Disclaimer: I don't own these characters; they all belong to the one and only JK Rowling.

Notes: Well, This chapter might not be as long as the last one, so I apologize if it is not, but I will try my best to keep it above 5,000 words. I am surprised most of you have begun guessing what would happen in the later chapters, and I am most surprised when some of you actually guessed it right! I applaud you =D.

I would like to say RIP Richard Harris, AKA Dumbledore. I was saddened by the news and I felt numb all over when I heard about it. My heart is with his family.

Chapter Seven: Harry Turns Eight

Draco woke up suddenly to feel something pressed against his chest. He looked around the dark room sleepily before he looked down at the shaking figure beside him. It took him several minutes to fully comprehend that wet tears were seeping through his nightshirt coming from the one and only Harry Potter.

"What is it? What are you doing here?" he whispered hoarsely in the night to the trembling boy whose face was in his chest, Harry's shoulders shaking quite profusely as the boy didn't answer.

Draco turned his head and looked at his alarm clock, the red numbers glaring back at him in the dim room. It read: 4:15 AM.

He heard Harry sniffle beside him and realized his arm was draped around the boy's waist gently. He snatched it back quickly despite his sleepy state and held the boy's shoulder with his hand, shaking him slightly and pulling him back so he could look at the boy's face.

"What is it?" he asked again, searching Harry's face as the brunette just looked up at him with shining tears.

"I had a bad dream," he took a shuddering breath and was about to curl into Draco's chest again but the hand that was on his shoulder prevented him from doing so, "Please let me stay here," he whispered, "Please, please, please, please…."

Draco's grip on the boy's shoulder loosened as his eyes closed with agitation. He knew he shouldn't feel this sour at a face like Harry's, but it was hard not to. [Just ten more days, just ten more bloody days.] He thought to himself as he cringed when Harry snuggled closer to him.

He sighed as he debated whether he should send Harry back to his cot or leave him here where he could fall back to sleep.

Before he could decide, he felt Harry reach down and bring the covers to tuck under his chin, nestling in deeply and refusing to look up into the slightly annoyed eyes of the Slytherin. Draco had no choice but to let him stay stationary.

Draco sighed as he looked down to see Harry move even closer to him and tuck his head under the blonde's chin, letting out a shuddering breath. He could see the tips of Harry's eyelashes flutter shut delicately, but continued to feel the boy tremble in his closeness.

He knew he shouldn't, he knew he couldn't, but he slipped his arm under the covers and pressed his hand to the boy's back, rubbing it reassuringly. He couldn't help it – Harry was just there, and he was shaking. He felt the boy continue to tremble, and the longer he felt the involuntary motion, the longer he kept his hand pressed gently against the boy's back, reluctantly closing his eyes and hoping to the heaven's that Harry wouldn't remember this – ever.

He felt a warm feeling inside when Harry's shaking decreased gradually, and he willed himself not to cringe at the wet spot in the middle of his chest. He could feel sleep gaining on him again as he held the boy tighter, and the dim room was whispering silent songs to him as he finally closed his eyes again and the hand that was absently around Harry's back became tighter, pulling the small boy closer.

----------

Draco woke up sleepily several hours later, the smell of faint rain sweeping though his nostrils, making his mind whirl and his body shiver and unconsciously bring the lump beside him closer. He snuggled closer into the blankets, the warmth enveloping him and he sighed in contentment. He inhaled the sensual smell again before he nuzzled his face in the object beside him, his breath taken away at the feeling of pure warmth surrounding him completely.

He heard a noise a second later and then he jerked back with a start, remembering that it was his nemesis beside him, and he felt Harry snuggle under the blankets even more at the loss of warmth that the blonde was supporting. He realized his hand was still against Harry's back, and he pulled it slowly back to his own body, his gray eyes intent as he stared at the sleeping figure before him.

He tried to figure out why he didn't just send Harry back to his bed earlier – then he remembered… Harry was crying. And shaking. And trembling. And as much as Draco hated to admit that it got to him like it did, he felt vulnerable under the seven-year-old's closeness.

No. Wait. He mentally sighed to himself as he remembered that Harry had just turned eight over night. He was eight years old, not seven.

His lips thinned as he rolled cautiously off his bed, shivering in the chilly room. It always got cold in his rooms, but he liked it like that. He sat up straight in his bed and got adjusted to the familiar air around him before he stood up, his feet burying in the carpet below him. His eyes focused on his window before he turned his gaze to his massive desk, and he took a double take when he saw what was on it.

There were several long pieces of parchments on his desk, all neatly organized to one side. He came closer to his desk and peered at the parchments that were not there yesterday, and his eyelids widened when he saw what was written upon it.

The topmost parchment was familiar – for it was the parchment Draco gave to Harry to write on. He saw messy scrawls written across the parchment, one side all with Draco's name, and the other side with Harry's. His eyes traveled down the parchment as he saw Harry's elementary handwriting gradually increase with preciseness with each new name he wrote down. When Draco turned the parchment over, his eyebrows shot up at how many times Harry wrote his name down.

He ran a hand through his hair as he looked at the other parchments. He set the parchment that he was hold down, and he picked up the next parchment on the pile. He could feel eyes on him as he turned that parchment over and he stole a look to the boy on his bed, half of Harry's face covered in the blankets – enough to show his eyes and messy black hair.

"Go back to sleep," Draco said quietly, setting down the parchment and organizing the pile again into their neat stack. He saw Harry's eyelids flutter shut shortly after, and he sighed as he took out his clothes for the day and took a warm shower.

