Disclaimer : I would be over the sky if I own any character in the story, but no, all characters belong to J.K. Rowling. Please don't sue me, I don't gain any profit from this story. Parts that are taken directly from the books will be in Italic, as well as mentioned in the footnote. The disclaimer applies to every chapter of the story, although I will only write it once.
Summary : Harry Potter and Draco Malfoy develop an unexpected relationship after the Sectumsempra incident in their sixth year. Will the friendship be enough to carry them both through a period of hardship? How would it affect the battle to live between Harry and Voldemort?
A/N : I will try to update weekly. I know the chapters are not long, I'm still working on how to make them longer. Please bear with me in the meantime. Comments and feedbacks are very much appreciated, as always. Hope you enjoy this!
Chapter 1 : Sectumsempra
"SECTUMSEMPRA!" bellowed Harry from the floor, waving his wand wildly.
Blood spurted from Malfoy's face and chest as though he had been slashed with an invisible sword. He staggered backwards and collapsed on the waterlogged floor with a great splash, his wand falling from his limp right hand.
"No-" gasped Harry. [1]
Panicking, Harry desperately tried to recall the counter-spell of this bloody violent curse that he happened to use so carelessly. "Maybe Hermione is right, the half-blood prince is dark. I need to check all those spells before ever using one again," Harry thought to himself.
However, now was not the time to consider the appropriate usage of spells. He must tend to the long time rival of his who was currently bleeding to death before he really could die. Apparently, the constant moaning and thrashing of Draco did not help to recall his memories. Just as he was about to give up and rush for a teacher, an almost inaudible whisper of Draco caught his attention.
"Vulnera Sanentur-" Draco gasped. He was clutching his chest, but it did nothing to stop the blood that was gushing out of the five-inches long wound. In fact, it seemed to put pressure around the wound and that accelerated the blood flow.
"Huh?" Harry asked, feeling frustrated, angry, panic and lost at the same time. "Malfoy, just hang on for a moment, I am going to get Madam Pomfrey. I'm…sorry."
If Draco was taken aback by Harry's apology, he did nothing to show it. Instead, he repeated his previous words with an even less audible whisper if it was possible. "Counterspell…Vulnera Sanentur…Heal…"
This time, Harry leaned closer to Draco when he saw Draco's lips moving, so he caught what Draco was saying. Hoping against hope that the counterspell would work, Harry pointed his wand at Draco's wound with slightly trembling fingers and muttered, "Vulnera Sanentur." Before his eyes, Draco's chest healed, leaving no sign of being cut so brutally just moments before.
Kneeling in front of Draco in exhaustion and relief, Harry silently thanked the god before reverting his attention back to his one-time enemy. Somehow, his hatred towards the blond dissipated the moment he saw Draco crying alone in the toilets. For the time being, at least.
"Mal- Draco, are you okay? I apologize for causing you such an injury, you could have died, and it was totally uncalled for." Harry apologized again, looking directly into the orbs of the blond, trying to convey his sincerity. For a moment, Draco seemed overcome by the intensity of Harry's gaze and slumped a little, before a defiant mask slipped up.
"Who gave you permission to call me by my first name, Potter?" Draco turned away and tried to heave himself up, before falling pathetically back to the ground, still not facing Harry.
If Harry had not noticed Draco's moment of vulnerability, he might have walked away, leaving Draco alone. Or he might have not, seeing his guilt of accidentally hurting his rival was still weighing heavily on his chest. But it didn't matter, because Harry had seen through the facade of Draco in that one moment, and together with the scene he observed before Sectumsempra, it was enough for Harry to sense that something was wrong with Draco, terribly wrong.
From his kneeling position, Harry shifted and sat down more comfortably beside Draco. He wanted to help for he knew how it felt like to be alone, drowning in despair. Besides, he was positive that this had something to do with the 'thing' Draco was working on for the whole year, and Harry would be damned if he let this opportunity of prying slip away. Ignoring his conscience that was reminding him it was immoral to make use of one's helplessness to his own use, Harry edged closer to Draco.
"Dra- Malfoy, I know you are not fine. Mind telling me what is bothering you? I promise I won't make fun of you. I…just wanted to help, you know."
In his peripheral vision, Draco could see Harry eyeing him with a concerned and slightly curious look. For that one instant, he really did consider telling the Savior of Wizarding World the truth, that the Dark Lord was forcing him to kill Dumbledore by holding his parents hostage, that he was unwilling to do so but have no choice, and that he was afraid to be a murderer. However, going through 'the Malfoy training' for years, Draco managed to reformed his mental barriers before he let slip of anything.
