A/N: I hope you like this chapter. Don't forget to review. Thanks so much. :]
Severus wished Harry would respond whether he yelled or cried or anything else. He didn't care what as long as the young man, his best friend, said something. Perhaps Harry was thinking of a way to tell him their friendship was over. He hated to admit that that thought was more painful than anything Voldemort had ever done to him, and he had done a lot. When had this young man come to mean so much to him?
"It was a mistake."
Severus would never admit to anyone how much those four words tore at his heart and soul, the former being something he thought he no longer possessed. His eyes closed of their own accord and he tried to ignore the feelings of pain and loneliness and abandonment, all things he hadn't felt since Lily. What had her son done to him?
"Severus, look at me."
He slowly opened his eyes and looked at Harry. The fear or anger or revulsion or rejection he had expected to see wasn't there. Instead the young face was calm and full of understanding and acceptance, and a little bit of underlying sadness.
"It was a mistake, Severus. You couldn't have known who Voldemort would go after," Harry said.
"Does it matter? I knew Voldemort would kill the child he believed to be the one. For all intents and purposes, I deliberately sent a child to their death. It just so happened that you didn't die," Severus said, fighting to control himself.
"Severus, you did what you had to do. What would've happened had you not told Voldemort the prophecy and then he found out you had kept it from him? You would not be alive right now had you kept that prophecy to yourself," Harry said.
"I'm the reason you have no parents, the reason you've had to live with the Dursleys, the reason you've been abused all your life," Severus said painfully.
Harry moved over on the sofa and took one of Severus' hands in his, linking their fingers together. They both ignored how warm and right the simple action felt. "Yes, you were connected to it but you were not the cause of it. I can guarantee that Voldemort would've found out about the prophecy eventually or he would've gone after my family at some point regardless. The reason I have no parents is because Pettigrew betrayed them and Voldemort killed them. The reason I've had to live with the Dursleys is because Dumbledore put me there. The reason I've been abused all my life is because Dumbledore's manipulative and because my uncle's a bastard."
"Harry—"
"I have one question. Just one," Harry said and Severus nodded. "If you never knew my parents or me, if none of what had happened had happened, would you still have saved me during that Quidditch match in first year? Or from Moony in third year? Or tried to get me out of the tournament in fourth year? Or from Umbridge? Or helped me with Sirius even if he still died? Or from Gryffindor Tower this year? Would you still have saved me even if none of your past had happened? Would I still be alive?"
Severus stared deep into Harry's eyes and said with no hesitation, "Yes."
Harry smiled and squeezed Severus' hand. "And that is why I hold nothing against you."
"I do not deserve you," Severus whispered, clutching Harry's hand tightly.
Harry slowly wrapped his arms around Severus' neck and said quietly, "No. You deserve so much more."
Draco wandered the grounds aimlessly, his mind stuck on Harry and Severus. Lost in thought, he was startled when something landed on his shoulder but he calmed when he realized it was only Ivory.
"Hey, Ivory," Draco greeted, continuing to circle the Black Lake.
"Hello, Draco," Ivory said softly. "What is on your mind, dear? You appear quite thoughtful."
"I am. I'm thinking about the relationship between two people I know. I think it might be changing," Draco told her.
"Who are these people?" Ivory asked.
"Harry and Severus," Draco said. "They're close friends but I think they might be attracted to each other and don't notice it. I think they're falling for each other."
"It is possible," Ivory said.
"It's just that I know they mean a lot to each other. When the war's over, I don't want them to just walk away from each other. I don't think either of them would take it well," Draco said, sighing.
"I would not worry about that, dear. They will always be in each other's lives," Ivory said and Draco looked at the raven curiously.
"What do you mean?"
"I cannot say."
"Ivory, what do you know?"
"I cannot say. Just know that whether they are together romantically or return to a mutual hatred, they will always remain in each other's lives," Ivory told him and Draco frowned.
"You mean they're going to get together? Or will they hate each other again? Ivory," Draco said.
"Perhaps your answer is in what you want for them," Ivory said before taking off.
"Ivory! Wait, Ivory! What the hell does that mean? Ivory!" Draco called after the disappearing raven. "That bloody bird is as cryptic as Dumbledore and Severus put together," he mumbled.
