A Bond for the Ages

Chapter 50

Draco stared at the ceiling above him through the dark filling his room. He had no idea how long he'd been awake and staring, just that it'd been dark the whole time. He wished it was Christmas excitement keeping him awake, but, instead, it was nightmares and heartbreak. Such familiar haunts, but never any less excruciating.

His fingers danced lightly and absently over the bandages still covering his sternum beneath his pajama shirt as he remembered the nightmare that had woken him what felt like ages ago. He kept seeing his father and himself and the things he'd done. He kept seeing the way he had merged with his father while another version of his father screamed torturously as he laughed. He shuddered as the nightmare played again and again.

He tried watching the sleepy magic in the manor to distract himself. Magic never fully settled, he'd learned. It was always drifting around and all theirs was always searching for each other. It moved a lot slower, lazier as they slept, but it was still there at the ready. He'd figured out fairly quickly it wasn't a very good distraction because all he could see was Leif's and Alexei's magic, and all he could think about was the conversation he'd overheard the previous day.

So, not only was he stuck there in the dark with his terror, but also his resigned anguish.

Finally he couldn't take it anymore and he threw his blankets off with a huff, leaving the warm bed. He glanced across the hall at the closed doors of Harry's and Severus' bedrooms, and padded downstairs as quietly as possible. He ruffled his sleep-mussed hair, yawning. It had to be an ungodly hour in the middle of the night, making him silently curse nightmares and immortals for keeping him from sleep.

He rounded the railing, vaguely noticing the light of the Christmas tree streaming out of the sitting room, and made his way into the dark kitchen to make himself tea. He was surprised to find a kettle already on the stove, still steaming. Given the time, despite not actually knowing the time, he hadn't expected anyone else to be awake. Plus, he hadn't heard anyone pass his room, and Harry's and Severus' doors had been closed. Regardless of his surprise and needing something to help his insomnia that wasn't a potion-he'd already had the maximum Severus would allow for that week-he crossed the kitchen and proceeded to make himself a cup with the waiting water.

Cradling his teacup, he headed back to the stairs, intending on returning to his room, but stopped when he heard the smallest clink of porcelain on wood and a soft shuffling. Curious, he peeked into the sitting room. The Christmas tree was bright and glittery where it stood next to the fireplace, fairy lights and colourful baubles shining. He and Harry had decorated it a couple days earlier with Leif and Alexei after the immortals had convinced Severus, who apparently hadn't had one for ages, to have one for him and Harry for the holiday.

It wasn't the first tree Draco had had-Narcissa had always insisted on having one in the foyer, one of the ballrooms, and the dining hall-but it was the first time he'd been allowed to decorate. Narcissa had always made the house elves decorate the manor and he'd been forbidden from touching anything.

He moved his gaze from the tree, quickly becoming lost in painful thoughts again, and looked to the left where Harry was sitting. The Gryffindor was on the floor, back against the sofa and a blanket draped over his shoulders with his arms wrapped around the knees pulled to his chest. He was still in his pajamas, a cup of tea on the tiny sliver of hardwood not covered by the rug next to him as he gazed at the Christmas tree, its light shimmering in the green eyes and dancing over the curled up body.

Harry didn't seem to notice him, attention solely on the tree. Draco could see an awe in the Gryffindor, a childlike wonder, but there was also a sadness. Draco could imagine what was causing such despondency, between what they'd been through and what he'd heard had happened with Harry's godfather the day before. Once again, the conversation he'd heard between Leif and Alexei echoed in his mind.