Disclaimer: Don't own it, unfortunately…..

Mak rocks, plain and simple.

Thanks for the great reviews for last chapter. I love getting them; they make me happy. Review. You know you want to.

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Chapter Fourteen

A Visit in the Night

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Severus sat on his black leather couch facing the roaring fire with his legs crossed and one hand draped over the back. In his other hand was a glass of cognac he absentmindedly swirled around. He was staring beyond the fire taking sips of his drink every now and then. Normally he didn't drink but coming back from the hospital wing he just couldn't get settled and he hoped some alcohol in his system would calm him.

The bottle of cognac was sitting on the small wooden table before him, half empty. It had been a new bottle and in a matter of fifteen minutes he had drunk half the bottle. Feeling his mind slow a little, he began to relax.

The day's events had played over and over in his mind. He couldn't get the thought of Alex crashing into the railing out of his mind, or the sickening thud the boy had made as he crashed into the floor of the teachers box. Severus finished his glass of cognac after hearing that sound play over in his mind.

As Severus was carrying Alex to the hospital wing he felt his heart clench when he felt Alex cease breathing. He contemplated that feeling for a while. For the life of him he couldn't understand why he worried about Alex. Severus didn't want to admit to himself that he had let the boy slip past his carefully built defenses.

After Albus had suggested that he consider asking to be the boy's guardian, Severus had begun to watch the boy closer. Alex had a passion for potions that rivaled his own. The boy didn't seem to be bothered by his acidic tone in class and appreciated his sarcasm when they were working together. He thought about the times they had both argued about potions and how the boy could match him with ideas and theories. It was refreshing to be around someone who could challenge him, even if it was a fifteen year old boy. Severus was still debating about the boy in the hospital wing when he started to doze off.

Severus woke up lying on his back in his four post bed. He slowly awoke, blinking a few times trying to adjust to the darkness. He was about to stretch when he noticed two things. One, his left shoulder was being used as a pillow and two; there was a small weight on his chest. He looked down and saw a small body lying on his chest. He moved his right hand to settle a top a baby's head. The child had a head of silky hair that he hoped was as dark as his.

Looking to his left he saw a very familiar pair of blue eyes gazing up at him. "He won't learn to sleep on his own if you keep bringing him to bed with us whenever he makes a sound," Aurora said as she flicked the light on.

Before he could answer their child began to stir. Severus watched as his son pushed against his chest to look at his father. His son had his eyes and hair, but thankfully, he received his mother's nose. The child gave his father a toothless smile that, despite himself, made Severus smile.

Aurora snuggled up beside Severus and kissed him on the cheek. He turned away from their son and looked into her eyes and simply said, "I love you."

She gave him a brilliant smile and kissed him hard on the lips. "I love you too. Always and forever."

Severus awoke with a jolt, breathing heavy, on his couch in front of the fire that was slowly dwindling. He had the headache from hell and felt horrible. The dream had shaken him up; the face of his non-existent child would stay with him forever. All of his previous dreams he had ever had never showed him what his child would look like. After those dreams he wished he could have seen the child's face. After seeing his son's face, he wished he would have been left in the dark once again. That face was the most beautiful thing he had ever seen, which made him want to weep, but, he wouldn't allow himself to. He and his wife had created that little boy and if he had been given the chance to live he would have loved him like his father had never done for him.

Looking at the empty bottle of cognac he shook his head thinking he wouldn't be drinking again in a while if the result was having dreams like that. He rose from the couch and decided to take a walk around the castle since he knew he couldn't sleep.

XXX

About an hour later Severus made his way to the hospital wing; at this hour Madame Pomfrey would be asleep and not bothering her lone patient. The other students who were injured in the Quidditch game were taken care of and allowed back to their dorms, which left Alex alone in the hospital wing.

Severus quietly made his way into the hospital wing, not making a sound as he walked over to the boy's bed. He looked down at Alex, who was sleeping. Alex had awoken earlier in the night. Severus noticed he was sweating and sleeping restlessly. Looking down at the boy he felt his heart clench. He thought about all that had happened to the boy in the last few months. Severus knew what it was like to lose a mother, but, he had not lost his only family when she died. Severus liked the boy, he was a good kid and most importantly they shared a deep passion of potions.

