The Friday Boy

CHAPTER 23

Harry screamed Severus name as he sat up abruptly in bed, his body and the bed sheets around him soaking wet through with sweat and shaking like a leaf. Panicking that he couldn’t see anything Harry began to struggle around him, his hands desperately grabbing for anything to tell him where he was.

“Shhh, Harry calm down it’s just a dream.” Harry clutched hold of the hands that came down to rest on his shoulders, the familiar calming voice of one Remus Lupin echoing in his mind. “Here, put them on.” Grasping for his glasses Harry snatched them hastily out of Remus hands and slid them onto his face so that he could finally see everything in sharp focus. Panting and gasping for breath Harry stared around at the darkened room noting quickly that it was Severus room at Grimmauld place. Finally satisfied that he wasn’t in the torture chamber of his dreams any longer Harry looked back at the werewolf who was watching him carefully. Harry swallowed painfully his throat feeling as if it had been threw a cheese grater and his jaw was stiff. “Here sip this, it’ll help.” Remus picked up the glass of water from the side table, it’s slight purple tinge a sure sign it was spiked with potion. Harry nodded and shook physically as he laid his hands over Remus’ as the wolf helped him sip the water. Swallowing was painful and after a few sore sips Harry pushed the drink away. Remus obediently put the glass back on the side table before looking back at Harry. Conscious of the fact he was now cooling rapidly in the cold room, Harry gasped the pillow and pulled it around in front of him. It smelt of Snape, that spicy aroma Harry could pick so easily.

“Where’s Snape.” Harry croaked his voice like gravel and raw with pain.

“Downstairs with Albus and Sirius, he just got back from a summons.” Harry nodded at Remus’ reply; somewhat glad at least the man was alive and not dead, as he’d seen in his reoccurring nightmare. There was a stagnate silence in the room as Remus continued to stare at Harry, who was uncomfortably hugging the pillow to his chest tighter. “Why did you do it Harry? Do you even realize how close you came to dying?” Harry lowered his gaze to the pillow and slowly shook his head, tears threatening to spill over his cheeks as the memory of last night began to come swimming back to him. Harry flinched a little as Remus reached out and with a gentle hand ran his fingertips over Harry’s purpling cheek and his swollen jaw, Lucius finger marks red indents still in Harry’s pale skin. Remus sighed as he drew his fingers away from Harry’s injuries before he stood up and walked over to the hook by the door and picked up the robe hanging on it. “You should come downstairs and have something to eat, it’ll help soak up what’s left of the alcohol in your stomach.” Harry nodded quietly and having reluctantly let go of his pillow slid himself carefully out of bed. Propping himself up against the corner of the bed to steady his jelly legs Harry got his balance before walking over to Remus who was still holding out the robe ready for him to get into. “That’s one hell of a hangover Potter.” Remus whispered mildly as he opened the door and gestured for Harry to go first.

Harry took his time on the stairs; careful to stop when he lost his balance. Remus was behind him the entire time supporting him each step he took until he was at the bottom of the stairs. Once in the hallway Remus strode past Harry and disappeared into the kitchen where Harry could already hear the murmur of morning chatter and the clink of breakfast dishes. Harry swallowed heavily as he took a step forward to glance through the crack in the door at who was here. Predictably the place was full, brimming with Auror’s, order members, professors and Weasley’s. Harry sighed knowing there was no way he was facing that lot feeling like he was. So instead of following Remus into the kitchen Harry carefully padded into the living room where it was quiet and empty. Harry shuffled into the room but froze as he glanced over to the chair by the fireplace to see a familiar pair of legs sticking out from beneath the large open paper covering the rest of the figure sitting in the chair. Coming downstairs was rapidly becoming a bad idea and silently Harry turned to leave but stopped when he heard that silky velvet voice address him.

“Come here.” It wasn’t a statement or a question, but a command and Harry closed his eyes and wished himself a hundred miles away as he slowly turned around to stare at the potions professor sitting in the chair across the room. Snape had put his paper down on the coffee table and was now waiting patiently for Harry to obey him. Still wobbly on his feet Harry shuffled around the furniture and over to where Snape was sitting, the boy not daring to look up from the carpet to meet Snape’s gaze. “Sit.” Snape instructed curtly as he pointed to the small footstool on his right side. Obediently Harry sat surprised at how comfortable he felt sitting at Snape’s feet his arm just brushing against Snape’s leg. Still not daring to look up Harry jumped a little when he felt Snape reach down and grab his chin. Harry closed his eyes purposefully as Snape lifted his face gently, his cold potion stained fingers carefully inspecting the damage Lucius had inflicted on Harry’s face before gently letting go so that Harry could look back down at the floor again. “He made a mess of you.” Snape muttered as he sat back in his chair and folded his arms across his chest, noting acutely Harry’s fear. There was silence that clung to the air for a moment as Snape closed his eyes and sighed heavily. Fate it seemed had conspired against him completely, just as it usually did. “I apologies for striking you Harry, I shouldn’t have done it.” Snape opened his eyes to look down at Harry and wasn’t surprise to see a single tear leaking for the corner of the boy’s down cast eyes.

