A Predicament

Disclaimer: First all let me say that I do not own any of this but the idea. All characters and locations are the sole property of J.K. Rowling, and no infringment is intended.


Well, my dears, I was going to wait to post this until tomorrow, but I just can't wait to get your reactions, so I'm going to post it now. This is the last chapter that I have already done, BUT I do have most of the next chapter written.
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Chapter Three: June 7, 2006 12:30 p.m.

When Harry had finished preparing lunch he put a charm on it to keep it fresh and warm. Then he went looking for Draco. He found him in the basement lavatory. His head hung low over the toilet. It was rather obvious by the smell that he had been ill.

“Malfoy?”

“Oh, God.” Draco moaned into the toilet, “Don’t make me go back up there.”

“What’s the matter?”

“He’s going to be cross with me. I should have met him at the door. I haven’t done anything I should. I can never get anything right.”

“Malfoy, relax. Come on, sit up.” Harry knelt next to the blonde. He got a washcloth wet and wiped Draco’s face with it. “Come on, lets go upstairs and get you some water, it’ll rinse your mouth out and help settle your stomach. He can’t punish you.”

Draco laughed derisively, “What makes you think that?”

“I won’t let him. He can’t be cross, he hasn’t told you to do anything yet.”

Malfoy just shook his head and allowed Harry to help him to his feet. Potter had no idea what Severus would expect to already be done. Potter just didn’t know, but he would learn. Severus really was a teacher at heart, and his lessons weren’t easily forgotten.
The punishments were too intense to forget easily. When they arrived at the kitchen again Draco finally spoke. “I should get him a plate and take it up to him.”

“Why don’t we just take everything up to him? We can have a lunch up there and get things started on an even footing.” Harry suggested brightly.

Draco took a deep breath, it was time to appeal to the legendary Gryffindor honor, “I really need to see him alone, Potter. I should have met him at the door and taken him up to his chambers, but I didn’t. He will be disappointed in me for that. I need to see him alone this first time. He will expect it. Please?”

Harry looked puzzled, but started making up two plates for Draco to take up. “That’s fine. I’ll be cleaning the fourth bedroom after I finish my own lunch, if you need me.”

“Thank you.” Draco said as he started up the stairs with the two plates and cutlery. It smelled good, but he knew there wasn’t much chance he would get to eat any of it. Oh well, that was his own fault, and he would accept the consequences of his actions. When he arrived at Severus’ door he just stood there for a moment, working up the nerve to knock.

“The door’s open, Draco.” Severus said from within as he raised his hand to knock.

Draco jumped and swallowed hard. He bowed his head and opened the door slowly.
Severus was sitting in the chair, black eyes watching him. Draco walked quickly over to him and set the plates down on the bedside table. Then he knelt in front of the older man, hands folded on his knees, head bowed, and silent.

Severus laid a hand against Draco’s cheek and tilted the young man’s face up to look at him. “Draco, what am I going to do with you? Have you forgotten everything I taught you?”

Draco shuddered and shook his head, “No, sir.”

“You’ve let your hair grow.”

Draco lowered his eyes, “I’m sorry, sir.”

“I’ll expect you to have it taken care of tomorrow. You didn’t greet me in the entry hall. In fact you ran from me. Why?” the sadness in Severus eyes made Draco’s heart clench.

Draco lowered his eyes, “I was afraid.”

“Of me?” Severus looked disappointed.

“No!” Draco’s eyes flew to Severus’ face, “I was afraid it was all another dream. I have wished to see you again so many times, dreamt of you at night, that I was afraid you would touch me again and I would wake up alone in my own bed.”

“I see.” Severus relaxed back into his chair, “That is more easily forgiven. Come sit with me, tesoro.”

Draco smiled at the familiar endearment and crawled into Severus’ lap. With a little sigh he rested his head against Severus’ shoulder and relaxed, arms snaking around the older man.

Severus began running his hand through Draco’s silken hair. “So, tesoro, tell me what you have been up to while I was away.”

Draco sighed, “Absolutely nothing.”

Severus chuckled. Draco always loved that dark rumble in his lover’s chest, “Come now, I can’t believe that. You were always too social for your own good.”

Draco frowned, “It’s true, I went out once or twice after you were taken from me, but it was made very clear, very quickly that I was not welcome. So I stopped trying. Potter was the first person I have seen in years.”

“Potter? Hmmm…. And how long have the two of you been in contact?”

“We haven’t. He came to see me two days ago to ask me to live here as your assistant, that was all.”

“Have you told him about our relationship?”

Draco grinned, “No, I thought about it, but then I decided he could figure it out on his own. Besides if he were against the idea he might have withdrawn his offer and then I wouldn’t have been able to be here with you. I couldn’t risk getting so close only to have you taken away again.” Draco’s arms tightened around his lover at the very idea.

