Title: Unbreakable Bonds
Rating: M
Chapter: 10/27
Author: So Yun
Beta: Witherwings1972 & myself in the re-edit edition.
Summary: Harry is in for a rollercoaster ride of a year. He finds out that Snape can actually be civil and nice. He begins to get to know his Godfather, and not to mention an adoption case and the final battle! Completed with Sequel in progress.
Thanks: Esined, Tsugath, Kath19, Alex, Souless-tears, AliceandJasper, Phoenix5, Azthella, Tsukinoko1, ChildofthePhoenix, Shealinn, Vbollman, Fifespice, Coymelody, Honore, Blueoctober, Feli, Twinheart, Idypebsaby, Silent Reader, Darkcelestial20, Bluehazegrl, Tatjess, Shannyauburn, SnapesYukuai and Azuredragon.
Dedications: Seventh dedications go to my very first reviewer Tsukinoko1.
Also I would like to thank Silent Reader, for submitting the one hundredth review.
A/N: The Vote for Draco I mentioned a few chapters; the result was Draco would become a friend of Harry.
Chapter 10- Unexpected present, of a sort
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Snape stood by the window and watched Harry do risky tricks on his new lightening Striker. Swooping into neck breaking dives and corkscrewing upwards until he was a little dot in the air.
Snape turned from the window when he heard his floo flare up and he saw a timid girl with bushy hair step out, then after her a red headed boy.
"Miss Granger and Mr Weasley," He greeted icily, but attempted to put a small underlying civil tone in.
Ron nodded and mumbled something back and Hermione smiled and replied bright, "How has your holiday been with Harry Professor Snape?"
"Hair ripping I assure you Miss Granger." Snape replied curtly and curled his lip in disdain.
He resumed watching Harry and said, "You may go outside and see him, if you can get him off his blasted new broom that is."
"He got a new broom?" Ron said incredulously from behind him, his ears turning red.
Snape turned swiftly and nodded then turned back, "His Godfather and Lupin thought he needed to be updated with the newest on range."
He heard Ron turn to Hermione and whisper furiously, "He only just got a Firebolt a month ago!"
"Ron shut up, stop being jealous. He's happy out there can't you see?" He heard Hermione say.
"Well are you going out there or not?!" Snapped the Potions professor and turned back to sneer at them.
"I don't think Mr Potter will appreciate your bickering on his fifteenth birthday." He added sarcastically and watched them wearily avoid him and walk outside.
Bloody hormones. If they blast one thing in my property, or get into a fist fight I'll turn into Dracula.
You don't have fangs.
SHUT UP.
He watched as Granger stepped out onto his large front yard and shout at Harry to come down. He watched as his charge started spiralling down at an exceedingly fast pace, Snape grasped his wand and started to charge outside just in time to see Harry slow down.
But not slow enough and he lightly touched the ground and rolled a few times. Snape felt worry and concern riding up on him and was about to rush forward when he heard Harry giggle and exclaim,
"You should have seen your face Mione!"
This made Snape glare and was about to go over and pick Harry up by the scruff of his neck and string him up by his toenails. But then he decided, he couldn't embarrass Harry in front of his friends and he marched back inside with a nasty sneer on his face.
As he went inside he looked at Harry's mood ring carefully and saw it was still the bright green. With a satisfied sigh he went to his lab to brew and to get away from the teen brats.
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"You're a dead boy Harry Potter!" Hermione Granger screeched before launching herself onto Harry.
Harry laughed as Hermione tickled him and swatted him with his Lightening Striker, meanwhile Ron watched on disgruntled with what his girlfriend was doing with Harry.
"Do you mind?" He said, venom dripping off his voice and his face as red as his hair.
His voice made Hermione and Harry pause to look up at him; Harry sat up and looked apologetic.
"Ron…..I'm sorry about what happened. I never knew about accidental magic and I guess I was feeling uptight with the night mares and all. Sir has trained me to gain control of it; it's not going to happen again Ron. I promise." He said sincerely and looked right into his best mate's eyes.
Ron looked increasingly angry for a moment until his eyes softened and he pulled Harry to his feet and wrapped his arm round Hermione,
"Well I'm glad that's cleared up; can I try your Lightening Striker?"
"User." Hermione shot playfully and poked Ron in the ribs.
"Get a room." Harry groaned and the three burst into laughter.
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That night after Hermione and Ron had left, and Harry was sitting very content with a large piece of birthday cake in his stomach Snape came bursting out of his lab.
"Potter, the wards have been touched. Go to your room and get in the closet! You know very well I am a Deatheater, we may have some unexpected visitors."
