Chapter 8
Ever since the four syllables left Harry’s lips, he’s felt nothing but guilt, remorse, self-hatred.
It was a surreal sight, Malfoy on the bathroom floor, bleeding out in front of him. The first few seconds, he’d been rooted to the spot, staring as bright red seeped through perfect white fabric.
It was the sounds of agony falling from Malfoy’s lips that had snapped him out of it. In a beat, he was hovering over him, hands on his chest as he tried to staunch the bleeding. He remembers cursing under his breath, yelling for help, his dad and Moony finding them.
Remus had wasted no time, jumping to Malfoy’s aid and performing every healing spell he knew in an attempt to fix the damage Harry had done. Meanwhile, Regulus was forcefully dragging him away from the wounded boy, asking a hundred questions at once. Harry hadn’t been able to answer any of them until Malfoy was in the hospital wing and his other dad had been summoned to the Headmaster’s office.
He’d never seen his parents quite as pale. They held hands the entire time, James rubbing his thumb over Regulus’ knuckles in a rather futile attempt to soothe him. By the end of their conversation, Harry had managed to convince them he hadn’t known what the spell did. Nothing had been more important to him. He needed them to know he hadn’t hurt Malfoy like that on purpose.
He doesn’t think his dads are angry with him, but they are upset. Harry can hardly blame them.
After over an hour of talking, apologising profusely and receiving a term worth of detentions, James presses a kiss to his forehead, tells him he loves him, and orders him to go and rest.
Harry does as he’s told, but glances over his shoulder before disappearing behind the corner. He’s sure he’s never going to forget what he sees; Regulus slumped over in James’ arms, leaning heavily against him as his husband caresses the back of his neck as he whispers what Harry presumes were comforting words.
Harry’s heart clenches. If only he had a time-turner to fix this mess.
That night, he sneaks out of his bed, Invisibility Cloak wrapped around himself. When he enters the hospital wing, all beds are empty except for one. He walks up to it and instantly feels nauseous when he looks down at a sleeping Malfoy, his chest wrapped up in an insane amount bandages.
But he’s breathing.
Harry watches the rise and fall of his chest over and over, until he too feels like he can breathe again.