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James was glad it was both Saturday and that the Christmas break was starting. There was nobody else in the hospital wing. Nobody to witness him playing nurse to Snivellus. Not even Snivellus himself. The git remained unconscious since the full moon on Thursday. But hey, at least he was alive and not bitten, and more or less in one piece. Ironically, the only injury he sustained by the whole ordeal was a nasty bump on his head when Prongs got between him and Moony, and he got thrown rather forcefully to the ground. Hey, it beats getting mauled by a werewolf. Sniv should be grateful. He even carried the unconscious git all the way back to Hogwarts too! Not that it was a hardship, he was a slip of a boy. Bet there were training quaffles heavier than him.
But he had yet to wake up, and Madam Pomfrey made him watch over him because she was busy. Busy doing what, considering they were the only living souls in the hospital wing. Not even Remus, who was released yesterday and kicked them all out of their dorm.
But couldn't Madam Pomfrey just wake him up? She just mumbled something about naturally waking up and making some potions for whatever she found with her diagnosis spells, before locking herself up in her office. Didn't they have old Sluggy for that? Lazy bastard.
Stupid Sirius. It's all his fault. Merlin knows James also doesn't like the greasy little git, but that doesn't mean he wants him dead. Especially if it means poor Remus would take the fall. He was going to have words with that stupid dog after this. Words! Like “bad boy!”, or something.
A small groan was heard. It echoed loudly in the otherwise empty hospital wing. James, whose chair was balancing on its back legs, almost fell down. Almost, because his Chaser reflexes were bloody good, thank you very much.
“Sev? You alive, mate?”, he cringed. In all the five years he had the displeasure of knowing Snivellus, he had never ever called him ‘Sev’.
“Lily?”
Right! That was Evans’ nickname for him. Right, Evans. If this little git tattles to her, she will kill them. He just hoped she would spare poor Moony. James decided to keep his mouth closed and pretend he never said a thing. He stared some more as Sniv groaned again and finally opened his eyes. Had they always been so big, his eyelashes so long? They made eye contact and time seemed to stop. Those black eyes looked like a doe’s. James didn't notice the blush that took over his whole face at that thought.
Oh, it's the first time James had seen those eyes without their owner narrowing them and glaring.
Ah, there's the glare. But it looked more like a squint. Is it the head trauma?
“Who are you?”
Oh fuck. It WAS the head trauma!
-
“Well, it seems like temporary selective amnesia.”
“What do you mean ‘seems’, Madam Pomfrey?”!
“There’s nothing else wrong with Mr. Snape–” James snorted and Madame Pomfrey glared. “Nothing that we couldn't cure with some potions or spells while he was unconscious. I'll just go get the Headmaster and Professor Slughorn. I know they both wanted to see the boy. Mr. Potter, stay here and keep him company.”
“What?! What for! He woke up and you said there's ‘nothing wrong’ with Sniv–” Madam Promfrey glared even harder. “With Snape! Why should I still play nurse!”
“Like I also mentioned, he has temporary selective amnesia, and since you are part of what he seems to have forgotten, then maybe your continuous presence will restart that dormant part of his memory.”
“Bet the nosy git would prefer it that way.”
Madam Pomfrey closed her eyes and took a big breath. “Be that as it may, I would prefer all my charges in as good condition as possible. And that includes a whole memory. Stay here. I'll be right back”
And with that, she threw some floo powder and asked both for Professor Dumbledore and old Sluggy.
-
“Oh, you are back.”
Damn, Snivellus really had the prettiest eyes when he wasn't trying to kill you with them. “Yep.”
“I'm sorry I forgot about you. Can– can you tell me your name?”
Why was he looking at James from under his long girly lashes? Why was he picking at the hangnails on his long fingers?
“It's James. James Potter that is.”
The picking of fingers continued. “James…”
Said James gripped one of those long fingered hands. Severus flinched. Severus?! Snivellus! James gulped. “S-stop picking at them. Look at it! You pulled it and now it's bleeding a bit”
“Sorry…” and then he started biting his dry lips until they turned rosy.
Dumbledore, Sluggy and Pomfrey chose that moment to get into the hospital wing, and James let go of Snivellus’ hand as if it burned him. James tried to ignore Dumbledore’s twinkling eyes.
-
The good news is that Snivellus forgot about The Incident. The Hairy Full Moon related incident. Yay for Remus! James might not even have to have words with Sirius!
The bad news is that he forgot everything else related to it. Including a quartet of handsome marauding young men. He forgot about James.
As if. James Fleamont Potter is unforgettable. Stupid Sniv. Sitting pretty, looking at their teachers. Wait. Pretty?
James squinted his eyes at the only other wizard in the hospital wing who was not ancient. His face did look less ugly when he wasn't sneering or spitting with rage. But he seemed tense looking at the adults, something he wasn't when it was just James and him. He evaded Professor Dumbledore's eyes and hid behind his slightly less greasy hair, which was being absently patted by Sluggy. Huh. Did Pomfrey wash his hair? It looked way less revolting than usual.
The boys made accidental eye contact, and James looked away. He felt himself starting to blush, and that won't do. It's just he was still not used to Sniv’s eyes looking at him like that.
