Prologue – Savior

"Lucius…"

"No… Master, please… have mercy…"

"My patience has run out," the man said dryly, or at least what seemed to look like a man. He tapped his wand upon his palm, then looked up. "You are of no use to me."

"NO! My lord, please…" a woman with sleek blond hair screamed from the other end of the room, tied to a sturdy tombstone. "Please, lord… Don't take my husband…"

The blinding green light they knew all too well flashed through the room. Lucius stiffened and fell upon the ground, not even with the slightest gasp. It was painless, yet too much a shock for the woman to understand.

"LUCIUS!" She struggled to free herself, weeping in agony.

"Next, it's you."

The woman stared up at him coldly, her eyes glimmering.

"Then take my life. Just don't harm my son."

"And what makes you think I won't, after you're dead and gone?" Another flash of light marked the end of a mother's woe. Narcissa died with her eyes open in distress.

"Now, the boy. Oh, I enjoy this." The man walked up to the pale-faced teenager, rubbing his wand teasingly. "How shall I torture you today?"

Draco Malfoy just sat there, his mouth gaping. He was at his end now, and dead was probably the most appropriate word to define it. Unknowingly, tears streamed down his porcelain cheeks as he stared at the beast, the killer, the murderer…

"Why, such a beautiful boy you are. Almost reminds me of myself." Voldemort laughed in amusement, placing a finger upon Draco's fine skin, making Draco shrink back, aghast. "I have something fitting for you. Tunighdo."

Draco sat there, anticipating death. He'd always wondered what it'd feel like, and now he'd get his hands-on experience. He felt a burning sensation from inside his core, although it seemed a lot lower down. Whatever it was, it could not possibly have hurt any more than that. Draco felt faint, like his world was turning into a blur.

"Now, let me remind you of how I used to be when a boy…" Draco heard an evil laugh, followed by an incantation he recognized as the enlarging charm. Then, as if a spear had pierced into him, he felt as if his insides were ripped apart. Voldemort pushed him onto his knees, driving the pain deeper and deeper inside him. Draco cried out, his temples pulsating at their limits.

"That's right, scream," Voldermort spoke so coldly for one doing what he was doing. "The worst is yet to come."

"Not if I can help it!" A skinny, dark haired boy pointed his wand at the evil wizard, uttering the words he wished he would only speak once, avada kedavra. The wizard writhed and struggled, like an electric shock protruding his body. Draco, whom he was connected to at that time, felt a rush of pain up his entire body. He could feel himself slipping away…

Then, the Dark Lord vanished into an abyss of darkness. Harry Potter was not sure if he had gone for sure. He trembled at the thought of his using the spell – after all, it was forbidden. After a moment of thought, he noticed the blond-haired boy, lying on the floor lifeless.

"Oh… Shit… Malfoy, I didn't know…" Harry ran up to Draco, panicking as he felt the pale, cold body. "I didn't kill you, right? Oh God… I didn't kill you… I didn't…"

Harry's fingers trembled, making him drop his wand upon Draco's chest. The boy stirred, muttering something feverishly. Relieved, Harry propped Draco's head upon his lap and looked around the dark graveyard. He noticed two bodies lying on the ground – Draco's parents. Shocked, Harry knew he had to get out of there fast.

"Here we go, back to where I came from." Harry held Draco's hand, then touched a brick – the portkey he had used to get there. They seemed to fly through space and time, until they arrived at the little remote corner of Knockturn Alley. Draco fell onto him as they landed, groaning painfully.

"Malfoy, are you alright?"

"Hurts…" That was all he managed to say, before falling unconscious again. Harry noticed how thin and weak Draco looked, realizing Draco could be closer to death then he had imagined.

He was frantic – there was a boy here dying, and he needed help. Even if it was Draco. He realized how far away he was from all who could actually help him. He needed to get Draco somewhere safe…

"Excuse me! Sir! I need your help!" Harry ran into the closest building he could find, a little inn along Knockturn Alley.

"Bloody boy," the man at the desk retorted. "Get the hell out!"

"Please, I need your help! There's a boy outside who needs medical attention!"

"What do I look like, a nurse?"

