"He's avoiding us," Draco said. "I don't think he wants to be friends anymore."

Evan's head was down and his eyes were closed. "It's okay," he said quietly. "I should have known."

Draco looked at the head table, hoping that Uncle Sev would be up there finishing his dinner and could offer some help with this, but he was gone.

Feeling a bit out of his depth, he bumped his shoulder against Evan's. "We'll make other friends, you'll see."

Evan nodded, but didn't look convinced.

Draco looked up as an older Ravenclaw student approached the two of them. "You can't sit here," she said.

Draco sneered, putting his Malfoy face to use. "We can sit anywhere we want."

"No you can't. Go sit at your own table," she insisted, her hands on her hips.

Evan grabbed Draco's hand and attempted to pull him up. "Let's go, Draco," he said, his voice filled with fear. Draco was sure that he hadn't heard what the Ravenclaw said, but he'd heard Draco's response and obviously thought they were in trouble.

The Ravenclaw smirked and Draco jumped up, ready to hex the stupid twit.

"Leave them alone, Harris," a voice said from behind Draco.

Draco turned to see a Gryffindor girl standing with her arms crossed. "They haven't done anything wrong," she said.

The Ravenclaw girl sneered. "They can't sit at our table, Johnson, they're Slytherins."

"So, if we were Hufflepuffs or Gryffindors, we would be fine sitting here?" Draco asked snidely, sitting back down.

The girl just stared at him, her mouth hanging open.

"They're children and one of them is blind, just in case you were too blind to notice." The Gryffindor girl said as she sat down next to Draco. "Hi, my name is Lizzy." She held her hand out to Draco.

Draco was flabbergasted. Gryffindors didn't talk nicely to Slytherins, it was a rule. An unwritten one, true, but still a rule.

He took her hand and she shook it firmly, but then she laughed at the utter disbelief on Draco's face. "Don't worry, the world hasn't ended," she said. "Just tilted a bit."

Draco laughed in spite of himself. Evan tugged on his hand, silently asking what was going on.

"Evan, the girl sitting next to me is Lizzy, she's a Gryffindor."

Evan smiled shyly in her direction, but leaned closer to Draco. "Is she nice?" he asked in a low voice.

Draco grinned. "Maybe," he said slyly, "I've only just met her."

Lizzy smiled and leaned around Draco to touch Evan's hand. "Hi Evan. I hope you'll think I'm nice."

The Ravenclaw girl, Harris, just harrumphed and stomped away, muttering about stupid Slytherins and even stupider Gryffindors.

"Why are you talking to us?" Draco asked curiously.

Lizzy looked at Evan. "I've got a little sister who's blind," she said. "I thought that since Professor Snape isn't here at the moment, I could help you get back to your room."

Draco nodded his acceptance. "Thanks," he said, then repeated what Lizzy had said to Evan. When Lizzy looked curious, Draco explained about Evan's hearing. Lizzy nodded as she moved to sit next to Evan.

"Is it okay if I sit here, Evan?" She asked.

Evan flinched a little. "Yes," he said.

Lizzy leaned close to him, but not too close. Draco saw Evan take a deep breath, as if to calm himself.

"I would like to help you," she said. "I help my sister, Janey."

"Was your sister hurt?" Evan asked.

"No, she was born blind. My parents are Muggles, I'm the only one in the family with magic."

"How old is Janey?" Draco asked, squashing an impulse to say something nasty about Mudbloods. He was not his father, and he would continue to remind himself of that as many times as it took. He was going to get it to sink into his brain and stay there.

"She's twelve, four years younger than me." Lizzy replied. "I have a brother who's fourteen."

"So what would you do to help Evan?" Draco asked.

Lizzy laughed. "Is this an interview?"

Draco grinned. "Maybe."

~HPSSHPSS~

Severus had left the Great Hall without dinner and now he was annoyed as well as hungry. The grading of the first essays of the term had been pushed back and now could no longer wait. He wrote furiously across the essays from the third years, wondering if they had forgotten everything over the summer.

Severus checked the clock; dinner was nearly finished, he would need to leave soon. He turned his attention back to the essays, sighing in exasperation. Three more to go, hopefully Draco and Harry would wait for him in the hall and not try to make the trek back to his rooms by themselves. He considered sending Dotty to let the two boys know where he was, but decided that he could finish grading the essays and still have enough time to make it to the Great Hall before they left.

Two of the last three essays were atrocious, obviously written at the last minute without having even read the book and he viciously slashed a "T" across the pages and settled them on the stack. The last one was coherent and well written enough to garner an "E" along with some slightly approving comments.

Finished with the odious task, Severus shrugged into his teaching robes and left his office, returning to the Great Hall to collect Harry and Draco.

He was nearly to the doors of the Hall when both boys emerged, Harry holding the hand of Elizabeth Johnson.

"Miss Johnson," Severus said. "May I inquire as to what you are doing?"

"Lizzy is helping Evan," Draco said before Miss Johnson could answer. "She has a little sister that's blind and she knows how to help."

