Author Notes: Thanks for all the wonderful reviews... and the actual critical reviews. Forever appreciated. Anyone who thinks this sucks please feel obligated to tell me so... somebody out there has to hate this. I'm finally home now with my muses and the end is coming. This and the next two chapters are a bit different to the rest of the fic. Sorry in advance to anyone who may be disappointed by what happens.

Lured by the Forbidden 6: Invisible Invitations - Written by xfasciXnationx

Several weeks had passed and still Harry's mind raged with thoughts of his detention with Snape. Snape had been doing his utmost, though unknowing of Harry's as he battled with his own wandering mind, to discourage these thoughts in the only way he knew how - being positively ghastly to Harry whenever possible.

Harry was yelled at for not paying attention, lost points for every wrong answer he gave to the impossible questions Snape asked in class, and was berated for lingering anywhere (even if he was merely passing through on his way to class and hadn't stopped moving at all) Snape happened to be.

It became so bad after three weeks that Harry did begin to wonder what he ever saw in the bitter old professor. But each time Snape encountered Harry, Harry was subsequently reminded what that something was, his spark, his ability to not give a damn about what anyone else thought. The fact that he not only didn't treat Harry like a celebrity but he didn't even treat him like everyone else - he reminded Harry that he was nothing and had to strive to be anything someday. It was grounding, refreshing and something Harry desperately craved.

Severus in turn was reminded why he could hardly resist the young Gryffindor. /He has courage and an inner strength that most will never possess, yet he still retains his innocence after everything he's been through - which is nothing short of a miracle. He has succeeded where you failed - he hasn't let what he's seen taint him.\

Severus swept off to his office away from those fiercely determined green eyes. Harry left standing in the corridor a tragic look of suffering echoing along the halls after Snape. /Why, why can't he just put old grudges aside and be nice?\ Harry sighed and turned to his friends who were staring at him in disbelief and anger.

"He can't do that." Ron fumed.
"He just did." Harry sighed again.
"Harry, maybe you should go and see Professor McGonagall. This is unreasonable even for Snape." Hermione suggested, her voice calm as ever.

"Hermione it wouldn't be any use, McGonagall can't do anything more to stop Snape than we can."
"We could sneak into the dungeons tonight and…" Ron started before Hermione swiftly cut him off.
"No way Ron! We can't go doing anything to Snape, he's still a Professor of Hogwarts."
"But…"
"No Ron. We'll just have to bear with his ill mood until it passes or we graduate."
"There's another year and a half until we graduate!" Ron moaned.

Harry had slipped back to his thoughts as his friends argument continued, ricocheting back and forth like a fiery bludger.
/He really has been in a ghastly mood of late.\
/You know why that is.\
/No… He's always been nastier to me than anyone else.\
/Yes, but never quite this nasty. Not like he's stalking you around Hogwarts, skulking in the shadows waiting for you to pass so he can find an excuse to get you into trouble somehow.\
/He's always skulking in the shadows!\
/Is he always waiting for you, then?\
/No…\
/Are you sure?\
/Could he be?\

The trio had reached the Charms classroom, Ron and Hermione were forced to end their argument as they moved through the doorway, and Harry followed them through automatically and made his way into a seat next to Ron.
/What else could Snape be doing then? If he isn't waiting around the corridors for you?\
/He rarely came up from the dungeons for anything other than meals before.\

Harry frowned and made the decision to concentrate on the class and the charm Professor Flitwick was explaining. It was the last lesson of the day and the last lesson before the weekend. There would be plenty of time to torture himself with thoughts of why Snape might be doing anything in less than an hour's time.

Harry sitting amongst the clatter and gossiping of dinner in the Great Hall recalled something Ron had said earlier while he was only half listening. /We could sneak down to the dungeons…\
/Why that's a brilliant idea; only there's no need for anyone else to come. You can sneak down there and see Snape.\
/Ask him why he's stalking you.\
/He's not stalking me. The school's not that big. Maybe he's just had things to do. Maybe you just never noticed him so much before.\
/There's a lot of maybes.\

Glancing up from the plate of food he had been pushing around since he sat down, not really feeling like eating anything, his gaze clicked into deadlock with Snape's. Each refused to look away from the magnetic pull gushing from the eyes of their forbidden desire. Time was suddenly frozen, the world set to mute, a second of clarity as understanding exchanged with admission through the intense gaze and then it was lost.

