Hello everyone,

new chapter today.

Thank you for all the reviews.

I know I should be programming for my homework but hey, at least the story continues.

Disclaimer: Yes, sure. I really don't need to repeat that.


Another five days later it is time for Draco's second therapy session. He has been whining about the horses anyway. Hermione arrives early and I am still preparing Draco when she finds us in his room. He is sitting on the bed, mostly dressed but he keeps interrupting me because he's reaching for a book or Dragon and sometimes throwing things around with his new magic. All in all it's a tad bit chaotic. The girl obviously can't keep herself from giggling when she sees us.

"Now that's certainly a pleasant image to walk into," she grins.

I huff from my position in front of the blond, trying to force his arms into a jacket, "It's not funny, 'Mione. It's like trying to tame a toddler, except he's taller than me and throwing fully fledged magic around."

"Better a mute toddler than comatose," she sighs, but kneels next to me to hold Draco's right arm still, "It's quite nice to watch how he's progressing, even though it's still far from what we want to achieve in the end," she chuckles, "And until then you have to take care of a six feet tall toddler. No problem, right? I mean you took care of Teddy didn't you?"

"Yes, before I took Draco in. Andromeda wanted him to have parents, not just a grandmother. Since I am his godfather I am the closest he has left," I sigh, rubbing a hand over my face, "She wants me to take him again… And don't get me wrong, I understand why she wants that, but right now there is just no way."

"She asked you?"

"Yes, last time I visited her. But I told her, I can't," I answer.

"No, I guess not. We need neither Draco nor Teddy scaring each other," she snorts, "especially if one of them could take the house apart in a fit of magical panic."

"That's one point. Also, Teddy needs a lot of attention, he's not even three after all. But Draco already requires so much attention. Not to mention that I have to study as well at some point. I am bordering on being forced to repeat some lectures anyway. I can't take care of Teddy as well when I can barely manage Draco and my life at the same time."

She snorts, "You know I could take care of Draco now and then if you want some time to actually live your life."

At that I shake my head with a soft smile, "No, it's fine," I run fingers through Draco's hair, "He's been a big part of my life for as long as I have known of the wizarding world. I want to bring that part to rights and maybe then I can think of focusing on someone else."

"Not even go out once? You know, go to a bar or a club. Go get a drink and maybe find someone to flirt with?" she eyes me curiously

I laugh softly, stopping Draco's hand as it shoots out as if to hit me, "No, really, I'm fine. Besides I… Hm…" I break off embarrassed.

"Besides you have a huge crush on him anyway and you wouldn't feel right going off to find someone when the one you really love is left alone at your home and suffering."

I blush heavily, but can't really find it in me to deny it so I only glare at her, "Where would you get that impression?"

She only snorts, now keeping Draco from moving past us, "Do I really need to list that? How about your obsession with Draco since the day you two met for the first time? Or the fact that you were practically stalking him through sixth year?"

She would have continued if the subject of her speech had not interrupted her by throwing a magically moved book at her shoulder. Lucky for me Draco gives an annoyed sound and throws the left side of his body forward, averting the girl's attention to him.

"Yes, yes," I catch him, "We are getting moving."

He gives something resembling a huff at that and I chuckle, turning to my friend, "Can you get the sling for his arm? We need to secure it again."

She nods, waving her wand and the black material lands right in her hand, "Here," she holds it out to me.

But just as I am about to take his left arm to put it in the sling, it twitches. Twitches away. But the rest of his body didn't really move, so it could only have been caused by a muscle directly in his arm. I smile softly. 'Small progress once again,' I think while I rub said arm in encouragement. That earns me a wide-eyed look from the blond, but he doesn't make any move away either.

Eventually I manage to secure the unresponsive limb in the sling, only to have something hit me in the back as well. I huff and glare at the other boy playfully.

"We should also bind his magic for the time being," I hear Hermione's voice from behind me, "I mean, usually that's not advised because it can hinder a patient's development, but we are going to a muggle place. The humans and especially the horses have no experience with magic and we really don't need him scaring any of them since he can't control it."

I sigh, "Agreed. Do you know any spell that could do that?"

"Of course," she grins, "Who do you think you're talking to?"

One incantation later no books are flying through the room anymore. Draco makes an impatient noise and actually puts effort into getting to his feet. He manages to get upright, but loses his balance soon after he took the first small step forward. I stand just in time to catch him.

"Yeah, we're still working on that," I huff in amusement which earns me annoyed noise from the blond now in my arms.

Hermione laughs lowly and comes up next to us. I grin back at her over the other boy's shoulder. Slowly we make our way downstairs to the front door. Draco gives off an impatient air but he accepts my lead. I am happy to see how much he trusts me by now.

A short time later we have apparated on the grounds of the therapy stable. Draco is pulling forwards as soon as the smell of the horses hits his nose. He huffs when I regulate him down to a slower pace. Hermione grins at me. I smile back as I stop him in front of the door to let the girl open it. To my surprise though as soon as the wood swings open and he has made sure that no one is too close or in his line of sight, he actually tries to push off of me. I want to catch him, but he sways to the right side and would have crushed me against the frame of the stable door if I had not let him go.

"Well, he's certainly getting more active when we're getting closer to horses," I huff as I catch myself against the wall of the stable.

Hermione giggles, "That's true. But you should go catch your toddler before he hurts himself or causes some kind of ruckus."

I grumble but hurry through the opening after the other boy. Luckily nothing seems to have happened. He has his working hand and shoulder against the wall of the stalls. Curious horse heads peek from a few of the windows. Most pull back though when he sways past, as if understanding that if they touch him they might upset his course and cause him harm. Eventually he stops, panting slightly as if he just finished a run around the Quidditch field. I smile sadly at how weak his muscles have become. Still leaning against the wood he reaches his working hand out to stroke the nose of a brown horse carefully sniffing his hair.

