Third Place - Drama

The morning had gone surprisingly well, considering how terrified I had been. Little did I know that the afternoon was going to go tits up. The worst part? I wasn�t there for it. I wasn�t there for Harry. I had to get my information secondhand. Granger and Pansy filled me in what they could; Ginny, Longbottom and even Finnegan helped me piece the rest together.

(Saturday afternoon)

We began the afternoon with a scrimmage between the Gryffindors and the Slytherins. I looked out across the field at players who, on any other occasion, would be at each other�s throats and I was pleasantly surprised. No uniforms. No banners. No screaming crowds booing the Slytherins and cheering on the Gryffindors. Just one large group of students who happened to like the same sport.

Weasley was Keeper as he was on the actual team, and Nott volunteered to be Keeper for us. Our Beaters were Vince and Greg. Gryffindor chose Finnegan and Longbottom. We had Millie and Blaise for Chasers, agreeing on only 2 each, and Gryffindor chose Dean Thomas and ended up with Colin Creevy who had wandered onto the field with a camera. I was Seeker as was Ginny.

It was to be a friendly match with Granger and Pansy on the sidelines keeping score and keeping track of fouls. Harry sat between them, his black dog cuddled up in his arms as he yelled �Go Team� for anyone who flew by him. Everything was overly polite for the first bit of the game. No one fouled, no one shouted insults. It was as though we were determined to be on our best behavior, to prove that our rivalry could be gotten past. Personally, though, I think it�s because no one wanted to upset Harry.

Ginny and I watched the Snitch zoom up into the sky before the game but lost track of it as it moved into the sun. So, we were patiently waiting for the bloody thing to become visible again. When it did, we were on it. Pansy told me that was when Harry started acting oddly.

He began shifting and fidgeting. The two girls turned curious glances on him. "Harry?" Granger asked. "Do you have to use the loo?" Harry shook his head and tilted it a bit to the right; the expression on his face was confused.

"What is it then, Harry?" Pansy asked, exchanging a worried look with her Gryffindor counterpart. Harry shrugged but didn�t look appeased. Finally he shook himself. I�d seen it before. It was as though he were shaking off the child in him, or...in the other direction...as if he were shaking off the teen.

"It�s not right," he complained.

"What isn�t right?" Pansy questioned, following Harry�s gaze to the group of us in the air.

"She�s in the wrong spot." His voice took on a whinging tone, Pansy told me later.

"She?" Granger prodded gently.

"Ginny. She�s a Chaser." He looked at Granger with confusion in his eyes. "Why aren�t I up there? Draco's going to catch the Snitch. He�s too good. He�ll beat everyone else to it."

I wish for a number of reasons that I had been there. Not the least of which was finding out that Harry respected me as a player. I knew that the rumor was floating around that I�d gotten on the team solely for my father�s contribution of brooms, but it wasn�t true. Somehow, having Harry call me a worthy rival was worth being forced to listen to the crap the other houses spewed at me for being on the team.

Another reason I wish I�d been there was that this was one of the few times when Harry was Harry again...and it didn�t involve the guilt of sexual activities. I envied Snape when I was told about Harry�s lapse. He had been able to just hug Harry. Hold him without worrying that his actions were being misconstrued. Merlin knew how badly I wanted that as well.

Pansy said that just as quickly as he showed the recognition, it fled. His eyes became clouded again and the little boy smile spread over his face. He resumed cheering insanely for everyone in the sky, Gryffindor or Slytherin.

Eventually, he bounced around so much that Pansy and Granger told him to scoot up to the bleacher seat above them so he�d stop knocking them about. I know they will feel guilty about that for many years to come. But how could they have known that Harry was about to be betrayed by someone they had seen as an ally? It wasn�t their fault.

Despite how badly they feel, I�m sure I feel worse. I am supposed to be his guardian. I am supposed to be his caretaker. Fucking great care I took of him, wasn�t it?

