Chapter III

A gruff but gentle voice came to the boy through the mist in his mind, and Draco opened his eyes into the soft light of the warm hut.

"Our young friend has awoke, Beaky."

He watched a tall man approach him from the fire, and as the features came into view, Draco's body tensed and he let out a small moan of fear. The man before him had died two years before in the basements of the Ministry of Magic. He was sure of it.

"Hello Draco. Are you feeling better?"

"Y…you're dead."

Sirius Black smiled gently and put his hand on the boy's hot forehead.

"Only to some, my boy. There's a difference in an end to life and an intermission from it."

"But you fell…I heard it from so many people…"

"There are many things most people in the wizarding world don't know and never will understand. The time will come when you cease to be one of those people."

Draco was silent, and nodded.

"Buckbeak saved my life I think."

"Yes, he's a highly intelligent animal, don't you think? I was rather shocked when he showed up at the door with the half-dead Malfoy heir on his back. I had to pry your fingers from his feathers, but I'm glad to say he wasn't too irked that some came away in your grasp."

Draco thought he saw something like a smile on the face of the beast, and smiled back.

"Where are we?"

"Just outside of Glasgow, in a sheltered little valley. Beaky and I have been hiding out here for about a year now, but we move around now and then when things get suspicious."

Both men were silent, and Draco realized that he was speaking with his uncle; Harry's godfather.

"You share in everyone's grief, don't you."

"Yes, I do."

"Your sister is wasting away, your godson is dead, as is Professor Dumbledore."

"Many things have happened, Draco, and all need to be fought out and endured. Things will get better."

Draco's own godfather had said the same thing.

"Everyone keeps saying that, Sirius…but they haven't. It's been two months and today; rather yesterday, they got even worse."

"How so?"

"Marcus Flint is the new Quidditch coach at school."

"I'm sorry, I don't know who this is."

"Let's just say that I was glad when he graduated from Hogwarts. It put an end to much physical and emotional pain."

"Ah. I think I understand."

"But now he's back. And I suppose it doesn't really matter…I'm numb to everything these days. There is no feeling in my body, and only pain in my heart. I've become stone, Sirius…hard and cold."

The man ladled some stew into a bowl and sat next to the bed by the fire.

"Somehow you need to thaw out, Draco. When things do get better, you need to be prepared."

"I was prepared for death, and that was foiled."

"You should thank Buckbeak, not condemn him."

"Oh I do thank him, though I wish I'd have just never woken up."

"Draco, you need to stay alive. At least for three months, then you can make your decision."

"Why three months?"

He didn't feel humiliated when the man began feeding him the hot stew, and was grateful for human kindness.

"Something will happen in three months. When catastrophic events occur, people expect changes to be immediate. What they don't understand is that patience is needed to enjoy the benefits of good over evil."

"I've waited five months, Sirius. It would take a miracle to make things right again."

"Three months, Draco, is all I ask."

A knock on the door drew Sirius away from the bed, and he opened it to a dark figure who blew in with some snow, throwing back his hood. The two men embraced, and Draco was relieved to see his own godfather.

"You little demon-child…" Snape muttered, crossing the room to the bed and hugging the frail boy.

"Do you have any idea what you mean to me, Draco?"

The boy didn't answer, but smiled into the heavy cloak Severus wore. They spoke for a while, but Draco soon fell asleep again. The two older men left the bedside and sat together in front of the fire, not speaking. Severus looked at the man beside him, and noticed changes in the handsome face. His skin had toughened from exposure to the elements, and his hair was wild and flowing as usual, but longer than he had seen it last. Reaching out, he ran his hand through the black mess, smoothing out tangles and twirling it around his fingers.

"It's been so long since I've seen you, Sirius."

"It's hard to maintain contact when one is in hiding, Severus my friend."

Sirius smiled at the dark man's beautiful face, and moved closer to him. In a caring gesture, Severus pulled his cloak around both of them, his strong arms going around the other man's thin shoulders tenderly. Sirius let himself be folded into the comforting arms of his old friend, and the man's gentle lips pressed against his temple.

"You should write to Dumbledore about this. He'll want to know that Draco has lost his will to live."

"I already did. Once I was sure he was comfortable, I sent Buckbeak with a quick letter."

Severus nodded, and gently guided Sirius down to the floor.

"We need to get some sleep, Padfoot."

Sirius smiled and twisted his fingers into the man's hair, pulling their mouths together. Severus responded lovingly, his arms holding the younger man protectively. Parting, they smiled at one another, both thinking the same thing. They were both well into their forties, and the passion of youth had turned into steady love and a deep care for one another. Although, Sirius felt the familiar shudder in his flesh when Severus slipped both hands underneath the other man's shirt and gently caressed the still-soft skin of his torso. The muscles in his arms and back were well-developed from running around as a dog all the time, and Severus smiled against the tender neck.

Gently, Sirius undid the many buttons of the man's robes, and pressed his lips to the warm skin as he opened them gradually. Passionately, Severus suddenly caught the man's lips with his own and crushed their mouths against one another in a heated kiss. He shrugged out of the sleeves of his own robes, and pushed up Sirius's sweater and shirt of his head, his hands firmly stroking his flesh.

"If only Remus were here…" Severus whispered, longing for the touch of Lupin's slim, strong fingers.

"No…because then we'd have to share." Sirius smiled at the man and ran a hand through the smooth black hair.

"But think of his small body between us, Sirius…he was always so fiery for such a tormented man."

Black nodded, pulling Severus to him, their bare chests pressing together.

"We need to sleep, my dear Severus."

Once more their lips met, and then they were wrapped in one another's arms and soon fell asleep.

Folding the latest letter from Sirius, Albus Dumbledore looked over at the black-haired young man who was sleeping peacefully for the first time in a week. He had been tormented by dreams of the blonde at Hogwarts whom he longed for; he saw pain and despair in these dreams, and Dumbledore had been told why but was powerless to do anything. Harry had at least another month before he was completely healed, and he only hoped that Draco could hold out that long. That young boys should be subject to such emotional torments was something that Dumbledore had never imagined, and it hurt him deeply to see such pain in Harry's eyes.