Chapter Ten:

Good Pain

To say that Anita was surprised to get a knock on her door from a tall, dark stranger was nothing short of an understatement. In her opinion, he had come a little too late in her life. She would not have minded if he had popped up in her past when she was in need of a tall, dark handsome man to sweep her off her feet, but lately she could barely rise out of her chair to reach the front door, but now -she was just tired of people asking her for her opinion on things she simply could not bring herself to care about. The tall dark man had chin length, feathered black hair, a hooked nose, and shining onyx eyes. He was staring down at her and had an air of superiority about him. "Can I help you?" she asked, the hot summer air drifting down her narrow passage-way.

"I believe you can. I am a new doctor at the retirement home. It claims you are residing there yet you are not"

Anita chuckled in good-humor, "oh heavens no. I only visit there to see my old friends from before the War. We're all a tight-knit little gang. There must be a mistake in the log-books"

"I see" the man bowed his head, "I am sorry for the inconveniance"

She waved her hand dismissively, "no bother at all. I don't get many visitors" the man began to turn away when Anita stopped him before he descended the steep steps. "Wait" he turned, "you said that you were a doctor, yes?" He nodded curtly. "Could you come in? I need to ask a little favor of you?"

"Is it for yourself or someone else?" he asked as he mounted the few steps once again to the front door.

Anita nodded, "it is for this young gentlemen I met earlier this summer. I am concerned for him. Come inside and have a cup of tea and I shall tell you all I know"

The doctor followed her inside.

Two cups of tea were eventually placed on the kitchen table as the doctor fiddled with something that was clinking inside his sleek, black briefcase. His face remained expressionless as Anita sat opposite him at the small, circular table. "So, you said that there is a young gentleman that you are concerned about? Can you describe the situation to me?"

"Well like I said, it started earlier this summer. I saw him sitting on the bench in town, looking filthy and lost. So I took him for a meal and every now and then he comes along and helps me around here with groceries or for a cup of tea"

The man frowned, "so why are you concerned about him?"

The white-haired woman sighed and toyed with her cup, "he is much too thin. And I have no idea where he has been since last week and I am worried. I would really like him to be looked over -he looks very ill"

The man nodded, "if he has nowhere to live then how can I attend to him?"

"I was wondering if you would be on call? If I have your number and call you when he is here you can come over. Please, doctor, it would mean a lot to me. He is a true little gentleman. I'd hate to see him go to waste on the streets" The man nodded and handed out a card with his contact details on them. Anita smiled gratefully over at him. "Thank you, doctor"

"Not a problem, ma''am. If there is anything I can do for you, just give me a ring"

Anita smiled up at him as he stood up from the table and prepared to leave. "I will do"

~0~

Once again Harry woke up sharing his small single bed with Draco. It was the third time that had happened in the last week and a half. What he was mildly surprised by -once his mind became a little less clouded by sleep -was that not only was he sleeping next to the blonde, but he was spooning said blonde. His first thought was to jerk away and curl up as far away from the other boy as he could, however as the blanket had drifted away throughout the course of the night, Draco's exposed skin had caught the chill of the late evening, and still remained cool to the touch. Sitting up in bed, with his knees drawn to his chest, his thin grey shirt clinging to his sweat-slicked muscles, he breathed heavily as he watched the taller boy sleep soundly beside him all the while willing his early morning erection to wilt. He would never live it down if the blonde boy woke up with his erection digging into his arse through the boxers Harry had let him borrow. He groaned and rubbed at his eyes. For a few days now Harry had struggled with mentally thinking a variety of things about Draco -but he dared not admit any of these thoughts. Not even to himself.

For the first time in his life he felt truly afraid.

He had become truly fascinated by the blonde boy. Each time they were alone in the house and Draco helped him with manual chores around Number Four, Harry watched the slender, muscled boy move agilely throughout each chore. He was elegant and graceful -everything a girl should be -and yet ... and yet there was something different about him too. Something a little more -to Harry's taste. Draco was out-spoken, rude, snide, sarcastic, charming, dramatic, and -when he wanted to be -affectionate. A shiver ran through Harry's spine.

