~A Child's Trust Is Worth Everything~

A few hours later, Harry flipped the last page in the book. He peered over the top at a still sleeping Draco. The boy hadn't moved at all. He was still buried deep within the safety of his sheets.

Harry smiled at the boy even though there was no possibility that he could see it. He set the book aside and rose from the chair, making his way into the bathroom. Looking into the mirror, Harry turned on the faucet to the sink letting the water warm. He sunk his hands under the water letting the tepid liquid stream through his fingers. Cupping his hands, Harry let the water fill and brought it up to his face, rubbing it into his skin. He blindly reached for a towel, wiping it over his face and tossed it to the side.

As he walked back into the bedroom, a slight squeak could be heard. Harry shot his ears up hoping to catch the sound again. It came again toward the bed. Harry walked up to the side, peering at Draco. The boy was squirming, tightening his eyes, whimpering every so often.

Harry sat down on the edge of the bed and placed a hand on Draco's shoulder, "Draco, wake up. It's just a dream."

Draco's eyes snapped open and he quickly sat up in bed, startling Harry by the sudden movement. The toddler looked around wide-eyed, confused as to where he was. His gaze fell on Harry, stopped, and he blinked.

"Hawwy?" Draco cried.

"It's ok, Draco," Harry practically whispered.

Draco shot out from the blanket and into Harry's lap almost making the two fall off the edge of the bed. Harry steadied them on the edge setting his feet on the floor giving Draco a place to sit.

Harry wrapped his arms around the toddler who was clinging into his chest once more, "What's wrong?"

Draco sobbed into Harry's robes bunching the cloth into his little fists, "B-Bad d-dweam."

"Shh," Harry soothed running a hand through the boy's hair. Draco continued to tremble in Harry's arms. "Tell me what happened."

"I was being bad again," Draco paused.

"What did you do?"

"I w-was wunning," Draco stuttered as tears swelled up in his eyes.

Harry took Draco's face in his right hand and brushed away a stray droplet, "So then what?"

"F-Fa-ter," Draco coughed and Harry continued to rub his back, "He frew me down-tairs again."

Harry tensed. His arms wrapped instinctively around Draco protectively, tightening his grip. The Gryffindor didn't know whether to be highly angry, horribly upset, or deathly worried, maybe a mixture of all three. Lucius was going to pay dearly.

"It was s-so dawk. I couldn't see. I was scawed," Draco coughed again trying to hold back his crying, "But in-instead of com-coming back for me, he weft me there."

Draco buried his face farther into Harry's chest curling up into a tight ball in the Gryffindor's lap. Harry started rocking back and forth soothing the trembling boy he protected in his arms.

"It's ok now," Harry eased, "I'm here, everything's alright."

"Pwease don't wet him frow me down-tairs," Draco whispered.

"I promise, Draco. You'll never be in that dungeon again."

'Never again,' Harry repeated to himself.

Harry hugged the little boy in his arms waiting until he stopped shivering, "Are you ok now?"

Draco nodded, wiping a few tears away with the back of his hand. "Hungwy," he whispered almost too quiet for Harry to hear.

"You're hungry?"

Draco nodded again.

"Ok, I'll get you something to eat, but first we have to go see Madam Pomfrey. She should be back by now."

Harry made an attempt to try to remove Draco from his lap, but he wouldn't let go.

"Draco, you have to get up so we can go."

Draco shook his head in Harry's chest, "No."

Harry chuckled slightly in amusement, "Well how are we going to get something to eat?"

Draco seemed to be thinking. In a quiet voice he barely whispered, "Cawry me, pwease."

"Carry you?" Harry glanced down, "I thought you didn't like to be carried."

Draco looked up staring at Harry fully with his partially red, blotchy eyes. The silver orbs brightened to the color of the moon behind a thin layer of tinted gray clouds. Those eyes held hope and trust, "You won't dwop me."

Harry smiled feeling touched right down to his very heart and soul. Draco trusted him and him alone. He had to choke back a tear that was threatening to seep out, "Come on then."

Harry gathered Draco into his arms shifting his weight into his right side. He moved the blonde so he was sitting on his right hip balancing the toddler with his arms.

Draco made a squeaking noise and gripped Harry around the neck. He tensed his muscles, attaching himself to Harry's side as if he were a part of him.

Harry tightened his grip, concerned for the little boy, "Are you sure you want to be carried?"

"Onwy by you."

Harry smiled again as he slowly began to walk, allowing Draco to get use to the feeling of his muscles shifting. He shut Draco's door behind him and listened in the common room. It was empty.

'I've been having some luck lately,' Harry thought strolling near the entrance, 'the Slytherin's have all been out.'

Harry opened the door and snuck out into the corridors. Again, not even the slightest hint of movement was shown.

"Is it dinnertime already?" Harry asked to himself, "I didn't realize it was so late."

The farther Harry walked, the more relaxed Draco grew. The blonde eventually loosened his grip around Harry's neck and rested his head on the raven-hair's shoulder. Harry was smiling to himself.

Harry walked into the hospital wing being greeted instantly by Pomfrey, "There you are, Harry!"

Harry felt Draco grow rigid. He felt the little one pulling closer to him, gripping at his side.

"Shh, I'm not going anywhere," Harry whispered into the boy's ear.

"How is the young Mr. Malfoy doing?"

"He's doing fine," Harry stated. He wasn't exactly lying, but the Gryffindor didn't think Draco would be too happy if he told the nurse about his personal problems.

"Good."

"Madam Pomfrey?"

