Disclaimer: I don't own anything of Harry Potter.

Note: Thanks so much for all the reviews. Wow, many people have actually liked this story. Let's begin.

Harry woke slowly, his mind fuzzy and his body throbbing with pain and the odd sensation of his magic being pulled in what it seemed was all different directions. His magic was weak and it was an odd sensation but he struggled to open his eyes.

The room was blurred and greyish and Harry found the table next to his bed as he fumbled around for his glasses. He finally found them and placed them on his nose and the room came into focus.

The greyish light came from the window through which the starry night could be seen. He was in a room, a small room as he slowly sat up. The sheets pooled around his waist and he was shocked to find him dressed in the same manner as that which he had been in when he had been fighting Voldemort.

His wand was lying on the table next to where his glasses had been. The room was small and the door closed. Remus, Tonks…I have to go and see them.

An unfamiliar feeling choked his throat as he remembered their pale faces as they simply lay there as if in sleep. His eyes burned and he wondered why he was here. He could remember the fight and then his magic was doing something strange and he fell…he had been staring up at Ron's face and he had been saying something about Professor Snape.

"Ouch!" He brought a hand up to his head when the headache seared. He pressed his hands tightly against his forehead, his magic pulsating oddly again and for a moment Harry feared he would be ill. Perhaps it was best to stay in bed after all.

His head spinning dizzily for a moment, he leaned back against the cushion. He waited as the world stopped spinning before he glanced around the room again. He had not been alone.

In the bed next to him lay somebody Harry had never expected to see. Professor Snape lay there, his face white and with bandages that went around the thin neck. The older wizard lay flat on his back but his eyes were moving rapidly underneath the closed eyelids and the thin, nearly bloodless lips were parted.

The shallow rise and fall of the broad chest covered with blankets was the only movement Snape made. Harry found that he had been staring and he looked away at once. What was Professor Snape doing in a room with him?

No sounds reached his ears and Harry knew that it was either late at night or early day but he reckoned it would be late at night. His body still felt tired and he sank back down against the pillows, holding his wand and thinking about all the people.

Why couldn't he remember what had happened? What had in fact happened after the Final Battle? And why was he here with Professor Snape, stuck in a room together?

Harry could feel himself slipping away. The hurt in him was deep and the ache inside of him was lengthening but for the life of him he couldn't keep his eyes open any longer. He closed them and drifted down into darkness which was so much better than the aching feeling deep inside…

Hp

The next time he woke he knew that he was being watched. He opened his eyes to find that he had shifted onto his side and he wondered who was in the room that was watching him. He uncurled his legs and looked at the door. Still closed and the light that filtered into the room was that of the moon.

He turned on his back, his hand drifting up to push his glasses back onto his nose. A soft growl reached his ear and he could only think of who had been watching him.

"I die and I am stuck in a room with you. Apparently even the gods have no mercy for me in the afterlife." The bitterness in the voice made the hairs on Harry's neck stand up.

"I doubt that we are dead, Professor," Harry offered softly. His voice was hoarse and his throat was painfully dry.

"Oh I can guarantee you that, Potter. If we had been dead you would not have been the company I would have selected…."

"I don't think that you can select the company. I was stuck with Professor Dumbledore when I…" Harry yelped when a hand suddenly closed strongly around his upper arm. Apparently his bed had been moved next to Snape's bed and the older wizard had leaned over him.

He could see that Snape had made a mistake because the older wizard's face lost what little colour it had left. Harry gasped when his magic lunged again and he struggled against the spinning world. Snape struggled and then after a moment he got his bearings and hissed, dark eyes flashing. "You mean to tell me that you died!"

"Voldemort, he killed me but I woke up again. I don't know how it happened."

"I will tell you how it happened, you foolish child. You got back because somebody called you back, that person was me! I will tell you why as well!" A low feral growl and Harry got fearful when he saw the wide black eyes of his former teacher.

Snape appeared mad and Harry tugged at the iron grip that had gripped his arm but he could not shake Snape off. He swallowed thickly as he tried to pull himself loose. It wasn't right; Snape should not have so much strength, especially after his injury, but it seemed that his fury was giving Snape strength.

"You can't even leave me to die in peace! Every time you must butt in! Do you have any idea how I felt when I woke up, you miserable imp? Guess who was sitting beside me when I opened my eyes to find myself as weak as a kitten and my magic twirling about my body, trying not only to heal me but you as well! Professor McGonagall! Do you have any idea what she told me?"

