---
------
I am not J.K. Rowling nor am I making any money off this..... bummer.
-------
---
-
Harry was outside enjoying what was probably one of the last warm sunny days before fall really set in. The sun was shining, the birds were singing, and Ron was yelling something from behind him.
"Harry, Hermione's been hurt!"
"What?!" Harry climbed to his feet. "What happened? Is she going to be alright?"
The two of them made their way to the hospital wing. "I don't know how bad it is. I hear from Neville what happened and came to get you first off. I guess she was in advanced Herbology when part of the back wall crumbled and hit her. Neville said that professor sprout thinks that the magic there must be weakening.
They burst through the doors in the hospital wing gasping for air, having run most of the way there.
"What do you two think you're doing?" asked Madame Pomfrey. "You should know better than to come running in here like a bunch of rampaging hippogriffs. Especially you Harry."
"But Hermione…" said Ron.
"Is going to be just fine." Madame Pomfrey herded them out the door. "She should be completely healed by tomorrow."
"Can we at least see her?" asked Harry.
"Very well, but five minutes only. "
Hermione was bruised but mostly ok. She started to smile at them and then winced. A stack of potions was on her nightstand, and about half were empty.
She saw the worried looks on their faces and said, "Don't worry you guys, I'm fine really. "
Harry looked at her and felt guilty. He should have warned her, or stayed by her side or kept a better eye on her, especially when he had foreseen something like this. His hands were twitching. He wanted to put one on her and use his healing powers to fix her injuries, but everyone would realize that something odd had happened. Something inside Harry insisted that no one should know what he was able to do, so her resisted, and stood there feeling guilty and miserable.
"Don't look like that Harry," said Hermione. "There wasn't anything you could've done."
'That's what you think, Harry thought to himself, and felt even worse if that was even possible. He felt a sharp sting on his arm. Fish had quickly slapped his tail against the bare skin, leaving a red mark.
"You can't always save everyone," said the snake. "Especially when it comes to your friends. You aren't their keeper, and they won't appreciate it if you try to coddle them. Give them a chance to help you as well. That's how friendships work."
Poppy came back into the room. "Ok, time's up. Let's let Hermione get some rest."
"Hermione's lucky, " mumbled Ron, still somewhat asleep. "She gets to miss out on potions this morning." They walked down to the dungeons for their first potions class that year. Hermione was going to get out of the hospital wing that day like Madam Pomfrey had said, but it wouldn't be until later on.
"I bet she wouldn't think so," said Harry. Malfoy and his goons were standing outside the door waiting for Professor Snape to get there and unlock it so they could go in. One look at him and Harry knew that the incident on the train hadn't been forgotten.
"Got a problem Malfoy?" asked Ron when he noticed Draco staring at them angrily.
"I've got a problem with your stupidity Weasel. Hurry up and die and do us all a favor."
Ron went for him, but Harry grabbed his arm, pulling him back. "Why are you stopping me? You punched him on the train."
"Snape is coming."
The words were barely out of Harry's mouth when the Professor turned the corner holding a key in his hand.
The day's lesson was already written on the board. "Get your stuff and get started," said Snape. "I want to know how much you remember from last year."
"Yeah right… " said Ron. "He just likes to see us suffer. We can't even use the book. "
"Nevermind," said Harry. "Go get the ingredients and I'll get the water boiling. Then we can try to figure out what to do with everything." Behind them Malfoy and Goyle were already adding things to their cauldron. Draco was measuring precise amounts and adding them carefully to the mixture.
Harry glanced to see if the water in his and Ron's cauldron was boiling, but instead of water he saw Malfoy and Goyle's cauldron go up in a puff of green smoke. The smoke burned and charred skin making Harry's stomach roll. Jerking away from the sight, he almost fell over, pulling the cauldron along with him. That would have hurt, he thought. The water had heated to a full rolling boil.
Turning quickly he saw that they were ok, and sighed in relief. Malfoy turned to glare at him once more. Maybe it was for making some noise. Maybe it was just for living, Harry thought. Behind him Goyle was adding a handful of the wrong ingredient to the potion.
Without even thinking Harry ran over and grabbed Draco, forcefully pulling him away from the cauldron. He turned them so they were facing away but when it all went up Harry's shoulder still got hit by some of the mixture. I bet Fish is glad it wasn't the arm he was on, Harry thought as he felt the poison burn his skin.
"What do you think you're doing Potter?!" Draco yelled and pushed him away.
Harry winced when Malfoy hit his shoulder and said "I'd say I'm saving your ass Malfoy. Or maybe you'd rather have your pretty little face looking like this?" Harry turned so he could see the burn.
"Harry!" Ron said rushing into the room. He dropped all the ingredients for the potion and ran over. "What did you do to him you bastard?" Ron asked, grabbing Malfoy by the shirt.
Draco wrenched himself free. "Thank you Potter, " he said and went to clean up the potion.
"What the hell is going on?" asked Ron.
"Why don't you help me up to the hospital wing Mate? I'll explain on the way." Harry handed his bag to Ron. The burn on his arm seemed to be spreading as the poison ate its way through the skin. Boy, when Goyle messes up, he messes up big, thought Harry. Concentrating, he worked on healing the burn enough to stop it spreading, but not enough to make it disappear entirely.
"It hasn't even been a whole week," said Madame Pomfrey as she patched him up. "Can't you stay out of trouble?"
"It finds me," said Harry and winced when she spread some lotion on his arm.