Title: Fidelity

Author: Miss-Judgey

Disclaimer: I own nothing but the plot

A/N: Ok so it's been a REALLY long time since I last updated. So…please don't hate me.

"Harry…we're really sorry. You know that if we could have you stay then we would…"

Harry looked up into Hermione's face and gave a comforting smile.

"Yeah, I know."

"I'll bring you back some wicked gifts though mate, promise"

Harry laughed and gave Ron a whack on the back.

"Don't worry about it Ron, I'll be fine."

It was 6am and Ron, Hermione and Harry were on their way down to the great hall to eat a very early breakfast. They had made it a routine to get there a little bit earlier; it gave them a chance to talk without being over heard. The Christmas holidays had begun and Hermione and Ron's parents would be picking them up after breakfast. Harry was going to be spending the holidays at Hogwarts, but he didn't really mind. The time alone would give him time to think and sort his mind out. He had a lot to think about.

"I'll write to you everyday, I promise. We'll be back before you know it."

"Guys it fine, seriously" Harry said reassuringly

The trio ate their breakfast in silence, basking in each other company. Harry couldn't bring himself to eat much and pushed his food around his plate with his fork. If Ron and Hermione noticed, they didn't say anything.

After breakfast Harry said his goodbyes and watched his best friends walk out the grand front doors of Hogwarts. He stood for a few minutes, soaking in the silence of the Entrance Hall before walking up the stairs in the direction of the Gryffindor common room. However he didn't make it very far until he stopped and turned back. He had someone he needed to see.

For the majority of the staff at Hogwarts, the holidays were their favourite part of the year. Lessons were done, students were gone, and it was time to relax and prepare for the next term. However for Snape this wasn't quite the same. His Slytherins were his number one priority at Hogwarts, and this didn't end in the holidays. Many Slytherin students weren't welcome home for the holidays, or had no home to go to. As their head of house, Snape took responsibility for making their holidays as bearable as possible. This started with one of his most troublesome snakes, Theodore Nott. Theodore had spent the summer with his parents in their mansion in Wales, but it had been anything but a happy family holiday. He came back to Hogwarts bruised and broken and Snape had immediately set about trying to piece him back together.

Nott had appeared at Snape's room during breakfast that morning, looking dejected and uncomfortable. Without even saying a word, Snape closed the door behind him and enveloped him in a protective embrace. They stood there for minutes, Nott sobbing silently into his mentor's robes and Snape giving him quiet reassurances. He decided in that moment that he would never let Nott go home to his 'family' again.

When Nott left Snape stood in his lounge room staring into space. He realised that there was a student he needed to see.

By the time Harry neared Snape's office he was ready to turn and run. In fact he would have done so if he hadn't of walked directly into the potions master.

"Potter you blind idiot, can't you watch where you're going?" snarled Snape, picking Harry up off the ground nevertheless.

"Sorry sir" mumbled Harry, not lifting his eyes off the ground.

"What, may I ask, were you doing in the dungeons at this time of the day?"

"I was just…coming to see you, sir" said Harry, lifting his eyes off the ground and gazing into Snape's cold grey eyes.

Snape watched the boy for a second, seeing for the first time that year the determination he had seen Potter display so often. At least it's still in there somewhere

Snape lead Harry down to his private quarters silently, and Harry hurried to keep up with the older man's pace. When they reached their destination Snape opened the door and motioned for Harry to go inside and sit on the large leather arm chair in front of the fire.

Harry was astonished by the appearance of Snape's living area. He had expected a stony and cold interior like that of his classroom and office; however it was anything but that.

The walls were painted a deep forest green and were covered in tall, dark wood bookcases full of ancient looking volumes. There was a large leather lounge suite in the middle of the room, with two arm chairs facing each other, divided by a small dark wood coffee table. There was also a long lounge chair facing the two arm chairs from quite a distance. At the front end of the room was a blazing fire that lit up the dimly lit room with flickering light upon the walls.

Harry took a seat in the arm chair and Snape sat down in the one opposite him, waiting patiently for Harry to begin speaking.

"I just wanted to let you know that you don't need to worry about me sir. I mean, my uncle isn't that bad, he just got angry in the summer. You see I accidentally broke something of his that was really expensive and…well you know. It won't happen again"

Harry watched as the colour in Snape's face began to rise as he spoke. When Snape's face eventually arranged itself into a look of disgust Harry was prepared to run from the room.

"Potter, do NOT defend your uncle to me. Even if you did break something of his, that did not give him an excuse to harm you. He is slime, Potter."

When Snape eventually calmed down he held his face in his hands for a few seconds before speaking again, this time more evenly.

"Was this summer the first time your Uncle hit you?"

Harry was silent for a few moments, considering his options.

The story of his life with the Dursleys was sitting inside of him like a balloon, expanding with each passing day and it was on the verge of popping. However, did he really want to tell this particular story to Snape, of all people?

But then again, who else was there to tell?

And what did he have to lose?

"No, sir."

"How long had this been going on for Potter?"

Snape was becoming more concerned with every minute, but at the same time he couldn't quite ignore his elation at finally earning the boy's trust.

"To be honest I don't really remember. That is, I can't remember when it started."

Harry paused for a second, carefully watching Snape for any signs of emotion. However all he got was a nod of encouragement. With his heart beating heavily in his chest, he continued.

"It wasn't so bad when I was younger, the worst thing that ever happened was when my uncle pushed me into a wall and my glasses broke. It got worse as I got older. When I was 10 my uncle started coming home drunk late at night. He would come in to my room and start throwing me around. It happened almost every night for a few months but then he almost seemed to get bored of it. Sometimes he would just lock me in my room for weeks without food. But that wasn't too bad. I preferred it to the beatings, but I guess anyone would. Aunt Petunia knew about it and sometimes I could tell that she thought he was going too far. She never said anything to him though, so I guess she didn't really care too much. Although I don't blame her, it isn't like anyone really did."

Harry stopped, having said more then he intended to. He was expecting Snape to reply with a harsh remark about how self centred and ungrateful he was. But Snape didn't say anything. Instead he just sat there for a moment, obviously surveying Harry for a moment before saying anything.

"Why didn't you ever tell someone? Surely there were ample opportunities to tell someone. You could have told your friends, or the Weasleys. You even could have told Sirius. Why did you stay quiet about this?"

Harry bowed his head and breathed deeply before looking up into his professors eyes and quietly stating

"I didn't think they would care."

He looked back down into his hands and tried desperately to fight back the tears welling in his eyes.

"Of course they care. We all do."

Harry looked up at Snape in surprise. They maintained eye contact for almost a minute before Harry spoke.

"We?"

"Yes, Potter. We all do"