a/n: I really enjoyed writing this piece. It bit me and was completed in a few hours. That's unusual for me, normally I get bit, start out with a flourish then dissipate somewhere in the middle and there the story sits for months on end. (Trust me, there are plenty like it on my disks.)

Disclaimer: I own nothing created by JK Rowling in this story. I'm making no money, but am getting a bit of personal gratification since I think it came out well.

Story-based Disclaimers/Plotlines:
1. AU: alternate universe. As with some of my other stories, it could fit the timeline, but because of other story disclaimers it isn't book-verse and is therefore an alternate.
2. OOC: out of character. There is some out of characterization here, but I think most of it is relatively true to a point. Other story disclaimers make them OOC (see 4 and 5).
3. Oneshot: one chapter story. There will be no additional chapters, no sequel planned. (At least on this publication date.)
4. Hurt/Comfort: One character is injured, the other assists.
5. Slash: male/male relationship inside. Nothing graphic, in fact it is quite subtle so those without a decent imagination or good grasp on my writing style may have difficulty finding it. (Happy hunting!)

If you find any one, or combination, of the above disclaimers to your distaste, please find another story to read. I have warned you before hand about the contents to prevent you from getting upset about the writing. I doubt you would pluck up a book from a bookstore, read the back cover, then read the book anyway even though what you read on the back made you cringe in distaste.

Pairing: Severus Snape/Remus Lupin (non-established)

---

Libidinize: to regard or treat as an area or source of sexual gratification

---

Remus Lupin was climbing the stairs at 12 Grimmauld Place. He had just turned on the third floor landing and puffed onto the fourth floor. His destination lay at the far end of the house, the only door shut tightly and tingling lightly of magical privacy spells. His trek had winded him slightly and he hoped that the man he was about to rouse wouldn't be too cranky at this hour of the morning.

He knocked, hoping that there were no silencing charms for the outside of the doorway. He wouldn't want to face another reaction the last time he had to break into the man's rooms because of his inexplicable need to keep off all things human.

There was no answer.

Bracing himself for the worst, Lupin turned the knob and pushed in, wincing on reflex though nothing came at him. Slightly relieved, he stepped farther in calling, "Hello?"

A thump and shuffle in the attached bathroom led him to believe the man he sought was there.

"Severus? Albus is here and would like to speak to you briefly before you leave."

There was a muffled reply from behind the door and Remus sighed inwardly. He walked across the room and set his ear to the paneling. "What was that?"

The door was flung open unceremoniously and he had to catch himself before he fell bodily into the freshly clothed man in front of him. "Don't you have anything better to do than listen at keyholes?"

"I'm sorry, Severus, I just hadn't heard what...you...said." Lupin gaped, trying his best not to. It was too early to get into a scuffle with Severus Snape, especially when the darker wizard had a good three inches and twenty pounds on him.

"What are you gawking at? I said I'd be down, so leave." Snape sneered at him, willing him away with his steely eyes and acerbic tone.

"I just...Severus, what's wrong with your hair?" The werewolf bit his tongue as soon as he finished speaking. He was just pushing for an early morning beating.

The darker wizard brought a hand up to his head and scowled before quickly slamming the bathroom door shut. "Go away, Lupin," he yelled through the wood.

"I didn't mean anything bad, Severus!" Remus called back, rubbing absently at his eyes to clear away the image. "It was quite different, for you I mean, but it was good. Honestly."

"Shut up!" A vicious snarl from the man now locked inside the bathroom.

"I'll just tell Albus you'll be down in a minute, shall I?" Lupin made a quick retreat through the room and shut the door, staring out into the empty hallway in a daze.

Snape's hair had not been lanky, greasy, limp and straight; but full, clean, soft and curled just slightly at the ends. Remus was wholly confused, though not entirely unhappy about the new vision he had seen. It was rather fetching on him, if Severus could be fetching in any way.

He decided to put it out of his mind and began his descent to the kitchen where Albus Dumbledore was waiting.

---

It was nearly ten minutes after Remus had returned to the Headmaster that Snape made it to the kitchen. He blew into the room with a billow of robes and a heavy frown on his face. Remus noticed that Snape's hair was back to its usual dull and uninviting state.

"Good morning, Severus," Albus chirruped before taking a nibble from his biscuit.

"Headmaster," Snape responded, crossing his arms over his chest and regarding the occupants of the room with mild distaste. His eyes stayed on Lupin for a moment longer, an extra bit of venom promising unbelievable pain if he told anyone about what he had seen. Lupin looked away first.

"Would you like some breakfast? Tea perhaps?" Dumbledore motioned to the nicely laid platters on the table, but Snape was uninterested.

"Lupin said you wanted to see me?"

"Always, my boy!" Albus smiled genially and sipped his tea. "But most particularly this morning, yes."

Remus looked between Severus, who was growing steadily more irritated, and Albus who seemed oblivious. "I'll just, uh, go see what Sirius is up to."

"Oh, no, sit please, Remus. This concerns you as well."

One of Snape's expressive eyebrows rose. "What would concern Lupin and myself?"

The soft, amiable face of the Headmaster slipped into a solemn one. "Severus, you know that the outcome of tonight's meeting will be particularly hard on you. I believe that Remus will be a handy asset to your wellbeing when you return."

Snape stiffened and grew steadily still as Albus spoke. It was the kind of tightly restrained still that made Remus want to sink slowly to the floor and hide under the table before the whole room exploded. "That will not be necessary," Severus spoke carefully in a perfectly neutral voice.

"Of course it will," Albus admonished gently, "you will hardly be in a state to tend to yourself properly, and you know it. All I am asking is that Remus be there in case you need special attention. Especially if you need emergency care. Contrary to what you may believe, Severus, you cannot heal yourself from all things."

