I awoke with a scream. I quickly looked around, trying to figure out what was different now. 'Oh, I must have been having a nightmare,' I thought to myself. As I caught my breath, I cast a tempus. 2:53 AM.

After a moment, my dream came back to me. 'Shit, Harry?!'

Before I knew what I was doing, I was running down the hall and banging on the door to Harry's room. After several long moments, Harry opened the door, rubbing the sleep out of his eyes. "Sev-"

As soon as I saw him, I burst into hysterical tears. Damn it, I need to stop doing that! Eventually, he is going to get fed up with it and leave! But for now, Harry just gathered me into his arms and brought me over to the bed. He laid me down, then climbed in next to me and cuddled me in close to him. I turned towards him so that I could sob into his chest. Harry just held me closer.

After a few long minutes, I finally stopped crying long enough to respond to Harry's soothing words and questions of what happened. As I looked up to answer him, I realized he wasn't wearing a shirt. Thankfully, I was too hysterical to stare, or even blush about cuddling into Harry's naked chest.

"I had a nightmare. Dumbledore kidnapped us both and then he imperioed me. He made me...made me torture you...then...then he made me kill you! Then he canceled the imperio and I had to watch you die, knowing it was all my fault! And before you died, you told me that it was my fault, even though you saw him curse me! And...you...you said...said that you hated me!"

Once again, I broke down hysterically. The dream seemed so real! Once again, Harry just pulled me close to his chest and rubbed his hand back and forth down my back.

When I had calmed down, Harry dropped a kiss to the top of my head, then pulled it up gently so he could look me in the eye. His eyes, full of kindness and support, met my tear-soaked ones with such determination and affection it made my breath catch.

"Severus, listen to me," Harry started speaking softly, yet firmly. "Dumbledore will never be able to do anything to either of us ever again. We are safe here with your dad, and soon enough Dumbledore will be taken care of. I know for a fact you would never hurt me willingly. I trust you, Severus. And I could never hate you! You're so giving, so selfless, so caring, and so very very precious and wonderful! I care for you very much, Severus. I will never hurt you, and I will never willingly leave, either. I promise you all of this, and more."

I just stared at him in shock. How could he keep promising me all of these things? Surely, some part of it is a lie. He surely can't mean, or keep, all of these promises? I suppose I shall just have to wait and see which part is the lie.

Almost as if he could read my mind, Harry kissed my head again and said, "I know you don't trust me yet Severus, and that's fine. I'll spend as long as I have to proving to you that I mean it. Now, would you like to sleep in here with me so that you know I am safe and have never gone anywhere?"

I nodded and cuddled back into Harry's shirtless chest. I really did hope Harry would keep his promise. As I fell asleep, I imagined how it would be if Harry meant everything he said...