DISCLAIMER: ALL THEMES, CHARACTERS, QUOTES, AND SO ON FROM THE HARRY POTTER BOOKS BELONG TO J.K. ROWLING AND THE PRODUCERS AND WRITERS OF THE HARRY POTTER MOVIE. I OWN ABSOLUTLEY NOTHING EXCEPT ANY FRESH IDEAS. ALSO THIS CHAPTER CONTAINS REFERENCES TO CHILD ABUSE, SOMETHING THAT IS NOT ONLY TERRIBLE BUT COMPLETLEY INTOLERABLE.
ALSO, THIS CHAPTER CONTAINS A FLASHBACK. I'VE BEEN TRYING TO INCOPERATE HARRY AND SNAPE'S PAST INTO THESE NEX FEW CHAPTERS, ENJOY!
Ron and Hermione both stared at Harry for a second; confusion written plainly across both of their faces. Ron was the first to speak up.
"What would Snape want with you, well other than to turn you over to old Voldy?" Hermione shot Ron a look that said, 'Are you dense?'
"Ron I highly doubt Professor Snape would do that to Harry." Hermione said rather knowingly. Harry always guessed that Hermione had suspected something. The actual romantic relationship happened at the end of fifth year, but Hermione always knew there was more the Snape and Harry's relationship since the beginning of third year.
_Flashback_
Harry just blown up his terrible Aunt Marge. He was in a sort of panicked state. He had run out of the Dursley's house with his bag for Hogwarts, Hedwig, and his wand. He hadn't a clue of where he could go, or how he could get there, once he found out where he was going. So, for the time being, Harry sat on the curb of the road waiting. What is was he was waiting for, he wasn't sure, but sure enough he saw a figure walking towards him. The black-cloaked figure seemed to have a specific purpose, and that was to get to Harry.
"Whose there?" Harry asked, raising his wand towards the figure.
"Don't point your wand at me Mr. Potter!" Spat a certain Potions Master. Snape! Harry thought, what was Snape doing roaming a muggle street at eleven at night? Harry was too surprised to even register what the man had said, so he continued to stare open mouthed at the Potions Master.
"Did you not hear me Potter, or are you as dumb as I have always believed?" The man drawled, in his oh-so Severus Snape manner. Harry quickly shook himself of his confused and lowered his wand.
"Professor, what are you doing in Little Winging? Harry asked, not taking his once occupied seat on the curb.
"I happen to live by here Potter. Dumbledore just got word that you caused a certain family member to 'blow up' and has sent me here to pick you up." When Snape said 'blow up' Harry couldn't help but lower his head. That bitch of a woman certainly deserved what she had gotten, but he couldn't help but think of the possible trouble he had caused for others, such as Dumbledore.
"Oh, yeah um okay. Where are we going?" Harry asked to the back of Severus Snape. He had already begun to make his way down the same street he came from. Severus sighed and using wandless magic caused Harry's luggage to levitate in the same direction they were headed.
"My house. Now don't dawdle, it's already late enough, I can only spend so much time with the blessed boy who lived a day." Harry knew that Snape was just being, well Snape, but he couldn't help but feel a rush of unwanted emotions, namely anger and pain, when ever someone called him 'the boy who lived'. After walking for what seemed like hours they arrived at a rather beat up town house that stood alone. Snape wasted no time in walking in, but Harry couldn't help but pausing at the door. This was Snape's house… SNAPE! Harry would have never though he'd ever step foot in any type of house that belonged to this man, but it was happening.
"Yes Potter, I do live in a house, not a coffin or cave. Now get in, or does Harry Potter not know how to enter a house without ten or fifteen adoring fans chasing him?" Snape sneered. Harry only followed the man, knowing that any type of protest would bring unwanted hassle. Anyway, Dumbledore had wanted Harry to come here, he trusted Dumbledore.
Two hours later Harry was asleep on the couch in Snape's house. He was only allowed to visit the bathroom, kitchen, and couch; if he were found anywhere else, there would be hell to pay. Harry had no trouble falling to sleep, even though this was Snape's house, he was too tired to care. But only an hour or so later he began to thrash around in his sleep.
"NO! Please no… Uncle Vernon I'm sorry… I swear I won't try to eat with you guys again!" Harry began crying. This is what Snape woke up to. All Harry knew was that he was currently getting a beating from his abusive uncle. He had no clue it was a nightmare, he merely thought that the true dream had been him meeting Snape. "I'm sorry I won't be freaky anymore. Please!" The boy pleaded, the fear was obvious. Snape could hear the boy's struggles, and cries. He ran into the room, thinking that someone had possible been able to break past his wards, but he knew that was impossible. Then he saw the boy was merely having a bad dream. But what in the world was he talking about, and whom was he talking to?
"I'm sorry Uncle… please don't beat me anymore… I swear I won't be freaky… I promise not to get a better grade than Dudley! I'll stay quiet in my cupboard. I won't even ask for food again!" Harry had tears streaming down his face by now.
