Chapter Twenty-Two

Draco sighed as Harry tried to flatten his hair again.

"Harry, if you don't sit down, I'll find someway to get naked baby pictures of you, and then show them to Professor Snape."

Harry glared at him and sat down. "I just want everything to be perfect. The last two times, something's gone wrong."

"Third time's a charm," Draco shrugged.

"How can you be so calm?"

"Because I'm not worried. He likes you, if wanting to meet you again is any say," Draco told him as he sat aside his book.

"I guess you're right," Harry sighed.

"Of course I am," Draco assured him. "I've known that git my whole life; he would never jeopardize his position as a spy or betray Dumbledore's trust for just anyone. He really, truly cares for you if he's doing this."

"He does, doesn't he?" Harry smiled. "He takes everything so seriously. Spying is very dangerous, and he values the Headmaster's trust above all else."

Draco nodded. "The Headmaster gave him a second chance after he realized that Voldemort was wrong."

"He said that he shouldn't be able to make me happy. He thinks that even though he's a spy, I shouldn't be with him because he was a Death Eater."

"Now that's absurd. I should hit him across the head," Draco huffed. "The both of you deserve to be happy and if you make each other happy, then you should be together."

"And you've been a great help in that," Harry spoke before hugging his friend. He laughed as Draco blushed slightly.

"You're my best friend, and he's my godfather, and I'll make you're happy. Happy together."

***

Harry stuck his hand out to touch Severus through the cloak to let the older man know he was there. A student was walking through the halls, so neither said anything, but Harry saw the corner of Severus's mouth twitch up into a slight smile.

Harry kept his hand on Severus's, to show that he was following the Slytherin, and the little smile never left his face. Severus spoke the password to his quarters loud enough for Harry to hear.

"Lightning bolt," Severus stepped into his rooms, pulling Harry in with him.

"'Lightning bolt'?" Harry asked as he let his invisibility cloak fall to the floor. Severus's answer was to reach up and trace Harry's lightning bolt scar.

"You know, it's odd that he Killing curse left a lightning bolt on you. It represents your personality. You act on a whim, like lightning does, and you never do anything the same way," Severus smirked slightly before placing a kiss on the famous scar.

"I suppose I do," Harry smiled. "I've never really thought about why it's shaped like a bolt of lightning."

"I think it places your character out on your face for everyone to see," Severus smiled, before kissing him. Harry grinned into the embrace as he put his arms around the latter man's neck. Severus let his left arm wind around Harry's waist and his right hand found the green-eyed boy's cheek. They stayed like that until Snape's Dark Mark and Harry' scar started burning with pain.

"Damn it!" Both said as they clamped onto their sources of pain.

"I've got to go," Severus told him. Harry bit his lip and nodded.

"I can go tell the Headmaster that you're going." Severus nodded in reply. He could see in Harry's eyes that he was afraid. Afraid for him.

"Don't worry. I'll be fine," Severus told him before kissing him again. "I don't know when I'll be back, but you can wait in here."

"Thank you," Harry whispered. The spy handed him his invisibility cloak and kissed him another time. "You'd better go; you don't want to make him mad."

Severus licked his lips nervously. "Go tell Albus that I'm going, then."

"Alright," Harry cringed as his scar pulsed with pain. He slipped the cloak on, and the Potion Professor opened the door and stepped out, his student following.

***

Harry sighed impatiently as he tried to think of more sweets to name off to the gargoyle statue guarding the Headmaster's office.

"Oh, c'mon! Licorice wands? Canary creams? Uh, Bertie Botts Every Flavour Beans? Ergh," Harry sounded aggravated as he continued to name off candies. "Lemon Drops?"

"Hey, Harry!" Harry jumped around. It was Remus.

"Jesus, Moony! I'm gonna have a heart attack before I'm sixty, thanks to you," Harry glared at him accusingly. His look softened as Remus coughed. "Did you take your potion tonight?"

"Yes, mother," Remus rolled his eyes. "I swear, you and Siri are like annoying parents."

"Eh, as long as it annoys you," Harry grinned, before grimacing. His scar began throbbing again as (he assumed) Voldemort cast the Cruciatus on some unfortunate soul.

"You alright?" Remus asked, concerned.

"Yeah. Voldemort's being a bastard," Harry grit his teeth. "I got to tell the Headmaster something, but he changed the fucking password."

"Language. The password's 'cotton candy'," Remus placed a hand on Harry's shoulder. The gargoyle sprung aside and they walked up the steps. When they were about half way up the steps, McGonagall stepped out of the Headmaster's office, looking quite flushed. She nodded to them as she walked down past them. Once she was out of earshot, Harry and Remus went, "Eww," quietly.

"I'm not sure I wanna know," Harry wrinkled his nose in disgust.

"Me neither," Remus gagged slightly. "C'mon."

The two continued to Dumbledore's office. The Headmaster called the student and Professor in when they got to his door.

"Harry, Remus, what can I do for you?" Dumbledore smiled.

"My scar…Voldemort's called his Death Eaters," Harry explained. "I saw Professor Snape in the hallway, and he told me to tell you that he's gone."

