"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.