Scarred Souls

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Title: Scarred Souls



Author: Misty Moonlight/Co-author: QueenBoadicea



Beta: QueenBoadicea



Pairings: Severus/Harry



Published: 12/10/2008



Summary: A widowed Harry must bond with Snape in order to save his daughter’s life. Sev gains a family, for better or worse, and the hearts of two scarred souls will be changed forever.



Warnings: Romance, Drama, Angst, Alternate Reality/Universe, Sexual Situations, Hurt/Comfort, M/M, Slash, Anal, Language, Humor, possible MPreg, Bonding, Original Characters, Family, non-canon, OOC, WIP



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Chapter 27: Daddy Sevvie





Draco waited while his house-elf hefted the teapot. “More tea, Severus?”



Severus waved it away. “Thank you but no. I could do with something stronger.”



Pale silver eyebrows lifted. “Really? It’s only ten o’clock in the morning.”



“I am in need of liquid fortification,” Severus muttered.



“Can’t imagine why,” Draco offered with a slight smirk. “Cognac, then?”



“Yes, thank you. I would be most grateful.”



After it was brought, Draco dismissed the house-elf who disappeared without a word and poured the liquor himself. It was one of his finest and he shared it with only a select few. The Malfoy scion settled himself gracefully again in the overstuffed chair and eyed his former Potions professor curiously. “So what brings you here, Severus? Trouble on the homefront?”



Severus managed not to wince. He was the master at hiding his emotions. He needed Draco’s help but he didn’t want the younger man to know how badly rattled he was by recent events.



“I have a favor to ask, Draco.”



“What is it, Severus?” The blond-haired boy leaned forward. This close, Severus was able to note Draco’s receding hairline. That reminded him of Percy and his promise of a baldness cure. Here was another wizard who could benefit from his expertise and he carefully noted that fact to himself.



“Would you say that you are in my debt for the protection I gave you during the war, Draco?” Severus asked levelly.



Draco stiffened slightly. “You know I am, sir.”



“Then I would like you to make a monetary donation in my name.”



Although the younger Slytherin appeared only mildly intrigued, Severus knew he had his attention. In all the time they’d known each other, Severus had never once asked the Malfoys for money. They might not know the true nature of his finances but they had to know he wasn’t as wealthy as they. “You want money from me? Correct me if I’m wrong, Severus, but isn’t that bond mate of yours rich?”



It was Severus’s turn to look surprised. “Why would you assume anything of the sort, Draco? You know how shabbily Potter dressed during his school years.”



“Yes, that was odd, that,” Draco murmured, tapping his fingers thoughtfully on the chair arm. “He used to wear clothes far too large for him and I never saw him getting presents during Christmas holidays.”



“So why do you say that Potter is rich?”



Draco shrugged elegantly. “Father did a little snooping into the Potter background, back when he thought it would be useful for me to be in Potter’s good graces. They were pureblood wizards for years, a family line almost as old as ours. They’d amassed quite a bit of money. Merlin knows why he did so, but there was no reason for Potter to dress like a beggar.”



Severus knew that James Potter had been well off but he had no idea of the true extent of his wealth. Perhaps that was something he should look into when he had the time.



“Well, this is meant to be a kind of surprise for my husband. So I can’t very well use his money, can I?”



The eyebrows lifted again. “A surprise for Potter? I’d say that sounds sweet but this is you we’re talking about, Severus. Why would you feel the need to butter up Potter? From what I saw in the paper, you hardly got married because of mutual affection, now did you?”



Draco had always been very bright in school. His sharpness had not abandoned him as he matured. He was a credit to Slytherin House.



Very well. It seemed that Severus was going to have to divulge a little personal information. He wouldn’t tell Draco the entire details of his sexual misdemeanor; shame had been swift to follow and he felt ill every time he thought about it. It wasn’t anything he wanted to share with an outside party.



“Harry and I recently had a falling out.” He saw Draco’s surprise at hearing Harry’s first name though the younger man swiftly concealed it. “It was actually quite a bit of a row and now he’s angry at me. I heartily regret the error and wish to make amends. Unfortunately, he is avoiding me or is always with his children. If I show him the error of my ways, it can’t help but draw him out.”



