A sudden pounding knock ground at the wooden door, prompting Harry to pull away from the professor. For a moment, the young wizard witnessed a flash of what appeared to be frustration fused with mild panic dart across the deep, dark eyes peering down at him.

Harry heard what sounded like someone wrapping their fingers around the doorknob. He gasped, his eyes connecting with Snape's, a message devoid of words was passing between them. One that incited panic in the younger wizard's heart.

The door began to open, and soon within the invading rays of light would be revealed the violator of their private moment.

"I thought I'd find you in here." An all too familiar voice spat as Snape turned on his heel to face the intruder.

"Mr Malfoy." The potion's professor raised an eyebrow, hardly seeming surprised to find the blonde wizard standing before him.

"What are you doing in here with him?" Draco spat, his face screwed up to resemble a crumpled paper bag.

Snape glanced slowly over his shoulder, as though reaffirming the presence of another within his store cupboard.

"That's hardly your concern now, is it Mr Malfoy?" Snape raised both eyebrows now as he peered down at the blonde.

Draco sneered, his eyes darting to Harry before returning to Snape, as though trying to decide whether to press this issue further.

"What can I do for you?" The professor stated flatly, not bothering to lace his words with any degree of enthusiasm.

Draco suddenly appeared more annoyed than ever, it seemed he didn't want Harry to know what he was up to.

"It doesn't matter." The blonde spat, taking one final opportunity to glare at Harry before strutting away.

Harry stood there, it did not seem to matter how hard he tried, he could not seem to summon the right words to his lips.

Snape pushed the door with what seemed like minimal force before gently watching as it gently clunked shut once more.

"Don't let him concern you Mr Potter." Snape smirked slightly as he turned back to face the boy.

"Though, I'm sure you've faced far worse."

"Yeah, my own family." Harry stated without thought, though he seemed to instantly regret it as his eyes darted to the floor.

"Yes, that buffoon of an uncle you had the misfortune to inherit. Not to mention the Dark Lord of course." Snape added calmly as he paced slowly back towards Harry.

"Wait, what? You know my family?" Harry's eyes were wide, this was something that he truly had not anticipated.

"Unfortunately." The professor stated flatly before slipping his fingers under Harry's chin.

The younger wizard desperately wanted to ask how the man knew his despised relatives.

"I'm surprised you lasted this long without taking a dagger to your wrists. Having to look at them is horrid enough, I can't imagine what living with them must be like."

Harry's eyes narrowed.

What was Snape trying to say? That he sympathised with him?

He continued to wonder as Snape leaned forward, his lips mere inches from Harry's.

What was he about to do?

Harry closed his eyes, he suspected he knew what was about to happen, yet that didn't make it any less of an insane idea.

Within a moment his suspicions were indeed confirmed. Warm lips collided with his own. Harry gasped, it wasn't as though he hadn't been anticipating this, yet it still took him by surprise. He whimpered as his body was thrust up against shelves lined with jars full of mysterious potions ingredients.

His eyelids grew heavy, as though sleep were engulfing him. It had been a long time since he had felt like this. He wrapped his arms around Snape's back, engulfing him, drawing him in closer as though they had a mind of their own. He felt as though he stepped out from the carnage of the world he had grown so familiar with and into a strange new one which hardly felt strange at all.

Harry opened his lips wider, to which Snape wasted no time seizing the opportunity to explore the depths of the boy's mouth with his tongue.

It seemed the professor had never wanted anything more in his entire life as he held the younger wizard firmly in place.

Was he perhaps afraid that Harry would reject him?

Harry hardly had time to wonder as a sudden thought invaded his mind.

"What about Draco?" Harry suddenly gasped, pulling away from the man in apparent fright.

"He won't come back here." Snape smirked as he gazed down at the younger wizard.

"How can you be so sure?" Harry eyed the man sceptically, wondering if there was in fact something he knew about the blonde that he himself didn't.

"How long have you known me, Mr Potter?"

Harry opened his mouth to answer before suddenly realising there was no point. Snape wasn't expecting an answer, it was purely rhetorical.

The professor released his hold on the younger wizard before stepping back and turning for the door. He pulled the door open, inviting rays of sunlight to invade his dark store cupboard.

"You had best get to Care of Magical Creatures." Snape raised an expectant eyebrow as he stood holding the open.

"You know my timetable?" Harry failed to keep the surprise out of his voice as he walked slowly past the man on his way towards the well-lit exit.

A slight smirk tugged at the corners of Snape's lips.

"Of course, Mr Potter."

*~.~*

He was going to be late. Harry bolted out of the castle before skidding across the grass towards Hagrid's cottage.

He still could not believe what had just happened.

What he had more difficulty believing was the fact that he, dare he say, enjoyed it. He picked up the pace as the smoke from Hagrid's chimney appeared on the horizon.

There was no way he could tell Ron and Hermione he just spent the last half an hour making out with Professor Snape in his potion's store cupboard.

It hardly sounded believable, even in his own head, despite the fact it had literally just happened.

What is worse is that Malfoy would already be at the lesson. He'd probably already told everyone where he was.

Harry's pace instinctively slowed.

What if that truly was the case?

What would everyone think?

That he was in trouble no doubt.

It was still better than them all knowing the truth.