Hey guys.. here's chapter 7... we're still writing chapter 8 and by still writing I mean we know what will be in the chapter... Sable.. is being written tonight! Written by Apple, edited by moi! Enjoy!
Chapter 7
Draco rolled over to wrap his arms around Harry, but found nothing. He opened his eyes and saw sunlight peeking through the curtains, but still no Harry. He sat up fully feeling slightly alarmed. He heard some movement in the bathroom and let out a sigh of relief. He figured Harry had gotten up and was just using the loo before coming back to bed. He settled back into the bed with another sigh, but instantly sat bolt right up when a loud crash came from the bathroom. Draco threw the covers off and ran into the bathroom.
Harry was sitting against the bathtub staring at the cabinets across from him rocking back and forth and mumbling under his breath. Draco stared down at him in concern. He couldn't understand what he was saying at all.
"Harry? Harry, what are you doing?" Draco asked. He looked around and saw several items littering the floor. Harry jumped at the sound of his voice and looked up at him with wide fearful eyes. He cowered further into the bathroom and Draco felt his stomach clench.
"You don't love me, you don't love me. You hate me, you really hate me," Harry muttered over and over again.
Draco looked at him in bewilderment. "Harry, what are you talking about?" He reached out to touch his arm and Harry cried out as if he'd been burned.
"Don't touch me! Don't touch the things you hate! Get away from me!" Harry cried. His eyes continued to get wider and he was sweating profusely.
Draco felt his heart breaking. "Harry, what's gotten into you? Of course I love you and I definitely don't hate you," Draco tried to soothe.
Harry burst into tears. "No! You hate me! I can see it in your eyes! I just want to die! I can't take the pain of you hating me!"
Draco knelt in front of him and tried to wrap his arms around Harry, but he shoved him away and cowered down to the point where he was nearly lying on the ground. Draco took several steps back and sat against the door his eyes wide with fear and hurt and pain. "Harry, I don't hate you. You don't want to die. I love you more than anything," Draco tried again.
Harry shook his head back and forth quickly. His tears were coming in torrents now. "Leave me alone! Just go away!" He cried again.
Draco stood quickly and rushed from the bathroom and to the floo in his room. He kept the door open so he could keep an eye on Harry who was now lying on his side crying uncontrollably. He threw in some floo powder and stuck his head into the fireplace. Hermione was sitting on her couch reading a book.
"Hermione!" Draco cried. She jumped in her seat and looked down at him. She looked at the concern in his face and knelt down in front of the fireplace.
"Draco, what is it?" She asked.
"I'm sorry, I know you're on your honeymoon, but something is wrong with Harry and I don't know what. He's talking about nonsense and crying uncontrollably and I just don't know what's wrong with him!" Draco cried frantically.
"Move over," Hermione said as she stood up. Draco stepped back and a minute later Hermione stepped into the room and rushed towards the bathroom. "Harry? Hey, it's me."
Harry looked up at her with wide eyes and shook his head again. "No! Why are you doing this to me? You really do hate me! Get away from me, both of you! You both hate me!" He cried.
Hermione shook her head and knelt down close to him. "Harry, we don't hate you. What is wrong with you?" She asked fearfully.
Harry continued to shake his head and then all of a sudden his eyes rolled up into his head as his body began shaking violently. Hermione let out a shriek and slid backwards, right into Draco's legs. Draco gasped loudly and clamped a hand over his mouth as he watched the man he loves convulse on the floor. As suddenly as it began it stopped and Harry was still, his eyes closed.
Draco jumped over Hermione and scooped Harry up into his arms. "Harry! Harry! Can you hear me?" He demanded. Harry didn't respond and was lying limp in his arms. He turned to Hermione who had tears streaming down her face.
"We need to get him to St. Mungos. Did he come into contact with anything between today and yesterday?" She asked.
Draco sat there for a moment thinking and then it hit him. Harry had come into contact with the dark object. The item Draco got in the mail yesterday was the dark object. His face fell and went pale as he realized what this meant. "No, no, no. Baby, please no. Don't do this to me. No, no, no," Draco cried as he clutched Harry to his chest.
