Author: Mosh
Fandom: Harry Potter

Title: Holding On
Pairing: Snape/Lupin
Rating: G
Summary: Transformations are tedious business.
Disclaimer: These boys belong to J.K Rowling. No money being made, no copyright or trademark infringement intended.
A/N: Something short and sweet, though not particularly fluffy. Written ages ago for the cookie jar at Fiction Alley. In fact, this was one of my first ficlets. :)

Note: You may not archive, re-post, or alter any of my stories without my permission. Please contact me first. Thanks!

'How did I end up holding him like this? I should go. I should push him off of me and leave. He's changed; there's no need for me to still be here holding him. This is ridiculous...'

Severus struggled his legs free from under the heavy form that lay on top of him, aware of the irregular twitching of muscles against his body. He wanted to sneeze. He could feel it building. He turned his head to the side in anticipation, but it never came. He squirmed uncomfortably and the figure on top of him shifted so that he could find a more comfortable position. In truth, Severus didn't want a more comfortable position, he wanted to get up and leave. He struggled again, and the figure rolled off him and stood up. All too familiar brown eyes looked down with silent, sincere thanks. Irritatingly polite gratitude. Severus wanted to reach out and slap the other hard across the snout for always being so damn pleasant.

"Your hair gets up my nose. You smell... odd. I have to go now," Severus said, feeling his legs tingling back to life. The other just blinked at him, though Severus thought he detected a hint of amusement in those large eyes.

"Damn it Lupin, don't you dare laugh at me," he snapped. "I know what you're thinking, or would you prefer me to just leave it next month?" Severus glared at Remus. "I don't enjoy this. I'm only doing it because..." Why did he do it, though? Because he was as lonely as Remus? How did staying with Remus during his transformation make the emptiness of his house anymore tolerable once he returned home afterwards? Severus supposed that sharing something this intimate meant that they were frien- No. Why let it get complicated? Put it down to scientific fascination. Research of the effects of the Wolfsbane that he took so much time and care to brew. Yes. That was more like it.

Remus gave one long mock-sheepish stare, his nose twitching. Severus knew that nose was cold and wet; he'd felt it brush against his skin before. It was disgusting, really.  Remus padded over to the corner and sat down carefully, his coat sleek-brown and rippling as he moved. Severus rose to his feet, leaving quickly, closing the door quietly behind him with out a backwards glance at the large brown wolf.

How the hell can Lupin still manage to wind me up with out saying a word, he wondered, as he descended the stairs and sauntered along the corridor towards the front door, automatically wincing as he passed the covered portrait of Black's mother. The evil old wench. As soon as he stepped outside the boundaries of the garden into the darkness of the street, number twelve, Grimmauld Place disappeared from sight magically with a very faint 'pop'.

Until next month, Lupin, Severus thought, slipping down a nearby alley so that he could Apparate home without being seen.

* * * * * * * * * *

Remus sighed, resting his head upon his paws as he heard the front door close.

'Thank you, Severus,' he thought, closing his eyes.

~Fin~