Dinner was a relatively quiet affair. Snape and Harry sat in their usual spots at the dinner table, with Snape at the head and Harry to his right. Draco sat across from Harry and glared down at his food, pushing it around on his plate more than he was actually eating it.
"I don't want this." He said with a sneer. "It's disgusting."
Harry knew that he was only saying it to try and rile him up and therefore, he tried to ignore him. He and Snape had worked hard on the lemon chicken, mashed potatoes and carrots, and brussel sprouts and he knew that it all tasted just fine. Harry simply looked at Draco and took another bite of his chicken.
Draco, still trying to get a response, sighed heavily. "Isn't there anything else?"
This time, Harry opened his mouth to tell Malfoy to get over himself, but before the words could come out, he remembered his earlier conversation with Snape and promptly pressed his lips together and said nothing. He glanced up at Snape and was surprised to see him staring back at him intently. He wasn't smiling exactly, but Harry thought for a moment that the man looked pleased about something. Harry shook the thought away and once more turned back to his food.
"You do not have to eat it, Draco," Snape said suddenly. "However, if you choose not to, you will need to either fix yourself a sandwich or wait until breakfast in the morning. I will not ask Jenka to make something else just because you don't want what we're having."
"But, Uncle Severus," Draco whined, "it's terrible."
"It is no such thing," Snape countered cooly and speared a piece of chicken with his fork.
Draco huffed but said nothing else on the subject.
As always, after dinner, Snape retired to the living room where tea and biscuits were already waiting for them on the coffee table. Draco took Harry's seat next to Snape. Harry could feel that same emotion from earlier that day, bubbling up inside him, but he swallowed it down and instead, reached for his red-rimmed teacup before Draco had a chance to steal that as well.
Draco noticed his quick grab and eyed him intently for a moment before choosing another cup, this one with a blue edge, and fixing his tea how he liked it.
They drank in relative silence for a while before Draco turned to Snape.
"Uncle Severus," he said, "Why is there a school broom in the cupboard? I noticed it when I got mine out earlier."
Harry grit his teeth.
"I brought it for Potter to use," Snape replied simply before taking a drink of his tea.
That only served to bring Draco's attention back to Harry as he looked at him with genuine confusion. "Where's your Nimbus 2000, Potter? Surely the muggles didn't keep it," he said smugly.
Harry thought about how much he hated the boy across from him. "I don't have it anymore," was all he said before glaring down into his tea. But of course, that wouldn't be enough for Draco, so he continued to push for answers.
"What happened to it?"
The very last thing that Harry wanted to do was explain about the dementors and how he'd been out flying when he wasn't supposed to. He sighed. "A flying accident last month. It was irreparable when it was found."
Harry didn't miss the look of deep satisfaction that crossed Draco's face before Snape spoke up. "I believe it's time for the two of you to get ready for bed."
Both boys looked up at the clock. It was just now nine-thirty.
"It's too early!" Draco protested immediately.
"It's not even ten!" Harry began at the same time.
"By the time you both get ready, it will be close enough."
"But I thought we could play a game of chess tonight." Harry continued, ignoring the way Draco rolled his eyes at him.
"Not tonight." Snape shook his head and tapped the top of the table, clearing it instantly. "I have a lot of work to get done before tomorrow."
Draco started to argue more but before he had a chance to say anything, Snape cut him off with a pointed look. "Enough. Both of you are going upstairs right now. You are going to get ready for bed and then you are going to sleep. I will be up there in exactly twenty minutes and I expect to find you both in your beds. Is that understood?"
"Yes, sir," they both answered dutifully before turning to reluctantly head upstairs.
Harry made use of the bathroom first and he was glad that he did because Draco took so long that he had only just come out right before their twenty minutes were up. And true to his word, Harry heard Snape enter Draco's room exactly on time.
Harry listened hard but was unsurprised when he could hear no more than muffled voices coming from the room next door. Not that Harry cared what they were talking about. At least, that's what he told himself.
A few moments later, Snape knocked lightly on Harry's own bedroom door before opening it and coming inside.
"I'm glad to see you listened," Snape said as he came to stand next to Harry's bed and held his hand out for his glasses.
Harry took them off and gave them to him, his vision immediately blurring at their loss. Then he burrowed down into his bed and pulled the blankets up to his shoulders as he turned over onto his side. Snape watched him with a frown on his face that Harry could just make out.
"What?" Harry asked.
"You need a haircut," Snape replied without hesitation.
Harry's eyes bulged. "No, I don't."
"Yes, you do. It's nearly covering your eyes. I can't believe I allowed you to go this long without it being cut."
