Tempus
Chapter 2
"Arriving infamously late gets old too, doesn't it Potter?"
Harry had waited for Snape to return and even when he did something right, Snape made sure to find a way to curse him instead. Snape stood behind Harry as Harry quickly moved out of his way for Snape to unlock his office door. Harry remembered the class of Occlumency but this point in time was much before Harry's nightmares became real. Harry shuddered at the thought as he noticed Snape watching him in the corner of his eye.
"Come in Potter, your hours will not be counted until you step inside." Snape spat and Harry followed him inside in silence.
Despite the bitterness Snape continued to pour, Harry could not return the hatred he held before- as he used to. All his emotions were now painful and apologetic. He wondered if loathe was easier but shook his head at such thought. He didn't drag Hermione and Ron to hell just so Harry can relive it. He came back to fix some things he would always regret if he could not.
"Hand me your wand." Harry obeyed and placed his wand on Snape's main desk.
"Now, organize these bottles from size, shape and color."
Harry was now staring at countless glass tubes and flasks, dusty and dirty. He didn't mean to sigh out loud but once he did Snape smirked.
"You no longer teach Potions, sir, why do you still carry the materials in your office?" Harry suddenly found the courage to ask.
"What is inside my office and what is not will be up to my disposal, Potter." Professor Snape snapped back and with that Harry remained quiet. "After, label each one numerically and place them in the top three shelves in consecutive order." Snape spoke curtly. "That'll be all."
Harry knew this would be the last thing Snape would ever say for the night. Snape and Harry never shared a conversation before if it weren't for complaints, accusations and trash talking. Harry closed his eyes to gather up some form of determination in his head and rolled up his sleeves to start. For the first time in detention Harry looked towards Snape who quietly sat on his desk reading an ancient book.
"Would you say you're an incredulous person, sir?" Harry unknowingly opened his mouth. He cursed in his head and continued to work.
"What was that Potter?" Snape demanded.
"I asked, if you would call yourself an incredulous person." Harry replied hopelessly, almost wanting hit himself with the very glass beaker he was holding.
"Why, do you accuse me of such thing?" Snape sneered, presenting no form of answer or question.
"I just-" Harry suddenly sighed and continued to work.
"If you feel that you aren't preoccupied Potter, please inform me." Snape raised his eyebrow as he hid no sarcasm.
An hour or two naturally passed by quietly. Harry's eyes were so dried from the direct contact of dust. Without much thought Harry let out occasional coughs that earned hot glares from the silent professor. Thinking he's had enough Harry opened his mouth to speak.
"If I could get a moment to drink some water, sir," He whispered.
"Aguamenti." Snape simply replied without looking away from his book.
"Thank you sir." Harry took the cup on Snape's desk and placed the cup on his lips when he realized Snape was matter in fact gaping at him.
"Sir?" Hary inquired, placing the cup down before he tasted it.
"Since when do you show me signs of gratitude, Potter?" Snape spoke bitterly, demanding an answer.
"I-I don't know sir." Harry was taken aback and looked away quickly.
"You're different, Potter, ever since your dramatic hyperventilation in lecture, even more dramatic than your two fans put together, you've been opening your mouth to baffle me to say the least." Snape spoke in a dangerous tone, obviously accusing Harry of something he too wasn't sure of.
Was this Harry's cue to reveal the truth?
If Harry could just say what he wanted to say this entire time without interruptions- and only if Snape had the certain amount of faith-
Harry shook his head. It was virtually impossible to expect such things from Severus Snape.
Then it hit him. Snape would repel any information Harry would give him without a second thought. He doesn't have the slightest slither of trust with the boy so it was a given that Snape would not listen to a single word out of Harry's mouth. Unless- if Snape figured it out for himself. If Harry could leave clues to his identity Snape can pick up the pieces to understand why Harry was different. Snape would trust his own thoughts wouldn't he? As Ron mentioned before, it was no doubt Snape was clever enough too.
But Harry had to make sure one thing.
He had to make sure if Snape even valued Harry's identity to be worthy of figuring out.
"Potter, answer me when I speak to you!" Snape's sour tone brought Harry back to reality and he instinctively took the water from the cup.
"Sorry, sir, I just don't f-feel too well."
"Excuses." Snape accused and Harry watched him stand from his feet.
"I will find out what's going on and you will confirm it," Snape growled. "even if it takes a droplet of Veritaserum or two shoved into your throat."
Harry didn't dare to look at Snape, fighting the urge to spill everything if he were to look into those vacant, black eyes.
"Get to work then." Snape ordered and with that Harry was back to organizing glass bottles. It happened quickly then. A flask fell from Harry's hands and dropped quickly onto the floor. The noise of shattering glass made the atmosphere from enjoyable to even more pleasurable as Harry lightly groaned. Without a second thought Harry got to the floor and began to pick up the glass pieces as a reflex from the muggle-world, and ignored Snape's once again baffled expression.
It was then Harry cursed gently noticing a deep cut in his index finger, crimson blood oozing out of the wound. In instinct Harry touched his finger to realize a small speck of glass remained in the cut and cursed loudly without much thought.
