10

Chapter Ten: Magic.

The first day of school had been horrible! Harry had been swarmed by people any time he'd step out into the corridors to go to his following classes, to eat lunch, and as soon as classes had finished.

He hadn't had time to talk to either Ginny or Hermione, but he wasn't sure he wanted to anymore. As much as Ginny had betrayed his trust, he knew she was only doing it because she liked him—as twisted as that sounded. Ginny had been a great friend to him, though, and even though she'd been feeding him love potions, she had never pushed him into anything he, technically, didn't want to do. Plus, he didn't want to get on Ron's bad side again.

No, it was better just to avoid the things she gave him. And if she asked, then he would confront her about it, but he'd try his best to keep it from Ron. For the sake of them all. He didn't like being dishonest, but he'd rather have his friends right now than making enemies.

It wasn't that Harry wasn't angry about it. Actually, he was furious! Sometimes the thought of it made his blood boil enough to make accidental magic happen, but he had to control himself. He just didn't want to cause any more trouble.

The war was finally over, Voldemort was finally dead, and all he wanted to do was try and lead a normal life. He didn't want any more chaos around him, and bringing it up would only cause exactly that. Something his mind just didn't need right now.

Harry was already a medley of emotions right now. He was confused about everything. He was bothered because people wouldn't leave him alone. He was bothered because people didn't understand what he'd had to go through to want a normal life. He was angry at Hermione for not telling him about tutoring Ron. He was pissed off at Ginny for causing a drastic change in his life. And he was beyond confused to his feelings towards Professor Snape!

He hadn't been able to get the professor off his mind at all. He found it was getting rather distracting and stopping him from working in classes as well. This was his final year here at Hogwarts! He needed to concentrate, and thinking about Professor Snape wasn't helping at all!

It was bad enough that he had had sexual dreams about the man, but now he was starting to feel awkward around him in person.

He supposed it wasn't a bad kind of awkward. In fact, it was a nice feeling. Even thinking about Snape made him feel good inside. It made his heart pound hard in his chest, and he felt almost nervous around him. Not to mention the thought of seeing Snape made his cheeks flush a hot read.

"Oh no…" he whispered to himself as he was walking towards the Great Hall for dinner. He knew exactly what these feelings were! He'd had them with Cho! He… had a bloody crush on the man!

What!? No! That couldn't be right! He and Snape hated one another! Okay, that was a lie—that had been a lie for quite some time now.

He looked around rather awkwardly, swallowing hard. What if someone found out!? What if someone knew!? Had he been obvious!? With the man being polite to him, what if people started talking!? Hell, he had enough eyes on him; it was hard to get any private time at all. The only reason why he was alone now was because he went for a bathroom break whilst everyone else headed to the hall.

He felt awful now. Not awful as in sick, just even more confused. Snape would never like him back. This had to be some kind of phase, right? Maybe Ginny was putting something else into his food. Who knew!?

He certainly wasn't going to tell anyone, though. If anyone ever found out that he had a crush on his Potions professor… they'd laugh! Not to mention probably be disgusted. Snape was a man! A fully grown man!

He supposed that didn't actually matter in the wizarding world, though. Snape was only twenty years older than him, and there was nothing wrong with same sex relationships. But he was born into a Muggle world with his aunt and uncle. And he knew Snape was a half-blood, so he would have grown up with somewhat Muggle customs as well.

Harry frowned to himself, feeling horribly embarrassed about the whole situation. Why now!? Why did he have to feel like this now? So much was going on in his head that he really didn't need this.

Professor Snape would never like a student, especially him! His whole life had been twisted because of him. And that made him feel even worse. No, this definitely had to be some kind of phase.

But what if those surges of magic that kept happening was what Hermione had told him about all those months ago? A bond. A connection. That he'd met his magical match. He knew very well that Snape was a powerful wizard, and a very smart one, too.

But then… Snape would have noticed as well. And by the looks of things, he was just as confused. He doubted it was that. That meant Snape would have to have some kind of feelings towards him too, and he knew Snape would never. He clearly liked women as he'd fallen in love with Lily.

