Well, fourteen lovely reviews later I found myself deciding that I should continue. Thank you for your kind comments, and for alerting or favoriting this. So this story shall become in fact, a story. For however long it takes to reach an acceptable conclusion. Though as several of my readers prior to this can attest, I do not rush relationships along. So they will not be doing it like rabbits come chapter three, I can promise you that. It's unrealistic, and while I am trying to keep them as much in character as possible and still have my own changes, I also want the relationship buildup to feel real.

So thank you again for your support, I hope to continue to receive more of it! And a special thanks to my readers from other fandoms who have followed me over to this as well, you all are fantastic!

Chapter Two

Written By: Winds of Water

"Any bets on how long it takes for him to start taking away because Harry here just had to become friends with his pet?" Ron sighed as he threw his stuff down beside his seat, and plopped onto it without preamble.

"When a cobra takes up residence on your legs and wishes to talk to you, you let me know what options you think you have." Harry retorted as he sat down as well, but had to agree with Ron.

Hermione gave them a withering look as she pulled out her text. "Honestly, he's not that vindictive."

Ron snorted.

Harry was wondering however just why Snape would take points, which he would. Would it be because as Ron had said, he'd befriended Sorai? Or would it be because he was trying to regain a sense of control about him after inadvertently having knowledge of his secret infatuation slip out.

He wouldn't have long to wait.

The door banged open, much reminiscent of the first class of first year he'd ever had Potions.

Harry watched, feeling apprehensive as Snape glided forward with powerful purpose, and silently swore. Somehow, he was getting the feeling his day was about to get even more interesting, but certainly not fun.

"If you all are quite through making such an abominable racket-" Snape began, despite the classroom being quieter than a crypt since he'd entered the classroom.

Harry groaned at that tone of voice. Oh yes, things were going to be fun indeed. So he settled in to brace himself through the barrage of initial harsh words before the instructions appeared on the board.

"Just had to befriend the pet." Ron groused under his breath as he and Harry began to start.

Harry cracked a small smile, he couldn't help it. Yes, Sorai had certainly turned his world even more upside down. "I'd ask her to put on a show with me to where we have a spat that would void us as friends, but since he couldn't understand us, it'd be pointless."

"Having a spat with a cobra is not my idea of fun either." Ron muttered under his breath.

Hermione rolled her eyes and settled in to work while Harry continued to smile.

Twenty minutes passed.

Ron was asking Hermione if there potion was supposed to be that vile shade of orange, when he swooped in.

Harry swore the man had radar for detecting incorrect potions in his classroom.

"While it should come as a surprise to me that you two are still incompetent fools in your sixth year," Snape paused melodramatically, "it doesn't. And while it should come as a surprise to me that after six years you still do not understand what counter-clockwise means, it doesn't. Thirty turns counter clockwise at half second intervals, and if you get it wrong again I will win the bet with Minerva about whether or not you are totally inept."

Ron immediately started the turning to try and correct their potion, "insufferable git, I should-"

What Ron should do, Harry didn't hear. He was busy dicing bloodworms with a smile playing on his face. Snape would have banished their potion any other day, or left it to failure, but he'd told them how to correct it instead. They'd not even had to rely on Hermione. And then there was that little surprise of him not deducting poi-

"And ten points from Gryffindor!"

Well, he stood corrected. But that only served to make him smile a bit more. His apprehensive feelings were starting to diminish. Class may not exactly be fun, but he welcomed this change. For whatever reason the change had occurred. He could bother fathoming about that later, he had his own feelings on the matter to figure out.

He didn't dislike Snape, if anything he had respect for him these days. But he'd always kept his distance, preferring to be out of the way of the cancer causing rays of destruction that he always felt ebbing towards him when he and Snape were within a certain proximity. Things were taking a turn however, and he knew why. His professor wasn't an idiot, and so would not try and act as if Harry knew nothing. He had to know that Sorai had told him about her owners love for him, else the Ginny thing wouldn't have come up.

This break of animosity would give him time to think about this, and figure it all out. Even if he was intrigued by the idea, he wouldn't act one way or another until he knew his feelings.

When class ended, it was one of the few times he and Ron had a viable potion to bottle, label, and turn in for grading.

"What do we have next?" Ron groaned as he eased a kink out of his back and grabbed his bag.

Harry thought quickly, "transfiguration."

