Just Trust Me

Just trust me.

Harry had been standing in the hallway. He hadn't meant to be there, he just was. It had been half past 11 in the morning and the hallways were deserted, except for a few ghosts here and there. He should've been in Potions, but somehow he had forgotten.

Lately he was very forgetful. Two days ago he was to meet Hermione and Ron in Hogsmeade at the Three Broomsticks. He forgot.

Yesterday he had Quidditch practice, and that too he had forgotten. But he would probably never forget this day.

*

A voice came and went. Hurried footsteps went by. Smiles faltered. A scream. Then a sob.

"Draco!"

Two grey eyes stared up, unfocused.

"Wake up. C'mon. It's okay. I'm here. Don't let go, I won't let you... Please" A murmur changed into a desperate plea.

"Somebody get some help!"

*

Can you hear me?

Potter?

Who else?

Why are you here?

You're dead.

I'm what?

Dead.

So why are you here?

I... came to save you. Just let go of the light.

What light?

The light, in your hand. Let it go.

I can't.

I won't be able to save you if you don't let go.

I'm scared.

I know.

Hold me?

Let the light go first.

*

A hand came down heavily on his shoulder.

"He's gone Harry. Let it go" a soft voice said.

Let go of the light.

"He isn't. He's the one who won't let go."

"Harry, you can't change this, it was an accident."

"It wasn't. If I had been in Potions it wouldn't have happened."

"Yes it would. He fell from the stairs."

I kissed him... He backed away. I'll never forget that look on his face. He was scared of me. He tripped backwards and fell, 21 steps. I counted them.

*

Why did you kiss me?

I don't know. I wanted to, it seemed like the right thing to do at the time.

It wasn't.

I know. Will you come back now?

Should I still let go of the light?

Do you still have it?

Yes, it's here.

Let it go then.

Will you be there, when I wake up?

If you want me to.

I would.

*

"It's a miracle. What happened?"

"It has to be in a book somewhere!"

"Harry?"

"Harry! Are you okay?"

Silence.

Two pair of arms wrapped themselves around him, comforting him. It had been a long day. A sob escaped him. He was alright. It would be okay.

"Potter?"

He looked up and stared at the bed. People were bustling around it, supporting the boy on the bed, talking to him, but he didn't notice. There was just the two of them. He stepped forward and immediately the people stepped back, giving him room.

"You're here."

"I said I would."

"Thank you."

"It's nothing."

*

A week had passed since the incident. Draco was still in the hospital wing. He wasn't strong enough yet. Harry visited him every day. He had been excused from classes and he would sit in the hospital wing for hours, watching Draco sleep, gathering strength. He had received a detention for skipping Potions that fateful day, but other than that, it had been mostly forgotten. But not by him. Harry would never forget.

"Harry..."

Harry looked up, noticing a pair of grey eyes looking up at him.

"Mm?"

"Why are you still here?"

"I wanted to make sure you're okay."

"I'm fine."

"You're not. You're still suffering from memory loss and you can't walk yet, you're not strong enough."

"I doubt I'll ever get that part of my memory back and I'll be strong enough within a few days. You don't need to be here."

"I want to."

"Would you tell me what happened then? The only thing I remember is a strange dream about a light and when I let it go, I woke up."

Harry smiled softly at him.

"A week ago, I forgot about Potions. I was in the hallway when I saw you. I don't know where you were headed and at that time I didn't care so much. I tapped you on the shoulder when you were about to walk down the stairs..."

*

"Potter, what are you doing here?"

No reply came. Draco stared at Harry, but still Harry didn't answer. He shrugged and turned around again, but was stopped as an arm turned him around and soft lips were put to his. Shocked, Draco pulled back and stepped away from Harry. His foot never felt the ground, as it was right were the stairs started. He tried to say something, Help, Please, anything, but nothing came out. Harry just stood there, watching, as Draco fell down, counting the steps. 3, 7, 11...

*

"You kissed me?"

A nod.

"Why?"

"You asked me that already, when you were dead. Do you remember?"

"I asked you when I was dead?"

"That was that dream you had. You held a light, in your hand and I told you to let go. You wouldn't, you were scared. I was in your thoughts."

"I know. I remember now. It was a nice light, beautiful and bright."

"It was the part of your mind that died. If you hadn't let go..."

"I wish I could have it back."

"You will get it back probably, when you die again at age 90, old and peaceful. You will have a big funeral and all of your family will be there, children and grandchildren. Maybe I'll even be there, if I'm still alive."

"Would you?"

"For you? Yes, I would."

"Thank you."

"Now go back to sleep, you need your rest."

"You still didn't answer my question. Why you kissed me?"

"I don't know. I had wanted to kiss you for a while now, so I did."

"Gryffindor bravery."

A chuckle and a light laugh rose up, mingling with the sharp air of the hospital wing.

"Go to sleep."

"Would you again... Kiss me I mean?"

"Would you want me to?"

"Yes..."

"C'mon here then."

*

He stared at the bed, the empty bed that had still been occupied only 2 hours ago. Something went wrong, maybe it was the kiss, maybe it was something else, either way, it just wasn't meant to be. He hadn't cried, like earlier, even though this loss was much harder. He had still talked to him when he slipped away, he had been in his thoughts for a while, but this time there was no light, just darkness.

*

Harry?

I'm here.

The light is gone.

I see.

Why isn't it here?

I don't know.

I don't want to die; I want to stay with you. I want to have that funeral you were talking about. I want to see my grandchildren. I want to have you at my side.

I... Would it comfort you if I said that you would always be with me?

Will I?

In my thoughts, yes.

I never had the chance to say sorry to you, to say sorry to Weasley and Granger. To tell you that...

Yes?

....

Draco?

I love you.

I love you too, I always will.

Harry! The light, it's coming back!

It is. Will you be okay now?

Yes, but can't you stay a little longer?

I have to get back.

Okay. I'll be seeing you then.

Of course.

*

Harry remembered his last conversation with Draco very well. It had been after the kiss, which had left them both breathless. Harry had joked with him and made Draco laugh. He seemed so happy, so healthy at the time. Harry didn't know what went wrong.

*

"I like the future you're painting me."

"I thought you would."

"There's just one thing missing."

"And what is that?"

"You."

"You're becoming a cliché."

"I know, and I don't care."

"Good."

A heavy breath was let out.

"Draco?"

"It's nothing."

"If you say so."

"I do."

Another heavy breath came out, then another and another and another.

"Draco!"

"It's okay Potter."

"It's not okay."

Silence.

"What's happening?"

"I just have a bit trouble breathing, nothing serious."

A sigh of relief came when the heavy breathing steadied.

"Draco?"

"Mmm?"

"Are you okay?"

"I'm fine."

"I don't believe you. That didn't sound as fine."

"Just trust me. It is."

*

And that was that. Harry had trusted Draco. Deep down he had known that it wasn't true, but what could he have done? He was happy that Draco had known when he died, that Harry had trusted him. It was a happy thought. Hermione came by, after they took Draco away. She asked him if he was okay. Promise? she had said when he just nodded. Draco's last words came to him, and that was how he answered Hermione.

"Just trust me," he said.

The end