Leaning his hand against the wall, he stood outside for a moment. He could hear the ruckus inside the Great Hall as everyone else was eating dinner. He knew he'd have to go in before someone else found him and possibly got him into trouble (like Filch), so he pushed the doors open as gently as possible and slipped into the hall.

Looking at his feet, he headed towards the Gryffindor table. He couldn't even bear taking a glance at the High Table, knowing very well that Professor Snape would be up there with the other teachers.

"'Bout time you showed up, mate," Ron said with a smile. "Didn't get trapped in the corridors by more fans, did you?"

Harry just frowned, rolling his eyes as he sat down and grabbed a plate, putting his own food onto it, as well as getting himself a drink. "Not yet, thank God," he muttered.

"Well, hopefully it'll all blow over soon." Hermione's voice was soft and reassuring, giving Harry a smile as she picked up her own fork.

Hermione was very busy with school work, and she would continue to be so during the whole year. She was taking a lot more classes than she probably should be, but this was Hermione. This, however, hadn't given her much time to actually talk to her friends during class. She'd been rather bossy in telling them to hush as she was trying to concentrate.

"How was your lesson this morning with Professor Snape?" she asked, Harry seeming to go rather stiff. That bad? She gave a frown. "Sorry, Harry… I was going to offer I help. I'm helping with Ron so he can catch up, but then I saw the letter you got this morning… so I thought that things had already been settled."

Harry actually felt a lot better at hearing that, feeling himself relax a little. "It's fine," he said, Ron looking at him like he was a mad man. He felt himself going red, though, looking back at his plate of chicken nibbles.

"I can't believe you have to have lessons with Snape," Ginny muttered. "Surely there's a way you can get out of it, right?"

As the girl beside him spoke, Harry felt himself tense a little. At least Snape hadn't put a love potion into his food! It made him rather angry that others were still badmouthing the professor. After all he'd done. Sure, he wasn't nice, but Snape was right. If Voldemort had found out about it—which he was sure Malfoy would have told—then Snape's position as a spy would have been exposed. Or at least caused suspicion.

"It's not even that bad," he said, coming off a lot angrier than he realised. Ron, Hermione and Ginny just looked at him, and he sighed. "I'd rather the silence in the dungeons than the stupid people in the corridors that won't leave me alone."

All four of them stayed silent for a moment, but it was Ron who broke the silence. "So, Ginny, are you gunna try out for Quidditch this year?" he asked his sister. Considering his and Harry's work schedule this final year, neither of them would be playing. He'd been able to get his Firebolt back to him once he'd lost it in the battle at Little Whinging, though, which was at least something.

"Definitely," said the girl. "It's a shame you two can't play this year. I know it's going to be great."

"We'll all still be there to watch you, Ginny," Hermione promised, wearing a smile. "Plus, with everything that's gone on the last year, I think Quidditch will be great for the school. Something to lighten up the mood."

"I think Harry does that already," Ron snorted.

Harry smirked a little. "You guys should be getting just as much attention as I am. Honestly, if it weren't for you… I probably would have died…"

"Don't worry, Harry, we're getting loads of attention, too," Ron laughed. "I noticed some girls whispering when I walked past them this morning." Hermione seemed horrified. "What? Don't tell me you haven't been noticing the blokes doing it to you."

"Of course not! I don't pay any attention to that," Hermione said in almost horror, her cheeks going rosy.

Ron just laughed. "Yeah, right," he muttered with a smirk before looking back at Harry. "C'mon, Harry, soon enough it'll be over. This is our last year here… we gotta make the most of it, I reckon."

That was true. Harry gave a smile, looking up. Hogwarts really had been a home to him, and this was why. His friends. They were like his family, and had cared for him more than anyone else ever had. And even though he knew this year was going to be tough and tedious with both classes and the people trying to smother him, he couldn't stand the thought of being away from his friends. His family.

Soon enough, dinner was over and the attention of all the students went to McGonagall. Harry was forced to look up to the High Table, and it was hard not to steal a small glance over in Professor Snape's direction.

Much to his embarrassment, their eyes met and Harry instantly looked away, feeling as if he'd been caught doing something he shouldn't be. His whole body went hot, his heart pumping and ears ringing.

