Eight days after that night...

Dumbledore sat at his desk in his office at Hogwarts, gazing down at the papers that sat atop his desk but he wasn't really seeing them or paying any genuine attention to them. He had a goblet of pumpkin juice in his hand and was swirling it slowly without spilling a single drop as he sat deep in thought.

It had only been eight days since that fateful night that cost four lives and left two young boys orphaned. He remembered it clearly, the joy and celebration across the world that still continued following the "defeat" of Lord Voldemort. And many had already forgotten the details that Dumbledore was now musing over.

No one really knew what happened that night though, not even Dumbledore himself. The Potters had gone into hiding upon his suggestion and Voldemort had shown up for their son, Harry but they sacrificed themselves to protect the boy. The curse rebounded onto Voldemort and he dissappeared, too weak to carry on. Those details there clearer, but Dumbledore had been shocked when Hagrid sent him an owl to say there were two more cassualties and a second baby had been found in the rubble, crying for his parents.

He and McGongall left and sought out Godric's Hollow and discovered that the second baby belonged to non-other than Death Eaters Narcissa and Lucious Malfoy. It seemed that Mr Malfoy had been downstairs with James Potter when Voldemort had shown up but each of them had discarded their wands as an act of trust or caution between the other.

But there was no way that the Malfoys were there as an act to the Dark Lord or with any ill intentions for they wouldn't have been able to even find the place otherwise and surely they'd have alerted their master by then? Mrs Malfoy was found in the hallway just outside the nursery, where she had placed her son Draco in the crib with Harry. Voldemort only wanted to kill one baby, so poor Harry's mother saved him from the curse whilst Draco was left untouched, physically.

Dumbledore had theories, ideas and clues, but neither could be confirmed or backed up by any evidence. He cast a relative charm and found that Draco had no other living family members besides his Aunt, Uncle and cousin...just like Harry. But the Tonks family were unable to take him in, unable to provide for him at the moment and the boy had no where else to go with Sirius Black's arrest and no other living relatives apart from known Death Eaters Bellatrix and Rodolphus Lestrange.

As he and McGongall had looked into the crib where the two babies had ceased crying and fallen asleep in exhaustion, he saw their tiny hands linking and clutching to the other...for safety, support or something else and it occured to him that these boys had so much in common and were both here on such a fateful night that perhaps it would be best not to seperate them. But how was he to explain that to the Dursleys?

Dumbledore pondered on that decision for more time than he'd have prefered, although he just knew it was the right decision. He could say that the boys were brothers, or perhaps cousins even. But he didn't want the boys growing up thinking that for it would be injustice to their parents, or at least the Malfoys as he knew they would not be pleased with being related to Lily Potter, a muggle-born witch.

It was McGongall that came up with the solution: pay them. Leave a nice sum of money behind as a "apriciation" to taking both boys in. It was worth a try but Dumbledore reworded the letter to make it clear that Draco was to stay just as Harry was. The "threat" was rather uncalled for as the family had a child of their own and now two more only months apart in ages? It was a bit unfair and they were asking a lot, but he'd checked...they could more than afford for each child.

And so they headed back to Number Four Privit Drive and placed each boy on the doorstep with the letter, wishing them luck and then said their goodbyes, for now.

It had been later the following night that Severus Snape had mournfully called a meeting with Albus Dumbledore and confessed his change of sides, of his loss for Lily Potter that he had loved dearly but had been unable to save. Dumbledore was mad, yes, but he forgave the boy somewhat with the agreement to serve as his spy, work as a teacher at Hogwarts and help not only protect Lily's son Harry but also his godson Draco. Snape could have taken Draco in, but Dumbledore knew within seconds of meeting the distraught boy that he would never have been able to raise a child at the time. It was best to leave the boys together, and he kept an eye on them for the first few days for it seemed he had made the right decision. Albus Dumbledore had no idea that placing them in the Dursley household wasn't a very good idea, but keeping them together...it was probably one of the best decisions he'd every made.

The first day after that night...

With her husband heading off to work each morning and a moody tollder to care for, Petunia Dursley was naturally up rather early. Although it was barely daylight and neither other two in the household were up yet. Which was actually a bit strange for her son, Dudley, but Petunia marvelled in a moment of peace and made her way downstairs fully dressed and partially prepared for the day ahead. She had no idea the change that today would bring, or yet of the two babies laying outside her front door, squirming in the cold and unfamililarity.

Petunia poured herself some coffee, feeling she needed the caffeine hit as she had been up rather late the night before with Dudley.

As she seated herself at the kitchen table, it was then that she first heard it: A small whimper and gentle rap against the front door. Thinking it was just some animal, she thought nothing of it only of what damge it could be doing to her garden. But when it came again, a little louder, Petunia found it harder to ignore and sighed as she made her way to unlock the front door.

Her eyes went wide and her hand rose to cover her gasp as she stared down at the two babies wrapped in blankets on her doorstep. The raven-haired one had a deep cut on his forehead and was resting somewhat contently there as he gripped the second baby with one tiny hand. Lily stared at him and the letter atop of him, knowing he was her nephew by his emerald eyes...her little sister's eyes.

But the other child was a stranger, and nothing alike Harry for he had white blonde hair and blue eyes. She did not know who this baby belonged to but he clutched Harry's hand in a way twins or related babies tended to. It was him that had broken her quiet morning for he was more awake than Harry and had freed both of his hands from the blankets. Draco whimpered again as though cold and hungry while swinging his spare hand in attempt to grab something.

Petunia was frozen on the spot, watching the pair as she knew they were not like her, Vernon and Dudley...they were no doubt wizards. She knew because Harry Potter was certain to be one and this other baby was connected so surely he was one too. She nervously glanced around the quiet street in fear of someone seeing her standing there over two babies and quickly picked them both up. She carried them into her perfect living room and placed them on the couch while she read the letter, fearful of its contents.

It was almost 7am when Vernon awoke and plundered his way downstairs while fixing his boring tie for work. He'd had a rather good sleep although his son kept him awake at times but he was used to that by now. As he entered the kitchen in hope for breakfast, he found something rather startling. His wife was strapping an unnaturally obedient Dudley into his highchair while over on the floor sat the toddler's old playpen before they'd bought the new one a few weeks ago. Inside the playpen were two other toddlers looking up at him. The dark-haired one was watching him while the blonde one was tugging lightly at a blanket in his hands, but was annoyed for Harry was sitting on it. With one final tug, Draco managed to topple Harry sideways off it and yank the blanket free.

"Ya!" Draco cheered and hugged the blanket while Harry scrunched his face and started getting upset.

"Shh!" Petunia went over and sat Harry upright again, before scowling at Draco.

"Pe..." Vernone attempted speech. "Petunia?"

"Oh, good morning Vernon!" Petunia gasped as she finally noticed him and sighed. "This is Harry, my nephew and well...Draco."

"Why are they...here?" Vernone questioned.

"They were left rudely on our doorstep this morning" Petunia frowned and passed the letter over to him, her face looking angry but her tone sounded sad. "My sister and her husband were killed last night, along with Draco's parents. They were in the crib together and seemed to be reliant on each other...I don't know. But we're expecte to take them in."

"Are they..." Vernone lowered his tone as though there were media reporters just outside their window with giant microphones and cameras. "...one of, them?"

"I'm afraid so" Petunia sighed. "But we have no choice."

"Bloody oats we don't!" Vernon scowled but lowered his beady eyes to the letter and read. "Ungreatful...disrespectful..." He was muttering the entire time.

"Vernon" Petunia said and held up a rather large bag and after explaining that she'd grabbed it and it had enlarged to it's actual size, something she'd seen her sister do with her trunk in sixth year once when she came home for a the summer, she explained it's contents and Vernon nearly fell over.

They were being paid to take the second boy in whilst the other boy was relative and also needed a home, care and food.

"Alright, but if those two cause too much trouble or influence Dudders wrongly, they're out! You hear?" He roared to Petunia and she nodded in agreement, deciding that now was not the time to tell him that the boys had to stay until they were "of age", regardless.

As Vernon left for work and Dudley was put in his new playpen that overflowed with toys, Petunia fed the second babies and found that they were both starving, especially Draco. She stared at Harry and saw so much of that Potter in him, which was a bit of a shame as she'd always thought Lily would end up with Severus Snape, not James Potter. Oh well, who was she to say?

"Now you two behave yourselves, no freaky stuff" She told the toddlers sternly although they had no idea who she was, even though Harry had a thoughtful look on his face.

Petunia left the room to give her son some snacks for he was wailing again and left the two babies in the kitchen.

"Ha!" Draco said and placed his hand on Harry's face, covering his eyes briefly.

"Nah!" Harry grumbled in reply and shoved his hand away, only to reach out and touch Draco's face in the same way but nearly poked Draco in the eye. "So'ry" He mumbled and grabbed Draco's hand again. The boys sat there for the time being but then Harry stood up with the aid of the playpen and looked around while Draco starting crying boredly. At that point there were in a new home without their parents and with another boy they had only met the night before and somehow already felt a connection to.

Two years later...

It was a Friday morning and Vernon had left for work a few short hours ago. Dudley was off with some playmates down the street and Petunia was at home cleaning. Draco was the oldest of the three boys, being several months older than Dudley while Harry was one month younger than Dudley. But each child was more than three years old now.

While Petunia worked, Draco and Harry sat at the kitchen table eating crackers which was their breakfast and just swung their legs boredly for they could not yet touch the floor. Draco was shifting slightly while Harry sat perfectly still. The boys were often restless and liked to run around yelling at each other while laughing, which was why they spent most of their time outside.

But today was different, when Vernon got home Petunia was going to move them into their new room...well sort of. They were becoming too loud and were not yet old enough to do their own chores, not until next year...in the Dursley's opinions. So they were going to be sleeping and spending more time in the cupboard under the stairs. The idea had been Vernon's but Petunia agreed for she was just so exhausted after caring for three children when one child had been plenty enough work for her. Harry was the least problematic (although she would never admit that Dudley could be troublesome) and Draco seemed not too bad but he was bored more easily and was more demanding, especially with food. He threw more tantrums as well, but not as many as Dudley was known to and his were more for real reasons rather than simply wanting to.

"Why?" Draco groaned as he was placed beside Harry on a bed in the cupboard under the stairs later that afternoon, as planned.

"Because!" Petunia said, longing for some rest and shut the door on the boys, locking it as well so they didn't wander out and wreck the house.

"Meanie" Draco frowned and crossed his arms.

"Dragon!" Harry pointed at the dusty shelf, seemingly less bothered by the situation than his friend was.

"Where?" Draco looked up eagerly. "Where, Harry?"

"Imagine" Harry corrected and closed his eyes, picturing a dragon with sharp teeth and a long, spikey tail as well as huge wings that could carry him far. He could breathe fire too.

Draco frowned. "Don't wanna" He said but closed his eyes as well and they both imagined a dragon sitting on the shelf and watching over them. They did this often to entertain themselves as they only had one broken toy each and a blanket. Their clothes weren't great either; both were dressed in Dudley's old clothes but Draco's was always dyed black while Harry's were left as they were since Draco hated wearing the same clothes as the other two and wailed for hours otherwise.

Draco yawned and opened his eyes, laying down on the bed as Harry joined him.

"Do they love us?" Harry asked Draco as they pulled the thin blanket over themselves and just lay there side-by-side while staring up at the underneath of the stairs.

"I don't know" Draco replied and his eyes were starting to fall closed as well.

"Are we brothers?" Harry asked after a moment and Draco glanced at him, looking unsure but also a bit hopeful.

"I dunno" Draco said again. "But we could pretend" He added. "It feels like we're brothers."

"Yeah" Harry nodded with a small smile. "Goodnight, brother."

"Night" Draco mumbled and yawned again.

And so the two boys fell asleep in their new bedroom, a place that they would be confined to for years, for the duration of their stay inside a household that provided shelter and small amounts of food...but no warmth or love...so it was something they gave each other. In the minds of the two orphaned youngesters...they were brothers and nothing was going to change their minds, not even the truth that they were not.

If you drove through Privit Drive and exmained all the seemingly identical houses in the street, you would not be able to tell that there were three eight-year-old boys living at Number Four, instead of just one boy. Dudley was out with his friends quite often while his father was at work and his mother spent her time cleaning around the house or eavesdropping on neighbours. Harry and Draco spent those sunny days indoors, although not by choice.

When they were four, Petunia taught them how to work together on chores but those days were long gone. Now each boy had a set of jobs and tasks that had to be completed before Vernon got home, such as washing the dishes, wiping down all the counters, vacuming, dusting, washing the tiled floors, scrubbing the bathroom, making lunch, cleaning up after lunch, then gardening and taking out the trash etc. To the boys the list seemed endless but to Vernon it wasn't long enough.

Although they were assigned different jobs each day and swapped a few around, Harry and Draco felt each day was the same, unless it rained or they finished their chores before Vernon got home. If it did rain, the gardening was often out (although sometimes it was not, but then there was teamwork even if they were soaked and frozen to their bones), and they could spent a little time in their cupboard playing with broken toys that used to belong to Dudley or they would be talking and making up stories or games.

But if they were finished their tasks before Vernon got home...it varied. They either had an afternoon to themselves in which they could run around or play at the park, the other alternative was that they still got to run around but only because Dudley and his friends were chasing them...this was the most popular option.

Today was a Friday, so they would get two hours break the following day as well as Sunday, much to their relief, but it also meant that there was no school for Dudley. Harry and Draco attended school as well, but the days that they didn't have to go meant that Dudley was less likely to be over at his friend's houses until dinner time. But the fact remained that today their chores were nearly done and it was barely 1pm. It was also a rather peaceful day for while their school had an end-of-term party for each class, Draco and Harry had been told to stay home and work; further sapping away what small chance they would of had to actually enjoy something.

"A-achoo!" Draco sneezed loudly as he was dusting the living room and Harry was in the kitchen washing the last of the dishes from lunch.

"Stupid dust" Harry heard his "brother" and friend mutter from the living room, finding it both amusing and annoying that Draco seemed more receptive to dust when it never made Harry sneeze as much.

"Is that your last chore?" Draco called from the living room, which was safe to do with nobody home (Petunia was in town shopping).

"Yeah, why?" Harry called back, wiping some soap from his forehead as he placed the last sparkling dish on the rack. He dried his hands and wandered into the living room to find Draco having a brief coughing fit. "You okay?" He asked.

"Stupid dust" Draco sighed and nodded. "Although I don't feel too good, Harry."

"Maybe you've got a cold?" Harry shrugged but hoped that wasn't the case for his Aunt Petunia was more likely to lock Draco in the cupboard until he got over it rather than to give him medicine or care for him.

"I'll finish this" He grabbed the duster from Draco's hands and finshed dusting down the coffee table and TV.

"Thanks" Draco said as he sat on the couch. "This isn't fair, we're just kids and here we are slaving away at housework."

"Yeah" Harry nodded. "I know what you mean...but hey, we're done early today. Wanna go to the park?"

"Yes!" Draco jumped up and the boys ran to the front door but paused as it was good timing, Petunia just got home with the shopping and they were not to leave the house without telling anyone. Not that the Dursleys ever cared where they went but it was so they didn't get embarrassed if a police office brought them back (they never did, but the Dusleys were convinced that the boys were nothing but trouble).

"Get the bags out of the car" Petunia snapped as Draco pulled the door open for her.

"Yes ma'am" Draco said.

"Yes Aunt Petunia" Harry added and followed his friend to the car where the back was open to reveal many bags of shopping.

"I bet Dudley eats all this in one day" Draco muttered and Harry had to hold back a snort.

"Nah, these are vegetables" Harry added, checking the bags briefly. "Come on, then we can go to the park!"

So after they'd brought all the supplies inside and then proceeded to put them away, Petunia handed them each a lollypop and sent them on their way. It was a rare treat to get anything at all so the boys were pratically skipping as they sucked on their candy and made their way to the park.

There were a few children with their parents there but they were much younger than eight. The two boys tried to ingore the families as it often reminded them that they didn't have parents anymore, but at least the had each other.

"What do you think happened to our parents?" Harry sighed as he sat on a swing and Draco took the one beside him.

"I asked once, they said yours died in a car crash and mine in a fire" Draco said.

"You asked?" Harry gasped and looked at him as though he was someone to admire and respect.

"Yeah, got a scowling for it though. Told me never to ask questions again" Draco crossed his arms and frowned. "But I don't believe them since both our parents died on the same night...so it's too unlikely, either that or we're the unluckiest people alive."

"I don't think so" Harry smiled a little. "If they hadn't, you wouldn't be with me and I'd be all alone."

"I'd be in some stinking orphange, but I prefer being here with you" Draco said. "You're right, I guess it's not too bad."

"Who needs a mum or dad when you have a brother?" Harry asked, although it was only mildly amusing for both of them did wish they had a family...someone to care for them instead of ording them about the housework and locking them in a cupboard.

"Ahh, this is nice" Draco grinned and leaned back, holding the swing tightly as he lay back to stare at the cloudy sky and let his blonde hair fall behind him, although it was still somehow a bit shorter than Harry's.

"Yeah" Harry said as he did the same but kept his eyes open when Draco closed his, seeing a familiar figure behind them in the distance.

"Uh oh, Draco!" He jumped off the seat and looked over at Dudley and his friends.

"It's 3pm already?" Draco stood on his feet as well but the rush made him dizzy and he had to sit back down. "Don't feel too good" He said again.

Harry glanced at his friend worridly and frowned, stepping in front of him protectively as he faced Dudley.

"What are you freaks doing out here?" Dudley sneered while his friends laughed. "I thought you were supposed to be our maids" He joked.

"Go away, Dudley" Harry said, even if he was scared and knew full well that there would be consenquences for each word or action he said against his cousin.

"What did you say to me, loser?" Dudley scowled and shoved Harry, knocking him backwards into Draco and the pair went sprawling onto the ground.

"Ow" Draco winced and squeezed his eyes shut for a moment.

"Oof" Harry added and rubbed his chest where Dudley had hit him. "You okay?"

"Been better" Draco replied and picked himself up before extending a hand to Harry. "I hate these guys."

"I know" Harry said eyeing the laughing bullies.

"Can't you leave us alone for one day?" Draco scowled angrily, so tired of being pushed around and not being able to defend himself or Harry against them.

"No!" Dudley answered and went to shove Draco but Harry jumped in front, causing the bigger boy to punch him in the face, breaking his glasses and blood splurted from his nose.

"Harry!" Draco's eyes went wide as he saw his brother clutching his face in pain and the blood was dripping between his fingers.

"You bully! Leave him alone!" Draco ran at Dudley, shoving him hard enough that he stumbled backwards. He then grabbed Harry's fallen glasses and arm before leading him away, running as fast as they could back to the house.

--

"What have you two done?" Petunia screeched as she saw them. "Get outside!" She said before Harry could drip blood on her clean floor.

"But Dudley punched him!" Draco tried to explain.

"Don't you dare blame Dudley, he's still at school" Petunia frowned and pointed to the clock that said it was hardly past 2pm.

"But..." Draco tried to argue again as Harry grabbed his shirt and pulled him away. The boys went around to the backyard, with Draco making sure Harry didn't walk into anything or trip since he could barely see without his glasses and with his hand still covering his nose.

"What are you doing?" Draco wondered but pulled a disgusted expression as Harry washed his face using the water hose and his shirt.

"Oh, wait" Draco pulled some tissues from his pocket and handed them to Harry whose face was mostly cleaned up now and the blood had stopped. "Is it broken?"

"No, but close" Harry mumbled, wiping the rest of his face with the tissues. "Thanks."

"It's nothing, just lucky I had them" Draco sighed. "Stupid Dudley, I hate him!" He kicked at the grass and then sat down with a growl.

"I know" Harry sighed and joined him. "And he has my glasses."

"No, I got them" Draco pulled them from his pocket, staring down at them as they sat broken on his open palm and a memory formed in his mind...

--

"Look, Harry...it's raining!" Almost five-year-old Draco pointed out the living room window one morning.

"Is it?" Harry climbed up onto the couch beside him to see as well but looked disappointed by the sight before him. "It's all blurry'.

"No it's not" Draco rolled his eyes.

"Get off!" Petunia screeched at them both and they got down from the couch hurridly. "Keep dusting!"

"Yes ma'am" Draco sighed.

"Yes Aunt Petunia" Harry mumbled and reached for the duster but Draco frowned as he saw his hand miss it at first before he was able to grab it.

"Harry?" He caught his friend's attention.

"Yeah?"

"How many fingers am I holding up?" He rose his hands, showing three clean fingers.

"Um...four?" Harry squinted to see them.

"Petunia!" Draco got up and went to find her. "I think Harry's blind'.

"No wonder he keeps missing spots" Petunia said but it was more of a rude joke than an actual realisation to his words. "That is nonesense, finish your chores Draco'.

"But..." He protested although he said nothing else as she looked especially angry today. "Yes ma'am" He sighed and went back to Harry. "You need glasses" He told him.

"How am I going to get them, you know they won't let me" Harry said sadly. "I hate not being able to see'.

"We start school soon, maybe if you walk into stuff they'll make them get you some" Draco suggested.

"Yeah brilliant!" Harry smiled back...

--

"They're not good, aren't they?" Harry sighed as Draco finally looked up from the glasses and handed them back, feeling their unnatural shape.

"We'll just fix them" Draco tried to be possitive as Harry always was when they got into tough situations, although Draco was only able to be this hopeful or calm when Harry really needed him to be.

"How?" Harry asked.

"I don't know" Draco replied. "But it looks like it's gonna rain, come on" He grabbed Harry and pulled him to his feet before helping him find his way inside without stumbling.

"Wait, did you hit Dudley?" Harry whispered as they headed to their cupboard.

"Erm no, I just shoved him" Draco blushed a little. "I didn't mean to...but he hit you Harry."

"Thanks, but he's gonna kill us now" Harry said smiling at his brother who had stood up to Dudley for him because normally Draco was the first one to run away or cower from the group; not that Harry blamed him.

"Sorry" Draco said now that he realised that Dudley was indeed not going to let them live it down.

"It's okay, it was worth it and we got away" Harry said, still cradling his glasses.

Draco stared at the broken object for a moment and then told Harry to wait there as he snuck out of the cupboard and into the living room where Petunia had a drawer of handy things such as sewing materials etc. He rushed back with some sellotape and wound it around Harry's glasses (at the part where it rests on his nose, which was the broken area) and then returned the tape to the living room before carefully shoving the glasses back on Harry's face.

"Oh, you did fix them, thanks!" Harry grinned in relief and was so glad that he could see again (for there was no chance at all of getting new ones), that he reached out and hugged Draco. The boys were like brothers afterall and had hugged during the night when they couldn't sleep or were cold, and often during moments of extreme comfort if Dudley had ganged up on them or something...but never simply as a "thankyou" although Draco returned the hug after a few seconds.

Each boy was so glad to have the other. And there were only three more years until they would be free of the Dursley household, not that either of them knew that just yet. As far was they were concerned, an eternity in Privit Drive was horrible and unfair...but bareable for as long as they had each other.

"Draco, come on!" Ten-year-old Harry said hurridly while shaking the blonde boy that he had honestly come to consider as his brother. "Wake up!"

"Hmmhm" Draco groaned and tried to brush him away but then his eyes snapped open and he jerked upright, knowing that it was of dire consenquence if he didn't get up when expectd.

"OUCH!" He yelped loudly even though he had covered his mouth with his hands while his head contacted with one of the low stairs above him.

"Ugh, I hate this cupboard" Draco moaned but quickly dressed and rushed to help Harry get breakfast ready and finish cleaning the house they'd been working extra hard on since three days ago for they were having a guest today.

"If she's anything like Vernon...I hate her" Draco added. "Have you even seen a picture of your Aunt Marge?"

"No" Harry shook his head.

"She's hidious" Draco pulled a face. "Like a prune that got stung by a million bees and is allergic to shellfish."

"Ha! She's that bad?" Harry laughed hysterically while Draco moved his hands to animate Marge's appearance while pulling faces.

"Fine, don't believe me" Draco smirked, holding back his own chuckles. "But I speak the truth."

"Okay" Harry hid his smile and they finished their tasks in time to answer the door for the large woman and while Draco certainly overexagerated quite a bit...she was still a sight for sore eyes.

"And who are you?" Marge barked as she spotted Draco and Harry taking her bags and opening the door.

"These are the boys I told you about" Vernon explained while coming inside behind her.

"Oh, those rats" Marge rolled her eyes. "Are you sure they're related? The blonde one looks nothing like the other."

"Hmph" Draco said but had to bite back a comment as he was almost collapsing under the weight of her one bag.

"It's hard to tell" Vernon sighed. "Come in Marge, get out of the weather."

"I'm fine Vernon" Marge waved her hand dismissingly. "Ripper!" She called and the dreaded bulldog ran in, sniffing at Harry and then Draco. "I'd like a spot of brandy though, if you don't mind Vernon."

"Of course" He said and led her into the kitchen where Petunia and Dudley were waiting. "Behave" He growled to the boys as he slumbered past.

"Gladly" Harry replied but not within earshot as he helped Draco with the bags. "Come on, let's get rid of these and then hide outside."

"Agreed" Draco said with a scowl set on his pale face. "The blonde one..." He muttered and used a whiney voice as he pretended to be Marge and Harry had to catch himself before he started laughing again.

The boys dumped Marge's bags into the spare room that was all prepared for her (although Draco was a little rougher than he should have been with the bag). Afterwards, they made their way sneakily outside and marvelled at the sunlight and fresh air. They had previously been instructed not to leave the yard but they didn't mind too much as they were nowhere near those inside.

"Today isn't too bad" Draco commented as he jumped lightly and grabbed hold of a tree banch to swing on while Harry climbed onto the branch opposite it and used it to hang upside-down.

"For now, but we can't stay out here all night" Harry sighed.

"Hmph" Draco frowned but looked up and stared at Harry's lightning-bolt scar for a moment. "I wonder how you got that" He pointed to the mark on his forehead.

"Oh" Harry touched it lightly with his hand. "I dunno, I suppose it was when my parents were supposingly killed in that car crash."

"Yeah" Draco said, still believing that what they'd been told of how their parents had died was a lie.

"Argh!" The blonde yelped as something nipped as his ankles and he looked over to see the bulldog was snapping at him. Draco took no chances and pratically flew up the tree and onto the branch he had previously been swinging on...until that dog had appeared.

"You could have warned me!" He scowled at Harry who was laughing a little in amusement.

"I didn't see him, it's getting dark" Harry said but wasn't too truthful as he'd heard something in the nearby bushes but had considered it to be no threat for Dudley would have been much louder.

"Get away, you rotten fleabag!" Draco said angrily to the dog but he just jumped towards the tree, trying to catch either of the boys which only suceeded in making them climb higher out of reach.

--

And that's where they stayed for over an hour until Petunia came outside in search of them.

"Get down from there!" She hissed angrily but neither boy moved as the dog was still trying to bite their ankles. "Ripper" She said but shrieked when the dog jumped up at her.

"Ripper!" Marge's voice called out and the dulldog took off running back into the house and the boys finally climbed down from the tree.

"He was trying to bite us" Draco complained when Petunia grabbed both of them by their ears and dragged them inside.

"There are two of you and one of him" Petunia scowled and pointed to a sink full of filthy dishes and other kitchen items. "Clean it up."

"Yes Aunt Petunia" Harry sighed and the boys got to work; Harry washed while Draco dried.

"And how is Dudders in school?" Marge was asking Vernon and Petunia while the boys washed away, trying to ignore the conversation but didn't dare talk to each other, so they listened in but tried not to appear too obvious about it.

"Good, my Dudders is making a lot of friends!" Petunia said proudly while Draco rolled his eyes for it was about the only good comment one could say about the overfed bully.

"And those lot?" Marge jabbed a finger in the direction of Draco and Harry but didn't look at either of them.

"Trouble as always" Vernon replied, shaking his head. "Nothing but trouble."

"Hey-" Draco went to say but Harry stepped on his foot, sucessfully shutting him up. "Ow" He mumbled. "Thanks, I forgot" Draco sighed since he was still not acustomed to keeping quiet...even after all these years in the Dursley household.

"A burden to all around them I see" Marge nodded, giving Draco a short glance as she could have sworn he'd said something. "Failing every class I presume? No friends? Unreliable as well, no doubt."

"Yes" Petunia nodded although it wasn't really true. Their grades were average but they couldn't make friends because Dudley scared them all off. He also purposfully tried to make them late or blame them for things they didn't do, just to get them in trouble.

"And they're not even related?" Marge raised an eyebrow. "Keeping them out of charity are you, Vernon?" She turned to her brother in strong disaproval and astonishment.

"Well..." Vernone struggled to come up with a reasonable reply.

"Harry is the son of my sister and Draco is a child they cared for at times; it is very confusing" Petunia replied a bit reluctantly. "But they are to stay together."

"Well they should be at an orphanage, together" Marge said, her tone raising. "If anyone dumped them on my doorstep, that'd be lucky to even end up there! I hope you're not giving them too much, they're to earn their way if they're to stay here out of your rediculous charity."

"We only give them what they really need" Petunia said.

"If we're lucky" Draco hissed to Harry.

"What was that, boy?" Marge turned around to stare at him as though she had been waiting for him to speak.

"Nothing" Draco replied too quickly.

"A liar too; how do you put up with them?" Marge asked Vernon but her attention stayed on Draco. "Do you have something to say, ungreatful boy? Go on then, say it!"

"I...I was just telling Harry that he missed a spot" Draco invented quickly, pointing at the plate Harry was scrubbing. Harry nodded hurridly to agree with Draco's words and Marge seemed to acccpt it, barely.

"Thanks" Harry frowned sarcastically at Draco, who merely shrugged in reply before taking the plate and proceeding to dry it in utter silence.

"I wouldn't fuss over it" Marge continued. "I'm sure they got it from their parents..they were probably all part of some drug cult, no doubt."

All adults and Dudley turned their attention to the kitchen but the boys were gone; having dissappeared behind the counter to retrive the plate that Draco had dropped angrily to Marge's words. Harry had also dropped the cup he'd been washing and it had hit the sink, splashing water over both him and Draco as well as the floor.

"What are you doing?" Petunia snapped as she hurried over. "Clean this up, now!"

"Yes Aunt Petunia" Harry mumbled while Draco didn't trust himself to speak and said nothing.

"And when you're done, get off to bed!" Vernon added even more angrily.

"Hush" Marge told him but said nothing more while the boys cleaned.

"Hold it!" Marge said as the boys finished their task and tried to leave the kitchen quickly but halted at her voice. "These people were kind or stupid enough to take both of you brats in, you should show some more respect!" She snapped.

"Vernon, perhaps there is a school that would better straighten them out? Use the cane on them, it would do them good" Marge turned back as though the boys no longer existed so they took that chance to hurry out of the room and went to their cupboard.

"I. Hate. That. Prune" Draco said slowly but venomously.

"I know, how dare she...we're to respect them? Urgh!" Harry growled as well, slumping on the camp bed and Draco soon joined him as there wasn't much else to do and they were starting to become rather cramped in their small space.

"How long is she staying again?" Draco wondered as he buried his face in his hands to conceal his misery and calm himself in order to swallow his temptation of running out there and giving them a piece of his mind on various subjects.

"A few days" Harry sighed in response. "It will be like forever!"

But it didn't. Those few days passed by and everything seemed okay until one Saturday night when Vernon came home from work in a very foul mood. He slammed the front door, barely uttered a word to his wife and son before turning to see Draco and Harry still cooking dinner. Or at least Harry was doing most of it and Draco set the table or checked on smaller tasks for cooking wasn't one of his talents; he just didn't have the skill or patience for it.

"Did they do all their chores?" Vernon asked with an eager growl, as though looking for something -or someone- to vent his frustrations on and they were always his easy targets, no matter how unjustified.

"All except the gardening" Petunia replied. "It started to rain I believe they said."

"Rain?" Vernon growled. "I have a window in my office you know boys; that was no rain! You will get out there and finally finish that rose garden the moment you're done here!"

Draco and Harry glanced up in annoyance and surprise but said nothing for each could tell that making Vernon increasingly angry was going to do more harm than good and while they hadn't had a solid meal in a few days, they knew it would be pushing it to ask for something now.

And so after dinner was served and Harry had dragged Draco away from it, they gathered their equipment and headed outside to where the budding rose bushes were. They understood that they hadn't had the time to do it lately but did they really have to be sent out in the dark and cold? Plus it seemed that it was going to rain again.

"We're not going to get it done in time" Harry said, examining the situation.

"I can hardly see" Draco added, although his eyes were starting to adjust...that happened when you spent years in a cupboard.

"Come on, let's get this over with" Harry said and started working while Draco pulled out weeds, or at least he attempted to.

The rain began to fall heavier but the task was still far from done and neither boy dared to enter the house until they were finished for they'd just be sent right back out again.

"This is s-so un-fair" Draco said while trying hard not to shudder from the cold water pelting against his skin and down his back while they were surrounded by the chilly night air.

"I kn-ow" Harry replied. "Ouch!" He yelped as he pricked a finger on a thorn. "Could this week get any worst?"

But it did. Once they had spent two hours in the ice-cold rain, they hurried back to the house for warmth but forgot that they were dripping wet and muddy. Petunia shrieked when she saw them on her carpet and Vernon lost his temper altogether. He grabbed both boys by their hair and shoved them into the cupboard under the stairs, shutting the door behind them and locking it.

"Getting mud and slime all over Petunia's new carpet!" He roared through the air vent as the boys shivered on their beds helplessly. "You're staying in here until supper tomorrow, and don't you dare come out because you're bolted. This ought to teach you rats!" He scowled and walked off, although they would have suffered much more if they hadn't been so soaked and filthy.

"C-cold" Harry gulped and Draco shifted closer, using him for warmth.

"I don't w-want to wet the bed with m-mud" Draco said so resisted the thin blankets but ten minutes later they couldn't take it anymore and climbed into their bed, huddling together for warmth and comfort, wrapping the blankets around themselves as they did.

--

It was many hours before the rest of the house grew dark and quiet as the Dursleys went to bed. An hour later and Draco got out of bed as his shivering had subsided and he was relatively dry now.

"What are you doing?" Harry hissed as Draco pulled a pin, a fork and a bent screwdriver from a middle shelf in the cupboard and began to fiddle with the lock on the door.

"I figured this out ages ago, for emergencies" Draco replied and finally grinned the first half-smile in days as the lock clicked quietly and he snuck out.

"Draco!" Harry whispered worriedly but found himself following him.

"Grab a drink bottle for water and I'll get some food. If we're stuck until tomorrow we may as well stock up" Draco told his brother and Harry nodded. They took only what would go unnoticed and then hurried back to their cupboard. Draco checked that they had left no footprints or marks behind and was relieved to find that they hadn't.

So the following day the boys lived on their crackers and cheese while being careful with their water use. It felt like a miracle when they heard Dudley mocking them through the air vent about going bowling for a few hours and leaving them behind.

Once the car had pulled out of the driveway, Draco used his unlocking trick again (he had relocked it the previous night to avoid suspicion) and the boys rushed to the bathroom with a change of clean clothes. They showered and dressed at warp speed. Draco seemed very pleased to be able to wash his hair and brush his teeth while Harry was just happy to be mud-free.

Afterwards they watched a bit of TV for it was a luxury they never had and then made their way back to the cupboard in time for the Dursley's arrival back home.

"I hate it here, Harry" Draco said as they listened to Dudley laughing in the living room about some stupid TV show he was watching. Vernon and Petunia were heard talking about drills in the other room as well while the two boys were left out and once again forgotten.

"Me too" Harry sighed, making his chipped, toy knight on a black horse walk across a shelf as though it was going into battle. Draco had his knees on the bed just as harry did and was playing with a red dragon although it was missing a tail. They were bored and had been entertaining themselves with their broken toys for hours now, but it never really amused them anymore; it was simply just a way to pass the time. When they were a lot younger they'd risk making the dragon roar and the knight would fall off his horse dramatically, but now they knew better and remained quiet, dull and non-existant.

Draco dropped his dragon and it fell to the floor, sliding under their bed so he crouched down to retrieve it, only to pull out a sheet of paper with numbers and crosses marked on it.

"What's that?" Harry examined it. "Oh, weren't you using that to count how long it will be until we get out of here?"

"Yeah" Draco nodded. "I figured we'd be able to at about eighteen. We're almost eleven...which leaves about nine years of hell left" He nodded. "Although it made me feel worst so I abandoned it a few months ago."

"Nine years" Harry shook his head. "We're not going to fit in here much longer, it's too cramped as it is" He looked around the cupboard for there really was very little space for them both. "If it was just one of us we'd last another year maybe but with the two of us? The bed is going to collapse and the shelves will fall on us!"

"Maybe they'll crush us while we're sleeping" Draco said hopefully.

