490Chapter 5: My Own Personal Savior
"Hermione and I did not speak of Ron again after that. It hurt too much, the betrayal too fresh. It was nearing Christmas when we decided to visit Godric Hallows. I begged her to let us go, she didn't think it was a good idea. I wanted to visit my parent's graves, I had never been there before. That's what finally let Hermione relent. That was a mistake." Draco was confused. "We met Bathilda Bagshot. Well what we thought was her. Turned out it was Nagini possessing the body. Voldemort found out we were there and he came." Draco's breath hitched.
"My head was on fire. I couldn't focus. Hermione cast a spell and got us out of there. Barely. We got away. Voldemort was unhappy at that. My wand had been destroyed in the blast from her spell. We took turns keeping watch. One night I saw a patronus. I followed it." Draco narrowed his eyes.
"You followed an unknown patronus after narrowly escaping Voldemort?" Draco asked incredulously. Harry gave a sheepish smile. "When you say it like that I see what you mean. But yes, I did." Draco shook his head in bemusement, wondering how thick someone could be. "I followed it to a small pool of water. It was frozen over with ice but at the bottom of the pool was the sword of Gryffindor." Draco interrupted.
"No way. It was just sitting there? Was it real? Sounds like a trap. Who cast the patronus? Did you see anyone?" Draco asked in a rush. Harry smiled at his enthusiasm.
"Yes, it was just sitting there. Yes, it was real. No, it wasn't a trap. You will have to wait to find out who cast it and no I didn't see anyone." Harry laughed at the impatient whine Draco let out. Despite spilling his whole life out, he was really enjoying spending this time with Draco. He had never felt so free before. Draco was nice company. Patient, caring, didn't force any issues. Didn't nag for details and didn't get frustrated. He quickly realized that he didn't want it to end. He wanted to spend more time with Draco after this. He wanted to continue being his friend. He had never been this close to someone before. It was a little unnerving but he didn't care. It felt right.
Draco was confused about all the different emotions that he could see on Harry's face. He wanted to ask but figured he would tell him in his own time.
"I did the only logical thing I could think of. I stripped down and jumped into the frozen lake and made my way to the sword." Draco snorted. "Guess there is a reason you were not put in Ravenclaw." Draco drawled with a smirk. Harry rolled his eyes and gave him a playful shove. "Alright I admit not the best plan of action. But with the sword just being gifted to me on a silver platter, I had to do something. Going to get Hermione didn't seem like the right thing to do at the time. Anyways. I still had the locket on me and the closer I got to the sword, the locket knew what was coming, it knew exactly what the sword could do. It tightened the chain around my neck. It was choking me. I couldn't get back up. The chain was so tight it was cutting off my circulation. I was dying and I knew it." Draco covered his mouth in horror. Harry had to hold back a smile. Draco was the perfect story listener.
"But right before I was about to pass out someone saved me. They got me, the locket, and the sword out of the water safely. It was Ron." Draco was surprised. He was still mad that Weasley had abandoned them in the first place. Not very Gryffindor. But him saving Harry made it a little easier to forgive. Not that he'd admit that.
"He said that he had been trying to get back to us the moment he left. He took full credit for what happened. The locket did make his anger worse but he knew what he had done was wrong. He wasn't the one who cast the patronus or put the sword there. He hadn't seen who cast it either. Since Ron pulled the sword out of the water I gave him the honor of destroying the locket. It worked. Another one down. Three down. Only Three to go." Draco put up a hand.
"I thought you said there was seven." Draco asked confused. "Ah yes. Well actually, he intended to split his soul 7 times. Not make 7 Horcruxes. You have to take account of the bit of soul in his actual body. So, 7 pieces of his soul and 6 Horcruxes. At the time of his first disappearance when I was a baby, he was one short. I will get to that part eventually." Draco was still confused but chose not to argue.
"Other than Horcruxes there was something else I was hunting for. Hermione and Ron told me to leave it be but I just couldn't." Draco cocked his head in confusion. "Draco, have you ever heard of the Hallows?" He asked quietly. Draco's eyes widened and he gasped.
"Merlin, are you telling me they are real? I always wondered. Father told me it was just a myth. Always told me it was childhood fantasy for those who never grew up. " He said in wonder. Harry smiled and nodded. "Yes. I had one of them with me for seven years and never noticed." Harry tried not to laugh at Draco. His eyes were bugged out and he looked so silly Harry thought. Harry pulled out his bag. Harry carries the cloak with him at all times now to get away from all the stares around the castle.
