A.N.: Welcome to chapter 6.

I'm sorry I haven't updated in so long – but it's NoVoWritMo so it should get better^^ I'm planning to write 1.000 words every day.

I was stuck at a certain part in the story that just didn't make sense but now it works. I hope...

English is still not my mother tongue and I still don't own Harry Potter.

Read, enjoy and review :)

oooOOOooo

Draco spent the rest of the day in the library, hiding from his probably still laughing friends and reading up on curses, healing and the family history of the sacred 28. He concluded that he'd probably have to become a healer to save Astoria. To do that he would need excellent grades in Charms, Potions, DADA, Transfiguration and Herbology. Arithmancy could not hurt either. He already was quite apt with Potions, Transfiguration, Charms and DADA. His Arithmancy and Herbology skills were lacking, however.

He was convinced that if he devoted his time to studying, became a healer and made the right connections, he would be able to save his wife. The alternative was unthinkable.

He briefly thought about meddling with the war, taking on a more active role. Things had not gone ideally for Draco, and his knowledge of the future could make him the Dark Lord's most trusted follower. His parents would not fight so much, they would not lose so much status. None of his friends and family would have to die. The world would be his. But the thought sickened him. The Dark Lord had committed atrocious acts. No matter how he felt about politics, he would not wish the Dark Lord's wrath on his worst enemy. Not anymore. Not now that he knew what his wrath looked like.

He could, of course help the other side bring down Voldemort. A thought that did not bother him as much as he would have expected. They were not, and would never be, his friends, but he would still rather have Dumbledore call the shots than the Dark Lord. He'd rather endure muggle borns in school than use DADA to torture them.

However, he ultimately decided against meddling with the timeline. His knowledge was limited. He had not been present for many of the key events, did not know why Potter was ultimately able to defeat the Dark Lord. And he would probably end up making things a lot worse. Perhaps knowledge he shared would have the Dark Lord believe that his father or Snape were spies, because where else would he have gotten such information? And then he would kill them, and Draco knew that he could not live with any more guilt that he already did. He would try to save lives if he could, without interfering with bigger events.

More importantly, the Dark Lord would not come back anytime soon, so for now he did not need to think about the ethical issues that time travel brought along.

He buried his head in Herbology books. Better start with his worst subject.

He had been reading for an hour when he felt more than saw someone staring at him. He lowered his book and nearly suffered a heart attack when he saw Neville Longbottom standing right in front of him.

"Longbottom," he said, trying to hide his surprise. "What are you doing here?"

Longbottom just stood there, hand-wringing, eyes wide. "I… uhm…"

"Speak in full sentences," Draco drawled, wondering just how scared the boy was of him.

"I wanted to know why you pinched me earlier today," he finally managed to get out.

Draco studied him, considering his options. He hadn't expected that. And he had no real reason why he had done it. He just thought that Longbottom needed work on his self-confidence a little. And he needed someone to take the attention away from him. Which would have probably worked better if he hadn't almost been devoured by a book.

He tried to come up with a good excuse but couldn't find one. "I thought it would do you some good?" he finally said, grinning, more to hide his real thoughts than to make him squirm, which it did. "I'm sure the hat put you into Gryffindor for a reason."

He thought over these words, and even though they were not his real motive, he found that they were not untrue either. He definitely did not think Longbottom particularly brave the first time he was 13 but after seeing Longbottom stand up to the Dark Lord himself and slay Nagini he knew that the hat hadn't made a mistake.

Longbottom looked at him, his eyebrows raised.

"See, it already worked. You are here talking to me," Draco continued. He thought he was being quite funny. Longbottom didn't look like he felt the same way.

"Okay… but why?"

"Eh?"

"You hate me! Why are you suddenly so…," he motioned with his hands, trying to find the right word, "nice?" he finally asked what had been on his mind all day.

He was quite perceptive, Draco had to give him that. It was always the quiet ones that noticed everything.

Draco was not sure how to answer that, so he decided to go with another half-truth.

"First of all, don't say that I'm nice. Someone might hear you. Secondly, a person who is very dear to me is very sick. Things like that make one reevaluate things. Made me realize what's really important."

Neville nodded.

"Don't tell my father, but I'm thinking of becoming a healer," Draco whispered, pointing to the books in front of him. "Maybe I can help them."

"I… I understand that. I have sick relatives too. I'd do everything to make them better. It's one of the reasons why I like Herbology so much. Plants have the power to heal. I just haven't found the right one yet."

"Your parents?" Draco asked sympathetically, surprising Neville.

"Yeah... you know?" Neville sat down opposite of Draco. He looked uncomfortable.

Ups. Draco hadn't known at that age. He really needed to be more careful.

"Yeah… Bellatrix… she's my aunt. I'm sorry Neville."

"It's alright," he said, not looking at Draco but at the table between them. "I visit them as often as I can. Do you think they'll ever find a cure?"

Draco knew that they wouldn't but he also knew that no one had ever really looked into finding one. Neville's parents were unique. The Death Eaters had hardly ever let any of their victims survive. Not that Bellatrix had let Neville's parents live, she had been caught before she could kill Alice and Frank Longbottom.

"I don't know," Draco finally replied. But there was nothing wrong with hope, so he added, "but I know that Professor Snape has created a potion that helps with the immediate after effects of the Cruciatus. It helps prevent nerve damage. Maybe it can be further developed to heal already existing damage."

Neville's face lightened up, eyes fixed on Draco. "I've never heard of something like that. So there really might be hope?"

"Hmhm. You wouldn't have heard of it. He invented quite a few spells and potions but I don't think he ever published anything."

"Could you… Could you ask him about it?"

Draco wanted to ask why he didn't just ask him himself but felt stupid immediately. His godfather hated Neville Longbottom. Always had, always would. He wasn't sure why. Maybe his godfather saw some of himself in the boy. No friends, bullied by other students. Draco wasn't sure though. With the mystery that his godfather was, there was always the possibility of more being at work. Or maybe it really was the boy's lack of potions skills.

"What would you do with that kind of information? You suck at potions." He immediately regretted saying that, when he saw the boy's face fall. Being a father, Draco just could not stomach such hurt in children anymore. And he needed help. "Tell you what, you help me out with Herbology and I help you with your potions and ask Snape for you?"

"You'd do that?"

"Sure, I do need help with Herbology. My skills there are rather abysmal."

"I never thought I'd say this, Draco, but you are quite alright."

Draco smiled. How surreal all of this was. They spent a long time studying together that day.

TBC

Tell me what you think, guys. I'm open to suggestions :)