'So, Potter, aren't you jealous?'

Harry gritted his teeth. Snape had had the brilliant idea of teaming him up with Malfoy. The bastard seemed to do it more and more often, lately. He was probably getting bored, wanted to see a fight in his class and be able to take away points from Gryffindor.

'Jealous of what, Malfoy?' muttered Harry, angrily shredding his boomslang skin.

'Well, of Granger dating your weasel friend. Now I understand why you're so nervous on the Quidditch pitch. Nobody to shag.'

'Shut up,' growled Harry.

He'd tried "shagging" that summer - he wanted to have done that at least once before Voldemort came back to get him. Pretty girls didn't resist much, doing the deed with the famous Harry Potter seemed to be a big attraction. But after the novelty had faded, Harry had decided that it wasn't really worth the effort. They didn't really like him, anyway; it was about being able to show off to their friends. And Malfoy had touched a nerve, really. It was nice to see Ron and Hermione together, but he felt terribly left out, all of a sudden. He was used to being lonely, only... not that lonely.

'What I wonder is... would you have liked to be the one to get into Granger's knickers? Or was it Weasley you wanted to shag?'

'SHUT UP!' Harry drew his wand, his face burning with anger. All the Slytherins had snickered at Malfoy's comment, and he was almost sure that he'd heard some Gryffindors join in. He was not going to be laughed at, not about that!

'Ooh, Potter wants to fight me!' Malfoy was grinning lazily. Damn, but he was good looking. That thought only fuelled Harry's anger, until he felt it burning in the pit of his stomach like a solid ball of fire.

'What seems to be the matter here?' Snape arrived behind Malfoy, clearly to defend his favourite student. His beautiful silky voice froze Harry for a moment, but the emotions that it roused in him suddenly turned to anger again - the ball in the pit of his stomach became bigger.

'Potter is unable to answer a simple question, Sir, so he gets all frustrated,' replied Malfoy. Snape smirked.

That was the last straw. Harry felt the ball of energy in his stomach suddenly explode, and he instinctively pointed at Malfoy with his wand, as he released all his fury on him. He let out a surprised gasp when he saw Malfoy jump aside quickly, and Snape's eyes widen.

'Temporefero!' shouted Harry in a desperate attempt to stop the ball of energy. But it was too late. Instead of stopping the crackling spell he'd sent on Snape, his second invocation made it turn purple and shoot faster at him.

It hit Snape right in the stomach - and then it bounced back. Harry barely had the time to gasp before his own ball of magic hit him in the face. For an instant, he felt as if he was being sucked into a deep, dark whirlpool, and then everything faded to black.

'Up! Up, boy!'

At the sound of the aggressive feminine voice, Harry snapped awake with a gasp. McGonagall was going to kill him now. He'd hit Snape. God help him, he'd hit Snape and then his spell had bounced back on him. He wished that the earth could just swallow him up, quick, before McGonagall got her hands on him!

Harry's eyes widened as he stared up at the woman. She was dressed in robes of deep purple velvet, her hair was silver, held in a tight bun, and her face looked as wrinkled as an old apple. This wasn't McGonagall. It wasn't even Madam Pomfrey.

'Uh... where am I?' asked Harry, bewildered. He noticed that he was lying in the aisle between two sets of cauldrons, just where he'd fell when the spell had hit him.

'Potions class, of course!' snapped the woman. 'Twenty points from Gryffindor for lying around in here after the end of classes, Potter. Now clear off!'

Harry stared at her, dumbstruck. Potions class? But she wasn't Snape, she wasn't even part of the staff! What on earth had he done? He seemed to have travelled... through time? Or landed in a parallel dimension, if those things existed. He groaned as he got up, feeling his head throb painfully. How could it be that this woman knew his name, if he was in a parallel dimension? Maybe he was in a dimension where Snape didn't exist. If only.

