Better Than Cookies {COMPLETE}

Harry frowned as Professor Snape laid him on the bed. The man was much more careful than he ever would have imagined him being. He watched the man slip a vial from his robes and thrust it toward him. Harry took it without hesitation and tipped the contents into his mouth. Severus’ expression seemed to soften for a moment as he took back the empty vial and slipped it into his robes.

“Why did you lie to them? Did he…” Harry felt his throat tighten up at the thought of what might have happened while he had been unconscious.

Severus scowled and shook his head. “I was able to prevent any permanent damage, Mr. Potter. Perhaps, it would be best if you slept now.” He started for the door.

Harry felt the effects of the potion nudging him into sleep. He yawned widely. “Thank you, Professor.”

Fathomless dark eyes stared at him for a moment. “Think nothing of it. Good day, Mr. Potter.” The door shut behind him.

Harry sighed. “It’s Harry.”

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Voldemort sat impatiently at the table with the rest of his inner circle. Bellatrix slanted him a concerned look, but he ignored her and continued to stare at the door. He felt the moment the wards admitted Severus. With a thought, he threw open the heavy doors to the throne room. Severus Snape entered and strode across the room toward him. His expression gave away none of his thoughts. Voldemort growled low in his throat.

“How is young Mr. Potter?”

Severus’ face softened. “He is tired. I was able to heal most of his wounds and slipped him a potion to help him sleep before leaving headquarters. Dumbledore, fool that he is, will at least be capable of watching over Harry for the next few days. I presume they will decide who is to act as his guardian soon after he is fully healed.” His eyes suddenly flashed in fury. “I tortured and killed the muggle who dared to touch him,” he spat. “Thankfully, I arrived in time to save Harry’s innocence.”

Voldemort nodded somberly and tried to relax the death grip he held on the arms of his chair.

“When will we perform the ritual, My Lord?” Rodolphus Lestrange asked from his place to the right of the Dark Lord.

Voldemort glanced at Severus and received a shake of the head. He sighed quietly. “It will be a month’s time. The potion cannot be rushed or it could prove dangerous to all involved. Especially Harry.”

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Hermione looked up from Himswick: Magical Maladies and The Cures as the Weasley’s fireplace was suddenly engulfed in flames. A moment later, Arthur Weasley stepped from the fireplace, frantically looking around. He opened his mouth to say something but clamped it shut when he saw her sitting on the couch. He smiled warmly.

“Hello, Hermione. I almost forgot you were staying this summer. How are you?” Then as if he realized he was off topic, his face became frantic again. “What am I saying!? Harry has been hurt, he’s at headquarters. I have to tell Molly.”

Hermione’s blood ran cold. She stood quickly. “I’ll tell Ron, Ginny, and the twins.”

He gave her a thankful nod and took off across the room at a run.

Hermione listened to him thump up the stairs before she moved over to the fireplace. She glanced over her shoulder and quickly reached for a handful of floo power. Stepping into the fire and throwing the powder at her feet, Hermione clearly stated the location of the headquarters for the Order of the Phoenix.

A moment later, she stepped out of the fireplace in a dark and forbidding living room. “Obviously a black residence,” she mumbled.

“Too true, Ms. Granger.”

She whipped around to see a smiling Remus Lupin leaning against the doorframe. “Hello, Professor Lupin.”

He smiled tiredly. “Hello. I guess you are here to see Harry.” He suddenly seemed to notice Ron was absent. “And where is Mr. Weasley?”

Hermione ducked her head for a moment. “I wanted to talk to Harry alone, Sir.”

If the werewolf thought her actions we odd, he didn’t show it. “He’s in his usual bedroom. The first on the left.”

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Harry sighed heavily and set down the book he had found in the top drawer of the dresser. It was interesting, if not a little dark, which was probably why is was hidden under a moth eaten robe. How Dark Is Too Dark?: A handbook for the curious contained information on the Unforgivables as well as most of the commonly used dark spells. Harry started to reach for it again when he heard footsteps approaching his door. He stuffed it under his pillow a moment before the door swung open.

“Hermione? Where’s Ron?”

Hermione gave him stern look that made him instantly think of his head of house. “I want to talk to you, Harry. I have a few questions and I know you won’t answer them if Ron is here.” She gave him a look that said I-dare-you-to-say-I’m-wrong.

Harry just looked at her. Finally, he silently gestured for her to sit on the edge of his bed. “What…” He cleared he throat and tried again. “What do you want to know?”

Hermione pinned him with her intelligent gaze. “Why do you always get twitchy when it nears the holidays?” When Harry began to open his mouth, she shushed him and continued on. “Don’t you lie to me Harold James Potter. I know you better than you think. Tell me what is going on with your relatives. Is that why you’re here?”

Harry stared at his friend with wide eyes. He had thought he was hiding his fear well, apparently he was wrong. Hermione had known all along. He swallowed hard. “I get in trouble over the holidays. That’s all.” He looked up to see Hermione staring at him expectantly.

“Go ahead. I know there is more. You might as well tell me now. You know I will figure it out by myself eventually.”

Harry couldn’t help smiling at her comment. “True.” He ran a hand through his already messy hair. “Alright. I don’t like it at the Dursley’s because my aunt, uncle, and cousin do everything in their power to kill me over the summer.”

Hermione made an encouraging noise.

“I mean my uncle…” Harry trailed off as the door of his bedroom banged open.

Ron stepped into the quiet room and scowled at Hermione. “Why didn’t you come get me, Hermione? I found out about Harry from Fred and George.” He gave her an annoyed look before walked across the room to sit on the opposite side of the bed. “How you doin’, Mate?”

Harry nodded. “I’ve been better.” He gave Ron a toothy smile, which the redhead returned.

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Severus sat in the back corner of the room and listened to the order members fight over Harry Potter like he were a scrap of meat and they, starving dogs. He curled his lip in disgust and thanked the gods he had never truly turned to the light side. Fools, the lot of them.

Finally, Dumbledore stood and silenced the group. “I understand you all love Harry.”

Severus snorted at the headmasters willful blindness. As if any of the people in the room cared about Harry as a person. They cared about the symbol. Not the boy who was quickly becoming a man. Severus worried, and he knew the Dark Lord did, what Harry’s reaction would be when he realized the light side never really cared about him. The Dark Lord feared he would become self-destructive. Severus’ scowl deepened.

“…but I think the best person to care for Harry, is Remus.” Dumbledore turned and patted the smiling werewolf on the back.

Severus continued to scowl on the outside but he was secretly pleased. Of all the light side, the werewolf was one of the few who truly seemed to care for Harry. Though Ms. Granger showed some merit as well. Severus made the decision to talk to the Dark Lord about the two of them.

As the meeting wound down, Severus slipped out. He quickly left headquarters and apparated home. The walk from the front gates to Hagrid’s hut felt like it took hours. Finally, he was raising his hand to knock on the door. The door moved out from under his hand at the last minute, sending him stumbling inside. His face smashed against something warm and fuzzy.

Severus stood up straight and raised an eyebrow at his large mate. Hagrid smiled down at him happily. As one of his huge hands rose to shut the door over Severus’ head, the other stroked down the smaller man’s back. Severus couldn’t help the pleasure-filled sound that escaped his throat. Hagrid chuckled and lifted him so they were eye to eye.

“I’ll take you to bed and take real good care of you, Sev’rus.” He punctuated his statement by rubbing his free hand down Severus’ back to gently squeeze his ass.

Severus felt his cock instantly harden. He nodded in agreement.