Summer With A Ferret

Week 1: Day 7

It's one o'clock in the morning. Harry quietly tiptoed back into his room, hoping Draco was asleep. He wasn't of course, and the lamp was on. Draco was sitting on the bed, waiting anxiously, having previously heard banging noises coming from downstairs. He jumped up as soon as Harry closed the door.

"Harry! Oh my god..." He took Harry's face in his hands. "You're all battered and bruised and bloody..." He rubbed his thumb over a cut on Harry's cheek.

"I wouldn't worry about it. It's fine." Harry said nonchalantly.

"Did your uncle do this?"

"Yeah, obviously."

"With what?"

"A wooden bat... It's falling apart so I got a few splinters. And also a... I think it was a butcher's knife?"

"What the hell!" Draco looked shocked, but had no idea why. "We need to get you cleaned up. Immediately."

"Draco, really, I'm fine." Harry put his hands on Draco's to remove his hands off his face.

"The blood rushing from your forehead and everywhere else says otherwise." He studied Harry's body, which was covered in cuts and fresh bruises.

There was a quiet knock on the door, then it opened a crack. Draco stepped slightly away from Harry as it did so.

"Harry? Are you okay? I heard dad shouting and also some— oh my god." Dudley walked in and quietly shut the door. "Dad did that?"

Harry nodded.

"He could go to prison for this! He should, anyway."

"Can you go get the first aid kit?" Draco asked as he wiped some more blood from Harry's forehead.

Dudley quickly left the room and soon returned with what he had been asked. Draco sat Harry on the bed and cleaned his wounds, then bandaged him up.

"There you go," Draco smiled softly. "Now, go to sleep. It's late, and you need it."

Harry hesitantly laid down and closed his eyes. Draco pulled a blanket on him, and turned, to see Dudley leaning by the door. Dudley motioned him over with his hand, and held the door open for Draco as they both stepped out.

"Do you need something?" Draco questioned.

"Walk with me. I think you need to clear your head."

Draco agreed. He did need to clear his head. He felt uncomfortable, because he hardly knew Dudley, but he hoped for the best and that nothing would happen.

"Alright then." He sounded nervous. He hated that.

"We'll just walk laps around the backyard. It's safer that way." Dudley led Draco out back.

They walked around in silence for a few moments. Those moments felt like hours.

"Tell me," Dudley began as Draco finally tore his eyes off the ground to look at him. "What's it like dating my cousin?"

"To tell you the truth, it's..." Draco debated whether or not he should really tell him. "... Wonderful. Risky, but wonderful." Draco mentally kicked himself for that.

"How long have you guys been together?"

"Shit!" Draco's mind started to race as he thought of a random date. "February Twenty fifth of this year." He stated calmly.

"So not too long. Nice." Dudley nodded his head and put his hands in his pockets. "You seem very worried about him. Did you know any of this was going on?"

"No, I didn't. He never told me. Plus, in the Wizarding World, he's the most famous person around. I'm not kidding. And everyone just assumes that his life is much better than reality."