Horrors

"I don't like it, and I still don't understand." Ginny reiterated for about the hundredth time in the last four hours, as she pulled the bed coverings down on her side.

"You don't have to like it, or understand, as I've said I'm not sure I do either. I just know its the right thing to do." I also reiterated. Ginny grunted climbing into bed and pulling the covers up around her ears as she rolled to face away from me on the edge of the bed. Her ears were pink, surely matching her angry face. I wanted to calm her down but wasn't sure how.

"Gin? Look... I'm sorry. I don't really like it, you know I wanted it to be just the two of us, I even told Ron and Hermione to find their own place... it's just... you know me, I've got that saving-people-thing you all keep going on about and he doesn't have anybody. He was a victim of war too. And I-"

Ginny huffed and sat up turning to face me "Bloody victim!? You have to be kidding me. He took the dark mark, not because anyone held him at wand point or imperiused him! He committed foul acts, tortured people, kids even, I saw it, in case you forgot. He's not a victim he's a criminal, shite he's a fucking terrorist" she ranted, increasingly loud to the point I was sure Malfoy could hear which finally got me pissed.

"Just what the fuck would you do if you knew your mum and dad might die if you didn't do as told? He fucking did what he had to didn't he? And he was nearly fucking raped in the process. You don't know what the fuck you're talking about so piss off!" I gritted out in a low tone making sure my voice didn't carry from the room. Ginny paled at the mention of rape but her ears and chest were still flamed pink.

"I bloody well would have fought, I would have asked for help. That's what I would have done" Ginny said as she climbed out of the bed, snatched up her pillow and marched to the bedroom door "If you come to your senses, I'll be in the library." With that she exited the bedroom and slammed the door on the way out.

I deflated sighing heavily and took off my glasses and sat on the edge of the bed. Face falling into my hands, I scrubbed at my face. Perhaps this wasn't going to work, maybe I should find somewhere else, someone else to do this. I snorted at this thought. Who was I kidding this was Malfoy, who else would insanely stick their neck out for him like I had. I sat there trying to think of alternatives until a quiet knock sounded from the door. Had Ginny calmed down and was hoping to reconcile and come to bed? I wondered. I opened the door instead to find Malfoy. I hadn't seen him since I had shown him to his room hours ago, he hadn't even came to dinner when invited by Kreacher. His hair was now back to it's silvery blonde and he'd shaved the grisly beard he had barely started to grow. He was dressed in a pair of plaid pajama bottoms and a baggy gray t-shirt I'd placed in his room as he'd showered. "Malfoy?"

"When will you want to leave tomorrow?" He said his face the perfect mask I'd became accustomed to over the years, with no trace of his previous emotional displays from the day.

I thought perhaps this was some kind of threat but couldn't work it out. "Sorry? Leave? To where?"

His eyes narrowed "Please, don't patronize me. I heard her. Bugger, everyone this side of London probably heard her. When are we leaving for Azkaban?"

I was even more confused, "Azkaban? Why would we go there? What's that have to do with Ginny"

His look became a mixture of dubiousness and anger. "Whatever your playing at, don't. I already know your going to take me back to Azkaban. Your girlfriend made that clear."

My brows shot up. "I'm not taking you back there, Malfoy. Neither me or Ginny said any such thing. I mean, yeah, she's a bit miffed at me for bringing you here-"

"A bit?" Malfoy broke in

"Alright, a great deal. But she'll come round. She has to. You're not going anywhere. Except perhaps Hogwarts."

"What?" Malfoy said in a murderoustone "Bloody hell you don't expect me to go back there?"

I shrugged "I haven't decided but if I return, you have to as well, you heard the minister."

Contempt and then - fear? Was that fear?- passed over Malfoy's face before his mask slammed back in place. "Very well, master." Malfoy said and then turned on his heel and walked away hands fisted at his side. I sighed and closed the door returning to my bed. I assumed I would toss and turn for hours with all that was on my mind, but surprisingly I was asleep within moments.

