After leaving Harry’s room, Severus went out to the living room and started a fire in the fireplace. It was still somewhat early and he wasn’t all that hungry for dinner yet, so he retrieved a book from the study and sat down on the couch in front of the fireplace to read. He knew he should have been working on his research paper, but he definitely wasn’t in the mind set to work on it at the moment. Not with his mind almost constantly wandering to Harry.
When his stomach started grumbling a few hours later, Severus set his book down on the coffee table. He didn’t want to leave Harry alone to have dinner in the Great Hall with the rest of the castle, so he decided to call one of the school elves to provide him his dinner. But before he did that, he wanted to check on Harry.
He walked down the hallway and quietly opened Harry’s bedroom door. Harry was lying on his stomach, arms under his pillow, asleep. Wanting to see how Harry did on the soup, considering the boy said he wasn’t hungry, he quietly walked to the night table. Glancing in the bowl, he was surprised to find it completely empty. With a satisfied smirk, he picked up the bowl and spoon. Glancing at the mug of tea and glass of juice, he found that the juice was gone as well. He also picked up that glass. With bowl and glass in hand, he left the bedroom and returned to the kitchen. He refilled the juice glass, filled another glass with water and went back to Harry’s room.
After setting the water and juice on the night table, Severus just stood there gazing at Harry, his expression softening dramatically. As the boy lay there totally unaware of being observed, Severus was able to take his time in looking over Harry. It had been months since he was afforded the opportunity to look at Harry without being noticed. He, again, couldn’t believe how much the boy looked like him with bits of Lily as well.
A moment later, Severus walked over to the bed and pulled the comforter, which had made its way half way down Harry’s back, back up and tucked it around his shoulders. Harry shifted slightly at the movement but stayed asleep.
Not wanting to disturb Harry’s much needed rest, Severus quietly left the bedroom. Seeing all of Harry’s current needs had been met, he finally called a school elf to bring him his dinner.
~SH~
Having finished eating his dinner an hour earlier and wanting to feel like he accomplished something before Sunday, Severus decided to put the potion ingredients he had purchased that morning away in the storeroom in his office. Even though he wouldn’t be gone long, he was still a bit reluctant to leave Harry alone, though he knew he needed to.
Extremely concerned about the boy’s health, Severus placed a charm on Harry’s bedroom before he headed to the storeroom. The charm would allow him to hear any sound made in the bedroom no matter where he was residing in the castle.
He had been in the storeroom about twenty minutes and was almost done empting the box of ingredients. About to place a large glass jar on the top shelf, he heard Harry desperately screaming. No! Please no! I NEED HIM. NO!
The last few words of Harry’s screaming, however, were drowned out by the sound of shattering glass. The moment Severus had heard Harry start screaming, he dropped the jar in his hand, the glass shattering into tiny bits and the liquid splattering along the bottom half of the room. Without a second thought, he left his office, slamming the door shut behind him, and ran back to his quarters pulling his wand out on the way. His heart started beating wildly as different scenarios of what could be happening crossed his mind the closer he got to his quarters. Each scenario was worse than the other. The only thing definite was that it sounded like someone was inside his quarters attacking Harry.
Trying to control his breathing, he carefully entered his quarters and with a shaky hand, quietly cast a spell to determine who was inside. Confusingly, the results only showed Harry. Letting out a somewhat relieved breath, he put his wand away and quickly walked in the direction of Harry’s bedroom. As he entered the hall, he spotted Harry sitting on the floor just outside his bedroom, head bowed over his knees. “Harry?”
~SH~
As Harry sat there with his head on his knees, he recalled what he had screamed right before waking. I need him. He realized that it was exactly true. He needed the professor. More than he ever thought possible.
Details of what had awoken him then came to the front of his mind. He needed the man as more than a professor and now it would probably be too late. If the Death Eaters were correct, the potions master would more than likely be dead by the end of the night. He again, would never get to experience what it was like to have an adult care for him, a parent. Harry began trembling at that realization.
The sound of his name being called broke him out of his thoughts. He shook his head against his knees and squeezed his eyes closed. He didn’t want to hear that voice now. When his name was called again, a little louder and with more insistence, he slowly opened his eyes and raised his head. The sight that met his eyes took his breath away.
Standing at the entrance to the hall was the potions master.
“DAD!” Harry immediately jumped up from the floor, ran the short distance to Severus and threw his arms around him.
Severus was initially frozen in shock. He didn’t know which was more startling; Harry calling him dad or the fact that the boy was hugging him on his own accord. But when he felt Harry trembling violently against him, those thoughts disappeared and he wasted no time in wrapping his arms around the boy. “What is wrong, Harry?” he asked extremely worried.
