Hey :) next chapter is here, I hope it isn't too disappointing :(

It took me forever to write the first thousand words. Now I'm at a it of a bump. What should happen next? If I can;t think of anything, I'll probably just have the Malfoys come back next chapter.

Disclaimer: not mine

Chapter 10

Harry sat at the smaller, less formal dinner table with Draco on his left side and Severus across from him. After the older wizard took him away from the Dursleys and apparated them to the manor, Harry was immediately set back on the couch and examinations started all over again.

The kick to his stomach was lucky to have done nothing. If his aim was even an inch off, Harry could have had to deal with cracked ribs and internal bleeding. Draco talked nonstop while Harry was being checked over and the raven-haired boy smiled at the familiarity of the blond boy.

Severus was being quiet, which Harry was beginning to realize was normal for him. As Harry was speaking with Draco (meaning listening to him ramble while throwing in the occasional 'yes', 'no', and the ever-thoughtful 'hmm') the tall professor tended to fade away and make his presence less known. Harry wasn't sure whether he preferred this or not. He was thankful that he wasn't ignoring him while at the same time he wasn't being over-bearing. It was the perfect mix of just being there for in case he's needed.

Harry tuned into the conversation – not realizing that he'd tuned out until now – and listened to Draco rant about some game he had never heard of.

"-nobody could find the snitch and there wasn't a single glimpse of it for three whole hours and everyone thought it had somehow just gotten away since snitches usually mess around with the players but it was just gone! But then Aidan Lynch – he's the seeker on Ireland's team – saw it and grabbed it in less than ten seconds! It was unbelievable! They still didn't win the game though because even though Lynch is great the rest of his team is awful-"

Harry just smiled and nodded to show that he understood, even though he didn't. At all. What is a snitch? Is it a ball? How does it "mess around with the players"? How do they play this? It seems awfully difficult to play this on a field.

And Harry did what he had been doing a lot of recently: put it under the 'magic' column and let it go.

Draco continued to ramble and Harry looked around the room as he had many times so far that day. Even though he and Draco hadn't been friends for very long, Harry still considered his home more comfortable than his own. The room they were currently in was pale green in color and had white pillows on the black chairs that just gave off such calm feelings.

Harry looked closely at all of the furniture in the room (he realized how bored he really was when he found himself counting how many buttons an armchair by the fireplace had) until his gaze landed on Mr. Snape.

Harry wasn't sure what is was about the man, but something in him calmed immediately after he looked at him. He gave off a feeling of comfort and ease.

Harry of course realized that Mr. Snape didn't like him much after he refused eye contact. Harry wasn't sure what he had done wrong but for some reason after Mr. Snape rescued him from the Dursleys he wouldn't even look at the boy. Harry looked back at the mentioned man when he spoke.

"Draco," he said in a deep voice. "Would it really be so impossible for you to blabber about something other than quidditch?" Draco's cheeks flushed and he stared defiantly at his godfather.

"Well, Uncle Severus, what do you suggest I talk about?" He asked and waited for an answer.

"Anything else. Perhaps about your schooling or something else you like to do. But if you are going to ramble about that gods-forsaken sport, at least tell Mr. Potter what it is first." Draco looked at Harry and realized for the first time how confused Harry but be feeling.

"Oh! I'm sorry, I'll explain. Quidditch is a game played on broomsticks in the air and there are eight people per team, see, and…" and just like that Draco was off again.

Harry gave a fond smile at the boy who hadn't left him, contrary to what he thought earlier that day. He looked up towards where he knew the older wizard was watching him and looked away quickly. Harry wasn't sure what he was supposed to do in this situation. He wanted so badly to be able to talk and bond with Draco, but he couldn't connect with him when he had no idea what he was talking about. Even if he did have something to talk about, Harry wasn't sure if he would be able to say anything while an adult was present in the room. Harry still wasn't very comfortable around them and given that Mr. Snape didn't seem to like him very much…

Harry wasn't sure what to do.

So he just nodded in the right places and avoided eye contact with the man who seemed intent on studying him.