When he emerged from his bathroom thirty minutes later, he couldn't help but feel slightly disturbed at what happened just a few hours ago. He was feeling as if the changes that happened were so sudden – one day he was hating Harry with all his gut, then when he actually had no choice but to take care of him…

He shook his head at the thoughts that raced through his mind. He hated Harry. Yes, he hated Harry Potter. But why did he feel the need to pull his boy form closer to him just hours ago? Better yet, why did he need to feel the unfamiliar warmth?

Draco shook his head again and looked at his clock, twenty minutes before he usually went down to breakfast. He went to his bed and ever so slowly, he let his hand rest on the boy's shoulder, shaking him gently as he softly spoke, "Wake up, come on, we are going to be late."

Harry's eyes fluttered open, looking at him with a soft gaze. He squinted a bit as he looked up, and consciously rubbed his eyes as he propped himself up on his elbow.

He yawned as he looked around, the blonde having taken his hand back seconds before. Harry whispered quietly, squinting up at him, "Why am I here?"

Draco stared at him for a few moments before he drawled out, "You claimed you had a bloody nightmare, and you don't remember? Potter, you are impossible, now hurry up and fix yourself for breakfast."

Draco didn't flare his nose in agitation as Harry looked up at him quizzically and stayed stationary in his spot on Draco's bed. Harry looked around himself in a confused manner before seconds after his eyes grew wide and he looked up at Draco with innocent eyes. "I remember what I dreamed about," he said in a whisper, his green eyes looking around the room.

Draco raised an interested eyebrow but he drawled out in an uninterested voice, "I don't really care what you dreamed out, just get ready for breakfast. I need my daily vitamins and proteins."

Harry sighed and looked hurt as he got out of bed, went to the rack where his clothes were and got his attire for the day, before he went in silence to the bathroom. Draco sighed and got his new parchments ready for the day along with some quills, stuffing it in his bag.

He heard a thud a moment later and whirled around to where the sound was expressed.  Quickly, "Oi, Potter, what happened?" he said into the air, walking briskly to his bathroom door, pressing his ear to the wood.  He wasn't aware of his fast beating heartbeat or how white his knuckles were. 

He heard a small voice and clearly didn't understand it.  He pushed open the unlocked door quickly, to see a sitting down heap on the other side of the glass shower.  All he could see was tan skin and this mass of black hair on top of the boy's head. He walked over there quickly to see Harry's figure struggle to get up.

"What happened?" he demanded, opening the shower door and helping Harry get in an upright position. 

"I-I slipped," Harry breathed out, squinting at him, and Draco had to get an extra hold of Harry's hand as the boy started to slip again.  He put a hand under Harry's armpit and helped him out of the shower, the boy's eyes closing and opening again, trying to find a towel.

Draco reached for the towel and was about to wrap it around the smaller figure when he stopped, realizing what he was about to do.  Instead of wrapping it around like he originally intended, he just turned his face away and held out the towel, putting an appropriate scowl on his face.

"You should be more careful," he snapped suddenly, trying to get his racing heartbeat to slow down.  He couldn't believe he was actually scared that something could have happened to Harry.

No, remember, your heart is only beating because if something awful had happened to Potter, you would be expelled, he said as he tried to reassure himself.  He went back to the shower and turned off the water, then returning his gaze to Harry.

Harry was sitting on the toilet, his face blank as he stared at his feet, a towel around his small hips.  He looked up to Draco when he felt the Slytherin's gaze on him.

"I didn't mean to, I'm sorry," he rushed out quickly, pushing some wet hair out of his eyes.  He lifted his right foot from the floor and put his ankle on his other knee, poking in gently.

"What happened?" Draco asked as he kneeled down beside the boy, looking at Harry's foot.  Without thinking, it he reached over and held the foot in his hand, then looking up at the boy.

Harry tried to pull his foot away quickly but he couldn't take it out of the Slytherin's firm grasp.  He whimpered a bit, "It hurts, stop it!"

Draco rolled his eyes as he told Harry plainly, "You're going to hurt it more, Potter," Harry cringed and Draco corrected himself, his voice not anymore irritated, rather gentle, "Harry, If you keep on trying to pull it away."

He felt the boy relax slowly, and he pulled the foot closer to him.  In a soft voice, he spoke, "You should be more careful."

The boy tried to pull his foot back when he said that, but he stopped Harry from doing so as he held his calf, looking up at him.  "How did you slip?"

Harry looked towards the shower and said quietly, "I didn't see the soap bar on the floor."

Draco looked towards the shower before he looked at the eight-year-old boy.  He sighed and pressed Harry's ankle, holding it firmly as the boy tried to pull it back. 

"It hurts!" Harry whimpered as Draco gently pressed Harry's heel again.  Sighing, he got out his wand and whispered a small healing spell, feeling Harry completely relax in his hold.  It was a temporary spell, but if he kept on applying it, it would last Harry the rest of the day.

"Does it hurt now?" he asked, pressing the ankle again, looking up to the boy who was sitting on the toilet.  Draco watched as Harry shook his head and squinted at him again.  Draco drawled out while standing up in a monotone voice, "Like I said, next time, be more careful, and watch for the soap."

Harry only nodded and stood up, looking around for his clothes.  He found it a minute later, and started to dress as Draco stepped out of the bathroom to give Harry some privacy.  Sighing, he looked at his clock again, noting that they had plenty of time to get to the Great Hall, forgetting that he lied to Harry earlier in an effort to get Harry to hurry up.

Harry came out of the bathroom minutes later, and Draco gave an exaggerated sigh as he saw Harry's hair still wet.  Beckoning him over after telling him to get a towel, he waited as Harry came forward and sat before him on the floor, his head between Draco's legs so Draco could dry his hair.

