CHAPTER ELEVEN

Disclaimer: Neither the characters or locations are mine; they belong to J. K. Rowling and various affiliated companies. No plagiarism or copyright infringement is intended. All characters will be returned safe and sound with smiles on their faces and food in their bellies. :D

A/N: This occurs some weeks later after my last chapter…I didn't write about those weeks because it would've just been Harry and Draco angst-ing over each other, which, well, isn't essential. You figure they'll be all angsty so you don't need to write about it, right? I can do it if people need me to (please don't need me to… :) )

Hogwarts was holding a masquerade ball for the students. Draco reluctantly agreed to go when Pansy and Blaise threatened him. Since returning to school Harry hadn't spoken to him once, wouldn't even look at him, and Draco had only left his room when absolutely necessary. Maybe he deserved it, but he wished he could explain things to Harry. The night of the ball Draco entered the hall nervously, almost turning back when he saw Harry dancing with Ginny, holding her tight. Blaise and Pansy each grabbed an arm and they pulled him into the room. They danced and Draco, sandwiched between them, tried to forget Harry, instead focusing on the hands running over his body. Pansy's? Blaise's? Both? Draco decided it didn't matter and wondered idly where the night would lead. Hermione's voice disrupted his thoughts.

'Mind if I cut in?' she asked.

Draco looked at Ron scowling in a corner and shook his head, extricating himself from Blaise and Pansy, who immediately turned their ministrations to each other.

'You clean up nice.' He told Hermione.

'Thanks. Uh…you look like you're having fun.' Hermione said, eyebrows raised questioningly.

'Oh, that. Yeah, I guess.'

'Why don't you talk to Harry? He misses you.'

'Could've fooled me.' Draco muttered, looking toward Harry and Ginny.

'She's just trying to make him feel better. I thought you loved him.'

'Jeez you're direct. I did, I do, but…'

'But…?'

'God, every time I touch him I hear him pleading for me to stop, hear him crying. I can't handle it.'

'You're still punishing yourself.'

'I can't help it.'

'He needs you, Draco. He's falling apart.'

'Nobody needs me.'

'Who are you kidding? Look closely at him.'

Draco did as she'd said and saw that Harry's posture was slouched, his eyes glazed, his lower lip trembling. Ginny looked incredibly concerned. Not the happy couple he'd thought.

'I…uh…didn't realize.' He mumbled.

Hermione smiled.

'You have to fix this.'

'I, I will. For now I should return you to Weasley. He looks like he might explode.'

Hermione laughed softly and moved off. The dance was suddenly interrupted by the appearance of Lucius. Draco frowned, fear chilling him to the bone. How'd he get here? Lucius looked at his son coldly, stepping over to him and grabbing his arm tightly. The entire room was staring, shocked and terrified.

'Father?' Draco whispered.

'I have no son.' Lucius hissed.

Draco felt a sharp pain in his knee as his father tapped it with his cane, and then Dumbledore and Severus were removing him. Draco felt funny. His mouth seemed furry whilst his limbs turned to jelly. He laughed hysterically at his situation and then crumpled to the floor, convulsing in agonizing spasms. He sensed the presence of someone beside him, felt a cool hand on his forehead, and then lost his grip on consciousness.

--

He awoke to agony. He was blind. He screamed and screamed, the echoes ringing in his ears.

--

He awoke with no recollection of losing consciousness. He could no longer hear his screams…the rawness of his throat indicated that he could no longer do so. His vision was still gone. His body was on fire. He wanted to scream.

--

Cool liquid trickled down his throat, soothing it. He seemed to have passed out again. He thought his vision had improved; he could make out darker fuzzy shapes in the general blackness. This time he felt the gentle tug of the blackness on his consciousness and collapsed willingly.

--

Hermione and Ron tried to console Harry but to no avail. Dumbledore had taken Draco somewhere and nobody seemed to know where.

'I don't see why you care so much, Harry.' Ron muttered, tiring of the situation.

'I need to see him…to talk to him. What if he's dead? I never got a chance to tell him how I felt.'

'I'm sure he knows.' Hermione said softly, silencing Ron with a look.

'But what if he doesn't?' Harry asked, collapsing to the floor, his body wracked with violent sobs.

