Chapter One

Harry could not wait to go to his first movie with Severus! It had taken so much begging, bargaining, and pleading, but Harry had managed it! Now he would gloat and boast to himself all the way to the theater! He even got to pick the movie and he knew exactly which one he wanted to see. Harry had heard from his friend Hermione that there was a new horror movie out call the Devil Inside Me. They were having a couple showings in the theater before it was gone until it came out on muggle DVD.  Harry knew there was no way in Hell he would be able to convince Severus to buy such a thing, so that meant he would have to be sure to catch it in theaters.

“Popcorn, Sev,” he gabbed as they walked down the London street. “We have to have popcorn… Mione says it isn’t proper to see a movie without it!”

“Yes, and of course Miss Granger knows all,” the Potions Master sneered. “Honestly Harry, I don’t see why you can’t just wait for the bloody thing to come out on DVD…it is ten times more expensive to go to a movie.”

Severus could scold all he wanted; it really did not matter to Harry. He was too busy lusting after chocolate, buttered popcorn, and nachos. He never had the chance to go to a movie before moving in with Severus. The only reason Harry was acquainted with the proper movie-goer traditions was because his porker of a cousin, Dudley, seemed to go every other day with his Aunt and Uncle. 

“You haven’t even told me what movie it is we are going to,” Severus said loudly, gaining Harry’s attention once more. “It better not be one of those vulgar comedies I catch trailers of on the telly. I refuse to sit through one of those.”

“It’s not, Sev,” Harry said turning to face him. “You’ll probably like it! The overall mood of it just reminds me of you.”

He smiled, innocently, as Severus cocked his eyebrow at him. He hoped that this wouldn’t backfire and become an insult for his father. Really, Harry knew that his teacher would find this movie interesting. It wasn’t one of those pointless slasher films either, no, this one actually appeared to have taste. In Harry’s book that meant it was a must see, and he would be bloody damned if Hermione saw it and he wasn’t allowed to.

“If it’s another movie with Alan Rickman in it I will have to throttle you.” Severus warned.

“Awe, but dad,” Harry whined. “You guys look so much alike! I still think you should try cutting your hair like he had it in Die Hard…you won’t be so scary then.”

“I don’t want to look less scary,” Severus maintained. “I like the way I look brat, and I would thank you not to comment further or you just might wake up bald tomorrow morning.”

Harry instantly fell silent, he wasn’t so sure that Severus wouldn’t actually do something like that. Harry had quickly learned upon moving in with his professor that the man before him rarely made idle threats. So he really did not want to risk his tail by teasing him any further with hair tips, not when there were so many other things he could tease him about.

When they finally got to the theater Harry had to do everything he could to not bounce around in excitement! This was going to be the best film ever, and the only thing that made it better was that he was going to get to watch it with his dad. He wondered what scared Severus, really, the man always seemed so calm and collected no matter what the situation called for. Harry had often asked what his dad was afraid of but he always got the same answer back. There is nothing to fear but fear itself.

Yeah, that was all well in good, but not exactly the kind of tangible answer Harry could extort. He would never taunt Severus for being scared of something, but that didn’t mean he wouldn’t throw it in front of the man to see his reaction. His dad was such a creature of habit, he just wanted to know that there were some things in the world he did not account for, some things that even Severus Snape had no plan for.

“Harry,” Severus called him back. “What movie am I paying for?”

Harry went back to the ticket booth and looked up at the black screen that had the movie title glowing in red. He really didn’t see anything else of interest other than the Devil Inside Me. That was perfect, it meant that Severus wouldn’t be able to find a movie of greater value.

“Devil Inside Me, dad.” he said, about ready to turn on his heel back to the popcorn.

“Wait a minute…” Severus hissed, grabbing his son by the shoulder and wheeling him back. “That movie is rated R…Harry James Potter…I told you no-

-but dad, please?!” he begged. “Hermione has seen it already, and she’s a girl!”

Severus rolled his eyes and sighed, he knew what was going to happen here. Harry was going to watch this horror movie and then end up with even worse nightmares than he already had. The boy was thirteen and in no way mature enough to handle a movie that was BASED off of real occurrences. It was a never ending cycle of pain in the arse, Severus didn’t even know why he was considering allowing him to watch such a thing.

“The last time I let you watch a horror movie,” he scolded. “You spent three nights in a row sleeping in my room; I couldn’t get a single wink of sleep.”

