Hey guys, sorry its taken me such a long time to update, I've been super duper busy, but seeing that tonight is the premiere of Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows Part 2, which I am excited to say, I am attending, dressed as a complete Harry Potter geek, scar and all, that I beleieved a special chapter should be published to honor this amazing epic, event, the conclusion of the movie series of Harry Potter, so without further ado, I present to you chapter 20...

- MissGallagherGirl

'Thump, thump.'

"Enter" boomed Snape's silky, cold voice.

Harry slowly creaked the heavy wooden doors open to reveal the Potions Master sitting at his desk reviewing several past potion's essays.

Feeling quite out of place and dubious to approach his professor, Harry simply stood by the door and shuffled from foot to foot, keeping his eyes downcast.

Snape leisurely looked up at Harry while at the same time, noting the hour on the clock.

He looked the boy over, up and down.

His eyes had dark circles under them and they looked a little puffy as well, from crying perhaps or maybe rubbing too hard at them? He was definitely impressed with how much better the young man looked with just a few more meals in him, he seemed to have filled out his clothes a little better, then he began to draw his eyes up to the hand shaped black and blue mark on the boys cheek, as well as his slightly swollen upper lip which Madam Pomfrey had had to stitch up a little, after Snape's ring had accidently split it.

He noticed with an air of satisfaction that the boy looked a little more contrite and repentant then usual.

Harry finally looked up, meeting Snape's dark, cold, impassive, glare.

"You're exceedingly early Mr. Potter, you're not due for another hour and a half, may I acquire as to why I have been graced with your presence ninety minutes before our scheduled detention?"

Snape raised a single eyebrow, all the while glaring at the boy from over his desk.

Harry looked down again then tentatively responded, "Uh yeah, I... I know... uhm... its just... that well... you see".

Snape however looked unimpressed.

"Mr. Potter I was under the impression that you were fluent in the english language, however it seems that that assessment was fallacious." He stated, wondering why in merlin the boy was so early and for once hesitant to answer back.

Harry took in a deep breath of air then hesitantly with a slightly nervous edge stated, "It's just, I wanted to apologize about, well about before..." at this Harry sucked in another gulp of breath.

Snape kept studying Harry wondering why the boy was apologizing to him, when he had been the one this time to lose his temper. The boy had deserved to be smacked around a little, but he never meant to hit him that hard, or leave marks, or well... split his lip. To be honest with himself he had actually been feeling quite bad about it... almost to the point of regretful.

Harry now realizing, Snape didn't plan to cut in and say anything, decided to elaborate on.

"You see, I didn't mean to uh, lose my temper on you like that, sir. It's just I was in a pretty bad mood and well I guess, what I mean to say that is, is well, thank you."

At this statement, both of Snape's eyebrows went up.

"You're thanking me for striking you, Mr. Potter?" Snape asked in confusion, with an air of sarcasm.

"Uh, no, not exactly, I'm thanking you for well, looking after me in a way?" Harry corrected, though it sounded more like a question then a statement.

"I know that you've been... watching my health lately and I wanted to let you know that I realize it and I uh, appreciate it."

Harry replied, looking up again timidly.

Snape seemed to be studying him from over his wide oak desk.

"Mr. Potter, I accept your apology and though I do not regret slapping you, in fact, I believe you had it coming to you..." at this Snape raised his eyebrows again, then continued,

"I'd like you to know that I never meant to strike you so hard and for that I am... deeply repentant."

Harry looking up astonished and replied, dumbfounded by Snape's apology, even though vague,

"uh sir, you don't have to apologize, although you may be a real git at times..."

Snape raised an eyebrow, practically daring him to continue and Harry looking abashed decided to quickly correct himself before things became ugly again,

"I mean uhh although we have our uhm... differences, I do accept the blame this time sir, it was my fault and though I am not condoning you hitting me..." at this Harry paused and for the first time since he entered Snape's office he looked up into the mans eyes and continued, "I do know that I did kind of deserve it..."

Snape looked questioningly at Harry, he had never seen this side of the boy prior to tonight, sure the boy had apologized to him once before and Snape admitted that that apology was sincere, but this apology brought about a whole new level of sincerity and integrity, it was genuine and well, from the heart.

And then something so creepy and shockingly happened... Snape was tempted and almost ended up smiling, but lucky enough he stopped himself right on time.

He gazed down at Harry again, but this time without the malicious glare that was usually implanted on his face, "Mr. Potter, consider tonight forgiven and forgotten, if you can impose the same courtesy upon myself."

Harry looked up and finally, for the first time in a long while, genuinely smiled.

From there everything seemed to be going fine. Both of them moved on and Snape returned back to his snarky self, always picking on Harry in class, though admittedly not as much as he used to and Harry, also returning to himself fired away come back after come back, granted they were not half as disrespectful or rude as before.

Snape also continued to watch over the boy, keeping an eye on him at meal time and making sure he got an adequate amount of sleep, always questioning the boy on days when he looked a little ill or even slightly queasy.

Everything seemed to go back to normal and Snape hoped it would stay that way for a while, however nothing can last forever and alas, on one dreary night he was summoned to the headmasters office and asked a question that would unknowingly change his life forever...