So Wrong, Yet So Right

A/N: Thanks to everyone for your wonderful reviews! I'm so glad you're still liking this story!!

*****
He hurriedly ran through the corridors, searching for Draco, though he knew it was a lost cause, not knowing where the boy would have gone and the castle being too large. Suddenly remembering the Marauder Map hidden in his trunk, he ran up the stairs leading to Gryffindor Tower, hoping to slip in and out without any questions from his housemates.

He entered the dorm and looked around, noting only a few students in the common area, thankful that it was still early for most of them to be up. He quickly made his way to his dorms, stopping halfway when he saw Hermione sitting on one of the sofas crying. “Hermione?” he worriedly asked.

She quickly turned toward him, tears streaming down her face. “Oh Harry,” she wept, her bottom lip quivering.

He immediately moved closer to her, forgetting all about Draco for the moment. “What happened?” he protectively growled, believing someone had hurt her. She still was his best friend after all, despite their little fight yesterday.

“I’m so sorry, Harry,” she sniffled. “Please forgive me.”

He sat down on the sofa, wrapping his arms around her. She cried on his chest, her body trembling. “Shh, Hermione, it’s okay,” he softly comforted, rubbing her back in tiny circles. “It’s okay.”

“No, it’s not. I should’ve known,” she whispered. “I should’ve known.”

“How did you find out?” he curiously wondered.

“Ron,” she hesitated. “H-he told me everything, Harry. I’m so sorry.”

Harry furrowed his eyebrows, confused why Ron would have confessed something like that to her. That just didn’t seem right. “He told you?” he asked, wanting to make sure he heard her correctly.

“Yes,” she hiccupped. “Last night in the infirmary.”

She then paused, shaking her head and clutching his shirt tightly. “He’s really badly hurt, Harry. Pomfrey’s saying they may have to take him to St. Mungo’s if he doesn’t get any better.”

Harry chewed on his bottom lip, needing to keep his comments to himself. Of course he didn’t want him to die (he wasn’t as heartless as he was), but he was still angry with him and didn’t want to say anything that would upset Hermione.

“I still can’t believe he did that to you, and then him going after Ron like that. He was just so angry when he heard what happened to you, Harry,” she continued.

He immediately stopped rubbing her back and pulled away, furrowing his eyebrows once more in confusion. Something just wasn’t adding up. “Hermione, what exactly did Ron tell you?”

She sadly stared at him, tears no longer rolling down her cheeks. “He said you were severely beaten,” she whispered, quickly glancing around the room, noticing some curious stares in their direction. She picked up her wand and cast Muffliato at them before returning her attention to Harry. “By Malfoy.”

“What?” he shrieked, quickly standing up from the sofa and staring at her in shock.

“Oh Harry, you didn’t know it was him?” she fearfully asked, tears starting to roll down her cheeks again. “Ron overheard him talking about it last night with Zabini. He was so upset, Harry. Malfoy beat him up as soon as he confronted him, threatening not to tell anyone.”

“That’s a fucking lie!” Harry suddenly screamed, his face reddening in anger.

Hermione winced at his sudden outburst and then furrowed her eyebrows. “What are you talking about?”

“Draco didn’t beat me up, Ron did!” he exclaimed, no longer caring about the redheaded git to keep it a secret. How dare that fucking prat make up lies like that. “Draco found me. He saved me.”

Hermione frowned, standing up from the sofa and placing a comforting hand on her friend’s shoulder. “I think you’re a bit confused, Harry,” she whispered.

He quickly stepped back, releasing her hand from his shoulder. He then shook his head, glancing around the room, glad she had put up that spell to keep the eavesdroppers at bay. “I’m not confused, Hermione. Draco found me. He didn’t hurt me.”

“And you’re saying Ron did?” she questioned, still not convinced.

“Ron and someone else, yes,” he replied, his voice shaking in anger.

Hermione silently studied her friend’s face, noticing the tears starting to form in his eyes. Was he really telling the truth, or was he just confused? Why would Ron hurt him? What would have made him so upset to do that? It wasn’t like he was upset about Harry being gay. He had known about that for a while. And what about Malfoy? Why would he care about Harry to want to save him, or even protect him?

