Favoring The Strong {Drarry}

- ç -

What, am I supposed to be sorry for still caring about you?

Harry snaps his eyes open and lets the dream, the memory, melt away into nothing. He remembers telling Val after that how his love for Draco was something that just was. As if it had always existed and always would and looking back he can't believe he'd ignored Draco when he had been telling him practically the exact same thing.

He looks over at the less pale but gaunt face and runs a thumb across Draco's cheek.

He'd tried to stay up the rest of the night but somewhere between nurse Bennett coming to check on Draco and him yanking himself out of a bittersweet dream, he had found a way to get to sleep. Even if he doesn't feel as if he got any rest.

Draco is sleeping and he actually looks the part, exhaling little huffs out of his mouth. It's enough to make Harry smile for the first time in 3 days. He squeezes Draco's hand in his before lifting it to his lips and place a light kiss on his knuckles.

"The boys should be coming to visit today," he says to the calm sleeping form of his fiancé. Seeing Draco look so normal makes him attempt a smile. He notices the color coming back to Draco's face and looks down at their intertwined hands, letting his smile grows a little bigger. "Think you're up for it?"

"Depends," says a hoarse voice and Harry's eyes snap open. "Do they expect me to look worse than you?"

Harry doesn't think before throwing his arms around Draco's neck and pulling him into a tight hug. He has barely slept or eaten or done anything besides a quick tempus or freshening charm in the last few days. The tears burst out of him and he knows he should call in a nurse, but he doesn't want to let Draco go. Because Draco's here and alive and awake for the first time in more than 3 days.

"Oh gods, Draco."

"I'm right here, love. I'm not going anywhere."

Harry pulls back and places his hands on Draco's cheeks, looking between his eyes. He looked tired as hell and slightly uncomfortable but not in any immediate pain. Harry dives in for a kiss. It isn't deep or probing, it's soft and loving and says I'm glad you're okay and I missed you. I missed you. Imissedyou.Imissedyou.Imissedyou.

"Your heart stopped," Harry says in a whisper, their foreheads touching. Saying you died hurts too much, regardless of how true it is.

"I'm sorry," says Draco understandably.

"No, I'm sorry," Harry says, "I should have done a perimeter check myself. I still do it at work too and I just didn't think. I didn't—"

"Don't you dare start blaming yourself for this." Draco tries to sit up and tenses up in pain instead. Harry lets go of him to press the nurse call button.

"Where does it hurt? Was I putting too much pressure on your body? I was trying not to manhandle you too much."

"Potter, I swear to Merlin if you don't shut the bloody fuck up—"

"Mr. Black," says a nurse as soon as she walks into the room. "It's so nice to see you awake. Dr. Potter, if you wouldn't mind." She's looking at where he's laid across the bed touching Draco as much as possible while also trying to not put him in immediate pain. He scooches backwards until he's sitting up in his seat and he can watch her check Draco's vitals and current range of motion from a view that isn't in Draco's lap.

"Do we have to worry about the stitches coming loose?" Harry asks her as she starts twisting Draco's torso from side to side.

"Not that I can tell," she says shaking her head. "However, I do have some bad news."

"Bad news?" Harry says, gripping Draco's hand tightly. Draco squeezes back lightly and Harry wants to break down because Draco's the one that's hurt right now. He's the one who almost died 3 days ago and yet here he is trying to reassure Harry. It's a far reach from the guy he knew before. Harry doesn't want to think about the fact that maybe their time apart was necessary for them to be together now. "What kind of bad news?"

"As you know, Dr. Potter, when Mr. Black was brought in, the bullet was still stuck, just pass his ribcage. We had to complete the initial surgery to remove it and make sure he was stable again."

"Yeah, so what?" Harry asks and hopes he doesn't sound as worked up as he actually is. Draco nudges him and both he and the nurse turn to acknowledge him.

"Well, Mr. Black, this seems to be a targeted attack by someone presumably in a cult or with a large following and belief in witchcraft."

"I beg your pardon?" Draco nor Harry are surprised that this was a purposeful attack, but the fact that she thinks it's based in magic is what puts them both on edge. "Sounds ridiculous," Draco says finally and Harry forces a laugh, though the hairs on the back of his neck are standing on end. He's terrified but wired and it shows.

"Yeah, what would make you think something like that?"

"The bullet itself looked strange so we sent it in for testing to make sure you hadn't been poisoned or anytjing as well. When the results came back it showed that it was made of what seems to be melted silver and though it had been hollow, was filled with some sort of chemical mixture including stewed mandrake, but not of any species found locally."

Harry is focusing on her words, trying to piece together what they should mean for Draco now. Stewed mandrake itself wasn't too dangerous and not many potions that included it were particularly deadly but it still felt like she was avoiding something. Draco catches it before he does.

"What do you mean the bullet 'looked strange'?"

"Other than the fact it was an odd color? It was covered in carved symbols for starters." She shakes her head trying to keep her composure, but Harry and Draco are already past the point of calming back down, though they show it in very different ways.

"Why am I just now hearing about this?" Harry barks angrily. "He's been in here for 3 fucking days! You think someone would have told me that someone was after him and willing to use crazy voodoo-whatever to murder him!"

"I apologize," says the nurse,"but considering you two aren't married, I was unable to share this information with anyone without the presence or consent of Mr. Black himself."

"That's absolute rubbish. What if somebody would have come in here while I was asleep or if I wasn't here. They could have—" Harry is on a roll now, but Draco tightens his grip around his fiancé's wrist.

"Thank you for the extremely late heads-up," Draco drawls. "I assume you've alerted my manager or security detail at least? Otherwise, what are you still doing here?"

The Malfoy glare is enough to send her scurrying from the room and Draco lets out a pained breath.

"Of-bloody-course I'm being targeted for an assassination. Can't just have a fucking break, can I?"

Harry knows better than to answer those questions. He's quiet when Draco starts to cry age old war-logged tears. He holds him as gently as he can while he sobs.

Draco is alive and warm and terribly sad and Harry can't figure out how to help him.

-&-

hey futher muckers
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