Disclaimer: I do not own Harry Potter or any part of the HP universe. No copyright infringement is intended and no money is being made from this fic. All characters that are depicted in sexual situations are adults. Please do not sue me.

Title: For Love of a Family

Author: icicle33

Pairings: Harry/Draco, background Ron/Hermione, past Harry/Ginny, past Draco/Astoria

Rating: T for now but will be changed to M eventually.

Word Count: 30-40K in all (2000 for this chapter)

Genre: Angst, Romance, Hurt/comfort

Warnings: Post-War AU, Unsavoury Ministry politics and propaganda, faked marriage, non-linear storytelling, sexual content, minor character deaths (occurs before the start of the story), some invented science and magical theory (Harry and Draco are Healers). Sort of EWE. Draco and Astoria got married and had Scorpius, but Ginny and Harry never married. In this universe, Harry always liked boys. ; )

Summary: A series of attacks by a group of neo-Death Eaters causes the Ministry to implement a new set of restrictions on former Death Eaters and their children. When Scorpius falls ill, Draco decides that he will do anything to save his son, even if it means marrying Harry Potter.

Author's note: Thank you so much to everyone who read and reviewed the last chapter. This chapter is about Harry's first day in Healing School. I wanted to make it as realistic as possible, so I hope you don't mind the little bit of science and magical theory that I included. As always, any and all feedback is encouraged. I always try my best to answer all reviews.

Enjoy.

:: 3 ::

The classroom was not as intimidating as Harry had imagined. It was a simple room with rows of wooden desks, a blackboard, and squeaky chairs. Harry didn't know what he had been picturing, perhaps a torture chamber of some sorts. This room was so utterly normal, however, that he sighed in relief as he settled into his desk.

Hermione advised him to sit in the front row, so he would be forced to focus on the lesson at all times. Harry had assured her that he would. He wanted to make a good impression on his new professor, but as soon as he entered the empty classroom, all thoughts of sitting in the front row fled his mind.

When Hermione signed him up for this first year Healer-in-Training programme, she failed to mention that modules had started three weeks earlier. He was already so far behind. If he knew that detail, he never would have agreed, which was why she had not told him in the first place. His best friend was not only book smart; she had a wicked devious streak that no one would ever believe.

Even if it was years after the war, Harry hated using his name to gain favours. He couldn't even imagine what rules and school regulations Hermione must have broken to get him enrolled in the Healer Training programme so late. This wasn't the manner Harry liked to do things, but since he was already there, he might as well make the best of it.

Against his better judgement, he took a seat in the third row, right in the middle and unpacked his things. He was twenty minutes early for his first lecture. An Introduction to Magical Biology and Healing. Of all his modules, he assumed this one would be the easiest. It was a new module that was taught by Dr Franklin Edwards, who was both a certified Healer and Muggle doctor. The course objectives stated that Dr Edwards had revolutionised Modern Magical Healing and Therapy by incorporating Muggle medical techniques and improving them with magic. This module would not only teach about the human body, in the way that Muggles would learn, but also explain how magic affected all the body's biological systems.

When Harry had attended Muggle primary school, he never paid much attention during science lessons. However, he assumed that he understood the Muggle world and Muggle science more so than the average witch or wizard. This module should be easy. At least there was no clinical lab work like in his other core subjects.

Oh, how wrong he was.

Once Harry organised his desk—neatly stacked parchment, extra ink for his quill, and easy access to his textbook—the desks around him had become occupied. Hushed whispers and accusations filled his ears, so Harry kept his head down, pretending not to notice that the other students were talking about him. God, how he hated Hermione. Being the new student in a class was hard enough, but being Harry Potter, Saviour of the wizarding world, whether or not he wanted to accept the title, was mortifying.

He could feel every set of eyes in the room boring into the back of his head. He was certain that his entire face was burning as red as Ron's hair, but he tried his best to remain calm. Hopefully, the professor would be there soon. Harry had never been so desperate for a lecture to start in his life.

Finally, after snapping two quills in half, the professor made his way to the front of class. Harry dropped his last quill and looked up at his new professor, a wide, stupid grin on his face.

"Good morning, class," Professor Edwards said, bowing his head in greeting.

"Good morning, Healer Edwards," the class grumbled in reply.

Professor Edwards was not what Harry expected. He was a short middle-aged man with a sour face, beady black eyes, and a crooked smile. He had dark hair that was visibly thinning at the sides and a wide, shiny forehead. He dressed in lime green Healer robes, which had seen better days from the fringe noticeable at the sleeves and was stretched tight around his paunchy stomach. A set of eyeglasses hung around his neck and he wore his wand in a leather harness on his belt. When he eyed Harry, the crooked smile disappeared.

"Ah, Mr Potter, you actually made it."

Harry gulped. There was something disarming about the way this man looked at him—as if he were reading his mind.

"Yes, sir," Harry answered, the uncertainty in his voice making him cringe.

