(CottonTail didn't write an Author's Note in this one so neither will I... except for this. HEARTS!)
"I don't have any clothes." Harry announced. He stood in the middle of the main room, wrapped in an overly large, fluffy, black towel. Water dripped from his hair. He'd taken an indecent amount of time in the bath this morning, trying to deal with an achingly hard erection he'd woken up with. Eventually it dissipated simply because he'd become so frustrated with trying to get himself off and never reaching climax.
He blamed the bond. He blamed everything that went wrong in his life on the bond. Now he couldn't even get himself off without Severus being in the same room! At least that's what he concluded from this morning's frustrations. And why had he woken up so incredibly aroused in the first place? It wasn't like the usual morning erection.
Now he was just irritated and angry. And who better to take it out on than the other member of the bond. The other member who was apparently pretending Harry wasn't in the room at all.
"Hello! I'm wet! You did something with my robes!"
Severus looked up from the letter he was reading and acknowledged Harry's presence.
"I had them destroyed. I like you naked."
It was a bland response, and made in Severus' usual apathetic voice.
"Very amusing. Where are my robes?"
"I told you I destroyed them." Just then a small knock sounded at the door.
Harry jumped, made to scurry back into the bedroom but it was too late. The door was opened and a small house elf entered, loaded down with a pile of dark robes.
"Give them to the naked boy." Severus directed the elf. It scampered over to him and placed the robes at his feet.
"Would sir be wanting anything else?"
"No. Get out." Snape waved dismissively and the elf rushed for the door, as if his life depended upon escape.
"You bought me new robes?" Harry frowned at the pile of clothing before him.
"Considering you are no longer a member of Gryffindor and you are now an apprentice. It seemed new robes were in order."
Harry hardly heard the rest of the explanation. His breath hitched and his heart stopped at the first words. "I'm not in Gryffindor? But the Sorting Hat put me there. I'm not Slytherin, am I?"
"I just told you. You are an apprentice now. You are a member of no house."
He bit his lip, tried not to scream and protest. He would be adult about this. It was just a house. It was just some colors and a lion symbol. It wasn't his entire life. But his heart was suddenly heavy.
Lifting up one set of new robes he took in the detail. It was made of a very soft charcoal gray material. It must have been quite expensive to come by. He glanced over at Severus who was again immersed in the letter he held. His stomach did a small flop and his heart started beating quickly at the sight of the older wizard. Not that the man was doing anything particularly thrilling or new. He was just standing there, in his black robes, letter in hand.
There was a soft twittering behind him and Harry turned to find a large dark Sooty owl perched on the mantel of the fireplace. He'd never seen one before. They were rare in this part of the world. Its eyes were huge and black and seemed to take up half of its face. The feathers were a dusky dark color as well, flecks of white sprinkled across its breast. It stared back at Harry, gave a slight turn of its head, looked at Severus than back at Harry.
Suddenly the room was filled with a musical chittering and trilling. Harry's breath caught in his throat at the silvery notes that spilled forth.
"Oh shut up!" A rolled up Daily Prophet hit the wall above the owl's head and the twittering stopped, followed by a loud screech of protest.
"Why did you do that? It was nice!" Harry turned back to Severus, clutching the towel about him.
"It's a courtship song native to his species. He's making fun of us!"
"How do you know that? Maybe he means good wishes."
Severus snorted and looked hard at Harry. "You really are naïve." He shook his head, narrowing his eyes. "I've had that owl since I was 3 years old. I can promise you he has never once wished me well. He's the bane of my existence…" He trailed off, seeming to just realize that Harry was standing in nothing but a towel. "Well… he was the bane of my existence. Now you have done an excellent job of taking his place."
"He's a Sooty owl. How did you get one?"
"My father acquired him. I don't know the details."
"What's his name?" Harry turned his attention back to the owl. It was quite big and loomed over him from its perch on the mantel. It reminded him an awful lot of Snape.
"Cicero."
"Hello Cicero." Harry smiled up at the bird. It glared down at him than gave a soft clicking noise in response. But otherwise gave no indication it was glad to make his acquaintance.
"Go get dressed. We have to be in the Great Hall for breakfast. The Headmaster has a speech to give. Unfortunately, our presence is required."
