23

Chapter Twenty Two: Like Your Mother

At hearing the worried voice, Severus' eyes opened lazily as he looked to the Gryffindor's watery green eyes, filled with worry. "Potter, you're screaming in my ear… I'd rather you didn't. I have a splitting headache," he muttered softly.

Harry felt his chest lighten as Snape was awake. He thought he was passed out of something. He looked at the bandage on the man's left arm, dressed in something more comfortable for him to be lying down in. It looked like he'd be spending the night here again.

"Professor, what happened?" he asked, leaning on the railing as Snape's arm was laid out away from his body. He could see there was blood on the bandage, and he could see the whole Dark Mark had been covered with it.

McGonagall moved up beside Harry, putting her hand onto his shoulder and looking down at Severus. He looked tired, and she felt guilty for having kept Potter from him. But she had her duties. The least she could do, though, and the right thing to do (Gryffindor or not) was to allow Harry to know what had happened and give them some personal time. Severus needed it and she was sure Harry wanted it, too.

"As you may have read in the Prophet, Rita Skeeter made it prominent that Severus had been a former Death Eater and supporter of Voldemort. One of the students… attacked him," she revealed. "It was quite awful."

Harry's chest flared in anger and fear as he looked back to Snape. A student!? Attacking him? Surely the person was going to be expelled for this, right!? Severus Snape wasn't a Death Eater, no matter what the mark on his arm said!

"You didn't expect that to just fly over their heads, did you, Potter? You're such a bloody Gryffindor," Snape murmured, giving a pained smirk.

Harry smiled gently, though angry that anyone could do this. "Why didn't you stand up for yourself?" he asked. Snape had been so forceful about Harry doing it, so why couldn't he?

Snape frowned. "Potter, I'm a professor here. It's my duty to take care of the students… not to hex them. Even in self-defence…" he said, breathing gently. Besides, the attack was not something he foresaw happening. It had happened rather abruptly. Didn't mean he wasn't displeased with the whole thing. In fact, he was furious!

Harry's eyes lowered a little. "What exactly happened? Who did this? Are they being punished!?" he asked, looking back to McGonagall.

The Headmistress patted Potter on the shoulder once more. "There are severe consequences to anyone who attacks another student or teacher here, Potter, I assure you. They are being dealt with. And I would prefer if you did not know the name of the student. I don't wish for you to go looking for trouble."

Harry's jaw went tight at the thought of not knowing who did this. It was unfair! But he could understand McGonagall's actions. He was pretty angry and upset right now, he'd throw curses at anyone who badmouthed Snape.

"Can I stay for a while…?" he asked hopefully, looking at the Headmistress. "I know you don't want us being seen together, but… please. I'd really like to stay."

McGonagall was hesitant, but she nodded gently. "Only because you are in the privacy of the hospital wing, alright? Severus, you will be spending the night here, but Potter, I will see to it that you will be in your own bed. I will make a clear announcement on hostile actions on the grounds. The students will know the full consequences."

Harry went a little red at the mention of staying in his own bed. But he already had plans of sneaking down in the middle of the night to check up on the Potions master. There was no way he was going to let him stay in the hospital wing by himself all night.

"Yes, Professor," he nodded, looking back down at Snape. He pulled up a chair and sat down beside the bed, putting his hands onto the side of the bed. "Does it hurt? What exactly happened? You're going to get better, right?"

Grimacing, Snape looked at the boy tiredly. "My arm will be fine, Potter, it's just been cut badly with a dangerous spell. Nothing Madam Pomfrey can't heal in time." His arm was aching horribly from the Dark Mark, though. It was hardly anything to worry about, though. It wasn't a St. Mungo's wound.

"H-how bad is it?" asked Harry, placing his fingers onto Snape's hand.

Snape looked down at the smaller hand, swallowing gently. He could feel Harry's magic creeping up through the connection and moved awkwardly beneath the covers. "As I said before, it will heal. The curse is slow acting, but the little swine didn't manage to remove it." That was impossible.

The person who did this was attempting to remove the Dark Mark? "But you can't remove it, can you?"

