Severus quietly closed his bedroom door behind him and swept down the stairs away from his bedroom. Harry had somehow found a reason to share Severus’s bed once more, and Severus wasn’t really sure how else to convince the boy to stay in his own bed. As he reached the fireplace and grabbed a handful of floo powder, a voice startled him.

               “Leaving without a goodbye?” Eileen asked, holding a warm cup of tea in her hands. She was sitting in the armchair with a wizarding paper in her hands.

               “I need to get to work,” Severus countered. “Harry is still asleep in my bed, but I should be back by this evening before dinner. I will not disappoint.”

               “Your bed?” Eileen frowned, glancing up the stairs.

               “I guess the rabbit was making a lot of noise last night. And apparently, it’s darker in his room than in mine. He is still working on staying in his own bed for one whole night.”

               “Well, maybe if you didn’t keep moving him from one place to the next and hiding him away all the time, he might feel a little more secure about himself and sleeping alone in the dark.”

               “Oh, so it’s my fault I can’t keep Harry in his own bed?”

               “I did not say that. I just think that if the boy knew he had a more stable environment, he wouldn’t crave seeking you out as much as he does. He needs to know that you’re not going to disappear from his life.”

               Severus growled under his breath as he shook his head.

               “You know, this whole thing is temporary,” Severus said. “I don’t care if he feels the need to sleep in someone else’s presence because it’s not like he’ll be here forever. He’ll be somewhere else soon enough and I won’t have to worry about his sleeping habits.”

               “You won’t worry about them? Or are you not letting yourself worry about them? I think I get it—you’re afraid of growing too attached to Harry.”

“I am not. I simply must focus on the matter at hand: finding him a new family. I cannot . . . this isn’t what Lily would want for him.”

“Lily?” Eileen raised her brows. “Lily would want her boy to be happy.”

“And he will be happy.”

“He is happy. Here. With you. Why can’t you see that? If there’s a family more perfect for Harry, it’s you.”

“Do you see this!?” Severus snapped, pulling up the sleeve of his left arm, revealing the faded Dark Mark. “I cannot take care of him.”

“Severus,” Peadar said calmly, walking out from the kitchen and towards Eileen and Severus. He shook his head disapprovingly. “Please do not yell at your mother.”

               “Can you ever stay out of a discussion that doesn’t concern you?” Severus said with a huff.  

“Don’t you yell at him,” Eileen said, stepping in between Severus and Peadar so she had her son’s full attention. “He’s a part of this family and the head of this household; he has every right to have a say in this. And you know what? I see a confused man who doesn’t know the good he’s got. And when Harry’s gone—do you think you can just go back to how things were before you met him?”

“I’ll be just fine. Like I was before I met you again.”  

               Eileen’s eyes glassed over and she was speechless. Peadar’s eyes widened before narrowing and his cheeks flushed with anger.

“Mr. Snape!” Harry called from the top of the stairs, looking down at everyone with concerned eyes. 

               “Harry,” Severus called up to him in a gentler tone, “it’s still early, go back to bed.” 

“I heard yelling.” Harry took a step down the stairs.

“It’s okay. Everything’s fine, now.”

               “Are you sure?” Harry took a couple more hesitant steps down the stairs.

               “I’m sure,” Severus said. He pointed back up the stairs. “Go back to bed. If you’re too awake now, make the bed and get ready for the day. Make sure you scrub your teeth well after breakfast.”

               “Are you leaving?”

               “Yes. I’ll be back in time for dinner. Upstairs.”

               Harry slowly turned around and walked back up the stairs. With one last look over his shoulder, Harry said, “Bye, Mr. Snape.”

               “Goodbye, Harry.”

               When Harry had disappeared back in the bedroom, Severus dragged a hand over his face with a sigh. He looked over at his mother and Peadar, and with a shake of his head, he threw down the floo powder and stepped into the flames, vanishing to Hogwarts.

Eileen took a deep breath, held it for a moment, then slowly let it out. She felt Peadar’s hands rub up and down her tense arms, and she let herself relax more. That conversation had played out much differently in her head. How was it that she and her son could be so quick to fall into arguments, especially so early in the morning. What was the trigger? Perhaps she could have worded her statement a little differently.  

“Are you all right?” Peadar asked his wife.

“I am fine. He’s said worse things before.”

