Wow! Sorry for the delay guys...school has been in the way quite a bit. Hopefully, I'll be keeping up. I just wanted to take a bit of your time to thank everyone who's been reading and commenting on my stories. Your kind words are extremely appreciated and they keep me writing. As always, rights belong to JK Rowling.

Severus Snape silently shut the door behind him, his eyes never leaving Harry, yet completely aware of his surroundings.

"Poppy, a moment please." Snape demanded, quite calmly.

She had already made her way in the other room with an annoyed look that flickered for a slight moment before she disappeared into the shadows.

Snape walked towards Harry's bed, his slender fingers tracing the bed sheets along the seam before he made his way onto the leather sofa. Harry watched him silently as he glided seamlessly onto the seat. They stared at each other intensely, a glimmer in Snape's black eyes pierced Harry's soul. It felt as if time had slowed down and he felt paralyzed in the moment. Finally, Snape had spoken:

"I'm guessing the potion is working quite well?" Snape's eyebrow arched.

Harry took a moment's thought to give any excuse that a part of his body was hurting, yet no such luck.

"Yes…I'm fine, thank you…"

Snape analyzed his features, with a concerned look.

"You look tired." He quickly said. "Which is quite a surprise to say since you've been sleeping for two whole days."

Harry leapt off the bed and almost instantly, Snape shot up from his seat and rose up his hand pushing Harry's chest back onto bed. Harry eyed him, his mouth open and eyes widened and his body matched the movements of his hand. He surrendered to Snape's touch and sunk back into bed, Snape's warm hand lingered for a split second too long.

"My classes!" Harry exclaimed, a pleading look on his face.

"It's been taken care of." Snape said calmly as he sat back down and positioned himself more comfortably on the chair with his legs crossed.

"How?" Harry demanded quite demonically. His unruly hair was pointing out from every side.

Snape remained quite emotionless. "As a student lying in this bed, you would worry about your silly broomstick. Now that you've grown up significantly, it's quite endearing to hear that you care about your studies." He said quite sarcastically.

Harry looked at him slightly annoyed. "Professor McGonagall asked you to take over for me, didn't she?"

Snape rested his chin on his hand and gave a slight smirk. "Almost immediately. I believe I am as you say it…quite knowledgeable on this subject."

"I can't believe this…" Harry muttered under his breath. "W-wait…" Harry continued, "Am I sacked?"

Snape folded his arms and looked outside the window. "No." He quickly said, his mood changing significantly.

"Oh…" Harry sighed with great relief.

"You may resume your post tomorrow if you feel adequate enough."

"I feel good enough to teach." Harry said seriously, catching a glimpse of Snape's slight twitch.

He looked at Harry for a brief moment. "Very well then," he said as he rose up from his leather sofa, "I'm no longer needed."

He passed by Harry's bed and stopped at the table which was flooded with Chocolate Frogs and Bertie Bott's Every Flavoured Beans. He picked one up with a twisted look on his face and set it back down and was heading to the door.

Harry was half out of bed and instinctively reached out for Snape's hand. This moment had seemed oddly familiar to the both of them.

"Wait…" Harry quietly said, making sure Poppy was not able to hear if she was near, "stay."

Snape's grip slackened as if he were about to run out of the Hospital Wing. He stood paralyzed, facing the door, away from Harry. After a still moment, he turned around and to Harry's surprise he sat on the edge of his bed.

Harry watched him as his robes fitted the sides of the bed, forming to their shape. He sat facing the door, avoiding eye contact from Harry. Harry reached over to his nightstand and grabbed a Chocolate Frog and leaned over.

"Here, eat this…you look tired." Harry said as he dropped the Chocolate Frog on Snape's lap.

Snape now eyed it, unsure if he should open it, wondering if it may even be poisoned.

"Come on Professor…it's not poisoned or anything." Harry said with a slight tone of impatience.

Snape half-turned his face in his direction and Harry could finally see all the lines on the man's face. He had bags hanging underneath his eyes, which had now lost the brilliance that it had recently shown. His skin looked sallow and his thin lips were slightly discoloured.

"Are you okay?" Harry sprang up from his bed, tearing off his sheets and sat on his knees, eyeing Snape.

"Of course…" Snape said with a slight drawl, "never better."

Harry noticed his hint of sarcasm but did not pursue much more on the subject. He watched him fiddle with the Chocolate Frog until he opened it and quickly grabbed it before it hopped away. He held it into the light with a slight smirk and shoved it into his mouth as if he hadn't eaten for days.

"Who'd you get?" Harry said excitedly, trying to peer over his shoulder.

Snape's expression immediately intensified. His face looked tormented as if he had lived a hundred years of sorrow. He held up the card and Harry saw his own reflection smiling back at it.

"Well…" Harry sighed, "at least I'll be with you everywhere." Harry now got off his knees and walked around the Hospital Wing shaking off his legs; it felt good to walk again, like he hadn't done it for years.