Draco was beautiful.

There. He had done it. He had admitted it to himself. He thought that Draco was attractive. More attractive than any of the girls he had ever seen throughout his life, which was limited. He ran a hand through his greasy black hair and grimaced. He needed a shower. They both did. Suddenly, the image of Draco with a towel around his waist and water droplets running down over his muscles -NO! He shook his head roughly before glancing over at the clock on his bedside table, he saw that the time was 6.23am.

Groaning, he rolled back over to wake the blonde up. They both needed to shower and be up before Vernon. Draco looked so beautiful and trouble-free when he was sleeping but he could not stay that way forever and Harry knew this. Sighing, he gently began poking the blonde's body, trying to tickle him without getting an atrocious response, like a slap in the face from a disgruntled blonde. "Draco?" he breathed.

No response.

"Draco? Wake up"

Draco grunted and rolled away from Harry.

"Draco-o-o you need to wake up now" Draco frustratingly kicked Harry to get him to shut up so that he could sleep. God, the black-haired boy did not know when to be quiet sometimes. "OW! Draco!" Harry hissed in pain.

"Shu'up Harry. M'sleeping"

Harry rolled his eyes, "we need to shower before my Uncle wakes up otherwise you'll be dirty all day" Harry inwardly smirked to himself. Over the past two weeks he had learnt that above all else, the blonde loathed being dirty. How he survived so long being homeless was a mystery to the dark-haired teen.

Draco threw himself onto his back, eyes barely open as he glared up at Harry, "I hate you" he snarled under his breath, with no real malice lacing his words.

"Of course you do" Harry grinned as he ripped the sticky sheets off of Draco's body, "now get up. You're turn to use the shower first"

"Fine!" Draco growled as he crawled off of the bed, the coolness of the shade made the sweat on his long legs feel sticky and unhygienic. He grimaced in disgust. "Ugh I feel like shit" he grumbled, running a hand over his still sleepy features.

Harry, who was still sat cross-legged on the bed in a tangle of damp, knotted sheets, tilted his head as he stared up at the blonde, "I think you should take those clothes off -new ones will make you feel better once you're washed"

"Very observant Potter" Draco yawned wildly, stretching his arms high over his blonde bed-hair.

Harry stuck his tongue out before sliding off of the bed and rummaging through his drawers for a clean set of clothes for the blonde. As he did so Draco caught sight of the photo-frame on Harry's desk. The photo of his parents grinned back at him. And then they moved. Draco jumped slightly before a pair of worn jeans and a long-sleeved white shirt were presented to him. "Are these okay?" Harry asked, biting his bottom lip like he always did when he was unsure or nervous.

Draco merely smiled as he rubbed his left eyes, "course, you gonna stand watch for me?"

Harry gave Draco his familiar are-you-serious? look before nodding, "you know I am"

Draco shrugged a shoulder nonchalantly as he took the clothes from Harry's arms, "never hurts to double-check" with a smile over his shoulder Draco walked out of Harry's bedroom.

The house was basking in the few rays of morning sunshine that speared down from the Heavens. The upstairs landing that Draco now had to cross, was still wallowing in the coolness of the shadows that had yet to be extinguished by thr blistering hot sunshine. The carpet was like a cool hush beneath his feet as he quickly darted the diagonal line from Harry's bedroom to the bathroom. He bit down a squeal as he stepped onto the cold tiles and leant back on the bathroom door to close it quietly. Wriggling his toes a few times he adjusted to the coolness of the floor beneath him and hastily dumped his pile of clean clothes on the toilet lid. He had had a few showers the muggle way before -Harry had shown him how to work the knobs -and was looking forward to it.

He needed to feel clean.

