This chapter had a real nice flow and I think it turned out well and had theaffect I wanted it to. This is my second update in like six hours but... I cheated. I finished 24 like a week ago, but I wanted to make it allbetter so I waited until I had most of this chappie done so here you go! Enjoy...hopefully. And I would like to give a great shout out to all the people who have reveiwed. You do wonders for me and my ego as well as give meareas of my style that need to be improved. NEW! Sorry for not clarifying it but the original chaser has disappeared and they need a new one. Somewhere between editing and posting, that little peice was lost. I am very sorry.
Chapter 25: Don't Be Silly, Mudbloods Don't Fly
Hermione looked at the crumpled piece of parchment and despite an hour of reflection she was still angered by the slightly tilted handwriting that flowed so neatly across the page.
"Why does he make me so angry?" Hermione asked and her kelltor walked over from the corner, jumped onto her bed, and attempted to snuggle as close to Hermione as he could get. "I mean, logically it doesn't make any sense. One minute we are fine with one another and the next he does something stupid and I can't stand the thought of him!" She practically shouted at Auru.
"I know, it's not your fault, Auru." Hermione cooed, petting the kelltor's head softly as she inspected the animal's coat. "But if you had any ideas, you'd share right?" Hermione asked the creature who cocked his head in confusion and licked her hand almost carelessly but Hermione knew better. This kelltor had an agenda.
"You're hungry too?" She asked Auru who barked loudly in response. "I'm hungry too. Anger devours one's energy." Hermione patted Auru's head once more before standing and Auru gave a whine. "What is it?" Hermione asked and Auru made his wishes made clear by wagging his tail. "No, you can't come with… People don't like the idea of kelltors running around the castle as it is. I'm not going to risk Dumbledore having to take action against you."
Auru walked to the corner edge of the bed, turned his back on Hermione, and sat, dwelling. "You'll be happy to see me when I'm back with a plate full of Hogwarts' fattiest bacon, mark my words." Hermione smiled at the creature, which only rose its nose in petty bitterness.
"I'll be back." Hermione promised and she turned to walk out of the room. Running her hand along the smooth walls, Hermione made her way leisurely through the corridors.
Looking up every once in a while she took the time to notice portraits of former workers at Hogwarts and others of people she didn't recognize. As she did this she couldn't help but wonder if some of these held a secret passage or a portrait hole that one could climb through. She knew for a fact that harry possessed a map that displayed every secret Hogwarts had including some Filch himself did not know about. The Marauder's Map, he had called it, and it had been made by Harry's own father.
Though it was in some ways helpful, Hermione had to wonder if Harry was using it for good or evil. She had noticed over the past few months that Harry seemed to know more about the school than any of them could possibly know. There had also been strange mutterings from Ron about Harry getting up at two in the morning to use the bathroom and he didn't come back sometimes a whole hour later.
Considering this thought Hermione wondered where he went at night. Certainly not to Ginny. He would never disrespect the Weasley's by dishonoring their daughter in such a way. The Weasleys were like family to Harry, the only one he had ever known. And Ron! Never would he hurt Ron like that, Hermione knew. But this train of thought gave no answers that Hermione was looking for.
Turning the corner, Hermione came suddenly face to face with Heather Holley. "Hermione!" Heather exclaimed. "I just saw Draco, what on earth happened? His hand's all messed up and he refuses to speak a word of anything to me."
"We had an argument, that's all." Hermione said vaguely while she shifted her weight from her right leg to her left. "Not that it's any of your business." She added, clearly uncomfortable with the Slytherin's eyes gazing through her.
"It bloody well is my business." Heather snarled, matching Hermione's tone, which displayed a certain distrust for her. "It must have been one hell of an argument," Heather observed smugly as if she had the right to talk about it. "It looks as though Draco's shattered his knuckles into a thousand pieces."
