A/N : See the Voice Of Alexian review for this chapter for replies to ch29 reviews.
What I was going to put into chapter thirty will now take place over the following three chapters as it got very long, hence the chapter name change here.
Beta By Kristine Thorne
Chapter Summary – Draco is getting better and takes positive steps towards winning Severus' regard.
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Chapter Thirty – The Promise
It wasn't long at all before Draco had been taking the potion that Severus had made for him long enough to be able to feed himself. As long as it was a sandwich or fruit or something else that he could pick up without needing to use a fork or spoon since he still couldn't grip things in his hands very well. Harry and Ron had been overjoyed to be relieved of their duties until they remembered that this also meant that he would be on his feet soon and the situation was going to deteriorate considerably as they had to learn to live together as adults.
Ron was grumpier than Harry over Draco but then Harry had something else to think about in order to keep himself cheery. Both he and Severus were getting noticeably bigger, so much so that Ron wondered how Draco hadn't figured it out yet. In addition to this Harry had his birthday to look forward to, his first since becoming Severus' Kin although it wouldn't be the first time that Severus had given him a birthday treat.
"Severus gave you a birthday treat last year?" Ron asked in disbelief when Harry told him about that part of the trip as they sat in front of the fire one evening. Severus had gone through to Draco for a while.
"Yes, he was really sweet, we had a bed for the night and everything," Harry enthused.
"Well fancy that, a bed? And before the two of you were Kin too," Ron teased.
"Shut up!" Harry replied throwing a cushion at his friend after realising that Ron was teasing.
Ron picked up the cushion, which had missed hitting him and gently passed it back over to Harry, he had more sense than to throw it back when Severus was only in the next room.
Harry sat curled up on the sofa with a mug of cocoa in one hand and the other resting proudly on his slightly but noticeably enlarged belly. Ron had noticed that Harry was doing that a lot and seemed to be quite unaware of the habit most of the time. Ron had also noticed that Severus did it too but he would be sat at his desk by the window solemnly trying to read an old and heavy leather bound book at the same time, Harry was in the habit of leaning over to Ron and telling him what Severus was really reading and Ron always found that he smiled.
Ron couldn't understand why Severus didn't read openly in his own home at least, everybody who visited the Headmaster's quarters knew about the pregnancies even if they weren't both common knowledge everywhere. Although Harry's pregnancy had been extensively reported nobody had guessed about Severus apart from Hermione and Severus certainly hadn't been spreading the news. Or if they had guessed nobody was interested or was talking about it. Ron felt sad when he watched Severus and was glad that he had Harry forever, without Harry he didn't have anything, at least until he had a little one to hold.
Severus emerged from what was now Draco's bedroom.
"How was it?" Harry called over, as was his habit.
"Fine, read to him a bit, guaranteed to induce sleep," Severus replied, "How has he been with you two?"
"Still fine," Harry answered, "Still choosing no communication since he has been banned from creating trouble, obviously doesn't even want to try to be friends. Though we haven't been staying long, just giving him the plate and then running out."
"Give him time," Severus said confidently.
Harry shrugged, he wasn't at all sure that they could ever be reconciled.
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Severus brought Draco into the living room and sat him on the sofa once Harry and Ron had disappeared elsewhere in the castle. He had some work that he needed to complete at his desk and he had got in the habit of keeping Draco occupied whilst he worked.
Severus had received a lot of owls from parents whose children were expecting to get their Hogwarts letters soon, asking a variety of questions about the teachers and how he was planning to regulate and run the school. Severus read them out to Draco who sometimes had a suggestion for a sensible reply and sometimes revealed the nature of his own character instead. In any case Severus wrote what he wished but thought it at least kept Draco's mind working on something other than causing trouble.
"You have cut out Ministry involvement?" Draco asked with surprise as the subject came up in one of the letters.
"Yes," Severus replied, "Half of them were your father's little friends anyway, I think it will be managed better this way, there will of course be a parents group so I am not running things entirely unchallenged."