Harry pulled out the cloak and showed it to Draco. Draco reached out with shaky hands and inspected it. "Sweet Merlin's left ball sack this is real. Not an imitation. You can feel the power of it. This is a hallow?" He asked in awe. Harry erupted in a fit of laughter. Draco looked over surprised. Was it something he said? Harry couldn't breathe properly. He grabbed his sides trying to control himself. He could feel tears rolling from the force of his laughter. Draco was unsure on what to do. The sound of Harry's laugh was beautiful. He had never heard that laugh from him before. It was so freeing. It was filled with warmth. He loved it. But at the same time Harry was acting like a loon. Goodness could he even breathe?
Harry was able to gain some control. There was some slight hiccups but otherwise he was okay. He wiped his eyes and looked at Draco's confused face and chuckled warmly. Draco smiled at him. "I am afraid to ask." Draco teased. Harry grinned. "It was what you said. I never heard that expression before." Harry said with obvious amusement.
Draco shifted uncomfortably. His whole life his friends and family tried to get him out of that. He sometimes just spoke his mind and out came funny expressions. It annoys his father. 'Malfoy's don't speak such foolish notions' His father used to say. "I'm sorry." He said quietly. Harry's grin faded. Harry frowned. "Draco no need to apologize. I wasn't laughing at you. I thought it was funny. I liked it. It was original. Don't be afraid to speak your mind. If you want to say silly expressions, then by Merlin's left ball sack do it." Harry said with stern eyes but a small smile was making its way on his face.
Draco grinned warmly at him. No one ever liked his expressions before. It made him feel a little tingly inside that Harry accepted everything about him. The good, the bad, the ugly and even the silly. "Thank you, Harry. My parents, Blaise and even Pansy always tried talking me out of saying them. It is a hard habit to break. They just come out sometimes." Draco explained. Harry gave him a gentle smile. "Fuck them." He said so seriously that Draco looked up shocked.
Harry grinned. "I mean it. Who cares what they think. They are your friends regardless of the things you say. If they can't accept that then fuck them. Besides I find it adorable. Plus, even if they can't accept you Draco I will." Harry said in a small sweet tone. Draco looked intently in his eyes only finding that he spoke the truth. He couldn't help the giant grin that broke out on his face. Harry's own face mirrored Draco's.
"To answer your question earlier yes, it is a hallow. It was passed down to me from my dad. Dumbledore gave it to me. The Potter name descended from the Peverell family." Draco's eyebrows rose nearly into his hair line. That is a very old and powerful name. "The original brothers in the story are the Peverell brothers. I had one Hallow. Hermione and Ron did not want to believe that the Hallows actually existed. It was eating me up. It was like a battle warring in my head. Do I look for Horcruxes or do I look for the Hallows? I wanted them both. I was obsessed with the Hallows. I already had one. With Ron and Hermione voting for Horcruxes I was out voted." Draco scowled. He could see the appeal that Harry had to the Hallows. It was a big choice to decide. He honestly couldn't choose which one he would have gone after. On the one hand there was the unimaginable wonder of the Hallows, who knows what you could do with them. On the other hand the Horcruxes were vital to destroying The Dark Lord. Maybe Horcruxes first then the Hallows?
"Then came the unfortunate day I made the mistake of saying Voldemort's name." Draco gasped. "You didn't?" Draco asked weakly. Harry nodded grimly. "Yes, that was the day we were brought to the manor." Draco's stomach pummeled. He remembered that day. "You know all that. So, I will begin after Dobby got us out of there. Bellatrix had good aim. That knife hit Dobby." Harry choked out that part. Draco rubbed his thumb over Harry's hand in circles. "I know that some people would not be gutted after that but I was. Dobby was my friend. He was... eccentric but he was so kind. He cared about me. He would have done anything for me Draco. He faced the wrath of your father in our second year and came to protect me throughout the year. He was something else." Harry said with a watery smile.
