Home Sweet Home

Not much to say folks today…just enjoy, and keep up the reviews! ^_^

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Chapter 4

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The next morning saw Harry Potter waking late, after a long lie in. The night before had been a time for raw emotions being bared and comforting, soft words from the one you loved. Harry and Severus had held each other all night, crying mostly, Severus whispering to Harry, who sometimes would cease crying for a while, only to start again a moment later, being reminded of why he'd been crying in the first place. Harry tried to believe it was only a bad dream, that he had been woken from it by Severus, and comforted by him for the sole reason of it being a bad dream. But then Harry would remember the dream was a reality, and he no longer had his best friend.

Remembering again the next morning, or should we say, afternoon, made the tears slowly start again, only now, Harry didn't have the strength to cry them fully. Looking around, he noticed after all this time where he actually was. He was at Hogwarts, in Severus' private rooms. When he woke, he rose from the mess of a bed and padded barefoot through to the lounge where he found a blanket, wrapped it round himself and sat curled up on the couch. He didn't know where Severus was, but he decided to stay put, as he had no energy to move now. The only reason he moved from the bed was that it now held painful memories.

He sat feeling bored for a while and started looking around. He had noticed when he woke that Severus had obviously undressed him to make him more comfortable. Without the blanket now, he would only have his boxers and his t-shirt. For something to do, he got up, still with the blanket around him, and decided to look for the rest of his clothes and see if anything in this place was edible. He hadn't eaten for at least a day.

***

"My dear Severus, how glad I am to see you. I've been meaning to have a little chat with you." Albus Dumbledore beamed.

'That man is far too cheery' was Severus' first thought, as he sat down quietly in a seat offered to him. He had woken fairly early, considering the circumstances. He hadn't wanted to wake Harry, so as quietly as he could, he slipped out of his rooms and spent a large amount of time pacing up and down the corridors. As it was the summer and there were no students to bother him, Severus felt at least faintly happier by the time he was finished. That's when he decided to go visit Albus. As the headmaster of the school, Albus was the wisest person Severus knew, and was guaranteed that Albus would help in any way he could.

"Albus, I need to tell you something…"

After explaining the whole story to him, Severus sat back and waited.

"Ah. Well. I think we should think deeply about this. But first, I think that you should go back to Harry, he will need you today, and probably for quite awhile after. And I think he also may require to be fed right now too." Albus replied with and then grinned madly. Severus took this as a sign and stood. Albus knew what he was doing. 'Even if I don't' he thought, sighed, and left, nodding to Albus.

***

'I hope I know what I'm doing' thought Harry, as he ventured into Severus kitchen. It didn't look as if it had been used for a long time. Harry supposed Sev just used the house-elves like everyone now.

"Oh bugger," he said, suddenly frustrated when he found no food, and started kicking at empty cupboards.

"Bugger, bugger, shit, bugger, SHIT, SHIT, FU…"

"Need any help?" said someone from the doorway. Startled Harry turned to see Severus with a tray in his hands. Harry sighed deeply.

"I'm in a bad mood…" he explained, throwing himself into a chair.

"Well that much was obvious." Severus smiled, moving to the table. He placed the full tray carefully onto it and sat down opposite Harry. "Eat first," he said, pointing to the tray, "we can talk properly after."

Smiling slightly for the first in a while, Harry started eating.

***

"So…" Severus ventured to say after both of them had finished the food on the tray.

"So…" was Harry's answer.

Sighing, Severus stood up and moved round the side of the table, heading for his young lover. Picking him up, he made for the sitting room.

"Hey! Sev, why are you carrying me?" Harry protested, mostly surprised.

"Because I feel like it," came the reply, before he was dumped, unceremoniously on the couch.

"Harry, why don't we start from the beginning. Tell me everything that has happened since yesterday, ok?" Severus instructed, sitting himself on the couch beside Harry. In a slow movement, Harry crawled his way over to where Severus was sitting. He knelt facing him side on.

"Severus," he began.

"Yes Harry?" Severus asked.

"Do you love me?" Harry asked, oddly defiantly, as if he was expecting a "no" and preparing for it.

"With all my heart…" came the answer, and with those words, Harry cried again, clinging to Severus with all his might, claiming his place on Severus's lap, facing him with his legs wrapped round his body, his arms too, and they sat like that, with Harry's head tucked under Severus's chin until he could speak again. Before he could, Severus filled in the gaps.

"Oh Harry, what are we going to do with you? You're just a delicate person. Like glass… I don't want you broken…"

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End of Chapter Four

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Well now, emotions running high. And wild. Damned emotions J So, next chapter we will find out what the parcel was all about. I bet most of you forgot about that, didn't you? Ah well, no harm done.

I need a decision from you people, if you don't mind. Do you think we should find out what's happening with Lily and James or not? We haven't really seen them for a while. It depends on what you think as important. They obviously have to leave now, for Molly's sake, even if Harry isn't there, but should I go back to them? I want your views on that matter please.

A big thank you to all my reviewers, you keep me writing this dang thing! Keep up the good reviews.