Unable to stop the swirling emotions he was feeling, Harry tightened his hold on Severus. He grasped the back of the man’s shirt and buried the side of his head in his chest as his breath began to hitch and he started to cry.
It was only a few seconds after asking his question that Severus felt Harry’s shuddering breathing and heard the tell tale signs of crying. Even though he’d witnessed Harry crying on occasion, it actually wasn’t a common thing. Surprisingly, tears seemed to be common, at least recently. But all out crying? Certainly not. At least not that he’d previously been aware of. Something was definitely wrong.
“Harry?” Severus put his hands on Harry’s shoulders and tried to pull back to look at the boy’s face. Harry wouldn’t budge. Instead he felt Harry bury his head farther into his chest. He wrapped his arms back around Harry and pulled him close. “I heard you screaming. What is wrong?” he softly asked again, with worry in his voice. He was more alarmed than he had been and began to gently rub Harry’s back.
The rumbling of the man’s voice in his ear, as his head was nestled against the professor’s chest, and the gentle hand on his back started to calm Harry down, just slightly. It was about a minute before he finally answered. “I thought I had…it was like before…you weren’t here…and I thought you were…” He choked on the last few words.
Severus continued rubbing Harry’s back, but moved one hand to cradle the back of his head. “It’s okay Harry. Breathe.”
Harry’s breath hitched again and he squeezed Severus tighter.
“You’re okay,” Severus continued while running his fingers through Harry’s hair a few times. He was slightly at a loss of what to do. He returned his hand to the back of his head.
As the two stood there in the hallway, Severus began to feel heat seeping through his thin shirt. He removed his hand from the back of Harry’s head, and like on the bus earlier in the day, gently placed it on Harry’s forehead instead. “Merlin, you’re burning up!” He became fearful at the amount of heat radiating off of Harry. The fever reducer he had given him only a few hours earlier shouldn’t have worn off this soon.
Harry didn’t react. He kept his head down, breath hitching as he continued to cry.
As a shiver racked Harry’s body, Severus pulled out his wand, wanting to see what Harry’s temperature was. When the numbers appeared at the tip, all thoughts of the boy’s emotional state were gone. “I need to get your fever down,” he stated worriedly. “It is extremely high. Get in bed while I get the fever reducer.”
Harry wouldn’t let go, his grip on Severus’ shirt tightened. He wasn’t ready to leave the man’s embrace. He was scared that if he let go, Severus would disappear.
Severus looked down to Harry. The boy’s eyes were squeezed shut and tears were rolling down his one visible cheek. He rubbed his hand up and down Harry’s back a few more times. “I’ll only be gone a few seconds. Harry, please. Get in bed.”
The alarm in the man’s voice finally made Harry release his hold of Severus.
“Thank you Harry.” Severus gave one of Harry’s shoulders a squeeze. “I’ll be back in a few seconds.” He gently pushed Harry into his bedroom as he walked to the restroom for the potion he would need.
Harry kept his head down as he walked in and sat down on the side of his bed, rubbing a hand on his aching forehead. He sniffled as he tried to stop crying.
A few seconds later Severus entered with a vial and a bowl. He was slightly disappointed that Harry wasn’t lying down in the bed, but at least he would be able to take the potion more easily sitting up. He held the vial out to Harry. “This is a stronger fever reducer. I hope that it will have some effect.”
With a still slightly trembling hand, Harry took the vial, downed its contents and held the now empty vial out to Severus. His eyes followed Severus as he set the vial and bowl on the night table and turned back to him. Feeling his nose beginning to run, he lifted an arm up to his face to wipe at it. Before he was able to, Severus pushed his arm down and handed him a clean handkerchief. Harry took the offered cloth, wiped at his eyes first then blew his nose. He finally looked up to Severus.
“You should be lying down.” Severus stated as Harry shivered but made no move. “Do you want to talk about what happened?”
Harry looked down to his knees as he shook his head. He began to feel extremely embarrassed about his display in the hallway just a few minutes ago. It was only a nightmare for Merlin’s sake! He wasn’t a little kid who needed to be comforted from a bad dream and he definitely didn’t want to share what the nightmare was about either. “No, that’s okay,” he stated instead. “I’m fine.”
Severus stood a few feet from the bed and just watched Harry as he continued to sit there. He could see some slight fear and another emotion he couldn’t identify, in the boy’s eyes. With a soft sigh, Severus walked to the bed and sat down next to Harry so he was slightly facing him. “Harry.”
