Over the Eyes

By: PhoenixJustice

Disclaimer: Harry Potter belongs to J.K Rowling, Warner Bros and people who unfortunately are not me. I only own this story and make no profit from this.

Warning: Rated T for language, slash, etc.

Pairings: Snarry, etc.

Setting: Year seven AU; it's assumed that Sirius and Dumbledore's deaths, never happened.

Summary: A stray spell changes everything for Harry and he is forced to accept help from the least likely person imaginable-whether said person likes it or not.

A/N: This is dedicated to my great friend Annie (NatsMiniMe on ) for her birthday. Happy birthday, hon!

He jerks his head up as he hears some commotion outside of the library. It didn't sound too pleasant, either. After gathering up his notes, and making sure his Invisibility Cloak was on straight, he carefully makes his way out of the library. He recognizes one of the people immediately; Draco Malfoy.

What was Malfoy doing out so late?

And the two people at his side weren't Crabbe and Goyle either. They didn't look like anyone Harry had seem before. And while there may have been a lot of people at his school, one still got a general idea of all who attended. But these two were strangers, and certainly not the right age to go to Hogwarts. No they looked a handful of years older.

The only light in the nearly empty hallway was from the two lit wands the strange wizards had clutched in their meaty hands. He had never seen Malfoy look so terrified.

"So you got it eh, Malfoy?" the one on Malfoy's left grunts. "We're expecting results very soon, if you get my drift."

The one on the right presses what looks like a vial into the Slytherin's hands. "Neigh undetectable. Bet'cha even the best'a folks would be able to detect it!" says the one on the right. He had a thicker accent than the other one.

"Al-alright." Malfoy says, and Harry could see him doing his best to calm himself. Even to an untrained observer like Harry, one could see that Malfoy wanted no part of any of this. He found his respect for Draco Malfoy rising, even if only a slight bit. The young man didn't want to be locked in the same trap as his father was. "Here, let me take you back to the Cabinets then; we can't let anyone see you here-"

"As if Mudblood lovers scare us!" scoffed the one on the left. "Isn't that right, Amycus?"

The one called Amycus nods. "Tha's right, Alecto!"

Harry watches them start to leave, torn. They were undoubtedly Death Eaters! But it would be tantamount to suicide if he tried to take them on alone. But maybe if Malfoy...no.

He watches them as he carefully makes his way down the hallway. It appeared for a moment as if he'd get away without any problems, but that thought is cut short as something knocks against and he stumbles, off balanced, falling with a hard thud.

He distantly hears the yowling of Mrs. Norris, telling him that was what he tripped over, and the sound of approaching footsteps. He shakily makes his way up, the cloak having fallen off; that was all too clear by the faces of the ones called Amycus and Alecto, as well as a shocked looking Malfoy.

"Potter!" hisses Alecto. Within an instant, her and Amycus have their wands in hand. He starts to take out his wand and cast, but the Death Eaters are faster still. "Kurou Obscuris!"

And there was blackness.

"-and the Death Eaters?"

He starts to awaken hazily, darkness surrounding him. It must have still been nighttime.

"They managed to escape before everyone could arrive. But there were no casualties, partly due to Mister Malfoy-he saved Potter's life."

Snape?

"And Harry?"

That sounded like Dumbledore.

It was silent for a long moment.

"...no change, as of yet. But I am working on it." Snape replies, quietly. "I am not sure of the lasting effects of the spell they hit him with. It's always possible that he'll regain his sight quickly. But...I am not convinced."

His eyes? What did he...

He stills, realizing that his eyes had been open the whole time; and he couldn't see a damn thing.

Madam Pomfrey fusses over him for a long time, helping him get into some fresh clothes and the like before leaving to get him some tea. He was still in quite a state of shock, he knew, with everything not sinking in yet.

He was blind.

Maybe not permanently, but there was always that possibility. To never see his friends again... What would happen to him? He couldn't possibly learn like this. He'd have to leave Hogwarts and everything he had learned, knew, would ever know, would all disappear. They'd probably push him back onto the Dursleys. Oh God, he couldn't take it. They'd-it-

His breath comes shorter and shorter, loud in his ears, his body shaking. He doesn't notice the footsteps hurrying over to him, and it takes a moment to register the arms holding him down.

"Potter! Stop this right now!"

He shakes his head, trying to push away. The arms hold him tighter, pulling him close. He struggles for a moment. The shirt his head was sitting against felt soft, and he could hear the slow thump-thump of a heart beating. Distantly he could smell the faint scent of flowers. The tension in his body starts to slowly wear away and he feels himself starting to drift back off.

"...Potter?" The voice sounded quiet and very unlike the person who was speaking. "It will...be fine."

"What the hell do you mean, I have to look after him? I already have enough on my plate as it is, Albus!"

Wait...what?

It felt odd being led to places, more especially by a teacher who by all rights had loathed him since before he was born. But the oddest thing was Snape himself. He wasn't as venomous as Harry thought he would be. Sure, it didn't seem like he liked having to do all these things for Harry, but he didn't seem especially as hateful as he would have before. Did he think it was because of his 'condition'? He didn't think so. So it was odd, and something he thought often about.

He hadn't been back in class since the incident, and he hadn't yet seen his friends either, so he felt a bit lonely.

"Potter?" Snape's voice spoke quietly.

It had been a few weeks now since he started living in the same quarters as Snape, something he once would have had a fit over. But now...well, it wasn't as bad as he thought. Even if he couldn't see the surroundings, he had a 'feel' for the place.

He makes his way over carefully. That was something else that he had to learn. How to get around without being able to see things. It took quite awhile for him to get used to Snape's place, to know where everything was so he wouldn't bump into something, but he finally had gotten the hang of it. ...most of the time, anyway.

