Sorry for the delay folks. A lot has happened in the vicious real world and pushed back my writing time and I think someone shot my muse but it is slowly coming out of the coma. Anyway, here it is in all its bad grammar glory. Chapter 10! Disclaimers and such see Chapter 1. Also as always I'm still looking for a beta if anyone is interested just drop me a message.
Darkness – Chapter 10 – The Trip That Started It All
The port key was just as unpleasant as Harry remembered it to be, he had a feeling in the back of his mind that he would in fact always hate them as they always seemed to be taking him somewhere bad, even if they weren't suppose to be. He realized though once the sickening waves stopped crashing over him that he was back on solid ground and he honestly had no doubts that he would've in fact been ass first on the ground if Severus hadn't taken such a firm hold of him.
"Are you all right Harry?" He heard Draco ask pulling him from his muddled thoughts. Harry turned his head in the direction of the voice and nodded slowly. "You sure? You're looking a little pale." Draco asked while moving forward to wrap an arm around Harry's shoulders.
"Yeah Dray, it's just, you know me and port keys don't mix." He said with a weak laugh, trying to just brush it off and attempt to focus on his surroundings.
"Draco, take Potter down the last room on the right on this floor, I dare say we could do without him taking a header down the stairs in the middle of the night." Severus said dryly before turning and sweeping up the stairs, no doubt to his own room to get settled in himself.
Rather then snap with his usual retort though Harry merely rolled his unseeing eyes and allowed himself to be lead down the hall by his friend who prattled on about this, that and the other thing, explaining all sorts of tid-bits and such about the Manor. Harry listened with half an ear mostly because he was tired and because surprisingly much of what Draco had to say about the place was rather interesting. Harry made a mental note to ask Draco to repeat everything that he'd just told him when he wasn't dead on his feet. It seemed that being scared senseless over a port key could take a lot out of a person.
Draco took note of the drained expression that Harry wore and helped his friend settle in and get comfortable before getting him into bed. Sure enough Harry gave little protest as the blond covered him with the blankets.
"Don't worry, he'll come around eventually." Draco said simply, having recognized the way Harry let himself get riled up by Severus as the same way that Draco use to allow himself to get riled up by Ron.
"At the rate he's going it will be well after I'm dead and buried." Harry grumbled before a yawn escaped him. Draco merely shook his head, though he knew it was to himself.
"Get some sleep Harry; I'll come get you for dinner." He said with a faint hint of humor in his voice.
Elsewhere in the manor Severus found himself pacing back and forth in front of the fireplace in his room with a scowl firmly on his face. To say that he was happy that Harry was there in his home would have been the lie of the century. He was only just starting to see the young man in a different light, or rather realize that he felt something for him and then Albus had to go and trust him into his life outside of Hogwarts. He had stopped pacing and was simply glaring into the fire when Lucius finally found him.
"You know the fire will not do any tricks if you keep glaring at it light that." The blond said with a deep chuckle. Severus looked up for a moment and merely grunted at his long time friend before looking back at the fireplace once more. "Musing over your new house guest I take it?" Again all he got was a grunt in response. "I thought as much. You know Severus if you're ever going to win Potter's affection you're going to have to be far more pleasant with him." He stated simply as if he were commenting on the weather.
"Don't you think I know that? It's just that…" Severus trailed off when he realized what it was that Lucius had said and what he had been about to say and looked at the blond with wide eyes. Had he really just been thinking about Harry like that? At the expression on his friend's face Lucius couldn't help but laugh.
"Severus I've known you for a long time and you've never shown half the emotion you do except where Potter is concerned, even the emotion you showed for his mother pales in comparison." He pointed out. Severus knew he was right, realizing what it was the young man had been through had only pushed his feelings closer to the surface, but that didn't mean that he had to admit that Lucius was right to anyone, least of all the smug blond himself. "Even if mostly you're expressing annoyance." The elder Malfoy added as an afterthought which earned him a scowl.
"For once Lucius you seem to have a point, but nothing good could come of it anyway, he is still a student and…" He was cut off when Lucius raised a hand.
"You know as well as I do that Hogwarts has no rules against Professors and students of legal age having a relationship." He said with smirk that was annoying enough to rival the damn twinkle in Albus' eyes.
"Be that as it may it doesn't change the fact that I'm a Death Eater and he's the bloody Boy-Who-Lived." Severus hissed out in annoyance.
"You were a Death Eater and now you're a spy helping him in his efforts to fight that crazy bastard." Lucius pointed out quickly. Personally Lucius didn't care who his friend ended up with he just wanted to see the blasted man happy for once in his life.
"He would never feel that way Lucius so to think on it is just a waste of time." Severus finally said seeming to resign himself to losing the argument with the other man for a change. At this Lucius merely shook his head.
