Chapter Two: Sunday the 27th of October

On Friday Potter had gone funny again. Draco paid it very little mind but he saw the groupies forming again. He really didn't get it. Potter is ill again, so he's just got a weak stamina. He heard no more conversations but saw the look on Granger's face when he crossed them. He pushed Potter to get a reaction from him but the latter simply ignored him. This was odd, considering that only the previous day they had had a good old fight - had it not been for Professor Sprout one of them would probably have ended up in the hospital wing. He pushed him again but nothing happened. This was boring.

It was Sunday and Draco had practiced tried and failed on ordinary furniture until it was near perfect. He knew it was different this time round. All the books talked about it; magical artefacts were different in every way. They have their own magical core and if the magic you use on them is incompatible, they react to that. They can simply reject your spell or they can retaliate. He breathed in deeply and stood three feet from the cabinet. He whispered the incantation and looked.

The tip of his magic soared into the cabinet and it was stored there apparently. Then there was a creaking noise and the light was shot back to Draco, along with splinters and nails. He tried to Protego himself but he was too slow and he covered his face with his hands. They got the most of it. He looked at them. They were both covered in blood and small holes but his right hand had gone completely numb. He tried moving it but it hung limp on his arm. He sighed hardly scared because he had faith in Madame Pomfrey, but it was a setback. He just couldn't figure this thing out. Surely there had to be a way to mend it. He stopped and thought of his mother. Yes. There had to be a way.

He was caught by Peeves on his way to the hospital wing. The latter laughed as he saw his hand and threw him a bomb of something, just for good measure. He hadn't rounded the corner that his skin started itching and growing red. He scratched his face annoyingly.

"Fuck" He muttered as he stopped. He could feel his eyes swell under his fingers and his vision was growing smaller. He could no longer see clearly and he was stuck in enemy territory. This was bad news.

Someone knocked him and he couldn't see who it was. The person apologized and probably stared at him.

"Malfoy?" The girl asked and Draco damned his luck that he'd been thrown straight in the Mudblood's grasp "What happened to you?"

Draco leaned against the wall he was using as direction assistance. He kept his best cool attitude and replied:

"Ah Granger. It is a wonder you have not seen me like this before. This is how I react to Gryffindors"

"You are in danger zone then" She added evenly. She took Draco's arm "Come on I'll bring your allergic face to the hospital wing"

"I am perfectly capable" Draco wrenched free. Granger sighed at this.

"You can hardly see Malfoy. This is no pleasure for me either. Now shut up" She took his arm once more. Draco tried to look at her but failed.

"I bet it is" He said "I bet you're getting a kick out of this"

Granger wisely remained silent and dragged him on. Draco did mind the path she was taking to make sure she was not bringing him to some kinky dungeon. She took him to where he had to go, he could tell only by the smell. He recognized Madame Pomfrey's voice as she told him off for careless acting and really what are these kids up to nowadays? He was taken to a bed fairly quickly and as he was going to drawl to Granger he heard an outcry of:

"Harry!" And he heard the footsteps retreating to a corner of the room "What happened?!"

Granger seemed distraught enough to speak loudly. Such could not be said for Potter. From where he was he could only hear that the tone of his voice was fed up.

"Harry, for heaven's sake, will you just tell me what's wrong" She demanded loudly. Draco saw figures if he tried hard enough, and he swore he could see Potter getting up and stand over Granger.

"It's nothing" He muttered but Draco could still hear "I told you once twice, countless times! Just stay out of my business Hermione, your meddling is getting boring and frankly very annoying"

There was a huff and Granger's form hurried away. Draco had to laugh. To this he heard a loud reply of Shut up! but he had witnessed the marital spout and it was frankly too amusing not to laugh. He lay down tranquil on the bed, trying at best to close his eyes.

"Remind me to get you an anger management course for Christmas Potter" He said half amused still.

"Didn't know you were that keen on me Malfoy" Was the reply. Madame Pomfrey returned with a cream and a potion that she hurriedly made Draco drink. The effect was instant and soon he could see clearer. He felt the swelling going down and the matron ordered him away with a prescription of drink lemon juice. Draco stopped her before she left.

"Excuse me" He started "There is the small matter of my hand too"

She took one look at it and hustle bustled around him.

"What did you do to get that?" She asked amidst her searching. Draco shrugged.

"I was trying to hex a cabinet into becoming a mass murder weapon and my spell retaliated" He replied sarcastically. He felt sure the matron would have hit him harder had he not been a patient.

"It wouldn't surprise me" Potter's voice carrier from opposite him. Draco looked over to him but the curtain were drawn so he couldn't see him.

"And what have you done?" The Slytherin wondered "Got attacked by a fan girl?"

Draco supposed that with the current state of affairs, that was actually quite plausible. Potter never answered and he was covered in a blanket with a word that he was staying a few hours. He accioed his book and read it with one hand. Sadly it wasn't helping.

After an hour or so, Draco heard the movements of curtains and looked up. He still couldn't see his nemesis, safe for his leg and a corner of the bed; and it didn't slip his notice - though it probably did Grangers. There was a stain of blood next to Potter's knee. Probably not a fangirl then, he thought. Against his better judgement, Draco did want to know. Perhaps he was terminally ill and Draco could go into the Dark Lord's better books without finishing this bloody cabinet. He stared for a while but he found nothing out. The curtains were soon drawn again and he was sent away before Potter.

He was torn between following Potter - disguised as groupie - and continuing his research. As he saw the man leave after dinner - he noticed idly that he hadn't eaten either - he made his mind up and got up, telling clinging Pansy that he had better things to do. He remained a few feet behind the girls because please he is not one of them. Soon he heard a yell of:

"Fuck just leave me alone! Live your own lives for merlin's sake!" Some girls looked on the verge of tears and ran away. Others were more reluctant and backed off slowly. Draco didn't. He continued following this different Potter. He saw him go to the outside corridor and stand in front of a painting of a bowl of fruit. Draco raised an eyebrow as the stupid sod tickled the pear. To his utmost surprise it made for a small door. Potter bent down and talked, Draco couldn't hear. Soon a plate was shoved on the floor towards Potter. Draco made a mental note to store this. Then he looked at the plate and saw a piece of meat which frankly revolted Draco's weak digestive system by its rareness. He ran away before Potter would see him.

He stopped at a corner when he saw the groupies again. They were discussing Potter's health again; he looked the same as he did the month prior and it still worried people as much. Call it a limit but Draco was fed up with Potter receiving so much attention for so little. After a few days he had looked normal again and the fans stayed fairly ordinary and not so stalkish. So he turned round and hid behind an armor. As Potter passed in front of him he whispered an incantation. Invisible beams flew towards him and surrounded his face. He stopped for a moment and touched his cheek. He couldn't see but his skin had gotten its color back and the bags under his eyes had disappeared. He looked healthy.

The groupies left and Draco was glad. At least he had succeeded in that. Somehow he supposed that Potter knew. Someone must have mentioned his new found good looks - not that he did look good - and he then linked it to Draco; for he kept looking at him oddly. The Slytherin himself, smug at his achievement, ignored Potter. He would still humiliate him of course, they would still fight, but Draco otherwise remained away from him and his pack of misbehaviours.

Hope you like and review! At the moment I am still on holiday so I am able to move a lot faster. If you have any suggestions I'd be happy to hear from you! Xxx