At the soft, caring tone of voice from the professor, Harry closed his eyes and swallowed, his previous thoughts gone. He did want to share and hopefully be comforted like a little kid; especially after thinking Severus was dead just a few short minutes ago.
“I thought it was a vision,” Harry began quietly. “When I woke up, my scar and my head were hurting.” He took a deep breath then started describing the nightmare. “You were in our kitchen having tea.”
Severus noticed Harry’s use of the word our when describing the kitchen, and was pleased, but put that out of his mind for the moment.
“Lucius and some other Death Eater came in the living room through the floo with their wands raised,” Harry continued, “and were calling you a traitor. As soon as you saw them, you raised your wand too. You were telling them to lower their wands but they didn’t.” Harry took a shuddering breath which caused him to cough a few times afterward. “They hit you with the Cruciatus a few times. You must not have reacted like they wanted because they started throwing other curses at you until you were unconscious. They levitated your body towards the fireplace, saying Voldemort would finally give you what you deserved for being a traitor.”
Severus didn’t know what to feel after hearing about Harry’s nightmare. This was the second time, in less than a month, that he knew the boy had a nightmare about him being hurt or killed.
“I woke up screaming,” Harry continued.
“I heard you,” Severus interrupted.
Harry either didn’t hear Severus, or didn’t comprehend what the man said. He was still lost in his own thoughts. “I needed to find you. I jumped out of bed and looked throughout our quarters. They were empty. I couldn’t find you,” he stated desperately, beginning to tremble again.
“I was in my storeroom putting away the potion ingredients I bought today. That’s why you couldn’t find me.”
“I thought they took you and you were dead.” Harry finally looked up to Severus, with new tears beginning to pool in his eyes.
“It was only a nightmare,” Severus said softly. “It was no doubt brought on by your high fever. Even so, no one can get into these quarters without my permission.”
Harry nodded his head in understanding. He should have thought of that right after he woke up. Of course the professor had some type of security on the floo. “It seemed so real though. And then I couldn’t find you,” he repeated. “I thought you were dead. I couldn’t lose you when I just got you. I need you,” he whispered. Feeling an intense burning behind his eyes, he looked down, squeezed his eyes shut tight and pressed his lips tightly together. He did not want to cry again.
Severus moved closer to Harry and wrapped his left arm around the still trembling boy.
At the first touch of contact, Harry turned and hugged Severus once more, the tears beginning to fall yet again.
“It’s okay Harry.” Severus was still slightly at a loss of what to do or say, completely out of his element. He never before had to console anyone in this state after a nightmare. “Shhh, it’s okay,” Severus comforted, and turned more into the awkward hug. He rested his chin on the top of Harry’s head. “I’m perfectly fine and I’m not going anywhere. It was only a nightmare.”
Feeling the heat still radiating off of Harry, Severus ran a hand over his back once and pulled out of the hug. “Stop those tears now. You’re making your fever worse,” he said lightly though extremely concerned.
Harry wiped away the tears from his cheeks and eyes, already missing the man’s comforting embrace and warmth. In truth, though, he was feeling absolutely lousy. And though he wouldn’t admit it, even under the Cruciatus, he was also still slightly scared from the nightmare as well. He gave a soft sniffle, and then sneezed twice.
Severus stood up from the bed. “Bless you. You need to sleep. Get under the covers. You’ll never get better if you sit up in your bed all night.”
Shifting slightly, Harry wiggled his legs under the covers and scooted back so he was closer to his pillow. He lay down on his back and was about to grab the sheet and comforter to cover himself when he noticed Severus had grabbed them instead and tucked them under his chin. He pulled his arms out from under the comforter and placed them on top, grasping the top edge so it bunched in his fists.
After Severus watched as Harry gave a shiver, a side effect of his fever and possibly because of the nightmare, he walked over to the night table. Reaching inside the bowl he placed there earlier, he pulled out a wet washcloth and wrung out the cold water. “This will help you feel more comfortable until the fever reducer begins to take effect. Close your eyes and try to go to sleep.”
At those words, Harry looked fearfully at the professor and his breathing rapidly increased. He unconsciously tightened his hold of the comforter. He did not want to go back to sleep. He knew if he did, he’d have another nightmare.
Folding the washcloth in half, Severus returned to Harry’s bedside. Before placing the washcloth of Harry’s forehead, he saw Harry’s eyes were still open and he was watching him. It was then he noticed the slight panic and distress in his green eyes and the rapid breathing. Not to mention the hands grasping at the comforter. “There is nothing to worry about,” he stated in a voice he hoped would relax and calm him. “Harry, you need to try to sleep.”
