Oh em gee! It's been too long! I've missed writing for you guys. ): Well let's just say school exams got in the way... but I'm free for the rest of the summer!! Yay! I hope you enjoy this and that it's worth waiting for!

The night was unbearable.

Harry lay awake, eyes wide open, the sheets of his bed lay at his feet where he had kicked them angrily away. Heavy snores sounded from all around Harry and he could feel himself getting angry. Ron was beside him, mouth agape, sleeping much too peacefully and Harry despised this. His fingers performed a quiet tapping against the wooden pole on his four poster bed, he hoped this rhythm would bore him enough to send him drifting into a sleep haunted by nightmares, much like those he experienced during his waking hours.

He closed his eyes reluctantly and played out the scenes from this evening in his mind. After being 'helped' by Snape, Harry had returned to the dormitory and awaited the arrival of Hermione and Ron. Much to his approval, Hermione didn't question though Harry felt obliged to talk things over. So he showed his left arm, there was no cut and Hermione was satisfied. Thanks to Snape Harry had no evidence of the injury and Harry was thankful.

Lessons started tomorrow and Harry wondered whether Malfoy would be in any of them. After choosing his options last year, he had to pick Potions to pursue his dream of an Auror, though this fantasy was fading fast.

Remembering something Snape told him, Harry sat upright. He pulled a sweater over his head and grabbed the Marauders Map from his trunk. Searching for the black dot that read Severus Snape, Harry wondered whether it would be such a good idea to pay him a visit in these early hours but he felt alone and needed someone. Anyone.

The castle was silent. Harry wandered down the corridors, passing sleeping portraits. His wand was aloft, the light guiding him through the corridors. He reached the Dungeons and looked at the map once more; Snape was in his study.

Harry reached the door.

Heart beating fast, he knocked loudly and awaited an answer. What would he say when the man answered? Harry hadn't thought this through. Panicking he turned slowly and started to walk away…

---

Severus sat alone in his study. He'd been sat at his desk for at least three hours with parchment and quills trying to plan the terms lessons. He gave up miserably after a few glasses of Rosmerta's finest wine and sank onto the leather sofa, feeling the world on top of him. Sighing, he turned the glass in his hands and his mind wandered to tonight's events. He thought he owed it to Potter to erase most of the his house's memories to leave them with no recollection of what Malfoy saw on the train. He owed Lily that much. Downing his glass, he stumbled towards the cabinet and pulled out a third bottle, this time whiskey and poured himself a glass. Severus wasn't drunk, he didn't get drunk or so he told himself. It was just the feeling of being completely numb that appealed to him, more than the social side.

He fell back onto the sofa and pushed a hand through his lank hair, his eyes were bloodshot and his lids drooped to form dark bags under his eyes. He looked at state. Luckily a charm existed to hide any sign of exhaustion and Severus used it frequently.

As he drained a second glass he heard a loud knock at his door. He raised an eyebrow to this sound and set his glass on the table. Probably students out of bed, he thought and he moved towards the door, opening it only slightly. He was just in time to see the remaining light of a wand whip past and Severus recognised who it was.

"Potter!" He called, standing in the corridor and beckoning the boy forwards. A skinny figure crept from out of the shadow of the hallway, wand by his side. Severus curled his thin lips and folded his arms.

"Any reason why you are out of bed and at this hour?" He asked irritably. Potter frowned in confusion and replied.

"Sir, you said-" Severus raised a hand to silence him.

"I am aware of what I said, Potter." He hissed. "However I don't encourage wandering around the castle in the middle of the night!"

Harry nodded and apologised over and over.

"Never mind that." Severus sighed, feeling he was a little harsh. "You're here now, might as well come in." Reluctantly, Severus opened the door and Harry entered after his teacher.

---

A strong scent of alcohol hit Harry and he was forced to step back a little, Snape closed the door behind them and walked over to the sofa where he picked up a bottle of whiskey, pouring himself a glass that he drank in one.

Harry stood by the door and watched Snape pour a second glass.

"I think you've had a little too much-" Harry spoke without thinking. "Sir-"

Snape turned around sharply, in the light of the room he looked terrible. Harry couldn't help but stare. Snape glared and Harry realised this behaviour was blamed on the whiskey. Gulping he looked to the ground but Snape continued to look at him.