It was then Snape approached him and with his wand cleaned the mess soundly and swiftly. He pulled Harry's arm to force the child to stand up and face him with the wound.
"If this was your excuse to get out of my office to the so called Hospital Wing, you're wrong again Potter."
"No sir, I'm sorry I broke your beaker I didn't mean to-"
"You never mean to do anything Potter. Something delightful always happens to you, doesn't it? And the limelight- it's fascinating, isn't it Potter? You think your pain is worth the little bit of fame in your life, don't you? You'd bleed and bruise just so you can see your name in the Daily Prophet-"
"You're wrong!" Harry shouted, removing his hand from Snape's grasp or attempting to.
"Then will you prove me wrong and stop being so reckless!"
"What are you talking about?" Harry raised his voice to follow. Snape held his hand so tightly now blood seemed to pour out of his wound.
"For once I'd like to know that it isn't you in a life-threatening situation. That it isn't you out of all the students in Hogwarts who risks his enrollment let alone his life, that it isn't you who faces the Dark Lord alone!" It was then the small piece of glass streamed down with the blood out of Harry's finger and Harry let out a groan in reply, his forehead covered in sweat.
Snape threw Harry's hand out of his grasp and walked toward the cupboard of dark potions, retrieving one of the smallest ones to dab on Harry's bloody finger.
Harry watched as Severus cleaned his hand with a towel, doing all his work manually without magic.
"Sir," Harry spoke quietly, not waiting for Snape to reply. "if I don't face him alone, then who will?" It was a rhetorical question. Snape knew that much.
"I hope you figure it out sir. And I'll be here waiting till you do, to confirm you. I'll wait till you know." Harry spoke again, leaving Snape completely speechless at the boy.
"Get out." Was Snape's reply when he returned to his senses and Harry grabbed his cloak to leave. He also reached for his wand on Snape's desk and again took the chance to whisper once more.
"Please."
"Malfoy, are you still here?" Harry asked out loud. Seeing as though Moaning Myrtle was not present, Malfoy did indeed do what Harry asked of him.
"Put out your wand Potter." A cold voice rang from behind and Harry knew it was the blond boy who detested his soul possibly more than the Dark Lord himself. Harry reached for his wand and turned around to face Draco Malfoy.
"I'm going to put my wand on the floor, Malfoy, you can hold on to it if you'd like-"
"Bloody nonsense Potter! You called me out to fight me- fight me like a wizard you git!"
"I didn't come to fight you Mal- Draco. I just have to tell you something!"
"Expelliarmus!"
Harry flew to the other end of the bathroom wall simultaneously as Draco obtained his wand.
"Too slow Potter, too slow." Draco sneered as he walked closer to Harry with a bitter smirk.
"L-listen to me, Draco." Harry groaned as he tried to sit up.
"Why should I listen to you Potter? Why the bloody hell should I listen to anybody?" Draco began to walk towards the fallen figure in a slow pace, the wand pointing directly into Harry's eyes.
"I just- I just need you to listen."
Draco murmured something under his breath and immediately Harry was against the wall again, crumbling in one of the broken pipes.
"No, no, maybe you should listen to me."
Harry groaned as he put his head up, feeling the throb in his neck.
"Do you know what my mother told me before I got on the platform this year Potter?" He growled. "She told me one thing and I knew my life was different. It will never be the same. But I have a chance now, an opportunity to do what's right-"
"D-Don't you mean a burden?"
"No!" Another swing and Harry grasped his upper arm to cease the bleeding. "A gift, Potter. The only befalling to help my mother, my father-" He suddenly stopped. There was a different look in his eyes as he glared at his fellow classmate.
"Your father is not the norm," Harry whispered despite the growing hatred in Draco's eyes. "He shouldn't tell you how to live Draco." A flutter of movement and it was clear to see a sense of surprise that entered in Draco as he heard his enemy whisper his name.
"What the bloody hell do you know Potter!" He shouted, almost dropping his wand with his violent arms. He grasped Harry's collars and rushed into his face.
"I know that you're up to something no good." Harry spoke lowly but there was a strange sense of ironic happiness.
"So you suspect me already? Well I don't think you're an idiot. That dirty mudblood must've rubbed of you- so who cares, Potter? Who's going to listen to you?"
"Listen to yourself. Do you hear what you're saying?"
"You aren't making any sense!" Draco hissed as he choked Harry within his grasp.
"You're telling me… all the things you've heard from others… You look at me… But it's like looking into a mirror…" Harry managed to speak with his lack of breath. But he didn't care, as long as Draco was listening.
"What did you say?" Draco demanded.
"You don't mean to say mudblood. You don't even care about muggles," Harry tried to speak louder as he felt Draco's grasp loosen unintentionally. "You think I suspect you because everybody else suspects you- you haven't done anything and others are already accusing you. You don't want them to turn away, all you want from them is to listen… You just want them to listen."
Harry finished and he realized Draco's hands were clearly away from his neck.