Severus gave the Gryffindor a tired but blank look. "Potter, do you honestly think I would be walking around with this accursed mark on my arm if there was a way of ridding it? No, it is a curse I will bear for the rest of my life," he muttered. "Unless I wished to remove my arm completely… I assure you, I would prefer not to."

Looking down at the bandaged arm, Harry let his fingers grip the palm of the Slytherin. "I'm sorry you have to spend the night here again."

It was nothing new. Severus just turned away, placing his other hand onto his chest. When Harry's hand touched his injured one, the pain seemed to melt away, but maybe it was simply because he was tired. He'd be doped up on potions all night because of this.

"Potter, I'm quite used to spending nights in here. There is no need for you to apologise. I'm surprised it didn't happen earlier now that my past loyalties have been revealed."

Harry looked down, but was surprised when he felt a hand go to his cheek. His eyes looked down at the injured man, his bandaged arm up.

"Stop feeling so guilty," the Slytherin ordered. "I got to see you, didn't I?"

"You would have seen me in class," Harry noted, though feeling his cheeks warm. He could tell Snape was on pain medication, because he would never let affection like this slip so easily. He was clearly out of his mind.

"Potter, if I even looked at you the students would all be snickering and whispering. I'd rather get to spend time with you in private than with those idiots."

Harry couldn't help but laugh, still burning a light shade of red as Severus looked way too comfortable—despite the pain. "Why on earth did you become a teacher if you hate us so much?"

"I don't hate all of you, Potter, just the dunderheads," Snape muttered, lowering his hand and looking away once more. "I went to Dumbledore, as you would have seen in my memories. He took me in with McGonagall. He granted me security and a promise that he could not keep in exchange for my undying loyalty. He gave me protection and a purpose. I may have been a young professor, and others detested my presence, but the Headmaster looked after me. As did McGonagall. They almost grew like proper parents on me…" he murmured, his eyes gazing away as he faced away from Harry.

The Gryffindor looked down for a moment, realising now why McGonagall had been so hot-headed over the whole situation. "It's why she was upset, isn't it?" he asked, trying to put the pieces together. "You're… like a son to her?"

Severus slowly looked back at Harry, looking into his green eyes. "I'm getting tired, Potter, I think I should get some rest. The Dark Mark is going to cause me to be in a lot of pain tonight, and you should return to class if you wish to pass Potions. I'll have you know that I will not be favouring you. You're still a Gryffindor."

Harry just grinned. "I will come to see you tonight, and you can't stop me. I know what McGonagall said, but I don't care. I want to check on you."

There was no point in arguing. Even if he told Harry not to come, he still would—it was what Gryffindors did. Trouble makers.

*****

Harry missed most of the Potions class, but McGonagall had told him what his homework was when he'd returned. Immediately, Ron and Hermione had asked what had happened, and he'd explained that Snape was in the hospital wing.

He still didn't know who had attacked Snape, and not even Snape would tell him—he supposed he was 'protecting' the dickhead who had tried to slice half of his arm off, but even so… Harry hated not knowing who had done this. He figured Snape would be more than willing to give up the rat. Especially if they were from another house. Then again, maybe they were from Slytherin? But who would do that to their own?

People were still whispering and spreading horrible rumours, but to be honest, he was glad Snape wasn't able to hear it by being in the hospital wing. He supposed some of the teachers would come in and see him and most likely make comments, but if they knew what was good for them, they'd keep their mouths shut around Severus Snape. A student he may protect as it was a duty, but he could easily fire back at another professor. Although with potions stuffed into his system, he was a lot easier to talk to.

Harry made sure that McGonagall had seen him go to bed before he lay awake for a while until he knew everyone else in the room was sleeping. Immediately, he leant up, put his glasses back on and grabbed his map, opening it to see if everyone was safely in their beds. McGonagall was his target right now, and seeing that she was in her office meant she was far away from the hospital wing.

Checking the wing, he saw Snape's name written on the parchment, as well as Poppy Pomfrey's. She was moving about, but she was in the other room, which meant she was probably going to bed. He took his map with him just in case, shoving it into his pants pocket before hiding under his father's Cloak.

