Title: One Stupid Person

Author: quixotic-hope

Rating: M (just to make sure, but it's more like T)

Pairing: Harry/Sev (of course)
Genres: Romance, angst, fluff

Beta: Molvanian Queen-In-Exile

Summary: Sev de-ages himself to spy on Harry and ends up falling in love with him instead.

Author's Note: My computer is still really slow, and it still does not have Word. Also, I should be reading "Crime and Punishment" but have chosen to spend my free time updating instead. You should all be proud of me. Just kidding.

And I know I said I'd update yesterday, but for some reason I could not get fanfiction to work. I was halfway through responding to the reviews when my computer freaked out. Sorry!

Chapter 10: New Year's Eve

Despite Harry's assurance that he understood why he had been turned down, Severus could tell that Harry didn't really believe him. Harry's smile never seemed to reach his eyes, and it was more than obvious (to anyone who cared to notice) that Harry was doubting Alan's interest in him. Therefore, Severus wanted to do something special for Harry, something that would prove to him that Severus (or, rather, 'Alan') really did care about him.

On New Year's Eve, Severus persuaded (not that it took much effort) Harry to accompany him to the top of the Astronomy Tower. They would have been alone had they remained in Gryffindor Tower as well, but Severus felt it would be more amusing (he refused to think "romantic") for the two of them to sneak up to the roof.

Harry agreed, and, at half past eleven, the two were under Harry's invisibility cloak on their way to the tower. Severus dimly noted the irony of his having spent so much time as a teacher trying to prevent Harry from doing the very thing he had just persuaded the boy to do.

Well, maybe not the very thing, amended Severus. After all, he had a feeling Harry didn't sneak off to the roof with boys too often. Of course, there was that time in the trio's first year with Miss Granger…

Shaking his head, Severus focused on Harry, who was currently leaning against the railing, looking out over the grounds.

"It's beautiful," commented Harry.

Determined not to allow himself to become too cliché, Severus agreed while looking anywhere but Harry.

The two stood in a comfortable silence for a few minutes before Severus spoke.

"When I was little, my mother used to let me stay up late this one night of the year. It was such a big deal at that age. I'd always fall asleep before midnight," Severus recalled, thinking back on his one happy memory of his childhood. "My mother would always wake me up in time for the countdown, though. And every year, at the stroke of midnight, she would let me have a sip of scotch."

Severus didn't add that it had been that single sip once a year as a child that had made him dependent on that particular drink during his holidays as an adult, when the loneliness became unbearable. He also refrained from mentioning that this was the first year since he was five that he hadn't had any scotch. And yet, somehow, being here with Harry, he found that he didn't need any.

xxx

Remembering that Alan's parents had died, Harry felt pleased that Alan felt comfortable enough to share this with him. However, now Harry knew it was his turn to tell a New Year's story, and he didn't have any. The only childhood tradition he had was lying in the cupboard under the stairs, listening while the Dursleys laughed and had fun. But he couldn't tell Alan that, could he?

xxx

Severus knew that Harry was trying to decide whether to open up or not, so he decided to help out.

"What did you do for New Year's?" he asked bluntly.

xxx

Now that Alan had asked, Harry felt he couldn't lie.

"I never did anything for New Year's," Harry responded truthfully. He was going to leave it at that, but something in Alan's eyes made him continue. "The Dursleys—my aunt, uncle, and cousin—always stayed up. They'd buy a lot of food and have a little party for themselves. Sometimes a few of Dudley's friends would come over. A couple of times Uncle Vernon would invite some of the neighbours over, but that was only when he had remodeled a room or bought something new that he wanted to show off."

Alan narrowed his eyes, not liking the omission of Harry's own whereabouts in the story. "And where were you during these parties?"

"I was in my room," said Harry, not mentioning that his "room" was the cupboard under the stairs. "They didn't like having me around," he added unnecessarily.

xxx

Severus was once again surprised. He had heard that the boy's relatives had disliked him, but he hadn't completely believed it until hearing the admission from Harry himself.

"I'm sorry," he said sincerely, even though he knew it wouldn't help. Harry shrugged it off. "If it's any consolation, I know a few people who could have them killed."

xxx

Harry burst out laughing at the serious way in which Alan had suggested having his relatives murdered.

"Seriously," added Alan. "Seven galleons a person, and they're all dead."

Harry continued to laugh. "Thanks," he said, "but I don't think Dumbledore would appreciate that much."

xxx

"No, I don't suppose he would," agreed Severus, pleased to see Harry happy again. He wanted to know more about Harry's life with the Dursleys, but he didn't want to bring up any more bad memories. He knew from experience that talking would only reopen old wounds. Besides, if he got Harry to talk about his childhood, Severus would feel obligated to talk about his, which was something that he most certainly did not want to do.

"Which do you like better," asked Harry suddenly, "England or France?"

Severus was about to ask how Harry knew he had been to France when he remembered that that was what Dumbledore had told everybody. He thought for a moment before deciding on, "France."

"Why?"

"Because the people there—"

"Are far less inclined to stick their noses in other people's business," cut in Harry, remembering their first conversation on the train.

"Actually, I was going to say that the people there are much more civilized and cultured," said Severus. "But, I suppose your answer works, as well."

"Oh." Harry didn't know what else to say. He thought a moment. "I'm in England," he pointed out.

"Yes," agreed Severus, "all the more reason for me to like France better."

Harry hit him playfully on the arm and pretended to be offended. Then they both laughed.

By the time they got around to looking at Harry's watch, it was long past midnight. They had missed the countdown, and yet they both felt that they had gained a whole lot more.

A/N:
Yes, yes...I know that's corny, but Je m'on fou! (That's french for "I don't give a shit"...I think. I know it's "I don't give a" something.)

Anway, please review and tell me what you think!