With his free hand, Severus brushed Harry’s fringe off his forehead. As his fingers touched Harry’s forehead and ran through his hair, he watched Harry close his eyes then slowly open them. With Harry’s hair now out of the way, he then placed the cool washcloth on the boy’s burning forehead.
Harry continued to stare at him, his thoughts unknown to the professor.
Standing in front of him, caring for him, was now a man who Harry considered his father and wanted as a father. In front of him was a man who actually wanted him as a son, a man who actually cared for Harry and not the Boy-Who-Lived.
Then just a few short hours ago when he was feeling absolutely miserable because he didn’t admit that he was sick earlier, the man was still trying to comfort him and make him feel better instead of ridiculing him like he would have in the past. The man wasn’t even angry.
He used to hate the man standing in front of him. If a year ago he thought he’d ever be in the man’s private quarters lying in a bed on his own free will, he would have checked himself into St. Mungo’s immediately. But now, now things were different. He felt different about the potions master now. He couldn’t put a finger on the exact moment when his feelings changed, but he didn’t care. He now wanted what he had been denied for fifteen years. He wanted it to be like it always should have been.
Harry continued to stare at Severus. Afraid that if he closed his eyes, the nightmare would become reality.
Severus was a little worried that Harry wasn’t trying to sleep. He knew he had to be scared from the nightmare. Though if he thought about, he wasn’t sure whether it was the nightmare itself, or what Harry had thought after waking from the nightmare that had him scared. Either way, Harry needed to rest. He again ran his fingers through Harry’s hair. “Go to sleep Harry. It will help you feel better.”
Like before, Harry closed his eyes at the touch while taking a deep breath. He then slowly opened them once Severus removed his hand, bringing his eyes to stare at the professor once more.
Now aware of how he might get Harry calm and relaxed enough to sleep, Severus sat down on the side of the bed near Harry’s waist. He didn’t say anything as Harry looked at him in confusion. He ran his fingers through Harry’s hair again, eliciting the same response as before. This time, however, Harry’s eyes remained closed a little longer and his grip on the comforter relaxed slightly.
Giving a satisfied sigh, Severus continued to run his fingers through Harry’s hair every so often. And every time, Harry’s eyes remained closed a little while longer. Five minutes later, Harry’s eyes remained closed and his grip on the comforter finally went lax as he breathing evened out.
Harry was finally asleep.
~SH~
Even though he knew Harry was asleep, Severus couldn’t make himself leave Harry’s bedside. Instead he just sat on the bed and watched the gentle rise and fall of Harry’s chest. He thought about what was said and done today and especially during the past twenty-five minutes or so since he heard Harry scream. He didn’t think his heart could take anymore shock.
While sightseeing in London, his heart was shattering. To hear Harry calling him father and knowing he did not mean it, was pure torture. He never thought about it months before, but as he spent more and more time with Harry, the more he wanted to hear Harry call him that. Well, maybe not exactly father, as it reminded him too much of his own father, but dad or some other endearment.
The moment he heard Harry’s screaming, twenty-five minutes ago, he knew his heart had stopped. He was always afraid something was going to happen to Harry, and hearing that scream terrified him. His relief at finding Harry safe inside their quarters what short-lived however, when he saw the state he was in. His heart thudded in fear.
Out in the hallway, about twenty minutes ago, his heart almost burst out of his chest from happiness. Harry had called him dad. Not father like he had been earlier in the day, but dad. And then Harry had hugged him.
And last, mere minutes ago before Harry broke down for the second time, his heart swelled at the last three words Harry said, though he almost missed them, they were spoken so quietly. I need you.
The fact that Harry was in the emotional state he was in over a nightmare about him, Severus Snape, being brought to the Dark Lord to be killed, left Severus deeply touched. No one, except for Lily, had shown that kind of care or concern over him before. Not even the headmaster.
He didn’t want to read what wasn’t really there, but everything added up to Harry finally wanting the father/son relationship. If he wasn’t the stoic man he was, he would have broken down in tears. As it was, he had to swallow around a painful lump in his throat.
Severus watched Harry’s chest rise and fall one more time before he finally stood up. He removed the now lukewarm cloth from Harry’s forehead, gently ran his fingers through Harry’s hair one more time, and then picked up the bowl on the night table. Quietly he left Harry’s bedroom, closing the door behind him, and returned the bowl and cloth to the restroom.
