Draco was floating. His body didn't feel like his own. He looked down, and saw no scars, no Dark Mark, no acne or cuts. What am I doing here? What happened? Suddenly, out of the swirling blackness around him, emerged Harry Potter. But this Harry was different from the one he remembered. This Harry was all grown up, dressed in a healer's robes and with gold-rimmed glasses that no longer had tape around the edges. He looks so beautiful, thought Draco, but this time it wasn't accompanied by the bitter taste of regret and self loathing. No, this time he admired the way Harry floated around him, not caring about his father or his mother or any of his friends. He only cared about Harry. The need to tell him, to blurt out his biggest secret became overwhelmingly intense, and before he knew it, he said, "Harry, I'm gay."

           Draco looked around. He was at St. Mungos , in a bed of sheets with several empty potion bottles beside him. Unsurprisingly, his mother was sitting by the bed, reading one of those scrolls she seemed to always enjoy. So I have survived, he thought pensively as he once again drank in his surroundings. As he lay back down, he wasn't sure how he felt about not succeeding, but he knew that things had to change. He would make a new life for himself. I could become a potions master... or invent a much-needed potion. Perhaps a version of Wolfsbane? Or maybe an easy healing potion. Either way, he knew he would have to do something big, something that would mark him apart from all the Malfoys before him. He would no longer hide shadily in the shadows, conducting business with vile people that the Malfoys were associated with. Perhaps he might even find a boyfriend, one who was not involved in any sort of shady business. His mind automatically drifted to Harry Potter, the very man who happened to enter the room at that moment. What is he doing here? Why is he here? Did he get my letter? Has Mother talked to him? Draco was swept away by the beauty of Harry's emerald eyes.

          "Hullo Narcissa. Fine morning, isn't it?" Catching sight of Draco in the bed, his grey eyes looking up at him, Harry's heart fluttered a bit and his words got caught in his throat. "Draco? Do you know where you are? How do you feel?" Harry wondered why Draco was staring at him, when Draco cleared his throat and said, "A bit disoriented, but otherwise, fine. My chest aches a bit, but that was probably the Spider Poison. How long was I out?" At the mention of the Spider Poison, Harry's eyes grew impossibly wide and he suddenly whipped his wand out, shouted, "Accio Traveling Potions Cabinet" and threw a very specific freezing spell right on Draco's stomach. Draco Malfoy, what have you done? Harry thought desperately. 

"What was that for? Healer Potter, what's happening to Draco?" But Harry had no answer for Narcissa, as he was hurriedly pouring vial after vial down Draco's throat. When the last drop of a murky grey potion was down Draco's gullet did Harry speak. "Narcissa, Spider Poison is very hard to detect. Had I known Draco had taken it, I would have acted a bit faster. Spider Poison... well, let's just say it destroys the organs from the inside out. It's been working for about 26 hours, so Draco has about 4 hours to get it out of his system before it completely destroys him. I gave him an organ-replenishing potion, a  pain relief potion for when he wakes up, several antidotes for poisons similar to Spider Poison, and all that should keep him alive even if he does not purge it in 4 hours." At this, Narcissa covered her mouth with her hand and sat back down on her chair as she processed just how much danger her son was in. Harry continued with his check up, frowning at some of the things he noticed.

"Narcissa, how much does Draco usually eat? He is extremely underweight and I believe that may also account for how easily the poison took hold." Narcissa stiffened when Harry asked her that, as though she was only now realizing how many signs had been right in front of her. 

"He always eats in his room. I invite him to have dinner, but he hasn't ever since Lucius went to Azkaban. Is he going to be okay?" Narcissa anxiously waited for Harry's response, afraid he'd say no. "He will be, but it's a long road to recovery. The Ministry doesn't take these lightly, yuo know. Wizarding suicide? People rarely survive, but when they do, the Ministry does its best to keep them alive." Harry bustled out of the room and into the lobby.

Suddenly the doors banged open. Ronald Weasley, followed closely by Cho Chang and Kingsley Shaklebolt, hurried in and as soon as they caught sight of Harry, ran over to him.

"Where is he, mate? We've got to ask him some questions." Ron, ginger as ever, was one of the aurors assigned to the Malfoys. 

"He's resting. He is very fragile, I don't know how he'll react to you. He seemed fine with me, but perhaps it's because..." Harry trailed off, not alluding to what he was trying to say. Ron ignored that and started following Harry down the corridor, Cho and Kingsley trailing behind him. 

"Narcissa is with him, but please be careful with her. They've both been through a lot." Harry explained to the determined aurors.

"Alright Harry, whatever you say. Narcissa already informed us, but we must go over the changed terms of her house arrest." Harry only nodded at this.

As they walked through the door, two sets of eyes followed the healer and the aurors as they made themselves comfortable.

"Weasley, Ms. Chang, Mr. Shaklebolt. To what do I owe the pleasure?" Draco's voice was high with anxiety and althuogh his mask was perfectly calm, there was a slight tremor in his hands.

"We've come to talk to Mrs. Malfoy, actually. You haven't broken any rules- a seperate group deals with cases like yours. They'll be here tomorrow. Mrs. Malfoy, why did you leave Malfoy Manor at approximately 7:26 yesterday evening? Everything you say will be recorded and can be used against you. You will most likely be put on trial. I'm sorry, but it's the reality."

With a calm and composed face, Narcissa answered, "I was scared for my son's life. I found him nearly dying and did the first thing I thought of- taking him to a place where he could be healed. Unfortunately, I forgot that I broke the terms of my house arrest. I just prayed that my letter would reach you before you reached me." She turned back to Draco and smiled at him before turning to the aurors and saying, "Can we continue this discussion out in a different room? Draco needs his rest." To which Ron and Kingsley looked to one another and nodded. Narcissa left with the aurors, and Draco and Harry were left alone with their thoughts and awkward tension. 

"So, how long am I going to be here?" Draco casually attempted to ask questions, but he knew Harry could see right through his question.

"Given the amount of poison you took, it'll be a least a week. Not even mentioning- well, the Ministry will be here soon to deal with that." Harry awkwardly finished and busied himself with cleaning up the empty potion bottles next to his bed. 

"Will I be given Dreamless Sleep potions ?" As Draco asked this, Harry involuntarily flinched, reminded of the mistakes he'd made in his past. Draco stared curiously at him until Harry finally replied, "Most likely you'll be given a supply with certain protective charms, or, after your meeting with a member of the staff, you'll be cleared to not need it at all." Draco nodded and let the news sink in. Narcissa and the aurors walked in at that moment, preventing further conversation. Narcissa sat down next to Draco and told him,

"The aurors have informed me that given the circumstances, I will be fined a hefty amount, but nothing worse. I will be returning to Malfoy Manor, and am only allowed to visit you for an hour, so you must write to Blaise and Pansy as soon as possible. I'll send Abraxas over here with the times I'm allowed to visit you. I love you."

With that, the aurors and Narcissa went to the large Floo and disappeared into the green flames after shouting, "Malfoy Manor!"

Draco sighed as he watched his mother leave. Now I have Potter, Blaise, Pansy and Greg to keep me company. He thought to himself, grinning to himself as he imagined what Potter's face would look like if he knew he was in the same sentence as Blaise Zabini, Pansy Parkinson, and Gregory Goyle. Sinking into the bedsheets, he lay down and again fell asleep, this time not dreaming of anything Harry Potter related.

On the other hand, the only thing Harry dreamed of in his bed at Grimmauld place that night was grey eyes, and pain. So much pain.