"Mr. Potter it is only a nightmare, you must wake up now." Snape said, place a comforting hand on the boy's shoulders. What in the world was he talking about? His Uncle couldn't have actually beaten him; no Potter was spoiled just like his father…right?
Despite Severus's attempts at waking the boy, nothing worked.
"Potter wake up! Potter you are having a nightmare; you must wake up for it to be over! Your Uncle is not beating you!" Severus felt weird for having to reassure the boy that his family was not harming him. Still Harry wouldn't wake.
"Potter snap out of it! HARRY WAKE UP!" Severus would customarily never use a students given name, especially not Harry freaking Potter's, but the boy simply would not wake up. Finally Harry snapped up, the look of terror still fresh in his moist green eyes.
"What… what's going on?" Harry asked, inspecting the foreign room. How had he gotten here? Then he remembered, he blew up his aunt and was now at Severus Snape's house… weird.
"You were having a bad dream Mr. Potter, and your cries woke me up." Snape said, but without his usual loathing. Harry's head immediately dropped.
"Oh, I didn't know, sorry." He mumbled; feeling extremely embarrassed remembering what he had been dreaming about. Uncle Vernon… beating him. Crap, what if Snape had found out! Harry wanted not a soul to know, especially Snape.
"Don't apologize for nightmares Potter, it isn't your fault." Harry was confused, Snape seemed almost… kind. He handed the boy a calming draught and a dreamless sleep potion.
"Here is a calming draught Potter, it will help with your current… state." Snape said. "And this is a dreamless sleep that you will take right after I ask you a few questions." Severus had to know the truth about Harry Potter's home life. He had always thought the boy had lived a charmed life just like his arrogant father. He never expected him to have been beaten or starved. But now that he had an idea of what the boy's home life may be like, he did begin to realize things he never truly saw before. Potter was always a small child, but even more so than even the genetically small kids in his year, such as Draco Malfoy. No, Potter had always been exceedingly so. Starvation would explain that, but he had not proof, same with the possible beating. Which would also explain Potter's sporadic bruises covering the boy's body, same with his odd behavior around adults.
Harry paled when Snape said he was going to ask him questions. Dammit! Harry thought, the man knew, Snape knew that he had been beaten and starved.
"I'm really quite tired sir. Sorry for waking you." Harry said, trying to diffuse the conversation.
"Not so yet Potter." Snape spat, taking a sweat in a chair to Harry's immediate right. "While you were verbally reenacting your nightmare, you said a few things that… stuck out to me." Harry was looking down at his feet as though they were the most interesting pair of feet ever to have walked the earth. "Potter I'm going to need you to look at me." Harry reluctantly stared up. "Now I need you to answer me with only truthful answer, anything else will only do you bad. Potter… were you ever… hurt by your relatives?"
Harry knew this is what Snape would ask. Harry immediately looked back down at his amazing feet.
"Potter, did they ever hurt you? Beat you? Were you rejected food?" Snape had never been more serious with the boy.
"Why do you care?" Harry mumbled. Severus sighed, that was all the answer he needed. But if he was going to get this boy out of that house then he'd need more. He wouldn't allow any child to ever have to deal with what he had to deal with. Even if is was Harry Bloody Potter, son of his school rival, James Potter. But also son of your best friend Lily, the voice in the back of his head told him.
"Mr. Potter you must realize that this behavior and treatment of children is not only absolutely unacceptable but also very illegal.
"I said, why do you care? You never gave a rats ass about me!" Harry said, raising his voice. Snape almost snapped at the boy for using such a tone with him, but he knew that if he was going to get anything out of the boy, he would have to be kind.
"Harry." He said calmly, this got the boys attention. "I know that I have treated you badly in the past, but if this is true, if your relatives did beat you. You need to tell me. I can help, no matter what our past may look like. You are going to have to trust me here, I can make it stop if you…let me." Harry was now staring into the black eyes of Severus Snape, instead of the utter loathing they usually carried; they had a sort of soft look. Harry had decided a while ago that he would never tell anyone of the way he was treated at the Dursley's. Harry had decided a while ago that he somehow deserved this treatment, that he was a freak just like Uncle Vernon always said. There was always a part of him, a sort of voice ion the back of his head that reminded him that he didn't truly deserve this, but Vernon Dursley's fist always silenced that voice.
"You… you can't actually care?" Harry said, but somehow he could tell that Snape wanted to help. Something about the look in the man's eyes said that he understood.
"I do. Now, you must tell me what has happened to you in that house." Finally after years of silence, Harry opened his mouth against the brutality. He told Snape everything those people had done. And he received the comfort he always longed for. It was odd that it was coming from Severus Snape, his least favourite teacher, but to Harry it didn't quit matter. It was someone.