~SH~
Harry woke up extremely early Sunday morning with his head pounding and an upset stomach. He felt truly awful. He reached over and turned on the light sitting on the night table. He looked around his room, needing a distraction from how he was feeling. Not seeing anything he thought could serve as a distraction, especially with his pounding head, he just laid back down and stared at the ceiling. A bit later he closed his eyes. Then he opened them again and stared at the ceiling once more. Whatever he did, however, he still felt awful and couldn’t get back to sleep. He couldn’t understand why. Under normal circumstances, and especially when he was with the Dursley’s, he would push aside everything he was feeling and do his best to go back to sleep. It normally worked. But for some reason he couldn’t do it this time.
Before thinking anything more about what he was doing, he threw the comforter off of himself, got up from the bed and walked shakily to the bedroom door.
Opening the door, he realized it must be really late at night as their quarters were blanketed in darkness. He walked in the direction of Severus’ closed bedroom door but hesitated briefly in the middle of the hall. As he stood there, he began to think he didn’t feel bad enough to wake the man. But as a ripple of pain in his head made him squeeze his eyes shut tight, he knew he needed to.
With still slightly hesitant footsteps, Harry was at Severus’ door moments later. He raised a shaky hand and knocked on it quietly. He received no response. He knocked again a little louder, but again got no response.
He reached a hand out to the brass doorknob and turned it. He pushed the door open a few feet and looked inside the bedroom. With help from the light that was on in his own bedroom, he was able to see that Severus was asleep in the middle of his bed. With courage he didn’t know he had, Harry slipped into the dark room and stood just inside the door. “Professor Snape?” he called out awkwardly. Was he looking to get yelled at or getting killed? Surely this was a bad idea. But then he remembered the man did say he could wake him if needed. And he knew he definitely needed him right now.
Still getting no response from Severus, he walked more into the bedroom, almost to the foot of the bed. “Professor Snape?” he called out again. As before, there was no response. Desperate now, as another ripple of pain shot across his forehead combined with lightheadedness and the possibility of being sick any moment, he walked to the right side of Severus’ bed. “Dad?”
Severus finally began to stir.
Seeing movement on the bed, Harry called out one more time, a little more desperate. “Dad…”
Severus turned his head toward the voice and opened his eyes. The moment he registered Harry, he sat up in alarm. “Harry?”
Completely embarrassed now at having to wake Severus, Harry looked down to the ground, glad it was dark in the room. He didn’t mean to scare the man by waking him up in the middle of the night.
Pushing himself up against the headboard, Severus reached over with his left hand and turned on a light on the night table. He and Harry squinted at the bright light. “What is it?” Severus asked extremely worriedly, voice rough from sleep. “What’s wrong?”
Harry looked up and met Severus’ concerned gaze. “I don’t feel well,” he admitted shyly in a shaky voice, arms wrapped around his stomach. “My head hurts really bad. I’m really achy and I feel sick to my stomach.”
Moving to get out of the bed, Severus glanced at the clock on his night table. The potions he had given Harry earlier were almost due for another dose. After standing up, he placed a hand on Harry’s forehead. “You’re still a bit warm, but not like you were earlier. That is good.” He moved the hand to Harry’s shoulder and steered him to sit on the bed. “Sit down while I gather the necessary potions. I may need to visit the hospital wing for the stomach soother, as I don’t think I have one readily available.”
Harry sat down on Severus’ bed and watched the man walk out of the room. He rubbed a hand along his forehead and then realized what he had called Severus just moments before. Dad. It had felt so right calling him that. He didn’t think he could call him anything else now. But what if the professor didn’t want to be called that? Even with feeling nauseous, he felt a knot form in the pit of his stomach at that thought.
Harry looked to the doorway the moment Severus stepped foot back in the bedroom with two vials in hand. “I’m sorry I called you dad, professor,” Harry blurted out, embarrassed. “I didn’t really mean it.” It was a lie, however, but he didn’t want Severus to know.
With a sigh at Harry’s obvious insecurities, Severus walked over and stood in front of the boy. He placed both vials in one hand, put a hand on Harry’s shoulder and leaned down so he was eye level. “Harry, you are my son and I am your father. If you wish to call me dad, I will not stop you. In fact I would be honored if you did. I honestly didn’t expect that much from you.”
“Really?” he asked expectantly, eyes lighting up. “You wouldn’t mind?”
“Yes really. I do not mind at all.” Severus gave Harry’s shoulder a squeeze when the boy gave him a huge smile with bright, albeit pain-filled eyes. “Now let’s get you feeling better.” He held out both vials in turn to Harry. “The first is the fever reducer and the other is a pain reliever. As I expected, I do not have a stomach soother here. I will need to go up to the hospital wing. I will be back shortly.”
