Author Notes: Thank you all for your wonderful reviews.*hugs them all* I`m sorry that I`m only now able to post the next chapter, but college kept me busy these past few weeks and I didn`t find the time to update this story.^^"
I hope you will still enjoy the new chapter.=)
Appreciation: As always, this chapter wouldn`t be the same or ready for posting, without Yen`s awesome skills at beta-reading and improving this chapter.:) Thank you, dear.*hugs*
The Consequences
Harry stared at the wooden door in front of him. Was this really the right course of action?
His green eyes darted from the door to the stone walls around him. He had always dreaded the dungeons. At first, it was because he knew his Potions Master hated him and would do everything in his power to ridicule him, and now... because that itself had changed.
Harry sighed and ran a hand through his already messy hair. Snape didn't hate him anymore, not since they had fought alongside each other in the war and especially not after Harry and his friends had done everything in their power to clear Snape's name. They had spent many summer evenings preparing for the hearings at the court and planning for the worst case scenario.
In fact, if the Wizengamot had sent Snape to Azkaban, Harry knew that he and his friends would have broken the Potions Master out. After hunting Horcruxes for almost a year, it would have been quite easy to do that especially since Azkaban didn't have Dementors as guards anymore. Still, it was better that such an extreme action hadn't been necessary. That idea had sounded pretty cool at the time, but Harry was sure it wouldn't have been so great for Snape to be on the run for the rest of his life and he might have never have seen the man again.
Harry grimaced as he recalled Hermione telling him that he still never saw Snape outside of classes, because he was too cowardly to approach the Potions Master. He groaned inwardly. He knew why he hadn't visited Snape, it was because of his fear that all his hopes and dreams would shatter if he spent more time with the Potions Master. Yes, he knew it was ridiculous after they had spent so many evenings together, talking about everything and nothing at the same time, after everyone else had already gone to bed. In fact, there was no reason to avoid Snape and a lot of reasons to visit him, and yet, Harry had only come down here after he didn't have a choice... unless he decided he never wanted to play Quidditch ever again.
"Hermione, what do you mean by a magical, binding vow?"
Harry stared at her, only just managing to keep his hands from trembling as he waited for her answer. The only vow he had ever heard about was the Unbreakable Vow and he was quite certain it needed two people and an exchange of promises for it to activate.
He supposed it was logical there were more types of vows in the Wizarding World than just the one, but... how could he have made one if he didn't even know what he was doing?
No. Hermione was certainly wrong and... wait. How often had she been wrong since he knew her?
Well, there was the time when she was just as convinced as he and Ron were that Snape was trying to steal the Philosopher Stone back in their first year. She had also believed Malfoy was innocent back in their sixth year, but that was it. She had never been wrong when it came to magical theory. But maybe this was an exception to the rule and...
"What just happened here? You two look like Voldemort just came back from the dead."
Harry jerked in surprise as Ron sat down opposite them and then he saw Hermione wave her wand to include the redhead in their conversation.
"Harry made a vow," Hermione stated in a matter of fact voice.
Ron's eyes widened comically as he stared from Hermione to Harry and then back at his girlfriend. Under different circumstances, Harry would have found the sight amusing, but when Ron turned pale after Hermione told him exactly what Harry had said, hecouldn't find anything funny in the situation anymore.
Ron wasn't the most brilliant of wizards, but he had grown up in a Wizarding family so he should be familiar with magical bonds and vows. If he was frightened at what Harry had done, then...
"You have to fulfill the vow."
Harry only blinked at his best mate.
"Are you sure that there is no other way? We could... try to break the vow."
Ron and Hermione shook their heads in union.
"You can't break a magical vow, without facing the consequences, Harry!" Hermione exclaimed.
"Maybe a very powerful wizard could break the vow, but... the only one with that amount of power was Dumbledore and..." Ron trailed off. He didn't need to finish the sentence.
They all knew what had happened to the former Headmaster and although two years had passed since then, they still missed him. Especially in moments like this, Harry mused.
"So, I have to... kiss Snape or I will never be able to play Quidditch again?" Harry shook his head in denial."That can't be true. I mean... how did I even form a bond without knowing it?"
Hermione sighed. It was her "If-you-read-books-you-would-know-about-this" sigh and Harry braced himself for more information coming his way.
"Magic is always about intent. You remember Bellatrix telling you that you have to mean it, when you curse someone?"
Harry grimaced and nodded at the reminder of his fifth year encounter with that bitch.
"It's always like that. Not so much with simple spells like Accio, but with more powerful magic, and vows are very powerful magic. If you don't mean what you say, your magic won't activate to create the bond... or if you aren't powerful enough to form the bond, of course."
