Here's Something I Can Hold On To

Chapter 4

Disclaimer: I don't own Harry Potter.

The past couple of days had drug on for Harry instead of being allowed to practice he was forced to sit in the bleachers while the rest of the team got on without him. He had already been the source of many speculations by The Daily Prophet and how this could be a season ending injury for England. They needed all the time they could on the field and with one of their most important players missing out on a week's worth of practice how could they ever be expected to take the European Cup and qualify for the World Cup. Harry was so annoyed by the entire thing that he had bought an entire stack of the papers from the nearest newsstand and incinerated them on the spot. Losing his cool had ended up with his picture once again ending up on the front page of the paper. He really couldn't win. The only good news was the his injury was healing nicely and that he should be back on a broom by Monday's practice. He honestly couldn't wait.

Sitting in the stands while everyone else sort of felt like being in time out and he often found himself drifting off asleep. The only problem with this is that his teammates liked to send freezing water cascading down on him when it happened. He really couldn't wait for the game against the Spanish National Team. They were always fierce competitors and had just beaten the American National Team, which wasn't that big of an accomplishment since the Americans preferred Quodpot to Quidditch. The game was close though and the Americans put up an admirable fight, something the Spanish team hadn't been expecting. He loved to watch other teams play, he could never stand to watch back any of the games he had been a part of, he learned how to better himself through others. He couldn't stand to see himself onscreen because he was incredibly too hard on himself and he got too wrapped up in it the next game.

Not being able to stand sitting there anymore, he got up with the intention to take a walk to stretch his legs. He wandered down into the lobby where the ticket offices were to say hello to Caroline who worked in there most days. They weren't close but sometimes Harry liked to stop by and see how she was, and he wanted to pick up a couple of tickets for the next few games. He had the idea that maybe if he actually went as far as to give Severus tickets and an invitation the man would feel compelled to come and see him play. After collecting the ticket he decided to cut out on practice early and head home, he wasn't useful and Ginny got ripe if he tried to correct her. Only a few more days he reminded himself as he apparated home.

He ran a hot bath to soak in and to ease the soreness that had accompanied him in the days following the accident. He briefly thought of Severus sharing the bath with him and almost laughed himself sick. The man would shoot him down if he even jokingly asked him about it. He seemed entirely too uptight to do something as frivolous as share a bath with Harry. Getting Severus to like him back was proving to be a long and arduous task as is. He wanted the man to at least feign some sort of interest before he returned to Hogwarts in a few weeks. When Severus went to Hogwarts it would complicate things, and the man would be less willing to visit him, Harry feared. Alas, he had only visited once, but that was once more than previously. He pulled himself up out of the bath and dried himself off, he slipped on a pair of sleep pants and an old Quidditch t-shirt. He padded into the kitchen to sort out dinner when a knock came at his door. Sighing, he abandoned the refrigerator and went to answer it.

"Hello?" Harry asked pulling the door open and smiling when it turned out to be Severus.

"Hello," he nodded.

"This is a surprise," Harry grinned.

"I can go if you are busy," Severus said hesitantly.

"Oh, no! It's a good surprise," Harry beamed at him.

"Listen, um, Potter…"

"Harry," he corrected.

"Harry," he nodded in agreement. "I was wondering, if perhaps, well I'd like to take your offer for dinner. Well if it still stands."

"Oh, let me check. Yeah, it definitely still stands," Harry laughed and invited him in.

"Just as friends," Severus said pointedly.

"Yes, of course," Harry nodded happily.

Harry led Severus into the sitting room and offered him a drink before semi shuffling his way into the kitchen to see what was in. Severus followed close behind him and insisted that he take a seat because he was still recovering. Harry apologized for not being able to really take the time and skill to be able to cook something, but was surprised when Snape shot down the idea of a takeaway and asked to cook something for them. He nodded in agreement and said he wasn't sure what he had in at the moment. Severus shrugged him off and began assessing what he had to work with. Harry watched the man take command of the kitchen and work his way through the refrigerator and pantry pulling out various things he needed. Harry liked to watch the man work, he had the same level of concentration about him that he would if he were working on a volatile potion in his lab. The man had put on pasta to cook while he set to work on a home made sauce with the ingredients he had pulled.

"Do you cook often?" Harry asked curiously.

"When I am home from school yes," Severus answered thoughtfully. "During the school year I tend to eat whatever the house elves have prepared."

"I almost never cook," Harry admitted. "I like to cook, but with practice and living on my own there's either no time or it feels pointless."

"Living off of fast food is not healthy," Severus chided him.

