Chapter 3 – Voldemort and His Draco

Harry and Draco were discussing the difference between Muggle and Wizard games over dessert.

"But that's just silly!" Draco said, incredulous, "How do the Muggles know which pieces they've already defeated when they let them live?"

Before Harry could respond, Draco's parents and Severus stood up.

"Come Harry, we should get your things from the Dursleys and get you settled in," Severus said.

Harry's eyes widened before he nodded quickly and stood up, giving Severus a brilliant smile.

"Do you wish for us to come with you or shall we meet you straight at the manor?" Mr Malfoy asked.

Severus hesitated, looking at Harry, "We shall meet you at the manor, I do not think they will appreciate having more 'freaks', as they so eloquently put it, in their midst."

Mr Malfoy frowned, "Perhaps I should go with you, Narcissa and Draco can go on ahead,"

Severus shook his head, "It is fine, Lucius. We will meet you at the manor in an hour or so,"

Mr Malfoy nodded and they left with quiet Goodbyes.

The visit to the Dursleys was brief but still disastrous. The only things Harry owned – his backpack with his school books and stationary, a few broken toys, some of Dudley's cast-offs that he called his clothes, and the small blanket in which he had been left at the Dursleys door – were kept in the cupboard that had been his room for the last ten years. Seeing the cupboard and his meagre belongings had put Severus in a very murderous state of mind and the Dursleys' comments hadn't been making it any better. Harry had noticed this and had been quick to tug Severus out the door once he was sure they had everything worth keeping.

Severus had gone, albeit reluctantly, and had quickly snagged Harry up in his arms when they reached the alley they had Apparated in before, and Apparated them away, straight to the gates of a huge manor surrounded by huge gardens. Despite the fact that it had been Harry's second time Side-Along Apparating, Harry still didn't quite like the sensation and had let Severus carry him while he fought off the nausea.

Severus had gone straight in through to the gigantic manor and to the sitting room where he had proceeded to order a strange creature, with big brown eyes, large flappy ears and wearing a pressed hand towel, that had appeared on their arrival to prepare a whole wing for Harry which he called the 'Heir's wing'. The Malfoys, all the while, had been sitting there on the sofa, looking upon the scene with wide eyes.

Then, Severus had called another creature, which Harry had finally realised was a House-Elf by Draco's description in the Leaky Cauldron, by a sharp cry of 'Pokey' and ordered him to arrange a meeting with a 'Mr Louis'.

Finally, after that, Severus had sat down in a big, green armchair with serpent designs, still holding Harry tightly in his lap. Another House-Elf had silently put some refreshments on the table, and then it was only them and the Malfoys in the room.

There was silence for a few moments before Harry wriggled a little.

"Severus? You're squishing me." his voice was muffled by Severus' robes.

Severus didn't say anything and just tightened his hold, his breathing a little heavy by his anger. Harry finally sighed and cuddled closer, his arms tightening behind his guardian's neck.

Harry didn't mind Severus holding him like that, no one had ever done so before and he liked the feeling of safety it brought him. It was almost like what Harry imagined being held by a father would feel like, though he'd never, ever admit it to anyone.

It was only a little embarrassing that the Malfoys were there to witness his weakness but Harry decided that if his guardian didn't care then he wouldn't too.

"Are you calm, now?" Harry asked after a few moments.

Severus gave him a curt nod but Harry knew that his fury was there, just simmering beneath the surface.

Harry sighed again, "It's fine, Severus. I'm used to it. Don't be so angry."

"It's fine?" Severus said incredulously, "No, it's not fine, at all! They kept you in a cupboard under the stairs which actually locks from outside! You had rags for clothes! Did those animals even properly feed you there?" Harry could feel Severus' rage and kept silent, not willing to talk. But Severus continued,

"Tell me, Harry. You're going to tell me everything they ever did to you and I will make them pay, I swear to you," he said.

"Seve–" Harry started uncomfortably but Severus had cut him off.

