The Boy The Snake and The Stone

Chapter 22: Past Revealed

Severus was observing his new charge carefully, there seemed to be something bothering the young boy. He kept biting his lower lip, his bright green eyes kept glancing over to where he sat sipping his coffee. He had started to wring his shirt between his fists, as if he is unsure of what he was about to do; it was concerning Severus very much, seeing the young lad act like this. Was it because he was nervous about Christmas, that he didn't belong to them. He wanted to curse those muggles for treating the boy like that. The boy was so uncomfortable with his first ever Christmas that he was unable to enjoy, such an occasion. It was then, while Severus was lost in his thoughts, that the green eyed boy, so much like his mother, walked over to him.

"S-Sir." Said a tiny voice that caught his attention and he quickly looked to the source. There he didn't see the same boy that he pulled from the cupboard underneath the stairs, who was just barely clinging to life, one that flinched each time you got too close to him; he now saw a young boy learning the world around him. Harry was learning to trust, learning to love, and, for most of this season, learning what a family really was.

"I-I do not have a wrapped Christmas gift to give to you, i-it is something that I would like to share with you, before anyone else." The boy said, looking between him and the floor. The man raised an eyebrow at the child, encouraging for him to continue on. "If we could, I would like us to head somewhere private for a while, maybe enjoy some snacks and hot cocoa." Harry said with a glance to the Malfoy family, as if he was worried that they would be offended by what was happening.

"Of course Harry! You can go to one of the libraries or to the sun room! Just call upon a house elf if you need anything." Narcissa said with a smile, she didn't know what they would like to talk about, but she could put two and two together and had a rough idea of what Harry was going to share with Severus. It was only right that he would go to him first; he was the one that rescued him from those muggles, the first one that showed concern for him, the one that gave him hope and showed him what love was. Of course, saying that she was not jealous was a lie, she knew that Severus was the first to have the knowledge, but she hoped that one day Harry would open up to her and her husband as well. Harry's green eyes lit up a little, and a small smile grew on his face, happy that they were not mad that he would be leaving them on this family holiday.

Severus looked over at Narcissa and gave her a nod of thanks. Then he turned his attention back on Harry. "Of course Harry, where ever you want to go, I will follow."

Harry quickly made his way out of the Christmas room, with Severus following him closely. Harry led him to a sun room overlooking the gardens. At the moment everything that was in the gardens was dead, for the winter storms came upon the manor unexpectedly, not giving the house elves enough time to protect the plants so the yard below was a barren land, frosted over with ice, and a blanket of white sat upon the ground. Off to the side there was the pond that they had ice skated on, as well as the stables which housed horses and other creatures expertly taken care of as well. The inside of the room very inviting. It was decorated in natural colors, the walls a warm tan, it had couches and chairs, both a brown color, a few green pillows, a table in which food was severed on, and a few house plants in the room. Some of them trees, others flowers sitting in the window giving the room life. With a quick call to the elves, they had abundant amount of food, as well as a hot coco for Harry and some tea for Severus.

Harry took a sip of coco, holding on to the mug so tightly that his knuckles turned white, he would not meet Severus' eyes just yet, scared that if he did he would not have the courage to do this.

"Sir, your Christmas present, as I said, could not be wrapped, this is because for you I would like to share my past with you. I-I am unable to share everything with you at the moment, b-but all I ask is for you to g-give me time. A-also I would not object if I went to see a mind healer, in the future." His hands where trembling at this point, either from nervousness or just plain fear of having to think back on the time spent at the Dursley's house or a combination of both.