Lupin was looking between the two of them, head aching slightly at is tried to sort out what he was supposed to be helping Severus from when he returned from wherever he was running off to later this morning. The fact that Snape didn't want his help was not a surprise for a number of reasons. The first two being that he was a werewolf that had once tried to eat him, and the third being that Snape was too damned private to allow someone he disliked to help. Then of course came the man's stubborn pride, but that was a whole new book in itself.

"If you think it wise, Albus, I'll have to deal with it," Snape said in the same neutral tone, though his icy gaze flicked to Lupin.

Remus fidgeted unhappily a moment before finally voicing his question, "What is it exactly I'm needed for?"

Albus blinked in mild surprise, as though only just remembering the Lupin was in the room. Remus didn't blame him, trying to talk sense into Severus took all of one's concentration. "You know that Severus will be going to a meeting tonight. What you do not know is that tonight is atonement for those Death Eater's who have displeased Lord Voldemort during his time while incorporeal."

"Atonement," Remus said slowly, dragging the word out as though it would make more sense if spoken phonetically.

Albus continued as though he hadn't heard the incredulity in Lupin's tone, "I would like you to be in Severus' rooms this evening when he returns from the meeting. We are not sure what will be the extent of his injuries, but I would like to have all my bases covered, so to speak."

Bases covered? Remus puzzled. What bases? He pushed the thought from his mind and continued with the problem at hand. "Why don't you have Madame Pomfrey pop in on him? Surely she would be better equipped to handle the situation?"

"You are correct, but Poppy does not know what we do: that Severus is a Death Eater, or that Severus is a spy. I would only want to call her in for help if it is absolutely necessary. I do not want to jeopardize Severus' position in that way."

Snape was looking at the both of them with more than a bit of anger. "I am in the room, you realize?"

"Of course," Albus waved him off. Lupin tried to smile reassuringly but decided not to once Snape began to glare.

"Will that be all, Albus?" Severus spoke quickly in clipped tones.

"I believe that is all I wanted to say, Severus," Albus stood from the table and walked to where the wizard stood. He rested a comforting hand on Snape's shoulder and looked him squarely in the eye, "as well as, be careful."

Snape nodded sharply and withdrew from Dumbledore's reach. He turned sharply to Remus and looked him over, "Until this evening," he spat. He stalked to the doorway but paused and glared back over his shoulder, "And Lupin, do not touch my things."

Lupin nodded dumbly, staring into the empty space where Severus had been. It was going to be a very odd night, indeed.

---

Albus had been nice enough to let Remus into Severus' rooms around ten o'clock that night. The werewolf was afraid to touch anything but the fireplace and couch. There had been no indication from the Headmaster about when he should expect Snape to stumble in, though Albus did leave him a nice book to read--The Joys of Lemons from some muggle cook named Julia Child.

After reading far too many recipes for lemon sherbet--frozen, candied, juices, the list went on--Remus began to get fidgety. The couch wasn't uncomfortable, but it had that stiff, new feeling. He supposed Snape didn't get enough company to break the piece of furniture in.

He made a slow circuit of the room, being careful to stand at least two feet away from whatever he was looking at; even leaving his hands clasped together behind his back to keep from touching anything inadvertently.

It was an attempt that became futile once he made it to the large bookcase at the back of the room. Of course, there hadn't been much that caught his attention. Most of the books had eerie and forbidding titles about potions through the ages; even one twice the size of Hogwart's a History that was closely titled Potions Mastery through the Past Three Centuries. Remus shuddered to think that Snape had actually sat down and read the entirety of it. He could probably guess--and rightly too--that the potions master could probably quote from it.

But the one thing that really grabbed his attention--and made his clasped hands break from each other--was one thin, unobtrusive book on a high shelf. It was bound in cheap leather and had the same gold foil stamping that all photograph albums have on their bindings, right down to the cheesy one word sentiment: Memories.

Lupin looked over his shoulder in guilt as he pulled it down, praying that the rest of the books didn't topple down after it. He went back to the couch and set the book beside him. He knew he shouldn't look at it, knew that as soon as he opened the cover some screaming alarm would blare, or Snape himself would finally stumble in through the doorway to hex him.

The low grade leather looked back at him innocently. The gold foil stamping graced the front as well, but it was still fresh. Remus frowned thoughtfully. Apparently the photo album hadn't been used much either.

"Well," Remus said softly to himself, "if it's still like new, maybe there's nothing in it..."

Suspicion and natural curiosity won out. The cover creaked when he opened it and the 'This album belongs to ' page was left blank. Feeling a little more at ease thinking it was probably full of blank pages, Remus turned the next and winced, there were pictures in it and the first one was Snape glaring right off of the page at him.

The picture Snape sneered and turned away from him. Other than that, there were no blaring alarms, no weird hexes, and no Severus busting into his rooms. Remus turned the page.

There were pictures of a young Lucius Malfoy and some other Slytherin's in the common room. After several pages of pictures, Remus began to believe that the only photo of Severus had been on the first page. The same faces were smirking up at him over and over, doing the same poses, and whispering into each others ears as they looked up at him. There was a photo taken in the Great Hall, and in the far corner he could just make out Sirius' head huddled together with James' at the Gryffindor table. The two of them looked up and back at Remus, grinned wickedly then huddled together again.

On the second to last page, Remus was struck dumb again. There was a family photograph with a young Snape at roughly eleven years of age. No doubt the photo was taken as a memento of Severus' acceptance letter to Hogwart's. A stiff, ugly man stood behind Severus, one hand on the boy's shoulder, the other was wrapped possessively around the woman's waist to his left. Remus watched as the boy Severus frowned and curled his body just a little more toward his mother, trying to shy away from his father's touch.

