It was the middle of the night, and Harry couldn't sleep.
Not long after Hermione and Neville had been chased away, Madam Pomfrey had shown up with the Dreamless Sleep potion that Snape had made, telling Draco to leave and get some sleep as well. He had, reluctantly, leaving Harry and a goblet of potion on his own.
The potion had worked well-Harry couldn't remember having a single dream-but it only worked for eight hours, and, what with being forced into slumber so early, that meant that Harry was wide awake at three in the morning with nothing to do until the mediwitch came through to check on him around five. After so many visits to the Hospital wing, Harry had her schedule down like clockwork.
So Harry did the only thing he could do-he thought.
He thought about his friends. Harry discovered that he wasn't mad at them, not really. He really didn't have it in him to feel anger. Even with Draco, he had been annoyed, but never consumed with a burning anger. That had been saved for Voldemort alone. However, he had been hurt deeply by his friends, he couldn't deny that. He also couldn't deny that he wanted to forgive them and move on. 'We'll see what happens tomorrow.'
He thought about Sirius. He had only known his godfather for not even three full years, but he never doubted the love the man felt for him-once he realized that Sirius didn't betray his parents, that is. He missed Sirius terribly, but, at the same time, he was certain that he wouldn't have wanted Harry to do something that would end up having them meet in the afterlife sooner, rather than later. Harry wasn't sure he would ever completely recover from losing the man he had come to love like a father, but he was going to honor Sirius' memory the best that he could.
He thought about Remus. Sirius's lover, the man he had come to see as a second godfather. Together, he had come to rely on the two men for support, love, and approval as much as he would've his parents, and it hurt him so much to know that Sirius' death had destroyed Remus to such a degree. Harry realized that his own death would probably had made Remus' condition that much worse. He wondered if Remus even knew what had happened to him, and wished desperately that the man was here with him.
He thought about the future. He wasn't sure what was going to happen with his life next, which was both refreshing and frightening. Ever since he was eleven, Harry had known that a battle with Voldemort was in his future, but now the man was dead, and for the first time, Harry's life was truly his own. Being out of the dark shadow of Voldemort would surely be refreshing, once he had fully recovered and processed it properly. And he had another year of school after finishing this one-he had time to figure out what he would do with the rest of his life.
He thought about Draco. Draco...the thought of him made Harry's cheeks burn, remembering the emotion that he had felt coming from Draco. Draco's love was as exhilarating as it was scary, and he wasn't sure what to do. He knew that this Draco was different than the one he used to know, and that he wanted this Draco in his life. However...he still wasn't sure if he could ever love Draco like he loved him. He didn't want to lead Draco on, and he was afraid of that happening, even though he had told the other boy the truth about what was in his heart. He was just so afraid of someone getting hurt because of him.... Maybe he should let time take care of Draco, as well.
Harry yawned, his eyes growing heavy. 'Time...I heard somewhere 'time heals all wounds.' Maybe I should see if Time can help me out in this, as well....'
He fell into a natural sleep just before five. When Madam Pomfrey looked in on him, she smiled at the peaceful-looking boy and left, letting him sleep on.
**********
Not long after Hermione and Neville had been chased away, Madam Pomfrey had shown up with the Dreamless Sleep potion that Snape had made, telling Draco to leave and get some sleep as well. He had, reluctantly, leaving Harry and a goblet of potion on his own.
The potion had worked well-Harry couldn't remember having a single dream-but it only worked for eight hours, and, what with being forced into slumber so early, that meant that Harry was wide awake at three in the morning with nothing to do until the mediwitch came through to check on him around five. After so many visits to the Hospital wing, Harry had her schedule down like clockwork.
So Harry did the only thing he could do-he thought.
He thought about his friends. Harry discovered that he wasn't mad at them, not really. He really didn't have it in him to feel anger. Even with Draco, he had been annoyed, but never consumed with a burning anger. That had been saved for Voldemort alone. However, he had been hurt deeply by his friends, he couldn't deny that. He also couldn't deny that he wanted to forgive them and move on. 'We'll see what happens tomorrow.'
He thought about Sirius. He had only known his godfather for not even three full years, but he never doubted the love the man felt for him-once he realized that Sirius didn't betray his parents, that is. He missed Sirius terribly, but, at the same time, he was certain that he wouldn't have wanted Harry to do something that would end up having them meet in the afterlife sooner, rather than later. Harry wasn't sure he would ever completely recover from losing the man he had come to love like a father, but he was going to honor Sirius' memory the best that he could.
He thought about Remus. Sirius's lover, the man he had come to see as a second godfather. Together, he had come to rely on the two men for support, love, and approval as much as he would've his parents, and it hurt him so much to know that Sirius' death had destroyed Remus to such a degree. Harry realized that his own death would probably had made Remus' condition that much worse. He wondered if Remus even knew what had happened to him, and wished desperately that the man was here with him.
He thought about the future. He wasn't sure what was going to happen with his life next, which was both refreshing and frightening. Ever since he was eleven, Harry had known that a battle with Voldemort was in his future, but now the man was dead, and for the first time, Harry's life was truly his own. Being out of the dark shadow of Voldemort would surely be refreshing, once he had fully recovered and processed it properly. And he had another year of school after finishing this one-he had time to figure out what he would do with the rest of his life.
He thought about Draco. Draco...the thought of him made Harry's cheeks burn, remembering the emotion that he had felt coming from Draco. Draco's love was as exhilarating as it was scary, and he wasn't sure what to do. He knew that this Draco was different than the one he used to know, and that he wanted this Draco in his life. However...he still wasn't sure if he could ever love Draco like he loved him. He didn't want to lead Draco on, and he was afraid of that happening, even though he had told the other boy the truth about what was in his heart. He was just so afraid of someone getting hurt because of him.... Maybe he should let time take care of Draco, as well.
Harry yawned, his eyes growing heavy. 'Time...I heard somewhere 'time heals all wounds.' Maybe I should see if Time can help me out in this, as well....'
He fell into a natural sleep just before five. When Madam Pomfrey looked in on him, she smiled at the peaceful-looking boy and left, letting him sleep on.
**********