A/N: Warnings, all that stuff, check chapter 1

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After a few hours of fitful sleep, Harry decided to get up and go to the living room. He grabbed his old CD from his trunk and went over to the stereo. He set the battered case on the shelf and pulled out the new copy of the same album. He then carefully placed the new CD into the stereo, grabbed the remote, and sat on the couch. He selected only the speakers in the living room and pressed play, letting the music surround him.

He felt tears begin to roll down his cheeks, but he let them flow freely, as his solitary good memory from his childhood swirled in his head. After a moment, he threw his battered CD into the fire.

He was so engrossed in himself, Harry never noticed Severus enter the living room and join him on the sofa.

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Severus felt Harry leave the bed at some point during the night. He stayed in bed, to give Harry a few moments to himself.

Severus then heard familiar music filling the living room and smiled. He had impressed his young lover with the copy of the soundtrack he had given him.

After rolling on to his side, Severus noticed that the worn CD on Harry's trunk was missing. He frowned, then got out of bed. He threw his dressing gown on to fight the slight chill in the air, and he quietly padded out into the living room.

As Severus approached the sofa, he heard quiet crying. He quickly moved to sit next to Harry, alarmed.

"Harry, what's the matter?" he asked, looking at his lover.

"N-nothing, Sev," Harry answered, trying to force a smile. "I'm alright."

"Please don't lie to me, Harry," Severus said, his eyes showing a small amount of hurt.

Harry turned away from Severus, his quiet crying slowly turning to sobs.

"Harry," Severus said, pulling his young lover into his arms. "Perhaps if you can't tell me, you could show me?"

Harry nodded, raising his head to look into Severus' eyes, so the older man could see the memory.

Severus silently cast the spell and felt himself fall into Harry's memory.

***MEMORY START***

A young Harry was sitting in his room, staring at the wall. He knew his uncle and cousin would be leaving soon for their annual father-son weekend, leaving Harry alone with his aunt.

Harry always looked forward to the weekend Dudley and Vernon were away. Aunt Petunia was always much nicer.

The front door slammed, and Harry waited for the car doors to follow. Once he heard the car engine, his face lit up.

"Harry, they've left," Petunia called up the stairs.

Harry grinned as he bounded down the stairs and into his aunt's arms.

"What are we going to do this weekend?" Harry asked, excitedly.

"Well, we're going to watch some of my movies, and maybe we'll go out so I can buy you a special present," Aunt Petunia said, smiling.

Harry's face lit up as she said that. His aunt was a completely different person when his uncle and cousin were gone.

They spent the afternoon in the living room, watching movie after movie. Harry was particularly entranced by the Rocky Horror Picture Show, with all the dancing, singing, and weird costumes.

"What was that?" Harry asked, turning to his aunt.

"That was a musical about an alien who came to Earth on a mission, but he failed at it," Petunia said, smiling. She already had an idea of what she would be buying Harry when they went out the next day.

"It was weird," Harry said, "but I like it."

"I like it, too," she said, smiling. "But Uncle Vernon doesn't. That's why I get to share it with you."

Harry grinned broadly and hugged his aunt tightly.

***MEMORY END***

Severus felt himself steady on the sofa, understanding his misstep.

Harry wiped his face, a fresh wave of tears threatening to spill. Severus now knew why he was so reluctant about giving himself over to loving someone, though he knew he had made great strides with the older man's help.

"The next summer, Uncle Vernon forced her to go with them, and they left me at Mrs. Figg's," Harry said, quietly. "And when they got back, she was just like them. All I saw in her eyes was contempt.

"I cherished that CD, hence why it was so beaten up. It was all I had from when I actually had a living family member that cared about me."

Severus felt his face heat with shame. He had never thought about why Harry had that beaten up album.

"I'm sorry," he whispered, as a tear rolled down his cheek. "I'm so sorry, Harry."

"What's wrong, Sev?" Harry asked, slightly alarmed by the quaking in his lover's voice.

"I never thought to ask you about why that album meant so much to you," Severus said. "I just thought that you really liked the movie, so I bought you a new copy."

"Sev, look at me," Harry said, gently turning Severus' head to look into his lover's eyes. "It means more to me that you got me a new copy of that album. I can finally let go of my aunt. I have you, my friends, and the Weasleys. I've found the family I've always wanted."

Severus half sobbed as he pulled Harry into his arms, holding him close. He felt Harry's arms slide around him, causing him to cry more.

After a while, Severus stood, picking Harry up bridal style. He went into the bedroom and gently laid Harry onto his side of their bed. He then laid on his own side, his mind full of Harry's memory and the ensuing conversation. He never noticed Harry rolling on to his side to look at him.

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Harry felt Severus get into bed and a stillness fell over them. He moved to lie on his side so he could face the older man. All Harry could see was a face filled with pain.

He slowly moved himself so that he could place kisses on Severus' forehead, eyelids, nose, and cheekbones, before settling on his lover's lips, trying to convey the depth of emotion he felt for the older man.

After a moment, Harry pulled away, frowning at the pain filled expression on Severus' face.

"Sev, what's wrong?" Harry asked, ghosting a hand over his lover's body.

"I took your one good memory of Petunia and ruined it," Severus whispered.

Harry sighed as he watched Severus try to shrink into himself in shame. Carefully, Harry pulled Severus so that he was crouched over him, looking at his lover.

"Do you know what I did with the album Petunia bought me?" he asked, earning a small shake of Severus' head. "I threw it into the fire. My 'family' treated me like I was scum on the bottom of their shoes for 17 years. I never deserved that treatment from the people who were supposed to love and nurture me.

"As of right now, I don't even consider those people my family. I'm going to focus firmly upon my friends, the Weasleys, and, most importantly, my thoughtful, attractive lover."

Harry then settled in next to Severus, who wrapped an arm around the thin shoulders. Harry smiled as he lay next to Severus with his head on his shoulder and a protective arm over the older man.

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A/N 2: And there we have it. Harry's finally let go of the crap his "family" gave him.

Will our boys stay together in the face of this?

And, so you all know, I'm hoping to have the next THREE chapters up by (or shortly after) Christmas, as it's another three part series. (Hopefully I can make myself get them typed up...)

Review if you can.

Much love

-freake