Chapter 9: Aftermath

"Rana!"

Amarana sighed in her sleep and turned over.

"Rana! Wake up!"

She felt herself being prodded.

"Rana!"

"What?" Amarana choked, sitting up groggily. Pansy stood before her, fully dressed and looking anxious.

"It's almost nine! Are you all right?"

Amarana opened her mouth to reply, and then remembered the events of the preceding night. Her body ached in response.

"No," she said flatly, falling back down onto the mattress.

"I went to bed at midnight and you weren't back yet!" Pansy said worriedly. "Snape kept you that long?"

"No . . ." Amarana answered quickly.

"Well what happened?" Pansy persisted.

"I . . . I had to . . . chop up skunkweed and . . . um . . . it was really smelly so I fancied a walk outside," Amarana explained lamely.

Pansy looked disgusted. "Really? He made you chop skunkweed? He must have been pretty bloody pissed."

"Yeah, so I snuck outside for some air and . . . well . . . Hagrid kept hanging around out there, so I had to hide behind a tree until he left. He was . . . um . . . feeding one of those nasty animals he has. It took hours for him to finish."

Pansy looked appalled. "How horrible! No wonder you're not up yet. Want me to tell the teachers you're sick?"

"Yeah. Could you?" Amarana asked, making herself sound pitifully weak.

"Sure. Anyway, you should stay in bed in case you got a chill. Don't want to get sick, not with the Hogsmeade trip coming up this weekend!" With a cheery wave, Pansy left.

Amarana stared up at her bed canopy, feeling disgusted with herself. "I have got to be the stupidest, most moronic idiot in the world."

For the rest of the day she laid there, not moving, not sleeping, just staring at the canopy and wishing she were dead. She pretended to be asleep when the other girls came up to check on her, and didn't pay any attention to their worried whispering. The next morning, she was only vaguely aware of voices muttering above her, then she felt herself being raised up and everything went dark.

When she finally awoke, it was to bright daylight and the realization that she wasn't in her bed in the Slytherin dormitory. For a few moments, Amarana stared at the unfamiliar white ceiling until she heard a gasp and saw Draco's face come into view.

"Rana!" he cried. "Finally!"

She struggled to sit up, but was too weak. Draco leaned over and helped her into a sitting position, propping her up with pillows.

"Draco?" Amarana asked her voice faint. "Where am I?"

"The hospital wing," Draco answered, looking worried. "You really gave us a scare! Pansy came running down the dormitory stairs screaming that you were sick. I sent Goyle for Professor Snape. Blaise and I tried to get up to your room, but the stairs turned into a slide and wouldn't let us up. Professor Snape came and fixed the stairs so we could go up with him." Draco paused, shaking his head. "You looked, well, dead. Your skin was all pale and grayish, you had dark circles under your eyes, and you weren't moving. Barely breathing. Pansy told Snape you had been ill since your detention."

He broke off, his brow creasing in thought. "When Snape saw you . . ."

Amarana stared at Draco, who had stopped abruptly. "When Snape came, what?"

"Well, he . . . I don't know. It was strange. I've never seen him like that. It was like he felt . . . guilty . . . but horrified and sad as well. His face turned stark white . . . and he got this look . . . but no, I must have imagined it."

"Imagined what, Draco?" Amarana asked, gripping the sheets tightly.

"It was like he was about to cry or something," Draco mused. "Probably thought he was going to get sacked for killing you. Pansy told me all about your detention, and she told Professor Snape you'd been sick since then." He shrugged. "Anyway, he gathered you up in his arms and brought you here."

"Oh," Amarana answered, turning a little red. "Well . . . how long have I been here?"

"All of Wednesday and Thursday. It's one o'clock, Friday afternoon. Pomfrey says it's just stress." He leaned back in his chair. "Blaise, Pansy, and I have been in here a lot, waiting to see when you'd wake up."

Amarana was touched, in spite of her embarrassment. "Really?"

"Yeah. Of course. Anyway how do you feel now?"

"Okay, I guess," Amarana said, not meeting his gaze.

"Good. Listen Rana, there's something . . . Great Merlin!"

Madam Pomfrey jerked the privacy curtains open, scaring both of them. "Oh good, you're awake!" she said cheerily. "You can leave after you've had a square meal. Don't worry, dear," she said, patting Amarana's shoulder, "it happens, you know. Hogwarts classes do have that effect on people. I tell the teachers and the Headmaster time and time again they're working you all too hard, but there you are."

Amarana refrained from correcting her as she measured out a cupful of black liquid from a bottle that said 'Everard Ustilson's Pepperup Potion'.

"Drink up, drink up, dearie," Madam Pomfrey ordered as Amarana made a face. "And you," she continued, glaring at Draco, "you should be on your way to class, young man."

Draco rolled his eyes.

"Oh and dear, would you be so kind as to inform Professor Snape that Miss Ravinike has awakened?"

He sighed. "Yeah, sure. I'll see you later, Rana."

After Amarana had finished the Pepperup Potion, Madam Pomfrey ordered her up a tray of food. When she had eaten all she could of turkey, mashed potatoes and gravy, stuffing, and pie, Amarana felt strong enough to get up. She walked around the hospital wing under the watchful eyes of Madam Pomfrey, who told her she was well enough to go.

