Away Childish Things

Chapter 10

June 2012
Harry Potter: 31 years
Draco Malfoy: 12 years

Three hours later, Harry had cleaned up the glass and transfigured clothes for Draco to wear when he woke up. Draco's instructions had said to stay within a radius of ten meters, which had Harry too worried to leave long enough to have a shower, but he'd Scourgified himself, then transfigured his clothes back into his Auror robes. The robes had been under enough spells by this point that he was going to need to get new ones, but Harry wasn't worried about that. He was worried about Draco, who hadn't moved.

His face had changed, though. It hadn't quite changed fast enough or dramatically enough for Harry to see Draco's flesh actively move, but his face had got a bit longer. Some of the baby fat had melted away.

Harry had changed the bunkbeds back into Draco's original bed, mostly so Harry could see Draco more easily. He'd also enlarged Draco's pyjamas, because Draco was meant to be twelve after this first bit, and twelve was larger than eleven. Harry didn't know how much larger, because he'd been smaller then as well, so Harry had just guessed. Draco had seemed to grow into the pyjamas without dying or suffering severe bodily harm, so that was good. That was great. Harry made himself breathe.

A gasp filled the room, and Harry jumped off the stool he'd brought into Draco's bedroom from the lab. Draco was sitting straight up in bed, as though he hadn't fallen back at all. His face definitely looked older.

"Draco," Harry breathed.

"Potter," Draco spat, in such a familiar way that Harry flinched.

If Harry hadn't been losing his mind, he might have thought about how much Draco hated Harry after first year and decided how he would handle it. Harry hadn't forgot it, but he hadn't let himself think about it. Maybe a part of him had even hoped it wouldn't happen, but it had to. It had to, if he was going to get his Draco back. "Yes," Harry said.

Draco's lip curled. He struggled with the bedclothes, then finally untangled them from his legs. "I want some clothes."

"I made some for you," Harry said, gesturing. "There."

Getting off the bed, Draco went over to the clothes, picking up the dress shirt with two fingers, as though it were covered in slime. "Hideous. Exactly what I'd expect from you. Well-are you going to watch me change, or what?"

Harry closed his eyes, taking out his wand. "Expecto Patronum," he said, thinking of a time when Draco had liked him. The silver fox came out, and Harry left it in the room with Draco, afraid to leave him alone in this state.

"I don't need your ugly fox spying on me, you old perv!" Draco called as Harry went out.

Harry waited in the lab outside the bedroom for five minutes, then ten. "Draco?" he called, knocking on the door.

"I'm not done yet!" came the strangled voice inside.

Harry waited another five. "Draco-"

"Leave me alone!"

"I'm going to come in," Harry said, opening the door.

Draco sat on the floor by the bed, his knees up with his face against them. He'd changed his clothes, and the silver fox was sitting beside him, looking forlornly at Draco's shaking shoulders.