Summary: Severus has never done anything for anyone, but what will he do for one small boy named Harry.
Disclaimer: I don't own anything but the plot
A/N: Of course it is AU.
Chapter 14
The next morning, Severus checked on Harry again for the fourth time. "Do you need anything else before I go?"
Harry looked at the juice and tissues beside the bed, and the books and several pillows on his bed. "I'm fine. Will you be coming home for lunch?"
Severus stared at the boy, and he buckled beneath the weight of his eyes. "I shall stay here. It is not as if those students will show any display of knowledge today. Albus can find someone else to teach my classes for today."
"No, go to work. I used to stay by myself all the time."
Severus grabbed up his cloak again and stopped in the doorway. "Your fever is still there, and what if you require something before I return? There is no way for you to contact me."
After a bit more convincing, Severus left, promising to return at lunch time. He didn't go straight to his classroom, however, but instead went to Dumbledore's office. After knocking, he let himself in.
"Severus? Is there something that you need?"
"I request a house elf, if there is one, Hogwarts can spare. My own family's died shortly after my father, as you well know."
"But I thought you loathed the idea of getting another, claiming it would always be underfoot."
"I have since discovered that I am in need of one. I no longer have the time to keep my house in a proper state. I have one condition. You must bind the house elf to me. I will not have it taking instruction from any other than myself."
"I must say that I am glad you have finally decided on this matter. For years I thought you should get one. I am sure your Manor will be in a much better state because of it."
Severus left his office and went to prepare for his first class. It did not go well, with several of the second years turning their hair yellow from the fumes. Severus had no patience today, not really wanting to be here at all.
Harry had drank all his juice, and his throat still felt a bit raw. His nose wasn't stuffy any longer, but his head still felt woozy when he tried to get up too fast. Harry wanted more juice, but the blankets on the bed felt so warm, he didnâ–“t want to get out of them. After a couple hours of hacking, Harry decided the need for the cool juice on his throat was worth the chill.
Harry lifted the covers off of him and stood beside the bed. Immediately his whole body began to shiver. Even though it was December, the house had been warm earlier. Severus had built a fire in both Harry's room and the sitting room, and then placed a charm to keep it from going out. Harry's teeth kept chattering as he made his way to the kitchen, even though he had on his pajamas and his robe.
Once he got his juice, he made his way back to the bed, and crawled underneath the warm blankets. The fire was blazing in the fireplace, but Harry was freezing. The bed just didn't seem warm enough anymore. Harry took a couple of sips of his juice so that his throat wouldn't feel so scratchy, and then he took the blankets off the bed, and his pillow, and went to lay beside the fireplace. Harry gathered the blankets around him as tightly as he could, and fell asleep.
Severus was so ready for the bell to ring to announce the end of the morning session of classes. His mind had not been on the students, and one had split potion all over the floor, melting a hole. The rest of the teachers all made their way to the Great Hall, while Severus made his way into his office to floo home.
Severus entered the sitting room and from there he could see that nothing was out of place. A small sigh escaped his lips, but as he walked into Harry's room and saw the empty bed, his heart skipped a beat.
"Harry!" he yelled, though he hadn't meant to. Harry struggled to sit up, trying to push off the blankets, but he simply didn't have the strength to. Severus walked over to where Harry lay next to the fire.
"Why did you get out of bed and come over here?"
"I was cold, and I thought it would be warmer over here."
Severus put his hand to Harry's head and felt the fever still there. "The potion should have worked by now. Come on and I will get you back in the bed."
"Can't I go in the sitting room with you?" Harry asked.
"If you are feeling well enough, I will let you sit for a while." Severus helped Harry untangled himself from the blankets, and Harry went straight to the couch, where Severus laid them back over him.
"I do not understand why the potion did not work. Your fever should have broken by now, and it hasn't." Severus kept muttering as he paced the floor, lunch forgotten. Harry watched him till his eyelids became heavy and then he drifted off to sleep again.
Severus sat in the chair going over each property of the fever reducing potion, trying to find some clue as to why it didn't work. It wasn't till he got to the juniper root that it dawned on him.
The juniper root would not work on someone under eighty pounds. Harry was far smaller than the average eleven year old. Severus knew he could go to Pomfrey and request something that might help, but after a few minutes, he deduced that she would either try to keep him, or would ask too many questions.
Severus knew they would have to rely on intuition or Muggle medicine, and he did not trust Muggle medicine. Far too many wizards had died using it. Severus dared to glance over at Harry. The boy was shivering, even though the fire was making it so hot in the room, he was starting to sweat. His mind was made up. He would return to Hogwarts and tell Albus someone else would have to take his afternoon classes.
