all of you wonderful and lovely reviewers (bwt, still love you all to teeny
tiny little bits):
Wolf Lupin: Updating
Kaizer Knuckz: Those characters will show up soon.
Gryvon: Hehe, everyone loved that part :-D There are more fuzzy moments to come in the chapter after this one (chapter 7 heh if you can't count hehehe), so grab your big teddy bear and a cup of hot coco. Lol! But for now, Harry gets to be traumatized (more?) when Dumbledore shows up. But no more secrets hehe, go read it NOW.
GrimmyD: Continuing, so yey!
Setsuri: I LOVE YOU SO MUCH!!! *clings* and no, it won't be some severitus challenge thing, that's boring. You are my overall favorite reviewer (sorry to the rest of you), and I love everything that you say. :-D You make me feel semi-talented and stuff! REVIEW MORE MWA!
Zorra: Aw, I don't want anyone to cry! (Feel extremely bad for Harry, YES, but cry?! NO! well, mabey just a little bit... but not much!)
Alabastir: Thank you thank you thank you.
Aspid: I hope you mean that one part was funny, and not the whole story. Cuz I'm not really going for sick and morbid humor o.O I can see how some things are funny, but this story is to... well I have no idea what it's suppose to do. I should get my "Pyschotherapist" (aka SHRINK) to analyze this for me... mwahahahaha *coughs and looks around for something to destract the readers with* oh look, a shinny red ball, go chase it???
Too lazy to sign in: why are you so lazy???
Misspanther: Glad you liked it, and it's "ciao" not chow. Lol.
SEP: Wait no longer! Here it is, and it's especially long. :-D
Alysia: Eeep, sorry for the slow update, I've been working for two weeks straight on less then 4 hours of sleep a week O.O
DarkSetoKaiba: I HEART YOU MANDI CUZ YOU RAWK AND STUFF!!! {lv}
Sirius' Secret Lover: "Love the lime light so much I'm turning green." It's an _expression for someone who spends too much time getting other people's attention aka "lime light". And, supposedly, if they keep being so vain about it, they will turn green. Lime, green; Green, lime. Get it? *Smacks Sirius around for lying about where he goes every Friday night?!* Lol.
To the reviewers at fusionchat.net: Thank you Mandi and Doc and everyone else for your input. I appriciate it greatly that you did not have Enzo kick me out because of my (obviously) sadistic mind. :-D
And an everlasting thanks to Jamie (Shinigami061) for putting my story up in the first place, for being a real friend, and for talking on the phone for three hours straight last monday. And yes, it was 3 hours Jamie, my mom got the phone bill today. Hehehehe, my bad. :-D
ON WITH THE CHAPTER!!!!!!!!! (not as long as chapter 5, but thats because more people reviewed chapter four so i had to add more responses to that one. :-P)
**.** Dumbledore's thoughts
##...## Harry's thoughts
//...\\ Severus' thoughts
Chapter 6 (original title, eh?)
Sighing a quiet, content sigh, Harry awoke from the most peaceful sleep he had had in many years. He kept his eyes closed and relished in the warmth of the hospital bed. The only thing that was odd to the young man was the fact that he was being held by someone. It was a gentle embrace, as though the person holding him had been waiting countless years to cling to someone again. Harry didn't care who the person was, only that they seemed genuinely concerned about him.
Harry snuggled slightly back into the body that was holding to him, almost spooning against him. The feeling of the person's breath on the back of his neck made an invisible shiver go down his spine. Mrs. Weasley had held Harry before, but not in this way.
"I'm glad to see that you are awake, Mr. Potter." came the serene voice that Harry quickly identified as Dumbledore.
Remembering quickly that Snape had said he would be contacting the Headmaster, Harry opened his eyes and stared in the direction he heard Dumbledore's voice coming from. Snape. Harry felt a lock of hair from the other individual fall on the back of his neck. It was long and felt silky. SNAPE.
"JESUS, MARY, AND JOSEPH!" Harry cried as he fell from the bed in the instinctual reaction to distance himself from the potions professor. He regretted it however, when he felt the warmth that had so recently engulfed his body leave as he hit the ground.