"Had any complaints about who you've chosen for your staff?" Draco asked.
Severus looked up from his work and glowered across the room, "Draco!" He warned.
"I only asked," Draco responded looking as innocent as could be.
"Hmm," Severus growled.
"Well?" Draco persisted.
"Everybody knows what Harry has done and that he is more than capable of defending himself against any Dark Art that should come along and has already proven himself to be good at teaching it."
"But he didn't kill the Dark Lord," Draco felt that he just had to mention.
"No," Severus agreed reluctantly keeping with Harry's story, "Although I wasn't aware that it was a recruitment criteria. In any case, he was too busy killing all of the other Death Eaters."
Draco went uncharacteristically silent for a while after that, Severus presumed that he might be thinking about his father's death but he didn't mention it.
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Ron and Harry had gone out into the castle grounds for some fresh air, it was a warm July day and Ron didn't yet have the confidence to go on his own. They found themselves a spot of grass that was reasonably flat and comfortable to sit on and then laid out a rug before sitting down on it. Harry had been carrying a small basket and Ron reached inside to pull out an apple.
"You've just had your breakfast!" Harry commented as Ron took his first bite.
"It's just an apple," Ron defended lying down on the rug so that he could soak up the feel of the morning sun on his face.
Harry decided to lie down too but turned onto his side when he felt his breakfast sitting uncomfortably in his stomach.
They lay for quite a while just enjoying the freshness of outdoors and when the heat became too much for dark robes Harry took his tunic off to reveal the crisp white shirt beneath before settling down again. Harry stayed sitting up this time though.
"Are you all right?" Ron asked as he noticed Harry fidgeting about.
"Yes, just trying to get comfortable." Harry replied.
Ron lay back for a while longer and when he checked on Harry again, he was sitting with a pile of daisies in front of him and was making a chain.
"You can stop that right now."
"What?" Harry asked surprised to be getting told off.
"I can just about cope with hugs but I am not going to lie here while you make daisy chains," Ron added with a smile.
Harry tossed the daisies away, "There, happy?" He pouted.
"Very much."
Harry reached inside a pocket in his robes and got himself something else to do instead, watching Ron to see when he would notice.
Ron looked up then dropped his head back down onto the rug, "Oh no!"
Harry grinned and started to knit all the same.
Ron looked up again, "What is that?"
"Knitting," Harry answered reaching into his robe for the one he had finished, "Look! Bootie!"
Ron gave up teasing and sat up to take a better look at the knitting Harry had done, "When did you do this?" he asked.
"I haven't in a while, I started as soon as we came to Hogwarts but I stopped again when you began to stay over on the sofa."
Ron reached out and Harry let him have a closer look at the bootie, "You shouldn't have stopped, it's very cute, you should do a few more."
"Really? I thought a could do a few pairs for Severus."
"Oh Harry, I don't think they'll really suit him."
Harry hit Ron lightly across the shoulder, "You know what I mean!"
Ron just laughed and lay back down turning onto his side, "Come lean against me," He offered, "You shouldn't be sitting with no support for your back."
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Severus gave Draco some sandwiches and an apple for his lunch but kept on working himself, he wanted all the letters finished so that he could get on with something he really wanted to do without the chore still hanging over his head.
"You know this reminds me of my brother and I when we were first Kin together. I would sit with him rather like this whilst he worked." Severus remembered.
"Really?" Draco responded enthusiastically.
"Yes, for a while, before I had to join with the Death Eaters and then nothing was quite the same ever again," Severus added.
"You came to Hogwarts after your brother died didn't you?" Draco asked.
"Yes," Severus replied not highlighting again that Lucius had been responsible, "Albus trained me to take over the Potions classes."
"You could train me," Draco volunteered.
"I already have Hermione teaching Potions."
"Bloody know it all Hermione. Why did you give her such a good job, she'll make your life a misery."
"That may well be, but I have every confidence that she will make a good teacher."
"What about Psychic Healing?"
"I am training Ron, he may take over," Severus replied.
