WARNING: Ending contains one swear word and may upset some :P

4th July 1988

"So what time are we expecting Draco's father?"

I looked up from my failed crossword and shrugged. "I don't know," I admitted as my mother gave me a look as though to say 'don't you know anything?' "I can't imagine that it'll be late, though," I continued quickly so that she wouldn't think me entirely incompetent. "Around midday perhaps."

"Hmm…" She bustled around for a while, trying to be busy. But her mind, like my own, was far too preoccupied and, in the end, all she could do was sit down in despair.

"It's so unfair…" my mother angrily muttered to her hands. "So bloody bloody unfair!" Then, having taken a long, deep breath, she composed herself and turned her sharp eyes once again upon me. "Is Draco still asleep?"

Laying my pen down upon the table, I nodded. "Yes. It isn't like him to sleep late, but I suppose he was awake for quite a while last night fretting about today. I'll wake him in a while."

"No," she spoke quietly, thoughtfully. "I think it best if we leave him as long as possible."

"Why?" I asked, frowning.

"Because, if he is awake," explained my mother carefully. "He will have nothing to do other than become more and more anxious and work himself into a state and that will do no one any good. No, just let him sleep as long as possible."

I agreed reluctantly. As selfish as it may seem, I wanted to spend as much time with Draco as I could before we parted because, despite being quick to reassure him that I would see him soon, truth be told I hadn't a clue; it might only be a few weeks, it might be several months. I didn't know.

As I predicted, the knock on the door came just after twelve o'clock in the afternoon. Immediately, the roof of my mouth went dry and the actual reality of what I was about to do hit me brutally. How could I, in good conscience, possibly send Draco back to where he was sure to be in danger? It was like pulling someone out of an acromantula's nest, brushing them down, only to push them in again with a piece of mean around their neck. The hypocrisy made me inwardly cringe.

"Shall I get it?" my mother asked, touching me gently on the shoulder. "You go and sort Draco out. Take your time, there's no need to rush."

I nodded dully and forced myself to stand.

As I trudged up the staircase, pausing briefly to glance down at the door, the knock came again- louder and more insistent.

'Go!' my mother mouthed, hand poised over the handle.

"Dragon?" I tickled his ear lightly, but apart from stirring slightly, Draco continued to sleep deeply.

"Come on, Draco," I said a little louder. "Wake up for me."

At this intrusion into his dreams, Draco moaned and scrunched up his face with displeasure. He neither helped nor resisted as I lifted him into a sitting position.

"What time's it?" asked Draco dazedly, forcing his eyes open and blinking hard.

"Just gone twelve," I murmured, brushing hair away from his face. "How're you feeling?"

But the look in his eyes said it all. "I'm going home today…" Draco mumbled to himself, eyes suddenly going vacant. "Home…" Silver laced heavily with anxiety flashed sharply up. "Are they here yet? Do I have to go now? Is that why you woke me?"

I nodded sadly. "Someone arrived just as I was coming to see you."

"Is it Father?"

"I didn't see, but I'd imagine so."

Draco reacted to this with silence; he sat stiffly with his arms wrapped tightly around his knees, biting his lip and staring helplessly out of the grimy window into our back yard. "Home…" he whispered again. "With Father…" A small escaped from Draco's lips and the little boy's head fell forwards onto his knees- hiding his face from sight in the blue and white stripped material.

There was absolutely no point in trying to reassure Draco that it was going to be okay or that things weren't going to be as bad as he expected them to be because I knew as well as he did that it would be meaningless.

But how else does one go about comforting a frightened eight year-old?

"Draco," I tried feebly. Reaching out a hand to touch his trembling shoulder. "Be brave, Dragon. Dragons are always brave…"

Draco glared at me with red-rimmed eyes. "Then I'm not a dragon. I'm not brave, I'm scared and I don't want to go home. I won't go!" his voice was suddenly challenging. "I won't go," repeated Draco fiercely. "You can't make me!"

Those last few words took me quite by surprise; 'you can't make me'…as though I was the one trying to force him to return to the tyrant he called Father.

"I have absolutely no intention of making you go anywhere." I told him quietly. "However," Draco's angry, frightened eyes were averted. "However, do you really think it wise to cross your father again? Do you actually believe for one moment, that he will simply step back and allow you to stay here, out of his reach and out of his influence?"

