Un Nuovo Inizio

Chapter 2

"You're awake."

"It would appear I am." Harry gave him a half-smile and yawned again. Large bags were under his eyes with bruises that made him look gaunt and haunted. 

"You haven't been sleeping."

"I've been worried for you." Rolling his eyes at the sentiment, Severus gingerly scooted over and invited Harry to lay next to him on the bed with a few pats to the empty space. Harry looked at him, his eyes swimming with unspoken questions. 

"Come. You need a good rest. If you've been that worried over me, you'll sleep easier if you know I'm right here and alive."

"You're not worried about losing your reputation?" 

"I'm too drugged to even care if we're seen. War heroes are allowed to have a moment of weakness once danger has passed, are they not?" With that, Harry laid down in bed next to him and promptly fell asleep. Severus felt himself being lulled off to sleep with the sound of Harry's breathing and gladly succumbed to the nap he felt coming on.

The two awoke at the same time and Harry thanked him for the nap. He helped Severus sit up and sat up on the bed to face him with his legs crossed under him. Dinner appeared on the nightstand for the two of them and Harry put the tray on Severus's lap before picking up a peach to eat. 

"Is that all you're going to have? I seem to remember shepherd's pie being one of your favourites." Harry shrugged.

"My stomach shrunk while we were hunting horcruxes. This is plenty for me." Severus shook his head and put a small serving of the pie on his plate and handed it to him.

"Eat this as well. You might feel uncomfortable, but I'd rather you not waste away into nothing." Harry took the plate, eyeing Severus’s plate up. 

"I'll eat this if you eat some of that pudding." Severus weighed his options. He hated eating sweets in front of others, particularly tiramisu. He loved deserts and didn't want to embarrass himself in front of anyone. But it was important that the brat get used to eating normal portions once more, so he acquiesced. Besides, he had never turned down tiramisu and he wasn’t about to start.

They ate quietly, each one focused on finishing their meal. Once the dishes disappeared and were replaced with a pot of tea, Severus made himself a cup and decided to ask the question that had been circling around in the back of his mind. 

"What will happen now? I presume some decisions were made while I was unconscious." 

"Well, Hogwarts didn't take too much damage. It looked way worse with all the carnage, but structurally it wasn't anything too bad. Professor Flitwick managed to get most of it back together last I spoke with him." He reached for the tea and busied his hands with making a cup. "All the students from my year are being given the option to either return next term as 'eighth years' or take their NEWTS at the ministry, free of charge. Rumour has it that the few that are considering coming back are still on the fence. Everyone in my year is being offered positions and apprenticeships or they're rich enough to not need a job. I think most of them will jump on the opportunity to move on."