Chapter Twenty-Eight

"I love you," Harry whispered as he snuggled against his lover. Severus tightened his hold on him, but didn't reply.

After a moment of silence, Severus hissed," Don't say that to me."

Harry stiffened. "You don't love me, do you?"

"It's not a matter of whether or not I love you. You don't love me."

"I just said that I did!" Harry sat up, the sheets falling away from him.

"Somebody else said it to me once, and I believed him. And then he betrayed me," Severus sat up as well. "No one loves me; no one can."

Suddenly less angry, Harry pleaded, "But I do! If he betrayed you, then he didn't love you, but I do love you!"

"How could anyone love me?" Severus looked into his eyes.

"I don't now why I love you, Severus, but I do. And Draco loves you; you're his dad, really. He loves you, and I love you."

"Draco doesn't count. Harry, you could possibly understand who I was, who I am."

"You're wrong. I know exactly who you are, what you were, and why you do things the way you do," Harry looked at him, with wisdom in his eyes, matched only by Dumbledore's.

"You couldn't…"

"Oh, but I do, Severus. You cannot tell me that you do not feel it. You know what I mean, Sev," Harry looked at him accusingly. "You cannot deny it."

"I cannot deny it, true, but you can't say that you love me after only four months. Do not say it until you are sure," Severus told him.

"I will do so, if you don not doubt my feelings when I speak them," Harry acceded.

"I will hold to that promise," the older man agreed, leaning forward.

"As will I," the teen whispered, before the two sealed the promise with a passionate kiss.

***

"That man is infuriating!" Harry screamed in frustration.

"I thought you two worked it out," Draco looked overt the top of the Return of the King.

"We did! But just knowing that he didn't believe me is just so-so-urgh!"

"Jeez, Harry, take a chill pill," Draco shook his head. "The idiot is insecure. You're a lot alike, you know."

"What is that supposed to me?"

"You're both insecure about the other's feelings," Draco shrugged. "It's like when you were worried that he wouldn't give you a second chance after you freaked and ran out on him."

"I just wish he'd believe me," Harry sighed, sitting down on the couch.

"He wants to believe you, and he will in time. Just be patient, and you may hear those words from him," Draco advised. "But he's not readily going to give out words of love. He can't. He was hurt too much last time he told anyone that he loved them."

"Yeah," Harry sighed again. "I'm going to go lay down, okay?"

"Okay, Harry," Draco looked worried as his friend trudged to the bedroom.

***

"Did you know that he was a panther when he took the animagus potion?"

"Really?" Harry asked as they walked towards Remus and Sirius's quarters.

"Yeah," Draco grinned. "Just thought you'd find that interesting."

Harry looked at him oddly before shaking his head. "You're a weird one."

***

"Alright, focus on the image of yourself as your animal," Sirius instructed the four.

The Gryffindors and Slytherin closed their eyes and began imagining.

"Now, picture yourself changing into the animal. Imagine the fur or feathers growing over your body."

Remus and Sirius knew that hey were working hard, for the boys began sprouting fur, and Hermione, feathers.

"Open your eyes," Sirius ordered.

"Wow…" Harry and Draco gasped as they looked at themselves.

"Cool!"

"This is the greatest!" Hermione grinned.

"He Harry, your scar is white," Draco grinned at him.

"Your nose is pink," Harry pointed out. Draco glared at him slightly. Ron sniggered.

"You four are really good at this," Sirius told them. "It took Prongs and I longer. Of course, we didn't have a great teacher telling us how to do this."

Remus rolled his eyes at Sirius and the teens snickered.

"What?" Sirius glared and put his hands on his hips.

***

"So what are you doing for the hols?"

"Hermione and I are going to see our parents," Ron answered.

Harry shrugged. "Draco and me have no where to go, so we're just going to stay here and bug you two."

Remus faked a horrified gasp and Sirius snickered.

"Aw, we know you love us," Draco grinned at the werewolf.

"Oh, that reminds me, is our mystery bloke going to take up most of your holiday?" Sirius asked his godson.

