Knock Knock

Harry climbed from his bed sleepily, put his glasses on and opened the door. "Remus?"

"Damn, I guess I owe Severus 5 galleons now," Remus said as he hugged Harry.

"Huh?" came Harry's eloquent reply.

"Ah, not a morning person then. Well, it's time for breakfast so come on down. After, I'd like it if we could spend the afternoon together; I've got some things I wanted to talk to you about."

"Kay," Harry muttered as he headed to the loo to get ready for the day.

As Harry walked into the dining room, he heard the tail of what seemed to be a very heated argument and it piqued his interest.

"Damnit Uncle Sev, it's my choice."

"Be that as it may Draco, I still maintain it is unwise to even entertain the idea."

Draco sighed. He hated fighting with his Godfather, but he wasn't going to be talked out of this, "Severus, you've been wonderful about taking care of Harry and I both, and I can't tell you how much I appreciate all the support and guidance you've given me over the years, but this is something I feel I have to do and there is nothing that will deter me."

Severus had to acknowledge that Draco was an adult now and he really didn't have any say it what he did, but he just couldn't allow Draco to go off and follow this whim.

"Draco, I realise you are an adult for all intents and purpose, however, I cannot allow you to go…"

Harry's eavesdropping was interrupted by a gravelly voice, "Harry, that's not a nice thing to do."

Harry jumped and turned, "Remus, you scared the hell out of me."

They stepped away from the door and Harry whispered, "What in the hell are they having a row over? I've never heard Draco talk to Severus like that before."

"Draco got a request from his father to visit him in Azkaban. His sentence has been delivered and he wants to see his son."

Harry immediately turned and stormed into the room yelling, "You are NOT going to that hell hole and seeing that man without someone else going with you Draco. I don't give a shite what your arguments are. Someone goes with you or you don't go."

Draco and Severus stopped and turned in shock toward Harry. Severus took one look at his face and knew Harry wasn't kidding about his assertion that Draco go with someone. He was about to volunteer when he heard, "Draco, I'll go with you if you'd like."

"Thank you Remus, I would appreciate that," Draco smiled. "How's this afternoon for you?"

Remus looked down at Harry, "Okay with you pup if I skive off until tonight?"

"Absolutely, I have an errand to run today anyway. How about we meet in Holborn at The Spaghetti House around 7? We can sit outside and talk. I'm craving their Salmon with Pesto."

"Sounds good," Remus answered while grabbing a slice of bacon from Severus' plate. "Draco, what time should we leave?"

Draco placed his empty tea cup on the table, "In about thirty minutes. My summons asked me to be there at half eleven and I've been given leave to apparate directly there. I'll contact the Ministry and have you cleared as well."

Once Draco had left the room, Severus took a deep breath, reined his temper in and looked at Remus, "Why did you offer to accompany him? I do not want him to go. Seeing his father can result in nothing good."

"Severus, Draco would have gone regardless of whether someone was with him or not. At least this way, I can wait there and escort him back. If something doesn't feel right, we'll leave. It's not as though I'm unfamiliar with the place or how it feels. I did actually visit Sirius there a few times in the early years."

Harry watched the two men bicker for a bit before silently slipping from the room. He wanted to find Draco to apologise for yelling, and to offer him comfort if he was nervous. He found the blonde sitting in the Sunroom twirling his wand and staring out the tinted windows into the gardens. Harry followed the gaze to see two hummingbirds dancing around the Azalea bushes lining the garden wall.

He walked up behind the chair Draco was sitting in and placed his hands on the back, "Draco, are you alright?"

Draco didn't turn around, he kept facing forward as he said, "You know, I figured when my father was sentenced, I would be relieved and it would be easy to say, 'That's my past and this is my future,' but it's not like that."

He turned slightly in his chair and looked up at the brunette, "Harry, I'm nervous. What if he's able to find a way to avoid The Kiss? What if he isn't given much time and gets out? What if he's found a way around the plans Mum made to have me take everything over?"

Harry moved his hands from the chair back to Draco's shoulders and gave a squeeze, "Relax, you're letting your imagination run away with you. There's no way the Ministry is going to let him walk out of that place any time soon."

