Harry Potter walked up to the microphone in the dusty muggle bar, clearing his throat. The bar's scanty amount of people payed attention to the 16 year old, waiting for what he had to say.
"I'm Harry, and this song is for people like me."
Harry knew these people were all drunk. They wouldn't remember anything. But little did he know, Severus Snape was in the shadows of the bar, sitting on a stool very sober, looking at him curiously.
The boy coughed as he discreetly waved his wand to the muggle CD player, enchanting it to play a sweet, sweet melody.
Then he sang, "
I know you're there
I know you're hiding in the dark,"
Harry remembers how he had to hide in the farthest corner of the cupboard from his obese uncle's reach.
Severus remembers hiding outside from his father at night, anything to escape the beatings.
"Because you're scared
You want the pain to stop
But no one cares
You tried to tell the one you love
But they won't believe
The cross you bear
The mask you wear
The hurt that makes you cry yourself to sleep
When will someone see,"
Severus and Harry both remember the times they had come to who they considered the closest family in all but blood.
Dumbledore was the one. He was the one that mattered, anyway. Because he swayed everyone elses opinions, no matter how. Like the Weasley's, who Harry had asked for help many times.
But he never showed the scars.
Severus had shown Albus the scars. And the headmaster did nothing. He had sent him back. Every year until he could leave his father's clutches.
But neither Severus nor Harry knew about the other's home life. Harry had never thought anything of the Potion's Master except that he was kind of a git. Which he probably deserved, because Severus was told that Harry was pampered all his life, and judged him because of his father. So to be fair, he felt like a git.
Severus hadn't known anything about Harry for sure.
Right now though, Severus was sure he had the most beautiful voice he had heard. But such a sad, sad song, why? He found himself swaying to the muggle music with a sad fondness of the words.
Harry had closed his eyes,
"It shouldn't hurt
It shouldn't hurt
It shouldn't hurt to be a child
Please hear my words
It shouldn't hurt
It shouldn't hurt to be a child
You can run to me
I'll put my arms around you
It shouldn't hurt
It shouldn't hurt
It shouldn't hurt to be a child,"
He sang with emotion, and Severus knew then that this boy had been through more than what it seemed.
They locked eyes, for a brief second, but he saw the shock in his eyes and heard the hitch in his breath before continuing.
"We hear your prayers
We know you're crying in the dark
But someone cares
We want the pain to stop
Please don't be scared
Find the strength to find someone
I promise you that someone will believe
The cross you bear
The mask you wear
The hurt that makes you cry yourself to sleep
Somebody will see!"
Severus found that he kind of wanted to be that person for Harry.
Harry now had tears streaming down his face as he sang his broken heart out.
"It shouldn't hurt
It shouldn't hurt
It shouldn't hurt to be a child
Please hear my words
It shouldn't hurt
It shouldn't hurt to be a child
You can run to me
I'll put my arms around you
It shouldn't hurt
It shouldn't hurt
It shouldn't hurt to be a child,"
Severus found himself wanting to wipe the tears away.
"My Darling Child
We'll put our arms around you
We'll keep you safe
Your wounds will heal
Your pain will fade
A beautiful tomorrow's at your feet
You have to find the strength,"
His voice got louder, and softer, and sometimes he faltered. But Severus knew this was his way of letting go. After a long sixteen years, no one believing him. This is where the guilt ate at Severus.
He had never believed Po- Harry about anything. The Potions Master had been a stubborn pig-headed fool, replacing the innocent soul that's been through so much, yet forgives so easily, with the child that Harry's father had been. Really, he had been stubborn with his father, and for good reason, but James had apologized to him. Severus was ashamed to say that he did not forgive as easily.
But while blocking out the unkindness of the world, you also block out the joy.
And that's what he did. He had blocked out the many years James had tormented him, and he also blocked out the joy that could have been if he had accepted his apology.
Then Lily would have been alive, possibly. Even James. And Harry wouldn't have been at those Godforsaken relatives. He made a mental note to visit them later.
But right now... Right now he had to be with Harry, and somehow make up all these years of torment that he must've put him through. Severus knew that he could be a right arse when he was determined to make that person's life a living hell.
But he was willing to put it behind him. Harry needed someone. Harry needed him.
"It shouldn't hurt
It shouldn't hurt
It shouldn't hurt to be a child
Please hear my words
It shouldn't hurt
It shouldn't hurt to be a child
You can run to me
I'll put my arms around you
It shouldn't hurt
It shouldn't hurt
It shouldn't hurt...
to be a child
To be a,
Child."
He finished, and the drunk audience clapped, some crying, and others just looking around distractedly.
Harry was already off of the stage.
Heading in one direction.
To the one who might believe him.
To the person who had hated him most of his life.
Taking off at a run.
Stumbling.
Rushing over to him to get the comfort that no one had ever provided.
To Severus.
And Severus had opened his arms wide, waiting just for Harry. Harry had tears running down his face, but he also had a smile as bright as the sun itself as he collided with Severus, hugging him as tight as he could.
When he had earlier met eyes with the dark haired man, he found concern and sadness in his eyes. But he also heard the words inside his head.
You can come to me child.
And now he had what he wanted all of his life, family. He found it in the person he least expected, but you'll find that life works that way.
Now he lived with Severus, by his own choice, and it was like having the father he never had. And Severus loved Harry like a son.
The Dursley's were imprisoned for child abuse, though it had taken a lot of convincing from Harry for Severus not to kill them.
And Dumbledore was taken by the Ministry, after the memories of Severus and Harry and their home lives and how Dumbledore had sent them back with the knowledge.
Severus became Headmaster, and found fourteen other students in abusive homes, and three on the streets, and provided them with homes that made them feel loved.
And it was all because Harry had spoken out, no matter how little. His life had changed by letting go.