Drarry: The Boy Who Loved

Hospital

He felt like he was floating in water. Everything sounded like it was underwater, anyway. He wasn't sure where he was, but he had the sensation of being carried and bouncing. A lot of bouncing. He felt like throwing up, but he was too tired. There was a comforting pressure on his hand. He decided he was safe.  

The next thing he remembered was someone lifting his eyelid and announcing loudly, "Looks like he's out cold. We need to get some fluids in him now!" But I'm right here, he thought frantically, but his eyelids could've been made of granite. Someone ran a needle in his arm and he fell unconscious once again.

He heard a racket of flurried, jabbering voices. They sounded panicked. Someone slapped a monitor onto his chest and everything went black.

................

Draco didn't know where he was. He was aware of silence. Maybe he was dead. A wave of fear went through him. Would he be able to feel fear if he was dead?

He tried prying his eyes open, but they remained sealed shut. He found trying took too much energy and tried instead to focus on figuring out where he was. He moved his hand. Suddenly a sharp pain shot through his wrist and up his arm. He cried out, but his voice stuck in his throat.

He became aware that his hands were lying on top of a blanket. And then this realization spread to form another, one that revealed that he was on a bed, propped up only a little on a few pillows. 

Now he needed to know. He felt a little stronger, and with some difficulty managed to squint his eyes open. A silver ray of light filtered through the blue curtains. He glanced around, since it was too hard to lift his head. He saw he was in a bed with railings. One tall machine loomed over him on one side. Another was on the other side. A steady beep, beep, beep filled the air next to him. He weakly raised his head and saw a figure hunched over by the end of the bed, his head in his hands. Glasses were held between trembling fingers. Unruly black hair. 

"Harry," Draco whispered weakly.

................

Harry was still in shock. He rode with Malfoy in the air ambulance, something similar to the Knight Bus and Mr. Weasley's car combined.

Hermione and Ron sat through it with him, Hermione clutching his hand. Ron looked stunned. Harry guessed that Ron had never heard of Malfoy's stress. He had, like Harry had all those years, just assumed that Malfoy was a spoiled git whose life was pretty much perfect.

We had no idea, Harry thought bitterly. If we'd let our egos go earlier, would I've been able to save him? He felt his throat tighten. Why wasn't I able to save him?

He felt a hand rest softly on his arm and looked up to see Hermione. "Don't beat yourself up about it," she said quietly. "This is not your fault."

Harry didn't believe her, but he nodded as the tears pricked his eyes, then threatened to spill over. 

As soon as they got to Saint Mungo's, Malfoy was rushed away from Harry into intensive care. He'd lost a lot of blood, and the nurses had to do some quick, complicated spells to make sure Draco stayed with them. 

As soon as they were finished, they let only one person at a time see him for five minutes only. Harry walked in with his legs numb and trembling. He sat next to Malfoy's bed and tried not to look at all the tubes stuck to him, but he couldn't help it. He gripped Malfoy's hand as he sat there, sobbing. "Don't leave me," he whispered. Ron stood in the doorway, watching quietly. 

................

Malfoy was finally declared safe from death, but he needed to stay in the hospital for an undecided amount of time. Harry didn't leave his room and fell asleep with his resting at the foot of the bed.

Harry woke up the next morning, drained and nervous. He held his head in his hands and was just dozing off when he heard: "Harry?"

Harry's head shot up so fast his neck cracked. He winced and looked up. Draco was sitting up a little straighter, confused and upset, but he was awake. Harry was up in an instant and leapt forward, squeezing Draco into a bear hug.

Draco was dismayed to see tears sliding down Harry's face when he pulled away. "Harry what... what happened?"

"We found you in the bathroom," Harry said, his voice shaking with grief and gratitude. "Malfoy, never do that again. Why'd you...?" Harry's voice closed up and he couldn't speak anymore.

Draco realized how much pain he'd caused Harry and shook his head, his throat tightening. "I didn't mean to," he said quietly, and to his disgust, he couldn't keep the tears in. Potter'd only seen him cry once, and that had been an accident. Now he'd think Malfoy was the world's biggest wimp. "I just... my dad's going to kill me!" He burst out. Harry looked surprised. "Why?"

"Because I betrayed him. I betrayed the Death Eaters!" Draco cried. "And now they're probably all looking for me!"

Harry was so taken aback, he didn't know what to say. Instinct pulled him forward and he hugged Draco tightly. "Draco, you should've called me."

"I wasn't thinking straight," Malfoy mumbled into Harry's shoulder.

 Harry could tell he was enjoying the hug, so he didn't let go.