Draco shrugged petulantly, although he knew the answer better than anyone.

"Running away," I continued gently, "will only serve to cause you more grief and more pain than standing strong and facing him day to day."

My godson's stony expression crumbled and, once again, he buried himself in the comfort of his knees. "I can't!" wailed Draco miserably. "I can't go back! Please Sir, please don't make me! I'll do anything you say only…only…"

"Draco, for god sake!" I implored desperately. "Just calm down before you do yourself some serious damage and listen to me."

Draco took a few hiccupy breaths and nodded.

"Now," I held his teary gaze as I spoke, ensuring that I had his full attention. "I know you are scared- you have every reason to be- but if things get too out of hand and become too unbearable, I gave you that envelope, didn't I? And you can write whenever you want-"

"But it's not the same…"

"But it is the best we can do," I said firmly. "I have promised that I will come and see you as frequently as possible. I'm sorry Dragon, but there's nothing else I can do."

Draco sighed with disappointment. "I guess I knew that," he said quietly. "I guess if there was something else, you'd have done it already…"

"Something like that," I agreed. "Anyway, I'd better go and make sure that your father is in a reasonable mood." I rose, then said to Draco, "You come down whenever you're ready to; make sure you're okay and that you've got everything. Take your time."

Struggling to smile, but trying hard nonetheless, Draco nodded and, feeling reassured, I turned to leave. However, that feeling was short lived as, when the door closed behind me, I could hear the muffled, pitiful sound of Draco crying and it was all I could do to prevent myself from marching downstairs and telling Luciushim where he could go.

Perhaps if I was a stronger, stupider man, I would've…

I approached the living room with a strong combination of fierceness and determination- all ready to face Lucius who, I was certain, was as annoyed with me as I was with him over what had happened at Diagon Alley. So, imagine my surprise and slight disconcertion when I found not Lucius, but Narcissa- elegantly dressed in silk as if she were about to attend a party- sitting up straight on the sofa and small talk with my mother.

Both women turned as I skidded over the threshold and Narcissa rose gracefully to greet me.

"Hullo," she chimed, putting out a delicate hand for me to take. "How have you been?"

I clutched her hand briefly, still feeling bewildered. "I'm fine. Thank you. Yourself?"

"Better than usual, actually," she answered with a smile. "Shall we sit?"

Malfoys always seemed to be in the rather annoying habit of treating you as their guest…even if they are in your house.

"I have been thinking quite a lot about what you said to me the other day. About caring and such," explained Narcissa as we sat down. "And, after a great deal of deliberation, I came to the conclusion that, actually, I did. Or do. Care, I mean. Yes…" Her pretty face creased as she frowned, confused by her own words. "Anyway, what I mean to say is I may as well try, hadn't I?" Blue eyes flicked to me- seeking my agreement. "And if nothing worth while is achieved, at least I know that I have tried. There!" Narcissa exclaimed delightedly. "That's what I wanted to tell you! Well, what do you think, Severus? Is my plan a good one?"

I was, quite literally, lost for words. How could she really expect to automatically become a good mother to Draco just because she suddenly had the inclination to try? How could she possibly hope to make up for all the years she's wasted when all she cares about and understood was herself? But, equally, at least the thought was there.

It was a small, almost insignificant start, but a start nonetheless.

"It's fine," I told her. "Just try to be there when Draco needs you and you'll make all the difference in the world."

"I can do that!" She laughed excitedly. "I don't really do much, so that'll be easy. Oh…" Narcissa's elated expression faded a little. "I hope that Lucius will let me…he's so very protective of Draco…maybe I'll talk to him and arrange some time to be there for Draco when it'll suit us both…"

Over the far side of the room, I could hear my mother trying to suppress a snigger.

"Narcissa," I said slowly- fighting to remain patient with her. "The whole point is to be there when Draco needs you- not when it suits you and certainly not when it suits Lucius. If you are going to bother at all, bother for your son, not for yourself."

Narcissa simply stared at me- everything I had just said had clearly just gone straight over her immaculately groomed head. I'm pretty sure she was a very nice person…once you got passed the fact that she was so naturally self-obsessed. You couldn't criticize her, as irritating as it was, you had to just dismiss it as an unchangeable part of her personality,

"So, where's your husband?" I asked, changing track with some reluctance. "He seemed quite adamant that he wanted complete control over Draco so I'm surprised that he isn't here."

