To Dare You

Chapter Eighteen

"Harry, drink this!" Draco exclaimed as Harry shut his lips. He held out the vile of green sloshy liquid above his mouth. He smirked as Harry shook his head. "Okay, fine, then no 'cuddles' tonight even if you have nightmares," Draco huffed, he himself thinking it was quite odd of a deal. But not bad, either. "Sound good?" He put the vial onto the table.

"No cuddles?" Harry asked, hugging the boy and staring up into his eyes.

"Nope."

"Fine." Harry grabbed the bottle and downed it, gagging as it hit his throat. As usual, after a few days of drinking the potion in the morning, he ran to the bathroom, puking up his food from earlier.

Draco held his hair back as usual, sighing, getting bored of the routine. Harry looked for sure less bony, almost back to his still skinny and scrawny self. "You okay?" Draco asked, getting used to asking. But this time Harry looked sicker than usual, normally he would puke once or twice and leave, but this time he stayed, looking pale, even his eyes turning a dull green. "Harry?"

"Y- yeah, I'm fine," He stood up, wobbling on his knees. "No, actually, I don't think so," he admitted as he fell over.

"What's wrong?" Draco asked, genuinely sounding concerned.

The past days were a bit more eventful. They might have been friends, but they still fought, a lot,it was almost like they were enemies again. But Draco sometimes put up with Harry's aggressiveness and pain, realizing he had no control over it.

"Harry?" He asked again as the boy stood up shakily.

"I- I think I just need to rest," He told him, leading him back into their room, sitting on the bed. He pulled out his book 'The Tales of Beatle the Bard' and tried to read it, while Draco just stared at him concernedly. "I'm okay, Draco!" He told him, breathing heavily.

A/N: Trigger warning, self harm and mentions of in next couple of paragraphs.

"Harry James Potter, show me your arm." Draco told him, knocking the book out of his hands. "Now! Harry!" He shrieked, genuinely scared. "Please?" He breathed, feeling tears well as Harry refused. Draco lifted the sleeve of the arm conjoined to his, and saw the cuts. Fresh cuts. "Why are you doing this?" He asked as Harry looked away.

"It hurts, Draco," He cried softly. "So much."

"What does?" Draco asked stupidly, actually not knowing if he was talking about his cuts, his mental state, or whatever it was that was making him cry, probably his parents?

"Everything, Dray," He whimpered. "Everything does. My parents are gone. I don't deserved to be loved. I don't deserve to live. Draco, It hurts!" He was now sobbing, scratching at his arm.

"Harry, thats right," Draco hugged him. "You deserve so much more." He cleared most of his cuts with a spell, returning to hugging the trembling boy.

Harry leant into Draco's comforting arms and curled up, crying like a baby.

Draco almost cradled the boy, rocking him like a mother would do to a child, hoping it wasn't uncomfortable for Harry as both their arms twisted in directions so Draco could do so. "It's going to be okay, Harry," Draco cooed softly as Harry sniffled slightly, almost feeling in his little space. "Right?"

Harry stubbornly shook his head.

"Harry James Potter, It will be fucking okay, do you understand?" He asked, kind of harshly.

Harry gave in and nodded, falling asleep in his arms.

* * *

"How do I help him?" Draco breathed to Snape, Dumbledore, and McGonagall, who all stood around the bed, watching as Draco held the boy covered in scratches. "It's getting worse, he's not even doing it on purpose!"

Professor McGonagall look lost at words. "I-"

"Spend time with him, make him feel loved." Dumbledore suggested... smirking?

"Okay, no, now is not the time for your stupid bet!" Draco screamed, not loud enough to wake the not-so-peacefully sleeping brunette. "Seriously, okay?!"

"I'm being serious." His eyes twinkled. "Spend time with him while you are excused from classes. It well help him; how much, no one can known but it will. Please, Draco?"

"Fine," He whispered as Harry stirred. "Not that I have a choice," He joked again, smiled sadly at Harry.

"Good," Snape sneered, obviously not caring.

"Good night to you," McGonagall smiled sadly and apperated away after the two professors.

* * *

Draco, very unsurprisingly, woke up to Harry still in his arms, letting out soft cries. "Shh," He shushed as he whimpered. "You okay?" He swayed the boy back and fourth, remembering Dumbledore's unwise words. Merlin, even he was getting tired of asking if Potter was okay.

He nodded slowly. "I'm fine, it just h- hurts." He pointed to his arms and legs which were covered in scratches, most dripping blood.

"You're so stupid, Potter." He joked, healing the wounds.

"Thanks," He mumbled, nuzzling his face into Draco's chest.

Merlin, Draco could never get over the feeling when Harry did something cute, especially small snuggles, or even hugs. He smiled and blushed, ruffling Harry's hair.

"I miss Silver," Harry laughed, definitely missing giving the small animal belly rubs and massages. Even though he didn't talk, the fuzzy animal was better company than the drawling Malfoy, other than when cuddling, that was just, well, different.

"Hey!" Draco laughed. "I am- wait. Potter."

"You are Silver. This bond," He held up their hands. "Is a human-human bond, so if you turn into Silver...?!"

"We will get removed for the time!" Draco gasped, immediately turning into the white fuzz ball, purring in happiness at their hands disconnected.

Harry got greeted by his soft white fur - just like his hair, his beautiful silver eyes that he couldn't normally just stare into all of the time, which also because he could get lost in them, stare at them all day, every day without getting bored, his little paws, and cute wiggling pink nose.

Draco dooked- and Merlin Harry missed the sound- and jumped into Harry's arms, immediately grasping him, licking his neck and face passionately.

"You never acted like this when I've been stuck with you for four weeks," Harry mused, placing him on his lap, petting Draco and massaging his ears how he liked it.

He just purred in response.

Harry could just imagine him saying something like "Well, Potter, you give me better cuddles and pets as a ferret." His tears subsided as Draco, oddly enough, hopped onto his face and licked the tears away. Weird much?

A/N: By the way, If you haven't noticed, my writing skills are a shitload better when Draco is a ferret for some reason. This chapter wasn't planned at all, I just thought of the last part randomly, so don't judge please! The last part also restored my heart.