Title: Hiding With You
Summary: Voldemort is after Harry, who has to go into hiding. Dumbledore forces him to live with Severus since he and Harry are known enemies - which Voldemort knows. Harry wants to be friends with Severus, but does the Potion Master feel the same? And is he wiling to let someone back into his heart? Eventual Snarry with some Harry/Ginny.
Rated: T for now but will probably change
Genre(s): Romance, Drama, Suspense, Friendship
Pairing(s): Harry Potter/Severus Snape, Harry Potter/Ginny Weasley, Ron Weasley/Hermione Granger
Warning(s): Kissing, intense romance scenes, some violence and angst
Severus's PoV:
"Today is your exam," Severus said to his class on an ordinary afternoon. "I have given you a week to study, and I hope you have used your time wisely. Put away your things and keep your ink and quills out on your desk."
The class groaned. Severus hated his job sometimes. Well, all the time, really. His students were ungrateful, incompetent brats. But there was one he found he couldn't ignore.
Harry Potter.
Lily Potter's son, who hated Severus most of all. Severus had ignored him as well when Harry first came to Hogwarts. When he had first laid eyes on Harry, he had had quite a scare, for Harry looked almost identical to Severus's enemy and bully in school, James Potter. Harry's father.
Except for Harry's eyes. They were a startling emerald green, exactly like his mother's. Severus hadn't had a clue what to do. At first he made Harry's life hell, knowing even as he did so that it wouldn't change anything that James had done to him in school. Harry looks like his father, and probably acts just like him too, Severus had bitterly assumed.
Though as the years went by, that hadn't appeared to be the case. Severus continued to bully Harry, just as James has bullied him. But eventually, Severus stopped insulting and mocking Harry. In fact, he stopped communicating with the Gryffindor at all. Something had changed in Severus, after paying considerable attention to how kind, brave, and intelligent Harry was - unlike his father in every way.
That was when his obsession over Harry had begun.
It started during Harry's fourth year, when Severus had worried constantly over Harry's safety in the Triwizard Tournament. He admired Harry's bravery during each Tournaments and even allowed Harry to sneak gillyweed from his potions cabinet to keep him safe. He didn't trust anyone else with his ingredients.
Now, He and Harry didn't speak. But Severus occasionally snuck glances at Harry when the teenager wasn't looking, regretting how he had treated Harry in the past. He felt a pang of that regret each time Harry glared at him with those striking green eyes. But Severus knew he deserved it.
"Professor?"
Severus looked up, snapping out of his thoughts. It was Harry. "Can I help you, Mr. Potter? You are supposed to be taking your final exam."
"I know, sir, but...I don't have a quill. I lent mine to Ron during our last class and he forgot to give it back."
"I see," Severus said. He took one of the quills from the jar on his desk and held it out to Harry. Their fingers brushed when the Gryffindor took the quill from him, and Severus's heart sped up at the brief contact. He swallowed, keeping his expression devoid of emotion as he was so used to doing.
After the school day ended, Severus received word that Albus wanted to speak to him. So he went up to the Headmaster's office, and quietly knocked. "Come in," Albus's voice called.
Severus was startled when he saw Harry sitting in one of the chairs in front of Albus's desk. Harry stared back at him, their gazes meeting. Stay calm, Severus, he instructed himself. "You wanted to see me, Albus?"
"Yes," Albus said. Severus felt Harry's gaze on him as if it were a tangible thing. "I thought I should talk to you both about this at the same time. Harry, it has become necessary for you to go into hiding."
Harry's PoV:
"What?!" Harry exclaimed. "But, no - I'm supposed to go live with Sirius this summer. And then visit the Weasleys. I have a girlfriend. And-"
Dumbledore held up a hand. "I'm sorry, Harry, but you are well aware that Voldemort is after you. It is not safe for you to be here, for now. I'm sorry," he said again.
"So why is Professor Snape here?" Harry asked. "What does this have to do with him?" Snape's close presence was making Harry nervous and fidgety.
"Well, it is common knowledge that you and Severus are...not on the best of terms," Dumbledore said. "Voldemort also knows that, which is why I believe you would be safe with Severus."
"Are you saying that you want me to live with Professor Snape?" Harry asked in surprise.
"It will just be a temporary arrangement," Dumbledore said. "Harry, I know you don't like him, but this is to ensure your safety."
Anyone else. Please, anyone else, Harry prayed. "Sirius is in hiding too," he pointed out. "I can go with him-"
"And Voldemort would find and harm both of you," Dumbledore said. "I am sorry to ruin your summer, Harry, as I know how hard you have been working. But Severus isn't all that bad once you get to know him."
"We'll see," Snape commented, and Dumbledore's eyes twinkled, as if he was in on some joke. When Harry looked at Snape, the Potions Master just smirked and didn't say anything else. Harry fought the urge to sneer back - he knew it would just get him into more trouble.
"I will allow the Weasleys and Sirius to visit you at Severus's house whenever you like," Dumbledore said. "I am sure Severus would be happy to have them as guests-" -here Dumbledore gave the Potions Master a pointed look - "and in the meantime we must prepare you for this war. The days ahead will not be easy."
