Disclaimer: The characters and places and stuff belong to JKR. But for now, they are at my mercy. *evil grin* I'll return them as soon as I'm finished…maybe.
Thanks to everyone who reviewed!
In this chapter: Jealousy, headache remedies, Draco makes Severus angry, rules
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Chapter 10
When Severus went into Draco and Harry's room to wake the boys up, he found them both in Draco's bed, asleep. Harry was curled up against Draco's chest, and Draco had his arms wrapped protectively around Harry. At this sight, Severus couldn't help but feel jealous.
They can't be...can they? No, they can't, because I wanted him! He's mine!
Severus shook the thoughts out of his head, silently berating himself for his immaturity. He went over to the bed and shook the boys awake. Harry opened his sleepy eyes, saw Severus, and immediately turned over to go back to sleep. Draco, on the other hand, rolled his eyes at Harry and smiled up at his godfather.
"He had a nightmare," was all Draco had to say before Severus understood. He knew about Aidan and how protective Draco had been of the boy.
"Get up. I let you sleep a little late today, but don't think I'll do it everyday. Draco, you have work to do. Harry, you just need to...stay awake for a while. Poppy doesn't want you to sleep too much."
"But I'm tired," Harry whined.
"Get up for a few hours, and then you can take a nap," Severus told him. "Come on. Get up, get dressed, and get something to eat."
Draco quickly dressed and took his homework to the Great Hall, muttering something about no distractions. Harry took his time in getting dressed. Then he went to the kitchen and ate a bit of toast before heading to the living room.
Severus was sitting on the sofa, reading Moste Potente Potions and making notes on a piece of parchment. Harry dropped down next to him on the couch and lay down with his head in Severus's lap. Severus started a little when he felt the weight on his legs, then sighed, hiding his surprise, when he saw that it was Harry.
"What's the matter with you?" Severus asked as Harry closed his eyes.
"I've got a headache," Harry mumbled.
That makes two of us, Severus said to himself.
He put his book and parchment down on the coffee table, then began to slowly run his fingers through Harry's hair, gently massaging his scalp. Harry gave a soft, contented sigh.
"My mother used to do this when I was young," Severus told him. "I had headaches often, and it helped."
"Where is your mother now?" Harry wondered, opening his eyes a crack.
"Voldemort killed her about eighteen years ago," Severus explained. "That was what made me turn from the Death Eaters." The two were silent for a moment, until Severus spoke again. "Draco said you had a nightmare. What was it about?"
"I can't remember," Harry yawned, enjoying the feeling of Severus's fingers running through his hair. "I woke up shaking and out of breath. I didn't want to go back to sleep, so I came out here, but then Draco came out and told me to lay down with him. Said it helps after a bad dream."
"And did it?" Severus wondered.
"Mmm-hmm..." Harry replied, sleepily. "He told me about his parents, and about Aidan. He just talked to me until I went back to sleep, and then I slept good..."
"That's good... I remember when Aidan died. His funeral was the day before everyone came back for school. I couldn't go because I had to prepare for classes, but as soon as the Welcoming Feast was over the next night, Draco came in here. All through dinner, he'd kept a straight face and stayed calm, but then he came in here and cried for hours. He loved his brother more than anything. It was devastating when they found out Aidan was sick."
"What was he sick with?" Harry asked. "Draco didn't say."
"Muggle cancer. Leukemia, I think. It's treatable for Muggles and Muggle-borns, but it's rare in full-blooded wizards, and it can't be treated." Harry let out a quiet sigh.
"Can't even imagine the pain he must have been in," he murmured.
"He was a good kid," Severus commented, softly. "And intelligent... He knew what was wrong with him. He understood that he was going to die. But he just kept on going like nothing was wrong, and he never complained."
After a moment, Severus gently tapped Harry on the head and told him to get up.
"Do you feel better now?"
"Yes, thank you. Can I go up to the Great Hall with Draco?"
"I suppose, but be careful," Severus warned him. He pointed his wand at Harry and said a few words. "If anything goes wrong, I'll know. Don't make me come up there after you."
When Harry reached the Great Hall a short while later, he sat down next to Draco at a table. Draco's books were spread out in front of him, but he wasn't looking at them. His elbow rested on the tabletop, and his face lay on his hand as he stared across the room. When Harry sat down, Draco snapped out of his daze and looked at his friend.
"Hey," Draco said with a small smile. Harry gave him a concerned look.
"Are you all right?" Draco nodded.
"Fine. I just can't seem to concentrate." He smiled mischievously at Harry. "Were you spending some 'quality time' with Sev?" Harry blushed a little.
"He made my headache go away, and we talked for a little while," he said.
"Did he do that thing where he just kind of runs his fingers through your hair and massages your head?" Draco asked, his eyes wide.
"Yeah, why?"
Draco burst out laughing.
"Harry! He only does that for people he really, really cares about! Anyone else, he'd just give them a potion!" Harry blushed even more. "He likes you, I know it! So when are you going to do something about it?"
"Like what?" Harry asked.
"I don't know... Just kiss him or something. Shock him."
Harry mumbled something under his breath that Draco couldn't understand. He asked Harry to repeat himself a little louder.
"I never kissed anyone before," Harry said, quietly. "I wouldn't know how. Anyway, I can't do anything about it. What will people say? Have you forgotten about the fact that Severus and my godfather despise each other? Sirius would kill him! And my friends don't even know I'm gay, let alone that I'm falling for a teacher, and one they hate, at that!"
"Who cares what other people say, if you really like him?" Draco asked, gently. "Sirius will have to get over it. And your friends...if they don't accept it, then they aren't really your friends."
"What do people in the wizarding world really think of gay people?" Harry asked after a moment.
