Anger and Laughter

The next morning when I woke I could not have been more confused. I'd been dreaming about Cho; the type of dream I used to have a lot, but not recently. When I awoke I thought I was still dreaming, for usually when I wake up, I'm most certainly the only one in my bed. I thought that if I kept my eyes closed, then the dream would not go away. For it truly seemed to me that I was holding some lovely creature in my arms. I sighed contentedly as I brushed my hands over angel soft skin, drawing this heavenly creature deeper into my embrace. I was surprised how real my dream felt.

Maybe it is real, perhaps if I open my eyes I might be able to see this wonderful being in my arms

So I slowly opened my eyes, the sensation of another warm body against my own did not fade away. Oh so slowly I looked down and saw…Draco Malfoy!

Oh God, he's naked, what did I do? Am I naked? No…I still have on my school robes. Why the fuck is Draco in my bed?

I carefully released Draco from my arms and backed away, he was still sound asleep.

Thank God

Then I caught sight of all the bruises and scars on his body. The memory of last night now hit me like a sledgehammer.

Oh God

I couldn't decide which would have been worse, waking up with Draco because I'd slept with him or because he'd been beaten and had the cruciatus used on him by his own father. The memory of Draco shaking uncontrollably passed through my mind, then of Draco crying himself to sleep.

I didn't want to think about it.

I looked back at the sleeping Draco, observing now in the light how the dark bruises contrasted with his pale skin.

Oh! Draco's Naked!

I remembered his ruined robes which still lay on the ground.

Shit, he can't just walk out of my room stark naked

I went over to my dresser and pulled out one of my own robes. It had a Griffindor crest on it, of course. Using my wand I managed to transform it into a Slytherin crest.

Perfect! Eat your heart out Professor MacGonnagal!

I then went back over to Draco's side and nudged him lightly, trying to avoid his bruises.

"Draco… Draco wake up." I whispered.

He didn't stir at all. I tried to nudge him more forcibly and I spoke his name as loud as I dared. He still wouldn't wake. Suddenly concerned I placed my hand along his jaw line to fell his pulse. I breathed a sigh of relief when I felt it beating strongly.

Well that's not the problem, but damn he's a heavy sleeper

I'd have shouted to wake him, but the last think either of us wanted was some curious little Griffendor stopping by to see what the commotion was. This would be a very hard situation to explain. Well, actually considering there was no possibility of Draco's secret home life being publicly known, there would be only one course of action if we were discovered: lie. And there really was only one possible lie for this scene, and frankly that would have been fairly easy to put in words. But there was no way I wanted to have to make anyone believe that I was fucking Draco Malfoy. So that meant that I had to be very quiet and discrete.

And so I sat down and waited as patiently as possible for Draco to wake up. As I sat watching Draco, I couldn't help but entertain bizarre thoughts.

What if I did get caught with Draco in my bed? Would anyone even believe that I was sleeping with him? Well it's true that I've never had a successful relationship with a girl. Maybe they might easily assume I'm gay. That couldn't be good for my reputation. But, frankly, I'm not getting laid as it is, so nothing would change. But would anyone truly believe that I could want to date Draco? Well, he is really fine. Really fine? Where did that come from? Although, I guess I'd know, I have seen him naked. Seen him naked? No shit, Harry, you're sitting here staring at a butt naked Draco Malfoy spread across your bed!

Somehow it wasn't until this last thought did it occur to me that it was unnatural for me to be staring to intently at Draco while he was naked. It seemed so perverse, all of the sudden, carrying Draco to my room and stripping him. Sure at the time it was a practical measure, but the fact that I'd left him naked and was now staring at him, it was just wrong.

Looking down at the robes I held in my hand I decided that at least there was one problem I could solve.

Draco seemed to have mostly tossed off the blankets in his sleep and was now laying flat on his stomach, so it was very easy for me to drape the robes across his back. I carefully pulled his arms through the sleeves and then gently turned him over to button up the robes, starting at the hem. I was truly surprised that I hadn't woken him up yet, but when I'd buttoned him up to halfway up his chest I heard:

"Good Morning."

In my surprise and fright I jerked and my hands slammed against a large purple bruise on his chest. Draco barely let out a cry, but I looked up at his face and saw him wince, shutting his eyes tightly against the pain.

"Oh God Draco, I am so sorry. You frightened me, I didn't realize you had woken up. Are you OK?"

