Disclaimer: I don't own Harry Potter. I know, you all just had heart attacks...
Chapter Three: An Understanding
Severus awoke in the middle of the night and couldn't figure out what had woken him. His rooms were perfectly silent. Too silent, he realized with a jolt, looking towards Potter's small form next to him on the couch. The boy, who regularly kept Severus awake with his thrashing and moaning, was quite still. With a feeling of dread, Severus bent over him. Potter wasn't breathing.
Severus had the damnable boy cradled in his arms in a heartbeat.
"Breathe, damn you, breath," he muttered frantically, pointing his wand at the boy's immobile chest.
Sending his Patronus out in search of Dumbledore, Severus grimaced and then lowered his face to Potter's to give him mouth to mouth resuscitation.
Wondering where in all hells Albus was and what was taking him so long, Severus blinked to clear his vision, which had inexplicably gone blurry. Trembling with fatigue, it took Severus a moment to realize that The-Boy-Who-Lived-To-Make-His-Life-Hell was breathing faintly again.
Severus nearly collapsed with relief, but he knew that Potter was far from alright.
"Don't die on me, Harry," said Severus fiercely. "Don't you dare die."
He pulled several vials of potion off of a shelf and was just pouring them down Potter's throat when Albus arrived.
"It's about time," growled Severus.
"What is it, Severus?" asked the Headmaster in an infuriatingly calm tone.
"What it is," spat Severus, in no mood for niceties, "is that your precious little Golden Boy just nearly died!"
Albus's eyes widened in surprise and he quickly strode over to the unconscious boy.
"His breathing is worryingly shallow," said Albus in concern, feeling the boy's hot forehead.
"Well it's an improvement on a few minutes ago," ground out Severus. "When he wasn't breathing at all."
Albus looked distressed. "I'll fetch Poppy," he said, and hurried from the room.
"You exhaust me," Severus informed the sleeping boy. But somehow he couldn't feel anger towards the boy. In fact, what he felt most was a deep exhaustion that went down to his very bones. His limbs ached and his head pounded. The sooner Potter was well the better. Then Severus could get back to his normal life without having to worry about an ailing thirteen-year-old sleeping on his sofa.
Poppy came hurrying into the room, followed by Albus.
"Oh good gracious!" exclaimed Poppy when she saw Potter's barely fluttering chest. She immediately set to work, leaving Albus gazing at Severus.
Albus raised an eyebrow. "Severus, how are you feeling?"
Severus glowered. "As well as can be expected when I'm up all night tending to Potter."
Albus gave Severus a piercing look, but said nothing else. After Poppy had fussed over Potter for a while longer, she gave Severus several more instructions and then left with Albus, thankfully, following her out.
Severus sat down heavily beside The-Boy-Who-Lived-To-Give-Him-Headaches. To his surprise, Potter stirred and his eyes fluttered open. Snape stared down into the wan face.
"Potter? Potter, are you awake?"
Harry felt as though he were swimming through very dense pudding. He knew that there was light somewhere above him, but he couldn't seem to figure out which way was up. Distantly, he heard a voice call his name, and he struggled toward it, his lungs expanding painfully as he gasped for breath. As his vision burst into spots of intense light, he began to cough so violently that it wracked his whole body. Harry felt a cool hand cup his head, and a glass of water was brought to his lips. He drank gratefully, reaching out a trembling hand to his rescuer. A firm grip caught his own and a silky baritone voice said, "Breathe, Potter."
Harry obeyed, squinting into the light as the blurry shapes around him coalesced into a room.
"Where am I?" Harry croaked.
"You are in my office," said the voice. "Where you have been for the last week and a half since you collapsed during your detention."
Office? Collapsed? Detention? Oh Merlin...
"Snape?"
"Professor Snape," said the voice, as Snape came into view carrying a goblet full of potion.
Harry's professor squatted down in front of the sofa. "Drink this," he instructed, holding the goblet to Harry's lips.
Harry did as he was told, too weak to argue, and then looked back at his professor.
"What happened?"
"As I have already stated, you collapsed during your detention."
"Has it really been a week and a half?" Harry asked weakly.
"Indeed," Snape replied, setting the goblet down.
"Have you—have you been taking care of me?" asked the boy.
"I have," said Snape.
Harry gaped at him.
"Don't sit there gawping like a fish, Potter," said Severus, his relief that Potter was finally awake making him short tempered.
Potter closed his mouth and Severus pulled out his wand and cast a temperature check spell. He winced. "Potter, your fever is still extremely high. I suggest you get some more rest."
"I'm not tired, Professor," said Harry, trying to sit up.
"For Merlin's sake!" said Severus, catching the boy before he fell and gently placing him in a sitting position. "Potter, you are still very ill."
As Severus tried to walk away, Potter grabbed his robes. "D-don't go..." the boy whispered.
Severus raised his brows at the boy, who ducked his head.
"P-please?" he added uncertainly.
Merlin, Potter must still be feeling terrible thought Severus as he reluctantly returned to he boy's side.
"What do you want, Potter?" he asked tiredly.
Harry just shook his head miserably. "Th-thank you," he muttered, almost inaudibly.
Severus stared at him, dumbstruck. Pulling himself together, Severus sat down beside the ailing boy.
"While you are awake, do you think you could answer some questions?" said Severus.
Harry nodded.
"One: Why didn't you tell anyone you were ill, Potter?"
Harry bit his lip and stared down at his lap.
"Well...?"
"I—I'm not supposed to show when I'm not feeling well," said Harry in a small voice.
Whatever Severus had expected to hear, this was not it.
"What?"
"I—at home, at the Dursleys', I'm just supposed to, you know, deal with it."
"Deal with it?" asked Severus incredulously. "Deal with a severe case of pneumonia and blood poisoning?"
Harry shrugged.
"Harry..." Severus took the boy's chin in his and forced him to look at him. Damn, his eyes were exactly like Lily's... "Harry, do your relatives beat you?"
Harry blinked at him. "You—you just called me Harry," the boy said in awe.
Severus rolled his eyes, but otherwise ignored the comment.
"Do they?"
"Um—sometimes," the boy whispered. "When I do something wrong."
Severus swore. The boy jumped.
"No, no, it's okay," said Severus, trying to sooth the frightened child. "Harry...the marks on your back. Were those from your relatives beating you?"
Harry cringed. Oh, no he thought. Snape had seen the scars and bruises covering his back. No one had ever seen those. Not even Ron. Much to his shame, Harry felt tears well up in his eyes as he nodded miserably.
Harry felt a cool hand brushing his tears away.
"It's not your fault," said Snape softly.
"Yes it is," Harry mumbled. "They do it to punish me. For being bad."
"Don't you ever think you deserve that kind of treatment, do you hear me?" said Severus roughly, gripping the boy's shoulders. "I saw those wounds. That's not a punishment. That's cruelty. Do you understand me?"
Harry nodded, fighting back the tears that threatened to come.
"I mean that, Potter," said Snape more softly. "I'll not stand to see another child abused in that way."
"Another?" questioned Harry.
"Leave it," growled Snape threateningly.
Harry suddenly realized how hoarse his professor's voice sounded.
"Professor? Are you alright? You sound ill..." Harry squinted up at Snape. He looked ill. His face was even paler than usual and his eyes were glassy.
Severus drew a hand over his sweaty forehead and suppressed a shiver. "I'm fine Potter. Worry about yourself."
Harry felt his eyelids drooping. "G'night P'fessor," he mumbled, as his head sagged against Snape's shoulder.
"Goodnight Harry," whispered Severus.
AN: I know the story's already finished, but I still greatly appreciate reviews :)
-SQ