Change My World

\"Draco? Did you hear me?\" the older man asked, speaking into the silky, flaxen hair after a few moments of silence.

At this prompt, Draco released a breath he hadn\'t been aware of holding. Exhaling eased his lightheadedness. \"Yes. He\'s... escaped?\"

\"Yes, Draco. Your father escaped Azkaban,\" Snape assured him.

Draco\'s eyes searched wildly around his room, knowing logically that Harry was invisible, but still wanting so urgently to lay eyes on him, to question what to do with this knowledge. \"That\'s... impossible, isn\'t it? I mean... father\'s not an Animagus, unless he kept that from me.\"

\"The Dementors left Azkaban when the Dark Lord showed himself, Draco. You know that. And you further know that wizards have monitored the prison since then. Wizards are bribable, if not simply under the employ of the Dark Lord. I\'m certain it wasn\'t a particularly risky proposition on your father\'s part,\" drawled Snape.

\"Is... is... the Dark Lord going to kill my father?\" Draco asked.

\"That is unlikely, Draco. If he wished your father dead, he wouldn\'t have wasted resources having him released.\"

\"Then... why?\"

\"We believe that he is headed here. It is probable that your father was given a choice of his life or to take yours, and given-\"

\"He wouldn\'t!\" wailed the youth.

The anguish of Draco\'s cry made Harry\'s breath catch in his throat and he wanted terribly to remove his invisibility cloak and comfort his lover. But Harry knew that if he did such a thing, Snape would have him thrown out and removed from the circle of the Fidelius charm, which would do neither of them any good. So he silently made his way behind the bed to watch as closely as he could, willing Draco to stretch out a hand in his direction.

As if Snape sensed Harry\'s closeness, the potions master squeezed Draco closer to him, holding him tightly against his chest. \"I\'m sorry, Draco. I\'m very sorry. But we both know that the tragedy is that he would. You are safe here, but if you would like me to stay, I shall. I could have a cot brought in, or if you would rather I could stay with you in your bed.\"

That was low. Even for Snape, it seemed low. Harry burrowed his nails hard into his palms to keep from screaming. It wasn\'t just the frustration of how hurt Draco was and how Harry had to stand down. It wasn\'t even the fact that Lucius Malfoy would exchange his son\'s life for his own. It was the fact that on top of all of this, Snape was using this personal tragedy to try to get himself into Draco\'s bed!

Foul. Sickening. Repugnant-

\"No, Professor. I think... I think I\'d like to be alone,\" whispered Draco as his grey eyes opened and again sought out where Harry might be.

This seemed to surprise Snape who similarly peered around the room. He took a moment to think about this response. It was unanticipated. Certainly Draco would be too frightened to stay in his room alone given that his father was out to kill him. The boy smelled earthy and outdoorsy. Wherever he\'d been he had likely been with Potter. But Draco\'s doorway performance was convincing enough that Snape believed that he was currently alone with the teen. \"I\'d have to advise against you dragging Potter into this. Were he caught here without Dumbledore\'s permission; he would be punished by being taken out of the circle of the Fidelius charm. Not to mention that it would put him in grave danger if your father were to show up.\"

\"You would also be in danger should my father arrive,\" pointed out the Slytherin. \"But no, I won\'t be sending for Harry. I want some time to think about it. Besides, with the charm and the sanctuary spell on the room, what could my father really do?\" questioned the boy, trying to sound brave and strong as if he truly wanted to be alone. All he really wanted was Snape to leave so he could talk to Harry.

Harry stayed completely still in his spot at the foot of the bed, knowing that Draco had no idea he was so near. He wanted to let him know, he wanted Draco to understand how proud he was of him. Mostly he just wanted to hold his boyfriend and tell him that it would all be ok. In fact, he wanted to do all of that instead of punching the salacious teacher, which surprised him.

\"I suppose I would. But Draco, I am willing to take that risk to make sure that you\'re not afraid.\"

\"I\'m not afraid, Professor. I\'m just... tired. And upset. And I\'d rather not get so... emotional in front of anyone,\" assured Draco.