As he reached across the shower cubicle, he mentally wondered why there was one panel in the door that had a vaguely different design compared to the other two panels. As he began to adjust the temperature of the water, he wondered if Harry would be able to take him outside. He missed seeing Anita. He hadn't been to see her in awhile. An idea sparked in his head; maybe he could introduce Harry to her? It would mean they could both get outside. And Anita was full of stories from 'The War'. Draco had no idea to what war she was referring to -he doubted it was the Wizarding War he had been a part of -but from the information she told him, he was sure he could ask Harry about it all.

Once the water was at the perfect temperature, Draco made short work of tugging the t-shirt over his head and kicked the jogging bottoms off before kicking them into a pile under the sink. Pulling back the three-panelled sliding door, Draco stepped underneath the warm water and sighed to himself, feeling cleaner with each passing second.

He took a secret joy in filling his palm with strawberry scented body-wash and lathering himself up. The bubbles felt nice as they glided down his wet body. He closed his eyes and hummed to himself, losing himself in the scent of strawberries.

What happened next was a blur.

Draco did not hear the bathroom door 'click' open as the water pounding down on him drowned the sound out.

He would have screamed out in alarm as the glass-panelled door was pulled open, if it hasn't been for the hand clamping down over his mouth and the hissing sound of someone telling him to "keep quiet". Just as Draco was about to shout out, he took a proper look at his intruder.

Harry.

Harry who looked white with fear.

Draco's stomach knotted just as a gruff voice barked out, "BOY WHERE ARE YOU?" Harry shuddered stiffly against Draco, unaware that he was still crushing the blonde against the piercingly cold shower tiles. "BOY?"

Draco moved his mouth out from under Harry's hand, "what is your uncle doing up?" he hissed in fear and anger. He had been enjoying that shower.

Harry shrugged helplessly, "I don't know" as the heavy footsteps thundered down the landing Harry's stomach lurched, "quick kneel down"

Draco froze. "What?"

"Kneel down" Harry snapped, as he turned to push the panelled door shut. Draco watched from the position resting on his hunches as Harry peeled off his wet red t-shirt and dumped it in the corner of the shower. His tan shorts were now drenched a slightly darker colour than his skin. Feeling vulnerable, and before Harry turned back around, Draco grabbed the red shirt and spread it out over his lap to gain some privacy. He did not need to bother really. Harry was watching the bathroom through the panelled door -he seeemd to be waiting for something.

The door banged open, making Draco flinch in his skin, and Harry spin quickly to duck under the hot spray, beginning to hum as he did so.

"BOY!" barked the enraged blur of Harry's Uncle through the obscurred glass door.

"Yes Uncle Vernon?" Harry called back innocently.

"Why are you up so goddamn early? I can hear the boiler gurgling through my wall!"

"Sorry -I was just going to run down to the shops and get some fresh eggs and milk for breakfast!"

Where most children would get praised for being smart enough to think about doing such a tedious thing before anyone else had woken up, Harry got no such praise. He merely got a gruff, "see that you do" before his Uncle backed out of the bathroom and hobbled back down the hallway to his own bedroom.

Draco rested his head back aaginst the tiled wall and out of the warm spray to see Harry relax and sigh dejectedly. He clenched his fists aruond the red shirt covering his lap.

Licking his wet lips, Draco finally found his voice, "you okay Harry?" he whispered, just in case there was someone still outside the bathroom door. It wouldn't do to get caught. Not now.

Harry was breathing in and out through his nose deeply before nodding, black hair clinging to his wet features. "Yeah -yeah I'll be alright"

Draco frowned and reached to grab Harry's arm. He tugged gently on the limb and offered a weak smile, "come and sit down here" Harry obliged, sighing as he did so, the warm spray drenching both of them. Draco nudged his shoulder against Harry's, "you're Uncle is a douchebag -for what it's worth"

Harry gave a weak snort of laughter, "you don't have direct contact with him -I ... do"

Draco wanted to ask why harry looked so broken down and on the verge of tears when he made that statement, but something in his gut told him not to. He swallowed thickly and wiped his wet fringe out of his eyes. Harry sighed next to him, his posture screaming defeat. The water continued to pound down onto them, drowning out the outside world beyond the cubicle, so that only they existed. "Harry ..." Draco breathed, unsure as to whether Harry could hear him or not.

