"I despise this song," Snape said, twisting the dial with precise movements until the radio reached a male voice that spoke in an agitated tone. He leant back in his seat and crossed his arms across his chest with a grunt of satisfaction.
Harry shrugged and kept his eyes on the road.
~~~
"Watch it."
"I see it," Harry said, merging onto the off-ramp.
"There's a lorry."
Harry's jaw clenched. "I said I saw it."
~~~
Harry had an elbow slung up against his open window. Snape was watching the scenery pass by them in a blur.
"Aren't you going too fast?" Snape asked.
Harry flicked on his right blinkers with two fingers. "No. It's fine."
~~~
The Anglia's headlights were narrow and piercing as Harry navigated the tight turns of the country road. Snape had turned the radio off and appeared to be dozing open-mouthed against the headrest.
There were voices whispering behind him.
Harry tilted the rear vision mirror and looked again, but the backseat was full of mist.
~~~
Harry rolled his shoulders, grimacing at their tightness but feeling strangely refreshed.
"Shouldn't you be refuelling?" Snape asked, leaning into Harry's space and pointing at a red blinking light on the display.
"I guess so. Do you know where we can stop?"
Snape gave him directions.
~~~
"Stay in the vehicle. I will attend to its needs." Snape undid the seat belt and drew the loose folds of his robes around his body. The petrol station was empty; only their car and a few overflowing bins were visible in the strident yellow fluorescents.
"Do you know what you're doing?" Harry asked, sticking his head out the window.
Snape's mouth twisted into a grimace. "I am able to work the mechanism."
Harry watched in delight as Snape fumbled with the pump. His sleeves got caught around his wrists and he cursed steadily under his breath as his stained fingers unscrewed the cap. Harry suppressed a chuckle as Snape's oversensitive nose wrinkled at the sweet, heavy smell of petroleum. He unclipped his seatbelt and opened the driver's door. It slammed closed immediately, almost catching his hand.
Harry glared. "I want to walk around for a bit. I'm getting cramps."
"No time," Snape said, his mouth in an unhappy line. "Do not get out."
"You can't tell me what - "
Snape's hand slithered though the open window. Harry leant back but was caught by the collar and dragged forward.
"I said don't get out. Do as I say, Potter, or so help me - " Snape's breath washed over his face and he turned away.
"All right. All right, I heard you. Let me go."
Snape's hand immediately unclenched and Harry pulled himself out of reach.
"You're such a prick, Snape."
Snape's grin was feral and fake. "Can I get you anything? Crisps? Chocolate? Hot or cold beverage?"
"Wanker," Harry scowled as Snape laughed and walked around the front of the car. Harry contemplated gunning the engine and hitting him just on the edge of his narrow hips, tumbling his body through the air like a rigid wooden staff.
As if sensing his thoughts, Snape stuck two fingers up at Harry, who gaped and wondered who had taught the wizard such a Muggle gesture.
"Get me a Kit-Kat!" he yelled, just as Snape reached the automatic doors of the self-service station.
~~~
The door opened suddenly and Snape all but flung himself into the car. "Go," he yelled.
Harry fumbled with the ignition key, fingers suddenly covered in sweat. He wiped his palms over his thighs and tried again.
"I said go," Snape snarled, leaning into Harry's chest and slamming down the button that locked the door. He checked the rear doors, did the same on his side then strapped himself into his seat. "Why aren't we going yet? Drive, you idiot."
"I'm trying," Harry said, finally managing to start the car. His foot slipped off the clutch and he swore.
"Now, Potter." Snape's face was white and pinched. "Now would be a very good time for you to do as I said."
The fluorescent tubes that studded the canopy of the station began to turn off one at a time. They made huge popping noises as the darkness came closer and closer.
"Drive," Snape screamed, hitting the dashboard. "Drive!"
"I'm going," Harry yelled back, tyres squealing as he yanked the steering wheel to the right.
"Faster," Snape encouraged, squeezing Harry's thigh painfully.
Harry took one brief look over his shoulder, found a gap in the heavy traffic on the motorway and forced the car into it. "What's going on?" he asked as he pushed the accelerator all the way to the floor and dodged between cars that seemed to be standing still, or deliberately getting in their way.
