AN: Sorry I haven't updated in a while. I've been distracted with exams and leaving school and whatnot.

Chapter 7.

Harry clamped a hand to his mouth to stifle his screams. He swallowed in an attempt to force back tears, telling himself that crying wouldn't help. His mind raced. He had only two choices, but the wrong decision…He refused to let himself think about it.

"Shit. What do I do? What do I do?!" He dithered in the bathroom doorway for a moment, harshly brushing the tears from his cheek, before running to get help, finally realising that he couldn't get Severus to a hospital in time.

Severus lay in the bath in water stained red with his own blood, watching blurred images of the life he was leaving behind, only dimly aware that Harry had stopped screaming his name.

'' '' ''

Harry slid down a wall and sat on the cold floor of the hospital, holding his head in his hands. His eyes hurt with crying and his already unruly hair stuck up in tufts after running his hands through it so many times.

"Mr Potter?" The medi-witch spoke softly and held out a hand to help him to his feet. "Mr Snape is stable, but we're going to have to keep him here for a few days for observation." Harry sighed with relief, but tears continued to trickle slowly down his face. "Under the circumstances, we recommend that someone stay with him for the first few weeks after his release. Just to be safe." Harry was silent for a few moments. When he spoke, his voice was a mere croak.

"I'll ask Minerva." He turned around and walked out of the hospital.

'' '' ''

Severus woke to Minerva's stony expression and groaned, covering his eyes with a hand. The bandages around his wrist grazed his face. He heard Minerva sigh.

"You stupid, stupid man."

"Don't start." His throat felt too dry, and his lips chapped. "Could you get me a glass of water?"

"No."

"Please, Minnie?" Minerva fetched him a drink before sitting stiffly in the chair by Severus' bed.

"Why did you do it, Severus? You've been happier than I've ever seen you this past year. Why would you go and do something as stupid as this?" She gently pried his hands away from his eyes, and he was surprised to see tears in the corners of her eyes.

"I don't know. I just felt so empty when he was gone, and I couldn't cope with it anymore." Minerva didn't try to understand, she just shook her head and kissed his forehead before leaving him to sleep some more.

'' '' ''

"Hi, sweetheart. How are you?" Harry knew it was an insensitive thing to say but he couldn't care less. The only reason he hadn't slapped Severus was that he had bumped into Minerva in the corridor. She'd asked Harry not to be too harsh on him, explaining how he'd been depressed practically since he could spell the word. Harry didn't see how that could make him feel any better, but he supposed he should give Severus a chance to explain.

"Still alive." Severus laughed bitterly and Harry looked away for a moment while he blinked back tears. He suddenly hated Snape, not just for hurting him but for being so self-centred he didn't realise that he was. He needed to be angry, to shout, to let Snape see him cry. Regardless of all these feelings, his voice came out as a mere whisper.

"Why did you do it?"

"Why wouldn't I?"

"What about me, Sev? Am I not worth sticking around for?" Snape looked at him with the expression of a startled deer, as though just realising that he wasn't the only person affected.

"I don't love you." He said it as if it were an explanation, as if everything was to become suddenly clear. Harry's cheeks flushed with anger and humiliation and tears rolled down them, falling off the end of his chin and onto the white hospital bed. His hands shook and he heard blood thudding in his ears.

"I know you don't, Snape. I know! But I love you. Can't you understand that? I fucking love you!" Harry didn't recall getting to his feet as he found himself leaning over Snape, his hands at either side of the pillow. "I'll tell you something else though." He moved his face closer until it was less than an inch away from Snape's and his hair fell forwards onto Snape's forehead. "I hate you, too."

Harry grabbed his coat and stalked from the room. Severus didn't try to stop him.