"You don't even know what haunts you. You don't even know if that shadow is Voldemort or your father," Draco cringed at the name but remained speechless. "but most of all, you don't even know that it's you, yourself, that hurts you the most."
With the last sentence Harry watched the two wands roll slowly from Draco's hand. Harry loosed his grip on his arm and took the opportunity to sit up properly.
"Now that you're listening," Harry smiled gently. "I need you to know this. I know you spend sleepless nights thinking of horrid things you never wanted to. I know you wake up every morning wishing everything was over. I know you carry on a burden so great it will break you. Look at us, Draco. We're only sixteen and we carry so much- so much blood in our hands. And I know it hurts. So all I need you to know is that no matter what happens, no matter where you are and no matter what you have done, there's always time for you to go back.
Remember when we were only eleven? When watching Seamus blow up his wand and fry his head was funny? When Ron choked on pumpkin juice trying to beat Crabbe? When Goyle tripped over your robe to stand by your right side instead of left? We laughed. It was genuine, too. We can always go back to that Draco. We can always."
There was a strange look in his gray eyes as the green pair focused.
"I can't." Was all he managed to say as he stood up from the black haired teen.
"I can't go back. It's too late."
"Draco-"
"When the semester ends, you won't even be able to look at me Potter. You'll want to kill me."
"That-"
"I gave you a chance today, but you lost it." Draco picked up his wand but kicked Harry's towards him. "You'll regret this." He whispered but wore a heavy face.
"I will never want to kill anybody! I never wanted to-"
"Well you bloody want to butcher him up, don't you?" Draco didn't let Harry finish his sentence. He returned to his bitter emotions.
"Voldemort-" Harry attempted to again but failed.
"Do not say his name Potter. And don't expect me to a part of your bloody mess of muggles. What the hell are you thinking? Just what the hell are you getting at?" Draco shouted. "I hate you and you hate me. We're bloody comfortable with that aren't we?"
"I don't hate you! I didn't understand at first! Why we were so twisted- why we were so bloody difficult but Draco it's because we're too alike! We're too alike when we drown in our pities and miseries and- and pain! Don't you understand?" Harry too shouted, feeling an agonizing burn in his lungs every time he opened his mouth.
"Well that's too bad. I was getting pretty comfortable hating every little thing about you Potter. Your bloody scar, your name, your existence-"
"You shouldn't. You shouldn't hate yourself like that." Harry murmured and Draco again reached for his neck.
"I hate you Potter! I fucking hate you!"
"You only hate me because you know it as well as I do," Harry looked firm despite the wringing hands. "you see yourself in me. We're just standing on opposite sides."
"Don't. You. Dare." Draco reached for his wand and in a quick movement pointed its end on Harry's head.
"If it means anything to you, if you mean anything to yourself I want you to stop feeling guilty. That's it. That's all I wanted to say." Harry replied calmly despite the piercing wand in his flesh.
Draco spat a curse but pulled back his wand. He started to shout and the bathroom walls were exploding and breaking at Draco's tantrum. Harry watched as the blond ran to the wall beside him and threw in a fierce fist onto the wall as mirrors began to crash and fall to the floor. Both Draco's knuckles began to bleed.
"I can't let you do this to me. I can't let this-" Draco spoke under his breath and Harry could barely understand what he was saying.
Harry got up as he whispered a healing charm onto his arm and just stood there, waiting.
When Draco had calmed down, he sat on the floor with his bloody hands around his face as if to forget if Harry was even there. After a patient moment Harry approached his silently but allowing Draco to know that he was closer each time so Draco would not feel vulnerable. He was relieved to know that Draco did not move when Harry was already by his feet.
Harry slightly knelt to face the blond and waited again. After a minute or two he whispered the same charm to Draco's wounds and Draco finally looked up.
"What did your mother tell you?" Harry spoke.
Draco's eyes were red. From where Harry was staring, it looked teary- but Harry ignored it. Draco would have never allowed Harry to see him this way.
"She told me to stay alive."
Harry watched him silently and almost nodded.
"Why would a mother say that to her son when she's leaving him for school? Why would she have to conjure up such fearful emotions?"
"It's not late, Draco."
"It is. It's been." And with that Harry was held by his wrist when the gray pair of eyes looked intently as never before.
"This is for everything I will do and the things you will never forgive of me." The blond whispered and he dived into Harry's face as their lips met for a split second.
"Don't expect me to apologize, Potter but this is the only way for you to know I am bound."
Draco then stood up and left Harry alone in the darkness.
Author's Note: There you have it. Harry's first encounter with the past, Severus Snape and Draco Malfoy. This fanfic takes place somewhere (probably in the beginning) in the Half-Blood Prince so spoilers will be coming up without much warning. Please let me know if you feel like the characters are out-of-character, haha. It's really important that I capture their persona! I hope Draco and Harry's conversation wasn't too cheesy, and I hope what Snape was trying to express wasn't too inscrutable. He obviously cares for Harry, but Harry never sees it the same way. Well, hope you enjoyed and please, please, please R&R! Thank you!