Snape was sitting alone in his office, his head buried in his hands. He had been like this for almost an hour, thinking and thinking. He was angry and he was guilty and he was miserable. But all the thinking had deepened one thought into his mind:

Harry was his son.

And even if his fantasy had not turned out to be the way he had wanted it to be (Lily had died and had kept a major secret from him), he had to acknowledge the fact that he was indeed the boy's father.

He had been wrong to try to disown him. He knew that. Harry wasn't Potter, he didn't even look like him, not really. Harry was his son, no matter how mind-boggling it was and he had to find the boy and apologise, make this better.

The man took a shuddering sigh and stood up, intending to talk to Harry once and for all. He stepped out of his office and spent a long time walking, trying to find the boy. Suddenly he heard voices. He ducked behind and hid in the shadows, listening.

XXX

Harry stared at Umbridge. He had almost bumped into her on his way down to the library. She smiled sweetly at him, "Mr Potter,"

"Professor," Harry snarled.

"How's your hand?"

"It's fine," Harry said, trying not to sound very insolent.

Umbridge stared at it. "Who gave you permission to heal it?" She asked.

Harry flushed angrily. Snape had healed it, but he couldn't tell her that. Also, was she being serious? "Excuse me?" He said through gritted teeth.

"The whole point of the punishment was that you have a reminder of your misdeeds," Umbridge said, in her sickeningly sweet voice. Harry could have punched her.

"Well, too bad. I'm already healed. I need to get to the library now," Harry tried to push past her.

"You think you're something big, don't you Potter?" Umbridge stood in his way. "Spreading lies around the school and defying rules. Someone should take responsibility. I'm quite happy to punish you, if it means you'll stop breaking rules and spreading mayhem,"

"I'll have to say no, Professor." Harry's blood was boiling.

Umbridge narrowed her eyes. "What did you say?"

"I said no, you dirty, stupid old hag!" Harry shouted. He suddenly realised, with dread, that he had just fallen into her trap. She was looking for reasons to give him detention. He heard something shift nearby, but didn't concentrate on it.

There was a short silence. Umbridge then smiled even wider, her eyes glinting. "Well, Mr Potter. I stand corrected. I think you need another dose of the ruler, now don't you? Maybe on both hands this time? And no healing afterwards, that's for sure. Very well, then! My office, tom-"

"Excuse me," someone said, from behind Harry.

Harry whipped around in horror, only to see Snape. The man gave him a look with his eyes that clearly said don't interfere.

"Professor Snape?" Umbridge looked surprised for a moment, before smiling again. "What are you doing here?"

"Oh, I was just passing by when I happened to hear Potter's outburst. I'm quite used to it, of course, Potter has never had much respect for his teachers. But that was some language."

"Oh yes," Umbridge looked delighted. "I was just giving him a detention for his foul mouthery-"

"Oh no, Professor, I would like to assign this detention myself," Snape said ominously. Harry looked at him in shock. What the hell was the man doing? Another excuse to punish Harry, hurt him, or a chance to try to talk to him? Why wouldn't Snape leave him alone? "Potter, my office, now."

Umbridge looked a little taken aback. "Oh no, Professor Snape, I'll handle it-"

"I insist that you let me," Snape said, firmly. "It would be my pleasure,"

"Well...if you say so," Umbridge finally relented, still looking unsure. She looked at Harry and said sweetly, "Well, you better get going then Mr. Potter,"

Harry shot a miserable look at Snape as he was forced to follow him in silence to his office. He dreaded what the man would do to him. Maybe smack him again? Once they were inside, Harry didn't even get a chance to shout "What the heck was that about?", he was completely run over by Snape.

"What were you thinking, baiting her like that? When you know what she can do?" Snape demanded, looking very angry.

Why do you care? "I'm not scared of her,"

Snape ignored this. "Though I agree with what you said to her, of course. What was it? An old, dirty hag? I daresay she deserved it."

Harry simply looked at him in wonder. "She-she did?"

