Harry cursed, bolting down the stairs. Heading for the dungeons. Of course, he had detention, even as an 8th year he couldn't stay out of trouble for long.
"Mr. Potter." Snape drawled, standing outside the potions class where he would be serving detention "Are you ever on time?" He asked with a raised eyebrow, not waiting on an answer he turned and walked back into the classroom, robes billowing behind him. Harry groaned, rubbing his face as he followed.
"Sorry sir was working on my transfiguration essay," Harry said.
"The cauldrons over there need cleaning." He said, ignoring Harry's excuse completely, pointing to the corner of the room. "And no magic." He said with a hint of satisfaction.
"Yes, sir." Harry let out a sigh. At least the cleaning at the Dursley's would be good for something.
Severus walked around his desk, taking out a stack of essays the second years had turned in, scowling as he marked almost everyone with a failing grade as he ignored Harry as thoroughly as possible. However, a few times his eyes did wonder, he wasn't blind after all.
Harry scrubbed the cauldrons in mostly silence, working quickly but thoroughly until he was done in half the time it took other students. "Done, Professor." Harry wiped his forehead with the back of his hand.
Severus was startled out of his thoughts, on how extremely bad these papers were, by Harry's voice but he didn't let it show on his face that the boy had taken him by surprise. Snape just raised a quizzical eyebrow at him. "So soon, Mr. Potter?" He asked
"If it's one thing I know how to do, sir, its clean without magic." Harry nodded. "Helps when I was the one doing all the cleaning since I was 2." Harry murmured under his breath, but Severus heard him, again covering his shock.
"What are you mumbling about, Potter?" He snapped
"Nothing, sir." Harry gave him a small smile.
Severus' eyebrow went even higher, Potter had never smiled at him. Severus cleared his throat subtly "Very well Potter" He said finally. "Come, Potter. Dinner should be served by now." He commanded, not waiting on a reply as he headed out of the room towards the great hall.
Harry nodded, following Snape into the great hall, blinking as he walked in on a scene that only confused him.
Severus stopped, almost causing Harry to run into him, the scene before him was one he had expected for a while so he didn't want to interrupt his god son's well thought out plan. Harry went to walk past him, but Severus stopped him with a light touch on his shoulder, which he removed almost as soon as it rested there. Shaking his head when the boy looked at him questioningly, he nodded toward where Draco was standing with Blaise, everyone else watching them.
Harry watched the scene in confusion, eyes widening as he realized what Draco was doing, even before the "Would you do me the honor of a Date, Blaise?" Rang through the silent hall, happy chattering and cheering scattering as Blaise smiled and nodded.
"What?" Harry grew more confused, heart thumping hard against his ribs, murmuring to himself. "But Aunt Petunia said...it's not bad? I'm not bad?" He gulped, turning to step outside of the hall, shaking a bit as he tried to get a hold on himself.
The side of Severus' lips quirked slightly, happy for Draco. He noticed Harry out of the corner of his eye, the boy was very pale and looked like he was going to throw up. Curiosity got the better of him, though he'd deny it, so he followed Harry outside of the great hall. "Potter, what are you doing?" He drawled.
"Trying not to panic" Harry freely admitted, resting his head back against the wall, murmuring to himself. "It's not bad, obviously it's not, you saw how they reacted as if it wasn't anything wrong, she was wrong, it's okay to be gay, it's fine, why are you panicking harry?"
"Potter, do relax." He said in his usual tone, catching part of what Harry was saying. "You're gay?" He asked, eyebrow raised in curiosity.
Harry paled even further, having forgotten Snape was even there. He opened his mouth, to say something, anything, but he couldn't so he just nodded. Even just the act of admitting it to someone else had him trembling, his muscles loosening suddenly so he slumped a bit into the wall.
Snape pinched the bridge of his nose, thinking about his next words. "Being gay is a normal occurrence Potter, nothing to get so worked up about." He finally said, attempting to be somewhat comforting.
"Well, I would have liked to have been told that before!" Harry grouched softly.
Snape raised an eyebrow but didn't comment on that. "Who informed you that this wasn't normal?" He asked, instead.
Harry pressed his lips together before sighing, rubbing his forehead. "My Aunt. Said it was disgusting and wasn't normal..."
Severus' eyes flashed dangerously, but he covered it up with a scoff. "The only thing 'disgusting' in that house are those insufferable muggles." He said, trying to keep a growl out of his voice.
Harry peered up, the growl seeping into Snape's tone making him flush. "It's not disgusting?" His tone was soft, almost bewildered.
