Pledges

Part 6

"...Hagrid found him at the edge of the forest..."

...

"...they're shallow cuts... so many..."

...

"...how many broken bones..."

...

Everything hurt.

As an idle thought, Harry tried to count the number of muscles in his stomach simply based on the
aches.

Attempting to roll over ripped a moan from his hoarse throat.

"Awake then?" The Headmaster.

"No." He wasn't up to having any more uncomfortable conversations.

A small chuckle. "We have to stop meeting like this, young man."

"Believe me headmaster, no one would like that more than me." Remembering why he hurt so
much in the first place, he asked, "Is he alright?"

"He's better." Dumbledore sounded so tired.

"How long was I... asleep?" More like passed out cold.

"You've missed breakfast."

His head jerked up in surprise. "But I was just at lunch!"

"That was yesterday." The Headmaster had this way of presenting obvious information as if they
were completely new facts. It could be very annoying.

Trying not to sound like he was begging. "Can I see him?"

Worried eyes focused on him. "Is that wise Harry?"

"I don't know." He sighed. "I don't know if it's the Pledge or because I felt everything that he
went through. I just know that I need to see him."

A slow nod. "All right Harry. I just wanted to make sure you knew your own mind."

"That's knowing my own mind?"

Dumbledore graced him with a smile. "Its close enough."

The Headmaster led him to the other side of the ward. To a bed that was surrounded by a drawn
curtain. Silently Dumbledore parted the curtain for him.

Harry looked at the pale, prone figure unconscious on the hospital bed. Suddenly Severus Snape
was frail and human. That scared Harry more than anything else.

"I have some things I need to attend Harry. I'll be back in a little while."

Harry nodded absently as the Headmaster left.

There was a chair next to the bed. Harry slowly sat down in it.

This was ridiculous. He needed... he needed...

His hand went out and gathered up a pale slender companion.

Good.

The others fingers flexed slightly and mingled with his.

Better.

But this was awkward. His back ached. His arm ached. His head ached.

His bed was so very far away.

And Snape looked so alone.

Slowly. Carefully. He slid in next to the other man. Making sure that his arm and hand were the
only things putting any pressure on anything, he closed his eyes. Then promptly, fell soundly
asleep.
_________

The first thing he was aware of was a warm weight settled comfortably across his stomach. Next,
a soft puff of air against his neck and a shifting, deeply breathing body next to his.

Summoning some strength he cracked an eyelid open-

-and was greeted with a mop of messy dark hair. He shifted an arm minutely so that his fingers
could come into contact with the wild strands.

"You will be the death of me one day, Mr. Potter." he murmured and took the opportunity to
breathe in the younger man.

He couldn't deny that this was the most comfortable he'd been... ever.

It had been far too long since he'd felt another body laying next to his.

It felt far too good.

Far. Too. Good.

And the feeling was back.

He couldn't really bring himself to care.

Looking down, dark eyes met green once more.

"What is this, Professor?"

Distance. He needed distance. "A magically induced hormonal reaction, Mr. Potter."

"This doesn't feel hormonal."

Look away, fool. "It's all hormonal, Potter."

"Mush ball." A small smile.

Oh god. That mouth. "Are you attempting to be more annoying than usual?"

"Well you asked me not to do something that would annoy you while you were gone, I have
about 18 hours to make up for."

"So you decided to crawl, uninvited into bed with me?" Oh. Don't think that. His fingers buried
themselves deeper into Harry's hair.

"No, that was because I was tired and that chair was not made for sleeping in."

He was tired? Didn't he have his own bed? "Why are you here anyway? Other than the obvious
annoyances."

"The Headmaster woke me up and I asked to see you."

"Why?"

The green eyes looked away and softly Potter explained. "I only had to feel what happened. You
had to do so much more."

Fingers tightened involuntarily. "You... felt... it?"

A nod. "Did you scream? My throat feels like I screamed for hours."

"Oh Harry." He gave up and pulled the younger body closer to his. Sliding his arms around the
slender waist, he discovered an even better feeling than before. Belonging.

"I'm sorry." Came a muffled voice from somewhere near his chest.

"For what?" He started rubbing circles into the warm back he was holding.

"This is my fault."

Arms tightened around him. "I thought we'd established that earlier."

"Does this bother you?"

"This? I'm afraid you're going to have to be more specific than that." Legs began to tangle.

"Not being in control."

"It might. It did. I'm just too tired to care right now."

"Me too."

A soft brush of lips where hair met skin. "Then go to sleep." Please.

