Time Heals All Wounds?

Chapter 10

For a moment, Draco thought he had heard wrong. The dead silence that filled the room however, proved that he had in fact heard correctly. The blonde then opened his mouth to say something, but promptly closed it again. He had no idea how to respond to that. He knew that not all families were perfect- his was far from it, but he knew that he was safe there. He knew without a doubt that his parents loved him, even if his father wasn't obvious about it in the same way his mother was. Even Blaise, with his slightly neglectful mother and her sting of boyfriends that were not afraid to beat the Italian boy about a bit, did not fear going home over the holidays. However, he could focus on the whys later. For now, he turned his attention back to the terrified boy in his arms and gently stroked a hand through his black hair.

"I will protect you from everyone and everything that threatens you, love. I will take on the entire world if I have to. I promise that I will always be here. Okay?" he looked down at the smaller boy that sat in his lap, emerald eyes shining with unshed tears. Draco was unsure what had come over him to make him promise such a thing, but there was nothing but truth in it. He wanted to be there for Harry, always. He wanted to keep the Gryffindor Golden Boy safe.

A moment later, Harry snuggled into the blonde and sighed contentedly. Draco had obviously said the right thing to win a bit more of the raven-haired boy's trust. The boy in his lap looked desperate for someone to trust. Someone that he could rely on whole heartedly with no stings attached. If Draco Malfoy could be one of those people, then who was he to object. He wanted to be his friend, and maybe someday more than that. Above all, he wanted to protect the fragile boy before him that was the polar opposite of the Boy-Who-Lived, Chosen One, Golden Gryffindor Boy or any of the other ridiculous names that had been forced upon him. He was just Harry. A boy who had lost his parents at a very young age and lived with people who hated and abused him. Someone who entered the Wizarding World at 11 only to be gawked at, whispered about and have a burden shoved on his shoulders that no child should have to bear.

As Draco got comfortable and pulled Harry closer to him, he vowed that he would be different. When Harry was with him, he could just be Harry. He could act like a normal 13-year-old, not the "saviour of the universe". Everyone else may have cast the Gryffindor aside, but Draco would be different. Harry was about to become and honorary Slytherin. And they look out for their own. Always.

* * *

Something wiggling in his arms dragged the Malfoy heir from slumber. After his eyes adjusted to the light of the room, he realised that Harry was trying to get out of his embrace- and failing. With a quiet chuckle, Draco released Harry and caused him to fall off the bed onto the floor. The blonde gasped and quickly made his way over to the fallen Gryffindor.

"Are you okay, Harry? I didn't realise that you were leaning so far back. Did you hurt yourself?" he ran his hands through his sleep mused hair as be looked over the dark-haired boy on the floor. There didn't seem to be any pain caused, but then again Harry had been hiding pain for years now. It was impossible to tell.

"N-no, I-I'm ok-kay. T-the car-carpet is r-r-really sof-ft. I w-was jus-st t-trying to g-get up to u-use the b-b-bathr-room. I d-didn't m-mean t-t-to w-wake you. S-sorry." It seemed that Harry's stutter got worse when he was upset, which then in turn distressed him further. Draco reached over and ran his hand gently through Harry's dark hair.

"It's okay, don't worry about it. It looks about time to get up anyway. Breakfast will be starting soon and then classes. Up you get." He stood and then pulled Harry up gently after him "You go do whatever you need to in the bathroom and I will get dressed. Once you are finished we will swap. Sound okay?" Harry nodded hesitantly