It was ten minutes after curfew. The halls of Hogwarts castle were quiet and empty, save for one Gryffindor Prefect – not to mention at least six hiding couples in hidden alcoves all throughout the castle. So goes the typical Friday night at Hogwarts.

Hermione was twirling her wand around, trying to focus on patrolling the corridors for errant students, but there was much too much going on in her mind. This year was proving to be the worst one she’d had at Hogwarts to date. From her first year on, she’d always been happily content being the best friend of two very different, yet very similar boys. At first she had nursed quite the soft spot for Harry, born of pity and sympathy for his situation, and infatuation with his famous status. But despite all the constant bickering with Ron, the illusion that it was a miracle they were even friends, it had always been the erratic redhead who held her delicate, yet strong heart.

They had wasted years pretending they weren’t head over heels for each other, but that all ended the summer after fifth year. With the Ministry fiasco as a perfect example of how dangerous and unpredictable life could be, Hermione decided she’d had enough of pretending, and took matters into her own hands.

But now…now things were all amuck again. Ron had a lot of good qualities – he was brave, loyal, and honest – but he was also foolishly stubborn, and once he made up his mind, there was no changing it. His prejudices against Snape and generally all things Slytherin blinded him to a lot of things, but mainly how much his best friend needed him. If Harry was that important to him, Ron could have ignored it, he could have accepted Harry’s decisions to trust Snape and live down in the dungeons. So, maybe Ron Weasley wasn’t so loyal after all.

Hermione had reached the infirmary corridor and was about to head back to Gryffindor when she heard a faint voice. Figuring it was a student out of bed, she headed in the direction it was coming from, only to stop as she realized it was coming from inside the infirmary itself. She paused at the half open doors and listened.

“...don’t think Hermione is speaking to me now, either. Skeeter wrote another article, and it pushed her over the edge this time. I don’t blame her, but I wish she wouldn’t blame me in return. I guess maybe I could have gone about telling her not to write the letter a little differently, but I was tired and upset about the article as well. No matter now...no one is speaking to me, save for Severus, and that’s not exactly comforting. I got my head bitten off for not being paranoid and checking my post for curses. I know he means well, but if he wasn’t such an arse about it, I wouldn’t be so difficult in return. Maybe I do belong in Slytherin after all...”

Hermione moved away from the door, feeling a heavy sinking in her stomach. She slipped her wand back into her robes as she leaned against the wall beside the doors to the infirmary. So that’s why Harry was always so tired these days; he spent his nights in the hospital wing talking to Draco. It was really very obvious; she should have realized it sooner. But hearing Harry talk like that, like Draco could hear him, like he was awake and there with him...it grabbed at Hermione’s heart and squeezed ruthlessly as she felt even more torn between her best friends. Should she try more to help Harry with waking Draco up, or should she support her boyfriend’s stubbornness and write Harry off as well? The right choice was obvious, but that didn’t make it any easier to decide.

S~S~S~S

“Severus, we’re going to be late! No, you go first this time, I can’t keep going first.”

“You’re too paranoid by half, Lupin. That’s my cloak, by the way.”

Remus looked down at the cloak he had been preparing to clasp around his neck and sighed, handing it off to Snape instead. “You’ve no organization when you’re in a hurry, you know that?”

Severus smirked as he handed Remus a shoe that had somehow made it under his bed. “Likewise, Lupin.”

Remus couldn’t help the chuckle that bubbled up in his throat and escaped him as he pulled Severus close, fastening the cloak around the Potions Master’s neck for him. “It’s not like we’re going to get caught. Harry’s still in the infirmary; he never came back in last night.”

Severus straightened his cloak and brushed off a bit of lint, trying to nonchalantly ignore Remus’ obvious attempts to get his attention. “Yes, I know. I need to talk to him about that, but I’ve no idea how to go about it. I wasn’t made for...for guardianship or whatever you want to call this situation,” Severus said in obvious distaste. He had never wanted to have children, especially the child of a past enemy.