“Well, we'll leave you two to sort this out.” James nodded at Dumbledore. “I'm sure Mr. Snape is in no better hands than both a peer and his personal saviour.”
James nodded again, then stopped. “Wait, what?!”
“Headmaster…”
“Come along, Madam Pomfrey. We'll discuss this more in my office.” Said woman looked mutinous for a second, but sighed and marched out. “You too, Horace.”
Old Sluggy gave Snivellus one last pat on his head and sighed too. “I'm sure you'll be fine, Mr. Snape. Your mind is a powerful thing.” And with that, he left too.
The boys looked at each other. And looked. And looked some more. James was the first to break eye contact. Too intense! “So…”
“Thank you for saving my life... James.” This was told quietly, and James experienced a full-body shudder.
“N-no! Don't mention it! Really don't! It's what anyone will do!”
“But ‘anyone’ didn't save me. You did.” Snape licked his dry lips, and James couldn't look away. “I know I'm not very popular, so I'm not even sure what you say is true. So thank you.”
“Riiiight. Look Sniv-Sev-Snape! I know you feel you should be grateful, even if you don't know why, because Professor Dumbledore didn't specify, and you clearly don't remember. But if you did, you would know you don't need to thank me.”
There, that was as vague as James could put it without getting the cat out of the bag. If Snape remembers, he would curse them inside out, especially James, because he was forced to thank him. Petty little git.
“Oh, we call each other by our last names? It's just that you called me ‘Sev’. I thought we were…Shall I call you Potter then?”
“Ah, no.” He cleared his throat. “You may call me James.” He looked around the empty hospital wing until he settled back to look at Snape's eyes. “It’s just that we… what we are to each other is kinda secret, what with house rivalry and stuff.”
“But Lily and I--”
“Ah, but you have known Evans for ages, right? You were sitting together in the Hogwarts Express! Our… thing is more… new? Newer! We are getting used to calling each other by our given names, S-Severus.”
“Ah. That's fine then… James.”
The smile on Severus’ face was one he rarely saw. It wasn't an evil smirk, or a self-sufficient leer, it wasn't even the stupid simper he had on his face when he talked with Evans. This little crooked smile was, should he say it, ‘cute’. In fact, the last time he saw it was in their third year. The last year Lucius Malfoy was in Hogwarts before graduating.
“Yes. That's me. James.”
Severus snickered, his scrunched nose and crooked teeth also looking… cute. Yeah, James should also ask Madam Pomfrey to examine his head. Maybe he also had a concussion and didn't remember. Memory loss and all that!
“I wonder why I forgot you. Was it so traumatic? I only know I was in mortal danger and you saved me like some sort of knight in shining armor. And now I owe you a… life debt.”
Severus’ voice got quieter the more he talked, and by the end of his little speech, it was a whisper. The picking of hangnails resumed.
James grabbed his hand one more time. “Stop that. I told you, don't mention it. As far as I am aware, you don't owe me anything. We are… what we are doesn't need thanks between us.”
“Really?” His black eyes found James again. “Are we that important to each other?” This was again a whisper.
“Y-YES! I'm sure nobody at Hogwarts can deny that what we are to each other is very… intense… even if they don't know exactly what it is. Yep.” James pressed the other boy’s hand between his own once and then released it.
“Intense.” Severus’ cute crooked smile returned, and in turn grabbed one of James’ hands back. “Are you sure?”
“You don't believe me? Come on! Considering what we are, it wasn't exactly selfless, right? I mean, who wouldn't save the life of… of someone important to them.” James cleared his throat. “It's not like we are totally strangers or we hate each other, right?”
“If you are sure.” But Severus evaded his eyes like he did Dumbledore's. James didn't like that. So he caught Severus's chin with his other hand and, looking into his black eyes, said.
“I, James Fleamont Potter, hereby declare that Severus–”
What was his middle name?
“Tobias.” Tobias? Cute.
“That Severus Tobias Snape owes me no life debt. That saving his life was no selfless act, but done in order to save the life of a precious one.”
There, it wasn't even a lie. Poor Remus. Besides, it's not like James' own life was ever in danger. But what Severus doesn't know won't hurt him. And if he never remembers, then they could start over anew. Maybe even Evans will accept a date, seeing how mature he is. Maybe Severus can even come with them. Yes!
Severus’ smile returned, even bigger. But then, he suddenly yawned. James yawned back.
"Sorry.”
“Right, it's late, and you still need to recuperate. Maybe I can come back tomorrow with our friends.”
“Our friends…” Severus frowned. James cringed.
“I mean my friends… I don't know if your friends stayed here for Christmas. I'll have to check.”
James didn't know what he was going to tell the rest, but he was sure he could get through his friend's thick skulls to not spill the beans. It's for all their benefit. As for Evans, yesterday he saw her walk to the gates with all the others. She looked both worried and angry that Severus didn't walk her to the gates. James will think of something to say to her when she gets back. He was just glad no other Slytherins from their year stayed.
“Anyway, good night… Severus.” He gave him his most winning smile.
“Good night, James.”
One cute crooked smile and intense eye contact later, James left Severus to rest in the hospital wing.
He didn't see Snape's smile turn into a self-sufficient sneer.