--

He awoke, amazed at the clarity of his vision. His body still ached so much, and as he pulled himself into a sitting position a stabbing pain radiated out from his knee, causing him to cry out. He wondered what had happened. He started as Dumbledore's weary face peered around the doorframe.

'Ah good, you're awake. We thought we might lose you for a while there.'

'Where am I? What happened?' Draco asked.

'Lucius poisoned you at the masquerade ball, do you not remember?'

Draco thought back to the stabbing pain when he was hit with his father's cane and nodded.

'I remember now.'

'As for where you are, all that matters is you are safe. No one except myself and Severus know you are here, or, for that matter, whether you are alive or not.'

Draco's thoughts immediately flew to Harry.

'They think I'm dead?' he gasped.

'They have received no conformation one way or the other.'

'Harry…you must… You have to let Harry know that I'm ok.'

'I don't know if that's the safest thing to do… Why Harry?'

'I…I love him.' Draco whispered, avoiding Dumbledore's gaze.

The old wizard simply raised his eyebrows and sighed.

'I'll see what I can do.' He said softly.

'You, you will? Oh, thank you…thank you!'

'Settle down. You have not recovered completely. Try to sleep.'

Draco nodded and lay down, judging it best not to mention that all he'd been doing was sleeping. Soon his eyes closed and his breathing steadied as he fell into a sleep he hadn't realized he'd needed.

--

Hermione and Ron looked up as Dumbledore stepped into the Gryffindor common room. Harry remained curled on the floor.

'Harry,' Dumbledore said, 'I need you to come with me.'

Harry got up slowly, his gaze remaining on the floor. His face was blotchy and his eyes red and swollen from crying, and he felt more than a little foolish. He silently left the room with Dumbledore and then stopped. Dumbledore smiled reassuringly as he pulled a blindfold from a robe pocket, tying it gently around Harry's head.

'It is best that you not see where we are going. Understand that this is highly unusual, and will only occur once. For all intents and purposes, the fate of Draco Malfoy is unknown.'

Harry began to cry anew as he realized that Draco was alive. When they'd reached their destination the blindfold was removed and before Harry was Draco, pale as death and asleep on a bed. Harry fell to his knees next to the bed and kissed his hand. Draco's eyes fluttered open.

'Harry?' he asked.

Harry broke into tears again and kissed Draco passionately on the lips. Dumbledore cleared his throat uncomfortably.

'Right…er, well, I'll leave you two alone for a while then. But remember Mister Malfoy, you are supposed to be resting.'

With that Dumbledore left the two of them alone.

'Draco…' Harry whispered, gently touching his face.

Draco smiled, grabbing Harry's hands in his own.

'I…I thought you were…' Harry couldn't bring himself to say the word.

Draco sat up, ignoring the pain in his leg.

'Apparently that's what everyone is supposed to think. But I told Dumbledore he had to let you know I was ok.'

'I…I'm glad you're ok. I don't know what I would've done were you not. And Draco…I'm, I'm sorry. I shouldn't have tried to, you know, push things.'

'Shh Harry…don't apologize…you did nothing wrong.'

Harry sat on the bed and Draco pulled him close, kissing him. He pulled away, gasping for air.

'I wanted to,' Draco whispered, 'But… All I could hear was you begging me not to…'

Draco's eyes filled with tears. Harry wrapped his arms around Draco and they lay down, Harry resting his head on Draco's chest. As they drifted to sleep Harry whispered to Draco.

'Draco, are you awake? Don't say anything, just listen. Back at the start of school, when you…when we… I well, I kind of wanted you to. But I was…ashamed I guess. And I couldn't believe that you wanted to. I guess I sort of wanted you to stop as I was afraid you were making a big mistake. I…I'm sorry…'

Draco kissed the top of Harry's head.

'The only mistake I made was forcing you. Do you forgive me?'

'Of course.'

Thus comforted the boys fell asleep.

--

Harry awoke to Dumbledore gently shaking his shoulder.

'Harry….you must leave now.' He whispered.

Harry sat up reluctantly. Draco grabbed his arm, pulling him close.

'Wait for me.' he whispered.

'Of course.' Harry responded, brushing Draco's lips with his own.

Dumbledore led a blindfolded Harry away. Draco sighed and tried to return to sleep but his mind was full of Harry's confession…could he be so lucky?