Midnight Stroll

Disclaimer in first chapter.

Chapter 9: Trying to Deal

When Draco finally got Harry back to his private room, he pulled Harry over to the bed held him as he cried, waiting for him to calm enough to talk. After about a half a hour Draco felt Harry to start to clam down. When Harry stopped shaking, Draco lifted his head up and placed a gentle kiss on his lips, letting him know that he is and will always be there for him.

Harry sniffed a bit before really looking at Draco, the next thing he knew was that Draco was holding him even tighter, and Harry could see a look of complete love in his platinum eyes. Harry snuggled closer, causing Draco to hold him even tighter then he was before. Harry rested his head on Draco’s chest and just sat there, not moving except for his slow breathing, and not saying anything that would break the moment of peace.

“Are you going to be okay?” Draco whispered softly in Harry’s ear.

Harry breathed deeply, wrapped his arms around Draco and held tightly before answering, “I don’t know Draco, I mean it was one thing to know that they were using me for fame, but to find out that they were using the unforgivables and, that they hurt Neville for no reason. I…I just don’t know when they went dark, why didn’t I see that they were slipping away they seemed fine, like they always are. How did I miss it?” Harry finished on a whisper.

Draco just sat there while Harry vented all his pain to him, letting him get it off his chest. When Harry finished talking Draco placed a kiss on the top of his head, rubbed his hand up and down Harry’s arm for a moment, and then softly said as not to upset him, “Harry don’t let them get to you that’s exacally what they are trying to do just to hurt you. They don’t deserve your love, so don’t give it to them, and I’m sure that Neville is fine we can go to the hospital wing tomorrow to see him okay?”

Harry looked up at Draco and smiled. “I would like that, thank you for being here for me Draco.”

Draco just smiled and kissed Harry gently on the lips, “I’ll always be here for you Harry I love you. Lets get some sleep it’s been a long day.”

Harry nodded and they laid down to get some sleep before they went to see Harry’s friend in the morning.


The next morning found Harry and Draco walking down the corridor on their way to see if Neville was okay.

They walked into the hospital wing to find Neville staring at the ceiling looking completely bored out of him mind.

“Hey Neville how are you?” Asked Harry.

Neville whipped his head around and stared at Harry surprised that someone had come to see him. Once realizing that it was Harry a giant smile spread across his face. “I’ve been better Harry, how are you? Are you doing okay? Why is Malfoy with you? Is it true that Ron, Ginny, and Hermione got taken to Azkaban? …”

Harry stopped Neville before he really got going and wouldn’t be able to answer any of his questions. “Whoa Neville, hang on a minute and I will answer your questions but you have to give me enough time to answer them in the first place.” Harry smiled at the sheepish look Neville sent him. “Now, I’m doing pretty great thanks to Draco. Draco is with me because we are dating, and have been for the last couple of days. Yes it’s true that Ron, Ginny, and Hermione got taken to Azkaban. Now are you going to tell me how you are? Is it true that Ron, Ginny, and Hermione beat you up? Is that why you are in the hospital wing? How bad were you hurt? Are you going to be okay? When can you leave?” Harry wanted to ask more questions but Draco stopped him, saying that they wouldn’t learn anything if he didn’t let Neville talk.

Neville smiled at the picture Harry and Draco made, they were like night and day with how they looked, he thought they would be good for each other. “I’m doing better Harry, yes ‘they’ beat me up, they used one of the unforgivable’s on me, and then they through me down the stairs. I had a broken arm and leg, but they are better now. I also had a slight concussion but that is better too. Poppy says that I can leave later today.”

Harry smiled at Neville glad to hear that he is okay. “Why did “they” beat you up anyways?” Harry asked.

Neville frowned and got an angry look in his eye, “Because I was sticking up for you, they were trying to make me believe that you had hurt Ginny but I wouldn’t listen I knew you would never do that. So they started to call me a traitor and started to beat and curse me, I think they were trying to get me to stop sticking up for you and trying to get the other Gryffindors to talk to you and hear your side of the story.” When Neville looked up it was to see Harry looking at him like he had grown another head, and Draco standing behind him with the biggest smile on his face that he had ever seen. He didn’t know that Malfoy could smile.

“You did that for me? Why?” Harry asked bemused.

Neville looked at him like he was an idiot. “Why wouldn’t I defend you, you’re my best mate and nothing is going to change that, especially a bunch of idiotic jackasses that only want fame so they can get some attention because no one likes them!” Finished Neville almost yelling by the time he was done talking.

Harry was crying by the time Neville was done talking. Harry flung himself at Neville hugging him for all he was worth. Neville hugged Harry back knowing no matter how bad his week had been, Harry’s had been far worse and was just glad they had each other as friends.

Harry pulled back and smiled at Neville, “You’re the best Neville you have no idea how much it means to me that you trust me that much to defend me like that.”

Neville just smiled and looked at Harry with the biggest smile he had, “Harry you helped me out so much during the years I wasn’t going to let someone talk about you like that when I knew that what they were saying were lies.”

Draco just stood back and let Harry and Neville get reacquainted, smiling the whole time. He was happy that Harry still had one of his friends.

TBC.

Please review. Thank you.