AN: I had every intention of being back in June, but I've been really, really struggling with some other stuff and just didn't get to it. I really appreciate everyone who has stuck around though!

I'm not sure when the next chapter will be up. I don't want to give a time frame in case I miss it.

Anyway, I hope you like the chapter! Reviews give me life!

Snape cleared his throat, and though he spoke to the room, his eyes were on Harry. "We're getting married."

The room was silent while Snape watched with bated breath for Harry's reaction.

Draco's eyes widened in surprise, while Brielle gasped, putting a hand to her mouth.

But Harry sat. He sat with eyes boring into Snape's for what felt like an eternity but was really only a few seconds.

And then he stood. Pushing himself off the couch and toward the doorway. "So much for that heads up," he muttered as he passed Snape. "I'm going to bed."

"Harry—" Snape started, reaching his hand out toward him as he passed but Harry shook him off.

Evelyn placed her own hand on top of his and frowned. "Let him go," she whispered.

With that, Draco also stood. "Me, too," he said before moving to follow Harry.

However before Snape could even register the hurt he felt at both of his boys leaving, Draco stopped and turned back.

"It's not that I'm not happy for you, Uncle Sev," he said sincerely. "It's just that…" Draco looked back in the direction Harry had gone. "He's well… you know."

Snape did know. Suddenly it dawned on him that Draco was making an effort to be on Harry's side. A rather new and welcome occurrence.

Snape nodded. "Go on. I'll be in to check on you in a bit."

Draco gave a soft smile before turning to head upstairs.

"I think it's wonderful," Brielle said from behind him.

Snape and Evelyn both turned to look at her.

"You do?" Evelyn asked.

Brielle nodded. "You deserve someone who loves you, Aunt Evie." She glanced at Snape as if to size him up. "Promise you won't hurt her," she demanded.

Snape inclined his head. "You have my word."

In the very next instant, Brielle had stood and wrapped her arms tightly around Snape, letting her head lean against his chest.

Snape froze, raising wide eyes to Evelyn, who only smirked.

It took him a few seconds get his mind working again. After all, Snape was still getting used to hugs from Harry and Draco; he'd never imagined he'd be getting one from a teenage girl. Eventually, though, Snape relaxed and let his arms drape loosely around her, patting her back awkwardly until she let go.

Brielle stepped back, blushing. "Sorry. I forgot you don't like hugs."

Snape cleared his throat. "It's quite alright."

Evelyn stepped in then and put her hands on Brielle's shoulders. "I think it's time we went home. It's late." She frowned. "Or early. Either way, I'm exhausted," she added with a laugh.

Snape walked them to the floo. "You're sure you're alright?" he asked, gesturing to the bandage on her arm.

Evelyn nodded. "A scratch, honestly. I'll see you later."

She reached up and kissed him lightly before stepping into the floo with Brielle, and in a rush of green flames, they were gone.

Snape raised his hand to knock on Draco's door, and after hearing a quiet, "Come in," he opened it to find Draco laying on his bed.

Draco watched Snape as he pulled out the desk chair and sat down.

"How are you doing?" Snape asked.

Draco frowned. "I'm fine. Why wouldn't I be? I already told you that I'm happy for you and Evelyn."

Snape shook his head. "That's not what I'm talking about." Snape sat back in the chair and studied Draco for a moment. He was fourteen, but with his rumpled clothes and messy hair, Snape was reminded of a much younger Draco.

"Tonight was pretty eventful even before we told you about the proposal. I want to make sure you're okay."

Draco sighed. He sat up and pulled his knees to his chest, letting his chin rest on top of them. "I hadn't actually seen Death Eaters before, you know."

Snape nodded. "I know."

"Was it always like that?" he asked, his voice small. "Hurting muggles?"

Snape swallowed hard. "Not always," he answered quietly.

"But sometimes?"

Snape's only reply was a small dip of his head.

"Did you ever—" Draco cut himself off, looking up at Snape with wide eyes. "Sorry. You don't have to answer that," he added quickly.

Snape had never spoken to either of the boys in detail about his time as a spy, and quite frankly, he had been holding out hope that he would never have to. But tonight changed that forever. It would have been surprising if they hadn't had questions after what they saw, but Snape was lost on how to answer them in a way that wouldn't show them the true monster he was.

