Disclaimer: I don't own anything of Harry Potter.

Note: So many people liked this story and I could not help myself that I have to write a small next chapter where you see what Severus is doing in those hours that Harry sleeps in his bed. The usual warnings. Let's begin.

Severus watched with growing concern as Harry relaxed in his lap, eyes closing on their own account. His younger lover looked glossy with fever and Severus tightened his grip. The younger male smelled like vomit and Severus wanted to comment on it but one look at Harry and he refrained from it.

"I better return to the dormitory." Harry tried to move but Severus saw the moment it happened. Saw the pain explode in the green eyes he had come to adore and Harry nearly swayed.

One strong arm around his waist and Harry was back in his lap, Severus cradling him closer. The gentle fingers at the base of the bowed head and Harry moaned softly, shuddering with chills that he was not even aware of.

"Alright, to bed with you!" He sighed and he could feel the tension drain from the shoulders. He shifted Harry's weight, one arm going under his knees and the other one around his back so he was carrying Harry.

The green glassy eyes opened and locked with his own and Severus could see Harry wanted to protest. He could see the weariness and he felt the unnatural heat coming from the younger wizard. It was only a short walk to his bedroom and soon he unceremoniously dumped Harry on the bed.

He turned and caught Harry's school robe as the younger male tossed it away. Clad in a light brown jumper and jeans, Harry crawled underneath the covers shivering with socks and all.

Much to his surprise and amazement, he did not do comfort after all, Severus found himself dawning closer and even chuckling when Harry asked if he could join him. He promised the brat that perhaps later, through he knew he most likely would not.

He raised a hand and gently ran it over the arm that was not hidden underneath the blankets. The green eyes opened and he smiled as he leaned over to kiss Harry upon the lips, he was already running late for his seventh year NEWT class. Harry parted his lips but Severus did not accept the invitation.

"I have no intention on tasting vomit, Potter." He told the boy sternly as he could see the momentarily hurt in the fever clouded eyes. The gentle hand that tousled the messy black hair soothed the hurt away and Severus smoothed the blanket one last time and then he took quick steps out the door.

He softy closed the door behind him, knowing that Harry would sleep better here then in the noisy dormitory, even when he had to deal with the brat's friends now. Oh well it did not really matter now, anything for the brat's peace of mind and the fact that Harry would get better soon.

His long strides easily took him out of his private quarters and to the door of the classroom. He could hear the assembled voices of both the seventh year Gryffindor and Slytherin students. They were loudly discussing his absence. He sneered; he was barely a minute late.

He took a deep breath to try and compose himself. He needed his wits about him now. The potion they were going to make today was not particular hard and Severus had no reason to doubt that they would be able to make the potion without too many mistakes; he had trained the class well.

His hand on the door handle and one last deep breath and Severus threw the door open and stalked inside, the class was silent immediately as he walked up to his desk and turned, waving his hand at the door and then at the black board.

The door closed with a loud bang and Severus allowed his lips to curl as he surveyed the class. Since the defeat of Voldemort the class was no longer divided into a Slytherin and Gryffindor side and while Severus would never admit it to anybody he was glad for it.

To the front on the left side were a frantic looking Ronald Weasley and his girlfriend, the muggleborn Hermione Grangers, Harry's best friends. They did not appear so lost without the Boy Who Lived now then they had done a few years ago but Severus could understand the worry they shared.

They must have known that Harry was ill and they were aware of their relationship. The smug look on Hermione's face made Severus sneer even more. "Alright, today we shall be making energizing potions. The instructions are on the blackboard and the ingredients are in the store room. You have precisely one hour and a half to get this potion to be perfect. So get to work!" He leaned forward slightly, placing his hands on the desk.

He raised an eyebrow when a hand rose in the air hesitantly. "Yes, Mister Thomas?" He asked, his voice dropping lower with each passing syllable.

"Sir, we seem to be missing Harry Potter, sir…." Severus' lips curled into the familiar and sometimes truly evil sneer as he walked around his desk and sat down, saying.

"I am glad that you are so taken with the coming and goings of Mister Potter but I can assure you that it is no concern of yours that he is not here. But to answer your question, mister Thomas and I may assure you that you will only get one today before it is going to cost you points, Potter has agreed to make the potion this weekend if he wishes to pass his NEWT exams and graduate this year. Now if the same goes for the lot of you then you better get to work now!" The last word send the students hurrying towards the storage room and Severus seated himself behind the desk.

He choice not to acknowledge the grin and the look the Weasley boy was sending him and he drew some of the parchments with the essays of the third years towards him which he needed to grade.

