"Where’s Draco gonna sleep?" Harry asked me sleepily as I helped him into his pyjamas.

"Probably on the sofa for tonight. I’ll figure out something better tomorrow," I told the little boy, lifting him into his bed and settling Rexy in his arms.

"He could have my bed!" Harry piped up.

"That’s okay Harry, I’ll sleep on the sofa," Draco said from across the room as he flipped through a picture book with Hermione.

"You could sleep with me Draco that way you won’t be scared of the monster that lives in the sofa cushions you know I could have sworn that I saw something-" Hermione jabbered away.

Oh goody, wait until Hermone’s re-aged. It will be extremely fun to bother her about the time she asked Draco Malfoy to sleep with her!

"Er, what lives in the sofa?" he asked, looking stricken.

I had forgotten how easily scared he was … which reminded me of when I had taken Draco, who was ten at the time, on a camping trip in the nice little wood past Hogsmeade. He had gotten so frightened after hearing something wandering through the trees (most likely a deer) that I had had to take him back. We ended up toasting marshmallows in my living room!

I chuckled slightly and tucked Harry and Hermione into their beds, giving them each a hug goodnight before exiting the room with Draco.

"There aren’t really, well, monsters in the sofa, right?" Draco whispered to me once we were out of earshot.

"Goodness no, why?" I laughed, eyeing him with amusement as I summoned a few blankets and spread them on the sofa for him.

"Oh, no reason, just checking," said Draco, flopping down on the worn cushions.

I sat down beside him.

"I have a question for you Draco," I said, slightly warily.

"It’s about Harry isn’t it?" said the boy, looking at me searchingly.

"Yes, actually," I said, rather surprised.

I looked him in the eye.

"When Harry is re-aged, I would like to ask him if he wants to come live with me. I just want to know what your opinion is on that," I said rather quickly. "His aunt and uncle, they …’

"So there is more to it," Draco wondered aloud as I fell into silence. "I always thought it was rather weird he stayed at Hogwarts for Christmas all the time …’

"If Harry says yes, would you be alright with it?" I inquired softly after a moment.

"Does he need you?"

"What?" I asked, surprised.

"Does he need you?" Draco repeated, slightly louder.

"Yes, he does."

"Then it doesn’t matter, my opinion. You do what you think is best," he told me. "But if you want to hear my take: I’m fine with the idea."

"Really, you would be alright with that?" I asked, incredulously. I had expected him to be rather unhappy with the whole plan.

"Yeah, I think things have changed between me and Harry. Especially now that Fath- um, I don’t really have anyone to disapprove now," Draco said rather nervously.

"Thank you Draco," I said. "It means a lot to me, and it will mean a lot to Harry."

"Do you think he will say yes?" asked Draco.

"I hope so," I sighed, patting Draco on the shoulder before getting up to check on the re-ageing potion.

"I kind of do too," I heard him whisper.

***

Sighing, I finally extinguished the flame beneath the re-aging potion. All that was left was for it to cool. Tomorrow morning Harry and Hermione would grow up again. To me, it felt as if my whole world revolved around those children, and now they would be gone again. Thankfully, I had Draco, and hopefully, Harry would stay. But what would become of Hermione? I would miss her. I sat down, my legs a little weak as it hit me just how much I cared for those three kids, two of which I could lose. Funny how you do not realise how much you need someone, until they are taken from you.

"Severus, are you alright?" I heard a soft voice calling to me from the doorway.

"I’m fine Draco," I sighed.

"Then why do you look so damned depressed?"

"Language Draco."

"Sorry, then why do you look so depressed?"

"Harry and Hermione are going to be re-aged tomorrow," I informed him.

"What, already?" Draco asked, sounding rather shocked. "But I still have to teach Harry Quidditch, when he’s my age again he’ll be practically teaching me! And I promised Hermione I’d have a tea party with her!"

He looked a little embarrassed about the last part.

"A tea party? Did you really?" I chuckled.

"It was only fair, I promised to do something with Harry so I asked her what she wanted to do," Draco grumbled. "Not my fault she chose a tea party."