Disturbed and wanting to somehow knock father Snape's hand away from his son, Remus turned the page and raised both eyebrows into his hairline. Severus was standing with a gold emblazoned degree; his master's in potions making. The closest thing Remus had ever seen to a smile on Severus' face was there, curling his thin lips at the corners. Even Snape's eyes were not hard and steely, but softer and more open. But there, underneath Severus' turnstile was what Remus was currently gawking at. The same soft, half waved hair was tumbling down Severus' shoulders. Apparently he had cut it once he became a teacher.

Lupin raised a finger to try and touch the welcoming sight of healthy hair, but the Snape picture frowned at him and moved elegantly out of the way. Remus blushed lightly and closed the book with a snap.

That morning's events popped back into his head, and Remus tried to reason out why it was that Severus would goop up his hair to be that uninviting. It was apparently a decision on Snape's part, and not because he was cursed with limp, lank hair.

Remus carefully put the album back where he had found it before he sat down on the couch again. With a sigh he checked the time and groaned softly. It was ten minutes to midnight, and still no sign of Snape. He picked up the cook book and sadly turned another page.

---

He had been dreaming of giggling lemons dancing with Albus along the teacher's table during lunch when he was rudely awakened. The book open and hanging precariously from his numb fingers hit the floor with a thump and he sat upright.

Ears on high alert, Remus turned quickly to the sound of shuffling and wheezing breath. The fire lit suddenly with a roar and Lupin was faced with a bruised and bleeding Severus Snape. The potions master was staring, unblinkingly at him with glazed vision.

Lupin jumped up, twitching as he stood looking at Severus. He didn't know if he should help him or not. The decision was made for him a second later when Snape blinked and gave a half-hearted sneer. The dark wizard shifted and began a slow, shuffling gait to his bedroom.

"Do you need help, Severus?" Lupin asked quietly, shocked at how loud his voice sounded after so long in silence.

There was a dry snort, followed by some coughing. Snape didn't bother looking back at him as he fumbled with the catch on his robe and peeled it away to hang on the cloak rack outside the bedroom door. "Of course not," came a scratchy voice.

There were various holes and tears in Severus' attire that Remus could see before the wizard disappeared into his room. Remus sniffed the air delicately and frowned at the smell of blood. He stalked to the door and knocked soundly on it.

"I know you don't want me here, Severus, but I am and you may as well make the best of it. How badly are you hurt?"

There was mild cursing from the other side but no reply to Remus' question. Lupin reached for the knob, but just as he touched it the tingle of a locking spell stopped him from following. He frowned down at the brass as though it was the knob's fault. "Fine, but if you don't answer me when I knock on this door in ten minutes, I'm breaking it open."

No direct answer came this time either but for some more swearing and what Remus assumed was a boot hitting the door with good force. He sat on the arm of the couch, facing the bedroom door and counted down the minutes. He'd meant every word.

When ten minutes came and went, Remus stood and knocked on the door. "Severus?" There was no response, not even more swearing. The werewolf knocked with more force, "Severus Snape, if you aren't bleeding to death in there, you had better open the door!"

There still was nothing and Remus withdrew his wand and mumbled an 'alhomora'. The lock clicked and he pushed the door open. The bedroom was a mess of strewn clothes, and there was indeed a boot print in the middle of the door. The smell of blood was a little stronger here, and Remus plucked up the shirt Snape had been wearing and inspected in the low light of the fireplace. There was blood, though luckily not a lot. The crimson stains only appeared where there were torn holes, which suggested Snape had been doing a lot of falling into stones more than getting the pulp beat out of him.

The door to the bathroom opened and Remus wanted to slap himself in the forehead--more out of frustration than anything. Snape took three steps into his room, dressed only in a towel before he noticed Lupin standing there. "What the hell do you think you're doing?" He hissed, one hand fisting at the close of his towel while the other was groping blindly toward the dresser where Remus saw his wand.

"I told you that I was going to come in here in ten minutes," Lupin eyed the bruised wizard carefully. There were many bruises, scrapes and scuffs but nothing that looked overly serious. The only thing that belied his physical appearance was the fatigued shaking of his outstretched hand that spoke volumes about the extended use of the Cruciatus. "Albus wanted me here to help you, and I intend to."

Severus snarled and waved his free hand aimlessly at himself. "Well, as you have seen, I am in no dire need your help," he spat the word out like it was bitter, "so you can return to your kennel."

Remus didn't bother feeling offended, it wasn't the first time Severus had taken a pot shot at him for being a lycanthrope. In fact, it was one of the weaker insults, a testament to the potions master's fatigue.

As they stood glaring and sharing frustrated words, Snape began to drip dry in his doorway. The ends of the wizard's hair were slowly turning in and the dull sheen of soft, healthy hair began to cut through Lupin's terseness. He had stopped verbally sparing and stood staring, transfixed. It was amazing how something as simple as clean hair changed Severus' whole demeanor. He wasn't as chilling, his words not as harsh, and his glare not as effective.

"What are you staring at, Lupin?" Snape hissed. He then seemed to realize he was still standing better than half naked and quickly strode to his wardrobe. He shook out a set of pajamas and, with one last glare, locked himself in the bathroom to dress.

Remus finally came back to himself once Severus had gone and scolded himself soundly for gawking, again. He left Snape's room and pulled the door to, but not quite shut, and returned to the couch.

He heard Snape return from the bathroom and after a moment a muffled exclamation of 'thank, Merlin!' Lupin stayed seated for the better part of an hour until he heard soft snoring from Severus' rooms and decided now was the better time of any to floo the Headmaster.

Albus' face soon hovered in green tones amongst the flames. "Has Severus returned?"

"He has," Remus admitted, speaking softly so he didn't wake up the terror in the other room. "He doesn't appear to be badly hurt, a few bruises and some scrapes but other than those, nothing is broken or otherwise."

