Author's Note: I'm so glad I finally found the time to write about these two! Let me know what you think about it. If ya'll like it I may just try and longer story with these two : )
With his head still mostly down, Harry's eyes slowly roamed upwards glancing in the man's direction.
Harry hated when he made him angry. It still amazed him that less than a year ago he would have cared less about such things. Less than a year ago he would have gone out of his way to disrupt the man's class without any regret, and now, here he was, sitting on the couch in his private wards, hours after the class had ended, silently hoping he hadn't made him too cross.
The man's body language told Harry all he needed to know. Snape was way past cross.
"Did I not explain to you in perfect English that despite our new arrangement you would receive absolutely no special treatment when it comes to breaking the rules?"
Harry nodded silently at these words.
"I expect a verbal answer," Snape barked. "And look at me when I am speaking to you."
"Yes Sir." The words came out of Harry in a whisper as he raised his head, his eyes focusing on Snape's robes. He couldn't look him in the eyes, not when he was as angry as he was.
Snape raised an eyebrow at the child sitting in front of him. He obviously knew what he had done was wrong; he was so ashamed of himself he couldn't even look him in the eye. For a moment he considered commenting on this fact, but instead chose to ignore it in favor of concentrating on the original matter. "Then perhaps you'd care to explain to me why you felt it was acceptable behavior to cause the commotion you did this afternoon."
Harry's mind wandered back to the potions class that had taken place less than five hours prior. He knew exactly what had caused his outburst and he knew Snape knew it too. That did not matter though. He had learnt that over the past few months. He wanted him to acknowledge his wrongdoings. It was also the part Harry struggled with the most.
Harry shrugged silently before he could stop himself. He mentally cringed a moment later, knowing from experience that he had most likely made things worse.
"Shrugging is not an acceptable answer as you are very well aware," Snape snapped, his tone rising several decibels. "And if you have even an inkling of concern for your social life, not to mention your rear end you'll stop this foolish charade and answer me at once!"
"Don't yell," Harry pleaded in a low voice. He absolutely hated when Snape yelled at him. It reminded him too much of his Uncle Vernon and made Harry wish the ground would just swallow him whole.
Snape felt his blood begin to boil, did this child actually have the boldness to try and tell him what to do?
"Don't yell?" Snape asked with a huff, "You're lucky all I'm doing is yelling!"
Harry wished he had thought about what he had wanted to say before he had opened his mouth. What had happened in class really hadn't been his fault. Snape always favored the Slytherins and he had been absolutely awful to Neville, causing his friend to nearly quiver in fear. Harry hated when Snape was mean to anyone in class. He had a hard enough time as it was defending him to his friends and when Snape acted like that it only made it ten times more difficult for Harry. Unfortunately, he couldn't quite figure out how to put his feelings into words so instead he did the best he could.
"You weren't being fair," Harry ventured softly. "You always favor them and you were being mean to Neville."
Snape felt confusion overtake his mind as his young charge spoke his classmate's name. He gave the boy a confused look as he spoke once more, "Longbottom? What in Merlin's name does he have to do with your atrocious behavior?"
Harry was quite for a moment as he thought these words over. He couldn't believe that it wasn't obvious to Snape. Why else would he act out in class if it wasn't to direct the attention off of Neville and onto himself? Did Snape really think he was that thick? That he would just act out for no reason? Then again, he reminded himself, a few months ago it would have taken very little reason for him to misbehave in class. But still, they had come such a long way since then, surely Snape realized that?
"Harry," Snape said in a dangerously low tone, "I expect an explanation and I don't appreciate being kept waiting."
Five months ago he had been insistent that if this was going to work Snape had to stop calling him Potter and start calling him Harry. In moments like these though he absolutely hated when Snape called him by his name; it just made him feel that much more of a disappointment.
Harry's head immediately dropped, Snape's request to look at him be damned, as he started muttering out an explanation. He tried his hardest to explain why he had acted out and how hard it was to stand up for him when he was so unfair in class. "I didn't mean to make you angry," he finished in a sincere voice.
