A/N Hello there! So I'm going out of town for a little while and I don't know if I'll be able to post while I'm away but I'll do my best. But don't be surprised if there isn't a chapter up next week, I'll do my best to get one out though. The last few chapters have been sorta heavy so I think the next chapter is going to be funny and a little lighter. :) And I just wanted to say thank you so much to everyone who reviews it means the whole world! I would really love if you told me what you think of this chapter, I'm a little nervous about this one. We have some Harry/Ginny action in this one so have fun with that. And...I think that's all. As always thanks for reading and please please please review!

Trigger Warning: More panic attack stuff, mentions of cutting and child abuse. Nothing graphic, mostly just mentioned in passing.

Onward

Chapter 17

Ginny

"Ron get out of my room!" she screamed. "Don't you have anything better to do?" She stood at the door to her room, arms crossed, glaring at her brother. What he was doing in her room she had no idea. Probably stealing her socks again. According to him they were "so much softer" than his socks. Honestly.

"I was just waiting for you to get back from your walk." Ron said, rolling his eyes.

"Well what do you want?" she demanded.

"I was just worried about you. And so is mum for that matter."

"I'm just, not, in the mood okay?" Ever since Ron had told her Harry was with Snape she'd been...worried to say the least. She really did not trust Snape with him. Although it really wasn't her place to worry.

"You know you can talk to me right?" Ron said. He was sitting on her floor, criss cross.

"I know." She sat next to him and pulled her knees to her chest.

"I'm worried about Harry." she said slowly, after a moment.

"Harry's tough, he'll-"

"But everyone has a breaking point Ron! I don't know how much more he can take."

"Yeah. Yeah I guess you're right." She sighed,

"He's not… in a great place right now I guess." A sudden wave of anger crashed over her. Ron should know that, but he had been too busy with Pansy to care.
"I know I should've been around more this year." At least he looked guilty. "But I really love her, at least that's what I think it is. Pansy. And we just can't get enough of each other."

"Of each other's mouths." she muttered darkly.

"We don't just snog you know. We talk about everything. She really gets me."

"That still doesn't justify you being gone all the time! All of us needed you! We had to turn to Draco for help."

"Malfoy?"

"Yeah, he's been… decent I suppose." Ginny shrugged.
"Listen, Gin, you don't understand because you've never been in love. And I really do love Pansy. One day-"

"God, you sound like mum. When did you get so sappy?"

Ron punched her shoulder lightly. "Don't think too harshly of me, okay? Maybe we can write Harry later, Hermione has his address. And his number actually. Though I don't really know how to use the fellyphone."

"She has his number!" She realized that she sounded way too happy. Hopefully Ron wouldn't go full on big brother with her if he realized she had a thing for Harry.

"Mhmmm." he looked like he was trying not to laugh.

"Can I have it?"

"Sure. But you know you can't snog over the phone right?"

"Bollocks! Course you can." She was grinning now. Much as she hated to admit it, she'd really missed her big brother.

Around half an hour later she was seated by the phone in her dad's muggle shed. Dad had said she could use it, as long as she didn't break anything else in the shed.

Nervously she looked at the number on the little slip of paper Ron had given her. Taking a deep breath she dialed the number and waited.

"Hello? Who is this?" She nearly just hung up the phone then. It was Snape. She hadn't even thought that he would pick up.

"Ginny Weasley sir." Her voice was uncharacteristically small, remembering her outburst in his office the other day. But then she thought, screw that, Snape was a git and she'd be damned if he was making Harry miserable.

"I was just calling to check on Harry, because uh, we're friends and I've been worried about him." Where had her ability to sound intelligent gone?

"Are you well enough to talk to Ms. Weasley?" Well enough?

"The younger one."

"GINNY?" She heard Harry's voice even though he wasn't speaking into the receiver.

"Yes."

"Hello?" It was Harry.

"Hey, Harry." She did her best to sound calm. Not like the phone was nearly sliding out of her hands they were so sweaty.