"Yes Draco?"

"I'm here for you"

Draco did not know what he had said that made Harry break down, but all he knew was one minute Harry was still, and the next his forehead was resting on his knees and he was sobbing against his chest. As Draco hesitated and then placed an awkward arm around Harry's bony figure, the black-haired boy felt as though he had been residing as the Grinch for all these years; condemned to be unlovable with a heart too small to develop such an emotion, and here was someone who was willing on his side, who had seen the real 'Harry' ... who would be there for him. He felt as though his heart was swelling and it hurt -but for once, it was the good kind of pain.

He had not known that such a thing existed.

~0~

Severus Snape had been trained to be patient.

He had waited for Voldemort to slip up.

He waited for him to be defeated.

He had waited for Lily to love him.

And now he was waiting patiently for his son to trigger the alarm Severus had created around the proximatey of the local Tesco's.

He was just enjoying -for lack of a better word -his morning coffee -black -two sugars -when his alarm started wailing throughout the house. Wincing at the sound, Severus snapped his fingers to turn the alarm off. The house grew silent instantly. Working quickly, he downed the rest of his coffee, straightened out his black muggle jeans and thin, black button-down shirt, laced with cooling charms, he left the house.

The heat was unbearable as he mounted the hill of Spinner's End. The pavements baked in the heat and the stale smell of the river running behind his house hung low in the air. He marched quickly to the main town area, crossed the heaving road and was virtually grateful when he came into the air conditioning of Tesco's. Not that he would admit it to anyone. As he composed his face into it's usual, expressionless mask, hebegan to drift idily through the aisles, casually dropping things into a basket he acquired as he went.

Outside in the scorching heat, Harry and Draco were dragging themselves across the parking-lot, dodging in and out of the shade the trees were able to give. They had managed to sneak Draco out of the front door as Vernon was busy in the kitchen grumbling about why the washing machine was acting up again. It had been a risk but thankfully his uncle had not cared as Harry announced he was leaving. They had ran all the way down the large, grassy hill to the main town before stopping to breathe on the shaded edge of the parking lot.

When they finally managed to make it into the familiar air-conditioning of the supermarket, they both sighed with relief. "Thank God" Harry gasped, as he wiped is fringe from his eyes.

Draco rolled his eyes with a smile as he flexed his shoulders. "So what do we need to buy exactly?" he asked, in an enthusiastic manner, still rather inexperianced when it came down to muggle supermarkets.

Harry found Draco's attitude amusing. "Um ... not too sure. Milk, eggs, a new loaf of bread maybe some other things. I'll pick them up on the way around"

Draco beamed brightly at this as they walked around the aisles. He never would have thought he would love grocery shopping and yet -here he was grocery shopping in a MUGGLE supermarket. And he loved it! "I can grab some of those yoghurt things you have listed -and the milk if you want?" he offered as his eyes roamed down the list Harry had scribbled out.

Harry frowned up at the blonde, "are you sure you won't get lost or confused?"

Draco would have been offended. Truly, he was tempted to throw a scathing remark at Harry but he didn't. He merely smirked and rolled his eyes, "I'll be fine -promise"

Harry eyed Draco for a moment longer, still uncertain, before nodding and smiling, "I'll be in the bakery section"

Draco merely nodded with a weak smile as they went seperate ways down the aisle.

Draco felt a surge of responsibility over-come him. He felt as though he was on a mission, hunting out the right foods for Harry's beastly uncle. He clenched his fists at the thought of Harry's uncle as he turned into the chilly, frozen food section and started scouting the shelves. And that's when he saw him, like a bad omen fondling the cherry ice cream.

He only knew one person who liked cherry ice cream.

"U-Uncle Severus?" he breathed, not daring to believe the situation.

The tall dark man, whom Draco recognised was the person they had run into a week ago, had the familiar hooked nose and feathered black hair. "Good morning Draco"

And then the ominous man did something that Draco couldn't remember him doing before in his life.