Looking around to make sure they were alone he raised his hand and rested it against Alex's cheek. He felt rather warm and wondered if Poppy had given the boy a fever reducing potion. From the look of it she must not have given it to him. On the bedside table was a cloth in an empty basin. Severus filled the bowl with water with a flick of his wand. Taking the cloth out, he wrung it out and dabbed the sweat off of Alex's face. He felt his cheek again and Alex unconsciously leaned into his touch.

Severus quickly moved his hand away and sat heavily into the chair beside the bed. He stared at the boy in shock. Severus was absolutely shocked at his actions, he usually didn't touch people and this time he didn't know what made him do it. He blamed the dream. Perhaps the dream was meant to show him how much he had wanted a family or that he missed so much because of his inability to move on in an acceptable manner. He felt that if Alex had been aware of what he was doing he would have been repulsed at the idea of being touched by the greasy bat of the dungeons.

During his silent musings he didn't notice Alex begin to stir. He was slowly waking up with a pounding in his head. He could feel the blood rushing in his head and his vision was slightly blurred. Alex tried to lift his head but he became dizzy, crashing back into his pillow with a moan. Severus heard the moan and his head snapped up. The urge to get up and walk out of the hospital wing as quickly as possible was strong, but something kept him rooted to the spot.

Alex didn't immediately see his professor watching him and he groaned in pain at the tension in his head. He wished desperately for a pain relieving potion. His head hurt so badly he wanted to cry. Muffling a sob he put his left arm across his face.

"Where are you in pain?" a silky baritone voice rang out.

Alex was startled when he heard the voice of his potions professor speak to him and weakly managed to say "my head."

"Specifically, where, Mr. Barneo?"

"Tension by my temples and my eyes hurt like hell."

"There is no need for profanity," Severus said with a smirk.

Alex ignored his professor's snide remark. "Can I have a pain relieving potion?" Alex whined as he looked helplessly at his professor.

"I don't think so. Knowing Poppy she gave you a dreamless sleep potion along with countless others. It would not be wise to give you a pain relieving potion. It would adversely react with the other potions you have received."

Moaning again in pain, he curled up into a ball facing his professor. "So I just lay here and suffer?"

"I'm afraid so."

"Thanks for your sympathy," he said sarcastically as he started to shiver.

Severus conjured a blanket and draped it over Alex. He cast a warming charm on the blanket to keep him warm. "Thank you," Alex sighed with relief as he started to warm up slightly.

Severus wanted to get the child's mind off of the pain so he said the first thing that came to mind. "Tell me about this place you are dragging me to for the winter hols."

Alex smiled slightly, which made Severus feel a little better, and began telling him all about the place they were going to stay. "Well, for the first part of the break mom and I would always go up to our lake house upstate. It's a great place. Our house is right on the lake, one of the smaller lakes so there aren't as many people there compared to the others. The deck faces the lake and in the evenings you see the most amazing sunsets." Alex continued on for twenty minutes looking wistfully beyond his professor as he described the house. He eventually talked himself to sleep, which made Severus sigh in relief. He made sure Alex was asleep before me pulled the sheet around Alex and straightened them.

Severus looked down at the boy's hand noticing he was clutching something. He gently unclenched the boy's hand and took the small golden snitch out of his hand. Before it could try to flutter its broken wings Severus cast Immobulus on it to keep it in its current position. He stuffed it unceremoniously into his pocket before looking back at Alex. He left the hospital wing thinking New York didn't sound so bad after all.

XXX

The following morning Alex was up rather early for him. His headache was gone but his right side hurt whenever he moved. Madame Pomfrey finally arrived to see how he was doing. He told her he desperately wanted the pain relieving potion. After arguing for ten minutes she finally acquiesced knowing his argument, that the other potions had done all they could, was correct. She was always wary of giving a pain killer to the students for fear they would become dependent on it. It made the students hate to be the hospital wing.

Alex was feeling really relaxed from the potion when his housemates strolled in. "How are you feeling?" Allie asked as she sat on the edge of his bed.

"I'm good now. Madame Pomfrey just gave me a pain relieving potion and it's starting to kick in," he said dumbly.

