A Twisted Web We Weave

CHAPTER 31

“You know you’re a complete dickhead don’t you Draco?” Harry lay on Snape’s leather couch idly listening to Paris and Draco arguing over their heated game of wizard’s chess. Thanks to a charm the Patel twins had taught him, Draco’s chess pieces when taken down swore abuse at the opposition as they died.

“Am not, they wouldn’t swear at you if you didn’t take them would they?” Draco snapped sharply as another round of ‘curse ye fucking bastards’ sounded around the room as the blonde lost another piece. It had become almost the norm for the three of them to meet in Snape’s chambers of an evening. With Paris having been sorted in to Slytherin it was only natural the two boys spent most of their time in the dungeons, especially with Snape being Draco’s legal guardian. Most of the time they were left to their own devices with Snape performing his duties, but sometimes the potions master would make an effort to come back early and the four of them would talk over pumpkin juice and cookies before retiring to bed. Harry found it strangely familiar, like they’d become a family, with habits. Today was Thursday, and Snape had the weekly staff meeting to attend ensuring he wouldn’t be back till late. This gave them all the excuse to be up till after curfew, well at least until Snape came back and kicked Paris and Draco out to their own dorm in Slytherin’s dungeons.

“Hey Harry, rumor is you’re going to London this weekend?” Harry looked up from his book to see Paris smiling at him cheekily. Harry was surprised that Paris knew already, having himself only known about it since just before last period.

“How do you know?” Harry snapped defensively as he put his book aside to glare at Paris who was looking far too smug.

“Overheard the headmaster and Severus talking about it coming back from dinner.” Harry rolled his eyes as he watched Paris lean over the chess board, taking a moment to decipher his move before easily taking two more of Draco’s pieces and promptly ending the game with a loud triumphant checkmate. Draco’s language matched those of his chess pieces as the pair of them began to pack up.

“Will you bring us back some broom wax Harry, that good beezal stuff from top of Diagon Alley.” Having put away the chess set in disgust Draco flopped down on the end of the couch, barely missing Harry’s feet as he sprawled out. Paris leant against the warm fire surround his feet tucked under the blanket hanging from Snape’s favorite chair.

“Yeah okay, anything else?” Harry inquired as he glanced across at Paris, who was yawning loudly.

“Nothing for me, this owl order catalogue is seeing me through until Hogsmeade weekends but thanks for asking.” Paris gestured to the thickly bound magazine on Snape’s side table, it’s pages worn and thumbed through with years of the wizard having ordered from it.

“So you two going to be sharing a room?” Draco inquired casually as he thumbed through Harry’s book idly. Harry looked suspiciously between the two of his friends, noting the silent communication going on between them. They were up to something.

“I assume so why?” Harry didn’t miss Paris’ snigger and glared at the other boy who rolled his eyes dramatically. Draco didn’t answer his sparkling eyes betraying the laughter he was desperately trying to hold in. “Oh just fuck off the both of you. I don’t care what the hell you’re scheming I don’t want to know.” Harry sat up from the couch and clicked his fingers twice. With a sharp pop Dobby appeared his floppy ears pinned back with a clothes peg, and a pair of pink ill fitting rubber gloves on his little hands.

“Mister Potter is wanting something sir?” Harry smiled at the sight of Dobby and nodded quickly.

“Yeah, can I have a glass of milk please...” Harry paused before quickly adding. “Cow’s milk this time too Dobby.” Dobby nodded enthusiastically and with a sharp pop disappeared. Not a half second later a saucer with a glass of milk and two cookies appeared on the side table and Harry greedily tucked in, ignoring his two friends who were again exchanging silent looks at one another.

“You know Harry, this has got to stop. We know you like him, even without the ‘potion’ it’s so obvious.” Harry licked his lips free of milk before biting into the cookie, choosing to ignore the comment Paris had just made. After what he’d discovered earlier in the day he didn’t need them pushing this right now. “You can ignore us all you like Harry but it’s not going away. We’re not trying to take the piss, we thought we might be able to help that’s all.” Paris was unprepared for the outburst as Harry stood up abruptly from the couch, sending the saucer, the empty glass and remaining cookie crashing to the floor.