Eventually, soft snoring lulled him to sleep.

Part 7

The smell of something wonderful tickled his nose.

"Severus." A persistent voice echoed in his head.

He chose to ignore it. He was comfortable. Very comfortable.

"Severus, you need to eat." The voice spoke again.

He pulled the pliable body closer to him.

"So does Harry."

Harry?

Potter!

His eyes shot open.

A smiling Headmaster's face swam before him.

"There we go. Was that so hard?"

He chose to respond with a glare.

"I'm going to go talk to Poppy. Please take the time to wake Harry up and... disentangle
yourselves. There are things we must discuss."

Before he could answer, Albus had left.

He allowed himself a small sigh and a brief tightening of arms.

Then, "Harry, wake up."

He got a mumble and a nuzzle for his efforts.

Warm skin insinuating itself closer.

He was starting to tingle.

"Harry." A slight shake.

Soft lips found his neck.

"Potter!" Desperate now.

"Mmm..wha?... whazzit?"

"Get up now, before I throw you off the bed."

The boy stretched, arching his back and letting out a low moan.

It took every ounce of self control he had left, not to simply flip them both over and get
reacquainted with the wonders of friction.

"Food, Mr. Potter."

"Mmmkay."

"Please get up before the Headmaster returns. I don't know if I can deal with another of his all
knowing smiles."

His head shot up a startled look spread across his face. "The Headmaster? Was here?"

"Brilliant deduction."

"Thank you."

Eye roll. "That wasn't a compliment."

"Could have fooled me." An impish grin mocked him.

"Annoying boy! Get up and start eating." He pointed to the tray sitting next to the bed piled with
food.

Slowly Harry shifted. First the legs disappeared, then the warm, supple-

No. The body. The body moved away.

Then the arms. The arms that had been wrapped around him all night. They weren't unwrapping.
They were sliding. Sliding across his torso as Harry moved back.

Oh god. Please just go away.

Go away and leave an old man and his desperation in peace.

He'd stopped.

Why had he stopped?

Oh.

His arms were still locked tightly around the boy.

Another act of will and he let go.

They were separate.

Alone.

God, where was Albus' annoyingly cheerful face when he needed it?

They sat there and stared morosely into space.

He watched Harry make a half hearted attempt at eating some chicken.

Then he watched Harry throw the food down in disgust. "This isn't working."

He arched an eyebrow. "Again, Mr. Potter. You're going to have to clarify your statement. I
think I'm beginning to see root of your problems in essay writing."

"This." Harry waved his arms in and all encompassing gesture. "This sitting in the same room.
Being together but not... touching. I think its getting worse."

"What makes you think that?" Don't say it. Let him be weak. Let him want.

"Before I could.. I could make myself concentrate on something else. Now... all I can think is..."

"Needing..." The word tumbled out of his mouth before he could stop it.

"Yes." A low, breathy agreement. Then an explosion. "I hate this! This is my life! My body!"

"Yes it is."

Harry shook his fist and leaned forward. "Damn it! Get angry! DO something!"

"I am doing something Mr. Potter. I'm sitting here." He dared to meet those eyes again. "Doing.
Nothing."

"Oh I see. I get angry. You get even less human."

Oh. That. Infuriating. Boy. "Human, Mr. Potter?" A deadly whisper. "Tell me, what is more
human?" Straining towards Harry. "Sitting here?" He gestured to himself. "Or," deep breath,
"dragging you bodily back into this bed and-" Stop. He had to stop.

"What?" Harry sounded breathless.

They stared at each other taking ragged gasps.

He sat back. "Nothing. Mr. Potter. Absolutely nothing."

They stared at each other some more.

"Eat something." He ordered tersely.

"I can't. It takes too much attention away from..."

"Right. Here." He offered a hand. Harry just stared at him dumbly. "Take my hand Mr. Potter."

"Oh." He did.

Yes. Oh. Much better. He could breathe again. "Hand me a plate."

They sat and chewed in silence until the Headmaster returned.

Dumbledore observed their hands and asked, "Having problems?"

Dryly. "That's an understatement."

Harry rolled his eyes and said, "We can't seem to separate."

Bushy eyebrows rose. "Literally?"

"Not quite."

"I'm afraid you're going to have to be more specific Severus."

A snort came from Harry's general direction. The scathing glare he threw at the little twit only
made him laugh harder.

Through clenched teeth, he explained, "If. We're. Not... Touching. We. Can't. Do. Anything.
Else." Then, as an afterthought. "I think I understand why the two parts of the ceremony were
don so closely together."