“I understand, angioletto. I wouldn’t have told him either.” Severus continued stroking Draco’s hair. “Tell me, what do you think of him?”

“In what way?”

“Would you like him to be with us?”

Draco closed his eyes, “Sometimes. I have thought of him that way, but he isn’t you.”

“I understand, tesoro. I have thought of him that way as well.” Severus sighed, what he was about to suggest could greatly upset the blonde, but he needed to know. “I want him to be with us. Permanently.”

Draco stiffened, “I understand, sir,” and he started to slip off Severus’ lap.

“Obviously you don’t. I want him to be with both of us. Mio anima, no one could ever replace you in my heart, or in my bed. But I think he needs us, and I think you need him. Don’t answer now, just think on it.” he kissed Draco gently. “Ti amo, tesoro.”

Draco sighed and relaxed again, “Ti amo anch’io.

They sat like that for several minutes until Draco’s stomach started making noises. Severus smiled, “So what’s for lunch?”

“Spaghetti.” Draco stood and handed Severus a plate from the bedside table. Then he sat on the floor at Severus’ feet, leaning his head against the older man’s leg.

“Did you make it?” Severus asked, twirling a small amount of the pasta around his fork.

Draco’s smile was rueful as he twirled some of his own pasta, “No, Potter did. And will continue to cook if we’re lucky.”

“Maybe he’ll teach you some things. It could come in handy for you to know how to cook.”

“I doubt it. As long as he’s around I’ll never need to know how. And as you want him to stay with us I don’t expect anything to change. Besides he’s signed on for this for the next four and a half years.”

“I want you to learn how to cook, Draco, just a few things. I don’t want Potter to feel overburdened with that chore, and besides what if he ever gets sick or has an emergency and has to leave?”

“He told me he can’t leave, that I was the only one of us allowed off the grounds.”

Severus smiled, “That’s only for the first few months. I asked when the Ministry representative came to offer me the contract. Besides, this will be a good way for you two to become comfortable with one another. And you might just like it.”

“I doubt it.” Draco grumbled.

They finished their meal in silence and Draco cleaned up their plates. “I want you to help me with my bath after you take those things to the kitchen.”

Draco gasped, Severus had never wanted help with bathing before. “I- I don’t know what to do to help you, sir.”

“I know. I’ll walk you through it. I’m just too weak to do it on my own. Now take those things down. Also, find Potter and tell him that we should all talk after I get cleaned up. And ask him to bring the catalogues I asked him to get.”

“Yes, sir,” Draco hurried out of the room.

He dropped the plates off in the kitchen and went to the fourth bedroom to find Harry. He knocked on the door so he wouldn’t startle the other man, “Potter?”

Harry looked up, “Malfoy. Have a nice chat?”

Draco smiled a little, “Yes, he asked me to ask you to come up in about an hour, and to bring the catalogues with you.”

“I’m free now.”

“No, he wants to clean up a little before you come up.”

“Oh, understandable. Could you help me with something while we wait then?”

Draco looked a little embarrassed, “Actually I need to go back up and help him.”

“Why?”

“Potter, he asked me to help him. I am not going to refuse.” Draco turned and walked away.

“Fine, I’ll be up in an hour.” Harry called to Draco’s back, muttering an extra, “Git.”

When Draco returned to Severus’ rooms Severus was waiting for him in the bathroom. He instructed Draco to get towels from the cupboard. When he began running the water Severus tested the temperature and told Draco when it was right. Severus groaned when he leaned back in the water, he closed his eyes and just let the warmth seep through him.

While Severus was relaxing, Draco had the opportunity to see just how difficult prison had been on his beloved. Severus had always been skinny, but now he looked emaciated. Draco could easily count his ribs and see the sharp angles of his hipbones. There were bruises on his back and ribs, and there were scars on his arms and chest that hadn’t been there when the war ended.

Draco had noticed earlier that his eyes had gotten harder, and his mouth formed a thinner, tighter line. But somehow his hands were still the same. Still graceful and muscular. The skin was still rough from countless burns and calluses. Those hands were what had turned Draco’s interest and childish infatuation to love. Those hands had shown him more patience, kindness, and strength than Draco had ever expected. They were hard, and rough just like a man’s hands should be. So very different from his father’s.

Lucius Malfoy’s hands had been soft and manicured. Just like the man himself: delicate, well groomed, and colder than the sea.

Draco had needed Severus, had always needed him. Severus had filled the void Lucius created in his son. Even before Severus had given him love he had given something more important, support and understanding. Even if the man never touched him in lust or passion again, there would always be that love between them. Draco had been afraid Azkaban would kill that part of Severus.

Severus wet finger stroked Draco’s cheek, “You look serious.”

“Just thinking about things.”

“Such as?”

“What I was afraid Azkaban would do to you.”

