Chapter 7
The following morning Harry felt movement beside him and at first he thought he was dreaming again until he opened his eyes and saw Severus slowly getting out of bed. He could see pain on Severus’ face and the only reason his lover didn’t hide it was he thought Harry was still asleep.
‘Do you need help?’
‘No, but if it makes you feel better I will leave the door open.’
‘It would make me feel better,’ Harry gave Severus a small smile then watched as he limped into the bathroom, the door left ajar. Harry got up, pulled his jeans and shirt on then sat on the bed to wait for Severus to finish, ‘After I’m done I’ll make breakfast.’
‘Very well,’ Severus finished dressing then left the bedroom and headed outside to sit in the morning sun.
‘Since we were last together at Hogwarts and you ate what the house elves made I never knew what you preferred, so do you have a preference on what you would like for breakfast?’
‘Most times I would eat what was served as I never knew when I would be called away. But I think I would like some scrambled eggs and bacon, with some toast.’
‘I’ll get started, would you like to eat out here in the sun or inside?’
‘Here.’
Harry nodded then went inside and started on breakfast, he loaded up a large tray then headed back outside. He held the tray in one hand while he conjured a table, he set the food and cups out before sitting down.
‘I was hoping you would do something for me today.’
Harry looked up, ‘Oh, um yeah, anything Sev, I’m surprised you would ask.’
‘If I wasn’t weak I wouldn’t but apparating right now would be dangerous.’
‘Yeah, it would, so what do you want me to do?’
‘Could you go see Draco, bring him here, I would like to see for myself that he is alright?’
Harry sighed, ‘Yes, okay, I’ll go.’
‘You are a man now Harry, surely you can put your dislike for Draco aside.’
‘I probably could, will he though. It was normally him that started all that shit.’
‘I realise that, but I am sure after what he has been through he has grown and changed as well.’
‘I’ll go after we finish eating.’
‘Thank you.’
“Is this your friend that had to go away?” Salus asked
Harry smiled down at the snake, “Yes, he came home yesterday,” Harry put his hand on the ground and let the snake curl around his arm, “Salus this is Severus,” Harry said in parseltongue then changed to English, ‘Sev, this is Salus.’
Salus started hissing, ‘Since I am not a parselmouth you will need to translate for me.’
‘He said you must be good for me since I look happier than I did before,’ Harry looked back at the snake, “I am happy Salus, I have the man I love with me again.”
“I came to speak with talker of snakes, the bad people are doing something. I can’t understand what they say but my sister learned to recognise some words. They mentioned school and mudblood, do you know what that means?”
Harry looked up at Severus, ‘Salus’ sister learned to understand some of our words, school and mudblood was mentioned by the death eaters, that has to mean Hogwarts and the muggleborns.’
‘Bring Draco here then go to Minerva, if she requires help let me know.’
‘Sev you’re weak.’
‘I can still help if it's needed, now go Harry.’
‘Alright, “Salus I have to warn some people at the school, you stay safe,” Harry put his hand down so Salus could slide off his arm, ‘I won’t be long Sev,’ Harry kissed him then apparated away. He arrived on the steps of Malfoy manor, he knocked loudly then waited.
The door opened, ‘Potter, what are you doing here?’
‘Severus asked me to get you, he wants to see you. I told him I would take you to my place.’
‘He’s out?’ Draco opened the door further.
‘Yes, yesterday, Minerva and I were waiting for him, then Poppy checked him over. Look, I haven’t got a lot of time, do you want to go or not?’
‘Yes, I would like to see Severus,’ Draco stepped out of the house, closing the door behind him, ‘Can you just tell me where to go?’
‘It’s enchanted, so I have to take you,’ Harry held out his arm but Draco seemed to hesitate, ‘You know I spoke for you at your trial, I tried to stop them sending you away, so I think you can trust me Malfoy.’
‘Fine,’ Draco clamped his hand over Harry’s arm and felt him turn. The moment they arrived he removed his hand.
‘Follow me,’ Harry sighed but walked through the house until he came to the back where Severus was still sitting in the sun but Salus was down under the table, ‘Sev.’
‘Severus,’ Draco sat down and stared at his godfather, ‘Are you okay?’
‘You do not need to concern yourself Draco, I’m fine,’ Severus turned to Harry, ‘We’ll be fine Harry, go see Minerva.’
Harry nodded but looked down at Salus, “I have to go for a while Salus, be careful.”
“I will Harry, I will go back to my family now, I stayed to protect your love,” Salus slowly slithered away.
‘I think Salus wanted to keep an eye on you for me, he’s heading home.’
‘He refused to move, I was not sure why he stayed when I cannot understand him.’
‘He said he stayed to protect my love, I’ll try not to be long, Malfoy, if Severus needs anything there’s plenty of everything, help yourself,’ Harry kissed Severus then apparated away.
‘I still don’t get how you and Potter ended up together.’
‘You do not need to understand, now tell me how you are?’
‘Coping, it’s hard, I also can’t get work, no one wants to hire a death eater. I think I’ll have to sell the manor.’
‘It is too large anyway, so why stay when it’s just you?’
‘It’s my home Severus.’
‘A home that saw torture and murder that your father allowed. Now is the time to start fresh just like I am doing.’
‘What are you going to do since you can’t teach anymore?’
‘I have a few ideas, one that might help you as well. I will need to discuss it with Harry first.’
‘Where did he go?’
‘That snake said his sister heard the death eaters talking about a school and mudbloods so Harry’s gone to warn Minerva in case they are planning some attack on Hogwarts and the muggleborns.’
‘Where are the death eaters because the ministry hasn’t been able to find them, people are being attacked every day?’
Severus pointed, ‘Harry knows their down there, but he refused to do anything. He’s suffering right now because they refused to believe him, he hasn’t even seen anyone apart from Minerva as she was the only one he felt never betrayed him. I’m worried about his mental state at the moment. I know you two never liked each other but right now the three of us only have each other and for Harry to feel secure he needs to feel that I am okay. So try not to antagonise him otherwise I won’t be able to see you.’
‘Sounds like you would choose Potter over me, I’m not sure how to take that.’
‘Harry is my partner Draco, and even though I don’t normally talk like this, I love him. So for me, please just try to get on.’
Draco sighed as he nodded, but he realised Severus was right. The magical world won’t have anything to do with him or Severus, Potter is with his godfather and it seems that his old enemy is now part of his life, he’ll just have to get used to it.