A new beginning

Winter Break Ends

Harry punched the pillow at the top of his bed with both hands. He had no idea why he yelled at Snape. It was just that he was so, so angry. Something about how Snape said 'I cannot take care of you', how he called him a child. It was as if Snape really cared.

Belly down, face planted deep in the pillow, glasses pressed almost painfully against the bridge of his nose, Harry let out a groan. He was so stupid. Snape cared. He cared about him. And he had thrown that in the man's face. He panicked. Never had he had someone care about him, nor felt the need to rely on an adult, so he immediately pretended he didn't want Snape around. He lashed out at the one person that was interested in his well-being. And he saw it, it was for the shortest of seconds, but he saw a flash of hurt and disbelief in Snape's eyes. As soon as the words left his mouth, he knew it was over. He could never fix things with Snape.

Harry turned to the side, closing his eyes tightly. Maybe, maybe if he went down there and apologized. If he begged Snape to forgive him, and explained what an idiot he was, maybe Snape would take him back. But why would he? It was obvious Snape thought he was a lot more trouble than he was worth. He was tired of him. Tired of all the trouble he got into, of the trouble he created for the man at every turn. No, Snape would not be interested in taking him back. He had really messed up. Big time.

...

Snape continued to stand, staring at the closed door. He knew something like this was bound to happen. Potter was sick of him. He drove the child away. Just like he did with Lily. Dumbledore was right, maybe he should have been less strict. But he could not. It was not in his nature. The same way that the thought of taking care of a child should not have crossed his mind.

The worse thing was he had actually begun to care for the child. And now, as much as he loathed to admit it, he was a bit sorry to think that Potter did not want him near. Had anyone told him he would be feeling this way at the beginning of the term, he would have called them mad. But he did.

...

A few days passed since Harry walked out of Snape's parlour in anger, and he had yet to talk to the professor. He hoped that meeting him in the dining hall would allow them to talk without risking being murdered on the spot, but by the second day, he had a feeling he had waited too long. A bit more than a week later he was certain there was no way to talk to Snape now. He would just have to live with what happened.

But, as Harry laid in bed, he felt restless. One look towards his trunk and he made his mind up. He needed to take a walk. There was no way he was going to fall asleep any time soon with those thoughts circling in his head. Sighing, he stood up and pulled the invisibility cloak over his head.

...

Harry stared at the reflection in the Mirror of Erised. He knew now that he was staring at his heart's deepest desire, his parents. The joy and sadness he was feeling, made him remain where he was sitting. For the first time, he was seeing his parents, waving at him. Smiles on their faces.

Dumbledore's words resonated in his head. He knew he should leave. Forget about what he discovered, but he felt so happy. And yet so sad. Knowing that this would be the only time he would see his family like this. Near him.

Harry stood up, shaking the dust off of his pajama trousers. Dumbledore was long gone, yet Harry did not want to be the reason the Headmaster had to come back again. He was leaving. He was. He was not going to spend any more time thinking about the mirror. They were taking it away anyway. So he would not be able to find it ever again. And that was fine. Perfect even. He did not need a constant reminder that what he wanted most in the world was to see his parents. He knew that.

Harry turned sharply around, shoes squeaking on the cold floor. He saw something. Right in the corner of the mirror. Mostly enveloped by the shadows, all covered in black. And he thought... but no, it could not have been, they had not talked... he didn't... Harry looked straight at the mirror again. He must have imagined it. There was no way Snape had appeared in the Mirror of Erised. There was no way.