Draco once again stood, shoulders relaxed, thumbs hooked in his back pockets, fingers splayed down his hips, looking out the front windows at the snow piling ever higher.

"Bored again?" Harry asked, looking up from rummaging in his knapsack for what felt the like thousandth time, but he didn't have much else to do. He was tempted to pull everything out and reorganize, but did not want to make a mess of the cabin and also wanted to resist any urge to do things Hermione's way, because somehow she would know.

"Yes, and no, I'm not going to go back out to the lab. I can wait until tomorrow to do more. Between yesterday's brewing and what I managed to do this morning, I'm on good pace to be all stocked up and ready to ship out as soon as this damn snow stops."

"I thought you liked the snow."

Draco glared over his shoulder at Harry, who sat with a look of perfect innocence on his face, but said nothing.

"I actually have an idea," Harry said, as his hand closed around something, pulling it out, and setting the knapsack on the floor next to the couch.

"I'm not sure I want to know what your idea is," intoned the blond.

"You know about quidditch?"

Draco tensed but fought to keep it from showing in his shoulders, "I am familiar with the game. Are you proposing to play some version of it here in this tiny room or out in that insanity?" he asked pointing at the window.

"Neither exactly," Harry answered.

"Then just what do you mean exactly?"

"I have a snitch-" Harry began.

"You just happen to have a snitch?" Draco's eyebrows shot up. "For Merlin's sake why? Do you carry it around with you always?"

"I have more than one, the one I carry with me is a more of a practice snitch though. Almost a children's toy. Something that won't be quite as active and wild as a regulation snitch," he explained.

"And you're proposing we set it loose in here and what - try and see who can get it first? That hardly seems fair. You did play in school right? And as you have a snitch I have to guess that you played Seeker."

Guess, yeah sure. Harry thought then said aloud, "Yes I played, and yes I was the Seeker. I enjoyed the game, still do when I get a chance to play with friends. I actually gave brief thought to playing professionally, but only brief. I really wasn't good enough."

Draco dropped his hands to his sides, turned, and studied the brunette's face, damn he really means that. I will never understand his humility. "Did you ever lose a game? Did you ever not catch the snitch?" he asked already knowing the answer.

Harry ducked his head, clenched his jaw and replied as if the man across from him didn't already know the answer, "I was knocked out once. And another time the dementors came on the field while we were playing. Well actually, I thought it was twice but once was just some prat and his goons trying to get to me."

Draco gritted his teeth. He loathed being reminded of his idiocy back at school but there was no way he could say anything in protest so he simply replied, "Then you have an advantage over me. I didn't go to a school so I've never played on a team."

Harry cocked his head to the right, "You never played with a snitch at all? Were your parents that strict? You said you were familiar with the game. How familiar? Have you ever been to a game?"

"I have been to a few games, when I was younger. I know we went to a game one summer when we were visiting Mother's family. I vaguely recall playing a game with the cousins. Mother hated brooms, was never comfortable on them and hated to watch me fly-"

"So naturally you loved flying."

A truly genuine smile spread across the blond's face, "Yes. It made her crazy and as much as I loved her it was so freeing to be up there flying. Father insisted on teaching me everything he knew. He did play quidditch at school, a chaser. He had me try all of the positions. I found I gravitated to Seeker. The hunt for the snitch drew me in. I could keep well enough and chase well enough, though I was never quite large enough to be a good beater. Of course that was all at home with just the two of us playing. The snitch though, it called to me. It was intellectually challenging."

"It's also the one ball you can safely play with on your own," Harry said knowingly, "and somehow it doesn't count as magic use."

"Hmm? Magic use?"

"Maybe the laws here are different," Harry narrowly avoided rolling his eyes at the idea of explaining something to the other man that he knew, "but after you start school back home underage magic use is forbidden unless you are at school."

"But the snitch doesn't count?"

"Well maybe it does, but it's so small no one cares. I don't know. It's a stupid law anyway, or rather a discriminatory law."

"Discriminatory?" Draco's eyebrows knitted and he ran a hand through his hair. "So only those students not in magical households were caught and punished."

