Author note: Thanks to everyone who reviewed, I really can't tell you how much it means to me that you take the time to tell me what you think :) x

Disclaimer: I own nothing Harry Potter related, especially not the quotes I have borrowed to fit the chapter into the book timing, they all belong to the amazing J K Rowling.

Chapter twenty: too late

Ivy

Nothing very interesting happened over the following weeks, life at Hogwarts carried on in what was fast becoming the boring norm for me, lessons, glares from Pansy and her friends, and Draco ignoring me completely. I didn't like the way things were right then, it was a cold and bothersome existence and I missed Draco's friendship more than I cared to admit and hated that we still weren't talking, I was still mortified by what I had done that day on the seventh floor corridor, of course I was, but I desperately wanted for Draco and me to put that behind us and just go back how we used to be. It was a big ask, I knew that it was, but I didn't see why we shouldn't be able to do it.

The days slipped by and soon the soft chill of May passed into the warmth of June and I had yet to talk to Draco properly about being friends again. He refused, point blank to speak to me, look at me or even acknowledge that I existed and considering how I thought he was my friend that hurt quite a bit. I was determined though, but unfortunately so was he. But I wasn't about to give up without a fight, I waited for him after our lessons together, I approached him in the corridors, I waved at him over dinner, but still he ignored me and there wasn't much more that I could do without looking like a stalker. It made me so mad, that he could just pretend that I didn't exist and carry on like normal while I was trying my hardest to salvage our friendship, I cant tell you how many times I decided that I didn't care anymore and that he could just go take a short walk of the Astronomy tower for all I cared. It didn't last though, I'd bump into him again and resume my attempts to get him to notice me, I was still angry though, when he did finally speak to me he was in for a right bollocking from me, and a lesson in manners.

By comparison, one person that I couldn't seem to shake was Pansy Parkinson. It seemed like every time I turned a corner, looked up or left a room she was there, watching me with a haughty look of superiority on her face and a warning in her eyes. I ignored her of course, I'd never cared much for Parkinson and had always found her irritating at best, she however still seemed to view me as a threat to her (as far as I know) unofficial status as Draco's girlfriend. God knows why since Draco and I weren't actually talking right then and even when we had been it hadn't been without its heated arguments, but then again I guessed that some people were just naturally suspicious and untrusting. So, while everything around me started to return to normal (a pre Christmas normal when I'd been in a I-hate-Malfoy mood) and became dull again, I found that the only sparks of interest came from my friends, who I seriously take for granted at times and do not deserve. Harry, Ron and Hermione kept things interesting and kept me from slowly driving myself insane trying to figure out how to fix things between me and Draco. They were one aspect of my life that I was glad had returned to normal, Hermione and Ron were talking, no one was in the Hospital Wing, and we were all getting on again, I couldn't have been happier than when I was with my friends lounging by the Black Lake or curled up in the arm chairs of the common room, I'd missed just being with them.

So anyway, the weeks passed, June came and brought with it the warmed weather, which went a long way to improving everyone's mood, well almost everyone since Parkinson still glared at me and Draco wouldn't speak to me. But that was okay; while I wasn't giving up on getting Draco to talk to me just yet, I was no longer letting it bother me too much that he wasn't and was just getting on with things. So waking up in the dormitory with the sunlight streaming through the gap in the curtains pleasantly I sat up and forgot my nightmare without any problems. Over the past few weeks I'd been subjected to some of the most confusing and emotive nightmares about the strangest combination of things, duels, forests, snakes, tents, Hogwarts, church yards, fire, caves, dragons, and the list went on. I'd had so many nightmares recently that they all seemed to blur and I couldn't remember how they separated out, they came in flashes anyway so that didn't help, I never glimpsed one terrible scene too long before it switched to something else. I wasn't too worried though, I'd had dreams about this sought of stuff my whole life and I guessed it was just my imagination going into over drive rather than anything more serious, especially as not one of the things I'd seen in those dreams had come true yet meaning I doubted that they were real visions.