Draco stood and turned toward Harry with a sigh, "You're right, I know. I guess the idea that I've disappointed him is just too hard to push away yet."

"Draco the only one you need to worry about disappointing is you," Harry said.

"I couldn't agree more pup, well said." Remus smiled at the two and said, "Draco, are you ready?"

Draco nodded and walked by Harry to follow Remus from the room. As he passed Harry, he grazed his hand against Harry's lightly but purposefully. The thank you inherent in the gesture was not lost on Harry and was not missed by Remus.

Harry followed the pair to the front door, watched them walk to the apparition point outside the gates, and disappear before turning back into the house. Severus was standing there watching him with a curious smile.

"I'm worried about him going there. It's going to be hard saying goodbye to his father."

Severus nodded, "Yes it will be, as I suspect Lucius will be making a plea for his son's help in changing the sentence he's been given. He would think nothing of causing his son to feel intense guilt to get what he wants."

Seeing Harry's eyes begin to darken with anger, Severus changed the subject, "So Harry, do you really have plans for today?"

Harry shook his head to clear it of the daydreams of Lucius' demise and answered, "Yes actually. I'm heading into London for a couple of things and thought I'd stop by Draco's favourite store and pick him up something to brighten his day a little."

"And what did you have in mind?"

"Well, the last time we were shopping, he found an amazingly beautiful cashmere jumper in a soft ice blue. He wanted it so bad but kept saying that day was about my 'abysmal wardrobe' and not about him wanting a new jumper. I thought I'd get it for him."

"Harry that's a very nice thing to do. I am curious though about your fast friendship."

"It isn't as fast as everyone thinks, we still have our issues. We just know when to set them aside and when to aire them. I believe you would call it, maturing," Harry said with a touch of sarcasm.

Severus laughed and said, "Yes, maturing indeed. Well, I have to be off. I'm going to check on some friends. I'm not likely to make it back tonight so feel free to ask Remus to stay if you wish." Severus walked to the floo and called out as he disappeared, "Give Cissa my love."

Harry laughed and headed for the garden wondering how long Severus had known.

"Severus sends his love; he's off visiting friends today. Draco's coming by later I assume. He had some errands to run this morning." Harry continued his running dialogue as he arranged the flowers he'd brought with him from the Manor.

"Minerva hired Remus Lupin to work at the school again so he's getting settled in. I'm having dinner with him tonight. We're going to try The Spaghetti House; I wonder what you'd think of it. I hope you like the flowers I've brought you. Draco told me they were planted by Lucius to remind him of you. I thought they might brighten your room some."

Harry finally sat in the chair beside her bed and took a good look at her. He'd been by to see her a couple of times in the last two weeks, but this was the best she'd looked.

Narcissa's shining white blonde hair was splayed out on the pillow around her head like a halo, her pale skin finally began to have a little colour to it, her cheeks and lips were slightly pink. Her skin was luminous, soft and warm. Harry smiled as he held her hand in his and felt her strong pulse confidently thrumming through her veins.

"Narcissa, I wanted to talk to you about Draco for a bit. I wanted to let you know that he's at Azkaban visiting Lucius today. I sent Remus with him for support, but I think it's going to be a hard day for him. Lucius was sentenced, I don't know to what though, and requested to see him. I'm guessing he'll tell you about it when he sees you next, but I thought it would be good to warn you."

"Draco and I have become friends recently and I have found him to be…strong and honourable, which is something I never thought I'd find. That's the primary reason why I have made sure that you are being taken care of properly. I have no doubt that your influence is the reason Draco has become the man he is. You should be proud. I hope you will come back to him soon. He misses you."

Harry kissed the top of her hand and laid it back on the bed. As he walked away, he heard, "Harry," and turned to find Narcissa's hand lifted slightly off the bed and watched as it hovered above the sheet for a moment and then limply fell again.

Harry ran back to her side and quietly said, "Narcissa, can you move your hand again?"

He waited and watched but there was no movement. He sighed and bent to place a kiss on her cheek and whispered, "I know you're in there and can hear me. Keep trying and I'll help you in any way I can." He wiped the falling tear from her cheek and said louder, "I'll see you tomorrow. Rest well."

As he opened the door to leave, he walked head long into one of the healers he'd seen working with Narcissa. Draco liked to call her Healer Sunshine, and within moments, Harry knew why.

