Harry stood shock still, his mind reeling at the things that had just unfolded in front of him. Harry could now confirm that Malfoy was a Death Eater, just as he had suspected. But it looked as if the brat didn't want to be one after all. And his own father had cursed him using an unforgivable curse. And, from the look in his eyes, had even enjoyed it.
Harry had never seen anything like it. Not even his own family the Dursleys had ever treated him this way. Shoved in a closet, deprived of food; sure. But physically tortured? Not even Uncle Vernon had lowered to that level. But Harry had to admit, Malfoy didn't seem like he wanted to be a death eater, instead being forced into service of Voldemort by his father.
Welp... that makes hating him much, much harder.
Draco clenched his teeth as he attempted to pull himself off of the floor, his now bruised arms shaking in the effort. There is a lot of blood on him, a bit coming from his nose and mouth and a good flow from the back of his head where it slammed against the hard earth. He is nearly in a seated position when he hears the whoosh of a cloak, the sound startling him and making his arms give out on him.
His vision goes black for a few seconds, the wave of pain too much to handle. After the roll of nausea clears, he opens his eyes to see Potter above him, his brows furrowed in an expression that Malfoy can't decipher.
"Enjoy the show, Potter," Draco sneers through clenched teeth, his breaths picking up as he shies into the ground, on the verge of breaking down. It's only his spite that keeps him from breaking into tears.
Potter's mouth opens and closes, emotions battling each other in his eyes. It confuses Draco. Was that concern in Potter's eyes?
"Just let me help you Malfoy, and then we can pretend this never happened," Potter said. Draco's lip curled. The image of Potter and his stupid glasses helping him made him want to hurl. He opened his mouth to tell him exactly what he thought of that idea when he noticed the look on Potter's face.
It looked like genuine concern. Concern for him.
"Fine," muttered Draco as a fresh aftershock of pain rippled through his body.
Permission given, Potter leans over him and pulls out his wand. A wave of panic crosses Draco's mind at the prospect of being cursed again when Potter mutters aguamenti and begins cleaning the drying blood from his arms.
Draco tried not to show any signs of weakness as Potter tried to clean him up but he couldn't help but wince in pain as he started cleaning out his cuts.
"Sorry…" Potter muttered.
Draco looked up at his emerald green eyes and he could see that he truly meant his apology. He looked a little awkward, cringing every time Draco did, but determined to help.
"It's fine," he said softly.
"Look, Draco." Draco blinked and drew back slightly at hearing Harry use his first name for the first time since they had met all the way back during first year. "I-I don't know how to fix anything more than need to get you some place that we can get some help."
"And how do you expect us to do that, Potter?" Draco asked with an eye roll. Old habits start to fall into place and Draco can feel his lips molding the beginnings of a sneer before he freezes as Harry points to the discarded cloak on the ground.
"With that."
Of course. Of course Perfect Potter has an invisibility cloak. Draco knew that he was always out after hours. Dumbledore probably knows about it too… he thinks. Then it occurs to him that he would be standing next to Har-Potter so close that they would be touching. The thought sends his heart racing.
"And how exactly do you expect both of us to fit under there?" Draco bites out, trying his best to hide his sudden… fear? Attraction?
Harry gives him a look and for a second Draco fears that those piercing green eyes have seen right through him.
"Oh I don't know maybe we'll just piggy-back," Harry says sarcastically with a roll of his eyes, making Draco glare at him once more.
"I'm not covered in blood so you can wear it and I'll just walk next to you," he suggests, more gently this time. "We can go to the Room of Requirement. No one will bother us there."
Draco has to admit, it was probably the best option at the moment. It was a little bit strange to hear Harry mention it so casually, especially after Draco had helped bring down his little club last year with Professor Umbridge in the very same room. Draco at last nods and closes his eyes, preparing to finally stand up.
Opening them once more, he folds his legs under him and attempts to stand up, trying to force his still shaking legs to function. Before he knows it, Harry's arm is under his and soon he is standing. Draco shakes Harry off, keeping his eyes down. So much for his dignity.
"Thanks…" he mumbles.
Harry says nothing, but just watches with concern out of the corner of his eyes as Draco makes a few shaky steps.
I can do it, he thinks to himself as he draws himself up to his full height and nods at Harry.
"Alright… let's go," Harry says uncertainly, as if Draco would topple any second. Draco immediately wants to prove that he can walk himself, that he doesn't need that pitying look and snatches the invisibility cloak from Harry's arms. And maybe he wants to prove it to himself.
Draco throws the cloak over himself and double checks to see if he really was invisible. He raised up his arm and waved his hand in front of Harry's face. No reaction. Not fully convinced, Draco reached forward and touched Harry's arm, earning a small jump, though the boy tried to hide it.
"Are you ready to go, then?" Harry asked, obviously trying to cover up his startle.
"Yeah," Draco responded. He took a breath and began walking forward. He took a few steps before realising that Harry wasn't exactly sure where he was. Draco stopped and Harry continued walking.
"Um," Draco called, causing Harry to stop and turn at Draco's voice in a different spot than he had thought. "Maybe it would be best if I…" Draco didn't want to put it into words. It sounded too.. Odd.
Instead he just reached out and lightly touched Harry on the arm where he had touched before and kept it there. But instead of flinching away like Draco half expected him to, Harry just nodded and walked at the pase Draco set, looking like the most casual person in the world at the slow pace.
If it were any other day, Draco would have never hesitated to call him Golden Boy Potter from across the courtyard, but he held his tongue.
The going is hard, and it's through a miracle that he made his way up the stairs without help. Harry doesn't make any noise, staying silent and walking slow next to Draco. They take a left, then a right and straight into the hallway where the Room was.
The two stopped and Harry looked where Draco should be standing with a stay here look before pacing up and down the hall and concentrating on the floor. After the third time, a door appeared in the blank wall.
Draco took a deep breath, readying himself for this before he began to head into the Room.