It's My Life
After Harry talked to Severus on the 9th of January, the boy contently went back to sleep for the night and woke up feeling a little better. He was still stressed, but accepted that it was just part of his everyday life and he needed to learn how to manage it with everything else. Harry did go to classes, and eat a little each meal. Dolores was angry when Harry handed over Severus's note about Harry's work deadline being extended, but had to accept it. She couldn't get herself fired as she was spying for the minister of magic.
It was now the end of January, and thankfully, Harry didn't have any more problems with Dolores or Albus, at least, not yet. Severus was still looking into the defensive manifested magic Harry displayed, but hadn't found much yet. Things seemed pretty calm, but Harry knew better than to expect it would be alright. So he just kept on his class and homework, and did the best he was able given the circumstances. Harry no longer hid his lordship rings, but didn't trust for a second that Albus wasn't trying to get them removed since Harry was only fifteen.
Harry had told his close friends who'd sworn secrecy to him about what they'd learned about the situation as more and more were becoming distrustful of Umbridge and even Dumbledore. That included Minerva, Hagrid, Poppy, Filius and Pamona. Word was getting around, but when questioned; the students being questioned were quiet. Umbridge tried bringing students in for tea, drugging them with Veritaserum, but Severus had given her a fake one.
And now in the Defense class, Severus had joined the lessons to show those who knew Harry's secrets Occlumency to block Dumbledore during questioning. Harry no longer wore the glamour on his hand; he was showing off his rings with pride and waiting for Dumbledore to play on his threat about taking Harry to the Wizengamot to get his rings removed. It wouldn't happen because Severus was still Harry's stand-in guardian; Severus had checked with Gringotts to ensure things had not yet changed and Dumbledore was still under investigation.
Some weeks had gone by as they were all in February 1996 now and it was the 7th. Harry's grades were up the highest they'd ever been, and last he checked, Slytherin was in the lead for the house cup at the end of the year. Also, the quidditch team was winning all their games. Things had been peaceful and that's the way Harry liked them, even if he knew it wouldn't last. Dolores and Albus were leaving him alone, and that was all he cared about.
Though, it couldn't be ignored that Voldemort, as quiet as he was being, was rather unnerving too. Severus assured Harry that the dark lord, so far, wasn't planning anything big except to gain more followers. It didn't set Harry at any ease, but little could do that these days. One thing that could was Draco's amazing comforting skills. Harry and Draco had grown closer than friends; it started on New Year's Day during the firework show. The hug felt different and Harry figured out what it was. He was attracted to Draco.
Harry didn't mind this, of course. It took him a little time to settle with it and decide officially that he was gay. He'd never really been attracted to women, but he knew plenty of women who wanted a shot with him and it just wasn't happening. Harry just didn't know what sexuality Draco was and wanted to, but they never got any time alone anymore. Perhaps over the holiday, but that was still two months away and Harry wanted to know.
He felt like there was something between them; the looks and deep conversations, similar interests, but opposite upbringing that still brought them together just about five years after meeting. Draco was also one of the few people who could get through to him when he was being stubborn or angry. Severus and Hermione were the other two. With it being Valentine's Day, many couples were having their own little dates or spending time together. Harry had been in the library doing work and when finished up, he headed back for the common room, where he was sure the rest of his friends were hanging out.
Getting through the passageway, Harry found Pansy sitting with Blaise, Theodore, Gregory, Vincent, Tracey, Natalie, Millicent, Astoria, and Daphne. Pansy decided she needed more girls in the group of mass boys. She was usually always among Harry, Draco and the others, so she had dragged Daphne Greengrass, and also Astoria, who was two years younger, a third year, and Daphne's little sister, into the mold.
Millicent and Tracey just joined on their own, and Natalie Furia was actually related to Blaise; they were cousins in some way on the mother's side. Either way, they were all pretty good friends. Astoria wasn't super close being two years younger, but did like hanging with her big sister and the older students.
"Harry, you're back," Theodore stated.
"Yeah, did you think I wouldn't return?" Harry chuckled. "Curfew in an hour," He noted the time being 9:00 pm.
