"I won't, but I can't live the rest of my life in this room, okay? I have to shower, eat, and check on other patients. I want you to know that I will come back."
Harry's green eyes met his, and tears were in them. "Scared."
Draco felt his heart ping a little. "I'm sorry, Harry. I tried to keep it short. You did so well while I was gone, but I had a meeting to go to and I came right back."
Harry looked away and nodded. "Okay."
"Harry, I was meeting with Ron and Hermione."
He tensed up.
"They aren't going to take you back. I told them I wanted you to stay here for a bit... like we discussed. To give them a break and give you time to heal."
Harry wouldn't respond and just tightened up more.
"They want to see you. Do you think you can handle that?" Draco asked, and when he didn't answer, he added, "Harry?"
"You stay?"
"I will stay with you for their visit."
Harry nodded and Draco opened the door to let Potter's best mates in. He offered Hermione the stool and stood against the wall in the corner. Granger talked softly to Potter, explaining what had happened, why they hadn't visited and that she was sorry. Harry was listening, though. She then told him about visiting Molly and her parents and how they were doing. But eventually, she went quiet.
"Harry... Mal-Draco wants you to stay here... for a while. Is that what you want?"
Harry rocked a little, but slowly met her eyes. He nodded. "Helping. He's helping. Please...."
Draco was a little proud that Harry was talking to them. He could tell it was emotional for him.
"Okay... okay... we won't make you... come home, okay?"
Harry nodded. "He... doesn't..." he trailed off and rubbed his wrists. He looked directly at Hermione, willing her to understand.
"He doesn't restrain you?" she asked, patiently. She was always the patient one.
"No... and sings."
"Sings?" she repeated, surprised. Weasley looked at him, but Hermione kept her attention on Potter.
"It's nice... feel calm," Harry said and clasped his hands over his heart. "He took it away."
"It?"
"Bad feeling."
Hermione probably didn't understand but nodded. "That's good."
Harry started to get agitated, and Draco considered intervening, but he looked at Granger again. "I'm sorry. I-I hurt you... both." He then glanced at Ron, too, before looking back down.
"Oh, Harry, it's okay. It's not your fault, okay?"
Harry shook his head. "Hurt you."
"Harry, we aren't hurt. Everything's fine! We love you, and you're just going through a hard time," she said in a very practiced way. Draco could tell that she's explained this before.
Harry stopped rocking and slowly met her eyes and held them there. "Can't lie to me. Five years... you've been taking care of me. I know I've hurt you."
Draco was impressed as they were nearly whole sentences, and Harry was still looking at her.
Hermione scooted closer and put her hand on the bed. Harry didn't flinch from it. "Harry, you were hurt. You are still hurting, and we are your family. We're going to take care of you, just like you would always take care of us."
"Family," he nodded. "Yes, we are. But you have to let me stay here."
"Draco said that it would be better if you stayed."
"Please," he pleaded, and his fingers slowly touched the back of her hand.
She looked down at them, surprised by the gesture. "Okay. Until you're better, but you'll always be welcome to come home."
Harry looked away. "Thank you... for everything."
Hermione had some tears in her eyes when she said, "You're welcome, Harry. You're our brother, and we love you, no matter what."
Harry slowly pulled his hand back. Hermione and Ron talked with him for another hour before Harry murmured, "Tired."
They managed to get him to lie down and pulled the blankets up. Hermione actually kissed his head, which Potter didn't mind. His eyes slowly closed, and they crept out of the room.
"Holy Merlin, Malfoy. That was the calmest I've ever seen him," Ron said.
"He's not healed, yet, but we're making strides. Thank you for agreeing to let him stay."
"He really likes you."
"I healed him, and he knows, almost instinctively, that I can help him get better."
"What was the bad feeling he mentioned?" she asked.
"I believe the Compulsion Spell. I think he knew that something was driving him to drink it, but he didn't understand what it was."
"We'll go straight to Kingsley and see about the... manor," Hermione said.
"Shit. What if they... destroyed it all?" Ron asked.
"I doubt it, but then we might never solve it. It was a family tome. So please, convince them to hurry and get us access to the books."
"Oh, I will," Hermione 'Badass' Granger declared, and she swept down the hall, ready to take on the world. Ron just gave a curt nod and followed her.
Draco felt better and slowly opened the door. Harry was still soundly sleeping, and he felt hope blossom in his chest. He put the wards up and wandered down to his office to unpack and plan out a potion regimen without Harry waking to his quill scratching. He also penned a portkey request and set up an appointment with the DOMT rep. He had a promise to follow up on.