Day 9:

"Potter, detention tonight." Snape said as he growled at Harry laughing with Hermione and Ron. He was about to argue back, when he noticed the slight sparkle in their Professor's eye. He just nodded. "Yes, sir." He said and looked back at Hermione, who had a confused look on her face. Ron looked like he was about to stand up and defend his friend, so Harry quickly put a hand on his shoulder. "Leave it, Ron."

Ron looked at Harry with an annoyed look on his face. "Why would you let him give you detention?"

"I confronted him in his office last night." Harry said with a small frown. He knew what was coming and he didn't want to answer the questions.

"Are you crazy Harry?" Hermione asked, shaking her head. "You know better…"

"Did you pull out your wand Harry?" Ron asked. Harry's face immediately went red at the other meaning, even though Ron wouldn't know that it had a double meaning. He shook his head. "I didn't have a reason to." Harry said, biting his lip in an attempt to get his face back to normal color. Hermione was watching his every move. She shook her head and rolled her eyes. Hermione grabbed Ron's hand, taking his attention away from Harry. "We do need to head to the library."

Ron groaned. "But Mione, we don't even have classes til we get back from break."

"Knowledge is more than just school Ronald." Hermione said. "Let's go."

Harry appreciated Hermione's insistence, especially when Ron turned with an apologetic face. "I guess I'll see you later Mate."

Harry nodded. "Alright, see you guys at dinner."

As soon as the two left, Harry found himself drawn towards the dungeons. He walked over to the same door as he had the night before and knocked. The door opened and Snape looked at him with a confident face that proved that he'd expected Harry to come down. He just nodded and stepped aside, allowing Harry to come in. Harry looked quickly around and felt glad that no one was around. He walked in and looked at Snape. "Detention?" He asked, curious.

"Well, I need to punish you for breaking the rules of the event."

"I didn't reveal myself." Harry said, annoyed, but amused.

Snape shook his head and walked over. "Not yet anyway." Snape said, looking at Harry with predatory eyes. Harry could feel his face getting red again. He felt as if all the feelings he'd had for Snape were suddenly in the open and he was naked under Snape's glare. He bit his lip and decided to risk himself. He stepped forward and before he'd reached the Professors lips, the Professor grabbed him and looked him in his eyes. "Are you sure you want this, Harry?" He asked. Harry nodded and Snape took that and took control. He grabbed Harry's wrists and pushed him back against the door he'd come through, kissing his neck, his collarbone, all the way up to his lips. Harry groaned and kissed Snape, feeling as if he'd found his place. The place he'd been searching for. He felt his eyes flutter shut as the kiss deepened. Snape stepped closer, still holding Harry's hands to his side. Harry could barely move as he allowed Snape to control the situation.

When Snape finally broke the kiss, he looked Harry in the eyes. "So it's just an infatuation?" He asked, growling slightly. He watched Harry's face as Harry felt as if his heart was breaking in two. "No. I have been falling for you since last year, Severus." Harry felt bare, admitting his feelings. He noticed Snape shaking his head. "You don't even know me Harry. You can't imagine…"

"Severus…" Harry purred, catching Snape off guard. He allowed Harry to break free from the grip and take his hands. "You may think that I can't know my feelings. You may think that I am as immature as anyone else my age, but unless you know the things I have been through, unless you think about the things I've had to do and all the things I have to do, well, I've had to grow up fairly quickly. I know what I am feeling."

Snape found himself mesmerized by the younger boy's passion in his statement. He ran his fingers along the smaller in his own and nodded. "I know some of the facts, but you are right. I have no right to judge how mature or immature you are. I have always imagined you as the child I had to watch growing up, being careful because he was gaining the same compassion as his mother. And he has the same kind, caring eyes that I feel would never judge me. It's been hard for me to accept that you are growing up and able to make a decision like this. But this…" He looked into Harry's eyes. "This feels right. And I'd like to see where it goes."