In a drawled out voice, "You should dry your own hair, you know," Draco smirked as Harry gave him a look from the corner of his eye, and Draco wondered if Harry gave him a smile.

"I like you drying my hair," Harry said calmly, leaning back to rest his back against the bed mattress.  He closed his eyes as he felt his hair being ruffled.

"Maybe I don't like drying your hair, ever think of that, Potter?"  He said Harry's last name purposely, but even he couldn't help but smile as Harry laughed.

"You like it.  I know you do.  So bleh." He stuck his tongue out at Draco as the blonde Slytherin rolled his eyes, giving him a look.  Draco watched as Harry looked straightforward a second later and they were surrounded in silence as Draco continued to dry the Gryffindor's hair.

After he finished, he put the towel gently on top of his sheets and raked his fingers through Harry's hair just as his mother had done to him those long years ago.  Teasing the nags out of it, he scowled disapprovingly at the amount of messy hair the boy had. 

"You have too much hair," he drawled out, breaking the chilling silence.  Harry didn't say anything, but continued to lean his head against the blonde's legs, his eyes closed slightly.

They continued in silence for another five minutes, Draco hearing Harry's quiet breathing while the Gryffindor leaned against his legs, and his hands in Harry's hair.

Draco couldn't help but appreciate the silence.

----------

Draco rolled his eyes as he continued to lazily scribble notes down on his parchment.  Muggle studies was boring, yes, but Muggle studies with Ravenclaws?  Boring was an understatement. 

He looked out of the corner of his eye at Harry, who was drawing something on a blank piece of parchment.  Harry looked at him for a second, and smiled, his whole smile widening his face.  Draco looked at him blankly.

Hearing the Professor drone on about something or other, he ripped a corner of his parchment, and with a smirk, he crumbled it.  Looking to his right, where Pansy was sitting, her eyelids drooped closed then sprang open a minute later, he sneered at her tired form before looking to his left at Harry, who was looking at him curiously.

He looked towards the Professor, whose back was towards the class, and he flicked the small, crumpled paper across the room, where it hit Terry Boot on the forehead.  He looked away innocently, but Harry almost gave him away as he started laughing.

"Shh, Harry, quiet!" he hissed as Terry looked suspiciously at them.  He said Harry's given name unconsciously this time, and if he ever realized he had said it with ease, he would have cringed at the thought.

Some of the other Ravenclaws saw the flicked piece of paper, but they didn't know who it was from, apparently, considering that they weren't looking directly at him.  Only Terry's unwavering gaze caught Draco's eye, before Terry looked at the small, giggling form of Harry Potter.

Draco just raised an eyebrow to Terry's glare, and shrugged.  He could see from the corner of his eye that Pansy had perked up slightly, along with the rest of the drowning Slytherin's.  The Professor was still oblivious. 

Draco watched as Harry squinted slightly, looking around for something, before he found what he was looking for (a quill), and wrote something on the paper.  Draco smirked as Harry passed it along to him under the table, and he could feel Pansy shift closer to him.

He looked up to see the Professor bending over to get a piece of chalk, and he quickly unfolded the note.  He looked up to Harry's boyish face when he read what was on the note, before he reread it again.

'Harry and Draco' was written on the parchment.  He looked up again to see Harry drawing on another piece of parchment before he felt someone's hand on his thigh.  He nearly jumped as he turned quickly to his girlfriend's face, a cruel smirk on her face.

"Stop it!" he hissed to her, and several heads turned around to see what he was talking about.  Pansy's hand stayed stationary but she frowned upon his hiss. 

"He said stop it!" a voice rang clear through out the scribbling of parchments, and it was loud enough for everyone – including the professor – to turn around and look at them both.  Draco felt Pansy's hand leave his thigh, but instead of her looking at the Professor, she was looking very hatefully at Harry Potter, who was looking with equal hatred back at her.

"Is there a problem, children?" the Professor said calmly, crossing her hands in front of her chest.  She emphasized 'children', looking from Draco to Harry both with an unwavering gaze.

Draco looked between the icy glares of both of the people sitting beside him, feeling the curious gazes upon his back from his fellow house and also from the Ravenclaws.  He cleared his throat and shook his head, drawling out, "No, there is no problem."

The professor kept her gaze on them a minute longer before returning to the board, writing their homework as the class was about to leave.  Draco looked at Pansy who was still glaring at Harry and she hissed to Harry, "Better watch it Potter."

Harry didn't say anything and seemed to cower at her very menacing glare, but Draco cleared his throat again loudly.  Pansy looked away slowly, her eyes lingering dangerously on Harry.  Harry just looked at her with his big, green eyes.

The bell rang a minute later, and Harry who didn't have any priorities to do any work or copy anything stood up straight away.  Draco was just writing the last sentence for his homework and felt Harry squeeze through the back of his chair to wait for him by the door. 

The next thing Draco heard was a thud and several gasps of surprise.  His head shot up like lightning and the first thing that came to his mind was, unmistakably, Harry.  He stood up quickly to see Harry on the floor, getting up from falling flat on his face.  His eyes caught hold of crimson liquid and he walked briskly to the boy on the floor.  The surrounding Ravenclaws and Slytherins were looking at him curiously as he kneeled down beside the boy.  Harry's nose was bleeding, and there was blood all over his shirt and face. 

He could see Harry was about to cry, and really, he couldn't blame the child.  He hoisted him up slowly by his armpits and turned to Crabbe and barked, "Tell Flitwick I won't make it to Charms."

"Wait, Draco, where are you going?" Came what was unmistakably Pansy's irritated voice. 