Severus hugged him.

~0~

"HARRY!"

Harry groaned. He was not in the mood for Eric's sickening chirpiness at this time of the morning. Usually he wasn't too bothered, but now he had to suffer the happiness full-on. He turned away from the cakes section to look up at his estranged boss. "Morning Eric"

"What are you doing here so early, Harry? Weren't you meant to come and see me on Monday?"

"Oh yeah sorry about that -I caught up at home" Harry shrugged helplessly.

Eric smiled, "no worries, would you like a shift here or not until the last week of the summer holiday?"

Harry shrugged a shoulder yet again a small grin on his mouth, "either is fine, honestly. Just e-mail me if you need me to drop in"

Eric looked hurt at the thought of ending their conversation so soon so he branched out in a concerned manner, "did I do something to offend you Harry?"

Harry frowned, "um no why would you ask that?"

"You seem a little distracted"

Harry glanced down at the warm watch on his wrist, "it's not even half nine, yet, Eric. I am allowed to be grumpy in the morning"

"You never used to be" Harry mentally rolled his eyes as Eric continued to look at him. "Harry -can we...?"

Eric was cut off as Draco came running down the aisle and hugged Harry tightly. Harry stood in shock for a moment before wrapping his arms awkwardly around the blonde, "hey are you okay?" he asked tentatively. He could feel the collar of his shirt growing damp.

He froze.

Was Draco crying?

Panicked he pulled away to see a dazed smile on Draco's pale features, "Oh Harry you'll never believe who I've seen!" without waiting for a response, or caring that he had interrupted a conversation, Draco grabbed Harry's wrist and began draggin him through the aisle's until he had reached the frozen food section down the other end.

"Draco -calm down -I can't keep up!" Harry pleaded helplessly as his knee twinged as Draco pulled him along.

Draco slowed down to a halt, looking down at Harry with fearful concerned eyes. He clenched Harry's hand tighter as he watched the brunette flex his knee muscle. "You okay?" he asked in a low tone, ignoring the strange glances they were recieving from passing shoppers.

Harry nodded and then gave Draco a small smile, "I believe you were leading the way?"

Draco grinned even wider and, taking hold of Harry's hand, began leading the way back to Severus at a more leisurely pace.

As they rounded the corner Harry felt his msucles tense a little. A tall dark, most likely the one they had bumped into the other week, was waiting beside the ice cream freezers, basket at his feet, arms crossed at his chest and his eyes staring piercingly in their direction. As he noticed the blonde boy, Harry watched recognition and relief swim into those black eyes, and as soon as they settled on Harry, there were suddenly too many emotions to name. Draco stepped forward boldly, dragging an awkward Harry alongside him. "Harry this is my godfather, Severus. Severus this is my -friend -Harry"

Harry shifted awkwardly, suddenly aware at how his cheeks were probably blotchy from the early morning heat. "Er ... it's nice to meet you sir -I mean -Severus"

A slow smirk spread across the tall mans lips. Severus extended a hand towards the young brunette boy, "the pleasure is all mine" he replied silkily.

They shook hands together. Severus felt his stomach knot as Harry smiled and relaxed a little bit as he sidled up next to Draco. Severus straightened his posture and eyed the two teenagers before him, "so how long have you two known one another?"

Harry's jaw went slack as he rubbed the back of his head awkwardly. Draco merely flushed a little, whether by heat or by embarrassment, Severus could not be too sure on, "a little under a month I would say, Uncle" the blonde beamed.

"And where are you staying, Draco?"

The older man watched the blonde teenager exchange a questionable look with his smaller friend before their eyes met once again, "er well ... I was ..." he sighed outwardly, looking dejected, "I was homeless for a while. I was staying in the playground hear Harry's house"

Severus felt his muscles harden with disgust towards one Lucius Malfoy. The Bastard. "And where are you staying now?"

"At Harry's uncle's house"

Severus nodded. He was about to open his mouth to continue the discussion when he was suddenly all too aware of their surrounding environment. "Why don't we finished off here, meet out front and spend the afternoon at my house?"

