It's Delicate (isn't it?) by MellarkandArt

Harry woke up heaving, quite literally. He absently wondered about it being the second time he’d thrown up in the past 24 hours as he worked to calm himself down from his nightmare before reflecting on his predicament.

He’d only ever thrown up on his bed once before, and it had been a very bad day in the Dursley household.

Harry got up quickly, fumbling for his wand on his nightstand. The professor had said to only use magic when it was necessary, and this seemed a fairly dire situation. He cast a scourgify on the bed and then looked at the clock. Six thirty in the morning. He probably wouldn’t get in trouble if he were to take a shower this early.

He grabbed a change of clothes and made certain that the bed was spotless before retreating from his room for the bathroom, quiet as he’d been when he’d gone down for a glass of water a few hours ago.

Harry scrubbed imaginary filth off of himself, making a point not to reflect on either his nightmare and the reason why he’d woken sicking up or cupboards under stairs. Instead, he focused on the day ahead. He wasn’t sure what summer vacation would look like, in the past he’d spent his summers working at the Dursleys or over at Gary’s - no, Harry, you’re supposed to avoid those kinds of thoughts right now - but he imagined it would be different here. Probably. The professor would likely encourage him to do his homework, to start with. He wondered how long that would take to complete.

A long time, probably. Harry sighed to himself as he dried himself off with a towel. What he wanted to do was ask Professor Snape about his mother. And oddly enough, he was even curious to hear about what Aunt Petunia was like as a child. It sounded like they’d all grown up here in Cokeworth, from what Harry could get out of the professor. His mum and the professor had been close friends, Harry knew, but the man sure didn’t like to talk about her.

It was a major bummer, seeing as he was probably the only person who really could tell Harry about his mother, but he likely wouldn’t be getting much out of him on the matter anytime soon.

It was probably past seven now. Harry wondered if he was expected to cook breakfast. Better safe than sorry, he supposed.

***

Severus woke to the smells of bacon and eggs and wondered at the prospect of his mother cooking breakfast for a few moments before remembering that his mother had died many years ago, and the only other person in the house now was Harry.

He got up, then, nonplussed.

Journeying down the stairs, he came to a stop at the doorway of the kitchen at the sight of the boy standing behind the stove, stirring eggs in a pan with a wooden spoon, tongue sticking out of the corner of his mouth.

Somehow, it disturbed him.

“Harry?” Severus said, feeling inexplicably uncomfortable with the situation at hand.

Harry looked up sharply. He looked flushed yet somehow slightly pale at the same time. “Oh, Professor! G-good morning, I- I didn’t expect you to be up just yet, er…”

“What are you doing?” Severus questioned, still feeling disoriented by all of this and kind of wishing he had just remained in bed.

“Um… cooking breakfast?”

“Since when can you cook?” Severus muttered, walking further into the kitchen and taking a seat in one of the dingy table chairs. Ugh, this house was truly loathsome…

Harry flipped off the stove and moved the pan off the burner before standing on the tips of his toes to reach a couple of plates in the upper cabinets. “Oh, I dunno exactly… Aunt Petunia had me in the kitchen before I could properly reach the stove. I had to use this little step stool for the longest time… I did help you with dinner last night, you know.”

Severus blinked, watching as the boy scooped eggs onto the plates next to strips of bacon. He took a couple of forks out of the drawer before coming to the table with it all, setting the plate with a significantly larger portion of food in front of Severus.

The boy sat his own plate down in front of another chair and Severus switched the plates out before he could sit.

Harry looked up at him, perplexed.

“I don’t normally eat breakfast,” Severus offered smoothly, and truthfully. “And you are a growing boy who could stand to eat more.”

Harry frowned but didn’t argue.

The food was quite good, but came with a bitter aftertaste. “Did you often cook meals for your family?” Severus asked passively.

“Um,” Harry stalled. “Depends how often you mean, I guess.”

