TITLE: Hate & Love - Chapter 3/?
CHAPTER: Promises
AUTHOR: Teigra
E-MAIL: teigra_kefira@yahoo.com
PAIRING: Harry/Severus
SERIES: Back-story to 'White Tigers and Golden Dragons'
ARCHIVE: my Diary, this archive and anywhere else that people want it, just ask first.
CLASSIFICATION: PG-13 (for now)
SUMMARY: Severus Snape saves Harry from the Dursleys
DISCLAIMER: I don't own them... She does *points to JKR* and I am making no money from this, I'm just enjoying sharing some of my own crazy ideas.
AUTHORS NOTE: I have a wonderful new beta reader who was wonderful enough to to go over this for me. [hugs Markus a whole lot] Thank you hun. You saved this thing from being the terror it was in grammar mistakes. I was working on 'White Tigers and Golden Dragons' (which needs to be fixed to fit this now) when I realized I needed a back story to an upcoming scene. This didn't turn out anything like I thought it would... yet once I started writing, it just wrote itself.

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I cannot allow him to see how angry this has made me. Right now, he needs to spend every ounce of energy on healing and he cannot do that if he is worried about what I'm going to do to those muggles.

"Mr Potter, I will have to check the extent of your... injury... and I can not promise that it will be pleasant. However, I can promise you that it will not be as bad as what you experienced."

"Do you have to?"

Is he that dense? "Yes, I have to. If it is still bothering you after all of this time, then there is definitely a problem. I should have realized sooner, however, I assumed your malnutrition was the cause for your lack of bowel movements."

"Sir?"

"Yes, Potter?"

"How long?"

"How long? Do you mean how long will the examination take, or how long have we been here or how long since your birthday? Or, do you mean something else all together?" He really must lean to finish what he is saying. I cannot continue to interpret for him.

"Well, I guess I mean a bit of all three sir. Just how long have I been here? You said I've been out for several days... and what is the date? After my birthday," a haunted look passed over his face, "every thing just melted together. It can't be more than the sixth or seventh, right?"

There we go, a fully finished, articulate, question. "You Mr Potter, have been here for five days all ready." A look of confusion passed over Harry's face. " I came to your home on the seventh to pick you up, so that would make today's date the twelfth. Though, I will admit, what I found when I went to get you, was unexpected."

"I'm sorry Professor."

"Severus." Where the hell did that come from?

"What?!" Ah, shock, such a lovely reaction.

"Severus," I might as well make the best of it now. "I will not spend the next three weeks being called sir and professor by the only person I have to talk to. Mr Potter, you may find there are things about me that you still do not know."

"Um... OK... Severus... but only if you call me Harry." Oh what a blessed sound my name is from his lips.

"I believe that can be arranged, Harry." I have been waiting to be able to say that for years.

"Si... Severus, how long... will... um... the examination take?"

Taking a good look at him, I sigh inwardly. He should not have that look of fear on his face, he shouldn't know what to be frightened of. "Harry," how can I say this without scaring him? I haven't had to deal with a patient in years, and even then I didn't care for them like I do him. "I am hoping that it will only take a short period of time, however, depending on the extent of the injuries you have received, it may take longer. I will treat what I can while examining you, however, to lessen the trauma."

"When?"

"When, Mr Potter? Please be more specific." I will get him to finish his thoughts.

"It's Harry, Severus." Well, at least he knows how to make a point. "When are you going to do the... exam?"

"As soon as I can, Harry. Yet, before I can, I must brew a few potions, to make things easier."

"What kinds of potions?"

He actually seems interested, "A soothing potion, to keep the exam from becoming too uncomfortable, a healing potion that will react to your specific injuries and a gel to ease what the healing potion can not." I will probably think of other things I will need as I work, but for now, that is all he needs to know.

"May I watch?"

"Excuse me?" Is he asking what I think he's asking?

"May I watch you make everything?" Oh god, he is.

"Perhaps the next time, Harry. What I need for you to do right now is get some more rest until I come back."

"But I'm not tired." He yawns.

"You may think you are not tired, but I assure you, your body feels differently. Drink this," I hand him one of the potions from the table beside his bed.

"What is it?"

"A dreamless sleep potion, nothing more."

"You'll... you'll wake me before doing anything, right?" May the old man be forever damned, no one should have that kind of fear in their eyes.

"Mr Potter... Harry... I swear this to you. I will never do anything to cause you physical pain, nor will I do something to you, without you being aware of what is going on around you, while we are within this dungeon." I can hear Dumbledore chuckling now, saying I've grown soft in my old age, if he ever hears of what I've just promised.

"Thank you Severus." The first true smile I've seen in over a year graces those lips. He actually does sound grateful for what I've said.

I wish I knew what was going through his head right now. At least he seems to trust me now, as he drinks the potion without complaint. I'll just get him comfortable, then get to work on those potions.

He still looks like an angel when he sleeps.