Chapter Eight: Standing His Ground

Harry listened to Severus' slow, steady breathing, and finally allowed himself to relax. He sighed with relief, and squeezed the hand that lay within his gently. He took some time to examine himself, especially his thoughts. Now that the moment of immediate danger had passed, his mind was quiet.

He grew grim. Ginny had been helping someone to do the deed. He did not want to feel this way, but feelings of hatred were slowly blooming. Passing a hand to his face, he took several deep breaths, and concentrated his thoughts on Severus instead. He had not straightened out his feelings about the Potions master. He did not want to think that it was love – it would mean that he was hoping for something that Severus Snape would be reluctant to give. I suppose I do care for him. Biting his lip, he sifted through his memories. Would a friend feel this way for another? Gods ... I don't know. He inevitably thought about Ginny. There was no help for it, he guessed, as she had been his girlfriend.

It's part of growing up. She's attractive. She's brilliant too. But…. He turned his head and kissed the edge of Severus' shoulder. The attraction to her had not last. He sighed wearily. He should hate Severus. The man had been quite a source of anger when he was in school. He had watched him kill Professor Dumbledore. However, two weeks after Severus and Draco's capture, he had taken it upon himself to watch the older wizard. The more he had spent time in this room, the faster his negative feelings and thoughts of the man had faded. It must have helped that he was keeping quiet all this while. I'm sure it'd be different if he'd lashed out at me verbally. He caressed a part of Severus' hand with his thumb. Why did I start feeling for him?

He sighed again, deciding that 'love' was too hard a subject to make sense of at the moment. He went to sleep, but slept lightly. He woke before Hermione did, and spent some time touching the side of Severus' face.

"Have you fallen for him, Harry?" Hermione asked him quietly when she came to check on him.

"I don't know," he answered just as softly. "Maybe. I don't know if it's love that I'm feeling."

"I guess you care for him anyway." Hermione was not expecting a reply. "Try not to talk so much for a day or two. Give your throat a rest, and get some sleep, Harry. I won't let anything happen to you two."

Despite her advice, he remained awake. Most of the people sleeping in the small room were up by the time the grandfather clock out in the hall chimed seven. While Charlie left to take care of his duties, Draco remained, and stared at him and Severus with a sour expression. Harry sympathized with the silver-haired wizard – he seemed at a lost.

"Ron, go get the books we were studying and bring them down," Hermione instructed crisply when she stepped out of the bathroom. "I'll get breakfast."

Harry looked at Severus and cocked his head to one side with an inquiring look. "I'll take you to the bathroom." He saw the pair of black eyes flicker to watch Draco, who appeared dumbstruck by Harry's offer. Severus' cheeks colored a bit but still, he nodded.

Normally, Harry could not be bothered to perform a Lightening charm on Severus, but with him as weak as he was, he probably could not handle Severus's true weight. Draco stared on as Harry lifted Severus and made his way to the washroom.

Breakfast was waiting for them when they were done. Harry tested the toast and tea first, ignoring Hermione's exasperated sigh. When he deemed it was safe to eat, he fed Severus carefully. Like curry, Severus was not that fond of crispy toasts, but he liked freshly baked bread.

"You're not going to do anything but sleep and rest, Harry," Hermione said firmly when he happened to flip through her notes. "Don't worry about us."

He nodded and obediently climbed into the bed. Severus' eyes were on him as he settled into the mattress. "Someone move him once in a while, if he gets tired," he mumbled. Exhaustion was catching up with him. His vision blurred even before he removed his glasses. Just before he went to sleep, he heard Draco ask,

"You do all of this for him? Why?"

That question remained unanswered.

It took Harry three days to recover from the poisoning. It was after he had sat in a discussion – Charlie had informed them that something strange had happened to Hogwarts – that he had boldly took some of his important possessions and moved into the room below.

"Harry, you're joking right?" Ron tried to stop him when he saw him carry Hedwig's portable perch into the room. "I mean ... you don't have to overdo it." Harry merely smiled.

At dinner, Molly questioned him anxiously.

"I'll be fine."

He ought to know that his friends would not take the change easily, but he grew irritated when Hermione and Ron ensured that his time – and free time – was fully utilized. He noticed that Severus would look at him long and hard, but there were plenty of things preventing him from having a one-on-one discussion with the Potions master.

-oOOoOOo-