Whelp

A friend, at Hogwarts! And with no silver canes around at all. He still needed to watch out for Mister Filch, but with Draco here, he would have someone to play dragons with, and they could watch out for the mean man together. 'Yes, sir. I'd like that.'

'All right then. I'll send a note round tomorrow, and we'll see if he can join us next week for a couple of days.'

Harry leaned back and looked into his father's face. 'Thank you!'

'You're welcome. Now, go get changed into something suitable for outdoors, get your broom, and I'll take you out flying, all right?'

Squeezing his father in a excited hug, he shouted, 'Yes, sir!' and ran into his room to do just that.

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TBC . . . with more Hogwarts, more Draco, and more . . . trouble?

A/N: For anyone who was confused about the punishment Filch met with – and whose questions I've not already answered in response to reviews – Severus cursed him by removing his arms. The spell has a month-long duration, unless Snape reverses it, which he has intention of doing at this time.

I hope this chapter answered most concerns about why Snape would divulge to the Malfoys that he's adopted Harry Potter. If not, let me know and I'll try to make it clearer in the future.

Once again, I want to thank the reviewers who give of their time to let me know how much they're enjoying this story. I try to respond to everyone, especially if you have specific questions that haven't been addressed adequately in the text, or things that need correcting (like what kinds of snakes are in Britain thing, or how to spell Narcissa's nickname; D'oh!). Also, if there's something you want to see that I haven't covered, or plot bunnies I might be able to tackle in the future, please let me know. This story is pretty open wide to future ideas! And thanks, too, to all other readers, even if you don't have the time or inclination to review. Hits (now at over 60,000) are very cool, too!

*Chapter 18*: Chapter 18

Whelp -- Chapter 18

By jharad17

Disclaimer: I'm not blond, nor rich. 'Nuff said.

A/N at end.

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Over the remainder of the weekend, Harry must have asked Severus at least twenty times if he had yet sent the request for Draco to come and stay. Whilst he was very glad that Harry was starting to feel comfortable asking him for things, especially things for himself, by the time he finally got around to sending the thank you note for tea, along with the request, on Sunday afternoon, he was quite ready to tear his hair out. But then, Harry just had a new thing to ask about: had the Malfoys responded yet?

In between these questions, the boy chattered on about the game of Wizard chess and Draco's broom and how funny his new friend was, and Severus was too grateful to see him more animated than he'd been since being taken from the Dursleys, to mind overmuch. Still, he was more than weary when bedtime rolled around Sunday night.

As had become their ritual, Severus tucked Harry in after he'd had his shower, dressed in clean pajamas, and brushed his teeth. He brushed the boy's hair off his forehead, briefly exposing the lightning scar. Harry caught his hand, and held it still, while his bright green eyes searched Severus' face.

'What is it, child?'

'I love you, Daddy,' Harry whispered.

Severus caught his breath as bands of steel wrapped around his chest. How could he feel so much for this child, in such a short time? He felt his lips curve up in a smile, and he curled his hand to cup the boy's face. 'I love you, too, Harry. Time to sleep, now. Tomorrow will be busy.'

Harry smiled back. 'You always say that.'

'It's always true.'

'Tell me a story about Hogwarts tonight, Father. Please?'

'All right, then. Settle in.' He waited while Harry curled into his customary position on his side, knees drawn up to protect his belly. 'Ready?' At Harry's nod, he started, 'When I first came to Hogwarts, I was met at the train, like all first years, by a giant of a man named Hagrid, with a bellowing voice but as genial a disposition as you'll ever find . . .'

'What's geenal?' Harry interrupted softly.

'Genial. It means kind, Harry. Hagrid is a very kind man.'

By the time he'd finished a particularly poignant -- in his opinion -- tale of the dangers of Hagrid's obsession with dangerous beasts when mixed with the curiosity of young new students, Harry had already drifted off. Severus smoothed the dark hair out of his face again, and briefly touched his lips to the child's forehead. Never mind his own feelings, how in the world had Harry decided that he, Severus Snape, was worthy of trust. Of love?

It made his heart ache for Lily, and for her son. His son, now. After spelling on the ball of light on the bedside table, he set the charm that would let him know if the boy woke or suffered any bad dreams, then rose and quietly made his way to the door. There, he turned back and watched Harry in his tangle of covers. As he'd told Albus, Harry did not look much different to his eyes than before the blood ritual that bound them, father and son.

But what, then, had caused the pain that had woken the boy from sleep that day? In the dim shadow cast by