Snape wasn\'t a fool. Not a complete one anyways. While he did understand that Draco was uncomfortable with the prospect of a public display of emotion, he also knew that it was likely that the young Slytherin had some sort of plan to communicate with his lover. Having no proof, and further not wanting to appear ruthless in front of the object of his affection, he nodded. \"Very well then. However, if you need anything at all, do not hesitate. My door is always open to you, Draco,\" he cooed to the boy who was gently extracting himself from the embrace.

\"I understand, Professor, and thank you,\" Draco said to him as he finally detangled and stood to open the door.

\"You know that when we\'re not in class, I said that you may call me Severus,\" stated Snape as he straightened his grey nightshirt and took the few steps to the door.

\"I... yes, I\'m sorry. Calling you \'Professor\' is just habit, I suppose,\" observed Draco as he opened the door. He didn\'t know quite why, but calling the man Severus just made him uncomfortable. It was strange, as before now he probably would\'ve lorded it over the other Slytherin. Perhaps that was it. No one to lord it over made it less amusing. At the moment, Draco didn\'t much care why he was fussed by it. He just wanted the man out so Harry could hold him.

\"Whatever you\'re comfortable with, Draco. Goodnight,\" Snape said with a polite bow as he stepped over the threshold of the door.

\"Goodnight, Professor,\" stated Draco solemnly as he closed the door. Reaching for his wand, he flourished it to spell it shut.

Instantly Harry yanked off the cloak, causing his commonly untidy hair to appear even more unkempt and full of static. The Gryffindor put his index finger to his lips and pointed at the door, indicating not to speak as Snape was likely listening. Which he was. Harry pulled the Marauder\'s Map from his cloak and unfolded it after whispering that he was up to no good, and sure enough, Snape was pacing in front of Draco\'s door.

Draco rolled his eyes and sighed as a child might if they found their parents to be a bit overprotective. Taking the map from Harry\'s hand, he set it aside and dragged Harry to the bed with him. He was somewhat relieved that they couldn\'t speak. Draco didn\'t have much to say. What could you say after news like that? Instead, he just got under the covers with Harry and cleaved tightly to him. Pressing his face into the crook of Harry\'s neck, he closed his eyes, inhaling Harry\'s boyish scent shot through with the pungent odor of earth and lake and sex. After a few moments of soft weeping, Draco slowly drifted off to sleep as Harry held him.

--

The next morning had been tricky. Snape had to get back to his chambers before anyone realized the teacher had spent the night camped out in front of Draco\'s door. He could write it off to doing his job, but it was a bit over the top. Rather than deal with the questions, Snape left a bit after 5 am. Harry hadn\'t slept much in spite of the lure of Draco\'s regular breathing. He\'d spent the night glaring hard at the dot on the parchment that was Severus Snape, willing him to leave. Or fade. Or just vanish. Perhaps a Lucius Malfoy dot would show up and take care of the Severus Snape dot. A boy could dream.

Not wanting to slip out the night without providing reassurances, Harry nudged Draco awake to let him know he was leaving. The Slytherin\'s face appeared pained, but he nodded his understanding as he rubbed his eyes sleepily. \"I\'ll talk Dumbledore into letting me have a real visit tonight. I\'m sure under the circumstances, he\'ll let me.\"

Draco nodded sleepily and reached out for Harry\'s hand, which he pulled to his lips and kissed softly. \"Thank you.\"

\"I\'m glad I was here. I love you.\"

\"I love you,\" declared Draco drowsily.

\"See you tonight,\" Harry whispered before donning his cloak and slipping out the door.

--

Harry was surprised that Ron didn\'t give him a hard time about leaving to go visit with Draco. He along with everyone else in the school had read in The Daily Prophet that Lucius had escaped from Azkaban and the gossipmongers were abuzz with speculation on where the fugitive might be and if he were really going to come for his son. Though Harry was fine with the belief that Ron felt badly for Malfoy, he was surprised that his best friend seemed genuinely happy for him to have found someone.

While this in and of itself was good news, it smacked a little odd to Harry, stopping him dead in his tracks. \"You\'re... happy for me?\" he questioned.

\"Sure. Why shouldn\'t I be?\"

\"Uh... because you hate Malfoy?\" tried Harry as he wrapped his fingers around his bedpost and swung casually from it with his head tilted to the side in his puzzlement.

