I stood frozen in front of the couch for much longer than I should have once Harry ran to his room. There was this inexplicably warm feeling spreading throughout my being, and I really couldn't put a name to it. I brought my hand up to my forehead, no fever, I wasn't hallucinating.

Harry Potter, who despised the very prospect of being in the same room with me barely a month ago, hugged me, in a most pleasant way. I think I was actually caring for the boy.

How did this happen? How did I come to care for James Potter's spawn?

The truth was I didn't even see James in the boy any more, I only saw Harry. He was the undeniable mixture of his parents, with his father's bravery and his mother's compassion.

I sighed and shoved all my philosophical thinking to the back of my mind so maybe I could get some sleep.

For the next two days, no one spoke a word of what happened, but it continued to happen. It became a custom that I looked forward to at the end of every day. After dinner we would drink tea on the couch, in front of the fireplace, and talk. Then Harry would hug me, bid me good night, and go to his room. Every time it left me with a warm feeling that kept getting more and more intense.

When we talked, we talked about everything. From potions to Quittich, and - dare I say it - girls. He confessed that, with the constant attempts on his life, he didn't feel the need for any sort of relationship.

"I think Ginny Weasley is convinced that we're 'meant to be'," Harry told me, using air quotes. Making a gagging noise, he went on, "I love her like a sister, she is my best mate's sister, but she has some odd notion that I am in love with her. I don't really think she's in love with me, but Harry Potter, the-boy-who-lived." He made another face.

I shook my head sadly, "sorry, but in that certain area I can offer you no help. I haven't had the best of luck with women in the past, it seems that right when everything is perfect, men louse up the relationship beyond repair." Like with Lily.

He snorted, "don't I know it. And I don't think it gets any better with age." I nodded solemnly before smiling, "Look at the Headmaster and Professor McGonnagal. Their relationship may be strictly plutonic, but I know she has put the Headmaster in his place more than once." Harry spluttered, choking on his tea.

I chuckled, "are you alright? It wouldn't be good if you were killed by tea."

His joyful expression turned serious, "Severus, can I ask you something?"

I sobered up, nodding, "of course you can, Harry. What would you like to ask me?"

"It's just, how well are gay relationships taken in the wizarding world?" He fidgited with his cup.

I frowned, "it's not really a big deal in the wizarding world. I know that people from prestigious families are almost forced to marry the opposite gender to ensure a heir, but aside from that, people don't view it as any different than heterosexual couples."

You could practically see the boy deflate. He groaned, "why couldn't somebody have told me this three years ago! It would have saved me so much stress."

"Might I ask why you find this bit of information so important?" I set my now empty cup down, feeling that he was going to tell me something very big.

"I might as well get this over with," Harry said. Standing, he cleared his throat, "I, Harry James Potter, am gay."

I raised an eyebrow, "well, I'm glad you told me, but you do realize that won't change anything around you?"

He slouched in his chair, obviously relieved, "it just feels good to tell somebody that I trust and not having them freak out on me."

"I take it you've told somebody before?" Bobbles appeared to make more tea.

"Why do you think Cho Chang won't talk to me any more? I don't know why I went out with her in the first place," he rubbed his temples. "She held it over my head for the past three years and was the result of a long line of sleepless nights."

"Harry, a lot of famous wizards are gay, did you not know that?" I felt the need to reassure him more.

"No, I try to avoid people as much as possible," he said, thankfully taking a cup of tea from Muffy.

"Many people, including the heads of certain departments in the Ministry are gay, including Dumbledore himself," the boy's eyes almost popped out of his head.

"Either way, I'm still glad to tell someone I can trust," Harry told me, looking up at me with admiration in his eyes.

"I agree. Now it is our bedtime, we have to get up extra early because we're moving to Hogwarts tomorrow, remember? And you still have some things to pack," I looked towards the mess that he still hadn't cleaned up peaking out of his doorway.

He blushed and rose as I did, "I told you I'll pick it up." He hugged me, seeming very young and very innocent in that moment, "goodnight Severus."

I wrapped my own arms around him, "goodnight Harry." I watched as he retreated to his room, a small smile on my face. I waited until he shut the door before whispering, mostly to myself, "I love you."

A/N: That is totally poop! I had this saved, along with my a/n, and it said I had somehow logged out. That is redickerous! Anyways, back to the matter at hand. I am incredibl sorry that I haven't updated in a bajillion years. But I've had my school play I haven't memorized, my homework that I don't do at home, my books that sit on my shelf... This is not helping. Anyways I've been having a streak of major lazy-bum-ness that I can't seem to get passed.

Now about the story. Remember this is a father fic and there will be no slash. And I felt like this chapter needed to be done. Harry lived with the Dursley's, who sneer at everything 'normal'. Being gay myself, I know how 'unnormal' it can seem to be gay. And, like many other things about himself, he feels like it is weird and something he needs to be ashamed of. Also it helps to build a trusting bond with Severus, who, after all, is his mentor.

And to make up for my lack of updating, there should be a chapter right behind this one.