“That does not make this okay. Severus—”

“Does not mean half the things he says,” Eileen interrupted, turning to face her husband. “At least I know that for a fact. He always regrets his words later. He doesn’t actually like arguing.”

“Could have fooled me,” Peadar mumbled before leaning in for a quick kiss. “I have classes to teach. You’ll be all right here by yourself with Harry?”

“I was thinking about taking him into town today. He needs to get out of the house and maybe we could do a little shopping.”

“Fine but be reasonable. Don’t go spoiling the boy, now.”

               “He needs a little spoiling. Someone has to do it.”

               Peadar chuckled and shook his head fondly before picking up some floo powder and vanishing as well. At that point, Harry came hopping down the stairs dressed for the day.

               “Morning, Nana,” Harry said with a smile. “Where’s Papa?”

               “He just left; oh, I should have had him say goodbye to you. We’ll have to scold him later for that.”

               “It’s okay,” Harry said quickly. “I don’t want him in trouble because of me.”

               “It won’t be because of you,” Eileen reassured Harry. “Peadar knows proper etiquettes, if he gets in trouble, it’ll be because of his bad manners. Now don’t you grow up to be like these gentlemen. I expect a goodbye from you whenever you leave this house.”

               “Yes, Nana.”

               “Let’s go have some breakfast, then I have a surprise for you.”

               “Really?” Harry asked excitedly as he followed Nana to the dining table. “But it’s not my birthday or anything. What’s the surprise for?”

               “Anyone can have surprises any day of the year.” Eileen dished up some beans and toast and scrambled eggs and set the plate in front of Harry. She had already fed the dogs and sent them outside for the day. Eileen served herself and sat next to Harry. “The best surprises are the ones we least expect, after all. They can make any awful day that much better if you can get someone to smile.”

               “Really?” Harry asked over a mouthful of beans.

               “Swallow before you speak,” Eileen reminded gently.

               Harry did so, and asked, “Can we make Mr. Snape smile?”

               “You would like to surprise Mr. Snape?” Eileen’s lips quirked the slightest.

               “Yeah! We can make him smile really big! He rarely does that.”

               “You said rarely, so I’m assuming you’ve made him smile before.”

               “Only a couple times, but I don’t really remember why. He doesn’t smile a lot. He always seems worried or something.”

               Eileen hummed softly in response before eating more of her breakfast. Severus had much to worry about in her opinion. He thoughts strayed years back. She had tried to surprise Severus on his birthdays when he had first moved in, but he had refused to partake in any such activities, so she gave up and merely wished her son a happy birthday when it came around. She remembered when Peadar announced that Asphodel would be gifted to Severus as a welcome to the family, and Severus had seemed the slightest bit happier when the foal had been born. He took great care of the horse in the few short years he lived with them before he stormed out one night. She wondered if there was any way she could bring back some of that light in Severus’s eyes the way Asphodel had the night she was born.

               She was so deep in her thoughts that Harry’s voice startled her a bit.

               “What do you think Mr. Snape would like for a surprise?” Harry asked.

               “That is a very good question, isn’t it? Well, let’s see, we know he likes black robes, black shoes, and black pants . . .”

               Harry laughed.

               “I guess he has enough of those, doesn’t he?” Eileen decided with a shrug of her shoulder.  

               “He needs something red.”

               “Out of all the colors in the world, that’s the first one that comes to mind? If you can wrestle him into something red, I will give you a thousand sickles.”

               “What are sickles?”

               “Never mind that.” Eileen tapped her chin thoughtfully. “What else does Mr. Snape like? He seems very interesting in stirring things, and mixing things, and brewing things . . .”

               “He likes potions!” Harry said excitedly. “We can surprise him with a potion!”

               “Unfortunately, I do not believe there is a potion on this planet that Mr. Snape doesn’t already know how to brew. In all honesty, he would probably grade us on our attempts.”

               Harry’s face fell for a moment before his eyes lit up.
               “What if we make him a new one? We can invent a potion!”

               “Now that would be a grand surprise, wouldn’t it?”

               “Can we make one now?”

               “Maybe later,” Eileen said. “For now, how about I give my surprise to you?”

               “What is it?” Harry’s smile grew wide as he wildly looked around the rooms.

               “It’s not here.” Eileen took Harry’s dish and her own and walked over to the sink, rinsing them and leaving the dishes in the sink for the house elves to take care of this once. “Your surprise is in town.”