"Essentially," Harry replied bitterness creeping into his voice, moving forward in his spot as he spoke until he was perched on the very edge of the couch. "And no one could be arsed to actually investigate and find out what was happening. Like suddenly after a year of training we should be able to control all of our magic, never mind the fact that it's been totally on impulse up to that point. No, let's just assume that students in non-magical families are totally irresponsible and that all magical parents watch their children like hawks, never mind that some of them would never make their children go without using magic, and how would the Ministry know anyway?"

The room was silent for a moment as Harry calmed down and Draco thought about what he had just heard.

"Sorry, I guess I got a bit carried away," Harry said as he sat back on the couch.

"Must have been personal for you," the blond said coming over to sit on the ottoman to face the other man. "It seems that that would put those not living in magical homes at a disadvantage as you wouldn't be able to practice anything over break, where as those that did, could."

"I don't know that it really made a difference," Harry said. "I mean it never seemed to slow down Hermione; she just read the books until she memorized the theories and background knowledge. Then there was Ron, whose family actually did limit their magical use so I'm sure other families did as well."

"Your sensitivity to discrimination seems to be rather high, but I would imagine that would be a natural byproduct of your situation."

Harry laughed ruefully, "That's one way to put it I suppose. In reality it's probably something no one ever really thought about before and in reality it's not all that important in the scheme of things."

"Still you thought about it. Have you mentioned it to anyone else?" Here was where Draco felt frustrated at his fallen family name and prestige. Once upon a time he could have quietly machinated a change from behind the scenes with people in power. Though at that point he wouldn't have cared and would have seen it as treating Muggle borns as they deserved.

"Hermione and I have talked about it but who else would I tell?"

"Really?" Draco shook his head at the sheer naivete of someone not raised in a political household. "You're their hero aren't you? Don't you know people in power that could do anything?"

Harry shrugged, "I know people but I don't want to take advantage of friendships. Besides what right do I have to demand changes."

Oh the moldable clay. Draco thought, "You don't have to make a demand. It can just be a suggestion or even a simple question to the right person that gets someone thinking."

"Like what?"

The blond leaned forward, elbows on thighs, hands clasped between his knees, "Do you know anyone that was actually charged with underage magic?"

"Ha!" came the short barking laugh.

"Am I to take that to mean you yourself were charged?"

As if you didn't know Harry grimaced, "yes, twice officially, though a third time was overlooked."

"Three times?" Damn Potter. What were you doing at home?

"The first time it was a house elf trying to keep me from returning to Hogwarts. Apparently the magic detector, or trace or whatever the bloody hell it is, is so imprecise it can tell magic occured at the residence but not who cast it, so what good is it anyway? The next time was accidental, I blew up a woman that was called my aunt though she wasn't. And by blow up I mean enlarged not exploded. She just made me so mad with comments about my parents. It just happened." he leaned his head on the back of the sofa and looked up while he spoke tiredly. "That time Fudge found it in his good interests to merely overlook it. The third time I was defending myself and my cousin from dementors. Again, apparently they can tell I was doing magic or at least that it was done in my area, and being the only witch or wizard around it had to be me. But they couldn't track that the dementors were there and beginning to kiss my cousin. By then of course I had fallen out of favor with Fudge so he did nothing. It was all up to Dumbledore to save me."

Draco nodded slowly, "Do you know of anyone else who was charged for doing underage magic, or anyone who even received a warning?"

Harry sighed and half laughed, "No, so it's probably not a problem. It's probably just me as it always is. Honestly I don't know. Hermione was always too good to risk anything and it wasn't like we spent a lot of time talking to Muggle borns or half-bloods in other houses."

"Even if it was only you, that doesn't mean it's not still an issue that needs to be addressed. It is discriminatory and that's not fair."

Green eyes peered at the other man as if measuring the words and the intent. Was this all part of the act or was this really how Draco felt? The more they spent time together like this the more frustrated Harry became.

"You're an auror right?"

"Yes."

"Maybe you just need to keep an ear out for conversations in the department or at the ministry about underage magic. You can remind others what happened to you. Maybe just ask casually if anyone knows how many of those cases were students living in magical versus non magical households."

"That's so simple it just might work. Thanks."