Hermione's eyes opened wide and she felt a pang in the pit of her stomach, but on the outside she rolled her eyes nonchalantly and placed her hands on her hips. "What Draco does in his spare time is his deal. I can't do anything about it." Hermione said, allowing some of her frustration to flow into her voice.
"How wrong that statement sounds coming from you, Hermione." Heather said with a smirk as she crossed her arms over her chest and leaned lightly against the wall, her slender frame fitting into the small corner. "I could imagine something like that coming from Weasley, even Potter, but not from you considering." Heather finished and Hermione could not miss the laughter in the girl's voice.
"Considering what?" Hermione asked, suddenly angry again. "That we work together for over forty something hours a week? That we have developed a common ground and have become friends?" Hermione spat, her tense stance suggested hostility that her voice could not help but convey.
"Friends? Is that what you are?" Heather asked, the laughter still in her voice.
"Yes, friends." Hermione said defensively wondering whether or not this Slytherin knew as much as she let on. "Draco has made perfectly clear how he feels about me and I have the uttermost respect for that."
"Oh, has he?" Heather asked. "Because according to Draco, he can't tell you how he feels." She said, cutting to the chase and Hermione was taken aback by the truth she heard in Heather's voice.
"It's great to know he feels comfortable talking to you about things that involve me." Hermione snarled. "After all, why should I know what the hell's going on? I'm only bloody involved!"
"First off, he would talk to you about it if you'd actually listen when he tried to broach the subject and second off, what the hell's the matter with you?" Hermione cringed as Heather pushed herself roughly out of the corner and leaned forward, accentuating every word. "It's not just you here, Hermione, and if that is what you think then I know Draco would do better off elsewhere."
"Excuse me, this whole Draco having feelings thing, is a little new for me." Hermione said. "We were enemies, now we're friends, and friends is all we will ever be." She finished, knowing this to be the truth.
"Did you bother telling Draco that?" Heather asked.
"That's a ridiculous question that doesn't even deserve an answer and you should know that." Hermione said and Heather shrugged.
"Then we're done here. But before I leave you to wallow in your self-importance I would like you to know one simple fact." Heather said holding up her index finger to exaggerate her point. "Every single person in Draco's life has given up on him," She began, brandishing her finger at Hermione. "He was born and grew up alone. He's still alone and if what you just said is true, then he is destined to die alone and if you were Draco, how would that thought make you feel?" With that said, Heather pushed roughly past Hermione, leaving all of her doubts exposed.
With a frown, Hermione leaned against the wall, sighing deeply. She felt tears stinging behind her eyes but she refused to let them fall. How was it any of Heather's bloody business? Hermione asked herself.
Walking towards the great hall, Hermione refused to answer that question let alone allow her mind to dwell on it. It was a stupid question. Of course Draco knew how things were. He knew better than she did all the reasons why they wouldn't work… not together anyway. That had never even been a possibility!
Walking into the great hall, Hermione's eyes wandered, looking for three specific Gryffindors. Upon seeing them, she marched forth like a soldier entering the heat of battle. In a sense, this was quite the fitting analogy.
"Hey you guys." Hermione said as she sat, taking her old seat next to Ginny.
"I'm surprised to see you. NEWT's are in little less than two months and you're actually wandering about without a book in your hand or quill behind your ear?" Ron asked.
"People are going to talk, you know." Harry added and Hermione laughed, trying to shove the thoughts of Gryffindors and Slytherins to the back of her mind.
"Hey, Hermione, there're Quidditch try-outs next week," Ginny began, interrupting the banter. "You want to come with to watch the try outs? The team could use your support and maybe you could give it a try." Hermione's instinct was to say no, but upon asking herself why she shouldn't, her mind changed.
"I'm not much on a broom so I'll just come and watch. If I support those two it would be terrible if I didn't do the entire team the same courtesy wouldn't it?." Ginny smiled while Harry and Ron frowned playfully. Harry's lips fell into a pout and Ginny cooed gently, fondly rubbing his shoulders.