She slowly lowered her gaze down his face and then stopped, seeing the recognizable bruise on his neck. She widened her eyes in surprise and looked back up, everything finally making sense. She immediately wrapped her arms around her friend and held him close as tears fell down her cheeks again. “Oh Harry,” she cried.

He wrapped his arms around her to complete the hug and nodded, aware of what she knew. “I told him not to go after him, but he couldn’t help it,” he softly whispered, tears finally making their way down his face. “He knew it was wrong, but he just had to-”

“He had to protect you,” she interjected. “Damn it Harry, if that idiot wasn’t lying in the hospital wing right now, I’d do the same.”

Harry lightly chuckled, happy to know she was still on his side and their friendship would be okay. “Thank you,” he quietly said.

She then gasped, quickly breaking their hug and shaking her head. “Harry, we have to go to McGonagall,” she frantically stated.

He immediately shook his head. “No, I just want to forget it. He already got what he deserved. Just leave it.”

“No, you don’t understand,” she shakily continued. “He’s in trouble.”

“Who is?”

“Malfoy,” she gulped. “H-he made me swear not to tell, but I couldn’t. I told her everything that Ron said.”

Harry immediately paled, quickly moving toward the door with Hermione following after. “I’m really sorry, Harry. I thought I was doing the right thing,” she sadly continued.

“I know you did,” he sighed, knowing all too well.

*****
He fidgeted slightly in his chair, waiting for Dumbledore to arrive. McGonagall had caught him a little after running out of Severus’ chambers, demanding him to follow her to the Headmaster’s office. He immediately knew it had to do with Weasley, knowing the prat would squeal on him. He only wished he knew what type of punishment he would get, hoping not immediate expulsion.

“Mr. Malfoy,” Dumbledore soon greeted, entering his office and sitting at his desk in front of Draco.

Draco worriedly chewed on his lower lip, noticing the man’s stern face. It was definitely understandable for the man to look at him like that. He had hurt one of his precious Gryffindors, one of the Golden Trio no less. It wasn’t like he knew the truth.

“Do you know why you’re here?” Dumbledore asked.

Draco gulped, glancing over at McGonagall who was standing off to the side. He slowly nodded, returning his attention to the old man.

Dumbledore sighed, shaking his head. “So you don’t deny what you’ve done?”

Draco silently shook his head, hearing the man sigh once more. “I see,” he whispered. “Who was the other one?” he then asked, causing Draco to furrow his eyebrows.

“The other one?” he questioned.

“That helped you,” he explained. “Was it Zabini?”

“What?” he asked again, glancing over at McGonagall, confused by his question.

“Potter said there were two,” she glared at him. “Who was the other one?”

Draco suddenly widened his eyes in shock, turning to look at the Headmaster. “Wait, you think I attacked Potter?” he gasped.

Dumbledore leaned back in his chair, quirking an eyebrow. “Did you not just admit to that?”

“No!” he exclaimed, quickly looking over at McGonagall. “I found him. I helped him.”

“Yes, well knowing how your relationship with Potter has been over the past few years, you can see where we would have some qualms about that,” she expressed.

“But it’s true! I didn’t attack him!”

“So you’re saying Mr. Weasley is lying?”

Draco growled, immediately turning his attention to Dumbledore. “Yes,” he seethed.

“And is he also lying about you attacking him?” Dumbledore asked.

Draco opened his mouth to answer before snapping it shut and glancing at the floor. He knew he couldn’t explain it unless he told them everything, and there was just no way he was going to do that to Harry. “No,” he whispered instead, keeping his gaze on the floor.

“So you did attack both of them?”

He nodded, realizing it honestly didn’t matter anymore. They would never believe him, so why fight it? At least Harry knew the truth. And that’s all that mattered.

“Mr. Malfoy, are you aware that this kind of behavior is grounds for expulsion?”

“Yes,” Draco faltered.

“Are you also aware that given your legal age, you’ll be tried before the Wizengamot?”

He immediately looked up, tears forming in his eyes. “I could go to Azkaban?” he fearfully asked.

Dumbledore frowned, leaning forward in his seat. He couldn’t quite place it, but there was just something not fitting. “Malfoy, did you attack them?” he inquired once more.

