Harry caught her in his arms. “Thank you, oh noble knight, for saving me,” she said breathlessly.
“That’s my job, dear lady. Anything to rescue the damsel in distress,” he declared.
She stood up and swatted him on the arm. “I’m not a damsel in distress,” she said grinning.
Harry just snickered at her as the Gryffindors broke out into laughter over their performance. If behaving a little ridiculously helped everyone to relax around him again, then he decided it was more than worth it.
Harry swooped the giggling Draco up into his arms and ruffled his hair. “Is my little prince set to get ready for bed?” Harry asked.
Before Draco got a chance to answer, Hermione had another question.
“Not so fast,” she said. “What’s with the clothes? They look good, but where’d they come from and why are you wearing them?” she asked.
“Blaise seemed to think my name was Ken,” Harry smiled ruefully.
Most of the students looked confused at Harry’s words, but Hermione and Dean, along with a few other Muggle-borns, broke out in surprised laughter. Hermione laughed so hard she ended up with tears rolling down her cheeks.
“What’s so funny?” Seamus asked Dean.
“Ken is a Muggle toy. It’s a boy doll that little girls dress up in different clothes,” Dean explained.
“Which means, from what Harry said, Blaise was basically playing dress up with Harry,” Hermione added.
Even Ron seemed to think that was funny. “You mean Zabini was dressing you up like a doll?” he asked incredulously.
Harry nodded and decided he better explain. “We were going through Draco’s things so he could bring back some things that were familiar to him.”
Ron interrupted. “Does that explain why you’ve now got black satin sheets and a velvet comforter?” he asked.
“Yes,” Harry answered, looking at Draco and giving the boy a squeeze. “They were on his bed in the Slytherin dorms and he recognized them from home.”
“Figures Malfoy would have satin sheets,” Ron muttered.
Harry glared at him. “Hopefully they’ll make him feel more comfortable here. His bedding, of all things, is one of the few things that have been familiar at all to him. When you were four, I’m sure you liked to have things around you that were familiar, too.”
Ron held up his hands in surrender and didn’t say anything more.
Harry paused to give Draco a reassuring kiss on the forehead. The little boy was holding on to Harry a little tighter since he’d felt the bit of tension.
“So anyway, I was going through some things and came across these leather trousers. I’ve always wanted some,” Harry said with a shrug, flushing a little in embarrassment. “Blaise and Draco talked me into trying them on since we seem to be the same size. But then Blaise didn’t let it go there and he completed the look with the shirt and the boots. Blaise told me to keep them.”
“Won’t Draco be upset with you taking his clothes?” Hermione asked in concern.
“I’m Draco,” Draco spoke up defiantly. “And I said he could have them. I think he looks nice.
Harry grinned and gestured with his free hand to the little boy in his arms. “And that’s the reason why I’m still wearing these clothes. I had tried to protest, but I just couldn’t argue with that.”
The Gryffindors laughed. Most would have admitted that it was hard to argue with the cute little boy, even if they did know that it was technically the Draco Malfoy who had antagonized them for so many years.
Hermione smiled gently at Draco. “I apologize for kind of forgetting that you are actually Draco.”
Draco shrugged. “That’s all right. It happens a lot,” he said.
Hermione didn’t lose her smile. “I’m sure it does. But you’re right, you know. Harry does look very nice in your clothes and it was nice of you to give them to him.”
“Oh, and I haven’t properly thanked you. What was I thinking?” Harry said, slapping a hand on his forehead. “Thank you, Draco.”
“You’re welcome, Harry,” Draco said softly, offering Harry a very sweet smile. Harry kissed him on the forehead again before hugging him close. Harry ignored the “awwws” that came from Hermione and many of the other Gryffindor girls.
“What else did you find, Draco?” Hermione asked curiously, indicating the figurine Draco was still clutching in his hand.
Draco’s eyes lit up. “I found my dragons! Harry said I could bring a few of them up here.” He proudly held up his prize to show her. “I got this one for my birthday when I turned four. It’s a Peruvian Vipertooth. It’s the smallest of the dragons, but it’s also the fastest flier.”
“It’s fabulous!” Hermione declared, grinning at the boy’s enthusiasm for his dragons. “You really like dragons, don’t you?”
Draco nodded enthusiastically. “Yes. I’d think they were brill even if my name wasn’t Draco. I can’t show you the others now because Harry says I have to go to bed and he says we won’t unpack them tonight, but I can show you tomorrow,” Draco said hopefully.
“I’d like that,” Hermione said smiling.
“All right, angel. You’re right, and I am saying it is way past time for you to go to bed. It’s been a very long day,” Harry said. Hermione handed Harry his robes and their bags. They said their good nights and made their way up the stairs.
Harry quickly got them both changed into pajamas, before crawling into bed with a couple of books. Harry propped himself up against the headboard to read and they didn’t even make it all the way through the first book before Draco was asleep. Setting the books and his glasses on the bedside table, Harry settled into bed with Draco. He fell asleep quickly himself, snuggled up protectively around the little boy, the both of them wrapped in the softness of the velvet comforter.
Chapter 8: More Nightmares
Unfortunately, it was not to be an easy night for either of them. Draco woke screaming from a nightmare shortly after midnight. His terrified cries were an unusual and horrifying sound in the dorm, and all of the boys were startled awake.
Harry rocked him and soothed him, rubbing his back calmly and stroking his hair as the little boy sobbed out his terror. Neville, who in is own way was as much the pureblood gentleman as Draco Malfoy, was the one who passed Harry a handkerchief to clean the little one’s face.
Ron may have still been uncomfortable with Malfoy and wasn’t sure how to handle a child, but he did have experience with nightmares after living with Harry throughout much of the year. Screaming left a person’s throat feeling raw and hoarse, so Ron poured a glass of water and sat down on the bed, offering it to Draco.
“Another nightmare?” Harry asked softly.
Draco nodded into Harry’s chest. He was still hiccupping occasionally, but the tears had stopped.
“Was it the same one?” Harry asked.
Draco shook his head, but then he nodded. Harry glanced at Ron sitting on the bed next to them and Neville, Dean and Seamus who were currently sitting on the edge of Ron’s bed. He sent them all a warning glare not to say anything.
“Was it about your father again, but something different happened?” Harry guessed.
Draco sniffled and nodded.
“Why don’t you tell me about it, so then I can worry about it for you and you won’t have to be scared about it anymore?” Harry suggested.
There was no movement or sound from Draco for a minute. Then he nodded and spoke up softly. “He . . . he was punishing me again, because I did something bad.”
Harry closed his eyes. Ron was beginning to understand what must have happened the day before because he could actually feel the power beginning to build in Harry. Ron quietly moved and laid a hand on Harry’s shoulder, hoping to ground him before his power could get out of control.
