Walk the Shadows

The other boy's eyes widened, but then he gave an almost smile and nodded before he continued on his way.

---

Harry went to bed before Snape got home, though he tossed and turned without sleeping until he heard the outer door open and close quietly. A softly cast Tempus showed the time as 12:45am. Harry slipped out of bed, donned a bathrobe and pair of slippers, and padded out into the sitting room.

Snape was removing his heavy teaching robes, and hanging them on a coat rack by the door. He glanced over his shoulder as Harry entered the room. 'Can't sleep?'

Harry shook his head.

'Do you want some tea?'

'No thanks,' Harry said quietly as he curled into a corner of the settee. He wanted to keep this as casual as possible. 'How was dinner?'

'As exciting as ever,' Snape told him and sat down in the chair closest to the fire. 'As you might have guessed.'

'Is the Forbidden Forest still forbidden?'

Snape snorted softly. 'It is, and amazingly, all Weasley Wizarding products are still banned.'

Harry screwed up his face into his best bitterly disappointed look. 'Aww, that rots!'

'Indeed.' Snape passed a hand over his face. He looked very tired, and Harry was immediately sorry that he was keeping the man up. 'Was there anything particular you wanted to discuss?'

Harry bit his lip, and almost said no, but he figured Snape would want to know about Malfoy. 'Draco Malfoy stopped by, during dinner.'

Snape went very still. 'Did he.'

With a nod, Harry said, 'He wanted to tell me he thinks his father got what he deserved. Being made a Squib, that is.'

'I see.'

'Do you? 'Cause I sure don't. He kind of freaked me out.'

'I imagine.' Snape rubbed at his face again. 'Did he say anything else?'

'What, like about wanting to join the side of right and good and forswearing the Dark Lord forever?' Harry smiled a bit at Snape's glower. 'No. But he did say he was sickened by what his father did to me.'

Snape nodded slowly. 'Well, that's something,' he said in a soft tone, his gaze on his hands, which were pressed together in front of his chest.

'Did he act weird at dinner?' Harry asked.

'Nothing unusual, which, given the circumstances of the last week or so, is unusual in itself.'

'Yeah.' Harry stood. 'Sorry for keeping you up, but I just figured you'd want to know.'

'Thank you, Harry. We'll keep a close eye on him, regardless.' Snape made no move to stand. His dark gaze was sharp, and pinned Harry before he could move away. 'Are you ready for tomorrow?'

'Sure. Quills, parchment, books, potion stuff. I'm good to go.'

'That's not what I meant.'

'I know.' Harry held the man's gaze for another few moments. Was he ready? His concentration was still shot half the time, although sparring and dueling each day helped – and Snape said they'd still be doing that, though perhaps not for as long, or not on the same set schedule, due to classes. And he still had horrific nightmares, unless he took Dreamless Sleep, which he did only sparingly, so as not to become addicted. But he was doing far better now than he had been a few weeks ago, and he hadn't hexed Draco into oblivion, had he? That had to count for something.

Finally, he sighed and ran a hand through his hair. 'Yeah. I think I am.'

Snape, still holding his gaze, nodded slightly. 'Yes. I believe you are, too.'

Harry smiled at him. 'And it's all your fault.'

With a tiny smile, Snape said, 'Go to bed, brat. You have potions first thing in the morning. I'll not have you snoring in my class.'

'But you won't even hear me!'

'But I'll know.'

'You kind of always do, don't you.'

'Of course,' Snape said, and pushed himself out of the chair.

'No ego problem there.' Harry grinned as he headed to his bedroom. 'But seriously. Thanks. For everything, I mean.'

'Bed. Now.' The words were sharp, but Harry heard the tone beneath them, one that was caring, and almost fond. And then, as he was shutting his bedroom door, he heard, 'Sleep well, Harry.'

And so he did.

FINI