BLOOD OF THE MOTHER by BertaS Dec 2005

Chapter 30

Description: Sev's reaction to his new room. Dinner with the staff.

Disclaimer: They belong to JKR. I'm just playing with them.

I Don't Deserve It

Severus strode toward his quarters hoping that Harry had not been too bored while he was occupied with the staff meeting. He was pleased that he had managed to shock several of his colleagues. He actually got half way across the room before registering the difference and wondering if he had somehow entered the wrong quarters. "H… Harry?" he called confused.

His young master came out of the lab with a book in his hand and a smile on his face. The smile faded quickly when he saw the look on the older mans face. Sev looked confused and ready to cry as he looked all around the newly decorated room.

"Sev, you okay?" Harry was getting concerned he really thought that Sev would be pleased. "You don't like it?" Harry turned toward the mantel with a tear in his eye, "I'm sorry, I'll get Dobby to put it back like it was."

"NO!" Sev was on his knees holding Harry's hand, "Please, I like it. I… I just… I don't understand. How? Why? You've done so much already and I… I don't deserve it."

"Oh, Sev, that's not true. I just want you to be happy. You deserve to be happy." Sev was shaking his head; he truly did not think himself worthy of Harry's kindness or concern. "Yes, you do." Harry said firmly, "Severus, repeat after me, 'Severus Snape deserves to be happy.' Come on, say it."

Sev swallowed nervously and looked up at Harry, "Se… Severus Snape d… deserves to… to be… h… happy." Tears rolled down Sev's face and Harry realized that Sev wanted to believe, but didn't.

Harry had him say it a several more times, instructing him to say it to himself until he believed it. He then asked, "Do you want to look at your new things? Dobby and I had quite a lot of fun this afternoon." Harry helped Sev to his feet, "Dobby says there's a lot of other stuff, and I guess several generations of teachers and headmasters all having different tastes makes for a large storage area full things, if you want to change something just let him know."

Sev moved around the room touching things lightly and smiling. There where only a few things in the curio cabinet primarily two of the GI Joes, one was posed as though instructing the other he was wearing what looked very much like Sev's teaching robes and was holding a shrunken pot of Play Dough, the other sat as though listening. They made him laugh and blush at the same time.

When they where ready to sit down in front of the fire Sev noticed the red chair and blinked several times. "I have a Gryffindor chair? What am I doing with a Gryffindor chair in my chambers?" He was obviously having trouble figuring why Harry had selected a red chair for the head of Slytherin's room.

"Oh, that ones mine." answered Harry with a laugh as he flopped down in the chair in question. "The Sorting Hat may have thought I would do well in Slytherin," He was smirked "but you wouldn't actually expect me to be comfortable in a green chair would you?"

Sev just gaped at him, "The Hat, wanted to put you in, my house," and in a small quiet voice asked "but put you in Gryffindor? Why would it do that?"

"Several reasons, mostly the old mans manipulations, now that I think about it." Harry snorted, "Hagrid delivered my Hogwarts letter because my uncle wouldn't let me read them. You know that I didn't even know I was a wizard till he told me. He took to Diagon Alley, helped me get my supplies, bought me my first ever birthday present, and told me about my parents and Voldemort. He warned me away from Slytherins, saying, 'there weren't a witch or wizard that went bad that weren't in Slytherin'." Harry's imitation of the giant was pretty good. "We now know that's not true, but considering Hagrid and Riddles mutual history I guess I can understand it. Then there is the fact that I had already met Malfoy and the first thing he did was insult the first person to ever be nice to me, he really wasn't someone I wanted to be associated with."

Sev nodded, "My attitude and treatment of you and your friends in class must have just confirmed that for you. But, how did you get the Hat to put you where you wanted?"

Harry shrugged, "I didn't actually ask it for Gryffindor. I just knew that I didn't want to be a Slytherin. So I kept repeating in my head 'not Slytherin'."

Sev snorted this time. "I suppose it takes a lot of courage to argue with the Hat."

Harry laughed. They talked on till time for dinner and went to the great hall. There was a single large round table just like during Christmas hols when there were only a few students. Several of the teachers greeted Harry and inquired what he had been up to during the summer other than what had been in the papers.

He answered as vaguely as he dared and made his own questions as polite as he could. It wasn't till near the end of the meal that Madam Pomfrey started in on where was Mr. Potter to stay since the dorms were not open and students were not supposed to be in residence till the start of term anyway.

Severus finally snarled at the woman that Harry would be staying with him as his guest not as a student. This seemed to raise several eyebrows and Hooch made a comment that only the potions master actually heard.

"I believe, Madam, that I already answered that under Veritaserum. I will be sleeping on my sofa. Not that it is any concern of yours." Snape had hissed. Harry stood and Severus followed him robes billowing as they both stalked off to the dungeon.

When they got to Sev's quarters there was some disagreement at to just who would be sleeping on the sofa. Harry thought it was wrong for Sev up give up his bed and Sev was adamant that he could protect Harry better if he were in the outer room and Harry in the bedroom. They were interrupted by a knock on the door.

Sev waved his hand and the door opened to Minerva McGonagall who immediately started to say, "I didn't see a sofa…" she abruptly stopped and gazed around with wonder, "Oh my…"

Sev grinned at her reaction; it almost mirrored what he had felt when he realized that Harry had spent all afternoon picking furnishings that he thought Sev would like. "Harry did it while we where at the staff meeting. Please, join us, would you like some tea?" He stood to reach the bell to call for an elf.

Harry ushered her to the red chair, whispering, "I don't think he likes this chair." as he seated himself on the sofa his eyes where almost twinkling.

Minerva chuckled, "Well I don't see why not, it matches the rug and complements the green and black wonderfully."

Severus snorted as the tea arrived and he pored out for each of them. "I didn't say I didn't like it, I just didn't realize I would be entertaining Gryffindors enough to need such a specialized piece of furniture." he sneered.

Harry and Minerva both laughed. Harry was relieved that Sev was gaining some of his snarkyness back.

They sipped their tea for a moment and Minerva said, "If I remember correctly there are guest quarters just next door, aren't there? Perhaps a door could be opened from them to this room." She gestured to the wall at the far end of the room.

A/N I would like everyone for reading. I am sorry this took so long. I have not been feeling well.

My sister has started a yahoo group and has posted my stories there. There are also a few bits and pieces that go with but not in this story they will most likely not be posted here at ff. net, some are mine and some were written by loralee1 check out her stuff here and at our group 'sisters of the write stuff' over on yahoo. There is a link from my profile.

Again thanks for reading and reviewing. BertaS