Disclaimer – Isn't mine.

Chapter 2 – A beginning.

Severus pushed open the door to the great hall shortly after six that evening and stalked silently up towards the head table. He was almost there before anyone spotted his arrival.

'Ah Severus.' Albus gestured for the potions master to sit down. 'Have you seen Harry, by any chance?'

Severus placed his napkin on his lap and glanced back up at the headmaster. 'Yes Albus. I gave him a Dreamless Sleep. I assume he is making use of it.' He said slowly. He didn't bother telling him or any of the rest of the staff where Harry was making use of it. He would never live it down.

'Did you get done what you needed to?' Albus fished further.

'Not quite.'

'Really. That's a shame.'

Severus heard Minerva turn her rather unbecoming snort of laughter into a cough. 'Quite.' Was all the potions master would say.

'Why not?' Albus went on.

Severus groaned. 'Are you fishing for anything in particular, Albus or is this just a general expedition?' This time Minerva couldn't catch the snort before it escaped and several of the other professors were also struggling to contain their laughter.

'Now, now Severus. I'm just interested to hear how your afternoon went.' Albus scolded lightly.

'It was…eventful.' Severus replied before ignoring the older wizard and eating his meal. Albus chuckled and Severus groaned inwardly. 'For Merlin's sake, Albus. If you already know, why ask?'

'I like to see you squirm, my dear boy.' The headmaster chuckled again. 'It has to be said that I never knew you had it in you, I actually wish I'd seen it myself.' Severus threw down his napkin and stood so abruptly his chair skidded back several feet. 'Going somewhere, Severus?'

Snape glared. 'I have a task that requires my immediate attention.' He said curtly.

'Oh, and what might that be?' Albus asked innocently. Minerva and several of the other professors were almost red trying not to laugh.

'I have several portraits that need obliterating.' Severus snapped before spinning on his heel and stalking towards the door.

'Don't you mean Obliviating?'

'No. I don't.' Snape said without looking back before sweeping from the hall, robes billowing.

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'Which one of you perfidious excuses for eternally ensnared ghouls, told the Headmaster what transpired earlier today?' Severus thundered as the door slammed shut loudly behind him and he drew his wand at the portrait of the three wizards that hung over the fireplace.

The three shook their heads, stammering excuses but Snape ignored them.

'Out.' He bellowed and the three darted out of the frame. 'Reductio.' He roared and the canvas and frame burst into millions of tiny pieces.

'New form of stress relief, Severus?' Came an amused voice from the bedroom doorway. Severus spun around, his expression looking like a deer caught in headlights.

'Potter.' Harry shook his head. Snape sighed. 'Harry,' he tried again. 'What are you doing up? That sleeping draught should have lasted for least a few more hours.'

Harry shrugged. 'I must be getting immune from having them so much.' He said simply. 'Anyway, thank you for everything. I should be getting back up to my rooms.' Snape nodded and Harry limped slowly towards the door.

'See you in the morning.' Severus said quietly as he crossed to open the door. Harry stopped inches away from him and Snape noted the young man actually seemed to have shrunk in the last few years.

Harry's piercing green eyes locked with his. 'Goodnight, Severus.' He whispered. Snape seemed almost incapable of speech as Harry's eyes felt like they were probing his soul.

'Night.' He stammered back and Harry smiled before shuffling out of the room.

Severus closed the door and leant against it, his heart pounding painfully in his chest. He had thought he had well and truly buried everything he had felt for the green eyed young man three years ago when Harry had screamed at him and then left, but obviously not. With shaking hands he crossed the room and poured himself a large tumbler of Firewhiskey and downing it instantly. He coughed several times, poured himself another and moved to sit by the fire.

'Harry.' He whispered sadly remembering back to that night more than three years ago.

He had worked closely with the Boy-Who-Lived once he had graduated, and five years later they were practically living together, not that anyone knew except Harry's two best friends, and probably Albus judging by tonight's events, as Harry flooed directly to Snape's quarters at Hogwarts from Ron and Hermione's house.