"No problem," Draco waved a hand in the air. "All those strategy and political lessons my father insisted on me sitting through should have some value. I don't plan on using them myself. Now what was this about a snitch?"

"That's it? Really? We're just going to drop the subject?"

"Is there really anything else to say?"

"I guess not. Are you really willing to play with the snitch?"

Shoulders went up and down, "I guess that depends on just how much we can control it. There's not much in here but I don't want to ruin the few things I do have."

Harry looked around then gestured to the loft, "We can use a shield charm to block it from going in certain places, like that."

"And then what? We race to see who can get it first?"

"We could. Though in a space this size it might be better to take turns. We could set a time limit to get it or time to see who can get it fastest, or we could just do it for fun with no competition to it."

Hazel eyes twinkled with the Malfoy spirit, "What's the fun is there is no competition?"

"Ok, protect anything you want to first, block off any areas you want to keep the snitch out of like the loft and the fireplace. Then we can each do a practice run."

The other man's head nodded as he pulled out his wand and began waving it in various directions muttering just under his breath.

"Show me the snitch."

Harry opened the hand that had been clenched throughout their entire conversation. The small gold ball unfolded its wings and hovered over his palm, "It is regulation size but like I said it's spelled to be a bit slower and less erratic than regulation."

"Any rules to this little game?"

"Get the snitch," Harry smirked.

"Ha, ha, very amusing," the hazel eyes rolled and the blond head shook.

"Well since we're not both going for it at the same time to see who can get it first, I can't think of anything specific. I mean you can't keep the other person from getting the snitch so that you have a better time but other than that…"

"So we can use spells or charms to help ourselves out."

Harry frowned, "Not sure what spell you might use but I don't see why not. You want to go first?"

"Generous of you to offer but I think you should go first as you've done it before and it will be a good example for me."

This time the green eyes rolled, "It's really not that much different from chasing a snitch outside on a broom other than the obvious, but I can go first. Do you have everything blocked off that you feel needs to be?"

"Yes."

"Here," Harry held out the snitch to the other man. "You take it. Let it go when you're ready, count to ten, and then I'll start."

"Ok then, just a second," Draco moved to climb into the loft, "I think it's best if I'm out of the way. Wouldn't want you to trip over my feet or anything."

"In other words you're resisting the urge to hinder me in some way?"

"Are you accusing me of cheating, Potter?"

"No, certainly not. Merely suggesting that the idea may have crossed your mind at some point. It's fairly natural in a competition for the idea of how to get ahead to cross your mind. Seeing as you're removing yourself from the possibly temptation obviously you are a man of honor," Harry bit the inside of his cheek to keep from laughing at the wide eyed shock on the other man's face at being called a man of honor.

Oh if only you knew who I really am, Draco thought sadly. He turned and sat cross legged on the edge of the loft bunk, holding out the snitch held lightly in his left hand, right hand holding his wand, "Shall I time the first round or do you just want to use it as a warm up?"

"Warm up is good."

"Ok then," he opened his hand and began counting as the snitch flitted across the room, "eight, nine, ten."

Harry hopped to his feet, eyes tracking the small gold flash from the window, past the fireplace, over his head and back to the front of the cabin while also taking in the layout of the furniture. He stood still just watching for thirty seconds before moving suddenly to the right, around the ottoman, bolting to the window, and narrowly missing as it darted off towards the back of the room. He moved more slowly this time, nearly stalking across the room, snagging the snitch from the air above the sink. Draco just sat and watched in admiration.

"So," Harry said, "where shall I sit while you take your turn?"

Draco hopped down and replied, "Go ahead and sit up there."

"Are you sure? That's your space."

"Nah, it's just a bed. I don't usually even use it anymore. I tend to sleep on the couch or on the floor in front of the fireplace, and occasionally even on the floor in the lab."

"Ok," Harry said and climbed up. "You ready?"

"Whenever you are."

Harry mirrored Draco, letting the snitch go and counting to ten. Much as Harry had done, Draco stood in the center of the room watching the snitch move around, tracking it, but he stood just a bit longer as if trying to predict where it would go. He moved slowly, sliding his sock clad feet across the floor, then in one nearly lightning fast grab had the snitch.