Harry made sure to keep his eyes at the front through the rest of McGonagall's speech and was happy to get out of there and head back to the common room with the rest of the Gryffindor's.

Ginny had only offered him something once from her plate all night, and he declined it immediately, saying he wasn't hungry anymore. Unfortunately, it made him have to stop eating when he was still actually quite famished.

It wasn't until most of the students left that Hermione asked if that was his stomach that had made a noise. He looked up to the girl, it just being them in the main room now.

"I thought you said you weren't hungry, Harry. Why didn't you keep eating?" Hermione asked. She immediately took out a bag of crisps from her bag and handed them to him.

Taking the bag, Harry didn't hesitate to open them and dig in. He did however, realise that Hermione wanted information.

"I wasn't hungry then," he lied, giving a shrug. It didn't seem to satisfy the witch, though. Harry knew there wasn't really any other way out of it. They'd been friends for eight years now. Hermione knew when something was wrong.

"I couldn't eat in the Great Hall because Ginny offered me food… and I didn't want any, so I had to lie and say I wasn't hungry," he explained.

"Why didn't you just take some from her? I know you're not dating anymore, but that doesn't mean you can't be friends," the girl said sceptically.

Harry's insides squirmed a little bit at the truth, looking at Hermione. "I just… don't want her thinking I'm leading her on or anything, that's all."

The sceptical look didn't disappear from Hermione's face. "I hardly think taking some food from her plate is leading her on. What's wrong, Harry? You've seemed distracted all day… You know you can tell me anything. You're my best friend, and… look at all the things we've been through."

She sighed gently as Harry seemed to deflate. "Look, if this has anything to do with all those people out there wanting to see and talk to you… it will die down, Harry. It's just fresh still. I know it's got to be distracting, but this is our final year. You really need to be concentrating the best you can."

That seemed almost impossible with everything going on! But Harry nodded nonetheless. "I know. It's just hard…" he admitted.

"I know it is," Hermione said sympathetically. "I'm serious. I was going to talk to you about Potions today, but then when the later came… well, I didn't want you being upset. I knew you'd find out either way, with Ron needing to catch up as well, but, I just didn't want to put more pressure on you."

"It's fine, Hermione. Honestly," Harry said with a small smile. "Lessons with Snape aren't even that bad anymore. I mean… it's a bit strange being there by myself, I probably would have felt more comfortable with Ron there, but… I think that would have earned the both of us detentions we don't need."

Hermione laughed gently. That was true. "I suppose the lessons will allow you and Professor Snape some private time without anyone else bothering you."

Harry felt himself go rigid, looking at Hermione in shock. "What…?" he asked, his chest thrumming. She couldn't possibly know that he had a crush on the Potions master.

"Well, didn't you want to ask about your mother?" Hermione asked as if it were obvious. "Plus, he did give you an owl. You should really thank him for that."

Harry felt his heartbeat slow back down, thankfully. "Oh, yeah… Yeah, I already thanked him. He just said it was a 'necessity' for school and mail," he mimicked, giving a short laugh.

Hermione smiled, though looking back down. "Harry… what exactly are your feelings towards Professor Snape?" she asked, watching him closely. Harry turned away though, looking down.

Immediately, she saw that he was trying to hide a blush, picking up the bag of chips and playing with it. She knew immediately that Harry had formed some kind of close and private feelings over the man.

"I know you feel bad about Snape putting his life on the line for you, and I know you feel like you owe him. It's why you stayed and waited for him to wake up in the hospital wing. But… I've seen you two together. This morning. I saw the way you looked at him… He's a professor, Harry."

"I know!" Harry hissed, his face red and flustered. He felt awful now, horribly embarrassed and wrong for even starting to like Snape. He didn't even know how it had happened! Sure, he felt bad for anyone dying for him, and he saved Snape, and Snape had protected him, but that didn't create a means for him to start crushing on the man.

"I don't… know what I feel, Hermione," he sighed. "It's weird… I hated the man for all my life, and then I find out about what he's been doing and I just… I don't know."

Hermione gave her friend a look of concern. "It was Snape you were talking about when you asked about sparks, wasn't it?"

