Healing Draco Malfoy

Chapter 33

Chapter 33

Published: December 1st, 2021

Harry was curled up on Ron and Hermione's couch, trying to stop crying. Thank Merlin, the kids were already at Grandma Molly's house, so they didn't see his breakdown. Ron was on his knees next to him, occasionally reaching out to comfort him, but he always pulled away. He didn't want to be touched while he was so open. Hermione tried to talk to him, but he was just trying to beat down the building panic.

Hermione turned to her husband and whispered, "The recess is over. I have to go back. Take care of him."

Ron nodded. Hermione had a vote in the Wizengamot. Harry didn't look at her, when she told him that she'd be back. She disappeared into the floo, and Ron took a deep breath and tried to talk him out of it. Harry didn't want to come out of it. He wanted his bottle... anything to numb the pain. Everyone knows, his mind helpfully reminded him, and he let out a sob.

Ron made another attempt to touch his shoulder, but Harry jerked backward out of his grasp. Ron held up his hands in surrender. "Alright mate... I won't... touch ya. I'm sorry. Just tell me what to do."

Harry shook his head. There was nothing to be done. His secrets were bare, open for everyone to know. The details were the only thing still in the dark. Harry was now considering that it wouldn't be impossible for them to dig deeper. The last cases he had been a part of, or solved, before he left the Ministry would be checked. What that guy did, how he got arrested by the muggles, and was Harry's name on the file for tipping the investigating Auror, Williamson, off? He didn't know. Hell, Williamson could make the connection himself and leak the theory.

Fucking hell, they could go to Azkaban and interrogate the guy! Find evidence of the Memory Charm... and the curse... trace it back to him. What he had done was illegal, especially as an Auror. Conspiracy to cover up a crime, egregious assault, forceful removal of memories and casting a permanent curse... and those were just the big ones. There was a slew of minor crimes stemming from the fact that he was an Auror, with carnal knowledge. His right to curse him, no matter that fucker did, ended when he knocked him unconscious. He could go to prison... for years... decades....

He stopped breathing and Ron went from worried to freaked out. "Harry! C'mon, breathe! Breathe, damnit!"

Harry looked at him, desperately, unable to make his lungs open. Ron reached forward and grabbed the front of his robes. He yanked him upward to a sitting position and slapped him hard on the back. A short gasp of air rushed in, and Ron hit him, again, forcing another spurt of air in. Once more, Ron hit his back, and Harry's lungs finally let go and took in a full breath.

"There ya go. Breathe... in and out," Ron urged. "I gotcha... breathe."

Harry burst into tears and leaned into Ron's chest, just needing comfort that was for far too long denied him. Ron slowly wrapped his arms around him, rubbing his back as he cried into his chest. He never thought they'd dig that deep, and now it was over.

"Harry... shh..." Ron whispered in his ear. "... it's going to be okay."

Harry pushed off him and wailed, "No! It's not going to be okay! They're going to find out everything! They're going to find out what I did!"

Ron held up his hands and stared into his eyes. "No, they aren't."

"They'll dig and dig and find out!"

"And they'll find nothing, Harry."

"But Williamson knows that I...."

"Williamson is dead, Harry," Ron said, and Harry looked at him. "He was killed in a bad raid two years ago."