AN: So sorry for the huge delay in updating. My schoolwork really threw me off track. I will be continuing this story, so don't worry, but because of school the time it takes me to update may be longer.
Warnings: Same as always, M for later chapters, slash
Disclaimer. Well, I think we all know J.K Rowling owns the characters, the only thing that's mine is the twisted plot. Heh.
Draco's eyes widened and he gasped as he took in the sight before him. "Harry" he breathed out, staring up at the unconscious male. He was lying in the grass, unmoving, surrounded by blood.
Before he even knew it, Draco was at his side, trying to shake him awake when he saw the deep gash in the other's forehead, that was still bleeding. The blonde bit his lip and stared at the ominous cut, trying to think of a way to heal it. He had never been too good in healing spells. He couldn't risk it, so he performed the only spell he thought would help right now, one to stop the bleeding.
" Hey, wake up, come on, wake up." He said quietly, shaking the boy again, with no avail. How was he supposed to get him back if he didn't move?
The blonde sighed again, then mumbled a quick 'enervate'. Harry's eyes slid open with a pained groan, and he brought a hand to his forehead, wincing. " What the…Malfoy? Where..but..no…" he mumbled, then drifted off with a sigh and closed his eyes again.
" Hey, no, wake up. You have to stay awake." Draco said, shaking the male again. " Potter!" He hissed to him. Harry only tiled his head to the side slightly. " 'm tired..I wanna lie here." He mumbled, his voice low and slurred.
" Potter. You are in the forbidden forest. Unless you are willing to stay here and get eaten by the next creature that passes by, you had better stand up and walk." The blonde hissed, crossing his arms with a sneer.
Harry sighed again, but this time made and effort to turn over, pushing himself up on his hands and knees with a grunt. As he tried to stand though, the blotches of black rushed at him again and he could feel himself falling. In his panic, he reached for the nearest thing to steady himself on: Draco. Since the blonde was still kneeling on the ground though, it only caused him to fall forward over the other with a pained groan.
" W- What? Potter!" Draco stuttered as the other fell into his arms. He tried to push him away at first, but then just sighed in defeat He was clearly in no condition to walk, and he wasn't as heartless as to just leave him there. Also, there was something inside of him that was reaching out to the other, a feeling that told him not to let go. 'No, I am a Malfoy, I do not show petty emotions. I am only doing this because I am forced to.' He concluded, then sighed again before picking the other up and starting to walk.
After only a few minutes of pushing his way through the forest, he was getting unnerved. The small whimpers and sounds the male made were getting more distressed. Draco wasn't too skilled in medical spells, but someone like Pansy could probably help. 'Pansy..where is she anyway?' he wondered.
Strangely, it was as if the obnoxious girl zeroed in on his thoughts, for she appeared just minutes later with a shrill cry of joy. " Draykie! You shouldn't run like that, I almost g- Oh..OH, is that…Potter?" she asked in disbelief. " What happened to him?" the Slytherin asked, walking closer.
Draco sighed again. " I don't know, I just want to get out of this forest already." He snapped back, starting to walk pointedly in the direction of what he thought was the path leading out.
Meanwhile, Ron and Hermione were frantic. Hermione was sitting on one of the chairs in the Gryffindor common room, trying to follow the red haired boy pacing back and forth at ridiculous speed.
"Ron, running around won't help." She said quietly, earning herself yet another glare from the male.
" But Mionie! Harry is in danger and they sent Malfoy to help, Malfoy! If that git even finds him, he'll only do more damage than good. He doesn't want to help Harry, McGonnal should have let us go! We should have gone looking for him hours ago, but we're just sitting here doing nothing!" Ron cried, throwing his hands in the air with another frustrated groan.
The girl sighed again sank further back into her chair. " Ron, it's done. I'm worried about Harry just as much as you are, but we can't help him by getting lost in the forest ourselves. And we won't be much good to him in the morning either if we haven't had any sleep. It's already very late, let's just get some rest for now." She said, and Ron finally relented.
" I guess.." he mumbled. He was going to wait, but he wasn't going to be fine with it.
