What a Terrible Mess

Chapter 5

Draco, Blaise, and Hagrid rushed from the castle and onto school grounds- the sun was up now, though still early morning.

"Where is he? Where's Fang?" Hagrid asked, stopping to find out where to go.

"Hagrid, we have to hurry, don't stop, come on!" Draco said, anxious to get Dumbledore to a safer place than the shrieking shack.

At that exact moment the Harry Potter chose to top the next hill, Fang at his side. Hermione, Ron, Neville and Ginny weren't far behind.

"Well there's old Fang!" Hagrid said loudly as they approached.

"FUCK THIS SHIT!" Blaise yelled, drawing his wand. Before he could do anything, Draco grabbed his wrist, forcing his wand down, causing him a great deal of pain.

"Don't make me kill you Zabini," he hissed, real malice in his voice. Blaise swallowed and lowered his wand.

"WHAT IS GOING ON?" Hagrid roared as Harry approached cautiously.

"Okay, it's not Fang. But someone is hurt, we're sorry we lied, but we have to go... please, just trust me, we have to go now." Draco said, pulling at the half giant's arm.

"Who's hurt? We need to get help." Hagrid was saying when Draco cut him off.

"NO! No one else, just you. We have to go," he urged. He could feel Harry getting closer, the burning itch was turning to pain, nearly forcing him to black out.

"Now! We have to go NOW!" Blaise said, pulling on the large groundskeeper.

"What's going on Hagrid?" Harry called, quickly approaching, the rest of his group still out of earshot. Draco collapsed to the ground, near tears and grasping his chest. He felt like he couldn't breathe. Blaise knealed beside him, trying to help him back to his feet. Draco writhed in pain.

"Go get help!" Hagrid yelled back at Harry's friends. They all ran toward the castle, all they'd seen was Draco collapse to the ground.

"Malfoy! What happened?" Harry asked, drawing his wand and glancing around for any danger, turning as he watched.

"He just collapsed Harry, I don't know what's going on, they said Fang was hurt..."

"Draco, Dray- please, please get up. There's going to be too many soon. We have to go. We *have* to go. Fuck them Draco, we'll do it alone. We're always alone-"

"Shut. Up." Draco said, gasping for breath. Every fiber of his being burned, urging him to just reach out and touch Harry. Just one touch. He did his best to fight it- Harry didn't like him anyways. That particular thought set him ablaze and he gasped again.

Harry knelt down beside Draco, reaching his hand out to shake him by the shoulder,

"Malfoy, are you okay? Help is coming...Malfoy?" Draco's body had relaxed and he was no longer gasping for breath. He lay there, still, relishing the touch. Harry shook him again- rattling him to the core. Slowly he sat up- though Harry's touch had eased it greatly, the pain was still there and ravaging him. In the distance, Draco could see McGonagall and Madame Pomphrey closing in, Harry's housemates right behind them. Further off, Narcissa, Rose and Severus followed. The school grounds were dotted with parents, coming to retrieve their children. He couldn't get up, though he tried. He glanced over at Blaise. It would be okay with Dumbledore to take Harry, he knew that much, but it wouldn't be okay with him. The Death Eaters could be all over Hogsmeade from last night. He wouldn't risk his bondmate like that.

"Blaise, go get help." he whispered, staring down his life long friend. That was all he needed to say, though it wasn't much. Everyone was upon them now, just a yard or two away. Blaise drew his wand and whispered an incantation to strengthen Draco's concealment charms, in case he couldn't come back soon. Just as the spark touched Draco, he fainted. Harry grabbed Draco again, shaking him,