Chapter 28! Jolly Good News That! I've worked so hard. You've worked so hard really we should give each other handshakes and then go have an ice cream party. Review and tell me how you feel about it.

In all his years Severus Snape had been embarrassed plenty of times but never as much as this moment. Like many of the times before it the fault lay with a Potter too. He was covered in hot pink paint and caught in the act of a pillow fight with three children, two of which weren't even supposed to be there. Before he could form a response Harry spoke.

"We were having a pillow fight. Severus was losing."

"I was not. You were losing." Severus argued.

"Would a boy with six names lie?

"Yes. Yes he would."

"Six names?" Hermione asked.

"Not important 'Mione." Harry said. "I'll tell you in my next letter but we need to get you home before your parents call the police."

"Oh no my parents! I need to get home immediately. They'll likely be livid with me."

Severus smirked as the little girl ran into Harry's room where her stuff was now sitting. Ron followed meekly after. Albus chuckled lightly and Severus scowled at him. The two children returned moments later dressed and ready to return home. Severus pointed Ron towards his floo.

"I do not wish to meet your mother in the state she will be in when you return." Severus said quietly. "Just use the floo.

"Yes sir. I don't really want to meet her either." Ron agreed before scampering over to the fireplace. "Harry you write me often and I'll see you in September."

"I'll write Ron I promise." Harry said waving his friend goodbye.

"The Burrow." Ron said throwing in the green powder.

Ron disappeared in a rush of green flames and left only Hermione. Snape sighed he would have to take the girl home since her parents were muggles.

"Harry you explain what happened here while I apparate Miss Granger home." Severus said. "Miss Granger follow me here please."

Hermione jumped to follow him and Severus glared at the adults in the room as they walked out. Once they were far enough away from the door he turned to the girl who had blue and silver paint in her hair.

"Miss Granger."

"Yes professor?"
"If you ever repeat anything I am about to tell you I will know and I will ensure you never pass my class do you understand?" Snape threatened, he waited for her to nod before continuing. "I would like to thank you."

"Thank me?" She said her voice an octave higher than normal.

"Don't interrupt and listen. Harry was distraught after writing you that letter. This past month has not been easy on him. I was unaware he had only now written you and Mr. Weasley. I had thought he had your support during this past month but I was incorrect in that assumption." Snape said trying to get everything out. "Thank you for coming here as quickly as you did. It had not occurred to me how much a visit from you two would help him. I have not seen him this carefree in the entire time I have been looking after him."

"It wasn't a problem sir. Harry is always very serious. It's good to see him so happy. I haven't ever seen him like that either." Hermione confided. "I should be the one thanking you after all. You've really helped Harry, he is much happier than he was before school ended. I'm glad he has an adult he can confide in now."

"Now?"

"Well the only reason we got into all the trouble we got into was because Harry doesn't trust adults. I mean we wouldn't have gone after the Philosophers stone if Harry had trusted the adults to take care of it." Hermione explained. "When Professor McGonagall told us we shouldn't concern ourselves with it and didn't listen to our complaints Harry felt as if he had no choice but to worry about it."

"I see."

"So thank you Professor Snape. For caring about Harry."

Severus nodded and then asked Miss Granger to tell him where she lived. Snape had thankfully been someplace near there and was able to apparate her to within a five minute walk to her home. They walked down the streets in silence both covered in paint and in wizard garb. Snape did not honestly care. He was not looking forward to meeting the esteemed Granger parents under any circumstances. It was however required he ensure the girl got home safely.

They arrived there to see the man with short born hair and glasses working the garden. Hermione smiled.

"Daddy! I'm home."

"Hermione! Sweet heart get over here and tell me all about your adventure before your mother gets home from the store. She was awful mad that you just disappeared on us."

"Daddy this is Professor Snape he brought me home and got Harry from his Uncle's."

The man stood and dusted off his dirty hands on his equally dirty pants. He reached out his hand and Snape shook it. The man smiled lightly at him and nodded as if he had passed some sort of test.

"Thank you for taking my wayward daughter home. I do hope she wasn't much trouble."

"No more so than she is during the school year." Snape remarked. "Now I must be returned to the school, Miss Granger next time you feel the need to break into my quarters please write a letter first so I may be better prepared."

With that Snape turned on his heel and disappeared. Statute of Secrecy be damned he needed a shower. He walked up to the doors of Hogwarts and thought about what he had learned from the visit. Harry was good at potions, he had a natural born gift. Harry had been stressed throughout the entire year and was doing better than he had been, the Weasley twins are bloody geniuses.

When he arrived back at his quarters he saw Harry was now without any paint. He opened the door and walked in. Harry smiled at him. It wasn't everyday one saw Severus Snape in anything besides oppressive black.

"Harry how do you get this paint out?"

"Oh!"

Harry then with a wave of his hand banished the paint off of Severus.

"Sorry Severus. I forgot only the person who cast the charm on the pillows can get rid of the paint. I'm just glad it only lasts 24 hours or else Ron and Hermione would be covered in it until they saw me again."

"They would deserve it. Now it is later than we normally get up you have the beginning of your lessons today."

"That's right! Professor Flitwick is going to teach me to duel!" Harry said excitedly. "Let's go get breakfast."

They ate in silence but it was so different then it had been. Before the silence had been oppressive and tense. Harry wondering when Snape would strike and Snape trying to figure out how to help the boy. Now the silence was companionable. Harry no longer ate defensively in his presence and didn't stare at his hands the entire time. They had made progress.

As Snape watched Harry leave to go to his meeting with Flitwick he couldn't help but feel amazed at the progress he had made with Harry. They used to despise each other, glaring daggers at one another at every opportunity. Now they were eating meals happily together and having pillow fights.

He knew there was that single moment when everything changed. When his life had morphed from relaxing into nerve wracking and insane. He didn't regret anything though. The smile the boy now flashed him when he saw him made all of these changes worth it. The more he thought about it that one moment, when Hedwig had burst into his quarters covered in blood and screeching at him had changed him. It was just one occurrence.