Snape felt his stern demeanor soften at the boy's words and worked hard to bring it back up to par before he spoke again. "Didn't mean to make me angry," he admonished. "How you expected your outburst to bring me anything but anger is beyond me. And now I suppose you expect to go unpunished for your misdeeds? Congratulated as you were only misbehaving to help Longbottom?"
Harry shrugged before his eyes roamed up to meet Snape's. At the look in the man's eyes he quickly changed his shrug to a shake of the head. "No Sir."
"Indeed not," Snape retorted. "Every action has a consequence and if you think for one moment that I'm going to allow you to disobey the rules without being held accountable for doing so you are surely mistaken."
"Yes Sir," Harry replied in a quiet voice. Although he was enternally grateful for the man taking an interest in him and saving him from the Dursleys, at times like this he couldn't help but wish that the man had no interest him.
Snape gazed down at his young charge. It was obvious the boy expected severe punishment, and, based on his actions, Snape found it entirely deserved. However, before handing over his punishment, the man paused to consider the circumstances of the situation. It had been quite a while since Harry had caused any trouble in his class, or any class for that matter. And it was honorable to stand up for his friends…foolish but honorable.
Still, he couldn't very well let the boy off the hook completely. He could just picture it now, Harry running back to his mates bragging about how he had merely received a stern lecture. No, he couldn't have that.
"You will report to me every evening for the next week to serve detention."
Harry's head jerked to attention as he gave Snape a peculiar look. He had expected a fate much worse than detention, not that a week's worth of detention could be considered getting off easy by any means.
"Make no mistake Harry; these detentions will be quite serious. You will not be down here playing," Snape spoke sternly.
"Yes Sir," Harry nodded though he couldn't remember every playing in Snape's quarters; doing homework, helping him with potions, spending time with him…but never really playing. He knew better than to point that out though.
"And let me be perfectly clear when I say that if you misbehave in my class or any class again you will not be getting off so easily."
Harry nodded silently as he felt the tips of his ears grow warm with embarrassment. He did not even need to contemplate what Snape would do to him if he did such a thing.
Snape sighed softly before he spoke once more, his tone relaxing a great deal. "I know you are capable of much better behavior and that you know I expect more of you."
Harry felt his heart grow heavy at the words as he nodded. "I am sorry."
"When one is truly sorry they do not repeat their actions so I suppose we will see in the future how sorry you are."
Harry opened his mouth to reply but Snape spoke before he had the chance to.
"Off to your dormitory now. I have some grading to do and I'm sure Mr. Weasley thinks I chopped you up for potions ingredients by now."
Harry nodded silently as he stood up and walked towards the door. The moment he was off the couch, Snape retreated to his desk, pulling a stack of papers out of a drawer. He appeared to be concentrating deeply over what Harry assumed was someone's essay by the time he reached it.
Harry paused for a moment, his hand resting on the door knob. He opened his mouth to speak and then quickly closed it not wanting to bother the man any more than he already had.
"What is it Harry?" Snape asked.
Harry looked back to see him still concentrating on the essay.
"You aren't still mad are you?" Harry asked before he could stop himself. As much as he had grown to like Snape, he still wasn't thrilled with the idea of seeming vulnerable to him.
Snape sighed softly. "No I'm not mad." He paused for a moment as he considered the scene that was currently playing out before him. Less than a year ago he never would have guessed James Potter's son would play such a role in his life, and yet here he was, handing out reassurances to the child. He glanced at him, seeing a look of relief on his face. Turning back to the desk, he cleared his throat before speaking once more. "I am not mad", he repeated. "However I will be if you're half asleep during your classes tomorrow so I would suggest you get yourself up to your dormitory."
Harry looked at him for a moment longer before nodding, pulling open the large door. "Night," he bid.
"Goodnight Harry."