Chapter Text
Draco’s POV
Draco had just left his Defense Against the Dark Arts class on the sixth floor. He was alone, which tended to be the norm these days. Only Pansy returned with him for their eighth year from Slytherin, as the rest either fled with their parents after the war or stayed home, living off of their family’s money.
Pansy really only came back to Hogwarts for Draco’s sake. Her family had stayed neutral during the war, and therefore couldn’t be prosecuted for anything. Draco’s, on the other hand… Well. Both of his parents were currently serving life sentences in Azkaban; his father for all of his willing involvement and participation in the war, and his mother for aiding and abetting the Dark Lord. She may have been an unwilling accomplice, but an accomplice nonetheless.
Draco should be sitting in a cell right along with them, but he was shown leniency since he was underage when he first took the dark mark, and he was coerced, to put it mildly. Oh, and Potter, of course. Potter spoke on his behalf at his trial, which was what tipped the scale in his favor and essentially got him off. The only stipulation was that he had to complete his education, and that he will be on probation for up to five years. Draco didn’t know what he did to deserve whatever deity that guided Potter to do such a thing, but he will be eternally grateful. Not that he’d ever tell Potter that.
Speaking of Potter… Draco was pulled out of his thoughts when the bespectacled brunette rounded the corner at the other end of the hall and was making his way towards Draco. The blonde had somehow made it to the third floor without even realizing how he’d gotten there. This wasn’t his usual route- he must have been walking on autopilot.
“Potter,” he said a bit more harshly than he’d meant to. That’s what happened when he thought about his parents and the war.
Potter was still about ten feet away, but close enough for Draco to still see the eye roll. “Piss off, Malfoy,” was the reply as he kept walking.
Draco should just keep walking past him. Maybe knock into his shoulder, but otherwise let it be. He should try to be less of a git, but he just never does seem to be able to resist a confrontation with Potter. At least he’ll have the brunette’s attention, if only for a few minutes.
“Oh, I should just piss off whenever the Savior appears, should I? You think you’re so entitled now that you’re a hero.” Draco wasn’t actually offended by the comment, he just emitted comebacks like they were nothing.
Potter shoved right by him and called over his shoulder, “Better to be seen as a hero than a Death Eater on the loose.”
Draco was gob smacked.
That’s what he thinks of me? He was the one that got me off!
The blonde charged after Potter and grabbed his shoulder, spinning him around and drawing his wand. Before the brunette could say a word, Draco cut him off. “You insincere bastard. If that’s what you really think, then why the fuck would you speak on my behalf? Did you want me to owe you? You wanted to hold it over my head?” He could feel his hands shaking from anger, so he balled them into fists.
Potter just pinned him with a cool stare. “No, Malfoy. I was sincere. You’re no more a Death Eater than I am a hero. That was my point. I spoke for you so you wouldn’t rot in Azkaban, unlike your despicable parents.”
“Don’t you dare speak of my parents! My mother was not despicable, she even helped you, you- you arse-”
“Yes, your mother did help me. I spoke for her as well, but it wasn’t enough. I thought you would’ve known that.” He paused a moment before continuing. “Your father on the other hand should’ve gotten the Kiss, if you ask me.”
Draco’s entire body was shaking with rage. He couldn’t think straight, he could barely restrain himself. I can’t start fights, I have to walk away, I’m on probation. FUCK. “At least I still have a father,” he sneered, fully prepared to walk away.
Then Potter’s fist connected with his jaw and he was stumbling backwards, seeing red. His wand lay forgotten on the floor.
Draco charged forward and got a few good hits in before he was nearly taken to the ground. He staggered and righted himself just as Potter was rushing him. The brunette brought his fist back, ready to break his nose, when the blonde dodged and used Potter’s momentum against him, pushing him hard towards the staircase. A tumble down the stairs will certainly end this stupid fight.
Only… At the exact moment Potter stumbled over the threshold, the staircase moved. And Potter fell.
No no no no NO!
