Summary, Warnings, Notes, and Disclaimers are posted with the first chapter.
Thank you's: Thank you so much to my reviewers of ch. 1 joytiger, B. A Victoria, naruntonarutolove, Daddys little crazy bitch, Rori Potter, ultimaterockgoddess, black cherry uber bard, TheSmartIdiot. I appreciate your kind words and support for this story! It's also nice to see how many have tagged this as a favorite or for an alert. : )
Please review! Thanks!
HPSS HPSS HPSS
Ch. 2: The Cure – Part 1
Harry's heart thudded loudly as he looked at the slumbering man, still whimpering, crying, and twitching in pain. The whimpers were loud, but much softer in comparison to the earlier screams. It was still heartbreaking to hear. The only cure is true love's kiss? ! "Prof. Snape is like Sleeping Beauty or Snow White," he observed.
"What?" "Sleeping who?" "Who's that?" The staff members looked at Harry in confusion.
"Oh, those are Muggle fairy tales. They are princesses who are asleep because of an evil witch's spell and they can only wake up when they receive true love's kiss. So some prince comes along, kisses the sleeping princess, and they live happily ever after."
Dumbledore chuckled. "Ah, yes, I believe I read those tales in my youth. It wouldn't surprise me if those tales weren't in some way inspired by this curse and its cure… After all, some victims of the curse were placed into some form of sleep, whether short-term or long-term, in order to ease their suffering, with varying results – of course this was all a long long time ago. Many improvements have been made since then as far as potions and healing spells. But, as you can see, Severus is still suffering, and there isn't anything else that we know of that we can do for him. Poppy gave him the best and strongest potions we have…"
"Albus, must the kiss come from one's "true love," or would it work if it were a different type of love, such as parental love?" McGonagall asked.
"Most of the literature agrees on this point – that it must be a pure and romantic love." Dumbledore sighed and approached the loudly whimpering man on the bed. "I never had a child, but he is as close to me as a son could ever be and I love him dearly." He stroked the man's dark hair and twitching cheek streaked with tears. "I hate that this has happened to him," Dumbledore said softly, voice breaking slightly. He bent down to kiss his forehead and then his lips. When he straightened up a tear was rolling down his cheek. He brushed it away and watched for a few moments. Seeing no change in the suffering man, he whispered "I'm so sorry, Severus."
Harry and the other staff members all saw the tear. Harry was sad for the Headmaster, who couldn't save someone he regarded as a child. But his heart ached all the more for the suffering man whose pain couldn't be relieved, not even by one who loved him as much as Dumbledore did. If Dumbledore couldn't save him, then who? ! Someone has to save him! Harry tried not to cry. He didn't want anyone to know how he felt. Feel what? What do I feel? Sad that my professor is hurting? Why am I ashamed to admit that?
Dumbledore continued summarizing the literature available on the curse. "There are many accounts of parents unable to save their child, and children unable to save their parent. There is no record, not one, that familial or platonic love was successful. Even being in a romantic relationship is not a guarantee. Sadly, there are quite a few accounts of victims who were married or in a relationship but their significant other couldn't cure them. In most of those cases it's noted that it was discovered later that the significant other didn't truly love the victim. For instance, they married for money."
"So, is Severus doomed?" Minerva asked. "You are closer to him than any of us, so if you couldn't… And I've never known of him to be in a relationship or have romantic interests, not in all his years as a student or professor."
"No, Minerva, he's not doomed. What is interesting is that it's not necessary to already be in a relationship or even know the person. There were some cases in which a friend saved another, but in all of those cases one or both were already aware of having romantic feelings for the other. There are even accounts of strangers who were, for whatever reason, drawn to a victim. They didn't know them! How could they love them? ! And yet, they felt a need or desire to kiss them. And… it worked! In every account we have of friends and strangers who broke this curse, the two married and lived happily ever after."
Pomfrey giggled. "It sounds like something Beedle the Bard would dream up!"
Harry nodded. "Just like a fairy tale."
If only Snape could have a happy ending of his own, Harry caught himself thinking. If only there were a princess (or prince?) who loved Snape and could rescue him from this.
McGonagall sighed heavily. "Well… there's hope then, right? I was worried that he was doomed since he's not in a relationship. But it's possible that someone, somewhere, can save him. The problem is, how long will it take for us to find them or them to find Severus? And how?"
