Writer's Pov.
At night.
Grimmauld Place.
Draco was lying on his bed thinking about the day. It was not as bad as he thought it would be. No assaults, no punishment, no work, no mocking, nothing. It felt good to live a normal life again but he still didn't want to get his hopes high.
Harry had made it clear that he would not use him for his pleasure but he was still not able to accept the truth. Was he really out of that hell? Was he free? Would he live a normal life again?
He held his duvet tightly as his bedroom door opened and Harry entered inside.
"Hello there. Let's apply your healing potions?" Harry asked with a smile and Draco nodded yes.
"Change into this so that I can comfortably apply potion." Draco looked at the hospital gown that Harry forwarded to him.
"This is a hospital gown," Draco said with a raised eyebrow. Harry gave him a sheepish smile and said. "Yeah, you used around six gowns during your stay and St Mungos do not reuse them on other patients. So we get the option of whether to take it or dispose it. So I thought to take it as they look quite comfortable and airy. Your injuries need to breathe and that won't be possible in pants."
Draco nodded and took that gown from Harry.
"Don't worry they are washed." Draco smiled as his main concern was whether the gown was clean or not.
Draco walked into the bathroom, got into the gown, and then laid on the bed. Harry picked up the potions and Draco got his gown up to his chest. Harry applied healing potions to his injuries and used his wand to prevent it from smudging on his clothes.
Draco covered himself back and lay on his right side. He was feeling a burning sensation on his injuries, especially on his thigh and it was painful.
Harry sat on the bed and forwarded a vial of potion to Draco.
"This potion is for pain. Helena had instructed me to give you this potion after every healing potion application."
Draco slowly sat on the bed and took the vial from Harry and looked at it skeptically. He trusted Harry more than other people but his past, the things those monsters did to him was not something Draco could forget. He was fed a lot of potions in that place which didn't do any good to him.
Some potions were given to him only to give him pain.
Some potions were given to him to make him beg for things he never wanted.
Some potions were given to him to get him unconscious so they could assault him without hearing his shouts or cries.
Some potions made him mute or blind for a few hours so they could mock him.
What kind of potion was this? What was going to happen to Draco by this potion?
Harry sighed as he noticed Draco looking at the vial skeptically. He knew that it was going to be hard for Draco to trust him fully.
He took the vial from Draco's hand, drank a very small sip of it, and then again gave it back to Draco.
"I am still alive and there is no pain, also I don't feel dizziness or drowsiness. So this potion is safe for you to drink, Draco." Harry said with a small smile on his face. He was a little hurt knowing that Draco didn't trust him fully but he understood his situation.
"I am sorry, Harry," Draco murmured. "I am trying my best to trust you, I swear."
"And that is enough for me, Draco. I know that it's hard to trust especially when you have been hurt in such a gruesome way. I am happy that you are trying."
Draco smiled a little and drank the potion.
"They gave me potions daily, Harry, and those potions were not for my health," Draco confessed while looking down at his lap. Harry held his hands immediately and said. "No one will do that to you here. I and even Ron and Hermione, all are with you as your friends. We won't let anyone hurt you. I promise."
"You are a very good person, Harry," Draco said and looked into Harry's eyes. Harry smiled at the compliment and said. "Yeah, I don't doubt that."
"Even you have changed into a great human being, Draco."
"Who won't change after going through so much? Maybe it was all my punishment." Tears fell from Draco's eyes as he said this. "I hope my punishment is over."
Harry said firmly. "You were on the wrong side but you had no choice, Draco. Your parents were a part of it so you had to be there even if you liked it or not. And I know that you didn't like being a death eater. So you never deserved such a gruesome assault. Do not call it your punishment. It was wrong and no one deserved it, not even a death eater."
Harry wrapped his arms around Draco and he kept his head on Harry's shoulder. "It..it's all over, right?"
"It's over," Harry said and caressed his hair.
After a few minutes, Harry broke their hug and Draco wiped his tears away. He felt a little embarrassed as Harry's shirt was soaked with his tears but Harry didn't mind it at all.
"Draco, what do you like to do in your free time?" Draco was confused by this question and gave a questioning look to Harry.
"I wanted to arrange a few things for you so that you don't die in this house out of boredom. I know that you like reading and sketching even painting if I am not wrong. But I don't have things that you can use to sketch or paint. Also, I need to know the type of books that you like reading so that I can order them. I know that you love flying but you can't do that due to your thigh injury....."
Draco was looking at Harry, trying his best not to look amused. Harry was rambling about him in front of him but he also looked cute planning activities for him so that he wouldn't get bored in this house. No one had taken so much effort for him except his mother and he was touched by the way Harry had accepted him in this house, in his life, as his friend.
He was also quite shocked by the fact that Harry knew so much about him. Well, Harry had practically stalked him in their 6th year so obviously he had to know a few things about him but he knew a lot that too in detail which shocked him.
"Draco?" Draco got out of his trance and looked at Harry, who looked worried.
"Did I upset you? I am sorry I just wanted you to have some kind of activity until you are healed completely. I am sorry if I overstepped my boundaries." Harry apologized.
"No, I am just shocked by the fact that you know so much about me," Draco confessed truthfully and he saw a red tint appearing on Harry's face.
"Well yeah, I know a little." He said awkwardly while rubbing the back of his neck. "So shall I order some drawing papers, pencil, paints, and brush?"
Draco nodded his head in yes and Harry smiled brightly. "What about books? What do you like to read?"
