The Power of Pain

Chapter 4

Severus watched the boy, grown man, weep before him. He said nothing as he waited for the weight that Draco had been carrying slowly lifted away. He wasn't the kind to comfort those who were suffering loss. No, Severus knew exactly what was needed during those times. Understanding silence.

Draco sniffled softly and wiped his eyes on his sleeves letting out a huffed smile. "I told myself not to lose it in front of you." He said almost as an afterthought. "That you didn't need more tears." He said softly slowly rubbing one puffy red eye, "They're useless." He said quoting the words that were spoken to him so many years ago by the very man before him. Draco sniffed a bit and pushed himself up.

"I don't know what to do now..." He said with a quirk of his lips, "I never even thought I'd succeed." He said running a hand through his longer hair, it almost matched Severus' own in length but didn't hold the same crispness of his fathers. It was slightly discolored in places, his mother's more dark hair having come through with his age.

He pushed a bit of it behind his ear and turned to look at Severus who still sat silently, watching, waiting. "So...doing a bit of spring cleaning?" He said gently nudging the discarded duvet with the toe of his boot. He tried to lighten the mood with the change of subject and Severus acquiesced his wishes.

"I am...expecting company." He said dryly his throat throbbing lightly from use.

Draco couldn't keep his eyes from wandering to the scar as it moved with his words. He swallowed a bit before nodding his head, "I uh...didn't take your for the having company type." He put his hands in his pocket moving to look out the window into the back garden.

"It would seem," Severus paused watching Draco move, "You were not the only one looking for me." He let his words hang in the air, smirking internally as Draco mirrored his very own eyebrow arch. He gave him one, in turn, tilting his head away looking at the arm of the rocking chair where his fingernail was lightly picking at a bit of bubbled staining.

"Are you aware that St. Mungo's have your invention in their possession?"

Draco did so miss the games they would play. He nodded his head, "Yes I am aware, as I did offer it to them." He played with a coin in his pocket while he spoke. "I do believe it was to be used for a very specific patient." He finished coolly, glancing sideways to judge his Godfather's reaction.

"Indeed." Severus slowly crossed his legs leaning back in the rocking chair a bit more, "It has come to my attention that, this particular patient, will no longer have access to your invention." Severus watched the cogs turn in Draco's head. At first, his brow furrowed in confusion before slowly his eyes widened and he turned looking at him in shock before quickly schooling himself into a calm aloof manner.

"Is that so?" Draco shifted and leaned against the window seal, "I suppose, if I were allowed visits here on a regular basis, I may perhaps, help in this situation."

Severus chewed over the others words very carefully. For five years, he'd been peacefully alone, all this time left to stew in his own laments had left him with a serious case of agoraphobia that he didn't so readily want to rid himself of.

He rested his chin on his fingers as he glanced in Draco's direction. The boy did really seem to be speaking the truth and he'd always had a small soft spot for the boy seeing himself so many times in his actions.

He took a slow breath and looked down to the floor with a sense of carelessness. "I suppose that would be agreeable." Severus missed the large beaming smile that lit the boy's face and the way his grey eyes shone an almost beautiful pure blue. Draco resisted the urge to run over to him and hug him once more but he knew, he'd gotten away with way too much today as it was. Gradually, he turned to properly face the window.