(HP) When Time Isn't Enough

Chapter 16

Calypso, Greek Goddess of Silence

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Draco curled up tighter on his side under his blankets. He and Harry hadn't spoken since the incident in the Great Hall two weeks ago. The moment Scorpius had disappeared from their lives, Draco had broken down. He had risked everything for that boy and now he was gone. Worse, Harry refused to acknowledge him. Or at least, that was how Draco saw it. Hermione had sought him out to tell him that he wasn't being avoided; the revelation of Scorpius had gotten back to Voldemort and they were doing everything they could to keep Draco safe. That included Harry not attending classes and spending most of his time out in the field, capturing as many Death Eaters as he possibly could.

Normally, Draco would have felt honoured over this. The great and powerful Harry Potter was doing everything he could to make sure that he was safe.

But still, it felt like he was avoiding the blonde, and that just made him feel awful.

His depression had kept him in his room most of the time. He didn't have meals with the other Slytherins. Occasionally, Theo would bring him dinner and some snacks, but that was as far as eating went. He still attended most of his classes, but the professors understood the problem.

It wasn't everyday you saw your son disappear in the middle of the Great Hall. And to Draco, it was the equivalent of the other boy dying. Of course, they had been briefed by Albus about what had happened, and they fully understood why both Draco and Harry wouldn't be in class most of the time.

His behaviour really worried Theo, though. The other teen would watch over him as much as he possibly could, but the blonde was withering away before his eyes. At first, Theo had been thoroughly pissed off that Scorpius wasn't his kid and that Draco had known all along, but then he realised why Draco hadn't told him. No one was supposed to know their future that way.

And yet, Draco had been given his journal from the future. He knew details no one should know about their lives prematurely. Not surprisingly, though, everything Scorpius had brought with him had disappeared just as he did.

So many possibilities as to why that happened went through Draco's mind. The first was the fighting. They hadn't really been fighting. There wasn't even a disagreement in there. So that option didn't really work out.

There was always the possibility of the potion wearing off. And damn it if Draco didn't hope that was what had happened. Every other option was a bad option.

And then, there was always the chance that something had happened beyond their control, which had changed the future. That, of course, led the train of thoughts to his father. What had Lucius done to change the future so much? Was it an attack on Harry that never happened in Scorpius' time? Or was it something on Draco instead?

Whatever had happened, it had taken his son away from him, which made Draco a very depressed young man.

The Slytherin students continued to eye him up as if he was the devil amongst devout Catholics. It wasn't a good sign for him. They knew he was with Harry Potter.

Well, to say 'with' would be to assume that they were dating or sleeping together or something of the sort. In all actuality, they were separated for the time being. Going through a rough patch, so to say, since communication hadn't happened in two weeks. It should have warmed Draco's heart to know that Harry was trying so hard because of him, but all it did was remind him how lonely he was.

More than once, he had suffered from the Slytherin's malice. They had once again taken to shoving him around in the classroom now that they knew his hidden bodyguard wasn't around. Harry's own disappearing act also eased them into thinking they could get away with anything. Worse yet, Severus had only really been able to discipline two acts, which got both students expelled. While Draco had been bent over his cauldron, someone had come up behind him and had dribbled down his back a volatile potion. It quickly burnt away his skin, leaving him in agonising pain. The fifth-year boy, who was supposed to be in Charms, claimed he had no idea what had happened and why he had been there. It had landed Draco in the medical wing for one night while Poppy patched him back up. He was gone by the morning, not wanting to stay in the one place for too long.