Making his way down, he was as quiet as could be, his wand lighting the way when the corridors became too dark. Finally, he was in the vicinity of the hospital wing when he heard a pained noise come from inside. Clearly the medication that Pomfrey had given Snape wasn't working, because it sounded like he was in severe pain.

Making sure Madam Pomfrey's door was closed, he padded his way into the room, seeing Severus sitting up, his hand grabbing his bandaged arm by the wrist as if he were in pain. He pulled his Cloak down and approached the professor, saying his name.

Startled, Snape groaned, both from pain and the fact that Potter had made him jump. "Potter, you scared the shit out of me," he mumbled, clearly still doped on potions.

Harry was surprised to hear the swear come from Severus. "I didn't know you swore…" he said with a light grin. Severus Snape was human after all.

Laying back, Snape tried to ignore the horrid ache in his arm. "Nn… I don't tend to make a habit of it in front of students, but I've been known to have a rather foul mouth in my days," he said through clenched teeth, trying to be as quiet as possible so Poppy wouldn't come out.

He looked at Harry, surprised he had even come down here. He knew he'd said he was going to, but Snape figured the boy would just fall asleep—and he wasn't going to hold that against him. He needed his rest.

"If you are going to stay here, you must be quiet," he informed the Gryffindor. "Draw the curtain, would you? Just in case Poppy comes out to check on me. She's quite fussy with her patients, as you know."

Harry did as Snape asked before taking a seat on the side of the bed, his Cloak close. "When will the pain stop?" he asked, looking down at the bandaged arm.

"The student happened to slice most of the Mark, Potter," Snape said, running his normal hand through his hair. Merlin, it hurt! The Dark Mark did not like being removed. And although dead, it was still cursed flesh. "The Mark does not react positively to removal." He'd learnt that the hard way before.

As Snape leant back into his pillows, Harry wished there was something he could do to take the pain away. He put his hand onto Snape's arm. "Do you need anything?"

As Harry's hand went against his arm, Severus looked at it, feeling the gentle touch to the bandage. It must have been the boy's magic, but when he touched him, the pain completely disappeared and was replaced with soothing warmth—which was more than what the potions were doing for him.

Looking back up, he saw those compassionate green eyes on him, and he felt a sudden surge of heat flow through him, their magic connecting once more. "No…" he finally said. Damnit, why did he have to be wearing tight pants, it was horribly uncomfortable for an erection he wasn't expecting. Damn his lack of control right now.

Harry's lips parted as he watched the man, his fingers running up Snape's arm. "M-maybe there's something I could to do take the pain way?" he asked, his cheeks flushing in the candlelight that was making the room subtly glow. God, Severus looked wonderful with the candlelight against his pale skin.

Swallowing hard, Snape could feel the familiar sensation of their magic urging them together. He thought it may have stopped when they'd had intercourse, but apparently not. Was this going to be a long-term thing? Or was it just because they were still needy for one another? They'd had a taste and wanted more?

When Harry's hand left his arm, the pain of the Dark Mark kicked back instantly, making his body cringle in pain. "Nn, put it back!" he hissed, Harry immediately taking his arm into his hand. The pain disappeared once more, and Snape released a shaken breath. "Merlin, this is going to be a long night."

"I can sleep here, under the Cloak, at least to keep the pain away," Harry suggested, knowing how painful it had been for him when his bones were growing back with the Skele-Gro Pomfrey gave him. He wondered if it was the same kind of pain. He didn't expect the Mark not to ache considering Voldemort had made them permanent. Like Snape said, it was reacting negatively because it was seen as an attempted removal. Even with Voldemort gone, Snape still had to endure the curse.

Harry moved over Snape, sitting on his lap and straddling him awkwardly as it was a single bed. The both of them couldn't lay on it beside one another, and Snape's arm shouldn't be pressed underneath him, so he thought he'd just hold his hand onto Severus' arm by lying on top of him.

"Potter, what are you doing…?" Snape asked, though thankful that his arm had calmed down. Feeling the boy's body press warmly into his crotch, he instantly froze, trying to hide the fact that his erection was now growing harder. He looked away, attempting to calm his thoughts. It was hard to think straight with all the potions fucking up his clarity.