I smile but don't really dare come closer, lest I interrupt his peace. For a few minutes he busies himself with the two horses nudging at him from left and right. Then, just as I take a step closer a soft whinny from the other side of the stable seems to draw his attention. At first he stiffens whether from me approaching or the unexpected sound, but then he looks in the direction of the noise and spots Shenan, the horse he rode during his first therapy session. His face brightens slightly and he takes another step.

I am just about to catch him when he turns towards the other side of the stable. Unfortunately I am still too far away and I feel Hermione's hand on my arm before I can come close enough. Instead I only watch as I see Draco use his moving hand to push himself off this side of the stalls. I swallow. There are approximately six steps to the other side. That's over five steps without anything to hold onto. Draco has never managed more than two without support. My eyes lock with Hermione's but she shakes her head.

"He has to make his steps on his own. If you support him on every step he takes, he will never make progress," she says softly.

"And if he falls?" I can't help but ask.

"Then you help him get up again and he will give it another try. You said so yourself, he's a fighter. Now it's your time to believe in him," she smiles as she motions to the other boy.

And indeed Draco has already managed over half of the distance. His steps are insecure and he has problems balancing himself, but he is doing it, in smaller steps than the usual human though. Four steps, five, six. With the seventh he reaches out his right hand to the wood and another move forward lands him against the other side of the hallway, where Shenan welcomes him by carefully nosing his cheek. He gives the light furred horse a smile despite the fact that his free hand is now clinging to the bars next to the horse's window. He buries his face in the soft fur instead.

I smile as I carefully approach him a few minutes after he has regained control over his right arm and is stroking Shenan's head. His eyes land in my direction but he doesn't move from his position next to the animal. He doesn't even twitch when I settle on her other side. My staring at him is interrupted by an amused chuckle next to me though.

"I see you two have reacquainted yourself," Andrea has come up to us, "Hello Harry, Hermione and Draco."

The girl and I give our greetings back, but the blond only buries himself in the horse's neck in distrust. The woman smiles at him anyway, carefully approaching further.

"Do you want to help me prepare her?" she asks softly.

He stares at her with hard silver eyes, his hand clenching in the white mane. He doesn't respond immediately instead holds still as if he's assessing her. Eventually he nods but shies away nonetheless when she comes close so she can open Shenan's door.

"Alright," she picks up a plastic container at the side of the door filled with brushes and the like. She takes one out and holds it out towards Draco, "Here. The first step is brushing her fur."

To all our amusement he gives her a look as close to his condescending old one as possible. I hear Hermione giggle behind me while I watch him fondly.

"How much time did he spend around horses did you say?" Andrea asks, smirking.

"I'm not sure, I didn't know him yet at the time," I shake my head in amusement, "From what I gathered his family had horses when he was young. He loved them, they apparently were his sanctuary from what we guessed."

"It would seem that way," the woman smiles, "Even now he seems to know exactly what he's doing."

And it's true. Even in his current state, every stroke of the brush is well placed. In slow but precise movements he soon has covered the whole side of the horse. Using her rear as support he walks around the horse to do the same on the other side. We wait until he has cleaned the whole animal, being careful on her head. When he slowly pads back to the door, shooting wary looks at Andrea, I smile as he hands me the brush. The blonde woman grabs something else out of the container. It looks like some plastic handle with a bent end of some other fabric sticking out of it. At first Draco gives her an expectant look but when she shakes her head he narrows his eyes.

"Sorry, but you can't do that," she hands him back the brush instead, "Shenan is well trained but even she can't hold up her hooves on her own for that long. So to clean them you would need two hands, not just one."

He huffs, but nonetheless goes back to brushing the horse's fur. I smile at the picture. Still he shies and moves away to another spot of the horse every time Andrea comes close to him. She finishes soon and lets him continue touching the palomino while she puts the cloth and belt from last time back on Shenan. Draco gives a disgruntled noise as I pull him away from the horse after a motion from Andrea. Hermione follows us as we make our way to the riding hall. The therapist puts the rope on again as well as she leads Shenan behind us. Draco reaches out to one or two other horse noses along the way.

Once we have arrived at the riding hall, we follow basically the same procedure as the last time. Even from the steps Draco still needs one moment of pause with his knee on the horse's back, but he is faster to move again this time. He straightens as soon as he sits on the palomino, more strength flowing into his thin figure.

Andrea and I make small talk while she leads Shenan around the hall. Hermione has left earlier this time. Draco is peaceful as always as long as he's around horses, even urging Shenan to go faster at some point. It seems like she can't decide whether to follow his commands or not. But neither Andrea nor I have been paying much attention and eventually the mare gives in and starts a slow trot. The therapist is surprised when the horse suddenly bypasses us, but immediately tries to reign it in again. Draco gives an annoyed sounds when Shenan slows down and the woman grins.

"As much as I appreciate your enthusiasm, young man, we are certainly not going any faster on your second session already," another annoyed grunt tries to cut her off, but she speaks over him, "No arguing. I might trust the fact that you can hold yourself steady, but it's a rule and we don't have to risk that much yet."

He grumbles but peacefully settles for the slow pace after that. Getting him off takes a lot of coaxing once again but we manage and after another long round of brushing the light fur I can get him to leave with me.

We arrive home at about the same time as last week and he falls straight into bed, falling asleep with a small smile on his face and his stuffed dragon in his arms. Meanwhile I sit down in the living room to do some studying for my healer career for once.


That's it for today. Thanks for reading.

At least it was a longer chapter. Hope you enjoyed it.

Review please and see you next time.