Chapter Nine
After waking up in Draco's arms in the exact same position we had fallen asleep in, I felt more rested and relaxed than I had in my entire life. His skin was warm against my cheek and his fingers were stroking my side.
"Good morning, love," Draco whispered when I woke up and looked at him.
Again, we were interrupted by Ron stirring in the next bed
"Harry, if you've got a minute, I'd like to remind you that we've got Qudditch practice tonight for that match against Slytherin on Saturday," he said.
~*~
Twenty minutes before we were to play, Draco walked up behind me in the changing room and hugged me around my waist.
"Harry, I can't play against you..." he whispered, leaving kisses across my shoulder.
"Draco, we don't have much choice," I said, rubbing his back and laughing a little.
"I'm captain of the Slytherin team, I can do whatever I like," he said indignantly.
"Draco, honestly, we have to play. You know as well as I do that you do. Besides, I want to play. Promise you'll play like it's a regular game and don't go easy on us?" I asked him, tipping his chin up with my fingertips.
"Well I..." he sighed and hugged me tighter.
"And if Crabbe hits a bludger at me, don't call a time out and beat him up, okay?" I said. I was trying to make light of the situation, but I didn't want to play against him, either.
"I – but – I ... Okay, I promise," Draco spluttered, plainly arguing with himself.
It had always surprised me how protective and loving Draco was. In seven years of knowing him, Draco had always seemed mean and without a heart or a capability of human emotion, but now he was.... Much nicer than he had been before... I smiled and kissed him lightly on his lips for good luck in the match.
"Will you two please stop snogging long enough to play the match?" Ron remarked sarcastically as he walked by us, tying up the front of his scarlet robes.
"Ron, are you ever going to just accept it?" I asked him, my arms, that were loosely wrapped loosely around Draco, tightened defensively.
"Not likely. Now let's go," Ron snapped and grabbed his broom.
"Good luck, Draco," I said, grinning and kissing him on the cheek.
"You too," he said back, returning the grin.
~*~
"Welcome, Hogwarts students, to this weeks game of Qudditch. This is definitely promising to be an interesting one, given the players – er – personal – relationships. Anyway, Gryffindor versus Slytherin," said the announcer, Seamus Finnegan. Seamus never had been too pleased about me and Draco and he hadn't really liked me much anyway since fifth year. "Captains Weasley and Malfoy are shaking hands, players taking their positions, the whistle, and the quaffle is up! Chaser Ginny Weasley of Gryffindor passing to Liza Chang. Chang is the second her in family to play for Hogwarts, the first being her sister, Cho Chang, who graduated last year –"
"Finnegan, shut up and call the match!" McGonagall said.
"Sorry professor, just thought the fans might like to know that Liza is in Gryffindor while her sister was in Raven –"
"JUST CALL THE MATCH!"
I laughed a little as I circled the stadium. The constant battling between whoever the announcer was and Professor McGonagall would never change. Draco and I passed each other as we circled, continuing our relentless search for the snitch, without even looking at one another. He was definitely doing as I'd asked him to in not allowing our relationship to distract him.
"What's this? Malfoy and Potter passing each other without stopping to give each other CPR? I am truly amazed," Seamus' sarcastic remark rang through the pitch and I had an unpleasant feeling we were going to be hearing more.
"Seamus, you are in Gryffindor yourself, so I suggest that you don't take cheap shots at the Gryffindor players. Would you kindly call the match and not worry about the goings on of Potter and Malfoy off the pitch?"
I was thankful for Professor McGonagall's temper just then, but not quite as thankful as I was for it to be a sunny day. Surprisingly warm for it to be the third weekend of January.
"Sorry Professor. Malfoy and Potter of Slytherin and Gryffindor are continuing their search for the snitch, obviously to no avail. Meanwhile, Weasley passes to Chang, who passes to Harlan. Harlan, second year, amazing chaser," Seamus said, finally keeping to his commentary.
"First generation Quidditch player, muggle-born, actually. Not that it matters, talent is talent. GRYFFINDOR SCORES! Chang ducks Slytherin Chaser Leer and puts it past Zabini! Bad luck Blaise," Seamus continued as Blaise glared at Liza. I snickered.
