, and Harry grinned as he said, "Sure beats an alarm clock."

At that, they all dissolved into chuckles, feeding off each other in a loop of delight. When they had subsided into contented silence again, Hermione yawned and stretched, then said, "Hmm, I need a shower. And breakfast."

Snape retorted, "I daresay we all need a shower and breakfast, but you're welcome to go first. You know where the bathroom is. We can go scrounge something edible, can't we, Harry?"

Harry smiled. "Sure thing. Don't take too long, though, Hermione. I want to get going to take care of business down at the MLE offices."

Snape stiffened at the reminder of the ordeal they had gone through the night before, and which had brought them to him.

Hermione grimaced and rolled off the bed, shaking her limbs and stretching again. "Fine. I do want to get things done so we can be free to go back to our own damn home."

Suddenly, Snape's gut went cold at the thought of them leaving him alone and going back to Grimmauld Place without him. It would be like before, and he would be the odd man out again.

Harry, still nestled at Snape's side, squinted up at Snape's face, puzzled by his tense withdrawal. "Severus, are you all right?"

Hermione whirled, instantly concerned, and perched on the edge of the bed again, one hand coming to rest on Snape's shin. "What's wrong?"

Snape's jaw twitched as he ground his teeth. Desperately sliding his impassive façade back on, he said, "Nothing. Run along, then. You've got business to attend to so you can get home. Once your safety is secured, you have no reason to be here."

Hermione and Harry exchanged looks of surprise. Harry shoved to a sitting position beside Snape and said, "Whoa whoa whoa...just what the hell is that supposed to mean?"

Hermione turned hurt eyes on Snape and said, "No reason? You act like we just used you. I thought we had made our reasons perfectly clear last night...and this morning."

Cold fear and hot shame spread over him in waves, prickling his skin. His throat constricted and he couldn't meet their wounded, accusing gazes.

Harry heaved a deep sigh and said, "Severus, the sooner we get the protection orders set up, the sooner we can get our lives back in order, and the sooner we can all take the time to figure out where we go from here. We have to leave to get all that done, but we are coming back. That is, if you'll let us, now that you don't owe us anything anymore."

Snape blinked rapidly as he stared at the ceiling, trying to maintain his composure. Harry reached out to clasp his hand, and Snape laced his fingers with Harry's, gripping tight. Hermione followed suit on the other side, and a moment later, both young people had enveloped him in a comforting embrace.

Hermione murmured, "We're not foolish enough to think that everything will fall into place without a hitch, but we are ready and willing to take up the challenge of carving out a life for the three of us, together. Just give us a little credit and have a little faith, all right?"

Snape swallowed hard, willing his muscles to relax. With another squeeze, he nodded, then released his hold on them. They backed away, looking at each other with eloquent eyes, and Harry said, "I'll go start the tea, and Hermione will shower first. Severus, you can join me when you're ready."

They slipped off the bed, leaving Snape to lie there with one arm flung over his eyes.

Harry had the tea ready, as well as stacks of toast and bacon, by the time Hermione appeared in the kitchen, dressed and ready to start the day. "I'll take over so you can get cleaned up."

Harry grinned around a mouthful of bacon sandwich and nodded. After a huge swallow, he said, "Sure thing. Hey, have you seen Severus since we left him in the guest room?"

Hermione frowned and said, "I heard him pass the bathroom and shut his bedroom door when I was drying my hair. If he doesn't come down by the time we're ready to leave, we'll just have to drag him bodily down here for breakfast."

Harry nodded again and gulped the rest of his tea. "It's a lot for him to assimilate, Hermione. Give him a little time, okay?"

Hermione pursed her lips in reluctant agreement, then smiled when Harry passed her and dropped a quick kiss on her cheek. She waved him off with a fond expression and sat down to spread jam on her toast. She was quietly chewing, lost in thought, when she was surprised to feel hesitant hands sliding along her shoulders and a gentle kiss pressed to the crown of her head. Twisting, she looked up into Snape's face, his expression cautious.

Dissolving into a tender smile, Hermione murmured, "Good morning, love. Would you like some breakfast?"

Her hands covered his and squeezed. Snape strode around her and sat down, inclining his head in gratitude as she passed him a cup of tea made to his liking. "Thank you."

"Are you all right?"

Snape heaved a deep breath and said, "I... apologize for what happened upstairs."

Instantly, Hermione's lips spread in a wicked smirk and she lilted, "Oh, don't be sorry for all of it, indeed. I quite enjoyed myself, you know."