Unfortunately, he landed on his left shoulder and yelped loud enough to wake the sleeping professor. Harry heard the sounds of the potions master grumbling and sliding from the bed.
"Albus?" Severus muttered, adjusting his eyes and focusing on the Headmaster. "Albus!" the potions master straightened himself up and tried to smooth out the wrinkles in his robe. That's when he noticed they were drenched with dry blood; probably from carrying Potter into the hospital into the first place.
The headmaster smiled with that overpowering twinkle in his eyes and said cheery voice, "Ah, good morning Severus. I brought you an extra robe, I felt you might need one." He then gave the stunned potions professor a very cheeky smile that didn't suite him, but made him look years younger.
"Ah, yes, well.. Thank you." Severus muttered under his breath, grabbing the black robe from a chair across the room that Dumbledore pointed too and ran off to a lavatory to change.
Harry had since made his way back onto the bed and was readjusting the pillows and covers where they had been misplaced by the two sleeping men. He was sitting upright with his hands folded on his lap, waiting for the inevitable questions circling in the Headmaster's mind.
As though he could tell what Harry was thinking, Dumbledore said delicately, "We need to have a talk."
Nodding slowly, Harry dropped his head until his unseeing gaze was directed at his wringing hands. Gods, he didn't want to relive it all. Surely Dumbledore wouldn't make him do that. Harry could tell him that he had fallen down the stairs, or he got into a muggle gang fight which had resulted in the gunshot wounds. Maybe they didn't even know about the rape.
Taking a deep breath, Dumbledore said, "I received a full medical report on your injuries and condition, Harry. We know everything and I would personally appreciate the truth." He watched sadly as the boy's head sunk farther in shame. "Though," Dumbledore added, "We could wait until Severus returns as I'm sure he wants to know his efforts were in good favor."
Feeling slightly happier at the fact that he had a few more moments before the truth came out and everyone would know exactly what happened, Harry sat back on the pillows and awaited the arrival of his most hated professor; his savior.
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
Severus stood in front of the mirror in the men's lavatory and looked over his image. He was trying desperately to get the morning events out of his mind. After Potter had experienced the seizure and he had held onto the boy, they had slept through the night and well into the next day. The potions master heard the clock in the hallway chime out that it was now 10:30 in the morning.
But that's not what bothered him; what was troubling the professor was the fact that he had liked holding onto Potter. The Famous Harry Potter; and a student no less. Of course, the rest of the staff knew of his sexual preferences, but no one (not even Severus himself) thought anything of the students.
//I couldn't possibly see anything in that teenage brat!\\
Severus glared at his image in the mirror as it snickered and said, "Oh yes, that's very convincing."
//He's probably straight, anyways. So there's no point in thinking about it.\\ Severus thought angrily, continuing to glare at his reflection.
He had awoken early in the morning, knowing full well that he was practically spooning one of his pupils but he still laid there and pretended to be asleep. Gods, and when the boy had pushed back into him looking for comfort and almost reeking of dependence, Severus could feel his resolve slipping fast. It had been a very long time since someone had depended on him; and even though he would never admit it, he missed having someone. But Merlin, the boy had been raped; and if that didn't just scream for him to stop his train of thoughts right there, then nothing would.
//Bah! All this lovey-dovey mush is for the Gryffindors anyways!\\
With a final check in the mirror to make sure that his robes were spotless and wrinkle-free, Severus made his way back to the room; where he knew he would find the headmaster interrogating a young and irritated man who would surely be blasting something apart before long.
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
Harry looked up from where he was still sitting on the bed and gazed at the door when he heard the familiar sound of Professor Snape's footsteps as he came through the door. The young Gryffindor had made a point of memorizing the sound of different persons; for example, he knew when Melinda was coming down the hall because it seemed that the sole of her left heel was shorted then the right and caused a slight crater in her steps.
He had identified other footsteps as well, but those were of patients walking from room to room or taking strolls in the hallway.