"I wasn't sure you would be attending today." Edwards pursed his lips. "When my assistant informed me that I was getting a new student, I couldn't quite fathom it. I informed Elizabeth that she must have been mistaken. It is not our policy to accept late students, regardless of merits."

He narrowed his eyes and then looked Harry up and down.

Harry's pulse quickened. He had only known this professor for all of two minutes and already the man despised him. So much for special treatment. No one had looked at him with such contempt since Snape. Bloody fucking Hell.

"I'm sorry, sir." Harry bit his lip and tried to look as solemn as possible.

Professor Edwards ignored his apology.

"The art of Healing takes a certain skill and dedication. Most of you in this room will not last the term. You cannot complete Year 1 without passing this module."

Professor Edward's lips curled into a sneer and Harry felt his heavy breakfast slosh around his stomach.

"A few of you," he nodded to the two girls, who sat in the front row and stared at him adoringly, "will have what it takes and my lessons will open doors for you. However, I expect complete dedication and motivation from my students." He turned away from the blonde girls and locked eyes with Harry again. "We have never accepted a student in the Healer programme after the programme has commenced."

Harry gulped again. Here it comes, he thought, he's going to ask me to leave the classroom. This must be a record. He hadn't even made it through his first module of the day and he was already being dismissed.

"Imagine my surprise, when former Minister Shacklebolt asked me to make an exception."

Edwards' eyes were burning into Harry now, smouldering and fierce. Harry matched Edwards' glare, refusing to back down. His stomach was doing flip-flops that he hoped the rest of the class could not hear. Sitting with the entire class gawking at him made him feel as if he were that same eleven-year-old boy in Snape's dungeon. It was humiliating.

"Kingsley is an old friend and I could not refuse. But—do not make me regret my decision, Mr Potter. There will be no special treatment in my classroom, regardless of past achievements."

Harry drew in a quick breath. He needed to respond and quickly, to say the right thing, so this professor that didn't even know him yet, wouldn't think he was an utter idiot. The last thing he needed was another Snape in his life.

"Yes, sir," he said, his voice firm but kind. "Thank you for the opportunity. I will not let you down."

"I don't give second chances, Potter. And I do not repeat my lessons. I expect you to catch up on your own."

Harry nodded.

"Excellent." Professor Edwards spun around and walked toward the blackboard. "Let's start today's lesson on blood typing. Everyone will stay an extra ten minutes to make up for the time we have wasted."

A soft murmur filled the room.

"I hope no one has a problem with that?"

"No, sir," the students grumbled weakly.

"Excellent," Professor Edwards repeated, the same crooked smile spread on his thin lips. "Now, who can tell me how blood types and magical levels are related?"

: : :

Harry had not heard a single word of Professor Edwards' lecture on blood types. He had attempted to take notes but his hand was shaking and his stomach was still all in muddle. The professor had called him out in front of the entire class. He told the class that Harry didn't deserve to be there and had only been accepted because of his connections. Because of Kinglsey. If they hadn't resented him before, Harry was certain that they would now. Getting accepted into Healer School was not an easy task. Each applicant needed a certain number of OWLs, glowing recommendations, and relevant work experience.

According to Hermione, Harry did have the adequate OWLs for the programme but not the work experience. All his work experience was relevant to the Auror corps, and even then, he had done very little fieldwork and never any medical training. Perhaps this had been a mistake. Harry had been interested in healing since the war, but he hadn't actually prepared for this, not like the other students, who were now glaring at him.

When he first entered the classroom, he knew that at least some of the whispers about him had been positive. Now, he felt like he was back in fifth year with everyone talking about him and all of it negative. If the glares that the two blokes sitting on either side of him were any indication of how the class felt about its newest student, then Harry would not be joining any study groups any time soon.

He sighed and looked down at his jumbled mess of notes, which he didn't understand. Perhaps that was the professor's intention with his little speech, to get the rest of the class to turn against him too, so he wouldn't be able to catch up.

Rh proteins, + / - groups, alleles and blood types.

In theory, Harry understood that everyone had a different blood type, but he hadn't imagined that it would be so complicated. He figured there were only the groups A, B, AB, and one more he couldn't remember. What was all this nonsense about alleles and positive and negative proteins? How and why were they related to the magical levels of the witch or wizard? And what about the magic levels? Were they innate or inherited from the parents?

So many questions ran through Harry's mind. He had thought that he was prepared—that it would be one of his easier modules. He had even read the first chapter of the textbook, which he had never done before in his life. Merlin's saggy tits. He was fucked. He needed help. And it didn't look like he would be sleeping any time soon.

The thought of all the readings that Harry had missed for this one subject — 10 bloody chapters — made him dizzy. How would he ever catch up from being 10 chapters behind? And what about his other modules? His palms were sweating so profusely that he could barely hold his quill without dropping it.

Edwards' deep voice echoed through the room, but to Harry, it sounded as if he were lecturing in another language. The little bit he had understood had fallen apart once the professor stopped lecturing and went straight into problems with theoretical applications.

