Two hours later, Snape stood up from the chair he had been sitting in. His entire back was sore. He quietly navigated around the massive bed where the pain in his ass Gryffindor happily slept in. He gently pulled back the curtain from the window and glanced out. He groaned inwardly when he noticed the shadowed familiar figures sneaking towards the front door.

Shaking his head, Snape walked away from the window and to the closed door. Three in the morning was a wonderful hour to have an Order meeting. Of course, he should have guessed. They did have a successful raid, so it was only natural that Dumbledore would call a meeting to inform everyone.

Snape was just about to turn the doorknob when he heard the soft muttering behind him. He sighed heavily. He turned back around and glanced at the boy. Rolling his eyes and softly growling, he walked back to his chair that was next to the boy's bedside and resumed his watch. He knew that if he left the boy alone, he would regret it in the morning. In terms of sanity, alcohol, especially that type of alcohol, on top of nightmares weren't a good combination for anyone. He could only guess how horrible the boy's dreams were at this point. The Order would just have to wait. Otherwise, their great savior would become a catatonic savior.

Five minutes later, Snape felt a familiar light touch on his shoulder. He didn't glance up to look at the person. He only sighed and shook his head softly. His dark eyes remained watching the Gryffindor toss and turn as Harry slept.

"Dumbledore's asked for you," the soft voice whispered.

"Yes, well, as you can see, I have my hands full, Sinistra," Snape harshly hissed. The boy's tossing and turning was becoming more violent, which could only mean that the nightmares were becoming worse. He wished she would just leave so he could calm the boy. However, knowing her, she wouldn't be able to take his hint.

"So I see, Severus. However, I'm just relaying—"

"Mission accomplished, Sinistra. I am informed. Now, kindly get the hell out of here."

"You don't have to be such an ass to me all the time, Severus."

"Leave, Sinistra."

"No. Dumbledore wants you to be at the meeting tonight."

"Tell him to wait."

"I am not telling—"

"I do not have time for this," Snape growled.

Without thinking, Snape angrily flicked his wrist towards her. When he heard the door close a few seconds later, he glanced where she had been. His eyes narrowed when he didn't see her. He didn't have time to dwell on what had happened, though. He needed to calm the boy down. He leaned over the young boy and gently placed a hand on the boy's damp forehead.

"You are safe, Harry. You know this. It isn't real." He sighed as he heard the boy's soft whimpers. He wasn't calming him. The infuriating instinct rose up in his chest again. For the second time that day, he quickly pulled the boy against him into an embrace. "Know that you are safe. He cannot harm you as long as I am with you." He heard more whimpers escape from the boy's lips. "Fight him, Harry," he said while he absentmindedly brushed back strands of the boy's hair. "As long as you fight him, he cannot hurt you. Fight him." Slowly, he felt the boy start to relax in his arms. A few moments later, he sighed heavily as the boy started to breathe evenly again. "Good boy."

Snape then gently released the young Gryffindor and laid him back down on the bed. He sat down in his chair again and resumed watch. It was rather absurd that he was having those sorts of feelings for the boy, especially now. However, he knew why he felt the way he did.

Snape had to start being honest with himself. Harry was not James, and he never would be. No matter how much Snape wanted that to be true. There was too much of Lily, his Lily, in the boy. He closed his eyes and hung his head as the painful memories stabbed at his heart. Then there was also the part that spoke the most to him, which forced him to relate to the boy. The part that he couldn't and didn't ever want to be true, but knew that it was. He sighed heavily and stared at the sleeping boy.

"All this time I thought you were like James, but you were more like me than your own father. I won't let you become me, Harry. You deserve better."