"Draco! What is it?" Hermione demanded.
"He…he….the dark object…" Draco muttered.
Hermione gasped and shook her head and started to cry. She stood and headed for the floo. "Draco, we need to get him there," She whispered. Draco nodded as he scooped Harry up and carried him to the floo. He stepped into the green flames behind Hermione and landed roughly in the lobby of St. Mungos. He rushed forward with Harry and the attendant immediately escorted them to the third floor for Potion and Plant poisoning.
When they arrived they were met by Neville and a couple of other healers. A look of surprise flickered across his face which did not go missed by Draco. He raised an eyebrow and Neville quickly looked away and replaced the look on his face with concern.
"What happened?" He asked.
"He came into contact with the dark object," Draco replied.
Neville looked up at him his eyes flickering with the same look of surprise and underlying guilt. "Um, how did this happen?" Neville asked stuttering slightly under Draco's penetrating gaze.
"I don't know, why don't you tell us?" Draco said with a slightly scathing tone.
Hermione's eyes widened at Draco's tone. "Draco, what is your problem?"
Draco shook his head and Neville gulped and turned away. "Let's get him in here and let me check him over," Neville said as he motioned towards a room. Draco followed behind Hermione and gingerly set Harry down on the bed.
Draco and Hermione stood back watching Neville examine Harry. Draco was scrutinizing his every move as Hermione chewed on her neatly manicured fingernails. After awhile Neville sighed loudly and scribbled something down on a chart that he was holding. Draco stepped closer to look at his writing and stifled a gasp as he recognized the handwriting. No, this can't be. Neville. There is no way. Draco thought in disbelief.
"I'm sorry Draco, but he is exhibiting all the signs that everyone else had. I don't know what else we can do," Neville responded.
"How much time do we have?" Hermione questioned her voice cracking.
"It's hard to say. It could be hours. It could be a day. I honestly don't know," Neville replied.
"Hermione, sit with him please. I need to speak with Neville alone," Draco said. He walked over to Harry and kissed the top of his head and muttered soft words that no one heard. Hermione merely nodded as Draco followed behind Neville out into the hallway. They closed the door behind them.
"I should be killing you right now," Draco said in a heated voice.
Neville crossed his arms defensively and said nothing.
"I don't know why you've done this and you can bet you will pay for this, but right now all that matters to me is saving Harry. Where is the antidote?!" Draco yelled.
"What are you implying?" Neville asked.
"Dammit, Longbottom! Don't play games with me. I don't know why you've done this, but I am not going to let Harry die in there!" Draco yelled again. He stepped closer into a threatening stance and Neville cowered slightly.
"Draco, I don't know what you're talking about, but maybe if you looked at the package again you would know what to do," Neville replied.
Draco glared at him and pushed past him. He opened the door and walked over to Hermione. "Stay with him. I need to go back to my place and get the package. I will get back here as fast as I can. Hold onto him and don't let him go. I'm going to get the antidote," Draco told her.
She looked up at him in alarm. "There is an antidote? How long have you known?" She demanded.
"I just know okay. Please do not leave his side and do not leave him alone. Keep a close eye on Longbottom," Draco warned.
Hermione gave him a perplexed look. "Draco, why on earth do I need to keep an eye on Neville of all people?" She asked.
"Just trust me okay. I'll explain it later. I've got to go," Draco answered. He leaned over and kissed Harry gently on the lips and quickly left the room. He bypassed a guilty looking Neville and made his way back to the floo.
Draco flooed home and ran to the package he got. He glanced down at the seemingly harmless rock and then reached for the note.
Malfoy, Look for the lions in their own house; look for the cure to save your spouse.
"What is he talking about?" Draco said aloud. He was now positive that Neville was behind all of this. He sat down heavily in a chair racking his brain to try and decipher the message. He thought about where the case began with Ben coming back from Romania. That's where it all began. The House with Lions. That's what he's talking about! Draco thought. He jumped up from his chair and ran out the door and to an apparition point.
