the miracle of us || drarry

10 | almost

Draco really did wish that his nightmares would go away. That was what he thought, at 3 am in the morning, when the whole house was so quiet he could hear the blood rushing through his veins, his heart, pumping, working away at keeping him alive.

His body was tired, but he couldn't sleep. He wished Harry were here right now to calm him down; although Draco had not screamed, and although all the lights in his room were on, he could still feel the helplessness creeping up inside him, like bile rising in his throat.

The rain, the ongoing storm, raged on outside, beating against the tinted windows as the thunder boomed. Draco did not move, for fear of something, though of what, he wasn't sure. He sucked in heavy breaths, trying to calm himself down. He couldn't take it anymore. He couldn't take the looking over his shoulder, sure there was something behind him, like the tip of a wand, or that accursed snake. Finally, Draco laid back down on the bed, eyes shut tight, hands over his ears, as if doing that would somehow help the darkness fade away.

--

The next day, Harry found Ron during his lunch break, and the redhead ignored him with a turn of his head. Harry drew a breath, growing slowly more and more irritated. He sat down in front of Ron, waiting for him to look his way.

But Harry had to say, Ron was quite good at holding grudges. Ron spared him one glare, then turned away again, saying hi to everyone he usually grumbled to Harry about.

"Ron, I get that you're busy ignoring me and all, but I just wanted to say that I'm sorry. And I need you (a/n: i need u girl wae honja saranghago) to keep this a secret," Harry whispered.

Ron finally slid his gaze to Harry, and (to Harry's surprise) replied, "I didn't tell anyone. I only kept it a secret so that you wouldn't get in trouble. Don't think for a second I care about that pathetic coward." He then promptly got up and walked away, clutching his apple far too tightly, so tense Harry could practically feel the anger radiating off him. Harry couldn't take it anymore. He got up and called his name out, and Ron stopped, as if debating. A few more seconds passed, agonizing silence filling the air. Then he turned around.

"Don't be like this. You know I can't let him be taken away. You know better than anyone what I'm like," Harry pleaded. "I am going to need your help. Don't be like this, Ron, come on."

Ron shook his head, laughing darkly. "Really. You're insufferable, Harry. Goodbye." He turned and walked away, the back of his neck a shade of red.

Harry groaned and sat down again, massaging his temples. Someone took a seat next to him, and Harry looked up to see Hermione.

"What am I going to do, 'Mione?" Harry muttered. "I did apologize."

She sighed, looking down. "I think it's gonna take more than one apology, Harry. I mean, you are... you are harboring a Death Eater. And what's more, it's Draco Malfoy."

"What is bad about that?"

"It's not bad, Harry," Hermione assured, but she didn't sound very convinced. "I was just... surprised, you know? That you would help him, after everything he did to us back at Hogwarts."

Harry pursed his lips. "He really didn't do anything all that bad."

Hermione rolled her eyes. "Harry, he broke your nose and tried to keep you from getting to the school. He called me a mudblood, he nearly killed Ron, he technically attacked Katie Bell, goodness, he was about to murder Dumbledore--"

"I know, I know, believe me, I do. And Draco might have done all of those things, but none of those things are technically breaking any rules, are they? None of those things means he has to go to Azkaban, do they? Why can't Ron see that?"