Draco awoke slowly, his head pounding, with a sinking feeling that something was very wrong. He right arm burned, and he had a heavy feeling in his chest, like a squeezing on his heart. For a moment, as memories came flooding back, he couldn't stem the flow of tears. But even as he choked back sobs, he remembered that he'd been saved. "Harry." His voice was a whisper, but the raven haired boy bolted awake instantly in the chair he'd refused to leave in the five days that Draco's fever had raged, making him cry out, horrible things that Harry couldn't believe. But now, as he reached out to the blonde, they had never been so glad to see each other.
Lucius won't grant me that which I so long for– Death. My son is safe, and I have saved him. That's all that matters to me, not this horrible reality. I've been beaten, raped, torn, my soul shredded by the things Lucius has promised for me should I be strong enough to survive this torture. But Draco is save, and his father can never touch him. Not while Harry survives. I wish I could be there, to talk to the two of them, try and help them through the rough times ahead. The last looming battle pales in comparison to the feelings and emotions they'll have to get through much sooner. Harry knows that Draco cares for him, but Draco doesn't know that Harry knows. And Harry's feelings for Draco? I don't even know. But something tells me Harry cares more than he will admit. It may take more than I could ever give to allow the two of them to open up to each other, but I pray to god they will. Then, I will not have suffered and died in vain.
The next time Harry awoke, his neck cricked from leaning forward, it was to find the blonde prince propped up on one arm, watching him. When Draco realized that Harry was awake, he brushed slightly, then rolled back, wincing as he moved his arm. Harry got up quickly, concerned, but took a step back as Draco turned his now smouldering silver-blue eyes on his nemesis. "Why did you save me?" Harry frowned at the accusatory tone to Draco's words. The older boy turned his head away, and Harry would hear the tears in his voice when he spoke again. "You should have left me. It would have been better that way. Now I'm alive, and for what? I know my mother wrote to you, hoping that something, anything, could save me." There was a strangled sob, the Draco turned his face back to Harry, swiping angrily at the tears "Now she's dead, and I would be too... I could be with her, god, if you hadn't saved me... And why, I'm worthless..." Harry swallowed, then took one faltering step, and another, until he was sitting on the side of the bed, cradling a sobbing, broken Draco in his arms.
Later, Harry left Draco under Remus' care and took a long walk. There was so much going on here– not just having to protect Draco, but he could feel the battle for his own life looming closer with each breath he took. And under that, there were the words from Narcissa which kept replaying in his head... 'Draco loves you.' He didn't know how to digest this, now that Draco was with him, and the truth of his mother's confession was so blatantly clear. He sighed in frustration as he headed back to his new home. Things would definitely take time to sort out, and what better way to start than a long talk with someone who had the experience? He nodded his dead once, decisively, and turned around to go back. Whatever happened, he vowed to himself, he would follow this through and not back down.