Author: Farseeker.

Genre: Romance/Angst.

Multi-chaptered: Duh.

Warnings: Language, slash, student/teacher, (future) violence, OOC.

OOTP-Inclusive: Yes.

Summary: Sometimes the way you define hate and how others define it differ, and sometimes you can believe someone to hate you when they don't…

A/N: This chapter kind of pisses me off, and probably will end up being revised on pretty heavily. I needed to get something up, though, so here it is. I know it was a shitty place to leave it, but the conversation between Snape and Albus has to be pretty much on the mark, and the convo between HP, RW and HG was strange enough. Just for the record, HP is not mine.

The next morning at breakfast the Headmaster rose from his seat, calling for quiet. He spoke into the silence, voice grave.

"It is with great regret that I must inform you that, due to the attack on Diagon Alley yesterday, Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry will be closed."

There was a great outcry from the students, one of denial and shock. Dumbledore continued to speak over the noise.

"Hogwarts will, instead, be opening its' doors to the general public as a haven. For those of you who are muggle-born it is recommended that you talk to your families about their coming here as soon as possible. Formal classes will cease to be held, but voluntary lessons for some subjects may be continued."

There was a shocked silence.

"Today the Hogwarts Professors will be converting the majority of classrooms into sleeping areas. You are welcome to write to your parents to determine whether they wish you to stay here, although letters have already been sent informing them of the circumstances. All we ask for today is that you all stay out of trouble while we work on the classrooms. Professor McGonagall will be supervising you for today."

When Dumbledore had finished speaking all the teachers except McGonagall rose from their seats and left the Great Hall. There was some subdued whispering in the hall but most people were so busy grieving and helping others through their grief that they simply accepted what they had been told.

Harry spent the day down by the lake with Hermione and Ron. They had been surprised at the announcement but had already decided it was a good thing to do. Hermione couldn't wait to show her parents the school. Ron had been puzzled as to how they'd see the castle at all due to the wards, but Hermione had brushed his concerns off, telling him that there were spells that could be used on muggles to counter the wards, and Dumbledore had obviously planned to use one of them. Neither commented on Harry's lack of reaction, and for that he was glad.

That night at dinner Harry found a folded piece of parchment on his plate. He picked it up and slid it into his sleeve. No one noticed, and the meal continued normally.

When the trio left the Great Hall Harry excused himself, saying that he needed to go to the toilet. He locked himself into one of the stalls and pulled the note out of his sleeve.

We will meet tonight at the West Tower Courtyard tonight directly after dinner.

 S.

Harry folded the parchment and stood, hesitating a moment before leaving the bathroom and heading towards the West Tower.

Harry found Severus staring out off the into the distance, his robes pulled tightly around him against the cold.

"You're late."

"I couldn't just read the note at the table, you know."

"How do you want to go about this?" Severus asked after an awkward pause. "Do you want to tell your friends before we 'go public'?

"Wha…? Hey, I haven't even said that I was going to –"

"No, but you will."

Harry gaped.

Severus turned around to regard Harry. His eyes seemed somehow distant, and Harry shivered at the frankness in his voice.

"You need something to hold you together, Harry, and you aren't going to find it in your friends or the people around you. They've decided that you'll simply be able to deal with this on your own like you have before, and you know as well as I that this time it simply won't work."

"I won't let –"

"This is no self-sacrifice, Mr Potter." Harry jerked at the sudden coldness in Snape's voice and the return to the use of his last name. "I, like everyone else who has any sense in this world, want him – Voldemort – gone." The name was stressed, and Harry wondered at how much it had cost him to say it. "More so than most, in fact. Whether you like it or not, Potter, you will have a hand in that. If you are truly of the opinion that there isn't even the faintest chance that you can fulfil the prophecy than chances are that you won't, and that's not good for me.

His voice softened, and he stepped closer to Harry. "You are the one who is going to have to make the big sacrifices in the end, Harry, and if there is anything I can do to help make it less of a burden, anything at all, I will do it. I have done far worse, after all."

By this time Severus was standing right in front of Harry and he lifted a hand to touch the man's cheek. Harry's eyes flicked to Snape's hand and back again. Severus smirked and his tone turned slightly teasing.

