Severus was startled out of his sleep by a scream. He bolted up, identifying the scream as Harry who was staying in the room next door in his quarters. That sent his heart in a quick race as he hurried out of his bed toward the twelve year old. He had the irrational thought that Potter might be dealing with a creature that had somehow entered Severus’s quarters.

Harry was on the bed, thrashing and the scar on his arm from the basilisk seemed to be inflamed. Severus hurried over, checking Harry’s scar first. It seemed to be doing okay given the damage it had taken earlier in the year. He let out a sigh at that, and when he raised his eyes to look at the boy’s face he saw Harry was already awake staring at him with his mother’s eyes.

“Did I wake you sir? I’m sorry,” He said softly, and Severus reached up to brush away his dark hair out of his face.

“Don’t apologize, Harry. You shouldn’t feel ashamed for having a nightmare. We all have them.”

“Even you, sir?” He looked at Severus with wide innocent eyes.

Severus sighed and got up to sit on the bed beside Harry. Harry instantly curled up against him, and Severus started stroking his hair, soothingly. “Even me.”

Harry sighed, before hesitantly asking, “What do you dream of?”

For a moment, Severus was tempted not to tell him, but in the end, he did simply because Harry could be coaxed to talk about his own nightmares, if Severus spoke of his. “Your mother mostly. Sometimes my times as a death eater or earlier memories.” He paused for a moment to make sure it seemed more like it was an afterthought than what he was really after. “What do you dream about?”

Harry was quite for a moment, but Severus knew he wasn’t asleep yet. He was rewarded with an answer. “Sometimes I dream of Hagrid and flying motorcycle- but more before Hogwarts. I dreamed of the basilisk and of my first year with Uncle Vernon yelling at me through it.”

Severus moved his hand to rub Harry’s back. Harry sighed, and it sounded happier. That was the one thing Severus took pride in, that he could make Harry feel this comfortable on the edge of going to sleep despite what he’d been through. He slid down, further in the bed. Harry slid up as well, until he was resting on Severus’s chest.

“You don’t have to worry about him again, Harry. I promise,” Severus assured him as he rubbed Harry’s back.

***

Severus woke up in the morning with a soft groan as he shifted. Something was laying on his chest, and when he opened his eyes, he realized Harry was still laying on his chest; they’d fallen asleep talking about some of their favorite dreams. He seemed to be sleeping peacefully, cuddled tight against Severus’s side. Severus gently detached the twelve year old from his side and got up. For a moment he worried Harry would wake up, but he just curled up deeper into the blankets. Severus smiled at him, before silently moving out of the room.

He could cook his own meals. It was a bit like making potions. You followed a recipe, maybe ad lib a little. He found it was easier for Harry to understand potions from that lens, and the little brat was easier to handle in potions as well. While he made pancakes, he thought about how he brought the little brat under his care.

Severus stormed into Dumbledore’s office. Potter was in the hospital wing again from a Basilisk bite that had apparently been healed by a phoenix tear. He should have a permanent bed in the infirmary from the amount of time the boy spent in there the past couple years. Severus swore the kid was trying to give him a heart attack.

[flashback]

“What’s going on with Potter?” He quickly demanded.

Dumbledore looked up at him sadly. “Potter’s relatives refuse to take him back. They claim he damaged their house and can’t put up with him much longer. I’m afraid he will have to stay here this summer. It’s the only place safe enough for him, and I’m afraid, Severus-“

“You want me to take care of him,” Severus cut in, flatly. At least the boy would be near healer if his basilisk scar acted up again.

Dumbledore smiled. “I’m glad you understand, my boy. I thought you might fight it more.”

Severus snorted. “My life is on the line if something happens to the brat. Might as well take control of the danger level he’s exposed to. I presume, Madam Pomfrey will be available at all times.”

“Of course.” Dumbledore had that smug look as he turned back to his work.

[end flashback]

“It smells good,” Harry whispered, and Severus turned to see the Gryffindor in a too big shirt while rubbing his eyes sleepily. He looked like he could’ve been eight.

Severus smiled at the twelve year old as Harry made his way to a chair patiently waiting for the pancakes were set on the table in front of him. Severus sat across from Harry with a gentle smile that Harry returned.

***

Severus had managed to get Harry to settle down while he read the latest potion journal. Harry was supposed to be doing his homework but had taken to leaning against Severus sometime in the past hour and arranging Severus’s arm to be around him. If there was one thing Severus had noticed about Harry since he moved down here was that once Harry was comfortable, he liked to have comfort contact.

It was a half hour after that, that he realized Harry wasn’t studying at all. The twelve year old was softly snoring against him, books lying forgotten on his lap. Severus sighed, and looked down at the little black haired boy. He should probably take the kid to bed, but Harry always slept better in Severus’s presence for some reason. So he just sighed again and turned back to his journal. Unconsciously he slid his hand through Harry’s hair the way Potter had done to his own hair so long ago, the same way he thought was so arrogant.