“This time will be different,” Harry pleaded. “I will stay in my room all night, and I won’t be scared at all. Please dad? Pretty please…please…please, please, please, please, please?”

Severus looked away as Harry made his eyes wide and the green sparkled at him. Damn those eyes, damn them, and damn him for always melting before them. If he didn’t have Lily’s eyes this wouldn’t be so difficult. He supposed that he could just make sure his son stayed in his room after seeing this film, really, it wasn’t like Severus wasn’t capable of being firm with him…granted, this situation would suggest otherwise.

“You will NOT be sleeping in my room if you get scared,” Severus hissed, turning back to the counter and paying for the tickets. “And I mean it, Harry Snape.”

Harry swallowed a bit, he knew that when the title Harry Snape came into play his father was serious. Usually Severus still called him Harry James Potter…it got awfully confusing at times. There were certain times Harry felt that the Potter was for when Severus didn’t want to be his father, and that the Snape was only reserved for when he was either in SERIOUS trouble or Severus wanted to claim him as his own. He never voiced this opinion, but it did often come into play in his head.

They moved past the ticket booth and Harry began picking out the snacks he wanted. He managed to get the extra large popcorn and soda out of his father, but his dad absolutely refused the chocolate. Harry supposed that was fair for being allowed to watch a Rated R movie, so he really did not push his luck farther when it came to the sweets.

“Thanks dad,” Harry grinned, popping a piece of buttery popcorn into his mouth. “You rock.”

“Flattery will get you nowhere with me, brat,” Severus sighed, leading him to their seats. “I still think this is a horrible idea.”

“Would you calm down?” the boy who lived grinned. “This is going to be awesome! Hermione says that you would probably find this movie interesting because of all the science mixed into it.”

Severus rolled his eyes; Miss Granger always felt that she knew everything about everyone. Severus was not the most religious man in the world. He had been raised in a Roman Catholic family, but he really did not discuss his faith much with anyone. That was a personal matter, and he never bothered to ask Harry where he’s belief’s lie. Part of him felt that his son was just too young to really give it too much thought, and the other part of him did not want to spend a better of the evening going over theology.

Harry looked at his father and sipped from his soda, he really had hoped that Severus would come around to enjoy seeing this movie with him. He wanted this to be a nice moment of bonding and fun between father and son. Taking another piece of popcorn, he moved over and rested his head on Severus’s arm.  The man stiffened a bit at first, but Harry smiled the moment he relaxed and glanced down at him.

“Come now,” Severus teased. “The movie hasn’t even started and already you are hiding your face in my arm.”

“Psh!” Harry snorted. “I am just getting comfortable, dad, I am not scared of anything. Gryffindor bravado and all that jazz, you know.”

Harry winked causing Severus to snort himself.

“Seriously though,” Harry said gently. “I’m really happy you took me to a movie, it means a lot to me that you and I get to spend time together. It doesn’t seem like we get to all that often.”

Severus smiled warmly at the boy against his arm and gently ruffled his hair. He knew that he had a lot to make up for when it came to how he had treated Harry Potter, but he was hoping that the boy was seeing how hard he was trying. Severus had not known those pig relatives of his had been so cruel to him, and if he had Severus would have made sure they had never had custody of him, but Severus had let his old school grudge blind him and his, current, son had to pay the price for his foolishness.

“We spend plenty of time together,” he smirked. “You are just usually scrubbing cauldrons because you can’t behave and do as you are told.”

Harry had to keep from rolling his eyes and talking back. He didn’t want Severus to make him leave the film early, but he wanted to point out that he often felt that Severus never really wanted to spend time with him. Harry tried to get into potion making, but he still wasn’t good enough at it to impress his dad. And Severus got motion sickness far too often to be able to ride brooms with him. They really didn’t have much to bond over unless Harry WAS to get in trouble.

“Harry slow down with the soda,” Severus scolded. “The movie hasn’t even started and you are already halfway through it.”

“But the popcorn is salty dad,” Harry sighed. “I can’t just eat that and NOT drink my soda.”

“So stop eating all of your popcorn.”

“But it’s sooo good!”

Severus chuckled and shook his head, how was it that most boys chose to think with their stomachs rather than with their heads. Merlin, he would never truly know how a boy could stuff so much into his face and not be sick afterwards. He tried to keep Harry from eating unhealthy foods, so he supposed that Harry enjoying his popcorn and soda at the moment was not the worst thing he could be doing.

“Okay, okay,” Severus chuckled. “I just don’t want you to have to go to the bathroom in the middle of the film.”

