"Freddie, he's going to be pissed when he wakes up."

"I don't care."

"If we come in with him, his cover is blown."

"I don't care."

"He won't want to have anything to do with us after this."

"I don't care."

"Fred, think about it."

"I am! Did you not see what happened? We stopped hearing him scream because something is wrong with his throat."

"Yes, but his own magic can heal it."

"How do you know that?"

"... I don't."

"I'm taking him to Pomfrey and I don't care if he'll hate me for it."

"Alright. I'll help, but I'm going to point the blame towards you."

"Fair enough."

His head was pounding. Whenever he tried to move, his body complained. Just the act of breathing was difficult.

With a soundless groan, Draco opened his eyes. Thankfully it was dark.

Where was he? The last thing he remembered was Sev and Harry standing in front of him with wide eyes. Then everything went blank.

Carefully, he moved until he was sitting up. His eyes narrowed when he noticed the white curtains surrounding him. He flicked his hand and the curtains moved out of his way to reveal the Hospital Wing.

"Oh, Mr. Malfoy, you're awake. I've been worried about you." The elderly matron scurried over, her wand in hand. "You've been sleeping for the past two days. Not to say that you didn't need it, but you had us all worried."

Draco opened his mouth to say something, but nothing came out. Frowning, he closed his mouth, paused, opened it again, and tried to say something. Again, nothing came out.

His hands flew to his throat, and Draco kept trying to say something. It itched, it ached, and it tried to work, but it kept failing. When Pomfrey drew closer, Draco jumped to his feet, one hand clasped around his throat and the other warding off the nurse.

He kept shaking his head over and over again. He couldn't talk. He lost the ability to speak.

Draco scratched at his throat, trying to scream. It felt tight, constrictive. No matter how hard he tried, there was no sound.

Pomfrey raised her wand toward him. Draco shook his head, and immediately his magic lashed out and ripped her wand away. Her eyes flew wide open as she was tossed away from him.

As she crashed, Draco saw two people rushing towards him. Once again his magic flew out, but it only sent one of them flying away. The other continued forward until he stood in front of the bed.

Pressed tightly against the wall, standing on top of the bed, Draco didn't look away from Fred. The blonde's chest was heaving, and it was getting more and more difficult to breath. His vision was getting blurry, and he couldn't say anything!

"Draco, it's ok."

It's fine. Don't put us in any more danger.

"It's ok, I promise." Fred placed a foot on the bed before standing still, probably waiting for Draco to lash out. "It'll be fine. Come here."

Draco shook his head frantically. It wouldn't be alright. He wouldn't be able to talk again. It was something else he would fail at.

"Breathe. You need to calm down, Draco. You're going to hurt yourself more."

Fred pushed off the ground and finally stood at the edge of the bed. Draco's heart began to slow. It didn't beat as rapidly, and it didn't pound in his throat anymore.

"Mr. Weasley! You -"

Twisting his body, Draco stared at the woman again, his magic swelling up. His heart picked up speed. He tried to tell her to go away, but nothing happened. No sound, no voice, no anything.

It was something else screaming in his head. Something else that wanted to be heard, but couldn't be.

"Draco," that voice was back. Soft, compelling, and full of authority. "Look at me."

Clinging to that voice, Draco faced Fred again. He ignored George holding Madam Pomfrey back. He ignored the hand George clamped over her mouth. He ignored George staring at him with wide eyes.

Instead he focused on Fred. Fred, who now stood in front of him, a head taller than him. Those light brown eyes that bored into his without a hint of fear or confusion. The one who held out a single hand. "Come here."

Once again Draco shook his head, though his hand itched to take the other's.

Fred leaned down so he was eye to eye with the blonde. Auburn hair fell across his eyes, leaving them shadowed. The freckles that had barely been visible were standing out. "Draco. Come here."

Swallowing seemed impossible, but he managed it. He reached out and took Fred's hand, allowing the twin to yank him in his arms. For a moment, Draco stiffened. But the arms around him were reassuring, so Draco just sighed and buried his head in Fred's chest.

"Mr. Weasley, I need to check Mr. Malfoy." When Fred began to release Draco, the blonde grasped Fred's shirt with one hand and shook his head. "Mr. Malfoy, if you're calm, I can attempt to fix your throat."

