Harry's stomach rumbled, dragging his attention away from his textbook and notes. He glanced at the clock on the library wall, noting with some surprise that it was after one o'clock in the afternoon. Zan had come to fetch him for lunch earlier, but Harry had asked him to just put a stasis spell over his plate. Severus had said earlier that he was going to Hogwarts to speak with Dumbledore about making plans for Draco, and Harry had been engrossed in his work and had not wanted to stop, even to eat. He had figured that if he were going to be dining by himself that it wouldn't really matter if he ate a little late.

He hadn't intended to wait quite this long though. Somehow while he had been reviewing the steps to brewing the antidote for curare poisons, an entire hour had slipped by.

Harry looked back down at his notes, which completely covered the small table by the window where he usually sat. He had to grin a little at the sight. Who would ever guessed that he, Harry Potter, would become so involved with Potions that he would forget to eat lunch?

Though to be perfectly honest, he really wasn't any more interested in Potions than he ever had been, but his last brewing session had been such a disaster. He had made so many ridiculous mistakes and wasted ingredients, some of which were rather expensive, Harry knew, and still his father had been so patient and understanding with him. Harry was determined that he would do better next time. Not just better; no, he was going to be outstanding and make his father proud.

So he had finished his other assignments as quickly as possible this morning and then had settled down to study Potions with an intensity that he had rarely shown before.

But now it was a full hour past lunch and Harry had to admit that he was pretty hungry. He started to gather up his notes and his textbook to put them away when a rustle and the sound of footsteps made him look up to see Draco standing in the library doorway.

The blond boy was dressed impeccably in a blue plaid shirt underneath a pale ivory jumper and grey trousers. At once Harry felt shabby in his Cannons sweatshirt and blue jeans and he had to remind himself that he too had a wardrobe full of fine clothes upstairs. But his sweatshirt and jeans were warm and soft and particularly comfortable so he had decided to dress more casually today.

Harry waited to see if Draco would sneer or look down his nose at him, but the other boy just looked uncertain, almost scared. It wasn't like the old Draco, but then again he did seem to be changing.

Draco swallowed. "I wanted to get a book to read. Severus said you would be finished in here by lunch so I thought it would be all right to come now."

Harry thought of how distraught the Slytherin boy had been the other night, how he had even apologized, and he just couldn't bring himself to bristle at Draco now.

"It's all right, I guess. I'm leaving." He turned his attention back to his notes, expecting Draco to head over to the library shelves to search for his book, but Draco slowly approached Harry instead.

"What are you studying? Oh, the curare anti-dote...that can be tricky."

Harry hesitated before finally nodding in agreement. "Yeah."

"I helped Severus brew that one time, but I mixed up the Abyssinian shrivelfig and the hellebore and caused an explosion. Severus was a bit annoyed," Draco finished wryly.

The corners of Harry's mouth quirked upwards before he realized it. "You really caused a potion to explode?"

"Worse than anything Longbottom ever did. Severus' office was a total wreck. You should have seen him standing there with the antidote dripping from his hair and off the end of his nose." Draco smiled at the memory and Harry was surprised to see that it was a real smile, not a sneer or a smirk. "Of course I suppose I didn't look much better."

Harry's tentative smile bloomed into a full-fledged grin. He and Draco stood there for a moment before Harry realized that the two of them were practically being friendly.

But as soon as that thought occurred to him, he began to feel awkward again and quickly turned back to gathering his parchment. "Yeah, well..."

"Wait," Draco protested as Harry started to leave. "Maybe I could...you know, help you study?"

Harry gave him an incredulous look. "You're offering to help me?"

"Well, these nerve-based anti-dotes are notoriously difficult and Potions is one of my strengths," Draco pointed out.

"Weren't you just telling me how you caused an explosion brewing this?" Harry raised his eyebrow at Draco.

"Please, I was twelve then," Draco scoffed. "I could brew this anti-dote in my sleep now."

"You were brewing sixth-year potions when you were twelve?" Harry couldn't help but be impressed. Of course, he reminded himself, Hermione had successfully brewed the notoriously difficult polyjuice potion at twelve also.

"Well, I wasn't really brewing it myself. I was helping Severus," Draco admitted.

Harry narrowed his eyes. "Why would you want to help me?"