He arrived right in front of The House with Lions. There were storm clouds overhead and Draco found himself feeling a sinister chill in the air. He ran forward, the box clutched under his arm and burst through the doors of the place. He looked around frantically for any sign of where he needed to go. There was a loud clap of thunder that served as a reminder to Draco that he was wasting time.
A man was walking down the vacant hallway and Draco turned to him looking frantic. "Where would one go to make a potion or something like that?" He asked.
The man studied him for a moment. "I'm not sure what you mean," He said in heavily accented English.
Draco threw the box open and showed it to the man who gasped. "This! I need to destroy it and find the antidote! Where can I do this?"
"I haven't seen that thing in many, many years," the man murmured.
Draco felt his temper rising. "I need to take care of this right away! The man I love has been exposed to this and I need to save him! Please, help me," Draco begged tears springing to his eyes.
The man nodded and started walking briskly back the way he came. Draco followed behind him. The man opened a simple door that lead into a darkened hallway. It looked like a secret passageway. Draco lit his wand as he followed the man. After some time they came to a circular room with a pedestal in the middle and an empty box. The man stepped up to it and placed his hands over it. He muttered several things in Romanian and the box glowed a dark blue and then disappeared.
"You are a wizard yes?" The man asked. Draco nodded. "Levitate the object to this spot and step back," He directed. Draco set the box down and did as he was told. He watched as the object settled onto the pedestal. He stepped back quickly as a burst of black, shimmering light exploded off of the pedestal. He shielded his eyes as did the man when the black light turned into a bright white light. The light disappeared and the rock was now encased in the box again.
"The antidote? Where is it?" Draco questioned.
The man motioned to a small, ornate cabinet built into the wall behind the pedestal. "It is in there. Now that the item is back where it belongs it should open for you. There is only enough for one person though," The man cautioned.
"It doesn't matter, there is only one person affected now," Draco replied. He walked quickly over to the cabinet and opened it. Encased in a burgundy pillow was a small vial of a light pink potion.
"Hurry young man. I don't think your love has much time left," the man said in a far off voice. He was staring at nothing, his eyes slightly glazed over. Draco felt his stomach drop and his heart begin racing. He was literally racing against the clock. He pocketed the vial and thanked the man profusely before he ran all the way down the darkened corridor and out of the front doors to the apparition point.
He immediately landed in front of St. Mungos and rushed inside. He didn't wait for the lifts and zoomed up the steps to the third floor and skidded to a stop outside Harry's door. Hermione was in there alone with him clutching his hand. Draco glanced up at the clock and realized that he had been gone for three hours.
Hermione turned to look at him, her eyes red from all the crying. "Draco, he's slipping away," she whispered.
Draco shook his head and ran over to Harry's bedside, his hands shaking as he removed the vial from his pocket. Harry's breaths were coming in short pants and were shallow. Draco felt tears in his eyes. "Harry, you need to pull through for me baby. I love you so much and you need to make it so that we can get married and have kids and everything. I've wasted too much time not being with you and I can't do that any longer. You are the most wonderful thing that could ever happen to me and I can't lose you. I can't live my life without you. Please Harry, pull through for me baby," Draco whispered.
He tipped Harry's head back and uncorked the antidote. He opened Harry's mouth and poured the contents of the potion into it and helped Harry swallow. After he was assured that the potion was down he let Harry's head go back to its previous position. Both Hermione and Draco held their breath as they waited for the antidote to work its magic.
Suddenly Harry's eyes flew open and he let out a strangled breath and then his body began shaking uncontrollably. Draco gripped his arms. "Harry! Come on baby!" He cried. Then as soon as it came on the shaking stopped and a loud, drawn out beeped resonated off the walls.
"No Harry! No! Don't leave me! I love you!" Draco cried as tears streamed down his face. He buried his head in the crook of Harry's neck and cried as the beep continued to fill the room.
Don't kill me Apple wrote this one! *hides behind laptop whilst glaring at Apple*