The words didn't make any sense but Harry found himself nodding all the same. It was better to go along with a mad person after all. It was what he had always done with his uncle. His breathing was slightly laboured and the ache was back where his heart was supposed to be. But it was so much easier to focus upon Snape than on the thought of Lupin and Tonks and all those others that had died.

"No, sir." Harry merely said because it seemed that Snape was waiting for it. The older wizard glared at Harry and the younger wizard's hand closed over the one fastened around his upper arm. "Please let me go." He asked.

Snape sneered. "Oh I will not, Potter. You will listen to what I say and you will hear it. She told me a most interesting tale. About how you managed to link your magic to me, thus saving me from a timely demise and having an excellent excuse for somebody to call you back from the dead…"

"I didn't mean to…"

"Save the excuses for somebody who cares, Potter! Of course you meant to. You are just like your father! What else would his precious little son do but simply bind his magic to somebody who doesn't even like him? What would daddy have said if only he had known what you have done, Potter? You foolish child," Snape snarled at him.

The aching inside of him was building and Harry wished for somebody, anybody really just to be there. To hold him and to tell him that it was all some horrible dream. He shook his head, squeezing his eyes shut as he remembered his father's face. The ghostly white faces as they came to get him and he was finally going to join them, to stop struggling.

He couldn't breathe as he remembered his father's voice and his mother's too, her eyes searching his face hungrily. Lupin and Sirius standing there, looking at him and smiling at him, all reunited in death and he was once again left behind…all alone…

Words reached his ears but Harry couldn't focus upon them. His mind felt fuzzy as the ache and the emptiness spread through his chest, upwards through his throat, past the lump that had settled there and upward to his nose and eyes. His nose was stuffy and Harry was barely aware that he was mumbling. "I am sorry…I didn't….no don't leave…don't hate me."

Strong fingers hooked around his chin and he opened his eyes but the face before him was blurry and he couldn't focus…

Hp

Severus glanced at the child before him, his eyes wide. Potter's green eyes were wide and unfocussed and the child's breathing was much too quick. Potter was keeping up an almost annoying tirade of words but Severus had long ago discarded them.

Potter had stopped hearing him the moment Severus had mentioned his father and now the foolish brat was starting to hyperventilate. The boyish face before him was pale and Severus caught the chin in his hand as he called out. "Potter!"

He shook the child but got no response. He wondered if he could call for help but his voice was hoarse and rough, not used to the speech that had deserted him for the past three days.

He knew that he should hate the child before him when he had learned what had transpired on that fateful night that the Dark Lord fell. Potter had done the unspeakable, binding their magic together so that one would be unable to live without the other, especially now when they were so weak.

Potter's magic had saved him and he had called the other wizard back when Potter had gone to meet his fate with Voldemort.

He wanted to raise his wand but he knew that his weak magic would be unable to cope with that so it would be up to Severus to stop the hyperventilating Boy Who Lived, like his life wasn't miserable enough.

"Damn it, Potter, stop it and look at me! Deep breath, even breaths, come on boy, you can do it!" It was no use; Potter was too far gone to focus upon words any longer.

Severus swore, hard and then did the only thing he could think of doing in such close proximity and pulled Potter towards him. One arm went around the heaving shoulders as he pressed the other wizard against his chest. He pressed his cheek against the top of the unruly hair as his neck ached at the impossible angle and his wounds throbbed, despite the many healing and pain potions he had swallowed.

"No, not dead…no wait…don't leave me." Potter cried out, struggling against Severus' arms. The dark eyes flew down but Severus could no longer see Potter's eyes as they were buried against his neck. He grabbed the flailing hand and tucked it against Potter's body, holding it loosely with his own before he rolled onto his back, bringing Potter with him so the child was resting against his chest.

He pulled a bit and Potter easily slid against him, the thin and smaller body of the younger wizard easily fitting in between Severus' longer limbs. The boy kept murmuring the word dead in a terrifyingly young voice and Severus sighed again. This was not what he had asked for.

He pulled Potter's head away from his neck, shifting so that the child was lying with his head in the middle of his chest and directly over his beating heart. Potter's face was tilted towards him but Severus could see that the eyes were closed. Potter had stopped speaking, finally, and Snape tightened his arms as the brat's breathing evened out. Now all he had to do was wait.

Hp

Harry woke slowly, his ears picking up the sound before any of his other conscious thoughts responded. He moved his head, trying to bury deeper into the warmth that surrounded him. He felt safe, for the first time ever in his life and he wanted to hold onto that safety for a moment longer

He listened to the beating close to his ear. It felt comforting somehow and his magic was not swirling or pulsating but oddly calm now, like it should always feel. He knew that opening his eyes meant pain and anger and he wanted peace for a little while.