"How could you forget something like that? I thought you enjoyed having classes together, Weasel." Draco said as he walked over to them.

Over the summer the animosity between they and the blonde pretty boy of Slytherin had vanished into nothing more than harmless jibes here and there. It had taken Ron a bit longer to accept Draco's presence, but as said Malfoy was seriously dating Ginny, it was better to learn to get along. Or at the very least be tolerant.

"Every minute." Ron smirked at him.

"Enough, let's go before we're late." Harry groaned and started for the door with the other three.

"Potter! Stay behind."

Harry blinked, and looked over at Snape sharply. With a slight frown he turned back to the others. "Go on ahead, I'll catch up."

"You sure?" Ron asked.

"We can wait in the hall." Hermione offered.

Harry shook his head, "no, there's no reason for you to be late as well."

The three exchanged looks, but decided to depart.

Harry watched them go before turning to his professor who was currently sitting at his desk watching him. "Did you get angry with her?"

"She's none of your concern." Snape replied, "but we need to talk about what she said to you."

"Not right now." Harry said as he walked forward to sit on the stool nearest the man's desk. "It can wait. Like I told her, I need time to think."

"Think? Yes that would take time for you, it's not like you do much thinking."

"With all due respect, sir, sod off." Harry sighed and put a hand to his forehead. "If our roles were switched, you'd have probably made an attempt on my life by now, so I don't expect you to understand. But this isn't something that I can just know right away how I feel about it, much less you."

"Very astute of you, at least you haven't remained completely clueless these past years." Snape drew in a sharp breath and glanced away. "Take the time you need, but understand that I am not a man of great patience."

Harry smirked boldly, "oh I already knew that." He said, and got up to head towards the door once more.

"And Potter," the silky voice called out again, "don't think this changes anything."

Harry tossed an affronted look over his shoulder. "Now why would I think that? Heaven forbid you ruin your reputation on my account. The world's balance will be upset and another dark lord just may spring up from the daisies to try and make up for the loss of your scathing remarks."

"Potter!"

"I get it!" Harry chuckled and shrugged, "I've yet to make my decision. But I do understand what would happen no matter which choice I ended up choosing. If I end up saying yes to you," Harry looked back at him, hand on the door handle now, "you can ask me to write you an essay about why things will not change between us in the public sector of this school. Until then, give Sorai my love."

And he was gone.

Snape stared after him, and felt that foreign sensation of a smile twitching at his mouth. That brat was as insufferable as ever. Yet he couldn't help loving him for it. It was one of the many traits that he had come to see as Albus constantly kept pairing them together for various tasks. The reason for which he'd learned to do more than tolerate the brat and his cheeky remarks.

He was not looking forward to waiting though for an answer. And he did not for one second want to have his heart broken yet again. He doubted it could ever mend this time. He just may have to take things into his own hands and try to persuade Harry, help him along a bit… and a plotting smirk graced his face.

A smirk that was putting nervous looks on the faces of his seventh year NEWTS class as they entered the room.

Certainly he'd have to speak to Albus about the recent developments. Even though he was nearly one hundred percent certain the old coot already knew about everything. He would attend to all that later however, for the moment he still had more classes to get through.

Meanwhile two staircases, sixteen doors, and three left turns away, Harry was taking his seat in his next class.

"What was that about?" Ron asked under his breath as they watched McGonagall demonstrate how to turn their feathers into rope.

"The snake." Harry muttered back, and Ron clearly seemed to buy the explanation. Even Hermione who'd been listening in didn't seem suspicious.

"Mister Potter," McGonagall turned her stern gaze on him, "what is so fascinating that you must interrupt the demonstration?"

"Ron passed gas, I excused him." Harry said with a straight face, ignoring the squawk of indignation from the seat beside him

McGonagall frowned, but let it pass as she quieted the class back down.

When they were doing their practicals at last, Ron turned to him with a "thanks, now my reputation is ruined."

"You still love me." Harry grinned and gave his wand a wave.

Ron snorted, "don't press your luck, mate."

Harry continued to grin, especially when his neatly coiled rope appeared before him. He sat back in his chair with a pleased expression. He really had come a long way since the stress had been lifted from him about Voldemort and now he could actually focus on studies beyond those which would be foremost in self-preservation. It was a liberating feeling to know he could be capable of more than killing.