"Excuse me?" He whispered, his black eyes were glazed over and his lip twitched.

"Sorry." Harry muttered, "I didn't mean-" He slumped onto the sofa and buried his head in his hands. Snape signed once more, shaking his head and throwing the glass back down he turned to Harry.

"My mistake." He muttered, he sounded exhausted and Harry felt his pain. For the first time, Harry felt as though he was empathising with Snape and he stood to leave.

Snape turned again and the expression on his face was only too readable. Harry took the pained sight as a cue to stay and so he sat back down and busied himself by rubbing his hands together in his lap.

"Potter." Snape suddenly spoke. "I feel it in my best interest to tell you something." Harry perked up, he looked inquisitive as his green eyes gazed up at Snape, Snape looked away once more as if he couldn't bear to look at him.

"A simple yet effective potion." Snape muttered, opening the doors of a cabinet beside Harry and fumbling around. Harry peered over and his heart was racing with excitement. Snape extracted a circular bottle with a clear liquid inside, it was clear though as he handed it to Harry it turned a pale peach colour.

"What is it?" Harry asked, turning the bottle in his hand. Snape breathed in.

"It's a potion that will allow you to disguise yourself. It will hide any signs of exhaustion or weariness and will go as far as hiding blemishes, bruises… scars."

Harry looked up and nodded.

"Good idea." He muttered to himself, opening the cap and taking a whiff of it's nonexistent stench. It smelled like water, which indeed had no scent.

"I thought of the idea." Snape was speaking without a slur now and he began arranging bottles in his cupboard. "In my fifth year. I was indeed in need of something similar to this, to hide certain marks on my body." He was again fumbling around, the bottles clanking against the glass doors. Harry could tell he was pretending to be occupied.

"With help from my old Potions Master I cooked up this solution and to my advantage it worked."

Harry nodded to show he was listening, but he had a burning question.

"Sir- If you don't mind me asking…" Harry pushed a hand through his hair and tried a best way to word it. "What did you need to hide, sir?"

Snape must have seen this coming because he shut the doors to the cabinet and moved back towards the table, pouring himself a glass of whiskey.

"I'm sure you have the intelligence to work it out." Snape spoke into his glass and swirled the brown liquid around before yet again downing it.

Harry wondered whether Snape was too abused… and he thought back to previous conversations when his teacher would say: "I know more than you think." Harry looked up as if he understood and Snape nodded.

"Yes."

That was all the approval Harry needed.

---

"What a fantastic day!" Hermione beamed as they entered the portrait into the common room. Harry's first day had been as perfect as it could have gone. Malfoy hadn't taunted him once, and he thought that may be to do with Snape.

"I can't wait to start Runes tomorrow! I mean at the higher level…" She added as Ron gave her a confused look. Harry smiled.

"You haven't changed a bit." Ron said grimly. He hadn't had such a good day, messed up three sleeping draughts and managed to turn Pig into a pair of socks. "I'm going to fail." He muttered miserably.

Hermione turned on Harry as Ron joined Dean for a game of chess.

She studied him closely, Harry laughed.

"What?"

"Something's different."

"What?"

Hermione shook her head.

"Nevermind. I'm just glad you're back to your usual self." She beamed and squeezed Harry's hand. Harry looked to the floor and shuffled his feet.

"I guess we can't say the same for Professor Snape. Did you see him? He looked terrible." Hermione shuddered and sat down in a squashy armchair. Harry muttered his agreement and lounged on the sofa next to her. Snape did look a state. Harry realised then at that moment that Snape must have given him the last of the potion and didn't have time to brew himself a vial, wow, Snape had turned for the better.

"I'm off to bed." Harry yawned standing, Hermione checked her watch.

"It's barely eight." She told him with a little suspicion lingering in her words. Harry shrugged.

"I know. I didn't get much sleep last night… and I think I'll be able to sleep now." He smiled, bading her goodnight before ending the day. He drifted off to sleep almost instantly and for the first time in a while wasn't haunted by Sirius Black.

It all ends well... for now (:

Please review! I love my little reviewers who make me smile everytime I get an email saying I have new reviews (: Love you guys!
Anyhow... I decided not to include any other sort of teenage issue... but I gave Severus the drinking problem.

Maybe they can both help each other through it?