"I'm afraid I do too. I lost some time last night and consequently the charms are not done. I'll go
finish them now. I'll come back and collect both of you tonight." He got up to leave.

"Headmaster?"

He turned back. "Yes, Harry?"

"Ron and Hermione come back in 2 days. Is this... problem... going to be solved by then?"

"It should be."

But then there will be an entire load of other problems, won't there Albus.

"I've told Poppy and Minerva. I was asked to give you each one of these," he showed them two
small, blue bottles, "after you were done eating. Don't look at me like that Severus. Its just a
sleeping drought. You both need to rest. You two won't be disturbed until I return."

With a wave and a smile Dumbledore left them in peace.

Still glaring at the space the Headmaster had occupied moments before. "Why can't that man ever
say exactly what he means?"

"Personally? I think he likes to annoy you."

Observant bugger. "One day Mr. Potter, you may turn out to be more than an annoying boy."

"One day you may learn how to give a compliment."

"That was a compliment."

"Uh huh." Gesturing with his hands. "Drink your potion and shove over."

Grumbling. "I would remind you that I'm still your teacher." He moved over.

Harry climbed in next to him. "And I would like to get some sleep that's actually restful."

Strong arms, quidditch conditioned, wrapped around him. His allowed his hands to slide up and
caress supple back muscles. Harry was nearly on top of him. Relaxing against him.

This was getting more and more complicated and he didn't like it at all.

Harry burrowed deeper. Entangling them further.

Didn't like it. No matter how wonderful it felt.

Part 8

He felt ridiculous. Walking through the hallways. Holding hands.

With Harry Potter.

Talk about adding insult to injury.

Never mind the fact that the wall was looking like a more and more appealing place to throw the
boy against and-

He was doing it again.

Whatever Albus had planned had better work.

For some reason he didn't have faith in Albus's 'don't-worry-Severus-just-trust-me-and-
everything's-going-to-be-alright' smile.

They'd stopped walking.

At his rooms? Why on earth where they here?

It better not be because - "Albus. You told me you found a way around the... urge."

"I did, my dear boy. I just thought you'd be more comfortable here."

"Why can't you just tell me what you did." He was perilously close to whining. Too much time
with the boy.

The headmaster turned his twinkling eyes on him. "What would be the fun in that?"

Meddling old coot. Damned, manipulative, annoying, know-it-all-

"Severus, are you going to let us in?"

Wordlessly he walked up to the portrait and touched it in several places.

It swung open noiselessly.

"Now what, Headmaster?"

"Why, we go in, of course."

"Brilliant." Must learn not ask questions like that.

He swept in, forgetting that his hand was still hopelessly entwined with another's. That is, he
forgot, until he stepped forward , sharply tugging the aforementioned hand, which caused the boy,
whom he was studiously not thinking about, to stumble forward and shove him into the wall.

Oh. Well. This was nice too.

"Come children." A chiding voice sad. "None of that."

Some days he really wished he could set fire to people using just his eyes.

They managed to make it inside and sitting without anymore... incidents.

"Now to get down to business."

"Finally." This better work.

"First. Practical matters. The rings. I've completed all but one of the charms."

"I thought everything was ready." Harry spoke up.

"It is. I just needed both of you for the last bit." The Headmaster revealed the two rings and
handed one to each of them. "Place them in your left hands please. Good. Now close your hands
and hold them out to me." Dumbledore took hold of each of them and muttered a few words.

A flash of power went through him, then nothing.

"That should be it. Hand each other your rings. They have to go on the same fingers. I suggest the
ring finger, seeing as how that's where these rings were charmed to go in the first place."

"Sir?"

"Certain rings," He began, not willing to wait for the roundabout explanation the Headmaster
would undoubtedly use, "usually ones intended to be passed down from generation to generation
can have a charm put on them that... adjusts to the new wearer. Now please, put the damned thing
on."

"Oh." Harry fumbled a bit, but managed.

He slid the ring on...

...and something unclenched inside him.

Harry looked similarly relieved.

"Now for the rest."

"NOW?" They said it at the same time. That probably wasn't good.

"Calm down. Its just a few house keeping bits. Nothing serious."

He raised an eyebrow. "According to whom?"

The Headmaster apptly tly chose to ignore that question, because he continued on as if he hadn't
heard. "First , no one will see the rings if they don't know that they're there."

"Obscurus." He nodded approvingly. "Good choice."

"Thank you Severus. I thought so as well. Secondly the... attraction."

