Posted originally on the Archive_of_Our_Own at https://archiveofourown.org/ works/1824583. Rating: Explicit Archive Warning: No_Archive_Warnings_Apply, Underage Category: M/M, Multi Fandom: Harry_Potter_-_J._K._Rowling Relationship: Draco_Malfoy/Severus_Snape, Draco_Malfoy/Harry_Potter, Draco_Malfoy/Harry Potter/Severus_Snape Collections: HDS_Beltane Stats: Published: 2014-06-21 Words: 2513 ****** Hope ****** by alafaye Summary Draco had been furious with Severus--if he had been on Potter's side in the war, he could have done more for Draco and his family. But Beltane brings new beginnings and Severus reaches out in hope. *Note: explicit rating is not for underage relationship; the underage relationship happened in the past. Notes Written for torino10154 for the 2014 hds-beltane fest and originally posted here. Draco's hand was sweating inside Harry's, but he was looking up at the castle. His face was closed off, though Harry didn't need Draco to say or do anything that would reveal what he was thinking. The invitation was inside Harry's cloak pocket, worn soft from Draco's almost constant handling of it. Draco, I ask that you and your partner join me for the Hogwarts reopening ceremony-- the Beltane celebration, taking place a month from now. A conversation where we don't scream at each other would be welcome and I look forward to beginning anew on the day of renewal. Severus Simple, blunt, and almost hurtful. Harry, however, knew differently. He couldn't read everything hidden in the simple words, but he knew that they meant the world to Draco. A peace offering, an apology, a welcoming. "He won't like that it's you," Draco muttered. Harry shook away his thoughts and squeezed Draco's hand. They hadn't come out to the world, but Draco's friends knew that he was dating someone. Severus must have heard from one of them. Draco snorted. "Hell, he doesn't like that there's someone." And, well, there was that, too. Harry knew that Draco and Severus had been something during the war, even before that. No sex, but a relationship almost illegal. All chances of reconcile had ended when it had been discovered at Severus' trial whose side he had been on--from Draco's point of view anyway. After the revelation, Draco had gone to Severus' home and the fight that followed had been bitter. Draco had walked away from Severus and their relationship. Draco, however, seemed to think that Severus had not quite given up. The letter seemed to hint at something. "We can go home," Harry offered quietly. Draco swallowed hard. "We could." A breeze picked up, the trees rustling, and they both shivered. It felt like the edge of something, a beginning or an ending. Draco took a deep breath and put a foot forward. "Let's go." ~~~ The fields outside the Quidditch pitch were lit by the time they joined the celebration. That people were drinking and eating which meant they had missed the actual ceremony, but Harry didn't mind. The number of ceremonies and events held because of the war had greatly diminished his patience for the pomp and circumstance. It was nice to come late and enjoy the beginning that Hogwarts' reopening meant. Draco was silent, but looking everywhere for his old mentor. Harry stuck close, keeping an eye on the revelers. As much as he wanted to enjoy it, he couldn't until he was sure that Draco was ready to have fun. "Draco," Severus breathed behind them. Draco sucked in a breath and turned so sharply he almost fell. Harry put his hand on Draco's back and half smiled at his old professor. Severus assessed them, his face turning hopeful to guarded in seconds. "I got your letter," Draco winced. "Which you knew, since I--" "You could've come because of Harry's invitation," Severus pointed out. Harry smiled cheerfully. "We turned my invite down. We received yours first and since your letter was more important than an invitation that had gone out to everyone..." Severus' eyes narrowed. "Indeed?" "Of course," Draco whispered. There was a pause as Draco visible steadied himself--squaring his shoulders and keeping his face up. "I--Severus, I apologize. My words that day--" "No, Draco, no," Severus said firmly. "It is I who should apologize. I should have done more, protected you--" "You did everything you could! It wasn't your fault!" Harry held up his hand between them. "You're both sorry. Okay? Can you both accept each others apologies?" Severus' nose wrinkled, but he nodded. "I accept, Draco." Draco played the edge of his sleeve. Harry elbowed him in the side. Draco sighed. "I don't think you could've done more than what you did, but I...also accept your apology." Harry beamed. "Well, that's sorted then." Severus raised an eyebrow at Draco. "This is your partner now?" Draco nodded firmly. "Yes." "Well," Severus drawled. The word hung in the air and Draco's breath stalled. Harry felt his fingers twitch toward his wand--no matter how much he had stood up for Severus and wanted Severus and Draco to reconcile, he would not stand for anyone to hurt Draco. And if Severus said anything about Draco's choice to date Harry-- "I suppose you could have