Ch 6
Severus Snape sat on his chair motionless, staring at the child who was sleeping soundly in his warm cocoon. A rag was draped over his forehead, and his tiny chest rose and fell at a steady pace. Severus's gaze then shifted to the door, and back to the child. He was unsure whether to stay or leave. His mind was fraught with indecision and conflicting emotions.
As he waited for a decision to emerge, he heard a faint moan from the boy. He watched as the child fluttered his eyes open and looked up at him. Harry's face broke into a small, contented smile. At that moment, Severus forgot all about abandoning him.
No one had ever smiled at him like that before, ever since Lily. She had always been kind to him, making him feel warm and secure. He wondered, how it was possible that Harry felt the same way about him.
"Harry, why are you staring at me like that? Go back to sleep so you can get better and I can get you out of my sight," he said coldly. Harry continued to smile at him, which soon turned into a sad frown. "I'm sorry, Sir Snape. I am trying to get better. I didn't want to skip your class, and I...I guess I couldn't fight it anymore. I'm sorry, sir," Harry whimpered, then broke into a fit of coughing.
Severus leaned in closer to him, stroking the rag on his forehead. "Shh, Harry, and rest. Go back to sleep now."
"But...your quiz, I need to work on it, your quiz..." Harry mumbled, trying to get Severus to give him the quiz. "Shh, we will worry about that later, Harry. Right now, try to rest and get better, child. Once you are better, I will give you your quiz so you can work on it. But as of now, just try to rest, child," Severus said softly. This was the first time he had spoken in such a gentle tone, and he didn't like it. Nonetheless, he continued to comfort the boy, trying to get him to go back to sleep.
"Don't leave...please...don't leave me...alone..." Harry begged, grabbing Severus's hand. The wizard looked at the boy's hand on his own, then at the boy, who was nearly asleep. He softened his gaze and his thoughts and continued to stroke Harry's forehead and hair.
"Go back to sleep, child. We will talk when you get better, Harry. But, for now, you need to rest and fight down the fever and regain your strength," he said softly and gently. The boy groaned and fell asleep.
Severus let out a sigh and watched the child sleep peacefully, listening to his raspy, rapid breathing. He continued to whisper words of comfort to Harry, all the while maintaining his usual stoic, cold demeanor.
As he stood there, deep in thought, he suddenly heard a faint chuckle echoing behind him. Turning around, he saw the old man standing in the doorway, with a gentle smile on his face. Despite this, Severus felt a sudden surge of anger and frustration within him, causing him to scoff at the man before him. He quickly made his way to the window, wanting to distance himself from the situation and clear his head. The soft rays of sunlight filtering through the glass panes provided a small comfort, but Severus knew he needed to confront his feelings and face the old man once again.
Dumbledore paused for a moment and looked at Severus with a warm smile. "You are doing well in taking care of the boy, my friend," he stated, his eyes twinkling behind his half-moon spectacles. "You sound and look as if he is one of your own. Your tone of voice has softened, and your behavior has changed. I can see that you have taken a real liking to him as well nursing him." Dumbledore's words were kind and gentle, and they conveyed a sense of appreciation for Severus' efforts in caring for the boy. It was clear that he valued Severus' contribution and wanted to encourage him to keep up the good work.