Ruffling Harry's hair, Ginny leaned forward, planting an obviously affectionate kiss on Harry's cheek and suddenly Hermione wondered if she had been wrong before about Harry and Ginny. "Don't worry about it," Ginny whispered. "She's just jealous of your talent." She finished and Ron spewed dinner all over everyone's food.
"Ginny, have some dignity, woman! You're not a harlot!" He coughed. "And Harry, I'd appreciate if you and my sister didn't go at it while I'm trying to eat my meal." He said while wiping his mouth in disgust. Pushing his plate forward he refused to eat another bite.
Harry, Ginny, and Hermione were laughing hysterically at the look on Ron's face when suddenly there was a loud bang from the front of the hall.
The laughter died very suddenly as they watched Draco Malfoy enter the great hall, hand sloppily bandaged, and he took a seat at the Slytherin table. Looking around, Hermione had a flashback from the beginning of the year. The same tension between their houses had arisen again and everything seemed to be back to the way it had been at the beginning of the year. Gryffindors with Gryffindors and Slytherins with Slytherins…
There was a not so subtle difference though, Hermione admitted. Draco was not the same to her now as he had been then. Now he was a real person, someone who had fears, weaknesses, and most of all he had a very human quality that before she had taken as arrogance and undeserved pride.
"I think I'm going to start sleeping in the Gryffindor dormitories again. The prefect dormitories are too… crowded." Hermione said quietly, forcing herself to look away.
"Maybe you should talk to Ginny about it." Harry whispered and Hermione's eyes met his, a question in her glance. He knew then, and that meant Ron did as well. Hermione nodded, knowing full well that she wouldn't talk to Ginny about it at all. She knew better than anyone how Ginny felt about Slytherins, let alone this one in particular.
Minutes later, Hermione let out a monstrous yawn and stood. She was exhausted and she was sure Auru wouldn't be too pleased with her longer than normal dinner. "I'm going to head up to bed." She said and gathered a plate of food for Auru.
"Are you sleeping in the dorms tonight?" Ginny asked while taking a final swig of pumpkin juice, wiping her face on her sleeve.
Hermione shook her head. "No, I have to pack everything up and it's too much of a hassle for tonight." She said, knowing there was another reason entirely. She wanted a chance to talk to Draco. What Heather had said had made her start to think.
"I'll see you tomorrow then. We have a lot of catching up to do, you and I." Ginny called after Hermione as she turned to leave and Hermione nodded.
"Goodnight." She called behind her.
If she comes, she comes. If she doesn't she doesn't. Nothing lost… Draco sat in the prefect commons waiting. For what, he wasn't sure. He knew that she was angry… no, they were angry at each other. Once again, Draco didn't know why.
Draco suddenly longed for who he had been before that detention. But that seemed like ages ago, like it was too far out of reach for him to even think about it. It felt like years ago, that night…
"Everything that happens in life shapes who you are to become…" Reminded the soft voice of Narcissa Malfoy.
"Shut up." He said.
"If you don't let the bad in with the good you become complacent, like your father. He took no risks, he played it safe with Voldemort rather than do the right thing and be crushed. He wanted to do the crushing. You're not like your father-"
"Yes I am!" Draco shouted at himself. I am like my father. I'm a Spitting fucking image of the bastard.
Suddenly the door to the common room opened and Hermione walked through it. For just a second his anger was gone, but then it returned stronger than ever.
Walking towards him slowly, Hermione set a plate on the table and Draco ground his teeth, wondering at her calmness. As she moved to the right to sit down, the light from the fire reached him and, seeing his hand, she gasped.
"Jesus Draco! What did you…" She began, reaching forward. Draco pulled his injured hand away and she did not object. "I talked to Heather, she's worried about you." She said quietly and Draco nodded stiffly. He noted how she mentioned Heather's name and not her own though it was obvious how she felt.
"Just leave me alone." He said, letting his voice take on its callous quality.
"Draco, don't be angry with me… I've had a lot on my mind, but you probably know that." She said, making a reference to the cordislector he had taken.
