As Potter is to Snape

Chapter 16

"Draco Malfoy will be coming to visit for a week."

Harry's eyes widened as he jumped up from where he had been sitting on the couch.

"What?!" He exclaimed, glaring down at Snape. "Why?"

Snape ignored Harry's outburst and calmly replied, "Because his parents are leaving the country for a trip and they are not taking him with them. He stays with me each year but with everything that has been happening, I forgot about it until I got the letter from Lucius Malfoy this morning."

"Why you? I'm sure he has loads of people who would love to have him for the week."

Snape sighed heavily. "Draco is my godson. He has been coming to stay with me for a week, once a year, since he was ten years old."

"Oh, that's rich!" Harry couldn't stand still. He moved to the back of the couch and leaned against it, turning his back on Snape as he crossed his arms over his chest. "No wonder you favor him so much. It all makes sense now. And just what am I supposed to do while he's here? Because I'm telling you, Snape, I'm not staying with Malfoy for a whole week!" He glared over his shoulder at Snape who remained sitting in his armchair as if his ward weren't throwing a fit right in front of him.

"I have had quite enough of this attitude that you are showing me right now." Snape began to lecture sternly. "I understand that you are upset, but I simply will not allow you to behave like this. Now you can either come back and sit down and have a conversation with me like the intelligent young man that I know you to be or if you insist on standing, you can do so in the corner until you learn how to speak to me properly. The choice is yours."

Harry wavered, but only for a moment. He had no doubt that Snape would make good on his threat of sending him to the corner, and it wasn't something that Harry had any desire to have happen. Especially not since things with Snape had been going surprising well the last few days. So with a sigh, Harry made his way back around the couch and took a seat in the spot he had just vacated.

Snape waited until Harry had settled back into the couch before he spoke. "Now, I know that this will be difficult for you. It will be for you both. I'm well aware that the relationship that you and Draco have is less than friendly-"

Harry interrupted with a scoff. "Less than friendly? Snape, Malfoy is a prat and-"

"Do not interrupt me." Snape cut him off, enunciating each syllable in his favorite "feared Potions Master" tone. Harry grit his teeth but remained quiet. "The situation is not ideal, Potter, but if I had told Lucius that Draco couldn't stay, he would have known that something was up. We do not need Lucius Malfoy to know that you're here."

Harry threw his hands up in frustration. "Then how are you going to keep him from finding out if Malfoy is here?! He's just going to run right to him and then he'll know."

"He won't. Draco won't say anything."

Harry shook his head stubbornly. "You must be really thick then, Snape, if you actually believe that."

Snape stood up then and pointed towards the corner. "That's it, into the corner with you."

"What?! No!" Harry knew his voice was dangerously close to a whine but he couldn't help it. This whole thing was turning sour and there was nothing he could do about it.

"I'm trying to have a civilized conversation with you, Potter, and you are fighting me at every turn. You're being rude and insolent and you should know by now that I absolutely will not tolerate it!"

Harry dropped his head but looked up at Snape through his fringe of dark hair. "I know, okay. I'm sorry. Honest, it won't happen again."

Snape glared down at him for another long moment before he sat back down once more with a heavy sigh. "I know that you are perfectly capable of sitting here and discussing this rationally, Potter. Why you are determined not to do so is beyond me." Snape's words had lost their sternness and he hoped that Harry didn't notice. The boy across from him didn't comment, however, he did give a small nod as he continued to stare down at the couch cushion.