Writer: Azure K Mello

Title: A Bond Never Dies

Part: 94 of , or part 11 of Part Three

Words: 522

Your hair is cool today.

The others stayed with him, Remus crawled up to where James had been to comfort Harry and the boy felt safe again. But Severus was studying him and the way Harry wasn't looking at him and asked, "How cruel was I?"

"It wasn't real," said Harry as he clutched Remus' hand, "And it might never have been, like Moony said."

"How cruel was I?" repeated Severus.

"It doesn't matter," Harry said softly.

"It does to you, baby." It was so rare that Severus called him any pet name that Harry saw it for what it was, a plea and an outreached hand.

"You hated me and made no bones about it. At first I tried to make you see that I wasn't Daddy, that I was just me. But you thought I was as spoiled and arrogant as him and you hated me for it. And everyone said you were my father's enemy so I just sort of accepted it and moved on but it still pissed me off and watching it now it just ached and I wanted so badly to make you see that I wasn't him. And then Dumbledore tried to make you teach me occlumency. I was too old and it hurt and you wouldn't really teach me, you would just jump into my head and force me to push out. And it hurt like rape. And then I fell into a pensieve and saw Daddy bullying you and you hated me because you expected me to mock, but how could I mock you for him being a bastard? And it hurt because it proved that he really was a bastard and everything you said about him strutting around the school was true and it made me doubt everything and made me wonder if you were right about me too. You said I thought I was above rules like he did but I never thought that, I broke rules to survive and protect people. And I wanted you too see that. But then I thought that maybe I was lying to myself and to you and I really was like him."

"Harry," Severus started but was interrupted when the boy broke into a pleading tone.

"But I wasn't like him. I wasn't spoiled or full of myself."

"I believe you."

"But I am spoiled in this life, so why don't you hate me?"

"You're not spoiled, and this isn't that life."

"No, I'm spoiled brat. I have four adults who love me more than anything. People listen when I speak and care about my feelings and thoughts. I've always had my body respected and been liked for who I was. I've never gone hungry or been beaten 'til I vomited blood. I was taught about life, and magic, and occlumency, and potions by people who loved me and wanted me to succeed and be happy. Spoiled fucking rotten."

"Yeah, but you're my spoiled brat," said Severus as he pushed his lover out of the way and took Remus' spot, "I like you're brand of brat."

"Love you too, Severa."

"Shut up," there was a smirk in the tone.