“And you believe that money will do the trick?” Draco shook his head. “Look, I don’t think much of Potter and you have my sincere condolences in getting married to him, whatever your reasons were. But I don’t think he can be bought by money. Merlin knows he was never impressed by how much my family had when we were in school together,” he groused.



“I’m aware of that. But I wish the money, not for him, but for a charitable institution of which he is quite fond. The gesture will be enough to sway him favorably towards me. I only need you to donate it to the institution in my name.”



Draco sat back in his chair, smug admiration evident in his smile. “That’s a really good idea, Severus. Nothing impresses Gryffindors like flashy noble gestures.”



“Then you’ll do it?”



“Gladly.” Draco Summoned a handsomely bound leather checkbook from a desk drawer. “How much would you think is sufficient?”



Severus named a sum and Draco signed it over without flinching. He asked for the address of the orphanage and sent it off via a large eagle hawk.



This would work. Harry’s heart couldn’t help but be swayed by this magnanimous deed.



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Severus nervously brushed his fingers over the magically shrunken package in his pocket. He’d had no luck getting to Harry in the cottage. He only hoped a direct confrontation would work and that his bond mate wouldn’t feel threatened by his appearance here.



Throwing back his shoulders, he strode to the orphanage and pulled open the front door.



The receptionist at the front desk remembered his previous disastrous visit, judging by her grimace. “Mr. Snape, if you’ve come to visit Harry, you’ll have to stay in the waiting room until he can see you. We have quite a few families queuing up for adoption today and we can’t take time for personal visits without appointment.”



“I understand. But this is really important—”



“Is it an emergency?”



He hesitated. Technically, it wasn’t but this woman didn’t need to know that. “It’s a rather pressing matter and it concerns the orphans.”



She lifted an eyebrow. “Does it?” she murmured unimpressed. “Well, just have a seat and I’ll see if he can come to the front desk.” She scribbled on a piece of paper and sent it winging through the closed doors. Severus tried not to look at the animated clowns and balloons painted on the walls; it was too reminiscent of that garish wallpaper at the Black manor.



The moments passed and Harry did not appear. But the Kinderlieb woman emerged. She was clearly flustered at seeing Severus there and her expression was a strange mixture of wariness and welcome. “It’s all right, Iris. I’ll handle this.”



Severus’s lips thinned. He had no intention of being “handled” by this woman. “If I may see Harry…”



“I just wanted to thank you, Mr. Snape, for your donation to the orphanage. It was most…” She clearly struggled for an adjective that was neither too gushing nor dismissive. “Unanticipated,” she finished.



“Thank you,” he said dryly. “If I might see my husband…”



“Yes, well…” Now she looked distinctly uncomfortable. “Harry said that he’s going to be very busy. He can’t spare time to see you today.”



“I believe I would like to hear that from him,” he replied, allowing a trace of coldness to seep into his voice.



“And I believe she told you I was busy. But as usual nothing matters to you but getting your own way, right, Snape?” Harry snapped. He had swung open the door behind Ms. Kinderlieb, in time to hear the last bit of their conversation. Now he stood against it, arms folded, his whole body vibrating with repressed fury.



She laid her hand on Harry’s arm, a gesture of such easy familiarity that Severus inwardly seethed. “Perhaps you should hear him out, Harry. Mr. Snape has recently—”



He stared at her incredulously. “Since when are you on his side, Corabett? The last time he was here, you made it very plain that you would be happy never to see him around children again. And he didn’t exactly make a good showing at the restaurant, did he?” This last shot was accompanied by a glare in Severus’s direction.



Damn Potter for airing his dirty laundry in public. Severus was very aware of the receptionist pretending to be busy at her desk while hanging on every word. “I would prefer it if we could take this inside. Please,” he gritted out when Harry opened his mouth again.



The Gryffindor hesitated. “Fine,” he muttered grudgingly, at last. “Guess it has to be important if you’re bothering to be civil.” He waved the man inside and stepped back to allow Corabett to pass.



Corabett gestured for them to come into her office, a small enclosure with a large window, magically crafted to be one way so it allowed her to watch the children without being observed in turn. Severus turned to her. “If you’ll excuse me, Mrs. Kinderlieb, I’d like to speak to Harry alone.”



