Traumatized

"Harry! Oh, Harry. There you are! We were so worried-."

"-Draco, quiet down a bit please; I don't think H-Harry is quite with us yet," Snape warned, knowing black eyes filling with guilt. "Harry, it is Draco and Professor Snape. Neither of us are going to hurt you, alright child? We will not come any closer unless you give us permission."

Harry was shaking. Was Snape lying just to get him to give permission to come closer, and inevitably beat him? Or was he being honest? Harry's frazzled mind didn't know and so he collapsed to the floor, curling himself into a ball so tight, it was a wonder his spine didn't crack. Fearful tears leaked from those stupendously bright eyes, memories of his uncle threatening to do just that – break his spine – coming back to haunt him.

"Uncle Sev, do something," Draco whispered urgently, not wanting to see his new best friend so upset.

Severus decided that his godson was right. That it wouldn't be fair to let the boy stay so distressed if they could do something to help. "Child, I'm coming closer now. I'm not going to touch you, I just need you to take this for me; it's a calming draught. Can you do that for me and Draco?" as he spoke he pulled said potion from one of the many inner pockets of his heavy, black cloak.

Harry could hear, but he didn't know what was being said, which is why when something solid and cool was pressed into his hand, he jumped, spilling the contents of the class vail.

"Okay, Harry. Look at me, I need to make sure you hear me." Snape, when Harry obeyed his command, passed over another vail, repeating his explanation of what was in the little clear bottle.

Harry nodded, finally understanding, and swallowed the thick blue substance in one fell swoop. Almost immediately the effects took hold, all stress and anxiety from before, leaving his body. Now he just felt drained, and the dark bags under his eyes showed it.

Knowing that the potion had worked, Severus knelt before the worn-out child, picked him up and started to carry him back to the castle of Hogwarts, Draco following closely behind. The blond boy still didn't much like nor trust the forest, after his and Harry's first year detention.

When they were back down in the dungeons, Snape let Harry down to walk the last few steps to his quarters, where the emotionally exhausted teen sat on the edge of Draco's transfigured bed, staring into the distance.

His professor startled him by coming to sit beside him, pulling him into his lap and wrapping his arms around the boy's small frame. "Relax child. I'm sorry I shouted; I shouldn't have. I have no excuse, having known your past. It was wrong of me. I assure you though," Severus said, placing his head atop the child's and rubbing the tension from the poor boys back, "that you can trust me. I will not hurt you, that I can promise. You may find yourself over my knee sometimes, for misbehaviour, but I won't abuse you. Please believe me, little Harry."

Severus almost had tears in his eyes by the end of his speech. This was Lily's child, and he had scared him into thinking he was back at his evil relative's house, about to endure something so horrific that Snape didn't want to think too much about it, if it could be helped.

Draco was alarmed. The last hour and a half had gone by so quickly, and now Harry was upset and he didn't know how to help. But really, what could he do? He was in the same situation and knew how much it hurt to remember things so vividly, but he couldn't even deal with his own emotions right now, let alone someone else's and so he stood, standing awkwardly off to the side as his godfather tried to reassure his friend. "I… think I'm going to lay down. Is that alright Uncle Severus?"

At his nod, Draco transformed the other sofa into a bed and lay down, letting Harry have the one he was sat on.

-0-

Harry eventually calmed down enough to fall asleep. Snape didn't think it was really fair that he had to do so in his lap though, and shifted the boy around so that he was tucked up in the transfigured bed. He'd speak to Dumbledore in the morning, explain the situation and have the boys let off classes for the day. They needed their sleep and time to recuperate.

-0-

Morning came and the professor and two boys sat around the kitchen table, eating their breakfasts of Greek yoghurt, honey and fresh fruit. It was a silent affair, no one knowing quite what to say after the night before.

Eventually, when everyone had finished their food, Snape spoke up, asking Harry if he could have a private word. "Harry, I need to have a word with you in a moment, please. Draco, if you wouldn't mind occupying yourself for a few minutes?" He motioned towards the door, insinuating that he should leave them to whatever it was they were going to talk about.

Once the young aristocrat was out of hearing range, Severus began. "Harry, I need to know more about your past. Will you tell me, or at least give me permission to use legilimency on you?" the man asked, courteously.

"You can legilimize me if you want. I don't really want to talk about it, if that's okay," the sullen boy replied. He lifted his head to meet Snape's eyes and was thrown into a whirlwind of Dursley memories, starting at the age of 3, when he was able to walk, talk and, in his aunt and uncle's opinion, run the house.

It began with little Harry sucking his thumb, trying to figure out if the bacon was cooked enough. He stood on a chair so he could reach the stovetop, and eyed it decisively. "BOY! Don't you dare touch my food with that infected little thumb of yours! Wash it now!" Vernon Dursley bellowed from the table, where he, his wife and son sat, waiting for Harry to finish making their breakfast.

Harry jumped to do as he was told, jumping off his perch – and receiving a glare for his efforts – and dragging it over to the sink, where he washed his tiny hands vigorously. When he's moved back to the bacon, however, it was burnt. Tears filled the boys eyes, knowing what was to happen next.

Sure as anything, he was right. As predicted, his uncle smelt the burning and came over to see where it was coming from, and finding the bacon ruined, flew off the handle. He backhanded the poor toddler off of his chair, before picking him up by the scruff of his neck, dragging his knees across the floor and throwing him into his bedroom – a cupboard under the stairs.

"You can stay here for the rest of the day, brat. If I hear a peep out of you, you'll be sorry you were born!" Little Harry nodded, gulping down his sobs and bolding his hand, bent back from an awkward landing.

-0-

Snape pulled out, having seen enough. He'd known from the night before that the boy was abused, but from such a young age? He couldn't stomach it. Right now he needed to think, and figure out how the hell to stop the boy from being forced back to that place.