"You shouldn't be walking around. You need to get back in bed…you don't have enough-"

Harry was now jumping up and down and stopped abruptly. "Enough what?"

"Never mind, Potter. Do as you wish." Snape said, now closing his eyes.

Harry went over to his nightstand and grabbed a handful of Bertie Botts, eating them one at a time. Harry offered some to Snape and he shook his head.

"More bogey flavoured ones for me then." He sighed and stuffed one in his mouth and his face twisted in disgust.

"You seem perfectly capable to be prancing around," Snape said slowly, "I think I'll be leaving."

"Do you really want to leave?" Harry asked him seriously, now setting the candy on the table and walking towards him.

Snape looked up, eyeing Harry's features for several moments.

"I don't have as much vitality as you do." Snape finally answered.

"If you're tired, then sleep here." Harry now sat back down next to Snape.

Snape's eyebrows furrowed. "Did that Bludger knock whatever intelligence was in there?" He said slightly angry. He stood up abruptly and straightened his robes. He paced to the doors and Harry thought he was about to leave. Yet he simply turned the corner and came back after a couple of long minutes with Poppy tagging along behind him.

"Here you go Potter, last potion for you tonight." She said with a smile, handing him over a red vial. He grabbed it quickly and sniffed it, definitely not a pleasant one. He looked at Professor Snape as he took a gulp and Snape's features softened. Yet, Harry's twisted in disgust, wanting to spray out the bad-tasting medicine.

"He's been here almost the whole day you know, for both days. I reckon you owe him an air of gratitude for what he's done for you." She quickly grabbed the vial and looked behind her; Severus Snape had the facial expression that Harry remembered the most, hatred. She slightly jumped and bid them a goodnight while scurrying off to the other room.

"Is that why you're tired? It's because you've been here all day?" Harry asked sympathetically.

Snape's emotions were unmoving, the harsh lines were deep and a crease appeared on his forehead. He walked to the window staring at the clouded moonlight, ignoring his questions.

Harry got out of bed once more and followed him to the window; his face was beautifully illuminated by the moon. His angered expression diminished as the stars burst an abundance of light into his black eyes, they produced warmth that could not only heat a room, but a heart.

"Don't get hurt again, you understand Potter?" Snape said as he looked out into the darkness, his thin lips barely moving.

Harry simply nodded in understanding, not knowing if Snape saw or not.

"Your friends…do they come see you often?" Snape asked his voice as soft as a whisper.

"It's strange having lived with them and spending all that time with them. Now, we barely see each other, I can see Ron whenever I'd like to though..."

"I see." Snape said understandingly.

"Why didn't you say anything to them? I'm just curious." Harry said while scratching his head.

"I didn't feel the need to; they are not how you call it…my friends. They were past students of mine. I acknowledged their presence as they gawked at me from a distance." Snape said as his lip curled.

"Thank you…by the way." Harry said softly.

Snape finally turned his head towards Harry's direction and stared at him for a few moments, the room became eerily silent as the two men stared at each other. Harry's hands moved and rested on the window pane. Snape's hands twitched lightly as if were dying to reach out for his.

As something outside of the window caught Harry's gaze, Snape could no longer remain tormented. He grabbed Harry by the arm and swung him around. He subtly checked his surroundings from the corner of his eye as to make sure Poppy was not lurking in the corner.

"Uh…sir." Harry said nervously, feeling slightly uncomfortable with Snape tightly gripping him.

"Don't move." Snape said slowly, staring at Harry's lips.

Harry felt like a million things were running through his mind and his lips were moving soundlessly.

"Don't say a word." Snape said even more carefully inching closer to Harry's face, watching his lips tremble. He took Harry's chin with his thumb and index finger, cooling his slightly flushed face. Harry did nothing but stand obedient to him.

"Kiss me."

And to Snape's surprise Harry had uttered the words. He seemed quite frazzled and unconscious of his surroundings. Snape's lips inched even closer to Harry's and the latter's slightly parted. Snape looked at Harry in the eyes, which were closing slowly.

"You don't mean it." Snape said disgustingly and he pushed Harry off instantaneously and sped to the door.

Harry's eyes widened as if he had awoken from a fearful dream and stared at the back of Snape's head wondrously.

"Unfortunately, I do." Harry jetted towards the door and grabbed Snape's face with both hands and their lips touched with an electric jolt. Harry's lips seemed as if they were hungry for his, as if his soul was latching onto Snape's connected by their lips. Snape stood stricken, eyes widened and Harry had seemed like he had finally reached solace. The perfect moment had struck between these two distressed men. This was a moment that would have never occurred years ago, not even a few weeks ago. This was a comfort that either of the two of them ever felt before and their lips parted, panting heavily in the moment. Snape was now rummaging in his pocket, his eyes never leaving Harry's, his face remaining expressionless and he pulled out the Golden Snitch that Harry had caught for him two days prior, it's wings flapping violently in the air as if it were begging to be let out of his grasp. All Harry could do in this moment was smile.

Thanks for reading! Hopefully the next chapter won't be too far along. :)