He lied.
That was the only conscious thought going through Harry's head as he tried to fall asleep. After actually telling Sirius and Remus what had been going on lately, he had gotten truly worn out.
But back to the matter at hand, Draco lied to him.
It was inconceivable. Harry would have never thought that Draco would continually tell him that he loved him, cherished him, and that he, Harry, was the world to the one and only Draco Malfoy.
In reality, he was just romantic garbage to Draco. He really was, at least if Draco's actions with Pansy were to show anything.
Harry beat his head on his pillow. He couldn't understand it. Why would Draco want to be with Pansy? Really? Why? She wasn't attractive, or even physically attractive. It was well known that she was described as a pug faced girl.
Harry wasn't trying to make excuses with himself; he didn't believe himself to be attractive either, but being with Pansy was just mad. Draco could do so much better, even if he wasn't with Harry.
Harry groaned.
Here he was again trying to make everyone else feel better, when he was the one in emotional distress; he had just caught his boyfriend cheating on him, and he was trying to make everyone else happy.
He didn't know what to do or think. His life was much simpler when no one knew he existed. At least back then no one could hurt him, besides his uncle.
Harry could take the pain that his uncle dished out because he was used to it, it had been happening since he could remember, but from someone that actually loved, and cared for him, he couldn't. He might seem like some little girl, but Harry wasn't used to all of this. He had been neglected for most of his life, and this was really new to him.
Harry turned on his side, pulling the other pillow to his chest and hugging it close. Maybe he did seem girly, but he wanted Draco to cuddle with, no matter how much pain Draco caused him.
Harry was baffled with himself. One moment he was insecure and timid, then all mighty powerful with wandless magic. He still needed to figure it out.
He didn't really understand himself. Harry mentally shrugged. He would figure it out later, when he didn't have this pounding in his chest.
Harry squeezed his eyes shut, just wishing that it would all stop hurting, that he would finally get a break. It seemed as if each day was filled with more and more pain. When would it all be over?
--
Draco followed Sirius, staying a bit behind. Draco had the feeling that Sirius didn't exactly like him at the moment. That was probably from the fact that he, Remus, and Harry had all caught him making out with Pansy. But he hadn't. Though, currently, no one really believed him.
Draco was going to have to work on that whole trust issue.
"So, uh, how much longer until we get there?" Draco asked to break the ice that he felt forming between him and Black.
Sirius turned his head, and looked intently at Draco. "Soon," he replied, and then turned back around.
"Right," Draco said. "So how are you?" He asked again trying to break the tension.
"Mr. Malfoy, I would utterly enjoy it if you would shut your mouth; I would prefer to walk back to my room in silence, not listening to your lame attempts at conversing."
Draco's mouth widened. "I thought we were on okay terms?"
Sirius stopped walking and rounded on Draco. "I may have agreed to take you to Harry, and let you explain yourself to him, but until that time that he may deem you worthy again, I do not care for you in the least. You may have been there in the past for my godson, but lately, as Harry has said, you have been distracted by a professor."
"What?" Draco asked outraged. "I have always been there for Harry, what the hell are you talking about? I have never been distracted from him; I care for him too much to do that to him."
"That's not the impression that I got."
"Who is this professor that you are talking about? I demand an answer," Draco shouted.
Sirius glared at Draco. "Get this straight Mr. Malfoy, you are a student, you demand nothing from a professor. Are we clear?" He bellowed.
Draco gulped, but tried to hide it. "Crystal," he answered with a bit of an attitude that made it seem as if he didn't care much for what Black had just said. "Who is this professor, if I may ask?"
Glaring Sirius replied. "Professor Dumarkus."
Draco's eyes widened for the second time. "Harry thinks that I'm being distracted from him by Dumarkus? Preposterous. He is a professor, and I am a student. All he is is a friend of the family."
"Don't explain your excuses to me, explain it to Harry," Sirius said turning around, and continuing back to his personal quarters.
--
Lucius sat in front of a burning fire, imaging the face of that Potter brat burning in the flames. He would burn.
His first plan failed, but the second wouldn't, he would make sure of that. It was full proof. This time he had a wizard in on it, not some fat muggle.