Harry nodded. "So would I." He wrapped his arms around Snape. "I hate to say though, unless you want suspicious minds, I really should make my way up towards my friends. They will be wondering where I am."

Snape nodded and kissed Harry's cheek. "Well, for your detention tonight, meet me here. I have something in mind. But Harry…" He breathed in relief and looked the younger man in the eyes. "If I ever do anything that makes you uncomfortable, then all you need to do is tell me. I will never hold anything against you."

Harry nodded. He hated the feeling of letting Snape go. He was glad that he would have more time with the elder man that night. As Snape let him leave, he watched as Harry turned the corner as he headed upstairs and breathed in a sigh of relief. Part of him felt like this was all in his dreams. The other part of him knew, and was happy that this was his reality. He was also nervous that things were going so fast between him and Harry already. Did he regret it? No. But he was nervous.

Harry had butterflies as he made his way up towards the library. He couldn't stop thinking about the kiss and the way Snape held him. He was pretty sure he was glowing when he got up to the library. He walked over to the shelf and grabbed a book. Without looking at the cover, he sat down. Hermione watched him carefully, but didn't say anything. When Ron finally noticed him, he tilted his head, looking at the book. "Whatcha reading Mate?" Ron asked. "Surely it's gotta be more interesting than History of Hogwarts." He rolled his eyes at Hermione, who obviously was making him read it despite his obvious disinterest. Harry shrugged and looked at the cover of the book and coughed. "Interested in potions Harry?" Ron asked, seeing the potions book. Luckily he didn't see what Harry had. The book had been written by Severus Snape. He shrugged and put the book on the table, taking some interest in it.

Hermione decided to take the reigns. "Obviously you're preparing for your detention with Snape." She said, smiling. "Good for you Harry."

Harry bit his lip and smiled. "Yeah, I want to be prepared. You never know what detention will be like."

"Horrid." Ron said, shaking his head. "I mean, it is Snape we're talking about here."

Harry frowned and nodded. He knew Ron was not going to be happy when and if things happened between Snape and Harry. "Well, it will be something. That's for sure."

Hermione noticed Harry's mood change and frowned. She looked at Ron and then at Harry. "Do we need to do this right now? Obviously Harry has more to be worried about than that right now. Let's get back to our studies."

Harry appreciated Hermione's insistence. It gave him the opportunity to turn away from Ron and into the book. Ron just sighed and gave in. It was obvious who wore the pants in that relationship. Harry grinned slightly.

Later that night Harry found himself outside Snape's classroom. Snape opened the door. "Come in Potter. You have lots to do before I let you go from detention."

Harry nodded and walked in. Before he'd made it all the way in, he noticed a change in the room. A jar in the corner shone bright as a light blue flame shone through. There was a couch in front of it and a small selection of foods on the table surrounding the jar. He looked back at Snape, who nodded for Harry to go sit down. Harry made his way over and sat down. The door closed behind him and he looked back at Snape. The other had a smile that held so much emotion, it scared him. Could Snape really feel the same as he'd been feeling for the last year? He couldn't believe it and yet, here was a Snape he had never known.

Snape walked over and sat down next to Harry and ran a hand along his face. "Harry…"

"Severus…" Harry responded, purring the Professor's name. "I am so happy to be here." Harry responded to Snape's touch by curling into his shoulder. Snape held Harry close, running a hand up and down Harry's side. He kissed Harry's cheek. "I'm glad you're here too. And I want to make sure you know something. I want to promise to you that I will never treat you as I have. It's been unfair. I was nervous to be this open and tell you that I... " he paused, thinking. "I have liked you for almost a year as well. You've been growing up and out of that perception I've had of you being your father. You're not your father." Harry felt his heart beat quicken, hearing that Snape had finally let go of his silly illusion that Harry had been anything like his father. "And as soon as I saw how stupid I've been around you, I decided I needed to change. I want to show you that I am here for you." He leaned in and kissed Harry quickly. Harry fell into the moment and smiled.