Looking down, Harry felt himself blush. "Um… I'm sorry, I was just trying to lay down so I could hold your arm and make the pain go away and…"

"Stop moving! You're making it worse!" hissed the Slytherin. Harry instantly became still in his lap at the noise of the door opening a few metres away to Madam Pomfrey's office. "The Cloak! Now!"

Harry instantly wrapped the Cloak around him and tried to lay flat against Snape's body. He had no time to hide anywhere else. Under the bed would have been great, but the curtain was drawn too quickly and Madam Pomfrey was there with a goblet in her hands. Harry tried horribly not to move or breathe.

"I heard you making noises out here, is everything alright?" the medi-witch asked. She put the goblet down onto the side-table.

Trying not to move, Severus just made a tired noise. "Besides the feeling of Hell burning my arm, I am perfectly fine," he muttered sarcastically. "Is there nothing you can do for the pain?"

"I'm sorry, Severus, the Dark Mark is magic I am not in control of. I'm afraid even St. Mungo's wouldn't be able to do anything. You're just going to have to wait it out, I'm afraid," Poppy said. "I've put a goblet of water here for you if you need it, and if you need anything else, you know where to find me. I'm going to head to bed for the night. I will check on you in the morning. Try not to make too much noise," she fussed.

When the witch drew the curtain and headed back to her office, Harry felt Snape's body relax into the bed. He popped his head out from beneath the Cloak and looked nervously at Snape who was giving him a very dark look.

"You have got to be more careful!" Snape whispered harshly as Harry pulled the Cloak back, his hand still on his arm. "If you don't mind, I'd prefer you to remove yourself from me."

"Are you sure about that?" Harry asked, looking back down to where he was sitting. Snape didn't give him a pleased look. In fact, something seemed to be haunting the man's eyes. "Professor…?"

"Potter, we can't do this. Not again."

Harry gave a confused look. "I thought you liked it…"

Of course he liked it, but that wasn't the point. While he was here all night it had got him thinking—something that the silence and boredom did (and clearly the potions). The night back at Gordric's Hollow when he'd found Lily dead. He had loved her, and she was the first thing on his mind. He had easily stepped over James Potter's dead body and ignored Harry while he cried in his cot.

There were things he had thought that night. Cruel things. Like leaving Harry to die. Like taking Lily's body away from them. Harry needed to know that he was not a good person. In fact, he wasn't good at all. He'd made terrible decisions in his life. Many that he regretted. But just because he regretted them did not make him a good person.

"Harry, the night I found your mother's body… I blamed you. I blamed your father for your existence. I blamed James for killing Lily, for if you had never been born… she never would have died…" he said, feeling Harry's hand leave his and the pain instantly coming back. He winced, but he did not ask for the hand to return.

"I am not a good person. I do not know how our magic bonded, I never would have thought it were possible. Over the years, I have disliked you immensely because I was reminded of your father, or the woman I loved being taken away from me by his arrogant charm. Something that I could never understand."

Looking at the man, Harry felt himself move off Snape's body, the man pushing himself up the bed a little. "I know how you saw me… I know how you saw my father. But why are you telling me this now?"

"Because you need to know!" Snape whispered harshly, despite the fact that if he were healthy right now he doubted he'd be saying any of this. "Because this person you are seeing from our magic is not real! It's a haze that is blinding you from my true persona! I am not the man you think I am, or you think you see me to be."

Harry knew very well what Snape had done in his past. He'd loved his mother almost obsessively, and he wasn't blind to that knowledge. He understood that it may be strange and awkward to like someone younger than him, but wizarding rules were different, and Snape wasn't even that old! He was only thirty-eight. The gap wasn't even that bad!

"I've seen your memories… I know who you are. I've seen the bad things you've done. I know you became a Death Eater. I know you've seen horrible things and done nothing about it. I know you're not perfect, but neither is anyone else."

"Potter, I am no match for you," said Severus. "I loved your mother, but I cannot love you like I did her. You are a constant reminder of my selfish actions. That I was so selfish to try and protect her and not you. I cannot face that when I look at you, knowing what I have done. Your mother would be ashamed in the both of us for what we are doing."