The beating increased in volume as the body underneath him shifted and while Harry knew that it should bother him more that he was resting against somebody who was making him feel safe, he couldn't be bothered right now. He felt extremely tired and the aching in his throat had died down a bit.

His head rose with each breath and Harry wondered if it would be safe for him to open his eyes. The beating was comforting as it matched the rhythm of his own heart. "Potter, I know you are awake. I felt the shift in your breathing when you entered the world of the living."

His breathing was hitching again and Harry opened his eyes to find himself looking at the dark eyes. He should move but as he tried to move his head his magic began to pulsate again, agitated and his head seemed to explode with pain, like it had often done after he had been practising Occlumency.

He could barely lift it as his head pulsed with the pain and his eyes began to water immediately. Harry thought he would pass out when a gentle hand, far gentler than he would have anticipated pushed his head back down firmly against Snape's chest.

Harry opened his eyes as his magic settled down. The older wizard was sneering at him but the strong and warm hand on Harry's cheek felt very good. "I am sorry…"

"Oddly enough you shouldn't apologize for something that is not your fault. You apologize for everything except for those things that are your fault. Relax and allow your magic to adjust to the situation before you hyperventilate again."

"Is my magic out of control because of the fact that it is linked to yours, sir?" Harry felt himself stammering over the unfamiliar word. He had rarely, if ever, shown Snape any respect and it was strange to start now.

Snape raised an eyebrow but then he answered after some contemplation, his voice soft and rumbling through his chest. "It is because of the fact that you have suffered from magical depletion after fighting the Dark Lord. Your magic is unstable because of the struggle to keep me alive and therefore you collapsed after the battle. Oh yes, professor McGonagall told me all about what happened and why I am recovering so swiftly. Your magic is strong, Potter, make no doubt about that but you are ill adjusted to the new situation. You have been asleep for nearly 3 days. I imagine soon your will have your friends standing here, demanding why. An answer I still have not received."

"I don't know. It happened in a flash….I saw you die and I didn't want to be left alone, it was just a thought without considering the consequences," Harry murmured.

"Oh how very true indeed, Potter, rarely, if ever, do you think of the consequences," Snape snarled at him, baring his teeth yet the hand on Harry's cheek remained.

"What will this mean? This linking of magic?"

"We are bound to each other. In time, the bond will not force us to be so close, though our minds and magic will be more at ease with each other, though it is wise and there are not many things known to history about linking of magic, that we would be forced to meet to keep our magic stable, especially when we are both strong wizards. What it will mean, only time will tell. Trust me, Potter, I am not less pleased or amused by it as you are, when I am now forced, instead of being free, to take care of you!"

"You wouldn't be free unless you died. You will face trial, any death eaters that have survived will face trial," Harry said his voice stronger than before with the anger that blazed through him.

"Then you should have left me to die, Potter!" Snape snarled immediately and roughly pushed Harry away from him. His head spinning again and his magic swirling Harry made use of the force of his anger as he rolled onto his side, his chest heaving again.

He forcefully rejected the idea of feeling safe when he had been in close proximity to the older wizard as an aftermath of the shock from the war finally being able to end after so many years. He kept his mouth tightly shut, even when Snape whispered harshly.

"It is always about you, isn't it, Potter?"

Harry turned, swallowing away his tears as he did so. "Yeah I suppose it is. Because I mean truly who wouldn't want a mad man trying to kill you since you were one year old. I mean come on, it is not like I have had anything better to do with my time than to defeat Voldemort and save the wizarding world. I mean come on, what more could a seventeen year old possible want from life? oh right, except maybe being normal for a change!"

Snape had paled and the older wizard hissed. "Don't say that name in front of me!"

"Or what, afraid that he is going to rise from the grave and come back to haunt us? I made sure that he stayed dead. This time for good! Or don't you like hearing the name of your former master?" Harry bared his teeth in a low growl as he watched Snape's face pale even more as the eyes glittered in righteous anger.

"Do not say his name in front of me, Potter!" A strong hand grabbed Harry's arm roughly. Snape's hand shook but Harry felt his own anger peak.

"Let me go!" He bit out.

"Not until you learn to show some respect for deceased wizards, mad as they were!"

"Yeah, like I have never seen dead people before…." Harry could hear his voice breaking and his eyes were beginning to mist over as his control snapped. The aching inside of him had shot past the lump in his throat which had suddenly loosened considerably.