Harry let loose an exasperated sound and jumped up. "Oh for gods sake. Just call it what it is!
What did you do to fix the fact that we want to screw like minxes!"

"Ah. Thank you, Mr. Potter, for ah, clarifying the situation."

"I'm sorry, I'm just frustrated." Harry turned away and continued in a lower voice, "In more ways
than one."

He wasn't the only one.

Dumbledore continued. "I've repressed, or rather, sublimated the charm. I couldn't get rid of it,
its embedded too deeply into the spell as a whole, but you'll be able to appease it in other ways."

"Other ways?" What did the old man do now?

"Ah. Hand holding. Erm. Sitting together. Mostly what you've already been doing."

If it weren't for the other atrocities involved in the current situation, he'd almost enjoy Albus's
discomfort.

"Once a day, for a portion of time should do it." Turning to Harry. "Between you,you, Severus,
Professor McGonagall, and Madame Pomfrey, there should be ample opportunity to remove you
from your friends for an hour or two every day."

"How long?" He had to know when he'd get his life back.

"How long what, Severus?"

"How long each night? How long into the future will we need this?" How long will he yearn?

"Each night? An hour. Perhaps 2, especially in the beginning. As for the other... It depends on a
great many things. The strength of the castor, the whimsy of the spell and probably the length of
time that went by between the beginning of the casting and the end."

"In other words, wait and see."

"Yes."

"How very reassuring."

"For now, however, I suggest that Harry stay here. None of his roommates stayed for the
holidays. You need to show up for meals in the Great Hall, but other than that, your time is your
own. I'll have the house elves send down some of Harry's things."

Before he could say anything, the blasted man was gone.

And they were alone.

And they weren't touching.

Well it was a start. He could think.

Not well. Because foremost on his mind was the compulsion to gather the boy up in his arms. But
he could think about other things as well.

"I suppose this means you're going to give me even MORE detentions."

A malicious sneer was his only answer. "I hope you're tired."

"I'm impressed I'm still standing."

He got up and headed towards the bedroom. "Then follow me."

He watched Harry hungrily take in the room. "Don't tell me you were expecting something
ridiculous like silver and green decor?"

"No." Harry crawled under the covers. "Just chains."

Shiver. God he needed to get laid.

It would be so easy to-

No. It. Wouldn't.

Sighing he climbed into bed. With Harry Potter. Again.

Somewhere, someone was laughing, very hard.

He was in the middle of creating a very gruesome death when an arm snaked across his chest.

And he thought he'd been relaxed before.

With a mental sigh, he took the hand in his own and settled down to sleep.


Part 9

Oooh.

Niiiice.

Very, very nice.

He rolled his hips forward again.

Extraordinary.

Beautiful even.

Arms tightened around him and-

ARMS?

Shit!

He rolled away, scooped up his robe and ran for the bathroom.

Well that probably ruined his image forever.

15 minutes later he returned to the bedroom and was greeted by the sight of Harry semi-conscious
in his bed.

"Wake up, Harry."

"Why?"

Annoying boy. "Because otherwise you will miss breakfast completely."

"Mmkay." He didn't move.

"Mr. Potter!"

This time he sprang up. "What? I'm up! I'm up!"

"I am going to the Great Hall. Do get dressed and do the same."

"Right. Morning. Food."

"I hope you're not expecting some sort of reward for that stunning display of intelligence. Now
get dressed and go to breakfast. You haven't been seen in the Great Hall for nearly a day. You're
more likely to be missed than I am."

He waited just long enough so see Harry climb out of bed before turning to leave.

As an after thought he called over his shoulder, "I'll spell the door so that you can get back in.
Just touch the upper left corner, the upper right corner and then the nose."
_________

Breakfast had been... interesting.

The first time they had been in the same room for a prolonged amount of time without the
freedom to touch.

While not exactly torture. It wasn't heaven either.

Playing with the ring helped.

He'd returned to his rooms as soon as possible. They needed to get used to this. Needed to
understand what they would be dealing with.

He'd gotten through nearly a months worth of lesson plans before the crawling of skin overtook
his concentration.

Throwing down his quill in disgust, he buried his face in his hands.

A squeak. The door.

Harry.

He left his desk.

Harry stood in front of the door looking as uncomfortable as he felt.

Their eyes met and Snape gave a brief nod of acquiescence.

That was all Harry needed. He was across the room and in his arms so quickly they nearly
toppled.

Though any annoyance he may have felt dissipated as quickly as the crawling of his skin had.

"How long was that?" Came a muffled voice.