"My whole life hasn't been easy," Harry spat. "And now this! I won't have anyone to talk to. No friends, or family."
"I am sure Severus understands more than most people how hard life can be," said Dumbledore vaguely. "Perhaps you should talk to him. In the meantime, I have some paperwork to do. Good luck on the rest of your finals, Harry. You both may leave. Thank you for coming."
"But - But Profe-" Harry started, but Dumbledore retreated into a back room, leaving Harry alone with Snape.
Snape was looking at him with that smirk still on his face. It filled Harry with an intense, burning anger that surprised him. "I know you're trying to goad me into an argument with you," Harry said. "It's not going to work." There was an awkward pause, and then Harry continued, "Look, I'm sure you're about as happy to have me in your home as I am about being there. So why don't we just try to stay out of each other's way and avoid all the drama?"
"I thought that's what we're doing now," Snape replied. "I don't see any reason why that should change."
Ouch, thought Harry, though he supposed he'd walked into that. Without any further conversation, Snape stood from his chair and strode out of the room, dark robes billowing dangerously behind him.
This was going to be a long summer.
"You said what?" Ginny asked him later that night. "Harry James Potter, that was probably the worst thing you could have said."
Harry, who had been feeling guilty about his words to the Potions Master for the rest of the day, agreed, "I know. It was bad."
"You told me you wanted to get to know him," Ginny said. "Is that still true?"
"It is," Harry said. "I...I don't know why I said it. I was just so furious with Dumbledore for trying to ruin my life and took it out on Snape."
"You said that Snape hates you for no reason," she added, "and now you've given him a reason to hate you." She sighed. "Oh, Harry."
"Don't 'Oh, Harry' me, I know what I did was wrong, and rude. But it was nothing compared to what he's done to me," Harry pointed out.
Ginny huffed and looked out at the stars. They were up on the Astronomy Tower, and after they had finished working on their final presentation for tomorrow's Astronomy class, had decided to stay up longer. Harry and Ginny had been dating for two months. Harry put his arm around her, and she let out another sigh before resting her head on his shoulder. As they stood there in silence, Harry searched his emotions for any possible stirrings, but yet again found nothing.
It wasn't Ginny's fault. She was nice enough, and Harry liked her. He had even been happy for the first few weeks of their relationship, but now they were both busy and had different lives. Now, they only saw each other during Quidditch, meals, and most recently, their final project for Astronomy, for which they had miraculously been able to choose their partners.
They were drifting apart, and Harry knew it. But he dreaded breaking up with her, knowing he would break her heart. Harry cared about her, but recently he'd been feeling like he was dating his sister.
"So if you're living with Professor Snape, we won't get to spend as much time together," Ginny said after a while.
"I'm sorry, Gin," Harry said. "But Dumbledore's going to let me have friends over occasionally."
"I'm going to miss you so much." She pulled him close and kissed him.
Harry tried his best to enjoy it. He knew something felt wrong, but couldn't put his finger on it. So he pulled back, feeling guilty at Ginny's hurt expression. "I'm sorry," he said. "But there's something I really have to do tonight."
Severus's PoV:
Severus sat in his office, taking a long drink of coffee as he sat grading his students' final exams. He couldn't concentrate, and was about to get up to go to bed when someone knocked on his office door. This late at night? Severus wondered, surprised. "Enter," he called, and cleared his throat.
It was Harry. The boy stood in the doorway looking incredibly uncomfortable, and then stepped forward, approaching Severus's desk. "Hi." Harry's voice was small, and the Potions Master noticed that Harry was biting his lip.
"Can I help you, Mr. Potter?" Severus tried to keep his tone as indifferent as possible. "I have not graded your final yet, if that is why you are here."
Harry met his gaze, surprising Severus. "I...I just came to apologize," he said, "for what I said to you earlier. It was uncalled for, unnecessary given our circumstances, and rude of me to say in return for your hospitality."
Severus stared at the boy in shock. He couldn't remember the last time someone had apologized to him. It had likely never happened.
"I was angry at Professor Dumbledore and I took it out on you," Harry continued. "What I said to you earlier was probably the worst thing I could have said, for someone who in reality wants to be friends with you."
"Who put you up to this, Potter?" Severus hissed. Friends? No one wanted to be friends with him. He was cold, ugly, alone, and miserable.
Harry winced, backing away from the desk. "No one, I - I swear! Ask anyone...they won't know what you're talking about, except maybe my friends, because I might have mentioned once or twice how brilliant I think you are."
Severus said nothing. He was rooted to the spot in shock. Harry had bragged about Severus to his friends? After he had treated Harry like dirt? Nothing was making sense...The Slytherin looked away in shame.
"Please, sir." Harry's voice cracked. "I don't expect you to forgive me, but know that I am sorry. And that I am grateful you are letting me into your home to keep me safe," Harry said.
Severus waited for a long moment to make sure Harry was finished speaking before he said, "Those were very mature words, Mr. Potter. Thank you...You may leave now."
Harry opened his mouth, and then closed it. Without saying another word, he left, leaving a certain Potions Master staring after him in astonishment.
AN: Hope you all liked the first chapter! Please let me know what you think in a review :) Updates soon! I have a lot of awesome ideas for this story.