"So you see, Harry," Draco laughed at him. "You came off rather better in that little incident."

"Don't worry, Professor Snape made his opinion of my actions known," Harry assured him. "Rather painfully, to be honest. If it makes you feel better we got what sounds like roughly equitable treatment."

"Equal my arse!" Draco guffawed. "Did you see me out playing seeker as a first year?"

"That's true," Harry admitted. "I did get to play on the quidditch team, of course. McGonagall was quite insistent."

"I was so jealous of you, you know," Draco told him, reminiscing. "I kicked myself for that stupid Remembrall incident. And I was mad at you for getting in trouble for it too, but now I see it differently."

"How so?" Harry asked, curious. He remembered the jealousy, what could have changed Draco's mind?

"Well, I came into Hogwarts not in the best frame of mind to learn," Draco admitted. "My father had schooled me in politics and snobbery, and I was far more interested in people's lineage than in their friendship. You know that offer I made you for friendship?"

"How could I forget?" Harry smirked. He had offered Harry a hand of friendship while snubbing Ron at the same time, the first person that had been nice to Harry. There was no way he would have taken Draco up on it.

"That was based on your fame," Draco admitted. "But it would only work on my terms. I had no idea how to be friends with anyone, just how to have conquests. I had bodyguards and people I had reciprocal relationships with, but I didn't actually trust anyone. Professor Snape knew that, and Severus is just the same."

"So what does this have to do with you mentoring him?"

"I'm going to mentor him how Professor Snape mentored me," Draco answered. "Without the ruler, of course. But it was important that I learned to trust him, and the first step for that is that I had to accept his authority. Severus has to do the same; I've asked him to apologize for his cheek and to call me 'sir.' That's why I told you the story of the Remembrall, so you would know what I'm doing."

"He came off rather the worse in that whole situation with the governess . . ." Harry said, trying to explain.

"Absolutely," Draco agreed. "She was a nightmare. But we're not going to get anywhere good if he lets that experience give him even more walls. That snark he uses is a wall, designed to push people away."

"Look, Draco, I do trust you," Harry started. "And for what it's worth I think you're right. But one thing I do need to check with after that whole governess debacle. I know things are different in Slytherin as far as discipline goes, but, you know, especially with the governess he had . . ."

"I'm not intending to discipline him in that way at all," Draco rolled his eyes. "If he needs a whack I'll bring him home and inform you. But even that I would see as a failure - my major intended form of behavior modification is going to be simply ending the lesson. Unless I'm greatly mistaken, I should be able to handle him without any reinforcement from you."

"I know I sound a bit silly . . ."

"Harry, after what you just went through I am a bit surprised you're not insisting on Veritaserum with everyone who comes in contact with Severus," Draco rolled his eyes. "But you have my wizard's oath that I will not physically discipline him without your explicit permission, either by a spell or by my hand. You can tell him as much too; that might put him at ease a bit as well. Does that make you feel better?"

"Yes, thank you," Harry told him, relieved. "Not that I think you would, of course, but . . ."

"I get it, of course," Draco nodded. "And honestly I'm just glad to be able to do this at all."

"I think I know that I cannot be everything for him," Harry admitted. "I think I can be his dad, but he needs someone to develop his Slytherin side without making him vulnerable to the evil forces like he was before. For that we need you."

"I am cognizant of the honor," Draco told him. "And I want to do it right."

...

That night, Harry went in to tuck Severus into bed so he could talk to him. He could tell the lad was still stewing about what had happened with Draco earlier in the day, and had to admire Draco's tactics a bit. It was much better to get Severus to a place where he voluntarily gave Draco power and respect in his life.

"So I went over and talked to Draco Malfoy a bit after dinner," Harry told him.

"What did he say?" Severus asked, his eyes flashing nervously.

"We talked a little bit more about what your mentorship will look like," Harry told him. "For one thing, we agreed that he will not use any form of physical discipline on you, whether by hand or spell. Mostly he thinks he will just bring you home if you two have trouble. If he thinks you warrant something more than that, he will contact me to either ask permission or to administer it myself."

"It's easy enough to lie to you about it," Severus grumbled.

"He made a wizard's oath," Harry told him with a bit of humor. "I believe you're familiar enough with what that is?"

"I think I was on the bad end of that particular thing once," Severus smirked. "So he really can't hurt me?"

"Not without my permission," Harry confirmed. "Which I won't give under any circumstances that I can foresee right now. But I wanted to talk to you about why it's important that Mr. Malfoy is a part of your life."

"I would think you'd want me well shod of him," Severus grumbled.

"Why is that?" Harry asked, flummoxed.

"He's Slytherin, like I was," Severus answered. "You here are all Gryffindor. Don't you guys here all want me to be like you?"

Harry took a deep breath, and exhaled. How to explain?