Harry moaned in pain again, clutching closer to the other that had been carrying him for the past half-hour now. A headache, no, even a migraine couldn't describe what he was feeling. Every sound felt like knives, and Pansy just kept talking. That girl was a never-ending stream of giggles and shrieks.
Draco was also getting increasingly frustrated. First, because he had to carry Potter like some slave, second, because Pansy was producing the loudest and shrillest sounds yet, and third, because every one of the shrieks was making Potter cling to him…and fourth…Draco found that somewhat comforting.
No. He was a Malfoy, he did not have such emotions, especially not towards Potter , it must be the girl's talking that was driving him mad. After a few more minutes, he'd had enough.
" Pansy." He hissed out with malice, turning to shoot her an icy glare. " If I hear one more sound coming from that mouth of yours I will Hex. It. Shut." He threatened, then turned again and started to speed up his pace.
As the forest fell into silence, Harry's grip finally relaxed and he let out a small grunt of approval. Sighing again, he opened his eyes slightly, to peer around him. They were already heading through the door into Hogwarts, and when they did, he heard the Slytherin mumble something to Pansy, after which they parted.
Draco had no intention of going to report to the teachers first, for now he just wanted to put Potter down somewhere, and that somewhere would probably be the hospital wing, so he set that as his destination. He walked quickly and silently, except for one moment.
" You're going to be fine you know." He mumbled, in a hushed voice. " Hmmm?" came Harry's confused reply.
" I mean, it's barely a cut..it's not like you'll die..so…you have nothing to worry about." The blonde repeated, feeling the words as if they were unfamiliar.
Harry lifted his head to stare wide-eyed at him. Had he just witnessed an attempt at small talk from the infamous Draco Malfoy?
" Forget it." The blonde added hastily, pushing through the door of the hospital wing. Locating Madam Pomfrey, he walked over to her and held Harry out to the nurse. " Here." He grunted.
" Oh dear!" Poppy exclaimed, rushing to levitate the boy onto one of the empty beds and starting to examine him. " We need to get blood replenishing potions..and this.." she mumbled to herself, then stopped suddenly as her eyes fell on the Slyterin, as if only now realizing he was in the room.
" Mister Malfoy, if you haven't already, please notify Professor Dumbledore of this." she requested, then went back to her diagnostic spells.
Draco only grunted, but stood up nevertheless, walking quietly out of the hospital wing.
Madam Pomfrey turned back to Harry with a worried expression. His injuries were not too severe, but the fact that bothered her that there were many that were almost healed, which meant he got hurt earlier. Maybe during the summer. He had been hiding something, and she intended to find out what.
Draco stifled a yawn as walked up to the Headmaster's office, mumbling silently to himself. Only when he neared the end of the stairs did he realize he didn't have the password. Cursing under his breath, he ran a hand through his hair, frustrated.
Still, he got lucky, for Professor Dumbledore emerged from his office only minutes after, eyeing the blonde with slight curiosity. " Mister Malfoy, what can I do for you? "the professor said with a smile.
The Slytherin let out another sigh, then started to explain everything that had happened.
" So, Madam Pomfrey would like to speak to you now." He concluded, looking back to the Headmaster, who let out a soft gasp.
" Well, we had better not waste time here then. Thank you for telling me this Mister Malfoy, you may return to the dormitories now. I'm sure you're in need of a good night's rest." Dumbledore said as he descended the stairs quickly. " Off you go." He added, then rounded the corner and disappeared.
Draco remained standing for a moment, then shook his head and started walking back to the Slytherin common rooms.
Back in the hospital wing, Madam Pomfrey and Professor Dumbledore were standing around Harry's bed, speaking in hushed voices.
" Albus, he has so many scars that I've never noticed before, he must have gotten them during the summer somehow. Are you sure he's safe there?"
" I was." The Headmaster admitted, " He's never said anything to me that would indicate otherwise..We'd best speak to him when he wakes up." Dumbledore said, and Poppy nodded slowly.
Nothing out of the ordinary. Of course not. This wasn't strange at all. Draco was walking calmly, his usual sneer in place, ignoring everything around him. Still, he was walking..but towards the hospital wing. Why in Merlin's name was he walking towards the hospital wing?