A little bit violently, Draco shoved Harry to a wall, and Harry was barely able to stifle the cry when his head crashed into the wall with a loud 'thud'. Draco held his wand in a dueling stance, fully expecting Harry to take revenge on the shove. Instead, he was taken aback when Harry merely picked himself up from the floor and took a gentle step closer to Draco.
"Draco, I know you don't trust me, but it is obvious that the issue bothering you is far beyond your capabilities. Or would you like to talk to others, Professor Dumbledore maybe?" Harry stated, looking hopeful.
There was no way Draco was giving in to Harry's questions, no matter how much he wanted to. Within that fraction of second, he plotted a plan to get himself out of this sticky situation. Knowing Harry and his Gryffindor stubbornness, he would definitely pester Draco until he got a satisfactory answer to Draco's recent behavior.
Feigning indecision, Draco drew in a deep breath and made to say something. Encouraged by Draco's expression, Harry placed a hand on the blond shoulder to show support. But instead of words, a red light caught Harry completely off guard, and the next moment found the dark-haired boy stunned, literally.
Draco casted an apologetic glance at the boy before him who looked dumbfounded, hurt and angry. Not that Harry could see the apology anyway. With another flick of his wand, Draco muttered "obliviate", and Harry's eyes slid out of focus momentarily before returning to their normal state.
Then, Draco turned to glare at Moaning Myrtle, as if daring her to expose his secret and today's incident to Harry. Myrtle nodded slightly before floating away. With that, Draco let out a breath of relief and slipped out of the toilet.
A frustrated Ron and a worried Hermione were frantically looking for Harry, to no avail. Harry was supposed to meet them at the Great Hall for dinner one hour ago, but he still hadn't turned up. They were about to report Harry's disappearance to Professor McGonagall when Harry walked out of the sixth-floor boys' bathroom, with a glazed look in his eyes, and covered in blood.
Hermione let out a gasp and ran to Harry before embracing him. "What happened to you, Harry? Are you hurt? Where? Let me have a look!"
Before Hermione could remove Harry's robes, Harry put up a hand to stop her. "Mione, please calm down. I have no idea what happened either, I seem to have lost my memory."
This statement did nothing to soothe Hermione, if any, she was more agitated than before. "What?! You are telling me someone obliviated you, and got away with it? Why didn't you stun him or bind him!?"
"Because he or she stunned me before obliviating me. I'm not an idiot Mione," Harry snapped. He was very confused himself, and Hermione's pestering didn't help to make things clearer. However, looking at Hermione's taken aback face, he couldn't bring himself to be angry at his best friend anymore, not that he was truly angry before them, frustrated, more like.
"Oh…I'm sorry Mione, I shouldn't have snapped, you are just worried about me," Harry apologized before pulling her into a hug. "And you too, Ron. Sorry for scaring you."
Ron and Hermione smiled slightly at Harry. "It's not like this is the first time you gave us a heart attack, mate," Ron stated in a serious tone, but giving Harry an amiable punch at the same time. "Yeah, not like I chose to. Maybe I'm a magnet to trouble."
Harry put off the statement with a grin. But Ron would never know that the friendly bicker wormed its way into Harry's heart, adding some more guilt to that Harry was already suffocating beneath.
"Let's get some food? I'm starving." Harry motioned them to follow him to the kitchen. "Don't you want to go to Madam Pomfrey first? You look horrible, covered in blood and all, " Hermione suggested, concerned. "Nah, I checked myself, no wound, no nothing. I don't think this is my blood."
Harry cleaned his robes with a non-verbal 'scourgify', and proceeded to the kitchens. Ron and Hermione trailed after him, still worried, but deciding to keep the issue for another time. It is obvious that Harry had no intention of making it known to any professor, and he could be very persistent after making his mind on something.
Not needing to guess, the house elves were over-enthusiastic to have Harry Potter visit them. After a few words with the elves and Dobby, the Golden Trio left the kitchen, laden with snacks and even a roasted duck. Finishing the food in record time, thanks to Ron, Harry excused himself to bed, claiming that he was still a little bit sore.
After taking a nice shower, he slumped onto his bed, recalling the happenings of the day. He knew, or rather, felt, that something important but not bad occurred within his memory blank, but he just couldn't retrieve the memory.
Eventually, Harry drifted off into fitful sleep, dreaming of someone crying and gushing blood.
