Draco walked down the school corridor with his usual strut. Some loose stones grumbled beneath his feet. They hadn’t fixed that part of the school yet, lazy, procrastinating people, he thought as he cursed a simple repairo charm.

Younger students whispered and kept clear of him. Being associated with the Dark Lord certainly doesn’t result in the best social situation.

Given his circumstances, he wouldn’t like to attend school, let along be in any social setting. However, McGonagall ensured everyone would retake the year. So as far as Draco is concerned, his Hogwarts learning extended, and his graduation was pushed back.

However, other Slytherins were better off than him. Pansy made friends with a few non-Slytherins. Blaise too. Goyle made friends with a sixth grader called Micheal. The pair stuck to themselves and be, well, the idiotic people they were.

Maybe the whole school watching the Dark Lord hug you were still too unnerving for some of his schoolmates. Even when the Dark Lord himself is dead. He scoffed, which resulted in another Ravenclaw girl jumping away from him.

She joined her friends at a courtyard bench, one of the few that remains. A thin cloud of dust swirled and settled as the girl sat on the stone bench.

Draco gazed at the drooping plants, their stems concerningly thin and displayed a sickening yellow.

Not many people were loitering around the courtyard. Most of them at the match of Gryffindor and Hufflepuff.

Harry “savior” Potter must’ve found the snitch and saved the game, again. Draco didn’t even ask anyone because he already knew the answer.

“Draco, Draco!” A frantic voice disrupted his thoughts. Pansy ran up to him, her raven hair flaying wildly. Theo followed her. Draco groaned internally at Theodore’s appearance.

Pansy and Theo got together some weeks before. Theo had been wary of Draco and Pansy’s intimacy at the start, that kind of wariness still hadn’t faded even now.

Draco felt Theo’s glances even after Pansy ushered Theo away for some privacy.

“You wouldn’t believe this!” Pansy exclaimed.

“What?” Draco snapped, internally wincing as he came out harsher than he meant. He noticed he would do that a lot, not that he planned on apologizing.

“Harry got hit by a Bludger right in the head.” Pansy exclaimed, “he’s in the hospital wing right now.”

“And why would I care?” Not that he’s been thinking of Potter just seconds ago.

He winced at the thought of Potter in the hospital bed. How could Potter, of all people.

Draco swore he turned paler than usual, Pansy either noticed, or she didn’t point it out as she stated, “It’s your chance to ‘make amends’, isn’t it?”

Yeah, like that’s going to happen.

“Your father even bugged me about it! Me! Like, Goyle’s not enough!” Pansy acted outraged as Draco dragged her to settle down on one of the benches, they’ve been taking up the corridor too long to not get eavesdropped.

“Dearest Pansy, my father just wants me to run off in a sunset with whoever’s the winning side,” Draco reasoned, “Doesn’t matter Dark Lord or Potter, he’ll let me befriend one of the giant forest spiders if that thing’s strong enough.”

Pansy’s face flashes with sympathy, before she turned more serious, “In this case, he’s not at all wrong.”

Draco’s eyes widened, filled with disbelief.

“Being enemies with the savior will not get you anywhere. Think about after graduation.” Pansy frowned with worry as she nagged, “at least shake hands and make up. Then, boom! The Malfoy name will be right back.”

Draco buried his face in his palms out of annoyance. The mere thought of shaking hands with Potter is … unnerving, “Pansy, I love you but stop acting like my mom.”

“Say that a few more times and Theo will come breathing down your neck.”

“Theo just doesn’t believe that I prefer wizards, not witches. How many times do I have to tell him?”

“Why don’t you wave one of those Muggle rainbow flags and wear a T-Shirt while you’re at it?” Pansy teased like the annoying gremlin she was, “Just go to the hospital wing already.”

“Imagine how Potter would look if you held a ‘I’m sorry’ card when he woke up.” Pansy snickered and hopped away, saying something about finding Theo.

Maybe he could check on Potter. Maybe the guy’s got a dozen people sending him flowers, Draco scoffed. In that case, he’ll just go with the flow. Maybe laugh at the poor boy a little.

Just great. Just the thought of Potter seems to have the effect of bringing Draco to do his worst. Draco huffed as he jumped from stone-to-stone on the small uphill passageway, leading to the hospital wing.

He hesitated at the door. Did he really need to do this? Draco checked his back. Nobody.

He could leave, but a feeling clawed inside of him, feeling he should check up on Harry, just to see if the boy is alright.

