I am so sorry! Things have been getting crazy busy with end of semester. I hope you all enjoy the chapter!
Chapter Nine: In which Harry is embarrassed
Harry practically flew out of the dungeons as soon as the lesson was over, he reached the great hall and took a few deep calming breaths. He performed his usual deflating ritual of imagining McGonagall in her underwear which did its job as always, with a slight shudder he walked in and took a seat. Harry quickly shovelled his food in as if that were why he had been in such a hurry to leave potions. Soon the others joined him and the hall was full of unintelligible conversation. Harry once more ignored them all and ate in his own personal bubble of silence.
Soon enough it was time to head to Care of Magical Creatures, Malfoy, sick of being ignored, decided it was time to push again.
"Oh finally, a class where Potty will actually come in handy, I knew they kept him around for a reason," the youngest Malfoy smirked.
Harry didn't have to understand to know a lame Malfoy insult when he heard it.
"Why don't you go shag one of your cousins or something Malfoy? Obviously incest is allowed if you're anything to go by," he ignored the blonde and kept walking until they reached Hagrid's hut.
"Oh hello Harry, is it true you can't understand anything anyone's saying?" the half giant asked, staring at the boy.
"Yes Hagrid, it's very true unfortunately," Hermione interceded.
Harry gave him a smile and looked around, Fang was nowhere to be seen, instead Hagrid seemed to have acquired a large familiar looking black and white dog. He hid the huge grin that threatened to break out over his face as the rest of the class arrived.
"Now, before we start I'd like everybody to say hello to the new addition to the class, this is Paddy, he'll be staying with me for a while, he belongs to one of the other professors so I want you to be good to him, say hello Paddy," Hagrid gestured at the students and the dog walked around sniffing everyone as he went.
When he reached Harry he gave the boy a big lick.
"Of course, Potter always seems to attract dirty mutts," Malfoy sniffed.
The dog finally seemed to notice the blonde and walked over to him before very deliberately lifting one leg.
"Paddy no!" Hagrid said sharply, the dog's ears drooped and he lowered his leg before walking stiffly back to Harry.
Grinning Harry knelt down and gave the dog a pat, "Don't worry Sirius, Malfoy's just jealous I'm patting you instead of him," He gave the dog a wink and stood back up.
Things worked out quite well, while the other listened to Hagrid for the rest of the lesson Harry played with "Paddy", sometimes it was fun when you couldn't understand.
"So far my year is going great, the only person in the entire castle I can actually understand just sent me off to potions to fantasise about Snape," Paddy cocked his head and Harry chuckled, "That's right, Snape, your sworn nemesis."
He paused and stared at the dog, "This is where you bark in outrage and storm off to insult Snape and tell him to stay away from me, embarrassing both of us and accomplishing absolutely nothing."
The dog just stared and gave him a big wet doggy kiss, Harry laughed.
"Its ok, you don't have to, in fact I'd rather prefer you didn't, I don't think either of us wants to go through that whole hideous confrontation do we?"
His only reply was a big doggy sneeze.
"So how on earth did Remus manage to die your fur like that? I'm surprised you didn't attack him. Hey wait does that mean your hair is black and white too now?" Harry laughed at the mental image of a spotty Sirius looking very pissed off at one Remus Lupin.
Paddy tilted his head to the side wandering off to pick up a stick and bring it back Harry before sitting back on his haunches with a playful grin.
The boy rolled his eyes and picked up the stick, "You're so strange sometimes Siri."
ooooo
Before they left for History of Magic Hagrid had told Hermione they were welcome to bring Harry down to play with 'Paddy' anytime. The girl hid a smile, obviously Professor Lupin had not let the half giant in on Paddy's true form. It was probably better that way, what he didn't know couldn't hurt him.
Harry said his good byes to Sirius and promised to visit him as soon as possible, even sneak him into the castle if he could. The dog whimpered and set his puppy dog eyes to their maximum. With a final pat the trio made their way back to the castle for afternoon nap. Or History of Magic, whichever you want to call it.
"Well that's interesting," Hermione commented along the way, "I'm right in thinking that was Padfoot right Harry?"
He just watched the corridor, assuming she was talking to Ron.
"Oh right, I forgot, Ron?" she turned to her boyfriend.
"Of course it was, why else would he go straight to Harry and try to piss on Malfoy?" the redhead grinned at the memory.
"Then we definitely need to see Professor Lupin tonight," Hermione said as they reached the history of magic classroom.
As soon as they sat down the boys started yawning and Hermione pulled out her books rolling her eyes at the both of them.
Harry slipped into a dream, a highly inappropriate dream for during class.
Harry looked around suspiciously, he appeared to be somewhere in the dungeons.