"I'm not angry, Granger." He spat, forcing the emotion from his voice. "I'm indifferent." Draco smiled his cold smile that didn't quite reach his eyes and watched in fascination as a look of recognition, then solace passed over Hermione's face. He knew this was mean but at this point he could care less.
"Why?" She asked.
"Because, Granger," He emphasized the use of her surname. "I am tired of caring." He spat, his voice betraying his disgust at himself. "I didn't tell Heather to say a damn word to you so wipe that filthy look off your face." He snarled viciously and he watched as her face move quickly from hurt to anger.
"I never implied that she did." Hermione said softly, making the gut-wrenching feeling of guilt worsen, which made him even angrier.
"Don't play innocent." He said even though he didn't quite know what he was referring to.
"What are you talking about, Draco?" Hermione asked, her chocolate brown eyes showing exactly how she felt: hurt, angry, and above all, confused.
"I… I dunno, I just want to be left alone, all right?" Draco said quietly and Hermione made no move to leave. "Just get the fuck out and leave me alone. You've said enough and I've said enough. Now go, before I say something I regret." Draco snapped and Hermione stood, tears in her eyes. He watched in inner horror as a single tear fell down her face and she bit her lip, trying to hold back hurt she knew she felt.
"Isn't it a bit too late for that?" Hermione whispered as she turned and left. Grabbing the plate, she hurried through the doorway and he could not help but feel some relief at this.
The sunlight filled the Quidditch pitch through moving clouds and Hermione let out a sigh. She had to admit, sitting on the bench was a lot less fun than she had imagined.
For the past hour and a half, Hermione had watched in polite interest as Gryffindor after Gryffindor took the sky in an attempt to woo Harry.
After Harry told the fifteenth Gryffindor to hit the ground, Ginny had gotten very frustrated.
"It's not the nationals, Harry, lighten up." She had shouted as the team touched ground for a small break. "What was wrong with Steven?" She asked, throwing her broom over her shoulder.
Ron looked at his watch, a grim expression on his face, he had planned to meet Amber twenty minutes ago. "Yeah, mate, Steven wasn't half bad."
"Not half bad isn't what I'm looking for, you two. I'm looking for excellent!" He replied enthusiastically. "The chasers are the ones that score the points and we need those points!" He exclaimed.
"Hermione, tell him to be reasonable." Ginny groaned.
"I personally agree." Hermione said slowly, surprised that what she said was true. "I'm glad Harry wants to make the team exceptional."
"But-"
"Hey, what the hell are they doing here?" Asked the other chaser, Seamus and Hermione's eyes flitted to the other side of the field where seven figures in green Quidditch robes approached.
"I dunno, but I'll get this fixed up in a hurry." Harry said, gritting his teeth. "They're not pulling that professor Snape shit this time. We booked the field three weeks in advance." Harry mumbled as he walked forward to greet the gaggle of Slytherins in the middle of the field.
"Well, if it isn't little Potter and his team of misfits." Said Draco as he leaned laxly on his broom. Hermione noticed how he favored his left hand and held his right one close to his chest.
"Malfoy, as great as it is for me to see you here, we have the pitch today. We're holding try-outs." Harry said slowly, as if Draco couldn't understand English.
"Well, this parchment says otherwise." Draco drawled and Harry ripped the piece of parchment Malfoy was now brandishing proudly like a flag.
"Meritless…" harry spat. "Doesn't even have a signature." He said, thrusting it back into Draco's outstretched hand.
"Maybe so, but I can have it signed by Snape in ten minutes, why waste the time?" Draco asked and Harry clenched his fists. He had been so stressed out during try-outs that Hermione doubted he had the self-restraint to deny himself first blood in this fight.
"What do you want?" Harry asked.
"I want to practice." Draco said. "Just like you."
"But the difference is Malfoy, that I booked the pitch three weeks ago and you come out here today with a piece of parchment not even signed by a first year and expect me to pack up and leave?" Harry asked, a smile in his voice.