"You have got to be joking? The Weasel teaching?" Draco exclaimed before he thought better of it.
"He has improved a lot since I began tutoring him," Severus said firmly to show Draco that he wanted him to watch what he was saying.
"No good asking for Defence Against The Dark Arts," Draco grumbled, "And Quidditch coach might be out of the question."
"I can't give every recently graduated student a teaching position here."
"You gave THEM one," Draco continued to whine.
"I didn't as it happens, Hermione took over in my absence under Headmaster Dumbledore, Albus left the DADA position to Harry and Ron is still a long way off taking Psychic Healing, he is still learning to do it himself." Severus defended.
"But what am I going to do?" Draco persisted.
Severus was beginning to get irritated, "Don't concern yourself, I will find you some occupation if only to keep you from fighting with the others."
"What about the sword?" Draco asked.
"What about it?"
"Can I see it now?"
Severus sighed; he was just about ready to do anything to shut Draco up for a while, "If you wish." He answered.
Severus stood up from his desk and drew the sword out from his robes. It enlarged and he held it by the hilt allowing the serpents to wind around his wrist and glow the more subdued shade of scarlet that it assumed when Harry was not holding his sword too.
Draco watched with fascination, "It's so long!" He commented, as his first comment was about the appearance of the blade and not the colour of the serpents Severus had to assume that Draco didn't know what the glowing colours meant.
As Severus got closer to let Draco have a better look he tried to raise his arm to touch it. Severus took his hand and placed it on the flat of the blade and held it there, it was too sharp to allow any clumsy handling.
"It's beautiful!" Draco said as Severus still held his hand to the blade.
"Yes it is," Severus answered as he laid Draco's hand back on his lap.
"I think I would like to go back to bed for a while," Draco announced as Severus put the sword away.
Severus thought that he might get on with his work quicker if Draco wasn't there for a while and was happy to oblige. He wrapped the medicloak around the young man again and carried him through to the bedroom. As he was carried Draco let his head rest against Severus' chest and wrapped an arm about his neck.
Severus administered another phial of potion to Draco and went back to his desk working out that Draco's progress had been such that he might be expected to be back on his feet within a week or two and feeling very glad about it.
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Harry went in to Draco to give him his dinner when Severus' work took longer than he had expected to complete. More owls had been arriving throughout the day and when Harry returned with Ron, Severus was still sat at the desk with two more owls flying in through the open window.
Harry swooped into the room, took the tray from the hearth and placed it on the table that was suspended over the bed. He immediately turned and attempted to leave.
"Don't run off so quickly," Draco shouted after him and Harry wasn't hard enough of character to just keep on going like he wanted to, he turned to face Draco instead.
"Is there something you want?" Harry asked managing to not seem too pleased about it.
"Did you have a nice day today?" Draco asked.
Harry stared at Draco with suspicion, "Yes, I did."
"Good," Draco said smiling, "Come sit down."
Harry sat down in the chair by the bed never taking his eyes off Draco for one second.
"What did you do?" Draco asked.
"I went with Ron outside to have a picnic and get some fresh air, then I planned some lessons for the first years based on some papers I found in one of the cupboards."
"No need to start from scratch when you don't need to," Draco chatted, "No need to guess who the papers used to belong to either, especially since YOU were prepared to use them."
"No, no need at all."
"Don't let Severus hear that you've been using them," Draco warned, "If you're wanting to stay on the right side of him."
Harry fought back a smile, "Draco I..." He attempted, thinking that it was about time that Draco was told the truth before he made a bigger fool of himself.
"I spent the day with Severus again, we talked together all morning," Draco interrupted, "He showed me this sword he has, it's a very special sword."
"Really?" Harry said getting quite irritated and changing his mind about telling Draco, a part of him enjoyed watching him make a fool of himself and he was so good at it.
"Yes," Draco continued to crow, obviously thinking that Harry should be impressed and jealous, "And he let me touch it, of course a sword would be too heavy me to hold at the moment but the potion is working wonders and it won't be long before I can."