Nodding, Harry again watched Severus leave the bedroom, his heart feeling happier than it had in a while. He finally had someone to call dad.
As Harry sat there, waiting for Severus to return, he began to feel his headache subsiding and the general ache leave his body. However he was still feeling a little lightheaded and his stomach was still bothering him. Thinking lying down would help his stomach feel better, he slowly lowered himself down so his head was on one of the pillows and his legs were still dangling off the side of the bed.
Ten minutes later, having rushed to and from the Hospital Wing as fast as he could, Severus walked into his bedroom and stopped just inside the door. Harry was asleep, lying on his side with his legs off the side of the bed. Giving a small smile, Severus walked over to the bed. He placed three vials of stomach soother on the night table and stood at the side of the bed, watching Harry. He was almost ready to wake him up to take the potion he just retrieved, but seeing that Harry was sound asleep and obviously in no need of the stomach soother at the moment, he decided not to wake him. The boy needed all the healing rest he could get. That being the case, he didn’t want to wake him to go back to his own bed either.
Severus gently lifted Harry’s legs and put them on the bed and moved his whole body towards the center so he wasn’t so close to the edge. He then pulled the sheet and blanket that were trapped under him and covered him up. Satisfied Harry would be comfortable, he walked to Harry’s room and turned off the light in there. When he returned to his bedroom, he turned off the light on the night table by Harry and blindly walked to the other side of his large bed. Pulling back the sheet and blanket, he slid in. He fell asleep almost immediately.
~SH~
Sunlight, streaming from a window charmed high on the wall, danced across Harry’s face, waking him up later Sunday morning. Cracking his eyes open, he snuggled into the pillow clutched in his hands. After blinking a few times to clear the sleep from his eyes, he took in his surroundings and immediately recognized that he was not in his bedroom. He was in Severus’ bedroom. In his bed no less! But if he was in his father’s bed, where did his father sleep? Before he could even consider answering that question, he heard soft snores coming from next to him.
Still lying on his stomach, Harry turned his head to look at the other side of the bed. Severus was lying on his side facing him, arms hugging his pillow, fast asleep. “Hey, he does sleep,” Harry whispered to himself, almost laughing. He again looked around the room. He couldn’t quite remember how he ended up asleep in his father’s bed.
Yawning, he turned around so he was lying on his side, looking the opposite of Severus, and just stared at the man. His father. It was still a bit hard to believe that he was the same person that gave him hell for five years.
Unfortunately, Harry was so caught up in his thoughts, he thought Severus was still sleeping and didn’t notice the change in the man’s breathing.
“Do you mind?” Severus questioned, with eyes still closed. “Will you please quit your staring?” He slowly opened his eyes to look at an extremely embarrassed and slightly frightened Harry.
“I’m sorry,” Harry mumbled, scrambling up to a sitting position and then beginning to get out of the bed, completely missing the sarcastic tone in which Severus used.
Severus fought the urge to roll his eyes in exasperation. “For heaven sakes, Harry, just lay back down. You do not need to leave the bed.”
Harry got back on the bed, but didn’t lie down. He sat up against the headboard and looked at his father in confusion. “Why am I in here?”
“You do not remember?” Severus asked, slightly alarmed. He moved the pillow clutched in his hands so it was resting against the headboard and sat up, leaning on it so he was facing Harry.
Shaking his head, Harry replied. “Not really. I know I came to you because I wasn’t feeling well earlier in the night. You gave me two potions, and went to get a stomach soother. But after that I don’t remember.”
Severus relaxed at hearing Harry’s response. “It seems you fell asleep while I was gone. When I came back and noticed you asleep, I didn’t think it wise to wake you just so you could go back to sleep seconds later in your own bed. As you can see,” he waved at hand at the bed, “my bed is plenty big.”
“Oh.” After a shiver racked his body, Harry slid down on the bed, while facing Severus, and snuggled under the blanket, pulling it up to his chin.
“How are you feeling?” Severus leaned over and brought a hand to Harry’s forehead to check for a fever, causing Harry to close his eyes at the touch.
Harry shrugged, while relishing in the kind gesture. He’d never had anyone check for a fever that way before. Well, maybe Mrs. Weasley had done it once or twice, but it didn’t feel the same. “I still feel achy, but my stomach doesn’t bother me.”
“Good.” He returned to his prior position. “Your upset stomach might have been brought on by your other symptoms. Let’s hope that continues to be the case.”