This did not sound good. Harry imagined he knew what the speech was going to be about. He'd been lucky last night when he returned to gather his books from the Gryffindor rooms. No one but Neville had been in the rooms. He only gave Harry a curious look, but no questions.
His mind was not on what was happening. Because beside him, at the head table, was Harry looking stunning in tailored dark robes. But it wasn't his looks that were distracting Snape. It was the emotions that were roiling off the boy. And now that the bond was completed they were amplified.
He was a ball of nervous energy sitting between Severus and Madam Hooch.
Under the table, Snape placed a hand on Harry's leg. His intention was to provide some type of reassurance to calm the boy down. Instead he jumped nearly a foot in the air, rattling the silverware on the table when he hit it. He blushed deeply when Severus removed his hand quickly and gave him a look of exasperation.
"Sorry." Harry mumbled.
"Stop worrying about everything. You can't control any of this." Severus said under his breath.
"That's why I'm worried."
There was a soft tinkling from the center of the table, where Professor Dumbledor was tapping his goblet with a spoon. The talking in the Hall died down. All faces turned to the head table.
"I should like to make a small announcement this morning. As I am sure you have all noticed, Mr. Potter is at the head table. This is because he has been apprenticed."
A soft rift of whispers ran through the hall. "It is a very prestigious thing to be taken as an apprentice and it is not something that is taken up lightly as most of you are aware."
Severus noticed some heads nod in understanding. Every eye at the Gryffindor table was fixed on Harry. Harry was not returning any of the looks. In fact, he had made a sudden grab for Severus' hand and was clinging to it under the table.
"It was after much consideration on my part that I decided Mr. Potter needs more individual and personal tutoring by a wizard who is strong enough to provide the guidance he will need. I have therefore, asked Professor Snape to take on Mr. Potter as an apprentice."
There were some audible gasps, a few other shocked noises and pretty much the entire Gryffindor table had a look of shock plastered to every face. The Slytherin table wasn't so much shocked as disturbed by the news. Draco openly glared at Harry.
"As an apprentice, Mr. Potter will no longer be a member of Gryffindor, nor is he a member of any other house now. He will be staying with Professor Snape, as is the custom of the training of an apprentice."
The news fell like a bomb on the Gryffindor table. Bursts of outrage could be heard. Severus glared at them all. Professor Dumbledore also gave them one of his more authoritative looks. Reluctantly they settled.
"I ask that you all have the courtesy of accepting this new development with a minimal amount of disruption to your regular schedules. The only one this should have any effect upon is Harry himself… and of course Professor Snape."
Under the table Harry had Severus' hand in a death grip. "If you are trying to break any bones I suggest using both hands." He snarled.
The grip loosened and Harry mumbled another "Sorry."
Madam Hooch gave them an amused look.
"Its okay." Severus replied and pulled his hand away, giving it a slight shake, working the feeling back into his fingers. "You'll be with me all day. You wont have to face any of them one on one."
"I have classes." Harry answered.
"Not any more. You stay with me. You'll be in Potions with me all day."
"Oh." Harry chewed thoughtfully on a piece of bacon and spent the rest of the breakfast avoiding eye contact with any one at the Gryffindor table.
"Happy Potter? Got him all to yourself now? I always knew you had a thing for Professor Snape." Malfoy taunted him as the rest of the class entered the Potion's room.
'If only you knew.' Harry thought to himself but otherwise pretended not to hear. Severus had set up a small desk in the corner, at the front of the room, just a few feet from his own. He'd given Harry some assignments to work on in History of Magic and Charms and in between classes he'd helped him with some of the more difficult questions.
"Sit down!" Severus snarled and every one became instantly quiet. This was the class Harry had dreaded all day. The Slytherin and Gryffindor class. His year mates. He pretended to concentrate on his books. He could feel Ron's and Hermione's eyes on him. Dipping his quill in ink he scratched out words that came to mind.
'My life is miserable. There is a beetle crawling across my desk. Severus has a nice voice. I hate Malfoy. I wish Ron wouldn't stare at me like I've grown two heads. I want to talk to Hermione. I think I would like it if Severus-'
He jumped as something hit him in the back of the head. Turning to see what it was, he noticed a small paper plane lying on the floor at his feet. Glancing up quickly, to see if Severus was looking, he made a grab for the plane and set it on the desk before him. There were no sounds of teasing laughter or whispering, so it couldn't have been Malfoy or one of his gang.
