Harry Potter and The Fifth House

Chapter 5: The Adults Share the Love

The next morning was a Saturday.

Draco snuck to the Great Hall before any of the other students were awake and brought the whole group back their favorites has had become a sort of tradition for them. The meal was full of drifting conversations and necks cracking as heads whipped from one person to another and then back again.

"Five!" exclaimed Ron, hands thrown up in the air as he used the table to push himself. His back hit the floor with a painless thump. "You've had five step-fathers and I've never even seen my parents get in a fight!"

"That's not exactly a bad thing," Draco mused a he dunked a piece of bread into his eggs. "I mean my parents fight all the time. It makes you wonder sometimes if you're the reason, you know? Like was it this bad before they had you?"

Hermione sucked in a breath. "Draco I'm sure that's not-" She didn't get to finish her sentence before the door swung open and the group's heads swiveled around to see Snape standing in the doorway with Professor Burbage standing nervously behind him.

"What's going on?" asked Harry cautiously, watching as the duo came deeper into the common room. Snape hadn't exactly been nice to him in the few weeks since school had started so it was only natural he was apprehensive.

Snape looked back at Professor Burbage, an eyebrow rising in a silent 'do-you-want-to-tell-them-or-should-I' gesture. She stepped out from besides her and gave them a nervous smile. Her hands gripped at her arms as she informed, "I'm your new Head of House."

"Oh!" Hermione exclaimed, scrambling off the floor. She wiped her sticky fingers on her burnt orange shorts, having not planned on leaving their common room that day she had put on her casual clothes, and hurried over to the door to shake her professor's hand. In her haste, she knocked Neville forward and his elbow knocked his glass of pumpkin juice all over Blaise's cinnamon buns.

"Motherfucker!" Blaise screeched, rolling away from the table on his stomach. The juice dripped down and hit Ron's legs which were sticking out of the sides of the table since he had yet to sit up. "Those were the only cinnamon buns all week, Hermione! You mother fucking life ruiner! How am I supposed to get through this week with my weekend buns? I need the buns!"

Ron groaned, "It's on my pants. I don't think I have another pair clean either."

"I'll go get something to clean this up with," Neville declared.

Blaise sighed and pushed off the floor, "I'll come with you. Those stupid Ravenclaws keep stealing all of the cinnabuns but we might as well try for some more." Pulling Neville with him by his wrist, Blaise pushed past the teachers in the doorway.

Ron stood up next with a groan, "I look like I peed my pants. Draco do you think yours will fit me? Harry is too short." Draco stood, standing hip to hip with Ron and examining the length of their legs.

"I think it'll work," he said after a moment. Motioning with his hand, he sent a smile to the two in the doorway before leading the redhead upstairs.

"I'm sorry," Hermione mumbled, tears welling in her eyes. "I just wanted to greet you but…"

"Hermione-" Harry began, moving to comfort the brunette.

Charity moved faster than he did and wrapped Hermione in a tight hug. Her cheek rested on top of Hermione's hair, "It's okay, sweetie. I'm sure the boys will be over it in a few minutes." Harry shifted awkwardly, his hands dropping to his side. He was contemplating going upstairs to hang out with Ron and Draco, but was stopped by a hand grabbing his wrist and pulling him in for a hug of his own.

After a moment, Harry relaxed into the hug and tentatively allowed himself to wrap his arms around her waist. He was happy she didn't scowl him for the contact like Petunia had when he was younger.

(-)

Charity was sitting in her office, grading the fifth years papers on Muggle wars, when the door flew open. Her head snapped up to find Draco standing in the doorway with a mixture of emotions on his face. His eyes were focused on something above her head.

"Draco?" she called softly, lifting from her seat. "Honey, what's wrong?"

Draco licked his lips before saying, "Could I sit down?"

"Of course!" she answered, gesturing to the chair across from her. "Do you want some tea? Or cookies, I think I have some chocolate chip ones."