"No, child. We cannot let them get away with this. Tell me," Severus said, tipping Harry's chin above so that he could look him in the eye and know that he was serious, "were you abused, Harry?"

Harry flinched slightly but otherwise looked steadily back, "It wasn't much of abuse as much as neglect, Severus. And we don't have to worry about that now that I'm with you."

Harry's sincere words calmed Severus a little but he persisted, "Did they ever raise a hand against you?"

Harry was uncomfortable, knowing Severus would get angrier at his next words, but he didn't want to lie.

"Sometimes," he said with a sigh.

"But it wasn't much," he continued hurriedly, "only when I made something happen that I now understand was accidental magic, and when I didn't do my chores as well, but it was only just a few slaps on the back of my head or a punch or two! It was just Dudley and his gang of bullies that ever beat me up but they couldn't do that after I was six," Harry said, finally grinning at the sweet memories it brought, "I run very fast for one, and they all got scared off after I pranked them."

"I also pranked all teachers and the school nurse who knew about Dudley and the Dursleys treatment of me and stayed silent," Harry was almost bouncing with joy as he recalled prank after prank.

"Oh, their hatred knew no bounds after that," he said dreamily, smirking like a loon.

"I also pranked Mrs Figg," Harry said, giggling gleefully as he imagined the look on old Mrs Figg's face when she found all the food of her house replaced by cat food, "She was such a meanie, always making me look at photos of her stupid cats and giving me the stale cakes which I'm sure would have made me sick if I hadn't thrown them up." Harry made a face.

After his rant, Harry looked around and saw everyone present looking torn between outrage at people's treatment of Harry, or amusement at Harry's treatment of others.

Mr Malfoy and Severus were smirking just a little.

"I see you are following in your father's footsteps," Mrs Malfoy commented, smiling faintly.

At Harry's questioning and confused look, Severus clarified.

"Your father was a prankster, too. He and his group of marauders." Severus said, sneering.

"I have a feeling you didn't like them too much," Harry said warily.

Severus snorted, "That is an understatement if I have ever heard any."

He saw Harry's expression and softened the one on his face, "Your mother, on the other hand," he was smiling a little, "was a very bright witch and one of the most stubborn people I had ever met. Being a Muggleborn, she couldn't understand the Gryffindor-Slytherin rivalries and was determined to make friends with me, undeterred by the 'Sour Slytherin Snape' face as she called it." Severus snorted.

"She was one of my closest friends," he said very softly, "one of the only ones who had ever stood up for me. My comments weren't always very friendly, but she remained a loyal friend through it all." He sighed heavily.

"Why," Harry hesitated, "why did you hate my father?"

Harry watched Severus' face as several conflicting emotions swam through it. He appeared to be torn about something, before he took a deep breath.

"We had a bit of a rivalry," Severus said carefully, "I always somehow seemed to come at the receiving end of his pranks and I was not really good about my retaliations, either. It just grew from there."

"Oh," Harry said, not quite sure how to feel about that.

"Was my father… a bully?" he asked.

Severus grimaced, looking unwilling to say anymore but broke on seeing Harry's wide eyes.

"No, Harry. It is as I said, we were rivals." Severus said. Harry still looked a little doubtful.

"I think he was jealous," Mr Malfoy commented. Harry started, he had forgotten that the Malfoys were there with him.

"Jealous?" Harry asked.

Severus smirked, "Oh yes. He had a little crush on her since day one but Lily hated him for his arrogant attitude and the way he treated me. He seemed to get really angry whenever he saw Lily with me."

Harry nodded absentmindedly, looking at Severus contemplatively.

Severus sighed, "What is it, Harry?"

Harry hesitated but spoke, "You… loved her?" His sentence was more a statement than a question.

Severus looked shocked and a little angry, Harry flinched.

"Sorry," he muttered, ducking his head back into Severus' robes.

Severus tightened his hold, "It's fine, Harry. I was just a little surprised."

