~Troubled Child~

"W-What h-happened?" Harry stuttered.

"It seems to me that the potion we gave him managed to reverse his time and transform him back into a child," Snape deducted.

Harry rolled his eyes, 'No shit.'

"He's alright isn't he?"

Pomfrey looked over the small boy uncurling him from his previous state, "Yes, he's alright." She continued to look over Draco, she seemed a bit disturbed about something, but didn't mention anything.

Harry breathed, "How do we change him back?"

"I told you, Potter," Snape growled, "the effect wears off in a matter of twenty-four hours. The only problem is what to do with him until then."

Harry listened to the cold words rolling of the professor's tongue, but he looked into his eyes. There was a look of concern in his eyes, deep concern.

"I cannot look after a child. I have too much work to do!" Pomfrey exclaimed.

"I'll look after him," Harry interrupted.

"Good, Potter, look after Draco and I can get started on the next potion."

"You're going to give him another potion after what this has done to him!"

"Do you have a better plan, Potter? If this has affected him in health then the virus will come back as soon as he returns to seventeen."

Harry looked at the sleeping child lying on the bed, "I guess so."

"Good, inform me when he returns to his normal body," at that Snape brushed out of the hospital.

"Thank you, Harry," Pomfrey smiled, "I'd be happy to look after the dear, but I have so much work to do around here. And if the sickness did wear off temporarily feel free to take Mr. Malfoy out. I have a feeling that when Draco wakes up he'll have a lot of energy that he'll be dieing to get rid of. And being in a hospital isn't going to be good."

Harry nodded.

"I have to run off to Hogsmeade for a moment. Please stay with Draco until he wakes up."

"I won't leave unless he comes with me," Harry confirmed.

Pomfrey smiled, "I'll be back in a couple of hours." She started toward the door, paused, and turned around, "Harry."

Harry tilted his head up, "Yea?"

"Try and keep everyone from finding out about Draco. Professor McGonagall will be in charge while I leave, but it is best that few people know about this as possible."

"I understand," he added under his breath, 'there are too many people he made enemies with.'

Pomfrey gave a single nod and left out of the doors.

Harry turned his attention back to the sleeping child. Draco looked a little different, his skin was paler and he looked like he didn't eat enough. The small boy curled back up into a ball in his sleep. He looked so fragile and tiny. Draco really was a little youngster.

The boy breathed deep and slowly opened his eyes. Harry smiled down at him expecting to get a round of screams or something else bratty, but he was shocked. Draco sat up quickly, taking on his surroundings, staring wide- eyed at where he was. His gaze landed on Harry and he scooted away as far as he could without falling off the bed.

"Draco?" Harry questioned.

Draco remained motionless and silent. He just stared at Harry.

"I'm Harry," Harry thought it was best to keep things simple.

"Wawe daddy?" Draco's voice quivered in a toddler voice.

"He's not here right now, but I can watch you."

Draco's eyes went even wider, "Daddy not here?!! I gots go find daddy or he'w get mad! I don't want daddy mad at me ag'in!"

The little blond boy began to shake. He slowly tried to climb off the bed, but it was too high for him and instead he fell onto the floor. Harry rushed over to the other side of the bed, but Draco just scooted away from him.

"Come here, Draco," Harry was puzzled at the child's behavior.

"No, not suppose to see people! Daddy say so!"

Harry bent down on his knee so he could look Draco in the eyes, "And why won't your daddy let you see people?"

"I dunno. Daddy just say I can't or he'w get mad. I don't want daddy mad ag'in!" Draco sunk down to the floor and wrapped his arms around his knees, putting his head in his hands. Harry heard stifled sobs coming from the boy.

Harry scooted over to the small boy laying a hand on his arm. Draco flinched away lifting his head up stopping his crying. Harry heard a soft, "Can't cwy."

"How come you can't cry?"

"Daddy say so. He get mad when I cwy."

"Draco, how old are you?"

"I'm five."

"Come here, Draco," Harry repeated in a soft voice motioning toward his lap as he sat on the floor.

"No, no people. I need find daddy! He get mad!"

"And what happens when your daddy gets mad?"

"When I'm bad I get put in time out, but I don' wike the dark. It scawes me."

Harry didn't like the way this was going, "Where do you get put in time out?"

"I get frwown downtairs in the dawk pwace."

"A dungeon?"

"Yea, that's what daddy caws it. A dungeon."

"He throws you in a dungeon?!!" Harry was more than a little pissed off. No wonder Draco was so full of hatred when he came to school! His parents treated him like he was no more then a useless rag doll!

Draco scooted back, a little more shaken at Harry's sudden outburst.

