Tequila

Chapter 20

Severus watched as Draco and Harry walked back into the hall. He had been eating his breakfast and ignoring the conversation around the staff table. Drinking hid cup of tea, he watched Harry and Draco head to the Gryffindor table. Severus nearly choked as Draco sat down between Harry and Granger and helped himself to some toast.

// What the hell is going on? //

He saw Draco look up to him and smile. He allowed a slight less tightening around his eyes and went back to his tea, surreptitiously watching what was going on at the Gryffindor table. It all looked rather cosy with Harry’s group of friends making a concentrated effort to include Malfoy into their conversation.

// If this gets any more cloying I’ll throw up!! //

Snape, however, noticed that Draco seemed to unconsciously lean toward Harry as if needing the support among his group. Looking around the rest of the hall, Severus could see the rest of the students watching the Gryffindor table as well. He could see the other students’ confusion and decided to keep an eye on the group to make sure nothing untoward happened.

Standing from his breakfast, Severus made his way down to the Gryffindor table.

Harry felt the heat of the man behind him and knew without turning round that Severus was standing behind him.

“Mr Malfoy, please come to my office once classes are over.”

Draco nodded. “Yes Professor.” And with that the older man swept from the room.

Harry gave a lopsided smile as his friends looked at him with sympathy.

“It’s fine guys, don’t worry. I’ll let this all blow over and then I’ll speak to him.”

And with that they made their way to classes.

Draco and Harry met in the school grounds for lunch. It was May and dry and finally starting to feel like spring. They both grabbed some sandwiches from the great hall and met down by the lake to eat.

“So, how’s things going this morning? You have any trouble from the rest of the Slytherins for eating with us Gryffindor low lives at breakfast?”

Draco laughed before settling himself down to eat.

“Actually no. They’ve been ignoring me for so long that I think they don’t really care. With Slytherin so empty these days after the war and with it being so close to the end of the school year I think everyone in it is just trying to get through it to the end.”

Harry smiled. “Well that’s good. Listen, I wanted to talk to you about some things.”

Draco groaned, “Not Snape?”

Harry laughed. “No not Snape, I think that’s something I need o sort on my own.” Harry took a bite of his sandwich. “I wanted to talk to you about us”

Draco looked horrified. “What do you mean us? I know I told you I was gay but….”

Harry threw back is head and laughed, before giving a quiet grimace. “No Draco, not that kind of ‘us’.” Draco looked relieved. “Don’t worry Draco, I think you’re beautiful, but you’re certainly not my type.”

“What do you mean I’m not your type?” Draco groused. “What's wrong with me? I’m I not good enough for the saviour of the wizarding world?”

Harry laughed again.

// God this guy is vain! //

“Jeez Draco, make your mind up. Do you want me to be attracted to you or not?” Draco shook his head. “Well fine. Like I said, I think you’re good looking enough, I just like my men slightly older and more menacing.”

“Yeah, I really don’t get that by the way. Sure I like Severus a lot, he’s been a support for me these last few years, but I’ll never find the man attractive.”

Harry smiled, knowing few people would understand his attraction. “Maybe one day I’ll explain it to you. But for now, I wanna discuss our relationship.”

Draco nodded, still a bit warily.

“We hated each other for a long time. I thought you were an arrogant bastard the first time I met you...”

“Hey Potter, I still am!” Draco smirked.

Harry smiled. “It just seems over these past few days you’ve actually been a lot different. And I’m not just talking about the fact that you discussed your great shag with me, but the way you were when we were planning yesterday morning and the fact that you’re sitting with me now.”

Draco grimaced. “Well Potter, you have to realise that things are expected of you. How I am with you now is how I used to be with Goyle and Parkinson and all the rest of them before the war truly started. I’m actually not that bad a bloke, but when you’re in a certain house and come from a certain family, you have to act in a certain way. I’m not actually a nasty bastard, despite the rumours, it’s just the way I’m programmed to be.”

Harry nodded, understanding.

“I suppose I wasn’t really the nicest person to you either. I mean we both went out of our way to antagonise each other pretty much from the moment we met. You seem to have come round to me and the rest of my friends pretty quickly though.”

Draco smiled. “When it’s been months since anyone other than your teachers have said a nice word to you then it’s surprisingly easy to be nice back. But if you tell anyone I’ve said this, I will hex you into next week. I don’t care if you did kill What's-his-face.”

Harry laughed, “Don’t worry. No one will hear it from me.”

And with that they settled down to eat lunch.

Later that evening Severus paced around his office, measuring the steps from his desk to his door. Finally there was a knock on his door and as he was heading in that direction anyway, Severus marched over and flung the door open. Draco stepped around him and slid into the room.

“Gods, Severus, what has put you in such a bad mood?”

Severus slammed the door behind him and made his way over to his desk, rubbing the scowl off his face as he went.

“Nothing, Mr Malfoy, please sit down.”

