The Halls of the Blind
Chapter Ten
Surprise, surprise.
I love you more than there are stars in the sky, grains of sand on the beaches, and drops of water in the seas... how could you not love me?
A/N: Q... recognize the words? *points up* *sniff* where'd SEP and FaerieFighter go?
Cerulean Sky: Um, yeah... it started in chapter eight I believe... :-D
eowynn: I can't just leave Remus out now... he's a good wuffer... :-D don't mind me...
evelia: *glomp* yeah, I missed you on the last chapter, but thats ok... glad you like the story still *beams* more Snarry to come!!! *mutters* still gotta do the hot, rompy sex... *wink*
Frulie: *makes notes* Got it. Get chapter 8 out!!! I'm being demanding... aren't I?
bluebutterfly9: your poor computer... *snicker* so, let me guess... you yelled at it at least twice b/c of my story? We got a little bit more to go I believe... though I don't know the end myself :-) no, wasn't offended.
Um... Het... sorta... you meet Halliy-Jayde and see her with Charlie and without... and, yeah... she's someone special... just read...
Harry's hands slipped down to the front of Severus's robes, his fingers seeking out the buttons.
Severus groaned, pulling away. "Harry, we can't..."
Harry didn't reply. He just dropped his head onto Severus's shoulder. His slight frame shook as he finally pulled back. "Why not?"
Severus spoke slowly, weighing each word as he said it. "You are a student, Harry. A student under my care. I am sure there are rules-"
Harry shook his head. "There are none. We looked into it a few years ago. Hermione had a crush on Remus. She never acted on it, but there are no rules against it."
"Harry, you're still a-"
Harry stiffened, and he scowled. "If the word 'child' comes out of your mouth, I'm hitting you."
"No, not a child. But, I am old enough to be your father, Harry."
"But you're not."
Severus sighed. "That isn't the point."
"No, it's not, the point is, no matter what I do, you don't want me."
Severus grabbed Harry's chin, forcing the boy's head toward him. "You have no idea how false that statement is." He crushed his lips to Harry's, bruising them.
Harry let out a slight whimper and Severus gentled the kiss. He brushed his lips over Harry's lightly. "I don't want to hurt you."
"You won't."
"I will. I won't mean to, but I will."
"You really believe that, don' t you?"
"I know it."
"Fine." He pushed away from Severus and stood up. "Fine. I don't care." Harry's eyes stung as he made his way to his room. "You should l-leave."
Pelikara's voice stopped Harry at his bedroom door. "Little-one. What is going on?"
"I love him and he's pushing me away."
Harry's voice rolled over and through Severus, making him shudder ever so slightly. He could listen forever and a day and not get tired of hearing Harry speak Parseltongue.
"You told him that?"
"... No."
"Then do not give up, little man-snake. Never give up."
"Then make him give in already." Harry walked into his bedroom and shut the door.
***
Severus didn't go to Harry's rooms the next night. Nor the one after that. The day after that, 'Curative Potions' arrived.
***
"Professor Snape?"
"Miss Granger, Mister Malfoy. I suspect you'll need a work room for the potion. Through the door on the left."
"Thank you."
After the door had closed behind Hermione and Draco. Severus put down the quill and put his head in his hands. No one had asked Harry if he wanted his sight back, and Harry was studiously avoiding Severus. So he made a mistake, he was only human, after all.
He picked his quill back up after deciding to visit Harry that night, and went back to looking over Halliy-Jayde's theories.
***
Severus stopped just inside the door, when he saw Remus Lupin sitting with Harry. The boy was telling Lupin what he had told Severus. Neither of them noticed him.
"... finally kind of 'wished' my self to Hogwarts. I hadn't realize that was what had happened till we were in the infirmary. That was just a blur, everything..."
Harry's face was dry, he had no tear tracks like the night he told Severus. His voice just as emotionless, just as eerie.
"Have you told, Dumbledore since you've been back, Harry?"
Harry shakes his head. "No. Just you and Snape. I don't think he would understand, and I'm not quite sure you or Snape do either."
"You're right on my account, I don't quite understand what sort of pain you're going through. I know someone who might, though."
"Who?"
Severus walked forward and answered the question. "Halliy-Jayde Marrie Black."
Harry's head snapped up, and Severus saw Harry's eyes flash with hope. Whether it was hope with Severus, or hope for getting through his past, he couldn't tell.
***
The young woman frowned at the note in her hands, her eyes turning from blue to green. He can't be serious...
Miss Halliy-Jayde,
You're theories are sound. The testing will have started by the time you get this.
I'm also requesting your presence at Hogwarts, at your earliest convenience. We require your assistance.
Send word back on when you can come.
S. Snape
Hogwarts Potions Master
She frowned, then smiled. The man doesn't request, he orders. Subtly, but he does it.
She frowned again. Assistance? With what?
She let out a sigh, knowing she won't find out till she gets there.
She picked up a quill and parchment, and she penned her answer.
The owl had just left when the door opened.
"Hello, Jay." Charlie put his bag down, came up behind her, and wrapped her arms around her.
She smiled, and leaned back against him. "Hi, luv."
He took one look at her eyes and frowned. "What's wrong?"
She smirked and raised an eyebrow. "What makes you think there's something wrong?"
"You're eyes have turned green."
"Ah."
"So what is it?"