"I'd love to sir" Harry admitted, avoiding eye contact, "but I must return home and make breakfast for my relatives"

"Can they not fend for themselves?" Severus asked, a small sneering behind his tone.

Harry shook his head, "you'd think they were unable too, yet they loathe my existence. My aunt is not too bad but my Uncle is a ... unpredictable man" at this Draco snorted and looked away, "so I have to go back. Perhaps I could stop by later on?"

Severus nodded, a series of bewildered emotions boiling within his blood. "That would be most acceptable, Mister Potter. Do you mind if I steal young Draco from you?"

Harry, surprisingly enough, laughed brightly, "not at all. I fear I have cooped him up long enough. Some fresh air would do him good"

Severus felt a lazy smile crawl onto his lips as he inclined his head to the young rave-haired boy. He felt his heart swell slightly as the sun caught in those bright emerald eyes. "Well then I shall see you this afternoon, Mister Potter"

Flushing brightly, Harry shook his head and brushed his fringe out of his eyes, "oh no please, call me Harry"

Severus felt the heat affect him more than ever at that moment, "very well then ... Harry"

As Harry nodded his head and turned to finished off his shopping and dash back up to his relatives house, Draco looked up at his godfather feeling unbearably happy. "I am still in awe, Uncle, how did you ever find me?"

"By sheer coincidence, young Draco" he stated as he moved towards the till to purchase the groceries. "I am grateful that I now know where you are. And Pot-I mean Harry, seems as though he is doing right by you"

Draco rolled his eyes with a silly grin on his summer-kissed face, "he is a charming young man, Uncle, I am happy to have him in my life no matter how long or short. He saved me when there was no one else. He is my first friend -I owe my life to him right now"

Severus eyed his god-son with a critical eye as they stepped out into the burning sunshine. "How far do your feelings run for this boy?"

Draco looked up at his Uncle, though the pale face of the older man revealed nothing as they walked along the streets, "what are you implying, Uncle?" Draco asked cautiously.

Severus shrugged a casual shoulder, "forgive the assumption, Draco, but you and he appear extremely close"

"We're friends" Draco ground out, his fingers clenching into fists at his sides as they walked along.

"I don't doubt that you are" Severus stated as they began to mount the hill that led up to Spinner's End. "I am merely asking how deep down your feelings run"

"And what if I never gave it any more thought than being grateful for him?"

"That is your decision"

"Then why are you judging me?" Draco snapped, finally drawing short of the concrete hillside they were yet to mount.

"Control yourself" Severus hissed, his tone sending a chill run down Draco's spine. "All I am saying is that should you choose to develop any feelings that may crop up between you and young Mister Potter, then I suggest that you do not wait until the last minute to do so"

"Uncle -?"

"We're here" Severus cut across his god-son as he pushed open a weathered gate that led them down to the end of a front garden. The front door was broad and black and gleamed in the bright sunlight. Draco frowned at what his Uncle had been speaking about. He frowned even more as he caught sight of the name of the road on a plaque on the front of his Uncle's house.

Spinner's End.

~0~

Harry had been nervous many times in his life before.

He had been nervous when Dudley's gang chased him and he may not be able to hide anywhere.

He had been nervous on starting secondary school with no previous or current friends.

And now he was nervous that it had gone past dinner and there was still no sign from Draco.

He knew he should not be nervous, and that Draco had been as ease with that man, Severus, however as the twilight crawled in overhead, he felt a knot of dread secure itself within the pit of his stomach. He was sitting on his bed at his desk, stumbling usually as he tried to continue the novel he was working on, when something collided with his windowpane, making him jump out of his skin. Edging closer to the window sill he saw a smooth round pebble glistening in the twilight. As he studied it a second pebble collided with the window pane, making him flinch back. He peered down into the back garden and felt his heart leap into his throat.

Draco was down there a handful of pebbles clasped in his left hand as he tossed the stones up with his right. When he saw Harry's relieved face in the window, he smiled up and waved.

