First Place - Action/Adventure

"Morning, Draco," Harry said cheerfully.

"Morning, Harry," Draco said, giving Harry his sweetest smile.

"Come on and let's get ready for the day," Harry said. "This is the last week of classes, which is mostly exams that won't be fun for me, but then it'll be the holidays!"

"It'll be almost Christmas?" Draco asked hopefully.

"Yep! And this will be my best Christmas ever," Harry declared.

"Really?" Draco asked.

Harry grinned. "Yes, really."

They finished getting ready, talking about what all they were going to do over the holidays. Their discussion continued as they made their way up to the Great Hall and began eating breakfast.

"Will you guys be staying here for the holidays this year?" Harry asked his Slytherin friends.

They all nodded. "Yeah, we decided a long time ago that we didn't want to miss out on when Draco turns back into a teenager again," Blaise said, smirking at Harry.

"Besides, we didn't want to leave you two here alone over the holidays," Pansy said, smiling warmly.

Harry winked at Draco. "At least we'd have each other, right, angel?"

"Right, Harry," Draco said, grinning. "We're going to have the best Christmas! Harry said so."

"Did he now?" Blaise asked.

"Hey," Harry said defensively. "I never got Christmas as a kid so I'm very much planning on living vicariously through Draco this year."

They all smiled at him a bit sadly. "Oh, come on," Harry protested. "We're trying to be happy here."

"Yeah, I want to talk about presents," Draco piped up, causing the group to break out into laughter.

Lunchtime brought about the same general discussion at the Gryffindor table.

"Are you guys staying here for the holidays?" Harry asked.

"Yeah, Mum says we can stay here this year," Ron said.

"You don't have to stay here just because of me," Harry protested.

Ron and Hermione both looked a little uncomfortable. "We're just a little worried about how things will go at the end of the holidays and we don't want you to be alone, just in case it doesn't go well," Hermione admitted quietly.

Harry sighed and looked down at Draco. "Yeah, I'm kind of a little worried, too. I'm glad you guys are staying." Then Harry perked up. "Besides, we've got lots that we're planning to do over the holidays. Right, Draco?"

"Yeah, Harry says this will be the best Christmas ever!" Draco said excitedly. It wasn't long before they had launched into a discussion about all they'd be doing and all the presents Draco wanted.

It wasn't until Potions class that afternoon when things began to fall apart. Their exam would be on Friday. Of course, Snape would wait until the last class of the last day before holidays to give it to them. For today, they were doing review.

In the middle of class, however, Harry suddenly collapsed, screaming in pain and clutching desperately at his scar.

"Everybody out of this room within the next thirty seconds," Snape bellowed. He didn't question when Harry's four friends stayed, Draco now clutching at Pansy fearfully.

Snape bodily picked Harry up, holding tightly to Harry's thrashing form. "Granger, get the Headmaster immediately and bring him to my quarters," he ordered. "I have the feeling he will be needed," Snape muttered.

His narrowed eyes took in the fearful and worried looks of the three remaining students. "Come with me," he commanded.

Snape carried Harry down the corridors to his quarters, continuing through until he placed the still screaming and thrashing boy on his bed. "Weasley, Zabini, hold him still so that he doesn't hurt himself," Snape commanded before he swept out of the room. The two boys jumped to comply, each of them holding onto one of Harry's arms and pinning him to the bed.

Snape returned almost immediately with several potion vials in hand. It wasn't long after that when Hermione and Dumbledore arrived through the Floo. Everyone watched worriedly as Snape shooed them all aside and sat beside Harry on the bed, holding his arms with just enough pressure so that Harry wasn't hurting himself.

Although still extremely concerned about Harry, they all watched wide-eyed with surprise and wonder to see the dour Potions professor caring so gently for Harry. Snape seemed to expect Harry's need to retch as he came out of his vision. After cleaning him, dosing him with potions, and settling him back into the pillows, Snape gestured for Pansy to let Draco go.

In a flash, the little boy had raced to the bed and Snape lifted him and placed him in Harry's arms. Despite not exactly feeling coherent yet, Harry wrapped his arms tightly around the little boy.

"Oh, Draco, we're in trouble," Harry whispered hoarsely.

