Dreams

**Oooh, thanks for the two reviews...it was an overwhelming amount...*rolls eyes* However, I really have a weird connection with this piece. And by the way, Harry wasn\'t sleeping around, Alex was his boyfriend for quite some time. Harry cared about him deeply. Anyway, be prepared...


CHAPTER 2 ...Nightmares

It had been months since Draco Malfoy had seen light. A few weeks since he had eaten. His once lean body was gaunt. Sickly. But he wouldn’t give Voldemort the satisfaction of seeing him cry. No, he would be strong.

The cuts and bruises were numerous. Dry blood clung to Draco. His hands had long ago gone numb. They were tied above him. His head fell forward. The once rich white blonde now stringy, falling into his face. Death would be a sweet release, but would never come. No, Voldemort saw to it that Draco lived.

Why had he bothered ightight back? What had gotten into him? Maybe it was that stupid speech Harry Potter had given him at the end of their sixth year. Dumbledore had asked Harry to speak. Draco hadn’t bothered to listen to most of it. Whatever saint Potter said didn’t quite matter to him. It was the unshed tears in Harry’s voice that had caused Draco to finally look up.

Standing up there, in his Gryffindor robes, was everything good in the world. He was looking upon the room, pausing. “We all have dreams. Some big. Some little. Yet there are those who didn’t get to live their dreams. Fellow students who were not given a chance to ever really live. I didn’t ask to be the Boy Who Lived. I didn’t ask to be the one to fight Voldemort. But for their sakes, for the sakes of our friends who didn’t see past their years at Hogwarts, we must fight. We must live and dream and hope.”

The door to the small dungeon room opened. Closing his eyes, Draco remembered his last image of Harry. His hair blowing into his face. A sad smile on his face. Draco felt his lips turn upward. “Wan’ing mo’e a’e ya?”

The man didn’t know magic well, so he resorted to the old fashion ways of torture. He pulled out the whip and began beating the thin boy hanging from the walls. The man only got angrier and angrier when the boy wouldn’t cry. Blood poured from new wounds like running water. Pooling at his feet. His eyes were closed. His breathing heavy. Not even a whimper escaped.

In disgust the man only whipped harder.

The voice startled the man and Draco alike. It hurt to breathe, let alone open his eyes. He was sure it was just another follower of Voldemort. Or even his father. The bas put put him there after Draco tried to curse him in his sleep. Why had he done it?

Because he knew if he ever wanted to show Harry he was good inside he had to do something.

There was a warm body hovering near his. Unlocking the chains that had Draco bound. He collapsed into the waiting arms. Opening his eyes, he let out a small whimper, then fainted.


********

Severus brought the bloody blond to Albus Dumbledore. The old professor looked sickened, and he quickly brought Hermione over to help with the cleaning process. No one knew it was Draco yet. He was battered beyond recognition.

“Is he still in there?” Hermione asked in a shaky voice. She meant Harry. Everyone knew he was in there, looking for Voldemort.

“Yes, but it seems Voldemort has disappeared.” Severus said, sighing deeply. The raid at the Malfoy manor had been rather successful. Many of the more powerful Death Eaters were now dead.

“Where did you find the boy Severus?”

“In the dungeons. I was checking for any more Death Eaters. I was sure he was dead.”

“No, he’s very alive. Just very lucky we have found him.” Dumbledore looked down, the blood now disappearing fast.

“Who is it?” Hermione asked, still trying to make out the features. They seemed familiar somehow.

“I believe it’s Draco Malfoy.” He said softly, wiping a strand of hair out of the closed eyes.

“But…but why? How? I thought he was a Death Eater too!” Hermione gasped.

“I’m afraid not, Mrs. Weasley.” Snape said, moving closer to Draco. “I would have heard about it. I just assumed he was dead.”

“Almost.” Albus said sadly, “almost.”

“He’s back!” Ron called from another room. “Harry’s back!”

There were dark smudges over his face. He looked tired, exhausted even. His shoulders slumped softly. “He wasn’t there.”

“He’s gained more power than we expected Harry.” Severus said, still staring down at Draco.

“I know, I just…who is that?” Harry peered over Hermione’s shoulder.

“Malfoy.” She turned and looked up at Harry. “Professor Snape found him being tortured.”