"Just promise me you won't fight it if something does happen my friend." He said in all seriousness. Severus looked at him for a moment trying to figure out if his friend had gone crazy but finally nodded his head. He did with the thought that his life was already going to hell, so why not enjoy the ride there?
After the delightful conversation the two then went about catching up on their daily comings and goings, neither noticing the other blond that was plastered outside the door with a gleeful little smirk on his face.
Quietly making his way back down the hall and to his own room Draco rubbed his hands together once he was inside and alone. * Severus and Harry, now there's a match if I ever saw one.* He found himself thinking as he flopped down on his own bed. There was no doubt in his mind that Ron would kill him for a what he was plotting but he decided to worry about that later.
Not again, please not again. Harry thought to himself as he once again found himself running through the trees. Unlike last time he was able to make out a bit more than before and came to realize that he was running through the Forbidden Forest. He could only assume that it was where he had been the first time as well. His vision was no where near 100% but it was better than it had been in the last dream which had been nothing. He took deep ragged breathes as he ran, not knowing what or who he was running from but occasionally fire curses over his shoulder. He was suddenly tackled to the ground and was hit with a wave of panic thinking that it somehow was Vernon until the owner of the voice spoke.
"Stay down Harry." The voice whispered in a his ear and Harry could feel himself relaxing right away.
"Severus…" He heard himself whispering out and he was surprised by the urge to reach up and brush back the man's hair from his face but even as he did it he couldn't imagine anything that felt more natural to him.
"I know love, just for the love of Merlin, stay here." He said suddenly before leaning down and giving Harry a quick kiss and jumping up. Harry reached out to him but the man gave him one last look before rushing away. In the distance Harry could then hear voices.
"Well Ssseverusss, have you decided to return to your massster?" Harry could hear Voldemort hiss out.
"Of course not you blithering idiot!" He heard the other man snap back, struggling to his feet Harry started in the direction that the voices were coming from when he heard something that made his blood run cold.
"Hold him." The snake faced man hissed out, Harry could hear struggling, no doubt Severus trying to get free. "Avada Kedavra." Harry collapsed to his knees at the words and could feel his magic clawing to get out.
"SEVERUS!" Harry screamed out as a surge of magic, that put those in the castle to shame, escaped from his body, bowing the walls, blowing out the windows and busting the door from its hinges.
At the sound of his name being screamed Severus' head snapped up from where was still conversing with Lucius and the two jumped up before running out into the hall, almost running smack into Draco who was also heading down towards the source of the scream. As the three ran to the room Draco and Lucius found themselves thrown back up against the wall causing Severus to stop and approach with a bit more caution, to this surprise though the wave of power didn't feel threatening, in fact it felt more like the magic was trying to wrap around him, protect him even, but from what he wasn't sure.
"Sev…" Harry sobbed out in his sleep clutching at his pillow and the sight nearly broke the potion master's heart. The young man sounded so broken and worn down. Reaching out to him slowly he placed a hand gently on the young man's forehead.
"Harry, Harry wake up." He said sternly but the tone lacked any of its usual bite. "Harry please." He whispered out leaning down to speak directly into the teen's ear. This caused a small sigh to escape from Harry as he seemed to lean closer to the man. Severus watched as the younger man slowly started to stir and then began to blink a bit, seeming to show none of the usual drain.
"Sev, what happened?" He asked with a yawn escaping from him. At the nickname Severus looked at the teen in confusion and as the swell of power slowly started to die down Draco and Lucius were finally able to step foot into the room.
"Sev is it?" Lucius asked with a small smirk playing on his lips. At the question Harry's eyes widened as he turned a brilliant shade of pink.
"Sorry sir." He mumbled out to Severus who shot Lucius a withering look that would have sent most first years running for their common rooms in terror.
"Think nothing of it Potter. Are you all right?" He asked turning his attention back to Harry and ignoring both Lucius and the annoying little voice in the back of his head that told him that he should be crawling in bed with young Gryffindor.
"I don't know sir. It started out like a nightmare that I'd had before but then it turned in to something else completely, but it ended the same way." He said, his grip on Severus' arm tightening slightly without him even realizing it. Severus however did and looked at Harry with a questioning expression on his face even though the other couldn't see it.
"Was it the same one you had that night in the tower?" Severus asked finding himself rather curious about the nightmare in question not only because it seemed to be continuously plaguing Harry but because whatever it was had him screaming for him.
"Yes sir." Harry mumbled out turning an even darker shade of pink than he had already been.
"Merlin Harry, you're starting to rival Ron, if your face gets any pinker it'll turn your hair red!" Draco said with a snicker which in turn led Lucius to laugh as well at the ebony haired teen's expense.