"Severus, am I correct in assuming that he does not know anything about the Dark Lord and Godric's Hollow?" Mr Malfoy asked, changing the subject.

Severus gave a curt nod.

"Then you must tell him. It will not do for him go out again, uninformed."

Severus sighed, nodding again in agreement.

Harry looked up at Severus at this, cocking his head to the side.

Severus just began his story.

"I will tell you however much I can, Harry because there are still parts of it that are mystery to most. The only one who might know more is Dumbledore and I don't think him likely to tell anyone, anytime soon." Severus said, with a wry smile. Harry nodded his acceptance, making a quick note to himself to figure out a way to get the information from him.

"It all starts with a dark wizard named," here Severus hesitated, wincing before scowling darkly and continuing, "Voldemort." The Malfoys all winced when Severus spoke the word and Harry snorted.

"Who thought of that name? It's so ridiculous! Voldemort," Harry snickered. A collective wince went through the room again.

"Don't say his name, Harry!" Draco snapped.

"Why not?" Harry asked curiously. Draco looked tongue-tied, as if things like that weren't ever questioned before and Mrs Malfoy took over.

"People are still scared, Harry. There was a lot of terror during his reign. Those were very dark days."

"So, that's what the You-Know-Who business was about." Harry said in realisation, remembering people's whispers in Diagon Alley.

Severus nodded and continued, "The Dark Lord started gaining followers about twenty years ago, some believed in his cause, some were afraid and some just wanted the power that came with joining him," Severus made a pained face and looking around, Harry could see Mr Malfoy mirroring him.

"Some simply made mistakes and hasty decisions, joined him, and payed for it, through the war, and after," he said very softly and Harry looked at him shrewdly.

"You…" Harry trailed off.

"Yes." Severus sighed, closing his eyes and bowing his head.

Mr Malfoy then spoke, "We were in a tough situation, Harry," his face was unreadable but Harry could see that he didn't like talking about it.

"There was pressure from our parents and the lure of his power. We had not known what it really meant, joining the Dark Lord. We were freshly out of school, still young and foolish. And it was… irresistible, at the time. A new chance, an opportunity to have fame, and glory, but it hadn't taken us long to realise how wrong we were. He only wanted power for himself, and immortality. He cared nothing about what happened to others. We hadn't pictured that. His own followers were tortured as much as we were ordered to torture Muggles, Muggle-borns, even purebloods who dared defy him. It wasn't at all how we envisioned it would be." Mr Malfoy's voice was very grave. Severus was holding Harry very tightly now, as if to prevent him from going away. Harry, on the other, was silently absorbing everything they said, not pulling away but still distant.

"Father?" Draco said weakly, "I thought you were under the Imperius curse?"

"We were, many times. It was not the full truth. But, I thought it was time you knew." Mr Malfoy said simply.

Draco nodded shakily and Mr Malfoy continued before Harry could voice his question, "Imperius, Harry, is a curse which makes the receiver do the caster's bidding. Whatever he says, the caster is in full control of the person. It is one of the Unforgivable curses and is banned. It's use on another human being is enough to win a lifetime in Azkaban, the wizarding prison, or a Dementor's kiss. A Dementor is a creature which sucks out the happiness and joy from a person's life. Their kiss rids the victim of his soul. They guard Azkaban. The only thing that drives them away is a Patronus Charm."

Severus then took over the story, "Of course, there were those who refused, those who stood up to them. Most of them never lived long. Your parents, Harry, were one of the few who defied the Dark Lord and lived to tell the tale. Three times, I think it was," Severus said wryly, "When we heard the Dark Lord's plans to… remove the Potters, I immediately went to Dumbledore to warn him. You and your parents went into hiding in Godric's Hollow at his warning."

Severus was quiet for a moment before he spoke again in a low voice, "That was the day I became a spy for the Light side, I had a close position with the Dark Lord and I brought information back to Dumbledore. Lucius helped me with my spy position."