He repositioned his head so that it lay gently on top of Harry's. "About two hours. Maybe more."

"I'm think I'm very glad the Headmaster has me staying here. Is it going to be like this
tomorrow?"

Slow strokes down his back. "I don't know. Perhaps it just needs time."
_________

Lunch and dinner passed without similar experiments. Neither wanted to repeat them.

Evening found them laying on the couch.

"Professor, how are the rings supposed to help?"

He glanced longingly at his book, but he couldn't begrudge the boy the right to know anything
about this situation.

"Did you feel the surge of power when the Headmaster did the charm?"

A nod. "Yes."

"That charfusefused the rings with our, for lack of a better word, aura. In essence we're carrying
around a piece of each other."

Harry looked at him for a moment then snorted lightly. "That's a ridiculously romantic notion."

Especially in relation to them. "Believe me, no one more than I, is aware of that."
_________

They were in bed. Much to his chagrin, the novelty was starting to wear off.

"I think class is going to be hard."

He raised an eyebrow. "There you go with those amazing leaps of logic, Potter."

"I'm serious."

"Good for you. Go to sleep." He tightened the embrace and closed his eyes.

"No." Damn the boy. "We need a plan."

Dryly. "There's a phrase that could strike terror into the hearts of even the strongest men."

Harry's head turned to glare directly at him. "You're really annoying."

"Watch it Potter. You're lucky I haven't taken house points from you already."

He rolled his eyes. "Fine deduct points. 10 points from Gryffindor for annoying a professor in bed.
Now please listen to me."

Giving up. "Fine. Potions class. A plan. What did you have in mind?"

Harry shrugged. "Nothing specific. Just, we do things unconsciously and it's the last class of the
day. We won't have had a chance to do... anything."

"I'll think of something. Now will you go to sleep?"

"What about tomorrow?"

"I'm sure an opportunity will present itself."

"But-"

"Look! I don't know how *you* recover from several hours of torture, but I for one would like
to get some rest!"

Harry had gotten incredibly still.

"I'm sorry." Whispered so quietly, he barely heard it.

"Its not- Its just-" He sighed. "The house elves will return your things in the morning. The
Headmaster will doubtlessly be able to find some excuse to bring you to his office. Rumors about
your stay in the infirmary will have most likely made it to you friends already. Attribute both the
visit to the hospital wing and Albus's office to Voldemort, its true enough anyway. I'll meet you
in there."

"I didn't mean..."

"I'm just very tired Harry. I imagine you are too."

Harry's hand snaked up and carefully brushed his cheek. "I wouldn't wish that on anyone."

"Then don't." A careful brush of lips across fingers. "Now sleep."

Part 10

He supposed, in hindsight, he was surprised it hadn't happened earlier. But then, he'd probably
been too tired to do anything *but* sleep... and molest sleeping children.

It began slowly. One sense at a time.

Hearing.

A laugh. Low and evil. Snakelike.

Smell.

Sweat. Blood.

Taste.

Something coppery.

Sight.

Glowing eyes.

Touch.

Pain. Wave after wave.

He didn't remember when he'd started. But he was screaming. Begging. Pleading... Crying...

Then.

Hands. Arms. Being held. Someone stroking his back.

Whispering in his ear. Rockbackback and forth.

"...shhh... take it easy... just a nightmare... you're not there.... shhh...."

He grabbed onto that comfort. Held for dear life.

"Professor? Are you ok?"

He was vaguely aware that they had become more tangled than they ever had before. Both of
them were sitting up, legs crossing each others at right angles. He had his head buried in Harry's
neck and his arms wrapped tightly around Harry's waist. Harry was in a similarly wrapped around
him.

A few deep breaths. "I'm sorry," he croaked out.

Arms tightened around him. "Don't be."

"What time is it?"

"About time to wake up."

"Oh good." They didn't move. Which was perfectly fine for him. He was very comfortable.

"Is it as strange for you as it is for me?"

"Waking up from a nightmare?"

"No...uh.. Being.... attracted... to.. Uh... men..."

"Oh." That's a question he should have anticipated.

"I don't mean to pry but... I can't really talk to anyone else about it... I mean, Professor
McGonagall and Madame Pomfrey aren't guys and just thinking about Headmaster Dumbledore
and sex in the same sentence makes me itchy. Its not like anyone would believe me if I tried to
win the pool anyway."

"The POOL?!" WHAT?

"Joking."

That intolerable boy. "Not the best way to open the conversation."