“I don’t want your help, you can’t help. I’m stuck like this forever while you and your little slave friends get off with nothing accept a shinny bar through your dicks well guess what, I do like Snape and he’s the only person who fucking understands, so just piss off.” Shouting Harry stormed across to his room slamming the door closed heavily behind him. With his friends locked out Harry through himself on his bed and buried his head beneath his pillow. Everything felt strange, he wasn’t sure anymore what were his real feelings and what were the effects of the potions. He was so confused, and to top it all he really was beginning to like Snape, a wizard he thought he’d never get along with ever. Life without Voldemort was just as messed up as it was with him, thanks to Julius.

Harry wasn’t sure how long he’d been lying beneath his pillow and it was only when a soft knock fell on his door that he realized how late it probably was. Sitting up and hugging his pillow to his chest, Harry called for whomever it was to come in. Snape appeared in the doorway, still dressed in his trousers and white shirt, having obviously discarded his outer robes for the evening. One thing Harry had learnt while living in Snape’s chambers was that the man was never seen in his sleepwear, having always dressed in his room before coming out, and undressing only ever when he had retired into his own room for the rest of the night.

“Is it safe to come in or do I need some protection?” Snape twirled his wand round expertly in his fingers before pointing it dramatically at Harry who huffed a contemptible laugh before lying back down again.

“Don’t kid yourself you know I’d win in a duel any day.” Harry chuckled dryly listening to the rarely bestowed laugh of Snape’s who’s dry wit, Harry had established was similar to his own.

“Indeed I have long been resigned to the fact I could never equal the great Harry Potter.” Gingerly Snape stepped into the room, careful as he always was not to invade Harry’s bedroom unless invited to, after all Harry respected his privacy and he in turn gave the boy the same respect.

“See now you’re just taking the piss.” Harry grumbled good naturedly as he felt his bed dip, where Snape had sat himself down on the end of it.

“Language Potter.” Snape chastised easily as he felt Harry move around to lie down beside where he was sitting, his chin resting on his hands in thought.

“Sorry,” Harry whispered before continuing with a train of thought that had just struck him. “Why do you let Paris call you Severus, when Draco and I and everyone else isn’t allowed to?” Harry watched as Snape frowned in confusion before shaking his head slowly.

“Who said you weren’t allowed to call me Severus?” Snape inquired curious to where this topic of conversation had stemmed from. Having just spoken to Draco and Paris, Snape was fully expecting a moody, angry young man in the bedroom, yet Harry was neither.

“Well no one I guess, but you’d rip my head off if me or anyone else called you Severus in class, and you’ve kind of always been just Snape or sir, or professor or git depending on who you talk to.” Snape smiled as Harry glanced cheekily up at him, knowing that his nickname around school really did irk the man’s irritation.

“In class I expect a little respect Potter, but there’s no reason why you can’t refer to me as Severus outside hours it is my name after all.” Severus noted with amusement that Harry’s smile lit up his face at being allowed the privilege of using his first name. It was something so small that seemed to bring the boy a small amount of pleasure and Snape was glad he could oblige. “Well I guess if you’re alright, I’m going to go to bed. I want your things packed in the morning, so we can be off tomorrow evening after dinner alright?” Harry nodded and with a reluctant smile watched Snape disappear from the room, the door closing automatically behind him. As Harry lay staring at the spot where Snape had sat he began to ponder something. The only time in his life when he’d actually felt safe was when Snape was around. It was that same safe feeling now that settled in his stomach as he remembered the soft rise and fall of the man’s chest against his own as they’d stood together in the professors office. That feeling had nothing to do with the potion either, because it had always been there he’d just unconsciously pushed it aside because of who he thought Snape was. It was also that same safe feeling that was now drawing him to the wizard’s bedroom.

