Friendship and Beyond 39/?
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.
Avoiding Confrontation and Speculation
Harry, Ron and Hermione were sitting on Harry's bed in the Hospital Wing discussing the battle and Severus' condition the next day when the Headmaster entered the room. The trio stopped talking abruptly when they saw Dumbledore walking toward them, an uncharacteristically unsure expression on his face. Rather then move away from Harry as the Headmaster drew closer the others moved closer to their friend as they all glared at the headmaster.
"I would like to speak to you my boy." Albus said softly as he sat in a chair next to his bed. "If you feel up to it that is."
"I don't think we have anything to say to one another." Harry responded stubbornly. But gave in when he saw his professor's shoulders slump in defeat. Just as Dumbledore was about to rise to his feet Harry continued speaking softly. "However, feel free to say what you wish."
"My thanks." Dumbledore acknowledged with a slight bow of his head, before looking dismissively at Ron and Hermione.
"We keep no secrets from each other, Sir." Harry told him forcefully. "Anything that you feel the need to discuss with me can be done in front of them."
"I do not think it is something you would wish to become public knowledge." Dumbledore responded cryptically.
"Whether you tell them or I do, I promise you that they will find out whatever you tell me within the hour anyway."
"Very well, Mister Potter. As you wish." Dumbledore sighed exasperatedly. "It seems that during the course of the battle that somehow a bit of your magic connected with Professor Snape's leaving an inexplicable bond between the two of you. This is both the reason Professor Snape is alive and why you will be slow in recovering from your injuries. I am unsure of the amount of your magic that entered his body, but it was a significant amount. There are no physical signs of the bond, but you should become connected mentally as you each become stronger. That is to say that you will become aware of the other's mental state from a distance. I am not sure of other side effects, but they should be rather tame for the most part. Your spell-casting may become unpredictable for a few weeks however until you grow accustomed to your shared powers and limitations."
"Okay, but we'll both be fine right? I mean it's not painful or anything is it?" Harry asked worriedly as his friends looked on quietly.
"No, especially since you are familiar with each other already, the connection should be fairly pleasant. You may not even notice it except during extreme emotional periods."
"Good. So how is Sev- er Professor Snape feeling?" Harry asked in an attempt to change the subject.
"He is improving rapidly." Albus answered. "He has a bit of difficulty being up for long periods and still must breath shallowly as his ribs heal, but otherwise he is his usual sarcastic self."
"Can I visit him yet?" Harry asked expectantly, watching the headmaster through hopeful eyes.
"It was not Severus' condition keeping you from visiting." Dumbledore reminded Harry, looking over the boy closely for signs of further discomfort.
"I'm fine, I just want to see how he is feeling." Harry pleaded.
"We'll go with him." Ron suddenly interjected. "If Harry gets tired out we'll put him back in bed immediately."
Dumbledore gazed at them thoughtfully over his spectacles for a moment before agreeing silently.
"That however was only half of what I wished to speak with you about." Dumbledore continued somberly, gazing into Harry's speculative eyes. "Did Voldemort… violate you during your captivity as he implied last night?"
Harry stared impassively at his professor for a moment before answering calmly, Hermione grasping his hand in silent support, while Ron glared at the Headmaster.
"Not that it is any concern of yours, but yes Voldemort raped me." Harry answered, stressing the word rape pointedly. Harry would not let Dumbledore sugarcoat the truth in order to make himself feel less guilty. Harry had been slowly healing over the last two months and he wasn't about to let himself become traumatized by recounting what happened to his guilt-ridden Headmaster. "I don't particularly wish to discuss it with you right now, however. If you would excuse us, I would like to see Professor Snape now."
Harry ignored Dumbledore, who opened his mouth as if to continue the conversation further, instead looking toward Ron and Hermione for help in getting to his feet. He stood up carefully; only to be inundated with a shooting pain traveling up is right leg. When he would have fallen Ron grasped his shoulder and supported most of his body-weight, leading him wordlessly from the room with Hermione walking behind them.