"Think they'll give us our own room? I mean, Dudley has two rooms!" Harry frowned.

"Not likely" Draco rolled his eyes and picked up the dragon toy. "He doesn't use that second room anyway, it's just full of his ruined junk."

"Maybe we could pray?" Harry shrugged and Draco slowly looked at him as though he'd told him to cuddle Dudley and tell Vernon they loved him.

"You've finally lost it" Draco shook his head. "I didn't know you believed in God."

"I don't" Harry replied while ignoring the first comment.

"What's the whole point of praying if you don't think anyone will hear you?" Draco rolled his eyes and placed his dragon back on its shelf, now abandoning it.

"I dunno, I'm out of other options" Harry replied. "I heard that the last thing people do when they're out of options and hope, is to pray. Maybe someone will hear us?"

"That someone is in the kitchen and will lock us in for longer if he overhears us" Draco crossed his arms. "No thanks, my sanity suits me."

"Hardly" Harry rolled his eyes but ignored his brother and crouched on his knees to place his hands on the bed in a praying stance. He whispered too quietly for Draco to hear but out of respect for his brother, the blonde remained quiet and controlled his urge to snigger at how stupid he thought Harry looked as he prayed in a space he could barely fit in.

As the two boys lay in their bed that night, something seemed a bit different. For while Harry was asleep, Draco lay awake and thought that perhaps he should of prayed as well. He didn't believe in the rubbish but Harry certainly looked calmer and better after doing it so maybe it might work. But he was fooling himself; what were their chances of escaping Privit Drive before they were eighteen? Little did the boys know, it would be as soon as their next birthday...

One year had passed the boys by; at times it seemed to take forever whereas other days time seemed to just vanish. Draco was several months older than Harry and often liked to remind him, but in the upcoming week a particular date wasn't one of those days, for it was soon to be the 31st of July...Harry's eleventh birthday.

They got up as usual in the morning but Draco said nothing until Vernon wanted the mail and he let Harry go get it, only to take over at the stove and tried to do as much of the work as he could. They were always too poor to buy any gifts for each other (since they never got given money and only had what they rarely found lying on the streets), so the best way to allow the other to enjoy the day somewhat was for the other to take over the chores for the week leading up to the birthday and then take all the chores on the actual day.

Draco wasn't the best cook but Harry and Petunia had ground tips into him so he was getting the hand of the more structered things. He only glanced up when he saw Harry enter the kitchen with two envelopes clutched in his hands that he didn't pass over to Vernon.

"Oh Marge is ill, ate a funny welk" Vernon said but the boys hadn't heard him.

"What's that?" Draco mouthed to Harry as he pointed to it.

"Dad look! Harry's got letters!" Dudley snatched the envelopes from Harry and handed them to Vernon before the raven-haired boy could react.

"Give them back, they're ours!" Harry said and Draco came over curiously at the word "ours" as it clearly involved him as well.

"Oh? And who would be writing to you?" Vernon laughing hollowly but turned the envelopes over and seemed to pale as he exchanged looks with Petunia. Draco glanced over their shoulders but seconds later he was snatched up alongside Harry and they had been shoved into the hallway and then roughly into their cupboards.

"Ouch!" Draco hissed through his teeth as his skull whacked against a shelf. "What was that about? Who were those letters for?"

"Us" Harry replied. "It said Harry Potter, cupboard under the stairs....you had one with your name too."

"But...did you see a return address? A name, anything?" Draco asked eagerly. "I only saw a red seal with a "H" on it."

"There was nothing else, just our names and address" Harry sighed. "Who is writing to us? How do they know where we sleep?"

"No idea" Draco sighed as well, annoyed that he couldn't read his own letter. "Why didn't you just slip it under the cupboard door? Why'd you walk in there with them?" He growled.

"It's not my fault!" Harry snapped back.

"Right, sorry" Draco grumbled. "I just wish we could have them. I mean, they were addressed to us!"

The next few days consisted of Draco's many unsucessful but creative attempts to get their letters that kept being delivered and seemed to be increasing in numbers. Vernon had drilled the mailbox shut, dismissed the postman and burnt all letters that had still somehow made their way into the house. Harry had near given up on getting his letter but Draco seemed to treat the situation like a matter of life and death...he certainly was determined.

His thoughts only drifted from the letters once when he relived the hilarious memory of Harry somehow letting the snake loose on Dudley's birthday last month. Although Draco hadn't been able to go due to a head cold, he had still been thoroughly amused when Harry cheered him up with the story and as he thought back to it he found himself cheering up at times; but those letters were his main priority. Vernon knew Draco wanted them the most out of the pair so Harry often took that advantage to try and get the letters. But a week later and still neither boy knew the contents of their letters from the mysterious "Hogwarts".

--

"Sunday" Vernon said that weekend, looking rather pleased while Draco crouched in the corner grumbling and Harry passed around a plate of snacks. "Finally Sunday. In my opinion: best day of the week" He said and kept muttering as Harry made his way over to Draco who hungrily took the snacks. Until something caught their attention.

Harry walked over to the window and pulled back the light curtains, seeing owl after owl perched all over the street, from the house roofs to the fences, signs, lawns and cars etc.

"What...?" Draco felt the suddenly rumbling and noise as well, moments before the fireplace burst with letters streaming out all over the once-perfect living room. He grinned and spared no time; jumping up to grap a letter with his name on it.

Harry stared at the shower of envelopes while the Dursleys screamed and attempted to shield themselves. He quickly joined Draco but Vernon took over and while he grabbed Harry's arm and yanked him away roughly, he snatched Draco around the middle and hurled both boys into the hallway, fighting their thrashing and protests the entire way.

"They're our letters!" Draco screamed angrily as his letter was snatched violently out of his hands.

"They're for us!" Harry added as the mailbox blockage broke and more letters poured into the narrow hallway.

"That's it!" Vernon yelled as the struggling from the boys and the pressure of the letters became much and he slid to the floor but did not release either of the boys. "We're going away! Far away, where they can't find us!"

And so later that night, Harry and Draco were leaning against a cold stone wall and watched as Vernon once again tried to light the fireplace in the small shack they were staying at...in the middle of nowhere and upon a rock out at sea. Petunia was upstairs getting ready for bed while Dudley sat on the couch stuffing his face with packets of chips...some in which had been for the other two but neither said a word when the bags were snatched from their grasps. Vernon was in a bad enough mood as it was and Harry had a bruise from when he'd been roughly grabbed by the wrist earlier. Neither boy wanted to add to that.

"You okay?" Draco asked quietly as Harry rubbed his wrist again.

"Yeah, more annoyed than anything" He answered his brother .'This isn't fair."

"No kidding" Draco cast a scowl at Vernon when the man shoved two thin sheets at each boy and strolled upstairs. He then glanced at Dudley, seeing that a packet of chips still remained.

"Draco, no" Harry groaned as the blonde boy headed over to where Dudley was finishing Harry's chips.

"You pig, they're not all for you" Draco said to Dudley bravely and Harry wondered what had gotten into him for he rarely said anything against Dudley as the fear of being beaten up rang too strong within him. But over the last few months his friend had been changing and getting just more frustrated with their situation. Dudley was always bullying them, the Durleys didn't feed them enough, give them their own things or anything that made their life a little less miserable. Harry had learnt to cope, to avoid confrontations for they never came out winning. But when those unknown letter started arriving, it was something that did belong to them and it seemed to bother Draco the most when he couldn't have them...and to not even know who they were from.

And now as he approached Dudley, it looked as though he had reached the end of his mental and emotional limit. They were both cold, hungry and sore...a simple packet of chips was like a three-course meal to them right now. The hunger was making them ache and Draco had always suffered more than Harry with the lack of food. He couldn't stand not being fed and right now Dudley was about to eat Draco's chips.

"Whatcha gonna do about it?" Dudley smirked as he put the crinkled packet down and reached for the last packet; Draco's chips. But the blonde had leapt towards them before Harry could say a word or attempt to restrain him.

They had always been quicker than Dudley but the chips were right there in his reach so both boys had managed to clutch the packet and each refused to let go.

"Draco, no" Harry said, stepping closer. "It's not worth it."

"I don't care!" Draco said, his voice cracking slightly. "I'm so hungry, I'm tired and I just want what is mine!"

"These are mine, dad gave them to me!" Dudley complained, tugging harder on the packet.

"No, he said that Harry and I could have one each, you took all six of them!" Draco yelled while Harry glanced towards the stairs nervously.

"Draco..." He warned as the floorboards above creaked; it was a sign that Vernon was approaching and no doubt they were going to be in more trouble and with no cupboard to lock them into...

"Give them to me!" Dudley yelled back.

"No, they're mine!" Draco replied but gasped as the precise second that Vernon grabbed him by his collar, the chip packet tore and the photo chips burst all over the floor and Dudley.

"Sorry!" Draco winced quickly and tried to break free of Vernon's grasp as the man growled deep in this throat and thrust the boy at the couch, in which he kicked his knee on and then fell forward, spralled beside Dudley.

"Get to bed, the lotta ya!" Vernon snapped and headed back up the stairs.

"Way to go, loser!" Dudley said and rolled over on his couch.

Harry reached for Draco, helping him up and then they flattened their sheets on the floor beside the couch and in front of the non-lit fireplace, huddling together for comfort and in hope of easing away some of the cold.

Dudley had his arm hanging over the side of the couch so Harry glanced at his watch and saw it was only two minutes until midnight. He looked at Draco to see the boy was drawing something in the dirt in front of them and after a moment, Harry finally realised that it was a cake with eleven candles.

"Thanks for staying up with me" Harry whispered as he tried to imagine the cake was real, as though the candles were flickering light against the dull stone walls and that there was frosting all over the top.

"No problem" Draco shrugged as they lay on their stomaches. "It's not like it's easy to sleep here" He added with a sigh but tried to be remain possitive as Dudley's watch beeped softly, announcing that it was midnight.

"Make a wish, Harry" Draco added lightly as Harry took a breath and blew the candles "out". But seconds after wishing that he and Draco could leave the Dursleys, Harry stared towards the door when a loud bang was heard. It continued and the wooden door seemed to be shuddering from the force.

"Wh...?" Dudley jerked upright and the boys got to their feet.

"Draco!" Harry hissed and grabbed his sleeve to pull him behind the spot beside the fireplace and sucessfully hid them both out of sight while the Dursleys watched fearfully.

Another resounding bang sent the door flying to the filthy floor and that sent off a series of events. From meeting Hagrid and finally reading their letters, to Dudley's pig tail and the Dursleys running from the room. Draco and Harry felt like it was all a dream, as though they'd done some good deed years ago and it was finally coming to pay them back for the next morning came around and they were still resting on the bed in the Leaky Cauldron and it was real...they were wizards and were about to head off for from breakfast before getting their school supplies.

--

They had arrived at the little inn very late at night so there were no people around, but as Draco and Harry followed Hagrid downstairs they saw that the tiny inn was now packed with witches and wizards all around, from rich to poor and than to mysterious and chatty.

"Good morning Hagrid!" The bartender, Tom greeted him as he saw the half-giant enter. "The usual, I presume?"

"No thanks Tom" Hagrid replied. "I'm on official Hogwarts business. I'm having young Harry and Draco off to buy their school supplies" He announced.

"Bless my soul" Tom gasped loudly. "It's Harry Potter!"

"What?" Draco glanced at his friend. "They know you?" He asked as the entire room went quiet and several people came over to greet them.

"I...guess so" Harry replied in shock.

--

They followed Hagrid out the back and when he didn't explain how those people knew who Harry was, the boys almost missed what he did next. Tapping certain places on the brick wall caused then to move and reveal Diagon Alley. Harry's eyes were wide and his jaw dropped and while Draco reacted in a simular way...there was something else going through his mind as he recalled the previous night...

--

-- 

"Ye coming?" Hagrid's voice boomed over to him and Draco was startled from his thoughts as he rushed to keep up with his new company and his brother as they wandered the magical streets, staring and gasping at it all while taking in the scenary.

The group went to Gringotts and the boys found that they were both rich for each vault was piled high with gold coins, although Draco smirked to the fact that he had a lot more than Harry but said nothing. It was only great to have the money because he'd never had it before but he honestly had no real clue what to spend it on. He had a few ideas but there was just so much!

And then they got their wands and Mr Ollivander knew right away who they were, even Draco, stating that he remembered when their parents had walked in to get their first wands and how he was very curious about the wand Harry ended up with.

But everything passed in a blur for Draco while Harry absorbed it all and grinned about the entire time. Hagrid bought Harry a snowy owl for his birthday and even though Draco's was many months ago, he also got him an eagle owl. They had their school robes fitted and bought their books, although both boys purchased a few extra items such as books and toys.

As their exciting day was coming to a close, Draco paused by the Quidditch store and was drawn to it for some reason even though he had no idea how to play the sport that required brooms or had ever witnessed a game taking place before. He just stared into the shop window and once again his mind clouded with confusion and as though there was something he was forgetting...

--

-- 

"Draco?" Harry was the one to bring him from his thoughts this time. "Are you okay?"

"Yeah, I think I remember something...about my parents" Draco admitted, so sure that those people in his vage memories were his parent, the family he lost.

"Yeah?" Harry raised an eyebrow. "You're lucky, all I remember is a scream and bright green light."

"Come on, lads!" Hagrid called them again.

"Let's go, Hagrid is gonna tells us more about Hogwarts" Harry tugged Draco away from the store but the blonde wizard had a sinking feeling in his stomach that there was something big he didn't know, not about his life or his parents but about himself. As though there was something important buried deep within that he knew nothing about although by right he should...something dark.

"Ye alrigh" lads? Ye a bit quiet" Hagrid commented to them over dinner. While Draco had finished his meal and the gazed off into the distance, Harry had barely touched his own food.

"He killed our parents, didn't he?" Harry asked and Draco's head snapped up in attention although he'd thought the same thing earlier that day while they'd been shopping for wands.

"The one who gave me this" Harry added, touching the place on his forehead where his scare was. "You know Hagrid, I know you do."

The half-giant sighed and looked between the boys before taking a deep breath and nodding.

"Firs" there is somethin" ya both should know because it's very importan': not all wizards are good, some of "em go bad. And a few years ago there was one that went as bad as ye can go. His name was V..." He paused and struggled to say it. "His name was V..."

"Maybe if you wrote it down?" Harry suggested.

"Nah, I can't spell it! Alrigh'...Voldemort" He said in a hushed tone.

"Voldemort?" Harry repeated and Draco shivered for some unknown reason even though it wasn't cold inside the room and he had a jumper on.

"It was dark times boys, dark times" Hagrid told them and began the story of what brought them to where they were and in turn, to each other. "Voldemort decided ter gather some followers and run "em over to the dark side. He had huge numbers in his command, some of "em being your parents, Draco."

"What? My parents were...bad?" Draco's eyes were wide and he could barely grasp the thought of such a thing.

"Death Eaters we call "em, but ye parents didn't want no more to do with Voldemort an" they went to Harry's parents, askin" for help" Hagrid explained and Draco relaxed a notch while Harry clung to his words.

"No one knows how they found the Potters for only a few knew where they were, protective charms and such...unbreakable. But they chose that particular night and took you with "em. Some say they fought while others think they planned it all along; no one knows what really happened that night. But Voldemort showed up and he wasn't pleased ter say the least" Hagrid said. "Anyone who stood up to him ended up dead, for no one lived once he decided to kill "em, not one...'cept you" He looked at Harry.

"Me?" Harry gasped. "Voldemort tried to kill...me?"

"That ain't no ordinary cut in yer forehead, Harry. It only comes from being touched a curse and an evil curse that was."

"But I lived and I don't have a scar" Draco added. "He didn't...try to kill me?"

"Ye don't have a scar, so no" Hagrid said. "If he'd bin able ter kill Harry he might've..." He left the story there and both boys were stunned to say the least. They were sad that they lost their parents and knew somehow that they were both very lucky but never had they imagined just how lucky they were to be alive.

--

They headed to bed not long after but while Hagrid was snoring in a nearby sofa, they sat on their rundown bed and discussed the topic until they were exhausted.

"They were so brave" Draco sighed. "Standing up to Voldemort like that, and dying trying to protect us" He said as he bowed his head. "I wish I was that brave."

"You stood up to Dudley, that's pretty brave in my books" Harry said and tried to offer comfort while rubbing his scar again. "We've got to go back to the Dursleys tomorrow. I can't beleive they lied to us about everything!"

"I can" Draco said but frowned as well. "About our parents, about us...everything we should have known, but we didn't because of them!"

Harry and Draco lay down side-by-side and stared up at the bed's canopy.

"I can't wait to go to Hogwarts though" Harry yawned as his eyes began to fall closed. "A magical castle where we can learn how to cast spells and make potions."

"Yeah" Draco said sleepily. "Only a few weeks and we're free....back to where we really belong."

It had been almost a week since the two eleven-year-old boys had found out the truth. It still felt like it had all been a dream, for nothing had really changed. The moment Hagrid had dropped them back off at Number 4 Privit Drive, Vernon had taken their trunks and locked them in the cupboard under the stairs as well as confiscated anything that related to their "freakiness" and then laughed at their tickets for they were to depart on "Platform 9 & 3/4" on September the 1st at 11am. But he agreed to take them, stating they were going into London on that day anyway and then set the boys about their usual chores.

Although the Dursleys were more distant and less demanding than usual, things had fallen back into the usual pattern. Well, except for one thing...

"I can't believe this!" Harry grinned as they stepped into Dudley's refurnished second bedroom which was now their own room. There was only one bed, just wide enough to fit them both, a single desk but with two chairs and a wardrobe to place the little amount of clothes that they had. A small window was also in the room with flyscreen and curtains, which the boys liked to open and let the breeze in.

They'd been allowed to keep their owls in their bedroom and could now get out of bed without nearly getting a concussion or kicking their knees due to the cramped space that had been their cupboard.

But it had now been one week since they knew they were to escape the Dursleys for at least a good length of time, knowing they had to come back each summer but that was nothing compared to the fact that they would be spending seven years at Hogwarts.

"I hope we make some friends" Harry was saying as they lay outside in the sun, having just finished their chores for the day.

"Who needs friends? We have each other" Draco said.

"Yeah but...it would be nice" Harry sighed. "Without Dudley being there to chase them away and then beat them up if they didn't stay away from us."

"I suppose" Draco shrugged but was being more conversational rather than actually agreeing as he sat upright and got to his feet.

"Where are you going?" Harry asked.

"Upstairs, I wanna be alone" Draco said and for the first time since they had been placed on the doorstep ten years ago...the boys seperated.

Harry was worried that maybe Draco didn't like him anymore or that he'd said something wrong but decided it was best to leave him alone for now.

They shared a room anyway so he was sure to see him again later and then they could talk.

Draco closed the bedroom door behind himself and snuck a small bag he'd bought at Diagon Alley out from under a floorboard he and Harry had discovered and used to hide food or their owl treats. He reached into the magic bag and pulled out a book for the bag was able to have so much space inside whilst the outside just looked small and unimportant.

"Hogwarts: A history" Draco whispered as he drifted his hand over the title of the book and opened it to where he'd left of since he read it late at nights when everyone (including Harry) had gone to sleep.

He didn't know why he kept this from Harry since they trusted each other with everything but Draco was getting a bit tired of sharing everything; he wanted something that was his and his alone. But he despised keeping secrets. Maybe he'll tell Harry once he was done reading?

Draco was tired of being bullied and pushed around, he wanted to stand up and do something more useful than cleaning dishes or sweeping floors. He wanted to be brave, he wanted to do things that changed the world like his parents had. And somehow Draco felt that Hogwarts was the place to do that.

Draco turned the page and kepy reading eagerly, wanting to know more about Hogwarts and the new life that he and Harry would be stepping into in less than three weeks.

"Blimey, I didn't know we had to do that!" Draco said but his tone was still rather hushed and secretive even though he was alone in the room, apart from the resting owls.

"What are the houses?" He asked but the book, of course, gave no reply; it was up to him to keep reading on and that he did.

But Draco stopped there and stashed his book away as though it suddenly became painful be touch and see. He was done reading. His parents had been Death Eaters before they'd switched sides...had they "meddled in darker magic" as well? It sickened him to think that they had, to even ponder on the posibility that they had done such horrible things and caused pain to others. Draco was sure that regardless, they had most likely been in Slytherin. He had heard Hagrid mention something about Harry's parents and Gryffindor and that worried Draco even more. What if kids were meant to be in the same house as their parents? Would Slytherin and Gryffindor be that tore Harry and himself apart?

But they were apart right now and for the first time. Draco had caused that; he had turned away from his friend and kept secrets from him. They tried to talk about what happened to their parents but Draco skipped over the details that had been making his stomach twist for days now...his parents had been Death Eaters.

"DRACO MALFOY!" The roaring voice of Vernon carried up the stairs and through the door, effectively making the boy jump and hurry downstairs.

"Y-yes sir?" He gasped and gulped as the man looked furious. He looked around for Harry but found him nowhere in sight and panic settled in. He should never have seperated from his brother and he should never have ditched him for some stupid book!

"Where's Harry?" He aske while utterly forgetting who he was talking to and that he wasn't supposed to ever ask questions.

"You!" Vernon grabbed him by the scruff of his neck and threw him into the kitchen, which caused Draco to make contact with the counter and he winced soundlessly as his left arm took the impact.

"Forget about that useless runt and make dinner, now!" Vernon barked loudly and Draco's eyes widened in fear.

Normally Harry was the strong one but he was nowhere around and Draco couldn't recall a time in recent years in which Vernon had been this mad about something, so he decided to do as he was told and remained quiet.

As the minutes ticked by on Petunia's new clock, Draco chopped vegetables while trying to keep his hands from shaking. He didn't know where Harry was but his irrational mind was thinking that he could be hurt or locked somewhere...or gone.

"No, focus" Draco muttered to himself and hurridly put the roast on before leaving the kitchen in search of his brother, friend and only company that actually cared for him.

"Harry?" He called cautiously as he checked upstairs, the bathroom, the front yard and anywhere else that he could think of.

But it was when he walked into the back yard that his heart dropped and he gulped back waves of guilt and other emotions he didn't want to feel.

Harry was sitting in a corner with the water hose in reach, positioned so that he was leaning against Vernon's tool shed and was cradling his right hand while shifting to feel his head as well. He had blood on his clothes, his face and the grass around him. His hand was bruised, his head was as well and his lip was split.

"Harry!" Draco ran over to him. "I'm so sorry, I didn't mean to abandon you!" He said, his eyes trickling with tears but he ushered them away. "Where are you hurt? Can you move? Was this Dudley's work?"

"Ouch" Harry winced as Draco tried to move him. "Not Dudley" He murmered and used his brother for support into the shade. "Uncle Vernon, kicked me...hit me" He swallowed and sniffed.

"Why?" Draco asked but remembered the mood Vernon had been in...was still in.

"I..." Harry sighed. "Dudley was being a git and I told him to leave me alone, but then he tried to hit me" He explained.

"I couldn't get away and he just wouldn't stop. I don't know how I did it but the next thing I knew Dudley was flying off me and Uncle Vernon saw" He coughed softly but continued.

"He grabbed my hand, twisted it...threw me against the shed" He sighed. "It was one of his worst" He finished. "Looks like you got out of it okay."

"He grabbed me but I had no idea you..." Draco lowered his gaze, unable to see Harry like this. And it was all because he'd wanted to know more about Hogwarts and for some sign that his parents weren't as bad as Hagrid had said. "This is my fault, I'm sorry."

"Better one of us than both of us" Harry shrugged and bit back a winced. "Could you get me some clean clothes? Petunia will faint if I go inside like this and I don't want to be locked out again."

"Sure" Draco rushed off to get a clean shirt and they hid the bloody one while going back inside. "Go upstairs and rest, I'll finish dinner. If he hurt you, he won't want to see you...I'll be fine."

"Draco, no" Harry protested.

"Don't worry, I've learnt my lesson, Harry" Draco sighed. "I won't say anything unless I have to, I won't cause trouble or get in their way. I promise" He nodded and shoved his brother lightly towards the staircase. "Go, or we'll both get it."

Harry saw no other option as his head throbbed and his hand burned, so he left his brother and headed up the stairs, fearing that today was drifting them apart in reliance and protection but hoped that they would reunite later and things would be settled again.

"Where have you been, ruddy boy?" Vernon scowled as Draco came back into the kitchen, wiping his hands and then checked the roast.

"Nowhere, sir" Draco replied, keeping his head bend low and his eyes untrained on anything but the floor.

"Useless brat" Vernon said but turned back to the television that they now had in the kitchen for Dudley.

Draco said nothing and proceeded to check that everything was ready and then just hovered in the kitchen, staring at nothing in particular and remained quiet, distant and safe.

Harry looked up in alarm as Draco came into the room several hours later, his shirt a bit bulged and he was clearly hiding something there.

"Hey" Draco said quietly as the Dursleys were preparing for bed. He pulled out an old rag that had been dampened and Harry used it to wipe the blood off his face and hand. Draco then handed him a half-empty box of crackers and sat at the desk with a handful of bread slices he'd stolen for himself. They also each had a few vegetables and fruit that would go unnoticed and didn't leave behind cores that would go rotten and stink the place etc.

"Thanks, but how did you get these?" Harry asked, refering to the food.

"Petunia was cleaning out things from the cupboard, those crackers and this bread were replaced with fresher ones so I grabbed them. And I also had to clean the fridge out, so yeah" He shrugged. "What does it matter anyway, do you still hurt?"

"Not really, just throbbing" Harry said but his hand was posessively close to his chest so Draco wasn't sure if it was the entire truth. "What were you doing all day anyway?"

"Nothing worth leaving you out there to be beaten up for" Draco said guiltily. "Forget it. I'm tired."

And without another word and after finishing their food, the boys lay down to sleep.

Harry was tired from his battle earlier and was asleep right away but Draco took a bit longer for he was still swallowed in guilt and annoyance.

But when he finally fell asleep, things were a lot worst. His nightmares plagued him, showing him his parents as evil monsters dressed entirely in dark clothing and laughing mechanically. Then there was Vernon grabbing Harry by the throat while Dudley chased Draco. Then a scene shoved into Draco's mind, making him recall something both he and Harry had shoved to the back of their minds days after its occurance many years ago...

--

-- 

"No! Argh!" Draco thrashed awake and his fist hit Harry in the chest, sending him sprawling off the bed in shock and pain.

 'No..." Draco's eyes flew open and he saw a dark bedroom looming into view not a bathroom. It was quiet and there was no rain or thunder outside. It had been just a memory and a nightmare.

"Ow" Harry rubbed his chest. "Draco?" He got up and stared at him anxiously. "What was it?"

"The bathroom" Draco said in a barely audible tone but it caused Harry to swallow hard as he paled and sat on the bed beside his friend.

"Oh" Was all Harry could say before wrapping his arms around Draco, hugging him for he always seemed to know when he needed comfort and reassurance.

"I'm not a baby" Draco said but made no attempt whatsoever to shove him off.

"We're brothers" Harry said against his ear. "Hugging is allowed, silly."

"Sorry" Draco said uncharacteristically and hugged his friend, no brother, back. "I didn't mean to hit you" He added.

"Used to it" Harry replied and they moved back, proceeding to lay in bed again but closer this time as the memory washed over them both and all the events of that day along with a few hours ago caused a pit of fear and dread to resurface.

"Harry?" Draco asked softly a few minutes later.

"Yeah, Draco?"

"Promise we'll always be brothers. No matter that house we're sorted into, no matter how many friends we might make and no matter what happens here...we'll always be brothers, we'll always be there for each other."

"I promise" Harry replied, not even having to consider it (although he didn't understand the house sorting comment).

"You're my brother and I'll always be here, we're not that easy to get rid of, you know" Harry added a light joke and although he couldn't see it, he knew Draco had cracked a small smile but it was followed by a short sniffle.

"Why did he have to do that, Harry?" Draco sighed as he thought back to that horrible bathroom incident.

"I thought he was going to kill me, drown me and leave you to bury me in the backyard. Imagine that, dying on my birthday" He sniffed again. "I was so scared, I would have rather been trapped in that storm, cold and hungry as the lightning was right over our heads while we sat in the dark."

"Yeah" Harry said. "But um...think about it, we're going to Hogwarts in less than three weeks" He tried to lighten the mood, just as he always did...he was always the mentally stronger one. But Draco didn't mind, his strength laid physically and he'd show Dudley who was boss if he actually had enough courage to stand up to him and not have to endure the consenquences of it. He was also sneakier with food and improvising their way out of trouble. But no, comfort and reassureance was Harry's area and he did it well; they took care of each other.

"I can't wait to get out of here" Draco added.

"I know, and soon we'll be on a train to a whole new place" Harry grinned as he visulised it alongside Draco. "A castle of magic where we will learn to do all sorts of cool stuff and play Quidditch! We'll have friends, our own bed and warmth...just think about it. My prayer and wish were answered...we're going to be free."

Draco nodded as he stared up at the ceiling and imagined what lay ahead for them but while Harry could remain focused on Hogwarts, his mind drifted back to that horrible rainy day. He shivered as though he was still wet from the ice water and fround himself leaning closer to Harry, resting his head against his in an effort to feel some warmth, to feel something, anything...to know that he wasn't alone in a cold, dark place.

 They looked after each other, but Draco would never admit that he was the weaker one...that Harry really looked after him a lot more than he realized. Draco was older, but sometimes it felt as though Harry was actually the big brother. Draco hated it because no matter how hard he tried, he always needed Harry more than he needed him, or so he thought as Harry moved closer as well.

"Soon we'll be free" Harry said again as the boys closed their eyes, resting side-by-side in each other's warmth and comfort. "A few more weeks and we'll be free, Draco...that's a promise."

Hogwarts was unnaturally quiet, with no students filled within its walls or lazing on the green lawns outdoors. The Great Hall was empty, the classrooms were gathering dust and the common rooms appeared abandoned. But the offices were filled with teachers preparing for the start of a new year, in which this year was going to be more special and seemingly more important as Harry Potter and Draco Malfoy were expected to attend.

No one was more aware of this fact than Potions Master, Severus Snape. He wasn't working on schedules or teaching material like the other professors. He was busy pacing his private quarters, running through his mind again and again that there were six days until the boys were to arrive.

He would never admit it to anyone and barely even admitted it to himself but in a sad, longing sort of way...he was looking forward to the welcoming feast. He was sure the houses they would end up in; Draco in Slytherin and Harry in Gryffindor, but that wasn't the reason for the feast to be so important.

It was because he hadn't seen either of them apart from only one time in their lives. Draco had been almost three months old when Snape had been apointed his godfather and held him, cared for him for a day or two. He'd been a loud baby but he'd caught Snape's heart, something that was hard to do and the Death Eater turned spy would never admit it...not even to himself.

Then there was Harry, who he wasn't so sure how to feel about. He had held him once before as well, more reluctantly though. Lily and James had visited Hogsmeade to see Dumbledore and their annoying friends one afternoon when Harry was barely a few weeks old and Snape had been inquiring at the Hog's Head about certain rare potions with a man. He'd left the estabilishment and seen Lily there with her baby. He could never forget the look on her face: pure joy and pride.

She'd spotted him as he purposefully went to pass her but then James came out of a store carrying various packages in his arms in which he was clearly struggling with. Sirius Black and Remus Lupin here behind him but offered no assistance to James as Sirius had been laughing to Remus about a wolf toy he had clutched in his hand. It was for those reasons that they hadn't noticed Snape but also perhaps it was because the latter was so cloaked. But Lily had seen him.

She glanced his way and seemed reluctant to look at him but then seperated from the boys and approached him. James had seen her move towards Snape but said nothing and walked away with Sirius; trusting his wife but not himself.

Lily never said anything to Snape for they technically hadn't seen each other properly since leaving school, but she held up Harry with his emerald eyes and gurgling smile.

Snape looked at the boy and noticed his mop of hair but apart from that all he saw was Lily's son and she'd passed the boy to Snape suddenly, letting him hold the child for a fraction of three minutes before taking him back, giving him a sad smile and leaving.

To this day, Snape could never understand why she had done that. In a way, it was a major contributor to what haunted him and reminded him of what James had that he could've had.

Snape shook his head but he couldn't shake the twin images of those two babies looking up at him in wonder and with so much innocence, despite who their fathers were.

But now they were eleven years old and in six days they would be walking through the Great Hall doors to be sorted, to take their classes and to no doubt cause trouble. But Snape had spent ten years preparing for that moment and to see those two boys again. He wasn't sure why, they wouldn't remember him and he was sure he cared nothing for the boys. They were sons of two of his old best friends that he no longer had and nothing more, surely.

--

Snape left his quarters and made his way to the very hall the boys would be walking through in a few days time and seated himself as usual, his expression blank and uninterested. Although he couldn't help moving his head slightly and averting his gaze when McGonagall began to discuss a very ironic topic.

"I have not seen the boy since he was a baby" McGongall spoke to Dumbledore, Sprout and Flitwick. "But Harry is surely a lot like his father, remember the way his hair was, Albus?"

"Yes, I believe so" Dumbledore nodded. "I recall a photograph Lily had taken a few weeks before...well, that night" He said. "He looked a great deal like James, although with his mother's eyes."

"Ye, I noticed that" Hagrid joined in. "When I first saw 'im...Lily's eyes fer sure an' now e's got glasses just like James. Funny 'ow things turn out?."

Snape said nothing but couldn't help himself and listened in on their conversation involving one Harry Potter. He was less enthusiastic now, if the boy was a James clone with his mother's eyes...two emeralds that did not belong on anything involving James Potter.

Snape supressed a sigh and went back to eating as he knew that in six days he would be tired from lack of sleep, he would be moody from lack of information...and he would be confused as to what he was supposed to feel when he saw those boys for the first time since they had been drooling, gurgling bundles of innocence and wonder.

The sun rose over the horizon in Privit Drive and sunlight peaked in through the window of a certain bedroom upstairs where two boys slept soundlessly and contently.

An alarm clock buzzed beside the bed and a hand flew out from the mount of blankets, slamming onto the offending object before the blonde owner of the hand sat upright and looked around sleepily.

"Harry" He mumbled and nudged the lump beside him.

"I'm up" Harry declared and sat up as well, rubbing a hand through his untamed hair. Yes, they had slept contently for the last two hours, but before that there had been nightmares, a loudly snoring Dudley and an annoying dog down the street to keep them unsettled.

Draco climbed out of bed and crouched on the floor, pulling out a calender that he and Harry had made a few weeks ago.

"Only three days left until Hogwarts" Draco grinned and stifled a yawn as he took out a marker and crossed off one more day. "Three days, Harry."

"I know, can't wait" Harry said as he too climbed out of bed and started dressing right away, running a hand through his hair in a feeble attempt to tame it.

Two minutes later and the boys made their way down the stairs to where Petunia was already there and directed them to cetain chores, which they each proceeded to do without a word.

Harry and Draco cooked breakfast, prpared the table, cleaned up and watched enviously as Dudley shovelled food into his mouth hungrily. All they got was a piece of toast each.

After Vernon had left for work and Dudley for his friend's place, Petunia had gone outside to check on her new rose buds outside and left the boys to work.

"Now" Harry hissed and Draco grabbed various food items and then rushed upstairs (another reason why they were barefoot, so they made no sound) and hid the food under floorboards in their room. He shut the door and went back downstairs where Harry was drying off the dishes. He gave his "brother" a thumbs up and then proceeded into the living room to vacume, even if he thought it was a rather pointless task.

Harry was in charge of dusting today (much to Draco's relief) so he did that next. Afterwards came the bathroom although Draco was very reluctant now that the memories had returned to him involving that rainy day. But the worst would occur if they didn't do it so they hurridly got it over and done with.

--

Several hours later and the boys were finally finished. Petunia wordlessly gave them permission to go to the park when they informed her that they were done. They left right away before she changed her mind or came up with more chores for them to do.

The park was the same, although the grass was a bit greener and the sky was nicely blue. It appeared to be a good day for them to run around and play on the swings, but their mild happiness was interupted by none-other than Dudley's gang...again.

"Oh look, it's the little losers" Dudley taunted as he and his three friends approached, staring at the boys with mocking grins.

"Go away" Draco said bravely, not sure why but since they'd made the calender to count down to Hogwarts, Draco was filled with hope and relief, that he often stood up against Dudley. Besides, he's done it before now...even if the consenquences always followed.

"Come on" Harry urged. "They're not worth it."

"No kidding" Draco sighed but as they turned away (a mistake they realized right after doing so), Dudley yanked Harry by the collar and another boy grabbed Draco.

"Let me go!" Harry yelled while Draco shoved the other boy off, being stronger and a bit taller than Harry but he was grabbed by the other two before he even got a chance to help Harry.

The boys ducked swings although they copped a few to the stomach and Draco had a split lip. When the boys started laughing, they shoved at the same time and pulled away before making a run for it. Dudley and his gang weren't too bad today, so somehow they'd managed to get away for it was a rare feat indeed.