"Impressive!"

"Not really, I probably should have had it sooner but I was being careful."

"You got it on your first try, better than I did."

"But I bet the time was slower than yours."

"I don't know, it had to be close and in a real match I think your method might be more effective. Tracking its movements and knowing where it's going to be. Smooth trick."

Cheeks flushed slightly as Draco shrugged, "A real match would be in a much larger location though, so it would be harder to track and predict. Anyway, guess it's your turn again."

They spent the next half hour taking turns chasing the snitch, each trying the other's strategy but falling back into their own. Harry cast a charm to make the gold ball move faster after the first few rounds. Then they started by being blindfolded for the ten second countdown so they couldn't track the ball from the beginning, instead having to locate it. Both men began to jibe each other over time and number of attempts but it all came to a crashing halt, literally when Harry leapt to catch the snitch and fell into the hidden piano causing a tremendous cacophony.

Draco landed on the floor, wand rapidly moving, sending the cover flying off of the piano.

"Oh no! I'm so sorry! I didn't.. if I can help.. if it's broken I'll pay to fix it obviously," Harry couldn't seem to stop the words from pouring out of his mouth.

The blond lifted the lid and ran his fingers along the keys gently just checking their condition, then slowly pressed each one listening to the notes, before finally nodding his head, "It's okay. A little out of tune but that's to be expected considering how long it's been since I played it. It's my fault. I should have remembered and cast a shield on it."

"I'll pay to have it tuned," Harry said quickly.

Draco waved a hand, "That won't be necessary. It really wasn't your fault."

"I should have watched where I was going better instead of only watching this stupid thing," he said forcefully, holding out the snitch. "Guess we're done with it now."

"Well, we have been at it for a while," the blond replied. "We could do it again tomorrow if the snow hasn't let up though. It's been fun. Thanks for the idea."

"But your piano-"

Again the hand waved cutting him off, "Really, it's okay. It wasn't on purpose. You didn't know it was there and essentially it's fine."

I did know it was there! Harry screamed in his head I just can't tell you that. "But you said it was out of tune."

"Nothing I can't handle."

"You can tune it yourself," Harry said flabbergasted at the idea of Malfoy doing such work even after seeing him cook and chop firewood with an ax rather than his wand. "Can it be done magically?"

"It can," the other man said, "though I prefer to do it by hand. When it's just shy of being on tune like this magic works fine, still even this, tuning the piano I mean. It's one of the few things Father always had done by hand. He would call in someone special to do it at least once a year."

"A non-magical person?" His mind really reeled at the thought of Lucius allowing a Muggle into his house for anything other than torture. Of course this could have just been part of Austin's story, but it felt true. The other man's voice rang with reality.

"I don't know. I never thought to ask. It didn't seem important. I suppose they could have been a wizard who is specially trained, that's probably more likely knowing my father."

"So you play." Harry said.

"Now and then. It reminds me of my parents. Really just having a piano reminds me of them, though we would never have had an upright piano. That would not have been acceptable in our house. It simply had to be a grand piano, not even a baby grand would do. Only a concert grand, the biggest, because if it's the biggest it must be the best," he shook his head and chuckled. "There is a difference in sound between upright and grand though, really it's the materials the piano is built from more than the style that makes a difference in sound. Still I like this just as much as the one in my parents' home. I might like it a bit more because it's actually mine."

He sat down on the bench and ran a hand over the lid that he had dropped back down over the keys, "I found it in a resale shop down in Eureka when I went to get supplies one day, maybe two months after Raleigh died. I stopped to look at it and played a few measures but left it there. I didn't have the money for it and I really didn't think there was room here either. When I came back that afternoon I spent some time looking around. It was then that I noticed the small space here by this wall. Over the next several evenings during dinner I sat and stared at this spot trying to imagine what the piano would look like here. Finally I transfigured one of the trunks just to see how it would fit. I went back the next day and was able to put a down-payment on it. They then allowed me make to payments on it for the next few months until I'd paid it off. Honestly, most of the time it just sits here collecting dust which is why it's always covered. I don't play much there's just something about having it here that reminds me a bit of my old life. Some of the good things and some of the not so good things, but it's probably more important to remember the bad."