"Yes, indeed," Dumbledore mused. "Poppy, I could really do with a cup of tea. Might we retire to your office? We can discuss our options."
The three staff members headed towards the Mediwitch's office. McGonagall turned around. "Harry, you're welcome to join us. Or you may head back to Gryffindor tower if you are feeling better."
"Actually, if it's alright, I would like to remain with Prof. Snape and watch over him. Is that okay?"
"Yes, that would be fine, Harry." She gave him a small smile. Harry smiled back and then notice that Dumbledore was also smiling at him. Dumbledore gave Harry a wink and then continued towards the office.
The room was now silent. All Harry could hear was the thudding of his heart and the agonized whimpers of the man before him.
Harry stepped closer to the suffering man. The ache and worry in his heart was unlike any that he ever experienced before. He couldn't understand why. Was it because he experienced a taste of the torture himself? Was it because the pain was so much greater than any other or a cure was hard to come by? Would he feel this same ache and worry if it were anyone else? When Dumbledore revealed that the cure was true love's kiss, Harry's gut clenched. It was terrible that the only cure for such a painful curse would be one that not everyone had access to. Not everyone is lucky or blessed enough to have love in their life much less true love. Has Snape ever loved anyone? Has anyone ever loved him? He's snarky, cold, seemingly sadistic, keeps people at a distance – is it possible for someone to love such a man? And what were the chances that some stranger would come along who would have the desire to kiss him and would be the one to save him? Snape didn't deserve to suffer so. And he didn't deserve to die. Yes, death would be merciful if a cure weren't possible, but he hated the thought. He wanted Snape cured.
Harry closed the distance between them until he was a foot away from the edge of the bed, next to Snape's torso. Harry was close enough to see the smallest wrinkles in the older man's face. There were lines etched by time and by the present pain, but he had no scowl, no sneer. He's actually quite attractive when he doesn't have a mean expression... Whoa! Where did that come from? !
Harry was startled by the unexpected thought. But… he realized that it didn't bother him. After all, it didn't mean anything. Yes, the professor was attractive, and there was nothing wrong in noticing it. But when had he first noticed that? Just then? Or had he noticed it before?
The ache in Harry's heart was growing. Were the effects of the potion from Madam Pomfrey wearing off? Is that all? Perhaps he wasn't hurting because of Snape. But deep down Harry knew that wasn't true. He was hurting because Snape was hurting. He didn't want Snape to be in pain. If I could save you, I would. If my kiss could save you, I would kiss you. Harry's chest tightened and his mind stilled. What? ! That's insane! Me kiss Snape? ! But… I respect him, yes, but I don't like him, much less love him. And he hates me! Oh, sure, he does a lot for me, but it's because he has to. He can't look at me without seeing my dad.
And yet, Harry's body warmed at the thought of pressing his lips against the older man's. His lips tingled and blood rushed down to his lower regions. Harry shook his head. No. No! I'm not kissing him! And I'm not getting excited about the idea of kissing him! Harry tried to tell himself Snape didn't matter to him, no more than any other professor or Order member. He tried to turn around and walk away, or at the least back up a few steps. But he couldn't. He felt drawn to the suffering man in a way he never felt toward anyone. He needed to be close to him, needed to touch him.
He stepped closer, right up next to the hospital bed. Without a thought or plan, he reached over and held Snape's hand. He stared at Snape's hand as he held it, rubbing at the smooth pale skin with his thumb. He always thought Snape had elegant, purposeful hands. Many students made fun of how ugly the "greasy dungeon bat" was, but none seemed to notice how Snape was beautiful in his own way. No one ever said a kind word about the way Snape looked or moved. Harry reflected on that. Why not? The way he uses his hands and arms as he lectures, the way he pulls his cloak around him or releases it, the way his cloak billows as he glides and stalks, the way he moves when he duels. Everyone laughs at his "greasy" hair. But it's not greasy, it's silky. And his voice! How come no one ever comments on how rich and velvety his voice is? His tone and rhythm is so silky. The way he carefully articulates and pauses… Oh, Merlin, listen to me. It sounds like I have a crush on him! That's ridiculous!
Harry hadn't noticed his effect on the suffering man. Ever since he placed his hand on the older man's, the twitches of the man's body relaxed. It was such a slight change, but the touch of no other, not even Dumbledore, had soothed the man in any way thus far.