\"Well, I like seeing you happy?\" Ron asked, starting to blush a bit as he looked down at his hand that was fidgeting with the duvet on his bed nervously.

\"And I appreciate that, Ron, but why the sudden change of attitude?\" quizzed Harry.

Ron bit his lip, hard, but he couldn\'t help from beaming as his face turned a clashing crimson against the long strands of ginger hair that he was shaking from his face. \"Because... I\'m umm... seeing someone too.\"

\"You are?\" asked Harry. Had he really been that oblivious? Spending all of his time with Draco, thinking only of himself and his romance? So much so that he hadn\'t noticed Ron with, \"Whom?\"

\"Well... after she said she wouldn\'t help you with Occlumency and stuff, I thought I should try to talk to Hermione and...\"

\"HERMIONE?!?!\"

\"Err... yeah,\" Ron said, feeling himself blushing deeply again as he swallowed hard.

\"Do you want to talk about it, should I stay?\" Harry asked, although this wasn\'t the best time he felt suddenly like he\'d been a truly horrid friend.

\"No! Go! She\'s umm... I was hoping I could get you all out anyhow so we could umm... study.\"

\"Study,\" teased Harry as he rolled his eyes. \"Well, then I\'ll leave you to your... study session. I\'m going to go do some studying myself,\" Harry said as he headed for the door.

Ron cleared his throat and nodded, \"See you later.\"

--

After their usual, active bout of lovemaking, Harry rolled over to his side, pulling Draco along with him and closed his eyes to catch his breath. Tenderly he started to stroke the other boy\'s arm, petting him soothingly as he tried to think of a good way to word this. Though this didn\'t seem the best time to broach this subject, there never really seemed to be a particularly great time to do it. However, after Snape\'s Machiavellian attempt to get into Draco\'s bed the night before, Harry was desperate to finally have this talk. \"Draco, haven\'t you ever wondered why Snape\'s paying so much attention to you?\"

\"Well, he is my head of house,\" reminded Draco as he drew a slender finger up to trace adoringly over Harry\'s scar.

\"But he\'s the head of ALL of Slytherin house. But he doesn\'t preen them as much as he does you.\"

\"He doesn\'t preen me,\" doubted Draco as his face hardened in irritation.

Harry simply looked at him incredulously. There was denial and then there was denial.

Rolling his eyes at Harry\'s silence, Draco flipped his hand up dismissively in a gesture of mea culpa, \"He compliments my dedication and my clearly superior abilities at potions making. Besides, we have a lot in common. He shares many of my views on philosophy.\"

\"Philosophy, Draco? The most philosophy I\'ve heard from you is that brown shoes shouldn\'t be worn with black slacks!\" exclaimed Harry as he started to scoot back from Draco as both boys gestures became more elaborate.

\"Alright first of all, I\'m insulted that you would paint me as being THAT insipid. You and I BOTH know better than that. Second of all, if my presence HAS awakened you to that philosophy, then you should, for the love of all that is magical, STOP WEARING brown shoes with your black slacks. And finally, what I do often talk to Snape about is about the lackadaisical way that Dumbledore runs this school and how he overlooks entirely too much poor behavior and that Hufflepuffs are practically squibs and anyone sorted into that house should be automatically expel-\"

\"He agreed with that?\"

\"Well, he nodded! And Professor Snape doesn\'t interrupt like some peop-\"

\"Nodding doesn\'t mean anything, it doesn\'t mean he agrees. He\'s probably not even listening to you!\"

\"Fine, whatever. He didn\'t interrupt me so rudely like you do!\" observed Draco irritably.

\"HE WASN\'T LISTENING TO YOU!\" With this, Harry had moved back far enough from Draco to sit up on the bed and hold his hands up with his fingers splayed in a gesture of stopping Draco\'s comparison.

\"You know what? YOU\'RE NOT LISTENING TO ME! And furthermore, you\'re just jealous because no one wants to listen to what you say. I have an educated older man who thinks my opinions matter and you-\" snapped Draco as he whirled the sheets up over his naked torso as he began to likewise sit up.