Harry rolled his eyes; Severus always treated him like he couldn’t take care of himself. Granted, there were times that Harry did need him, but when it came to going to the bathroom Harry could sense and do that on his own.

“Do you wab some oda, Ev?”  Harry asked, his mouth full of, buttery, popcorn.

“Harry James, chew and swallow before you speak to me.” Severus scolded.

Harry rolled his eyes and nearly choked when Severus’s hand found its way to the back of his head. Coughing slightly he glared up at him briefly and would have said something, but just as he was about to the lights went from being dim to nonexistent.

“Shh!” Harry grinned. “Quit trying to distract me while I’m watching a movie.”

Severus glared at his son, but didn’t comment further. He hoped that Harry would keep his word and not get so scared that he would have to spend the night with him. He loved the boy, but he didn’t get enough sleep as it was without his son slimming his chances even further.

Harry smiled as he watched the movie continue past the trailers. He could not believe he had been able to convince Severus to come and see a horror movie, Harry felt that he deserved some sort of reward for this. Glancing up at his guardian he popped another piece of popcorn into his mouth and leaned his head back against his shoulder. Tonight was going to be one of the best nights he and Severus shared in a long time.

Chapter 2

Harry couldn’t stand to look at the screen anymore. And whenever Severus nudged him to warn him that a terrifying scene had finished playing, and even worse one came up! The raven haired boy had just resolved to keep his face in Severus’s arm until the movie was absolutely finished. The only problem was that didn’t exactly take care of all the sounds he heard.

Why had he ever insisted on seeing this movie? They could have gone and seen anything else, maybe a movie about some sparkling vampires; that would have been good for a nice laugh. But no, Harry had insisted on them seeing a movie he knew would scare the living Hell out of him. Merlin, it was moments like these that made Harry realize just how, bloody, impulsive he could really be.

“Harry,” Severus scolded lightly. “You need to watch at least ONE scene from this movie! I paid for these tickets and you told me you would not be scared.”

“I’m not scared!” Harry argued. “I just…like the way your sleeve smells.”

He heard a snort leave his father’s diaphragm and he bit his lower lip. This was something Severus would never let him live down. He was going to hear about it when he was married and had his own children. Severus Snape was not the type of man to let go of something that easily.

“You can smell my sleeve after you watch a scene from this movie, Harry James.”

Ugh, the middle name, Harry HATED when the middle name was called into play. Gentle, stern, or just plain furious, the middle name always meant that Harry had, absolutely, no choice on the matter. One way or another Severus was going to make him watch this movie, and if he didn’t do so willingly Harry would probably get in even more trouble for making Severus waste money on a movie that Harry had begged to go see.

“I have to pee,” Harry said suddenly, when Severus had moved far enough away that his arm was no longer practical. “May I go to the bathroom?”

“Harry,” Severus snarled. “I am going to be seriously livid if I find out that I have paid for this movie for nothing…now, cross your bloody legs, shut your mouth, and finish watching this movie you begged me to come and see.”

Harry frowned and turned, hesitantly, towards the screen. This movie was too scary for him, he knew that now, but Severus didn’t have to be so mean about it. He almost wished he really did have to pee, just so he could annoy his guardian about it more.

After another hour of torture, the movie finally went into the credits and Harry was able to stand up and walk out of the theater. He had never been so happy in all of his life to have the lights turned back on. He didn’t want to go home, not if that meant walking anyway. It wasn’t that Harry was scared or anything, just that he wanted to practice caution. He leaned against the wall, his fingers lightly scratching against the cold siding. Where was Severus? Why was he taking so long?

Pulling open the theater door he jumped back a foot or two and screamed loudly when his guardian had appeared in front of him.

“Merlin’s bloody balls!” he screeched. “What the Hell are you playing at?! Do you get some kind of sick kick out of sneaking around like that!?”

Severus cocked his eyebrow at his son and grabbed him roughly by the ear. Scared or not, how dare he scream such obscenities while other people were within earshot!? Squeezing on the earlobe of his son, he grinned, satisfied, as a consistent wave of “owes” reached his ears.

“Oww oww oww oww oww, Severus let go!”

“Do you want to apologize for what you just shouted in front of me, young man?” Severus hissed.

“Oww oww oww oww oww ye-ow-yes sir…I…I..oww…oww…so-oww…sorry…”

Nodding Severus released Harry’s ear and crossed his arms over his chest while the boy tried to massage the sting out. He could try, but Severus had a grip that could linger. While Harry busily tried to rid himself of the pain in his left ear, Severus decided now was the time to begin the walk home. He took Harry’s free arm in his hand and led the lad out of the theater and onto the, darkened, London street.

