Writers Pov.
Harry was not able to believe what he saw. Was this Draco Malfoy? But didn't he commit suicide in Azkaban? Or was that just a lie, a setup?
Harry touched his face tenderly and wiped some sweat from his forehead. Draco looked unrecognizable. His body was covered with injuries, the right side of his face was swollen, with dark circles, tears streaked face, hair was still blond but long and dirty.
Harry felt a pang in his heart, the pain was unexplainable. Why was he feeling pain for Malfoy? Wasn't he Harry's enemy? One of the people who made Harry's life hell? But did Harry ever want Malfoy to go through such pain? No. Never. He couldn't even imagine his worst enemy to ever go through such pain.
He remembered the night in the Astronomy tower, he was angry with Malfoy for the things he did but still, he could never forget the look on Draco's face when he said "he’ll kill me. I’ve got no choice" to Dumbledore. He looked helpless.
"Please don't die. Just be with me I will take you to St Mungos," Harry said this and took his wand. He immediately performed some healing spells to give Malfoy some relief before Harry take him to St Mungos.
The next minute he heard the Auror, he summoned, calling him. Harry covered Draco's body with a soft blanket and turned his head to look at the Auror.
The Auror was now looking at the two tied unconscious people and then looked at Draco.
"Please take these two to the ministry while I will take the boy to St Mungos,"
Auror nodded his head in yes.
"Thanks," Harry replied and immediately held Draco near to him and converted a Bottle into a portkey.
The moment Harry reached St Mungos, he just picked Draco up in his arms and immediately took him to the emergency ward. The healers took him inside the ward and started to heal Draco.
....
Harry opened his eyes and found himself back to the present. This whole month was very eventful in his life. It affected him mentally. Human slavery and trafficking and witnessing so many people in such a bad condition were not helping Harry at all.
He sat on a bench and closed his eyes but he could only see Malfoy's injured face. Malfoy's condition was haunting him a lot. He was so accustomed to seeing Malfoy's face full of sly and pride that he was not able to accept Malfoy in such a broken and vulnerable condition. He had seen Malfoy crying in their sixth year but his recent condition was nothing in comparison.
'How can a human hurt another human so badly?' Harry thought angrily.
"Just stop it, Harry. Stop thinking about Malfoy so much. He has done a lot bad to you in the past and so he doesn't deserve your sympathy," A part of Harry's brain shouted in his head.
"I know but didn't you see his condition? He is so hurt and vulnerable. They assaulted him physically, sexually, and mentally. He didn't deserve to go through such pain," Another part of him replied.
Harry was brought back to the world when someone kept a hand on his shoulder.
He opened his eyes and looked at the person, it was Ron and Hermione. They were standing beside him with a concerned look on their face.
"Are you okay, Harry?" Hermione asked.
"All this has taken a toll on me, Hermione. Those people were animals. They have hurt those victims so badly. I can't even imagine their pain,"
"We know that but the assaulters are captured and Aurors are taking out information from them. Information about the people who are already trafficked or sold as slaves. Don't worry Aurors will rescue everyone and everything will go back to normal. Please take some rest. You have not slept for the last two days," Hermione said.
"She is right mate, you need some rest,"
"No, I am fine. Did you guys talk with Malfoy's distant relatives about taking him in?" Harry asked to which Ron and Hermione nodded in yes but they had a sad look.
"They all denied it. They said that they don't want a death eater in their house," Harry huffed in anger.
"Harry, we will find a home for him. Trust us, we are very sad about Malfoy's condition. He was very bad to us, especially to me. But not even in my dreams I ever wished him to be hurt at such a level. It's very heartbreaking that he has to go through so much," Hermione held Harry's hand and replied to him and Ron nodded his head yes.
"What about Andremodera? Even she is his relative, isn't she?" Ron suggested to which Harry nodded his head in no.
"No, we can't give her Malfoy's responsibility. She is old and already has the responsibility of Teddy. Teddy is also too small and Malfoy will need some special attention. Healer Helena said that this whole situation must have taken a toll on him mentally. She said that Malfoy can be dangerous to his own life. Teddy is too small and I can't let him live with an unstable Malfoy. I am his godfather and so I can't put him in any danger," Harry said and the other two nodded their head in agreement.