There appeared to be writing on the wings of the plane. He reached for it and, quietly as possible, unfolded it. It was a letter, in Hermione's unmistakable writing.
'Harry, Professor McGonnagall told us this morning that you are staying with Professor Snape now. Harry I did some reading on that subject we discussed… Maybe you don't see it yet, but this is a good thing. That you are staying with him now, I mean. By the way, you HAVE to tell Ron. He's furious at you for agreeing to be "the greasy git's apprentice" and not even mentioning it to him first. He's sure Snape has played some mind game on you. I'm having a hard time thinking of excuses. Please write me back!
Your friend forever, Hermione.'
Harry read it over twice and then did a quick erasure spell on the letter. He did not want to talk to Ron right now. He was still trying to understand it all himself. He chanced a glance over at the table where his friends sat. Hermione was taking detailed notes as Severus lectured on the uses of psychotropic plants. Ron was staring right at him, looking terribly concerned.
He tried to smile at Ron but it probably came out more as a grimace.
"Potter!" Harry jumped. Severus was standing over him, arms crossed, one eyebrow raised as he looked down at the words on Harry's scroll. The words he had absently been writing before the paper plane hit him. He blushed. Why was he doing that so much lately? He blinked up at Severus, aware that a question had probably been asked and he had not heard it. "Ummm…. Sorry?"
Draco snickered.
"Get your books and go back to our rooms." The Potion's Master hissed at him.
"Yes, Sir." He couldn't get out of there quickly enough. He tried to give Severus a look of gratitude but he'd turned back to the class and was yelling at them.
Perhaps Severus was right about Cicero, Harry mused. He hadn't been in the rooms more than ten seconds before the owl spotted him and launched into his courtship love chirruping routine. At first Harry found it amusing and rather pleasant. But after half an hour of it, he was about to strangle the bird. If it would let him near it.
He tried throwing things at it and yelling like Severus did. Apparently he didn't have the authority to tell the owl to shut up though. It continued on for endless minutes as Harry pretended he didn't care. Eventually Cicero grew tired of the game and stopped. Instead he returned to slowly shredding a large book of what was most likely potions ingredients.
"You know that's wrong Cicero." Harry admonished, but only lightly. He was rather looking forward to Severus' reaction when he returned to find a blanket of confetti parchment strewn across the floors.
Now that he was alone, he had time to think. To try and piece together everything that was happening so fast. He settled himself in one of the plush chairs and watched Cicero tearing apart the book.
What had Hermione meant? That this was for the best? It didn't feel like it was for the best. But then again, perhaps there was one good thing to come from this. Perhaps he wouldn't have to return to the Dursley's this summer. He couldn't see Severus allowing that. Even the idea of being separated from him for that long made Harry shiver.
One of Severus' cloaks was tossed over the back of the chair. He pulled it over himself and snuggled into the familiar feel and scent of it. His nerves calmed and he became drowsy.
Some one was petting his head. Opening one eye he found Severus kneeling before him. A look of concern on his face disappeared as soon as Harry focused on him.
"Hi." He mumbled, rubbing sleep from his eyes.
The fingers in his hair slid over his scalp and then pulled back from him.
Those black eyes stared into his own for several long minutes. He became uncomfortable with the intensity of them and wanted to look away from it, but found himself drawn into them. Again, he had the feeling that the man could read minds.
"What's wrong?" He asked at last, breaking the silence. The distraction worked and Severus took his eyes off Harry. He looked at the floor, covered in torn parchment. Harry berated himself for falling asleep and missing the older wizard's initial reaction to the shredded book.
"I brought you this." Severus said in a very quite voice. He placed a small, deep red rose bud in the palm of Harry's hand. "Professor Sprout has a gross of them." It was thornless and its leaves were the most brilliant emerald green that Harry had ever seen in a plant.
"Oh. Thanks." He felt slightly uncomfortable at the idea of Snape bringing him a rose. It was not in his nature to be romantic like that. Perhaps the bond was having effects on him too.