Severus gazed at her speculatively. "Is this true, Miss Johnson?" he asked.

She looked extremely nervous, but nodded. "I help Mum with Janey whenever I'm home."

Severus nodded. "You may accompany us to my quarters."

He pulled Harry aside and knelt down to talk to him. "Miss Johnson will walk with you back to our home, but I will be right here."

"Why aren't you walking me, sir?" Harry didn't sound upset, merely curious.

"I want to assess her behaviour and abilities and this will help."

Harry nodded, then leaned into Severus to whisper, "She smells good."

Severus couldn't help it, he laughed. "What do you smell?" he asked.

"Lemons," Harry replied. "And vanilla."

Minerva joined Severus before the group had arrived at the first set of stairs leading down to the dungeon. The two of them dropped back so that they could talk quietly without the boys and Miss Johnson overhearing.

"I was going to recommend her to you," she commented about Miss Johnson. "Her family are Muggles and she helps with her sister."

"So she has told me," Severus said. "I am considering that she could tutor Evan in his basic education. However, I don't want it to interfere with her classes."

"She doesn't have N.E.W.T.s until next year, so her schedule isn't as hectic. I'll talk to her about it and see if she's willing to give up an evening two or three times a week."

"Monday, Wednesday and Friday after dinner until nine, plus half a day every other Saturday would work. I want him to catch up as quickly as possible." Severus watched Harry holding her hand, with an expression on his face that told Severus that Harry wasn't sure if this was a good thing or not. Draco walked on the other side of Harry looking like he wanted to yank Harry away from her.

"Draco is jealous," Minerva observed.

Severus nodded. "He has become very protective of Evan. I think he's trying to make it his mission in life to keep Evan from being hurt."

"He's going to be disappointed when he discovers that it's impossible to keep someone from being hurt all of the time," Minerva said, and then lowered her voice. "Are you going to tell him Evan's identity?"

"Eventually," Severus said. "But not before the guardianship issue is worked out. I don't want Lucius finding out and if he still has access to Draco he could force the information out of him."

"How do you think Draco will take it?" she wondered.

"It's hard to tell. He could be angry for having the information kept from him, or he could understand that it was necessary to protect both him and Evan." Severus considered the possibilities. "I suppose it will remain to be seen."

They walked in silence for a short distance.

"The other teachers are beginning to wonder why Harry Potter didn't come to Hogwarts this year." Minerva paused. "Albus is showing signs of wanting to tell them."

"He must not do that!" Severus hissed, alarmed. "Do you think that you can convince him not to?"

Minerva sighed. "I don't know. Although Albus has said nothing directly, I believe he is regretting giving up control of the boy to you and wants to take some of it back. Telling the other professors will accomplish that, at least in his mind."

Severus wanted to do unspeakable things to the Headmaster. "Please try to put him off. I know he will not listen to me, but you as deputy headmistress may have a bit more persuasive power."

"I'll do my best," she said. "I just don't know if it will be enough."

"Albus is going to try to push me and if he goes too far, you know what I will do." Severus growled.

Minerva nodded. "I hope it won't come to that."

The boys had stopped at one of the lower hanging portraits and Draco was describing the scene to Harry, with commentary from the wizard in the portrait itself. Miss Johnson knelt down next to Harry but said nothing and Severus was impressed with her empathy and ability to handle the situation. She didn't try to join in the conversation, just left it up to the two boys, silently reassuring Draco that she wasn't going to take his friend away, but would be available to Harry if he needed her.

"I think she will be adequate," he said, trying to sound reluctant.

Minerva smiled. "Yes, I think she will."

~HPSSHPSS~

Harry thought that maybe Lizzy was okay. She seemed nice enough, and she had happily answered all his and Draco's questions, but she could be pretending. It had happened before, during the two years Harry had gone to Primary School. The other kids would pretend to like him and then stop after Dudley threatened them. Professor Snape and Draco were the only people Harry knew that hadn't changed their minds about him. Harry ignored the little voice in his head that said he had known them both for a grand total of three days. They were his now and that was all there was to it.

The fact that Lizzy was a girl didn't help. Harry knew nothing about girls,beyond the six- and seven-year-olds that he had met in Primary School and they hadn't done anything except talk and giggle. When they were in the Infirmary, Draco had told Harry funny stories about Pansy wanting to play dress up and have tea parties and then throwing temper tantrums when she didn't get her way, but that had been when she and Draco were little and all it did was reinforce what Harry knew.

Lizzy didn't seem to be that way. She didn't try to talk all the time and he hadn't heard her giggle even once, so maybe she was okay. Maybe.

Harry didn't want to hold her hand, though. He wanted to learn the way to the Great Hall so that he could do it by himself. Harry had to stop acting like a little kid, he was eleven and he needed to start growing up. He just had no idea where to start. Everything in the last few days had been so overwhelming and Harry had felt like he was drowning in emotions that he had buried since the accident. They had come rushing to the surface and he was having trouble controlling them.