Fueled by the desire not to be used as punching bags, Harry and Draco ran as fast as they could back to the house.

Gasping and dragging their feet, the boys went upstairs and washed their faces of dirt and blood before quickly before reteating into their bedroom.

They stayed there for hours, talking about Hogwarts and various other topics until they were summoned by Petunia's yells to make dinner.

"Only a little more" Harry was reminding Draco as the blonde boy clamped his jaw tightly as an effort to bite back a comment on the name-calling from Dudley and the scowls from Vernon.

Draco sighed and sat on the floor cross-legged while Harry shut their bedroom door carefully and joined him. They gathered some of the stolen food from the floorboards and began to eat in silence, something that they were comfortable with and understood contently.

--

The following day, they once again awoke to their alarm and crossed off another day on their calender.

Although Draco had woken up sweating from a terrible nightmare the day before, they still went about their usual chores and tasks. Things had been like this most their lives but now they were more avoided in the household and they had something to look forward to: September 1st.

And that day finally arrived. Vernon had constantly made clear at breakfast that the boys were only being taken to King's Cross Station because they too had to go into London. He also found their tickets one of the most hilarious things, for "Platform 9 &3/4" was rather laughable but the boys ignored him. They were leaving today so nothing else mattered and they actually found a rare bubble of excitement fill within them.

Their morning chores were done and it was an hour until they would be leaving for the station. Their things were still locked away in the cupboard under the stairs and would remain there until the last moment, but Draco had retrieved his small bag containing his book from the room and had it tucked protectively away in his pocket.

Vernon and Dudley weren't even home right now but Petunia was in the kitchen so the boys couldn't jump in joy as they so badly wanted to at the knowledge of their approaching escape.

"I know how to pass some time" Draco said and grabbed Harry's wrist to tug him towards the stairs and then let him go as he began to follow willingly.

Draco waited for his friend and brother before shoving him into the bathroom and told him to stand in front of the mirror. Harry was curious as Draco had developed his hatred for bathroom again but evidentially his excitement for Hogwarts ebbed that away.

"We should look our best" Draco said. "I dunno why, but I get this feeling that we should tidy up a bit."

"Okay" Harry shrugged. "But how? I am not using Aunt Petunia's stuff" He pulled a face.

"I know, me neither" Draco sighed but pulled out three bottles from his pocket. "I got these when we were with Hagrid" He explained.

"Hid them in a magical bag that has more room than it looks and isn't heavy at all. Anyway..." He grabbed one bottle and tipped some dull blue substance onto his hand and ran it over his hair, slicking it back stylishly and admired his appearance.

Harry snorted at his look and Draco cast him a glare, holding the bottle out to Harry.

"Oh come on, you know how my hair is" Harry rolled his eyes.

"Fine, try this" Draco grabbed a black rectangle-like bottle and tipped some dark sludge onto his hand.

"It's just gel, but it won't look as though it's even there" He explained as Harry pulled another look.

"Knock it off!" Draco said as Harry pulled away but finally let him apply it to his hair. "I feel like a girl, doing this" Draco complained but continued his work since he didn't trust Harry to apply it himself, as he most likely wouldn't.

Harry had been reading about the contents of the last bottle, a small white one, but when Draco was done he looked up and couldn't help but grin. His once mop-like, untamed hair was now magically styled to look a bit shorter and Draco had somehow made it appear spiked.

"I tried to hide your scar" Draco added, frowning a bit at Harry's reflection.

"And besides you look cooler now and less like you're related to the kitchen mop" He teased.

"Shut up" Harry shoved him but had to admit that he did look kind of cool, but very unlike himself. "If we look like this, won't people think that this is how we really look?"

Draco shrugged. "I don't know but I prefer my hair this way, it doesn't bother me as much."

"I liked my hair the way it was, I just wish I could control it more" Harry said and went to ruffle his hair back to the way it was but Draco stopped him.

"Oh come on, just for today?" Draco protested. "I spent a good ten minutes on that!"

"Fine" Harry rolled his eyes. "But now you really sound like a girl" He added and Draco shoved him.

"What's this bottle?" He held up the small one that he'd been reading curiously.

Draco shrugged and pocketed it along with the other two. "They came as a set. Anyway, come on...I want to check on the time."

So the boys went back downstairs to find Vernon and Dudley there. If anyone noticed their new looks, they didn't show it.

--

Vernon kept to his word and dropped the boys off at the station around 10:30am, still mocking and laughing as he pointed out platforms nine and ten but there was nothing in between. And with that, he made a note of saying he'll see them next summer and left, laughing his entire way out of the station while the booys stood there confused and annoyed.

"What if this is just some cruel joke?" Draco asked as they pushed their trolleys near platform ten but could see no platform nine and three quarters.

"It has to be here!" Harry said with determination and spotted a man dressed in the station uniform. "Excuse me! Excuse me sir, could you tell me where I might find platform 9 & 3/4?" He asked polietly.

"9 an 3/4?" The man repeated with an unimpressed look. "Thing you're being funny do you?" He asked and walked away muttering.

"We're doomed" Draco sighed sadly but a voice broke their thoughts as a group of redheads passed by rather hurridly.

"Just like every year, packed with muggles of course" The woman said. "Come on, platform 9 & 3/4 this way!"

"Muggles?" The boys echoed and followed the group.

Draco and Harry watched as the redheads went through the seemingly soild wall and while Harry was shocked by it all, Draco now understood the section in his book that indicated the "barrier" they had to pass through.

"Excuse me!" Harry said again as there were only three redheads left.

"Yes dears?" Molly Weasley asked as she spotted the two boys, not missing how they looked familiar in some way.

"C-could you tell us how to..." Harry pointed at the wall, unsure of how to word it.

"How to get onto the platform?" Molly guessed with a warm smile. "Not to worry dears, it's Ron's first time to Hogwarts as well" He nodded at a redheaded boy with freckles that was about the same height as Draco and seemed to be their age.

"Now, all you have to do is walk straight at the wall between platforms nine and ten" Molly explained and Harry nodded while Draco gulped slightly, looking at the solid wall again.

"Better do it at a bit of a run if you're nervous" Molly added and the boys moved forward.

"Good luck" The young girl added with a encouraging smile but Draco found nothing comforting about it.

Harry ran forward first and Draco hurried after him just as the twins had before them. They expected the impact but it never came.

"Woah" Draco said as he stared at the platform and the skarlet Hogwarts Express train.

"Yeah" Harry agreed. "This is it, Draco...we're finally going to Hogwarts!"

Draco nodded, unable to say anything else as they both stood there staring at the families and friends all around them sayign goodbye or reuniting after their summer break. Some were dressed in robes already while others had muggles clothes on and Draco couldn't wait to be rid of his.

Smoke issued from the train and people started climbing on board as Molly and her other two children came through but hurried off to find the rest of their family and the woman directed her sons onto the train while once again reasuring her daughter that she would be going next year.

"Come on!" Harry nudged Draco and they pushed their trollys into the crowd of people that were splitting and mingling all over the platform.

The moment had finally arrived and neither boy could keep the grin or excitment off their faces as they loaded their luggage and since they had no family to say goodbye to or friends to find, they headed straight onto the train and found themselves an empty compartmet. Harry sat on the left side while Draco sat opposite him.

They heard the whistle blow ten minutes later and with one lurch, the train moved forward, bringing into view countrysides and landscapes outside their window.

Draco Malfoy and Harry Potter sat in their compartment, unknowing that they were already well-known, unaware of what lay ahead and they also had no idea of the man that was rather eagerly waiting for their arrival...Severus Snape.

"It doesn't feel real" Draco said as he was unable to stand the silence this time.

"Yeah, I know" Harry sighed as he continued to stare out the window in anticipation while Draco changed out of his hated muggle clothes and into his black school robes.

"Excuse me?" A voice spoke from the doorway and the boys turned to see the redheaded boy standing there, looking unsure and a bit hopeful.

"Do you mind?" He gestured to their mostly empty compartment. "Everywhere else is full."

Harry glanced at Draco and saw his brother shrug.

"Not at all!" Harry said and indicated that Ron could join them.

"Thanks" He said as he sat beside Draco, who was still fussing with his robes and across from Harry.

"I'm Ron by the way...Ron Weasley."

"Malfoy" Came the mumbled reply to his right. "Draco Malfoy."

Ron supressed a snort at the name but it also sounded rather familiar and his eyes went wide.

"I'm Harry...Harry Potter."

Ron's eyes were huge now as he eyed them both, but mostly Harry. "So it's true then? I mean...do you really have the...the..." He pointed to his own head and Draco frowned while Harry just looked confused.

"What are you implying?" Draco asked rather sourly in case it was meant to be an insult to his brother's mental status or something.

"The what?" Harry questioned as well.

Ron glanced around and then lowered his tone as though he was telling them a secret. "The...scar?"

"Oh!" Harry moved his hair aside and showed the lightning bolt scar that rested there as evidence of the past and the ordeal that left him and Draco orphaned.

"Wicked!" Ron exclaimed while Harry looked pleased by his reaction, Draco seemed unbothered until the trolley came around and they ordered sweets to share.

 Ron had moved to sit beside Harry and introduced his rat, Scabbers. It was at that moment that Draco paid more attention for it was hard not to when a young girl came inside. He didn't like her from the moment she sat down beside him and started yapping about her reading, fixing Harry's glasses and knowing who they were. Her tone was bossy and her words were annoying him, but Draco sensed something else about her that he couldn't quite figure out. It was as though he wasn't supposed to like her...not that he did anyway.

"You two better change into your robes" She added to Ron and Harry as she left. "I expect we'll be arriving soon" She said and told Ron he had a dirt smudge on his nose, but finially she left.

"Oh good, she's gone" Draco commented in a grumpy tone and shook his head disaprovingly. "I don't like her; she wouldn't shut up! So annoying."

The other boys nodded but quickly changed into their robes to prepare for the long-awaited arrival at the station and in turn...the Hogwarts castle itself.

Severus Snape watched as the hordle of pale and nervous first-years followed McGongall into the Great Hall at long last and his eyes scanned over each child, looking for the raven-haired mop and the blonde-haired boy.

He couldn't see them as there were too many children there and it was difficult to get a good view from his seat beside the librarian, Irma Pince.

"They're there somewhere; settled down" Irma said in both amusement and annoyance when Snape inched slightly higher as he tried to see the boys. But he quickly composed himself and appeared uninterested the moment he heard her words.

He cast her a look and said nothing as he glanced back at the crowd and McGonagall explained the sorting process to the newcomers.

"Susan Bones!" McGongall called out while the others all around within the hall watched the girl step up and place the hat on her head.

"I'm sure I'm in Slytherin" A boy to Draco's left was saying to some of the other boys. "It is the best house, afterall."

"There's never been a witch or wizard who's gone bad that wasn't in Slytherin" Ron hissed from beside Harry, and Draco along with the other boy had heard him.

"And what would you know, Weasley?" The boy who had oak brown hair and dark eyes said, crossing his arms in mock importance while huffing his chest slightly.

"My father works at the Ministry" Ron replied.

"So? Mine does too" The boy rolled his eyes.

"The name's Lark" He added to Draco, ignoring the other two for a brief moment. "Mathew Lark" He nodded. "Although I know you, Draco Malfoy and the infamous Harry Potter...do know where you'll be sorted by that crammy hat?"

Harry shook his head and it was clear that he didn't like the boy but Draco was still lost in the thoughts of Slytherins and what Ron had said about dark witches and wizards...so his parents had been in Slytherin after all, surely?

"No, but anywhere is better than Slytherin" Ron said bravely, although he didn't really consider the other boy a threat or concern, he wasn't too keen to make enemies so quickly in case they ended up in the same house or something, even if it was unlikely.

"I didn't ask you. And as if anyone would with your red hair and hand-me-down robes...nothing but a Weasley" Mathew scowled but the rest of his words were cut off by the sorting hat.

"HUFFLEPUFF!" It declared and McGongall moved on to the next person on her long list so the boys remained quiet and turned their attention away from each other as though they hadn't even spoken.

"Cameron Karmett!"

A boy moved through the group, brushing some rather long, light brown hair from his face as he made his way to sit upon the stool.

"GRYFFINDOR!" The house yelled barely a few seconds later.

"Hermione Granger!"

Harry moved his gaze away from the ceremony just as Severus Snape did the same and their eyes locked for the first time in over ten years; not that Harry was aware of that fact.

"Harry?" Draco questioned when he noticed his brother's faraway gaze, but Harry was too busy staring at the teacher who was eyeing him back with a odd look on his face.

Snape watched Harry turn away when Hermione was sorted into Gryffindor and another boy was up next. But he couldn't glance away...for the boy didn't have the James Potter mop and his eyes were indeed identical to Lily's.

Beside him stood Draco, no doubt, as he looked like a miniature Lucius apart from his kinder expression , less-uptight stance and shorter hair.

"Harry Potter" McGongall finally got around to the boy and Snape watched carefully, afraid to blink in case missed something. He watched as the hat seemed to take some time to sort the boy but surely it wasn't that hard? James and Lily had both been Gryffindors and their own sorting had been over in hardly a fraction of a second; Lily had made the house before the hat had even touched her head properly.

And yet Harry sat there for many minutes before the hat finally came to a decision and Snape's groan was supressed by the cheers and clapping.

"GRYFFINDOR!"

"Krystal Farning" McGonagall moved on once the applause and chanting had died down considerably.

"RAVENCLAW!" The hat declared and Draco shifted nervously as the students around him thinned and he was so sure that his name was going to be called soon. He was actually scared to seperate from Harry; knowing that his parents had been Gryffindor as he was now and that Draco's parents had been Slytherin.

"Draco Malfoy" McGonagall finally announced and Draco stepped up, letting the hat fall over his eyes as he sat there tensely in front of everyone.

"Hm, difficult...." The hat said inside his head, making Draco jump ever so slightly that it went unnoticed by all but them.

"I'm a Malfoy, so I'll be in Slytherin, right...like my parents?" Draco asked softly and with a hint of defeat as well as sadness, thinking of how it would seperate him from his brother and throw him into a "pit" of snakes that were sure to be like his parents had been...even if they had changed sides at the end.

"A Malfoy, yes" The hat told him. "There's no doubt about that. But Slytherin? Hm, no...I think you are the first Malfoy in which I need to actually ponder your place".

"What?" Draco asked, not being able to help feeling confused but also felt mildly hopeful.

"So it's Gryffindor?" Draco asked eagerly for that's where Harry and Ron were...where his parents were not.

"Enough of your stupid riddles" Draco frowned, feeling more anxious now that it seemed as though the hat didn't think any of the houses were for him, as though he was still an outsider. "Hurry up!"

"I cannot fully decypher this deepness within you, but it is certainly something your ancestry do not have...you are a different Malfoy. Oh yes, I know now..." The hat said but then his voice became exterior and for all to hear as it opened the split that was its mouth and declared Draco's place to the entire, unsuspecting room.

"GRYFFINDOR!"

Draco breathed in relief, unaware that Snape had just choked on his pumpkin juice when he'd heard the hat's words or that the entire hall of students were now hushing over the fact that a Malfoy wasn't in Slytherin and was in fact...a Gryffindor?

"Wicked" Harry grinned, sinking in his seat as the tension left his body when Draco joined him and Ron at the cheering table.

"Yeah" Draco breathed a little shakily. "I was actually worried for a minute there."

"Welcome to Gryffindor" Percy said and shook his hand, followed by a few others that clapped and congratulated him on becoming a member of their house...even if he was a Malfoy.

"Thanks" Draco sighed and smiled a little in return.

"I'm glad to be here...I think" He added with a renewed wash of uncertaincy.

After the feast etc, Percy led the new Gryffindors to their common room on the seventh floor and explained where their dormitories were and then the youngsters became aware of how tired they were.

Ron chose the bed nearest the door of their shared dormitory while Harry was beside him and Draco claimed the bed beside his brother. There were two other boys in their dormitory; Cameron Karmett chose the bed beside Draco while the last bed went to Neville Longbottom.

The five boys barely spoke as they all settled comfortably into their beds and most dozed off instantly. But two did not.

 With his curtains drawn, Draco didn't not notice Harry getting out of bed and sitting by the window with his owl, Hedwig. But as he lay in bed, Draco squirmed and tried to close his eyes but as much as he had wanted his own space and bed...he found it difficult to get used to Harry's absence. They had shared a bed since infancy (or at least nearing their 2nd birthdays) and now to suddenly not be...it was odd and unsettling. Draco was determined to get used to it for they couldn't keep sharing a bed as they aged from eleven-year-olds to seventeen-year-olds and then adults.

But try as he might; Draco could not sleep.

An hour passed by before he finally gave in with a huff and roll of his eyes. Sitting up, Draco parted his curtains and saw all the others were closed so edged over to Harry's bed.

"I'm awake" Came his whispered words as Draco peered down at Harry.

"Sorry" Draco said. "I feel like a complete idiot..." He trailed off, now wishing that he'd stayed in bed.

"Than we're both idiots" Harry said and moved over as there was more than enough room for them both, much unlike their previous bed at Privit Drive.

Draco stared at the spot on the bed and rolled his eyes again but climbed in and pulled the blankets up close to his chin.

"What if we're caught like this? We'll never live it down" Draco said so quietly that Harry almost hadn't heard him at all.

"We're brothers; they'll understand that it's an adjustment" Harry shrugged, not really wanting to think about it. "And if they don't, who cares? It's there problem."

"Hmph" Draco huffed but closed his eyes and if he'd been awake long enough to acknowledge how fast he fell asleep second later, he would have been shocked beyond belief by his reliance on Harry's company. Although he wasn't the only one.

--

And while the boys fell asleep in their comfortable bed and new room, Severus Snape was far from resting as he paced his study in agitation.

He had expected the night to be interesting for him (to say the least) but "horrifying and shocking" was not a way he wished to describe it. Seeing Lily's eyes again and on that boy had been one thing, something he will focus on at a later date...but Draco Malfoy being sorted into Gryffindor?!

Snape was sure that Lucius would die from such an event, if he hadn't been dead already and even now he was likely to be cursing and twisting in his grave. The Malfoy family had never had a non-Slytherin pureblood student at Hogwarts that Snape had ever been aware of.

He paused his pacing abruptly and sunk into a chair. He tried to focus on Draco's sorting for in all honestly he didn't want to think about the other issues...like those emerald green eyes and the reality of what they meant.

The boys were here; the one he was bestowed to guild and be there for, and the one who he had chosen to do so for...although in a way each boy had both of those options: optional and not. Draco was his godson...but Harry, well Harry was the son of Lily, the woman Snape had and to this shocking night still did love.

The fact that he was James" son and not his own was yet to be allowed a single ounce of consideration for Snape was stuck with the image of those eyes.

"No!" Snape growled. "He is just like Potter" He tried to tell himself, to force himself to not be drawn to the boy, not to dwell on what it could have been everytime he looked at him. He had to hate him on principal, because he was the son of his enemy, of his tormentor and rival.

But deep down, he was fooling himself to think that he could feel or do such a thing involving Lily's son; the boy she had directed such a look of joy and pride towards. Harry had been the most important thing to Lily and she had been the most important to Severus.

And to think that Snape thought he would be able to sleep tonight.

When the new day dawned on the castle, students and staff unalike got up and prepared for the day and the classes that were sure to occur. Harry had awoken before Draco but let him sleep as he changed into his uniform and noticed that his hair was still in the exact same style as it had been when Draco had meddled with its appearance the day before. Did the gel not wear off or something?

"Draco!" Harry shoved him, attempting to wake him so that they could go down for breakfast.

"Nnnn" Draco mumbled a reply.

"Come on, wake up!" Harry said in annoyance. "We're gonna be late."

"For what?" Draco groaned as his face appeared from underneath the sheets a moment later and he took in the appearance of the room.

"Oh, it wasn't a dream?" He yawned as he sleepily sat up.

"No" Harry replied. "Now come on!"

"Alright, alright!" Draco grumbled and climbed out of bed reluctantly before fumbling for his clothes over at his own bed.

"What?" Harry asked Cameron as he stared at them, probably unsure what to think of the two boys having shared a bed the previous night.

It never occured to Harry that no one other than Ron Weasley actually knew how close he and Draco were as brothers.

"Nothing" The other boy shrugged and left the room behind Neville.

"These are not my socks" Draco said as he picked up a pair but then eyed them carefully. "Oh, nevermind..." He seemed so out of it that Harry suspected he hadn't had as much sleep as he appeared. Or maybe he had only slept for a short time and hadn't been able to sleep again until rather recently?

If either of those options were true, Harry hadn't noticed or been woken by it. But then again...they weren't so close in sleeping space now and had more room, perhaps he simply hadn't been roused because there was nothing to really pull him from his slumber or alert him to Draco's lack of it.

"How much sleep did you get?" Harry asked Draco once Ron said he'll meet them downstairs.

"Er..." Draco thought aloud as he pulled a jumper over his head. "Not much" He replied and finally added his robes.

"Okay, let's go. I'm starved."

"Finally" Harry said and they left the dormitory together, unsure what to expect from their new home, school and set of rules.

"And what have you done to my hair? It's stuck this way!" Harry added as they left the common room.

"Oh..." Draco glanced at Harry's hair. "It was a permenant sticking gel...the stuff in small bottle is to remove it. Forgot to tell you" He shrugged.

"Well I want it gone. I kinda miss my old hair...my real hair" Harry sighed.

"Mop-relative" Draco teased and side-stepped Harry's shove that he had effectively predicted.

The pair sat opposite Ron at the Gryffindor table in the Great Hall for breakfast (ignoring the numerous whispers aimed their way) and went over their schedules when Professor McGonagall handed them out.

They had potions first up so after they were done eating, the trio headed back to their dormitory to gather their required books etc and rushed off to class; effectively getting lost and almost showed up late for the lesson.

Snape made his grand entrance, sweeping in and allowing the door to rebound against the wall loudly. He gave his usual speech and only then did he allow his gaze to fall onto the two boys who were seated side-by-side.

It had been his intention to pester Harry with questions, so see if he had even bothered to open his potions book at all before stepping foot in his classroom or if he had inherited anything from Lily apart from her eyes. But with a huge ounce of self control...he did not approach the boy. One may wonder why, but even Severus Snape himself had no clue as to what motivated him to stay rooted behind his desk and simply give out instructions to the class.

As the students worked, Snape glanced over at the boys during the few times that he wasn't eyeing Neville or making sure that no one was about to set their hair on fire (not that it bothered him but the smell would have been awful), and took note of the way they interacted.

At first glance Snape saw that they clearly got along very well and after a few seconds of observing them he knew it was more than that. Those boys could be twins for all he could tell (apart from their appearances) and that made him feel a bit more nervous for an unknown reason.

Snape wondered how much the boys knew of their past and of their parents; not that he was going to be saying anything to them. Besides, he cared nothing for the brats...there were merely grabbing his curiosity, that's all.

Oh the words and curses Lucius would be screaming if he knew that his son actually suited the Gryffindor uniform and company.

"He did it again" Draco hissed as he bent over his cauldron.

"What?" Harry asked as he was momentarily distracted from his work.

"The professor, he keeps looking over here but I don't think it's to do with our work. Longbottom is doing far worst than us" Draco said, glancing ever-so-slightly at the professor but he'd turned away for the moment.

"Are you sure he's looking over here?" Harry chanced a look too, just as Snape glanced back over but then the man seemed to sense their suspicious gazes and turned back to his deskwork. "Why?"

"How should I know?" Draco frowned. "But it's annoying."

"I think it's because you're famous" Ron told them, which surprised the boys because they were not used to having a hushed conversation with someone to join in.

"That's rediculous" Draco replied but Harry shrugged.

"He could be right" Harry defended and turned back to his potion, relieved that it was going the correct shade although the fumes smelt a bit odd. He sighed and knew that it had to be left for a while now and rested back, just glad he hadn't blown anything up.

Harry used that time to ruffle his hair, ignoring Draco's eye-rolling and sighs. He hadn't been able to change his style but after another two minutes of ruffling he noticed a small smirk on Draco's face.

"What?" Harry accused.

"Nothing" Draco shrugged but the grin remained. "Just...well the bottle is in my bag, if you desperately want your mop back."

Harry considered it for a moment and didn't appeal to the idea of grooming his hair in the middle of his potions class but boredom got the better of him and his scalp was feeling a bit itchy.

He bent down and retrieved the bottle, pouring some of the substance on his hand before rubbing it through his hair and felt relieved as the strands touched his neck and around his ears once again.

"Seriously, what's the big deal but your hair?" Draco glanced at him while checking his cauldron's temperature and stiring.

"I dunno, it just seems as though it's an important part of me" Harry shrugged, putting the bottle away and went back to ruffling his hair, now more out of habit than actual need to fix it.

Snape had watched the entire moment from his desk, sneering distastfully as the boy "formed" into the James Potter clone that he'd expected him to be.

Next time he will not pass up the chance to harrass the boy with questions and test him. For now he reminded Snape who his father was, who he was related to and no doubt took after.

His dislike for the boy and what he represented grew from that moment on.

The days onward from that potions lesson consisted of Snape barking insults at the boy, assigning him detentions and never once handing out a compliment of his work, although most times he actually did not deserve them anyway. The only one to have enjoyed the moments that Snape used to make Harry feel worst was Mathew Lark, the Slytherin classmate who had officially made his dislike of the boy-who-lived known since the second day of school when he'd shoved into Harry as he'd passed and tried to trip him again later that same day. Draco sealed their rivalry by shoving the boy back, although he would have done more if Harryand Ron hadn't of restrained him to some point.

Harry and Draco had officially been at Hogwarts for almost a whole month when they finally adjusted to sleeping in their own beds although if either had a nightmare than that was not the case. But things were going okay, besides the incidences with Snape that is.

Ron, Harry and Draco spent a lot of time together and before long they got to know Neville, Hermione and Cameron a lot more but not quite enough to classify them as close friends like Ron was. The other students had been talking about Harry and his "defeat" of the you-know-who while others (mostly Slytherins but also a few Gryffindors) were muttering about Draco Malfoy being in Gryffindor and how his parents had betrayed he-who-must-not-be-named. But the boys had gotten used to the chatter and it soon died down quite a bit over their time there and the Gryffindors became rather accepting once they saw how close Draco was with Harry and how Ron etc were friends with him. If he'd been sorted into Gryffindor than surely he was on their side, so they figured and from then onwards he was just another Gryffindor like they were.

Harry and Draco had no real problems at Hogwarts, that was...until Halloween.

It had been raining in the morning so most students spent their time in their house common rooms or the library (like Hermione) but once lunch was over, the sun was shining brightly and almost everyone decided to go outside. Ron, Harry and Draco were amongst them, just lazing around near the lake and talking about Quidditch as well as the unfairness of first years not being allowed to be on the school teams.

That was when Mathew Lark and his buddies approached, looking sickened by something as they looked the group over as though they were made of filth...but in their eyes Harry and his friends were filth.

"What do you want?" Ron asked as he saw Mathew and the Slytherins approach.

"Well..." Mathew smirked. "A new broom would be nice, but seeing as it would probably cost more than your whole house I wouldn't stress yourself" He said and the Slytherins laughed while Ron blushed but said nothing else.

"What is your problem?" Harry asked while Draco merely rolled his eyes.

"I want to sit here" Mathew pointed to the tree in which Draco was now leaning against boredly.

"It's taken" Draco muttered in annoyance, being strongly reminded of Dudley and judging by the way Harry clenched his jaw; he was too.

"Oh really?" Mathew sneered. "Well I don't think so."

"Whatever, come on" Harry said and turned to the others, who nodded and followed him away but Mathew stepped in front of the boys and blocked their path.

"Okay seriously, what is it?" Harry growled.

"So you're just going to throw away all that Gryffindork courage and give up?" Mathew taunted.

"It's a stupid tree" Draco reminded him in a mocking tone. "I do believe we'll live without it."

But Mathew was aiming for a fight, so he shoved Harry lightly to try and provoke a response and he got one...but not from Harry.

"Sod off!" Draco said loudly, shoving the boy out of his way as he passed, effectively knocking him back into another Slytherin boy.

"You'll pay for that!" Mathew said.

"He's Barmey" Ron shook his head as Mathew pulled out his wand but the other three did the same mostly for if they had to defend themselves, but neither of them knew any real spells that they could use.

"What's going on here?" A seventh year Hufflepuff approached and eyed the groups that had their wands out and dislike shown clear on their faces.

"Come on, don't get yourselves in trouble over nothing...go on, be on your seperate ways now!" He said, moving his hand in a "shooing" motion, his expression showing that he was serious or else points will be taken and detentions handed out.

Mathew cast the Gryffindors a look that clearly stated that it wasn't over and then strolled away with his little gang of Slytherins.

"Whew" Ron said as he put his wand away and Harry did the same but Draco stared at Mathew's retreating form and scowled; he hated bullies and he wasn't going to take this lying down. Dudley had been larger than them and there were far greater consenquences from Vernon or Petunia if they fought with him. But Mathew was only a few inches taller and he certainly wasn't going to go running to the Dursleys. If he picked a fight again...Draco was going to consider retaliating

That hadn't been the worst of it that day nor had it been the end of Mathew's desire to cause trouble and make things worst, just as he'd said.

The group had been leaving the Great Hall later that day when Mathew's voice called to them.

"Hey!" Mathew said with a unpleasent smirk set on his face.

"Y'know Malfoy, I'm surprised you get along with blood traitors so well, seeing as your parents were supposed to be pureblood Slytherins, but I suppose growing up like a worthless muggles does that to you" He taunted as though he'd somehow known that Draco was going to be the most likely to respond.

"Shut up about my family!" Draco growled, stepping forward with his hand clutching his wand that was resting in the pocket of his robes.

"But it's such an interesting topic!" Mathew added. "I mean they can't even pick whose side they're on! What about you? Whose side are you on?"

"Draco!" Harry grabbed a handful of his robes to stop him from lunging at Mathew. "He's not worth it."

"He's worth my fist!" Draco snapped, struggling against Harry but Ron joined in and he was outnumbered.

Mathew stood there laughing and neither of the four were aware that they were being watched, and not just by a group of various students that had been wandering by.

"I bet they just gave up, or wanted to die...which is why they went to the Potters!" Mathew said, although it was rather annoying that he seemed to have information on their family but they didn't...it still managed to stir Draco even more and Harry wasn't too calm either but he knew that if he released Draco than there would be consenquences...there always were.

"Did the muggles treat you like one of them?" Mathew continued his mocking and teasing. "I bet you felt right at home there Draco, oh how your father would be so proud!"

"SHUT UP!" Draco roared and broke free of his restraints, sucessfully charging at Mathew who was now caught by surprise and sensed the caution. But was too late. Draco tackled him to the ground in an entangle of fists, robes and limbs.

"Draco!" Harry said and tried to pull him off but ended up having to defend himself against Mathew as well for while the Slytherin wasn't nearly as threatening as he'd thought; the boy could certainly throw a punch.

"ENOUGH!" A loud voice broke through their yelling and fighting. The invisable force of a spell tore each of the three boys apart and left them gasping on the floor. Draco was supporting a viciously bleeding lip, Harry a brusied cheek and Mathew a black eye, but that was nothing compared to what they felt when they looked over at the owner of the voice and cold dread filled within them.

"Just what exactly is going on here?" Snape barked although he knew perfectly well what had happened for he'd been watching it from an unsuspecting distance.

"They jumped on me, professor!" Mathew instantly started to defend himself and blame the Gryffindors as he straightened up.

"He was taunting our families!" Draco added furiously.

"Do you actually believe that I care?" Snape looked from each of the boys, noting the way that Harry's head was already bent in defeat and how Draco appeared to be lacking oxygen, whilst Mathew just looked like a typical first-year trying to get out of trouble and worrying about detentions.

But Snape shook off the fact that something was a bit off with the two boys and glared at all those around them, effectively easing away their audience.

"Ten points from Gryffindor. Each" He said sternly and Mathew smirked slightly while Ron angrily protested so he too lost ten points.

"Each of you will serve detention with me tomorrow at 7pm, understood? If you are late I will double it" He told the three boys and they nodded reluctantly although Mathew looked shocked as though he had been purely innocent but Snape knew he hadn't been, although he hadn't deducted points because techincally the other two had indeed caused him to defend himself...no matter how justifed.

"That git!" Ron said as the boys left the scene and headed for their common rooms, although the boys didn't know if he was refering to Snape, Mathew or both.

"Yeah" Draco nodded, rubbing his shoulder awkwardly.

"Harry?" Ron asked as he shoved past them and sped up his pace, turning away from them and didn't say a word.

"What? Wait!" Draco ran to catch up with him but Ron went to stop him.

"Get off, he's my brother!" He pushed Ron back and tried to catch up to Harry.

"You couldn't help it, could you?" Harry asked, spinning around to face the blonde.

"He's just another Dudley and everything we do ends up with trouble. Why can't you just let it go?" He scowled, looking as though he'd been offended.

"Forget it, just leave me alone for a bit" Harry sighed and turned away again, leaving Draco standing there stunned and uncomfortable.

"He'll be fine once he cools off" Ron said, watching Harry leave as well.

"No, he won't" Draco replied and turned to walk away in the opposite direction of this brother, deciding to leave harry alone but no longer wanted to be around anyone else.

--

While Draco headed to the common room and then the dormitory to keep to himself, Harry made his way to the library for he wasn't sure where else to go.

He sat at a desk and hunched his shoulders, resting his chin on the cold wood as he felt downright horrible.

He had a book with him so it looked like he was just reading but to the lirbrarian, Irma Pince...she knew better.

She watched his shoulders shook slightly and the way he squeezed his eyes shut and clenched his fists. While her mind nagged her to rescue the book from possible harm, she decided against it and approached the boy. She stood behind him and touched his shoulder but was startled by his reaction.

The moment her hand had made contact with his shoulder, Harry jerked upright and flinched away as though her hand had been white-hot. His eyes stared at her as his face paled and a sense of dread filled within her as she hadn't seen anyone react that way since....well, since her son whilst he was undergoing abuse at home.

 Irma knew that Harry was unlikely to be in the same situation but his violent reaction, his defensive stance and the terrifed look in his eye...that could not be ignored.

"The library is a place for reading, Mr Potter" She said in her usual tone and placed her hands in her pockets, mostly to demonstrate that she wasn't going to touch him again.

"Yes ma'am" Harry said a bit robotically and gathered his book before rushing out of the library, brushing tears away from his cheeks with his sleeve as he went.

"This is rediculous" Mathew crossed his arms as he waited outside Snape's office just before 7pm that night, trying to ignore both Draco and Harry as they stood nearby.

"I am forced to agree" Snape's voice made them all jump as he appeared behind them. "Enter" He indicated towards the classroom beside his office.

"You will each be scrubbing down cauldrons tonight...without magic" He informed them and scowled when Mathew groaned loudly. But Harry just looked as though he wanted to get it over with whilst Draco hung his head slightly.

"We never escape it" He heard Draco mutter to Harry as they walked past and the raven-haired boy nodded with a sigh.

Snape had intended to mark schoolwork while they scrubbed away but instead he paced the room lightly and kept a stern eye on two of the boys in particular.

"Mr Malfoy" Snape said as he was scrubbing too furiously but not productively.

He didn't know what motivated him to do so, but Snape reached out and touched the boy's shoulder lightly, surprised by the reponse he received from it. Draco jerked away from the touch and stumbled, knocking his brush off the table and whacked his elbow on the corner of the table. His eyes were wide and fearful but the expression vanished as he contacted with the wood and yelped. Harry had reacted to Draco's movment by instinctly reaching for him but stopped himself short.

"Sorry" Draco told the professor hurridly while Mathew laughed, until Snape gave him a stern glare and he got back to work quickly.

"And what did you think I was about to do?" Snape frowned but there was a nagging amount of worry within him as he eyed the boy.

"You just...startled me, sir" Draco said, hanging his head slightly as he flushed with embarrassment.

He then bent to retrieve his brush but Snape saw the way his hands were shaking for a moment and cast a glance at Harry, who was effectively trying to hide behind his cauldron.

Snape walked away, not trusting himself to say anything and went to inspect Mathew's cauldron.

"I hate it when people sneak up on us" Draco hissed to Harry in annoyance while Snape listened in but pretended not to notice or hear them.

"I know. It happened to me today as well" Harry replied as though he and Draco had never had a moment of seperation hours earlier.

"With who?"

"The librarian, of all people. But hey, it was quiet in the library" Harry defended with a slight huff in his tone.

"What were you doing in the library?" Draco question curiously.

"Forget it" Harry dismissed. "Are you okay?" He glanced at the bruising elbow.

"Honestly, you're asking me?" Draco rolled his eyes and gave his brother a small but somewhat sad smile. "I've had worst, you know that."