After perhaps 10 minutes he looked up to see the small class working in pairs. The class barely needed surveying for Severus had lowered his standards slightly but people like Longbuttom had luckily dropped out of the glass after the fifth year OWL exams.

After making a quick round around the class to see how the students were getting on, Severus walked to his private potions storage. He looked around in search of the fever reducing potions he had to brew a batch last week for Madam Pomfrey in the healing wing.

Finally he located it and quickly placed it in his pocket before going back to the class. Granger was helping Weasley again and they seemed to be arguing about something, once in a while glancing at him. Severus glared back at them and Granger even had the nerve to smile at him, at least the glare send Weasley looking back down.

Severus allowed himself a small smile, he was glad that he could still intimidate some students; the heavens knew that no such things worked for Harry anymore. He went back to the grading and his mind began to wander.

He was worried about Harry. It was the first time he had ever seen his lover ill. There were of course times that Harry would have a headache but he could count those times on one hand. Usually Severus was the one with a headache.

It frightened him that he could feel so protective of the boy he had once loathed. He could count on two hands when he had ever comforting somebody and most of those times was with Harry.

Walking through the class about halfway through the double hour showed that most students were well on their way. Not that he would ever say it to their face of course. Granger brushed his sleeve as he passed her cauldron and he caught the muttered question under his breath. "Is Harry alright?"

Severus ignored the question. He could not answer it now and it would only encourage her. He pretended he did not see her and went back to his desk.

Finally the bell rung and Severus rose as he said. "Leave a small vial of the potion you and your partner made, with the name of the both of you on the vial on my desk. I expect three inch on the workings of energizing potions and what they are used for. Turned in by the next class. Class dismissed!"

Sticking one hand into his robes, Severus watched as the students gathered their things and loud talking left the class. He needed to go check upon Harry. He had a free period and usually he would get some grading done but Harry was more important. Hopefully the potion that settled the stomach had allowed the boy to get some sleep.

The Granger girl approached the desk and Severus glanced up. "Sir, the question I asked earlier, would you care to answer it?"

The ginger haired male came to stand beside her and softly greeted. "Hello, Severus, I already tried to explain to her that Harry is most likely asleep in your rooms because I checked the dormitory before I came to class but she won't listen."

Allowing a small smile to come forward, Severus gathered the scrolls and softly answered. "Harry is ill and I thought it would not be wise to allow him to come to class. He is indeed asleep and like I told your classmate the boy Thomas that I will go over the potion with him this weekend…."

"Will you send him back to the dorm?" Hermione smiled at him and the wariness for her friend shone through.

"No, I am going to keep him in bed so he can rest. You may be assured that I will watch over him and shall take excellent care of him…" Severus began to say as she interrupted him with another bright smile.

"I never doubted it, Severus. But he was sick for the whole day but why he should stay in bed now because he was adamant that he had to go to breakfast this morning instead of staying in bed. Like he thought he was some sort of weakness when he could not go down to you at lunchtime before he had attended four other classes…."

"Hermione, honestly, Harry would have gone down before all of the classes if we could have convinced him. He thought he would not be welcome before lunch…." Ron interrupted her.

Much to his amazement Severus felt his heart grow larger. Harry was softening something inside of him. "Harry is always welcome at any given hour. He knows the password to my rooms and the wards will always allow him. But I must go now. I only have an hour and I think Harry will want something to drink. I will tell him you worried about him…."

The two best friends of his lover nodded at him and left the classroom, Severus following in their steps. He opened the door softly and quick steps took him to the bedroom to see Harry tossing and turning in the grips of a fever induced dream.

The boy moaned softly and the green eyes opened but Harry was not awake as he tossed some more before falling asleep again. Severus sat down on the bed and drew Harry's head into his lap, the boy stilling underneath his touch as he stroked the sweat covered forehead.

It made his heart beat faster as Harry swallowed the potion, the trust in him implicit that he would not harm Harry. Severus then tucked the blankets around the sleeping teenager and he walked around the bed, climbing onto it and guiding Harry back until the boy rested in his arms, back pressed against chest and Severus' arm slipping underneath Harry's head to work as a pillow and the other hand stroke the hot forehead soothingly, including the scar.

He smiled when the boy pushed back against him and relaxed in his arms. Perhaps he did not have to say it just yet but he loved Harry and for the moment that was enough as he helped the younger wizard through the heavy hours of the illness.

His heart was beating with love when he heard the affection coming from the younger male when Harry said that he loved him. He could only return the words and when he saw the smile that was given to him, he was sure of going through with his plan. As soon as Harry graduated he would ask him to marry him and as that thought occupied his mind, Severus did not even mind when Harry fell asleep again just as long as he could hold his lover close to him for all eternity.

The end.

This is truly the end. So please tell me what you think.