Disclaimer: I don't own any of the Harry Potter characters. I'll give them back to JK Rowling when I'm done. No money was made from this endeavor.
Feedback: Please read and review, flames are not welcome.
A/N: Thanks go, once more, to Sherdelune, my beta. Any errors still remaining would be mine.

Anything between two *, denotes a thought.


Wanted: Single, Older Male for a Roommate
Chapter 5: Or Perhaps Not



"I did indeed enjoy the show," replied Harry as he removed his cloak.

Severus smirked up at Harry and turned back to look at the listings. He circled one more potential location.

"Quit looking over my shoulder and pull up a chair. Or do you enjoy standing and looking over people's shoulders?" Severus asked with a hint of exasperation.

"Er, no. Hold on." Harry went and grabbed a chair behind one of the lab tables and dragged it back to place it next to Severus'.

Harry pointed at the circled listings and asked, "So does this mean what I think it means?"

Severus cocked an eyebrow at Harry and his lips quirked up in amusement. "I don't know what you mean. You'll have to be a bit more specific than that."

Harry sighed, he knew Severus understood him quite well, but wasn't about to give in so easily. "What I'm asking is, are you looking at houses and such because you have decided you will room with me?"

"Perhaps, or maybe I'm looking at these for my own benefit." Severus said in an even tone. He was not about to reveal his hand yet. *I've kept so many things to myself for so long that just going about revealing everything so soon, it was just be unthinkable. Besides I'm sure Albus already extracted much of my guarded information from me already, information even I'm most likely unaware of. I'll have to think of a way to get that old man back, subtly and with a small hint of embarrassment.*

"Oh, I see." Harry looked and sounded hurt. *Maybe I want this too much. Merlin, why do I want this so much? Why didn't I ask Ron instead of Severus? Ron has been my best friend for years, and yet the minute I think of having a place of my own, I see myself sharing it with my potions professor. Perhaps, instead of rushing headlong into this, I should really consider my motives.*

Harry sat there, silent and feeling dejected. Severus looked at him from the corner of his eye and frowned. *Damn, I didn't mean to crush him. I know he's been like a first year who's just seen Honeydukes Sweetshop for the first time, especially about our friendship and everything, but I had no idea he was this serious.*

"Harry?" Severus turned and reached out to touch the young man's shoulder. "Harry, is everything all right?"

"Fine, everything's just fine." Harry pulled his shoulder away from Severus' hand and turned to get up and leave.

"No, everything is not fine. Stop pouting for Merlin's sake and look at me." Severus might not have liked hurting the young man, but he would not put up with such childish behavior.

Harry stiffened his shoulders briefly, not really caring for Severus' commanding tone. Sliver took that moment to wake up and slither out from beneath the cuff of Harry's sleeve. Sliver looked up questioning at him.

"What isss the matter? You are upssset." Sliver's head swayed close to Harry's cheek, his tongue lightly flicking out as if in a caress.

"I'm fine, Sssliver. Just a bit put out isss all." Harry reached up to touch the snake's head and slid a few fingers down its length. Sliver curled his way around Harry's neck and shoulders and relaxed but stayed alert.

Then Harry relaxed, being comforted by Sliver. He knew his behavior was childish. He also knew Severus could do as he pleased, that he had no hold over him. Harry had invited him to come live with him in whatever place he ended up getting, and he would let the invitation stand.

Harry turned back to Severus and gave him a small, chagrined smile. "Well, even if you aren't sure yet, the invitation to stay with me is still open."

Severus sighed inwardly. *I would really like to tell him now, that I've made up mind to join him. However, I still need more time to understand where this is all leading before I commit. I need to explore this longing to be with him -- to figure out why I ... why I can't stop thinking about him.*

"Thank you, Harry. I really will keep it in mind. As I said, once school is almost over, I will let you know."

Harry nodded. "Well, if what you've circled is any indication of what you're looking for, then our tastes are pretty compatible. Hermione says I can borrow her copy of tomorrow's edition of the Daily Prophet. Hopefully there are just as many comparable listings as you've got there."

"More than likely. Now, getting back to why you are here. Were you here just to see Mr. Malfoy suffer detention?" Severus asked.

"Partially, and a right treat it was too." Harry grinned cheekily at Severus, who chuckled.

