Snape sat at rapt attention during the first Quidditch match of the year. This was nothing extraordinary as his house was playing Gryffindor. Since last year when the opposing team had gained a new star seeker, Slytherins team had been trying to find a way to beat them. This year they had chosen to let Draco Malfoy buy his way in, with a whole host of top of the range brooms. As Draco wasn't that bad a player himself it seemed to be a good deal all around. And now his new second year player was giving his best against Gryffindors seeker. But for some reason Snapes eyes seemed to be drawn by the small figure in red and gold.

In a horrible twist an invisible cord seemed to have appeared and connected him with Harry Potters broom. For with every sudden jerk, there was a jerk in its beating. With every neck break dive this cord seemed to tug at his heart, threatening to rip it out. And for some reason – was it his wild imagination? – one of the bludgers had taken to violently following the boy. As if he wasn't reckless enough as it was...

And then suddenly both second years started chasing the little golden ball. Snape seemed to have lost all air from his lungs as his eyes followed them following their treasure. And then, with a sickening crack, the bludger connected with Harrys arm. Snape felt like it had rammed into his heart instead. His breathing quickened and an unimaginable pain shot through his chest – was he actually having a heart attack? But in that moment the insane child closed his fingers around the mad little Snitch and ended the game.

Breathing as hard as Snape, he landed on the pitch and crumbled into the grass, cradling his arm. He survived, Snape thought relived, and caught the bloody snitch. His head felt light for the first few minutes, but he snapped out of it, as he saw Lockart in his lurid robes approaching the little lion. Snape jumped up – as the other teachers did – and ran onto the pitch. He left all his colleagues behind trying to reach Harry before disaster in the name of Lockart ensued. He heard Harry protesting through gritted teeth "Not you!" but he was too late.

"What did you do?", he heard the shocked exclamation and shoved children out of his way. He fell to his knees on Harrys other side, opposite the Defence teacher.

"Well, you have no pain any more.", the man said, grinning stupidly.

Snape lost all color in his face as he saw why that was. He wanted to say something scathing but the horror of the situation had him tongue tied

"That's because I have no arm left, that could hurt!", Harry said shrilly, his eyes bugging in impeding panic

"You fucking imbecile.", Snape hissed slowly, his anger seeping through every word and heard the students around him gasp "How dare you... how dare you even come close to him?"

In his white hot anger he reached above Harry and got a hold on Lockarts horrible robes. He pulled him close and whispered dangerously "If you come close to my boy ever again, I will personally cut you up into bite sized pieces and send the stinking rest back to your family in a match box."

Lockart looked wide eyed at Snape, too terrified to blink "What will you do now, Lockart?"

"Leave him?", he said in a shrill, panicky voice

"Show me how.", Snape breathed and let go, Lockart jumped to his feet, gulping and then darted away in the opposite direction.

Without listening to the voices around him, Snape scooped up the injured child in his arms and held him close. He could hear his joints protesting as he stood up with his precious burden. The students made way for their livid Potions Master and then watched him leave at top speed for the hospital wing. Time seemed to speed up too as he rushed towards those doors and entered with a bang.

"Severus!", Poppy gasped and watched as he put the boy onto one of the beds. He saw Poppy waving at the doors, which firmly banged close again "What happened?"

"Lockart, that imbecile! That's what happened!", he pressed angrily, stepping away to compose himself "He vanished Harrys bones."

Poppy looked alarmed and then checked up on her patient "Oh dear, oh dear. I believe there is no pain, Mr. Potter?"

"No, ma'am.", he said quietly and Severus realized how thin his voice was. He would kill Lockart...

"There's no lasting damage, is there?", he urged the matron, Poppy glanced at him and then shook her head

"No, indeed Mr. Potter is lucky. At least he vanished all the bones... I'll have to give him some Skele Grow though."

Snape and Harry gasped simultaneously "Is there no other way?"

"No, Severus. Do you understand what that means, Mr. Potter?", she said softly

"It will hurt.", he whispered "A lot."

She nodded solemnly "We should not wait any longer, I'll bring it out."

Harry looked as white as the sheets, he sent an uncertain look towards Snape

"Sir?", he asked shakily, Snape was at his side in a second and took his uninjured hand

"I'll be here all night. I'll stay right here, child."

Harry nodded, breathing hard and then accepted the cup from Madam Pomfrey. He immediately fell into an exhausted sleep and was arranged more comfortably by Poppy.

"Poor boy, he doesn't get a break, does he?", she whispered, stroking his hair out of his marked forehead. At that exact moment they heard banging on the infirmary door. Madam Pomfrey strode there purposefully and opened them only to rebuke the Gryffindor Quidditch team and Harrys friends.

