An Unexpected Reality
When Harry came to, he was shaking, face covered in vomit. Again he raced to the bathroom and tossed up the rest of his breakfast. 'what's going on? Oh shit! Potions! What time is it? Goddammit! I'm only going to make the last ten minutes, if even that!' At that thought, he took off back out of the common room for the dungeons at a grueling pace.
Three minutes after the end of class, Harry burst through the door to Professor Snape's classroom, panting like a rabid dog.
"Where exactly have you been, Mr.—My God, Potter! You're white as a sheet. And is that vomit? What's happened?"
For the next half-hour, Harry told Snape all about his dream, too desparate for answers to be embarrassed by the fact that he was afraid to lose Professor Snape, even if he was a snarky old git.
"They've started for you, then?" Snape asked this, mostly as a rhetorical question, but nodded when Harry answered.
"If you mean the dreams, then yes, sir, .they have. You get them too? But why?"
"Again, Harry, can you not think why? Fine, I'll tell you why. You get them because the bond we share is mental, emotional, and—"
"Yes?" Harry asked this, nervous of the coming response.
"And, eventually, physical. However, the extent to which we take this aspect of the bond is entirely up to you. I've known about it since your first year here, and have grown accustomed to the idea that you and I must be together. I also realize that this is an entirely new concept for you. Therefore, I leave the decision up to you."
Harry wasn't sure what made him do it, but a peculiar sensation in the pit of his gut rose up, and he stood, strode over to his professor, and dissed the man briefly on the lips before backing away and bracing himself on a desk, both confused and giddy.
"I suppose that meant thank you."
"For-for what, Potter?" The professor was gasping, disgruntled.
"For respecting my privacy and….discomfort…with certain…issues."
"You're welcome. You've already missed most of History of Magic. Give this to professor binns, and tell him to floo me later. Thanks. Um, dinner again tonight?"
"Yeah. Yes, that'll be great. See ya, Professor."
As Harry left the classroom, he felt oddly giddy. And then he realized that Severus never confirmed or denied whether he, too, experienced the nightmares. 'maybe he'll tell me tonight,' he thought eagerly.