Acceptance
Chapter 3
Don't Wanna Let Go
Streaks of sunlight edged their way through the red curtains, signalling the start of a new day. I yawned and stretched. Gah, I feel all stiff today and- hmm? I feel some sort of pressure on my side and slowly lift the bed covers up. There, sleeping against me, was the little Malfoy. How could I have forgotten about him? I get out of bed to wake Ron for potions class, Malfoy would just have to wait here for a minute. Then again, he looks sort of uncomfortable lying under the covers like that. I gently shove him up a bit for some fresh air.
"Nnnn…" a small voice escaped from Draco.
I stared long and hard at him. He really looked uncomfortable somehow, like he was in pain. "Malfoy," I poke him. "Are you okay?" Draco curled into a ball and clutched his tummy, groaning. I guess I'd take that as a no. But what could I do? I have no experience whatsoever with little kids, let alone SICK little kids. There's only one reasonable thing to do…
"Ron, Ron, Ron, Ron, Ron, Ron, Ron, Ron, Ron-"
"WHAT?"
Well at least I didn't have to worry about waking him up now. "I think Malfoy's sick, just look at him." I told Ron, who merely shrugged and told me to just ignore it and give him to Dumbledore before potions class.
"I don't know, Ron. I think he's really in pain. Maybe we should bring him to the infirmary or something, get him a check-up, or some painkillers, anything."
"Why do you care so much, Harry?"
That's when it hit me. Good question; why did I care so much? Honestly, I don't know. Somehow, seeing the little guy in such agony made my heart wrench. I don't know what made me do it, but I suddenly ran back to my bed and picked Draco up and hugged him, rocking him in my arms. He buried his head in my pyjamas and began to sniff a little, mumbling something about pain. Ron was paralyzed at the sight, and finally forced some words out,
"Um, Harry…You do realize you're cuddling MALFOY, right?"
"Don't call him Malfoy. Call him Draco from now on. He's not the Malfoy we knew and hated, he's Draco, the innocent child that can't fend for himself unless he is shown love and care."
Ron was even more stunned by my last statement, he headed towards the door, "I'll get Hermione to check him out."
"Thanks, Ron." I smiled, then looked down at Draco. But when my eyes took in the pitiful sight before me, I frowned once more. Stroking his hair, I ask him sweetly, "What's wrong? Where does it hurt?" Although it was quite obvious that it was his stomach that was hurting, I just wanted him to respond to me, and talk to me. He was still so shy around my friends and I. I just want to make him feel at home when he's with me, I want him to have lively conversations with me, I want him to be able to tell me anything.
"Harwy…?"
"Yes, Draco?"
"Dwayco tummy hurt…Really…Really…hurt…"
Tears started to fall from his beautiful grey eyes and trickled down his pale cheeks. Tears threatened to fall from my eyes too, but I wouldn't let them. The last thing Draco needed was another crybaby around to cry and make him feel worse. "You poor thing," I sighed, stroking his tummy. It seemed to have calmed him down a little. My fingers skidded across the pale skin slowly, I don't know if he liked the feeling, but I know I did.
Right on cue, Hermione and Ron entered the room. "So what happened to him, Harry?" Hermione asked in concern.
"Draco says his tummy hurts," I said, laying him back down on the bed. Hermione sat down beside me and began prodding at Draco's stomach. Almost immediately, Draco's eyes shot open and he rolled away from Hermione, bumping into me. "Draco…"
"Dwayco no like poke! Dwayco hurt!" he cried.
I look helplessly at the child who was desperately clinging on to me, then to Hermione. She gently lifted Draco into her lap despite his efforts to get away. He then folded his arms protectively around his tummy, shouting 'no poke!' Hermione patted Draco on the head and said with a warm smile, "Listen, little Malfoy-"
"Draco."
"-Draco…I'm Harry's friend. You trust Harry right?"
Draco nodded with a curious expression.
"Well, then you should trust me too. Honestly, I'm more skilled in the medicine area than Harry and Ron are, and I just need to check on your tummy for a bit, okay? I know it's going to hurt but please just bear with it."
Draco looked at me with pleading eyes, all I could say was, "it's gonna be okay."
I nodded at Hermione who proceeded with the check-up process. I could see Draco squirming as she began prodding around on his tummy, but he was forcing himself not to cry. I couldn't help but chuckle. Same old Malfoy, always keeping his feelings to himself, trying to be strong in front of others. But earlier today, he cried when I embraced him, that was very unlike Malfoy. Yes, despite his effort not to cry in front of others, when in the presence of few, he might just let himself go. And honestly, I'd like to see that more in him. It shows that he truly has feelings, that he's a human being too, that he deserves to be loved as well…
"Okay, all done!" Hermione beamed as Draco sat himself on my lap immediately and grabbed my arms to cover his tummy in case there was a need to brace for another 'attack'.
"So is he gonna be okay?"
"He will be, after some rest. He simply ate too much, I'm guessing…thanks to the cupcakes. You guys probably overfed him. He's so tiny, Harry, you shouldn't have given him ALL the cupcakes and sandwiches you collected. His tummy can only contain SO much. Why do you think I took my share of cupcakes and sandwiches with me for temporary storage? Because I know that by right, Mal- I mean, Draco would take about a day to finish the entire helping. I was planning on giving my share to him for tonight's dinner, but I think he's sick of cupcakes and sandwiches now."
Draco let out a whimper and I began rubbing circles on his tummy. Hermione took a deep breath and continued," you only gave him YOUR share of food,right?"
Ron and I exchanged quick, panicked glances. Hermione didn't need us to say anything before she whacked both of us on the head,
"You idiots! No wonder he's having such a bad stomachache. Um, I don't have any painkillers with me so Draco, you're gonna have to just sleep it off, okay?"
Draco nodded, eyes half closed, the pain was already starting to wear him out again. Hermione shot me a look, "are you sure you don't want to send him to the infirmary…?"
"NO!" I said almost too quickly.
"Remind me again, Harry, when do you intend to give him to Dumbledore? Malfoy's gotta return back to his normal bitchy self again you know. You can't just leave him in this state." Ron muttered with a look of disgust.
I lifted Draco such that his tummy was leaning on my chest while his head wasn't facing his two visitors. "Actually, guys…I've been thinking…"
"Harry, you can't be serious."
"Incidentally, I happen to be very much serious. I think…I want to keep him like this. I don't want to let him go. Tell me, would you prefer the pompous asshole we knew, or this little cutie here?"
The stunned pair found themselves speechless. Hell yeah, I knew they couldn't deny that they wouldn't want the old Malfoy back. I guess I'd take silence as consent~
Draco seemed to understand the decision that we made, or at least the part about us keeping him instead of giving him away, and hugged me as tightly as he could.
"That's right, little guy…I'm not going to leave you. Remember yesterday at King's Cross, you told me not to leave you? I assure you, it's a promise I won't break."