"To bring Potter to the hospital wing," he said quickly.  He looked up to see Terry Boot offer a handkerchief to stop the bleeding of the crying boy in Draco's arms, and Draco took it gratefully, some of the blood getting on his hands. 

 "What happened?" he asked quickly, looking around.  Everyone looked just as confused as he did on what just happened.  Harry was crying silently beside him, holding up the clothe to his nose.

Draco barked again, "What the bloody hell happened?"

He heard Harry choke slightly before he saw the boy point to Pansy, or rather, Pansy's chair.  "It's my fault, I-I tripped on the chair and-and," he didn't get to finish as the Professor interrupted him.

"Mr. Malfoy, you better bring Potter to the hospital wing," the professor said quickly, dishing out another handkerchief and handing it to the boy.

Draco made his way out quickly, helping the boy walk and getting more blood on his hands from Harry's nose.  What he didn't see before, though, was Pansy's foot stuck out when Harry 'conveniently' walked by, nor did he see her sneer as he left the Muggle Studies Classroom.  And since he was too busy trying to get the blood to stop flowing, he didn't see her put her wand back in her robe pocket.

----------

The blood was soaked by the time Draco got Harry to the hospital wing.  Madam Pomfrey bustled after him as Draco brought Harry to a bed to sit on, and she rushed by his side.

"What happened, Mr. Malfoy?" she asked him briskly before she got out several towels and handed it to him.  Draco sat beside Harry on the bed and removed the bloody material before replacing it with the white towels the nurse just gave him.  Harry was trying to look brave, but he was failing miserably as his face scrounged up. 

"All I know is that he tripped and got blood all over his face," Draco drawled out, calming the shaking boy beside him by rubbing his hand on Harry's back.  Harry was crying silently beside him, making no noise, but every once in a while, he would draw in a shuddering breath. 

Draco watched as Madam Pomfrey went into her office and came back with her wand and a bottle of ointment.  Draco watched as Harry's eyes went wide when she came near him with her wand, and he grasped Draco's hand nervously.

"She's just going to help, Potter," he started, but trailed off as Harry's eyes locked into his own. 

"Don't leave," The Gryffindor whispered through the bloody cloth and Draco squeezed his hand reassuringly.  The Slytherin sneered when Madam Pomfrey stood in front of Harry, slowly removing the cloth from his nose.  She tilted the boy's face up slightly and looked at him.

"Does your nose hurt, Mr. Potter?" she asked quietly, letting her fingers linger of his nose and press gently against the bloodied skin.  Big tears streamed down Harry's face as he nodded and tried to pull away from her hands.  She didn't stop him.  Draco felt his hand being squeezed tightly as Harry's eyes widened even more when she looked around for her wand that was placed conveniently beside them on the bed table.

"It's broken then," she said and looked towards Draco.  Draco knew what that meant – it meant that it would be painful to fix it.  He remembered in sixth year when he broke his arm in Quidditch, and Madam Pomfrey had to mend it.  He nearly cried at the pain, but thankfully, it only lasted about three seconds.

"This is going to hurt a bit, Mr. Potter," she said while trying to reach for Harry's face again, but Harry scrambled away from her quickly when she said that.  The black haired boy didn't manage to make it completely out of the bed like he intended, as Draco was holding his hand.

"Potter, don't be such a child, it's just going to hurt for a second."

Harry shook his head quickly and Madam Pomfrey straightened up, looking down at him with a patient gaze.  Draco tugged Harry to him by his hand and the boy shook his head again, clearly afraid.  More blood was trickling down his chin and his eyes were wide and frightened.

Leaning over the bed, Draco grasped Harry by his waist and pulled the boy closer to him, breathing in the familiar scent of rain as his face was in the Gryffindor's hair.  The boy was shaking his hold.  Draco placed Harry in his lap, considering that Harry could fit in it since he was almost abnormally small.  The Slytherin held both of the Gryffindor's hands in his own, while the other hand grasped the boy's shoulders, holding him so he couldn't squirm that easily.

"It's going to hurt for a bit."

"I don't want it to hurt," Harry whispered to him.  Draco was aware of the blood seeping into his robe, but he really didn't care as he felt Harry's hands shake in his own.  He gave them both a squeeze, and the boy's eyes shone with fear as Madam Pomfrey stepped closer.

"It'll feel better after, I promise.  Trust me," Draco didn't sneer, or scowl, or smirk as he said those words.  He felt, rather than heard Harry say yes.    He looked up to Madam Pomfrey and he nodded.

Madam Pomfrey took the remaining steps forward and Draco could feel Harry try to struggle out of his grasp as Madam Pomfrey took Harry's chin in her fingertips.  Before he heard Harry scream, he heard the healing words of the nurse, feeling the boy in his lap give a violent jerk from the pain.

It was already over before it begun, but Harry was curled into him as Draco released the boy's hands from his lap.  It encircled his neck and he cringed as he thought how this would look like if someone from his house came in and saw.  He felt the boy's tears and blood mix together, feeling them both sweep through the thin material. 

At least his nose is fixed; Draco tried not to roll his eyes as he slowly and gently pried Harry off of him, but ended up getting Harry to cling to him tighter.  He glared at the amused glance the nurse gave him. 

"Harry, dear, I have to check something else," she said gently, putting her hand on the boy's trembling shoulder.  Draco gave her a curious glance.

Draco tried again to pry Harry's face away from his neck, and this time, the Gryffindor obeyed to his touch.  Harry's face was distraught, but his nose was fixed, his hair ruffled and his face was messed up with the earlier blood.  His arms were still around Draco's neck.

She brought out something behind her back and it was a picture of a garden with flowers and butterflies.  Draco looked at her in disbelief as she did that.  He was about to ask what the hell that was before she piped in, asking Harry, "What do you see?"

