After dinner, the two boys washed and dried the dishes and put them away. Then Severus made Draco sweep the kitchen floor and Harry mop it after. The chores in themselves were not too bad, but Severus remained in the room with them while they worked, and every so often they would catch him frowning at them, and the constant supervision made Harry twitchy. He felt like a specimen in a jar, being observed by curious kids every minute.

After they had done cleaning the kitchen, Severus performed an inspection, pronounced the job adequate, then ordered them to go and take a shower. "Afterwards, you may come back down here and spend some quiet time with me before bedtime."

"Can we play Dragons Wild, Uncle Sev?" asked Draco wistfully.

Severus smiled slightly. "If you'd like."

"What's Dragons Wild?" queried Harry.

"It's the wizard version of five-card draw poker," Severus replied. "The dragon card, like the Muggle joker, is wild. We usually play for sweets, though every once in awhile I allow Draco to play me for Knuts."

"Oh. I'd like to learn, it sounds like fun," Harry said, shocking himself by putting the word fun in the same context as his arch-rival.

"Well, if you two hurry up, you might just have time for a game before bed." Severus reminded them and the two tore off down the corridor, arguing softly about who was going to get the shower first.

"Boys!" came the Potion Master's silky warning from just behind them. They jumped about a foot. But the wizard was not standing there, he'd simply projected his voice after them. "You'd better not start fighting, or else you'll be sleeping on your stomachs tonight."

The two immediately stopped arguing and Harry said, "Go on, you can go first." He knew that the manor would not ever run out of hot water, Severus had explained the pipes were heated by a spell, and the fae had made it permanent.

Draco slipped into the bathroom, summoning his pajamas to him a second later.

Harry returned to the new room and sat down on his bed, content to wait for ten minutes until his cousin had finished. Hedwig was awake now and she and Stormrider were preening each other on the window ledge. Funny, how the two owls seemed to get along fine despite their masters' intense rivalry. Harry watched them for a few moments, noting how gentle the big gray owl was towards the smaller snowy one, nibbling along the back of her neck and wings delicately, while Hedwig made strange whoo-ing noises and groomed Stormrider's chest.

If Dad were here, he'd probably tell me that I should follow my owl's example and start getting along with Draco. Sometimes I wish I was an owl. They don't have half the problems we humans do. I wonder if Hedwig misses being with her own kind, that's why she's so happy with Stormy? Or maybe it's because Stormy's easier to get along with than the prince of Malfoy Manor. Still, Draco's prickliness notwithstanding, Harry resolved to try his best to get along with his foster brother. He didn't enjoy the continuous fighting either, it reminded him too much of the Dursleys, when he had always ended up getting tormented by Dudley.

In a way, Draco reminded Harry a little of Dudley, born to wealth and privilege, and given materially whatever he wanted. But Draco behaved a little better than Dudley, he was not quite as whiny and aggravating when it came to accepting punishments from Severus. Big D would've screeched to high heaven if Dad had ever smacked him with a spoon and he'd of complained about it forever too. Draco took that better than I thought he would. And the apology he had given Harry had been sincere too. Bet that's a first. Stop it! You promised, Harry, his conscience scolded. Then he recalled Draco muttering about Severus's punishment not being as bad as another one, but he'd never explained what he meant. Wonder what he meant by that? I doubt if his parents ever disciplined him the way Severus has, else he wouldn't be such an insufferable snot. So who would have punished Draco worse than my dad? Perhaps a grandparent or another relative?

Before Harry could ponder more on Draco's comment, the blond returned to the room and said, "It's all yours, Snape. Go and marinate yourself, it'll make your ribs quit hurting."

"My ribs aren't hurting since Dad put that magic stuff on them," Harry said, rising.

"That'll bring down the swelling, but nothing feels quite as good as hot shower. So get moving, because I want to play Dragons Wild tonight, I haven't played a decent hand of poker in a long time."

Harry obeyed, for he too was eager to learn the game.

Ten minutes later, both teens were back in the den, interrupting Severus from his peaceful reverie begging him to playing Dragon's Wild.

