The "Draco Malfoy" Thing (Drarry)

Malfoy Manor

Draco sat alone in his manor. His parents had been called away on "business", leaving him alone in the large manor, without even the house elves to keep him company. He was seated in his favorite chair in the manor library, an overstuffed couch his mother had tried to toss out years ago, but Draco wouldn't let her. He sat with his wand in one had and a small shard of glass in the other. What not? he asked himself, What do I have to live for? 

He pressed the sharp corner of the glass to his forearm with a shaky hand and pushed until little dots of his blue blood appeared on his pale skin. He watched as the slashes grew deeper and his blood flowed down his arm. He barely flinch, at this point, he was used to the pain, welcomed it even, it proved he was still human, even after all the things he'd done in his miserable life. 

The blood continued to flow down his arm and down onto the couch, leaving nearly invisible stains on the dark emerald covering. He traced the cuts over and over again, reaching deeper and deeper until he began to feel light headed. He laid his head down on the armrest and dropped his wand on the floor. The last thing he saw before the world faded away, was his wand rolling under the sofa. 

***

Severus Snape sat in his study going over that morning's Daily Prophet when the grandfather clock in the corner struck 6:30pm. It was time for him to go over to the Malfoy's manor to check in on his godson, who was meant to be staying home by himself for the weekend while his parents were away doing God knows what. He stepped into his fireplace with a hand full of Floo-Powder, "Malfoy Manor!" he bellowed before he was engulfed in green flames.

When the flames departed, he was standing in the Malfoy's sitting room, where a house elf by the name of Crypt was cleaning the coffee table. "Do you know where Draco may be hiding?" he asked the pitiful creature.

He stooped into a low bow, "Yes, Sir, I believe I saw the young master in the library last. He may still be there."

Severus nodded and brushed past the elf and down the hall to the library. He made his way through the stacks and to the back where Draco could normally be found reading. It was incredibly quiet, even for a library, not even the turning of pages could be heard, and Severus knew from experience not to trust quiet. He drew dis wand for his robes and made his way cautiously behind the last stack.

When he turned around the corner and found Draco just where he was supposed to be, on his favorite sofa, asleep. 

No... not asleep. 

Severus looked at Draco's arm, now a dark crimson rather than his usual pale complexion. He rushed over to the couch and felt Draco's neck for a pulse, it was faint, but there. Judging by the considerable sized pool of blood gathering on the floor, he'd lost a lot of blood. Severus summoned a blood replenishing potion and forced it down Draco's throat. He then cast a healing charm over the boy's arm and watched as the scars closed and faded to several ragged pale lines. Severus tested Draco's pulse again, and felt it start to speed up. 

"Crypt!" he bellowed, "I need you!"

A faint pop sounded and Crypt was suddenly standing at Severus' shoulder, "Master Draco!" he cried upon seeing his lifeless master. He conjured a wet rag and began to wipe off Draco's arm, and then began to work on the floor.

"Forget the floor!" Severus yelled at the house elf, who shrank back in fear, "Go to Spinner's End, in my potions room you'll find a powerful healing potion on the third shelf from the top of the cabinet in a large purple vial. I need it as soon as possible, the blood replenishing potion will only do so much."

Crypt nodded his understanding and disappeared, leaving Severus with Draco's almost lifeless body. He lifted his godson's frail body into his arms and carried him down the hall and into Draco's bedroom. Severus lay Draco out on his four-poster bed and conjured a chair for him to sit in next to the bed and waited for Crypt to come back with the potion. How could I let this happen? He scolded himself. He was supposed to protect Draco, to guide him, and he failed. 

He put his head in his hands and let a silent tear slip out of the corner of his eye, how couldn't I see what was going on? He looked at Draco's exposed arm, stared at the faint pink lines that Draco put there in an act of desperation that Severus couldn't prevent. He started to cry, something he hadn't done in a long time, nearly 16 years since he lost the only other person he'd ever cared about.            

He angrily pushed away his tears, where's that bloody elf?  

Almost as if he'd heard Severus' thoughts, Crypt appeared at his side with the purple flash, "Your potion, Sir."

"About bloody time." Severus mumbled taking the bottle from the elf's small hands. He poured the contents of the flask down Draco's throat and waited for the boy's pulse to return to normal. He sighed his relief as Draco's face gained a bit more color. "Thank you, Crypt, I'll watch him, go about your chores. Oh, and not a word of this to Lucius, am I clear?"

Crypt bowed again and exited the room leaving Severus alone with the unconscious teen and his own thoughts. Severus thought back to his youth, when he'd been in the same position as Draco. It was around the same time he'd called Lily that horrible name, losing her forever. It pained him to think of it, even now, after all this time. He recalled that year in his memory, how beautiful she was, how she was always smiling, unless she was scolding him for something. Then he remembered the hurt that had been on her face when he yelled the most hateful thing he could at her, "mudblood." 

Lost in his painful memories, Severus hardly noticed the large Horned Owl that had flown in with a letter in its beak. It placed the note in his lap and flew back out the open window. He pulled open the envelope and read the letter inside.

Severus--

Please meet at the house for an impromptu staff meeting at 7pm this evening. 

--Dumbledore

Great, Severus thought, shoving the letter into his robes. He glanced at the clock, it was already 6:56pm. He cursed at himself, I can't leave him here. He tried to think of how to get out of the "staff meeting", but to no avail.

"Severus?" Draco whispered as he tried to sit up, "What happened?"

Severus sighed and leaned back in his chair, "Why don't you tell me? Crypt and I found you in the library, covered in blood."

Draco turned a bright pink and glanced down at his arm, "I...I just wanted..." he squeezed his eyes shut, trying to keep the tears in, but they fell anyways. He launched himself at Severus, nearly tipping him over, and cried into his godfather's shoulder, "I can't do it anymore, Sev!"

Severus pulled Draco closer, they way he used to when the boy was much smaller, "I know, Draco."

Draco pulled his left sleeve up, revealing the Dark Mark he'd been forced to accept, "I don't want to kill anybody."

"I don't want you to have to." Severus looked Draco in the eye, "Draco, I can help you, but you have to trust me, and you can't protest to what happens in the process. Understand?" Draco nodded, although he was confused. "Okay, pack your trunk, take everything you think you'll need and leave a letter for your mother explaining that you've decided to spend the rest of the summer at my house."

Draco did as he was told and was ready to leave with in a few minutes, "What now?"

Severus glanced at the clock, 7:12, Damn, we're late, "Now, you have to  trust that I know what's best for you." Draco nodded his understanding as Severus held his arm out for Draco to take, and apparated away from the manor.