━─━────༺༻────━─━

3 October 1998

Saturday. 

The bright morning of the Saturday, was when Draco stood before the door of his godfather's chambers with six year old Harry in his arms. He knocked briefly and entered once he heard a quiet 'Come in'.

As soon as they stepped inside the house Harry climbed down Draco and jumped into Snape's lap who was reading a book in front of the fireplace. "Uncle Sev!" He exclaimed happily. "Hello baby snake." He replied, smiling slightly. "So I am off Uncle Sev. He is all yours for two days straight." Draco said smiling. Snape merrily grunted and Draco was out of the door.

"Did you had your breakfast little one?" Snape asked gently. "Nopes.Dray said Uncle Sev would feed me for sure." Harry replied, grinning. Snape shook his head in expartion. He picked Harry up and sat him on his waist sideways.

Harry clutched the button of Snape's white silk shirt. Today he noticed Snape has not worn his usual robes. He was in white silk shirt and black formal trousers, bare feet on his wooden floored chambers.

Harry had removed his shoes and now he was in a cyan silk shirt and mini black trousers which looked adorable on him. "Uncle Sev, you should wear this more. You look cool." He commented. Snape chuckled and replied "Your mother used to think so too." Harry was curious to ask, but he was patient enough. He just reacted with "Uh-huh." As soon as they reached Snape's mini kitchen, he sat Harry down on the counter farther from the gas stove.

"So what would you like my little Snake?" He asked. "Ummm..Pancakes with chocolate chips?" He asked. Snape chuckled. "Ofcourse." He replied. 

"Would you mind helping me Harry?" Snape asked softly. "Can I help?" Harry asked excitedly. Snape nodded. And then they started making Pancakes while mixing the dough together. Harry occasionally snuck some chocolate chips into his mouth but Snape was not too bothered about it and just shook his head with a smile.

At the end Harry's face was covered with chocolate and Snape had some on his nose too. The picture looked adorable. Snape took out his old camera which he used when he was at school.

He put the magical camera in the mode to take pictures when he detected the scene to be adorable. And the camera clicked aways when Snape scooped some of the chocolate dough on his finger and offered it to Harry to taste.

With a grinning Harry and smiling Snape, the picture looked adorable. Next was when Harry asked if he could flip the Pancake and Snape allowed him while gripping his little hand in his. Both grinning ear to ear. 

After the Pancakes were ready and ladden in syrup, both of them enjoyed it happily while Harry sat on Snape's lap and fed each other. Another couple of adorable pictures were taken by the camera. Then with Harry's request Snape agreed to take a walk around black lake and Willow tree.

But just in his formal shirt and pants with dress boots and his hair tied up in a bun at the back of his head. With Harry's one hand in his skipping excitedly with again the Camera on their tail. The students, especially girls, gasped and some even fainted looking at Snape as they commented 'My god! I didn't knew that he was so hot!' For the first time Snape was quite flustered.

Especially when he heard a sixth year Ravenclaw say 'This look fixed with his glare makes him look so rugged, hot and overall too good!' . Even Ron and Hermoine gasped, looking Harry so comfortable with the Professor who he hated the most ; Of course after Umbridge. 

Finally at lunch Snape fed Harry while he chatted happily with McGonagall and Dumbledore as Lupin was not present. Even McGonagall said "This suits you dear boy." He doubted if she was pointing out at the look or overall guardianship. But he let that slide.

Then Harry was down on nap when Snape completed grading some tests. After that they played many board games and went for dinner. Dinner was again  the same as lunch. Ron and Hermoine visit Harry again and promise to take him to Hogsmead, Of Course with Professor's permission.

At the end of the day when Harry was ready for bed in his green silk pajamas, Snape put him to bed after reading him 'Tales of Bardes and Bettel' the Wizarding tales for kids. Snape was tired. But happy and content. 

He briefly thought, would it be the same if he was a father to a kid? Lily's kid? But he put the thought out as soon as it came. He never realized when he drifted in slumber on the couch of his living room wearing his grey joggers and white t-shirt. 