Harry bit his lower lip. He couldn't deny that he had meant what he said, but...
"Maybe I'm not powerful enough for the bond to..."
Ron's laughter stopped him mid-sentence.
"Sorry, mate, but if I have to make a guess then you are the most powerful wizard among us, maybe even the most powerful wizard in Hogwarts or in Britain."
Harry shook his head in denial, but then it was Hermione's turn to shatter all his hopes.
"Remember how you cast a Patronus charm which was strong enough to drive away all Dementors in our third year? Or how your Expelliarmus was stronger than Voldemort's Avada Kedavra during the final battle?"
Harry tried to open his mouth to protest, but no words came out. Hermione was right and that meant...
"You go down to Snape right now and..."
"I can't just kiss him when he opens the door! He will kill me and use me as potion ingredients."
The brilliant witch only rolled her eyes and Ron, who would have paled in horror at that image in the past, only snorted.
"He won't do any such thing and you don't have to kiss him right away. You talk with him, build up a relationship and maybe kissing comes naturally to you two and if it doesn't... just give him a peck on the cheek. That should fulfill the vow as well."
Harry could only gaped at his best mate. He knew that Ron had accepted his crush on Snape, but he had always thought he would never be able to talk with the redhead about it and now... he was urging him to get together with Snape!
"Don't look like that, Harry! I'm not as narrow minded as you think I am."
Before Harry could protest, Ron had already hauled him to his feet and pushed him towards the door of the common room.
"Don't you dare come back without making any progress!"
With those rather ominous sounding words, Harry was sent on his way towards the dungeons by his two best friends.
The young Gryffindor sighed again as he stared at the door. He had walked to his own death at the final battle, hoping his sacrifice would help one of his friends to kill Voldemort, but he hadn't hesitated for as long as he did now, standing in front of Snape's quarters.
Ridiculous.
Raising his hand, Harry knocked on the door before he could think any longer about what might happen once the Potions Master opened it. He just had to see this damned vow as a chance to get to know the man better, find out if his feelings were more than just a crush on Snape and if not, make the older wizard fall in love with him as well. Simple.
Unfortunately, his calming thoughts didn't help at all. He still flinched when the door opened and two black orbs looked down at him.
"Potter, to what do I owe this pleasure?"
The words were teasing instead of mocking or annoyed, so Harry took heart in that as he took a step towards the Potions Master.
"Can I come in, please?"
OOO
Severus frowned as he heard the knock at his door. His Snakes normally didn't come to him at this late hour, it was past curfew after all. Of course, they knew they could still get him if it was an emergency, but he doubted that was the case this time. The knock had sounded too calm and unhurried.
Sighing, Severus marked the page in his book and closed it before getting up from his armchair. Maybe Minerva had decided to have a drink with him before the NEWT and OWL exams started. He wouldn't say no to some Firewhisky.
Opening the door, the Potions Master found himself staring at the one student he hadn't expected to ever meet in front of his door.
"Potter, to what do I owe this pleasure?"
Severus made sure to keep his voice light and bare of any sneering. The time when he had belittled the young man at every opportunity was long gone. Potter had earned his respect during the Horcrux hunt especially when Severus learned how he had willingly walked to his death, in order to make Voldemort mortal again... although Severus could have killed the young Gryffindor for his recklessness when he learned of that.
He supposed it was a good thing Albus hadn't told him about the Horcrux in the boy's scar or he would... well, Severus didn't know what he would have done, but he certainly wouldn't have allowed Potter to walk to his death. Maybe he would have accepted it as a necessity before he had got to known Potter better, but after they had fought alongside to beat Voldemort... No, he would have fled the country with the brat, even if he had to force the young Gryffindor to go with him.
"Can I come in, please?"
Potter's polite question interrupted Severus' thoughts. He had no idea what had brought the young man down here.
After the school year started, he had expected a visit - or a few visits at least - from Potter. After all, they had gotten along well during the summer months and Severus had looked forward to more conversations with the young Gryffindor. He had never thought it possible, but he had started to like the spawn of James Potter during the last year. Like him and... maybe even more.
But Severus had forbade himself such thoughts whenever his eyes lingered on the athletic figure of the young man. He might have allowed them if Potter had searched him out to continue building their friendship, but... he hadn't and Severus was forced to dismiss their nice evenings together as a passing mood of Potter.
In fact, he had almost convinced himself that he was looking forward to the end of the school year so he wouldn't have to see Potter anymore. Now... the young man was asking to be let into his quarters. Severus should deny him, but... he was too curious to find out what brought Potter to him to do that.
Stepping aside, the Potions Master gestured for him to come in.
