Cruel

Draco nodded to the elders as they left Harry to sleep in the small private room. They'd thought it was best Harry was kept away from others at least until the morning. He brushed his fingertips over Harry's scar, then several that were on the raven-haired boy's forearms. The scars were light, already starting to fade. This meant they'd either had time to heal, or hadn't been very deep. The cuts that hadn't yet turned to scars, however, tended to indicate the latter.

He remembered when they'd brought Harry in. Snape was carrying him, Filch talking of students being up after hours, Dumbledore asking Draco how every had happened... He remembered telling Dumbledore about the spell, and being unable to remember what it was. Dumbledore only smiled and said that they'd talk about it later. The rest of the time was spent bustling around Harry, making sure he was alright, the staff trying to figure out what to do next. After a while Draco just watched stunned. Madam Pomfry said he was alright, at least physically. Not even a bruise on him. There were, however, marks on his forearms as well as his shoulders. They weren't scratches either. They were cuts and scars, obviously self-inflicted. Eventually they'd gone off, telling Draco to alert them if Harry woke.

He looked back up at Harry's face, studying how different the other boy looked while asleep. Peaceful... Innocent... Perhaps everything he should have been. Everything he may have learned to love if he hadn't been forced to hate. Just as well, Harry's lips had become strangely inviting, as though begging to be caressed. He'd nearly considered it when he remembered that Harry probably wouldn't want him to, and that they were both boys. Straining against the urge, he lay his head on the soft bed, close to Harry's hand, and slept.

-///-

It was dark when Harry finally awoke. Or, he thought it was until he noticed a beam of sunlight entering the room, glinting off soft, silvery hair. The smaller boy was asleep next to him, a few strands on his hand. This was the first sign he wasn't in his own bedroom. The next was that he was in a small room, holding only a bed, table, and two chairs. He began to wonder how he'd got there, and why Malfoy was asleep by his bed, when he remembered the previous night.

The first thing he'd remembered was that he was falling. He'd fallen and blacked out. Why had he been falling? The eye of his memory gazed up and looked at a window. It was the window to the Astronomy Tower, where a shadowed figure stood. Malfoy. Did he push him? No, he'd slipped. What stupid thing put him close enough to the window he'd fulfill Malfoy's every dream? That's when it hit him. He wanted to die. And by the end, he didn't. And he had whispered to that shadow as he fell. Why? Because he didn't want him to die. Draco wanted him alive. Wanted him. Then he remembered what he whispered and a bright blush rose to his cheeks.

"Impossible," he muttered.

"Morning."

Harry jumped slightly then looked over at Draco. The pale boy was watching him, amusement and worry both reflected in his eyes. If it were possible to blush brighter, he had; merely at being caught blushing.

Draco yawned, satisfied that Harry was alright. After all, he hadn't seen those emerald eyes so embarrassed and innocently confused in a long while. "It's nice to know my mere presence can make you blush."

Harry's wall was back up soon enough, his eyes closing off his soul to Draco. He became distant, though perhaps not as cold as before. "There's more to life than your presence, Draco."

Draco would have been put off, he was sure, except for the fact Harry had called him by his first name. At least something changed. "Harry, don't do this." He took the other boy's hand. "I know that... I mean I..." He found himself at an embarrassing and uncharacteristic loss for words and mentally cursed himself. "Look, just don't shut yourself off again. Please. It'll do a world of good. Remember last night? I know had you not slipped, I'd see some of that old Harry come shining though. I could have sworn I'd soon have seen a good old smile and taunt on those lips."

Harry watched him a moment, looking him over. Slowly his expression softened once more, a smile beginning to play on his lips. "You know you just saved your enemy, right?"

Draco smiled a little. "Let's just say you're more of a rival."

Before Harry could respond, Madame Pomfry came into the room to check on them. "Well, I'm glad to see you're both awake, and looking rather healthy, all things considered." She looked at Harry, pointedly. "Will you be alright with some guests?"

Harry gave her a look. "You mean will I be sane. Yes, I'm fine."

She nodded and left, letting in the guests. Hermione nearly pounced him almost immediately. "Oh Harry, we thought we'd lost you!" She was in tears, clutching him as though he were the most precious thing on the face of the planet.

Ron walked over, looking a little guilty and unsure. "Yeah, mate... I mean, first you've been all broody, then you push us away, we wake up this morning and you're not there, then McGonagall comes in and says you'd dropped from the Astronomy Tower!"

Draco, amidst all this, backed away silently then made his way out of the room. It had looked like old times again. Harry, looking softly down at Granger, holding her. The Weasel all concerned, Granger crying. He knew there'd be laughter in no time. He sighed, leaning against the wall by the room. Sure enough, there was the laughter. It was unsure, a little sad, but still had that edge of gladness that they were all there. Quietly, he walked away. Just like old times...