Title: Postponing Detention

Summary: Harry has to attend a detention, but with the way he feels, all he wants to do is return to bed.

Disclaimer: Sadly I own nothing but this fic's idea.

Harry swiped at his nose with a crumpled tissue and placed it back in his pocket as he knocked on Professor Snape's office door. Of all the days to end up with a detention, it had to be today. He had tried his best on his potion in class earlier, but this cold he came down with didn't help matters. And now, as the day went on, he began to feel worse. All he wanted to do right now was go back to sleep.

After being given permission to enter, Harry walked in, closed the door and stood just inside. He cleared his throat. "Professor Snape, would it be possible to postpone my detention for a few days? I'm not feeling all that well." He wasn't sure why he even bothered asking. Knowing the professor he would probably laugh at him and of course say no. The man never postponed a detention.

Snape sneered at Harry. "Nice excuse Potter. Too bad I do not care," he responded icily. "For the first half hour of your detention you will be writing lines. You will then rebrew the potion you failed to brew correctly in class. There is parchment and a quill for your use." Snape pointed to the side of the room. "Get to work."

Harry looked at the desk and walked over to it. He really wanted to go back to his bed. Instead he sat down and looked up to Snape's desk. The professor had his head bent over his desk with a quill in hand. No doubt marking up someone's homework.

He picked up the provided quill and began writing his lines. After completed about ten, he dropped the quill, quickly scrambled for the tissue from his pocket and turned to the side. "h'tchoo! Heh choo!"

"I want no noise from you Potter," Snape spat.

Harry glared at the professor and with tissue in one hand, picked up the quill and continued with his lines.

Fifteen minutes later his hand began to cramp up from writing. He set down the quill and began to rub his palm to loosen the muscles. Feeling a tingling growing in his sinuses Harry scrubbed at his nose. He did not want to sneeze again. Unfortunately he wasn't able to stave it off. He brought the tissue to his face and squeezed his nose tightly wanting to stifle the oncoming sneezing. "H'ngxxt! Ngxxt!" He winced at the pain the sneezes caused. Stifling them hurt like hell but at least the professor wasn't yelling at him to keep quiet.

Harry wiped at his nose then continued with his lines, trying not to sniffle but not being able to help it.

"Give me your lines Potter." Snape's voice cut through the quiet of the office a few minutes later, causing Harry to jump.

Standing up, Harry grabbed his pieces of parchment and headed to Snape's desk. Halfway there he stopped and brought his hands to his face. "Ngxxt! Heh-ngxxt!" He released his pinched nose and stood up straight. He looked to Snape's desk and saw that the man was glaring at him.

"You can pretend all you want Potter, but you cannot fool me in to believing you are ill and need to have your detention postponed." He glowered at Harry then held out his hand. "Give me your lines and begin working on the potion. Everything you need is on the lab table."

Harry went to hand the parchment to Snape when the professor snatched it out of his hand. Harry stood there glaring at the professor. "Yes sir," he replied, his voice sounding congested.

Snape raised his eyes. "What are you waiting for? Get moving."

Giving a huff, Harry went to the lab table. He read through the instructions then opened a vial of flobberworm intestines. He dumped two out and was about to dice them when his whole world began to tilt. He quickly sat down and put his head in his hands, waiting for the room to stop spinning.

When everything returned to normal, Harry stood up and began dicing. He added the intestines and gave the potion its requisite counter clockwise half stir. He then looked at his watch waiting for twenty seconds to pass so he could stir the potion three clockwise and one counter clockwise stirs.

As he watched the second hand, he felt a sneeze coming on. He couldn't afford to sneeze and ruin the potion. Who knew what the professor would do. He held his breath hoping that would hold it off. With five seconds to go and the sneeze increasing in its intensity, Harry pinched his nose closed and held the stirrer over the cauldron. At twenty seconds he performed the required stirring, his eyes watering and his nose tickling him like mad. After the required stirs, he quickly put down the stirrer and turned away from the cauldron. "H'ngxxt…ngxxt…h'ngtchoo!" He reached into his pocket, pulled out a tissue and blew his nose. He was beginning to feel a lot worse.

Knowing he wouldn't be able to leave until he finished the potion, Harry turned his attention back to the instructions with a glance at the professor first; Snape was looking at him with an unreadable expression. He did his best to ignore his aching head, stuffy nose and shivering as he read through the instructions.

While waiting for the potion to come to a full boil, Harry turned away from the cauldron once again. "h'tcchoo…heh-tchoo!" The sneezes were unfortunately too strong for him to stiffle anymore. Needing to blow his nose, he reached into his pocket. It was then that he realized he only had the one tissue on him and it was of no use to him now.

In dire need of some dry tissues, Harry glanced up at Snape and swallowed. He gave a few congested coughs then cleared his throat. "Professor. Professor Snape."

Snape looked up from his desk. "Didn't I tell you to keep quiet?"

"I just wanted…" He stopped abruptly, turned to the side and cupped his hands over his face. "heh-IHchoo! H'cchhoo!" He faced the professor. "I just wanted to know if you have any tissues."

"Pay attention to your potion Potter."

"But sir, I…"

"NOW!" Snape bellowed.

Harry turned his attention back to his potion and gave a liquid sniff. Desperately needing to wipe his nose, he raised his arm and was about to use his sleeve when he spotted a box of tissues floating toward him. Grateful, Harry grabbed two and blew his nose. He repeated the process two more times.

His potion began boiling three minutes later. He waited until the potion turned a light grey and added four drops of seaweed extract.

Beginning to feel weaker, Harry sat down to finish up the potion. Too bad he was less than halfway done with the brewing. As he started with the next step, his nose began to bother him again. He tried to ignore it but the feeling became too intense. "hehITCCH…h'CHUH." He blew his nose and groaned at the pressure in his head.

He sat and watched his potion wishing he brought a jacket. He was freezing. He rubbed his hands together to try and get warm, then crossed them in front of his chest. He was shivering like crazy. Needing to sneeze again, but having no time to grab any tissues, Harry cupped his hands over his nose and mouth and did his best to turn away from the cauldron. "H'gnnxxt! Heh-TCCHoo!"

As he opened his eyes, he saw a vial float towards him. When it landed he looked at the label. Pepper-up. Before he could even formulate a question, Snape began speaking.

"I'm tired of listening to you snivel and sneeze. Drink the entire vial and get out of my sight until Tuesday evening at 6:30."

Harry stared at the glaring man for a few seconds then downed the vial's contents. He grabbed a few tissues, feeling more sneezes might be on the way, and dashed out of the office but not before giving a very quiet thanks to the professor.

The minute the door was closed, Harry brought the tissues to his face as the sneezes struck. "hehICHHO! H'ktchoo!" He blew his nose and walked as quickly as he could to Gryffindor tower, already dreaming of his warm comfortable bed. He didn't know what changed Snape's mind about postponing his detention, but for once in his life, he was thankful for Snape's decision.

The End.