"I have an idea, Uncle Sev," Draco began. "Instead of playing for sweets this time, why don't we play for notes? Like One Hour of No Chores, or Free Ice Cream or a day early release from our punishment. How about it?"

"You think you're pretty clever, don't you, dragonet?" chuckled Severus. "Always searching for new ways to beat the system."

"Hey, I'm a Slytherin."

"Indeed. Very well. I'll allow you to place some notes in your favor as winnings. Provided I also put notes in there with IOU's from the two of you." Severus countered, a sneaky gleam in his eyes.

"Such as?" Harry asked.

"Such as, an afternoon of no bickering. Or willingly writing an essay that describes ten good characteristics about each other. Or leaving me in peace to brew without worrying if I'm going to find you dead on the floor after two hours. That sort of thing."

"How about one that gives us our brooms back for an afternoon, Dad?" Harry suggested hopefully.

Severus eyed him shrewdly. "That really bothers you, doesn't it?"

"Yes," his son admitted. "I'd of rather gotten a licking than had my broom taken away. I love flying the way you love making potions, Dad. Or Draco loves . . ." here he trailed off, for he didn't know Draco well enough to know what he liked to do best.

"Sleeping," supplied his cousin. "What kind of teenager are you that you wouldn't know my favorite pastime? If there were a way I could sleep and cast spells at the same time, I'd be in heaven. I wish I could sleep till two o'clock everyday. Hey, why don't we put in a Sleep All Day pass?"

"Why, you didn't get enough sleep when you stayed at home for the summer?" inquired Harry, more curious than facetious.

Draco shook his head. "I told you before, you don't know everything about my life, Harry. My father, who ruled Malfoy Manor like a lord used to rule a castle, didn't believe in sleeping past eight o'clock, unless you were dying of some disease. And Uncle Sev's even worse, he thinks a normal hour to wake up is six-thirty. So between them I'm lucky if I can sleep in till eight-thirty."

"Poor deprived child," Severus said sarcastically.

"Yeah, that's me all right." Draco made a mournful face. "You know, sleep is important for your health, Uncle Sev. Which is why you should let me sleep for as long as I want."

"Nice try, Draco. But you'll get plenty of sleep if you go to bed at nine-thirty."

"See, I can't get away with anything with him," Draco remarked ruefully. "That's why he has me doing chores at nine, because he knows I hate getting up in the morning."

"Yeah, I did notice you were unusually snarly until noon," said Harry.

"I'm just not a morning person. I like to sleep. Did you know that dragons spend over fifty percent of their time sleeping on their treasure mounds?"

"Yes, and you were well-named," Snape commented. "However, that doesn't mean you're going to laze around my house all summer, my boy. You can sleep at night, or take a nap after you've finished your chores. And if you oversleep, you know what will happen."

"I know, sir." Draco mimed a shudder.

"What happens?" asked Harry.

"You get woken up by the Snape Special. That's when he dumps a bucket of ice cold water on you and bellows in your ear like a banshee. It would wake a dead man, trust me."

"Oh. Sounds like cruel and unusual punishment." Harry said mischievously.

His father snorted. "Cruel and unusual punishment is being stuck in a house with you two at each other's throat every minute. If we ever capture a Death Eater, I vote we put him in a room with you two and make him watch and listen to you fight. It shouldn't take him but three days to crack and start begging us to let him out."

"Oh, come on, Uncle Sev. We aren't that bad."

"I beg to differ. You two could give Jesus a nervous breakdown. The only reason I'm not insane by now is because I know how to brew Calming Drafts."

"He's exaggerating," Harry said slyly to Draco. "I say we could give Satan a run for his money."

"Of that I haven't the slightest doubt," Severus said dryly. "All right. Let me explain the rules of Dragons Wild to you, Harry, while Mr. Malfoy here makes out the notes for us. As I've said, it's very similar to five draw poker, with a few obvious difference, such as the pictures on the deck of cards. Instead of jokers, kings, queens, jacks, and aces, we have dragons, High Warlocks, Faerie Queens, Wizards, and Sorceresses. And instead of diamonds, heart, spades and clubs, we have cups, swords, wands, and cauldrons in either gold or green. I'll give you a sheet on the hands and what hand beats what for reference this time, but I'd suggest you memorize it so next time you play you won't need to look anything up and can concentrate on the other players and strategy."