"Umm, your owl tore up a book." He pointed out, feeling like a moron for changing the subject so fast. Whatever the subject had been. He wasn't sure. He just knew that things were feeling odd between them and he had an overwhelming urge to collapse against Severus' like a silly girl and beg him to take care of everything.
But then he recalled how Severus had used force before. How he'd drugged him and tricked him. Was this rose an apology? He looked again at the tiny rose bud. It had magically bloomed at some point when he wasn't watching.
"Yes, my owl. He's passive aggressive like that." Severus' spoke in dismissive way.
Harry smiled at that and Severus gave a slight look of amusement in return. "I sent him back to the Owlery."
"Oh."
"Come eat dinner now."
Had he slept that long? Glancing over at the table he saw that it was indeed laid out with food. "Okay." He took the hand that Severus offered and let himself be pulled up from the chair. For a brief moment they were pressed together and he had to tilt his head to look up at the other man. Harry hoped he would grow more because he was bound to get a cramp in his neck if he had to always look up like this.
Before he could think further the dark head was leaning down to him and a very gentle press of lips was against his own. Long black hair tickled against his cheek. He froze but didn't move from it. Every muscle cried out for him to wrap himself around this person and cling to him forever. But he refused to do so. He did however concentrate on this sudden kiss. It was tentative but not too light. There was a light nip at his bottom lip and then Severus pulled away, looked into Harry's eyes again for just a moment and stepped away. He turned with the usual swirl of robes and moved towards the table.
Harry remained standing in the same spot. He touched his lip with a finger and looked back at the small rose.
Yes, it was an apology. He smiled at the subtlety of it. It was perfect and sweet.
With a small smile, and a lightness to his mood, that he hadn't felt in some time, he followed Severus to the table for dinner.
In Harry's opinion, Slytherin was the most hostile and devious of all the houses. And after having spent all his free time in the dungeons for over a week he could include the additional terms: stealthy, reckless, and much as he hated to admit it, endlessly entertaining.
The practical jokes and scheming pranks that took place in the house within just one week would be enough to last the Weasley twins alone for a whole year. Harry was baffled by the amount of energy the members of the house seemed to exhibit once they were secure in the dungeons and out of the eye of the rest of the school. He didn't know how Severus kept up with it all.
There was always some one having to go visit Madam Pomfrey for burns, bruises or any number of accidental injuries. Harry had been in the Slytherin common rooms once with Ron, during the Polyjuice incident. And since then he had only been there again once more. With Severus, who had to go and deliver a lengthy lecture on not sneaking up on your fellow Slytherin and using the Scalding Hex, the Black Eye Hex or the Vomiting Hex. However, the Paper Cut Hex and the Bloody Nose Hex was permissible. Provided the victim did not go crying to Professor Snape about it. Harry stood just behind Severus as this lecture was delivered. For the first time Harry actually took time to more closely examine each of the Slytherin students. They always seemed scruffy and intimidating to him. But as he looked at them now, they all had scars or bruising some place on them. Even Malfoy had a small red bruise at his temple. He glared at Harry when he realized he was being watched.
They all had defiant looks of 'been there done that'. It was rare that any of them actually came and complained to Severus about being the object of a joke or particularly harsh prank. They were tuff. And they all got some sort of thrill from terrorizing one another. It was like a House Rule. 'Terrorize thy brother and sister'.
Apparently Severus didn't think there was much wrong in this, for he seemed to let an awful lot slip past. For instance, there was the night when Harry woke up to loud screaming outside, in the halls. He blinked owlishly in the darkness, heart racing. Thinking that perhaps Voldemort had arrived or something he grabbed for his wand, which he kept under his pillow. After finding his glasses on the bedside table and sliding out of the bed he tiptoed out of the bedroom. The door to Severus' rooms was open and he saw candlelight throwing shadows on the walls outside.
Holding his wand tightly, he made his way towards the open door. The screaming sounded like it was coming from many girls and there was laughter and chortles accompanying it. Slowly he moved around the doorframe and glanced into the cold, dungeon halls.
The whole Slytherin girls' dorm must have been up. They were all in the hallway screeching and clinging to one another, night gowns rumpled and hair mussed from sleep. On either end of the hall were large groups of Slytherin boys, laughing, pointing and punching one another good naturedly.