Harry cast his glance about the room as he slowly stood up. It wasn't very different from Snape's class, except that there were less pickled animals on the shelves, and a collection of different kinds of moss displayed on the far wall. There was a heavy violet cloak folded on the desk, and he noticed that someone was bent over a cauldron, near the exit. Probably a student cleaning the cauldrons for detention.

He cast a glance at the teacher, who sniffed, muttered "Gryffindors!" under her breath as if it were an insult, and marched off to her desk. Harry stared at the exit, fearing the world that he was going to discover when he walked out. However, he didn't really have an alternative, so he made his way out of the classroom. As Harry went by him, the student who was working on the cauldron looked up. Harry nearly shrieked with fright. He should have recognised the greasy hair, the black clothes, and those long, thin fingers. Snape. Snape was staring back at him with a frown on his face. But then Harry realised that this wasn't the Snape he knew. This one's skin wasn't as sallow, his face wasn't marked with those deep creases that were due to constant frowning and sneering, and his features weren't as gloomy, as hollow. Besides, his sleeves were rolled up, and Harry could plainly see that he didn't bear the Dark Mark.

'Potter?' growled Snape's deep voice. Well, that was something that hadn't changed. Harry didn't know what to reply, so he strode off quickly. He could feel Snape's gaze follow him, making him shiver.

He slowly made his way out of the dungeons, figuring things out. He seemed to be in the past. Snape was still at school. He must have been about Harry's age, between sixteen or seventeen, although Snape always looked old and ugly, somehow. Well, not really ugly, just not good-looking by most standards. Harry thought that there was a certain charm to his nearly caricatural features. And it was hard to deny that he was sexy... Harry pinched himself hard, to stop those thoughts. Snape was an ugly bastard. Nobody wanted him, nobody sane, anyway. And Harry wasn't gay. Certainly not.

Harry was so absorbed by his thoughts that he hardly noticed that he was arriving into the Great Hall. Then he suddenly saw them, and had to stifle a loud gasp. It was dinnertime, and they were all at the tables. Sirius, young and boisterous, was trying to chat up some girl at the Ravenclaw table. Lupin looked as worn out and sick as ever, he was sitting quietly next to Pettigrew. Harry would have normally felt a surge of fury on seeing the worthless rat, but he was too shocked by the vision of his parents before him. His mother was laughing at what one of her friends was telling her, and shooting beautiful smiles towards his father. It was true, he and his father looked practically like twins - apart from the fact that his Dad seemed taller and stronger than Harry was.

'Truly amazing.'

Harry swirled around with a start, to find Snape standing a few steps behind him, his eyes moving slowly from James to Harry.

'I... I...' Harry began, not knowing how he would ever get out of this.

'At first I thought that you may be a pesky boggart, coming to annoy me during my work. I knew that you weren't him. You're too skinny, and Potter doesn't have a scar.' His eyes narrowed as he watched Harry carefully. 'What are you?'

'I'm... I'm not quite sure...' replied Harry.

'And do you really want James and the others to see you?' asked Snape. Harry noticed that he was in plain view, and was actually surprised that nobody had seen him yet. He quickly moved out of sight, resting his back against the cold stone of the wall.

Snape strode up to him and stood, facing him, studying him, for a long moment. Harry didn't dare to move, not even to breathe, under that scrutinising gaze. Finally, Snape looked at him in the eyes. Harry gasped and shivered under the intensity of that look.

'Come on,' he suddenly said. 'They'll soon be finished, and you'd better not be seen.' He grabbed Harry by the shoulder and pulled him along.

Harry was amazed. His stomach was tingling with apprehension, but suddenly, he wasn't scared anymore. Snape was... looking after him. It should have been a scary notion, but somehow, it was exciting at the same time. He wanted to know more about this boy who wasn't yet a Death Eater, who was still at school with his parents, with Sirius, with Lupin... Snape pushed him into a small office next to the Potions class. Harry soon realised that it wasn't an office, but a small laboratory.

