The receptionist called for a Mediwizard who took Draco from Harry's shaking arms and whisked him away. Hermione just opened her arms in which Harry collapsed into, shaking and tears rolling down his cheeks, now for a completely different reason than the hour before.
"How did it all go so wrong?" Harry asked softly. He felt like he had just been run over with the knight bus.
"His jealousy got the better of him again and unfortunately he just took it too far this time. Draco did nothing to deserve that, well, today anyway." Came the reply from just above his head.
"He didn't even say anything to provoke the attack, or anything at all. He didn't even have a chance to defend himself."
"You know what he's like Harry. Once Ron gets an idea in his head he runs with it until it's too late and then he's in trouble. Only this time we won't be there to get him out. He overstepped the mark with this." Harry just nodded solemnly.
After what seemed like hours but in reality was only half an hour, the same Mediwizard came out through the doors that he entered earlier but Draco wasn't anywhere to be found. Thinking the worst Harry felt himself collapse by the wall, and lent up against it. Not hearing what anyone was saying.
"He's okay Harry; he's in the room and wants to see us." Hermione motioned for the doors after speaking with the Mediwizard. He just nodded and stood up, his legs feeling like jelly, he entered and was relieved to see Draco sitting there learning against the headboard of the bed. Draco looked at them and smiled tiredly. He was more pale than usual but that was probably just the loss of blood, and he had blood in his hair, but apart from that he looked okay.
"I'm sorry." Draco grumbled. Harry looked at him like he had grown another head.
"What the fuck have you got to be sorry for? It's not your fault that Ron is nothing but a jealous Wanker!"
"Well at least I can honestly say it was a good day until it all went to hell. The nurse said it was lucky you brought me straight here and a Mediwizard on duty knew the counter curse to the spell otherwise it could of been a lot worse and I wouldn't be here. So thank you seems like I owe you my life, again."
Harry shook his head in dismissal. They would talk about it at a later date. Not now, now when Harry had come so close to losing Draco today. It was certainly a wake-up call and it gave Harry a few things he needed to think about, but again, later. Draco needed him now.
"She also said I was free to go in a few hours, after I rested."
"Well, we'll let you get some sleep yeah Harry?" Hermione motioned Harry towards the door. She had seen the look of pure horror on his face when they had taken Draco into the room and knew him well enough to know he needed time alone to think. She wasn't going to push him because she was aware that if she pushed then she would just push him away and he would clam up more. It was something that Harry was grateful for. She let him get things straight in his head before coming to her for advice, which was every time he was facing a crisis.
Harry nodded dismally. "I'll check on you later and floo me if you need anything Draco, I mean it. You've got clearance and I want you to let me know. Do you need anything now before we go?" Harry urged.
"Nah I'm good. Thank you anyway. I'll see you next week at Kings Cross?"
"Yeah, I was wondering, did you want to come and stay the night before we go back?"
"No thank you. I better spend some time with mum before we go back since I'll be back at school for the year and she'll be alone." Draco shook his head as he answered.
"That's not a problem. Tell her I said hello and I'll speak to you before we go back anyway." Harry looked reluctant to leave but took a look at Draco who was getting comfortable and looked like he was ready to fall asleep at any second.
When they got home Harry went straight to his room bidding Hermione a goodnight. He needed time to think and time to sort out what was running through his head. He ended up lying on his bed after a shower, and as he looked at the ceiling and eventually drifted off to sleep. He missed Hermione looking in on him and pulled him blankets up to make sure he was okay. She had been doing it at least once a night since she moved in. Hermione looked over him with the look of fondness in her eyes.
She knew that he had a hard year ahead, and all the poor boy wanted was an easy year. It made her heart break for her best friend, but she would do everything within her power to help him get through it and work out what he felt for Draco. Hermione recognized the look in his eyes today, she had after all seen it before, the look of nothing but longing.
As Harry ran towards the wall he couldn't help but feel nostalgic knowing it was the last time he would be doing this on the 1st of September. Knowing that Draco was waiting on the other side made it a little easier. But still the fact was not lost on him. He was going to miss this that was for sure.
His trolley and himself ran through the wall and was greeted with the sight of the Hogwarts express gleaming as it did every year. He couldn't help the small smile that creped onto his face.