"Yeah but...whatever" Harry sighed and started working on his cauldron again.

"And I'm sorry about today, I'm just tired of always having to fight and of always having to defend ourselves."

"No, I shouldn't have reacted" Draco bowed his head, his brush long forgotten beside him. "He just reminded me of Dudley and since Vernon's not here I figured...well that we'd be okay for standing up for ourselves."

"Apparently not" Harry said. "We're meant to be cast aside, remember? Hated, ignored and treated like rubbish...I thought Hogwarts would be different" He admitted.

"So did I" Draco said.

"I do not hear any scrubbing!" Snape barked, thinking he'd let them talk enough and his voice made them jump and Draco had even dropped his brush again.

Snape couldn't deny it any further and now those words from Lily's son were going to haunt him,

"We're meant to be cast aside, remember? Hated, ignored and treated like rubbish".

Snape sat at his desk and kept an eye on the time, once two hours had passed he dismissed them and headed to his private quarters to mull over what he'd witnessed and overheard.

As Harry and Draco sat at their desks during yet another potions class, Snape watched them intensely but a classroom was no realistic place in which he could judge their behaviour, but he had no intention of pulling them aside and trying to startle them.

Although his observations did allow him to really notice how close the boys appeared to be.

They seemed to know what the other was thinking without talking, they cared little for brushing the other's hand accidently or recieving assistance from the other, they even showed a level of trust that Snape didn't see commonly when one friend reaches across and drops something in the other's potion.

Harry was better at stiring while Draco prefered chopping, so the boys tended to help each other out in those aspects and Snape continued to wonder why he never stopped them for it happened regularly and obviously, for Hermione and Ron cast them glances at times and didn't appear at all surprised by the co-ordination.

Clearly no one knew how different the boys parents had been and how opposite their raising methods would have led to as well.

He had a feeling that while there would be potential, neither boy would even be friends had their parents lived and raised them.

"He suspects something" Draco hissed to Harry as he dropped some chopped roots into their potions.

"Who, Snape?" Harry asked, not looking up from his textbook.

"Yeah, he keeps staring at us" Draco sounded rather nervous by that fact as well as annoyed. "Just because I made an idiot out of myself when he'd touched me."

"It was survial instinct" Harry sighed. "You could't help it."

"I know, I'm not stupid" Draco rolled his eyes. "But now he's looking us both of us funny and it's getting on my nerves. What if he saids something?"

Harry perked up at those words and glanced at Draco worridly.

"He hates us, or at least me, so surely he won't bring it up to anyone else?"

"He's a teacher, Potter" Draco rolled his eyes once again. "They have a duty of care or whatever involving these sort of things."

"Well what are we supposed to do, Malfoy?" Harry asked with a frown and all focus on his potion was lost.

"We're just going to have to get a grip on our reactions, learn to anticipate" Draco shrugged. "I don't know but we have to hide it somehow."

"I don't even know I do it" Harry shook his head. "How are we supposed to hide it?"

"I don't know but we have to!" Draco hissed loudly enough for it to carry to Snape's ears as he strolled nearby. "If he finds out we're gonna be in for it."

Snape glanced over as Harry nodded to Draco and sighed as though he was grieving for something. It surely wasn't a matter of rule-breaking the boys were covering for? Perhaps he had been too obvious in his observations...and he was supposed to be a Death-Eater-turned-spy?

--

As the class was dismissed shortly after, Snape once again directed his gaze to the boys but more discreetly as they gathered their things.

Ron and Hermione went ahead of them, discussing one thing or another and the boys were not far behind them.

"Ow" Draco rubbed his arm as it collided lightly with the desk and instantly jerked it away, but thought nothing of it and hurried after the others although Snape knew that the boy hadn't his his arm hard enough for it to actually hurt.

He suspected the boys had it rough, but after watching them he was sure of it. But so what? He couldn't do anything about it surely, and so far he was yet to see much evidence that Potter was in the same position as Malfoy. But if it was the case, he still wasn't going to get involved because he wasn't about to take his godson in and he needed more than a few bruises and flinching to convince himself to take Harry in as well.

Snape stared around the empty classroom and pondered on those later thoughts, wondering why he'd even considered taking the boys in...it was crazy, surely. They didn't know who he was to them, they thought he hated them and was he really fooling himself to think that he could possibly make their lives any better and raise them?

No, it was best to leave the situation alone. Snape knew he wouldn't be able to but ruled out taking any action unless he truly deemed it necessary...for now.

"Ready?" Draco asked Harry and he nodded, giving the empty classroom a glance over nervously.

"Mr Potter, are you having any trouble at home?" Draco asked in a deeper voice.

"Snape wouldn't ask that" Harry rolled his eyes.

"This is for anyone, just answer the damn question...imagine I am a prying teacher" Draco growled.

"Fine" Harry sighed. "No."

"Too short, sounds false and directed" Draco said. "Ask me the question."

"Mr Malfoy, are you having any trouble at home?" Harry asked in the same tone Draco had used while sitting on a dusty desk.

"What do you mean?" Draco asked, playing his part well. "Things are fine."

"You're a good liar" Harry sighed.

"My parents were Death Eaters, Harry" Draco said quietly, lowering his gaze while he spoke. "I suppose it's in my genes or something. Now you try" He hastily changed the direction of his words. "Mr Potter, where did you get that bruise?"

"I fell" Harry said lamely.

"Argh!" Draco threw his hands up in annoyance. "You're not even trying, Harry! Imagine this is real like we used to imagine dragons guarding over us when we were little!"

"Fine" Harry growled and huffed, closing his eyes to visualise for a moment. "Ask me again."

"Just answer the question" Draco refused and crossed his arms.

"Oh, Draco shoved me earlier" Harry said loudly and sarcastically while giving his brother a slight glare.

"That works" Draco shrugged. "Okay, ask me one."

"Mr Malfoy, you barely mention your living situation...is there a reason for that?" He asked, glancing down at a book they had borrowed from the library on how to get children to talk about situations.

"Not really" Draco shrugged. "They're just rather boring and we don't have much in common."

Harry glanced up and nodded. "We're doing heaps better than an hour ago."

"You are...I happen to know how to lie already" Draco said although he had a bit of trouble at first in how to word his replies.

"Alright. Mr Potter, you seem rather skinny...were you getting enough food at home?"

"No one would ask that" Harry replied with a scoff.

"You are skinny" Draco said. "Just answer it!"

"I don't know how to answer that!" Harry said but thought for a moment.

 'Um...it's fine, I just lose weight really quickly no matter how much I eat, how's that?"

"Yeah, fine" Draco sighed and grabbed a book, peering into it for another inspiration.

Snape had been searching for the boys for some time now but almost assumed they were in their common room when he heard their voices.

He had overheard the librarian telling McGonagall that the boys had borrowed some rather sugestive books involving psychology and methods of talking to children, making some lame excuse about homework and wanting to be psychologists when they left school. So Snape went in search of them to fullfil his own curiosity and concern.

He paused briefly as he was mere meters from the door of an empty classroom on the second floor and listened in, so sure that it was the boys he had been lucky to finally come across.

"Okay, try this one" Draco said. "Mr Potter, is there a reason that you don't want to go home during the Christmas holidays. It is a time for family, don't you miss yours?"

"Good one and as if" Harry said with a snort. "Um...I prefer to spend it at Hogwarts because my family usually go away during Christmas anyway."

"Nice" Draco nodded and handed the book over.

"Mr Malfoy, you seem rather anxious when startled, is anything bothering you lately?" Harry asked, deepening his tone again while Snape listened in, fearing that he knew what they were doing.

"Had to bring that up, didn't you?" Draco frowned.

"Fine um...no, I just have a lot on my mind and didn't get much sleep" Draco said. "See, we're fine now...and this is drying my brain out."

"What about the reflexes?" Harry asked, slamming a book shut.

"I don't know..." Draco pondered and Snape chose that moment to sweep past, pause and then enter the room.

"And what is going on here?" He barked, purposefully loud, seeing the way they tensed and Harry dropped his book. "If you wish for a place to study than take it to the library or your common room!"

"Yes sir!" They replied in union and gathered their books before rushing past, hushing whispers between each other as they did so.

Snape had enough evidence now and directed himself to Dumbledore's office right away, not even staying to watch the boys dissappear out of sight while they whispered hurridly to each other.

"Severus, and what do I owe this unexpected pleasure?" Dumbledore asked as he looked up when Snape entered.

"I merely wish to enquire about Potter and Malfoy's living situation" Snape said.

"And just what details does this enquiry include?" Dumbledore questioned curiously as he studied the man before him and wondered what had brought this on.

"I have a reason to believe that they are perhaps not...well cared for" Snape said as if he was struggling with something inside, in which he was. What he had heard and seen today went against everything that he had previously believed about the boys; that they had been spoiled and over-cared for. Well perhaps he had thought those things of Potter, but not so much about Draco.

"I placed them under the care of Harry's aunt and uncle" Dumbledore said, even thought Snape was well aware of that fact.

"I have members from the Order of the Phoenix check on them regularly since. There is yet to be a report of the boys being treated too poorly."

Snape seated himself in front of the headmaster's desk and pondered on how to get a more straight answer from the man.

"I recently witnessed Malfoy reacting abnormally to a simple touch, upon this observation I paid more attention to their behaviour and the results were not pleasing, Albus. Malfoy's reaction was quite unsettling" Snape said with a stressed sigh. "One would think I had slapped the boy" He said in disgust.

"I also came across them previous to this current meeting and they were studying a number of suspicious books involving muggle psychology and appeared to training themselves to answer certain questions involving their home life" He added, stressing the importance of his words.

Dumbledore watched him for a period of several minutes before nodding and getting up from his seat to begin pacing the office. Snape said nothing as he watched, unsure if the man was actually considering or aware of what he'd said or if he was about to feed him some pathetic reason as to why he should ignore what he'd witnessed with the boy.

Snape was beginning to wonder if he should've of come to the headmaster afterall when the man suddenly spoke, almost startling Snape as he did so.

"Are you intending to take action on this matter?" Dumbledore asked. "If the situation is to be judged as something truly concerning?"

"I am merely indicating that something is amiss; I do not wish to involve myself in their problems" Snape said. "My past with their parents and the boys themselves is not something I wish to indulge in."

"Ah" Dumbledore nodded. "Explain to me again how the boy reacted" He requested while seating himself once more behind his desk.

"Rather violently" Snape said. "I simply place a hand on Draco's shoulder and he flew from his seat as though his chair had hexed him. After investigation, Irma Pince informed me that Potter has reacted in a simular manner when she found him in the library in an emotional state. She also claimed that he had given her an expression simular to the one a person would give if she had sprouted five heads" He said, repeating her description.

"I see. That would be a desturbing sight indeed" Dumbledore nodded.

"And what do you intend to do with this information?" He questioned again as though he was worried that Snape would kidnap the boys or something equally desturbing.

"Do not lead yourself under false implications that I will confront the boys or continue this matter of concern, I will not" Snape said and crossed his arms.

"I intended only to inform you in the rare chance that you are not already aware of the situation" He said, voicing his suspicions that Dumbledore was indeed knowing on the topic although it didn't make him feel any better at all.

"I'm afraid that I am aware of the neglect the boys are shown in their home" Dumbledore sighed sadly but was still perfectly composed in Snape's eyes.

"The extent in which they are mistreated, I am however uncertain with. Perhaps you could keep a closer eye on the boys?" He asked.

Despite the fact that he had disagreed to any involvement, Snape felt himself nodding in agreement to Dumbledore's suggestion, although he was no fool and knew it was in fact an instruction.

"And if there is a cause for concern?"

"I do not believe that there is anything to be concerned about, Severus" Dumbledore told him.

"I am merely unsure of the cause for such reactions from the boys, curious perhaps as well for why no other members of the staff noticed such behaviour."

Snape narrowed his eyes and then stood from his chair. He gave a brief nod and left the office without another word, wondering if he really was over-reacting to a simple startle from each boy or if the headmaster was being ignorant and misleading him off the topic. For whatever reason, Snape had a few theories...each as likely and unlikely as the next.

No matter what Dumbledore had said, Snape had every intention to not only be more aware of the boys" behaviours but also confront the pair with it should he be suspicious. Of course, he didn't care for either of them...he was merely doing his job.

But Snape knew he was trying to fool himself for what possible reason should he have to be as concerned as he was for two Gryffindors that didn't even remember him from the one encounter he'd had with each of them over ten years ago?

Snape usually did things on his own but decided that the best course of action would be to also test the boys in a way where it wasn't coming from the teacher they disliked.

So twenty minutes after his discussion with Dumbledore, Snape found himself knocking on the office door of Gryffindor's Head of House, Minerva McGonagall.

"Yes?" She asked and he stepped into the room. "Severus? Which unlucky member of the Gryffindor house has crossed your path this time?" McGonagall sighed as she removed her reading glasses and surveyed him with a curious expression.

"This is not a matter of punishment, Minerva" Snape said. "Although I confess this is a rare moment" He said, mostly to annoy her as well since he still was no fan of the house in which his school bullies had belonged to. "It is involving Potter and Malfoy."

"I suspected as much" McGonagall nodded. "I have seen you paying more attention to the boys during meals, is there a need for concern? Or are you coming to give me a compliment on how great my students are?" She smirked.

"Hardly" He said in a dull tone and then they both dropped the usual Gryffindor vs Slytherin tease they have had going on for years and got down to business.

"Have you noticed anything...amiss with their behaviour since their arrival at school? Perhaps the way they interact with others?"

McGonagall glanced down at her paper-cluttered desk for a moment as she pondered on his words and tried to remember an incident that could be considered "amiss".

"They work quite well together in Transfiguration, I do also believe that it is Draco's favourite subject. They're a bit distant and untrusting towards others, even Ronald Weasley who is seen to be their best friend. There is a rivalry between Mathew Lark and the boys from your house, but apart from that I do not see what you mean."

"You and I are above such coddling in classrooms and abide by reasonable discpline" Snape said and she almost considered that a compliment but remained quiet for he rarely sought her out with serious issues and it was clear that he hadn't come to her office on a whim.

"Has there been such an occassion in which you have perhaps given them a detention, expressed loud displeasure to their behaviour or had any proper contact with them at all?" He asked, unsure of how else to phrase it.

"The boys are usually quite well behaved, only striking my attention when Mr Lark gets into an argument with them; you really must talk to that boy about trying to start fights" She frowned.

"I have never felt the need to raise my voice at either boy, although I do recall a moment when Mr Potter was talking to Mr Weasley instead of working and I placed a hand on his shoulder to redirect his attention..." She trailed off in memory.

"And how did the boy react?" Snape pressed.

"He almost fell out of his seat" McGonagall sighed. "I had clearly startled him. But I cannot see how this is of any importance, Severus?"

"The boys are rather simple to startle; I was merely curious if there was a reason behind it. Thank-you, Minerva" He nodded and left the office, leaving a worried and confused Professor McGonagall behind.

While Snape studied the boys and tested them occasionally, he began to think that perhaps the boys simply caused trouble at home for they only jumped at sudden actions and were otherwise quite fine.

They had no obvious injuries or issues with being socialised, so he forced himself to ignore the matter and convinced himself to stop over-worrying about nothing.

McGonagall however found his visit rather nerving and set out to check on the boys herself but didn't want to be obvious about it so awaited until an oppurtunity presented itself. The chance she had hoped for arrived in the form of her holiday collection list.

She wandered around the Gryffindor table during lunch one early afternoon to see who was staying at Hogwarts over the Christmas holiays and who would be returning home. She paused and took her time as she reached the desinated section of the table.

"Mr Weasley?" She questioned and he had to swallow his food before answering.

"My parents were going to Romania, but there's been a change of plans" Ron said. "I'll be going home for the holidays."

"Very well" McGonagall nodded as her self-notes quill crossed his name off her list. "Mr Potter and Malfoy? Will you boys be returning home for the holidays? I am sure you would like to spent it with your family?"

"No Professor" Harry replied. "We'd like to stay here for the holidays."

"Yeah, they probably won't be home anyway" Draco added while glancing at Harry with an odd expression.

McGonagall nodded and checked that their names had been written down before speaking again.

"Is there any other particular reason that you boys wish to stay? Judging by my list you may end up being the only ones left from Gryffindor. Surely it will be too vacant?" She questioned.

"We don't mind" Draco replied.

"We have each other" Harry added with a nod. "Please Professor...we want to stay."

"Alright" She replied and moved on without another thought to Snape's meeting as she too saw no obviouss signs that anything was wrong involving the boys and wondered what Snape had been refering to anyway.

The man himself was actually eyeing the boys as they spoke to McGonagall and he just knew they would be staying over the holidays.

Normally he had no intention of doing so as well but if the boys were staying...he wanted to take the chance to keep an eye on them for it was a fact that almost all the teachers would be going away for the holidays.

He also did not like the idea of a Malfoy and Potter spending a week or two alone in the castle.

Snape lowered his gaze to his mostly-empty plate and knew that it wasn't entirely his reason for staying over the holidays, but he had nothing to go home to anyway.

Normally he did it only to avoid Dumbledore's Christmas mood and the over-decoration of the place, but this year he decided that he would endure it just to see the looks on the boys faces as they enjoyed their Christmas...like all children should.

The students had left two days ago but Harry and Draco truly did not mind the emptiness of the common room and castle for it was rather relaxing.

They were used to being alone anyway so it wouldn't have bothered them even if they had been the only students left instead of being two of twenty.

It was the quiet they looked forward to, not the Christmas event itself because they had never celebrated it before, although when they were younger they had found pinecones or various items and wrapped them in newspaper to give to the other on Christmas.

But that died down once they became all too aware that they would never really enjoy what the holiday had to offer. This year was expected to be different with the decorations and Christmas dinner, so in that sense it was already appearing to be their best Christmas yet and they looked forward to it in some way.

Harry awoke the following morning rather early and climbed out of bed. He put his glasses on and glanced outside at the snow-covered grounds for a while and liked how nice it all looked.

He wandered downstairs and placed a gift that he'd bought for Draco in Diagon Alley months ago under the tree, but paused as he spotted several wrapped gifts under the basically-decorated tree.

Harry gasped and jumped to his feet. He ran up the stairs and climbed onto Draco's bed, shaking him hurridly.

"Draco! Draco, wake up!" He said, a grin spread all over his face.

"What?" Draco groaned but only rolled over and tried to pull his blankets over his head but Harry grabbed them and tugged them away.

"Come on, you've got to see this!" Harry continued. "Draco, get up!"

Draco sat up and glared at him for a good minute until he noticed the grin on his brother's face.

"What is it?" He asked, eyebrows raising and he was awake now. "Oh, Happy Christmas."

"Come on!" Harry grabbed Draco's wrist and dragged him downstairs until he was able to shove him towards the tree. "Look!"

Draco yawned and glanced under the tree, his eyes going wide as he too let out a gasp.

"Happy Christmas" Harry returned while his brother crouched down and grabbed one of his coloured presents.

"But how? Who would sent us anything?" Draco grinned as well while sitting on a nearby armchair to unwrap his maroon gift.

"Oh look, it's from Mrs Weasley" He noticed a note attached and then pulled out a black jumper with a silver "D" on it.

"Ron's mum?" Harry asked and grabbed a simular package, seeing a red jumper with a golden "H" on it. "Wicked."

"I dunno if I'd wear it though" Draco glanced at the jumper but discarded it and reached for another of his presents while Harry did the same.

"It looks like some sort of cloak" Harry was saying but Draco was staring at the note attached to his green and silver wrapped gift.

"Draco?" Harry asked as his brother yelped and tore at his gift, pulling out a thick and ancient-looking book with a family crest on the front.

"Harry! I have a godfather, he sent me this...look!" Draco thrust the note at Harry while opening the front page of the book and read the neat handwriting on the cover:

<blockquote>"Property of Narcissa Malfoy".</blockquote>

Harry didn't like the sound of Draco having a godfather but tried to be happy for him while also being rather envious of the fact that his brother now had a piece of his family history to read about whilst he did not.

It was in these moments that he had to remind himself that they really were from different families at birth.

"Woah, that's an ivisability cloak" Draco finally noticed what Harry had draped over a chair...or what had been the chair when it was in sight. "Who sent you that? I read that they're really rare."

"It didn't say" Harry replied as he handed over the note and then returned to the tree where there were six more gifts. The next two were books from Hermione related to Quidditch and homemade food from Hagrid, which they ignored. The last two were simular to the first pair. Draco's was black with green ribbons and Harry's was skarlet with black ties.

Draco opened his first and frowned as the contents, finding a book or two, a candle, some weird objects and a quill.

"Who was that from?" Harry wondered with a curious expression.

"Aunt Andromeda" Draco frowned. "I didn't know I had anyone else out there. A godfather and an aunt?" He frowned.

"Yeah" Harry sighed as he started opening his gift but a note slid out and he picked it up to read:

"RJL?" Draco frowned as he read over the note and Harry eagerly opened his present. He then walked over to Harry to see what he got and saw a snitch with "J.P" engraved on the bottom as well as a book on "recreational charms for beginners" and a photograph.

Harry stared at the photograph and turned it over to see the names written on the back "James, Sirus, Remus and Peter".

"I'm guessing that's your dad and his friends or something" Draco said as Harry stared at it. "But cool, you got a snitch!"

"Yeah" Harry replied but his eyes were fixated on the photograph, staring at his father's grin and the way he ruffled the hair of a man beside him, Sirius.

After they had opened their gifts and discussed them for an hour or so, the boys made their way to breakfast and their grins stayed until they had finished eating.

There were a few students at the Hufflepuff and Ravenclaw tables but only three at the Slytherin table although the boys sat alone at the Gryffindor table and looked around, seeing the joy in the others as their voices about their families and siblings drifted over.

Snape was one of the few left at the staff table and watched the boys as they walked in, looking thrilled and he felt a pang of something in his chest when he saw the Draco was clutching the book he had sent him.

But as they finished their meal, the boys began to become more aware of those around them and their joyous smiles began to fade.

They gathered their things and left the Great Hall shortly after that and Snape didn't see them again until he entered the hall for dinner that night, having been manipulated into attending the feast by Dumbledore who was still trying to take advantage of his presence during the holidays.

The four house tables were gone, replaced by a large round table that was enough to seat all that students that were staying and the few staff members that were there as well.

Snape seated himself between Dumbledore and a Slytherin 6th year and took a gulp of his goblet (wishing it contained something stronger than pumpkin juice) while the others started to arrived . He also glared at Dumbledore once he found that the boys were seated directly across from him but he refused to let it affect him.

Although he did notice how uncomfortable and distant they appeared during the celebration and whenever someone addressed them they seemed rather surprised by it. But their grins were set on their faces even as they dug into the food as though they hadn't eaten in weeks. And Snape found the event somewhat worth staying over the holidays just to see those boys laughing and enjoying themselves.

He could no longer deny that he cared something for them and actually felt guilty that he hadn't sent Harry a gift but was so unsure what to give him or if he should write a note etc. He was also not quite ready to part with any of his cherrished photographs of Lily and didn't want to confuse the boy as to why he had none of James (with the exception of one taken during their school years when he'd been able to dye the Seeker's hair green).

Snape stared at the boys for a moment, trying to imprint their laughing faces into his mind and long-term memory so that he could recall it clearly whenever he felt guilty of not taking them in or whenever he once again came to realise that he did care for them in a way and yet had no real involvement in their lives.

Dumbledore watched Snape and saw the saddened expression on his face and the way he excused himself before the meal was over.

He had been suspicious when the Christmas-hating man decided to stay over the holidays and now he was certain that the reason was sitting side-by-side and laughing at what a Ravenclaw had said about elves and mistletoe. But he said nothing and continued on with the celebration.

--

Snape walked down the stairs and into the dungeons where his private quarters were. He never liked to drink but allowed himself a single firewhiskey for the night and slumped into and armchair, gazing down at a picture of Lily's face as she held a toddler, thumb-sucking Harry in her arms. Her smile radiated and made her eyes glow while he tried to lose himself in it but it did nothing to ease the pain. He felt that it was something he always had to endure, always had to receive: pain, darkness, lonliness and regret.

Snape had tried to change that but after Lily had died, he couldn't see how he could ever feel the sense of happiness or fulfillment ever again.

When he saw those boys tonight, it reminded him of what he could of had, of what he'd easily lost without even getting a sense of it...and of the life he would never imagine that he could lead.

As he rested his head back against the armchair and allowed his mind to deaden to sleep, words echoed in his mind which would now repeat themselves each time he fell asleep with thoughts of the life he didn't have...

Christmas passed by and then so did the New Year. The students had returned and classes progressed once again alongside Quidditch and various other adventures in between.

Draco and Harry had enjoyed the year, even when they had run ins with Mathew Lark, and even with the detentions they'd received over the months of exploring the castle under the invisibility cloak and getting caught if they took it off or being scowled at for showing up late after a visit to Hagrid. But as the months flowed past, they began to lose some enthusiasm by the time March was almost over, for the year was coming to a close and that meant that they had to return to the Dursleys for many months.

"Where did it all go?" Harry wondered as he, Draco and Ron made their way outside to enjoy the Saturday sunlight and warmth. "It feels like I blinked and it was months later."

"I know" Draco sighed.

"But then we've got summer!" Ron grinned. "Maybe you two could come stay over for a while?"

"That would be great" Draco glanced up.

"If we're allowed" Harry added and the blonde sighed again.

The boy mostly lazed around but grew restless and chased each other, soon falling into the lake but that just brought on a splashing war. After they'd dragged themselves back onto land, they lay on their backs and stared up at the numerous clouds to dry off.

"What's that noise?" Draco glanced around as there was a odd screeching coming from...the Owlery.

The three Gryffindors rushed towards the place in question and once inside they found non-other than Mathew Lark and some of his buddies terrifying the birds and aiming a few hexes around. But no one had actually been hit although they tried frantically to escape.

"Hey!" Ron snapped. "Leave them alone."

"They bit me!" Mathew scowled once he spotted them and held up a bloody finger.

"So that justifies this?" Harry was really mad now and tired of this boy causing so much trouble without even caring about anything other than his own boredom.

"Yes!" Mathew yelled but it was followed by a smirk. "Which one is yours?" He looked around at the owls just as Harry had spotted her as well.

"NO!" The boys yelled at Hedwig and Mathew. Draco dove for the boy and knocked him to the floor of bird droppings while Harry and Ron charged at the other two.

Once down, they tried to get the boys wands but it seemed that they had not been the only ones to notice the interference the owls were making.

Each boy seperated quickly as McGonagall loomed into view and Snape joined behind her; eyeing their house members with scowls and glares. Snape stepped aside as McGonagall took over the situation and left him to check on the birds.

He gazed around and assumed that the boy hadn't actually been aiming for the animals because none of them had been injured. Or so he'd thought until he'd spotted one lying on its side near the back. He frowned as he checked and saw a broken wing and bleeding leg. But it was a familiar owl; one that he believed to belong to Harry Potter.

Snape picked the bird up and carried her back to the castle where he tended to its care (He would have taken it to Promfry but decided it wasn't too badly injured and he had the supplies himself).

Hedwig rested for the night, a bandage wrapped on her right wing and talon, while Snape watched over her and scowled at himself for even caring about the bird...so what if it belonged to Harry?

--

The following Monday during Potions class he informed Harry that his owl was being cared for but made sure not to mention that he was the one caring for her. Harry was stressed and deeply upset by his owl being injured but Snape left Draco to offer comfort and dismissed them both.

Perhaps he should have offered reassurance or something to the boy, but he simply didn't see the point for harry would know that his owl was fine once Snape returned her.

Snape had expected the owl to be fine in a few days but weeks dragged on and he began to wonder if she would be okay before the school year ended. Harry constantly questioned him and the man was sure he had the same worries as himself.

But against all odds, Snape awoke one morning (almost three weeks before the last day of term) and felt an affectionate nipping at his ear. He noticed the snowy owl was back to her usual self and could move her wing again. He fed her and sought out Harry.

"Mr Potter!" Snape barked as he saw the boy leaving the Great Hall.

"Hedwig!" Harry grinned in relief as he saw his owl on Snape's shoulder and she flew over to him, nipping him in a simular way that she had to Snape earlier.

"You took care of her?" Harry asked in shock while staring at his potions master in disbelief.

"Indeed" He replied dully. "Do not over-excercise her wing as it may still require resting" He ordered before turning to leave.

"Wow, Snape took care of you" Harry glanced at Hedwig.

"Are you sure you're okay?" He joked and Draco reached out to pet her as well, having hid his concern for the owl more effectively than Harry and Ron had, but he too was relieved that she was okay.

Snape continued down the corridor back to his rooms where he had several potions that Promfry needed brewed as soon as possible.

But while the fact that he'd helped Harry's owl was just a simple act of kindness, no one had any idea just how that small act was going to change something between him and the boys.

"Is it true that Mathew was suspended?" A seond-year boy asked Harry as they all sat down for the end-of-year feast.

"Yeah" Harry nodded.

"Serves the git right" Ron agreed.

"It was a horrible thing to do!" Hermione said. "At least he didn't seriously hurt any of them."

A soft tinkling directed the attention of the entire room to Dumbledore as he stepped up to address them all.

"Another year has gone!" He said loudly. "Hopefully your heads are all a little fuller than they were...you have the whole summer to get them nice and empty again before the next year begins" He said and Draco groaned at the mentioning of their summer.

"And now, as I understand it, the house cup needs awarding and the points stand as thus: in fourth place, Slytherin, with three hundred and thirty points; in third Hufflepuff, with three hundred and fifty-two points; Ravenclaw have four hundred and twenty-six points and Gryffindor, four hundred and seventy points!"

A huge round of cheering and applause filled the Great Hall as all three houses celebrated the downfall of Slytherin, which was no doubt a result of Mathew's reckless abuse on the owls a few weeks earlier.

"Gryffindor win the house cup!" Dumbledore announced over the cheers and McGonagall was laughing in happiness while entwining her hands and grinning.

The students of the three houses threw their black hats into the hair and got to their feet while those in Slytherin remained seated and glaring at them miserably or just in pure anonyance.

The cheers began to die down after some time and the feast began, in which everyone but the Slytherins really enjoyed and chatted amongst themselves throughout.

Snape had left the hall before each of the other Slytherins while McGonagall remained the longest and stayed to congratulate her house.

--

Then it was time for bed and last-minute packing for they were to board the Hogwarts Express the following day and no one was least looking forward to that moment than Draco and Harry.

"Why doesn't my godfather want me, or my aunt?" Draco asked as they lay down in his bed to stare up at the ceiling whilst continuing to ignore the partying that was still going on downstairs in the common room.

"I don't know, but I'm sure there is a good reason...they must care about you if they sent you stuff" Harry sighed. "At least you have someone."

"You have that mysterious RJL" Draco said. "But hey, who cares...it's not like they're here so what's the point? We still have each other and we're only gonna be home for a few months and then we're back here."

"When did you get so possitive?" Harry raised an eyebrow at him.

"Dunno, must have spent too much time around you!" Draco joked and just found Harry's weak attempt at a shove even more amusing.

"Do you think they'll even pick us up?" Draco then asked, refering to the Dursleys.

"I think so" Harry sighed but shrugged. "I don't know."

"I can't wait until we get away from them again and come back here...we'll be able to actually play Quidditch next year!" Draco grinned but it soon faded.

"We'll be out of there soon enough" Harry yawned as if he'd read Draco's thoughts on returning to Privit Drive.

"Hagrid said we could threaten to curse Dudley if he annoys us."

"We're not allowed to use magic outside of Hogwarts" Draco reminded him but caught on. "Oh, but they don't know that...do they?"

"Goodnight, Draco" Harry said and rolled over to sleep even though it was impossible with all the yelling going on downstairs.

"Yeah, night" Draco sighed, still resting on his back and staring upwards while being lost in his own thoughts and dreads.

"Come on, yeh'll be late!" Hagrid boomed over the heads of students the following day as everyone handed over their luggage and boarded the train. Harry and Draco had already said goodbye to Hagrid and received the photo album from him, they now made their way into a empty compartment alongside Hermione and Ron.

Althought the four of them sat together, Harry and Draco barely said a word. Harry conversed with Ron at times but otherwise flipped through his photo album while Draco silently read his book on his Malfoy Heritage.

But with an hour left until they arrived at the station, neither boy could keep themselves distracted long enough so started talking with their other two friends about coming for a visit, what they'd be up to next year, Quidditch etc.

When the whistle blew and the train came to a stop, Harry delayed exiting the train for as long as he could but it was unavoidble and he soon had to follow the others out of their compartment and onto the platform where they collected their luggage.

After bidding their farewells, the boys entered the muggle part of the station and found the Dursleys uncomfortably waiting for them.

Draco and Harry stood miserably as Mr Weasley came over to greet Vernon but the conversation wasn't very long and soon they were leaving, heading back to the home they so truthfully hated.

They had their things locked away in the cupboard once again but their owls remained with them as the boys carried their cages upstairs and fed them some treats.

"Well, they barely said a word to us...that has to be a good sign, right?" Harry asked Draco with an uncertain expression.

"I suppose" Draco sighed as he sat on their bed and hung his head slowly. "I don't think it'll last though, he looked pretty mad on the drive home."

"Well it's only almost three months" Harry added. "I'm sure we'll be okay."

Draco looked up at his brother. "Harry? I don't think we will, because I know about where we belong now...I know that I happen to be a rich pureblood and yet I'm an enslaved muggle. I just have a feeling that things are not going to end well this time."

"Well you've just got to keep calm and block their insults out" Harry encouraged.

"I will, but that's not what I meant" Draco said. "There's something different about them; they're not just scared and cautious but they seem more...I dunno, "grouchy" I suppose would be one way to describe it."

Harry glanced at Draco and thought back to how Vernon had been acting as he'd loaded their trunks and ordered them to their room.

"I think you're right" He sighed. "Something is certainly off, but surely it's a good thing...he'll leave us alone."

"No" Draco said with a shake of his head for he just felt so certain. "I don't think he will."

The first few days back at the Dursley's had been casual and rather calm but mostly because the boys were being especially careful of what they said and how long they took to get their chores done for whilst Dudley stayed well away from them, Vernon was watching them as though waiting for them to do magic. He eyed them whenever they were in sight and growled if they so much of did anything wrong. Magic scared him and when he was scared...he reacted angrily.

A week passed by without too many incidents, mostly just being yelled at or set to bed without dinner...but one afternoon that changed. And it was all because Dudley no longer avoided them.

Harry and Draco had been dusting in the living room when Dudley stuck his foot out, tripping Draco flat onto his face. The blonde got up angrily but Dudley shoved him over again until he growled in annoyance.

"Draco" Harry reminded him and the blonde forced himself to glance away but Dudley continued to shove or trip him with every chance he got or he would throw chips at Draco to make him clean it up.

"Stop it!" Draco scowled after another ten minutes but Dudley just laughed at him and decided to harrass Harry next.

"You're home early, dear" Petunia said to Vernon when he slumbered into the house.

"Boring day" He mumbled. "Are the Masons coming next week?"

"Yes, I just received the call an hour ago" Petunia nodded but if she was about to say anything else she never got the chance for Dudley ran into the hallway yelling.

"Dudders?" Petunia asked as he hid behind her, pointing wildly to the living room.

"D-Draco...he tried to use it on me!" Dudley yelped loudly.

"He's lying, I did not!" Draco called back and it was true, he had merely thrown a chip back at Dudley's head in annoyance but of course the pig knew his parents were right there and never missed a chance to get them in trouble.

"That's it!" Vernon raged and stormed into the living room.

"He didn't do anything!" Harry said defensively while Draco froze fearfully at the advancing man.

"Liar! Trying to blame Dudley!" Vernon grabbed Draco by his hair, his face turning purple by the second.

"Ow!" Draco yelled and tried to pry the fingers off his hair while Harry continued to protest.

"Let him go!" Harry said angrily. "He didn't do anything!"

"Harry, don't!" Draco said. "He'll just get you too-ouch!" He yelped again as he was thrown towards the floor and his wrist hit the fireplace quite hard and he clutched it while his eyes watered.

"Bloody runts!" Vernon continued, advancing on Draco again while Harry was torn between his brother's safety and request.

"Stay back, Harry" Draco pleaded for he knew that both of them would get it if he got involved and it would only be worst.

"Let go of me!" He cried out to Vernon but the man had his hair again and just growled even louder.

"Ungreatful brat!" Vernon said. "How dare you threaten Dudley! How dare you use that freakiness under our roof!" He bellowed and shoved Draco much harder, causing him to hit the fireplace once more and Harry winced at the sound he made upon contact and the sight of Draco doubling over, clutching his side as he tried to fight tears.

"I'm sorry!" Draco yelled out, his eyes squeezed closed as he crouched there. "I won't do it again, I swear sir!"

