Fix You

"Stop! That's enough!" Severus shouted.

Harry dropped his wand. He had just sent the man slamming into the wall for the third time that evening, even though they were practicing disarming spells. "What in the bloody hell has gotten into you?" He lowered his gaze to the ground. Ever since he had overheard that conversation earlier in the day, he had been freaked out. He blocked every jinx the man threw at him as if his life absolutely depended on it. He had to admit he was a tiny bit embarrassed for his actions, though.

"Sorry." He mumbled, turning to go. An arm thrust forward into his chest, forcing him to halt.

"The Harry Potter I have grown to know and care about is not the Harry Potter I am standing in front of today. Where the hell is he?"

"I'm right here."

Severus looked him up and down for a long moment. "You overheard the headmaster and I's conversation this morning." He said nothing, just waited for realization to hit. Severus stood up and opened the door, beckoning for him to follow.

He did so with some hesitation, wondering what in Merlins name they were doing. Severus stopped in front of a portrait of Salazar Slytherin himself. He leaned forward and mumbled something he couldn't make out, but sounded suspiciously like a set of numbers, and the portrait swung open to reveal his living quarters. They were done up in the same colors as his home, furniture and all. The only difference he could pick out was that there was no television set and only one bedroom. He took a seat on the left side of the couch and Severus on the right. Silence ensued for a long moment before he finally broke the ice barrier that had developed between them.

"I know you're not a bad person."

The other man opened his mouth, but apparently changed his mind and shook his head instead. "How-I-I don't understand how you can know what you know and still say that. I-I'm a- I'm a fucking murderer, that's what I am! Torturing and killing innocent human beings for fun. I'm no better than that monster I also happen to call master. And you...you have the audacity to sit here and...and tell me I'm not a bad person!"

"Because it's true!" He jumped across the couch, harshly grasping the mans shoulders. "You are brave and honest and caring and possibly the most wonderful human being I have ever met!"

Severus stared straight ahead for a moment. Harry was glad for this as he was currently as red as a tomato. "Harry...I..." Je turned and surprisingly pulled him into a hug which Harry returned immediately.

"That means a lot to me." He murmured.

"You mean a lot to me."

Severus pulled him in closer, maneuvering so that they were both lying down. Harry buried his face into his shoulder and slowly snaked his arms around his firm waist. Lavender filled his lungs and his breathing thickened. This was where he belonged.

He awoke hours later, forgetting where he was for a split second. They must have fallen asleep together on the couch last night. Severus was standing in front of him, still in his clothing from the night before. His hair was tousled and sticking to his forehead. "You had better get going. It's after five thirty and I hope to Merlin none of your little friends have noted your absence as of yet."

Frankly, he could care less if they had. He wasn't their dog that needed to be held on a leash and monitored at all times. He forced himself to a sitting position. "Where do you keep the towels?" He asked.

"Why do you ask?"

"Oh, I don't know. I thought I might fancy sewing a few together to wear as a new dress. Might really allow my homosexuality to shine through."

Severus raised an eyebrow. "Smart ass boy."

"What was that? I'm afraid I didn't quite catch that." He shot back, nudging him a little. He was completely flirting, but so what? It's not like he was foolish enough to believe that last night had changed things between- "I'll be returning to my dormitory now. Have a nice day, Professor Snape."
He quickly shut the door behind him, leaving behind a very confused Potions Master.

The next few weeks passed by exceedingly slowly. Teachers were piling on homework, and he was still having nightmares. Rom and Hermione had became strangers, and only this morning, Stan Shunpikes body had been found. The drugs were all that kept him happy these days. He was still having lessons with Severus, but things had changed. They both knew it, but only Harry knew why for he occasionally glimpsed confusion and curiosity in the mans eyes when he addressed him as Professor Snape or when he left without a word as soon as the lesson was dismissed. Severus didn't even try to bully him in lessons anymore, he acted as if he no longer existed. Speaking of, said man had just swept into the Great Hall right past the Gryffindor table.

"Slimy old git." Ron had followed his gaze and was now glaring up at the staff table. "I-I mean..." He tried to correct himself, more than likely recalling the last time he had insulted the man in front of Harry.

"You forgot to add big nosed dungeon bat to that." Ron choked on his pumpkin juice and Ginny, Fred, and Seamus laughed. He cracked a smile, definitely not laughing on the inside. Truth be told, he missed the man terribly, but he need to keep his distance from now on;for his own sanity.

After falling asleep in each others arms, he had been almost sure that Severus could no longer deny what had obviously ignited between them, but, once again, he had been proven wrong. The rare moments of intimacy between them where he let his guard down were not worth the pain. He was sure of that.

"Hey, Ron?"

"Yeah?"

"Fancy going for a fly after dinner?" He asked, expecting him to decline.

"Yeah. Sure." He nodded.

They finished eating quickly and rose. Hermione beamed at them as they bid her goodbye. 'Girls are so weird.' He thought. They retrieved their brooms from the equipment shed and shot into the air. Harry zoomed around the pitch at top speed, flipping and diving. This was perhaps the only thing he had missed about the warding world during the holidays. He hovered in mid-air and lit a cigarette. Ron caught up to him and stopped a few feet away.

"What's going on with you?"

"What do you mean?"

"Don't play stupid!" He spat, taking him by surprise. "You were off doing Merlin knows what this summer while you claimed to be 'studying'." He made quotations with his fingers. "You have a metal...thing through your lip, you smoke, you curse loads more, you dress differently and wear black shit on your eyes, and you used to act like Snape was your best mate! Who the hell are you?"

Damn. Since when had Ron grown a backbone.

"I-I'm right here!" He pointed to his chest "I'm still me, I just look and act a little differently. It's called change, Ron. Deal with it."

Ron wasn't having it so he decided to drop the act. "Look...this summer changed me. I mad loads of friends that I spent nearly every single night with-"

"Doing what, Harry?" Ron interrupted.

"Oh, you know. Just going to concerts and movies and things like that...and fine, we drank a little, but so what? Everyone does it. Plenty of people here do it."

"Like who?"

"Just...people." He stated impatiently. "And yes, I look different, but I only looked the way I did before because the Dursleys kept me under lock and key." They both grew silent and Ron huffed impatiently before leaning forward and clasping him briefly on the back.

"So it wasn't a girl?" He couldn't contain his laughter. After all of that, that was the only thing he really cared about. He sobered, closed his eyes, counted to three, and opened them.

"Ron, I'm gay."

Ron cocked his head to the side and rubbed his chin. "So...was it a boy?"

He nearly choked in relief. "You don't care? It doesn't bother you?"

"Of course not, Mate. You love who you love. Besides, Charlies gay, and so are Remus and Sirius."

"How do you know that?" He demanded.

"Well, it's obvious, innit? They're mad about one another. And if you take the time to think about it, they make the perfect couple- gay or straight."

Harry couldn't contain his happiness at having such an accepting, straight male best talked for many more minutes before hurrying back across the grounds, ten minutes to curfew. Just after they entered through the portrait hole, Harry pulled Ron aside from their peers.

"Don't tell anybody about Moony and Padfoot."

"Ooooh, so it is true!" He loudly exclaimed.

They promptly proceeded to wrestle on the floor. A few other boys began doing the same until McGonagall came in wearing a long night gown and screaming about earthquakes and hoodlums.