Harry didn't say anything, he just rubbed his arm as they sat together, the fire beside them in the common room.

"Is this why you broke up with Ginny?"

"No," said Harry, although happy that the conversation wasn't on Snape anymore. "I never really… felt like my feelings towards Ginny were real. I mean, I know it seemed like they were, and I did like her, but… it wasn't real. She's been putting love potions into my food."

Hermione's eyes went wide. "What!?" she asked, putting her hand to her mouth. "Who told you that!? When did you find this out? Are you sure that's true?"

The questions all came out at once, and Harry just looked at his best friend who seemed to go quiet as she realised she was overwhelming him.

"The muffin she gave me… I didn't eat it, well, I would have, but then when I was in class I offered it to Snape." Hermione's brows arched. "He was hungry, I heard his stomach. I'm used to not eating, Hermione, so I thought I'd give it to him. I didn't want to hear his stomach growling the whole lesson, you know?"

"No, I suppose not," said the girl.

"Anyway, he didn't take it. Well, he may have, but that's when he noticed that there was a potion in it."

"And you believed him?" Hermione asked. She had no idea why Professor Snape would lie, and she knew how good a Potioneer he was, so she was positive he could sniff it out.

"Well… no, not at first. But… why would he lie?" shrugged Harry. "I mean, he has no business with my relationship to Ginny. It was rather embarrassing, actually."

Harry once more felt himself flush a little. If he hadn't have said Ginny had made it for him, Snape probably would have accused him of trying to make him fall in love with him. He went even redder at the thought, thankful that he could look down at his socks.

"I can't believe this…" Hermione whispered, looking shocked over the whole thing. "I trusted Ginny… I thought you two were in love…" How could she do this to Harry all this time?

Hermione easily pieced everything together from the new found knowledge, though. That Ginny had clearly run out of the potion when Harry had broken up with her. With everything that had been going on, there wouldn't have been time to get new supplies. And she did notice Ginny was more clingy to Harry than she'd ever been, but who wouldn't be!? Their lives were in danger! They could have died the night of the battle. Now she realises that it was Ginny just hanging on and trying to keep Harry close to her so his feelings would stay.

"Have you talked to her about it?" she asked, looking back to the boy. When Harry just shrugged, she looked mortified. "Harry, you have to say something! She can't keep doing this to you! She's… betraying your trust! Your friendship!"

"And what do you suppose I say?" Harry asked, throwing his arms up. "I don't know what to say! If I tell her, she'll get upset, and don't get me started on Ron. He'll always choose his family first, which I have nothing against as it's the right thing to do, but… It's just better if I say nothing at all, and maybe she'll stop."

Hermione's lips parted as she was about to protest, but the look in Harry's eyes just said he really couldn't deal with more drama right now. So instead, she settled back down.

"I'm sorry…" she whispered.

"You've got nothing to be sorry about, Hermione. You're not the one trying to make me fall in love with you," the boy laughed.

"You know what I mean," the girl urged. "I know you don't need this, and if it was any other time, I would be marching up to Ginny and exposing the truth… but I know you just want things back to normal."

She wanted to confront Ginny terribly about her wrong doings. How could she do that to Harry? They'd been together for years now, and all because of a potion? She was stupid not to have been able to tell. She should have known! She just thought Harry and Ginny had been awkward, though. Harry had never been good with girls before.

Harry looked up. "Well, I guess I'm lucky that it's not any other time," he smiled, Hermione giving him a scolding look, however, she soon smiled gently, looking back down.

"Thank you, Hermione, for not saying anything. I just want things to go back to normal, and I don't want to lose one of my best friends over it. I'm tired of losing people around me. I'm not going to take anything from Ginny in the future, and maybe she'll get the point. If things get bad, then… I will tell her about it, if that makes you feel any better?"

It did. Hermione nodded and she fell silent, thinking about it all.

She looked back up, though, watching as Harry just stared at the floor. "What are you going to do about Professor Snape?" she asked.

Harry didn't raise his eyes, he just felt his blood go to his face. "Nothing… Why would I do anything about him?" he asked, shrugging his shoulders.

Hermione shook her head. "The man's been saving your backside for years, Harry… I'm pretty sure that's got to mean something."