Their relationship hadn't been easy, mostly due to the fact that neither man had grown up with any affection whatsoever. Anytime there was conflict Harry responded by turning inward, hardly speaking. That of course, worked well for Severus, who would send scathing vitriol almost nonstop the green eyed man's way until he broke down or got up and left. Occasionally Harry's anger would surface and the resulting fights they had would be spectacular.

One night it came to a head. Snape, still spying for the Order had been summoned. Harry had foreseen his death in one of his visions and was adamant about not letting him go. They had fought, brutally, but Severus had still left, Harry's pleas ringing in his head.

Of course, Harry had been right. He usually was when it came to Voldemort, Severus reluctantly admitted to himself. He suffered through several hours of torture before Harry and the others had stormed the clearing where the Death Eaters had gathered and managed to rescue him in such a way that it looked as if he had been arrested with the others.

He could still remember vividly that night in the hospital wing.

(Flashback)

'Harry.' Severus began as Harry stood pacing at the end of Snape's bed, his hand running so roughly through his hair Severus was surprised he wasn't bald already.

'Sev, don't.' Harry growled. 'I told you not to go. I told you.' He insisted.

'And I should always listen to you.' Snape sneered from his prone position on the bed.

Harry stopped pacing and glared at the man. 'When it comes to Tom, yes you should, you idiot. I know him better than anyone. I know what he can do. Even after all these years do you think you do? You have no idea.'

'Don't talk to me like that Potter.' Severus spat.

Harry threw up his hands. 'Well someone bloody has too.' He yelled. 'Do you have no regard for your life at all?'

'Yes, thank you. I do.'

'Well, you don't seem to. You have to stop this now. You can't keep doing this.'

Snape ground his teeth. He hated being told what to do. 'Someone has to.'

'Well, let someone else do it!' Harry roared. 'You've been putting your life at risk for more than thirty years. Enough is enough. I don't want to have to come and pull your sorry arse of out that bastard's clutches again.'

'No one asked you to.' Snape yelled back.

'I love you, you bloody git, what did you expect me to do? Leave you there?' Harry was almost tearing his hair out. Snape turned away and looked around the empty hospital wing.

'Fine.' Harry spat. 'I guess we both know how you really feel. Goodbye Severus.' And with that Harry turned and practically ran from the room. Snape almost called him back, wanting desperately to return the sentiment that Harry had spoken, but his pride wouldn't let him.

(End Flashback)

That had been three years ago and despite Ron and Hermione's intervention, Harry had never returned. Harry still loved him; he knew that, Ron had told him as much. He had stayed in touch with Harry's friends, living vicariously through them as they related the events going on around him. It was why they were with him the night of the final battle, they had been desperately trying to find their friend for three days, Severus helping them as much as he could.

At first the gaping hole in his life had causing him great heartache, he returned to being the sadistic, sarcastic, nasty man he had been during Harry's years at school. He usually managed to make at least one student leave the class in floods of tears and the loss of house points was almost unprecedented.

Albus had eventually spoken to him and he settled back down, not as sadistic, but the sarcasm still remained.

Snape sighed and took another sip of his drink. His head was a jumble of emotions he thought he would never feel again. Suddenly the fire flared and a face appeared.

'Severus.' Ron Weasley said brightly. 'I gather he's arrived then.'

Snape nodded and sighed. 'Yes.' He said softly.

'Was he happy to see you?'

'I believe so, surprisingly.' Severus added.

'Were you happy to see him?' Ron's voice lowered slightly.

'I…I…' Snape trailed off. 'Ron, what the hell do I do? What the hell do I say?'

Ron looked at him, taking in the concerned expression and let out a breath. 'To be honest Severus, I don't know.' He said sincerely. 'I know that Harry still loves you, in spite of you being such a git.' He added with a smirk. 'And I also know that no matter how much you protest that you don't, you do in fact, love him too.'

'Ron.' Snape's voice was a cross between a whine and a growl. 'I need to know what to do. I cannot just tell him something like that. Not after all this time. Not after he left.'

'Not after you chased him away, you mean.' Ron chided.

'Weasley!'

