Eh, meant to get this up almost a week ago. Between the power continuously going out and then getting sick... basically life happened. Anyway, for those of you who are waiting for the next chapter:

And I thought I'd mention that Sorai does make an appearance again soon.


Chapter Four

Written By: Winds of Water

Harry had his thumbs looped casually through the belt loops of the faded blue jeans he wore underneath the concealing black robes. They were a hazard at the best of times considering the things he did that were not part of the normal school curriculum. Private training in everything from creating to destroying and the little niches in between. Robes just seemed to get in his way, and Snape had more often than once taken great pleasure in remarking that were he to learn more finesse instead of attempting things like a rhinoceros in an antique shop, robes may not hinder him so.

However they were handy for when he wanted to go sneaking about. Camouflage was something that he had never needed extra practice in. Years of sneaking about the castle had given him a good foundation. How considerate for the Headmaster to allow him to wear black robes to aid him in his often nightly escapades. It was as if he secretly wanted the students to learn to sneak about in the shadows. Flitting here and there like bats.

It could obviously be accomplished. There was a professor of living proof.

Though Harry considered that as his pensive steps took him down along the shadows of one corridor. Was Snape really a "bat" like sort of person? The billowing robes he seemed to pull off just for the hell of showing he could, sure seemed to imply bat. But without them, which Harry had seen him as such. Without them, he did not billow nor flap. At those times he seemed to be more of a cat slinking about.

Oh how McGonagall could chortle over such a thought.

Harry suddenly stopped in his tracks, and leaned back against one chilly stone wall with an expelled breath of warm air. This was not what he should be thinking about, not the way Snape walked or didn't walk. Or whether he resembled a bat or a cat in the process. He was supposed to be thinking about the visit he'd had just that morning from a concerned reptile.

"Figures that I'd get rid of one complication only to gain another." Harry sighed as he clunked his head back against the stones.

But was Snape really a complication?

He supposed that was what he needed to find out. Getting up from his slumped position standing against the wall Harry continued walking, allowing himself to pass in and out of the moonlight beams on the floor since he knew no one else was around.

Truly, the man he was pondering was an enigma at best, even after time spent alone and in a way close to him over the years. Now that he'd killed his dramatic arch nemesis like the good super hero from those comics, extra training sessions had been called off. Which meant he was rather stuck with a convoluted image of one Severus Snape.

Just as he had had specialized training from everything to destruction and creation, Snape was just as broad a spectrum. He'd seen the man actually be kind, but only when he thought no one was watching. And he'd seen Snape be… well… a prickly bastard. To put it in terms different from the ever original insult Ron came up with. Having seen Snape's hair up close he could attest it was not greasy, nor did it have lice. Snape was a git, yes, but not greasy.

Somewhere down the halls of teenage musings in an attempt to determine even a vague answer to his quandary, Harry had ended up in front of that long familiar gargoyle. He had expected he might.

He considered it for a moment, as if debating whether or not to test his luck and see if Dumbledore was actually still awake at this hour when the gargoyle suddenly moved. Evidently he had his answer, and evidently Dumbledore wanted him to come up and have a chat instead of merely pass by. It was rare that this happened, but when it did who was Harry to deny fate?

So Harry ascended the steps upward and entered through the heavy wood door after giving it a light rap.

"Both yourself and Professor Snape have stood out there tonight and stared at my gargoyle. Is something amiss with it besides the theory that it eats the student's brains for breakfast?" Dumbledore asked with a smile as he looked up from a document he'd been reading.

"Sounds like something he'd say. He was here?" Harry asked as he entered without being waved forward, and took his customary chair. The one Snape had vacated just prior to his arrival. He wasn't really surprised to hear that he'd not been the only visitor to this office tonight.

"Yes, he felt it prudent to inform me in person about a certain something that happened today between you both."

Harry raised an eyebrow in reply. "Well, that's one way to put it that can be misinterpreted."

"Point taken, legal age or not you are still thinking with a teenagers mind." Dumbledore grabbed the tin of lemon drops and offered them to Harry who declined politely with a shake of his head.

"I'm sure once I was, but I feel a lot older than I am. Tired, really."

"And that can't be misinterpreted?"

Harry grinned despite himself, then turned thoughtful. "How long have you known about this?"

"That's not my business to say. Ask Professor Snape if you must know." Dumbledore instructed and then weaved his fingers together to prop up his chin. "He tells me you're going to think about it."

"It's harder than I thought, even thinking about it." Harry admitted, feeling decidedly at ends with all his thinking thus far tonight. "I keep coming to the conclusion that I don't know him all that well. I know parts, bits and pieces, but I have no idea how he's really like."

