Snarry Sweet Sick Fic

Chapter 2

Harry

"You still haven't eaten anything." Now Harry is starting to worry. "Are you going to take some to eat in your rooms?"

The older man raises a single eyebrow. "How, may I ask, does what I do concern you?"

Harry shrugs and answers honestly, "I don't want you to starve."

Snape narrows his eyes, picks up his fork, and takes a bite without breaking eye contact, swallowing pointedly.

Harry's eyes watch Snape's lips close around the fork, and then drop to Snape's throat as he swallows. He has no idea why he suddenly feels so uncomfortable.

Harry quickly looks away and busies himself with piling a plate with food and standing up. "Come on."

"Are you speaking to me, Potter? What makes you think I'll do whatever you say?" Snape doesn't move a muscle.

Harry begins to walk towards Snape's quarters. "You promised!" Harry gets the feeling that as complicated of a person Snape may be, he's good for his promises.

Or so he hopes.

Severus

"Eat." Potter places the plate in front of him and Severus has to make an effort to keep the surprise from his face. He thought the plate was for Potter. That boy has an atrocious appetite.

Severus does eat, hating himself for obeying Potter and hating Potter for being so stupidly considerate. Severus covers his mouth with his hand, trying not to appear self-conscious. About anything. Including his rooms.

"Bare." Potter has no tact to speak of.

Severus finds himself wanting to reply honestly, so he does. Which is another surprise. "I'm not partial to them."

Potter's brow furrows and Severus gets a hold of himself. He doesn't want the Chosen One's pity. "But this is your home."

"This is where I live," Severus corrects the boy, "I have no home." He did not just say that. He did not just say that. Potter's face softens, and Severus almost melts under his gaze because for once it isn't hateful- and Severus can't stand it. "You have questions." It's an abrupt statement, not a question.

"You fancied my mum?"

No tact. No considerations. Salazar. "No. I cared for her as a friend, not..." not the way I care for you, "not as a lover."

Potter looks confused. "But... you seemed so... she seemed so important to you."

Important and in love are different things, Potter. Your mother was important to me. I am in love with you. Severus only replies, "She was my only friend." Severus wants to avada himself right now.

"Oh."

Severus doesn't need to be judged by Potter to know he's an utter failure of a person. "You cannot be surprised," he sneers. "You are not the only one who hates me, and I'm not exactly a social butterfly, now, am I?"

Potter looks surprised- and Severus is too because since when does he talk? At all? He just keeps dropping his shields like Longbottom drops plants and teacups and cauldrons and his wand and anything else handheld.

"I don't hate you." And hell the boy means it, because the bloody honest idiot has never learned how to lie. Or even keep his mouth shut.

Salazar, he needs to get a hold of himself.

"What was she like?" It's weird because Potter is to be vulnerable right back. It's like Potter has no sense of self preservation at all. Which he doesn't.