Chapter 1: Unexpected Visitor
Sometimes you just know that something has gone wrong. It usually feels like that little tickling feeling that makes itself known at the nape of your neck. It's usually the feeling that one gets when they hear a noise in the dead of night when they know for sure that they are the only ones inside the house. It is usually the feeling that precedes the dread that then goes on to course through your body. That is the moment that you realise there is every possibility that you aren't actually alone after all. This feeling is one that Harry was feeling tenfold whilst in his pitch black dream. Or was it a nightmare? Harry wasn't too sure that he could tell the difference anymore. He turned around on the spot looking for something that he knew was in there. There had to be someone in here, he just knew it.
The bang of someone falling through his windows and ending up sprawled upon the floor was the sound that woke Harry up. He shot up in bed, all senses alert and magic swirling around his body, ready to attack the intruder if needs be.
Cautiously, Harry turned his head towards the small patch of floor that was illuminated by the moon light. When his eyes caught the glowing blond hair of the person that fell through the window, Harry was unsure of how he was supposed to be feeling. He was relieved that the threat was not as big as he feared, but the moment that he got over that short-lived relief he was back to being wary again. What was Malfoy doing in his bedroom the night before they were due to go back to Hogwarts?
"Malfoy, what the fuck are you doing in bedroom?" Hard demanded, trying his best to keep his voice quiet so that he wouldn't wake Uncle Vernon, it may only be a day before he went back to school but that wouldn't prevent a beating, it would make him get more creative; Harry hated it when Uncle Vernon decided to become creative.
"What a great way to treat a guest, Potter. Learn that from Mummy? Oh, wait, she's dead isn't she? Whoops." Malfoy sneered. However, Harry could see past the façade, Malfoy was scared and desperate.
"I'm sorry, but I wasn't exactly expecting any company. Seriously though, Malfoy, why are you here?" Harry had decided that maybe if he was kind then Malfoy would act accordingly.
"I-I...didn't know where else I could go." Malfoy whispered, his mask breaking completely. He took a huge, deep breath and carried on, "All of my friends wouldn't have taken me in. In fact they probably would have killed me or taken me to the Dark Lord. I'm a deserter, Potter."
Harry ignored the way that Malfoy spat the word 'friends' and attempted to overcome the shock that came with that revelation. How could Malfoy be a deserter? Why? Why did he come to me and not Dumbledore, for protection? There were too many questions running through his head, so Harry decided to take a risk and ask Malfoy some of them.
"Okay, but why couldn't you go to Dumbledore?" Harry asked, swinging his legs out of bed and facing Malfoy who had his knees propped up, arms resting on them with his head buried in his arms.
"He wouldn't have trusted me Potter." Malfoy said, although Harry knew he was lying.
Harry paused before asking his next question. Why would Malfoy lie about that? Then it hit him, Malfoy knew that Snape was on the Light side and thought that Dumbledore would force Malfoy to go to his godfather.
"Why are you a deserter? What did you do to deserve that title?"
"The Dark Lord was going to give me a task, but before that he was going to mark me. I-" Malfoy's voice cracked and it sounded as if he was trying to keep the tears at bay, "I have seen people marked before, Potter, it is not something that I want him to do to me."
"I understand that, at least. Are you going to Hogwarts this year?"
"I was planning to, but I don't know that I can now. I might be killed in my sleep, for Merlin's sake."
"I don't think you should miss out on your sixth year." Harry decided to take a risk here, but he knew that it was definitely the right thing to do. "Also, how can I possibly protect you if you're not at school?"
Malfoy's head shot up from his arms when Harry said that, he couldn't believe what he was hearing. He stared at Harry with an awed look in his eyes.
"Truly? You'll do that for me? But how can you protect me when I'm in the dungeons and you're in the tower?" he whispered, afraid that Harry was messing with him.
"I don't think that you'll be able to sleep in the dungeons Malfoy, it's too dangerous." Upon seeing Malfoy's dejected look, Harry quickly hurried on. "Look, we'll figure this all out in the morning for now let's just try and get some sleep. You can have the bed." Harry offered.
Malfoy slowly stood up and crossed a few steps to Harry's small, dingy bed, whilst Harry took a spare sheet from the cupboard and laid it on the floor. He curled up on top of it and quickly fell asleep as exhaustion overtook him.
For the second time that night Harry was woken up by a loud sound, this time it was Malfoy crying and whimpering in his sleep. He was curled up tightly in a ball with the sheets pushed to the end of the bed. His face, which was facing Harry, was scrunched up and had tear tracks running down it.
Without thinking Harry stood up from the floor and clambered into bed behind Malfoy. Wrapping his arms around Malfoy's vulnerable form, Harry dragged Malfoy towards him. The movement caused Malfoy to wake up and he turned around to bury his face in Harry's chest.
"Ssh, it's okay, I'm here now. Go back to sleep, Malfoy, go back to sleep." Harry murmured into his hair, pressing his face into those soft, blond locks.
"Please call me Draco."
It was so quiet that Harry almost didn't hear what he said. Almost.
"Okay, Draco, go to sleep now, nothing will hurt you while I'm here. Promise." Harry himself was already drifting off to sleep again, a grin of satisfaction lighting up his face.