"Hey."

"Are you alright? I just mean I've been worried. Because you know, we didn't really have a chance to talk before the castle was attacked and all that. And-" She was rambling. Ugh.

"Oh, well thanks."

"So you're alright?"

"Er- sort of. I will be." That was really not the answer she had hoped for.

"Can we just talk about something normal?" he asked when she didn't respond.

"Yeah. Um, I like you." Oh Merlin's pants. Shit. She resisted the urge to bang her head against the shed wall. Did that really have to slip out now?

"I like you too Ginny." Wait. Well duh. They'd almost kissed. Still, she couldn't help the butterflies of happiness spreading through her chest.

"Thank goodness. Because otherwise my confession would've been horribly mortifying." She was blushing so hard now she was pretty sure someone could fry an egg on her face. Harry burst out laughing and she had to smile. At least her rambling made him laugh.

"Shut up Draco! You're such a prat! Sorry." Harry said.

"It's fine. Hey so can I ask you something?" she said slowly, trying to fight back giddy laughter.

"Course."

"Do you wanna go on, like a date? When we see each other again?" She bit the inside of her cheek. "I know usually the guy asks the girl but that seems horribly stereotypical."

"Yes, absolutely. And er, I think it's cool that you asked me. I'm no good at that."

"So, should we go to Hogsmeade?"

"Definitely. No more bathroom… uh whatever you call those."

"That was...a"

"A really great almost kiss." She giggled.

"It was a perfect almost kiss." They talked for another half hour before Harry had to go eat dinner. She practically skipped back into the house with a smile on her face.

"Someone's happy." her mum remarked, watching Ginny sit down at the table.

"I am." she sighed. Her mother was looking at her with narrowed eyes.

"Weren't you just talking to Harry? And dear you're awfully red." Oh, so that wasn't just her imagination. Her mum came to put a hand on her cheek.

"I'm not sick." she said.

"No, no. I don't believe you are? Just...in love?" Her mother was practically grinning at her now.

"Mum! Jeez!" She jumped up, and turned so she couldn't see the smile plastered all over her face.

Snape

A panicked Draco had run into the store and babbled to him about Harry being harassed by some reporter and dragged him outside to where the boy was kneeling on the ground. At first he thought he was ill but then it became clear that he was having a panic attack. With one dark look at Rita she disapparated and both of them hurried to where Harry was. Taking a quick look around to make sure no one was watching, he grabbed Draco's arm and put his arms around Harry. They appeared back in the flat and he summoned a calming draught.

"I'm fine." Harry rasped, head now between his knees.

"Fine! Fine!?" Draco glared at him angrily.

Snape ignored him and edged closer to Harry.

"Drink this." he told him.

"I'm good. Just, er, give me a second." Snape rolled his eyes Teenagers, honestly.

"Drink it." he said again.

"Fine." Harry looked up angrily and stuck his hand out for the potion. Snape placed it in his palm and the boy drank it in one gulp.

"Happy?" He shuddered.

"What happened?" Draco asked Harry, moving to sit next to him. They were all on the kitchen floor.

"Perhaps we can move this conversation to the table." Snape said, but he was ignored.

"Nothing." Harry said, but there was no bite in his voice, albeit, he sounded tired.

"Nothing, Merlin. Just tell me the truth." Draco snapped.

"I'm not really sure." Harry said slowly. "What happened?"

"You had a panic attack." Snape said flatly.

Harry looked thoughtful. "Huh. That's new."

"You fell and you were hyperventilating. And that stupid cow just kept on asking questions like you weren't about to pass out." Draco was seething. Harry was tapping his fingers against the ground, eyes focused on a spot on the wall.

"I've never had a panic attack before," he said simply. This was a tad bit disconcerting. He really knew nothing about this boy. And Harry was hiding something, he was sure of that much.

"Or maybe I have." Harry shrugged. The phone rang and Snape got up to get it.

