This morning was different than any other he had spent living with Harry. This morning he woke of his on accord with no bouncing ball of energy to wake him. Severus knew something was really wrong.

He sat up and swung his legs over the side of the bed and then slipping his feet into his fuzzy slippers. He also grabbed his house coat and put it on while walking to Harry's room, which was right down the hall.

It was summer and that meant that they weren't at the castle but at one of Snape's residences, this being a small cottage on the edge of the ocean.

He tapped on the door and got no response. So he slowly and quietly opened the door to his charge's room. It was dark and shadowed except for right next to Harry's bed. It was where Snape and placed the night light he spelled to be everlasting. It helped keep Harry's nightmares at bay.

He walked quickly to the side of the bed and looked down, there was Harry curled on his side fast asleep. Snape was relived until he heard the short, raspy breaths coming from the boy. He snapped his fingers and all the candles lit. In the light he could she the slight flush on the boy's cheeks and sighed. It looked like this was defiantly going to be a different kind of day.

He sat down next to the little boy and felt his forehead, it was much to hot. He cast a spell and it said that his temperature was 104 degrees. Much too high, even if he did have a fever. Snape summoned some face cloths and some cool water he placed the now wet cloth on the boy's to warm forehead.

This is what woke Harry. He moaned and let out a little cough. His eyes slowly opened and he fuzzily looked around and spotted Daddy sitting next to him on his bed. It was really hot and his head ached and his throat was scratchy. He didn't under stand why though.

“Daddy?”

“Oh, Harry.” Snape said and brushed the hair from the boy's eyes. Harry had become more at ease with calling him Daddy and it made his heart swell with pride.

“Why am I so hot?”

“You've caught a cold, I'm afraid.”

“I feel icky Daddy.”

“I know.” Snape grabbed a few potions he set on Harry's night stand.

He placed the first one to Harry's lips and he obediently opened his lips and swallowed.

“That one's for the fever. This one is for the headache.”

Harry just nodded, not having the strength to do much more.

“Do you hurt anywhere else?”

“My throat.”

Snape gave him another potion and a glass of water to help with the taste.

“You should feel a little better soon.”

“Thanks” Harry said before a yawn gripped him.

“You should get more rest Harry. Colds usually drain your energy.”

Harry snuggled back under the covers. “'K.”

Snape kissed Harry's forehead, noting it was cooler meaning the potions where doing their jobs.

Harry was back asleep in minutes, soft snores coming from his stuffed up little nose.

I hope you get well soon Harry.

Snape left to go into the sitting room, he picked up a generic book and began to read.

///////

He was roused from his reading an hour later by terror filled screams. In his haste yo get to Harry he dropped the book on the floor and rushed out of the room.

The boy was tossing and turning, looking like he was fighting invisible demons. Snape sat beside Harry and tried to shake him awake.

His eyes snapped open and he looked around in haste to try and figure out where he was now. He felt Snape's hand on him and launched himself into his arms, dissolving into tears and sobs.

Snape rubbed his back in a calming gesture and murmured soft, reassuring words in his ear. It took a while but Harry finally was able to get a handle on himself and stop crying. He felt like such a baby, but it all seamed so real.

“Are you ok, Harry?”

Harry nodded until he felt something unpleasurable on his PJ bottoms.

“I'm wet.” He mumbled ashamedly.

“I did not catch that, can you repeat it.”

“I'M WET!” He all but shouted.

“Oh Harry love, it is the fever. It makes you have less control.”

“But, I'm a big boy, I haven't wet my bed in forever.”

“Everyone does things they find bad while sick, now lets get you cleaned up and I'll give you more medicine.”

Harry shuddered at the thought of more of that nasty stuff, but nodded anyway. He didn't want to make him more angry, Harry knew he was angry about his accident.

//////

Snape bathed him and helped him put on fresh Pjs. After that he made Harry chicken noodle soup and he got to eat it in bed

During Harry's second nap of the day the floo sounded and to Snape's surprise Albus Dumbledore was standing in his sitting room.

“Good day Severus, I am to understand the young Harry is unwell.”

“Yes...wait how do you know that?”

“I know many things, yes many things.”

“Um, yes of course.”

“So how is Harry.”

“He has but a cold and is resting.”

“Ah, I see. Well then I must be off”

“Huh? If that was the only thing you wanted to know, why did you bother coming here?”

“I have my reasons, that is all you need to know. Now like I said I must be off.”

Dumbledore bid him farewell and he left through the floo once again.

I will never understand that man.

/////

That evening Harry was a restless child, he was sick and bored. Daddy wouldn't let him play, he made him stay in bed and rest and Harry was sick of it.

He quietly slipped out of bed and down the hall...

“And where do you think you're going?”

Snape was sitting in a chair near the fireplace, reading. He had heard Harry's silent escape at it only took a matter of moments for Harry to poke his head around the corner.

“Daddy, I'm bored and I'm tired of looking at my room.”

“Would you like to stay out here with me?”

Harry nodded.

“Then go get your blanket and a book.”

Harry took off as fast as his sick little body would let him.

Severus put down his book on a side table and waited for the sick little ball of energy to return. Harry came back carrying the needed items and stopped in front of Sev wondering what to do next.

Snape patted his lap and Harry climbed up, Sev got him situated and the blanket tucked in around him and began to read.

Harry was dozing off after only a few pages, clearly his little body didn't agree with his mind in the wanting to stay up and play thoughts. Snape smiled down at him and closed the book. He picked up the one he had been reading and sat in the calm silence.

//////

Harry was sick for about five days, he was a good little patient only complaining of boredom. On that fifth morning Snape was jerked awake by a little boy bouncing on him.

Snape turned over and looked up at Harry.

“I see your feeling better.”

“Yeah Daddy, loads.”

“I'm glad.”

“C'mon get up, let's get breakfast. I'm starving.”

Yeah Harry was back to normal.