AN: I just couldn't resist. :P The attention this story is getting amazed me, so I decided to post a little early. If it still gets attention, I will post again on Wednesday as planned. Enjoy :D

Painful Pleasure

Severus paced the length of his room. He was trying to figure out what had happened to Potter to make him suddenly think they were married. When the Auror's brought him in, the only thing they told Madam Pomfrey was that Harry had been attacked. The look of him was horrid. His right leg was twisted at an odd angle, his left ankle was completely shattered, and his left arm hung loosely from his body. It was as if something had torn it partly off, hanging on it with great strength before it gave way to nothing. He was covered in blood from head to toe and just the barest hint trickled from his parted lips. When Poppy touched the curve of his side the man gave a strangled shout and began to writhe. Even unconscious, Potter hadn't been able to get away from the pain. So, Poppy decided that it was best if she spelled a Dreamless Sleep straight into Potter's stomach. Once the Potion took effect, Poppy began her work. She gasped as even more injuries were revealed. Most of his ribs were broken or shattered, and he had internal bleeding.

None of the broken ribs had punctured anything, luckily, but Harry was still in a great deal of pain. The potion Poppy had gave him the third time he winced in pain did nothing to negate the pain. Severus felt sick when Poppy got his ribs patched up, because the click of Harry's ribs setting into place caused him to choke on heaps of his own blood before Poppy cleared his airway. He shuddered, bringing himself out of that horrible memory and focusing instead on Harry's words. Severus could hear the desperation in his voice as he screamed at him about the private details of his life. He could still remember the harsh flinch the young man had made when Severus spat ,"You were never entitled." He remembered the honesty and hope shining in Potter's eyes when he finished his tale. He could hear the echoing of Harry's words, "...told me you loved me." Shaking his head roughly Severus sat down heavily, grabbing his tumbler from the coffee table and taking a long drink.

"Ridiculous," He spat and slammed his glass down on the table.

Draco, who had been marking quietly, jumped at his lovers outburst and sneered. Though it failed in comparison to Severus' own, it was a pretty decent attempt.

"What's got your knickers in a twist?"

Severus shot him a glare full of despise, Draco flinched before he thought about it.

"If you must know," Severus began icily, "I have never worn knickers a day in my life, nor can I say I have worn pants since the war ended!"

Draco snorted, he had known full well.

"You didn't answer my question. What has got you all riled?"

"Potter."

"You're still on that. You know how Potter is. He was having you on."

"I don't think so, not this time. He looked crushed, absolutely crushed, when I told him he was never entitled to kiss me."

"So he is a good actor, so what, stop dwelling on it, Sev!"

Severus glared, about to make a scathing remark, but someone knocking on the door interrupted him and he hauled himself off of the couch instead. Severus was surprised to see Albus Dumbledore at his door, but then sighed. That should not have surprised him, at all.

"Severus, if I might ask you to follow me?"

"Why," Severus demanded.

Albus sighed.

"Harry..."

"No," Severus interrupted, "I will not be made a fool of. If the boy wished to see me..."

"He is no longer a boy, nor is he able to come to you at the moment, Severus."

"That is too bad. I refuse to degrade myself for the likes of him."

Albus sighed again before running a wary hand down his face. Severus took that as time to study the older man and noticed that the man looked tired and strained. He couldn't help but wonder what would make the great Albus Dumbledore look so utterly exhausted. Curiosity won over common sense and Severus couldn't help but ask.

"What is the matter Albus? You look as if you have gotten into a fight with Hagrid's pet dragon."

Albus shook his head, "No just one hell of a Gryffindor."

Severus arched an eyebrow. Draco, finally tired of being ignored, dropped his quill onto his parchment and stood up.

"What has Potter done now," Draco snarled, clearly fed up with the Gryffindor brat already!

"Harry had done nothing. At least nothing consciously."

Both Severus and Draco arched an eyebrow at this.

"Harry was in a fair amount of pain and the pain potion wasn't working. Poppy gave him a sleeping Drought and that seemed to do the trick for an hour or two. I went back to my office and left Harry in Poppy's capable hands. About half an hour ago, Poppy floo'ed me and I could hear yelling in the background. She told me that she couldn't get Harry to stop screaming. I went there as fast as I could to try and placate him, but as soon as I touch him his screams grew higher and he began to yell for you, Severus. He will not let Poppy or I touch him, nor will he let Minerva or Hagrid. He wants you, subconsciously it seems and he will be appeased by no other. Of course now I shall have to tell Poppy to think of a plan B."