"Nobody makes you cut your hair," Harry grumbled.
"I'm an adult." He countered smoothly. "You are my ward and I'll not have you running amuck looking like a common hooligan."
"No one says hooligan anymore, Snape." Harry said and then with a frown of his own, he added, "And if no one is supposed to know that I'm your ward, what does it matter if my hair is long?"
"It matters, Potter. We will get it cut before we return to Hogwarts." He said matter of factly and Harry scowled.
Snape began walking around Harry's room just as he did most nights, cleaning up the things that Harry left lying about. Though Harry wasn't sure why he bothered if he knew he would just have to do it again the next night. When he had finished, Snape turned back to Harry.
"I am," he paused as if trying to find the right words for what he wanted to say, "quite proud of the restraint you showed tonight at dinner and during tea. You did not allow yourself to be drawn into an argument with Draco even though he was clearly hoping you would be."
Harry couldn't help the smile that these few words of praise from Snape had caused. "Thanks." He muttered, focusing his attention down on the bedsheets.
Snape nodded and then as if by their own volition, his hands moved and carded through Harry's hair. The only other time he had done that was the night that Harry had been sick. He noticed that Harry hadn't flinched away from him. On the contrary, the teen's eyes closed and he almost seemed to lean into the touch, as if soaking up the comfort it brought. Snape quickly withdrew his hand and pulled out his wand, dimming the lights with it in an attempt to give him something to do besides ponder Harry's reaction.
Snape cleared his throat. "Good night, Potter." He said quietly before turning away and walking towards the door.
"Good night, Snape," Harry replied, trying not to think about the fact that Snape was still using his last name even after everything that had happened in the last few days. Harry watched as Snape left the room and then closed his eyes, hoping that sleep would come quickly tonight.
***
"Malfoy, hurry up in there!" Harry banged on the bathroom door the next morning. "You're not the only one who needs to go!"
"Shove off, Potter!" Draco yelled back. Harry narrowed his eyes and glared at the closed door.
"You've been in there for an hour! Go primp somewhere else!" When Draco still made no move to leave the bathroom, Harry groaned and stalked out of his room.
Harry walked down the hallway to Snape's bedroom door and knocked twice.
"Come in." He heard Snape call from inside before he pushed the door open. He didn't spare the bedroom even a glance as he looked for Snape, who happened to be standing in front of the mirror of his own bathroom, shaving. He wore black trousers and a white undershirt with a towel draped over his shoulder. The domesticity of the scene brought Harry up short but he quickly shook his head when he noticed Snape looking at him questioningly.
"Malfoy's hogging the bathroom." He complained, moving further into the room and leaning against the bathroom door jamb.
"So go use the one downstairs," Snape replied, turning back to the mirror.
"Snape."
"What?" Snape asked, getting agitated as he once more turned to stare at the teenager who was invading his personal space. Harry was looking up at him with what could only be described as a pout and Snape rolled his eyes upwards.
"Oh for the love of-"
Harry cut him off as he walked around him and actually pushed at his side, forcing him from the bathroom. "Potter! What do you think you're doing?!"
"I'm sorry, Snape, but I've really got to go." And with that, he closed the bathroom door, leaving Snape outside.
"Potter!"
"Use the one downstairs!" Harry called out through the door.
When Harry had finished his business and washed his hands, he opened the door to see Snape still standing there with his arms crossed and a scowl on his face.
"If you're quite finished." He growled, but Harry thought that there didn't seem to be much sternness in his words. Harry moved out of the way all the same.
Snape resumed his shaving, applying more creme to his face as Harry watched.
"Do you have nothing better to do, Potter?"
Harry shrugged. "Not until Malfoy gives up our bathroom so I can get ready." Snape hummed in response as he slid the razor across his jaw. "Will you teach me how to shave?" Harry asked.
"Not until you're old enough to start shaving," Snape replied without hesitation.
Harry rolled his eyes. "I know that. I just mean one day."
Snape sighed as he finished up and rinsed out his razor before applying aftershave. "One day, when you're old enough and you have an actual reason to, I will teach you to shave." Harry gave a small smile and Snape continued. "But today is not that day. Now, get out of here so that I can finish getting ready without an audience."
Harry's grin widened and he turned from the room. "Alright, alright. I'm going."
Later, Harry would look back and think how this had been the highlight of his day.
***
At the breakfast table that morning, it was obvious that Draco was in an even worse foul mood than he had been in at supper the night before. Though he was actually eating, he kept shooting Harry dirty looks from across the table.
"Quit looking at me like that." Harry finally snapped at him. "What's your problem?"