"So can I punch you?" Michael asked faking seriousness.

"No! I caught the snitch didn't I?" he said indignantly.

"Yeah, you did, but we didn't expect you to get injured so badly." Michael replied. He smirked and continued, "Great catch by the way."

Alex smiled, "Thanks. It really was a great game."

"Just don't kill yourself next time," Samuel said.

"Don't worry I don't see myself dying in a Quidditch game."

Rolling her eyes Allie replied, "You shouldn't picture your death anyways!"

"I don't! I just thought it would take more than Quidditch to kill me," Alex answered.

"I'm sure it will," Michael said. "Poor Draco though, he is getting hell from the other houses for what happened."

Alex sat up and became worried. "What! Why? It was an accident! Who's been hasslin' him?"

Samuel spoke up. "Dude, we know it was an accident and we told him so. At dinner he got hell from the Gryffindors mostly and some of the brave Ravenclaws and Hufflepuffs. He didn't let it show that it bothered him, but when we talked to him I could tell."

"What did they say to him?"

"Well Ron and Harry, well mostly Ron, said some pretty rude stuff, but they just threatened him mostly. It didn't seem to bother him though, I just think he feels bad about it." Allie said.

At that moment Draco came into the hospital wing looking nervous. "Hey, Draco." Alex said in a cheerful tone. Draco scowled slightly and walked over to the four friends. Sighing deeply Alex said annoyed, "I'm not upset I know it was an accident."

"Oh, I'm aware of that. I just don't like being threatened all day long," Draco said as he was pacing in front of the bed. It was odd to see him so upset over something like that.

"Screw 'em" Allie said shrugging, "Why are you letting it bother you Draco?"

Draco stopped pacing. "I'm trying not to hex them all into oblivion, thus, getting myself tossed out on my arse."

"Draco, don't worry about it, I'll talk with them," Alex said.

"Oh please, I don't need you defending me to the boy wonder and the weasel."

"Draco, do you remember when I told you I won't let anyone screw with my friends? Well you are my friend and I'm not going to stand by as they hassle you into killing them. Suffice to say you wouldn't do well in Azkaban." Alex was laughing slightly, as were the rest of his friends.

"You're probably right about Azkaban…." He left off.

Allie jumped in, "I don't think they would let you wear your silk shirts in there," she said laughing.

Draco smiled and simply said, "true."

"Ferret! What are you doing here?" Ron bellowed, his face beat red. Harry looked just as pissed as his red haired friend.

"Visiting, of course," Draco said nonchalantly.

"Why? You aren't wanted here." Ron ground out.

"Harry, Ron, whether you want to admit it or not, it was an accident. If I am not pissed about it why are you? Or are you just looking for a fight with Draco?" Alex asked. He noticed Hermione standing beside them looking angry with her hands on her hips.

"I told you!" she said in a huff.

"Yeah, well—" Ron started.

"Well nothing. You can clearly see he is fine and that Malfoy didn't do it on purpose." Her voice rising as she went on.

"I don't need you to stick up for me Granger." Draco said, purposely not saying mudblood.

She noticed the lack of that word as well and gave him an odd look. "It doesn't matter to me if you want my defense or not. You didn't mean it and these two are acting like gits about it."

"You're defending him!" Harry shouted in shock. It was unnerving to see Hermione defending Draco Malfoy.

Madame Pomfrey interrupted in that instance and threw Harry and Ron out without hesitation. She absolutely refused to have her hospital wing full of noisy, shouting teenagers. She warned the others that if they acted as foolishly as the other two boys they would be gone in a second.

Draco, Allie, Michael, and Samuel left a few minutes later leaving Hermione and Alex alone. They both smiled at each other before she leaned over and kissed him gently on the lips. He pulled her to him and deepened the kiss. She broke the kiss after a few minutes and rested her head on his shoulder as she lay beside him. "I was so terrified when I saw you fly off your broom," she said quietly as she draped her arm around his chest.

"As you can see, I'm fine." Alex was starting to doze off but tried to stay awake to talk with Hermione. He was successful, but only for a few minutes. In less than five minutes he was snoring softly. Hermione was lulled to sleep by the sound of his heart and the gentle rising and falling of his chest.