This day passed in much the same way as all the others that week, and indeed the weeks before that, had. I got up, got dressed, went down the breakfast with Hermione where we met the boys and ate, Draco wasn't there (he always skipped breakfast these days), I went to lessons, spotted Draco once or twice, tried and failed to make contact with him, went to lunch, more Draco, went to my last remaining lessons of the day and then dinner. And that was where things started to deviate from their normal path. I entered the Great Hall with Harry and Ron and, out of habit more than actual hope, looked towards the Slytherin Table in search of Draco, who I expected to find about halfway down the table staring pensively into his plate, as he normally did. Only he wasn't there, his usual seat was empty and I felt some part of my awareness prickle, telling me that that wasn't a good thing. However I ignored it and walked with Harry and Ron to the Gryffindor table where Hermione was waiting.

"There you are," was her greeting "what took you so long?" she asked as she snapped shut the heavy book she had been reading and we all sat down.

"Erm, nothing," I said frowning in confusion, both at her words and the strange feeling of foreboding that still pestered me about Draco's absence, surely it couldn't mean anything.

"We came straight here," Harry added pulling a confused expression of his own, clearly wondering at Hermione's question.

"Yes, well, if I have to field one more question about what your strategy is for the next Quidditch match, or what you think our chances are against Ravenclaw, I might go mad." Hermione informed them as she resumed eating her stew.

"They're pestering you too, then?" I asked as I picked up my knife and fork, sending a smile in Hermione's direction despite the strong ominous feeling that still poked at me.

"Who?" Ron asked with his mouth full of bread, wasting no time at all in tucking into his dinner.

I could hardly stop the smile that blossomed on my lips at that, some things never changed, I thought just as Hermione shot Ron a disgusted look for him talking with his mouth full. "The rest of the house," I answered spearing the soft meat on my plate with my fork "they think that just because we're your friends we're the go to people when they want to find out our Quidditch tactics and can't find you two." I explained and popped the meat into my mouth.

Next week was the big Gryffindor/Ravenclaw Quidditch match, the last one of the season and the match that would decide Gryffindor's final place on the table for the year. It was a big deal and I wasn't really surprised that the whole house was practically bursting with excitement and dread, however while I was anxious about the match as well I didn't know any more about Harry's Quidditch tactics just from being his friend, and just like Hermione I was starting to find the constant pestering annoying, especially when I was trying to sought out other things. Besides that I had to admit that after the panic of the last match I was more than a little worried for all my friends during this one, I was just praying that my visions would carry on being good to me and let me know again if anything bad was going to happen.

"Why would they think that you two know what we're planning?" Harry asked and I shrugged, search me.

"Well it doesn't matter," Hermione said from where she sat across from me "since there's nothing you can do to stop it."

"They're just excited about the match and don't want us to lose again, it's not long now is it?" I said and beside me Ron put his knife and fork down on his half finished dinner.

"Don't remind me." He said sounding sick and grinning reassuringly I gave him a pat on the shoulder.

"I'm sure you'll be fine," I comforted him "and if you do feel scared just look for McLaggen in the crowd and remember that you couldn't do worse than he did even if you tried, that and seeing how mad he looks that you're playing and not him ought to be good for a few laughs." I told him and across from Ron Harry snickered at the mental image that conjured, resulting in the rest of us laughing along with him.

We kept the laughter up for the rest of dinner, what with Harry describing Ginny's imitation of Ron floating frightened in front of the goal posts which had, apparently, caused a riot of laughter at practice, and each of us just generally laughing about our day. However as we ate and laughed together cheerfully I still couldn't seem to shake the feeling of foreboding that plagued me, nor could I stop myself from glancing over at the door or the Slytherin Table every once in a while to see if Draco had come in yet, he hadn't. I had wanted to try and talk to him again after dinner and that didn't look like it was happening today. Where was he? I wondered, pestered by the notion that it was wrong that he wasn't here, that something was going to go wrong. However these vague notions weren't visions and so it was best to ignore them, besides, I didn't want to bring my friends down by telling them these things. So I joined in with the banter at our table and did my best to push these feeling from my mind, even though they were always there, just on the edge of my consciousness along with the fact that Draco was absent.