Draco smiled. "Yes, he was different. I remember him growing up. He was the youngest house elf we had ever had. He was nice to me. I think he knew what I went through with my father. Whenever my dad was not around he was very caring. I always treated him with respect, he deserved it. There was this one time I was really upset because my father wouldn't let Blaise and Pansy come over because I got a question on my Latin exam wrong when I was five." Harry scowled. Who does that? Latin at five? Can you say prodigy? "And Dobby knew I was upset so when we were alone he used some of his magic and he played with me." Harry smiled at the wistful tone of Draco's. "It was the only time he did that though. We almost got caught. It was fun, one of my fondest moments of my childhood. When I heard that you tricked my father into setting him free I was happy for him. He was always miserable at my house. Plus, he was the only one I could talk about The Harry Potter to. This was before I met you. We both had a fascination with you. Mine less… obsessive as his." Draco sighed. He was hating Bellatrix all over again.
"I saw him at Hogwarts once. I had stayed up way too late one night and he came in to clean the common room. He was happy to see me. He hoped I was doing well. I noticed he had on the oddest socks I had ever seen." Harry snorted. Oh, he remembered Dobby's fascination with socks alright. "He told me that they were a gift from you. He was so ecstatic to have gotten a present from you. He went on a big speech on how amazing you were. It was rather endearing I thought." Draco said with a smile. Harry flushed with embarrassment. Draco chuckled at his flushed skin.
"Thank you for understanding how I felt about Dobby. Hermione understood mostly. But Ron and his brother never really could. Thank you for telling me more about him. It makes it...easier to think about him without the pain." He said quietly not looking at him. Draco put two fingers underneath his chin and forced Harry to look at him. He smiled slightly. "Harry, you don't have to thank me. I understand. It's okay." Draco promised. Harry closed his eyes and smiled. He never wanted to let go of this. Whatever this new friendship was. In less than a couple hours he made a life changing friendship. One that he knew would be around for years. He let that sink in before he was ready to continue.
"After we arrived at our safe house after leaving the manor I had a 'vision' of mine. The ones that let me see what was going on with Voldemort. It was his anger at me escaping. I saw him punish the whole room." Draco paled. Harry had to watch that? That is bloody awful.
"I didn't see what he did to you. I blocked him out after a while. The screams and the pain of the room was getting to me." Draco couldn't even imagine having to witness that. It was bad enough living through it but to have a feedback loop like that would be so horrible.
"Before I blocked it out, I saw him react rather oddly about the sword. When we were there we convinced the goblin to tell Bellatrix that the sword was a fake. She was so worried about it that it got me thinking that something was not right. Then when Voldemort demanded to know if the vault was still safe I knew I was right. My hunch was that there was a Horcrux inside her vault." Draco raised an eyebrow. To him it sounded like a big leap. But he learned long ago that Harry was not one to doubt.
"So, I talked to the goblin and we hatched a plan on how to rob Gringotts." Harry smirked at the gobsmacked expression on Draco's face. "You never doing anything light do you?" Draco asked sarcastically. Harry let out a full-on laugh in response. "Oh, Draco that was good." He said chuckling. Draco smirked. "No. I don't. My plans are usually half baked and down near suicidal. But they always work out in the end." Harry said grinning. Draco shook his head with a sigh at such a typical Gryffindor response. He was honestly amazed that Harry had lived so far with a brash attitude like that.
"While we waited for the opportune moment for the plan. I also talked to Olivander. I asked him about one of the Hallows." Draco's face lit up with excitement. "I asked him about the elder wand. I had another 'vision' Voldemort entered Dumbledore's tomb and took his wand." Draco was horrified. That is so wrong on so many levels. Not just the downright disrespect but can you imagine the smell? Draco wrinkled his nose in disgust. Well not that The Dark Lord had much of a nose though, Draco thought ruefully.
"Voldemort had gone looking for something for months. I didn't know what it was. I was curious as to why he had taken Olivander hostage anyways. It was weird. So, I talked to him and told him that I already knew that the wand existed and I told him that Voldemort had it." This stunned Draco. The Dark Lord had the wand and yet Harry was still able to win? He was impressed and confused at the same time.
"You should have seen Hermione's face when he confirmed that the Hallows were real. Oh man it was great. With her facial expression, you'd have thought that the Ministry had just announced the existence of Luna's Crumple-Horned Snorlack. It was worth all the self-doubt they put me through." Draco snorted at the wicked smile that graced Harry's face. If he didn't know any better, he would say that the smile was one of a Slytherins.