Both of the men sat quietly for a moment before Harry said, "Teach me."

"How to play?"

"Yes."

"You want to learn?" the hazel eyes went wide. It wasn't something Harry had ever mentioned before. How many hours had they spent together in that parlor? He'd played for the other man three or four times and he'd never expressed any interest in playing himself.

"Why the surprise?"

"I don't know, probably just because most everyone I know that learned to play, including myself, didn't do it by choice. The lessons were forced on us. Even though I did grow to enjoy playing it wasn't that way at first."

"You grew up in such a different house than I did," Harry said addressing both Draco and his character at the same time.

"What do you mean by that?"

"I'm guessing you haven't read any of the unauthorized biographies about me. I know at least some of them have made it overseas."

"No offense Potter," he said gently. "I do like biographies but I prefer reading about NoMajs. Probably because I spent so much time being forced to read about witches and wizards when I was younger. A NoMaj book in the house or a book about NoMajs would have lead to some serious trouble."

Harry nodded in acknowledgement, "Teach me how to play, or at least a little bit, a short simple song and I'll tell you all about it."

"Isn't there anyone else that could teach you?"

"Hermione plays but she'd nag me if I didn't practice and tell me it's not worth learning if I don't put the effort into it," he dropped his chin but peeked up through his lashes to the other man looking for a similar response, when none came he continued, "there was one other person…"

"One other person?"

"Yes, but I haven't seen him in over two years. You're more approachable than he was though," he watched his slight jab hit its mark. Draco didn't answer for a moment just thinking that Harry was right. Now that Draco was Austin he was more approachable. He was as himself more approachable. Often he marveled at the thought that he had changed so much, and wondered if he ever went back home if anyone would believe he was genuine or would they simply think it was an act. Sure the answer was the latter, it was just another reason he needed to stay exactly where he was and leave his old life completely behind. It would be all the easier to do when this damn blizzard ended and could get Harry out of here.

In the meantime the other man was waving his hand in his face, "Hello. Where did you go? You kind of disappeared there for a moment." Harry just barely resisted the urge to apologize for the comment.

"Sorry," Draco said, "just got caught up in my thoughts, memories of my lessons," he lied.

"So do we have a deal?" he raised one eyebrow while tilting his head a bit with a slight smile.

He was answered with a laugh and a shake of the head, "You like making deals don't you?" Damn it, you would have been a good Slytherin.

"Hey if it gets me what I want," came the laughing response accompanied with a shrug.

He admired the sneaky tactic, again a very snake characteristic, but the man's lack of ambition to use his status as a hero was certainly more... well, anything but Slytherin.

"Okay. But I've never taught anyone else before so I can't guarantee I'll be any good. You sit here this bench really isn't that big, not big enough for both of us anyway. I'll grab a chair and sit next to you."

Harry did as he was instructed keeping his hands in his lap until the other man was seated beside him.

"I suppose I should start by teaching you the proper way to hold your hands but unless you're going to continue lessons on your own it's not that important. Certainly not on the first day anyway. Notes are probably more important. You said you wanted to learn a simple song. We should start there. Do you know Frere Jacques?"

"Is that Are You Sleeping?"

"Ugh," hazel eyes rolled. "Technically it's the same song but that translation completely changes the meaning of the song, which really doesn't matter so I won't go off on that tangent. You only need one hand for this song, your right. Lift it up and place it on the keys there," he said pointing. "Wait let me show you first."

Draco leaned over to reach the correct keys, causing Harry to lean back slightly. The blonde played the notes and even hummed along leading to wide green eyes. When he was done he sat back up straight.

"Go ahead and try," he said.

Harry lifted one hand and let it hover over the keys before turning and saying, "I couldn't really see what you were doing, sorry."

"That's my fault. I didn't really think this through. I was trying to copy the way I was taught but I was much younger, meaning I was much smaller and the teacher could sit next to me on the bench. Let me think for a moment."

