Harry had cried for days. It wasn't fair. All he'd done was to bump
into Malfoy and now he would never walk again. He looked across the room
at the brand new walking chair that they'd brought in just that morning.
He hated the sight of it. They actually expected him to accept that,
that...
"Morning Potter."
That voice. No, it couldn't be. He turned his head toward it. "Malfoy! What are you doing here?"
The slim bodied Slytherin stood at the door of Harry's room, as if rooted to the spot.
"I, I wanted to see how you were."
"How I was? You left me lying on a cold stone floor Malfoy."
Malfoy seemed almost to wilt, and Harry swore he seemed about to cry. What was up? Harry had assumed that he'd be pleased to have him in hospital, and yet Malfoy appeared to be on the verge of tears.
"Malfoy?"
"You think you know everything about me don't you Potter? Well you don't, not by a longshot. Just because I don't like you doesn't mean I wanted this to happen. I would never have left you lying there if I'd known you were seriously hurt. I...." Malfoy ran from the room, leaving a very puzzled and somewhat ashamed Harry calling after him, "Malfoy, Malfoy!"
Malfoy did not return. He had many visitors especially Professor Dumbledore, who though busy running the school, always managed to stop by at least once a day if even for a few minutes. On one such visit Harry noticed that something seemed to be troubling him.
"Sir, is something wrong?"
Dumbledore seemed almost startled by Harry's words. "Yes Harry I'm afraid so, but I don't think there's anything you can do to help." He got up and made for the door. Harry caught something that sounded like "poor Malfoy." Poor Malfoy? What was Dumbledore going on about. He had to know.
"What about Malfoy professor? Has something happened to him?"
Dumbledore froze in his tracks, and then turned to face Harry. "I'm very much afraid that young Mr. Malfoy is quite ill. He will not eat or speak to anyone. It's as if he's lost the will to live."
Harry was shocked. Malfoy ill? Lost the will to live? "Where is he professor?"
"He is currently here in St. Mungo's Harry. If his condition does not change soon he will be transferred to a long time care facility. If he lives that is.."
Harry turned away and his eyes fell on his walking chair. He hated it, and always would, but with it at least he'd be mobile. "Take me to him Professor, please."
Harry and Dumbledore made their way to the lifts. Once inside Dumbledore had pushed the button for floor 10, where Malfoy was staying, and kindly left Harry to his thoughts.
Won't eat or speak? May be dying? Harry was stunned. I couldn't be responsible could I? The thought that he might be in some way responsible for Malfoy's condition left him feeling ashamed. He'd been rotten to Malfoy the one time he'd visited Harry in hospital. If this was the result...
Even though Dumbledore had told him what to expect Harry was shocked. The broken creature huddled in a corner bore no resemblance to the Malfoy he knew and hated. This Malfoy had a malnourised look and his once lusterous blonde hair looked like it hadn't seen a comb in a long time. The worst was still to come however. When Harry called out his name Malfoy slowly turned to face him. It was then that Harry really understood how ill his nemesis was. There was no spark of life in Malfoy's eyes. Slowly Harry slipped out of his chair and onto the ground next to the other boy, then he reached out and took him into his arms, as if he were cradling a baby. Malfoy began to sob. Not knowing what else to do Harry just held him and gently stroked his back doing his best to comfort him. "Shhh, Draco it's alright. I'm here. Shhhh." Dumbledore slipped quietly away, a smile on his lips.
"Morning Potter."
That voice. No, it couldn't be. He turned his head toward it. "Malfoy! What are you doing here?"
The slim bodied Slytherin stood at the door of Harry's room, as if rooted to the spot.
"I, I wanted to see how you were."
"How I was? You left me lying on a cold stone floor Malfoy."
Malfoy seemed almost to wilt, and Harry swore he seemed about to cry. What was up? Harry had assumed that he'd be pleased to have him in hospital, and yet Malfoy appeared to be on the verge of tears.
"Malfoy?"
"You think you know everything about me don't you Potter? Well you don't, not by a longshot. Just because I don't like you doesn't mean I wanted this to happen. I would never have left you lying there if I'd known you were seriously hurt. I...." Malfoy ran from the room, leaving a very puzzled and somewhat ashamed Harry calling after him, "Malfoy, Malfoy!"
Malfoy did not return. He had many visitors especially Professor Dumbledore, who though busy running the school, always managed to stop by at least once a day if even for a few minutes. On one such visit Harry noticed that something seemed to be troubling him.
"Sir, is something wrong?"
Dumbledore seemed almost startled by Harry's words. "Yes Harry I'm afraid so, but I don't think there's anything you can do to help." He got up and made for the door. Harry caught something that sounded like "poor Malfoy." Poor Malfoy? What was Dumbledore going on about. He had to know.
"What about Malfoy professor? Has something happened to him?"
Dumbledore froze in his tracks, and then turned to face Harry. "I'm very much afraid that young Mr. Malfoy is quite ill. He will not eat or speak to anyone. It's as if he's lost the will to live."
Harry was shocked. Malfoy ill? Lost the will to live? "Where is he professor?"
"He is currently here in St. Mungo's Harry. If his condition does not change soon he will be transferred to a long time care facility. If he lives that is.."
Harry turned away and his eyes fell on his walking chair. He hated it, and always would, but with it at least he'd be mobile. "Take me to him Professor, please."
Harry and Dumbledore made their way to the lifts. Once inside Dumbledore had pushed the button for floor 10, where Malfoy was staying, and kindly left Harry to his thoughts.
Won't eat or speak? May be dying? Harry was stunned. I couldn't be responsible could I? The thought that he might be in some way responsible for Malfoy's condition left him feeling ashamed. He'd been rotten to Malfoy the one time he'd visited Harry in hospital. If this was the result...
Even though Dumbledore had told him what to expect Harry was shocked. The broken creature huddled in a corner bore no resemblance to the Malfoy he knew and hated. This Malfoy had a malnourised look and his once lusterous blonde hair looked like it hadn't seen a comb in a long time. The worst was still to come however. When Harry called out his name Malfoy slowly turned to face him. It was then that Harry really understood how ill his nemesis was. There was no spark of life in Malfoy's eyes. Slowly Harry slipped out of his chair and onto the ground next to the other boy, then he reached out and took him into his arms, as if he were cradling a baby. Malfoy began to sob. Not knowing what else to do Harry just held him and gently stroked his back doing his best to comfort him. "Shhh, Draco it's alright. I'm here. Shhhh." Dumbledore slipped quietly away, a smile on his lips.