"Oh that," Narcissa smirked for the first time since I had known her. "Well," she explained smugly, "Lucius has been in just a foul mood ever since he came back from London and I decided it probably wouldn't be best if he was still in a temper when Draco came home because, obviously, he needs to settle back in, doesn't he? So I managed to persuade Lucius to…have a little holiday for a few days, whilst I hold the fort. So then he'll come back nice and relaxed, Draco will be happily settled in and we can all go back to normal!"

Her unrealistic optimism set my teeth on edge- in a way not dissimilar to when one eats something horrendously sweet- however, I had to admit that I was impressed by her planning.

"Where is Draco, by the way?" Narcissa asked suddenly, looked around as though she expected him to appear all of a sudden. "Why isn't he here? He should be here!"

I met my mother's eyes across the room and knew that she was thinking exactly the same thing as I was. She rolled her eyes discreetly, then said to the younger woman, "Draco wasn't feeling very well this morning. We thought it would do him some good if he slept on for a while,"

Narcissa's pretty face frowned deeply. "But Draco is not allowed to sleep after eight. He should be up! Get him up!"

Her piercing voice reminded me horribly of her sister- Bellatrix- an exceptionally unpleasant woman who, for various reason I wish to keep to myself, I was rather keen to forget.

"He'll come down in his own time and not before," my mother told Narcissa severely- whose eyes had suddenly taken on a rather mad look. The two women glared at each other; Narcissa because she was used to getting her own way and didn't like being told 'no', and my mother because she had no patience from people who thought themselves better than they were.

Narcissa, reluctantly backing down, pouted moodily. "I haven't got all day, you know," she said, sulking. "I have business to attend to elsewhere." She said the word 'business' with an air of typical Malfoy haughtiness which she had obviously learnt from Lucius.

My mother- having taken a great disliking to the blonde woman- was not at all impressed. "What business?" she scoffed.

Narcissa pursed her painted lips and raised her chin. "There are things I need to purchase in London," she informed us. "Books that Draco is to learn from. Lucius gave me a list. He trusts me to get them. Now, fetch Draco!"

"I have told you already," my mother spoke though gritted teeth. "He will come down when he is ready."

"How dare you keep him from me!" Narcissa all but shrieked, eyes blazing with fury. "How dare you deny me the right to see my son!"

"Oh shut up!" my mother snapped back. "You are a stupid, thoughtless woman who doesn't deserve a little boy like Draco. I feel sorry for him having to live with someone like you and if I had my way, he'd be taken away from you and your equally stupid husband for good!"

I sat as far back in my seat as I could, not wishing to be involved in their row. My mother was unstoppable when pushed too far.

"Don't you dare call my husband stupid!"

And so, it turned out, was Narcissa Malfoy.

"What the hell is going on in here?"

Their fight was cut short as my father- his hand on a wide-eyed Draco's shoulder- appeared. He looked from them to me, frowning disapprovingly then repeated his question. But no one answered.

Draco shrank back, fearful as his mother rose- her eyes still wild- and stalked across to grab hold of his hand. "Come Draco, we're going shopping."

But my father's would not let him go so easily. "Here," he said gruffly. "You're not going just like that! We've looked after your lad well this last week and our Severus has put himself out quite a bit on his behalf, so I hear. So don't you come barging in, having a go at my wife and then snatch the boy away without so much as a thank you! I won't allow it."

"You won't allow it?" Narcissa shrieked, outraged that she was being talked down to by a muggle (who, coincidentally, was a whole head taller than her). "You won't allow me to take my own son back home to where he is supposed to be? I don't have to listen to this! You're all conspiring to take Draco away from me! You're trying to turn him against me! Well, I'm not having it!"

Trembling with anger, she jerked Draco out of my father's reach, making him stumble and almost fall, had she not had a tight hold on his arm. "Move it!" Narcissa hissed, snatching the bag from his hands and pushing him into the hall.

Casting one quick, frightened glance behind him, Draco had no choice but to leave in front of his mother as she stalked out of the house. The door slammed behind her, leaving my parents and I with a ringing in our ears and a Draco-less house. Wondering what in Merlin's name had just happened

Some of the following has been obtained from the memory of Mr Draco L Malfoy of Malfoy Manor and has been used with the gracious consent of the aforementioned.

