"Lumos," Narcissa whispered, stepping further into Harry's cell to get a better look at him. She gasped in surprise as a filthy lump on the ground looked up at her with haunted emerald eyes. He trembled in fear at the mere sight of her wand, a choking sob escaping from him.
"What's the matter?" she questioned, holding back a sob of her own as she watched the broken child that had been screaming in her dungeon for several weeks now scramble away from her.
"Please don't do this," he begged, his breathing becoming frantic, terror eating away any semblance of thought.
Tears stung at her eyes and she blinked them away quickly, crossing over to him with slow, deliberate steps.
"It's okay," she assured him. "I'm not here to hurt you. I'm just here to give you a bath."
That wasn't what she had originally intended, but the smell in his cell was overpowering and it was the only thing of comfort that came to mind - a nice warm bath always made her feel more human.
With the help of several of the house elves, she had a tub full of warm water set up in his cell and had directed the elves to begin cleaning up while she bathed him.
"Get in," she commanded. He hesitated for only a moment, his eyes wide and fearful like a spooked animal, before he made his way to the tub. She had to remind him to undress when he tried to climb in with his clothes still on. His hands were trembling as he worked the button on his pants. With a sigh, she reached over to help him, tossing his clothes to the side with every intention of burning them.
He hissed in pain as his wounds made contact with the hot soapy water, but he didn't stop. Soon the water was thick with blood and dirt. She had the house elves switch out the water three more times before she was finally satisfied that he was clean enough, her gentle scrubbing slowly revealing the boy under all the filth. He hardly looked alive, skin pale, scars and wounds criss-crossing over his arms and torso, his ribs poking out in sharp contrast.
"Are you hungry?" she asked.
He turned to stare at her in wonder and she took that to mean yes. She held up a towel to dry him off and commanded the house elves to bring her a change of clothes and some food for them.
After putting on clean clothes, he tore ravenously into his meal, taking it with him into the corner as if terrified it would be snatched away.
When he was done, she waved him over so that she could begin the arduous task of working the tangles out of his hair. He didn't hesitate this time, wincing briefly as he sat down on the ground in front of her.
Humming softly to herself, she got to work. By the time she was halfway through, she had almost given up, frustrated with the wild unruly mess on the top of his head, but she kept at it, trying in her own small way to make amends for her involvement in his plight.
His hair tamed as well as it could be, she glanced around at his cell, smiling at all that she had accomplished - clean cell, clean Harry, and slightly cleaner conscience.
<<<<< >>>>>
Draco woke up in an unfamiliar bed, a thick feeling in his mouth letting him know that he'd been drugged. It wasn't the first time for sure and he doubted it would be the last. This was, however, the first time that he had been moved to another location while drugged.
He glanced around at the hideous rustic furniture and wood paneling, instantly recognizing it as one of the cabins they kept as a safe house.
There was a note waiting for him on the kitchen table.
YOU ARE READING
When the Snow Melts
Fanfiction[COMPLETE] How can love blossom in the midst of hatred? How can it catch you so suddenly and unexpectedly? Draco's 6th year was not at all going how he had planned. But a friendship, a relationship with Harry? That was definitely not something he sa...