Harry looked down at the floor, as that seemed to be what the girls were freaking out over. Hundreds of tiny mice scrambled across the floors, racing back and forth, keeping the girls in a tight circle.
He gasped. This was amusing? The girls were not so much frightened by the mice, rather they seemed angry that they had been woken by hundreds of mice and wrangled out into the cold halls in the middle of the night.
The squeaking of all the little mice wasn't helping the situation either.
Where was Severus? Harry frowned. The door was open…
"Mr. Flint!"
Oh, there he was, on the landing that led to the girls' dorms. The smallest of the Slytherin first year girls was clinging to his night robes. He was not looking thrilled about the situation. Then again, he wasn't looking as angry as Harry thought he would have been.
In fact, he seemed slightly amused, but also terribly exhausted.
Flint stepped from the crowd of boys at one end of the hall. "Yes, Professor?" He called.
"Kindly put the mice back in the pumpkins. Is it too much to ask that I get one full night's sleep without disruptions? If you insist on torturing one another, please do so away from my chambers and don't disturb me unless some one is bloody or unconscious."
There was a resounding, "Yes, Professor Snape." Severus rolled his eyes, lightly shook the clinging first year from his robes and returned to their rooms, letting the door slam behind him.
"That's all?" Harry asked, bewildered.
"That's all what?" Severus frowned at him, eyes wandering over Harry's sleep tousled form.
"Shouldn't they get detention or something?"
"Not that it's any of your concern, Potter, but if I gave them all detention I would have no time to myself at all. It's a harmless stunt. They do it all the time. Its how they burn off energy. The majority of them come from Hellish family lives, I must let them have their fun somehow. It's always been that way in Slytherin."
Harry blinked up at Severus. It was true. It was something else he had learned since being here. The Slytherin house was full of students from troubled homes, abusive families, neglect, the list went on and on.
This had to be one reason why the Sorting Hat had wanted to put him here with Slytherin. And he would have fit in rather well, he realized.
"Go to bed." Severus said warily. He rubbed at his eyes and turned from Harry.
"You're tired." Harry commented, hoping the older wizard wouldn't snap at him for pointing out the obvious.
"I have paper's to grade. I have lesson plans to finish. I have a meeting with the Order of the Phoenix tomorrow and I have a feeling the Dark Lord is going to call me to him again soon. On top of that I have a house of pranksters to keep from killing one another and you to teach."
Harry said nothing. He knew all of this. Well, not the bit about the Dark Lord calling soon. But he knew how busy Severus' schedule was. He watched him every day for the last week. Moving from one project to the next, rarely stopping in between to eat or rest.
He had an overwhelming urge to comfort the man somehow. But he couldn't think of a way.
"Will you sleep?" He pushed again.
Severus rounded on him, anger in his eyes. Harry stepped back reflexively.
"At what point do you think I have time to sleep?"
"Now would be good!" Harry retorted but instantly regretted it when he saw the anger flash more brightly in Severus' eyes. "Sleep with me. I want you to sleep with me." He quickly amended, his words tripping over one another so that it sounded like one long jumbled sentence. He was hoping to diffuse the fit of anger the Professor was about to have.
A long silence fell between them as they stared at one another. "And do you truly mean that or are you saying it to make me stop yelling?"
"Ummm…, both I think." He answered softly, looking down at the floor. For the past week Snape had kept him no further than arms length away when they were outside these rooms. There had been little chance to speak to or even see anyone else. He desperately missed his friends and wished he could talk to Hermione or do his homework with Ron. That's how deprived he'd been. He missed homework with Ron. He wanted to write to Sirius, but never had a chance.
Severus was the only one he saw or spoke to. He wondered if the man would ever let the noose loosen a little. Is this what being an apprentice was about? Or was this the bond making him incredibly territorial around Harry?
He didn't know. But he knew he was about to go crazy from not having some one to talk to about anything that wasn't educational and teaching related.
"Go back to bed." Severus broke into his thoughts. "I need to finish grading these essays." He waved Harry away and returned to his usual spot at his desk.
