Draco woke up with a snarl on his lips. Some beast was bouncing like a lunatic on his bed. Grabbing said lunatic, he rolled over despite the tangle of covers, and began tickling Harry's ribs until he was shrieking.

"Uh oh!" Draco stopped as he heard a door slam.

"It's Dad!" rasped Harry and he burrowed under Draco's blankets.

Severus, his hair flying everywhere, his dressing gown belted loosely, and a terrible scowl on his face, had thrown the door open and now dominated the doorway.

"It is six o'clock in the bloody morning," he informed the boys tersely. "What in Merlin's Teeth is going on in here?"

"I... uhm..." Ugh! Draco's stomach knotted. This was his godfather, in full on scary Professor Snape mode. Draco wanted to crawl under the blankets with the lump at the end of his bed.

Severus strode in and smacked the rump end of the lump under the covers. "Harry!" he growled as the lump yelped. "Show yourself!"

The lump squirmed and moved and in another second Harry was peeking out from under the covers and grinning cheekily at his father. Draco was actually a bit gobsmacked that the little boy wasn't running scared from the intimidating glare that could melt bone and boil flesh.

"Good morning, Dad!"

"Harry," began Severus in those silky tones that often presaged the docking of points and a weeks worth of detention. "Are you aware that it is six in the morning... a Saturday morning and that your father prefers to sleep in until eight?"

Draco wrapped his arms around the little boy protectively. His godfather's eyes had that dangerous glint to them. Harry, a little less enthusiastic, replied, "But, da-ad, Draco's here. You don't really want to waste time sleeping, do you?"

"It would have been nice," the older man sneered. To Draco's amazement, the scary bat of the Hogwarts dungeons disappeared, only to be replaced by a somewhat rumpled, disgruntled, and bleary-eyed wizard. "Fine," he grumped. "Take your showers, get dressed, and I'll fix some pancakes. Tomorrow, Merlin help me, if you wake me again squealing like a trapped mouse, I will give you something else to squeal about." In a turn, that billowed his dressing gown emphatically, Severus left Draco's room.

"I'm with your Dad, Snapelet. No waking me up so bloody awful early, either."

Harry huffed as he untangled himself from Draco's arms and covers and dropped to the floor. "Eat some soap, Draco!" He ran out of the room and Draco smirked at the faint giggle he heard.

Severus stifled a yawn as he flipped the pancakes on the griddle. Echo had just arrived and was using a Warming Spell to warm the maple syrup.

Draco walked in and didn't bother to check his yawn. "Uncle Severus, I'm real sorry about this morning. I had no idea how early it was when Harry jumped me."

"No matter, Draco," said Severus waving him towards the kitchen table. "Harry has been waiting since the beginning of summer for your visit. I should have expected this."

Draco chuckled. "I have, too, kind of."

"How was the United States?" asked Severus as he placed a stack of pancakes in front of his godson.

"Americans talk funny. Half the time I wasn't really sure what Hermione's cousins were talking about. Hermione called it 'slang'."

"Were any of them magic?" asked Echo.

Draco shook his head. "Not a single one. It was weird, at first. I kept wanting to reach for my wand for everything. I'll tell you right now, though, I hate electricity! It's dangerous! You wouldn't believe how many times I thought things like the toaster, or a light switch were attacking me because I got shocked."

"Yet you managed to build two Keepsake Boxes without the use of magic," reminded Severus. The pride in the older wizard's voice made Draco blush and he tended to his pancakes studiously.

"I grew up with Muggles in Massachusettes," interjected Echo. "My father's cousin and his wife, who were taking care of me, became very irritated by the fact that my magic tended to cause their appliances to short out. During the summers, they wouldn't let me use my magic."

"We can't ufe magic inna fummerf," informed Draco around a mouthful of pancakes.

"Don't talk with your mouth full, Mr. Malfoy," came the warning from the chef.

Draco swallowed. "Sorry, sir." He looked over at Echo. "Underage Magic Restrictions. Did you have anything like that in America?"

"America tends to be a bit more lax. Any child over the age of ten is allowed to use magic under the supervision of an adult if they live in either an all wizarding community, or a wizard/Muggle community."

