Losing Pain

Chapter Twenty-One

Harry's recovery was going great. Draco came to visit him at least once a week. Maria talked with him every day, and ignored everyone who tried to get her to ignore him. Even better, Dr. Femmingway had mentioned going back home a few times. Harry had a smile on his face every moment of the day.

"What do you think you'll do first?" Maria asked Harry. They were in Harry's room, talking about Harry's first day out of the hospital.

Harry thought for a moment, but then grinned even more. "First, the Malfoy's are going to force me to come to their home. We'll have a huge feast, and afterwards, Draco and I will go home."

"And you two will actually do what you said you were going to do?" Maria inquired.

Harry blushed. "Probably."

Maria laughed. She knew the subject was a little embarrassing for Harry to talk about so openly with people other than Draco.

***

"Harry, come on!" Maria appeared in the doorway. "We have to get to the art room. I want to make a necklace, and you know how everyone always takes my favorite beads."

Harry laughed as he walked with Maria down the hall. "I swear, you act more like a seven-year-old girl than an eighteen-year-old one." Maria playfully smacked him on the arm.

"So, what are you going to make?" Maria asked after she had gotten all of her needed beads and string.

Harry looked at the few extra beads Maria had grabbed for him. Most of them were different colored beads with letters on them. He separated the six that he knew he wanted, then laughed at their coincidence. He had grabbed a D, L, M, H, J, and P. The D, L, and M were all green while the H, J, and P were red. He strung the green ones on a black leather string and did the same with the red ones on a separate string. He made them so they'd fit on his wrist nicely, knowing Draco had a similar sized wrist.

"You two really are attached, aren't you?" Maria asked. Her head was down, looking intently at the necklace she was making.

Harry smiled brightly to no one in particular. "Yeah. If you knew us since we were young you would have been just like everyone else and thought we were crazy."

This time Maria looked up. "You two were rivals?"

Harry laughed. "We were probably the worst rivals my school had seen."

"You do know that those who hate each other with a passion are only hiding their true passion for each other."

"Well I must have hid my feelings well because I didn't even know I had any until almost a year ago."

Maria focused back on her necklace, this time smiling. "That's just how love works."

***

"I'm going home?" Harry asked, not believing what he just heard.

"Yes." Dr. Femmingway replied for a third time. "You've been at a healthy weight for awhile now. You can call Draco right after I let you go and you can be out of here by tomorrow."

Harry smiled brightly. He never knew he could feel so happy. Tomorrow he was going home, back to the place that he missed the most. The moment his session ended, Harry rushed out of the room and to his own so he could write a letter to Draco.

Draco,

I have great news! Dr. Femmingway told me that I can leave tomorrow! We can finally go back to a normal life. This time we'll have no setbacks.

Harry

Harry couldn't think of anything else to say. He was too excited. Then he went to his only window, opened it and whistled. A few weeks before, Draco had brought Hedwig. Seeing each other only once a week wasn't enough. Harry was glad this was going to be the last letter Hedwig sent while he was at the hospital.

The moment the owl was out of sight, Harry closed the window. Almost immediately there was a knock at his door. Harry already knew who it was.

"How was Dr. Femmingway?" Maria asked as she opened the door and walked in without invitation. Harry was so used to it, he didn't care anymore.

"I'm going home tomorrow." Harry smiled to her.

Maria shrieked, grinned, and hugged Harry tightly. Harry never even knew that the girl had that much strength in her. "I'm going to miss you so much!"

"I wish I could come and visit you." Harry mumbled.

Maria looked at Harry sternly. "Do not feel bad, Harry. This is your time to celebrate. Go have your feast with Draco's parents. You deserve it after making it this far. I'll get better soon and then I'll come and find you. We'll hang out together then."

"I'm going to miss you, Maria." Harry told her.

"Don't say that. Tell me that you'll be excited to see me when I get out."

Harry raised an eyebrow. "Why?"

"Because it's better than saying that you'll miss me."

Harry chuckled. "Fine. I'll see you when you get out, and we'll celebrate."

Maria smiled. "You said it better than I did."

"I meant it too."

A/N: To make it up to everyone who is still reading this, I've decided to upload another chapter. I already had it written except for a little bit of the end so please don't think this is just some piece I threw together last minute. But thank you to everyone who's reading this!