'What is this place?' asked Harry, looking around curiously. The room was cramped, and it smelled of mildew and strange potion ingredients. Books were piled up high on a table next to a cauldron, and there was something that looked like a small bed in the corner of the room. Harry wasn't quite sure what its use was, as it was covered with books, too.

'This is my laboratory. Professor Creebald made me her assistant, seeing as I was more advanced than some of the wizards training in the Universities. I'm surprised that your Gryffindor friends didn't inform you of that.' Harry winced at Snape's last sentence, because he'd said it in such an aggressive hiss. His hatred for the Marauders certainly was as intense as ever.

'I-I'm not from... here,' said Harry carefully. He couldn't tell Snape about his future. He really didn't want to get into a time paradox and stop his parents from conceiving him, or something odd like that.

'No? So what are these Gryffindor clothes?'

'It's... hard to explain. I sort of had an accident with a spell and now I got here... and I don't know how to get back.'

Snape watched him intently, silent, as if he were physically absorbing Harry's words. He finally sat onto a chair by the desk.

'What's your name?' he finally asked.

'Harry.' It was hard for him not to add "sir" or "professor" at the end of each of his sentences.

'I'm Severus Snape. And quite frankly, I've had my share of troubles with Gryffindors to last me for the rest of my life, so please forgive me if I'm not jumping with joy when I see a new addition. Particularly one who looks so much like James Potter.'

'I... I'm not sure why that is, really,' lied Harry, knowing that his words sounded stupid.

'Don't lie to me.' Snape's typical angry sneer was deforming his face once more. 'Some of you Gryffindors just don't know how to lie! Everything's written on your face, Harry, so you might as well tell me.'

'Look...' Harry sighed. 'I think I'm from your future. And I don't want to create one of those time paradox things.'

Snape watched him silently for a moment. 'Why should I believe you?'

'Why shouldn't you? What good would it do to me to lie to you about that? Give me some Veritaserum if you don't believe me!'

'Veritaserum?' Snape's nostrils flared. 'How did you find out about that?'

'We heard about it in Potions class... I thought you'd know it...'

'Of course I know it! It's one of my personal projects, but it's in the early experimental stages. Even that name was only one of the many possible choices and I never even put it down on paper.'

There was a long silence, as Snape processed the information, and Harry waited, his throat tight. How would he ever get out of here? How would he be able to avoid his parents if he lived in the castle until he found out how to get back to his own time? And what would have changed, once he got back? Would he even exist at all?

The silence was broken by the sound of paper grazing against stone. Snape's head snapped towards the door, and Harry followed his gaze. He saw that someone had just slipped a small piece of parchment under the door. Snape got up, plucked it from the ground, and without even reading it, threw it into the fire. Harry had never seen Snape's expression become so bitter, so angry, and so... sad, in such a short time.

'What was it?' asked Harry quietly.

'Nothing that concerns you.' Snape's voice had an unusually hollow quality. Harry didn't know of anything in the world that could affect Snape like this. Snape sat again, and gestured to Harry to sit wherever he could, on the bed.

'Well, you have a wonderful excuse to be able to lie to me as much as you want, don't you?' asked Snape quietly. 'I wonder why I'm playing along.'

Harry sighed. 'Why are you always so suspicious?'

'Because I have good reason to be suspicious! You Gryffindors are not to be trusted.' Harry snorted, rolling his eyes. 'Well, if you really do know me from my future, are you going to tell me that you never lied to me, never cheated, never did anything behind my back?'

Harry sighed and stared at the ground. 'All right, I did. But you're... repressive. You can't expect someone of my age to always be obedient and good.'

Snape suddenly screwed up his face. 'Oh my goodness - you're not my son, are you?'

Harry stared at him, and then burst out laughing. He laughed so hard that tears were soon running down his cheeks. Snape, his dad! The idea was so absurd that he just couldn't stay serious.