Draco passed me at that moment, he was also laughing at Blaise.
"– WEASLEY SCORES 20-nothing to Gryffindor! – "
I groaned. I just wanted this game to be over. Draco took off to the other side of the pitch at a very high speed to start his search again.
"Leer scores! 20-10 to Gryffindor! – "
I circled around the goal posts at Blaise's end of the field and he gave me a very dirty look. I passed close to the post and turned to look at him, staying still for a moment too long.
SLAM
"Damnit!" I swore loudly, causing Zabini and a couple of the chasers to look at me. I fell about 20 feet and hit the ground hard, making whatever had just happened worse.
The searing pain in the center of my back and my left shoulder hurt so badly my eyes were starting to water. That was the last thing I remember before passing out from the pain.
~*~
"Is he going to be ok?"
The voice was Hermione's, but the hand on my left arm that was just making the pain worse, wasn't.
"He will be, but he needs to wake up so that I can heal his shoulder and that bruising on his back," Madame Promfrey said.
I moaned in pain. The sensation in my shoulder was enough to make me lose consciousness again. I opened my eyes and saw that the hand on my forearm belonged to Draco and Ron was standing opposite him, glaring as though it were his fault.
"What happened?" I asked, reaching over and pushing Draco's hand away. "I'm sorry, but that hurts..." I explained when a hurt expression crossed his pale features.
"Goyle hit you in the back with a bludger, then you slammed forward into the Slytherin goal. Separated your shoulder and have one hell of a bruise on your back. Other than that, nothing," Ron said.
"Draco, you won then," I said, grinning. I wasn't altogether sure how I should feel about this, but I was happy for him.
"Well.... Actually, I forfeit," Draco whispered. "I forfeit with I saw that you were hurt so that the game would end and you could get to the hospital wing."
That was quite possibly the sweetest thing that anyone had done for me, but Ron apparently didn't see it that way. He didn't say anything, just glared at Draco.
I didn't see what he was so angry about, sure we lost, but so did Slytherin. And really, Draco did it for me... Ron didn't want me to be hurt, did he?
"Ahh good, he's awake," Madame Pomfrey said, walking over and shoving Draco unceremoniously out of her way.
Draco had a severely annoyed look on his face, but looked much happier when she healed my shoulder with a sharp jab from her wand.
"Turn over so I can do something about that horrible bruise on your back, Potter," she said as I turned onto my right side.
Again, she healed with her wand, then leaving me with Draco and Ron, and soon after, Hermione.
"Harry, turn over on your stomach again?" Draco asked me in a whisper so that Ron wouldn't hear him. He was sitting on the bed opposite glaring at Draco and conversing in low tones with Hermione.
I turned and buried my face in the pillow. The beds in the infirmary were never comfortable and my back was still sore, but I did it anyway. It was definitely worth it when he started to rub, first at my shoulders, then down to just above where the bludger had hit me.
"Will you two please wait until I leave to start getting all touchy-feely?" Ron asked in an exasperated voice.
"Ron, he's just rubbing my back. I was just injured in a Quidditch match, can you please at least act like you care?" I said in a tone that quite plainly said that I didn't want or need his sympathy. I just wanted my best friend back.
"Well excuse me if it's a little hard for me to watch my best friend be felt up by my worst enemy," Ron said flatly and crossed his arms.
"Well if you knew how good he was to feel up you'd do it too," Draco said, laughing lightly and earning himself another angry stare from Ron.
I laughed and relaxed under his touch. He was very good at this...
"Malfoy can you please – "Ron started.
"Ron stop it, look at them, they're happy..." Hermione said, grabbing his wrist to shut him up.
I laughed at Ron, who was opening and closing his mouth helplessly as Hermione glared at him. She, at least, had accepted Draco and I.
I turned back onto my side so that Draco had to stop rubbing. I didn't want him to stop, but I wanted him to lay with me so I could sleep.
He took the hint and got under the blankets with me and held me close. I was wrong... These beds could be comfortable.
