The Ides of March
The months passed easily enough, school was a touch harder. Harry studied, did his practicals, participated in pop quizzes, never fell asleep to lectures, and nearly passed all his tests. He did well in Charms but in Transfiguration, as he told his father after another quarterly report showed 'Acceptable', it felt as though his mind just 'slipped' in Professor McGonagall's class.
Severus had not appeared to understand and told Harry to practise harder, to focus, and to firm up his understanding of the theory behind Transfiguration.
Harry decided he did not much like his father then, and Draco agreed. He, too, was not doing well in Transfiguration and had received nearly the same lecture from his father. Draco had tried to blame his trouble on worry for his mother. The excuse only annoyed the very pregnant Narcissa who made him stand in a corner for a few hours.
In February when the cool temperatures began to give way to warmer days Harry and Draco would run to the main courtyard after classes to meet with Hermione and Luna (ace students in Transfiguration) and they would all practise or Hermione would explain that day's lesson in Transfiguration. Hermione discovered that both Harry and Draco were not understanding the way the Theory of Transfiguration was presented, so she found a different way to present Theory so they understood.
Transfiguration became easier for both boys, and Harry saw his Acceptable rise up to an Exceeds Expectations. He wanted an Outstanding but he did have other classes he needed to keep on an even keel.
In Defence Against the Dark Arts Harry and Draco had a friendly rivalry going on. They did well on quizzes and tests, and always managed to bang each other up well during the practicals. They did not often go to the Infirmary but sometimes it was unavoidable.
27 Mar 1993 - After Classes
Every Friday Harry would meet his father outside the gates to Hogwarts at the Apparition and Portkey area. They would talk, and wait for the arrival of Madame Pomfrey.
That early evening Harry ran down the long walk to the gates of Hogwarts to await the arrival of his father. In a few minutes the air cooled abruptly, and then a spark of light announced the arrival of his father by portkey. Harry ran to his father, and jumped up into his arms to hug him tightly. Once he had thought maybe he was getting too old for such affection but he decided that he needed that physical connection. It also appeared to Harry that affection from his son fed a hunger that Severus had never known he had.
Severus hugged his son tightly reveling in his fresh washed smell. He could tell that Harry was still using the soap and the shampoo that he brewed for him. He then put his son back onto his feet, conjured an iron scrollwork park bench, and they seated themselves.
"How was school this week?" asked Severus.
"Really good, dad! Draco and I earned 20 points each in Defence this week for improvements on our dueling skills…" he chuckled softly, "... and because neither of us had to go to the Infirmary."
"Very good," remarked Severus. "See that you stay out of the Infirmary. You two are causing Lucius a great deal of paperwork every time he is required to owl me with your latest injuries," he smirked. "The man has the most annoying handwriting."
"You can't have annoying handwriting!" scoffed Harry.
"Oh trust this old teacher, Harry. Not only is it possible for handwriting to be annoying but it can be insulting, lazy, absent-minded, cheerful, dreamy…" rattled off Severus.
"How can a handwriting be 'dreamy'?" his smirk mirrored his father's.
"Study Miss Lovegood's writing some time, my son. She dots her 'i's with hearts, and every sentence ends with a… dreamy… flourish," revealed Severus with an ironic purr.
"Really? What's Draco's handwriting like?"
"In his first year it was rather pompous in its perfection," mused Severus. "This second year Draco's handwriting is much more relaxed except when it comes to taking a test. In that he reveals his anxiety over taking the test; lots of capitals slashed sharply and sentences that misplaced their punctuation."
Harry shook his head, "Draco does go a bit mental over tests."
Severus lifted his head, and Harry looked in the same direction as his father. There was Madame Pomfrey coming down the drive wearing a Victorian travelling suit, and a wide-brimmed bonnet upon her hair. As per Severus' request she loosened her hair from its bun so it fell down her back in silken waves.
Madame Pomfrey was hardly a great beauty but in Severus' eyes there was no witch, no woman on Earth more lovely. Harry glanced into his father's black eyes, and smiled.
"You're in love, aren't you, dad?" asked Harry a little too knowledgeably.
Severus tore his gaze from the woman strolling towards them to look down at his son. "Whatever do you mean, Harry?"
"Just what I said, dad. You're in love with Madame Pomfrey," he smiled up the hill.
"Impossible. I have only known Poppy for a couple of months, Harry. No one falls in love that quickly," protested Severus.
"Sorry to disagree, dad, but you've known Madame Pomfrey since you were a student, and that's been almost forever! I actually think you're both in love, and just won't admit it. Which is silly but maybe that's a grown-up thing. Or… or maybe your Nargles aren't happy." Harry smirked facetiously, and Severus nudged him in the shoulder with his side.
"Do not be cheeky, boy. I know how to still take points," warned Severus with a slight smile, and hooded eyes.
"Nahhh you wouldn't," Harry nudged his father with his shoulder. "I'm cute." He grinned at his father who frowned.
"Tell me how does the attraction of your physiognomy factor into whether or not I take points?" dead-panned Severus.
"Because," said Poppy sidling up to the Snapes. "I know how you cheat, Severus, and because I think Harry is cute, if you take points from him, I'll simply take points from Slytherin."
Severus snatched Poppy around the waist, and pulled her closer to him. His eyebrow rose with his smirk, "You would take my son's side against me, Poppy? You wound me!"
Poppy tapped his nose, and smiled deliberately as she purred, "Well, Harry is cute, Severus, and you are…"
"An bat?" he interrupted shrewdly.
Poppy giggled. "No! Never! Severus…" she leaned forward, and kissed his cheek. Harry quickly looked down at the fascinating ground. "You, my dear wizard, are exceedingly handsome." This time she kissed his mouth, and savoured the kiss until Harry made an unsubtle griping noise.
"Poppy!"
"Madame Pomfrey!"
Poppy froze, and to Severus' startled gaze, her Glamour, her professional mien, flowed over her features like breath upon the surface of silk. She then turned to face Lucius, and his son Draco, who had run all the way from the castle to the gates of Hogwarts.
"What is wrong, Professor Malfoy?" she demanded calmly.
"Cissy… my wife…" he gulped in air. "She will not go to St. Mungos… without you. Please, come."
Draco grasped his father's arm. His breath was also trying to catch up to him. "Mum's having… the baby, da! Let's go!"
Severus stood up, and took his friend's hand. "Poppy, please take the boys. I shall take Lucius. He is so nervous he would likely splinch himself." In a second both wizards were gone.
Poppy gathered Draco and Harry to her sides. "Come along, boys." She, Draco, and Harry, were also gone in just a second.