Harry moved farther into Severus’s side, he refused to let this man out of his sight for even a minute. He didn’t know if there was a chance that Severus could be possessed, seeing as his father had such an ironclad will against absolutely everything, but he didn’t want to take that chance.

“Severus?” he asked, after they passed a couple blocks. “Do people really get possessed like that? I mean…the Vatican doesn’t really turn people down for exorcisms do they?”

Severus sighed, how did he know this was going to happen? Religion was messy business, he really did not want to feed Harry information with his own beliefs without establishing what Harry already believed. After years of abuse under the Dursleys it was fairly difficult to get Harry to stand by, certain, personal beliefs. He wanted love and worth so much that he felt the need to change himself to be loved and adored.

“Harry, what do you believe?” he asked, carefully. “What are you religious beliefs?”

Harry shrugged as they continued to walk. He supposed he didn’t really have any, the Dursleys went to church but they never took Harry. Harry always thought that it was because wizards couldn’t really believe in God.

“I guess I’m a Christian,” he sighed. “I mean, that’s what the Dursley’s were.”

Severus shook his head.

“No Harry, that’s what they believed, I want to know what you believe.”

“Well what do you believe, Severus?”

Severus bit his lower lip and turned his head back. There really was no way of getting out of this then. He would try and keep this as cut and dry as he possibly could.

“My family is Roman Catholic, but I believe that God created wizards just as he created non-wizards. The Bible is not specific with its interpretation to me on magical beings. Harry, really, your beliefs are something personal to you…you do not have to share them with anyone.”

“I just wanted to know if the Vatican could really turn down people for exorcisms, Severus,” Harry said softly. “You asked me what I believe.”

Severus sighed, “They can Harry.”

They walked in silence briefly and Severus could see another question forming on Harry’s face. Pocketing his hands from the cool wind he tilted his head towards the blackened sky above.

“They can reject people for exorcisms because there are millions of claims for demonic possession around the world. Harry, can you imagine how difficult it would be to exercise all those people? And some of the claims are not genuine, just some moron that has no better way to justify the evil deeds and happenings in their life.”

Harry nodded silently.

“That seems a bit…harsh…” he commented. “I don’t really like that.”

“Well you don’t have to worry about it, young man.” Severus continued. “Because it will not happen to you.”

“How do you know, Sev?” Harry asked, leaning his head against his arm.

“You are too strong willed, scamp,” he said warmly. “Too good, too resilient, and I won’t let it happen. What was the first thing I promised you when you came to live with me?”

“Umm…I would be scrubbing cauldrons until I was in my late thirties?”

Severus tapped Harry on the back of the head and chuckled.

“Besides that, brat.”

“Oh,” Harry teased. “Well that WAS one of the first things. I’m just kidding Sev, I know, you promised to protect me no matter what.”

“Exactly.” Severus confirmed, wrapping his arm around him. “So you have no reason to be scared anymore, right?”

“Umm…yeah…I guess…” he grumbled. “I wonder how Hermione could like something like that.”

“Miss Granger has a mind that rationalizes everything,” Severus said. “For her this was probably a great research project.”

Harry never understood how Hermione could do homework when it wasn’t even assigned. Harry could barely do homework when he was expected to do it. He didn’t mind that about Hermione though, she made a great study partner and did a lot to help him when he couldn’t figure out how to write his potions essays.

“Hermione is strange.” Harry yawned.

“Finally, we agree on something.” Severus smirked.

Their home was warm and dark when they arrived and there wasn’t a single sound past the threshold. Harry glanced inside before his feet would make it over the welcome mat. It was too dark to see anything and Harry didn’t think it would be safe for them to go inside blind.

“Harry, go.” Severus sighed.

“But…we don’t know if there’s something or someone in there.” He squeaked.

“Harry James, there are wards all over this property, there is nothing in there!”

Harry felt the corners of his eyes burn and hesitantly he walked inside, his hand clutching the sleeve of Severus’s robes. He could feel his heart against his ribcage and he was too terrified to even think. Merlin he almost felt sick with fear…he couldn’t remember the last time he had been this scared. Maybe it had been while he was in the Chamber. That had been pretty damn nerve racking.

