Title: Truth
Author: BeckyHoadley@hotmail.com
Rating: PG
Category: Fluff? General?
Summary:. Harry faces some hard truths about his world, and turns to a not so surprising source for answers.
Disclaimer:Oh screw it. These have no legal standing what so ever.


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“What do you need, Potter?” Snape asked when the boy lingered after class. The hostility between them had cooled, when Harry had realized he was not evil incarnate, but the boy had never sought him out.

“Are you gay?”

Snape chocked on his own saliva, coughing and sputtering while he attempted to regain his composure. Harry waited patiently, looking mildly concerned as he turned several shades of red. Finally he got a clear breath and managed, “What on earth are you blathering on about?”

“Gay. Homosexual. Interested in members of the same gender?”

“I understand the term, What I would like to know,” Snape started quietly enough before bellowing, “Is why the blazes you’re asking me about my sex life?!’

Potter shrugged slightly, looking not in the least repentant.

”Have you extended this interest in the personal lives of the staff to others, or am I privileged?”

“I really don’t want to know what Dumbledore and McGonnogal are doing...” Harry said with a grin, “So I guess you’re privileged. So are you?”

”Yes Potter, I’m as queer as a three bit bob. What do you want? Or were you just satisfying your curiosity?”

Harry’s eyes narrowed, as though trying to decide if he was being sarcastic. Well of course he was being sarcastic but he was also being honest. If for nothing else but to get the boy out of here sooner.


His hopes of a brief encounter fled when he slumped down into a front row desk. Dammit, He didn’t want to deal with this now. He was tired. Death-Eater meetings, Reporting to Dumbledore, Order meetings, Teaching, Grading, Exams, and a house full of his own students caught between death and despair. With a groan he shoved a hand through his hair. Wiping the residue of flame retardant lotion surreptitiously on his robe he glared at the Gryffindor.

“I’m scared.”

”Well if that’s all... You’re what?” Snape asked incredulously. Potter never admitted fear.

“I was talking to Ron and Hermione,”

“Oh, that’s surprising.”

”I was talking to Ron and Hermione,” Harry repeated stubbornly, “and Hermione mentioned that she thought you might be homosexual.”

”Lovely. I’m glad I’ve provided interesting speculation.”

Harry wasn’t deterred, “and Ron freaked. I thought the wizarding world was supposed to be more tolerant, more accepting. Enlightened or something... but the things he was saying,” Harry shuddered. “Muggles can be bad enough about it, but that’s not too bad, really. Odd nasty remarks and all, but my God, Ron...”

Snape looked at him intently for a moment. Clearly he wasn’t going to get away with blowing this off or snarking his way through this conversation.

Harry continued after a moment, “It was like no matter what else you do, or are, if you’re gay you’re evil. I mean, believe me Snape, we have things about you he could bitch about if he wanted and I wouldn’t mind. You’re sarcastic and mean and I don't’ want to even think about the things you’ve done.”

”Thank you,” Snape said drily.

”But your sex life? What the hell does it matter who anyone’s having sex with as long as it’s consensual.?”

“It doesn’t,” Snape said after a pause, “but the idea that the wizarding world is enlightened-- we are at least two hundred ideas behind the muggles in social values. Add to that the importance of bloodlines... it’s understandable that sexual activity with no hope of procreation is not well received.”

”Understandable...” the seventh year echoed, “understandable? I don’t understand you. How you can tolerate that? What your life has to be like.... the way people treat you.”

Snape sat back in his chair, propping his feet on his desk with the soft thump, “I am, who and what I am. I have never made apologies, for any part of my life, past or present. Now, would you care to tell me why you are suddenly so concerned with my reputation?”


Harry didn’t answer him. Instead he looked down at his hands, and Snape peered at him suscpiously.

“Are you homosexual, Potter?”

He didn’t get a response. “Turn about’s fair play. Explain to me what exactly you’re scared of.”

“Dammit Snape, I’m a freak in the muggle world already. I don’t need to be a freak in the wizarding world. I’m not doing this!”


“Not doing what? Not being gay?” He didn’t miss that Harry flinched at the use of the word. “How exactly do you propose to avoid that particular... inconvenience?”

”I don’t know. Maybe I’ll just ignore it and wait for it to go away.”

Snape snorted. He choked, and then chuckled softly. “You’ll ignore it and wait for it to go away... Potter you can not be that naive. It is simply not possible.”

Harry looked at him definitely, eyes wide and very green.

Snape let his feet fall to the floor and leaned forward, arms braced against the desk before saying fiercely, “You are what you are. You are who you are. You can deny it. You can avoid it. You can ignore it. It will never go away. If you have any hope of happiness in this life, make peace with yourself for gods sakes. Quit trying to shove yourself into the mold that Albus fucking Dumbledore and your precious Gryffindors have laid out for you. Find out who you are and never apologize for it!”

A/N: Well. That was odd. Still, it’s out of my head and in time for me to get some sleep. Yippee.
Review me please.