Disclaimer: Harry Potter belongs to JKR and her publishers; no money is being made.
This story developed from a drabble prompt: "Harry sees Malfoy trip on the stairs."

~ 01 ~

It's pure luck that Harry sees Malfoy fall on the stairs; even more luck that he makes it to him before he hits the ground.

"You're not supposed to get up alone!" Not after weeks of torture, not after having been brought to Grimmauld Place only days ago.

"Fuck off, Potter, I don't need your help!"

But Malfoy's body betrays his words, searching close contact, shaking, clinging. Even when they sit down on the couch in the study, he doesn't let go. Hot tears make their way into Harry's jumper until finally, Malfoy falls into an exhausted sleep.

.-.-.-.

~ 02 ~

Once he is sure that Malfoy is sleeping, Harry wants to get up. They still can't stand each other, and once the other boy wakes up, this will be more than awkward.

When he moves, Malfoy whimpers, holding on even tighter, and for whatever reason, Harry finds that he doesn't have the heart to leave. He tries two more times, but the result is the same.

In the end, he resigns himself to staying and closes his eyes. Minutes tick by slowly, Malfoy's thin body is warm against his own, and at least for a while, they can both forget.

.-.-.-.

~ 03 ~

Malfoy jerks awake with a strangled scream, eyes wide and frightened. But when Harry tries to pull him close again without thinking, he's pushed away. Malfoy glares, fists clenched tightly in his lap.

"I don't need your help!"

"I just --"

"Shut up, Potter! I said I don't need you! Any of you!"

"Right. Like you didn't need the Order to save your life."

Harry gets up and heads for the door, suddenly seething with anger. This was a stupid mistake, and he won't repeat it. He should have known better.

He doesn't look back.

.-.-.-.

~ 04 ~

Nobody cares. Harry needed a week to realise it, and now he's incredulous.

An Order member who's a Healer stopped by twice, Mrs. Weasley will bring a tray to Malfoy's room three times a day, but that's all. So what if his family tried to turn from Voldemort, what if he was tortured and his parents murdered. Nobody talks to him, nobody even tries to help. It isn't their problem.

Harry feels sick and ashamed, far more angered by this than by Malfoy's hostility. They're hypocrites, the lot of them, including himself.

So much for being the "light side".