The Headmaster's face softened and he smiled, "Good, good."

"He does seem to have a noticeable shake." Lupin stated, watching as Albus' face slowly fell back to worry. "It looks like the after effects of the Cruciatus."

"How badly does he shake, Remus?"

"When he attempted to get his wand from the dresser to throw me out, he fumbled for several minutes but still didn't manage to retrieve it." Remus frowned.

A heavy sigh fell from the disembodied head of the Headmaster. After a moment, Dumbledore spoke again, "I appreciate you staying this late, Remus, but I would like to ask that you stay for a while longer yet. I want to be sure that Severus has no long standing effects, and he may need assistance with vials of potions should he need to medicate."

"Of course, Albus," Lupin nodded. He knew somewhere in the back of his head that this would be the outcome. "I'll keep you updated if he seems to get worse."

"Thank you, Remus, and good night." Albus winked and quickly vanished from the fireplace, leaving the room's new dimness to adjust his vision.

Lupin sat in the newfound dark and sorted through his thoughts. He would have to check on Snape periodically through the rest of the night, at least until morning when Albus or Molly could come baby sit him. With a wide yawn, he set a small alarm for himself to check in an hour and lay down on the couch to catch a nap.

---

The annoying buzz in his ear woke him up and left him in a grumpy mood. Oh, how he hated obnoxious alarms. He would have to search for another spell that woke you with something less abrasive.

Remus rolled over and promptly tumbled from the couch, leaving him to rub at his sore hip as he hobbled into Snape's room as quietly as possible.

The potions master was asleep on his side, facing the fire though no longer snoring. Remus was careful not to tread on anything on the floor and checked Snape's vitals with a series of runes. All looked relatively normal, he felt like slapping himself for not checking them before Snape had gone to the meeting to have something to compare them to.

The fire had burned quite low and Remus renewed it before it became chilly. He looked down at the sleeping man and shook his head. Sleeping, Severus looked even less like the vicious man he made out to be. The hard line of his mouth was softened, the ever present furrow of his brows was smoothed and with his whole head haloed in ebony waves, it was hard to imagine it was the same vile tempered wizard.

Curiosity got the better of him again, and Remus was shocked to see his hand reaching slowly down to touch the curls like he had tried to do with the picture Snape earlier. He closed his eyes tight, at though that would somehow stop his fingers from doing their own will--or maybe to prevent him from seeing the blow from Snape once the wizard woke to find the creature he loathed so much touching him.

It was as soft as goose down. Remus recoiled as his eyes popped open in shock. Severus was still sleeping and careful not to wake him, Lupin touched one loose curl and separated it between his forefinger and thumb. Snape's head rolled slowly forward and the hair pulled gently from his fingers. The potions master sighed softly, but remained sleeping.

Lupin scolded himself and quickly retreated from the room. He sat down heavily on the couch and thumped himself in the chest to restart his heart. Oh, he was sure he had been caught. He would have to be careful not to do something so foolish again.

---

The buzzing came again and Remus woke up swatting at thin air. Two o'clock and another half-hour's worth of sleep. Making sure he was not going to fall from the couch again, Remus sat up slowly and rubbed at his eyes. It was too much to do this every hour.

The soft smell of faint musk and light soap permeated his brain. Lupin blinked at his hands and sniffed them each. He was horrified when he realized why one of his hands smelled just lightly of shampoo.

Scolding himself again--he'd already lost count and decided maybe it was a waste of time trying to teach himself a lesson when he wasn't listening anyway--he made his way to Snape's room.

Severus had rolled onto his back with one hand buried underneath his head and the other clutched loosely at his blankets. Remus tried to ignore Snape's face entirely and be professional about his business. The runes glowed softly in the dark again, no different from an hour earlier. Satisfied that Snape was not getting worse, Remus stupidly looked down and traced one long wavy lock of hair that ran down the length of Severus' face.

It irritated him just to see it lying there haphazard, Remus couldn't imagine how annoying it must be for Severus. So, in the manner of being friendly, the werewolf carefully curled his index finger beneath it and pushed it delicately to the side. The hair moved like softened butter, easily tucking neatly with the rest of its brethren and Remus' fingers dallied just a little longer than necessary.

Severus sighed softly again, just as before, and turned his face instinctively toward Lupin's hand. The werewolf quickly withdrew it and backed to the door, telling himself repeatedly that it certainly wasn't a look of sleepy disappointment on Snape's face when his fingers left his hair.

---

He needn't have bothered to keep the alarm to wake him at three, Lupin definitely didn't sleep that hour. He was confused, still about Severus hair yes, but also with the wizard's reaction and his own. Why was he so focused on Snape's hair? Yes, it was different, yes, it was very soft, yes, and he would probably like to card his fingers through it just once to see what it was like, but honestly, that was just ridiculous.

The little buzz was cut short when it began to itch his ear, and Remus mechanically went to Snape's room. He stopped just short of entering and prepared himself. He would not molest Snape in his sleep anymore, the first two times had been sheer luck.

With a steadying breath, he went to Snape's bedside and checked the runes. Remus frowned as one of them pulsed softly. Severus' body temperature had gone up since an hour ago. Worried about the new fever, Remus carefully laid the back of his hand across Snape's forehead. The skin there was not overly warm. Sighing in frustration, Lupin pushed a mess of Severus' hair to the side and cupped the back of his neck. The potions master groaned into his pillow and shifted on the bed. Remus frowned again, Severus was a bit warm.

The werewolf unfolded the blanket at the foot of Severus' bed and snapped it open, spreading it across Snape's body. He charmed it warm and restocked the fireplace. Instead of retreating to the couch immediately, Remus sat down in the chair by the fire and turned it to face the sleeping wizard.

