It was lightening outside but still far off from sunrise. Harry lay on his side but rolled over while kicking at his blankets. His face formed a frown and his chest heaved faster as though he was running. Whimpering softly, Harry rolled again and his blanket slid to the floor, leaving him mostly uncovered while one hand clenched at his pillow.

--

"Bravery" Voldemort said as he stared at Harry. "Your parents had it too'.

Harry stood there in fear while the man spoke about bringing his parents back, even as the logical part of his mind wondered if that was truly possible or if it was worth giving up the stone just to have them back. But of course it wasn't.

"You liar!" Harry yelled when the images of his parents faded after Voldemort had made a short speech about how there was no good or evil, only power.

"Kill him!" Voldemort declared. Instead of Querill flying at him, it was a cloaked being such as the one he'd seen in the forbidden forest feeding off the unicorn.

Voldemort always haunted him, since he was a baby and it was only a flash of green light, but now he had a voice and face for his nightmares to feed off.

Harry stumbled backwards and stared up hopelessly while Voldemort stood over him and smirked in his twisted, fearful way.

"Do you see, Potter?" Voldemort asked while Harry raised his hand to his forehead, feeling the burning sensation there. "No one lives when I decide to kill them...not one and not even you will survive'.

"That's not true!" Harry said but his voice came out shaking and gasping.

"How will it feel?" Voldemort asked with sicking pleasure. "To watch them all die?"

Harry's eyes widened as he saw images flash before him of Hermione screaming, Ron falling backwards into nothingness, Mrs Weasley crying for her children, his parents disappearing into the flashing green light and...Snape being tortured at the feet of Voldemort himself, gushing blood from his forehead as he tried to reach his wand but it was out of grasp.

Harry could only sit paralyzed while Voldemort laughed and hundreds of echoing screams faded away the images, leaving them alone again in the darkened stone surroundings that was also similar to the forest at night.

"You could have saved them" Voldemort said. "If I had been able to kill you as a baby...they would never suffer because of you. Pity'.

"N-no" Harry choked, trying to be brave but the scenery changed again as he saw himself staring into the mirror as it showed his parents only they were not happy to see him. As he watched, he heard voices...familiar voices.

"I think it is clear, that we should expect great things from you, Mr Potter" Ollivander told him. "After all, he-who-must-not-be-named did great things...terrible! Yes, but great'.

"I'm not going to be like him" Harry whispered, lowering his gaze but his parents just shook their heads disapprovingly.

"Are you sure?" The sorting hat asked him and Harry saw his parents gone and instead it was a younger version of himself as he sat on the stool to await being sorted even though his robes had the Slytherin crest and colours there. "You could be great you know, it's all here...in your head. And Slytherin will help you on the way to greatness! There's no doubt about that'.

"No, I'm in Gryffindor!" Harry tried to tell at it. "I'm a Gryffindor!"

"But it's all here, in your head Potter" The hat told him. "Are you sure? Slytherin is where you will make your real friends'.

"I already have friends" Harry argued.

"And your father?" The hat wondered while a vague and distant image of Snape was seen sitting at the staff table behind where he was sitting on the stool. "He's in Slytherin'.

"So? Dad loves me" Harry said although he didn't feel in control of his words.

"Useless brat!" Snape hissed as Harry was now sitting in the potions classroom, enduring a smoking potion and furious Snape. "Incompetent Gryffindor, just like James!"

"That man cannot love" The hat mocked. "Perhaps if you were Slytherin..."

"No, I'm a Gryffindor" Harry said softly, more weakly while Snape continued to rant about how terrible he was, now arrogant he could be, how he was just like James...nothing but a waste of time and space.

"Dad?" Harry stepped closer. "You wouldn't leave me, would you?"

"What?" Snape turned on him, his expression livid and tone not much better. "Ha! Poor Potter, afraid of being alone?" He spat. "Who would want you? You're nothing but trouble! People keep dying because of you!"

"But..." Harry felt his head spinning and the sounds mixed with swirling images until with a sudden jerk, it all went black...

-- 

Actually it was white. As Harry sat in his bed and raised a hand to shield himself from the rising sun, he felt terrible. Tears were soaking his cheeks and pillow, his hands were sore from clenching and his forehead throbbed. Sitting there for a minute or so, he came to realize that no matter how real it had felt or how his forehead had truly hurt during it...he convinced himself that it was just a nightmare and he was awake now.

But he felt doubtful or if there was any truth in it all. Tempted to call out for his newfound father, Harry was torn between acting like a baby and making the man angry for waking him.

It was one of the most frightening dreams he had ever endured and the darkness of it, the hateful tones, the deafening screaming of those he loved...it caused Harry to shake in fear and more tears began to fall.

"No, it was just a dream" Harry squeezed his eyes shut but the images returned, the blood flowing from his father's face, the screaming of Hermione and Ron...the hat threatening to put him in Slytherin so his father would actually care about him. The snarling of Snape about how he got everyone killed and no one wanted him, not really. Unable to handle it, Harry clenched more of his sheets and lifted his knees to rest his chin on them while trying to remain strong and just get over it since it had only been a nightmare.