"Yes, it was an unusual sight to see him in such a position. Positively degrading I'm sure he was thinking." Severus' smile disappeared as he recalled why Malfoy had been given detention.

"So, Malfoy tried to poison a student today, with the truth serum we were making?" Harry asked quietly.

Severus looked at Harry in shock, and then remembered even though Harry's memories of the class were gone; he apparently hadn't forgotten the conversation from last night.

"Yes, he tried to give a small dose of the serum to a student, but instead I ended up taking the serum in the face." Severus wasn't going to tell Harry any more than that, as he felt it was better off for everyone involved just having this entire episode forgotten -- in more ways than one.

"That was my other concern, to see how you were faring after the incident in this mornings class. You are all right? I mean, you look okay to me." Harry looked directly into Severus' eyes.

Severus stared intently into Harry's eyes and saw his concern and sincerity. Severus smiled slightly at the novel sight. "I'm fine, Harry. Dumbledore was here of course, looking after me and no doubt asking me tons of questions. That man might have said he only asked me a few innocent questions, but I know better. However, I am well aware that he'll keep whatever he learned to himself or use it to my 'advantage'."

Harry snickered at the image of Dumbledore playing evil inquisitor questioning an out-of-it Potions professor. "Poor Severus, if I had known you would be subjected to an inquisition by the Headmaster, I wouldn't have left you in his 'evil'clutches." Severus snorted at the image Harry's words portrayed. It was quite a funny thought, imagining the Headmaster clutching his hands like a crazed genius about to conceive of a dastardly plot.

"Well, I appreciate your concern. Anyway, Harry, it's almost curfew, so I would suggest you head back to your dorm and I had better not see you again this night. Otherwise, I will be taking points from Gryffindor. Now, good night." Severus stood up and hauled Harry to his feet and pushed him lightly out the potion lab door.

Severus could hear Harry mumbling under his breath, something that sounded like "Honestly, show the man some concern and he shoves you out the door." Severus chuckled quietly and turned once more into the lab to finish cleaning the cauldrons.

...

Harry spent the next day in classes and in between his classes wolfing down whatever meal was being served. Trying to stay focused for once on his coursework, he was willing the end of the school year to come, as he really wanted Severus' answer once and for all. He'd spent several hours last night before sleep claimed him staring up at the canopy of his bed and thinking about his motives in asking Severus to share his lodging.

He knew that he respected and cared for Severus, but then he also felt the same way about Ron, so there must have been more to it than that. After hours of his thoughts going round and round in circles, and coming no closer to understanding it all, Harry had fallen into a deep sleep.

Thankfully, that good nights sleep helped him get through the rest of his day, and he was actually able to pay attention in class.

That evening after their last meal in the Great Hall, Harry, Ron and Hermione gathered up whatever notes they would need for their potions tutorial and walked down to the potions class.

Snape was already waiting for them there and not only did he have out several ingredients, he had already set out 3 cauldrons for them to use.

"Get settled please, I don't want to waste any moment of the time I'm giving you." Severus waited until they were settled in before he continued on.

"Tonight we're going to cover some of the basic first year potions and ingredients. Tell me, Mr. Potter, what would we be making if we used the following ingredients -- dried nettles, crushed snake fangs, stewed horned slugs, and porcupine quills?"

Harry sat for a second, trying to remember back to first year and to remember some of the properties for those ingredients. Next to him Hermione was fidgeting in her seat wanting to answer the question, but knew that it was useless, as Professor Snape would not call on her until Harry tried to answer the question himself.

"Um... I believe it is a curative potion of some sort. I can't remember though what it cures." Harry answered looking a bit downcast. He knew he should have studied harder.

"That's correct, it is a curative potion. Why? What in the ingredients suggests that it is for curing, Mr. Potter?"

When Ron heard Snape actually tell Harry that he'd answered it correctly, he almost fell out of his seat. *Maybe Snape has changed. I'll have to give it to the git, he's being fair.*

Hermione was watching the proceedings with interest as well. As much as she was here to learn and revise, she was also here to watch Harry and Professor Snape interact.

"Well, I believe the dried nettles are a common ingredient in many of the other curative potions we've made sir, as they are a necessary base."

Severus nodded his head in agreement and turned to Hermione, "Now, Ms. Granger, as I'm sure you have been eager to do since I asked this question, what potion do these ingredients make?"