"Hello? Who is this?" He heard a gasp from the other side.

"Ginny Weasely, sir." said a quiet voice. Then,

""I was just calling to check on Harry, because uh, we're friends and I've been worried about him."

"Are you well enough to talk to Ms. Weasley?" he asked Harry, who had come into the room.

"Sure. But why is Ms. Weasley calling here?"

"The younger one." Harry turned a rather amusing shade of red and choked out,

"Ginny?!" Although it was more of a scream. Draco dissolved into laughter from the other room.

"Yes." A muscle twitched in his cheek. Harry scrambled over to him and took the phone from him.

"Hey." His voice cracked and he coughed. Snape left the room to find Draco now sitting at the table, chin in his hand.

"You and Mr. Potter have grown...quite close." he said carefully, sitting down.

Draco nodded.

"How?"

"It's really not my place to tell you. It's Harry's story, ask him."

"And you think he will tell me anything?" he said, scowling.

"Well I guess not, but he'll be pretty pissed off if I tell you anything, so I dunno." There were things he needed to find out, but how was he supposed to if the only two people who knew them refused to say anything? Then it hit him. He knew what he had to do.

Harry

He felt like he was riding a high after he'd talked to Ginny. He didn't even care about Rita and her dumb questions. Ginny liked him. He was going to go to the room he was sleeping in to think about this but Snape told him and Draco to stay at the table. He wanted to talk. Great. Snape poured each of them a cup of tea and Harry nervously took a sip, watching Snape warily.

"So," Snape started, Harry and Draco shared a look. He had a feeling both of them would rather be anywhere but here. Hell, he might even take Rita over Snape right now.

"When did you two become friends?"

"At the beginning of this year." Harry said, when it became Draco wasn't going to say anything. His brain felt sort of fuzzy.

"And why did you become friends?"

"Oh well I suppose there's not really a defining moment or anything. Maybe when Draco told me not to jump off the school train, or when we worked together to figure out what you were hiding." It was like his inner monologue was now spewing out of his mouth. Where had his filter gone? He took another sip of tea. Both of them stared at him with open mouths. Snape recovered quickly.

"Why were you going to jump off the train?" he asked, almost conversationally.

"Not really sure. Probably something to do with increotus. I think it worked wrong." He shrugged. Snape coughed, did he look… concerned? But then the look was gone.

"You used increortus?"

Harry nodded, "After Sirius died. Now that I think about it that was probably why I can't remember most of what happened this summer."

"You-" Draco started, but broke off abruptly. He sent a glare Snape's way but he ignored Draco.

"That's enough about that. Your Aunt and Uncle, don't like you?"

"Course not. I'm a freak." Harry said simply, and took another sip of tea. Draco looked downright furious now.

"But they never...hit you or anything?" Snape asked quietly.

"Just with the frying pan and my Uncle knocks me around sometimes, but I haven't been belted or anything since I was young. Before Hogwarts I mean."

Snape looked a little pale, Harry thought. And Draco looked sick.

"Is that all?" Snape asked, rather angrily.

"I mean, there was the cupboard and all that. I usually got to eat everyday. The cat flap was a little much as well I suppose." He really should stop talking, some far away part of his brain said. But he found it rather nice, to tell someone about these things. Although he didn't want to tell Snape. Or did he?

"The cupboard?" Snape prodded.

"Mhmmm. That was my room when I was younger. I got locked in there when I was bad." He shivered. Then he realized why his inner filter had suddenly disappeared.

"You spiked my tea." he said. He wasn't mad, that part of his brain had floated away too it seemed. "You asshole."

"You are an asshole." Draco said to Snape. "Why would you do that? He's never going to trust you again."

"As to all the trust he has shown me previously?" Snape snapped.

"Okay, well maybe you two don't have the best relationship right now, but eventually-"

"We don't have any sort of relationship." Snape said furiously.

"I'm right here." Harry said sleepily.

