AN: sometimes I have to travel, and that means I won't be able to update this story, sorry for the long breaks. I don't think I will go anywhere before this story is complete. I hope you enjoy it

"Will you leave for Christmas vacation?" Harry asked Severus one day at breakfast.

"No," Severus answered when he finished chewing his food.

"Would you celebrate it with me?" Harry asked hopefully.

"I will be guarding you while you celebrate; I assume you will be attending some kind of gathering."

"I don't think I'll attend anything," Harry saw that Severus was about to comment so he continued. "I will be organizing a small, private party here. I'll be inviting only my closest friends, all of whom I think you've met, at least briefly."

Harry didn't take his eyes off of Severus and thought Severus looked rather pleased.

"Where will you be spending your birthday?" Harry continued asking, knowing well that by asking that Severus would have to know he spoke to someone. Severus looked at him with one eyebrow raised, questioning him.

"I'm sure that by summer this assignment will be finished, so I think my birthday will be spent at home." Harry suddenly had an itch he knew would go away only by scratching it, and based on Severus' look he knew it, too.

Deciding that in the end they would have to be open about these things he told Severus how he had found out the information.

"Sirius let me see your file."

"You do realize that by revealing this information to me you might have put your godfather's position in danger."

"Yes," Harry lied. He hadn't thought about his godfather when he decided to let Severus know he knew the date of his birth. "Now, where will you be spending your birthday?" Since he had already exposed his godfather he might just as well find out Severus' plans.

"Unless they have found the one behi..." he started to say, but was cut off by Harry.

"Behind the kidnapping threats, I know." Harry made a silent wish that the one behind the mess wouldn't be caught so that he could have more time with Severus.

"Why do you ask?" Harry looked up at Severus and saw that he was worried.

"No reason."

"Potter, I know you well enough to know that you always have a reason behind your questions." Harry couldn't help smiling at the thought that Severus knew him well enough to know such things about him, Blaise was right; Severus did pay more attention than he gave him credit for.

"Just want to know in case I decide to give you a surprise birthday party," Harry joked. Severus scowled at Harry, he wasn't amused at all.

"First, I don't have friends. Second, if anyone jumps out and shouts surprise I'll shoot them. Third, you will be the first one to die." Harry was surprised that he didn't find Severus' threat frightening at all, he had become so used to his humour that he knew when he was joking, even if it sounded like he was sincere. Severus glared at Harry when he suddenly giggled.

"I'm not kidding, Potter. You will be the first they need to bury."

"You'll have to catch me first," Harry joked, "and just so you know, I'm faster than you think."

"I doubt it." Harry raised one eyebrow. Then he stood up from the kitchen table and stared at Severus.

"Do you want to find out?"

"Are you serious? Sit down, Potter, and finish your breakfast, we have to leave in ten minutes."

"Then I suggest you hurry." It was the last thing Harry said before he ran out of the kitchen. It didn't take long before Severus left his own plate and ran after the boy.

At first he thought it was stupid to be chasing after the young man, but he quickly realized it was actually fun when he discovered that Harry was hiding as well.

"Come out, come out, wherever you are!" he shouted into Harry's room. He had seen the boy run into it just as he reached the top of the stairs.

Severus looked around the room, trying to figure out every possible hiding spot. When he entered the room he locked the door, just in case the boy tried to escape and then hide in another room.

Slowly he walked through the room, looking beneath the bed, in the closet, behind the curtains, behind chairs; but Harry wasn't in the room. Then he walked into the bathroom. He looked at every possible location Harry might be at, but the boy was gone.

He was more than confused. The boy couldn't just disappear into thin air. He was about to search the bathroom the second time when he felt a cold breeze caress his skin. When he looked towards the window he realized it was open. He couldn't help smirking as he made his way over to the window, Harry wouldn't be able to escape him this time.

Quickly he pulled the window open and grabbed Harry, who was surprised his hideout was exposed. Severus knew that Harry might fall down if the shock was big enough, so he pulled the boy into the bathroom before he could do something stupid and fall to his death.

The force combined with the weight was strong enough to knock Severus over. He stumbled just as Harry was safe inside, but because he still hadn't released the boy he pulled him down with him.

Harry was just as shocked and unprepared that when he fell his elbow hit Severus straight in his right side, causing the older man great pain.

Quickly he pulled himself up and stared down at Severus, whose eyes were closed as he tried to control the pain.

"I'm so sorry," Harry repeated several times.

A few seconds later Severus stood up and looked at Harry. When Harry was about to apologize again he was stopped. "Don't worry about it. Now let's leave, school starts soon."

Harry couldn't help the guilt, but he knew he had to leave. Severus wouldn't want him to be late because of a silly game.

-o-

Time almost flew by after that, Harry did his best to act like an adult at every opportunity, except for when he met Draco. He didn't bother Severus with questions about their relationship, or lack of relationship as Severus always said, and because of that he hoped Severus might take the first step, but he never did.

Severus knew well enough what he was doing; by ignoring Harry he hoped the boy would see that there were other men out there, who were closer to his age. But Harry never looked at another man the way he constantly looked at Severus.

Severus feared that their strange relationship would be exposed, or that Harry would go around and brag about it to his friends. But it seemed to Severus that only Blaise knew about what had happened between them.

Two days before the Christmas holiday Blaise came over to Harry's home to spend some time with his friend. Severus feared that the short visit would turn into a small vacation like last time.