Harry shook out of his thoughts, "I'm sorry, Draco."

"No mowe yelwing," Draco whispered trembling, "Daddy aw'ways yelws. Give mommy headache and then she yelws at me."

"Your mommy yells at you?"

"Yea, then she wocks me in my woom."

"Its ok, Draco, nobody's going to lock you any place."

"I need find daddy."

Harry had a thought, "Your daddy said I could look after you for today."

Draco perked up his head, "Daddy said that?"

"Yes, he said you could spend the whole day with me."

"And he won't get mad?" Draco tilted his head to the side a questioning look in his eyes.

"Nope."

Draco crawled up a little next to Harry, "Pwomise?"

"Promise," Harry smiled. He'd have to have a conversation with Dumbledore later. Right now he had to take care of Draco, "So will you come with me?"

Draco stood up watching Harry with a confused sort of curiosity, "Huh?"

"Come here," Harry repeated again.

Draco took a small step toward Harry, stopped, and stared, obviously confused.

"What's the matter?"

Draco flinched backward when Harry held out his arms, "Are woo gonna hit me?"

Harry's eyes flew open at the tiny voice, "No! I would never hit you!"

"Wy woo have your hands out then?"

"I was gonna give you a hug!"

Draco tilted his head slightly to the right, "Was' a hug?"

Harry was shocked beyond belief. Didn't his parents show him any compassion or love when he was a child?!! Harry put on a fake smile, "Come here and find out."

"Does it huwt?"

Harry was furious at Draco's parents to say the least! Yes, Dumbledore would have him as a visitor when he got back, "No, Draco, it doesn't hurt. Actually it feels good."

"It feews good?"

"Yes," Harry held out his arms again.

Harry saw the distrust and neglect behind thoughs beautiful silver eyes. Draco slowly took a step towards Harry, inching closer, waiting for a sharp movement. When none came, he walked a little closer, just beyond Harry's touch. Draco took a hold of Harry's left fingers and Harry drew him in a little closer.

Harry pulled the small boy to his chest, wrapping his arms around him in a loose hug, not wanting to frighten the child any further. A small squeak from below him caused him to look down.

"You wer' wight... um..."

"Harry, what was I right about?"

"This does feew good, Mr. Hawwy."

The Gryffindor smiled a broad smile, "Not Mr. Harry, just Harry."

"Hawwy," Draco repeated.

"Draco?"

Draco looked up watching Harry.

"Would you like to go outside?"

"Ou'side?"

"You know, outside."

"I never weawly get to go ou'side."

"Why not?"

"Daddy won' let me."

Harry was fuming inside. All this mistreatment Draco received and he was only five! He was going to have to consider if it was worth going to Azkaban if he killed Lucius. No, he couldn't leave Draco.

"Well, your daddy says I can let you do anything you want as long as I say it's ok."

"Weawy! Daddy say that?!!" Draco was looking up at Harry with a half smile on his face beaming up at him with excitement.

"Yes."

"Yea! Can we go ou'side? I wiked it ou'side!"

"Draco, when was the last time you've been outside?"

"A weal long time ago! So can we go?" By now Draco was practically bouncing up and down.

"Yes, but first I think we need to get thoughs clothes to fit," Harry looked at the small boy in his seventeen year old clothes. They were practically falling off of him. He flicked his wand he had grabbed from his robes. How it got there he'll never know, and he didn't want to think about it. This past week had been really hectic to say the least. Draco's clothes shrunk to a five-year-old's size.

Draco's eyes brightened, "Magic! Daddy hawdly does magic awound me! I love magic!"

Harry had to chuckle at the boy's amusement. It was just so cute the way his eyes lit up.

"So can we go ou-tide?" Draco's voice quivered with excitement.

"Of course," Harry scooped the boy up into his arms and stood up.

Draco let out a gasped squeak, closing his eyes tightly, squirming slightly. He clasped on to Harry's neck in a death grip which was pretty strong for the small boy. Harry could feel a little shiver.

Harry looked down at the little bundle in his arms, "What's wrong?"

"No wike being high. I gonna fawl," at this, Draco grasped even more firmly on his grip.

"But the bed was just about as high as this," Harry secured his arms around the squirming child.

"No, I get dropped. Daddy dwopped me. He say it was an accident, but me don't like being held."

Harry sighed in frustration. When Draco gets back into his older body he was going to have a long talk with him. Hopefully, he was going to be up to it. Of course, he would never force anything out of the Slytherin. If Draco didn't want to talk about something, he wasn't going to talk about it, but there had to be a way to get the blonde to trust him.

Harry slowly set Draco down onto the floor feeling, the grip around his neck loosen when the toddler's feet touched the ground.