The student considered suggesting enlarging the bench so they could sit side-by-side. It wouldn't need much enlarging, just a fifteen or twenty centimeters. He decided though that might have affected the things inside the bench. He didn't know exactly how that worked. It was a question to ask Hermione after he returned home. In the meantime he laid his hands back in his lap and sat waiting patiently.

"Okay let's try this," stood and moved over behind the other man. Keeping his left hand at his side, he leaned over to place his right hand on the keyboard his left cheek millimeters from Harry's. "Look at where I start. I'll play slowly; watch each key as I play.I'll start with just the first few measures; the first two I think, but I don't know that I've ever seen the actual music."

Harry breathed very slowly and carefully. The nearness of the other man had caused his heart rate to jump just a bit.

When Draco stood again Harry played exactly what he had been shown.

"Good job."

"It wasn't like it was hard."

"Still you played it perfectly on the first try. Now the next step, we add on more notes," he leaned over again this time touching the other man's back and played again slowly. "That's the next two lines of the song, so I'd guess it's the next two measures."

The brunette took his turn. These actions continued until the whole song had been demonstrated. Draco arms crossed watching his pupil play the song through slowly two times a smile growing on his face. "Excellent, now try playing it a bit faster. The song itself isn't quick but it is lively; at least the way I was taught."

Harry gave it a try but struggled to continue to hit the note in the right order, after several attempts he huffed and dropped his hands.

"Don't get so disappointed. Even simple pieces take time and practice. I had an idea. I wasn't going to bother teaching you note names but maybe it will help. You said you know the song-"

"The English words yes."

"Words won't matter right now. The tune and rhythm will. We're going to replace the words with the notes. We'll say it first, then sing it, then I'll play it while we sing it so you can get it all those ways at once."

Before beginning he drew his wand from its pocket, summoned a piece of parchment, an ink pen, and wrote something quickly before placing it on the piano, "Here, here are the note names so you can read them and sing along."

The first attempt led to laughter from both. When they settled, Draco held up a hand with three fingers up to count down and Harry picked up the parchment so that he could see both it and the other man at the same time. It still took a few more tries before they were able sing as one. After they had sung through the song three times in a row Drace gestured to stop.

"Got it?" he asked.

"I think so."

"So now watch while I play and sing along."

"OK."

The blond stepped up close behind his student and leaned over to play singing softly. Harry sat as still as he could singing and breathing shallowly until the other man stepped back.

"Now you try again."

The notes tinkled through the air and faded away.

"You've got it."

"It was a really simple song and you're a good teacher." It's why I can play chess as well as I do now.

"I don't know about that but it was more fun that I thought it would be. Don't go getting any ideas though, this will not become a habit and I'm not going to put out a sign and offer lessons to the locals."

His mild indignation was met with a chuckle, "Aw but you'd be so good at it. Seriously though it was a really simple song, and while it's nice to know I can play it, it was kind of boring."

"Most of the early songs you learn are. Why do you think I said everyone I know didn't enjoy their lessons? We can change it up a bit though. You play the basic notes and I'll play around them."

"What?"

"Just play what I taught you and keep playing it over and over."

Harry placed his hand back on the keys and began to play, his breath catching when Draco leaned in close with both hands on the keyboard on either side of his, chest firmly against his back. They played for several minutes, as they did both men relaxed into the other. As the last notes drifted away and their hands stilled For the second day in a row they found themselves nearly nose to nose. Neither moved for several seconds. Just as the day before the blond moved first, standing up and stepping back as subtly as he could.

"I just remembered the potions I want to work on tomorrow require a few things to be set up to sit overnight so I should go do that."

"I can come help out, and while we work I can tell you that early life story I owe you for this."

"No," the head shook slightly, "you don't have to do that. It won't take long and you can tell me later, maybe over dinner."

With that he apparated away and Harry slumped over head in hands. When his elbows hit the keyboard, the jangle sent him bolting upright. He slowly and carefully closed the lid and turned on the bench to look out the back window in the direction of the lab.

A/N oh my, I've been so bad about updating, so sorry to anyone reading. i do have the next chapter ready to go and am trying hard to get the one after done but it's fighting me. We are getting near the end though, pretty due this will only end up as 16 chapters and maybe a tiny epilogue. reviews are always welcomed and appreciated.