Pansy and Granger had leaned in to whisper to one another. I can only assume the amount of perversion those two were thinking up. But, the bottom line is that their attention was not on Harry.

Seamus was the one who noticed.

Seamus had seen Lavender leading Harry off, away from Granger and Pansy, and had called a break. I was across the field at the time and was unaware of exactly what the problem was. I thought perhaps he had been hurt, until I saw him gesturing Ginny to his side. They conferred for a moment and then shot off the field. Ginny stopped to get Granger�s attention and, at that, Granger and Pansy leaped up and began to bolt for the stand�s exit.

I took a head count and realized that Harry was nowhere to be seen. I�m sure I flew to the ground. I would have had to, right? But I don�t remember. I only remember the twist of fear in my gut and the lack of air in my lungs when I noted Harry wasn�t to be found. I wound up chasing Longbottom�s back around the corner of the stands, and hearing Weasel panting behind me.

And then we rounded the corner and I saw.

I saw Lavender with her hand down Harry�s trousers. I saw Harry�s tears. The look of terror in his eyes. But I couldn�t move. Thank Merlin for Ginny Weasley. By the time I�d gotten my brain back together, she had a handful of Lavender�s hair and was dragging her across the pitch, away from Harry.

Pansy appeared from nowhere, standing in front of Harry, shielding his body from onlookers as she tugged his robes closed. She and Granger, who had materialized next to them, led him away from the shed, and from Lavender. They led him to me. They deposited him into my arms. Or at least they would have had I not noted that Seamus and Weasel were holding my arms, keeping me from charging the Gryffindor slut. Once Harry was in arms reach, though, they turned loose. I reached for Harry and he launched himself into my arms.

All of my anger seemed to drain out as I tugged his warm, shaking body into my arms. He buried his face in my neck and I could feel the warm tears rolling down my jersey. I clutched him tightly and glared over his shoulder at the traitorous slut. "I�ll fucking kill her," I growled, wanting nothing more than to rip her intestines out through her nose.

Pansy shook her head and patted Harry softly on the back. "No, Draco. I think this is a girl thing." My eyes widened, first in anger at being forbidden my revenge, and then in interest as Pansy moved to join Ginny; Ginny who had slammed Lavender up against the wall and was beginning quite an impressive snarl. I opened my mouth to comment when a whimper from the boy in my arms drew my attention back.

I set him upright and tilted his chin up. Tears were shining in his eyes and his chin was wobbling fiercely. Seamus winced at the look on his friend�s face. "Ah, Harry," he whispered sadly, straightening Harry�s robes around him. He brushed away the bits of paint from where Harry�s back had scraped against the bleachers. Weasel hovered over my shoulder. I could tell he desperately wanted to comfort his friend. I could also tell from the way Harry was still shaking that he wouldn�t take kindly to me just turning him over to someone else.

I noted that in the rush to get Harry away from Lavender, his trousers remained undone. I nodded downward in a gesture I hoped even the Weasel could understand. He followed my gaze and flushed bright red. He slowly reached out to fix the problem. His hands were trembling. I rolled my eyes, making sure Harry couldn�t see. For fuck�s sake. Did he think he would catch queer germs?

Before I could snap out a nasty comment, Weasel was pushed gently aside and Longbottom took his place. He was murmuring inconsequential things designed, I believe to make Harry aware of his presence without making Harry more afraid. Harry just buried his face in my neck and let the other boy do as he willed. A moment later and Longbottom had successfully tucked Harry away and done up his trousers. He pulled Harry�s robes back over his front and took a step back.

And then he gasped. I kept Harry�s head pressed into my shoulder but I glanced over to see what had shocked the levelheaded Gryffindor so greatly. He had his hands out in front of him, splayed open, and they were dotted with blotches of bright red blood. I frowned. "Is that...?" Longbottom looked from his hands to Harry and finally to me. He nodded and gestured with the bloody hands to the boy in my arms. I clenched my jaw and pulled Harry tighter.

