A/N: So this is just a little diddy that I came up with for Sweet-Little-Hufflepuff 's Song Lyric Challenge. Hope you like it. It a bit of a different writing style for me. It's written in only one POV. So yeah...let's call this experiment number 2. :oD

If you feel so inclined, reviews are always welcome.

~Belladonna~

Warnings: As always, I own nothing. I do this for the fun of writing. This is Slash M/M. So if that's not your thing..read no further.

The Promise

From the moment Severus Snape set eyes on Harry Potter, he knew he was in trouble. There was something about the boy that pulled him in. Did things to him. Things that he would really rather not feel. That the boy made him feel at all was a bad sign in and of itself. He didn't notice it until Harry's 5th year that his feelings had shifted; it had been so gradual.

At first, he could only see James Potter in the boy: brash, arrogant, spoiled. While, yes, he did have his former best friend's eyes, it wasn't enough to keep him from disliking the boy. Now, when he looked at him he saw something else. The way the boy moved. The way Harry was always looking at him. It was unnerving. It took him weeks to figure out that he found the boy...attractive.

The night he came upon that realization, he emptied an entire bottle of Firewhiskey in an attempt to rid himself of the feelings. It, of course, did no good. With each passing day it became harder and harder to fight the sexual allure of The-Boy-Who-Lived. He knew it was wrong. There were so many reasons why he should never let himself express his feelings, his desires. The boy was 15. He was ...not 15. He was old enough to be the boys father. It was disturbing. It was wrong. And so Severus Snape made a promise to himself that while he would look out for the boy, protect him anyway that he could, he would never tell a soul about his attraction or express it physically in a moment of weakness.

He managed to succeed throughout Harry's 5th year and into his 6th. He watched the boy grow-up. He watched him thwart Voldemort's attempts daily. He saw him struggle to find his place, find who he was, all the while staying silent. He played the role of villain to perfection. No one would ever suspect him of caring for the boy. Even being forced into Occlumency lessons, he never wavered, never let the boy touch his mind. Then one day the unthinkable happened he slipped, lost control.

He somehow managed to lose control and the boy got in, saw it all. It was mortifying. The worst memories of his life, the attraction he felt towards Harry, all of his secrets laid bare. In a fit of rage he threw the boy from his chambers, vowing to end their lessons, ordering him to never return. He had hoped that no one, especially the boy himself, ever would know, but now it was too late. Any hope he had secretly cloistered inside of him was snuffed out.

He made his way back to his chambers, into the arms of amber coloured liquid, hoping to drown out the world. A small knock broke him out of his lover's embrace and to the door.

"Go away." He growled. He was content to wallow in self pity and was not up for company.

No one answered. Another small knock. With a flourish, he swung up the ancient oak doors. There before him was Harry Potter.

"What do you want Potter?"

Snape noticed something different in the boys stance. An awkwardness, a shyness that he had never seen before in his presence. It distracted him long enough to not notice when the boy's hands softly cradled his face.

"What are you doing?"

Again, the boy didn't reply in words. Instead he roes up and lightly kissed his lips. They were warm and tender and oh, so wonderful. He couldn't believe that this was happening. It couldn't be real. Another more confident kiss, pull Snape from his revere.

He couldn't hold back the answering of his body. He couldn't fight his supplication. It felt too good, even as his mind railed, I promised I wouldn't do this. He gave in anyway, promise be damned. Without a moments hesitation, he lifted the boy into his arms, carried him inside, and closed the door. He didn't know why Harry was doing this, but he wasn't gong to waste the gift that was being given. The chance was more than he had ever hoped for. He would take everything until nothing more was offered.

The night was more beautiful than he could have ever dreamed. The way Harry felt under him. The joyful cries as he entered him. The affection and emotion in his eyes as he cried his name to heavens, not caring if anyone heard. For one moment time stopped and there was only them. He knew that things could only ever end badly for them, but Snape put aside those thoughts, making a new promise. A promise to live for now. A promise to be everything for Harry and take comfort in what time they did have. A promise he was sure that this time he could keep.

The End