"I was hoping we could compromise." Draco said lightly. "You get half the pitch and I get half the pitch for my team. That way, we all win."
"I don't think you wanted a compromise." Harry stated and from the look on Draco's face, Hermione didn't doubt it.
"You're right… Maybe we wanted a little friendly competition before our match next week." Said Heather and Hermione's eyes wandered to the slender Irish girl, her eyes reduced to slits as she watched the girl lightly flip her hair around her shoulders. So she played Quidditch as well, Hermione thought. If she can do it, I certainly can.
"Why not?" Hermione asked, suddenly standing and Draco looked at her in disbelief.
"I didn't know she was trying out." Said Heather in a hushed voice. "Is she trying out?"
"Don't be silly, mudbloods don't fly." Draco smirked and Ron lunged forward.
"That is the last time you'll be calling anyone a filthy name, Malfoy." Ron said, whipping out his wand from the fold in his robes. "You have no respect-"
"It's all right, honestly Ron." Hermione said, grabbing his cloak and pulling him beside her and he gave her a questioning glance. "We'll just have to show the lot of them that mudbloods can fly." Hermione turned to the Steven, who had just been denied a spot on the Quidditch team. "Can I borrow that?" She asked.
"It's a Nimbus, have you ridden a lot?" Steven asked and Hermione guffawed. "All right then, as long as you can handle it." The seventh year said, handing it over hesitantly. He had never even seen Hermione give a second glance to a broom let alone ride one. Harry could have said the same except for their first flying lesson during first year. But she seemed confident enough.
"All right, Granger," Draco began as he leapt with ease on the bottom ring of his broom and it slowly rose upwards in an almost graceful motion, keeping him upright. "Show us you can fly." He swung his other leg over the side and sped up into the sky and Hermione gulped.
"Just don't panic." Harry said and Ron nodded.
"Focus on getting it in the air and from there… you've got the rest." Ron said.
"What exactly does a chaser do?" Hermione asked and Harry groaned.
"This isn't a very good idea, you could get hurt." Ginny said but Hermione brushed him away when she tried to take the broom.
"I need to learn some time right?" Hermione asked, her heart beating wildly in her chest. "All I have to do is calm myself and remember what Madam Hooch taught me…" She said.
Laying the broom on the ground, Hermione held her hand directly over it and closed her eyes, concentrating on one thought and one thought alone. "Up!" She closed her fingers around the pole of the broom and grasped tightly. Yes! She thought excitedly. Mounting it, Hermione opened her eyes and readied herself for what was about to take place.
As soon as she seated herself she felt anxious to get going and as if the broom read her thoughts and her mood it zoomed suddenly into the air and she let out a scream as she tried to hold on.
"You all right, Hermione?" Asked Ginny who was suddenly riding beside her and Hermione groaned. But then the broom leveled and all the turbulence Hermione could feel was small buffets of air. "Not too bad, eh?" She asked.
"No…" Hermione uttered in wonder as an odd feeling of pride unfurled in her chest. She had done the impossible! "Not at all as bad as I thought it would be."
"Wait until they release the bludgers!" Ginny said with a smile. "It won't be so great then." The smile on Hermione's face faded and Ginny shrugged at the frightened look on Hermione's face. "Fact of the game, Hermione. I'm not going to lie and say there are no bludgers. Just keep your head about you." She suggested. "I'm going to go meet with the other beater and figure out a game plan to protect you, seeing as it's your first time and all." Ginny sped off and Hermione suddenly felt utterly alone.
Looking around, Hermione made out many shapes in the air. Seven Slytherins and seven Gryffindors. Things weren't going to turn out well for her, she realized. Everyone on the field had at least some experience. "What have I gotten myself into?" Hermione asked herself under her breath.
"A lot of trouble." Said a very familiar and unwelcome male voice behind her. "What are you doing, Hermione? I know for a fact you've never played a game of Quidditch in your life." Draco said and Hermione turned to face him.