"Well I have to go," Harry said standing up.
"I haven't upset you have I?" Draco asked.
"No." Harry almost snapped.
"Good," Draco gushed, "Just want to be clear about that."
"Goodnight Draco," Harry said as pleasantly as he could manage and then fled out of the door.
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The following day Severus took Draco into his potions room and the young man sat by the cauldron for a while watching Severus work and cutting the ingredients up for him. They were going to do one batch with Draco observing Severus, then Severus was going to supervise Draco and after that Draco would be left to make his own potion thus freeing enough time for Severus to be able to attend to his other duties more effectively.
Draco was feeling happy enough, he was feeling a bit disappointed that their current arrangement was coming to an end but he had plans for making sure that he would be spending lots of time with Severus for other reasons. All he had to do was warn Harry off for a while and then everything would be fine, he was making great progress with winning Severus over and Potter could never hope to match the past relations that the two Slytherins shared, it was as good as done.
Draco managed to turn the potion making session very much to his advantage by showing as much enthusiasm as was possible and by making sure that all the ingredients were prepared exactly as Severus liked them, Potter wouldn't even know where to start with that sort of thing.
Halfway through the morning Draco was doubly pleased when Harry came into the potions room without knocking and during a critical point in the brewing process too.
"Severus, I need to talk to you," Harry began rather pathetically Draco thought with glee.
Severus looked up from his cauldron with what Draco observed to be considerable irritation, "Speak." He commanded.
Harry looked understandably nervous and muttered on about a very important matter of some sort without looking up to meet Severus' eye once.
Draco was expecting that Severus would refuse to be drawn away from his potion and he had a wonderful plan for turning Harry's actions even more to his own advantage, "I can look after the potion for you," He offered brightly.
"Oh," Severus said seeming rather surprised as he turned to address Draco, "Are you sure?"
"Oh yes," Draco continued brightly, "I have been studying the procedure very carefully and it will pose no problem at all Sir."
Draco was pleased to observe that Harry glared at him intensely as Severus agreed.
Although he could hear nothing of what went on in the living room with Severus and Potter, Draco was pleased to note that Severus looked flustered when he returned, the very image of how he always looked after he had been forced into a rage. Draco proudly announced how well the potion had been progressing in the Headmaster's absence and Severus gave him the appropriate amount of praise.
Draco spent lunchtime with Severus and afterwards they returned to the potions room. Potter did not interrupt again until the end of the afternoon. Draco had insisted that he needed to rest a little in the armchair by this point and he was able to observe Potter's behaviour in front of Severus when he thought that he wasn't looking, as Draco pretended to be asleep.
"I need to tell you about another matter," Harry began.
Draco nearly grunted in disgust at Harry's woeful technique.
"Can it not wait till dinner time?" Severus asked.
Draco risked a little glance through almost shut eyes and found that Severus was standing around the front of the desk and was facing Potter.
"Is he asleep?" Harry asked gesturing over to where Draco was reclining.
"Yes," Severus answered.
Harry didn't look convinced, "Are you sure?"
Draco was pleased, he thought that Harry might just go ahead and speak this time and he would be able to hear what was so important that he felt that he had to keep interrupting Severus in his work.
"I am absolutely sure," Severus confirmed.
"I have been feeling so lonely these last few days," Harry whined.
Draco closed his eyes tight shut and tried his best not to snigger; he didn't want to ruin his chance of hearing everything. Draco heard Severus sigh and then waited for further whining or evidence that Severus was either angry or irritated. There was nothing but a comfortable kind of silence and Draco knew that they hadn't left the room. Draco risked a look and was surprised and annoyed by what he saw.
Draco couldn't imagine how Potter had managed it but the Gryffindor was standing in front of Severus and had leant his head against the Headmaster's chest. The Headmaster had placed a comforting hand around the young man's shoulders. Draco was furious and he couldn't wait till he got the opportunity to catch Potter alone, he wasn't going to let him spoil everything now by casting even the slightest amount of doubt in Severus' mind, not now he was getting so close to completing his goal.