This time Harry did look up. "Hermione, he's a professor, he did that for my mother and Dumbledore, and… it's Snape!"

"But… you do like him, don't you?"

Harry turned away once more, shrugging his shoulders. He felt a bit like a child now, not knowing what to say. He didn't even want to admit it! But yes, he did like Snape. And the more he thought about the professor… the more he realised he actually was attracted to him.

It was strange. He didn't even know he liked men. He'd always been with a girl. Well, Cho was a bit of a phase, and Ginny was forced by potion. But… Snape!? He liked Cedric, and he had found him attractive, but he didn't like him like that.

"You know it's against Hogwarts rules, Harry… I mean, for a student and a professor to have a relationship as long as they're teaching them," informed the witch.

"Hermione, you're acting like I actually want a relationship with him. It's Snape! I'm Harry Potter, the guy who pretty much ruined his life. If it weren't for me, who knows what Snape's life could be like. Plus, he's not stupid, I'm pretty sure he knows it's against the rules, and it's not like he likes me anyway. He never would! So can we please stop talking about this? It's nothing, and I'm sure it'll go away once my mind gets back on track."

As Harry stood to go to bed, Hermione stood up herself. "He does like you, you know… If he didn't, then your magic wouldn't be reaching out to his and having such a reaction."

Harry stopped dead in his tracks, though not turning around. His whole body felt like butterflies were flying around at the thought of Professor Snape actually liking him back. Hermione had it wrong, she had to. The man would never have feelings for him, let alone a student.

"Goodnight, Hermione," he muttered, heading up the stairs to his own bed. He didn't sleep easy, though. The whole day had been a rough one with finding out about Ginny and then admitting that he had feelings for Snape. Inside, his head was a basket case of hormonal emotions, and it seemed impossible to shut them out.

*****

Severus had been walking back to his own common room when Minerva had stopped him—much to his displeasure. She questioned how Potter's lesson had gone, and he told her honestly what had happened. He had nothing to hide, and he cared little for Ginerva Weasley. In fact, he even suggested expulsion.

McGonagall shook her head. "I will certainly be giving her detention and removing points. This cannot stay a secret. She is a student here and must be punished for stealing your supplies and giving a potion unwillingly to another student."

She couldn't believe this had happened. Ginny? Of all the Gryffindors? It just seemed so wrong and out of character for the young Weasley girl. Then again, she had known that Ginny had had strong feelings for Potter, and she was just a young girl at the time. Love made you do crazy things.

"I doubt Potter had any intention of confronting the girl about it," said Severus. "From the looks of things, the boy has enough on his mind with his ever-growing fan-club." His voice dripped with disapproval.

The woman lifted a brow. "And you know this for a fact, Severus?"

"If you were an eighteen year old with a lack of true friends, would you not hang on to the closest you had? Even if they broke your trust? Isn't that what you Gryffindor's are all about? Forgiving?" the man said with a raised brow himself.

McGonagall shook her head lightly. "I suppose with everything that had gone on… Unfortunately, as headmistress of Hogwarts, this is something I must do. She's broken the school rules, and she must be punished," she sighed, regretting having to take more points from her House. They were two days in and already falling far behind.

Severus' hands went together in front of him, his expression unreadable. "Potter will know, then?"

"I'm afraid so, Severus. Unless Miss Weasley decides not to tell him, it is up to her in the end. I'm sure her friends will ask why she is serving detention and the loss of points to their House."

She looked at the man curiously. "The girl has broken school rules, Severus, you had to report this to me. I'm sure Potter will understand this."

"If I cared for Potter's feelings, I would have kept the events to myself," said Snape as if it were nothing. He thought telling Potter that his girlfriend had been putting potions in his drink and food would have actually pleased him more than it did. But it hadn't.

Seeing Harry torn up like that had actually made him feel quite awful. It disgusted him that he had some kind of kindness towards the boy. He hated it. After all this time, having been cruel to Potter and his friends. Well… he wasn't expecting the change of events. Stupid boy having to save his life! He liked it better when he didn't like Harry at all.

"Oh? Is that so?" asked the headmistress, her eyes on the man. "It certainly didn't look like you hated the boy this morning, giving him breakfast outside in the courtyard."