Harry frowned at him but didn't push the issue. Truth was, as much as he wanted some companionship, he was still wary of Severus. Though he had shown nothing but a sort of restrained gentleness around Harry. At first this put Harry on his guard. It was so non-Snapeish to be amiable. But he was. At least towards Harry. Every one else received the exact same Snape treatment.
With one last look at the other wizard he left the room and returned to the giant bed. It was too big and he always felt like he was drowning in the comforter and pillows. The crackling fire always made him drowsy. And then he would fall asleep and have those dreams again. The ones that were becoming more and more insistent as the days passed. Very sexual dreams that always woke him up in either a state of sticky wetness or aching hardness. And always terribly frustrated.
Severus watched Harry sleep. He'd given up on grading an hour after Harry returned to bed. It was a thankless task. Grading. Of course, so was teaching. Except the occasional, rare gem of a student who actually learned what he taught and showed some promise of being worthy of the subject. Malfoy was like that. Despite what all the other students thought, he was not being prejudicial towards Draco when it came to Potions Class. He didn't hand out good grades to just anyone. The boy had shown promise from the first day and never failed to deliver a perfect potion each class. He was in fact ahead of his year and should be in a more advanced class. But Severus hated to separate him from his year mates.
Restless, he paced the floor of the bedroom, listening to the soft snores drift from his bed. When was the last time he'd slept? He took a catnap here and there. But hadn't actually slept for more than an hour straight in the past week. It was taking a toll on him. He was more tense and ill tempered than usual. Even Dumbledore avoided him in the Halls or at mealtimes.
He stopped pacing and approached the bed. Harry was a ball of young adolescence curled in the center of bedding. His hair was the usual tangled mess of blackness on the pillow, eyelashes dark against his cheeks, lips slightly parted.
For several minutes Severus simply watched the boy sleep. He was quite pretty when he slept. It was one of the few things that calmed him lately, watching Harry sleep. Tonight he was too tired to resist the pull anymore. He gave into the need and climbed into bed beside Harry, being extra careful not to make too much movement and wake him.
Arranging himself next to the younger wizard, but not touching him, he lay on his back and stared up at the ceiling.
Sleep fell over him swiftly.
Harry woke with a start. His breathing fast, his pulse beating in his temples. He felt the usual sticky warmth soaking into his nightshirt and knew it had been another dream. This was going to have to stop. And he was going to have to confront Severus with it.
But he couldn't think about that right now. He was too hot and there was a solid heat at his back. He almost lifted his head, but the slow exhalation of breath against his neck stopped him.
Severus.
So, he'd crawled into bed last night after all. A small giddy thrill filled Harry's stomach at this knowledge. It was swiftly replaced by unease. He hadn't been this closely held since the night Severus had forced the completion of the bond.
Then it had been a feeling of trapped need that overwhelmed him. But now Severus was asleep and certainly not holding him down. Both of them were clothed in nightshirts. He could crawl away from this at any time.
But he didn't. He lay perfectly still, trying to calm his breathing and match it to the steady rise and fall of the chest pressed to his back. When had he ever been held like this? Not since Mrs. Weasley hugged him after his nightmare experience with Voldemort and Cedric's death.
But here there were no witnesses. And this was not sympathy offered out of pity or a mother's instinct. This was just… affection. A small lump of angst filled his throat. Had his parent's had this type of affection? Certainly they must have. He liked to imagine, that had they lived, he would have been able to go into their room in the morning and crawl into bed with them. Or go to them when he had a bad dream and be comforted.
There was a slow move of muscle against his back. Harry held his breath, holding perfectly still, willing Severus not to wake up yet.
"Stop pretending. I know you're awake."
The voice was filled with sleep and deeper than usual. Harry involuntarily shivered at the sound of it then chastised himself for doing so.
"I wasn't pretending. I just didn't want you to move."
He bit his tongue. That was too much information to be putting out there right now! He really needed to watch his words more closely. He had a bad habit of saying what he was thinking whenever Severus was near lately.
There was a soft chuckle just beside his ear and then the warmth behind him stretched and pulled him closer. "Suddenly not so abhorrent?"