'Clearly, not,' said Snape quietly, when Harry's chuckles subsided. 'Besides you look so much like Potter that Creebald mistook you for him. I suppose he's your father?'

Harry gasped and stared at Snape. What now? He could try lying, but it probably wouldn't do any good with Snape. He seemed to already have this uncanny way of reading people's minds.

'Look, this is getting scary. I can't tell you stuff about your future. It'll change everything...'

'Not necessarily.' Snape seemed to be in deep thought. 'How exactly did you come here?'

'Uh... I sort of sent an energy ball onto you. I was angry. I aimed someone else and it landed on you.'

Snape remained silent for a moment, thinking. 'Anything else?'

'I did the Temporefero spell on the ball of energy to stop it from hitting you...'

'Surely you mean the Temporetardo,' interrupted Snape.

'I...' Harry felt his ears go red with shame. 'I wanted to use Temporetardo...'

'But you used Temporefero instead?!' exclaimed Snape, his eyes suddenly flaring with anger.

'Hey! It was a desperate situation!'

'Which you've made worse! Do you know what Temporefero does?'

'Er...' Harry wanted the earth to open up and swallow him. He'd used a spell that he didn't know and couldn't control on Snape. And now he was stuck with him.

'It brings back the target and the caster to a crucial stage of the target's life! It's a spell that psychotherapist wizards use, to help their patients with difficult memories! I can't believe this!'

'So, I didn't go back in time?' That seemed to be a plus.

'No! You're trapped in my mind and you're the only one who can bring us both back! You've taken the place of the...' Snape huffed. 'The bloody wizard therapist!'

'So, how come you don't recognise me?' asked Harry, totally dumbfounded.

'Because I don't know you. Yet.' Snape's eyes narrowed at Harry in a way that didn't bode very well for whatever would happen when Snape woke up and saw Harry again.

Harry gulped. 'All right... so there's no other way to stop get back to normal?'

'I don't know,' Snape sighed. 'I'm not a bloody therapist. Normally you're here to solve some kind of issue I have. Though I really don't see why. I'm perfectly fine.'

'What about the card?'

'What card?' Snape's tone had gone defensive.

'The one somebody slipped under the door. You... didn't look too happy about it.'

'I do wonder why that is. Perhaps it's because two Gryffindors tried to murder me last week and are now taunting me with little "sorry" messages.'

Harry gaped. He'd never realised how much this story had affected Snape. Sirius always talked about it like a good occasion that he'd missed. Lupin obviously felt very guilty about it. Harry had seen him try to start up chats with Snape, lately, when he was visiting Hogwarts on business for the Order of the Phoenix. Snape always acted as if Lupin didn't exist. Harry thought that he was just a petty bastard. He'd never imagined that it was because he was still... hurt?

'I... know what happened. With Sirius, and Lupin, and... well, my Dad.'

Snape sneered bitterly. 'They're still bragging about it, what... fifteen, twenty years later? Wonderful.'

'It's not like that!' exclaimed Harry. 'Lupin was always nice with you when you were working together. You were the one who got him fired!'

'Good,' murmured Snape. 'Good.' His voice didn't sound pleased, though.

'Lupin regrets it. I know he does.' Harry had noticed that the other boy's hands were trembling, as if he was deeply troubled by what happened with Lupin.

Snape finally glared at him. 'I don't believe one word of it. What surprises me is that I waited so long to let everyone know about Lupin's little disease.'

'You and me both,' Harry had never really understood why an evil bastard like Snape hadn't found a way to let the other students know about Lupin's condition. It was very much unlike him.

Snape shrugged and stared at the floor. 'If your worst enemy was expelled from school, would you be pleased?'

Harry opened his mouth immediately to say yes, but closed it again. He hated Draco with a fiery passion. But hating him actually turned him on more than anything else he'd tried with a girl. Double classes with the Slytherins always fuelled sweet fantasies, and Quidditch matches...! Harry sighed. So much for not being gay.

