Chapter 6

Harry woke feeling disoriented and foggy. His body felt weak and sore all over. He blinked against his pounding head, trying to figure out where he was. He didn't recognize the room he was in and his swimming vision wasn't helping him figure it out.

A cool cloth was placed on his forehead and a soft voice came from above him, "Welcome back to the land of the living Harry. How are you feeling?"

He squinted, looking at the face above him, "Madame Pomfrey?"

His breathing was labored as he tried to sit up. He was quickly pushed back down, "You've been out for a couple of days, your body has been through a lot. You need to rest and let yourself recover."

"Where am I?" He asked, his voice raspy.

Another voice comes from the doorway, "You're in my quarters."

Was that Snape? What was going on? What happened to him? Why did he feel like he had gotten run over by a bus?

As if reading his mind, Snape spoke, "You didn't show up for class. I found you sick in your dormitory and brought you here. We have some things to talk about Potter, but it can wait until you're feeling better. Eat."

Snape approached him and placed a bowl of soup next to him.

Harry looked at him confused, "I don't understand."

"I know, it's alright. Just eat, you need to get your strength back up." Snape spoke in a voice kinder than Harry had ever heard him use before.

Harry just stared at him, "Why are you being so nice to me?"

"Despite our differences Potter, you are my student. I do not like to see any of my students in pain."

Snape left the room. Maybe Harry was hallucinating. His brain felt fuzzy after all, maybe he was dreaming. Snape taking care of him? He couldn't picture it.

Madame Pomfrey helped him sit up slightly and helped him eat the soup Snape had brought for him.

Harry yelped in pain as his body shifted. Tears pricked at his eyes. Madame Pomfrey squashed him soothingly, "It's alright son. You're alright. I need you to try to eat though, okay?"

Harry nodded and let her help him. He was too tired to protest anyway.

For the first time in his life, Harry Potter let himself be helped. He was used to doing everything on his own. He was used to taking care of himself. But he was in too much pain to protest. He felt ill, so ill.

So he slept for what felt like days. He slowly started to feel better, mostly just feeling weak now.

He woke up one morning a few days later feeling much better. His head felt clear and he no longer felt like he was overheating.

He got out of the bed and made his way to the bathroom to wash his face but froze when he saw his reflection. He was deathly pale, his skin a sickly gray, his cheeks gaunt and hollow. And he was sure he had looked much worse the past few days.

But even worse than that, all the bruises he had concealed under a glamour were now shown brightly on his face and body, on full display.

No. Oh no. Snape. Madame Pomfrey. They saw. They know.

He was dead if they told anyone. Dead if it got back to his uncle that he let someone find out. He'd kill him.

Harry suddenly found it extremely hard to breathe as panic overwhelmed him. He stumbled out of the bathroom and fell to the floor right outside the doorway with a loud thud. He was hyperventilating, tears streaming down his cheeks. He could hear his heart pounding in his head. It was all too much. They knew. They knew. They'd think he was weak.

Suddenly the door flew open and someone was in front of him, shouting something at him but he couldn't make it out. Yelling. Why was the person yelling?

"I swear I finished all my chores," Harry murmured through stifled sobs.

Someone shook his shoulders and Harry flinched back, curling into himself in a defensive position. The hands immediately let go.

The person started speaking more softly then but Harry still couldn't make out what they were saying. They sat down next to him and gently eased his body down so he was lying against the person, his head against their chest.

The person stroked his hair soothingly as Harry tried to inhale.

"Just breathe Harry. Breathe. It's alright." The voice said. It sounded far away but it was getting clearer.

His heart rate started to slow and his vision cleared as he inhaled and exhaled being comforted by the person.

"You're alright now." The person said again.

Harry looked up into the face of the person and was shocked.

It was Snape.