Whelp

'Harry?' he said quietly, and the boy blinked, but still didn't look at him. His face looked even tinier without the aid of his glasses, and his eyes were . . . not glazed, exactly, but looking at something distant, that Severus could not hope to see. Severus sat down on the side of the bed and took one of Harry's hand in his own.

'Harry, look at me, please.' He was momentarily struck by the phrase, minutely different from the one he'd spoken to Draco only half an hour ago. Both boys needed to be handled with care, he knew, and he once more felt out of his depth. When his son still did not break that distant gaze, Severus felt the first stirrings of fear. He squeezed Harry's hand and spoke more firmly. 'Harry. Look at me.'

Draco stepped forward. 'Harry?' he said. 'Are you all right? I'm sorry about the lake, honest. I didn't think the squid . . .' He shot a glance at Severus. 'I mean, I'm just sorry.'

Harry blinked again and drew his head to the side as if he were half asleep, but his gaze was aimed at Draco, whose face was still pinched with worry. 'Draco?'

'Yeah, Harry. Are you still sleepy?'

Harry shook his head. 'You okay?'

'I'm fine. I was worried about you.' Draco smiled a little. 'You had us all worried, even Nelli.'

'Nelli?'

Severus watched the back and forth between his godson and Harry, and wondered if Poppy had given the boy too much sleeping draught; he seemed truly out of it, and had yet to acknowledge that Severus was even there. He hated to admit that to be shunned like this hurt, a lot.

'The house-elf that was watching us. She pulled you out of the water, while I went to get your father. Do you remember?'

'My father's dead,' Harry mumbled, and the words hit Severus like a Centaur's kick to the chest. 'Car crash . . .'

'No! Harry—' Draco started, but Severus interrupted.

'Draco, if you would be so kind,' he said, and nodded his chin at the chairs near the doors. The boy gave him a glare, but moved away like he'd been told. Meanwhile, Severus put his hands on Harry's shoulders and looked into those green eyes he'd so loved on Lily's face. 'Harry, I am your father, and I am right here.'

'Sending me back,' the boy mumbled again, his gaze still not focused.

'I am doing no such thing!' He wanted to shake the boy, but instead merely tightened his grip on the bony shoulders. 'You are my son, and I will never send you away.'

'M'hand got wet. Disobeyed. Have to go back if I disobey.'

'No, Harry. No.' Merlin, is that what the boy thought? That he was here on a temporary basis, that the least infraction of rules would have made Severus send him back to those god-awful people? How was he going to make Harry understand otherwise? His voice came out rough when he said, 'Listen to me well, Harry. I don't care what you do, you could do anything at all, but I will never, never send you away. I will never send you back to those people. You are my son and always will be. Do you understand me?'

Light flickered in those green eyes, briefly, and Severus rejoiced when Harry truly met his gaze at last. So much trust rested in there, still, and hope, and Severus vowed to become worthy of it or die trying. 'Never send me 'way?'

'Never, ' Severus agreed in a whisper and pulled the boy close. Harry wrapped thin arms around his neck and buried his face in Severus' shoulder. As silent tears drenched his neck, Severus pressed his cheek to the side of his son's head and the tightness in his own chest eased, just a bit. Ah, what anguish, love.

TBC . . .

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Next chapter: Laying down the rules . . .

A/N: And the question of why Harry hates baths is finally answered! Thank you to everyone who's read and reviewed! If you have any questions, or comments or corrections, please let me know. Next chapter should be out by Wednesday. Probably.

*Chapter 24*: Chapter 24

Whelp -- Chapter 24

By jharad17

Disclaimer: None of this is mine. Honest. She's rich, blond and British. I'm not.

A/N at end, and slightly longer than normal. Apologies in advance.

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Aside from having dinner with Draco in his quarters, Severus spent the rest of the afternoon with Harry, sitting by his bed in the infirmary. The two boys settled next to each other, leaning back on plumped pillows and talking softly, while Severus read from his newest Potions Quarterly and listened discreetly to their conversation. Draco hadn't apologized again, as well he shouldn't – groveling was fine on occasion, but excessive groveling from a Malfoy would be intolerable – but he was surprised to hear Harry ask Draco again if he was hurt.

'I heard you scream,' Harry told him, earnest even in his very quiet voice. 'I thought the squid got you.'

'I didn't scream,' Draco insisted. 'I was just calling your name. You know, in a concerned way.' Draco paused and nudged Harry lightly with his shoulder. 'Anyway, did