For once in his life, he felt so safe. So loved. That was the best gift Snape could have given him in that moment. He decided it was time for him to talk to Snape, to let him know a bit more about himself. "You're right, I am not my father. I have been busy basically raising myself in the muggle household I was left in. The problem was not that I was left there, because it was for my safety, but in reality, it is one of the reasons I am who I am. I always felt uncared for there." Snape frowned and held him close. Harry felt like Snape wanted him to stop, but Snape just shook his head. "Tell me about it." He asked, watching Harry's face.

Harry felt as if he could tell Snape anything in that moment. He was holding Harry close to himself and kissing him randomly. It took Harry a moment before he could concentrate enough to talk. "When I was younger, I was growing up in a house that basically idolized by cousin and thought of me as a freak. When I came to Hogwarts, in their mind it confirmed that thought. But in the Wizarding world I was thought of as a hero. I'd never been idolized. The odd thing was, when you treated me the way you did…" Harry bit his lip, afraid of hurting Snape. "It almost felt normal."

Snape frowned and looked like he was about to say something, but Harry knew he needed to complete his thought before he lost the nerve. "In a way, you were one of the things that helped me to not get a big head. Despite every bad thing that's happened, despite having to face my worst fears, I always had someone to bring me back to reality. Severus, you were one of the few people who never treated me like I was some big hero when I wasn't. And I appreciate that. You've always seen the real me. And you've always made me feel real, rather than the idol everyone wants me to be. Or the freak my family thinks of me as."

"You've never been a freak Harry. You are a hero though. You've faced many challenges and faced your fears. But that doesn't mean you should get a big head. We all know that there is more that will happen in this war. And it scares the hell out of me." Snape frowned and lay his head on Harry's shoulder.

Harry nodded and frowned. "You know, I always thought that I would die in the house where I grew up. Not many people know, not even Ron and Hermione, that I had a really rough childhood growing up. Yeah, they noticed the bars on my windows and some issues going on, but they never noticed the bruises. They never caught the death glares I was given. Why would they? I was sent to that home to be safe. Obviously Dumbledore knew what he was doing, right? But there was some dangerous situations there. I was hated. I was starved." Snape bit his lip, trying to keep from saying anything as Harry opened up to him. "When I was coming back for my third year, I thought that someone would notice the lack of life I had. I had to come back from being basically a slave in the home of those who were supposed to care for me. And then I found out that I had more family out there. I was expecting that meant my life was about to change, possibly for the better. And then everything went to hell. Yeah, you saved me more times than I think you know, but I was always sent back to people who treated me worse. And when I came back, I didn't treat you with the respect you deserved because I viewed you through the same eyes as I did my family. Until I got to know you, I worried you were exactly like them. I worried that you would hurt me. But then you showed me more of you and your heart. I saw some of your memories and you saw quite a few of mine. I worried that you would judge me. Make fun of me. You never did."

Snape wrapped his hands around Harry's waist and nuzzled his cheek. "I could never judge you now. I used to. I thought you were going to come back here spoiled by a family who knew of our kind and might use your magic to make their lives better. Apparently I judged them wrong too. I didn't think they would hurt you. And it makes me mad at myself that I allowed you to go back to that. It hurts me that I didn't know what they were doing to you. I should have noticed. I was far too focused on treating you as I did your father. And I am so very sorry for that."

Harry shrugged. "It's a new day. I have never thought of you as a bad guy Severus. I think you've had other things to worry about and honestly, I can understand everything you've been going through. It's a lot like what I've had to deal with. And I think we can understand each other. I think we can build off of each other's strengths and weaknesses. But for now, I just want to enjoy the moment. I want to hold you close and be happy that something I've dreamed about for nearly a year has come to be. And even if tomorrow i find out it's a dream, I could live in this moment forever."

Snape caressed Harry's hair and nodded. "So could I."