kbinnz - Harry's New Home

Snape nodded firmly, oblivious to Ron's odd look. He was pleased. Yes. That was what he felt. Pleasure and relief. That was it. There was no disappointment, let alone pain. After all, he knew himself to be unlovable. How absurd it would be to feel upset when a just-punished brat's outburst was proven to be hysterical babble. He didn't get upset when the boy was shouting abuse; why get angry when the child тАУ in a very Slytherin fashion тАУ tried the opposite tack?

He shook himself. No more introspection. He was Pleased and Relieved. He would pretend the boy had never spoken. Nothing had changed, and it never would. "Come along, Weasley," he snapped, as if the redhead hadn't been waiting patiently for ten minutes while the professor was lost in thought. "Do not dawdle."

On his way up to the Tower, Harry's embarrassment dwindled in inverse proportion to his distance from his professor. By the time he had reached the Fat Lady, he had a rather goofy smile on his face. His professor loved him. Not just tolerated. Not just accepted. Not even just liked. His professor loved him. He'd practically admitted it, and when Harry had said the words, he had hugged him back.

Right. This meant Harry really had to try to behave himself. Not so much out of worry that Professor Snape would send him back, but more because Harry didn't want to do anything to jeopardize that love.

Although, Harry realized, if getting chased by a troll, keeping the man up all night telling stories about one person he liked and several he didn't (for several of the tales about James involved his friends, even if they weren't engaged in any Severus-related activities), and then having a huge tantrum at the breakfast table didn't make the man's affection wane, it was hard to imagine that merely blowing a test or being cheeky would.

And besides, Professor Snape didn't really seem like the kind of person who changed his mind all that easily. Harry's lips twitched. Like with his punishment. He really could see the man striding out onto the Quidditch pitch and spelling him off his broom right there in front of everybody.

Harry sighed. He suspected that once the initial incredulous joy of having someone who really, really cared about him wore off, he'd begin to understand why the other kids always seemed to be complaining about their parents, but that was okay. Harry wasn't stupid enough to think that he didn't need any help тАУ in learning about this new world, let alone dealing with all the Death Eater and Lord Volauvent stuff тАУ and Professor Snape seemed to take his duties towards Harry very seriously. Harry was willing to put up with some rules and even some punishments if it meant that, for the first time, he had someone looking out for him.

"Well, dear, you're looking very happy for someone who was so naughty last night," the portrait said reprovingly. "We were all very worried when we couldn't find you!"

"Yes'm. I'm sorry," Harry said penitently, recalling how the various portraits had done their best to help. "I got in awful trouble for it," he offered, hoping to mollify the normally good tempered witch.

"And you deserved it," she sniffed. But a moment later, she bent forward, a look of concern crossing her features. "Was Professor Snape very hard on you?"

Harry hadn't seen Dudley manipulate his aunt without learning a few things. He put a woebegone look on his face and sighed, letting his lower lip protrude.

"Oh, dear!" the portrait bought it instantly. "He was, wasn't he?"

Harry sniffled and rubbed his backside. Just because it didn't hurt now тАУ and hadn't within about five minutes of the smacks тАУ didn't negate the fact that he'd been swatted and could therefore take full advantage of any sympathy he could milk from it. That was a clear Kid Rule, just like the one that said that unless a note was sent home, no mischief at school тАУ or its consequences тАУ needed to be reported at home or the one that said that the first three parental warnings could be disregarded, and no attention paid until actual counting began.

"Oh, you poor little thing!" Now the portrait's previous dudgeon was forgotten, and she gazed at him in alarm.

Harry sighed. "An' I'm on r'striction for a week, an' I'm not to play in today's match or fly for a whole week," he said sadly.

"My, my," she shook her head in commiseration. "Well, the time will go quickly тАУ you'll see. And after all тАУ"

Harry nodded, knowing what was coming. " -- I did deserve it," he chimed in, suspecting he'd be saying that to most of the faculty, portraits, and ghosts before he was fully forgiven for worrying them so much.

The witch blinked. "Yes. Well. The important thing is that it's all over and you're safe. And really, you'll be off restriction before you know it," she offered encouragingly, opening the doorway without even bothering to wait for the password.

"Thank you," Harry said politely as he climbed through. It really was rather nice to have people on his side for a change тАУ even if some were only painted people.

"Harry!" He had barely entered the common room before he was practically mobbed by his Housemates. "Are you okay?" "What were you thinking?" "What did Snape do to you?" "Were you hurt?" "Tell us the story!"

Then a new voice was heard: "HARRY!" and the crowd parted respectfully. Hermione barreled through and grabbed Harry in a fierce hug тАУ rather like the one Snape had given him when he had first encountered him with the troll/panda.

"Hi, Hermione," Harry said softly, rather stunned by all the concern everyone was showing.

"Are you all right?" she asked, releasing him but eyeing him worriedly. "Professor McGonagall said you and Ron were okay, butтАж"

"C'mon, Harry тАУ sit down and tell us about it! Ron gave his version over breakfast, but Hermione wouldn't say anything until you arrived. Are you okay?" Oliver Wood managed to shoo everyone over to the couches.

Hermione and Harry obligingly took center stage тАУ er, sofa тАУ and prepared to tell the story. "I'm okay," Harry said, looking gratefully around the circle of concerned faces. He faltered when he caught sight of the Quidditch team. "I тАУ I'm really sorry," he said haltingly, raising troubled eyes to Wood. "You know I'm not allowed to fly for a week, including today's match, right? I'm sorry I've let you down."

Oliver shrugged. "'S all right, kid. It would have been nice to have you, but once I heard who was missing last night, I kind of assumed we'd have to get a replacement." He grinned. "I'm just glad it's only for one game!"

"Yeah, Harry!" Katie Bell chimed in. "If that troll had got you, it would have been for a lot longer than that!"

Harry nodded sheepishly, exchanging a look with Hermione. He had a feeling they'd be hearing about this for a while.

"Besides, kid," Oliver whispered, getting close, "I figured that once Snape got his hands on you, you wouldn't be able to sit on a broom today тАУ ban or no ban." He gave Harry a wink and grinned at the boy's blush. "I thought so," he said smugly.

"I'm okay," Harry protested, pink. "But yeah, he was pretty angry."

"Start at the beginning," Neville pleaded, and Harry and Hermione obliged.

It took nearly an hour for the story to be told and retold and exclaimed over, but finally the rest of the House drifted off, and Harry and Hermione were left alone.

"Are you really okay?" he asked anxiously, eyeing her wrist.

She nodded, bending the joint to prove it. "It's strange to think that a sprained wrist can be fixed so quickly here," Hermione said wonderingly. "I mean, I know we practice magic every day, but then something like this happens and you really see what a difference it makes." Then her eyes sharpened. "And you? Are you okay?"

Harry grinned. "Yeah. Pr'fessor Snape went spare and really ticked us off, but he first made sure I had dinner an' he fixed Ron's cut an' he's off getting him a brand new wand now."