Remus frowned slightly as he smoothed down the lapels of Severus’ cloak distractedly. “I think maybe you should leave Harry be when it comes to his night time activities. He seems to be doing ok in his classes; perhaps a bit tired, but not debilitatingly so. He needs the time he spends with Draco, for his own peace of mind. If it starts to become a problem, then you can confront him about it. Just...knowing Harry as I do, forbidding him from visiting Draco in the night will burn every last bridge you’ve managed to build with him.”

“I’ve built nothing, Remus; I simply allowed for him to construct everything on his own without wrecking it, for once. I don’t think it’s healthy for him to be so attached to Draco. What if he never wakes up? What if he dies? Then where will Harry be?” Severus asked, pulling away from the Defence Professor as he searched around for his wand. He left off the fact that he didn’t know exactly where he himself would be if he lost his godson, but he figured it went without saying the devastation he would experience.

Remus handed the thick black wand to Severus as he pulled the man close once more and stole a quick kiss. “Harry is no stranger to death, Severus. As little as I wish to see him struggle with it once more, I think taking him away from Draco now would only cause more trouble than not. It really is your decision, as you have control over who is allowed to see Draco. Just think about what I said, alright?” Remus asked earnestly, though he knew he wouldn’t receive an answer to that. He stole another kiss, a bit longer this time, before pulling away and heading for the exit. “Guess I’m going first again. See you in a bit.” With that, he left Severus’ bedroom, and the dungeons quarters completely.

Severus stood in his room still, frowning as he did indeed think about what Remus had said. He still had his doubts about allowing Harry to spend all night, every night beside Draco in the infirmary, but maybe the werewolf was right; Harry was causing no problems for himself or others, yet. It would only serve to anger the boy, and indeed make all the progress Severus had made with him null and void. He’d leave it, for now. Severus sighed and rolled his eyes dramatically; he was getting way too soft for his liking.

S~S~S~S

Before Severus could even enter the Great Hall that morning for breakfast, he was accosted by a student, though he was surprised to see which student it was.

“Professor Snape, sir. I really need to speak with you; do you have a minute?” Hermione asked, wringing her small hands nervously as she glanced around the Entrance Hall.

Severus put on his best annoyed scowl and sniffed distastefully. “I suppose if it is that urgent, Ms. Granger. What is it you would like to discuss? No matter how many times you look at me with those sad little eyes, I will not change your essay grade from an A to an E; it just wasn’t good enough.”

Hermione had a rather convincing scowl herself as she glared at the Potions Master. “I wasn’t referring to that essay at all, sir, though I still disagree with you.” Hermione had to bite her lip to keep from yelling as Snape simply rolled his eyes at her and crossed his arms over his chest. “Can we...talk somewhere else? Only...it’s sort of private, sir.”

Severus sighed agitatedly as he glared at the Gryffindor Prefect. “I am not your shrink, Ms. Granger. If you have personal matters to discuss, I suggest Madam Pomfrey or your own Head of House. I do not have time to deal with your angst this morning, or any other time, for that matter.”

Hermione let out a quiet growl of anger as she tapped her toe impatiently on the flagstone floors of the Entrance Hall. “I need to discuss something with you regarding Harry and Draco Malfoy. As Malfoy’s Head of House, and legal guardian, you’re obligated to listen,” Hermione said smartly. Aha, Snape couldn’t get out of it now!

Slightly taken aback at the girl’s sudden attitude, Severus found himself becoming increasingly curious as to what exactly she wanted, and how it involved Harry and Draco. “Very well, Ms. Granger, you’ve caught my attention. Meet me at my office after breakfast and I will listen to whatever it is you have to say, though I do not guarantee I will care one bit,” Severus conceded, waving his hand dismissively.

“Thank you, sir,” Hermione said stiffly; if you listened real close, you could hear her add, ‘and I didn’t expect you to care...’ as she walked away and headed for the Gryffindor table for breakfast.

“Insolent little know it all...” Severus grumbled as he continued his journey up to the staff table. As he sat down beside Remus, he did his usual scan of the Great Hall, looking for that shock of black hair at the Gryffindor table. After a second once-over, Severus realized Harry wasn’t there – again. He leaned over his plate, scooting his chair closer to Remus in the process.

“Potter isn’t here.”