Ron sighed, slightly disturbed at the sight of the normally rigid potions master so unhinged. Ron knew that Severus cared for his best friend but he wondered if it went even deeper than that. 'Severus.' He said softly. 'Firstly, you need to work out what you want. You can't hurt Harry like you did last time. He can't handle it anymore. The coming years are going to be hard for Harry, his injuries are going to weigh on him heavily and he won't be able to cope with your usual…'

'Vocabulary.' Snape offered.

Ron nodded and smirked. 'Yes, that. He needs you, I know he does. Mione and I believe it's the only reason he returned to Hogwarts. We would lay money on the fact that if it wasn't for you Harry Potter would have disappeared into the muggle world never to be heard from again. Now you need to work out if you can be what Harry needs. I know it's in you to be, but you need to know it is too.'

Severus nodded. 'I understand.'

Ron smiled again. 'I hope you do, Severus.'

'Thanks Ron.'

'You're welcome. Mione and I will be over for a visit on Friday.' The redhead promised. Snape nodded. 'Severus, just be careful. Don't hurt him, he's had far too much of that already.' Ron added softly.

'You're a good friend Ron. I'm sure Harry appreciates it.'

Ron grinned. 'It's no more than he deserves.' He said before his head disappeared with a pop.

There was that word again. Deserve. Twice in twenty four hours that word had come up in relation to Harry. Severus mused over what Ron had said and decided the redhead was right, something, of course, that he would never have admitted to the man himself.

He barely slept that night finding himself outside Harry's door before breakfast the next morning.

'Severus?' Harry asked curiously as he opened the door to Snape's insistent knock.

'Good morning Harry. I thought maybe you'd like some company on the way to breakfast. ' Severus suggested hopefully. Harry raised an eyebrow.

'You'd better come in.' he said, shuffling aside to let the other man through and gesturing for him to sit on the sofa.

'Harry.' Severus began but Harry held up his hand to halt the words.

'Severus, please just let me speak.' Harry pleaded softly. Snape nodded and Harry sat gratefully but painfully next to him, taking several moments to recover and remove the grimace off his face. 'You've spoken to Ron. Don't bother denying it, I can tell by the sudden change.' He said when Severus went to do exactly that. 'He's right. I did come back here for you. I couldn't help myself, even after what happened. I had promised Albus I would return to teach once the Dark Lord was dead. I promised him that eight years ago and as you know I always keep my promises.'

Severus nodded, his right hand unconsciously rubbing his now bare left forearm, remembering the day of Harry's graduation when Harry promised to destroy Voldemort. 'Yes, you do.' He agreed.

'But I also returned for another reason. You.'

'Me?'

Harry nodded. 'After everything that has happened, I need to know if I can live with you, or if I have to live without you. I do need you Severus but I don't want you to return to me because you feel sorry for me. And it can't be like it was before. I can't live like that, I'm not that strong anymore. But before you decide anything I want you to think very carefully. Can you live like that? Can you push that harsh exterior aside and let me in or are we both destined to be alone for the rest of our lives.'

'I…I…' Snape trailed off. Harry's eloquence surprising him.

'It's all or nothing Severus. I won't settle for a half-life any longer.'

Snape stared into the deep green eyes looking intently into his, emotion making them dance brightly. The feelings he had for the young man hitting him harder than ever before as he realised what he had almost lost because of his pride. He reached up and tenderly caressed Harry's cheek. 'I guess it's all then.' He whispered, emotion choking him as he leant forward and brushed his lips against Harry's before pulling away. He wiped the lone tear that trickled down Harry's cheek.

'Harry, are you alight?' he asked hesitantly.

Harry nodded, swallowing several times. 'Yes.' He whispered. 'Thank you.'

Severus smiled gently. 'Don't thank me Harry.' He said quietly. 'I'm just glad you finally knocked some sense into me. To think we almost lost this.' He leant forward and kissed Harry gently again.

'We still have a long way to go.' Harry cautioned.

Snape nodded. 'Yes, but at least we have a beginning now.'

Harry smiled. 'Yes, we do.' And this time Harry initiated the kiss.

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