Severus seemed to go rather stiff at the thought of anyone having seen that, and Minerva just perked herself up.

"A boy must eat, Headmistress…" Severus suggested, his hands going to his pockets as he looked at the woman.

"Harry is more than a boy, Severus, he's a grown man. He's passed his wizarding age and he is quite capable of being an adult."

Snape made a disgruntled noise in his throat. "You call causing havoc in the corridors being an adult? You call being tricked by a Weasley girl being an adult?" he asked. "The moment Potter steps out of Hogwarts he's going to find himself in a ditch unless he starts gaining control over his own magic, or unless Miss Granger has him under her thumb."

A sense of surprise and pleasure went across Minerva's face. "Well what would you suppose the boy do? He must finish his studies, and this is his final year. The only person keeping him back from being an Auror was you, Severus."

Him? Snape let his hands out of his pockets once more. "Maybe Potter and his friends shouldn't have broken so many school rules and stuck their heads into more books and they wouldn't have had such low scores," he snapped back—excluding Miss Granger.

"And turn out like you?"

Snape threw a nasty look at the headmistress. "At least I passed my O.W.L's and N.E.W.T's. What has Potter done? He's barely scraped by on all of his exams."

"You expect him to do well in school when Voldemort was hunting him down and even getting into his mind? And now, with students swarming him in the corridors? Severus, the boy needs help more than you realise. Have you not seen how down he's been lately? If he doesn't pick up soon… I'm afraid he might suffer depression and not pass his finals."

Severus was beginning to lose his patients and snapped, "You honestly think I care about Harry Potter's feelings!? He's done nothing but relish in his popularity the moment he arrived at this blasted school!"

The witch was horrified that Severus could actually think that. Sure, the boy got into a little bit of trouble, but she had seen the people he was brought up with. They were no family! His family were his friends here at Hogwarts, and so he acted out with them, but that did not mean he enjoyed being pushed into being The Chosen One.

"Oh, you fool! Don't think that I haven't seen the way you two have been acting around one another? Potter looks up to you and you shut him down just because you don't want to like him! He may be a popular boy, but that is not by choice, Severus! We were the ones that forced that on him when he became The-Boy-Who-Lived. The least we could do is look out for him!"

"What do you think I have been doing the last eight years!?" Snape retorted. "I have risked my life for him more than I ever have for anyone else. Now that the Dark Lord is gone, I owe him nothing!"

Minerva was about to snap back when she realised Severus had said 'eight'. Her eyes looked back to him curiously.

"Cat got your tongue?"

"You said eight years, not seven."

Severus swallowed hard. "You're counting school years…" he said quickly, trying to cover up his own slip.

Minerva just smiled. "Severus… I've seen the way you look at him, and I've seen the way he looks at you. Why do you think I put you two together in tutoring? Miss Granger would have easily taken Harry."

"You… what!?" Snape said in surprised, dark eyes widening as he felt his chest flare in anger.

The headmistress just shrugged her tight shoulders. "Severus… it's not a crime to like Potter. In fact, he wants you to like him."

"What the bloody hell are you on about!? He's a boy!"

"He's a young man, Severus. One that should have, technically, finished school the last term."

Snape just looked astonished, not knowing what to say. What was this woman on about!? She was talking as if…

Severus found himself leaning his back against the stone wall as he felt blood rise into his cheeks. "Headmistress… I don't know what you're even… insinuating, but… Potter? No…!"

"You're going to tell me that the morning you threw Potter from you, you didn't feel his magic connect with yours?"

Severus turned away, folding his arms, his robes swishing. "Don't be stupid. The boy throws all sorts of magic around without even realising it," he muttered.

Minerva just smirked once more. "You may have disliked Potter for a long time, Severus, but you two have a lot more in common than you think. You know it's true. You've watched him grow, Severus, and I know very well that you care for him. More than you realise…"

"I refuse to talk any more on this subject," the man said rather darkly. "I have work to tend to before the night is out. Good night, Headmistress."

As Severus turned towards the dungeons, Minerva shook her head, unable to stop the smile from creasing over her lips.