“Often as in; frequently, many times.” The boy was clearly more familiar in the kitchen than Severus himself was. That kind of knowledge didn’t tend to come without much experience.

“You don’t have to recite the dictionary to me every time I ask a question…” Harry muttered resentfully.

“Your lack of understanding in many subjects gives me the impression that I do.”

“Well, sometimes you’re wrong!”

Severus raised his eyebrows in challenge. “Am I now?”

Harry shrugged, eyes downcast as he pushed around the food on his plate. “No one is right all of the time.”

“Am I wrong in thinking that you are attempting to deflect my earlier question?”

Harry sighed heavily, breath lifting up the bangs from his temple. Severus wondered if it was time for a haircut.

“It’s not your job to cook, you know. I actually can’t think of anything I require of a child your age, besides doing your summer homework.”

“Oh yeah I know I don’t have to,” Harry perked up. “I just wanted to, is all.”

Severus doubted it, but he let it go. “I need to go to Diagon Alley today,” he announced. “Would you like to accompany me?” Not that he intended to leave the child alone in the house on the very first day, but it was always nice to ask and give someone the illusion of having a choice.

It was then that Harry’s eyes truly brightened, though his cheeks still appeared flushed. “Oh yes, sir, I’d love to! What do you have to go for? Are you shopping for clothes?”

Severus blinked. “Do I need to shop for clothes?”

Harry’s eyes widened. “No, that’s- that’s not what I meant. I mean, if you want- I just, we went there last summer for that and school supplies so um I don’t know what you, er-”

“I require potions ingredients,” Severus said, cutting off the child’s blubbering. “I’m sure you can recall the Apothecary where we got yours last year.”

Harry nodded, breaking his strips of bacon into small pieces on his plate. Severus was about to rebuke him for playing with his food before he popped one bit into his mouth. “Yeah, I remember. It was really cool.”

“Don’t speak with your mouth full,” Severus offered instead, rubbing his temples.

Harry’s cheeks reddened further as he blushed. “Sorry, sir.”

“Mm. We’ll be leaving soon so hurry and get ready once you’ve finished breakfast.” Severus rose from the table and Harry followed his movements, but Severus pushed him back down. “I do believe I said once you’ve finished.”

Harry rolled his eyes but did as he was told. Severus waved his wand to clean his dishes and put them back in the cabinets. He didn’t miss the feeling of watchful eyes tracking his every movement.

***

Diagon Alley was just as breathtaking as the first time he’d laid eyes on it last year.

The storefronts were bright and welcoming, with witches and wizards all around. Professor Snape seemed bothered by the crowd but Harry was awestruck by it. These were his people, this was his world. It was fascinating.

“Come along, Harry,” Professor Snape murmured beside him, causing Harry to realize that he’d been holding them up with his gawking. Thankfully the professor hadn’t kept walking on without him, otherwise, he would’ve surely gotten lost.

“Sorry, Professor,” Harry apologized quietly. “It’s just so cool.”

Professor Snape hummed. “How’s your stomach?”

“It’s getting better,” Harry responded, a bit embarrassed. They had done the whole teleporting thing again to get to Diagon Alley, and Harry handled it only slightly better than he had the day before. He was already dreading having to do it again to get back to the professor’s house. Not that he was having an overly good day stomach wise, anyway, but the professor didn’t know about this morning’s mishap and Harry intended to keep it that way.

“Perhaps we’ll get some ice cream after we’re done with the Apothecary, if you’d like.”

“Really?” Harry asked, surprised yet thrilled by the prospect. He’d rarely ever even had ice cream, much less been taken out for some. The Dursleys went often, but Harry, of course, had been excluded from that particular family activity.

Professor Snape nodded, taking Harry gently by the shoulder as they passed through a large crowd of people in front of the Apothecary. He wrinkled his nose and let go of Harry as they entered through the doors. “I didn’t expect so many people to be out today. Don’t wander off.”

