With finals over I was allowed to wallow in my desolation. I spent most of my time watching television or reading; both my father and Severus attempted to kick me out of the house several times, without succeeding.

I was blissfully unaware of the outside world.

Until I got a call, from Ron Weasley no less.

I let the phone ring at first, having no intent to ever answer it. Trying to ignore it, I went to the kitchen to make lunch.

It was still ringing seven minutes later.

"What is it," I asked, answering.

"What the bloody hell is your problem, Malfoy?" Weasley started to yell on the other end.

I hung up.

Five minutes later he called again. I could only guess that he had Hermione with him on the other end.

"Weasley, what the hell do you want?"

"You know, I should punch your lights out, if I knew where you lived. I mean, we trusted you. Harry trusted you. Whatever you did, he's gone now, gone to live with his god-father. Harry wouldn't even tell us where. Never mind, that he's putting us through the wringer worrying about him. Yeah, I know 'Mione and I haven't always done right by him, but I really thought he trusted us by now. And-"

"Weasley-" I interrupted him exasperated. "Did you just call me to say Potter's left town? If you did, you shouldn't have bothered. I don't care what he does."

"Well you should. It's your fault."

"My fault that he cheated? Although, I guess you can't cheat on someone you aren't in a relationship with." I felt the anger that I worked so hard to compress gradually return.

"Harry cheated on you." Weasley sounded honestly confused. "Are you sure? I mean, did you actually see him with someone. It's not exactly a secret that some of the guys at our school have been after Harry. It's a bit odd actually."

"I heard it from Blake. Potter didn't exactly do anything to discourage the idea. He practically said it himself that he was screwing around with other guys."

"Oh."

"That all you can say, 'oh'?!" I asked, getting riled up.

"Look, Malfoy. I didn't know." I heard him talking away from the phone for a moment. "We didn't know. But, Harry did sleep around on Blake. He didn't keep that a secret from us. I figured the bastard deserved it and we couldn't get Harry away from him, so... I guess we never really thought it was that bad. I really do think Harry likes you, so I don't know what he's up to know."

I sighed. "Weasley, Harry's lied to the both of us. So I think, it's settled that I haven't done anything to him, right? You can stop coming after me. Tell Hermione that, as well."

"Right." The voice on the other end said, although a bit reluctantly. "You know, Malfoy, I never really thought you were that bad a guy. I'm just a bit... touchy when people talk about my family, and I know Blake started that, not you. It's just... I know I can be a bit..."

"Dimwitted, an ignoramus, a dolt, a blockhead-"

"Let's go with that last one." Weasley interrupted me. "I'm just trying to look out for Harry."

"I know. Uh..." I began, not knowing if I should continue. "Weasley, could you check out this address." I said, then giving him the location of Harry's apartment, if he was still there. "Look for Harry there, but you might not find him."

"Yeah, sure; but why here?"

"Harry's been staying there. For a while, I think. Longer than I've been at Hogwarts, anyway."

There was more mumbling on the other end. "Do you know why he didn't tell us?"

"Heck if I know."

Things were silent for a moment. "If you see Harry, you will talk to him, right?"

"... I'll think about it."

That night it was Severus' turn to confront me. Both he and my father had been edging around the subject, so I knew one of them would say something soon.

"Can't you ever sit normally?" Severus said, coming into the room. "I know Lucius taught you better."

I got up from where I had been lounging on the couch, feet up on the armrest.

"I heard you talking to Mr. Weasley."

"It's not the first time I've talked to him," I muttered.

Severus hesitated for a moment. "I was going to let your father talk to you, but I see it can't wait any longer."

"Where is he?" I asked, trying to change the subject.

"I haven't the foggiest. He said something about an investigation, before he left this morning." Severus said sitting in the armchair.

"You don't have to say anything. You were right."

"So it's just as I thought." Severus pursed his lips. "He was... with someone else?"

"Yes...." It still stung, no matter how many times it went through my head. "Weasley was trying to get me to see reason. He wants me to talk to Harry, if I ever see again him, anyway. They said he's run off to live with some relative, an uncle, or god-father, something like that."