Lucius blamed the muggle for the failure of the last plan. All he had to do was make sure the boy drank the entire potion, and then it would have killed him, but no, he couldn't even do that.
The muggle then had to go and try to suffocate Potter, he should have known that the boy's innate magic would save him, but he didn't, and now the muggle was captured, well it wasn't any skin off of his back.
The muggle didn't even know who he was, all he knew was that he was a wizard with long blond hair, but a ton of wizards had that same exact description. No one would have a clue that Lucius Malfoy was in on the plan to kill Harry Potter. No one.
But this second plan. Lucius was definitely looking forward to it. It is going to be brilliant, if he didn't say so himself. His contact was even someone that he trusted with his life, an old friend.
He could never go wrong with an old friend, unless they decided to betray him, like a certain someone and his darling wife did. But that was the past, this is the future, and he was without a doubt looking forward to it. .
As the flames burnt out, Lucius grinned in the dark.
--
Harry tossed back and forth in his thick comforter. It felt like it was smothering him, like his uncle had tried to do. He wanted it to stop. It kept squeezing and squeezing him, leaving him no room to breathe.
Harry battled the comforter, trying to push it off of his body, but unknown to him the comforter had a spell placed on it to stay wrapped around him, to keep him comfy and warm.
With a deathly grip, he tried to force it off of him, but he didn't succeed. Harry didn't know why he never called for Remus or Sirius. He just kept trying to help himself, not relying on someone else.
Harry felt the comforter get tighter, as if trying to strangle him. He desperately wanted it to stop, to just let him free. "Stop…" He muttered, his face covered in a light sweat. "Stop…" His eyes blazed a deep emerald. "STOP." The comforter ripped itself from Harry's body, shredding as it fell to the floor.
Harry immediately jumped from the bed and ran from his room, running to anyone that he could find, and tell him that it was alright, that he was fine.
--
Draco calmly followed Sirius as they walked into his personal quarters. Sirius led him to the living room, and then prepared to leave the room. "Sir?" Draco asked as he made to follow him.
"Stay," Sirius commanded.
Draco took a step back, but nodded as well. Sirius left, and Draco made use of himself by looking around the living room. It wasn't that bad. A table, couch, and a loveseat that were all placed in front of a fireplace. It was homey.
Draco took a seat on the loveseat, and made him self comfortable. Just as he had gotten relaxed, Remus came barging into the room, with Sirius on his heels. Draco immediately stood as if to be respectful. "You have got some nerve coming here," he hissed to Draco, keeping his voice low as to not disturb his cub.
"I need to explain things to Harry."
"I think your actions have done enough explaining. And now I want you out of here. You have hurt Harry too many times to have another go at him."
"I never meant to hurt him, it was never my fault," Draco said, trying to reason..
Remus studied Draco. "No."
"Everything that happened was out of my hands," he said, not even paying attention that Remus had just spoken. "Why won't you let me explain that to him? He needs to hear it from me. I have to make sure he understands that I still love him."
"I don't care. Harry is resting, and I won't allow you to ruin that," Remus said.
"You are impossible. I need to see Harry. What are you not understanding? If I never talk to him, he will never understand what happened. I. Need. To. See. Harry," he all but shouted.
All three men turned their heads as they heard an outburst of power from a room down the hall. "Harry," Remus whispered.
Immediately a tiny body with raven hair came running down the hall, into the living room, completely colliding with Draco. "Oomph," Draco said as he fell back onto the loveseat with Harry in his arms.
Remus made to move closer, but he stopped when he heard Draco's next words.
"Harry, you're shaking. What happened?" Draco said quietly in Harry's ear, as he rubbed his arms up and down his sides, trying to sooth him. "Harry? Are you okay?"
Harry shook his head.
"I'll take that as a no," Draco said lightly.
"Cub, what happened?" Remus whispered.
Draco continued to run his arms up Harry's sides soothing him, and it was working. "Harry, can you tell me what happened?"
Harry nodded. "I…I was trying to fall asleep…the blanket wouldn't let me go…it kept getting tighter and tighter. It reminded me of… my uncle," he said quietly, still lightly shaking.
"Oh, Harry," Draco said placing a kiss on the top of his head. "I will never let that man touch you again. I promise."