Draco drank some of his juice. "I was surprised at how many towns were wizard and Muggle..."

"Hi!" Harry finally arrived to breakfast and sat at his seat just as Severus put a plate of pancakes down in front of him. The tall man bent down slightly towards his son and pointed the pancake flipper at his nose.

"I mean it about tomorrow morning, Harry," Severus warned sternly.

Harry's smile faded a little and he sighed, "Yes, Dad."

Severus smirked, "Good boy." He then joined everyone at the table and began eating his own pancakes.

"Uncle Severus," began Draco after he washed his last pancake down with some milk. "I read about the brooms race that's held here at the end of summer. Did you know it's an amateur race?"

Severus glanced at his godson, his left eyebrow rising barely. "Is it? I really hadn't looked into it."

"Well, uhm... I was thinking of entering it, but..." Draco swallowed. "I have to have the permission of a guardian in order to register and well, mother hasn't signed the register form I sent her two weeks ago."

Severus ground his teeth. Not at his godson's request but at Narcissa Malfoy who seemed to be falling further into her self-pity, most likely she was glorying in it.

Draco had written to him a few times complaining about his mother's habit of either ignoring his letters, or complaining, bitterly over her son's open condemnation of his deceased father. The older wizard had long been able to read between the lines in his godson's letters, and in the boy's body language.

Lucius Malfoy had never been a particularly loving parent to Draco. His son, his heir, was a prize that he lorded over business associates and his Pureblooded contemporaries.

Lucius had done everything possible to mold his son into more than just an exact, physical replica, he had tried to mold Draco's mind as well. Lucius forgot, though, that Draco did have his own mind and was able to think for himself. Lucius had also made the mistake on the day his son was born in making Severus the babe's godfather.

Every moment that Severus had with Draco, he subtly encouraged the boy to think on his own and to ask questions. He was, however, taught to never question his father. Lucius never beat his son, but his words and his disapproval cut just as deep.

Even though Draco knew he had his godfather, whom he adored, the death of his father and the exposure that he really was a staunchly loyal Death Eater had been hard for him to accept. Draco had hoped for comfort, mothering, from Narcissa Malfoy, but he had not been given it. Narcissa, true to her name, thought only of herself and never once had thought of her son.

Severus had yet to ask Draco about his relationship with Hermione, but he knew the Gryffindor must be good for the young man's soul. The genuine happiness he radiated was something that had been rare when Lucius was alive. It is a pity, Lucius, that you never knew this side of your son, thought the Potions Master.

Severus dabbed at his lips with his napkin and then dropped it upon the table. "Do you have an extra registration form, Draco?"

Draco's eyes flew wide in hope. "Yes, I do, Uncle. Shall I get it?"

"Please. I'd like to look it over." Draco raced out of the kitchen while Severus poured himself a second cup of coffee.

"You're going to sign it, aren't you?" asked Echo.

"Shush, woman!" he snapped, a wicked smile glittering from his dark eyes.

Echo rose and began to clear the table. She nudged Harry's shoulder, and he glanced up from the last pancake he'd turned into syrupy mush. "I think you're finished, sweetheart. Give me some help?"

"Yeah." Harry picked up his plate and took it to the sink.

Draco skidded into the kitchen, almost colliding with Harry. He picked the little boy up, plunked him to the left, and continued to the table.

"This is the Permission Form, Registration Form, and some information about the race," he said breathlessly as he handed each document to Severus. Draco was going to hover as his godfather read through the paperwork, but a slim finger pointed to his chair and he plopped down into it.

Severus read the paperwork on the brooms race deliberately sipping his coffee until he noted that Draco's leg was nervously bouncing rapidly. With a smirk, he summoned a quill and scratched his signature on the Permission Form and then on the Registration Form. He then handed the paperwork over to Draco.

"Get all of that filled out and we'll drop it off to the Registrar's Office this afternoon." Severus stood from the table. "The dishes are yours, boys. No magic, Draco," he ordered firmly. Draco's shoulders drooped slightly. Severus then tucked his arm around Echo's. "My dear, lady? Shall we take a walk?"

Draco and Harry watched as the two adults, holding hands, headed down to the beach, joined by a bouncing Hector.