               “We’re leaving?” Harry frowned.

               “We’re just going for a trip into town, and then we’ll be back. I think you’ll like what we find there. Go get your sneakers on so we can be on our way.”

               Harry smiled and ran upstairs as fast as he could to get his sneakers on. When Harry returned, Eileen helped the boy into his coat and bundled him up for the weather. She took Harry’s hand and led the boy out of the house and down the pathway to the large gates. Just as the gates opened, barking startled Harry and he pulled against Eileen’s hand to hide behind her as Shandy and Finn came running down the pathway after them. Eileen help up a hand to the dogs, giving them a gentle, “No-no, stay there.”

               “They’re not coming, are they?” Harry asked, his forehead creased and his eyes glassy.

               “They do not have to if you do not want them to.”

               “No.” The boy was firm with that word.

               “Okay. They will stay here.” Eileen smiled at the dogs and held up a hand. “Stay.”

               The two dogs sat and watched with a tilt of their heads as the gates closed them in. Finn stayed where he was, but Shandy lowered himself and crawled toward the gate, watching longingly as Eileen and Harry walked away.

               Eileen led Harry down the road some before hiding behind a tree and picking Harry up to apparate the rest of the way to town. She appeared behind another tree less than a quarter mile away from the town. She took Harry’s hand once more and allowed the boy to take his time to explore. She brought Harry to a clothing store for children first, and spent some time finding cute outfits for Harry.

               “But I already have clothes,” Harry said.

               “Not from Nana, you don’t,” Eileen said, holding up a polo shirt against Harry’s chest. “Wouldn’t you look so handsome in that? We should try it on, just to be sure. Is there anything you see that you like?”

               Eileen already had many shirts draped over her arm as well as a couple trousers. She had an array of polo shirts, flannels, a couple button downs, and a few regular shirts with funny sayings on them any boy would enjoy. She looked around for anything else that might catch Harry’s attention, spotting a shirt with a t-rex and another with trucks. She looked down, watching as Harry looked around the store with an interested glance. His face brightened and the boy ran to the other side of the store.

               “Look, Nana,” Harry said, grabbing a shirt off a rack. “It’s Mr. Trifle!”

               Eileen hesitated. Harry had pulled down a light blue shirt that had a black and white bunny on it that did look like Mr. Trifle, complete with a black snout and one black spot over the eye. The bunny was standing on it’s hind legs and its head was tilted slightly, one ear up and one ear down. On the rabbit’s nose was a darker blue butterfly. It was a shirt in the girl’s section, and already other shoppers in the store were turning to see her reaction.

               “Can I have this one?” Harry asked, holding it up against his chest to size as Eileen had done with other shirts.

               “Are you sure?” Eileen asked, walking over to Harry.

               “You would actually let him wear that?” an older woman asked, shaking her head at Eileen. “Do you know how the other boys will treat him if they see him in that?”

               “I do not believe I asked for your input, now did I?” Eileen snapped at the lady.

               With a huff, the woman sauntered away.

               Blowing out a breath, Eileen turned her attention back to Harry and she smiled at him.

               “Is this a bad shirt?” Harry asked, his face falling, and he lowered the shirt.

               “No, it’s a very cute shirt. It looks just like Mr. Trifle, doesn’t it? Do you really like it?”

               Harry nodded, hugging the shirt to his chest.

               “I think that one is a little big,” Eileen said, taking the shirt from Harry. “Let’s find one your size, shall we?”

               Harry watched patiently as Eileen dug through the rack and pulled out another shirt and held it up to Harry, nodding when it looked it would fit. She took Harry’s hand, ignoring the stares some people were giving her as she brought Harry to a dressing room to try on the clothes. He tolerated being dressed in the polo and flannel shirts, and the trousers fit perfectly. It was the bunny shirt that Harry excitedly pulled on and checked himself in the mirror and seeing how much Harry liked having Mr. Trifle on his shirt, Eileen could not say no to it, and bought the shirt along with everything else. She still ignored everyone’s disapproving stares.

               “Is this my surprise?” Harry asked as they finally left the clothing store. “I want to wear my shirt now.”

               “Maybe when we get home, okay? We can’t have you stripping in public. I’ve already gotten enough criticism today.”

               “What’s criticism?”

               “Never mind that.”