He gripped his arm as he felt the pain shoot through his skin. He liked Harry, and maybe even loved him in a way, but he could not die knowing that he had defiled Lily's son in a moment of loneliness and weakness.

"So… what?" Harry asked, standing up. "You're going to break this up because you feel guilty about something you did years ago?" They'd already been through this! Harry knew what Snape had done. He knew he wasn't nice back then, but this was now! Snape had been nothing but polite to him, and he had been making an effort. Of course he'd noticed that! He wasn't blind!

"Don't you feel disgusted at all that I could have dated your mother!? That I could be… a… a father to you?" Snape asked, giving the Gryffindor an odd look. "Potter, don't you see how this may look on an outsider's point of view? Once people think we are together, they are going to assume I simply took you because I loved Lily. It is no secret that I had feelings for her now."

"Who cares what the public thinks!?" Harry almost yelled, though trying to keep his voice down as much as possible. "What matters is what you and I think, and I don't think anything about it. Yeah, I know you liked my mum, but what does that have to do with our relationship? You wouldn't have slept with me if you didn't like me back! You may be a Slytherin, but you almost died like a Gryffindor! Stop trying to push me away and make out that you're such a bad guy!"

Severus just looked at the young man that stood next to his bed. Why did Harry always try and make out this his actions were so heroic when they hadn't been? So he watched over Potter when he was here, but he wouldn't have if it weren't for his feelings for Lily. If it weren't for the death of her, then the Dark Lord would have won! And he would have been standing by his side.

Sure, he wasn't a full believer. He knew not all Muggles were bad, and his views had been warped because of his stupid father, but that meant nothing! He became a Death Eater because he was interested in the Dark Arts, because he felt he finally belonged somewhere. He never would have left if it weren't for Lily.

"Potter…"

"No!" Harry said boldly, "I won't have you doing this to yourself all the time. And I won't have you thinking you're not worth it! You may have been cruel to me in school here, but you were honest with me! You didn't favour me like everyone else did! And even though you didn't like me, you still protected me. You still looked after me! You didn't have to, like you said, but you did. Even if it was because you felt bad over my mother's death. Voldemort is gone, and we're still here, together. That has to stand for something, doesn't it?"

Feeling Harry's hand go back onto his arm, the boy moved himself back into his lap, but this time Severus didn't push him away, nor did he react sexually. He just sat there, allowing Harry to lay against his chest.

"I like you, Severus," Harry murmured softly, feeling the man's heartbeat against his neck. It was steady as he ran his hand down Severus' arm. "I like you a lot. Why is that such a bad thing for you to accept?"

Severus felt his eyes close as he gently breathed, giving into the Gryffindor. Of course he liked Harry. He liked him a lot as well, but he just didn't want Harry to end up hating him in the end. He'd had his heart broken once; he couldn't stand the thought of that happening again. He did not trust easily, let alone open up to anyone.

Lifting his uninjured arm, he placed it gently onto Harry's back, moving it up to his hair. Harry was so much like his mother, how could he have ever thought he was anything like James? He was loving, caring. Of course he still had a troublesome streak to him, but Lily had, too. She hadn't always been Miss Perfect. No, she was quite capable of taking care of herself.

"Potter, why must you have such a good heart?" he asked, Harry's eyes looking at him. "I don't deserve you. I didn't deserve Lily either. All this time, I thought life was unfair, but I was the one who had made the wrong choices." Well, despite James Potter being a little dick.

Moving up, Harry put a finger to Snape's soft lips. "I think you deserve more than you think," he whispered, replacing his finger with his lips and kissing the man beneath him. He felt his own member harden as Snape kissed him back, his hand making sure to stay on Severus' wounded arm.

With his free hand, he slowly smoothed over the man's hospital pyjamas, running down his side, his hip and finally beneath the covers to knead at the stiff erection beneath the cotton.

Severus leant his neck back as he felt the head of his erection being massaged through his clothes, Harry's lips going to his neck. But he had to stop him, even if he wanted it more than anything right now.

