As he was about to transfigure a large stone into a foldable chair for Snape, he heard a gasp and his name from an all-too-familiar voice.

His head shot up to see Snape standing at the corner of the path, a few metres away. If the situation hadn't been so awkward, he would've laughed at the look of surprise on his teacher's face. As it was, he could only stare, frozen, at his teacher.

*

Chapter 8

"Potter," Severus whispered, striding forward. "What are you doing here? Are you…" He couldn't bring himself to finish the question. What if Potter wasn't Mutt? What if he'd just stumbled upon the picnic and had chosen to investigate? He couldn't lead the boy to suspect anything. He couldn't let it get out that he'd… befriended a student! The mere thought made his head swim.

"Professor…" the boy stepped forward too, obviously nervous and unsure of what to say or do next.

"You have a lot of nerve. How dare you?" Severus couldn't believe he'd believed any of this was real. He couldn't believe he'd trusted a black dog Animagus! "Are your little friends hiding out here somewhere? Are they watching you have your fun with me? I hope I've amused you, Potter!" He was breathing heavily now. He had never been so humiliated and enraged in his life! He turned to leave, not bothering to deduct points from Gryffindor. He was too angry.

*

Harry let Snape yell at him. He knew he should have expected something like this. He knew Snape hated him. But he'd been foolish enough to hope that the brief time they'd spent together over the past week was enough to take away the prejudice. He'd been wrong. Very wrong.

But he wasn't going to give up.

"Wait! Professor!" He ran up behind Snape, grabbing his elbow, trying to turn him around.

Snape whirled around, his wand pointed at Harry's throat. "Do not test me, Potter."

"Sir," he swallowed, not liking the look in Snape's eyes… or the feel of a wand at his jugular. "I didn't mean anything… I just didn't think you'd be happy at the idea that the dog was me." He attempted a small smile, trying to ease his Professor's mind. And his hand.

"For once, Potter, you were correct. I'm not happy it turned out to be you."

"B-but, Sir… I was hoping--"

"What, Potter? You were hoping what?" He narrowed his eyes and tightened his grip on his wand. His knuckles turned white.

"That we could be friends… Severus."

*

He stared at the boy, blinking only once before lowering his wand.

"You don't know when to quit, do you? Can't you see your little joke is over? I will not be fooled again," he spoke barely above a whisper. He narrowed his eyes once more, fighting back the tears of hurt and anger. Sheathing his wand once more, Severus pushed past Potter, intending to spend the rest of the weekend barricaded in his room, drinking his way to the next week.

*

Harry watched his professor walk away, not knowing what to do. He wanted so badly to be Severus' friend. He thought back to the times they'd spent together in just the past week. He remembered how he felt, how he wanted to make Severus feel.

He jogged to catch up with the dark man, hoping this one more attempt would yield positive results. He didn't know what he was going to do, so trusted he would do the right thing when the time came.

He reached Severus just as he was about to turn the corner, heading back through the village. Grabbing his bicep, Harry spun Severus around, pulling him close. Wrapping his left arm around his teacher's chest, his right snaked up and around his neck, holding his head as Harry kissed him, plunging his tongue into the warmth of Severus' mouth, taking advantage of the surprised gasp. He knew he was lucky he'd caught Severus off guard. He was thankful not to have a new hole hexed into him. He marvelled at the fact that his gut instinct was to kiss Severus Snape.

Eventually, he pulled away, breathing heavily, still holding the shocked man close.

Taking his right hand from the back of Severus' head, he cupped the pale cheek, running his thumb along the pinkened bottom lip. He looked up into the dark eyes, hoping not to be rejected. This was the biggest risk he'd ever taken.

He refused to let the man go. They stayed there like that for what seemed to be an eternity, Harry holding his Potions professor close, caressing his face; Severus standing frozen in the arms of his student. Neither looking away from the other's eyes.

Finally, Harry couldn't take the icy silence anymore. He had to know what his teacher was thinking.

"Say something?" He pleaded, tucking Severus' hair behind his ear, just to give his hand something to do other than worry the delicious lip even more.

*

Harry Potter had kissed him. He couldn't move. Couldn't breathe. Couldn't think. What the fuck is going on? What is he trying to prove?

"How far will you take this?" he whispered, trying not to sound as hurt as he felt. "How low will you sink to see me humiliated?" He closed his eyes, willing the tremble out of his voice, before he dared continue. Finally, he opened them, looking back down into sad, green eyes. His breath almost caught in his throat at the memories those eyes brought him. Not of those, but of their mirror image in the boy's mother. His heart pounded in his chest as he waited for his voice to return to him. "Why, Potter?" He felt he deserved that much, at least.

The boy looked sad for some reason. He could see tears forming in the large, innocent eyes.

"I'm not trying to humiliate you. I'm not trying to hurt you. I… want to be your friend. More than your friend." He brought his hand back to Severus' cheek, running the backs of his fingers over the warm, pale skin. "I like you. You're not a bad person. As much as you try to be." He smiled a small, tentative smile. It was barely an upturning of the corners of his mouth, but it was all he could seem to manage. "Please?" He placed a chaste, brief kiss to Severus' lips. "I'm not my father." Another kiss. "I never was." Another. "Don't you see that?"

Severus' face went blank as he tried to determine whether or not he could believe the boy holding him so tightly.

"We can be no more than… friends." He gently broke Harry's grip on him, as he took a step back. "I am your teacher." He looked down at the ground, cursing himself for getting into this kind of situation. How ridiculous. He looked back up for Harry's reaction. The boy grabbed his hands again, pulling him close.

"But… I like you. Ron said--"

"Weasley? You are taking advice from that clueless child? The one who has remained ignorant of Granger's cow eyes for the past two years?" He scowled. Potter was toying with him. He didn't even know what he wanted! "Release me, Potter." When the boy made no move to loosen his hold, Severus shoved him back, desperate to get away. He stormed past the shocked Gryffindor, his rage flaring to a new height. How dare he? How dare that little monster mock me so? And to sink as low as trying to play upon my emotions!

*

Harry sadly watched his teacher storm away, not knowing what to do. He was humiliated. The picnic went to waste, and he'd ruined his chance at a friendship with his Professor.

Wiping the tears leaking forth, he kicked a stone over the ledge, into the grounds below. He knelt to pack away the wasted food, trying to convince himself he wasn't losing much in the way of a friend. Even though he knew he most certainly was.

AN: Hello again! I wanted to do something special to say thank you for all the wonderful reviews! So, here's an early chapter! As well as the one that will be coming this next Saturday! This chapter is dedicated to my best friend, Werewolf Groupie! She's an inspiration in herself!