A Dragon About -

Harry awoke in a hospital. Or, at least, he assumed it was a hospital. Wizards had hospitals, right? It looked normal enough to him, even though he could barely lift his head to see the white curtains on either side of his bed. But what he did know was that he felt... empty. It took him a few seconds to figure out the source was from his forehead. There was nothing there -except the scar, of course- nothing there to hurt him, or give him nightmares, or make his scar burn. Harry thought he was losing it, but then he remembered. He must have done it! Somehow, he had to have killed Voldermort. He just needed to know if his friends were okay now.

"Oh my, you're awake. We thought we'd have to move you to St. Mungo's if you were out for another day." A older woman appeared from the left side, and Harry blinked. "I'm Mrs. Pomfrey. You haven't met me yet, thankfully." Harry felt awkward having to introduce himself to someone who clearly already knew him, so he skipped the small talk. "How long have I been out?" he asked, now realizing how drowsy he really was. "For two days. Your friends have been awfully worried about you. I allowed them to visit you, since you... well, you don't have any family." Harry nodded, grief hitting him even though he was far used to it.

"Is Neville Longbottom alright? And Draco Malfoy? They were with me-" Harry stopped, not wanting to articulate the next words. He knew he could be hearing the most awful words ever said to him, and didn't know if he was even brave enough. "Neville has been already released, with nothing but a few curses. Draco, however, was in quite a unforeseen circumstance. I assume you already know of his... condition?" Mrs. Pomfrey asked, raising her eyebrow in question. Harry was now increasingly worried. She must mean... "Well, that look on your face is enough of an answer of any. Longbottom attested to seeing Malfoy turn into a dragon. And while 'Nagini' and Malfoy were fighting, Longbottom cut off Nagini's head."

Harry wasn't sure whether to feel more anxious or more hopeful. "The boy wasn't able to transform back until your friend Hermione Granger came with help. I don't think he even understood what he had done, the poor thing. He was awfully shaken up, even more so after seeing the state of you. Of course, You-know-who was already dead at that point. The Order had came and was in the middle of patching you up when he just collapsed, from the trauma of it." Harry felt the fear Draco must have experienced, seeing himself- Dead? Knocked out?- on the ground like that, and imagined if it was Draco. Harry might have done the same thing.

Harry sat up in his bed. "Is he okay?" Harry asked worriedly. Mrs. Pomfrey gave him a sympathetic look. "He's alright now, but he's still stricken every time he comes to see you. Which is often. I have had to kick him out both nights." Harry chuckled, knowing how stubborn Draco would have to be to try and stay past visiting hours. He bet he had argued with Hermione on whether he should stay, or go get some sleep. "Can you tell him I'm awake? I want to see him." Harry begged, hoping his status would work for him, if only this time. He might be a Gryffindor, but he wasn't about to miss out on any wiles he might possess. Harry thought that might be what the Sorting Hat could see in him for Slytherin.

~.~.~.~.~.

Mrs. Pomfrey agreed under one condition that she could check on him first. Harry relented, and finally after all the prodding she left to go to do what Harry hoped was firecall Draco what Harry had learned was the Hogwarts private infirmary. There was no one else in here, and Harry wondered if they had completely shut it out for him. "Potter, you stupid, infuriating, git!" Harry heard a yell, and turned to watch as Draco ran down from the right side of the curtains to him, out of breath it seemed. "You didn't have to be that fast." Harry told him, bewildered. "I was waiting for visiting hours to begin. Hard to do much else when your father has exiled you." Draco said with a wince.

"Hey. Come here already." Harry said with affection, brow furrowed in concern. He couldn't lift his arms up much, but Draco leaped up on the bed anyways with skill. He then wrapped his arms around Harry like a baby monkey. "Why in all Merlin were you concerned about me? You should have been watching him, so he wouldn't have hit you, and of course you had to leave it up to fate, you absolute wanker!" Draco whispered, and Harry was wowed at Draco ability to sound terrifying while whispering and hugging him. Harry assumed Draco was talking about Voldermort. "I can't let you get hurt, Draco. That wouldn't be a very boyfriend thing to do." Harry joked.

"You're a king, Harry, and I think that comes before any boyfriend duties! Do you know how embarrassing it was to hear you tell Neville to protect me?" Draco complained. "Shut up, you beautiful arsehole. I'll look after you if I want to." And Draco was beautiful. Harry hated the fact that he didn't get to see Draco transform and fight Nagini, that ugly snake. Harry knew Draco was a force that no one in their right mind would mess with, loathe Harry was to admit it. Draco's eyes watered. "Don't ever put yourself in danger like that for me again. I don't even deserve it, Harry." Draco looked at his arm with agony. "You do deserve it, Draco, and if you ever want to talk about it..." Harry looked at his arm.

Draco breathed roughly. "Maybe one day. But right now my father is being sent to Azkaban, and I'd rather not. I know why he's going, of course- he's a Death Eater. And I am too. The only reason I'm not going as well is because of you." Draco looked at him with a mix of adoration and pain, as if he couldn't recognize the full complexity of his own emotions. "Draco, you're not going because you're not like your father. And that's a good thing." Harry told him, kissing him. Harry knew why he loved Draco then. It was not because of his stubborn nature, but because he was more than just his family, just like Harry was.

Draco burrowed his snowy-blonde hair into Harry's arm for comfort. "You make me into a much better person than I really am, Harry. I did it because I thought I was protecting my family." Draco argued, closing his eyes in shame. "And I love you even more for that." Draco froze. "I love you too, Harry. I do. I can't believe I've even gotten this far." Draco laughed morbidly. Harry kissed him again. Draco kissed back with the strength of someone who had to live as a dragon for seven years because of his over-protective mother and evil father. "You're such a strong person, Draco, and even a stronger dragon." Harry told him. "Harry? Never say something as sappy as that again." Draco groaned.

THE END