Chapter Text
“Bloody hell mate.” Ron said, a concerned look on his face. He sat at the end of the hospital bed, the morning sun peeking through the misted windows of the infirmary.
“Is it that bad?” Harry croaked, cracking his sleepless eyes open to look at Ron. He tried to focus on Ron’s face but everything he could see was blurred.
“I mean, Pomfrey said that you’ve broken 15 bloody bones and got a concussion, not to mention you can’t bloody see and also broke your bloody firebolt.”
“I think the firebolt is the least of my worries, Ron” Harry managed to chuckle before needing to cough.
Ron smiled at that but still looked as though he thought Harry would shatter to a million pieces if he moved again. “Look mate, I’ve got class. I’ll bring you all of your books and essay papers up at the end of the day. Hermione and I will see you later, yeah?”
“Yeah, thanks.” Harry nodded but stopped immediately because he felt his neck would fall apart and he’d be the new Nearly Headless Nick.
Harry watched as Ron left the infirmary. He lowered himself back on his pillow and let out a loud groan. His whole body was stiff and aching but it serves him right for playing quidditch out of hours. Even though everything hurt, it was all worth it to see Ron’s face after he caught the snitch for the 3rd time. Maybe it was a good thing that was Ron was a keeper.
Harry could use a break after all, starting 4th year was tough and he needs several hours of sleep to make up for the ones he’s lost due to his nightmares.
He turned his body around so he was laying on his side and closed his eyes. The next two weeks would be spent sleeping and waiting until he got back on his broom.
*
Harry woke up four hours later, hungry for food. As he cracked open his eyes and began to sit up, he heard a whining noise coming from just outside the infirmary. Ignoring it, Harry grabbed his glasses and took a dose of his medication so that his ribs could heal without becoming completely deformed.
Harry put the small cup down and as he did the door shot open, and saw Draco Malfoy being shoved slowly by Madame Pomfrey, who rolled her eyes as Malfoy groaned profusely. He groaned even louder as he saw Harry sitting on one of the beds, watching as he walked in.
Harry looked back to his own bed, pretending to mind his own business as Malfoy was lowered on the bed, exaggerating in how much pain he was in.
“Right, Mr Malfoy” Pomfrey sighed “Two weeks you will be spending here because of your foolish actions. You’ll have to get a friend to bring you classwork and you will need to take this medication every hour.”
“Yes, Madame Pomfrey” Malfoy scowled. He turned to look at Harry and scoffed.
“Potter.” He seethed through his teeth, glaring intently at the ink haired boy next to him.
“Malfoy.” Harry replied, turning back around so that he wasn’t facing Malfoy.
He stared at the wall next to him, before he fell back asleep.
*
Harry woke again around 2pm, hearing whispering voices coming from the bed next to him. He could instantly tell it was Pansy Parkinson by the way she cackled and droned.
“Potty has got himself into another accident has he? Does he need Mummy to come kiss it better?” Parkinson muttered to Malfoy, glaring at where Harry had his back turned.
“Pansy,” Malfoy sighed “I’m not in the mood.”
“You’re not in the mood?” Pansy giggled. “Well you were in the mood when you got yourself into this shit by pretending to be Potter.” Pansy condescended Malfoy, which she was often found doing.
Harry wanted to sit up and ask why Malfoy was pretending to be him, probably to make fun of him, but as he was about to get up his body protested and thought that maybe it was a good idea to stay silent.
Parkinson babbled on about how another girl was getting on her nerves and Harry could tell Malfoy was getting tired of it.
Harry couldn’t take one more second of her whining and was about to shatter his glass of water in anger but before he could do so, Hermione and Ron walked in.
They stopped immediately when they saw Malfoy and Parkinson, and quickly made their way to Harry before Parkinson would start something like she always did.
“Hi, Harry.” Hermione sighed in concern. “How are you?” She said, lowering her gaze from where the two Slytherins were.
“Brilliant.” Harry replied, agitated. Hearing Parkinson talk for 10 minutes had already set him off and he didn’t want the next two weeks to be the same.
“What’s he doing here?” Ron gestured with his head in the direction of Malfoy.
“I don’t know, something about ‘copying me’ I think.” Harry rolled his eyes and looked to where Malfoy lay with Parkinson craning over him, caring for him as if he were a child. He certainly acted like one.
Ron scoffed but quickly diverted his eyes as Malfoy and Parkinson both turned to look at all three of them, but then Parkinson whispered something into Malfoy’s ear and left the infirmary. Malfoy turned back to the trio and sneered at them before he shifted his body so that he wouldn’t have to face them.
Harry continued his conversation with Ron and Hermione and got caught up on all his work and then they left to go to the library. Harry felt restless even after sleeping the whole day, but he couldn’t help but acknowledge that Malfoy was a couple metres away from him, softly breathing. Harry had never seen him this calm before.
“Malfoy.” Harry said, his voice wavering.
“What do you want, Potter?” Malfoy said, making Harry jump because he had thought that Malfoy was asleep.
“Why are you here?” Harry asked, knowing it had to do with Malfoy’s obvious obsession with Harry.
“What’s it to you? I don’t have to tell you.” Malfoy defensively said, like Harry had offended him.
“Fine, but I know that it had something to do with me.” Harry playfully said, knowing he was getting on Malfoy’s nerves.
“Shut it Potter,” Malfoy growled, “It was a potions accident, actually.” He said bluntly.
