As they neared the Fat Lady's portrait, Snape slowed to a stop, turning to face Harry."It is late. Consider going straight to bed.""Yessir," Harry mumbled."And should you… have a change of heart and wish to unburden yourself at any point… you know where I am," the potions master said.Harry nodded, eyes trained to the floor. He heard Snape exhale – and he almost sounded defeated."Okay. In you go," he said, turning to leave."I–" Harry began, reaching out to grab his guardian's sleeve, but instead catching his hand.He froze.He had no idea what had possessed him to do it, and for a moment he just stood there wordlessly, staring at his hand, gripping the potions master's much bigger one.Snape took Harry's fingers in his own and gave them a squeeze."Sleep well, Harry," he said eventually, removing his hand from Harry's grip and turning to leave.He walked much slower than he had before though, and Harry noted that the man didn't disappear from the corridor until he had climbed through the portrait hole.The following day, when Harry returned from his classes, he found Hedwig at the window, a package nearly as big as her held in her beak.It was a brand new set of robes.
