Watching Over You

Watching Over You

'Draco? Draco, are you even listening?'

'Leave me alone, Pansy.'

Draco was sitting in one of the many chairs in the Slytherin common room. Pansy was sitting next to him. He felt horrible and the uncanny atmosphere that was filling the room wasn't helping either.

'Draco, honey, please....'

All of a sudden, Draco got to his feet. He couldn't stand it anymore. He closed his eyes for a few moments. When he opened his eyes again, he strode straight to the boys' dorm.

'Draco, don't leave! C'mon Draco! Hear me out!'

Draco turned around, looking depressed as ever at Pansy.

'Leave me alone, Pansy!' he shouted, tears filling his eyes. 'Why can't you just...leave me alone?' He sighed and he turned back again, running the last few feet. He slammed the door shut.

Finally, he was on his own.

He flopped onto his bed and closed the curtains. Draco, a noble descendant of the Malfoy family, and a Death Eater, was broken.

He started crying, holding his knees to his chest. He couldn't stop himself, but he didn't want to either. Maybe he would better afterwards.

Why couldn't he just die? There was no reason to keep living. He was a Death Eater now. But why did he do it? Why did he agree? He had ruined his life. It was going to be miserable, even worse than it already was. Couldn't someone release him from this burden? The pain and guilt would tear him apart. But there was no way to make this all undone. There was no turning back.

Draco cried himself to sleep that night, hoping that one morning he wouldn't feel the pain anymore.

***

'Draco, you have to eat something. Please, darling.'

Pansy was so worried those days. She felt like she was losing him. He was only a ghost of what he once was, bigheaded and full of life. Now he barely spoke. His evil sneer was gone, and he never made any crude remarks lately. He didn't even talk about Harry Potter, and about how much he loathed him. Nothing, Draco had become nothing.

But how could this have happened? The only reason she could think of was the Dark Lord. Draco had told her that he had become a Death Eater. But that couldn't be the reason, right? Draco was so pleased about it. His dream had finally become reality. So, it had to be something else. Maybe he felt lonely or he was worried about something? Or could he be afraid of what might happen to himself or his family? There were so many possible reasons, each one even more unlikely than the other. However, she needed to find out, after all, it was her responsibility to look after him. Although she wasn't his girlfriend anymore, she remained the only woman in his life.

***

It was Saturday afternoon, and Draco was wandering through the corridors. He wasn't looking for something or someone; he was just strolling around. He didn't know what else to do; he had nobody to talk to. Well, he had, but they wouldn't understand him anyway, so why even try? He had nothing to focus on and nothing interested him these days. Was there really anyone who would understand his feelings? Was there something he would enjoy doing?

He walked around another corner and to his surprise; he wasn't alone anymore. Harry Potter was looking at a portrait in the same corridor. He was strolling too and he didn't have his pathetic friends with him, he was alone. But Draco couldn't care less. He didn't want to talk to anyone right now, not even to Saint Potter.

Harry had seen Malfoy, and was wondering which was the best thing to do. However, he concluded that as long as Malfoy ignored him, he would do the same. It just would be daft to pick a fight with him if he could avoid it.

The two boys walked past each other, ignoring the other as if they were ghosts. It felt weird.

Harry was suspicious, and continued to wonder why Malfoy was there. He was obviously planning something and so Harry didn't trust the situation at all. Besides, he really shouldn't, as it was Malfoy he was dealing with.

He looked back and saw Malfoy leaning against the wall, head bowed and his left hand covering his face. It looked like Malfoy was about to faint.

And he did.

Harry hurried towards Malfoy without thinking. He kneeled down next to Malfoy and examined him quickly. He looked pale, too pale to be healthy. Harry didn't know what to do, so he started to panic. He knew that the hospital wing was not that far away, so he decided to take Malfoy there immediately.

But before he got to his feet, he looked at Malfoy again. He still was unconscious.

Harry stirred Malfoy a few times, and fortunately he opened his eyes weakly.

'Are you all right?' Harry asked, knowing that it was a useless question. 'Can you stand up?'

'Mmm....' Draco managed to say. Harry knew that he'd have to carry Malfoy all the way. He stood up and pulled Malfoy carefully up with him.

When they finally arrived at the hospital wing, Madam Pomfrey came running towards them.

'What happened?' she asked quickly. She sounded worried, as if she assumed that something serious had just happened. She led them to one of the free beds, searching inside her robes for her wand and her mind working furiously.

When Harry set Malfoy carefully down on the bed, he answered her question in the same worried attitude.

'He fainted, Madam,' he said, trying to sound credible. 'I was in the same corridor when it happened.'

Nevertheless, as though it was perfectly natural, Madam Pomfrey nodded and started to examine Draco.

After a few minutes, she looked at Harry again, who was sitting in a chair next to Draco's bed, staring at nothing in particular.

'He's fine, dear. But are you sure you're fine?' she asked concerned.

Harry nodded weakly. He was in shock and couldn't quite understand what had happened just a few minutes ago.

Madam Pomfrey raised her eyebrows, but decided not to go deeper into the situation.

'All right then,' she said reassuringly, 'you can go now if you want to. Draco's sleeping at the moment.' But Harry shook his head.

