Ron quickly made his way up the stairs, brushing the tears out of his eyes before heading towards his room. He walked in to find Harry knocked out on his bed, which wasn’t all that unusual really except his face was red and sweaty. Walking over to the bed he reached his hand out to check his forehead like his mum tended to do to him when he wasn’t feeling well. He jerked his hand back quickly the minute he touched it, his mate was burning up!

He could see how sweaty Harry was and he immediately started pulling the blankets back only to stop when he saw him shivering. He shook his head, not knowing what to do before running out the room.

“Mom, Snape, Dad!” Ron yelled as he came running down the steps.

“Ronald why are you yelling in the house and you know better to address Severus properly.” Molly scolded him as they all met him at the bottom of the steps.

“What seems to be the reason behind the hysterics Mr. Weasely?” Severus asked in a soft tone; having not recovered from their previous conversation to be harsh with the obviously hurt boy.

“Harry’s burning up, but he’s shivering too. He looks really sick,” Ron replied in a rushed tone, wanting them to hurry up and check on his mate.

“I knew something was wrong, where is he?” Severus asked having already passed Ron on the steps.

“He’s in my room, I’ll show you sir,” Ron replied snapping out of his daze and hurrying up the stairs.

He led the way into his room before moving out of the way so his Professor could help Harry. As Ron watched him look over his mate, he could already see that something was different in the way Snape was handling his friend. For one, Snape looked like he didn’t actually mind what he was doing in the slightest.

“I don’t have any potions on me that will be of help to him.” Severus said quietly to himself as he thought about what to do. He had planned to talk to Albus and Minerva today, but he knew that wouldn’t be the case. Harry needed him more than they did; besides another day couldn’t hurt. Especially since all of the children were on break for the time being due to the holidays. He hoped the small few that had stayed at the castle knew to stay away from her.

“Sorry to cut the visit so short, but Harry seems to have come down with a bug of sorts. I’ll be taking him home.” Severus said to the Weasleys that had gathered in Ron’s small room.

He pulled back the covers wanting nothing more but to spell the child’s sweaty body dry and hit him with a warming charm, but he knew that certain illnesses reacted differently to magic which is where potions came into play. He quickly took off his robe, revealing the black pants and matching long sleeve shirt before wrapping Harry up into it expertly.

Ron watched his Professor pick up Harry with ease, and he nodded. He was right, when he said Snape needed Harry. Did anyone realize, let alone Snape himself see how  much he was changing right before their eyes? He allowed the man to pass before following him downstairs and to the fireplace.

“When Harry gets better, do you think I can come visit him?” Ron asked softly as his Professor was somehow able to grab the powder even as he held Harry.

“Yes I was going to suggest that myself. When I speak to Albus about Umbridge’s methods, I will floo call your mother and you can come over then, alright?” Severus replied.

“Yes sir,” Ron nodded before they were gone in the green fire.

Severus landed in the sitting room of his manor with ease, even with the delicate bundle in his arms. He carried his up the stairs being careful not to jostle him before laying him on the bed. He conjured up a basin and filled it with lukewarm water, before accioing a wash cloth. Removing his robe from the child he set about taking off the child’s sweaty clothes, knowing that was making him shiver.

As he washed him with care, Severus accioed a pair of his winter flannels reminding himself that they still needed to go to Diagon Alley. That could obviously wait as Harry was in no condition to go anywhere at this point. Dressing him in the flannel pajamas, Severus banished his clothes to the wash.

 Now with the child in clean clothes without a worry of him getting worse, he ran a diagnostic scan on him. He wasn’t really surprised when the flu popped up at the culprit. He frowned wondering why the child hid his illness from him; surely he didn’t think that Severus was going to be angry with him for it? You couldn’t control when you got sick.

Tucking him into his warm bed and removing his glasses, Severus put a glass of water spelled to remain at room temperature. He knew that if the water was to cold it would be hell on Harry’s throat and his stomach. Knowing what happened the last time Harry woke up alone he changed his walls to blue and green. After spelling the room to alert him when Harry was in distress he headed back downstairs to get the potions from his lab that he knew would help Harry.

Harry woke up, feeling like he got ran over by a herd of hippogriffs, and then was dragged 100 feet by a basilisk. He moaned as he rolled over trying to find a cool spot on his pillow to rest his head. He wasn’t sure what was going on, was he still at Ron’s? He was feeling like he would cave right here, and just tell Snape that he wasn’t feeling well. He was beyond that, he was feeling atrocious. His body hurt so badly, and his throat was still on fire. He turned around and felt the dresser for his glasses and slipped them on.

He looked around blearily before reaching for the glass of water on the dresser. How did he get back into his room? Was this his room? When did Snape change it? He was so confused but he actually didn’t mind the colors. He sat up the best he could before he quickly chugged the water down before refilling up the glass and doing it again. As he was in the process of gulping down his third glass Snape walked in and stared at him in shock.

“Not so fast Harry or you’ll make yourself sick.” Severus said gently as he set the potion vials on the dresser.

Harry nodded as he gingerly set the glass down his stomach already churning. He tried to breathe in through his mouth not wanting to be sick all over his bed.

“Why didn’t you tell me you didn’t feel good?” Severus asked as he opened the vials.