***

Harry was studying in his room this time, while Severus was taking a fire call from Lucius Malfoy. He didn’t want the two to cross paths, especially with Lucius’s involvement in Harry’s nightmares. Sometimes he wanted to break their connection for what happened, but he was Draco’s godfather. Plus, Dumbledore was convinced that Voldemort would come back, and they would need his spy services.

“I want you to watch Draco while Narcissa and I go out,” Lucius told him. “We’ll be leaving in a week, to give you time to set up Draco’s room. Will you let Dumbledore know?”

“Of course,” Severus agreed, inclining his head toward Lucius’s fire head. “Trying for another child?”

Lucius made a face. “Why are you always asking that, Severus? Since we’ve gotten married.”

Severus just smirked and disconnected the floo call. The smile fell from his face as he thought about the news. Harry was here, in Draco’s usual room. How was he supposed to keep it a secret if Draco was here?

He took a deep breath and went to check on his little ward. Harry was bundled under the blankets, calmly working on his homework. For a moment, Severus just stood in the doorway watching Harry work, occasionally using a lumos spell to read. He smiled and wordlessly lit the candles, before leaving the room. He was gone by the time Harry looked up.

***

Harry woke up to the soft sounds of Snape struggling with something. He got out of his bed and hurried down to Snape’s room. Snape was tossing and turning in his bed. It didn’t look like anything was attacking him, at least Harry didn’t see anything. He quietly crept over to the side of the bed, watching Snape move about fitfully. It looked like it was a nightmare.

He thought about how Snape had helped with his nightmare the other night. He’d woke Harry up, comforted him and stayed with him even after Harry had fallen asleep. It was the first time Harry could remember anyone doing anything like that for him. He nodded, determination filling him at his new mission.

“Professor, wake up,” Harry whispered, climbing on to Snape’s bed and gently touching Snape’s shoulder. Snape flinched away, suddenly wide awake. He stared at Harry blankly a moment before rubbing his eyes and sitting up. Harry just calmly watched him. He wasn’t really sure what to do next. The conversation before had just naturally flowed.

Snape blinked looking around, taking in the darkness, before turning his attention back to Harry and hoarsely whispering: “Did I wake you?”

“You were having a nightmare, weren’t you sir?”

Snape sighed, and leaned back against his headboard, eyes closing. “Yes. I was having a nightmare. I apologize for disturbing your sleep.”

Harry gently patted Snape’s arm. “You told me not to apologize. Everyone has nightmares, and I’m here so you don’t have to feel alone.” Like I did. He bit that back. He wasn’t sure how much Snape knew about the Dursley’s but he wasn’t going to let it sleep.”

Snape stared at him strangely for a moment, before sighing again and opening his arms. “Come here, child.”

Harry happily threw himself into Snape’s arms, while Snape patted his back, settling against the headboard. His heart rate seemed to be settling down. Harry hoped he was helping with that.

Above him, Snape made a noise and shifted. “Have I ever told you how much you remind of your mother? We were friends when we were younger, before we came to Hogwarts. She was my first friend. I’d hoped we’d be in the same house. Even when we weren’t, I tried to stay friends, but… you know how bad the Gryffindor- Slytherin rivalry is…”

Harry listened to Snape talk about his mother, feeling himself drift off. Really, Snape could be quite nice when he wanted to be. It was a shame the other students didn’t get to see it like Harry was now that Snape was his guardian.

***

In the morning, Harry woke up first. He looked up to see that sometime during the night, Snape had shifted to laying back down in bed with an arm around Harry. He was still asleep, looking at peace. Harry smiled and carefully slid out of Snape’s hold and set off for the kitchen. If there was one thing he could thank the Dursley’s for, it was knowing how to cook all kind of meals. Snape had fixed him breakfast after his nightmare. It was only fair that he return the favor.
He set upon his task with a lot more enthusiasm than he had at the Dursley’s. When he’d first been told that he would be staying with Snape because his relatives didn’t want him, he was half-afraid the potion master would turn him into potion ingredients. Even when Snape had told him that he would be expected to receive an examination at least once a week, until he was sufficiently convinced that Harry was experiencing any negative side effects from his little adventure. Thinking about it, Harry wasn’t sure when he had fully started trusting Snape.

A noise at the doorway startled Harry. He looked up to see Snape standing in the doorway with a little smile, amused that Harry was mimicking what he had done after Harry’s nightmare. Harry puffed up with pride as he put the eggs he was cooking on a plate, and moved to the table.

“You didn’t have to do this,” Snape told him, softly.
Harry grinned at him. “I know, but I wanna take care of you the way you did, sir.”

Snape put a gentle hand on his head as he moved to sit at the table with Harry. “It’s an adult’s job to look after children, Harry. You don’t need to feel obliged to do so for me.”

“Yeah, but then who would look after you?”