"You're my problem, Potter. You-"
"Boys," Snape interjected calmly from behind his paper, but Draco paid him no mind.
"You took it didn't you?!"
Harry narrowed his eyes. "I didn't take anything!"
"Yeah, right. It was on the bathroom counter before you went in there and now it's gone."
"What are you even going on about?!" Harry asked, furious about getting blamed for something when he had no idea what it was.
"Don't play dumb, Potter. I saw you eyeing my house ring yesterday and now it's missing. Don't even try to tell me you didn't take it!" Draco was standing now as he leaned over the table, pointing at Harry in anger.
"Oh, sod off you bloody death eater in training!" Harry shouted, wasting no time in standing as well, but not before Snape had dropped his paper and held a hand out between them. He was not about to have another fight on his hands.
"That is quite enough!" Snape glared hard at both of them. He turned to Draco, "Draco, I will thank you not to start breakfast by accusing people when you do not have any proof. You very well could have just misplaced your ring." He turned to Harry who was still seething. "And you, Potter, if I have to tell you even once more to watch your language, I will wash your mouth out with soap. Now, sit down, both of you."
Both boys continued to stare at one another for a long moment before they finally sat down, apparently, neither wanting to further anger Snape so early in the morning.
Snape himself had just picked up his paper however when he saw them reach for the last piece of toast at the same time. Harry got to it first.
"Oy!" Draco exclaimed, "You saw me reaching for that!"
"Too slow," Harry said simply as he spread jam on the toast and took a bite.
"You're going to think too slow when I pound your face into the floor!"
"You wish!"
So intent on their argument, neither Harry nor Draco noticed when Snape stood up and once again tossed his paper down onto the table.
***
"This is all your fault!" Draco spat from the opposite corner of the kitchen.
Harry glared at the intersecting walls and tried to control his temper. Just because they didn't hear Snape behind him, didn't mean he wasn't there.
"Shut up." He said, voice only loud enough to carry across to Draco. "We're not supposed to be talking."
"Since when did you turn into such a suck-up, Potter?"
"Since I've been the one living with him for the last month!" Harry groused. "Maybe I'm tired of being in trouble all the time."
"If you hadn't taken my ring, we wouldn't be in trouble now!"
Harry's hands balled into fists and he had turned from his corner before giving it a second thought. Unfortunately, Snape had still been in the room, and the look he gave Harry was more than enough to have him ducking his head and muttering an "I'm sorry," as he turned back to face the corner.
"I'm curious," Snape said moving closer behind them, "do either of you want to have your time here restarted?"
"No, sir," both boys answered quickly, not turning around but looking as far into their peripheral vision as they could.
"Then not one more word," Snape said slowly, stressing every syllable, and Harry and Draco nodded, neither seeming to be willing to test how literal Snape was going to take that one word.
As Harry stared, bored, at his corner of the wall, he decided then and there that when he got his own house, there would be no corners at all. Every single room would be round. Like in the office of the American's muggle President. An oval office. Yeah, thought Harry, every room could be oval and there'd be no room for corners anywhere. Though knowing Snape, it wouldn't matter at all. He could just as easily make Harry stand against a round wall because, in the little time that he had lived with the man, he had done this a handful of times now and had come to notice that it wasn't so much the standing in the corner bit that really bothered Harry. It was all the thinking that came along with it. Every single time he stood here, it never failed that Harry would end up thinking about why exactly he was there and that usually resulted in him feeling like a complete prat for how he had behaved.
He raised his foot to rest on the baseboard and almost immediately heard Snape tell him to stop. He did so with a sigh and a slight glance over at Draco's corner. At least Draco didn't seem to be any stranger to the corner either. When Snape had told them to pick a corner and stand there, he went with much less fuss than Harry would have given him credit for. Though he seemed to be just as embarrassed about it as Harry was.
Several minutes later, Snape's voice pulled him from his thoughts.
"Alright," he said, "come here."
Both Harry and Draco turned immediately and moved to stand in front of where Snape stood with his arms crossed over his chest.
"This is your last warning." Snape looked down at them. "You will not like the consequences if I catch the two of you fighting or arguing again. Is that understood?"
"Yes, sir." They both answered and Snape nodded, though he didn't believe them one bit.
"Potter, I believe you have a few chores to do before lunch. You should start in the garden."
Harry's head jerked up in surprise. "What about him? He doesn't have to do anything?"
"Not that it is any of your concern," Snape said, irritation coating his voice, "but I am going to assign Draco a few things to do as well."
"What?!" Draco exclaimed, "You've never made me do chores before."
