Chapter 3: Rescue

Draco munched on an apple while he thought about what he was going to do. I can't go to school, that old fool will try to figure out what's wrong. I could try to run to Snape's— he scoffed at his own idea—like he'd ever care. All the bloody Slytherins come from these families. Well, not all. He studied the apple more closely and sighed. No more food today. He looked at himself in the mirror, the skeleton in it smiled back. Draco stared at his collarbone, he traced it with a thin index finger. I'll never be good enough, the thought hit him hard and forcefully. He found a razor on the edge of the tub and racked it across his wrist. The searing pain calmed him and he sagged against the door.

Harry completed his chores without another incident and decided to check in on Draco. It'd been a few days and he doubted the blonde had left the hotel, but he had to check. He arrived there shortly after three, the afternoon sun practically burning his pale flesh. Harry went up to his room and knocked on the door, it opened a few moments later. Draco was paler than when Harry left him, and possibly thinner, though he didn't think it possible. "Hey," Harry said at last after the door shut behind him.

"Hi," came a weak reply. "Why are you here?" He asked with a bit more force.

"I had to make sure you didn't destroy my town," he joked. Malfoy smiled slightly.

"Well, I haven't. Aren't you proud?"

"Of course." He paused before cautiously asking, "Have you been eating?"

"Yeah, why wouldn't I?" Came the too-fast reply.

"I don't know. You look thinner, and paler…"

"I didn't know I needed to impress," he replied snarkily.

"I figure you always tried," Harry said softly. Draco stepped closer and Harry involuntarily flinched. He silently cursed himself and hoped Malfoy hadn't noticed.

"Why'd you flinch, Potter?"

"I didn't flinch," he insisted.

"We both know you did—hang on, have you glamours up?"

"No."

"You're lying," he accused.

"Well you've got them up too!" Harry shouted. He knew there was something different about Draco and was ashamed he didn't realize it before. "Are you okay?" He asked softly.

"I'm fine, and you?"

"Fine," he said confidently.

"Can I get you something to eat? I've a few apples…"

"Only if you eat one too."

"Okay," Draco agreed softly, handing Harry a delicious looking red apple. He kept the green one for himself. They both bit into them at the same time and smiled at each other.

"You don't have to share your food if you don't want to," Harry said after a few minutes of quiet snacking.

"I want to." They fell back into companionable silence until Draco spoke again. "I think I'm leaving Friday."

"Oh?" Was all Harry could say, he tried desperately to mask his sadness. The loss confused him. He was supposed to hate the slippery Slytherin sitting across from him, instead, he was dreading his departure. It was comforting knowing another wizard was in the area.

"Want to know where I'm going?" Drack asked though he had no idea. Harry nodded and both were stunned when he replied, "Snape's manor." Harry's eyes practically popped out of his head.

"Well I guess it makes sense," he said after a few minutes.

"What do you mean?" he asked aloofly, trying to hide the fact that he was trying to find sense in his own plan.

"Well he'd your godfather, right? And your Head of House. I figure you would stay with someone like that if you weren't at home." Draco nodded along as though Harry was just caching on. "But there's still something I don't understand, why did you leave home?"

"I-uh," he faltered, not wanting Harry to know the truth. "My father and I have a few opposing opinions. I didn't see it fit to continue living with him and our differences."

"Oh, okay," he replied, betraying absolutely no emotion.

The next words out of Draco's mouth shocked them both farther, "You can come if you'd like."

"Tell you what," Harry said after an excruciatingly long silence, "If I choose to come, I'll meet you here an hour before midnight tonight. If you haven't heard from me by midnight, leave without me." Draco nodded. "I have to go," he said and left without another word to Draco.

The time passed quickly and before Draco knew it, it was midnight. I guess Potter isn't coming, he thought sadly. His trunk was packed and he started walking down the road, his destination was somewhere he could perform magic without being noticed. A few minutes into his walk, a snowy owl landed in front of him. "What the?" There was a note tied to its foot, he took it off and read it.

Draco,

I want to come, but I need help. Please come quickly.

H

The note was dotted with splatters of what looked like blood. Draco smelled the parchment. "Definitely blood," he mumbled. He looked at the owl. "Where's Potter?" She took off and he followed her as fast as he could while dragging a trunk.

Finally they arrived at a very normal looking house, but all the lights were still on and Draco heard screams. They were screams of someone being tortured. He knocked on the front door and all sounds inside ceased immediately. A large man opened the door. His pig eyes bugging out of his pudgy face. He didn't seem to have a neck and was more or less a blob on two chubby legs.

"What do you want, freak?" He asked through his teeth. His moustache moved with each word.

"May I come in?" Draco asked, trying to put his best foot forward.

"No. Get!" Draco slipped past him as soon as he realized he wasn't getting a invitation. "PETUNIA! ONE OF THE FREAK'S FRIENDS IS HERE!"

"Potter!?" He called. "Potter?!"

"Malfoy!" Came a muffled reply. He took the steps two by two, pushing a thin woman down as he passed. Draco arrived at a door that had numerous locks on the outside. He kicked the door down instead of trying his luck with the bolts. He nearly puked when he saw Harry. The raven-haired boy lay naked on a bed in what smelled like a pool of blood and vomit. His hair was matted, blood leaked from cuts all over his body. The skin that wasn't broken was black and blue.

"Help," he whispered before passing out. Draco sprinted to his side and pulled him off of the dreadful mattress, gagging at the stench. He used magic to shrink the trunk at the end of Harry's bed, hoping he'd already packed everything, and put it in his pocket. Harry woke for a few seconds and stared at Draco with unveiled fear.

"Shh, don't worry, Potter, I'm going to get you out of this. I promise." He nodded and faded back to unconsciousness. Malfoy pulled a t-shit over Harry's head, followed by a sweatshirt he found on the floor. He was half way out the door before he realized Potter hadn't any pants on. "Shit," he whispered and located some dark jeans in a heap in the corner. He put them on Harry as well and started dragging him down the steps. There was quite a commotion below by the time Draco had reached the front door.

"Stop right there," Vernon shouted, Petunia and Dudley cowered behind him. Draco raised his wand. "You can't do magic outside school!" He taunted.

"Try me," he challenged. That shut the man up long enough for Draco to slip outside with Harry under his arm. He closed his eyes and apparated to what looked like an abandoned field.

"See Harry?" He asked the unconscious boy beside him, "I told you I'd get you out." He laid in the Grass beside Potter and put his back to his. Sleep took him quickly.