Draco looked down to see Harry's eyelashes brush against his cheekbones, squinting slightly.  Madam Pomfrey walked back a few spaces and she looked at Harry thoughtfully as Harry leaned forward, trying to see the picture.

Draco raised an eyebrow as Harry did that.  Didn't the Gryffindor see what he was seeing?  Then something slowly clicked in his mind.

"I-I cannot see it," Harry said, leaning forward.  The nurse nodded before she gently smiled, and she nodded in Draco's direction as she swept past him, walking to her office.  Harry settled back in Draco's lap, not looking up at him, and surrendering to the soft embrace the blonde was giving.

Draco could see the lights flicker and some shadows move against the wall.  He heard a bang a minute later and his eyes caught hold of two worried faces happening to stumble into the room.

"What the bloody hell happened?!" Ron growled as Hermione walked behind him.  Draco smirked and felt Harry hold him tightly, starting to rock against him.

"Potter had a small accident," he drawled out, and felt Harry tense in his hold.  He corrected himself just for the boy's benefit, "Harry had a small accident."

"I'm going to kill you!" Ron snarled as Hermione tried to hold him back.  They all jumped when they heard a sharp voice, "Mr. Weasley, you shall do no such thing!"

They all turned around to see Madam Pomfrey walk briskly over to them, carrying what were unmistakably glasses.  She said, "Mr. Potter had an accident because he couldn't see what happened."

All of them looked to the boy, who was rocking in Draco's embrace.  Draco flushed a slight pink.  Madam Pomfrey continued, smiling down at the boy, "As all of you are aware, originally, Mr. Potter does have glasses.  Yes?"

Hermione nodded and Ron grumbled, "Yes."

"And are you both aware that Mr. Potter's vision will still remain the same, even in the state he is in with the potion?"

Only Hermione nodded, Ron looked unsure, Draco didn't even bother to answer.  She smiled gently to all of them and leaned in, offering the glasses to Harry.  Harry's arms were still around the blonde's neck, so instead, Draco reached out and got his glasses. 

"Put these on, you can see things better," he informed Harry.  Harry let him slip the glasses on and they all stared at him. 

"Why is there so much blood?" Ron looked nauseated when he finally calmed down.  His eyes raked both of the figures on the bed.  Hermione stayed silent beside him.

"I fell down," Harry whispered quietly, finally looking at Ron.  This time he wasn't squinting. 

"You broke your nose just from a fall, Harry?" Hermione asked quickly, looking at him in a bewildered way.  He nodded and she gave a curious glance to Draco.

"I-I tripped over Pansy's chair leg and I coul-couldn't grab a hold of anything." Harry said quietly.  Draco's arm was still around Harry's shoulder as Harry spoke that, and he involuntarily gripped it tighter at Pansy's name.  Harry looked up to him curiously but he just shook his head. 

Draco remembered the hatred whizzing by him in the classroom just minutes before the actual incident.  Pansy's eyes were trained to kill, Harry's was just being defensive.  He was snapped out of his thoughts by Madam Pomfrey.

"Mr. Malfoy, he has to stay here tonight," she said softly, pointing to the bed.  Some drops of blood were on the sheets, but Draco didn't seem to notice.

"Why?  He has his glasses, doesn't he?" he snapped irritably.  Both Hermione and Ron were looking between all three of them.

"Yes, but remember the potion Mr. Potter took.  Since it usually takes a year-," she started to say, but Hermione interrupted her.  Draco didn't even bother to roll his eyes when she spoke, "His vision actually has to catch up with the rest of his body, Malfoy.  The changes are extremely quick, and if Harry doesn't be careful, he'll get into another accident."

Then Draco remembered something.  He said quickly to Madam Pomfrey, "He fell this morning in the shower.  I do hope you can mend his foot as well?"

Madam Pomfrey raised an eyebrow to his challenging tone, and he just smirked.  "Which foot, Mr. Malfoy?"

"The right one," he drawled out.  Harry's grip around his neck brought the blonde's face into his hair, and his lips pressed against it.  He wasn't exactly kissing Harry's hair, but he comforted the Gryffindor the best he could as Madam Pomfrey said a healing spell on Harry's right ankle.

"You should probably change, Mr. Malfoy," she said as she stood up. 

"Don't go," Harry hurriedly said, looking up to him with wide eyes.  Draco sneered and shifted on the bed, pushing Harry away from him.

"I have to go to Charms," he said.  Harry finally let go of his neck and stared at him pitifully.

"You have an excuse to miss class, Malfoy," Ron sneered at him as Draco stood up.  Draco raised an eyebrow and looked towards Hermione, who nodded.

"Dumbledore said you could stay here," she said approvingly.  He shrugged.

"Oi, watch scar head here for me," he smirked as Ron's face reddened.  He brushed past him and bumped his shoulder.  He wanted to get out of his bloodied attire and bring Harry some spare clothes.

He walked briskly out of the Hospital Wing before Harry could stop him, and then, he started to walk slowly to the Slytherin common room, hands in pockets.

----------

He returned back to the hospital wing with a clean shirt and clean clothes for Harry.  His bag was slung over his shoulder along with all his homework in it.  His steps were slow, and his mind was somewhere else.

Something just didn't click.  Something with the way Pansy's tone was after Harry fell led him to believe something was wrong.  He didn't see her in the common room as went in there earlier to retrieve Harry's clothes.  She was probably in charms at the time.  But the way she was looking at Harry when Harry cried out loudly in potions… Draco just didn't know exactly what it was, but her stone, cold, murderous gaze made him shiver.  It was the same look she gave to Tracey Davis when the other female Slytherin flirted with Draco in sixth year. 