"Must you do that?" Ron said, his tone much less scathing than usual.
"It's comfortable Ron..." I said against Draco's chest, starting to fall asleep already.
"Yes, but I really don't want to see this..." Ron said.
"If you don't like it, don't look. I happen to love it," Draco said, rubbing my back with the palm of his hand.
I nodded in agreement and pressed myself a little closer against Draco's left side, then reaching over him and taking his right hand. He stopped rubbing my back just long enough to tuck the blankets up around us a little better.
"No. I am not going to leave Harry alone in the hospital," Draco continued to argue. I felt more and more grateful for him every second.
"Please let him stay?" I whispered, giving her an imploring glance.
"No. You're hurt and you need rest and a bed to yourself," she said firmly.
"No, I need Draco," I said, hugging him tightly and with no intention of letting him go.
Ron and Hermione gaped at me. The last time they had heard me speak to an adult that way it had been to Professor Umbridge.
"I'm calling Dumbledore," she said, walking over to the fire place, grabbing a fistful of Floo Powder and throwing it in.
"Professor, I need to speak with you about an unruly student," she shouted into it.
Within seconds Professor Dumbledore had emerged from the fire and brushed the ashes from his blue robes.
"Yes, Poppy?" he said, smiling pleasantly.
"Can you please remove Mr. Malfoy from the infirmary? He is not allowed to be in Potter's bed, and look at him."
"He doesn't appear to be doing anything wrong. Harry and Draco both look very comfortable. Are you both comfortable, boys?" Dumbledore asked us.
"Yes, we are," Draco answered for me, leaning down and kissing my hair as I nodded my agreement.
"Well, there you have it Poppy. Mr. Malfoy may stay where he is until Harry's release from the infirmary tomorrow morning," Dumbledore said.
He nodded at Ron and Hermione, then left through the infirmary doors.
I smiled. Draco could stay!
"My Draco..."I mumbled quietly against his chest in a barely audible tone.
"Mmhmm," Draco murmured, hugging me close and continuing to rub my back. I wasn't even sure he'd heard me.
After waking up in Draco's arms in the exact same position we had fallen asleep in, I felt more rested and relaxed than I had in my entire life. His skin was warm against my cheek and his fingers were stroking my side.
"Good morning, love," Draco whispered when I woke up and looked at him.
Again, we were interrupted by Ron stirring in the next bed
"Harry, if you've got a minute, I'd like to remind you that we've got Qudditch practice tonight for that match against Slytherin on Saturday," he said.
~*~
Twenty minutes before we were to play, Draco walked up behind me in the changing room and hugged me around my waist.
"Harry, I can't play against you..." he whispered, leaving kisses across my shoulder.
"Draco, we don't have much choice," I said, rubbing his back and laughing a little.
"I'm captain of the Slytherin team, I can do whatever I like," he said indignantly.
"Draco, honestly, we have to play. You know as well as I do that you do. Besides, I want to play. Promise you'll play like it's a regular game and don't go easy on us?" I asked him, tipping his chin up with my fingertips.
"Well I..." he sighed and hugged me tighter.
"And if Crabbe hits a bludger at me, don't call a time out and beat him up, okay?" I said. I was trying to make light of the situation, but I didn't want to play against him, either.
"I – but – I ... Okay, I promise," Draco spluttered, plainly arguing with himself.
It had always surprised me how protective and loving Draco was. In seven years of knowing him, Draco had always seemed mean and without a heart or a capability of human emotion, but now he was.... Much nicer than he had been before... I smiled and kissed him lightly on his lips for good luck in the match.
"Will you two please stop snogging long enough to play the match?" Ron remarked sarcastically as he walked by us, tying up the front of his scarlet robes.
"Ron, are you ever going to just accept it?" I asked him, my arms, that were loosely wrapped loosely around Draco, tightened defensively.
"Not likely. Now let's go," Ron snapped and grabbed his broom.
"Good luck, Draco," I said, grinning and kissing him on the cheek.
"You too," he said back, returning the grin.