He was scared...no he was terrified and hurt, as though it had been real and Voldemort snarled about how everyone was going to die, how it would be all his fault and there was nothing he could do to truly make his father love him. Not that it mattered since he was going to die too.

Closing his eyes deeper, Harry felt a pull in his mind as though something was trying to bring him back into the darkened place of his nightmare and fear grabbed his entire being, causing him to feel like a trapped child. Not really deciding anything, but feeling too desperate to do anything else...Harry did the first thing that came to mind;

"DADDY!" He cried out as loud as he could while struggling to calm his breathing and force the horrors away.

Snape had heard him of course. The abnormal shout caused him to fall sideways off his bed but he wasted no time, grabbing his wand and transfigured his clothes to search out the threat before his mind woke enough to register that Harry had just called out “daddy” except James wasn't here. Oh...that now meant him.

"Harry?" Snape gasped and rushed from his room and into the boy's seeing him in a terrified state, flushed while with fear and sweat. He was curled upright and shaking; it scared Snape.

"Harry?" He asked again and lowered his wand to check that the boy was okay. But the moment he was close enough to the bed, Harry jumped forward and clung to him, burying his face into his robes as though he wanted them to swallow him in warmth and comfort.

Snape was startled and stared down at the sobbing boy, not understanding what had happened but checked to ensure that nothing had been broken such as his wards and that there was no possibility of a lingering threat. Calming in the smallest measurements, Snape put his wand away and wrapped an arm around Harry.

"Did you have a nightmare?" Snape wondered, his voice softer than he had intended but scowled at how naturally it had come to him when he saw the boy in such a state.

"Horr-ible" Harry choked out from where he was buried against his father. "Make them go away."

"Them?" Snape repeated and looked around but could not see anyone nor had his wards detected another presence.

"Screaming" Harry gulped. "Blood. You hate me."

Snape tried to work out the link between those three words but found that he could not. Instead he swallowed and rolled his eyes skyward while wrapped both arms around the boy and pulling him closer, not that there was much distance left between them since Harry had lunged at him as his only source of protection.

"I do not hate you" He told him.

"Not even because I'm a Gryffindor?" Harry seemed to have ceased crying at least but his voice still sounded tortured and forced.

"Your mother was in Gryffindor" Snape reminded him. "I did not hate her either'. No, said a voice in his head at that non-committal comment, You love her! Do you love the boy? Your new son? Surely if you do than you should tell him?

Snape ignored the voice and lifted Harry's chin with one hand, wincing visibly when he saw the pain in those emerald eyes.

"A nightmare put you in this pitiful state, Harry?" He asked, growling at his own choice of words.

"Sorry" Harry pulled back lightly but was unwilling to actually release him. "I...I was just...it scared me and there was this....this pull."

Snape was in instant alert at those words. "A pull? Describe it."

"I don't know! It felt like someone was trying to pull my mind back into that...that place" Harry whimpered and hugged close again.

Snape did not like the sound of that at all. Especially if whatever “that place” was it had caused the twelve-year-old boy who had faced Voldemort twice and lived, turn into a sobbing five-year-old after a single nightmare. If he recalled, there were several nightmares Harry had been through and none had concluded with this type of reaction.

"Sorry" Harry said again as he swallowed and flushed with embarrassment.

"Do not apologize" Snape answered. "It is within my duty to come running like a house-elf on fire whenever you require" He said bitterly, unaware of the image Harry conjured at his words that caused him to snigger lightly.

"Really?" The boy smiled up at him.

"Unfortunately" Snape sighed. "Get dressed and meet me downstairs in ten minutes" He instructed, quickly pulling away to catch Harry unprepared which effectively meant he could not grab at him again.

"No, don't leave me!" Harry scurried off the bed when Snape turned to leave the room.

"I will be downstairs" Snape said. "You are safe. Now stop dawdling and get dressed. I expect you presentable in ten minutes."

Harry stood there nervously when Snape left. Hopping from foot to foot and biting his lip, he inhaled and then rushed to remove his pajamas. Throwing on the first pair of pants and shirt he found, Harry rushed out of his room and downstairs.

"Presentable, Potter" Snape sighed and flicked his wand to dry Harry's flushed face and messed hair. He then hovered a potion over to the boy and turned to prepare breakfast.

"What is this?" Harry wondered, eying the potion warily.

"Calming drought" Snape answered over his shoulder.

Harry took the potion and winced only slightly as he swallowed. Placing the vial on the table, he sat down in a chair to watch Snape cook while entwining his thumbs together nervously.

"You really don't hate me because I'm in Gryffindor?" Harry checked.

"That is what your nightmare was about?" Snape asked, still without turning mostly to conceal his concerned expression. "How disappointing."

"No, it was about Voldemort killing everyone I care about...because of me" Harry sighed but quickly returned to his original question. "But you don't hate me?"