She hesitated and then gave a small smile when Harry nodded at her. “Before I go, I’d like to thank you again for your generous funding, Mr. Snape.”



The green eyes widened and then narrowed. “What funding?”



“He didn’t tell you?” she asked, surprised. “Mr. Snape recently donated 10,000 Galleons to the orphanage. It’s a great deal of money and the orphanage could certainly use it.”



“Did he?” Harry’s tone was flat; he practically reeked of disdain.



The woman nodded. Then she seemed to notice for the first time the tension between the two men. “Well, I’ll leave you two alone, shall I?” She quickly left and the door clicked shut behind her.



As soon as she was gone, Severus hit it with several locking, warding and silencing spells, which Harry watched with amused exasperation. “I don’t know what you’re worried about, Snape. We hardly require that level of security around here. They’re just children.”



“Humor me, Harry. I don’t want to run the risk of the children hearing anything untoward.”



Harry leaned against the desk and folded his arms. “So what’s this about a donation?”



Faced with the man’s obvious dislike, Severus wasn’t so sure of his ground now. But he wrapped himself in the blank impassivity that was his trademark and began.



“I have been thinking over our last conversation. You were quite right to be annoyed with me—”



Harry rolled his eyes. “The man thinks I’m annoyed,” he muttered. “You are the master of understatement, aren’t you, Snape?”



“Perhaps it was not the best way to win your affections. I can only state that my need was pressing and I simply couldn’t think of any other way to gain entry to Grimmauld Place.”



“I would have brought you there if you’d asked, Snape, if you’d just let me know how important it was to you. You didn’t need to—do that to me,” Harry responded evenly.



Severus blinked. Would Harry have done so? In truth, he never even considered that possibility. He had assumed the worst and proceeded accordingly.



“I suppose I wasn’t certain. I couldn’t risk your refusal.”



Harry’s lips thinned with dislike. “No, I suppose not. So why are you here? Did Kreacher die? Do you need me to come back and play house-elf?”



Severus wanted to snap at him. But he was hardly going to make his case by being nasty. “I was trying to make amends, I suppose,” he replied evenly.



Harry smirked. “Is this some new plot, Snape? You’ve extended the olive branch before, remember? You actually think I’ll take you seriously now?”



“The donation is quite real, Potter. You may check with Mrs. Kinderlieb if you don’t believe me.”



“I do believe you. I just don’t trust your motivations.” Harry got off the desk and strode towards the door. “And let me tell you, if you think you can fix this problem by throwing money at it, you’re really stupid.”



Severus snarled. “No one calls me stupid, Potter.”



He was answered with a thin, triumphant smile. “Potter. That says it all right there, doesn’t it? You may pretend to be nice but you show your real feelings all too easily.” The smile vanished, replaced by an expression of open distaste. “You don’t want to get close to me, Snape. You want to use me. I don’t intend to be used. Not again.”



Gesturing at the door, he demolished the locking spells without a hint of strain. So swiftly and neatly was it done that Severus was astonished. He tended to forget what a truly powerful wizard Harry was. He wondered what Harry might do to him if he ever became truly incensed.



Giving him a mocking wave, Harry waited for him to leave. Severus stepped out, eyeing his bond mate cautiously all the while.



The children had been napping. But now a few of them were waking up. The older children, including James and Albus, retreated to a corner and immediately began playing Exploding Snap with a worn deck of cards.



The younger of the orphans were digging into the toy chest he’d seen on his earlier visit. Spotting Douglas, Severus made his way over to the tow-headed boy. Harry might not be impressed by the money. But the package he’d brought with him would show he had the best intentions at heart.



But the toddlers had spotted him and a few started to whimper. Douglas gave a wail and scooted away across the floor. “MISS KINDERLIEB!! COUNT DRACULA IS HERE!”



He shot a scowl across the floor and witnessed James and Albus ducking their heads back to their game. The twins must have passed on that execrable nickname. He would dearly have liked to hex them for that but managed to get a grip on his temper. He couldn’t afford to let the little brats get to him, not now with Harry watching his every move.



