You Can Live: Chapter 24

Yay! At college and still gave you new chap! Classes start next week, so I have enough free time to get this to you all! :) Enjoy.

Besides that, I have upped my crazy level and on top of the college thing and writing 3 multi-chapter stories at the same time, I have written a one-shot featuring Loki, of course. It is a bit dark, no bad ending, but the drama did take me a bit by surprise. So check it out: THE TONGUE'S GREATEST FEAR.

Disclaimer: you know

***Warnings: This chapter implies some very not good things!

Please

Ron shook Harry's hand before stepping into the floo. Harry wished them luck, knowing they were in for a big Weasley Inquisition when they got back. He was still beaming when he and Snape were alone in the living room. Severus smirked at his ward, who was practically buzzing with energy. He wouldn't have been surprised if things started shaking as his magic played from his emotions.

After Harry had defeated the Dark Lord, he had to become accustomed to his own power, which had been linked with Voldemort's. Most who knew about this thought Harry would not be as powerful when the connection was broken. However there were a few who believed that Harry's magic had actually been stunted by the linked magic and once the connection was broken that the young Savior's power would flourish and grow. As much as Snape has seen, those precious few were correct. This meant, for the sake of his home, Harry would need to learn to reign things in, not his emotions, but his magic. Severus didn't want Harry to lose his powerful personality in fear that his magic would react poorly. The potion's master was not worried, however. He believed that Harry would start doing it naturally as he matured and got more used to his flux in power. That being said, he had noticed a slight breeze picking up in the living room when they had watched the Weasley boy propose. Pushing these thoughts aside, and enjoying seeing his ward so happy, he picked up his book and turned to Harry.

"You can invite friends over more often, Harry. As long as you clear it with me first, and I approve of the company, you can have them over. Same goes for if you wish to go somewhere yourself." Harry turned his smile on Snape, and Severus was once more struck by his mother's eyes. Those eyes and that smile were Lily's and the rest he now thought of as Harry. Just Harry.

"Thank you, Sir. This was just…great. Hermione's been waiting a long time for Ron to just ask her, but he's secretly romantic and wanted the moment to be perfect. I really am happy for them." Severus paused at the whimsical look on Harry's face.

"Whatever happened with the Weasley girl? Were you two not involved in school?" Harry shrugged.

"I broke up with her before seventh year for her sake, knowing I would most likely die. I didn't want her to get hurt. After the war, we just….never got back together. We are still really good friends, but after that, I think we just couldn't…anymore." They both fell silent, and Harry shrugged once more before smiling at Severus.

"Well, I think I'm going to go to bed. Knowing Mrs. Weasley, we'll be getting a wedding invitation in the morning." Severus shuddered, making Harry laugh, and watched as the boy went up to bed. Once Harry was out of ear shot, and he had waited long enough for him to be settled in his rooms, Severus went to the fireplace. He quickly fire-called Draco. It didn't take long for his godson to answer.

"Severus, is everything alright? I told Harry at least a week. If he's-" Snape shook his head.

"Harry is fine, Draco. He hasn't hurt himself, and if anything is doing considerably better. He's eating more, and has gotten some much needed rest. However, that is not why I called you." Draco's face went from concerned to relieved to concerned.

"What is it? I'm coming through." Severus knew his godson would have told him if he was being observed by the Ministry, therefor it was up to him to inform him.

"Don't bring your medical supplies." Draco seemed a bit perplexed by the request, but complied. Only once he was in the room and seated did Severus tell him of the situation.

"I received a fire-call from an official at the Ministry and then a patronus message from Kingsley. Those in the MCW are trying to find reason to take Harry away from me, to cover up their mistakes. Rumors are going about that I am not a fit guardian for him, and someone's been watching you and informing them that you have made several visits to my home." Draco's jaw fell for only a moment, before his face twisted into righteous anger.

"That is ridiculous! They're trying to save themselves by throwing you under the bus and sullying your reputation. Do they have any idea what taking him away from you would do to Harry? He would be devastated! You're the first guardian to actually care about him!" Severus could only nod.

"At this point, it seems they would turn a blind eye to what he went through at the hands of his Muggle relatives to preserve themselves. The Minister doesn't want to get involved unless it becomes very serious. He says it would draw unwanted attention and the reporters would be on it like the vultures they are. Everything that happened to Harry in that house would make the front page." Draco scoffed and shook his head.

"Just like everything else tragic in his life," he said with a hand over his eyes. After a moment he sighed and looked at his godfather.

"I'm assuming Harry has no clue about this." Snape nodded.

"If I told him…there is no doubt in my mind that he would construe it wrong and think I was sending him away. I don't want him to think…that I don't want him." Draco couldn't help but feel happy for Severus. He and Harry did each other a world of good. "He was speaking to Mr Weasley through the floo the other day. They were making plans for the couple to dine with us this evening and the young man would propose to Ms. Granger." Draco smirked.

"Did he do it then?" Severus rolled his eyes up to the ceiling.

"Yes. Finally. Now we just need to watch out for Mrs. Weasley." Draco smiled and nodded in agreement. "They planned everything out and Mr. Weasley asked him about living with me. He sounded…so happy. He told his friend that he thought fate was telling him he wasn't meant to have parents or a family. That when I took him in, it was like he finally had a chance." Severus only allowed himself the pleasant memory for a moment, before setting it aside-gently. He gave Draco a hard look. "I won't let them take Harry away from me. If that happened…it would destroy him. He's come back from so much, but that…no. I don't think he would be able to withstand that." Draco's lips pursed.

