Good
“Sev! Shite, I need to call Madam Pomfrey. Argh, I don’t know if I can move you or not. Sev, I don’t know if you can hear me but if you can, I’ll be back in a second. I am not abandoning you.”
Harry ran into the next room where he found a fireplace and quickly threw some powder in.
“Madam Pomfrey. Emergency. Potions classroom. You’re needed NOW please.”
Without waiting for a response, Harry ran back into the classroom where he tried to cajole Severus into a more comfortable position, but he would not budge. Harry watched as his sub curled in on himself on the cold, hard floor, rocking back and forth, lost in the memory.
I caused that. I didn’t care for my sub properly. I should have checked with him before but I wanted this to be a surprise and he never mentioned it before. But why would he? He’s probably ashamed of his past. I know I am. It doesn’t make a difference that I know I am not at fault; it’s just a feeling inside. Something they drilled into me.
Harry knelt down next to Severus, wary of touching him in case it might invoke a negative reaction. If he was lost in a scene of punishment from his childhood, touch was definitely something to be cautious about.
Harry was getting lost, wallowing in his guilt when he heard Madam Pomfrey enter the classroom.
“Harry, what is the emer- what happened to Severus?! I swear to Merlin, if you hurt him I will string you up by your intestines while I torture you only to heal you and do so again,” she spat.
“I swear I didn’t mean to. I know I’m a horrible dom, I know, but please help me- Help him!”
“Why don’t you start from the beginning,” suggested Poppy, hoping to get a little information from the panicked boy.
“Well, as you know, a few weeks ago, the seventh years were told to brew the Soul Mate potion in class and—“
“Not that far back. Start by telling me what happened tonight. What brought this on? I need to know what I can and can’t do to calm him down, so begin.”
“Right,” said Harry, blushing. He was mortified but this was his Severus on the line. He had to answer. “Well, we decided to scene and I told Severus that he would be playing the- the schoolboy asking for e-extra credit but I changed my mind this afternoon and wanted it to be a surprise so I switched the scene last minute to d-d-detention and Severus didn’t say anything so I thought he was okay with it but then I decided to- to spank him and he was going along with it, not safewording or anything, so I continued and I thought he was playing reluctant as part of the scene but that was when everything went all pear shaped ‘cause I heard him whimper and he whispered, “No, Father, please no.” and I looked at him and he didn’t realize it was me and I tried to bring him back but I don’t know what to do and I wasn’t sure if I could move him or not so I ran to call you and came back here to find him curled up in the fetal position, rocking on the floor, trying to protect himself from an invisible threat and I failed as a dom because I don’t know how to help him and—“
“Mister Potter,” said Poppy, cutting Harry off, mid-ramble. “Harry, that’s enough.”
Harry stopped talking and looked at her.
“Is he- is he going to be okay?” asked Harry quietly.
“I hope so,” she responded softly, realizing from the nervous ramblings that Harry truly cared for the Potions master. He had not meant to bring this on.
“I’m going to need your help to bring him back to us so I’m going to need you to do everything I say. First things first, go to the toilet and slash some cool water on your face. It’ll help with the nerves. When you are ready, come back here and remain silent until I tell you otherwise.”
Harry was halfway to the toilet when he realized that he had just encountered a very powerful domme and he had obeyed her without thinking.
Meanwhile, in the other room, Poppy was approaching Severus slowly, as one would approach a frightened dog, afraid he might lash out and bite.
“Severus,” she said softly. “Severus, it’s me, Poppy. I am not going to hurt you, Severus. Here,” she said, reaching out. “Take my hand, Severus. Feel it. That is not a hand used for hurting; it is for healing. Do you want to heal, Severus?”
Poppy held her hand close to Severus and waited for him to reach out the rest of the way. Put him back in control of himself. She waited almost a full minute before her words finally got though to Severus and he moved his hand toward hers an infinitesimal amount.
“Good boy,” she crooned. “You’re being so good for me. Do you want to reach out just a little more? Good, Severus, good.”
Their hands met as Harry walked back into the room and he stood by, watching silently as Poppy crooned to Severus what a good boy he was. A flash of jealousy passed though him. Severus was his boy, his. No one else got to call him his or her boy. Then, the possessive streak was overridden by guilt. If not for me, she would need to be here in the first place.
“Feel that, Severus? It feels familiar. It is gentle. Just focus on my hand. Let it bring you back. Gooood boy. Wonderful, Severus.”
Severus just sat there, holding Poppy’s hand, stroking it and familiarizing himself with her palm, fingers, knuckles. Everything was small, delicate. Not like the hand that had abused him as a child.
Poppy turned around slightly to call Harry over, and Harry approached slowly, not wanting to startle Severus.
“Severus, feel this hand too,” she said, placing Harry’s hand in Severus’s. “Feel that. That is also a gentle hand. That is not a mean hand. That hand wants to help you. That hand wants to love you. That hand’s owner loves you.”
Severus turned to look at Harry, recognition passing over his face.
“H-h- Harry.”
Harry said nothing, remembering Madam Pomfrey’s orders from earlier. She nudged him slightly and he took it as a cue to answer.
“Yes, Sev, it’s me,” said Harry, using Severus’s name as he had watched Madam Pomfrey do before. “Hi, Severus. How are you feeling?”
“….Good,” said Severus softly.
“Yes, you were very good,” said Harry. “Such a good boy for me. Always such a good boy for me.”
Severus’s looked up with childishly wide eyes.
“Good boy? Not naughty?”
“No, Severus. You are not naughty. That was a scene. You are a wonderful boy. Say it to me.”
“I’m- I’m a good boy,” repeated Severus. “Good boy.”
Harry was beginning to think he had regressed when he heard Sev say.
“Good sub? I’m a good sub?”
“Yes, Pet. You are a wonderful sub. Fantastic in fact,” responded Harry.
“Good boy. I’m your good boy.”
“Yes, Sev. My good boy, mine.”
Severus curled into Harry.
“Sorry, Master,” he said.
“Nothing to be sorry for, Sev. I love you. I’m just glad you are okay.”
“Love you,” said Severus, yawning into Harry’s chest, while closing his eyes with a soft smile on his face.
“Good boy,” he mouthed in his sleep.
“My good boy,” responded Harry.