"Harry," Snape said his name, commanding his attention.

Harry finally glanced up and truly focused on his surroundings. His eyes grew round as he took in the audience that they had. Harry licked his lips nervously, but focused back on Snape.

"We've got trouble, Severus," Harry said, unconsciously using Snape's given name in the room where he was allowed to, despite the fact that he wasn't supposed to use it around others.

"What did you see, Harry?" Snape asked.

Dumbledore didn't seem to be overly fazed by the interaction between Snape and Harry, but Hermione, Pansy, Blaise and Ron were torn between shock and worry. They'd heard about Snape being gentle and showing concern. That didn't mean they'd witnessed it and truly comprehended before. Unfortunately, Harry's next words would drive all of their shock about Harry and Snape to the far recesses of their minds.

"They're all free," Harry said quietly. His eyes flicked briefly to the blond head before focusing on Snape again. "Even him. The Dementors have sided with Voldemort only in the sense that they released his followers."

Gasps could be heard as everyone suddenly understood exactly what Harry meant.

Snape's obsidian gaze took on a new intensity and fury, but Harry didn't flinch. "When, Harry? Now?"

Harry simply nodded, then turned to Dumbledore. "The guards ... I'm not sure you can do much now, but you should send the Aurors. No one knows yet, as far as I know."

Dumbledore nodded gravely at Harry but addressed Snape. "Severus, I will meet you shortly in my office."

Snape didn't bother responding to Dumbledore before he left, speaking to Harry instead. "I will leave you here with your friends. Stay here until I return."

"Yes, Severus," Harry said quietly.

Snape stood and faced the four teenagers still standing, looking unsure, worried and downright terrified. "Watch them," Snape commanded, before he billowed out of the room, not bothering to get a response from them.

"Harry?" Draco's small voice asked worriedly. "You're shaking."

"I'm sorry, angel. I can't seem to stop," Harry said, his voice sounding shaky as well.

Hermione moved to step forward, but both Ron and Blaise held a hand out to stop her. She turned to look at them questioningly and they just shook their heads. She frowned but stopped to watch the two boys sitting on the bed. Pansy had frowned at Ron and Blaise's actions, too, but followed their lead - of doing absolutely nothing.

Ron and Blaise had both witnessed a couple of Harry's and Draco's talks after nightmares or visions. They knew that Harry wanted to reassure Draco first, if possible, and he wasn't ready to deal with the rest of them yet.

"It's all right, Harry," Draco said, lifting his little hand up to touch Harry's cheek.

Harry tried a smile, but it trembled badly. He wondered if he needed Snape back more than he'd realized even. Harry closed his eyes.

Focus on Draco. Deep breath. Focus on Draco. Calm down. Focus on Draco. Nothing you can do. Deep breath.

"Harry?" Draco said anxiously, tugging at Harry's robes.

Harry was still trembling, but not nearly as violently as he had been. "Yes, angel?"

"Would it help if you held Wuffle?" Draco asked.

This time Harry managed a better smile. "I'm sure it would. Where is Wuffle anyway?"

Draco twisted in Harry's arms and snatched Wuffle from the pillows behind him. Harry relaxed back into the pillows, snuggling with Draco and Wuffle.

"All we need now is our blanket," Harry said, smiling softly.

Hermione was closest and she snagged it from the end of the bed immediately and tucked them both in. As she did so, she gave them both a kiss on the forehead. Then she stepped back, without ever having said a word, but smiling gently at them both.

"Harry?" Draco whispered.

Harry grinned, pretty sure of what was coming. He noticed Ron and Hermione grinning, too. They obviously remembered that first night in Gryffindor tower, too.

"Yes, angel?" Harry asked.

"Mione kissed us on our foreheads," Draco whispered.

"I know," Harry whispered back. "Remember? She does those kinds of things sometimes."

"But Harry, it's not bedtime," Draco protested in confusion. "Is it?"

Harry sighed, again he was fairly certain of what would be coming next. "No, it's not bedtime."

"You weren't sleeping, Harry. How could you have a nightmare if you weren't sleeping first?" Draco asked, his little brow furrowed in confusion.

How was Harry to keep Draco from worrying about nightmares hitting him even when he was awake? How was he to keep Draco from getting scared?

