What Shakes The Elephant

What Shakes The Elephant

Chapter 44 – Close To Nothing At All

They were walking now.

Once breakfast was done and they had given their thanks and said their goodbyes, Luna had given them a map of the Forbidden Forest with a clearly outlined trail to follow in order to reach the Hogwarts grounds. She had warned them not to show the map to anyone else, as it was the only one that outlined specific trails in the forest. Hogwarts was well protected from possible intruders and the forest was the only way to penetrate those protections. The only reason that Hogwarts was considered as safe as it was, stemmed from the fact that most wizards were far too frightened of the unknown horrors that rested amidst the trees.

Now they were walking and everything had happened in such a blur that Harry had no clue where they were. Draco had taken control of the map and seemed to be leading them along the right track, but Harry would not have been able to tell if it had been wrong. They could have easily been walking in circles and Harry would not have known better.

His mind was far too occupied with thoughts as he tried to sort through them to understand everything. Forget what he had learned about the portraits; there was no hope of understanding Luna’s logic there and he, honestly, rather preferred not to.

No, he was too busy bouncing back and forth between thoughts of what his feelings for Draco meant and why it was, precisely, that Hogwarts had ever been considered particularly safe.

Considering that latter first, Harry had faced Voldemort head on practically once every year he was at Hogwarts. Death-Eaters had infiltrated more than once. A proclaimed serial murderer (though Sirius had not actually been one) had managed to break through not only the wards and protections but a wall of Dementors as well. Then, all things considered, Hogwarts held its own deadly and dangerous monsters within its walls. There, really, had been no real protection at all.

Other than, perhaps, Dumbledore. Yet even he had had been called out of Hogwarts many times in the worst possible moments. Once he was gone, the only ones protecting the school had been Harry, Ron and Hermione –disregarding the help that the teachers might have provided.

Furthermore, Dumbledore was dead now. He was gone and no matter if he remained in the hearts of those who knew and loved him, his protection to the school was gone as well. Professor McGonagall had retired some many years ago. Snape was gone (though Harry still wondered what might be different if he had survived). Even Hagrid had retired from his duties as gamekeeper of the school. True, the giant still remained in his hut on the grounds but he did not fulfill his old duties. Harry had heard, however, that Hagrid was gone from Hogwarts at the moment. They had a new gamekeeper that Harry did not know.

Argus Filch had long since passed away and was replaced by a much bubblier and yet much stricter little woman by the name of Snotra Vaillance. She, however, also had a cat. Several cats actually. Some strange army of feline watchers to keep a weathered eye on the students, Harry seemed to recall. Al mentioned them once. Or perhaps it had been Teddy during his last years of school.

He suddenly felt a lurch in his stomach at the thought that he had not seen Teddy in quite a long time. He felt guilty, though Teddy was quite an adult now. Harry resolved that once they had returned from Hogwarts he would pay a visit to his godson.

Yet his thoughts returned to Hogwarts and how much it had changed over time. So many teachers that he had known were gone, so many of the safeties he had taken for granted no longer lingered around the old castle and Harry then had a feeling of dread wash over him.

The illness gave way to further worry. Hogwarts was not as safe as it had once been (if it had ever been very safe at all). His children, his nieces, nephews, friends of his children and innumerable innocents were all congregated there now without adequate protection.

But Voldemort was gone now. The Death-Eaters had disbanded and were captured. There was no one sitting out there, biding their time and waiting to attack Hogwarts. There was no need to fear those old wounds any longer, no need for old nightmares.

Harry sighed heavily as they walked and then his thoughts went back to Draco. The tall blonde walked casually at his side, occasionally glancing at the old parchment in his hands to assure himself they were on the right track. Harry scrutinized him for a moment. Draco’s silver eyes lingered on the page, following the line of the trail until it went off the map, presumably to Hogwarts grounds. He licked his soft lips and smirked as he gazed around them. Apparently they were exactly where they should be.

Harry felt himself smiling. An odd comfort washed over him at seeing Draco this way and he had not even noticed it. He felt warm and sticky. His robes were clinging to him unpleasantly and the fabric was itchy and coarser than he had remembered it.

It was horribly uncomfortable in comparison to Draco’s skin…

Harry flushed softly and looked away from Draco though he knew the other man was not paying much attention to him.

“You have hungry eyes, Potter,” Draco’s smooth voice hissed at him. Harry calmed his nerves and looked back defiantly.

“I do,” he answered with a sneer. “I’m afraid there isn’t anything nearby that can satisfy their hunger.”

Draco’s expression shifted and displayed his disbelief. Harry had become rather good at mimicking the Malfoy sneer, though he didn’t want to think it had come with practice.

“Rich words for someone so poorly able to support them,” he retorted. Harry soaked in the sarcasm; he soaked in the rivalry they managed to maintain despite every situation. He loved it.

