Unmasked

"I'm Not Worth It."

A/N: Graphic description of self-harm. If this will be a trigger for you, please don't read.

Though Harry slept soundly that night, he was woken abruptly the next morning. The commotion coming from downstairs shocked all the boys in the room out of their slumbers, and Harry and Ron both jumped to their feet. In his pyjamas, Harry bolted out of the room, the yelling and crashing could only be coming from one place... or person. It grew louder as he rounded the corner, more voices coming into focus. Jeering, laughing, taunting... begging.

Harry froze momentarily as he entered the common room from the stairwell, wand raised, eyes wide in horror. Draco was duelling three younger Gryffindor boys. His blanket had fallen on the floor and a vase had shattered from the table beside it. He stood behind it, slowly being backed into the wall. His face was contorted, but Harry couldn't quite tell if it was because of fear or rage.

Slowly the boys moved in on him. Draco deflected their hexes.

"Everte statum!" The left-most boy bellowed. Draco deflected it. "Why are you here, Malfoy?"

"I bet you he's here for help," jeered the boy on the far right.

The first boy chuckled as Draco threw a non-verbal hex their way. He easily deflected it. "Oi! Tryin' to hex us again? See? You don't deserve help."

"Petrificus—" Draco cut him off and threw a bolt of light their way, which crashed off the back wall. His eyes widened as it shattered something on the bookshelf. "Ha! Aren't so tough are you? Not really."

"Stop it!"

"Knock it off, Claire," said the first boy, glancing over his shoulder. "He's no good anyway."

"Stop trying to hurt him! He wasn't doing anything!"

"He's always doing something. You know that." He jabbed his wand towards Draco, who deflected it again. The group of boys stepped forward again. Draco stepped back.

"He was sleeping!' Claire screeched.

Harry could hear Hermione calling to him from the top stairs, but he was too fixated on the scene unfolding in front of him. Too rooted to the spot. He felt like his mouth was sealed by glue.

"We know," said the boy on the right, smirking. "Perfect time to get 'im. But I'm sure you get enough of that at home, don't you Malfoy?"

"Expelliarmus!" The boy's wand flew out of his hand as he looked back towards the Slytherin. His wand lay on the floor, but before Draco could cast another spell, he too had been disarmed.

"That's it, you little shit!" The boy who'd been disarmed shook with rage. "Let's see how much you like it without magic... Boys!"

"No!" Claire screamed behind them as the boys lurched forwards.

Harry was flying down the stairs then, Ron and Hermione in tow. He heard Draco's head hit the wall, and then his body hit the floor. Draco was trying to fight back, but it was useless trying to fight off three other boys in his shape. He yelped as his nose cracked under someone's fist, crying out for someone to help him. "Stop! Please!" The boys kept going, relishing in having the Slytherin finally get what they thought he deserved. "Please! Help me!" He was crying now, the pain overwhelming him... the actions throwing him back to times with his father. "Please! I didn't do anything! I didn—ARGGH!"

Harry and Ron yanked the boys off, pulling them off with all their might. They struggled at first, and Hermione had to stun one of them, who fell face first into the floor.

Harry went to Draco, who had pushed himself against the wall, as far away as he could get. Harry could see the damage on his face and his bony body. His heart clenched as he pulled him into his arms, the other boy shaking. "I didn't do anything! I didn't... I'm sorry!"