"I'm going to be keeping an eye out around the school. See who's been keeping tabs. If the MCW has put a student up to spying on a member of the faculty, even just an apprentice, those responsible can be fired. It wouldn't surprise me if they were playing dirty." They both stood, Draco preparing to leave. Severus held his hand out to his godson.

"Thank you, Draco. You..are a better man than your father." Draco took his hand and shook it firmly…before pulling the unsuspecting man into a hug.

"Well, no thanks to him, definitely," he spoke into the taller man's shoulder. They parted, but right before Draco stepped through the fireplace, they heard a muffled yell from upstairs. With barely an understanding glance between them, they hurried upstairs.

Snippy watched as both men ran to Harry's room, and then followed after them. She had become quite attached to both of her master's, the young one especially. His heart was big and open, despite the pain he had suffered. Her Master Harry was well known in the house-elf community. Most house elves know how he freed Dobby and even buried him. Master Harry had cried over the death of a house elf, and she was so proud to have him as a master. Snippy knew she would help him with whatever he needed, and for now that meant being a cheery part of his days and making sure he actually ate enough.

At the moment, however, she wanted to be there for him as her other master helped. Snippy would watch and learn, and if there was ever a time that Master Snape could not be there, she vowed she would be. She had lived for many years and past many Masters and Mistresses. To her, Master Harry was still a babe. He had a secret pain, she could tell, and it hurt him every time he closed his eyes. What she hadn't told Master Harry, was that she had heard him talking to the man at the door. She had been two seconds away from stepping in, but…unfortunately, the man was…Muggle. Snippy was still wavering on that point, and it frustrated her that she would have caused her masters great trouble if he was and she intervened. She could tell that her young master had not wanted to talk about it, and that he needed some cheering up. So, she pretended she didn't know, however, if anything like that happened again, she would not hesitate to let her innate magic have at him. There were also several other house-elves who would gladly assist, if they knew someone was looking to harm the Great Harry Potter. It could easily be taken care of, and Snippy smiled at the thought.

Meanwhile, Draco and Severus were in Harry's room and were initially glad they hadn't found him hurting himself. Albus had perched on the footboard and was hooting at his wizard as though to wake him up. The disturbing thing though, were the silent tears running down Harry's face. They knew they had heard the shout, but it was like Harry had only called out the once and he was so frightened he couldn't push any sound out. As they moved to his bedside, Severus spotted Snippy out of the corner of his eye.

"Snippy, please fetch a glass of water for him." She bowed and did as he asked, coming back with the water only a few seconds later. "Thank you." Severus set it on the nightstand and turned back to his ward. Draco, though having dealt with some outbursts from Harry before, had not seen one of his nightmares before. He looked a shade paler than his usual snowy complexion and shook his head to clear it after a few moments. Harry was flat on his back and tense as a bowstring. His eyes were clenched shut, squeezing tears out at a constant rate, and his fingernails dug into his palms.

"I think it best we wake him without touching him. That might only make it worse." Draco nodded at his godfather's suggestion, and they set about calling his name.

"Harry. Harry, wake up. You're safe." They kept that up, and at first it seemed to not be having any effect. Then, they saw his fingers slowly uncurling, and he started to relax bit by bit. Draco and Severus were just starting to feel relieved, thinking he was waking up, when he suddenly gasped, arched off the bed by a couple of inches, then fell back in a heap. They watched as Harry curled up on his side and cried softly into his pillow. It was…truly heartbreaking, and neither of them knew what the young man was dreaming about, however, they couldn't help but feel that they really didn't want to know.

"H-harry?" Severus coughed to cover how his voice broke, but finally, Harry started to open his eyes. The boy startled at first, when he finally saw them, but was quick to sit up, angrily wiping away his tears.

"U-um, hi. Draco? What..what are you guys doing here? Is everything alright?" Both men were taken aback for a moment, before they answered.

"Severus invited me over for a little chat, when we heard you yell. You…you were having a really bad nightmare. Do you want to talk about it?" They didn't want to pressure Harry into talking about it, but if it really was as terrible as it seemed to them outside of his mind, they could only imagine what it was like for Harry.

Harry pursed his lips, and bit the inside of his cheek for a moment, before shaking his head.

"Problem is…I can't even really remember what it was about." He suddenly shivered, goosebumps raising all across his skin. Surprising all of them, a blanket suddenly popped up around his shoulders. Harry pulled it close, and that's when he saw Snippy. Harry gave her a crooked smile, and coughed before saying,

"Thanks, Snippy." The house elf smiled back at him. Harry looked between Draco and Severus and shook his head, running his fingers through his hair.

"I'm…I'm sorry about constantly making you come running. I swear-it's like I'm going insane. The nightmares are worse than when Voldemort was messing with my head." That one statement worried both men immensely, but they wouldn't let it show on their faces for Harry's sake. They reassured him, and soon, Severus was showing Draco out, as Harry waited up for him to return. He paced his room, hating how he couldn't sleep without Snape sitting by him, like he was a child. It was weak and pathetic. Harry took a few deep breaths and wrapped the blanket tightly around himself.

He had lied. He had lied to his guardian and friend. Harry didn't remember any specific details about his nightmare, no…but he did remember a terrible feeling. An overwhelming wave of shame and drowning in disgust and hatred for himself. It made him want to scream and tear at his skin…but he was frozen by the fear and sheer intensity of his feelings.

Albus suddenly hooted beside him, and Harry whipped around, feeling eyes on him. If he didn't know better, and wasn't convinced he was slowly getting hysterical, he would have sworn he saw…someone standing in the corner of his room. The young wizard shook his head viciously, and went back to pacing. He would not fear monsters in the closet and under the bed. He was not a child. He would not be weak. He wouldn't.

Please.

Yeah, so not much of a happy chapter...

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