A Future Unexpected
Title: A Future Unexpected Author: Shirahime Rating: NC-17 overall, this part PG Pairing: Severus/Harry Warnings: some DH spoilers Summary: The chance that Severus didn’t expect to get. A/N: My deus ex machina, let me show you it.
Part One
Snape gazed up into horror-filled green eyes as his vision faded, his head falling back onto the cold floor as he lacked the strength to keep it raised. He’d done all that he could for the boy, the rest was up to him now. Eyelids fluttering shut, Severus’ body began to feel light, as if he were floating away from it. Dimly, he heard voices fading until he was left in silence. Snape spared a thought on how dying didn’t seem so bad, unless the worse was yet to come. Peace he would have, finally, though he’d found little of it in life. Though he probably had deserved to find none.
Snape seemed to drift in darkness, for how long, he couldn’t be sure, until he heard the approaching sound of what suspiciously seemed to be strange singing. Then a strange fluttering sound nearby. Dimly, he felt the brush of something whisper soft against his face. But who would offer him comfort, if it was intended as that? Something warm and soothing dribbled onto his neck before the fluttering was back, accompanied by a small gust of wind as the sound fled into the distance. That warmth seemed to spread throughout his chilled body and limbs. The almost pleasant sense of lightness fled in the face of a growing heaviness in his form, his limbs now sore and aching. Snape was painfully aware of the hard cold floor his head rested upon as well as the sensation of pins and needles in his muscles. His thoughts muddled, he wasn’t sure how long it was until numerous approaching footsteps reverberated on the floor, increasing the ache in his head.
His head pounding, sound seemed distorted to his ears until it resolved into a clear voice calling his name, accompanied by a hand shaking insistently on his shoulder. Snape groaned, strength slowly seeping into his body. He cracked his eyes to see the form of Harry Potter bent over him, unshed tears shimmering in hopeful eyes.
“Potter?” he croaked, his voice rough. He would swear that it was a dream if the floor didn’t seem so real and hard beneath him, if the hand that now rested on his shoulder didn’t have weight and warmth.
“Professor! You’re alright - well mostly,” Harry said, blinking as if to clear his vision.
Snape closed heavy lids again. “But how?” he asked, and then that stroking softness was on his cheek again, accompanied by a squawk. Snape lifted his eyelids, casting dark eyes above him. Red and gold plumes fluttered as the bird peered at him, canting its head to the side as if examining the man.
“Fawkes,” Snape said, his voice questioning and astonished all at once. He managed to raise a hand to place onto the phoenix’ head. “But how-“ Snape sighed, lips quirking up at the corners in what passed as a smile for him. “Albus must have had a hand in this. Leave it to him to figure out a way of meddling from beyond the grave.” Snape couldn’t say that he minded in this particular case. He pulled back, wincing at the ache in his left arm. Eyes widening, Snape looked back to Harry, “The Dark Lord?”
“Gone,” Harry replied, his voice full of the relief he felt. “And this time for good. It’s over.” Harry’s hand returned to Snape’s shoulder to squeeze reassuringly. Snape breathed a sigh of relief at Harry’s words.
With effort, Snape was able to pull himself into a sitting position with Harry’s help, although Snape was mildly surprised that he had assisted him. Harry sat nearby, gazing at him for a long moment before saying. “I saw them, the memories you gave me.” He paused, “Thank you for everything. I owe you a great deal and I’ve never-”
“You needn’t thank me, Potter,” Snape told him. “There’s been enough enmity between us that receiving your gratitude seems fairly strange.”
Harry cast his eyes downward, chewing on his bottom lip slightly. Snape noticed how the hand that had left his arm was curled into a fist at Harry’s side. “I know you didn’t really do it for me,” the teen said. “I know that you really did all that for her, but you still deserve my thanks for it.” Snape frowned slightly, not sure why the boy should be so upset over it.
“Harry,” Hermione’s voice broke in. Strange how Snape had failed to notice that she was there as well. “We should get the professor to Madam Pomfrey. He still looks rather pale.”
At that, Snape tried to rise, managing to do so as he waved off Harry’s help. However, when on his feet, he stumbled, finding himself saved from falling by an arm wrapped suddenly around his waist. Harry raised one of Snape’s arms over his shoulders, a warm hand gripping his forearm. “Don’t be stubborn, Professor. At least let me help you out of here.” Sighing, Snape relented, seeing no reason for further argument, or perhaps the futility of it. Snape leaned heavily on Harry’s form as they made their way forward, trying not to dwell on the strange sensation of warmth in his belly at the arm thrown about his waist.