But he couldn't get that sinking feeling away.   His mind started to drift off to his girlfriend.  He started to think of how nice she was when they first started going out – which was the middle of 6th year.  He liked her.  He truly did.

But now? He couldn't stand the girl.  Everything about her irked him.  From her hair, to her fragrance, her voice, her attitude… she was disrespectful to him.  She didn't like him as he liked her before.  She just simply wanted him because he was Draco Malfoy. 

He blinked as he reached the Hospital wing.  Sighing, he stepped in. 

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"If that bastard ever hurts Harry, I swear I will kill him," Ron whispered fiercely, watching as Hermione rocked Harry slowly in her arms.  The boy was slowly falling asleep in her embrace.

"Ron, stop it.  Stop being so childish."

"I'm not being childish!  When will you realize the truth that Malfoy hates us?  He hates me, he hates you, and he hates Harry.  He. HATES. Us." Ron said grumpily, leaning against the headboard.  Harry's eyelids fluttered open gently before it closed a second later.

"I don't know about that Ron," she whispered, continuing to rock Harry in her arms gently.  Ron couldn't help but watch the tender embrace she was giving Harry.  The warm embrace he wished he could have.

"What do you mean?  Are you suggesting that--," he was caught off by Harry's stirring.  They stayed silent for a moment as Harry cuddled in closer and she shook her head.

"I'm… I don't know Ron.  I'm suggesting that maybe…" she trailed off and sighed.  Ron looked at her curiously, and moved closer to her, brushing some hair out of her face.  They looked into each other's eyes before they looked away, Ron's hand dropping to his lap.  He didn't know what provoked him to do that action.

"You're suggesting?" he asked her quietly, willing for her to continue.

"I'm suggesting that maybe… Malfoy doesn't really hate Harry like we think," Ron caught the hesitance in her voice. 

"What do you mean?" he asked her.  He watched as she looked at Harry's sleeping face, brushing some hair out of his eyes.  She leaned down and kissed the scar upon his forehead, picking him up while cradling him.  Ron caught her eye and stood up, pulling back the blankets.  They, in silence, worked together and tucked Harry in.  Harry's shirt was still bloodied up, but Hermione didn't have the heart to wake him up when he was sleeping so peacefully.

They watched silently as Harry curled up into a small ball.  Ron was absently aware of the setting sun out of the Hospital Wing's windows.  Hermione smiled down at Harry for a moment, tilting her head thoughtfully.  Ron pulled his gaze away from Harry's figure and looked at her, watching as her hair was auburn instead of the brown that was usually seen in the darkness.

"I mean… I think that Malfoy doesn't hate Harry.  Not hate, anyway.  He might like him," she shrugged, sitting on the bed beside Harry's.  Ron sat beside her, careful not to make any noise to wake Harry up. 

"What makes you say that?  Bloody hell, don't tell me-," he started to say but Hermione shook her head slowly.

"The way he seemed genuinely concerned when we arrived.  Did you see how he was holding Harry?  It was like he cared for him."

Ron looked at her unbelievably.  Hermione gave him a look, and slowly, the red head's mind started to recall the tightness of Harry's hands around Draco's neck.  He started to recall the blonde's hand on the brunette's shoulder, and he remembered the pale face of the blonde Slytherin when Harry said he fell down.

He looked away in his disbelief.  No.  Malfoy didn't like Harry.

He felt Hermione's hand on his shoulder a minute later.  He looked sideways at her, and he smiled consciously as he leaned in and whispered, "Everything will be all right.  We just have to trust Malfoy."

"Trust him?" Ron whispered back, watching as Hermione's eyes twinkled.  He was surprised that the offer of 'trust' between the two heated enemies didn't spark a fire in him.  Maybe Malfoy was growing on him after all, not that he would ever admit it. 

"Yes.  I really think he's starting to like Harry.  Even a little," she whispered even lower, and Ron had to lean in to hear her.

"Do you fancy Harry?" he asked her slowly and her eyes widened when he said that.  She shook her head quickly and blushed.  Ron mentally slapped himself as she pulled away quickly, hands fidgeting in her lap.  She didn't even look up from her gaze on the bed sheets as Harry turned over in his sleep.

The lamps beside the beds magically flickered on as dusk approached.  The lights were dim.

"N-no!  I like… I fancy someone else," she looked away to the floor.  Ron's insides started to spark slightly at the mention of someone else.  He looked away as well.

They were about to say something to each other but they heard the door open slowly.  They both watched silently as Draco Malfoy strode in, his face blank. 

Ron wished Hermione would tell him who, and he decided to ask her later. 

----------

Draco forced a smirk upon his face when he saw just how closely Ron and Hermione were sitting beside each other.  He gave Hermione a look and she blushed.

His eyes caught hold of the sleeping figure in the bed across from the sitting couple.  The comforter was up to Harry's nose, the Gryffindor sleeping quietly. 

Madam Pomfrey came out a moment later with the same ointment Draco saw earlier.  She said softly, leaning in to all of them so they all could hear, "You lot better go to dinner.  I'll take care of Harry."

Draco shook his head as he sat down on Harry's bed, sitting opposite of Ron and Hermione.  He mumbled, "Not hungry." Madam Pomfrey nodded and placed the ointment on the bedside table beside Harry's new glasses.  She left a moment later.

Hermione and Ron looked at Draco when the nurse left and Hermione softly spoke, "Want us to stay here, Malfoy?"

Draco shook his head and said, "Whatever.  I'm just going to do my homework.  The blood thing earlier took away my appetite," he sneered when he said that, and Hermione just rolled her eyes. 