"I'm all right, don't worry. I'm just a little sore." Slowly Draco raised himself to a sitting position. "You're pretty jumpy, though. Are you sure *you're* all right?"

"I'm fine, I was just…" for some reason I just couldn't think of the words so instead I pointed to his half buttoned robed as an explanation.

Draco looked down at his exposed, then back up at me with a malicious looking grin.

"Undressing me?" He asked with one eyebrow raised.

"God No! I was dressing you, not undressing you! What do you think I am? I've gone through quite a lot of trouble for you. I didn't have to, you know! I could have left you on the floor in the corridor to bleed to death!"

The look of malice was gone from Draco's face instantly.

"I'm sorry to be such a bother," Draco's voice was barely audible, "I'll just go then."

I realized as he crawled off the bed that there were tears in his eyes, which he was desperately trying to hide.

Before he reached the door, though, I jumped up and grabbed him.

"Draco, stop. I'm sorry I yelled at you. I had no right, it was cruel and heartless." I turned him to face me, grabbing hold of his shoulders. "Please forgive me?"

Draco was still holding back his tears, so he merely nodded in reply.

I started mindlessly buttoning his robes up the rest of the way.

"Look, Draco, it really wasn't that much trouble. And If I had to, I honestly would to do it again. I'm serious. My guess is that I'm the only one who knows about your father."

Draco nodded his head slightly.

"I really want to help you Draco, all right. The only reason I yelled at you just now is that I was…embarrassed by what you said."

"It was meant to be a joke. No one understands my jokes."

"Oh." Now I couldn't help but laugh.

"You see that's what I'm talking about. I make a joke and I get yelled at. Then I'm totally serious and I get laughed at."

I just couldn't stop laughing, and soon Draco was laughing too. Finally we got it under control and managed to stop laughing. We were leaning on each other for support at the end, trying to catch our breaths.

"Draco," I finally managed to speak again, "you know I meant what I said. I do hope you can come to me if you're in trouble. I *will* do anything I can to help you. Do you understand me?"

"Yea, but just the words. I don't understand why, though." He now moved so that he could look me in the eye.

"Because Draco, I really don't think you have anyone else. I mean, what would you have done last night if I hadn't found you?"

"I don't know. Usually I would have crawled my way back to my room and tried to heal my own wounds. But I doubt I would have made it last night."

"No shit, you were unconscious on the floor of the corridor. I'm surprised no one else found you. But Draco, how long has this been going on, with your father beating you?"

"I…I don't really remember a time when he didn't. It's just gotten a whole lot worse this year."

"Oh Draco…" I pulled him suddenly close against my chest. "I am so sorry. I don't know how you've survived all these years."

"I guess I survived by acting like an arrogant prick. That and making inappropriate jokes."

I almost laughed at that, but then I remembered his earlier statement and I realized that I had no idea if that were a joke or if he were serious, so I remained silent, just holding him.

"You know Draco, I think the real reason that I feel the need to help you is my own selfishness. I…I think in a way I pleased to have found someone who's home life is more fucked up than my own."

"What, you mean your parents abuse you, too?"

I let out a scoff. "I can't believe you've forgotten. I have no parents. I was raised by my aunt and uncle who hated me so much that the only reason they didn't beat me was that they would have seen it as a waste of energy. So instead they completely neglected me. I didn't have a room of my own for most of my childhood. They made me sleep in the fucking closet under the fucking stairs. My cousin beat me up, though. No where near as bad as what you've experienced, but I still got the shit beat out of me at least once a day, my aunt and uncle merely encouraged him. For eleven years I never knew a single gentle touch or a kind word, or even the meaning of love. And the only memory I have of either of my real parents is the sounds of my mother's screams as she was murdered.

"Even then, I don't think I minded that much, except what really bugged me all these years was that no one ever understood. Sure some people felt sorry for me, but no one *understood*. And imagine having Ron as a friend. Ron with his huge happy family which he just takes for granted. I've never told anyone this, but I really don't think Ron deserves his family. I mean he actually resents them! And they've done nothing but love him. I always wished that for once he knew what it would be like for his brothers to take turns beating the shit our of him, or to live for eleven years and never once have someone even wish him a happy birthday, If only once he knew what it was like to tend to his own wounds because no one else ever would."

