6

6: Potion Assistant and Dreamfull Sleep (June 3, 2003, June 7, 2003 to June 9, 2003)

{3 months later}

She knew that expression on his face only too well. Sighing with her exasperation, she threw a look at Draco who shrugged his shoulders. Obviously, he had already tried to convince him but had failed miserably. Well she wasn't going to give up without at least trying! If she did she wouldn't be Hermione Granger.

"Sebastian Ethan Biggerstaff!" she exclaimed, letting him know that she was upset with him because that was the only time she used his entire given name. "You said you were going to Hogsmeade with us! You promised us that you were going when you couldn't go last time. If you don't go, everyone will think I'm dating Draco!"

The only one that failed to crack a smile was Draco. Of course, Draco still didn't understand how Hermione could prefer his best friend to him especially when it was a rather well known fact around school that Sebastian was queer. The rumor had spread like wild fire courtesy of an ultra jealous Ron Weasley, who knew that Hermione liked Sebastian. However, what people didn't know was that she only liked him as a brother, a best friend.

Actually, once Hermione and Draco had gotten past their spiteful past- they'd become really good friends. And as she confessed to Sebastian, she thought that she had a crush on Draco. When she had told him that, he'd been so shocked that he had fallen out of his chair, something entirely out of character for the mysterious and broody but quite likable Slytherin personality he'd cultivated. After he'd gotten over his initial astonishment, he'd nearly choked when he imagined how Ron Weasley would react to that particular bit of information.

"Are you listening to me?" she questioned piercingly, trying to be severe but not quite managing it successfully. "Sebastian!" That sharp shrill got his attention like nothing else would.

He scowled at her. "You know I hate it when you call me that," he responded with an irritated voice. "You know I prefer Bast or even Ethan to Sebastian." He sighed when her face fell with his harsh tone. "It's not that I don't want to go to Hogsmeade. You know I like to go, but Professor Snape needs my help, and you know it's easier to get his projects done on a weekend."

Besides, Harry didn't really mind working with Snape in the least. Not when it meant he got to stare at his sexy Potions Professor doing what he loved best. Did he just think sexy? He did. He couldn't help it. Ever since getting to know the real Severus Snape behind the snarky and snappy mask, he had slowly been falling hard for him. It was far worse than Hermione's crush on Draco. It was all he could do to keep from blushing in Snape's presence, especially when he caught him off guard.

"Snape is a slave driver," Draco muttered. "Even Hermione gets her nose out of the book for Hogsmeade weekends, though its impossible at any other... OWWW!" he cried out when she slapped him on top of the head. "What the bloody hell was that for?"

She gave him a Malfoy TM smirk right back at him. "That is for exaggerating my head in the book habit ostentatiously. First off, I don't have it in at all during meal times. Secondly, when do I have time to even ready anymore with you two bugging me all the time? Third..."

Draco wrapped his arms around her waist and pulled her close to him so that their sides touched intimately. "You know you wouldn't have nearly as much fun without my gorgeous face and Bast's sexy self."

Only Harry could see the blush that stained Hermione's cheeks from Draco's blatant familiarity in holding her. He couldn't help but wink at her teasingly, causing her cheeks to become even pinker. He didn't think it'd take long for them to get into some friendly word sparring as per norm. "If you're going to fight with each other, don't get too wrapped up and forget to go now."

Both Draco and Hermione aimed a deadly glare at him as if to say how dare he think that they were going to argue to the point that they'd forget to go- how ridiculously absurd! After all, they weren't children! All Harry did in response was to raise his eyebrow at them like he was answering them that they were children and were likely to bicker to the point that going to Hogsmeade slipped from their minds.

"While you two act like little children," Harry remarked, "I'm going to go down to the dungeons and start helping Professor Snape." They started protesting earnestly even though they knew it wasn't going to do them any good. If there was one thing that they knew about him, it was that once he made up his mind and promised someone he'd do something- he did it.

Which was why as soon as he managed to get off Draco and Hermione nagging him to go and off on their way, he ran to the dungeons where Snape was waiting for him. He didn't doubt that the Potions Master was tapping his finger impatiently, counting down the minutes and the seconds until he was late. That'd be so very typical of him.

~

Where was that dratted boy? He was running five minutes later, quite not like him. Sebastian had never been late to a meeting time they'd set yet. Then again it was a Hogsmeade weekend, so maybe his assistant had decided he had better things to do with his time than hang around his sarcastic and harsh Potions Professor. Severus had the nagging suspicion that Sebastian was one of the rare few people that got his dry twisted and that actually liked his snappy personality. The young man was a definite oddity, and surprisingly he liked being around him.

Even if he enjoyed his company, he'd be hard pressed to admit it to anyone. That certainly wasn't going to stop him from screaming cruelly at Sebastian if he came. That young man was wasting his precious time when he should be working on his latest project! Damn where was Sebastian? His tardiness was really starting to bug the hell out of Severus when Sebastian burst into the room.

