Yes, well, I guess my spellchecker doesn't pick up all mistakes.

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"I thought you hated me, Professor."

"And I thought you were an arrogant little brat. No, Mr. Potter, It's not you I hate, it's your father. But you look so much like him, except you have that ... mud-er-muggle-born's green eyes. Still, even if I did hate you, contrary to popular belief, I tend to have a soft spot when it comes to cases like yours."

"Cases like mine? What's so special about my specific 'case'? What exactly is my 'case'?" Harry said in a rather rude, and annoyed, tone. Not wanting to stray too much off topic, Harry didn't pursue why Snape almost called his mother a 'mudblood,' although it did bother him. "...Sir" Harry added, quickly.

Severus struggled with this in his head for a moment. He didn't think Potter needed to know about his childhood or school days, but he also realized that to help Potter, or prepare him for the future, he'd need to show why he understand. Besides, Potter did ask what his 'case' is.

"Well, Potter, sadly, I can relate to your particular case."

*Thats all ill tell him this time* Snape thought *I can't get friendly with the boy too quick... I don't want to, and it would seem quite odd.*

Harry narrowed his eyes. "That's a surprise, Sir. I already figured that out, though. Unless you weren't referring to the embarrassment I suffer in front of my peers, as you have obviously suffered in your school days. Perhaps your parents locked you in a cupboard? Or have you lost your closest friends?!"

"I suggest you don't speak like that to me in the future, Potter. Ten points from Gryfindor, for being rude... Furthermore, You haven't lost your friends... Yet. It's almost past curfew, so I'll have to escort you to your room. Come along, Potter."

They both removed themselves from their seats, and Snape unlocked plus opened his office doors, starting to lead Harry from his office. Harry stopped at the doorway of Snape's office.

"I said come, Potter. What are you waiting for, morning?"

"No, Sir. I... was wondering... You haven't got a dreamless sleep potion, do you? I've-"

"Don't even explain, Potter. Yes, I have one. I'll give it to you-Ill expect to see you after supper tomorrow so you can make your own Dreamless sleep potion. And I want two vials full; One for grading (yes, Potter, Extra credit. Merlin knows you'll need it!), and one to replace this one. I'll give you containers to keep the rest of the potion in, I expect them back after you use them. I can't imagine tonight will be the only night you expect to have bad dreams." Before letting Harry speak, Snape pushed pass him into his office and took a vial of Dreamless Sleep potion from a shelf, and walked to Harry and handed it to him...

"Thank you, Sir"

"I trust you're all set, now? Good, Come on." Harry followed Snape to the Gryfindor tower, then Snape reminded him to meet him after Supper tomorrow, and left. When Harry got into his dorm, everyone was asleep. He drank the potion, cleared his mind (or tried to. It's been plaguing him how Snape can 'relate' to his 'case.') and fell asleep. Harry didn't dream that night. (A/N: DUH!)

The next morning at breakfast Ron and Hermione questioned him about what happened last night during Occlumency, and why Snape kept him so late. "ER-Well..." Harry thought of something, and fast. "Snape thought I needed to spend a little extra time working on my-ER-Potions."

"See Harry, I told you that you needed more practice." Hermione said, obviously beaming with pride.

"Just because Harry had to spend extra time working on it doesn't mean he needed more practice! Snape might have realize Harry was getting better at ... mixing the potions, and thought to mess it up a bit. Leave his mind weak." Ron wasn't very good at talking in code.

"I gu-" Hermione was cut off by Snape, who was looming behind Harry (Merlin knows how long Snape's been there).

"As much as I'm enjoying listening to this stupid conversation, I thought I'd tell Potter that we're making Dreamless Sleep Potions in class today, so he doesn't need to come meet with me tonight. Unless, of course, he ruins the potion." Snape quickly walked back to his seat.

"That man's awfully creepy, Harry. Did you see the way he was behind you? Its funny, he seems to come talk to you at meals a lot."