Harry laughed softly. "If you knew I was standing here watching over you, much less holding your hand, you would yell at me, most likely hex me, give me detention every night for the rest of the year, and take away all of Gryffindor's House points. But… I just can't leave you." He closed his eyes tight, fighting the lump in his throat.
"Why? Why did that bastard do this to you? ! How the hell did he find out you were a spy?" He frowned and shook his head, wondering how Snape could be betrayed and why.
All of a sudden Harry gasped. "It was me, wasn't it? ! You have been trying to teach me Occlumency but I didn't try hard enough. You warned me how important it was! You warned me that he could access my mind!" Harry felt so nauseous with regret he thought he might get sick. "I'm so sorry," he choked out. "I'm so sorry, Severus! It's my fault. If only I had tried harder he wouldn't have found out and you would be ok!"
His right hand gripped the pale twitching hand more tightly. He was in too much guilt and grief to notice that he had addressed the man by his first name. Harry burst into tears. He stroked the man's upper arm with his left hand and then rested his head against the man's chest in a strange semblance of a hug. "I'm so sorry. I'm so sorry." He whispered. "If only I'd… This never should have happened to you. You don't deserve to be in this pain."
He straightened up and looked at the tightly closed eyes and tears-streaked cheeks. He stroked the man's dark hair. Harry wondered if there was a handkerchief nearby. On a small table next to the bed were some empty potion bottles and a short stack of handkerchiefs. Harry carefully dried the man's face – even though the effort was futile. The suffering man continued to cry and whimper loudly in his potion-induced sleep. Harry dried the man's cheek of all his old tears but gave up on trying to keep up with the fresh tears. He neglected to wipe away his own tears. It didn't seem right to do so; it would be as though he was wiping away his guilt, and he felt the need to suffer for this.
He set aside the handkerchief and caressed the man's face. "Severus, I wish there was something I could do!" Again he didn't notice his use of the man's first name and he also didn't notice how odd it was for him to touch him so. He had no idea that a look of fondness and tenderness graced his face, alongside the grief and pain.
Harry bent down and began kissing the pain-lined forehead. "I'm so sorry," he whispered between kisses. "I would do anything to take away this pain." He continued caressing his face and stroking his hair, while lips traveled down to kiss his temple and cheek. Severus' wet cheek was soft and warm against Harry's lips. He couldn't stop kissing him. Harry's tears dropped down his cheeks and landed on Severus' to mingle with his tears. "If I could take away your pain I would. If I could trade places with you I would." Harry sobbed, stroking the man's hair. "I'm so sorry. I'm so sorry." Harry was lost in his guilt, ache, and overwhelming need to save Severus. He was so lost in this that he hadn't noticed how strange this was. He didn't question what he felt for the man. He didn't consider what he felt for him before versus now, nor why. He didn't even ask himself if he actually had what it took to save him. He didn't notice that Severus' whimpers had softened and his twitches had relaxed.
All he knew was, he was sorry and he needed to save him.
Then Harry's lips moved from Severus' cheek to his lips. He kissed them, first softly and then with more pressure, pulling away reluctantly only to kiss him again. Severus' lips were soft yet firm, warm, slightly salty, and irresistible. The tightness in Harry's chest relaxed and a warmth began to glow inside him. As he kissed him there was nothing more that he wanted than to keep on kissing him and to be kissed in return… to be kissed by Severus, healed and whole, no longer in pain. But then as he pulled away slightly, the other pair of lips pressed back towards him and suddenly Harry came to his senses. Oh, bloody hell, what have I done? ! Snape is going to kill me!
Harry pulled away from Snape, just barely registering that the man's eyes were still closed in sleep (or so he thought), too upset to hear the soft baritone whisper from his lips, and ran out of the hospital wing as fast as he could. He didn't stop running until he reached the Gryffindor common room. He collapsed onto a couch, shaking with fear and shock. I kissed Snape! What was I thinking? ! After a few minutes he settled down. He went to the boy's room to wash his face, next he went to the dorm room to retrieve a blanket (he was thankful all his dormmates were asleep) and finally he wrapped himself in the blanket and sat on the couch in front of the fireplace. He stared into the flames. He had been kissing his professor! A professor that barely tolerated him, at best. It didn't matter how much pain Snape was in. If he had woken up and caught Harry kissing him, he would have hexed him for sure.