A fever wasn't something to wake Albus about, at least not yet. He'd have to watch Snape a little more closely. Perhaps the length Severus was held under the cruciatus had caused some internal damage.

There was another soft moan from the bed and Remus walked quickly over, resting a hand on Snape's forehead again. Onyx eyes slotted open, then snapped wide. Severus jerked away from Lupin's touch and glared at him. "What are you doing?" He rasped.

"You have a touch of fever, Severus," Remus explained quietly. He dropped his hand away. "It's come on over the last hour."

The suspicion on Snape's face faded a little. Tentatively, Severus pushed his hair out of his face and reclined back into his pillows. By how quickly the wizard was taking his word, Remus knew he must be exhausted.

Lupin decided sitting and staring at Snape like a hawk would not help the situation and retreated. "Go back to sleep, Severus, I'll pop back in later."

The potions master didn't respond, he was already asleep.

Remus waited for twenty minutes before he returned to the room. He didn't dare wait an hour, if it was a fever based on injury, it could get out of hand by the time an hour had passed.

Sweat had beaded on Snape's forehead and Lupin quickly scanned him, but the rune had not changed. Remus looked the room over and decided to take the warming charm off of the extra blanket, maybe the extra heat was the cause.

A few stray strands of hair clung to Severus' sweaty face and Remus dutifully brushed them away. Severus mumbled and turned his face into Lupin's hand before he could pull away. Remus flushed, he knew he couldn't just yank his hand away or Snape would wake up and hex him into next week. But if he stayed there waiting for Severus to move, chances were the wizard would wake up on his own and the outcome would be the same.

Being a creature of critical thinking, Remus tried to formulate a pattern of Snape's movement whenever he had touched the wizard's hair. Lupin nodded slowly a moment later and looked at Snape with a new appreciation. He had just made the wizard a little less evil and a little more human in his own mind.

Carefully, Remus reached out with his free hand and pet the curls away from Snape's face. A hum of sleepy interest followed. Again, being careful not to wake Severus up, Remus tucked the free falling hair behind Snape's ear and was rewarded as Severus turned instinctively toward him.

He snatched both hands away quickly and stepped back with a sigh of relief. He was quite proud of himself for noticing the pattern and his quick thinking. He felt quite a lot like dirt a second later when Snape let out a very soft whimper in his sleep. One of the man's hands came groggily up to his face and sloppily reached around for the source of comfort. His sleepy face rumpled into a frown and he rolled onto his side, curling into the fetal position.

Remus puzzled the new information out, and the one thing he came up with that made sense was that Snape's mother must have stroked his hair when he was ill. Lupin didn't know if Snape's parents were still alive or not, but he did know that Severus never mentioned them. Perhaps they had a large falling out, or maybe they were indeed dead.

Feeling instantly sorry for the potions master, Lupin carefully sat on the edge of Snape's bed. He decided that even if Snape woke up and then hated him later, he also wouldn't go about telling everyone that Lupin had been coddling him when he was injured. It wouldn't do well for his reputation.

So, with less trepidation than the first couple of times, Remus pushed the stray hair from Snape's face and smiled slightly to himself as the man's face softened in his sleep. He still didn't understand how Severus' hair could be so soft, nor why Severus felt the need to hide it from everyone.

Lupin gently stroked the ebony strands for a while, transfixed at the changes to Snape's features while he slept. Remus paused after a few minutes when Severus began to frown deeply, brow furrowing. He thought perhaps Snape was waking, but the man slept on with his soft snores. Lupin thought that maybe Severus' dreaming self was wondering about the touches, knowing that no one would, or did any longer.

That was a pessimistic thought if Remus ever had one, and he set to prove to the sleeping Snape that there was indeed someone who cared enough to touch him. So, he did what he had wanted to over two hours ago and buried his fingers deep into Snape's hair and carded through the whole thick mass with his hand.

It was like slipping satin between his fingers. When the ends finally fell free of his palm, Remus decided that once was certainly not enough, especially since it was never likely to happen again after tonight. He dug his fingers into the thickest spots of Snape's hair, eventually combing out every bit of free hair he could touch.

He had spent nearly twenty minutes playing idly with Severus hair when he realized too late that it wasn't exactly comfort that Severus was getting out of it. The wizard's face had gone flush and once Remus realized it, he finally noticed the change in Snape's breathing, as well as the fact that the potions master had inched close enough to wrap loosely around him.

Mortified at what he had done, and what Snape was inadvertently doing --but mostly at what he had inadvertently done to Severus-- Remus quickly withdrew his hand and stared unbelievingly at Severus' face. It was undeniable now, especially as a low keening moan rolled out of Severus, that the potions master had a very odd erogenous zone indeed.

Lupin blinked stupidly and realized why Severus kept his hair looking so uninviting. Gods, it wasn't because it made him look more imposing, but to keep others from touching it. He had definitely used he proper word when chastising himself earlier, he was molesting Snape.

The man groaned and woke slowly, blinking his sleep leadened eyes. With a start he woke entirely and in the same moment shoved himself away from Remus. There was such surprise written on Snape's face that Remus didn't know whether to apologize, pretend he knew nothing, or run for his life.

Dawning registered and Lupin winced inadvertently. The onyx eyes hardened and before Lupin could flee, Snape had latched onto his arm with a vice-like grip. "What are you doing, Lupin?"

"I-I didn't realize, Severus, honestly! I was just trying to make you comfortable." Remus blanched as he realized how that could have been taken.

"Comfortable," Snape echoed, one elegant eyebrow was raised defiantly.

"NO! I mean, not like how you're thinking--" Remus stopped abruptly at the sour look on Snape's face. Good job, Moony, make him think he's too disgusting to touch, that's a nice way to get on his good side. "I just... your hair is very inviting when it's not weighted down with salve."

