When the Snow Melts

The Promise

The last hour had gone by in an incoherent blur. Somehow they had made it back to the infirmary. Madam Pomfrey used several blood replenishing potions, which brought some of the color back to Harry's cheeks and then she tisked and huffed, mending bones and accessing injuries. She didn't spare a moment to say a word to anyone about his condition, her concerned face severe and threatening.

Draco watched her work feeling panicked, pacing back and forth just out of her line of sight, adrenaline making him feel sick and shaky. All his qualms and reservations from the night before felt ridiculous when faced with the very real possibility that he might lose Harry. He needed him, needed every second he could get with him, he didn't care anymore about fate and prophecies - Harry had promised him forever and he had to believe that.

Madam Pomfrey let out a noisy sigh, her shoulders relaxing a bit. She turned around, her face taking on a look of surprise as she noticed Draco standing there. She had run off Professor Hagrid earlier but had seemed unaware that there was someone else in the room.

"Is he..." Draco started to ask.

"He'll be fine," she huffed. "A mild concussion, a few nasty scrapes, and some broken bones. The branch that punctured his side caused most of his blood loss but thankfully missed all his vital organs. Just a few more centimeters difference and he would have bled out before you found him."

Draco swallowed against the lump forming in his throat, struggling to find his voice. "Can I see him?" he croaked, feeling overly emotional at just how close a call it had been.

She studied his face for a while, no doubt considering their former hostilities and the strangeness of this newfound concern. "I suppose so, but I don't expect that he will wake for another couple of days."

Draco nodded, nervously crossing over to sit next to Harry's bed. Harry's bloodied and torn pajamas had been left in a crumpled pile on the floor, a painful reminder of how he'd been found earlier that day. He couldn't stand to see them there so he vanished them with a swish of his wand.

Madam Pomfrey watched him for a while, her expression torn. "I'll be right back," she announced. "I need to inform his Head of House."

Draco took Harry's bloodied hand, placing a gentle kiss on his palm, before holding it within his own. He let out a relieved sigh, letting the reassuring warmth of his hand comfort him, reminding him that Harry was alive and well.

It wasn't very long before Professor McGonagall stormed into the infirmary and stopped, startled a bit to see Draco tenderly holding Harry's hand. "How did this happen?" she demanded.

Draco looked up at her in alarm, his stomach turning as he glanced guiltily away. "I don't know," he whispered, studying Harry's scratched up face. "We found him in the Forbidden Forest. He must have crashed his broom into a tree."

Professor McGonagall was quiet, too quiet. He snuck a quick glance and looked hurriedly away. She didn't appear very happy with the information he provided. In fact, she seemed quite irate. His heart was beating frantically under the force of her glare.

"Any clue as to why he was flying alone over the Forbidden Forest in the middle of the night?" she asked through gritted teeth.

He swallowed nervously, his eyes wandering to Harry's chest. "I may have said some things that upset him," he admitted quietly.

"So, you were both out of your dorm rooms after hours?" she inquired sharply, her eyebrow arching slightly.

Draco nodded, swallowing nervously.

She let out an angry huff before storming out, possibly to inform Professor Snape, possibly too upset to say another word. She hadn't even given them detention yet, but he knew it was coming eventually.