"Yes, yes he'll be alright. You can visit tomorrow. After breakfast, mind you!" They dispersed but Pomfrey stood there waiting for someone, who emerged a moment later

"Where's Potter?"

Snape turned at the crisp, tense voice and felt relived to see McGonagall. She came up and looked closely at her student, then at his and Snapes intertwined hands. She gave a terse little smile and then whispered to her colleague "I'm not needed, am I?"

Snape glanced at her and then shook his head, closing his fingers even tighter around Harrys.

She smiled more openly and then left the infirmary with a respectful nod at the matron.

In the middle of the night, Harry jerked awake and looked around with a racing heart. Snape was sitting in a chair at his bed side and that alone had his heart rate calming. He watched his teacher sleep for a while and unbidden the words he had said to Lockart came back to Harry – my boy. Harrys heart warmed at the memory and laying here in the hospital bed, he could enjoy a few little mad fantasies. He could imagine himself living with Snape. How would their evenings look like? Would they go to Quidditch matches? Did Snape have a team? He smiled at the thought. And Christmas, he sighed in longing. Christmas would be wonderful with Snape. They'd trade presents and have a real tree, not the plastic one Petunia preferred. There would be no Aunt Marge and they could make Christmas dinner and cookies together. He could almost smell it... until the pain in his arm erupted and he hissed, sitting up and cradling his arm.

"Harry?", Snape murmured, still half asleep

"Hurts.", he whimpered and with a jolt realized that his eyes were filling with tears, Snape saw them even though there was little light in the room. He immediately stood up and sat down besides the boy on the bed. His arm came around the childs trembling shoulders and he rubbed the other arm.

"Shh, my boy.", he said quietly, turning Harrys head into his own shoulder with his other hand. Harry felt more relaxed by the two small words 'my boy' than any physical comfort Snape could provide "Its alright, you can cry."

Harry hadn't needed that encouragement but it felt nice anyway. It felt good to be held like this while he was in pain. To have that comfort and care. To have someone who would want to stay with him, who'd do it so naturally and without hesitation. He breathed deeply, trying to get a hold of himself

"Thanks.", he mumbled into the mans robes, trying to free himself of the embrace. But the mans hand tapped his head and he said

"Go to sleep, if you can."

Harry gave him a little shy look and then to his own surprise nestled more firmly against his teacher. Warm in his arms, he fell into sleep beside him and breathed easily again.

This is how Poppy found them, perched on the small bed in each others arms. She gave an unprofessional little "aww" and then composed herself. She first shook the man awake and then the child.

"I need to check up on Mr. Potter.", she declared, her voice still softened by the picture they had made. Both young men blushed deep red at being found together that way. Snape left his student in her capable hands, as the pain had receded and left newly grown bones in its wake. He had a defence teacher to deal with and the last look at Harry put him in the right mood for it. Harrys hair was tousled worse than normally, his eyes were still red and when he flexed his fingers for Pomfrey he winced. Snape narrowed his eyes and then strode out, right for the defence teacher. But he never got there.

"Severus!", he turned to the headmasters voice, who continued "Could I have a word?"

Snape followed his employer into his office and sat down in front of him.

"My dear Severus, I must rebuke you."

"Me?", he asked shocked "Pray tell, for what?"

Dumbledores lips twitched in amusement, but he took himself under control again

"For your behavior yesterday on the pitch.", he elaborated "I was informed that – to the merriment of our students – you threatened young Professor Lockart and said the f-word."

Snape blinked, then snarled "As if their innocent little ears never heard it before, really Albus!"

This time the headmaster didn't hide his amusement but chuckled lightly "Still, you should be an example. As for Gilderoy..."

"As for Gilderoy.", Snape repeatedly tartly "I am going to put him through a little amount of the pain he caused Harry!"

Albus eyebrows rose to his hairline "Harry? Oh, you mean the skele grow I assume."

"You assume correctly."

"Oh dear Severus, please have tea before you go. You might burst a blood vessel the state you're in.", Dumbledore said and with a wave of his wand breakfast appeared in front of them.

"I nearly had a heart attack yesterday! Do you have any idea how I felt when I saw what that idiot had done to my...", Snape stopped, blinked and then looked confused "my student..."

Dumbledore lost all his amusement at the quiet ending of that statement "Is everything alright Severus?"

Snape leaned back "Albus... I feel strange."

"Strange? Please elaborate."

"Whenever I look at... Mr. Potter I feel... Protective I guess would be the right word..."

"I wanted to say this for a while now.", Dumbledore said softly "I am very pleased by the way you two have overcome your past."