Draco frantically chewed on his bottom lip, staring down at the floor once more. “I attacked Weasley,” he softly admitted.

“Just Weasley?”

He took a deep breath before slowly nodding.

“Why did you attack him?”

“I can’t say,” he murmured, shaking his head.

“Mr. Malfoy, you are in a lot of trouble,” McGonagall suddenly spoke up, moving closer to Dumbledore’s desk. “Things will go much more smoothly if you tell us what happened.”

He shook his head again, not wanting to look up. “I can’t,” he whispered.

“Why not?”

“I just can’t,” he repeated, tears beginning to roll down his face.

“Why? Who are you protecting?” she growled.

“Me,” a voice suddenly said, causing all three to look toward the doorway.

Draco let out a relieved sigh, hurriedly wiping his tears away. Dumbledore silently observed the blond, noticing the small spark in his eyes as soon as he had looked over at the boy. Yes, there was definitely more to the story.

“Harry, please come in,” he beckoned.

Harry nodded, slowly making his way to the empty chair next to Draco, keeping a tight grip on Hermione’s hand for support.

Draco narrowed his eyes when he saw their joined hands, feeling his jealousy boil up. Unhand him, Mudblood, he’s mine, he growled to himself.

As if hearing his thoughts, Harry quickly looked over at him and then down at their hands, immediately releasing her hold.

“Harry, what is Malfoy protecting you from?” Dumbledore inquired.

Harry sighed, taking the seat in the empty chair as Hermione stood behind it. “I found out who one of my attackers was,” he hesitantly began, sadly glancing over at Draco. “And so did Draco.”

Dumbledore raised an eyebrow, staring between the two boys. “Harry, is one of your attackers laying in the infirmary right now?” he gently asked.

Harry licked his lips and nodded, grabbing Draco’s hand and squeezing it tenderly. Draco immediately stared up at him, surprised by the action. Of course he didn’t mind, but he had no idea Harry was ready to tell people about them yet, especially to the ones inside that room.

Harry smiled and winked at him, returning his attention back to Dumbledore. “I know what you both heard, but it’s not true. Draco didn’t hurt me; Ron did. Well, Ron and somebody else.”

“You still don’t know?” McGonagall sighed.

Harry shook his head, smiling when he felt Draco lovingly squeeze his hand back. “I told Draco I didn’t want to tell anyone, but he was afraid for me,” he continued. “He knew if Ron didn’t get punished, he would more than likely do it again,” he paused, glancing over at the blond. “Just like the guys who did it to him when he didn’t say anything.”

Draco bowed his head and closed his eyes, feeling tears begin to form again as memories of his beatings came rushing back. He took a deep breath when he felt Harry gently glide his thumb along his hand, knowing he was safe.

“Well, as much as we understand the nature of Draco’s actions, we can’t condone what has happened,” Dumbledore softly began. “Ron is in very critical condition right now.”

“And I wasn’t?” Harry suddenly snapped, feeling Draco tighten his grip. “I almost died, Professor,” he shakily continued. “If Draco…if he hadn’t found me when he did…”

“Yes, I know Harry,” he calmly said, raising a hand to quiet him. “And as soon as Ron gets better, we will talk to him about it. But right now, we need to focus on one thing at a time,” he explained, glancing over at Draco.

Draco nervously swallowed. “Am I gonna have to go to trial?”

“Well,” he sighed, “since Professor McGonagall and I just heard about this, the authorities have yet to be called. Due to the new circumstances involved, I think it best we keep them out of it for right now,” he expressed, looking over at the Deputy Headmistress and seeing her nod in agreement.

Draco gasped, tears forming in his eyes once more, grateful at the thought of not having to go to Azkaban.

“But if Mr. Weasley is sent to St. Mungo’s, they will need to be notified,” he added.

Draco nodded, hurriedly wiping his eyes.

“I believe detention for the next two months is an appropriate measure,” he then continued. “Each school night after dinner, you will report to Filch.”

“Yes sir,” Draco readily agreed.

“And all future Hogsmeade visits are cancelled.”

“Okay.”

Dumbledore nodded, glancing over at McGonagall. “Anything else?”

“Quidditch?” she inquired.

