Just like Brothers

Chapter 25

Draco's stomach dropped to his feet. He knew he couldn't avoid facing his mother for much longer, however he wasn't expecting this to happen on Christmas.

"We leave as soon as you two change." Severus usher the pair up the stairs.

Harry was unfazed and took the stairs two at a time per usual.

However, Draco's worries intensified with every step he took. He felt sick at the thought of seeing the empty shell of his mother. He was not ready.
        
"Are you ok? You don't look too good, Draco?" Harry asked, clearly concerned as Draco entered the room.
        
"Yeah, yeah, I'm ok," Draco breathed, waving the other boy off.
       
"Are you sure?" Harry tried again.
       
"Yes Potter! Mind your own bloody business." Draco snapped. 
        
Harry frowned, however he didn't look upset or mad, just worried.
       
"This is about your mother isn't it?" He stated as a fact, not a question.
       
"Shove off." Draco mumbled.
       
"You have to go see her. It's been long enough." Harry said.

"Don't tell me what I have to do." Draco tried to seem intimidating but his voice cracked.

"It's going to be fine. It's not like you're going alone. Severus and I will be with you." Harry reassured the Slytherin. "Now get ready."

Draco nodded. He quickly got ready. Pulling on a maroon sweater and jeans. He left his hair un-gelled and stuck his wand into his front pocket.

The trio flooed to the hospital less than an hour after breakfast. They stepped into the lobby that was decorated with Christmas trees, wreaths and candles.

"Happy Christmas!" The receptionist smiled at them.

"Narcissa Malfoy." Snape told her.

She flipped through her large book, humming as she turned each page.

"Janus Thickey Ward for irrevocable spell damage, Room 412." She smiled up at them.

Severus thanked her and they were off to see Draco's mother.

The ward was located on the 4th floor. On the door it read;

        - Broderick Bode
- Agnes
- Gilderoy Lockhart
- Alice Longbottom
- Frank Longbottom
- Narcissa Malfoy

Severus went to open the door however it was locked.

"Alohamora." He flicked his wand and the door swung open.

The room was wide with curtained off sections. Draco assumed these were the different rooms for the patients.

It wasn't loud but it wasn't quiet either, there were hushed conversations coming from behind certain curtains, along with the occasional shout of what was presumably the patients.

A woman, festively dressed, came out of a room in the back corner pushing a cart.

"Hi you guys! Happy Christmas." She said cheerily. "My name is Miriam Strout, I'm the head healer of this ward! Who are you here to see?"

"Narcissa Malfoy." Snape responded.

"Mrs. Malfoy! She's right this way, follow me!" She guided the trio to the the curtained off section across from the one she had just came out of.

"Mrs. Malfoy, you have visitors." She pulled back the curtain to let them through.

Draco saw his mother propped up on the hospital bed. Her hair, once honey blonde was now completely white. Her blue eyes were glazed over, staring straight ahead and her pale skin was ashen and grey.

Miriam Strout silently slipped out of the room. Leaving the three boys alone with Narcissa.

"Mother?" Draco asked, hesitantly stepping forwards. She still hadn't acknowledged their presence, her eyes just remained staring ahead.

He reached out and grabbed her hand in his, they were ice cold. Her head turned slightly and she was now staring at her son.

"Hi, mum." He said weakly, squeezing her hand.

"Hmmmm." She hummed, closing her eyes.

"Happy Christmas." Draco sighed, pulling up a chair to sit besides her. He kissed her hand and pushed a strand of her hair out of her face.

Harry and Severus chose to step out of the room and give Draco time alone with his mother. They were standing in the middle of all the rooms, rustling came from the curtains besides them and a older women with a obnoxious hat wobbled out, a boy following her.

"Neville?" Harry asked, astonished, "what're you doing here?"
     
"What's this?"said Mrs Longbottom sharply. "Haven't you told your friends about your parents, Neville?"

Neville took a deep breath, looked up at the ceiling and shook his head.

Harry could not remember ever feeling sorrier for anyone, but he could not think of any way of helping Neville out of the situation.
        
"Well, it's nothing to be ashamed of!" said Mrs Longbottom angrily. "You should be proud, Neville, proud! They didn't give their health and their sanity so their only son would be ashamed of them, you know!"
       
Neville nodded. 
      
"Stay here and talk to your friend, Neville, I'm going to look for that healer. I have a question for her."  She trotted off at an alarmingly fast pace for an old lady.
       
"What're you doing here, Har..." Neville trailed off as he saw Severus Snape standing besides his classmate.
         
Snape cleared his throat, "Mr. Longbottom," he greeted.
         
To make matters worse, Draco poked his head out of the curtains. At this point, Neville's eyes were like saucers.
         
Draco looked between Snape, Harry and Neville and gestured for Snape to come inside the room.
         
Neville turned back to Harry. A horrified expression plastered on his face.
         
"Neville?" Harry asked, "please don't freak."
         
"Snape? Malfoy? What's going on Harry?" Neville stepped away from the other boy. 
        
"It's...complicated." Harry tried.
        
"No, I'm going to need more of an explanation than that, mate." Neville shook his head.
        
"Fine," Harry sighed, "my...home life, wasn't great,"
he started.
         
Neville's face immediately softened and he winced.
         
"This summer was especially bad. One thing led to another and I'm now under custody of Snape." Harry said, looking down at his shoes.
        
Neville shuddered, "and Malfoy?"
         
"Same sort of situation. We all live at Snape's house." Harry tried to remain as vague as possible, Draco's story wasn't his to tell.
        
"Are you happy?" Neville asked, genuine curiosity etched on his features.
         
"Yeah," Harry smiled, "Yeah, I am." 
          
"That's all that matters," Neville sighed, "do Ron and Hermione know?" 
           
"No!" Harry said quickly, "No, they don't. You can't tell anyone, nobody knows. Nobody but you, and Ginny."
           
Neville nodded, "of course, Harry, your secret is safe with me."
          
"Thank you, Neville. I hope you don't mind me asking but what happened to your parents?" Harry asked.
           
"They were tortured by a death eater when I was just an infant. They've been here ever since." Neville frowned, "Gran takes me to visit them often, but nothing ever changes, they don't remember me, they never will." Neville's voice saddened and he pressed his lips together.
       
Neither him, nor Harry knew that Neville's story crushed the hopes of a certain blond listening to their conversation from behind the curtain.

Draco looked back at his mother, a single tear tracing down his porcelain cheek.