A/N: I don't own Harry Potter, and I'm not making money from this!

Ch 11 The Second Meeting

Thursday and Friday passed without a hitch, though Harry was getting rather behind on his homework, and Severus had an empty pit growing in his stomach. Both were quite nervous.

Harry was wondering what he could possibly say, at the same time he was trying to work out his impossible feelings. This was all just too weird, and Hermione wouldn't help him anymore, saying it was his to figure out; she couldn't put words in his mouth.

He didn't know what he felt and if this could be a long-standing thing. All he knew is that he felt something, and it was new. For a painful moment, he wished again for Sirius, he imagined this was the kind of question one might ask a parent figure. He'd never know. On Thursday, he'd tossed the idea around of sending Remus a letter, but he knew the man was busy and would say much the same as Hermione. Beyond that, he'd ask far too many questions and the less people that knew about this, the better. The idea was dropped quickly.

The two days rolled by, each hour seeming to get longer and longer, until all at once it was dinner on Friday, and Harry realised he was still totally unprepared.

Severus, for his part was trying to convince himself that Harry didn't matter. He wouldn't let the man know how much his rejection would hurt. Thursday night was spent in a torrent of nightmares, none of which he could recall. However, every time he awoke, he was filled with awful dread that Friday evening was going to be atrocious.

He'd watched Harry in class on Friday, as the sixth years had Potions on both Mondays and Fridays this year, searching for some clue as to what Harry would say. Harry had carefully avoided eye contact and paired with Hermione to be sure that nothing could go wrong with the Waking Draught that would bring attention to him.

Noting that the Granger girl seemed particularly pleased with this, Severus felt a pang of jealously. He knew that he might be able to handle Potter not wanting to be close to him, but to watch him in another blossoming relationship would be the last thing he'd like to do.

Dinner that evening was particularly stressful, both Dumbledore and Hermione noticed.

Harry had moved his regular seat to be next to Hermione and was rapidly darting glances at the Head Table. Hermione caught the looks but they were too fast for her to see where they were directed. She tried to calm him when the rest of the group was discussing Quidditch.

"It'll be fine," She whispered. "Relax. You planned the meeting. You can make the decisions."

"No, I only get one shot at this. What if I screw up?" He stage whispered back.

"Just act like she's still just a friend. You could talk to her fine then, couldn't you?"

Harry visibly relaxed. He might just be able to do this.

Dumbledore, however, made no comment to the nervous wreck seated next to him. He simply watched Severus who was purposely not looking up from his dinner, yet also hardly eating it. The man was clearly enamoured.

Watching Severus as he was, Dumbledore, spared hardly a moment to look at the rest of the Hall. Ergo, he didn't notice the other's discomfort.

Finally Friday evening in the Common Room, Harry told Hermione the just of what he wanted to say. After a few dozen revisions, she said it was just fine. Anxiously, he cast his TimeTelling spell. Surprised that it was nearly midnight, he headed off.

Severus, was likewise nervous, and knowing he'd have to come from the dungeons to the tallest tower, had started much earlier. He was waiting on Harry when he arrived, ten minutes late and very much out of breath.

He stopped in the doorway as soon as he saw Severus. "Hi." He said, still panting.

Severus could not find the words to reply, and simply reclosed his mouth after a moment in which no words emerged.

Harry leaned against the railing, catching his breath and absentmindedly looking at the stars. "Beautiful."

"Yes," Snape agreed, turning but not to look at the sky.

"So," Harry started after a few moments of tense silence, "how are classes going?"

"Er, good. The first years could use a bit of work." He hesitated, "How are your classes?"

"They're good. My Potions Professor is a prat though; he gave us a 60 cm essay on the first day back." Harry was careful to not look at Snape and to keep a straight face.

Severus paused. He wasn't sure it was meant as a joke until Harry's lips quirked a bit. He smirked. "I heard that a first year could've done it, but it's no surprise you struggled."

Harry snorted.

"Have you finished it?" Snape asked quietly.

"No, I've barely started." Harry turned to look at him, an incredulous, and slightly disgusted, look on his face, "What makes you think I would have finished?"

Severus laughed, "Pardon," he said sarcastically, "I should've known."

Harry laughed at that, making Severus feel bold.

"Want help with it?"

Harry's mouth literally fell open, and he just stared at the Professor. "Seriously?"

"I don't see why not. I have office hours should any student wish to use them. Most never take the time to look them up, but I am there to help." He tried to brush it off, but he could hear his heart beating. He'd not meant to say anything.

"I'd love help! Thanks! I'm pretty sure I'm already failing."

Severus smirked, "I've no doubt you are, Potter."

"Hey!" Harry protested, laughing.

After a few moments of slightly less awkward silence Harry said quietly, seriously, "Hey, Severus?"

Snape closed his eyes. This would be the moment he'd come for. "Yeah?" His voice sounded unsteady, even to his own ears. He turned from the younger man, just as the other turned towards him. Severus could feel the green eyes piercing his skin. He leaned his head forward, allowing his greasy hair to cover his profile.

"I'm not sure what all this is or where it's going, but I like this. Can we stay like this?" His voice sounded small.

Severus took a moment to compose himself, make sure his voice was unwavering, "Yeah, I'd like that."

The two men stayed at the top of the tower until nearly daybreak. Neither had to rise early in the morning, though it was usually Severus' habit to do so, and they didn't want to break the fragile yet steady rhythm of conversation, which at one point had nearly capsized.