He took a deep breath and let it out slowly before leaning forward to rest his elbows on his knees and clasping his hands tightly in front of him. "I took the mark just before the end of my last year at Hogwarts," he started softly. "By the time that the Dark Lord disappeared, I had been a spy in his ranks, climbing higher than most, for four years." Snape paused to take a shuddering breath. Unable to meet Draco's eyes, he kept his head down and went on. "You don't get that high by disobeying the Dark Lord's commands. There are countless things that I've had to do that I will never be able to take back. Things that keep me up at night, that make me sick to think about. People that I've hurt immensely, that I can't beg forgiveness from. And I'll try for as long as I live, but I'll never be able to make amends for the things I've done. It'll never be right."

Suddenly, Draco swung his legs off the bed so that he faced Snape, mirroring his position. "But you were a spy," he said earnestly, "it's not the same thing."

Snape opened his mouth to disagree, but Draco pushed on. "It's not like you wanted to do those things. You didn't enjoy it. Not like—"

Draco stopped himself before saying whatever he must have been thinking.

Snape raised his head to see the sadness in the boy's steel grey eyes.

He wanted to change the subject. Snape wanted to talk about anything that wasn't his past. He cleared his throat and hoped Draco would go with the change and not shut him down like he was currently doing to him.

"I'm really proud of you, you know?" Snape sat back up, mentally tucking away memories of another life. He shoved them back into the box he kept them hidden in, and closed the door. Bottling it all up to deal with later. Or not.

"Proud of me?" Draco asked.

Snape nodded. "For how you handled yourself when Lucius came into the box. You showed more bravery than I would have at your age."

Draco moved back against the headboard. "I wasn't trying to be brave. I just didn't want him to embarrass me. I was only thinking about myself."

Snape smirked at him. "Good. You deserve to think about yourself in all this."

Draco picked at the corner of his new bedspread. "Uncle Sev?"

"Yes?"

"I know I told him that my name was Snape now, but I—" He glanced up at him and rushed on, "I don't want you to think you have to do anything. You're my permanent guardian now, and that's enough. I swear it is."

"Draco—"

"I just wasn't thinking when I said that," Draco went on. "I knew it would bother him and it just came out, but—"

"Draco," Snape said more firmly this time.

Draco stopped rambling and looked up at him.

Snape stood and moved to sit on the edge of Draco's bed. He shifted so that he was facing the teen as he said, "I had been waiting for the right time to bring it up, but I see now that that was a mistake. I was only trying to give you time to settle in, but I suppose I only succeeded in giving you too much time to question your place here."

"What?" Draco asked. "I'm not—"

"Draco, I've wanted to adopt you since the moment Narcissa walked out the door. It would be my honor to do so."

Draco swallowed hard as he looked up at Snape. "Really?"

"Really. And like you said, I'm already your permanent guardian. Adoption only adds another layer of protection in case anyone ever tries to fight it. And I can assure you, it would be a fight they would lose."

"What about Evelyn?" he asked.

Snape was already shaking his head. "She has been pestering me about why I hadn't already asked you. She's more than fine with it. And before you ask, so is Harry. I promise."

Draco at last gave a small smile. "When can we do it?"

"Tomorrow."

Draco nodded seconds before launching himself into Snape's arms. "Thank you," he murmured.

Unlike with Brielle, Snape had no problem wrapping his arms tightly around Draco and dropping a kiss to the top of his head.

Harry lay face down on the sofa in his room, letting one arm hang off the side. He'd heard Snape come up the stairs and go into Draco's room, so he knew it was only a matter of time before he came into his own, no doubt to scold him for storming off.

Not that Harry thought he had any right. Snape was the one who promised to let him know before hand if he was going to ask Evelyn to marry him. And Snape was the one who said he didn't have anything to worry about.

Right?

And it wasn't as if Harry was against the idea of Snape getting married. Not really.

It was the changes he had a problem with.

Why couldn't things just stay the same? He had only just gotten used to the idea of having Evelyn around in the first place, and now she was supposed to become a permanent fixture in his life.

Unless.

Suddenly old fears began to bubble up faster than Harry could tamper them down.

What if Snape didn't need him anymore?

What if Draco was enough for him?

What if he sent him back?

What if? What if? What if?

Harry squeezed his eyes shut and forced himself to take a deep breath. He held it in for a few seconds before slowly letting it out. He thought that this would likely work better if he sat up, but Harry simply didn't have the energy to do it.

