36

Taylor

The numbing feeling resulting from the sedatives was only the beginning as Madame Pomfrey removed the needle from the I.V. Or had she injected it into my arm? No…no, but then what was that blue thing under the skin on my wrist? Oh…wait…veins. Right. But blood was red! Right? Maybe…so were raspberries, and strawberries, and strawberry ice cream - ! No, wait, that was pink. Like breast cancer – or something. Oh god! Did I have cancer?

My eyes widened for a moment in panic before remembering that only men got breast cancer.

Wait…

I furrowed my brow and blinked as I wondered why the air around me was weighing so heavily on my chest. Oh, I was on my stomach, that's right…

"Can I have some ice cream?" I asked, feeling a bit woozy. "But not strawberry, 'cause it's re – PINK." I corrected quickly, my eyes wide.

"Um…" Harry pursed his lips and looked at me oddly, opening his mouth to say something, but unable to find words. Or maybe I was deaf – oh GOD! I WAS DEAF!

"Afraid not, dear."

Oh, never mind.

"Alright, I'll take your stupid strawberry." I huffed, rolling my eyes in disappointment.

"Hmm...I rather like strawberry." Madame Pomfrey continued, fiddling around with equipment as I scoffed.

"Well my blood is blue – so beat that with your ice cream." I replied, feeling rather drowsy as I my vision blurred.

"You did this." Harry sighed accusingly, shaking his head.

"Yes, well there's no point in trying to convince her she's wrong. Too stubborn for that I would think – especially now." Madame Pomfrey responded, rather uncaringly.

"ICE CREAM! Damn it woman!"

I received another swift whack with the clipboard, this time on the back of my leg, which made me jerk in surprise and reflex.

"A-how-how…" I groaned an 'ow' as I pouted again, feeling incredibly tired and feeling myself falling out.

Maybe just a quick nap…

I woke up with a gasp as my eyes shot open – what a horrible nightmare. Strawberry ice cream and pink ribbons chasing me around – trying to suffocate me. I only woke up when it seemed like the ribbon was cutting off and blocking all of my air passages.

I still felt odd, not quite tired, but distant as I stared blankly to the floor beside Harry's chair.

"Um…Madame Pomfrey…?" I heard him say, worry stitched into his tone.

"Yes dear?" She asked from somewhere behind me, seeming distracted as she looked for something.

"She's…awake.."

"Oh?" She walked over, peering over me as I raised a weary eyebrow, straining my eyes to look up at her without moving my head from its sideways position on the pillow. "Hmm…that's…unfortunate."

"Eh?" I grumbled quickly, furrowing my brow and making a face that probably made me look like an anime character.

"The sedatives were supposed to keep her down until we were finished – seems she's stronger than I'd expected."

"Can't you just…put her back asleep or something?" Harry asked, cocking an eyebrow.

"Oh no, no, the sedatives would likely throw her body into shock. Would do more harm than good I'm afraid." I heard her pick something up, something metallic sounding, and I began wishing I was asleep again.

Damn body.

"What about magic?" Harry insisted, as I slowly became more and more aware. I felt…weird…like there was a draft almost, but not quite…almost like –

Bloody hell! My back was open!

"Oh, I could," Madame Pomfrey nodded, approaching the bed again. "But with the dosage of sedatives still in her body; there could be rather distasteful side effects."

Ooooh, I hated this woman.

"Just hold tight, dear," She addressed me, and I narrowed my eyes in warning. "This will hurt just a bit, but you should still be numb enough for it to be quite bearable."

I felt something metallic slide into my back, and I held in a cry at the disgusting feeling that accompanied it. I couldn't believe for the life of me that my back was sliced open for the world to see – like a freaking Doctor Drama! In a back room!

Oh… I mused suddenly to myself, thinking. This would be better if it were one of the Grey's Anatomy doctors instead of… I peered up as far as I could in Madame Pomfrey's direction and huffed in defeat. Damn it.

"Oh," She huffed, tisking as Harry frowned. "I found the first one – Harry dear, pass me that pan." Harry did as he was told and passed her a metal pan, like a large Petri dish as I tried not to move, afraid of whatever she had inserted into my body.

Then I felt it grip something, began sliding it out and then –

"MOTHER F*CKER!"

Seamus scratched Athena, smiling at the sound of her purring as he approached the infirmary.

"She'll love to see you," He cooed softly, grinning down at the cat as she rubbed her head against his hand. Her green eyes closed happily as she mewed, and Seamus reached his hand up and gripped the door handle.

"MOTHER F*CKER!"

Without a second's hesitation, or even a change of expression, he let go, turned on his heel and walked away, peering down at Athena again.

"Perhaps another time." He nodded, the cat still purring contently as he continued on smiling. At least whoever she's killing is already in the hospital wing. He sighed approvingly.

"Do I have to wash your mouth out with soap?" Madame Pomfrey scolded, dropping the shard of glass onto the pan. "Honestly, where did you learn your manners?" My eyes were wide in panic and my mouth was open in shock as I gasped my breaths, gripping the bed tightly enough for my knuckles to go white.

Harry offered me his hand as the metal thing re-entered my flesh, but I shook my head as I grit my teeth.

"You wanna keep that hand?" I reasoned, as explanatory as needed. He scoffed and rolled his eyes, prying my left hand from the bed and taking it firmly in both of his.

"I'll take my chances." He assured, and I cringed again, refraining from arching my back as another piece of glass slid from my skin. I sincerely hoped that all of his troubles had toughened Harry a bit as I tried to prevent the crushing of his hand.

"Sorry," I gasped, wincing as he looked nervously to Madame Pomfrey.

"Can't you get them out with magic?" He asked again, holding my hand tighter as I grunted painfully.

"Ha, with the tiny size of these monsters, I'm more likely to take out her spine." She replied, showing him the size of the glass. It was a tiny bit thicker than a hair – and smaller than Dudley's brain.

No wonder the stupid muggle doctors missed it. Damn them.

"And how many of those are there?" He continued with concern, looking at me as I tried to fully open my eyes.

"Another four." She said.

"Uuuggghhhh…." I closed my eyes and let out a pained breath. I was so dead.