“I didn’t want to be a burden, “Harry replied hoarsely.

“Why would you think that?” Severus asked.

“At the Durselys, they never liked it when I was sick so they usually ignored me.” Harry replied softly.

“What about when you had the flu like now?” Severus asked eyes widening in shock.

“They would lock me in my cupboard, not wanting to deal with me. They didn’t want to catch any of my freakishness.” Harry answered, as his mouth fill with saliva.

“Your cupboard, what does that mean?” Severus asked appalled didn’t even cut what he was feeling, surely Petunia wouldn’t treat her own nephew like that, would she?

“My room, I’ve lived there up until I got my Hogwarts letter. Sir I’m gonna be sick,” Harry breathed before covering him mouth with his hand, as if that was really going to hold it back.

Severus nodded before looking around the room for a rubbish bin before conjuring one and placing it in front of Harry just in time. He grimaced, feeling bad for the child as he sicked up. He rubbed his back, remembering his mum doing it to him when he had been ill. Severus continued his motion before grabbing the wash cloth and gently wiping Harry’s face with it when he was through. He banished the mess away before turning to look at the child.

“Take a sip, and get that taste out of your mouth,” Severus replied handing Harry a small cup of pumpkin juice.

Harry nodded gratefully, wanting to drink more than a sip but was dismayed to find his teacher had moved the glass.

“Why can’t I have more?” Harry asked voice coming out as a croak.

“Don’t talk so loud child, or you’ll aggravate your throat. You can’t have a lot because, I don’t want you to drink too much and get sick again. You can have a little bit as soon as you finish taking your potions.” Severus replied, handing him a vial.

Harry looked at the vial in his hand in disgust, he wasn’t sure he could stomach this right now, since he could barely stomach it when he wasn’t sick.

“It’s gonna come back up,” Harry said softly with a grimace on his face.

“No it won’t, trust me Harry.” Severus replied kindly before lifting the vial to Harry’s lips noticing how the boy immediately opened his mouth.

Harry was amazed as he swallowed the potion that it tasted like peppermint, and it made his stomach settle too. He looked at Snape curiously not even having to voice his question, his expression giving away everything.

“It’s a stomach calming potion, what good would it do to have a potion to calm your stomach if no one could get it down.” Severus replied with a shake of his head.

“But I thought that flavoring the potions made the potion ineffective.” Harry asked in confusion.

“Not if it’s done right, not to mention it takes a lot of time to do it. So I only flavor this one.” He explained.

“Oh, how long do I have to take the potions for?” Harry asked feeling a cough coming up and automatically turning his head to silence it. He turned back around to find Snape looking at him with a tired expression on his face.

“Don’t do that again, if you have to cough let it out. I will not punish you for needing to cough child,” Severus said mentally preparing just how he was going to torture the Durselys.

“Yes sir, how long do I have to take the potions though?” Harry asked again before gulping down a fever reducer and a headache potion.

“For about 3 days or so, depending on how bad you’ve got the flu. I need you to tell me at once if you fever goes up, or you starting to feel sick. If you don’t you’re going to be sick longer, and I have a few things planned that you’ll miss.” Severus warned.

“Like what?” Harry asked curiously.

“We need to make a trip to Diagon Alley to get you some proper clothes. Don’t bother trying to deny anything, I saw them all Harry. Furthermore we still need to get a Christmas tree and decorate it, don’t you think?” Severus asked.

He had no idea what came over him to include that last item, but he knew from all the staff how much Harry enjoyed Christmas. And now that Severus knew that he wasn’t spoiled like he thought, it hurt to think off all those other Christmas’s where Harry suffered. He didn’t like decorating in the slightest, but he would do it for this child.

Harry nodded vigorously before yawning, wanting nothing more but to bury himself in his blankets and sleep again.

“You can sleep child, when you wake I’ll see how you’re feeling and if you feel like eating.” Severus replied.

“Can I have some more juice before you go?” Harry asked softly.

“Here you go, sip it slowly,” Severus replied handing him the small cup of juice.

“Thank you,” Harry mumbled as he handed the cup back before snuggling back under the covers.

“You’re welcome,” Severus murmured softly as he moved the raven locks off Harry’s forehead. Using the excuse that he was checking his fever, he carded his hand through Harry’s soft hair until the boy’s breathing evened out.

“Goodnight my child, you’ll feel better soon, I promise.” Severus whispered before getting up on the bed, before stopping when he heard Harry speak.

“Promises don’t mean anything to me, they always get broken.” Harry replied sleepily.

“Not my promises, I don’t break them, I mean them every time. Sleep child, you’ll feel better when you do,” Severus replied softly.

“I will, thank you for staying with me daddy,” Harry said just as soft as he dropped off into slumber land.

Severus looked at the boy on the bed in surprise, before wondering to himself did he really hear correctly. He must not have, or Harry must have been already dreaming. He would never say that to Snape. He was the greasy git of the dungeons, who hated everybody. Severus knew that Harry wanted his approval but that was a far cry from what he was thinking. Just because the child wanted to stay with him didn’t mean that Harry wanted him as a father. Feeling like he convinced himself he grabbed the empty potions vials and headed downstairs to have the new batch ready for when Harry woke up.