Picking up his bag from the floor, he looked at his watch on his wrist.  It read 7:00 PM.

Without another word or another glance, the two Gryffindor seventh years left the hospital wing, leaving Draco alone.  The Slytherin sighed as he took out his big textbook for muggle studies, sitting in the bed where Hermione and Ron sat upon earlier.  He stretched upon it, letting the book lay on his lap. 

Then he started to read.  He started to read about how the Muggle system worked.  How there were different views, and opinions with the environment, on the earth, on politics and everything. 

He took an hour reading the required chapter in silence, the light on the table beside the bed shining bright so he could read.  Once in a while, he heard the soft breath of sleep beside him on the other bed; the rustle of blankets, and the quiet snores Harry was giving.

Leaning over the bed, he got some parchments to start writing his 10-inch paper on Muggle Politics, when his eyes started drifting off to Harry.

Did Harry have to go through Muggle things like this?  Did he have to live in this world where there were religious barriers, shameless actions and so forth?  Where things like magic didn't exist, the excitement and the thrill of danger not evident?  Draco couldn't help but wonder these things as he looked upon the eight-year-old Gryffindor boy. 

Of course, not living in the muggle society, he clearly didn't know a thing about it.  There had to be *experience* if he wanted to know some things. 

His mind was still somewhere else as his gaze was on Harry's face.   He didn't even notice Harry's gaze on him as he blinked out of his trance.  Harry was looking sleepily at him, a calculating gaze.

"What?" he drawled out in the silence.  Harry just shook his head and reached for his glasses on the bed stand, examining them in his hands before he slipped them on his face.  Draco couldn't help but think that Harry looked more like the original Harry Potter than anything else. 

Draco watched as Harry slipped out of bed, and started to walk to him, but Draco held out his hand to stop him.  Once Harry stopped halfway between the two beds, Draco reached down in his bag to get the clean shirt.  He brought it out of the bag, and beckoned Harry forward with a wave of his hand, his feet dangling at the side of the bed instead of his legs laying on it.

Harry came forward obediently and Draco handed him the shirt.

"Take off that bloody shirt and put this on," Draco said firmly as Harry took the shirt away from him.  Harry took off the bloodied shirt and handed it to him, which Draco folded up and laid it on the floor.  The Gryffindor boy put the clean shirt on himself and stood before the Slytherin.

"Go back to sleep," Draco said as he leaned back against the headboard, his feet now lain across the bed, his textbook on his lap and the parchment on the book.  Harry just stood beside him on the bed, looking down and fiddling with the white nightshirt.

"Can… Are you going to stay here tonight?" Came a hesitant voice.  Draco didn't even think about that.  Should he stay here?  He weighed his chances.  If he went back to the Slytherin common room, questions and comments would be asked and said, and he didn't feel like telling them all about his day.  If he went back now, people would ask where he was at dinner.  And, if he went back, he would get that unfamiliar feeling about being around Pansy.  He wasn't sure if what he felt was anger or what.

If he stayed, though, he could get his homework done.  Harry would be safe, and not have to worry about where Draco was.  Draco knew of the thing that if he left Harry for a long while, things might not be pretty.  Draco looked sideways to see Harry studying him, the green-eyed boy biting his bottom lip.

It took Draco a long time to think about it, but Harry was willing to wait for an answer.  Finally, he said, "Yeah.  Just because I don't want to answer any of my bloody house mate's questions."

Harry nodded and kneeled on his bed, and before Draco could realize what Harry was doing, Harry was crawling under the covers. 

"Oi, Potter, get in your own bloody bed," Draco pushed Harry's shoulder slightly, but the Gryffindor was already under the covers, as in, all the way under the covers.  His hair wasn't even showing.

"Let me stay here!" came a muffled voice below the blankets.  The bed wasn't that big, so Draco could feel Harry beside him.  He scooted a bit over and almost fell out of the bed because it was already cramped.

"Now, go back to your own bed," the Slytherin said and frowned when Harry didn't even move.  He poked the covers that outlined Harry's shoulders.

"No."

"Yes."

"No."

"Yes."

"No."

Draco sighed and had half the mind to push Harry out of the bed entirely.  Finally, he said with a smirk, "If you don't get out of this bed, I won't even bother staying here tonight."

He thought that would do it, but apparently, it didn't.  Harry's shoulders just shook a bit and he heard a small giggle, "I'm coming with you then!"

Draco wondered what happened to the crying boy just hours ago.  Mood swings he said to himself as he scowled.  "Well, I'm cramped up here.  Go to the next bed."

"No."

"Yes."

"No."

"Potter, come on!"  He said stubbornly, but Harry's shoulders just shook with silent laughter.  Finally, Draco could feel Harry turn so that his body could face him.  Slowly, the blonde watched as the covers slowly started to inch down Harry's face, to show a pair of big, green eyes and a very wide smile.

"That was funny," Harry said softly, looking up to the blonde.

"What was?" Draco smirked down at him, as Harry's smile just grew ten times larger.  Draco wondered how someone could smile that wide.

"The thing in-in your class today.  The thing with the paper." Harry grinned.  Draco's homework lay forgotten on his lap as he smirked down at the boy. 

"You think so?"

"Yes.  I want to do that too!" Harry exclaimed, and Draco rolled his eyes when Harry blushed.  Draco just rolled his eyes and got accustomed to Harry being beside him again.  He felt Harry's feet touch his shins and he pulled his body away from further contact.

"We'll…er… do it tomorrow in Potions," Draco sneered at the possibilities.  Harry nodded and snuggled deeper in the blankets.  The blonde watched as Harry's eyes traveled to the book on his lap.