"We thought you might be hanging with your Gryffindor pack," Daphne mentioned.
"Well, I was with them in the library and we worked on some assignments. But when I finished, I headed right back here." Harry informed. "Where's Dray?"
"Upstairs working in the dorms, or laying down. Mentioned a headache after dinner." Blaise informed.
"I'm gonna go drop my bag up there and see how he's doing. I'll come back down after." Harry said calmly before he went to head up the stairs to the boy's dormitory. Harry wandered into the dorm and found Draco hard at work at his desk near his bedroom. "Having fun over there?"
The blonde jumped and turned around to see Harry heading over to his bed and tossing his bag down on the top blanket. "Merlin, Harry…I'm too young for a heart attack!" Draco scolded.
"Sorry, it was too easy…" Harry stated. "How you feel? The others mentioned a headache?"
"I'm alright. I got something from Sev," Draco promised. "Just finishing up some work for Charms. You all done with yours?"
"Yeah, wrapped it up after dinner in the library with Hermione and Ron. Seamus, Dean, and Neville.." Harry stated. "Everything is all done now."
"Lucky," Draco muttered.
"Want to copy? Just reword things so it doesn't look identical." Harry offered.
"You'd let me copy off you? Not sure how proper that is as prefect," Draco said.
"No one has to know but us," Harry informed as he grabbed his sheets from his bag and gave them to Draco. "You're my best friend, I'm not gonna leave you hanging."
"Thanks, Harry," Draco smiled as he started to work faster to finish his work up while Harry kicked off his shoes and removed his outer robe, then pulled his vest over his head and took off his tie. Harry unlatched the buttons to his shirt sleeves and sat on the side of Draco's bed to watch him work. Draco finished everything by 9:30 pm and gave Harry back his copies to put away for tomorrow while Draco did the same with his own. "So what is everyone doing downstairs?"
"Chatting, a couple working on assignments." Harry shrugged. "I think they were talking about sexuality before noticing I was there."
"Of course," Draco remarked. "Should we join them, there's still an hour and thirty minutes until curfew?"
"Sure," Harry replied as he got up and walked with Draco out of the room, down the hall, and finally beginning the descent down the spiral stairs to reach the common room
The conversation downstairs had actually turned into how to get their friends to finally admit their feelings, or at least put them in the position to have to talk. The group had seen it since New Year's, or perhaps even before during the defense lessons. Draco and Harry weren't just friends, they were much closer than anyone else in the group and there was something between them.
"I'm telling you, we just need to call them out on it." Theodore remarked.
"No, they'll deny it or run away from it." Blaise said.
"How about we just put them in a position that it's awkward and they see it for themselves?" Pansy suggested.
"Such as?" Daphne blinked.
"I was thinking something like this…" Pansy pulled her wand carefully and flicked it at the stairs while Harry and Draco were coming down. The tripping spell hit Draco's feet on the last two steps down and caused him to lose balance and fall forward.
However, Harry was quick and had already been standing at the base of the stairs to wait for his friend. As Draco was falling, Harry moved in front to catch him and the force actually made them both fall down. Harry hit the ground first, but ensured that he'd break Draco's fall, instinctively protecting him from any harm. What nobody expected, for those still in the common room, was that the way they fell made their lips meet and the two ended up kissing for a short moment.
In this, Harry didn't feel any pain from the fall and for a fraction of a second, he let himself enjoy this because it'd likely never happen again. Draco, obviously, believed the same thing. Slowly, they pulled apart and were staring into each other's eyes quietly. That's when the pain hit and Harry's brain caught up with the fact he'd landed hard on a cement floor with both his own weight and then added from Draco. Harry groaned at the force, vision going blurry for a second. It wasn't just his back, but head too.
"Harry!" Draco said quickly. "Oh, Merlin! I'm sorry…I-I tripped." He instantly, but carefully, crawled off his friend and stayed kneeling at his side. "Are you okay?"
"Stone floors plus back and head do not mix if anyone was wondering…" Harry hissed. "Time to get up," As he tried to sit up and everything felt woozy. "Oof, maybe not…"
"I'll get help," Theodore carefully moved around the males and rushed upstairs to locate Lucian Bole, their Head Boy.