Still, after a few minutes, he was able to regulate his breathing and calm down.

Snape wouldn't leave him, he reminded himself. He said the words over and over again like a mantra. He trusted him. He wouldn't leave him.

By the time that Snape knocked on his own door, Harry felt better. And more than that, he was proud of himself for being able to pull himself from the crushing weight of his worries. He still felt angry that Snape had sprung such a huge life event on him, but he recognized that he was only angry at Snape for that, and not for what he was afraid Snape might do.

Remus would be proud of him, too.

"I thought you were going to bed?" Snape asked from his doorway.

"I thought you were going to tell me before you asked her to marry you," Harry replied with as much attitude as he dared.

Snape sighed and a moment later Harry saw the tops of his shoes as he stood beside him. He didn't say anything, so with a groan, Harry pushed himself up to sitting, though he continued to stare resolutely down at the floor.

"I'm sorry," Snape said after a moment.

Harry did look up then. "You are?"

Snape sat down in one of the chairs across from the couch. "I am. You're right. I promised you that I would let you know ahead of time, and I didn't. But, Harry, please understand that it wasn't intentional. I hadn't planned to ask her tonight or even any time this summer."

"Then why did you?" Harry asked.

Snape shook his head. "I don't know. We were fighting alongside each other one minute and the very next thing I knew, I'd asked and she'd said yes. I don't regret it, mind you," he rushed to say, "but I'd like to think that had I given it more thought, I could have come up with some place better than the middle of a battle to propose."

Harry scoffed but otherwise said nothing.

"Harry, look at me, please. Tell me what's going on because I thought you were okay with me dating Evelyn."

"I am," Harry said defensively.

"Then what's the problem? Aside from the fact that I didn't tell you. I feel like there's more going on here."

"It's nothing. I'm fine now," Harry assured him.

The look Snape gave him said he didn't believe him.

Harry let out a frustrated breath. "I was upset for a bit," he finally admitted, "but it wasn't about Evelyn. Not really."

"Tell me," Snape said, leaning forward in the chair.

Harry bit his lip before finally giving in. "I started worrying again that once you married Evelyn, you wouldn't want me anymore. Especially not now that you've got Draco, too. I guess I sort of got in my head, but I'm alright now. I tried the breathing exercises I've been practicing with Remus, and they helped. Honest, Dad," Harry went on. "I'm fine now. I'm not even all that upset that you didn't tell me anymore. At least not now that I know you didn't plan it. I think I'm just tired."

"You're sure?" Snape asked, moving to sit beside him. He put his arm around Harry's shoulders and pulled him against his side.

"Yeah."

"How are you dealing with coming off of the Dreamless Sleep?"

Harry groaned. "You know that I'm fine."

"Any nightmares the last few nights?"

"Would Jenka tell you if I had one if I didn't tell you first?"

Snape nodded. "She would."

Harry rolled his eyes. "Then why do you bother asking me?"

"I can't tell if the agitation is coming from the over use of the potion or if it's typical teenager." Harry didn't reply and Snape went on, "Either way, sleep will no doubt help."

"What time is it?" Harry asked.

Snape looked at his watch. "Half past five in the morning. I think we could both do with some sleep, but I'll wake us around lunch time. I don't want you two to sleep all day and then stay up again all night."

Harry nodded before moving to his bed.

"Do you have a ring yet?" he asked. "For Evelyn?"

Snape paused. "I do not. Perhaps I should add that to the list of things to do later."

"That might be a good idea," Harry said with a grin.

"Harry," Snape said as he held out his hand for his glasses, "there is one other thing."

"What is it?" Harry asked, sitting back up and putting his glasses back on.

"I'm going to file for Draco's adoption after lunch."

Harry frowned. "Is that all? I thought that was already done."

Snape smiled. "Not officially."

Harry lay back down and finally passed Snape his glasses. "Well, then officially get it done. We'll be going back to school soon. He won't want to go back as a Malfoy."

Snape ruffled his hair before waving his wand and turning out the lights. "You really are a remarkable young man, Harry."

Harry huffed. "Will being remarkable get me ungrounded?"

"No," Snape said flatly before closing the door behind him.

"It was worth a try!" Harry called out, making Snape shake his head at the boy's audacity.