III. Progressus *
When Severus entered the kitchen early the next morning, he found Harry at the kitchen table.
Good morning.
"Morning. I didn't expect you here this early," Harry yawned and stood up, stretching himself languidly. "Kreacher has gone out, for shopping I guess. Eggs?"
Severus forced himself not to stare at the younger man, who was only wearing his pajama bottoms which were riding extremely low on his narrow hips. Last time he'd walked in on Harry half-naked, the main thing he'd noticed that Harry was very skinny. But now that his eating habits had improved, he wasn't skinny anymore. In fact, he looked really good.
When Harry turned on the stove and started frying the eggs and bacon, Severus' eyes swerved back to him. Yes, he looked really good. Especially his ass. He blushed when he realized he was checking Harry out. He was twenty years younger, dammit! And most definitely not interested in an old, ugly man like him! If he was even interested in men at all, which was highly debatable considering his past with girls ...
An hour later they started on the potion.
Harry stopped his obsessive chopping when Severus put his hand over his. He looked up and Severus gestured him to put the final ingredient into the potion.
"No way! You're gonna put it in," Harry said, anxious and excited at the same time.
You will put it in, and I will stir.
"Okay, okay," Harry took a deep breath to control the trembling of his hands, then tipped the chopping board and scraped every last bit into the cauldron. He watched apprehensively as the other man stirred and counted. After the required amount of clockwise and counter-clockwise strokes, Severus lifted the rod out of the cauldron. He stuck out his arm and placed his hand on Harry's chest so they both stepped back. Both men had their eyes fixed on the bubbling liquid in the cauldron, bubbles and sparks were jumping higher and higher in the air. But when Harry's heart started pounding in his chest, Severus couldn't help turning his head and he watched the younger man's flushed cheeks, his messed up hair and his eyes that were reflecting the sparkles of the potion. His hand involuntarily tightened in Harry's shirt as they both stared, mesmerized.
"I think it's done," Harry said in a breathless voice. Severus averted his eyes and relaxed slightly, letting go of the younger man. He stepped closer to the finished potion to assess the color, odor and consistency intently. "And?" Harry couldn't take the silence anymore.
Looks promising.
"It does?" Harry practically bounced. "Let me try it."
I told you before, I will not let you be the guinea pig anymore.
"Try and stop me," Harry said boldly and quickly slid his silver knife over his lower arm.
Severus' eyes widened in shock and he grunted. What the hell do you think you are doing?
"I really think this is it. I have to see if it makes me heal faster, right?" Harry said unconcerned and mopped up the blood. "Come on, pour me a dose."
You are unbelievable.
Harry didn't respond, but just held out his hand with a goblet. Severus sighed deeply, then poured him a dose as requested. When he swallowed it, he kept his eyes locked on the cut in his arm, as if he expected it to miraculously heal. Severus' eyes were on Harry's face though, his hands gripping the edge of the table tightly.
"Well ... again no immediate poisoning," Harry laughed with a shaky voice after minutes of charged silence. "No immediate healing either."
You cut yourself pretty deep. This usually takes more than a week to heal, you can't expect an immediate effect. We'll have to monitor it over the coming hours.
"Does that mean we're done for today, and that you'll join me in the living room?" Harry's eyes lit up.
I don't see why that is a reason to look happy.
Harry chuckled. "You might be old and grumpy, but you are company."
Thank you. Severus snorted, but deep inside, the comment hurt. Harry did see him as old and grumpy.
"No, seriously. Now that I've seen that you can smile, it's amusing to see how you try to come off with the grumpy act. Especially when I beat you in chess."
You didn't beat me. You cheated.
"I didn't cheat!" Harry said indignantly. "I only distracted you."
The way you did it, qualifies as cheating.
Harry grinned, not at all ashamed when he thought back of that particular game of chess. He'd known that Severus was winning, so he had tried to distract him in various ways. The older man was hard to fool though, so Harry decided to play – well, a bit mean. He'd asked Severus what it was like to kiss a man. Severus hadn't answered, but he had been thoroughly distracted for the rest of the game. Harry had grinned and winked at him all the time, ensuring an easy victory. Severus had refused to play chess with him again until Harry promised he'd stop cheating, but Harry just kept on denying flat out that he'd cheated.
"I'm starving. Let's get something to eat first," Harry patted his stomach when he cleared away the last utensils. Severus nodded and followed him to the kitchen, where Kreacher immediately prepared a delicious meal for them. They made some pleasant small-talk during the meal.
"Wow, I'm stuffed."
You do know how to exaggerate.
"Seriously, I ate too much!" Harry lifted up his shirt and expanded his belly. Severus swallowed thickly. He remembered staring at Harry's ass early this morning, but his front was also ... appealing. He quickly shook his head to get rid of the inappropriate thoughts and stood up.
