Pulling Him Up

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CHAPTER THREE: STUBBORNNESS
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Harry had ventured to the floor where Hermione had said Draco would be, but he had went up alone, since Hermione had thought that Ron needed to be distracted so that Harry could visit the Slytherin like he wanted. The corridor was silent and empty, but he noticed that the door to the ward was open. Almost timidly, he crept toward it, and peered around the doorframe.

Draco was curled up on his side and he was staring dreamily at the window.

Not as bad as what Hermione had told me, Harry observed. But that was days ago.

He took another step forward but he froze before his feet could cross the threshold. Severus is not here. Maybe I should wait and ask him for permission. He snorted derisively at the idea of asking the Potions Master that. However, the longer he hesitated, the more he wanted to withdraw.

He swore, turned around and walked away swiftly. He turned a corner and looked straight ahead. Why? I came up here just to run away? No. That wasn't my plan. He swore silently and did a quick hundred-and-eighty-degrees' turn, and smacked his nose against something solid. A bolt of agony shot to his shoulder and he winced.

Someone else grunted with pain and Harry backed away with two fingers pinching the bridge of his nose. He readjusted his glasses and felt his insides freezing the moment his vision cleared.

"Uhmmmm ... sorry, Professor," Harry apologized, although quite reluctantly.

Severus managed to arch his eyebrow even as he continued to glare. "Why the politeness, Potter?"

Harry narrowed his eyes at the Potions Master's sarcastic voice. Severus' glare slowly vanished and seriousness took over.

"Aren't you supposed to be in class?" Severus asked in a somewhat grudging tone.

"Didn't Professor Dumbledore tell you? Seventh years aren't required to attend classes, with the NEWTs over," Harry answered. "But we're not completely free - he gave us tasks such as to monitor the younger students and some patrolling duties."

"Why aren't you doing your duty then?" Severus looked at him suspiciously.

"My so called duty doesn't start until after dinner." Harry tilted his head to one side and considered Severus' still-dubious expression. "You can check with Professor Dumbledore if you want to, Severus."

Severus gazed at him for another second before nodding. "Why are you here?"

Harry looked thoughtfully at the older wizard. "I don't know," he said honestly. "I don't know. Maybe I should go in and see if I can be your replacement while you make the potion for Remus. But I ... never mind." He smiled crookedly. "I'm volunteering."

He was quite amazed when Severus actually nodded.

"Severus, are you completely sure? D-Malfoy hexed Hermione, and Ron and Ginny slept for twenty-seven hours after their 'visit'."

"Cold feet, Harry?"

"You're the one who constantly tell me not to rush into things."

"Are you going to do it or not?" Severus scowled at him slightly.

Harry sighed. "Of course I am. But only because you permitted it." He ignored Severus' curses and walked back to the room where Draco stayed. His schoolmate was still staring at the window.

He licked his lips nervously, before raising his hand to rap on the door. Draco turned his head at the sound and Harry braced himself for an immediate case of hexing. However, nothing happened. Draco simply watched.

Harry entered the room somewhat uncertainly, and stopped again at a respectable distance from the bed. He gazed at the silver-eyed wizard and tried to read Draco's expression. However, Draco's face was unreadable and Harry knew he would not be able to learn anything, unless if he used Legilimency. So far, Draco did not make any move to hex him. That troubled him, somewhat.

He drifted closer while his eyes scanned the room. He saw a chair that looked comfortable, but he did not sit on it. It felt like it belonged to Severus and Harry thought it would be wise of him to leave it alone. Green eyes focused on a dark brown stool, and he waved his wand at it. He planted it near Draco's bed. Then he sat down on the stool, all the while looking apprehensively at Draco.

There was a period of silence after that. Then it struck him that he had not asked Severus about what he should avoid discussing with Draco. His mind went blank and he cursed himself for not knowing what to say.

Then something urged him to take Draco's hand, but he paused. That was wrong, wasn't it? It was probably not the time to shock the Slytherin with a few facts about himself. As he mulled the idea in his head, Draco moved, and without a warning, he cried.

"What in the - Dra-" Harry shook his head slightly. "Malfoy, what's wrong?"

Harry half rose from his seat and extended his hand to turn Draco to his side. The moment he touched the Slytherin's arm, Draco pushed him away forcefully with both of his hands, before curling up into a ball. Harry's vision blurred, his body tripled with pain, and one arm immediately went up to clutch tenderly at his shoulder.

"Harry, leave."

"The hell I am," Harry snapped at Severus without thinking. "I didn't walk all the way up here to stretch my legs, you know." He ignored the sharp discomfort in his shoulder as well as the older wizard's presence. He stood up and walked to the other side of the bed, so that he did not have to force Draco to move. "Malfoy."

Draco did not respond to his call so he used some strength to pull those hands that covered the fair, fine, aristocratic face. And Harry hated it that such an elegant feature could appear so pitiful. He shook his head slightly to make that thought disappear.

"Malfoy, stop that. You'll make yourself sick, I tell you."'

"And how would you know that?" Severus asked in a sarcastic voice.

Harry glared at the Potions Master, for an instant hating the wizard for bringing up old memories. His eyes fell back to his crying schoolmate. "Malfoy, stop crying. If those tears are of shame, you should stop them." Draco just kept crying harder.

"Malfoy," Harry scowled and clasped Draco's hands tightly in his, "there is nothing for you to be ashamed of."

"You don't understand, Potter," Draco spat quite angrily.

That's odd. Shouldn't he ask me to leave? Harry felt slightly perplexed. "No, I don't understand. Why don't you make me?" He gave Draco a serious look before lifting his eyes to stare at Severus. The older man watched him with dubiousness before nodding. Then the Potions Master left the room and closed the door behind him.

"What don't I understand, Draco?" Harry asked slowly, and uttered Draco's name uncertainly.

Draco looked at him helplessly, still trying to free his hands from Harry's grasp.

"That you wished you weren't so frail. That you wished you had sharper wits. That you wished you didn't spend most of your time here chasing fruitless pursuits."

Draco whimpered and his face scrunched up in pain.

"That you wished you were braver. That you wished you had friends that would stick with you and help you. That you wished you were like me, when you were trapped."

Draco looked frightened and it sent a pang of sorrow in Harry's heart. Slowly, he released Draco's hands and watched as the other wizard withdrew into himself.

Harry sat on the bed, and touched the face that appeared to be in much agony and stress. "But Draco, you aren't me. You can't be me." So soft. "You can only be yourself."

Wet, sticky tears fell onto his fingers and his fingers traveled up to wipe the tears coming out from the corner of almond-shaped eyes.

"Do you know who you are?" Harry asked softly.

Silver eyes looked at him and Harry spent several moments admiring them. I ought to be ashamed of myself. Draco shook his head slightly.

"You are Draco Malfoy. A seventh year Slytherin of Hogwarts. For starters." Harry looked thoughtfully at Draco. He also wanted to say to Draco that he was someone whom Severus treasured, but decided to let the fellow tell the silver-haired wizard himself. "You are Draco Malfoy, and Harry Potter is wondering if he can be friends with him now."

"But-" Draco sniffed.

"That part of you is entangled with your past, Draco. It is up to you if you wish to behave like you were before ... but..." Harry smiled weakly. "Never mind. One thing added at a time. You haven't answered my question, Draco. Do you think you can be friends with me?"

"Not everything can be easily mended, Harry," Draco answered softly. "I wouldn't be like this if that was the case."

"I know. But I'd still like to be friends with you."

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To be continued on Chapter Four