"Yes, dear?"

"Draco and I were getting hungry, but as you know we can't just go into the Great Hall."

"I know," Pomfrey studied the little boy in Harry's arms, "I'll send a house elf to bring food here."

"Thank you."

Pomfrey turned around and headed to the back room. Harry unwrapped himself from around Draco and set him on the bed. Draco sat with his legs dangling in the air and his head down.

Harry sensed something was off, "Draco, what's wrong?"

"That dweam," Draco whispered.

"What about it?"

"It scawed me."

Harry took a hold of one of Draco's tiny hands into his own, "Why?"

Draco glanced up and Harry saw his silver eyes that were so full of trust a few minutes ago were now placed with fear and loneliness, "I was awone."

Harry squeezed Draco's hand, "Not anymore."

A tear seeped from Draco's eye, "Don't weave."

Harry smiled reassuringly, "I won't."

"Nevew?"

"Never," Harry assured.

Draco threw his little arms around Harry hugging him tightly. Harry returned the gesture, slowly rubbing the boy's back. Draco hesitated in letting go, but finally pulled back just as Pomfrey returned.

The school nurse came in with a tray of food in her hands setting it down beside Harry, "Anything else you two boys need?"

"No, thank you," Harry said straightening up.

Pomfrey turned to leave again.

"Madam Pomfrey?" Harry voiced standing up and walking over to her.

She stopped and turned around giving him her full attention, "Yes, Harry?"

"Well," Harry whispered so Draco couldn't hear, "Draco's just been so tired. Like he'll sleep every few hours or even sooner."

Pomfrey sighed, a troubled look faded over her, "I don't know anymore, Harry. This virus isn't suppose to affect him because he is young again, but apparently it is. Not the full affects mind you, but one or two symptoms are still in circuit."

"Are you sure there isn't anything we can do?" Harry practically pleaded.

"I'm sorry, Harry. We cannot risk it."

"Hawwy?" Draco cried from across the room.

"Uh... thanks," Harry walked back over to Draco as Pomfrey left, "What?"

Draco didn't answer; he just smiled that child smile. The type that held laughter. Harry shook his head and ruffled Draco's hair.

"Hungry?"

Draco nodded repeatedly.

"Alright," Harry took a hold of the tray and set one plate on the bed for Draco and took the other for himself. He sat beside Draco who was leaning against the headboard of the bed and began to eat.

Expecting a huge mess to clean up, Harry looked up at Draco. The sight shocked him. Unlike a messy five year old, Draco was careful and clean. There wasn't a trace of anything out of place.

Harry finished eating, setting his plate back on the tray. Draco handed his own plate to Harry, letting him set it with his own salver. Draco smiled in contentment having his stomach full of food. The blonde yawned and blinked a few times.

"Tired again?" Harry asked a little worried. This virus was always making him tired.

Draco nodded his head slightly, closing his little eyes, resting his head against the backboard. Harry got off the bed and took the tray. He followed Pomfrey's earlier route into the back where she was at her desk filing through papers.

Casually she glanced up, "Yes?"

Harry walked over to her, tray in hand, "What should I do with this?"

"Just set it on the table over there," Pomfrey motioned at the piece of furniture to Harry's left, "I'll have one of the house elves come and take it."

"Thank you," Harry set the platter down, "I'm gonna take Draco back to my room. He's tired... again."

Pomfrey stopped shifting through papers, "He's tired again?"

Harry nodded slightly.

"Bring him back up here tomorrow when he's back to his original age."

"I will," Harry turned around heading back out the door but stopped when he almost fell over something. He paused and looked down, there was Draco.

Harry bent down, "What are you doing over here?"

"I-I opened my eyes and you was gone," Draco looked at Harry in some sort of relief.

"I'm sorry, Draco," Harry pulled the boy in a tight embrace, "I was going to be right back."

Draco fell into Harry's chest sinking into the hug, "Seepy."

"Come on then. Let's get you to bed," Draco clung his arms around Harry's neck as Harry lifted him up.

Draco laid his head on Harry's shoulder closing his eyes. Harry stepped out into the corridor and ran right into Snape. Draco popped his eyes open at the sudden jolt and huddled closer to Harry as he saw the dark man hovering over them.

"Sorry, Professor Snape," Harry muttered.

"Potter," Snape said in his form of greeting, "How is Draco doing?"

"He's doing alright. Just tired at the moment. I was going to take him up to my room and put him to bed."

Harry saw the rigid man slightly sigh having his shoulders relax a bit. His usually emotionless eyes held concern and minor relief. His voice was trying to hide his unusual difference, "And why are you taking him to Gryffindor Tower?"

"I thought it would be easier to sneak him in then trying to slip through Slytherins."

"Yes, Gryffindors don't usually notice things even when they are right under their nose," Snape glared.

Harry rolled his eyes. The man couldn't be nice for two seconds.

"However, even those idiots would notice a sleepy boy in your arms. You might need this," Snape held out something in his hands.

Harry took one look at the offered object and slightly gasped. Snape was returning his invisibility cloak, "How'd you get it?"

"I found it in the infirmary. I assure you, Potter, I would have confiscated it at once, but it seems that this is needed to help Draco."

Harry took his cloak and wrapped it around himself and Draco. The two disappeared and Snape looked as though he was staring at nothing.

"Thank you, Professor," Harry said taking a few steps backward listening to the sound echoing off the stone walls.

Snape must have thought Harry was walking away because Harry was positive the dark professor didn't want him to see what he just saw. Professor Severus Snape had smiled.