The night after Voldemort had finally been killed was one of the worst of Harry's life. He lost his girlfriend, his family, and worst of all, himself. He was wallowing in a pit of self-pity. The only thing he had anymore was Severus Snape. He had no idea what made him save Snape from the Shack that night, but he felt compelled.

"God, I have nothing left," Harry said, looking into the mirror. His eyes were no longer bright. His hair was even more out of control. His face was no longer shining with happiness. "After everything I did for them, they walked away from me when I needed them the most."

He left the bathroom and went to the second floor bedroom. Snape was still sleeping in the bed. Harry sighed and went down to the kitchen. He absently stared into the fire for God knows how long. All he could think of was the previous night.

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

"What the hell did you do?" Molly screamed, lunging at Harry. "You forced Fred to fight for you!"

"You made Remus come to defend you," Andromeda yelled, almost lunging as well. "You forced my daughter to abandon her newborn son for you!"

"You brought this on everyone," Percy said, anger ebbing from his body. "You forced us all to fight on your behalf."

"You know I never asked you to fight!" Harry exclaimed, dodging Molly. "I told you all to leave not three hours ago! I never wanted this!"

"Get out of here," Arthur said, holding his wife. "No one wants you here any longer."

"But..." Harry said, but stopped when he received a number of cold glares from the people he had once considered his family. He walked out onto the grounds and let his feet carry him though the bodies strewn about the grounds.

After a half hour, Harry found himself at the Shrieking Shack. He knew what was in there, but he didn't want to see it. His feet carried him to Snape, lying in the pool of his own blood. Harry suddenly gathered the man into his arms and apparated to his house.

He cleaned Snape's wounds as best as he could, and he applied some antidote to the snakebites. He found a store of blood replenishing potions that Snape had stored at Grimmauld the previous summer. He gently tipped a couple down Snape's throat, and he hoped that the man would come back.

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

Harry snapped from the memory as he heard someone shuffling around upstairs. He got up and followed the sounds. He saw Snape moving about his room, unsure of where he was.

"Professor Snape?" Harry asked quietly. "Are you alright?"

"Potter?" Snape asked, turning to look at the boy. "What am I doing here?"

"I brought you here after I was told to leave the Great Hall. I wandered around for a while, and I eventually found myself in the Shack, and before I knew what I was doing, I brought you back here," Harry said, looking down, as if waiting for punishment. "I fixed your wounds."

"Thank you, Pot- Harry," Snape said, sitting on the bed. He was watching Harry's body language, and he saw that Harry had been broken worse than ever before. "What's wrong?" Harry continued to stare at the floor, looking up briefly to meet Snape's eye. In that second, Snape's legimency allowed him to see the events of the night before. Harry then turned on his heel and ran to his room, slamming the door. Snape sighed, and he found himself going to Harry's room.

When he reached the door, he stopped. He listened at the door for a moment, only to hear the boy inside crying. He opened the door, and he went to the boy. He gently put an arm around Harry's shoulders, offering a shoulder to cry on.

"You don't have to stay, Professor Snape," Harry said, sniffling and attempting to stem the flow of tears. He wiped his eyes on his sleeve.

"Harry, you've offered me a place to recuperate. Why would I walk away from that?" Snape answered, looking to Harry.

"Because you hate me, just like the Weasleys and Hermione," Harry said, turning away from Snape. He hated letting people see him cry, especially people he looked up to.

"I don't hate you, Harry. I hated your father and your godfather," Snape said, sighing. "I never hated you. I just never understood you."

"You made school a living hell, Snape," Harry choked out. "You never gave me an inch. I lost more points than anyone, especially in your class."

"I was like that because you reminded me so much of your father, Harry," Snape said, sounding unlike himself. "I never gave myself a chance to see you for who you were. I always attributed you with your father."

"Why?" Harry asked, turning back to face Snape. "Why did you attribute me with my father? Just because I look like him? Because you were so blinded by the shit he did to you in school? Because my last name is Potter?"

"Because I was scared, okay?" Severus said, sounding thoroughly exasperated. "I was scared that you were going to end up doing exactly as he had. I was scared that you were going to trick some kid into doing something stupid. I was more scared that you were going to start treating me like he and his friends had."

"Why?" Harry asked, his tears slowing. "Why assume the worst?"

"Because the last time, I gave anyone a chance, I got hurt," Snape said, turning to lean against the wall behind him. "I gave your mother a chance, and I saw only the good in her. When I least expected it, she left for your father. The only person I've trusted since then was Dumbledore."

"So you assumed that I'd be mean to you because I look like my father?" Harry asked, sounding angry.

"It was incredibly childish of me, but yes," Snape replied, looking at his lap. "I'm sorry, Harry."

"Go back up to your room, Snape," Harry said. "I need to think."

"Alright," Snape said, getting up slowly. "Do you have another blood replenishing potion? I think I need one."

"On your dresser," Harry said, sitting on his bed.

"I'll see you in the morning," Snape replied, leaving the room. Harry waved.

"What did I get myself into this time?" Harry thought, lying on his bed.

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

A/N: So, this is the intro to the prequel to "Rekindling a Romance", my other Harry/Snape fan fic.

I realize that it's weird to write a prequel after you write the story it's a prequel to, but my writing style isn't exactly normal.

Anyway, hope you enjoy!

--kd