Chapter 10: Protection from an Unlikely Person

"-And then he kissed me. But it wasn't like the usual snog, he kissed me like he cared." Harry sat on a blanket outside of Hagrid's hut, playing a game of tug the sock with Fang. Hagrid had the expression that he might just vomit.

"Well at least he's acting like a gentleman. I hope it's genuine and not just for show." Hermione said, stretching her legs.

Ron snorted. "I just don't understand it Harry. Malfoy is about as cuddly as a porcupine."

Harry stared at Fang in thought. "He's different. Something has changed. He's not the Malfoy we knew before. I mean yes, he's still an arrogant little prick, but I think being from under his father's command has done him a lot of good." Harry turned to Hagrid. "What do you think of all this?"

Hagrid swallowed his sandwich roughly. "I...I really don't know what to say Harry."

"Is it because I like guys?" Harry asked, lowering his head.

Hagrid shook his head vigorously, sending a shower of bread crumbs everywhere. "No, no! Some of the best wizards were homosexual. Dumbledore himself was gay."

The trio's eyes widened. "What?" They all exclaimed at the same time.

"Yes. He was in love with Grindelwald until he found out what a horrible person he was. I guess it just isn't discussed much." Hagrid said, slurping on pumpkin juice.

"Never thought the old coot would enjoy a cock up the arse." Ron said.

Harry shuddered. "Ron, don't ever mention 'old coot', 'cock', and 'arse' in the same sentence again."

Ron shrugged his shoulders.

Hagrid spoke up. "It's not the fact that you're dating another wizard, it's who you're dating. He is the son of a convicted death eater, not to mention that the Malfoy family doesn't exactly carry a squeaky clean reputation."

"You guys trust my judgment right?" Harry asked.

Hermione squeezed his shoulder. "Of course we do. We just don't want you to get hurt."

Harry nodded his head. "I know, but this is something I'll have to find out on my own."

"You're falling for Potter." Blaise said standing in the doorway of Draco's room.

Draco sighed as he put on his other shoe. "I have no idea what you're talking about."

"Don't play coy with me Mr. Malfoy. I know you better than anyone else that goes here. First off, you let him cuddle in your bed, and then you take him out on a date. You sound like a hopeless romantic to me."

"The guy has been through a lot. I just thought I'd show him a good time. Besides saving the world, he hasn't had time to enjoy his own life."

"Just be careful what you're getting yourself into."

Draco's face darkened. "What exactly do you mean by that?"

"There's talk," Blaise shifted uncomfortably. "They say that killing Voldemort drove him mad as a hatter. He sleepwalks and has vicious night terrors."

Draco rolled his eyes. "I'd have bad dreams too if I had to face Voldemort."

"But it's different. Some say he's possessed, that Voldemort lives in him always...just waiting for the moment to-"

"-That's enough!" Draco said, glaring at Blaise. "Harry goes off and saves all of our arses and how do you repay him? You go and spread nasty little rumors about him. Harry is fine. Just leave him be."

Blaise threw up his hands in protest. "Alright. Don't go barking at me. I just want you to be careful."

"I know what I'm doing." Draco said, signaling that the conversation was over.

Later that night, Draco began to get ready for bed. He yawned and slipped into his sheets. He thought he heard the door creak open.

"Harry? Is that you?" Draco asked peering into the darkness.

Harry slipped off the invisibility cloak. "Yeah it's me. Mind of I join you?"

Draco said nothing but merely pulled back the sheets on the opposite side of the bed.

Harry didn't bother placing pillow between them.

Draco stared at the Gryffindor with imploring eyes. "Have you been having nightmares again?"

"Yeah. They've been getting been getting worse lately." Harry responded, furrowing his brows.

Draco ran his fingers through the messy black hair. "Well try to get some sleep. Don't wake up too late though, Slughorn will have both our arses."

Harry smirked. "Yeah, too bad I lost his favoritism. It might come in handy these days."
They both snuggled down in the bed and fell asleep.

Draco awoke after feeling a cold sharp pain in his back. He groggily blinked and felt the pain again. "Potter, get your fucking knee out of my back!" he whispered angrily. He rolled over to find a clammy body unresponsive. "Shit! Harry!" He shook Harry but still there was no response. "Lumos" Draco shouted, and the room filled with light. Harry was stiff as a board,. "Harry! Wake up!" Draco shouted, smacking Harry across the face.

A strange frost was spreading over Harry, covering his body in tiny icicles.
Draco quickly took action. He ran to the bathroom and poured warm water into his rubbish bin. He jogged into his room and doused Harry with the warm water. "Fight it!" he shouted.

Harry woke up with a gasp and huffed for breath.

"It's ok. I'm here." Draco cradled Harry in his arms and was surprised to find that he was as limp as a rag doll.

Harry slowly breathed against the Slytherin's chest. "I'm cold."

Draco peeled off Harry's soaking shirt and wrapped him up in a blanket.

There was a beat of silence. "What's wrong with me?" Harry asked.

Draco shrugged his shoulders. "I don't know, but I'll do my best to try to figure it out with you. Those bad thoughts can sometimes have detrimental effects.

"You sound like you've had experience with this."
Draco rolled up his sleeve to show the now faded death eater brand. "They didn't just brand this on me and call it day. I had to prove that I was 'worthy' of his mark." Draco said with a snarl. "They did horrible things to me and they made me do horrible things. If it wasn't for controlling my thoughts, I would have succumbed to suicide or been killed because Voldemort thought I was weak. All the while, my bastard of a father just stood and watched as all this went on."

Harry clung to Draco, like his very own pillar of strength. He now realized why those silver eyes were always ice cold and full of contempt. "Will you teach me?" Harry traced circles on the bed sheet. "I might be able to sleep better."

"Yes of course, but of first you need to get some sleep." Draco said, kissing Harry's forehead. He watched as Harry closed his emerald eyes and he had the sudden urge to protect him from everything that might cause him harm.