AN: Been a while hasn't it folks?

Harry was waiting for the day to be over. Waiting as patiently as he possible could. He read, he wrote the conclusion for his troublesome potions essay, he even offered to make dinner. Even aunt Petunia could tolerate Harry's cooking but Snape seemed suspicious if anything. The end of the day would mean the departure of Draco Malfoy. It's not as though the boy was making trouble or hurling insults at him, he wasn't saying much of anything actually since Snape had let them in from the porch.

The hours ticked by. 7, 8, 9, Harry was feeling less and less certain that the blond would ever leave. He glanced towards the couch where Draco lay looking blankly out of the grimy living room window. The Slytherin didn't seem to notice when Harry quietly slipped quietly down to the basement and rapped on the door.

It was a few minutes of quiet shuffling before it swung open and Snape's shoulders sagged when he saw Harry. "Potter what are you doing down here?" He asked tiredly.

"Please don't let him stay." Harry shook his head glumly, inviting himself into the humid room and sitting on the only stool available.

"That's not your decision to make." Snape spat and his lip curled.

"Can I at least not do occlumency tonight?" The Gryffindor whined.

"Self conscious are we?"

"Surely I'm good enough to face him now anyway." Harry didn't say Voldemort around Snape anymore for fear of getting told off but it was obvious who they were discussing.

"Arrogant just like your-" Snape cut himself off. "You've developed enough to defend yourself while not in his presence but come one day you will be face to face with the dark lord again and at this point you are not ready."

Harry didn't push that. He knew he could improve further, he wasn't entirely stupid after all. "You have no more rooms though, theres no way in hell I'll let him near me." He'd cut my hair in my sleep or set me on fire or something.

"I have a couch Potter, you should know, you spend enough time on it." The potions master said in an almost bored tone as he bottled a yellowish salve and examined its gloopy consistency.

Harry's eyes widened at the idea of Draco being made to curl up on the little sofa, barely big enough to sit two people. "How does a person like Malfoy tolerate sleeping rough like that?"

Snape looked up sharply, a hint of anger flittering across his face. "You consider a couch sleeping rough?" He sneered. "You lived in a cupboard for eleven fucking years!" Harry winced a little, he didn't think he'd ever get used to his teacher swearing, or knowing about his life with the Dursleys. This was the first time Snape had brought it up since their little heart to heart a few days ago. At least his teachers anger was directed at his relatives and not him.

"Of course not, but I'll bet he does." Harry corrected.

The older wizard scoffed and levitated the now labeled salve onto a top shelf. "Never take up gambling Mr. Potter. Now go away." Harry opened his moth to respond but thought of nothing. Feeling dejected, he left the stuffy potions lab.

Harry clambered up the stairs and threw himself on the floor as the other boy had lain down comfortably on the squashy couch. From that angle the Gryffindor could see the dust collected under the multitude of shelves in the room. He sneered, half tempted to grab a dust pan and take care of it himself. "Why do you like this place?" Harry asked loudly, not sure wether the question was directed at Malfoy or the colony of ants in the backyard. "Everything's grey, dirty an ugly."

Draco rolled his grey eyes but didn't respond. Harry turned to stare at him until the other boy was uncomfortable with the attention. "A chance to be normal I suppose." Malfoy mumbled reluctantly and almost too quietly to hear.

"I think this is considered less than normal." Harry muttered, taking in the packed shelves and worn floorboards. However 'homey', Spinners End was still dodgy at best.

"Still, you need somewhere to go where you can stop pretending."

"What about Hogwarts?" Harry asked. Draco merely shot him a dirty look.

"Its not the same there for you as it is for me."

hphphphphphphphphphphphphphphphphphphphphphphp

Malfoy did end up staying the night, just after twelve at night Snape gave Draco a large powder blue blanket, ruffled his hair and disappeared into his own room, apparently too tired to leave the house or to continue brewing. It took Harry even longer than usual to fall asleep. He tossed and turned in the rickety bed and eventually tried raising his occlumency shields to forget that Malfoy was downstairs. It worked, surprisingly.

When he woke he remembered the barest hints of a dream, all it included was two does running away from some anonymous person with a Gryffindor tie. He threw on some of his better clothes and made his way downstairs, jumping slightly when he saw Draco sitting at the table, a plate of scrambled eggs (and burned toast) in front of him. Harry straightened up and nodded at Malfoy who returned the favour. "Are you leaving today?" He asked

"Yes, I can still avoid my parents if I want to." Malfoy said casually, handing Harry a fresh plate of eggs. "It's a big house."

"Thanks." Harry looked around. "Where's Snape?"

"Scavenging in the dirt somewhere for potions ingredients. He left while you were asleep." Harry nodded and started picking at his food.

hphphphphphphphphphphphphphphphphphphphphphphp

Severus arrived home after lunch with dirt on his face and on the collar of the grey t-shirt he had been wearing, a canvas bag now filled with various plants slung over his shoulder. Walking to deposit the newly acquired ingredients to his lab he saw his godson packed and impeccably dressed, waiting impatiently by the fireplace. His charge was sitting on the couch, bound apparently, on ignoring the other boy completely. Draco met his eyes with a blank expression which Snape took to mean 'hurry up'.

After placing his ingredients in jars and throwing on a clean shirt, Severus walked into the living room and loudly cleared his throat. Harry looked up for long enough to see the potions master indicating for him to leave the room. The boy sighed and left, dragging his feet behind him.

Draco was picking at his cuticles and had a worried expression on his face, no doubt still in confusion about his role in the dark lord's return. Lucius could be demanding as a parent. As hard as Draco tried to be he simply wasn't a miniature version of his father. "Are you okay Dragon?" Severus asked slowly, moving to stand with him by the fireplace.

"I hope so." Snape didn't seem satisfied. "I will be. Promise."

"Alright. I'll be here. Show up unannounced at breakfast any time you want." Draco smiled a little sadly and nodded.

"Come here." Severus drew in his godson more tightly than usual. The boy buried his face into the older man's chest for a few seconds before pushing away abruptly.

"Gross." He muttered.

"What?" Snape dropped his arms immediately as though worried he broke the boy. His godson smiled and wiped a sleeve over his face.

"You smell like cigarettes. Again."

"Not good?" The potions master chuckled softly. Draco just shook his head.

He picked up a small handful of floo powder along with his bag and called "Malfoy manor," before being engulfed in green flames and disappearing.