"Mr. Potter! How wonderful to see you today. How are you?" She walked into the room and put her bag down. "I thought I heard you say that Narcissa moved? That's wonderful!"

Harry started at the comment. To have heard him meant she was right outside the door. "Ah, I'm sorry to get your hopes up, I was wrong. He arm slipped of the bed and I thought she had moved. I realised I had set it too close to the edge." He tried to appear disappointed while observing the healer.

"Oh what a shame, it would have been such a nice surprise for her son."

"Yes it would have," Harry said. He wasn't comfortable with her interest and decided not to leave quite yet, "You know, I'd love to see what therapeutic methods you are using with her. I think I'll stay and watch if that's okay with you?"

Not able to say no, healer Sunshine smiled and said, "Of course sir," and went to work.

"Please check in your wand and any other objects you have on your person, put them in the lock box then sign the log. When you are ready, you may walk through the door behind you and the guard will show you into the meeting room. Mr. Lupin, will you be accompanying Mr. Malfoy?"

"I will, though I will be waiting outside the room unless Mr. Malfoy is in need of my assistance," Remus replied as he checked his wand and other items.

The Azkaban Matron nodded once understanding Remus' agenda and took the closed, locked box and placed it in the cage behind her. "When you are ready to leave, you can retrieve your items from me by tapping the bell on the wall. Good Day."

Remus watched as the matron walked into the cage and disappeared into the rows of shelves. He looked down at Draco and noticed the boy's hands shaking as he straightened his robes and made sure there was nothing on them. He placed his hand on Draco's shoulder and quietly said, "You look fine pup. I'll be right outside the room and can be inside instantly if needed."

Draco nodded once and headed through the door.

"Good Evening Draco, Remus. I'm sorry to see you both under these conditions." Nymphadora Tonks greeted the men and showed them into the empty meeting room. "Draco, Lucius will be coming through the door in front of you in a moment. He's chained and will not be able to touch you in any way and I ask that you not attempt to touch him. His manacles have been spelled to be unbreakable and if touched, will give him a shock. If you need anything or when you are ready to go, just say my name and I'll open the door."

Draco nodded and sat in the chair provided and waited quietly.

Remus followed Tonks out and closed the door behind them.

"We can watch the meeting through this window Remus. It's two-way glass, and has been quite a nice addition for the prison. It's a muggle thing, but we've found it to be helpful in keeping the inmates in line. We can see them but not hear, and all they see is themselves, like a mirror."

"Ingenious idea," Remus said and he watched Draco stand when his father entered.

"Good Evening Draco, it's nice to see you."

"You summoned me father. What exactly do you want?"

Lucius waited until they were alone before stating his purpose for the visit, "Son, I have been sentenced to life in this hole and have been told that there will be no opportunity for me to be released unless there is evidence that I did not act of my own volition. That is where you come in."

Draco raised his hand to stop his father and with quiet fury in his voice said, "You have asked me here to lie for you? You, who didn't treat me any better than a house elf most of my life, want me to tell the Ministry that you didn't do the things you've done over the years, of your own free will."

Draco stood and began to pace behind his chair while he continued to question his father's motives, "Why in the name of Merlin would I lie for you? What exactly do you imagine would endear you to me that would make me want to participate in the fallacy of declaring you an innocent victim of the bastard you tried to serve me up to?"

Lucius took a deep breath trying to control his rising temper, "How dare you show me such disrespect. I gave you life and everything you could have ever wanted. You will show me the respect I am due."

Draco took in the visage of his father, his back ramrod straight, hair hanging limply down his back, skin pale but still appeared taken care of. He stopped behind his chair and placed his hands on the top, leaning forward toward his father and said, "I am showing you the respect you deserve – None."

Draco turned to the mirror and nodded as he said, "Tonks."

The door was open and Remus and Tonks were in the room before the's' had even been said by the blonde. "Draco, what can I do for you?" she asked.

"I'm done here and I wanted a witness to what I have to say before I leave." He turned toward the older blonde and said, "You may have helped give me life, but you didn't help me live. You attempted to make me a slave to the man you worshipped and it almost got me killed. You have caused irreparable damage to my mother, the only parent I've ever really had, and caused pain and misery to more people than I can count in my lifetime."

