Although Harry had retreated to his room and was content to remain there, Draco soon grew bored inside his own bedroom and ventured out to purposefully annoy Harry into leaving the room. He told himself he wasn't seeking Harry's company at all, merely easing away the increased boredom that threatened to swallow him into insanity with every passing minute.

The boys lounged around in the library, not really reading any books, but if things became uncomfortably quiet then there was always the option of browsing the shelves to be void of the other; even if for a mere moment.

That was where the conversation appeared to be heading when the boys stared arguing about their envy of Dobby's happiness; the elf simply enjoyed himself too much in this strange world. Harry sensed a frustrating situation and quickly rectified it by changing the topic to something tamer.

'I wonder if the school is still around in this place.' Harry shrugged. 'I mean, we've gone back a month or so in time since our world, right? Or maybe it's simply not here.'

'Honestly, you're so thick sometimes,' Draco rolled his eyes and shook his head. 'The pictures...we're in Hogwarts robes, Harry.' He sighed and examined a book on a small nearby table.

Harry smiled mischievously when he realized that Draco had called him “Harry” instead of “Potter”. At least things were calmer now, or at least they'd given up trying to attack and blame the other at every corner.

Draco's eyes sudden widen as he pondered upon something else and gulped. 'Ah, wow...I just realized, I mean I knew it before but...' He shook his head to cease his rambling and got his head together before he rephrased his words.

'Here we're brothers. I mean, we've probably spent our entire lives together, playing and learning and stuff.' Draco grimaced and Harry didn't appear to be too thrilled by that idea either.

'I wonder if we could have been friends.' Draco mused aloud. 'Even despite the different houses...we did it here, didn't we?'

'I don't know.' Harry shrugged and was silent for a moment. 'Um, but I was nearly in Slytherin.' He admitted without glancing up to see Draco's look of horror. 'Maybe if I had been sorted first...well, just maybe.'

'Bloody hell.' Draco breathed under his breath, and was actually startled when Dobby popped into view before them, which caused Harry to snort in amusement.

'Dobby is wondering if sirs is wanting to make a cake with Dobby?' The elf asked.

'Sure.' Harry stood right away since he was keen for the interruption and something to do.

'It's not as though there is anything else to occupy our time with.' Draco reluctantly followed the pair down to the kitchens.

'Where did you learn how to cook, anyhow?' He asked Harry but shook his head before the boy could answer. 'The muggles, probably'.

'Yes.' Harry glanced sideways at him while Dobby prepared the ingredients. 'Um, they used to make me cook for them, as a chore.' He revealed. Harry decided to take the first risky step, although he really had no idea what motivated him to do so. 'I was ah, their cook and cleaner, I suppose.' Harry shrugged.

Draco looked at him in surprise but it quickly turned to an expression of anger and even mild sympathy. 'Stupid muggles,' He muttered with a shake of his head. 'Turning a wizard into a house-elf.' Draco growled. 'And you never fought back?'

'How could I?' Harry answered with a sigh, mostly just relieved that Draco wasn't mocking him for it or worst. 'I didn't know why they always called me a “freak” until I was 11.' He frowned. 'But so what? I'm sure it could have been worse.' He dismissed it and went about adding the flour into a silver bowl.

'What could be worse?' Draco pulled a disgusted face while he reached for a large spoon when Harry requested it.

While they worked, Snape passed by the kitchen and paused on the spot to stare as the three made a cake together. He smiled in remembrance and gratitude when he moved on to continue with his work; he needed to mark which potions required brewing before they were sent off to the customers that promised good money for them.

Snape barely took another step before he hesitated again when he heard Harry's hysterical laughter and Draco's angry complaints (something about flour getting all over him). Draco yelled at first, which soon turned into muttered words, until he too started laughing and Harry was the one complaining. The other sounds were mostly likely made by Dobby, as the elf tried to save the rest of the flour. Their laughter was a wondrous sound to Snape; he even left the door of his study ajar so that he could hear the one sound that didn't interrupt his precise work and concentration.

Once the cake was made, cooked, and cooled, the two boys grabbed a plate each and moved to a spot of grass outside on the lawn since it was a rather clear day and not too warm. They sat there and ate in silence until the lighthearted mood from earlier in the kitchen returned.

