When I came to, yet again, in the hospital wing, it was night time and I was just beginning to sit up, my vision somewhat blurry at first. I couldn't remember what had happened or why I was there. The last thing I recalled was sitting in a bed at Fred and George's flat above the shop. I remember how cold I was, how angry. I glanced over where Draco was already awake in his bed, his arms and legs restrained so that he couldn't touch anything. I wondered if he'd been watching me or if he'd woken up at the same time as I did. I turned away from him and lay down quietly, my whole body feeling achy. I coughed and my throat hurt. I must've gotten sick from being out in the cold without a proper coat on. I heard Draco's bed creaking slightly and then it stopped. I assumed he was trying to get up, but the restraints Madam Pomfrey had put him under were inhibiting that. He didn't say a word, but I swore I felt his eyes on me like cold wind; they often had that effect. I turned around slowly and found Draco's eyes closed, tears glistening at the side of his face and dripping into his ear. He furrowed his brows and let out a low sob.
"That was really stupid of you," I said, my voice coming out a bit shaky. Draco opened his eyes as if surprised I spoke to him and looked over at me. Anger flashed across his face as he glared at me.
"This is all because of you," he spat, the veins in his forehead becoming prominent in his rage.
"Because of me? I'm not the one wandering around trying to kill people—"
"You—don't—understand!" Draco shouted.
"Right, that's where you're wrong. I understand perfectly—"
"I never want to see you again when all of this is over," Draco said, turning his head to the other side where I couldn't see his face. The way he said it really wasn't too convincing, though I felt my heart shattering at the news. I hated myself for beginning to cry over that, but I couldn't help it. Weakly, coughing, I sat up and started for my clothes at the foot of the bed. Draco lifted his head and watched me as I took off the gown and started to get dressed. I started for the doors.
"Wait," he said desperately.
"What are you playing at?" I asked seething through gritted teeth as I turned around slowly.
Draco opened his mouth as if to speak but he didn't say anything. The tormented look was on his face again.
"You don't know…how much you've hurt me," I said, starting to cry for real then. I approached him so he'd hear every single syllable.
"You've hurt me, don't you get that? It's not just what you say, it's what you do. You know as well as I that we're on different sides. Draco, there's a war coming, and people I love could die. You've already shown me that—"
"It's so much more complicated than you know," he said desperately. He tried to sit up and the charmed restraints pulled him down tighter until he relaxed.
"I want to tell you everything, but I can't…If it wasn't for the accident, this wouldn't even be happening, Angelina."
When he said my name I fell to my knees, unable to stand for the pain I was in.
"It doesn't matter if it's magic that's done this to us. I can't…I can't overcome it. I love you," Draco admitted.
"I can't just let you go. Don't you think I want it to be that easy?" he asked.
"You really are conflicted. You were ready to kill yourself…and over what?" I asked.
"…Over you—"
"Shut up!" I screamed.
"I've never been more honest. When I drank that potion and my soul escaped me, it was like I couldn't move on. It was because of you, Lina. I know it was. It was because you kept me there—that piece of your soul that's living in me. I can't just get rid of it. It stayed."
As Draco explained, I vaguely recalled how strange it was to see his soul rising and then stalling around me. It just kept circling like it didn't know where else to go.
"We can't do this," I said.
"Why not?" Draco asked.
"Why can't we? We should just leave—the two of us. No one would ever have to know. We could run away to the other side of the world, and then we wouldn't have to feel ashamed. There'd be no one to judge us," Draco rambled. I looked on him and the restraints, and felt safer that they were there, not that I really thought he was physically capable of seriously harming me, but he had gone off the deep end. I thought he was legitimately crazy. I started coughing and coughing, and then there was a bit of blood on the floor. My throat was killing me.
"Angelina?" Draco called nervously. Madam Pomfrey came out of what appeared to be nowhere, asking me what I'd been doing out of bed as she helped me back into mine and gave me something for my throat. It calmed down and put me to sleep in no time. When I woke up and the sun was shining in on me, I could smell food of some sort.
"Morning, Angie," Katie smiled, pulling a plate of pancakes off the dresser beside my bed. I glanced over at Draco where Madam Pomfrey was trying to convince him to eat something, whilst he was still restrained. He kept refusing to open his mouth until finally Madam Pomfrey gave up. I noticed Pansy sitting there, looking worried and…like a bitch. I hated seeing her there and felt my stomach churn with sickness as she pressed her hand to Draco's cheek in a comforting fashion. He simply closed his eyes and turned away from her. Katie was glaring over at them.
"I asked Madam Pomfrey if it was necessary to keep him so close to you. She wouldn't move him to another bed," Katie informed me as I finished chewing the two pancakes she'd brought me.
