The dark wizard didn't feel like sleeping, so he decided to roam in the dark lonely corridors that were as dark and lonely as himself. His heart is dark and cold with no feelings whatsoever, but the memories of...Lily Potter made his heart soar and melt through the loneliness until she was taken from him by James Potter. The father of that damn boy. Harry Potter.
He hates the boy so dearly.
He despises him so dearly.
He is the son of James Potter who mocked him and took Lily away from him, it should have been him she married not James. He wanted to hate her for it, but how could he?
He just hates Harry Potter, but he has his mother's eyes and kind spirit. The boy may have James' face wearing glasses making the boy look like his father, but he has his mother's eyes.
Every time he stared at the boy with cruelty, he felt himself being swallowed in those eyes.
He continued to roam trying to erase the tormenting thoughts and he found himself standing by the doorway of Harry Potter. He stared at the door with disgust and he turned to leave until he heard a sound coming from inside. It sounded like a cry. The dark wizard stared at the door hearing more sounds that were groans and moans with cries and also begs.
He lifted an eyebrow and decided to take a look inside seeing nothing but the closed window, dresser, and a bed with a young boy who was tossing and turning making groans and sobs while clenching his fists in the blanket tight in his grips. Severus entered the room with his cold eyes locked on the boy just staring at the child.
"No....please....don't...hurt...no....don't...", Harry moaned.
Severus tilted his head slowly looking at him quizzingly.
"Stop...please...don't....no..", he cried mumbling.
Severus soon turned his cold stoic frown into a cruel smile watching the boy suffer, he must be dreaming about the abuse he endured from his uncle and aunt. Serves him right. Severus felt he could stare at the boy and listen to his suffering hearing him continuously begging for pleas and his movements getting more erratic. He soon felt he wanted to leave the room watching the boy suffer, but seeing him in this state was good enough for him. He just wished it was James Potter suffering.
"Please....don't...no...momma..."
Severus widened his eyes and his cold smile soon vanished.
"Mommy...don't hurt...no...please...don't...hurt my...Mommy...no...", he moaned softly with a scared moan reaching his hand to the ceiling and crying helplessly.
Severus stared at the boy having his nightmare unsure what to do or how to do it. He didn't know why, but hearing the boy mentioning his mother, the fun disappeared in seconds and he soon felt he needed to comfort the boy but half of him didn't want to comfort him.
"Mommy....please...don't kill her....Mommy...no...", Harry cried turning his face to his teacher and Severus stared at the perspiration on his forehead.
"Mommy....don't kill...my mommy...no...Mommy...", Harry pleaded to whimper.
Severus didn't know why his legs were moving but he found himself now standing close to the bed, close to the tormented sleeping child hearing the slurred words and cries. Harry soon made another whispering plea that ended with a pained groan that stabbed right through the dark wizard's dark heart seeing Harry crying.
"Mommy! Don't kill her! Please...Mommy, don't hurt her!" Severus makes a jump hearing the booming shouts of the child. Harry makes another shout of begs the enemy not to harm his mother and cries heavily with his forehead soaked in sweat.
Severus felt his heart shattering as he stared at the boy with his usual cold stare and heard Harry moan and mumble, "Mommy...I'm sorry...I'm sorry....so sorry...Momma", the boy whimpered gripping the pillow tight in his grip sobbing.
Severus didn't know why it wasn't funny anymore or interesting to watch the boy suffer, but he felt he had to comfort the child. He couldn't bear seeing and hearing it anymore.
Severus slowly sat on the foot of the bed hearing Harry groan and sob, then he did something he had never done before, especially to the Potter boy. He gently raised his hand and began regrettably stroking the soft dark hair off Harry's face seeing him flinch with a whine. "Mommy..."
"Harry, wake up"
Harry groaned with a moan, "Mommy...", he sobbed.
Severus continued stroking his sweaty forehead, "Harry, it's all right, you are dreaming. It is just a dream, wake up", he coldly instructed but Harry remained asleep sobbing 'Mommy' and begging not to hurt her.
Severus tried again stroking his face seeing the tears still showing, "Harry,...wake up. You are dreaming. You are safe, child, wake up", he said in a very soft voice that he had never made.