When they stopped to talk to one of the low hanging paintings, a feat of magic that Harry still couldn't wrap his head around, he pulled his hand away from Lizzy's. He didn't need to hold her hand when they weren't moving. That he reached out and wrapped his other hand around Draco's arm didn't mean anything. Draco was familiar. He was Harry's friend. Harry was relieved when Lizzy didn't say anything about it, just knelt next to him.

Harry put his free hand out and touched the painting, laying his hand flat on the canvas. "I can feel the paint," he said. "It feels like little ridges, but I can't feel the picture moving."

He felt Draco shift a bit then brought his hand up next to Harry's. Harry kept his hand locked around Draco's arm. "You're right," Draco said. "I never thought about it."

"You've never touched one before?" Harry asked

"No," Draco answered. "The paintings at Malfoy Manor were always too high for me to reach. I talked to them a lot, though."

"What is the man in the painting doing?" Harry felt Draco take his hand off the painting and he followed suit. Maybe they weren't allowed to touch them.

"He's standing under a tree." Draco paused. "The man says he's a hunter and he's looking for game."

"What's 'game'? Is that like a game you play?" Harry asked.

"No, game is wild animals that hunters shoot to eat."

Harry thought about that for a moment, wondering if what wizards ate was different from the roasts and chickens his aunt had brought home. "Is that where the meat in the Great Hall comes from?"

"I don't think so," Draco said, his voice unsure. "I think it comes from farms and places like that. I don't think there are wild chickens and cows."

"Oh," Harry said. "How do you find out?"

Draco laughed. "Books, I guess." Harry felt Draco turn a bit. "Uncle Sev is looking impatient. Maybe we should go."

Harry nodded. "It was nice to meet you Mr. Hunter," he told the painting. He felt Lizzy take his hand again and he reluctantly let Draco's arm go.

She was okay, he decided. Even if she was a girl.

~HPSSHPSS~

Severus watched as Harry stuck his finger into the salve and then brought it up to his nose to smell. "It smells…sharp and…clean." Harry said. "What's in it?"

Severus smiled. "What you're smelling is called Witch Hazel, but there is quite a few other ingredients in it."

"Do we have to put it on the scars?" Harry looked doubtful.

"No, Harry, we don't, but it will help with the pain and the limp."

Harry considered for a moment. "Will it hurt?"

Severus put a hand on Harry's leg. "I will massage it into your scars and it may be uncomfortable, but I don't think it will hurt much."

Harry looked unconvinced and Severus sighed. "I will give you a bit of pain potion if it starts to hurt. Is that acceptable?"

"I suppose," Harry nodded as he lay down on the bed wearing nothing but the towel he had used to dry off with after his shower. Severus moved the towel to uncover Harry's leg and side, but left the rest of him covered. It was one thing to have help getting into and out of the shower, Severus knew, but quite another for Severus to be allowed to touch Harry while he was naked. This was a true act of trust and Severus wasn't going to take it for granted.

He began with Harry's arm, rubbing the salve as deeply into the muscles as he dared, keeping a close eye on Harry's face for clues to his discomfort. Severus didn't think that Harry would say anything until the pain was beyond bearable.

"Are you all right?" Severus asked after a few minutes. Harry's face was tight, but it seemed to be more that he was anticipating the pain rather than feeling any.

"Yes," Harry said. "It feels like you're pulling on the scars a little, but it doesn't feel bad."

"So shall we continue?" Severus asked.

Harry nodded and Severus worked the salve up his shoulder and onto the side of his neck, but avoided his face for the moment.

"Lift your arm above your head, so that I can work on your side," he instructed. Harry brought his arm up and covered his face. Severus gently moved the arm back.

"I need to see your face, Harry," he said. "Don't hide from me."

Severus worked the salve into his side and down his leg. Harry's hip looked the worst of all of it and he spent several minutes massaging the salve into that area.

"Turn over now," Severus said when the last bit above his knee was finished.

Carefully Harry rolled over, trying to keep the towel in place. The scars on his back were not nearly as bad, just a few angry looking lines extending from the front of his hip and shoulder. Several minutes later Severus was capping the jar and setting it aside.

"We are finished for tonight," Severus said, wiping his hands on a cloth. "We will repeat this every night."

"For how long," Harry asked sleepily.

"Until you are better and the scars are reduced." Severus helped Harry out of the bed so that he could dress in his pyjamas.

"What did you think of Miss Johnson?" Severus asked after Harry was back in the bed.

Harry lifted his shoulder in a lazy shrug. "She was okay."

Severus wondered at the seeming indifference. "Do you have any concerns about her?"

"No, just that she's a girl." Harry tried to pull the covers up over himself, but only managed to tangle himself in the sheet. Severus discreetly pulled on the sheet to straighten it.

"She can't help that," Severus said once Harry was settled.

"No, I suppose not," Harry said. "I just don't know anything about girls."

"Well," Severus suppressed a laugh. "There isn't a man on the planet that does."

"Oh," Harry sighed, his eyes closed. "That's okay then."

The next moment, Harry was asleep.