As he approaches, he could smell something bubbling from the cauldron Snape had set up. He had told Harry very briefly, when Harry asked about it, that it was being used to help him get his sight back.

"Here. Stir this for me while I work on more ingredients." He grabs Harry's hand, guiding him to the ladle in the cauldron.

And just like that, inexplicably, his heart starts to beat a little faster.

He knew they were distressed. He couldn't see their expressions, but could tell by the tenor of their voices. It had been months, months, since he saw them last. That was distressing to him, but he also knew, looking back from from when he first got afflicted with the curse.

"So...what about this curse?" Ron speaks up hesitantly, taking a drink of his tea (Harry could tell; Ron always tended to slurp it a bit.) It had taken a bit of convincing to let them make the tea on his own; he had gotten good enough at it since living in Snape's quarters.

Snape...that was another thing that had changed. Their relationship was not the sheer animosity they once held for each other. It had taken time getting used to each other, but he would almost call him..a friend.

He focuses on ignoring the blush that was trying to make its way to the surface, and instead listens to his friends.

"Kurou Obscuris. That was what they used, right Harry?" Hermione asks.

He nearly flinches, hearing the curse spell that had affected him so, but keeps it down.

"Yeah. Never heard of it before."

"It's a really dark spell, which is why you haven't heard of it." continues Hermione. "It's not easy to cast-they must have been working on it for a long time."

"Fucking Death Eaters." said Ron, bitterly.

From then on, it wasn't only Snape who went into research on curing him, but Ron and Hermione as well. And that wasn't all...

"Ugh! I swear I'm done looking at another book for a week!" said a disgusted voice.

Harry smiles and shakes his head.

"Uh-huh. That's what you said yesterday. And the day before that. And the day before that. And-"

"Shut it, Potter!"

Harry snorts. "Same to you, Draco."

He and Draco had become close over these past few months. Draco had, early on, showed up, full of remorse. He had been pressured to bring the Death Eaters in, but he himself wanted nothing to do with the things they did. It was like it was with his Father; forced into a servitude you didn't want to be in, to protect the people you loved the most.

They hadn't really known how to hang around each other at first, but soon enough they gained a rapport that was similar to their rivalry before, but without the venom of hatred. He lamented the fact that he hadn't been able to become Draco Malfoy's friend before now, but was making up for lost time.

"And...as much as you have been worthy to se-be around my beautiful self." said Draco. Harry snorts again. "It seems like your boyfriend just got back."

And just like that, Harry's face burns a deep red.

"You-shut up!" he exclaims. He throws a pillow in Draco's direction and listens to Draco's sniggers as he leaves.

"Did I interrupt something?" drawled a deep voice close to him.

He jumps, his heart beating faster.

"Nothing." he says shortly. "Just Draco being..."

"Draco?"

"Yeah."

He could almost hear the smirk in the older man's voice.

Another week passes, and some headway was being made in the curse. Draco had also met with Ron and Hermione-under less bad terms than usual. It wasn't to say that Draco and Ron were friends. But they weren't enemies either. A sort of truce was made, since both of them were Harry's friend.

Harry, meanwhile, had been working with Snape more and more. Slowly, so very slowly, Snape started to reveal things about himself. Every new thing that Harry learned, he treasured, and he knew that somehow, sometime, some way, he had fallen in love with Severus Snape.

"Potter." He jumps as he feels a long finger poking his face. "Pay attention; the potion has to be stirred regularly."

"Sorry." He thinks for a moment, wondering if he was foolish to do what he was about to. But he couldn't help himself, not any longer. "S-Severus."

It was quiet for a long time. He could feel the heat of the body close to him, and could hear the steady beat of his heart.

"Shirou Revelis!"

Eyes open and he blinks hard, moisture filling his eyes as they take in the light in a way they hadn't for many months. The first thing he takes in is black. Black hair, black clothes, black shoes. Black eyes, that he once saw as cold and unfeeling, but instead full of a heat that he never would have expected from the Potions Master.

"Harry!"

He gets gathered in the other man's arms. He is surprised for a moment, but relaxes.

"Potter. I didn't mean...I shouldn't have-"

He feels Snape start to pull away but holds him close, hugging him back.

"Stop. Severus, call me Harry like you just did." he says, looking up at him. "After all this time, and all we've been through."

"I-" Snape looks away. "I am not a good man, Po-Harry. I make unkind remarks and-"

"I know. It's who you are. But you are a good man; you wouldn't have worked so hard to help me if you weren't; even if Dumbledore asked you to. You are more than I once thought you were. I..." he swallows against a dry throat. "Love you."

Snape, no Severus', eyes widen. Then they soften, ever so slightly. He moves a very hesitant hand to cup the side of Harry's face. He leans in.

"I...as well." Severus says softly.

He kisses him.

Sometimes it is when things cannot be seen, that the true things that matter are revealed.

Sometimes things, bad at the time, happen for the best, in the end.

If he had never been hit with the Curse, he never would have been able to get close to people and learn who and what they truly were.

OMAKE

"Heh heh. Well, I guess we know who is the girl in the relationship."

"DRACO!"

A/N: Whew! This took awhile, and took writing late, to finish, but I'm actually pretty happy with how it turned out. The premise-Harry becoming blind-was actually the idea of Annie/NatsMiniMe who this story is dedicated to.

I really like the premise, so expect to see another fic dealing with this soon enough, though it will be a different pairing and not related to this fic (other than the premise.)

I hope you enjoyed this!

Let me know what you thought!

-PhoenixJustice