Title: What Is Found Is Precious As Gold
Disclaimer: I do not own the characters herein, nor do I claim them for my own. They belong to J. , Bloomsbury, W.B etc. and that is probably a good thing.
Pairings: Harry/Draco
Rating: PG-13
Warnings: EWE
Summary: Draco's version of What is Lost is Past and Gone.
Author's Notes: A look into what Draco was experiencing whilst Harry was, ah, dealing with colours. Also includes a little bit afterwards as a special treat. Enjoy!
"Malfoy, don't just stand there!"
"We need to get him to St. Mungos right now!"
"Oh my God...why is there so much blood..."
"Malfoy, come on!"
A tug on his arm, a concerned glance. Harry.
Draco could still remember how it all happened – he didn't think he was ever likely to forget.
He could still remember crouching there in the dirt, his wand in one sweat-slicked hand, his mouth open shouting obscenities at his enemy. He hadn't been watching Potter – he should've been. He'd known, after all, what Potter was like. Hell they'd worked together long enough for him to know that Potter was an idiot who didn't think about his own safety enough. He just...did whatever he wanted, damn the consequences.
He could feel the muscles in his hand tightening around the one he's got a hold of and he made a conscious effort to relax.
God he'd never been so scared.
And that was frightening.
Why had he been scared? Scared for Potter of all people? He'd seized up right after, it had taken the combined efforts of Granger and Weasley to tug him back long enough to grab the Portkey and get the hell of there. There'd been blood on the ground, all that red...he hadn't been able to look away. He'd seen it leaking from Harry's injuries, seen those glazed green eyes before Granger had gently pulled his lids down. She'd said he needed to keep them lubricated – Draco thought was a load of shit. She just didn't want to see Potter's eyes like that, looking out but...but not looking. Hell if she hadn't done it, Draco would've done it.
Only he wouldn't have been as gentle.
"Damn you Potter," he muttered to the still figure.
All was silent for a moment until alarms started to go off all around him and then everywhere there was movement and he was jostled out of the way as the Medwizards and witches pushed past him to get to Potter's body.
His hands clenched. He felt like shouting at the top of voice. God, why the hell was Potter doing this to him? Just when...just when things were going so well! Did he really hate him that much?
"Potter you bastard! Potter!" He raged in his own head as he watched the Mediwizards and Healers bend over that prone body. He would never forgive him, he decided. If Potter...he swallowed...If Potter died he was going to bring the bastard back and Crucio him. Several times. Over and over until Potter was begging for forgiveness with those pretty green eyes - pretty green eyes that were closed now.
God he was so fucked.
The Mediwizards left and he collapsed back into the chair he'd claimed as soon as Potter had been brought here. Granger and Weasley were off...somewhere, probably trying to calm down Potter's extended family of Gingers.
The Healers had told Draco to go home, to get a shower and wash the mud and sweat and...and the blood off him. He'd told them to stuff it. He'd snarled at them actually but it wasn't one of his best moments so he'd made an effort to forget about it.
Instead he thought back to that one moment, just before the mission, when Harry had been smiling at him. God the prat had looked so gorgeous with his self-conscious smile and shining eyes.
"Hey, you know, after this is all over, would you, ah, would you like..." Draco could still remember the blush that had spread across Potter's face. He'd even been clenching and unclenching his hands and what had Draco done? Draco had sneered at him.
"Can't even get a sentence out around me? Didn't know I affected you that much Potter, obviously my looks are too much for your feeble brain to comprehend."
He pressed his fist to his forehead, pressing into the skin there. God he was an idiot sometimes.
Potter's lips had compressed into a small line and he'd given one brisk nod before turning to Granger and Weasley, explaining the plan, being professional but smiling at them, showing them the camaraderie he'd never shown in front of Draco.
Fuck them, Draco had thought then, turning to Fletcher, the only other member of their small group to not be in the Dream Team. He'd ignored Potter after that, trying to stay as far away as possible.
Why had he done that? He shouldn't have have done that! He knew what Potter was like – knew he'd jump into anything if you didn't pull him back. Hell, he wouldn'tthink unless you pounded the words into his head.
Draco had always been the person to do that, Granger would too sometimes but Draco was the one to really get the words through. Harry - Potter- would listen to him. He'd make him listen. But he hadn't this time.
Because he'd been jealous.
Well, at least he could admit it to himself. That was a slight improvement over his child-self.
Scowling down at Potter Draco finally noticed that his body was shaking, his brows were drawn together and his mouth was pinched. Potter was in pain, he realised, jumping to his feet and calling for the Healers immediately.
He couldn't understand any of it – why was Potter in pain? Why was...he was bleeding out of his mouth and Draco turned away from the sight. He couldn't watch this. He couldn't, it was just too much, to much to handle after everything...
Instead he started screaming again, a silent scream that he aimed at the stubborn idiot just feet away from him.
"Potter you can't do this! After everything you've done these past few days . You can't fucking do this, I just realised it all you bastard. Fuck you Potter don't you dare do this before I have a chance to explain!"
He hadn't realised at first – Potter was actually more sneaky that he'd ever given him credit for. When he'd finally started paying attention he'd noticed the glances first, those pretty eyes peaking up under the black fringe, the looks that had followed him around the room, the brushes of body against body as he'd walked by. He was still not sure if he hadn't been consciously avoiding thinking about them.
After all, who would've guessed that Harry Potter, Defeater-of-All-and-Any-Evil was flirting with him? Draco Malfoy, He-Of-A-Thousand-Mistakes? He'd made so many he was terrified of screwing this up...
And he had anyway by not doing anything. He just couldn't do anything right could he?