"You're right. It wasn't really a nightmare," Harry said, frowning thoughtfully. "It was more like ... all these bad memories hit me in the head at once, even though I was awake."

"Can that happen to me, too?" Draco asked fearfully.

"Oh no," Harry said, shaking his head, wincing a little as he did so.

"Your head still hurts," Draco said knowingly. Unfortunately, they'd been through this part of the routine too many times. Only usually Snape was there and it was the middle of the night.

"Do you know what Severus gave me?" Harry asked Draco.

Much to their friends' surprise, Draco perked up importantly. "He only gave you one blue one - the pain one. And then he gave you the purple one for your tummy and he gave you one of the dark green ones for your body."

"The muscle relaxant," Harry muttered. "I must have been worse than I realized even."

"It was bad this time, Harry," Draco said sorrowfully.

Harry sighed heavily. "Can you run and get me another blue one, please?"

Draco immediately went scrambling. The others parted in surprise, getting out of the way of the little boy on a mission.

"All the Death Eaters are free from Azkaban now," Harry said abruptly, knowing Draco would be right back. "All the guards are dead."

"All of them?" Ron asked, voicing their horror.

Harry wasn't sure if he was referring to all of the Death Eaters or all of the guards, but either way it didn't matter. Harry simply nodded.

"Why don't you guys have a seat?" Harry invited. "You don't have to just stand there."

They all moved to sit down as Draco came running back in, clutching the little blue potion vial tightly in both hands. Proudly, he handed it to Harry before scrambling back up onto the bed and Harry's lap. Harry double-checked the label and quickly downed the pain reliever. It was a double dose kind of day.

"Thank you, angel," Harry said softly.

"You're welcome," Draco said, grinning brightly, proud and happy he could do something for Harry.

Harry grinned back. "Severus has taught you well."

Draco slowly lost his grin as his thoughts once again turned to Harry's nightmare that wasn't a nightmare. "You weren't asleep," he said in bemusement.

"Draco, what happened to me can't happen to you, or anyone else for that matter," Harry said firmly.

"Then how come it happened to you?" Draco wanted to know.

Harry wanted to know the answer to that question himself actually, but that was far beyond anyone's abilities to answer in the fullest sense.

"Um, well, because there's just something a little different about me," Harry said slowly, grimacing slightly, knowing that wasn't a good answer. Then it came to him what his answer really was for Draco, and he was feeling stupid for not having thought of it already.

Harry looked at Draco confidently. "See, I got hit with a really bad spell a long time ago and no one's been able to figure out a counter spell for it yet," Harry explained. He didn't like lying to Draco, but he didn't have a problem with fudging the truth a bit.

"Like my potion Sev'rus is making for me that's taking so long?" Draco asked.

"Exactly," Harry said. "Sometimes it can take a long time to come up with a solution when something goes wrong."

"Is Sev'rus working on something to make you better, too?" Draco asked curiously.

"Um, kind of," Harry said, smiling ruefully and thinking about all his damned training sessions with the man. "He works on it almost every night."

"Well, then you'll be all better then," Draco said brightly.

Harry's smile was sad. "I hope so, angel. It just gets a little frustrating sometimes that it takes so long."

Draco's brow furrowed yet again. "So, the bad spell gives you nightmares when you're awake?"

"Yeah, that's pretty much what happened today," Harry said fairly truthfully. Of course, there was also a lot more to it, but he wasn't about to tell Draco that. "So see, I'll be fine like always. I just didn't like the nightmare and it makes me feel a little scared still."

"But you'll talk to Sev'rus?" Draco asked.

That was the deal they'd made somewhere along the line. You had to tell your nightmares to someone older. Draco told his to Harry and Harry promised to tell his to Severus.

"Yes, I'll tell him later when he's back," Harry promised.

"Good," Draco said, feeling reassured now. Things were pretty much as they should be. It bothered the hell out of Harry sometimes that Draco took all this nightmare business as normal, but then, unfortunately it was normal for them.

Draco yawned widely.

Harry smiled softly. "It may not be bedtime, but maybe you feel like taking a little nap at least?"