Remus looked up from his eggs and bacon and scanned the Hall just the same as Severus did. He frowned slightly before taking a sip of his coffee. “Well, we know he never came back from the infirmary last night. Perhaps he’s still there?” he offered, wondering why Severus was making a point out of it to begin with.

Scanning his own House’s table carefully, Severus noticed that there were also a few students missing from there as well; Parkinson, Crabbe, and Goyle. A sense of foreboding rose in his throat, successfully curving his appetite. “There are a few worrisome Slytherins absent from breakfast as well...ones who have made an active attempt at harming Potter before.”

Remus looked over at Severus with a significant look before they both pushed their plates away and rose from the table. A few of the other Professors and most of the students watched their progress as they left the Hall, heading first towards the infirmary.

S~S~S~S

Harry snuffled in his sleep as he felt his cloak slip from his shoulder. Only when he felt a wand poking painfully into his neck did he wake, and fully awake was he. He slowly lifted his head and turned to see Pansy Parkinson, Crabbe and Goyle standing guard behind her. “Well, good morning to you, too,” he said in a scratchy voice, receiving a sharp jab from Pansy’s wand in response.

“Shut up, Potter. What the hell do you think you’re doing, standing vigil beside Draco’s sick bed? You put him here, how dare you come anywhere near him!” Pansy said in a low, shaking voice. She was obviously very upset, as her wand was vibrating threateningly in her grasp.

Knowing that saying the wrong thing could get him hexed ten ways from Sunday, Harry contemplated his answer for a long time, earning himself another painful jab. “I was just checking to see how he was doing. I must have fallen asleep. I’m not doing anything wrong, Pansy.”

“Don’t! Don’t pretend like you give a damn, and don’t call me by my first name! Your filthy half-blood lips have no right to speak my name! I’ll give you five seconds to get your sorry arse up and out of my sight before I start throwing hexes, Unforgivables included,” Pansy threatened, now pressing her wand into Harry’s neck with bruising force.

“Expelliarmus!”

Pansy’s wand went flying through the air in an undignified arch, landing at least twenty feet away. She whirled around, a snarl on her face, then promptly paled and slunk back towards Draco’s bed. “P-Professor Snape, sir...”

“What is the meaning of this, Ms. Parkinson? Threatening to use Unforgivables on a fellow student; are you trying to get yourself expelled?” Severus asked in a low hiss, annoyed to see Remus fawning over Harry’s bruised neck as if it was a life threatening injury.

“I-I...Sir, this...He shouldn’t be here! He shouldn’t be allowed anywhere near Draco!” Pansy cried, her face full of obvious distress.

“I am the only one who has any say in who can and cannot visit Mr. Malfoy, as he is under my care. Potter is on the approved list, just as you were, but now I think it unwise to allow you near my godson. You, Crabbe, and Goyle are now forbidden from visiting Draco at all. If I or anyone else catches you near him, it will be an automatic month of detention and one hundred points from Slytherin. You are lucky, very lucky that I do not send you straight to the Headmaster for your threat against Mr. Potter. I have warned you about causing Potter trouble already, do not test me again! One week’s detention and fifty points from Slytherin....each. Now remove yourselves from my sight before I change my mind about expelling all three of you!” Severus snapped, pointing his students towards the exit with a glare to melt metal.

Pansy sniffled as she tried to keep her tears in, summoning her wand back to her with wandless magic. With one last pathetic glance at Draco, she turned and led the other two Slytherin oafs out of the infirmary.

Harry was gaping openly at the Potions Master, Remus not so obviously so. Harry was rubbing his bruised neck distractedly, stunned silly by the whole situation. “Professor...you just took a hundred and fifty points from your own house...”

“Yes, Potter, I can add,” Severus snapped. He walked forward and lifted Harry’s chin so he could better see the bruising on the boy’s neck. “I’m also taking fifty points from Gryffindor for your irresponsible lack of ability to return to your bed. I have turned a blind eye to your sneaking out of your bed out of respect for your feelings concerning Draco’s situation, but no more! The reason you were moved into my quarters was so that I can protect you, but it’s a little hard to watch over you if you’re not there! You continue to blatantly risk your own safety, even after what happened to Draco! I’ve had enough of it, Potter. Do not make me take your name off the visitor’s list as well. You will cease your nightly visits and visit Draco only at the allotted times. Do I make myself clear?”

