It was just about noon when Harry entered the Leaky Cauldron. He had asked Tom for the room number, and was currently walking up the stairs, trying to keep calm. He wasn't sure if he could face Snape again. The man could be rather terrifying.
He knocked on the door to room twelve, and it swung open on its own accord. Snape was sitting in a chair in the corner, a small wall lamp giving off the only light in the room. There was a window, but Snape had drawn the curtains, which had turned the room dark.
"Please, sit down," Snape said warmly, waving his wand in summoning of a chair. Harry was surprised Snape could be warm; it was cooler in his room than outside. Harry shivered involuntarily, folding his arms and shoving his hands in his armpits. "I'm sorry, Potter, are you cold?" Snape asked with a slight air of concern in his voice. "Just a tad," Harry replied nonchalantly. "I'll heat up the fire than, shall I?" Snape said as he pointed his wand at the fireplace, causing a merry fire to spring to life.
Snape set his book down on his lap, looking at Harry for the first time. "I'm sorry I frightened you, last time we met, Harry," Snape said sincerely. Harry was a bit befuddled for Snape had always called him Potter, never Harry. Snape seemed to read Harry's mind, for he said, "You don't mind, do you? You may call me by my first name as well, if it suits you." "Oh, it's fine… Severus, really," Harry said nervously. Snape smiled, seeming complete out of character. Harry liked the new Snape, this Severus man, much better than the old Snape.
"I was told by Mrs. Weasley that even though you loved Ginny, you always had a thing for men," Severus said, his smile had dissipated and his face was now blandly neutral, "Mrs. Weasley said you fell for men with my looks, and that I ought to give it a try." "Oh," Harry said. He supposed Ginny had been complaining to her mum about his tendencies. They weren't to terribly bad, just a bit out of character.
"Well, just so you know: I'm not ready for that sort of thing," Harry stated, hoping he didn't sound unsure of himself, for he certainly felt unsure. "Well, not yet, anyways," He added, his voice shaking. "Quit being such a coward Potter," Severus said, falling back into Snape mode, "I'm not going to rape you. I wouldn't dream of it in my wildest nightmares." Harry was momentarily shocked by Snape's sudden mood swing, but quickly snapped back, "Shut-up, you ugly old git." "Just like old times," Severus said, smiling. "Uh, yeah…" Harry said, confused and wondering how bi-polar Snape was.
"Well, I've apologized, you may leave now," Severus said. "Have a fun day; don't get into to much trouble, and all that." "Yes, sir," Harry said laughingly. Severus laughed too, and Harry left the Leaky Cauldron on good terms with his old professor.
With the death of Ginny heavy on Harry's shoulders, Snape was surprised that Harry was responding to his advancesa at all. Snape hoped Harry new it was an act. He loved Harry to pieces, but they were the wrong temperment for each other. Snape hoped that Harry would tell him "quit making a fool of yourself and act like you should". He knew that wouldn't happen and that he'd have to make the change slowly on his own, but he hoped, nevertheless.
As Snape walked the long, boring walk down to his house in Spinner's End, he thought about Harry. About his love for the boy, about their relationship, about Harry's feelings for him. It was depressing, but absolutely true that Harry had little or no feelings for him. It hurt knowing that Harry's loving charecter would make him fake it, just for Snape. Snpae's chest hurt in heart ache, so he walked a bit quicker against the cold bluster of England down to his home. His empty house with nothing but books for company.
"Harry wont mind the dust, I'm sure," Snape thought, smirking at his own stupidity.
When he arrived home, Snape took off his heavy coats and lazed about the house, with a book in hand, in his trousers. It was exciting, the book I mean. It was about four little creatures called hobbits roaming about the world on this grand adventure. It was wonderfully written, just as dull and slow as Snape's life in the beggining and much more exciting, like Harry's, near the end. "Lovely," Snape thought sarcastically, "I'm lazing about at home, by myself, whilst Harry hangs out with his friends. I hate this."