Safe in Their Arms - 2
Harry was roused from sleep by the faint sound of sniffles nearby. Blinking in the dimness, he rubbed his eyes and looked at the small bed beside his armchair. Draco lay curled up, his small frame trembling as soft, stifled sobs filled the quiet of the room. His thin hands clutched the edge of the blanket, knuckles white, his body tense with a fear that seemed to cling to him.
Harry felt a pang in his chest. He leaned forward slowly, reaching out to gently rest his hand on Draco’s back. The boy flinched at the touch, instinctively shrinking away, though he didn’t pull back entirely.
“Draco?” Harry whispered, keeping his voice as soft and steady as he could. “What’s wrong, little one?”
Draco froze, his small frame going still as if he were bracing himself. “Daco hafta go ‘way to Az’ban? Misteh-Misteh Pottah send Daco ‘way to mean people?” Draco asked fearfully, his voice trembling. Harry was shocked out of words, and when he didn’t respond fast enough, in a voice barely above a whisper, Draco began to speak, his words tumbling out in a frantic, broken stream. “P-please, Misteh Hawwy… don’… don’ send Daco ‘way, pease” he begged, his voice thick with tears. “I-I’ll be good, so good, I p-p’omise! Won’t make no t’ouble, won’t ask for nothing. Can… can be quiet… can do cho’es. P’ease don’ sen’ Daco t-to Az’ban.”
Harry felt his heart clench painfully as the boy’s words sank in, each one heavy with desperation. Draco’s shoulders shook with each word, his face pressed into the blanket as if he couldn’t bear to look up, his big eyes peering up at him, his little hands twisting the edge of the blanket tightly. Harry’s mind reeled, stunned by the depth of Draco’s fear—so certain he’d be abandoned, sent away for the slightest mistake.
Draco seemed to sense Harry’s silence as a kind of judgment, and his pleas grew more frantic, his voice trembling. “D-Daco can stay in a… a corner, Mistah Harry. Won’t need lotta space… won’t ask for lotta food also, p-promise,” he stammered, the words tumbling out faster now as if he feared his chance to beg was slipping away. “Jus… jus please… p’ease don’t send Daco ‘way. P-pomise, won’t cause no trouble. C-can be good, can do all the chores, can—”
“Draco,” Harry interrupted gently, voice thick with emotion, unable to bear any of it anymore, but Draco was too deep in his fear to hear.
“D’aco will be quiet, Mistah. Harry. Won’t even know I’m here, will be so quiet” he whimpered, still clutching the blanket as if it were his last anchor. “Please… please… don’… don’t make Daco go to the bad people…”
The words were broken by quiet sobs, and for a moment, Harry was too shocked to respond. He hadn’t realized just how deeply Draco’s fear ran, how lost and unwanted the boy truly felt.
Taking a steadying breath, Harry finally found his voice. He reached out, gently lifting Draco’s trembling form and pulling him into his arms. “Draco…Baby, no, listen to me. You’re not going anywhere,” he murmured softly, wrapping the boy in a firm, reassuring embrace. “You’re safe here, and I’m not sending you away. Not now, not ever.”
Draco let out a small, choked breath as if daring to hope. “B-but…Daco was a bad boy to Mistah. Harry, I so sowwy, n-now Daco can be g-good. Daco o-only ….. need tiny space, … and-and only tiny food, pomise, You don hafta take Daco’s care. Daco will- will be outta your way.” he mumbled, his voice still thick with tears as he clung to Harry’s shirt, fingers clutching desperately. “Don’t send Daco… please… can… can be good, I swear.”
Harry tightened his hold on the boy, gently rubbing his back, his heart aching with each plea that left Draco’s lips. “You don’t have to do anything to stay here, Draco,” he said, his voice steady but gentle. “You don’t have to be quiet, or do chores, or… or give up food. None of that. You don’t have to earn that. You can have as much space, food and attention you want, Little one. And you can be as loud as you want too. No one will send you away for that. No one will send you away for any reason at all. I won’t let that happen ever. You don’t have to do anything to stay here. Do you understand?”
Draco looked up at him, his wide gray eyes full of tears, lips trembling. “I… I don’t?”
“No, Draco,” Harry replied, brushing a tear from the boy’s cheek. “You’re safe here with me, and I won’t send you away, no matter what. You’re staying right here.”
Draco stared at him, eyes shining with disbelief, his small hand still clutching Harry’s shirt as if he couldn’t quite let go. “Draco… Daco stay with Mistah Hawy?” he whispered, barely able to speak the words.
Harry nodded, pulling him close. “Yes, Draco. You’re staying with me.”
Draco let out a shaky sigh, his body slowly relaxing as he leaned into Harry’s chest, still sniffling but calmer now. Harry could feel the boy’s grip loosen, though his small hand never quite let go, as if he still needed to hold onto something solid. Just then, the door creaked open, and Harry looked up to see Hermione and Ron standing there, bags of supplies in their arms, their eyes widening as they took in the scene.
