Hey there how r u guys? Here comes next part… oh n if there's anyone who would like to be my beta reader id be terribly grateful… are there lots of faults in my story?

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Time was twenty minutes past one in the morning, when Harry had finally finished his homework. For once, he actually felt content about it. He had spent some extra time on his potions essay, as he knew the Potions master would never allow him to come and see him if he had not finished his homework.

Harry didn't really know why he wanted to see his Potions professor so badly, in the middle of the night. The only thing he knew was that he felt a strong longing for the man. He didn't realise then what that meant.

As the common room was empty, he left without anyone noticing. The moment he got outside the Gryffindor tower, he pulled the invisibility cloak tight around him, not wanting to be caught by Filch. He almost ran down to the dungeons, his feet shivering of the cool night air. Some moments later, he entered his professor's private quarters. To his surprise, he found Severus in his living room, reading some thick book. The immediate second that Harry stepped down the stairs, Severus looked up.

"What, pray tell, are you doing here at this time of the night?" Severus snapped and shut the book. He leaned forward a bit and looked questioningly at Harry.

"May I come in?" Harry asked politely and ignored the question he was just asked.

"You would even if I told you not to, so there is really no point in answering that question."

"You already did." The younger man smiled.

"What do you want?" Severus asked defensively.

"I just wanted to see you." He sat down on the floor. "I thought you'd be in bed."

"My body does not demand the same amount of sleep that your body does. You should have been asleep hours ago." The older wizard stated sourly. A little more gently, he added: "It seems to me as though you are quite cold." He handed a blanket to Harry, who sat on the floor, leaning against a wall.

"May I ask you a very personal question, Sir?" Harry asked nervously.

"You may ask, although I may not answer."

"Do you like me in the way I like you?" The younger wizard blushed fiercely.

"I beg your pardon?" Severus was startled.

"I…well. I think I'm falling for you." Harry refused to meet the older man's eyes.

"Merlin, you do not think so, Mr Potter, do you? I am certain it is just a "silly school crush" as you students so eloquently put it." The man said indifferently.

"But I…"

"Stop hallucinating, Potter!" Severus warned.

"We're not even friends in your eyes?" The student asked quietly.

"Mr Potter, I am not in a suitable position to befriend anyone." He looked at the disappointed boy in front of him. "I do have to admit, though, that I do enjoy your company most of the time we spend together. But if you are after something different, then I will not oblige. I think it is time for you to leave now, Mr Potter. It is well past curfew. I do not want you to get into trouble because of me." He sighed. "I don't deserve that."

Harry smiled weakly and got up on his bare feet. "I'm sure you do."

"Foolish boy, walking down here with bare feet." Severus waved his wand and the moment later, Harry was wearing socks. He patted Harry on the shoulder and tried to ignore the warmth he felt when they touched. "Good night, Mr Potter."

"Good night." Harry whispered back and made his way up to his dormitory.

When Harry entered his dormitory he found Ron, sitting on his bed, entirely awake even though time was well past 2 a.m. The second Ron saw him, he stood up.

"Can I talk to you for a sec?" Ron whispered and motioned for them to go down to the common room.

The black-haired boy wasn't in a mood for arguing and obliged therefore immediately. The two boys sat down in the coach, right before the big fireplace. Even though they had been the closest of friends, there was now an uncomfortable silence. Ron was the first to break the silence.

"Harry, look, I know I haven't been the best of friends lately and I know we've been falling apart but I just…" Ron took a deep breath. "I really don't wanna lose your friendship." He let his words sink in and then continued. "I can tell something has happened to you, I knew it the second we met after summer. You were different. I figured you would tell me in time, but instead you went hiding. You disappear in the evenings all the time, without telling anyone, like you didn't think there was anyone here who'd care if you were gone or not. I just wanted to tell you that we've been worried…me and Hermione." He turned to meet Harry's eyes.

"Ron…I'm sorry, I really am." Harry said nervously and looked down. "You were right, something did happen to me. Can I tell you something and you'll promise not to interrupt me or tell anyone else about it? Not even Hermione, I'll tell her in time."

"Sure, mate. Go on." Ron nodded.

"Well, you remember I told you that my uncle treated me well? Well, that's as far from the truth I can get. I…err…I don't know how to say this, you know... My uncle umm…he abused me physically. And…oh for fuck's sake I don't know how to say this…he raped me. Once. I was ashamed…I still am…" Harry turned to look at Ron's disgusted reaction but he was surprise when he found that Ron only looked at him in compassion. "He changed me. I'm not the boy I was before this summer. I don't even know what I am anymore." He started sobbing quietly. "When I got back here, I felt like I couldn't be one of you guys again. I just wanted to die. Then umm…Snape got me into a detention and he asked me to stay behind. And uh… he was nice. He is nice. He's the one who got me back on track; he's the one who made me start eating again. I've been seeing him quite a lot lately." Harry blushed slightly. "I suppose that's pretty much it."

"I'm sorry, mate. You know that?"

"Umm…yeah. Thanks."

"So…err… why is that greasy git nice to you?" Ron asked unbelievingly.

Harry felt his whole body tense in defence but he decided it was unwise to argue with his friend, now when they'd just befriended each other again. He decided to ignore the question.

"Well, I'm going to bed now…" Harry yawned.

Harry lay awake in his bed almost all night, reflecting over the day's happenings. He was surprised at Ron; he never expected something like this. In fact, he thought their entire talk was a bit surreal. But, after all, what do you expect to happen in the middle of the night that's not surreal?

He was a bit disappointed in his meeting with Severus. Not that he'd expected the man to share his feelings, but…well he'd expected something else. What he didn't know though, was that his professor was sharing his thoughts.