Chapter Two: The End of War

-Eight Days after the War-

The Great Hall was packed with students. After defeating Voldemort, the castle had been such a mess from the war that all the students felt inclined to work together to fix their school. Some of their parents even showed up to help by casting protection charms and nearly exhausting their magic. Harry could still hear the cast Reparo! over and over in his head. Merlin, that'd been a hard week.

Alas, everyone seemed to be safe again inside the newly fixed Hogwarts Castle. They awaited their well-deserved end-of-the-year feast to appear, but first, there were some announcements to be made. At the front of the Hall, as always, sat Hagrid, Slughorn, Trelawney, Sprout, Flitwick, and finally, Snape, who sat right next to Harry for this special occasion. Snape was offered his position as Headmaster, but, in truth, he was much more comfortable with his familiar, nevertheless intimidating title as the Potions Master.

He talked it over with Minerva after the castle was fixed, and she gladly took the position. Sure, she had a lot on her plate, still being the Head of Gryffindor and the Transfigurations Professor, but she wasn't worried a bit. She was just glad to relieve Severus of the daunting Headmaster position, after all he'd been through. She looked over at him from the middle of the table and smiled. He raised an eyebrow to this, but a small hint of a smirk escaped him. He was very glad to have Minerva as a friend, and even he couldn't deny the immense relief he felt when she didn't blame him for killing Albus.

Not to mention, he got to live in the dungeons as the Head of Slytherin, which had been his home for fourteen-consecutive-years. The dungeon was where he belonged, and everyone in the castle knew it. Blast, even the portraits knew it.

Everyone knew Snape was dark, drab, and cruel. The students were usually intimidated, with the exception of that insipid Potter boy—full of Gryffindor pride, just like his father.

Well, at least, that's what Severus Snape would have said nine days ago: the day before Harry James Potter had miraculously saved his pathetic life. It figured that the man hadn't a clue of how he saved Severus—typical Potter, always there to save the day but never able to explain how! Severus thought, slightly annoyed. It was true, Merlin knew it! Since his first bloody-day at Hogwarts, the boy was, without a doubt, full of false optimism with a bleak future ahead of him.

And yet, somehow, we sit here alive due to no-other than Harry James Potter's efforts. Snape rested his finger to his chin, just as he did before Harry was sorted into the bloody Gryffindor house. It was at that moment when Potter had a burning flash from his scar on his forehead, assuming it was a sign that I was evil. "Nothing, I'm fine," I read his lips, muttering to his incompetent Weasley friend.

If only he'd been sorted into Slytherin, like that blasted hat wished him to be in, perhaps things would have been different for Harry.

I could've kept better watch on him—kept him from nearly getting killed every year without Albus breathing down my neck! If he were a Slytherin. Alas, he never wanted to be in Slytherin. He wanted to be in Gryffindor, like his parents. Only Merlin knew why. Lily could have just as easily been in Slytherin, but I always had a sneaking feeling she felt repulsed by the house as well—at least in her first year.

Though it never had any effect on our friendship, Snape considered, she couldn't understand Slytherin Pride. He glanced sneakily at Harry, sitting next to him, quietly following his gaze.

Harry looked down at the Gryffindor table, scanning for Ron and Hermione. For some reason, he couldn't find Ron anywhere, but he did find Hermione very quickly. She gave him a small wave and beamed; she was so proud of Harry for all he'd been though, with the war and all.

Ginny was sitting next to her, staring him down with brown piercing eyes. It was quite unsettling for the wizard, as it appeared. Harry looked away and sighed deeply, sipping his pumpkin juice. He felt Snape staring at him. Sure enough, Snape wore his signature eyebrow raise for Harry.

"Girl troubles, Potter?" He said in his deep voice, suppressing a chuckle. Harry snorted into his pumpkin juice, quickly grabbing a napkin to wipe his nose. "God, Severus! How did you know?" Harry whispered, still chuckling. He didn't want to force the man to call him "Harry" instead of "Potter," but Harry called him Severus anyway. Once you save a man's life, Harry thought, might as well be on a first-name-basis.

Snape almost smiled at the corner of his mouth, but repressed it. "She has been staring up at you for quite some time now. I'm surprised you just noticed." Harry blushed deeply, wondering why Snape cared about this. Does he know? Harry wondered.