But Professor Snape had a distinct stride that almost had a bounce to it. It also helped that his billowing black robes were like no others Harry had seen and could be heard yards away. He was proud of himself for his accomplishment and knew he could use his newly enhanced senses to aid him in life ahead.
He felt the professor sit on the end of the bed, making the blankets shift slightly and pulling on Harry's shirt which was caught under the blankets, causing the bullet wound on his shoulder to be exposed. He quickly pulled the collar back up and over his arm, but not before Dumbledore caught site of it.
"Start from the beginning, Harry," the aging wizard said softly as he leaned forward in the high backed chair so he could observe the young Gryffindor more closely. Dumbledore could already see the war raging inside Harry's head; whether to tell the truth or fabricate a lie to save himself from the humiliation and shame, but the headmaster had told him he knew the extent of the boy's injuries. Dumbledore doubted very much that the boy in front of him would lie now.
Harry took a deep breath and began recounting what had happened after he left Platform 9 3/4 and the members of the Order. He was staring off somewhere to the right and had a glazed _expression on his face, as though he were telling the story of some other boy. It wasn't until he had retold his aunt's letter that he began to feel the pain rising in his chest. Oh gods, he couldn't tell them, he just couldn't...
But his conscience convinced him that he would be much happier (if only by a fraction) if he got the trauma out of is soul and on the table, so someone else might be able to help him.
"Mr. Potter?" Severus asked uncertainly, watching as the boy's eyes glazed over with the pain and torture that seemed to make the already small boy shrink farther into himself.
Harry shook his head and took in a great gulp of air before continuing. He would have to tell them exactly what had happened, and then they would know; oh, how he wished he could just have died at Number Four, then no one would have to even know!
"He caught me reading the letter." Harry whispered in a nervous voice, as though afraid Vernon might hear him and punish him a second time, "Then he- he dragged me up the stairs until we were in front of his and my aunt's room-" The usually proud Gryffindor felt his throat close as he slammed his eyes shut to keep in the betraying tears beginning to build. He continued, eyes still closed, "He pushed me into the room, then turned and locked the door. I tried to find a way out, I really did, but there was no exit; and I couldn't fight him off." Harry opened his usually brilliant green eyes, which were now hauntingly dead and filled with unshed tears, "He bound my hands to the bed and... took away my clothes. He started to touch me, but I couldn't get away. I started to scream for help, and he hit me with the lamp; I felt it come down on the top of my face, and I heard my glasses shatter. Then I passed out."
Looking up pleadingly at the two men, Harry said tearily, "I'm sorry- I'm so sorry. I- I couldn't stop him, I didn't mean for it to happen. Then he- he came to my cupboard with a gun and wanted to kill me." His dilated in fear as he whispered, "I can still smell the whiskey on his breath; and I can still taste him from when he ran his hand over my mouth to quiet me. Every movement and every sound brings it back and... Oh god!" he cried, burying his face in his hands and sobbing heart wrenching tears after his revelation.
Though he felt a pair of strong arms embrace him, Harry's tears seemed to come from an endless well. He sobbed into the arms that cradled him until he fell asleep from mental exhaustion.
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
Severus Snape watched as the Wizarding World's Golden Boy relived everything that had occurred. He was glad the teen could not see the rage washing over Dumbledore's face, as it even scared the usually fearless potions master.
When Potter began to break down, Severus immediately brought him into his open arms and rocked him back and forth as he waited for the sobbing body to calm. He continued to hold and cradle the boy for a few moments after he had eventually fallen asleep.
Now he knew that he must stop any thoughts of Potter as anything but a student; but Severus was beginning to confuse himself, because he had never been a "Mother Hen" of sorts, and yet here he was comforting his arch rival's son. If James could see he would be rolling in his grave, and this thought brought a sadistic smile of sorts to his face, though he kept it on the inside as he felt that it would be inappropriate to smile in such a dire time.
Laying the boy back under the covers and placing the blankets snuggly around him, Severus looked over to the Headmaster. He had never seen the older wizard look so aged and tired as he was now. Knowing Dumbledore had never had to deal with such domestic violence as this, the potions master felt himself reach out a hand and place it on his employer's shoulder.