It was stupid, absolutely stupid that his mind was telling him to go to the common room, yet he still kept heading in the wrong direction. It was one of those mind over matter issues, except that now, his mind really wasn't all too strong.
It took him quiet a while to actually get there. Sometimes, his mind would win the battle, and he's turn around and walk back. Then, his mind would slowly give in and he'd find himself heading for the hospital wing again. By the time he had actually arrived, there was no sign of either Madam Pomfrey, or Professor Dumbledore.
He entered, and walked slowly over to the bed from before, staring down confused at the 'Gryffindor's Golden Boy'. Like this, he really didn't look like anything special.
Merlin, what the hell was he doing here? He should be back in his bed, enjoying a good night's rest, not here staring at harry Potter.
With that, he turned and started walking away again, when he heard a soft sound coming from the boy.
Harry stirred slightly, opening his eyes and gazing around him, confused. His head hurt, and he could only remember bits and pieces from the previous night. One thing he did remember though, was being brought back from the forest, carried by…Draco?
'No, that can't be right.' He thought to himself, then noticed the blonde's retreating form. " Hey. " he called out softly, and saw that the other stopped walking.
'Walk away, just walk away. Don't say anything. Just pretend you didn't hear him' Draco's thoughts went, but he turned anyway.
" Can we talk?" Harry's voice came again, and the blonde narrowed his eyes lightly, but walked over and sat down in one of the chairs next to the bed.
" Why did you bring me back?" The Gryffindor asked, curious, shifting so that he could better look at the other.
Mind over matter..if that was so easy why couldn't he just get up from the chair? Possibly…because he didn't want to…no of course he wanted to leave..
" Are you going to answer?" he asked. " No" the Slytherin mumbled back, and Harry let out a small sigh.
" Alright, we'll play a game." Harry suggested. " I ask a question, then you answer it and ask a question, I answer that and so on. Okay?"
" You hit your head pretty hard there, didn't you Potter. " The blonde mumbled, raising an eyebrow.
" Ah, you didn't ask a question. Strike one. Now, why are you here?" the Gryffindor asked.
" Potter, I do not play games." Draco hissed back, and Harry sighed again.
" You didn't answer. Strike two. One more strike and you're out." He warned. This was getting the blonde quite frustrated, and Harry watched for a moment with an amused smile. " We'll start easy, what is your full name?"
The Slythering narrowed his eyes. " Draco Lucius Malfoy..Why?"
Harry shrugged. " Just curious, I thought you'd have some million middle names..Why are you here?" he asked again.
Draco paused for a moment. " I don't really know…why are you here?"
"Hmm." Came the Gryffindor's reply. " I don't really know..I guess I tripped in the forest or something…Why were you there?"
" Professor McGonnal sent me after you as punishment for attempting to murder one of her precious Gryffindors. Why were you there?"
" Detention, and stop repeating my questions." Harry mumbled with a small frown. " Why was Pansy there?"
" To make sure I didn't kill you when I found you. Why did you think she was there?" the blonde retorted.
" I don't know, I was sort of in pain at the moment. What is your favorite food?" Harry asked then, curious.
" What? Where did that come from?" the blonde mumbled in confusion.
Harry shrugged again. " I just wanted to change the subject..So what is your favorite food?"
"Potter..why are you talking to me?" the blonde asked now, frustrated.
" Because you've been acting strange yesterday and today…and I guess I figured you weren't acting strange at all, just normal, and that usually you have this mask…I already know Draco Malfoy, Slytherin prince , is a git not worth talking to " harry mumbled and Draco let out an insulted snort. " But I thought maybe Draco was..worth talking to I mean.."
" So let me get this straight…The Gyffindor Golden Boy, Harry Potter, Boy Who Lived..is interested in Draco's favorite food.." the blonde mumbled incredulously.
Harry remained silent for a moment before speaking. " I'm not that..Boy Who Lived, or Gryffindor Golden Boy Harry Potter…I'm just Harry okay? Just Harry.
Draco sighed again, exasperated. This was going to be a very long night.
" I really think you hit your head too hard there…Harry. And just for the record, I don't have any favorite food."
AN: To Dragonheart, who threatened to kill me if I stopped…hehe…I won't. I really am sorry about how long it took me to get this chapter up.