"Back to the Gringotts plan. A strand of Bellatrix's hair got onto Hermione when she was being tortured. She transformed into Bellatrix. Ron transformed into a business man that was accompanying her. Griphook and I were underneath the Invisibility cloak. We used the imperio spell on one of the goblins so that we could get into the vault." Draco was impressed. "The goblins had been alerted that there could be an imposter coming for Bellatrix's vault. When we went through their protections the spells and potions wore off. Gringotts had been alerted that we were thieves. We ran to the vault and had to get past a dragon." Draco's eyes bugged out of his skull.
"A dragon?" Asked Draco a little hysterically. He knew his aunts vault was an old one but to have a dragon guarding it was a tad on the extreme side. Harry nodded. "Yes, the dragon had been blinded and was well trained. We managed to get into the vault and found the next Horcrux. It was a goblet that had once belonged to Helga Hufflepuff." Draco let out a low whistle. The Dark Lord sure went all out on the items he chose as Horcruxes.
"Once back out of the vault Griphook double crossed us. He took the sword and ran over to the horde of goblins closing in on us. We were cornered. We had no way out. So, we did the only thing possible at the time. We freed the dragon and hitched a ride on top of it." Harry paused to smile at the stunned expression on Draco's face.
"You rode a bloody dragon out of Gringotts?" He asked weakly. If he hadn't already been sitting, he would have needed to. Gods he had thought it was just a silly rumor. Bloody hell. Harry laughed. "Yes, we did. Once we were safely off the dragon, Voldemort had been given the news about the break in." Draco winced. "Oh he was pissed alright. Not only did I see his anger I saw his thoughts about where his other two were. He mentioned Hogwarts and Nagini." Draco's brows rose. He had always known that The Dark Lord had an odd connection to the snake but to make a living thing a Horcrux was odd. So many things could have happened to the snake. Not to mention it could have corroded her from the inside. That type of magic isn't meant to be in something living. The darkness would have blackened out the soul of the snake in such a small creature. She must have been more than a snake. Perhaps The Dark Lord had given her some of his magic as well, to offset the side effects. To him it made no sense but nothing ever made sense when it came to The Dark Lord.
"Ron and Hermione were wary about going back to Hogwarts but we had to. We had to get the rest of them. So we entered Hogwarts through a new portrait that lead straight through to the Room of Requirement." Draco was impressed. He did not know that. He had wondered how they had gotten in. He just thought that someone in the order helped them.
"It took a bit of time to figure out that the next Horcrux it was Rowena Ravenclaw's lost diadem." Draco shook his head. He shouldn't have been surprised. Of course The Dark Lord managed to find the lost diadem. It was crazy how well thought out his Horcruxes were.
"I talked with the Grey Lady. She was Rowena's daughter. She told me that she had given the information on how to find the diadem to Voldemort. I figured out that he had hidden the diadem inside the Room of Requirement. He was arrogant enough to believe that he was the only one who could have been able to get in there." Draco snorted. Figures. "While I was talking to the Grey Lady, Ron and Hermione had gone to the Chamber of Secrets and grabbed some basilisk fangs and destroyed the goblet." Harry smiled at the memory of being surprised at the pair, it really was an ingenious plan.
"How did they get into the Chamber?" Draco asked with curiosity. His curiosity quickly grew to confusion when Harry started blushing. "Uh well Ron said I talk in my sleep and I guess that includes parseltongue." He said shyly looking away. Draco chuckled. He thought it was one of the cutest things he had ever heard. Not that he would ever admit that. "Well that is interesting." He told Harry with a smile. When Harry realized that Draco was not going to tease him about it he continued on with the story. "When Ron, Hermione and I searched the room we managed to find it. That was until you, Crabbe and Goyle came." Draco shifted uncomfortably.
"It was the first time I had seen you since we escaped the manor. You looked like shite." Draco snorted and clutched his heart in mock outrage at that statement. Harry laughed and shoved him playfully. "Well you did. You were a little nervous and slightly jumpy but I didn't have time to think about you at the time. Then all hell broke loose when Crabbe lit the place on fire. Ron wanted to leave you all in there." Draco narrowed his eyes but he did have to admit that that would be the reaction that most people would have had. They were deatheaters after all.
"There was no way I was going to do that. You were the one who saved me that night. Even if you hadn't there was no way that I was going to let you guys just die. I wish I could have been able to save Crabbe though." Harry said sadly. There were too many deaths in the war. Maybe if Crabbe had been saved then there would have been a chance that the boy would have changed his ways.
