CONQUERED - DRARRY

15

HARRYS POV

I wasn't even fighting. It felt like my world had just been yanked out from under me.
My wand was weakly throwing out spells, blue light shimmering before me as I dully watched hexes slam against the shields. My thoughts were incoherent, like a hole where my heart was.
He didn't.
He can't have.
Draco Malfoy didn't have the dark mark.
Draco Malfoy was hurt, of course. He was sad. He'd told me himself. He was confused, and life hadn't been kind to him. Of course it hadn't. But no. He can't have destroyed himself like that. The dark mark... that couldn't be undone.

In the weeks leading up to the first task, I watched as he grew paler, more tired, and thinner, his clothes hanging off of him and eyes dead. I'd barely even noticed, too wrapped up in Eric's strong arms to see someone hurting right in front of me.

It was my fault.
No one saw him. No one cared.
Another feeling shot through me. A feeling of pinks, of reds, and overwhelming yellow. I thought of Draco, his face before he fell into my hug by the lake, the feeling of protectiveness over him, his sly expression when he mouthed the word cunt to me in the great hall.
Draco Malfoy.
Draco Goddamn Malfoy.
My enigma.

I glanced up, toward his face. His gaze was fixed on Eric, Franklin firing red-hot curses behind him, face ungodly and cruel in his elation. My gaze shifted back to Draco. His eyes met mine, for the briefest second.

Then everything changed.
I watched his face as Eric's hex hit Draco's chest. Draco froze, and it was like his soul left his body. Then he let out a yell, which curdled my blood. My wand fell, and I ran forward, dodging Franklins jinxes as Draco was ripped open.

Scarlet blood spurted from his body, painting the walls and the floor until he finally fell backward, as if in slow motion. Everything was red. I fired a quick charm, forcing a pillow to catch him before he hit the ground.

Blood was everywhere by the time I got to him.

"Draco?" I whispered urgently. "Draco!" My voice became wet with emotion as I kept calling his name, more and more hurried as the life in his eyes seemed to get further and further away. His blood was all over my hands, an invisible knife clawing at his body, shredding his clothes and dying the floor around him a harrowing red.

I muttered healing incantations under my breath. They barely helped, but as my voice grew more frantic, his wounding slowed.

"Call Pomfrey." I demanded, my hands flying over Draco's body. He looked dead. My hand touched his throat delicately, feeling for a pulse.

A light throb made me sob. Thank Merlin. Thank every God out there. He's alive.

ERICS POV
I don't know how long it took for the Hogwarts nurse to get there.
It was a blur, until finally I was sitting on the steps outside of the Hospital Wing. I was staring at my hands. Large, capable, and smooth. I hadn't thought of what would happen if that curse would hit.
I hadn't thought at all really.

I stood, wavering for a moment before I started toward the door. I pushed open the heavy oak, and my gaze landed on my boyfriend.

My boyfriend, seated right next to, and holding the hand, of the man I'd nearly murdered.

His head was bowed, and his hands were cradling Draco's forearm, almost as if he were trying to hide it from the world.

I cleared my throat, and Harrys head shot up, quickly pulling down Draco's sleeve over his arm. Draco was still deep asleep, lying amongst the white sheets, blonde hair giving off the enamour of an angel.

"Eric." Harrys voice was dead, completely void of emotion.
I stood awkwardly for a moment. "Is he alright?"
Anger shot across Harrys face. "No, Eric, he's in the hospital wing."
I narrowed my eyes. "What are you doing here?"
Harry stood in rage. "You put him here! How could you do something like that? How do you even know such a foul curse?!"
"I-" my voice faltered. "Why were you holding his hand? You hate each other!"
"I don't hate him!"
"Then what, Harry? What the hell is going on?"
Harry glanced behind him, at Draco's sleeping figure. He lingered for a moment, before turning back to me, stony faced.
"Leave, Eric. You've done enough."
I threw up my hands in exasperation, and stalked out, the door slamming behind me.
But not before stealing a glance behind me. As if I hadn't even entered the room at all, Harry was once again by Draco's bedside, his head in his hands.