Day Thirty-One
Harry woke up slowly. Even still half-asleep, he was aware of feeling relaxed, rested, and sated in a way he hadn't felt for a long time. For a moment, he couldn't remember why he was feeling so well. Then the memory of the previous night came back.
Severus. Touches and kisses, and whispers and moans. He'd kissed Severus. Touched him. Made love to him. He remembered, Severus's dark eyes glowing, his face flushed with pleasure. Severus's hands on his body. The feeling of Severus's cock in his hand, against his hip. The feeling of Severus's arse clenching around him, hot and tight, and Severus moaning softly, dark hair spread on the pillow over his head.
Humming with lazy satisfaction, eyes still closed, Harry revelled in the memories and the sensation of sated hunger in his body. With a smile, he reached out to touch Severus, to pull him into an embrace. Kiss him. See Severus smile.
But he touched cold sheets.
Blinking, half-sitting up, Harry squinted at the side of the bed where Severus had lain last night, when they'd fallen asleep. Severus wasn't there. Harry knuckled his eyes, trying to wake up more. He hadn't dreamt last night. He was feeling too languid and sore to have imagined making love to Severus.
Perhaps Severus had got up to go to the loo? Make breakfast? How late was it, anyway? But the sheets were cold where Severus had lain. Confused and a little hurt, Harry sat up. And saw Severus standing at the foot of the bed, watching him.
Only it wasn't Severus. Harry groped for his glasses, not taking his eyes off the black figure, but he didn't really need his glasses to see. To understand.
The world came into focus, and Harry looked up at the adult Snape, who was dressed in his own, black robes. He looked a little different, less thin and less pale, but the lack of expression on his face and in his eyes was horribly familiar.
'Oh. Um.' Harry, suddenly panicked, pulled his duvet up to his chin and gave the man a nervous smile. 'Snape. You're, um. Back to your own age.'
He waited, trembling and cold inside, for the tirade that surely would follow. He waited for Snape to start yelling about Harry's inability to take care of a teenager, about how Harry had abused his authority, and Snape's trust, and that he'd report Harry to the Wizengamot for child molestation.
But Snape, still expressionless, only inclined his head ever so slightly. 'As you see.'
'Um,' was all Harry could say. All he could think of. His mind was oddly blank.
'I have to thank you,' Snape said coolly. Harry winced a little and sank lower behind the shielding duvet. Now it would come. Now Snape would turn sarcastic and vicious and flay Harry's character and morals and heart.
Snape's eyes grew uncomfortably piercing. 'I have to thank you,' he repeated, 'for taking such good care of me.'
Harry flinched. He had to look away from those eyes, suddenly feeling too raw to be able to stand their gaze. All his earlier satisfaction, the utter peace and happiness he'd been feeling, melted away, leaving him cold and hollow. Aching.
God, Snape didn't even have to yell to cut him down. He didn't even have to be openly sarcastic.
But what had he expected? That Snape would, miraculously, somehow still be that fifteen-year-old boy Harry had come to lo- be fond of?
He clenched his fingers into the blanket and straightened his spine. Harry had never backed down in a fight with Snape.
'You're, uh, welcome,' he said quietly. Although he still couldn't look at Snape, his voice was steady.
An uncomfortable silence followed, stretched. Harry could hear birds outside. The creaking of the house. Severus … Snape's breath. His own, rapid heartbeat in his ears.
Harry kept his eyes trained firmly on his feet under the blanket. He wouldn't look up, meet Snape's eyes. He couldn't. This man - the adult - knew Harry too well. He probably didn't even need Legilimency to know what Harry was thinking. He'd only laugh. Harry couldn't take it right now.
'Well,' Snape said finally. Harry's fingers tightened until his knuckles turned white. 'I shall take my leave, then.'
Harry nodded. 'Yes. Okay.'
Another silence. Then Snape seemed to sigh.
'Goodbye, Mr Potter.'
'Goodbye,' Harry whispered to the retreating footsteps. The bedroom door closed.
Harry sat still, tense, listening, waiting. The front door closed. The wards flickered as Snape stepped through. The pop of Apparition seemed oddly loud.
'Goodbye,' Harry whispered again, 'Severus.'
Squeezing his eyes closed, Harry took off his glasses and burrowed into his bed, pulling the duvet up over his ears. He didn't want to get up any time soon.
Day Fourty-Eight *