Unforseen Complications

The day that Remus Lupin returned to Hogwarts, Snape was his usual surly and annoying self. He was nasty to Harry and praised Draco. He gave the Gryffindors that 'look' when Ron managed to turn his face orange with yellow polka dots. He took house points from them and made each one of them wish he'd be eaten by a Basilisk!

Only Harry and Draco noticed the tense lines around his mouth and eyes.

"Harry! Come on!" Ron tugged at his sleeve with a big smile. "Remus is at the train! Hagrid said we could go with him to pick him up! Hurry up or we'll be late!"

The other boy shook his sleeve free, "I . . . uh. . . I can't go Ron. I have to do something."

Hermione looked up suspiciously, "You have to do something? But Harry it's Professor Lupin! And Snuffles could be with him! Don't you want to meet them."

"I can't." He replied, skipping over the question of wanting to greet Remus. Where Harry had been overjoyed before at seeing his friend again, now he just wanted to avoid the werewolf at all costs.

"Did you get detention again?" She groaned, "Harry! You know that you need to pay attention in class. Where has your head been lately?"

"I'm just distracted 'Mione, I'll try harder. Promise."

She looked skeptical but nodded, "You'd better. Exams are coming and you can't afford to. . ."

"Oh! Will you look at the time!" Ron broke in, desperate to escape the lecture they'd both heard again and again over the past month or three. "We've gotta run, luvly talkin' with you Harry. See you later, be seein' you. Come on 'Mione, Hagrid waits for no one." He practically dragged her from the room.

Harry breathed a sigh of relief before slipping down to the dungeons. He knocked lightly at the portrait and whispered, "Professor?"

The portrait swung open, but the face which greeted him was not the one he'd expected.

"Malfoy!"

Draco grinned, "Fancy meeting you here Potter."

"Uh. . . I needed. . . um. . . where's Professor Snape?"

"Don't you have your own head of house to whine to?" Draco sneered and began to shut the portrait.

Harry quickly placed his foot in the doorway, "Wait!"

"I am in the middle of something Potter."

"What?"

The blond rolled his eyes, "If you must know, I am taking an inventory of the Professor's personal ingredients and making a list of what he needs to pick up next time he goes out."

"Can teachers make you do things like that?"

"It's a personal favor."

"Oh."

"Would you mind taking your foot from the door? Some of us 'do' have things to finish."

Harry would never understand what prompted his next words, "Can I help?"

Draco looked like he was as shocked as Harry. He controlled his look of disbelief more quickly however. Malfoys did not gape. "YOU, want to help, ME?"

He nodded.

"Did you hit your head?"

"Malfoy!"

"Why did you want to see professor Snape?"

"Huh?"

"Answer the question then maybe I'll let you help."

"That seems a bit uneven."

"Deal with it." The Slytherin smirked and Harry gave a sigh the was half amusement and half annoyance.

"I know what happened between him and Remus and I want to help."

"He told you?!" Draco's jaw almost hit the floor.

"Actually I. . . kind of overheard when he told you."

Draco's jaw ticked, "Does he know you heard?"

Harry nodded, "He found me in the graveyard right after and I got snot on his robes."

"Well that sounds like a wonderfully disgusting bonding experience." Draco snorted, "Get in here before any of my house mates see you."

"Thanks." Harry grinned happily.

"Don't thank me just yet. Grab a pen and get to work."

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"Remus!"

The werewolf smiled broadly and lifted Ron and Hermione into a tight hug, "Hello again."

"'Ello Professor Lupin."

"Hello Hagrid. You look well."

"Teaching seams ta agree wi' me." He smiled a large smile.

Ron was practically bouncing, "Did you bring Snuffles?!"

The furry blur that jumped from the train and tackled the red head was an easy answer to that question. Ron laughed and Hermione hugged the squirming animangus happily. "Harry will be so happy to see you!"

Remus looked around and blinked, "Where is Harry? I thought he would be here to say hello."

Ron nodded, "He was going to but he had stuff to do, so he had to stay behind."

"Stuff?"

Hermione scoffed, "He's probably gotten detention again. Professor Snape is very hard on Harry, especially since he talked to him in the Great Hall."

Remus' jaw tightened at the mention of Snape but he nodded, "Well I will have to wait to say hello to him then." He ignored the hair prickling on the back of his neck at the thought of Snape having power over anyone he cared about, especially Harry. "Why did Harry need to talk to him?"

"He said he had a question to ask." Hermione thought a moment, "I wonder if that has anything to do with his detention tonight. Harry seemed very hesitant in telling us anything about it."

"Snuffles can sniff him out when we get back to Hogwarts and Remus can ask him about it. He'll probably need the distraction from cleaning caldrons or whatever he has to do this time." Ron suggested.

"Well in that case, shouldn't we be off to the school?"

Remus nodded and looked off into the distance toward Hogwarts. Something didn't feel right about the situation. And the werewolf wasn't sure that he was ready to face Severus Snape again.


