Writer's Pov.
Grimmauld place.
"You won't hurt me?" Draco asked in a low tone.
"No, I will never hurt you. Do you think that I am like those monsters?" Harry asked to which Draco nodded his head in denial.
"Thank you for saving me, Harry," Draco said and Harry smiled brightly as Draco called him by his name for the first time.
Harry held Draco's hand in his. "It was my duty and I apologize for being late," Harry spoke and tears fell from Draco's eyes.
"V...very very late. The..ey they I..I d..die" Draco tried to form a sentence but it was not possible for him as sobs left his mouth. Harry slowly pulled Draco in a hug and started caressing his back. He gave Draco a few moments to collect himself.
After a few minutes, they broke the hug and Draco wiped his tears. "I want to die. Wh..why am I a..alive?"
"You are only twenty, Draco, you have a whole life ahead to live. I cannot imagine the pain you have gone through and it will take you months to come out of it but once you do, you will have a whole beautiful life to live, Draco." Harry said while cupping Draco's face. He caressed his cheeks and wiped a few tears.
"Wh..who will be w..with a broken and u..used death eater?" Draco cried more.
"Come with me?" Harry asked in a low tone and Draco immediately looked up at him.
'Is He going to throw me away?' He thought.
Harry didn't wait for Draco's reply, he held his hand and dragged him in front of the mirror.
"What are you seeing in the mirror?" Harry asked in a low tone.
Draco looked at his reflection and saw a broken Draco Malfoy standing.
"Tell me, Draco, what are you seeing?" Harry asked again.
"Cr..crying and broken Draco," Draco replied. "Weak, abused, a..assaulted, pathetic death eater."
Harry nodded his head in denial and said. "You know what I see in this mirror, Draco?" Draco looked down at Harry. "A man who has grown up and changed into a good person. A man who walked into his trials and owned up to his mistakes and crimes and took his punishment gracefully with a promise that once he gets out of Azkaban, he is going to be a good person." Harry's hold on Draco's hand tightened. "A man who has gone through so much abuse for an entire year yet he is strong enough to stand in front of me, alive. A man who didn't give up his life because he knew that his life is important for the people who love him."
Draco felt himself breaking down, hearing Harry's words. He fell on his knees and hunched down as he cried loudly. Harry immediately got to his knees, held Draco near his body, and said softly.
"I know you have gone through the worst but it's over. Now your days are only going to be brighter and happier. Nothing worse can happen to you than that has already happened. You are alive even after a year of abuse just imagine how strong you are, Draco."
Draco leaned his head on Harry's shoulder crying more, breaking completely in Harry's arms.
"It's okay to cry, Draco. It's okay to let it out. Trust me you are safe here in my arms. I promise I won't let anyone harm you. Just be as vulnerable as you want to be and I promise I will hold you. I am here for you." Harry spoke softly in his ears as Draco's arms wrapped around Harry tightly while letting out loud wails of cry.
Harry went quiet and let him cry as much as he wanted. Draco needed to let it out. He needed to cry it out, shout it out only then he would be able to take a step towards his future. Only then he would be able to move on. It won't be easy but it was not impossible.
Harry held him for minutes while he cried and shouted. There were a few questions and, a few small sentences thrown as he cried.
"Why me?"
"Just a toy."
"No humanity."
"Used me."
"Never felt pity."
"Begged them to kill me."
"They laughed."
"They only laughed."
Harry's arms tightened around him as he realized that Draco was now stopping. He was taking deep breaths and his eyes were almost closed. Harry caressed his hair and Draco's face was in the crook of his neck, where he was taking deep breaths to calm himself. They stayed in the same position for a few more minutes when Harry realized that Draco had unknowingly fallen asleep due to exhaustion. Harry looked at Draco's sleeping form and placed a kiss on his head.
Harry was crying himself. He knew that Draco was broken but to such an extent? He was not able to believe how much pain he had gone through in that place.
He slowly picked Draco up in his arms and settled him on the bed. He was not feeling well. Draco's breakdown had brought up so many emotions in him.
"I am sorry." He whispered as he caressed Draco's hand and tears fell from his eyes. "So sorry."
He didn't know why he was apologizing but he just felt like doing it. After all, he was a part of the same society in which his assaulters had grown up.
Harry stood up as he felt himself shaking and his heart sinking. He immediately left the room and ran towards the fireplace. He flu called Hermione and Ron
"Hello Harry, when did you get back to your house?" Hermione asked with a smile.
"I n..need you and Ron," Harry spoke those words, trying his best not to cry.
"We are coming through," Hermione replied in a serious tone and Harry backed away. The flame rose and Hermione stepped out of the flu followed by Ron.
Ron took long steps towards Harry and held him before he fell.
"What happened? Did Malfoy do something?" Ron asked as Harry's body shook and tears fell from his eyes.
