Harry woke up to the sound of someone sneezing in the background. The fleeting feeling of disorientation dissipated as his eyes set on the fireplace in front of him. Right, Snape's quarters, the nap. And Snape was right, he actually felt way better now. He was still a bit achy but the anger and vulnerability from earlier were gone. Harry sat up stretching his arms lazily when Snape sneezed the second time.

"You alright?" Harry asked, observing the man with concern.

The mild irritation crossed Snape's face, "Potter, I know it's hard to believe, but I am actually a human. I sneeze," he spat sarcastically. "Sorry for waking you," he added in a milder tone.

"It's fine. I have stuff to do, anyway. Gonna pay Malfoy a visit," Harry said folding the blanket and placing it on the arm of the sofa.

Severus frowned, "I'm not sure it's the best course of action."

"It is. You told me to manage him, and that's what I'm going to do," Harry replied with a determined expression.

Snape raised an eyebrow ready to inquire how exactly is Potter going to manage him, but then decided to let the teen handle Malfoy on his own. "Fair enough," he relented returning his attention to whatever work he was doing.

#-&-HP-&-#

The castle felt deserted, most of the students were either in the library or in the common rooms studying. Hospital Wing was empty and dark save for one room that had a light on. Harry hoped that Malfoy was the only resident because late November was the time of the year when people frequently came down with flu, and Harry needed privacy. But he was in luck, the blond was alone, lying down leisurely covered with books on Transfiguration.

"Potter! You have some balls coming in here!" Draco spat hatefully when he noticed Harry standing by the entrance.

Harry cast a quick privacy charm just in case and the gesture unnerved the blond greatly. "Madam Pomfrey is nearby, don't think you can get away with anything," Malfoy hissed, grabbing his wand from the table.

"Relax Malfoy, I'm here to call a truce," Harry replied sitting nonchalantly on the chair by the bed, but Draco remained tense.

"Are you afraid I will hurt you, Potter?" he sneered.

Harry chuckled shaking his head as if amused that Malfoy thought such thing even possible. He needed to appear confident. "No, dickhead, I'm not afraid of you. But I don't want my friends or myself to constantly look over my shoulder waiting for you to retaliate."

"And what? You are going to threaten me again?" the Slytherin demanded in a mocking tone. Last time Malfoy found himself in Hospital Wing was when Harry blew up his desk during DADA. The day after the incident Harry came to apologize and ended up making death threats instead.

"No Malfoy, you proved to be slow on the uptake. So next time it won't be me who lands you in a Hospital Wing," Harry remarked with a smirk that could rival Snape's at his best. "Tomorrow I'm going to call Daily Prophet and give an exclusive interview relating how I was attacked in school by a Death Eater from the esteemed Malfoy family. And then proceed to describe how you disarmed me and wanted to torture me and then almost bled to death on the floor."

Malfoy frowned. "I will deny everything, no one is gonna believe you, Potter."

Harry graced him with a self-satisfied snicker. "But you see, that's the beauty of it. I don't need anyone to believe me. After I say something along the lines, how Voldemort's followers lost any class since they can't even defeat a disarmed wizard, your Dark Lord is going to be questioning you himself," Harry replied derisively watching the color drain from the blond's face. "I don't know how Voldemort punishes weakness, but I can guess how furious he is going to be after he is publicly mocked because of it."

Draco was white as death and Harry could guess that whatever punishments Voldemort employed, it was definitely more terrifying than anything Harry could threaten Malfoy with himself.

"What do you want, Potter?" the Slytherin inquired through gritted teeth.

"I told you. Truce. You, your friends or anyone else will NOT take any action against me or my friends. I don't care if you need to keep your hateful pretense in public, but you do not retaliate in any manner. I don't want to see you or hear from you."

"Fine," Draco grumbled, his expression irritated but honest.

"Good," Harry nodded getting up. "Oh, almost forgot. Here," he took out a green apple from his pocket and put it on Malfoy's bed.

The look of confusion crossed the blond's features. "What is it?" he asked baffled.

"An apple. Heard you like them," Harry replied with a stupid grin and then turned on his heel and walked towards the exit. He stopped by the door frame and glanced back to watch the puzzled Slytherin examine the apple disconcertedly. "And one more thing, Malfoy. I'm sorry. I actually didn't mean to hurt you. I was mad and I lost it. I don't expect you to accept the apology, but I'm sorry nonetheless."

Harry didn't wait for Draco to reply and left the Hospital Wing. He was rather proud of himself for managing to do both things - threaten Malfoy into compliance and apologize. He still hated the blond dickhead to the core. Not only the prat was making his life harder for 6 years straight, but now he also took away his girlfriend. Harry abhorred Malfoy with every fiber of his body, but none of that mattered, because Harry crossed the line and he did need to apologize.

