" Dad!" Harry ran to his fathers aid.

The giant snake bite was apparent on his neck, the piercings so deep it was clear it hit an artery.

Harry tried to stop the bleeding, taking his jacket off and pressing down on his neck.

" harry stop." Severus brought his hand up to clutch harry's.

" no no. you cant die. Not like this." Harry had tears rolling down his face as his hands shook in fear.

" harry its ok. Make sure your father is safe....make sure lily's safe. Go to them they need you more."

" no! I cant let you die!" Harry yelled.

The bleeding wasnt stopping and harry muttered as many healing spells as he could, hoping his wandless magic would work.

" harry." Severus' deep voice croaked.

" harry, harry-"

" HARRY!"

Harry awoke with a start, beads of sweat falling off his forehead and his blanket thrown on the floor.

He ran his hand down his face, standing up shakily to open the door that someone was pounding on.

He stumbled to the entrance, finally opening it and seeing severus on the other side.

" finally you opene- hey. Are you ok?" The annoyance in his voice was replaced with worry.

Harry rubbed his forehead and nodded.

" yeah im fine. Just a nightmare." Harry cleared his throat.

Severus snorted with a teasing smile on his face.

" you still get those? You're like 20." He teased.

Harry rolled his eyes and shook his head.

" it was a bad one ok! Now what is it?"

Severus let a chuckle through his nose and shifted.

" you missed breakfast. You weren't coming so i got worried. We're gonna be late for class." Severus explained.

Harry nodded and closed his eyes.

" uh im not feeling well so i dont think ill be joining you today."

Severus nodded, worry still on his face.

" you want me to stay with you?"

" what? No no. Im an adult im fine. If i dont feel better ill go to the infirmary." Harry waved his offer off.

" uh ok then. Ill see you later then yeah?" Severus said.

Harry nodded and waited for severus to say goodbye. He walked away after waving at him and Harry slowly closed the door, resting his forehead against the wood.

" fuck."

————————————————————-

" hey where is harry?" Lily asked severus.

" he isnt feeling well so hes staying in today."

" is he ok?"

" yeah i think hes fine. Ill check in on him after class."

" wait dont you have detention?"

" i have like an hour to kill before then. It'll be fine, i just gotta make sure he doesnt die you know?"

Lily hummed a response and departed, making her way down to the dungeons for potions while severus went to transfiguration.

It was a shame Lily didn't have that class, because another set of gryffindors did. And severus wasnt looking forward to it all that much.

He pushed open the transfigurations classroom door. He wasnt too bad at this class but then again he didn't really excel at it either. He was just on good terms with Mcgonagal.

For the marauders however, this was their stomping ground.

There were two things Potter was damn good at. Transfigurations and quidditch, both of which pleased Mcgonagal to no end.

" Snape!" Someone called.

He looked to his side and saw that potter was calling out to him from a table, an empty seat next to him.

He sighed and was about to see what he wanted when his arm was pulled back and he stumbled backwards.

" oh no you dont. You're sitting with me and you're giving me some explanations." Andromeda blacks voice rang.

Severus closed his eyes. He was really regretting going to class today.

" fine. What do you want?" He rolled his eyes and walked to her table, Bellatrix and narcissa in the front of them.

James lowered his hand and exhaled in disappointment.

He stared at Snape talking to the Black sisters, Bellatrix's loud cackle being heard from all the way across the room.

Andromeda was laughing and narcissa was blushing profusely. He must be talking about something interesting.

" oi stop looking at Snape. You're burrowing holes into my cousin's heads with how much your staring." Sirius slid into the seat next to him and snapped his fingers.

James looked at him and rolled his eyes.

" just a little disappointed is all." James drummed his fingers against the desk.

" hey but he was heading towards here. If only my vulture cousins didn't steal him away he would've probably been sitting here." Sirius was trying to make james feel better.

It was working.

He smirked and waved it off, taking out a piece of parchment and beginning to take notes on whatever Mcgonagal was talking about.

Today was relatively quiet. They didn't actually transfigure something as they had a huge project coming up and this was a lesson on it.

Every now and then james would glance back at severus, sometimes catching his eye and turning around in embarrassment.

" dude, your redder than a tomato. You good?" Sirius leaned in and whispered.

James nodded and hid his face behind his hand, looking down and scratching the notes on the board messily.

As per usual the class was easy. The marauders had no trouble with this class, unlike potions or pretty much any other class. Well all the marauders except remus who never had anything less than perfect.

The class was long and boring, McGonagall droning on for what felt like hours when really it was barely 1.

At the end of the class everyone was glad to leave.

James had an off period next and ran out of the room to catch up with severus.

" hey Snape!" James yelled, latching his hand onto severus' elbow.

For the second time that hour severus was pulled back suddenly by his arm, stumbling back and his back hitting james chest.

He yanked his arm away and dusted off his robes.

