"Night!" I called, letting the door to the pub swing shut behind me. I smiled at the memories of the night, taking a deep breath of the crisp, cold December air.
The snow crunched beneath my feet as I began to walk in the direction of my flat. I heard a whine followed by the grumbling of a man's voice.
"What did I say?" The man shouted.
I looked over my shoulder to see two men in the alley way. One was exceptionally taller than the other, with short dark hair and a bushy beard growing from his tree trunk of a neck. The other man was slender and much shorter, long blond hair hanging around his face.
I frowned, but turned my back on the scene. It's none of your business I told myself.
"Please.. don-." The end of the man's words were cut off by a loud cry as he was slapped sharply across the face.
That's it.
I turned on my heel, drawing my wand.
"Hey! What's your problem?" I asked the man as I approached, anger bubbling beneath my skin.
I noticed that he was about two feet taller than me and twice as wide.
"Back off, this ain't your business." He grunted out, picking up the blond by his neck to pin him against the wall.
"You've made it my business. Let him go, or I'll hex you into next week." I said, raising my wand level to the man's face.
He scoffed, dropping the other man to the ground like garbage.
"You will, will ya? A tiny scrap like you?" He teased, stepping toward me menacingly.
I stood my ground, my jaw clenched in anger.
"Lumos." I said, lighting my wand to give the man a better view of my face.
He immediately halted in his tracks, his jaw going slack.
"You- you're-" He started.
"Yeah, I am. Piss off." I said threateningly.
He bent down slightly as if he were going to pick up the man from the ground.
"Leave him." I practically shouted, taking a step forward.
He didn't need to be told twice. He immediately turned, heading down the alley in a half-jog. I watched the darkness for a moment longer to be sure he wasn't returning.
I replaced my wand to my pocket, kneeling down next to the man on the ground. I fitted my hands underneath his arms, dragging him up against the wall into a sitting position.
"Hey." I said, shaking the man slightly. "Hey, are you okay?" I asked, lifting one of my hands from underneath his arm to lift his head up.
I raised his chin, his long hair sliding back off his face. I gasped and jumped back as if I had been burned, watching as the man slumped over again without my support. My heart was pounding in my chest as I slowly leaned forward again, hauling the man up against the wall again. I lifted his chin with one of my hands, pushing his hair back with my other. I drew my wand.
"Lumos." I whispered after a moment of hesitation.
There he was. Pointy face and white-blond hair. Unmistakably Draco Malfoy.
"Shit." I muttered, tucking my wand away again. "Malfoy." I muttered, patting his face slightly. "Malfoy, wake up." I demanded, shaking his shoulders slightly.
He gave a slight groan, his head lolling to the side. His eyes moved under his eyelids, but they did not open. There was a small trickle of blood coming from his lip where the other man had hit him.
"Damn it, Malfoy." I muttered, looking around at the snow covered ground.
I heaved a great sigh, grabbing one of his wrists. I wrapped his arm around my shoulders, hauling him up with every ounce of strength I could muster. I wrapped my other arm around his slender waist, holding him to me tightly as I began to walk.
I shoved the door of my apartment open, dragging Malfoy over to the couch. I set him down on it not too carefully, picking up his legs from the ground to lay him down. I shut the door of my apartment, walking over to the stove to click on the kettle. I plucked off my glasses, rubbing my face roughly with my hand.
I can't believe I have Draco sodding Malfoy in my apartment I thought to myself. Of all people, it just had to be him.
I heaved a great sigh as I let my hand drop, shoving my glasses back on my face as I turned around to grab a mug from my cabinet. I plucked a teabag from the shelf, setting it in my mug before grabbing the whistling kettle from the stove. I poured the water into the mug, clicking off the stove.
I walked back over to the living room, standing behind the couch to look down at Malfoy. His long hair was askew, falling all over the brown leather of my couch. His lip looked swollen, the blood on it now drying. I sighed and walked around the couch, setting my tea down on the table. I walked down the hall and into my bedroom, grabbing a pillow from my bed. I returned to the living room, kneeling down next to the couch to pick up Malfoy's head and shove the pillow underneath it. I stood and grabbed a rag from the drawer as I walked over to the kitchen sink, running warm water over it. I squeezed out the excess water, folding it as I walked back over to the couch.
I nudged Malfoy's legs to the side slightly to make room for me to sit down. I patted his pockets in search of a wand. The last thing I needed was for him to wake up and hex me before I could explain myself.
I checked and re-checked his pockets, only coming up with a few galleons and knuts. Where was his wand?
I frowned as I gently dabbed at his lip, watching as it lifted the dried blood from his wound. He groaned slightly, intaking his breath sharply. I saw his eyes open just a crack, enough so that he could barely see me. A deep frown spread across his pointy face.
"Get off me, Potter." He drawled, turning onto his side.