'Nice cake.' Harry swallowed some more of the chocolate icing that he favored. 'Although this sort of reminds me of the one Dobby dropped on those company guests my uncle had been meeting with.'

'I can't understand how you put up with them for so long.' Draco shook his head. 'It's disgusting!'

'To you, maybe.' Harry rolled his eyes. 'Although it had its moments...like when I set a Python loose at a muggle zoo once,' He smirked at the memory. 'Locked my cousin in its place too'.

Draco swallowed his bite of cake before he could laugh with more dignity and tried to picture such a scene.

'Oh, yeah...because you can talk to snakes?' Draco remembered. 'When did it happen?'

'The zoo?' Harry questioned and Draco nodded. 'About a month before I got my letter.'

This only seemed to only amuse Draco further.

'I think I would actually like to see that. I bet your cousin freaked out, the filthy muggle'.

'Yeah, he started crying.' Harry smirked. 'But haven't you had moments like that? I mean, accidental magic and all?'

'Sure.' Draco shrugged with a casual roll of his eyes. 'Of course. Nothing really cool though, just summoning stuff and not being hurt when falling, things like that. Although, come to think of it...' He placed the plate beside him on the grass as he was finished. 'I believe I turned father's hair orange once when I was six'.

Harry doubled over in laughter as he tried to imagine such a scene: Lucius Malfoy with bright orange hair. 'Why?' He gasped out between sniggers.

Draco shrugged since he wasn't really able to remember the entire reasoning behind the situation he'd chosen to share. 'Something about not getting a real broom, I think'.

'I made my hair grow back to normal when my aunt cut it horribly, but I suppose apart from making the glass disappear that day at the zoo...it wasn't all that interesting either.' Harry said. 'Mostly just because I didn't know what was going on and it wasn't...well, normal, you know?'

'For the muggles, yeah.' Draco frowned. 'Did Dobby put something in the cake?'

Harry glanced at him and thought the other boy was feeling ill or something. 'Probably, if you called him by his name...wait, why?' He noticed the odd look on Draco's face.

'Nothing' Draco sighed and leaned back. 'It's just...we're getting along'.

'Oh.' Harry smirked in amusement. Of course, getting along with him had made Draco become anxious that something bad had happened to cause it.

'And we're not friends,' Harry added with a small smirk. 'We're just each understanding the other a little, not becoming friends. We're acquaintances for while we're stuck here'.

'Hm.' Draco nodded and appeared satisfied with that silent agreement for now; not friends, just...not enemies.

'So, tell me more about what it was like growing up with magic.' Harry said. 'I mean, I've seen Ron's place and that was great, but still'.

Draco snorted at that. 'Weasley? That's hardly a proper reference, Harry'.

'Then give me a better one'.

'I can see why the hat thought to put you in Slytherin.' Draco lay back on the grass instead of simply being propped up on his elbows. 'And why didn't it, if I may ask?'

'I asked it not to.' Harry shrugged.

'Because of me?' Draco inquired, because he had picked up the hint previous about him being the one to influence Harry's sorting.

'Yeah.' Harry frowned. 'I consider it for the best, though'.

'Sorry.' Draco mumbled and Harry stared at him in shock. 'Not like that, Potter.' He rolled his eyes in reaction to the expression he was given. 'Merely, had I known, I...well I don't recall ever actually doing anything to deprive you of the Slytherin house. I offered my hand in friendship...that's about it.' He narrowed his eyes as he tried to work out what exactly he had done that had such an impact on which house Harry had ended up in.

'You insulted my first friend.' Harry corrected with a frown. 'And then Ron mentioned something about all witches and wizards that go bad started in Slytherin. I guess I was just...I don't know, didn't want to be in a house like that.'

'Weasley is a bigger git then I thought.' Draco seemed angered by Harry's words. 'Not all of them are in Slytherin! Look at Sirius Black - a Gryffindor who worked for the Dark Lord, and now he is in Azkaban for it. Or those Ravenclaw twins some hundreds of years ago that killed nine muggles and kidnapped an auror? There have been some people fighting for your side that are from Slytherin. Honestly, Weasley's as prejudiced towards Slytherin as we are towards mudbloods'.

