Severus looked into the anti-nausea potion and assessed it. It was perfect. Naturally. He'd brewed it about a thousand times. He bottled it for Madame Pomfrey, set aside the cauldron to clean later, and looked up at the clock.

His last class of the day had ended hours earlier, and Harry's last class would be over in about fifteen minutes. He had nothing else to occupy his time and decided he should meet Harry outside his classroom.

They always walked together now, when they could. If Severus didn't wait for him, he'd pout. Oddly enough Harry's face when he was pouting was appealing. The little wrinkle between his eyebrows, the rosiness of his pursed lips. But he'd better not chance having an unhappy Harry on his hands today if he hoped to get anything done this evening. When he was upset, Harry would be endlessly distracting to him until Severus made things right again. It was never quite an apology. Severus Snape does not apologise. But he knew just how to change the subject to lift Harry's mood again.

He stepped off of the staircase and turned towards the Defense classroom. A figure approached from the other side of the corridor, seemingly making its way to the same destination.

A few strides later and the figure came into view. Remus Lupin, in his tattered brown robes.

He offered him a polite grin, but Severus couldn't help but to scowl in response.

"I think you've missed your level. Arithmancy classroom is a level down."

Remus grinned. "I'm aware."

"Are you? Because I'm certain you'd have no other business on this level."

"Severus, please." Remus lifted his arm to cough against the back of his wrist. "I came to see Harry."

"To see him turn you away? If memory serves, only a few weeks ago you had him in hysterics because of how badly you hurt him. What more could there possibly be for you to say?"

Abusing Remus was too easy. The man had no spine and hated confrontation. It wasn't even fun to insult him.

"I owe him an apology, Severus. I know."

"You don't deserve enough of his time to apologise."

Remus's eyes narrowed. "Why are you suddenly so protective over him?"

"I believe the better question is why were you not?"

He frowned and looked away. "It was my way of protecting him. I just didn't... I didn't know it would change our relationship forever."

Severus knew the feeling well. He almost pitied the man.

The door to Harry's classroom was pulled open and a queue of second year students pooled out into the corridor and past the two professors. Finally, Harry's head emerged. His eyes fell into Severus's quickly.

Something about the eye contact made Severus's body feel lighter, like all the tension he'd acquired and held through the day evaporated. He wondered if that was why Harry was so effortlessly and universally adored. Did he make everyone feel this way?

"Severus! You waited for me today." He offered him a wide, toothy grin. Harry went to shut the classroom door but stopped, having finally seen Remus. His body went rigid.

"Oh. Er, hi. Did you... did you need something?"

It was clear Harry was genuinely curious and not being malicious, but Remus was obviously stung by the lack of warmth in his greeting.

"Well, I wanted a chat. But, it can wait."

Severus sneered.

Harry shifted his weight to his other foot uncomfortably. "Yeah. Sure. Sure. Er, let me know when works for you."

Remus nodded, turned on his heel and strode away.

"Did he say anything to you? What does he want to talk about?"

"We didn't speak really. Hungry?"

Harry's smile returned.

"Starving, actually."

They began to walk together back towards the staircase.

"I was thinking..." Harry stepped closer and let their arms touch. It always took Severus off guard, the affectionate touches Harry offered. "See, there's a new restaurant I've been wanting to try."

"Then try it."

"Would you come with me?" He asked hopefully, the way a child would ask his mum for a lolly. Severus didn't particularly feel up for leaving the castle tonight, but recently he'd found himself more and more unable to deny any request of Harry's. It was infuriating.

His once very detailed and punctual, never-changing schedule now bent and twisted around Harry's responsibilities, desires, and whims. He stayed up entirely too late because Harry couldn't sleep and wanted to stay awake reading in Severus's sitting room all night. He was late to supper because Harry was constantly running behind schedule but Severus couldn't begin his meal without him. His marking took twice as long because Harry now joined him and distracted him incessantly.

