Your Protector ✦ A Snarry Fanfiction

Chapter 5: Breakthrough

Chapter 5: Breakthrough (Snape's Perspective)

The air was thick as Snape led Harry to the defense against the dark arts classroom. If nothing else, Snape prided himself on being consistent. He felt that Harry really did deserve the detention he received, and he also couldn't let it get around that he was getting soft and letting students off the hook.

But instead of forcing Harry to do tedious and unnecessary labour, the two just sat in silence. Harry's arms were crossed in front of his chest, his posture defensive. Snape tried to keep his face neutral so as to not give away how he was feeling. It was difficult though. Inside he was dying to know what Harry was thinking.

"Say something Potter," Snape finally broke the silence.

"What am I supposed to say?" Harry replied. Even though he was sitting right in front of Snape, he seemed a million miles away.

A civil conversation, Snape had to remind himself as he stared at the boy before him. The thought of getting to know Harry made his skin crawl. He had always done his best to despise him, this being the only way for Snape to cope with having James and Lily's son around. But now things were different. He didn't have much choice if he wanted the rest of the school year to run smoothly.

What surprised Snape were the words Harry uttered next, spoken so quietly that he almost didn't hear. "I'm sorry for what my father did to you."

These words were something Snape had never expected to hear. Harry had always been so furiously loyal to the man he could not even remember, it was almost like Harry had taken up his fathers vendetta against him. Maybe his perception of Harry was wrong.

"Come off it, you have no idea what your father did to me. Or your godfather," Snape growled. He didn't need pity, and he damn sure didn't want to talk about the memory that was burned into his mind forever.

Snape could almost see the internal struggle occurring within Harry before he finally asked, "So you were friends with my mother?"

For a moment Snape remained quiet. He didn't really know how to respond. Finally deciding that it was better to tell the truth, he let out a sigh. "She was my best friend."

Snape never once met Harry's intense gaze. He didn't want to see the look on his face, and he didn't want to hear the angry words that always seemed to be directed at him. But to his surprise, they never came. The room remained quiet with no other sound other than their own breathing that could be heard. The words were filled with more emotion than he had anticipated, but if Harry wanted the truth then that was what he was going to get. Or part of the truth at least.

"I-I'm sorry for yelling at you last night," Harry apologized again.

"Did you hit your head, Potter? Stop apologizing!" Snape shouted, more to get a rise out of Harry than anything else. It made him uncomfortable seeing Harry acting so out of character. He preferred the quick tempered, hot headed boy over the person that sat in front of him. Snape's anger only flared more when Harry didn't respond. There was no witty remark, or harsh words. He was met only with a disturbing silence.

Finally Harry spoke. "Sir, you are making it extremely difficult to be polite."

For a moment Snape felt abashed. He was, after all, acting like a child once more. Trying to ease his discomfort by provoking Harry probably wasn't his finest moment.

"How are we going to do this, Potter? I don't see a way for us to act decent toward the other with our history."

Harry seemed to think for a moment before responding. "I think we should do what Dumbledore said. Try and get to know each other." A look of disgust crossed Harry's face for a moment as he said those last words, putting Snape a little more at ease that Harry hadn't completely lost his mind, or the dislike for his professor.