Draco kept his hand firmly in Fred's shirt and peeked one eye out to glare at the woman. If he couldn't say 'fuck off, I'm about to kill you' with his voice, he sure as hell could make it to where she understood his eyes.

"Draco, let her look at you," Fred's voice drifted down to his ear and Draco shook his head, glaring at the woman.

"Oh, for goodness sakes! Mr. Weasley, remove yourself from him before I do it for you!" Madam Pomfrey had been able to get away from George and had him tied down to a bed. "Mr. Malfoy, the probability of me being able to save your voice is already dwindling. If I don't fix it now, you will lose it for certain."

So his voice was already screwed. If that was the case he was not going to be staying and dealing with the mad woman who kept pointing her wand at him with no warning what's so ever. He'd rather have Sev do it than her, and he didn't want the man anywhere near him at the moment.

Draco held out his free hand and his wand went immediately into it without a sound. He pointed it at the woman, his whole body shaking even as he clung to Fred.

"Draco, take a deep breath for me. You need to calm down. She's going to heal your throat." The voice was soft and calm, one hand rubbing circles in Draco's back while the other was running up Draco's arm towards the wand. "Come on, you want to talk again, right?"

Slowly, the blonde nodded, but he refused to lower his wand.

"Blondie, you'll be fine. We won't let anything happen to you." George's voice came from one of the beds. Without a thought, Draco flicked his wrist and the wraps came off him. Draco didn't have to even look to double check that it worked. "So will you let Madam Pomfrey check your throat and heal it?" George's voice was calm as it came closer.

He bit his lip and hid in the crook of Fred's neck and blinked stupidly at the mole there. "Draco?" His voice was different too, not by much, but different. Fred spoke slower than his brother and his words were spoken more deliberately, even when he was excited.

There was a clicking sound. There was one dull thump and one loud clank and Draco felt Fred's arms go limp for a second before tightening.

"Draco? Will you let Madam Pomfrey check you, please?"

He didn't want to disappoint that voice, but he couldn't have the woman stand in front of him and point her wand at him. He couldn't. He wouldn't be able to stop his reactions. That's why he never went to the Hospital Ward. He was more likely to attack than give her an opportunity to heal him.

So Draco slowly shook his head.

"Even if I promise to keep ahold of you?"

Again Draco shook his head and he heard Fred sigh.

"Mr. Malfoy, I must -"

"Madam Pomfrey, give Fred and Draco another minute. Please."

"Draco, you'll be fine."

Draco shook his head, closing his eyes tightly hoping that Fred wouldn't force him. He wanted Sev to fix it. Well, he thought he wanted Sev to do it.

"Madam Pomfrey?" Fred asked and Draco tensed, pressing as close to Fred as possible and turning so he was as far away from the woman as possible. "How difficult is it to fix his throat?"

"It's not difficult at all, but-"

"Then I can do it." Draco jerked back, eyes wide. Fred wasn't looking at him, he was staring at the medi-witch. "Show me the wand movements."

"Mr. Weasley, while I admire -"

"Madam Pomfrey, Draco isn't going to let you near him with a ten foot pole. If saving his vocal cords is imperative, then show me the damn movements and tell me the blasted words before he loses his voice for good."

He couldn't help it, he was staring at Fred with a gobsmacked look on his face.

"It is simple," Madam Pomfrey's voice was clenched and tight, but at least she was telling Fred what to do. "You point your wand at the area that you want to focus on. It's the incantation that is vital. It has to be like your chanting. You'll only need to say it twice."

"I can chant. What are the words?"

"Vulnera Sanentur. The more you chant it, the more effect it'll have. Now, before you start, trying saying the words."

"Vulnerra Sanatur."

"No, Mr. Weasley. Say Vulnera."

"Vulnera."

"Sanentur."

"Sanentur."

"Good. Altogether. Vulnera Sanentur."

"Vulnera Sanentur."

"Very good. Now, chant it. Go on."

Fred began to murmur it over and over again until Madam Pomfrey nodded.

"Alright, Draco, you'll have to let go of me for this."