He looked at Remus and found the support he saw in the blue eyes staring at him, gave him the confidence to turn to Lucius and say, "I no longer have a father. Tonks, I'm ready to leave now. Thank you for your assistance today."

As Draco led Remus and Tonks from the room, they could hear Lucius screaming his son's name, demanding he come back, and advising he would "soon regret his non compliance." As they crossed the threshold from the meeting area into the security room, the noise began to fade.

Tonks walked with them into the Security room, waited while Remus rang the bell on the wall and signed for his and Draco's wands and other checked items, then led them from the prison. When Draco's feet hit the soil outside the door, he let out a scream that would put any banshee to shame.

Remus watched as Draco released the grief and fury he felt, until the emotionally spent blonde finally fell forward to his knees. Remus bent and picked him up saying, "Hold on, I'll take us home."

Tonks waited until they had apparated before sending her owl to Harry letting him know he would be needed at home immediately.

"So Molly, have you been able to get comfortable here?"

"Yes Severus, we have been able to make this place very comfortable. Thank you for helping us. Would you like me to show you around?"

"That would be nice. I've never actually been here, though it became mine years ago."

Molly linked her arm through the offered arm of the Potions Master and began to show him through the living space the ginger clan was sharing. "We've managed to clean up the third and fourth floors enough to walk up there and not sneeze. For now though, we are all sleeping here in the living room. Between us and the house elves, we'll have this place livable by the weekend."

"How are the elves behaving?"

"Well, two of them are quite old and the two younger ones are taking on most of the responsibility so things are not getting done as fast as they would normally but they are very pleasant and helpful. I think they were most excited when they realised how many of us they now had to take care of."

Molly laughed, surprising Severus with the melodic quality of it. He suspected she was enjoying having her family so close to her. He marveled at the way her eyes sparkled and her smile seemed so effortless, just as it had prior to the war.

"Molly, is there anything you need or that I can do to make your confinement any easier?"

"Oh dear, not that I can think of now. What you've done is plenty."

"Good afternoon Severus," Hermione said and she and Fred walked by with trays of dirty dishes.

"Hermione, Fred, how you are doing?"

Fred stopped walking when he saw his Mum's smiling face and her hand around Severus' arm, "We're fine. What do you want?"

"Fred!" Hermione and Molly yelled at the same time.

Fred walked away without another word while Molly apologised for her son's rudeness.

"It's okay Molly; I imagine he's not happy about being stuck here. I won't take it personally. Hermione, have you been able to contact your parents?"

"Yes sir, when we first arrived I sent an owl letting them know I was okay and that I'd be on vacation with Ron and the family for a while and likely out of touch. They don't worry when they know I'm with Molly." Hermione smiled at the matriarch and walked away.

Molly wiped tears from her cheeks and said, "Well, what say we have some tea and you can tell me what's going on with Harry and your Godson."

Harry was pacing nervously in the study waiting for Draco and Remus to return. He'd been home for close to an hour, having received the owl from Tonks saying that Remus and Draco needed him at home, but hadn't seen or heard from them yet. The longer they were gone, the more he worried. He laughed at himself when he saw a picture on the table of Draco with Severus and realised, that aside from Severus, Remus was with the only other adult who he trusted to keep the blonde from ending up in the cell next to Lucius.

Harry wandered to the window, pulled the curtain aside, and saw Remus carrying Draco up the walk. He ran to the door and threw it open yelling, "What in the name of Merlin happened?"

"Harry?" Draco lifted his head from Remus' shoulder when he heard Harry's voice.

"Remus, bring him into the living room and put him on the couch. Dobby," Harry called for the house elf as Remus layed the shaking boy on the couch.

"Mister Harry Potter sir, what is Dobby doing for you?"

"Dobby, I need some tea and soup for Draco and Remus."

"Yes sir, Mister Harry Potter sir."

Harry covered Draco with a blanket and as he stood, Draco grabbed his arm and wouldn't let go. "Remus, what happened today?" he asked as he lifted Draco's head, sat down and lowered him back into his lap.

Remus watched Harry gently settle Draco in his lap and explained, "Draco confronted his father and stood up to him. I don't know what Lucius said, but whatever he said made Draco disavow him. He told Lucius in front of me and Tonks that he no longer has a father."