Harry was shaking with suppressed rage as he jerked his head away from Snape, gathering his cloak and moving slowly away from the bed, sending a glance towards Draco’s sleeping form. “Crystal clear, sir,” Harry said in a shaking voice. He took one last look at Draco before quickly making his way out of the Hospital Wing.

“Severus, don’t you think that was a bit harsh?”

“Do not start on me, Lupin! I have given up everything for that boy; my summer, my privacy, and my usefulness to the Order, and I will be damned if it’s all for nothing! Now I’d like a moment alone with my godson, if you wouldn’t mind,” Severus snapped, clearly dismissing Remus rather than asking for some privacy.

Remus nodded sadly at his lover, brushing his palm gently as he started to move away. “Of course, Severus, I’ll see you later.” Remus left the infirmary, glancing back at the Potions Master, who had taken Harry’s vacated seat beside Draco’s bed, his face in his hands. Remus knew most of Severus’ recent vindictiveness was due to stress, but sometimes he wondered what on earth he was thinking, getting personally involved with Severus Snape. It was like dating an unpredictable explosive device, and it was tiresome.

Just as Remus was leaving the infirmary, he passed a woman he didn’t recognize, but looked eerily like she could have been Lily Potter’s twin. It took him a second to realize it was Abigail Smithson, Draco’s Healer. “Abby, is that you?” Remus asked as he turned and caught her arm gently.

Abigail cocked her head slightly, trying to figure out who this man was. He obviously knew her, so she must have known him. That gentle smile, and those soft amber eyes...Of course, Remus Lupin, Gryffindor Prefect. “Remus? Sweet Merlin, it’s been a long time. I feel like I’m at a Hogwarts reunion these days, after running into Severus and plenty of others at Mungo’s. Are you teaching here as well?”

Remus smiled and nodded, remembering the surprisingly mild tempered Slytherin Prefect from way back in the day. “I am, again; I taught two years ago as well. Severus mentioned that you were around again.”

Abigail fought the urge to blush, giving a cheeky smile. “Did he, now? That sod isn’t going around shouting it from the roof tops is he?” she teased, knowing Severus would never do such a thing. In fact, she remembered that Severus had hated Remus while in school, so why did he make it sound like they were buddy-buddy now?

Severus heard voices in the hall outside of the infirmary and was about to go yell at the students for making a racket when he saw his worst nightmare unfurl in front of his eyes; Remus and Abby – talking to each other. Ok, so maybe not his worst nightmare, but certainly an unpleasant one that promised to cause him more grief than he was willing to deal with. He decided he’d better not interrupt, lest he cause a very awkward moment between the three of them.

“Oh no, he just mentioned it in passing, really. Well, I’m sure you’ve things to be doing, so I won’t hold you up anymore. It was nice seeing you,” Remus said, trying not to smirk at the way the former Slytherin’s face fell at his flippant tone.

“Yeah, you too, Remus. See you around.”

Abby shook her head gently as she continued on towards her destination. She had just managed to spare a few minutes to come check on the Malfoy boy; she really shouldn’t have dawdled as much as she already had. She stopped abruptly as she spotted Severus sitting beside Draco’s bed, his head cradled tiredly in his hand. “Are you alright, Severus?” she asked timidly, hoping she wasn’t stumbling upon some uncharacteristic display of emotion on Snape’s part.

Severus looked up at the Healer, his expression blank. He was pretending he hadn’t heard the exchange between her and Remus, if only because it made it easier to ignore his conflicting feelings. “I’m terrific, Abigail,” he said in a bored drawl, feeling his stomach flip as she giggled. Only Abby could find his infuriating sarcasm funny.

“You look it, too. I just came to do a quick check-up on Draco before I have to do rounds at Mungo’s. I won’t be too long,” she assured the Potions Professor as she pulled out Draco’s chart and began scanning it over.

“Please, take your time. I was just leaving, anyways; student conference, unfortunately. Contact me if there are changes, if you would,” said Severus as he stood to leave. He felt extremely exhausted and wanted to get his meeting with Granger done with as soon as possible.