The Prophet had been right. He would've been better off in Azkaban, locked away where he could no longer hurt anyone. Especially Harry...
But he couldn't stay away could he? Harry had been the first one to give him a chance. Potter-Harry had been the one to grab his hand and pull him towards a future. It had been a future of working together with him, of being his...maybe-sort of-friend. They'd actually gone out together for drinks several times, Potter had been willing to be seen in public with him when many of his other so-called friends had abandoned him to the Prophet and the angry public.
And what had he done? Brushed Potter off. Again and again but Potter had still persisted.
He could be a stubborn bastard sometimes.
A smile tugged at his lips but it soon disappeared when those damn alarms started going off again. He could tell even before they came back in that it was more serious this time. Potter was pale – far too pale – deathly pale. His body was shaking again but there was no sign of blood this time – a small relief. The Healers all looked confused and panicked as they did their best to bring Potter back - and that was probably worse. If they didn't know what was wrong with Potter how could they fix him?
"Oh God why are doing this Potter? We just…we were only just starting and fucking hell don't you dare give up Harry Potter!"
Everything slowed down as the Healers worked and finally it was just him and Potter again. Potter looked like he was asleep but Draco was aware now, looking out for the faint twitches of his hand, the beeping coming from the thousands of spells currently holding him to life.
He grabbed Potter's hand again, just to feel him. He needed the contact. He leaned out, brushing a hand down one cold cheek. He wasn't supposed to feel cold was he? He was supposed to be warm, oh-so-warm and brimming over with life and...shit. Just another thing Draco Malfoy had failed at fantastically.
He really should be used to this by now.
And just where the hell were Granger and Weasley? Shouldn't his so-called friends be here with him? Potter was dying! Didn't they care?
He could hear himself muttering, words he wasn't even sure of, had no idea where they'd come from, they just poured out. "Potter-Harry-wait, Potter, you're fine. Really, just fine. Well, almost. Maybe not quite. Damn it he's not dying. You're more stubborn than this Potter. You've just got to hold on, God Potter you stubborn bastard you'd better hold on. You've faced more than this and survived, you can damn well use that stupid luck of yours and...and get out of this somehow. Please..."
He stayed like that for a while, just resting his head against Harry's arm and closing his eyes for a bit. God he was so tired though. First the fight and then the quick getaway, the rush to get Harry help, Granger's voice ringing in his ears.
"Stay with him Malfoy, we have things to do. But someone has to stay with him."
And then Weasley, standing there with a strange look in his eyes.
"I don't know why but Harry would want you there. If you're not there when we get back I'll break both your legs. Then your arms. Then I'll fix them up and break them again."
Draco had promised to stay – hell they probably couldn't have torn him away. He just wanted to rest, to stay beside Harry forever.
He sat up abruptly, eyes open and staring down at the figure in front of him in disbelief. Where had that thought come from? He didn't—he did.
He started laughing quietly to himself. God he did, didn't he? He wanted to stay with Harry forever. It was no use calling him Potter anymore was it? He wanted to stay beside Harry...and Harry was dying.
He snorted, the laughter growing until voices started hushing him to be quiet.
Granger and Weasley stood beside his chair, twin looks of concern on their faces. Granger had hold of a massive book, clasped protectively to her chest and as soon as she knew that she had Draco's attention she thrust the book into his hands, pointing to it.
"We're going to save Harry." She said triumphantly, Weasley nodded beside her.
The relief was so great that Draco passed out.
He came back just as Harry started screaming.
"What the hell are you doing! Fuck, what's going on? Harry!"
Weasley told him to sit down and Draco found himself collapsing back into the chair he'd stolen-he cast a quick charm-five hours ago.
He could only stare in shock for a few moments. It had only been five hours? It felt like an eternity. And Harry was still screaming. But Granger stood over him, and Weasley stood guard next to her and Draco knew that Harry would be safe in their hands so he stayed quiet. There wasn't anything else he could do.
It was only afterwards, after they'd left that Draco knew Harry was going to be okay. The colour was back in his face, he wasn't shaking anymore and he looked…he actually looked sort of peaceful.
When Potter finally opened his eyes Draco was still holding his hand – but he wasn't about to let go now and draw possible attention to it. And besides, Potter was so out of it he probably wouldn't even notice anyway.
"What the hell were you trying to pull Potter?" He demanded as soon as Potter's eyes were focused on him.
Potter had the strangest smile on his face as he looked at him. It was…it was warm and friendly and Draco never wanted it to go away but he knew it would. As soon as Potter was awake he'd remember that Draco failed him.
Harry didn't say anything about what happened before though. He frowned a bit but then the smile was back. "Harry," he said, "you called me Harry in there."
Draco felt the shock overtake him for a moment. He wasn't sure how Harry heard him but...he did. Harry heard him. Not Granger, or Weasley, but him. Draco Malfoy. He could feel himself smiling despite himself.
"Whatever...Harry."
Harry was struggling to sit up now and Draco pushed him back down firmly, placing his spare hand against Harry's chest and just…leaving it there. He needed the contact, he needed…he needed to feel feel Harry's heartbeat. His breath...
He wasn't sure when he moved but he all of a sudden he was kissing Harry.
He was kissing Harry. And Harry was kissing back.
He wanted...he didn't know what he wanted yet but he knew it involved Harry, and more of these kisses. He wanted…everything Harry could give him.
Draco moved slowly back and Harry was still smiling up at him.
"Thanks," he said, "I, ah…"
Draco shook his head and leaned in to kiss him again. Just as he was inches away from Harry's mouth, feeling Harry's breath - he's alive, he's there - against his lips he mouthed the words before closing the gap between.
"I love you."
"I know."
The End.
