Author's Note: This unfortunately marks the end of my pre-written chapters (well, pre-written in the sense that I'm copying and pasting from AO3 until this point).

Draco Malfoy, not to put too fine a point on it, was sulking.

He knew it was childish, knew that if Severus saw that petulant bottom lip, he'd likely be set to scrubbing cauldrons until his birthday, and yet for all that, he still sulked.

It was humiliating, knowing that you couldn't be trusted to your own devices. It had burned when Severus had sent him to Spinners End early, the night before everyone else. "For his own good," his godfather had elaborated, but wouldn't say why. It wasn't like he had anyone to really make his goodbyes to (only Pansy and Blaise, and Theo if he didn't still hate him), but it was the principle of it all.

Draco was very big on the principle of the matter.

Instead, he felt like a properly chastened child, even if it was a bit fun having the house and grounds all to himself for a night. Oh, there were the house elves, but he didn't bother them and they stayed well away from him, aside from telling him when supper was ready and cleaning up his room a bit (though he'd told them not to). Toppy was the head elf, dressed smartly in green and black, and he'd told Draco that they didn't listen to his orders in a snippy voice that nonetheless turned the tips of Draco's ears red.

It's not like he'd meant to sound nasty.

There were a great deal of things, however, that Draco had never meant, and he was still paying for. The Dark Lord, for one. His youth worked for him, much to his surprise. His mother had testified on his behalf. So had Dumbledore, and wasn't that a shock?

The fireplace finally flared to life and Draco straightened with relief on the sofa, firmly sucking his bottom lip back in and endeavouring to look like he'd merely been waiting for the professor's arrival. Severus stepped through in a graceful sweep of robes and stumbling after him, spattered in soot, untidy hair sticking up in furious profusion-

Was Harry "Pain in the Arse" Potter.

"You can't be serious," Draco spluttered before he could stop himself. Potter looked at him, with a bit of resignation in his gaze, before Severus's face filled his vision, stiff and stern and eyes banked with fire.

"I am very serious, Mr. Malfoy," Severus said softly. "You will co-habit with Potter this summer and you will act like an adult about it, or make no mistake, the detentions I handed out at Hogwarts will look like Christmas. Do I make myself clear?"

"As crystal," Draco replied sulkily. Potter was now avoiding his gaze (as well he should, Draco thought with indignation).

"I have already informed Potter of these circumstances and I trust, you will behave, Draco," Severus continued. "I do not expect you to like each other. You do not have to become friends, share confidences, or do anything else beyond get along under this roof."

"Yes, sir," Potter spoke up, and Draco hastily echoed. Despite being an adult now, he still felt like a gobsmacked first year. It was rather unpleasant.

"I meant to inform you without Potter being in the vicinity, but you weren't in your room," Severus said, inclining one eyebrow. "You aren't usually up this early, Draco."

"I couldn't sleep," Draco shrugged, his cheeks pinkening. He had had too many nightmares to sleep properly.

"I can't give you more Dreamless Sleep," Severus informed him quietly. "You've had too many doses in too short a time already, and it is habit-forming. Talk to me later, and we'll work on your meditation."

"Thank you, sir," Draco whispered, painfully aware of Potter bumbling around with his trunk, just within ear shot.

"You two will be sharing a suite," Severus said louder. "Separate bedrooms, but that's about it. I trust that you will be able to live with this?"

Another jumbled chorus of "yes, sir" and the professor smiled thinly.

"Show Potter to his new room, Draco," Severus said. "Then come down for breakfast, both of you. It's time you heard the house rules in their entirety."

"Yes, sir," Potter mumbled, tipping his trunk up on one end.

"Oh, come on, Potter," Draco rolled his eyes, waving his wand at the bloody thing and lifting it in the air. "Did you forget? You can do magic wherever you want now."

"I did actually," Potter admitted, his own face reddening a bit. "Thanks."

Perhaps this summer would be marginally tolerable, Draco thought.