"In any account, I'd get to spend time with a handsome young man. I hardly see how that can be regarded as a sacrifice."

As colour spread across Harry's cheeks Severus leaned down and pressed his lips to Harry's, lingering for barely a moment before pulling back.

"Okay?"

"…Okay…"

Severus lifted an eyebrow at Harry's sudden compliance but did not comment on it.

"But I—I want Hermione and Ron to know before anyone else." Harry looked down and bit his lip. "They deserve to know."

"Do you want me to come with you?"

Harry shook his head. "No. I can imagine they'll be pretty upset – Ron might try to hex you or something." His voice was light, but it trembled slightly. "This is something I need to do alone."

Severus nodded. "Very well then, I will see you tomorrow. Good night."

As Snape moved past Harry to the door he patted the young man on the shoulder. Harry jumped a little at the contact.

"Professor?"

"We are dating now, Harry. If you don't want people thinking our relationship is less healthy than they already will, I would suggest you get used to using my name."

"T-thank you…"

Severus had already left the courtyard by the time Harry had spoken, and barely head him at all. He pretended that he hadn't and continued back to his rooms, finding that for some reason he was more than a little apprehensive for Harry's sake.

Harry found Ron and Hermione in the Gryffindor Common Room playing a game of chess – the muggle kind. Hermione refused to play with game pieces that pulled each other apart, and Harry had come to agree with her. As far as he was concerned there would be enough violence in their world soon enough without them needing to emulate it in a game.

"That, Harry, was possibly the longest trip to the toilets every recorded. Perhaps you should consider a trip to the Hospital Wing," Ron laughed at him, and Hermione rolled her eyes.

"Once you finish your game, do you mind if we find somewhere private to talk? It's kind of important."

Hermione looked worried. "We can always go now if you want, Harry. After all, if it is important…"

"No, it's fine Hermione. It's shouldn't take that long to finish the game anyway, judging from the look on Ron's face."

Harry was right. The game was over in five turns, and the trio decided to visit the Room of requirement It took the form of a small stone-walled room, featuring three chairs and a small fire that, despite it's size, put up a good fight against the chill in the room.

"So, what was it that you wanted to tell us?" Ron asked, making himself comfortable in one of the chairs.

"I've kind of…recently become involved with someone," Harry said. 'Very recently,' he added in his head.

Ron and Hermione stared at him for a moment before Ron, grinning widely, leaned forward and slapped Harry on the back.

"That's brilliant, Harry! Who is she?"

"Um…it's a he, actually.' Harry held his breath.

The grin on Ron's face seemed to freeze, and for a moment he looked almost like a wax statue. Hermione, however, looked like a light had come on inside her head.

"Er…okay, not what I was expecting, but anyway…so who is he, then?"

Harry sucked in a breath. "You have to promise me that you won't freak out – a lot, anyway. No screaming or yelling, and no hunting him down and threatening bodily harm." Harry paused for a moment, and then added 'or causing it' to the list.

Hermione, who had been quiet so far (Harry had been praying that was a good thing) scrunched up her nose. "It's not…Malfoy…is it?"

"What? No!"

Reassured by the surprise and small amount of disgust in Harry's voice, Ron smiled again. "That's okay then. I think I could handle anyone but him."

"Promise me." Ron blinked at the insistence but promised anyway. After a moment Hermione agreed to abide by Harry's terms as well.

Harry breathed in. "It's–" and then stopped. He had almost started with 'Professor' and he agreed with Snape in that it wouldn't go down too well at all – especially with Ron.

"It's…?" Hermione prompted, face curious.

"It's Severus." Harry closed his eyes, not wanting to see the expressions on Hermione and Ron.

"Sever—you mean Snape?"

Harry nodded, and opened his eyes. Ron's face held a mixture of shock, denial and disgust, and Hermione's eyes were beginning to look suspiciously watery.

"But Harry, it's Snape. We hate him, remember? He's like a bat, swooping around in those robes of his. His nose takes up half his face; you could hang him upside down and use his hair to grease a frying pan if you really wanted! It's Snape!"

Harry flinched and sighed. "I knew this would happen…"

Ron gaped. "You knew—how could you not know this is how we'd react? It's Snape!"

