Chapter 11

Harry kept on running, the air whipping his face. He had to tell Draco the good news. Instinct told him he should go straight to the Room of Requirement. He skidded to a halt outside the door. He flung it open, just as Draco gave a gasp of surprise and fell towards the sand. Harry's heart stopped in his throat.

"Draco!" he yelled, running towards him, as the yellow snake slithered away, undetected. Harry knelt beside him, his heart drumming painfully against his ribcage. Draco looked at him, and gave him a small smile.

It was the most beautiful thing Harry had ever seen.

"You called me Draco," he said softly, gazing into Harry's eyes.

Harry stroked Draco's cheek with the back of his hand. He looked at Draco's body, sprawled gently over the sand. His robes were raised slightly, exposing his lower leg. Harry saw Draco's ankle, where two red points clashed violently with the pale creamy skin.

It was the most terrible thing Harry had ever seen.

Wait a minute, he thought suddenly. This isn't right. The Room of Requirement is only supposed to provide for the needs of those who summoned it. Surely Draco didn't need to be poisoned?

And then one word appeared in his mind, more horrifying than ever. Voldemort.

His world crashed around him. For the first time in his life, as he held Draco in his arms, as he watched the life slowly dwindling out of his body, he felt utterly helpless.

Help will always be given at Hogwarts to those who ask for it.

A memory had stirred in his head, bringing with it a tiny flicker of hope.

We need help, he thought desperately. Please, we need to get help.

Suddenly, a fireplace appeared before him. Harry whipped out his wand.

"Incendio." He lifted Draco and went in front of the fire. He took a pinch of the Floo powder from the small box that had appeared on top of the mantelpiece and threw it into the flames. He thought quickly before making up his mind on where to go. He stepped into the fire and said, "Gryffindor common room."

He fell out of the fire, clutching Draco round the middle. As he had hoped, Hermione was the only one in the room. She leapt up at once and ran over to Harry's side.

"What happened?"

"Snake bite." Harry showed her where the yellow snake had punctured Draco's ankle. She grabbed Draco's wrist, feeling for a pulse.

"He's still alive," she said her voice trembling. "Wait here." She dashed out of the portrait hole.

The next thirty seconds felt like a lifetime to Harry. He kept his thumb on Draco's wrist, feeling for the pulse that grew steadily fainter. He ran his fingers through Draco's hair, wondering if he'd ever hear him speak again. Draco's voice kept playing in Harry's mind. You called me Draco.

"Draco," he whispered desperately, as though the sound of his voice might keep him alive longer. Again and again he said the other boy's name, hoping against hope that it was all just a bad dream.

Finally, Hermione came back, clutching a bottle filled with a milky substance. Harry recognized it as the sap they had collected a month ago, from the Venomous Tentacula.

Of course, he thought. An antidote for snake venom! She ran over to Draco, pulling out the rubber stopper. She parted his lips gently with her fingers, and poured some of the liquid into his mouth. At first it seemed like he might not have the strength to swallow it, but then his eyes fluttered, half open, and he closed his mouth, gulping down the liquid with obvious difficulty. He was in great pain. Harry squeezed Draco's hand, staring into Draco's eyes. Draco looked back at him, and then closed his eyes once more, parting his lips a little so Hermione could continue giving him the liquid.

Finally, the bottle was empty. They watched Draco, still half conscious, waiting, hoping, praying that it would work.

Draco opened his eyes. "Harry," he said softly.

The other boy blinked back tears. "You called me Harry."

Draco smiled. "So I did. The day you saved me is the day I stopped calling you Potter." Draco sat up, facing Harry. Hermione was nowhere to be found.

"You know, when you were unconscious, I said your name over and over. I regretted every time I called you Malfoy. For a while there, I thought that you'd never hear me call you Draco again." Draco was so close that Harry was whispering.

"I could hear you," Draco said. "I knew you'd save me. You promised."

A long silence followed this. Harry tore his gaze away from Draco's.

"So, does this make us friends? Or are we still enemies?" Harry said softly.

"Well, we're not friends, that's for sure," Draco said steadily. Draco could see hurt flash in Harry's green eyes, as though his words had wounded him.

Draco smiled. He could see every teardrop that clung to Harry's eyelash, and the liquid that pooled once more around his eyes. A drop slid down his left cheek. Draco brushed his finger ever so gently against Harry's skin, catching the tear and wiping it off.

"We're not friends. We're much more than friends."

The stars twinkled innocently above them, as, once upon a time, the shadow of a gryffin kindled a dragon's fire.