A/N: I DO NOT OWN THIS STORY. ALL CHARACTERS AND SETTINGS BELONG TO JKR. SHE'S THE AWESOME ONE. I AM NOT MAKING ANYTHING FROM THIS. I AM JUST PLAYING IN HER PLAYGROUND FOR A WHILE

CHAPTER 2

Severus enters the Great Hall through the teacher's entrance.

He glances around the hall checking to see if any of the students were causing any mischief. He spots Harry walking between the house tables stopping on occasion to speak with one of the 7th year students, laughing every so often at something that the students said. Severus glances at Remus as he settles into his seat. He couldn't understand what Harry was up to. He had to find out.

"What is Potter doing? "

Remus looks up to see Harry laughing at something one of the Hufflepuffs said.

"Looks like he's mingling with the older students. Good for him. He needs to be around people closer to his own age. He's kind of a child compared to many of us teachers up here."

"It's not appropriate for him…"

"Severus, leave him be. There are no rules against being friends with the students."

Severus just huffs and goes back to eating his Shepherd's pie. He didn't understand how anyone could stand the arrogant brat.

"Severus, you're thinking too loud.."

Again Severus just huffs as he looks up as Harry moves to an empty chair on the other side of the headmistress. Remus also looks, frowning slightly, but says nothing.

On the other end of the table Harry leans over and speaks softly to Minerva.

"Minnie, I need to speak with you in private. Would 7:30 this evening be too late for you?"

"No, I'm free this evening. Is everything all right, Harry?"

Harry just sighs and nods before dishing himself up some of the shepherd's pie. Minerva frowns slightly but says nothing. She knew he'd tell her later.

*~*~*~*~*~*

Up in Minerva's office Harry is standing at the window staring out into the night. Fawkes flies to his shoulder and begins to sing a soft tone to him. Harry reaches up and strokes his feathers and smiles softly. He begins to relax at the thought of leaving in a month. He knew he couldn't stay anymore.

"Harry, what's troubling you tonight?"

"Minerva, I'm not sure I can stay here much longer. I've found it to be too much to deal with the issues that do not seem to improve between Severus and I."

"What do you mean, Harry? What's going on?"

Harry sighs again and moves to sit down across from his boss and looks into her eyes.

"I'm weary of trying to make amends to someone who continues to hold a grudge against me for something 2 dead men did to him over 25 years ago. My soul can't take it anymore."

Minerva sighs deeply. She knew this would happen. Severus was starting to make waking up in the morning a chore.

"I'm sorry it's been so hard on you. When do you plan to leave us, Harry?"

"I'll stay until the end of term. I figure it would give you at least 4 months to find someone to take my place. Maybe Remus can take over DADA and Hermoine can come in and teach History of Magic. She's just gotten her credentials and she'll be looking for work soon."

"I'll keep that in mind. Take your time, okay Harry? You know your room will always be yours."

"Thank you, Minnie. I hate doing this to you and the school. This has been my home for a long time. I don't want to go but I feel I have to. Maybe if things were different.." Harry shrugs slightly not sure what else to say. He stands and moves to the door. "I'll talk to you later Minnie."

"Take care of yourself Harry. Maybe things will look better soon."

Harry only nods as he steps from the room and heads back towards his rooms a few floors down.

*~*~*~*~*~*

"Minnie, that boy is in love and it's killing him that those feelings aren't returned to him."

Minerva turns and looks up at the portrait of Albus and sighs.

"Mmmm…yes it's a shame too. Severus won't ever know because he won't get to know him."

"I don't think it's just Severus he cares so deeply for. But since Remus and Severus are mates, Harry doesn't think he has a choice but to leave."

Minerva just nods. She had known about Remus and Severus. Harry loving them both was a whole new issue she couldn't help seeing.

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

Harry sat in front of his 7th year class grading essays as his class read and wrote a short in class essay on bogarts. He

planned to once again bring in a bogart the following week so all his classes had a chance to face one and learn the spells that defended against them. However, his mind isn't on the

essays before him. His mind is off daydreaming about the 2 men who could make his life complete if he had the chance. He felt himself harden at those thoughts. He shook his head and thought about Albus in a spedo and that seemed to help

him relax a bit.

"Class there is about 5 minutes left. Finish off what you have done and place them on the back table by the door on your way out. Dismissed."

The students scrambled to finish and put their things away and exit the room heading off to the Great Hall for noon meal. Harry sat there just staring into space. He didn't know it but someone was watching him from the door.