Snape's lip curled into a nasty sneer as he turned to Professor Sprout who had dared lay her hand upon his arm to attract his attention. Harry dropped his fork onto the plate with a clatter that startled those on either side of him and those across the table but was heard by no other over the noise. He nodded to his friends, bent lower and whispered that he was going up to the dormitory now to lay down for awhile, and not to worry he was just a bit tired. Then Harry walked determinedly out of the Hall and headed in the direction of Gryffindor Tower.

Upon entering the sixth years dormitory Harry shut the thick drapes surrounding his bed, retrieved his invisibility cloak from his trunk and headed straight out again. Before slipping out through the portrait hole Harry covered himself in the cloak just in case anyone had finished dinner early.

/Nobody will be back here yet, you don't even need the cloak.\
/I just want to make sure.\
/Desperately want to see Snape don't you.\
/No.. I just want to see him.\
/Sure.\
/And I don't want to get into trouble doing it.\
/Because if you get into trouble you won't be able to see him tonight.\
/So? I don't need to see him tonight.\
/Then take the cloak off.\
/No!\

Harry crept through the corridors of Hogwarts that lead down into the dungeons as silently as possible. He made his way to Snape's office and let himself in, surprised that Snape had still not changed his password from the Asphodel it had been since they had snuck in here to gather some potion ingredients from Snape's private collection.

/Why are you still wearing that cloak now you're here?\
/I don't want to get caught.\
/Nobody else would dare come into Snape's office.\
/They could… It's just in case.\
/You're scared.\
/I'm not! Not really…\
/Yes you are. You don't want him to see you. You're afraid he might tell you to get out.\
/But…\

At that moment Harry's inner thoughts were brought to a screeching halt as the door opened and Snape swept in. He held his breath as his heart beat faster trying to escape its ribcage prison, Snape brushed close to Harry, stirring the air around him sending a shiver zinging along Harry's spine. Harry watched as Snape sat down heavily at his desk in the muted darkness.

/Well, what are you waiting for?\
/Nothing.\
/Then take off the cloak.\
/I will.\

Harry watched as Snape leant back in his chair letting his robes fall open. The inky material fluttered through the shadows as gracefully as they did when Snape was sweeping through the corridors or Potions classroom. Snape let his head fall back against the high-backed chair, closing his eyes and folding his arm tightly across his chest. Harry smiled, this is when Snape looked normal, even like he has a heart somewhere deep down, when nobody else was around for him to hide from.

/He may not care what they think of him anymore. But he once must have.\
/This is Snape, he's never cared about anyone before has he?\
/Of course he has, he's human. He has feelings, knows love and hate, happiness and sadness.\
/Doesn't show it too well though.\
/Maybe nobody ever taught him how, maybe he was hurt.\
/Maybe you should let him know you're here.\
/Oh alright.\

Harry let the cloak slip from his shoulders onto the floor and his form appeared covered in the shadows. He moved over to Severus and gently pulled his hands away from his chest.
"Who's this?" Snape growled. Harry leans closer to Snape's face so he was able to see in the dimness. "Harry what are you doing here?"
"I… I wanted to see you." Slowly Harry pressed his lips against Snape's in a sweet kiss.
"Oh, well now you've seen me you can go Potter." Snape gently pressed Harry back from his body, turning his face away from the earnest green eyes.
"Do you want me to go Severus?" Harry looked hurt, sounded dejected too.

Snape felt terrible, he felt like the worst as he caught a glimpse of Harry's face from the corner of his eye. He pulled Harry onto his lap and into his strong arms. "Of course not. I'm sorry." Snape placed a tentative kiss to Harry's forehead, stroking the unruly raven hair.

-----End Part 6.