"Are you in for a game of chess, Severus?" Harry wiggled his eyebrows when he entered the living room after him.
No.
"Why not?" Harry pouted, then gave him a cheeky grin. "Afraid of more questions? We don't have to be playing chess for that."
If you ask me one more insolent question, you will be keeping yourself company the rest of the day.
"But you have to keep track of the progress," Harry held out his arm with the fresh cut.
Let me see. Severus held out his hand, and took the offered wrist. He slowly pushed up Harry's sleeve, uncovering the pink-tinged skin.
How do you feel?
"Fine. Not any different than usual," Harry shrugged.
Not running a temperature?
"I don't think so. But you'd better judge that." Harry stilled surprised when Severus put his free hand on his forehead, after pushing his fringe to the side. He'd expected Severus to cast a temperature-charm, not to feel his forehead!
You seem fine.
"I feel fine," Harry said, but at the last word his voice trembled. Severus had shifted his hand, the one that was holding Harry's wrist, and the skin-to-skin contact made him shiver. Severus watched him closely when he felt the younger man's pulse speed up, but then he focused on the cut.
It seems to heal faster than a usual cut, but it's too soon to draw conclusions.
"Yeah, it seems to be working," Harry said in a hoarse voice.
Severus shifted his thumb slightly, to feel his pulse better. Am I making you nervous?
Harry watched him through narrowed eyes, he watched the way Severus' fingers were placed strategically to count his pulse, then he watched the dark, golden-specked eyes. There was no malice in them. "Apparently."
Severus covered up Harry's arm and let go of him. Without a snarky comment, he sat down on the couch and took the newspaper. Harry shook his head confused, then took his place on the other side of the couch and opened his favorite Quidditch book.
)-(
Several weeks later, Severus could still be found in the lab every day. The potion was proving to be effective to his poisonous snake-bite too, but the healing was still a very slow process. And as there was only a minimal improvement in his voice after one week of daily doses of their 'Parselwashout' potion, as Harry had named it, Severus had resumed his efforts in the potions lab. He was researching the potentials for regeneration of vocal cords now.
Harry was convinced that their Parselwashout potion was working also on his voice and he told Severus that he was just being impatient. So Harry didn't help him every day in the lab anymore, but on the few days that he skipped, he at least flitted inside a few times to see if Severus needed his help after all. But today, Harry had gone out to the Burrow. Severus kept himself busy with a number of bubbling cauldrons, and when he had nothing to do but wait, he practiced his voice frantically. Everything to break the silence that was getting on his nerves.
Well after midnight he finally fell asleep when he heard Harry come home.
"Good morning," Harry entered the lab the next day.
Afternoon.
"Good afternoon then," Harry grinned after checking the time. "It got quite late yesterday."
How was it at the Weasley's?
"Are you asking how they are? I thought you hated them!" Severus raised one eyebrow enquiringly, so Harry continued. "Or at least showed a great dislike."
I was merely asking how your day was.
"Oh," Harry grinned, and flopped down on a chair. "It was good to see them again, and we had fun. We played Quidditch, and we got a firecall from Hermione. She had wanted to come, but she wants to spend as much time as possible with her parents, now that he's finally found them. They've been a bit disoriented ever since the memory modification has been made undone." Harry stared off in the distance, a frown on his face.
"Harry ... it will ... be okay" Severus croaked to get his attention, then wrote the rest of his sentence on the blackboard. It is not uncommon to be disoriented, it will get better in time. In a few weeks they will be fine. You and Weasley can go and visit her.
"Now don't you start too!" Harry burst out suddenly.
Start what?
"They have been nagging me that I should get out of the house more often. That I shouldn't keep hiding and sulking."
Sulking!
"They said that I seem depressed," Harry snorted. "Like they cared a few months ago."
Just what I wanted to say. You are doing much better now. I wouldn't classify you as being depressed right now. At all. You – he stopped writing when he saw a scowl cross the younger man's face. You picked a fight with them, didn't you?
"They asked for it," Harry grunted. "Ron and Hermione know that you're here. And they blamed you for making me depressed. They told me that I should get you transferred to St. Mungo's, or simply kick you out of the house, and then I could start living again."
They both remained silent for a while, both trembling with suppressed emotions. Severus busied himself with the various potions that he was brewing. Harry was fuming, and Severus couldn't help feeling touched that the younger man seemed to take offence in his friends' comments. Did Harry really care about him then?
I really appreciate all that you did and still do for me, and I don't want you out of here. But if you want, you can go out and visit your friends more often. I understand if you need to get out of the house now and then. I also went out yesterday.