"Professor," Harry gasped out, "I am so sorry that I'm late. I won't even make an excuse, I apologize." He didn't bother to even try because he knew that excuses didn't mean anything to Snape. "So are we continuing the potion we started last time?"

"I should take points from you for wasting my time, but I can use your time in detention much better. Be prepared to come every night next week, Sebastian." Harry almost let a smile spread his lips when he heard Snape call him that. That was the reason he didn't want anyone else calling him Sebastian. After hearing Snap call him that for the first time, he only wanted to be called that by Snape. "I've already laid the ingredients out, do I have to beat you over with a cauldron or are you going to get to work?"

Snape's customary snappy tone was like music to Harry's ears, since if he didn't hear it that was a cause for concern. Something must be horribly wrong if Snape's voice didn't inflect in that way. It happened to be quite effective in getting students to wince and cower, but it made Harry smile with amusement. But he wasn't going to let Snape know that though. Nodding his head with suitable cowing, he answered, "Yes, Sir. Why don't you start where we left off last time. I can prepare the ingredients by myself. None of it is too complicated."

Snape glared at for an instant before moving over to do what Harry had suggested. He took out the cauldron they'd been working on last time, which had settled into a nice butterscotch color that belied the rather strong scent coming from it. But the overpowering smell was a good thing since it indicated how potent the potions was going to be. Slowly, Snape started to stir the contents, adding some of the required herbs to get it going again while stirring steadily.

Meanwhile, Harry worked on the other table, preparing all the necessities needed. When all the additives had been added, Harry stopped what he was doing and approached Snape to get a better look at the bubbling potion. Both of them were excited to try the potion because it was a derivative of Dreamless Sleep Potion that they'd pet named Dreamfull Sleep since the drinker would remember all his dreams with astonishing clarity. Well, that's if the principle of it worked. They wouldn't really know until they tried it out.

"Well?"

Snape grunted.

"Aw... all right." It was amazing how well Harry understood Snape now after having to be around him several times a night for the past three months. He could interpret any grunt from Snape for exactly what they meant. This particular grunt was a good grunt: 'It's going well, stop bothering me and go away.' "Night, Professor. Don't stay up too late now. You know the potion needs to sit for a few days before we test it."

Snape grunted again. This grunt was definitely the: 'I know that you miserable brat so go away!'

Harry shook his head and went on his way. He had his sleep that he needed to get.

~

The first test had gone far from well. Instead of going to sleep while they dreamt, they stayed awake through the entire night for the rest of the week. No matter how hard they tried, they could not fall to sleep- they fell into restless dreams. To say that it wasn't good on their combined moods was an understatement. Snape was an even more unbearable git, luckily to the Gryffindors. Even the congenial Harry was short on patience and lacked concentration, managing to be on the receiving end of one of Snape's tirades for the first time.

So it wasn't much of a surprise when they brewed the second version with their corrections that Harry insisted that he be the only potion tester because Snape was insufferable to everyone except Harry and Dumbledore when he was sleep deprived. Snape had been reluctant to agree, but Harry had cleverly asked the Headmaster for aid. It was only after much grumbling and complaining that Snape gave in and let Harry test the second version.

"If you feel anything at all abnormal," Snape punctuated fiercely, "you will let me know right away. Do you understand me, young man? I may give you more liberties than other assistants, but that doesn't make you a master by far." He further emphasized his words by punching his finger into Harry's chest. "Got it?"

Harry nodded with a sly grin. "Yes, Sir!"

"Brat."

"Name calling, Professor?" Harry raised a teasing eyebrow. "How mature of you."

Snape shoved the potion into his hands. "Drink it," he growled, "and get out of my sight!"

Harry couldn't help but chuckle lightly. His laughing stopped abruptly when he swallowed the potion and immediately felt sluggish. If Snape hadn't been standing right next to him, he would have collapsed onto the ground. As it was, Snape barely managed to grab him when he fell into a deep sleep. No matter how hard Snape shook him or slapped him, he didn't wake up. The only thing that reassured Snap was that he still had a strong, distinguishable pulse.

If he hadn't, Snape didn't know what he'd do. He supposed wryly that the suggestions Sebastian had made had been particularly effective. If he remembered his dreams after this sleep of dead, Snape definitely had a potion to market. Though, they were going to need to tone down how effective it was in knocking a person out into slumber land. Hmmm... they way it had so swiftly knocked Sebastian out was interesting, he needed to investigate this further, but first he'd better get his snoring assistant to bed.

~

[Dream cut out for NC-17 reasons. Read AN below to get the scene.]

"Oh god," Harry cried out when he abruptly sat up on the bed, knocking his head into another head. He winced in pain and shook his head hard when he discovered those same dark shadowy eyes staring into him like they had been after he had cum into Snape's mouth. "Professor?"

