Ch. 10: But I'm Not Gay!

Cold black eyes were fixed on amber ones, an uncomfortable silence hanging in the air.

"So… Lupin…"

Remus Lupin tilted his head to the side and smiled warmly. "Yes Severus?"

Severus Snape pursed his lips and crossed his legs. "Did the potion work correctly?"

The werewolf nodded and pulled his legs into his seat. "It always does. Thanks again."

Severus nodded curtly and folded his hands in his lap. Remus raised his eyebrows and sighed, an interested smile on his face.

The silence between them seemed to only bother Severus, seeing as Remus wasn't jumping to start a conversation. In fact, the werewolf seemed rather content with studying the Potions Master's face with an amused sparkle in his eye.

"So… he's coming, then? He's on his way down?" Severus said as he diverted his eyes from the other man's, feeling uneasy and on display.

Remus nodded. "I went up a while ago and he was in the shower. I told Harry to bring him down when he got out. I also told him to have him dressed in proper clothes."

"And what do you mean by proper?" Severus asked as he tucked the few strands of hair that had managed to escape his hair band behind his ears.

Remus' smile faltered slightly but he recovered with grace. "I mean clothes that you haven't seen Harry in, if you must know. I thought you would form assumptions about the two of them. Since we bought Draco a few outfits of his own yesterday I thought those would be both presentable and safe from your razor-sharp eye."

"And if I were to draw assumptions," Severus said in a forced calm voice, "If I even had a thought cross my mind about Draco and Potter, it would be to question when Potter is going to decide he is tired of having a dependent ex-enemy clinging to him all the time. It would be to estimate the time when Potter and his friends abandon Draco and go about their normal, superior lives."

Snape's voice had dropped to a deadly whisper. "Rest assured Lupin," he finished, his dark eyes narrowed to the point they were hardly visible, "That if I were to even think about Draco and that insolent Gryffindor in the same strain, it would not be to ponder if they were having sex."

By this time Remus' smile was completely gone and his eyes were open as wide as they would go. He opened his mouth in shock, and then closed it again. He finally just lowered his head and shook it slowly.

"You really have no idea who Harry is," Remus said sadly and stood up. "Harry would never abandon someone he cared about. He rushed off to save Sirius all those years ago because he thought he was in danger."

"And all that got him was a dead godfather, Lupin."

Remus tensed when he heard those words spoken in such a matter-of-fact tone. His eyes were starting to burn and he forced himself unable to focus on anything. There were cool tears running from his eyes and he couldn't find the courage to look Snape in the face.

"Do you even know what it is like to lose someone you love?" Remus whispered. "Can you even grasp the pain that he felt and is still feeling? All he wants is someone who will be there for him. Isn't that what everyone wants?"

He turned slightly and crossed his arms, suddenly not caring if Severus saw his tears. "All he wants is to care for someone, and he does; he cares about Draco. He won't abandon that boy, not now. He needs people who love him around him, Severus. He has lived without love for a long time, longer than anyone should."

Severus stood slowly and stepped closer to Remus, an unreadable expression on his face. "Why are you crying?" He whispered. "Do you really feel that sorry for Potter or is it something else? Dredging up old memories, perhaps?"

Remus averted his eyes. "You insensitive bastard," he hissed but then he felt a cool, slender finger wipe away a tear sliding down his cheek.

Severus sighed and quickly tucked his hands in his pockets. "I suppose I am," he finally said, "But I find it hard to believe that Harry is the only one love-starved in this household."

"Severus? Is that you?" Came an excited voice from down the hallway, a smiling face coming into view from the master bedroom.

Severus smiled and heaved a sigh of relief when he saw Draco in relatively good form and happy. Draco walked quickly down the hallway without stumbling.

"Severus, talk again so I know where you are," Draco said as he came to a halt.

Snape grinned and said, "And would it be an impossible notion for me to come to you? I would think it would be easier."

Draco moved closer to Snape and said, "Nonsense. I'm rather good at this. Keep talking, I'm almost there."

Severus rolled his eyes and said, "Very well, but you are being completely…" but he was cut off when Draco's arms wrapped around him in a bear hug.

"I missed you Severus," he said in a muffled voice and the blonde almost laughed when he felt the older man awkwardly pat him on the back.

"Yes, well, I'm glad you're alright," Severus said in a snapped tone. "Now, if you please, would you release me? Despite popular belief I do have to breathe."

Draco did chuckle then and pulled away. "Let's go into the backyard. Harry said it's a beautiful day out. HARRY! Come ON! Sev, you can lead me out since Harry is the SLOWEST PERSON EVER!"

Draco grabbed Severus' arm and grinned.

The Potions Master turned to Remus and said, "Would you like to join us?"

Remus smiled and he brushed past Severus, surprised when he felt a light hand on his back. He stopped and closed his eyes, an unfamiliar tingle coursing through his veins.