"I can give you 50 galleons."

The hostility in the air suddenly dissipated.

"You could have a room for the night. That's the most."

"I'll take it." Harry sighed, taking the key and parting with his money. He dragged Draco in, holding him up at the shoulders. The man ignored them completely, as if it were a normality to bring in lifeless bodies every day.

He trudged up the stairs, taking breaks to catch his breath. He forced the rusted key into the door, then set Draco down upon the bed. Draco stirred, moaning and whimpering once in a while.

"Where does it hurt, Malfoy? I'm sorry. Was it because of my spell?"

Draco grunted deliriously, rolling around the bed in agony.

"Numondinous." Draco stopped rolling so much, feeling numb all over. However, tears still streaked down his face. He opened his eyes, and upon seeing Harry he closed them, trying to push himself away.

"I'm here to help you, Malfoy. Where does it hurt?"

"Everywhere," he moaned.

"Where does it hurt the most?"

To this, Draco was silent. His eyes looked at Harry pleadingly, as if he were reluctant to tell Harry. But then, another shot of pain kicked in, making Draco yelp. He had to have someone stop the pain.

"It hurts down here." Draco pointed to his posterior of his pants, which, to Harry's shock, had a gaping hole with a bloodstain. Harry regained his composure quickly, once he realized the severity of the situation

"Malfoy, you're bleeding!" Harry rushed to the attached bathroom to get toilet paper and some water. "I'll help you clean it up."

"No!" Draco managed to whine, but Harry ignored him. He knew that Malfoy had to be tended to somehow. Since they were in an unknown place with little help, Harry knew he had to rely on Muggle methods.

"This'll sting just a little."

"No… don't."

"Malfoy, I have to stop the bleeding."

Draco turned his head to stare at the blood spot, which was already increasing in size. He was in too much pain to have a choice.

Harry dabbed his wound with damp toilet paper. Draco hissed at the stinging sensation, but then again he had to admit it was feeling a little less painful. He lay on his chest, staring at the wall. He was trying hard not to remember.

"Malfoy, I'll need to put a bit of antiseptic."

"Antiseptic?"

"It heals wounds." He pulled out a tiny bottle from his pocket. "I keep it around. It comes in handy when Dudley beats me up."

Harry unzipped Draco's pants while Draco was filled with unease. He grimaced for a while at the sight of Draco's anal opening – it was cracked and bleeding, as if it had been penetrated with a large object. Then, he dripped a bit of antiseptic onto the toilet paper and dabbed the wound gently.

Draco cried out as it stung him. It felt like poison, and he was almost certain that Harry was trying to kill him. He pounded his fists upon the bed, but then he realized the pain was subsiding.

"There, it's a bit better. I still have to get you somewhere safe."

"Potter?"

"Yes?"

"Oh." Draco couldn't seem to register the fact that his arch-enemy was nursing him. But after all, events had taken such a drastic turn that Draco realized he probably wasn't dreaming. Then, the images began to flash before him.

His father, falling upon the ground, lifeless. His mother, gaping at Voldemort as he killed her. Voldemort hurting him… hurting him so much…

"You alright? You're crying."

Draco stared up at Harry. True enough, his cheeks were moist. He felt broken, so broken. His whole body shivered in the deep chagrin he felt.

"You saw everything happen, did you?" Harry's eyes met Draco's – they were sympathetic and apologetic. Their gazes locked for a while, then Draco looked away silently. Another tear graced his soft skin.

"Is there anything I can get you?" Harry changed the topic abruptly, putting away his bottle of antiseptic. Draco remained silent, crying for his losses.

Harry shrugged, deciding that Draco was best left alone. He moved to the table to scribble a note. He wrote to Ron and Hermione, telling them where he was and whether they could help him. His letter would be posted off today, and hopefully they could get here by tomorrow. He wondered what he'd feed Draco for dinner, for it looked as if the poor boy was in need of nourishment and good rest.

Harry stared at the boy with much pity. Even when he lost his own parents, he didn't witness it firsthand. He realized that now they had even more in common than he'd have expected. As Draco drifted off to sleep, Harry stared at him with newfound compassion.