The other eyebrow rose to match the first and Snape stared openly at Remus until he began to fidget. "Is that why you do it? Weigh it down I mean, to keep people from touching it?" Lupin realized he was rambling, but with what he had done and what Snape was about to do--namely maiming him--he was a bit nervous.

"Yes," Snape said very slowly, conscious of every little move Remus was making to see if the werewolf was making fun of him.

"Really?" Lupin asked suddenly, surprised that Severus had answered. He flushed and stammered again when Snape fixed him with a dark look. "I mean, it makes sense and I had always rather wondered why." Severus didn't say anything, just stared at him with the same slightly horrified, mostly miffed expression. Remus was still pinned in the room by Snape's clutching grip but he didn't yet dare to ask the man to let him go. "So, uh, is that the general reaction if anyone touches it, or is it just certain situations?"

"Do you mean if anyone touches my hair, or if it's just you?"

"Yea, I mean, no..." Remus frowned in thought. "If anyone touches it, I mean."

Snape finally let him go and crossed his arms over his chest. "That would depend on the touch, wouldn't it? If someone slapped you in face you wouldn't exactly get a rise out of that," Severus eyed him speculatively, "or maybe you do, I wouldn't know."

"Of course not," Remus interrupted.

"Indeed," Snape mumbled before continuing. "If, however, someone touched your face softly, especially if they continue to do so for some time," he pointedly glared at Lupin at this point, "you would likely get a different reaction than from the slap."

"Right," Lupin said softly to himself. He believed he finally understood. "So if someone yanked at your hair you wouldn't, um, you know?"

"If you want to have this conversation, Lupin, stop acting like such a virgin." Snape hissed. "And no, of course not. But as is the custom when someone, even strangers, touch someone else's hair, more often than not it is not to yank it."

"Especially if it looks that soft," Remus mumbled, thinking out loud. His mouth twisted into an 'o' of surprise when he realized he had said it out loud. "I-uh, sorry."

"If you're quite finished--" Snape said tiredly, already shuffling a bit to lay back down, but Remus wasn't.

"It's just... if you hadn't woke up, or I hadn't, erm, noticed... would you have, I mean, is it possible that you might have--" Remus blushed brightly, unable to meet Snape's gaze.

"Finished?" Snape said with a smirk, he had almost been crude about it just to see Lupin get more uncomfortable but he was still exhausted.

"Erm, yes," Lupin cleared his throat.

"Possibly," Severus said cryptically, "but you'll never know now, will you?"

Remus shook his head dumbly and let out a stressed laugh. "I'll just, go. To the couch, I mean, I still have to look in on you later."

Snape yawned wide and pulled the blankets up to his chin as he rolled over, ignoring Lupin. The werewolf left dutifully and the potions master lay awake in the dark for some time before falling asleep again.

---

Remus was dreaming, quite happily, about a large hairbrush and several acres of Snape's hair. He woke up slowly, aware that someone was speaking but unable to quite crawl out of his mind.

"Lupin," a very low, croaking voice finally jerked him awake and Remus sat up, listening carefully.

Severus shifted in his room, the bed frame creaking slightly. "Lupin."

Remus jumped up and stumbled on his right foot--which had inconveniently decided to continue sleeping though his mind was now awake. "Severus, are you alright?"

When he finally made it into the room, he gasped and lunged forward. Snape was balled up on the bed, shivering violently and sweating profusely. All of the blankets were hauled up tight and tucked around him, but Snape was still shaking, facing the fire.

"I c-can't," Snape stopped, unable to articulate his problem as his teeth chattered and his fevered brain refused to work properly.

"It's alright," Remus said in a steady tone that belied his actual apprehension. The runes quickly appeared above Severus' bed and three of them were pulsing erratically. The fever had grown sharply, and with it, Snape's blood pressure and brain function were being affected.

"Hold on, Severus," Lupin soothed, running to the bathroom and quickly converting the stand-in shower to a claw-footed bathtub. He set it filling with cool water and returned to Snape. He tried to tug the blankets free, but Severus refused to let them go and tried to wrap in them again.

"Come on," Remus grunted, trying again unsuccessfully to dislodge them. He dropped to his knees so he was face to face with Severus and made the wizard look him in the eye. "You need to let go, I know you feel cold, but you have a very bad fever. I need to get you to the tub to offset it enough so that you can safely take a potion, alright?"

The potions master blinked at him, sweat trailing his face. Finally, he nodded once and his clenching hands let the blanket go.

"There we go," Remus helped him sit, peeling the blankets away and nearly lugging Snape toward the bathroom. Severus was soaked to the skin in sweat and shaking so badly he could barely walk.

Lupin shut off the tub and began to strip off Snape's night-shirt. The wizard slapped his hands away and stumbled back a step, glaring the best he could. Remus shook his head. "You need to get in the tub, Severus. At least take off your shirt, you're going to have to change anyway."

With a scowl--ruined by the chattering of his teeth--Severus unbuttoned his own shirt and dropped it to the floor. He stopped there and stared in defiance of Lupin, as though daring him to remove his pants. The werewolf nodded and motioned the tub with a little impatience. "Good enough."

Severus let out several uncomfortable moans as he sank into the cold water. He even tried to scramble out, but Lupin held him firmly there. "No, Severus, you need to stay here for a few minutes." The potions master struggled again and Remus tried his best to hold him there by his slippery shoulders. "Please."

Snape stopped struggling and huffed, "V-very well."

Remus helped him lower in and cradled Snape's head by holding the back of his neck, the skin there was burning hot. "Head too, Severus," he explained. Reluctantly, Snape dropped backward until tendrils of water began to trail into his eyes. Lupin nodded reassuringly to him and carefully scooped the water with his hand and poured it over forehead.