That summer Snape was able to get Harry out of that terrible place. Harry and Snape never spoke of what happened that night except when Snape brought Harry to talk to Dumbledore.
The Weasley's accepted him into their family as if he was born with that obnoxiously red hair. He spent every summer with them.
During third year Harry never sought Snape out for comfort. And Snape never brought it up. Both believing that the other realized who they had opened up to and decided never to do so again. They went on for the rest of third year as they always did; just now, they both had a better understanding of the other person. Snape now saw that Harry wasn't the spoiled brat he thought him to be, but actually a child abused since a young age. And Harry saw that Snape wasn't the cold-hearted bastard he made himself out to be. They never again treated each other with hostility; well not like they had before.
That year Harry found out about Sirius Black, and the truth behind the story of his betrayal of the Potter's. He found out the man was his godfather and began to love the man.
Fourth year came and went: bringing along the Triwizard Tournament, Cedric Diggory's death, and the return of Lord Voldemort.
Fifth year began with the Ministry and their not so silent war against Dumbledore and Harry Potter. And with Voldemort on the rise, Harry began needing Occlumency lessons. This is where Harry and Snape became, Severus and Harry.
End Flashback
It hurt Harry to even think back that far. That night so long ago changed his life, and it was Snape that changed it.
"Harry!" Hermione said, bringing Harry back into the present.
"Harry you said Professor Snape just called you, what did he say?"
"He said he needed to speak with me, and that it was urgent." Harry still couldn't believe that Severus had just contacted him. Why did the man want to talk to him so badly? Did he want to just curse and hurt him a little more?
"That's a bloody trap mate! Snape probably wants to lure you to some abandoned classroom then hand you right over to Voldemort!" Hermione looked pained.
"No, Ron, he wouldn't." Hermione said defiantly. "Harry." She whispered to her friend so only he could hear. "Harry, I've known, for awhile. And I know a lot has gone down between the two of you, but Harry he isn't going to hand you to Voldemort. He loves you Harry."
"NO!" Harry shouted, pushing himself away from his friend. "No Hermione, don't say that!" Harry said dangerously. "You don't know what happened!"
Ron looked utterly perplexed as his friend's sudden outburst.
"Uhhh…" Ron began.
"Shut up Ronald! Harry, listen to me, now!" Hermione barked, putting emphasis on the word now, just as Snape had done. "Yes, I may not know exactly what went down between you two, but I do now how happy you were with him. Even with all of the terrible things going on, you were happy. He made you happy when even Ron and I couldn't. You will answer him!" Harry had never heard his friend speak with such raw passion. He was shocked.
SSHPSSHPSSHPSSHPSSHPSSHP
It had been a few minutes now, and no reply from Harry. Of course, what did he expect, he had brought this young man unimaginable pain, when all he had ever tried to do was repair the hole in the boys heart that his terrible relatives bore. Then he heard it, loud and clear.
Where are you? And what do you need to tell me?
He sounded angry, or better yet stressed. But he had answered! Harry had answered him. He quickly replied.
I'm in the Shrieking Shack Harry. I promise I will not let you get hurt, but you need to come, and fast. Voldemort, he is on his way, and you need to know some very important bits of information… I love you.
Severus knew his last sentence was a risk, but he needed to reassure the boy that he did still love him. But how would he react? He had treated Harry terribly; he had led the boy to believe that he was truly the Death Eater people said he was. How could that one reassuring statement of love do anything to repair what he had so masterfully shattered?
No reply. Of course.
I AM SO SORRY THAT IT HAS TAKEN ME SO LONG TO UPDATE. I HAVE BEEN VERY BUSY, BUT I SHOULD BE GETTING THEM TO YOU ALL FASTER. I REALLY HOPE YOU ARE ENJOYING WHAT I AM WRITING. I KNOW YOU ALL MUST BE WONDERING HOW HARRY AND SEVERUS ACTUALLY BECAME LOVERS, BUT YOU SHALL HAVE TO WAIT AND SEE. QUICK CLARIFICATION:
HARRY AND SNAPE DID NOT BEGIN A ROMANTIC RELATIONSHIP IN HARRY'S THIRD YEAR. THEY BEGAN IT IN FIFTH, AND I SHALL GO OVER THAT LATER.
ALSO, SNAPE GOT HARRY OUT OF THE DURSLEY'S AND HE NOW LIVES WITH THE WEASLEY'S. THEY NEVER TALKED ABOUT IT AGAIN BECAUSE HARRY THOUGHT THAT IT WAS JUST A MOMENT OF WEAKNESS ON SNAPE'S PART, AND SNAPE THOUGHT THAT HARRY THOUGHT THAT NIGHT TO ALSO BE A MISTAKE, THAT TELLING SNAPE WAS NOT THE RIGHT IDEA. SOOOO THEY NEVER SPOKE OF IT AGAIN. Next chapter should be up soon, thanks again, read and review.