Dumbledore looked up at the younger man in front of him and gave a feeble smile, though the trademark twinkle that was usually so common in his facial features had disappeared completely and seemed to be taking a very long vacation, not intending to return any time soon.
Severus called out to a medi-witch as she walked past the door and requested two cots for the room. She nodded and soon returned with the beds and the dressings. Feeling thoroughly exhausted, Dumbledore laid down after a long swig of Dreamless Sleep potion and was soon snoring.
However, Severus found himself watching the boy sleeping in front of him. He didn't know what was so fascinating about the young man's face, but he was being drawn to it. Moving back over to the bed and sitting on the empty space he had occupied early that morning, Severus ran a gentle hand over Potter's face; feeling his own relax into a small smile.
Severus pulled his hand back quickly as though he had been burned. He stepped away from the bed and sat down on his provided cot. His professional opinion (that is, as a teacher to a student) about the boy had changed, so it was only expected that his personal opinions would change as well.
//But touching his face? Running my hand over his soft cool skin?. Wait, I didn't just think that.\\ Severus sighed, knowing full well that this was going to get deeper and messier as things went on; but that's only to be expected when you're dealing with Harry Potter... stupid Gryffindor...
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~ A/N: ANOTHER CHAPTER! :-D Yey! Be happy and things like that. People need to stop emailing Shinigami061 and telling her that she wrote a great fic, cuz it's not hers its MINE. *slaps Jamie around* you could correct them you know! Any more comments and things can be sent to me at 1_Sirius_Black_Fan@polgara.com Ok, enjoy and wait for the next chapter, which I hope to have up by Sunday if I'm lucky. Oh and my birthday is in 8 days! *bounces around* happy happy joy joy, happy happy JOY! ANYWAYS, that's all for my comments now, I leave you to press the review button and give me more of your loverly reviews you so can be added to the top of each chapter. Have fun, enjoy my "I must torture Harry beyond pain" fic, and remember kiddies: If at first you don't succeed, steal the teacher's answer sheet when they're not looking.
-SandiBebop Author Thing
Wolf Lupin: Updating
Kaizer Knuckz: Those characters will show up soon.
Gryvon: Hehe, everyone loved that part :-D There are more fuzzy moments to come in the chapter after this one (chapter 7 heh if you can't count hehehe), so grab your big teddy bear and a cup of hot coco. Lol! But for now, Harry gets to be traumatized (more?) when Dumbledore shows up. But no more secrets hehe, go read it NOW.
GrimmyD: Continuing, so yey!
Setsuri: I LOVE YOU SO MUCH!!! *clings* and no, it won't be some severitus challenge thing, that's boring. You are my overall favorite reviewer (sorry to the rest of you), and I love everything that you say. :-D You make me feel semi-talented and stuff! REVIEW MORE MWA!
Zorra: Aw, I don't want anyone to cry! (Feel extremely bad for Harry, YES, but cry?! NO! well, mabey just a little bit... but not much!)
Alabastir: Thank you thank you thank you.
Aspid: I hope you mean that one part was funny, and not the whole story. Cuz I'm not really going for sick and morbid humor o.O I can see how some things are funny, but this story is to... well I have no idea what it's suppose to do. I should get my "Pyschotherapist" (aka SHRINK) to analyze this for me... mwahahahaha *coughs and looks around for something to destract the readers with* oh look, a shinny red ball, go chase it???
Too lazy to sign in: why are you so lazy???
Misspanther: Glad you liked it, and it's "ciao" not chow. Lol.
SEP: Wait no longer! Here it is, and it's especially long. :-D
Alysia: Eeep, sorry for the slow update, I've been working for two weeks straight on less then 4 hours of sleep a week O.O
DarkSetoKaiba: I HEART YOU MANDI CUZ YOU RAWK AND STUFF!!! {lv}
Sirius' Secret Lover: "Love the lime light so much I'm turning green." It's an _expression for someone who spends too much time getting other people's attention aka "lime light". And, supposedly, if they keep being so vain about it, they will turn green. Lime, green; Green, lime. Get it? *Smacks Sirius around for lying about where he goes every Friday night?!* Lol.
