Ron looked around, confused. He'd been doing this alot lately. Probably because of the stress. Who knew. Could be anything with this war that's been going on. Plus because of what's happened to Harry. Dean nudged Ron hard in the side. "Malfoy's brought Harry's...Harry out, aren't you going to come down?"
"Malfoy...? Didn't they...break up...?"
Dean looked concerned. "Are you sure you feel alright, mate? It's almost like you've not quite been with it the last few weeks...I dunno...I'm not the only one who's noticed, either. Harry and Malfoy haven't split up as far as I know, and that's alot...you know you can always talk to me if you want, right? You know, if anything's bugging you or anything?"
"Yeah...fine...and thanks. I appreciate it. Um...let's go?"
Dean still looked unconvinced. "Yeah, let's go." He watched as Ron went slightly ahead of him, then hung back a little when he saw Seamus, just a little behind.
"Ron's acting weird again, Seam. I'm concerned."
Seamus looked darkly at Ron's back. "Your not the only one. You know, I think he's loosing it a bit...you know with...well. You get my flow."
"Yeah. Ever since the book...everyone's changing, not just Ron. And I'm not entirely sure it's for the better. I think he's in shock, you know, with his best friend and everything..."
Seamus went silent. "You know, have you ever thought that...maybe someone else was in the room? Cursed the book? Or even confused the book, to say what it didn't mean...and maybe Harry didn't have to fight Voldemort, but that's what he thought."
Dean couldn't say that he hadn't thought about it. He thought the probability of someone else being in the room was high, though. It wasn't him, and he didn't think there was a chance in hell of it being Seamus, Neville or Ron. It was just too unlikely. Why would they want their friend to die? It was all too confusing. "Yeah, maybe."
"Have you ever thought about it being the guys? Not that I'm accusing them or anything," he added hastily.
"Yeah," Dean said guiltily. "But that isn't something they'd do is it?"
"Exactly," Seamus said, then ran down to the crowd gathering around Harry.
Dean hesitated for a moment, and then followed him. This whole weird mode was infectious.
----------------------------
Draco shielded Harry from view with his wings, afraid the traitor was around. Dumbledore put a hand on the Veela's shoulder. "Draco, we need to see Harry." Draco glared at the old man and made no move to remove his wings. Dumbledore sighed. "Draco, would it feel better if we weren't surrounded by all of these people?"
Draco looked around wearily, and saw a couple of figures he didn't trust too well. He nodded cautiously. "Back to Hogwarts."
Dumbledore stared Draco straight in the eye for a moment longer than necessary. Then raised his voice and looked to the crowd. "Can everyone please make their way to Hogwarts? Then sit in the Great Hall for some lunch. You'll need it." Dumbledore watched as they all left, one by one except the few exceptions that were Harry's closest friends. "I know you would rather be with Harry at this moment in time, but me and Draco have things to discuss...If you will make your way to the Great Hall, I will send for you as soon as we need you. But for now, there are more important matters at hand."
They glared at Dumbledore, while Ron said, "why? Why should we have to sit back while you talk about Harry? If anything, we're more important than you to Harry, so we should have a right to listen, too. In fact, what exactly do you need to talk about that's so important? You've seen Harry, seen what state he's in, he obviously can't tell you what happened and neither can Draco...so please tell us what is so important? I say Harry needs to go to the Hospital Wing before any discussion takes place."
The others gaped in shock. Draco felt even more shocked than they looked. Then, suddenly he had this new found respect for Harry's friends. They may be all Gryffindors, but they really were one-of-a-kind. Draco turned to Dumbledore. "I personally agree with Weasley. I think we should take Harry to Pomfrey and then the only discussion I'll be having is with his friends. Harry would've wanted that. You see, with all what he has lost, friends always do come first."
Dumbledore looked between the teenagers. "I see," he said, even though he looked like he didn't see anything. "I should probably get to the Great Hall. You know where you can find me, and I trust that you can find your way to Madam Pomfrey safely?"