Abby caught Severus’ wrist and halted his departure, catching his arched eyebrow with amusement. “Are you sure you’re ok, Severus? You look...tired.”

Severus laughed mirthlessly as he gently pulled his wrist away from the Healer, wanting the tingling that travelled up his arm to go away – to go far, far away. “You’ve no idea. If you’ll excuse me...” he left without another word, not feeling in the least bit guilty at Abby’s disappointed frown, or at least that’s what he told himself.

S~S~S~S

“There you are, sir. I was just about to go looking for you – ”

Severus walked directly passed Granger and opened the door to his office, pointing sharply towards the door. “In.”

Hermione quickly followed orders, though with a frown at the Potions Master’s obviously bad mood. She hadn’t exactly expected a cheerful welcome, but she could do without his vindictiveness at the moment. She settled herself in the chair across from Snape’s desk, waiting for him to take his seat before leaning purposefully forward. She was cut off, however, by Snape’s pale, long fingered hand.

“Before you go off into a tangent about Mr. Potter and Mr. Malfoy, I have a few questions of my own to ask of you. During the attack on Diagon Alley, you and Mr. Weasley were standing much closer to the group of Death Eaters than I. Can you recall hearing the specific incantations any of them used when they sent their curses towards Harry and Draco?”

Hermione was slightly thrown by that curve ball, and Snape’s use of Harry’s first name. She furrowed her brow as she tried to think back to that day. She could vaguely remember hearing one, and being curious about it afterwards as well. “I do remember hearing one, sir, but I’ve never heard of such a spell before. The incantation was Cruorem Incendio. I know what it translates to directly, but the curse I’m unfamiliar with.”

“A blood boiling curse is not exactly something that you’d learn at Hogwarts, Ms. Granger. You can remember no others? What about Mr. Weasley, do you think he would remember any?” Severus asked as he pulled out a quill and wrote down the incantation the girl had just spoken.

Hermione shook her head slowly, disappointed that she could help no further. Sure, Malfoy had always been a right git to her and her friends, but she’d never wish this fate upon anybody, besides perhaps Voldemort himself. “I’m sorry, sir, that’s the only one I can remember. I’m not sure Ron remembers any, but I can ask him and let you know.”

Severus nodded curtly as he set his quill down and crossed his hands in front of himself. “Very well, I’d appreciate it. Now, what was it you wanted to discuss about Mr. Potter and Mr. Malfoy?”

Hermione shifted nervously in her seat, crossing and uncrossing her arms. She finally gave a dramatic sigh and leaned forward. “I was out doing my Prefect duties last night patrolling the corridors. I walked by the infirmary and I could hear somebody talking, so I stopped to see who it was. It was Harry and...and he was talking to Malfoy, as if Malfoy was awake and responsive.” Hermione gave another dramatic sigh and caught the Potions Professor’s eye pointedly, her expression full of concern.

“He won’t even talk to Ron and me like that anymore, not since Sirius Black died. Harry needs Draco, Professor. I know there are plenty of people working on trying to wake him up and fix it, but...I want to help, I want to do something too. If Draco can get Harry to open up like that while he’s comatose, imagine how much he’d open up if Draco were awake. Something obviously changed this summer, sir; between you and Harry, and between Draco and Harry. The things you’ve done for him...well, Harry would be dead without you, and I’m very thankful that he has you to help protect him. I know that now more than ever, trust is important, it’s sometimes all we have and...I trust you, and I want to help you research cures for Draco.”

There was a long pause, the tension in the air swirling around uncomfortably. Severus was thinking, really thinking, about how awfully dramatic Gryffindors could be. Could the girl not just simply offer her services and be done with it? No, she had to give a long passionate speech, brimming with angst and emotion. If Severus had been approached like this with the mentality he possessed only a few months ago, he probably would have sneered at Granger and told her to take her melodramatics and cry to someone else, but that was back then. Now, Severus knew a little compassion could go a long way, even if it made him cringe horribly on the inside. Besides, he had to admit that the girl was extremely intelligent beyond her years, and he could really use the help of another brilliant mind.