I froze, watching his angular face as it relaxed again. Suddenly he gasped, his eyes flying open. He sat up with such force I thought he was going to hit me in the face with his head.
"What am I doing here? What are you doing?" He reached up and felt his lip, which had begun to bleed again. "What did you do to me? What's going on?" He demanded, his eyes narrowing.
"Lay back down, Malfoy. You were in a fight." I muttered, pressing back on his shoulder to force him back down on the pillow.
"Me? In a fight? Malfoy's don't get in fights, Potter." He grumbled, wincing as I touched his lip with the damp cloth again. He swatted me away. "Why am I here? How did you find me?" He questioned.
I sighed, realizing he wouldn't give up until I gave him some answers.
"Like I said, you were in a fight. It was outside a bar, how much did you drink?" I asked.
His face pinched up as if I had said something idiotic.
"I don't fight, and I don't drink you imbecile. You must have seen wrong." He said stubbornly, crossing his arms.
"Well if you don't drink then why can't you remember what happened?" I questioned, raising the wet cloth to his mouth again.
He remained silent, glaring at me while I dabbed at his mouth.
"So you were drinking?" I asked after his lip had finally stopped bleeding.
"No, I wasn't. I'm not allowed t-" He cut himself off. "I don't drink." He said sternly. "And I don't fight."
I rolled my eyes. "Fine, tell that to the 7 foot beast I scared away tonight." I muttered, dropping the wet rag onto the table as I picked up my tea.
"7 foot.. Wait, who are you talking about?" Draco asked, sitting up again. I reached to push him back down, but he grabbed my wrist. I looked up at his face to find his eyes wide and full of fear. "Harry, who are you talking about, what did he look like?"
Harry?
"Uh- He um.." I stuttered out, taken off guard by Malfoy's sudden use of my first name. "He had dark hair and a beard. Pretty muscular."
Malfoy's grip on my wrist had become almost painful, his eyes widening even further.
"I have to g- I have to go. I have to get home. Let me up. Let me up!" He shouted, trying to push me off the couch.
I set my tea on the ground, spilling half of it as Draco pushed against my side to try and make me move.
"Calm down!" I shouted, grabbing his shoulders to make him be still. He was on the verge of hyperventilating, looking around frantically as if someone were going to come around the corner and attack him. "Malfoy!" I yelled, trying to get him to look at me.
"Malfoy!" I screamed, finally grasping his face in my hands.
His grey eyes landed on my face, his hands clutching my wrists, nails digging into my skin.
"What have you done?" He asked quietly. "Oh God, oh God, oh God, what have you done." He practically sobbed, clutching my wrists even tighter.
"What are you talking about?" I asked, ignoring the pain in my wrists.
He closed his eyes and shook his head, dry sobs coming from his body.
"Let me up." He said, his hands slackening from around my wrists.
"Why?".
"I have t- to get home." He said, dropping his hands completely.
"Why?"
He swallowed audibly, his eyebrows pulling together.
"He- he'll kill me if I don't. He'll kill me." He said, so quietly I almost couldn't hear him.
"Who?"
"Michael. My boyfriend." He choked out, his eyes finally opening. "The man in the alley."
Suddenly everything clicked. I dropped my hands from his face, watching as he closed his eyes again.
"P-please. Let me up." He said miserably.
"Where do you live?" I asked, causing him to look at me in shock.
"You're letting me leave?" He questioned.
"No. I'm asking where you live so I can rip him apart." I replied, my voice surprisingly steady.
Malfoy's eyes opened widely, fear filling them.
"N-no, you can't. You can't go over there. He'll- he'll kill you." He said hastily, grabbing my arm.
"Watch me." I stood, ripping my arm from Malfoy's grip.
I couldn't understand the sudden wave of rage that crashed through my body, all I knew is that I had to find this guy- Michael- and kill him. Nothing else mattered.
"Where do you live?" I repeated, my hands itching to punch this guy in the face.
Malfoy sat motionless on the couch, his mouth agape.
I opened my mouth to repeat my question.
"Why do you even care, Potter?" Malfoy snapped, standing from the couch.
I didn't have an answer, so I continued to stand silently, my jaw set. Malfoy gave a huff of frustration and started for my door. I stepped in front of him. He glared at me, trying to step around me. I took a side step and blocked him.
"Let me pass." He demanded, folding his arms.
"And then what? How are you even going to get home? You haven't got a wand and I expect you live far away from this dump." I said, gesturing to the general vicinity.
He continued to glare at me, his arms crossed tightly over his chest. His lip was becoming more and more swollen by the second. We stared at each other for a solid minute before Malfoy gave up with an annoyed huff.
"Fine." He said, turning on his heel to return to the couch.
