A Gift Fic awarded to AJ for their amazing work on the Ravenclaw team in Round Four of the Houses Competition!
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Harry was screaming again. It happened sometimes, and the doctors called something wack like nightmares. Draco didn't quite understand the terms that the Muggle professionals had been sprouting at them since three months ago. PTSD. And night terrors. Depression. He didn't understand how these were medical terms. They were things that just happened, weren't they? They were part of life.
But Harry was screaming again. And that wasn't okay.
With gentle hands, Draco touched Harry's shoulder and shook him ever so slightly, to get him awake. This usually stopped him. Magic sparked down Harry's arms - another remnant of the trauma that no Muggle doctor would have detected - and crackled in his fingers. Draco shifted away, remembering the first time this had happened. The sparks had shocked him backwards from their bed and he had been unwell for a week. But he didn't know what else he was supposed to do. The man he loved was in pain, and that should be his priority at all times.
"Harry, Harry," Draco said to him. "Wake up."
Harry twitched and broke away from Draco's soothing touch. "No - No, don't hurt him." He was crying, tears streaming down his face, making the bed sheets wrapped tightly around him slightly damp. Draco reached for him again, desperate to wake him from whatever he was dreaming.
"Harry, wake up!" he said again, louder this time, imploringly. He shook him again.
With a start, Harry sat up in bed, panting heavily. He was covered in cold sweat - it shone on his skin in the dull silver moonlight. Draco shuffled back, momentarily relieved.
"Draco?" Harry asked, turning to him in trepidation. Draco nodded, understanding. Often when Harry woke, he was disorientated. He thought he was still inside the dream and couldn't tell quite what was real anymore. "You're alive."
"I am," he replied. "You're not dreaming anymore."
Harry visibly sagged. "Thank Merlin for that." He reached for Draco and pulled him close. "I'm so glad you're alive."
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Thanks for reading!