While Severus instructed Harry, using a spare deck to illustrate the different hands, Draco scribbled several notes on spare bits of parchment, these would be what they used to bet and put into the pot to win. He made sure to include some of Severus's suggestions and of course he put in the Sleep Away A Day note and the Broom For An Afternoon request Harry had made, because he too loved flying and thought it was rotten of his godfather to forbid them that outlet for so long.

Before long, the three were playing intensely, and Draco was astonished to discover that Harry, the typical Gryffindor, could maintain a poker face with the best of them. He honestly couldn't tell whether or not Harry was bluffing, and so he had to call. Only to discover Harry had a Full House, which beat Draco's Four of a Kind and Severus's Three of A Kind.

"Ah, beginner's luck!" Draco groaned, shoving over the five notes to Harry. "Double or nothing, Snape?"

"Maybe." Harry replied, examining his notes. He had won No Arguing for a Day, Swap Chores with Draco, A Sickle Extra for Allowance, Potions Apprentice, and the best one, A Broom For An Afternoon. "Uh, when can we use these?"

"Two weeks," answered his father. "No getting out of your punishment until then, young man. Shall we play another hand? You have about forty-five minutes."

"You bet, Uncle Sev. And this time, Harry, I'm gonna thrash your Gryffindor butt."

"Promises, promises, little snake," Harry threw back, but there was no bite to his tone.

"That's what you two think," said Snape, smirking. "I say I'm going to wallop both of you good and teach you the meaning of respect." He shuffled the deck expertly, handed it to Harry to cut, then began to deal.

Twenty minutes later, Harry folded and left Severus and Draco to duke it out.

"Well, Dragon? Care to raise me a note?"

Draco considered. He couldn't tell by Snape's face or hands what the older man had. He could be bluffing, and Draco knew from experience that there was no better master at bluffing than Severus Snape. Ah, what the hell. Might as well go for broke. "I see your note and raise you two, Uncle Sev."

"Bold tonight, are we?" Severus put two notes into the pot. "But it's time to call your bluff. Show me what you've got, daredevil."

Draco spread his cards out on the table. "Full House, Uncle Sev. Read ‘em and weep." He reached out to rake the notes over to his side of the table.

"Not so fast, Godson," Severus put out a hand. "A Full House is a good hand, true. But nothing beats Dragons Wild." And with that Severus displayed the highest winning hand in the game- a five of a kind, with both dragons wild.

"Holy Merlin! I don't believe it!" Draco gaped at the other's hand. Then he shoved the pot of notes towards his godfather, reluctantly. "You sure you didn't charm the cards, Godfather?"

"No, Draco, I don't need to cheat to win." Severus reached out and swatted the sulking boy on the top of the head. "Quit sulking, you can't win every time you play."

"I haven't won yet this game," groused the Slytherin.

"Ah, but last time we played, you walked out with half of my stash of chocolate frogs and Ice Mice," Severus countered. "One more hand, but if you lose don't get your nose out of joint."

"I don't like to lose."

"No one does, but it happens to us all," answered the Potions Master, passing the deck to Draco to deal. "The important thing is how you handle it. People respect a graceful loser, Draco. Sulking and pouting is for three-year-olds. Remember, you almost always get a second chance, and tomorrow might be the day luck smiles on you. Deal the cards, Mr. Malfoy."

That time, all three of them remained in until the final hand, and this time Lady Luck blessed her wayward son and allowed Draco to win, and not only did he win, he won his coveted Sleep Away A Day note.

"Oh Merlin! Am I good, or what?" he crowed, hugging the precious note to him and grinning.

"You got lucky, punk," Harry drawled, then turned to Severus and said, "Now he's gonna be insufferable, Dad."

"Only if you let him, Harry." Snape advised. He allowed his godson to gloat a little more before puncturing his bubble with one swift command. "Time for bed, Draco. And you as well, Harry."

