Harry smiled and shifted his head as he awoke to a mouth nibbling at the shell of his ear. Opening his eyes and blinking away the bleariness, he turned and wrapped his arms around his lover's neck. 'Good morning.'

Severus pulled back and smiled down at Harry's sleepy face. 'Good morning, love,' he whispered. After claiming a quick kiss, he said, 'I trust you slept well.'

'Mm-hmmm,' Harry moaned, stretching as best as he could, being trapped underneath the Potions master. 'What time is it?' he yawned.

'It's just after six. I thought you wanted to get an early start today.'

'I do,' he murmured. 'Need to shower.'

Severus laughed. 'You're taking today rather well. Usually a person who is about to get married feels a bit nervous.'

'What's there to be nervous about? Today I'm binding myself to the most beautiful man that I've ever met. It's something I've wanted since I realised that I was in love with you. I'm excited, not nervous.' Harry chuckled when Severus did his best impression of a fish out of water. 'You're cute when you're speechless,' he said, lifting his head to brush his lips across his lover's open mouth.

Severus gathered enough wits to be indignant. 'I do not do cute,' he said irritably, but Harry could tell that he was pleased with his words, by the slight pink tinge on his lover's cheeks.

'Very well, if you say so,' Harry said, worming his way out from underneath Severus. 'I need to shower, before Sirius comes down here to demand I take care of last-minute details. Care to join me?'

'How can I resist an invitation, especially when you're standing there, naked and aroused?' Severus said with a predatory gleam, sliding off the bed with his usual grace and stalking over to his lover, pulling him close. 'I can't wait for our honeymoon,' he growled in Harry's ear.

Harry grinned up at him. 'Yeah, because we've never made love before, have we?' he teased as he slid his hands down to cup his lover's arse.

'No, we haven't, not where we're going,' Severus replied, his expression clearly saying "I know something you don't know".

'So, will you tell me where we're going now?' Severus had planned their honeymoon all on his own, leaving the details of the bonding ceremony mostly to Harry, only giving his two Knuts on occasion. All Harry knew was that they'd be gone for a month and a half, coming back one week before school started up again.

'You'll just have to wait until we get there.'

'Fine, have it your way. As long as we're together, and I get to chain you to the bed and have my way with you, I don't care where we go.'

'Getting kinky in your old age, aren't you?' Severus said, pulling Harry toward the bathroom. 'I do think, however, that something can be arranged.'

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'You have a stupid grin on your face, Harry. What have you been doing?' Draco said as Harry walked into the Great Hall. He and Fred were already there, dining with Remus, Sirius, Albus, and Minerva. Hagrid had already come and gone, needing to get up early to make sure that the animals on the grounds behaved themselves for the ceremony, particularly the giant squid, since the ceremony would be performed by the lake.

'Don't answer that, Harry. I don't want to know,' Sirius said quickly. 'Sit down and eat, so we can get started. It's not long until eleven, and we need to go over a few things.'

Harry, Draco, and Remus exchanged looks and hid their smiles. Since Sirius had found out that Harry and Severus were bonding, he'd thrown himself into the plans, especially since Harry was his only child, and he had no girl to spoil rotten. Harry thought he was making a bigger deal out of the ceremony than necessary, but he let Sirius do whatever he wanted, since it made his father happy.

'Yes, sir,' Harry said, sitting down and filling his plate.

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Harry stared at himself in the mirror, and a smile slowly spread across his face. His green and black robe was magnificent. Madam Malkin had done a spectacular job on it, doing just what Harry asked.

Harry looked at his hair and smirked, immediately giving it up for a lost cause. No matter what he did to it, it would always end up a huge mess.

Overall, Harry thought that he looked rather handsome. He thought that Severus would appreciate him at any rate.

Harry rolled his eyes as someone pounded on the door. It was most likely Sirius, ready to badger him some more. He loved his father, really he did, but if this day wasn't over soon, Sirius was going to drive him to the brink of insanity.

'Come in!' he yelled, walking into the bathroom to spray on some of Severus' favourite cologne. When he walked out, he smiled in surprise. 'Remus!'

'Hello, love. I thought that I'd come down and see how you were doing. Sirius was going to come, but I sent him to check up on Draco and Severus. I figured that you could use the break.'

Harry laughed and sat down on the sofa, patting the space beside him in invitation. 'He has been a bit crazy these last few days.'

Remus sat down next to Harry and slung an arm around Harry's shoulders. 'He means well. He just wants everything to be perfect for you.'

Harry smiled and leant his head against Remus. 'I know. Everything already is perfect. Barring the resurrection of Voldemort, nothing can go wrong.'

Remus kissed Harry's temple. 'Everything will be just fine. I'm glad that your sight came back in time for this, though.'

'Me, too. I lost all hope of getting my sight back a long time ago, even before I stopped seeing Ana.' Harry sighed and looked around his and Severus' rooms. 'I would have been happy anyway, if I had stayed blind. My life was a good one, even when I was miserable.'