“Well, Ms. Granger, you’ve already begun to help. I’ve been researching different dark spells and how they react with one another. I had heard one of the incantations myself, and now I have the incantation you said you heard. I can compare the two, and perhaps if Mr. Weasley heard one as well, we might be able to start to unravel a way to counteract the effects. I will give you the name of the second incantation, and you can start your own research on its counteractions with the blood boiling curse. Perhaps with two minds working on it, a solution will be found more quickly,” Severus said, pulling a clean sheet of parchment towards him. He quickly wrote down the spell he’d been researching for a while now and handed it over to Hermione.

“Thank you, sir. I’ll try my best to find some more information. I hope Ron heard one of them as well, that could really help,” Hermione said, excited and anxious enough to run straight to the library from the dungeons. She could do this; this was what she was good at. She would help wake Draco up...she would give Harry his muse back.

S~S~S~S

Ten pieces of crumpled parchment later, and Harry still didn’t have a response to send back to Tonks. Every time he would complete a draft and read it over, he would find that each letter was either ridiculously maudlin, or extremely too formal. He just couldn’t seem to find a happy medium. Deciding to take a break for a bit, Harry set aside his quill and parchment, pushing his chair away from his desk.

That night was going to be...interesting, to say the least. Harry hadn’t actually slept in his own bed for at least a week. He wasn’t exactly sure he’d be able to sleep without being scrunched up seemingly uncomfortably in a hard chair, as had become habit for him.

Harry was still seething from his telling off that morning from Snape. If he had known that Harry was sneaking off into the night the whole time, why did he wait until that morning to get in his face about it? Obviously, the sudden attack by Parkinson, Crabbe, and Goyle must have something to do with it, but what exactly? Snape had seemed...a little concerned? Nah, he must be imagining things due to sleep deprivation.

Harry’s bedroom door swung open suddenly, making him jump violently and upset his ink over the most recent draft of his letter to Tonks. He let out a growl of frustration as he pulled out his wand and siphoned off the spilt ink...including what he had written. Today just wasn’t his day.

Harry turned his annoyed glare on his Potions Professor, who was standing in the doorway with his arms crossed over his chest. “Is there something you wanted, Professor?” he asked in a clipped tone.

Severus’ eyebrows rose slowly at the boy’s tone, but decided not to comment on it – for now. “I think today would best be served working on your Occlumency, since we’ve lost quite a bit of time since classes have started. Have you been practising everyday like we talked about?”

Harry gave up on his quill and parchment and led the way out into the sitting room, where they usually worked on Occlumency. More room to fall over when exhausted, you see. “Yes, I have been. Professor McGonagall has already yelled at me a few times for ‘zoning out’ in class. I tried to explain it to her, but she seems awfully stressed out this year. I noticed her temper has been more like...well – yours, no offense,” Harry said with a smirk as he sat down on the cushy couch across from the armchair Snape had taken.

Severus resisted the urge to roll his eyes as he rolled the sleeves of his shirt up. He had already done away with his stuffy robes, having been accustomed to being comfortable around Harry now. “Professor McGonagall has been increasingly stressed out this year, yes. She’s had to take on a lot more duties than she’s accustomed to, even with being a Head of House and the Deputy Headmistress. Professor Dumbledore has been...shirking his duties, we’ll call it, in favour of his outside work for the Order, or so he says. Minerva has been buried by the sheer amount of pressure on her since before term even began. So, if she’s been a bit temperamental this year, forgive her.”

“Why would Dumbledore do something like that? Doesn’t he realize she’s already got enough on her plate as it is?” Harry asked with an incredulous expression. It was just another example of how Dumbledore was acting out of character.

“Professor Dumbledore, Potter. I’m sure he realizes Minerva is quite busy, but frankly, I think he doesn’t much care anymore. Enough about the Headmaster, you’re stalling,” Severus said in amusement as he pulled out his wand and sat on the edge of his chair.

Harry scowled and pulled out his own wand. “I’m not stalling, I was trying to say that I have been practising, but it’s hard to do it in class when all the Professors yell at me for it. I can’t improve on learning to Occlude and not zoning out if they keep yelling at me. Maybe you could write a note to all my teachers, tell them about how I’m trying to learn Occlumency so they’ll leave me alone?” Harry asked hopefully, knowing he was probably pushing it too far. Sure, Snape had to protect him and house him, but he didn’t necessarily have to write notes to his teachers like a parent would. That was just too...personal.

