AN: Written for LJ community 30 Wounds, prompt #17: 'I Fell Down Some Stairs'

Disclaimer: I don't own Harry Potter or it's characters, just borrowing for a little while.

Painful Secrets

Harry wouldn't admit to anyone that his relatives abused him. They simply didn't need to know. After all, he could handle a few bruises; if he couldn't cope with that how would he ever be able to defeat Voldemort.

So in the last seven years since he had found a home at Hogwarts, since he had found friends, and even a boyfriend he had kept what happened to him over the summer a secret. Nobody ever really even asked, there had been a few curious glances if he ever showed up at school or the Weasley's with a bruise or two but nothing more than that. Which is probably why he was taken off guard when Draco walked into the compartment on the train and looked hard at Harry before asking him what happened.

"What do you mean?" he couldn't think of a better response so decided to play dumb.

"Harry you're face is bruised and cut up, you know perfectly well what I mean."

Harry turned his face away from Draco, not able to look at him. He felt as if Draco would be able to see the truth in his eyes if he looked at him for too long.

The blonde sat beside Harry and took hold of his hand, immediately noticing the bruises on his arm as well. Harry hissed in pain at the touch, he was pretty sure his wrist was sprained and Draco's grip had aggravated the already sore wrist.

Draco took hold of Harry's chin and gently turned the shorter boys face towards him.

"Please Harry, tell me what happened."

The brunette shook his head and turned away once more.

"It's nothing Draco. I – I fell down some stairs is all. I wasn't paying attention and I fell down the stairs at my relatives a few days ago. It's nothing."

Draco looked at him sadly and knew that there was more going on than that. He only hoped it wasn't what he suspected. Harry had withdrawn into himself and Draco knew that if he pushed any more he wouldn't get any further. Harry didn't want to talk about it and there was no way to make him.

"Alright Harry. But when we get to school I'm taking you up to the hospital wing to get looked at."

"Draco no-"

"Harry I'm not going to push you to talk about it when you so obviously don't want to but I refuse to let you put up with injuries that can easily be healed. Please, just go with me on this."

Already feeling bad for lying Harry could only nod in response. Draco only cared about him after all. He would go to the hospital wing and get his injuries healed. He was just glad that the marks on his back from his uncle's belt had ready healed.

Draco pulled Harry into his arms and rested his head on top of the other boys, pressing a light kiss to Harry's head he moved back to get comfortable pulling the brunette with him.

Harry relaxed against Draco and wished he could tell him the truth. It was eating him up inside and he didn't know how much longer he could go on lying. Harry was horrified to feel a few stray tears escape and fall onto Draco's chest. He fervently hoped that Draco wouldn't notice.

He felt the hot tears fall onto his skin and wished that he could make Harry's pain go away. He didn't deserve to suffer, not at all. But knowing that Harry wouldn't want him to know he was crying he simply held Harry tighter and let the other boy bury his head against his chest and silently cry it all out.