To the reviewers at fusionchat.net: Thank you Mandi and Doc and everyone else for your input. I appriciate it greatly that you did not have Enzo kick me out because of my (obviously) sadistic mind. :-D
And an everlasting thanks to Jamie (Shinigami061) for putting my story up in the first place, for being a real friend, and for talking on the phone for three hours straight last monday. And yes, it was 3 hours Jamie, my mom got the phone bill today. Hehehehe, my bad. :-D
ON WITH THE CHAPTER!!!!!!!!! (not as long as chapter 5, but thats because more people reviewed chapter four so i had to add more responses to that one. :-P)
**.** Dumbledore's thoughts
##...## Harry's thoughts
//...\\ Severus' thoughts
Chapter 6 (original title, eh?)
Sighing a quiet, content sigh, Harry awoke from the most peaceful sleep he had had in many years. He kept his eyes closed and relished in the warmth of the hospital bed. The only thing that was odd to the young man was the fact that he was being held by someone. It was a gentle embrace, as though the person holding him had been waiting countless years to cling to someone again. Harry didn't care who the person was, only that they seemed genuinely concerned about him.
Harry snuggled slightly back into the body that was holding to him, almost spooning against him. The feeling of the person's breath on the back of his neck made an invisible shiver go down his spine. Mrs. Weasley had held Harry before, but not in this way.
"I'm glad to see that you are awake, Mr. Potter." came the serene voice that Harry quickly identified as Dumbledore.
Remembering quickly that Snape had said he would be contacting the Headmaster, Harry opened his eyes and stared in the direction he heard Dumbledore's voice coming from. Snape. Harry felt a lock of hair from the other individual fall on the back of his neck. It was long and felt silky. SNAPE.
"JESUS, MARY, AND JOSEPH!" Harry cried as he fell from the bed in the instinctual reaction to distance himself from the potions professor. He regretted it however, when he felt the warmth that had so recently engulfed his body leave as he hit the ground.
Unfortunately, he landed on his left shoulder and yelped loud enough to wake the sleeping professor. Harry heard the sounds of the potions master grumbling and sliding from the bed.
"Albus?" Severus muttered, adjusting his eyes and focusing on the Headmaster. "Albus!" the potions master straightened himself up and tried to smooth out the wrinkles in his robe. That's when he noticed they were drenched with dry blood; probably from carrying Potter into the hospital into the first place.
The headmaster smiled with that overpowering twinkle in his eyes and said cheery voice, "Ah, good morning Severus. I brought you an extra robe, I felt you might need one." He then gave the stunned potions professor a very cheeky smile that didn't suite him, but made him look years younger.
"Ah, yes, well.. Thank you." Severus muttered under his breath, grabbing the black robe from a chair across the room that Dumbledore pointed too and ran off to a lavatory to change.
Harry had since made his way back onto the bed and was readjusting the pillows and covers where they had been misplaced by the two sleeping men. He was sitting upright with his hands folded on his lap, waiting for the inevitable questions circling in the Headmaster's mind.
As though he could tell what Harry was thinking, Dumbledore said delicately, "We need to have a talk."
Nodding slowly, Harry dropped his head until his unseeing gaze was directed at his wringing hands. Gods, he didn't want to relive it all. Surely Dumbledore wouldn't make him do that. Harry could tell him that he had fallen down the stairs, or he got into a muggle gang fight which had resulted in the gunshot wounds. Maybe they didn't even know about the rape.
Taking a deep breath, Dumbledore said, "I received a full medical report on your injuries and condition, Harry. We know everything and I would personally appreciate the truth." He watched sadly as the boy's head sunk farther in shame. "Though," Dumbledore added, "We could wait until Severus returns as I'm sure he wants to know his efforts were in good favor."
Feeling slightly happier at the fact that he had a few more moments before the truth came out and everyone would know exactly what happened, Harry sat back on the pillows and awaited the arrival of his most hated professor; his savior.