Both teenagers groaned, but they knew better than to argue, and tucked their notes in their pockets and bid Severus good night before trudging down the hall to their new room.

As they were getting into bed, Draco looked over at Harry and said, "I sure hope you don't snore, Snape."

"I wouldn't know, since I've never been awake to hear myself," returned Harry. "But so what, Malfoy? Just conjure yourself earplugs or weave a Silencing Veil around your bed."

"We're not allowed to weave Silencing Charms here, remember?" Severus had forbidden them to cast those particular spells, reasoning that any situation requiring a Silencing Veil was no good.

"Then you better pray you fall asleep before me or don't need earplugs." Harry told him, crawling into bed and removing his glasses. For once, he was actually tired enough to fall asleep right away.

In contrast, Draco was restless and couldn't seem to fall asleep quickly, finally drifting off into a light doze an hour later.

Soon after, Snape prowled into the boys' room to check upon them, found both his charges sleeping soundly, made sure they were tucked in snugly, and then departed. The evening had turned out better than he had expected, especially considering the day's disastrous climax. He hoped this solution would work, otherwise his only option was to separate the two for the remainder of the summer.

But he thought he had finally hit upon the right way to make the two stop fighting and start seeing that perhaps there were more similarities between them than differences. Hopefully, the enforced proximity would encourage them to talk more about their respective pasts, for he knew that both of them were curious about their rival's history, though neither of them would ever admit it. Both of them had been damaged and hurt by parents and guardians who should've protected and loved them, and both had been forced to grow up abnormally fast and fulfill impossible expectations-Harry as the savior of the wizarding world and Draco as the perfect Death Eater. And both of them were trying desperately to forge a new life and a new path other than that of savior and dark wizard.

Severus knew they would rely heavily on him to help them through the dark times that threatened, and help them he would, but he also knew they would need more than just himself, or the friends they had chosen. They need a brother, one who will stand by them come what may, and remain beside them until this whole bloody business is through. Should anything ever happen to me, I want them to have each other, the way I never did. I could've used a brother to confide in, to advise me, and to smack me upside the head and tell me I was being an utter jackass too. If I'd had one, maybe I'd never have believed Lucius's forked tongue and followed him down the dark road.

He hoped his instincts were correct, and he'd made the right decision to force them to share a room. So far so good, Sev. They haven't killed each other yet. Then again, this is only the first night. By the end of the week I may have to look for an undertaker, Merlin help me. Though I pray not. They seemed to be getting along better tonight. Perhaps it's an omen. The Potions Master snorted at his own foolishness, then continued on to his own room, setting his alarm for six o'clock as usual. Little did he know, he wouldn't be getting much sleep that night.

* * * * * * *

* * * * * * *

Draco awoke to the most awful screaming and moaning he'd ever heard in his life. For one moment he thought the manor might be haunted by a poltergeist or a murdered ghost like Moaning Myrtle. But nothing he'd ever read in the history of the manor ever mentioned ghosts, even in all the centuries it had stood, back to the time of Merlin. The eerie groans continued, making the hairs on the back of Draco's neck stand up.

"Bloody hell, what is that?" he gasped, fishing about for his wand under his pillow. "Lumos!"

The room lit up and Draco sat up, glancing about warily. Severus had told him the manor was warded against evil, but what if something from the realm of the fae had managed to slip past?

But there was nothing in the room except himself . . .and Harry, who was thrashing around in his bed and making that God-awful moaning.

Draco stared at the other boy, at a loss how to react for a moment. He'd seen some of his Housemates have nightmares before, but they always woke up after a minute and were able to go to sleep again, or else they went to Severus for a potion. Harry had been moaning and yelling nonstop for about five minutes now, near as Draco could figure.

Oh, Merlin! He sounds like he's dying or something. Maybe I'd better try and wake him.

The fourteen-year-old slid reluctantly from his warm nest of blankets, shivering slightly as the slightly cold air hit the back of his neck and his bare feet. It had been warm when he had gone to bed, so he hadn't bothered putting anything warmer on than a pair of green shorts and a T-shirt that said Snakes Rule! He padded noiselessly over to Harry's bed, which was across the room from his own, and closed a hand over the other's shoulder, shaking him firmly.