He took a deep breath, then, and plunged on, "It was on Halloween when the Dark Lord went to Godric's Hollow without informing any of us. When we found out, it was already too late." Harry saw Severus' eyes flare with pain which he didn't try to hide, "They were protected under the Fidelius Charm. It hides the property under the Charm and keeps the Secret of the place safe within a Secret-Keeper. They were, however," Now, Severus' expression had turned cold and unreadable, "betrayed by their Secret-Keeper, who had given the Secret away to the Dark Lord. He is in Azkaban."

"He killed them," Severus whispered, his arms tightening around Harry once again, "He killed them, and then he tried to kill you. But he couldn't. Your mother had put herself in between you and the Dark Lord. When she did this, she protected you with ancient magic. When the Dark Lord tried to kill you, the curse rebounded and hit him, instead. Your mother's sacrifice and love protected you, Harry, and you became the only one who ever survived the Killing Curse." Severus looked at him and pushed his fringe away from his scar, "That's why you have this scar, Harry. It is a curse scar. That's why, you're called the Boy-Who-Lived."

Harry's mind was whirling at a very fast pace. He remembered his dreams, and suddenly he knew what they were.

"The Killing curse," Harry whispered at last, "is it… green?"

Severus looked confused, but then his eyes widened and he answered softly, "Yes, child. Do you remember it?"

"Just," Harry swallowed, "Just green light and high cold laughter. Those dreams always make my scar hurt."

Severus was watching him, his obsidian eyes glittering with strange emotions, Harry could make out guilt.

"It's okay, Severus," Harry said, smiling at him reassuringly, "It's not your fault. You turned spy, for Mum. You're a good person."

Severus' eyes pierced through his emerald green ones, and he looked away rather abruptly.

There was tense silence for a few moments, but Harry ignored it, content in snuggling deeper in his guardian's embrace. He felt like he had found a lost father and he was not letting go anytime soon.

Mr Malfoy broke it soon enough, "Now, Severus, if you won't mind explaining how you came to be Harry's guardian?" he prompted.

Severus looked like he minded very much, but Harry spoke. He had, after all, promised Draco.

"He told me it was a guardian bond. Though I don't really know what it means." Harry looked at Severus curiously. Mrs Malfoy gave a little gasp. Even Mr Malfoy's eyes widened. Draco just looked confused.

Severus gave him an exasperated glare but Harry just shrugged, grinning at him cheekily.

"Lucius, I presume you know what it is?" Severus asked, sighing tiredly.

Mr Malfoy nodded and turned to the kids, clearing his throat, "A guardian bond is a very rare bond formed between a child and an adult of a very similar past. If there is no caretaker for the child, or they are not adequate, and if the adult does not have any child or heir yet, only then the bond will form. As they are very uncommon – no guardian bond has been formed in the last forty-six centuries, and even then there are only three known cases of it – there is not much knowledge pertaining to it in the books, it is commonly thought that the guardians are relatives of the children that had no knowledge about their existence, but there is no evidence of this. It is also said that it can only ever be formed when the wizard or witch is very powerful and the child has great potential magic. It is formed after the adult swears in front of witnesses that he will always protect the child with his life. It is also called the parentum prolis bond which means 'parent of child' in Latin as the guardian is mostly seen as a parental figure. In fact, in one of the three cases of such a bond, the guardian turned out to be the actual mother of the child, who was swapped at the time of birth with another child."

Harry gaped at Lucius and Severus turned his head to look him in the eye.

"You are, essentially, now named Harry James Potter-Snape."

Harry just gaped some more before something registered in his brain and he turned to Severus with wide eyes.

"Similar past?" he barely whispered.

Severus closed his eyes in resignation, then nodded.

"My father was a bit of a drunk." He said by way of explanation.

Harry's chest tightened and he nestled closer to Severus, hugging him tightly. He just couldn't imagine someone's own father…

Then Harry shook his head of those thoughts and whispered to Severus.

"Don't worry, Sev. Now that you're my father, I'll protect you."