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
Severus stood in front of the mirror in the men's lavatory and looked over his image. He was trying desperately to get the morning events out of his mind. After Potter had experienced the seizure and he had held onto the boy, they had slept through the night and well into the next day. The potions master heard the clock in the hallway chime out that it was now 10:30 in the morning.
But that's not what bothered him; what was troubling the professor was the fact that he had liked holding onto Potter. The Famous Harry Potter; and a student no less. Of course, the rest of the staff knew of his sexual preferences, but no one (not even Severus himself) thought anything of the students.
//I couldn't possibly see anything in that teenage brat!\\
Severus glared at his image in the mirror as it snickered and said, "Oh yes, that's very convincing."
//He's probably straight, anyways. So there's no point in thinking about it.\\ Severus thought angrily, continuing to glare at his reflection.
He had awoken early in the morning, knowing full well that he was practically spooning one of his pupils but he still laid there and pretended to be asleep. Gods, and when the boy had pushed back into him looking for comfort and almost reeking of dependence, Severus could feel his resolve slipping fast. It had been a very long time since someone had depended on him; and even though he would never admit it, he missed having someone. But Merlin, the boy had been raped; and if that didn't just scream for him to stop his train of thoughts right there, then nothing would.
//Bah! All this lovey-dovey mush is for the Gryffindors anyways!\\
With a final check in the mirror to make sure that his robes were spotless and wrinkle-free, Severus made his way back to the room; where he knew he would find the headmaster interrogating a young and irritated man who would surely be blasting something apart before long.
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
Harry looked up from where he was still sitting on the bed and gazed at the door when he heard the familiar sound of Professor Snape's footsteps as he came through the door. The young Gryffindor had made a point of memorizing the sound of different persons; for example, he knew when Melinda was coming down the hall because it seemed that the sole of her left heel was shorted then the right and caused a slight crater in her steps.
He had identified other footsteps as well, but those were of patients walking from room to room or taking strolls in the hallway.
But Professor Snape had a distinct stride that almost had a bounce to it. It also helped that his billowing black robes were like no others Harry had seen and could be heard yards away. He was proud of himself for his accomplishment and knew he could use his newly enhanced senses to aid him in life ahead.
He felt the professor sit on the end of the bed, making the blankets shift slightly and pulling on Harry's shirt which was caught under the blankets, causing the bullet wound on his shoulder to be exposed. He quickly pulled the collar back up and over his arm, but not before Dumbledore caught site of it.
"Start from the beginning, Harry," the aging wizard said softly as he leaned forward in the high backed chair so he could observe the young Gryffindor more closely. Dumbledore could already see the war raging inside Harry's head; whether to tell the truth or fabricate a lie to save himself from the humiliation and shame, but the headmaster had told him he knew the extent of the boy's injuries. Dumbledore doubted very much that the boy in front of him would lie now.
Harry took a deep breath and began recounting what had happened after he left Platform 9 3/4 and the members of the Order. He was staring off somewhere to the right and had a glazed _expression on his face, as though he were telling the story of some other boy. It wasn't until he had retold his aunt's letter that he began to feel the pain rising in his chest. Oh gods, he couldn't tell them, he just couldn't...
But his conscience convinced him that he would be much happier (if only by a fraction) if he got the trauma out of is soul and on the table, so someone else might be able to help him.
"Mr. Potter?" Severus asked uncertainly, watching as the boy's eyes glazed over with the pain and torture that seemed to make the already small boy shrink farther into himself.
Harry shook his head and took in a great gulp of air before continuing. He would have to tell them exactly what had happened, and then they would know; oh, how he wished he could just have died at Number Four, then no one would have to even know!
"He caught me reading the letter." Harry whispered in a nervous voice, as though afraid Vernon might hear him and punish him a second time, "Then he- he dragged me up the stairs until we were in front of his and my aunt's room-" The usually proud Gryffindor felt his throat close as he slammed his eyes shut to keep in the betraying tears beginning to build. He continued, eyes still closed, "He pushed me into the room, then turned and locked the door. I tried to find a way out, I really did, but there was no exit; and I couldn't fight him off." Harry opened his usually brilliant green eyes, which were now hauntingly dead and filled with unshed tears, "He bound my hands to the bed and... took away my clothes. He started to touch me, but I couldn't get away. I started to scream for help, and he hit me with the lamp; I felt it come down on the top of my face, and I heard my glasses shatter. Then I passed out."
