When Draco awoke, they had a bugger of a time keeping him in idiot boy's body was barely being held together by magic, and he wanted to waltz out the infirmary. Poppy was near her wit's end by the time Snape arrived. She hurried to him as soon as he strode through the door.

"When did he wake?" he asked as he walked towards Draco's bed on the other side of the wing.

"Only a few minutes ago, I called for you as soon as he did," she advised shortly."He was quite insistent that he be allowed to leave.I ended up putting him in a body you can't get through to him that he needs to stay here under my care, I'll have to sedate him."

The potions master drew back the curtains around the boy's bed. He lay there rigidly while his eyes darted around looked back to Poppy, "Would you mind giving us some privacy?" he matron nodded her head and made her way back to her office.

Snape stood by the bed and drew the curtains closed around them and threw up a muffliato to prevent eaves dropping."Draco, I'm going to release the binding, but I need you to keep calm and not get will not hesitate to sedate you if you don't behave," he cast a finite on the young man and he instantly gasped for air.

Severus sat in the chair next to the bed and put his hand on his godson's shoulder."Don't try to move very much, your wounds are still mending," he said gently.

"Sev, I can't stay Dark Lord," the young man started.

"Has been apprised of the situation and has seen fit to offer you a reprieve of sorts.I managed to convince him that you will still able to complete your mission by the end of term," he explained.

"How?" Draco hissed back."How am I to do that when I'm trapped here?"

"Draco, there is no wounds were …You almost died," The wizard's last words coming out in a hoarse whisper."Your mother is worried sick and beside herself that she hasn't been permitted to visit."

"How long?" the young man asked."How long am I to stay here?"

"It will be a few weeks before you are well enough to leave," Snape replied.

"Weeks, Sev? I don't have days to spare and you want me here for weeks," Draco spat at the other man.

"There is nothing for it, have extensive tissue and organ sudden movement or rigorous activity, and that includes walking, will cause you even more damage," he explained.

"I feel fine!" Draco said with a stubborn set to his jaw.

Severus gave a bitter laugh, "Of course, you feel loaded you up with enough pain potion to choke a centaur."

"Then kill me," the blond responded franticly."Tell the Dark Lord that my condition worsened in the would be a better death than he has planned for he'd allow my parents to he wouldn't hurt mother. Please!" the boy begged attempting to rise once more.

Snape firmly pushed the younger wizard back to his bed."Stop this, Draco!I will not kill you."

Draco's eyes widened."I-I'm sorry.I-I forgot about the vow.I'm sorry.I would never ask you to…"

A ferocious growl erupted from the potions master as he wrenched himself from his chair to hover menacingly over the young man."You think I care about the vow now? At this you truly think so little of me?" he seethed."I care about you, you foolish boy!I would lay down my life for you in an instant, if I thought it would 's why I gladly took the vow when your mother approached me."

Draco closed his eyes at the reproach."I'm scared," he whispered, as tears started to slip from his covered eyes."I thought..I thought I was going to die yesterday, and…and a part of me was relieved," he confessed."I'm so tired, Sev. I'm so bloody tired of all of this."

Snape's features softened and he returned to his chair."I know, I know," he soothed reaching for the boy's hand."This shouldn't have ever fallen to you, but it has.I spoke with Miss Granger, she will continue to work in your absence."

Draco's eyes popped open."What?"

Severus sighed."I spoke with Miss Granger last is aware that you haven't been truthful to her, and apparently she doesn't has chosen to stand by you, regardless."

"Why?" Draco asked.

"She's fiercely protected for people she cares that includes you now," he responded."I even witnessed her slap Potter after your attack."

The boy laughed then sobered."She should be one knows we're working together, do they?It wouldn't be safe for her if they did."

"No, she's been discrete. She knows to be there anything I can do to assist her?" Snape asked hopefully.

Draco frowned."No, no nothing I can think you….if it was possible….do you think you could arrange it so she could visit me from time to a lot of course, just to, uh, check on her progress?"

The older wizard suppressed a was obvious he just wanted to see his friend, even if he didn't want to admit it."I'll see what I can do," he said as he rose."Now rest and don't give Pomphrey any fuss."

He waited until the boy reluctantly nodded his head in agreement.

*S*S*S*S*S*S*S*S*S*S*S*S*

The following day, Severus was waylaid on the way to the Great Hall by an exuberant Auror."Wotcher, Snape!" Tonks greeted as she caught up with him."Have a second?" she asked.

"Do I have a choice?" he drawled.

Tonks stopped to consider the question, and shook her head no with a potions master gave a long-suffering sigh and directed the auror to the nearest empty classroom. The auror shut, warded and muted the door after they entered."How's my cousin?" she asked.

"He is recovering, Miss Tonks,"he replied evenly.

Tonks rolled her eyes."How is he really, Snape?"

Severus lifted an eyebrow at her thought for a moment."How much are you aware of?" he countered."You spoke with Albus?"

"Yeah, he wasn't too please about it, but yeah," she answered.

Severus looked at her expectantly."You only answered one of my questions."

The auror smiled sweetly."You noticed that?" she asked then laughed."He confirmed that he knows Draco is a death eater and that he shouldn't be interfered with."

"I'm surprised he told you that much," the potions master confessed. "I half expected him to obliviate you and send you on your way."

"Me too, if I'm being , I might have implied that others knew I'd gone to visit him and why.A witch can't be too careful these days," she said.

Severus surprised the both of them with the chuckle that burst forth."Are you sure you aren't a Slytherin?" he asked.

"Sorry to disappoint you, love, but I'm Hufflepuff through and , my cousin?" she asked again.

The wizard sighed."He's as good as can be expected at this , he will has been terribly scarred and for such a vain boy, he's taking it surprisingly 's scared, for himself although mainly for his mother."

"Is You Know Who planning to kill him?" she asked.

"Not at the moment, it would seem, but who can fathom what's in that wizard's mind," he answered.

"And his project?Has it been abandoned?"

"No,' Snape said with a shake of his head."No, the Dark Lord commands that it still be boy has an ally amongst the students that is still working in his is aware of this well," he explained.

Tonks let out a deep breath."Poor there's anything that I can do…?"

"I won't hesitate," he assured her.

"Thanks!Well, that's all I have," the auror concluded lifting her wand to end the spells on the door.

Snape frowned, debating internally, then sighing in apparent defeat. "Miss Tonks, one last thing."The young woman looked at the potions master expectantly."Things are about to get so much worse," he confessed quietly."Don't off with that wolf of yours, marry him, have world is much too dark to hesitate on a chance at happiness."

Tonks stared at the man in shock for a moment before forcing a hug onto dour man froze at the contact but didn't push the woman away."Thank you," she pulled back and looked up at him."You're a good man, Severus Snape, but don't worry, I won't tell anyone," she said with a smile then left the room.

Severus was the only person not surprised when neither Tonks nor Remus were present for training that weekend.