Hidden in Black Robes

Nightmares

Uncle Vernon and Aunt Petunia were punishing him again. He had not weeded the garden to their satisfaction. "H-hawwy sowwy. No h-hurt p-pwease!" They didn't listen. "Stop talking boy! This is what freaks deserve for being a nuisance!" Uncle Vernon shouted.

"Hawwy be good! N-n-no hu-urt!" Struggling to get out of their hold unsuccessfully, Uncle Vernon landed smacks across his bottom before Aunt Petunia roughly shoved into the cupboard.

Suddenly, his eyes shot open, surveying his surroundings. It was dark, no light could be seen, not even from the windows and he was on a bed. He then remembered all the events that happened. Sev'us. Where was Sev'us? He really wanted Sev'us right now. He wanted Sev'us to carry him, cuddle him, to hold him in his arms forever. It's scary in here! What if Uncle Vernon and Aunt Petunia were hiding in the shadows?

But Sev'us probably left him here because he found out what a freak he was and how much trouble he caused. He couldn't help but think of all the moments where Sev'us had been so nice to him. He want him to come back! Curling into himself, he started sobbing, loudly.

Poppy rushed out of her office when she heard the cries coming from Harry's direction. She suspected that he probably had a nightmare. It wasn't uncommon for victims of abuse. Reaching the bed, she saw the pitiful state Harry was in.

Curled into himself where he cried his little eyes out, shirt getting drenched at the same time. He was shivering, either from the cold or the sobbing, she couldn't tell. The small sounds of, "Sev'us." was breaking her heart into pieces. Deciding that calling Severus was a good idea right about now. She floo called him.

Severus was in the middle of brewing a healing potion when his floo rang. "Come through Poppy" he said gruffly, annoyed that he was being disturbed. "Severus, I need you in the infirmary right now. Harry had a nightmare." Oh, so the Potter brat (he was trying to convince himself that he didn't care about him) was going to indirectly ruin his potion. Great.

"Noted. I'll be a moment." he begrudgingly stood up and poured his unfinished potion into the sink, knowing that it would not be salvageable once he came back. 'What a waste.' he thought.

Entering the infirmary, he looked at Harry who was crying, tears being soaked up by his shirt. The most shocking thing was what Harry was muttering as he bawled, "Sev'us." That tugged at his heart strings a little. Bloody hell! He was turning soft!

Quietly walking towards Harry's shivering form, he asked, voice gentle, "Harry?" he was met with glossy emerald orbs looking up at him. Harry cried a little louder from relief at seeing his saviour before he launched himself at full speed into Severus and wrapped his thin arms around Severus's middle, still standing on the bed.

Mildly surprised, Severus brought a hand to Harry's back and started to awkwardly rub what he hoped were calming circles. Poppy watched the scene unfold with fondness. She never knew that the dour Potion Master had it in him to comfort children after nightmares.

Severus glanced at Poppy, seeing her expression, he scowled, "Poppy, stop what you're thinking of right this instant!" Poppy smirked, "I have no clue what you're talking about Severus." she retaliated. He decided it was best to ignore her for now.

Harry was basking in all the comfort. He never thought that Sev'us was going to come back! He buried his tiny face into Sev'us's clean robes, getting tears and snot all over it. Feeling a burst of courage, he tugged on Sev'us's robe and waited for him to notice.

Severus looked down as he felt a small tug on his robe, Harry hesitantly looked at him with puppy eyes before shyly raising his arms up to him, a universal sign indicating that he wanted to be carried.

Seeing that Severus had not responded immediately to, he put his arms down dejectedly before leaning closer to Severus, afraid that Severus was going to push him away. If Severus did not want to carry him, he surely didn't want to be in contact with Harry either.

Severus noticed the rapid change of emotion on Harry's face when Severus had been uncertain to carry him. He also felt Harry lean closer to him, almost afraid that he was going to let go.

He stretched out his arms slowly and lifted Harry up who looked at him in surprise before burying his head into the crook of Severus's neck. He feel Poppy smiling behind him. Using his left arm, he wrapped it around Harry's body. He had felt how cold he was when Harry ran into him. Hoping it would warm Harry up, he started rubbing his back similarly to before.

Severus went to sit back on the now clean infirmary bed, and set Harry onto his lap. Wiping the leftover tears leaking from Harry's eyes, Harry placed his head onto his chest. As he was being used as a pillow, Harry's breathing evened out and soon, Harry was asleep again.

Severus fell into deep slumber right after Harry. With Harry still perched on his lap, both of them slept soundly in that position. That was how Dumbledore found them the next morning.

Author's notes:
This is the shortest chapter yet. Really focused on fluff with this one.