Albus chuckled from his hiding place in an alcove as he watched Severus try once more to dodge one of Harry's many attempts to get him out of the castle. Despite Minerva's insistence that the Headmaster seemed all knowing, he had no idea just how long the young Defense Master had been hounding the Potions Master, but could guess that it was probably about as long as Snape had been resisting the idea. Albus had first noticed the befuddling turn of events a little over a week ago, and had since been watching the pair with growing fascination. At some point, he realized, he would have to step in, as the two of them could be just as stubborn as anything, and in fact seemed to be using one another's stubbornness to fuel their own.

"Potter, I haven't got time to go out. Why do you keep insisting?"

"Why do you keep resisting, Snape?" Harry countered, smirking. "I've offered my assistance, as has Draco. We both know you have the option for free time, the question is why you won't take it."

"Because if I were to get some time to myself, I'd want to use it for precisely that, not gallivanting in the streets with a Wizarding Savior hopped up on spirits and his own vanity!" Severus snarled. "So until you've given up this foolish idea of the two of us ever going out to 'get drinks', I will continue to forfeit my time so that I have a legitimate reason not to attend you!"

Harry looked unfazed by the hurtful words. "Well, if those are your concerns, than we can go for coffee instead, and go to the Hog's Head to avoid any unwanted attention. Aberforth has always been very helpful in keeping me away from the media when I desired it, and I don't imagine he'd have any trouble doing so again. I'll even order decaf so you can't claim caffeine abuse against me."

Albus was surprised at the young man's resourcefulness, and from the way Severus was pinching the bridge of his nose it would seem the boy had made a habit of negating the Potion Master's arguments. "Potter, I said 'no' and will not change my mind simply because you bat your eyelashes at me. Now leave me be, some of us actually have work."

Albus ducked back further into the alcove as the irate Potions Master stormed down the hall. He looked back down the hall to where Harry was watching the other man go, and was somewhat taken aback at the predatory grin he saw there. Oh, the young Defense Master would not be giving up so soon.

Two weeks later saw Albus observing almost the exact same argument between the two men, and he was growing agitated at his Potions Master's refusal to even consider it. It was obvious the boy was not merely looking for drinks, but something more. The old headmaster had felt foolish when he finally realized that Harry was very much infatuated with the former Death Eater, and that he was, in fact, asking for quite a bit more than simply a date. The clues had been in the underlying tension behind certain words, and that they never truly specified a time, nor did Harry ever ask for a specific day. Funnily enough, despite Severus outright refusal to go with the boy on any day in particular, he never made any effort in preempting the question by outright rejecting Harry. That was, until today.

"Potter, I've had quite enough of this nonsense!" The Potions Master seethed. "I don't know where you got this ludicrous idea that you and I could go out together, but I have reached my limit for insanity. It is never going to happen! You are an obnoxious, scrawny, waste of space and I ask that if you insist on making a fool of yourself as you have for the last several weeks, then from here on, you leave me out of it! So long as I live, I shall never 'just go out for drinks' with you! Now leave me be!" The last sentence was shouted so that it echoed in the empty corridor, and Albus felt his own heart break slightly at the utterly crestfallen look on Harry's face, even has the old man smiled inwardly at seeing the lines of regret on the Potion Master's face.

"I see," The Defense Master murmured, refusing to look away from Severus' deep gaze. "Well, alright then. If that is your opinion on the matter, then I apologize for wasting your time. I will inform Draco that it will again be just the two of us this evening."

This seemed to catch the Potions Master off-guard. "Draco?"

"Yes, he has been ever so supportive in this pursuit of mine, and since you and I have never been on particularly good terms, he suggested from the beginning that he be there, since he knows us both well enough to, as he put it, 'keep that awkward nonsense away and conversation flowing freely'," Potter explained calmly, his face still a mask of hurt even as his voice never wavered. "However, since you've refused me at every turn, we've ended up having what amounts to a standing date every Saturday. I can only hope that this last refusal won't keep me and him from meeting again in the weeks to come, as I've grown quite fond of mine and Draco's evenings together. Again, Severus, I apologize for having wasted your time, and having been so over-zealous in my pursuit of creating a brighter future for the both of us; I promise you, it won't happen again."

