Chapter Five: The Cold, The Warmth

The night was freezing cold. The thin blanket was not enough to keep him warm. For a room without a window, it was peculiarly drafty. If that was not bad enough, Harry had not been taking care of him for almost two weeks, and he was itching to get into a bath. A real bath - not just the usual wiping down with a towel. He could hear the clock in the hall chime eleven when Harry came in. Severus' eyes brightened at the promising scene.

He must have shocked the brat with his anticipatory expression because Harry was staring at him with a stupefied look. When was the last time that had happened? Probably during his sixth year in school... Then Harry recollected himself, and smiled slightly.

"No one bothered to clean you properly, did they?" Harry sighed. "Well, it's a full bath tonight." He put the armload of towels, robes, brush, and soap on the bed. "We'll wait for the water to heat up first." He disappeared into the bathroom.

When he returned, he began telling Severus of the last two weeks' activities. Unwise decision, to divulge such information to an enemy, even if a curse was laid on said enemy, Severus had thought. Then Harry slipped in some news that rocked and jumbled his thoughts into confusion.

Charlie Weasley and Draco had ... what?

"Can't get Mrs. Weasley to calm down," Harry said with a slight smile. "The others can't seem to find the courage to protest, but maybe that's because Bill was quite supportive of the coupling. And Charlie's Zerina gets along with Malfoy very well."

Severus sat up with Harry's help and limply held out his arms as Harry removed his shirt.

"So you can set your mind at ease, about Malfoy at least. Charlie isn't going to let him come to any harm." Harry paused, his eyes distant in thought. "I wonder how Lucius Malfoy would react to the news when he hears it."

He'll be absolutely, spitting livid, Severus thought with a wince.

"Is he going to come after you? For letting the seduction turn into a serious coupling?"

Wipe off that grin, you brat! Severus looked at him with an unfriendly stare. Harry chuckled and mumbled an apology. Although Severus went stiff with amazement, Harry did not notice it as they made their way into the bathroom.

"You smell," Harry observed in an annoyingly clinical tone.

Well, excuse me! Affronted black eyes stared deeply into amused green ones.

"Sorry," Harry apologized again, in that somewhat affectionate tone he had used earlier.

Had we gotten so close that he is warming to me? Severus thought in bewilderment. Why would he? Then he noticed that Harry was not wearing anything. The other wizard seemed to notice his attention and he shrugged.

"I need a bath too."

How convenient. He managed to lift his eyebrow, and Harry cocked his own in response. After a while, the young man snorted and turned around.

Obsidian eyes rested upon his youthful back and gazed on as shoulderblades writhed when Harry reached up to take hold of the showerhead. He heard Harry work on the tap and water spurted forth from the equipment.

"It's warm enough," Harry commented. He caught Severus' eye and warned. "Close your eyes. I'll start with your head." He brought the showerhead over. "And hold your breath a little!"

Severus did both, and tilted his face upward slightly.

Patter. Patter.

Droplets of water rained comfortingly down his face. Ah. It felt good to be washed. Fingers worked on his hair, making sure it was completely wet, and then the showerhead sprayed over his neck, back, and chest. Harry made certain that water had touched every crook and nook of his body before shampooing his hair. He was not gentle – he put up quite a vigorous massage that Severus felt his scalp turn slightly sore.

"Doing this for your own good," Harry muttered. "Have to get the grease off, and it won't itch as much, eh?"

Severus simply sighed. For some reason, when Harry began to lather soap on his body, he started to feel ... warm. The sensation prickled a warning. Try as he might, he heated up when Harry soaped him there. He cursed mentally as he saw Harry's eyebrows perked up with interest. He noticed! Severus groaned inwardly. Green eyes lifted and Severus saw a flicker of amusement there. Quickly, he turned away, ashamed that this had to happen now. Before the insufferable brat, Harry Potter.

"Well, this makes cleaning easier," Harry said dryly.

He growled low, but Harry merely chuckled. Why isn't he embarrassed? Severus demanded. At least Harry was serious about cleaning him up, but damn if those touches did not arouse him more. The fingers left him, and Harry knelt on the floor, seemingly oblivious to the blatant erection before him as he scrubbed Severus' legs and feet. It annoyed the obsidian-eyed wizard that Harry was not having a similar problem. Harry stood up and circled him, this time to soap his back and bottom.

"Don't be startled all right? I'm going to work on your armpits."

He colored. Thanks to the paralysis curse, he would not be flailing around. But it will still tickle! His mind screamed. Severus swallowed the lump of nervousness in his throat.

"Ready?" Harry lifted his right arm. "I'm going to start."

Severus squeezed his eyes shut. He fidgeted several times but he managed to keep his expression calm. If he could have, he would have stamped on the brat's foot for torturing him in this manner.

Slide.

Harry's hand slipped down his side, and the fingers rested on his hipbone. "You don't seem to have any new bruises," Harry said lightly, too lightly that Severus tensed with uneasiness.

Could he have noticed?

A puff of warm breath ghosted over his shoulder. "Snape?" Harry called him in a soft voice. "If you want, I can take care of that for you." The proposal sent the blood raging in his veins, but stubbornly, Severus shook his head a little. "Okay." Strangely, Harry did not move to stand before him. Instead, he had summoned the showerhead to him.

"Ugh..." The groan that escaped from his throat was totally involuntary. His erection would still not dwindle. The rain of water stopped.

"Snape?"

Don't do anything. Severus prayed fervently. Don't do anything. He swallowed when he saw Harry's hand move closer. Then he cried out sharply when Harry plucked at a pubic hair. Strangely, his body lost interest. It should have stimulated him further, but perhaps, he had not expected the sharp pain.

Harry's face came around and he glared at the wizard's sheepish expression. "Sorry ... but it worked, right?" The young man grinned and turned on the shower once more.

You damned brat. Severus glowered. Maybe it was because of that Harry did not look at him as he was drying Severus, which had exasperated the older wizard all the more. Their eyes met quite by accident as Harry pulled up a blanket over him. Severus arched his eyebrow, and the young man blushed. The awkward tension between them disappeared.

"I'll get a heater. Do you want another blanket?" Harry asked thoughtfully. Since he was asking...

Severus gave him a discernible nod. He had dozed off in the time Harry had gone off to get the extra things to make him more comfortable in bed. He woke to the feeling of fabric enveloping his right foot. Muzzily, he opened his eyes and saw Harry tug a sock to cover his foot properly.

Am I a prisoner here or an invalid?

"Don't get smart," Harry muttered. Severus jerked.

How had he read him so accurately?

"Your sardonic expression gave you away," Harry answered his unspoken question. Severus managed a glare to cover his discomfort. The young man patted his feet when they were both enveloped with comfortable, warm socks. "Are you okay? Still cold? Or is it too warm?" Severus shook his head at the questions.

Harry suddenly fell quiet, and Severus studied him with a thoughtful look. It seemed that the other wizard wanted to speak, but indecisiveness stalled him.

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