Draco Malfoy, Broken

Chapter 60 - Light

Chapter 60 – Light

Published: 10/23/19

***TRIGGER WARNING*** mentions of suicide attempt

***Previously on Draco Malfoy, Broken (que Kansas's "Carry on My Wayward Son")*** Draco was attacked by SADE, beaten, shaved (oh no!) and outed, and he slipped into his "pit" memories of being brutally assaulted by Fenrir, Rabastan and Voldemort. He loses the ability to stop the flashbacks and he's relatively out of it for a few days, stuck reliving his memories. Theo breaks into his mind to rescue him and Harry gives Draco a potion to regrow his hair. However, Skeeter posts a homophobic article about Draco and Harry's relationship (biatch). Draco escapes the confines of the infirmary and runs into Ron, who doesn't hurt him, but Draco slips back into a pit flashback anyways. Harry arrives and beats the crap out of Ron (um, yay?). Draco stays overnight in the hospital, but Dawlish comes in, stuns Neville and threatens to abuse Draco sexually (pig). Draco runs to the Astronomy Tower, done with the pain and abuse and ready to end it. Ron gets his first POV and he's pissed at Harry, but is genuinely concerned about Malfoy's well-being (surprise?) when Neville comes to get Harry. He steals Harry's invisibility cloak and follows Harry to the Tower, and watches as Harry manages to talk Draco down off the ledge.

And now...

Draco woke up suddenly, sitting straight up in the hospital ward. Harry jumped awake immediately in the bed over, no doubt having set silent Caterwauling Charms.

"Draco, are you okay?" Harry asked, slipping out of bed and coming over, though it was barely morning.

Draco took a deep breath. He had taken the Dreamless Potion last night, after Harry had brought him back. He didn't remember any dreams, but he was still apprehensive... just more rested. He nodded.

Harry let out a breath of relief. "Good, that's good... Blaise said that he'll stop by later. Are you... up for visitors?"

Draco wanted to glare at him. He wasn't sick.

"Sorry... I didn't mean to be... umm... overly sensitive. You didn't deserve that," Harry backtracked.

Draco nodded. He hadn't talked since Harry carried him down from the Tower. Madam Pomfrey had insisted that he take the Dreamless Sleep, but he still wanted nothing to do with it. Harry told him that he didn't have to take it, but that was the point where she tried to usher out Harry and the others. Harry and Blaise argued with her for ten minutes about the fact that Neville had been stunned and they couldn't leave him unguarded. Harry ended the argument by saying if she made him leave, he was going to Sectumsempra himself in the hallway. She huffed and told everyone else to leave. She left Harry with him and he had managed to lure him into drinking the sleep potion, anyway. Harry was staying there. He felt safe enough.

Harry sat down in the chair, now facing the entranceway. He looked exhausted, worn down. Draco leaned back into his pillows and stared at the windows. The morning's first light was coming in through the window. A new day had come and maybe there would be some relief for the sense of hopelessness and helplessness that he felt last night.

Harry put his hand on the bed. He wanted... maybe needed, physical contact, but didn't want to ask for it. Draco pulled his hand out from under the blankets and put it in his hand. He felt groggy. He knew he shouldn't have taken that potion. Harry had the right of it. Draco needed to process what had happened... accept it. He was right back where he was last night. Hurting, confused and lost. Blaise would be there soon, too. He might force answers out of him. Draco's breath caught and Harry gave his hand a squeeze.

"It's going to be fine. I won't let anyone make you nervous. You don't have to talk to them if you don't want."

Draco looked at Harry surprised. Did he just read my mind?