Draco watched the emotions play across his face. He shook his head in amazement. Crabbe literally tried to kill him and here Harry was wishing he had been able to save him. "Harry I knew Crabbe better than anyone. That year he became twisted. He was not the Crabbe he used to be. Even if you had saved him he would have immediately tried to hurt you. He was not in his right mind. The darkness got to him. So don't be too upset alright?" He asked him gently. Harry thought about what he said and nodded slowly.
"The fire that Crabbe had started was a fiendfyre." Draco sucked in a breath. He hadn't given it much thought at the time since everything was in chaos. What a bloody idiot. "The fire was strong enough to destroy the Horcrux though. So that was one good thing about that incident." Draco shook his head. That was good news but he still thought Crabbe was mental to have casted the spell in the first place.
"So all that was left was the snake. We were on the up and up. One left. Despite the war going on I was glad. We were one step closer to continuing on. Then I had a 'vision' about Voldemort and Snape. Voldemort was upset about his wand. It wasn't working right for him. So Ron, Hermione and I went to the shrieking shack where they were at and listened in on their conversation." Draco raised his eyebrows. Mental. Dangerous. That was all he could think about. They got that close to The Dark Lord to listen in on his conversation? He scoffed, such Gryffindors. Didn't they have any self preservation?
"Voldemort said it was not enough that he took over possession of the wand from Dumbledore. The wand did not answer to him because he had not conquered the previous owner. Since Snape killed Dumbledore that meant that the wand would answer to Snape. So for him to get possession of the wand he would have to kill Snape." Draco made a disgusted noise.
"So he went to kill Severus because of the wand? Not because of something Severus did to him. That is just twisted." He said curling his lip in distaste. Harry nodded sadly. "Oh I agree. He was wrong though." Draco looked up confused. "The problem with the elder wand is the history. Everyone who ever owned that wand dies. Why is that?" Harry asked.
Draco tilted his head and started thinking. "Well because of the legend of the wand. They all want a piece of it. So they kill to get it and the cycle continues." He told Harry his theory. Harry nodded. "Yes, but what everyone seems to have failed to realize is that to conquer another wizard does not mean that you have to kill them." Draco nodded along but was still confused on where this was leading to.
"So if you think back to the night Dumbledore was killed who was the one who got Dumbledore's wand away?" Harry asked. Draco's head snapped up with wide eyes. "I did." He whispered in shock. Harry smiled. "Exactly. That night you were the one who cast the spell that knocked his wand away. Even though Snape killed him the wand already had a new master. You." Harry grinned at the stunned expression on Draco's face.
"Do you remember the next person who you went up against?" Harry asked. Draco furrowed his brows thinking. He looked sharply at Harry with a small smile. "I didn't fight you but you took my wand that night at the manor." He said with amusement in his voice. Harry nodded. "Right. So Voldemort going after Snape was pointless. He wasn't even the wands master. I was. I didn't know it at the time that we were eavesdropping. He sicked Nagini on him and left him to die. After he left I went into the room. I don't know what made me go in there. Maybe because I had known him for so long. There was something about the way he was looking, as if he was searching for someone. I don't know. I had to go in there. He saw me and he was relieved. I could see it in his eyes. It confused me. He had never in all I have known him been relieved to see me. Annoyed and disturbed to see me but never relieved. He withdrew his wand and out came a string of memories." Draco was stunned. Memories? What could have been so important to Severus that he needed to give the memories over to Harry?
"Hermione conjured a flask and the memories were put into the vial. Ron and I conjured a stretcher and we carried him back to the castle on it. I knew they were confused. Why was I bringing the man who killed Dumbledore back to the castle? Why was I bringing a deatheater in? Why didn't I just leave him there? To be honest I didn't know. Something was telling me I needed to. That I had to. That there was something off and that this was something I just had to do. So I did. I asked Madam Pompfrey to heal him. She was just as confused as they were but she did as I asked." Draco smiled at Harry. It was just like him to care for everyone. Even Severus.
"The fighting had stopped at that time. Everyone was gathering in the great hall looking over the lost ones. It was hard Draco. It was so hard to see all the dead bodies. Percy. Lavender. Tonks. And so many more. I still see their faces Draco." Harry started crying. Draco reached over and pulled him into his lap and wrapped his arms around him.