"Well with a look like that on your face, I'm surprised half the girls haven't fallen at your feet yet." Draco smirked as he saw Harry jump and couldn't help the laugh that escaped. Harry hadn't spoken to him about his sexual preference yet as he wasn't sure how the slightly older boy would take it and he was worried that if Draco knew he would accidentally let slip how he was feeling about the other boy. Even if he wasn't 100% sure how that was himself.
"Okay smart arse you made your point. Ha ha. Have you been waiting long?" Harry voiced.
Draco shook his head. "Arrived through the floo at the same time you dawdled through the wall. Surprised you fitted with that giant head of yours and all scar head." Harry shook his head. He was used to the teasing manor that Draco reverted back to when he was nervous or was just in a mood. The later was normally the actual reason, except Harry knew that this time it was the former. He wasn't going to lie, he was nervous as well. He didn't want people staring at him, pretty much like they were now.
He noticed that the few others that were in his year were looking at Draco and himself like they had never seen them before. He supposed that they hadn't really. They hadn't really gone public with their friendship, not they had hid it, but they had had too much fun getting to know each other without the pressure of everyone else.
"Everyone's staring." Draco just glanced around and shrugged a shoulder.
"There are my two favorite boys" Hermione announced her presence with a smile on her face. She ran up to them both and engulfed them with hugs. Draco couldn't help but laugh at the shocked looks on the faces of those around them. It was probably an odd look for those surrounding them. Draco Malfoy, self appointed Slytherin prince, was hugging Hermione Granger, smartest witch of her age who just so happened to be a muggleborn, who previously despised each other where currently standing on platform 9 and 3/4 hugging each other with the boy who lived sandwiched in between them.
The whistle from the train blew alerting them that it was leaving in 5 minutes. Suddenly there was a flourish of movement from everybody as the students started to board the train. The trio joined the others and jumped on as the two minute warning whistle blew. They grabbed the first empty carriage available and all climbed in.
About half an hour into the trip there was a knock at the door. Harry looked up surprised that t was only the first knock. The door slid open and a boy that harry had seen around the school and in a few classes of his, but didn't know his name, stuck his head in looking around. Draco jumped up off the seat he was sitting on and clambered over Harry.
"Blaise! Holy fucking shit mate, it's been so long mate. How are you?" Draco launched himself into Blaise and engulfed him in a hug. Blaise chuckled at the look on Harry and Hermione's faces.
Harry was mesmerized by the look of pure elation on Draco's face and Hermione was biting her lip trying not to laugh out loud at the look on Harry's face. He was in deep, even if he didn't realize it yet.
"Yeah I'm good Draco. What about you?" Blaise answered. Draco could tell by the tone that he was uncomfortable but he was his best mate and had been since they were 4. Blaise had been there when they were in year 6 and tried to help Draco work out ways around the task that The Dark lord had set for him. Blaise knew Draco better than Draco knew himself just as Draco knew him better.
He was glad that the other boy had come to find him; he was the first to admit he was worried that with everything that had gone on he would lose his friendship.
"Been good mate. Did you want to come in?" He looked at the other two occupants in the carriage. "That... that is okay isn't it?" He asked unsure of himself.
Harry nodded and Hermione smiled.
"Of course it is Draco. We don't mind do we Harry?" she mentioned while elbowing him in the ribs.
"Yeah it's fine dray. I don't mind" Blaise burst out laughing at the nickname while Draco scowled.
"What did I tell you about that absolutely ridiculous and stupid abomination in which you ruin my name with scar head?"
"Nothing Dray. I have absolutely no idea what you're talking about." Harry replied with a smirk on his face that would rival Draco's smirks.
"Ignore the boys and come and sit down Blaise. Although if you are sitting I will warn you that they will just continue this the entire trip so you had better get used to it. All they do is pick on each other."
"Do not!" Both boys shouted and crossed their arms at the same time, which only led to Blaise laughing even more.
Blaise took the seat next to Hermione and Draco sat back next to harry. He lifted his legs and placed them on Harry's lap.
"Comfortable?" Harry asked with an raised eyebrow. Draco just shifted and got himself even more comfortable in response with a smirk on his face. Blaise and Hermione shared a look and snickered.
The train trip continued and before anyone knew it, the train was pulling up at Hogsmead station. Harry looked up at the castle and it took his breath away at how much it looked the same as before, but the feeling was different. Hermione grabbed his hand and squeezed. Harry squeezed back and with all the willpower he possessed he walked over the carriages, surrounded by his friends, and started the final leg of his journey back to the only place, until recently, felt like home.
Harry was finally returning home. And with that thought he smiled to himself.
