Chapter Four: Cloaked and Ghastly
"Potter." Harry stirred, not wanting to loose his dream. "Potter!" An ice cold voice sliced through the images playing before his eyelids and Harry woke with a start, propelling himself forwards and hitting something hard with his head. He peeled open his eyes grunting in pain and clutching his forehead. Malfoy propelled himself backwards, swearing violently. Harry frowned.
"Malfoy?" Malfoy looked up, rubbing and clutching his forehead, mirroring Harry.
"It's your turn to keep watch." He said cooly, and Harry nodded and extracted himself from his sleeping bag, which had been twisted around his ankles uncomfortably. Malfoy slid into his own sleeping bag, rolled onto his side and clamped his jaw shut, without another word to Harry.
The brunette made his way to the tent's entrance, which would have been less than a foot from Malfoy's feet, and sat down. He studied the empty campsite for a few minutes before growing bored. He decided to tempt fate and glance at Malfoy. The blond still lay on his side, arms wrapped around himself and eyes staring firmly at the wall of the tent. Harry panicked.
"Malfoy?" The blond glanced at him.
"What now, Potter?" Harry heaved a sigh of relief, remembering with distaste what had happened to Malfoy before.
"Just checking." Malfoy eyed him warily before pushing himself up into a sitting position, looking at the confused brunette.
"I can't sleep." He concluded briefly, before staring at the ground. Harry gave in, eventually attempting to strike up conversation, just in the hope to end the awkward silence.
"I can't believe we have to spend the week here." Harry said, attempting to find something to relate to Draco with. Grey eyes flickered up to meet emerald green briefly before glancing down again.
"I can't imagine how horrible it must be for you." The comment was dripping with sarcasm and Harry felt a pang of hurt strike him. Harry went back to watching the campsite, and when he got bored he glanced down at the watch on his wrist, reading 3:04am. He glanced out of the tent again, expecting to find the once again empty night, but was suddenly intrigued by something approaching in the distance, high in the sky. It appeared to be black, and apparently able to fly.
"What Potter, seen a ghost?" Malfoy spat, amused at the look of horror on Harry's face.
"Shut up, Malfoy." Harry whispered, trying to focus his eyes closer on the approaching figure in the sky. He squinted.
"Excuse me? Don't you tell me to shut up, Potter. You just think you're so great, don't you, Potter? With your stupid glasses and your stupid broomstick and your stupid-" Harry reached and clamped a hand over Malfoy's mouth, suddenly realising that it probably wasn't a good idea to draw this creatures attention to them.
"I said shut up!" Malfoy roared in outrage, tearing Harry's hand from his face and pushing out of his sleeping bag and past Harry through the doorway. "Malfoy, don't go out there!" Harry warned, making to grab the blond.
"Oh so you're going to tell me what to do now as well, Potter?" Malfoy's eyes were glinting with rage but Harry could feel fear pressing down on his own chest. He glanced at the creature, which had almost reached the campsite now. Harry realised just as others joined it what the creatures were that were now swarming towards them. Dementors. Malfoy turned at the sudden cool breeze and froze at the sight of the robed creatures gliding towards them. The blond began to shake, eyes clouding as a dementor closed in, cradleling his face. Malfoy's blonde hair shined in the moonlight as his knees grew weak and his soul was sucked out through his mouth. Harry pushed himself up as fast as his legs would allow, sprinting towards Malfoy, who was now providing a feast for the dozen black creatures surrounding the campsite. He saw lights flicker on in the corner of his eye and prayed that the others would hurry. Just as another dementor swooped towards the paralysed blond Harry reached him, tackling the lithe form to the ground, and pushing him away. Malfoy's head hit the dirt harder than Harry would have preferred. He turned to the dementors now closing in on him, also. He lifted his wand and thought of his happiest memory. A stag so bright it was white shot from the tip of his wand, scattering the dementors. Harry heard the sound of feet approaching on gravel as his head exploded in sudden fatigue. His hearing was muffled as he turned to look down at Malfoy, who was sprawled on the ground, even paler than usual, tears still wet and fresh on his cheeks and unconscious. Harry's vision blurred and his knees gave way, and just as his head hit the ground, everything went black.
A few metres away two Aurors exchanged five pounds.
Harry woke with a horrible throb in his head, and was ashamed to admit to himself that the first word he uttered when he entered consciousness was 'Malfoy'. Kirke stood over him, hands on his hips and blue eyes worried.
"He lives!" He shouted and the sarcastic comment was rewarded with a few cheers.
Kirke held out a hand to Harry, and after a moment of hesitation, he took it.
"So now you're the Boy Who Lived Twice now, hey Harry?" Kirke teased as Harry stood and rubbed his head, eyes throbbing.
"Malfoy." Harry said, almost subconsciously, seemingly unaware of what he had muttered. "Where's Malfoy?" He repeated suddenly, looking at Kirke in urgency. Harry looked around the campsite, noting that it was light now, and that sunrise must have been several hours ago. He dashed for the tent and when he tore it open, grey eyes reluctantly met his.
"Hey." Harry started lamely, sitting down at the end of the tent, pulling his knees to his chest. Malfoy glared at him, which shouldn't have really surprised Harry as much as it did.
"So..." Malfoy glanced at Harry before looking back down at his page, which Harry noted was the exact same one he had been reading the night before. Seems like Malfoy had something on his mind. It wasn't like him to not be sufficient. "Guess you can't conjure a patronus." Malfoy looked up into Harry's green eyes and shook his head slightly.
"I never could, Potter. I didn't have special tutoring like you." Harry blinked at the statement, wondering what it meant.
"If you like... I can teach you. You're going to need it the next five days." Malfoy hesitated for a moment, and Harry could see the conflict in his eyes. He could almost read the thoughts running through the blond's head. He didn't need Potter of all people to teach him how to do something. He could teach himself. Then again, Potter had saved his life the previous night.
Harry watched as Malfoy bit his lip in concentration.
"Fine, Potter. I appreciate the offer. Meet me in the woods at noon." And with that, Malfoy crawled past Harry and out of the tent, walking out past the rest of the tents. Harry sighed. -This would be interesting.