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Harry wrote down ingredients on the labeled jars that Draco placed in front of him and marked the ones that were low or empty. It was a task that required very little thought, and Harry, hating silence as he did, quickly began a conversation. They didn't speak about anything important or even particularly stressful. The conversation began with a question about whether or not Draco died his hair (answered with an indignant huff and a very regal 'I would never!') and from there slid to silly but amusing subjects like, "Does Dumbledore bleach his hair to keep it white and appear old and wise?" and from there, "Would Voldemort ever turn to cosmetic magic to repair his ugly face?" Much to Harry's consternation it was very much like the conversations he had with Ron.

"You know," he said quietly as the last train of though was finished, "You aren't at all like I thought you were."

"Oh, so you've now discovered my charm and stunning good looks?" Draco grinned, the expression half way between evil and playful.

"Actually I meant the way you haven't insulted me once during this whole conversation."

"We all slip up now and then Potter, I'll try to remember to insult you more often."

"No, that's okay." Harry giggled.

Draco's eyes widened in surprise, "Did you just giggle?"

"No. It was a laugh. A very manly belly-laugh."

"That was most definitely a giggle." Draco decided and Harry groaned. "I wonder what the students would say if they knew their precious hero giggled like a little girl."

Harry blushed and the blond boy grinned. It was more of a smile really, it lit up the pale face and Harry gasped at the attraction the sight sent through him. He froze and tried to figure out what had just happened.

"Potter? Oi Potter, it was just a joke." Draco crawled across the floor and nudged Harry's shoulder, "Potter! Snap out of. . ."

Harry had decided that action worked better than thinking and let his body lead him. His body led him to surge forward and capture Draco's mouth with his. The ebon haired boy decided his liked letting his body do the thinking and shut down his mind completely. That way when Draco decked him for the stolen kiss, he wouldn't have to think about what an idiot he'd been.

He needn't have worried. Instead of decking him, Draco groaned and clutched Harry to him, slipping his tongue past the parted lips.

The other boy gasped and deepened the kiss further. He moved his hand to clutch the blond boy's arm and knocked over the jars that were nearest to them. The sound snapped them apart. "Woah." Harry breathed.

Draco touched his lips and looked up at Harry, "That was very nice."

"Yeah."

"Did you even mean to do that?" He smiled at the blank look on Harry's face.

"No."

"Can you form complete sentences?"

"No."

The Slytherin rolled his eyes and helped Harry up, settling him at the small kitchen table while her picked up the jars that had tumbled over. Luckily nothing had spilled or broken. He'd just about finished the inventory when Harry spoke up again.

"Draco?"

"Hm?" He washed his hands and placed the papers, quill and ink on the table before taking a seat himself.

"What was that?"

"A bloody good kiss."

Harry blushed again. He seemed to be doing that a lot lately. "You know what I mean."

Draco sighed, "That was a small taste of four years worth of unresolved sexual tension."

"Oh."

"Shocked?"

"A little." He admitted.

Draco shrugged, "You were the one who wouldn't take my hand."

"You insulted Ron!"

The blond looked at Harry carefully, "I was ten years old, and my father was my hero. I said what he would have said in the situation. It was the best I knew."

"So you were trying to impress me. . ."

"It backfired a bit didn't it."

"A bit?" Harry asked incredulously and fidgeted in the silence that followed.

"Awkward, this." Draco acknowledged.

"A little." Harry smiled a bit, "I keep waiting for the other shoe to drop."

"What?"

"It's a muggle expression. It means I'm waiting for something bad to happen."

The blond frowned a bit, "You know, I don't really hate you."

Harry smiled, "And I don't think you're a slimy git." He paused, "Not completely anyway."

"If we called a truce it would cause chaos in both our houses."

"Everyone would want to know what happened." Harry agreed.

"No one would know how to behave around us."

The green eyed boy spoke quickly, as if the words were racing to get out before his mind could comment. "Doyouwannatryit?"

Draco smiled, expertly sifting through the jumble of words as only a Malfoy could do. "Of course." He pressed another kiss, light and more swift this time, upon Harry's lips.

Harry blushed yet again.

"That's getting to be a habit." Draco grinned.

"Do you want people to know about. . . er. . ."

"Us kissing and liking it?"

"Yeah."

Draco shrugged, "I am a Malfoy, it doesn't matter what other people think as long as they still fear me."

"That's awful!"

"That's pure blood politics." Draco amended and kissed Harry again. "One good thing will come of it though."

"What?"

"If we suddenly start getting along for no apparent reason, eyes will definitely be off Severus and Lupin."

Harry smiled, "Snape is a lot different than I thought."

"Your view of people has been shifting a lot the past couple of days hasn't it? Just don't start cozying up to the rest of the Slytherins. I might get jealous."

Harry blinked, "Are we that kind of friends?" He asked, unsure of how Draco's thoughts were turning, "Are we exclusive?"

The blond nodded and smirked, "I don't kiss just anyone you know."

"I kissed you." Harry observed.

"Details, details." Draco waved his hand as if he were batting away an insignificant idea.

"You know, you look very royal when you do that."

"I know." He smiled and kissed the other boy again.