"D'you have any idea what I've heard?" Katie asked me, lowering her voice. I cocked my brows curiously.
"What?"
"I didn't know whether or not to believe it, but the word going round is that you went after him because you're convinced he's the one who's responsible for that cursed necklace. Tell me you at least got in a good curse or two," Katie dished.
"People are saying things, Angie…"
"Things?" I asked.
"…don't want to be seen like this! Go away!" Draco spat angrily at Pansy. I looked over in surprise as she looked flabbergasted. Slowly she stood up, and then looked like she was going to cry as she hurried out of the infirmary. Katie was glaring over at Draco.
"What the bloody fuck are you looking at?" he spat angrily. The way he was coming off then was a far cry from how I knew him to be when we were alone. It was disgusting to hear him talk like that. I wanted to scream.
"You're lucky I don't just pull out my wand right now and curse you into dementia," Katie shot, standing up so hard that the stool she was sitting on fell.
"Nurse," Draco called, "I'm being harassed," he told Madam Pomfrey, jerking his head in the direction of Katie.
"Listen, dear, I think it would be best if you just left for a bit," said Madam Pomfrey, drawing a curtain between mine and Draco's beds before Katie picked up her bag and told me she'd come back at the end of the day to visit me. She left and I heard Madam Pomfrey telling Draco that she'd remove the restraints when he wasn't acting so crazy. He was silent and didn't say another word as she started back to her office. I noticed that Katie had brought me my bag and the texts I needed to get some homework done. I could hardly concentrate when I'd notice Draco's shadow through the curtain between us. I opened my potions text and tried to get some work done, but several times I'd hear Draco sigh waveringly or grumble in frustration at the restraints. A nurse I hadn't noticed before came by with Madam Pomfrey, who was saying something about suicide watch as they tended to Draco behind the curtain. I ignored it as best I could, but that didn't stop me from feeling that familiar pulling sensation between us…
Just before dinner, Katie came to visit me and give me all the assignments for the day. I wanted to leave the hospital wing, but my throat was still killing me and I had a fever. I had long since given up trying to get some work done and was lying back in bed.
"Word is that he tried to kill you," Katie informed me, and not so quietly from where she sat by my bed.
"What was that? If you're going to talk about me when I can hear you, don't be a coward, Bell. Say it to my face," Draco spat from behind the curtain. Katie looked like she was ready to kill him herself as he goaded her.
"Come say it to my face," Draco dared Katie.
"Mr. Malfoy, that's enough," Madam Pomfrey said as she came rushing by with a tray of food for Draco. She disappeared behind the curtain and I heard him spit as she attempted to get him to eat something again.
"He's bloody crazy," Katie said wide eyed as she listened.
"I'm so sorry you have to stay here and listen to all of that," she said, organizing my parchment in my bag.
"Take these damn things off me and I'll feed myself," Draco said loudly and angrily to Madam Pomfrey. He went on and on about their foul treatment of him and everything his father would hear about.
"I'm warning you, Mr. Malfoy," Madam Pomfrey said warily.
"This is insane," Draco went on, "I'll sue this school for more than it's bloody worth," he snapped.
"That is quite enough."
I was surprised at Madam Pomfrey's persistence with Draco, but she eventually gave up trying to get him to eat. The other nurse came over to help and decided that it would be alright to take off the arm restraints, just for dinner, she said. I heard unbuckling and listened as Katie's eyes went huge and she halfway drew her wand from her pocket. Moments passed and nothing happened. Madam Pomfrey bustled by back to her office and the nurse who was with Draco tended to him.
"See? I'm perfectly sane. I demand that you take the rest of these off me," he said much calmer. The nurse told him he was still going to be under observation, to which Draco curtly responded that he simply didn't care. The nurse said she'd check in shortly before she went off to Madam Pomfrey's quarters.
"It's okay," I told Katie sleepily, placing my hand on hers where she was still waiting to take her wand out.
"Are you sure you'll be okay if I go to dinner?" she asked me quietly. I nodded and grinned. She lingered for a bit, telling me about what we were doing for the weekend before I told her to go eat dinner before all the good food was gone. She gave me a hug and told me to get better before leaving the infirmary. I heard Draco sigh and then the curtain pulled back. He was standing there, paler than ever in his hospital gown as he looked down on me. I gasped somewhat. I hadn't realized that the nurse had completely removed all of the restraints.
"Stay away from me," I said weakly.
Draco smirked.
"You can't be serious," he said, and I felt the intensity of the force between us as he took a step. He then started towards the bathroom and I felt myself wanting him to come back.