"Harry! Wake up you great lump!" I heard as I woke to a hand shaking me and heard a muffled sound. I opened my my eyes to the dark and at first saw nothing through it before Ginny's face became outlined, leaning over my own. "Thank, merlin, don't know how you can sleep through it but you have to make him stop!"

"Make who stop what?" I mumbled only halfway conscious.

"Stop what? That fucking noise, the wailing he's doing." Ginny said her voice raising slightly. And as if my brain finally registered at her explanation I heard a muffled wail that seemed unending.

"Bloody hell, what is that?" I said scurrying to sit up and shoving my glasses on my face as the other pulled my wand from under my pillow.

"Malfoy, of course, what else?" Ginny said with a sniff backing away from the bed. "I'm going to lay back down. Shut him the fuck up so I can sleep, yeah?" I followed her from the room, and while she went down the hall to the stairs, I went across the hall, where the wailing was now obnoxiously loud.

I tried to open the door but the door was locked. "Alohomora." I cast at the lock and it cliccked and I opened the door. Thrashing in the bed an unearthly sound tearing from his mouth was Malfoy. I rushed to his side and grabbed him "Malfoy wake up."

Finally the sound ended and his body stilled as his eyes snapped open wide. He moved, pulling from my hands. "GET OFF, PLEASE, GET OFF, DON'T TOUCH ME!" he shouted. I pulled back, trying not to cause more distress.

"Malfoy it's just me. Shhh. You were having a nightmare or something, but your safe, everything is fine now." As he continued to yell his eyes open wide and filled with terror he also startedto claw at the bed clothes, wrapped around him. I finally moved, pulling the blankets from him and reaching out to grab one of his hands, holding it in both of mine. "ShhMalfoy, it's alright. Shhh I'm here Draco, you're safe" I continued my mantra feeling slightly surprised when I switched to his first name but pushing the feeling aside as this finally seemed to calm the blonde his eyes slowly becoming sharped and his body stilling, voice quieting until he stopped. He blinked owlishly for a moment before in a rough voice said "what happened?"

"You were having some sort of... fit... I guess... from a nightmare I think?" I said quietly, finally realizing I still had his hand in my own I gently laid it on the bed, pulling away from him to stand. He nodded silently. I awkwardly stood for a few moments before turning to go.

" I heard-" he cleared his throat and licked his lips as I turned to face him again "heard that you could- could see" again he cleared his throat "could see through the Dark Lord's eyes" I felt my muscles twitch, whether at the statement or his use of the title Tom Riddle gave himself I wasn't sure. "Did you ever - well was I ever-"

"Did I ever see you? Yes a few times, when he was angry and had you torture others, and once-" I broke off trying to think of how to explain what I had saw "once you were fighting against him I think as he was holding you down yelling something and then he cruciod you."

"That's all?" He asked quality his eyes focused on a point on the ceiling. I without thinking also looked up by reaction, trying to find the spot he was staring at, but of course it was just a blank ceiling.

"Yes." I said just above a whisper as my eyes dropped to search his face.

He suddenly turned his eyes to mine with piercing look "Good. I'm sure you carry enough horrors of your own in that timy brain."

For some reason the insult made my face split into a grin. "Well, you must be alright, if you can insult me." I said.

He let out a short snort of laughter. "I'll be insulting you until I'm dead I imagine, but yeah, I'm alright now." He smirked, just barely at me and I nodded, turning to go.

As I reached the door his voice came again "I'm pants at wandless magic, but you can silence the room if I yell out again, and could you put the light on it will help." I flipped on the light and then stared at him a moment as he blinked, his eyes adjusting. I didn't tell him but I wouldn't be silencing the room, ever. He didn't deserve to suffer through that type of nightmare so I would make sure I could hear to wake him.

"Goodnight, Draco." I finally said, his eyebrows shot up.

"Goodnight Potter." He replied after a beat.

"Harry." I responded.

He rolled his eyes. "Fine, goodnight, Harry." He replied