"A mistake, I assure you," Snape replied evenly. "I think it best to keep you both busy and separated for a while. I have much to do and I don't want to have to worry about the two of you all day while I should be concentrating on the extremely difficult potion that I am brewing." He turned to Harry then. "Start in the garden. I want those weeds gone by lunchtime."
Harry nodded once and then turned on his heel to head outside, hearing Snape tell Draco to follow him as he left.
***
Snape had been right about one thing at least, Harry and Draco hadn't had time to fight between all the work that they had to do. Harry had weeded the garden, dusted the library and living room, and scrubbed the kitchen floor. Draco had, with no shortage of whining, washed the downstairs windows, polished the banisters, and scrubbed cauldrons out in a tub in the backyard. Normally, Snape would have had him wash them in the lab, but he didn't want either of them around whatever potion he was brewing.
Suffice to say, it was two tired teenagers who sat down to dinner that night.
Unfortunately, they were more than just tired. Their earlier crankiness from that morning seemed to have followed them throughout the day and they spent the meal shooting each other dirty looks, though thankfully staying relatively quiet.
They wouldn't even talk to Snape, who actually tried to coax conversation out of them. Eventually, even he gave up and suggested that they simply have their tea before going to bed.
When they got to the living room, Harry quickly took his seat in his armchair next to Snape's, but before he could pick up his teacup, Draco had snatched it away from him.
"Give it back!" Harry made to grab the cup from Draco's hand but having expected this, Draco held it up and away from him.
"Draco-" Snape started when he came into the room and saw the two boys standing toe to toe.
"Come and get it, Potter." Draco taunted.
The next few seconds happened both very quickly and yet also in slow motion.
Harry reached up trying to take the cup from Draco's raised hand. Draco instinctively held his free hand up, pushing against Harry's chest and causing him to stumble, however instead of going backward, Harry's foot slipped on the carpet and he began to fall forward, hitting against Draco's shoulder as he did so.
Before Snape even had a chance to take out his wand, Harry and Draco both fell into the coffee table, toppling it and the tea tray over in the process. The living room was utterly silent as the two boys each looked around at the mess they had made. Broken glass and wood covered the floor as did tea, sugar, creme, and biscuits.
"Stand up," Snape ordered an edge to his voice that Harry hadn't heard in a while. They did as they were told, each standing slowly to their feet and looking down at the floor. "Are either of you hurt?" He asked. They both shook their heads in the negative. "Then you can consider yourselves very lucky."
Snape waved his wand and they watched as the pieces of table and china began to repair themselves. The table once more stood on all four legs and the tea set appeared to be back in its immaculate condition. Even the red-rimmed cup sat unbroken next to the others on the tray. Another wave of his wand and the mess was banished as well.
Snape nodded once to himself and then walked past them out of the living room. "Follow me," he called over his shoulder. Harry and Draco wasted no time in doing as they were told.
They walked silently up the stairs and into Harry's room before coming to a stop. The boys glanced nervously between themselves as Snape raised his wand once more.
The next thing Harry knew, his room was rearranging itself. His eyes widened as he watched his big bed transform into two smaller ones and slide to opposite ends of the room.
"No." He breathed as Draco's things began to float into the room, settling on the right side at the end of the bed.
"You can't be serious!" Draco said, watching as Harry's clothes moved to one side of the closet to make room for his own.
"Snape, if you put us in a room together, only one of us is making it til morning!" Harry snapped.
"Yeah," Draco agreed, "because I'll kill him!"
Snape turned around to face them so quickly that they both took a step back.
"If you two can not get along separately, we'll see about forcing you together until you work out some of these differences between you." He sighed then. "I've said from the beginning that I don't expect you to become best friends, I do however expect you to be civil with each other. If you can't do it on your own, you'll stay in here until you can. At least if you're fighting in here, it won't be my things getting broken." He held out his hand. "I want both of your wands. The very last thing I want is to have you hexing each other the moment my back is turned."
"But Snape-" Harry whined.
"Uncle Severus, no-"
"Now," Snape ordered.
They both reluctantly pulled out their wands and placed them in Snape's outstretched hand. He turned back around then and moved Harry's trunk with his own wand.
What happened then, silenced the room once more.
A pile of folded clothes had been on top of his trunk and when he moved it, they fell to the floor. A gleaming, silver ring rolled out from under the pile, coming to a stop at Snape's foot. Draco's eyes narrowed as Harry's own widened.
Snape stooped down to pick up the ring, the Slytherin emblem clear even from across the room. He turned to look at Harry, his dark eyes flashing.
"I-I didn't..." Harry started, "I don't know how that got there."