"Of course not!" Severus said, louder than he meant to, it was a soft spot with him. He had a few of his snakes come to him over the years with these ridiculous views ingrained into them to the point of hating themselves. "You can choose who or what gender you love about as effectively as choosing your own eye color." He scoffed, trying to keep his tone neutral, failing for the most part.
Harry was wide-eyed, watching Snape get aggravated, but he could tell it wasn't at him, that was the only thing keeping him from bolting in fear.
Snape ignored the boy gaping at him, straightening himself. "Are you alright now Potter? Has your anxiety subsided?" He asked, trying not to let concern drip into the question.
Harry was still staring in wide-eyed fascination. "Oh!" He blinked, straightening up. "Yes sir." he murmured. "Thank you."
Snape nodded stiffly, turning back towards the great hall "Come, Potter, you need food. You still look a bit pale." He commented as he headed back to eat his own dinner.
Harry took a deep breath, letting it out with a 'woosh' as he walked into the great hall, throwing Blaise and Draco a smile as he passed the Slytherin table.
~~~~~~~~
Severus had spent the meal watching Harry out of the corner of his eye, purely to make sure he didn't panic again, of course. Dinner had gone by quickly, finding Severus in his chambers, a glass of firewhiskey in hand, sitting on his couch lost in thought when he should be grading the tests from the 4th years that were beside him on the sofa. Instead, he found himself wondering how someone could hate another person so much for something that was completely out of their control, trying not to remember back on his own fathers' harsh words.
Harry tossed and turned, groaning to himself before he got up from his bed, walking around his room to try and wear himself out to sleep, his mind racing. It was times like these he was glad that each 8th year got their own room. After a bit he groaned, grabbing his invisibility cloak before he headed out toward the dungeons. He just needed to hear it again. Hear the proof and the honesty in Snape's voice.
Severus' thoughts were interrupted by a light tapping at his door and his wards letting him know that someone was there. "Who could be here this late?" He mumbles, getting up and walking over to open the door. He swung the door open with his sneer in place, but there was nothing there. Severus sighed and pinched the bridge of his nose in exasperation. "Do get in here, Potter, before the whole castle sees." He growled.
Harry slipped past Severus, his face flushed when he yanked the cloak off after the door was closed, his hair sticking up even worse than normal.
Severus stood there, arms crossed, glaring at Harry, resisting the urge to run his fingers through the younger man's hair. "It's after curfew." He said sternly.
"It is." Harry nodded. It was late, even later than even the 8th years were allowed out of their dorms. Harry licked his lips, shifting. "I had to hear it again."
Severus arched a brow, uncrossing his arms. "What in Merlin's name are you talking about, Potter?" He asked, not as much hostility as he had meant to put into the question. It was the firewhiskey. Definitely.
"I need to hear it again." Harry repeated. "please. I need to hear that I'm not disgusting and that it's okay for me to be..." he trailed off with a flush, scrubbing at his face and hair, making it stick up even more.
Severus sighed. "Of course, it's fine that you're gay, Potter." He said, sighing again. "I thought we already covered this." He continued, having to make himself not reach out and thread his fingers through that unruly mop.
"I had to hear it." Harry shrugged, chewing on his lower lip. He peered up at Severus from under his lashes. "I'm sorry I woke you." He murmured. "But thank you. For earlier and for now."
Severus sighed again "You didn't wake me, Potter. I was grading papers." He said absentmindedly, walking back to pick up his glass, taking a small drink to calm his nerves, looking back at Harry expectantly. "Well. Did you need anything else?" He asked curiously
Harry Hesitated, chewing on his lower lip before shaking his head. "Thank you." he murmured, giving Severus a smile before turning toward the door, freezing after a couple of steps and straightening up. "Oh, bugger it." He whispered, turning to kiss Severus hard before pulling away, his face bright red as he turned to run toward the door.
Severus was shocked, to say the least, too shocked to hide that fact with his normal mask. But not shocked enough to let the boy get away with it, oh no. He cast a wandless locking charm on the door, advancing on Harry, backing him up against the door. Severus placed his hands on either side of Harry's head, Leaning down to whisper in his ear. "That was a dangerous thing to do, Mr. Potter." Snape drawled seductively, letting his breath fan over Harry's ear.
Harry gasped, shuddering at the voice rolling over him, his stomach clenching in arousal. He swallowed hard, tilting his head to the side unconsciously to give Severus more room. "What do you mean?" He breathed, trying to play innocent but the breathy tone of voice betrayed him.
Severus growled against his ear, pulling back, and grabbing Harry's chin to turn him so he was looking him in the eyes and able to examine Harry's face. It didn't take long for him to decide, crashing their lips together again, this time a little more gently than the last.
Harry could only gasp into the kiss, hands jumping to cling to Severus' robes as he returned it, cheeks still flushed.