OOO
Harry followed Snape into his quarters. Many students would be surprised that they weren't dark and dimly lit with a few candles like the chambers of vampires in books, but Harry wasn't. He had never been to the Potion Master's quarters before, but he had learned enough about the man during the summer to have different expectations about his quarters.
When they had stayed at Grimmauld Place, Harry had found out that Snape liked to sit in front of the fireplace in a comfortable armchair, preferably with a good book. Hence, it didn't surprise Harry to find himself in a cozy living room with a well lit fireplace and a lounge that included two armchairs and two couches, placed in a circle around a glass coffee table.
Green eyes looked around curiously. Harry couldn't see any bookshelves, but he figured that they were behind one of the closed doors which led out of the living room.
"Did something happen or did you just come here to convince yourself that I'm not living like a vampire?"
Harry started at the smooth voice of the Potions Master. He had almost forgotten why he had come here in the first place! He glanced at Snape who was leaning casually against the frame of the fireplace, his fathomless, dark eyes seeming to look straight into Harry's soul.
The young Gryffindor shuddered inwardly as he remembered his Occlumency lessons. He forced himself to focus on the situation at hand and come up with an explanation as to why he had come here, but that was easier said than done. He had always wondered what Snape would look like without those long black robes and seeing him now, wearing only a white, long-sleeved shirt and black trousers was verydistracting.
Harry unconsciously licked his lips as his eyes trailed up those long legs which revealed just how thin Snape was, to the white shirt that showed off his broad shoulders and finally, the face of the man himself. Harry would be the first to admit that the Potions Master would never win a beauty contest, but his features were... dashing.
His high cheek bones and long nose looked strong in his harsh face, while his eyes... the black depths were burning as the light of the flames caught them.
"Do you want to take a picture of me or are you content with standing there and staring at me all night?" Severus asked, his voice holding both amusement and confusion.
Flustered, Harry forced himself to answer.
"You look much better in these clothes than in your robes," he blurted out and then he froze. What had he just said?!
"I mean... you also look good in your robes, all dangerous and mysterious, but like that..."
Horrified, Harry forced himself to stop before he could dig his grave even deeper. It seemed like every time he opened his mouth this evening, something stupid came out of it. Maybe he should stop speaking altogether, but he doubted it would make any difference. Snape was certainly going to kill him now and...
"Are you mocking me, Potter?"
Harry gulped as the Potions Master stepped closer to him, his expression murderous.
"Do you think it's funny to come here and mock me like your father did? Or do you think that it's your right for making sure that I didn't land myself in Azkaban?"
Harry's eyes widened in shock at the accusations.
"I'm not mocking you!" he protested. "Look, I know I screwed this up, but I just came down here to spend some time with you and to... get to know you better. I certainly don't want to mock you."
Dark orbs narrowed at him as the Potions Master loomed over him.
"You want to get to know me? You have known me ever since you came to Hogwarts the first time, Potter! And if you don't want to mock me, why did you make remarks about my outward appearance?!"
The sneer was back in place. For one moment, Harry almost believed that last year never happened at all, and that Snape still was the horrible git of the dungeons, but he pushed that thought away. It was his fault that the Potions Master thought he was pulling a prank on him, since he was too stupid to express himself properly.
Steeling himself, Harry tried to find the right words this time.
"I think I only started getting to know you last year, especially during the summer. I... would like to get to know you better... and I was only saying what I thought... about your appearance. That's it."
Harry held his breath as he waited for Snape to throw him out or hex him into tomorrow, but the Potions Master only stared at him as if he was trying to determine his intentions. The young Gryffindor was even prepared for Snape to use Legilimency on him to verify his words, but instead the Potions Master took a step back and gestured towards the couch and chairs.
"I think a more comfortable place is needed for this conversation."
Harry sighed in relief as he went to sit down on the couch, opposite Snape. He hoped that he wouldn't make even more of a fool of himself this evening than he already had.
OOO
Why was he here?
Severus frowned at Harry who was sipping at the hot tea he had ordered for him from a house elf. At first, he had truly thought that Potter was only here to mock him, but the earnest look in these emerald eyes had put him at ease. Potter had meant what he said, although Severus couldn't understand why the young man would think that he looked good in his teaching robes... or at all.
Potter on the other hand, was a sight for sore eyes. Severus would be lying to himself if he didn't admit just how handsome the young man was. Potter had grown a little over the summer and his athletic form was proof of how much time he had spent with playing Quidditch.
A few years back, Severus would have sneered at that, but after everything that had happened, he thought Potter deserved to enjoy his final year at Hogwarts.
"So," Severus started, when it didn't look like Potter was going to say anything, "you said you want to get to know me? What's that supposed to mean?"