"C'mon, Snapelet. Let's do the dishes and then you can help me fill out the forms for the race."

Harry smiled. "Do you think I can practice with you, Drake?" He took a short stool from the corner and positioned it in front of the sink. He then climbed on it.

Draco cleared the dishes and handed them to Harry who began washing. "Sure you can. We'll do some flying before dinner each evening since I'm pretty sure your Dad has some stuff planned for us."

"Oh yeah! Sunday we'll go to Market and maybe Dad will play chess with Bido. I beat Bido, but got in lots of trouble."

Draco sniggered. "I remember you writing about that, Harry. It's too bad you didn't get to keep what you won."

"I didn't get my ice cream, either," Harry sighed over-dramatically.

"I'll buy you an ice cream on Sunday for that, but no telling your Dad what it's for, okay?"

"Yeah!" Harry cheered, throwing some suds on Draco's head.

"Hey! Watch it, Snapelet!" Draco picked up a handful of suds and launched them at Harry. Harry ducked and the suds splattered all over the stove.

It took only a few minutes to completely make a mess of the kitchen. Since it was mostly suds and water, it didn't take long to clean up the mess. They then finished washing the dishes and put them away. By the time Echo and Severus returned from their walk, looking a bit flushed beyond a simple walk, Draco and Harry were filling out the registration form for the brooms race.

The main boulevard that stretched a twisted, curvy length of the village, was busy with horse and carriage traffic during the week and its sidewalks were filled with witches and wizards walking this way and that taking care of business.

Echo, with Harry's hand in hers, walked ahead of Draco and his godfather. Draco had been quiet for most of the walk, but when he saw Harry trip and Echo catching him before he could hurt himself, he finally had the nerve to ask the question that had been burning inside of him since he'd arrived in Greece.

"Uncle, do you think you might marry Echo?" Severus glared briefly at Draco, but the boy only smirked knowingly at him. "Well, you do seem to like her a bit," he quipped.

"A bit," Severus agreed vaguely. Now it was Draco's turn to glare. "If you don't mind, Draco, this is not something I'd care to discuss with you at the moment."

From time to time Draco had a bad habit of displaying some distressing Gryffindor traits and he did so now in boldly and blatantly ignoring his godfather's request. "I think she suits you very well."

"And what would you know about that?" sniped Severus tautly. "You haven't known Echo more than a day and a half and a few hours at Harry's birthday party."

Draco shrugged. "I don't have to know more, Uncle. It's very clear to me that Echo thinks the world of you and well, you're just plain sappy over her... OW!" Draco grimaced and straightened his hair where Severus had just whacked the back of his head. "That just proves my point, Uncle," he said stepping nimbly to the side to avoid another possible smack and smirking.

Severus hand snaked out and he grabbed his impertinent godson by the forearm and yanked him close to his side so he could speak in those low, dangerous tones that all of his students recognised as their last warning.

"Do not think that any affection I have for you, idiot child, can prevent you from winding up in one of my potions. Drabble Potion will only improve by the addition of a glib, human, tongue." Draco huffed in annoyance and crossed his arms over his chest, not daring to brush his godfather's hand from his forearm. "Draco..." he paused and took the threat out of his voice. "Draco, it is... complicated. Shall we leave it at that?"

Draco nodded and then uncrossed his arms. "I'm sorry, Uncle Severus, but, can I say one thing?" Severus let go of his godson and gave him a dubious, yet warning look. The boy smiled and shrugged. "I just wanted to say, Uncle, that I like Echo."

Severus dropped his hand on Draco's shoulder and nudged him back into walking since they were getting left behind. He then smiled, very briefly. "Thank you, Draco."

The office for the Solonus Isle Amateur Brooms Race was two blocks from the docks. Harry was absolutely dazzled by a new tall ship in the bay which meant Echo took Harry to see the ships while Draco and Severus went to the small registration office.

Small was an understatement. The registration office was barely a narrow booth at the end of an alley. The witch taking the registrations was a bright-eyed, brunette a couple of years older than Draco who couldn't stop batting her big, brown eyes at the young boy. Draco was, fortunately, or unfortunately, depending on one's point of view, oblivious to the girl.