“I think you’ve forgotten who you’re dealing with,” he chuckled darkly. Draco shook his head and they walked on, quietly though the silence was comfortable and bore many hidden promises.

Suddenly, the weather changed. It was no longer sunny and hot. The trees were not leafy and thriving on the warmth. Instead, the ground was hard and cold and covered in a white blanket. The trees twisted their way up through the frozen ground and stood like skeletons against the bright, clear sky. They were covered in snow as well and the air had become bitterly cold.

Then Harry remembered that it was, in fact, February. Yet, still, it was abnormally cold for that time of year.

He pulled his robes closer and remembered to replace the cloak he had unknowingly been carrying around with him. Draco did the same and they both shivered from the sudden shift. Harry watched Draco closely as he arranged his cloak and smirk. Somehow, despite his eyes and hair and whole demeanour, Draco looked out of place amidst the dead trees and snow-covered ground to Harry.

He couldn’t explain the heat that rose in his stomach at the thought of Draco, his skin fully bared to the world and soaking up the hot summer sun. He shuddered from the unexpected chilling breeze and returned to the present.

“That was unexpected,” Draco muttered, reopening the map to reassess their position. Harry did nothing but nod as the blond began to lead the way once more.

The walk was harder now, through the snow and frozen atmosphere. Harry walked more closely to Draco, hoping that the other man would not notice and mock him for it. Yet, if it hadn’t seemed so strange, Harry could have sworn that Draco was leaning into Harry as they walked.

They trudged on slowly but surely, while Harry paid no attention to the road at all. He was captivated by the feel of Draco so close to him and yet so far. He wanted to go back to the grove and stay there, no matter how much other thoughts and duties nagged at him.

There was something all-too comforting about being naked with the blond and Harry needed to remind himself that it was not ‘normal’ conduct. He had other things to think about, other people he loved, other matters pressing on his time.

“ARGH!” Harry found himself screaming suddenly as a powerful hand yanked at the collar of his robes and he went flying forward, hurtling towards the ground that would not come.

In the flurry of movement, he realized that Draco was beneath him and they were both still falling. Snow and dead leaves were scattering around in a cloud of debris as they sliced through the cold air with no ground to catch them until it was much too late.

His eyes widened and he searched for his wand as he clutched Draco’s hand that was grasping at his robes. Draco’s face was pulled in a mixture of fear and discomfort as he tried in vain not to let go of Harry.

Finally, his fingers closed around the thin shaft he sought and Harry pulled out his wand to cast a cushioning charm on the rocky ground beneath them. They hit the charm hard together and the impact forced them together with an agonizing crunch.

Draco cried out from the pain as Harry landed on top of him and the charm buckled beneath them, dropping them to the hard ground anyway. Harry whimpered at the sound and felt something crack inaudibly underneath him.

He was shaking and in so much pain that he couldn’t bring himself to move off of Draco, despite the fact that the blond was not moving beneath him. He took a few moments to breathe and try to find his strength. Then, as soon as he did, he pushed himself up and off of Draco but he still did not move. His eyes were closed and he seemed to be unconscious.

At least, Harry hoped that he was only unconscious.

“Draco,” Harry pleaded to the motionless man. “Draco wake up. Draco!” But nothing.

Harry shuddered and his heart raced with fear. He pulled open Draco’s robes to see his torso. At the sight of it, Harry paled. Draco’s pale skin was now darkening with the blossoming bruises beneath the surface. Harry pressed a finger gently to his sides and winced immediately upon the sound it made. At least one of his ribs was broken.

“Draco, please,” Harry urged the other man. “Wake up, please, wake up!”

Still nothing and Harry was not at all talented with healing charms. That was Hermione’s forte.

More importantly, that was Draco’s forte.

“Ferula,” Harry whispered to the skin and tight bandages poured from his wand and wrapped themselves around Draco’s body to bind him in place. He didn’t know if it would help, but it was all he could do and he was too scared not to do anything at all.

Thankfully, the pain from the bindings caused Draco to convulse and cry out. He lashed out and grasped the collar of Harry’s robes once more, perhaps out of reflex. Then, in another blurred movement, Harry was yanked downward until their lips were pressed together in a crushing embrace.

Harry was so relieved that Draco was still alive that he kissed back hungrily until something more glaring hit him.

He pulled away to see the sneaky smirk on Draco’s face and then his relief washed away and was replaced with anger.

“You fucking git!!” Harry screamed, only just managing to stop himself from punching the blond. “You faked that!”

Draco snickered darkly and shook his head.

“Whatever do you mean,” he asked softly, gingerly trying to sit up. He winced a few times and his arms buckled under the weight. Harry frowned and glared.