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Harry was pleased when it was time to go to bed; he longed to be with Severus and just lie next to him taking comfort in his presence. He didn't really mind if they had sex or not, they had already managed to squeeze that activity into the working day thanks to Draco's generosity. He wouldn't say no though, if Severus were inclined.
"It was very nice of Draco to let me have my wicked way with you today," Harry commented as Severus slid under the covers and lay on his side facing Harry.
"Though I doubt that he would have been so agreeable if he had known what the important matter you needed to discuss was." Severus said sliding a hand underneath the sheets to caress Harry's belly.
Harry felt the warmth as Severus began to sense and reached his own hand out to do the same with Severus, a nightly routine of theirs.
"Hermione's book says that they'll be moving soon," Harry mentioned.
"When they begin to move you can't feel it at first." Severus added.
"Hmm," Harry responded sounding more disappointed than he had meant to convey, "Hermione's book also says that this stage in the pregnancy is also a good time to go on a little holiday, especially if you're not feeling sick or anything."
"Really?" Severus said making a very good job of sounding disinterested.
Harry didn't make a big thing of it and left Severus with the thought. Instead he slid his hand from Severus belly to lower down and began trying to interest him in something else instead.
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Severus looked over to Draco who was once again sat on the sofa while he worked at his desk. It was only a few days till Harry's birthday now, Severus wanted to take him away from Hogwarts for at least three days and Draco had been taking his potion for long enough for Severus to be confident that it was worth trying to get him on his feet. Yet Draco still wanted to be carried to and from bed and insisted that his arms had recovered much more successfully, allowing him to read but giving him an excuse not to stand.
Severus stopped writing for a moment as he watched Draco reading the potions text that he had given him, so that Draco would be able to brew his own potion competently Severus was making him read the background theory behind the choice of ingredients. He wondered if Draco had grown rather accustomed to their present arrangement or if he was just trying to avoid facing Harry and Ron properly for as long as possible.
Whatever was going on, Severus was determined that he was going to find out and put a stop to it, they couldn't go on living as they were. Severus was spending far too much time with Draco and Harry couldn't come and go as he pleased in his own home. Both Harry and Ron had to keep hiding together under the invisibility cloak. Severus could tell, even though he didn't complain much at all, that Harry minded the amount of time that they were spending in opposite parts of the castle and the school term hadn't even started.
It was nearly dinner time and Severus knew that Harry would be making his way back soon if he wasn't already on his way, he decided that it was time to be firm with Draco. He took out his map and activated it; he could see both Ron and Harry walking through the castle together, Ron keeping their progress fairly slow.
"Harry and Ron are on their way back," Severus announced as he stood up, he noted Draco's panicked expression.
"I'll go back to my room now," Draco couldn't help insisting.
Severus didn't pick up the medicloak but took a quill from his desk and approached Draco. The tip of the quill was damaged and was no good for writing anymore, Severus took out his wand and transfigured the quill into a walking stick.
Draco looked even more panicked, "I can't," he insisted.
"You will at least try," Severus persevered, he showed Draco the map, "Look, they're getting closer."
Draco looked at the map and saw that Ron and Harry were coming up the main staircase. He accepted the stick from Severus and when Severus took pity on him and offered him his hand he accepted that too.
Draco managed to stand and Severus had to admit that he was more unsteady on his feet than he thought he would be, he supposed that it had been a long time since he had walked. He took the stick back and transfigured it into an elbow crutch instead.
"Tomorrow I want you to walk around a bit, I think you will do well if you practise." Severus suggested.
"I will," Draco agreed as they made their way across the room to the bedroom. Draco leant on the crutch but he linked his arm with Severus as well. Severus was just glad that he was trying even if it was spurred on by a need to get away from Harry and Ron.
Once in the bedroom Severus stopped Draco from sitting down on the edge of the bed and pushed him towards the armchair instead.
"It's about time that you started to keep the same hours as everybody else," Severus scolded, "I will get your book."
