Chapter 51
"... How did they find you?"
The boy immediately tensed up in his arms, and Tom frowned, "Harry?"
"I... They... They found..." He trailed off, obviously uncomfortable with the tale.
"Harry, you can tell me" He continued softly, "You know I won't judge you based on whatever happened... So, please?"
"I... I..." Harry sighed before rolling over to face his Head of House, "They found me because... because I killed man".
Well that was unexpected.
"You... killed... a man?"
He nodded, "Yea. With the death spell. It wasn't intentional, I didn't mean to do it, I just... He was hurting me and I was scared and angry and I... I... I lashed out".
"... With Avada Kedarva?" Tom asked again, slowly.
Harry buried his head in the older wizard's chest, "... Please don't hate me".
"... You killed him in self-defence?"
He felt more than saw the nod.
"Then I could never hate you" He finished gently, carefully lifting up Harry's chin only to find watery green eyes staring back at him, "Harry... You were just protecting yourself... I could never... will never... hate you for surviving... Okay?"
"Okay" He whispered, before suddenly hugging him fiercely, "Thank you".
"Don't thank me" Tom replied, smiling at the near-aggressive form of attention, "Just... Will you tell me how Dumbledore found you?"
He nodded, "After I killed him, I passed out. The Ministry was obviously told about the death curse being used so they decided to figure out who used it. Sent in two Aurors, Mad-Eye and Tonks. They're the ones who found me".
"So, a man tried to kill you, you killed him instead, the ministry was alerted of the usage of dark magic, and they simply showed up and... What? Brought you here?" Tom summarised, confused.
Harry should his head, "No, not here. To St Mungo's".
His eyes narrowed and flashed dangerously, "Why did you need a hospital?"
"I said a man tried to kill me, Tom" Harry replied unwaveringly, voice slightly muffled by the professor's silk shirt, "I didn't say he tried to make it quick".
The older wizard's grip tightened almost painfully, "... It's a good thing he's already dead then".
His voice was like venom, and Harry unconsciously shivered at the harsh tone.
Seeing this, Tom sighed and forced him to relax, "I'm sorry, serpent, I didn't mean to scare you. I just... That man didn't deserve to live. Attacking a defenceless boy like that... Putting him in hospital... He wouldn't have had a limb left by the time I got to him".
"If you got to him" Harry replied, smiling slightly, "I say Sam would have beaten you to it".
He frowned, "Blackburne? How did he found out about it?"
"Probably smelt my blood in the alleyway, realised I was missing, and saw the Headlines reading "Boy-Who-Lived Still Alive!" the next day. It wouldn't have taken long to put two and two together".
"Well then... A bloodthirsty vampire and a murderous Slytherin DADA Professor... That muggle would have it really coming".
Harry smiled once more, and glance up at him, "Then it's a good thing I got to him first, then, isn't it?"
"Perhaps" Tom replied, amused, "Though in my own personal opinion, I believe he should have suffered more".
The boy's smile turned less-amused and more-gentle, "Thank you".
"For what?"
"For... Protecting me" He replied, softly, "Not a lot of people have done, before, and it's... it's nice. So. Thanks".
"No problem" Tom said just as quiet, looking down at him.
And there, in that moment, staring into those wide glistening death-coloured emerald eyes, so full of hope and adoration, Tom couldn't help but reach up, softly lay a hand against the boy's cheek, close his eyes, and lean in.
What he wasn't expecting, was for Harry to jerk backwards, let out a surprised yelp as he fell off the couch, and scramble backwards.
Tom immediately jumped up, surprised, "Harry? Harry what are you- why did you- why are you not-"
"Sorry" He interrupted quickly, stumbling to his feet, "I'm sorry. I just... I saw you leaning forwards, and... and... and I didn't know what to do so I... I panicked and I fell backwards and then of the couch and now I standing here rambling so if you'd just please-"
"No, no, it's my fault" Tom cut him off quickly, "I shouldn't have... I shouldn't have pushed it or... or... or tried anything really, I just... I just saw you sitting there staring up at me looking so... so beautiful, even more so than usual and I just... I just couldn't help myself... But no, this is my fault, I shouldn't have- shouldn't have- It was too soon, I know and now I'm rambling so can we-"
He abruptly stopped.
They stared at each other uncomfortably.
"We should-"
"It's time to-"
They both stopped.
Silence.
"... It's getting late" Tom finally said, and Harry quickly nodded, "Yea, it's... it is".
"We should probably... you know... go to sleep or something..."
"Yea, yea, that's... that's a good idea" the Younger Wizard replied.
They stared at each other once more.
Harry swallowed thickly, "It wasn't... It wasn't your fault. I just... Wasn't expecting it, that' all".
"And I should have realised that... that it was too soon and... and shouldn't have done it" Tom agreed, "So... Let's just..."
He trailed off awkwardly.
"Sleep" Harry said suddenly, "We were... We were going to go to sleep... So let's... Let's go do that..."
"Yes, yes, that was it... Good idea... So let's just... Goodnight Harry".
The boy quickly headed towards the stares of the boy's dormitories, face heating up despite his protests, "Yea... Night, Tom".
