Snape kept his promise, coming by every few days to visit Harry. They talked about everything at these meetings: what the Order of the Phoenix was doing, what the SR was and what it did, and more personal subjects.
One day they were discussing Voldemort and his Death Eaters when someone burst through the door (which was a rare almost to the point of non-existent occurrence) and ran to Harry, collapsing in his lap. Severus started, pointing his wand at the intruder, although Harry didn't seem too startled, just concerned.
"Sev, put your wand down," Harry said absently, all his attention on the boy in his lap. "Shush... she can't get you here," Harry soothed the boy, running his fingers through the boy's hair. They stayed that way for a few moments as Severus sat down, lowering his wand.
"Why does she hated me?" the boy asked.
"I don't know," was Harry's quiet reply.
"Why does she have to serve that thing? Why does she have to force Dad to serve it as well? What does she have on him?"
"I don't know. I wish I did. I wish you weren't in this situation, but you are, and I can't change it yet."
"I know," the boy said, looking up and causing Severus to gasp. "That doesn't mean I have to like it."
"Draco," Severus said, shocked.
"Hello sir, " Draco said, looking slightly shocked that his mentor was there.
"What are you doing here? How do you know about here? Since when are you and Harry friends?" Severus asked in a rush, not believing what he was seeing.
"I'm here to escape Mother. I know about here because Father brought me to this area after she got really bad one time and Harry found me, brought me here, and took care of me, and Harry and I have been friends since we were eight," Draco said softly.
Severus stared, again shocked. "Since you were eight? But at school..?"
"It's all an act," Harry explained. "We knew what was going on in the Wizarding World, and we knew what the bitch would do if she found out Draco and I are friends."
"What about Lucius?"
"He comes and visits me sometimes as well; he regrets not being able to be the father Draco deserves, but he's happy we're friends."
"Who all knows about this?"
"My boyfriend Blaise and Pansy," said Draco.
"Well, some of the others know about SR.," mentioned Harry.
"Boyfriend? The whole school thinks you're with Pansy... and how many Slytherins?" Snape asked. It seemed he needed to focus on the smaller things first.
"Nah we're just really good friends. Blaise and I have been together since 2nd year. He's wonderful. And I don't remember, quite a few," Draco replied wistfully. With sudden inspiration he turned to Harry, giving his best puppy dog eyes, "Can Blaise and Pansy come to visit please?"
"Of course they can."
"Wait why did Draco ask you for permission to have friends over?" Snape broke in.
"Who else would he ask? This is my home for all intents and purposes. How is your fathers plan coming along?"
"Perfectly. She doesn't suspect anything at all. The divorce will be done tomorrow, and the hearing for your emancipation will be next week. Dumbledore is sadly unable to attend." Harry and Draco shared a smile; prospects for the person on the receiving end didn't look good.
"What do you think he's going to do once he can't send me back to the Dursleys'? How did your father get them to sign the papers?"
"I'm not sure, but I can't wait to find out! And he was very polite, offering a way to get rid of you without Dumbledore coming down on them."
Harry's eyebrow rose.
"You look like Sev..."
"He's right"
"Father put up a ward so that no light wizard could harm them."
"That works." Harry and Draco shared another of their creepy smiles.
"Why are you getting emancipated and why is Lucius leading the campaign?"
"Well emancipation is the only way to get out from under Dumbledore's thumb, and Lucius is leading the campaign because he has the connections to do it, and do it quietly."
"But why would he want to do it for you? Doesn't he hate you?"
"He hates me? That's news to me. How could he change his mind so quickly?"
"Who changed their mind quickly?" broke in a new voice. The three occupants looked over at the door. There stood Lucius Malfoy, immaculate as ever.
"You. Did you know you hate me?" Harry said.
"Really? When did I decide that?" Lucius pondered.
Harry surged and pointed to Snape, "Ask him."
"What in the world is going on?" Snape asked, confused. He hated being confused.
Draco walked over to Sevreus.
"It's ok, they like to confuse people. They find it amusing, but others don't," Draco said, the last point a little louder than the rest.
"Fine, ruin our fun," Harry pouted.
"We're actually really close friends, but we have images to uphold," Lucius told Severus.
"Very very close friends," Draco added.
Severus looked stunned, while the other two just shook their heads at Draco's antics.
"Who's the one torturing people now, Draco?" Harry joked.
"He'll be ok I think. Hey, he might even ask to join in," Draco joked back.
Harry and Lucius looked at each other.
"I'm not sure I would mind..." they said together.
"WHAT?" Snape shouted. Draco was rolling on the floor laughing, and both Harry and Lucius were smiling at their confused friend.
"Harry, you're friends or more with one of the Inner Circle and his son, my Slytherins know about the SR and managed to hide it from me, Draco asks you permission for his friends to come over, and what the hell is going on?"
"Lucius is not a Death Eater by choice, and Draco doesn't have a say in that. To protect their own, Slytherin's will do whatever is necessary, you should know that you're the Head of Slitheren."