"Of course. She's a vile woman, the things she does. First cursed quills, then cursed rulers. Speaking of which, I should tell the Headmaster about that cursed ruler. I heard her threatening you with it-"

"No, you can't tell, things will just get worse. She might suddenly make a rule about how The High Inquisitor can hand out any punishment she wants, and I don't want her to know that I'm affected by her stupid detentions,"

Snape looked like he wanted to argue but instead he said, "I will have to assign you a fake detention tomorrow at seven. So that she is convinced that I really was angry at you. Or she will get suspicious. I usually don't let students go,"

"Will you give me work to do?" Harry grumbled.

"No, you can finish your homework, if you want. You did the right thing. Well, in a way."

Harry blinked, surprised at the support he was receiving. Snape was acting so...so nice all of a sudden. Like a dad. Harry blinked back tears and looked away.

"Potter? Potter, what's wrong?"

"N-nothing, I just...thank you, I guess." Harry mumbled.

Snape walked over to him and brushed away the tears with his thumb. "I wanted to talk to you," He said, awkwardly.

Harry gulped and nodded, showing that he was listening.

"I've been thinking about it, and decided that you were right. I should take responsibility. I am your father, however unexpected and unplanned it was. And it's my responsibility to take care of you. I'm not doing it for your mother, or because I'm guilty. I just know that it's the right thing to do."

Harry looked at Snape with wide eyes. "You-you want to be my father?"

"Yes," Snape admitted, flushing slightly. "I mean, we can try, can't we? We're both new at this. I haven't been a father before and you haven't had a father. We'll learn along the way. What do you think?"

"O-okay," Harry stammered, unable to believe it and surprised at how quickly he had given in. But he knew deep inside, that he longed for support and someone to look up to. He had Sirius, but-oh Merlin, Sirius! "But, sir, what about Sirius?"

Snape frowned like he had swallowed something bitter. "What about him?"

"What will he say? He was my dad's best friend, he'll be furious!"

Snape shrugged. "He'll have to deal with it."

Harry wasn't sure what to say to that. He loved Sirius, and he couldn't just replace him with Snape so soon.

"Before this pops up in the future, what shall we call each other?" Snape broke him out of his reverie. "Of course, no one can know about us. So I am to be known as Sir or Professor in public,"

"I don't think I can call you dad yet, I'm still getting used to stuff," Harry admitted.

A pink tinge appeared on Snape's cheeks. "And so am I. You can call me Sir or-"

"Your first name?" Harry smiled.

"Harry," Snape said warningly.

"You called me Harry!" Harry sounded genuinely delighted.

"Yes, well-"

"Severus it is," Harry grinned, feeling so warm and happy that his face started warming up. Then he felt awkward again. "Um, what made you change your mind, by the way?"

"I just...I just couldn't pretend anymore, I suppose. I felt like I was deceiving the both of us,"

"So you'll be nice to me now?" Harry asked, smirking.

Snape rolled his eyes. "I still have to keep my cover, so I might not be handing you sweets in class,"

"You'll be better than the Dursleys at least," Harry joked.

Snape was silent for a moment. "I was meaning to ask you," he said quietly. "What exactly did they do to you?"

Harry went completely silent for a few moments.

XXX

Snape had eventually made him sit down as he listened to the boy prattle on about his awful childhood, the bullying, the beatings, the unfair favouritism towards Dudley, the neglect, the spiders in the closet, the nightmares. Soon Harry was wrung dry, and was breathing heavily.

"...And then...then I was told that if I woke them up again with my screaming I would have to go sleep outside in the rain," Harry ended the story. "I hate them, honestly. Uncle Vernon absolutely hates me, he doesn't even think I'm human, just because I can do magic. I'm just some kind of freak of nature. Aunt Petunia is better, she doesn't hit me or anything, but she favours Dudley, makes me do chores and has never said anything kind to me for as long as I can remember. Dudley's the worst, he makes the situations so I get in trouble and often encourages his friends to bully me. He even laughed when he found out that I was depressed. He told me that I was a coward."