Behind me, Neville stalked to Lavender�s side, moving in a way I had never associated with someone as clumsy or clod like as he. Pansy was smirking and leaning against the bleachers. Hermione was glaring angrily around them, making sure that they remained unaccosted whilst dealing out the proper consequences. Ginny was directly in Lavender�s face, screaming furiously, spittle flying and punctuating her statements with knocks of her older housemate�s head against the bleachers.

Neville cleared his throat and Lavender turned, nearly fainting in relief. "Neville! You have to help me!" she squeaked. "Ginny is deranged! It was just a joke. Honestly! I wasn�t going to hurt him, I swear!"

Neville snorted and stepped closer. He held out his hands and stood motionless. All eyes were drawn to his red-speckled hands as though they had a Notice-Me Charm upon them. Pansy and Hermione gasped causing Ginny to turn her head slightly to see. Neville stepped closer and held his hands under Lavender�s nose. "If your intent was not to hurt him," he said coldly, "you failed miserably."

Ginny began growling low in her throat. "She made him bleed as well?" Neville nodded. "Where?" she snapped.

Neville sighed and reached between the girls. He wiped his hands off on Lavender�s robes, near the crotch, and stepped back. "Red marks the spot, Gin," he said as he turned his back and began to walk away. Lavender�s screams echoed after us.

I didn�t care. I pulled Harry through the crowd of remaining Gryffindors and Slytherins. Finnegan and Weasel fell into step beside me, creating a wall of angry Gryffindors that only an idiot would try to breech.

Harry refused to turn loose as we moved through the hallways. Once Harry recognized the corridor to the infirmary, however, he began to drag his feet. Eventually, he just planted them and refused to go any further.

"Harry, please," I tried for calm sincerity, hoping it would cover any remains of the rage I still held for his attacker. "You need to get fixed up."

"Please, Draco," he begged, tears welling in those huge green eyes. "I don�t want anyone else to see."

I frowned. "See what?" I asked.

Harry�s eyes began to flutter and his brow furrowed. Oh, hell. Not now.

"Please, Draco. No one else can see me like this," he shook his head one last time and stared me straight in the eyes. "I�m not hurt that badly. I�ll be fine. I can�t let them see me like this."

"Why, Harry?" I whispered, hoping the lack of tonal quality would hide the pain in my voice. I don�t suppose it did, for Harry reached out a hand and cupped my cheek.

"No one can know I was too weak to fight her off," Harry continued. Oddly enough, the tears from Little Harry still were shining in his eyes. "If I can�t fight off a 17 year old girl, how am I going to win against Voldemort?"

I couldn�t help the wince. Finnegan winced as well, as did Weasel. Weasel actually ducked a bit, as though the Dark Lord were hovering over his shoulder. I found it interesting that Longbottom just clenched his jaw. They had to have known they were seeing the older Harry now. The younger one had never been told the Dark Lord�s name.

"Harry," I tried to reason with him. "No one will think poorly of you. This wasn�t your fault. You weren�t...you weren�t even you at the time."

He didn�t seem to care for my attempt. "It doesn�t matter!" he snapped. "I can�t be weak. I can�t have them believing me to be weak. They won�t feel safe if I�m not strong."

"Harry, you don�t have to be strong all the time," I tried one last time.

He seemed to shrink in on himself and I thought for a moment that he had fallen back under again, but then he stared up at me with sorrow in his gaze. "I can�t be weak, Draco. They can never know how scared I am. I�m scared of Voldemort, of losing everyone I love, of failing the world. I�m scared of losing you. I can�t let them see that. If I�m scared, then I�m just like them. And they won�t have that. They won�t allow it."

He moved in closer to me, and I allowed him to sink into my arms. "I feel safe with you. Only with you, Draco," he whispered. "Please, take care of me. Until I can take care of myself. I love you." He shuddered against me. A moment later he pulled away slightly and blinked at me. "Draco? I wanna go home," he sniffled.