Severus rolled his eyes in the dark and with a flick of his wand the fireplace lit up and a warm glow encased them. He was losing his patience already with his son, and he really did not want to risk hurting his feelings by snapping at him. He just found this fear of a movie to be highly illogical, really it was only a movie.

“Harry, go upstairs, shower, and get ready for bed.”

Harry’s eyes widened as they scanned the stairs. It was so dark on the second floor, and Harry didn’t want to be caught in the shower by some demonic creature. He was so scared, why couldn’t Severus just let him skip a night of showering? He hadn’t been running around so he wasn’t sweaty, and he didn’t stink either.

“Do…do I have to shower tonight?” Harry squeaked. “I mean…I don’t smell bad or anything.”

Severus turned and cocked his eyebrow at the boy in front of him. He knew this was going to happen, he had absolutely known it! Harry was going to be too scared to do anything in their home now if he wasn’t there. Well Severus wasn’t dealing with it, he refused. Harry was thirteen now and that meant he was old enough to rationalize between reality and the real world.

“Go shower, Harry James, right now.”

“But Severus-

-Now!”

Harry’s chin quivered slightly, but turning quickly on his heel he raced up the steps to the second floor. It was so dark and he could just barely see his hand when he held it right in front of his face. He had his wand in his pocket, but for some reason Harry was too scared to reach into his pocket to use it.

It felt like it took him forever to get to his room and the bathroom that was attached. Turning on his lamp he sighed with relief as the room filled with light. The eggshell white walls faced back, the posters of his Quidditch teams facing back. That was good, there were no demons in here. Now he just had to check the bathroom and he would be in the clear to shower and go to bed.

Flipping the switch he scanned the room thoroughly for any dark beings. The shower wasn’t a problem, seeing as it had a clear door that he could see through to begin with. He had never been more thankful to Severus for letting him upgrade his bathroom. Removing his shirt he tossed it into the hamper and turned on the water.

“It’s just a movie Potter,” Harry grumbled to himself. “There’s nothing to be scared of, and Sev’s downstairs…you are safe…”

That’s all Harry had to keep telling himself and he would be fine. There was nothing that could harm him while he was at Spinner’s End. Severus had wards set up and was one of the smartest wizards he knew. Besides, he was Roman Catholic, if Harry became possessed he would know exactly what to do…but…what if Severus himself got possessed? Harry didn’t know what to do for that, he was just a stupid kid!

Severus wished he would have been more firm with his son. He should not have let his son see that movie. A good father would have considered the ramifications of his actions and realized that Harry wasn’t mature enough for this movie. Sitting in his armchair he sipped from his tea and sighed. Harry was going to end up sleeping in his room tonight, and Severus would have not have the heart to send a scared Boy-Who-Lived away. Well, he might as well go and prepare for it then, it wasn’t like he would have a choice when two am came around anyway.

After extinguishing the fire downstairs he made his way upstairs to his room, but not before stopping in the doorway of Harry’s. His son was sitting in the middle of his bed, his eyes moving around, wildly, to scan each darkened corner.

“Harry,” Severus sighed, breaking through his boy’s paranoia. “Calm down, there is nothing to be scared of.”

Harry looked up at Severus and nodded.

“Now, get into bed, lad.”

“Yessir…” Harry whispered.

Severus pulled back the covers and helped Harry snuggle down into the warm covers. Tomorrow Harry would be fine; the day was always the easiest. It was when it got dark that Harry’s imagination ran wild with him.

“Do you want a night light, Harry?”

“A night light?” Harry repeated, his eyes narrowing. “I’m not four, Severus.”

“Mind your tone, Harry.” The Potions Master admonished.

“Sorry.” He grumbled. “Goodnight, I guess.”

Severus nodded and without another word, extinguished Harry’s lamp and closed the door gently behind him. He gave Harry an hour, maybe an hour and a half, before he would find a raven haired teenager trying to sneak into his bed.

Chapter Three

Harry couldn’t do it…he just couldn’t sleep in his room alone. His eyes kept making dark shadows more than they actually were. What had been a chair at one time turned into a snarling man slumped into the corner. His beautiful white snow owl now looked like a white bat. And above all else, the tapping branch on his window sounded too much like fingers, hoping to lure him away. He wanted his father; he couldn’t be alone in this room with those thoughts plaguing his mind.

Would Severus let him break his promise? He knew that he had given his word to the Potions Master, that he had sworn that he would not be scared. How could he be blamed for being scared of a horror movie though? That was the intent of a scary film; it was supposed to scare the living Hell out of you. So in a way Severus DID get what he paid for, now all he had to do was articulate that to his father and he might have a chance at spending the night in his rooms.

