Author's note: Hey all, it's me again! With a new chapter, that's NOT late! I'm posting 'cause the next few weeks may get a little hectic, what with graduation and stuffs. Bear with me, kay dears? Enjoy

"Good morning, boys."

"Hey Rowan. Can you unlock the broom shed for us?"

"'Course."

It was Tuesday morning, three days since their arrival at the manor. Narcissa had stayed in her funk for the duration, only ascending once while speaking to Rowan in the greenhouse that first day. Harry had watched the exchange between Narcissa and her groundskeeper curiously; it seems as if she had a closer relationship than was usual with Rowan just like Draco did. Who exactly was he to the Malfoys? With Lucius in Azkaban, it seemed like Rowan had taken over the responsibilities of the head of house in all but name, caring for Draco and Narcissa as if they were his true family; making sure things got done, speaking on behalf of the matriarch if she was indisposed. He would have to keep an eye on how this was affecting Narcissa.

Harry could tell that helplessness and despair were eating at Draco, and had suggested they go flying for a bit to get him out of the house. After Rowan opened the broom shed, Draco pulled out two brooms and tossed one to Harry. Harry pulled his faithful snitch out of his pocket and asked,

"Fancy a game?" Draco smiled softly, no doubt remembering their first game together.

"You're on." Draco paused, then hollered out the door,

"Rowan! Do you have time for a game of seeker too?" Harry had to pause to collect his chin off the floor.

"What's this, sinking so low to win that you need to make the teams unfair?" He said, but inside he was wondering just how much of a fixture in this family Rowan really was, if Draco was comfortable enough to invite his groundskeeper in on a quidditch game with a friend. Then again, maybe Draco was freer with Harry than he was with his other pureblood friends, who had to follow their obscure rules and unspoken agreements.

"No, we'll play every man for himself."

"I've got time, master Draco. One game only, though." Rowan peered around the door frame into the shed, and Draco tossed him a broom as well, grinning.

"You're going down." Harry smiled at his playfulness. This had been the right thing to suggest.

oOoOo

Needless to say, Rowan played three games with them, during which he failed to win even once. Rowan played to distract more than to actually catch the snitch; he'd toss rocks snatched from the ground, point dramatically, and fly close enough to the boys to make them wobble, laughing merrily the entire time. After the snitch was caught the last time, the three landed on the makeshift pitch to catch their breath. Draco leaned against Harry in exhaustion, partially from flying and partially from laughing so hard at Rowan's antics. They almost fell to the ground- Harry was no more stable than Draco was.

"Harry! I can't believe you went for that stone! The snitch was right under you!"

"Hey, at least I didn't flip under my broom trying to avoid Rowan here!"

"You both need more practice. That was just too easy!" Rowan had a nice deep laugh, Harry thought before he and Draco tripped to the ground in an ungraceful heap. Had any of them looked up at the manor just then they would have seen Narcissa let the curtain fall between her and the view of the boys' finished game, an aware expression on her face for the first time in ages.

oOoOoOo

"Yeah, she's withdrawn and not herself. She focuses on simple things like her garden, and can't seem to finish anything either."

"Can't finish what type of thing?"

"Like a letter. She's also taken to wandering outside at night."

"Okay, I have a few ideas as to what this might be. And what is the patient's name?"

"Narcissa Malfoy."

"Oh… Malfoy. I'll have to talk to someone higher up in the chain of command before St. Mungo's can treat her. I'll get back to you with their verdict…"

"But she's sick! I'll pay, if you don't want her money. Just-"

"I'll talk to you later, mister Potter." With that the mediwitch's face disappeared from the floo, taking Harry's halfhearted hope with her. Harry sat back on his haunches with a disappointed sigh.

oOoOoOoOo

The Friday after their quiditch match it poured like the dickens, dumping what seemed like the entire ocean down on the Malfoy mansion. Harry was standing at the window in the gloomy library and watching the sluicing water rush down the glass when Draco walked in. He was smiling, a genuine smile that Harry hadn't known he'd missed 'till he saw it again.

"Hey, what's up?" He asked. Draco walked up to stand next to Harry and looked out the window as well.

"Nothing. I'm just glad you came here with me. It's nice, to not have to pretend." So Harry's thoughts about Draco's pureblood rules had been correct. Draco leaned his shoulder into Harry's side, and Harry wrapped him in a one sided hug.

"Sure thing, Draco."

"Hello Draco, Harry." Narcissa said from the doorway. The boys pulled apart to look at her, Draco blushing slightly. "What is the date today?" She sounded bewildered; not in her usual lost, dreamy way, but like she couldn't believe how much time had passed. "Is the clock in the other room correct, Draco?"

"Yes, mother. We're on spring break right now. We'll be leaving for the train on Sunday."

"Will you! Have we been to town yet this break?" Harry knew this must have been a tradition that the two had been practicing and that Narcissa had forgotten about by the dawning light Draco's eyes.

"No we haven't, mother."

"Well! Shame on this rain then, for postponing our trip further! Remind me tomorrow, darling."

"Of course, mother." Draco said, his voice like a child on Christmas. Narcissa glided out the doorway and Draco turned to fling his arms around Harry's neck.