Severus smirked, though his eyes shone with foreign emotions, "Isn't that supposed to be the other way around, my brat child?"

Harry giggled.

Mr and Mrs Malfoy stood up then, and Draco followed reluctantly.

"Well, Severus, we must take your leave now. It is getting late." Mr Malfoy said.

"Of course, Lucius. I dare say we will be seeing each other a lot this summer." Severus said, smirking.

"Indeed." Mr Malfoy chuckled, "Draco will pester us to death, otherwise."

Draco didn't look offended. Instead, he just smiled smugly from his father's side.

The Malfoys left, but not before giving Harry a bracelet for instant access to the Malfoy Manor, showing Draco's similar one, only with the Prince crest instead of the Malfoy one. They also told him to call them Lucius and Narcissa, because they were not old and he was family, now, really.

Severus gave Harry a ring, telling him that it will signify him as the Prince heir and gave him access to all the properties. Harry tried to protest, thinking it too much, but Severus overruled it by saying that he was not having any kids and even if he did, Harry would still legally be his heir, being his eldest child. At that, Harry felt all warm inside and gave in without further protest. They spent some more time curled in the same chair, talking about their past, Harry's mother, and even the topic of his dad was touched some. Harry asked why he did not have a ring from the Potters and Severus told him that as he was the last in line, he could have his Head of House ring straight on his seventeenth birthday and that if he wanted, the heir ring will be accessible in his vault. Harry was content with just his one ring, thank you very much, but Severus said it would be better if he represented the Potter house too as he already had the Prince and Malfoy ones on his wrist.

Later, Harry fell asleep in his guardian's arms and Severus gently tucked him into bed and kissed his forehead.

Harry woke up, warm and comfortable, from a very pleasant dream. He didn't want to wake up but he knew he had to before the Dursleys woke up or his day would be very unpleasant. He opened his eyes, stretching like a cat and wondering when his mattress got so comfortable and soft and cloud-like, when he found himself staring at an unknown room.

Was the dream actually real? Did he actually have a guardian who cares about him, now? A family, a friend? Or had the Dursleys sold him off to the highest bidder as they had threatened to before? But no, Harry shook his head, no one with this kind of luxury would ever take him. It had to be Severus. He just had to be real. Harry reluctantly got out of the soft bed and gazed around the room. It was done in green and silver with purple rugs, curtains, and black couches around a round table in front of a fireplace. There were two walls completely covered with books and a study table against the other. A window seat looked into what just had to be a Quidditch Pitch the way Draco had described it. There was a door leading off to what Harry believed would be the bathroom. Harry was just going to explore when a house-elf appeared in front of him with a soft pop.

"Master Harry Potter is awake!" The elf said, beaming happily at him, "I is Mimpy. Mimpy is being Master Harry Potter sir's personal house-elf. If Master Harry Potter is needing of anything, Master Harry Potter must simply call Mimpy and Mimpy will do it, sir! Master Severus says to Mimpy to bring Master Harry Potter to the dining room once Master Harry Potter is awake. Mimpy will take Master Harry Potter to the dining room so that Master Harry Potter can eat breakfast. If Master Harry Potter will follow Mimpy," Mimpy said all this really fast, and in one breath, finishing and looking at Harry anxiously, wringing her hands.

"Er, yes. Thank you, Mimpy. Please call me Harry. Er, I'll just be back from the bathroom and you can take me to the dining room." Harry said awkwardly.

Mimpy beamed, "Master Harry is most gracious. Mimpy shall wait for Master Harry here and then Mimpy will take Master Harry to Master Severus."

Harry trudged to the bathroom, taking a moment to appreciate the big bath tub that looked like he could swim in it, and the surrounding filled with various shades of green, keeping with the Slytherin theme of the room, before brushing his teeth, and following Mimpy down one huge hall to another huge hall, finally to the dining room of the manor. Harry was amazed at the sheer giantness of the manor and even more when Mimpy pointed out that he had the whole wing where his room was located to call his. It was a far cry from his small cupboard filled with spiders, a measly mattress and a light-bulb, and Harry found himself choking back down his emotions before he made a mess of himself early in the morning.

