Before this could progress any further, Harry got between the two potential combatants. "Dobby, Master Snape isn't going to harm me. He's my . . . friend now. Everything is all right. If you'd just bring the surprise like we discussed . . . ."
"Yes, of course. Dobby is sorry for upsetting Harry Potter. I will – "
"No," Harry cried out, intervening before Dobby could do himself any more harm. "Just go home and get the you know what, all right?"
"Yes, Harry Potter," Dobby agreed and Apparated away with a loud pop.
"Well, that was lovely," Severus said with his characteristic sarcasm. "Hello, by the way."
Harry sighed as Severus moved closer to him. Reaching out, he wrapped his arms around his lover and gave Severus a kiss. It still sometimes felt strange to him how . . . non-combative Severus was with him. Though occasionally short-tempered, Severus was incredibly accommodating.
When they pulled back, Severus said, "You're home early. Do I want to know what the surprise is?"
"Er . . . you're early yourself, aren't you? You don't usually come up from the basement till six," Harry tried to keep the accusation out of his voice.
Severus shrugged. "I felt the house elf cross my security wards. I was curious to see what it was up to. And that evasion of my question was not the least bit subtle."
"You have security wards?" Harry blundered out before realizing how stupid a question it was. What wizard with Severus' chequered past wouldn't have security wards? "Forget I asked that. Why haven't they stopped me? I've been coming and going freely since . . . well, since our first night."
Severus was silent for a moment. Finally, he met Harry's gaze and softly answered. "After that first night I added you to the total access list."
"How many are on that list?" Harry asked. As far as he knew, Severus hadn't had a single visitor in the last six weeks.
"You, and myself," Severus replied with obvious reluctance.
"So how did Dobby get past them? Or don't the wards work on house elves?" Harry asked, taking a strange pleasure at Severus having added him to his wards that early in their relationship.
"Of course they work on house elves," Severus replied a mite peevishly. "Shortly after you . . . started staying over, I added Harry Potter's guests to the wards."
"My guests?" Harry echoed, bewildered. "But I've never had anyone over."
Truth was, he would never have taken that liberty with his privacy-loving lover.
"Nevertheless, the possibility existed. You are very friendly with young Marstan. It seemed a reasonable precaution," Severus said.
Touched, Harry moved back into Severus' personal space. "Thank you, Severus."
When they emerged from the resulting kiss, Severus asked, "The surprise?"
"You'll see in a few moments," Harry said, glad that he'd told Dobby ten minutes. He knew he wouldn't be able to hold out much longer than that, especially if Severus chose to fight dirty, and, realistically, when did Severus ever chose to do anything but?
"So you've taken on Malfoy's old house elf, hmm?" Severus commented. "I'd wondered where he'd gotten to."
"Dobby lives with me. He . . . well, I pay him," Harry added defensively.
But Severus wasn't Hermione. He didn't have to justify everything to him.
"I assure you, I've no interest in your domestic arrangements with that psychotic house elf," Severus said.
"He's not psychotic," Harry protested, defensive again. "I, er, think he's jealous of you."
"Jealous?" Severus repeated, his eyes widening in something like horror. "Please, Potter, disperse the horribly unnatural images playing through my mind."
"You have a filthy mind," Harry said, forcing his face to remain serious. "I can't believe you'd even suggest that I'd . . . with a house elf!"
"Stranger things have happened," Severus said with a shrug.
"Yes. I suppose they have. Just for the record, there is no unnatural relationship there. Dobby's just jealous because I've been here so much lately."
"I see," Severus said. He glanced over at the stove and added, "It occurred to me that we could be in some trouble regarding dinner. I didn't notice the date until this afternoon, and by then it was too late to make reservations. I was at a delicate point in my experiment and – "
Another pop sounded from the dining room outside the kitchen door.
"What was that?" Severus asked. His eyes closed, and Harry knew he was checking his wards. "The house elf is back."
"The surprise is ready," Dobby announced, sticking his head into the kitchen around the doorjamb.
"Thank you, Dobby," Harry said.
He and Severus turned towards the dining room. They both froze at the sight that awaited them there.
Harry blinked in surprise. He'd arranged this and asked Dobby for everything, but his small friend had really outdone himself.
The table was set for a king, or possibly a Malfoy. The lit candelabras looked like they were made of solid gold. The table cloth was laced silk. The plates fine china, with crystal wine glasses. The fragrant gold platter in the centre of the table beside the Night Blooming Arcadium was immense. There were fully a dozen smaller covered serving plates grouped around it. Everything sparkled and glowed as though it had a charm on it.
Severus blinked, turning to him in confusion, "What . . . that's . . . that's Night Blooming Arcadium. It's almost extinct. Wherever did you find it?"
Severus rushed to the table, reaching out to touch the plant's velvety leaves with obvious reverence. Neville hadn't mentioned the extinct bit, Harry thought. Severus' open delight made Harry think he owed Neville a dinner at the very least.
Once Severus had finished examining the Arcadium plant, he moved it off the table to the sideboard against the wall.
"The heat from the platter could damage it," Severus explained.
"You like it then?" Harry checked.
"Like it? I'm . . . astonished, if a little bewildered. What are the plant and this dinner in aid of – oh," Severus paused, visibly awkward, "Today's date?"
Harry gave a hesitant nod, unsure how Severus felt about his gesture, which he now realized might be deemed as over the top. "I, er, knew you wouldn't care for a box of candy or a necklace that says 'Petal' . . . ." Realizing he was blabbering, Harry promptly shut his mouth.
"Did you say 'Petal'?" Severus asked.
"That's what Robbie got his girl," Harry explained, feeling like a fool. "I, er, wanted to get you something, but the traditional things didn't seem . . . appropriate."
"Well, certainly not a necklace that says 'Petal'," Severus said with a true smile. "This is far better. That is roast pork that I'm smelling, isn't it?"
Harry nodded again. He was almost limp with relief. He knew how badly this could have gone, especially with Dobby's aggressive behaviour, but once again Severus surprised him.
Severus came back to him. His face uncharacteristically open, almost tender, Severus softly said, "Thank you, Potter. This was . . . quite thoughtful."