               Eileen opened the door to the next store and pushed Harry ahead of her. Harry gasped at the sight of toys, antiques, and books alike.

               “This is your surprise. Peadar agreed to two things today, so choose wisely.”       

               “Yes, Nana.”

               Harry’s behavior in the store surprised Eileen. Instead of running off and messing around with everything he could get his hands on, Harry stayed close to her, letting her lead the way through the store and only touching anything with her encouragement. Harry had a few toys he had brought with him that Severus had bought him, legos and playdough, but a child needed plenty of stimulating things to keep busy.

               Harry messed with a few items here and there, but for the most part, he kept his hands to himself. Eileen wondered if they would even leave the store with two items. This wasn’t how she saw her surprise going, but her predications of how things would go had been off thus far. Harry paused and picked up a journal, flipping through the blank pages.

               “What’s this one?” Harry asked.

               Eileen glanced at it.

               “It looks like it’s for artists. The blank pages are so you can fill it in with drawings and colors.”

               “Or make a potions book?”

               “Or make a potions book,” Eileen agreed. She knew what Harry was thinking now. The boy hugged the drawing journal to his chest.

               “I want this.”

               “Okay, would you like anything else from here? Any toys or books?”

               “I have to get started on this. Oh, can I have new colored pencils to go with it?”

               “For my little artist, anything,” Eileen said.

               She found a pack of colored pencils, crayons, markers, and sharpies for Harry and bought both items. As they walked away from the town, Harry managed to get a sharpie out and was already filling in the first page. He paused to look at different trees, asking for their names and writing in his book. He also asked about different flowers he found on the way, writing down their names as well. When they were muggle free and out of sight, Eileen apparated back to MacAuley Manor.

               Lunch was next on the day’s schedule, and while Eileen worked on food, Harry was focused on his book. After changing into his new bunny shirt, he worked around the kitchen as well, opening the cupboard and writing down different foods, spices, and oils he saw. Sometimes, Harry drew pictures with his crayons or pencils, but he used his markers and sharpies to write. His hard work and dedication made Eileen snort. While the Irish stew cooked in the pot on the stove (made with beef instead of lamb at Severus’s urging), she checked on Harry’s progress. He was already halfway through his book.

               “What potion are you inventing now?”

               “This one will make people smile more,” Harry answered picking up a banana. “See, the main ingredient is banana because it’s shaped like a smile already.”

               “It is!” Eileen said with sudden realization, “I never noticed before. I bet this one will be your best-selling potion!”

               “I’m making it special for Mr. Snape.”

               “That’s very kind of you. Mr. Snape definitely needs it.”

               “I know. And I’m using yummy ingredients so all my potions will taste delicious and not like those gross, slimy ones.”

               Harry worked hard through lunch, eating and working at the same time. Eileen didn’t have the heart to tell him to put it away while he ate. After lunch, Harry continued moving around the kitchen and even went into the garden to finish his potions book.

               Severus stepped through the floo an hour before Eileen would normally serve dinner. He tried his best to get away from Hogwarts in time to eat dinner with Harry. It would only be right after missing dinner yesterday with the boy. And he had to make sure Eileen and Peadar didn’t spoil the child with excessive amounts of sugar again. But first, he had to at least get all of his grading done before eating. He needed to turn back several essays to his classes’ tomorrow, so there was no way he could put off his work. If he worked diligently enough, he might be able to bang them out before he had to sit at the dinner table.

               He managed to sneak into the manor and work his way upstairs to his study, dropping his stack of essays on the desk. He sat down and began on his first essay.

               “Mr. Snape!” Harry’s voice cried, running into the room with a book. “You made it before dinner.”

               “Lower your voice,” Severus scolded lightly, annoyed that his peace did not last long. “I told you I would make it, didn’t I?”

               “You said that yesterday, too.” Harry made a sad face as he paused next to Severus’s desk.

               Those words made a twinge of guilt rise in Severus’s chest, but he forced the feeling away. Work was as much a priority as keeping Harry safe was, so he did not have to defend his being late against a seven-year-old.

               “Other obligations came up that needed tending to. I cannot predict how every day will end. I can only hope I make it back in time to eat.”

               “Oh—I mean, okay.”

Harry shuffled his feet under him. Severus looked Harry over, blinked, and then frowned.

               “What are you wearing?”

               “It’s a new shirt,” Harry said, looking down at the bunny. “Nana got it for me. It looks just like Mr. Trifle, right?”

