The students of Hogwarts were asleep, but one boy was not.
He had the vague thought that he should be in bed, but even that thought was not enough to distract him from his silent vigil.
He could sense the presence of adults around him, felt their concern for him, but he didn't respond. They even called him by name, at times, but it had no meaning to him. 'Draco' meant nothing-the only person in the room who meant something was the precious person he was guarding. Harry.
A hand on his shoulder. "Draco, exhausting yourself isn't going to do either you or Harry any good. Please. Get some rest."
Draco thought for a second, identifying the voice. Snape. His Head of House. Draco roused himself enough to respond. "I can't." Was that weak, raspy voice really his? "I can't leave Harry. What if he wakes, and he's alone? I can't let that happen!"
"Draco, he won't be alone. Either myself or Madam Pomfrey will be with Harry at all times."
"No! He needs to know that someone cares about him! I care about him, Professor, I can't leave until he knows that." Draco's eyes never left Harry's still form.
"Draco-"
"Let him stay." A new voice. Older, timeworn. He remembered it containing laughter, usually, but this was no time for laughter. Dumbledore.
"But Albus-"
"Severus, if Draco feels this strongly about staying near Harry, then I cannot see the good it would do him to forcibly move him away. Besides, maybe this is what Harry needs...to bring him back."
"Oh, very well." Draco sensed his victory and turned all of his attention back onto Harry.
"Come with me, Severus. I need to speak with you." In the background, Draco heard two sets of footsteps leaving, and he instinctively knew that he was alone.
"Harry," he whispered, caressing the other boy's face. "You need to come back. It's going to get better it has to. Neville is doing everything he can to help you, and so are the staff...and so am I. I need you, Harry. Everyone else might have thought that you did something horrible, but you did the one thing I thought no one could ever do...you saved me from my father. You make me feel *safe*, Harry. You're my light in the darkness, and maybe it's selfish, but I don't care-I won't lose that...lose *you*. Please, Harry. I care for you so much...no, I *love* you. Can't you come back for love? Won't you? Please? Harry? I *need* you...love you...." Draco broke down into tears, falling across Harry's chest, giving in to his grief.
Unnoticed by anyone, a pair of emerald eyes opened.
He had the vague thought that he should be in bed, but even that thought was not enough to distract him from his silent vigil.
He could sense the presence of adults around him, felt their concern for him, but he didn't respond. They even called him by name, at times, but it had no meaning to him. 'Draco' meant nothing-the only person in the room who meant something was the precious person he was guarding. Harry.
A hand on his shoulder. "Draco, exhausting yourself isn't going to do either you or Harry any good. Please. Get some rest."
Draco thought for a second, identifying the voice. Snape. His Head of House. Draco roused himself enough to respond. "I can't." Was that weak, raspy voice really his? "I can't leave Harry. What if he wakes, and he's alone? I can't let that happen!"
"Draco, he won't be alone. Either myself or Madam Pomfrey will be with Harry at all times."
"No! He needs to know that someone cares about him! I care about him, Professor, I can't leave until he knows that." Draco's eyes never left Harry's still form.
"Draco-"
"Let him stay." A new voice. Older, timeworn. He remembered it containing laughter, usually, but this was no time for laughter. Dumbledore.
"But Albus-"
"Severus, if Draco feels this strongly about staying near Harry, then I cannot see the good it would do him to forcibly move him away. Besides, maybe this is what Harry needs...to bring him back."
"Oh, very well." Draco sensed his victory and turned all of his attention back onto Harry.
"Come with me, Severus. I need to speak with you." In the background, Draco heard two sets of footsteps leaving, and he instinctively knew that he was alone.
"Harry," he whispered, caressing the other boy's face. "You need to come back. It's going to get better it has to. Neville is doing everything he can to help you, and so are the staff...and so am I. I need you, Harry. Everyone else might have thought that you did something horrible, but you did the one thing I thought no one could ever do...you saved me from my father. You make me feel *safe*, Harry. You're my light in the darkness, and maybe it's selfish, but I don't care-I won't lose that...lose *you*. Please, Harry. I care for you so much...no, I *love* you. Can't you come back for love? Won't you? Please? Harry? I *need* you...love you...." Draco broke down into tears, falling across Harry's chest, giving in to his grief.
Unnoticed by anyone, a pair of emerald eyes opened.