Draco shook his head. He backed up, but he did two things. One: he kept his wand firmly pointed at Madam Pomfrey and two: he kept one hand fisted in Fred's shirt.

"Ok, I can work with this. Draco, I have to point my wand at your throat. Do you trust me to do this?"

Pulling his lip between his teeth, Draco nodded and locked his eyes with Fred.

"I don't know how this'll feel, but keep still until I finish, yeah?" When Draco gave him one more nod, Fred pulled out his wand slowly and pointed it at Draco's neck. "Ok, here I go. Vulnera Sanentur. Vulnera Sanentur."

Just Fred's voice made Draco relax, and the warm sensation filling his neck helped. When Fred lowered his wand, the twin asked, "How do you feel, Blondie?"

Instead of answering, Draco released Fred and lowered his wand. He crouched down and picked up what had fallen earlier. When he stood again, he placed the necklace in Fred's hand and whispered, voice still sore, "Merry Christmas."

"About damn time!" George's voice had Draco turning his head slightly to the boy, a slight smile on his face, and he didn't really mind when Fred pulled him back in his arms.

Madam Pomfrey was furious. Oh, she was glad Draco had his voice back, but what the Weasley twins did was not standard procedure. Not only that, but Draco could have been harmed if Fred Weasley hadn't said the incantation correctly.

Of course she wasn't going to tell him that before he tried because that would have made him nervous and more likely to accidently mispronounce the words.

"While I am glad you have your voice, Mr. Malfoy, I am afraid a detention is in order for both of you Mr. Weasleys."

"What?! What did we do?!" They asked at the same time, even though Fred wasn't letting go of Draco. Draco seemed to tense up and tried to pull away, but Fred kept him locked in place.

"You, George, manhandled me before I could help my patient and I had to detain you. You, Fred, handled a procedure that could have harmed Mr. Malfoy if you did anything wrong or if he didn't stay still!"

"You didn't say that!" Fred exclaimed, tightening his arms around the blonde.

"Release me."

"Nope, gonna hold on longer 'cause you actually came here first."

Draco tried to move around, but Fred just scoffed even when the blonde said, "If you have time to joke around, you will release me."

"No can do."

Madam Pomfrey rolled her eyes at the students, her hands going to her hips. They were just going to pretend she wasn't there? "Mr. Malfoy, I need to check to see if there is anything else the matter with you."

"Nothing is the matter with me," he snapped, finally able to pull away from Fred and stepping down off the bed. He swished his wand at his robes and they became perfectly clean. "I am in perfect health. The only matter was with my voice."

"Even still, I need to -"

"Madam Pomfrey," Draco narrowed his eyes at her. "I have a private physician my family goes to if needed. He goes wherever we need him to go. I have no need for your services at this moment, but you have my gratitude for teaching Fred the healing spell to fix my throat." He started to walk towards the door, but he paused. "You have heard of doctor patient confidentiality, have you not?"

"Of course I have. However, that holds no merit if I haven't actually doctored you."

Draco cocked his head to the side, a small smirk on his lips. "Of course you have. The first two days while I was unconscious. And I am technically your patient until I walk out of this room."

"Aptly put, Mr. Malfoy. However, seeing as you have yet to leave the room," she waved her wand and some spells moved into place to lock the doors, "you are indeed still my patient. I have some questions for you."

"I'm sure you do, though you will not be pleased with the answer I deem to give you."

Fred jumped off the bed and he and his brother happily moved over to Draco. Fred went behind the blonde and placed his chin on Draco's head, and the other merely stood beside the two.

"What caused your injuries?"

"A little mishap with Professor Snape."

"Would you care to elaborate?"

"No."

"Mr. Malfoy."

"Yes, Madam Pomfrey?"

"Will you answer these questions seriously?"

"I am."

She sighed. "Your throat could only be damaged the way it was if it was from constant screaming. Screaming that lasted minutes. I must see the other damages that could have happened in your 'little mishap with Professor Snape'."

When Draco opened his mouth to argue, Fred gently prodded him in the side with a finger. "Shh, Blondie. What exactly are you going to do, Madam Pomfrey?"

"Just a quick scan to see if there are any obvious problems. If there are, I will rectify it quickly."

Draco shook his head, "There is nothing wrong with me."