               “Did you . . .” Severus’s frown deepened. “. . . ask for it?”

               Harry nodded.

               “Huh. Well, it looks very nice on you and could very well be Mr. Trifle’s twin.”

               “I knew it!”

               “Why don’t you go help Nana set up dinner while I work on these essays.”

               “Can I give you my surprise first?”

               “Surprise?”

               “I made this for you.”

               Harry handed the book over to Severus, who hesitated at first then sighed and accepted it. He opened the book and raised his brows at the first page. It looked like an index, and strange titles were listed with the page number next to it. They looked like potion names, if one would need a potion to glow in the dark or to blow bubbles. Severus couldn’t help but chuckle at some of the names, and he noticed how there was also a nutrition potion and a headache potion and a fever reducer, names he was sure Harry remembered from Severus dosing the child.

               Flipping through the pages, Severus admired Harry’s hard work that was clearly poured all over the book. While most of the potions only had three or four ingredients, the book was very detailed with the title of each potion at the top in large letters, the instructions taking up a page or two, and pictures drawn all over.

               “I wanted to surprise you with something you would like,” Harry said.

“Well, potion recipes are right up my alley,” Severus said. “Did you draw all this?” 

“Yeah, and I made all the potions special. This one is to make you smile more.”

Harry flipped to a page halfway through the book. The title was Smile Potion, and Severus chuckled at that.

“See? It’s already working!”

Severus made a fond face at the book before setting it down and opening his arms for the boy, who ran right into them. Severus hugged Harry tightly. While Severus would not admit it out loud, he was touched that Harry had spent most of the day making something for him, to make him smile. And with everything going on, hiding Harry, being at his parents’ place, and keeping information from Albus, he truly needed a good distraction to take his mind off it all.

“Thank you,” Severus said, rubbing Harry’s back. “It was a very nice surprise.”

“Do you really like it?”

“Love it. In fact, I think we should try out one of your potions.”

“Really? Do you think it’ll work?”

“Only one way to find out.”

After dinner, Severus found himself helping Harry in the kitchen with the Smile Potion. He allowed Harry to take charge as it was the boy’s creation. Harry stood on a step stool with an apron shrunken to his size, a mixing bowl and spoon in front of him, Severus standing close to make sure Harry didn’t get too excited and fall off the stool. Severus was glad to give the boy what he couldn’t reach when he needed something, but for the most part, he contented himself with watching his little genius at work.

“So after water and the yogurt,” Harry said, looking at his book carefully. “We stir three times.”

Harry stirred the water and yogurt three times in the mixing bowl. Then he looked at the book.

“And then we take the banana, and we take a bite,” Harry said, taking a bite of the banana and holding it up to Severus to do the same.

“That’s awfully specific,” Severus said, quirking a brow at Harry.

“It’s a potion. You have to be specific.”

“Right you are,” Severus said, fighting a grin. “My apologies, Professor Potter.”

Severus took a bite of the banana and chewed as Harry added the rest of it to the bowl, smashing it and mixing it in.

“Now we add sugar and spice,” Harry said.

“What kind of spice?” Severus asked as he handed Harry a spoonful of sugar.

“Any kind,” Harry said, already mixing in the sugar.

Severus selected a few carefully. Cinnamon, nutmeg, and basil. He allowed Harry to pick which one he wanted and wasn’t surprised when Harry added a tablespoon of each and mixed thoroughly. Harry then sprinkled salt and pepper in the bowl.

“Now we wave our hands over it,” Harry said, demonstrating, “and say the magic words.”

“What magic words?”

“Smiley Smilela!”

Severus snorted, then pulled out his wand from his sleeve and waved it dramatically over the mixing bowl.

“Smiley Smilela,” he said, allowing the tip of his wand to flicker sparks.

Harry watched amazed and peered down at the potion as if expecting it to change color or puff up in smoke. He gasped and looked up at Severus.

“Do you think it worked?”

“Let’s see.”

With daring ease, Severus picked up two clean spoons and scooped a small amount of the “potion” for each of them, handing one to Harry. They both tried the potion, Severus following Harry’s eager lead.

Years of drinking potions helped Severus keep a straight face at the strange flavor coating his tongue, but Harry’s face scrunched up in obvious dislike. Harry smacked his lips and frowned at the bowl.