"I'm going to need proof of identity, proof of guardianship, and your broom license." She smiled brightly at Draco. The fifth such smile in less than five minutes.

Draco didn't even see the smile, nor the witch's sparkling eyes and she sighed in disappointment as he dug into his robe pocket for the needed information.

"Uncle, I don't have it!" he almost wailed.

Severus pulled the requested documentation from his pocket and placed it before the young woman. Now with work to do, the witch cast a Copying Spell over the documents, recorded the entry in a large ledger and then looked up again.

"Entry fee is five galleons," she said, now all business-like since her flirtation was all for naught.

Draco counted out the gold coins and as the witch recorded the entry fee, he drummed his fingers annoyingly. Severus laid his hand over the boy's fingers and deftly took the receipt and registration number from the young witch.

"Thank you," he nodded. Her bright smile was now completely for Severus and he tried not to blush at the bold invitation in her expression. Swiftly he turned away hoping that his godson was following.

The tall ship Harry was looking up at with his mouth agape was painted in his favorite colour of purple and trimmed in white and gold. The sails were pure white with the image of a dragon's silhouette at each center. The figurehead was a beautiful white and gold dragon whose tail circled the prow. The ship was aptly named The White Dragon.

"I really want to sail on one of those," Harry sighed wistfully.

"That's always possible. Maybe you should learn more about these ships, Harry," suggested Echo.

"Like what?"

"Well, do you know why wizards still use them and Muggles don't?" Echo asked.

Harry asked a more pertinent question, "What are they used for?"

"Importing and exporting goods, mainly. There are some that are passenger ships and they're more luxurious than the ones that come here." She crouched down beside him. "Now, give me a guess why tall ships are used opposed to say... aeroplanes?"

"Electrics!" Harry promptly answered. "Technical stuff," he added smugly.

"Right you are, Harry! Most ships, planes and even trucks that travel over land are all affected by our magic. They may not always be affected by individual magic, which is why some wizards can drive cars, but a lot of items that need transporting are magical. They could..."

"Blow up a truck?" Harry asked seriously.

"Not quite. The truck just wouldn't move. The same with Muggle ships, their vehicles, planes, and even their trains."

"Trains? How come the Hogwarts Express works?"

"It runs on steam, Harry. Remember Harley's boat?" Harry nodded with a chuckle. "Hmmm, I don't know if you can call that running, but it does run on steam."

Harry leaned slightly against Echo as he gazed up at the tall ship, The White Dragon. As he watched her crew climbing the rigging and loading supplies; heard her Captain shouting out orders, he wanted to burn it into his memory. Someday, he'd be on a ship like that. He knew it.

Draco was playing chess against Echo and Harry was at his desk in the living room working on a drawing he wouldn't let anyone see. For the last half hour his father had been seated in his favorite chair by the fire, his long legs stretched out as he flipped through the pages of an old journal.

"Harry, would you come over here?" Severus asked, breaking the silence.

Harry quickly covered up his drawing, then got up and went to see what his father wanted. Severus patted his lap and Harry climbed up. He never turned down an opportunity for a cuddle. His father shifted his son's weight so they were both comfortable and Harry seemed to melt into Severus' partial embrace.

"What's that?" asked Harry as he looked down at the old journal.

"This is one of my journals from when I was just a bit older than you. After seeing you looking at all the ships at the dock today I thought you might enjoy this."

Severus flipped the journal open to a page that had a crude sketch of a tall ship on a storm tossed ocean that was being menaced by a great sea monster. There was a signature of initials on the bottom right corner, 'S. S.'

"You drew that, Dad?" asked Harry as he ran his fingers very lightly over the drawing.

"I did. I never quite gained the talent you have since Potions distracted me fairly early. However, I was a bit better at writing stories." Severus turned the page.

Harry read out loud, "The Sea Monster by Severus Snape." His eyes lit up. "You wrote stories?"

"When I was growing up I didn't get to read as much as you did. Unless they were textbooks. So, I had to entertain myself and I liked to write."

"Do you still write stories, Uncle?" Draco, curious at the conversation between father and son, had abandoned the chess game and seated himself on the sofa. Echo was just as curious and sat at the opposite end of the sofa.