"Most have no problem with them," Draco told him. "In fact, I'd say about half the people in our world are either gay or bisexual. A lot of gay wizards marry witches only for breeding purposes. But really, the majority has no problem with it." He gave Harry a serious look. "Do you really like him, Harry?"
"Yes," Harry sighed, running his hand through his hair.
"Then do something about it. If you want, I can teach you how to kiss him so that there's no possible way he could refuse you. And I can talk to him and see what he thinks about you before you make your move."
"Thank you, Draco."
~~~
That afternoon, while Harry was napping, Draco and Severus were in Severus's laboratory, taking an inventory of his ingredients.
"Uncle Sev?" Draco said after a short while. Severus looked at him and, seeing the mischievous smile on his godson's face, raised his eyebrows.
"I don't like that look on your face, Draco," Severus warned him.
"I knew you wouldn't," Draco said, smirking. "Uncle Sev, what do you think of Harry?"
"Why do you ask?" Severus's tone was suspicious.
"Pure curiosity?" Draco tried, innocently. "I've just noticed that you've become somewhat...fond of him lately. You watch him, you talk about him, you worry about him, and it goes past the fact that he's under your care and you have to take care of him. For Merlin's sake, Sev, you gave him the 'headache remedy' this afternoon that is reserved only for people you really care about." He gave a soft sigh. "Anyway, I see the look in your eyes when you watch him. It's the same way Mum and Dad always looked at each other, Sev."
Severus stood to put some jars on a shelf, and he answered without looking at Draco.
"The relationship between myself and Harry Potter will never go beyond friendship, if that's even what it is now."
"But that's not what you want, is it?" Draco asked, softly. "You want more than that."
Severus slammed a jar down on the counter, nearly causing it to shatter, and glared at his godson.
"My feelings, or lack thereof, for Potter are none of your concern, and since you will not drop the subject, then I must insist that you leave. Get out of my sight." Draco didn't move; he just stared at his godfather in shock. "Now, damn it!"
Draco ran out of the room and into his and Harry's bedroom. Harry sat up, rubbing his eyes, when he heard Draco come in.
"What's going on?" Harry mumbled. "I heard shouting."
"Don't worry about it," Draco told him, pawing through his trunk. He paused for a moment and put a Silencing Spell on the room. "Harry, he wants you. He definitely wants you."
"Did he say something?" Harry asked, now wide awake.
"No; rather, it was what he didn't say," Draco replied, and he relayed the conversation to Harry, who seemed rather skeptical.
"Maybe you're reading into it too much and making it out to be something it's not," Harry said, quietly. "Maybe he was telling the truth, that he doesn't have feelings for me."
"Harry, look at me," Draco said, softly. Harry obeyed. "He has feelings for you. I'm absolutely certain." Draco turned back to his trunk. "Damn it! I can't find it!"
"What are you looking for?" Harry wondered.
"Hogwarts policy book," Draco replied. "We have to go to the library. Wait for me in the kitchen."
Draco went back to the lab and slowly walked in. Severus stood in front of his table, furiously stirring in his cauldron.
"Uncle Sev?" Severus ignored him. "I'm sorry." No reply. "Please don't be angry with me." Nothing. "Harry and I are going to the library for a bit, okay? I'll take care of him and make sure he doesn't hurt himself."
When Severus still didn't say anything, Draco sighed and headed for the doorway. Finally, Severus spoke.
"Give him his potion; one spoonful. Be back here within an hour. We're going out for supper."
"Will do," Draco promised and, after giving Harry his medicine, the two went up to the library. Draco pointed at a table. "Go sit over there. I'll be there in a few minutes."
When Draco returned to the table, he had two books with him: a book on the policies of Hogwarts and a book on wizarding laws in Britain.
"We're going to make sure it's completely legal for you to have a relationship with him," Draco told Harry while flipping through the pages of one book. "Then there will be no reason why you can't."
"Unless he doesn't like me, even if you insist that he does," Harry shot back. He pointed at a page. "It's legal for an adult over eighteen to have a romantic relationship with a minor under eighteen, as long as that minor is at least sixteen years old. Well, that takes care of that part. I just turned seventeen."
Harry looked at Draco, who was quickly thumbing through the pages of Hogwarts Rules.
"Draco," Harry said, softly. "Why are you so insistent about this whole thing? I don't understand."
"Because," Draco said, not looking up from the book, "you and Sev are the most important people in my life now. You're the only important people in my life now. It's obvious that you care a great deal for each other, maybe even love each other. I want you both to be happy...even if I can't be."
The last part was said as a whisper, but Harry heard it perfectly. He scooted closer to Draco and wrapped an arm around his back, resting his chin on Draco's shoulder.
"Why can't you be happy?" Harry wondered, rubbing circles over Draco's back.
"Because...I just can't."
There was a firmness in Draco's voice that warned Harry not to push him. Harry regarded the warning and changed the subject.
"What have you found?"
"Just that I was right: there are no rules against teacher-student relationships." Draco looked at his watch. "We should probably get back downstairs. Sev said we're going out for supper. Then later, you and I will discuss a plan of attack."
Harry just chuckled at how excited Draco was as the boys went downstairs. When they reached the dungeons, they found Severus sitting at the kitchen table, reading the newspaper. He was wearing Muggle clothes, including the shirt that Harry liked.
"You look spiffy," Draco teased him. "Where, exactly, are we going to eat?"
"Albus has been on my case about a Muggle restaurant in London," Severus explained, glancing up from his paper. "It's called Thomas's or something like that." Hearing that, Harry chuckled a little. "What?"
"That's Dean's parents' restaurant," Harry explained. "I've been wanting to go there, but I never got a chance."
"Go get dressed, then," Severus told them, and they headed for the bedroom. "Don't make me wait! I want to leave in twenty minutes!"
