Severus Snape was not in a good mood. Not that he usually was, but this time he was in a particularly foul mood. Having been brought back from the dead by Fawkes' tears he was given back the position of Hogwarts' resident potions master and teacher. Merlin how he hated children. But Mcgonagall had given him the mission of collecting the Potter brat. He had given word that he was coming back for eighth year, but it was 2 weeks into semester and he had not shown hide nor hair of himself. Severus was pleased by this, seeing as every day was a mediocre day if he didn't have to see the Potter brat. I digress, anyway Severus was planning on taking his godson Draco because he had begged and begged to be able to go, claiming that he just had to see where Potter lived so he could ridicule him about it, Snape was suspicious of ulterior motives. He let Draco tag along only on the condition that he would not do anything to anger the muggles Potter lived with. After he packed his bag with potions and trinkets alike, he grabbed onto his godson's arm and spun on the heel of his foot the crack of apparition echoing around the room vacated only seconds ago.
Draco was ecstatic, though he wouldn't show anybody as a Malfoy always has his mask on. He would finally get to see Potter again. Nobody knew this but he had had a crush on Potter since he first laid eyes on him when they were 11. He stumbled slightly as they landed, he had always hated apparition. He looked up and was confused. Where was the mansion and the fountains? Where were the hundreds of servants and the large estate? What was this particularly normal normal muggle home? So that is what he asked Severus, but he was just as confused stating that this was the address. Number 4 Privet drive. Everything was quiet as they made their way up the driveway. Severus knocked on the door, startling Draco out of his daydreams. A pale horse-faced long necked lady opened the door, as soon as she saw his godfather her mouth puckered as if sucking on a lemon. "You won't be able to get anything out of him, nobody has since Vernon learned he had to stay the whole summer." Her words were spoken as if it even pained her to think of Harry. Draco turned to Severus and frowned asking if he knew what she meant. Severus merely shook his head and followed the woman into the house. She lead them just into the house and stopped next to the stairs, she rapped on what Draco assumed to be a closet.
From inside a weak and hoarse, "Yes, Aunt Petunia." Escaped from behind the cupboard door.
"Severus Snape is here to see you. Though it won't do much good now." The woman, Petunia, Draco now realized, answered the voice coming from the cupboard.
"Tell him to go away, he can't do anything now." Draco started when he realized it was Potter who was in the cupboard under the stairs.
He spoke softly as if talking to an upset child, " Please Harry, I just want to know if you're okay." Draco held his breath hoping to anybody who might be listening that Potter would let him see him.
"Draco?!! Whatever are you doing here? Aunt Petunia let me out!" With a resigned sigh the horse faced woman unbolted the door and opened it. She reached her arm into the dark and pulled out a pale and skinny Harry Potter, he was dressed in old baggy clothes and he was so sickly looking you could hardly recognize him.
Petunia shoved him towards then saying "just take him Vernon has lost interest now that he can't do anything." Draco grabbed Potter and pulled him into his arms without thinking alarmed at how skinny and malnourished he really was. Sending a urgent look at Severus he said, "I am sorry but we really must be going, I have an important meeting soon." With that Severus grabbed onto his arm and apparated all three away as fast as he could.
Harry woke up to the sounds of a whispered argument all he remembered from before was being pulled into the arms of someone who smelled wonderful and then passing out as they apparated. He struggled to sit up, and the voices stopped. Someone pushed him back down saying, "It's alright Harry, you should go back to sleep. I'll be right here the whole time." The soothing voice from somewhere above him whispered.
Harry startled and said. "Excuse me, I don't mean to be rude," at this someone from farther into the room snorted suspiciously sounding like Snape. "But who are you?" Draco frowned down at Harry wondering why he would ask such a question when he was looking straight at him.
"What do you mean? It's me, Draco. You've known me since we were 11."
Harry sighed, and laughed a little, "Figures, the person to save me is the person who hates me. You really haven't figured it out yet have you? Well that's okay I mean it's not a big deal or anything, I just wonder, will you think of me differently? Will you pity me? I--"
" Harry stop stalling and tell us already your inane babbling is giving me a headache."
"Oh, hello Snape I was wondering if you were here too. If you really want to know we better start at the beginning. When I was a baby Dumbledore dropped me off at the Dursleys claiming it was the only place I would be safe, boy were they wrong, ever since I could manage on my own I lived in the cupboard under the stairs, when I got my Hogwarts letter they let me have Dudley's spare bedroom, saying that I should be grateful for all they had done for me. I would spend the school year having a wonderful time, but by the time summer came around it was back to the Dursleys, cooking, cleaning, yard work, and really anything else they needed done. When I returned after defeating Voldemort I expected it to be for a few days just in case Death Eaters were still after me, at least that's what Dumbledore's portrait said. When Uncle Vernon learned I was staying for the whole summer he was angrier than I had ever seen him. He left that evening and didn't come back till the next morning. When he arrived he knocked me over the head and I passed out, when I woke up I couldn't see, and haven't been able to since."