'I must be mad, but no. There's this guy in Slytherin. He does everything he can to get me expelled and to make my life difficult. I even think he's a Death Eater. But...'

'But you love to hate him,' replied Snape. It was a very simple statement, but it made Harry shudder all over.

'Yeah. Is it the same with you and Lupin?'

'Not quite,' replied Snape. His voice had gone wistful and glum.

'What is it, then?'

'Lupin...' Harry thought that he'd seen Snape's expression soften. Then he sighed and his face hardened again. 'It doesn't matter anymore, not now that he tried to kill me.'

'You're not... in love with him, are you?' Snape's eyes flew onto Harry and his glare seemed as deadly as snake fangs.

'No, I am most definitely not in love with such a filthy creature.'

'All right, I was only asking,' grumbled Harry, sighing. 'I've got to get you to talk about whatever issue brought me there, or else I won't ever be able to get out of here.'

'See if I care,' muttered Snape.

Harry sighed. 'Maybe it's got to do with you joining the Dark Lord,' he said cautiously.

Snape looked at him, slowly, as if taking in Harry's words. 'So I finally made up my mind?'

'Why... why did you join him?' asked Harry quietly.

'Perhaps because he will allow me to do the research that I need without having to wait for years until the Ministry gives me clearance.' He stood up, nervously stalking the room. 'Perhaps because I wanted more power and fame than Dumbledore could ever give me. Or perhaps...' Snape sighed, stopping in his tracks. 'Perhaps it's simply because he promised me the one that I want.'

Harry's eyes widened. Lupin? Voldemort had promised Lupin to Snape, as a reward for something? Was that what he was saying?

'Shocked, Potter?' asked Snape mockingly.

Harry shook his head. 'Not really. But I feel sorry for you. You must really want Lupin badly to sell you soul to an evil bastard like Voldemort. Specially when I'm sure that Lupin would give you what you wanted, if you just asked.'

Snape stared at him, as if taken aback, stunned even, by those words. Then he sighed, and slowly came close to Harry, standing just in front of him.

'You're so very much like him,' he said. Harry was surprised to hear gentleness in his tone.

'Like my Dad?' he asked, feeling a strange tension between them start to rise.

'Like Lupin,' replied Snape softly, and Harry shivered when Snape slowly brushed a finger over his cheek, moving it along his skin until he stroked his lips.

'I... I don't know what you mean,' murmured Harry, feeling his throat constricting and the familiar stirring at his crotch.

'You never give up,' Snape smiled a little sadly. 'You try to understand, you try to help me... even if you dislike me...'

'I don't,' Harry said, surprising himself as he said those words. 'You're scary and you make me want to hate you but... I don't.' Snape ducked his head, and gently laid his forehead against Harry's.

'Harry... what on earth will I do with you?' he asked quietly. 'You even refuse to hate me when I want you to.'

Harry smiled softly, and reached out to stroke Snape's cheek. If he'd been facing his full-grown teacher, he would have thought about disgusting things, such as how clammy and greasy his skin must be. But the thought didn't even cross Harry's mind, as he stroked Snape's face. It was warm and soft under his fingers.

'See, Harry, this is what I wish he'd have done,' murmured Snape, his lips inches away from Harry's. 'Though I don't really blame him for preferring Black to me. I know that I'm repulsive...'

Harry cut his words off with a kiss. Suddenly, he'd felt unable to refrain from doing it. Snape wasn't disgusting. His lips felt good under Harry's, and when Snape's tongue darted into his mouth, Harry couldn't refrain from moaning softly. He suddenly knew that this was what he wanted. Maybe not Snape, not as his boyfriend, anyway, but he wanted the intensity of this desire, the... desperate need that Snape seemed to have for him. Snape slowly drew away, licking his lips, his eyes still closed. Harry took hold of his shoulders, so that he didn't walk away. He didn't want Snape to go. It couldn't finish... like this.