"Not all of it," Harry grinned. "Just at night, most of the time. He's a bit like a vampire; he lies nights better."

"Well, of course. You shag at night," Ron stated bluntly. Hermione slapped the back of his head. "Hey, what did you do that for?"

"Because you're a pig, that's why," Hermione sniffed.

"Aw, but he's your pig, Hermione," Draco and Harry sniggered.

"Shut the hell up before I hex you into the wall," Hermione glared at them.

"She'd do it, too," Ron nodded before Hermione glared at him as well. Remus and Sirius laughed, but Hermione narrowed her eyes at the two.

"Hermione, you're mean today," Sirius pouted.

***

Days passed, and Harry didn't see much of Severus, for the spy was called to many meetings in those days. It was Thursday and classes ended Friday, and the train home left Saturday morning.

Harry, Seamus, and Dean were the only seventh year Gryffindors left, since Ron, Hermione, Neville, Lavender, and Parvati had gone. Not many Gryffindors were staying anyway; the Creevy brothers and just five other Gryffindors weren't going home.

It was like that in every house; Ravenclaw and Hufflepuff only had ten students staying put together, and Slytherin had only three students. Now, that made Harry slightly suspicious, and he relayed his suspicions to his friend.

***

"I don't know, Dray. An awfully lot of kids are going home this year, especially Slytherins. Besides you, only two others stayed, and one's a first year, and the other's Blaise Zabini. And Blaise fancies Neville Longbottom," Harry looked pointedly at him.

"Alright, we'll look into it," Draco sighed. "Hey, has Professor Snape been to any D.E. meetings lately?"

"Yeah, five in the last ten days," Harry nodded. "Do you think…?"

"I wouldn't doubt it, Harry. Voldemort has a thing for holidays, doesn't he?"

"Yeah. I hope that he won't strike on Christmas. Merlin, let him attack early or later, but not on Christmas day," Harry sighed, looking almost teary as he realized what might happen.

"Hey, why're you so worried? It prolly won't happen, mate," Draco said, trying to comfort his friend before he could really upset himself.

"It will, Draco. My scar…it hasn't been hurting, but it's been itching the last month. Dray, he's up to something; he's going to do something soon. Gods, just don't let him on Christmas."

"Harry, why haven't you told anyone about your scar?" Draco asked sharply.

"What makes you think I haven't?"

"Because you tell everything to me first," Draco crossed his arms.

"What makes you think that I haven't told Severus?" Harry narrowed his eyes slightly.

"You're having a spat with him, Har. You're afraid to tell him anything now because of how he reacted," Draco glared back, standing up.

"I know what I'm going, Draco. I don't have to tell you every little thing," Harry scowled. "I do have other friend, you know."

"Ron and Hermione are off in their little world all the time; you don't tell them anything anymore. The don't even know what house your 'lover boy' was in!" Draco shouted.

"Would you just drop it?" Harry yelled back.

"No! I'm not going to drop it! You should have told someone when it first started!"

"I tried! I tried aright!" Harry broke down. "I tried to tell you, Sirius, Ron, Hermione, Remus. You're all off in your own little universes. You're constantly sneaking out to see FrednGeorge! And Sev, I-I can't talk to him like I could before. He's been distant this past week; he knows something's going to happen."

Draco's anger left him and he sat down next to the Boy-Who-Lived. Draco pulled his friend closer to him in a hug.

"Oh, Harry, I'm sorry. You're right; I haven't been spending much time with you," Draco whispered, rubbing Harry's back. "I'm not a very good friend, am I?"

"You're a good friend, Dray, a little ditzy sometimes, but you're still a good friend," Harry joked through a watery voice, trying to lighten the mood.

End Chapter Twenty-Eight

Hey guys!!!!!!!! Thanks for all the wonderful reviews for Chapter Twenty-Seven and the Interlude! I'M FREEEEEEEEEEEEE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! WHOOOOOHOOOOOOOOOOOO!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Christmas hols rock!!!!

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