Disclaimer: I do not own Harry Potter

A special thanks to The Lonely God With a Box

A/N: Here is chapter 9. Enjoy!

Chapter 9

“Freak, get in here!” Vernon yelled from the bottom of the stairs.

Harry slowly got up from his bed, sore from all the work he did on the yard yesterday. All he wanted to do was sleep. But sleep was a luxury that he couldn't afford.

“FREAK!”

Harry opened the door to his room and walked downstairs. He walked into the kitchen, but to his surprise no one was in there. No uncle Vernon. No aunt Petunia. No Dudley. He looked around and still, no one. He saw dirty dishes in the sink, so he walked over to clean them.

Maybe this is what he called me for, Harry thought. Starting the water to fill the sink, he did not hear footsteps behind him. The next instance, white light and a blind sharp pain radiated from his head. The hit came again to the same spot as before. This time he covered his head with his arms. He did not see his attacker, nor did he want to. Soapy water going everywhere, since his hands were in the sink at the time. When the next blow came about, it was a total surprise as it was not to his head but to his lower back, knocking him to his knees. Once on the floor he began to curl up into a ball trying to protect his vital organs from the assault that was happening to him.

A kick here. A punch there. The blows seemed to be endless. Then just as suddenly they started. It ended. Harry was, laying on his stomach, on the floor hurting from what seemed like head to toe. All was quiet. The only thing Harry could hear was his ragged breathing. His attacker said not one word while beating him. Then he heard the familiar sound of a zipper. His breathing began to go faster. His heart beating so fast, Harry's afraid that it would stop at any moment. He didn't want to be here. He didn't want this to happen again.

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Severus just started to settle down. He was easing into a restful slumber when he heard it. It was very subtle. At first he didn't think it was anything, but he heard it again. It was a low moaning. It could be the only other person in the house. Getting up and putting on his robes, Severus made his way to Harry's room. When he got in the room, he could see that Harry was in the midst of a nightmare.

Severus walked over to the bed and sat down on the end of it.

This time he covered his head with his arms. He did not see his attacker, nor did he want to. Soapy water going everywhere, since his hands were in the sink at the time. When the next blow came about, it was a total surprise as it was not to his head but to his lower back, knocking him to his knees.

“Potter,” Severus leans down, with his hand on the boys chest. “Harry. It's just a dream.” His voice was low and soothing. Harry started to calm down. His movements silenced. Severus was just about to get up when a whole new set of screams came from the sleeping boy.

Then he heard the familiar sound of a zipper. His breathing began to go faster. His heart beating so fast, Harry's afraid that it would stop at any moment. He didn't want to be here. He didn't want this to happen again.

His arms flailing, his legs kicking. Severus had to grip Harry's arms and lay them across his chest to keep from hitting him.

Harry feeling pinned, tears began to stream down from his closed eyes.

“No,” cried in his sleep. “No, please don't.” Harry moaned out. He got one of his hands out of his professor's grip and absently gripped Severus' robe. Just like in the Infirmary, Harry pulled himself up to Severus and curled up next to him.

Instinctively, Severus let go of Harry's other hand and wrapped his arms around the crying child. Harry began to calm down. His crying changed to hiccups, then his breathing evened out. He fell back asleep in Snape's arms.

Once Severus felt Harry calming down, he lowered the boy back in the bed. He looked around and found the black bear on the floor by the bed. He picked it up and placed it beside Harry's head. Very slowly he began to pry Harry's hands off of his robes.

The calming smells of potions began to fill Harry's nose. The same scent that he's been smelling that has completely calmed him. That has made him feel safe and secure. He felt hands on his. Hands that weren't hurting him. They just were opening his grip. Slowly consciousness was bringing Harry to a state of awareness, the more aware he was becoming the more he was hoping that this wasn't a dream and that he wasn't living in his nightmare. He didn't want his comfort to leave.

When Severus was finally free from Harry's grip, still thinking that Harry was asleep, he stood up from the bed. A small voice stopped Severus in his tracks.

“Wait.”

Severus turned and saw a pair of green eyes looking up at him. They were looking at him, but weren't really seeing him.

“Don't leave me, please.” Severus could see the tears forming in Harry's eyes.

“You will not be alone, child,” Severus said sitting back down on the side of the bed.

“Pro-professor,” Harry stuttered out.

“Go back to sleep, child. We will talk in the morning.” With that, Harry fell back asleep. Severus deeply sighed, got up and left the sleeping child to go to his room and try to get some rest.

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Minerva awoke to her hands hurting worse than they ever had. She was afraid that she wouldn't even be able to get dressed. Once she finally got up, she called for her personal elf.

“Tami,” Minerva weakly called out.

“Here, mistress,” Tami popped by Minerva's bed. Tami saw the pain in her mistress' eyes and tears began to fill those big green eyes. “Mistress.”

“It's fine, Tami,” Minerva said through clenched teeth. Her hands and wrist throbbing in pain. “I just need my poti... oh dear.” Minerva sighed. “He's not here is he?” She was crestfallen as she laid back down on the bed. “Severus.” A lone tear streamed down to her pillow. “Oh Severus, don't stay away too long.”

Tami left with a silent pop and returned just as quick with a small tea pot. She poured her mistress a cup of tea and handed it to her. Minerva looked up at her elf.

“Drink, mistress,” Tami pleaded, not liking to see her mistress upset. “It will make you feel better.”

Minerva sat up and took the tea cup. When she put it to her lips, she smiled. It was a teary smile, but a smile none the less. One thing about having the youngest Potion Master as her son, she could smell his potions in the faintest of things. And now, in her Earl Grey tea, she could smell her son's work, and all she could do was smile.