"Bloody hope you don't, boy!" Vernon said as he kicked his sore side.

"Because if you do..." He lowered his voice to a deadly whisper. "I will stand it no more! You hear me? One more ounce of freakiness from you and you're out of here!"

"Y-yes sir" Draco nodded and flinched as someone touched his shoulder.

"Sorry" Harry said. "He's gone...are you okay?"

"Do I look okay, Potter?" Draco spat at him and struggled to his feet. Harry helped him up to their room and saw how Draco clutched his left ribs and his right hand dangled painfully; they were already beginning to bruise.

"That was nasty" Harry gulped. "I hate Dudley!" He growled angrily as he kicked open their bedroom door and helped Draco lay on his good side on their bed.

"I'll go finish the chores, you stay here" He instructed and Draco was in no position to argue.

Once Harry had left, Draco pulled their photo album out from its hiding place and scanned over the photos of his parents at some function, their wedding and various pictures of them with him as a toddler.

"Why did you have to die?" He asked them softly although he knew they couldn't reply; they were only pictures that repeated a single moment over and over.

"I wouldn't be in this hellhole, I would't be hurting so bad...why did I have to get a screwed up life?" He sniffed and lay back down properly, trying to fall asleep and ignore the throbbing and aching in his side as well as his wrist.

"DRACO MALFOY!" Vernon's bellow awoke Draco from his slumber barely twenty minutes later and the boy jerked upright in reaction; crying out as he hurt his side again.

"Coming!" He barely called back and made his way downstairs, fearful of the reason behing being summoned like a rude house-elf.

"Y-yes sir?" He gulped and entered the kitchen. He spotted Harry nearby washing up with his face set in a scowl as he stared straight ahead.

"Get dinner started, now!" Vernon ordered him and Draco knew better than to reply.

"What happened?" Draco asked as he passed by Harry to get pots and saw the his brother was actually biting his lip to prevent himself from making a sound.

"Burnt my hand" Harry replied. "He's sour today, had a really bad complaint at work and-"

"Hurry up!" Vernon snapped at Draco, making him drop the pot he'd been holding. "Why you useless brat..."

"Sorry, sorry!" Draco said hurridly and went about his tasks as fast as he could with an injured wrist and trembling hands.

The boys worked on their tasks (when Harry was done washing he helped Draco with dinner) and remained quiet but no matter what they did, Vernon always found something to yell about.

"Bloody Smiths!" Vernon contined his rant about work and threats of shutting down some funds. "Who does he think he is? And how am I to use my money properly with these lot in here?" He growled, glancing over at the boys.

"We have to leave this room...he's gonna blow" Draco gulped as he could see Vernon's temper rising and his face getting redder.

"We're nearly done" Harry said. "Just keep going."

"If their bloody freaky parents hadn't of barked up the wrong tree, we wouldn't be stuck with them!" Vernon said and each boy had to bite their tongues not to reply.

 'Useless freaks! Bet they couldn't earn a dime either, Marge is right...they're probably just good-for-nothing freaks!"

"Draco!" Harry hissed as his brother had been ginding his teeth and behind them a neatly washed pile of plates shattered, sending glass all onto the floor.

And Petunia's new roast dish went after that before Draco forced himself to calm down. But the damage had been done.

"WHAT DID I TELL YOU?!" Vernon roared and got up, sending his chair flying backwards as he stared at Draco.

"I...I..." Draco stuttered and desperately tried to find a way around more injuries while Harry stared wide-eyed at Vernon and glanced sideways at Draco's concealed ribs.

"No!" Harry stepped in front of Draco protectively. "Shut up or you'll end up in hospital" He hissed to his brother.

"Harry, no..." Draco said with a pit of fear and guilt swelling inside him.

"I did it!" Harry said to Vernon. "Leave him alone, it was me! I swear!"

"I don't care which one of you did it!" Vernon said and grabbed Harry by the front of his shirt.

"Go, Draco" Harry hissed.

"No, I'm not leaving you...he'll kill you!" Draco said, his eyes tearing and his voice breaking as he desperately tried to think of a way around what was happening.

"Go!" Harry yelled and while Vernon had been bellowing and canceled his voice out, Draco had heard him.

He stared at Harry but saw no other choice. If he didn't go his ribs were going to cause internal bleeding or something horrible, but he just couldn't leave Harry.

"Draco, please!" Harry said. "Please!"

Draco swallowed all the guilt he had and ran past Vernon, up the stairs and into his bedroom. He slammed the door and made his way to the bed, clutching his side in pain before sliding to the floor and wrapped his arms around his knees to sob.

He had left Harry down there and even as he covered his ears he could not block out the unmistable sounds of leather against flesh and while Harry hardly cried out, Draco still heard him a few times and it made him feel worst.

Draco's face had tear trails and his wrist was bleeding a little again but he vowed to distract himself and fed his owl before moving to feed Hedwig as well who was trying to fight her way out of the cage. In a desperate moment to feel something other than cold fear, Draco let her out and held her close on his lap and she stayed there, nipping his good hand softly as if she really was trying to comfort him.

They sat there like that for almost an hour until the house suddenly became deadly quiet and Draco almost launched from the floor to run downstairs but forced himself to stay. He still didn't know why he had listened to Harry or why he had stayed in the room as he was told.

--

Draco gasped fearfully as he heard a noise and then a car engine. He'd had enough; Draco got up and left Hedwig there as he pulled open the bedroom door and ran downstairs, ignoring the stabs of pain in his side.

"Harry?" Draco trembled as he looked around, finally finding his brother staggering from the kitchen, blood oozing from his lip and he could barely stand.

"Oh my..." Draco felt sick at the sight of the pain his brother was obviously going through and the fact that he hadn't stayed to help. "What...what did he d-do?" He gulped.

"Belt" Harry gasped out and reached to Draco for support. "Back...hurts" He winced.

Draco looked around but the Dursleys had left. "Where did they go?" He asked worridly.

"Get...ice cream" Harry said.

"Okay, come on" Draco barely felt his own pain as he wrapped an arm around Harry, flinching as Harry winced to the contact on his back. He helped him upstairs and Harry lay on his stomach, biting back tears still.

"I'm so sorry! I left you!" Draco's lip trembled and he had never felt so bad in his entire life. "I should've stayed...I could've helped..."

"No" Harry croaked.

"It was my fault!" Draco hissed. "You're like this because of me!"

"Accident" Harry said again but his mind was foggy and his eyes were closing against his command.

"Harry?" Draco stared at him while tears continued to roll down his cheeks.

"Oh Merlin save us!" He said, burying his face in the bedsheets to sob; completely unaware of the missing snowy owl...

Snape strolled downstairs at his home at Spinner's End, wondering if he should get a new bookcase for he had more books than he needed or maybe he could just move some to his quarters at Hogwarts?

But he had little on his mind as he entered the living room and sat in a comfortable armchair with a book on Dark Arts in defensive forms and once he'd turned the first page and found his place, there was an odd sound outside his window.

Drawing his wand, the cautious Death Eater-turned-spy stood and made his way towards the sound as the sun was setting and surely no child would dare to be out this late or to throw rocks at his window? The last time they'd done that he'd had snowballs chase them down the street. But it wasn't snowing outside and the sounds there too faint to be rocks.

Snape moved a moth-eaten curtain aside and his eyes went wide as he recognised her outside. He rushed around to the nearest door and flung it open just in time to see the white blur fly past and land on the back of his armchair.

"Hedwig" He said, seeing her more clearly now.

"Lumos" He said and his wand lit up as he didn't care for the lamp in the corner but his blood ran cold as she screeched frantically and her feathery chest was covered in...blood.

Snape strode over to her and checked for injuries but found none. He winced as she bit him sharply and flew back to the doorway.

Somehow Snape knew what she was trying to do: get him to Potter.

Was he injured? Surely, for that was quite some blood and it was still wet even though Hedwig had flown through the chilly air to reach him.

Sparing no more time, Snape left his house, warded it hurridly and kept his wand out at the ready. Hedwig studied him for a moment and than flew off but Snape knew where to go so he spun on the spot and apparated to a street not far from Privit Drive.

--

The houses were all the same, and as he spotted Number Four he saw the Dursleys laughing in the kitchen at the table but the boys were not in sight. Hedwig flew around the back and Snape followed, watching as she pecked on an upstairs window were a light was on but there seemed to be no activity inside.

Snape scowled and concluded that one of the boys was hurt or else Hedwig would not have come to him, since she clearly trusted him to help her owner the same way as he had fixed her wing several weeks ago.

Snape gripped his wand and approached the back door of the house, afraid of what he might find as well as beyond worried about the boys...were they okay?

Snape raised his wand and the back door flew open. Hedwig flew in before him and swept upstairs, screeching the entire way and even though Snape had barely made his presence known...

"That ruddy owl!" Vernon roared. "I'll-"

"You'll what?" Snape growled as he entered the house and the three Dursley's froze.

"Get out of my house!" Vernon yelled but froze when Snape raised his wand.

"Severus" Petunia's eyes were huge and she seemed unable to move or say another word for she recognised the man that had grown from the young boy from her childhood that she'd hated.

Snape glared at them each before walking past and heading up the stairs with a swish of his cloak. He was unsure as to how injured the boys were and wanted to deal with that first.

He saw several closed doors and after finding the bathroom and than the main bedroom, he checked the next only to see a clearly spoiled child's room. Surprised that this wasn't theirs, he moved to the one beside it where Hedwig was pecking at the closed door anxiously.

Snape turned the knob and Hedwig flew in whilst he paused to take in the scene before him; Draco had his head rested on the side of the bed while he sat awkwardly on the floor and Harry lay on his stomach atop the same bed, his glasses cracked and still on his face.

Snape couldn't see how hurt they were or if they had simply fallen asleep. That was when he he saw the blood on the pillow and the tear trails on Draco's face.

"Nnn" Draco winced as Hedwig pecked at his good hand. "M'sorry" He mumbled, barely awake but then he jerked upright, sending a course of pain through his side. He yelped and clutched it before leaning over to check Harry, not once noticing Snape in the doorway as it was darker out now and the man hadn't moved or made a sound.

"H-Harry?"

"Mmm" Harry groaned.

"Are you still sore?" Draco gulped.

"What...you think?"

"Sorry, I just..." Draco's eyes trailed over to Snape as he noticed that the door was open and his eyes went wide. "Professor Snape!" He gasped in shock.

"What?" Harry mumbled from where his face was mostly buried in his pillow.

"What happened?" Snape growled, making the boys flinch and Harry tried to roll upright.

"Nothing" Harry said as he found his voice but could barely speak through the pain and it came out more of a hiss and wince.

"I do not have the time nor patience for your lies" Snape hissed. "Did your uncle do this?"

Draco bowed his head and nodded. "It's my fault, sir" He said quietly. "I broke Petunia's plate."

Snape couldn't believe that this was all the result of a broken plate but ignored it as the boys were clearly in pain.

"Draco, assist Harry. Where are your school things?" He looked around for their trunks.

"Downstairs...in the cupboard" Draco replied, still stunned at the sight of their potions master and was convinced that he was still out of it.

Snape left the room to retrieved the trunks while Draco helped Harry stand up. As he unlocked the cupboard under the stairs he heard the Dursleys whispering to each other and had to use every ounce of control he had not to go in there and hex them all to obliviant.

But as he retrieved the trunks and shrunk them to fit inside his pocket, he spotted an aged piece of paper that read "Harry and Draco's room" and his anger was becoming very difficult to keep under control.

Snape let Draco's owl out of his cage and then shrunk both his and Hedwig's cages before turning his attention back to the boys.

"Escort Harry through the backdoor, now!" He ordered Draco and the boys flinched slightly at his tone but obeyed with Snape leading the way.

Snape strode into the kitchen behind the boys, moving just in time to stop Vernon from charging after them. With a flick of Snape's wand, the beefy man flew backwards and crashed into a chair which crumbled under his weight. Petunia and Dudley screamed but Draco kept leading Harry out for he was beyond fearful of getting in the way...no matter how much he longed to watch.

"This is how you treat your own nephew?" Snape yelled at Petunia. "After what you witnessed when we were young children? And now you do the same horrid thing to them?" He narrowed his eyes to express his most deadly glare, one that only a few have lived to witness.

"Please...don-don't hurt us!" Petunia pleaded.

Snape raised his wand but fought it all the way, for he knew what was going on now...he knew what he'd overlooked and ignored for months. He was full of rage but it wasn't taking calming breaths that caused him to prevent a reason to be sent to Azkaban...it was guilt. He felt regretful for not ensuring that the boys would be safe, for ignoring the signs simply because they faded and for not taking them in to begin with...even if he knew he wouldn't have been able to.

--

"We are leaving" Snape stated as he left the house and approached the boys but wasn't sure how to get them to Spinner's End for all magical methods of transportation were rather risky and he had no idea exactly how injured they were.

"W-where are we going?" Draco asked, shivering slightly against the night air but it wasn't the cold that was causing his shaking; it was fear and the sense of feeling exposed.

"Hold Harry firmly and take my arm" Snape said and the boy obeyed, wincing as he spun on the spot and apparated them to Spinner's End for it was the only way he could get them there fast enough.

Harry let Draco go the moment they stepped inside Snape's house and vomited onto the floor from the combination of apparation and intense pain.

Snape magicked the vomit away with a sour look and lightly shoved Draco into an armchair nearby while he vanished Harry's shirt and examined the marks on his back.

"It was a belt" Draco said while Harry looked like he was fighting conciousness and humiliation.

Snape said nothing for he knew it had been a belt that had done this. He summoned a bunch of potions and forced them down Harry's throat before checking Draco over as well. Snape remained silent as he did his examinations and only handed Draco a potion for the pain and flicked his wand to have bandages wrap around his hand.

Then his attention went back to Harry and saw the boy's eyes falling closed so he quickly conjured a stretcher for him to fall backwards onto. He magicked it upstairs (which wasn't easy due to limited space, but he managed) and entered an empty room. Snape transfigured an armchair into a nice bed and lay Harry on it where he had fallen asleep from the dreamless sleep potion he'd been given.

Draco stood in the doorway while Snape fixed Harry up with bruise balm and bandaged his back and then transfigured his clothes into pyjamas. He turned to the second armchair and it too became a bed for Draco.

"Sit" He instructed and Draco did as he was told, startled by the sudden speech from the man and was still confused as to what was going on. But once Draco had seated, his shirt vanished and Snape applied a potion to his ribs, ignoring his wincing to the pain. Afterwards, Draco was instructed to lie down once he'd been given some dreamless sleep potion as well.

With both boys resting, Snape swept from the room all calm and composed but the moment he'd he entered in the living room, he cast a silencing charm and swore loudly. The amount of self-control he'd shown at that house was beyond anything he'd thought himself capable of...for five more seconds and he would have cursed those horrid muggles and earned himself a cell in Azkaban. Snape was overcome by guilt, regret and anger as he sunk into his armchair and hung his head, letting his hair fall downwards and curtain his face as he closed his eyes in order to regain himself once more.

His wand was placed out of reach on a small table beside him. Snape just ran through his mind the injuries he'd seen on the boys for there had been faint scars or indications that this had not been the first thime they'd been struck for anything. And Draco had said something about breaking a plate? That was the reason? Surely not unless the plate had been worth billions and the boy had thrown it at wall...but how could a simple plate convince that horrid muggle that doing this to the boys was justified and deserved?

Snape took a deep breath and got to his feet, taking to pace the room in order to prevent himself from apparating and properly lashing out at the muggles. But he wouldn't do that; he wasn't about to just leave the boys upstairs even though they were resting and his wards had just been replaced stronger than before.

Snape ran a hand over his face and used a breathing excercise to calm himself in the simular way that he did when he watched fellow Death Eaters torturing muggles.

He got to his feet and made his way back to what used to be his parent's bedroom while pocketing his wand and he pushed open the door slightly more, staring down at the sleeping faces of the boys.

Draco was rolled over on his good side so his back was facing Snape but he could still make out the peaceful look on the boy's face under the short fringe of blonde hair.

Snape glanced at Harry and felt a larger pang of guilt as Lily's son lay there on his stomach and one hand was gripping his sheets tightly. His face was in a slight frown but otherwise he didn't appear to be suffering too badly in his slumber.

Snape reached over and removed the glasses from the boy's face, mending them with his wand and then placed them on a small bedside table between their beds.

He stared at the angelic face and was quite astonished to see that without his glasses the boy looked a great deal more alike his mother and the guilt just came swarming back once again.

Unable to handle it anymore, Snape swept from the room and shut the bedroom door slighly ajar before going back to the living room miserably.

The first thing that Draco was aware of when he was pulled from subconcious was the fact that he was lying on something soft and after moving a hand to feel for Harry, his eyes jerked open and he bolted upright, looking around the room wildly. He relaxed when he saw Harry asleep in the bed across from him aginst the same wall as the door. He also was aware that his side now only felt numb and ached a little, but was much less painful.

Draco frowned and tried to recall that had happened but all he could remember was the guilt, the pain and the shock of Snape showing up...the rest was a blur.

He sighed and ran a hand through his hair as he slowly made his way over to Harry's bed and crouched in front of it to stare at his brother and then he lowered his gaze to the edge of the bed.

"I'm sorry, Harry" Draco said quietly, not trying to wake him but still wished that his brother had heard him for he really felt terrible for letting this happen to him. "We promised to look after each other and I...betrayed you."

Draco rested his head on the bed, letting the sobs rack his form for a moment as he suffered from the regret of leaving Harry behind and then being powerless to help him afterwards.

After a few minutes of venting, Draco got up, wiped his eyes with his sleeve and took in the room's appearance more fully, seeing the dull brown walls and horrid carpet floor. The dust-clouded glass window was mostly covered by moth-eaten and torn, faded black curtains so Draco gazed away from that within seconds. Other than that they had their two beds, a chipped bedside table and a wardrobe with a partially hanging door on one side and the other door had a large crack from top to bottom as well as a missing doorknob. Draco had thought that his and Harry's room had been bad...but this place looked almost haunted.

Draco breathed out heavily and tugged at his pyjamas, whilst wondering where they had come from for they looked new and were dark silver with green buttons; how very Slytherin.

He glanced at Harry once more before deciding to check the place out and see where Professor Snape had gone to whilst hoping that he hadn't just abandoned them.

Draco walked to the door, opened it carefully and made his way down the stairs to find the man was nowhere in sight. Perhaps he had left?

"Not that I'm surprised" Draco mumbled and sat on a two-seater sofa and curled up with a ragged blanket, resting his head back to ponder on what was going to happen now and how the Dursleys were going to to react when they returned.

"Comfortable, Mr Malfoy?" A voice broke his thoughts and his head snapped back down as he jumped. Draco got to his feet hurridly and the blanket slid to the floor as he saw Snape standing there with a potion vial in one hand.

"Sorry, sir!" Draco replied and bit his lip. "I just woke and...wondered where you were."

"As it would seem" Snape nodded, appearing as he always did during his time as their teacher; indifferent and hard to read. "Is Potter awake?"

"No" Draco shook his head, worry overtaking his features again.

"Will he be alright? They...hurt him, for almost an hour sir" He lowered his head, ashamed.

Snape's eyebrows twitched in anger but he hid it quickly before he worried the boy even more.

"He will make a full recovery with the required amount of rest" He answered.

"Are you hungry?" Snape asked and Draco looked at him in surprise.

"I'm okay" Draco lied but his stomach grumbled at the thought of food and gave him away.

Snape raised an eyebrow and nodded towards the kitchen. "Help yourself" He said and turned his back on the boy.

"Um, thanks" Draco was finding it hard to take everything in but headed to the kitchen hungrily while Snape made his way up the stairs and into the bedroom.

--

"Harry" Snape said, seeing the boy was still resting but he had to wake him for his potion.

"Enervate!" He said and aimed his wand, bringing the boy from his slumber.

"Wh..." Harry sat up slowly and looked around sleepily.

"Drink" Snape commanded, holding the vial out to the boy, but he eyed with with suspicion and made mo move to obey.

"It is not poison, Potter! If I wished to kill you I would be more direct" He growled and the boy flinched before taking the vial and drank it down.

"Where's...Draco?" Harry looked around and Snape went to answer but the boy himself appeared at the doorway with his arms full of...was that his food? Snape crinkled his nose as he saw the fruit, raw vegetables and a box of cereal in his arms.

"What is that, Mr Malfoy?" Snape asked as Draco handed an apple to Harry and he took it.

"Food, sir...you said I could have some" Draco replied nervously.

Snape wasn't sure how to respond as he put all his efforts into restraining the urges to go and hex the Dursleys again. He moved his wand and the food flew out of the room to return to his fridge and cupboards downstairs in the kitchen.

"That is not food" He replied and swept from the room to prepare them something they should be eating that didn't look like it had been retrieved by a scavenger.

Harry looked down at his apple-less hand and sighed sadly.

"What happened?" He turned to Draco as the blonde sat across from his on his own bed and looked quite guilty.

"How...how did we get here? Where...?" His head felt a bit dizzy from confusion.

"Snape came and saved us" Draco shrugged. "This is his, erm...house, I think" He glanced around the room nervously until fixating his stare on Harry. "I'm so sorry, for everything!"

"It's not your fault" Harry shook his head.

"But I left you...I couldn't..." Draco hung his head. "Just accept my apology or I won't sleep ever again."

"Fine; you're forgiven for something that wasn't you fault" Harry said, sounding stronger now and sat more upright without needing the support of the bed or his pillows. "But what's going to happen to us now?"

Draco shrugged and lowered his gaze uncertainly. "I don't know" He replied and looked up again, seeing that Harry was mirroring his confusion, fears and curiosity.

Indeed, where to go from here? Surely Snape didn't want them there or wasn't going to let them stay?

If only the boys knew how wrong they were...

Snape made his way up the stairs and towards the room with two bowls, two glasses of milk and four pieces of toast levitating in front of him. As he entered, silence fell over him which gave him a good reason to think that they had been discussing something they didn't want him to overhear.

"Eat" He commanded, swishing his wand so the boys got a bowl of chicken and vegetable soup each, along with a plate of two pieces of buttered toast. The glasses of milk landed closest to each boy on the bedside table as they stared at their bowls hungrily and gripped their spoons.

"Thanks" Harry said.

"Yeah, thank-you, sir" Draco added and said no more as he dived into his food.

Snape ignored the nagging part of his brain that ordered him to enforce manners and warn them not to soil the beds or eat too fast. He just stood at the doorway and watched them eat for a moment, surprised that they didn't even seem to notice his lingering presence.

After the bowl, plate and glasses were spotless, Snape summoned then with his wand and sent them downstairs to wash themselves. It was then that he approached the boys and stood at the end of their beds; perfectly in between them both.

Now they seemed to be unaware of nothing other than his presence and he prefered it that way for the moment.

"Your injuries are no longer aching, I presume?" Snape raised an eyebrow at them each and they both nodded in response although it was surprisingly dificult for him to be certain of their honesty, but he left it alone for now. Surely if they were in a high level of pain or suffering than they'd have spoken up? Perhaps not, if they had just been sitting in their room at Privit Drive and attempting to endure what they should never have even received.

"I request a full explanation as to how these injuries came about" He told them but continued when they opened their mouths to protest and paled slightly.

"Not now. However I do expect the details in all honestly when I do require them" He said and they closed their mouths again.

"Neither of you will be returning to that house for the duration of this summer" Snape added, although he probably should have checked in with Dumbledore before making promises to the boys. But Snape knew how the blood wards worked and Harry had remained at the house long enough for them to remain in effect, surely.

He noticed the emotions that flickered across their faces in the split instant that he'd informed them of that fact: relief, confusion, gratitude and anxiety.

"It is late" Snape then pointed out the obvious, although it probably wasn't actually very clear for the windows were too clouded to make out light or darkness and he had numerous lights on in the hallway outside that it could easily appear to still be late afternoon. But it had been nightfall when he'd collected them from that horrid household and they hadn't slept for long...so in all sense of the words; it was an obvious statement and he had no idea why he felt the need to state it.

"You each require more rest" Snape continued. "Do not leave this room unless it is to use the bathroom down the hall. Otherwise I expect you both to remain in bed and rest. I will summon you downstairs for breakfast at 7am sharp" He added and with a swish of his black cloak, he strode out of the room, using his wand to shut the bedroom door loudly behind him.

"Guess we better do as he says" Draco sighed.

"Are you okay?" He checked on Harry though with a curious rather than concerned glance.

"Yeah, much better now" Harry sighed. "Draco?"

"What is it, Harry?" Draco glanced over and saw an almost shy expression on his brother's face.

"Wanna sleep in my bed? I do believe that it's much more comfortable than yours" He tried a bit of light teasing to make the situation less awkward, but it was nights like these that they only felt truly safe when in each others close company. Any distance felt too far and cold.

"As if" Harry smirked and rolled his eyes but climbed out of his bed, testing his back cautiously as he walked and was relieved to sense that it really was only itching and numb now instead of burning painfully.

He got into the bed as Draco moved closer towards the wall to allow him space and they just lay there with their hands over the blankets and they heads rested on a pillow each.

"I don't know if Snape's gonna be nicer than Vernon, but at least we're safer here. I mean, he's a teacher so he can't really attack us...can he?" Draco asked.

"I dunno; we are on holiday" Harry sighed. "But I don't think he'll be like Vernon. Maybe he'll leave us alone and at least he feeds us."

"Yeah, he looked really mad when he found out what had happened" Draco smirked slightly at the brief image of the cowering Muggles.

"Really? Tell me about it" Harry grinned as well and settled comfortably to listen as Draco told him the details that he could remember from when Snape had come to rescue them mere hours ago.

Downstairs, Snape could barely make out their talking from downstairs even though they were trying to be rather quiet, but decided to just leave them; they would fall asleep soon enough anyway.

Harry awoke in the early hours of the morning and carefully climbed out of bed, trying hard not to wake Draco for they didn't need to get up yet and his brother loved to sleep in whenever he had the chance.

He crept to the door as fast as he could, trying to ease away the nausia from his mind and stomach but failed. He pushed open the door and peaked out to see that the hallway was empty and the only other door was shut, so Harry considered it safe and snuck the to bathroom.

He turned and locked the door before crouching barefoot over the toilet and heaved up everything he'd eaten the previous night. It was something he was used to, mostly after a beating or going days without food and than eating too much when he had the oppurtunity to consume food again.

Snape was downstairs reading over the Daily Prophet when he'd heard the bathroom door lock and the flush of the toilet so he naturally assumed that one of the boys was already awake. Although he'd thought that they'd be happy to sleep in late; perhaps they were up out of habit?

He sighed and glanced at the time to see that it was almost seven in the morning so he moved into the kitchen to prepare some breakfast as they were sure to be hungry...judging by their skinny figures, although Harry did seem to be lacking more than Draco.

Waving his wand, Snape cracked several eggs and hovered bacon onto the self-heated frying-pan before moving on to the toast.

He had expected the boys to come downstairs for breakfast but the minutes progressed and even when all the food was placed on the table, they hadn't made an appearance.

Sighing heavily to himself and grumbling under his breath, Snape finished his tasks and went upstairs in search of the youngeters.

He found Draco still dozing off in his bed whilst Harry's was neatly made but the folded over blankets on the edge of Draco's bed indicated that they may have shared their bed last night. Snape wasn't sure why two twelve-year-olds would do that (although Harry technically wasn't twelve until a few weeks), but he would ponder that later and continued to search for the second boy.

Snape found the bathroom was still locked and there was no sound from within so he knocked lightly, unaware that he had just startled Harry awake.

"Potter!" Snape snapped as he knocked again without a response.

"Surely you do not require the bathroom to yourself for an hour?" He asked and the door clicked open, revealing a very ill-looking and tired Harry.

"Sorry, I...fell asleep" Harry sighed as he had been huddled on the floor, nursing a sore stomach after being sick and he'd dozed off.

Snape said nothing as the boy's appearance had thrown him off guard for a moment. He'd been relatively okay the previous night, hadn't he?

"You appear to be ill" Snape observed.

"It's nothing" Harry replied out of reflex. "Should I wake Draco?"

"Breakfast is waiting so I believe that would be a wise move, unless he wishes to sleep through an important meal" Snape replied sarcastically.

Harry nodded, still clutching his stomach with one hand as he walked past but a hand on his shoulder caused him to pause.

"I will not have you being sick over my belongings, nor will you waste a required meal" Snape said and summoned a potion.

"Drink this" He handed it out to Harry.

"What is it?" Harry eyed the bottle cautiously but did take it from Snape although he made no move to drink it.

"Anti-nausia" Snape frowned and Harry sipped it down before handing the bottle back in disgust and Snape removed his firm grip from his shoulder.

With nothing else preventing him, Harry entered the bedroom he now shared with Draco and intended to wake his brother up while Snape went back downstairs to wait for them and reheat the food with a spell.

"Draco, wake up!" Harry shook his brother but the blond merely rolled over and grumbled in protest. "Come on!"

"Nnnn...no" Draco mumbled, ignoring the fact that Harry was trying to wrestle the blankets off him along with his pillow that he now hugged with all his might. And still his eyes did not open.

"Snape is waiting, aren't you hungry?" Harry growled, tossing the bedsheets back over his brother.

"Get up or you'll miss out!"

"Hmmm" Draco grumbled but the words seemed to have gotten through to him as he sleepily opened his eyes and yawned loudly.

"About time" Harry crossed his arms and then changed into the best faded shirt and torn pants that he owned.

Draco scowled at him but said nothing else as he climbed out of bed and ran a hand through his tussled hair and yawned again before taking in their surroundings and the memories of the previous night came flooding back.

Harry glanced over and saw the thoughtful but rather dark expression on Draco's face but decided to remain quiet for he was sure that he knew what he was thinking. Even though they both didn't think Snape would be anywhere near as bad as Vernon, they were still rather uncertain...but that wasn't what was on their minds. Draco kept thinking about how scared and powerless he had felt that night, how relieved he was to see Snape standing in the doorway and how confused he was now feeling about the entire ordeal.

Harry however was simply replaying the horrid event with Vernon and the darkness he felt when it ended, the way he could barely make sense of anything and how even the smallest of things took a the greatest of efforts and endurance. He followed Draco downstairs and they sat across from Snape at the table but while his brother tried to force the previous events from his mind, Harry couldn't help but continue to focus on them and sink deeper into his miserable state.

"Again, thanks" Draco said to Snape as he reached for his food hungrily but also in a possessive manner, as though Snape was going to take it all from him just as he was about to eat it.

"For last night" He elaborated while Harry say oblivious and Snape's face crinkled in dislike to the boy's eating habits.

Snape gave a small nod and said nothing, only thinking about how Draco wouldn't have even dared to say a word during a meal or use anything other than the most respectful amounts of manners. He sighed and bit back a comment as he forced his gaze to fall on Harry, who was barely touching his food and had a glint of darkness trained in his features as though he was pondering over something evil. Snape began to fear that the previous night had been worst than he'd originally realised.

Draco stopped eating suddenly and followed Snape's trail of vision to stare at Harry.

"Hey?" He shoved Harry lightly and the green-eyed boy glanced up in surprise as though he hadn't been aware of his brother's existance or how he had even made it downstairs.

"Sorry" Harry sighed and reached for his fork again.

Snape narrowed his gaze and looked away, noticing how the boy was eating faster now but he even had more manners than Draco. Or perhaps meals were more precious to the blond for it was gone in seconds.

Draco sighed after finishing his breakfast and thanked Snape several times before looking around the house in attempt to figure out how much work had to be done.

"Where should we start?" Harry asked him, looking around the room as well.

"Hm?" Snape glanced up and wondered what the boys were up to. No doubt planning to demolish his house judging by the serious looks they seemed to be sharing and the way they pointed at various parts of the room.

"They usually give us a list" Draco turned around to glance at Snape. "Sir, do you have a list of chores for us or should we just clean whatever needs it?"

"If I required a house-elf I would have summoned one by now" Snape said dryly, rather surprised by the question for he had no idea that a Malfoy could even consider doing housework. It was also painfully clear that the muggles had ground chores into them.

"But...how are we going to earn our stay?" Harry frowned.

"We..." He lowered his gaze and his fists curled on his knees. "We don't want to go back, sir" He said softly and Draco nodded worridly.

"And we want to thank you...for, well for saving us" The blond added with a determined nod.

Snpe eyed them both for a moment and pondered on the response that he should give.

"For the entire duration of your stay here, I merely request that you maintain a tidy bedroom and clean up after yourselves. I will not allow my house to become a playground nor will I tolerate laziness. However, I am quite capable of keeping this house in a reasonable condition without extra assistance" He told them and ignored the surprise that lined their features as they glanced at each other and than back to him.

"Whilst here you will eat the food I place on the table, you will go to sleep with I see fit and after your schoolwork is complete, I expect each of you to spend your free time quietly and without my unfortunate need to intervene. Any misbehaviour here will have consenquences" He added sternly and scowled lightly at their nervous expressions and the way that they shifted in their seats but he said nothing else. Snape waved a dismissing hand and expected them to go and play or something but they just looked more confused.

"You have free time now. Leave" He told them.

Harry and Draco left the table but had no idea what to do for they'd enver been given time to just do whatever they wanted except during breaks and Hogwarts but even then there had been a number of places they couldn't go (not that it had stopped them though) and things they weren't allowed to touch. But here it was just a house and Snape hadn't indicated any locations that were out of bounds or objects that couldn't be handled.

"Let's check the backyard" Draco offered for that was always where they spent very short breaks at the Dursleys and spent most of their time at Hogwarts.

"Good idea" Harry nodded and lead the way to the backdoor but they had to put their weight on the door to get it open.

"I guess Snape doesn't go out here much?" He grunted with effort and finally managed to squeeze out to gaze around at the yard.

"I dunno" Draco said as he spotted a garden filled with complicated and dangerous-looking herbs or other plants in the far left corner, some fully blanketed in shade. The boys guessed that they were potential potions ingredients and stayed clear of that section.

The yard wasn't very big and the grass was starting to look rather dry but what caught their attention was a huge tree in the right side of the yard that branched out and stood quite tall.

A grin crept across Draco's face as he stared at it and Harry glanced at him with a amused look for it was common knowledge between them that Draco simply loved to climb trees whenever he got the chance. Mrs Figg had let him climb her trees once but had feared he'd fall, although to this day he never had once fallen from a tree no matter how high he'd climbed, with the exception of the years when he was much younger.

Harry however, had fallen more than a dozen times and usually avoided going too high although he enjoyed the air breezing about his face and the fact that he was far from the ground.

Draco stood at the base of the tree and examined each branch and option before reaching and grapping hold of one and hoisted himself up. He did it with so much ease that anyone would think that he'd climbed this tree a hundred times before. Within minutes he was almost halfway and could already see over the high fence and other houses, alleyways and land came into view.

"Come on, Harry!" Snape had heard Draco's call although he seemed a bit distant. Curious, he made his way over to the small window that was beside the backdoor in the laundry.

He spotted Harry clutching a large branch and pushing his glasses back onto his face before reaching for another branch. Draco was nowhere in sight but Snape had an idea where he was.

"I'm trying!" Harry called back.

"This is easier with Ripper chasing us" He scowled and Draco just laughed.

"I can see London from here!" He called down and Snape felt an unsettling feeling in his stomach as he wondered just how high the boy was.

Deciding to find out before he fell out, Snape made his way into the yard but was careful not to startle them for Harry's back was turned and his footing appeared to be rather unstable.

"And what exactly is going on here?" He asked, raising his voice mostly so Draco could hear him.

"We're climbing a tree, sir" Draco said.

"I can see that" Snape frowned and Draco bit back another comment.

"Although I do not recall giving you permission to climb so dangerously high, Mr Malfoy" He crossed his arms.

"Potter!" He then barked as the boy almost slipped and he was already more than three feet above Snape. "Get back down, now!"

"Yes, sir" Harry sighed and climbed down while Draco looked away and gazed over at whatever view he was enjoying.

"Ow!" Harry yelped as Snape pinched his ear the moment his feet contacted with solid ground again.

"Do you have any idea how stupid of you it was to climb a tree when you clearly do not have the required skills as Mr Malfoy unfortunatly does?" Snape hissed at him.

"I'm sorry!" Harry said as Draco started hurridly climbing down the tree in alarm to his brother's treatment, although it was mostly out of reflex.

"I won't do it again!" He added worridly as Snape shook his shoulders bit not roughly enough to actually hurt him.

Snape stopped and calmed himself after seeing Harry's reaction and released him.

"I doubt that" He answered the boy's last words but sighed heavily but his breath caught for a moment as Draco was still many feet above the ground and yet he jumped free of the branch and landed on his feet beside Harry. Snape didn't even resist the urge to grab hold of his ear as well.

"Ow!" Draco yelped as Harry winced and bowed his head the best he could.