He saw Severus sitting at the large table, reading the newspaper and drinking tea.

"Good morning, Harry. Did you sleep well?" Severus inquired, his lips quirking at the sight of his pyjamas and rumpled bed head.

"Morning, Sev," Harry chirped, his mood lighter than it had ever been before. "I slept very well, thank you. I love the room, by the way. You didn't have to give me the whole wing, you know, the room was more than enough."

"That is the wing meant for the heir of the family. You are the heir of the family. Therefore, it is yours," Severus deadpanned, "Now I would like it if you do not question everything I give you, as it is my right to do so and your duty to receive."

Harry just gave him a small shrug and a cheery grin, his mood not sullied in the slightest by Severus' grumpy ways. He helped himself to the breakfast on the table and some orange juice Mimpy brought for him, knowing that here, he was not expected to make breakfast and would always be allowed to eat his fill.

Severus smiled and continued reading his newspaper, happy to finally have company at home to brighten the mornings.

Days passed at both the Manors, Harry and Draco met every day, spending every moment in each other's company and growing closer each day. They cracked open their school books and practising the spells in them enthusiastically. Harry named his owl Hedwig, which was the only contribution his History of Magic book made because both boys found it very boring. Severus started them on some basic potions so that they could be ahead of the class and say that it was their abilities, not Severus' favouritism that was the cause of their good marks. Harry was good at Potions, Severus seemed pleased with his work, but Draco was better and had a very natural ability.

They practiced Charms, which Harry was very good at, Transfiguration, in which they needed Narcissa's help but finally got the hang of, Defence spells, which both of them loved, and spent the rest of the time reading books on different topics. It was quite odd for two young boys to spend their whole summer reading and studying but they enjoyed it and wanted to know everything before they went to Hogwarts. They didn't play Quidditch because Harry did not know how to fly and didn't have a broom yet. Draco offered his but Severus told them that there would be lessons at Hogwarts and they would not take any risks at the Manor. They had tried to sneak out once but only got caught and had to write so many lines that their fingers were numb afterwards. They gave up after that.

They spent their days playing chess and exploring the two manors so thoroughly that they knew them by the back of their hands by the end of August. There were so many secret passages that it made their heads spin. One such passage was in Harry's room. Harry only had to pull the book on wizard's children stories in his bookshelf and it would open to a passage, leading to Severus' room.

Severus had told him once, when Harry came to breakfast next morning, rubbing his eyes from lack of sleep because of his old nightmare, that if Harry did not use that door when he had trouble at night, then he would make him write so many lines that he would not be able to write for the whole year. Harry just smiled at Severus' odd way of showing concern and agreed. He spent many nights curled up with Severus after that while Severus did something no one had ever done for him and read to him so that he could fall asleep. Severus had only done that after threatening him and making him promise he would tell no one. Harry had agreed, mostly because he was too old for stories and didn't want to embarrass himself in front of others.

Harry also got new Muggle clothes, made by the Malfoy's and Severus' personal tailor, which actually fit him and he liked looking nice for a change. Just so it didn't become a habit, Harry dragged Draco into a Muggle paint-ball fight game which Lucius had bought for Harry as he had always wanted to play.

It took Harry some time to get used to the idea of live portraits and the moving pictures that Severus showed him of his mother, Severus himself, Hogwarts and all the like. Harry learned that Severus had lived near his mother when he was a child and knew Aunt Petunia and her obsession with everything normal. He also told him about the time when she had written to Dumbledore to attend Hogwarts like his mother. Dumbledore had responded kindly, but negatively. Harry was shocked but understood now where her resentment had come from. He had to stop Severus and Lucius going to the Dursleys to make them pay, or going to the ministry to make them pay, or doing anything to make them pay, when they learnt of old Aunt Marge and her dog, Ripper. Harry felt that days with his new family would never get boring.