"And yet you're considering a reply to him." Dumbledore smiled wisely. "Which means that the idea of him having these feelings for you does not upset you."

"It intrigues me."

"Well, Harry, I can only suggest that you try and get to know him. Whatever the decision you make ends up being, I have complete trust in you both."

Harry nodded, "is that why you helped him figure his feelings out? And weren't angry with him for the truth?"

Dumbledore shook his head. "That's only a very small part of the reason, my boy. Like the many reasons I stayed up so late tonight, under the impression that you both would end up seeking me out. It seems yet again an old man's intuition has paid off."

"Right, well," Harry stood and gave a smile to the old relic, to use Sorai's endearing terminology. Yet it was at best a far off smile, because his head was once again back to thinking about a certain someone. "I'll be going now."

"He should be patrolling the corridors around the library right now, should you want to talk to him." Dumbledore called after the leaving teen.

Harry glanced back over his shoulder. "And lose points? Willingly? You really are mad."

The only answer was a smile, and Harry left.

And somehow as he got lost back in thought, he ended up near to the library. When he realized where his feet had taken him now during his musings he rolled his eyes. Dumbledore was surely making full use by now of that confetti gun he'd bought him as a gag gift for the old man's past birthday.

Sure, he could have fled and hoped not to get caught. But tonight, something akin to excitement rose in his chest. Perhaps it wouldn't be so bad to get caught tonight, or rather, do the catching. If he was even down here, that was.

Harry leaned against one wall, hidden in the shadows and eyes half lidded while he waited.

He did not have to wait long.

Sure enough, around the bend came Severus Snape. He looked to be thinking about something rather deeply, but to his credit, was still looking quite ready to stun anything that moved.

Harry waited in the shadows, his training helping him to so far avoid detection. He had to suppress a juvenile giggle at the thought that here was a student, successfully hiding from the professor who loved more than others, to find student's out of bed past curfew. His legacy in this was surpassed probably by only Filch. And Harry would be damned if Filch of all people ever caught him these days.

Harry waited until Snape had swept past before speaking. "I believe this proves I'm better than you like to admit." He smirked as he watched Snape startle and quickly cover it up with a very fast about-face.

"And a bit stupid as well it would seem, else you'd not have called out to me. Never tell your enemies you're there, unless you want to play silly mind games with them." Severus growled back as he mustered his dignity about him.

"Agreed." Harry nodded and stepped forward from the wall. "But you're not my enemy. Nor do I wish to play silly mind games with you, they'd never work and I'd be a pile of rubble for attempting them."

"Perhaps you're only half stupid then." Severus restrained the urge to roll his eyes at the teen's simplistic logic. "What are you doing here?"

Harry shrugged. "Honestly? I've no idea. Dumbledore mentioned you might be around here tonight and here I find myself."

"Willing honesty? What a change, Mister Potter." Severus regarded him in somewhat mocking amazement.

"Today is just full of surprises." Harry noted and attempted a smile. It quickly faded though as he mustered some courage in the face of the idea that had just come to him. "Can I walk with you for a time?"

Severus blinked at him, as if not quite sure how to feel about such a question, so he settled for plain confusion. "Why?"

Neither of them mentioned the fact that one of them should be in bed, and the other should be taking points by the handfuls by now. Yet here they were, standing in a corridor and speaking in a civil manner to one another.

"I don't know." Harry growled, feeling decidedly irritated all of a sudden. "Forget it, I'm going to bed." He announced and turned away.

Severus felt much like throwing his hands up in frustration as well. Instead he reached out and grabbed Harry's arm to yank him to a stop that almost caused the other to fall on his butt. "I don't trust you to do that. Come, I'll walk you there."

Harry steadied himself and grinned over at Snape cheekily. "You're walking me back to the dormitory after a nightly walk with you? Well isn't this scandalous."

"Shut up." Severus snapped irritably through the light flush of red on his cheeks.

Harry chuckled softly to himself and let out a breath of air in a contented noisy manner. "Why me?"

"That's a bit deep for our first walk." Severus smirked.

"Hardly."

"Why does anyone fall in love?" He asked Harry instead.

Harry tilted his head to the side as he mulled it over. "I guess, because they just do. I don't think it's something you can help."

"You should be intelligent more often. However you'll probably continue to shock people with the knowledge you do have a brain."

"The gargoyle hasn't eaten it yet." Harry bantered back. "And of course I have one, you're just… difficult."

"Difficult." Severus repeated in an unimpressed way.

"Yeah, difficult… hard to deal with." Harry defined helpfully.

"I know what it means, brat." Severus snarled and glared at him.

Harry considered something as they walked in silence, Severus still seething to himself about just who was the difficult one. "I'm the only one besides Dumbledore, aren't I." Harry stated in thoughtful tones.

