Disclaimer: I don't own any of these characters. J.K. Rowling owns all of them and the magnificent world they live in as well.

A/N: Sorry that there was no chapter last week everybody. I was having major computer issues (as in a blue screen every ten minutes) and I only just had the time (and the patience) to do my other story's chapter. But here is the next one.

Chapter 30

Harry sat down next to Hermione and Ron, beyond happy that they were back. He loved Draco, and spending time with him, but sometimes the git was a bit much. Not enough to make him want to break up, but enough to need a little time away from him. And though he could have gone to Severus' quarters, he was hesitant. Severus had said that he could go whenever he needed to, but he didn't want to be constantly there, annoying the man. Because if Harry annoyed him, and he somehow found his hate again, then Harry would be going back to the Dursley's, even worse off than before.

"So, how was your Christmas break?" Hermione asked him, eyeing Ron's eating habits with disgust as he shoved a whole sausage in his mouth.

"Good," Harry said, suddenly nervous. He knew that Ron had said that he wasn't going to make the same mistake twice and abandon their friendship, but it was different this time. Ron had never made his distaste for Snape unclear and Harry wanted more than anything for them to approve of the home he was going to stay in.

But how did he approach the subject? Harry wasn't eloquent and he doubted he ever would be. He wasn't subtle either. He was a teenage boy, of course he wasn't.

"I'm going to live with Severus?" He said quickly. It came out more as a question then he had wanted it, but at least it was out there.

"You are?" Hermione asked, looking at Harry curiously.

"Severus?" Ron choked on his sausage. Harry flushed, glancing up at them. Neither looked angry, which was good, Hermione almost looked pleased, but Ron was looking at him in horror, his already pale face paler.

"Oh Harry, that's wonderful!" Hermione said happily, clapping her hands.

"It is?" Harry asked.

"It is?" Ron repeated. He looked at Harry worriedly. "Look mate, if he's blackmailing you into something, we can help you. I'm sure we can find something on him."

"What? No, he's not blackmailing me into anything Ron," Harry assured him.

"Then why are you going to live with him?" Ron asked, his mouth still full. Harry shrugged. He suddenly remembered that Hermione and Ron didn't know the truth. He had truly forgotten, being around all the people who did know, that these two didn't. Though he suspected that Hermione suspected something.

"The Dursleys abused me," Harry admitted quietly, avoiding their eyes. "Which is why I am going to live with Severus, so I don't have to go back to living with them."

"Oh Harry," Hermione said in a quiet exhale. She leaned over and hugged him tightly. Harry bore it uncomfortably until she released him, leaning back to look at him. "Well, I, for one, am very glad that you have found someone who is going to keep you safe and give you the love you deserve."

Harry smiled at her and then glanced at Ron, who was still eating. Ron looked up, catching sight of them looking at him, and swallowed with slight difficulty.

"Oh, yeah. I'm happy for you too mate. Really. And if you need somewhere to stay that isn't with The Greasy Bat, you know our house is always open." Ron said, clapping Harry on the shoulder.

"Thanks Ron, but he really isn't all that bad," Harry explained, glancing up at the surly professor at the head table that was still only half full, because most of the teachers had not returned from their Christmas break. The man was staring at him and Harry met his obsidian eyes. Severus nodded and then tilted his heads towards Hermione and Ron. Harry nodded and turned back to them. "He's actually been very nice to me."

"Snape can be nice?" Ron asked, his eyes wide with disbelief. Harry shrugged. He wanted to defend the man who had shown him so much kindness, but he also didn't want to ruin Ron's acceptance so far. "Look mate, I'm kidding. If you're happy, then I'm happy."

"Please tell me that wasn't true," Harry begged, his face in slight pain at the thought Severus had just inflicted on him. Draco laughed.

"All I know is that I came upon them in a closet at the same time and they certainly weren't searching for cleaning supplies," Severus said idly, smirking to keep himself from smiling at the two boys sitting at his dinner table.

"Oh," Harry groaned, placing his hands on his eyes in anguish. "I'm never going to be able to look at them the same way again."

Severus chuckled, startling when the alarm sounded to alert him when someone was knocking at the door.

"Is someone coming?" Harry asked, his brow furrowing. Severus waved away his concern, setting down his fork and getting to his feet. He walked out of the kitchen, patting Harry's head as he passed him, and went to the door. He waited until the door was knocked upon once more, just to make them nervous, and then swung it open, staring down at them.

"Hello Professor," Granger smiled at him nervously.

"Good evening, Ms. Granger," Severus greeted her. "Mr. Weasley." He nodded at the boy who was giving him a continuous stink-eye and resisted the urge to sigh. He had known, when he invited both Ms. Granger and Mr. Weasley to dinner with Harry and Draco that it was going to be difficult. It wasn't as if Granger or Weasley were particularly horrible company, though he would never admit it to anyone. It was just that he was becoming used to letting his guard down, when he was alone with Draco and Harry, and being able to show his true self, and he wasn't quite comfortable enough to do it between these two.

Still, despite the torture it would be, he had invited them. Because they had been staring at him out of the corner of their eyes suspiciously all day long, and he was tiring of it. He was not a villainous character in a horror story, and it would be wise of them to stop staring at him as if he was, before he assigned them both detention.

Plus, they were Harry's friends, and if Harry liked them, then Severus would at least make an effort to.