"She remembered, Harry! I didn't think she was going to. We always go to town, every spring break, and I thought she'd forgotten!" He rested his forehead on Harry's shoulder, and Harry wrapped his arms around Draco lightly. Yes, Narcissa was coming around, through no effort of Harry's. He wondered what the trigger had been to start her recovery as he watched the woman turn again, smile at her son's open affection, and continue walking.

oOoOoOoOo

"I've been… withdrawn, Draco, from the world since your father was put into Azkaban, and I apologize for any anxiety this has caused you." Narcissa paused while the train attendant checked that everyone was seated in their compartments before continuing. "Since the war ended the Malfoy name has been trashed, twisted and exaggerated beyond recognition. Placing Lucius in prison made the open hostility worse, until it was hard for me to leave even the Manor. I pulled into myself further, to avoid the slander and unfair treatment to the point of incoherency.

"But you, coming home to a mother broken, still managed to be happy with Harry, and Rowan too. You helped me realize that there was more yet to live for, more that mattered to me than the family name and social standing. I have a son-"she touched Draco's hand- "that needs my care, and myself to make happy as well. A society to set straight." She smiled. "Thank you, Draco, for helping me realize this."

"Of course, mother." His words were formal, but the emotion behind them displayed his love as plainly as saying the words would have. "I'm glad you're back."

oOoOoOo

"Harry!" Draco called when he and his mother returned from town.

"Welcome home, dear!" Harry called back in a high pitched voice from upstairs. Narcissa laughed, a lovely chiming sound that evidently carried, because Harry popped out of his room and to the head of the stairs a moment later with a surprised look on his face.

"Welcome home, Miss Malfoy." He said in a more formal voice.

"How were things with Rowan?" Draco asked as he tromped up the stairs towards Harry.

"Oh, you know, ruddy fantastic. I'll bet you'll be sorry you missed it."

"You didn't do anything, did you."

"Nope. He had work to do."

"Thought not. But hey, if it's any consolation, I picked you up some stuff in town."

"Hey, thanks! You didn't have to do that!"

"But I did. Mother said she's sorry for checking out of reality for a while on the train." There were emotions roiling below the surface of that smooth voice, and Harry gently took the bags from Draco's hand, calmly placed them on the enormous bed, and turned back to Draco before speaking.

"Did she."

"YES!" Draco exuberantly flung his arms around Harry's neck once again, now free of cumbersome bags. "She said it was because she saw me happy, Harry! Because you make me- because you and me and Rowan showed her that there is more to life than social standing." Harry wished he had finished his first sentence. Because Harry made him… happy as well?

"That's so great, Draco! I guess we didn't have to deal with St. Mungo's after all!" Harry had so far failed to mention his attempt to do exactly that, and had conveniently also not told Draco about the fact that they hadn't flooed him back. He wasn't planning on bringing it up.

"Too bad tomorrow's Sunday. School starts again Monday morning." Harry dropped his chin to rest on Draco's shoulder in defeat.

"Right. I haven't even looked at that essay for Charms that's due Wednesday."

"I looked at the prompt, it won't be that difficult." Draco pulled away from Harry and sat on the bed. "Flitwick's not that hard on essays anyway."

"True." Draco started rummaging through bags, pulling out a few things and tossing them onto the bedspread.

"Okay. Here's a pile of chocolate, for my little sweet tooth…" he said without releasing the bag he was sorting through.

"I think I might love you," Harry said when he saw the ridiculously high quality deliciousness he was being given.

"…and I got you some ink, to replace the bottle of yours I spilled the week before break…"

"Wanker. You could have just asked me to pass another sheet of parchment instead of reaching over everything I was doing." Harry smiled good-naturedly.

"…and this." Draco pulled out a simple box tied with twine and nudged it into Harry's shoulder. Harry tugged at the bow and let the lid fall open to reveal a braided leather bracelet with a dragon design stamped into it, such that when you clasp the bracelet the dragon looked like it was eating its tail.

"I thought it would represent the full circle we've come, you know, enemies to friends. And remind you of…"

"Of you, Dragon?" Harry used Narcissa's nickname for her son deliberately, looking away from the bracelet to Draco's face.

"Perhaps of me, a bit."

"Well, I love it. Thank you, Draco." Harry leaned over to hug him, holding the hug for a moment before letting go.

"Will you help me with this?" he asked, holding out his wrist and handing Draco the bracelet. Draco got the bracelet fastened, and Harry rubbed at it affectionately.

"I like it."

"I think I like you wearing it," Draco said teasingly, leering jokingly at Harry's wrist.

"Oh do you?" Harry laughed.

"Indeed I do."

oOoOoOo

Both Rowan and Narcissa were at platform 9 ¾ to see the boys off that Sunday. Before Harry had gotten out of earshot, Narcissa had said 'Thank you, Harry Potter, for saving me yet again.' Harry ducked his head and blushed, but couldn't help but notice Rowan squeezing her shoulder in support and affection. Yes, there was definitely a larger part in this family for Rowan than groundskeeper. Harry waved to them as the train started to screech forward even as Draco restrained himself. Harry looked at his conflicted face, then reached down, grabbed Draco's forearm, and waggled it out the window for him.

"What are you doing, Potty?" Draco asked with a smile plastered across his face, body shaking from the force of Harry's waving.

"Letting you wave without taking the responsibility of showing emotion in public. Good compromise, yeah?" Harry's grin matched Draco's as he finally released his hold on him.

"Sure, sure, works out just grand. You get to be a fool and I have to suffer through and be associated with you." Harry just smiled, and turned to find a compartment.

"Are you sitting with the Slytherins again?"

"Yeah, haven't seen them since before break. I'll visit, yeah?"

"All right." Harry fingered his leather bracelet as Draco walked away and smiled.

Author's note: Sorry, this one's a little short. But I figured I just updated, and stuff happened, so I was all right. Thoughts?