Author's Note: This is just to set the timeframe again as I haven't really referred to the days in the last couple of chapters. It is now Tuesday afternoon, about 2 PM. The term break ends on Sunday night with the return of the students. Given that, Harry has roughly four and a half days to get everything completed.

Chapter 9: Reconciliation

Disclaimer: While I am borrowing many of the characters created by J.K. Rowling, all rights to those characters remain solely with her. I am neither receiving nor soliciting any monetary recompense for this story.

Severus knocked quietly and opened the door to the room currently occupied by the sleeping Harry. He had done this every couple of hours, checking that Harry was sleeping and wasn't suffering any ill-effects from the previous night's over indulgence. Expecting to find the same thing he had found on the last three checks, he was surprised this time when he heard the distinct sound of quiet crying. Squinting slightly in the darkened room, he could make out the shaking shoulders. Harry had turned over at some point and he was now facing the opposite side of the room, facing away from Severus

Walking in, he closed the door quietly and made his way over to the bed. He sat down in the chair that was still sitting next to the bed and reached out, putting his hand on the shuddering back and rubbing gently. "What's wrong Harry?" he asked.

Harry, feeling Severus' hand, turned over again, careful to keep his sore backside from making excessive contact with the mattress. He didn't say anything as he met Severus' eyes. Severus asked again.

"What is it?"

Harry just shook his head, burrowing into the pillow. Severus continued to rub Harry's back but became more demanding in an effort to find out the cause of Harry's distress.

"Harry, I can't help you if you don't tell me what is bothering you. Now come on. Quit trying to suffocate yourself in the pillow."

Severus waited another minute or so before taking matters into his own hands. Reaching up, he yanked the pillow from under Harry's head. At Harry's tearful glare, Severus smirked. "Now you don' t have an excuse to ignore me," Severus stated. "Now talk to me. What's putting you in such a state?"

Sighing through his tears, Harry sat up, getting to his knees rather than sitting on the bed, since sitting wasn't a pleasant feeling at the moment. Sniffing hard, he dragged his sleeve across his face, trying to wipe away the moisture.

"Harry, how many times do I have to tell you, use a handkerchief?" an annoyed Severus grumbled, taking his out and handing it to Harry.

"Not like I had one handy," Harry tossed back.

Rolling his eyes, Severus lightly tapped Harry's knee; "attitude," Severus warned lightly. "Now, what is going on?"

Harry dropped his eyes and shrugged his shoulders, earning him another half-hearted growl from Severus. Sighing, Harry managed to maneuver himself off the bed and started to pace the room; Severus just looked on and waited. Giving in, Harry started.

"I can't get the visions out of my head," Harry said almost defiantly, his head coming up suddenly. "Why won't they just go away? How in hell am I supposed to get over 'things'," Harry said bitterly, "when they keep popping into my head?"

"I'll ignore your language for now," Severus sighed, but Harry got the subtle warning.

"This isn't going to go away overnight. You have issues to work through, images that you need to face and place in their proper perspective. In time, you will be able to either remove the images and replace them with something else, or, you will be able to lock them away in the recesses of your mind where they can no longer bother you. Until that time, you are going to occasionally feel vulnerable or upset," Severus reached out and snagged Harry's arm, stopping the frantic pacing, "look at me Harry," he ordered gently. Harry sighed and lifted his head to meet Severus' eyes. "It isn't a bad thing Harry, nor is it something that is abnormal. It is the normal way for people to handle negative events," here Severus paused and he reached up one hand to gently wipe away the lone tear making its way down Harry's cheek. "What you need to remember is what I have said time and again. You do not need to go through this by yourself. You can talk to your friends and you can certainly talk to me or any of the other staff members. Trust in us Harry, trust us to be there for you," Severus said.

Harry just shrugged his shoulders again.

"You've been asleep for four hours. If you go back to sleep you will never sleep tonight. On top of that, you missed breakfast and lunch. It's a little early for dinner but maybe a light, late tea and then you can eat a little more later," Severus said to Harry, watching him closely.

Harry grimaced and put his hand on his stomach, rubbing slightly. "I'm really not hungry; still not feeling a hundred percent."