When we finished eating the Great Hall was half empty and, still laughing, we left the Hall and were planning what we were going to do tonight since we had next to no homework to be doing. When we reached the Entrance Hall however, Hermione came over panicky all of a sudden. My bushy haired friend came to a complete stop halfway across the Entrance Hall and stared off into space blankly with a look on her face that I could only describe as similar to mine when I have a vision. We all stopped and turned to face her, worried.

"Hermione?" Harry asked taking a step towards the petrified girl.

"I think I might have made a mistake on my last Arithmancy essay," she said as though it were the end of the world and I felt myself smile, relived that it was nothing too serious, though you ought to try telling that to Hermione.

"You've got to be kidding me," Ron said in disbelief as Hermione thawed and started moving again.

"I've got to go and see Professor Vector," She said taking off past the three of us at a startling speed.

"Now?" Ron asked as he turned to watch her go, sounding like he could hardly believe what she was doing, Harry and I shared a glance and he smirked, same old Hermione.

"Yes now, he might not have marked them yet." She said as she continued to speed away from us.

Open mouthed Ron turned back to Harry and I "leave her to it," I told him with a grin before calling "see you back at the common room, Hermione." To the girl dashing up the Grand Staircase, she responded with some sort of affirmative response and disappeared from sight.

"I don't know how you can be surprised," Harry said to Ron as we started to walk again but Ron ignored his friend and simply said,

"She's bloody mental,"

"But we love her," I injected and Ron nodded, still in a state of disbelief.

"She's still mental though." he said again and Harry and I laughed as the three of us took to the stairs. The laughter didn't last long though as about halfway down the first floor corridor a seventh year Gryffindor, by the name of George I think, materialised and started to talk Quidditch with Harry and Ron. After that conversation and the departure of the seventh year Ron promptly excused himself to go to the toilet to throw up, his nerves must really be getting to him, I thought feeling sorry for him. However there was nothing we could do to help him right now as there was no telling how long he was going to be in there and Harry and I carried on walking, heading for the Gryffindor tower. We were halfway there then a familiar dreamy voice said,

"Ivy,"

Harry and I stopped and turned to find Luna floating towards us in a way that only she could, we smiled at out friend as she approached and said "oh good, I'm glad that I found you before you went too far, Professor McGonagall wanted me to give you this." at that Luna pulled an note from her pocket and handed it to me.

"Thanks Luna," I said as I took it from her.

"It's no trouble," she said with a far away look on her face until she looked up at me "oh," she said sounding fascinated and her eyes going wide "you've got a Infisus on your shoulder, Ivy."

"A what?" I asked suddenly panicked, my head snapped to the side quickly as I checked both of my shoulders for signs of some sort of creature but found nothing.

"An Infisus," Luna repeated in her far way voice though she looked a little troubled, well as troubled as Luna ever got "they're little pixy like creatures that like to sit on people's shoulders, they're invisible most of the time but I caught a glimpse of it. They're very intelligent you know, an Infisus is a deeply spiritual creature that are supposed to be able to sense when something bad is about to happen so they climb up onto someone's shoulder to warn them," as Luna spoke I felt my stomach drop as I thought about the ominous feelings I had been getting, however then Luna added thoughtfully "but also they just like to sit up high, so I wouldn't be too worried."

"Oh, okay," I said because I didn't know what else to say "err, Luna, how do I get rid of it?" I asked feeling uncomfortable with the idea of a little creature that could sense when bad things were going to happen sitting on my shoulder, even if it was unlikely that I even existed. I didn't want to feel any more worried.

"You cant," she said lightly "an Infisus won't leave until it wants to, but don't worry; they're supposed to be good luck."

"But Luna," I said pointedly "didn't you just say that they came just before something bad happened?"

"Oh yes," she laughed breathily "I did say that, huh, I wonder why people say they're good luck then." She mused doing nothing for my growing concern "anyway I'd better go, bye Ivy, bye Harry." She said waving to us both before drifting dreamily down the corridor.

"Bye Luna," we coursed watching her go and slowly the feeling of foreboding that was bothering me tightened its hold, I was getting more and more concerned by the second no matter how many times I told myself that it was just because of what Luna had said.

"So," Harry said turning to me and patting an invisible head just above my shoulder "what are you going to call your new pet?" he asked with a grin and I whacked him in the stomach with my arm.

