By: PepperjackCandy
Rating: PG13 (up to "second base" explicit, beyond that implied)
Disclaimer: This is J.K. Rowling's universe. I just play here.
Warning: This will be a slash story (Harry/Draco) eventually, though romantically-slashy, rather than erotically-slashy. Hence the PG-13 rating.
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Harry quietly opened the door of the hospital wing, and the night nurse smiled at him as he stepped through the doorway.
"Here to see Draco Malfoy?" She asked in a whisper.
Harry nodded.
"He's asleep."
"Would you mind if I just sat by his bedside for a while?"
"I'm sure that would be fine." She gestured over towards Draco's bed.
Harry sat down and put the bag with his candle, Potions book, and scrolls in it next to him on the floor. He sat and watched Draco for a while, counting the other boy's inhalation and exhalation of breath until he got into a pleasantly-trancelike state.
After a long while of that, Harry made himself get to work. He pulled the candle out first, putting it on his bedside table and lighting it. Then, he took out his Potions book and a scroll for notes as he read.
armadillo bile + dried rattlesnake skin = **dried rattlesnake skin first** Harry scribbled on the scroll paper. He continued reading.
I do wonder what happened, Harry mused, looking up at Draco. I know he said his father was responsible for the Dark Mark, but how? And why? And why did Draco nearly kill himself last night?
He went back to his reading. He was reading about the dangers of combining armadillo bile with rattlesnake venom and was going to make a note about that, but when he looked down, he saw question marks - large ones, small ones, bold, filled in ones - trailing down one edge of the page, and realized that he'd been doodling. He made his note, armadillo bile + rattlesnake venom=**DON'T**
The night wore on, and Harry's candle wore down. Harry had ink all over his hand from taking notes in the semi-darkness without taking time for the ink to dry. He surveyed his handiwork, a small grin of pride on his face. The meter on armadillo bile should be a piece of cake after this. The scroll of notes he'd taken was easily a meter and a half.
The candle started to gutter and finally went out. Harry stood, stretching, and put his book and scroll back into the bag. He considered moving the unlit candle from Draco's bedside to the table by the side of his table. Finally, he decided that, at the very least, he should light the candle, so he could see in the darkness of the hospital wing.
He walked over to Draco's bedside and lit the candle. The yellowish light of the flame cast eerie shadows around the cubicle, but somehow accentuated Draco's pale attractiveness.
"You look like a Veela." Harry whispered, astonished he hadn't notice it before. "A male Veela."
Draco's mouth twitched slightly and his color darkened slightly, as if he was blushing.
"Malfoy?" Harry asked. "Are you awake?"
Draco's mouth twitched again.
"You *are* awake!" Harry said indignantly.
Draco opened his eyes. "I look like a Veela, huh?" He asked sarcastically.
"Well, silver hair, silver eyes, white skin, what else would you say you look like?"
"A Greek god? Adonis?"
Harry snorted derisively and rolled his eyes. Then he sat back down.
"So, what brings you here, Potter?"
"Couldn't sleep. Just wanted to see how you were doing." Harry hoped he wasn't blushing.
"And that's why you sat there for," Draco glanced at the clock on the wall, "three hours?"
Harry shrugged. "I had some work to do. You know, the paper on armadillo bile?"
"Mm-hmmm." Draco sounded skeptical.
"I *couldn't* sleep," Harry insisted. "And so I figured I'd get some work done while I was here." He bent over to pick up his bag and stood to leave.
"Potter?"
"Yeah?"
"Thanks."
"For?"
"For coming to see me."
The honesty in Draco's tone made Harry stop in his tracks. "You're welcome."
"Could . . . could you stay for a while? The only visitors I've had today were Snape and Dumbledore."
"What about Crabbe and Goyle?"
"They came in. I told Pomfrey to send them away. The last thing I want to do right now is associate with Death-Eaters."
"Crabbe and Goyle are . . .?" Harry was stunned by this announcement.
Draco shook his head. "Nah. Their dads are, though, and they'd do just about anything for the opportunity" a world of scorn filled that one word, "to join the ranks."
Harry nodded his understanding. "I met them in fourth year."
"The thing is," Draco paused, then tried again. "The thing is, that associating with them is what I have to do."
"What? Why?"
"Cause Dumbledore and Snape told me to. They said that since my father did . . . this to me, we should make the best of it. They want me to play along, pretend like I was willing to become a Death-Eater, and that I . . ." Unable to finish the thought, he stopped there.
Harry gasped slightly. "They can't ask that of you!"
"They did. And I have no interest in helping my father anymore, so I agreed." He shrugged.
Harry ached to ask Draco why he'd nearly dissolved his arm with the universal solvent from Potions class, but was unable to figure out how to broach the subject.
But Draco wasn't finished. "They told me the same thing they'll tell you tomorrow, probably. They want *everything* to be business as usual. Which means that, even though we've been civil now, starting Monday, we're to be at each other's throats again."
"I don't think you'll have problems with that." Harry responded. When Draco looked hurt, he asked, "Will you?"
"Yeah. I just might."
"Well, I'll do my level best to antagonize you." Harry smiled. He glanced over at the clock. "I'd better get going. If it's supposed to be business as usual, I suppose that Ron, Sean and Neville should see me in my own bed when they wake up in a couple of hours."
"Yeah. I guess."
Harry picked up his bag and turned to leave again.
But Draco's voice stopped him. "Harry?"
Harry felt the same giddiness pass through him that he'd felt before at the sound of Draco using his given name. "Yes," he paused and turned to face his apparently-former nemesis, "Draco."
"Would you come visit me again tomorrow night? Pomfrey's going to send Crabbe, Goyle and Pansy away all day again tomorrow, and I have a feeling I'm going to need a visitor."
Harry nodded. "Yeah. I'll do that. You want to work on Potions tomorrow night? I'll bring some extra scrolls and pens."
"That'd be nice. Harry."
"See you tomorrow, then. Draco."