Severus forbade himself from hoping for the answer he was longing for. It was impossible that Potter was attracted to him; no sane man would be attracted to someone like him. The Potions Master smirked inwardly, he had often enough told Potter what he thought of his mental condition, but he didn't think that the young man was that far gone.
"I thought that we could... start where we left off in the summer," Potter replied, a faint blush creeping into his cheeks and making him look even more attractivein Severus' eyes. "I mean, we did get along well back then, didn't we?"
Severus nodded before he could think about it.
"Yes, but why now?" he answered. "You could have come to me all school year or is it because of the upcoming NEWTs? Do you need extra help in potions?"
"No!" Potter said and shook his head vehemently.
Severus frowned. If Potter was a Slytherin, he would be lying. No one would come to see him when they didn't need anything from him, expect maybe for Minerva who wanted someone to have a drink with. But if the young man didn't want help with Potions, what did he want from him then?
"I knew that I could have come to you sooner and I really wanted to keep having conversations with you, but... I just didn't know how to address you, after we were back at school and..."
Potter shrugged and glanced down at the steaming cup in his hands.
For the first time at that evening, Severus realized just how young Potter looked when he was insecure. Like now.
No, scratch that!
Potter didn't just look young, he was young. Twenty years younger than he was. Severus swallowed a mouthful of hot tea and tried to ignore the voice telling him just how inappropriate his thoughts about Potter were. It didn't matter, Potter would never know.
"Am I right in guessing that you didn't know how to behave around me once we returned to school?"
When Potter nodded, Severus had to admit that he believed him. He himself hadn't known how to behave around Potter after they had spent so many evenings in each other's company over the summer. They had talked about so many topics that Severus couldn't even remember each conversation clearly anymore. He just knew that he had enjoyed every moment he had spent in Potter's company.
It looked like the young man felt the same way and if he wanted to have Severus as his friend, the Potions Master wouldn't deny him. It was better than nothing after all.
"So, you want to pursue some sort of friendship?" he asked carefully.
When Potter's expression fell, Severus quickly braced himself for a mocking reply. He cursed himself at the same time that he had misinterpreted Potter's intentions, but the young man's reply surprised him.
"I... friendship would be nice, but... I don't know, maybe... more."
Dark orbs widened in surprise as they stared at Potter. Of course, there were many ways to interpret Potter's words, but the telltale blush in those cheeks showed there was only one right interpretation.
Severus took another swallow of his tea. He hadn't expected this at all when he had sat down for a nice evening with his newest book about potion ingredients found in America. He hadn't even thought this far when he had opened his door to find Potter standing there.
The young man wanted more than friendship!
Severus had to put down his tea cup and clasp his hands in his lap to prevent them from trembling. He knew the decent thing to do would be to throw Potter out or at least tell him that he should go looking for someone better suited for him, but...
"You can come down to help me prepare ingredients if you want to get to know me better. Tomorrow afternoon."
Severus was prepared for a refusal, for Potter to tell him to prepare his ingredients himself, but the young Gryffindor actually beamed at him.
"That would be great, Professor!"
Severus cringed at that. It was good if Potter addressed him as such during classes, but if they were to manage some sort of relationship, which Severus was still highly doubting, he didn't want that.
"When you are in my quarters, you can call me Severus."
If possible, the smile on Potter's face grew even brighter.
"Only if you call me Harry," he quickly replied.
Severus nodded. Maybe he could even start calling Potter – Harry – by his given name in his thoughts. He had forbidden himself such familiarity, fearing that he might get even more attached to the young man as he already was. But if they were truly able to learn more about each other, then it was probably fine to do so... at least until Harry found himself someone else.
Severus pushed that thought away, deciding he could allow himself to hope for a while until he was proven wrong again. The clock on the mantelpiece struck then and he stared at it, surprised to find an hour had already passed. Shaking his head, he focused back on his guest.
As much as he would like to have P... Harry – he was allowed to call him that now – here, it would be better if he went back to his dorm now.
"Can you manage to get back to your dorm on your own without getting caught by Filch?"
Severus thought he saw a flash of disappointment in those green eyes, but it vanished the moment Harry stood up and smiled at him again.
"That's not a problem at all."
The Potions Master followed him to the door and opened it. The dungeons outside seemed dark and vacant.
"Goodnight, Prof... Severus."
Green eyes looked expectantly at him, but the Potions Master ignored it as he ushered the young man out of his quarters.
Harry might think that he was interested in him and maybe their time together would prove that, but Severus was sure that Harry would soon realize he only wanted his Potions Master as a friend.
If Severus was that lucky.
Therefore, he refused to overstep a line which Harry might never want to cross again after spending some time with him. Instead of leaning in to those tempting young lips, Severus satisfied himself with running a hand up Harry's arm before stepping back.
"Goodnight, Harry."