(Step-authors note - message from Meru-chan: Halo! Como estas? Is geit mi gut... yeah, I'm on language overhaul - German, Hebrew, Spanish, English, and soon Japanese. Don't mind me if the grammar gets weird. Alright, we are now on chapter two of Necessary Affections. I'm so happy to know that some of the old readers still remeber this story. Yes, I liked it too, hence why it's in my account when I didn't originally write it. Please keep in mind that this is CottonTail's baby and not mine, and no matter how I raise it, it will still have CottonTail's eyes, skin, height, hair, and whatever other features. I just am raising it. And now, to chapter 2.)
(I must thank JiM for pointing out to me that my weather patterns were a bit screwed up. Windy and then snowing with the window open. So I'm making a quick fix edit here.)
I'm wishing I hadn't titled this "The Plot" because now I'll have to give it one. I didn't want to post this part yet. But I keep getting "where's the next part" e-mail so I feel guilty.
Please feel free to correct any of my incorrect terms for some things in the HP universe. I'm still a bit of a newbie to the fandom.
Disclaimer: Harry Potter and all characters portrayed are not mine. I make no profit from this.
WARNING:
Also, this is going to turn into slash (Harry/Severus)… with luck. Or, this could easily join all the other unfinished HP fiction that is out there.
Damned the boy.
Severus glowered at Harry who was furiously trying to lower the temperature on his boiling potion. Granger reached over and added a few pinches of dried snail slime to the potion and it immediately settled back to a simmer. Potter gave her a relieved smile and glanced up at him once more. Seeing that Snape was still watching he immediately dropped his eyes in a way that came off far too flirtatiously for Severus' comfort.
But he was unaware of it. The boy hadn't a clue he was doing this. Flirting with darkness. Playing right into it. The great plan. Severus scowled even more. Perhaps if Harry knew what he had to look forward to he would be fighting against it more. As it was, he was little more than an unwitting toy in a game.
One of the Gryffindores at the back of the class was causing an alarming amount of yellow smoke to fill the air. "Damned morons!" Severus muttered just under his breath and threw his quill down, standing abruptly. He glided down the small aisle to the back of the class to give the student the proper amount of scolding reprimand, entirely too aware that Harry flinched when he passed.
After setting the student right he returned to the front of the class, stopping just short of Potter's table. The boy was standing stiffly, shoulders squared. He could feel him of course. The connection between them, all of it open now. And no matter how much Severus disliked this link between them, disliked the way it had been forced upon them and disliked the reason for its necessity… he had to admit, it was far too tempting to play with him. There was a certain thrill to know just what Potter was feeling right now
Anxiety for certain, but also confusion and just under that, need. Need Harry couldn't put a name to yet. Unaware as he was.
Severus leaned over the boy's shoulder, giving the impression he was examining Potter's potion. "Its a bit thick, Potter." He spoke low and just within Harry's hearing.
He shivered. Severus saw the subtle movement of muscles in the boy's back tense and then release as he stepped away and returned to his desk with the usual swirl of robes.
Severus felt just a twinge of guilt at teasing him like this. He must be confused enough over recent events. And he knew that Dumbledore was not forthcoming with the boy about what was happening.
He ignored the impulse to look at Harry again and returned to his grading.
Harry woke abruptly and sat up, blinking into the darkness. Soft snores and breathing from the other beds in the room with him. There was a cold draft in the air, despite the closed window, and it fell across him, cooling the sheen of sweat that covered his body and making him shiver.
He touched tentative fingers to his scar but there was none of the usual tenderness or pain that he normally associated with his nightmares. In fact, he wasn't entirely sure this had been a nightmare that woke him. Just that he woke so suddenly and his heart was racing, his breathing fast.
Dread filled him. Why couldn't he just sleep through the night like other normal students? He felt certain he was awake for a reason. Certain something was supposed to happen.
He continued to sit in the darkness. Having no inclination to actually get out of bed and no place to go once he did.
He lay back down, thoughts running in circles. Always returning to the Potions class and Professor Snape's odd behavior towards him. Hermione and Ron had not noticed it. But there had been something. Like Snape was trying to tell him an important message and Harry was deaf to it.
Harry felt an overwhelming need to go to him, to ask once and for all what it was he was trying to say. Why was he there at Harry's bedside while he was unconscious for so many days? But he just knew the older wizard would scoff at him. Call him a foolish boy and tell him to go away. Take ten points from Gryffindor for being stupid or some such.
He snuggled further under his heavy covers and buried his head in them. Willing these confused feelings to go away. Snow was blowing outside the thick window. Cold winds whistled against the pane and made the warmth of the room and the security of his bed all the more comforting.
His thoughts returned to the feel if a soothing hand against his head, the voice gentling and calming him. He thought of all the times Professor Snape had always been there. Catching him before he landed too far into trouble. And every time Harry had assumed the man was up to no good. Was trying to sabotage Harry and his friends, to hurt him, get him expelled.
Every time, it turned out the opposite. He was always there watching over him. Like he cared in some sick way. Harry felt queasy at the idea. Why was he like that? Dark and cruel one minute and then he's your guardian angel the next? Hmmm. Angel and Snape did not go in the same sentence. Harry reconsidered.
Guardian… guardian tall, intimidating, dark eyed, potions professor. That sounded better.
These thoughts were not helping him fall back asleep.
Harry wondered if he hadn't woken so suddenly because he was beginning to feel sick again. No. Not again. He buried his head further into his pillows and took deep breaths, willing the flopping of his stomach to go away. Had he eaten something bad at the evening meal? No. Beef stew and buttered rolls. It wasn't anything he hadn't had before.
The rest of the night was going to be restless. Just what he needed with a test in Charms tomorrow. Curling further into a ball he struggled to keep from moaning and shivering.
