Draco Malfoy, Broken

Chapter 55 - Let You Down

55 – Let you down

Published: 9/3/2019

Updated: 9/11/19 for minor spelling/grammar edits

***TRIGGER WARNING*** PTSD/panic attack

Blaise woke up with a crank in his neck and blinded as the sunlight was coming in the window above their heads. Draco was still on his chest, breathing rhythmically. He was sleeping. Draco, like Theo, always slept better when he was with someone. Blaise had mixed feelings on the subject. His nightmares never made him scream, just mad and embarrassed. He looked at his sundial and it was nearly time to get up, if they wanted breakfast.

He took Draco's hand and whispered, "Dray. It's time to get up."

Draco's eyes slowly opened and he yawned. "What?"

"Time for breakfast and class. And to find Potter."

Draco jerked up to a sitting position. "Harry."

"Yes... get up. I need to stretch," Blaise said, groaning.

Draco complied and clambered to his feet. Blaise slowly followed. Everything was sore and aching. He did not like the floor.

"Sorry," Draco said, looking guilty.

"Hey... I locked you in here, remember?"

Draco grimaced and looked at the door. He nodded. "Thanks, for kidnapping me."

"Anytime. That's what friends are for, right?"

Draco nodded, again. He still was avoiding his eyes. "What happened yesterday... anyway? You two left and then you were yelling at Ginny."

Blaise's shoulders dropped. Draco had to know. Of all the people who he had talked to about it, Theo, Neville and Ginny, this was going to be the most difficult. But there was no one that else Blaise felt safer with. "You remember when I told you that my mom found out about... Flint and the others..." he trailed off. He was the one who couldn't meet Draco's eyes, now. Not about this. Draco was his protector, in this regard.

"Yeah," Draco said, his voice a little firmer. He never shirked his responsibilities to his friends. He was still, alert and watching him very carefully.

"Pucey and Montague asked to meet me in Hogsmeade," he whispered, lowering his head more. He knew Draco would not be pleased that he went there, willingly, and he was right.

"What?!" Draco growled.

Blaise meekly glanced up at him. Draco's face was hard, anger etched across it. He was straight, taller than him now, as Blaise was the one cowering. There was no uncertainty in Draco's posture, now. Blaise couldn't help but shake from his extreme shift in emotions. He always knew how protective Draco was over his friends, especially him. Maybe he should have brought up this last night and saved himself from that embarrassing confession. However, Blaise knew it was harder to get Draco to open up when he was mad.

"I'm sorry." He dropped his head, again, too embarrassed to look him.

Draco let out a breath and regulated his tone. "Why would you go talk to them?"

Blaise couldn't answer. He never could say no, even to pain. "I guess to find out what they wanted. They weren't that bad."

"They weren't that b..." Draco began angrily, but took a deep breath. "What happened?"

"They..." he stopped. Tears came out and Draco stepped closer and hugged him.

Blaise could scarcely comprehend the sudden role reversal, but it was nearly instantaneous. Blaise had been consoling Draco all night long and, at just a few words, Draco was taking care of him. Blaise felt so safe in his arms. No one had protected him like Draco had. He was his brother in every way but blood. Theo would defend and die for him, too, but Draco, he would protect him, whatever the cost. He had rendered Flint impotent, battled tooth and nail to pull Blaise back from the edge, and done everything humanly possible to protect him from the Death Eaters. Draco might have been nine months younger than him, but he was always acted like his older brother.