"Yeah well. I'm tense. When I'm tense, I joke. When you're tense, you go on long tirades about
the inherently stupid nature of existence. We all have ways of dealing."

"Thank you for that terribly simple psychoanalysis."

"You're welcome. So.. Is it?"

"Strange? Am I having a mid-life crisis?" He wasn't awake enough to have this conversation.

"I suppose."

"Are you?" Avoid. Avoid.

"Having a mid-life crisis? No. But I wouldn't rule out shear unadulterated terror."

"Terror?"

"I was.. Just beginning to know... me... my place in the universe and then WHAM! Suddenly
you're there with your eyes and your hands and your skin and you yank the carpet out from under
me. Then you confuse me more by not making this as unpleasant as possible. I just... its very
confusing. The proof of that would be the ridiculous confession that I just made."

"Yes." Silence. "I'm not sure what to say, what you need me to say."

"I don't know, either." The fingers in his hair dug in further.

"We should probably get up. Go to breakfast. You should get ready to meet your friends."

"Yeah."

They untangled themselves. On his way to the bathroom, he turned around.

"Harry." The boy looked up from the piece of bedclothes he'd been thoroughly examining.
"Hands are hands. Mouths are mouths. People are people. Love is love. They just have many
different forms." That was best he could do.
_________

Waiting at the table for his friends to come in felt like sitting in the same room as Snape and not
being able to touch him. Oh wait. He was doing that too.

That disturbing thought aside. He was looking forward to seeing them again. He was not,
however, looking forward to classes and lying to them, being separated from Snape.

Again with the disturbing thoughts.

"Harry!"

He'd know that chorus of voices anywhere. "Ron! Hermione! How were your vacations?"

"Terrific!" Hermione

"Amazing!" Ron..

They sounded terribly loud. His thumb went to caress the ring sitting on his finger.

"Are you done Harry? Mum fed us before we got on the train. Let's go to common room to talk."
On any other day it would have been a terrific idea.

The common room meant leaving the Great Hall. Meant leaving Snape.

He nodded.

He had to get used to it after all. Its wasn't like he could sleep with the man anymore.

Oh. There was another one of those thoughts that made his head spin. For a number of reasons.
Most of them disturbing.

Just before they left the Great Hall, Harry turned his head franticallyrchirching. Thankfully Snape
had been aware of his imminent exit. Their eyes met briefly. A quick nod. He understood. Good.

He hurried to catch up with his friends before they'd realized he'd lagged behind.
_________

Ron had somehow coerced him into playing chess. On a normal day he would have gotten the
pants beaten off him. Today, however, he was being strung up by his thumbs.

And bit by bit his concentration was eroding.

Keeping up a chess game, no matter how pathetic, and his end of the conversation, all at once,
was quickly becoming too much. His only hope was that Snape felt similarly and was doing
something about it.

He was about to give up and call it a night when the portrait swung open and the Headmaster
peeked in.

"Harry?"

"Headmaster." He must have sounded ridiculously relieved.

"Ah there you are. Madame Pomfrey's been looking for you. Why don't you come with me."

"Of course Headmaster."

"Madame Pomfrey?" Hermione asked.

"Oh. Its nothing, I'll tell you about it when I get back."

They were gone before anyone could say anymore.
_________

He was escorted to Dumbledore's office and left at the door with a password and a smile.

"Sugarquills"

Door the door opened and...

Oh.

Just looking felt good.

"Come inside." Snape's voice sounded a little ragged.

He was inside and holding the other man almost as fast as the last time. "How long?"

"Nearly 7 hours." Arms closed around him.

Secure.

Safe.

"Well. Maybe classes won't be so difficult."

Snort. "So says the person who doesn't feel the need to actually concentrate on his studies."

"Can is ask a personal question?"

"Another in your long line of intrusive inquiries Potter? However could I resist?"

"Why did you join the Death Eaters?"

"I don't know. Why did you become a Quidditch player?"

"What does one have to do with the other?"

"Would you have become seeker if all of your friends hadn't thought it was a wonderful idea. If
the people you looked up to hadn't set you on that path in the first place? If your father hadn't
been one as well?"

"I don't know."

"Our ideas about the world are shaped by those around us. Sometime we're not lucky enough to
be surrounded by the better half. Sometimes you have to claw your way into the light instead of
just standing there and letting it shine."

He could have been a poet. "I... I'm sorry."

"You keep saying that like its going to make a difference."

He looked up, for the first time, deliberately meeting those dark eyes. "Sometimes you have look
around to make sure you're not already in the light. Sometimes, its just nice to hear someone say
it."