Severus handed him a washcloth, and turned around. “Tell me.”

Draco began dragging the soapy cloth across Severus’ back, “I don’t know, I guess I was just afraid you’d come back, and you’d just be a hollow shell. That something in you would have died, or twisted so bad that you wouldn’t be Severus anymore, you’d be something worse.”

Severus snorted, “I could actually get worse?”

Draco’s smile was bitter, “I was afraid you’d come back like my father was the last time I saw him.”

“I see. And what would you have done if I had?”

“I would have left. Stand up.”

“You took vows to me, Draco.” Severus said as he stood so Draco could wash his legs.

“If you had become what he became, the vows would have been voided. You promised me that when we took them.” Draco sat back as Severus submerged himself in the water once again.

“Yes I did.” Severus handed Draco the shampoo bottle, “But you don’t see him in me?”

Draco carefully measured the liquid in his palm, concentrating on that simple task much more than necessary. When he finally looked up his eyes were clear. He began shampooing Severus’ hair, “No. There’s none of that in you. I realize now that there was never any chance that you would become like him.”

Severus submerged himself completely to get the shampoo out of his hair. “There wasn’t?” he stood.

Draco immediately got a towel to begin drying Severus. “No he became like that because he was flawed, there was something broken in him. He was missing something vital that keeps most people sane.”

“Ah.” Severus sighed as Draco wrapped him in a thick bathrobe and they walked out to the bedroom. Draco rummaged through the clothes Harry had provided for Severus, finally coming across flannel and cotton pajamas. Draco smiled, like the room the pajamas were in neutral browns.

When Severus was dressed and wrapped comfortably in bed, Draco found a brush on the dresser and sat down behind Severus to take care of the older man’s hair.

“You’re going to need a cut soon, too.” Draco said, tugging on a lock. He smiled, remembering when the hair had been a sleek jet black. Now it was liberally streaked with silver, but unlike some it didn’t make him look old, more sophisticated. If Draco could just get a little more meat on his bones, Severus would be almost suave, if only he had the personality to go with the image.

“I know, I hope Potter is better with a pair of shears than you are, otherwise I’ll just have to let it grow for the next four years.” Severus rolled on to his back and pulled Draco into his arms. Draco smiled and draped himself around the older man, resting his head on the bony chest and throwing one arm across the gaunt waist.

There was a knock at the door and then Harry’s head poked around the corner. “May I come in?”

Draco stiffened and started to pull away from Severus, but the older man’s arm tightened around him, whispering against his temple, “Stay, tesoro.” Draco took a deep breath and forced himself to relax again. “Come in, Potter.”

Harry looked at Draco curled against Severus’ chest and shrugged mentally. He knew the two men were close emotionally and had both been cut off not only from the world, but also from each other. Dismissing the peculiarity of the situation Harry stepped farther into the room, “I have the catalogues you requested, Severus.”

“Thank you, Harry, please have a seat.”

Harry smiled and sat, “How are you getting settled?”

“Just fine. I think I’m going to have to take a nap soon, this bed is just too comfortable not to.” Severus stifled a yawn.

“Well, I don’t know about Malfoy, but I am perfectly willing to attune myself to your schedule. You’re the entire reason I’m here.”

“Nice to be the center of someone’s universe.”

Draco smiled and looked at Harry, “I think we’re both going to be at his mercy, such as it is.”

Severus began absently running his hand up and down Draco’s back and smiled, “What’s mercy?”

Draco sighed and nuzzled his face against Severus’ chest.

Harry shifted a little uncomfortably, this was beginning to look less and less like close friendship, and more like something infinitely more intimate, “Well, was there anything else you needed from me?”

Severus eyed him speculatively, “Not particularly. I’ll have my order for you to place after my nap.”

“Good,” Harry stood and walked, a little too quickly, to the door, “I was planning for dinner to be around six, is that agreeable?”

Severus looked at Draco, who just nodded, “Very good, Potter.”

Harry rushed out the door. Draco snickered, “Well he sure seemed in a rush to leave.”

“He did, didn’t he? I think we made him uncomfortable. And I don’t think it was because he disapproved of us.”

“Really?” Draco’s smile was sharp and wicked.

“Really. Now hush, Draco, I really do want a nap.”

“Should I go?”

“You may if you need to, but I would prefer you to stay.”

“Sleep well, caro. Ti amo.” Draco kissed Severus gently.

Severus smiled into the kiss, “Ti amo anch’io, mio anima. Nox.”


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Translations:

Ti amo - I love you
Ti amo anch'io - I love you too
tesoro - my love, honey
caro - my love, darling
mio anima - my heart (soul)
Angioletto - little angle


Italian is not a languate I know that well, so if you speak it and I have used it incorrectly, I am tremendously sorry.

Please tell me what you think of this, it may influence where the story goes next.

Jessie