Snape looked troubled "But this... I feel like this is not appropriate..."

"Is it not?", Albus asked "You are being a good teacher, a good head of house. Yesterday you protected one of your students from... ah... further harm and brought him safely into the arms of our dear Poppy to mend what was broken..."

"Stolen, more like", Snape grumbled, Albus ignored him

"...and you have started tutoring him based on his talent. You are treating an orphaned child with care and affection, I could think of nothing more appropriate."

"But the way I feel...", Snape started again "When I saw him get hurt yesterday... You don't know how I felt..."

Dumbledore smiled sadly "Indeed, I do not. I have never found myself in that position."

Snape frowned "But you care about the students!"

"Of course I do." Albus nodded "But do you care about Harry the way you care about your other students?"

Snape shook his head before Dumbledore had even finished his sentence "But don't you see? That is exactly what I'm worried about... He feels like more than a student to me."

Albus sad smile remained in place "Yes, it seems that way."

"And you are not worried about that?"

Albus steepled his fingers together and looked above his half moon spectacles "Have you ever tried to hurt him? Do you feel lust when looking at him? Have you ever desired his body...?"

"Albus!", Snape shouted and jumped up outraged "How can you ask that? Of course not!"

"That is the only inappropriate attention I can think of. You are being kind to him because you feel paternal towards him. I feel like he would do well with that and it does you good as well. I can think of no reason to stop it."

Snape felt drained as he resumed his seat and took the offered tea cup from Albus. He was deep in thought all through the rest of breakfast. Paternal... The thought seemed to stick to his head.

When they had finished their breakfast and Snape was ready to leave, Dumbledore held him back again.

"There is another matter we have to discuss, Severus.", the amusement was back in his eyes "Professor Lockart came to me with a few... suggestions at the start of term. I reviewed them and found one quite... interesting."

Snape narrowed his eyes "Forget about the stupid Valentines Day right now."

Dumbledores smile widened, but he didn't comment on that "No, it was actually a dueling club."

Snapes eyebrows rose in interest.

"I felt like that would be a good idea. But of course dear Professor Lockart would need an... assistant. For demonstration of course."

Snapes smile turned feral and he said with dark delight "Of course"

With that he turned and made for the door

"Oh and Severus!", he turned, door knob in hand "I need dear Gilderoy in one piece until the end of the school year and able to teach. Do you think you can manage that?"

Snape inclined his head "That's a challenge but I will give my best to only humiliate rather than hurt him."

"Please Madam Pomfrey!", Harry begged, trying to achieve the same look that always had the Dursleys heap mounds and mounds of presents on top of their sons head.

"No, Mr. Potter!", she snapped "You have had your bones regrown. You will stay in bed and recuperate. If you want to return to classes on Monday that is."

"But!"

"No buts.", she said firmly and pushed him back onto his back on the bed "And enough with the puppy dog eyes already!"

Harry pouted defeated and earned a little smile from her in return "I will not have you aggravating the injury, even if you feel you're healed. Flex your fingers for me."

He gritted his teeth, determined not to flinch and flexed them.

"Very well.", she said "When you can flex them without injuring your gums while trying to show me how very healed you are, we might discuss discharging you."

He let his shoulders droop and folded his arms

"As your friends already left..."

"You made them leave!"

"...I suggest someone else to keep you occupied.", Madam Pomfrey said and then smiled gently. She left for her office and then came back out accompanied by Snape.

"There you go.", she said and disappeared into her office once again.

"Are you in need of any assistance?", Snape asked coming closer to his bed. All of a sudden Harry felt very shy around the man and said in a quiet voice

"Madam Pomfrey said I needed someone to... occupy me... But if you're busy..."

Snape raised an eyebrow at his sudden change in behavior and sat down on one if the stools his visitors had left.

"I would like to do that."

Harry gave him a wide smile at that and Snape felt all the tension from his discussion with Albus fade. To hell with all of it.

"We could discuss theory, as I well know you like to neglect that." Harry pouted "And if you do well, you'll get a price."

Harry did do well, for if he applied himself he was a good student. He just didn't bother most of the time. But the lure of a price had him trying hard. The price turned out to be a game of scrabble, which Harry argued was kind of more learning. Snape said he'd award him if he won.

"Yeah, probably with even more learning.", Harry said annoyed, Snape smiled at him

"Very Slytherin thought, but no. I had gotten a gift of chocolates from the Muggle world I would share with you."

Harrys face lit up "Now that's a price!"

He gave his best and in the end Snape let him win just so he could see the child stuff himself with chocolates. He then brought up the basket full of foreign sweet treats that he hadn't touched yet. He was one for bitter chocolate and most of these were milk chocolates with a lesser amount of cocoa in it.