"I will not tolerate such stupidity nor reckless Gryffindor tendacies, is that understood?" Snape scowled as he had been worried that either of them would fall and break their necks, especially with the high that Draco was climbing to.

"I'm sorry!" Draco said and Harry jumped in as well.

Snape released their ears and stared down at them while crossing his arms again.

"I will, under no circumstances, ever raise my hand or any object to either of you" He said with a firm tone and they looked up at him in suprise and even relief.

"However, shall you pull a reckless stunt like that again and I will have you wishing that I would" He scowled although it wasn't actually true but it had the desired effect.

And with that, Snape sent them inside to work on their summer homework in their room and he retired to the sitting room with a strong coffee.

He hated how easily he worried about them and it hadn't even been a day since they'd arrived. Snape knew that he would have to keep a closer eye on them or else they were going to put him in an even earlier grave.

"Bloody Gryffindors" Snape grunted as he closed his eyes and wondered how he was going to live through the following few weeks.

"Can you think of one?" Harry asked as he turned and looked at Draco with a smirk.

Draco thought for a moment and then nodded. "Okay, how about this: a potion that can turn someone into an animal?"

"Cool!" Harry said. "Or a spell that could do the same thing."

"Okay so..." Draco cleared his throat. "Two pureblood wizards are walking through a dark forest and set up camp, using magic of course" He invented.

"Why do they have to be pureblood?" Harry wondered.

"Because they are" Draco huffed while Snape raised a corner of his mouth in amusement but remained unnoticed and continued to listen, intrigued.

"So they brew the potion until dark and then take it, but of course it has a different effect on them both" Draco said. "The first wizard is a dragon and the second a..." He glanced at Harry for an idea.

"Why do you always get to be the dragon?" Harry sighed and thought about it. "A giant eagle, that way we can both fly."

"My name means “dragon”, remember?" Draco rolled his eyes. "Alright so a dragon and eagle..." He was silent for a moment but the rest of the story never came.

"What happens next?" Harry asked.

"I don't know, it's not having the usual effect" Draco sighed and stared at the books that were laid out on the floor in front of them.

"I just...I don't understand. Why does this happen to us? I mean did we do something wrong when we were younger to make them hate us so much?" He frowned and kept his gaze fixated at a spot on the floor. "My godfather, my aunt...your RJL, they don't want us either do they? Or even if they can't...the Dursleys certainly hate us."

"I don't know" Harry gazed downwards as well, forgetting about their story that was often used to take their mind off current situations. He shivered and wrapped his arms around himself as he remembered the incident in which he had been struck numerous times with the belt; the lashing and the shouting fueling by hatred and anger.

"And then we were saved by someone who hates us" Harry added bitterly.

"But he said...he said he won't hit us" Draco said hopefully while Snape listened in, not sure what to feel about what he was overhearing but there was certainly anger at the Dursleys which was increasing the more he heard about them or remembered what they had done to them. Although he was surprised that RJL aka Remus Lupin had contacted Harry, even if he didn't really reveal anything to the boy. But then again, hadn't he done the same thing to Draco?

"He said he won't but can we trust him?" Harry asked and Draco slumped his posture with a defeated sigh.

"No, of course not" He said. "We can't trust anyone but each other...it's always been that way."

"No one cares" Harry added glumly. "Are we bad people?"

"My parents were" Draco piped up angrily but still in a soft, dejected tone. "I bet they did really bad things working for Voldemort" He shuddered.

Snape narrowed his eyes at the name, finding it further unusual that Draco said the name whereas any other Death Eater child (regardless of it they wanted to join the Dark Lord or not), wouldn't dare speak the name.

The boy sat in silence so Snape raised his hand and knocked on the door before pushing it open, keeping his expression neutral and tone even.

"A presume you have completed your schoolwork?" He raised an eyebrow while they quickly turned to look at him, their eyes radiating distrust and a level of child curiosity. Snape didn't like the looks he received because he reminded him how their parents had been taken from them before they had the chance to know them of be coddled, and of how he could  have taken them in (The logical part of his brain reminded him that it wouldn't have been possible back then though)...but the worst part was that he had ignored the signs during their first year, consumed in his own doubt, desire to distance himself and certainty that he was not the one they needed.

"Sorry" Harry said. "But we're not used to doing schoolwork during the summer and..." He struggled for an explanation. Although Snape would have been really impressed if they had managed to finish all their work in time.

"We're a bit confused" Draco added and looked cautiously at Snape.

"Very well" Snape nodded. "Show me."

"What?" Harry looked startled, causing Snape to roll his eyes.

"You say that you are confused" He explained. "Show me exactly what confuses you. As a teacher I believe I could be of assistance."

"Oh" Draco hurriedly grabbed several of his books and Harry sorted through his own. They held up the sections that were giving them trouble and Snape helped them out, even though he bit back several comments about how they should already know that stuff and how simple it is to understand if they actually read it over rather than giving it a fleeting glance.

"It is time for lunch" Snape informed them, looking down as they still sat on the ground surrounded by their schoolwork. "Clean up and wash you hands" He instructed as he turned to leave the room.

The boys came downstairs several minutes later and sat at the table. Draco was eagerly eying his plate of sandwiches while Harry bit his lip anxiously. Snape scowled inwardly about how little the boys received to eat under the Dursleys “care” and how they had become accustomed to fighting for their food like some sort of savaging animal.

"Eat" He instructed and they did not hesitate. "I will be attending to several potions. I do not wish to be interrupted for that required amount of time. Find something to do but keep your hands off my belongings and remain indoors" Snape said to the boys firmly. "I expect this place to be clean when I return" He nodded and headed down to his lab, hoping that they would retreat upstairs to their schoolwork but as twelve-year-old boys he highly doubted that they would.

The boys finished eating and sighed in unison.

"Told you it wouldn't last" Harry growled softly and gathered their plates as well as the empty glasses so that he could wash them in the kitchen.

"Wait!" Draco grabbed his sleeve. "Can I wash and you dust? This place is full of it and I...you know how I am with dust."

Harry cast the living room a glance and nodded. "Sure" He said and Draco took the plates from him while Harry searched a cupboard for cleaning supplies. He found a few rags and brushes along with a bucket and some liquid soap (which was a labeled cleaning potion, otherwise he won't dare use it).

While Snape brew silently in his downstairs lab, the boys wiped every surface, object and area they could find. The floor was vacuumed, the bookcase sorted alphabetically after they'd removed each book to wipe the shelf space and then dusted the books down. Occasionally they were tempted to read some of the books but forced that aside and continued to work through the afternoon.

Exhausted, Harry sank into the couch while Draco slid to the floor in front of him. Dropping their cleaning supplies lightly while leaning back, they drifted to sleep even though they tried to fight it and finish their work in time to prepare dinner.

-------

Snape clutched several potion vials and left the others in his warded storage before walking up the stairs and leaving the lab. He halted on the spot and looked around what he had assumed to be his house, only it looked nothing like the house he'd lived in at any point of his life.

"What...?" He gasped and narrowed his eyes, taking in each detail of the place. From what he could see, the kitchen was actually white and sparkling while clean plates sat piled in neat lines inside the partially ajar cupboard that sat attached to the wall. The table was more polished than he remembered, along with each chair. The couch had its blankets folded on one end, and the pillows were no longer flat, useless things but instead had been puffed and neatly placed against the back. He noticed the boys sleeping there, still lightly holding rags and a brush while a bucket sat dangerously close to Draco's foot. Worriedly, he turned to look at his bookcase and saw that his specific order was entirely gone, replaced with a odd mix of unlinked books until he realized that they were in alphabetical order. Even the ceiling looked cleaner than he recalled. In fact, the room wasn't only sparkling but also lighter. He glanced at the windows and saw...well he could actually see out of them for once!

"GET UP!" He bellowed at the boys, startling them each awake which caused Draco to kick the bucket and send soapy, brown water all over the carpet.

"Sorry!" Draco yelped instantly and tried to soak the water up with his rags.

"Stop" Snape said in a low growl. Each boy froze while he raised his wand and in a simple flick, the water was gone and the bucket dry.

"Explain to me why you decided to disregard each rule I plainly stated should not be broken without consequences?" He snarled, too shocked and furious to notice the way they recoiled further away from him when he took a step closer or the fearful, trembling look in their eyes as they waited for the impact they expected to follow.

"W-we're sorry!" Harry said loudly but his voice cracked as he prepared to defend himself.

Snape loomed over them now, the potions in his hands were gone (hovered back to the lab) and his wand was place back in his pocket to free both of his hands. He grabbed Harry by the scruff of his neck and Draco by his back to pull him upright.

"I did not give either of you permission to touch my belongings" Snape growled at them as he partially carried them by his hold on their clothes towards the stairs.

"And I certainly DID NOT allow you to re-order my library! Do you have any idea of the curses I could have warded on several of them? Do you understand that this is not your home in which you may do as you please? Surely there was another way in which you could occupy your time without intruding upon my private things or breaking the rules. Although I expect it comes natural for a Gryffindor to see themselves above such primitive respect?" His voice was quite loud by the time he reached their room and shoved them inside, causing each to stumble lightly but eagerly moved away from him, so fast that Draco kicked his toe on the end of his bed.

"You will both remain here while I put the house back in order and each of you are to remain here until I return" Snape turned and left the room, marching back downstairs to fix his book collection and asses the damage the boys had caused to his schedule and sanity.

Draco sank to the floor, shuddering at the sight of the fuming man and Harry's eyes widened, staring at the slammed door as though he was expecting him to return with a whip. Vernon couldn't hit either of them more than his energy allowed although his rage was endless and often continued to build. But now they had just realized it wouldn't be an issue for Snape since he had magic and could probably hex something to hit them for hours.

They remained still for several minutes, feeling the silence as though it was a solid object pressing against them. Draco slowly moved from the floor and joined Harry where he had sunk onto the nearest bed, which was also Draco's since it was furtherest from the door. Their shoulders touched as they sat closely for comfort and security, still fixated on the door since Snape had said he would return.

"I...kicked the bucket" Draco whispered.

"It's not your fault" Harry answered. "It's probably because we didn't finish?"

"I dunno, maybe we did the books wrong?" Draco then went quiet again and just remained motionless on the bed apart from an occasional shudder at the thought of how Snape was going to punish them since he had said there would be consequences.

Downstairs Snape paced back and forth, trying to understand why they had gone and moved everything around and unsettled his comfort zone since he did not think anything had changed within the house since he had lived there with his parents and that was only replacing dishes since his father had a habit of throwing them or the fact that none of his books had been cluttering inside the house prior to their deaths.

Although however reluctantly, Snape had to admit that the house did look in better condition than he had ever seen it, once he had put his books back in order and returned several things into a more scattered stance rather than neat, perfect little rows. He remembered Petunia's house having a similar appearance with the flawless lines of useless things, each forbidden to a single spec of dust or contact.

Glancing at the clock, Snape decided that he had better prepare a meal for the boys and then get their little conversation over with since he had to instill some obedience in them before his entire house was turned white, so clean that it would appear to sparkle like glitter; that thought caused him to shudder. He had liked his gloomy house and now they've turned it into a normal, almost inviting place to be in. Why couldn't they just play with toys like average children?

Snape swished his wand to have vegetables being chopped, gravy being stirred, rice cooked and the fish nicely baked. He struggled to figure out why they had chosen cleaning of all activities to spend the afternoon with. It didn't make sense, surely his house wasn't so filthy that they were unable to handle it otherwise? No, his house had been dusty and unused, but not otherwise unclean or disgusting. Or maybe they were just used to the household the Dursleys...

Snape narrowed his eyes as he recalled the boys thinking they had to perform chores to “earn their way” or how they'd requested a list of tasks to perform. Slowly he put the hints together and realized that perhaps the house had been so tidy for the muggles because the boys had been the ones to clean it? Wincing slightly, he recalled the way he had reacted and how they'd obviously been resting because of exhaustion from all the work they put into making his house tidy.

But hadn't he specifically said they didn't have to do chores? What motivated them to clean his house without instruction after he had made it clear they didn't have to? All he asked was for them to behave and leave his things alone. When he had gone to brew his potions he had told them to keep their hands off his belongings, even though technically they'd used rags and not their hands. He'd also told them to stay indoors, which they had thankfully otherwise he may have had pruned potions ingredients (more like, useless would-be ingredients if they did that) and also the boys would have contracted a rash from some and worst from others. After that he'd simply told them to keep the place clean and...oh.

He had stated he expected the place clean when he came back! Not realizing that to anyone else this meant “don't create a mess, or if you do clean it up before I come back” but to them it meant “Get to work!”.

Snape filled the boys plates more than necessary, knowing that they needed and appreciated a good meal before he selected the largest glasses for their juice. He hovered them towards the table and then made his way upstairs, scowling slightly at the polished wood and the way the tiles gleamed beneath his feet when he left the kitchen.

Being cautious, Snape opened the bedroom door and was unprepared for the way the boys straightened up, clutched to each others hands and eyed him fearfully. Great, he had just erupted any chance of reassurance they had in being in his company.

"Supper is on the table, I expect you to wash your hands and then proceed downstairs to eat. Afterwards we need to have a little talk" He said as calmly as he could but nicer tones was quite difficult for him to use because he was so unaccustomed to them.

The boys glance at each other in surprise but nodded and cautiously got to their feet. Snape saw their distrust increasing so turned and wandered down the corridor, turning right into his bedroom. He had no purpose to be there but was simply leaving the boys to indicate that his words had been no trap.

After hearing them walking out of their rooms and down the stairs while whispering hurriedly to each other, Snape left his bedroom and intended to follow. Instead he paused when he was about to pass their bedroom, or at least the room that he had come to consider their room for the duration of their stay.

Even he had to admit that it was in a rather poor state. Sighing, he pulled out his wand and felt the need to repay the boys for making his house so tidy (despite how he did not want it that way because of how nice it appeared instead of being dark and shadowy, similar to his dungeon labs and private quarters).

"I don't know" Draco was saying when Snape came downstairs. The boys tensed with his presence and remained silent. He sat across from them with his own food and ate in silence until they had eaten all they could and their juice was gone.

"Perhaps you have forgotten" Snape began and they both swallowed nervously while watching him with extreme attention. "But I recall stating that I would never raise my hand or an object to either of you" He noted their surprise. "I do not break my word over a simple misunderstanding nor would I allow my temper to cause myself to lash out at mere children such as yourselves."

"But..." Harry frowned in confusion.

"We broke the rules" Draco added with a puzzled frown of his own.

"The fault is mine" Snape admitted rather bitterly as he hated to admit it when he was wrong or to accumulate something of an apology and to children, no less.

"I informed you that I wished the place to be clean when I returned. I should have realized that as a consequence to your unacceptable upbringing that you would misunderstand my request."

"Well, I'm confused" Draco sighed softly.

"Precisely" Snape nodded. "Having the place clean when I returned merely indicated that any mess you create is to be tidied up afterwards. However you each saw this as a command to wipe each surface clean, scrub the floors until they shine and ensure that everything is in perfect place until you tire. That was not my intention.. Each of these tasks can be completed in mere seconds with magic; it would be pointless to expect each of you to do the tasks by hand instead. Even as punishment" He explained.

"Oh" Draco bowed his head and blushed slightly. "Sorry."

"There is no need for your apology" Snape repeated. "As I stated; the fault is mine."

"Yes sir" Was all Harry could think of to say.

"But you said there would be...consequences?" Draco glanced up while Harry frowned at him for bringing that up.

"Such as being confined to your room, neglected privileges such as watching TV and so forth. Never, under any circumstance will I intentionally cause you harm...is this understood?" Snape narrowed his eyes, determined to get this point across to them.

"Yes sir" Harry lightly smiled while Draco nodded in relief.

"Good" Snape crossed his arms. "Now I expect you clean and resting in bed within an hour" He added while moving to retrieve his potions from the lab and go about his usual business of checking the wards and he still needed to send an owl to Dumbledore involving the situation: he was most dreading that aspect.

Harry and Draco slowly stood from the table and made their way upstairs, surprised and unsure about what had just happened.

"I can't believe we did all that for nothing" Draco grumbled while pushing open the bedroom door but stopped and his eyed widened for it appeared to be very different.

The once dusty, broken and aged room had changed. The wardrobe was fixed and appeared brand new, even with a doorknob this time and a full-length mirror shone on the exterior of each door. The floor was no longer a old carpet but instead it was polished wood, unmarred by age. The window was clean and they could see a fence along with a distant street of houses and a road with nearly no cars. There were also dark sliver curtains magically moving as though there was a wind coming through the non-operable window. Their beds appeared new and slightly larger, each with puffy pillows and snug-looking blankets. Harry had a scarlet red comforter on top decorated with golden snitches. Draco's was deep blue with emerald green stars. They each also had matching pillow cases. The once-brown walls were a light creme and the ceiling matched with an even lighter shade. The bedside table was polished oak and smooth, it also had a broomstick-patterned lamp that caused the ceiling to shine with projected stars when turned on; muggle mixed with magic, it seemed. There were also two small drawers on the bedside table and upon inspection they noticed the top one was for Harry (the handles matched the colour of their bed comforters) and the bottom for Draco. They were empty so far but implied that they could be used. Their trunks sat at the end of theirs beds also with their spotlessly clean owl cages. Hedwig and Draco's owl were perched on the back of their owner's beds, contently sleeping although they peaked occasionally to eye their masters.

"Wow" Harry stared at it all and stroked Hedwig while Draco continued to look around in astonishment before he grinned and sat on his bed.

"This is wicked" Draco added. "Snape did this for us?"

"I guess he was telling the truth" Harry added.

"Does that mean we can trust him?" Draco pondered aloud. "But at least we know he won't hit us or anything, I hope."

"This is almost like..." Harry lowered his tone and looked around with a sigh. "...what a real home is supposed to be like."

"Yeah" Draco agreed. "Too bad it's not. But hey, let's enjoy it while we can?"

"Of course" Harry smiled and checked the comfort of his bed. "I can't wait to sleep tonight."

Snape paused on his way towards the kitchen when he heard laughter upstairs, raising an eyebrow as he suspected they had discovered his embarrassing handiwork with the room. Honestly, he hadn't considered it too big a deal but to hear their joyous sounds, he had to bite down to prevent a smile from covering his features.

Why should a simple thing such as laughter make him feel warmer? He found no humor in the situation at all, and yet when they apparently liked something he had done for them (no matter the guilty reason for it), Snape felt...different.

Draco approached his brother and had expected to remove his glasses since anytime the stayed up the raven-haired boy always forgot he was wearing them. This time they were already on the bedside table .

He sighed and rolled over while Draco stood there. He turned away and put his sneakers on before leaving their room as cautiously as he could manage. This was not normal behaviour for him, he didn't just wake and sneak out but that had been at the Dursleys.

Taking advantage of less limits while also searching for a moment alone, Draco snuck outside of the house (surprised that the back door was actually unlocked) and stared up at the large tree.

Draco bit his lip (a habit picked up from Harry) and glanced over his shoulder but the house remained as silent and still as ever. Reaching up, he grabbed hold of the first branch and within minutes he was nearly halfway.

It was different than the last time he had been in the tree, although it was harder to observe when he had been calling down to Harry and then hearing Snape's scowls. Draco sat there at the almost highest point of the tree and looked over at the darkened stone, still streets.

He still wasn't sure what had woken him so abruptly or if his nightmare had been forgotten as quickly as he had opened his eyes and looked around their room. Instead his thoughts fell on the recent events, while trying to push aside what had happened the day they require rescuing. Snape had somehow known what was going on and came to take them from such a place, Draco understood that now. The man actually wanted to erase the situation in which was causing them harm, so surely that was enough evidence that he didn't intend to enact the same harm? It didn't make him feel safer, but he did sense a sweeping calmness within himself until he thought back to even further events.

Before Hogwarts he and Harry had been quite alike. But now Draco understood how different they actually were. Harry had a loving family who fought against Voldemort's rise to power and had sacrificed themselves to save their only son. Whereas his own parents had become Death Eaters in favor of Voldemort and despite what they had been doing the night they had died...Draco could not ignore the darkness his history had in which Harry's did not.

And then there was Snape. A sour potions master who had noticed their trouble more than anyone else at Hogwarts, or perhaps he was the only one who actually cared enough to do something about it. He invited them into his home, assured them they were safe, allowed them to eat as they pleased and also magicked a nice room for them to stay in. If anything, the situation had potential.

It wasn't kindness, but the man had something to offer...protection, maybe? Either way things were going to be relatively fine until Hogwarts started again. But Draco felt further undeserving of it. Another difference between Harry and himself was that Draco was a pureblood through and through. He had no idea why he had a spot in the pit of his stomach that urged him to see the importance of that small fact. It was wrong to like Hermione, it was wrong to live as a muggle when he was so pure in magic, it was wrong to build attachments or not be guarded all the time...everything about his life was wrong. But it wasn't for Harry.

Draco sighed and continued to watch over the streets, pondering if there was more out there for himself? He remembered an aunt and a godfather in which he could have gone to, perhaps the option was available?The thought of separating from Harry made him sick with fear and anxiety while at the same time he felt refreshed, as though it was the right thing to do.

Climbing down from his tree, Draco made his way inside and wondered if he felt any better to discover Harry still sleeping and the house still perfectly motionless in silence.

Snape dreaded telling Dumbledore about the situation although putting it off longer wasn't going to make it easier. He grabbed a bag containing floo powder but paused when he could have sworn he'd heard the latch on the front door opening. Waiting for a moment and even heading upstairs out of his potions labs; he heard nothing more and so proceeded to call Dumbledore by thrusting a handful of powder into his fireplace.

"Ah, Severus" The aging man smiled at him from his desk. "And what do I owe this unexpected call?"

"I have something to report" Snape said. "Involving Harry Potter and Draco Malfoy" He added and noticed that while the headmaster's expression did not change, his eyes were less twinkling than usual.

"Come through, dear boy" Dumbledore invited.

"I cannot" Snape shook his head. "Perhaps it would be preferable if you stepped through as opposed to myself."

Dumbledore said nothing but stood and Snape stepped back to allow the headmaster into his once-dusty living room.

"I see you have been making some changes" Dumbledore instantly noticed the lighter and cleaner surroundings of the place.

"Not me" Snape muttered under his breath. "Headmaster" He cleared his throat and straightened up, as though it would make him any less unsettled about what he had to say.

"I apologize for not informing you sooner of the situation, however I was...preoccupied'. An understatement, of course.

"The boys are here" He added with a defeated sigh although his posture and tone remained the same while his eyes lowered to the carpet...the abnormally clean carpet.

Dumbledore stared at him for a moment and his tone was firmer as he requested a full explanation of events and what had led him to such decisions. After going into brief but still relative detail, Snape was aware of a sound upstairs and hoped that one of the boys wasn't waking until his ordeal with Dumbledore was over.

"I see" Dumbledore said, apparently unaware of such sounds or movement. "And they are here, you say?"

"Yes" Snape nodded.

"How have they been under your care?" Dumbledore asked.

"How...?" Snape narrowed his eyes, suspicious of such a question that he had clearly not been expecting.

"They are troubled" He answered quickly. "I have been required to inform them multiple times that I will not cause them deliberate harm."

Now Dumbledore appeared mad. "And how have they responded to that?"

"Skeptically" Snape sighed. "I have tried, Albus but the boys have clearly been suffering for quite a period of time. I believe that having each other is what keeps them striving."

Dumbledore knew now why he never regretted placing both boys on that doorstep so long ago, although he wished he had placed them elsewhere.

"Very well" Dumbledore nodded. "I will handle this matter in due time, for now I think it is best for them to remain here."

Snape was unable to contain his surprise once again. Anger and confusing mingled with the unexpected answer and he opened his mouth to protest but Dumbledore held up a hand to silence him. At first he thought it meant he wasn't to object, but it was rare for Dumbledore not to listen to his complaints before he manipulated and proved them all wrong. The real reason for the silence came in the form of another noise.

Snape frowned as Dumbledore discreetly left with a promise to owl him, until he focused on the sound and guessed it to be caused by two bare feet. Children feet; so one of the boys has awoken. And it was Harry.

"Where is he?" Harry practically fell down the stairs in his hurry. "Draco?" He looked around, his eyes wide and nervous.

"Sir, where's Draco?" He asked. "What have you done with him?" Harry then scowled and looked ready to fight the man if he didn't get his brother back.

"What are you babbling about, boy?" Snape frowned.

"Draco is GONE!" Harry declared. "I searched everywhere and his stuff...he..." Realization dawned on Harry just as Snape turned abruptly to confirm such claims.

"He left me" Harry sniffled. "But why?"

Snape wasn't hearing him as he cast locater charms and checked the wards. Just as he remembered the opening of the door latch earlier, all his results came to the conclusion that Draco Malfoy had run away (his stuff was gone and there was no clue to anything being forced or wards broken). Only a member of the household could enter through the wards and it was clear that he'd also left, willingly. And his face betrayed that fact as he frowned at the partially ajar door.

It was his second biggest mistake as Harry glanced at him and understood. It was clear to say the boy fell into hysterics while Snape tried to ignore him and make yet another call to Dumbledore.

Draco wandered the streets, clutching the handle of his trunk as he dragged it along. His had left his owl cage behind but the creature itself flew high above and kept up with him, or at least in his line of sight.

The sun was casting the morning glow over the streets now as Draco continued to talk, keeping his head low as he walked as though not to draw attention to himself but no one bothered to look at him for more than a second anyway. He doubted anyone apart from Harry would notice his absence or even care that he was gone. He felt terrible for doing this to his brother but surely with time he would understand. Maybe he could write a letter when he arrived to tell him that he was fine?

Draco paused at the end of a street and glanced around to check that he was mostly alone. Seeing no one else in sight, he pulled out his wand and waited. He'd read in a book about this that if someone was stranded a bus would come to pick them up. He feared it was too early yet but seconds later the purple, triple decker bus drove into sight and he climbed aboard although he needed a bit of help getting his trunk on as well.

"Where to, lad?" A voice asked but he hadn't glanced up while pulling a crumpled piece of parchment from his pocket and handed it over, written hurriedly upon it was the address.

Next he handed over the required money and chose a bed near the back to sit in, trying to ignore the regret filling inside himself as he hung his head and wished he'd just gone back to bed.

"Drink" Snape ordered Harry, holding up the vial of a calming drought but the boy stubbornly shook his head and pressed his lips tighter together. "Drink it, Potter!" Snape said in annoyance. "Or else I will force it down your throat."

After swallowing the potion, Harry curled back up on the couch and wrapped his arms around his knees.

It had been several hours since Draco had apparently disappeared and Snape was struggling to keep his head leveled. Dumbledore was out searching for the boy with several members of the Order assisting and yet he was to remain and watch Harry. The last thing they needed was for the boy-who-lived to go missing as well.

"H-he's not coming back, is h-he?" Harry gulped but the potion had calmed his hysterics and hyperventilating. He was scared without Draco around, since they barely separated and now his brother had just ditched him. It hurt more than he had expected it to when he found out but more than anything he was just terrified that something was going to happen or he'd never see him again.

"He will return" Snape said although it sounded more like a threat than a promise.

"Why can't I help?" Harry switched from grief to rage in the space of a few seconds. "I might be able to find him!"

"You expect me to believe that a child such as yourself who cannot perform magic outside of school would have better luck than several highly-trained adults?" Snape rolled his eyes. "Do not fool yourself, Potter."

"So? He's my...my brother" Harry lowered his gaze to the floor and the anger faded way as he resolved to tears again.

Snape glance at the boy at those words and frowned. He never knew they had become so close that they referred to each other as siblings even though surely they both knew that they were not.

Unbeknown to Harry, Snape was quite agitated and annoyed that he was also unable to assist in the search for his godson. But unlike Harry, he was still trying to understand why the boy had done such a stupid thing to begin with and leave Harry behind.

While pondering those thoughts, he turned and glanced at Harry in curiosity. Just watched as the boy bit his lip and wiped his eyes, clearly trying to be brave even though it made no real difference. He frowned as he recalled when Lily had been upset and would curl up under a tree and suffer in silence until he found her. But Snape could not bring himself to give the boy the same comfort as he had to his mother many years ago.

"Harry?" Snape inquired as his eyelids began to close against his will and the boy constantly fought his grief-inspired exhaustion. "Rest. You are no use to anyone in such a state."

"No...I will..." Harry yawned. "I miss him. I don't w-want to lose him."

"He is not lost" Snape answered as he stepped closer to the boy as he curled further on the couch, mostly unaware of him. "And Draco will return. I will make certain of it."

Harry's eyes gave in and fell closed while Snape reached out and extracted the glasses from the boy's face. He placed them on a nearby table but did not leave. Instead he sighed and carefully sat beside Harry who had fallen asleep upright.

Rubbing a hand through his hair in stress, Snape tried once again to imagine why Draco had left because he could not understand why he would leave Harry behind. Although he wasn't going to let anything happen to Harry, he worried where Draco was and wished he could be out helping to search for him. Perhaps Draco had left knowing that Harry would be okay?

Snape frowned at those thoughts but felt a small pressure on his thigh and a tug at his robes. He glanced down and saw that Harry's head had fallen against him and as a reflex, the boy had grabbed a small hold of his black robes. Snape was shocked when he felt no desire to shove him away or recoil at the touch.

Instead he merely turned away and continued to think about Draco while stroking Harry's hair while remaining absentminded; it was almost a subconscious reaction to the boy being so warm and trusting in his sleep.

-------

Dumbledore stepped through the fireplace an hour later (Snape had his hand rested on Harry's shoulder but still neither of them had moved) and informed him that Draco was still seemingly nowhere to be found although he was picked up by the knight bus according to a squib witness.

By mid-afternoon, Snape was on the edge of a mental breakdown from all his worry over Draco and determination to figure out why he had left. But with coaching from Dumbledore, he forced himself to focus only on Harry for the time being since he was right there and Snape wasn't as helpless in that situation.

He moved his hand to stroke the boy's hair again (it was oddly calmly and had the same softness as Lily's had) but stopped when Harry began to stir. The boy mumbled and slowly sat up to look around in groggy confusion.

"Draco?" He hoped to see his blond-haired brother but all that greeted him was a dimly lit house and silent professor. He didn't even seem aware of the fact that he'd been resting on him.

"Draco was not taken against his will" Snape informed him while Harry shifted to look at him, his eyes pleading for answers. "A witness saw him boarding a magical bus and yet we are still attempting to track his locations."

"We've never spent a night away from each other before" Harry admitted sadly. "Not since Voldemort...you know?" He did notice the flinch Snape gave to the name but chose to ignore it as despair filled inside him again.

"Worrying is not going to bring him back, Potter" Snape said as he stood and made his way into the kitchen as he thought that Harry should at least eat something. He tried to ignore the voice that told him to follow his own advice while he continued. "There are numerous competent witches and wizard searching for him. I assure you that he will be found."

"I believe you" Harry sighed as he leaned back on the lounge, running his hand through his hair; it felt weirdly warm and in soft strands as though it had been brushed one too many times.

"Eat. There is no point in starving yourself" Snape ordered as he placed some pasta on the table. Despite his lack of hunger, Harry nodded once as he approached and sat down.

"I...I don't think I'll be able to sleep tonight" Harry hung his head, feeling incredibly vulnerable without Draco around but somehow safe with Snape around. He wasn't used to not being able to confide in someone that wasn't Draco but with his grieving state he hadn't noticed the difference.

Snape didn't think he was going to sleep either but pondered if he had any sleeping drought left to slip into a cup of cocoa for Harry. There was no need for them both to suffer.

"I will be awaiting news" Snape told him. "I expect to be lacking sleep myself."

"Is it okay, I mean...if I stay up...with you?" Harry asked. He pushed the remains of his food away while looked as though he wanted to curl up again.

"You may" Snape nodded. "However you are expected to rest."

"I don't think I can" Harry sighed again but shrugged. "Thanks."

Snape said nothing else as he cleared away the table and then busied himself with some papers he had summoned and Harry retreated upstairs.

Within minutes, Harry had returned and curled up on the couch with a book although not once did he appear to actually be reading it or paying any interest to anything apart from his own troubling thoughts and concerns.

------

The time passed by, although neither were entirely aware of it. Dumbledore visited often but with no updates. Soon the night had dawned on them and continued to progress. Snape had moved from the table to an armchair and Harry had fallen to his side on the couch, still curled in a fetal position as he fought sleep.

Snape sighed and glanced away from his book as he noticed the time (it was past 10pm) and glanced over at Harry, noticing that his small sound of breath had startled him and his emerald eyes stared into his own. Snape watched the boy lower his gaze and now that he had given up on distracting himself just as Harry had several hours previous, he saw the trembling lips, reddened eyes and shaking form. It was so strange and alien to him, seeing another being so painful effected by the simple absence of another. He hadn't seen how close the boys really were and how they were like twins that couldn't survive without the other around.

He had overlooked his fact before because it didn't seem to be possible. How could Harry be in such a demented state of pain after hardly one whole day? Or was the possibility of danger also added into the mix? Was he even aware of the state he was in? Snape guessed he was, how could the boy not feel the aching, the trembling and haunted look about himself?

"Harry, you need to rest" Snape said without moving, still quite stunned by the effect Draco's absence was having on the boy, who looked a great deal younger than twelve.

"I-I tried" Harry sniffed, his voice sounded almost dead flat and defeated. It caused Snape to wince but he tried to hide it although he doubted Harry would notice.

Pondering on his plot to “drug” the boy's cocoa with sleeping drought, Snape got to his feet and began to make his way to the kitchen but paused at Harry's sniffles and choking sobs that he tried to contain. He did admire Harry's ability to hold himself together although he was clearly suffering profoundly.

"You are in a pitiful state, Potter" Snape turned to him. "Draco will be fine. This amount of concern is unnecessary."

"I can't help it" Harry rubbed his dry eyes and sat upright, uncurling slightly as he flushed in embarrassment to Snape's comments. "I just-I dunno" He mumbled and looked downward.

When Harry glanced up again, a cup was hovering in front of him and the scent of chocolate overwhelmed him.

"Drink" Snape instructed and found it ironic how the one time he had put something in the drink, Harry swallowed it without hesitation.

He summoned the cup before Harry could drop it. He had expected it to take several more minutes at least for the boy to fall asleep, but instead he seemed to have lost his battle and fell gently against the back of the couch, his eyes closing and his concerned face relaxed a notch.

Snape stood there, mostly interesting still in the effect Draco's absence was having on him while wondering when he had last seen the boy so fragile and lost. Then he recalled...when he's rescued him from that horrid muggle.

He frowned and stepped closer, pressing his hand against the boy's forehead and shivered involuntarily when he felt the lack of warmth there despite the small fireplace nearby.

Making a reluctant decision, Snape slowly lowered onto the couch and moved the boy cautiously. After a bit of awkward and careful maneuvering, Snape had Harry lying more comfortably on the couch with two patched blankets resting over him. His head was on Snape's leg as he brushed his hands through his hair again, calming himself while also making the boy more comfortable.

He was quite stunned when Harry suddenly relaxed and his breathing became more even, as though he wasn't being selfish but rather was helping the boy sleep.

"Rest, Harry" Snape said in a soft, almost caring tone even though the boy couldn't hear him in his slumber.

He sighed and lay back slightly, allowing himself to sleep also although he knew he would wake before the boy. He had no idea where Draco was or if he was even okay, but Snape remembered why he considered himself a villain, a bad guy and not someone to become comfortable with...when he thought of how he hoped Draco would stay away just a little longer because he was comfortable and enjoying a brief moment with the son of the woman he loved.

Getting to his feet after carefully detaching Harry from his robes and leg, Snape entered the kitchen to make a cup of strong coffee.

Harry frowned and rolled over only to feel space and cold, he shifted uncomfortably but still didn't wake although his rest was less soothing now for some reason unknown to him.

Minutes passed until Harry finally sat upright sleepily while rubbing his eyes and fumbling for his glasses but touched something warm. He accepted his glasses from Snape's offering hand and put them on, looking up at the man in confusion but it was delayed by a large yawn.

Neither said a word as breakfast was prepared and eaten. Snape wasn't sure if he should be relieved or not when he noticed that Harry wasn't as broken about his missing “brother” as he had been previously since the blonde boy had disappeared.

Harry mumbled a “thanks” and then made his way upstairs to shower and change, only to end up staring at himself in the mirror for a while without really seeing his reflection. Instead he saw Draco's face as he styled his hair and laughed about feeling like a girl. The flashback had Harry so absorbed that he hadn't noticed Snape pausing in the doorway and staring at him.

Snape watched as Harry stared at the mirror as though he was seeing something horrible inside it. The boy bit his lip and his eyes welled with those dreadful tears again; Snape wondered how much longer he could simple ignore it.

A sound was heard downstairs, startling Harry from his stare and he side-stepped the mirror with a sigh. He turned towards the door and made his way into his shared room. Snape was already at the front door by the time Harry had shut his bedroom door.