'I think I'll stay here for a few more minutes.'

He heard her murmur a soft "sure" as she left them, closing the curtains a bit, leaving the two boys practically alone.

Harry just sat there, staring at Malfoy. He just needed some time alone now, just to sort some things out.

After an hour, he started wondering why he was there, almost alone, with Malfoy off all people. But he couldn't be bothered to go now. His friends were probable thinking that he was strolling around the lake, even in the mid of winter. So, he stayed.

Harry found himself staring at Draco's face. Harry could see that Draco was suffering. His arrogance was just a mask, hiding the pain.

An hour later, Draco opened his eyes.

'Where am I?' Draco croaked.

Harry looked up, startled.

'You're in the hospital wing,' he answered softly.

When Draco realised Harry was sitting next to him, he immediately returned to his arrogant self.

'What are you doing here?' he spat. Although it didn't sound convincing, Harry felt attacked by it.

'You're right,' Harry said, now feeling the rivalry again, which he normally felt when he saw Draco. 'What am I doing here?' It almost sounded sarcastic, but he was very serious.

But Harry didn't feel like arguing now, besides it wasn't worth it. So he looked in Draco's cold grey eyes, as though he could see right through them.

'Look Draco,' Harry said suddenly. Draco was taken aback by being addressed by his given name. 'I don't want to pick a fight with you. I was just about to leave anyway.' Harry got to his feet and left, leaving a hollow feeling in Draco's stomach.

***

Draco stayed in the hospital wing for a few more days to recover. He started eating more and he was feeling slightly better. Pansy came to visit him so often that it was getting annoying. Well, just the fact that she was visiting him was disturbing enough.

But, Pansy luckily wasn't the only visitor he got. Crabbe, Goyle, Blaise Zabini, and a few other Slytherins had come to visit him. But also, to his surprise, Harry.

Harry had come in with a very uncomfortable feeling. Harry had hoped that Draco was asleep, to avoid uncomfortable situations. Draco, of course, was shocked to see him.

'What are you doing here?' Draco demanded, trying to hide his shock.

'Well, I just, um, came to... check how you're doing. That's all,' Harry said, a pink blush spreading over his cheeks.

'How I'm doing....' Draco repeated, not hiding his astonishment this time.

'Yeah,' mumbled Harry. He tried not to meet Draco's eyes, as they would betray his embarrassment. Staring at his hands was a good solution to avoid that.

'Really...why?' Draco asked.

It was a strange thought for Draco to know that Harry would want to know how he was doing. It would've been easier for him accept that Harry was glad that he was lying in the hospital. Seeing a sneering Potter, boasting about how he saved Draco's life, would've been more bearable.

'Because I was worried,' Harry said, like it was obvious, but when he realised what he just had said, he quickly added, 'It's not like I care about how you're doing.... No, I don't give a damn!' He was trying to soften things, but he was stuttering so much that it wasn't working. The pink blush on his cheeks was turning deep red.

This was so humiliating for Harry. What the heck was he thinking? Checking how Draco's doing?! Was he nuts?

Draco was thinking just the same.

'Then, what the hell are doing here?' Draco asked angrily.

Harry didn't know what to say next. Besides, it was better to say nothing, then to stammer something that would make it even worse. He bit his lip and turned around, eyes staring at the ground, trying to hide his disappointment from Draco. He started to head towards the door slowly. When he reached the door opening, an unsure voice called him back.

'Wait!' Draco called.

Harry stopped, and turned his head around, looking probingly at Draco. Draco sighed.

'Stay,' he said softly. He'd given up.

'Why, Draco? So you could disparage me even more?' Harry asked, with a bit of an angry tone, even though he didn't mean it.

'No.... Please?' Draco looked expectantly at Harry. This was a side of Draco Harry had never seen before. Draco was showing a more vulnerable, gentle part of him. Harry surrendered.

'All right then,' Harry said, rolling his eyes, while a faint smile escaped his lips, 'but just because it's you.' With that, he winked at Draco.

'Thank you,' Draco said, returning the smile.

Harry flopped down into the chair he was sitting in the last time, and grinned at Draco. Both boys didn't know what to say. They couldn't think of an interesting subject. Now and then one of them opened up his mouth to say something but closed it as quickly as he had opened it. Silence filled the room.

Draco didn't know why, but for some reason he felt at ease; He felt better than he ever did the last few weeks, even months or years. Something gave him a special feeling, which he hadn't felt since long: security. He felt happy, like everything was going to be fine. He didn't worry; confidence had taken over.

After a while, Harry decided it was getting time to leave, because his friends would start wondering where he was.

'So.... I think I'll better go now. I still got things to do,' Harry said, although he didn't want to leave.

'Yeah, you're probably right,' Draco responded, although he didn't want Harry to go. Just a few more minutes of Harry's presence would be enough.

Harry stood up and sauntered towards the door.

'See you around then,' Harry said, looking back and touching the frame. 'Get well soon.' Harry blushed again. Draco only nodded and smirked. When Harry left the room, he closed his eyes, ready to get some rest, now that he was calm and untroubled.

But Draco wasn't able to fall asleep after that. Well, not until Pansy came in.

*****