Harry whimpered and Severus stared at him and wiped his tears away, "It's all right, Harry, wake up. Hear my voice and follow it and wake up, child. I'm here, you are safe here, Harry, open your eyes", the dark wizard soothed wishing to see those green eyes of the boy open and the boy awake.
"Mommy...I'm sorry...I love you...Mommy", Harry makes a sad cry that makes Severus stare at him almost wanting to embrace the child.
Severus stroked his face wiping the sweat. "Harry, you are all right. You are safe here in Hogwarts, Harry, wake up, child"
Harry makes another plea, saying 'Mommy', then finally the boy flutters his eyes and slowly opens those green eyes and faces the dark teacher. "Professor?" Harry whispered.
Severus makes a slow nod with hard eyes locked on him. "Yes, Harry, it's me, child. You are safe"
"Mommy", Harry cried looking around the room while Severus coldly watched him and he gently took the boy and set his head on the pillows subconsciously stroking his cheeks impulsively. "Harry, Lily...", he stopped himself and cleared his throat, "...Mommy is gone", he said to both Harry and himself and saw the boy sniff with a sob.
Then before he could prevent the boy from making a move, the child grabbed the dark wizard teacher's robes and placed his face into the dark robes sobbing sadly while Severus stared at him with dilated eyes at the child who was holding him.
Severus wanted to slap him off, but he felt he couldn't do it, instead, he continued to stare at the helpless crying child and slowly lifted his arms to Harry's back and slowly patted him looking confused and shocked at the sight of the son of James Potter holding him. "It's all right, Harry. You are all right"
Harry cried, "I didn't do anything about it. I can still hear her screaming...I just sat and watched hearing her. It's my fault. I didn't do anything about it, it's my fault", he sobbed.
Severus didn't know what to say just holding him close with his eyes staring coldly. "Harry, that's not true. There was nothing you could have done to prevent it, Harry"
"But...still..."
Severus held him tight and lifted his head making the child stare at him in the eyes, "Harry, stop it, child. It was not your fault. None of it. Stop saying such things that are not true and not your fault, Harry, stop saying such things, understand?" He asked seriously.
"Yes", Harry answered sobbing and he rubbed his face in Severus' robes and held him tighter not wanting to let go.
"There, there, child, it's all right now. You are fine now, child. It's all right"
"I'm glad you are here, Severus, thank you for being here", cried Harry rubbing his face.
Severus' heart was feeling like it was melting just staring at the child and listening to his words of gratitude. "Go back to sleep, Harry child, it's all right. Go back to sleep", he soothed him and Harry held him tighter.
"Don't want you to go", Harry moaned half-awake with a whine ready for a cry.
"Ssh, easy child easy. I'm here now, Harry, it's going to be all right", Severus whispered.
Harry moaned a whimper holding him tighter. "Ssh, easy, Harry, I will be here when you awake, child", he said and Harry moaned rubbing his face and staring at his teacher with blinking eyes ready to slumber.
"You...promise...you will be...here...when I...?" Harry whispered, his eyes closed. "Don't leave me alone. Scared...don't want to be alone...please don't go..."
Severus stared at him, "Shh, you won't be alone, little one, there is nothing here to dare harm you, child. I promise, child, I will be here when you open your eyes", he said and Harry was already asleep to his relief. The teacher gently lay the boy back in his bed covered him in the bed's embracing blanket and stared at the slumbering Harry as he slowly rose from the bed.
He promised and he meant it, but why did he turn away from the slumbering child and leave the room closing the door behind him?
He stared at the door rested his forehead on it and began to leave but he stopped feeling a presence behind him. He groaned with frustration and embarrassment and he turned to the spy behind him. "How much did you hear?" He asked looking over his shoulder.
Dumbledore smiling kindly said, "Since I saw you enter his room. At first I was concerned you weren't going to free him from his nightmare, but I knew you would sometime soon", he explained. Severus scoffed turned his face away from him began to walk away. "Severus, you know when he wakes up, and you are not there that would mean you didn't keep your promise and he will be sad than he already is now", Dumbledore said.
Severus continued walking away ignoring him.
"Severus..."
"Get this through your skull, old man. I am not a teddy bear and I care nothing for the damn boy", he snapped.