\"He\'s not interested in your opinions!\" protested Harry, leaving out altogether that people for the most part did listen to him. He was the boy who lived. If anything he got too much attention. But that wouldn\'t get him any closer to making his point about Snape.

\"Then why is he hanging on my every word?\" asked Draco as he finally straightened up to face Harry eye to eye.

\"Because he...\" Harry gestured with his hand circling it as if hoping for Draco to finish the thought as his voice trailed off.

\"...thinks I\'m right. Which I am. I am always right! And Snape agrees with me and that is why he likes listening to me.\"

\"Alright look, you\'re not always right, and also-\"

\"ALSO, why are you so bothered by Professor Snape talking to me? Is it really so tragic that I actually have a friend other than YOU?\" quizzed the exasperated Slytherin who was starting to look huffily put out by this, as if Harry were simply trying to upset him.

\"Draco, that man is not your friend he-\"

\"You\'re right, Harry. He\'s not just my friend. He\'s like a father to me. We\'re very close... and now my father is...\" Draco broke off and swallowed before starting up again, \"and... why are you doing this to me now?\"

Harry wanted to shriek. Or shake Draco. Perhaps a combination of both would have helped him. But at the words \"like a father to me\" followed by the reality that Draco\'s biological father was out to kill Harry and how much that really hurt and frightened Draco, the Gryffindor just couldn\'t do it. He couldn\'t burst that arrogant bubble that surrounded the overly blond head. Harry sighed and glared dejectedly at his empty hands on his naked lap and then brought up his right hand to chew on the exposed hangnail on his thumb. \"You\'re right,\" he said dully, his hand muffling his words slightly. \"I\'m just worried that Snape will try to turn you against me. He\'s never liked me.\"

Draco\'s eyes squeezed up in sympathy and he leaned in and wrapped his arms tightly around Harry and kissed his temple. He chose his words carefully so he wouldn\'t seem to be gloating that he was, again, right-as he always was. Snape loved him like a son and that made Harry jealous. It was so obvious. \"I love you Harry, and I wouldn\'t be that easily swayed. But you\'re just going to have to try and get used to the fact that people other than you are going to enjoy my company. I\'m tremendously attractive and exceedingly clever. Have some faith in my intelligence, Harry. I know when someone is trying to dupe me,\" he pointed out as he pointed his index finger at his own temple without the barest trace of irony.

Harry couldn\'t think of a single kind or comforting word to say to that, so he simply sighed and wrapped his arms around his boyfriend as he pulled them both down to lying on the bed. All he could do was take comfort in Malfoy\'s ignorance and hope that perhaps he would never have his image of Snape rudely shattered by the greasy hands of lecherous reality.

--

Down in the dungeons, Snape moodily went over essays, leaving cathartic trails of angry red ink as if he were on a killing spree. He was irritated. Not simply that Dumbledore had allowed Potter to visit Draco, but that the Slytherin teen had completely spurned his attempts to comfort him.

Snape wasn\'t a fool. He understood from the outset that Draco was utterly smitten with Harry. When Draco talked about him, he lit up with an enthusiastic glow and his gestures turned untamed and passionate. The teacher couldn\'t help but be envious of both of them. To feel so much for another person and to have it returned, it must be heaven. He wanted it for himself.

Whether that would realistically come from the adolescent seemed rather unlikely when Snape thought about it logically. Draco never quite caught any of his subtle hints and Potter... well Potter made everything more difficult than it should be. He found himself as jealous of Harry as he\'d been of James. Part of him almost wondered if this competition over Draco had more to do with his want to claim victory over a Potter, even if it were a younger Potter. Aside from the odd and occasional suggestions to Draco, for the most part his advances toward the waif were made in front of the Gryffindor simply to goad him.

But then, those grey eyes, the flaxen hair, and the subtle movements of Draco\'s plush lips as they curved to form the words of whatever he was saying. Snape closed his eyes for a moment as he tried not to think about the teen, or what was likely to be happening in that room. To think on that hurt. Harry was, like James, getting the attentions that Snape deserved. The thought irritated the professor and he opened his eyes to realize that he\'d jabbed the quill into the parchment, breaking the nub, which caused the remainder of the ink to blossom out from the puncture point. Red ink like blood stains.

