When the Lights Go Out

Author: ME (:p) [chakahlah]

Characters: Poppy Pomphrey, Draco Malfoy, Harry Potter.

Abstract: madam Pomphrey keeps the boys overnight after they are injured in a fight and becomes the only person who really knows what happens when the lights go out.

Dedicated to: My Luc! She knows who she is. Love you sis, Happy Birthday and don't think that because I finally got this posted that you can get rid of the hand-written copy I made for you. I went through nearly eight copies before I got one I was happy with!

Muse: 'when the lights go out' by 5ive.

WHEN THE LIGHTS GO OUT

Poppy Pomphrey glared at the two boys before her. "I am sick of this!" she snarled. "You two have been attacking each other since the day you started at this school. I would have thought that being in Seventh year and leaders in your respective houses would have inspired you to grow up, but I see I was mistaken."

She looked at them, thin-lipped and nostrils flaring as she noticed the glares they were exchanging. "It looks as though there is only one way to stop you from fighting and as much as it pains me to do this; I will not be healing your injuries this time. You will need to stay here while they heal naturally and you will have no visitors for the full week!"

Neither boy revealed any emotion to this. Poppy filed it away for further study at a later time. At the moment she had more important things to deal with.

"Harry, just go to the normal bed you are put in. Draco, you go to the bed that is as far away from him as it is possible to be. I'm disappointed in the both of you."

She walked out of the room, activating the spells that would allow no-one but her inside or hear what was said in that room. After a moment of hesitation, she also spelled the room to notify her if either patient left their bed. Nodding once firmly, she walked to her office, muttering about schoolboys and their rivalries.

Twenty minutes later, Poppy was marching purposefully back to the room she had left the boys in. She had just completed informing their heads of house where they were when the alarm for a patient out of bed sounded. She was about to storm into the room when a snarl stopped her.

"I'm going to kill Ron!" Harry hissed. "He almost broke your arm in three places. He DID break your wrist and three fingers! Pomphrey didn't do her job well enough! I understand about leaving us to heal naturally, but she damn well should have scanned us for serious injuries! If your fingers and wrist had set like this you wouldn't have been able to use your wand properly every again! This is really going to hurt, Draco. I'm really sorry. Ready? One … Two …"

Poppy listened with wide eyes as Draco yelped at a deep, dull crunch. How had she managed to neglect to scan the two for serious injury? She winced at several sharper cracks that were followed by a soft whimper.

"Try not to move, Ray," Harry soothed as he tore something. "I've got to immobilize your arm so the bones won't move. I can heal the cuts and bruises but not the bones."

"It's alright, Harry," Draco gasped in pain and regret. "You tore up your favourite shirt for me?"

"Don't worry about it, Ray. I can always buy another one."

"If you say so. How are you? Goyle really laid into you. I did try to get him and Crabbe to leave you alone. I just think that it takes Goyle longer to learn."

Harry chuckled. "I understand. I have Ron as a friend, remember? I think he's harder to teach than Goyle because he's such a mule-headed idiot."

Draco sighed. "You didn't tell me what type of damage he did to you. And don't lie either, because I will check for myself, Mister!"

"He gave me a dislocated shoulder, bruised kidneys, a pulled muscle in my lower back and various pounded areas. He didn't break anything and I don't need any extra healing with my body being so used to it. Do you mind helping me with the shoulder though?"

Poppy held her breath as a loud pop and a sigh of relief came from the dark-haired boy. She listened to the motion in the room while deep in thought. What was going on here? Weren't Harry and Draco enemies? What did Ron and Gregory have to do with the injuries the boys had? She bought her attention back to the occupants of the room before her when a small yelp sounded.

"I'm sorry Ray,' Harry whispered. "I had such lovely plans for us this week and instead we are stuck in here for the week."

"It's alright, Harry," Draco soothed. "At least the only person who can interrupt us is the Dragon-Lady."

Harry stifled a sobbing laugh. "That has to be the only good thing about it. I'd better let you sleep. You must be exhausted."

"No, I'm fi-" Draco yawned, "fine." He glared cutely at Harry who had chuckled. "Maybe I am a bit tired, but … stay? Please?"

Poppy held her breathe. Did this mean what she thought it meant?

"If you are sure."

"I'm sure. I miss you Harry. I miss snuggling into you at night and I miss seeing you the moment I wake up. All we've been getting time for is a five minute fumble in a closet and I want – no – I need more."

"I know Ray. I know. Make yourself comfortable Love, I'm not going anywhere."

Five minutes later, Poppy heard the gentle sound of sleep and reached for the handle.

"Next weekend, Love. It will all be over this time next week. Then nothing will stop me from announcing to the world that you are mine. Not Ron, not Lucius, not even the gods themselves."

"That's good, Sly," Draco murmured, "because I'll be damned if I miss the first opportunity I have to publically stake my claim of you, so you better be ready."

"I'll be waiting with open arms," Harry smiled. "Ready to whisk you away to our private place for a candle-lit dinner, dancing to slow music, a deliciously both bath and a week of such hot and steamy passion that authors of Mills and Boon books worldwide will be begging for the publication rights."

Draco giggled softly. "I'll hold you to that. Goodnight, Sly. I love you heart and soul."

"Goodnight, Ray. I also love you heart and soul."

Half an hour later, Poppy walked quietly into the room to find both boys on one narrow bed in what had to be the most uncomfortable position. Silently, she scanned both boys and healed the injuries that remained before enlarging the bed to accommodate them both. She watched as Harry moved to the centre of the bed, pulling Draco with him. She smiled as Harry curled around Draco, who had his face nestled into the centre of Harry's chest and his legs tangled with the sheets and with Harry's legs.

When they had settled, she covered them with a soft, warm blanket and left, pausing at the door to look at the rivals-turned-lovers. She would keep this new development to herself, but when the boys decided to drop their act, she would support them fully – even if it meant dealing with the Devil himself.

Now, all she had to do was discover what Ronald Weasley and Gregory Goyle had to do with tonight's injuries and hand them to a professor. She smirked. It had been a long time since she had seen Severus torture – I mean interrogate – students. Maybe it was time to pay him a social call.

In the room where Draco and Harry lay sleeping, a soft voice could be heard whispering worlds of love and devotion. Harry and Draco slept peacefully with smiles on their lips, dreaming about their future adventures when the lights go out.