S. Snape

Standing alone in the centre of the entrance hall, Draco clutched a small bag of clothes in one hand and a larger, much heavier bag filled with books in the other and stared helplessly around him at the uncomfortably familiar, yet strange and overbearing mansion he called home. The boy felt horribly small and insignificant in this vast, untouchable place, especially when he thought of the small, cosy place which he had just been snatched away from…

Blinking back tears, Draco thought back to the last few days; how different his whole life had been in that short space of time and how well he seemed to fit into that life. So much so that, foolishly, Draco had begin to forget that he didn't belong there and that, sooner or later, every dreamer has to come back to reality- no matter how dark or cold.

A sigh slipped pass his lips. He hadn't even been allowed to say goodbye. And things had obviously been left on bad terms, so Draco couldn't even count on being allowed to see Severus even if he did come soon…

Wincing at the heaviness of his load, Draco started the long, slow trek up to his room, grey eyes fixed determinedly on the deep, blood-red carpet as he padded along endless corridors and up stairs.

Draco's mother had been silent and moody in the car- speaking only to tell him that Father had gone to France for a couple of days but would return soon- and she had snapped a lot at the staff in Flourish and Blotts. Then, as soon as the car had pulled up in their drive, she had stormed into the house to hide herself away, leaving Draco on his own to sort himself out.

The boy set the books down on the ground as he reached for the handle to his bedroom and pushed the door wide open. Nothing had changed; the bed was unmade, the chair by the window still lay where it had fallen and the same smell of scared, desperate magic drifted around.

Draco's mouth went instantly dry, his palms went clammy and he could neither breathe nor move..

'I know you kissed him,' an oily voice hissed in his ear. 'He told me how good you were, how much you liked it.'

"N-no…" Draco squeezed his eyes shut as tightly as he could; not wanting to see, not wanting to know. "I-I-I didn't…it w-wasn't…"

'Liar. You let him but you won't let me! He's only being nice because he wants to fuck you. You know that, don't you Draco?'

The little boy whimpered, his heart pounding so hard in chest it hurt, as the ghost of a hand brushed against his cheek.

"Y-y-you're not r-real," stammered Draco, recoiling as much as he dared. "Sir said you…you wouldn't b-b-be here…"

The voice- cold and slippery- chuckled. 'Sir lied. He's lied to you before, yes? Many times. You're just too stupid to realise it.'

Draco trembled, cold sweat making his damp. He could feel hands drifting over his immobile body and breath on his neck. But he couldn't look, couldn't open his eyes.

'Now," William Southard hissed. 'Are you going to lie down willingly like the little slut you are, or am I going to have you make you? Again?'

Mind buzzing loudly with terror, Draco opened his mouth to scream, but no sound came out. He couldn't think, he couldn't breathe…all he could feel were those hands touching him. Hurting him. And those words burning into his soul.

And then, out of nowhere, a different voice echoed through the boy's distorted, bewildered mind- 'If someone- anyone- tries to touch you in a way that you don't like, you run, Draco. Run to somewhere safe. Run!'

Suddenly, he knew what to do, where to go. With a choked cry, Draco wrenched his eyes open and fled, skidding around corners in a wild panic until he found where he needed to be- the room where Severus had stayed in before everything began to go wrong. The only room in the entire house that held no bad memories.

Throwing his entire weight against the door and rushing in, Draco dived onto the bed, where he lay exhausted and badly shaken, able to do no more than lie there and gasp for breath.

As he stared blindly across at the door, a tear- just one- slid steadily down the little boy's cheek and pooled in his ear. Draco wanted so much- and even half expected- for Severus to appear suddenly, like he always seemed to do, and to tell him that it was all going to work out fine and nobody could hurt him whilst he was there….but nobody came. Nobody cared.

Draco was alone once more.

A/N: ...youch...this chapter was the hardest thing, I think, I have ever written... -huggles Draco-. Anyway, in Part Five, Severus' narrative will be interspersed (sp?) with the 3rd person bits from Draco's PoV. I did have a little 'flash foward' in the middle of this chapter with Snape asking Draco's permission and Draco taking the mick, but when it came down to it, it was too jokey and ruined the seriousness of what had just happened :P Maybe I'll put it in later.

Hope everyone's having a half-decent holiday! It's tipping it down here :P But that's typical British weather for you, isn't it sigh!

Keep reading and reviewing!

Lily xxx