Draco lunged for the gap in the railing, arm extended, but it was too late. Potter was free-falling, looking back up at Draco with a horrified expression on his face. Time stood still as Potter seemed to fall in slow motion. He was pretty sure he could hear screaming over the blood pounding in his ears, but whether the screams were Potter’s, bystanders’ or his own, he had no idea.
After what seemed like an eternity, but was actually only about three seconds, Potter hit the floor below with a sickening bang. His eyes were still locked on Draco’s, only this time they reflected a look of pure panic. And he wasn’t moving.
Draco jumped into action and sprinted down the corridor, picking up his wand on the way. He took the stairs three at a time to the second floor, then around the corner to the next set of stairs. He flew down them, and then ran to the spot where Potter had landed, where a small crowd had already gathered around him.
Someone was yelling for help. Several others were running in the direction of the Great Hall, probably looking for a teacher. It was lunchtime, after all.
Draco shoved through the crowd and dropped to his knees beside Potter. Who still wasn’t moving. But once again, his eyes were locked onto the blonde’s, panic still the most prevalent emotion displayed in them, only now there were tears intermittently falling down his cheeks.
Draco wanted to reach out to him, hold him, something, but he knew- he just knew something was terribly wrong. Potter was injured, and badly. He couldn’t risk touching him. So he just knelt there, shaking uncontrollably and wide-eyed as he waited for help to arrive.
It didn’t take long.
All of a sudden, Draco was being pulled backwards by strong arms. He resisted at first, reaching out to Potter, but this strong person doubled their efforts and dragged him back. The rest of the crowd was also being dispelled, as several teachers had arrived to the scene. Looking up, Draco realized that the arms around him had remained, and they belonged to Severus Snape, who was crouching down beside him. Feeling slightly less alarmed, his eyes snapped back to Potter.
Professors McGonagall and Flitwick were keeping all the students back as Madam Pomfrey cast diagnostic spells on Potter. After an agonizing minute, she cast a series of complicated spells, and Potter completely froze- immobilized, more likely- and lost consciousness. He was then levitated, and was slowly gliding after Pomfrey.
“Mr. Malfoy. You will accompany us up to the hospital wing,” McGonagall commanded as she walked past him after Pomfrey and Potter.
Draco couldn’t speak. Or move. He simply allowed himself to be hauled up by Sev and numbly followed.
* * * * *
Once Draco and Sev pushed open the heavy doors to the hospital wing and entered, McGonagall rounded on him.
“Mr. Malfoy. I have been informed that you pushed Mr. Potter just as the staircase had moved, resulting in his fall. Is this true?”
Potter was at the far end of the ward, closest to Pomfrey’s office. She was casting more spells and magically arranging him on the bed, and then summoning various potions.
“Mr. Malfoy?”
Pomfrey was pouring one of the potions down Potter’s throat while simultaneously casting a spell to make him swallow. He can’t even swallow on his own?
“Mr. Malfoy! I repeat, is this-”
Draco bolted to the side of the nearest bed, where a trashcan was positioned, and promptly emptied the contents of his stomach into it. When the heaves subsided, he collapsed, back up against the bed and knees bent in front of him. He couldn’t stop shaking.
“I believe, Minerva, that Draco is in shock. Perhaps you could wait to question him until he has been treated?” Sev spoke quietly. It wasn’t really a question.
“Of course. I’ll send Poppy over as soon as she’s finished with Potter.” With that, McGonagall made her way over to Potter’s bed, where she had a very serious whispered conversation with the Healer.
Sev sat down on the bed behind Draco and rested a hand on his shoulder. He remained silent, but the gesture was more than Draco expected from his mentor. They sat there for Merlin knew how long, while Draco tried with all of his strength to get his breathing back under control, and not to simply recede into himself.
* * * * *
Finally, Pomfrey approached the two Slytherins, and came around to Draco’s side of the bed where he was now huddled onto the floor. Without a word she took his hand and hauled him up, and then steered him to a bed that was one away from Potter’s.