That night, neither Harry nor Severus felt like eating in the Great Hall so they called for dinner in their rooms. Just as they were about to sit down, someone knocked on the door.
"Expecting someone?" Severus asked Harry who shook his head. Frowning, Severus opened the door. "Draco? What are you doing here?"
"Just wanted to know if I could eat with you tonight. I don't feel like going to the Great Hall," Draco said, walking into the quarters.
"Why not?" Severus asked.
Draco shrugged, not speaking.
Severus sighed. "Very well. You may eat here tonight."
"Thanks." Draco smiled and followed Severus with Harry into the kitchen. Truthfully, Draco wanted to see how Harry and Severus acted out of the eye of the public.
They sat in a comfortable silence as they filled their plates and began eating. Draco watched Harry and Severus surreptitiously as they ate quietly. He wondered if either of them was aware of how much they looked at each other.
They have to know. They do it every three seconds, Draco said to himself.
Yes, but these are the two most stubborn men in the world, an inner voice said.
No one is that dense, Draco said.
Neither of them have a clue when it comes to a personal life because neither of them have ever had one, the inner voice replied.
Well, they have, just none worth keeping note of, Draco said.
So you see the problem, the inner voice said.
I suppose but they clearly like each other and they'd be great together. Plus there's whatever Ivory meant earlier, Draco said, continuing to watch his godfather and best friend. They appeared to have a language all their own that only consisted of looks and facial expressions. It was interesting to observe.
How do you not know what she meant? The inner voice questioned.
Because everyone in this bloody castle talks in impossible riddles, Draco said irritably.
This is true, the inner voice conceded.
There! Look at that! Draco exclaimed, staring at the gravy bowl being passed between Severus and Harry. The latter brushed Severus' fingers and Harry blushed while Severus pulled away. Look at how obvious they are.
Not to each other.
I don't understand how they can't see it.
They don't know what to look for.
They're bloody annoying.
That too.
The inner voice fell silent after that and Draco focused on watching Harry and Severus. He knew for sure that they were falling for each other and both were completely oblivious.
They probably haven't even figured out how they feel themselves yet, he thought irritably.
Soon they all finished eating. Harry and Severus both announced they were going to head to bed so Draco was forced to leave. Sighing, he walked back to his quarters and lay on his bed, contemplating all he knew and wanted to know.
"Morning, Draco," Harry greeted the Slytherin as he sat at Gryffindor table for breakfast.
"What are you doing awake? You have a free period. Hell, you have a free morning," Draco said, frowning as he ate some bacon.
"Severus made me get up. He said I could use the morning to start planning the valedictorian speech," Harry said, grabbing a few pieces of toast and a couple scones.
"You're valedictorian?" Draco said, surprised.
"We both are. I guess I forgot to tell you," Harry told him and the young Slytherin deflated.
"We have to give the speech together?" Draco said, his tone bordering on a whine.
"Yes. Something about it being good house unity for a Gryffindor and a Slytherin to give it together." Harry shrugged and Draco rolled his eyes.
"If he's not talking about the greater good, it's house unity. If he's not on about house unity, it's the greater good," Draco said, stabbing at a sausage.
"Pretty much." Harry nodded. "So we need to make time for this thing."
"I've got second period free. We can do it then," Draco said and Harry nodded again.
"We can meet in the library. Severus said I'm not allowed to come home until I have something done on it," Harry said with a grin that told Draco the Gryffindor wasn't mad at Severus.
"This is something he'd do," Draco agreed. "So library second period?"
"Yeah," Harry said.
"See you then, Gryffindor." Draco waved as he left the Hall.
"Mr. Potter, come with me."
Harry looked up at the command and saw Severus heading out of the Great Hall. Curious, Harry left Gryffindor table and followed his friend. He raised an eyebrow when he found he was being led to the dungeons. They stopped in the corridor Harry had found Caleb being attacked.
"I thought I wasn't allowed to come home?" Harry said with a frown but his eyes were smiling.
"You're not," Severus replied, ignoring the feelings that arose when Harry called the quarters 'home'. "I wanted to tell you that we will be going after the ring next month."
"Really?" Harry said excitedly but then he deflated. "Wait, next month? School closes in two weeks."
"Your point?" Severus said.