"Where the hell am I?" he hissed angrily.
"Oh Harry, you know what parseltongue does to me," a deep voice moaned.
The boy froze and turned slowly to see a naked Severus Snape lying the middle of a huge bed covered in black silk sheets.
"Sir?" Harry asked a little shakily, "How come I can understand you? Can you understand me?"
The professor moaned once more, "Harry if you're not going to talk normally you can come here and face the consequences," he snarled a little breathlessly glaring at the boy, leaning up on his arms.
When Harry looked down he discovered his clothes were missing and he was most definitely interested in the man on the bed. He slowly climbed on the bed crawling to the where the professor lay, Snape grabbed his head and crushed their lips together.
Harry gave a low moan and woke up with a sharp jab to the ribs.
His eyes snapped open and he looked around wildly.
Hermione was blushing furiously, "Not during class Harry!" she hissed, her eyes looking straight ahead.
The boy-who-lived blushed furiously, obviously something had translated outside of his dream. Bugger.
ooooo
"Salazar?" Hermione called out, she turned to one of the portraits, "Would you please be able to find Salazar Slytherin and bring him here?"
"Okay," the young man answered excitedly, "I'll be right back, stay here!"
Hermione shook her head and looked at Ron, "I just have to talk to Harry about assignments for a little while, why don't you go up to the common room and start on your homework before we go see Professor Lupin?"
Ron blanched, "Maybe I'll go talk to the others for a while."
"Ronald!" she called after his rapidly disappearing back.
"What's this about assignments?" Sal asked lazily from the portrait frame.
"That's not actually it sir, would you be able to translate for us?" Hermione asked politely.
He gave a small shrug, "Sure, what's it about?"
She blushed furiously, "Could you please ask Harry what happened during History of Magic?"
Sal's eyebrow shot up, "Harry what happened during History of Magic?"
Harry flinched and blushed, "Umm I fell asleep?"
"Oh really? And what did you dream about?" he asked in amusement.
"Uh first could you please ask Mione why she woke me up?"
"He wants to know why you woke him up," Salazar informed the girl with a grin.
"He was breathing heavier than usual and then he… uh…. moaned," she looked at the ground, "Only quietly but I thought I'd better wake him up before anyone noticed."
The Slytherin laughed uproariously.
"What?" Harry demanded quickly.
"Oh my dear Harry, and here I thought you were such a prude. Apparently you started breathing heavily and then moaned, Hermione thought she had better wake you up before it got worse," he managed to get out between laughter.
Harry paled and looked horrified, "Oh god, did I really? Please tell me you're lying again!"
"Sorry Harry," the portrait snorted, "This time it was all you."
He let him suffer a moment more before he finished what he had to say, "She stopped you before anyone else could notice, luckily you were only quiet."
Harry gave Hermione a bone crushing hug, "Thank you so much Mione, I'm really really sorry."
She patted his back as Salazar translated, "He says thank you for waking him and he's sorry for doing that to you."
"Can you ask him if he can tell me what he was dreaming about? Am I right in assuming it was of a sexual nature?" Hermione asked carefully.
Sal snorted, "She still wants to know what you were dreaming about and is she right in assuming it was of a sexual nature?"
His face found a new shade of red as he released her and looked away, "Yes she's right but I'd rather not tell her who it was."
"Was it Severus?" Harry's head jerked up and Slytherin smirked, "Yes you were right but he'd prefer not to tell you."
"Can you just ask him one more thing?" she took a deep breath and plunged on, "Was it a man?"
Sal bit back a grin, "She wants to know if it was a man."
Harry made a small choking noise, "Stop lying Sal."
"This time I swear on Merlin's beard I'm telling the honest truth," the founder grinned.
"Then tell her yes it was," Harry said in defeat.
"Yep, it was but he won't say who."
"That's alright," she said hugging the boy, "I thought so but I wanted to make sure. Let him know that we're going to visit Remus now, would you be able to come along?"
"I'll meet you outside your common room and follow you there," he promised, "Harry, she just wanted to know, she doesn't have a problem with it. Don't worry about it. You guys are going to go see Remus now, I'll meet you outside the common room so you'd better hurry."
Harry relaxed into the hug and looked into Hermione's eyes, "She really doesn't have a problem?"
"Well it certainly doesn't seem that way."
He disengaged himself from her arms and took a step back.
Harry took a deep breath, "Hermione, I think I'm gay but please don't tell anyone else."
Sal quickly relaying it to the girl.
She pulled Harry into another tight hug, "Of course not Harry, I'm just glad you told me, you shouldn't have to keep these things to yourself, its not good for you."
Salazar winked and wandered off.
Well I hope you guys enjoyed it, don't forget to let me know what you thought!