10. Slytherins Can Beg

Severus had watched Harry leave from the tower. He knew he shouldn't but he did. But that was Harry and Severus all over it should never have happened but it did. And Severus knew that he had nowhere near enough restraint to resist the delectable young man before him. Severus had long ago realised that he was in love with Harry and that was why what Dumbledore and the Dark Lord had ordered him to (though he was only doing it on Dumbledore's orders) do was so much harder than before.

He would do it to ease his mentor's passing and not because he wanted to take the old man's life. Severus knew that Dumbledore could be as manipulative as any Slytherin. In fact Severus had often wondered how Dumbledore had even ended up in Gryffindor. But today he hoped to get something from Dumbledore. Because he knew if he just killed Dumbledore without explaining what or why then he would break Harry's heart. Severus may be old and have already had his heart broken when Lily chosen James over himself and when Lily died.

But Harry James Potter was not. He was far older in years than any of his classmates due to the heavy weight that Dumbledore and Voldemort had put on his shoulders. Severus was well aware that much of what had occurred since Harry had came here was because of the manipulations of the Headmaster. Before he had understood they were necessary. Now he just wanted to take Harry away from here to protect him from Voldemort, Dumbledore and the wrongs of the world. However, Severus was well aware that he could not do that.

He could, however, do everything within his power to ensure that Harry survived this war and didn't get his heartbroken by Severus' apparent betrayal. Of course, first he needed Albus' permission to tell Harry everything. He needed to be careful about what to say. Albus was many things but Severus somehow doubted that the old man would be thrilled that his teacher and favourite pupil were fucking. Severus had seen Albus angry on few occasions and he never wanted to see the old man angry even whilst dying the man was powerful.

He had met Albus on the grounds where he had been told – ordered – to meet Albus here later. Albus was already waiting for him when he came in. The old man looked tired and weary which was a stark reminder of the fact he had a few months to live even if Severus didn't kill the man before then. Severus entered unsure of how to phrase this particular sentence knowing that the survival of his illicit relationship would depend on it. He wished that Harry would be there for New Years wasn't it said that if you kissed someone at midnight on New Years then they'd spend the rest of the year with you.

'Ah Severus you came,' Albus said as though surprised.

Severus barely restrained an eye roll. Of course he came. Didn't he always come? Honestly that man was infuriating at the best of times and now he was simply maddening. But Severus was ever the spy it seemed that only two people had ever been able to get through his masks. Or was it walls? And those two people happened to be mother and son. Severus felt that he had some weakness for emerald green eyes. Or maybe it was their personalities. But Severus had long ago come to the conclusion that his affections for Lily were weak in comparison to his passion for her son.

'What else would I be doing?' sneered Severus.

'You wanted to speak to me,' Albus said.

'I think that the boy should know everything,' Severus said.

Albus looked surprised, 'when did you decided this?'

'It is in his interests to know,' Severus said carefully.

'What interests are these?' asked Albus.

'With you gone he will be the new rallying point,' Severus said sharply. 'He needs to know what the Dark Lord is up to.'

'You would be willing to report to James Potter's son?' asked Albus.

'Yes,' Severus said simply.

'There's more than you are telling me,' Albus said. 'Severus.'

'I've agreed to kill you don't you think that's enough,' Severus said sharply.

'Severus,' Albus repeated.

'I don't want the boy to hate me,' Severus replied.

'I think you've done a good enough job of that already,' Albus replied.

'True,' Severus said. 'But would you rather him think you died at a traitor's hand your life taken cruelly as so many of those he cares for have been or would you rather him know that it was your choice so he can prepare himself for another loss.'

'What I would like and what will be are two different things, Severus,' Albus said softly.

'Indeed,' drawled Severus.

'You know his Occlumency isn't nearly good enough to keep Voldemort from knowing the truth about you,' Albus said.

'You didn't say that with your lessons,' Severus said coolly.

'He needs to know,' Albus said.

'He needs to know this as well,' Severus retorted.

'You don't understand,' Albus finally said. 'You don't know what he is.'

'What he is Albus is a young man that needs the truth,' Severus said. 'Look what happened the last time you tried to keep things from him.'

Albus winced, 'I've made mistakes.'

'Then don't repeat them,' Severus snapped.

'Do you want to know what really happened all those years ago?' asked Albus quietly. 'At Godric's Hollow.'

'I'm listening,' Severus said coolly.

'As we all know Voldemort-'Albus began.

Severus flinched, 'please Albus don't say the name.'

'There's nothing to fear of the name,' admonished Albus.

'There is when you get tortured whenever the name is uttered,' muttered Severus.

'I am sorry, Severus, I will be more considerate in the future,' Albus said quietly. 'Yes well Tom let's call him turned up at Godric's Hollow killing James and then Lily sacrifice-'Albus was interrupted again.

'Yes I know,' snapped the irate Potions Master.

'Sorry,' Albus said softly. 'I forgot how close the two of you were as children.'

'Your going senile,' warned Severus.

'Then Tom turned his wand on Harry where of course Tom found himself unable to kill Harry because of his mother's lingering protection which lingers in his blood,' Albus said.

'I know all this already,' Severus snapped. 'Get to the point old man.'

'Harry and you know all this already but something more happened that night,' Albus said.