"Shut up," I said without any real force behind it and Harry was still grinning, there was a moments silence before I asked "do you think they're real?"

Harry shrugged "Maybe," he hedged before adding "but lovely as Luna is not very many of creatures she tells us about turn about to be real."

"True," I agreed and started to feel a little better, though thoughts of Draco's absence, Luna's words and my own bad feeling still ran around my head.

"What does the letter say then?" Harry asked nodding to the piece of parchment in my hands that I had almost forgotten about. I opened it quickly, read the familiar script of Professor McGonagall and groaned.

"You're kidding me," I complained before swinging my bag around and hunting through it desperately.

"What?" Harry asked as I searched, seeing the frantic expression on my face.

"McGonagall says there's a sheet missing from my homework and that if I don't bring her it she'll be grading it a D." I explained, seriously annoyed because I'd worked so hard on that Transfiguration essay and if I couldn't find the last sheet and I got a D or had to write the page again I'd not be best pleased.

"So?" Harry asked as though there were worse things, which I supposed that there was, I just could do without my grades dropping in Transfiguration.

"So, I worked really hard on that essay." I told him as I pushed aside old ink bottles and pricked my fingers with broken quills in my search for the lost sheet, starting to panic that I'd lost it completely.

"Yeah but Transfiguration is one of your best subjects, your whole final grade isn't going to go up in smoke if you get one D." he reasoned, and to which I replied,

"That's not the point…ah ha!" I exclaimed pulling the formerly lost sheet from the very bottom of my bag, why do they always end up there? I only put it in this morning "got it." I said ginning in relief and ignoring Harry as he muttered something about me starting to act like Hermione.

"I've gotta take this to McGonagall, you coming or going back to the common room?" I asked readjusting my bag on my shoulder and grasping the sheet in my hand.

"I'll go back to the common room, if that's okay?" Harry asked and I told him that was fine and that I'd see him up there in a bit.

Turning around and heading towards McGonagall's office I found myself thinking about what Luna had said again. An Infisus, isn't that what she had said that I had on my shoulder? A little creature that warned you when something bad was going to happen. Well, it was certainly an interesting idea and I definitely felt like someone was trying to warn me about something, it was a feeling that I couldn't seem to shift and it had started when I'd noticed that Draco wasn't at dinner. What did that mean? Did it mean that something bad was going to happen to him or that it was bad that he wasn't a dinner? Because he usually was, even though he was ignoring me. I frowned, it didn't matter, Draco not turning up at dinner was hardly anything to worry about, he was free to do whatever he wanted and maybe he just didn't feel hungry today or didn't want to come down to the Great Hall, I shouldn't get worried just because he didn't do what he always did. I closed my eyes, feeling somewhat embarrassed, I was almost as obsessed as Harry now and it was starting to creep me out, never mind Draco. Maybe I ought to stop trying to get his attention for a bit, just leave him to his sulking or whatever and try again when he'd cheered up again; even as I thought it I knew that such a thing was unlikely. He'd been like this for a month now and his mood showed no sign of improving any time soon, I was stupid if I thought that just leaving things would make them better. But what could I do, just give up and resign to the fact that Draco and I were just too different to get along? Maybe that would be the smart thing to do, but was I that smart?

I was almost at Professor McGonagall's office and still undecided as to what I should do next about Draco, feeling significantly more troubled and worried than I had been just half an hour ago in the Great Hall with my friends, I felt my worry reach an uncomfortable peek. I felt really bad and really frightened; the kind of frightened that had me wanting to run towards or away from something despite how there was no reason to do so. I stopped walking and had to actively fight the urge to run somewhere, my heart was beating frantically in my chest for no good reason and my breath was coming out in quick pants. Something was going to happen, every fibre of my being was practically screaming at me, something really bad. And then a vision took me, the shock of it was so violent that I let out a gasp and sprang ramrod straight, I felt my eyes widen but soon lost sight of what was right in front of me as my second sight took over. A chilly, otherworldly breeze swept across the front of my brain and my vision burst forward.