Harry wrinkled his nose as well, but rather at the familiar foul smell of the place, sticking close to the professor as he tended to his business in the store. Harry wasn’t exactly a proficient Potions student (though it was his favorite class for obvious reasons), so he hardly knew what the man was shopping for and had nothing to look at for himself. Not that he wanted to, either, with all the gross and odorous things he’d glimpsed at in the barrels.

Professor Snape picked out his supplies and took them to the counter to pay, conversing with the shopkeeper who seemed kind of creepy to Harry, but the professor seemed almost friendly with him.

“Who’s that little thing ya got with you today?” the shopkeeper asked, causing Harry to step closer to his professor and attempt to flatten his fringe against his forehead.

“This is one of my students,” Professor Snape answered, not elaborating any further. Thankfully the man either didn’t recognize Harry or didn’t care who he was, as they soon left the shop without any further issues.

Harry tried not to overanalyze being introduced as just a student rather than… Well, whatever he was to Professor Snape. He wasn’t all too sure of what that was himself.

Lost in his thoughts as he trailed mindlessly after Professor Snape, he’d forgotten where they were going after the Apothecary, and was therefore surprised when they stopped abruptly in front of Florean Fortescue's Ice Cream Parlour.

Harry’s eyes widened at the sight of the building. He’d seen it before in passing, but he hadn’t even entertained the idea of entering the establishment. He must’ve gotten stuck gawking again, as the professor once again took his shoulder before steering him inside.

Knickknacks littered the walls, making the inside just as colorful as the exterior. It was cold, and Harry shivered as he drew his arms around himself, but it was a nice change from the temperature outside.

“What flavor would you like?” Professor Snape asked, and Harry bit his lip as he squinted at the sign.

“Ermm, I dunno, what are you getting?”

“Just a coffee. I’m lactose intolerant.”

“You are?” Harry questioned, surprised. “Then, um, why are we at an ice cream parlor?”

Professor Snape looked at him funny. “Just because I can’t have something doesn’t mean you shouldn’t.”

The declaration made Harry feel things he’d rather ignore, so for the sake of emotional avoidance he deflected; “Well can I have coffee, then?”

Professor Snape rolled his eyes. “Absolutely not. Just pick a flavor.”

“Uhhh…” Gosh, why was this so difficult? He just needed to pick a flavor, it wasn’t anything to stress over. “Strawberry and peanut butter sounds good,” he decided.

Nodding, the professor told him to pick somewhere to sit while he went to the counter to give their order. Harry picked a table in the corner and plopped down in one of the chairs, letting out a heavy breath as he did so. He felt awkward and socially overstimulated, and he wasn’t fond of the feeling. Resting his head on the table, he took deep breaths and counted to ten as his therapist had suggested in one session when he was feeling overwhelmed.

It helped a bit, but then Professor Snape came to the table, setting down the ice cream and coffee as he told him to take his head off the table, warning him of the dangers of germs and “Merlin only knows what hazardous events have occurred on this table.”

“I’m sorry,” Harry muttered as he lifted his head, swiping at his face with his wrist.

“Are you alright?” Professor Snape asked him, suddenly concerned once he saw his face.

Harry nodded. “Y-yeah, sorry,” he apologized again, flushing. “I-I’m just a little overwhelmed. I… I’ve never really been out somewhere like this before.”

“An ice cream parlor?”

“Er, yeah, but also just, like, anywhere, really.”

“Your relatives did not go out to eat?”

“Oh, they went, they just…”

“Didn’t take you with them,” Professor Snape finished irritably.

“No,” Harry confirmed quietly. “They didn’t.”

“Well,” Professor Snape said, looking uncomfortable as he pushed the ice cream container towards Harry. “Let this be a good first experience.”

