Once a Death Eater...

Chapter 24 - The Lightning-Struck Nightmare

Draco was stood in the upmost room of the observation tower. He had his wand out, pointed towards the elderly man whom he called headmaster. The task at hand was simple in thought, one spell and the deed would be done but the moral implications of this task pushed down on Draco. It would strangle him. It would torment him.

He felt the dark mark burn the skin on his wrist, almost trying to push him into committing the crime.

"I have to do this, I have to kill you... or he's gonna kill me." Draco spoke slowly, he knew he was scared but his voice really gave it away. He sounded shaken and petrified.

Dumbledore gave Draco a look, a knowing look. One that said he knew exactly what Draco was going through and how he knew what was about to happen. The wand in Draco's hand shook but no spell came from Draco's lips as he stood with his wand pointed out.

Before he could react, Bellatrix and an assortment of other Death Eaters were surrounding them. He heard encouragements to kill the old man. Telling him to, "do it Draco!".

He stood shaking, unable to perform the killing curse and before he knew it Snape had appeared and before he knew it, Snape was killing Dumbledore. He watched the curse fly. He watched the light leave the headmaster's eyes. He felt the blame for that death and so many others.

He jolted awake.

He was sat up in bed, in a cold sweat with his chest rapidly rising and falling and panic setting in and a pair of concerned green eyes staring into his own.

Draco couldn't breath, he couldn't catch a breath and all he could do was grasp the other boy who was next to him in bed. He clung to him, arms tangling and tears streaming down his face.

"Draco love, it's okay, you were having a nightmare, I tried to wake you, calm down love." Harry spoke softly and sweetly, yet with concern and a quickened pace. He wrapped his arms around Draco and rubbed his back, trying to calm the panic rising in Draco.

"I'm sorry, I didn't want to, he made me, I... I don't..." Draco cried and hyperventilated. He spoke quietly though, like he was talking to himself. His grey eyes held fear and pain and Harry wanted to hold him until the only thing he felt was happiness.

"Shhh darling, you're safe, you don't have to do anything you don't want to." Harry continued to hold him, he was squirming and shaking and it broke Harry's heart.

It was early morning, around 2:00am. The room was dark, matching the mood of the grey eyed boy and he frantically cried. It were like he was still asleep, like he was still in his nightmare. The bright moon threw shadows around the room, which almost resembled the sinister forms of Death Eaters creeping through their room.

They remained for a few moments. Draco's crying quietened and his shaking stilled and he remained wrapped up in Harry's arms. Harry continued to rub his back and whisper sweet things in his ear.

Eventually, Draco pulled back. His grey eyes were red and bloodshot and sad. He looked up to look into the only colour distinguishable in the dark room, a bright green. They looked down and he could see comfort in them. He could see home in them.

"Draco love, how are you feeling?" Harry asked quietly and softly. Draco gave a blank, almost confused expression before burying his face into Harry's chest, nuzzling and smelling the other boy.

"Scared." Was Draco's reply. His voice was small and hoarse, it sounded nothing like the Draco that Harry knew.

"You had a nightmare?" Harry asked while planting a kiss on to the top of Draco's silver-blonde head. To which Draco replied with a small nod of his head.

"Tell me about it?" Harry was tender and sweet and Draco thought that he definitely didn't deserve him after all he'd done.

"It was that night. That night in the astronomy tower. The night Dumbledore..." Before he could finish his sentence a sob escaped his lips and Harry squeezed him tighter.

"Shhh it's okay love, it was just a nightmare, that's behind us now, that pain's behind us." Harry pulled back a little to look Draco in the eyes. Then moved closer to plant a kiss on his boyfriend's lips.

They kissed for a moment. And then another moment. The kiss was tender and soft and held the emotion the two boys truly felt for one another.

They pulled back and Harry smiled, pulling Draco back into his chest.

"I love you darling." Harry spoke, smiling against Draco's head.

"I love you too." Draco said, a small smile breaking across his face yet in his kind he silently doubted whether he was worthy of such love and happiness.

After a while of silently sitting together in the dark room, cuddled in the small bed, Draco spoke again.

"I hated my home." He spoke quietly, Harry barely heard him when he started. "There were so many bad mementoes at that manor. I'm glad we don't live there anymore."

"Where do you live now?" Harry asked cautiously. Since they became closer Draco didn't particularly want to talk about his home life since the war ended.

"A small, scruffy flat in Peckham. I prefer it though, it doesn't have any bad memories. Not yet anyway." Draco looked down, fingers playing with themselves.

"What do you mean, not yet?" Harry asked slowly.

"Aurors are watching us constantly, my mother can't leave. It's going to get bad pretty quick. I'm just glad my father isn't around." Draco sighed, wincing against Harry's chest when he mentioned his father.

Harry knew a bad home life. Living in the Dursley's home was as bad as it could be, so the twang of sympathy was felt running through his chest wasn't surprising.

"Did your dad ever... was he..?" Harry didn't know how to ask that question. It was a tough topic to bring up.

"He hit me sometimes. Most of the time yeah." Draco knew what Harry was talking about, he knew he probably shouldn't tell Harry because the last thing he wanted was sympathy. He didn't want to be seen as weak.

"I'm sorry you went though that Draco, I know how you feel." This caused Draco to sit up further and turn to look into Harry's eyes.

"What do you mean? You were... hurt?" Draco could feel tears welling at the thought of someone abusing Harry.

"My aunt and uncle who I lived with, they were awful. They'd beat and starve me." Harry said slowly and emotionlessly. He stared back into grey.

"I didn't know... I'm sorry." Draco said as a few tears escaped his eyes, he hugged Harry tightly.

"It's okay love, guess we're just a couple of punching bags." Harry spoke with humour in his voice. The situations they spoke of were awful but something about Harry's dark sense of humour made Draco crack a smile.

"Guess we are, the only person I want to hit me from now on is you." Draco smirked. The two boys started to laugh slightly, before cuddling into one another's arms and lying back down in bed.

"Guess someone's looking to get spanked tomorrow then?" Harry spoke softly with a smirk on his face causing Draco to let out a little laugh.

"You know how to treat a boy right." Draco laughed again and Harry gave him a fond smile.

"Listen Draco, I was wondering, if you wanted, you could spend Christmas with me and Hermione and the Weasley's if you don't want to go back home. It would mean the world to me." Harry smiled, pulling Draco closer to him. Their voices were just above a whisper.

"Erm can I think about it?" Draco asked a little unsure. Christmas with the Weasley's sounded like the most awkward time possible.

"Take on the time you need my love, now we should get some sleep. Night Draco." Harry spoke slowly, his eyes falling shut.

"Night Harry." Draco smiled. The two boys wrapped up in each other's limbs as they slowly shifted back into a deep, lovely sleep.

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