A/N:OK...this kinda gets a little darker and Harry's nightmares about the Dursleys get more vivid.

Chapter 27

"BOY! GET IN HERE RIGHT NOW!" Vernon Dursley shrieked angrily. "YOU CAN'T DO A THING RIGHT CAN YOU? LOOK AT THAT! YOU BROUGHT DIRT INTO MY HOUSE! STUPID BOY!" He pushed Harry against the wall and punched him until his face was yellow. Harry sobbed at first, begging his uncle to stop. But the more he begged the harder Vernon hit him, so eventually he fell exhaustedly onto the floor and tried his best not to cry. When Vernon had finished with him he kicked Harry in the shin.

"NEVER BRING DIRT IN THIS HOUSE AGAIN!" he screamed, stomping out.

Harry woke up sobbing. Every part of his body trembled. nobody loved him; he was a stupid boy to think that Severus actually loved him. He curled up into a ball in his bed. Back at the Dursleys, whenever he felt like this, he would find something sharp and cut himself; if there was nothing sharp nearby he'd simply scratch at his arms; it was the reason he hardly ever clipped his nails. He pulled up his shirt sleeves and scratched vigorously at his arms. He hadn't felt this way in a long time, and he needed the pain to clear his mind.

HPSSHPSSHPSSHPSS

Severus woke up in the middle of the night; something was wrong. He hopped silently out of bed and crept down the hall to Harry's room. When he opened the door and switched on the lights, he saw Harry tearing away a the skin on his arms.

"Harry, stop!" Seveus rushed over and grabbed the boy's hands gently, but firmly and pulled them away. Merlin why did I ever leave him alone? he asked himself. "Harry, calm down!"

Harry was hyperventilating, trying to claw his way out of Severu's firm grip; he needed to scratch. "I HAVE TO!" he screamed.

"Harry, look at me and stop trying to hurt yourself!" Severus was getting desperate.

"NO! LET ME GO!" he sobbed. "LET ME GO!" he broke down into tears.

"Shh, Harry it's allright," Severus said gently.

Harry grabbed onto Severus and hugged him with all his might. Now he felt guilty for waking his guardian up in the middle of the night and worrying him. "I-I'm s-sorry, S-Sev! I j-just h-had a h-horrible n-nightmare!" Harry sobbed uncontrollably.

"Shh, Harry it's allright. Now tell me about this nightmare of yours," he said gently.

Harry's face paled. "N-NO, S-SEV! P-PLEASE! D-DON'T M-MAKE M-ME R-R-RELIVE IT!" Harry sobbed.

"Shh, Harry calm down! Look at me." Severus had absolutely no clue how to comfort the boy.

"i-it w-w-was about m-my uncle," Harry whimpered, getting closer to Severus.

Severus felt anger rise up in him again. Dursley, if you weren't already dead I'd kill you myself! "What about him?" Severus asked as soothingly as he could.

"H-he w-was angry w-with m-me b-because I b-brought d-dirt into h-his h-house," Harry sobbed.

Dirt? I'll give you dirt, Dursley! Severus thought vehemently.

"H-he...h-he b-beat m-me, S-sev."

Severus took a sharp intake of breath. "He WHAT?" he screamed.

Harry cringed, "I'm s-sorry, S-Sev," he squeaked.

"No, Harry I lost my temper. I'm sorry. Let me get this straight: your uncle used to beat you because you brought dirt into his house?"

Harry nodded. "H-he c-called m-me a s-stupid b-boy and t-told m-me that I c-couldn't d-do anything r-right!" Harry continued to sob.

HOW DARE YOU, DURSLEY? HOW DARE YOU! "It's allright, Harry," he said. It took every bit of wll power he had not to lose his temper. He wanted to bring Vernon Dursley back from the dead and kill him over and over and over again.

Harry felt Severus tense. "Are you allright, Sev?" he asked worriedly.

"Yes, Harry, just upset with your damn excuses for relatives. I'm going to give you a bit of Dreamless Sleep so you won't have anymore dreams for the night." Severus said gently.

When he was back in his own bed, Severus fell asleep with two thoughts: I hate Harry's relatives, and I'm getting too soft.