Harry let his face become cool. "I really don't think you understand, Ron. Has it ever crossed your mind – ever – that I have to face down possibly the most powerful wizard in existence? A wizard with supporters willing to die for him, and with so many years of experience over me it isn't funny? And that I will probably die?"

Ron's face held a look of such surprise that Harry genuinely believed he had never even considered the possibility of Harry dying, but Hermione's look of guilt told him that she had.

"It's nothing to feel guilty about, whether you have or haven't thought of it." Harry's voice was quiet. "You need to understand, though – I'm currently living on a rather limited amount of time, at least in my mind, and that does not lend itself to patience, nor caring what people will think of me. Right now I need this, and I will not allow anyone, be it the press or my friends, to belittle it. I need this."

Hermione drew in a shaky breath. "I'm disappointed in you, Harry." The tears that had been hiding just behind her lids began to fall. "How could you hide this from us? We had no idea you were even gay! I know that I've told you about people I'm interested in, and what I find attractive, and I'm quite sure Ron has as well. And you—you…do you really have so little faith in us?"

Hermione's voice had become shrill and loud, but by the end of her spiel it had died down to almost nothing. She hiccuped.

"I'm sorry, 'Mione, I really am. I just—I don't know." Harry sighed and finally took a seat, sprawling into one of the chairs. "I suppose I wasn't sure how you would react to me being gay in the first place – I know my Uncle and the others would be less than supportive and it's never mentioned in the wizarding world so I just kept quiet. And nothing was going to happen anyway, so what did it matter? It was easier not to say anything. I truly didn't mean to hurt you – either of you."

Hermione sniffled, and then nodded. "Okay, I can understand that. But Harry, you have to promise not to withhold anything in the future."

Harry bit his lip. "I don't think I can, Hermione." He hurried to explain at her hurt look. "I like having my secrets, especially now that so many people are watching me, and I don't think I can honestly just give that up. I'll try to let you know more of what is happening with me though, I can promise you that."

Hermione smiled weakly and nodded again. "Okay, Harry. Just don't keep us in the dark about anything major."

"So…this is okay then? With both of you?"

"It's fine with me, Harry, if it's what you want."

Ron, who had been listening carefully to the exchange between Hermione and Harry, spoke abruptly. "Does it make you happy? Does…he…make you happy?"

Harry blinked. "Yes. I mean, I know that it can't really mean anything to him and that he's only doing it because he thinks that it'll take my mind off the war and give me a better chance of winning, but he makes me feel…" Harry shrugged. "Like I can just be me. He doesn't expect anything, or require anything of me. He just…I don't know. He does make me happy."

Ron nodded. "Okay. If he makes you happy, okay. Just, please, no real snoggage in front of me? I think it'd kill me."

Harry laughed. "Check, no major snoggage in front of Ron." His face turned serious. "Thank you, both of you."

Hermione shrugged. "We're your friends, Harry. It's what we do." Ron nodded in agreement.

Harry smiled. "That doesn't mean I'm not grateful." He yawned suddenly, surprised by the quick onset of tiredness.

"I think that may be our cue to go to bed," Hermione observed, a small smile on her face. Ron laughed, and Harry grinned sheepishly. As the trio headed out into the halls, Ron cleared his throat.

"Harry, mate, there's something I want to ask you, and I want an honest answer."

"Yes?"

"Is his nose a turn-on?"

"Ron!"

"Well, it's just that I was thinking if the saying about guys' feet also applied to noses, then Snape would be–"

"Ron!" Harry's mortified voice carried through the halls, followed by the sound of Hermione's hand hitting the back of Ron's head, a small yelp of pain and her scolding that faded as the trio made their way back to the Gryffindor Tower.

Meanwhile, Severus was standing outside of the door to Dumbledore's office, hestitating. He had found that, upon returning to his rooms, he had not been able to read nor sleep. While he had made Harry believe that he did not car what other people thought of him in regards to them that was not entirely true. He was currently standing outside the office of the man who's opinion had, for many years, been the only one he'd cared about. He was terrified.

Snape shook his head. Procrastinating would serve no purpose, and the man deserved more than finding out the next day along with the rest of the Hogwarts population.

Just as Severus was raising his hand to knock on the door, it slid open. Eyes behind half-moon glasses twinkled at him.

"Come along in, Severus."