Harry had slept for nearly 24 hours after Severus had taken him back to his quarters and allowed him to sleep under his guest bed. As strange as that sounded, it was a blessing to Harry, to be allowed a safe place to rest. After that Severus told Harry that he should stay in his quarters each night to avoid another rendition of giggling overtired Harry, and while it looked like Harry might protest, he didn't. For the next few days Draco knew where to find Harry when he wanted to go to breakfast, and Harry seemed content to stay out for most of the day and return at night, although Severus could see that Harry was still struggling. If not for the way Harry held himself... in defeat, then that the nights that Harry stayed with Severus were not easy ones. Severus had tried to convince Harry several times to stay in the bed, and each time he'd come back into Harry's room he'd find him underneath. This only made things more difficult when Harry woke screaming in a night terror or nightmare.

Tonight was another one of those nights as Severus dragged himself from bed at Harry's terrified screams. The child had not talked any more about what Sirius had done to him and Severus really did fear the worst, especially given how Harry often pleaded in his sleep.

"No! No!"

Severus got on his hands and knees, robe wrapped tightly around himself and shook Harry's foot trying to get him to wake.

"Ugh." Harry woke after a few moments and put his hands up over his face. "I'm sorry," he said quietly.

"Do not be," Severus said. Knees aching from kneeling there on the floor he said, "Why don't you come out so we can talk about it." When Harry didn't respond Severus lowered his face to the floor to peer under the bed again, this time to see that Harry was crying quietly, hand still over his face.

"Come on," he said gently, tapping Harry's foot, but Harry only shook his head.

With a sigh Severus gave in to his knees and finally lay down flat on his stomach on the cold stone floor. He didn't understand how Harry could sleep on the floor at all and thought he was willing to sacrifice a lot of comfort to feel safe. That was what it was about for this child who had had his safety snatched away from him.

"Harry," Snape said softly. "I won't let anything happen to you. You're- you're safe here with me." There, he'd said it, and he'd follow through when the boy would question him on it.

Harry's breath hitched and he let one hand fall from his face to the floor. He was quiet as he looked through red eyes at Snape for a few moments.

"Why?" Harry asked finally, voice quiet. "Why are you so sure?" Harry wanted to be sure so badly, to have that certainty that he could be safe like he'd never been safe before. And then the most unexpected words Harry could ever have heard met his ears, quiet and certain.

"Because you're my son."

Severus didn't know what to expect from this broken boy after he'd revealed the truth, but what happened next was altogether surprising. Harry didn't wail, he didn't pitch a fit. He simply lay there and considered him. There were no questions as Harry looked into his eyes, and no denial.

After long moments, Harry reached out his hand and Severus moved his hand to allow it to brush his son's fingers. And then Harry inched forward and Severus got to his knees and pulled his son the rest of the way out.

On his knees now Harry stared into his father's eyes there on the floor. Even if Snape wasn't his father, he'd claimed him as his own, and in the first time in Harry's life, he believed he was safe.

"Are you my dad?" Harry asked quietly, voice raised a little and cracking.

Severus took a deep breath and nodded. Harry leaned forward then against his chest and Severus wrapped his arms around his son.

No, magic could not fix all things, but love could. What magic fails, love abides, and this too was a promise Severus made to himself silently, that he would be there to help Harry through his times of unrest.