"Potter, you must stop, Poppy could come out any moment, and you don't wish for her to see us like this, do you? I think our relationship has been seen publically enough, don't you?"

Pulling out of Snape's neck, Harry bit his lip in want, but the thought of Madam Pomfrey finding them in such a situation wasn't one he wanted to be in.

Leaning his head down against the man's chest, he sighed gently, his hand leaving the warm bulge hesitantly and taking in the gentle music of Severus' heartbeat once more.

"Severus?" he asked gently, feeling the bed move a little as the Potions master moved his head.

"Yes?"

"What was my mother like?" he asked. He knew it might be awkward for Snape to answer, but he wanted to know what she was like. He'd seen his father in Snape's memories quite a bit, and he hadn't liked it once—seeing James harassing Snape and cursing him all the time. But his mother was friends with Severus… How could she possibly have liked James in the end? Sirius has said he's matured, but somehow Harry couldn't imagine it. Not the way he had acted in Snape's memories. Always messing up his hair, carrying a Snitch with him… Showing off in public.

Looking away from Harry, Snape put his hand back onto the Gryffindor's back. "Potter, I don't think I am the right person to ask such a personal question."

Harry looked back up. "I know you loved her, and maybe even still do, but I don't mind…" he said with a gentle smile. He didn't even think the possibility of Snape only liking him because he had his mother's eyes or something like that. Snape wasn't like that. He knew he'd come to have feelings for him. And was it such a bad thing if it was because he reminded him of Lily? Harry didn't see that as an insult. If anything, he felt proud to be like his mother. Everything he had heard and seen about her was wonderful.

"If you must know, your mother was quite a lot like you are now," Snape admitted, feeling Harry smile against him with a gentle laugh through his nose. "She had her moments of being rather bossy, I must admit. She enjoyed embarrassing me," he said, smiling a little. "But she saw the good in everyone. As do you. Even when I showed an interest in the Dark Arts, she continued her friendship with me. It wasn't until…"

"I know," said Harry, having seen when Snape had called her a Mudblood out of humiliation.

"I made a lot of wrong choices, Harry, one was calling your mother such a filthy word," Snape muttered in disgust. "But you have proven to me that one day I will be able to ask for forgiveness, and she will grant it. Until then…"

Harry leant up, looking at Snape. "Do you still love her?"

"Harry, you must understand that part of me always will," Severus confessed. Certainly because of his guilt. "But in no way does that mean that my feelings for you are not genuine. I assure you, they are. I do not see you as some kind of replacement for the Lily that I never had. You may have your mother's eyes and heart, but you are James Potter in visage."

Harry felt himself flush a little. He felt guilty that he was getting all of this out of Snape because he was unable to hide it from the potions in his body, but it was things he needed to know.

"I thought you would have hated that… me looking like my father."

"I never said James wasn't an attractive arse of a man," Snape muttered. "Yes, I loathed your father, and I still do—I always will—but that in no way reflects his appearance. I may have disliked you because of it, but I was blind to who you were inside due to my hatred."

Harry once more felt a little embarrassed by Snape using a curse word, but he enjoyed it. It made him realise that Snape was no longer viewing him as just a student, and he was acting much more like himself around him than a professor. Well, more a let-loose Snape. He had a feeling tomorrow Severus would regret having said all of this if he remembered.

"Have you… always liked men?" he asked rather nervously as he played with the collar on Snape's pyjama shirt. He could see Nagini's bite marks as the man didn't have a cravat to hide his skin.

Snape looked at the boy curiously for a moment, his hand still on Harry's back. "I've had little time to think on such things, to be perfectly honest," he stated. "If this is something Muggle, I must inform you that I disregarded most Muggle customs when I found out I was a wizard. Unless I'm mistaken… Lily was a witch, was she not?"

Well, obviously if she gave birth. Once more, Harry gave a light smile at the thought of seeing a young Severus opening his Hogwarts letter. Coming from the Dursleys, he knew very well the exciting feeling of getting his letter to Hogwarts. And what a surprise it had been.

