I know its been ages, but c'mon guys Christmas! I also had a little writers block so this is a short one, its necessary for the plot I promise! I cured it with a vignette called Ghosts which I'd love some commentary on :) special love will go to all who review! Extra special chocolate and cherries goodness to anyone who can guess where I'm getting the titles from

Chapter Nine - Thy self thy foe, to thy sweet self too cruel

Three days had passed and Severus could see some small improvements in his charge, Harry was eating, minute amounts but still something, and sleeping although not without Severus presence beside him, he had found that his own dreams always featured the deserted black beach with waves lapping against the shoreline. When Harry was there too they talked, sometimes for hours, sometimes for brief moments before something occurred to throw him away from the conversation, something that tasted malevolent and unclean.

Foulness aside Harry had become quietly, well, contented in their routine of shared silence, but it couldn't continue in a short space of time school would be back in session. He looked over Harry's shoulder into the cauldron the boy was stirring. It appeared to be the correct consistency and had the colour of ripe marsh mallow flowers a light pinkish white, now would be the time to interrupt "Harry" his hand whispering over the boys shoulder caused a jump but not a flinch, no beaten dog under his hand here as it had been scant days ago.

"Harry, we need to see about those ribs" the boy nodded, but his head didn't raise, nor did the rhythmic stirring cease "Poppy Pomfrey is back and we can see her…" "No" the boys voice was flat "No, I want you to fix them please" A very small smile touched the edge of Severus' mouth. Such perfect trust, he well appreciated it after all it was scarcely earned but he slowly shook his head "I don't have the expertise Harry, not for such deep damage" He saw the tension creep into Harry's shoulders stiffening his spine like a willow sapling sensing the approaching storm. The boys head fell forward over the cauldron as if he was scanning the contents for the answers for the rights and wrongs and Harry's hand rose to trace the lines of his throat as if mapping an invisible collar.

Severus watched in silence as slender fingers rested against the arc of a collar bone before a jerky nod surfaced "Alright" Harry's voice was breathy light as a whisper of wind through reeds it spoke of effort expended in sheer control, and Severus was not without appreciation. He laid a gentle hand over the boys feeling the hairline tremors that rocked him "Thank you Harry" the boy tensed and Severus could see his mouth moving, he waited, still and silent he'd seen this before when the shattered had something to say but needed time to work it through to words then in a whisper "can she come here"

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The hand at his throat made it all easier.

It rested atop his hand, yes, but it was still there a cool warmth against his own burning skin. He heard the noise of assent to his request but it was swamped in the resurgence of colours purples, golds, bright sparkles raining across his vision. It happened more and more of late but he had chosen not to mention it. He wanted to ask Hermione when she returned after summer break, she was after all, the clever one.

The hand left his throat and he watched the coloured vapour trails as Snape crossed to the fire, the sparkles flared and then sucked all of the other colours away as he bent to speak. Harry blinked as he watched the firecall feeling suddenly clearer his hand faltered in its mechanical stirring and he felt the chills shiver up his back as the spectre of madness taunted him again.

Harry………………………………

He shuddered, and started as Madame Pomfrey stepped through the fire, brushing ashes off of the shoulders of a pink woollen cardigan. Her voice raised in what sounded to him like condemnation "….And I'll say again Severus Snape if the boy has multiple breaks and bad bone setting then he needs to be in the infirmary not down in the damp dungeon dimness"

The infirmary, where everyone could see him, find him, no……

He dropped the spoon into the liquid and took two steps backwards, his eyes swinging upwards and meeting with a shock as sudden as a slap the blackness of the potions professors.

Calm washed over him like a deep sea "I'd rather stay here, thanks Madame Pomfrey" his own voice, but flat, not relaxed but not tense either, almost neutral but with undercurrents of broken glass waiting to cut the unwary. He heard her tut and then move closer her hand suddenly on his person without his permission and he flinched, she made a soothing noise probably thinking he'd moved in pain. But it wasn't pain, and those midnight eyes that held his knew that.

"Multiple breaks, badly set, Harry what did you do, tussle with a dragon on your holidays" her words were light but there was an undercurrent of worry, he smiled and closed his eyes to hide them "A killer whale Madame, nothing less" she paused and he could sense her puzzlement before he felt the harsh press of her wand and a rushed mutter of words and sibilants that he couldn't quite catch as the pain rushed up and ate him alive.