And he was gone again.

I swallowed against the lump in my throat and refused to make eye contact with any of the Gryffindors surrounding me. "Yeah," I croaked out, cleared my throat and tried again. "Yeah, Harry, I�ll take you home."

Longbottom patted me on the arm and I turned to look at him. "I�ll get some salve and a calming draught from Pomfrey," he said quietly. "I�ll tell her that Harry fell down on the field and he�s a bit shaken up. I�ll let her know you have it under control and that she can see him at dinner, all right?"

I was baffled at the calm unaffected way in which this young man, lousy with Gryffindor, was willing to bold face lie to a teacher. It went against every preconception I had about their house. But then, if they cared only half as much about Harry as I did, it made perfect sense. I nodded and led Harry down to the dungeons.

Not ten minutes later, Longbottom...I suppose that I should really begin calling him Neville...appeared at the door bearing exactly what he said he would retrieve. He handed it to me and stood quietly at the door while I applied the salve to Harry�s bruised and scratched scrotum. Harry sniffled a bit as the medicine stung him, and I was beyond relieved that he didn�t choose to have another breakthrough while I had my hand around his sac. Telling Neville was one thing, having him see it was something else.

After administering the potion, I tucked Harry in and kissed his forehead. I heard a shuffling at the door and looked to see Vince standing, a flush of embarrassment on his face, holding Harry�s stuffed black dog. He�d left it on the bleachers. My esteem for Vincent Crabbe went up substantially knowing he had to have walked all the way from the Quidditch field, through populated corridors and finally through the crowded Slytherin common room carrying a child�s toy...just to make sure Harry was able to hug his puppy to sleep.

I nodded and tucked the pup under the covers with Harry and waved the others out of the room. I would stay with him while he slept. He needed me and I wasn�t there for him. I�d be damned if that happened again.

Saturday Evening

That night, at dinner, Harry sat between Pansy and Millicent, chattering on about his soup. He happily swung his legs as he devoured the food on his plate, and he seemed to have forgotten the horrible afternoon he�d had.

I glanced over at the Gryffindor table and noted Ginny and Granger�s presence. Miss Brown had not shown up for dinner. Imagine that. I glanced over at Pansy, who was absently nodding at Harry�s babble whilst staring across the tables at one Ginevra Weasley. I smirked.

"Something catching your eye?" I murmured. Pansy started, flushed a bit and then set her fork down.

"The Sorting Hat really fucked up on that girl," she said softly. I raised an eyebrow. Pansy didn�t usually resort to potty mouth language; that was my bag.

"How so?" I inquired politely, for appearances sake alone. She knew how curious I was.

"I grew up in a Death Eater home," she continued, her voice lowering even further, causing me to have to lean in to catch her words. "I watched initiations. I watched torture." She stole another look at Ginny and shivered slightly. "Given the choice of being in the Dark Lord�s dungeons or hers, I�d pick his."

I started, looking over at the laughing redhead in awe. I, too, had seen some of the worst of Death Eater games and punishments. If Pansy would rather be subjected to that than be on Ginevra Weasley�s bad side, it was quite the...compliment?

The object of our conversation picked that moment to glance up, laughter still dancing in her eyes as she chortled over something Finnegan had said. She noted us watching her and she raised a single eyebrow. I narrowed my gaze at her blatant theft of my signature mark. She grinned wickedly and blew a kiss...at Pansy.

I glanced back at my sister-in-soul to find her bright red and smiling shyly. With another wink, Ginny turned back to her conversation and I turned to Pansy.

"What was that?" I demanded, trying to fight off the smirk that wanted to grace my lips.

Pansy shrugged. "Dungeon choice would still be his. Of course, if we�re talking about beds," she grinned sassily, "I�d be in hers in a heartbeat.

Retreat - Chapter 10

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