He paused to unwrap the package he was holding. It was a stuffed lion, complete with rolling eyes and snapping jaws, courtesy of a sophisticated Motion Charm. He would have preferred a snake but this was Harry he was attempting to appease; his own sensibilities weren’t important.



The lion twisted in his hand and lightly leaped to the ground. He was about to present it to Douglas when a little redheaded girl came crawling from among the other toddlers.



Lily pounced on the lion and cooed. The toy wriggled in her arms and curled into a ball like a real cat would have done. When it began to purr, she smiled up at Severus and buried her face in its fake fur.



The other children had noticed this by now. They advanced on Lily, crying out in childish babbles their excitement at seeing a new toy, one that wasn’t battered or ragged with excessive wear. When they tried to pull it away from her, she whined and edged close to Severus.



He bent and picked her up, seeing her close up for the very first time since her diphtheria. Her eyes were a soft brown like her mother’s. He thought her hair a dark auburn like Ginevra Weasley’s as well. But it was easy to see something of her grandmother Lily in the childish features.



She watched him, wide-eyed and without fear, sucking on one ear of her stuffed plaything. When she reached out to grab his nose, he jerked out of her reach but settled for letting her twine her grubby fist in his hair. “You are quite as insolent as your brothers, aren’t you?” he murmured, but without heat. She grinned at him and snuggled on his shoulder.



“Snape?”



He turned to see Harry observing them, his eyes darting between his captive daughter and his bond mate. A sharp glance revealed the twins had abandoned their play and were also staring at him. James had a mutinous look, as if he were preparing to attack Severus for daring to touch his little sister.



They really were a protective bunch, weren’t they? He couldn’t blame them. Hadn’t he tried to protect little Lily’s namesake?



This was one of Lily’s grandchildren, a child she had never lived to see. Lily, James and Albus were Harry’s children, born of the boy he had sworn to protect…and he had served the grown Harry very poorly indeed, simply because the messy-haired orphan had had the wonderful life Lily Potter née Evans would have so wished for her only child. The realization stuck him like a fist, leaving him shaken and oddly weak.



“Lily,” Harry said quietly and Severus started. He’d been so engrossed in his thoughts he hadn’t realized his bond mate had drawn closer to him. “Lily, this is your new Daddy, Severus Snape.”



The ear popped out of her mouth as her lips screwed up. “Da-da?” she said in uncertain childish tones.



Harry said, “Daddy Severus.”



“Dada…Sevvie.”



Severus scowled. “That’s Severus.”



“Sevvie,” she burbled.



“Sev-er-us,” he growled impatiently.



She grinned, thoroughly unfazed by his apparent ire. “Sevvie! Sevvie! Sevvie! Sevvie! Sevvie!”



True mirth turned Harry’s green eyes into sparkling emeralds. “Daddy Sevvie, it is.”



He glared, which only caused Harry to grin wider. “There is no way I am standing for such an imbecilic nickname, Potter.”



The man shrugged. “What are you going to do, Snape? She’s only a toddler. This is as close as she gets. Her pronunciation will improve as she gets older, no doubt.”



“It had better,” he growled but he couldn’t be angry when the red hair was nestled so trustingly against his shoulder. Then she squirmed and he set her down so she could play with her lion unencumbered.



While the twins went back to their game and Lily crawled after her plush toy as it raced around the floor, Severus sat next to his bond mate on a nearby chair. He cleared his throat. “If I have not said it before, Po-Harry, I regret my actions of the other night. Not for what happened itself, but the way it came about. It was—not my intention to hurt you.”



Harry gazed at him steadily. “That’s really not enough, Snape. Would you accept an apology from me if I had done that to you?”



Severus sagged a little. No, he couldn’t say he would. He wasn’t the forgiving sort.



The other man sighed. “I can’t say that I forgive you, but today was a really good effort on your part. I do…appreciate it.”



With that, Severus had to be content.



The rest of the time passed agreeably enough. Harry and he conversed without further argument, even if they kept the topics to innocuous subjects. The Gryffindor was far from completely at ease with him but Severus felt as though a milestone had been passed.



Draco had been wrong. The way to Harry’s heart was not with money but through his children. He’d been a fool to think otherwise but he promised himself to remember it in future.





TBC