Falling Hopelessly

Chapter 13

Harry had woken up to the sound of Snape barging into his room and standing at the foot of his bed, "How wonderful for you to finally wake up. Are you aware, Mr. Potter,  that you've missed half of the day and two of your classes?" Snape drawled as he strode towards Harry's bedside table. Harry just sat up and quietly mumbled an "I'm sorry, Professor." hardly looking up at him. Snape took in the young mans appearance and his eyes grew wide slightly at how he looked, he looked as though he hadn't gotten proper sleep in weeks and had partially dried tear tracks going down his cheeks. He leaned down slightly to try and get a better look at him and was met unusually dull emerald eyes and an obviously forced smile, "Morning, Professor. How're you today?" Harry looked behind him on the bed and picked up his glasses and placed them on his face. Looking back at his professor, he forced another smile, stood, and stretched. Snape took a step backwards and studied the young man for a few seconds before speaking, "Potter, are you feeling alright?" Harry's smile dropped for a split second but as fast as it had dropped, it reappeared again. "Yeah, i'm fine, Professor. Why wouldn't I be?" Snape didn't even bother to hold in the scoff, "I knew that it was difficult for you to use your brain, Potter but really? Why wouldn't you be fine?!" Harry went silent and looked down at the floor, "Need I remind you, Mr.Potter, that you are being chased by a homicidal maniac and have been since you were an infant. Not only that but currently you are being harassed daily due to your sexuality and lastly, are being treated worse than a dog at your muggle relatives house. Anything else I need to add, Mr.Potter?" Harry sat back down onto his bed and put his head in his hands, "Anyone else your age would be crippled with fear and a form of mental illness were they in your shoes. I'm surprised you're as sane as you are!" Harry looked up at him, tears forming in his eyes. Snape was taken aback, he had never seen him this vulnerable before. "It's funny you say that, sir. I feel like I could crumble away at any moment." he chuckled sadly, the tears he held in now streaming down his face. Harry stood and the thing that Snape had least expected happened, he felt Harry's arms wrap around his neck has Harry started to sob. Snape taking a second to process things slowly wrapped his arms around the young mans waist, resting his cheek on his head, allowing himself to hold the man in his arms at least once. Snape remembering the kiss that happened the other day, his cheeks began to grow warm as he cleared his throat, "Potter, I believe that we should talk about what happened the other day." he felt Harry go rigid in his arms and he quickly spoke up, " I'm not mad or upset, Potter." Harry relaxed only slightly, sighing as he let go but kept his gaze to the floor he back away from Snape. Snape motioned for him to follow him out into the sitting room, once they were there, Harry sat on the couch while Snape sat on one of the chairs. Neither of them knowing what to say resulted in a few minutes of awkward silence until Snape cleared his throat and began to speak. "Why did you kiss me the other day, Potter?" Harry gulped and began to fidget with his hands, "I'm really sorry about that, Professor. I really don't know what came over me. If i'm being completely honest I expected you to have hexed me for it by now and-" Snape cut his rambling short, "Mr.Potter, please, enough with the unnecessary rambling. I brought it up
becau-"Snape was cut short by the sound of his fireplace roaring to life and Dumbledore stepping through the flames. "Hello, my boys! How are you this fine evening? Well, I hope." he said smiling with that damned twinkle in his eyes. Snape groaned as he stood, "Albus, what on Earth could you possibly want now?!" Albus simply chuckled and sat beside Harry, "How are you feeling, my boy? I hope you understand that i've given Draco the proper punishment, i've sent him off to a week of detention with Hagrid in the Forbidden Forest." Snape started to feel rather possessive for some reason after hearing the Headmaster call Harry "my boy" but pushed that aside as he growled, "Albus, I hardly see a weeks worth of detention as 'proper punishment'. Potter could've died had I not reacted quick enough!" Albus just shook his head, "Mr.Malfoy is aware that what he did was wrong and should not be repeated." Snape just stood there and stared at him in disbelief and at a complete loss for words. Albus looked at Harry, "Do you think this is fair, Harry?" Harry just looked up at him and said, "I don't care about his punishment, sir. All I know is that if he tries something again I won't hesitate to launch at him again, hopefully next time no one's there to stop me." he finished with a complete straight face and determination in his eyes. Seeing Harry this way sent an unnerving chill down Severus' spine, he looked over at the Headmaster and noticed his usual cheer was gone and replaced with complete shock. Snape sat back down into his chair and waited for the Headmaster to speak again, hoping that whatever came out of his mouth wouldn't cause anymore responses like that, " Harry, my boy, when I spoke to Draco I made it very clear that I no longer wanted him near you or to try anything like this ever again." Harry just sat back and scoffed, "No offense, Headmaster, but do you seriously think that, Malfoy, of all people would listen to anyone? He thinks he's better than anyone at this school and his Father will get him out of anything." Harry ran a hand through his hair and sighed, "I'm sorry, Professor. If i'm being completely honest I don't even know what came over me earlier. Speaking of which, am I going to be in trouble?" It was Albus' turn to sigh and nod his head, "Unfortunately, Harry, i'm afraid I do have to give you some form of punishment. Four days of detention with Professor Snape should do it." he looked over at Snape and smiled, "Don't work him too hard, Severus." Snape just looked away and scoffed, try not to smirk, Harry just smiled while Albus was turned away from him and sighed, "Well, thank you, Headmaster. I was actually about to head to bed. Goodnight, Professors." Harry quickly got up and went into his room, gratefully seeing that opportunity to get out of that conversation with Snape.

~In the sitting room~

Snape sat back in his chair and growled, 'Of course he would go to his room as soon as he had the chance' he looked back at Albus and began to speak, "Is there anything else you needed, Headmaster and if you couldn't tell, you interrupted a very important conversation I was trying to get out of the way." Snape huffed and waited for Albus to respond and was met with that damned twinkle in the old mans eyes, "Why, Severus, there was another reason I came down here my boy!" Snape furrowed his brow at the old man and put up a silencing charm before letting him continue, "Well, out with it, Albus. I haven't got all night" Snape said through clenched teeth, the Headmaster simply smiled and was about to start when all of a sudden he heard two sets of screams, coming from Harrys room and the man in front of him. Looking at Severus, he noticed the man was grasping at him arm, his eyes tightly clenched shut and his scream full of pain. Severus, trying his hardest to stand through the pain finally made it up and made his way to Harrys door, opening the door to find the boy writhing in pain on his bed, Snape looked over at Albus and told him to keep an eye on Harry and that he must go as he was being summoned, Albus curtly nodded and just like that Snape was gone.

~Sorry if this chapter sucks, I think I started writing this one on low sleep and low brain cells~