Looking up pleadingly at the two men, Harry said tearily, "I'm sorry- I'm so sorry. I- I couldn't stop him, I didn't mean for it to happen. Then he- he came to my cupboard with a gun and wanted to kill me." His dilated in fear as he whispered, "I can still smell the whiskey on his breath; and I can still taste him from when he ran his hand over my mouth to quiet me. Every movement and every sound brings it back and... Oh god!" he cried, burying his face in his hands and sobbing heart wrenching tears after his revelation.
Though he felt a pair of strong arms embrace him, Harry's tears seemed to come from an endless well. He sobbed into the arms that cradled him until he fell asleep from mental exhaustion.
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
Severus Snape watched as the Wizarding World's Golden Boy relived everything that had occurred. He was glad the teen could not see the rage washing over Dumbledore's face, as it even scared the usually fearless potions master.
When Potter began to break down, Severus immediately brought him into his open arms and rocked him back and forth as he waited for the sobbing body to calm. He continued to hold and cradle the boy for a few moments after he had eventually fallen asleep.
Now he knew that he must stop any thoughts of Potter as anything but a student; but Severus was beginning to confuse himself, because he had never been a "Mother Hen" of sorts, and yet here he was comforting his arch rival's son. If James could see he would be rolling in his grave, and this thought brought a sadistic smile of sorts to his face, though he kept it on the inside as he felt that it would be inappropriate to smile in such a dire time.
Laying the boy back under the covers and placing the blankets snuggly around him, Severus looked over to the Headmaster. He had never seen the older wizard look so aged and tired as he was now. Knowing Dumbledore had never had to deal with such domestic violence as this, the potions master felt himself reach out a hand and place it on his employer's shoulder.
Dumbledore looked up at the younger man in front of him and gave a feeble smile, though the trademark twinkle that was usually so common in his facial features had disappeared completely and seemed to be taking a very long vacation, not intending to return any time soon.
Severus called out to a medi-witch as she walked past the door and requested two cots for the room. She nodded and soon returned with the beds and the dressings. Feeling thoroughly exhausted, Dumbledore laid down after a long swig of Dreamless Sleep potion and was soon snoring.
However, Severus found himself watching the boy sleeping in front of him. He didn't know what was so fascinating about the young man's face, but he was being drawn to it. Moving back over to the bed and sitting on the empty space he had occupied early that morning, Severus ran a gentle hand over Potter's face; feeling his own relax into a small smile.
Severus pulled his hand back quickly as though he had been burned. He stepped away from the bed and sat down on his provided cot. His professional opinion (that is, as a teacher to a student) about the boy had changed, so it was only expected that his personal opinions would change as well.
//But touching his face? Running my hand over his soft cool skin?. Wait, I didn't just think that.\\ Severus sighed, knowing full well that this was going to get deeper and messier as things went on; but that's only to be expected when you're dealing with Harry Potter... stupid Gryffindor...
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~ A/N: ANOTHER CHAPTER! :-D Yey! Be happy and things like that. People need to stop emailing Shinigami061 and telling her that she wrote a great fic, cuz it's not hers its MINE. *slaps Jamie around* you could correct them you know! Any more comments and things can be sent to me at 1_Sirius_Black_Fan@polgara.com Ok, enjoy and wait for the next chapter, which I hope to have up by Sunday if I'm lucky. Oh and my birthday is in 8 days! *bounces around* happy happy joy joy, happy happy JOY! ANYWAYS, that's all for my comments now, I leave you to press the review button and give me more of your loverly reviews you so can be added to the top of each chapter. Have fun, enjoy my "I must torture Harry beyond pain" fic, and remember kiddies: If at first you don't succeed, steal the teacher's answer sheet when they're not looking.
-SandiBebop Author Thing