Draco and Harry stood off to the side as Snape ushered them into their common room, issuing instructions for the prefects to get everyone settled.

"But Snape stayed outside with Draco and Harry.

Draco still had his hand on Harry's shoulder, and felt the boy tense up as professor Snape turned his attention to them. He was pleased, however, to note that Harry's face had brightened  as Draco smiled down at him

It was a good thing. It meant Harry wasn't going to be alone.

"Professor Snape." said Draco.

"Good evening, Draco professor Snape said.

"Hello, Harry," said Snape, bending down into the boy's line of sight.

Harry immediately turned his head to end the eye contact.

"Hello. My name is Harry. What is your name?" Harry asked.

Professor Snape stood up, a faint smile on his face.

"Harry, my name is Professor Snape, and I am your head of house."

The boy just stared somewhat blankly past his shoulder, resolutely avoiding all attempts on Snape's part to force eye contact.

"That means, Harry," he began, "that I am in charge of your well-being while you are here at school. Now, before I send you into Slytherin commonroom, I'd like to go over what we are going to be doing to make the transition from your old school to Hogwarts as painless as possible. Would that be okay?"

Harry nodded.

"Good. Follow me. Draco, you may come, too, if you wish." And he started walking briskly down the hall towards what Draco could only assume was his office.

Draco smirked as Harry practically had to run to keep up, stumbling slightly as his feet caught on his robes as he went. He wondered if the boy would trip and fall, but he needn't have worried. By the time they reach Snape's office, Harry had seemingly mastered the fine art of running in wizard robes.

"Have a seat, Harry," he said, pointing towards one of two chairs in front of the desk. Draco wondered if Snape was going to sit behind the desk, but was surprised to see him instead take the seat opposite Harry. For his part, Draco sank into a small couch in the corner where he could observe the boy's face freely.

Professor Snape  pointed to a plate of sandwiches sitting within arm's reach of Harry, and made sure he knew he was allowed to eat them. Draco  lazily summoned a sandwich as well, amused at the look of awe Harry gave him.

Uncharacteristically, and he would never be sure quite why he did it afterwards, Draco winked at the boy, who smiled a shy smile before happily tearing into the pile of food.

He listened and watched as Harry struggled to take in all the information Snape was throwing at him, but was pleased to see that Snape had a firm grasp on Harry, his differences, and the challenges he and the school would face together. He knew that the inattentiveness during the Sorting Ceremony would never happen again, and that Harry Potter would be protected and defended by his new housemates. It might take them a bit of getting used to Harry, but Snape and Draco knew that the Gryffindor's would do anything they can to insult Harry so they will tell their head if they do.

For his part, Snape knew he would be having a meeting with his House, as their behavior at the feast demonstrated for not making fun of him instead they glared at the Gryffindor's for saying such thing so he will award them points. Was also curious to see the 

Draco and Snape are curious about the affect Harry Potter's rigid attention to rules would have on the normally unruly Gryffindor House was. But seeing Harry in Slytherin could hardly see Harry willingly sneaking around the corridors after hours. He knew that the boy was obsessive about keeping time, too, and had the hardest time tolerating lateness or earliness or anything but exactness when it came being where he was supposed to be.

He watched as Harry absentmindedly played with the pocket watch Snape had presented him. It was charmed to tell not only what time it was, but when and where his next destination was. If he was in the Slytherin common room at 7AM, it would show Harry that he needed to be at the Great Hall for breakfast at 8AM. It was a simple way to easy Harry's anxiety about time as well as provide him with a constantly-updated look at his schedule-a schedule that would be changed only by his head of house himself.

"Now, in regards to classes-" Professor Snape trailed off as he realized Harry was not paying attention.

"Mr. Potter!" he snapped, causing the boy to startle and nearly drop his precious pocket watch. He shrank back in his chair.

"Sorry, Professor. You were getting boring is all, and I am rather tired." Harry said.

Draco allowed an eyebrow to raise at the boy's statement.

"Mr. Potter, it is not polite to tell someone they are boring you, and it is especially not acceptable to talk to a teacher in such a fashion," huffed Snape

 Draco and Snape smirked. They liked the boy's bluntness, preferred it, actually. No guesswork to figure out where you stood in Potter's eyes.

"In which fashion, Professor?" Harry asked timidly, obviously aware he had done something wrong but wasn't quite sure what it was. "And can I go to bed, please? I normally go to bed at 9PM but it is 10PM already and I am tired."

His voice was now petulant, and Snape and Draco could tell he was nearing the end of whatever self-control he had left after such a trying day. Thankfully, Snape picked up on that as well.

"What I meant, Harry," he said a bit more softly, "was that you need to be more respectful when talking to your teachers."

The boy looked confused.

"But I wasn't rude. I didn't call you old, even though you have black hair," Harry said, clearly certain he was pleading his case well, not making it harder on himself. "It is rude to call people with black hair old people, so I didn't. But you were boring. And I am tired. That is the truth."

Draco wanted to laugh at the look of shock and uncertainty on Snape's face. He sighed, and flicked his wand.

"I am sorry you are tired, Harry. I did not realize what time it was. Thank you for being patient."

Harry flashed him a brilliant smile.

"You are welcome, Professor," he said. "Can I go now?"

A knock on the door interrupted whatever Professor Snape had been about to say.

"Yes. You may go with Draco He is a prefect and you are to listen to what he tells you to do. Do you understand that, Mr. Potter?" asked Snape.

Harry nodded. He paused at the doorway, looking in Severus's direction.

Severus just watched the boy, not sure what was going on.

Draco followed Harry out the door.

"Thank you, Professor Snape," Harry said, again not quite making eye contact. And before waiting for a response, he scampered off to the door where he followed his house prefect down the hall. Snape listened as the boy's voice carried through the corridor. "Hi! My name is Harry. What is your name?"

The door closed and hew sighed

"He's taken to me and Draco

Snape  ready for bed himself.

" He can only hope that tomorrow everyone is ready for what will happen. he can plan ahead all he like, but children-" he snarled, remembering his own years at Hogwarts- "but children are unpredictable little monsters, and he knows that tonight was just a small taste of what will happen."

And with that, he stalked out of his office and in his own for the night.

Draco watched as the boy fell asleep, he to went to sleep.