Chapter 90.5: Of Cocoa and Sedatives
Disclaimer: I did it. I admit it. I took JK Rowlings amazing characters and Aspen in the Sunlight's amazing plot lines and had the audacity to write mediocre fluff. And you know what I'm proud. All errors are mine and only show what a joke the American school system really is.
Harry turned over once again in his small bed and punched his pillow. Letting out a discouraged sigh he finally let the truth sink in: He wasn't getting any sleep tonight.
Just don't think about it, Harry thought to himself, just lay here and relax and maybe the time will pass a little faster. Maybe Tomorrow I can hang out with Ron, or maybe Dad and I can--- gone, his mind jumped echoing that single word in his mind. No matter what I think about it's always going to come back to it. He's gone. How on earth could I let this happen? A quick side glace over at the empty bed across from me only made that hole, the one just above my stomach, widen a little more. I had lost my only brother. The only person that could understand life down here. And as much as I hate to admit it, I knew he was the person that took us from a miss-match of men to a family. We had to get him back. My jaw clenched causing my teeth to grind together. We just had too.
It had been a few hours since the Aurors and Order Members and adjourned for the evening. It had proved to be an interesting situation. Every one agreeing we needed to act quickly but no one all that sure as to what to do. Every one had congregated down in the living room- the entire Hogwarts staff sans Aran, The Weasleys, Tonks, even a social wizard had been contacted. Ron and Hermione had sat beside me on the couch as everyone hashed out there thoughts. I couldn't take my eyes off of Severus as he sat in his favorite armchair by the fireplace. I think it was the only time I had ever seen him remain so silent.
Finally after every one had left Severus had glanced up at me saying, "You should try to get some rest, Harry. It's been a long night." I want to snort but instead nodded. It's been a long night was the understatement of a lifetime. I lingered where I stood for a few more moments. Do something, say anything Dad, just something, my mind screamed at my other wise oblivious Father. He had gone back to staring down at the paper work he had been shuffling through for the past twenty minutes. He should be screaming, I finally decided. Throwing things and threatening people, regardless of how un-Severus like that was it was better than this resolved silent persona he had taken on.
I just knew he was seething at me. How could I bugger up this badly? I should have done something. I had finally give in and heading towards our bedroom and got ready for bed which brought me back to my current reality.
My eyes once again wandered to the pristinely made bed across from me. Why Draco? I questioned for the millionth time this evening. Why not me, or any one else for that matter? Wasn't I allowed, just for a while, to have a normal family. Not that anything about our situation was ever going to qualify as normal. But it was all I had ever gotten. I let out a groan.
A soft knock from the direction of my door made my heart beat quicken. Before I could convince my vocal cords to reply the door cracked open to reveal Severus. He stood hesitantly at the door studying me. I sat up informing him that I was indeed awake. A smile crossed his face as he paused picking up a tray and entering the room.
"I assumed that since I could not sleep, you would not be faring any better tonight." He said quickly approaching my bed. He carefully arranged the tray between us and settled in on the foot of my bed. I avoided his stare stubbornly studying my comforter. "Harry?" He finally asked softly.
"Your not mad at me?" I asked suddenly knowing it was a stupid question. I drew my knees up to my chest and wrapped my arms around them.
"Am I mad? Yes." My stomach dropped with that revelation. A hand came into my field of vision and cupped my chin forcing me to meet his eyes, "But at you Harry, no. If any one I was mad at myself."
"You are?" His head nodded quickly. He blames himself I realized slowly. I paused a moment before saying, "It wasn't you fault you know." His hand immediately rose stopping me.
Smirking at me he raised an eyebrow, "I think I should be giving you the same lecture." His voice came out velvety and light.
"Then maybe we can just skip the lecture for tonight?" I asked hopefully.
"Deal." He said chuckling. "Now you should drink your Coco."
"How strong of a sedative you got in there?" I asked jokingly. He laughed a little raising his mug for a sip. I joined him picking up my mug and taking a nice big gulp. The warm liquid ran down soothing me as it went. We sat in silence for a long time. Intermediately taking sips of our drink, both completely lost in our own thoughts.
"The Coco was nice." I finally said setting down my empty cup. He glanced up at me smiling.
"Yes, Coco fixes everything, didn't you know?" I laughed a little shaking my head. "Draco told me that." He paused again taking his last sip.
"What happened?" I asked moving my legs into the Indian fashion.
Severus sat there a moment silent before beginning, "It was the end of his first week of your very first year at Hogwarts. I was in my office settling in with a bottle of brandy to mourn another year of teaching idiot children when there was a knocked. With out giving me a moment to respond the door flew open. The barley eleven-year-old boy sashes into the room and collapsed into one or the chairs across from me. He takes perhaps the single most melodramatic sighs I have ever heard before announcing to me that he simply could not continue on here."
My laughter broke him off causing Severus to glare at me. "Why not?" I giggled.
"Well for starters the food was unacceptable, the teacher played favorites, Gregory snores too loud, and who ever idea it was to have moving stair cases scattered through the castle should be kissed." He counted off on his fingers. "Both he and I knew however, that he was dancing around the simple fact that he missed his Mummy." Severus face had lit up in a sardonic smile. One that I had come to know meant he was highly amused. "So, being the dramatic soul that he is, he sat there going on and on about how his short life was simply coming to an end. When he broke off quite abruptly to ask me, Aren't you going to do something?" Severus had raised his pitch slightly and nailed Draco's ever so infamous scoff.
"I don't believe I had been rendered speechless before in my life. The very idea that a student of mine felt comfortable enough with me to tell me his problems was dismaying enough, but when you add in the sheer cheek of his tone I was near ready strangle the boy. Before I had a chance to formulate the perfect response, he had already started haughtily asking me "Don't you know anything? Your suppose to tell me that of course I can do it, that I'm a Malfoy for crying out loud." Fidgeting back in his chair he let out an exasperated sigh and mumbled, "At least you could offer me some Coco."
"Coco?" I asked him in mild distain."
"Mild?" I broke Severus off and he shot me a look.
"Alright fine, it was dripping with distain you annoying child. Might I continue?" I nodded smiling smugly. "That is when he boisterously informed me that Coco fixes everything. So I got the boy a cup of hot Coco watched him drink and talk himself into staying at Hogwarts, for his Fathers sake non the less, before he finally took back the last sip nodded at me and left."
"Just like that, he walked out?" I asked admiring him. Draco had always had the confidence that I, nor any one else our age, could seem to muster.
"Yes, of course I knew at that point that my reputation of snaky professor was in danger so I immediately rectified that situation." I rolled my eyes at him. "But I never forgot what he said."
I nod sleep tugging at my eyes. "He is right you know, Coco does fix everything." I agreed whole-heartedly. "When we get him back, we should make him up a cup." Severus laughed taking the tray away and pulling the covers up over me.
"Yes Harry, the moment we get Draco back we'll make him a cup of coco." I felt him lean over me a drop a kiss on my head. "The important part is I'm getting him back Harry." His voice wavered with strength. I finally found sleep knowing that our Father would make it right.