Saving Myself || A Drarry Story

LXIV: Thunder and Lightning

"I'm hungry, " Teddy complained after his father left. His lush teal hair was sunshine yellow at the roots briefly before returning to its colour.

"It's almost lunchtime, " Draco told him as he looked at his watch. "Just another few minutes."

Harry rolled his verdant eyes, saying, "It's going to take ten minutes to walk down to the Great Hall anyway. Why not just go now?"

"I wanna go!" Teddy added, jumping up from his spot on the ground. Candy wrappers cascaded from his lap. "I wanna go to the Great Hall!"

"Fine, " Draco groaned with a smile. "Blaise and Theo will be there as well."

"Yay!" Teddy cheered, rushing to get his sweater on. "I like them."

"Me too, " Draco grinned.

Teddy turned to face Harry, asking innocently, "D'you have any friends?"

"Loads, " Harry lied easily. He felt Draco looking at him, but he didn't look back. It was a lie he used to tell himself when he played pretend as a child. One million friends! he used to say with a smile. Then I'd always have someone to play with instead of these pillows.

Then again, Nathalie sometimes played with him, but not for long, accusing his games of being weird and no fun. She highly enjoyed puzzles, but Harry never had the patience for those dastardly things.

Harry felt Teddy grab his hand and Harry swallowed. In all of his honesty, he was terrified of touching the boy, afraid that if he did the slightest thing to anger him, he'd end up like Nathalie; at the bottom of a staircase with a dent visible in his head from the landing.

When they made it out into the corridor, Teddy marvelled at everything his purple-coloured eyes landed on. He asked dozens of questions, most of which Draco answered.

After finally making it to a set of stairs, Harry told Teddy, "Here, you hold onto Draco. I need to hold the rail."

"Why?"

"I have a bad knee." Yet another lie from Harry to the small boy. Harry didn't want to be responsible for the untimely death of another six-year-old.

Teddy did so, talking nonsense the entire way down, only pausing to receive a mute nod from Harry. Somehow, Harry Potter felt older, and not in a good way. How could there have once been a happy family of four, the number full and now, a sad and broken duo that could break at any time? Was everything as simple as that? One; your sister killed at your hands. Two; your father sent to Azkaban for life at, again, your own hands. Double the blood.

Harry mentally shook his head. You're spiralling, he scolded himself. He hadn't even realized that they were in the Great Hall until he heard Draco ask him quietly, "You alright?"

Harry saw Blaise and Theo looking at him and answered, "Yeah."

"Yeah?"

"Yeah, " he repeated, "y'know."

Draco brushed his curly hair away from his forehead, kissing it softly and grinning when Harry blushed. He didn't notice that a group of Hufflepuff and Ravenclaw girls had gathered around Teddy, cooing and fluffing up his hair. One asked Harry, "Is he your little brother?"

"No, " Harry replied, "he's Draco's godson."

Teddy smiled up at the girls, hungry for their attention as Harry did with Draco. With a glum look, Theo was stabbing at his lunch with his fork, obviously distracted. "What's wrong with you?" Harry scowled.

"He wants to ask Luna Lovegood to the Graduation masquerade."

"Well, why don't you?" Harry wondered.

"I can't just do that, " Theo frowned.

Harry stood and searched for Lovegood, not listening to Draco telling him to sit down. Harry found her and said, "I'll be back."

He made his way over to her, asking her kindly, in a way that made him sound like the young boy he was, "Will you have a word with me? Maybe out in the hall?"

Luna looked at him for a while before complying and following Harry out. She was as tall as him, maybe an inch or two taller. "Did you need something, Harry?"

"Well, I was actually wondering something for a mate of mine."

"Who?"

"Theo . . .dore Nott, " Harry answered. It took him a moment to remember Theo's full first name. "Theo?"

Luna nodded and Harry continued, "Would you want to go to the Graduation masquerade with him?"

Luna's jewel blue eyes lit up as she replied, "That would be quite nice. You two are friends?"

"Yeah, definitely." Harry nodded. He smiled and said, "He'll be happy to hear that."

"Yes, thank you."

Harry was expecting it, but she gave him a quick hug, telling him, "Make sure you take care of my cousin."

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Draco felt a small hand shaking his shoulder softly but roughly at the same time. He, at first, thought that Harry was just moving around in his sleep, but his lips were open slightly against the back of Harry's neck and Harry wasn't moving.

Draco felt it again and he sat up, pushing Harry away slightly. In his sleep, Harry lashed out and hit Draco's arm. "Teddy?" Draco groaned, rubbing his face as he looked at the small boy.

"There's a storm, " Teddy whimpered just as there was a round of booming thunder outside. He had an irrational fear of getting struck by lightning, but Draco never understood it.

"C'mere, " Draco grunted, lifting the small boy into his and Harry's bed and placing him snugly between them. Harry, feeling the weight of the bed shifting, pressed himself against the wall, letting out a long breath.

"Thanks, " Teddy murmured, tugging the blankets up to his chin and closing his eyes.

"Make sure you get some sleep, little guy."

" 'Kay."

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