"N-no, I have to clean."

Severus shrugged one-sidedly and said, "Very well. Come on Draco."

Remus watched with wide eyes as Severus and Draco disappeared into the back garden. The ghost of the tingle crawled down his spine and he cradled his head in his hands, muttering, "Shit, shit, shit…"

Harry came out of the bedroom, pulling on a white t-shirt. "Morning Remus. Why are you saying 'shit'?"

Remus pinched the bridge of his nose and said, "Nothing. Draco and Severus are in the garden. They're probably talking."

Harry stretched and said, "I'll leave them alone for a while. What are you going to do today?"

Remus sighed. "Mope. Possibly wallow in self-pity. You?"

"Throw an angry tantrum and more than likely break things."

Remus snickered and said, "You sound like Sirius."

Harry smiled and sat down on the couch. "I'll take that as a compliment."

Remus glanced outside and saw Severus leading Draco around the garden, having a conversation with the blonde.

"I'm going to shower," Remus said and shivered. "I'll see you in a bit."

Harry nodded and picked up a book lying on the coffee table.

Remus sent one last glance outside and groaned again, the groan sounding remarkably like 'shit'.

"You like him, don't you?" Draco said softly and smiled at the feeling of the warm sun on his cheeks.

Severus cleared his throat. "Like? Like who exactly?"

Draco tucked his damp hair behind his ears. "Lupin. You used a tone of voice I have never heard you use before. You like him."

Severus coughed and averted his eyes, despite the fact that Draco couldn't see. "I don't know what you're talking about."

"'Course you don't."

Severus rolled his eyes. "So I take it you don't mind staying here?"

Draco smiled and allowed Severus to sit him on a bench. He could smell the scent of lilies and jasmine nearby.

"Anything would be better than the Manor. Granted, I have no idea what this place looks like, but I feel safe here. I shouldn't, just for the simple fact that I can't see, but I do."

Severus smiled and took a seat next to the Slytherin. "That has got to be new for you, I guess. Feeling safe, I mean. Your letters to me during the summers all seemed rushed and scared, like you were frightened that Lucius would catch you. I guess that's over."

Draco gingerly reached over and graced his fingertips over the large petals of a lily next to him. "I guess so."

Severus crossed his legs. "Ever since Lucius informed Voldemort of your condition I have been working on a potion that might help. It's not done, and I'm not one hundred percent sure it will work, but it's a start. I have also gathered ingredients for a couple of others that will regenerate tissue. They should help with the scarring and possibly heal your eyes completely. We won't know until we try, I suppose."

Draco smiled and picked the lily in a swift, gentle motion. "You have no idea what that means to me. I… Severus, I don't know what to say. Thank you."

Severus smiled and squeezed Draco's shoulder gently. "It's the least I can do, really."

Draco twirled the stem of the flower between his fingers. "What is today, the date I mean? It seems like I've been here forever."

"It's the twenty-fifth, I believe. Why?"

Draco smacked himself on the forehead and groaned, "Harry's birthday is in five days. I can't believe he didn't say anything to me. I need you to get something for me, but I don't know what. I'll have to think about it. I'll write it down and owl it to you. I'll try to make it legible."

Severus chuckled and said, "Alright. Now, did you put on sun block? You shouldn't be outside a long time, you'll get burned."

Draco rolled his eyes and straightened his sunglasses. "I haven't been outside in nice weather in a while. The last time I was out it was cold. Harry didn't want to admit it, but it was. I'm really not worried about being burned."

"And I'm just going to ignore the blatant implication that you and Potter have left this house and possibly the country, seeing as it has been rather warm here the last couple of days."

Draco's cheeks pinked slightly at his obvious slip. "Yeah, I would too."

Severus rolled his eyes and glanced back to the house, where he saw Harry pacing back and forth in front of the door.

"Potter is pacing."

Draco tapped the lily to his lips and said, "He does that when he's nervous. The sound of it drives me insane. He's inside?"

"Yes," Severus said as he narrowed his eyes at the sight of the nervously pacing boy. "He likes you, doesn't he?"

Draco tilted his head slightly and simply said, "I think so."

Severus rubbed his eyes wearily. "And do you like him as well?"

"I'm not gay."

"That isn't what I asked," Severus pointed out and Draco froze, dropping the flower.

The blonde Slytherin bit his lip and sighed. "I… I can't, I'm not…"

Severus smiled triumphantly and said, "Okay."

Draco started chewing on his thumbnail and said, "So is Harry still pacing. Not… not like I care or anything."

Snape tried his best not to laugh and he said, "Yes. Would you like me to fetch him?"

"Yes… I mean no… I don't care…"

The Slytherin Head of House shook his head incredulously and said, "I'll get him."

Draco sighed in defeat and lifted the lily from the point he had dropped it. "Okay."

Thanks to brionyjae for the beta!