Disclaimer: credit to JKR.

You Could

By WittchWay

Harry Potter stood silently before the gargoyle that led up to Headmaster Dumbledore's office. The stone creature blinked rapidly at him, a golden glow to the whites of its eyes. He watched the clawed feet clench and release on its stone base. He had been standing there to long, Harry could feel the stone gargoyle's frustration growing but he couldn't move. Hermione's words from earlier were screaming in his head.

You could.

You don't have to but you could.

Hermione's words, whispered in the great hall and later in the Gryffindor common room as his classmates hovered around trying to catch part of the conversation between them.

She made it sound as if there was no choice but to accept this bond with Snape. He just didn't understand how she was overlooking the fact this was Snape. Snape the potion master, the hooked nose greasy git, yellowed teeth bastard, the one that belittled him, insulted and infuriated him, his whole school career.

No he wasn't overlooking the fact that his powers would double or that this might be his only chance in ridding the world of Voldemort.

He didn't even want to think of the sacrifice that would come this bonding with Snape, namely his happiness, normalcy, children, things he desperately wanted.

Or he could stay who he was... just Harry Potter, student, soon to be Auror, Boy Who Lived…Dumbledore's pawn…unbound.

Harry ran his hand through his hair, shaking his head slightly, it was well past the time he was suppose to have arrived at Dumbledore's office. Truthfully he had been here for nearly and hour hiding in the small dark alcove that looked over the greenhouse just down the way. He had watched as Snape had gone by as he stood there in his hiding space, into the headmasters office looking unhappy, irritated, enraged, black… he had yet to emerge. Harry knew they were up there waiting for him, might even have sent McGonagall to look for him. He just couldn't bring himself to care.

His graduation was his freedom…from the Dursley's, this school, Dumbledore's entanglements in his life. It would be his chance to make his own choices. His opportunity to live the life he wanted, once he figured out what that was, Make decisions he deemed necessary. His goal was simple, rid the world of Voldemort as soon as possible and marry a nice witch and settle down. He would not let Dumbledore determine this for him.

Sadly Dumbledore and his relationship had not survived Sirius's death. They spoke little. Even being crowned head boy and inducted into the Order of the Phoenix had not placated him. Tokens could not make him happy, while he remained on the side of the light his heart wasn't in it. He would do this for his parents, for Sirius's memory… he stayed for no other reason. But the day of his graduation took him out of their hold. He would not be talked into this bond, this nonsense.

Harry pulled his cloak tighter around himself. His cloak that read as a book of his life, devils snare from his adventure first year, the snakes duel meaning, his parseltongue and his near sorting into Slytherin house. The map, black dog and broomstick he could all understand; the marauders, his godfather and quidditch respectably. The charts had said the skull was death of course, which Hermione had said probably was a combination of Cedric, Sirius and his parents…with the underlying more to come. Thankfully it was small in shape and didn't seem to glisten like the other symbols did.

It was the wand and cauldron in the bottom corner of the cloak that bothered him, they were opposite from each other. Solid and strong looking, brave and powerful. The silly saying of opposites attract kept jumping into his head. Not that he believed such things, it seemed awful frivolous.

He had stood there in the alcove tracing his finger over the cauldron and wand again and again, the fabric smooth and silky beneath his fingers. The words "there will be no foolish wand waving in this class", echoing in his head. The wand, his wand, the one linked to Voldemort…his strength. The cauldron…He wasn't good in potions. Dean Thomas and himself were the only Gryffindor's to take potions their 6th and 7th years…and only because both were going into the Auror's program in a few weeks and so it could only mean Snape.

Harry looked back up to the gargoyle, golden eyes watching him narrowly. Harry sighed and whispered the password.

ssHPss

Harry Potter had been sitting in the chair across from the headmaster's desk for a while now. Snape was behind him with his forehead pressed against the cool window glass pane that looked out over the school grounds. His formal wizard robes pulled tightly around him. His eye's shut, Harry thought he looked like he was chewing on the inside cheek of his mouth but he couldn't be sure.

Dumbledore was rifling through his desk drawers looking for a binding contract. McGonagall was behind him complaining about his lack of organization. Harry had a feeling the headmaster knew where everything was, of course all in due time.

But it was the man at the window that Harry was watching. Snape had not looked at him once since entering. Had not looked at anyone, not said a whispered a word. He looked resigned to whatever Dumbledore would say as if the headmaster was dictated his life just as much as he did Harry's.

It made Harry hate him more…Snape should be the one throwing a fit, not accepting what was coming. The one to protest just as loudly as he was going to.

"Ah ha" Dumbledore pulled a single parchment from his desk drawer, the bond papers.

Harry looked up, startled.

Dumbledore seeing the stressed look on his face held up his hand. "I know Harry this is just so you can get an idea of what the bond is about, what could happen. What you could be…" his voice dropped off at the end in a dreamy sort of way, his twinkling eyes paled for a moment.

Harry felt like retching. He suppressed a shiver. Snape. It made his skin crawl. Harry snorted, Snape, hooknose, yellow teeth, skin, hair you didn't even want your wand to touch…potential bond mate.

Snape strode forward snatching the parchment from Dumbledore's hand and began to read to himself.

Dumbledore handed Harry his copy and sat down. "Now as it state's here. Your power will intensify if you complete the bond", He looked over the rim of his glasses directly at Harry.

Harry didn't meet his glaze, he knew damn well what the headmaster was insinuating. Together they could be the force to get rid of Voldemort. Together they could stop the death eaters.

Harry looked up at Snape who was standing besides his chair now, he looked just as disgusted at Dumbledore's overly jovial manner as he did. At least they agreed on this.

"We could have a nice end of June bonding ceremony. Gives you some time to become familiar with each other. Of course Harry with two weeks left of school we are pressed for time. I'll arrange for Snape and you to have some private time. Or perhaps a courting of some sort."

The crumble of parchment next to him drew him out of his daydream. Snape spoke for the first time, "The cloak rack is old and obviously has a malfunction. I would like the opportunity to inspect it for jinx and charms…this reeks of those Weasley twins."

"The nerve," McGonagall hissed, "those poor dears haven't been in the school for two years."

Dumbledore nodded, trying not to roll his eyes, all the while smiling at Harry.

Harry hated the man. He tried not to let the snarl cross his face but it was two late. Snape strode from the room, pulling his wand already, gone before another word was spoken. Harry truly hoped for his sake he would find something malfunctioning with the cloak rack.

"Professor McGonagall if you could excuse us please," Dumbledore gestured toward the door.

She frowned at him but left in a stony silence.

Dumbledore rose slowly, coming around his desk. "Harry" he started, "…I know this isn't what you want." He held up his hand to stop the interruption.

"…But please consider this." His voice was soft and pleading, "This may be the extra force needed to defeat Lord Voldemort. You and Snape together. A combination of strength. Of light and dark, the compliment of both of yours magic."

Harry gripped the arm of the chair, standing. "No," he said simply, "No." He could not bond to someone no matter what an ancient cloak rack thought. No matter what anyone thought.

He would not be simply passed from one person to another in his life. The Dursley's, who had not wanted him, the wizard society's on and off hero, Dumbledore's savior…Snape's bond.

Always denied to people who had always wanted him, the Weasley's and Sirius.

When he bonded to someone he wanted to do so because they wanted him, loved him. He would no longer be a pawn in Dumbledore's games. He would do his job, he would be the good little savior, but nothing more, he had always been able to get by on his own, he could fight Voldemort with what he had. Nothing more, nothing less.

Harry stood placing the bond papers back on Dumbledore's desk and walked from the room.

TBC