Chapter Ten: November 29th

As Harry pried himself out of the chair and picked up his bag, Hermione looked up from the scatter of scribble-covered papers in front of her. "Harry, where are you going?"

"I've got tutoring. Again." Harry tried valiantly to put the required aggrieved tone into his voice, and came close enough to succeeding.

"But you went yesterday!" Ron's voice was perilously close to a whine. He was not happy about the regular tutoring sessions, and wasn't at all afraid to show it.

"I know, but he says that I didn't get it right then, and if I don't manage to get it right today I have to go again tomorrow." It was the truth too. They'd been working on the shield on and off for weeks, but Harry couldn't seem to get the hang of it. Severus was insisting he learn it 'in case of emergencies'. The thought of the possible 'emergencies' provided a very good motivation to learn fast, but didn't make it any easier.

"You've been spending an awful lot of time around him recently, what with your tutoring and the detentions. I mean, it's been practically every day for the last two weeks!"

"I know. But he has been a lot less liberal with the detentions recently. I guess he must be getting quite sick of me too. I mean, lately it's like he can't even be bothered to insult me properly!" A good explanation for the fact that recently Severus' standard 'Foolish Gryffindor' and 'Obnoxious child' had been coming out with rather less animosity than usual.

"We can hope. Maybe if you're really annoying, he'll get irritated enough that he'll refuse to tutor you any more."

Harry laughed. "I doubt the Headmaster would let him do that. Unfortunately." He glanced at his watch. "I'm going to be late!"

"Go! If you're late, he'll only keep you longer!" Hermione interjected.

"I know!" Harry exclaimed, as he almost ran out of the door.

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Harry didn't bother knocking at Severus' door this time. On the way down he'd established that he was both alone and ready to tutor Harry.

"Sorry I'm late," he apologised as he entered.

"I'm afraid I managed to survive without the pleasure of your company for an extra…" he consulted his watch, "three minutes."

"Pity."

Severus raised his eyebrow as Harry took his seat.

"Would you care to engage in more witty repartee, or may we continue with the planned lessons?"

"Ooooh! Witty repartee!"

"I take a great deal of pleasure in disappointing you, then. Now, try and put the shield up. Properly, not the frankly pathetic efforts you made at it yesterday."

Harry sighed pointedly, and began to clear his thoughts.

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Three quarters of an hour later, he sighed yet again and slumped back in the chair.

"I give up."

"You can't. This has to be right. But you're not going to get it right when you're tired, so we'll try again on Friday."

"Not tomorrow?"

"No. Take a couple of days off, and try it fresh. No lessons tomorrow, I think. We'll work on Charms on Thursday though."

For a second Harry's mind brought up the image of his mother and Severus sitting together, heads bent over a Charms book.

"I'll never be able to do this, Lily."

"No. You will. I know you. Give it a rest for now though, and we'll try again in the weekend or something."

Severus had a slightly wistful smile on his face. "I remember that. It's a pity I can't use her teaching methods more often, but I'm not here to be likeable. Besides which, it would probably give half of the student body a fatal heart attack."

"Probably." Harry smiled. A pause, then he said, "So can we…"

"Yes." The smile was real now, if small. Recently Severus had started inviting Harry into his living room after the study part of their meeting was over. The man's rooms were absolutely fascinating, crammed full of wonderful magical bits and pieces, books and other interesting things. He let Harry wander about and look at things now that he could trust him a little, and knowing that he would check before touching anything. It had taken a minor accident before he'd learnt that particular lesson however, but at least it had stuck. He had let Harry see what he'd never say – that he was glad someone else took an interest in his things, and wanted to spend time in his rooms, with him.

Severus stood, and opened the concealed door behind his chair. A long passage led eventually into his living room. When they arrived, Harry took one of the armchairs in front of the fire without even waiting for an invitation. Severus gave him a mock glare for his presumption, and offered him tea. Harry accepted.

When Severus went off to prepare it, Harry got up again and began to examine the shelf below the one he'd looked at last time. Absorbed in it, he refused to examine the fact that first, he was becoming friends with Severus Snape, Potions monster, and second, that he was starting to become positively at home in the man's rooms.

As Severus returned bearing the fruits of his labours – mint tea for Harry and black tea for himself – Harry returned to his chair.

"So," he said, accepting his tea and after a slight hesitation, "Would you mind if I came down tomorrow anyway? You know, just to talk, like friends?"

That would have been worth it just for the look of utter shock on Severus' face, even if the response had been a hearty 'no'. He sipped his tea to hide his smile and waited for the man to regain his composure. He already knew what the answer would be.

"I rather thought you would be sick of my presence by now, but you may visit //you're very welcome to visit// if you are so inclined." The lukewarm permission couldn't hide the pleased warmth in his mental voice, or the rather more welcoming thought.