"I'll get Elina," Millicent hurried away up the girl's dorm stairway.
"Let me help you," Draco offered his hand to pull Harry upright, and Blaise helped while Pansy hid her wand away when the girls were glaring at her that what she did could have seriously injured Harry. Draco and Blaise helped Harry lean against the wall by the staircase and remained by him.
"Harry…You're bleeding," Astoria said softly as she saw the spot on the ground where Harry's head hat hit.
Harry felt the back of his head, pulling his fingers in front to see blood on them. "This is all my fault…" Draco frowned.
"Dray, it's fine. You tripped, no big deal. I'll be alright. Sore, but okay." Harry assured gently.
It was moments later when Theodore and Millicent returned with Lucian and Elina, who made their way through the crowd to get to Harry and check over him.
"What happened?" Elina inquired.
"I tripped going down the stairs and Harry tried to catch me…We both went down and he broke my fall." Draco informed.
"Harry slammed on the ground, back and head first…He's bleeding," Blaise added. "And had been lightheaded or dizzy when he tried to get up. Draco and I had to help him."
"How do you feel, Harry?" Lucian asked.
"Sore mostly. Dizzy, maybe nauseous…Ow," Harry winced when Elina moved him forward a bit to check the back of his head, shifting the hair to get a better look.
"That's a pretty nasty wound, Harry," Elina stated. "We should get Professor Snape. We're supposed to report all illnesses and injuries to him."
"I'll get him," Draco quickly left Harry's side and exited the common room. He felt positively awful about what happened, Harry was hurt because of his carelessness to not pay attention. Draco hurried down the hall to Severus's room and knocked a few times. Of course, Severus opened it moments later.
"Yes, Draco?" Severus asked. "I've just been summoned, I don't have a lot of time." He knew his godson would know what it meant.
"Make time, Uncle Sev. Harry's hurt," Draco told him quickly. "We took a fall down the dorm stairway, the back of his head is bleeding…"
Severus couldn't ignore that. Severus grabbed his travel potions bag and followed Draco out into the hall, then back to the common room. It didn't take long and Severus arrived and cleared the path to Harry, who was still sitting on the floor.
"We didn't want to move him too much, Professor," Elina informed. "We tried to get him to the couch and he said he felt like he might pass out or throw up. He's dizzy and nauseous. I'm holding a slightly damp rag on the bag of his head."
"It's best not to move people after head injuries," Severus stated. "Can you sit forward, Potter?" Harry nodded as he managed to sit forward with help from Elina. Lucian was sending people off to their dorms as it was nearing curfew.
Severus looked over the back of Harry's head before raising his wand and muttering a healing charm to close the wound and then a cleansing spell to get rid of the blood. Severus carefully raised up Harry's shirt to get a look at his back, finding it scratched up and bruises already beginning to form. Severus didn't waste time in healing the scratches and getting out the paste for bruises. "How's that feel?"
"Little better, still feels like someone took a beater stick to my head and body," Harry admitted.
"These should help with that," Severus pulled out headache and pain reliever potions. "And this for the nausea." He grabbed a stomach soother.
"Thank you, Professor Snape," Harry replied as Severus nodded to him, obviously worried for his charge.
Severus helped Harry take down the potions and after a few more minutes of just sitting there, the potions master felt it was time that Harry try to move again. "Think you can get up?" He asked.
"I think so…" Harry tried to push himself to get on his feet and stand up. He was still super dizzy and nearly lost his footing until Draco moved in and got his arm around Harry's waist to help him stay upright. "Thanks."
"Still dizzy, Potter?" Severus asked. Harry nodded slowly. "It's never been wise to allow people with head injuries to sleep right away, usually only after the dizziness disappears." He considered. "It's close to curfew. Draco, bring Harry to my chambers; he will remain awake with me until it's safe for him to sleep. While magic is good at many things, it's not a perfect fix to basic problems. If the dizziness didn't fade after I healed the wound, and gave him the potion, then it's best we go about this the muggle way of recovering."