"Does this make you my boyfriend?" Harry questioned softly.

"Nah. It makes you my boyfriend."

"Can we tell Ron and Hermione first?"

"If I can be there when you do. I don't want to miss the looks on their faces." Draco snickered.

"Are you going to even try to be nice to them?" Harry questioned in a slightly annoyed voice.

"I won't try to be mean." Draco promised.

Harry nodded and looked down at their entwined hands. "Isn't this moving fast?"

"I've been waiting four years."

Harry recalled the conversation he'd heard. "I'm the Gryffindor present and Remus is Past."

"You heard that too." Draco observed.

"I didn't mean too! I couldn't get out without Snape noticing and giving me detention for life!"

"Big bad Harry Potter scared of the nasty potions professor?"

Harry nodded, not a bit ashamed. "Terrified."

That made Draco laugh and the laughter made Harry smile. "Harry Potter you are a real treat!"

"I try." Harry smirked and leaned in for another kiss.

A throat clearing broke them off abruptly. "Did you inhale any of the potion ingredients?" Snape asked with a very serious face.

"Professor Snape!" Draco smiled, "He said yes!"

The dark man smirked, "You act like it was a marriage proposal."

Harry smiled shyly.

The older man looked from Harry to Draco, "Are you sure that this is wise?"

Draco nodded. "We know what we're doing."

"Really." He deadpanned.

A barking sound from the corridor stopped the conversation and Harry's eyes got wide as saucers, "Snuffles!" He ran out the portrait hole and was tackled by the large dog and accosted with a rough doggy tongue. "You came too?! I didn't really think you'd be able to come back!"

Draco and Snape stepped into the hall and watched the scene with expressions of disgust and amusement.

"Hello Harry. We've missed you."

The laughing green eyes shuttered and Harry jumped up to stand in front of Draco and Snape. "Professor Lupin."

Lupin's eyes looked hurt and the dog at his side had gone quiet, looking from Harry to Lupin to the Slytherins Harry was protecting. "Harry? Is everything alright?"

"Professor, Would you please leave. I'm. . . serving detention."

"You didn't look like it a moment ago." He observed.

"I. . . it just started. Please, I don't want to lose house points."

"Oh." Remus looked confused but nodded, "Okay Harry. I'll see you later."

"I'll see you in class professor." He nodded and turned away.

Remus glared at Snape, sure that Harry's odd mood had something to do with him and the Malfoy standing beside him. "Come on Snuffles"

The dog looked at Harry as if asking if everything was okay, then licked his nose and followed the teacher down the corridor.

Draco waited until they were gone and then smirked at Harry. "You are a horrible liar. It's a good thing you weren't placed in Slytherin, we'd have eaten you up."

"There's still time." After he'd said it, Harry's eyes went wide and he clapped his hands over his mouth in horror. Draco might have taken it as a come-on if Harry's face hadn't matched Ron's hair from blushing so hard.

Snape snorted and shook his head. "You do not have to ruin your relationship with your mentor because of things that happened years ago."

"I know. I just can't stand to be around him when I think of what he did. Anyone who would leave their family and give up their child. . . I just can't believe Remus would do that!"

"I couldn't either." Snape frowned, "I learned."

"Will you be okay?" Harry asked.

"I will not break."

Harry bit his lip and hesitated a bit before lunging forward and hugging the foreboding professor around the waist.

Draco muttered something that sounded like 'utterly adorable' under his breath.

Snape smirked at Draco, "You, mister Malfoy, are smitten. Now if you wouldn't mind, kindly detach your 'boyfriend' from my person."

Harry stepped back and frowned at the potions master a bit.

"I am fine mister Potter. Thank you. Twenty house points for coming to the aid of a teacher."

The boy smiled, "I didn't do it for points." He promised.

"I know." Snape snorted, "That is why you recieved them."

Harry nodded and played with Draco's hand nervously, which made the other boy smirk even as he glowed. "Professor?"

"Hmm?"

"I'm sorry."

"For what?"

"For jumping to conclusions like Remus just did. I never really apologised to you for thinking you were a traitor first year, or for everything we said about you."

"It was your first time in the wizarding world. Learn from your mistakes Potter, that is why you make them."

"Just forgive me. Humor me okay?" He begged.

Snape rolled his eyes and kissed Harry's forehead, shocking the boy, "There, I forgive you."

"Good." The boy blushed.

"You had better both get back to your freinds. It's late."

"P. . . professor?"

"Hm?"

Harry swayed nervously and stared at the floor, "I. . . I can be your son for you. I know I'm not him but. . . I can be 'a' son. So you won't feel so alone anymore. And I know you aren't my dad but, you could be something like it. An adopted father." He swallowed hard, gathered his famed, Gryffindor courage and continued with surity in his voice, "And I wont be alone anymore either. If you don't mind a Potter for a son, that is."

Severus Snape shocked all three of them by hugging Harry Potter close again, fighting down tears. "You'll do Potter." He said gruffly.

Harry smiled and hugged the taller man tighter, they'd both lost someone, maybe they could make one family out of two broken ones. //And Draco makes three.//