He needed to get Harry to talk, Draco decided. It had been 3 weeks now, without him saying a word and nightmares every night. So Draco had a plan and Ron, Hermione, Pansy and Blaise covered for him.
He took Harry for a walk to the 7th floor and got him in the Room of Requirement. The little boy looked at him questioningly.
"It's time to talk Harry. I know why you don't talk. It's you cousin Dudley and his friends right?" Draco told him. He could see the fear in Harry's eyes and the little boy tried to escape.
He tried the door but it disappeared, he pounded on the walls and the floor, ran around like crazy, trying to get out, all the while chanting; "no no no no no no no no!" When he began to pull on his hair, Draco grabbed the little hands in his and crouched down to eye level with Harry.
"Stop that, please! You can't get out until you talk. This is a very special room and we can stay here for weeks. I didn't mean to scare you an I certainly don't want to hurt you, but you need to talk about what happened, Harry." Harry pulled his hands out of Draco's and glared at him. He stalked over to the farthest corner of the room, sat down, arms crossed and proceeded to sulk.
"Fine, if you want to play it that way, I've got the time," Draco said casually and took out a book and started to read.
It took 4 hours for Harry to crawl out of his corner and to start investigating his surroundings. Draco watched him from the corner of his eye with a smile. He had made sure that there were books in the Room and soon Harry had found them.
They continued like that for 4 days. Reading, eating and sleeping, all in silence. Draco tried several times to get Harry to talk but he always refused.
"Want to play a game?" Draco asked, holding up 'Memory.' To be honest; it was one of the few muggle games, Draco knew how to play. Harry nodded and they sat down at the table, laying out the cards.
Halfway through the game, Harry finally started to talk.
"They never let me play games. Or play at all. I always have to do chores, while they do nothing. It's not fair," Harry whispered, a bit hoarse. Draco was shocked. Not only did he finally get Harry to talk, but also because of the information Harry gave him. Draco knew about it, considering how his cousin had beaten the little boy to pulp but he really thought that somehow it had improved for him.
"It isn't. Just like it isn't fair to be beaten," Draco said, watching Harry closely. The little boy looked down.
"I deserve it!" he said harshly.
"No, no you don't! What they do Harry, is wrong and not your fault!" Draco told him firmly.
"I shouldn't have told on Dudley. He was right to punish me." Harry still tried to justify his family's actions towards him.
"Not like that! Never like that! Yes, it would have been better if you haven't told on him, but his reaction was wrong!" Draco looked Harry in the eye and saw tears in the young boy's eyes.
"Hey, come here, it's alright. I'm glad you're talking again." Draco had gathered him in his arms and continued to sooth him until he fell asleep.
Draco stood up and picked his young charge up as well. He carried Harry out of the Room and walked to his own room.
As expected, Ron, Hermione, Pansy and Blaise were waiting for them.
"He finally talked?" Hermione asked hopefully. Draco nodded and gently laid the boy down on the couch. He placed a Silencing Charm around them so Harry wouldn't be disturbed.
"Now what?" Blaise asked.
"I don't know. The note said, that when I got him to talk, he would go back. I don't want him to go back." Draco sighed sadly, stroking through Harry's raven coloured hair. Pansy smiled softly.
"You love him, don't you?" she whispered.
"Who wouldn't love this little guy. He's so young and he's been through so much already," Draco whispered.
"Well yeah, but that is not what I meant…" she was cut of by Hermione.
"You love 17 year old Harry!" Draco blushed. Ron and Blaise, of course, didn't get it.
"Why did he terrorize him for all these years then?" Ron asked, confused. Pansy and Hermione rolled their eyes.
"Because Draco wanted his attention you idiots!" they said in unison.
"I'm in the room you know, but please, don't mind me!" Draco said sarcastically.
"You're right, I've loved him since 5th year and it's only getting stronger." Draco sighed and didn't look at his friends.
"As long as you don't hurt him again, it's fine by me. But if you do, you'll wish that you were never even conceived," Ron threatened innocently. Hermione nodded.
"Yeah, I agree with him. You hurt him and you will find some parts of your anatomy missing," she added to the threat. Draco swallowed nervously. Be honest; they sounded pretty scary!
"Thanks, I promise not to hurt him, I rather die then to hurt him anymore then I've already done," Draco promised them solemnly. Blaise huffed.
"It's not one sided you know! Same goes for Harry too!" Blaise stood up for his friend.
"It's only fair," Pansy said, agreeing.
"Harry would never hurt anybody! He's not even capable of doing that!" Ron sneered. Draco snorted.
"He's perfectly capable of doing that, I have you know!" he said, indignant.
"How has he ever hurt you then?" Hermione demanded.
"1st year, he refused my friendship. That did hurt me you know!"
"You were an arse! No wonder he blew you off!" Ron pointed out.
"Right…" Draco didn't know what else to say anymore.
"Guess I always gave him a reason to hurt me," Draco realized.
"You always started the fights. He was merely defending himself." Ron glared at him.
"Or us," Hermione whispered.
"I'm really sorry guys," Draco apologized. Ron clapped him on the back.
"As long as you don't do it again." He and Hermione left.
"You know, you really have turned into a softie Draco," Pansy smirked.
"For Harry, it's worth it," he sighed. Blaise snorted.
"You really got it good Dray, you're a lost cause!" he laughed.
"Shut it Blaise!" he snapped but had to fight the smile that wanted to surface. Pansy and Blaise were still laughing when Draco kicked them out.
Next day, Harry was gone. Draco was sad until he found a note on the couch.
Thank you for taking care of me and showing me that not everyone is bad.
Harry