It was Dumbledore, announcing that they're expanding the search for Draco but so far they have very little leads. Following the update, Snape was starting to feel a bit sick will worry. Surely someone would have seen him by now? Or perhaps they couldn't find him because someone had seen him? Suppressing a shiver, he turned around and saw Harry slowly descending the stairs, his face looking pale and depressed.

Although he vowed to never give up hope on Draco, a part of him was preparing for the worst...it was only habit. He never got back those that he lost, had left him or else just...disappeared. It suddenly occurred to Snape that he still had Harry. Of course the boy had never gone anywhere although he'd only been inside the house a few days, but all the same it never truly hit home for Snape that Lily's son was still with him even though she is not.

"Harry" Snape said in a quieter tone, causing the boy to look up and his pain was even harder to ignore with such piercing emerald eyes filled with threatening tears.

"Did they find him?" The boy asked just as softly.

"No" Snape said but quickly rephrased. "Not yet."

"Oh" Was all Harry said before moving towards the couch and curled up on it once again, preparing for yet another day of emptiness, worry and anxious waiting.

"You will not sit here and wallow like a widow" Snape snarled. "Come" He gestured and Harry slowly but somewhat reluctantly followed him downstairs where the private potions lab was.

Since he was best with potions, Snape decided that it was something he could use. If only the boy knew the level of trust he was being bestowed right now!

"I-I can't" Harry backed away once he figured out what was going on. "My head is foggy...I'll ruin it."

"I am not deluded enough to allow you to assist with even the simplest of potions while you're in such a state, Potter" Snape sighed. "I merely request that you keep your mind alert. I will ask you a question and you will answer, understood?"

Harry looked unsure since he knew potions wasn't his best subject but sighed and nodded anyway. He didn't want Snape to get mad at him.

"Well?" Snape pressed while frowning deeply.

"Yes sir" Harry mumbled and ducked his head slightly.

Snape began preparing a potion while Harry watched anxiously, making mental note of everything he was doing as he braced himself for the quiz. He should have known better...since when was Snape so predictable?

"I noticed a firm bond between Draco and yourself" Snape said without looking at Harry who stood a few feet away. "Has this always existed?"

"Oh um...I..." Harry fumbled for an answered to the unexpected question.

"A coherent answer, please" Snape said.

"Yes" Harry nodded. "Since we were babies" He added but then did a startling re-think. "Hey, you said please."

Snape did glance up this time. "I am capable of such politeness, Potter" He growled but lowered his head again, hiding his own embarrassment to the bewildered look on the boy's face as though he's just told him he adored kittens...which he did not. Apart from the little black one Lily had saved when they had been younger. Snape cursed his memories and pondered on another question to distract Harry from the most worrisome situation.

"Between yourselves, is there any particular class in which you favor?" Snape asked next, not really caring for most of the answers but if it kept them both busy...so be it.

"I think Draco really likes Transfiguration" Harry shrugged and then thought for a moment, lowering his gaze to his entwining hands in mild embarrassment.

"I...I had been really looking forward to potions" He admitted with a sigh and didn't notice when Snape glanced at him.

"But um, otherwise I'd say Defense Against the Dark Arts...or maybe even Charms. I don't really know."

"Hm" Snape went back to slicing liver and thought for a moment, refusing to feel anything apart from curious. Too bad he couldn't resist. "Is there a specific reason for your anticipation towards my class?"

Harry mumbled something but exhaled and tried to think of an alternative answer to “you interested me”. "I...I don't think so, I mean...it sounded cool and I was good at cooking so..." Harry shrugged his shoulders lightly again while still looking away and Snape knew he was either lying or hiding somewhat of the truth.

"And Draco?" Snape prodded.

"Nah, he just laughed at me" Harry smiled in memory but swallowed the lump of pain and shook his head.

"And, might I ask, what your least favored subject would be?"

"History of Magic" Harry replied without much thought. "It's so boring."

Snape said nothing but felt a mild smugness that despite everything, he hadn't caused to boy to hate potions the most. But instead of smiling, he lectured. Of course, he was Severus Snape so what other response could he give? Although he felt annoyed to remember how easily he repelled anything good...well, apparently except for Harry.

"It is prudent to learn one's history, regardless of your interest towards such knowledge" Snape said although he recalled partially dozing off in the History of Magic classes that he wasn't spending staring at Lily or evading the Marauders that were still awake.

"Yes sir" Was all Harry said. "Sir? Might I ask you something?"

Snape glanced at him while dropping some herbs into the cauldron and stirring it. "Go on" He encouraged in a deep voice.

"Well I was just..." Harry sighed and forced himself to look at the man. "I was just wondering how you knew to come save us, you know? The night my uncle..." Harry said nothing else as he visibly flinched at the memory of that sour muggle.

"Your owl" Snape answered, mostly relieved as he had feared a question such as why he hadn't sent them away or why he had been so sour to them in class. "Hedwig, I presume?" He asked and when seeing Harry's light nod, continued. "Yes, she caused quite a racket outside and I merely went to investigate. I recognized her and noticed the blood" He finished.

"Thank you" Harry whispered and his gratitude was seeped into every vow, tone and even his expression.

"However" Snape frowned. "I am curious as to why neither yourself nor Draco thought to report what that bile muggle was doing. Do not attempt to cover your foolishness by lying to me" He added. "I am certain it was not the first time he...injured either of you'. Snape had to swallow the hatred for the muggle as he focused more intently on Harry's reaction.

"There were times..." Harry admitted, his voice darkening as he remembered. "We wanted it to stop so badly, we wished he'd just leave us alone...but really sir, we didn't know who to tell!" He insisted, staring up at Snape as though he was in deep trouble.

"When Dudley hit us at school, no one believed us...and when we went to Hogwarts..." Harry glanced away, frowning. "We assumed no one would there either, or that no one would care" He sighed. "No one ever did. It was always just us...there was no one else we could trust."

Snape said nothing although he wanted to mention their efforts to further hide what was going on but for some reason he couldn't. Perhaps it was his own guilt from his inaction that caused him to fall silent and focus on the last stages of the potion.

Morning dissolved into afternoon in which then melted away to night. Still there was no news and still they continued to worry. Once again Snape found himself sitting beside Harry as he slept on the couch and against his thigh. A nightmare shook the boy while Snape had been lightly brushing his hair (he was barely aware of the action now) and was tired himself so he didn't want to boy to wake.

Making a quick decision, he carefully pulled Harry upright so that his head was leaning against his chest and he could wrap an arm around around the boy, securing him to himself and his warmth. This seemed to help greatly and the boy slept on in peace, clutching a fistful of his black robes once again.

Snape knew he would fall asleep soon but fought it for several more minutes and glanced down at the dark hair below him and wondered when he had gone from “Potter boy” to “Harry” in his mind and...that organ in his chest, the heart? He wasn't sure if he had one though. With his past and the way he kept people at a distance, surely Snape had lost all capability to love another? And yet, Harry was not held at arms length...he was in fact, curled into his embrace. Snape yawned and blamed his behavior on concern for the boy's wellbeing and the stress of Draco's disappearance. Of course, then he had to admit he actually cared.

Why couldn't things just be simple? It would be easier to shove both boys away, not care and just make it through the summer without chaos. Strangely though, that no longer seemed as easy as it had been several weeks ago.

With those agitating thoughts on his mind, Snape scowled himself to sleep.

Harry stared at the plate in front of him, thinking lightly to himself while Snape made another cup of coffee in the kitchen. It had been exactly two nights and nearly three days since he had last seen Draco. And yet the concern only continued to build but now anger was reaching him as he seethed about why his brother even broke their code of loyalty and left him to begin with.

A knock jerked him from his thoughts and he glanced at Snape but felt the bathroom urges calling and reluctantly made his way up the stairs, not caring about leaving his plate on the table as Snape was now discouraging against.

"Yes?" Snape raised an eyebrow when he answered the door and saw Dumbledore alongside an unknown woman, staring at him with a strange gaze.

"Severus" Dumbledore breathed, his eyes not twinkling and his voice sounding stressed or tired; Snape couldn't tell which but neither did he care.

"The search is over."

Draco wasn't sure when things stopped making sense to him, perhaps it was because he had maybe an hour or two of sleep in the past...how many days? Either way the small shed around him filled with odd gardening tools and pots became shadows of things he couldn't figure out and the walls stretched taller, crooked and furthermore confusing than they had been.

Every few moments he would wonder how he'd even come to be in a unfamiliar shed but his mind was clouded and his head hurt terribly. His throat was burning and his body felt weak as he lay curled on the filthy, cold ground of the shed. His trunk rested nearby and his hand reached for it but his body had been sapped of strength.

He yelped hoarsely in shock when the wooden door abruptly burst open, streaming in light that hurt his eyes and he had to cover his face with his arm to shield himself.

"No..." He groaned when someone grabbed his arm and pulled him closer, all he could make out was that the person was cloaked and had dark hair. Despite his state, Draco was somehow able to make out voices although even if he had recognized them, he wouldn't have noticed. He couldn't even tell if they were male or female.

"How long has he been in here?" A deep voice asked, coming from the person who was still clutching him.

"I...I don't know" A second voice asked in a higher tone. "I just got home and...I never knew'.

"You do know who he is, right?" Deep voice asked, sounding accusing and disgusted, now releasing the hold on Draco's arm.

"Of course!" Second voice scowled. "I do not live under a rock! And besides, how could I not know know who he is? How dare you!"

"I had to ask" Deep voice sighed heavily. "You've been away, you say?"

"Yes, I just got back now to have you no doubt planning to ransack my place" Second voice didn't seem like a very happy person.

Draco could barely understand that they were talking about him. Who was he, anyway? Oh yes...he had a name. Draco Malfoy. And with that memory, he had flashes of climbing a tree, packing his things in guilt while Harry slept...hoping, no praying, that his brother would be happy. And then he'd summoned that magical bus, giving the address to...where? Here? Surely he was here on his own will? But why would he lie helpless in a tool shed? It smelt of dirt and dead rats, he now noticed.

"Well I'm taking him" Deep voice stated and Draco groaned in attempts to fight again but his head spun and throbbed some more.

"Do you think he's ill or hurt?" Second voice asked in concern.

"That's not my problem" Deep voice scowled. "I'm taking him and they can deal with him. I was trained better for this, oh well...I'm sure there is some sort of reward or something'.

"As if that's important!" Second voice snapped and Draco flinched at the sound. "Oh, sorry dear" The voice said as though the person was actually worried about him, unlike the other one. But then a new, lighter voice broke into the mix.

"Hey! Is that him?" Draco was surprised to know that this belonged to someone younger and surely a girl.

"Is he okay?" The girl asked quickly and Draco felt himself being clutched by the person with the deep voice again.

"He'll be fine" Second voice assured the girl but they were fading.

Draco felt enormously dizzy as their surroundings shifted and reformed, causing him to feel further disorientated and sore.

He blinked when he realized he was somehow standing upright on his own feet and staring at a door. Deep voice knocked and Draco squinted to see what was happening but gasped when the door flung open and dark robes came into view. He felt as though he was falling but never moved. Draco swallowed and shivered, trying to figure out if he was about to die or not.

A snarl was heard along with a soft yelp. Draco's eyes widened and some blur cleared. He eyed the black shoes, black robes and...black hair. Wow, a lot of black just like...

Draco gulped when he saw the rough figure of Snape but a faint wash of relief filled inside him as it meant he was safe enough to sleep.

"Sorry" He mumbled and with that Draco fell face-forward at Snape's feet, not even aware of the hands that caught him.

"Will he be okay?" Harry asked from the doorway where he stood and watched Snape checking on Draco who was now sleeping in his rightful bed. "What happened?"

Snape scowled again and Harry went quiet, although it never seemed to last and he felt the need to ask several questions in which he could not answer.

"He appears to be unharmed" Snape finally exhaled and straightened. "Dehydrated, hungry and otherwise idiotic...two in which can be cured" He muttered, hearing the exhaling breath of relief from Harry.

Snape remembered Dumbledore saying how Andromeda Tonks had been away for the duration of Draco's absence but returned just when auror Jacob Lytner showed up to ask if she had heard from him. Hearing the sounds of cluttering pots from her shed, they went to investigate and found Draco lying there as he presumably had been for days.

Snape pinched the bridge of his nose and flashed back to twenty minutes ago...

---

"Where is he?" Harry growled but then as if they had been linked, there was a knock at the door and Snape was on his feet instantly. He had expected to tell Harry to stay or even restrain him but the dark-haired boy froze and fell silent, sinking further against the couch.

Snape opened the door and saw the auror there, holding Draco's arm rather roughly while this trunk sat at their feet.

Snape snarled at the incompetent wizard while acknowledging his relief that he could stop wondering where Draco was and start being productive. Harry yelped at the sight of Draco but otherwise silently stayed where he was.

Either the snarl or the yelp, Draco's eyes widened in some form of recognition and his eyes focused somewhat more. He trailed his gaze up at Snape while the auror released his hold on him, seemingly thinking the boy was fine on his own and disparated to talk to Dumbledore.

Draco swallowed and his features relaxed slightly while he swayed on his feet.

"Sorry" The boy choked out and fell forward. Snape acted out of instinct and caught him before he could hit the floor . He rolled him over, quickly checking to see if the boy was alright but he merely appeared to be knocked out from exhaustion.

Harry sniffled from the couch but stayed still while Snape brushed a hand through Draco's blonde hair and felt his forehead in the process.

-- 

"Why did you leave me?" Harry's choked voice broke Snape from the past events and he turned to see the boy standing closer to Draco but appeared to be keeping his distance. He was surprised that Harry was more angry than upset and hardly relieved to the other boy's return.

"He needs rest" Snape said but Harry didn't seem to hear him. "Potter" He added again, placing a hand on the boy's shoulder and began to steer him out of the room and downstairs.

"But is he going to be okay?" Harry looked up at him when they reached the bottom step.

"I have provided him with several potions in which should speed his recovery" Snape answered. "He does not appear to be injured, I assume Draco is merely exhausted. Yes Harry, he will recover."

"Good" Harry frowned. "Because I'm gonna punch him" He scowled and clenched his fists, startling Snape again although he hid it well.

"That would be unwise."

Harry sighed and slumped his shoulders at those words but said nothing else although his form shook slightly and Snape suspected he was upset again.

Harry closed his eyes while facing the floor, keeping his head bent even though he knew he couldn't hide his tears from Snape. He didn't even wince when a warm hand rested on his head in a comforting motion, instead he felt the tears subside and the pain lessen.

"Our only option now is to wait" Snape's voice was closer than he had expected, softer too as well as lined with something alike concern. "Let Draco rest...then we shall deal with the consequences."

Harry jerked up at that word, his eyes wide and fearful.

"Don't fret, child" Snape sighed, lowering his hand. "Did I not inform you that I would not inflict harm?" He eyed Harry and he relaxed again.

"Yes sir" Harry breathed and turned to face the stairs that led to the bedroom where Draco was sleeping. "At least he's back."

Snape said nothing while resting a hand on the boy's shoulder, also staring in the direction of the room. Yes, let the boy rest and recover for now...afterward he had better be prepared to answer questions.

He was home. That was the first thing Draco realized when he forced his eyes open and shakily looked around at his surroundings nervously. He had vague memories of a tool shed and someone grabbing him as well as unfamiliar voices talking about him. He tried to sit up but slumped back against his pillow when his head throbbed, his body ached and his stomach protested to the movement. He lay there for many minutes while everything in the past few days came flooding back to him, making his head spin and his stomach hurt further with the knowledge that he was hungry. His throat was sore also although it felt soother than it should, perhaps someone had given him something to drink...if that was possible to do while someone was unconscious.

Draco squeezed his eyes shut and waited until he could think straight again before opening and pondering on where Harry or Snape were. He felt guilty about leaving his brother, but even more for being caught and brought back here. He had wanted to break away from his brother in the chance that with only one of them around, Snape might take better care of Harry and provide him with stronger protection. And so Draco had snuck out and sought out his Aunt Andromeda. One would say he had gone on quite an adventure, but Draco thought of it more as though he had been dragged through hell.

"You're awake" Snape said from the doorway and Draco flinched to the sudden sound as well as the deep scowl on the man's facial features.

"No, I'm still sleeping" Draco attempted an innocent smile but it turned more into a wince when his head starting hurting again.

"Sit" Snape instructed why holding a semi-clear vial in one hand and ran diagnostics with his wand in the other hand.

"I...don't think I can" Draco gasped out. He barely had time to react when Snape reached over and pulled him into sitting position, giving his back support with one hand while holding the vial to his lips with his other. He expected more pain from being suddenly moved but the potion was smoothing its course down his throat before he could even recall opening his mouth or commanding it to drink. In seconds, he was resting against the comfort of his bed again and Snape was turning to leave.

"Where's...Harry?" Draco asked, his voice low and clearly full of partial remorse.

"I have contained him downstairs" Snape paused at the doorway. "He is...displeased, with your foolish actions."

"Did he say that?" Draco wondered weakly, feeling even worst with what he had failed to do.

"I believe he babbled unnecessarily for over an hour" Snape rolled his eyes. "I summarized his rant."

"Oh" Draco sighed. His brother had pitched a fit, basically. "Does he hate me?"

Snape hesitated with that question, surprised that Draco would even think his brother capable of hating him after what had happened. Yes he'd left him without telling him why etc, but their bond was clearly stronger than that...didn't Draco understand?

"If he loathed you, he would not care for your return" Snape answered but it did nothing to reassure the blonde boy.

"He does not hate you" He added and left the room, making his way downstairs where Harry was once again curled on the couch with tear-streaked cheeks but had fallen asleep.

Snape smiled in relief and washed the empty vial of pain reliever and sat in an armchair across from Harry to read. He had to keep an eye on the raven-haired boy since he had a tendency to be indecisive between either punching Draco or hugging him. Until Snape knew which he was going to choose, the boys were not allowed within six feet of each other.

"Mmhm" Harry mumbled in his sleep and shifted on his side, unaware that he was muttering in his sleep or that what he was dreaming wasn't actually real. "Sorry."

Snape glanced up but noticed that the boy remained in his slumber. Deciding that it wasn't a nightmare, he returned to his book and wondered when he would be able to gather some more potions ingredients before school started up again.

"Where going mom?" Harry asked a little louder and Snape felt a small chill spread through his forms as he paused in his reading once again but did not lift his eyes from the page.

"But...dad" Harry rolled again, his face deforming with anguish but Snape still refused to move his gaze, not wanting to see the expression on the child's face as he dreamed of the family he no longer had.

"Is he coming back? Don't go!" Harry twisted and a muffled sob was heard.

Unable to handle it, Snape abandoned his book and left his armchair, reaching Harry in seconds as he lifted a hand through the boy's hair.

"I love you too, mom" Harry whispered but calmed and his mutterings ceased. Snape continued to brush the boy's hair and just stared at his young face, deep in thought about how he could even remember his parents since he had been a toddler when they had died. Or maybe it was just a mother and father he was dreaming of? Faceless figures that he somehow knew were his parents.

Snape removed his hand as though he had been burned and turned swiftly from the room, progressed up the stairs and peaking into the bedroom where Draco was once again asleep in.

Neither boy had been given much chance with their parents. Snape knew this to be true and yet it hadn't crossed his mind until now.

Curious however, he touched Draco's hair and noticed it too was soft, perhaps not the same as Harry's Lily-like hair, but soft all the same. He brushed the blonde streaks from the boy's eyes but moved back when he frowned, somewhat aware of the action. Harry slept through it while Draco appeared to be partially awoken by the touch. The reason for that perhaps lay in the fact that Draco had probably received even less loving comfort from his parents before they passed. Snape knew the Malfoy boy could sleep deeply so it wasn't because of their sleeping patterns that he began to wake from the foreign contact.

Snape sat at the table downstairs and summoned a piece of parchment alongside a quill and deep green ink. With his required materials, he began to write a letter to Dumbledore:

<blockquote>Albus,

I wish to request that the boys be removed from my company. They require much more than I am able to give them and it would be unwise for each of them to remain here. I must also once again press the fact that they cannot be returned to their previous living environment, those horrid muggles never once treated either of them with love nor provided them with the care and safety in which they no doubt require.

Draco is recovering with considerable speed and Harry is calming down and accepting that the other will remain while he rests.

Please accept my plea and move these boys elsewhere. I can do nothing productive for them here, that kind duty should be bestowed upon someone who is more capable of such coddling. The Weasleys, perhaps?

I await your immediate response so that we may begin making arrangements.

Severus Snape</blockquote>

He folded the parchment and floo'ed the letter through to Dumbledore, having no doubt that the man would be sitting at his desk and peering down at something through his half-mood spectacles. Snape sighed and looked over at Harry and felt pleased when he saw that the boy was sleeping soundly and did not appear to be bothered by his dreams. He frowned as he tried to imagine the boys without their cautious, sad faces or their malnourished figures. He imagined them in clean, colourful clothes instead of faded rags that barely fit either of them properly. Brushed hair clean faces and well-fed stomachs...it was disturbing because the image that he conjured in his mind was of the two boys in such a loved state as they ran around, laughing together and just generally acting like the children they were inside. In his mind they were in his backyard, only it was greener and the tree taller (Merlin forbid Draco to notice that, even in his mind). It was terrifying because Snape could achieve that...in appearance anyhow. But he did not feel as though he could provide them the love they also needed along with the safety and reassurance in which they so desperately lacked.

A sound interrupted his little daydream and a letter hovered out of the fireplace. Careful not to wake Harry, he clutched the letter and read Dumbledore's reply.

<blockquote>Dear Severus,

I am regretful to hear your change of heart. Of course the necessary arrangements can easily be made. The Ministry may be involved, seeing as to place these boys elsewhere would mean finding them a suitable home and family to live with. However you are legally bound as Draco's Godfather, which means that he must remain with you for each holiday for an entire year while the paperwork is handled to give him to a family.

I do not wish to forgo this course of action because regretfully, the boys will be split up since they are not related by blood and Draco does have relatives in which may or may not be able to take him in. Harry would in most cases be handed into the custody of Remus Lupin but because of his condition that is not possible. The Weasleys have enough kids as it is, even though I'm certain they would love to take either or both boys into their care, it would simply be unfair to request that of them.

How soon do you wish for Harry to be shifted to Hogwarts as he awaits acceptance into a family? I will also do everything in my power to ensure that he does not end up adopted by the Ministry.

Please answer promptly as I am a very busy wizard.

Hope all is well.

Ablus Percival Wulfric Brian Dumbledore</blockquote>

Snape crumpled the letter in his clenched fist and scowled deeply.

"Manipulative bastard" He muttered and glared at the fireplace as though Dumbledore was peering at him through it. Of course, the old man had NO intention of doing anything he had stated in the letter. But he was telling Snape in his own conning way that he is sickeningly the boys only real chance of remaining together. They would receive unlimited love and care, but without his “special circumstance” of caring for them...they would be apart.

Motivated and fueled by his anger towards Dumbledore's sneering plan, Snape wrote another letter in response, not hesitating to make it formal and used more curse words than necessary.

Two pages of angry ranting and irrational arguments later, he glared even deeper and added the finishing sentences while hating the man and himself with every inch of his being.

<blockquote>Fine. I will sign them into my custody. I cannot guarantee their happiness, but I assure you that they will not suffer the mistreatment they have endured their entire lives.

Remember that I loathe you for making me to this.

Severus Snape</bockquote>

He sent the message and blocked his fireplace, not wanting to receive the reply letter stating how the manipulative old man was “thrilled” about his “decision” to look after the boys for any duration in which they do not spend at school.

"Argh!" Harry yelped, startling the man and himself as he rolled over and fell onto the floor. "Ow" He mumbled, rubbing his elbow and than looks up at the man, blushing slightly. "Sorry."

Shaking his head and rolling his eyes, Snape left the boy behind and made his way upstairs to check on Draco. The blonde boy was sitting up and looking a lot better. He glanced up when Snape entered but his eyes trailed to the space behind him. Aware of Harry, Snape made sure that he wasn't about to attack Draco but he just appeared to be staring at his brother with a shy expression.

"I believe this is the appropriate moment in which to have this discussion" Snape nodded. "Draco, I expect you showered and dressed downstairs in five minutes" He said and placed a hand on Harry's shoulder to steer him out of the room when he showed no signs of being able to move on his own.

Draco nodded even though they had left and remained staring at the doorway for a moment. He wasn't entirely sure if his few days of absence had really done much good, but he did notice the contact Snape initiated towards harry, however small the accomplishment actually rested with Harry's reaction, or rather...the lack thereof. There was no flinch nor cautious glance as they had been reacting to touch for most of their lives. It had become...natural, to have Snape place a hand on his shoulder. Or maybe Draco was reading too much into the situation? Looking desperately for something good to have come from his guilt-driven actions.

Sighing, he made his way into the bathroom, showered (and how wonderful the cool water felt as well as the sense of being clean) and than changed into his least torn but still baggy pants and a loose, faded black shirt.

Deciding to face the inevitable, Draco made his way downstairs but paused on the last step as he watched the other two. Harry was sitting on the couch and looked up at Snape who was reminding him that he would magically stick his bottom to the couch if he didn't think he could stay there.

"I'll be good" Harry sighed and yawned even though he had woken a short time ago. Unable to fight it, he lay down on his side and closed his eyes.

Even though it was what he'd hoped for, Draco still felt a pang of envy when he saw Snape hover a blanket over Harry and brush some hair from his face before he made his way into the kitchen.

When Snape turned, Draco was sitting himself at the table and glancing at Harry with the same shy look he'd received from his brother earlier.

"Eat" Snape instructed while placing a plate of sandwiches, a glass of juice and a small plate of fruit in front of him.

Draco pulled a face since he hadn't eaten much and didn't feel hungry, but his hard-learned habits of accepting any food in his reach took over and he forced most of it down.

"Are you mad?" Draco asked cautiously when Snape sat across from him and watched him eat. He felt a bit safer around the man if Harry seemed to be so accepting of him, although he wondered how that had happened.

Snape was mad, he was infuriated and it was only contradicted by his relief that the boy was alive and recovering.

"Your actions were foolish and you will not be trusted to be outdoors for some time until I am entirely convinced that you will stay put. However...I am merely relieved that you are alive and relatively unharmed."

Draco sat up straighter and looked at Snape with a bewildered yet also somewhat flattered expression.

"You were...worried about me?" He whispered. "But, why?"

"He's not so bad" Harry said, surprising the pair as he approached them sleepily and stood near the side of the table but closer to Snape rather than Draco, unsure if he still wanted to hit his brother for scaring him or if Snape was going to let him near his brother anyway.

"He was almost nice" Harry said to Draco while Snape crossed his arms and eyed the boys, not sure if he trusted himself to say anything.

"What do you mean?" Draco wondered.

"He let me stay up when I was worried you wouldn't come back" Harry bit his lip and looked away. "I guess he kinda took care of me because I was so scared" He look directly at Draco with a scowl and the blonder one flinched back, shocked by such a look being directed at him by his brother.

"Why did you do that?" Harry sniffed. "Why did you leave me?" He demanded to know.

Snape had intended to question the boy but since Harry may be able to trigger a more truthful response, he just sat back and listened carefully.

"I...I thought you would be better off without me" Draco admitted and bent his head to stare at his partially empty plate of fruit.

"Harry!" Snape said in alarm and wrapped his arms around the midsection of the boy when he clenched his fists and lunged at his brother angrily.

"You idiot!" Harry sobbed and snarled, not even aware that he wasn't close enough to hit his brother and swung his fists anyhow. "How could I be better without you?"

"I think it would be wise if you explained the situation from the beginning" Snape encouraged while tightening him grip on Harry only slightly; the boy was stronger than he'd expected.

Draco eyed the way Harry let Snape restrain him without seeming to associate the touch with memories of Vernon...did he really trust Snape that much in such a short time?

"Um...well okay" Draco sighed, wiping his own tears that were trigged by his brother's reaction. He closed his eyes and remembered what had happened while he explained it aloud.

---

He mentioned climbing the tree outside, about how he wondered if things would be easier if it was only one of them there instead of two. He knew that Harry could feel safe with Snape...he wasn't sure how he knew but it was true. Draco thought about his parents, wondering if they had left some sort of curse on him and that perhaps he'd lived to pay for their sins, even if they had been trying to escape the darker side...it had still been there.

He had snuck out, wanting to find his godfather but instead searched for his aunt based on the address he had researched and gathered from his Christmas present.

Once outside, he walked for a while and than called the Knight Bus to take him to his aunt's house. He couldn't remember where it had been, only that it took a while and he slept for most of the journey. Once there he knocked and waited for hours but no one was home.

Draco wandered around and watched the weird fish in a backyard pond for a long time until he noticed that it was getting dark and it began to rain slightly. He snuck into the tool shed with his trunk and lay down to sleep, scared of being alone and missing Harry a lot.

He cried, not he didn't tell that part of his story...how he had lay there restless and distraught until the sun rose and he still couldn't sleep. He was too tired to try knocking again and he didn't even know how long he lay there on the cold floor until it lost all meaning to him, losing himself in his parents past and his guilt for leaving Harry.

Eventually he had been found although it hadn't made much sense to him and when he'd seen Snape again...it felt like he was coming home.

--- 

"I'm really sorry, Harry" Draco sniffed. "Vernon always said we're a burden and how it makes his life hell to have us around. I thought that if I wasn't around then you would get more rather than everything being shared" He shrugged. "I know it was stupid but I just...look, I'm so so sorry!"

Snape exhaled when Harry suddenly became limp in his arms and slowly he released his grip, trusting that the boy wasn't going to hit his brother anytime soon.

"I will forgive you on one condition" Harry mumbled. "That you never, ever do that again!" He was sobbing now too as he wrapped his arms around the startled Draco and held him tight.

"I don't think I deserve it" Draco sighed but leaned to the hug and appeared afraid to let Harry go.

Snape felt as though he was intruding on their moment but knew that the situation had to be rectified while it was still fresh.

"Draco" Snape said and the boys parted to look at him, wiping their eyes on their sleeves as they did. He suppressed a grimace at their actions and continued.

"I do not know entirely what deluded you into believing that you are any less deserving of a normal life, but I will not tolerate any more of this nonsense" Snape said firmly. "Each of you will be remaining here until we are due back at Hogwarts. During such time I am primarily your guardian and responsible for your well-being" He told them and analyzed their shared look.

"Neither of you are considered a burden, merely a inconvenience to my free time and sanity" Snape sighed. "I assure you, if I had no interest in ensuring that you are each cared for, than neither of you would be in my home right now."

"You mean that?" Draco raised a surprised eyebrow.

"I hardly joke about such things" Snape narrowed his eyes. "In a few days we will be going to Diagon Alley as I require a little shopping trip, during that time I will be replacing those despicable rags you each wear. If we have time, we may even purchase your school belongings early. Is this understood?"

"Yes sir" Draco nodded.

"Yeah, thanks" Harry added.

"Very well" Snape nodded. "Now I am behind in brewing schedule, excuse me" He left the table and approached the door to his potions lab. "I expect you to take your plates to the sink for cleaning once you are finished" He added to Draco while the boys went to leave the table as well.

Draco frowned slightly but hurried his things to the sink and than headed towards the back door in hope of climbing the tree again, but as he turned the handle...it didn't budge.

"You will be remaining indoors" Snape's voice carried to Draco, sounding almost amused with the boy's efforts to break free of the house. "As punishment."

"Hmph" Draco crossed his arms but sighed and offered Harry a lopsided smile.

"I'm glad you came back" Harry said seriously. "I missed you."

"I'm sorry" Draco said sincerely.

"I know" Harry nodded with a sigh. "I'm still going to punch you but you're off the hook for now."

"Thanks" Draco said dryly. "So was Snape really worried?"

Snape scowled when he heard Harry exaggerating and going into excruciating detail of everything he did while the boys made their way upstairs to their room. He no longer lingered outside his lab and turned to make his way inside. And for the first time that he could ever remember...he suddenly didn't feel like brewing a potion.

The day progressed quite evenly and dinner was eaten mostly in silence. It felt too normal to Snape and he was rather concerned. While the boys were getting ready for bed, he lingered in the hallway and listened for several minutes...but everything seemed fine. There was no bottled anger or fear, no unsorted issues or even the smallest of resentment. They had moved pass what had happened. He wondered if they had ever been in such a situation before but from how he had seen Harry react; he doubted it. Unless they had been through worst? He shivered at that horrible thought.

"Lights out" Snape said after their chatter died down and he pushed open the door properly.

The boys turned to look at him but relaxed and climbed into their beds, pulling the sheets up to their chins but he noticed two equally smug looks and wondered if they were up to something. A Malfoy and a Potter under his roof...what had he been thinking?

"Night" Harry said to Snape when he switched the light off.

"Good night" Snape said stiffly and left their door ajar as he made his way to bed as well, after showering and actually washing his hair for once. Realistically he washed it often but was sick of it since the potion fumes just made it greasy again by the end of the following day. And it added to his “do not approach” look he cast the students so it mostly worked to his advantage.

As Snape lay down to rest, he thought about the events over the last few days and finally had time to just think rather than worry and attempt to be productive. But he was exhausted, mostly mentally, and fell into a slumber. He rarely dreamed; his subconscious was haunted by nightmares and horrors that afterwards had him reaching for the a vial of dreamless sleep, but for the first time in over a year...Snape had an actual dream, an actual scene portrayed only from imagination.

---

Perhaps created from his daydreaming earlier or their pending trip to Diagon Alley, but Snape found himself standing in a familiar store, Quality Quidditch Supplies. He was disoriented but decided to just watch the scene since it wasn't filled with shadows, screams or empty eyes. He spotted Draco and Harry near the back and moved closer to see what they were doing, having no doubt that they were causing some form of trouble.

"A Seeker" Harry was saying while holding up a golden snitch that flapped slowly. "Or a Chaser?" He pointed at a sparkling new Quaffle.

"Beater!" Draco ran his hand over a bat and smirked at his brother.

Snape now was close enough to see them clearly and couldn't help but smile slightly at their appearance, which was so different to how they looked in real life. Draco's hair was clean and brushed back, held in place by invisible gel. He wore a green sweater and black pants with shiny new, black shoes sticking out from under the hems. Harry was dressed in a red jacket with hints of a blue shirt underneath. He wore blue jeans and only mildly smudged sneakers. His hair was still messy but tamer than usual and his glasses had no cracks, marks on the lens nor any tape holding it in place.

"Dad, look!" Harry turned towards Snape and it took him a moment to realize that he was talking to him. "Can I get a snitch? Please?" He pleaded.

"I want new robes" Draco added with an equally hopeful expression.

"Perhaps later" Snape answered and expected them to behave like spoiled brats and whine but neither seemed too upset and merely looked around some more and admired the new brooms.

"I bet I'll be faster" Draco teased Harry and shoved him lightly.

"No way!" Harry laughed and the boys began chasing each other around the stores; it was a wonder they never knocked anything over or caused a scene. Although Snape now noticed that they were the only ones around.

---

Snape awoke, sure that the dream had the same effects as a nightmare but instead realized he could hear something. While wondering when he was woken by small, non-threatened sounds, Snape got out of bed and transfigured his clothes to look less like pajamas and made his way to the boy's room and flicked his wand to light a bedside lamp. He first noticed that Draco was sitting on the floor just flipping through a book although surely he hadn't been able to see it in the darkness, even with the dim moonlight?

He turned his attention towards Harry, who was on his side with his back towards Draco and was whimpering softly.

"Oh!" Draco jumped up when he noticed Snape. "He's been doing that for a while" He added when Snape glanced at Harry. "I tried to wake him but he just shoved me off."

"Why are you not in bed?" Snape asked while stepping closer to Harry.

"Couldn't sleep" Draco shrugged but climbed into his bed with the frown he received.

Snape brushed Harry's hair and narrowed his eyes when Harry's hands reached towards him, as though seeking out a hold on his robes as he had when they'd sat on the couch before Draco had been found. Snape moved some blankets so that Harry could alternatively grab that, but apparently the boy noticed the difference.

Snape released Harry's hair and turned towards Draco, who was clearly fighting sleep without much success.

"What is on your mind, child?" He sighed.

"Nothing" Draco said but knew Snape had caught his lie. "I just...why doesn't anyone want me?" He bowed his head and sighed.

Snape wished he hadn't said anything and had no clue as to what he could reply with.

"I do not believe that statement to be true" Snape answered dully.

"Oh yeah?" Draco huffed. "My godfather was supposed to take me in, right? Well why didn't he if that's his job?"

Snape flinched at those words, pondering between the truth or misleading half-truth.

"I was unable to" Snape said and Draco's head snapped up in shock and determination to understand what he was hearing. "Your parents were some of my closest friends as was Harry's mother. I was in no position to care for a child" He said, wondering why he went with the truth but he knew he'd have to say it sometime anyhow.