“Sure, Potter, I’ll write you a note, but the point of practising in class is to not lose yourself in the concentration. This is the most difficult phase, I assure you, but there’s nothing more I can do to help you now. This is where you must teach yourself. Now, concentrate on that scene again, the one you used last time. I want you to actively push against me without actually forcing me out. Last time you forcefully pushed me out, and that did not feel good, thank you,” Severus said with a slight sneer as he raised his wand.

Harry flushed and tried to prepare himself for the mental invasion. “Sorry, but you didn’t tell me how I was supposed to push you out. I didn’t know it was going to hurt you.”

Severus glared balefully at the young Gryffindor as he cleared his own mind; not that it wasn’t already essentially clear by default. “You admitted yourself that you imagined physically tossing me out; what were you expecting that to do to me, Potter?”

“Well if you would have told me to ease you out, I would have! Besides, if it’s Voldemort or another enemy in my head, I won’t give two shites about hurling them out physically,” said Harry, shrugging indifferently.

Severus pinched the bridge of his nose, feeling his skin crawl at Harry’s tone. It reminded him way too much of his father at the tender, stupid age of fifteen. “Do not say his name, Potter. While you are training with me, you will take care to not injure my mind. I will be absolutely no good to you as a drooling invalid.”

Harry rolled his eyes as he raised his wand, having heard the same speech already before. “Yeah, alright; I get it. Can we get on with it now?”

“Do not act so blithely when it comes to matters of the mind, Potter! It’s that careless, arrogant attitude that will see to your demise. Get ready now, Potter – Legilimens!”

“Ah damn,” Harry muttered just before his mind was invaded once again. He’d become used to the sensation after their many lessons, but the power needed to force a presence out of your mind was beyond exhausting, and much worse was just keeping the intruder at bay instead of just tossing them out. Snape had insisted Harry needed to learn to do both, lest he find himself too weak to completely throw an enemy out, he’d still be able to keep them mostly away from what was important. Even if Harry had been sleeping normally, he still would have been worn completely out by these exercises. As it was, he could barely keep Snape at the forefront of his mind for a measly two minutes before all his barriers broke. He was forced to relieve his memories of the Shrieking Shack incident for his folly.

Severus mentally stumbled out of the boy’s mind, falling back in his chair as he did so. He took a few panting breaths before sitting up, stinging words already on the tip of his tongue. Before he could get a single insult out, however, Harry swayed where he sat, and then promptly fell to the floor.

“Harry!” Severus shouted as he jumped quickly from his seat and moved around the coffee table. He kneeled down beside the Gryffindor, dropping his wand as he pulled the too-thin teen half into his lap and turned his pale face towards him. “Harry, can you hear me? Open your eyes!”

Nothing, not a flinch, not a moan. Nothing. Severus grasped the boy’s thin wrist in his fingers, feeling for a pulse. He found it, but it was irregular and much too fast. He quickly stood and gathered the boy in his arms, heading towards the floo. Juggling the boy carefully, he took a handful of floo powder and threw it in, whisking them both straight to the infirmary.

“Sweet Merlin, Severus! You nearly gave me a coronary! What’s going on, is Mr. Potter alright?” Madam Pomfrey said as she bustled over to the bed closest to the floo, where Severus had deposited his charge.

“Sorry, Poppy. We were having an Occlumency lesson and his shields broke down. I was ejected quite roughly from his psyche before he passed out cold. I think he may have hit his head when he fell as well. His pulse is much too quick. I’m not sure what happened,” Severus tried to explain, hating how his voice sounded so worried even to his own ears.

Poppy moved forward and drew her wand, waving it in an arch over Harry as she performed a few diagnostic spells. “This child is suffering from fatigue, Severus. Has he not been getting much sleep? He’s drained, that’s all. The effort it took for him to push you out of his mind took the last out of him, I’m afraid. He’ll need to stay at least one night here so I can monitor him, but a good long bit of Dreamless Sleep should do him nicely. I daresay an earlier bedtime should be put in place...poor thing, after all he’s been through...” she trailed off as she moved away to grab the Dreamless Sleep potion from the store room.