"Mind your own business, Malfoy. I wouldn't be up here unless I wanted to be." Hermione replied curtly making sure Draco could not miss the snarl in her words.
"I personally don't want to scrape you off of the pitch but then again, I guess I wouldn't be the one doing the scraping, would I?" He asked with a laugh that Hermione remembered all too well.
"Hey Malfoy!" Shouted Seamus and Hermione turned her head. "Don't you have a ball to look for? It looks like you may be missing more than one." He shouted and Hermione was grateful for the interruption.
"Why don't you go marry your cousin." Hermione heard shouted from below and Hermione looked down to see many of the Gryffindors who had tried out watching from below with rapt attention.
Meeting Draco's eyes, Hermione saw a blush form on his face and he swerved carelessly the other way and torpedoed to the other side of the field on his broom. Now he was merely a blur of green robes and, as Hermione reminded herself as she calmed her breathing, a blur of green robes she could deal with…
"Ready for this?" Ask Seamus with a smile as he patted Hermione on the back and Hermione gulped, nodding slowly.
"As ready as I'll ever be. Any pointers?" She asked, more ready than ever to learn. With a smile she realized it may be too late.
"Watch out for the bludgers. They're your main threat." Seamus said, bobbing up and down on his broom with the wind currents. "Also, the quaffle is pretty light, so don't over compensate when you get it. Your broom's damn fast so you shouldn't have to worry about outchasing them." He paused, looking at Hermione. "You've never been on a broom before." He stated, a smirk forming at the corner of his mouth and Hermione nodded. There was no use in lying any more. "You're much braver than I thought you were." Turning the other way, he flew towards the ground and waited for her to follow. "This is your chance, let's go touch down."
Hermione's heart pounded as she waited on the ground, her legs shaking like jelly. "Who calls?" Heather asked Draco who shrugged.
"Potter?"
"Honestly, do you lot not know how to flip a coin?" Harry asked, digging a silver sickle from his pocket. "Call it in the air." He made a move to flip the coin when Heather guffawed.
"Call what in the air?" She asked and Harry stopped. Hermione smiled. It was ridiculous how much the wizarding world needed to learn about the muggle one.
"Heads or tails." Harry sighed. "If it lands on the face side, the person who called heads, wins and if it lands on the tail side, the person who calls tales wins." Harry explained.
"Right," Draco spat. "Get on with it, then."
Harry flipped the coin and called out, "Tails!"
"Looks like it's heads." Heather drawled and Harry nodded his head disappointedly.
"I guess you call it then Malfoy." Harry said resignedly and Heather whispered something in Draco's ear. Hermione felt her face grow hot as she watched the overly friendly display and despite not being the type to get jealous, Hermione could have sworn she felt the seeds of envy growing every moment they were on the same field.
"Mount!" heather shouted and they all lifted their legs and straddled their brooms. Heather threw a nod to Draco and Hermione realized suddenly that Heather was goading her on purpose. Well, she was going to get what she wanted. I can show her…Hermione thought as she tried to calm herself.
"Grip the broom handle any harder and you're going to snap it in half." Whispered Seamus and Hermione looked down. Her knuckles had turned white and she loosened her grip. "That-a-girl." He said with a wink and Hermione felt herself un-tense. Just another adventure…
"Go!" Heather shouted and Hermione kicked off so hard she felt herself propelled feet above where she had wanted to be.
"I got the quaffle!" Seamus shouted and Hermione swerved to follow his voice. Weaving in and out of other players, Hermione followed his voice. "They've released the bludgers, be care-" Hermione gasped as Seamus' broom was struck and he flipped over the front. Hermione dove and reached out uncertainly for the quaffle. With the light, red ball in her grasp, everything she was doing just suddenly felt natural.
Hermione ducked as she saw a brown ball headed straight for her face and rolled with her broom to avoid the next one. Looking around, she saw Seamus remount and kick off. "Move! The goal, Hermione! Make a goal!" He shouted, waving his arms frantically and Hermione came back to life.