Remus stood up and pulled Harry with him. 'Come along, Harry. Let's get up to the Great Hall before Sirius comes down here to yell at us to hurry up.'

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'Oh, good, there you are. I thought I was going to have to come and find you two,' Sirius said as he and Harry stepped into the Great Hall.

'No, I'm here and eager to start the ceremony,' Harry replied. 'Where's Severus?'

'He and Albus went out to look over everything, make sure everything is ready,' Sirius told them.

Draco let out a loud snort. 'Uncle Severus just wanted to get away from Sirius' nattering and fretting.'

'Be nice, Draco,' Remus chastised, playfully swatting the blond on the arm.

Draco flashed the werewolf a smile and then turned to Harry. 'You're looking handsome. If you weren't marrying my uncle, Fred just might have something to worry about.'

Harry smirked. 'I highly doubt that. I've seen the way you look at him. You two will be having your own bonding ceremony soon, I think.'

'I don't think Fred would have the nerve to ask,' Sirius said, smiling broadly. 'I think he'd be too terrified that he'd actually say "yes".'

'Ha-ha, very amusing,' Draco sneered. 'Perhaps I'll just have to ask him, then.'

Harry shook his head. 'You two are impossible. I'm going outside now. See you there,' he said, leaving the two men to continue their banter.

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'My god, Harry, you look absolutely gorgeous,' Severus said, looking his lover up and down.

Harry smiled and indulged him by turning a circle. 'I'm glad you approve. I must say that you are as sexy as ever,' Harry told him, coming up and wrapping his arms around Severus' waist.

Severus bent down slightly for a quick kiss. 'It's almost time. It's not too late to run away,' he quipped.

Harry grinned and tightened his hold on his lover. 'Not in a million years. They'd have to drag me away, kicking and screaming.'

'Well, let's hope that doesn't happen. It wouldn't surprise me if Sirius changed his mind and spirited you away.'

Harry laughed and hit his lover playfully. 'He's put too much time and effort into this. I think he'd kill us if we backed out now.'

Severus looked past Harry, a thoughtful look on his face. 'Perhaps we should tell him we changed our minds. Perhaps he'll pop a vessel or have a heart attack.'

'That's not very nice,' Harry commented, pretending to pout.

'Perhaps not, but I can always hope.'

Harry stuck his tongue out at his lover. 'At any rate, this entire discussion is pointless. No one can keep me from bonding with you, and I feel sorry for anyone who even considers trying.'

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'Are you ready?' Albus asked, smiling broadly at the two men.

'More than you'll ever know,' Severus said, looking down at Harry.

'Everyone is here, so we're ready to start,' Albus informed them.

Harry and Severus followed Albus up to the altar, Harry smiling at everyone as he passed by, and Severus just nodded to those that meant something to him, and refrained from sneering at Harry's friends for whom he particularly didn't care. Harry and Severus stood in front of Albus, Harry to his left and Severus to his right.

Albus cleared this throat slightly and waited for all to quiet down. Once all was silent, with the exception of the birds chirping in the nearby trees and the playful splashing of the giant squid, which was sequestered at the other side of the lake, Albus started. 'Today, we are here to witness the bonding ceremony of Severus Snape and Harry Potter. I have the privilege of binding these two men together for all eternity.'

When the surprised murmurs quieted down, Albus picked up the gold and silver ribbon, which he had already prepared, casting the spells in the privacy of his own rooms, with only Severus and Harry present. 'Each of these colours represents qualities that each of these men possess in abundance: the gold represents courage and the silver, cunning. Bound together, these threads weave one of the strongest bonds known to wizard-kind.' Albus stepped closer to Harry and Severus. 'My dear children, if you would join your left hands?'

Severus and Harry reached out and clasped hands, entwining their fingers together, their eyes never leaving each other. They concentrated on Albus' words and the ceremony, but everyone else could have sunk into the ground and been lost forever, for all they were aware.

Albus wrapped the ribbon around their hands. A whispered spell and the ribbon fused itself to their hands.

Albus picked up the small goblet carved out of ivory. Inside was a potion that was used only for this ceremony. He handed the goblet to Harry, who took a small sip. When Severus did the same, Albus set the goblet down and picked up another ribbon, this one red and green. 'Red is love, green is life. Severus, Harry, may your life be full of love, and may you live long in happiness. Please join your right hands.' When they did so, Albus wound the ribbon around their right hands in the same fashion as the other. 'It is now time for you to pledge yourselves to each other. Severus, if you will.'

Severus smiled softly. 'I, Severus Salazar Snape, do hereby bind myself to Harry James Potter, through life and death, to the end of all things. You are mine, and I am willingly yours, for all eternity.'

Harry smiled back at his lover. 'I, Harry James Potter, hereby bind myself to Severus Salazar Snape, through life and death, to the end of all things. You are mine, and I am willingly yours, for all eternity.'