The living room was dark accept for the slowly burning fire as he tip toed out of his bedroom and across the floor to the closed door of Snape’s bedroom. Harry had only briefly seen inside the man’s private space, having dropped a spare towel on the end of the bed for him two weeks ago. Harry felt nervous as he gently pushed the door a little way open. It was dark in the bedroom too, again only the light from the fireplace flickering on the walls. Harry could see little except the lump beneath the covers that was Snape’s form and so pushed the door a little wider and snuck inside. Hardly daring to breath Harry tiptoed across to the end of the bed, the sheer curtaining pulled closed to stop the drafts. Snape was obviously asleep already the wizard exhausted after the day’s teaching. The elder wizard’s face was completely expressionless, the blank canvas of a dreamless sleep hidden partly beneath the covers. Harry was enthralled by the picture having never considered Snape other than the harsh wizard he knew during the day. Yet here lying in slumber Snape looked positively harmless and all Harry wanted to do was stare at him. Slowly and quietly Harry sat down on the chair beside the bed, and stared at Snape’s face. Harry smiled as he let his gaze wander down the curves of the man’s forehead, nose and chin, imagining that it had been those beautiful features he’d been faced with rather than Julius’ the first night he’d arrived at the man’s house. Perhaps in someway it might have been alright if it had been Severus’ that had been the one to take his innocents. Yes, that was why it had been so terrible, because somewhere in his potion addled mind he knew that it should have been Severus taking him, claiming him, making love to him.

Harry was so lost in his stare that he hardly noticed the slight flinch the potion professor made. Severus’ eyes flickered open having felt the wards to his rooms shiver with disturbance, long before Harry had appeared like a ghost at the side of his bed. Snape was interested in what Harry was going to do, and so had laid still, pretending to be asleep as he’d carefully watch what Harry had done. The boy looked lost, lost in his memories, no doubt painful ones rather than happier times. Snape could no longer stay still, and reached up to shift the curtaining around his bed to get a better look at Harry. At the movement Harry leapt to his feet in panic, realizing now what he had been doing.

“Sorry, I….I’m sorry.” Harry turned to run horrified that he’d invaded Snape’s privacy and got caught doing so. Snape was quicker though and caught the boy’s hand before he could move anywhere. Harry looked back down at Snape in fear, the man’s navy blue nightshirt falling off his shoulder, exposing the bony point of the man’s shoulder blade.

“Are you getting in or were you going to sit there all night?” Still with his hand tightened around Harry’s wrist Snape used his other to fold back the right side of his bed covers in invitation to the boy. Harry opened his mouth to speak but nothing came out, his shock at the offer undisguised in his expression. After an extended silence Snape thought perhaps he’d pushed the boy to far, and went to sit up but before he could move Harry had pushed his way through the sheer curtaining and was climbing over Snape into the bed space beside him. Snape smiled sleepily to himself as he let go of Harry’s hand and propped himself up on his own elbow to watch as Harry settled himself beneath the warmth of the blankets. “You do realize you will be the first person in more than 15 years to sleep in this bed other than me.” Snape couldn’t help smiled as Harry rolled over towards him, nestling happily in the already warm collection of pillows, he would be sharing with the man.

“I talk in my sleep, I say things I shouldn’t. Promise you won’t tell anyone what I say?” Snape stared at Harry, reading the unspoken reply to Snape’s original question. Steadily Snape nodded in agreement and with a final content smile from Harry the boy closed his eyes to sleep. For a long time Snape watched Harry settle into his dreams, the boy’s breathing evening out, until every ounce of tension fell away from the boy’s face. When he was satisfied that Harry had fallen asleep Snape himself lay back down his hand involuntarily on Harry’s side. Snape had been so opposed to this before, had down right accused the headmaster that there was no founding to his suggestion that Harry was bound to him already but now with the boy laid at his side, Snape had to admit the proof he’d demanded was lying right here before him.

“What am I going to do with you Potter?” Snape whispered softly to himself as he turned over and fell quietly in sleep, Harry’s body lying flush with his own.

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


A/N Alrighty well hope you liked this rather large update. I\'m currently cleaning up my act, in the way of unfinished stories so this baby is getting near to it\'s completion, but don\'t despair you can check out my long awaited updates of Jigsaw and my other fandoms when you\'ve finished reading this. Okay hope you liked the update and please I really do appreciate all feedback, even if I am a little slack at replying to emails. Please leave a review if you\'ve got the patients because everything you say I take on board in the hopes of making my next wicked creation even better.
CHeers and thanks for you continued reading

RIFFRAFF