“You can stop pretending now,” he snapped, his cheeks flushed with embarrassment and anger. “I know you aren’t really hurt.”

Draco cast him a sharp look.

“I only feigned unconsciousness,” he admitted, his teeth grinding together as he fought against the pain. “But my ribs are really broken.”

Harry’s frown did not shift and he moved off of Draco to let him get up.

“How is that possible?” he demanded. “I fell the same distance and yet I’m perfectly fine.”

“You weren’t the one sandwiched between the rocks and an incredibly heavy and solid adult wizard,” he shot back in disdain. “You happen to weigh more than I do, you see, and that plus the force of the impact does not equal a comfortable landing for me.”

Harry’s cheeks turned a darker red and he did not move as Draco slipped on the snow and tumbled back down to his former position. He felt guilty but something nagged at him.

“You shouldn’t have pulled me down with you then, you prat,” he replied, displeased.

“Did you think I was going to make a fool of myself alone?” the blond asked as though the answer was obvious. “Better broken ribs than a shattered pride. I’ve dealt with the latter already and it’s no cup of tea. Now will you STOP watching me struggle and actually HELP me, Potter??”

Harry snorted and shook his head, getting to his feet. He leaned over to help the other man up but Draco’s injuries were more extensive than Harry had previously assumed. He now knew that there had to be more than one rib broken, along with much more bruising than was visible to the eye. Guilt flooded through him again and he knew they needed to get to Hogwarts fast.

Draco wavered as he stood and hunched forward from the intensity of his wounds. He growled lowly and leaned against a tree.

“Would it kill you to go on a diet, Potter?” Draco jeered snappishly. Harry frowned.

“It’s not fat, you pompous prick,” he shot back. “It’s muscle. Perhaps you should acquaint yourself with that concept.”

Draco was about to open his mouth to retort as Harry pulled him off the tree to support him on one shoulder, but he was cut off.

“Who’s there??” a loud and booming voice cried out to them. Harry couldn’t place it but he was not in the mood to deal with any overzealous forest-inhabitants. Especially if they were centaurs.

Harry drew his wand and held it out before him to protect them both if need be. He looked around through the haze around the trees and the dirty lenses he now sported, thanks to the fall.

Draco had drawn his wand as well but he couldn’t hold out his arm long enough to cast as spell. His breathing was ragged and unnatural for his person. Harry worried more and more that he was suffering a great deal more than he could tell.

There was no time. Harry’s anxiety rose as his mind raced and the voice did not speak again. He heard heavy footsteps drawing closer, however, and strained his ears to divine their direction.

“Blimey,” the voice suddenly said and Harry spun around, clutching Draco closely. “Is that really you, Harry?”

Then it hit him and he relaxed.

“Hagrid??” he cried out in surprise. There was a massive man standing before them, but this did not look like the Hagrid Harry had always known. His beard was a great mess as it had been but it was stained white and grey now. His eyes were little black beads but they were different and held more knowledge of the world than they once had. The skin that was visible of him was much darker than before and there were many more scars along his face and hands. His clothes were singed in places and torn in others, mended only imperfectly by large and awkward hands. He looked much wilder and much more dangerous than he ever had.

“Harry!” he cried out as though to reassure the man he was, in fact, Hagrid. “It is you! Blimey, though it was the bleedin’… well, never mind.” He took a long look at Harry for a moment and then, as though only just realizing that there was another person attached to him, he turned to Draco. “Malfoy?? Draco Malfoy? What’re yeh doin’ here?” His voice was harsher. “Harry, what’re yeh doin’ with Malfoy?”

Draco looked mildly affronted but his lips only curled into a displeased snarl as he clutched his wounds and tried not to throw up from the pain. Harry’s heart raced.

“Look, Hagrid,” he said quickly. “There isn’t much time for that now but I’ll explain. We’ve got to get him up to Hogwarts. He’s got broken ribs and I know there are other injuries too. Can you help me carry him?”

“I can walk on my own,” Draco proclaimed defiantly, removing his arm from around Harry. He took a step forward and stumbled, clenching his jaw and hunching over from the pain. Harry took a step forward to catch him but Hagrid got there first.

He picked up Draco much in a manner Harry had seen done before, and began to lead Harry away.

“Bloody Malfoy,” the giant grumbled. “Some people never change.”

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A/N: AH. Draco’s having some issues. Serious. *blinkblink*.

Anyway, thank you all for all your kind words and support. To say the least my world has been falling apart around me lately and, well, you all inspire me to keep going. :) I hope I can continue to offer chapters you enjoy and like to read!

I’m working out a schedule to do this all and I hope it will work. Thanks again to everyone and I hope you liked this! More soon, I do promise.

(I’ll answer any questions you have/that I can in the next chapter’s author’s note if they don’t come up in the actual chapter.)

Love to all!