"Come on, Draco," Harry put his hand on the child's back and guided him toward the door.

Draco eagerly followed into the empty hallway. Harry thanked God that everyone was still in class. He led Draco down the corridor watching as the boy's eyes lightened.

Draco stared in awe around him, "Where are we?"

Harry looked down at him, "You're at Hogwarts."

Draco continued to gape at his surroundings taking in all the new sights. Harry kept happening to stop as Draco paused a moment to look out a window or stare at a statue. He managed to steer the child outside into the cold air.

Harry mumbled a quiet warming spell around Draco to keep him warm. Draco didn't seem to mind, or even notice. As soon as he stepped foot outside he began to run around laughing.

Harry sat down on a nearby bench watching as the five year old Draco ran about carelessly. A small smile crept onto his lips as the boy chased absolutely nothing. Even after all the torture he had suffered at home, even at such a young age, Draco could still laugh. But then again, he was five, and five year olds were normally happy.

'I guess Draco eventually locked away his carefree emotions when he got older,' Harry sighed watching his younger self.

Draco stopped short and all laughter ceased. Harry stood up worried something had happened to make everything stop so suddenly. To his surprise, Draco came shuffling back to him very slowly with teardrops seeping at his eyes.

Harry dropped to his knee as the boy slowly walked up to him, head down, eyes pointed toward the ground. He heard a soft, "Sowwy."

Harry ducked his head trying to look Draco in the eyes, "What are you sorry about?"

"I not suppose to run awound. I sorwy. I foe'got," Harry saw a small tear run down Draco's cheek, "Don' tewl daddy pwease."

Harry held up his hand to the boy's cheek lifting his head. He brushed away the tear with his thumb, "I am not going to tell your daddy. You can run around. It's good for you."

"No, that's ok," Draco pointed toward the lake, "Can we head over there?"

Harry nodded; a note of concern in his eyes. Draco needed to be carefree and wild, not silent and shut in. Nevertheless, Harry guided the boy over near the edge of the lake.

Draco peered over the bank watching his own reflection in the water. He watched as his own silvery eyes stared back at him through the shallow ripples lapping at the shore. The blond boy bent his knees edging closer to the water balancing himself on the heels of his feet. He reached out with his little hand and dragged his fingers through the water watching as the liquid poured over his skin. Harry saw the focus in Draco's eyes, almost like he was mesmerized.

Draco stood back up walking away from the edge of the bank sitting down in the grass watching the horizon on the lake. Harry walked behind Draco to a nearby tree just a little way from him and sat down resting against the trunk. The sun's rays shown through the tree leaves casting a shadow across his eyes.

'Strange,' Harry thought, 'usually by this time it is already snowing.'

He let his eyes flutter close, resting his head against the tree, listening to the quiet of the day. It felt so relaxing just sitting under the tree.

Harry heard a squeak and felt something huddle into his left side. He opened his eyes seeing Draco holding onto him shaking like a leaf.

"What's wrong?" Harry wrapped his arm around the boy.

Draco didn't answer, but Harry didn't have to keep asking because he got his answer. Hagrid was walking across the grounds a little ways away right toward them.

Hagrid finally eyed Harry sitting on the ground, "'Ello, Harry. Pretty nice day isn't it."

Harry felt Draco huddle even closer to him as Hagrid's voice boomed over the two of them, "It sure is."

As soon as Hagrid got close enough he spoke softer, "What'cha do... hey aren't you suppose to be in class?"

Harry tightened his grip on Draco as the boy began trembling, "Taking the day off."

"Now don't go and take too many of them. I'm not gonn'er say anything about it this time, but don't go doing this too often."

Harry smiled, "I won't."

"Good, now..." Hagrid finally noticed a small ball curled up on the side of Harry, "What is that?"

Harry twisted his face wishing his friend hadn't noticed, "Um... Hagrid... could you keep a secret?"

"You know darn well I can, 'Arry! Ol' Dumbledore trusts me with everything important 'round here, he does!"

Harry scooped the boy into his arms, setting him in his lap, and resting him against his chest. Instantly, Draco clung onto Harry's robes again, burying his face in them.

Harry sighed, "This is Draco. There was a mishap with a potion that turned him five again and it won't wear off until tomorrow."

"By golly, it is Malfoy," Hagrid leaned closer to the boy, "I guess you got stuck with 'im."

"Sort of," Harry pulled his arm around Draco. He was getting worried about him, he wouldn't stop shaking.

"Shh," Harry whispered into the boy's ear, "Hagrid's my friend. He isn't going to hurt you."

Draco didn't answer; he just buried himself deeper into Harry's robes, curling up tighter into a ball.

