glomps all her readers thank you so much for your reviews, and so fast! I'm glad your all enjoying this little romp of mine Fayet I am really busy but I'm glad I could greet you with something to lift off the rain cut-wrist-kate this story would go badly if it was revulsion now wouldn't it andhittocerebattosaiconsider your glomp returned! A quick note from me, if you want my mental idea of Severus' voice expressed in music listen to yo-yo ma play Elgars cello concerto.

Chapter Seven - The expense of spirit in a waste of shame

Nearly midday, his mind obligingly answered him as wakefulness prised his lids open, Severus groaned slightly, generally he hated mornings, it was something he'd learnt to deal with as a teacher now however he just felt battered, rolling onto his side his fingers slipped over warm skin. Shocked raced over him pulling hairs up all over his body forming chilled gooseflesh, realization followed, Potter…Harry he supposed since the boy was, as had been pointed out by self same child, naked in his bed.

Sitting up he looked down at the boy, sleeping soundly still pale against the coverlets, but some of that agony was gone. Perhaps the young body just couldn't sustain such a high level of ancient emotion, he didn't know, he was also trying not to think of the strangely vivid dreams that had plagued him through the night like the albatross behind the mariners ship.

Rolling off of the bed he padded barefoot and cat quiet into the bathroom and threw himself into the shower, letting the water almost scald him, sluicing over muscles that he knew his students wouldn't suspect cleaning himself of the previous day with fastidious disdain for dirt.

Dry and re-dressed Severus wandered back into the bedroom to look at his new charge, still sleeping the steady rise and fall of the boys chest reassured him. But the worry lurked, what was to be focused on today. Not the why's that would have to come later when the boy wasn't quite so, broken. Not the ribs either, those would need poppy pomfreys more expert attention. So, perhaps…

He smiled to himself, feeling warmth slide along his veins tinted with amusement that was it, exactly.

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Warmth

Comfort

In the space between asleep and awake he knew that he was safe and warm but that the main bulwark of his safety was gone, he could still feel the fading heat where it had been, he rolled to be closer to it and agony closed like the jaws of an angry dragon around his chest.

The sound he made was embarrassingly like a whimper and his eyes opened slowly eyelashes glued together with sleep to find Professor Snape leaning over him, what had to be concern mirrored in dark eyes but a sardonic smile curling the corners of his mouth "awake at last Harry"

Harry?

Whilst the tone was dry and sarcastic there was something there…. No, he was attempting to pull wool the size of Hagrids scarf over his eyes if he thought that professor Snape actually gave a toss about him in a more than saviour of the wizarding world kind of way, and even then "Get up Harry, I need you to help me with something"

Help, Severus Snape needed his help, panic washed up over him like the tide, he couldn't help anyone he couldn't even help himself he…..

A pile of black material his hind brain identified as robes hit him in the face as his panic began to crest "I don't have all day Harry" There was that name again, he remembered vaguely telling the professor not to call him Potter, but he'd never expected to be listened to not in a million turns of the globe.

In a state somewhere between shock and dreaming he stood, cotton sheets slid over his skin followed by the robes, they weren't his, cool against his skin sliding like silk just that bit too long, a little tight at the shoulder but they covered his nakedness caressing his skin like a thousand whisper kiss touches.

"Harry come on" Snapes voice was more insistent now, the higher octaves of the cello coming masterfully into play and he stepped off of the bed like a puppet pulled by strings that no one could see but were no less insistent. Harry followed the sound of Snapes voice through a doorway and had a spoon thrust into his hand as soon as he was half way through the door "Stir, counter clockwise until I tell you to stop"

His mouth opened to argue but then the crushing black dragon landed once again on his shoulder smashing all objections flat, what was the point?

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A slight smile touched the corner of Severus' mouth occupation was a first step, even if he'd seen unhappiness enter Potters eye, mind numbing work would lead to answers to his questions sooner or later.