Draco bit his lip. He was quiet for a long moment before saying in a low voice, "Well, I know I can't make up for the things I did to you, but I really am sorry, and..." His voice trailed off.

Harry felt a flash of anger. "You think helping me with Potions can make up for enslaving me and running to the papers about it!"

"No!" Draco protested at once. He gazed at Harry with uncertain, yet earnest, eyes. "I know I can't make up for any of that. I said so, didn't I? But I just thought...I don't know, that maybe I could help you."

He swallowed. "And besides, as much as I enjoy my own company, it can get..." Draco flushed and ducked his head before mumbling, "rather lonely not ever seeing anyone."

Harry crossed his arms. "You see Severus and the elves."

Draco sighed and his shoulders slumped, almost imperceptibly, before he turned away. "I meant someone our age, but yeah, I can't blame you for hating me."

Draco headed for the nearest book shelf while Harry watched him in silence, feeling torn. He wasn't sure he wanted to spend time with Draco, indeed the whole idea seemed crazy. After all, he had been saying all along that he didn't want to be around the other boy.

But he didn't really hate Draco anymore. After last night, when he had seen firsthand how haunted Draco was, Harry couldn't help but feel a little sympathy for him, and the other boy did seem to be changing.

"I guess we could try it," Harry heard himself say.

Draco turned around to face him and though his face was carefully neutral, his shoulders lifted and his silver eyes lightened for a minute. "All right, that would be good."

"But I haven't had lunch yet and I'm starving." Harry hesitated. "I guess I could eat in here."

Draco eyed the small round table near the window. "I think we're going to need more space. I don't have my wand, but can you do an engorgio spell?"

Harry rolled his eyes. "Considering that it's a fourth-year charm, I would certainly hope so."

A short while later they were seated at the now-enlarged table. Zan brought Harry's lunch...a bowl of tomato soup and a sandwich, along with butterbeer...and Draco motioned towards Harry's notes.

"Do you mind if I spread these out so we can go over them?"

"Sure, go ahead." Harry took a bite of his sandwich.

Draco paused and watched him. "What is that?"

Harry chewed the bite and swallowed it. "A peanut butter and banana sandwich. You want to try one?"

Draco shot him a look of incredulous disgust. "I think not."

Harry shrugged. "Your loss. It's good."

Draco shook his head and pointed to Harry's notes. "Look, here where you have that you need to chop the shrivelfig leaves, you really have to ground them up. Most people don't get them fine enough..."

Harry took a drink of butterbeer and leaned closer to study the parchment. "Ok, but don't you have to be sure they still have some juice?"

"No, that's the hellebore roots that need to retain some juice," Draco told him.

The two boys pored over the notes, the dark-haired and blond heads bent together as they discussed the finer points of brewing the curare anti-dote.

"So we are going to have to come up with some alternatives for Draco, Albus. He needs a full-time mentor, someone who can be devoted to guiding and healing him. But I cannot be that person. It's not fair to Harry," Severus finished, leaning forward slightly with his hands resting on his knees, fingers steepled.

He and Albus were in the headmaster's private study, sitting in crimson leather armchairs before a blazing fire. Cups of tea and a tray of watercress sandwiches rested on a low table between them.

Severus had been there for most of the morning. He had not intended to stay for so long, but Albus had had one delay after another. A member of the Board of Governors had dropped by unexpectedly; Poppy had needed his approval to order some expensive medicinal potions for the infirmary; and Sybyll Trelawney just had to vent her latest frustrations on sharing the Divination post with the centaur Firenze.

Then when Severus had thought they would finally be left alone, Professor Grubbly-Plank had caused a potentially dangerous leak in seventh-year Potions by incorrectly brewing the Invigoration Draught. Both Severus and Albus had had to go down to the dungeons to rectify the matter and to check if any of the students had inhaled damaging fumes.

"Ah, Severus," Albus had sighed once they were back in his office. "I miss you and Harry, but I also truly need you back here. Professor Grubbly-Plank is fine with the lower classes, but the NEWT Level potions are beyond her skills, and Professor Sinistra simply does not have your knack for managing Slytherin House either."

Severus had been regretful, but firm. He and Harry had both sacrificed plenty in the past. Now it was time for them to do what was best for them.