༺═──────────────═༻

Small whimpers were what broke Severus Snape from his slumber. He furrowed his eyebrows and woke up. After a moment he realized he had young Harry Potter in his chambers to guard. And the small screams and whimpers are coming from him.

At the hour past midnight Snape ran towards his door where he put Harry to sleep. When he entered his room, he found Harry twisting and turning rapidly while sweat broke down his forehead. His eyes tightly shutted in agony. He immediately took him in his arms and tried waking him up.

"Baby, wake up. Wake up little one. You're safe with Uncle Sev. Come on...wake up." After whispering gentle nothings in his ears ; Harry's haunted green eyes met his worried black ones. Lily's eyes. He thought. He never wants to see that fear in them again.

"Papa…"

Harry whispered. Snape's breath knocked out of his chest. Did he call him "Papa"? But the situation was not for much to ponder. He rubbed Harry's back calmly and took him out to the kitchen.

He didn't dare to put the terrified boy far from his touch. He made two mugs of hot chocolate and gave him time to settle. He then sat on his rocking chair with unnaturally silent Harry on his lap giving him a mug of hot chocolate.

"Do you want to share what you dreamed about?" He asked softly. Harry hiccuped and answered. "Mostly all were vague." He said. Snape didn't interrupt, so Harry continued. "I saw a woman with red hair ; screaming 'Not Harry!....Not Harry!' and a flash of green light." He said. Snape was too shocked to realize that Harry remembered Lily's last moments. How terrified this child would be?

"Then I saw a man with a purple turban who had a weird scary face on the back of his head." He added further. Snape couldn't even speak. "Then I saw many things, I couldn't quite put my finger on it. With Ron, 'Moine, Grandpa Al, Grandma Minevra, Dray even you. One of the most terrifying was ; I saw a man with black hair disappearing between mist and weird glass globes and I screamed 'Sirius'. I literally felt my heart clench. Fighting with a guy without a nose and all." Harry described quitely.

Snape didn't know what to say. So he just gently rocked Harry whispering sweet nothings of comfort to the boy. The things he has not yet lived are haunting him. They sat there and drank their hot chocolate. After a while Snape took Harry to bed with him. "Don't go. Stay with Harry." The little boy requested. Snape nodded and kissed his head gently. 

They were almost asleep when Harry whispered "You're not mad at me. Are you?" He asked. Snape shook his head and replied "To get nightmares is not a bad thing, little one. Even I get them sometimes." he expressed. "No. Not for that." He said. Snape frowns in confusion.

"For when I called you Papa." Harry explained softly. Snape opened his eyes in surprise. He didn't knew if Harry remembered it. He sat up on the bed and put Harry on his lap properly. "No. I am not mad little one. But do you really feel like that towards me ; or was that in the heat of the moment?" Snape inquired with his heart in his throat.

Harry looked straight in his eyes and replied " I don't remember my Dad. I felt these feelings with Sirius as I remember now vaguely for some time. Fate cruelly took him away from me too soon. With you ; I feel safe. Happy. Aren't those the feelings that you're supposed to have with your father?" He inquired. 

Snape was surprised to hear how Harry felt about him. And about his question ; he himself didn't have a great relationship with his father.

But if it meant, he can have this pure relationship with someone and that too a part of his Lily ; her son, then he would never let it go in waste. And frankly, he was so attached to the boy himself that it didn't matter whose son he was to him.

Snape looked at Harry and answered " I don't know what you're supposed to feel with fathers. As I myself didn't have one who was exemplary. But if you feel I can take up that role in your life baby, then it would be my absolute honor." He stated.

Harry's eyes lit up. "Can I call you Papa?" Harry asked hopefully. "Whatever you want my baby snake." Severus replied while kissing Harry's forehead. 

"Papa."

Harry said once again. But now out of love and Affection. A certain certainty. Severus hugged Harry tightly to his chest and cuddled while both slept peacefully with a contained smile on their face.

This moment of pure Affection was sure to be captured by the camera. Oh how will that mutt of a dog will react when my Harry would call me Papa in front of everyone. These were Severus's last thoughts before he drifted to the happiest and proudest sleep of his life after becoming a father to an amazing son.

━─━────༺༻────━─━