I was in a corridor, different to the one I had been standing in just seconds before but definitely one of the ones at Hogwarts, on the fourth floor, judging by the portraits and statues around me. After that the first thing I realised in this vision was that I was excited, or was it anxious? Either way I desperately wanted to get to wherever I was going and fast, I couldn't walk fast though, I had to be quiet, I had to sneak or else he would hear me. Black shoes silent on the stone floor I crept forwards, barely glancing at a noble looking grandfather clock as I passed it as I got even closer to my destination, the time on its elegant face read five forty-five. I wasn't myself, in-between the jolts of anticipation I was feeling I was able to work out that much, I definitely wasn't myself because I couldn't feel my hair resting against my neck and shoulders, meaning that I was either a boy or a girl with short hair, also a pair of glasses rested on my nose, something I had never worn in my life. However I couldn't think much more of that as my host's mind focused on the feeling of anticipation again, I was almost there, I had almost reached the room where he was hiding and I was fascinated to know what he was up to in there, would this trip prove that my suspicions were true? I reached the door and personally (as in not the person I was in the vision) I was somewhat surprised and a little revolted to find that it was the boy's toilets. Worrying about how clean my inner eye was to be giving me such a vision, I wasn't paying much attention and was slightly surprised when I pressed my ear to the door. I couldn't hear anything and so very gently I pushed the door open so that I might hear something.

"Don't," whined a female voice I really hadn't been expecting to hear, hadn't my host said it was a he they were looking for? "Don't….tell me what's wrong…I can help you…" Moaning Myrtle said emotively from one of the cubicles.

"No one can help me," a pained and startlingly familiar voice said from by the sinks. It was Draco "I can't do it…not now…it won't work and even if it did she'd never…I can't…and unless I do it soon…he says he'll kill me…"

The person whose perspective I was seeing all of this from, was very shocked to find that in addition to this little speech Draco was also crying, however not as shocked or stunned as I was by the scene, it was vulnerability like I'd never seen before, Draco sounded so hurt and there was nothing I could do about it.

Shaking and taking gasping breaths Draco's grip on the sinks tightened, his back was to the door and he had his head was bowed before the basin. My heart (mine not whoever was watching this) broke at the sight of him like that, the proud Draco Malfoy reduced to this and suffering all alone, it didn't seem right, while Draco had never been particularly brave and was well known for whimpering when he got his ass handed to him, it had never been like this before, this was serious. A violent shudder rocked Draco's shoulders and he slowly looked up into the mirror, his expression going hard as he realised, at the exact moment I did, who was watching him. It was Harry, I could see his reflection in the mirror, I was watching all this from Harry's perspective.

Draco's reaction was instant, he span around, wand in hand with a furious expression on his face, his hex exploded from his lips just as I (or rather Harry) drew his wand. Draco's spell missed by inches and I cringed as it hit a lamp behind me and caused it to shatter, I…err Harry, threw himself to the side and I watched through his eyes as he thought the word LEVICORPUS! And sent the spell towards the seething blond boy by the sinks. It didn't hit target though, Malfoy deflected the jinx easily and raised his wand for another go.

"No! No! Stop it!" Moaning Myrtle shrieked and for once I agreed with her, they were duelling like they really meant it and that frightened me, I'd never seen that look on Draco's face before, he looked deathly serious and I was terrified of what they might do to each other. There was nothing I could do though, I couldn't stop them, all I could do was watch in horror as Draco shot another spell and the bin behind Harry and I exploded with a loud bang and a shower of rubbish.

"Stop! STOP!" Myrtle carried on shouting, vocalising the thoughts that I couldn't from this position but still the two boys ignored her, even as her words echoed back at them from around the tiled room.

I heard Harry send the Leg-Locker Curse silently with his mind, however it missed Draco and rebounded off the wall behind the blonds' ear and smashed the cistern behind Myrtle who screamed shrilly in response. Water poured out of the broken tank and I felt Harry's fear as he slipped on the water flooding the room and landed on the damp floor, together we watched as Draco raised his wand again, his face contorted in an expression of pure rage as he shouted "Cruici-"

"SECTUMSEMPRA!" Harry cried, beating Draco to it with the spell he didn't know the purpose of, he was thinking about that as he sent it and I heard him, he only knew that it was for enemies, he didn't know what it did. I didn't get to find out to find out what it did either; I saw blood erupt from Draco's face and chest and knew that whatever the spell had done, it was bad. And then I was being pulled back into reality, my second sight left me and I was somewhat surprised and disorientated to find that I was standing not too far away from McGonagall's office and wasn't in the boy's bathroom on the forth floor. What am I doing here? I wondered before I spotted the sheet of parchment in my hand and decided that it didn't matter.