done worse," Severus said finally. "And I can do one better," Draco replied quietly a heartbeat later. Severus froze and his eyes darted toward Harry and back again. "You bring him here only to--" "We discussed it," Harry interrupted. Severus froze. "Discussed?" "Us. As in, you and him and me." Draco hesitated. "Together." Severus lifted his head. "And what makes you think I would ever--" "We don't," Harry said. "We only hoped." Draco scoffed. "I hoped. You worried." Harry shrugged at the look Severus sent him. "Draco still loves you. I worried you would hurt him." Draco groaned. "Tell him all my secrets, why don't you?" Harry smirked and threw a wink at Severus. "Oh, I could tell him a lot more. Like how you love it when I--" Draco slapped a hand over Harry's mouth. Severus began to smirk himself. "Oh, no. I think I would like to hear about those kinds of secrets. I had a tent set up for myself as I do enjoy a night outside sometimes. It would be big enough for three." "Is this just...for tonight?" Draco asked. Severus stopped, half way turned to lead them to his tent. He studied Harry and Draco in turn and together. "I might be open to more than one night." "We'll do our best to persuade you then," Harry grinned. ~~~ Severus gasped as Draco slowly sat down, taking his time to feel Severus' cock inside his body for the first time. His face was almost blissful. "I always imagined, but I didn't--Severus, I--" Severus hushed him, rubbing his thumb across Draco's hip. Draco bit his lip and shivered. Severus' face lit up and he looked behind Draco to ask Harry the silent question. Harry smirked and laid his hand over Draco's other hip. Draco groaned and leaned back, trusting Harry to be there. "It's how we got together, actually," Harry admitted. He poured some oil onto his fingers. "I accidentally touched his hip when I bumped into him at a pub." "Some idiot had tried to curse me," Draco muttered. "Slashed my pants--Harry got a good handful." Harry smirked and kissed Draco's shoulder. "The rest was history." Severus hummed and covered Harry's hand with his own and Draco froze. "Don't you two even think about it." Harry winked at Severus who smirked. Harry slid one finger inside Draco, slowly and carefully. Draco's breath hitched and Harry, gleefully, squeezed Draco's hip. "Maybe later. But definitely in the future." Draco swore and Severus chuckled. "There might just be some Slytherin in you yet, Potter." Harry worked his finger in and out of Draco, moving it around, loving the sounds spilling forth from Draco's mouth. He added a second. "I definitely could stand to have a few Slytherins in me, if you get my drift." Severus' eyes darkened. "That sounds suspiciously like a lure, Potter. For future encounters." "Hey, if it keeps you around, I can think of a few more positions I'd like to try with you two," Harry told him. "I'll fuck you both if you will just hurry up!" Draco growled. Harry added a third finger and Draco yelped. "Keep quiet or you won't get more of this." Draco huffed and wiggled against the stretch, pushing back. Harry pulled his fingers out and coated them in more oil before putting four fingers in next to Severus' cock. He studied Severus' face; it was, for once, open, wholly and completely. He watched Draco and Harry in turns, greedily drinking in the sight before him. His muscles were tight where Harry could feel them, spread open to allow Harry room behind Draco. He wanted this, them, and was unashamed of it. Harry smiled to himself, at Severus; this was absolutely perfect. Draco had shyly confessed to him months ago about his feelings for Severus, ones which hadn't quite ever gone away despite the argument and where Severus' allegiances had been during the war. It had taken Harry time, but he had come around in the end to admitting his own feelings. And when the invitation for tonight had come, they could do nothing but answer. Oh, there had been some hesitancy. Some worry. Some fear. But Severus' words earlier and the look on his face now, well, it was more than either he or Draco had hoped for. Draco shuddered and Harry pulled his fingers out. He slicked up his cock and pushed it against Draco's stretched hole. "Are you sure?" Draco let out a breath. "Please, Harry, please." "Wait," Severus whispered. Harry blinked, heart skipping beats, but Severus only calmly moved himself--and Draco by extension--up on the bed so Severus was propped against the headboard. It made this more awkward, but when Severus reached behind Draco to grasp Harry's hip, while still holding Draco's, Harry understood. He tapped Severus' hand and slowly pushed himself inside Draco, beside Severus in there. Draco whined and leaned into Severus, sweat breaking out. Harry's breath stuttered, but he kept on. In and out, rocking into both his lovers now, but letting Severus set the pace as his hand pushed and pulled Harry in an almost demanding rate, guiding them all. "Draco?" Severus whispered. Draco keened and grabbed Severus' sides. Severus kissed his forehead. "Well?" Draco nodded shakily. "More." Harry swallowed hard, knowing he