Learning to Love
Chapter 4: Sleep
Sorry I took forever to update, I've had the biggest writer's block on all of my stories. Thanks for all who reviewed.
Disclaimer: Don't own.
'I wonder if this new Snape is here for good or maybe he was hexed by somebody, like Dumbledore, with some kind of cheerful charm or something.' Harry thought watching his Potion Professor walk out of the room. He than realized that he was smiling, the first time he smiled for real since before his godfather's death. 'What's wrong with me? I shouldn't be smiling, especially after talking to Snape.' He thought scowling at himself.
'It's Snape. This is the first time he hasn't been cursing my name. I've always hated it when he screamed my name in hate, though I bet I wouldn't hate it if he screamed my name in pleasure.' His mind staggered and started blushing. 'Where the hell did that thought come from?' Harry's blush deepened when Snape walked back into the room with Poppy swooping in behind him.
"Oh dear. Why is your face so red? Are you running a fever?" Poppy asked walking over to the bed Harry was laying in. She placed a hand on the young man's forehead. He blushed in embarrassment. "Hmm. No fever. So how are you feeling Dear?" Harry blanched. His eyes dulled and he lowered his head, looking down at his hands. Memories of what had happened were pushed to the front of his mind. Each miserable day flipping through his mind like a slide show going at a fast pace. Over and over again the memories flipped though.
Severus got up from the chair and walked out the door he saw Poppy disappear into earlier. He walked over to the desk in the room where Pomfrey was sitting writing on some parchment. She looked up when she heard him approach her desk.
"He's awake." Severus said to the school nurse. Poppy quickly stood up from her seat. He walked back into the infirmary, Poppy following behind him. She swooped over to Harry's bedside.
Severus watched as the young man's face, red from embarrassment, turn into a look of horror and shame. Poppy's eyes looked up from the boy to Severus's eyes. Concern shone in her eyes.
"Are you ok Harry?" Poppy asked sitting down in the chair Severus was sitting in earlier. Harry nodded. "Is there anything you want to talk about?" He shook his head. "Want to tell us what happened?" His eyes widened and shook his head even more.
'No. I don't want them to know what happened.' Harry thought to himself. His eyes moved from Poppy to the Headmaster who had just entered the room.
"How are you doing Harry?" Dumbledore asked, sitting down in the chair next to his bed.
"Ok sir." Harry whispered, lowering his head.
"I want you to know my dear boy that you'll never have to go back to that house ever again." Dumbledore started, "With that said, you'll have to stay somewhere else. Hogwarts is out of the question. The only people here are Poppy, Severus and myself. Poppy is leaving in a week to visit family, I have to deal with the Ministry, and Severus is going home in a couple days for the summer." He said thoughtfully.
"He can stay with me." Severus volunteered. Poppy and Harry looked at him with wide eyes.
"Perfect. Thank you my boy." Albus said, eyes twinkling. "Is that okay with you Harry?" He asked turning towards Harry.
"That's fine." Harry stuttered.
"Good. Well, rest up." Dumbledore said smiling down at Harry. He nodded at Severus and Poppy, and then exited the infirmary. Poppy went to work on checking Harry's condition.
"How are you feeling Harry?" Poppy questioned the young man.
"Fine." He replied, his voice quiet and tense.
"Feeling any pain?"
"A little." He answered. Poppy looked at him questioningly, waiting for him to tell where. "My right wrist mostly."
"Ah yes. Unfortunatelyyour right wrist has sustained some nerve damage, which will take a little longer than your other wounds to heal. Here take his Pain Reliever potion, it'll help with the pain." Poppy explained. She handed him the potion, which he chugged down with a look of disgust on his face. "Take this dreamless sleep, it will help you sleep and will help you to heal faster with rest." Poppy handing him a bottle of Dreamless Sleep, which he also chugged down. "I'm going to go take care of something. I'll chick up on you in a little while." Poppy said then left the room, heading back to her office. Severus looked down at his student with tired eyes.
"Get some sleep Harry. We'll leave for my home in a week." Snape said standing up from the chair. He nodded at Harry, who in return gave a small sleepy smile, then walked out of the infirmary, his robed bellowing behind him.
Harry watched him walk out of the infirmary with the small smile still on his face. He quickly found his eyelids growing heavier and then he gave in to a dreamless sleep.
Severus watched in surprise as Harry gave him a small smile. Getting over the slight shock from the smile, he walked out of the infirmary and down into the dungeons to his chambers. When he reached the painting of Salazar Slytherin he paused, and said the password. Then painting swung open and Severus walked in to his chambers. He ignored the erg to sit in front of the fire and down fire whiskey and continued to his bedroom. He entered the semi dark room and let out a small sigh. He quickly shed himself of his clothing and headed into the connecting bathroom.
Deciding a hot bath would be relaxing; he filled the tub up with water. He stepped into the tub and slowly lowered himself into the water till he was fully seated on the bottom of the tub. He sunk into the relaxing heated water, which was helping him relieve his taunt muscles on his stressed body. He leaned his head back till it rested against the rim of the tub and let his dark eyes slip shut.
After a couple minutes of just enjoying, he opened his eyes and grabbed a bar of soap off of the ledge, lathering it in his hands. He set the soap down and rubbed the lathered soaped hands on his pale but muscled arms then proceeded to his chest, which was littered with small and large scars. His hands ran down his abs to his strong thighs.
He picked up the soap again, lathered it, and then ran his hands down his long legs. When he finished washing his body he grabbed his shampoo, squeezing a fair amount out on a palm then lathered it in his hair. He dunked his head under the water, rinsing the shampoo out then stood up from the now cold water, draining the tub of the water. He grabbed a towel as he stepped out, wrapping it around his waist.
Severus went back into his room, drying his body off with the towel. He dropped the now damp towel in the hamper as he walked over to one of his dressers where he pulled out a pair of drawstring pants. He slipped on the pants then brushed his hair. He climbed into bed and slowly fell asleep, a pair of green eyes haunting his dreams.
Hope you like it. I'll try to get to the next chapter out soon. Please review.
Moonluna