I kind of figured Severus would be happy to learn that Potter had flown the coop, but he just seemed slightly worried. "Are you going to?"

"I shouldn't. I should say good riddance. It's not like it's important."

"It's important to you." Severus replied calmly.

I couldn't say anything, because it was true. I wanted Harry. Still wanted Harry. "Shouldn't you be telling me this was for the best? That he's a slut and everything. It almost sounds like want us together."

"I wouldn't go that far, Draco." My god-father grimaced for a moment. "I've... thought more about it. I've tried to pay more attention. I've been a bit lax in my role as a teacher, at least as far as he is concerned. I let my own personal problems get in the way, which is what got me in trouble in the first place." Severus' words slowed, as if trying to find the correct ones.

"I think I judged him too quickly. Your father... he made it hard for me. He basically told me I was allowed to love him, but not be with him. He told me he loved me, after all the years he spent with Narcissa, but would not see me.

"I'm surprised nobody reported me, I surely couldn't have been more than barely functional."

I had to suppress a snort. I was sure that if nothing else, Severus found a way to get his job done.

"Potter was serving a detention with me, I forget the reason. I let myself get distracted, in my thoughts on Lucius. I don't know how it happened, but I snapped out it when I felt his... mouth on mine."

Severus' gave me look that said he would kill me if I ever repeated his words.

"I knew I should have said no, I was his teacher, but I didn't. Things went quickly.... downhill from there-"

Both Severus and I jumped when the front door slammed shut. I was tense as I turned; already knowing my father would be in the doorway.

"Lucius." Severus rose to his feet.

"You slept with him?! That boy!" My father was incensed.

"Lucius, you hardly have the right to be upset!" Severus voice slowly rose. "You wanted nothing more to do with me other than to belly-ache, over the phone, that life had dealt you a bad hand."

"I- He's younger than Draco." Lucius was still a bit pink in the face, but he was quickly regaining his composure.

"Do you think I haven't realized that?" Severus replied.

My father started to say something more, and then glanced at me. "Draco, please go upstairs."

"This is the living room, not your bedroom," I couldn't help but mutter, but I got up anyway.

"I can't believe you told him about having sex with a teenager! What's he supposed to think?" I could hear my father begin, before I decided to close my door.

Severus' story did make me think, but not in the way either of them probably thought I would. If anything, it only reinforced what Severus had told me to begin with.

I stayed there in my room for a while longer, before I decided I had had enough of being cooped up. I grabbed my coat, and keys; and then headed back down stairs.

"I'm going out, Christmas shopping." I said, not turning my head towards the couch.

"My wallet's in my pants." I heard my father say breathily. I tried to tune out the other noises I was hearing, of which, Severus' moans were not the worst.

"I'm not going in there, father." I said from the doorway.

"Lucius, maybe we should stop." I heard Severus' voice hitch, and then there were no more words.

'Great', I thought to myself. At first I tried to find the pants with my eyes closed, only to find they were nowhere on the floor.

"Father, where are your pants." I said, grinding my teeth. The only answer I got was a moan.

For a moment, I wondered if it I really wanted to get out this badly, but I did. Besides, it not as if it was my mother. Reluctantly, I opened my eyes in order to find those damned pants.

I looked away from them, at first, praying that the pants might have been tossed on the television, or somewhere near. Luck was not with me.

So I sucked up my pride and turned to face them. I know I should have felt seriously disturbed, and on some level I was, but, although I was surly flushed pink, it wasn't completely awful. And I found my father's pants still hanging from one of his ankles.

You know, I never wanted to know that father didn't wear underwear.

I reached into his pocket, sure enough, pulling out his wallet. I pulled a card out, replacing the rest.

"Get a fucking room next time." I muttered, folding his pants the placing them over the arm of the couch. I didn't even bother looking for Severus', deciding it was time to get out.

'That wasn't the least bit weird,' I tried to tell myself, as I locked the door behind me.

I was increasingly glad I never walked in on my father and my mother. But then again, I guess with her he was never passionate enough to have sex in the living room.

Thankfully.