Snape sighed, "Go to sleep Harry."

"You called him-ow! Jeez!" Draco shook his head. Harry waved to the two of them and went to bed.

Draco

"I cannot believe you!" he yelled angrily. Snape looked tired, but he didn't care.

"I didn't have a choice."

"Yeah right. You could've waited for him to, oh I don't know, trust you!"

"He was never going to." Okay, Draco thought. That was probably true but that didn't give the right to give Harry a truth potion.
"And isn't it illegal to give someone underage veritasium?!" he demanded.

"It wasn't veritasium. It was a milder truth potion."

"Well-, UGH!" He threw his hands in the air. "He probably didn't want anyone to know all of those things!"

Snape glared at him without saying anything.

"I know, he probably should have told someone about his relatives, but…" He didn't even know what he was trying to say.

"You two should go to therapy." Snape said after a moment.

"WHAT?! Are you insane? Therapy? No way. And neither of us need it." Now that he thought about it, Harry might need it, but he certainly didn't.

"You're both going to therapy. Tomorrow." Snape said as if he hadn't heard Draco. Which he probably hadn't. "Group therapy."

"Pwwp." Draco snorted. "First of all, no. And secondly where would you have us go? Muggle therapy?!"

"That's not a bad idea…"

"OH MY GOD! Why?"

"Why, Draco? Why?" Snape spat. Draco swallowed, it looked like he was about to go on a rant.

"Both of you have things you obviously need to talk about. And the only way I can get either of you to talk is a truth potion, so you clearly won't tell me anything."

"You're not the boss of me." he spat furiously.

"Oh I assure you Draco, at this moment in time I most certainly am." Snape said darkly. Draco swallowed. Nothing in his life was fair.

"Harry's going to be so pissed when he wakes up. There's no way you're going to get him to go." Draco said, trying to get the subject away from him.

"He's going."
"Yeah right."

"Go to bed." Who did Snape think he was?! He was his godfather but his parents were still alive dammit! Sure his father didn't give a crap but his mum loved him. He hoped she was okay…

"Fine!" He jumped up from the table and stalked out of the room, slamming his and Harry's door behind him. Bagel looked up at him from his spot on the floor. Harry was snoring peacefully in bed. Lucky him. Draco had a feeling he wasn't going to get any sleep tonight.

Harry

He blinked sleepily, trying to clear his eyes of sleep. Why was last night so fuzzy? Then he sat up with a gasp. Dear Merlin… he had...with a groan he fell back onto his pillow, shoving the heels of his wrists into his eyes. Then he turned over and screamed into his pillow. He hated Snape. You know what...He was never going to talk to Snape again. Never.

"What are you doing down there?" Draco asked.

"Wishing I was dead." Harry said darkly.

"Fair enough."

"I'm never talking to Snape again." he said, he felt like it was important that someone knew.

"I'll join you." Draco said. "I can't believe he slipped you a truth potion."

"Me either. We should go take Bagel out." He slipped out of bed to where Bagel was lying on the floor on a pile of blankets.
"Let's go Bagel."

Snape

Neither of them were talking to him. They were pretending he didn't exist. Both of them sat at the table, drinking coffee, like they did this every morning. Bagel was on the floor, leaning against Harry's leg. Well what did you expect Severus! Lily yelled in his head.

"Is there someone behind us?" Draco asked. Harry looked over his shoulder right at him.

"No." he said, the boy looked extremely pleased with himself.

"You're going to group therapy today." he said before he could stop himself. Best to just rip the bandaid off.

"An unknown force is making us go to therapy today." Draco sighed dramatically.

"I suppose we'll just have to. Very unwillingly." Harry took a sip of his coffee.

"Like someone who was slipped a truth potion."

"Exactly like that." For Merlin's sake.

"Are either of you-" he started.

"Did you hear that Harry?" Draco asked, cupping a hand to his ear.

"Not a thing. I think it was the wind." Harry grinned.