"Ron, how could Harry see Snape behind him? That's not very logical, is it? Harry doesn't have eyes on the back of his head!"

"Well, he could have turned around... "

"You know he didn't! Snape just sneaks up-"

"I wasn't looking at Harry!"

"Well, what were you looking at?"

"Uh... ER...."

"He was looking at you, Hermione." Harry spoke up. Ron turned a light reddish color.

"No! I was looking at my food!"

"Give it a rest you two, will you? I'm going to the library, I have to look something up before class starts!" Harry hopped out of his seat and walked off, leaving a blushing Ron and Hermione behind.

The day went normal. Seamus, Harry partner in Charms managed to make a rather large explosion from a Goblet while trying to put an Animate charm on it. In Transfiguration Harry did a perfect Animal-to-Flower transfiguration, gaining 10 points for Gryfindor. In potions Harry made the mistake by adding the Centaur Hairy's too late and forgetting the bat drool completely.

Snape expected to see him after supper. Don't be late.

During supper in the Great Hall, Ron and Hermione were of course, with him. It was near the end of the meal.

"It's bad enough that you have to see him once on days we have Potions, but now you have to see him twice! You've been in class with the man five times this week, which includes your remedial potions, and tonight it'll be six times." Ron said, rather enthusiastically, " I feel bad for you, I really do. You're lucky the weekends coming. He can't take your weekends away."

"He can if Harry gets a detention!"

"I'm sure you two will have all the more fun without me."

"Don't kid yourself Harry! We miss you! You have such a busy schedule, and with us being prefects and all its getting so we only see each other at meals and weekends; unless you're serving detention. At least Snape doesn't make you write lines like Umbridge does. I don't think even Snape could surpass Umbridge's cruelty."

"I think you and Hermione will get alone fine without Harry." Snape cut in, one again behind Harry. Impatient man, Snape is. He refuses to wait for Harry to come to his office; he brings Harry to his office. Which is the reason he keeps being spotted showing up behind Harry. "And I think you for the kind compliment, Ron. Although I can't imagine why lines would be a worse punishment than my punishments, I'm sure Potter here will tell me on our way to my office. I see you've finished your meal Potter, and the sooner we start the sooner you finish. Say good-bye to your friends, and come alone. NOW."

Harry glanced at his friends, nodded to them and said Good-bye, standing from his seat and following Snape out of the Great Hall to his office.

"I think the students might be getting a little suspicious that you keep looming behind me at meals. I can't be getting that many detentions, and I can't be that bad that I need potions every night-"

"I'll decide what's best, Potter. Tell me, why is Umbridge so much more 'cruel' than I?"

They entered Snape's office, Snape closed and locked the door while Harry spoke.

"Your punishments don't cut into the skin, Professor"

"Pardon?"

"Remember that memory you saw of me writing lines in detention with Umbridge? You probably don't, But she had this pen, and when you write with it-" Harry stopped. "Hold on. Why do you care?"

"I have my reasons Potter. Continue."

"The pen doesn't write on paper. It carves the line you're writing into your hand. If you write it enough, Your skin wont heal right off. Look." Harry held out his hand, revealing a faint mark on his hand saying 'I will not tell lies.'

Snape peered at it for a moment before he spoke. "As interesting as I find this, Potter, I suggest you get to work on your dreamless sleep potion."

"Yes, Sir." Harry dragged out his Cauldron and got to work on his potion.

(About 15 minutes Later.)

Snape was doing papers, but he looked up at Harry. "Potter, at the Nightfall Leaves now. They're vital to the potion."

"Yes, Sir."

"Stir it, you insufferable brat!"

"Yes, Professor Snape."

"Now put the fire out and let it sit." Snape was by his side now, peering at the potion. Harry removed the fire from under the cauldron. "Amazing Potter, it actually came out right." There was a knocking at the door. Snape unlocked it, and opened the door. Professor Umbridge came in.