The older wizard glared a warning at Draco. "Tell any of your friends of this, including your Hermione, and I shall deny it and give you detention."

Draco smirked. "Deal. So, are you going to read us a story?"

Severus, suddenly a bit self-conscious at his added audience almost closed the journal. "Is it scary, Dad?" Asked Harry, sending away his father's apprehension unwittingly.

"A bit," he said, giving his son a quick squeeze. "But, I think you'll like it." Right before he began the narrative, he saw Echo curling up against the back of the sofa and Draco stretched out in an unconscious imitation of his godfather.

Severus turned the page, and in a silken voice that instantly mesmerised his small audience, he began to read.

"Liam Shanter hoisted his harpoon upon his shoulder as he walked a rolling gait along the docks towards his new ship, The Blind Whaler. He'd been hired a fortnight ago by Captain Olmet Gauss. Not many men of the sea chose to work for Captain Gauss who had earned the nickname amongst those who had sailed with him of the Mad Captain. Liam didn't care, though. He was a harpoon master and he sailed with whomever needed him, and he was paid well for it."

"With a shanty tune livening up the grey day, and a smile lighting his face, Liam looked forward to this, his last whale hunt. He planned to settle down with pretty Annie Moss, and have a dozen little ones on a small plot of land."

"Little did Liam know that this journey with Mad Captain Gauss, would give him a story to entertain his great-grandchildren."

The story only took about forty-five minutes to read, but it had kept Severus' audience spellbound. Both Harry and Draco cheered over the fight Liam had with the Mad Captain when his crew discovered they weren't hunting whales but a sea monster that had killed hundreds of men and destroyed a great number of ships.

Harry had clutched at his father's robes as the sea monster put in its first appearance and nearly cracked the ship in two with its many tentacles.

Echo let out a muffled cry of dismay when Liam's best friend aboard the ship was swept off deck by a terrible storm that struck when the crew were trying to escape the relentless monster of the sea.

Everyone shouted in triumph as Liam's unerring harpoon lanced the single eye of the sea monster and killed it.

Harry's eyes sparkled with outright hero worship as he looked up into his father's face. "That was great, Dad! Would you read another one?"

"Yeah, Uncle!" clapped Draco. "That was terrific!"

"Well, I..." Severus gritted his teeth as he felt the heat of a blush tingeing his cheeks.

"Oh please, Severus?" asked Echo so very sweetly. He looked into her deep blue eyes, on the off chance that she might just be teasing him, but she wasn't. With a slight smile, he turned the page and allowed Harry to read the title.

Harry lowered his voice in a hopefully dramatic tone, "The Legend of Bonham Scott, Dread Pirate of the Caribbean, by Severus Snape."

Severus began to read, "There is no legend of the high seas greater than that of Captain Bonham Scott, the once dreaded master of the Caribbean..."

A little over a half hour later, Severus voice dropped to a sepulchral tone as he read the last line of the story, "...and with a drop, and a stretch of his neck, there ended the bloody career of Captain Scott... at the end of a rope."

The Potions Master Storyteller received a small, yet very appreciated round of applause as he closed the old journal. He placed it on the small tea table to his left and then scooted Harry off his lap.

"Bath time," he ordered.

"You write great stories, Dad." Harry leaned against the arm of the chair and Severus leaned over slightly so Harry could kiss his cheek. The little boy then ran off to his bedroom.

Draco stood and stretched. "Really good, Uncle," he smiled. "I'm going to take Hector out and then I'm heading to bed." Hector rose from the hearth and padded alongside the blonde boy- who was NOT food, but still had his merits- as they made their way out the back door.

Severus slapped his thigh a few times. "Harry's finally gaining some significant weight," he grimaced at the tingling sleepiness of the long, lack of circulation in his leg.

"Next story time, try a narrow cushioning charm. How your bony legs don't cut into his..."

"You are a mean, insulting woman, do you know that Miss Prosper?" he smirked, as he rose from his chair.

"Ah, but I kiss so well," she countered, her blue eyes glinting teasingly.

He leaned over her, his hands clasped behind his back. "Unless you are prepared to back up such a statement with proof, you shouldn't make such outrageous claims."