Severus knew Harry wasn't interested in Ginny—after all, he'd been roaming the halls at night for years now. He was quite shocked to see Riley, a Slytherin boy no-less, and the Golden Boy sharing tongue in the Astronomy Tower. Though, he had suspected Harry might fancy blokes after he broke it off with Cho so quickly. Despite it all, Snape never said a word. Snape knew what it was like, trying to keep up an acceptable appearance.

Harry stammered in response to Severus, "Ginny, well, s-she's nice and all, b-but," Harry bit his lower lip, trying to calm himself. He went even redder. Surprisingly, Snape interrupted him saying, "Potter, no need to explain. I, of all people, understand what it is like to keep up…certain…facades." He whispered the last word as though he was seething. Harry grinned at this. Three years ago, that look on Snape's face would have scared him stiff, but now that he knew him better, he found Snape to be a very understanding man. "You're fucking hilarious, Severus. You know that?" Harry bumped his shoulder playfully as Snape almost choked on his chocolate cake. Harry patted his back, "Come on now, can't have you dying on me again!" He started laughing. "Do I need to take points from Gryffindor so you'll start in the negative when you return next year, Potter?" Severus said after swallowing the cake. He couldn't hold back a shy-grin. Wow, he looks so much happier like this, Harry thought at seeing Snape's closed half-smile.

"Well, actually, sir—" Harry started, but was cut off by deafening silence.

Both men looked away and at Headmistress McGonagall, who was about to give the end-of-the-year speech. It'd be much different than ones previous ones, Snape suspected.

"Good evening, fellow students. As many of you may already know, I am thrilled to say that the entire school has been repaired. Thank you all so much for helping, and give special thanks to your guardians who helped as well!" She scanned the crowd—all students appeared so happy, grinning from ear-to-ear, now that the war was over. It nearly made her heart melt to see everyone at peace again. Well, except for that Weasley girl, still staring Harry down, as if she could win him over that way. McGonagall repressed an eye-roll and continued with her speech.

"Before we begin with the annual end-of-the-year feast, I must say that I have been honored with the position of Headmistress at Hogwarts." Everyone clapped for her. She turned and smiled at Harry. "Harry Potter would like to say a few important words before we begin the feast as well, so give him your full attention!" Everyone clapped, hooted and hollered for their so-called-savior. Harry waited for them to settle down. Of course, they all cheer for the Golden Boy, Snape thought bitterly, sipping his pumpkin juice. I wish it was whiskey. He looked down into the now-empty-glass.

Harry cleared his throat. "As you all know, Voldemort is dead—" he raised his hand at the audience to silence their cheering, "but I'm not the one you should be cheering for." Hmm…where is he going with this? Severus thought, raising an eyebrow at Harry as he looked at him. He narrowed his eyes at Harry, wondering why he was smiling goofily at him like that. Is Potter out of his mind? Either he is or I am. Snape nearly chuckled at the plausibility of his last thought.

"You see, believe it or not, I do not consider myself a hero by any means." The crowd was appalled, but Harry was unaffected. "There is one man who, admittedly, I used to think was evil. In fact, at my first year at Hogwarts, when Voldemort almost acquired the Sorcerer's Stone, I'd thought that the man was trying to kill me, when actually, he saved my life. Time and time again," Harry looked over to Snape, seeing his coal black eyes glimmer, "he has risked himself to save me. Without him, I would be dead, and without him, this war would have been never-ending."

What? Snape froze in thought, as if his brain turned into a broken record, repeating that same question over and over. Was his heart even beating? He forced himself to take a breath.

Harry pulled something out of his pocket—it looked like his invisibility cloak. Hermione gaped at him: she knew what he was about to do. Her eyebrows went up in surprise. Ginny asked her, "What? What's he doing?" She was always so clueless. Hermione shook her head at her, shushing her quietly. "Give it up, will you, Ginny?" Hermione scorned as quietly as possible.

"Professor Snape, if you would be so kind to join me?" Harry grinned impishly, with hints of tears in his eyes, motioning for Severus Snape to come join him. To say Snape was startled was an understatement. Flitwick gave him a push, which earned him a scowl, and soon Snape was up front and center with Harry. "Thank you, Professor." Harry said politely to Severus.