He wasn\'t sure when he truly became aware that he was looking up into steely grey eyes. However these eyes were more wizened and hard. The face was more slender and gaunt than Snape remembered, and the hair had lost much of its luster. There had been no Dementors in Azkaban, nor had he been there 12 years like the previous escapee had endured. Still, even with a fresh set of tailored clothing, Lucius Malfoy did not look himself in the least.

Immediately Snape stood up as he looked at Lucius in a mixture of horror and shock. He had the grace to quickly draw his face into his usual placid expression as Lucius made his way around the desk to hug Snape awkwardly. \"It has been too long, Severus, too long my brother in arms,\" the elder Malfoy enthused as he gave the other man a couple of hard slaps on the back before breaking the embrace to look into Snape\'s eyes.

The potions master instantly averted his eyes before he allowed Lucius to test his own Legilimency skills. \"Indeed, too long. Although it is somewhat of a surprise to see you, have a seat,\" Snape said as he indicated a chair on the other side of his desk, as he resumed sitting on his own.

\"It can\'t be that big of a surprise given,\" Lucius gestured in a way that Snape now found oddly familiar.

\"No, I suppose it is not,\" stated Snape as he sat back in his chair, observing the way that Malfoy carried himself. Still sat straight and proud. If Lucius missed his wife or regretted what was to happen with his child, he did not show it in the least. His eyes were cold as a man resigned to his fate. Now and then Snape could catch a glimpse of anxiety, but it would not do for Lucius to look overly concerned in front of what he believed to be another Death Eater.

\"I understand he has been moved from Slytherin.\"

\"Ah. So you\'ve come for him.\"

\"I have little choice in the matter. His life is forfeit whether it is me who ends him or not. I like to think that I could show him the mercy of a quick death,\" Lucius said carefully as if he\'d rehearsed this in his mind not simply so that he could say it to Snape flawlessly, but so that he could talk himself into believing it.

\"I see. He is seen as a traitor, and that is unbearable. I had thought I might be asked, but that would compromise me. So I am grateful that it is not. However,\" Snape said as he leaned in over his dark wood desk, resting his elbows on the glossy shelf. \"This night might give you opportunity to spare your only son and redeem you enough to keep him.\"

It was clear that Lucius was intrigued with this idea, as he likewise leaned in with keen interest. \"Might it?\"

This was a risky gambit and not one Snape had put a lot of thought into. It just suddenly popped into his head and he saw no obvious flaws, yet. Snape was banking on a fair bit of ignorance on the elder Malfoy\'s part, but if things went as he planned, Draco would be safe and Harry would have been forced to kill Lucius. While the goal of keeping Draco alive was foremost on his mind, the notion that Harry taking the boy\'s father from him in such a direct way also greatly appealed to the teacher. \"Tonight Dumbledore has allowed the boys to visit in Draco\'s room. It is highly likely that they will be spending the night together-\"

\"Severus-\"

Snape\'s nostrils flared and he nodded to Lucius as if to indicate that the idea was just as repugnant to him. \"The point being that I could send for Draco to come to speak to me, leaving Harry alone in the room. Completely unguarded,\" Snape said as his fingers flattened and spread over the mahogany and strummed his nervousness.

The Death Eaters, including Lucius, did not know the end of the prophecy. They were not completely aware that only Voldemort could kill Harry. To them, the boy was a propitious menace that any of them could kill. \"I see. You believe that should I kill Harry that the Dark Lord would give me time to bring Draco back to the fold?\"

\"I believe so. You could kill the boy and I would go to him and try to intercede on your behalf. If he says no, then he says no and you may go ahead and finish your son as well. But I believe with the threat out of the way and your son\'s temptation removed, Draco would be spared after some rectifications,\" Snape lied.

