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Harry had woken from a nightmare about an hour ago, and had quickly found that sleep wasn’t going to be an option for the rest of his night.
Instead, he had decided to walk around the deserted castle, something he had been doing quite a lot since being back at Hogwarts.
It grounded him, in a way.
So much evil had transpired here— and yet, people still found a way for this place to bring them happiness. It gave him hope.
Harry hadn’t had hoped in a long time.
He had just decided that he should try and sleep again when someone ran straight into him, knocking them both to the ground.
Harry, reflexes still sharp from the war, had his wand out in seconds.
“Malfoy?” Harry exclaimed, staring in shock.
The other was a heap on the ground, head in hands and knees drawn up to their chest.
“I’m sorry, I’m so sorry, sorry, sorry, I didn’t mean—sorry…” the other stuttered out, shaking.
Harry quickly pocketed his wand, but slowly approached the vulnerable man.
“Malfoy—Draco, it’s okay, what’s happening? What wrong?” Harry asked as he reached out to touch the other.
Malfoy shrank back from his outstretched hand, so Harry drew back.
He looked around for something that would tell him what had happened, but apart from Malfoy’s muffles sobs, the castle was silent.
Malfoy and he had talked a little this year, and Harry would definitely say that they were friends, if not something more. Harry had grown fond of the other man, now that they weren’t forced to be on opposite sides of a fucking war.
That didn’t mean he was prepared for a situation like this though.
“Draco? Can you tell me what happened?” Harry asked again, his hands twitching by his sides. He just wanted to hold the other, it pained him to see Draco like this.
Draco didn’t answer.
Harry was growing more and more worried, maybe Draco had had a nightmare? He seemed so scared.
But of what?
Harry was just about to ask again, at a loss for what to do, when he heard someone call out for Draco.
“Malfoy—where are you, you filthy little slu—oh hey—y Harry,” came the voice of Zacharias Smith, who was descending the staircase next to them.
Upon hearing Smiths voice, Draco had flung himself into Harry’s lap, griping him tightly and shoving his face into Harry’s neck.
Harry gasped in shock, almost falling backwards with the force and shock of the motion before hesitantly wrapping one hand around Draco’s neck, the other around his waist.
Harry glared up at Smith, no doubt in his mind what he was about to call Draco.
“What did you do Smith?” Harry growled, hands tightening around Draco when he felt his neck becoming wet.
“Nothing that concerns you, Potter,” Smith hissed, no doubt angry at Harry’s reaction. “I’m just issuing pay back, is all. It only concerns this evil faggot Potter, leave us alone.”
Harry’s wand was out faster then Smith could blink, and a spell followed just as quick.
“Stupefy!” Harry roared, it had been a long time since he’d felt this mad.
Smith flew backwards, a satisfying thump reaching Harry’s ears as his body hit the staircase behind him.
Harry watched for any sign Smith hadn’t been knocked out, before drawing in a heavy breath and looking back down at the shaking form in his arms.
“It’s alright, Smith won’t hurt you. He’s gone,” Harry whispered to the other.
Again, Draco didn’t respond. Instead he just clung to Harry tighter.
“Okay, it’s okay,” Harry repeated. “I’m going to take you back to my room now, ‘kay,” Harry asked, making his mind up on the spot.
“Okay…” Harry sighed in relief as Draco finally answered him verbally.
Harry slowly rose from the ground, taking Draco with him. He gently guided Draco’s legs so that they wrapped around his middle, and moved the hand that was holding Draco’s middle to under his bum. Draco wrapped his arms around Harry’s neck, his face still pressed into the join.
As Harry made his way back to the eighth-year common room, he continued to gently sooth the still shaking boy in his arms.
When Harry finally reached his room, he silently thanked McGonagall for giving them their own private rooms this year.
He walked them over to bed, and gently placed Draco in the middle.
After, he stepped back and removed the shoes he had quickly put on earlier in the night and surveyed the other man.
Draco sat exactly where Harry had placed him, hair a mess, eyes wide and red. Eyes that where staring straight at Harry.
Harry opened his mouth to ask what Smith had done, when Draco beat him to it.
“He—he tried,” Draco paused. He took in a ragged breath, blinking several times before looking down at his lap.
“He tried to—to,” Draco stuttered, pausing again.
This time, Harry joined Draco on the bed. It was clear the other was having a hard time talking about what Smith had tried to do.
It unnerved Harry. What the fuck had Smith done?
When Harry reached out and took Draco’s hands in his own, trying to comfort him, Draco looked back up at him.
He wore the most heartbreakingly vulnerable expression Harry had ever seen, and it almost broke him then and there.
“He tried—d to, to touch me—e,” Draco finally stuttered out, tears flowing freely down his cheeks.
Draco looked back down at his lap, and Harry—
Harry sore red.
That absolute piece of shit.
How dare he do that to anyone. How dare he do that to Draco, to his—
“Please—please don’t leave me,” Draco sobbed in the most heartbreaking voice Harry had ever heard, and that was what finally broke Harry’s heart.
The sound of Draco’s voice snapped him out of the rage filled state he was in, and he let go of the handle of the door, something he hadn’t even realized he had done.
Harry walked back to Draco, trying to calm his rage. Smith could be dealt with later. Draco needed to be comforted now.
Harry climbed on the bed, and took Draco into his arms.
“It’s okay, shhh,” Harry whispered into Draco’s hair, arms wrapped tight around his shaking form. “I’ve got you, I promise. Your safe Dragon.”
Harry continued his soft reassurances as he removed Draco’s shoes, and laid them both down gently on the bed.
“I promise he’ll never hurt you again, I’ll protect you,” Harry murmured. He brought Draco’s head down onto his chest and held him even tighter when Draco burrowed face into Harry’s neck, tears still leaking from his eyes.
“You're safe, Dragon."