Severus frowned as he pulled a chair close to the hospital bed and sunk down in it. He had known Harry had been spending all night in the hospital wing with Draco, and yet he let it go on. And now, now the boy had literally passed out from exhaustion. Obviously, Severus failed dismally when it came to caring for children. He glanced up when Poppy came back, carrying the blue potion along with a change of powder blue pyjamas.

“I’m afraid I’ll have to wake him up for this. You may need to calm him down, so prepare yourself.”

Severus stood up and moved closer to the bed, gently resting a hand on the boy’s arm. He nodded at the matron to awaken the boy.

“Ennervate!”

Harry’s eyes fluttered open slowly. The first thing he became aware of was the warmth around him; he was obviously not in the drafty dungeons anymore. He blinked a few time before the world came into focus, and found Snape peering down at him, his eyebrows knit in apparent worry. “Well, that didn’t quite work the way I planned,” he muttered, trying to push himself to a sitting position.

Poppy leaned over and propped up Harry’s pillows, nodding at Snape to help the boy sit up properly. “You’ve not been taking proper care of yourself, Mr. Potter. You passed out from exhaustion. How much sleep do you get a night?” she questioned, not yet giving the boy the sleeping potion.

Harry had the decency too look chagrined as he squirmed slightly under the matron’s gaze. “Er...not enough?”

Poppy sighed as she handed over the pyjamas and glared lightly at the Gryffindor. “No, it would seem not. You’ll be staying overnight for your troubles, Mr. Potter. Get changed and then it’s off to bed with some Dreamless Sleep to help you catch up. No more staying up at all hours, you hear me? It’s not healthy for a growing boy, especially if you’re going to have people poking around in your mind all the time,” she chastised, sending a mild glare at Snape as well.

“The point of the lessons is to make sure people aren’t poking around in his head, Madam,” Snape said with a half sneer, knowing she was perfectly right and highly irritated by that fact.

“Hmm, yes – well, no more Occlumency for a few days, if you will. Give his mind a bit of a rest up, and yours too, I daresay. Change, Harry, then drink your potion.” Poppy set the corked potion on the bedside table and moved away, drawing the curtains around Harry’s bed to give him some privacy, though Snape was still standing there.

Harry sighed heavily as he stood up slowly, only realizing as he tried to move how incredibly tired he really was. Occlumency really was a pain in the arse – and the head, Harry mused as he rubbed the bruised spot on his forehead where he’d met the cold stone floor. He tried to ignore his Potions Professor as he turned his back to him and pulled his shirt off over his head and reached for his pyjama top. He stumbled as his vision swam in his tired state, nearly sending him to the floor again. He felt a strong hand close over his bare arm and looked up to find Snape standing beside him.

“Careful, Potter. Would you like some assistance, or do you wish to fall on your head again and really injure yourself?” Severus snapped, steadying the swaying boy with his firm grip.

“Could you just help me without being a git for once, please?” Harry mumbled tiredly, knowing he probably shouldn’t have said that, but too tired to really care about the repercussions.

The tired slur in the boy’s voice, and the way he pleaded with Severus was the only reason the Potions Master didn’t go off on a tirade about respect. He let out a heavy, frustrated sigh as he picked up the shirt and undid the buttons, helping Harry into it and doing the buttons up with a quick flick of his wand. He allowed the boy the use his arms as support as he looked away so Harry could change his pants with some dignity. Severus looked back as Harry let go of him and climbed slowly back into the bed. The teen truly did look exhausted, and it sent another pang of unwanted guilt into his gut. He picked up the sleeping potion from the table and uncorked it, handing it to Harry. “Sleep now, idiot child.”

Harry took the vial and slugged it back, pushing the glass back in Snape’s hand as he slumped down into his pillows and closed his eyes. He was nearly asleep when he felt his glasses being slid off his nose, and his hair brushed gently out of his eyes.

“What am I going to do with you, Harry...” a deep voice said as he finally fell into the blackness that was sleep.