The most infuriating bit? It didn't bother Severus in the slightest. In fact, his heart still stuttered just slightly at the sight of the young man, even if it was the sixth time seeing him that day. The cadence of his voice brought Severus comfort. And that was what friendship was, right? He'd not had a real companion since Lily. And that had been all too long ago. Even so, Severus was sure this was just what friendship was, complete with its comforts and annoyances.

Severus, the man of habit, wanted to tell Harry that no, in fact, he felt a bit of headache coming on and would like to eat his supper and do his marking and be in bed by nine, thank you very much.

Instead, Severus said, "Of course I will. Should I change attire?"

Harry didn't even look at Severus's clothes. He smiled and looked over Severus's face.

"Not at all. You're perfect."

Severus extinguished the small flame flickering atop the skinny white candle and moved the votive to the far side of the table. Harry chuckled and rolled his eyes.

"That candle was nonsense," Severus complained.

"It was supposed to be romantic." Harry looked amused.

"What needs to be romantic about sharing a meal?"

"Erm, everything? Depending on the company, of course." Harry sucked on his lower lip. Why did he insist on being so annoyingly distracting?

Harry turned his attention to the soup in front of him. Severus had already finished his own.

Harry's hair had gotten long and so he had to use his free hand to hold his fringe out of the way when he hovered over the bowl.

Severus sighed. "He said he wanted to apologise to you. I told him to leave you alone. I wasn't particularly nice about it. I shouldn't have involved myself."

Harry looked up suddenly. His jaw dropped just a bit in surprise but he quickly corrected himself, training away any emotion. "Should I go speak to him?"

Severus didn't want him to. He knew that if his relationship with Remus were to be reconciled, Severus would again be cast aside. To sit alone at the end of the staff table, to sit in silence in his office with his lesson plans. It's not that he minded the solitude. But he'd grown quite accustomed to having Harry close by.

"No," Severus told him.

"Well it's not like I can avoid him forever." He took his last spoonful of soup and pushed it to the side next to the abandoned candle.

"Can't you? You avoided me for five years. I can count on one hand the number of times we spoke between the day you were employed at Hogwarts and the night you first came to me."

Harry winced. And only then did Severus realise how angry he'd sounded.

"Okay, you aren't wrong. But you and I didn't have any type of previous relationship. You'd hated me since I was eleven. This is different."

"You hated me, too."

"No I didn't, I just-"

"-hated me."

"Fine. Sure. But you were mean!"

"You were a brat."

Harry grinned and shook his head. "No, I wasn't."

"You aren't now but then-"

"-No, not even then. But you were mean. Still are, sometimes."

"When am I mean to you?"

"Last Tuesday! You went to supper without me."

"Not this again. I haven't made that mistake since, have I? You're a brat when you're cross."

Harry chuckled. "Well if it taught you a lesson, I can't say that I'm sorry for acting like a brat! See, this is just like what I was saying to Matthew last night-"

"- the man from the pub? The muggle?"

"Yeah! I was telling him how you-"

"You went to London last night?"

"What? No. I called him." Harry's grin was quickly replaced with a look of confusion.

"Oh?"

"Yeah. Arthur had a spare muggle phone he found at work. Said I could have it."

"The Weasleys know about your muggle boyfriend?"

"No, they don't know about Matthew. And I haven't got a boyfriend. Just asked Arthur for a phone is all. And what's wrong with having a muggle boyfriend anyways?"

"I suppose better than a werewolf."

"Severus! What has gotten into you tonight?" Harry put his hand over Severus's and searched his eyes. He drew a ragged breath through his nose. He didn't want Harry to touch him, but he couldn't bring himself to pull his hand away.

"We were having a good time, I thought. Can't I take you out and show you that I-" Harry stopped himself suddenly.

"Show me what?"

"It doesn't matter." Harry removed his hand. "I'm sorry I wasted your evening."