"Right." She said to herself and forced the broom forward towards the three giant goals at the end of the field. Leaning forward she made the broom go so fast that she could feel her hair whipping around her face, lashing her shoulders and the back of her neck. But her adrenaline was rushing now and she was prepared to die before she gave into the fear.
Coming to an abrupt, incomplete stop, Hermione threw the quaffle as fast as she could and watched as it headed straight for the goal to the right. But the keeper, a seventh year Slytherin she didn't know, blocked it almost without thought and threw it to their chaser. Hermione turned, knowing that she didn't have time to mope. She needed to stay on the other chasers like glue. It was imperative.
Hermione moved lower as she caught up with the chaser and waited. Keeping her eyes peeled for gray, she pulled up sharply on the broom to avoid a bludger and the chaser next to her was not nearly as fortunate. Hermione heard the sickening crack of breaking bones as the Slytherin cried out, dropping the quaffle.
Without a second thought, Hermione lunged, taking the quaffle in her arms. Speeding over the field, Hermione felt at peace despite the pace at which everything around her was moving.
She was once again racing towards the goal when she heard Seamus shout, "Pass, I'm open!" Hermione looked to her right and threw the quaffle, aiming slightly forward. She did this with one hand since she felt very uncomfortable relinquishing all control.
Hermione watched as Seamus scored and threw her hands excitedly in the air, forgetting she was still moving forward at a breakneck speed. Her vision blacked out as she hit a very hard object of green and she felt not a single thing as she fell, spiraling through the air, broom right behind her. Something latched onto her arm and then… Thwack! Sweet numbness…
"Well thank goodness and you're awake!" Exclaimed a high cheery voice and Hermione sat up, growling in pain. "No, no, no, miss Granger. Lay back down. That was quite a fall and I've mended more than a few bones on you. They need time to settle." Hermione did as she was told and leaned back, trying to ignore the pain in her side, the pain in her arm, and the throbbing, aching pain in her skull.
"What happened?" She groaned and Madam Pomfrey walked into her range of vision.
"You were playing quite the game of Quidditch I hear and you had a straight on collision with Mr. Malfoy. That one didn't fair much better than you." She stated as if this would make sense to Hermione.
"How did that happen?" She asked more to herself than to Madam Pomfrey, but the nurse offered her opinion readily.
"Mr. Potter said you weren't paying attention." Suddenly Hermione remembered.
"Malfoy?" She asked as she recognized the name.
"Yes, he's right over there. Quite a few bones broken on him as well but no one was there to break his fall." Madam Pomfrey said, a tinge of sadness in her voice. "Fell forty three and a half feet straight down. Unconscious by the time he hit the ground, I was told."
"Oh my…" Hermione uttered, craning her neck as far as the sore muscles would allow considering her injuries. "He's going to be all right… right?" Hermione asked.
"Oh yes, but it seems as though he had an injury before he fell and it doesn't look to me like he'll be playing Quidditch for a while." Madam Pomfrey informed Hermione kindly. "He should have come straight to me for mending, but that's in the past. He's got a few weeks of rough healing on that hand and wrist to do before he can even consider picking up another broom and I will tell Professor Snape as much."
"Perfect." Hermione sighed. Draco loved Quidditch and he was going to be absolutely pissed to know that she had taken that away to add to everything else she had obviously done wrong in his eyes…
"I'm going to give you a sleeping drought and you'll be up and about in two hours. That's all the time your bones need to set but you're doing yourself no good worrying about him." She said, handing Hermione a cup of green liquid that smelled of something fierce. Hermione cringed. "You have a lot to be thankful for." Hermione plugged her nose as she downed it and immediately felt it take affect. "If Mr. Malfoy hadn't caught you, who knows what would have happened and where you would have landed."
What? Hermione attempted to ask but it suddenly seemed as though she had forgotten how to shape the words on her lips. She felt the shadows at the end of her mind creeping slowly towards the center and she gave into more sleep.