'I... I want you...' said Harry, feeling awkward. 'I know I'm not him, but you can pretend...'

'No,' said Snape suddenly. Harry felt his refusal like a punch in the stomach.

'Oh,' he let out, disappointed. He so wanted to discover Snape. He didn't know why, but he was certain that if he could just make love to him, everything would be all right.

'No, I don't want to pretend that you're someone else. I want you, Harry. Right now, I want you.' He kissed Harry again, lightly, teasingly.

Harry didn't need to be told that twice. He pulled Snape to him, kissing him harder, deeper. He wanted to devour the other boy's mouth, yearning to have him all to himself, even if it was just for a few moments. Snape was responding in kind, his lips firm and just as greedy as Harry's. Their tongues met again, entwining and playing, suggestively thrusting against each other.

Snape's hands were soon all over Harry's body, stroking him, pulling his robes away so that he could touch Harry's skin. Harry was surprised by the passion that seemed to fill this boy, that seemed to have been waiting there for years, screaming to come out. His hands went on an adventure of their own, slipping into Snape's robes, unbuttoning his shirt, discovering his pale flesh. It wasn't long before Snape straddled Harry, instinctively thrusting against his swollen crotch.

Harry winced under Snape's bony backside that poked into the flesh of his legs. This guy really needed to put on some weight. But soon the discomfort was forgotten, because Snape was sucking at his Adam's apple, licking at it hungrily, leaving his mark on Harry's throat. Harry couldn't refrain from groaning under Snape's ministrations, and pulling him closer on his lap, so that their erections were thrusting together at a maddening, deliciously slow pace.

'Have you ever... done this before?' murmured Snape in Harry's ear, nipping and nibbling it.

'Not... with a boy,' replied Harry. He could have felt embarrassed that this was his first time, but for some reason, he felt at ease. His stomach was tingling, his body was humming with desire, and Snape was going to give him what he needed. What was there to be worried about?

'Well, it's... my first time with anyone, so if I seem awkw...' Harry hushed him with a passionate kiss.

'You're talking too much and not participating enough,' Harry told him with a grin. Snape smirked, and grabbed Harry to him, kissing him heatedly. His hands roamed over Harry's back, under his shirt, his nails leaving burning marks in their wake. Harry finally managed to get Snape's shirt open and throw it off his shoulders. Snape similarly latched onto Harry's clothes, determined to get him naked - at last.

Soon, they were lying naked on the bed. The books had all been flung onto the ground, along with their clothes. Harry saw how hungrily Snape was staring at his body, and he couldn't help gazing at Snape. He was thin, but somehow there was power in his very lean body. He looked like a hungered wolf: thin, but potentially lethal. Slowly, he ran his hands down Snape's chest, and the other boy gasped. Harry smiled and leant over to slowly lick all around his lover's dark nipples, eliciting soft groans from his throat. Snape's erection was brushing against Harry's sides, and Harry watched it stiffen as he teased Snape's nipples.

Snape's hand unexpectedly sneaked around Harry's own erection, drawing a cry from Harry's throat. He started to stroke him lightly, between thumb and middle finger, playing with Harry's foreskin and teasing the sensitive underside of his shaft. Harry could only moan and bite at Snape's skin, overwhelmed by the sensations. Snape's hand wrapped around him fully, tighter, and he started to stroke him steadily.

'Stop, you're going to make me...' Harry gasped, trying to regain some control over his body.

'That's all I want from you, Harry Potter,' murmured Snape in his ear, licking its delicate folds in a maddeningly sensual way. 'I want you to come for me. I want you to look into my eyes and say my name as you come.'

Harry gasped as he felt Snape's other hand stroking his buttocks, sometimes lightly scratching them. He squeaked with surprise when a finger brushed against his anus - never, in all his dreams, had he thought that such a place could be so sensitive. He felt Snape's grip over his erection tighten, and felt his own balls tighten with the imminent release. And that finger that was teasing his arsehole! It was bringing him just to the brink...

