The rest of the day passed on smothly after the nightmares. Harmony decided to wait for the next day or so before starting any thing with Severus. Surely he needed to start working on his cure, but she was fairly certain that after so much time left alone he would appreciate some kind of peace and bonding with another human bean.
She analyzed him through the entire day, trying to discreetly learn what he could do and what he couldn't do. He could move his head, even if very slowly. His face allowed some expression. What bothered her more was that he seemed unable to perform any kind of magic. And yet, she had learned from other sources that he was able to perform wandless magic as well as non verbal spells before the attack. Something must be blocking him. The venom?
After dinner she kept her word and bathed him again. Now that they shared a link, Harmony felt his satisfaction and pleasure as soon as Severus dived in the warm water.

"It's good, isn't is?"- She asked while massaging his muscles in the warmth of the water.-"Can you still feel your body?"

Severus took some moments to answer her. They had spent a good day together. Her presence was enjoyable because she seemed to know when to stop talking and become silent. He had watched her work all day in the kitchen and living room, sharing occasional thoughts about trivial stuff. Like food, books, potion ingredients. Most of the time she left him the choice of iniciating a conversation or not.

"I can."- Severus aswered, while feeling his sore muscles being touched by her hands. In any other time or situation in his past, he would have hated to have anyone touching him. But after months of hospital treatment (or neglection), that was another thing that Severus could manage.-"In the first months I couldn't feel anything but with time I regained the sensibility back."- He elaborated, eyes closed.

"It must have been hell for you."- She tried, avoiding his eyes.

"You can't imagine..."

"I can see the marks of it. Did they ever removed the poison from your body?"- She questioned, in a casual tone.

"I don't know. I was inconscious for the first days."- Severus informed her.

"Tomorrow, if you allow me of course, I would like to test if they did."

"Can I stop you anyway?"- Was his bitter remark. In her mind sounded almost like a bitter chuckle.

"Yes, you can."- Said Harmony, not missing a beat and barely changing her tone.-"You just have to say no."

They locked eyes, Severus searching for the truth of her words, Harmony allowing him to do so.

"I would never force you to do anything you don't want to, Severus."- Her voiced ringed in his mind.

"Why? Why are you like this to me? You barely know me, girl."

"Because if McGonagall believe that you're a good person, I believe it too. And after all you have done for all of us in the war, I think you deserve the help."- Harmony answered him without words again.

"How old are you?"

"That's a rude question. But I'm old enough to take care of you, be assured."- There was a hint of humour in Harmony's voice. How long ago had someone been frisk with him?

"I'm not questioning that. I'm just... Curious."- Severus finally assumed, averting his eyes from her.

Harmony stoped her massage to look at him. She raised her hand to touch in his neck, calling his attention to her again.

"Ask me whatever you wish, Severus. You do have the right. As I have the right to choose to answer or not. But this time I was joking a little bit,ok? I'm 27."

"Them... You were my student?"

"No. But I saw you a lot in my last year. I didn't take Potions classes in my 7 year."

"Other choices?"

"Not really. Just... An option. I took my N.E.W.T.S in potions. I just...Didn't need the classes."

"Don't say: A know-it-all."- He blurted out, showing annoyance.

"No. Was an option that all my teachers accepted. My skill level was more advanced than my classmates. After all, I started to breed at 4."

That gained his attention. A child, breeding potions?
Harmony seemed to read him quite easily, as she continued.

"My mother taught me magic from the moment I was born. Family tradition."

"Who was your mother?"- He asked, more curious with each question.

Harmony sighed before getting up and grabing a clean towel.

"That's..."- She told him, before making him levitate from the bathtub.- "It's a story for another day, Severus. Time for you to go to bed now."

"I'm not a child, you know?"- Severus scowled at her, upset for the denial of an answer he desired. The expression in his face almost followed his intent. Almost , Harmony noted.

"Yes, I do. I'm not calling you that. You're an adult, just like me. But you do need to rest and you know it."-Harmony tried to reason with him while dressing him in a wizard nightgown.

"I don't want to."- He finally recognized, shame written all over his eyes and his mind.

The nightmares, thought Harmony making sense of the motive why he had avoided sleep the entire day after his... Accident.

She looked at Rufus, as it was already sleeping by the fire in Severus room. She knew that if anything happened the dog would call her. He had done so earlier in the kitchen, alerting her to Severus condition. And yet...

"Severus can you answer me truthfully?"- She asked in his mind, as she made the bathtube vanish from the room and folded his daily clothes.

It took some minutes before a reply came.

"Try me."-Severus complyed.

"How much did you sleep in your time in St. Mungus?"

"Just when I couldn't avoid it."- He told her, confirming her thoughts.

Harmony smiled bitterly with her back to him. Poor man. His nights and days must have been a living hell.

"They never gave you Dreamless Sleep?"

"Sometimes. In the begining."- He disclosed.

Harmony could feel her anger growing inside her. Fools. But she needed to help him.
She returned to the bed, tucking Severus in the clothes and making sure he was confortable. Harmony could sense that he would avoid sleep as much as he would be capable of that night.
She sat in the edge of the bed, seemingly tucking him in still. His dark eyes avoided hers.

"Severus.. Look at me, please."- She requested. He did so, even if not happily.-"Tell me; What do you want me to do? I'm here, with you. I want to help. Before you couldn't express yourself. Now you can. Tell me how you wish me to help you about this."

She was almost begging. To help him. He couldn't remember the last time someone had cared this much for him.

"Stay with me?"- He finally asked, letting her feel his fear.

Harmony smiled tenderly, while taking his hands in hers. She could only imagine what had take for him to ask her. All of his pride, possibly. She nodded at Severus, showing him her answer.

"I will be here. For you. I promess. Now try to sleep. I will be gone for a moment to change, but I will return soon. Rufus will stay too."

Harmony left the room for half an hour to change and comb her hair into a braid. When she returned, she found Severus still fighting sleep but clearly losing his battle in the confort of a warm bed and a heated room. Again she smiled. She had listened to a lot of things aboout that man in the past. But whoever he used to be, the man in front of her wasn't him. He was strong still, in character and dignity. Still bossy too. But for the biggest part he was but a shadow of the feared Potions Master of Hogwarts. Even the most ferocious animal left in a cage to die slowly would become a shadow. And Severus was inside a cage: His own body. What could be worst than that? The healers had tried to take everything that was left away from him. Even his dignity.

Amidst his fight with sleep, Severus felt feelings trying to take over. He searched for the girl that he knew for sure couldn't be too far. She was by the door, looking at him with a sad expression in her face.

"Will you stay there all night?"- He managed to try to hassle her.

Harmony denied in silence and walked to the bed . She raised the sheets in the opposite side of him and climbed in, leaving a amazed Severus to try to glance at her.

"Which side do you wish to turn to sleep? Fireplace or ... Well, my side?"- She questioned him, enjoying the effect of her surprise.

Severus turned a shade of red before replying.

"You choose."

"Ok... Last night was fireplace. Tonight I don't mind having you turned to me."-Carefully she turned his body to her, taking all the measures to make sure he would be confortable until morning.

When she finally turned the light off, they were face to face in the bed, inches apart . Her hand grasped his.

"Goodnight, Severus."

"Goodnight,Harmony."