"Don't the two of you have some catching up to do?" Severus asked from between clenched teeth as he glared at the two of them. The two blondes merely snickered again at the potions professor before turning and heading back out of the room. "Now Potter why don't you explain this dream of yours to me." He said shifting a bit where he sat so that he was in a slightly more comfortable position.
"It's… it's nothing sir, just a nightmare." Harry said, once again going red in the face as he spoke.
"Potter on two occasions now you have unleashed holy hell with your power while screaming out my first name which I have never given you permission to use, I think that this goes beyond 'just a nightmare' don't you?" Severus asked raising a brow and wishing more than anything that Harry was able to see the expression on his face.
"Yes sir, I suppose you're right." Harry said with a small sigh, "But I can tell you right now, you're not going to like it in the least." He added before turning red again before retelling both dreams to the Professor. As he finished Severus sat there stunned. For once he honestly couldn't piece a clear thought together and jumped to his feet before hurrying from the room and away from the temptation that was Harry Potter.
"Professor!" Harry yelled out trying to get the man to come back to the room after he'd realized that he'd run off and when he didn't return he couldn't stop the overwhelming sense of sadness that washed over him. *I can't blame him for reacting like that, who would want a filthy thing like me touching them?* He thought sadly. He couldn't even recall when it was that he started crying. He did jump slightly when someone gently dabbed at his face.
"Honestly Potter, someone runs away and you fall to pieces, Draco left me with the impression that you were stronger then that." Lucius said simply. Harry looked slightly startled for a moment before he seemed to relax in the man's presence and Lucius applauded himself. "Don't let Severus fool you Potter, he's just as scared as you are about all of this." He said simply.
"I don't even know what this is!" Harry wailed suddenly. "One minute I hate the man, the next I think he's hot but still a prick and then I have a few dreams and suddenly I want him to shag me senseless." He finished with a huff before smacking himself in the forehead. "And I can't believe I just told you all that!" He shrieked out.
Lucius merely chuckled at the teen before shaking his head slightly. "Despite our previous meetings Potter I'm not exactly the bastard I pretended to be, in fact Draco often tells me that should I be so inclined that I would make an excellent therapist." He said simply with a small shrug of his shoulders.
"Yeah you could be, if you stop sounding like a smirking prat and actually call people by their first names." Harry said with a roll of his blank eyes. Lucius let out a small snort at this which caused Harry to chuckle, suddenly realizing where it was that Draco got his sense of humor from.
"Come now P… Harry I'm sure dinner is ready and it will take us a minute to get to the dinning room." Lucius said standing and taking a gentle hold of Harry's arm. Harry merely nodded at this and allowed himself to be lead from the room by someone he once thought he hated.
Back in his own rooms Severus was having a rather heated conversation with Albus who he'd fire called as soon as he had escaped to his rooms. The elderly wizard listened intently as Severus told him about Harry's latest power explosion as well as the dreams that the teen had been having and as always Albus seemed to be taking it all in stride.
"Well my dear boy it seems that Harry as well as his powers have grown quite attached to you." He said with a chuckle that was working on Severus's last nerve. "It should hopefully make helping him a little easier for the both of you." The older wizard went on to add, when Severus opened his mouth to object though Albus quickly cut him off. "Severus he needs someone, someone who is only interested in his well being for a change and not what it is they can use him for." He added in a solemn voice that floored Severus, as it wasn't often that you would hear Albus admitting to faults in his character, even in the roundabout way that he was doing so.
"Why bloody me Albus? Surely there is someone closer to his own age that he can anchor himself to." He said with a huff while scowling at the fireplace.
"I couldn't tell you why Severus, it is not for any of us to decide who we are attracted too and by the sound of it Harry's power is taking the decision out of his hands. Though it seems you made the decision all on your own." Albus with what Severus could only describe as amusement in his tone. "Take care of him Severus, he may surprise you." And with that the older wizard's image disappeared from the fire leaving Severus alone and beyond annoyed.
Glaring at the fireplace for a moment longer Severus went to his trunk and quickly pulled out Harry's journal, deciding that it would be the last time he would rely on the thing for insight into the young man's mind. He flipped through a few pages and hadn't found anything helpful so with a sigh he pulled out his wand and tapped the cover.
"Locus Severus Snape." He said simply and no sooner had the words left his mouth did the pages of the journal start flipping. Severus only allowed himself to skim the lines though for the information that he was seeking.
"Snape was a right bloody bastard today…"
"I liked it better when I didn't find Snape attractive, it was easier to hate him then…"
"I can't believe I could even imagine that I cared about Severus, he'll never see me as anything but 'Potter' I'm not my father! Would it kill him to give me just a little respect after everything I've gone though? Then again I guess he's gone through more, at least where Voldemort is concerned. I don't think I would have the strength to do what he does for all of us. I sometimes wish that Moony and Padfoot would leave him be, well Padfoot more so, but anyway…"
*How on earth can he think that of me? After everything…* Severus mused to himself. *And I can't believe that both Lucius and Albus were right…surely it must be a cold day in hell.* He added with a mental huff.