"Well, as much as I would love to see you all dressed up and playing tea party, the potion must be administered as soon as possible after brewing, otherwise it won’t be as effective," I told him, genuinely disappointed that he would not have time to indulge in such hilarity. The pictures I could have taken …

***

That night I laid awake in bed, almost afraid to fall asleep. Afraid that when I awoke, and the children were re-aged everything would return to the way it was before the incident. I did not want them to resent and despise me, for I had finally learned that I was wrong. Would it be too late for me? Would they revert to their old opinions and judge me not for how I had treated them recently, but of how I had treated them in the past? Each of these questions seemed to rip away at my insides, and as the moonlight flickered across my bed and the clouds rolled in, I wondered … would their memories too, become holes in my heart? I had too many already.

At quarter to two I crept out of my bed, silent as the approaching storm outside my small window. Into the living room I tiptoed, glancing upon Draco, who slept rather restlessly upon the sofa. His pillow was stained with tears, which had since dried upon his face. With a lurch of my insides I realised that he had been completely silent. I sighed quietly and moved toward Hermione’s and Harry’s room. They too, were asleep. Both looked peaceful; no nightmares for Harry tonight. I could not help but wonder if tomorrow would become one.

Hermione muttered something about butterflies, making little faces in her sleep. It was a quirk I had learned to expect from her. Though she did not always sleep-talk of butterflies, they seemed to be a common theme. She was as interesting as Harry as she slumbered; only Harry seemed to be constantly troubled. Nightmares ... he had so many. As of late however, he had been having less. I wondered if it was because he felt safe with me around, for I was almost positive that I had been the first to comfort him after a nightmare. I doubt his aunt and uncle ever did.

I stood in the doorway for a long time, just watching them, enjoying the present. I would miss them terribly. Though I wouldn’t admit it to anyone.

It was a long time before I returned to my bed.

***

"Where are we going Uncle Sev?" Harry asked with a yawn as I carried him through the corridors.

"Yeah where are we going why couldn’t we sleep a little longer is it because it’s raining real hard out there is your house gonna flood if it is I want to get my books they wouldn’t like the water-" Hermione said at lightning speed from atop Draco’s shoulders. She was having far too much fun messing up his hair.

"Please Hermione, I spent ages trying to get that to stay!" he pleaded, grimacing as he felt the hair upon his scalp shift once again in her grip.

"It looks good this way why don’t you answer is it going to flood Uncle Sev please tell me-’

"It is not going to flood, Madam Pomfrey needs to give you two something so you don’t catch an illness that is going around," I told the children, using the cover story I had decided upon with Poppy. It would be far too confusing to tell them what was really going on.

"Then Mummy and Daddy are coming to get me aren’t they you said something about that right-’

"Yes Hermione," I said.

Poppy and I had thought it smart to tell Hermione her parents would be coming for her, seeing as she had been missing them as of late. It had surprised me how well Hermione had dealt with being away from her parents. It did make some sense however; she had informed me that she sometimes stayed with her cousins for a few days if her parents were really busy with work. Apparently dentists are busy people.

"Yay yay yay I can’t wait to show Mummy how good I did with tying me shoes and tell Daddy about Harry and Draco and how much fun I had with you Uncle Sev-’

"I’m sure they’ll love to hear it," I told her as Poppy opened the door of the hospital wing.

"There you are, I was wondering when you sleepyheads would arrive," Poppy laughed as she beckoned us in. "My, your little ones are still in pyjamas, slow start?"

"No, I let them stay in them because the potion is going to put them to sleep anyway," I told her, rubbing Harry’s back as he and Rexy snuggled into my shoulder.

"My pyjamas are purple see they’re my very favoritest ones you know-" interrupted Hermione.

"Good thinking Severus," she said as I handed her two miniscule phials of potion from my pocket.

"That’s all it takes to-" Draco began incredulously.

"Stop them from getting Dragon Pox?" Poppy said hastily. "Yes, the potion is very potent."

"Oh, right," Draco muttered, flushing slightly before moving Hermione’s hand away from his hair once again. The damage was done however, which resulted in a slight scowl from him.

I shook my head and strode over to a bed.

"Let’s give it to them before Harry falls asleep on me," I sighed, sitting down on the edge of the bed.

"What’s it gonna do Uncle Sev?" the little boy in my arms asked sleepily, looking up at me in wonder.