This time, it was the younger wizard who walked off down the corridor, visibly upset. Albus frowned…perhaps he should check on Potter at the Hog's Head tonight, the boy had seen much rejection in his short life, and this last may be enough to make him give up entirely on ever finding someone. Resolved to make sure his young protege did not spend the night wallowing in his rejection, Albus vanished back to his office to contact Aberforth about his coming covert visit.

Albus had been watching the young man at the bar, utterly alone except for an untouched drink, for near on ten minutes, and had almost decided to join him when the door to the Hogs Head opened to admit another customer.

"Ah, good evening, Professor Snape, haven't seen you in a while. Your usual table?"

Albus looked up at the dour man and saw that his hair was clean of its usual protective oils, pulled back in a loose pony tied with a leather thong, and that he was wearing a Muggle buttoned-down business-casual look that Albus hadn't seen since…well, since he'd last seen the man truly relax. The Headmaster frowned at this discombobulating turn of events.

"No, Aberforth, I believe I have other arrangements tonight," Severus said smoothly. If Albus hadn't been listening for it, he'd have missed the almost nonexistent nervousness to the man's tone. He watched in fascination as the Potions Master made his way over to the bar and took up the stool beside Harry's. Neither man spoke for a time, giving Albus ample opportunity to pull out his own personal pair of Extendable Ears.

"I spoke with Draco earlier, he said he wouldn't be able to join you tonight," Severus stated hesitantly.

"I'm aware."

"Are the two of you-"

"Just friends." Harry interrupted, taking a small sip from his drink.

"I see," Severus murmured cautiously. "P-Harry, I wish to apologize for my earlier insults to your person. I allowed my frustrations to rule my better judgement."

"It's alright, Severus, I understand," The Defense Master turned his head to look at his companion. "You're careful about who you let close…it's one of the things I admire about you, maybe because I never had that option. I've always been trapped in the public's eye, and since I was raised to believe myself unimportant, I miss the privacy I once enjoyed."

"Then why, in every instance, have you consistently asked me to attend you in public, if you know my preferences lie against it?" Severus asked.

Harry smirked sadly. "Because we both know that you would never have let me enter your chambers without some reason to trust me, and would have agreed to coming round to mine as easily as you have to coming here. I had to do something to get your attention, though I had little faith it would work. I'd assumed that at some point you'd get frustrated and agree to come merely to shut me up."

"That seems entirely illogical, especially as I wound up insulting you instead," Severus argued.

Harry smirked, turning on the stool to face the man completely. "You're here aren't you?"

Severus furrowed his brow. "You knew Draco wouldn't be here tonight." He said. It wasn't a question.

"So did you." Harry told him simply. "You came anyway."

Severus seemed to fight internally, anger and pride warring within him. Finally, pride emerged victorious in the form of a soft smile. "You cheated."

"There are no rules in this game, Severus."

"Harry, you're young." Severus told him, his face a picture of masked pain as he fought his own will.

"You're stalling." The Defense Master bit back playfully.

Albus could almost see the Potion Master's façade crack. "I'm too old to casually 'go for drinks' with someone, Potter."

Harry scooted to the edge of his stool so that there was very little space between the two men, linking the hand lying on the bar with the Potion Master's own. Albus almost felt guilty at eavesdropping on such a pivotal private moment. "Then why are you here?"

Severus surprised both Harry and Albus by taking the hand in his and kissing the knuckles lightly, his eyes never leaving the vibrant green of his companion's. "We have dinner reservations in a few moments, and I hoped I would find you here."

The Defense Master grinned. "You are a mystery unto yourself, Severus. I don't think I shall ever grow tired of it, so long as I live."

Severus smirked, standing and pulling the other professor to his feet. "I should hope that I will never give you ample opportunity to do so." They left the establishment hand-in-hand, leaving Albus to wonder at the puzzling nature of the most powerful force on earth.