Dumbledore wasn't falling for the words. "If you care nothing for Harry then why do you hold him in his arms and comfort him as if he were your own? And you promised you would be there with him it sounded to my ears that you meant your words...as if you-"
Severus turned to the headmaster with angered eyes cutting him off, "I don't care about the damn little brat! I was in there to watch him suffer to my satisfaction and I grew bored and decided to wake him. End of discussion", Severus lied explaining and turned away from him again attending to walk away.
Dumbledore walked behind him. "Severus, that is not true and you know it as well. Yes, you are telling the truth about you watching him suffering for your enjoyment of his nightmare, but he mentioned your weakness. Lily. You kept hearing him mention her as watching him getting worse", he said.
Severus growled and cursed. "Damn you. Damn the little brat", he was having an enjoyment watching and hearing Harry suffer in his nightmare, but when the boy started describing his true nightmare, Severus felt the need to free him even though he didn't want to and now deeply regretted it.
Dumbledore makes a sad smile and rests his palm on his shoulder. "Harry needs you, Severus, and deep underneath your black heart somewhere you need him. Go and be there for each other, Severus"
Severus gazed at him over his shoulder and violently removed his hand from his shoulder walking away ignoring him, "I don't need anyone and no one needs me, old man, get that through your skull", Severus coldly said and disappeared into the dark shadows down the hall leaving the headmaster who held a sad face. Dumbledore stared where Severus wandered off waiting and hoping for him to return but he didn't. He sighed and entered Harry's room watching the child sleeping peacefully.
He smiled watching the child and stroked Harry's black locks and cheek hearing him make a cute little moan. "Have peaceful dreams, young one", he said and left the room.
Severus walked around the dark halls not knowing where he was going all he could think about was Harry. And it was making him angry cause he was concerned about him.
Is Harry all right?
Is he having peaceful dreams?
Is he sleeping peacefully?
Is he awake?
Severus growled at himself trying to stop himself from being worried for the boy, but he couldn't find the will to do it. After all, he did mean his promise of being there when Harry woke up. He sighed placing his hand on a wall and bowed his head in his palm.
He is the son of James Potter.
But he is the son of Lily too, and those green eyes of hers were gifted to the boy as his innocence.
"Damn you, Lily", he hissed and continued walking.
He returned to the room and watched the boy still sleeping peacefully. Severus walked into the room closing the door quietly careful not to wake the child walked to the bed and sat at the bottom seeing Harry sleeping calmly making a sleepy whine then stretched his arms and remained to sleep. Severus tried to forget the adorable sight as he took off his robe sat it on the chair and slowly lay in the bed careful not to wake the child Harry made a sleepy moan again grabbed his shirt and rubbed his face. "Professor...", he whispered sleepily and Severus leaned his back on the headboard with arms around the child.
"Ssh, easy, little one. I am here. I will soothe your nightmares away", he whispered and Harry made a sleepy exhale and gripped Severus' shirt tight Severus stared at him and did the most unthinkable thing. He kissed him on the forehead.
Severus stared at the boy and the spot where he kissed him in shock and confusion. "Did I just kiss him? Why did I just kiss him?"
Sunset and Dumbledore had awakened earlier and decided to check on Harry, he walked down the halls to his room, opened the door stared at the sight, and smiled a wide smile cracking the door to close staring at the sight.
Harry was lying on his side with his arm around the potion teacher and with a tightly clenched fist gripping his shirt while Severus held the boy in his arms both looking peaceful with his hand on top of the boy's head.
Dumbledore smiling closed the door leaving them their slumbering peace, "Sleep well, my lads", he walked away from the door.
Harry whined a sleepy moan and yawned staring at the professor and making a small tired but happy smile. Severus grunted and stretched and moved his eyes to the child who was already awake and staring at him smiling. Severus frowned with a cold gaze, sitting up and having Harry sit up. "I see you are awake now, so I best to take my leave now", he said standing but Harry grabbed him holding him with arms coiled around him.
"You kept your promise", Harry cried happily. Severus stared at him in shock feeling the tears on his shirt, he wanted to slap him for touching him but he couldn't do it. Severus held him close hearing Harry sniffed a sob.
"Shh, Harry, it's all right. I kept my promise to you...I kept my promise...for a long time", he thought of his promise to Lily.
I will protect him, Lily, for you. For you, I will be there for him. No harm will dare touch him. I will protect him for you, Lily.