'hy is he so..depressed? What is going on with the Golden Boy that he'd look like someone just kicked his puppy? '

Severus Snape steps quietly into the DADA classroom and moves up between the tables to stand in front of Harry's desk. At first Harry doesn't notice him but when he looked up he was startled to see the man in his dreams and fantacies standing before his desk.

"Can I help you Snape?"

Severus studies him for a few minutes. 'When did I become Snape again? He's called me Severus for years now.'

"You can help us all by stopping this nonsense. Do you think you will get more attention moping around like you lost your best friend."

"Since when do I do what you tell me to? Since when did you give a damn about me?"

"I don't, but Remus does. He's worried about you and I'm tired of hearing about how sad and pathetic you look lately."

"Well you can just tell Remus that I'm fine and that he doesn't have to worry about me. I'm a grown man and I can take care of myself. I've done so all my life. No sense in worrying about me now."

Harry stands and gathers the essays off his desk and the desk by the door. Harry looks at Severus then shakes his head.

"Typical Potter arrogance. Everything is always about you isn't it? You don't care that you are making others worry over you. I'm tired of seeing Remus crying over how he's failed you and you not carrying that he feels that way."

Harry frowns at this. What the hell was Severus talking about? He shakes his head and spells the lights off in the classroom.

"If you will excuse me, I have things to do. I have stuff to pack and I don't want to waste more time than necessary with it. Tell Remus I'll talk to him later."

Harry leaves the room Severus hot on his heels.

"Wait! What do you mean pack. Going somewhere? Got someone to impress with your fame?"

Harry stops and just lowers his head slightly. Closing his eyes to stop the flow of tears that threathen to slip down his face. How could he really love someone who never gave him a chance? He raises his head again staring straight into onyx eyes, his emerald ones seeming to swim in unshed tears.

"I'm leaving Snape. I've been here for 4 years. I've tried to get along with you. I've tried to put my feelings aside and call a truce so that you and I could be able to teach side by side. I wanted to be a friend. But you refuse and I can't deal with the cold dementor like feeling I get when you talk down to me."

Harry gasps, struggling to keep his emotions in check. He hated himself. Loathed himself for feeling like such a weakling in front of Severus. How he had to revert back to last names to keep himself from losing his sanity.

"Leaving. As in taking a vacation? Or running away like your father did before he died?"

"I'm leaving to get away from you and Remus. I can't be here anymore!" Harry was all but yelling at this point not

Carrying that his tears were slipping down his face in rivers.

Severus blinks wondering why he'd want to get away from Remus and himself. It made no sense.

"Potter, you are mad. I don't understand what we have to do with your leaving."

"Don't you get it Severus. I can't believe how dense you can be sometimes. After 4 years of my being here, trying to befriend you, get closer to you. You didn't see it." Harry shakes his head. "Nevermind. I'll be gone soon enough and you and Remus won't see me anymore. You will be happy to be rid of me even if it hurts Remus."

Harry turns away again and moves closer to his door. Just as he's about to say his password he is grabbed and spun around and slammed against his door. Severus pins him against the door and stares into his eyes. He can feel their magic touching but he pays little attention to it.

"Potter, why are you doing this? Leaving? Running away?"

"I can't be here. I can't. I have tried. I can't stand to see what I'll never have."

Severus frowns and starts to step back but Harry grabs his arms keeping him in place.

"Potter, what is it you think you can never have?"

"What you and Remmy have. That overwhelming love I see between you when I see you together. Looking at each other like there is no one else in the world but the two of you. I want that, but I don't deserve it. I'm not good enough to be that with anyone."

Harry turns away from Severus and says his password in parseltongue and slips inside. When the door closes he slips down to the floor and sobs like there is no tomorrow. He couldn't take looking into those eyes anymore. He can't take facing them again. He decided then and there to not be in the same room with him again until the closing feast. His heart couldn't take it anymore.

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

Severus stares at the door for a long time. He reaches up as if to knock but instead just rests his hand on the door. What just happened? What was that surge of magic about. What was Potter going on about? His frown deepens as he decides to head back to his rooms in the dungeons. He didn't understand why Potter would believe no one would love him.

He shakes his head and disappears around the corner.

Unknown to Harry or Severus, Remus was standing in the shadows watching what happened. Tears slip down his face at the realization that Harry loves Severus. The wolf inside him growls at the thought of another wanting his mate. He slips out of the shadows and moves towards the front hall so he can go outside to think. This wasn't right. Harry can't have his Severus.