“Did you mean all those things you said?” Harry croaked fighting back the pain so that he could speak. Snape leant forward hastily and took a gentle hold of Harry’s chin, determined to draw the boy’s gaze up to meet his own. The pain Snape saw reflected in Harry’s gaze broken his heart and not for the first time since the incident had happened, Snape swore at himself internally for being such a bastard.

“It would make things so much easier if I did Harry, but I confess I didn’t mean any of it. I was angry that like always things in my life turn to shit just when I think they’re going okay, and I took it out on you and I’m sorry.” Snape sighed heavily as he rubbed his thumb gently over Harry’s swollen jaw as he boy leaned in against him and nuzzled his hand.

“Why did you go back to the club?” Harry whispered against Snape’s hand that was still cupping his cheek.

“After having one of the worst weeks of my life with his royal jackass I thought I needed a little me time, turns out what I really needed was a little you time instead.” Harry chuckled but gasped and winced at the pain his smile brought to his injured face. “Hey no smiles, that’s going to take some healing.” Severus laughed warmly as he gently rubbed Harry’s jaw soothingly with his thumb.

“Was he good?” Harry whispered again his voice beginning to die as his throat swelled with the effort. With big round green eyes Harry stared up at Snape who at length shook his head.

“Not a patch on the real thing.” Snape breathed as he leaned down the rest of the way and pressed a chaste kiss on Harry’s bruised lips. Harry closed and enjoyed the soft press of Snape’s thin lips against his own, the spicy scent Harry loved so much engulfing his senses and making his body sing.

A throat clearing over by the door drew the pair apart and Harry hastily spun around on his footstool to look almost scared up at the headmaster who was standing in the open doorway. Severus however merely sat back comfortably and uncaringly in his chair and picked up his paper again, completely ignoring the elder wizard.

“If this is going to work you two better start learning the meaning of discreet. You’re lucky Sirius is outside in the backyard digging holes.” Dumbledore had never sounded so resigned in his life and Harry couldn’t help but raise a curious eyebrow at the elder wizard as he brought over a plate of buttered toast and a glass of milk for Harry.

“Flea bitten mongrel.” Snape muttered from behind his paper at the mention of Sirius and Harry smiled sideways as he thanked Dumbledore for breakfast and reached forward to take a slice of the warm golden toast.

“Against my better judgment I’m allowing this to take place but only to avoid incidents like last night.” Harry swallowed painfully around the mouthful of toast wincing little as he picked up the glass of milk to wash it down. “I am assuming you’ve sorted the mess out Severus?” Dumbledore looked at the potions master who lowered his paper enough to meet the headmaster’s gaze above it.

“Indeed headmaster, Voldemort believes I was taking an initiative step in luring Harry away from the protection of the order. He’s also aware that my so called initiative was ruined by Lucius and the blonde has been dually punished.” Severus flicked his paper back up again and went back to reading the morning news, as Dumbledore nodded in satisfaction.

“Well I’ll leave you to your weekend gentlemen, I’ll see at school Monday.” With that Dumbledore stepped up to the fireplace and having tossed a handful of floo powder into the flames disappeared with a crackle of magic. Harry sighed as he put his toast back on the plate, his jaw and his throat still too sore to eat. Turning back around on the footstool Harry rested his head against Snape’s knee and looked up at the elder wizard from under the paper.

“I’m still having those dreams.” Harry whispered as he remembered the nightmare he’d woken with this morning. Snape glanced down at Harry from the paper before nodding and turning back to the news.

“Yes I know, and next week we’re going to start occlumency training again before you start seeing anything else from my pensieve.” Harry frowned in confusion wondering what on earth the pensieve had to do with his dreams. Sensing Harry’s impending question Snape cut him off abruptly with his own explanation. “The day you stuck your nose in where it didn’t belong Potter, you unconsciously absorbed some of my memories and thoughts from the pensieve making you more receptive to my mind and allowing you, even if unintentionally to read my thoughts. Something which I am not prepared to have you doing, even if you’re not aware you’re actually doing it.”

“Oh.” Harry whispered still confused but knowing better than to ask for further explanation. Quietly Harry laid his head back down on Snape’s knee and wrapped his arm loosely around the leg feeling for the first time content at where he was.

TBC>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>