'Severus!' he screamed, barely noticing how odd the word felt in his mouth, as his body exploded with pleasure. Snape's fingers squeezed him hard, as if to draw all the precious seed out of him. Harry gasped for breath, still thrusting his hips against Snape's hand, staring into the depths of his black eyes. He saw a smile curl the other boy's lips. And then, everything went dark again.

Harry's eyes opened slowly. He was in a bed, and the birds were singing outside. The room was dimly lit, and he felt warm, so warm. He smiled softly as he tried to remember the dream that had put him in such a deliciously relaxed state. And then it came back to his mind. Snape. He'd been in Snape's mind. Or had that been a dream?

He heard shuffling in the bed next to his, and slowly turned his head to see what was going on. Soon, he realised that he was in the Hospital Wing. He didn't have his glasses on, but he could see the blurred dark form of someone getting up. Snape. It was Snape who was so hurriedly pulling his cloak around him. And then he realised that Snape was looking at him. That was when Harry felt his face turn crimson. Either he'd had a very nice dream but was going to get torn to pieces by Snape for having hit him with an energy blast, or he'd really been in Snape's mind, and Snape was going to kill him for that.

'Potter,' said Snape, slowly advancing on him. Harry shuddered, feeling that there wasn't going to be any escape to Snape's fury.

'P-Professor Snape. I'm... I'm really sorry, sir,' he started. He knew that this wouldn't do much good, but it was worth a try. 'I really didn't mean to...'

'Thirty points from Gryffindor, Potter, for having disrupted class and injured a professor with a spell that you didn't even know how to control.' Snape's tone was as stony as ever. Harry gulped as he saw Snape continue to advance on him, thinking that this was still not the end of it. He was probably going to take more points from Gryffindor for intrusion in his mind and maybe even for what had gone on in their dream-state. Harry was startled when Snape slowly sat by him, staring down at him. Harry could somehow see that Snape's features weren't as sneering as usual, his eyes were shining in a... happy way?

'But I'll award you ten points for finding how to get us out of the stupid spell you cast on us...' Snape hesitated, sighed. 'And five more for having such a kind heart, I suppose.' The tone was sarcastic, but mixed with a softness that Harry had only heard in the younger Snape's voice.

'I... don't know what to say, sir. Except that I'm sorry.'

'Are you sorry for having hit me, or do you regret what you... what we did?' Snape sounded suspicious again.

'For having hit you! The... I don't regret the rest, sir.' He did his best to look directly at Snape. 'I really don't.'

Snape nodded. 'Of course, I trust that nobody will ever know about our little... adventure,' he said quietly. 'We were both seventeen in your extremely unorthodox "therapy". Things are totally different here and now.'

'Of course,' replied Harry. He was surprised to find that he wasn't disappointed by what Snape was saying. He didn't want him now. He just liked him very much. He knew that Snape had never belonged to him, and in fact, he wanted to find someone... for himself. And wished that Snape did, too.

'Good. Now if you'll excuse me, I have something to do, Potter.' Snape strode towards the exit, but stopped abruptly just before he walked out. 'Thank you.' Then, he was gone.

It had been a murmur, and he'd had his back turned to Harry, but Harry was pleased. He lay back in his bed and smiled stupidly. He'd helped Snape, although he still wasn't sure what he'd done. Snape as a boy seemed so sure that nobody would like him, and Harry had shown that he did. Harry wondered if Snape, nearly twenty years later, still felt as ugly and unwanted as his young version.

And his grin broadened when he realised that he, Harry Potter, had helped with Snape's issues. Now, all he hoped was that Snape had at last gone to tell Lupin what he really felt for him. He smirked again. Perhaps he should seriously contemplate a career in counselling... and matchmaking.

END