Harry smiled slightly, taking another deep breath as he accepted the treat. It was awfully good, and he felt a little better upon tasting it. He made sure to swallow before speaking again. “I haven’t even had ice cream in ages. The last time I risked sneaking some from the freezer after everyone had gone to bed, I got caught and then Uncle Vernon hit me and-”

“Wait- your uncle hit you?”

Well, wasn’t this just reminiscent?

“Well, yeah- but only sometimes,” Harry added quickly. “Like, doesn’t every kid get smacked around every now and then?”

Professor Snape was staring at him now, with that weird expression on his face again, which made Harry feel very uncomfortable, his face flushing bright red.

“Did your uncle ever inflict such punishment methods on your cousin as well?”

“Um, a few times, I guess… Aunt Petunia got really upset when he did it, so not that often.”

Now Professor Snape really seemed pissed. “Did your aunt ever get upset when you were the one being hit?”

“Professor, I don’t think you’re understanding…”

“Please do explain it to me, then.”

“It really isn’t a big deal, it’s not like he beat,me or something.”

“Oh, no, of course not, he just hit you is all.”

“Exactly!”

“Harry, that is-” Professor Snape started, but he was interrupted by the cheerful voice of one of Harry’s Hufflepuff housemates, Hannah Abbott.

“Harry, hi!” Hannah greeted enthusiastically. “And er, hello to you as well, Professor Snape.”

“Oh, hi!” Harry said happily, as if they’d not just been having a serious conversation about not-so-happy things. “What are you doing here?”

“Just spending the day out, my parents had a few errands to run in town,” Hannah said, gesturing behind her to the couple watching them from a few tables over. Harry noticed their attention mostly seemed focused on him and he made another fruitless attempt to flatten his fringe against his forehead.

“Cool, that’s what we’re doing too! Professor Snape had to get potions ingredients.”

“Wouldn’t want to run out of good supplies for dunderhead students to blow up during the coming school year,” Professor Snape muttered, standing and offering a polite nod to Hannah as he went to greet her parents.

Hannah sat down next to Harry, who could see her starting to blush before she even asked her whispered question. “So, um, what are you doing with Professor Snape?”

Harry frowned, confused. “I just said, he had to get stuff for potions.”

“No, I mean like… it’s summer. Why are you with a teacher?”

“Oh.” Harry was the one flushing now. He hadn’t really told anyone about where he would be going for the summer or about the professor signing those guardianship papers a few weeks ago. He didn’t like to think about it too much himself.

“Well, I… I’m staying with him this summer. He, um, he’s actually my g-guardian.”

Comprehension registered on Hannah’s face. “Oh. I suppose that makes sense, you two have seemed to be rather close. How is living together going?”

Harry shrugged. They weren’t even a full twenty-four hours in yet and while nothing had even gone wrong in the least, the professor had just taken him out for ice cream for crying out loud, he was already expecting to be thrown out (or perhaps worse, thrown in) before the end of the week. But other than that, things were going great on the homefront.

Hannah smiled softly. “Adjusting can be hard. Especially… Well, I take it things weren’t great for you before. I think this is a good thing, though. Professor Snape seems to really care for you, and you for him. We’ve only been out of school for a couple of days, you’ll figure it all out soon.”

Harry nodded, though he didn’t fully agree. “Yeah, I mean I really like Professor Snape and all, it’s just… the whole guardian thing is, um…”

“Are you ready to go, Harry?”

Harry flinched at the sudden reappearance of Professor Snape. “Erm, y-yes sir,” he agreed quickly, taking his cup of ice cream as he stood from the table.

“I’ll see you around, Har,” Hannah said easily. “I hope you have a nice summer, feel free to write if you want!”

“Sure,” Harry smiled at her. “Have a nice day, Hannah.”

Harry followed Professor Snape, who seemed to be more ill at ease than usual, out of the ice cream parlor. The professor seemed to be taking his own deep breaths as they walked back down the streets, and Harry couldn’t help but wonder if he’d once again somehow done something wrong.