Draco gulped, worriedly staring between the two professors. They couldn’t take Quidditch away from him; it was the only thing he loved in that school (besides his two lovers, of course). He held his breath as he waited for the man’s answer, feeling Harry gently squeeze his hand.

Dumbledore sighed, glancing over at the blond. “Yes, well I think it best that-”

“Professor, no,” Harry suddenly exclaimed. “You can’t take that away from him.”

“Harry,” Hermione quietly chastised, as McGonagall narrowed her eyes at him for interrupting. Harry immediately blushed in embarrassment, gazing down at the floor.

Dumbledore lightly chuckled. “No Harry, what I was going to say is that I think it best that Draco be allowed to stay on the team.”

Harry and Draco excitedly looked at each other, smiling and turning toward Dumbledore. “Really?” Draco asked.

“Yes, although I am revoking your status as captain,” he replied.

Draco nodded, not even caring about losing captain. As long as he was still on the team, that was all that mattered. “Thank you sir,” he sighed in relief.

“You three may go,” Dumbledore concluded, nodding his farewell to them.

Harry and Draco immediately stood up, still holding hands as they followed Hermione toward the door.

“Mr. Malfoy?”

Draco slowly turned back around, worriedly facing the Headmaster. “Yes sir?”

“You should know that next time, we won’t be so lenient,” he warned.

Draco nodded, quickly wiping his eyes to rid the last of his tears. Harry smiled, pulling him gently toward the door.

Once outside Dumbledore’s office, Hermione turned toward Malfoy and frowned. “Malfoy, I’m so sorry,” she immediately apologized. “I just…I had no reason to think Ron would lie about that,” she hesitated.

Draco sighed, nodding in understanding. “I know, Granger,” he whispered, sometimes wishing he didn’t have such a horrid reputation.

He suddenly widened his eyes in surprise when she hugged him, completely caught off guard by her action. “What was that for?” he asked, as she backed away.

She blushed, quickly glancing over at Harry and smiling when she saw his gobsmacked expression. She then sighed, returning her attention back to Malfoy. “You saved my best friend’s life, Malfoy. I don’t think I can thank you enough,” she explained.

He gulped and looked over at Harry, seeing him staring at him with adoration in his eyes. He immediately licked his lips, realizing how much he wanted him in that moment. Suddenly, thoughts of what they had done the night before entered his mind and he widened his eyes in disbelief. Bloody hell, what had he done? It was his first time. How could he have left him like that? Sure he was upset with Severus, but that still didn’t give him the right to storm away from Harry as well.

Harry furrowed his eyebrows in concern. “Draco, are you okay?” he asked.

“Fuck Harry, I’m so sorry,” he suddenly whispered, wrapping his arms around him and holding him close.

Harry nervously swallowed, hugging him back as he glanced over at his confused friend. Of course she wouldn’t understand it; she’d never understand it. “I know,” he softly murmured in his ear. “It’s okay.”

“I already miss him, Harry,” he quietly said.

“I know,” he mumbled, combing his hand through his soft blond hair, nodding at his friend who just motioned that she was leaving.

“I didn’t even say goodbye,” he continued, crying on his shoulder. “Oh god, what if something happens to him?”

“Nothing’s going to happen,” he assured him. “He’ll be back before we know it.”

“I’m just so scared,” he wept. “Losing my father was bad enough. I can’t lose him too.”

“You won’t, Draco,” he comforted, gently lifting the boy’s head off his shoulder and giving him a soft kiss on the lips. “He’ll come back,” he then whispered, staring into his teary eyes.

Draco slowly nodded, sniffling back some tears. He then started to laugh, shaking his head. “I think I’ve cried more in the past few days than I have ever cried in my entire life. What have you done to me?”

Harry chuckled, gliding his thumb underneath Draco’s eyes, wiping away his tears. He then reached down and grabbed his hand, leading him down the hall. As they neared closer to the Great Hall, he anxiously chewed on his bottom lip and glanced over at him. “Is this okay?” he timidly asked, gazing down at their joined hands.

Draco smiled, gripping his hand tighter. “More than okay,” he replied, kissing him once more before they entered the Great Hall for breakfast, never parting hands.