Broken

A/N: Thanks for the reviews!! Keep them coming!!



I\'ve no intention of hurrying the two together however like some fics. I\'m wanting to make the time frames as realistic as possible as well as Harry\'s approach to everything as it comes at him. I dislike it when other fics don\'t take the time to consider things realistically and throw them together without thinking of the consequences of what the abuse has done to Harry\'s state of mind. It takes a long time for a person who\'s been sexually abused to even get comfortable with the idea of being intimate and it takes time to actually work up to the point they attempt it and take steps at a time to extend comfort level. I am going to follow this and I hope you readers do not get bored of it.



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That night Severus woke to screams coming from Harry’s room and he threw back his covers and grabbed his wand before running across the hall into the small guest room checking the wards around his place as he ran. Nothing penetrated them and they weren’t any weaker than they were before so when Severus looked into the room it was the boy screaming to dreams rather than a physical threat.



Severus hurried to Harry’s bedside setting his wand on the night stand as he tried to wake the boy from his nightmares. His touch only made the screams worse and become words. “No!! Please... Uncle no more!! It hurts..”



“Harry, wake up it’s only a dream..” Severus pleaded knowing what it was the boy was dreaming of right away and tried to shake the boy awake. The eyes fluttered open slowly, fear and pain evident in the way Harry looked at him. “He can’t hurt you no more.. It’s only a dream.”



Harry sat up and pressed his face to Severus’ chest as he cried for the second time that night. Severus delicately wrapped his arms around the thin form and rubbed his back like he had the first time. He summoned a vial of Dreamless Sleep Draught to his hand when the boy quieted and remained leaning against him, he held it up to Harry’s lips. “Drink this, it’ll keep you from dreaming further.”



Harry drank the potion willingly and was soon asleep in Severus’ arms again. Severus remained with Harry for a few minutes longer as if he didn’t expect one of his own potions to work but the boy remained still and silent and Severus lay him back down and pulled the sheets over him. Watching Harry for a moment more Severus was wishing he could go after that Uncle of Harry’s and put him through as much torture as Harry had gone through. It was all that he could do not to however as he returned to his own bedroom to try to get sleep that wouldn’t come.



The next morning Severus was downstairs making a breakfast of pancakes before going to call on Harry to come down. Turning his head he blinked when he spotted the boy standing in the doorway and watching him with the same curious look he had the morning before when Severus made breakfast instead of him. Severus sighed and motioned to the cupboards with the dishes to give the boy something to do.



“Breakfast is about done, care to set the table?” Severus suggested rather than told the boy what to do. At first Harry did nothing, seeming to consider the request rather than the out right obedience to an order. The boy nodded and went to gather the dishes and items needed from the cupboards.



A smile twitched on Severus’ lips when he watched setting the last pancake on the pile and carried it over to the table. The boy would never heal completely but he was willing to come out of the shell he’d been hiding in the more he realized Severus wasn’t there to harm him but help him. Sitting down he helped himself to three off the stack of eight and covered them in honey to the point of sickly sweetness. He pursed his lips as he felt his legs brushed thinking it was much too early for such antics to start already.



He looked down and confusion swept over him as Harry had his plate of a couple pancakes and was sitting on the floor to eat. Setting down his fork he touched Harry’s head lightly to get his attention. “What are you doing Harry?”



Emerald eyes that were no clearer than the day before looked up to Severus in look that said he should know. “I’m eating Sir.”



“There is a table to eat at,” Severus replied smoothly, an odd twist of his stomach made him wonder the reason Harry was speaking to him so formally. Was he again looking at him as his Master?



“A pet eats at his Master’s feet,” Harry responded making Severus’ worries true. Severus shifted in his seat to bend down and gently take the plate from Harry’s fingers. He’d gotten no resistance but now Harry looked at him expectantly shifting to face him. “Some of old Master’s friends liked to play like this.. Do you wish to feed me yourself, Sir?”



Severus set the plate he’d taken down hurriedly as if what was on it just might be poison as he stared at Harry. An entire different worry began to unfold as the boy stared at him still locked away, but responsive enough to remember he wasn’t in the same house as that abusive bastard. Harry was looking to him as his Master now, not just mistaking him to be the one who’d abused him. This was hardly a predicament he was expecting of the boy and he shook his head against the feeling of a nagging headache coming along.



“Harry, just sit at the table and eat.” Severus ordered when his patience was already showing itself thin this early morning due to little sleep. Severus returned to his own meal cleaning his plate and taking a fourth before he was full, he didn’t pay attention if Harry had obeyed or not but the boy was at the table and eating his fill by the time he looked up.