"That's enough for today," Snape said, his face a blotchy red and his eyes glittering with fury. "They're awful people. Why Dumbledore sent you there, I can't fathom,"

Harry shrugged, shaking his head. "Forget Death Eaters, I needed protection from them."

Snape noticed that there were a few tears in his eyes. He awkwardly patted the boy's shoulder, unsure what to do. He had never given comfort like this before. Wait, he had. To Lily. Damn it, he had to stop thinking.

He suddenly flinched as Harry subconsciously rested his head on his shoulder. "T-thank you for listening to me, Sir. I feel much better,"

Snape couldn't even talk, he just stared at the boy in surprise.

Harry mumbled, "I feel kind of tired. I think I'm going to go back to my dorm-"

"Well," Snape said. "You can sleep here, on the couch, if you want,"

"Really?" Harry looked up, absolutely shocked. "You'd let me?"

"I suppose..."

Harry looked like he wanted to say something really nice but then decided that they were not close enough yet. Snape got him a pillow and a blanket and let him lie down.

"I'll wake you up in an hour."

"What'll my friends say?"

"Just tell them you got in trouble with me. Rest now, I'll be sitting at the desk and working. You can call me if you need anything,"

"Sir?"

"Yes?"

"Thanks. For everything. Honestly."

XXX

Harry left the office later that day, completely rested, and very exuberant.

The nap had been peaceful, with the soft scratching of the quill in the background and the security of Snape being there. Maybe it could work. Maybe-maybe Snape wasn't so bad, after all. Maybe Sirius would understand too, and stop being so hostile with the man. Maybe Harry would finally have a family like everyone else.

"Potter," It was Malfoy, looking at him suspiciously. "I'm seeing rather strange things lately,"

"Stop looking in the mirror, that's the only advice I have for you," Harry snarled, moving away.

"Strange things about you. Something's going on. I'm keeping my eye on you,"

"Go get a hobby Malfoy," Harry snapped, face heating up.

"I'll find out about it eventually, Potter," Malfoy narrowed his eyes and left.

"Bloody git," Harry was suddenly extremely anxious. What if Malfoy actually found out about him and Snape? He'd tell everyone. Harry couldn't let that happen.

Frightened, he watched Malfoy leave.

XXX

"Severus, no, what if James finds out," Lily drew away from the sudden kiss. Severus looked dazed, his eyes glazed over. He pulled her closer by the waist.

"Serve him right, seeing other women when he has you, arguing with you at everything. He ruined your dinner with your sister, didn't he?"

"He was just being a laugh..."

"How long will you keep giving that man slack, Lily?" Severus shook his head. "He is immature and childish, he doesn't give a damn about your relationship."

Lily's eyes filled up with tears. "If we can only talk..."

"Talk?" Severus laughed. "He won't understand a thing! Don't you see, Lily, I love you, I love you so much. Break off the engagement, there's still time,"

"You love me?"

"Ever since I saw you," Severus said huskily. When would they stop talking? He didn't want to talk. He wanted to kiss her some more. He had dreamed about this for so long.

"You-you never told me," Lily said, taken aback.

"I never got the courage to," Severus said. "Until now. I can get you anything, Lily, a house, new clothes..."

"Severus, I..."

Severus bent down and kissed her again, his black hair falling over her face. "Ssh...I know what you want. You want a real partner, don't you? Someone who understands you? I'm here..."

"I..."

"Don't you want to do this?" He sounded hurt, slightly irritated.

"You're very nice to me. But you're my friend. My friend. James will-"

"Lily, please. Stop acting ridiculous. He's just going to make you cry some more,"

And with that, he silenced her once more with a pleading kiss. She kissed him too, absolutely willing. She did want him, she did. But she never said so. Not once. Almost like he was forcing her into it. Even though she had been the one to unbutton his shirt first.

Severus gasped, closing his eyes. When would these memories stop haunting him? When would they stop making him feel guilty? He knew he hadn't really done the right thing, but he had thought what he was doing was not wrong at the time.

Severus closed his eyes miserably. Maybe one day he would be able to forgive himself. But he wasn't sure if he would be able to forgive Lily. That was another matter.