Albus nodded solemnly. "Let us hope that Voldemort is especially lenient on Severus tonight."

***

Severus watched as Voldemort cast the Cruciatus on Wormtail. It seemed that the animagus was under it for a minute or more. The Potions Professor sneered from beneath the hood of his cloak in the general direction of Voldemort and Wormtail.

"Lucius, I want you to try to undo your severed ties with your son," Voldemort hissed.

"My lord …" Voldemort cut him off with a whispered, "Crucio."

The blonde man fell to the ground in agony. Severus cringed in sympathy, as others were doing.

"Severus," the Dark Lord growled as he let up the curse on Malfoy.

"My lord," Severus stepped forward and bowed.

"Severus, how is our young Potter healing?"

"My lord, he is almost fully healed. He and Draco Malfoy are closer than ever. It seems to the rest of the school that he was just with a cold, and fell unconscious with exhaustion. No one suspects that he was…abused," Severus replied in a low voice.

Voldemort pondered for a moment. "Good. Then no one will suspect any change in him. Severus, I want you to brew a liquid Imperious and find some way to slip it to him. You will give him instructions from me."

Severus bowed again. "Yes, milord."

***

"Cotton Candy," Severus brushed past as the gargoyle hopped aside. This time, he didn't rush up the stairwell.

"Severus, come in," Dumbledore smiled in relief as he stepped into his office. Severus glared when he saw Remus and Sirius setting there.

"Voldemort wants me to brew Liquid Imperious, and give it to Potter," Severus sneered at the two canines.

Sirius jumped up in a snort, but Severus cut him off.

"No, I'm not going to," Severus glowered. He didn't notice Remus trying to hide his smile.

"Severus…are you hurt?" Albus asked the Potions Master.

"No. He was too 'happy' to curse me. He did cast the Cruciatus on Lucius Malfoy and Wormtail, though," Severus grinned maliciously. Remus and the Headmaster chuckled and Sirius gave a snort. "I'll be heading back to my quarters."

"Yes, of course. Rest easy, Severus," Dumbledore nodded, his eyes twinkling. Severus nodded back and then left.

***

When Severus entered his quarters, he had to smile at the sight before him. Harry had curled himself upon the couch and had fallen asleep, facing the portrait entrance, waiting for him. Severus walked over and brushed some hair out of the sleeping boy's face. Realizing that his couch was not the most comfortable place to be sleeping, Severus bent down and lifted the Boy-Who-Was-Asleep up.

Harry murmured quietly as he buried his face into the Potion Master's chest. Severus smiled slightly as he carried the raven-haired boy to his bedroom. The Slytherin laid him on the large bed and just looked down at him for a moment. Snape pulled the boy's shoes off and then kicked off his own. He pulled the blankets over Harry, and climbed into the other side of the bed.

The Gryffindor smiled contently as he rolled over and into Severus's arms. The spy smiled and put his arms around the sleeping boy. Soon, he joined Harry in the land of dreams. And for the first time in a long while, he did rest easy.

End Chapter Twenty-Two

Thanks for the reviews!!!!!!!!! I'M GOING TO SEE HPCOS IN A COUPLE HOURS!!!!!!!! WHOOOOOOOOOOAAAAAAAAAAAA!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Oh, and a big thanks to Meadowfield Whisk, for drawing a pic of Fred in boxers and an apron for me!! I haven't seen it yet, but I'm sure it'll be great! If anyone else wants to draw and send me pics for ATT, I'd be ever-so grateful!

I'm not going to be updating for two weeks. I will still be writing my chapters, but I will not post until the 29th. All the chapters I have finished up until then will be posted on that day. This will just help me catch up on my school work, and work on my next speech (and, thank Merlin, last). Thank you all for the well wishes you gave me last time (though I still sucked. I got a 52% on it. The first speech was a 76%).

The next chapter will have skipped some time, mostly because I don't want to write 3 chapters for a day again. The next month and a half in ATT universe is really rather boring. Until the 29th!

BarkingPenguin-lol. This is soon, idn't it?

NotQuietSara-^___^

npetrenko-Mkay!

The Red Dragons Order-K!

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Lee Lee Potter-Mayyyybbbbbeeeee

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Insane Pineapple from Naboo-^__^ I didn't know Naboo had pineapples......

Silver-chan-Mkay! lol

Egyptian Mistress Isis- Kk!

Lei Dumbledore-^___^ Your story's cool, but Ginny/Harry just kinda squicks me...I'll still be reading it tho, cause it's good.

SilverMoon- ^_______________________^

Dark-One Shadowphyre-rotfl!!!! Horny!Harry!!!!!!

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della luna-soooorrrrryyyyy. You're actually 302. I'll always keep updating! *superhero pose*lol

Deity- I hate the spotlight, unless it's online, like this! I love being in the writing spotlight, but I get sick when I stand in front of people....ohhhhhhhh well!! I have to do one more speech, a persuasive one. It's gonna be me trying to convince the class that the Kennedy brothers killed Marilyn Monroe.

Lady FoxFire- lol. Oh, not for a loooooonnnnnnnnnnngggggg while. Maybe around Easter. *shrugs*