My voice was so full of bitterness and bile, I think I must have frightened Draco. I realized that instead of holding Draco in a comforting manner, I held him extremely tight to my chest, my clenched fists digging into his back. I forced myself to relax and let go of him, allowing my hands to hand loose at my sides. At first Draco did not move but then he slowly backed away from me.

"I'm sorry, Draco, I didn't mean to get so upset."

"No don't be sorry. I'm actually sorry. Somehow I always imagined you living with a loving family. I mean, you were 'Harry Potter The-Boy-Who-Lived.' Everyone, or at least in my mind, worshiped and loved you. For years now I've resented you, just like you resented Ron. But you're right, it is somehow nice to know that I'm not the only one with at 'fucked up home life' as you put it."

"It's funny, isn't it? I think in a way I hated you because I imagined you with a father who loved and supported you and would do anything for you. I guess we both misunderstood each other."

"I really never thought I'd say this, but you and I are really frighteningly similar."

"Don't worry, Draco, I'll never tell anyone."

"Thanks. I think we both have enough troubles at home without the help of our school houses hating us too."

"I can just imagine if I walked into the Griffindor commons room and said 'you know, Draco's really not that bad, I think we should try being nice to him.' They would either try to beat some sense into me or hunt you down and beat your ass."

We laughed briefly at the joke that really shouldn't have been that funny, but then Draco's face turned serious.

"We have to go on hating each other, don't we? I mean, in class, I truly can't just show up one day and decide that I feel like being nice to you, can I?"

"No, I don't think so. It would raise too many questions. Questions that I don't think you're prepared to answer."

"I wish it didn't have to be this way. Odd as it sounds, I really wish we could be friends."

"Me too," I said, surprised to find that I truly meant it. "But I think it's best for both of us is we said goodbye here and left it at that."

"I know you're right, but umm…I don't even know how I'm supposed to leave here. There's no way I can walk into the middle of the Griffendor commons room in full daylight."

"Don't worry, I promise you, no one will see you."

"What?" Draco looked at me as if I'd gone mad.

I walked over to my dresser and pulled out my fathers invisibility cloak. Silently I hoped that my newfound faith in Draco was not misplaced.

"I'm going to let you borrow this, but only if you promise to return it to me. It's an invisibility cloak, my father left it to me." I unfolded it and handed it to Draco.

"You're really going to trust me with that?"

"Well, the way I see it, either I do, or I walk out of here with you on my arm and let everyone assume that I let you fuck me."

"I find that a valid point, but what on earth do you mean 'let me fuck you' why not the other way around?"

"Oh come on, the whole house knows I'm entirely incapable of getting laid. The mere thought of me successfully seducing the hottest guy in Slytherin would be truly beyond belief. But the though of you seducing me, that they might believe."

Both of us blushed violently.

Why did I even bring up that topic of conversation? You're stupid, Harry

"But here, this cloak will make you completely invisible," I said eager to change the subject. "You'll be able to get out of here, and get over to Slytherin House without anyone realizing you were coming from Griffendor. Just don't run into anyone or let anyone see the cloak, OK?"

Draco hesitantly took the cloak from my hand and placed it around his shoulders, leaving just his head visible.

"When you want your head invisible, you just have to raise the hood. But wait, before you do that…"

I pulled my wand out of my sleeve and pointed it at his face. Draco flinched noticeably when I did this.

"Don't worry, I'm not going to curse you." I muttered a spell and then pulled my wand away.

"I know I ought to trust you, but what did you just do?"

"Well, I don't know how to get rid of bruises, so I cast an illusion on your face so that no one would be able to see your black eye. Believe me, it looks a lot better this way."

"Oh, thanks." Draco smiled at me with the same smile I'd earlier been caught admiring.

"Well, anyway, since you can't go about opening doors without people getting suspicious, I'll walk you out of Griffendor house. I won't be able to see you, though, and we mustn't be heard talking to each other, so when you are safely through the portrait hole, give me some sort of sign so I wont close the door on you, OK?"

"All right" Draco's floating head nodded and then disappeared.

"Follow close, Draco," I said quietly as I opened my door. Hoping that I was indeed being followed I moved towards the commons room. Fortunately there weren't too many people about. Glancing up at the clock I saw that breakfast would be starting soon. I calmly opened the door and tried not to look awkward as I waited for the invisible Draco to pass through and give me a sign to close the portrait.

I nearly did forget to close it, though, when I felt Draco's sign. Two invisible lips pressing softly against my own.