Chapter VI: How Will You Fix This?

Draco's long strides carried him into the Hospital Wing, as he held his treasured burden close to his frantically beating heart. With the utmost care, he lowered Harry onto his bed. Harry's famous (or is it infamous?) scar was still an angry red after the Battle For Hogwarts and Voldemort's demise, yet Draco still placed a tender kiss to it.

"Don't give up Baby, don't you dare give up!" Draco whispered his mantra into Harry's ear, then stepped back to let Madam Pomfrey get to her work. Much as he wanted to stay close, the Mediwitch had enough to be getting on with, without Draco in her way.

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Time passed slowly for the unlikely family, who stood united in their love for this incredible young man. They waited in silence, their hearts anxious. They were unwilling to cause the slightest distraction and most didn't trust their own voices anyway. Instead they spoke their grief with their eyes, gentle touches and desperate embraces.

Finally Poppy lowered her wand and wiped her brow as she sank wearily into the nearest chair. She studied the anxious faces in front of her before resting her gaze on the dark figure who stood apart from the others.

"This is not at all promising. I'm sorry, but there's nothing more I can do."

"He's Alive!" Severus gasped.

It was as much a question as a statement. Molly began to cry and clung to her husband. Everyone else seemed to hold their breath.

"Yes, but only just. His magicks have weakened enough now that I have been able to cast a few spells of my own." Poppy elaborated. "They will keep his heart beating and his brain and lungs functioning, but they are not a permanent solution. The rest is up to him, if he has no will to live, he will not."

Draco was the first to Harry's side as the others tried anxiously to catch their breath. He grasped Harry's hand tightly.

"I mean it Baby, don't you dare give up!" He repeated his plea again, with as much conviction as he could muster. "I know it means nothing to you that our entire world is waiting on baited breath to fall at your feet, but consider this: You have an entire room full of people here – mostly these Gingers you love so much – who couldn't care less about the bloody Boy-Who-Lived. It's you, Just Harry, that we love and we want you back." He kissed Harry's hand then rose to kiss his lips gently. "Please Luv, come back to us!" He kissed Harry again, then moved back and helped Molly to sit on the side of the bed. She took Harry's hand and kissed it.

"He's right Harry. We love you and we need you, now more than ever. We also have faith in you and we will not give up on you!"

Molly continued to sit and hold Harry's hand as the others all took their turns at the other side of his bed. As before, they spoke pleading reassurances, affirming their love and devotion, and appealing for his safe return to them.

After looking on for a while, Draco made his way over to Severus' dark corner. The Potions Master appeared passive as he took in the scene in front of him, but Draco knew better. Crippling pain radiated from those black eyes, to anyone who cared to see.

The Weasleys, when not at Harry's hand huddled together. They drew strength from each other and made no approach to the Professor. Most of them had heard Severus' words to Harry on the morning of the Final Battle. Although they admitted – however grudgingly – that Severus' treatment had brought about the necessary results from Harry, the family still felt the sting of those words on behalf of their youngest son and brother.

At Draco's approach, Severus shifted his gaze from his adored to his Godson. Draco's countenance was guarded at best, if not downright hostile. Severus braced himself.

"How in Merlin's name are you going to fix this?"

"I am open to suggestions." Despite the sorrow in Severus' voice, Draco felt his anger rise. He wanted to rage and lash out, but he still loved his Godfather, so he tried to hold his tongue. "Draco?"

"I know what you did Godfather!" Draco spat out, barely controlling his tone. "I know what you said to him!"

"To what exactly, do you refer?"

"His shields were weak when I carried him in here; he was practically screaming his heartache into my mind!" Severus' already pale and drawn face went chalk white. "I can't begin to understand how you could say that to him. Why would you do that to him, when I know how much you love him?"

"I had to."

"But why Severus?"

"He said … he loved me."

"Of course he did, you fool. Just because he finally said it, does not make it news. He's been in love with you for ages and you knew that! Merlin Severus! Everybody knew it! Why wouldn't you say it back to him, when you had just made love to him?"

"No Draco, I …"

"Don't you dare!" Draco interrupted. "Don't you even think about saying that. We both know what that truly was." Draco continued to keep his voice in angry whispers, unwilling to share more of Harry's secrets with everyone in the infirmary. "You took his virginity, and it was … you were everything he'd ever dreamed of. Between your gentle hand and the surge in his magicks, yes, he was overwhelmed. But he did not misread you. Harry knew that was more than 'just sex'. He knew it was love, and if those miserable Muggles had not destroyed his self-worth so thoroughly, he would have recognised that transparent falsehood for what it was when you told him it was otherwise!" Draco was practically panting, so intense was the pain he felt for 'His Baby'. He placed his hand against the wall and leaned into it for support.

"You destroyed him! So, there he lies and I fucking want to know why?"

Severus took his own shaky breath and tried to justify himself.

"I couldn't have it Draco. Harry had a revenge to seek and a Dark Lord to vanquish. I could not have him destroyed by his feelings for me. We needed him to be, and he needed to be, a fierce warrior. We needed not a love sick puppy who would risk it all - himself included – if he saw me go down. I would rather he hate me than be killed. I was convinced the added hate could fuel his fight as well."

"For Merlin's sake Uncle, you still don't get it! It was not hate or desire for vengeance that empowered him. It was Harry's love and his desire to protect that enabled him to put such tremendous power into that spell and defeat the darkness. Dumbledore has been right all along! Love was, and continues to be, Harry's most potent magicks. If you hadn't filled his heart with such anguish and doubt, Harry would have crushed the Dark Lord, fueled with the love he bares for you, in half the time!"

Severus, who was by now leaning against the same wall as Draco, sank slowly to the floor as comprehension dawned.

"Harry would … he never would have exhausted himself?"

"He would have been tired to be sure, but he would have been conscious. He wouldn't have used up his defences and he would never have given in to despair. So I ask you again Uncle, how the hell are you going to fix him?"

Severus struggled for a moment before he found his voice.

"With my life's blood, if that's what it will take Draco. I will find a way!"

Draco went down on his knees to look Severus in the eye.

"You had better." He paused and studied his Godfather for a moment. "Uncle Sev, I have loved you all my life, oft times more so than my own Father, and I always will. But, if Baby dies, I honestly don't foresee ever being able to forgive you." To temper his heartfelt words, which were spoken harshly, Draco laid a gentle hand on Severus' shoulder as he stood.

Severus showed no response as Draco walked away, nor did he for quite some time.

~oo0oo~

Disclaimer: Of course I don't own Potterverse! You know who owns this!

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