Time Heals All Wounds?

Chapter 13

Harry was sound asleep in the Slytherin's bed when Draco slipped down into the Common Room. Waiting on the black leather sofa were Pansy and Blaise. Now all they needed was Granger. Speak of the devil- there were three soft taps on the Common Room entrance. Pansy opened the portrait and ushered the Gryffindor in while Draco got settled in an armchair. Once everyone was seated the blonde cleared his throat and began.

"We have a rather large problem on our hands. Well, I in fact have a problem, but I am asking for your assistance in the matter. It has come to my attention that Harry's home life is less than satisfactory in the terms of his welfare and the sad excuse of a Headmaster is doing nothing about it. Therefore, we will have to come up with a solution ourselves. I will also require the upmost decision on your part. We cannot have anyone- especially Harry- aware that we are doing anything. I do not want to get his hopes up only for them to be dashed if this falls through." Draco sat back once he had finished and looked at the three before him. By the look in both Pansy and Hermione's eyes they were willing to help. Blaise however, was a different story. The Italian boy kept his face carefully blank throughout Draco's explanation. Interesting. He made a mental note to speak to Blaise about it later when the two were alone. Draco refused to disclose any further information about Harry as it wasn't his story to tell and it would not impede their ability to help him.

They spent an hour and a half trying to come up with a plan to help Harry. They had several ideas when Hermione had to leave to avoid getting caught by Filch. The Slytherin's then dispersed to carry out their respective night rituals. Draco made his way back up to his room to find Harry curled up as small as possible in the centre of the bed. At first, the blonde was relieved to see that the smaller boy was still asleep, but as he made his way to the bathroom he heard whimpers and whines coming from his bed. Quickly, he made his way back to the bed where Harry had begun to writhe on the bed. Draco reached out to try and calm him. As soon as Draco made contact with Harry he jumped, but after a moment the boy relaxed into his touch. After a moment, the blonde went to remove his hand, but when he did Harry just got worse. With a sigh, he transfigured his clothes into pyjamas and climbed into the bed. As soon as Draco was settled, Harry somehow found his way burrowed into his chest sleeping peacefully.

* * *

By breakfast the next morning, everyone was whispering about what had happened in DADA the day before. Harry practically clung to Draco's side while they sat at the Slytherin table. Due to the glares that Draco and a few others gave, no one was stupid enough to approach. Accept one Ronald Weasley. The ginger Weasel came up to the table with sick smirk on his face and a menacing glint in his eye.

"Well, well, well. If it isn't 'ittle wittle Potty. Heard you ran away during Defence yesterday. What, the sight of an overweight man too much for the Boy-Who-Lived? Someone said that it was your Uncle," dread filled the blonde boy beside Harry. This isn't going well. "-beat you, Potty? I bet he does and you are just too weak and pathetic to do anything about it. The Saviour of the Wizarding World can't defend himself against a fat, middle-aged Muggle." Weasley scoffed.

"I suggest you leave right now, Weasel. In case you hadn't noticed, you are not welcome here. Go back to your hyped-up groupies and tell someone who actually gives a shit what you say, because no one here does." Draco gestured to the hostile looks that the Slytherin's were directing at the red head. Unfortunately, he just sneered at Draco and directed his attention back to the terrified boy beside him.

"I will leave. If and when he tells me to. Famous Harry Potter shouldn't need a bunch of snakes to do his bidding." When the raven-haired boy said nothing, the red head smiled menacingly

"Excellent! Let's continue then, shall we?" without waiting for an answer, the boy sat down. "You know what I think Potter? I think that you are a pathetic waste of space. You clearly can't even stand up for yourself against a Muggle let alone the Dark Lord. I think that your parents defeated him and just left you behind afterwards. Couldn't bear the thought of having a child as weak as you as their son. Can't say that I blame them. Now you come into our world and soak up all the attention and publicity for a thing you didn't even do. 'Poor Potter. The orphan who defeated You-Know-Who.' Bullshit!" Draco glanced over at Harry and saw that he had become impossibly pale, but sat stock still. If he didn't know better, he would have thought the thing beside him were a statue instead of a human being. The boy's hands were clamped tightly together in his lap, as if he were trying to hold something between them that wanted to escape.