"I will not push Harry to return before he is ready, Albus, if indeed he ever is," Severus had replied. "Perhaps you could take over the NEWT classes, or it might even be time to look for a permanent instructor, one who has a Potions degree?"

Albus had looked at him sorrowfully. "So you are not planning to return at all then?"

Severus had shrugged. "I don't know, Albus. Harry is not ready right now, and I have promised not to pressure him. In any case, I have considered resigning once he finished at Hogwarts. I think we all know that I am not a born teacher."

"You have always been gifted at Potions, Severus, and this year you had made great improvements in relating to the students," Albus had said softly.

"I have tried, but I believe I will be much happier devoting myself to research. I had intended to stay for these two years while Harry finished his education, but now, who knows? It may take two years or more before he feels comfortable leaving home and facing the world, and I will let him decide that for himself."

Severus had shrugged again. "Under these circumstances, it is not right to keep inferior instructors in place hoping that I might return in the future. You must do what is best for the students right now."

Albus had reluctantly nodded. "You are correct, Severus, I know. But I cannot stop hoping that you and Harry might decide to come back. I will take over the NEWT classes as you suggest, and perhaps consider looking for a new Potions professor next term if nothing changes."

Albus had given him a sudden sharper glance. "But I believe that you had come to speak with me about our young Slytherin friend? We didn't have much time to talk the other night."

So Severus had told him all about the events of the past few days in detail. Now they both sat in silence, watching the orange flames crackle happily as they licked the logs in the fireplace grate.

Finally Albus stirred. "Severus, do you know who has official custody of Draco now?"

"I had assumed that the Tonks' family did," Severus answered.

Albus nodded. "Yes, as Lucius is imprisoned and has lost parental rights, that leaves Andromeda Tonks as Draco's next of kin. Andromeda and Ted Tonks are travelling abroad though. Nymphadora told me that they had decided to leave Britain when Voldemort returned to power, thinking that in all probability, Bellatrix would be likely to harm Ted. As you know, Dora refused to accompany them and stayed to help with the war effort."

"Yes, most commendable of her," Severus admitted, though Dora Tonks had always grated on his nerves with her happy-go-lucky personality and incessant chatter, he had to admit that she had courage in spades.

"I have spoken with Andromeda and Ted, and they are happily settled in Bermuda and have no wish to return to our fair isle, so for practical terms that means that Dora and her fiance will be the ones dealing with Draco," Albus continued.

Severus raised an eyebrow and waited.

"Did you know that Dora Tonks and Remus Lupin are engaged?" Albus inquired.

Severus frowned but before he could speak, Albus continued, "It strikes me that there is one simple solution to all our troubles, Severus. If you allow Remus Lupin to assist with tutoring, it would give you more free time to spend with Harry. It would also give Draco and Remus a chance to get to know one another, which would be good for the both of them as they will become a family once Remus and Dora are married in the spring."

Severus scowled at him. "I've already told you that I don't want Lupin in my home, Albus!"

"He doesn't have to set foot in Prince Hall. He could work with the boys here," Albus replied. "And Severus, I know that there is bad history between the two of you, but consider all the advantages. You said that you needed to have more time with Harry and that Draco needed a stable father-figure. Remus is already going to be in that position. What solution could be more perfect, for all of you?"

Severus leaped from his chair and stalked around the room, his black robes billowing. He was torn with conflicting emotions. He despised Remus Lupin. The werewolf might not have been as smug and arrogant as the other Marauders had been, but he had been a weakling, never daring to stand up for his convictions and blindly following along with their wishes. Not to mention how irresponsible Lupin had been the year he had been teaching at Hogwarts. What if he had bitten one of the students when he had so carelessly forgotten his Wolfsbane?

And not just any students...Harry had been in Lupin's direct sights that night. What if Lupin had bitten his son? Or one of Harry's closest friends? For Severus had to admit that he grown fond of Ron Weasley and Hermione Granger. They were true friends and they loved his son.

Yet Albus was right. It would solve a lot of problems if Lupin took over some of the tutoring and associated chores. It would give Severus more time with Harry...and it could potentially be very good for Draco.

Harry would probably like to see Lupin again anyway. He had always been close to the werewolf, for some reason. Severus didn't like that either, but he cared for Harry enough that he would not interfere. He gave an inward sigh and conceded the point.

"Very well, Albus," he said evenly. "Contact Lupin and see if he is willing."