Lucius looked at Snape for a moment and then turned his head to consider a bookcase with a myriad of old tomes with indistinguishable golden titles on the spines. He squinted as if trying to read them as he mulled over the possibilities of how this could end and he couldn\'t see the Dark Lord finding fault with the murder of the meddlesome Potter. \"This sounds like an agreeable plan, Severus,\" Lucius agreed, giving a nod as he sat back in his seat. \"I appreciate this favor and shall endeavor to find a way to repay your kindness. Although I suspect that Draco himself has won you over. He is a charming young man when he wishes to be.\"

\"Indeed, he is a charming young man. One worth preserving,\" stated Snape as he pulled open his desk for a fresh quill and couple of pieces of parchment. He pushed the papers he was grading aside in order to quickly scrawl out a message for Draco.

Draco,

It is imperative that you come and see me in my office in a quarter of an hour. There is something I did not tell you in your room, something urgently important. It is a matter of life and death. Do not, under any circumstances, bring Potter. This will be a private conversation.

Professor Snape

After a moment to scan the letter for errors, he rolled it up, sealed it, and handed it to Lucius. \"Put this under the door and wait for him to leave. Then-\" Snape said and halted as he again started to scrawl on the parchment directions to Draco\'s room, thus bringing Lucius Malfoy into the circle of Fidelius. \"There is a sanctuary spell on the room, I\'m not sure-\"

\"I know how to take care of such spells. There is a very dark magic that can punch through it. You will have a difficult enough time explaining how I might\'ve found the room,\" Lucius pointed out.

\"Yes, for that, I will need it to look as if you beat it out of me.\"

\"Very well,\" sneered Lucius, appearing pleased with this turn of events. Standing, he drew his wand and gave Snape his most feral smile before brandishing his wand with a dispassionate, \"Crucio!\"

Snape hurdled forward, screaming in pain. Unsettling the inkbottle on his desk, red ink splashed all over his hands. Red ink like blood stains.

Lucius ended it after a mercifully short amount of time and turned with his scroll in hand to make his way to his son\'s room. It didn\'t even occur to him that Snape never specified where to meet after the deed was done.

--

The boys were settled in a sticky puddle in the middle of the four-poster bed. All but the candle by the door had long grown cold. It was clear that Draco felt protected in his room as he dozed with his mouth open, breathing balmily against Harry\'s shoulder. The brunet, however, was rather vexed by his lover\'s blind spot when it came to the potions teacher. And further bothersome was the way that Draco actively avoided the subject of what he was going to do if his father showed up.

Draco would look hurt for a moment, and then turn his head away as if worried that Harry would read his mind and then start talking about something entirely unrelated. Harry knew it had to hurt, so he didn\'t push it. Still, it was keeping him up, or at least waking him up at repeated intervals as he worried between Snape and Lucius.

Hearing something shuffling at the door, Harry squinted at the crack of light. After blinking a few times he grabbed his glasses off the nightstand for a better perspective on the scroll under the door. The seal looked suspiciously like Snape\'s and so Harry extricated himself from under the somberly slumbering Slytherin and pulled the scroll the rest of the way through. For a mad moment he wondered if he shouldn\'t wake Draco and allow confidential communication to remain confidential. \"Fuck it,\" he whispered to himself as he broke the seal.

Lucius watched with satisfaction as the letter was pulled from under the door. Lurking in the shadows, he waited for his son to leave.

Harry could feel loathing for Snape glowing up to his ears. How dare he? How DARE he? Balling up the note in his fist, he headed into the bathroom clutching his wand in his other hand. He rifled through the hamper till he found enough of Draco\'s uniform to pass for the Slytherin and yanked it on. After that, he put a temporary blond glamour on his untidy hair. Swirling around, he left the bathroom and grabbed up Draco\'s cloak. As he knew that he didn\'t much resemble Draco, he pulled the hood up, pocketed his wand and headed out the door, turning immediately to head down to the dungeons.

His plan? He didn\'t have one. Attempt to stand on the other side of the room looking vaguely Draco-shaped in the hopes that the Snape would confess whatever he was going to? It wasn\'t one of his better plans, then again, he hadn\'t had much time nor sleep to think it through. And if worst came to worse, he\'d simply duel the letch. Harry didn\'t know. Harry didn\'t care. Harry was filled with a blindingly angst-filled fury that was more than enough to distract him from the silvery-haired man that stepped from the shadows and slipped into the room he\'d just vacated.