Yawning and then swallowing, Harry spoke again, surprised at how much he was revealing to Severus. Then again, no one had ever cared how he felt before. “I ’m cold, from the fever I suppose. But it now feels like I have a bad cold. I’m really stuffy and my throat hurts.”
“That’s all part of the flu, unfortunately. I know how hard it is for you, but I do want you to continue letting me know what’s bothering you. I can’t even begin to say how glad I am that you’re finally allowing someone else care for you. Just remember, you’re not alone anymore.”
Harry smiled and then gave a very congested cough.
Looking over Harry’s head towards the clock setting on the night table, Severus realized it was almost 8 am. “I am going to get you something for that cough then order in some breakfast. Are you hungry at all?”
“Not really. But I know I should try to eat, right?”
Severus gave Harry a warm smile in answer. “Is there anything you think you could eat?”
“I don’t know. I’ll try whatever you think would be easiest.” Harry coughed again.
Severus nodded and got out of the bed. “Let me get that potion for you.”
When Severus went to retrieve the potion, Harry reluctantly sat up on the bed so he could swallow it easier.
Moments later, Severus returned with the potion. “This should help with your cough and congestion.” Harry downed the potion with a grimace and handed the vial back to Severus. “While I get our breakfast, do you think you have the strength for a shower?”
Though a shower sounded like a good idea, the thought of moving to do so didn’t have any appeal at the moment. He just wanted to stay in the cozy bed. “I might later, but not right now.”
“That is fine. Relax, and I’ll be back shortly with breakfast.”
~SH~
Hermione walked through the Gryffindor portrait hole late Sunday night, having returned from visiting with her family. Spotting Ron at one of the tables in the corner playing Exploding Snap with Neville, she walked over and sat down at one of the empty chairs.
Ron stopped playing the game immediately when his friend sat down. “Hermione! Why didn’t you tell me you were coming back?” He leaned over and gave her a somewhat awkward hug.
Blushing slightly, Hermione responded. “I’m sorry. But I made up my mind last minute.” She looked around the common room. “Where’s Harry?”
“Er…I haven’t seen him since breakfast Saturday morning.”
“What?” She and Ron had planned on asking Harry to join them for the Hogsmeade weekend and she didn’t think that just because she wasn’t around, Ron wouldn’t have asked. “Didn’t you ask Harry to go to Hogsmeade with you?”
“I did ask and we were supposed to go.”
Sensing a possible argument and not wanting to be around it, Neville got up and went up to his dorm.
“What happened?” Hermione asked after Neville left the table.
“At breakfast right before we were to go, he said he wasn’t feeling well and that he had a headache. He just wanted to go back up to bed.”
Hermione thought about that answer in slight confusion. Harry never turned down a trip to Hogsmeade in the past. Then the more she thought about it, he had turned down a trip earlier in the year. There was something definitely going on with Harry.
“But if Harry wasn’t feeling well, Ron, then you should have seen him in the dorm room shouldn’t you?”
“He wasn’t there. I just figured he felt awful enough to go to the hospital wing. I’m assuming he’s there now.”
“He’s not there. I just came from there. Besides, you know as well as I do that Harry would never voluntarily go to the hospital wing.”
“You’re right,” Ron agreed, remembering how he had to drag his friend there after twisting his ankle while having a snowball fight last year. “Wait. You just came from the hospital wing? What were you doing there?”
“Oh. Well, Professor McGonagall and Madam Pomfrey wanted to talk to me before I came back to the tower.”
Slightly alarmed that something was wrong with his girlfriend, Ron moved his chair closer to Hermione. “You’re okay right? Why did they want to talk to you?”
Hermione looked down at the table with a small smile. She loved how protective Ron got some times. “I am fine. And though I appreciate your concern, I’d rather not discuss it.” As it was, she felt slightly embarrassed that the two adults were worried about her mental health. She did not want to tell Ron and have him worry. She was fine after all.
“But Hermione…”
“No, Ron. You don’t need to know everything.”
“You did just hear what you said right?” Ron asked laughing.
Hermione playfully hit Ron on the shoulder. Then she gave him a look, the whereabouts of Harry long gone.
Ron, recognizing what Hermione needed, stood up from the table and took Hermione’s hand in his. They walked out of the common room, as they still had some time before curfew, and found a cozy nook in one of the corridors. They sat down with Ron just holding Hermione close. They stayed that way until it was almost curfew, cuddling and talking.