"Hello Professor Snape, hello... Harry." Her voice was even more filled with loathing than that of Snape's. Snape raised his eyebrows.

"Can I help you, Professor?"

"No. I just came to make sure you were actually teaching Potter these remedial potions. You seemed to be having a lot of meetings as of late, and it didn't seem quite right for someone who dislikes Potter as much as you."

"As you can see by his grades, Professor Umbridge," Snape's voice was also filled with loathing as he spoke to her, his lip curling, "Harry hasn't been improving much, so I thought it would prudent to increase the lessons he has after classes. As you can see, it's starting to pay off. He managed to prepare a fairly good looking Dreamless Sleep Potion."

"Didn't you have them make Dreamless Sleep Potions in class today?"

"Harry ruined his, so I thought it would also be prudent to have him do it over."

"And he did it right?"

"Of course. Now if you'll excuse us, Professor Umbridge, Harry needs to fill some vials of this for grading, and if it's safe: his use. I need to continue grading papers." Snape motioned towards the door, a look of pure disgust on his face whenever he set eyes on Umbridge. Umbridge stuck up her nose, looked at Snape, walked to the door, then turned to him.

"There's not much time before curfew, I suggest you escort him to his dorm."

"Good-bye, Professor." Snape closed, and locked the door. Harry looked like he was about the say something. "Silence, Potter. Bottle the potion, I set some vials there. Label them, I'll store them here. I expect you to stop by and pick up the potion when you need it. Understood?"

"Yes, sir." Harry began bottling the potion. Snape took his seat and started grading his papers again.

"Sir..." Harry spoke as he was filling the vials and putting stoppers in them.

"Yes, Potter?"

"You never told me how you can relate to me."

"Well, Potter, believe it or not, when I was in Hogwarts I had friends. My best friend was Damien Young, he was the same year as me. During our third year, Regulus Black, Sirius's brother, came to the school as a first year. Damien, Regulus, and I became quite the trio. Damien took quite a liking to Regulus, and apparently Regulus had taking a liking to Damien, too. The two of them were so caught up in each other I was left without my two best friends." Snape's voice was bitter, but his face portrayed no other emotions the experience brought him.

"Ron and Hermione would never do that to me."

"You seemed to think differently a few nights ago, Potter."

"You don't know what you're talking about. You're not me. You have no idea what I'm feeling. You don't even know if that was what I was mad about!"

"Potter, I'll tell you again not to speak to me like that. You're address me as 'Sir' or 'Professor Snape.' You seem to be forgetting yourself. Furthermore, I've been meaning to mention that little outburst of yours. I think you need a few lessons in controlling your anger."

"I'm finished bottling my potion, Sir. They're labeled, too. I'd like to go back to my dorm now."

"Very well, Potter. You might actually get a good mark in potions for once." Snape got out of his seat, Harry grabbed a vile, and Snape led him back to his dormitory.

"Monday, 6 O'clock, Potter. Don't be late."

"I cant wait." There was more than a touch of sarcasm in Harry's voice as the portrait swung open, allowing him into the Gryfindor common room. Ron and Hermione were chatting away together. Harry could hear Snape's voice echoing after him.

"I wouldn't leave the two alone together for a second longer than you need to, Potter. The more alone time they get, the more quickly they'll mature."

Snape turned and swept off to his office, his robes billowing majestically as he walked. *I seem to be rubbing off on Potter. Or maybe his experiences are making him bitter and sarcastic. Either way, he's not like his father. Am I beginning to care? This is terrible! * Snape mused as he entered his office.

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This is a bit later than I expected, because

Just so you know, you don't have to review. I'd update it even if no one reviewed. I'm typing the story for my benefit, too!

And thank you, An Anti-Sheep Cheese Muffin. You're enthusiasm makes me want to write more!

Thank you everyone else too! For Reviewing that is, and saying I've got talent. It's very kind.