I was shaking, my legs barely supporting me as they threatened to give way beneath me, I felt like I might be sick from pure fear for my friends, who knew what had happened after the vision ended? I pulled my wrist up so that I could check the time, but even that movement had me swaying on my feet, unstable, I didn't care though, the watch face read five forty, I had five minutes. It was going to happen today, I knew with every fibre of my being that my vision was going to happen today, in five minutes.

Turning around I ran as fast as I could back the way I had come, stuffing my homework inside my robes as I did so. My legs were unstable beneath me but I forced them on, running faster than I would have thought possible down the corridors, through crowds of students and towards the staircases, shouts and insults followed me as I knocked people out my way in my haste but I didn't care, I was seeing in tunnel vision, my gaze focused on what was directly ahead of me. I felt almost as sick with fear as I had the night last year when we went to the Ministry to save Sirius, it was that kind of dread that filled my heart, only it was different this time, not quite as strong but powerful in other ways, I knew that it was unlikely that either one of my friends were in a life threatening situation, but they were still in danger. The very last thing that I had seen before the vision ended flashed before my eyes, Draco's blood covered face and the look of pure, honest to God fear on his face, no one should look like that. I paled just at the memory and I had the grab hold of the banister of the stairs I was running up just to keep myself on my feet, I had a horrible feeling that my five minutes had already passed, who knew how much of what I had seen I could prevent but I still kept on running, I had to do what I could. It didn't matter that Draco and I weren't speaking, he needed my help and I was going to give it, Harry needed me too, there was no telling what Draco might have done next, I had heard him about to use a Unforgivable Curse, what was to stop him trying again? Nothing, and besides that I'd felt Harry's shock and guilt when he saw the initial effect of the spell he cast, if it did something really bad and Harry had used it he would regret it for the rest of his life, I knew him well enough to know that he would and I didn't want him to have to suffer that. They both needed me and I had to stop this if I could.

I reached the forth floor and started sprinting towards the boy's bathroom however I was cut off suddenly by the appearance of a tall, black robed figure, I was about to shove them aside, angry to have my way blocked at such a time as this, but I stopped short when I realised who it was.

"And where do we think we are going, Miss. Jones?" Snape asked me, a cold tone of contempt in his voice "need I remind you that this is a school corridor, not a running track?"

"Professor," I breathed wondering what he was doing all the way up here but then deciding that he was probably looking for Draco again. I looked around him, I could see the boy's bathroom from here but it was too far away so I couldn't hear any sounds that might mean there was a duel going on and so neither could Snape "I'm sorry," I apologised in too much of a hurry to care about how I was actually being polite to him "I'll slow down." I said moving to go passed him but he sidestepped to cut me off again.

"Where are you going in such a hurry?" he asked me suspiciously, no doubt concocting some deviant act in his mind that I must have been up to.

"Nowhere," I answered before pausing, should I tell him? I wondered, maybe a teacher was what was needed to break this duel up, what could I do to stop them both if they were still fighting? But wouldn't that be grassing? I wasn't a grass but what if one of them was seriously hurt, what then? Frantic with worry and indecision I thought hard and bit my lip with effort before finally making my choice "down there," I told him pointing towards the bathroom "sir," I paused not sure how to word this, I was sure Snape knew about my visions since he was part of the Order but I didn't want to just come out and say it in front of him "I think you need to come with me."

"Why?" Snape asked just as suspicious as before "what's happening down there, Jones?"

"A duel," I said leaving out the sir this time "I...err…saw it." I said stressing the last part and hoping that he understood what I meant. He seemed to as Snape's eyes went wide, and then narrowed before he opened his mouth to speak, however in my hate I cut across him, we didn't have the time to stand here talking.