"I've been in there plenty of times. I think I can find my way there once again."
"OK, then. Please come and find me if you have any updates. I'm just as worried as you are about him."
"In all due respect, I very much doubt that, but thanks all the same. We need a Portkey, by the way."
Dumbledore actually looked embarrassed. "Ah - Of course." He transfigured a handkerchief out of his pocket. It's timed for one minute from now...I'll guess I'll be off, now." With that, he apparated.
The others gazed at Draco. Hermione was the first one to talk. "Thanks, Draco. And when I say this, I'm sure I'm speaking for all of us: thank you. And I'm sure that Harry is very lucky to have you." The others nodded in unison, unable to speak through emotion. "Come on then, everyone grab this thing, otherwise we'll never make it." She smiled as everyone grabbed the handkerchief and grimaced.
"I think Dumbledore gave us his dirty one," Seamus said disgustedly.
"I think this thing is older than Dumbledore himself," Dean added, looking at the handkerchief in disdain.
Hermione shushed them, all the while smiling. Draco looked on. These people were closer than cotton threads. "Three...two...one."
They all landed in the Hospital Wing with a bang.
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Hmm. This was definitely a test, someway or other. Of what, though?
But in the meantime, he was getting bored. All day staring at whiteness? Um, how...fun.
He slipped his hand down his chest and rested them over his jeans and slowly started massaging his manhood to life. He slipped the other hand up his shirt, imagining it was Draco who was doing this. He tweaked a nipped and moaned. He unbuttoned his jeans carefully, to let his growing errection free. Ah, this was better. All that tension that was building up inside was finally going to be let free. He felt like he hadn't done this in ages. He probably hadn't, too, but that wasn't the point.
He grabbed his cock with all the grace he'd imagined Draco doing it with. As he started to wank himself while massaging his tender balls, he had the picture of Draco in his head. Not only sexually, but normal pictures. And it wasn't the picture of Draco's head dipping between Harry's thighs that brought him to a quick and steady release. It was Draco smiling, laughing and then eventually kissing him.
Then he realised something that he'd never admitted to himself, ever. He loved Draco Malfoy, with his heart, body and soul. Every bit of him was aching for the blonde at this moment.
A correct sound made it's way through the emptiness before his world went black, which in his opinion was a heck of a lot better than the white.
--------------------------------
Draco's eyes widened marginally. "I can feel a change," he said excitedly, as if he'd just been told that he could have all of the chocolate from Honeydukes for free.
Hermione stared at him. "Are you sure?"
"Of course I'm sure!" His wings released their grip from around Harry's body, then he laid the brunette on the bed. "Madam Pomfrey!"
Pomfrey came straight down and looked at Harry. "Oh dear! What happened?" she asked as she bustled around fussing over Harry. She listened as Draco told her everything and Hermione, Ron, Seamus and Dean all stood by and watched the scene. When he finished, she said, "he's alive, but only just. I'm not entirely sure of the chance he will live, but I'm sure it's very high given Mr.Potter's past experiences. He will need to be supervised at all times by at least one person...I assume that you will want to do this, Mr.Malfoy," she said, with one of those annoying twinkles in her eyes, that reminded him a little too much of Dumbledore.
"Yes, you assumed right." He took and chair and dragged it next to his mates bed and grabbed hold of his hand.
Pomfrey looked at him in a daze that made him want to just say, 'yes?' but he resisted the temptation. She looked between him and Harry once more, then said, "I guess I'll better go...call if something happens..."
'Like I'd sit back and let him die,' the snide voice in his head said as she left.
Hermione coughed as he turned his full attention back to Harry. "Do tell us straight away if something happens, wont you? Please."
Draco looked at Hermione, Ron, Seamus and Dean then smiled. "Sure I will."
They left and Hermione mouthed 'thanks' as they left. Then Draco turned his full undivided attention to his mate.