The Elephant In The Room

Snape walked into his room after being disappointed that Harry still chose to hide away in his rooms and not come and talk with him. He made his way around to the couch and froze when he saw Harry freaking Potter sleeping on his couch.

He went closer and was about to wake him when he noticed the red puffy eyes and red nose making Snape conclude that Harry had been crying for an hour, if not longer. Feeling sympathetic, Snape called his house-elf, Dipsy, and ordered a bowl of mac and cheese and also a box of tissues since Snape didn't keep any in his chambers.

Settling down in his arm chair beside the couch, Snape couldn't help but reach out and run his fingers through the soft, black locks of Harry's hair. Harry stiffened at the touch but soon relaxed and peacefully kept sleeping unaware of what was happening.

Snape ran his fingers on the back of Harry's neck and felt as well as saw the goose bumps that he caused. With a smile on his face he returned to running his fingers through the soft hair.

Dipsy brought a steaming bowl of mac and cheese, cutlery, napkins, a glass of pumpkin juice and lastly a box of tissues. Dipsy bowed and left her master's room to leave him alone with his soul mate. Dipsy could feel their magic and knew that with Snape's past he was going to be one possessive and protective partner, whether Harry liked it or not.

Snape stood up and crouched down in front of Harry, box of tissues in one hand. He shook Harry's arm slightly and moved hair out of Harry's face just as green eyes opened slowly and locked onto his. Snape held out the tissues which Harry took and sat up. Snape turned around without comment and grabbed the bowl and fork and passed it over to Harry.

Not wanting to make Harry feel awkward by watching him eat, Snape grabbed a book from his bookcase before sitting down in his arm chair once again and wandlessly and wordlessly summoned a glass of firewhiskey to accompany his reading.

Minutes went by in silence as Harry ate and Snape read, neither thinking that the silence was bad but more of a comfortable and understanding sort.

Harry finished his meal and placed it on the coffee table before grabbing his glass and sitting back on the couch with his body facing towards Snape. He took a sip and then looked around the room he sat in. It was a comfortable contrast of black and white furniture with lots of books spread in neat piles on a desk and beside the bookshelves.

"I ran out of room so I chose to just make piles of books regarding their subject matter," Snape answered as he closed his book and sent it back to where he grabbed it from. "I have a few questions for you."

"As do I," replied Harry, lifting an eyebrow to dare Snape to say something back. "How about we do an exchange? You ask one question and I respond before asking you a question and you respond and so on and so on."

Snape pinched the bridge of his nose. No matter how old Harry was going to be he was still going to be childish in some ways. Sighing, he nodded his head and offered for Harry to ask the first question.

"Why do you care? Like I get it with the vow but haven't you fulfilled that now?" Harry asked, taking another sip of his pumpkin juice.

"That was two questions," Snape smirked but decided to answer both of them. "Firstly, yes I have fulfilled the vow. Secondly, I care because I am and always have been drawn to you in a way I can't explain. You are this mystery that I want to figure out and seeing you hurt, in pain or even confused makes me want to do something about it."

Snape held eye contact to prove to Harry he wasn't lying, which Harry understood as he nodded and didn't say anything more on the matter.

"Why did you run off at breakfast?" Snape asked his first question.

"I had realised something that really scared me and I didn't want anyone to see me freak out," Harry responded. "What was with you moving the hair out of my face just before?"

"Um, I don't know how to explain that..." Snape said and looked away before looking back and seeing the pointed look Harry was giving him. "The best I can explain this is that something deep down urged me to do that against my will."

Harry laughed but stopped when a pillow flew at him and hit him in the head.

"Why were you running around the lake?" Snape asked.

"I needed to run off nervous energy and magic. Why did you want to meet with me tonight?" Harry asked.

"I wanted to make sure you were okay. Where the hell did you disappear too? I couldn't find you, not even in your chambers." Snape said.

"I went back to my room and went into my training room which has a secret door. How did you get into my rooms after I disappeared?" Harry asked, confused.

"I simply walked in... Why does that confuse you?" Snape asked.

"I had my wards set up in lockdown mode.... Oh shit... When I asked to go into lockdown they still allowed you to come and go..." Harry said as he put down his glass and held his head in his hands. Now that made better sense. "Did you, or do you still, love my mother in... that way?" Harry asked, not really knowing how to word such an awkward question.

"I have always loved your mother as a friend and a sister. Not in the way as in I wanted to be her husband. I mean, she's not even close to my type." Snape said with a smirk as his eyes wandered Harry's face to watch his reaction when he understood what he meant by the last part. "Talking about love... Do you love someone, Harry?"

"Yes... Do you?" replied Harry.

"Yes, I do," Snape said, staring into Harry's eyes contently. "Why did your wards allow me to come and go when it was in lockdown mode?" Snape asked; keen to know the answer even though he had a hunch what the response would be.

"I-You- We... Oh my god, why is this so hard to say?" Harry sighed and took a deep breath. "Wearesoulmatessothatswhyyoucouldgetin."

Snape sat there with his head tilted, trying to understand what Harry had just said but was failing to get a clue.

"Say it again, Potter. But slower so I can understand," Snape growled out in frustration.

"We are soul mates so that's why you could get in," Harry repeated in a much slower tone. "There I said it. Alright?" He yelled and stood up, walking towards the door to let himself out.

For the second time that day he was hit with a stupefy curse and was stuck to the spot. Snape came into view and held onto his elbows tightly again as Harry felt the curse fall away. Harry crossed his arms and looked at the ground in a stubborn fashion.

"Harry, listen to me before you go running off like that in future okay?" Snape said softly and continued once he got a nod from Harry. "I knew, deep down in my guts that you were my soul mate. I've known since your sixth year when you used sectumsempra on Draco. Only one other person has ever performed the spell like that before for the first time on a person and caused that much damage and that person was me. You and I are meant to be together. We equal each other out with our differences and similarities. Magic created us to change each other."

Harry couldn't help but stare into those black eyes, mesmerised by the words coming out of Snape's mouth and the way one of his hands hand snaked up to rub his chin softly in a show of affection.

"But I might not be ready for this. I mean I've never had feeling for any other guys but you," Harry said with a deep blush.

"So you've already started having feelings for me then? Mmm interesting," Snape smirked and hugged Harry when he saw that pout on his face.

"Shut up, Snape," Harry whispered into Snape's ear as he wrapped his own arms around Snape and melted into the warmth it provided.

"Please, call me Severus. And I'm sure I can think of ways for you to make me shut up," Severus whispered back before smirking as Harry pulled back and put some distance between them, holding up his hands with a horrified look smacked on his face.

"Wow, that was too far and over the limit of what I am comfortable with," Harry said, sinking down onto the ground and hugging his legs to his body. He started shaking as his eyes glazed over.

"Harry? Harry what are you doing? What's wrong?" Severus said as he went closer and crouched down beside the shaking man.

Severus tried to pry Harry's arms away from his legs and he tried to get Harry's eyes to look at him. He was failing and he didn't know what was going on with Harry, all he wanted to do was take all of his pain away.

Severus maneuvered Harry so that he was settled between his legs and had strong arms wrapped around his waist. Even if Severus couldn't get through to him by talking, he was still going to give him physical comfort.

All that was left was to wait it out.