"You're...my godfather?" Draco gasped. "But why...you didn't..."

"I did not believe that such information would be of any use to you at the present time" Snape said. "I also believe it best to not separate yourself and Harry, I assume you do not want that to occur?"

"No" Draco shook his head, yawning again. "But if you knew my parents...were they really bad?"

"Who they were plays no part in who you are" Snape tells him sternly. "You are of their blood and yet still an equally separate being. Do not dwell upon this."

"R-ight" Draco yawned again and lay more comfortably, his eyes struggling to remain open.

"Rest" Snape said and placed a hand on the boy's head when his eyes finally gave up their battle and fell closed.

He turned back to Harry and brushed his hair, pulled the blankets over him again and than left the boys to rest. He felt trapped by their presence; it suffocated him and tortured his mind...but he was adapting all too quickly.

Snape frowned deeply and went to leave the room but something caught in the ray of light from the lamp captured his attention. It was sticking out from under Harry's pillow. Cautiously and while being careful not to disturb the boy, Snape reached for it and glanced at the piece of parchment. He wasn't expecting it to be homework, but he also didn't think he would find something that would actually alarm him. Not in the concerned sense, but in a way that he was stunned by the image drawn upon the paper.

There was a large tree that looked quite alike the one outside, although the grass in the picture was certainly not that green in his backyard. A castle (Hogwarts?) was in the background and a snitch had been drawn in the cloudy sky. But the cause of his surprised was the figures drawn there. He recognized Harry and Draco in the center, based on their hair and Harry's glasses as well as even height. Beside Draco was a brief woman and a young girl although she was taller than the boys, Snape wasn't entirely sure who they were but suspected they were Draco's aunt and cousin. Beside Harry was his mother with vibrant red hair and green eyes; Snape ignored the man beside her although he knew it was James-damned-Potter.

All those details were noticed in less than a second. Snape clutched the picture closer as he eyed the final figure, standing directly behind each boy with a smile on the figure's face while he was dressed in black robes...him. Snape found it impossible that the boy would consider him significant enough to be more important in the picture than his own parents and alongside Draco; his brother and someone he's grown up with for ten years. What did that mean?

Deciding he was reading too much into a childish drawing and replaced it under the pillow before he turned and strode out of the room and longed the warmth of his soft bed.

-----

But no matter how comfortable he was in his bed, Snape was awoken no less than three more times, each time he grew more frustrated with the seemingly insignificant interruptions.

By the fourth time he just rolled over with a growl and was determined to ignore the soft whimpering of whichever child was having a mild nightmare again. His eyes flew open and he lay still for a moment because there something different this time.

Grunting, he left his bed and noticed that his clothes weren't even pajamas anymore since after his last visit he had just collapsed back into bed. Glancing at his clock along the way Snape noticed it was nearly 3pm.

Growling with that new realization, he entered the boy's room and assessed them both in the lamp-light (which had been left on). Draco was huddled on his bed and had his arms wrapped around his legs while sniffling softly against his knees. His face was paler than normal and his form shivering. But Harry wasn't much better, the boy was perhaps the reason for Draco's current state. Harry's face was contorted with pain, his face sweating profoundly and his blankets had been kicked away while he clawed at his mattress.

"Make him stop!" Draco pleaded, raising his head to look at Snape and also revealed a reddening area on his cheek from when he had tried to wake Harry up from his torturous nightmare.

Snape was moving towards Harry before Draco had even finished speaking. He stared down at the boy and pondered on the best way to soothe him. Despite himself, the sight of the boy in such anguish was effecting him more than it had when Draco had been missing. It was a dull ache in his stomach, as though he too was injured by the boy's obvious pain.

Not delaying further, Snape placed a hand on the boy's head but jerked back when he felt a sharp agony in his left arm. Knowing what was tattooed beneath his robes, Snape didn't dare touch the boy again. He had almost forgotten how unbearable the mark was. But why had it reacted to Harry's...oh, the scar.

Biting his tongue softly, Snape reached out again but this time with his his right hand and relaxed when no pain came apart from the throbbing that was still numbing coursing through his left forearm. He brushed the boy's hair, ignoring the sweat there and watched in relief as Harry slowly began to calm. His eyes opened a little, showing he was awake but the nightmare was fresh on his mind so he just stared at the ceiling while his lip trembled.

"Shhh" Snape said when Harry softly started crying. He spotted Draco approaching to his side and the way he was still shaking. Whatever had caused this, Snape vowed to hex it...but how was any of them going to sleep now? Surely it would take an hour at least to sooth both the boys and he wouldn't be able to rest knowing that they were suffering. And Snape was terribly exhausted.

Making a decision and not caring for the consequences, Snape removed his hand from Harry's head and instead clutched his shoulder lightly to pull him into sitting position.

"Come" He told them both, in which they were too shaken to disobey or even consider where they were going. With his left hand on Draco's back and his right on Harry's head, he led them downstairs. Transfiguring the couch to fold out so it was half couch/half bed and than he summoned some spare bedding and pillows.

Neither boy said so much of a word when Snape sat in the middle of the large couch and opened his arms while ignoring the mocking voice inside his head that laughed at his pathetic excuse of dignity and pride. Harry was the first to realize what he was asking and climbed onto the couch, crawled over to Snape's right side (thankfully) and curled up against him, still withholding tears that threatened to overwhelm him. Draco followed suit and although he was more hesitant at first, he too curled against Snape's other side.

Snape flicked his wand and the bedding lay over them while the pillows flew behind his head and beside the boys...since they had apparently decided that Snape's arms were more comfortable pillows.

Not daring to think on what he had just done and the proximity he was allowing, Snape leaned his head back while still positioned upright against the back of the couch. He welcomed the sleep that intoxicated him with subconscious.

Harry, being the only one who hadn't been woken constantly, was the first to awake the next morning. He frowned as he felt as though he was in a weird position and raised his eyebrows at the warmth he was snuggled against. Realizing that the black warmth was breathing, he tilted his head to stare up at the sleeping Snape in shock. Being very careful, he sat up and glanced over to see Draco asleep against Snape's other side with one hand clutching the black robes.

Both looked so peaceful and as though they needed the sleep, so Harry slowly and cautiously left the strange sofa and made his way upstairs. He yawned stiffly and headed to the bathroom before retreating to his room and changed into some lightly torn, faded black pants and a grey shirt that was a few sizes too big for him. Sighing at his lacking choices in clothing, Harry tried to comb his hand with his hands and grabbed his glasses from the bedside table, surprised he hadn't stubbed his toe or ran into anything without them.

And then Harry is left with the dilemma of how to occupy himself until the other two downstairs awake. He descended the stairs and glanced towards the back door, wondering if it had the same charms to keep him out as it did Draco. Turning the knob, he found that he was able to step outside into the morning sunlight.

Harry was not as keen on climbing trees as Draco was so he merely glanced at the large oak before deciding to just sit on the browning grass and enjoy his time outside in the cool breeze and warm sunlight. He didn't think of anything in particular and was mostly daydreaming, but Harry enjoyed it and lay back with his arms spread wide, smiling up at the blue sky and fluffy white clouds.

-----

After an oddly empty subconscious of sleep, Snape stirred and awoke, opening his eyes to notice himself in a different surrounding than he should be. His memories returned and he glanced to either side of him, seeing Draco laying on his back and just staring up at the ceiling in boredom but otherwise contentment. Snape felt concern grip him but turned towards the back door where Harry walked through, rubbing his eyes a little and he smiled over at them, seeing that they were finally awake.

"I do not recall giving you permission to set foot outside" Snape narrowed his eyes at Harry but the boy's smile did not fade. Draco yelped softly when Snape suddenly spoke and sat upright before sliding off the bed to join Harry.

"You both looked tired" Harry shrugged. "I was just watching the clouds" He added and Snape had nothing more to say on the topic. Simply worrying him wasn't enough reason for lecture. Although Snape scowled when he realized that he had been worried, even for a brief moment and he...than did he...care? Surely this was just an after-effect of his rather peaceful yet equally nerving dream? If only he could blame it on that.

Snape glanced at the two boys who were watching him curiously and only slightly cautiously, wondering what he was going to do next and what last night meant. He kept a blank expression but as he glanced at their eyes he could see everything, right through to their souls; their fear of rejection, their hope for the future, their warmth from the comfort, relief to have someone even if it could be temporary, their trust of him in which they were still nervous about giving...and there was something unmissable. Love. They loved him, in the same way he was starting to care for them...but should he encourage it? Should he allow his dream to be true? Surely he could not afford such a risk...and than again, as he looked at the pair of emerald and blue-grey eyes...how could he not?

"Draco, I expect you dressed for breakfast in five minutes" Snape said as he stood and transfigured the couch back to exactly that. "Harry, if you have stepped outside, I expect you to wash your hands thoroughly before eating."

"Yes, sir" Draco nodded and followed Harry upstairs.

Snape stood there, watching them ascend away from him while listening intently to the sounds of their feet against the wood. The oddly peaceful sound of two children inside his relatively never-before-this-comfortable house gave him an odd sense of something he had never felt inside that house before...it was home.

Snape was waiting by the enlarged fireplace when the boys came downstairs in relatively average clothes, or at least they weren't torn and too baggy. Regardless, Snape grimaced at the sight of them and vowed to have them dressed in better attire, anything other than those...rags.

'Have either of you traveled via floo powder previously?' Snape asked and noticed how the boys looked at each other as if to say “What?”.

'Hm' Snape retrieved a small box that contained floo power and explained the process of travel to the boys. Although Draco appeared somewhat familiar with it, however unpracticed.

--

They managed to get to the Leaky Cauldron without much difficulty, even if Harry ended up with cracked glasses and Draco caught soot all though his hair. Not wasting any time, Snape waved his wand and in seconds each boy was entirely clean and otherwise flawless in appearance. He sighed and turned to lead them into Diagon Alley.

'I could never get sick of this place' Harry grinned and looked around the cobbled street with wide eyes.

'No kidding' Draco added.

Snape was only mildly pleased to see that there was as little a crowd of people as he'd hoped and yet there still seemed to be too many. If the street was entirely empty, he would probably still feel as though it was too crowded.

'Come along' Snape told them after he'd applied a few glamors to reduce his chances of being recognized and followed with questioning gazes.

Harry turned towards Snape and hurried to keep up with the man's tall strides while Draco merely increased in steps as he was already standing by Snape's side.

'Where are we going, sir?' Draco felt brave enough to ask once they had all extracted gold from Gringotts.

'You each require a number of new belongings' Snape answered while Harry looked up at him curiously. 'I will not tolerate seeing those rags you each so pitifully wear' He frowned and the boys looked down at their hand-me-downs. Draco blushed while Harry frowned; he didn't think they were that bad!

'Sorry sir' Draco said. 'It's all we have apart from our school clothes'.

'An unfortunate fact I intend to change' Snape nodded and lead them into Madam Malkin's Robes for all occasions where they each picked out two pairs of everyday robes they liked. Draco and Harry both selected robes orientated around black but while Draco preferred emerald trimmings, Harry moved more towards the dark blue ones.

Snape took them to several stores in which their school supplies were picked up after he had basically instructed them both to each purchase an entirely new wardrobe of clothes.

--

Snape had kept an eye on the time and yet was still surprised by how quickly it passed them by as they shopped, had lunch and then proceeded to gather the final things they required.

He scarcely gave them many options apart from which shirts they preferred etc, mostly to keep them under control, such as when he refused to allow them to purchase ice cream because of its stickiness and tendency to turn children into hyper-energetic monsters. But as they turned to leave Diagon Alley, he found that he was unable to deny their request to have a quick look inside Quality Quidditch Supplies. With his dream in mind, Snape exhaled and rolled his eyes while moving his hands in a “shooing” motion.

'Thanks!' Harry said with a grin and Draco rushed into the store ahead of him, also looking thoroughly excited to be inside it.

Snape grunted in annoyance and followed after them, mentally preparing himself for the inevitable trouble the boys were likely to create or stumble upon. He hesitated when he spotted a scene almost identical to his dream, where he was standing from a short distance and watching them over by the equipment section.

'I think I would prefer being a Seeker than a Chaser' Harry was saying to Draco as Snape cautiously approached them, trying to compose himself and shake off the false images in which he had coincidently dreamed of many hours previous.

Draco scoffed and ran his hand over the beater's bat before turning to gaze at Snape with an off sort of smile, showing his gratitude towards the man for letting them have a look around.

'Is there anything I can assist you with?' A tall wizard with a curled mustache and long robes asked as he approached them.

'No' Snape said, placing a hand on Draco's shoulder to discreetly tell him to remain silent, since the boy was halfway through opening his mouth while eying a expensive-looking pair of robes near the back corner.

Draco huffed in disappointment but received the hint and remain quiet while Harry walked away from them and examined several moving posters on a far wall, each showing a team or particular player.

Snape crossed his arms and watched as the boys continued to look around the store with interest and longing. He permitted them each to buy a book and small figurine before insisting that it is time to leave.

Stepping back into Diagon Alley, Snape couldn't prevent the sense of contentedness in which he felt as the boys played with their now-prized possessions and the smiles that formed their joyous expressions.

--

Through apparation, the three arrived back in Spinner's End shortly after and Snape immediately instructed the boys to take all of their belongings upstairs, put them in their rightful place and change into their new, casual attire. He entirely intended to burn or toss the rags he had rightfully replaced with actual clothing.

Snape waited a moment and then silently made his way upstairs to place an item or tow in his own room, listening intently to the conversation taking place inside the other room, each boy unaware of his eavesdropping while they left the bed room door wide open.

'He's being so nice to us, why?' Snape heard Harry ask.

'I dunno' Draco grumbled in reply, obviously annoyed that he was expected to know the answer to such a question. 'Maybe he pities us?'

'I don't think so' Harry frowned in denial. 'He seems to like us a bit'.

A bit? Snape almost growled verbally. Liking someone a bit for him merely meant he wouldn't hex them in the first minute, the second however...

'Well he's not mean like Vernon' Draco sighed, his voice sounding muffled so he was likely to be getting changed. 'Nor fussy like Petunia. Do you really think he'll let us stay all summer? What if he gets sick of us?'

Harry didn't reply so Snape moved across his bedroom and made a show of walking past their room, without giving them a glance, merely to let them know that he had likely overheard them.

--

Snape made himself a cup of tea and sat at the table with a pile of parchments while he waited for the boys to come downstairs. And when they did, he was once again reminded of his dream when he noticed their clean appearances and the expressions of happiness upon their young faces.

'Thanks again, sir' Draco said as he sat across from him to enjoy the snacks placed there for them.

'Yeah, you really didn't have to' Harry added, joining his brother.

'You each expected me to tolerate your pitiful appearances further?' Snape raised and eyebrow at them, noticing Draco's embarrassment and the way he glance away while Harry merely lost his happy expression.

'Those muggles treated you nothing short of filth' Snape elaborated and caught their attention again. 'I was merely attempting to exact the reverse effect. You each look...satisfactory' He added and their grins returned. Of course, he could have said that they looked really nice in their new clothes, happier than he'd seen them before and as they should have if anyone had bothered to really care for them. But Severus Snape was not a man of warming words, and therefore did the best he could allow and then fell silent.

The boys occupied themselves with their new belongings and were content to remain upstairs in their room until dinner; Snape had no complaints there. After eating, they showered and read their books for a little longer before being instructed to sleep.

Snape remained downstairs, enjoying the silence while trying to formulate thoughts he understood and could cast aside instead of analyzing the confusing feelings swelling inside him. He sat on the couch where he had cared for Harry and then transfigured into a bed for both boys, unaware that one of them had woken.

Harry yawned and left his bed, intent on going into the bathroom to relieve himself and then return to his warm bed, however on the way back he noticed a small light from downstairs and curiosity seized him. He silently crept down the many stairs and peaked into the room, tipped his head lightly in surprise as he stared at Snape, who was eying the floor with his black hair curtaining about his face. His expression wasn't blank as Harry had expected, but it was entirely unguarded and the boy noticed the confusion, the conflict and the...sadness?

What did Snape have to be sad and confused about? He was a strong man who no one could mess with, he always had answers and was like a shocking force whenever someone needed him. And yet...who was there to save Snape when he was in trouble? He thought of Dumbledore at first but for some reason it didn't seem right to Harry. He was so grateful for the man and seeing him in such a state made him feel worst, as though it was his fault that the strong wizard was struggling with whatever was causing him to feel sad.

Snape glanced up when Harry approached, looking puzzled and a little startled but he did nothing more than straighten his posture and eye the child curiously.

'Are alright, sir?' Harry asked, keeping his voice low as so not to wake Draco.

'I am fine, merely tired' Snape answered. 'Why are you not asleep?'

'I was' Harry answered. 'I had to use the bathroom' He added as for a fleeting moment he thought he was going to be in trouble but the seconds past and Snape said nothing else so he continued.

'I don't think Draco and I were able to express how thankful we are, you know? For saving us and stuff' Harry offered a light smile. 'We were so scared and everything was so...horrible' He glanced down at the floor although it was concealed in the shadows (the only light in the room was a small lamp glowing from the corner).

'Then you saved us and...well you listened sir, no one ever did that before' Harry breathed. 'You were nice and you got us real clothes while letting us stay here' He shrugged. 'Thank-you'.

Snape watched Harry for a moment and didn't utter a word until Harry looked up again, appearing a little embarrassed and uncertain now.

'You should not be this grateful' Snape sighed. 'These mere acts you believe to be a kindness should have already been given you each of you' He continued. 'I was merely provided where you each lacked, with the exception of...' Snape tried to figure out how to phrase it. 'Love' He added, unable to find a better way to explain how he could only do so much to help them and that he really wasn't a hero, merely that they couldn't miss something they'd never had.

Harry surprised him let again as he it his lip, shuffled his feet and winced as he quickly forced himself forward and wrapped his arms around Snape's shoulders. He would have moved back just as quickly but found the action to be more comforting that he'd expected to return, that and it was amusing how Snape stiffened with the touch but did not otherwise move.

'No, that too' Harry whispered as he smiled and pulled away, feeling the man's hand on his back before it was quickly retracted.

'Goodnight, sir' He added with a warm smile and turned to make his way towards the stairs again but paused. He looked back at Snape, who had a composed expression and only looked more conflicted than before.

'I know you're mean at school and you don't tolerate a lot' Harry felt he should share these particular thoughts with his teacher and rescuer. 'But if you didn't care about us at all, you wouldn't have saved us, fed us, given us clothes and all that stuff. I reckon Dumbledore or someone else could have found a place for us to stay, right?' Harry asked, praying that his words were correct.

'I think you like us at least, but you should know...we like you too. I mean, we would rather be here than anywhere else right now and you're a nice person when you're not teaching or scowling. Anyway, thanks sir. We'll be forever grateful' And with that the suddenly-mature boy had turned the left the room entirely, no doubt returning to his bed to sleep.

Snape was stunned and conflicted as he stared at the empty steps and pondered on the past few minutes. He was sure Harry would forget this in the morning and Draco would never know of it, and yet he almost wished it wasn't so. He still felt the sensation of Harry's hair brushing against his own, his soft and trusting tone as he whispered into his ear as well as the warm breath again his skin, the way the boy had felt so fragile and yet strong against his chest and finally...how somehow Harry had fit perfectly against him in the form of a hug as though their figures were made and shaped for such an embrace.

There was only one way to describe Snape's reaction to such realizations and how he now knew he had many issues in which he would require sorting through once he regained himself...it nothing short of horrifically terrified him through every cell in his body and mind. The terror and undeniable truths filled inside him, causing his fingers to shiver slightly and his head to lower towards the floor once more; he was frightened of would follow and yet did not wish to prevent it. This was the one thing Severus Snape feared more than anything else in life or death; caring for another without wanting to prevent it and therefore giving the other the uncontrollable opportunity to emotionally tear him to shreds; he would not be able to piece himself back together a second time. And yet, for the life of everything, he unknowingly decided to let it runs its course. Perhaps history would not repeat itself? Snape cast a silent prayer and headed towards what he knew would be a restless sleep.

Draco crossed his legs as he continued to sit silently on his bed. It was morning; this was judged by the small amount of sunlight that crept through his bedroom window. However, Draco was the only person who was currently awake. He crossed and uncrossed his arms severals times before he glanced at Harry. Draco frowned and fidgeted but tried to be quiet. He exhaled in annoyance and slid off his bed to change into a pair of jeans and a black shirt. He approached Harry's bed and nudged his brother until the raven-haired boy emerged from the blankets and a free hand reached for his glasses.

'What?' Harry asked in a groan while he squinted to see the blonde.

'Shh!' Draco hissed and cast the partially open door a nervous glance. 'Get up.' He said.

'Why?' Harry spoke in a lower tone and appeared to be concerned as he left his bed and quickly dressed into jeans with a deep blue shirt. He completed his look with a dark blue jacket, and followed behind Draco while the blonde crept out of their bedroom. They slowly made their way down the stairs, cautious not to wake the man they presumed was slumbering a short distance away.

Deciding to remain quiet, Harry continued to follow behind his brother until they entered the kitchen and he shortly realized what Draco might be planning.

'We're gonna make breakfast for him.' Draco said, which confirmed Harry's suspicions. 'He has been so nice and I thought...well, maybe we could do something nice in return?'

Harry recalled the previous night and looked towards the stairs warily before he tugged at Draco's sleeve and explained what had happened; the moment he was sure had actually taken place or in which had meant something.

'Really?' Draco gasped as he listened to the brief tale. He waited until Harry was finished before he quietly busied himself with toasting slices of bread. He fidgeted for a moment as Harry moved to help him as though a spasm of emotion was taking physical form; Harry didn't appear to notice. Draco frowned slightly and wondered if his brother and godfather had really gone ahead and bonded without him. He felt somewhat left out but decided to change that; without discrediting Harry of course. And yet, still he felt as though he should have been the one to bond with Snape first, and not his brother. Exhaling at his selfishness, Draco forced those annoyances aside because in a roundabout way...it was his fault; this had no doubt occurred during his absence, perhaps even as a consequence to Draco abandoning Harry.

--

Snape lay awake in his bed, his ears perked for the smallest sound. He could have sworn he'd been woken by something but was yet to figure out what it was that had startled him from his horrible slumber. He shifted slightly and tried to make out the tiniest sounds he was picking up on; a small movement of feet across tile, the clinking of glass against wood and the hushed whispers of two boys that ought to be in bed. Frowning, he stood and quickly dressed with the wave of his wand but as he reached for the door handle of his room, Snape hesitated. He moved back and narrowed his eyes with curiosity when he heard footsteps outside his room and then a knock at his door.

'Sir?' Draco's voice carried through the wood, unaware that the man was standing right there. 'Um, are you coming down for breakfast soon?' The boy sounded uncertain and embarrassed so Snape decided to spare him.

'Yes.' Snape answered calmly, hearing the sounds of a startled boy.

'Oh! Okay, um...okay' Draco quickly left and there was more hushed whispers until Snape noticed the scraping of two chairs and decided it was time to decipher whatever trouble they were causing.

Snape slowly made his way down the stairs, his mind still buzzing with the previous night although he tried to erase its existence, without success. He paused at the bottom step when he saw Draco and Harry sitting at the table with plates of food laid out supporting jam-coated toast, eggs, bacon and honey-coated biscuits. There was also two glasses of juice (for them, presumably) and a mug of coffee for himself. He recognized all the food as coming from his fridge and cupboards, but never had they been quite prepared like this before on his table, by anyone other than himself.

Snape sat in his usual seat and eyed the boys for a moment, who were looking quite nervous and seemed conflicted between looking at him eagerly and starting at their hands shyly.

'We um...thought you would be hungry and...' Draco mumbled as he shrugged, discouraged by Snape's lack of speech. 'You've been so nice....'

Ah, so this was their form of repayment? Snape mused. Although he couldn't complain; it did look somewhat tempting.

'And I appreciate the thought' Snape said finally, making the boys relax and smile at each other. 'However, I prefer that you each leave the task of preparing a meal to me' Snape said but fought to keep his voice casual.

Silence fell as they proceeded to eat and Snape had to admit that they food was at least enjoyable even though it wasn't his preference. The coffee he didn't dare touch, unsure if they knew how he liked it because he otherwise despised the foul drink.

--

When they were done, Draco and Harry instantly got to their feet with the intention of cleaning up. Snape quickly raised his wand and the plates flew into the kitchen, washed themselves and returned to their rightful place.

'Hey, that was cheating.' Draco huffed and Snape was reminded of Narcissa for a moment.

'We were going to do that.' Harry added with a brave frown and eyed Snape as though the man didn't understand how things were supposed to work.

'Precisely.' Snape answered and rose from the table. 'I want each of you upstairs to complete your Transfiguration essay, now!' He said and the boys looked startled as they quickly turned to obey his command.

'Did we do something wrong?' Draco hissed to his brother as he climbed the stairs.

'Maybe he doesn't like eggs?' Harry returned, equally unsure.

Snape ignored them and sank back into his chair, his head swam with too many thoughts and his concealed expression fell from the effort to maintain it. There was silence and he barely realized that he hadn't heard their bedroom door close until it was too late. He straightened only slightly when he heard the hushed voices again although he didn't know what they were saying. He felt prematurely aged and tired. Snape slumped forward slightly as he tried to grasp his thoughts and control the thousands of things that swished inside him, most were feelings, the others memories and confusions. The rest was fear.

'I don't like hugging.' Draco scowled at his brother as Harry clutched his sleeve and dragged him back down the stairs. 'Lemme go, it's embarrassing!'

'Fine.' Harry released him and scowled. 'If you think he should suffer because you think hugging is too girlie, fine.' He turned and crept towards Snape.

'Argh, damn you.' Draco growled and followed after his brother while rolling his eyes skyward.

'Sir?' Harry asked uncertainly and wasn't sure if it was good or bad that Snape didn't react to his voice other than to lower a hand from his forehead.

'He might be mad.' Draco said cautiously. 'Harry, maybe we should leave him...'

Harry stared at the black figure and his mind flashed with Vernon as he hastily took a step backwards.

'Y-you're right, maybe we should...go.' Harry swallowed and it was then that Snape turned, his face blank and composure casual.

'I am merely tired.' Snape sighed. He was annoyed at himself for slipping and then worrying them further.

Harry glanced at Draco and stepped closer to Snape. 'We're sorry if we did anything wrong.' He said.

'No.' Snape answered firmly. 'Breakfast was fine. You are not at fault here.' He stood and watched the boys for a moment but wasn't sure what else to say. It was easier to maintain a strong and blank stance when he wasn't around people all the time, however with the boys constantly around he was finding it difficult without taking into account the previous night.

Harry bit his lip, cast the floor a glance and then just like the night before, he stepped forward quickly before his mind could object and hugged Snape around the middle.

Snape, having half-expected the action, was able to recover from the shock more quickly and awkwardly patted the boy's back. Draco scowled and his fists clenched slightly as he now realized that Harry had hugged Snape twice and he hadn't once.

'I'm glad you're okay though.' Harry said and stepped back, blushing. 'I'm going to do my homework now.' He added and turned to head upstairs.

Draco stood rooted to the spot and eyed Snape nervously. 'May I?' He asked softly, unsure and not quite as straightforward as Harry.

Snape wanted to say no and scream how much he hated being touched at all, but the look on the boy's face and the fact that he had already endured it twice from Harry clouded those thoughts. He nodded shortly and Draco rushed to him as though he only just realized how badly he needed the contact. His hug was tighter and more desperate than Harry's and Snape felt his hands moving of their own accord to comfort the boy out of concern.

Draco squeezed his eyes shut and inhaled the oddly herbal scent of Snape as he felt something solid in his chest loosen, like a burden he hadn't realized he'd been wearing. As he inhaled again, his mind felt dizzy and a memory flashed into his awareness.

--

Draco inhaled his mother's scent as she lifted him from his playpen. She smelt like roses, as always, with a small hint of something sweeter and more foreign. He yawned and looked over her shoulder, listening to her soft hums as he eyed his father through the partially open doorway and saw him pacing in the other room. Lucius turned and another figure came into view, Severus Snape.

Draco watched them talking and wondered what was going on, who this new person was and if he was going to meet him. But his mother turned and all he could see now was the exterior through a large window, showing a vast lawn and clouded distance. Draco complained as he wanted to watch his daddy and friend more but she didn't heed his request.

'Hush child.' Narcissa said as she moved him back to smile at him. 'Your father shall return in a moment. He is having a word with your godfather, dear.' She said more to herself as she doubted he would understand her.

'Daddee!' Draco whined but was once again ignored although her humming continued and he felt sleepy. Moments passed and he was barely aware of being laid in his crib. There was silence and voices until a hand touched his forehead and a different scent filled his nose, the herbal scent that was not his mother or father, and yet...he liked it.

'If it comes to it, I will take care of you little dragon.' Severus whispered and then he was gone while Draco fell into sleep at last.

-- 

Snape heard Draco's sharp intake of surprise and pulled back to see the boy staring at him with new adoration and alarm.

'I remember you!' Draco said with a grin. 'You came to see my dad and said you would look after me, if it came to it.' He recalled quickly, babbling slightly in his discovery. 'You called me little dragon.' He added with a small frown but felt a bit fond of the memory now.

'Yes.' Snape nodded, surprised the boy remembered although he had thought he'd been asleep when it had occurred.

'You still smell the same.' Draco said softly although Snape heard him and wasn't sure if he should be offended or not. 'Like potions.' He added and looked up at him with a warm smile. 'You do care about me.' Draco realized.

'You are my godson.' Snape answered simply. Out of the corner of his eye, he saw movement and assumed that Harry was eavesdropping but the boy didn't want to join them or else felt he shouldn't.

'Now upstairs, I shall inspect your progress in one hour.' Snape added in a sharper tone and Draco turned quickly to head upstairs. Snape watched him leave and saw Harry watching him, looking a little sad as he turned and entered the bedroom as well. The door shut again and Snape made his way into the living room where he collapsed onto the couch. He wished it could just swallow him up and rid him of everything that contradicted who he had been and how he had felt for the past nine years.

While the boys worked upstairs, Snape retreated to his bedroom and shut the door. He magically locked it and warded it to tell him if the boys went anywhere apart from the bathroom.

He sat on the edge of his bed and hung his head. His mind swam with something he had long ago forgotten but was now resurfacing. He had charmed the memory away himself, stored it secretly in a vial and had never intended to touch it ever again. Half was for their safety, the other for purely selfish reasons as he did not think he could live with himself if he dwell upon it too frequently. He would never have recovered all those years ago if he kept the memory firm inside his own mind.

Exhaling, he tipped it into a small pensieve he had hidden in his wardrobe that he never used but felt it was a right enough occasion to do so. Careful not to touch any of his mother's memories stored there, he dipped his head in and felt foggy as he tried to cope once again with the scene, only now he could see it all and was able to take in everything without having to struggle so profoundly.

As he watched, the memory returned to him and reminded him of the facts such as how this occurred exactly two weeks before that horrible night...

--

They were in the living room of Malfoy Manor, it was very late afternoon and Narcissa sat on the couch with a sleeping Draco while Lucius and Snape stood nearby. She looked worried and paler than usual, but fought to keep herself under control while the wizards discussed an issue of dire importance.

'I no longer agree with the Dark Lord's ideas'. Lucius revealed. 'I believe it would be best for our safety if we distance ourselves. This is getting nowhere and I fear our loyalties will not be rewarded'.

'One cannot simply leave the Dark Lord.' Snape frowned at his long-time friend. 'He will know and you will suffer. I wish I could be of assistance, however I have nothing else. You have your family, I understand this'.

'Please come with us, Severus!' Narcissa couldn't hold her silence any longer. 'You don't have to keep doing this'.

'I do not wish to intrude.' Snape frowned. 'And I remain loyal to the Dark Lord! However, I will not betray your decision'.

'That's a load of dragon dung' Narcissa scowled about his loyalty.

'Wife, please.' Lucius sighed and earned himself a growl from her. 'Let us discuss this before you wake the boy'.

Narcissa sat back down. She hated it when he referred to her as “wife” when he tried to humiliate her into obedience during an important moment. Although he was right, she was not handling the situation quite as well as he appeared to be.

'Where do you intend to go?' Snape inquired.

'You are a valuable friend, Severus.' Lucius sighed. 'However I cannot entrust our plans to you unless you wish to join us'.

'Understandable.' Snape nodded, slightly disappointed. 'However, please bear in mind that should you meet an unfortunate end due to your abandonment of the Dark Lord, I will be the one bestowed with Draco'.

'And that is our only relief.' Narcissa said softly while Lucius stepped forward firmly, his wand still in his hand as he did so.

'We have made our decision, Severus.' Lucius said. 'Now you need to make yours'.

-- 

His wards alerted him to the boys movement and so he pulled himself from the memory and returned it to its vial, annoyed that he had tempted himself to begin looking at it.

'Sir?'

Snape turned towards the now-opened door and saw a shy-looking Harry standing there. The boy fidgeted as his gaze shifted from the floor to the man and than to the glowing from the wardrobe.

'What?' Snape sighed and waved his wand to secure the pensieve from sight and reach.

'I um...' Harry stepped cautiously into the room and his attention shifted to his entwined hands as he wondered how to phrase his words. He was clearly nervous and unsure but also determined so Snape remained quiet and allowed the boy a chance to find his words.

After a moment, Harry exhaled and relaxed as though he had given up on his decision and changed his mind. 'I just wanted to know if you're really okay with us staying here for the rest of the summer.' He shrugged.

Snape knew a lie when he heard one, but didn't comment. 'As I have already previously confirmed, yes.' He answered and eyed the boy curiously, wondering what he had really come to talk to him about.

'Oh, okay.' Harry nodded with a heavy sigh. 'I'll leave you to it then.' He mumbled and turned to leave. He reached for the doorknob and hesitated. As he turned back to stare at Snape, Harry wondered if he had made the right choice in backing out of his decision. There was only so much more he could hide and despite never having any adult to rely on his entire life, he still felt eager to do so. It was not a matter of trust this time though, it was just that Harry didn't feel brave enough to risk it. Some Gryffindor he was.

'Is something bothering you?' Snape questioned when the boy just stood there and appeared to lose himself to his own thoughts.

'No sir, nothing.' Harry lied and left the room. Snape watched the door shut soundly and sighed. He was already slipping, letting the boy get away with such obvious lies and misleading. And when he asked himself why he hadn't reacted or what he should have done instead, Snape found his mind shifting towards the memory again. It was overtaking his conscious and he really should have left it well enough alone, but the decision he had made that day still haunted him. In a way, he felt it had shaped every bad thing that had happened to him up until now.

Deciding to continue serving the Dark Lord after he passed up the chance to leave it all behind had robbed him of many opportunities that he didn't know he had missed until it was too late. Lily, Lucius, Narcissa...they died and he had done nothing to prevent it nor could he have done if he had known; something told him he'd have ended up just like them if he had tried. Harry and Draco, they had ended up with the Dursleys because of the deaths; had Snape been able to cope with the death of Lily than perhaps he could have cared for them. Who was he kidding though? Severus Snape care for two toddlers who preferred their dead parents to him? But he did care for them, a small suspiciously Lily-like voice in his head reminded him.

Snape ran a hand through his black hair and exhaled, although it was more of a frustrated grunt than anything. He glanced towards where the pensieve was and forced his gaze away. He did not need a memory to remind him of his mistakes nor the guilt to tell him how much he regretted it.

Why had he even bothered to revisit that moment? What clue was hidden within it that could change anything? What had he hoped to discover from tormenting himself over it once again? Lily always told him that he couldn't change the past, he could only look towards the future. It seemed such a simple statement when he had first heard it but he was older and wiser now, he knew that the past will always be there to forever haunt him until he found a way to separate himself from it through the art of dulling his emotions and controlling his composure.

And yet his many years of training was being undone and Snape found himself feeling the aches of loss again as well as the weight of his past mistakes.

A small sound pulled him from his tortured musing. He opened the bedroom door an inch and saw Harry and Draco sitting on the floor of their bedroom as they laughed about something while they were surrounded by books and parchment.

Snape watched them for a moment and wondered if everything that had changed with himself in the past few weeks or so was a result of their presence. It seemed impossible that two children who weren't even related to him by blood could have such an impact on who he had spent years training himself to be. A composed, dark professor who saw joy in nothing and expected top results from every task set before him or those under his teaching.

It unsettled him and he quickly shut the bedroom door, shoving away the sight of the boys that lingered in his mind. He could not afford this undoing, he could not risk losing the composure as it was all that kept him in one piece.

'You are not their father.' Snape scowled softly to himself. 'Do not delude yourself so.' He shook his head and exhaled as he forced himself to remain calm and indifferent. He would spend the next hour convincing himself that the boys were under his care for the summer, nothing more.

"We have made our decision, Severus." Lucius said. "Now you need to make yours".