"I want you to be you," Harry told him. "This might be a hard thing for me to explain well, but there are differences between us. Professor Snape respected those differences when he raised me, and didn't try to make me into something that I'm not. I'm sure it would have been easier to try and make me into a Slytherin, but he respected who I was. He gave me time with the Weasleys because he wanted to make sure I had people in my life that were more like me. I'm trying to do the same thing for you. And Draco Malfoy isn't bad either – well, not anymore. I mean, we had a bad patch for pretty much all of school, but we've made our peace. The war really made him mature a lot."

"You want me to like him?" Severus asked with incredulity.

"I do," Harry confirmed. "I will always be your dad, but I think there is room in your life for other people that care about you too. Mr. Malfoy doesn't want to be your father, he wants to be your mentor – like Ron's dad was for me growing up. But you do also have to agree to respect him in order for him to teach you."

"Miss Stradling wanted me to respect her," Severus told him flatly, his eyes flashing their disobedience.

"And she didn't deserve that respect," Harry acknowledged. "And she tried to force you, which you resisted, and rightly so. Draco won't force you, but neither will he teach you unless you choose to respect him."

"How do you know someone deserves respect?" Severus asked. He actually meant this question, he didn't really know. He was actually beginning to respect Harry and Ginny, and a bit Hermione and maybe even Ron and of course Ron's parents. Just when the world seemed to be populated with safe adults there was someone that popped up like Miss Stradling, and now he wasn't sure how he was supposed to know who to respect.

"Well, I usually choose to be polite to people until I decide whether they deserve my respect," Harry answered honestly. "I think you use your snarkiness and disrespect sometimes as a way of protecting yourself, and I used politeness when I was a child. I had to learn to believe Professor Snape when he told me things, just like you will have to. That's what trust is about."

"What if I don't choose to respect Mr. Malfoy?" Severus asked carefully. He still wasn't completely used to the idea that he could really have a choice about it.

"Then you will miss out on what he has to teach you," Harry told him. "And I will have to try and find a new Slytherin mentor for you. But it is hard to imagine a better one than him; he's the one I know the best and therefore trust the most."

"If I choose to let him mentor me, will he make it hard on me?" Severus asked carefully. "Will he punish me for how I was before?"

"I shouldn't think so," Harry told him. "He's really quite reasonable, Severus. He told me he expected an apology and a verbal acknowledgement that you would respect his authority. That doesn't sound too bad, does it?"

"Humph," Severus answered, not letting Harry know that yes, that did sound entirely bad to him.

"Now, why don't you give it a think tonight, sleep on it, and let me know what you're thinking in the morning?" Harry told him. "I always feel like I think best if I can sleep on things." He gave the youngster a kiss on the forehead, a loving pat, and then left him to his own thoughts.

But Severus was left in turmoil. He saw the logic of having someone like Draco Malfoy in his life - already he had given him better and more direct advice than anyone else had been able to. And there was also the fact that he actually got how Severus thought - it was refreshing. But did he really want to trust him? It made him feel better that Harry wanted it, at least he didn't have to worry about divided loyalties. And Harry said that he trusted the man – that actually meant more to Severus than he cared to admit. And Harry knew him as well, much better than he knew that horrid governess. And that wizard's oath that Harry had put in place comforted him more than he realized it could – he had seen the lengths that Ron had gone through not to break it, he would assume that Draco would do the same.

Severus was quiet the next morning at breakfast, sipping his tea and nibbling his eggs and toast as he watched the adults fly around him, eating a grabbed breakfast and hurrying off to their respective morning events. He had made up his mind, but somehow it still felt embarrassing to make it a big announcement. He somehow didn't doubt that everyone knew all the details of his private life, things didn't seem to be kept secret around this place. Severus waited until it was just Harry left - it was his morning to make sure he got to Molly's on time.

"I have given it some thought," he said calmly when Harry seemed undistracted for a moment. "And I think I will take Mr. Malfoy up on his offer."

"Excellent!" Harry smiled enthusiastically. "I will let Grandmum know to arrange to take you over there this afternoon."

...

A significantly subdued Severus did go to see Draco later that afternoon, accompanied by Molly Weasley. He didn't want to appear as nervous as he felt, and he tried to remind himself of the oath that Draco had sworn.

They were shown into the main room by the house elf, and Severus couldn't help but feel a bit like he was being led to his execution. It made him feel a good deal better than he cared to admit that Molly Weasley was with him, she had protected him more than once before. When they entered the room Draco raised from the desk at which he sat, his blond hair loose and falling around his face as he bowed in greeting.

"Welcome to my home Mrs. Weasley, Severus," he greeting them. "I am most gratified to welcome you both here this afternoon."

"We were glad you were available this afternoon," Mrs. Weasley replied, nodding her head in reply. Draco had the smooth manners of an aristocrat, which always left her feeling just a bit flustered.