Sighing in annoyance, Snape turned and approached Harry, placing a hand on each shoulders as he stared at him while still trying to avoid those emerald eyes.

"Harry. I do not hate you" Snape said slowly and clearly. "It would take more than where you were sorted for me to loathe you. No matter our differences in the past...and to this painfully bright day; I. Do. Not. Hate. You" And with that he pulled away.

"Oh" Harry stared at him and sighed, feeling some relief flood inside him. "Good. I uh, don't hate you either...just so you know."

"Yes, I was terribly concerned" Snape said sarcastically while shaking his head and trying to contain yet another eye roll even though his back was to Harry again.

"I don't want you to die" Harry muttered softly but Snape had overheard him.

"I do not fancy death, myself" Snape said, ignoring the seriousness of the conversation that Harry was trying to create. He knew the boy would take a little time to fully recover from his nightmare and for his head to level with reality again.

"If something happens to me, will you promise to leave me?" Harry asked and Snape hesitated at that. "I mean, you won't die trying to help me or anything."

"That is not your decision to make" Snape snarled as he glance at the boy. "I will never promise something so foolish."

"It would be foolish to die for someone else" Harry frowned.

"It would be further foolish to die for nothing" Snape countered while avoiding eye contact and left Harry sitting there silently for a moment, wondering.

"But it'll be my fault!" Harry snapped angrily and stood up. "You have to promise that if I'm in danger you won't die for me!"

Snape turned around again, so suddenly Harry tripped on his chair slightly as he took a startled step backwards. He ignored the fact that Harry seemed to think the only outcomes to be death rather than being saved or for victory.

"Would you push me in front of the killing curse, Potter?" Snape growled.

"What?" Harry asked, shocked. "No!"

"So you would force poison down my throat?"

"No!" Harry snapped again. "What-"

"You would send a savage beast to slaughter me?" Snape asked again, taking a step closer.

"NO!" Harry roared.

"Then I cannot possibly see how my death could be your fault" Snape crossed his arms, perfectly calm and composed once again with a mildly sly look on his face.

Harry opened his mouth to retort but hesitated to realize what Snape had just said. It was true though...that he wasn't exactly responsible unless he did those things.

"But...still, I...you would be dying to save me so it would be because of me that you die" He muttered quickly.

"Than I welcome death" Snape answered.

"What?" Harry frowned. "How could you say that?"

"Potter! Use your mind!" Snape grabbed him by the collar in frustration. "It would be my decision if I chose to foolishly prevent your death. I welcome death if it is the only alternative to prevent further harm upon you" He said.

"I would much rather throw my life away like some sentimental fool as opposed to yours being wasted for nothing more than the Dark Lord's sickening desire for power."

Harry stared at Snape and was unable to say anything while he thought on everything the man just said to him. After several minutes, he voiced the only thing that he felt was suitable in the air of silence.

"Why?" Harry whispered. "Why would someone do that?"

"I am certain that you would for your friends?" Snape asked.

"Well, yeah but..." Harry frowned. "But why would you? And my parents...I mean they barely knew me."

"They loved you" Snape sighed. "People die for those they love."

"Oh" Harry already knew that. "So...you love me?" He asked, biting his lip while staring at the unmoving form of Snape who was deliberately avoiding turning around to face him.

"I do not hate you" Snape answered instead. "Nor do I not wish death or harm upon you, Harry. Leave it at that."

They ate breakfast in silence and then retreated to the living room where Harry detailed some of his nightmare to Snape. They discussed it and the man even hugged the boy after to offer comfort (although Harry thought he was in pain since Snape had grimaced before he did so), and than they set about preparing to return to Hogwarts.

--

After flooing back to Snape's quarters within the castle, Harry prepared to leave but paused in the doorway and dropped his things, running back to hug Snape warmly before leaving since he was afraid that he would never get the chance to hug him again or else things would chance once more with the return to school.

"Harry?" Snape called out when the boy was about to leave.

"Yes?" He turned and looked at him but there was silence for a moment and Snape sighed. For a moment Harry thought he was going to say something but changed his mind and answered differently.

"Our sessions still proceed as normal" Snape told him. "I will not tolerate tardiness. Be here seven sharp."

"Okay" Harry nodded and walked away, dragging his trunk with him to settle back inside his Gryffindor dormitory and wait for his friends to return although a few others had come back the day before.

"How was your Christmas, Harry?" Dean asked from where he was adding a new poster to his wall.

"Oh" Harry glanced up, smiling fondly as he remembered his Christmas duration with Snape, the good and bad things they had endured but managed to survive through and strength their forming bond. There was how Snape clearly didn't hate him and he may even want to adopt him as his legal and blood-link son one day. How they had moved on from insults to hugs and casual “family” moments he'd only previously dreamed of.

"Um, it was alright" He shrugged lightly towards his roommate to throw off suspicion and no matter how non-committal his shrug and comment had been...the smile remained.