Work Text:
Draco was running. Through the Manor, through the Forest, through the castle. The images blurred before his eyes and every location felt the same. Scenes too horrible to describe. Horrified screams followed him wherever he was, and he couldn’t escape them, couldn’t outrun them.
Bloodstained floors, werewolf nail-gouged ground, magic-blown castle walls. The death and destruction surrounded him, reminding him at every turn that he was a part of this. He helped this happen.
“Draco.”
Draco ran from his own name, even. He couldn’t stop. Didn’t want everything around him and behind him to finally catch up. He knew he would die if they did. There was no safe place left, no safe person anymore.
“Draco.”
Draco ran faster. They were too close. He could practically feel the heat of them brushing his skin, their voice whispering in his ear. He tripped and stumbled in his tiredness, felt his lungs heaving and his legs growing weak. Felt like he could barely breathe , but he couldn’t pause. Not even for a moment. They would be on him the second he thought he was safe enough for a break.
“Draco.”
Draco cried. Merlin, when would it be enough? Was seeing death before his eyes not enough? Was being tormented in his own home not enough? Was witnessing his father be reduced to a shadow of his former self not enough? When would it be enough?
“Draco, wake up.”
Draco woke to Harry’s fingers in his hair and his voice in his ear.
“Come on, love. Come back to me. You were having another nightmare,” Harry whispered.
And it suddenly flashed before Draco’s eyes. The death, the screaming, the running.
“Shh,” Harry crooned.
And Draco realised he was still crying. The tears soaking Harry’s nightshirt where Draco’s face was pressed. Draco clutched his fingers into the shirt and burrowed his head even further into his husband’s chest, breathing properly be damned.
Still, Draco’s breaths drew calmer, the whirlwind of noise in his mind and turbulent emotions swirling through him quieted as Harry continued murmuring comforting nonsense and stroking his hair.
This , thought Draco , this is my safe place, my safe person. I make sense of the madness, when I listen to his voice.
“Are you feeling better, love?” Harry whispered.
Draco nodded into Harry’s chest, speech still beyond him.
“Good,” Harry answered. “Do you want to talk about it?”
Draco shook his head. Didn’t want to relive it again.
“Okay. We’ll just rest here then.”
Draco finally found his words.
“Love you.”
“Love you, too.”