"Well, sir, those ingredients are used in a potion to cure boils. I remember when Neville brewed it incorrectly and he got covered in red boils." Hermione vividly recalled their first potions class; she was likely to never forget it.

"Very good, Ms. Granger. That is correct. Mr. Weasley, can you tell me what potion asphodel is used as a key ingredient in?" Snape turned his gaze towards Ron.

Ron squirmed a bit in his seat and lowered his eyes down to the desk in front of him. Ron sighed, he knew it, Hermione had been on him to study these last few weeks in their spare time. *First year, first year... Oh! First day of class...I remember now.*

"Draught of Living Death, sir," Ron answered proudly, knowing for once he was right.

"Excellent, it's good to know that you can do as well as a first year, Mr. Weasley." Snape smirked a bit at Ron when he turned bright red and sputtered at the indignity.

*I don't get it, he didn't give any verbal abuse to Harry or 'Mione, what's he got against me?* Ron just looked furious at Snape, but held his tongue or he knew Hermione would have something to say to him later.

"Alright then, let's go over some of the rest of your first year potions."

With that Snape guided them over the next two hours through several other ingredients and potions that they had not done in so long. All the while, Hermione watched Harry and the Professor exchange minimal words and even less glances beyond what was expected. *Perhaps I'm making more out of this than necessary. Professor Snape may be more cordial and courteous to Harry, but he's not treating Harry as if he's anything special. Still, they are in class, so it would only be expected that the Professor would maintain a professional demeanor.* But Hermione was not giving up her quest for understanding what was happening between Harry and the Potions professor.

After the tutorial session was over, Harry, Hermione and Ron cleaned up their cauldrons from the simple potion they had made in the last half of the session. Hermione and Ron left thinking that Harry was dragging up the rear, while Harry stayed behind for a few minutes to thank his teacher.

"I appreciate your tutoring us, Severus. I'm sure with this extra guidance, Ron and I will do better on our NEWTs than if we hadn't had your help. Hermione of course doesn't really need the help, but it's nice having her here."

"You are most welcome, Harry. It is good to see that you've retained some of what I taught you from first year, even if I did give you a hard time, especially that first day." Severus grimaced a little at thought of all the things he'd called Harry that first day. Harry knew this was as close to an apology as he'd ever get for Severus' behavior towards him and he accepted it. Harry laid a comforting hand on Severus' arm and smiled at him.

During this exchange, Hermione had noticed that Harry was missing, when she had turned to ask him a question. Hermione told Ron to go on without her, because she was going back to the Potions lab to ask their Professor one more question and to meet up with Harry. Ron just shrugged and went on without her; he'd already had enough of Snape for one evening.

Hermione walked back down to the stairs to the dungeon and peaked into the potions lab. She noticed Harry placing his hand on the Professor's arm and smiling up at him. She entered the room and asked, "Harry, did you forget something?"

Harry turned and dropped his hand away from Severus, "I was just thanking the Professor for his help, Hermione. I'm ready to go now." Harry turned and smiled once more at Severus and left the classroom with his friend in tow.

"So, what did you think, Hermione, about the tutoring? Not bad, eh?" Harry asked.

"Yes, they will definitely help with the NEWTs. We do, however, have other classes to study for and homework for today's Charms class, we still have to practice the new spell. Plus, tomorrow is ...." Harry politely half listened as Hermione continued on with her diatribe of all that they had to do. Once Hermione got a full steam going, there was no stopping her.

Harry just followed along and thought back over the tutorial session they had just came from. *Severus was quite nice to me this evening, especially considering the arena. He did say he'd give me a chance to prove myself and he has. He certainly keeps his word.*

That night Harry dreamt once more about sharing a house with Severus. This time, he pictured himself helping Severus prepare a cleaning potion and that Severus was praising him on a job well done. Harry smiled in his sleep.

~tbc~

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A/N #2: Also, I'd like to thank all the readers who have reviewed. I thank you for your positive feedback. To answer some of your questions, nothing romantic will happen between Harry and Severus until after Harry graduates. I'm of the firm opinion that they both have strict morals.

Also, chapter 6 will be a bit late in coming as Real Life has intruded and work came crashing down around my ears. I apologize in advance.