"I dare say it is more because you have not eaten rather than still feeling the effects of the alcohol. I'll give you another stomach soother but I am going to insist you eat," Severus said firmly, standing up.

Grimacing, Harry reached back to rub gently at his still stinging backside, glaring at Severus' smirk.

"It isn't funny," Harry grumbled.

"Maybe not," Severus said lightly," but then it was not meant to be. You'll live," Severus finished, sounding less than sympathetic. "Don't forget your slippers," he reminded Harry, as he turned around and walked to the door.

Harry stuck out his tongue at Severus' back only to act like he was licking his lips when Severus, without turning around, said silkily "maybe some time in the corner will help you to overcome your childish displays. "

"Just wetting my lips," Harry returned innocently, following Severus out of the room, missing Severus' low chuckle.

Harry got to the sitting area a few seconds after Severus and was stopped from making his way to the couch by Severus' single word.

"Corner," Severus said, pointing to the corner nearest the fireplace, hios back still to Harry so Harry didn't see the evil grin on Severus' face.

"What?!" Harry exclaimed. "you're kidding right?"

Severus schooled his expression into impassiveness before turning to look at Harry; one eyebrow raised.

"Aw come ON Professor. You don't mean it?"

Again, Severus remained silent, his finger still pointing towards the corner in question, barely able to keep the smile from reaching his face.

Grumbling, Harry complied. "I don't believe this," he mumbled, his nose a few inches from the two walls. Severus smiled evilly again and left Harry to his mumbling. He wouldn't keep him there long; just until tea arrived. A few minutes later, a small platter with assorted fruit and scones appeared on the table, followed by a full tea service. Severus sat at the table for a moment, observing Harry still mumbling to himself in the corner.

Silently summoning a vial of stomach soother, Severus called Harry out of the corner.

"Come sit down Potter," Severus said, watching as Harry came out of the corner like he was on fire, his pace slowing as he approached the table. Severus watched as Harry glanced at the hard chairs, biting his lip. Rolling his eyes, Severus flicked his wand at the nearest chair, mumbling a cushioning charm under his breath.

"Have a seat," Severus said again as he held out the small vial.

Easing himself down as gently as possible, Harry shot another glare at Severus as he took the vial being offered. Harry popped the cork and downed the contents of the vial in one swallow, grimacing at the taste. Harry set the now empty vial back on the table and without looking up, reached for one of the warm scones, the scent of cinnamon and apple making his mouth water. Severus remained silent, pouring tea into Harry's cup and pushing it towards him. Harry acknowledged the act with a head nod, as he chewed contentedly on the scone that nearly melted in his mouth.

"You have quite a few hours yet before you are supposed to back in bed," Severus began. "What are your plans?"

"I'm surprised you are asking and not ordering," Harry said with a hint of his old cheek.

"It depends on what you are going to say," Severus said smoothly. "I have my own ideas."

"Git," Harry said, "brat," Severus shot back.

"You did say a six foot essay for Auror Preston?" Severus gave an affirming nod.

"I only have a few essays left from regular classes," Harry said. "I had planned on finishing those up over the next few days, but, given Auror Preston's essay, I guess I need to get the smaller essays done first. It'll be tough managing the long essay since it is going to take some more research," Harry said, disheartened. "Somehow, I don't think rattling on about my own experience is going to meet Auror Preston's expectations. I still have two potions to brew as well but five days to complete those, not counting what's left of today. Each one is a two day potion so I have to work on those each day and hopefully not make any mistakes. I guess I'll try and finish up what's left of the regular class essays. That will leave the next five days or so open for the brewing and trying to get Auror Preston's essay done."

Severus nodded again. "You seem to have things planned out so I will leave you to it," Severus said, "I do want you to work out here, however, during the day, at least until after dinner."

Harry flushed at the reminder of his restriction but didn't comment. Standing up, he made his way to his room to grab his books and supplies before bringing them back out to the table. Severus had moved to his favorite armchair and was just settling down with another cup of tea at his elbow and his ever present potion's journal.

Sitting down carefully on the still cushion charmed chair, Harry pushed the plate of scones out of his way after absently grabbing a second scone, and poured himself another cup of tea. He looked at the list of essays he still had to write and sighing, opened up his transfiguration text and started to read.