"Umm-" Harry was at a loss for words. His mind was too busy determining what he was feeling and how he should react. "I don't know." Inexperience was a terrible thing. He felt awkward and inept. There was a telltale hardness pressing against him. Again he shivered. He wanted to be held. He wanted to be wanted. He tried to put it into words. "I'm always wanting… more. But I… we…" He sighed and gave up. How do you explain to your Potions Professor that you wake up sexually frustrated every morning but that you are too nervous and afraid to make the first move, and it's all because of him?
Severus held him closer for a moment, took in a deep breath against the hair at the back of Harry's head then loosened his hold. He stretched again, rolled away and out of the bed.
Harry did his best not to protest.
"Welcome to my world." Severus muttered as he left the room and went into the bathroom.
Harry lay still in the big and empty bed and tried to ignore the ache that filled him after Severus left the room.
Quidditch. Yet another thing he'd been robbed of. Harry stood beside Severus, as always, and watched the other students file from the school and out towards the field for today's game. Ravenclaw vs. Hufflepuff.
"Excuse us, Professor Snape?" It was Hermione's voice. Harry looked up and met her eyes. Ron was with her and was openly glaring at Snape.
"What?" Severus said, irritation evident.
"We were wondering if Harry could sit with us for the game? I mean, if it is alright with you, that is?" She continued to hold Severus' gaze. Harry saw him clench his hands into fists at his sides but otherwise he appeared calm.
"I suppose its fine. If that is what he would like." All eyes turned to him. Of course he jumped on the offer.
"Yes, please!" He almost smiled up at Severus but then remembered where they were.
"Be back in our rooms immediately afterwards. We still have to go over your arithmancy tonight."
"Yes, sir." He said reverently. Ron scowled but didn't say anything.
Outside the sky was clear, there was only a slight breeze of cold air but otherwise the weather was perfect. They climbed up to the stands in the Gryffindor box and found seats on the benches down in the far corner, where no one else was near.
"Blimey! I thought we would never get you to ourselves again!" Ron groused. He looked closely at Harry. "It must be awful, being stuck with him all the time. I think I would have quit school by now if it was me."
Hermione frowned at him. "Ron, I've told you before, Professor Snape is a very learned wizard. Harry should be honored to be able to learn from him. There are tons of wizard parents who would pay anything to have their child apprenticed to such a knowledgeable man as he is."
Ron rolled his eyes. "Yeah, yeah, yeah."
"He is actually quite smart." Harry said, watching the teams arrange themselves out on the field before Madam Hooch blew the whistle for the game to start.
"But Harry! How come you are with him? Why did you agree to be his apprentice?"
"I didn't agree, Ron!" Harry burst out. He hated to be short with his friend but he just didn't know how to explain this to him.
Hermione watched, clearly trying to offer her support.
Taking a deep breath he continued. "I had to be his apprentice. Dumbledore didn't give me a choice."
"Why? Why him?"
"Because, you heard the Headmaster explain it Ron. Professor Snape is the only one who can teach me what I need to know. He's the only one who can help me."
"It just seems wrong, Harry."
"Well its not like I can get out of it. I don't have anyplace to go. He's really fine once you get him alone, you know. He's a good teacher one on one. It's actually kind of nice. Its like I have a place to belong now and I don't think I'll have to go back to the Dursley's this summer."
"You would rather stay with Snape than the Dursleys?" Ron asked.
"Well… yeah."
"Look, Harry is fine." Hermione interrupted. "You see for yourself now Ron. He's not being drugged or beaten into submission…" She trailed off and glanced at Harry a bit uncomfortable. "You aren't are you, Harry?" Both of his friends' eyes fixed on him.
"No! No. He's been perfectly fine to me. Really, he's not so bad once you get to know him." He was tired of defending the man. He just wanted to be here with his friends and watch quidditch. It was the closest he could get to the game now.
"Sucks that you can't play for our team anymore." Ron grumbled. Harry agreed wholeheartedly. They discussed who was going to take Harry's place on the team and what the chances were for today's game. He talked to Hermione about all the new things Snape was teaching him. He felt like he'd learned more in this last week than he had in the past 6 months alone.
All too soon the game ended and he had to say his goodbyes and make his way back to the dungeon rooms. He promised Hermione that he would ask Severus if he could join them on the next Hogsmeade weekend.