When Severus returned with the book he sat down on the edge of the bed.
"There is something I need to mention before Harry and Ron return," Severus began.
Draco's attention immediately became focussed on Severus, as he had known it would be, Severus had intentionally phrased his words to sound as attractive to Draco as possible.
"Yes?" Draco prompted, believing that he was to receive information that was not meant to be shared with anybody else.
"I must go away for a few days, but when I return we must talk about your position here at Hogwarts, what you are going to do and a few other things."
"Right," Draco agreed readily, "I could be your personal assistant, a lot of those letters you've been replying to have required just about the same answer and I've been listening, I could do a newsletter maybe and send it out to all the parents. I can write well now."
"I will think about it," Severus replied, "It will be imperative that you get on well with the other staff though and you have to stop hiding in this room. You can work on being a bit more sociable while I am away."
Draco looked horrified; "You're leaving me with them aren't you?"
"An ideal opportunity I would have thought, but I am afraid you will only have to entertain Ron as Harry will be coming with me."
Draco was uncontrollably jealous, "Why are you taking him?"
"We are visiting somebody we stayed with last summer, a mutual acquaintance."
"Oh," Draco said huffily.
"Then when I get back we will talk, there's also something I want to give you, something I believe should be yours now."
"What is it?" Draco asked hardly able to contain his excitement.
"Patience Draco, it will be yours when I come back."
"Right," Draco said trying very hard to reign himself in, he understood the unspoken deal, be sociable to Ron for a few days, that's all he had to do and at last it would be his, he would have the thing he most wanted in all the world, it was all in place, Severus had made the promise at last.
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Later that same evening Harry, Severus and Ron all sat around the fire with their cups of cocoa. Ron had already arranged his bed things and was lying down ready to go to sleep as soon as Harry and Severus decided that they were going to bed. Harry lay as he often did, nestled against Severus chest with one of his Kin's hands lying protectively on his belly.
"There is something I need to tell the both of you," Severus announced with a tone of seriousness.
"What is it?" Harry asked feeling a bit panicked by the unknown.
"Nothing bad," Severus reassured Harry, "Not for you anyway."
"For me?" Ron asked with suspicion.
"Depends on how you look at it," Severus continued, "I am going to take Harry away for a few days in order to celebrate his birthday."
Harry sat up suddenly, "Oh Sev! Where are we going?" He asked excitedly.
Ron felt a bolt of jealousy and waited to hear how this would affect him.
"I thought that we might visit Will at Sgoil Dhubh for a few days, revisit our adventure in more pleasant circumstances."
"Oh Ron this is brilliant!" Harry enthused to his friend.
"You're leaving me with HIM aren't you?" Ron asked nowhere near as happy as Harry was.
"He refuses to leave his room when either you or Harry are there," Severus tried to reassure, "He can get his own food from the hearth now, he has books to read, chances are that you won't even see him. All you have to do is go about your own business in the living room here and be available if anything happens, it could work out quite peacefully for you. I have promised him something when I return, if he behaves himself."
"You can't keep bribing him," Harry pointed out.
"I don't think he is capable of behaving himself, no matter what it is you've offered him," Ron added.
"Maybe so, but I have to try, I've told him that we will discuss his role here and I have an old Malfoy family heirloom in my possession, it somehow ended up in the Snape household many moons ago, I will give it to him, he might appreciate it," Severus explained.
Ron reluctantly agreed to the arrangement but he didn't feel particularly convinced that things would be as peaceful as Severus had tried to make out.
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TBC soon
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Coming Next: Chapter Thirty One – Just Like Old Times – Draco confronts Harry and Ron has to stand between them.
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Some of what is coming in the following chapters:
Harry celebrates his birthday in style.
Harry and Sev visit Will.
Ron and Draco are left together while Harry and Sev are away, what will they get up to?
Will returns to Hogwarts with the Kin.
Hermione gives birth and tells all regarding her pregnancy.
Ron decides to get back with Hermione but things don't go according to plan.