Taking advantage of his bent posture, it was easy for her to pull him off balance. Severus tumbled gracelessly right into Echo's lap, eliciting a shriek of surprise from her. He quickly took control of the situation and had her pinned beneath him as he smiled, smugly, down at her.

"How do you manage to move like that?" she demanded, trying to remain serious, but not managing to keep a tight smile from her lips.

"To be taken by surprise could easily have meant my death, my dear. In this case, the capture is much more..." he lightly kissed her lips, "...pleasant. Now, about that preposterous boast of yours?"

Echo didn't deign to reply. She just pulled Severus closer and kissed him until both of them began to realise that snogging like teenagers, on the sofa in the living room, where they could be very easily caught, wasn't wise. Neither wanted to be the first to end the kiss which was having some rather pleasant side effects. Propriety saved them, as Severus, very reluctantly and as gentlemanly as was possibly, considering those aforementioned side effects, ended the kiss and unpinned the lovely young woman from beneath him.

"I'd better go check on Harry," Severus said, wishing he could have said something else instead. He rushed off towards his son's bedroom and Echo slumped back against the sofa and closed her eyes, a blissful smile upon her lips.

"Are you going to let him know how you feel?"

Echo let out a yelp and then turned, glaring at the somewhat smug looking sixteen year old. "Is that something taught to all you Slytherins?" she snapped.

"What?" he asked, genuinely puzzled.

"Sneaking up on people," Echo huffed.

"Could be," he grinned slyly. "But you're not Slytherin so I can't let you in on our House secrets."

"Ha ha," she said sarcastically.

Draco moved around to the other side of the sofa. "You're not scared, are you?" Echo frowned, not understanding. "I mean, after all that business with your ex? Severus is honestly the last person anyone should be afraid of... uhm... wait, unless your an enemy. Or, a Gryffindor. Yeah, then there's something to be afraid of." He smirked and his grey eyes glittered.

"No, I'm not afraid of your godfather, Draco," she patted his arm. "I'm afraid of me. I don't want to make a mistake."

"Then tell him. It wouldn't be a mistake." Draco didn't know he held the same opinion as Harry, but there were many times when adults seemed a lot more dense than kids were and made things more complicated than they ought to be.

He knew his godfather and truth was, he'd never seen the man more relaxed, or smiling and joking around as much as he'd seen him do so since he'd met Echo at Harry's birthday party. He did know that some of that was due to having a son who loved him and that he loved fiercely, but Draco had seen a certain light in his godfather's eyes that was only for Echo. That same light for Severus was also in Echo's eyes.

Echo still hadn't said anything, so Draco used a tactic only a teenager would use on another teen. Crossing his arms, he gave her his best I-Know-What's-Right look, and threatened, "If you don't tell him, Echo, I will."

Echo's jaw dropped briefly in shock. Her gaze narrowed as her mouth closed. "You're not kidding, are you?" He shook his head, hoping she wouldn't call his bluff. "Fine!" Echo snapped. Rising from the sofa, she ordered curtly, "Go to bed, Draco," and then she disappeared in the kitchen.

Draco sniggered to himself and then made his way to his bedroom. As he passed the kitchen and saw Echo re-arranging the spice rack, he called, so very sweetly, "Goodnight, Echo. Sweet dreams."

For several minutes she slammed the bottles of spices into new places on the rack. Just as she slammed the garlic onto the second shelf she groused to the paprika, "Is it murder if the little snake deserves it?"

"I'm afraid it is."

Startled for the second time that evening by a silent Slytherin, Echo threw the two spice bottles in her hands into the air whereupon they immediately fell to the floor and broke. Echo whirled to face Severus breathlessly, leaning back against the counter.

"Don't do that!" she snapped harshly.

Severus chuckled. "I promise to make a bit more noise next time. So tell me, what has my godson done to warrant your contemplation of murder as a solution?"

Echo, rattled by the kiss on the sofa, her unintended, yet not unwelcome response, Draco's childish threat, and her own fear, had her grabbing a towel from the sink to clean up the mess of the broken spice bottles without magic.