"What on earth are you talking about?" Severus frowned at him. Sometimes he really didn't understand the person he loved, especially now that Harry knew about his feelings. It was as if Harry grew a whole new layer.

"Who can irritate you like that." Harry explained with a shadow of a smile.

Severus felt like bopping the younger man over the head for reasons he couldn't explain. "Because I care for you both. In different ways, of course."

Harry nodded slowly, his thumbs once again hanging from his belt loops as his strides became longer to aid his thinking. "I actually went out tonight for a walk so I could think about earlier. I keep coming to the conclusion that I really don't know you half as well as I should before I make a choice."

"I'm not a broom to be researched before purchase." Severus scowled at him, yet unable to be truly irritated with him.

"I know that." Harry replied quickly. "I didn't mean it like that. I just was thinking that if I said yes, and found out you're actually a complete bastard then that wouldn't end up well for either of us. And all the same if I said no, and found out you're actually someone I could stand being around for more than physical reasons, then I'd look like an idiot and you'd get a bigger ego."

"Were you getting to your point?"

"No, I thought I'd prattle on for the next few staircases." Harry chuckled and shook it off, not seeing Severus's amused glance in his direction. "What I'm getting to is that I'd like to get to know you even a little better before I make a decision to jump into a relationship with you or not."

That actually wasn't something that interfered with his plans, and Severus was already making the suitable minor adjustments. What sort of fool would he be to deny letting Harry close to him more often? It was a step in the direction he wanted after all. "Very well, this Friday I have to go into London. I'm meeting the breeder who sold me Sorai. You may come with me if you wish."

Harry brightened at the idea. It sounded like it could potentially be insightful. And the thought of meeting a snake breeder interested him. He'd have to weave some sort of story with Ron, and a hell of a novel with Hermione, but he could pull it off. "Okay."

"I'm leaving right before lunch, you'll have finished classes by then, correct?" Severus did not mention he knew Harry's schedule by heart. He'd long ago for many reasons decided to keep as firm of tabs on Harry's location as was possible.

"Yes."

"Then meet me by the main gate after you're let out and we'll go. Do try and not run very late, I've told you I am not a man of great patience. Even when it comes to you."

"If you were, I'd be very suspicious of who was impersonating you." Harry smiled at the thought, he just couldn't imagine Snape being patient with him at all. "I'll be there as soon as I can."

Severus nodded and stopped walking, they had reached the corridor that led to the Gryffindor dormitory. "To sleep with you." And what a shame he couldn't drag Harry down to the dungeons with him to sleep… among other things.

Harry turned back to look at him thoughtfully, then grinned. "You've succeeded in walking me up here, causing a great scandal."

Severus rolled his eyes and made a mental note to obliviate all the portraits. "Indeed." He then smirked, suddenly stepping forward to seize Harry by his shoulders and leaned down the sparse inches to whisper into his ear. "I think we both know what would create an ever bigger scandal."

Harry shivered at both the proximity and the words being breathed onto his ear. Even if he had wanted to move right then, he wasn't sure he'd be able to. And not just because Snape still had him by the shoulders.

"Am I right?" Severus breathed again, enjoying this immensely for more than one reason. Harry truly had no idea how hard it was for him not to just pin him to the wall and have his wicked way with the young man. But he was going to take this just slow enough so he didn't scare Harry off, for that was not in any of his plans.

Harry couldn't help but think to himself he wants me to speak?! And he closed his eyes while trying to stop thinking about whether or not his heart was pounding or his breathing too fast. He was suddenly very self conscious about all those things, and it was an effort to try and put them from his mind. "Don't ask rhetorical questions." He answered back, wondering whether or not he had actually whispered that.

Severus's black eyes glinted in amusement, and he suddenly pulled away looking much calmer than he felt. Bless his abilities as a spy for serving his composure now. "You were about to go to bed, Potter."

Harry blinked at him owlishly, feeling suddenly very off kilter. "Right, bed." He mumbled with a frown and raked a hand back through his unruly mop of hair as he looked back to the portrait blocking the way. He then turned overly bright green eyes on Snape again.

"Well, off with you." Severus raised an eyebrow, all the while hiding a smirk and a smile.

Harry nodded numbly and cast him one last look before turning around to attempt gaining entry. He was halfway through when he suddenly stopped and looked back over his shoulder with a thoughtful smile. "Goodnight."

"Goodnight." Severus returned in a bored sounding voice, and just as Harry had nearly vanished called out in a louder tone. "And fifteen points will be taken for your blatant break of curfew." At the muffled curse from beyond the now closed portrait, Severus let a smile through for the briefest of moments.

He then set to erasing the memories of portrait occupants before going to bed himself.