The private rooms were a hallway down from the hospital wing and were for the less ill, or longer suffering patients. As they made their way to the second doorway on their right they overheard Madame Pomfrey and Professor McGonagall talking.
"You weren't there, Poppy." Minerva exclaimed as her friend continued to clean medicine vials by hand, seemingly ignoring her. "The way they tried to protect each other… When Severus was hurt, Potter was furious. The boy can be quite intimidating when he sets his mind to it."
"That doesn't prove anything, Minerva. They are just friends, and it's about bloody time those two get along." Poppy said shaking her head disapprovingly.
"Potter's been spending the night in Snape's chambers for the last month." Minerva told the Mediwitch causing her to drop a glass jar on the floor, shattering it.
"He's what?" Poppy exclaimed loudly.
"Still think they are just friends?" Minerva asked snidely. There was a moment of silence, which Minerva broke abruptly. "I personally think it's good for the both of them. Severus has been lonely for too long, and if he can make Potter happy, then more power to them. Of course Severus should learn to practice discretion while the boy is still his student."
"When? How? But…but they hate each other!" Poppy shrieked.
"Just a second ago you were telling me that they were friends. Make up your mind."
Out in the hallway the Trio was staring in embarrassment as Harry rested his beet-red face in his hands. Ron and Hermione were smirking over Harry's down-turned head.
"Even the teacher's think you're shagging the git." Ron exclaimed sarcastically. "That's just wrong. What are they going to think if we're all in the same room visiting the man?"
"Eww… Ron!" Hermione whimpered, covering her blushing cheeks with her hands.
"Come on, you two are just too easy." Ron commented, laughing at his best friend and girlfriend before leading them further down the hall to Snape's room. "Who cares if they think we're having an orgy anyway."
"I can see the headlines now." Harry whined as they entered the room. "Boy-who-lived-to-defeat-Voldemort In a Kinky Foursome with Teacher and Best Friends. Is Harry Potter a deviant?"
"I don't know Potter are you?" Snape sneered from his position laying up supported by pillows. Harry's head snapped up in shock as he noticed his Professor for the first time, staring at him in amusement.
"Bloody Hell!"
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.
Avoiding Confrontation and Speculation
Harry, Ron and Hermione were sitting on Harry's bed in the Hospital Wing discussing the battle and Severus' condition the next day when the Headmaster entered the room. The trio stopped talking abruptly when they saw Dumbledore walking toward them, an uncharacteristically unsure expression on his face. Rather then move away from Harry as the Headmaster drew closer the others moved closer to their friend as they all glared at the headmaster.
"I would like to speak to you my boy." Albus said softly as he sat in a chair next to his bed. "If you feel up to it that is."
"I don't think we have anything to say to one another." Harry responded stubbornly. But gave in when he saw his professor's shoulders slump in defeat. Just as Dumbledore was about to rise to his feet Harry continued speaking softly. "However, feel free to say what you wish."
"My thanks." Dumbledore acknowledged with a slight bow of his head, before looking dismissively at Ron and Hermione.
"We keep no secrets from each other, Sir." Harry told him forcefully. "Anything that you feel the need to discuss with me can be done in front of them."
"I do not think it is something you would wish to become public knowledge." Dumbledore responded cryptically.
"Whether you tell them or I do, I promise you that they will find out whatever you tell me within the hour anyway."
"Very well, Mister Potter. As you wish." Dumbledore sighed exasperatedly. "It seems that during the course of the battle that somehow a bit of your magic connected with Professor Snape's leaving an inexplicable bond between the two of you. This is both the reason Professor Snape is alive and why you will be slow in recovering from your injuries. I am unsure of the amount of your magic that entered his body, but it was a significant amount. There are no physical signs of the bond, but you should become connected mentally as you each become stronger. That is to say that you will become aware of the other's mental state from a distance. I am not sure of other side effects, but they should be rather tame for the most part. Your spell-casting may become unpredictable for a few weeks however until you grow accustomed to your shared powers and limitations."
"Okay, but we'll both be fine right? I mean it's not painful or anything is it?" Harry asked worriedly as his friends looked on quietly.