Harry jumped to his feed and worriedly glanced at Snape then ran up the stairs. He ripped open his door then closed it and looked at the closet in the wall.
He felt his fear of it rise up, but he swallowed it and dove in. Closing the door and shutting off any light. And then he waited, slowly slipping into childhood memories.
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Snape ran outside to the barrier of his manor wards and hid his shock as he saw Lucius Malfoy with his son standing there looking at him.
Snape undid his wards and confidently walked over to them and said in a civil tone,
"Ah Lucius, Draco what a pleasant surprise. What may I ask is the reason for this visit?"
Lucius smiled and clapped him on the shoulder and said sarcastically looking disdained at his son, "Draco is having doubts about getting marked. I was wondering as his Godfather could you discipline him about refusing the Dark mark if he chooses. I think he would find you…..inspiring."
Lucius finished and shoved Draco forward with his trunk. Snape narrowed his eyes then said politely, "I will serve my duty as Draco's Godfather then Lucius. I'll take him to Hogwarts in a month and he will soon learn whether to doubt or not."
Lucius nodded and gave a teethy smile at his son then disaparated.
Snape sighed and rubbed his hand over his face wearily.
Two damnable teenagers who want to kill each other. Harry who I have actually gotten to know and Draco my Godson. Sigh.
I'm going to kill you Albus and Lucius.
Snape stopped and turned to his Godson, levitating his trunk towards the manor and said, "Draco, once you are inside this house I hope you act civil no matter what you encounter."
Draco just numbly nodded then slowly walked up to his Godfather and put his arms around Snape's waste and said quietly, "Thankyou for taking me in Severus, I don't want to be a Deatheater….truthfully I don't want to be a Malfoy, I just want to have fun and….."
"Come now Draco, it's alright. I do not intend to discipline you because of that, there is someone inside who I think you may become friends with," Snape said and patted Draco's back and led him inside.
Draco looked up brightly letting his blond hair fall over his face,
"Really? Who?!" Snape sent his trunk up to the room next to Harry and started to take Draco upstairs until Draco stopped all of a sudden.
"Saint Potters here." He said disgusted, his eyes on the left over cake which had 'Harry' written on it.
Snape rubbed the bridge of his nose carefully and nodded, waiting for Draco's spoilt blow up of why Potter shouldn't be here.
"Where is he?" Draco said timidly, shocking Snape all together. He shook himself out of the stupor and pointed upstairs.
"First door, left corridor. Your room is next to his, he may be in the closet. We didn't expect you and your father"
Draco nodded and bounded excitedly upstairs, but slowed down when he got to the door.
I've faced my father's wrath about not wanting to be a Deatheater, I can face Potter in his room……or should I say err closet.
He opened the door carefully and surveyed the very Gryffindor room. Potter was no where insight, but most probably where Severus had said. The closet.
Ever since Draco had been taken on a raid he had pitifully been scared of becoming a Deatheater. It was no honour; it was coward ness and desecration of muggles and mudbloods.
He had always watched the Golden Trio and wished deep down he was apart of it. His Slytherin friends treated him like a pampered prince; he wanted to be treated as an equal.
He walked towards the door and knocked gently, he knew Potter would be startled if he just ripped the door open.
"Err….um Potter, Severus sent me up here to get you. It's um…..Draco." He said awkwardedly.
Potter wasn't going to come out, definitely if Draco Malfoy was on the other side.
"Um…..you probably don't trust me, I'll go get Severus," And he turned to leave but stopped when he heard noises of a sort. Draco's eyes widened as they seemed to get louder and he thought this would be a good time to get Snape.
He ran down the stairs and bellowed, "SEVERUS!" and ran for his study only to run into Snape's solid chest.
Snape looked down at him curiously with an eye brow raised.
"Um Severus, I went to the closet to get Potter out and I heard noises. Is he claustrophobic or something?"
Then Snape did something that left Draco a bit stumped for words. He pushed past Draco, raced up the stairs three at a time and burst into Harry's room.
Draco was a bit frazzled then rushed off after him. He came into Harry's room just in time to see Snape coaxing a sheepish Harry out of the closet.
"Sorry Sir, I must have fallen asleep in there….nightmares and all." He heard Harry mumbled as his Professor helped him stand up.
"It's alright Harry," The potions professor replied completely forgetting Draco was standing at the door.
When Harry had fully stood up he turned and locked eyes with Draco's grey ones.
"What is he doing here, sir?" He asked, not in a disgusted voice just slightly angered.