Harry raised a hand and waved his fingers slightly, feeling foolish as he did so. He watched as Draco mouthed 'door?' and pointed towards the front door.

Harry felt his face contort into a frown. Could he risk bringing Draco in through the front of the house? He supposed he would have to. He refocused on Draco's worried expression and held up one finger before disappearing.

Draco was anxious as he waited for Harry, knotting his fingers as he did so. He was worried in case one of Harry's relatives looked out of the windows and saw him standing outside their house.

Meanwhile, Harry had made it downstairs with barely any sound from the staircase, however getting through the conservatory without drawing attention to himself was going to be a problem. He needed a miracle.

Almost as though someone had answered his prayers, a knock came at the front door. As Vernon grumbled and pried himself away from the sofa to answer the door, Harry darted into the kitchen, and began fumbling through the drawers as quietly as possible in search for the key to the conservatory doors. Upon finding it, he felt relief flood through his veins, as he strained to listen to whomever was at the front door. "Mister Dursley do you know you have three unpaid parking tickets? This is causing a great concern for us down at the office"

Harry wanted to laugh as he recognized Severus' familiar silky drawl. As he listened he heard Petunia and Dudley moved to the front door too. Taking his opportunity, he bolted to the conservatory and quietly opened the back door. Within seconds Draco was clambering through into the coolness of the house, as Harry locked the door behind him. As Harry returned the key to its proper place, Draco waited nervously by the kitchen door. "Through there" Harry pointed through the doorway, signalling for Draco to sneak past the Dursley's while their backs were turned.

"Are you mad?" Draco breathed, looking furious and scared.

"Go" Harry insisted, nudging Draco in the small of the back as they edged down the hallway.

As they edged down the hallway, Harry frowned as the small cupboard under the stairs was ajar. What the Dursley's could have been doing in there was beyond him. As he walked past he heard a hiss of pain as Draco stubbed his foot on the open sharp edge of the door. Just as four heads were turning to face them, Harry shoved Draco sideways into the cupboard and doubled over, "fucking door!" he cursed loudly, as he slammed the door locked in a fit of mock-anger. As he looked up he saw three looks of disgust, as well as Severus' own alarmed eyes, though the rest of his face was impassive. "Sorry" he grumbled and turned to retreat back into the kitchen, his body sweating and hot with fear and alarm.

Another five minutes later, Severus' "have a pleasant evening" resounded throughout the house before the front door closed. Harry flinched at the sound. The shuffling of the Dursley's returning to the living room echoed out. Vernon peered into the kitchen just as he was about to sit down. "Get upstairs brat" he snarled as he plonked himself down and began to watch 'X Factor'.

Harry quickly retreated down the hallway and just as he was about to mount the stairs he unlocked the small cupboard door. Draco gave him a dark, ominous look as he uncurled himself from the child sized bed and silently ascended the stairs. Harry swallowed thickly, a feeling of dread burying itself within him as he closed the door yet again and mounted the stairs behind the blond.

Draco was waiting just inside Harry's room by the window, glaring out at the garden in which he had just been standing in. He had climbed his first ever fence to get into that garden, and had thrown pebble's at Harry's window like an idiot in those pathetic romance novels, just to get the boy to let him in.

The bedroom door clicked shut behind him.

He turned around to see a panicked looking Harry standing just inside the door, hand wringing in front of him. The blonde's first instinct was to pull the boy against him and not let go. His second instinct was to attack the younger boy with the anger he felt and question him until he broke down and cried.

Neither option seemed efficient enough.

So he did the only thing that came to mind as his anger and relief battled throughout his body.

He walked across the room, backing Harry up against the bedroom door, gripped the front of his shirt and touched their heads together.

Harry was frightened, memories of his uncle repeating similar actions on him were flashing through his mind, as Draco breathed in through his nose deeply, eyes closed. All Harry could hear was the drumming of his frantically panicking heart.

Beating ...

Beating ...

Beating ...