Albus sighed in happiness as the ribbons melted into their hands and the gold and silver ribbon formed bands around their left ring fingers. The ribbons would melt and rings would form only if the pair involved held no reservations about their bonding or each other. 'These rings are symbols of your love and dedication to each other, and can never be removed, the bond never broken.'

Albus looked up at their audience. 'May I present to you, Severus and Harry Snape.'

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Harry and Severus sat in their seats, allowing each of their guests to bestow blessings upon their union, as was the custom of this bonding ceremony, thereby strengthening their bond even more.

When the last person finished their blessing, Harry leant over and kissed Severus. 'I love you,' he whispered.

'I love you,' Severus whispered back. 'I can't wait to get out of here so that I can devour you whole.'

Harry grinned and kissed his husband again. 'All in due time, love. You know that Albus will kill us if we don't stay to have a piece of that cake that he had made for us.'

'I know. I guess we should mingle and be good hosts.'

Harry smiled. 'I promise to reward you for your suffering.'

'I'll hold you to that,' Severus said, helping his husband up.

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'Harry, Severus, if you don't mind, I would like to have a word with you two. Albus smiled warmly at them and motioned them toward the lake.

Standing underneath the shade of an enormous tree, hiding from the hot summer sun, Albus turned to his two friends. 'As agreed, the bonding ceremony was my gift to you, but I wanted to tell you of the other gift that I bestowed upon you.'

'What gift would that be, Albus?' Severus asked, his eyes narrowing suspiciously.

Albus chuckled. 'Do calm yourself, Severus. This gift was given long ago. Now, please, let me explain. The year after you came to teach, Severus, was the year our Harry's parents were murdered. Shortly after Harry was taken to the Dursleys, I had tea with Sybil Trelawney.'

'My condolences,' Severus and Harry said at the same time.

'Now, now, boys, be nice. As I told you before, Harry, Sybil is occasionally overcome with the gift of Sight. That day, at tea, she had one of those visions.'

'It obviously didn't tell her that she was a fraud,' Severus muttered.

Harry grinned, but Albus ignored him. 'Her vision was of you two. She foresaw that you would be inexplicably drawn toward each other and what would happen, should the two of you actually come together. It wasn't pretty, suffice to say. Expulsion and job termination would have been the least of your worries.'

Albus sighed softly and his eyes glazed over as he lost himself in memories. 'At first, I was understandably upset. At the time student- teacher relationships were strictly forbidden, and the age difference was also an issue. Of course, I knew nothing of what you, Harry, would face, nor did I realise that at the age of sixteen, you would have known the horrors that most men never have to face.'

'You changed the rules, didn't you, Albus?' Severus said, smirking.

'Of course. I thought of this predicament often, and after a few years, when I realised how the Dursleys were treating you, Harry, I knew that you needed all the love that you could get, no matter where it came from. If you remember, Severus, I changed the rulebooks in 1986, I believe it was.'

'Yes, you added and changed several,' Severus replied.

Albus nodded. 'I also omitted a quite a few, including all those that were against student-teacher relationships.'

'Didn't anyone notice?' Harry asked. 'Wouldn't that strike people as odd?'

'Ah, but only if they actually read them. When I gave the list to the governors, I only listed the numbers that went with the rules omitted. Believe it or not, there were at least two hundred rules that were outdated and never followed, and many of them had been rendered useless by the addition of newer rules. I have to say that many Headmasters before my time were rather lazy or superstitious. Either way, they never did any housecleaning when they added to the rules. At any rate, the list was rather lengthy, and the governors would have had to look each rule up in the book. Have you seen the Hogwarts Book of Bylaws? It's enormous and extremely detailed, and it's in several different versions of English. Most tend to stay away from it, unless absolutely necessary.'

'So no one realised that the rules were changed until they actually found out about us,' Harry surmised.

'Exactly. By then, the rule had been omitted for ten years, and they would have been humiliated by their own incompetence if they confessed that they didn't know the rules of this school. Even though they called the hearing, they had no choice but to leave you and Severus alone.'

'And now?' Harry asked.

'Now, the rule has been reinstated, and everyone is happy. Understand, Harry, that I do not approve of such behaviour normally, but you and Severus were special. Sometimes in life, rules have to be changed, bent, or even broken in order to do the right thing. Throughout the years, you've broken hundreds of school rules, and you've saved many lives as a result. Such is the way of life.'

Harry beamed at the Headmaster. 'Thank you, Albus,' he said, giving the old wizard a hug. Harry looked at Severus. 'I don't know what I'd do without my Potions master.'

'Now you'll never have to find out,' Albus said, clapping his hands together. 'I believe I'm ready for a piece of cake. It looks delicious!' he said, walking back to the reception.

Harry and Severus followed behind him, chuckling softly.

The End!

webmistresse's note: I'd just like to thank Star for letting me host this wonderful story. I have to say, I've read alot of HP fanfics, and this one is truly the cream of the crop. ^_^

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