The familiar smell of medicine hung in the air as Draco stepped inside the hospital wing. Nausea washed over him. Like a dam collapsing, snippets of memories flash through his mind. Months ago, rows of people laid there. Some coughing violently, others robbed of life. Their pupils dulled as their friends and families cried.

Images of Harry unconscious appeared. The green eyes dulling and the rosewood cheeks started to pale. Draco shuddered uncontrollably.

Footsteps echoed down the hallway, snapping Draco out of his trance.

Madam Pomfrey glanced at a pale-faced Draco before her expression turned to concern.

“My dear Merlin. Malfoy! Are you uncomfortable? Come here, will you! Should I fetch someone? No? Alright, I get it. Sit here for a bit. Teenagers these days…”

Madam Pomfrey dragged Draco onto one of the hospital beds, a curtained bed just beside his. Draco let Madam Pomfrey care for him a few minutes before she trotted away, leaving him with two pieces of unwrapped chocolate. From … Godiva? Draco seen it on large screens at Muggle places. Muggle chocolate, who would have thought.

Malfoy eyed the cover suspiciously before he bit one piece. The bittersweet taste lingered even after he swallowed.

Not bad.

The scent of herbs and potions still permeated the corners. The noon sun waltzed into the room, reflecting onto the empty hospital beds.

Birds chirped outside, the sound muffled by layers of glass and stone. Inside, the room was eerily silent, all but the ruffling of the bedsheets.

Draco’s shoulders relaxed, as he took another bit of the chocolate.

Draco wanted to leave before a series of coughs emerged from one of the bunks. He pushed aside the curtains to see a familiar mop of rustled raven hair. Harry struggled to sit up as his coughs still didn’t die down.

Impulse taking control, Draco hurried over and helped Harry up. His arms wrapping around Harry’s back as Draco patted gently.

Warmth radiated through Harry’s flimsy hospital wear, masked with a pleasant scent of the fresh grass, maybe the Quidditch field.

As soon as Harry’s coughing fit stops, Draco took back his hands as if they’re on fire.

God what was he doing. Draco’s mind raced. What could he say to Harry? Hello, I am sent here by Pansy, so let’s make up? That just sounds awkward. How about, ‘Look, we’ve been enemies for the last 8 years, and I propose we can start over?’ Oh Merlin, why did he come here again?

As Draco panicked internally, Harry reached for his glasses as he fidgeted, head down as he adjusted his glasses, “Sorry, I just-”.

The apology seemed to cut short as Harry laid eyes on Draco. The boy instantly frowned, his brows furrowing behind the glasses. Draco’s heart dropped a beat as he noticed Harry edging towards the headboard, away from him.

“You need glasses to see who I am. Truly pathetic. Maybe that’s why you didn’t see the Bludger flying towards your head,” Draco flinched slightly; there goes the whole apologize-and-make-amends plan.

Harry’s emerald eyes flashed with hurt. Or maybe not, because the said gaze hardened a second later.

“Why are you here?”

“Aww. Is the boy-who-lived suddenly caring? How nice,” Draco sneered.

Draco noticed Harry trembling slightly, the boy’s face paling. Draco frowned, he didn’t mean to hit a sore spot. Sure, it was an insult, but it was rare to ever get a reaction out of Harry, so he figured the boy didn’t care.

“Just leave me alone,” Harry frowned, “and stop with that name. I hate it,” Harry said, his voice shaking enough for Draco to detect it. 

Draco blinked. Harry hated it? The thought was so unexpected that Draco forgot his momentary sneer, the words coming out before he could stop them, “Why?” How is being a golden boy, Chosen One… Oh.

Harry glanced at him. As the soft green eyes met his, Draco’s felt someone squeezed his heart forcefully.

He shouldn’t have let his mask slip.

“Why would you care?” Harry’s fingers clenched into the sheets. He hesitated before adding, “Why’d you want to know? It’s some sick joke, isn’t it?”

Draco shouldn’t have been nice about it.

“What did you expect? You’re so dumb. It’s a miracle you defeated the Dark Lord,” Draco flinched, wanting to search for an escape. He knew that was a weak comeback, he knew Harry will take that advantage. So, he did what he did every time. Draco stood up and marched out, slamming the door after him.

As soon as he walked out of Harry’s sight, he couldn’t stop his shaking. He felt hot all over. You show your caring side once, and others start to suspect you.

He pressed his back against the wall. His fists clenched as Draco fiddled through his pockets; he left the piece of unfinished chocolate. Draco groaned, just when the day couldn’t get worse.

It is decided, he will hate and badmouth Harry Potter, just like he did for the past 7 years.

Sorry Pansy, the make-up will have to wait for now.