Pansy and Jasmine came in as soon as Amarana was dressed, happy to see her awake. They helped her fix her hair and wash up, and then walked with her back to the common room, filling her in on all the latest gossip as they went. The rest of her friends and other well-wishers from Slytherin House greeted her throughout the afternoon. Blaise in particular was very attentive, earning Amarana an angry glance from Genevive and Blaise a glare from Draco. Amarana tried to join in the laughter and chatter as much as she could. She was happy to know that the Slytherins assumed she had gotten sick from a chill caught outdoors, rather than from the classes themselves. She didn't want anyone to think Hogwarts was making her witless.

After dinner that night, Amarana was sitting on a chair in front of the common room fireplace when Pansy turned to her with an excited expression. "Rana, do you want to come with me to my house this Christmas?" she asked. "My parents said I could bring home a friend."

"I can't, Pansy," Amarana answered regretfully. "My father arranged for me to stay at Hogwarts during the holidays, while he's away. And no offense or anything, but he won't let me stay at places where he hasn't met the family."

"None taken," Pansy said, sighing. "My parents are the same way."

"That's okay, Rana, I've got to stay as well," Draco said.

"You still haven't told me why!" Pansy cried.

Draco sighed. "I've got things to work on, Pansy," he said coldly. Pansy opened her mouth to argue, but Draco held up a hand. "Not here."

Pansy bit her lip and turned away, fighting back tears. Ramile, Goyle, and Blaise took this as a sign to go to bed. Goyle and Ramile stood up and said their goodnights, but Blaise hesitated for a moment.

"Goodnight, Rana," he said, leaning down and kissing her cheek.

"Goodnight, Blaise," Amarana said, surprised. Blaise smiled at her and strode off to bed. Amarana glanced at Draco, who looked furious.

Pansy, not noticing, stood up. "Well, I think I'll turn in as well," she said, leaning down to give Draco a deep kiss. "Coming, Rana?"

Amarana shook her head. "No, I've been sleeping for two days straight, remember? I'll be up soon."

Pansy nodded. "I forgot. Goodnight, Rana. Goodnight, Draco."

Draco and Amarana told her goodnight and Pansy walked slowly away, giving Draco a worried glance over her shoulder. They sat staring into the fire for a long time, neither speaking. Draco finally broke the silence as the embers began to fade.

"Rana, do you think you'll be going to Hogsmeade tomorrow?" he asked.

"I haven't decided," she answered. "Why?"

"Just wondered," Draco mumbled. A few minutes passed before he turned to her again. "Rana?" "What is it?"

"Do you . . . do you think . . . oh never mind." He stood up. "I'm going to go to bed."

Amarana stood up with him. "I'll go to bed too," she said. "No reason for me to stay down here by myself." They walked up the first flight of stairs to the landing that separated the boy's dormitory stairs from the girl's.

"Oh yeah," Draco said, reaching into his robes. "I almost forgot. This is for you. It's from Snape." He handed her a tightly sealed roll of parchment. She took it as if it was a poisonous snake.

"From . . . from Snape?"

"Yeah. He gave it to me after I got out of my Transfiguration class. Told me make sure you get it." Draco stopped and stared down at her. "Goodnight, Amarana," he whispered. Without warning, he leaned down and kissed her softly on the lips. She jumped a little, startled. He was so close she could see the puffy dark circles under his eyes, the exhausted look in his gaze.

"Draco . . ." Amarana whispered, just before he kissed her again, this time fiercely, his arms coming around her and pulling her towards him into a tight embrace. His mouth was devouring her lips, his tongue searching and probing inside her mouth with an intense hunger. She closed her eyes, loving the feeling of his mouth on hers . . . and then she thought of Snape . . . of what Pansy would do . . . With a small cry, she pushed him away.

"Draco . . ." she cried. "Pansy . . ." His face hardened, and without a word, Draco turned on his heel and left her alone.

Amarana stood in the hallway, trying to catch her breath and calm her nerves. Finally she turned and walked up the last flight of stairs to her dormitory. The other girls were sleeping soundly. Amarana sat on her bed, touching her lips and worrying about Draco. It wasn't until she lay down and felt a crunch that she remembered the parchment. Glancing around quickly, Amarana quietly moved towards the dying embers of the fire and uncurled the scroll.

The Hog's Head. Tomorrow. At two thirty, go inside and follow me upstairs. Don't let it be obvious. Watch what room I go into, and then continue on into the bathroom. Go back downstairs. Have a drink. Then come to the room. Make sure no one sees you come in. You know what is at risk. Destroy this once you have read it.

She stared down at the parchment, reading the words over and over again to make sure she was reading it correctly, and then sank to the floor in disbelief. She drew a deep breath, read it once more, and then shoved it into the fireplace, watching until it was nothing but ash. Amarana pulled herself up and took off her robes slowly, drawing on a nightdress as quietly as possible, and then slid into bed. Until the sun rose, Amarana lay quietly in bed, wondering what the meeting was going to be about.