"Hey! Snape! You're dreaming, now wake up!"

No response. If anything, Harry began to whimper and moan even more, thrashing his head from side to side.

"Harry? It's a dream. Harry, wake up!" he urged, shaking him harder.

Suddenly, Harry yelled, but Draco couldn't understand what he said, it was all gibberish and his eyes opened but he didn't seem to be seeing anything. He shivered too, tears trickling down his cheeks to stain the pillow under his head.

That terrified Draco even more than the yelling and gibberish. He'd never seen anyone dream with their eyes open before, nor cry in their sleep either. He quickly withdrew his hand and stood there, breathing hard.

The door was yanked open, and a sleepy Potions Master stood there, a black dressing gown flung on hastily over his nightclothes. "Draco? What's the problem?"

"It's Harry, Uncle Sev! He's . . .I don't know . . .having some kind of nightmare and he won't wake up. He's screaming and groaning and . . .and crying in his sleep . . ." Draco babbled.

Severus didn't bother to comment, simply walked into the room, followed by Draco. Draco went and huddled upon his bed, hugging a pillow to his chest and watching to see if Severus could manage to snap Harry out of the nightmare he was trapped in.

Severus leaned over the bed, placing a hand on Harry's shoulder and shaking him slightly. He was unsure if he should wake his son just yet, sometimes it was best to let the sleeper wake on his own, especially if the nightmare were particularly traumatic.

But he, like Draco, couldn't stand hearing those awful cries, and Severus quickly decided to disregard the advice of Muggle psychologists and sat down on the bed and said, in a firm but slightly stern tone, "Harry Albus Snape, wake up! This is a dream and you need to wake up now."

Still, the child would not wake, small mewling whimpers and what sounded like the words "help" and "no" were coming from his mouth now and Severus put a hand on Harry's shoulder and shook him a bit harder. "Come on, son . . .it's not real . . .Harry, Harry it's all right . . .come on, child, wake up . . .!"

Draco remained frozen on the bed across the room, wondering if some kind of curse could be affecting Harry for him to still be dreaming even after all of Severus's attempts to wake him. Maybe Uncle Sev ought to throw a bucket of cold water on him. Merlin knows, that always wakes ME up!

All of a sudden, Harry woke fully, and the first thing he saw was his father, sitting there in front of him, looking at him with love and concern on his usually stern features. "You're not dead!" he muttered, then threw his arms about the older wizard and clung to him, burying his face in Snape's robe.

For an instant, Severus was startled, Harry had never initiated physical contact with him before, in fact the boy was wary of being touched, a legacy of being slapped around by Vernon. Severus was like that as well, from his years of abuse by Tobias. It was ironic, really, for both of them craved physical contact, yet both of them had trouble initiating it.

But something in Harry had broken tonight, for he was clinging to Severus like a spider monkey and sobbing hard into the Potion Master's shoulder, deep wracking sobs that shook his slender frame like a willow in a windstorm. Severus wrapped his arms about his son and drew him onto his lap.

"Harry . . .shhh . . .you're all right, I'm here . . .I've got you . . ." He awkwardly patted the boy on the back, then when that didn't seem to have any effect, he began to rub small circles and run his fingers through Harry's silky ebony locks. "There's no need to be afraid, child . . .I'm here . . .right here . . .hush . . .hush . . ."

Harry continued to bawl, the tears pouring from him like a torrent, and Severus continued to hold and soothe him as best as he could, rocking him slightly in his arms and letting him know he was not alone. Severus began to suspect that such an outpouring of emotion was not due solely to the nightmare, awful as it may have been.

No, this was a result of suppressing all those tears and unhappiness for months, or more likely years, on end. Severus had done something similar and it had taken Lily's death to make him bring down those walls and allow himself to cry and grieve normally. But unlike Harry, he'd had no one to comfort him when he had wept, secluded as he had been at the manor.

He shifted Harry slightly, the boy was dead weight in his arms, though he was holding onto Severus in a death grip. The sobbing was slowing a bit, as Harry gradually registered the fact that Severus was still there, and was starting to get himself under control.