" what is it potter?"

" uh what are you doing after school today?"

" what? Why?" Severus asked with an eyebrow raised.

" um i just wanted to see if you would go to hosmeade with me." James said nervously.

Behind him sirius and remus were hiding behind the door, watching the scene unfold.

" have you forgotten we have detention tonight potter?" Severus sighed.

James wanted to face palm.

" right. Sorry."

" its fine. Ill be seeing you tonight anyway i guess." Severus turned around.

Before james could say another word severus was already walking away, robes swishing behind him.

" oh Mr. Potter good you didn't leave yet. Could you tell Mr. Snape to come right after classes end. You too Mr.Potter." Mcgonagal walked over to him and asked.

" uh sure professor."

" excellent. See you tonight potter." Mcgonagal pat his shoulder and let him go, returning back to her classroom.

Wonder why they needed them early.

————————————————————-

" you need us to go to hosmeade?" Severus asked the professor and headmaster.

" yes. It will count as your detention today."

" um why?"

The headmaster and Mcgonagal shared a look, mcgonagal sighing and turning to the two boys with her chin raised

" normally this wouldn't really count as punishment but we need to get a few things for some of the professors here. Professor Slughorn needs new potions ingredients and i trust Mr. Snape would be of good use."

" isnt this supposed to be detention? When did we become your errand boys?" James complained.

" well if you dont want to you are welcome to clean the potions roo-"

" no no! Its fine. We'll go." Severus cut off.

Mcgonagal smiled in satisfaction and handed them both a small bag of galleons.

" that should be enough. Here is a list of things i need each of you to get. Potter i trust you'll be on your best behavior?" Mcgonagal said with her eyebows raised.

" what? Why am i the only one-"

" potter." Mcgonagal said sternly.

James bit the inside of his cheek and begrudgingly nodded.

" yes Ma'am." He said dejected.

Severus pursed his lips not to laugh and looked down at his shoes.

" Well then. You have your tasks. You may go. You have until curfew. " Dumbledore said softly and waved them goodbye.

The two boys nodded, running off with their respective lists and bags.

When they finally descended the spiral stairs, james immediately started walking to the entrance.

" uh Potter i have to go somewhere real quick. How about we meet up at the entrance in an hour yeah?"

" an hour?"

" we have until 10 pm. Its only 4 im sure we'll have enough time." Severus reassured.

James huffed and nodded.

" sure. Ill meet you then. Say hi to harry for me. I assume thats where you're going."

" quite the detective arent you? Will do." Severus teased and walked away, a small smile on his face.

James stood where he was, watching severus walk away down the hall.

His hands nervously turned to fists, biting his bottom lip and sighing.

" next time." He promised himself. Next time he'll actually ask him out.

————————————————————

" harry?" Severus knocked on the door and pushed it open.

" oh hey Doe."

" ok we've got to talk about the name its annoying me." Severus gestured with his hand.

Harry laughed and looked back down to where he was writing in a notebook.

" you're looking better."

" yeah. I just had a rough morning. Im good now. dont you have detention tonight?" Harry said smugly.

Severus gave him a pointed look and raised an eyebrow.

" you're trying to patronize me arent you?"

" just a little." Harry made a pinching motion.

Severus rolled his eyes and sat down on the couch next to him.

" i have to go into hogsmeade. Running a few errands for the teachers as detention."

" oof. Thats sad."

" it kinda is. But james will be there so hopefully it wont be a complete bust." Severus shrugged.

Harry raised an eyebrow at him and smiled.

" james?"

" yeah why?"

" didn't know you called him 'james'." Harry teased.

"I- hey!" Severus hit his forearm lightly. Harry laughed and shook his head, standing up and walking out the door.

" wha- where are you going?!" Severus yelled, standing up to follow him.

" im not letting you go meet up with your future husband in school robes. Come on, im gonna dig your closet." Harry walked in the direction of severus' dorms.

" i swear to merlin you'll be the death of me kid."

" kid? Really? Again?"

" yeah its growing on me. Keep walking."

————————————————————

James decided to change. No matter how much he tried to convince himself he didn't need to, he couldn't not.

He swayed side to side, hands in his pockets as he looked around.

" well. Lets get this over with."

James spun around and almost froze.

Severus looked....different.

He was wearing ripped jeans, an oversized t shirt and sneakers.

" yeah yeah i know. Harry dressed me." Severus waved it off.

" wait. Where did you get all the rings?" James held onto his wrist and brought up his arm.

Severus looked down at it and shrugged.

" they're Harry's." Severus brought his wrist down.

Severus never wore anything on his hands ever, always said it bothered him while brewing.

So the fact he was wearing not only 1 but like 6 was confusing him.

" ok lets go." Severus clapped his hands and opened the front door.

James nodded and cleared his throat, walking out with him.

Ok james. Lets try not to make a fool out of yourself.