Nightmare | Drarry | English

Chapter 5

In the evening, both Harry and Draco met with their respective groups of friends in the common room. Harry felt a sense of relief for not having left to Hogsmeade after hearing a recap of the day's events. Ron and Hermione seemed to have enjoyed a pleasant time together, and although it made him feel a tinge of pity towards himself, he couldn't help but feel happy for them. He had observed the bond between the two growing stronger over the years, and in the process, he often ended up feeling like an outsider. Harry was unlucky, or perhaps lacking when it came to relationships, and held little faith that this would ever change.

After hearing the recap of the day's events, the non-Slytherin students gathered by the fireplace, having fun trying out the products George had sent them. However, when they decided to play truth or dare, Harry swiftly made an excuse, saying that that he was tired, and retreated to his room. The mere thought of being questioned about his nightmares unsettled him. He was reluctant to talk about what he had seen, and he did not want to appear weak in front of the others.

Draco was still hanging out with his friends. For some reason, he wanted to follow Harry and retreat into the room, but he knew that going after him would attract attention. Instead, he forced himself to stay longer, and soon he was caught up in the conversation. It was fun listening to Theo talk about how he had been rejected in Hogsmeade.

"You did not say that!" he said, laughing.

"That's exactly what he said," Blaise noted.

"What kind of an idiot asks a girl 'did it hurt when you fell, I mean, from Heaven?'"

"The answer is," said Pansy. "Theodore Nott!"

Theo rolled his eyes as all laughed. "Some underclass boy said it worked!"

"Then what happened?" asked Draco.

"What do you think? She poured butterbeer over Theo's head and said..." Pansy got serious. "This must have hurt."

"You suck, man," said Blaise. "I was so embarrassed that I basically ran out of the place."

Draco was laughing along with the others, but then suddenly, he felt strange. The smile on his face faded, replaced by a sense of unease, as distant voices began to hum in his ears. Overwhelmed by a deep sense of foreboding, he spoke almost involuntarily, "I have to go." He swiftly rose from the couch and darted towards their shared room, hurrying. When he pushed the door open, the sight that greeted him was not surprising at all. Harry was having a nightmare. Without questioning his own feelings, Draco closed the door and rushed to Harry's side.

"I'm here," he said. "I'm here now." He reached for Harry's hand, but before he could make contact, it was Harry who grabbed his hand instead, and pulled him into his nightmare.

As Draco moved from the room into the dream, an overwhelming sense of despair consumed him. It felt as though all the vitality within him was being drained away. He thought he would never be happy again, it was as if the world held nothing but sorrow. Struggling against these overpowering emotions, Draco tried to push them aside and focus on the fact that he was merely a visitor in Harry's dream. Yet, all he could focus on, was the Dementor looming before him. Time seemed to blur; he didn't know how much time had passed as the fragments of his soul that held even the tiniest semblance of happiness were ruthlessly torn away. However, eventually, Draco managed to extricate himself from Harry's body.

Harry was on the train, and his soul was being sucked out by a Dementor.

Harry was with Sirius, and they were attacked by Dementors.

Harry was at a Quidditch match and encountered a Dementor again.

Harry was with his cousin, and they were being attacked by Dementors.