Draco glanced over, catching sight of them, and immediately stiffened, clutching at Harry’s shirt again, his fear returning. “P-please… p’ease, Miss He’mo-ninny, Mistah Ron… don’… don’t send Daco away,” he stammered, his voice a desperate whisper. “Daco can… can be good don’t need… don’t need much. Can stay in a little space… don’t have to waste no food on Daco. J-jus don’t send… don’t send me to the bad place.”
Ron looked stricken, his face softening with sympathy as he took a hesitant step forward. “Hey, Draco… no one’s sending you away. You’re staying right here with us,” he said, his voice unusually gentle.
Hermione set the bags down, moving closer and kneeling to meet Draco’s gaze, her eyes filled with quiet compassion. “Draco, we got all these things just for you, who will use them if you go silly?” she said softly, gesturing to the supplies. “No one’s going to send you anywhere. You belong here, with us.”
Draco’s wide eyes flicked between them, his face a mixture of confusion and fragile hope. “F-fo Daco?” he whispered, his voice trembling.
“Yes, Draco, all for you,” Hermione replied, reaching out a tentative hand, which Draco instinctively leaned into, craving the touch.
“Look Draco, we bought you lots of toys, and these wicked blocks that are just waiting for you to play. And look, these soft sweaters with snitches on them. And there’s a mini Hogwarts Express too all for you. You and me will play with all these wicked toys, okay? We will have lots of fun while these two do the boring adult stuff.” Ron rambled, distracting the baby effectively from the emotional turmoil. Draco let out a watery giggle, looking at the toy train which Ron was animatedly waving in the air, making whistling sounds. Harry saw the exhaustion in the little boy’s eyes after the breakdown and decided another short nap was necessary since it hadn’t been long since they went to sleep after all.
“Yes, you can play with all of them, but before that you have to have a teeny tiny nap. Just close your eyes for a minute that is all. And we will be right here waiting for you to open those pretty eyes. Now rest your eyes a little” Harry murmured, rocking the boy in his arms, feeling the tension completely easing out of the boy.
Draco let out a tiny, exhausted sigh, his small body finally relaxing as he leaned into Harry’s chest, clinging to him as though afraid to let go. Harry held him close, silently promising to keep him safe, no matter what it took. And as Draco’s breathing began to even out, a flicker of trust finally softened his tear-streaked face.
“Fuck Mate, he’s been through so much and he’s a very young little at that. If I get my hands on the assholes who did that to him, they will wish they were never born” Ron silently raged, his words quiet.
“Oh they will al face the consequence to this, I promise. Atleast the ones that are alive. We will hunt every one of them and make sure they never touch Draco ever again.” Hermoine’s words held a promise that Harry knew she wouldn't rest until she fulfilled them. Harry smiled at his best friends, grateful for all they have done and are doing in his life.
Harry let out a sigh of frustration and anger, “Right, I was wondering if I should go and visit Lucius Malfoy in the prison. Would you send out a letter to Kingsley on my behalf, Mione? I want to know what the bloody hell he was thinking, hiding his son’s classification like that, and letting him be sent to that cruel hellhole.”
Hermione nodded, “ I would suggest to first let Draco settle here before leaving him to visit Malfoy. He’s clearly attached and seems to have a serious case of abandonment issue. Wouldn’t be right to leave him right now. Maybe we can visit him for you?”
“No, you are right, the timing is not right. I will visit him in a weeks’ time. Should be enough time for Draco to be comfortable to leave him with one of you for a few hours. But I want to do it myself. It has to be me. Also I was thinking of starting the adoption process of Draco, so officially he would belong to me. There’s no way I am letting the Little be sent to someone else.”
“Are you sure Harry?” Hermione, ever the voice of reason, asked.
“Yes. Quite sure. I’m never letting him go. Not after all of this. The last sheds of the doubt is stripped away from my mind. And there’s a feeling of contentment while I hold him. I have treated quite a few little’s but he’s different.”
“Ofcourse he is. You and he have always revolved each other. You have always gravitated to him, mate. It’s a bloody good thing too. That you have decided to not send him, and keep him. I, myself am quite attached to the Little thing already” Ron cracked a smile.
Hermione smiled, promising Harry she would bring the adoption papers, and start the process of it. Then they moved to the living room, Ron excitedly showing Harry all the toys and clothes they had brought for Draco, while Hermione piped here and there, showing the utilitarian things brought for the Little, along with some books, which she vowed to read to the little guy.
“Don’t you guys think, you have gone a tad bit overboard with the shopping?”
“Shut up mate, this is nothing. You will see overboard when mum gets to know about the whole fiasco and she starts bringing food and clothes to her new Grandkid.”
“Merlin,, I had completely forgotten about informing this to them. Molly is going to have my head for not letting her know about Draco before. I should really write her a letter.”
“Don’t worry Mate, I will let her know, me and Mione have to go there today anyway. Dad had asked some muggle things that we have to drop off. Be ready for Mum to barge in in the morning” Ron laughed, prompting the other two to laugh, forgetting the heartbreak they all experienced for the time being.