"Cub, I am so sorry."
Harry turned his head towards Remus. "Why are you sorry? It wasn't your fault."
Remus lowered his eyes. "Actually I placed a charm on the blanket to wrap around you and keep you warm. I never dreamed that that would happen. I am sorry." He blinked away the tears that were threatening to fall.
"And you accused me of ruining his rest," Draco mumbled to himself. "Are you going to be alright?"
Harry looked to Draco, finally realizing that Draco was indeed there, and he was sitting on his lap, cuddling in his arms, taking comfort in the one person that had just hurt him no more than three hours ago. "What are you doing here?" Harry jumped up from Draco's lap, moving to the couch.
It took a moment on Draco's part to realize that Harry was speaking to him, and then he remembered the reason for his visit to confront Harry about what really happened. "May I talk to him now?" He looked to Remus.
Debating within himself, Remus allowed Draco to talk to Harry. Sirius and Remus left the boys alone in the living room, giving them privacy to converse.
Harry made himself comfortable on the couch, pulling a blanket around his shoulders; he missed Draco's warmth. "Why are you here?" He asked again. "I assumed that you would be with Pansy."
"Harry, everything that you saw was a mistake."
"So you didn't want me to see you in the act, is that what you are saying?" Harry glared. "You just want me to forget that it ever happened, and then tomorrow you can go commit the crime again, me never knowing any better."
"Harry, I didn't mean it like that," Draco said.
"Sure you didn't. I'm not stupid, Draco."
"You sure are acting like it," Draco blurted out.
"So I'm stupid now?"
"I didn't mean that. Merlin, Harry will you just let me explain?" He pleaded. "Just give me ten minutes, that's all I need."
"Ten minutes and no more," Harry said.
"I have to admit that Pansy has always been attracted to me, but I have never had an ounce of feelings for her. Never. My love has always been for you."
"I can't believe you, not after what I saw today."
"What you saw in the Great Hall was Pansy coming onto me, if you had stayed behind a bit longer, you would have seen me push her off. I cursed her out telling her exactly what I thought of her, and then Dumbledore arrived."
"What did he want?"
"It seems as if Pansy was using a potion on me to make me fall in love with her," Draco said. "She's probably getting suspended as we speak, because that is illegal."
Harry's eyes widened, but it still looked as if he needed a bit for convincing.
"Harry, I don't love her, I despise her."
"Did you like the kiss?" Harry asked innocently.
"No, it was way too wet for my taste," Draco said. "Nothing like you." He smiled.
"But why did you kiss her the first time?"
"What?" Draco asked puzzled.
"I saw you and her kissing right before I was sent back to my uncle. Why did you kiss her?"
"Again that wasn't me kissing her that was her kissing me. I never kissed her back; I want you to know that. I would never cheat on you. Ever. When you saw that first kiss, I was running after you, but you were already gone before I had made it to Dumbledore's office."
"Oh."
"I tried to explain it to you, but I wasn't able to find you."
"Did you come save me?" Harry asked, changing the subject.
Draco blinked at the change of subject, but replied nonetheless. "I did, Sev and I came to rescue you."
Harry smiled. "Thank you."
Harry knew right then and there that he had forgiven Draco. He jumped up from the couch and rushed into Draco's arms. He put his arms around Draco's neck. "Thank you for saving my life," he whispered. "I love you."
Draco wrapped his arms around Harry, pulling him close. "I love you."
WHATCHA ALL THINK? HMM.
THAT WAS AN OH SO FLUFFY MOMENT. AWWW. I LOVED IT! I HOPE YALL DID TOO! I'M ALSO GLAD THAT HARRY AND DRACO ARE FINALLY BACK TOGETHER AND AWAKE: )
Sorry about the long wait for this chapter. At first I had a bit of writer's block, and then when I was ready to start writing, my Internet broke. Time to explain- I have dial up, and AOL. That should be a big clue why it broke. Anyway, I could have fixed it, it was a simple error, but then my mother messed with it, and screwed it up. So I had to reinstall an AOL disk, now I have to cancel it in 45 days. Not fun. Grrr. Damn Mom.
Anyway, see you all next chapter!
Thanks to KillerDustBunny for beta reading!
