Harry shifted impatiently in the bed. Bill's arms tightened their hold on him for a moment to keep him still, then returned to their previous occupation of running through Harry's long, silky hair. "What is bothering you, love?" It was late at night and he was ready to sleep. They had already had an extremely busy day what with planning Harry's future, trying to talk to Snape and christening the bed twice.
Harry sighed. "I don't know. I'm just confused. I feel like the whole world has changed around me."
"Well, in many ways it has. You now have a new look, a new last name and a father."
Harry was silent. When he spoke again he sounded incredibly hesitant and almost scared. "Do you suppose…do you suppose he really wants to be a father?"
"Of course he does. Why do you ask?"
"He didn't get much choice, did he? I mean, he was having a perfectly lovely summer and then he gets landed with me all of a sudden. No warning. Nothing. Snape doesn't even like kids."
Bill chuckled. "You're hardly a kid, Harry. It's not like he has to babysit you or tuck you in at night."
"I guess." Harry still sounded uncertain.
Bill slipped out from underneath Harry and lay on top of him, his arms bracing his weight on either side of Harry's face. "If Severus didn't want you he would never have taken you to his manor. He would have left you in Dumbledore's office that day. I think he wants this."
"But why?" Harry sounded so confused. Bill cursed the Dursleys in his head for the millionth time. They had instilled him with such little self worth that he could not comprehend someone actually wanting to be near him, to be his friend or lover or family.
"Why wouldn't he? You are incredibly smart and funny. You are a loyal friend and a fierce protector of those you love. You are one of the strongest wizards I have ever met. You are Slytherin enough even for a Snape to proudly lay claim to you. Although at one time he might not have chosen you as a son I think he would happily choose you now, even if he had his pick of any student at Hogwarts."
Harry was quiet for a moment as he thought about all of this. Although he doubted that Bill knew what he was talking about when he had listed his qualities he had to acknowledge that perhaps he was right about thinking that he might be Slytherin enough for Snape to like him. "What do I do?"
"About what?"
"I don't know how to be a son. What do I do?"
Bill dearly wanted to laugh but knew that he couldn't. Honestly, Harry and Severus were exactly alike. Both so wanted to be close to the other but didn't know how to do it. "It will come naturally. Don't force yourself to do anything you don't want to. Treat him like a good friend who is older than you until you feel comfortable treating him like a father. More of a research partner or something. You two have a lot in common. Just find something you enjoy doing together and spend some time getting to know him. Trust me, it will come."
"What should we do together? Maybe potions?"
"That might be a start. You know that he feels most at home in a potions lab. Reason says that he should be more willing to talk and be himself in the lab as well while he is working. You can also use the time to show him that you aren't totally incompetent at potions."
Harry lightly slapped Bill's arm away and pushed him to the side again to be used as his pillow. "I suppose so. You think this will be ok?"
"I think it will be brilliant. Trust your instincts. Do you feel any reason to back away from him?" He prayed silently that Harry would answer no. He wasn't quite certain what he would say if Harry told him he did feel reason to fear his father.
Harry thought about it for a moment. "No," he replied hesitantly "I don't. Do you think I might be reading him wrong?"
"No Harry. I think you are reading him perfectly. I don't think that he will ever hurt you. I know that your first instinct is to distrust men but I really feel that he is safe."
"Me too. Odd, isn't it?" Harry played lightly with Bill's chest hair. Bill covered the small hand with his own to stop Harry's innocent but incredibly erotic touches.
"Not really, no. You should feel safe around your father."
"Merlin. I guess he is my father, huh?"
"Just now figuring that out?"
Harry tweaked a nipple indignantly causing Bill to let out a most undignified squeak. "You act like it is normal to find out at the age of almost-seventeen that your father isn't your father and that someone who hates you is really the man who spawned you. Or something like that."
"When has anything remotely normal happened to you?"
"Hmmm. Wouldn't that be wonderful?" Harry's hand began his gently stroking of Bill's chest once again as he was lost in his daydream. "Someday I want to have a perfectly normal life. A nice home and a wonderful husband and lots of kids and a puppy. Maybe even a white picket fence. No crazed Dark Lords, no demented headmasters, no irritating ministry. Just me, my husband and the kids."
"Sounds awful to me. I think you'd die of all the normalness."
Harry launched himself on top of his lover and started tickling him mercilessly. "Much you know. I'm sure your dream is practically the same smart ass." Bill's wiggling beneath him quickly changed his plan from punishing his lover to seducing him, not that it ever took much effort. The giggles quickly turned to moans as Harry bent to take an earlobe between his teeth. Sleep was delayed even more for the lovers.
Severus looked up in amusement as Harry and Bill stumbled onto the balcony where breakfast was being served. The two made their way over to the side table to pour some coffee and he smiled as he saw them unconsciously helping each other. As Harry searched for the sugar Bill located the cream and poured a tiny bit in his own cup and a healthy amount in his lover's. Sugar being found, Harry added one lump to Bill's and three to his own as Bill stirred both cups. Having always been deprived of such things as cream and sugar at the Dursleys Harry had developed an unusually strong taste for them, taking delight in what was once forbidden.
They finally turned to the table and threw themselves into seats, Harry wincing slightly as he readjusted himself. Severus decided to ignore that.
"Late night, gentlemen?"
Harry glared at his father good-naturedly as he helped himself to some fruit. Bill heaped his plate with eggs and bacon. Harry had never been able to enjoy any of the traditional breakfast foods after having to cook them daily for as long as he could remember. While some things that had been forbidden felt like treats to have now, breakfast was not one of them. Too many punishments had been linked to him trying to steal a bite to eat in the morning after a long night of hunger.
"What do you plan to do today?"
Bill hastily swallowed his food. "I need to go back to the Burrow for a few hours to check in with mum. She was anxious to know how Harry was and what was going on. I can also deliver Harry's letters of explanation. We didn't want to trust them to an owl. I'll also swing by Hermione's to give her her letter."
"Will you be returning this evening?"
"If that is possible, Severus." Snape wanted to snap at the boy for his use of his personal name but grudgingly recalled that he had given the boy use of it the other day. Damn, Harry really was making him soft. Allowing Gryffindors to use his name, indeed. At the rate he was going he would practically be a Gryffindor himself by week's end. He tried to gather his composure after that terrifying thought.
"I shall make you a permanent portkey which will allow you access to the manor. It will only work for you though, do not attempt to give it to Weasley or Granger."
"Of course. Thanks."
"And you, Harry?"
Harry swallowed nervously. Severus grew nervous himself, wondering what Harry wanted to do that was so nerve wracking for him to even mention. "I thought I might help you in the lab today, sir. If you want me to, that is."
Snape swallowed his grin. His son wanted to work with him! The boy had even suggested it himself: he hadn't needed to be talked into it! "Of course. I am always busy in the summers restocking the hospital wing. Your help would be of great assistance." Harry gave him a small smile, clearly relieved that he had not been rejected. "Shall we meet in the lab in an hour? Do you remember how to get there?"
Harry nodded his head and bent to his food once again. Bill hastily finished his meal and suggested that they go dress for the day. Severus looked after his son and his lover as they left the balcony. Perhaps Bill wasn't as stupid as most Gryffindors. He had, after all, managed to come to the manor, cheer his son up, make him more comfortable with the situation and then promptly make himself scarce so he could spend some time alone with his son. He refolded the paper and set it aside. He needed to get ready to spend the day with his son!