Draco nodded. "I'm supposed to go back to sleep when you're all right again," he said sleepily, snuggling deeper into Harry's arms.

Harry held him and was once again saddened because what Draco had said was true. That was the routine for them. A few short minutes later Blaise was moving back the blankets on the bed and helping Harry to tuck Draco in with Wuffle still clutched tightly in his arms.

Harry sighed wearily and slid out of bed, snagging Draco's soft, fluffy blanket as he went. He wasn't sure if it was his or Draco's security blanket anymore. He curled up in one of the armchairs, wrapping the blanket around him tightly. He was actually wishing that Severus was back already.

Instead, he waited until Blaise was seated again with the others and cast a Silencing spell on their half of the room. Draco wouldn't be able to hear them and they wouldn't wake him, but Harry would be able to hear Draco if need be.

"You know, this is the first time any of us have actually seen your room," Blaise said, not wanting to jump right into the disturbing conversation yet.

Harry smiled softly, appreciating the attempt at helping him to relax, even though it would all be shot to hell in a few minutes anyway.

"I like mine and Draco's room," Harry spoke softly, smiling sadly. "I feel ... safe here. It's actually the closest I've ever felt like I had a real home." He shrugged uncomfortably, feeling like he'd said too much.

But then, his friends, new and old, knew him well and understood. "You've got everything here," Ron said, sounding impressed. "Sure beats our dorm."

Harry chuckled lightly and Ron beamed at getting such a positive response from Harry.

"You're just jealous because we've got toys here and you don't," Harry said lightly.

All of them were laughing now, the mood lightened considerably. Something they'd all needed. They talked lightly for a bit, but then once again silence descended upon the group.

They were all gazing worriedly at Harry, dark shadows flitting across his features.

"Do you want to talk about it now, Harry?" Hermione asked quietly.

Harry shook his head, even as he closed his eyes. He knew he needed to. He knew he couldn't keep the horror he'd seen inside or he'd explode. His friends were great, but this wasn't what he wanted. He wanted to talk to Draco. The older Draco.

Harry opened his eyes and looked longingly over towards his desk, not noticing his friends' confused looks. They followed his line of sight, but couldn't see anything that would make Harry look that way. Until Hermione spotted the now somewhat worn looking journal that she'd bought for Harry over the summer for his birthday.

"Have you been writing, Harry?" she asked softly.

Despite her quiet tones, Harry was startled. He looked at Hermione, flicked his gaze to the desk where he could see his journal and then back to her again. The others were glancing between the two curiously.

"Um, yeah," Harry answered. "I started writing after Draco's second night with me. Originally I thought I could kind of record some of Draco's second childhood."

"But now?" Hermione asked. "Has it been helping you?"

Harry dropped his gaze to the soft blanket covering him. "Yes," he admitted quietly.

"Do you write to someone?" Hermione asked understandingly.

Harry looked up at her in surprise. She smiled at him gently. "It's a girl thing, Harry," she explained. "Don't you remember how Ginny wrote to Tom Riddle? We like to write like we're actually talking to someone."

Pansy was nodding in agreement while Blaise and Ron were trying to stifle their snickering by the time she was done speaking.

Harry started laughing quietly. "Mione? Are you trying to tell me I'm a girl?"

She looked horrified. "Oh no, Harry!" she exclaimed. "I didn't mean it that way."

"Then how did you mean it?" Harry smirked at her, waiting to see how she'd try to get herself out of this one.

"I mean, I only know girls who write in diaries and so that's why I said it's a girl thing. I meant I'm a girl so that's how I guessed. I don't actually think you're a girl," she finished weakly, knowing she'd stepped in it.

Harry winked at Blaise and Ron. "Then if girls write in diaries, I think it's a damned good thing I've been writing in a journal instead."

The boys were snickering at the girls, while the girls just rolled their eyes at them.

"So, anyway, despite definitely being a boy, I gather you write like you're talking to someone," Hermione retorted. She instantly regretted it, though, when Harry's face fell again.

Harry blushed in embarrassment. "I know it sounds ridiculous and you'll probably all laugh at me even more for being like a girl, but when I write, I talk to Draco," he mumbled.

"We're not laughing at you, mate," Ron said reassuringly.