~*~
"Welcome, Hogwarts students, to this weeks game of Qudditch. This is definitely promising to be an interesting one, given the players – er – personal – relationships. Anyway, Gryffindor versus Slytherin," said the announcer, Seamus Finnegan. Seamus never had been too pleased about me and Draco and he hadn't really liked me much anyway since fifth year. "Captains Weasley and Malfoy are shaking hands, players taking their positions, the whistle, and the quaffle is up! Chaser Ginny Weasley of Gryffindor passing to Liza Chang. Chang is the second her in family to play for Hogwarts, the first being her sister, Cho Chang, who graduated last year –"
"Finnegan, shut up and call the match!" McGonagall said.
"Sorry professor, just thought the fans might like to know that Liza is in Gryffindor while her sister was in Raven –"
"JUST CALL THE MATCH!"
I laughed a little as I circled the stadium. The constant battling between whoever the announcer was and Professor McGonagall would never change. Draco and I passed each other as we circled, continuing our relentless search for the snitch, without even looking at one another. He was definitely doing as I'd asked him to in not allowing our relationship to distract him.
"What's this? Malfoy and Potter passing each other without stopping to give each other CPR? I am truly amazed," Seamus' sarcastic remark rang through the pitch and I had an unpleasant feeling we were going to be hearing more.
"Seamus, you are in Gryffindor yourself, so I suggest that you don't take cheap shots at the Gryffindor players. Would you kindly call the match and not worry about the goings on of Potter and Malfoy off the pitch?"
I was thankful for Professor McGonagall's temper just then, but not quite as thankful as I was for it to be a sunny day. Surprisingly warm for it to be the third weekend of January.
"Sorry Professor. Malfoy and Potter of Slytherin and Gryffindor are continuing their search for the snitch, obviously to no avail. Meanwhile, Weasley passes to Chang, who passes to Harlan. Harlan, second year, amazing chaser," Seamus said, finally keeping to his commentary.
"First generation Quidditch player, muggle-born, actually. Not that it matters, talent is talent. GRYFFINDOR SCORES! Chang ducks Slytherin Chaser Leer and puts it past Zabini! Bad luck Blaise," Seamus continued as Blaise glared at Liza. I snickered.
Draco passed me at that moment, he was also laughing at Blaise.
"– WEASLEY SCORES 20-nothing to Gryffindor! – "
I groaned. I just wanted this game to be over. Draco took off to the other side of the pitch at a very high speed to start his search again.
"Leer scores! 20-10 to Gryffindor! – "
I circled around the goal posts at Blaise's end of the field and he gave me a very dirty look. I passed close to the post and turned to look at him, staying still for a moment too long.
SLAM
"Damnit!" I swore loudly, causing Zabini and a couple of the chasers to look at me. I fell about 20 feet and hit the ground hard, making whatever had just happened worse.
The searing pain in the center of my back and my left shoulder hurt so badly my eyes were starting to water. That was the last thing I remember before passing out from the pain.
~*~
"Is he going to be ok?"
The voice was Hermione's, but the hand on my left arm that was just making the pain worse, wasn't.
"He will be, but he needs to wake up so that I can heal his shoulder and that bruising on his back," Madame Promfrey said.
I moaned in pain. The sensation in my shoulder was enough to make me lose consciousness again. I opened my eyes and saw that the hand on my forearm belonged to Draco and Ron was standing opposite him, glaring as though it were his fault.
"What happened?" I asked, reaching over and pushing Draco's hand away. "I'm sorry, but that hurts..." I explained when a hurt expression crossed his pale features.
"Goyle hit you in the back with a bludger, then you slammed forward into the Slytherin goal. Separated your shoulder and have one hell of a bruise on your back. Other than that, nothing," Ron said.
"Draco, you won then," I said, grinning. I wasn't altogether sure how I should feel about this, but I was happy for him.
"Well.... Actually, I forfeit," Draco whispered. "I forfeit with I saw that you were hurt so that the game would end and you could get to the hospital wing."
That was quite possibly the sweetest thing that anyone had done for me, but Ron apparently didn't see it that way. He didn't say anything, just glared at Draco.