Snape blinked at her, taken aback by her lascivious teasing. She held his gaze, her eyes twinkling in challenge, and finally he cracked a smile. "Yes, well, I'm certainly pleased about that, of course. But... I made assumptions and thought the worst, and I shouldn't have done that."

Voice gentle, Hermione said, "Apology accepted. We understand. There's a lot to process. It's going to be difficult at times, I'm sure, but we're prepared to see it through. We're finally where we belong, and we're going to fight to stay there...here."

Snape swallowed hard, gazing at her with near adoration. "I think...I would like that. Very much."

They beamed at each other, and Hermione handed him a plate of bacon and toast. Snape nodded his thanks and tucked in. They were both eating in companionable silence when Harry bounded back in, hair still damp and untidy as usual.

"Hope breakfast is all right, Severus. Glad you joined us."

"It's lovely, Harry. Thank you."

Harry flashed a lopsided grin at Snape and said, "I'm working on learning to cook more. Maybe you can teach me that too."

Snape, equilibrium regained, almost giddy on the high that came with such a paradigm shift in his life, smirked at Harry and said, "Just add that to the list of other things you want me to teach you? I daresay cooking won't be nearly as much fun as the others."

Hermione almost choked on her tea as she was startled into laughter by Snape's blatant innuendo. Harry's brows shot toward his hairline and he stared at Snape, mouth agape. Snape held his gaze, much like Hermione had done with him earlier, until Harry blinked rapidly and exhaled.

Stepping around the table to stand in Snape's personal space, Harry quirked a slow smile and rumbled, "When do lessons start?" before leaning down and kissing Snape.

Hermione giggled at Snape's surprised expression, then licked her lips in appreciation when the kiss deepened into a heated snog. Snape's hands slid around Harry's waist and pulled him across his lap, making Harry break the kiss with a startled yelp.

Tickling Harry's ear with his nose, Snape murmured, "Those lessons don't have a set schedule. I'm always ready for a teachable moment to present itself."

Harry's eyes closed and he exhaled a strangled oath. "Yeah, well, I'm sure the homework will be both educational and enjoyable. But we really do need to get to the MLE offices. I just want to get it done and get back here as quickly as possible."

Snape smiled and nipped Harry's earlobe, smirking beyond Harry at Hermione. "Of course." He hauled Harry off his lap and steadied him as he said, "Hurry up. Good students don't waste valuable time."

Hermione laughed as she stood and linked arms with Harry. "Come on, Harry. You know I'm a swot about everything."

*****

Hermione, Harry, and Snape sat, relaxing around the sturdy kitchen table in Grimmauld Place that night after a leisurely dinner, polishing off a bottle of elf-made wine, and taking the time to talk about all manner of things as they started navigating the uncharted territory of their unconventional relationship.

"Are you sure you don't need any help moving anything home from your quarters at Hogwarts?"

Both Harry and Hermione shook their heads. Hermione said, "No, it's all fine. We stopped by there today after going to MLE to let Minerva know about what had happened and how the protection orders affect the Weasleys coming to Hogwarts. We went ahead and transported things then."

Harry added, "We also told her about us. All three of us."

Snape's eyes widened. Voice carefully neutral, he said, "And?"

Hermione and Harry exchanged pleased grins and Harry said, "She was quite surprised, of course, but when she had heard the whole breakdown of how things had come to such a sticky end with Ron and Ginny and how you had been there for us all through the years, she reckoned it made a fair bit of sense."

Hermione continued, "She said to remind you that you're welcome to visit any time."

Snape's expression melted into one of almost shy relief. He quirked a faint smile at them and they beamed back.

Harry ventured, "Speaking of welcome to visit... You know, there's someone else we really should contact soon..."

They looked at him, brows furrowed, and Hermione said, "Who?"

Harry rubbed the back of his neck and smirked. "Viktor, of course."

Hermione clapped her hand over her mouth to muffle her surprised squawk, eyes wide, and Snape cleared his throat savagely, completely taken aback.

"Well, I'm sure he'll be happy for us, and...when you think about it...we wouldn't be where we are now if it weren't for him." Harry shrugged and grimaced almost apologetically.

They all exchanged contemplative looks, and Snape took the plunge. "I know that everything is still extremely new, and I don't want to make incorrect assumptions again... So, I'll just ask: do you want to continue relations with Viktor as well?"

Harry sat back in his seat, completely unprepared for that question. "No! Viktor and I had a lot of good times, but that was when I was single. Like I told Hermione, Viktor doesn't help people cheat. And I'm decidedly not single now. Twice as much so, actually."