"No, especially since you are familiar with each other already, the connection should be fairly pleasant. You may not even notice it except during extreme emotional periods."
"Good. So how is Sev- er Professor Snape feeling?" Harry asked in an attempt to change the subject.
"He is improving rapidly." Albus answered. "He has a bit of difficulty being up for long periods and still must breath shallowly as his ribs heal, but otherwise he is his usual sarcastic self."
"Can I visit him yet?" Harry asked expectantly, watching the headmaster through hopeful eyes.
"It was not Severus' condition keeping you from visiting." Dumbledore reminded Harry, looking over the boy closely for signs of further discomfort.
"I'm fine, I just want to see how he is feeling." Harry pleaded.
"We'll go with him." Ron suddenly interjected. "If Harry gets tired out we'll put him back in bed immediately."
Dumbledore gazed at them thoughtfully over his spectacles for a moment before agreeing silently.
"That however was only half of what I wished to speak with you about." Dumbledore continued somberly, gazing into Harry's speculative eyes. "Did Voldemort… violate you during your captivity as he implied last night?"
Harry stared impassively at his professor for a moment before answering calmly, Hermione grasping his hand in silent support, while Ron glared at the Headmaster.
"Not that it is any concern of yours, but yes Voldemort raped me." Harry answered, stressing the word rape pointedly. Harry would not let Dumbledore sugarcoat the truth in order to make himself feel less guilty. Harry had been slowly healing over the last two months and he wasn't about to let himself become traumatized by recounting what happened to his guilt-ridden Headmaster. "I don't particularly wish to discuss it with you right now, however. If you would excuse us, I would like to see Professor Snape now."
Harry ignored Dumbledore, who opened his mouth as if to continue the conversation further, instead looking toward Ron and Hermione for help in getting to his feet. He stood up carefully; only to be inundated with a shooting pain traveling up is right leg. When he would have fallen Ron grasped his shoulder and supported most of his body-weight, leading him wordlessly from the room with Hermione walking behind them.
The private rooms were a hallway down from the hospital wing and were for the less ill, or longer suffering patients. As they made their way to the second doorway on their right they overheard Madame Pomfrey and Professor McGonagall talking.
"You weren't there, Poppy." Minerva exclaimed as her friend continued to clean medicine vials by hand, seemingly ignoring her. "The way they tried to protect each other… When Severus was hurt, Potter was furious. The boy can be quite intimidating when he sets his mind to it."
"That doesn't prove anything, Minerva. They are just friends, and it's about bloody time those two get along." Poppy said shaking her head disapprovingly.
"Potter's been spending the night in Snape's chambers for the last month." Minerva told the Mediwitch causing her to drop a glass jar on the floor, shattering it.
"He's what?" Poppy exclaimed loudly.
"Still think they are just friends?" Minerva asked snidely. There was a moment of silence, which Minerva broke abruptly. "I personally think it's good for the both of them. Severus has been lonely for too long, and if he can make Potter happy, then more power to them. Of course Severus should learn to practice discretion while the boy is still his student."
"When? How? But…but they hate each other!" Poppy shrieked.
"Just a second ago you were telling me that they were friends. Make up your mind."
Out in the hallway the Trio was staring in embarrassment as Harry rested his beet-red face in his hands. Ron and Hermione were smirking over Harry's down-turned head.
"Even the teacher's think you're shagging the git." Ron exclaimed sarcastically. "That's just wrong. What are they going to think if we're all in the same room visiting the man?"
"Eww… Ron!" Hermione whimpered, covering her blushing cheeks with her hands.
"Come on, you two are just too easy." Ron commented, laughing at his best friend and girlfriend before leading them further down the hall to Snape's room. "Who cares if they think we're having an orgy anyway."
"I can see the headlines now." Harry whined as they entered the room. "Boy-who-lived-to-defeat-Voldemort In a Kinky Foursome with Teacher and Best Friends. Is Harry Potter a deviant?"
"I don't know Potter are you?" Snape sneered from his position laying up supported by pillows. Harry's head snapped up in shock as he noticed his Professor for the first time, staring at him in amusement.
"Bloody Hell!"
