"So," Draco asked gently giving the other man a cup of tea, "are you going to tell me what happened?"

Neville had calmed since last night. He had slept blissfully next to Draco in the king size bed, breathing in the sense of safety the blond always gave him (although the Dreamless Sleep potion Draco had slipped into his wine was a big plus as well) and woken well-rested and actually cheerful. The ghosts of the last days—weeks, months, years to be franc—were not away, but they were absent for the time.

But now they needed to talk and it wouldn't be easy. But it had to be done.

He looked at his... well, at Draco, took a deep breath and spoke. "It's silly, you'll laugh at me. I panicked. You know, anti-depressant potions are good but they don't always work. And even when they do, they just take the fear and anxiety away before it becomes panic and leads you to stupid things. They can't do anything about the causes of said fear or anxiety though, and that's why they come back every now and then unless you fix the causes and..." He realised he was rumbling. He closed his eyes, took a deep breath and opened them again. "Anyway, so, the causes are still there, hence the panic."

"All right... and how come you came to me?" Draco didn't mean it the way it sounded. But he meant for Neville to talk to him honestly. If his helplessness was deep enough for him to search out Draco, then this could lead to the worst possible scenario and Draco was afraid of that scenario. He couldn't loose Neville again. Not this time and not this way.

Neville, on the other hand, wasn't quite sure what that meant. Did Draco not want him? Was he mad for calling him? Did he want him to go? Oh Merlin, of course he did. They hadn't spoken for all those years, he was such a fool to...

"Nev!" Draco saw the reflection of the thoughts in Neville's face and cut them off. "I liked it when I got your owl. I was relieved, actually. I had missed you myself. I love you, you know. That can never change, no matter what."

Neville smiled sadly and then he chuckled. "You know me too well, Malfoy" he said semi-playfully. It was true. He then took another sip of his tea and answered the blond's question. "Because it can't change for me either. I love you too. You are the one, I know that." He sighed again. "Because it was either this —to come to you for help— or to Avada Kedavra myself", he shrugged, aware of the simplicity in which he voiced such a terrible thing, confirming the blond's worst fear.

Draco moved next to the brunette on the sofa. "I'm glad you opted for the first, Nev" and it was obvious from the look in his eyes that he meant it. He took Neville's hand into his own and asked again. "So, what is it that you want to do now?"

Neville locked his gaze with Draco's. It was now or never. He would either agree or disagree. In the first case everything would be OK, in the second he had a back-up plan. He was glad he wouldn't have to do it the muggle way though, he wasn't strong enough and he knew it.

"Draco, I know you love me and I love you too, but I don't want to force you into anything. Our love is granted. It's the practical aspect that matters now." He sighed again. Then he spat it out. "I finally accepted a truth I was trying to ignore for many years. But now, after all that has happened, I can't ignore it any longer.

"I can't go on like this any more, Draco. I can't do it on my own. I can't support myself, I can't face the world. I need someone to take care of me. Make me his special project. Take me in, support me, provide for me, care for me, love me. I know it sounds egotistical, and I suppose it is —"

"It's not—" Draco interrupted.

"— but it's what I need and I understand I shouldn't be asking that from you —"

"I'm glad you do —"

"but... I wish I didn't have to. I fought with guilt for years and I'm finally able to admit it: I need someone to take care of me, fullstop."

"That's good, love. I'm glad you admitted the truth to yourself and to me, I realise how much courage that needed. You are a true Griffindor after all" Draco chuckled, refering to the time when Dumbledore's phoenix brought Godric Griffindor's sword to the brunette, during the Battle of Hogwarts. "It's all right, Nev. I accept. I take all responsibility, I promise to love you and support you and take care of you and cherish you until my dying day. Bloody hell, I should have done it years ago, when I was released. It's my fault actually —"

"No, please Draco. No more 'it's my fault' talk. Just... just do it, OK?" Neville's eyes were begging and it was breaking Draco's heart for he knew it was his fault it had come to this. Yes, it was also his aunt's fault for incapacitating Neville's parents, it was Augusta Longbottom's fault for being an uncaring old bitch, but it was also his fault for not understaning Neville's need and not fulfilling it earlier.

"Okay" he smiled gently, his grey eyes radiating acceptance.

"And will we sign the dominance act? Just to make it official? All I have to give is my Lord Longbottom title, although it's not really worth much those days —"

"Stop it!" Draco commanded gently, taking over at once. He took his boyfriend/ charge/ husband-to-be in his arms and held him close, feeding him with love through the much needed intimacy. He kissed his brown hair lightly. "It'll be all right, love. It'll be my honour to be your husband, dominant or not, and Lord Longbottom, since your family is one of the oldest pureblood families. You don't need money to be proud of your parentage, Nev. And you needn't worry about money in general any more; did you know the Malfoy investments are worth more than ten million galleons? That's enough for us, our children and our grand-children! We'll have at least two, though, to leave our titles. And did you know there is a greenhouse at the Manor? My grandmother loved plants. It's neglected now, but perhaps you'd like to revive it..."

Neville had started to dose off slowly, totally relaxed by Draco's words and his soothing touch — and the calming draught in his mid-morning tea. Draco held him closely and rocked him for the longest time. He would take care of him. He would fulfil his role out of love, not out of pity nor out of obligation. Neville was entitled to some happiness, for fuck's sake.

And so did Draco, and both of them knew they needed each other to be happy.