"Never you mind, Potter. Just drive." Snape's hand gave his thigh one last squeeze, then slipped away.
~~~
"Stop here," Snape barked, and Harry pulled the car over next to a park. A couple of teenagers half-heartedly kicked a football back and forth and, on the bridge, an old lady wearing three coats of varying lengths threw bits of bread at squabbling ducks. "Wait here, and don't get out. For anything, Potter."
Harry put the car in neutral and keyed the ignition off. He watched Snape's robes flap against his legs as he all but ran to the public toilet block. The teenagers, both wearing low-slung jeans and ratty T-shirts, didn't even glance Snape's way.
~~~
"Wha?" Harry mumbled, forcing himself upright. Snape slumped into his seat and did up his belt while Harry surreptiously wiped drool from his cheek.
Staring out the windscreen, Snape said, "We continue."
~~~
"Eyes on the road."
Harry yawned, and snuck a look at Snape to see if he'd started a chain reaction. "They are."
The windscreen wipers thudded soothingly back and forth, clearing most of the rain out of Harry's field of view.
"Ow! Shit! Fuck, Snape - why'd you do that?" Harry rubbed his pinched side.
"Don't fall asleep."
~~~
Harry woke with his nose pressed into a grey-covered collarbone. "I'm pretty sure we're not supposed to be sleeping together."
The arm around his shoulders tightened. "Get some rest."
While you can, was all but said.
~~~
Harry woke with a thigh between his legs. He casually thrust against it and pulled Snape closer by the shoulder blades.
"This isn't what I meant by rest," Snape mumbled in his ear.
"Just go with it," Harry replied, pulling Snape's nightshirt up over his hips and rubbing his naked cock into the material.
~~~
Harry lay on his stomach and moaned into the pillow while Snape pushed into him slow, deep and easy.
"I'm quite sure we're not meant to be doing this," Snape panted in his ear. Their fingers tangled together near Harry's ear; he turned his face and licked Snape's knuckles.
"Best idea I've had in ages," Harry said, tightening and releasing in waves.
Snape moaned and thrust harder.
~~~
"Are we there yet?" Harry asked.
"Soon."
~~~
The road they were travelling on was pitch-black and perfectly straight. The closer they got to the hazy white dome of light that was shining on the horizon, the more nervous Harry became.
~~~
"Drive," Snape snarled.
"I don't want to. I'm going to pull over."
Snape's fingers squeezed his shoulder hard enough to bruise. "Don't give up now, Potter. You're close."
Harry's skin crawled. "Seriously, Snape, we don't need to. Let's just pull over. I'll find us a hotel - we can rest for a bit."
A cacophony of sound blared suddenly from the backseat like someone had turned on the radio. Tens, hundreds, thousands of voices - some screaming, some pleading, some just saying Harry's name - filled the car.
Harry winced and covered his ears. Snape tugged at his hands; they wrestled while the car swerved dangerously from one side of the road to the other.
"You've rested for too long," Snape screamed. "I didn't come all this way with you just to let you give up now. Drive towards the light. Drive, damn you!"
The babble of voices increased in volume and sped up until they were incoherent and Harry put his hands back on the steering wheel even though he felt blood beginning to trickle out of his ears.
"Do it, Potter," Snape said, one hand clamped on the back of Harry's neck, heedless of the thick blood that poured over his wrist and pooled in his sleeve.
He urged Harry, and cajoled, and threatened, until Harry bit his lower lip, closed his eyes, put his foot flat to the floor and, leaning back into Snape's steadying hand, drove into the light.
~~~
Harry woke up and choked on air, chest heaving under a heavy layer of white linen. He pushed it aside and sat up feebly.
Snape lay in the hospital cot next to him, flat on his back and covered with the same sterile blankets. A flexible beam of light, pulses of pure energy flowed back and forth between them, the colour a strong, healing purple.
Harry got to his feet and stumbled onto Snape's bed. He leant over and kissed Snape's open, unguarded mouth, kissed it hard enough that he felt the shape of Snape's crooked teeth through his lips.
Shaking his head vigorously, he removed the beam of light attached to his temple. He then gently disengaged the other end from the side of Snape's head and it vanished in his hands.
"Wake up," Harry whispered against Snape's cheek. "We're back."