"What are you doing?" Harry asked softly as he propped himself up.  Harry yawned as he looked at what Draco was reading.  His eyes looked interestedly up at the Slytherin.

"Homework.  Muggle Studies homework." He drawled out, and sighed, leaning back against the headboard.  Harry remained silent as he shrugged and snuggled down deeper into the bed.  Quietly, Harry said, "I'm tired."

"Then go to sleep, you halfwit." Draco rolled his eyes and felt tired himself, but he resolved that he would finish this essay tonight if it killed him.  Harry gave him a look and turned over, so that his back was showing instead of his face.  Draco stuck out his tongue to Harry's back and smirked, picking up his quill and starting to write again.  Harry stubbornly didn't look back at him once.

Halfway through his summarization, he looked up to see Madam Pomfrey walking out of her office towards him.  He could see the sparkle in her eye as she looked how Harry was laying down beside him.

"Mr. Malfoy," she whispered to him, leaning in.  He looked at her curiously as she brought the ointment from the bed stand and showed it to him.  Draco didn't see any indication that Harry was awake, finally looking at his watch.  It read 10:30 PM.  Has it really been that long?

"Are you staying here tonight to accompany Mr. Potter?" she asked quietly, looking down at the sleeping form beside Draco.  He sneered but nodded, some of his blonde hair draping over his forehead.  He ran a hand through it as he saw her reach down a hand and touch Harry's forehead.

He watched as she took her hand away and look thoughtfully at the brunette.  Draco impatiently waited for her to speak.

"If he wakes up in the middle of the night," she paused for emphasize, and he nodded, "I want you to give him this." She shook the ointment in her hand, her voice soft.  "He might get a fever in the middle of the night because of what happened today – everything being so traumatizing for a eight year old boy."

Draco rolled his eyes and smirked, "It's just Potter.  He can handle it."

Madam Pomfrey gave him a look but continued, "Because of the age changing so rapidly, he probably cannot handle it.  He might or might not wake up in the middle of the night, I suggest you put a charm around yourself so that you can wake up if he starts shaking."

Draco stared at her and she continued gently, "But apply some of this ointment to his forehead and things should go smoothly.  It will seep through the skin and calm the nerves and the potion that he still has inside him.  Is that clear?"

Draco nodded and looked from her to Harry sleeping beside him.  He didn't really know what to say.  Madam Pomfrey wished him goodnight didn't close the curtains as Draco still needed the light to work on his homework.

Finally finishing his homework, he glanced at his watch again, which read 12:20 AM.  He sighed in exhaustion and put his work in his bag, reaching over Harry to get it.  He froze as Harry stirred, but nothing else happened.  He leaned over Harry again to put the bag back on the floor, and while leaned over, he turned off the brightened light, making it dim.  Getting out his wand, so he wouldn't have to get up and manually do it, he swished and flicked it, whispering a spell, and closed the curtains around them. 

After putting a charm on himself so that if Harry woke up, he would be able to help him.  Laying down, and facing the opposite way so that Harry's back was against his own, Draco slowly fell asleep into a dreamless slumber, dreaming of tomorrow and what would happen.

-----TBC-----

Next Chapter:  Harry turns 9!  ACK!  What happens when you get a small, miniature, Draco Malfoy?  Plus the fact that it is also in potions?  What is the thing with Pansy, and what happens when Draco's suspicions are confirmed?  Stay tuned to find out!

First off, I want to apologize for such a long, LONG wait.  Here is what happened:  I had also been working on my other Story, 'A Soulmate's Story' (read that too =D), and upon transferring something on my website, something happened to the disk.  So, ultimately, it erased chapters 1, 2, 3, 4, 5 and 6 of LOD.  And also, the first part of Chapter 7.  That left me kind of mad for a while, so I delayed everything for a week because of my bad attitude.  The other weeks were because of school. It really sucked.

Okay.  Secondly, THANKYOU TO ALL THAT REVIEWED!  It amazes me that some of you are predicting things for the future, and actually guessing some things right on what I plan to do.  Give yourself a pat on the back. 

Answers to some Questions:

1.  What exactly happened to Harry that got him so bloodied up which only seemed like a small fall?

Well, if you look UP, then you will see that Harry said something along the lines that he tripped on Pansy's chair leg.  Really, Pansy was the one that tripped him with her foot, and she whispered a word that made him hit the ground harder on impact.  It'll be explained the next chapter or whatever. 

2.  When does he stop growing and return to his normal state? "Will Harry return to normal when he reaches 15?"

He stops growing at 17.  He lives one day with Draco Malfoy as the 'new' Harry Potter before he changes into the 'old' Harry Potter.  No, Harry will not return to normal at 15. 

3.  Why doesn't Draco just break up with Pansy, or better yet, smack her?

Ah.  Well.  You'll see in the upcoming chapters.  He is still trying to figure out what his feelings are with her.

4. After the spell is over, when Harry is all nice and old and at his original age, will he be OUR Harry, or the Harry that grew up with Draco?

It'll be OUR Harry, with a few changes.  SHH, no more.

SO THANKYOU FOR THOSE OF YOU WHO REVIEWED! I LOVE YOU ALL!

And also, I changed my pen name.  MYSTICALSOUL is my name now.  Dorothy was plain anyway.  ::Shrugs::

And join this RPG while you are at it: http://www.livejournal.com/users/morsmorde

HARRY POTTER FANART FOR LOD: http://thepresence.muddybrown.com/images/Art1.gif by the lovely Camilla!  Thankyou! And http://thepresence.muddybrown.com/images/Art3.jpg by Bénédicte.  Thankyou both, they are GORGEOUS!

Date Completed:  November 23, 2002