"Good morning, Sev. Coffee?"
Snape dusted a bit of soot off his robes and looked to where Draco was leaning in the sitting room doorway.
"Yes," he replied. "Have my things arrived?"
Draco nodded. "They have been put in your room. I'll show it to you later. Have you had breakfast?"
Draco motioned for Snape to follow him into the dining room.
"No. I was quite happy to miss that this morning. I am sure that Dumbledore would have made a tedious speech to the student body about my leave-taking."
"And how did you arrange your leave-taking?" Draco asked as he and the older man filled their plates from the sideboard. "Or had you arranged it before last night?"
"I had mentioned the possibility, yes. The Headmaster will be taking over my lessons while I am away. I shudder to think how many candy wrappers I shall have to remove from the classroom."
Draco chuckled as he sat down and sipped on his cup of coffee. "Of course, the old man would do anything for his precious Golden Boy."
"I would not be so quick to judge, Draco, as you and he seem to now occupy the same boat," Snape drawled and forked a bite of eggs into his mouth. Draco grimaced and set his cup down.
"Yes, but I try to keep Harry alive, while he only wishes to use him."
"Do not be so pessimistic. We all did what we had to do during the war. Dumbledore and Harry were no different. Harry understood this." Snape set down his fork. "And where is the Golden Boy this morning. He is far too underweight to be skipping meals."
"The Golden Boy is a bit red this morning and is refusing to come out," Draco said with a smirk. "He awoke and begged me to tell him that yesterday was a nightmare. I was quite happy to tell him that it was not. Apparently I had missed quite a bit of the scene in the Ministry lobby. Quiet little Harry became a raging diva and actually threatened to call for my father to get his way in to see me."
Snape looked blank for a moment. "Are there any recordings of this event?"
"I'm having them sent here as we speak," Draco said with a nasty smile then sipped from his cup again. "I certainly could not miss the opportunity to see Harry throwing a fit and calling for my father, now could I?"
"It would have been a crime of tremendous proportion. It will also help in my research, of course," Snape drawled.
"Of course." Draco looked up as an owl brought in the mail and newspaper delivery. Quickly scanning the headlines, he saw with satisfaction that his statement had been published and the media was running with it. His father had also added his own sentiments of concern and empathy. The press had Harry as a victim of raging hormones and many well wishes were being expressed for his current condition.
A sound at the door had him looking up and seeing his extremely embarrassed husband slink into the room and quietly sit at the table next to Draco and as far away from Snape as possible.
"Good of you to join us. But you haven't welcomed our guest. That's very rude." Draco smirked and watched Harry expectantly. He frowned when he noticed Harry was not embarrassed any more but was pale and seemed to be trembling. The scent of fear began to fill the room.
"What is it?" Draco leaned towards the still silent man. "What is wrong?"
"Nothing," Harry murmured. "I'm sorry that I was late coming down."
"Don't tell me nothing!" Draco couldn't help but get angry as his sub's fear began beating at him. "What has you so frightened?"
"Harry, how much do you remember after the Ministry incident?" Snape asked quietly. Harry's head ducked lower and his breathing became rapid. Draco stood up.