"No time," I said before running around him and taking off down the corridor, hoping that he would follow me even if it was only to yell at me for running away from him and talking over him, I didn't care though, so long as he got to the boy's toilets then he would be able to help me.

"Jones!" Snape shouted running after me and I sped up as I neared the bathroom thinking that at least his hate for me was coming in handy know, he might have just ignored me otherwise.

I reached the door just as a loud cry of "SECTUMSEMPRA!" sounded through the wood and suddenly even more terrified I pushed open the door, ignoring Snape's protests and dashing into the flooding room just in time to see blood spurt from the horrific wounds cut with an invisible blade on Draco's face and chest. Face twisted in fear and pain Draco staggered back and collapsed onto the floor with a splash.

"No -" Harry gasped at the same time as I screamed, Harry looked around and spotted me there behind him, his face as white as a sheet and genuine horror in his eyes.

Harry and I shared a look before skidding and splashing through the water towards Draco where we both collapsed at his side, Harry on his right hand side me on his left. Draco's face was now covered in scarlet and his hands were clawing helplessly at his blood soaked chest, blood was still gushing from his wounds and showing no signs of stopping any time soon.

"No – I didn't – " Harry spluttered looking completely sickened and lost as he looked over the, bloody, trembling form of Draco Malfoy.

"What do we do?" I half asked half shrieked at Harry, who looked at me helplessly before Myrtle let out a scream that was in a whole other league to my own in terms of volume.

"MURDER! MURDER IN THE BATHROOM! MURDER!" she cried as I grabbed hold of one of Draco's hands, pulled it away from his chest to stop him touching the wound and held it comfortingly, even though I was terrified and was shaking almost as badly as he was. My other hand fluttering uselessly over Draco's wounds as though that might somehow help I looked between him and Harry, at a loss as to what to do.

At that moment however the door to the bathroom was mercifully thrown open, Snape burst in and honest to God I had never been so relieved in my entire life to see the miserable, hook nosed professor. He quickly took in the scene that was right before him, with a frightened Harry and a terrified me knelt beside Draco, who was lying on the bathroom floor with horrific wounds in a puddle of his own blood, all to the soundtrack of water dripping from the smashed cistern and Myrtle's wailing. A furious expression crossed his face before he charged into the room, pushed Harry roughly aside and knelt over Draco, Snape then drew his wand and traced it over the gashes in Draco's chest and face muttering a spell that even this close to him, I couldn't hear. As Snape worked the blood pouring from the wounds slowed and soon after that they appeared to be stitching themselves up. I breathed again.

I looked at Harry, too relieved for words that Draco was being fixed up, I gave him a shaky smile but my friend wasn't looking at me, he was staring at Draco still, his chest heaving as though he had just ran a mile, covered in blood and water and looking riddled with self loathing. I wanted to comfort Harry, who understandably seemed to be taking what he had just done very badly, but at that moment the previously slack fingers I was gripping tightened in my grasp and held firmly onto mine. Feeling a jolt of something I turned back to look at Draco, who Snape was still trying to help with his mysterious spell, and saw that the blond Slytherin was looking at me, his blue eyed gaze unfocused but definitely on me. I gave him a sad smile and gripped his hand a little tighter in response, at that Draco let out a heavy breath and let his head fall back, his unsteady gaze was still trained on me and of course, with him in this state, I couldn't look away.

Above us Myrtle was still sobbing and behind Snape Harry was still sitting in a stunned silence, like them both I too was absorbed in what I was doing, silently comforting the wounded boy beside me. Gently I stroked the back of Draco's bloody hand with my thumb, in a way that I wouldn't have been able to in any other circumstance, and tried to make him feel better. I didn't know how successful I was but I do know that Draco's eyes never left my face as he lay there on the bathroom floor, his blue gaze that had been so cold this past month was now frightened and unsure and, in truth, that upset me more than anything else. That he was so scared. I was so deep in my own thoughts and trying to work out how Draco was that I was startled when Snape started to lift Draco back onto his feet, stepping up with them I gave Draco's hand one more reassuring squeeze before letting go. I thought that I might have been sly about it but Snape still noticed, sending me an unnecessarily cold look the professor started to guide and unsteady Draco to the door.