"You did WHAT!" Harry rounded on him, jumping up from his chair.
I went out for some fresh air.
"What the hell? And what if something had gone wrong? What do you think I would have done if I came back to an empty house?" Harry said through clenched teeth.
I left a note where I went. I just wanted some fresh air after being locked inside for so many months.
"If you needed fresh air, you could have gone out on the balcony!" Harry's hands were balled up in fists, clenched to the sides of his body.
I can take care of myself, I used a glamour of course.
"But there are people who can see through glamours. What if you would have been spotted? They would have taken you to Azkaban without questioning!" Harry was absolutely seething.
I appreciate that you seem to care about me, but I don't need a babysitter.
"We have been living here together for more than half a year! You might be a foul git sometimes, but of course I care about you! It's just stupid that you would take such a giant risk just for some fresh air! PLAIN STUPID!"
Don't take that tone with me Potter.
"FUCK OFF SNAPE!"
I thought the right term was 'fuck you'.
But Harry didn't see it, he had already left the lab and slammed the door as hard as he could.
The following evening Harry sat alone at dinner, pushing his food around idly. He wasn't hungry, he hated being in a fight with someone. Especially if that someone was the only company that he had. He suppressed the urge to look up when he heard the kitchen door open and close.
"Can I join ... you?" Snape croaked. Harry gave a non-commital jerk with his shoulders and the other man sat down opposite him. Harry returned to mangling his food with renewed fervor. The silence between them stretched on, until Severus choked on his food. Harry's wand was raised in an instant and he cast the 'apneo' without thinking. Severus' airway was freed instantly, and he swallowed convulsively.
Thank you.
He carefully took some sips of water to soothe his painful throat. Severus had switched to solid food only recently, and he had to chew extensively before even trying to swallow. But today his mind was so preoccupied with the man sitting opposite him, that he'd been eating his meal absentmindedly.
"Will you stop staring at me?" Harry grumbled, his eyes downcast.
Sorry.
"Is your throat okay?" Harry looked at him fleetingly. Severus nodded and raised his wand to write a message, then hesitated.
"Why did ... you get," Severus swallowed and finished his sentence with some effort, "so ... angry?"
"Ron and Hermione just got on my nerves, and then you –" Harry shook his head and mumbled something unintelligible.
"What?"
"Next time you want to go outside, just do it when I'm home."
So you can protect me? Severus sneered.
"It has its perks to be the Golden Boy, or Savior of the World or whatever ridiculous names they give me nowadays," Harry grumbled. "At least I can keep your ass out of Azkaban if something goes wrong."
You forgot 'the Man Who Lived'.
"What?" Harry's head snapped up and he looked into the dark eyes confused.
That's what they call you now, in the Daily Prophet.
"So I've upgraded from a boy to a man?" Harry hid his laughter by taking a big bite.
You are. Aren't you? Severus busied himself with his food too, but after a few bites he put down his knife and fork. I understand that you have to vent your frustrations sometimes, but I would appreciate it if you wouldn't do that on me.
"Yeah, yeah. Next time I'll go out to some party and 'vent my frustrations' there," Harry answered grudgingly.
You should spend more time with people of your own age."
"That's the problem. People my own age are ... well, young. Immature."
That's because they didn't go through all – well, all the things you went through. But at least young immature people are perfect for venting your frustrations on.
Harry looked at Severus' face and saw an amused smirk on it. "That's what you did all those years at Hogwarts. Especially the Gryffindors."
Of course. Most of them deserved it though. They are always so full of themselves.
"You could say the same of the Slytherins. Alright, next time I'll find some Slytherins for some verbal abuse. Just don't ask me any questions and put the glamour on me, okay?"
Deal. I could also teach you to cast a glamour.
Harry stared at him, seemingly lost in thoughts. "What glamour did you use when you went out? Didn't you remove it all when you came back?" he said eventually. Severus looked at him confused, his brows knitting together.
Of course I removed it when I came back.
"Are you sure? You look – different."
I can assure you that I full well know how to remove the glamour that I cast myself.
Harry continued to stare at him, the green eyes taking in every detail of the appearance of the man opposite him. Severus felt more and more uncomfortable under the intense look and frantically tried to think of something to say, but nothing came to his mind. He jumped up scared when Harry's fork clattered on his plate, then fell to the floor with a racket like a whole house collapsing.
"You – you –" Harry gasped, pointing his finger at Severus.
"What did ... I do?" Severus managed to choke out.
"You look younger! The Parselwashout – cell regeneration – it's making you look younger!"
Don't be ridiculous!
"Seriously! Look in the mirror! You're looking younger than when you started taking the potion! You're not just looking better because you're getting more healthy, but you're getting younger!"
* Progressus - Progress
