~O-O~
Begrudgingly, Harry had to admit to himself that Malfoy is a good teacher. He broke down each simple step into three simpler steps, demonstrating as he spoke. Malfoy even spent an entire tutoring session explaining how each ingredient changes depending on how it is manipulated.
Slicing, dicing, crushing, or grinding asphodel roots could change its outcome. Turning the roots into powder can tip the healing potion into a sleeping potion or even into the Draught of Living Death.
After three weeks of intensive tutoring, Harry felt as if he had a stronger grasp on the potions from the actual potion making process to the theory. He looked forward to the application as it connected with healing. He said so under his breath not realizing Malfoy was standing nearby.
"You'll get there," the blond said quietly making Harry jump.
Harry shrugged at Malfoy, "I guess, it'll be a while before I get into the actual healing classes. It's not bad though; everything is background knowledge."
Malfoy nodded in agreement, "you are building a solid foundation."
Hours later, he recounted the conversation with Andi, "he is nothing like his old self. It's as if he lost his personality. Either it's gone flat or something. I think he's depressed."
"Draco's probation doesn't allow him to work. Master Blackthorne had to request an exception for him to tutor. Now that he has cleared the mansion of all traces of dark magic, he just spends all his time in the lower levels, experimenting with potions."
"Lower levels is a nice way to say dungeon," Harry retorted, unable to bite his tongue. Seeing Andi frown at his immature remark, he quickly apologized.
"Most of his friends have left the country; he does write to a few but other than his mother or I, he is alone."
"So he is depressed," Harry said mulishly.
Andi tsked at him and changed the topic to Teddy's latest antics.
Malfoy was on his mind just as often as Snape was and Harry didn't know what to do. He was caught in the middle. Despite his promise to Hermione to leave Snape alone, Harry found himself writing an encouraging letter, pleading with Snape to let Draco know he was alive before his writings turned into an angry rant. He felt much better as he stuffed the parchment into an envelope; finally sleeping through the entire night for the first time in weeks.
~O-O~
Gathering up George and Ron, Harry finally joined Simon for karaoke at a muggle bar. Simon stood up to greet them. As Harry reached for a handshake, Simon pulled him in for a half hug, back pat. Stepping back, Harry couldn't help but blush as he caught Simon's eyes.
Simon reported that Maggie and Julie were loving America as Ron filled him in on Hermione's college experience in Australia.
"How about you? How is Uni going?" George asked Simon.
"Not bad. Honestly, it's more relaxed than secondary school. Harry, how has it been for you?"
Finishing a sip of his lager, Harry pouted, "Physiology is so hard. The nervous system is so complicated and I can't remember half the terms. AND I am far behind in my chemistry course and I've started going to a learning lab so I have no time for anything but studying or Teddy. I'm glad that Teddy is so young because I can barely form sentences at the end of the day."
Ron clapped him on the shoulder, "Tonight, we are not going to think about studying. Let's drink and try karaoke."
"Hear, hear," George, Simon, and Harry clinked their beers with Ron's.
Thirty minutes later, Harry had tears streaming down his face as he clutched his stomach, laughing hysterically. Ron butchered yet another song on the tiny stage at the back of the bar as Simon filmed him on his phone.
"It's like he hasn't heard any of these songs before…" Simon bumped George's shoulder, "he doesn't know any classics or any of today's hits."
George caught Harry's eye and they had a silent conversation before determining that they couldn't tell Simon about the wizarding world, at least not yet.
Harry went to buy another round as George explained that they were raised without much exposure to pop culture.
As the evening came to a close, the wizards said goodbye to Simon and returned to Harry's. Kreacher was delighted in providing them snacks, commenting that he was pleased not to see them drinking firewhiskey anymore.
Ron looked at his brother and best friend who both looked guilty.
"Drinking alone sucked," George admitted.
"I thought I had a real problem for a while," Harry told them, "it made it easier to not think, you know."
"Then I felt like shit about how much I drank and how alone I was," added George.
Dragging them from the chairs around the room, Ron maneuvered them on the couch; his arm around each man, "you are never alone. You will always have me."
After cuddling for several minutes, Ron stumbled over his words as he asked them how much they drink.
"A couple of lagers when we go out."
"Yeah, same here. I haven't touched the firewhiskey in months," Harry hugged Ron closer but George tugged him back until the three men were wrestling on the floor, casting tickling charms. Their giggles turned into whoops of laughter before turning into shouting.
Suddenly, they all fell apart, their bodies stiff as Gussy stood over them with a grumpy Teddy in her arms. "Me cast quiet charm on baby's room but you make too much noise and he woke up," she said sternly.
Harry felt her magic lift and he jumped up to take Teddy, "I'm sorry, Sweetheart."
The Weasley brothers apologized to Gussy and kissed Teddy's chubby cheeks before making their way to the Floo.
Smoothing Teddy's hair, Harry thanked the tiny elf for taking care of the baby, "I'll tuck him in with me tonight."
~O-O~
It was like clockwork, Severus thought as the Gringotts owl shimmered through his wards, every few weeks, another letter from Potter.
Bringing the owl into the kitchen, he set it up with water and some food before waving off the protection spells on the envelope. As he started to read, he scoffed at Potter's update on his schooling and Draco Malfoy of all people. As he continued to read, the letter devolved into a childish yet angry rant about Draco's state of mind and loneliness. Instead of rolling his eyes or throwing the letter away, Severus found himself sitting on the kitchen floor, the letter crinkling in his tight grip.
He often thought of his godson but he never considered his absence would leave a hole in Draco's life. He never believed Draco would spiral downward into depression. He knew he had failed in much of his life but he never thought that he had failed Draco.
And the worst part was Harry Freaking Potter had been the one who knew him all along. He had called him a coward after Dumbledore's death, at his own hand no matter what the old nutter thought before he demanded Severus kill him. He was a coward. He had faked his death and left smoldering ashes and destruction behind him.
Draco was left alone to deal with the aftermath of the war and his parent's decisions. His father was in prison, his mother was desperately trying to make up for decades of bad decisions, and his friends had fled the country. Just like Severus had fled.
Alone, Draco pushed himself forward. He had remained driven and achieved all that Severus knew he could and the boy had done it on his own. Severus wasn't there to help him prepare for his Newts or cleanse the manor of dark magic. He wasn't there to testify on Draco's behalf, leaving him at the mercy of the Wizengamot and now the boy was only working because of Divya's intervention on behalf of a fellow member of Slytherin.
He had abandoned Draco and he wasn't even aware of the impact of his selfish decision until Potter had pointed it out.
The day passed as he sat on the ground, his body stiff as his head throbbed. Determined to correct his mistakes, Severus dragged himself from the floor and stumbled around his home in the dark, searching for parchment.
~O-O~
A/N: things may be looking up for Harry but Snape's not doing so great...