Snape inclined his head in a calming gesture, but continued, "He may not help people cheat, but it's not cheating if everyone agrees that the relations are acceptable. I mean, if anyone were to look at any of the three of us as only couples, then if they saw us with the other person, they would assume we were cheating on the first person. But since we have all agreed that our relations are acceptable, there's no cheating amongst us. So, my question was valid, and not just for you." With that, he turned to Hermione and said, "You were the first one to have relations with Viktor. You're still attracted to him. Do you want to continue relations with him?"

Hermione thought for a long moment before saying, "I understand what you were saying, Severus, and I agree. But, while having fun with Viktor is something that could be within the realm of possibility, I have to say that right now, I am perfectly content to be with the men I love...and frankly, I'm pretty sure that I'll have quite enough to be going on with, now, won't I?"

Snape's lips spread in a tender smile. "I hope so, dear heart. As for myself, I had an enjoyable time with Viktor, and I am quite fond of him, but nothing can compare to my feelings for you both. I would much rather concentrate on keeping us happy than adding another variable to the mix."

There was a pregnant pause as they all gazed anxiously at each other, reaffirming the security of their newfound bond.

"That being said, Harry, you made a good point. If it weren't for Viktor and all he helped us learn about ourselves and each other, we wouldn't be here now, together, with our lives ahead of us. He definitely deserves our gratitude. Perhaps we should invite him for another visit this summer."

Hermione met Harry's eyes and they nodded. "I'll owl him tomorrow and see when he's free. Viktor lives and loves so generously, I'm sure he'll be delighted that we've found each other."

Snape lifted his wine glass and said, "To Viktor."

Harry and Hermione followed suit, clinking glasses and repeating, "To Viktor."

Smiling, content with their clearer understanding of where everyone stood, they remained silent as they finished their wine.

Harry once again broke the peaceful quiet with a huge yawn, and Hermione rolled her eyes. Before they could say anything, Snape pushed his chair back and said, "On that note, I daresay it's time for me to go home. I wouldn't want to overstay my welcome."

Hermione instantly covered his hand with hers and said, voice full of reproach, "That's not possible, Severus. Please don't say things like that."

Snape ducked his head, shaking his hair forward, and said, "Forgive me, Hermione; it's second nature by now, and it will take some work to change the habit."

Harry cocked one eyebrow at Snape and said, "Hey, if I'm gonna be learning new things, then it's only fair that you do, too."

At that, they all chuckled, eyes sparkling with mischief, as they rose and strode toward the Floo.

Harry darted forward and enveloped Snape in a tight hug, stifling another yawn against the taller man's chest. "The Floo is always open, so feel free to come over any time, just like you say we can come there any time. At least we know it's safe to leave it unblocked now, since the protection spells prevent any Weasley from coming anywhere near us. I figured it was only sensible to include Spinner's End as well, since we'll be there so much too."

Snape caressed Harry's back and murmured, his voice teasing, "Very smart, indeed. Who knew you would turn out to be so bright?"

Harry shoved Snape in retaliation and said, "Oi! I'll have you know that I can be a very good student. And you know what else good students do?"

Snape smirked down at him and said, "What's that?"

"They make sure they get plenty of rest so nothing impedes their ability to learn." With that, Harry stretched up and kissed Snape. "So, this is the part where I say 'good night.'"

Snape chuckled and murmured, "Good night, Harry."

Harry's hand slid down Snape's arm and reluctantly let go of his fingers as he stepped past Hermione. "Good night, Hermione."

Hermione stopped him with a quick kiss and said, "Good night, Harry."

Snape smiled at her and she closed the distance between them, sliding her hand into his hair to pull him down for a slow snog. When she backed away, Snape whispered, "Good night, Hermione."

Hermione cupped his cheek and said, with a wicked smile, "Go get some rest yourself...you may need it if you're going to be throwing yourself into teaching again."

Snape's laugh rumbled in his chest. "Mmm, we wouldn't want to overwhelm anyone straight off... There's no rush either."

Trailing her fingers down his throat to his chest, she lilted, "True. But you know, at the end of the month it is Harry's birthday, so we could always aim for that as the practical final exam, if you will."

Eyes gleaming with lascivious intent, Snape smirked and said, "What a brilliant idea, my dear. Care to be my teaching assistant for such an auspicious occasion?"

Hermione bit her lip and shivered at the images racing through her head. "It would be my pleasure."

Snape leant down to nuzzle her ear with his nose and purred, "Correct, as always." He suckled her earlobe for a moment, then stepped back and said, "Good night...sweet dreams."

Hermione watched him as he bowed, tossed powder into the Floo, and whirled out of sight in the green flames.

Before she turned to head up to her room, she murmured to the empty kitchen, "Sweet dreams? Oh, they will be. In spades."