Draco sat and watched as his teacher schooled his face into his usual mask.

“Begging your pardon Sir, but you seem rather pissed off. Is something wrong.”

Severus sneered. “Nothing that concerns you Mr Malfoy.”

Draco sighed. “Whatever. What did you need me for?”

The older man looked over at the blonde. “My apologies Draco. I have no business taking my bad temper out on you. How are you today?”

“I’m fine Severus, I’m all good. Not covered in bruises today, which can only be a good thing.”

“Really Mr Malfoy? Because Madame Pomfrey informed me that she found new ones this morning while checking you over. Ones that you were very unwilling to have healed.”

Draco scowled. “That interfering old bat. I told her they weren’t from the fights, and I told her that they were nothing to do with her.”

“Now Draco, there’s no need for you to talk about Madame Pomfrey like that. I, at least, can understand where she’s coming from. How long did you conceal your injuries from the beatings? She seems to think that they may have had some psychological effect on you and that was why you concealed the new ones this morning. And also why you refused to have them healed. She seems to think that you feel you deserve punishment for changing sides and betraying your family during the war.”

Draco jumped up, nearly knocking over his chair. “That stupid woman. I don’t feel like I deserve punishment. Why would I need punished for doing the right thing finally? I hid the bruises cause they happened after the last fight. And I don’t want them healed because…well…they….they’re special to me Severus.”

Draco slumped back into his chair.

Severus tried not to smirk.

// Awww bless, the boy’s got a lover. //

“Would you care to explain further Mr Malfoy? I can think of no reason why bruises might be ‘special’ to you.”

“You’re really going to make me say this aren’t you?” Draco groaned and put his head in his hands. “I was having sex last night, in the infirmary, with someone I hope will come to mean something to me. That’s how I got the bruises and that’s why they are special to me.”

Severus chuckled. “See that wasn’t so difficult was it? I wont ask who you are pursuing this relationship with because it is none of my business,” Draco looked relieved, “but do remember that if you need to talk about it, I m here for you.”

Draco smiled. “I really appreciate that sir, however, I think you should be concentrating on you own love life instead of mine.”

Severus scowled. “I hardly think that is any of your business Draco.”

Draco put up his hands in a gesture of submission. “Ok Professor, I was just saying. Is that all you wanted to see me about?”

Severus shook his head. “I notice that you sat with the Gryffindors this morning and that neither you nor Potter came in for lunch this afternoon. Can I assume you are pursuing a friendship with him?”

Draco smiled. “Yes, Severus. I’m pursuing a friendship with them all. They were kind enough to help me when they didn’t have to and in spite of the way I’ve acted towards them over the years. Besides, Harry’s funny. And just as keen as you to know about the bruises.”

Severus felt a rush of relief flooding through him at the realisation that Harry wasn’t the one causing the bruises. He hadn’t even realised it had been a worry.

Draco looked shrewdly at his teachers face before deciding to put the man out of his misery.

“I think I’ll come to enjoy the company of all the Gryffindors although to be fair, I have no idea what you find attractive about Potter. He’s too scruffy and grumpy and arrogant by half to possibly consider having a relationship with him. I can possibly understand what you see in him.”

Severus smirked at him. “What I see in him is really none of your business Draco, although I think you’ll find the more time you spend with him, the more you’ll realise what I love about him.”

Draco started. “You love him sir? Do you really love him?”

// Goddamn my big mouth! //

“Draco, I’m not sure yet if I do love him and I hardly think talking to a student about this is appropriate.”

“Gods Severus, don’t be an idiot. Who else are you going to talk to about this? It’s not like you can go to Dumbledore or McGonagall with your little problem. Seriously Severus, if you love him or even think that you love him, you have to tell him because this is killing him, this not knowing. He hasn’t even really mentioned you to me but I can see, every time your name is mentioned, the wave of pain that crosses his eyes. Sitting at breakfast this morning, you couldn’t help but notice how his eyes were repeatedly drawn to the top table. And why do you think we ate outside at lunch? I was nothing to do with the nice weather, it was because he cant bear to be in the same room with you when you’re studiously ignoring him.”

Severus looked surprised. “He’s said all this to you?”

“Oh please Severus, do you really think he’s going to talk to me about it when he has Weasley and Granger to talk to? I’m actually quite surprised that he hasn’t asked me to talk to you for him considering the unique situation I’m in. He doesn’t have to say anything. You surely know, having spent as much time with him as you have, that the man wears his heart on his sleeve, for anyone who cares to look closely enough.”

Draco could see he’d given his teacher plenty to think about and stood up to leave.

“Is that everything Professor?”

Severus grunted, acknowledging the blonde as he turned to the door.

“You have given me much to think about Draco. As I said, if you need to speak to me, I am always here for you.”

Draco nodded. “Just don’t let this fester too long Professor, I know Granger has spoken to you as well. Will you have everyone of Harry’s friends down here before you make a decision?”

And with that Draco left the room.






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