Imprudence: Chapter 1

Hello there my lovely readers! Look what I have started to post! A sequel! And so fast! I'll be honest the update schedule for this story might be a bit spotty. Normally I hold off posting a story until I've got a good head start in it, but that is not the case here, and this semester is already kicking my butt. :/ Just be sure to check in on Saturdays and keep your fingers crossed!

If you haven't caught on this is the sequel to Propriety. It is a continuation of that story, so yes, read that story first. This is still slash and still non-graphic slash. Got a problem with that then skip along please.

Warnings: Probably some violence. Some medical "gore" (i.e. blood and description of injuries or illness). Lots of angst! (you expect anything less;) )

Disclaimer: Don't own Harry Potter and don't make any money off of it. I wouldn't need so many scholarships if I did.

Applications and Shocking News

"Shane! Come back here! I need that quill. Give it back." Draco laughed into his hand as he watched his Intended chase his cat around the room. The kitten was notorious for stealing quills and chewing the feathers to pieces. The small ball of fur also seemed to find it a fun game to rip the quills right out of their hands while they were trying to write.

The kitten ran right up to Draco, and the blond scooped him up. He easily repossessed the quill and held it out to a frantic Harry. The Gryffindor smiled.

"Thanks, Draco. I was in the middle of filling out my Healers Training application when this little demon stole the quill from me." Draco pet the kitten who was now purring up a storm.

"You're welcome. You know, I never asked. Why did you name him Shane?" Harry shrugged as he turned to walk back to his desk. Draco followed him.

"I was thinking of naming him Shade, but that just seemed…obvious or predictable, given his fur. So I just changed one of the letters until it sounded better." Draco blinked at his Intended a few times.

"I will never understand how your brain works. Anyway, how are the applications going? I've got it easy, since I'm going to be studying under Uncle Sev." Harry sighed and dropped his head into his hands.

"It's…going. I didn't think being a Healer would require me to write so many essays. I don't know how many ways I can write: I want to be a Healer because I'm done with seeing bloodshed and I've got a 'Saving-People-Thing.' But then I read it over again and it just sounds pretentious and….Grrrah! Maybe I shouldn't do this." Draco rolled his eyes.

Harry had been working on his applications since they had graduated from Hogwarts a month ago. Severus, Draco and both Malfoy parents knew Harry would get in easily, and not just because anyone would want the Boy-Who-Lived on their staff. He had a good heart and wanted to help people and had studied hard for the entrance exams. The essays really seemed to trip him up though. Harry hated talking about himself and found it especially hard writing essays trying to explain why St. Mungo's should accept him into their training programs. Draco's Intended moaned about giving up on the applications every other day.

"You know Uncle Sev is willing to go over them with you and edit, right? It'll be fine, Harry. You'll get in. Now finish the damn essay." Draco leaned down and pressed a quick kiss to Harry's head and walked off to find his godfather. He had to talk with Severus about what project he wanted to work on for his Potions Mastery.

Draco wandered Professor Snape's quarters and unsurprisingly found the man in his private lab. The Slytherin set Shane down, knowing the kitten was not allowed inside of the potions lab. Draco was surprised at what he found. His godfather wasn't working on a potion as expected. The man was surrounded by papers and had a very stoney look on his face.

"Uncle Sev? Is everything alright?" Snape snapped his eyes up and after a moments consideration motioned Draco in and used his wand to close the door. Draco was growing more concerned by the minute. He walked over and took a seat next to the man. After a solid five minutes of tense silence, Severus finally let out a deep sigh.

"You recall how I said I wanted to bring charges against Harry's relatives, for kidnapping and child abuse?" Draco scowled at just the thought of those creatures and nodded.

"Yes. Though I remember you saying you wanted to get Harry's input and opinion before you pursued it." Snape pinched the bridge of his nose, eyes closed.

"I did and I was planning to…there has been a new development however. The case regarding Harry's kidnapping by the group from the Ministry can proceed without Harry's live testimony. He already gave his statement to the arresting Aurors and everyone involved saw it and everyone involved confessed to what they had done." Draco remembered the Minister coming by the Manor to explain all of this to his Intended and godfather. Lucius and Draco had also been asked to give a statement.

"Yes, I remember. But what does this have to do with Harry's relatives?" Severus sifted through the papers and brought out a letter from Minister Shacklebolt.

"Apparently, during their confessions, they admitted that they left Harry with the Dursleys because they knew those monsters were hurting him. They had hoped the Dursleys' actions would stunt Harry's power and prevent him from becoming the next Dark Lord. The prosecutor brought into the case is a ladder-climber and is more interested in being in the papers than actually pursuing justice for justice's sake. He heard the confessions and went to someone in the Ministry, not Shacklebolt, and then started talking to reporters. He is bringing charges down against the Dursleys for harm of a minor, amongst other things. Kingsley doesn't know how he's done it, and not only that, but they found out I have officially adopted Harry and are requiring me to testify." Draco was stunned….and angry.

"This…this is going to turn into a witch hunt, pardon my phrasing. You're going to get up there and the defense is going to try painting you as a neglectful guardian! They're…Harry is going to have to testify isn't he?" Draco lost what little color he had as Snape nodded again. Draco pursed his lips and tried to calm down. "When are you going to tell him," he asked quietly.

"The trial starts in a month. Kingsley was able to push it off, but that also means that Harry will be starting his Healer Training right around the beginning of the trial. I…I need to tell him soon." Draco nodded and then, looking at his distraught godfather, he straightened up.

"I'll tell him. You'll have to explain the details to him, but I'll get the initial shock out of the way." Severus shook his head.

"Draco, I'm his guardian…well, father now, I can't just foist this responsibility off on you." Draco stood.