He immediately turned away and rolled onto his side, curling his legs up to his chest and pulling the blankets over his shoulder to hide himself away. His cheeks were flamed and he didn't want to see the disgust on Snape's face.

The older wizard cleared his throat behind him and softly said. "I am sorry. That was uncalled for. Would you enlighten me as to who has died?"

Harry closed his eyes and then found his voice as he answered. "Remus Lupin, Fred Weasley, Tonks and many others. I don't know all the names yet," He choked out, his voice hoarse and not like his own voice.

He heard a soft sigh behind him and the angry curse that followed it. Harry knew that his tears flowed from his eyes but he couldn't turn around now. He closed his eyes, willing himself back to sleep and the comfortable numbness and as he finally did cry himself asleep he was unaware of the look of mingled pity and confusion on the other wizard's face.

Hp

Harry woke up hours later, his tears had dried and there were sounds of people moving about, whispering to one another, and the sensation of magic washing over him woke him up more firmly. He glanced around to see Professor McGonagall, Ron, Hermione and Madam Pomfrey who was waving her wand over him.

"Ah, Mister Potter, awake at last I see," She said sternly as she slipped him a vial with a strengthening potion. He sat up, pulling his pillow behind him and he sat up, slowly sipping the strengthening potion.

His headache and the fuzziness in his nose and head were slowly sliding away. He glanced at the other people who had been gathered in the room as he slowly asked. "Can somebody tell me what has happened?"

Hermione tried to give Harry what was supposed to pass as a reassuring smile but she failed miserably and then said, "It has been three days since you collapsed and we have tended to the wounded and have been busy to bury those who had died. About 50 people have died in total on our side I think…"

She choked back a sob and Harry felt his eyes grow wide. "50?" He stuttered out. The potion fell from his limp fingers and Harry heard a muffle curse beside him. Professor McGonagall merely nodded at him before she fixed her gaze upon Snape.

"Have you told Harry at all what he has done, Severus? Or have you merely laid accusations at his side?" Her voice was cold as the deputy headmistress stared at the dark eyed wizard.

"I have done my best to do both," He snapped at her, holding a hand to his neck with a pained expression on his face. Seeing that the Potions Master was obviously getting back to his former self, she smiled a thin lipped smile.

Harry glanced to his right to see that Snape had just looked at him and had turned his head away, scowling darkly. "But aside from the pleasantries we have business to attend to. All around us, even as we speak, former death eaters are being rounded up and brought in for questioning, even when they were under spells. The dates have been set for the trials. Kingsley Shacklebolt has been announced as the Minister of Magic for the moment. He has called a date for your trial, Severus, when he learned of your survival. Your trial will commence in August but the date has yet to be set…"

The headmistress hesitated and Harry glanced up. There was something that she was not telling them. Snape was watching her as well and the older wizard ground out finally. "Spit it out, Minerva. It can't be any worse than the current predicament."

"Actually, Severus. You know the ministry's law on people who have linked their magic together? They are supposed to be regularly monitored by the ministry unless they live in close proximity and are mindful of the bond between them…"

"Absolutely not!" Snape roared and Harry was sure that if the older wizard had been capable, he would have sprung to his feet.

Harry was puzzled, what could this mean? He raised his wand, aware that he was flushing uncomfortably and he asked. "Uhm, what does that mean?"

Professor McGonagall's face softened as she glanced from Snape's livid face to Harry's pale one and said. "It means that because of the danger of linked magic, you will be monitored by the ministry, thus living in close proximity of the ministry building or you would have to consummate the bond between you and your linked partner."

"And what does that mean?" Harry was aware of the glare that Snape sent his way as Professor McGonagall said.

"It means through a marriage, Harry…"

"No! No, I can't…I mean we can't…" Harry could feel his magic beginning to pulsate again, agitated and despite the pain medication pain lurched through the tender bond between them.

"For once we are in agreement," He could hear Snape murmur before the older wizard raised his voice and addressed the headmistress. "That would be impossible, Minerva. I am going to be a convicted death eater, sure to spend the rest of his miserable live in Azkaban, so surely they will not allow me to marry the precious Boy Who Lived."

"Severus, it is already arranged. The only way to keep Harry and you alive is through a marriage and you out of Azkaban. Coming next week, you will be known as Severus Tobias Potter Snape and husband of Harry James Snape Potter."

And as the enraged dark eyes returned to his own and his magic pulsated again, Harry knew that his life had suddenly taken a turn for the worse.

So what do you think? I hope that you like it. Review of course and send some ideas for what will Snape do with Harry as Harry falls ill due to a side affect of the bond and magic linking between them?