Author's Note:To everyone who messaged/commented about the formatting issue, thank you so much for letting me know that there was some weird code thing going on in my doc! I think I've finally fixed it, though.

Attachment Disorder

Severus Snape has trouble with hugs.

It's not that he doesn't understand the basic function. Arms wrap around another person. Maybe there's some squeezing or patting and then after a few seconds, one withdraws and the hug is (FINALLY) over.

He's fairly sure that his mother must have hugged him…at some point. He can't really remember, though, and for some reason, this disturbs him more than the thought of knowing that his mother never hugged him at all. After all, that's what mothers do. They hug their children…right? Severus is secretly ashamed that he remembers the times he has been struck by his parents more vividly than any of their moments of affection.

When they're still friends, Severus cherishes Lily's sloppy, impromptu hugs. She's so excited about everything and her excitement shows in how she wraps her arms around him until he can barely breathe, his arms pinned at the sides because he is pretty sure that she's secretly part ninja.

It is only a week after Severus reports the prophecy to Voldemort that he's pulled into an awkward, long hug by the Dark Lord himself. To make it worse, it happens in the middle of a Death Eater meeting with Bellatrix hissing angrily behind him. Severus is infinitely grateful that he's wearing his Death Eater mask so that no one can see the profoundly uncomfortable grimace on his face as he stiffly pats the Dark Lord's back once or twice and moments later it is blessedly over. Later, Mulciber tries to go in for a hug only to be sidestepped expertly and patted on the shoulder somewhat standoffishly. Severus has a good chuckle about the look on the man's face later, when he's finally home once again.

Draco is the most infuriatingly adorable leg-hugger Severus has ever met. Every time he visits Malfoy manor, he finds a small, blond barnacle attached to his dragonhide boot moments later. He never hears Draco coming, which is amazing because he's a toddler and absurdly unstealthy. He tries to scowl and sneer at Draco, but the little boy simply does his best to imitate the facial expressions with a gurgling, gummy smile. Eventually, Severus simply gives up, sitting on the couch as a small Malfoy crawls all over his tall, slight frame. Luckily, one of the best parts about Draco is that, for all the hugs he gives, he never expects one in return. He becomes fairly well-versed in head-patting, though. Draco seems to be satisfied with that, though, and both roll their eyes when Narcissa insists on squeeing at how cute their interactions are.

One of his students is rushed to the infirmary, her hair turned to snakes by a particularly nasty Ravenclaw's hex. The snakes are venomous, and one has bitten her before he could stun them all. She's shivering and her eyes are glassy with fever as she grips his sleeve and begs him to stay by her side so she won't die alone. He considers telling her to be silent and stop whining, but the species of snake is unknown and he is unsure if the anti-venom potion that Madam Pomfrey is preparing will work. He ends up sitting by the bed as she she slips into a fever, her arms wrapped tightly around his forearm as he pats her head awkwardly. Luckily, the potion works, and she doesn't seem to remember anything after she wakes up two days later.

The night that Dumbledore tells Severus that it is his task to kill him, Severus sits, rigid, in the chair across from the Headmaster's desk, his hands rolled into tight fists as he tries not to let out a cry of despair. He hears the chair across from him move, but before he can stand and make his getaway, old wizened arms are wrapping around him tightly and he finds himself doing the same around those gauche rainbow robes and ignoring the citrus scent of the old man's breath as he finally allows the tears to break free.

It is ironic, then, that, by the time that Dumbledore pulls away, his blue eyes awash with tears of his own, Severus finally realizes that he's finally figured this hugging business out.

For it is the last hug he receives in his life.