“A potions accident caused you to have 9 broken bones?” Harry questioned, amusing himself.
“Yes, Potter.” Malfoy said, turning toward Harry so that he could see the anger on his face.
Harry didn’t reply, he only lifted up an eyebrow, knowing that Malfoy was lying.
“Fine,” Malfoy grunted, “I saw you get injured while you were flying and I tried to show my friends that the trick you did was easy, but now I understand that it’s not. Happy?” He said, unwillingly admitting to his actions.
“You saw me get injured?” Harry now turned completely toward Malfoy in surprise. He had been in the Quidditch grounds when he hurt himself.
“No, I mean, yes but it was only because you were so loud that I couldn’t get to sleep.” Malfoy explained.
“Oh, okay.” Harry was staring at Malfoy’s face now and watched it glow in the afternoon sunlight.
“You’re not the only one that stays up at night, you know.” Malfoy said, seeming sincere.
It was a shock that Malfoy was even talking to him normally. The only interaction they had was when they glared at each other in the hallway and spat insults during class.
“Y-yeah, I know.” Harry couldn’t help but notice how the sunlight reflected on Malfoy’s white hair, turning it almost golden. Harry recomposed himself, “Well, Malfoy, serves you right for trying to copy me. Now we’re both stuck here for the next two weeks.”
Malfoy was close to screaming but decided not to and slammed his head into his pillow instead. He didn’t want any more injuries and have to stay even longer with ‘Saint Potter’.
“Merlins sake.” Malfoy sighed.
It wasn’t long before they both fell asleep again, their medications wearing their body’s out.
*
“Mr Potter,” Harry woke up to the voice in front of his face “Ah, you’re awake. Your dinner is on the table, and make sure you keep on taking that medication.” Pomfrey raised her eyebrow and left, leaving a plate next to him and one on the other bed.
Harry nodded and slowly lifted his body so that he could sit up. He looked around and saw that it was dark outside, and the only light coming through was from the moon. Harry could tell that it was starting to become Autumn as the sun left earlier in the day.
Looking at his food, he grimaced. He heard a faint laugh coming from the right of him and he looked up to see Malfoy watching him. The smile completely changed his face, it made him look as though he wasn’t about to go and commit murder. It left dimples on both sides of his face, but they quickly went away as soon as Malfoy saw Harry staring at them.
“I would have though you had gotten used to the taste of the infirmary’s food.” Malfoy jested, trying to move the direction of Harry’s eyes.
“I don’t understand why they don’t just bring up food from the great hall instead of having gross food that one of the infirmary kitchen elves make.” Harry explained, while using his fork to pick around the odd looking colours in his chicken.
“Like you could do any better, I bet you’ve had food made for you your whole life.” Malfoy confidently stated with a grin, but it went away as fast as it had come when he saw sadness grow on Harry’s face.
Harry pushed his plate to the side so it sat on the table next to him. He decided he wasn’t hungry anymore. He’d learnt how to suppress hunger after living with the Dursley’s for so long. He pulled the sheets up and grunted, turning away from Malfoy. Who was he to make a comment about his awful upbringing? Leave it to Malfoy to be so insensitive about something he doesn’t even know a single thing about.
“Harry, I-“ Malfoy’s voice got caught in his throat. The softness of his voice had shocked him more than saying Harry’s name, as the only time he ever says it is to make a petty remark about his stupid girlfriends. Malfoy watched as Harry’s breathing had come to a halt, and could tell he was having a hard time getting used to the first name basis Malfoy had sprung upon him.
“Don’t talk about the things you don’t know, Draco.” Harry muttered, trying to will away the awkwardness by using his voice.
Draco froze, hearing his name coming out of Harry’s mouth. He felt warmth flooding over his body until he had fully processed what Harry had just said to him.
“You can’t tell me what to do! I didn’t mean it!” Draco tutted out of his mouth.
Harry didn’t speak for a while, trying to comprehend that they were having a pretty normal human conversation without the use of their wands or having crowds of people watching.
“Was that an apology?” Harry smirked, knowing that Draco could faintly see the outline of his face in the moonlight.
“What? No. Malfoy’s don’t apologise.” Draco crossed his arms, sulking. “I- I’m sorry” he finally admitted, and felt relieved when Harry didn’t jump up and laugh in his face.
“Apology accepted.”
“Fine.”
“Good.”
“Night, Harry.” Draco blurted out. If this is what it took for Harry and himself to become friends, he would have done it a long time ago.
“Night, Draco.” Harry softly replied, feeling satisfied. “Oh and one more thing, tell Parkinson to stop cackling like a maniac, it disturbs my beauty sleep.”
“Ha, of course Harry Potter, the chosen one, needs his beauty sleep. How else would he maintain his beautiful looks?” Draco said, trying to sound sarcastic but sounding painfully honest. He stopped talking before he could say anything more.
Harry lay in silence. Did Draco Malfoy just call him beautiful? No, it must have been one of his infamous sarcastic comments. But why did he sound so sincere? “Well at least you can agree that I do need it, if I hear that laugh one more time I might actually go crazy.”
“It’s not as bad as Grangers” Draco commented, knowing it would piss Harry off.
“Sod off, Malfoy.” Harry rolled his eyes, taking it as a joke. Sometimes Hermione’s laugh became borderline scary.
“Night.”
“Night.” Harry closes his heavy eyes and felt his heartbeat slow down. Maybe the next two weeks wouldn’t be so bad after all.