Harry was absentmindedly running his fingers through Draco's hair while he talked to Remus. He didn't miss the fact that the blonde had begun to relax and had stopped shaking. Dobby popped back in with the tea and soup and Remus thanked him.

"Draco," Harry said softly, "can you sit up and eat a little something please."

Draco shook his head in Harry's lap and didn't move.

"Draco, you'll feel better if you have a little something," Remus said.

"No thank you," he whispered.

Harry looked at Remus, who shrugged and sipped his tea.

"Draco, please sit up and eat some of this soup. I'm worried about you and it would make me feel better if you ate something," Harry said, knowing it was a ploy to get what he wanted but didn't care.

Draco slowly sat up and slid closer to Harry who handed him a steaming bowl of soup and watched as he slowly began to eat.

Remus put his empty cup on the table and stood, "I'm going to head back to Hogwarts now."

Harry looked up and shook his head, "Remus, would you mind staying tonight? Severus has gone to visit some friends and Draco and I haven't been alone here since we moved in. I'm not sure I'd be comfortable with being here alone."

"Sure pup, why don't you walk me out, and I'll get my stuff and come back in a couple of hours."

Harry made to stand but Draco clamped down on his arm with one hand while continuing to stare into his soup.

Harry pried the pale fingers off his arm and said, "Draco, I'll be right back. I'm just going to the front door. I'll be right back."

Draco released Harry and held onto his bowl with both hands staring into the liquid.

Harry followed Remus to the door and whispered, "What in the hell happened there? I've never seen him like this."

Remus shook his head and said, "Short of the veiled threats as we were leaving, I have no idea what was said between the two while I was outside the room. I couldn't hear anything."

Harry looked back at the room where the blonde sat and then at Remus, "Okay, I'll see what I can find out, you get back as soon as you can. Can you also please let Poppy know about this in case we need her later?"

"Of course pup, I'll be back soon," Remus said, hugging the boy before walking to the apparition point outside the gate and disappearing.

Harry walked back into the living room to find Draco in the same position but the soup gone. He took the bowl and placed it on the table before sitting down again.

"Draco?"

Draco turned and wrapped his arms around Harry's neck, buried his face in the crook of his neck, and began to sob.

Harry held the blonde until his body stopped shaking from the torrent of emotion and only released him when he began to push out of the embrace.

"Harry, I'm sorry about that."

"No problem. You've helped me through enough of these moments in these last weeks. That's what friends do."

Draco looked at Harry, a faint smirk on his lips and said, "So we're friends now, yeah?"

"I hope so. I don't usually snuggle with my enemies," Harry said with a smile. "Do you want to tell me about what happened today?"

Draco took a deep breath and slowly let it out while he worried the edge of the blanket covering the legs crossed in front of him. "I disavowed my father. I no longer have a father and unless my Mum wakes, I will be an orphan."

Harry wrapped his hands around Draco's busy fingers to still them, and save his favourite Weasley blanket, "What else? I mean what made you do that?"

Draco turned his tear stained face to his new friend and his bloodshot eyes began to fill again, "He wanted me to tell the Ministry that I remembered seeing him coerced into doing the things he did so he wouldn't have to spend eternity in Azkaban. His sentence was life."

Harry pulled Draco to him and embraced his friend, holding him tight. "Oh Draco, I'm so sorry. What can I do to help you?"

Draco hugged him back and said, "Just this. Knowing someone cares about me as something other than an alibi is enough for now."

The sat there holding each other for several minutes before Draco finally sat back and said, "He threatened me on my way out. He said I would regret not doing what he wanted."

Harry put his hands on Draco's arms and looked him straight in the eye, "No one will touch you as long as I have anything to say about it. Remus will be back in a while to stay the night and when Severus gets back we'll let him know what's going on."

Harry stood and motioned for Draco to follow, "Let's get you upstairs. You can take a bath to help relax and when you're done, you, Remus and I will figure out what to do next."

Draco walked into the bathroom and went to close the door but stopped, turned and quietly said, "Thank you Harry."

Harry's smile lit his face as he looked at Draco. "Anytime," he said as the door closed.