"We're leaving in an hour." he tried.

"I think we should leave in an hour." Draco said.

"Sounds good to me." This was going to be a very long day.

Harry

When Draco had told him about group therapy he had actually considered just walking out the front door. But then he decided he didn't want to die, by Death Eaters or Snape.

"It's so stupid. What on earth can Muggles do for us?" Draco said as he tied his shoes. Snape was nowhere to be seen.

"I dunno." Harry shrugged. At least his panic attack had gotten him out of new shoes.

"I can't believe him!" Draco finally burst out. Harry looked at him in alarm.

"It's not that big a deal I guess." He shrugged. It was certainly better than being shoved in a cupboard. "We can just not say anything the whole time."

"I suppose. Hey Bagel." Bagel leaned against Draco's leg for a moment before turning to Harry, demanding to be pet.

"Are you two ready?" Snape asked, coming out of his room. Harry and Draco glanced at each other,

"You ready?" he asked Draco. He nodded.

Once they got there, Snape told them not to say their last names, and to make sure to not accidentally call them muggles. They were standing outside a large brick building, cars zooming past them. Both of them acknowledged the professor this time by nodding, but neither of them said anything.

"I'll be-"

"Harry! Draco!" Hermione barrelled out of a car, and flung herself around both of them. When she pulled away, Draco was a bright red.

"My mum is making me go to therapy because of "traumatic incidents"." She rolled her eyes. "I know I should have never said anything about the castle going under attack. What are you two doing here? Oh, hello professor." She nodded once at Snape who nodded back.

"Er-" Harry started.

"Excuse me? Are you guys here for the group therapy session?" Called a woman's voice.

"Yes. Hello my name is Hermione." She walked up to the woman and stuck out her hand.

"Hello. I'm Emma. Are you guys ready to come in? We're about to start." She smiled encouragingly at them, but that didn't take the growing knot out of his stomach.

"Go on." Snape said in a low voice from behind the three of them. This really was not a good idea.

"Come on Harry, Draco." Hermione called, she was standing at the door with Emma. Harry glanced back desperately at Snape, hoping he would take pity on him and not force him to go inside. Snape just inclined his head towards the door and Harry scowled at him. Inside, he looked around the room. It was plain, the brick walls had a few posters on them but nothing else. There was a circle of chairs at the center of the room, most of them were all filled. The majority of the people sitting looked almost glad to be there. A few looked pissed. The three of them sat together, nervously glancing around at the others there. Harry honestly had no idea how Snape had found this place. Or why. He didn't need help. He was perfectly fine.

"We have a couple new faces today!" Emma said cheerfully. Uh oh. "Why doesn't everyone introduce themselves?" As they went around introducing themselves, Harry's palms gradually got more and more sweaty. Finally, after a lifetime, it was his turn.

"Hey." he said weakly. "I'm Harry."

"We're so glad you could join us today Harry." Emma said brightly.

"Thanks." he muttered, staring down at his twisting hands.

"So, does anyone want to share how they're doing?" Emma asked. For a couple seconds no one said anything but then a girl with curly brown hair raised her hand. She was sitting next to him, Hermione and Draco were both sitting to his right.

"Yes. Lyra."

"Uh, well. I haven't cut myself all week." She smiled shyly, a blush rising to her cheeks.

"That's so great," Emma said softly. "Try to keep it up sweetie." A pang went through Harry's chest.

"Anyone else?" A few other people said some things, but soon no one else said anything.

"Harry, Draco, Hermione, you guys went to the same school right?" Emma asked them. They all nodded.

"And what brought y'all here?" Here it was, his heart was fluttering faster, and-oh sweet Merlin it was happening again. He couldn't breath. He desperately wished he could put his head between his legs so he could try to breath again, but he didn't want to do that in front of a whole room of people!