“You must drink all, my mistress.”

“Where is – no, Tami, listen to me,” Minerva said with much more energy. “Whatever my son needs, you get it for him. No questions.”

“Yes, mistress.” A smile came across the small elf's face.

“Go. Go take care of him.” With a small pop, the elf was gone. Minerva took a long sip of her tea and a small smile on her face as she leaned back against the headboard of her bed. Even though last night didn't end as she liked. Knowing that her son was out there, but still close enough that she could still keep in contact with her son, made the morning that much bearable. From a long line of regrets that she can count with her son, the one thing she did not regret was bonding him with her elf Tami. She still remembered that bittersweet day on Halloween night almost fourteen-years ago.

Minerva walked back to her chambers. It was all so surreal. She could not believe that the Potters were dead. Gone. Just like that. As she walked to the seventh floor she remembers the last time she spoke with Lily. Oh, not to have her afternoon tea with her former student anymore. She sighed. Then she heard it. Sobbing in the distance. Minerva pulled out her wand. Carefully, she walked down the hall towards the wailing. When she turned the corner, what she saw nearly made her heart stop. Severus, her son whom she had not seen since he took the Dark Mark, was on the floor in front of her chambers, sobbing and wailing. Quickly, Minerva returned her wand up her sleeve and rushed over to her distraught son.

Severus was leaning against her chamber door. Tears streaming down his face. One look at her son and she knew that Severus got word that his best friend had died tonight. She knew that Severus loved Lily, and her heart just broke watching her son cry out his grief. She knelt down next to her son and placed her hand on his shoulder. Her heart broke more for her son, when he recoiled from her touch.

“No,” Severus sobbed out. “No.”

“Severus,” Minerva cooed. “Come on, get up.”

Reluctantly, Severus allowed his mother to help him up and they walked inside her chambers. Minerva helped Severus in one of the chairs by the fireplace.

“Tami,” Minerva called out.

A small pop and Tami appeared next to them.

“Yes, mistress,” Tami said with a slight bow.

“Bring some tea, for me and my son.”

“Son?” Tami looked from her mistress to the mean Potions teacher.

“Yes Tami,” Minerva loosing patience with her elf. “You will do as I say, and go bring my son some tea.” With that, Tami popped out of the chambers. Minerva's attention went back to her son. He was sitting in the chair with his head in his hand. The tears did not stop.

“Severus.”

“It's all my fault,” Severus' voice was raw from crying. “She's dead.”

Minerva transfigured the table next Severus in to an ottoman so that she could sit next to her son. “It's not your fault.”

“Yes it is,” Severus argued. “I should not be here.” He started to rise from the chair when he felt a hand on his shoulder.

“Do not even think of getting up,” Minerva said leaving no room for arguing. “Tami.” Minerva called for her elf.

“Yes, my mistress,” Tami popped in the room holding a tray in her hands.

“Sit the tray down. I'll take care of the tea. I want you to bring me a bowl and a wet flannel.

Seconds later Tami returned with the requested items. She began to wipe her son's brow with the cool flannel. At first Severus leaned into the ministration, but reality set in and he knew that his mother didn't love him anymore.

“No,” Severus said weakly. “No, I don't deserve your kindness.” His throat began to burn again with hot tears.

“Nonsense,”Minerva said wiping his brow and eyes with the flannel. “You deserve so much. So much that I cannot provide, but it will be alright.” Making sure that he didn't try to get up. “You will stay here. I'll hear nothing more about it.”

Severus looked up at his mother. His redden eyes washed with tears, gave a single nod and laid his head on the back of the chair. Once she finished, she left the flannel over his eyes. Slowly his breathing began to calm, slow down and deepen. After a few minutes, Minerva noticed that Severus was asleep. She went to the side cupboard and pulled out a heavy afghan to cover her son up in. Once she made sure that she tucked in her son, (She couldn't help but to smile at the thought of tucking in Severus Snape,) she cupped her son's face and kissed him on his forehead as he slept.

“Oh Severus,” Minerva said looking at her sleeping son. “It's been too long since you've been here. This will not happen again.” And for the third time this night, Minerva called out to her personal elf.

When Tami showed up, Minerva had one order; bond with Severus. Never again will she go months of not knowing where her son is. She regretted that argument. If she had to do it all over, she would have changed how she handled the situation. She would have still been upset about her son taking the mark, but she shouldn't have hit him.

Minerva went and got her self changed into something more for lounging, sat on the chair opposite Severus and she stayed by her son's side the entire night.

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Harry woke up and stretched in the bed. He fumbled around on the night stand to feel for his glasses. Once he found them and put them on his face, the memory of what happened last night just flooded his mind. He remembers he had a nightmare. He remembers what happened after his nightmare. Sometimes he hated that he couldn't remember what it was that scared him so badly. What did surprise him was the actions of his feared Potion Master. Snape didn't make fun of him. He didn't push him away. He held him until he stopped crying. The professor actually let him cling on to him.

There was a knock on the other side of the door.

“I know you are awake, Potter. Please get up and get dress. We need to talk. I want you to have some breakfast. You're too skinny as it is an you can't afford to miss meals.”

With that, Severus walked away. Harry listened to the sounds of his professor's footfalls walking down the halls.

Harry sighed and got up. Why put off the inevitable? He knew what happened last night was probably never going to happened again.

Harry got dressed in record time, he sighed and opened the door and headed down to the dining room to see Professor Snape.

TBC

A/N: Thank you to everyone that has favored, followed and reviewed my story. Your continuing support with my story is nothing short of amazing! :) Thank you!! :)