"Well, I got errands to run. See you, Harry," Hagrid started walking past them.

"See ya, Hagrid!" Harry called watching him leave.

Harry turned his attention the bundle in his arms, "Calm down, Draco. It's ok. He's gone now."

Draco finally looked up, "He scawes me."

"Why?"

"Big man."

Harry had to smile. He remembered when he first saw Hagrid back when he had just turned eleven. The tall man frightened him at first until he learned who he was. But Draco, Draco was only five. Hagrid must seem like the biggest man in the world to him!

Harry wrapped his arms tighter still, "He's gone now. Everything's ok." Harry slowly ran his hand up and down Draco's back soothing him until he stopped shaking.

Draco yawned and buried his head further into Harry's chest.

"Tired?"

"Mm-hm," came the sleepy reply.

'Man,' Harry thought, 'Either Draco wasn't use to getting a lot of energy out of his system or this virus has him really messed up. He's always tired.'

Harry watched as Draco's breathing slowly fell into a rhythmic pattern. He just continued to hold tight around him. Draco just snuggled sliding down to rest his head on Harry's stomach.

'Better get him inside,' Harry thought, carefully sliding one arm around Draco's neck and the other under his knees. He slowly stood up, holding the boy close to his chest, feeling as though he was protecting him from everything. As smoothly as he could, Harry started back for Hogwarts hoping to not wake the sleeping child in his arms.

Harry looked down to the bundle in his arms thinking, 'You know you drive me absolutely crazy? Why? How come I cannot stop thinking about you; cannot stop worrying about you? Jeeze, Dray, you make everything so confusing.'

Harry paused in thought for a second, 'I just made a nickname for you; I think I am the one who is crazy. But I haven't been sane for about a week, not ever since last Friday.'

He focused more on the child in his arms, 'You look so innocent, but you cause so much confusion. I know you're confused too. I see it in thoughs soft, silvery eyes of yours, even just for a split second before you hide behind your walls of snide remarks, but I see it.'

Harry walked into Hogwarts passing through the hallways, avoiding open classrooms so no one would see what, or rather, who he had in his arms. Instead of walking back to the infirmary, he decided to take Draco down to his room.

There, Harry stood outside the Slytherin dormitories staring at the entrance. A huge silver serpent stared down at Harry, its stone eyes looking as though it was actually seeing. Unlike Snape's door, this snake didn't move, nor did it speak. The massive stone statue held its head outwards curling its body in an 'S' way on the wall like it was standing on the side of its tail. The fangs were as long as Harry's forearm and hung down from its huge open mouth, looking as though it was poised to strike at any movement.

In second year, Harry remembered it as a bare wall, now it had this chilling serpent in front.

'Wonder when they changed that.'

Of course, he had been down here Friday night, but he had been a little too... um... occupied to notice the door.

Thinking back to when Draco opened the entrance, Harry called, "Unicorn Blood."

Immediately, the door began to open and Harry snuck in quietly, waiting to hear if a Slytherin had skipped or came back for something. When he didn't hear anything he slowly peered into an empty common room. Harry sighed in relief, but continued to carefully walk the rest of the way to Draco's room.

Exhaling a breath he had been holding, Harry shut the door behind him and locked it. He shifted Draco's weight to one arm and turned on a light, watching as the Slytherin's room lit up. The room was so familiar from when he first took care of Draco. He remembered seeing him half unconscious as he unlocked the door and slowly opened it. Now, normally, Harry would have never barged in on a locked room, but a nagging feeling in his gut wouldn't leave so he threw caution to the wind. Harry could still feel the concern that had rushed over him when he saw the condition Draco had been in.

Harry steadied the sleeping boy into both his arms and carried him over to his bed. He pulled the sheets down and gently laid Draco onto the mattress tucking him in and kissing him lightly on the forehead.

Draco snuggled deep into the blanket pulling it closer so only his eyelids and blond hair was showing. Harry compared him to a sleeping angel and could not find any differences whatsoever.

Now that Draco was asleep, Harry had nothing to do. He couldn't leave the room in case the boy woke up, but he had nothing to do in the meantime. His eyes followed the room walls until they settled on a fairly large wooden bookcase. He sidled up to the shelf and scanned through various books of all kinds.

'So Draco likes to read,' Harry thought to himself gazing over everything from adventure and sci-fi, to fantasy and even one or two romances. Some even appeared muggle made. Eventually Harry settled on 'Quidditch Tips for True Players' and took a seat in the chair across from the bed. He could easily look over the book and check on Draco.

Seeing as Draco continued to sleep peacefully, Harry sunk comfortably into the chair and began to read.