Chapter 34

                                        

                                              
Chapter 34
                              
Published: 12/31/2021
                              
Happy New Year!
                              
Draco never felt more restrained than he had in the past six years. Even being tortured in Azkaban didn't rattle him as much as Harry's absence did. Joel might know some Occlumency, but he couldn't lie worth anything. Harry was in trouble with something. Draco wasn't sure what it was, but he guessed it had to be Higgs... what else could it be? Natalie wouldn't tell him anything either, and Blaise was still teaching... not that Draco could even owl him, if he wanted.
                              
Draco grumbled and sat up in his bed. He tried to bend his legs to his side, but they refused to cooperate. Fucking hell... this was worse than being in pain all the time. At least with the pain... it kept him from moving, but this... it's just frustrating that he can't move. Draco knew he shouldn't let it get to him, but he needed to heal faster. He needed to get to Harry. He felt it in his soul. He could almost feel Harry's anguish and pain. What was happening?
                              
Draco let out a grunt and dragged his legs over the side of the bed. They felt like dead weight... there was no way that they would support him, but he had to do something. Harry needed him. He lifted upward on the bed with his arms, and they nearly gave out as he scooted closer to the edge. Do or die, he thought and tried to push off the bed slowly. He slipped closer to the floor, but he couldn't control the speed.
                              
Draco crashed to the floor with a painful thud on his hip. Shit, that hurt, he groaned internally, but nothing was broken. He could endure it. That was how he survived. He reached out toward the door and pulled on the slick tiles, dragging his half-dead legs behind him as he crawled on his stomach. Draco didn't really have a destination in mind. He just needed to get to Harry. He reached out again and tried to inch closer to the door. His muscles were losing their strength, but he had to get to the hallway. He was only a foot from the door when it opened. He dropped to the floor and couldn't turn to look up at who it was.
                              
"Draco?" Nat gasped. "What are you doing?! You can't be out of bed!"
                              
"Where's Harry?" he asked, huffing and covered in sweat from the effort to crawl ten feet on the floor.
                              
"He's not here! You can't crawl your way to him! Come on. Let's get you back to bed," Nat said, sternly, as she knelt down.
                              
He rolled to his side and looked into her eyes. "Where is he?" he growled.
                              
"I... don't know," she said, and was obviously lying.
                              
"Yes, you do. You're not going to move me until you tell me!" he spat.
                              
She gave him a pitying look and pulled out her wand.
                              
Well, fuck, he thought and looked away from it. He still didn't like wands.
                              
"Hey, easy. I'm sorry. I don't have the strength to lift you. So let me get you back to your bed...."
                              
He wanted to cry out in frustration and anger, but jolted as he saw a pair of well-worn shoes enter the doorway.
                              
"What the-Draco? What happened?" Harry's worried voice cried.
                              
He looked upward, and Harry was already crouching down, concerned. Draco felt relieved just by his presence. Harry slowly put his hand on his shoulder.
                              
"Draco? Are you okay? Why did you... oh..." Harry paused, figuring out what had happened. "I'm sorry I was gone, Draco. I had to do something to do."
                              
Draco locked eyes with him, and behind Harry's concern and forced calmness, there was trouble. "Where were you?" he demanded to know, still shaking from exhaustion.