"Yes, sir," Draco helped Harry to leave the common room with Severus following behind them.
"It's been eventful enough, everyone to their dorms and prepare for bed." Severus ordered his snakes and then exited the room to follow Draco and Harry.
Once to Severus's room, the man unlocked the door with his wand and let the boys in first. Draco helped Harry to the couch, and fixed a pillow so his friend could lean back comfortably. "You doing alright, Harry?" Draco inquired as Severus was writing a small note and then calling on Dobby, who appeared with a small pop.
"Master Snape has summoned Dobby?" The elf inquired.
"Take this to Malfoy Manor, to only Narcissa or Lucius. Tell them it's from me and then go right back to Potter Manor. Speak of nothing you see there. Understand?" Severus asked.
"Yes, sir, Master Snape. Dobby be taking this to old masters and returning home. Dobby won't tell anyone what he sees." Dobby confirmed as he took the letter and popped away.
"Weren't you summoned by the dark lord?" Draco inquired.
"Yes, but all he needs to think is that I'm at an order meeting as to why I'm not there." Severus remarked. "Harry is my charge, his well-being is that above the dark lord's bid for power," He added.
"I don't want to get you into trouble…" Harry frowned.
"You won't. That's why I said it was an order meeting, the dark lord knows I have to be there to get him information…Which is entirely fabricated because I don't work for him anymore. It's just the only way to protect you by being the insider." Severus informed. "Draco, you may return to the dorm now. I have Harry, and when he's recovered, I'll send him back."
"Yes, Sev…" Draco nodded gently. "Thank you for catching me, even if we both fell…You got hurt breaking my fall."
"I'm used to getting hurt to protect the people I care about. We couldn't have you marking up that pretty little face, Dray." Harry teased and Draco flushed a bit. "Don't blame yourself. It was my choice to step in. I'm okay…" He reassured his friend. "Go onto bed. I'll be there in a couple hours, likely."
"I'll see you in a bit, or tomorrow morning." Draco replied.
"You will," Harry responded.
"Night, Uncle Sev," Draco walked by Severus to exit the room.
"Goodnight, Draco," Severus stated. The door closed as Severus looked back to Harry. "Since you need to be kept awake, you could tell me how this happened…" He suggested, which Harry caught the tone of the man actually just wanting him to reveal how Harry ended up hurt.
The teenager sighed and began to tell Severus what took place. It was going to be a long couple of hours, Harry suspected they'd be talking the entire time. At least he was comfortable.
. . .
At Malfoy Manor, the death eaters had formed at the Malfoy's dining room table with Voldemort sitting at the end to look down at the others. Narcissa and Lucius were just after Bellatrix, who sat on her lord's right, and then her husband, Rodolphus, and brother in law, Rabastan.
"Are we waiting for one more, master?" Peter Pettigrew inquired.
"Severus," Voldemort answered. "I've summoned him three times now…" His patience was gone and his voice suggested that the potions master would be suffering a painful punishment for ignoring.
There was a pop in the room as Dobby stood nervously at the doorway. "Dobby?" Narcissa asked in surprise. "What are you doing here?"
"Dobby be delivering a message to former masters at Professor Snape's request," The elf ran lightly down to Lucius and Narcissa, presenting with the letter while his head was bowed. Lucius took it from him and opened it to read what was written.
Harry took a hard fall down the stairs and I can't leave him while he's still dizzy, nor do I trust leaving him to the care of students, or in the hospital wing where Dumbledore and Umbridge could get to him. Tell the dark lord that I send my apologies for ignoring his calls, but I'm in an Order meeting and can't leave or I'll miss imperative information on Harry's power display last month. -Severus.
"What news does Severus bring of his absence?" Voldemort asked calmly.
"You may return, Dobby." Lucius remarked as Dobby nodded and vanished from sight. "Severus sends that he apologizes, but is in an Order meeting where there is discussion of last month when Harry physically displayed his magic like a weapon and doesn't want to miss the information because you requested him to learn what he could on it." The man expertly lied and kept a straight face.
"Ah, excellent then. He's excused." The dark lord stated. "We'll begin."