He sat down angrily, a deep frown on his angular face as he glared at the fire. Another solid minute passed before I walked toward him, sitting on the couch beside him. I picked up my tea from the floor, setting my teabag on the damp towel. I handed him the mug, expecting him to turn his nose up at it. Surprisingly, he took it, holding it between his hands.
He took a deep breath, bringing the mug to his lips. He winced slightly, drawing the cup back when he realized he still had a wounded lip. He slowly returned it to his mouth, taking a long sip.
"Thank you." He muttered out.
I was barely able to contain my shock. I cleared my throat, normalizing my expression.
"You're welcome." I said, watching as he took another sip of tea. "Why didn't you tell anyone?" I asked quietly, as if sharing a secret.
He scoffed slightly. "It's not like anyone would care." He said, lowering his tea into his lap.
"I care." I blurted out before I could stop myself.
I saw an automatic twist of annoyance flash across his features as he turned his head to look at me. I worked hard to keep my face as sincere as possible. His expression melted away when he saw me, realizing that I was serious.
"Why?" He asked again, watching my face carefully.
All I could do was shrug. He gave a small huff and returned his attention to his tea.
"Where's your wand, Malfoy?" I asked.
He rubbed his thumb against the handle of his mug in contemplation.
"Michael took it a few months ago." He muttered out, focusing on his mug. "He said I wouldn't need it."
Anger flared in the pit of my stomach, the urge to track this guy down becoming stronger.
"How long have you been with him?" I asked.
Draco sniffed in contemplation, pursing his lips as he thought.
"Three years." He said finally.
I grit my teeth, trying not to imagine three years of Malfoy being used as a personal punching bag.
"Has it always been this bad?" I asked.
Malfoy looked at me, his face twitched as if deciding what expression to pull. Apparently at a loss, he looked back down at his mug. He sighed and set it on the table in front of us, standing slowly. He kept his back to me as he tugged upwards on the hem of his shirt, pulling it over his head.
I could see a large purple bruise on his back, holding my breath as he turned around to face me, his eyes downcast. There were brown and purple bruises spread all across his stomach and chest.
"He usually hits me where people can't see. It's easier to hide." He choked out between gritted teeth.
"Draco.." I whispered, his name falling out of my mouth before I even thought about it.
At my use of his name he let out a sharp sob, clutching his shirt to his chest as he brought his other hand up to his mouth. He doubled forward, as if about to fall to the ground. I stood and caught him in my arms, trying my best not to press any of his bruises as I embraced him. He rested his forehead on my shoulder, his arms squished between us as he cried.
I rubbed slow circles on his back, vowing to rip Michael to shreds the second I laid eyes on him.
"It's okay, he can't hurt you anymore." I said softly, bringing one of my hands up to stroke his hair. It was softer than I expected it to be, sliding between my fingers easily.
He lifted his head from my shoulder slightly, wiping his face on the back of his hand.
"I have no where to go. I h-have to go back." He said, sniffing deeply, his voice full of dread.
"You can stay here." I blurted out, not really thinking of the fact that I only had one bedroom. "Well- until you get on your feet again. I don't mind sleeping on the couch for a wh-."
He let out a shaky laugh, wiping at his eyes.
"Potter, I haven't seen you in over four years and your offering your home to me?" He questioned, his silvery eyes searching my face.
They were pink and bright with tears and far too close to my face to be acceptable. I glance down at his lips, which I noticed were dampened with his tears. I swallowed, my mouth suddenly going dry.
"I uh.. Well." I said, clearing my throat. "Yeah. I guess I am." I shrugged, stepping back to release him from my embrace.
He smiled wetly and shook his head, wiping his face with his shirt as he pulled it back over his head.
"You're as mental as the day I met you." He mumbled, a smirk tugging at the corner of his lip.
"Yeah." I admitted.
He flashed me another small smile. I watched as it reached his eyes, making them crinkle up briefly and send a flutter through my chest. I couldn't recall ever seeing Malfoy smile that way.
"Thank you, but I'm not a charity case." He muttered, the smile falling from his face as he smoothed out his shirt. He continued to hang his head, apparently interested in my sitting room table.
"I know." I said firmly. "You're a-" I cut myself off, my mouth forming around the word slowly. "Friend." I finished, watching his face.
His eyebrows drew together as he looked over at me, studying my face as if he was seeing me for the first time.
"A friend." He stated, more than questioned. I nodded. "Hm." He said, observing me a little longer.
I almost wanted to laugh. Me? Friends with Draco sodding Malfoy? It was verging on comical. After all our history, could it even be manageable? A smile pulled on my mouth as I outstretched my hand.
"Hi, I'm Harry. Harry Potter." I said, watching his expression change from confusion to amusement.
He lifted his head, raising his chin high.
He clasped his hand in mine, sending a shockwave through my body.
"Malfoy." He said, a full smile spreading across his face. "Draco Malfoy."