Harry was so deep in thought he almost missed Nalanell, who was undoubtedly on a way to visit her new boyfriend. Harry felt the familiar pang of knife twisting in his chest, but he ignored it, he needed to let go and move on. He forced his eyes to look away and they passed each other without a word. Harry felt a horrible sense of loss and he closed his eyes painfully as he kept walking.

"You're an idiot, Potter." Nalanell's angry voice made Harry stop. He took a deep breath willing not to lose his shit this time, as he turned to face her.

"Maybe. But at least I'm not a coward," he replied calmly with a sad half-smile.

Nala's eyes flashed with indignation. "How dare you call me a coward! I deal with Voldemort while keeping your stupid secrets. And what do you do?" she hissed quietly.

"I don't hide from my feelings," Harry answered watching Nell lose her composure, her features softening. He waited for her to say something, but she remained quiet, looking lost for a change. Harry felt disappointed but not surprised. He only shook his head and turned ready to walk away. But before he could take another step he felt a small body flung at him, hugging him from behind, two hands wrapping around his chest tightly.

"I'm sorry!" the girl cried into his back squeezing Harry tighter. "The thing with Malfoy is not real. It's all an act forced on us by our parents," she explained frantically, her breath catching up as if afraid, that Harry will not want to listen and will try to break away. "I should have told you right away. I'm so sorry. I never meant to hurt you!"

Harry felt the wound on his chest patching up, a warm feeling spreading over his body. He had no doubt, that Nell was telling the truth because she would never hug him by herself this way. The tight grip and frantic rant only proved what Harry knew all along. She had feelings for him. But Harry was not going to go easy on her this time.

He turned to face her, "You never meant to hurt me? Why? I thought there is nothing between us?"

"I'm apologizing!" she exclaimed scandalized that Harry would force her to eat her own words.

"And it's not what I want to hear," he replied coldly. "Do you have feelings for me?"

Nalanell blushed and turned her head away. Harry put a finger under her chin and forced her to look up. "None of that. I let you hide behind your little pretentious act for far too long."

"I do," she admitted lowering her gaze down to his chest.

"You do what?" he pressed not letting her get away with it the easy way.

"I love you," she blurted looking straight into his eyes with a tinge of defiance. Harry watched her for a couple of seconds and Nalanell licked her dry lips nervously. Harry's mouth twitched and then stretched into a pleased grin.

"Potter! If you don't say it back RIGHT NOW I swear I..." she didn't finish it because Harry once more reclaimed her mouth with his in a hungry passionate kiss. Oh, how he missed her soft lips and her unique earthy floral scent, utterly intoxicating. Her small body so perfect, so responsive. Damn, he wanted to do things to her right here right now... but hopefully, there will be time for all that... before everything goes to shit.

"God, I missed you," Harry breathed out against her lips, cupping her face with his hands and looking into her dark grey eyes.

"I missed you too, Harry," Nell admitted with a soft shy smile, then grew serious again, "But if you don't confess right now, I will punch you again!" she threatened halfheartedly.

"What a scary little Death Eater," he teased her with an impish smirk.

"Potter!"

"I love you," Harry told her gently as he brushed her cheek and then continued kissing her making up for the weeks of lost time.

#-&-HP-&-#

Harry didn't remember when was the last time he felt so good. Things were finally working out for him and for the first time since Sirius' death he felt like there is hope. He can do this. He can defeat Voldemort and he will have a life worth living after. He spent the evening with Ron and Hermione studying... because Hermione wouldn't let them do anything else with all the tests approaching. And Harry didn't mind, he told his friends all about Nalanell, and Sectumsempra and Half-Blood Prince and how Snape is going to give him the textbook back. And even offered Hermione to take a peak, now that Snape will rectify all the possible mistakes and likely scratch out any potential dangerous spells.

Snape was missing at dinner, and Harry assumed, that the man was swarmed with preparation for the tests. They were both on a tight schedule because they spent a lot of time on training. And honestly, Harry shouldn't go and bother the man, when he is already so busy... but Harry wanted to share his euphoria with his mentor. Snape said, that Harry's mood affects his, so perhaps he could infect him with some cheerfulness for a change.

As expected, Harry found Snape writing something furiously by his desk, but the man didn't look well. He looked very tired, his skin flushed, his eyelids heavy. He was surrounded by papers and there was a slight shiver running through him when Harry entered the room. Snape didn't even notice him.

"Snape?" Harry called out, watching the man with concern.

Severus jerked and hit the pile of papers sending them flying to the ground. Harry rushed to collect the papers using his hands as well as quick wandless magic, while Snape only rested his head against his hands with a sigh, fighting the ongoing headache.

