A Bond for the Ages

Chapter 41

"I see you!"

Harry's breath caught painfully in his chest as he awoke, the words disappearing to a place he couldn't reach. He made to open his eyes only to squeeze them shut as pain radiated through his body, reminding him what had happened. Something landed on his shoulder and he flinched, whimpering in anticipation of the coming pain. Whatever it was moved up to cup his face and he realized it was a gentle hand accompanied by soft consoling.

"You are alright, child. You're safe."

Harry forced his eyes to open at the familiar, comforting voice, blinking at their heaviness and scratchiness. Everything was blurry until his glasses were set on his face, allowing him to see Snape sat next to him on one of the beds in the extra room in Snape's quarters. He frowned as his thoughts and memories cleared to be identifiable just in time for them to race around his head.

"Draco! Draco...I...I left...he...I didn't..." he stuttered frantically, unable to articulate his fear and guilt.

"Harry, Harry, calm down," Snape said and Harry met his dark eyes. "We found Draco. He is in the Hospital Wing."

"Is he okay?" Harry asked, his heart pounding as Snape sighed and pulled back, hand coming to rest on Harry's leg instead.

"He was severely injured," Snape said and Harry thought the tight lines in the man's face were lines of worry, making Harry's stomach twist for Draco.

"I...I should have stayed with him. I left him alone," Harry said, feeling his eyes begin to burn. He brought his hands up to press his heels into his eyes. "I...I didn't mean...I didn't want...it's my fault. It's my—"

"No. No, child, it's not," Snape said and Harry's hands were gently pulled from his eyes, allowing a couple tears to fall. "There is nothing you could have done. He was attacked in the common room. None of this is your fault."

Harry wiped at his cheek, wincing at the pain it caused in his bandaged left hand. He looked at the bandaging, remembering what had been done to him. He looked up at Snape when the man brushed his hair back comfortingly, meeting a soft gaze.

"How are you feeling?" Snape asked.

Harry dropped his hand, tapping the bandages with his other fingers. "Okay. Sore."

Snape nodded, combing his fingers through Harry's hair again. "You will feel the Cruciatus effects for likely another day. The...cuts will heal and none will scar, except..."

Both their eyes fell to Harry's bandaged hand.

"It was already scarred anyway," Harry muttered.

"I'm sorry," Snape said and Harry looked at him curiously. "I'm sorry this happened, that I allowed it to happen."

"You didn't—" Harry started.

"I did nothing to stop Umbridge, allowing her to go this far," Snape said bitterly.

"You couldn't do anything, not without being discovered," Harry said. "You can't be discovered. You'll be killed and then we'll be—" he cut himself off, dropping his gaze to the blanket covering him.

"If anything were to happen to me, you and Draco will be taken care of and safe," Snape said, clearly knowing what Harry had been about to say. "You will not be alone."

Harry gave a small nod, silently praying nothing would happen to Snape, especially as he remembered Umbridge's threats. He couldn't lose any of them, not now they were becoming his...

He didn't want to even think the word, not when they could still easily leave him or be taken away.

"Can I see Draco?" Harry asked, pushing aside his worried thoughts.