Harry was not happy.

This isn't at all what I had imagined when he said he would carry me…

The young Gryffindor's body bumped against the stone wall as they turned a corner, Snape's magic not-so-carefully carrying him through the halls, leaving him to float helplessly behind the two Slytherins. Thank Merlin they were finally almost at the Headmistress' office. "Ow! Watch it, will you!?"

The corners of Snape's mouth twitched as he readjusted his wand to correct his 'mistake.' "Terribly sorry, Mister Potter. It will not happen again, I am sure."

"Yea sure. That's what you said the last three corners..." Harry muttered under his breath, folding his arms with a pout.

"Oh, come off it, Potter. It isn't attractive to sulk." Malfoy was having a grand old time laughing at his former classmate.

Harry threw a grimace at the young Slytherin. "And why would I ever want to be attractive to you?!"

"Is there someone else on your mind then? Some other Slytherin, perhaps?"

That caught Snape's attention. Was there someone special in Potter's life? He had never really thought about it until now. He had seen the man around with Weasley and Granger, of course, but it would seem the two had fallen for each other, instead. Of course, there was always the Weasley girl. Yes, he seemed to recall the two of them being an item before the final battle. Or at least, that's what the rumours were.

"...And that time with you and the apple?! What was that about, Malfoy?! Looked like one delicious apple the way you were..."

Blast. He had stopped paying attention and didn't hear Potter's answer...

Snape shook his head to dispel his thoughts. Why did any of that even matter? It wasn't any of his business who the man was with, nor was it the time or place to consider it. He must have been getting soft if he couldn't even keep his mind on the matter at hand.

Thankfully, they reached the Gargoyle Statue that protected the entrance to the Headmistress' tower. Without even waiting for the statue to speak, Snape uttered the password, "Dougal McGregor." and stepped onto the revolving steps as they ascended from below ground, bumping Harry's head on the doorway in the process.

"Merlin's balls, Severus, that hurt!"

Snape was so surprised at the sound of his name on the Gryffindor's lips, that he completely lost concentration, breaking the spell and dropping Potter rather unceremoniously on the steps. "My apologies, Potter." He just managed to not say 'Harry.'

He helped the young man to his feet, keeping a hand under his arm to hold him steady as the stairs finally reached the top. Tucking Potter's hand into the crook of his elbow, Snape stepped out slowly, making his normally long strides much shorter so that the younger man wouldn't lose his balance trying to keep up.

Out of the corner of his eye, he could just make out a fine blush spreading across Potter's skin, which pleased him more than he thought it should have.

Harry wasn't sure what was going on, but he was feeling a thousand and one emotions. He was apprehensive to find out what all of this was about, but he was distracted by the fact that Snape wanted to walk with him as if they were out for a stroll on the beach. He was embarrassed by his fall, and irritated that it had even occurred, and mortified that Malfoy had been there to witness every bit of his struggle. At the same time, he felt joy that he was with Snape, shyness for some reason? And something else, something stronger and more deeply hidden. "Maybe it is indigestion?" He muttered softly.

"What was that, Potter?"

Harry glanced over at Malfoy, resisting the urge to stick his tongue out at the blonde menace. Malfoy certainly hadn't changed much whilst Harry had been in a coma. His hair was a bit longer, just past his shoulders and beginning to look a lot like his father's, swept back into a clean and tidy pony tail. His face was still sharp and pale, but there seemed to be more life in it than there had been back when they were in school. Harry could understand that, seeing as how Malfoy probably saw Voldemort on more occasions on one day than Harry did in one year. Thinking of it like that, he kind of felt bad for the git.

"By the way, Potter, have you always been this short?"

I take it back. I don't feel bad for the slimy son of a-

"Enter!"

Harry looked up sharply as they entered McGonagall's office, curious to see the changes. Surely things would be very different from when Dumbledore had been in charge. Much to his surprise, hardly anything had changed.

The walls were still covered with shelves of books, the pensieve was still in the same place as it had been when he viewed Slughorn's memories, and – much to his surprise – Fawkes had decided to return. He wasn't much to look at, he almost reminded Harry of a tater tot that his uncle Vernon had gotten for him once when he had been taken out to eat with his cousin, but he knew that in no time at all, Fawkes would be at his most beautiful before growing old and bursting into flames once more to begin anew. Harry didn't think he would ever get used to having a familiar like that.

Thinking about familiars was making him really miss Hedwig…

"Good evening, gentlemen. Is there something I can help you with?" McGonagall didn't seem surprised to see the three men at all, then again, she seemed to always know everything before it ever happened.

"We have a situation, Headmistress. George Weasley is about to embark on a very dangerous venture, and he must be stopped immediately."

Harry looked up at the Potions Master in surprise. George? What happened to George?!

