Madame Pomfrey examined Harry closely at least three times before she was assured that he was all right. As soon as she was satisfied with his condition, she pulled Harry into a tight hug. "My dear boy, do you have any idea how much you've worried us?" she asked, frowning, but the sparkle of relief in her eyes belied the scolding. Harry blushed and tried to breathe-the mediwitch's grip was quite strong.

Finally, she pulled away and looked Harry over one more time. "You need to sleep," she announced. "Let me just get you something...." Standing, she went over to the supply room.

Sitting on the other side of the bed, Snape smiled, the relief evident on his face. "I think that was a hint," he said. "Come, Draco, let's let Harry get some rest. You can visit with him later."

"Wait." Harry grabbed Snape's hand. "Can't Draco stay with me...until I fall asleep? I'm afraid...."

Both Snape and Madam Pomfrey, who had just returned, couldn't resist Harry's pleading look. Smiling, the woman said, "He can stay for five more minutes." She handed Harry the goblet with the sleeping draught in it. "Now, drink this all down, and remember, Draco, five minutes."

Draco nodded, all of his attention on Harry. When they were alone, Draco moved from his chair to the bed, brushing Harry's bangs off his forehead so he could look into Harry's eyes without any barriers. "I'm afraid to let you go to sleep," he confessed. "I'm afraid to risk losing you again."

Harry's eyes were troubled. "I'm afraid to wake up," he admitted, trying to suppress tears. "Has anything changed, really?"

Draco smiled. "The day you left, Weasley and Granger were looking for you-they wanted to apologize. And Neville's been wonderful, he really has."

"Well he must've done something," Harry teased, "for you to be calling him by his first name."

"I'll let him tell you the story when you wake up. That is," Draco amended, seeing the slightly panicked look that crossed Harry's face, "if you want to see anyone."

"Ask me later. Right now, the only person I want to see, aside form the professors, is you." Harry yawned, and it was Draco's turn to blush.

"You're falling asleep, Harry. Rest. If I'm not here, I'll be here as soon as you ask. I love you, you know."

Harry's eyes drifted closed. "How could you love someone like me?" he murmured, but was asleep before Draco could say anything more. Troubled, Draco placed a gentle kiss on Harry's forehead before leaving, wondering what he could do to make Harry believe.

In the meantime, though, he had an errand to run.

**********

Draco paused outside the entrance to Gryffindor Tower, trying to shake away the memory of the last time he had entered. Raising a shaking hand, he knocked at the entrance and waited. A couple minutes later, Neville's head peeked out. "Draco? Come in." He backed up to allow Draco admittance.

Draco entered the common room, following Neville. The only other people in the room were Ron, Hermione, Ginny, and Colin. Colin was the first one to notice him. "Hey-what's a Malfoy doing in here?"

Draco held up a hand, forestalling any more comments. "I just came to tell you-Harry's woke up."

"He has?" Hermione jumped up, eyes shining. "Can we go see him?"

Draco shook his head. "Madam Pomfrey checked him over, and gave him something to help him sleep. Real sleep, not a coma."

Ron was undaunted. "Well, then, when he wakes up-"

Draco shook his head. "Harry's...delicate," he said, for lack of a better word. "He's not sure he wants to see anyone."

"What?" Ron was stunned. "But we're his best friends!"

"Yes, and how have those friends been treating him of late?" No one could answer Draco's rather pointed question right away.

"Who are you, to be dictating Harry's visitors, anyway?" Ginny spoke up.

"Me? I'm only someone who's been trying to treat Harry halfway decently from the start of all this," Draco snapped back. "Besides, Madam Pomfrey would only tell you the same thing I have. Now, if you want my advice-and you're getting it whether you want it or not-I'd be thinking up some good apologies for when and if Harry decides he wants to see you." He turned to leave.

"Draco?" Neville's soft voice gave Draco pause. "Can you...when Harry wakes up, can you give him my best and tell him that I'm thinking of him?"

Draco smiled at the other boy. "Of course I will, for you."

"Hey! Why are you treating Neville better than us?"

"You have to ask, Weasley? Were you in the Great Hall, speaking on Harry's behalf? Even the other day, did you want to do any more than offer a half-hearted apology, just assuming Harry's good nature would lead him to accept it? At least Neville can admit when he was an ass-sorry, Neville-and wants to do something about it. You want it back to normal, no fuss or mess." Draco sighed. "And I have a feeling that nothing will be 'normal' ever again. Now, if you'd excuse me, I'd like to get some sleep before Harry wakes."

"Can you believe what Malfoy said!" Ron fumed as Draco left.

"Yes, I can," Hermione said tartly. "Face it Ron, you wanted just that. You thought Harry would wake up, and he'd just forgive us. It's not going to be that simple-too mush has happened for *that*. I, for one, am planning to work my ass off to even be *considered* worthy of Harry's friendship again. And I'd think that if you were really Harry's best friend, you'd feel the same way!" With a sniff, she flounced up to her dorm.

Neville shrugged. "She has a point, you know."

"I know," Ron muttered, sighing. "I just feel so *dumb* now, you know? Hating harry over something that he really had no control over."

"Don't tell that to me-tell that to him."

"I plan to." Ron cast a glance towards the portrait-hole. "If he'll let me."

**********