"He is here because his father requested, Draco has decided to turn away from the Deatheater path,"
Harry just numbly nodded and stumbled over to his bed and sat on it, trying to focus after his usual Graveyard nightmare in the closet.
"I'll leave you boys alone, please try not to fight. Mr Potter it would be wise to think of your own words to myself and your Godfather." Snape said curtly before leaving the room.
The two boys sat in awkward silence until Harry said sternly, "If we are both going to be staying here I think it would be best to respect Professor Snape's wishes. But it doesn't mean I'm going to be your friend all of a sudden."
This disappointed Draco a bit but he nodded and leaned against the wall behind him. His eyes wandered the room until it landed on the two brooms sitting on racks on the opposite side of the room.
"You have a Lightening Striker!" He exclaimed, his eyes bright with excitement. Harry just nodded a brief smile on his lips.
"Yea, a friend of mine gave it to me," He said smoothly not mentioning his Godfather.
Draco smiled wickedly and walked across the room, but paused near Harry and asked, "Um Potter can I err go-"
"Yea sure, but if you scratch it Ferret boy-"
"I won't Saint Potter. My father won't get me one, he doesn't have time to go and buy, plus with the Deatheater thing and all….."
For a moment Harry felt sorry for Malfoy and an idea popped up in his head.
"Wanna have a battle of Seeker skills? You can use my Firebolt and I get the Lightening Striker,"
Both of the boy's eyes lit up and they grabbed a broom each and ran downstairs.
"We're going for a ride Sir!" They both yelled and simultaneously ran outside and leaped onto their brooms.
"You're going down Potter."
"Same to you Malfoy."
They eyed each other off competitively and Harry released the snitch that Ron and Hermione had bought for his birthday.
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For the next month the boys were civil, but got close to fist fighting when one or the other leaned a bit far with insults.
They weren't friends really, just company for the boredom of the holidays. When September first finally came, Harry and Draco got onto the Express and wearily shook hands,
"It wasn't as bad as I thought, hanging round you Potter," Draco said with a fake sneer.
Truthfully he had enjoyed Harry's company and how Harry teased him and treated him like any other normal person.
Although he was peeved at how he managed to laugh at everything. He was also a little jealous; over the month he had noticed his Godfather and Potter and created a bond.
One night he saw Snape walk into Harry's room and comfort him awkwardly after one of Potter's nightmares from the tri wizard tournament.
But apart from that, his summer had been fun. But he couldn't let himself show his appreciation of Harry's company truthfully.
Harry always acted civil and mature around him but Draco knew Potter wasn't interested in a real friendship with 'ferret boy'.
"Same to you Malfoy see you around." Harry replied quickly then hurried off to find Hermione and Ron's usual compartment.
Draco sighed. Life isn't meant to be fair. You can't have everything you want.
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As the students entered the Great hall, Snape watched like a hawk as he saw the Golden Trio enter. When Harry sat down, he took a glance at Snape at the Teachers table. He was very thankful to Snape; he had been such a kind, slightly different, but with the same sarcastic demeanour man over the holidays.
Harry was beginning to like him, but he knew Snape would be nasty to him when classes came.
Snape inclined his head at Harry and watched a sparkle of a smile in the boys emerald eyes. His mood ring still matched his eyes Snape had noticed. It had all summer.
Snape was interrupted by his musings when Dumbledore beside him said with amusement in his voice,
"I think that maybe, this summer has been the best for Harry," Snape nodded dumbly at this, he couldn't understand how staying with his batty professor had made a difference.
"Thankyou Severus, you have really matured about Harry, I and he really appreciate it. Even if he doesn't show it."
Snape again nodded and remembered what Harry had said on his birthday just after Black had left.
"Well Potter that certainly was a love fest."
"You like it secretly Professor." And poked his tongue out and ran outside to test his new broom.
Every night when Harry couldn't take Dreamless sleep, Snape had paced in his room until he heard Harry crying out.
He for once felt his cold exterior shell melt away every time held the boy close, comforting him after the nightmares.
Even if his hugs to his charge were awkward, he always felt Harry relax and drift off without hearing a peep from him till morning.
I do not care about Potter. I DO NOT.
You do and you know.
I don't, and I won't ever care about him.
"Let the sorting begin"
Snape was interrupted again and he shook his head lightly, why was he having an internal debate about Harry?
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New and old and silent readers, please REVIEW!
Next Chapter: I hate Harry Potter
Classes, batty professors, new teachers again! And Harry feels isolated when Ron and Hermione do begin to "get a room" some more angst!
Note that the start of a new poll was erected here; the topic was Harry/Ginny shipper. The results are in a later chapter.