Severus felt a strong sense of foreboding at this statement. Here they were talking about horrors of a young family been torn apart by a madman; a small child's life being forever altered so that baby boy would grow up to face the monsters of the world. And here was Dumbledore telling him something more happened. What else could there be? What worse than the death of his first love and his lover being injured and marked forever. Severus didn't know but he did not like where this was going.

'What more?' asked Severus.

'You must not tell Harry until the moment when you see Nagini protected,' warned Dumbledore. 'Swear to me.'

'Not until you tell me what's going on,' Severus repeated.

Albus closed his eyes once again looking the weary old man. Severus felt himself getting angry. How dare the old man keep something so important to the boy he loved's life! But he could tell that Albus was nervous; about what Severus could tell but he knew if it was enough to make Albus Dumbledore nervous it was bad. Severus couldn't help the clenching in his gut when he thought that there was more danger in Harry's life. Albus sighed and nodded sadly for once looking every bit as old as he was.

'You see Severus when the curse backfired and hit Tom and Tom fled leaving his body behind he did not just leave his body behind,' Albus said softly. 'He also left part of his soul maimed and injured as it would be.'

'A piece of soul even the Dark Lord's could not survive unbound for long,' Severus said quietly.

'Indeed not,' agreed Dumbledore peering at Severus over his clasped hands. 'That is why it bound to the only living soul in that house.'

'Harry,' gasped Severus.

He just couldn't help it. He knew what that made Harry. He knew enough about the Dark Arts to understand what Albus wasn't telling him. Harry was a Horcrux which meant for Voldemort to be defeated…. NO! There had to be another way. There just had to be. Anyway that would mean that his dear, sweet Harry would not have to die in order for the Dark Lord to be defeated. How could Albus ask something of a sixteen year old boy for a crying out loud? He was a child, just a child. It was bad enough that the sixteen year old was being buggered by his pervy teacher without this as well.

/

Albus looked at his white faced spy who had accidentally let slip that he actually cared for Harry. Albus saw the pain and the guilt in his eyes that went well beyond the man's love for Lily Evans. Albus didn't know when the man had stopped seeing Harry as a carbon copy of James but it was obvious he had. It cleared up why the man wanted Harry to know the truth. Albus could tell that Severus was keeping something from him … something that concerned Harry Potter and Severus Snape.

'When he dies at Voldemort's hands it will truly mean the end of Voldemort,' Albus said.

Severus looked horrified at this, 'you have kept him alive so that he can die at the right moment?' Severus demanded angrily.

'Don't be shocked, Severus. How man men and women have you watched die?' Albus reminded him of the greater good.

'Lately only those whom I could not save,' snapped a pale Severus still looking shocked. 'You have used me.'

'Meaning?' asked Albus knowing that Severus was right Albus had used both the boys – Severus and Harry – as a means to defeat Voldemort for the Greater Good.

'I have spied for you, and lied for you, put myself in mortal danger for you. Everything was supposed to be to keep Harry safe. Now you tell me you have been raising him like a pig for slaughter-'Severus began.

'But this is touching, Severus,' Albus was actually surprised at the depth of Severus care for James Potter's son. 'Have you grown to care for the boy, after all?'

'Care for him?' demanded Severus. 'I love him.'

There was a silence in the Headmaster's office as Severus seemed to realise what he had just revealed about his feelings for the boy. Albus saw the guilt in Severus' eyes and understood what the glances between man and boy were. Severus Snape and Harry Potter were in a relationship. Albus no knew that Severus would never tell Harry what he was; he cared too much about Harry. Albus couldn't help but think that they were well suited to one another if their all too similar pasts were anything to go by.

Both Harry and Severus both lived under abusive males growing up. Neither of them had many friends until coming to Hogwarts. Both of them had devoted much of their lives to fighting against Voldemort. If it had been any other student and teacher Albus would have been dead against it but considering what Harry had lived through the boy was no child. And it seemed that Severus was one of the few to realise it. Albus was glad that the boy had some happiness where he could find it. He understood why Severus wanted to tell Harry about their plan; it would break Harry's heart to believe that Severus had killed Albus in cold blood.

'How long?' asked Albus.

'September,' Severus said.

'I'm sure Sirius and James are thrilled,' Albus said drily.

'Harry is not his father,' Severus said.

'No he is not,' Albus agreed. 'You are not going to tell him about this.'

'I am not going to send Harry off to his death,' Severus said coldly. 'Let him no the truth about your death.'

'It's too dangerous, Severus,' sighed Albus. 'I am sorry.'

'If you were sorry you wouldn't talk about sending a teenager off to his death,' Severus said harshly.

Albus winced at his words, 'the same teenager whose virginity you took?'

'I am not an innocent man,' Severus said. 'But at least I feel bad for this. If you had any conscience you would not even be considering this.'

Albus nodded, 'for the greater good.'

'Isn't that what Grindelwald said?' Severus demanded. 'And I doubt you'd call Grindelwald's legacy good?

'I am sorry for everything Severus,' Albus said.

'Sorry's not good enough,' Severus said before turning on his heel and storming out of the Headmaster's office.

I think I'm probably going for Mpreg since all those who have reviewed have asked it. If I am I would say that it will be soon that Harry finds out.