That was the last Friday they would be able to spend together before summer holidays. Harry had just arrived at the cottage, and they had gone straight to Snape's bedroom.

"I hope you have done well in your exams," said Snape, while they took off their clothes.

"I think I did quite well. Better than Hermione, I reckon! I've always been good in Defence, but now I'm doing well in Charms and Transfigurations too."

Snape glared at him. "And in Potions?"

"Ahem, you know, if I do too well in Potions, I won't need to take Remedial Potions any more, so..."

Snape snorted. "That was the most Slytherin excuse I have ever heard from any student! Perhaps you deserve to fail in Potions this year, what do you think? In order to remain another year at Hogwarts?

Harry laughed, taking off his shoes. "Did you er... get upset last Saturday, when I caught the Snitch and shattered your dreams?"

"Of course I got upset. It wasn't fair, we played so well!"

"Do you know what? It's true. It was the best Slytherin team I've ever played against. Montague was amazing!"

Snape had a proud look on his face. "That very diluted Sandpotion I gave him did well for him. I am absolutely sure he will pass his exams. I just don't know if the Ministry's bureaucracy will let him pass. If he were a Gryffindor, if he were you..."

"I know. They would make exceptions. Can't Dumbledore do anything?"

"He told me he will do his best."

"I felt guilty for defeating Montague," admitted Harry.

"Nonsense. Try to think as the Japanese do. Or rather as they used to think in the glorious samurai era: what is expected from you is that you give your best. Montague should feel proud of himself, because he faced one of the best Seekers that Hogwarts has ever seen, and because this Seeker had to give his best to defeat him. At least that was what I told him, and I think he... bought it."

"That's not a Slytherin thing, in the least."

"I know, but we lost. As a Slytherin, I acted pragmatically, and chose the moral that suited me best at the moment. To comfort myself, I had to use another speech. Do you want to know what I said to myself?"

"Of course. But please finish undoing your buttons."

Snape rolled his eyes. "Well, I told myself that, while that Seeker had destroyed my House's dream of victory, I was proud of him. Because... he is mine. Only mine."

"Oh. That was... unexpected."

Now totally naked, they embraced each other and exchanged a long and passionate kiss.

Snape stared at his lover with an intense look. "I would like to try something different with you tonight. Do you think you can trust me?"

"I've always trusted you, Severus. It's you who don't trust... or didn't trust... yourself."

"Well, after what I told you last week, you might feel insecure."

"If you feel sure enough to go on, I won't let you down."

Snape flashed another near smile. He was getting used to nearly smiling, perhaps even beginning to learn to smile. He pushed Harry onto the bed, gently. Then he opened the bedside table drawer and produced a red candle.

"Never try this, alone or with another person, with an ordinary candle. This candle is special, it burns at lower temperatures." Seeing the way his lover's eyes were gleaming, Snape had to struggle hard to keep his self-control. "Also you shouldn't try to use aromatic candles like this one. The essences that I added to its wax won't cause you any damage, but the same cannot be said of the candles they sell in Hogsmeade, or in the Muggle stores."

"Oh... Are you going to..."

"Sshhh. You will see. Lumos."

The candle was lit. Snape sat at the edge of the bed, beside Harry's naked body.

"Many people enjoy blindfolding their partners but... I prefer not to do that. I prefer not to play power games when I am with you. So, if you want, close your eyes, and only feel," murmured Snape in a hoarse and sensual voice.

Harry closed his eyes.

Snape dripped the first drop of wax near one of Harry's nipples. The boy writhed as soon as the wax touched his skin, and moaned in pleasure when the wax wrapped itself around his nipple. Snape repeated the same process with the other nipple, now dropping the wax right over the peak. Making his lover moan and writhe more and more intensely, Snape continued to spill wax over his belly, navel, thighs.

"Don't worry, we will remove all the wax later, with a cleaning spell. It won't hurt," said Snape, seeing Harry opening his eyes, lifting his head and shooting a concerned look at the wax spread all over his body.

Harry lay down again, apparently trying to relax. Snape lifted his lover's legs and dropped some wax around his entrance, making him gasp.

"Relax. This wax is very special. After melting, it doesn't solidify again: it transforms itself into a lubricant," explained Snape.

Totally focused, Snape dropped wax over his own cock. Oh, that was intense. Almost too much. He closed his eyes for an instant. When he opened them, he saw Harry staring at him, as if mesmerised. Then Snape put the candle on a plate on the bedside table, positioned himself for the best angle and entered Harry in one smooth thrust.

It was like being at home again after a long journey of pain and weariness. He was getting used to that sensation, and he couldn't imagine his life without the Gryffindor boy any more - the Gryffindor boy who was gripping him with all his might.

A few more thrusts and the boy was going to come. Snape stretched his hand to grab the candle carefully. He thrust out and in again, plunging his cock to the root into Harry, brushing against his prostate once, twice, three times. Then, just when Harry's cock began to throb, Snape dripped on it the melted wax that had accumulated on the top of the candle. Harry screamed and arched his body in wild pleasure. That vision was too much for Snape, who came too, feeling some hot drops touching his own cock.

~* ~* ~

A few minutes later, when both were still basking in the afterglow, Snape looked at Harry determinedly.

"I won't leave you alone there the whole summer. Absolutely."

Harry gaped. "They... don't beat me. They're not so bad."

"Yes, they only leave you starving and lock you in cupboards, I know," replied Snape sardonically.

Harry shrugged and didn't say a word.

"Nothing is going to change my mind. I am going to see you there, at least two days a week."

Harry flashed an ear-to-ear smile.