"Their faces haunt me. They remind me that I am still alive while they are not. This war was about Voldemort and me. It was my fault they died. All my fault. If only I had figured everything out sooner. If only I had chosen somewhere else for the final battle. If I had tried harder. If I did more. Then they would still be alive Draco. I ruined lives. I ruined families. It's all my fault. Mrs. Weasley lost a son. Andromeda lost a daughter and a husband. Remus lost a wife. I wish I had died that day too. Then I wouldn't have to feel all this pain. It hurts Draco. It hurts so bad." Harry choked on his words and gave up. He buried his face in Draco's neck and let out the tears he had been keeping bottled in for so long. He just let it all out.
Draco couldn't take his words. They broke his heart to see Harry like this. The Dark Lord seriously screwed him up. For Harry to blame himself like this and think it was okay broke him. He felt tears pool in his eyes. He didn't bother fighting them. He let them fall. He hugged Harry tighter to him. He took a couple calming breaths trying to find the strength to speak.
"Harry." It came out a little choked. Harry lifted his head to see Draco crying. He didn't like to see Draco crying. He knew it was because of him that he was crying and it made him cry harder knowing he caused Draco pain. "Shh. Harry it's okay." Draco tried to reassure him. He was rubbing circles into Harry's back. Harry shook his head. No. Nothing was okay.
"Harry please listen to me." Harry stopped shaking his head. Pleased that Harry was at least trying he forged on. "Harry none of this is your fault. No don't shake your head at me." Draco said forcefully when it looked like Harry was going to argue. "I mean it Harry. Every single death that happened was because of one man. One. And it wasn't you. It was Voldemort." Harry stopped crying in shock to hear Draco actually say his name. It was the first time he heard him say it. "It was his fault. Not yours. He was a very twisted evil man. You are one of the kindest, sweetest, most loyal, generous, selfless and all around amazing person, Harry James Potter." Harry was flattered that Draco thought this about him. He was wrong but it was none the less flattering.
"He chose to start all of this by going after you when you were just a baby. It was all his fault. You did the only thing you could. You stood up against him when no one else would. You have been burdened with this destiny since before you could walk. You have hated and despised this your whole life but you still knew you had to do it anyways. That makes you so beyond incredible Harry. Besides you, I cannot think of one person who would willingly take on everything you have done. Not one. You have had a hard life Harry. You have gone through every single thing thrown at you, no matter how dangerous. You are something else Harry and that is a good thing." Harry didn't want to be comforted but Draco's touch and words were doing just that.
"Everyone who went to fight knew exactly what they were getting into and they knew exactly who they were putting their faith and trust into. You Harry. They believed in you. And I know damn well they would do it all over again if they could. Harry, you cannot blame yourself for their deaths. You can't. This is something that is not your fault." It was so hard to take Draco's words in. He wanted to believe him. But it was so hard. So many deaths. It crippled him.
"Tonks would never ever blame you for this. She would be sad that she could not be there for her family but she would never want you to feel so much guilt like this. None of them would." Harry started crying again. Draco tightened his grip and continued to rub circles on his back.
"But if you blame yourself for their deaths then you are going to be giving up on all the things they sacrificed themselves for. They didn't give their life for you to wallow like this. They gave their life to protect you Harry. They gave their life to ensure that their loved ones and their children would grow up in a safe world. The world that Voldemort had envisioned was not a world a child should grow up in. They fought and died not just for you but for everyone else and to change the wizarding world. So don't belittle their sacrifice by blaming yourself. The blame resides on Voldemort and him alone." Draco firmly told him nuzzling Harry's head in comfort. He felt a little embarrassed. Words were not his forte. He just hoped that Harry understood what he was trying to say.
They stayed in each other's arms for a long time. Neither moving or saying anything. Harry soaked up all the comfort that Draco was giving him. It was something he never received as a child. He cherished it. Harry let the words Draco spoke wash over him. The guilt and the hurt was slowly ebbing away. It wouldn't go away completely. But the raging ocean of guilt had shrunk till it was just a small pool. He could live with this. The sadness would never go away but it would get better with time. It would be easier to deal with. For the first time in a long time he knew he was going to be okay. He was going to be alright. He had long ago given hope that he would make it out of the war alive. When he came out alive he was actually quite surprised. His body may have come out alive but his mind did not. He was just now beginning to feel something. Hope. He would be okay. And it was all thanks to Draco Malfoy. He snorted at the irony. The biggest headache of his life for the past seven years was his own personal savior.