A/N(s):
Old News: Hey to all my readers & reviewers.. Especially the ones who're hanging on for The Way We Are – many snuggles! I know many of you were told about a quick update, but I want to write the next few chapters in a very specific way, and I'm just not getting the time to get them done the way they are in my head. Although once they are committed to type-print I promise they'll be uploaded fairly fast .. .. and possibly all together!
What's New: This story! It's a stand-alone.. It'll make sense to anyone who's vaguely familiar with our intrepid heroes :) .. .. .. .. BUT! I also imagine that this is probably exactly what Harry and Draco will be like many years down the road from The Way We Are.. So those of you who're familiar with the story, there's that little bit extra there for you :) .. .. .. Enjoy! (& remember to REVIEW!)
"Oh! Mr. Malfoy! Wait!"
Draco almost didn't stop. Almost. Except that he recognized that painfully earnest voice. It belonged to one of the few people at St. Mungo's who didn't judge him lacking as far as being with Harry was concerned. So he halted his fearsome pace but he couldn't bring himself to turn around. Harry was in this direction somewhere, and he would get there faster if he stayed the course.
It didn't matter. Cheryl came trotting around to face him.
"Oh. I know you're anxious, Mr. Malfoy, so I thought I'd better tell you and save you the trip. Mr. Potter's not in Spell Damage anymore." For the first time Draco focused on Cheryl's face and she offered him a tentative smile. "They moved him to Spell Surgery just a few minutes ago. Seventh floor. Room Eighteen at the end of the hall. Mrs. Granger-Weasley is already there."
Draco forced a smile for the young Mediwitch-in-Training, but he could feel it go awry half way through. "Thank you, Cheryl. I'll just head on up now."
Cheryl shook her head in fondness but Draco didn't notice, already cutting a path through the crowded halls, at a faster clip than before, almost running now. Spell Surgery. Seventh Floor. Room Eighteen. Granger.
Draco banged through the door, only stopping his mad rush when he saw Granger standing in the waiting room. "Where is he? What happened?"
When she turned around, her face haggard and wet with tears, Draco's chest constricted. His voice was a strangled whisper, "Granger-?"
"We don't know anything yet. They just rushed him in there. Someone will be out to tell us once they have things under control."
Just as Draco was nodding, accepting that, trying to calm down, a blue light flashed across the ceiling and a piercing alarm sounded, just once. "What-?" The door he'd just come through burst open, three MediWizards running in, wands out. They rushed past Draco and Granger and through the only other door in the room. As the door opened a swell of noise poured out where there had been silence before.
Beeps, muted exclamations, hastily muttered spells, some swearing ... and above it all, a voice raised in command. "Somebody get me a pulse - we're losing him!"
And then the doors cut off the clamour as they shut, leaving behind an ominous silence.
Draco's breath hitched, his lungs constricting, making it impossible to drag in air.
Someone pounded him on the back twice. "Breathe, Malfoy!"
Half-choking, he dragged in air, then turned and clutched Granger's hands, using her as an anchor, forcing himself to remain standing. "I can't- I can't lose him. Granger. Granger, please. It doesn't work. Not without him. Nothing works. I-"
He knew he was probably squeezing her fingers too tight, but she didn't pull away, and he was too numb to be able to do anything about it. Granger swallowed past her own tears and gave him a watery smile. "He'll be fine. You'll see. It's Harry. He'll be okay." It was less convincing when she half didn't believe herself.
Draco's voice was a pained whisper again. "But what if he isn't? Granger, I can't- I-" His chest was starting to squeeze the air out of his lungs again.
They waited for an hour, watching people rush in and out of the room. Granger sat with him, letting him abuse her fingers. She only let go once, when Weasley arrived. Then she fairly flew across the room, sobbing into his arms, face buried in his shoulder.
Draco had swallowed and looked away, giving them a moment, not wanting to intrude, his chest hurting with the ache of missing Harry. How many times had he held Draco with just as much tender care as Weasley was holding Granger? Even when Draco had fought against it, Harry's hands would become firm but never hurtful. He always touched with a half-reverence, like he couldn't believe that he'd been given this gift, that he was allowed to touch Draco. Even still, after all this time. It was the reason Draco could never resist, no matter what stupid Gryffindor-ish scheme Potter came up with. He fought the tears making his eyes burn. He would not sit here crying like some girl because Potter had better not have done himself permanent damage! Or else Draco was going to march in there and poison the git himself.
How dare he?! When Draco had told him, again and again, that he needed to take better care of himself. Why couldn't he realize just how precious he was? Draco's eyes burned again and he swallowed the lump in his throat. Potter wouldn't be Potter if he suddenly started valuing himself over others he cared about.
The pressure on one of his hands had returned then and he had gratefully squeezed Granger's fingers as she sat between him and Weasley, holding each of their hands in each of hers, waiting.
Harry cracked his eyes open and groaned as light stabbed his brain. There was a murmur of voices and he could feel the lights dim behind his lids. Tentatively blinking, he tested his ability to open his eyes.
The first thing he saw was swimming grey eyes, peering down into his own. "Draco?" His voice was nothing more than a rasp but the blonde leaning over him smiled, one of his rare soft smiles.
"I'm here, Harry."
Despite the pulsating throbbing in his head, Harry smiled to hear his name said by that precious voice. It still gave him a thrill to hear it, if only because the privilege had been so hard won.
"Draco," he murmured as his eyes slipped closed again.
The End?