"You are overworking yourself. You don't look well," Harry told the man seriously.

"I have to finish this for Monday," Severus replied curtly, returning his attention to the papers.

"You have tomorrow for that."

"I won't have time tomorrow, I have potion work to do for Madam Pomfrey, Lupin and..." Snape cut off remembering something, he jumped from his seat to go and check on the necessary ingredients in the lab, but the fast movement made him dizzy and he lost his balance falling on Harry. Harry having his reflexes trained on a daily basis, caught him just in time.

"Whoah. Alright, you are definitely done for today."

Severus frowned with irritation. "Potter..."

But Harry was not going to back down, he touched Snape's forehead and had his suspicions confirmed. "You are burning up!"

"I'm fine," Snape snapped with annoyance. He tried to move past Harry to the lab but the teenager blocked his way.

"No, you are not. You have a fever," Harry argued resting his hands on hips.

"I'll take something for it after I'm done," Severus replied tiredly. Why did Potter have to be so fussy?!

"No. You are taking something now and you are going to bed. The tests can wait, and I'm sure Slughorn can manage the potion work."

Severus pressed his lips into a tight angry line, "Potter, what exactly makes you think, you can order me around?!"

"You can do as I say, or I'm going to fetch Madam Pomfrey and good luck getting out of Hospital Wing in the next couple of days," Harry replied evenly.

"Are you threatening me?!"

"Yes, I am. Stop being difficult for god's sake!" Harry cast a quick diagnostic spell on his mentor. "38,3°C! You still wanna argue with me?"

Snape scowled at the teen, then suddenly sneezed again and sighed with defeat. "Fine," he grunted and made his way to the bedroom. Harry walked next to him, wrapping his hand around Snape's waist for stability.

"Potter, I'm perfectly capable of walking!" the man snapped crossly.

Harry rolled his eyes in irritation but didn't let go. Snape was simply impossible when sick. "You just fell on me. I'm making sure, you don't faint on the way."

Snape didn't argue anymore. He sat on the bed and started unbuttoning the gazillion buttons on his robes. Harry reached out to help and Severus caught his wrist giving Harry a deadly glare. "You are NOT undressing me, Potter!"

"Fine, but if you are not done in 3 minutes I'm helping you!" Harry relented leaving the room. He went to the lab to find the Pepperup Potion. Thankfully Snape had his lab in the same anal retentiveness as everything else in his quarters, so finding the correct potion based on alphabetical order was easy. He called the house-elves and asked them to brew some herbal tea against cold, then armed with a teapot and several vials returned back to Snape's bedroom.

Fortunately, Snape was in bed, his forehead covered in sweat, his eyes already closed. Harry grabbed the black robes from the floor and folded them neatly on the chair. He handed Severus the potion helping him up to drink it.

"You should drink another one in a couple of hours. Meanwhile, here," Harry said handing his mentor the herbal tea, "I'm not sure if it'll help to get rid of the taste, but you need to keep hydrated."

Snape finally managed a small tired smile. "Thank you."

Harry then went to the bathroom, drenched a small towel in cold water, spin-dried it and returned to the bedroom.

Severus eyed the towel suspiciously, "What's that?"

"Muggle remedy. It will feel nice, I promise," the boy reassured him and placed the cloth on his burning forehead. Severus exhaled closing his eyes with relief.

Harry grinned watching the peaceful expression on Snape's face. He grabbed some Potions journal from the table and climbed on the armchair by the bed getting comfy with his legs crossed on it.

"You don't have to babysit me, Potter," Severus complained, but it lacked the usual bark. Harry was pretty sure, that Snape was glad to have him there and was protesting just for the sake of it.

"You really are a horrible patient, you know? Stop whining and rest," Harry replied turning the towel upside down to renew the cooling effect.

Severus closed his eyes and smiled with contentment. He will get back at Potter for the "whining" comment later. But for now, it was nice to feel cared for, for a change.

To Be Continued eventually;)

I think we reached another relatively satisfying point to put the story on hiatus. I ran out of plot bunnies that plagued my mind, so I'm giving it a rest to focus on other stories. I have like 3 original ones, one Suits fanfic and HP ongoing one I want to write, so I don't know when I'm coming back to this one.

But don't worry, I'm not abandoning the story, there is still plenty to tell - Harry is yet to become badass, get laid, get a family, defeat Voldemort, not necessarily in this order^^

PS: Drapple FTW;DD thumbs up to those who got the reference;)

EDIT: apparently I went through the struggle of converting to Fahrenheit for nothing. It was brought to my attention that Brits use the correct (ahem;)) measurement in Celsius;) lol