Chapter 21

All canon characters belong to JKR.

Thanks to June for doing the beta work for me.

Chapter 21

As Osiris and Crookshanks were sprinting away, Draco was walking up to the entrance of the dungeons. He stopped briefly, thinking he had just seen something odd flash by him, and then thought, ‘Did I just see a huge black bird, riding an even bigger orange cat?’ He shook his head and continued on his path. ‘Next time I’ll cut myself off after two martinis.’ He had promised Ginny he would not interfere with the Severus-Hermione situation. And he wasn’t going to, but that didn’t mean he could not visit his godfather. It’s not like Severus would have suspected anything; after all, he had not said anything about his relationship with Hermione, and as far as Severus knew Hermione had not said anything either. Draco reached Severus’ door and knocked several times, before Severus came and opened it.

“Draco, what are you doing here?” asked Severus as he let in the young man.

“Can’t I come and visit?” asked Draco, as he walked in and took off his cloak.

Severus turned and offered him a drink, which he refused, as he sat on Severus’ couch. Severus sat across from him on his favorite chair, next to the fireplace.

“You know that you can visit me any time you wish,” stated Severus.

“I was meeting with some of father’s investors in Hogsmeade, and thought I’d stop by and say hello.”

“How is your father, by the way? I heard that he and Rosmerta were expecting; is that correct?” asked Severus.

Draco laughed. “Yes. Can you believe it? He told me about a month ago. He said he wanted to do it right this time.” Draco looked down at his shoes, trying to focus on something so that his tears would not fall. “He said he realized a few years ago that he had not been a good father to me, and asked me to forgive him.”

“And have you?” asked Severus.

“Yes. I’m old enough to look at it from his point of view at the time. He was a Death Eater then, and he believed in different things. He was busy with his beliefs and his Dark Lord. When he turned sides, he began to realize what a shit of a father he had been, when he realized he barely knew his own son. I’m glad he’s happy now, and I’m glad he’s decided to be a father to me.” Draco smiled. Wanting to change the subject, he stood and walked to Severus’ desk, where he picked up some papers. “Any prospective geniuses in your classes?”

Severus snorted. “Half-wits and dunderheads, the entire lot. I swear it’s as though they are getting stupider and stupider with each passing school year. As much as she drove me insane with her endless questions, I would give anything to have at least one know…” Severus realized what he was about to say and stopped.

“One what, one know-it-all like Hermione?” Draco noticed how uncomfortable Severus was and decided to throw caution to the wind. Ginny would forgive him for meddling. “What happened, Severus?” Severus looked surprised. “I know you were seeing each other.” Draco noticed Severus shift slightly in his chair.

“Nothing happened, and I’ll thank you to stay out of my affairs,” said Severus, in an annoyed tone.

“I’m not trying to meddle in your business, but it’s just that…” Draco hesitated, not quite knowing what he wanted to say.

“Well, spit it out, for Merlin’s sake.”

“You’re both miserable. You two were seeing each other for a couple of months, and you were…happy. At least, happy for you. And Hermione was positively glowing all the time. Then suddenly, something happens and you two aren’t even speaking to each other.” Draco had begun pacing.

“I take it she has been speaking with Ginny? And no doubt making me out to be the bastard in this whole situation,” said Severus, now growing fully agitated.

Draco stopped pacing and looked at him. “Severus, I’m not quite sure how to ask this, but…” Draco approached him. “You weren’t just using her for sex, were you? I mean, you did care for her, didn’t you?”

Severus looked up at him. ‘What the hell?’ he thought.

“So, it’s like that, is it?” Severus demanded. “Now the blame is mine, and she is innocent of all wrongdoing?” Severus stood and walked past Draco. He poured himself a brandy, and began to drink it down. “So typical of a woman!”

“I’ve only heard her side of what happened. If she had something to do with all this then please, enlighten me.” Draco was now confused. He had listened to Hermione the day she told him and Ginny about her breakup with Severus, as well as the cruel things he had said to her, but now Severus was turning it all around. Severus made it seem as though Hermione had done something to merit being treated like an unwanted dirty rag.

“Draco, I neither have the time nor the inclination to go into this with you. I’m asking you to stay out of this.”

“Severus, I love you like a father, but Hermione is my friend and…”

“Well, maybe your friend hasn’t been as honest with you as you think!” Severus was quickly losing his patience. Hermione had obviously painted the picture of her being the woman scorned, the one who had been mistreated and abused. He laughed to himself; of course she would not tell anyone of her plot to humiliate him. No! That would make her look like a cruel unfeeling bitch. “You need to leave, Draco.”

Draco picked up his cloak from the armrest of the couch and headed for the door. Before he walked out he looked at Severus, who was now sitting at his desk, head bowed and scribbling like mad.

“If you two could see how alike you both are, then maybe you could just sit down and talk this out. Something isn’t right, Severus, and if I were you, I’d find out what’s really going on before you both lose out.” Then Draco walked out.

Severus set down his quill and ran his hands through his hair as he sighed deeply. He thought about what Draco had said to him, then thought back on how Hermione had been acting. He began to wonder, if perhaps there was something more to what he had heard that day at the Three Broomsticks. Draco had planted the seed of doubt in his head. Severus shook it off, as he remembered the conversation he heard. No, there was no doubting what he had heard, and there was no doubting her part in the scheme. Still, something nagged at him now. ‘Damn that Draco,’ he thought.

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

Draco managed to put some doubt in Severus' head. Now its up to our two little friends to help out.