"You must have had a nice dream," Snape responded dryly as his eyes flicked away from the groggy emerald eyes, drifting down to the very wet spot in the middle of the sheets that covered a very lean and slender body... Sebastian's, his student's well formed body. "I am glad that you've woken up," he remarked, "if you had not awoken when you had, I was afraid that I would have to inform Poppy of your condition."

Oh god, Harry thought with alarm, it had been a dream. He'd dreamed of Snape sucking him off. And he'd wanted a lot more than that, a whole lot more. A heated blush graced his cheeks as his eyes followed Snape's own to the sticky situation he was in. He shifted around uncomfortably, glad though that he wasn't the least bit aroused anymore. He'd used it all up in that wonderful, incredible dream.

"I don't think," Snape continued in that same dry tone, "that I need to ask what your dream was about. I think the results on my sheets speak for themselves. However, I still have a few questions for you that you need to answer for me."

"Okay," Harry agreed with a slightly uncertain voice. How personal were these questions going to get? He definitely didn't want Snape to know that the one he was dreaming of had been of him!

"Was the dream vivid?"

Harry nodded.

"If I asked you, which I won't," Snape stated for reassurance, "could you write down the entire encounter from start to finish in full description without any gaps?"

"Yes, Professor."

Good. "Could you see the other person in the dream?"

"Not until the end," Harry answered honestly.

"Why is that?"

"His hair covered his face." Oh crap, why did he have to tell Snape that tidbit? There weren't many boys with hair that long, and if he hadn't used 'his' in his answer Snape would have been assumed it was a girl. But no by saying 'his' he'd confirmed his queerness. Great, another great thing for Snape to know about him. At least he hadn't said 'your' hair covered 'your' face. Wasn't it bad enough he was attracted to Snape? Did he have to dream about him too?

"His?" Snape queried with a glint in his eyes that wasn't as malicious as Harry was use to, but it was alarming him now like it hadn't before since the circumstances were different. This, Harry knew, was Severus's interested glint. Not a bad thing when it came to potions, but not a good thing when it came to people. "It was a boy?"

Harry turned his face away from Snape and stared a hole into the walls, wishing he could disappear. But he knew that wasn't a possibility, so he attempted to make his voice as neutral and as emotionless as possible, knowing that he was utterly failing, "It was."

"Did you recognize the boy?"

All Harry did was nod, hoping to discourage any further questioning vague hope as it was.

"I take it you don't want to tell me who you were dreaming of, do you?"

"No, I don't," Harry confirmed.

"But the potion worked the way we theorized that it would?" Snape questioned on, more intrigued in that the worked potion than who his student had been dreaming of as lover. Well a bit more interested than who Sebastian had as a lover, but not by much. What a revelation to discover that his favorite student, favorite? Most definitely, the only one that had brains to understand that silence was not uncomfortable and who could hypothesize with him on potion theories had the same sexual orientation as he did.

Most disturbing as... as he found the young man attractive. Well, who didn't? Rumors were spewing around school that the school's proverbial brain had a crush on Biggerstaff. Though he didn't care for gossip, he made himself aware of it so that he wasn't left in the dark. He hated being ignorant, even if it was meaningless prattle. It was a well acknowledge truth that Malfoy and Biggerstaff combined were the two most gorgeous boys at the school. Malfoy with his delicate blond beauty and Biggerstaff with his dark good looks.

While both boys were around the same rather average height of 5'10," there was nothing mediocre about their bodies. While he didn't particularly like the father, the son was quite all right if a bit too sure of himself. No sin, it was a decidedly Slytherin trait. Back to their bodies, both were gifted with a slim build that showcased a lean, sinewy form. Both boys had been called pretty boys, there was no denying that except they were more like beautiful boys.

"Professor?"

Snape snapped out of his thoughts immediately, berating himself for even thinking about the physical attributes of his students in his House. What was he? A narcissistic person that only valued people for their superficial appearance? By Merlin, he hoped not! Disgusted with himself, his gaze at Sebastian was harsher than he intended it to be. It was with much effort that he relaxed his facial muscles. "Yes, Sebastian?"

Harry smiled with relief, he thought for a minute that this Snape had turned into the other Snape- the Snape that despised him. "May I be dismissed, Sir?"

Glancing at the clock on the wall, he nodded once he saw how late it was. Sebastian had best be back in his dormitory before the other boys woke up. He figured that Sebastian was going to get loaded with a ton of questions from Draco, the Slytherin was far too inquisitive for his own good. "You are dismissed."

"Thank you."

Harry got out of the bed and used his wand to perform a cleaning spell on himself so that the sticky residue of his rather torrent dream was gone. Just as he was about to exit the room, Snape's voice stopped him. "Remember that you're coming everyday next week, Sebastian."

Harry grinned and glanced over his shoulder at Snape. "I know."