Authors note:

Can be read as a stand-alone!

This is part of a Snape slowly adopting Harry one-shot series. This is part 9 of the series

Severus stirred in his sleep. He'd been sleeping well, deep in the wisps of dreams, until disrupted by a distant sound. At first, he brushed it aside, assuming it was his owl moving around. Or perhaps a ghost that had wandered through the wrong wall—though they should know better. With a half-conscious turn, he let sleep drag him under again.

Then he heard something again. What was that?

"Sev?"

He distantly felt a tugging on his duvet. Was that a voice?

"Sevy?"

That was definitely a whisper of some sort. He felt something poke his arm through his sleeping shirt. Once. Twice. Groaning, he opened his eyes before the menace could poke him a third time.

When he'd blinked a few times he could see well enough in the dark room to make out a shape. A child's head peeking at him over the edge of his bed. Green eyes highlighted by the dull teal-tinted moonlight from the window. One hand still raised up with his finger ready to poke.

"Severus?" the child whispered again.

"Harry? What are you doing up this late?" Severus asked. "You should be in bed."

Severus sat up a bit in bed and rubbed a hand over his face. He wasn't sure what the time was, but it definitely wasn't time for breakfast yet.

"Sorry," Harry said, retracting his arm and clutching onto his stuffed animal snake with both hands. Severus waited for him to say something more, but the boy stayed quiet.

"Are you feeling unwell? Are you sick?" he asked, hoping that wasn't the case.

Harry shook his head. Well then…

"Did you need anything?" Severus said.

Harry was about to shake his head but paused. He peered up at Severus through his bangs.

"I had a bad dream…"

It wasn't what Severus had expected. Harry hadn't ever disturbed him in the middle of the night before. But now that he looked closer he could see Harry's eyes had a thin sheet of tears over them and he seemed rather anxious.

"Right…" Severus said, uncertain how to continue. He hadn't dealt with this before and he was still a bit too tired to think at his usual speed. "Do you want something to drink? A glass of water?"

It might seem rather incompetent to ask, but he really wasn't sure what else to do. Severus himself only had the occasional nightmare. They were rather uncomfortable. The kind that made him shiver in cold sweat when he woke up. But Harry shook his head no.

"Should I follow you back to your room then?" Severus asked.

That was more on the right track. He would even check for monsters under Harry's bed and boggarts in his closet to show nothing dangerous was there if necessary. Hopefully, he wouldn't ask for a story, but if it eased Harry's worries he guessed he'd have no other choice. Anything to get a few more hours of sleep before he had to be awake and handle his morning lessons.

Harry didn't answer right away though and fidgeted for a moment.

"Could I sleep here with you?" he asked. He didn't look up at Severus as he said it, almost as if he was afraid to do so.

Perhaps he had a reason to since Severus' first initial thought was 'No' followed closely by 'Why?'. He wasn't sure how being near a death eater would help Harry feel safer after a bad dream. Of course, Harry had no idea what a death eater was or why he should fear them.

Then Severus thought it over again. Or well, rather he thought about how he wanted to go back to sleep. Preferably as soon as possible. He knew he'd already be more grumpy than usual come morning from the disturbance of his sleep.

He guessed it wouldn't hurt. And he had promised to take care of the boy, he guessed things like this were part of the package. His bed was big, it wasn't like they wouldn't both fit.

"Alright," he reluctantly agreed, shifting to the side and lifting the duvet so Harry could climb into the bed.

He expected Harry to merely climb in and go to sleep. To his surprise, Harry climbed practically into his lap. Settling right by his side—plushie still clutched hard in his grip—and buried his face into Severus' nightshirt.

Severus held still for a moment, only letting go of the duvet.

He felt Harry bury his face further into his shoulder and hug him tighter.

Had the nightmare been worse than the boy had initially shown? Severus raised his hand to pat his head slowly a few times. Harry's grip didn't ease though. He held in a sigh. So much for his precious sleep.

"It's alright… It was only a dream," Severus said.

How many times had he wished he could've said that after his own dreams (nightmares; memories). He shook his head slightly.

"Do you want to tell me what the dream was about Harry?" he asked.

He heard a muffled sniffle coming from Harry who still had his face buried into his shirt. Severus dragged his hand through Harry's hair until the child seemed to calm down somewhat.

He slowly peeked up at Severus, despite the soft teal light in the room he still had to strain his eyes to see.

Then he mumbled something Severus couldn't quite hear.

"What was that Harry?"

Harry swallowed before saying a bit clearer, "I had a dream that you left me… Or- That I had to leave."

Severus saw the pinched expression on Harry's face. He felt his chest clench.

"Harry. I promised I wouldn't leave, didn't I? Do you remember that?"

Harry nodded.

"And I said I always keep my promises?" Severus continued.

"But- But what if I'm bad? Can I stay even then?" he asked, looking almost scared of the answer, but like he really needed to know.

"Even then," Severus said. "I won't ever make you leave Harry."

A few tears slipped down Harry's face, but he dried them off with his fisted hands. He looked so miserable. Severus' words seemed to relieve him of only some of his worries.

"Okay," Harry mumbled.

He cuddled up against Severus again. Severus assumed he'd just have to sleep with Harry clinging to him tonight. As long as it eased his worries.

Severus continued to stroke Harry's head until he could feel his breathing slow down. He didn't dare try to move him, afraid he'd wake up again.

Sooner or later, Severus too fell asleep, with a little boy still clutching onto him tight.

The next morning Severus woke up to the dull sunlight coming in through the underwater window. A few rays hit his bedframe. He felt a weight against his side as saw Harry curled up asleep with his stuffed animal.

He remembered the night as he looked at the peacefully sleeping boy. He was glad Harry hadn't had any more bad dreams during the night.

When he moved his neck he could feel that the half-sitting position he'd fallen asleep in hadn't been the kindest to him. His neck felt stiff and achy.

He got out of bed as quietly as he could, trying not to disturb Harry. Gently, he pulled the duvet over him again before leaving to make breakfast.

Harry was up before him most days, but he guessed the night had been hard on him. So he'd let the boy sleep while he prepared their breakfast.

When Harry later did wake up he was as energetic as usual. From one to a hundred in far less time than even Severus could manage to keep up with. And if Severus was a tad more grumpy than usual that day (he got a headache from his neck pain and disturbed sleep). Well…

The careless first years could use some detention to learn some discipline either way.

Authors note:

Thank you for reading!

If you liked this one and haven't read the other parts of the series then check them out if you're curious :)