Aevumiter

24: Partners

A/N: PART 2 OF A DOUBLE UPDATE: MAKE SURE YOU DIDN'T MISS THE LAST CHAPTER

Harry was fast asleep Sunday night when an earth shattering boom woke him. His eyes flashed open, and he bolted out of bed, wand in hand. He frantically looked around the room, searching for the threat. 

Draco and Blaise were up a couple seconds later, looking around in confusion. But Harry was moving now, and Auror training had kicked in, it shaped how he crossed the room to check the bathroom, and cross back over to the door of the dorm. 

"Harry?" Draco asked.

Harry didn't hear him. He cracked the door to their dorm open, and looked out, wand ready.

"Harry." Draco said, louder, and took a hold of his shoulders. Harry's eyes locked onto his, and Draco understood the look in his emerald eyes. Draco pulled him further inside, and kicked the door closed.

"What was-"

"You need to stay here. You aren't thinking clearly." Draco said. "I'm going to go find out what happened."

"No-"

"Harry, for Merlin's sake, you're trying to use your wand." Draco hissed. "Stay here."

"What- No, I'm not staying here, what if-" Harry protested.

"Just stay here! Blaise, make sure he stays." Draco ordered, before tugging on shoes.

Harry held up a palm, and silvery blue mist coalesced into a stag. He whispered something, and then the stag took off, running through the door, out of sight.

"Was that just- Was that a wandless patronus?" Blaise asked.

"Yes, it was." Draco said. "Keep him here, Blaise. I'll be back."

"Draco-" Harry protested.

Draco leaned in close to Harry's ear and hissed. "Unless this is something that's happened before, just stay here."

Harry didn't reply, and Draco slipped out the door into a hallway of confused students. He sat still for half a minute, and then stood to pace the length of the room. 

Blaise watched in confusion. Why was Harry reacting like this? Clearly Draco understood why. And then- a wandless patronus. The kind of skill that would require... And Harry wasn't really in his best mind at the moment to boot. Just what was going on?

Right as Harry was about to go out after Draco, a silver cat bounded into the room. "Everything is fine. It would seem that someone set off an explosion sound with an advanced Sonorus charm." McGonagall's voice got quieter. "My personal guess is that it was set to distract from mischief elsewhere. Everyone is fine, there is no danger."

Harry nodded. He sat down on his bed, and set his head in hands. He focused on breathing, on steadying his rapid heartbeat.

"I didn't know you could produce a patronus." Blaise said.

"I- I learned in third year." Harry said.

"Really?" Blaise asked.

"Yeah. Because of the dementors."

"Is it as tricky to cast as people say?"

"Depends on the person, I think. The hardest part for me was finding a happy enough memory."

"Oh. You know, that's really depressing, actually." Blaise said.

"It's okay. I've made happier memories since then."

"That's good, then."

Harry nodded.

Draco walked back in not much later than that. "Harry, everything's fine, it was just-"