"You talk to Draco?" Pansy asked curiously. "The older Draco?"

Harry shrugged uncomfortably. "Yeah," he whispered. "I know it's crazy."

"I think it's actually kind of sweet," Pansy admitted.

"You guys really do think I'm a bloody girl," Harry said dryly, causing the others to laugh.

He gave up on his embarrassment and decided to explain. "I talk to him everyday. I write about what's going on with his younger self. I write about what's going on with me. I write about things like my vision today," Harry added quietly.

He looked up at Hermione. "You were right once again," he admitted. "Writing has helped me work through a lot of things the last few months."

Harry shifted his gaze to the fire blazing warmly and the others waited patiently, sensing Harry had more he wanted to say now that he'd gotten started. "Over break I plan to redo the journal and take out some things. Um, I doubt Draco would exactly be thrilled with finding out that his rival loves him," Harry said somewhat bitterly.

He took a deep breath before continuing. "Anyway, then I'll piece it back together and give it to him for Christmas. I still intend to give him that record of his little second childhood here," Harry said quietly. "There just ended up being a whole lot more of me in that journal than I'd ever intended when I first started and I'd be essentially baring my entire soul to him if he ever read the original," he admitted, still staring blanking into the flames.

Harry knew he was admitting to more than he had intended to, but spoke again anyway. "It's probably pretty pathetic of me, telling Draco Malfoy all of my secrets. I only wish I had the real Draco to talk to," he whispered.

Hermione once again looked like she was going to interrupt, but the other three shot her quelling glares and she subsided, allowing Harry to say whatever it was he wanted to.

"It's not that I don't appreciate all of your support," Harry said. "Because I do. I need you guys. I just need ... I don't know." Harry shook his head slightly in confusion, trying to make sense of his thoughts.

This time Hermione interrupted anyway. "You need that one person that's there just for you. The one who places you above everyone else," she said quietly.

Harry turned slowly to look at her. "You understand?"

She smiled softly. "Of course, I understand, Harry. We all want someone like that in our lives. We all need friends, but we also need someone that goes far beyond that friendship role. Someone who loves us unconditionally and we love them in return. A partner to listen to our secrets, someone that we can share everything with, without being afraid."

"Yeah," Harry said wistfully, back to staring into the flames. "I want someone like that."

"You're going to at least give Draco a chance when he gets back to normal, aren't you?" Blaise asked.

Harry turned to look at him sadly, but his voice was even and calm. "His father was just freed from Azkaban again, Blaise. What do you think is really going to happen?"

Blaise and the others winced slightly and shifted uncomfortably.

Harry snorted. "You know as well as I do that Draco will likely go back to being the same Death Eater wannabe prat that he has been. He happens to value his life and he's going to have to do his best to protect himself from his father once again."

"Severus would protect him here, though," Blaise protested.

Harry shrugged helplessly. "Yes, he would, but Draco would have to accept that help. None of us really know what all Lucius has done to him all these years. Did things get even worse for him? Did things stay about the same? How much hold does Lucius actually have over Draco? I am absolutely positive that Draco thinks the man will kill him immediately if he thinks Draco has stepped out of line at all."

Harry's glare turned cold and hard. "If I ever run into that man, I swear that I will kill him. Draco should not be living his life at the mercy of that man ... because Lucius Malfoy does not know how to show mercy."

The others could only stare as Harry's attitude shifted so quickly.

"Here I am whinging about whether Draco could ever love me back or not. What the fuck does it really matter? What matters is that Draco's safety is more at stake now because Lucius Malfoy is running about free again." Harry shifted to gaze at the little boy sleeping peacefully on the bed across the room. "I promised that little boy a long time ago that I wouldn't let his father hurt him again and I will do my bloody best to keep that promise."

Harry's determination was renewed and his confidence returned along with it. His friends were a little startled at the transformation from the scared and lovesick teen to this young man radiating pure power and purpose who was before them now. They were forcibly reminded that there was a lot more layers to Harry Potter than most people realized.

He was a teenager like the rest of them who could get hurt, scared, lovesick, lonely and be moody at times. However, he was also the powerful wizard who they had no doubt would actually save them all from Voldemort one day like was expected of him.

Malfoy's Child - Chapter 17

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