'So you admit you're prejudiced?' Harry raised an eyebrow.

Draco merely shrugged at that and gazed upwards at the clear sky as he looked for a way to change the topic, but nothing came of use. 'Did you say Weasley was your first friend?' He glanced at Harry when he re-thought upon that fact. He noticed the uncomfortable look on the raven-haired boy's face, and rolled his eyes.

'Fine, but if it makes you feel any better - not that I care - I don't think I've had any real friends before Hogwarts either.' Draco stared up at the small sections of clouds and endless blue again.

'Not even Crabbe or Goyle?' Harry asked curiously. 'They follow your around enough, like moping guard dogs.'

Draco snorted in amusement at that and tried to hide his grin, something Harry hadn't been expecting. 'They were told to by their fathers; it's an influence thing. Anyhow, I don't really like Crabbe but Gregory's not too bad, I suppose. I was actually referring to Theodore Nott and Blaise Zabini; they don't hang around me because they have to.'

'And Pansy?' Harry teased.

'Urgh! New topic.' Draco grimaced and unsuccessfully hid his chuckle.

'Gladly.' Harry laughed and sighed as he turned to look up at the clouds as well. 'Any ideas on how to get back?'

'Since the last time you asked me?' Draco drawled in a tone Harry was more familiar with, as opposed to his laughter and non-git behaviour. 'No, I think I would have mentioned it by now.'

'Whatever.' Harry lay down against the cool grass as well, and while he still kept his distance, he realized that he wasn't as hateful towards the blonde anymore, for reasons unknown to him.

'You never gave me a better reference.' He remembered as he adjusted his glasses and placed his hands behind his head. Harry tried to figure out if the cloud he watched was more like a dragon or a snitch while he wanted for the other boy to reply.

Draco frowned as though he'd hoped Harry would have forgotten. 'Another time then. I'm tiring of your company.' He said but Harry noticed the humor in his words and the noncommittal way that Draco shrugged when he spoke.

And so they fell into a comfortable silence; each pondered on their new discoveries about the other...the one they had both once sworn they hated and would never see in a different light.

'Dobby is glad.' The elf commented to himself as he nibbled on some cake and watched the pair from where he was standing on a seat near the kitchen window.

'About what?' Snape asked as he'd overheard the elf talking to himself.

'Dobby is pleased to see that Harry Potter sir and Draco Malfoy sir is getting along again, Mister Snape.' Dobby explained as he turned to look at the man.

'As am I.' Snape glanced at them through the window as well. 'And Dobby, I am aware that you're not bonded to us as your wizarding family and that you're a free-elf, but please do try to remember that it's Harry and Draco Snape.' He sighed. 'They removed their past names quite a long time ago.'

'Dobby is most sorry, sir.' The elf bowed but a small smirk appeared upon his face which he concealed, went unnoticed. 'I is to remember that for the future.'

Snape nodded and went to call the boys in for lunch, although he doubted that they would be very hungry after the cake. Speaking of which, he reached for a fork and tried some of the aforementioned cake and was surprised at how nice it was.

'Good cake.' Snape said and left the kitchen.

'Dobby's specialty.' The elf said and turned back towards the kitchen window. Of course, he hadn't added anything into the cake since the boys had mostly made it; however, you wouldn't notice, seeing as it somehow had an effect on them anyway. Or perhaps there was nothing else at work apart from Draco and Harry having the natural ability to get along even though they disguised it as “understanding” or dominant sense of curiosity.

Dobby smiled again and popped out of the sparkling clean kitchen to join them, intent on gathering their plates to wash them before he prepared a small lunch.

The sun was high in the sky, which was clear and blue, but before long darkened clouds swept into view and everyone was quickly sheltered inside. Small raindrops fell to the ground and against the windowpanes of the large house and outdoor shed. The small droplets of water, light rumble of thunder, and darkened sky erased all signs of the calm, clear, and sunny day that it had once been.

Anything in that world was surely able to change just as fast as the weather; washing away the sun and bringing about darker, more destructive times.