“I thought it would taste better,” he said.

“I believe,” Severus said, dropping the spoon in the sink, “that all potions are doomed to taste repulsive.”

               “I’m gonna share some with Nana and Papa,” Harry said, taking two more spoonful’s of the potion and running out of the kitchen. “Nana, Papa, try my potion!”

               “Walk, Harry,” Severus reminded him, smirking slightly at the thought of Eileen and Peadar’s faces after eating the concoction.

               Harry’s potion worked wonders. Eileen and Peadar were smiling and laughing with Harry for the rest of the night. Eileen saved Harry’s amazing new product, wrapping it in plastic and storing it in the fridge, labeled and signed by Harry. Severus allowed himself to be pulled into a game of gobstones, one which he embarrassingly lost to his mother and Harry. When Eileen went to retrieve refreshments halfway through their game, Severus followed, leaning against the counter while she poured a half glass of wine, two beers, and a pumpkin juice.

               “I want to apologize for my words this morning,” Severus said, looking down at the top of his boots. He always felt like a child in these honest moments. “I shouldn’t have snapped at you as I did, I know you only have Harry’s best interests in mind, but I am trying my best as . . .” Severus sighed as he ran out of words to say.

               Eileen nodded to him as she handed him a glass of beer and the pumpkin juice.

               “Thank you,” Eileen said. “And I’m sorry for my choice of words. I do want what is best for Harry, but all we can do is give him all we can, and you are doing that. He is so happy when you are around and when you are not, he’s happy thinking of you.”

               Severus did not comment. Instead, he tapped his pointer finger on the glass of pumpkin juice he was holding, and it turned into warm milk. He gave Eileen a pointed look as he carried out the drinks. Eileen rolled her eyes at him.

               The two rejoined Peadar and Harry in the game, making sure to give the boy extra smiles through it all.

               The game ended late in the evening, and Severus ended up having to carry a sleepy Harry up the stairs to bed, the warm milk having done its job. He set Harry down on the boy’s bed, having the child stand in front of him, and summoned the child’s pajamas. He shook his head at the boy’s shirt. He had to admit the boy was adorable wearing it.

               “I think my potion really works,” Harry said with a yawn. He lifted his arms as Severus removed his shirt. “I think you smiled three whole times.”

               “Three more than I would have liked,” Severus admitted.

               Harry laughed as he stepped out of his trousers, then shrieked when Severus tickled his bare sides. Severus ruffled Harry’s hair, then helped the boy dress in his pajamas before setting him on the ground and directing him to the bathroom to brush his teeth and take care of any other nightly needs. Severus sat down on the edge of the boy’s bed while he waited. After a few minutes, Harry returned and lifted his hands up to Severus.

               “What, is the bed too high for you?” Severus asked even as he lifted Harry and swung the boy down on the bed, earning a squeal. Severus tucked Harry in and sat down on the edge once more, allowing himself to smile down at Harry, who blearily blinked up at him with a look that could only be described as adoration.

               “I love you, Daddy,” Harry suddenly said.

               Severus sucked in a breath and his eyes widened, but Harry’s eyes had already closed, and the boy crashed quickly. There was that word again, and this time, it was accompanied by three more shocking words. But the longer Severus sat there staring down at Harry, the words did not cause him anxiety he was sure he should be feeling. Instead, a warmth spread across his chest and a feeling he once knew long ago in his childhood flushed his face. He knew Harry was always half asleep and rarely aware of when he used the “d” name, but Severus found himself beginning to crave for more of those moments, preferably a time when Harry was aware and conscious so he could properly discuss this development with him.

               What would he even tell Harry? Should he deny the boy? Discourage such feelings?

               Slowly, a hand reached out and caressed Harry’s cheek. Severus wasn’t sure he was ready for that type of discussion. No, he wanted this to be real. He knew now that he wanted nothing more than to have been Harry’s true father, to have been Lily’s husband instead of James. Harry should have been his.

               He could wish it all he wanted, but it would never be real. Could never be real. But that did not mean he couldn’t live out a fantasy when he desired; give in to feeling he tried so hard to bury when he desired; love the boy when he desired.

               Severus leaned forward.

               “I love you, too, Harry,” he said softly before kissing the boy’s forehead.

               Dimming the lights but leaving a small amount left as a nightlight, Severus crept out of the bedroom, feeling as though he was walking on air.