Friendship and Beyond 32/?

Rated: R contains mentions of rape and torture, although not actual scenes. Possible HP/SS in later chapters, also HG/RW.

Authors Notes: I do not own Harry Potter or it's characters, that would be JKR. Subject matter not for children, although nothing too graphic, but be careful when reading just to be on the safe side.

Preparation, Healing and The First Stage of Attack

When Harry woke up this time he found himself entwined with Severus, who was still sleeping peacefully, his arms wrapped securely around Harry's back and waist. Rather than feeling smothered Harry felt secure and made no move to leave the warmth of Severus' embrace. Instead he burrowed contentedly closer to the sleeping wizard and went back to sleep.

He awoke a few hours later well rested and alone. The bedroom was warmed by a fire in the hearth which Severus obviously stoked before he left the room to begin his day. Harry sighed softly gently caressing the soft covers under his hands before dragging himself up and out of the comfortable nest he was enclosed in. It was an effort to get his pleasantly mellow limbs to get moving especially with the cozy atmosphere of the room but he forced his limbs to carry him into the connecting bathroom where he bathed and dressed for the day.

Severus looked up briefly from reading the Profit when Harry first entered the room giving the tousled young man a nod in greeting. Harry mumbled a hello before helping himself to the coffee, putting lots of sugar in it to help him wake up fully.

"Morning." Harry acknowledged using an actual word once he was awake enough to speak.

"Good Morning, Harry." Severus acknowledged quietly. "How did you sleep?"

"Well, thank you." Harry answered looking sheepishly at Severus. "Sorry about falling asleep out here last night."

"It was understandable that you were exhausted after your first lesson. As I told you last night it will only get easier the more you practice it. Over the next few days expect to be just as exhausted. Your body will gradually get used to the strain of performing magic wandlessly. Never the less, in future I would appreciate it if you could sleep in the bed. That way I would not be forced into mollycoddling you and tucking you in as well."

"Thank you for that by the way." Harry continued ignoring Severus' snarky nature. "I appreciate it."

"Hmphh." Severus responded, his features softening slightly as he looked at Harry, only to regain himself and silently continue reading his paper. "Just don't let it happen again."

That day a pattern of sorts began. After eating breakfast together, rather than in the Great Hall, Harry and Severus would part ways for the day. Harry would attend classes, while Severus would teach potions. Thankfully Snape was just as much of a snarky git as usual and Harry continued to irritate him to distraction.

The only people who had an inkling of the true situation between them were Ron, Hermione and Dumbledore. After classes were over for the day Harry would finish his homework in the Slytherin Dormitory where, along with Hermione and Ron, he kept a close eye on Malfoy. After dinner, which the trio always took in the Great Hall, they met Snape in his quarters and began training. All three of them, even Ron, took these lessons seriously. They all progressed rapidly and their spells became powerful over time. The trio grew closer than ever and even started to become a bit fond of the cantankerous Potion's Master along the way. Mostly in part to listening to Harry's increasingly detailed descriptions of Snape. Hermione and Ron had long before decided to support Harry's relationship to Snape and soon enough came to see small examples of what Harry saw in him.

After lessons were finished, Ron and Hermione said goodbye and left Harry to Snape's continued tutelage. As the wandless magic lessons progressed, Harry became more adept at throwing charms and hexes the first time. By the end of the lessons Harry was much less taxed and often Snape and he would spend a few hours brewing potions or talking in front of the fire.

At first Snape ordered Harry to slice ingredients for a healing potion Pompfrey needed, as time passed however, Snape explained more complex potions to Harry and gave him more difficult directions to follow. During this time they worked without their customary sarcasm and became comfortable working in silence with each other.

On the nights that restocking the hospital wing wasn't needed the two of them would just relax in front of the fire drinking tea. Even on these nights however, Severus would make a game out of trying to hex Harry unawares. Sometimes during the middle of a sentence, or on rare occasions a chess game, Snape would unexpectedly curse Harry wandlessly. The first week of training Harry had learned to put up wandless shields. He used this knowledge during these attacks.

He succeeded in deflecting the attacks most of the time, but a few still managed to get through and hit him. Every time this would happen Snape would alternately deride him for carelessness and laugh at him sprawled on the floor. The first time Harry saw Severus laugh uproariously he stared at his professor in shock. When Severus laughed, really laughed, his eyes lit up and years left his face, leaving him looking younger and much happier. In between hexing their conversations drifted from work and Voldemort to more personal subjects, until soon they were comfortable talking about most everything.

This comfort with each other extended to their bedtime rituals as well. While Harry was still a bit wary of any unexpected touch he found himself relaxing in Severus' arms at night. They had long since passed the time where they would sleep apart only to find themselves entwined the next morning. While they didn't touch indecently at all, Harry did begin sleeping with his head pillowed on Severus' shoulder and Snape held him securely as they both fell to sleep. Although they were remarkably closer then they were before, each studiously ignored the aroused state the other was in when they woke in the morning. After the first day Severus merely ignored it, while Harry didn't know what to think, so he did nothing at all.

Five weeks after the meeting with Malfoy Harry received a letter from a black falcon carrying a sealed envelope. He was in the Great Hall for dinner sitting beside Ron and Hermione chatting about History of Magic. When the falcon swooped down with the rest of the mail, Draco looked at Harry suspiciously, having recognized his father's secret correspondence bird. Malfoy Senior used an owl all of the time, but no one besides the family knew of the falcon's existence. Harry ignored Malfoy's stare as he pocketed the unopened letter and got up from the Slytherin table accompanied by Ron and Hermione. As they left immediately upon receiving the long-awaited letter, they didn't notice a non-descript owl land in front of Draco, or his disbelieving look in their direction as he read the correspondence.

Once they were away from prying eyes Harry opened the letter, tapping the parchment twice to reveal the invisible writing on it. It said:

Potter,

I have just informed Draco of his part in the plan. He doesn't know anything more than that he is to be at the side entrance to the Forbidden Forest at One o'clock this morning. If you have explained the situation to Dumbledore than I expect Draco's presence will be enough to convince the Dark Lord of my family's allegiance. Once the wards are brought down He will try to enter Hogwarts immediately thereafter. If all goes according to plan, I expect to be protected once my duplicity is discovered. Remember your promise concerning Draco's health. He knows nothing of this and wouldn't agree to your protection even if he were aware of it. I will not tolerate betrayal.

L. Malfoy

The trio stood in silence for a somber moment before walking discretely to the owlery where he attached Malfoy's note to Hedwig's talon. The trio watched silently as the snowy white owl flew away in the distance before turning toward Dumbledore's office.

"Well that's that then." Ron murmured.

"Now all we can do is wait."