Brick

Well I was listening to that song “Brick” by Ben Folds Five, and it totally inspired me to write something completely different. I hope you all enjoy it.

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The chill in the air seemed to seep into his bones, which cracked in protest as he dragged himself out of bed. Long black tendrils stuck to the side of his face, and he impatiently flicked them away with a calloused hand.

When his joints decided to cooperate with him, he managed to walk over to the oak dresser, glancing at the clock ticking softly on the wall directly above; mocking him. He dropped his eyes from it quickly. Six a.m. He couldn’t help but think wistfully about how shamefully early that was to be awake the day after Christmas; he didn’t get many opportunities to sleep in after all.

Shaking his head, he looked at himself in the mirror for a second, mentally berating himself. ‘You know damn well why you’re up so early....’ Before he could think more on it, he found himself mechanically walking down the stairs and into an entrance hallway.

He grabs a black woollen jacket out of a closet, going through the motions of doing up the buttons. He slips on a pair of black leather gloves and thick boots before slipping out the front door, hooking his finger around the keychain that held his car keys as he went. He didn’t bother locking the front door.

Walking to his nondescript vehicle, he quickly opened the doors, sliding into the cool pleather seats. He allowed himself to shudder as the frosty cold bit into the back of his legs through his black jeans.

Putting the keys into the ignition he started the car, backing out of his parking spot in front of the simple two story home. The crunch of the snow under his wheels was deafeningly loud in the quiet streets, the rest of the neighbourhood still sleeping off their Christmas feast from the night before.

He drove in silence, his fingers not daring to touch the dial for the radio. His dark eyes focused on the road in front of him, his mind as numb as his body. Noting a nearby apartment complex, he turned off the road and pulled up beside the curb.

He made quick work of the walk into the lobby, and he completely ignored the shiny elevator doors, opting for the stairs instead. It gave him more time to think, to prepare for what he knew he would face.

He walked up three floors, barely out of breath thanks to the slow pace. He stood outside a scratched up wooden door, glancing down at his watch. 6:30 a.m. No more time to waste. He opened the door, knowing it would be open for him, it always was.

No noise issued from the apartment. He walked into the tiny living room, stopping beside the couch to stare at the slight form curled up on it. “We need to head out.” He barely whispered.

The young man on the couch looked up into the eyes of the senior before him. He gave a weak smile, his emerald eyes duller than normal, and he whispered back “I know.” Picking his chin up off of his knees, he rose slowly. The other man had already disappeared into the hallway, collecting his jacket for him.

Within minutes, they were ready to leave.

The car ride was silent.

Neither one of them spoke as the car slowed to a stop outside of a large round building. They met one another’s eyes.

Then the young man opened his door, climbing out slowly. He paused for a moment, turning to look through the window of the car one more time. Green orbs met black, and then he was gone, through the double doors to wait.

The older man let out a sigh he had been holding in. He pulled away from the curb, finding a parking spot nearby. He ambled out of the vehicle, staring at the building. He took a few steps towards it, before stopping himself and turning in the opposite direction, walking towards a pawn shop only a few blocks away.

Inside the building, the young boy sat in an uncomfortable chair, picking at his finger nails and glancing around nervously. His hand reached out, only to fall back into his lap when he realised he had no one to hold onto. He was in this alone.

“Harry Potter.” A voice called from behind a large desk. A plump woman in her thirties smiled sympathetically at him. “The doctor is ready to see you now.” She motioned bustled out of her little office and opened a small set of swinging doors, holding them ajar for him. “Just down the hall deary, last door there.”

Harry swallowed the lump in his throat, the woman’s motherly persona doing nothing more than make him feel even worse. He quickly made his way down the hallway, pushing open the door at the end of the white sterile hall. A man in a long white coat stood before him.

“Mr. Potter.” The man nodded in acknowledge. He paused and looked at the door, perplexed. “You are here alone, Mr. Potter?” he stared at the boy in front of him, no older than seventeen.

Harry couldn’t force the word from his throat. He just nodded.

“Alright then, lets begin.”

Harry laid out on a stretcher, his eyes focusing on the clock on the wall across from him. 7:30a.m. Then he allowed his lids to slide closed, and he saw and felt nothing more.

The man leaned against the car, eyeing the building anxiously. His wallet was thicker now, and in his car there was a single flower sitting on the passenger seat. A white lily.

When he saw Harry coming from the building, shoulders slumped and wincing every couple of steps, he quickly met him half way. Awkwardly wrapping an arm around his shoulders, he led the boy to the car.

When Harry saw the flower, he smiled weakly, gazing into the eyes of his companion. He picked it up and cradled it in his palms, twirling it between his fingers.

The ride back to the apartment was silent.

As Harry got out of the car, he stopped to gaze at the driver. “Thank you Severus.” He barely whispered, his voice nearly cracking. He received a sharp nod in response, and bit his lips before lightly shutting the door.

A few weeks passed, and neither Harry nor Severus had spoken. It wasn’t until Severus received a phone call from Harry’s guardian, Albus Dumbledore, the he was even compelled to go visit the young man again.

Harry wasn’t fairing well.

When Severus appeared at the apartment door, Albus stood waiting, and Harry was sitting on a kitchen chair with his head in his hands.

Albus ushered him in, and motioned for him to sit next to Harry. Neither one of them looked at the other.

“I think, perhaps, it is time for you to tell me what is going on.” Albus voiced after a few moments of silence.

It was then that Harry and Severus glanced at each other. They sat stalk still for a moment, but it didn’t take long for Harry’s shoulders to start shaking and heaving sobs to be wrenched from his slight form.

Severus did the only thing he could think of doing, he reached over and pulled Harry to his chest, cradling him as tears of his own dripped onto the boy.

“Abortion.” He croaked out, still clutching Harry to his chest.

Albus watched the two of them momentarily, before nodding softly and allowing a soft smile to grace his aged features. “Ah,” he whispers. “, That explains quite a bit.” He nodded at Severus, trusting him to take care of the issue at hand. With that he quietly slipped out of the room.

Harry, still sobbing, looked up at Severus. His eyes were bloodshot, and judging from his gaunt features it looked as if he had lost a significant amount of weight.

“Harry...” Severus whispered. “Would it be better if I left?” he asked, dreading the answer he knew he would get.

The teen looked up at him seriously, tear tracks running down his face. He closed his dull eyes and nodded slowly. “I love you, you know.” He whispered brokenly.

“I love you too...” Severus placed Harry back on his own chair, standing slowly. He seemed to be debating with himself.

“Goodbye Harry.” He finally managed. He leant down and placed a chaste kiss on the boy he had come to love’s lips.

And then he was gone.

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Review and let me know what you think. This is my first time writing something like this.