The werewolf's arm was soaked to the shoulder as he kept Snape aloft. The shivering had only gotten worse while he was immersed. Remus carded the wet hair out of Snape's face, fanning it out in the water and letting the heat held there dissipate. Severus shook his head and tried to get out but Remus held him there and waited for him to cease struggling and look at him. "It's alright, Severus," He said softly, still fanning the hair out. Snape shivered again and turned his face to the far wall.

Ten minutes later, Remus was satisfied enough to allow Severus up. He politely turned to the other room and retrieved a blanket, giving Snape a moment to himself as he struggled to keep his half-erect status hidden.

Lupin returned and lifted the blanket to Snape's shoulders. Severus tightened it and shivered in the warmth. Remus led him back to his bed where the sheets had been cleaned and straightened up with the help of some magic. Snape's wet pajama bottoms were treated to the same help and Severus was soon jammed into the blankets and tucked tightly into a cocoon of warmth.

"I've spelled the blankets to stay warm," Lupin explained as he smoothed them out. "Where would you keep something for a fever?"

Snape thought for a moment and spoke through the layers of blankets, "C-cabinet in the den. Second shelf."

"Stay there, I'll be right back," Lupin left and quickly scanned through the cabinet shelves. He came back with a small vial of amber liquid. Snape nodded that it was indeed the right one and struggled to sit up. "Stop, I'll bring it to you." Remus uncorked the bottle and levered Snape's head up and proffered the bottle. Snape quickly took the medication and burrowed into the blankets.

"Do you feel any better?" Lupin watched his face carefully.

"Marginally," Snape shivered, eyes tight and tired.

Remus checked the runes again and sighed slightly. The fever had indeed decreased from moderately dangerous, back to an annoying fever. He wanted to keep a close eye on it for the rest of the night. "You're fever has gone down slightly," he admitted, "but I wouldn't doubt if it returned before morning. Tell me immediately if you feel worse."

"Fine," Severus grumbled. He turned fitfully onto his side and tried to tug the blankets closer.

Lupin unfurled a small throw blanket from the back of the chair. He charmed it warm and tucked that too tightly around Snape's frame. Severus grunted in acknowledgement and closed his eyes.

Remus watched him quietly for a time and bent to brush a stray lock of hair from Snape's face. The potions master made no movement to show he had noticed but a small, sleepy voice mumbled from the pile of blankets. It sounded very tired and slightly cautious, "Lupin." Remus took it for a low grade warning.

The werewolf couldn't help it and brushed more of it away. One onyx eye opened and looked blearily at him. Lupin paused, hand still hovering over Snape's head. He smiled guiltily and said quietly, "Sorry, it's just so soft."

He waited for Severus to bite him--verbally or physically he wouldn't have been surprised at either--but Snape closed his eye again and gave a very quiet and controlled sigh into his pillow.

Lupin waited a moment longer, but Severus didn't do anything else and he sat down on the edge of the bed, still waiting to see if Snape was going to punch him in the jaw. Still nothing. Remus slowly began to comb through Severus' hair. He continued the soft movement for a while, watching Snape carefully for a reaction; then added a bit more force and dug his fingers deeper into his hair. A very slow flush started to wash up Snape's face--what little had been visible--and Lupin noted the hitch in his breath.

And so he continued, alternating between the soft pet and deeper tangles in the half-damp hair. Some time later, Severus shivered bodily and let out a small exhale of breath. Lupin looked slightly surprised and slowed his movement until eventually his hand just rested lightly atop Severus' head.

He stood slowly, looking down at Snape. The potions master's breath evened out and a minute later his soft snores came muffled through the blankets. Lupin checked the runes and nodded, quite happy to see that the fever was still dropping slowly, no doubt subtle work from the potion Snape had taken.

Remus sat in the chair beside Severus' fireplace and watched the potions master sleep. A question from his earlier conversation with Snape came to him and he smiled a little. Apparently it had been possible, and he did indeed find out.

---

He had been excused by Albus before Snape woke the next morning and had not seen the other wizard for nearly a week. Lupin was a little depressed at the thought that he had only alienated Snape from him more and sulked around Grimmauld place for the majority of the seven days.

That Saturday, many of the Order Members had been in and out of the meeting house to leave messages or receive them. Molly and Arthur Weasley had stayed, keeping Sirius from his hair. The animagus had been needling Remus all week about his mood, attributing it to Snape. Though not exactly false, Sirius had blamed Snape for his sourness, when it was really the other way around. Remus had no one to blame but himself. Of course, he didn't tell Sirius that.

That evening, Severus busted into the house with his usual flair of billowing robes and scowling face. Everyone gave him plenty of room, as usual, and fussed about him after he was out of earshot. Remus watched him walk though the place with carefully lidded eyes. Snape had glared at him just a second longer than everyone else.

Lupin felt even more like a pile of refuse than before.

Albus chirruped happily to them all as they gathered into the kitchen. Remus swallowed thickly as he sat down across from Snape, the wizard's black eyes pierced him. He tried to smile weakly at him but Severus had already looked away.

"I'm pleased to announce that after last weekend, Severus has been cleared by Lord Voldemort and is once again in his good graces." Sirius muttered something profane under his breath but most of them ignored him. "This means that our insider is once again willing and able to assist." Albus winked at Snape and popped a lemon sherbet into his mouth.

Not everyone was as cheered by the news as the Headmaster, but he didn't seem to notice.

The meeting went on for a time as others told about what they had discovered and what they believed was important. This of course started a shouting match between a few people as others scoffed. During the squabble, Remus looked up at Snape and froze for a second as Severus caught his gaze. Severus looked away first as a tea cup went whizzing by his head, and Lupin noticed for the first time the slight flush that had crawled up Snape's shirt collar.

Appeased that Snape didn't in fact hate him, but was probably just mortified about what had happened, Remus was able to stop pouting and actually participate in the meeting. Of course, Snape being mortified wasn't good either, but that could be dealt with easier than a whole fistful of hatred being thrown at his nose.