Harry woke up an hour later to find Severus sitting across from him. "Is it that late?"
"It is not that late, and you should be resting," Severus said, putting down the book he had been reading. Harry noticed he was no longer on the floor, but on the couch. "How, I mean, when did I get on the couch?"
"I came home to find you on the floor. I thought you would be much more comfortable on the couch."
"Thank you," Harry said, pulling the blankets up over his shoulders.
"No thanks are needed. You are in my care, and I would be lax if I let you lay on the cold floor."
"Lax? Uncle Vernon didn't mind if I laid on the floor."
"Your Uncle was a poor example of an adult. Are you hot? Cold? Hungry?"
"I am a little hot," Harry admitted. Severus stood up from his chair and went into the other room. When he came back, in he was carrying a wet cloth that he placed on Harry's head. "I think if we can keep your fever down, it may break by morning. How about you try eating something?"
Harry really didn't want anything to eat, but his stomach growled in protest.
"How about something simple, like a bowl of fruit? Or maybe a slice of toast?"
Harry agreed that he would try to eat something, but when the food was set before him, he regretted it. Each bite made him feel sick, and yet he tried to force another bite down just to stop the incessant grumbling of his stomach.
After Harry had finished off half an apple and a quarter of the toast, he pushed the rest away."I don't want anymore."
Severus took the food back to the kitchen and resumed his watch over Harry.
"Can I have a book to read?"
"Are you sure you are up to it?"
"Yes, I think so."
Severus went over to the bookshelf, looking through the many dusty tomes. After pulling out two or three, he grabbed a leather bound one and returned to the couch. "This is a book about Aesop's Fables. My mother gave it to me when I was a little younger than you."
Harry took the book, promising to be careful with it, and began reading. The first story was so wonderful, before long he was on the second and then the third. It wasn't long before Harry was engrossed in another story, and his head began to hurt. It wasn't a tremendous headache like before, so Harry ignored it, wanting to finish the story. As Harry read the last few lines of it, his head began to swim, and the queasy feeling returned. Not wanting to be sick, Harry put the book down on the coffee table. "I think I will rest for a bit," he told Severus, closing his eyes so the room would stop spinning.
Severus watched Harry intently. The boy's sleep was not one that was pleasant, as he tossed and turned, going from shivering, to pushing the covers off of him. It wasn't till the whimpering started that Severus put down his own book and went to sit by Harry's side. Harry's head jerked from side to side as if he were dreaming.
"Harry, wake up," Severus spoke gently, but the boy did not hear him. Again Harry whimpered, this time talking in his sleep. Harry muttered about things no child should experience. Horrid things that Severus was sure Vernon Dursley was responsible for.
Severus pulled Harry to him, trying to get him to wake from his dream, but when Harry's eyes opened, he began to wretch over and over till his stomach begged for relief.
"I am so sorry," Harry cried, trying to get up to clean the mess. Severus held him, telling him everything was all right, and telling himself that no matter what, no one would harm Harry again. The begging and pleading for a mother and father that could no longer help him stabbed at Severus' heart. What had this child done to deserve such a childhood? Why was he singled out for this pain?
Severus sat with Harry all night long, and by morning he knew that the fever had broken. He felt safe leaving Harry for a moment to shower, hoping the child would not awaken before he got back.
As Severus let the hot shower loosen all the tense muscles in his back, he thought about the previous night. The child had called out for his parents, and yet he could barely remember what they looked like. When Severus had questioned him, Harry could not even recall anything about them. That was what the child needed, a strong adult figure in his life. Severus feared his own father, and he in turn, had gone to Voldemort seeking approval. He didn't want Harry to make the same mistake. Not wanting to leave Harry for too long, Severus got out of the shower, wrapping the towel around him, his hair still wet.
Once he was changed, Severus went back in to check on Harry and saw he, too, was sweaty and looking rather pale. It had been a long struggle last night, Harry waking several times, each time clinging to Severus like a lifeline. Severus had never had anyone need him as much as Harry did, and if he had to admit, it felt good to be needed. Taking out his wand, he placed a freshening charm on Harry's pajamas and gently picked him up.
"Severus?" Harry mumbled, still half asleep.
"Hush child and close your eyes." Severus toted Harry back to his room, laying him down on the clean sheets. After tucking him in, Severus stood over him, staring down at the little boy who had clung to him so desperately the night before, and without thinking, he leaned over and placed a kiss on his brow.
"Sleep well, Harry," he said before leaving the room, and returning to the kitchen to figure out how to keep him forever.
A/N: See you next week!