"Well… it's not really smiled upon in the Muggle world, that's all. Although, if you were only eleven at the time, I suppose you wouldn't have known too much about that. Two men being in a relationship isn't exactly noticed as something good. You can't even get married…"

Snape's brow furrowed at the mention of marriage. "Potter, please don't tell me you're already thinking about marriage?"

"No, of course not!" Harry said embarrassedly. "Can… wizards even get married?"

"Of course they can," said the Slytherin with a scoff. "It is not recognised in the Muggle world, though. I suppose that is because of their customs, as you mentioned just a moment ago." That did make him think of something, though. What exactly would their relationship be like in public? Muggles lived shorter than wizards did, so their age gap would be frowned upon. People would probably think he was Potter's father…

He couldn't help but smirk, keeping back a soft chortle. "Potter, I think I'd much enjoy the look on your Aunt Petunia's face at finding out I am in a relationship with you."

"What?" Harry's eyes widened as he pushed his glasses up. "Why?"

"To make her uncomfortable, of course. Why else? She deserves it after making your mother so miserable for her talents. I never said I was kind, Potter, you should know this by now. If not, I don't think this relationship will work at all."

Harry's brows furrowed for a moment as he watched the Slytherin carefully. "She's not too bad, you know… It's my Uncle Vernon that's made her worse. And Dudley… well… he's not so bad anymore. I think I'd actually like to see him again now that he doesn't beat me up on the playground."

Snape frowned. "Your cousin abused you?" he asked. "Your aunt and uncle did nothing to prevent this?"

Harry just shrugged casually, as if it were nothing. He'd grown up with it all his life that he was rather used to being harassed. It's why Malfoy hardly bothered him when he started attacking him at Hogwarts. Although Harry had to admit, he'd grown a rather big backbone now compared to when he was eleven.

Severus found himself getting rather angry at the thought of that. He knew Petunia was a rotten woman, but treating Harry like scum simply because he was a wizard?

"I knew Albus was putting you in the wrong hands when you were just an infant, but allowing such things to happen to you? They at least told you of your gifts, correct?"

Did Snape know nothing of his life before Hogwarts? Harry frowned a little, shaking his head. "I… I never knew I was a wizard until Hagrid told me. I always thought I was just a normal boy. I mean, I knew some funny things happened, and I could talk to snakes, but… I didn't really think anything of it."

Merlin, no wonder Harry was such a failure in school the first year! He didn't even know he was a bloody wizard! Snape lowered his hand from Harry's back. He had made no attempt to learn of Harry when he was taken to the Dusrleys after Lily's death. He didn't want to. He wanted nothing to do with the boy until he had to. The wounds were too fresh in his mind, and he hardly wanted to look after or watch Potter when he reminded him so much of Lily's death and James Potter.

"I did not know…" he murmured. He had the sudden urge to Floo or fly to Surrey and punch Vernon in the face. Or toss a few curses in the Dusrleys direction for treating Harry so disrespectfully just because he was a wizard—not that he could use magic in front of Muggles, but a punch would satisfy him. And here Snape had always thought Harry knew who he was and his destiny. It was part of the reason he had disliked him so much. Famous little brat.

"I didn't even know about Voldemort until then. They told me my parents died in a car crash until Hagrid came to pick me up."

Harry felt Snape's body tense below him, and he leant back down against him, his arm lying onto the man's chest. He could feel Snape's magic getting angry, and he rubbed his hand smoothly against the man's body to try and soothe it.

"It doesn't matter now, though. I know who I am, and even without their help I was able to defeat Voldemort. I had the help of my true family and friends. I didn't need them. And I have you now," he smiled, feeling the heartbeat beneath him pick up in tempo just a tad.

Putting his hand back to Harry's back, Severus basked in the touch of Harry's gentle magic. It was getting late, and the both of them needed sleep. He would have urged Harry back to the Gryffindor common room, but he didn't wish to suffer all night, and Harry had the Invisibility Cloak if he needed it. It sounded selfish of him, but it also gave him the opportunity to be with Harry. With the potions in his system, it didn't even seem reasonable to send Harry back to the Gryffindor common room. So he allowed him to stay.

The both of them soon fell asleep.