The meeting was broken up nearly an hour later and many got up to leave, Snape included. Remus panicked for a second and blurted, "Why don't you stay for supper, Severus?"

The whole kitchen stilled and watched in awe or horror as Snape seemed to consider. The dark wizard nodded stiffly, "Thank you, Lupin."

Those that were leaving quickly did so as Sirius' face filled with heat. Remus saw him open his mouth to make a smart remark but the wolf quickly grasped hold of him and hauled him from the room with echoing protests. "Ow, Moony, that hurts you know!"

"Please, please, just behave, Sirius. Just this once," Remus pleaded once they were alone in a nearby broom cupboard.

Sirius gaped at him, "Why should I? This is my house... and what ever possessed you to invite that git for supper!"

Lupin shook him by the collar and blushed a little, though Sirius didn't notice in the darkness. "I've gotten him something, and I've been meaning to give it to him but this is the first chance I've gotten to talk to him."

A very wounded Sirius shook off Remus' hold. "You bought him something?"

"Yes," Lupin said quietly.

"Snape? We are talking about the same person right? You've boughten Snape something?"

"Yes," Lupin repeated. Sirius took a deep breath in to let out a bellow but Remus clapped a hand over his mouth. "Just once, Sirius, please. Be civil, just civil until I've given it to him, then you can do what you'd like."

Sirius' eyebrows furrowed together and he licked the palm of Lupin's hand. Remus withdrew it in disgust and wiped it on his pants. "Fine, Moony, but if you decide to start playing nice with Snivellus don't expect me to play along in the future."

"Just once, that's all I'm asking," Remus promised.

With a sigh, Sirius nodded. "Fine," he said in a whine.

"Thanks, Padfoot," Lupin said, beaming. He left the cupboard and went to help Molly with the meal.

---

Supper was eaten in a rather suffocated silence as everyone eyed Snape with unease. Remus, however, tried his best to overcome it by speaking to everyone at least once. The fact that whoever he spoke to only answered in a series of grunts or one word answers didn't help matters.

By the time the meal was done, Snape, Lupin and Sirius had remained sitting while everyone save Molly had gone running out. The Weasley matriarch was currently clearing away the dishes and humming to herself.

Remus shot Sirius an irritated look, knowing that the animagus was only staying to see what Remus had gotten for Snape. Snape looked between the two of them with growing irritation.

Finally, Severus stood with a flourish, "Thank you for the meal, Molly, it was delicious."

Mrs. Weasley paused in her humming and smiled, "Thank you, Severus, you're the only one who ever sounds truly serious when they say so."

A slight smirk curled Snape's lip and he turned to the entry. Lupin lept from the table, ignoring the curious and slightly betrayed look on Sirius' face.

"Severus," he called, willing himself not to blush as he drew the present from the pocket of his robe.

Snape paused and looked at him with one raised brow. "Lupin."

"I, uh, I got you something." Remus' gaze flicked about the room, landing on Sirius, the cluttered table, Snape's waiting face, Molly's back... He shoved the present toward Snape and smiled waveringly as Severus took it.

"What is this for?" Severus asked quietly, face as stone and tone mild.

"Just, nothing really, I saw it and thought you might like it," Lupin mumbled, mentally kicking himself. How stupid was he to think Snape wasn't going to be suspicious? The wizard would probably laugh at him, tell him he was an idiotic mutt and leave laughing.

With one eyebrow raised, Snape cautiously removed the lid to the small box as though it would explode. The eyebrow then settled where it belonged as he retrieved an ornately carved, ivory hairbrush from within.

Sirius burst out laughing and banged his fist and forehead onto the tabletop.

Snape and Lupin looked at him, then at each other. Remus swallowed thickly and motioned to it. "I, thought, perhaps--"

"I don't believe you do think," Severus said, replacing the brush to the box and closing it. Lupin felt his stomach knot painfully and nodded his head. He was an idiot.

Sirius was making too much noise to hear them, too busy laughing uproariously and falling from his chair to the floor to notice.

"I, erm, I'll just return it then, shall I?" Remus asked in a small voice while staring at Snape's shoulder, unable to look him in the face.

"That won't be necessary," Severus said quietly. He tucked the box under his elbow and buttoned his robe closed.

Lupin's gaze snapped up in surprise and a very small smirk lifted one corner of Snape's lips. "Oh, good," he breathed out.

"There's another meeting scheduled tomorrow evening, I believe it may be prudent for you to wait in my rooms." Snape slowly raised one eyebrow, his gaze probing, questioning.

"Of course," Remus said with a slowly dawning grin.

"Until tomorrow evening," Severus nodded and disappeared into the hall. The front door shut with a bang moments later.

Remus returned to the table and sat down with the same grin on his face. Sirius was finally picking himself up from the floor, wiping tears from his face.

"Gods, Moony, you should have told me it was a hairbrush," Sirius burst into giggle and struggled to control himself. He slapped Lupin heartily on the back, "That was priceless. You should have told me it was a gag gift! A hairbrush hiccup for SNAPE!"

Sirius burst again, banging his fists on the table and rattling the dishes. Remus grinned, still in a slight daze, "Right, a gag gift."

"Oh, Remus," Sirius let out a long sigh and wiped his eyes again. "Whatever you do to Snape next time, let me in on it so I can join in."

Lupin almost lost his composure at the image that brought to mind. He looked over at Sirius who was waiting expectantly for an answer, "Sure, Padfoot."

Sirius grinned and got up from the table. "Good, can't wait."

Remus watched Sirius leave the room and shook his head. "That might take more than a hairbrush for Severus to agree to." Lupin laughed and dropped his head to the table. He began to wonder just what it would take...