Needless to say dinner was an extremely quiet affair, Severus scowled at his meal as he continued to turn his thoughts around in his head, while Harry kept his head down with his face staying a brilliant shade of pink the entire time and Draco and Lucius merely exchanged knowing smirks all through the meal. The rest of day passed rather uneventfully, aside from Severus and Lucius repairing the damage done to Harry's room, to the great relief of all in the house and morning found Harry being drug into a training room in the manor by an annoyingly awake and alert Severus.
"Merlin Professor what the bloody hell time is it anyway?" Harry asked scratching the back of his head before yawning as he was obviously still trying to wake up.
"Why don't you tell me Potter." Severus said simply which earned him a glare from the blind teen. "Don't look at me like that Potter the spell is very simple. 'Aliquam tempus'." He explained. As he did a thoughtful look crossed the younger man's face before he took hold of his wand.
"Aliquam tempus." Harry said simply before a low voice suddenly spoke and informed him of the time. He raised a brow at this and crossed his arms in front of himself. "So I can attach Aliquam to other spells as well? Like how you made the Potions textbook read to me?" Harry asked quickly.
"Indeed Potter and if you're around other people you can put a silencing charm around yourself so that you can listen without disturbing others." Severus explained finding himself slightly taken aback by the sudden look of joy that made its way to Harry's face.
"You've no idea how much I miss reading!" He exclaimed suddenly clapping his hands together suddenly in something that couldn't be seen as anything other than happiness. Severus smirked slightly at the joy that now seemed to be radiating from the teen before clearing this throat lightly.
"As surprising as I find that bit of information Potter that isn't the only thing we're here for you to learn." Severus said dryly before running a hand through his hair. "Those two are the more basic spells that will help you and the next is one that is slightly more complicated, it is the spell I've been using to charm your shoes." He explained taking note the look of extreme concentration on the younger man's face. "It works similar to Apparation as you need to have a clear picture of where you need to go in your mind when you cast it. The spell is De loco." Severus then set about giving Harry a very detailed description of the room that they were in until Harry had what he felt was a very clear mental picture of it.
"All right I think I'm ready to give it a try." He said simply before casting the spell and starting to slowly let his feet guide him across the room. Severus was mildly impressed until Harry got his foot caught on the leg of a chair as he was right near Severus and came crashing into him. The two quickly landed on the floor in a tangled mass of limbs.
"Honestly Potter…" Severus grumbled out quickly. Harry rather than snap out as he usually would have just found himself turning a wonderful shade of pink again and turned his head in what he hoped was the direction of Severus's face and let out an alarmed gasp as his lips brushed over another pair causing what felt like a small shock between them.
"Professor I…" Harry trailed off as he felt a finger lightly pressing against his lips.
"Severus please. Hearing you call me Professor makes the situation more complicated for me." The older man said quickly. At this Harry looked confused for a moment.
"What situa…" His question was cut off as a firmer pair of lips suddenly covered his own. As their lips met again Harry could feel his power rising but for the first time he wasn't afraid of it and almost welcomed the eruption as it seemed to spill out around the two of them, wrapping around both and pulling them closer together.
Harry gasped again softly when he felt Severus' tongue seeking entrance into his mouth and he gladly gave it. As tongues dueled it finally all clicked for Harry, all the frustration he'd had towards Severus, the need to have the man's respect, seeking him out for his help before anyone else, even the surges in his power that happened when the man was near, he loved him. He was completely and utterly in love with the man that was kissing him.
"Not quite what I was expecting but it will do." A voice stated from the doorway.
"Go away Draco of I'll tell Molly who it was that spiked the punch last Christmas." Harry said raising his head for a moment in the direction that he felt Draco's energy coming from.
"Killjoy." Draco hissed out before turning to leave though the two could still clearly hear him for a moment, "Make a friend trip to start things along and this is how he repays you."
"You've been a terrible influence on my godson Potter." Severus said with a shake of his head.
"Harry, I like it better when you call me Harry." The younger man said with a pleading expression on his face. It was in that moment that he realized what Albus had been trying to say the night before, Harry needed someone that would see him, someone who would just see Harry.
"I get the annoying feeling that the holidays are about to become far more interesting." Severus mused dryly. At the words Harry's blank eyes widened a bit as he seemed to be following the older man's train of thought.
"Moony and Padfoot!" He gasped suddenly. At the mention of the nicknames a sneer graced Severus' face.
"Lupin and Black." He grumbled out in annoyance.
Ta-da! Your new chapter folks! Again so sorry for the delay, it hopefully won't be happening again in the near future but muses are evil and have minds of their own.