~SH~
Harry walked through the corridors towards the Great Hall for breakfast Monday morning. Severus hadn’t wanted to let him out of their quarters, but since he said he felt better and had no fever, Severus reluctantly let him attend classes; with one condition, of course. He was to return to their quarters during lunch and during the free time he had between his afternoon classes. And if at any point in the day he began to feel worse, he was to immediately return to their quarters and send a note to Severus.
Normally, he probably would have been angry at being told to do those things, but Harry knew it was because his father was really worried about him. The thought of the man caring that much about him made him smile, though he entered the Great Hall with trepidation. He hadn’t seen Ron since Saturday morning and didn’t know what the redhead’s reaction would be.
Seeing Hermione’s bushy hair sitting at the table, all thoughts of Ron’s reaction flew out of his mind. He quickly walked to the Gryffindor and sat down across from her and Ron. Before he could utter a word, Ron started speaking.
“Where have you been?” Ron asked angrily. He and Hermione had been talking about Harry that morning before breakfast. “No one has seen you since Saturday morning.
Hermione joined in. “Ron told me everything. We know you were feeling fine, so don’t pull that ‘I wasn’t feeling well’ bit with us. We know you weren’t in the hospital wing, Harry.”
Harry looked at Hermione and Ron in complete shock, surprised at how angry they were. “But I…”
“It’s not like you, Harry, to wander off and not be seen for days,” Hermione continued. “You’re not acting like your usual self either. And you’ve been lying to us at various times as well. What is going on with you? And don’t lie either.”
Not liking the accusing tones of his friends, Harry jumped up from the table. It’s true, he had been lying to his friends every once in a while, but it was with good reason. That still didn’t mean they had to talk to him like that. “Obviously what I say won’t matter to either of you,” he began, voice extremely congested from the flu, though his friends didn’t seem to notice. “Since you’ve both already made up your mind, I’m not even going to respond.” Feeling extremely hurt and angry, Harry quickly exited the Great Hall and fled down to the dungeons.
~SH~
Severus had been watching Harry off and on since the boy entered the Great Hall. After Harry left the room mere minutes after entering, he thought that the boy was beginning to feel worse. Leaving the Great Hall a minute later, he went down to their quarters.
The living room was empty as Severus entered. He walked to Harry’s bedroom and found Harry lying on his stomach hugging his pillow, still in his uniform. “I saw you leave the Great Hall without eating any breakfast. Are you feeling alright?”
Harry shook his head yes. “I’m not going to classes,” he mumbled into his pillow.
“If you are feeling alright, then you should go to your classes.”
“I don’t want to.”
Severus sat down on the edge of the bed. “What happened at breakfast?”
“Nothing,” Harry answered and turned his head so it was facing away from Severus.
“Harry, you were the one arguing with me last night about needing to go to classes. And now you don’t want to? Something obviously happened.”
“They think I’m lying to them. They wouldn’t even let me explain. And if I did, they probably wouldn’t believe me anyway. I hate them!”
Severus ran a hand up and down Harry’s back twice. “Sit up.”
Harry slowly complied, sitting on the side of the bed next to Severus with his eyes lowered to the ground. He couldn’t make eye contact.
“From what I witnessed, Miss Granger was the one sprouting all that nonsense I presume?”
“Mostly. But Ron had some things to say too.”
“I see. Now I don’t want to go making excuses for Miss Granger, but as all the professors were notified, I do know what she has been going through this past week. She is still probably upset about her relatives and not thinking clearly. Death can make some not think rationally.”
“Yeah,” Harry agreed quietly, thinking back to the summer after Sirius died.
“You have been lying to your friends,” Severus stated. Harry shot his head up to him in anger. “But, you have an extremely good reason for it,” Severus tried to console. “If you were to tell the truth, people could be hurt or killed. It is a lie anyone would approve of if they knew the entire situation of why it was told.”
That made sense to Harry, but his friends accusations still hurt and made him angry.
“Do not let this incident break the strong friendship the three of you have, Harry. You may regret it in the future if you do. Everything the three of you currently feel will pass. Just give it time and everything will right itself.”
Harry sighed and looked to Severus, glad he was able to have the conversation. If his friends acted like this last year, he would have tried to push down his feelings to join everything else he was feeling, and more than likely ignore his friends indefinitely. It was still strange to have someone to talk to about his problems, but now he really appreciated the advice he normally would have never gotten. “Okay,” he said quietly. “Thank you for talking with me.”
“You’re welcome Harry.” Severus put an arm around Harry and gave him a squeeze. “Let’s go to the kitchen and eat breakfast before we have to leave for our first classes.”
Chapter 32