"My presence has been requested at Hogwarts."
"By Snape?"
She nodded. "He requires my assistance."
"With what?"
She frowned. "I don't know. Charlie..."
He leaned down and moved her long, dark hair aside to kiss her neck. "When are you leaving?"
She tilted her neck back. "Two days."
"You know, it's probably a student."
Her eyes flashed almost an emerald color and she closed them. "I know." She turned and kissed Charlie, stopping him from saying more.
***
The next evening found Harry and Draco in the library, waiting for Hermione.
"Just how difficult is the potion, Draco?"
Draco snorted. "Way above N.E.W.T. standards. Hermione seems up to the task though."
Harry smiled slightly.
Draco looked at Harry critically. "You know, I figured you'd be a bit happier."
Harry shrugged. "So did I."
"Then why aren't you?"
Harry shrugged again. "I guess... I'm just wondering..."
"What it'll be like once you get your sight back?"
Harry smiled gratefully. "Yeah. I mean-" He sighed and ran a hand through his hair. "Oh, hell, I don't know what I mean."
They were silent for a minute and Draco spoke up, changing the topic. "We, me and Hermione, went to talk to you, Friday night..."
Harry's eyes widened. "Um, when?"
"About the time you were kissing Professor Snape."
Harry dropped his head to the table. "You guys saw?" His head snapped up. "Is that why Hermione always sounds like she is embarrassed and blushing when she talks to me?"
Draco laughed. "Yes. So, what is going on between you and our esteemed Professor?"
Harry dropped his head again and mumbled. "Nothing."
"You call that kiss nothing?"
"Nothings going on, Draco, he pushed me away. I mean, not physically, but... He thinks he's going to hurt me."
"I thought the same thing."
"What that he was going to hurt me?"
"No. That I was going to hurt you."
"What? Why?"
Draco sighed. "You have these shadows in your eyes, and they make you seem so fragile. Those shadows say you've been through a lot of pain, and you'll hurt easily. Plus, it doesn't help that you shy away from physical contact sometimes."
Harry scowled. "I do not."
"You do, Harry. You don't realize it, but you do."
"You think those are the reasons?"
"More than likely. Unless you think there's something else."
"I told him about my past," Harry mumbled.
"Your past?"
Harry nodded. "My past."
"I'm guessing it wasn't a pleasant experience then." Harry's head came up and Draco held up a hand. "I'm not prying, I'm not making light of it. I'm making an observation." Draco leaned back in his chair. "You're a Slytherin. All Slytherins have some sort of past."
Harry raised his eyebrows. "And what's yours?"
"My father was abusive, my mother an alcoholic, my tutor my first."
"Oh."
"Don't go all soft on me now, Potter."
"Bite me, Malfoy."
Draco's teeth clicked. "Pick a spot."
Harry just glared as Hermione joined them in the library.
***
The first thing that greeted Severus when he opened the door, was a pair of sapphire eyes. The next, the all too familiar smirk.
He opened the door wider. "Miss Halliy-Jayde."
"Long time no see, Professor." She stepped through the open door, and turned to Severus. "You said you needed my assistance?"
Severus nodded and closed the door.
***
Halliy-Jayde rubbed at her temples. She had a headache coming on, she could feel it. "So, let me get this straight. You want me to help Harry, because I might know what he's been through and is now feeling? And this is supposed to help him deal with it?"
Severus nodded and handed her a cup. He sat back and took a sip of his own tea. "That is the idea."
"I see." Her green eyes focused on the liquid in her cup. "Why me and not Carolyn, Professor?"
"You are a bit more... tactful, than she is."
Her eyes narrowed. "How bad is it?"
"His past? Think of yours, only maybe a bit worse."
"And compared to yours?"
"What would you know of mine?" His voice came out clipped and colder than ice. "What's the difference between a whore and a courtesan?"
She flinches slightly. "Fair enough." She set her cup down. "I suppose I should meet him."
"The snake portrait. 'Slytherissia'."
She nodded and headed for the door. "A courtesan is just a glorified word for a whore. Respectable, but not much better. I am neither, Professor. Not any more."
He smiled slightly as the door closed behind her. "Good to know."
***
"Little-one. There's someone at the door."
"Who?"
"She smells of dragons."
"Dragons?" He turned toward Remus and opened his mouth. "There's-"
The door opened. "Knock knock. Anybody home?"
"Jay? When did you get here?"
The door closed as Halliy-Jayde came in and gave Remus a hug. "Uncle Remus! I got here a few hours ago. Professor Snape didn't say you were here."
Harry frowned and spoke up. "You're an uncle, Remus?"
"Sort of."
"Sort of?"
Halliy-Jayde raised an eyebrow. "He was my father's best friend... and then some. You must be Harry. Papa told me a lot about you."
Harry frowned. "Do I know him?"
She smiled. "I should hope so. I'm Halliy-Jayde Marrie Black, Sirius Black's daughter."
A/N: Mwahahahahaha! *blink* Oh dear god... I sound like Q now... so, yeah... longest chapter... 8 pages... nice... So, yeah, what do you think? This should have a few more chapters to go... and then I might do an epilogue... I think I will... so, yeah, count on a few more chapters and an epilogue (at the very least)... and two side fics... one for Halliy-Jayde Marrie Black... and one for Carolyn J. Wilson. Read and Review... please.