Maths? Harry hadn't done maths since he was a child. At Hogwarts, he had avoided Arithmancy once he found it involved maths and problem solving. Why hadn't anyone told him that Healer training would involve Maths? That detail should bloody well be in the syllabus!

He bowed his head and took a deep breath.

It would do him no good to lose control. Going barmy on the first day, in his very first lesson, would only prove Healer Edwards right. Harry wanted nothing more than to prove the old bastard wrong. He thought that he was an easy person to get along with; he was easy going and friendly. It was rare that he didn't get along with someone, but Professor Edwards had rubbed him the wrong way. He hadn't disliked someone this much on first contact since Snape. And that was not a good thing. Then again, Snape had turned out to be a good bloke, a traitorous voice reminded him in the back of his mind.

Somehow, he didn't see that happening with Edwards. He had that self-important look about him that screamed arsehole. There was no doubt in his mind which house Edwards had belonged to at Hogwarts. Snakes stood out and Harry was no longer afraid of them. He picked up his head and decided to listen more carefully and try to follow along.

Professor Edwards asked a question about alleles, which Harry still didn't exactly understand as he had never heard the term. But then, an all too familiar voice filled his ears. He would know that cold and lazy drawl anywhere.

Malfoy.

Harry spun his head around, and sure enough, Draco Malfoy was sitting in the back corner of the room. He answered the question in his lazy dismissive drawl as if it were the most obvious answer and the rest of the students were clueless idiots. In Harry's case, it might have been the slightest bit true, but he was certain from the glowers that were directed his way that the rest of the class did not hold warm and fuzzy feelings toward Malfoy either.

What was Malfoy doing here? Harry had not heard from Malfoy in years. It was as if he had fallen off the planet, but then all of a sudden there he was again. Just as blond and annoying as ever. Merlin's beard, he had the worst luck in the world. He had already suffered through six years of Potions lessons with Malfoy. The last thing he wanted was for Malfoy to see him struggle in Healer Training.

Harry hadn't paid attention to Malfoy's answer. He had been far too shocked at his presence to listen. Whatever he said was correct because Healer Edwards nodded his head and gave him a grim smile.

"Very good." He gritted his teeth. "At least someone has been paying attention."

The rest of the two-hour lecture flew by. Harry had lost track of the topic and hadn't been able to solve a single one of the problems, but it was only because he was behind and the problems were complicated. It had nothing to do with Malfoy's presence, which had unnerved him. He did not spend the rest of the lecture sneaking looks at Malfoy and trying to read his expression.

There was something odd about Malfoy. In many ways, he was still the same old Malfoy, same white-blond hair, even if it was longer and tied behind his neck, same annoying pointy face. Still, something about him was different. Harry couldn't put his finger on it, but his bored expression didn't quite make sense. He pretended to be bored out of his mind, muttering answers under his breath and scowling fiercely into his parchment. Yet, he scribbled furiously and took extensive notes.

The two other times he answered questions, he responded in that same bored tone, but Harry turned around to look at him and noticed a glimmer in his eyes. His answer had sounded flat, but the passion in those clear grey eyes was unmistakable. Harry had never seen that look in Malfoy's eyes. It disconcerted him. And even worse, he wanted to see it again.

He had an urge to speak with Malfoy, to ask him how he knew all the answers? What in the hell was wrong with him? He was already cracking under the pressure. Malfoy had always found a way to get under Harry's skin. Their last meeting had been civil. Maybe it would be best not to dredge up the past. After locking eyes with him briefly, he turned back to his notes. He didn't look up for the rest of the lesson.

By the time he packed up his things to leave, his curiosity was too high. It wouldn't hurt to take one more look at Malfoy, to nod politely and acknowledge his presence. They were adults now and hadn't hated each other in years. But when Harry stood to leave, Malfoy was already gone.

Harry pretended that he wasn't disappointed.

To be continued…

A/N: Thank you for reading! If anyone has any questions, let me know. I plan on updating once a week, probably on the weekend or Monday. If anyone has a preference for the day that I update, send me a PM. Otherwise, it'll be one of those days. Also, answer my poll about what fic I should update next.

Have a great week!

~Icicle

News about Icicle's other new/current fics:

1. Truly Loyal (lucius/james) is being updated today as well. I still haven't gotten any readers for that one, but I'm still hopeful that I will.

2. Kiss Me at Midnight (Harry/Draco) Smutty one-shot that is complete and recently posted.

3. First Day of the Rest of Your Life- Kurt/Blaine (Glee fic) Second Season AU. The first chapter will be posted tomorrow.

4. (Reader's choice) Answer my poll or tell me in your review about what you would like to see me update next besides Truly Loyal and For Love of a Family.

a. New chapter of You Set Fire to the Rain (h/d)

b. Epilogue of Without You (h/d)

c. Smutty Alternate ending of Secret Life of Draco Malfoy (h/d)

d. New chapter of I'm Not Over You (Glee fic-Santana/Brittany)

e. New chapter of Father Dearest (D/Hr)

f. New H/D story with Ron and Draco as Auror partners and Harry being jealous

g. other (please leave choice in a comment or pm)