"I like these.", Harry said and showed him little pralines that were filled with nougat "Where did you get all of that from anyway?"

"A present from Arthur Weasley."

Harry looked surprised "Rons dad?"

"Yes. His twin boys had stolen one of my cauldrons for a prank and exploded it."

They sat in companionable silence together until Harry remembered something he had wanted to ask.

"Sir? You know about House elves, right?"

"Not everything, but I'll try to answer your questions."

"Could they leave the house where they live at without being ordered to?"

Snape nodded "As long as it doesn't go against an order they received, yes they could."

"And say a house elf did something he knew he wouldn't be allowed to if his master knew, but he hasn't been forbidden to not do it, yet."

Snape pursed his lips contemplating "Its a difficult question, because I don't believe house elves think the way humans do. Serving us fulfills them so they wouldn't usually do anything they knew would displease their master... But lets assume it would help their master but he can't recognize that... Yes I believe they would be able to."

"And if they are loyal to someone else than their master...?"

Snape stared at Harry "These are very specific questions you have."

Harry bit his lip, then nodded and explained "There's this house elf, Dobby, he's been running around trying to save me but getting me into bigger trouble every time. It began in the summer at the Dursleys. He ruined a fancy dinner they were giving so I would be lo- grounded, so I would be grounded and he hoped then I wouldn't come to Hogwarts."

"Why would he want to prevent that?", Snape asked, ignoring the slip of tongue

"He thinks there's some plot to hurt me, but he's been the only one hurting me. He set the bludger on me!"

Snape drew his eyebrow together at that "I will have to visit that little..."

"No!", Harry stopped "He really is only trying to help. Can you not just... err, keep him away from me?"

Snape nodded "I'll talk to the headmaster, Dobby you said is his name?"

Harry nodded and smiled gratefully. He took another sweet and felt very comfortable with Snape sitting beside him, sharing his present and giving him advice.

"Professor?", he asked quietly "When I was at your place, you know last time... I heard you talking with Professor McGonagall."

Snape put a praline down he had been about to eat "Yes?"

"And... I know I shouldn't have listened, really. But... It was kind of about me, right? So I was really curious and... she said something that sounded like... Like you'd take me if I wouldn't have to return to the Dursleys."

He had gone to a whisper at the end and looked resolutely at his lap

"Harry.", Snape said but Harry didn't look up "Yes, you heard correctly, if I could I would like to... be your guardian."

"What do you mean, if you could?", Harry asked timidly

"The question of your placement is... difficult. We have to see that every party is safe. The wards that keep you safe at your aunts home are based on your blood relation. As the blood flows in your veins the protection extends to your whereabouts, where ever you are, if you call her house your home.", he explained "If you were to be taken from them and placed with anybody else, other arrangements would have to be made. Other wards are generally not so forgiving, they usually only extend to the parameter of the property. That would imprison you to the house during summer. Other than that, any placed wards can be attacked and destroyed, you'd need to be with a powerful wizard, who could protect you in that case. And it would be useful if no other person was endangered as well."

Harry looked at him "You are powerful right? And the other things..."

Snape smiled at that "Yes, but there are other... objections to my person."

"What objections?", Harry asked frowning "I don't have any."

"Thank you.", Snape said earnestly and then explained "In the event of the Dark Lords... resurrection... I would have to play an inevitable role. If I was to be connected with you in this fashion it would endanger us both."

"No one has to know!", Harry said almost desperately. He forgot for that moment that he himself had been the one arguing thus with his friends.

"Yes, it may work that way or it may not, but Harry...", Snape leaned forward and looked into his eyes "...it is a moot point. You have not yet admitted to any reason for taking you away."

Harry gulped and held his breath the way Snape was. The longing was growing with every day. He so wanted to be happy, cared for... loved. He looked down at his lap. It would be so easy, he only had to extend his hand and take the offer. But he felt unsure. He couldn't endanger someone like that, especially not Snape. Not after all the man had done for him. He'd stay with the Dursleys, it was only three months in the end... He couldn't risk it.

"No sir. You are right, it is a moot point.", he whispered, feeling bad for it and avoiding Snapes eyes. Snape patted his hand in understanding and took one of his favorite nougat pralines.

"Have you ever thought about making them?", he asked Harry casually. Harry blinked, surprised at the change of topic

"Uh... No. Can you?"

Snape turned it around in his fingers "When you're released we'll make some, what do you think?"

Harry smiled widely at that and then nodded "That sounds great."

Snape looked at the childs smile and felt his heart warm. One day Harry would tell him the truth and then he'd take him from there - Dark Lord or no. Snape would take him.