Without thinking she muttered, "The little beast threatened to tell you that I love you if I didn't tell you my... ohhhh..." dropping the towel, Echo dodged Severus' reach and ran out to the backyard through the kitchen door.

Severus' heart was soaring from the unwittingly blurted confession. However, it was Echo's immediate reaction of running away from him that had those emotions sinking quickly into a dangerous part of his psyche: doubt.

He abruptly vanished the mess on the floor and then went after Echo.

Thankfully there was a quarter moon in the sky otherwise it would have been difficult to follow the woman. Echo had left the backyard and had run down to the beach. As Severus jogged towards her, he had an eerie sense of Deja Vu back to the day he'd chased her down the beach after pulling her from the ocean. Irrationally he hoped she wasn't about to walk back into the roiling sea.

Echo didn't walk into the sea. She only went far enough for the surf to come up over her bare toes. She knew Severus was behind her and her heart was pounding, hard, in her chest.

"Echo..."

Severus..."

They both spoke at the same time as he touched her shoulder. Echo grasped his hand in both of hers, almost like an anchor.

"I suppose you know, now," she said softly.

"Perhaps. However, I think I'd like to hear it again." His other hand caressed her cheek and then tipped her chin up so she was looking into his eyes.

"Severus... I... I..." she squeezed his hand uncomfortably tight, but he didn't pull it away.

"It might be easier," he began, gently drawing her closer, "if I told you how much I love you, Echo Prosper." Her hand tightened again and her gaze was locked with his. "I miss you when you're not near me. I love watching you with my son. I adore your smile, your laughter, and I cannot think of my life without you in it. There has only been one other woman whom I trusted enough to give my heart to, but she was the love of my youth. I want you by my side, in my arms, and in my bed." Her eyes dropped in a blush at the deliciously wicked smile that graced his thin lips.

He continued, his silken tones weaving seductively around her, "I don't ever want you to be afraid again. I want to keep you safe, make you smile and laugh. I wish you to be my son's mother because I know his heart is already yours." He kissed her briefly. "As my heart is most assuredly yours. My only fear is that you do not feel the same for me."

There was silence, but for the waves coming in over her feet and soaking his shoes and socks. Severus tried not to hold his breath, but he was failing miserably. Just when he thought he might be rejected, Echo slipped her arms around his neck and kissed him so thoroughly he was dizzy when she abruptly ended the kiss.

Still holding Severus tightly, she whispered into his ear, "I want everything with you, Severus. I want to be Harry's mother and I want to be by your side and... and I want to curl up beside you at night and wake up with you in the morning. I love you so much that it has hurt every single time I was too afraid to say so. I love you, Severus, and I want to grow old beside you."

For a very long time they kissed until they were embracing and swaying gently in time to the surf. Without breaking the gentle rhythm, Severus smiled down at Echo and brushed a curl off her forehead.

"I guess there's only one thing left to do," Severus said softly as he lightly kissed her cheek, then her ear, then her throat.

"We can't!" Echo gasped, scandalised by the thought as she tried to ignore her body's desire. "What of Draco and Harry?"

Severus laughed, the vibration thrumming pleasantly in his chest as he held Echo. "Oh, I would love to indulge in such decadent behavior, my delectable sweet, but that I will not do." In his thoughts he whispered to himself, not this time. He kissed her forehead and then just lightly touched her lips with his. "What I meant, dearest Echo, is that I would like to ask you..." Severus stroked her cheek and then dipped his hand into his pocket. He held out a small box covered in dark blue velvet. "...if you would consent to be my wife?"

Echo opened the small box and looked upon an oval cut emerald in a delicately twisted, white gold setting.

"Ohhh, sweet Circe! Of course I will, Severus. Yes!" Her finger traced the ring as she smiled. "It's so very beautiful. Do I get to wear it now?"

"It is an engagement ring, my dear," he smirked, his eyebrow rising slightly as he removed the ring from the box. She then took the box in her right hand as he lifted her left hand and placed the ring on her finger.

Severus watched with slight amusement as Echo admired the ring on her finger. After several minutes, she embraced him and then looked up at him, smiling brightly.

"I'm going to be your wife, Severus!" she then giggled, sighed and kissed him him until he was pleasantly dazed once more.