He grabbed his wand and tiptoed from his bedroom. The cold wood of the floor froze his toes and a chill, slowly, crept up his spine. He wished Severus would invest in some carpets, but getting Sev to renovate was like pulling out a dragon’s sore tooth. Sometimes Harry thought this house was a bit of a weapon against Severus. There were times when Harry would find his dad with this blank expression on his face, he would be staring at something and just be incoherent for what seemed like hours. Harry had tried to ask about it once before, but his father just brushed him off and said that he was reading into things.

It was awfully unfair, Severus wanted to know everything about his past, and Harry wasn’t permitted to ask anything of Severus’s. His father told him about his mother and how they had known one another, but never mentioned what his parents were like. Nor did he mention why he had never moved from Spinner’s End. Harry just assumed that there would be one day Severus would have to tell him, he just had to be patient and wait for that day.

Severus’s door was slightly ajar, but that was no surprise. Severus always kept his door open just in case Harry needed him. It was something Harry felt, extremely, comforted by. His old relatives would just lock him away and didn’t care if he needed them. But not Severus, no, Severus wanted to be there for him and wanted him to feel loved.

His father’s room was always cold to him. It was because Severus was so used to the Dungeon’s and if Harry didn’t whine so much he was sure that the rest of their home would be this temperature. Harry stayed up on the seventh floor, all the heat from the castle surfaced there. A person could not take a person from that environment and expect them to be comfortable in below freezing temperatures.

Setting his wand on one of the bed side tables, Harry gently drew back the covers and slid into the crisp sheets that Severus had made his bed with. He shivered slightly at how cold everything felt to him and inched a bit closer to his father. Would it have killed Severus to get a hot water bottle for his bed? Probably, his father didn’t like being overheated.

“I thought you were not going to come in here tonight, Harry.”

Harry jumped a bit when Severus awoke, he had thought his father had been asleep. Sighing a bit he wrapped the blankets further around himself. Severus couldn’t make him leave, not unless he agreed to come with him. Harry refused to go back to his own bed and be alone in that horrific setting.

“Please don’t send me away,” he whispered, pitifully. “I’m scared, Severus.”

Severus sighed but kept his eyes closed. He had to admit that Harry did last longer than he had thought he would, so he couldn’t really be all that mad at him. And when his son spoke to him with such a sad plea, it almost broke Severus’s heart to send him away. One night, that was all he would permit, then for the rest of this year Harry Potter would be sleeping in his own bed.

“Alright, fine,” the Potions Master hissed. “Just for tonight though, understand? Tomorrow night you will be sleeping in your own room.”

Harry smiled and snuggled down into the blankets. He had known that Severus wouldn’t be able to resist his pleas, and now he was all safe and warm with his father’s in bed. Yawning he turned onto his side and closed his eyes.

“Dad,” he whispered. “Thanks for letting me stay with you…I’m sorry for taking up your time.”

“Harry,” Severus said gently. “You do not take up my time, you make it more manageable. I love you, and I love having you here. Please don’t think you are a burden, I had hoped we had gotten rid of that feeling long ago.”

Harry shrugged; he knew that Severus often told him that. It was just nice to hear it again and be reminded that someone loved him. Especially Severus, he had never yearned to have someone’s approval more.

“I’m sorry, sometimes I forget.”

Severus nodded, that seemed to be Harry’s answer for everything. There were times that Severus thought Harry just didn’t believe him when he told him that he loved him. He wanted Harry to, but he was starting to get a bit tired of the constant apologies. It felt like he always had to prove that he wasn’t going to throw the boy out on his ear.

“I wish you would try harder to remember,” he said softly. “I really do.”

Harry fell silent at the sound of hurt that seemed to coat Severus’s tone. He had not meant to offend or upset his dad. Of course Harry knew that Severus loved him, but maybe it was a bit selfish of him to want to constantly hear it over and over again. Well he would know better now, he wouldn’t ask so much.

“I’m sorry, dad,” he said, wrapping his arms around him. “I’ll try harder.”

Severus smiled slightly into Harry’s hair. Wrapping his arms around his son gently, he closed his eyes. He would never understand how such a dramatic change between him and this boy could happen but he would always be grateful for it. The Potions Master never thought he would see a day where the spawn of Potter would actually turn out to be the saving grace Severus needed to change his ways.

“I love you daddy.” Harry whispered, his words becoming heavy with sleep.