"You need the Hospital Wing. There may be a certain amount of scarring, but if you take dittany immediately we might avoid even that…come…" he said as he neared the door.

Draco, who could just about support his own weight with Snape's help, looked back over his shoulder at me, seeming almost lost. Feeling my heart constrict with worry I told myself that if he was still in danger then Snape would be levitating him to the Hospital Wing in a hurry, not walking him there, and I had to trust that Snape knew what he was doing, since he sure looked like he did. As much as I didn't like Snape, as much as I hated the way he treated me and my friends and the way that he looked at me of late, with so much hate like just to look at me was causing him physical pain that he blamed me for, he'd look after Draco and had been in the right place at the right time. Without him this might have ended very differently.

"And you, Potter," Snape concluded in a voice that could be described as nothing but furious "you wait here for me, you too Jones."

Behind me Harry got to his feet slowly, a look of numb shock still clear on his features, I saw his right hand quiver and realised that he was shaking as he looked down on the floor. Convinced that Harry was going to obey him Snape turned and left, leading Draco out the door and down the corridor with an expression like thunder firmly in place on his hard face. Feeling sick and lost myself I wrapped my arms around me, not even flinching when my arms made contact with my soaking robes, stained dark with blood and water, I was hardly aware that I was covered in both substances and I didn't care anyway. Slowly I turned back to face Harry, who looked dreadful, more than as bad as I felt, and cautiously approached him so as not to startle him. When I reached my friend I put a gentle hand on his shoulder, I didn't blame Harry for anything, I'd been in his head when he cast the spell, I knew that he didn't know that it would do what it did to Draco and I was sure that if he could Harry would take it back. Unfortunately I doubted others would see things that way.

"Did you see it?" Harry asked, his voice shaken and not looking up from where he stared at the floor.

I nodded, then realised that he couldn't see me and said "yes," my voice was hoarse and croaky due to my screaming, shouting and just sheer horror at what had happened. Looking up from Harry I stared blankly into the room, remembering what I had seen and hating that I hadn't made it in time to change things, this might have been so different if I had. I'd tried my best, I'd ran here almost the second after I'd had to vision but it simply hadn't been good enough, I was too far away and there hadn't been enough time. I knew that I'd be furious at the absolute uselessness of my visions later, but right now I was feeling too many emotions to even contemplate another. Draco was fine, I told myself, and so was Harry, both were okay in a manner of speaking and that was what was important. I was still trembling though.

I was terrified despite all my composure and positive thinking, I was so frightened that Draco wouldn't be okay, that Harry might blame himself too much for this and he'd suffer for it, I dreaded that this wouldn't end well. I was scared, I had the feeling that this was the turning point, that from here on out we were all heading towards some serious pain, something had shifted in the air and I didn't know if I was imagining it or if my second sight was really picking up on it. It felt…not wrong exactly, but sought of wrong, definitely not right and definitely frightening, this event hadn't exactly triggered something, I was sure of as much, but it might have been the beginning of the end. At least if these feeling were to be believed. My emotions were racing a thousand miles an hour and I didn't know if I liked the direction they were going, so with my heart pounding with a feeling that had me terrified and exhilarated at the same time I worried that premonitions aside this moment was only leading to more hurt for me. Knowing that though didn't go any way towards me changing things, this experience had been a real eye opener for me and I felt that there was no going back now, I was just going to have to deal with whatever consequences I had to suffer.

Harry nodded at my confirmation and straightened up, he didn't shrug my hand from his shoulder but rather left it there, wanting to calm him and knowing that this must be eating him up inside I didn't move either. Frightened, shocked and soaked in blood Harry and I stood in the middle of the flooded toilets and waited for Snape to return, taking comfort in the fact that things could have been a lot worse and that we had each other for support. We'd get through this, I thought through my fear, we'd be fine, Draco would be fine and everything would be okay, we just had to stay calm. Ten agonisingly minutes of worry after Snape had left with Draco, the handle of the bathroom dropped with a sharp click that echoed off the walls of the room and together Harry and I stood, ready to face what would come next.

Author note:

Infisus:

Infi from infitalis = Negative or bad in Latin

Sus from sensus = feeling in Latin

Infisus = negative/bad feeling

:)