The two were so wrapped in each other that they had completely forgotten the third party in this little drama, who was still sitting on his bed, observing his godfather comforting Harry, who had quite simply fallen apart. Draco didn't feel the slightest bit tempted to make fun of the other boy for acting like a crybaby or thought he was a weakling for allowing himself to be held by Severus, who was murmuring something Draco couldn't catch. Instead Draco found pity and sympathy stirring in his heart for the forlorn boy, who had obviously been hurt terribly by something in the past.

Draco knew all about being hurt, it had been the very first lesson his father had ever taught him, that life is pain. Apparently, someone had taught Harry the same lesson too.

Severus sighed, then muttered a Featherlight Charm upon his son, for Harry was getting heavy and he was tired, it had been a long day. This way he could hold Harry easily, and the charm would wear off in an hour anyway. Then he lifted Harry onto a hip, and turned to see if Draco was still awake.

He was unsurprised to find the other boy wide awake, staring at him with concern. "Draco, go to sleep," Severus ordered quietly. "I'm taking Harry with me for the night, so you needn't worry about him waking you up any more tonight."

"Is he gonna be all right, Uncle Sev?" Draco asked, yawning.

"He should be." Then Snape fixed Draco's pillow and told the Slytherin to lie back and close his eyes and practice his favorite pastime.

Draco obeyed, and fell asleep as soon as his head touched the pillow.

One down, Snape. Now let's see if I can't get my other son to sleep as well.

He walked from the room with the distressed Gryffindor clinging like a limpet, occasional sobs still shaking his small frame. Upon reaching his room, he attempted to get Harry to let go, but the boy stubbornly refused to relinquish his hold. Sighing, Snape settled down in the recliner in the corner of his room and rocked the boy, humming softly.

At last Harry calmed enough to release his chokehold upon Snape's neck, and Severus was able to move him to the bed and place him on it. He noted that although Harry had stopped sobbing, he still had a glazed expression on his face, as if he was still partially within the realm of dreams.

"You need a good dose of Dreamless Sleep, my boy, but unfortunately I'm all out. I was going to brew a batch today, until your foolish squabbling interrupted me and then I thought I'd do it tomorrow, but that won't help you tonight, now will it?"

Harry whimpered and clutched at Severus's hand, as if fearing the master wizard would disappear or abandon him.

"All right, child. I suppose I'll have to try and get you to sleep without it, difficult as that may be." He summoned a vial of Calming Draft to him and coaxed Harry into swallowing half of it before his son began to cough violently and ended up throwing up half the mixture.

Luckily, Severus was prepared and had a basin ready, so he didn't get splattered like last time.

"Oh, Harry. Your anxiety is making you nauseated again," Severus sighed, wiping his son's face and holding him over the basin until the spasm had passed.

"There now. Easy, sit up." Severus eased him to a sitting position, then gave him two spoonfuls of Anti-Nausea potion.

Harry relaxed afterwards, and Severus vanished the basin and came to lie beside his son, drawing the boy down to lie with his head on Snape's shoulder. All this time, Harry had not spoken, though Severus was certain he was aware that Snape was there. The shock and embarrassment was probably keeping him mute, thought the Potions Master.

But that was all right, as he'd told Harry that other night, he didn't need words to make a point.

"You need sleep, son, and so do I. Now let's try closing your eyes and imagining a quiet meadow. In the meadow are beautiful lilies and buttercups. There are bees and butterflies fluttering about the flowers and the sun is shining. Can you feel the sun, Harry? Yes? Good. The sun will chase away the shadows. A doe and her fawn have come to the meadow as well. They nibble the tender shoots and drink from the crystal brook," Severus continued describing the imaginary meadow, which was something he'd learned as a meditation aid.

By the time Severus had started describing the spots on the fawn, Harry had fallen asleep, emotionally spent.

"Thank Merlin and all the saints!" breathed the weary Potions Master.

Then he turned his head away slightly and tumbled into the gray realm of sleep, his son's hushed breathing like the sweetest lullaby in his ear.