Chapter 7 – Sweet Like Chocolate

The weather seemed to reflect Malfoy's mood as it steadily got worse as the winter set in, in full force. The rain poured in torrents but not even the storms could dampen the school's high spirits as the first Quidditch match of the season approached, Slytherin and Gryffindor would be facing off to open the Quidditch season. Malfoy was glad of the distraction, not only was everyone far too interested in the match to care about insulting Malfoy but it also gave him a chance to escape everything, high in the air during the practise sessions nothing could touch him, nothing could even come close to him. That was until the match began and Malfoy saw Harry, who still fixed his eyes away from Malfoy, determined not to look at him, as if by doing this he could convince himself that Malfoy wasn't really there.

Once they kicked off Malfoy felt the thrill of the flight mixed with the usual feelings of isolation now that the rest of the team were ignoring him as was the custom now, it was if Malfoy wasn't part of the team though with the weather the way it was Malfoy couldn't see any of them anyway.

The low dark clouds had set in on the pitch giving the illusion of darkness on the field, the rain still poured and the players were occasionally illuminated by the odd flash of lightening. The players were careful to fly around them, at one point Ginny Weasley almost got struck and avoided it so closely that the end of her broom almost caught light and trailed smoke that dampened in the rain immediately.

Malfoy squinted through the rain but could barely see anything, the lightening gave the illusion of the snitch with its flash of light and gold, but it was barely possible to see past the end of his broomstick let alone the pitch, from the other side of the pitch Harry was having the same problem.

Hardly anyone saw how if what happened. The accident happened in a single flash and was over so quickly all anyone was really aware of was Ginny Weasley's scream and Harry and Malfoy falling from a massively great height. Both of them had seen the snitch practically glowing against the black clouds, they both shot up after it and they both flew into the same bolt of lightening, knocking them off their brooms and hurtling to the ground, Malfoy unconscious and Harry barely so. Ginny had turned just in time to see them and her scream cut through the cheers alerting the teachers and the headmaster that there was something wrong. The last thing Harry felt before he lost consciousness was his body slowing down, almost floating and Dumbledore's warm voice saying, "You'll be alright."

Harry woke up the following morning to see a light rain patter down on the hospital wing window, it was difficult to tell what time of day it was or how long he had been asleep for; the clouds still obscured the sun. The end of Harry's bed was an explosion of colour, boxes of chocolate and sweets from well wishers and congratulators, it appeared that despite the lightening and the fall Harry had still caught the snitch on the way down, despite everything Harry had still won the match.

Harry made to sit up but as he did so pain shot through every inch of his body. He yelled out and there was movement at his side. Madam Pomfrey placed her hand on his shoulder and pushed him back down. "Try not to move, you're very badly burnt."

"Burnt?" he gasped, and then his eyes fell on Malfoy in the next bed. At least it looked kind of like Malfoy, his face and arms were charred and burnt, his hair was the only recognisable detail, it remained as blond and sleek as ever. Despite their enmity Harry couldn't help but feel enormous pity for him, it looked as though he would never be rid of the scars. His stomach sunk even more when Madam Pomfrey when told him, "You don't look much better." He caught sight of himself reflected in the window and to his absolute horror he saw that his face, indeed most of his body was wrapped in bandages and one side of his face was just as burned as Malfoy's. "Now, now," Madam Pomfrey assured him, "It's not that bad, two days of ointment treatment and you'll look as good as new, the same goes for him, just be careful not to move around too much."

Visitors streamed in and out of the hospital wing, wincing at Harry's new face whilst congratulating him on his win, but Malfoy's side remained as empty as the end of his bed.

It took Harry until night fall to realise that Malfoy had been awake the whole time Harry had been laughing and joking with his friends, but even then they lay beside each other in silence.

"It's not my fault that my father got his way out of Azkaban," Malfoy muttered almost as if it was more to himself than Harry. Harry sighed, he knew that he shouldn't be punishing Malfoy for something that was completely out of his hands and he knew that since the potions lesson that is exactly what he had been doing. "Hell," Malfoy sounded as if he was trying to laugh but it came out as a weak chuckle, "can't say that I was pleased to see him, myself." Harry could see that his hand went almost instinctively to his face to touch the bruise that his father had left the last time they had seen each other. Harry felt a surge of sympathy, he had been where Malfoy was right now, since he had started Hogwarts there had always been those who had pointed and whispered, at the Triwizard tournament even Ron joined them, leaving Harry with only Hermione for company, but never had it been so bad that there was not a single person in the school who could look at him without a snide comment or a glare. The difference in the end of their beds was more apparent than it had ever been. Ignoring the pain that hit him, Harry reached over and picked up the first box he could find; a box of Harry's favourite selection from Honeydukes, the card read from Ron and Hermione, causing Harry to roll his eyes, so they were even giving gifts from each other together. He ripped open the lid and held it over to Malfoy, "chocolate?" he offered, "might make you feel better."

Beneath the charred exterior Harry could have sworn he saw a smile as Malfoy reached over, "chocolate always does," he winced as he picked a chocolate but looked up anyway, "thanks."

TBC