Severus was… confused, for lack of a better word.

The boy on the sofa showed all signs of abuse and clearly has been through a lot. Severus had no doubt that this boy's childhood was much like his own, and it confused him because due to the abuse, Severus had become so angry at his father. Yet the boy was nothing but kind and pure-hearted. Why wasn't he mad? Why didn't he want to hurt someone, to do anything to escape the pain?

And the boy – he should probably call him by his given name, but James Potter gave him that name so he was reluctant – paid attention to Draco (he knew how difficult it was to pay attention to godson, who seemed to talk only about things you really don't care about). Sure, he would occasionally drift back into his own thoughts (who doesn't?) but overall, he actually listened to what Draco had to say.

No pureblood actually pays attention to the conversations said in front of him. If it didn't directly have to do with said pureblood, it wasn't worth their time. So to watch this boy listen and nod along, it was somewhat refreshing.

Severus knew that Draco's friends were copies of their parents, so they hardly listened to Draco either. Only the Zabini boy and occasionally Miss Parkinson actually cared about what Draco had to say.

Yet here was a new boy who was happy to listen to his friend even if he didn't know what the conversation was currently about.

And it confused Severus because the behavior resembled someone he knew but who?

And as the green eyes flashed up to meet Severus's onyx ones before darting away again, Severus knew.

This boy – Harry – was unquestionably Lily's child.

Harry followed Draco up to a guest bedroom in the same hall as the blond boy's room. He felt much better after a few hours and his injuries weren't given a second thought to as the raven-haired boy said goodnight and climbed into the bed that was so generously lent to him while he stayed at Malfoy Manor.

Harry managed to fight off sleep for a grand total of 4 minutes until the light sleeping potion took effect and Harry drifted off to sleep, far more content than he could remember ever being.

Severus was drinking his second cup of tea when Draco came stumbling into the kitchen in the morning. Severus raised an eyebrow at his godson as he waited for an explanation as to why he was awake at six in the morning. Draco just yawned and collapsed in the chair opposite to his godfather and stared hungrily at the cup in his hands. Severus rolled his eyes and summoned another cup and the tea materials and began to prepare the tea how he knew Draco liked it.

After a few minutes of compatible drinking, Severus looked pointedly at Draco and the boy sighed before beginning to speak.

"Remember when I told you Harry gets up at six-thirty? I want to surprise him with a good breakfast, since I doubt he's had one in a few days. And I want to do it as an apology I guess. Like an 'I'm sorry I let it get so bad' kind of thing." Severus nodded and studied Draco.

"Why did you say it was not safe to leave the manor?" He asked, unable to keep it in any longer. He needed to understand why his godson had protected him. "At the store yesterday, you said you could not visit him because it was not safe. Why did you lie?"

Draco frowned at his Uncle Severus. "I didn't do it for you, I did it for him. I don't want to know what would happen if he met another adult who brushed him aside like it seems all others have."

Severus looked at him without speaking before nodding slightly. "And since when have you been so mature? You are acting as if you are twice your age. You are seven, Draco, why are you acting as if Potter is your responsibility and yours alone."

Draco shrugged. "I feel as if I should've taken better care of him."

"You are seven," Severus repeated. "You cannot even take care of yourself."

"I understand that!" Draco replied with an angry frown on his face. "I just feel as though since he doesn't have anyone, I will be there."

"That certainly is not very Slytherin of you."

"It doesn't have to be."

"Draco, you do not have to take care of him. Lucius, Narcissa and I will be making sure he is okay from now on. All you have to do is be his friend." Draco didn't smile but nodded his acceptance and stood from his chair. He began rummaging through cupboards, looking for anything edible.

"What do you suggest I make for Harry?" He asked his Uncle.

"Can you even make anything?" Severus asked and Draco looked up, his normally pale cheeks a faint pink.

"No," he stated, "but you can. And you would be delighted to help me, right?" Draco gave Severus what he thought was his most charming smile and the older wizard scoffed.