"Please explain, Severus." McGonagall gestured to three chairs that definitely weren't there a moment ago, but Harry was the only one to take a seat. He might not have done so if he had managed to find any more strength to stay on his feet, but he was tired and shocked by what he was hearing, so it was either sit down or collapse, and they already had enough problems without him adding to the pot.

"Mr. Weasley has purchased ingredients for an illegal potion, Headmistress." Malfoy supplied, handing her a copy of the sheet he had acquired from the Department of Mysteries. "One we suspect he is going to use in order to forget the Final Battle, or perhaps just the moment his brother had died."

Harry couldn't believe what he was hearing. Why would George do something so drastic? Sure, he was grieving, they all were, but for him to want to forget everything entirely? And why a potion? Why wouldn't he just Obliviate himself? Why put his own life in danger?

"Have the Weasleys been informed?"

"Not yet. I thought it best to come to you first, and since Mister Potter has a penchant for rushing into trouble before thinking of the consequences, I thought it might be best to bring him into it as well, if only to save us the trouble of piecing him back together a second time."

McGonagall Nodded. "Very well. I shall speak with Arthur and Molly. You take Mister Potter back to the infirmary and prepare him for travel. Mister Malfoy, if you would kindly stay here in case Mister and Mrs. Weasley have any further questions for you."

Malfoy nodded and took a seat next to the fireplace with McGonagall, the two immediately making floo calls to gather the Weasley clan together. Without another word, Snape stepped over to Harry and scooped him up into his arms.

Harry was too embarrassed to say anything as they made their way back to the infirmary and to his bed. Why couldn't he have carried him like this the first time around? It would have saved him some brain damage along the way…

Snape gently set Harry down, his black gaze meeting Harry's emerald green eyes intensely. It was almost as if…

"Well, I suppose I'd better get some clothes on! Can't go around in these now can I?! Hehehe.." He quickly broke eye contact with the older man, afraid that he had tried to use legilimancy on him to know what he was thinking. That must have been what it was, why else would Snape have stared into his very soul like that? Shivers ran down his spine as he replayed it over and over in his mind.

"Mister Potter, you might find it easier to disrobe before you can change into regular clothing...unless you wish to wear layers?"

Harry blushed and turned his back on his professor. "I- I know, I was only waiting for you to look away..."

"And if you fall whilst I am not looking, who will be there to help you?"

"What? I won't fall..."

He could feel Snape's stare on his back, and it was doing things to him that he never thought possible, especially considering his body had been broken into so many pieces that a puzzle master would have had trouble piecing him back together…

"Very well."

Harry peeked over his shoulder at the other man, making sure he had his back turned before undressing. He was attempting to rush it in case Snape decided to turn around after all, but the faster he tried to move, the more he just fumbled around, and the fact that his fingers weren't up to their normal strength yet, really wasn't helping with his buttons. "Bloody buttons! Who would ever wear so many bu-" He stopped himself too late as he realized that Snape probably held the record for most buttons on a single article of clothing.

"Allow me." Snape turned around and stepped very close to Harry, looking down at him with so much intensity that Harry felt like he might burst if he didn't get away, but for some reason, his feet wouldn't move.

His gaze was trapped in Severus' as he felt the man's fingers slowly move down his torso, buttoning up his shirt as he went. Those long, slender fingers would 'accidentally' slip beneath his shirt, lightly touching his bare skin before slipping back out to finish the current button. Harry could practically feel the other man's heart beating through his touch, and it seemed to be pounding as quickly as his own, and judging by Snape's slow, deliberate breathing, he seemed to be under a similar spell that Harry was. Finally, he finished it off by buttoning Harry's jeans as well, giving a gentle, but satisfying tug on the fabric at the end. "We mustn't forget that one." Snape spoke softly, his deep, low voice radiating through Harry's very being. "You wouldn't want anything to...fall out..."

The Gryffindor suddenly felt like he was back in the black lake trying to win the Triwizard cup. It was as if he had run out of air and only just managed to make it to the surface before drowning. Did Snape really have that kind of power? Harry wished he had a dark, looming presence like that...if he could make anyone feel so powerless, he would be able to really change the world into a better place…

Why was he thinking of all of this now?! His thoughts were all over the place when he needed to be focusing on George. His friend needed him, there would be time for all of this later!

He grabbed his jumper, gripped Snape's hand firmly, and nodded. "I'm ready to go, Professor. I promise, I won't be a burden." For now, he would try his best to stay focused on the matter at hand, but later, he would really need to think about all of these things he'd been feeling around the Potions Professor. If things kept going as they were, he was afraid he would do something stupid to alienate himself from the man, and he just didn't think he could handle that.

Focus, Harry!

George now.

Snape later.