Oblivio Nex

Chapter 8

Harry sighed in relief when he finally saw Madam Pomfrey leave the Hospital Wing for the evening. It was nine pm and he was anxiously waiting for his two friends to turn up.

He was a little annoyed at Draco, who insisted he still wasn't finished preening and had refused to come out of the bathroom. Harry eventually had had to resort to the threat of placing black dye in Draco's hair shampoo if he didn't come out soon. Draco had cursed, but not quietly enough that Harry couldn't hear it. Harry had smirked in response; he knew the blonde too well and that thought made him happy. He couldn't know him that well from a couple of days, right? He and Draco were most likely at least friends in their real life, right?

But the thing was, Harry didn't know for sure.

Unexpectedly, he heard a bang and a muffled curse, and then the hospital door swung open and closed quickly.

Harry looked on with interest as two people appeared out of thin air. One was a bushy haired girl who was really quite pretty (apart from the hair - Harry had never seen such badly kept hair in his life!), and a gangly redheaded boy who was scowling irritably. The girl gave the boy a reproachful glare that would have made any mother proud.

"I do hope you're happy Ronald, we were nearly caught by Filch! If you'd only been quieter -"

"Hermione, how could I have been quieter? It's not my bloody fault Peeves decided to muck about, is it?" the redhead argued.

"Well, if you hadn't kicked Mrs. Norris then we'd have-"

"Harry!" Ron exclaimed, interrupting the lecturing Hermione.

Harry smiled uncertainly as Ron made his way over to him and cheerfully slapped him on the back.

"Hi," he said cautiously.

Hermione all at once forgot about lecturing Ron and quickly came over to where Harry was.

"Harry, are you okay - if you're sick you really shouldn't be out of bed - have you talked to the Headmaster recently - I hope you've been keeping up with school work - I've been so worried you won't pass the NEWTs!" Hermione said, all in one breath.

Harry grinned at the girl and inwardly breathed a sigh of relief. From her questions and Ron's concerned frown they were people who cared about him, and he knew he could trust them.

"Um, yeah. I've been doing the work," Harry replied.

"Well mate, what's this all about? Gryffindor Tower's in an uproar; we've only got another week till we're up against Slytherin in Quidditch!"

"Maybe you should both come in here," Harry said, gesturing to the door to his and Draco's room.

"What do you mean, Harry?" Hermione asked, frowning in confusion.

Harry suddenly remembered the Concealment Charm Headmaster Dumbledore had put on the room, and decided to show the two the room by opening the door. From Ron and Hermione's surprised looks they could see inside when he pushed it open and gestured to the room. Harry led the way in and nervously sat down on his bed, wishing Draco would just hurry the hell up and get his procrastinating little butt back in the bedroom.

Ron and Hermione sat down opposite him, on Draco's bed, and Harry did his best not to look anxious. Hermione and Ron exchanged worried glances, knowing there was something wrong with their friend.

"So what is this, Harry? What's happened?" Hermione said after a moment, her eyes suddenly demanding. "Why did your letter seem so different…?"

"Well, I guess I should start by saying that I've-"

"See, I told you I wouldn't take that lon- Oh," Draco stopped and blushed a little as all eyes suddenly turned to him. "I see they're here already, sorry, Harry."

Harry buried his annoyance at the blonde's tardiness when he saw how fretful Draco looked, and gestured for the other boy to sit down next to him.

Draco took in the scene before him and shifted uncomfortably when he noticed the two hostile gazes on him. He bit his lip before giving a tight smile.

"Hello, Ron. Hermione," Draco said, politely nodding to each of them as he sat down.

The two teenagers opposite him stared at the Slytherin in confusion and when the suddenly silent, awkward atmosphere carried on, Draco looked pleadingly at Harry.

"Um, guys?" Harry spoke up with a small frown of worry.

That seemed to snap them out of their shock.

"What the hell is he doing here, Harry?" Ron spat, red from a rush of sudden anger.