"No I just wanted to talk," he answered, walking across the room to sit in the chair. She didn't say anything, waiting for him to feel comfortable to talk about whatever it was he wanted to talk about. After a moment, he rushed out, "I haven't told my parents I'm not a Slytherin yet."

"Oh." She leaned back in her chair before carefully asking, "Is there a reason you're afraid of telling them?"

"My whole family has been in Slytherin."

Charity nodded, a bitter smile on her face, "I remember. I went to school with Bellatrix."

He flinched before continuing, "And my dad…he put a lot of pressure on me about being one. I'm afraid that he'll disown me or stop talking to me."

"And your mother?"

Draco's hands relaxed out of the fists he had unconsciously made. "I think everything will be okay with her. My mother and I are very close."

Silence settled between them again before Charity pushed forward in her chair again, "You are close with Professor Snape right? He's your godfather?" Draco gave a nod. "Okay then. How would you feel if we invited your mother here to talk and the three of us sat down with her and talked about this? Then your mother can talk to your father about it alone."

Draco's eyes widened before he asked, "We can- I mean we can do that?"

She nodded with a fond smile, "If that'll make this easier for you."

"I'd-" he stopped and took a breath. "I'd like that. And um…one of those cookies if their still being offered?"

"Of course. Give me just a minute to grab you some."

(-)

"Longbottom!" Snape barked. "What do you think you are doing? I'm not giving you these extra lessons so you can attempt to poison us both!"

Neville's hands dropped from the cauldron and he stepped back. "I'm sorry, Professor," he declared slowly. "It's just that… I'm not good with the making of the potions. I'm much better with the making of the ingredients." Snape was ready to snap at him but had a flash of Charity's disapproving face when she found out he'd snapped at one of her "babies" had she had taken to calling them and took a deep breath.

"I know that," Snape said after a moment. "Professor Sprout talks very fondly about you. She says you help her grow some of the ingredients she gives me."

A small smile graced the boys lips, "She does?"

"Yes." Snape took another breath before walking away, "From now on I want you to sit with Granger in class. Do not let her do all the work, but let her help you if you need it and spend some more time with Sprout, growing ingredients. We may be able to make up some of the points you've lost so you actually pass my class this year."

"Okay sir," Neville agreed.

"Now get out of here before I change my mind."

Neville scrambled to grab his things. "Okay! See you next week Professor." He stopped at the door.

"What now, Longbottom?"

"You're not as bad as some people say you are."

(-)

Hermione knocked her knuckles twice against Snape's office door before opening it. "I'm sorry to intrude sir."

Snape peered at her over the tops of his reading glasses. "What do you need, Ms. Granger?"

"I was wondering if you had any potion books I could use," questioned Hermione. "Neville and Harry are having a bit of trouble and asked me to help them. I wanted to make sure I had all the information they needed."

"The second shelf should have what you need," Snape replied, gesturing to the bookshelf sitting behind him. Wordlessly, she set a5out examine the titles for what she would need.

Hermione ran a finger over one of the titles before speaking, "Professor, if you don't mind me asking why are you so hard on them? I mean Harry isn't horrible at it, there are just things he doesn't understand."

"Harry," Snape hesitated before continuing, "reminds me a lot of father and not nearly enough of his mother."

"You went to school with them then?" Hermione asked as she grabbed a book on potion ingredients. Snape hummed noncommittally. "Were they good people? I've heard some of the other professors make remarks on how he looks like his father."

"His eyes are all his mothers," Snape responded. He looked at the desk in front of him before turning to face her. "You really want to know?"

She nodded with a small smile. "I want to know." Hermione made herself comfortable in the chair across from him, hugging the books close to her chest.

E/n: I don't know why I decided to do that with Hermione and Snape honestly. I'm still going to do that timeskip, but it'll include the Draco/Narcissa talk – promise.

You might not understand it but because Charity and Snape are so close, and because these are the kids taking care of Draco, Snape's personality towards all of them is different.

Also: Blaise likes cinnabuns like I love Teen Wolf 8)