Summary: When Draco sees his rival being tortured and raped by his father, he is revolted. He has to make a decision that could alter his life forever. Save Harry Potter from the clutches of his father and risk his life, or walk away and pretend he never saw it, letting the Gryffindor die at the hands of his father.
Disclamier: I don't own a single thing that has already been mentioned in any one of the Harry Potter books. J.K. Rowling owns all that. I own everything that's not in her books.
CHAPTER THREE- The Rescue
(Not very original title, but eh...whatever.)
Draco knew now that he couldn't possibly just lie up in his room, while Harry got murdered by his father. The thought of doing that sickened him a bit. Although he would never admit it, he could hardly imagine life without the occasional fight with Gryffindor Golden Boy. He shivered at the thought of Hogwarts without Harry, because he would be reminded of the fact that he had as good as killed his childhood rival every time he went to Potions, or Care of Magical Creatures. It was a disturbing and rather depressing thought really.
With his head filled with thoughts of Harry less Hogwarts, he walked out of his room, across his own living room, up the stairs and across the manor to his father's quarters. He listened at each door leading to his father's bedroom, making sure he was asleep before slipping over to his bed and casting a sleeping charm on him. He would sleep until the afternoon of the next day. He levitated his father's sleeping form back down several staircases, into the dungeon. It was the only place in the house that no one would be able to find him if they should check the manor for him again. He spelled Harry's chains off, and caught him before he hit the floor. He was surprisingly light. 'Was he already this light, or did my father's ministrations cause weight loss? But he hasn't been here long enough for my father to have made him lose this much weight. Or has he?' Thinking about all of that was starting to make his head hurt, so he focused on the task at hand instead.
He didn't bother casting a sleeping spell on him, confident that'd he'd be unconscious for quite a while. He wished he had paid more attention in Charms when they had learned about temporary healing charms. He decided not to waste energy levitating Harry back all the way to his room. Carrying him would be much easier, his being so light. He now had to figure out where he was going to take Harry. He didn't exactly know where he lived during the summer. 'Come to think of it, how did my father know where to find him? Dumbledore probably has ways to protect him during the summer, seeing as how he favors Potter so much. I'll have to ask Potter later. Not that he'll tell me, I'm sure.' That led Draco's thoughts off course.
'What will Potter think when he finds out I helped him? Or will he even stay alive long enough to find out? I need to get him to some healers, and fast...wait...of course! That's where I'll take him!' Draco sped up to get to the only fireplace that worked(the other ones had been disconnected from the Flo Network. Draco still didn't know why this one hadn't been). Once he was there, he reconsidered.
I think anyone would be suspicious seeing a Malfoy helping a Potter. He thought a moment before deciding what to do. "Disguizious," Draco said, concentrating hard on a tall, dark wizard, with short dark hair and a sharp face. He quickly glanced into the mirror above the fireplace, making sure the spell had worked correctly before throwing Flo powder into the fireplace and stepping into the now emerald flames. "St. Mungo's Healers Office, Grate 465," he stated clearly. He felt the sensation of traveling through fireplaces. He loved the feeling, although most people didn't. Most people also couldn't floo to St. Mungo's, but as his father had had connections everywhere, he had gotten to use grates most other people didn't know about. He stepped from the fireplace and quickly made his way into the main corridor, careful not to let the healers spot him.
He went up to the Welcome Witch, as he wasn't sure where he should go. Harry hadn't had an Artifact Accident, Creature-Induced Injury, Magical Bug, Potion or Plant Poisoning, or Spell Damage.
'Why don't they have a floor for people who were near death from blood loss, and unmerciful torturing?' Draco really had never thought of that before now, but now thought it was really obvious that they should have a floor for that kind of thing.
"Where do I go for a patient that is near death from blood loss, and one, if not several, Cruciatus Curses?" he asked hurriedly.
The witch looked extremely surprised and revolted at the sight of the bloody Harry Potter.
"Sixth Floor, Ward for Extreme Torture Patients," she said, most of her usual professional manner gone.
"Well, I'm not going to carry him all the way up there! Get some healers down here to put him on stretchers!" he snapped, getting frustrated and annoyed very quickly.
"Yes, sir." She hit a button on her desk, which must have alerted a healer that there was an emergency, for about 10 seconds later, a very worried looking healer appeared out of thin air. Upon the sight of Harry, he conjured a stretcher and out Harry on it. He took Harry on the lifts, presumably to the 6th floor. A moment later, another healer apparated by Draco.
"I need to ask you some questions about Mr. Potter's state."
Draco was very grateful at that moment that he was a quick thinker. "Very well, however I must tell you that I have very little information about his current condition."
The healer led him to a small room on the side of the corridor they had previously been occupying. "How did you come across Mr. Potter?"
Draco took a deep breath and began telling his story, mostly making it up as he went, but taking great care to memorize every word he said, in case he was asked to repeat the story. "I must first say that I will not release the exact location in which I found him. I was in London, meeting a friend of mine. It was very late, less than an hour ago, and the streets were basically deserted in this particular area. It was only coincidence that I happened to be around when I heard a faint scream coming from the direction of an area that had a lot of abandoned shacks and homes. I began running towards them, and heard another scream. By this time, I was close enough to the shack he was in to pinpoint the exact one. I ran into the house and found..."
Draco's voice weakened and broke off here. He was a good actor, and knew he couldn't be too casual about the whole thing. After all, a nameless wizard finding the most famous wizard of their world being tortured was not exactly an everyday occurrence. He put his head in his hands and made a little moaning sound, as if he was going to be sick.
"Sir?" the healer questioned tentatively, "Would you like a potion for nausea?"
Draco shook his head, and slowly lifted his head up, not quite looking the healer in the eye. "No, thanks. It's just so hard...seeing the savior of the wizarding world like this."
The healer nodded his head sympathetically. Over the summer after fifth year, nearly everyone was convinced that Harry was their savior again, and he was once more worshipped by most of the wizarding population.
"If it's not too much to ask right now, would you mind continuing with your story, sir?"
Draco shook his head, congratulating himself on his terrific acting. "Anyways, after I got into the house, I saw Mr. Potter on the floor, writhing from the Cruciatus Curse. Then, after the spell ended, the hooded man laughed, it was horrible. Then he disapperated. I quickly checked over Mr. Potter's body, and it was evident that he had been underwent many different forms of torture. I was not in a state of mind for more thorough examination, and after a few minutes of frantic pacing, I thought of bringing him here. I had to use a Muggle friend's (Draco shuddered internally at the thought) car to get him here."
The healer nodded. "That is all the information you have on the situation then?" Draco nodded. "And you stand firm with your request to keep the location secret?"
"Affirmative."
The healer got up and made to walk out the door, but then stopped. She turned around, and asked, "Would you like a potion for nerves? A Calming Draught perhaps?"
"No, thank you." As the healer was about to close the door behind her, Draco asked, "Do you know how long it will be before I will be able to see Mr. Potter?"
Author Notes: Thanks again to all my reviewers! Thanks for the suggestions, although for the most part, I will refrain from using them, unless I already had planned to. No offense to anyone though! I just like keeping my work as original as possible, without making it horrible. Also, sorry if I take a long time to update. I have a problem with procrastination.
P.S. If you think my chapters are too short, tell me and if I get enough people complaining that they want longer chapters, I'll try to expand them for you. Also, vice versa if you think they are too long.
P.S.S If anyone likes the beginning of my story, but thinks that I screwed up the last part(once I get more of the story written), feel free to redo my story with an alternative ending, just tell me first.