Draco was in his dormitory, lying in his four-poster bed, trying his best to clear his mind and sleep. That task was proven to be impossible in his current state of mind.
Due to some reason or another, ever since he left Harry in the bathroom several hours ago, the concerned gaze in the emerald orbs of his ought-to-be rival just won't fade from his subconsciousness. He didn't know why the encounter, and the gentle words and touches from the Boy-Who-Lived soothed so much to him, but it really did.
The past year had not been easy for the young Malfoy heir. What with having to choose between the his and his parents death or being a murderer, the emotional strain was finally getting to him.
To make things worse, even if he could make up his mind to kill, he couldn't figure out a way to do so. His previous feeble attempts were futile, not that he had expected to succeed. Drowning in the dilemma, he felt a lone tear rolling down his cheeks.
Wishing to turn his attention away from his currently catastrophic life, he found his thoughts wandering back to the black-haired boy who hated him but somehow managed to offer him comfort when he most needed it. Recalling their relationship of mutual hatred, he couldn't help grimacing at how their story unfolded in a completely different manner to his expectations.
Truth be told, he was sincere when he offered his friendship to Harry back in their first year, and he was really hoping that being friends with Harry Potter, Savior of Wizarding World, might offer another chance for the Malfoys to clarify their stand on the whole Voldemort issue. Contrary to popular belief, Lucius no longer trusted in the Dark Lord's ideology, even before the end of the first war. He was still proud to be a pureblood and deemed muggleborns less worthy, but he never expected it to be something so similar to genocide.
Thus, young Draco was taught to not return to the Dark Lord's service should he return. Apparently, they underestimated the amount of power and control Voldemort managed to regain after merely two years of being reborn.
To say that Draco was disappointed at the failed attempt of gaining Harry's trust was an understatement. In fact, Draco was devastated. After all, like all children of the Wizarding World, he had heard Harry's legacy of defeating Voldemort numerous times, and it was impossible not to yearn to be Harry's friend.
However, his Malfoy pride triumphed over any desire when Harry slapped his hands away in front of Crabbe and Goyle. SInce then, rivalry seemed to be expected between Harry and him, thus leaving no room for a new friendship to blossom. Nevertheless, at the bottom of his heart, Draco knew full well that if another chance presented itself, he would be more than willing to grasp it.
Over these years, Draco couldn't help but notice how different Harry was to his initial expectations. He expected Harry to either be cocky for his achievements as a baby, or wallow in self-pity for losing his parents at such a young age, but he did neither. He didn't even take advantage of his status to gain any special treatment from professors, at least he didn't ask for it, voluntarily. Harry's personality only boosted Draco's urge to know him better.
And now Harry was, for the first time ever, returning the attempt at mutual understanding. But unfortunately, Draco couldn't react to it, not without dragging Harry into further danger. That was why he unwillingly erased Harry's memory. He could only hope that he did his spell well enough, and Harry would never recall what happened today.
Finally, Draco succumbed to fatigue and dosed off.
The next morning, Harry felt a sting at the back of his head when he was brushing his hair, to no avail, of course. Observing himself in the mirror, he concluded that a large bruise was present at the back of his head. Thankfully, his jet-black hair covered it wonderfully, so he would not be pestered by Hermione to go to Madam Pomfrey, again.
Harry knew full well that his best friend was not keen on his denying medical attention from the incident yesterday. After all, having casted a memory charm might pose long-term effects if the spell was not casted correctly.
Turning his attention back to the bruise, Harry pressed it gently, only to curse silently after feeling a shooting pain. Obviously, someone did a great job in banging his head to the wall. "So, I got into a fight with someone who didn't want me to know? Who could that be?" Harry was considering all the possible suspects when Ron pounced on him from the back. Harry barely suppressed the urge to yell at Ron, who coincidentally knocked the bruise on his head.
"Hey mate, what are you doing, brooding in the toilet? It's time for breakfast, I'm starving," Ron said, dragging Harry away from the mirror. Harry grinned at Ron. "The same old Ron, always so enthusiastic when it comes to food," Harry thought to himself.
However, Harry wasn't able to keep his concentration for lessons that day. His thoughts kept drifting to the mysterious person who physically assaulted him. By the end of the day, he was in a foul mood as he had made no progress in retrieving the lost memory, but efficiently gained two detentions for the week, both from the dungeon bat, Snape.
[1] J.K. Rowling. Harry Potter and the Half Blood Prince. Sectumsempra.
Coming up next...Harry's Christmas at Hogwarts