"Hey." whispered Lyra. "It's alright." Someone had noticed, at least she wasn't going to call him out on it. Hermione was talking, but nothing she said made any sense to him. There was a roaring in his ears, like he was being drowned underwater. A hand squeezed his and he was able to take a big gulp of air.

"That's right." she murmured, keeping her eyes on Hermione the whole time. Taking a shuddering breath he stared at his lap. Lyra let go of his hand and gave him a soft smile.

"Thank you for sharing, Hermione isn't it?" Emma said. Hermione nodded. What had she shared?

"Harry? Draco? Why don't you guys tell us something about yourselves." Emma suggested.

"Er-" Draco began a blush rising to his cheeks.

"We both have really bad nightmares." Harry blurted out, then coughed, embarrassed. It had seemed like a safe thing to say. No one said anything. It took him a moment for him to realize they were waiting for him to continue.

"Because, uh...because some stuff happened to both of us."

"Yeah, and Harry ha-" Harry kicked Draco. It had sounded like he was about to say something about his panic attack.

"Uh huh." Harry finished. Everyone was looking at them oddly. Even Hermione.

"Oh dear! Look at the time! We all better get going! Great session! Thank you guys for coming! I hope we see you again!" She grinned at the three of them. Harry nodded. They all walked outside, to look for their rides.

"Bye guys!" Lyra said, waving as she ran to get in a car.

"Harry." Hermione turned to him, crossing her arms. Uh oh. Things were about to get serious.

"What happened there? It looked like you were having a panic attack." An angry red crept up his neck to his cheeks. How many people had noticed?

"I dunno." he muttered.

"You're such a bloody Gryffindor!" Draco burst out angrily.

"Hey-"

"No! Why can't you just admit that you're not fine!" Hermione looked back and forth between them, confused.

"What happened?" She asked again.

"This isn't the first panic attack he's had." Draco said darkly.

"Draco!" Harry sputtered.

"Harry?" Hermione touched his arm. He flinched away unconsciously.

"Well the last time it was Rita's fault, and uh, I have no idea what this one was...about." He finished lamely.

"I think it's good that you're getting help." she said finally.

"But I don't-"

"You obviously do!" Draco insisted. "Considering-"

"Okay! Okay! I get it!" He did not want Draco to spill his childhood secrets. It wasn't even that big of a deal.

"Considering what?" Hermione still looked extremely confused. Which was rather unusual for her.

I'll tell you later." he murmured. Hermione looked like she wanted to protest but she agreed.

"All done?" Came Snape's voice from behind them. Harry jumped, then nodded. Hermione was still eying both of them suspiciously but then said,

"Alright then. I'll see you two tomorrow?" She asked with a glance Snape's way. Harry was about to open his mouth to say hell no, but apparently Snape had other ideas.

"Yes, Ms. Granger." What kind of group therapy ran every day? It just wasn't fair.

"Till tomorrow then." She hugged Harry first, then Draco who turned a spectacular shade of red. The three of them walked back to Snape's flat, none of them talking.

"Harry I have to speak to you." Snape told him once they were inside. He thought about just ignoring him but that really did not seem like a good idea once he caught the look Snape was giving him. He also had half a mind to say you have no right to call me Harry but decided to keep that inside for the moment as well.

"Right." He stood up from where he was kneeling with Bagel. Draco was still standing there.

"Alone." Snape said with a pointed look at Draco. He looked back and forth between them for a moment before stalking to their room and closing the door. Snape motioned for Harry to sit at the table and he did, waiting for whatever it was Snape was about to say. Snape had just opened his mouth to say something when a scream came from inside their room and Draco bolted out and fainted.

A/N I'm back! I' m a little nervous about this chapter (although you already know that) so please let me know what you think! And next chapter I will address Hermione's conversation with her mom about therapy and how Snape found the therapy place. I also had no intention of making this another cliff hanger but oh well. If I finish another chapter before I leave I will post it before I, well, leave XD. I feel like I forgot something...I don't remember. *sigh* Oh well. So long for now! :)