When The Devil Falls | Draco Malfoy x Tom Riddle

Chapter 15 | The Sunshine and Mr. Grumpy Face

Previously on When The Devil Falls -
"The Dursleys, my aunt, and uncle, were horrible to me. They used to lock me up in a cupboard for 11 years of my life until I got my Hogwarts letter. The cupboard under the stairs was where I slept. They hated me for being able to do magic. They called me a freak! Most of the time, they would 'accidentally' forget to feed me and other times - when my uncle was particularly angry - he straight up refused, saying that he didn't want to waste his money on my freakishness. I didn't understand anything when I was younger, it was accidental magic and I tried to hard to explain it to them that I couldn't control it but they never listened to me," Harry confessed, the weight of those memories evident in his voice.

Draco listened in silence, surprise and guilt enveloped him.

"In Hogwarts, I've always eaten small portions, but Ron and Hermione never asked if anything was wrong. At the start, they were too young to notice but then when they could have realized it, they were so caught up in each other that they didn't even notice," Harry continued, his voice tinged with bitterness. "I guess I got used to being on my own, dealing with things by myself."

"Why didn't you tell anyone?"

"Dumbledore knew. My Hogwarts Letter was addressed to The Cupboard Under The Stairs. He had deliberately sent me there as a part of his 'for the greater good' plans to defeat Voldemort. The night you killed him, I wasn't angry, just surprised."

Draco offered a quiet, "It's going to be fine now, Harry. The Dark Lord doesn't want to kill you. You don't have to go back there anymore. Okay?"

"Okay"

"Sleep now?"

"Why are you so hell-bent on making me sleep?"

"Your body needs the rest, you moron! The spells and potions need time and energy to heal you. If you keep wasting all your energy trying to fight your body's needs then the potions will take longer to heal you."

"Good Night, Mother!"

Draco shot an intense glare at the green-eyed boy, then arranged the blankets around him, ensuring his comfort. Within moments, Harry Potter succumbed to sleep. Draco glanced at the slumbering figure, sighed, and picked up a book—Herpo The Foul's treatise on Dark Magic. He nestled into the sofa, engrossed in reading.

By the time Draco had progressed halfway through the book, the Dark Lord entered the room. Draco signalled for him to be quiet, pointing to the sleeping boy. Tom Riddle nodded understandingly and joined Draco on the couch.

"I have dealt with Bellatrix. She won't attempt such a foolish thing again. How is he faring? Any permanent damage?"

"No lasting harm. However, he does have an eating disorder."

"That's a relief. What about the eating disorder? How did it come about?"

"His relatives abused him. They neglected to provide him with sustenance. He became accustomed to tiny portions. Holly brought him dinner, but he could only consume half before throwing it up."

"Can that be healed?"

"With his cooperation, yes."