After dishes Severus thought of a whole new set of chores for the day and with Harry’s aide began to clean each room from top to bottom. They got two rooms done by lunch time and Severus was worn out by then but they had more to do. Making each of them a sandwich Severus had to coax Harry to remain in the chair as they ate and sighed to himself as he swirled the last of his juice in is cup.



“Harry, who am I?” Severus asked in a quiet voice, he was wanting to make certain his assumptions were right and was praying they were wrong.



“You’re my new Master,” Harry said after his last bite of the sandwich those emerald eyes turned to him once more and Severus shivered at the dead look that hadn’t turned any livelier than they had when the boy had first talked to him.



“Why do you think that Harry?” Severus pressed trying to get down to the reason Harry had come to the assumption that he was to take the place as his Master. He only received a confused look from the boy though and he sighed and stood up taking the dishes to the sink. “I’m not your Master Harry. You’re your own person, you’re not the slave to anyone any more.”



“The Master tells the boy something to do and boy does it. The Master keeps boy alive, with roof over his head and boy is thankful.” Harry said almost as if he rehearsed the lines for so long. Severus shivered as he looked down at the small brunette, he couldn’t fight that logic no matter how much he wanted to. It was exactly what he was doing to try make Harry better that made Harry put him in the role of Master. “You are my Master.”



Severus spun when he heard the sound of a crash of broken glass and spotted Harry staring at the mess of what was once a mirror that had been hanging on the wall. By the looks of it the handle of the broom had probably knocked it off it’s hook and it had fallen to the floor where it shattered, a simple accident. Harry was not taking it so simple however, the boy was visibly shaking as he stared horrified at the mess and fell to his knees hardly mindful of the glass as the broom clattered and started saying apologies and how he’d clean it up.



Severus stepped forward quickly before the boy could do himself any harm when he realized the boy was about to clean it up with his hands. He grabbed Harry’s wrists and drew him back up standing once more. The boy was in tears trying to fight him and get cleaning begging him not to punish him. “Please Master.. I never meant it! Please.. don’t hurt me..”



Severus took out his wand and waved it at the mess, and it disappeared. One less thing for him to worry about with Harry unstable as he was. Severus didn’t want to take the chance the boy would turn house elf like and punish himself for breaking something. “Shh.. Harry. It was an accident, I’m not going to punish you for that.”



Tears remained streaking down Harry’s face though and the boy continued to stare at him fearfully as if he expected it was a lie. Severus released the boy’s wrists and stepped forward, pulling the frightened boy into a hug. At first Harry struggled and Severus after a moment rethought about it and realized it might not have been the smartest idea but before he could pull away Harry stopped struggling and soon calmed down enough to stop crying and realize no punishment was coming.



“That’s it for today,” Severus said pulling away from the small form before he could find an inappropriate reason to remain with Harry in his arms. “Lets just go relax in the living room alright?”



At the boy’s nod Severus lead the way and after a moment’s deliberation sat down on the couch. Harry joined him on the couch and looked at him. Severus smiled, if only he felt as awake as Harry looked at that moment, he really needed a nap but he didn’t want to see Harry’s reaction if he suggested it. Severus waved his wand calling the remote to his hand and he passed it off to Harry. “Choose what you want to watch, I’m okay with anything.”



Severus’ eyes fluttered open and he realized it was dark outside and the television was off. He must have dozed off while watching whatever it was Harry had put on. Rubbing his eyes he was startled to read it was nearly midnight and looking to whatever was resting on his lap resulted in finding Harry using his lap as a pillow. Severus slid out from under Harry’s head and stood stretching some as he felt the stiff muscles protest at the change of position. He picked up Harry and carried him upstairs to his room, he had full intention of going to his own bedroom when he lay Harry down but he felt his clothes pull and Harry’s eyes were open and looking at him.



“Don’t go..” Harry’s voice was soft in the quiet room and Severus stared at him as if he were crazy. “No bad dreams with you near..”



“I’ll get you another Dreamless Sleep Draught then,” Severus said reasonably in a soft voice to match Harry’s. He drew his wand to summon a vial but Harry shook his head, the boy was still half asleep and perhaps he didn’t know what he was saying but Severus put his wand aside. Harry slid to the other side of the bed to give room to Severus and he knew this was going to be a mistake but he joined Harry in the bed anyhow. “Only once Harry..”



“Yes Sir..” Harry’s sleepy voice replied as Severus’ hand was taken, the only body parts touching in the double bed. The boy was quickly asleep and Severus slowly followed him back into sleep comfortable in the bed compared to the couch.



“Good night Harry.”