One such day, when they were at Malfoy Manor, Harry and Draco both reading a charms and a potions book respectively at the library, as they had already finished first year books, Draco gave Harry some very startling news.

"You know, I am betrothed to Pansy Parkinson." Draco said casually.

"What?" Harry screeched.

Draco grimaced, "Yeah, my grandparents arranged it when I was born and Father couldn't do anything since he wasn't the Head of the Malfoy line at the time."

Draco gave a little sigh, "I haven't even ever met her,"

"And you will not, if I have anything to say about it!" Harry shouted, incensed that someone would dare think that his Draco would marry some girl.

"Harry, are you all right?" Draco gave him a little startled glance. Harry just took his hand and marched him to the adjoining room where the adults were sitting. They had already listened to the whole thing and were hiding their smiles as an angry Harry Potter-Snape and a confused-but-happy-at-the-contact Draco Malfoy came into the room. Harry came to a stop before them.

"Lucius," Harry addressed. Now, Harry was not a very demanding person, that was more Draco's forte, but this time was special and Harry would get exactly what he wanted. He knew that Lucius was a big softie for him and Draco, all three of the adults were, but he was the one who really spoiled them rotten.

"Draco is mine," he declared. "He will not be marrying the Wicked Witch of the West, so you need to get rid of Parkinson."

Lucius smirked at him, "Is he? And how will you convince me to do that?"

Harry pouted, giving him the puppy eyes he knew no one could resist, let alone Lucius, "But you have to," Harry whined, "Don't you see she is evil?"

"Harry, you haven't even met her." Draco said wryly, looking quite happy with the turn of events. His hand was still enveloped in Harry's warm one.

"Neither have you," Harry retorted, the adults just watched the scene amusedly, "Draco, I know people like her, okay? Trust me," Harry then patted Draco's arm and nodded wisely, then turned back to the important matter. Draco rolled his eyes, but was smiling.

"So," Harry said, "are you going to do something or will I have to?" Harry sighed as if the weight of the world was on his shoulders before he grinned evilly, a glint in his eyes, "No one will ever find the body, you know."

"Harry!" Narcissa scolded even as she fought to contain her laughter.

Lucius was chuckling, "Okay, my little Slytherin. No need for such hasty measures. We shall terminate the betrothal contract on your orders, Your Majesty."

Lucius then made a mock bow which made Harry beam at him and then he tugged at Draco's hand and led him back to where their books had remained, neglected.

None of the elder Malfoys told the children that they had already cancelled the contract. Lucius just couldn't have resisted seeing his Father's careful plans all broken. Severus just shook his head at their antics, taking it all in a stride. He was used to Lucius' often childish ways past that cold barrier of his, after all. And he so loved to see Harry breaking out of that shell and becoming confident in his skin.

All in all, it was a very happy August for the Malfoy-Snape family and Harry couldn't have dreamed for more.

A/N : So... how did you like it? I just loved all your reviews and I just had to write another chapter by tonight and post it or else I couldn't have done it for who knows how long... I'm going to Dubai tonight and my mother's scolding me to pack all the while I write this. I was just really eager to post it.

You guys do know how to get chapters out of authors don't you?

I hope everyone got that this story will be a Harry/Draco pairing. Don't worry, they're just eleven and they wouldn't even kiss, they're so shy, bless them.

People might seem a bit OOC but that's just because that's how I imagine them in my head. The Malfoys are family oriented people and i can see them acting exactly like this within the walls and privacy of their home with family. Dear Sevvy is family, so harry automatically is too. Severus, well, his main problem was the prejudices against Harry, which I have ever so graciously stripped away from him. Underneath all that, well, he's just a really hot, big softie, really, with voice like silk. And the bond thing really helps in softening his heart up.

Oh, I just keep getting Drarry feels time to time...

Now, You guys gimme lots of riviews and favourites and follows and I might treat you to chapter 4 when i return from Dubai, irrespective that my exams are starting.. Hehe..

Buh-bye! :D