“Um, no,” Harry said. “He’s a Muggle so he can’t do magic at all.”
“Then how did he pick on you?” Draco asked, his brow furrowed in confusion.
Harry looked down at the small boy in wry amusement. “You really have grown up magic-oriented, Draco.”
“I don’t understand,” Draco frowned.
If nothing else, this was getting Draco calmed down again, Harry thought ruefully.
“I just mean that you’ve grown up with magic all around you. That’s all,” Harry explained. “When I was growing up, I didn’t even know that magic was real.”
Draco looked at him wide eyed. “Really?”
Harry chuckled at being back where they were earlier. “Yes, really.”
Draco frowned again. “So, how did he pick on you?”
“Well, that doesn’t really matter,” Harry said. “Let’s just say he used to call me a lot of names and just generally liked being mean to me.”
“I don’t like it when people are mean,” Draco scowled.
“I know, angel,” Harry said with a small smile, before sobering again. “So anyway, I didn’t know about magic and neither did my cousin, but in my nightmares it was like we didn’t know that. I guess you would say that I would dream about him hexing me. It’s not what I called it then and they weren’t real hexes because I didn’t know about real magic, but I’d dream that he was using magic to hurt me.”
“Being hexed is scary,” Draco said quietly.
“I know,” Harry agreed. “It was really scary for me, especially since I didn’t really understand it.”
“So, was your nightmare about someone hexing you?” Harry asked quietly, turning things back towards Draco.
Draco shuddered lightly again. “No. I was running,” he whispered, dropping his head.
Harry wasn’t going to allow that, though, and tipped Draco’s head back up. “Tell me,” Harry said softly.
Draco swallowed hard. “I was just running and running and running,” he said, finally ready to tell about his nightmare. “That’s all I could do, but I kept tripping. And then I’d get up and run more before I’d fall again. And I just knew I couldn’t get away but I kept running anyway. I was so scared, Harry,” Draco said, crying softly again.
Harry rocked him lightly and ran his hand up and down Draco’s back. “I’m sure it was quite scary. Draco, do you know what you were running from?” Harry asked, suspecting the answer.
“My father,” Draco whispered, confirming Harry’s suspicions.
Harry’s hand fisted tightly behind Draco’s back but his tone remained calm and soothing. “I’m not going to let your father hurt you anymore, angel. So you don’t have to worry about running from him anymore.”
“But I’m scared, Harry,” Draco cried.
“Shhh, I know you’re scared and it’s okay to be scared sometimes,” Harry said reassuringly.
“It is?” Draco asked, frowning at Harry.
Harry smiled slightly. “Yeah, it’s natural to be scared and everybody is scared of something.”
“Even Sev’rus?” Draco asked, his skepticism showing.
“Yes, I’m sure even Severus gets scared sometimes,” Harry said, smiling wryly.
Still neither of them noticed the man in the shadows who was stiffening even more at Harry’s words.
“But he’s never scared of anything,” Draco protested.
“He just doesn’t show it often,” Harry explained gently.
“What could scare him?” Draco asked.
“I know he’s scared of anything ever happening to you,” Harry said, kissing Draco on his forehead. “Just like I’m scared of anybody hurting you.”
“Oh,” Draco said, blinking at Harry.
“So see, everyone can get scared sometimes. You just have to be careful not to let your fears overwhelm you.”
Draco scrunched his nose up in confusion. Harry chuckled lightly and kissed Draco on his nose. “Um, it’s okay to be scared once in awhile, but you can’t spend all your time thinking about being scared.” Harry scrunched his own nose, trying to figure out if that made sense or not. “There’s lots more things for you to do than just being scared,” Harry added.
Draco was nodding, seeming to understand at least a little better.
“Like right now we should stop talking about being scared and go to sleep again,” Harry said lightly, winking at Draco.
Draco giggled.
Harry smiled tiredly. “So, does that giggle of yours mean you feel ready to go back to sleep?”
“Yes,” Draco declared. “I’m not going to be scared no more right now.”
“Good choice,” Harry said as he settled them back under the covers. “Sleep well, angel,” Harry said softly.
“Night, Harry,” Draco mumbled.
They both swiftly fell into slumber again. Snape watched them for a little longer before finally leaving the room, having some answers to his many questions—with the boys’ conversation only creating others.
* * * * *
Chapter 12: New Arrangements
“Harry, where are we?” Draco asked, shoving Harry awake.
Harry blinked blearily, automatically reaching for his glasses until he realized that he was seeing things clearly already. These new long-wearing contacts might be even better than he’d first thought. He blinked again and things were still in focus. Harry gave Draco a sudden grin which startled the small boy.
Harry frowned. “Draco, what’s the matter?” he asked, sitting up and taking a closer look at Draco.
“I don’t know where I am,” Draco said fearfully.
“Oh, angel, it’s all right. Severus brought us here last night. This is one of the rooms in his chambers, I guess,” Harry said. “Remember we were going to move down to the dungeons with him?”