"And I'm his Intended. I need to be able to start difficult conversations with him and learn how to be there for him in things like this. Let me do this." Severus hesitated for another few moments, before reluctantly conceding.

"Alright. But I'll be out there in fifteen minutes to help explain. I really wish this didn't have to happen." Draco nodded solemnly.

"Me too." Draco turned and walked out of the lab. He almost stepped on Shane who looked up at him and meowed indignantly. Draco pet the kitten in apology and went to find his Intended. Harry didn't look up as he entered.

"That's it. I think I'm just going to turn this in as is. I've been working on this for weeks now; I've got to just get it over with. My last problem is how should I sign the bottom: Harry Potter, Harry Snape, Harry Potter-Snape, vice versa? Severus and I never really talked about it. What do you think, Draco? Draco?" Harry finally looked up and furrowed his brows in concern.

"Draco? Are you alright?" The blond finally heard Harry calling him and winced as he realized he had already messed up. He had seen Harry sitting there, happy and unconcerned, and immediately a part of him fought against ruining his Intended's happiness. He had to tell Harry though or this would blindside him in the worst of ways.

"I think Potter-Snape would work. It wouldn't be hard to change it if you wanted to. Why don't you go ahead and send the application off." Draco didn't want Harry to do something when he found out that would destroy his work. Harry's training with Snape was paying off, but occasionally, Harry's emotions still caused his magic to lash out.

Harry looked skeptical but did as Draco suggested. As soon as the application was gone and out of harm's way, Draco took Harry's hand and pulled him over to the couch.

"Draco, you're freaking me out. What's wrong?" Harry had a terrible feeling broiling in his gut. This was like those dramas his Aunt Petunia would watch, where the girl would say they needed to talk and then dump the guy who was head over heels for her. It was like that, but a hundred times worse.

"Harry, you know that Uncle Sev was serious about bringing charges against your relatives, correct?" Harry straightened his back and furrowed his brow.

"Yeah, I figured he was serious. But he also said we'd talk about it and he would take my opinion into account." Harry was already getting worked up and Draco's own anxiety and anger weren't helping.

"He did and he would have. The problem is, someone else has decided to charge them first, someone with connections who wants to use the case to promote themselves." Harry's face lost all color. He felt like he was going to be sick. How could someone do that?

"How did they…how did they find out? How could they…I never told anyone but you and Severus and my friends! How!?" Harry's magic was starting to make things shake around them and that's when Severus decided to step in. He had been standing outside the room, to let Draco take charge but so he could step in as soon as required. Snape came and sat on the other side of Harry and started rubbing his back.

"Harry, you need to count. Come on, one, two, three…" They got all the way to forty-three before Harry calmed down enough to listen. Snape decided to take over the conversation from there.

"Harry, the person assigned to prosecute your kidnappers listened to their confessions. They admitted what your relatives were doing and he decided to press for charges. Because you are still considered a minor, you were not consulted and he…he went to the press saying he would be bringing charges against them. If the Ministry tries to stop him, there will be an uproar from the public and if he gets charged and convicted for obstructing justice or something all of his other cases would have to be re-tried." Harry pushed Draco's and Severus' hands off of himself and stood.

"This whole thing is going to turn into a circus. That man won't care what he's doing to me as long as he gets his name in the papers! This is going to turn into a damn spectacle!" Harry tried to slow his breathing and calm himself. He didn't want to lose control again. "Then the defense are going to try and pick apart my torture piece by piece and it's just never going to end." Before Draco or Severus could do anything, a small meow captured Harry's attention.

Shane was sitting in front of him and looking up at Harry with his bright yellow eyes. The kitten meowed again and stepped forward onto Harry's foot. The young Gryffindor took a deep breath and let it out slowly, before bending down and picking up Shane. He cuddled the small creature to his chest and let the kitten's purrs calm him down. Eventually, Harry retook his seat between his guardian and Intended, still holding Shane close.

"Sorry. I just…I'm so tired of people deciding they can mess with my life because it will help them or advance their cause." Both men reached out to comfort Harry.

"We understand, Harry. You have a right to be upset and angry. We're sorry this has happened, but remember you've got a lot of people that care about you and will help you through this." Even as Severus said it, his floo flared to life and spat out Hermione Granger and Neville Longbottom.

"'Mione? Neville? What are you two doing here?" Hermione observed the group in front of her and figured they must already know.

"Oh, Harry! I was at my internship when I heard from one of the other girls about what that prosecutor is doing. It's not right!" Neville nodded along with everything Hermione said.

"I was at the Ministry and finishing my teaching exam when I heard. I ran into Hermione on my way to the floo's. I…you do know about the trial right?" Harry sighed and dropped his head, causing Shane to wriggle in the awkward hold.

"Yes. Severus and Draco just told me. Has…has it hit the papers yet?" Neville scowled.

"I haven't seen an article yet, but I have no doubt they'll start up soon. I spotted Rita Skeeter's blonde head bobbing around the Ministry employees. I'm sorry, Mate, but it probably won't be pretty." The floo flared up behind Neville and Hermione, this time spitting out Ron Weasley. The red-head blinked at seeing his girlfriend and other friend already there.

"I take it you guys are here for the same reason I am." Hermione nodded.

"Yes. How did you find out?" Ron held up a newspaper, with Harry's face on the front cover.

"This was the special edition that just got dropped off at home. Mum nearly fainted." Harry groaned and jostled Shane again. The kitten was looking more and more indignant.

"You have got to be kidding me." No one could say anything before the floo flared again and Lucius Malfoy stepped out.

"Severus, have you heard-"

"Yes! We know!" Lucius noticed the large group in front of him and could understand Harry's outburst. Snape rubbed his temples.

"When did my rooms become a train depot?"

A/N: Well? Meet expectations? And we've already got someone to hate! How brilliant and not completely predictable of me! ;)