The Secret's In The Telling by Sakuri

chapter 40

The Potions Master tensed, knowing the boy was right. He looked down at the sample of Wolfsbane he'd hurriedly grabbed, and up at the sky, silently cursing to himself.

He started walking again, aware that the two were following him. "Go back, I said! As a Hogwarts Professor, I will not allow you to continue this stupidity. Besides, I hope you're not expecting me to willingly Apparate you into battle –"

"I can do that myself," Draco said easily, earning him another surprised look from Harry.

"You can Apparate?"

The Slytherin snorted. "Please. Do you really think Father would teach me all that Dark magic and neglect the basics?" There was a moment's silence, before Draco's voice resumed. "Anyway, as I was saying. We are going with you, Severus – both because I'm bound to help Order members if I'm capable, and I'm forced to indulge Potter's mindless heroics –"

"You don't have to say it like that..."

"Besides," the Slytherin went on, using his best persuasive tone and ignoring Potter's mutter. "Don't you think having a werew– wizard like me at your back will be good protection?"

Severus cast him an odd look, wondering why the boy had avoided the mention of werewolves. Swiftly, though, the minor observation left his mind to be replaced with more important matters. "Frankly, I couldn't think of anything less reassuring," the Potions Master drawled. "Now, for the last time, go away! Do you really think it's practical to lead Potter over there straight to a force of Death Eaters?"

"No, and that's exactly what I told him. Unfortunately, common sense is hardly a strong point with Gryffindors –"

"Draco!"

"My point being, he has managed to survive a number of similar situations, and I assure you he'll find other ways of getting down there on his own. Don't you think it's better to have us there as supervision?"

"I do not need your 'supervision'!" the Gryffindor protested indignantly.

The blonde glared at him, silently reminding his companion that he knew how to handle Severus.

The Potions Master felt it as he passed through the wards, which clung to him for a moment before releasing. Free of them, his magic felt much more potent, now liberated from some of the restrictions Hogwarts set on it.

The two boys came to stand nearby, looking as stubborn as ever. He narrowed his eyes at Potter, who annoyingly looked unaffected.

Draco stared at him evenly. "Severus, you're my godfather," he simpered. "You're family to me. Loyalty demands I go with you."

The man scoffed, glaring sceptically. He had never heard anything so insincere in his life. "You have no loyalty," he pointed out. It wasn't an insult, merely a statement of fact.

The blonde smirked wryly. "Just because I don't show it often doesn't mean it isn't there... So. Are you convinced yet?"

Severus regarded them with barely restrained anger, tempted to physically drag them back to the school himself. But once again, his gaze drifted to the sky, noting how low the sun now hung.

He sighed through gritted teeth. "Draco, there isn't time for this! By leaving me alone, you'd help me. That fulfils your promise to Dumbledore. Take that Cloak of Potter's and go back inside. If you manage not to get caught, I'll even let you off with a mere week's detention." From him, that was practically a gift. Casting a cursory glance over both of them, he found he couldn't spot the silvery folds of the material. "Where is it, anyway?"

"Uhm..." Potter murmured, blinking.

Before anything else could be said, Draco stepped up close to the Gryffindor, winding an arm around his waist and subtly sliding his hand beneath the back of Harry's shirt, so that his fingers grazed warm skin, just because he could. "Brace yourself," he instructed, breath ghosting over his partner's cheek. Then, louder, he added, "We'll be behind the Shrieking Shack."