"I'm sorry for my rudeness yesterday, Mr. Malfoy," Severus burst out in his carefully rehearsed speech.

"That's good," Draco told him, ignoring the rudeness of the abrupt change in subject. Clearly the child had some anxiety about this meeting; Draco had to smirk inwardly at the irony of giving Severus Snape anxiety about meeting with him over his wrongdoing. He walked calmly over to where Severus stood and looked intently into the young boy's face, causing him to look away. "Are you ready to learn what I have to teach you then?"

"Yes, sir," he answered, not looking at Draco directly.

"It will be a process, I believe," Molly told Draco, seeing how nervous Severus was and trying to make it easier for him. "Dear Severus has had so much to adjust to in such a short time. But he's up for the challenge, I believe. Now I need to pop home and get supper started, are you alright if I leave you here for your lesson Severus?"

"Yes, Ma'am," he told her, though he felt an unexpected pang that she would be leaving him.

"I'll make sure he gets home safely in time for supper," Draco assured her. "Thank you for escorting him over, Mrs. Weasley."

They watched as she used the floo and whisked away, and then Severus surreptitiously sized up the adult he would spend the next few hours with. Did he really want to be alone with this unpredictable man?

"Well, then, it's just us then," Draco told him in a calm, friendly voice. "Are you ready to learn?"

"As ready as I can be, sir," he answered, actually trying to be respectful.

"Excellent," Draco replied. "For we have a lot of work before us. Those Gryffindors might be in charge of making you feel loved and whole, but my job is making you smart and cunning. Part of what made you so formidable before was the abuse you suffered, this time let's make you formidable with logic and reason. First topic up for discussion in our time together is to analyze your disastrous handling of that governess of yours. Thoughts?"

"She was a disaster herself!" Severus protested, feeling defensive.

"Of course she was," Draco agreed. "And your handling of it made it monstrously worse. Your close-mouthed insistence on not trusting, not asking for help and not letting others get involved ended up with weeks of your needless suffering. That wasn't cunning nor was it very bright."

"It seemed right at the time," Severus answered through gritted teeth, his anger rising.

"I even gave you excellent advice at the time that you refused to take," Draco continued, his voice still calm and conversational with a touch of irony. "A mistake that you won't make again, I'm sure. Now, I want you to think. What did you do wrong with her?"

"I'm just a kid!" Severus protested.

"Not anymore," Draco corrected. "If you ever were. Being a child is a gift to those who never know abuse, and to those who always believe that they are going to be fed and cared for. For example, I was a child until Voldemort returned and began torturing my family. Harry was a child until Voldemort killed his parents. George was a child until his brother died. I'm not sure you ever were a child, not really."

"Not my fault," mumbled Severus darkly.

"Of course not," Draco told him with exasperation. "But neither is it Harry's, nor mine. But I can hope that you can let your guard down enough to have some sort of childhood yet. To do that, however, we need to talk about what you did wrong, and I would bet you a knut against a new broom that no Gryffindor took you to task for it – they likely excused you in the face of how horror-struck they were at what happened to you on their watch. Am I right?"

"You're right, sir," Severus answered with the start of a grudging respect.

"Then tell me the real reason that you didn't tell."

"I wouldn't give that witch the satisfaction."

"So you did what she wanted?" Draco snorted. "Incorrect, try again."

"She said that she was the last nanny willing to come," Severus told him, his voice more serious. "She said that I would be sent up North to a boarding school."

"I don't believe you," Draco told him. "I told you that wasn't the case, and surely you had to know they wouldn't send you away."

"But she said . . ."

"And you decided to believe her on that?" Draco pressed. "When you didn't believe her on anything else?"

"Then why wouldn't I tell if you're so clever?" Severus growled at Draco, his temper rising. "It sounds like you must know the answer!"

"I do know," Draco replied calmly. "But I think it's better for you to come to the answer on your own."

"I think you don't know!" Severus challenged.

"Nice try," Draco smiled. "I know, and so does Harry, though he doesn't know it yet. He has a story that he needs to tell you that he hasn't told you yet; he needs to tell you about Delores Umbridge and the black quill."

"What does that have to do with me?"

"More than you know," Draco mused. "That's your assignment from me: get him to tell you about that story. He might be reluctant to tell you; it's a complicated story with a lot of emotional baggage. You may need to find a bit out about some of the elements of the story first. But I think it's important that you hear it, and it will be important to your understanding why you let the governess do what she did."

AN: Okay, sorry, my pen is getting away from me! This tale is taking a few more chapters than I'd had mapped out, but I'm going to roll with my muse. :) I'm actually on holiday in the middle of nowhere with no wifi, I actually jumped through some hoops to post this chapter, but I couldn't wait until I got home. Thanks guys and Kia Orana!