"This is so easy." Harry remarked, after a slight lull.

"What is?" Severus asked.

"Talking to you. Monday was...You weren't yourself."

He smirked, if anyone else had said that, he'd have laughed in their face. Before Harry, he hadn't ever felt like someone had known him.

"Hermione's right about everything."

Severus' eyebrows knit together. Had his missed something? "Why do you say that?"

"She said that if we started as friends, and didn't know where we were going, that I should just go back to where I last knew what was going on. She said take is slow from there, and she was right."

Harry seemed to think this was normal, commonplace, but Severus' head nearly exploded he was thinking so quickly. He figured, if Harry'd told Granger, he'd have told the Weasley boy as well, but who else would know? Was there some kind of rule against this? He supposed not as they weren't doing anything promiscuous, but made a mental note to check without letting on what he was up to.

Harry noticed Severus' silence. "She's the only one I talked to, and I didn't tell her who you were." He said quickly. "Honest. She's never going to find out unless one of us would tell her, either. She still thinks I'm writing a girl."

Severus' stomach unclenched, but a new knot formed in his heart. It was because they couldn't tell their friends, he didn't have any of course, but Harry couldn't or wouldn't admit to being with Severus. He sighed. Then he realised, "Why would she assume you're writing a girl? Seems a rather large assumption."

"What? Oh, muggles don't-er. See guys don't really-er. I mean they do, but it's not common that-um." He stopped, frazzled.

"Are two men not allowed to be intrigued by one another?"

"They can, but people really don't like it when they're gay."

"Gay?" Severus asked, confused.

"You know." Harry said, and when a look at Severus showed that he did not, in fact, understand, he continued. "When they like each other."

"You label it? How absurdly prejudice."

"Yeah? I mean, don't wizards?"

"No," Severus responded, "to us it's just a preference, not a trait to judge someone on. It's-" thought a moment, "I'd say it isn't a big deal, but it's not a deal at all. It just is."

"You can't blame her. She was raised like a muggle."

"So were you." Severus pointed out.

"Yeah, but I'm-" It was Harry's turn not to stop and think. He'd almost said he was gay, but he'd never thought of himself as gay before. However, when he thought about it, he'd never defined himself as straight either. He liked who he liked. What was wrong with that?

"Ah, see? It doesn't really matter."

From there the conversation flowed from what he'd told his friends to what his friends had been doing lately, to what he'd been doing of late. Severus asked a surprising amount of questions. Finally, when one too many yawns had interrupted their discussions, Severus stood from where he sat on the cold stone ground.

"We're exhausted. I think it's time we head off."

Slightly disappointed, Harry did rather agree. He'd nearly fallen asleep mid-sentence twice!

Severus stepped to where Harry was sitting with his back against the stones a few feet away. He offered a hand to help the younger man up. Accepting it, Harry was pulled fully to his feet before he'd realised the close proximity this put them in. The wall was behind Harry and he was unable to step backwards, but Severus did so, immediately after realising the closeness. He'd also dropped Harry's hand.

Harry was thankful for the move, showing that this could be taken slowly, but something in the pit of his stomach craved for the man's touch again. It was something so simple, but he'd never held hands with anyone and it felt comfortable.

He made no move to initiate the contact again however.

They stood for a moment, neither knowing exactly what to say in farewell. Breaking the awkward pause, Severus reached up swiftly to brush Harry's unruly hair from his eyes, whispering, "Sweet dreams," then he was gone.

Harry stood for a moment, his forehead tingling where the slender fingers had swept across it. Then, he moved to return to his dormitory and get a few hours of sleep.

Upon entering, he saw Hermione curled up in the same arm chair she'd been in early Tuesday morning. Harry went to her and shook her awake. "Get up, it's nearly morning."

She started and cast the TimeTelling spell. She looked at him, flabbergasted. "Did you just get in?"

He laughed, "Yeah, we had a great time." He sounded both exhausted and dreamy, "I didn't say what I was going to say, though. It worked out; we're not going to put a label on 'us', I guess. We're just going to see what happens. 'Night then."

Completely oblivious to Hermione's awestruck stare, he wandered up the stairs toward his inviting bed.

He fell asleep the moment his head hit the pillow, whereas Severus had a bit more trouble falling asleep.

He missed his brightly coloured walls. The oranges and purples could never be brought here, of course. He had people into his rooms, for Merlin's sake! They stayed in the parlour and sitting room mostly, but he couldn't risk a peek of the neon decor. Then, there was the matter of Dumbledore. Severus respected the man, but, frankly, he knew too much and could not be trusted to know about the decoration of Snape's rooms.

The black of the walls were stifling, even on the best of nights and even with the silver designs painted across them. After years of suffering, he'd allowed himself a light green rug. He knew it wasn't the Slytherin colour, but it allowed him to breathe easier with a little more pigment.

He couldn't relax tonight especially. Between the suffocating room and the long talk with Harry, his mind was both drowning and racing. Finally he magicked the light on. With a few quick spells, he turned one of the wall an awful burnt pumpkin, one a beautiful turquoise, and the last two clashing shades of brilliant purple. The ceiling became a shining gold with another flick of his wand. Satisfied, he slept.

A/N: Pretty important conversation, isn't it? Hope you like how this turned out. Tell me your thoughts!

Also, I'm a little ahead on writing chapters so (I hope) we won't have any more delays like two (two right?) weeks ago! Again! I apologise for that!