"He..he." Harry tried to speak but it was getting impossible for him to do so.
Harry had gone through so many breakdowns after the war but never had he gone through one because of someone else's pain but Draco's pain was killing him. His breakdown was so painful that it brought pain to Harry's heart.
"Harry, calm down. Please sit down and drink this." Hermione walked towards a drawer and took out a vial of calming draught. This potion was prescribed to Harry by his mind healer.
Ron took the vial from Hermione and helped Harry in drinking it. After a minute, Harry had stopped shaking and his eyes were closed as he took deep breaths.
"Are you okay, mate?" Ron asked worriedly.
Harry opened his eyes, looked at them, and nodded his head in yes.
"Harry, you haven't gone through such a breakdown in the last six months. How did it trigger, today?" Hermione asked as she sat beside Harry.
"Draco," Harry said and just shut his mouth as he again felt his emotions rising in his chest.
"Harry, you are hurting your mental health. Don't do this. Let us take him in and take care of him." Ron said and caressed Harry's shoulder.
Harry nodded his head frantically. "No, he will stay here." He managed to say those words and again took some deep breaths trying to calm himself.
After a few minutes, Harry opened his eyes and looked at his best friends who were sitting beside him worriedly.
"I am fine," Harry spoke and sat upright on the couch.
"You don't look fine, Harry," Hermione said firmly.
"Will you at least tell us what happened?" Ron asked.
"Draco went through a breakdown. Dirty one." Harry said. "How can a human be so cruel to another?" A few tears fell from Harry's eyes as he said this. "They have destroyed him and I don't know how I will get him back together?"
"You don't have to, he is not your responsibility, Harry," Hermione spoke softly.
"I can't let him die. I can't see him like this, all broken. He was so different before. Why wasn't I able to save him before? Why it took me a year to get him out of that place?"
"Harry." Ron almost shouted. "Don't be ridiculous. How were you supposed to know what Malfoy was going through? Stop your savior complex right now."
Harry closed his eyes and more tears fell from them. "He is broken beyond repair. I can't see him like this. Just can't."
Harry opened his eyes after a minute and saw Hermione and Ron exchanging a look before they looked at Harry.
"We are taking him with us," Hermione spoke firmly. "He will stay with us."
"No, he won't be able to trust you," Harry said immediately, scared at the thought of Draco leaving.
"So, you want us to sit back and see our best friend falling into depression again?" Ron said firmly.
"My mental health is not important right now, Ron. He is important and I will do everything to save him, to get him out of his pain." Harry said firmly.
"But..." Hermione was cut by Harry who said. "You know I am very stubborn and you know that I won't let him go like this."
There was silence for a few minutes before Ron said with a sigh. "Fine keep him with you but I or Hermione or we both will come here every night for you and your mental health and you are not going to deny us."
Harry gave them a small smile and nodded his head.
Hermione and Ron also smiled and took Harry in a tight hug.
"Where is he?" Ron asked.
"He is in the bedroom which is right beside mine. He was exhausted after crying and he slept in my arms."
They nodded their head and again exchanged a look.
"What is that look about?" Harry asked immediately.
"We are just shocked that you are so much affected by Draco Malfoy," Ron said.
Harry shrugged and replied. "I don't know the reason but I can't accept the truth that he has changed so much. I can't even imagine what he has gone through."
There was silence once again which was broken by Hermione who said. "Draco needs a mind healer."
Harry nodded. "Yes, but first he needs to trust people because I can't be there with him during the sessions. He has to trust people and know that not everyone will hurt him."
"True," Hermione spoke.
"Harry, you said to Hermione that you have lied to Draco about something. What is it?" Ron asked.
Harry looked at his hands and took a big frustrated sigh.
"When he woke up in St Mungos, he thought that I had bought him as my slave. I denied him but he said that if I have not bought him then why can't he go to his mother."
Ron and Hermione looked horrified at this information. "He doesn't know that his mother is dead?"
Harry nodded in denial. "So I lied to him that I have bought him from that place to save his life and he has to stay with me for a few months so that his assaulters don't realize the truth."
This piece of information earned a gasp from Ron and Hermione.
"Why didn't you tell him that his mother is dead?" Ron asked.
"He is in a very bad condition physically as well as mentally, Ron. How can I tell him that his only family has died months ago?"
"But this is wrong," Hermione said.
"Yes it is, but I have no other option, Hermione."
Hermione covered her mouth with her right hand and went into deep thinking.
"You are right, Harry, this information will kill him but someday he has to know the truth," Hermione spoke after a minute.
Harry nodded. "I don't know when and how to tell him."
"Maybe we should wait for a few days and then make a plan," Ron suggested to which Harry and Hermione nodded their heads in yes.
They sat in silence as they went into deep thinking. The silence was broken by the loud screaming of Draco.
To be continued...
BY J.