Even though the curtains were drawn on Potter’s bed, all Draco could do was stare at it. Pomfrey gently pushed him down so he was sitting on the bed, and she began casting diagnostic spells on him. She then gave him a calming drought, followed by another potion he couldn’t quite identify. He drank it anyway, and immediately felt warmth spreading through him. He hadn’t realized how cold and clammy he’d been. Slowly, the trembling stopped as well and he found he could breathe much more easily.
“Are you still nauseous? I can give you something for that, too,” the Healer offered.
Draco just shook his head. He still didn’t trust himself to speak.
“Very well. You’ve just had a panic attack, Mr. Malfoy. I’m keeping you here until dinner for observation. You may as well get some rest.” And with that, she was back to Potter’s bedside.
Sev had followed them to Draco’s new bed and silently watched as he was being treated. As soon as Pomfrey had left, he approached. “She’s right, Draco. I haven’t seen you this upset since- well. You should get some rest. I trust this was an accident?”
“Of course!” the blonde choked out. He was horrified that anyone could even suggest that it wasn’t.
“Alright, relax. I believe you. But you would do well to remember that not many will. I do hope you have a reasonable explanation for why you were seen at the exact location that Potter fell from.”
Draco just bit his trembling lip and held his breath as Sev turned on his heel and swept from the hospital wing. Only when the door shut behind him did Draco let out the sob he’d been holding in.
* * * * *
Madam Pomfrey’s POV
The Malfoy boy was curled up in bed, sobbing when Minerva finally came to question him a half an hour before dinner. He’d been like that ever since Severus left.
Poppy approached his bed and informed him that the headmistress wished to discuss the events of that day with him. He simply nodded, and she could visibly see him pulling himself together.
She gave him another minute to compose himself before allowing Minerva to question him. After checking on Potter once more, she went back to her office, checking inventory on her supply of potions as she waited.
There was a knock to her door ten minutes later. Poppy let Minerva in and they sat, facing each other across Poppy’s desk.
“He says it was an accident. They had gotten into a physical altercation, Potter was charging Malfoy, and so Malfoy dodged the blow. Potter’s momentum took him right over the threshold.” Minerva sighed, her lips tightening into a thin line.
“There was evidence to support that, yes. They each had minor injuries caused by a fist fight,” Poppy supplied.
“Ah. So you are inclined to believe Malfoy’s story?”
“At least in some capacity, yes. Of course, he may be downplaying the details of the fight a tad, but I don’t believe Malfoy would intentionally push Potter. If he didn’t make any attempts on Potter’s life during the war, then I daresay he wouldn’t now.”
“I suppose I must agree. I’m still obliged to punish the boy, however, seeing as he was caught fighting. I will not report him for breaking the terms of his probation, but I must ensure that he knows the seriousness of his actions.”
Poppy thought a moment. “I’ve already informed him of the worst of Potter’s condition. He was very worried and inquired, you see. I told him that Potter is currently a quadriplegic, and is in a potion-induced coma, as the healing process is so excruciating. He’s been in tears ever since.”
“Poppy! You disclosed Potter’s medical condition to Malfoy?”
“Only to scare him. Of course, I left out that he will only require being in a coma for the first night. In the morning, I’ll take him off of that particular potion so he can reestablish his natural sleeping cycle. He’ll still have to be in a full body-bind to prevent any movements, however, as his spinal cord will be quite tricky to heal. But I fully expect him to make a full recovery. Anyway, back to the Malfoy boy. I also had to treat him for a panic attack when he first came in. I must say, the boy appears to be completely guilt-ridden and upset by this ordeal.”
“Your point, Poppy?” the headmistress asked, slightly exasperated.
“My point, Minerva, is that Malfoy seems to be much softer than he wishes to reveal. Perhaps it would be wise to show the boy leniency. He will only act out more if he thinks everyone is against him.”
“You’re a wise woman, Poppy,” Minerva said as she rose from her seat, a twinkle in her eye. “Please update me with any news on Potter’s condition.” And then she was gone.