"The potion will make sure you don’t get sick with Dragon Pox, but it will make you really sleepy. You’ll probably sleep for a couple hours," I told him, feeling guilty for lying to him about the potion's real intent. But it had to be done.

"’Kay," he smiled.

You couldn’t help but smile back at that little boy, especially with his perpetual bed-head. It was quite endearing while he was little. Whereas when he was a teenager it was really quite irritating. Mind you, I can’t exactly talk can I? With me hair constantly greasy from potion fumes.

"Would you like a minute, Severus?" Poppy asked softly, looking from me to the children.

I nodded.

While I spoke with Harry, Draco said goodbye to Hermione. She looked quite distressed at the thought of not seeing Draco for a while. I could hear conversation relating to a tea party drifting toward me. I ignored it however, and turned my thoughts to the little boy before me.

"You’re a great kid Harry," I said, tucking him into his bed. "I hope you can come live with me and Draco."

"Me too, Uncle Sev. This week was the bestest week ever!" he told me enthusiastically.

"I’ll see you when you wake up," I sighed, giving him a nice long hug. "I have to go tuck Hermione in now, I’ll be back to give you your potion, okay?"

"Wait, I got something to tell you!" Harry said as I left to get up.

"What?" I asked, sitting back on the bed.

Harry crawled over to me and whispered something into my ear.

"I love you Uncle Sev."

"I love you too Harry," I replied softly, pulling him into another hug. He smiled at me, eyes so happy. Happier than I’d seen them for a very long time.

A few moments later I strode over to Hermione’s bed, and Draco moved over to Harry’s.

"Hello Hermione," I said, tucking the covers around the girl as she hung tight to her blanket.

"Is the medicine gonna hurt?" she whispered to me fearfully.

"No, you won’t feel a thing, but the potion in going to make you fall asleep for a while," I told her, smoothing the covers around her as I knelt by her bedside.

"That’s good and I’m excited to see Mummy and Daddy but I’m gonna m-miss you Uncle Sev-" she babbled tearfully.

"I’ll miss you too Hermione," I sighed. "You can come and visit any time you would like, alright?"

"Really I can?" she gasped excitedly.

"Yes, even when you are old enough to go to school here," I told the little girl. I hoped she would remember this conversation.

"But how will I visit before I can go here?" Hermione said tearfully. "Mummy and Daddy are too busy!"

"Don’t worry about it; I know you’ll be able to visit. There are special ways for wizards, and witches like you, to get around." I told her.

She still looked concerned, sniffing sadly.

"Now, I can’t give you your potion without seeing that smile again!" I said to the distraught girl.

"But I don’t feel like smiling Uncle Sev," she whimpered.

"Well, I have just the thing for that," I said mischievously, an idea occurring to me. She looked at me, wondering what I was up to.

I swooped down on Hermione and picked her up, tossing her up into the air. The little girl squealed with glee before landing safely in my arms again.

"That was so much fun do it again please please!" she begged, smiling once more.

"Once more," I chuckled, tossing her up again. I remembered how much Draco had loved when I did that.

"I think that’s better," I said to her, tucking her back in. "I’ll see you a little later Hermione."

"Okay," She smiled, giving me a hug before settling in again.

Harry tugged at my sleeve.

"Can you throw me too?" Harry asked.

"Sure," I said, picking him up.

***

Once both kids were settled down again, Poppy poured out the potion. I sat between the beds, which had been pushed closer together so I could be with them both as they were re-aged. I had charmed their pyjamas so that they would grow with them.

"See ya Uncle Sev!" Harry said with a smile before I helped him drink his potion; Hermione was helped by Draco.

"Goodbye Harry," I whispered as his eyes fluttered closed. Hermione, on my other side did the same.

I pulled Harry’s small frame into my arms, watching as his features changed and his limbs grew before my eyes, until the boy leaning up against my chest was no longer just a boy. He had become a young man once more. Beside me Draco watched Hermione’s transformation. He held onto her hand tightly. She had been quite fond of him, and he of her.

When the transformations were finished, Draco pulled out a book, and began to read in an armchair by the window. I however, sat in limbo between the two beds, wondering when the two would awake, and how my life would change in the next few hours. I slipped into a slumber with my back slumped against my chair, a hand on Harry’s shoulder, and a hand encasing Hermione’s.