Walking in Light and Shade - Moment by Moment Book #2 (Harry Potter, Drarry)

Life Begins

Harry was so used to the dribble of visitors that Poppy had been allowing into his room, that he was surprised when he received a second onslaught of guests after lunch. Madame Pomfrey, it was clear, had decided that with his returning fitness, her patient needed greater distractions, and a game of chess against himself, which, to his chagrin, the young man found he was still losing, was interrupted by most of his friends descending on his room. Tonks came in first, dragging a reluctantly grumpy Mad-Eye. The metamorphmagus was followed by Remus and Minerva, and then Ron came in with a bright wave, his last encounter with his best friend absent from his grin. Bringing up the rear, his hands folded behind his back in the same chilly way that he had run his classroom, Harry was surprised to see Severus Snape.

"Well, well, Potter, even when alone, your chess game is lacking imagination," the cool man did not miss the chance for comment as his sharp eyes surveyed the pieces.

"I thought we'd agreed not to discuss chess, Severus," Harry returned, wondering idly why his sparring partner had bothered to come, but finding it oddly amusing. "You know what happened last time."

Severus smiled, a very dangerous expression, and his eyes flashed easily as he observed, "But this time you appear to have misplaced your wand."

The dig didn't make it very far: Harry had a thick skin when it came to Professor Snape and he quipped right back, "Yes, but my throwing arm is still accurate."

The oily man raised an eyebrow, and he would have continued the word play had it not been for Minerva McGonagall.

"Gentlemen, please," she interrupted sharply, the school ma'am in her tone, "No fighting, lest we are thrown out before we have really arrived."

Snape and McGonagall glared at each other, as they had done many times before, both at school and afterwards, when it came to their opposing opinions of Harry Potter. However their source of consternation was having none of it; he drew them out of the silent confrontation with a broad grin and, "To what do I owe this pleasure?"

"Well, we were all at this meeting," Tonks decided to fill him in as she took her now favourite spot on the left of the bed, "and when Albus said that you would probably be allowed more visitors now, we all decided to come down and see if he was right."

Harry laughed, and invited, "Since you obviously were right, I suggest someone makes seats, because there isn't enough room on the bed."

Remus saw Minerva to the permanent chair before making himself a modest armchair next to hers. Severus created a stiff, high-backed wooden thing that looked less than comfortable on the opposite side of the room. Ron threw himself down on the remaining space at the end of the bed. Moody was the only one still on his feet, and he announced gruffly, "I'll stand."

His host smiled evilly at his guest and challenged, "What's the matter, Mad-Eye, still don't trust me?"

The Auror straightened at the blatant taunt, his face showing badly stifled surprise; he wasn't comfortable with all eyes on him, but he didn't back down as he replied, "You've developed an edge, Harry."

"I always had one, I just used to bite my tongue more often," Harry returned glibly. "Now sit down, will you?"

The directness worked, and the young man was more than satisfied as Moody's expression went from concerned to vaguely amused. The man still hrmphed as he created himself a folding stool and sat down with a force which threatened to break it. He folded his arms across his chest, but Harry just beamed at the hostility, knowing that it was for show and wouldn't last for long.

"You certainly seem to have some energy back," Lupin observed with a contemplative smile.

"And it feels great!" Harry agreed buoyantly. "Nothing hurts and I'm mobile."