Snape could only stare back in surprise as Potter held his invisibility cloak in his left hand. Harry turned to the crowd, "My father passed this invisibility cloak down to me, and it's come in handy, but—" he turned to Severus again, who was wide-eyed, "Professor Snape could always see right through it! I must have lost 100 house points due to wandering the castle at night." Harry looked down at the cloak as the crowd burst in laughter. Snape felt his mouth twitch at the corners: the man was right, indeed.

"Severus Snape," Harry said proudly, "is the real hero. He deserves this cloak more than I, and I would be honored to give it to him." Harry locked eyes with Severus, handing him the cloak. They brushed each other as the cloak transferred into those pale, long-fingered hands. Snape looked just as startled by the touch as he did about receiving the gift. Or, to be standing up there at all. To be given an invisibility cloak, such a rare item indeed, was very noble—even coming from Potter.

The crowd was cheering so loudly the tables were shaking, but it all seemed muffled with Harry looking at him. Me…a hero… Severus snorted aloud. Never had he anticipated this to come. He watched Harry pull one more item out of his pocket. His brows furrowed in confusion.

"One more thing. I grant Professor Snape this medal of honor for bravery—I could have never—" Harry started to tear up again, quickly trying to calm himself, "I couldn't have done what he did for us—for all of us." There was another deafening silence from the crowd.

Harry motioned to put the medal around his neck, smiling at Severus shyly. Not wanting to be the center of attention any longer, Snape bowed his head slightly as Harry put the medal around his neck. Immediately, the crowd broke out in a deep cheer. For me? Snape truly wondered if the students knew who they were clapping for.

He felt Harry shake his hand—whose palm was embarrassingly sweaty. Despite the younger's nervousness, he pulled them closer together in a hug. In front of…everyone.

Only seconds went by, which seemed like minutes, as Harry held Severus tightly around him. Severus obliged, realizing his position, and relaxed into Harry's warmth. He smelled quite good, actually, much like peppermint—No. Snape's eyes jolted wide open to stop himself from thinking anything further on the subject. Instead of thinking, he decided he should probably say something to the man who bestowed him these meaningful gifts.

"I—I don't," Snape cleared his throat, "P-Harry, that was wonderful, thank you." He whispered so only Harry could hear. The cheering subsided when McGonagall allowed the students to begin their feast. Harry still held Severus for a moment, whispering, "When you have time—flip the medal over. It has an inscription on the back." Harry sniffled, backing away. Severus was smiling. It made Harry smile back eagerly, with puppy-eyes. Harry chuckled softly, looking over and catching Snape about to do the safe before he repressed it. They headed back to their seats, still a little in shock. Neither men really liked all that attention cast upon them, but Harry wanted to do something special for Severus.

Discreetly, when Harry was talking to Flitwick, Severus studied the medallion. On the front, it said, "For the Bravest Man I've ever known: Severus Snape." He flipped it over. "Always," it read. That'd been what they said during Snape's near-death moment. That word. He clutched the medal to his heart, looking down at his plate.

Snape then decided he wanted to thank Harry properly, after all those gifts and titles. It really was nice, what Harry had done, even if he disagreed with him. He never thought of himself as a hero—rather, an ex-Death Eater who swore to protect the Boy Who Lived. But, this aside, he had to do something.

He laid a hand on his knee. "Harry?" The wizard looked at him happily. Harry laid his hand on Severus' in response. Strange…this feels nice. Harry thought, then shook off the thought. Snape began in his rich voice, "I would like to thank you properly for the many things you've done for me tonight. No one has done anything like that for me, Pot—Harry." Harry smiled at the correction of his name. Maybe we can be friends after all this. He thought gleefully, rubbing Snape's hand. "I have a bottle of whiskey in my quarters: it'd be the least I could do, if you'd want to join me tonight in celebration." Severus was a bit shaky, so Harry intertwined the pale fingers with his own.

"I would be honored, Severus." Harry said, feeling truly touched that the Potions Master wanted to invite him into his territory, into his home! It was unheard of, for Snape to invite anyone but staff members into his chambers, with the exception of Draco, that is. Both men smirked out of nervousness and moved away from one another, wishing students a good-bye until next term.