healing | drarry

thirty-five

~no pov

Harry picked Draco up, feeling incredibly guilty. He should've gone after Draco somehow, comforted him before he could turn to alcohol. Draco didn't have anyone who he could talk to about his father and the Wizarding World. 

Harry should've been the person he could've talked to.

"You alright, mate? What was that a- oh."

Ron walked into the hallway, only to see Harry on the floor with Draco Malfoy in his lap. The blond was unconscious, and Ron couldn't stop himself from staring.

"Is he alright?"

"His dad died." Harry said simply. "Of course he isn't alright. He found out in a room filled with people who hate him."

Ron was quiet. "I don't hate him."

"Anymore. Your family definitely still do. He's been through a lot, Ron. I just- I want to help him, but I don't know how." Harry admitted. "He won't talk to me. I think the closest I've ever gotten to him talking to me was just now, and he's drunk so that isn't fair."

"Look, we'll sort everything out later. For now, we need to take care of him. I'll get Mione to come help you, and I'll talk to my family. Is that alright?"

Harry nodded and watched the redhead walk away. Hermione came over, a look of concern on her face, as she held Draco whilst Harry stood up. Harry then carried Draco in his arms, bridal-style, and wondered why the blond was so light.

Surely a grown man should weigh a bit more than that?

Harry took him upstairs regardless, placing the blond down on his bed, on his side, in recovery position, and put a bin beside the bed, so when he threw up, he wouldn't get it all over the floor.

It didn't really matter if he did, because Harry could easily clean it up with his magic. 

No matter what Draco said, Harry was going to appeal for Draco's magic back, with the discretion of the Ministry. He didn't want to make things worse by letting everyone find out Draco was still alive and have them look for him, just as the blond had been scared they would do.

Harry charmed Draco before leaving, so he'd be alerted when Draco woke up, to make sure he was safe. Then, he went to go talk to the Weasleys.

"So that whole thing was Malfoy coming back? Drunk? To pick up his kid?" Bill asked. "That's irresponsible."

"Why was he even here in the first place?" Ginny asked. "No one likes him. I thought he was dead, and I was pretty happy thinking that."

"I like him. He's my friend, and Teddy is best friends with Scorpius. I don't care if you don't like him, honestly, you're entitled to your own opinions. I just don't want to see you argue with him, especially now."

"What, just 'cause his dad died?" Charlie spat. "His dad was a terrible person anyway. So's he."

"Enough." Hermione crossed her arms. "Have some respect. I think it's safe to say I have a pretty big reason to hate Malfoy, and I don't, because he's proved he's changed. He's treated me with respect and even helped me with things. If I can forgive him and you guys can't even be civil with him, that's childish and petty."

"Exactly." Ron said. "I never thought I'd defend Malfoy, but here I am, because my wife forgave him. He hurt her most out of us all, and she's put it aside because he's a different person now. If she can forgive him, we can too."

"I don't think you guys need to forgive him, honestly." Harry said. "Just be civil, alright? Losing a parent is hard." 

Everyone went quiet at that. 

"I'm already civil with him." George said. "When he wakes up, I'd like to talk to him."

"When did that happen?" 

"Doesn't matter." Molly said. "I've forgiven him too, poor thing. Even if he's done bad stuff, the past few years must've been rough for him. I just want to sit him down and feed him until everything's better."

Arthur laughed at that. "Food doesn't fix everything, dear. Look at Lucius."

George sighed quietly. He knew that Malfoy must've taken the cause of death pretty hard. If George found out his dad died of starvation whilst he was struggling, that would've messed him up too.

"Can we all just agree to be civil?" Harry asked. "Please? He's important to my son, and my son comes first."

"Alright, dear." Molly smiled. "I don't want any drama with Malfoy. Today's probably the only time we'll see him, so for our own sake and Harry's, no nonsense, hm?"

The redheads agreed.

Harry was by Draco's side when he woke up, vomiting in the bin beside him and complaining to himself about his hangover. Harry didn't have a potion, so he gave the blond some water and a muggle paracetamol, staying with him until he fell asleep again.

When Draco woke up a second time, it was nearly midnight and the Weasleys were ready to leave. So, when Harry went to see him, a few of the redheads followed in curiosity.

Draco was distressed, half-asleep, tossing and turning because his mind was plagued with dark thoughts and memories, from a nightmare. He had dreamt of his father's punishment for failing to retrieve the prophecy; the punishment where he got the mark and his task.

He was aggressively scratching his mark under the covers when Harry had come into the room, gingers following. Draco turned around instantly and forced his nails to stop attacking the marred skin on his left wrist.

"You alright?"

"Head hurts."

"You can get a hangover potion when you're home, alright?"

"I'll go now then." Draco stood up, stumbling and almost collapsing, but Harry caught him. 

"You're not Apparating like this." Harry said simply. "You're going to eat, drink some water, go back to sleep and get a potion tomorrow morning." 

"Don't wanna intrude." He mumbled.

"You're not intruding. You took care of me when I was drunk, now it's my turn to do the same."

"Didn't do it for that reason."

"I know." Harry smiled, putting an arm over Draco's shoulder. "You okay to walk downstairs with me, or would you rather side-along?"

"Home." 

"I can't take you home, Draco."

"Sleep."

"You should eat first."

"Sleep."

Harry sighed and put the blond back in bed, tucking him in. The redheads watched curiously, wondering how Malfoy had changed so much. It felt wrong to see him so vulnerable.

But it was adorable seeing Harry take care of him. Ginny whispered something to George, and before they knew it, a bet was placed.

Harry was falling for Malfoy. 

Ginny said a month before he realises. George said by summer.