“He looks horrible.” He studied the once beautiful figure before him. The blood was gone now. Most of his body remained bruised. He was nothing more than flesh and bone.

“Who knows the horroe wee went through.” Hermione said. Her hand rested on her belly. She was now 6 months along, and showed. More often she was beaming, and Ron was too. But now she looked tired. “I never thought I’d feel sorry for him.”

“Alright, I think it’s time we all get sleep. When he wakes we’ll be here to take care of him.” Albus ushered them out of the room. He pulled Harry aside. “Voldemort’s going to regroup now. Next time he’ll come to us.”

“Perhaps it’s better that way. Next time he can’t run away.” With a look of determination, Harry whispered, “next time I won’t let him run away.”

Albus started to say more, but was interrupted by a low moan from the now waking boy on the bed. Harry turned just as Draco sat up in bed screaming. Hurrying over, Albus took the frail blond in his arms, trying to sooth away the nightmares. He was calming down, holding onto Dumbledore as if his life depended upon it.

Watching the scene from a safe distance, Harry felt an overwhelming surge of protectiveness for his once bitter enemy. He might have never liked Malfoy, but he never wanted him hurt like this. Carefully he stepped forward. Albus pulled back some as Harry took a cool cloth and wiped away the tears. “Wh-where am I?”

“A flat in London. Severus found you and brought you here.” Albus spoke softly, not to scare him.

Opening his eyes completely, he looked at Harry. “You-”

“Shh…rest.” Albus laid him down, pulling the cover up a little farther up his bare chest. Harry stood there, silent, brushing some of the hair out of Draco’s eyes.

“He needs to eat.” Harry said, looking at Albus.

“Yes, it does seem that way. I’ll go and get some soup and have someone help him.”

“No need, everyone is asleep. I’ll help him.” Harry said. Draco stared, mute. He couldn’t believe his ears. Harry Potter was going to watch over him? Help him? This had to be a dream. Perhaps the loss of blood had finally gotten to him

“Very well.” Albus disappeared and returned with a warm bowl of what looked to be chicken noodle soup. “If you need any help you know where to find me.”

“Okay.” Harry picked up the spoon and looked at Draco carefully. “Can you feed yourself, or do you need help?”

Shaking his head, he took the spoon from the Gryffindor. Harry grabbed a chair and pulled it up to Draco’s bed. “Thank you.” Draco whispered. He found his throat to be scratched. Painful to talk. The soup burned sliding down.

“How did this happen?” Harry asked, taking the half empty bowl from Draco. The blond was shaking so much. Harry lifted the spoon to Draco’s lips.

Swallowing, he held back the tears. “I…I tried to kill my father. Voldemort found me. Instead of killing me, he decided to let me live. Torture me. Let me suffer.”

“Sick bastard.” Harry continued to feed Draco. He seemed detached from it all somehow. “Why did you try to kill him?”

“Because…I wanted to help. I thought, if I could kill him, then I could get to Voldemort. I tried…but he just laughed. I was in that room ever since.”

The bowl was now empty. Draco felt full for the first time in so long. Suddenly conscious of the fact he was naked under the sheet, Draco clutched the white linen. “Thank you.”

Whatever was going on in Harry’s head, Draco couldn’t tell. Suddenly he was standing pulling Draco up some. “We need to wash your hair. It would make you feel better.” His voice was so soothing. So gentle. Draco stared up and the tender hands now working at his head.

Closing his eyes, Draco relaxed into Harry’s touch. He could feel the fingers scrubbing away the scum. Washing away the dirt, sweat and dried blood. Carefully he pushed Draco back, his hair falling into a tub of warm water. “There we go. Good as new.” Harry dried off the few beads of water running down Draco’s neck, causing him to shiver.

Unable to form words, he stared at the Gryffindor confused. He was sitting on the bed now, combing the now clean hair. Draco’s hand grabbed Harry’s, stopping him. “Am I hurting you?”

“No…I…” it all burst forth. The pain. The fear. The loneliness. Sobs racking his oh so delicate body. Enveloping the blond in his arms, Harry held him close. Never had he felt this protective of someone. It scared him. And in the same way made him feel happy.

When dawn broke the next morning, Albus shut the door to Draco’s room, smiling softly. Harry was asleep, Draco snuggled into his chest.


***OKay, so yeah, there we go...I have more, but I won\'t post it without some reviews...so please, review...