Albus ran his hand down his face again. Severus watched in silence and Draco sneered.

"Pathetic, utterly pathetic."

Severus' glare shut him up, but he was still scowling pathetically. Severus tensed, realizing what the Headmaster had intended for him to do. Should he go to Potter, or should he let the man scream until his bloody throat was to raw for sound? He liked the latter, but decided to do the former and placed a tensed hand on Albus' shoulder.

"I will try, since it is I who he screams for."

"What," Draco shouted in outrage.

Severus didn't grace his outburst with a response, he only looked into the baby blue eyes of his mentor. Draco was fuming, cutting off the words both said to each other in his anger. Only when they started to move out of the room did Draco snap out of his stupor and shout, "I'm coming with you!"

Neither man paid him any attention as they walked, well speed walked really, to the infirmary. Draco scowled and huffed along. Severus got sick of it after a while and snapped.

"You didn't have to come. I can handle Potter myself."

Draco made a noise in the back of his throat but stopped huffing and the rest of the brisk walk was met with relative silence. When they reached the corridor to the infirmary, not only Albus, but Severus and Draco, could hear the screaming of Severus' name coming from the infirmary. Severus was shock to hear the quiet whimpers of "I'm sorry, Severus", and "Please, forgive me, don't leave me," before Severus name would replace them in a high pitched squeal.

Draco winced at the sheer volume Harry's voice took on. He never knew Severus' name could be screamed so loud and definitely not like that. They had halted a good two feet from Harry's bed, Albus because he knew getting any closer would send the young man into a fit; Draco because he just couldn't believe what he was seeing, and Severus because he was unsure of how to approach the situation. Severus jolted when Albus' withered hand nudged him forward. Severus didn't budge however and just stared as the adult wizard clutched the bed sheets and arched his back off the bed.

Draco had enough, snorting in a childish manner and breezing past Severus in a graceful stride before Albus could stop him. He sneered at Harry.

"Stop with the act, Potter," he demanded and began to shake Harry violently.

In response, Severus' name died on Harry's lips and was replaced with a higher pitched scream that had Draco quickly backing away. For some reason, Severus felt angry with him, and glared a heated glare that had nothing to do with lust in the direction of his lover before striding over to Harry and placing his hands on his shoulder, in the same spot Draco had vacated.

"Potter," he started but Harry cut him off with a reflexive wince and a whimper. Severus looked puzzled when Harry began chanting, "I'm sorry, Severus, please don't die, please?"

Surprised, Severus withdrew his hand, only to have the wails for him return to Harry's mouth.

"SEVERUS!"

Severus flinched, but quickly replaced his hand on Potter's shoulder.

"Shush Harry, I am here."

The screams died, only to be replaced by a softer...

"Severus?"

Severus sighed, disgusted with the situation before replying.

"Yes, Po-Harry, It is I."

Harry's body relaxed, his body going slack and his breathing becoming deep and even. Severus heard one last sigh of, "Severus", before the young man was fully asleep.

Albus clipped Severus on the back, having finally been able to get close to the sleeping Gryffindor without him screaming, and smiled broadly at him.

"Well done, my boy, well done."

Severus said nothing instead prepared to leave. Unconsciously, he brushed a piece of dark unruly hair from Harry's face, noting silently that it was a lot longer than when he last saw Harry; which was nearly a month ago, and tucked it behind the sleeping man's ear.

Draco saw and fumed. He hated Potter. The sniveling little brat always had to come and ruined what Draco wanted. No more! He would break up this... Whatever it was, before it got in the way of Severus and himself. He watched with unconcealed anger as Severus tried to move away, only to be met by a whimper. He watched as Severus took a resigned sign and conjured a chair at Potter's bedside before settling in. Draco was going to demand what Severus was doing, but when his hand was safely removed from Potter's person without said person protesting, he decided to leave it be for now and began to plan. An evil smiled curled at his lips. His scheming had begun and not even Severus would talk him out of it. He could have cackled in glee, but didn't want to alert the occupants of the room. He never noticed Albus giving him that suspicious look.

To be continued

AN: Don't worry, it shall be longer Wednesday. Hope you enjoyed :D

YAJF