"You need to work on that." He informed the young boy and stood. "What about pancakes?" He asked and Draco smiled and nodded eagerly, finally acting his real age. For ten minutes, they worked in relative silence until they heard someone in the hallway connected to the kitchen. Both wizards looked up and watched as Harry entered the room, looking around and hoping he wasn't intruding on anything.

"U-um, hi, you weren't in your room so I thought maybe you were down here and I smelt some food and followed it to find you; I hope that's okay…" Harry trailed off and Draco gave him a wide grin.

"Yeah we're making pancakes right now! Have you ever had them before?" He asked and Harry shook his head.

"Aunt Petunia makes them for Dudley sometimes but I've never made or tried them before." Severus frowned in annoyance with Harry's family, but Draco just brushed it aside.

"Well then you'll have some today! They're delicious; I can't wait to see you eat one! What kind should I make you try first? Chocolate chip or blueberry?" As Draco contemplated this, Harry turned towards Severus.

"Would you like help, sir?" He asked and Severus looked over at him.

"No thank you, Mr. Potter." Harry nodded but looked uneasy at the thought of sitting and eating a full breakfast. Harry looked up when the kitchen became silent. He looked over at Draco, who was looking at him expectantly and Harry immediately apologized.

"I'm sorry, what was that?" He felt really bad; he didn't mean to get distracted by his thoughts!

"I asked if you like chocolate." Harry's eyes widened and he shrugged.

"I'm not sure; I've only had it twice. Or maybe three times, I can't remember."

Severus held the spatula in his hand in a death grip. Most children live on chocolate! How can he count how many times he's had it on one hand? But Draco merely nodded.

"You can try chocolate chip first then. I personally prefer banana, but we were out of bananas." Draco pouted a little until Severus interrupted his one-man pity party.

"Draco, go set the table for three." He ordered and Draco nodded and walked to the cupboards. Harry looked out of place and desperate to move or fiddle with something, so Severus decided to help him out. "Mr. Potter, if you could get the orange juice from the fridge and bring it to the table it would be greatly appreciated." Harry immediately gave a jerky nod and said a 'yes, sir' before doing as he was asked.

A few minutes later, the three of them were seated at a round table and Draco was desperately waiting to see if Harry would like the pancakes. Harry took a small bite and his eyes widened. Draco laughed and clapped.

"I knew you would like it!" He cheered and Harry smiled.

"It's really good." He said softly after he swallowed the pancake. Severus was pleasantly surprised at the manners Harry was showing. Of course, Harry was also respectful and well-mannered the previous night, but Severus figured that was because he was with someone new. Now, however, he managed to still be polite even though it was still before seven in the morning and Severus himself was having trouble keeping his head from falling on the table.

But even though he showed obvious signs of being tired, Harry was still sitting straight, chewing with his mouth closed and swallowing before speaking. Draco, however, seemed to be having trouble doing any of the three things.

"Draco, stop slouching." Severus said for what seemed like the tenth time. "And for goodness sake, keep your elbows off of the table." Draco hurried to comply and Severus watched as Harry also fixed his posture (not that it really needed to be fixed). He noticed that Harry tended to correct himself when someone else was ridiculed. Severus had no doubt that this was because he was trying to keep himself from receiving another beating.

Draco finished his pancakes (he had three) and looked over at Harry (who was pushing his food around on his plate). Severus also looked at him and frowned in, wait, was that concern? Yes, that was definitely concern, and maybe a little bit of worry, too.

"Are you feeling any better, Mr. Potter?" He asked. "You did not eat much." And it was true. With trying all of the different types of pancakes, he hardly ate the equivalent of one complete pancake.

"I feel fine, sir." Harry informed him. "Would you like me to do the dishes?" He asked and Severus frowned a little more.

"No, Mr. Potter, I believe a small amount of magic will clear the dishes and wash them well enough. How about you go play with Draco?" Harry didn't look happy at the prospect of not doing his share of chores but followed Draco out of the kitchen anyways. He didn't wish to argue with an adult if he could help it.