"I don't like stories. I only read educational books maybe some books on wizarding history or books on potions if you have." Draco said in a low tone. He was a little scared in demanding things but Harry just smiled in response and nodded his head.
"Fine, I will look through my books and also through the library of this house if I can find some educational books for you. If not we can always order them."
"No, don't order it. I don't have money to pay." Draco said and his whole body burned with embarrassment.
"So you have never used your money on your friends?" Harry asked with a furrowed eyebrow.
"I have, why?" Draco replied looking confused.
"You are my friend so why can't I use some money on you? Later even I can read those books so it's not a waste." Draco nodded yes with a small smile.
Harry said after a minute of silence. "Also we are going shopping tomorrow."
"Harry, I am fine with your old clothes. Please I don't want you to spend money...."
"You are Draco Malfoy and you are richer than me. So you can always pay me back later, okay?" Harry said teasingly as he knew that Draco wouldn't listen to him otherwise.
Draco looked at his hands, thinking about this part of truth. After staying in that place for the first few months, he started to believe that he had lost everything. But maybe that was not the truth. He still had a few things left with him.
"Harry?" Harry looked at Draco.
"How is my mother?" Draco asked in a low tone. He just wanted to make sure that his mother was well. He had no clue what happened to her after he was kidnapped from Azkaban.
Harry's facial expression changed immediately as Draco asked about his mother. He had no clue what to answer. Should he lie? That's the only option left but how much is this lie going to hurt Draco, later?
"I have no idea. I haven't heard about her for a very long time. I am tired. I need some sleep." Harry said, his face expressionless, he stood up and left the room without waiting for Draco's reply.
Draco realized that his change of conversation was not liked by Harry and he felt fear running down his spine. He knew that Harry was his friend and he was not going to hurt him but he still couldn't stop himself from feeling fear.
In the last year, he had learned that he shouldn't piss off his masters or else it will lead to punishment and he had pissed Harry off somehow. Was Harry going to punish him?
He kept looking at his bedroom's closed door with scared eyes and trembling lips. He was expecting the door to open with a thud and an angry Harry to enter inside and punish him but it never happened. He kept looking at the door for minutes perhaps hours but Harry didn't return and unknowingly Draco slept in a sitting position while hugging his legs close to his chest.
Next day.
Harry stretched his body and looked at the clock. It was eight in the morning. He took a quick shower and got ready for the day. He summoned some parchments and placed orders for all the things that were needed for Draco.
He exited his room and thought to check on Draco once. He slowly entered his room not wanting to wake him up but he was shocked to see him sleeping in a sitting position. He sighed as this position didn't look comfortable plus it was not good for his injuries. Helena would kill him if Draco's injuries worsened. He slowly held his shoulder to get him into a comfortable position however Draco woke up at his touch and jumped backwards.
"It's just me." Harry immediately said to calm Draco as his eyes were wide open and his breathing was faster. Draco looked around and realized that it was 8:30 in the morning.
"Sorry sorry." He apologized not knowing for what. Maybe he apologized for pissing him last night or maybe he apologized for sleeping without his permission.
"Generally people wish good morning to each other but I guess Malfoys works differently. Do Malfoys say sorry to each other in the morning? Please let me know."
Draco frowned and then realized what Harry meant. He looked down in embarrassment and said. "Sorry."
"Ah I get it, sorry is the new good morning. No problem, as Your Majesty wishes. Sorry, Draco." Harry said and bowed his head down.
"Shut up, Potter," Draco said as he was annoyed by his teasing. Harry laughed looking at Draco's anger
"You look hot when you are angry."
"As if I am not the rest of the time!"
"That's the Draco I know."
This remark brought Draco back to his reality. He widened his eyes as he looked at Harry fearfully. He back answered Harry so definitely he will be pissed by this but he had a big smile on his face.
Harry saw fear in Draco's eyes and sighed. He sat in front of him, took his hand in his, caressed the back of his hand softly, and said. "I am not going to hurt you, Draco, I have already promised you. Do you want me to give you an unbreakable promise?"
"No, Harry. I trust you but it's just hard to accept the reality. I know that you won't hurt me knowingly. I.. I don't know how to explain but I am not able to stop myself from reacting in a certain way. When you live an entire year filled with pain and fear then it becomes your nature. Even when I know that I don't have to be afraid of you I still am, because it's just natural for me now."
"It's okay, Draco. Take your time." Draco gave Harry a small smile.
"Come on now get up, get ready we will have our breakfast and then we are going out shopping," Harry said looking excited.
"No, please Harry, I am not ready to go out in the wizarding world."
"But we are going to Muggle Mall for shopping. No one will recognize you in the Muggle world."
"Really?" Draco asked he was now a little excited as he had never been to a Muggle world, before. He would love to see how they live.
"Yeah really. No one will recognize us and it's fun to be a nobody, some days."
Draco nodded yes.
"Take a shower I will get some clothes for you."
"Full sleeves," Draco said and held his left arm tightly.
"Muggles won't recognize the mark and to be honest even if I was against Voldemort and his doings but that mark has some class. Just look at its design 'skull with a snake around it' it's aesthetic. I think I would love to meet the person who designed this mark."
"It has to be Dark lord," Draco replied with wide eyes as he was trying to digest what Harry just said.
"Ahh, then maybe I need to go back in time and change a few things because the guy who designed that shit is my type."
Draco's eyes widened more upon hearing this but before he could reply, Harry left the room. "Is he crazy?" Draco thought. He looked down at his left arm and the mark. To be honest, it wasn't that bad.
To be continued...
BY J.