"Yeah, but I'm busy most of the time, at least I get plenty of exercise," Harry flexed playfully.

"What are you planning for after your illustrious career in sports?" Severus asked dicing some tomatoes.

"I haven't really thought about it," Harry said furrowing his brow.

"Most professional players max out before the age of 30," Severus said knowingly.

"You sure know how to kill a dream," Harry laughed.

"I'm just realistic," Severus said lightly. "Besides if you're going to be friends with me you will have to learn to live with it."

"Why won't you go on a date with me?" Harry asked suddenly and almost immediately regretted it. "Sorry, that was rude, you don't have to answer that."

"Honestly?" Severus asked and Harry nodded. "I do not deserve to be with someone as kind as you are. You're a pure soul and a good person and I am neither of those things."

"Shouldn't I get to decide whether you're good enough for me or not?" Harry asked as Severus stirred the sauce.

"Perhaps, in a different world," Severus mused.

When dinner was ready Severus opened the cabinet to pull out dishes and scoffed at Harry's plastic dinner wear and he shrugged in return. He hadn't bothered to buy real dishes when it was just himself. He didn't host dinner parties, and when he did attend such things they were always hosted by other people. Maybe in an attempt to impress the man he should buy new dishes and silverware, and not have the dinnerware of a ten year old.

Dinner was really great, especially considering that Harry had such a limited array of things to put a meal together from. The pasta and homemade sauce were delicious and Harry pulled out some wine for them to have with dinner. Despite having childish dinnerware he did have real wine glasses which he playfully pointed out to the man. Conversation around dinner was light and Harry asked the man about the upcoming school year and Severus politely asked him about the upcoming Quidditch match to which Harry hastily remembered the tickets he had gotten for the man. He hastily excused himself for a moment and disappeared into his bedroom and pulled the tickets off of his nightstand before bringing them out to give to the man.

"What are these for?" Severus asked confused.

"Tickets to my upcoming game," Harry smiled cheekily. "Friends support friends. If you have some crazy potions competition I'll be in the front row cheering you on."

"Potions is a solitary sport," Severus mused.

"You don't have to come. I would just like it if you did," Harry shrugged.

"I will see if I can find the time in my schedule," Severus said after a moment.

"Wicked!" Harry beamed at him.

"Your smile can prove to be quite infectious," he commented lightly.

"Did you ever think we could have a civil friendship outside of Hogwarts?" Harry asked amused.

"Never in a million years."

They finished off the bottle of wine and Harry cheekily opened a second one before digging through the freezer and digging out a tub of ice cream. It took some convincing, but Severus finally agreed to stay for dessert. Harry dished them both out some into bowls and they retired to the living room with glasses of wine and bowls of ice cream. Harry turned on the tv and it softly provided background noise as he asked Severus more questions about the potions he was working on and rambled on about how excited he was for the wolfs bane upgrade the man was busy working on. He rambled on about how Ginny was filling in for him while he was off injured and how excited he was to play Spain in the upcoming game and Severus sat the entire time and listened patiently to all of his inane blathering. The wine made him fuzzy and loose lipped and he couldn't help himself he just prattled on about anything and everything while Severus sat and took it all in. He apologized for being an annoying prat, but the man shrugged it off and told him he didn't mind.

When Severus announced that it was time for him to go Harry walked him to the door. They both sort of stood there awkwardly eyeing each other for a moment before Harry worked up the nerve and threw his arms around the older man and embraced him tightly. At first Severus stiffened at the contact, but slowly freed one of his arms and brought it around to return the embrace and lightly patted Harry on the back. Harry wasn't sure if it was all the wine they had or what but the next part surprised him more than anything possibly could have at that moment. When he let go of Severus the older man leant down and placed a quick peck on his cheek and turned to leave.

"What was that?" Harry half grinned at him.

"Don't get any ideas," Severus called over his shoulder before apparating away.

Harry brought his hand up to touch the cheek that had been kissed and blushed violently. What was Severus even thinking, the man must have had too much wine as well, he who had not that long ago been so vehemently against any sort of relationship with Harry including a friendship had just kissed him on the cheek. What was going on? He was so confused by it all that he had to keep reminding himself that it had actually just happened. . He needed to ask Hermione what it all meant, if it was actually anything at all, but for now he was happy that it had even had happened. It was definitely a start, or at least he hoped so He smiled contently to himself and headed inside to get ready for bed.

A/N: Thanks for reading and reviewing and to those of you who have subscribed so far! If you get a chance you should check out my main story Diary of a London Call Boy which is also a Snarry!