After a few minutes of silence, Harry spoke. "I will take responsibility. I will take him in,"
The other two gasped at this and asked. "What are you saying?"
"You won't get time to help him. You even have a job," Ron reminded him.
"You both know that I wanted a break from my job for a long time now. I love my job no doubt, I love solving cases, I love dueling but it brings too much negativity in my life. I am not sure if I want to continue my life with such negativity. I don't know if I want to continue as an Auror,"
"So you want to quit?"
"No Hermione, I can't quit just like that as I said I love my job. I just hate the negativity that comes with it. So I have decided to take a break. This break is necessary to get to know myself. To think about my life differently. I want to understand what I want in my life. So this break is very necessary for me,"
"You can take a break, Harry, we are okay with that but you want this break for yourself. To understand yourself better. How are you going to do this with Draco's responsibility? Your whole day will be spent taking care of him. You won't be able to use this break for yourself," Hermione said.
"Maybe you are right but Hermione I can't let him be alone. I just can't. It doesn't feel like the right thing to do. He has no family. None of his distant relatives wants to take him in. Where will he go? To a mental hospital? If we leave him alone here that means that we are writing his death sentence. And I can't do this to anyone not even to Malfoy,"
"Okay fine we will take him in," Ron said. "We both will take care of him. In this way, Malfoy will not be alone and you can take your desired break,"
Hermione smiled at Ron's words and nodded yes. "We are two so it will be easier for us,"
Harry rolled his eyes and said. "No way. You guys have your own life. You are married, you have your own space. So definitely not. I am not married so I can do this without any problem. And you both can always come and help me some days if I want help, right?"
"Of course,"
"So it's decided. Malfoy is coming with me to Grimmauld place,"
They nodded their head.
A week later.
Harry had already informed Helena about his decision to take Malfoy in and she was too happy to hear this. Whereas Harry had also informed Auror's head about his decision to take a break. The Auror head was not too pleased by Harry's decision but still permitted him to take a break, whenever he wanted.
It's been a week, Malfoy's body was healing but he has not regained consciousness. Most of his injuries were completely healed except for the few that were on his chest, thigh, and back. But the healer said that those injuries would be good within a week or twi and then Harry could take Draco with him.
The only thing concerning the healers was that Draco had still not gained his consciousness. They have tried a lot to bring him back but nothing was working on him.
"I think this is happening because of his lack of will to live anymore," Helena explained to Harry.
"Is there any way, we can help Malfoy in this?" Harry asked.
"His family members could have helped him in this. Their voice could have given him some hope to live. But now that this is not possible I don't know what can help him,"
"Fine, I will talk with him and will try to verbally give him some hope," Harry said to which Helena nodded her head yes.
And Harry tried to talk to him. The first day was a little awkward as he didn't know what to say.
Harry entered the room and looked at Draco. He was lying on the bed wearing a soft blue loose gown that reached his knee. He looked a lot better than before.
Harry sat beside Draco and slowly held his hand taking care of his injuries.
"Mal.," he stopped.
"I shouldn't call him Malfoy. I need to give him hope to live not to discourage him," Harry murmured to himself.
"Hi Draco, I know that you can't speak to me but I feel that you can hear me. I just want to inform you that you are at St Mungos now and your body is healing. You are no longer with those monsters. You are safe now. Just come back, please. Please, Draco," Harry spoke in a very soft tone.
Draco's name sounded quite odd to him as he was calling him by his name for the first time. He also felt weird at how softly he spoke to Draco. He has never spoken so softly with anyone except Teddy.
He waited there for a few minutes, still holding his hand, squeezing it gently but nothing happened. He sighed and left the room.
He continued doing this with Draco twice or sometimes thrice a day but nothing happened for four days.
On the fifth day, Harry received a patronos from the healer to be present in St Mungos immediately and Harry without wasting another second apparated to St Mungos. He ran towards Draco's ward and saw Helena standing right outside the room.
"Is he okay?" He asked immediately.
"He has gained his consciousness,"
To be continued...
BY J.