I didn't see what he was so angry about, sure we lost, but so did Slytherin. And really, Draco did it for me... Ron didn't want me to be hurt, did he?
"Ahh good, he's awake," Madame Pomfrey said, walking over and shoving Draco unceremoniously out of her way.
Draco had a severely annoyed look on his face, but looked much happier when she healed my shoulder with a sharp jab from her wand.
"Turn over so I can do something about that horrible bruise on your back, Potter," she said as I turned onto my right side.
Again, she healed with her wand, then leaving me with Draco and Ron, and soon after, Hermione.
"Harry, turn over on your stomach again?" Draco asked me in a whisper so that Ron wouldn't hear him. He was sitting on the bed opposite glaring at Draco and conversing in low tones with Hermione.
I turned and buried my face in the pillow. The beds in the infirmary were never comfortable and my back was still sore, but I did it anyway. It was definitely worth it when he started to rub, first at my shoulders, then down to just above where the bludger had hit me.
"Will you two please wait until I leave to start getting all touchy-feely?" Ron asked in an exasperated voice.
"Ron, he's just rubbing my back. I was just injured in a Quidditch match, can you please at least act like you care?" I said in a tone that quite plainly said that I didn't want or need his sympathy. I just wanted my best friend back.
"Well excuse me if it's a little hard for me to watch my best friend be felt up by my worst enemy," Ron said flatly and crossed his arms.
"Well if you knew how good he was to feel up you'd do it too," Draco said, laughing lightly and earning himself another angry stare from Ron.
I laughed and relaxed under his touch. He was very good at this...
"Malfoy can you please – "Ron started.
"Ron stop it, look at them, they're happy..." Hermione said, grabbing his wrist to shut him up.
I laughed at Ron, who was opening and closing his mouth helplessly as Hermione glared at him. She, at least, had accepted Draco and I.
I turned back onto my side so that Draco had to stop rubbing. I didn't want him to stop, but I wanted him to lay with me so I could sleep.
He took the hint and got under the blankets with me and held me close. I was wrong... These beds could be comfortable.
"Must you do that?" Ron said, his tone much less scathing than usual.
"It's comfortable Ron..." I said against Draco's chest, starting to fall asleep already.
"Yes, but I really don't want to see this..." Ron said.
"If you don't like it, don't look. I happen to love it," Draco said, rubbing my back with the palm of his hand.
I nodded in agreement and pressed myself a little closer against Draco's left side, then reaching over him and taking his right hand. He stopped rubbing my back just long enough to tuck the blankets up around us a little better.
"No. I am not going to leave Harry alone in the hospital," Draco continued to argue. I felt more and more grateful for him every second.
"Please let him stay?" I whispered, giving her an imploring glance.
"No. You're hurt and you need rest and a bed to yourself," she said firmly.
"No, I need Draco," I said, hugging him tightly and with no intention of letting him go.
Ron and Hermione gaped at me. The last time they had heard me speak to an adult that way it had been to Professor Umbridge.
"I'm calling Dumbledore," she said, walking over to the fire place, grabbing a fistful of Floo Powder and throwing it in.
"Professor, I need to speak with you about an unruly student," she shouted into it.
Within seconds Professor Dumbledore had emerged from the fire and brushed the ashes from his blue robes.
"Yes, Poppy?" he said, smiling pleasantly.
"Can you please remove Mr. Malfoy from the infirmary? He is not allowed to be in Potter's bed, and look at him."
"He doesn't appear to be doing anything wrong. Harry and Draco both look very comfortable. Are you both comfortable, boys?" Dumbledore asked us.
"Yes, we are," Draco answered for me, leaning down and kissing my hair as I nodded my agreement.
"Well, there you have it Poppy. Mr. Malfoy may stay where he is until Harry's release from the infirmary tomorrow morning," Dumbledore said.
He nodded at Ron and Hermione, then left through the infirmary doors.
I smiled. Draco could stay!
"My Draco..."I mumbled quietly against his chest in a barely audible tone.
"Mmhmm," Draco murmured, hugging me close and continuing to rub my back. I wasn't even sure he'd heard me.