First the two boys spent an hour in Harry's room, Severus sat down in the living room with a book he was currently reading and watched the front gates. Black had informed him that they had received another threat, and this time it involved Harry's home. As an extra precaution they set up a base with two agents right across the street to monitor the house.

Severus knew that he would have to be cautious about any games he and Harry might play. If the ones watching the house caught them doing anything like that Severus would certainly be brought in for questioning. But if Severus went down he would take Black with him. Black let Harry see Severus' confidential file; that was enough to get an investigation started.

Harry knew of course that someone was watching the house, but that hadn't stopped him from teasing Severus until the man had to chase him.

After one hour in silence Severus was joined by Blaise. The young dark-skinned boy threw himself down beside Severus and stared at him.

"Is there anything you want, Mr. Zabini?" Severus asked in a bored tone, he knew well the theme of the conversation that would soon take place.

"Why are you being so mean to Harry? He's trying his best to make you notice him."

"If that is his intent then he has succeeded, I have noticed him," Severus paused briefly meanly trying to get Blaise's hopes up, "both his stupid and immature behaviour."

"Are you doing this on purpose? Do you really want to hurt him?"

"Mr. Potter is capable of thinking for himself. I don't understand why you should be pushing your assumptions on him and giving him hopes where there aren't any."

"You ass, there is a lot of potential between you two, and you know it. Harry told me about everything that happened since I was last here, I know how you kissed him back and that you agreed to the fake date. Why don't you just accept your feelings and go up there and kiss him like you really want to."

"I assume you know about the family history I share with Mr. Potter," he told the boy before he could continue his lecture.

"I don't know everything but he told me you're sort of his uncle. His mother's family took you in because of some bad stuff that happened in your own family." Severus wondered if he should tell Blaise about his feelings towards Lily, but decided against it. Not only was he unsure of his past but exposing it would only bring more questions than he would like.

"Then I'm sure you understand both my and his family's objections."

"So if you didn't have that history with him you would be up in his room right now, making sweet love to him?"

"Mr. Zabini!" Severus growled out, he could barely listen to the boy tell him to kiss Harry, so he wouldn't stand by and listen to him saying anything about sex. "I would appreciate it if you kept your thoughts to yourself. Don't forget that I'm here to protect Potter. If anything should happen to you, I'm not responsible."

"And you forget that I'm responsible for Harry's happiness, and it all depends on your decision."

Severus stood up and was about to leave when Blaise stopped him by grabbing his wrist.

"Just give him a chance, which is the least he deserves. I'll talk to him and make sure that he understands that things might not go his way in the end."

"Thank you, Mr. Zabini." It was the last thing that was said between them before Severus left the room.

Severus headed for the kitchen where he had three exits, just in case Blaise was planning to come after him. But Blaise never came after him. Instead he walked back up to Harry's room where the two boys continued to stay for the next several hours until Blaise left.

Severus thought that because of the late hour Harry wouldn't leave his room, but Harry didn't really care about the time of night.

"I want to hold the Christmas party this weekend." The way he said it sounded to Severus like he was afraid Severus would refuse, and that confused him a bit.

"If that is what you want," Severus answered quickly.

"Will there be a second chaperone at the party?" Severus stared at Harry, there was something going on but he didn't know what it was.

"Why do you ask? Are you planning to seduce me again?" He doubted that was the case but by asking he could eliminate such thoughts if that wasn't the case.

"No!" Harry yelled; he seemed to be offended by Severus' assumptions.

"You can't blame me for asking, it hasn't been that long since we faced this problem."

"So you think it was a problem?" This time there was no anger in his voice, only pain.

"The fact that you can't take a hint, or understand that no means no, is a problem from my point of view."

Inexplicably, Harry's mood seemed to brighten up, and to Severus' relief he seemed to drop the subject.

"So nobody else will be here?"

"Except for the agents watching the house from the other side of the street there won't be any others, unless you want it. But based on my previous experience with you and my knowledge of your plans for the party I don't think it's necessary to hire anyone new." Harry gave Severus a genuine smile before he continued into the living room, where he sat down with a book.

Severus knew Harry had school in the morning so he couldn't understand why Harry didn't even attempt to pretend like he was sleeping. But he knew that it wasn't any of his business so he didn't say anything.

Harry wasn't stupid of course. He knew the second time Severus looked at his watch that Severus expected Harry to go to bed. It was fun to see him worry, but it didn't take long before the guilt over making Severus worry like that took over.

"I have tomorrow off because I handed in my term paper early. If I had known about this earlier I would have handed the paper in two weeks ago," he said in a playful tone. Severus seemed to relax, which sent a warm feeling through Harry's body. Severus didn't say anything but he knew he was pleased with him.

Then Severus walked over to Harry and sat down beside him, finding his own book and started reading as well.

The two of them sat and read the books in silence, the only sounds a clock in the room and the pages of the books being turned over.

It must have been around two when Severus finally looked over at Harry. That was when he realized the boy was sleeping. When he looked at Harry like that he couldn't help smiling; Harry looked adorable. While he went to find a blanket he thought of how far Harry had come since Severus first met him. The party boy had turned into a young man. Severus admitted that he was still young and naive, especially since he still believed they could have a relationship that could work. Though if Severus were honest, he didn't doubt they could work well together, but there were a lot of things that would be against them; Harry's side of the family would definitely be against it, his father, his godfather, and most likely his mother as well.

He placed the wool blanket over Harry and looked at him one last time before he sat down beside him and continued reading his book. It was pretty interesting so he doubted he would be able to fall asleep that night.