couldn't hold out much longer. He looked at Severus who nodded once, almost imperceptibly. Harry reached in between Severus and Draco to wrap his hand around Draco's cock and quickly set a vicious pace that had Draco shaking. His body froze around Severus and Harry as he came, hard enough that his cum landed in Severus' hair. Severus spat out something and his hand bruised Harry's as he followed. Harry could do nothing but the same. ~~~ "Bloody hell," Draco moaned, rolling until he hit Harry. Harry had been still mostly asleep, but woke up a bit because of Draco. He chuckled and wrapped an arm around Draco's shoulders. "Good morning." "I feel like I had a beater's bat in my arse," Draco complained. Severus sighed, sounding put upon, but he moved so he could lay an arm over both Harry and Draco. "You did ask for it." "Never listen to me again," Draco pleaded. Harry kissed his cheek. "We'll see." Draco punched Harry's shoulder and Harry laughed again. Severus hit them both. "Enough. Or you'll both be tossed out of here in nothing but what you are wearing." Draco raised his eyebrows and smirked. Harry wiggled his own eyebrows. Draco turned around and pulled Severus even closer. "Behave? Us? Maybe you've forgotten, but Harry and I can't behave if we're in the same room. And now it's worse because we're in the same bed." Severus groaned. "I must be insane." Draco hummed thoughtfully. "Insane? Yes, of course." He kissed Severus, long and deep. Harry felt his cock harden at the sight. Draco pulled back, still sucking on Severus' lip. When he let it go, he smiled. "But that's okay. We'll take you as you are." Severus raised an eyebrow. "And you, Mr. Potter?" "Ditto," Harry shrugged. He smirked at the twin looks of exasperation thrown his way. "What can I say? I prefer actions over words." To make his point, he lifted the sheet away and pulled on his cock. Draco's pupils dilated and Severus nodded. "Yes, I can see that. Could we help you with that?" "I was hoping you would." ~~~ Harry woke slowly the next morning and smiled when he saw Draco watching him. "Morning." Draco bumped his nose with his own. "Morning." Harry stretched as best he could and put his hand over Draco's where it lay on the pillow between them. "Happy?" Draco blushed. "I didn't think...Harry, I want you to know how happy I was with you." "But happiness is always better shared," Harry told him. "And I told you that I wanted to see if we could make it work with Severus. I told you that." "I know," Draco murmured. "I know that. I just...worried." Harry kissed him. "Don't. It's clear that he wants us, too. And we are good, Draco. You and I, we're good. And we'll be better with Severus." Draco bit his lip thoughtfully. "You really think he wants us, though? For good?" "Why don't we ask him?" Harry countered. "If you two insist on morning conversations, I might reconsider," Severus told them. Harry smirked and crawled over Draco and Severus both so he could lie next to Severus. With a huff, Severus almost unwillingly let Harry into his space. Harry grinned up at him, head pillowed on Severus' chest. Draco curled around Severus' other side. "Morning," Harry chirped. "We're not normally morning people," Draco said. "We often don't talk until we've had a morning cup." "Special treatment for me?" Severus asked. "For the first morning after?" Harry pointed out. "Of course. The next time will probably be different." Severus was quiet, thumb rubbing Harry's shoulder. Harry shared a look with Draco and cleared his throat. "If you want a next time, of course." Severus turned his head toward Draco. "I didn't think you wanted me anymore. Not after our argument." Draco looked away. "I didn't think you would want me again. I never thought you did, really. I hoped, but then there was the war and the whole mess after and I didn't think I would ever be able to apologize enough to even have a friendship again. But then you sent the invitation and I had to take it. Because I suspected that you had forgiven me and might even want me again. Like before." "I never stopped," Severus admitted quietly. "It hurt so much, your words that day, but I understood. And I...cared for you too much." Draco licked his lips. "I thought you were offering just a friendship. I thought you wanted more, too, but mostly friendship. Your invitation said 'and partner'." "I was willing to take whatever you would offer me," Severus said. Silence fell. Harry watched them, these men who had been hurt and then hurt each other. Who had been brave and wanted enough and then taken it out of fear of losing it. "And now you don't have to let go of anything," Harry told them. "You can have friendship and love." "With you," Draco pointed out hastily, looking worriedly at Severus. Severus took in a deep breath and let it out. He smiled. "All of us. We can have both." Both. Both was brilliant. Harry shared a smile with Draco and put his hand, palm up, on Severus' stomach. Draco put his hand in Harry's and Severus pulled them both closer. Please drop_by_the_archive_and_comment to let the author know if you enjoyed their work!