Disclaimer: Potter world, not mine.. ;c
A/N: wh0opee.. i love yah s0 much guys! haha.. i am down-right busy right now, but i just can't help updating.. heehee..
dedicated to all the reviewers especially CosmicGibby who
hit the bulls-eye! way to go!
Chapter 8
Draco was walking with his cronies and some slytherin acquaintances when he heard a scream…
"HERMIONE?"
And he rushed to where the screaming came…
There he saw at the foot of the stairs, a bloodied and weak Hermione…
And up above, was a Weasley with a look of horror in her face.
What on earth shall he do… If he helps her, the slytherins would outcast him, but if he doesn't, she would die…
"Granger!" And he picked her up and rushed her to the hospital wing…
Draco ran like bloody murder… He ran as fast as he could, quickly forgetting about his earlier mental battles about helping Granger.
"Madame Pomfrey! Madame Pomfrey!" He screamed
"Mr. Malfoy, what is the matt— Oh my goodness! Ms. Granger!"
The headmaster and the deputy headmistress immediately came to the hospital wing after having heard the incident from some of the students.
"Mr. Malfoy, what has happened?" Asks professor McGonagall…
"I was walking with my housemates professor, when I saw Granger fall from the top of the stairs and I saw the she-wea—I mean the female Weasley on top with a look of horror in her face…"
"Very well, Mr. Malfoy…" Then the professor faced Professor Dumbledore… "Albus, I shall talk to Ms. Weasley regarding her recent behavior."
"Very well, Minerva…" Professor Dumbledore turned to Draco and said, "Thank you Mr. Malfoy for bringing Ms. Granger here… You may leave if you please."
"No, headmaster, I choose to stay…"
"Very well Mr. Malfoy, I shall see Madame Pomfrey…" And he walked away with twinkling eyes.
----
"Minerva, how did it go?" The headmaster asked McGonagall.
"I believe Ms. Weasley was under a dark curse…"
"Hmm…" Professor Dumbledore calmly reacted.
"How about Ms. Granger, Albus?" She asked concerned
"Here comes our lovely nurse…" Dumbledore said with a smile… "Mr. Malfoy, come here please…"
"Oh Albus, you flatter me, but anyway, Ms. Granger has been hit with an EXOSSO curse."
Draco's eyes widened, he gave a sign of recognition…
"Mr. Malfoy, have you any recognition of the spell?" McGonagall asked.
"Yes, it is no ordinary bone-breaking spell, it fractures bones, but not merely fracturing them but giving the victim a hard time to use the bones of the inflicted area …" Draco said trying to keep his composure but could not hide his raging emotions.
"Yes, Yes… But I believe Poppy has a cure, have you, Poppy?" Albus asked quietly…
"Yes, Albus, but I am afraid that it should take effect after one to two weeks. Unfortunately, it is not an ordinary curse."
"I guess our assumptions are correct, Ms. Weasley has used Dark Magic…" McGonagall said
"Uh, Professor, if it would be fine to ask, what will happen to Granger? About her studies, I mean."
"Oh but yes! Thank you for reminding us Mr. Malfoy… What were the injured parts Poppy?"
"Unfortunately the back and both legs… Her back will function properly by tomorrow but her legs would have a hard time… I suggest she absent herself for at least two weeks, Albus…"
"But Madame Pomfrey, you know Granger! She's as stubborn as a mule!"
"Language Mr. Malfoy…" McGonagall said
Dumbledore couldn't help but smile… "Actually it has been taken care of, Mr. Malfoy… She will have a tutor-slash-nurse…"
"Who? Weasley? Potter?"
"No, we would not want further complications, I already found the nearest person fit for the job…"
"Who? Not that I care, but at least give me the privilege to know who shall intrude my quarters to take care of Granger…"
"But Mr. Malfoy, does intrusion of own property really imply invasion of privacy?" He asked with a smile…
"No…" Malfoy moaned… He got Dumbledore's enigma of words… He wasn't second best for nothing…
----
'Damn! This is the reason why I hate being a bloody hero! You help them, and how do they repay you? They give you more loads to do…' Draco thought exasperatingly.
"Mr. Malfoy, here are the schedules for her medications, alright?"
"Yes, Madame Pomfrey…"
And out goes Malfoy, Granger's tutor-slash-nurse…
----
"Ms. Weasley has been under the imperius curse Albus…" McGonagall stated.
"Yes indeed, Yes… We shall have to find those held responsible for Ms. Weasley's exploitation…"
"Do you have any names, Albus?"
"Minerva, we have names, even records and faces, but what we need… is reasons…"
----
Draco glanced at the sleeping form… She was fine-looking… Not bad…
'What do you mean fine-looking?' His conscience argued… 'She's an angel…'
"WHEN ASLEEP…" snorted Draco…
'Oh really? But then again, you have once again proven that you are not like your father.'
"How so?"
'You do not go for looks alone, but for personality as well…'
"Are you implying that I like Granger?" He asked himself
'Well, duh?'
"I do not…?"
'Then why did you feel so much worried about her welfare?—'
"I don't—"
But his conscience cut him off…
'And why did you feel a bubble burst when you knew that the curse was a great pain in the arse?'
Draco did not answer himself…
'You lose…'
"Since when did my conscience get a mind of its own?"
----
"Morning, Granger…"
The blurry vision cleared and she saw Malfoy beside her bed…
"Malfoy?" She asked confused…
"How do you feel?" He asked.
"Fine, I think…"
"Now, don't get up… I'll be right back…"
----
Draco got the potions from his bed when he heard a loud thud…
"Tsk Tsk… Always the stubborn Gryffindor now, aren't we?"
Hermione landed on her bottom and dear Merlin she was screaming like a banshee…
"OUCH! HELP OUCH! AWWiE… AWWiE.. IT HURTS?$#&! List all curse words possible"
"Calm down Granger and stop cussing…"
But she was still screaming for dear life…
"Dear Merlin! Stop screaming Granger! My eardrums are bleeding already…"
He carried her to bed… "Now drink this…"
She hesitated at first…
"Granger… I trusted you when you took care of me, now you have to learn to trust me too…"
Hermione blushed, probably because of shame, and drank the potion…
"There… Feel better?" He asked
"Yeah… Hey, I'm sorry… I acted like an idiot.."
"s'okay… Your legs are currently incapable of supporting you because of your recent accident-slash-encounter with the she-weasel…"
"And you were appointed my nurse?"
"nurse-slash-tutor…"
"Oh… WAIT! What do you mean slash-tutor!"
"No classes…" He said with a smirk
"NOOO" She moaned with frustration…
"You know Granger, people would die to be in your state right now… No classes, private and in addition to that, handsome tutor… You could say you're in paradise…"
But Granger was not even listening… "Granger, were you even listening?"
"Malfoy! What have they done? WHY OH WHY!"
"Granger… Next medication will be after lunch… I'll be back at around lunch time… Okay?"
But she was still groaning and whining…
"Maybe Madame Pomfrey gave an expired set of potions…" And then he took off…
A/N: SO? what do you think? romance finally blossoming? OR another role-playing? haha.. GO! Hit the purple button.. you know you want to..
Urges (thanks for the review, it was lovely! no review is bad! all reviews are g0od..!), cosmicgibby (yah got that right!), cmtaylor531 (now you know.. c;), Frito (now you know also.. c; wink wink), the.princess29. (that's okie.. lurrve yah..), tRistANluvr17 (sorry, i was stupid.. i know i know.. thanks for the encouragement homey!), shortperson (what do ya think of this chap? c;), tootsieXpopXdiscovery (wh0ot! glad you're back!)... Thanks all! c;
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outkasthpfanatic