"Severus, I'm going back to Privet Drive when Hogwarts closes," Harry told the man.
"The hell you are," Severus said and Harry sighed.
"Dumbledore's already arranged it and told the Dursleys when to be at King's Cross. You can't change it, Sev'rus," Harry said with a small shrug.
"You will not be staying there. You need to be here where you're safe and where you can train to defeat Voldemort," Severus said.
And where I can protect you, he added silently.
"Dumbledore's plan is to take me from Privet Drive at the final battle," Harry told him.
"I cannot believe that man," Severus growled. "In any case, just know that I will get you out of there."
Harry nodded but did not reply, something Severus noticed.
"Next month we will go for the ring." Severus returned to their previous topic.
"Where?" Harry asked.
"We will go to the Gaunt house and Little Hangleton. I truly believe it is there somewhere but I don't know for sure. Voldemort could have it with him but I doubt it. The only Horcrux he keeps nearby is Nagini," Severus explained.
"Bloody snake," Harry muttered.
"I completely agree." Severus nodded and Harry grinned.
"How are we going to kill her when she's always with Voldemort?" Harry asked.
"We will deal with that when we get to it," Severus said while he thought of ways to kill the snake.
"Okay. Well, I need to get to the library so I can work if I want to come home tonight," Harry said with a faint glare at Severus who merely raised an eyebrow.
"It won't get done otherwise," Severus said casually.
"Such faith you have in me."
"No, not you. Your work ethics."
"What's the difference?"
"You tell me."
"You're kidding."
"Get to work, brat. I'll see you later," Severus said with a smirk and walked away. Harry glowered at the man before shaking his head and heading to the library.
"Albus!"
"Hello, Severus," Dumbledore said with a smile as Severus burst into his office without knocking. "Tea?"
"You have lost your bloody mind!" Severus said loudly, ignoring the offer of tea.
"Many have told me so over the years," Dumbledore said almost thoughtfully. "Why today?"
"If you think you are sending Harry back to the Dursleys' when this place closes, you are completely mental!" Severus said, pointing at the headmaster.
"There is nowhere else for him to go, Severus. Number four is safest for him," Dumbledore said calmly and Severus found his anger mounting quickly.
"How is he safest there when he cannot defend himself should he be attacked?" Severus growled.
"The wards protect him, Severus," Dumbledore said, clearly trying to sound reassuring.
"Only until July thirty-first! He's seventeen this year, Albus! The wards will fall as soon as he turns seventeen!"
"When that happens he will go to the safe house in North America. He must be kept out of Voldemort's eye," Dumbledore said and Severus fought to keep himself from throttling the old man before him.
"Albus! Would you listen to yourself? Harry will not be safe in North America! He will not be safe in Privet Drive! He has to stay here!" Severus said, nearly yelling now.
"He will be fine in Privet Drive, Severus, you know he will," Dumbledore said.
"No! He won't be! They abuse him, Albus! He cannot go back there and he won't!" Severus yelled.
"It has already been arranged, Severus. Harry will take the Hogwarts Express with all the other students to London and his relatives will pick him up," Dumbledore told him.
"If you send him back there, I will bring him back," Severus threatened.
"There is no need for that, Severus."
"They abuse him, Albus! Remember what that is? It's that thing that's happened to nearly all the students who have to stay here. It's that thing that happened to me that you kept sending me back to!" Severus roared. He may be a dark and cynical and sarcastic man and a complete bastard, but child abuse was not something he would stand by and let happen.
"They discipline him when it is needed, Severus, like all children," Dumbledore said and Severus' glare deepened. The Potions master was surprised the headmaster hadn't burst into flames yet.
"So that's what it is now? Discipline? Because I seem to remember it being much more than that and I know that what I've seen in Harry's memories is not just discipline!" Severus shouted.
"Severus—"
"No! I knew you were manipulative, Albus, but this I cannot believe. You would willing send Harry back to where he is brutally abused simply because you want to make him stronger? I will not let you do that to him!"
"Severus—"
"No, Albus. If you send Harry back to Privet Drive, I will just bring him back here," Severus said, glaring hard.
"I'm sorry, Severus, but he must go back," Dumbledore said and Severus snarled. He whirled around and swept from the office, slamming the door behind him.