"What do you mean 'what is he doing here'? Obviously he's sick, too," Harry said a little defensively.

"Harry, what's going on?" Hermione asked warily.

Harry sighed.

"I told you," Draco said miserably.

And Harry silently agreed. Hermione and Ron obviously didn't like Draco. Harry clenched his hands into fists as he grasped what this probably meant. He hadn't realised Draco wouldn't be considered a friend. Hadn't wanted to realise…

"Told him what? What have you been doing, Ferret, trying to turn Harry to your Dark ways? Or have you still not given up on killing him?" Ron raged.

"What? Draco wouldn't do that!" Harry growled protectively, feeling Draco lean in a fraction closer to his side.

"Harry, what are you talking about? This is Malfoy!" Ron snarled, pointing at the startled blonde.

Draco flinched back from the name, all the first impressions of the word 'Malfoy' coming back to him. When Ron spat his name like that, he felt lower than anything. Dirt. That was all he was worth…

Harry saw his boyfriend's downcast gaze and glared at Ron angrily. He knew what Draco was thinking; the way Ron had spoken Draco's last name made Harry worry that the boy next to him would break he suddenly looked so fragile.

"How dare you!" Harry shouted, suddenly standing in between Ron and Draco protectively.

"What is wrong with you Harry? Why are you defending the Ferret?" Ron yelled back, looking at a befuddled Hermione desperately. "Herm, tell him he's being unreasonable!"

Before Hermione could answer Harry was snarling back at the boy.

"Unreasonable? I'm unreasonable? You're the one who's being unreasonable, coming in here and insulting Draco as if he's worth nothing!"

Hermione tried to calm Ron down but by now he was livid. He pushed Harry aside and advanced on Draco, grabbing the startled boy and shaking him angrily.

"What did you do to him? What did you bloody do, Ferret?" With that, Ron pulled back his fist and punched Draco in the face.

Draco fell back limply, unwilling and unable to fight through the remembered pain of his life. The fear that came back, the guilt and shame that seemed to be burnt into his soul, the feelings that even Oblivio Nex could not remove, all surfaced in response to Ron's harsh accusations. Was this why he'd taken the potion? Was this reaction to his very presence the reason his life was so worthless?

"Ron!" Hermione shrieked in shock.

"Get the hell off of him!" Harry yelled as he dragged the redhead off his boyfriend.

When Harry threw Ron off, he saw an almost delicate line of blood from a cruel split on Draco's lips, and after he was done with Ron, Harry leaned over the smaller boy in concern. He frowned as he touched the other's lip tentatively and clenched his fists in anger when the silver haired boy just shuddered and looked down, tears shining in his eyes.

"What are you doing, Harry? You almost look as though you care for the evil little bastard," Ron said raggedly, getting up from the floor where a furious Harry had flung him.

Harry saw red and turned round to face Ron, ready to seriously hurt the boy who he'd thought was his friend. Both Hermione and Ron must have seen the ferocity flashing in Harry's emerald eyes as both gasped.

"Harry, Ron, stop it!" Hermione begged, obviously distressed.

As Harry advanced on Ron menacingly, Draco suddenly snapped out of his distraught daze. Harry was about to beat the hell out of one of his best friends, defending someone both Ron and Hermione thought was an evil git. Draco silently, painfully acknowledged that Harry very likely thought this of him too, or at least he had.

"Harry, don't! Please, just stop," Draco cried, watching his boyfriend's back stiffen at the sound of his voice. "Please… We knew we weren't friends. We knew deep down it was unlikely we were close, what with everyone's reactions and the letters. Oblivio Nex is the only reason that we got this chance. Don't wreck your friendships for something that's not real."

Harry turned around and looked at Draco with an injured expression.

"It'll always be real," Harry whispered.

Draco looked away from Harry's sincere gaze.

"I wish that were true," Draco murmured.

"Oblivio Nex! Oh! You stupid boys!" Hermione exclaimed furiously.

-

To be continued…