"Blondie, stop being difficult for once," George sighed, poking the blonde's side with his brother. "Let her do this and you can leave quicker."

Draco frowned and leaned backwards and whispered something. Fred's eyes narrowed, but then he shook his head and muttered something back. Looking somewhat appeased, Draco glared at Madam Pomfrey. "You have three minutes."

Finally he was out of that blasted Hospital Wing. He didn't have to deal with infuriating women. He didn't have to answer stupid questions. He didn't have to worry about embarrassing himself more than he had.

Draco was storming down the hallway, a scowl firmly in place. People were staring at him. He shot a scowl over his shoulder at the twins who were following him. "Why are you following me?"

"Cause we can." The two grinned at him.

Instead of drawing his wand on the two, he sneered at them and kept storming up the steps. Students who saw him quickly pressed up against the wall. Fred and George were chuckling under their breaths and waving to students. They didn't even have the decency to look threatened when Draco did turn around with his wand pointed at them both.

"Whoa there, Malfoy! That's my brother you're pointing your wand at." Ginny was racing down the stairs with her own wand drawn, a scowl morphing her features. "Might want to rethink what you're doing."

Draco snarled and whipped around to face her, but the Golden Trio were right behind her. Too irritated to argue with anyone, Draco turned on his heel and entered a hallway with less students and had a secret passage that would lead him kinda sorta to the Come and Go Room.

When it was just him and the twins in the passage - Ginny only leaving when the hellions told her to stop worrying - Draco placed his disillusionment spell on and quickly walked to the room. He ignored Barnabas' greeting as usual and entered through the door as soon as he was able. When it opened again and the twins were standing there, Draco exploded, "What were you two thinking?! Following me around is not helping me!"

"Sure it is, Blondie," George leaned against the wall, as far away from Draco as he could get. "we're making sure you don't harm yourself and we're ending this crap you started for 'house unity' and throwing you in the middle of it."

"I have no need to be in the middle of it. I have no desire to be sentimental with Gryffindors or have relationships with them."

"That ship has sailed, Blondie," Fred grinned and unabashedly walked forward. "You have a relationship with Georgie and I - you can't say you haven't because you can tell the difference between us, no problem - and you're... talking to the three kiddies."

Draco placed his hands on his hips, "That isn't the concern! What is -" Draco paused as something clicked. "You two did it."

The hellions blinked, confusion etched on their faces. "We did what, exactly?"

"You two brought me to the hospital ward even though I warned you not to!"

George's hands flew into the air and pointed at Fred, "I didn't do it! I warned Freddie and he insisted!"

Draco turned on Fred, his wand slipping into his hand. "You could have ruined everything for me."

Fred sighed, keeping his hands to his side. "I did what was needed. If I hadn't, you wouldn't have your voice, or worse. You needed to go to the blasted Hospital Wing, so I took you there. Anyone we saw, saw you were half-dead and they didn't stop to question us."

"Yeah, we may be pranksters, Blondie, but we wouldn't leave anyone out to die."

When Draco's attention moved to George, the twin slapped a hand to his mouth and continued to point at Fred.

"Thanks, Georgie." Fred rolled his eyes before continuing. "We've already told people we have to follow you around because we were the ones who found you and know what happened. Snape was the one who ordered it, and you know no one goes against him except McGonagall and Dumbledore. They didn't put up much of a fight, though."

"So it's all explained?" Draco marginally lowered his wand, still glaring at Fred. "Nothing about my cover is blown?"

"People go to the Hospital Wing all the time, Blondie. No one's going to think that you're a spy just because you had to go to there or because we found you and took you there ourselves."

Before Draco could utter anything else, the door was flung open. The boy leveled his wand there, even though he knew who had to enter because they were the only ones who would have been able to see the door: the Golden Trio.

Hermione had a small frown in place, Harry looked like he was swallowing a lemon, and Ron looked thoughtful - something that Draco didn't see very often.

"What do you want?"

Ron nudged Harry forward, who took in a large breath. "Alright, Malfoy. You said you could help me, so help me."

A/N Sorry for the delay. I haven't been in a writing mood. Kinda in a funk. I know what I want to write, and it just ends up like blah. Besides that, I finished chapter 39 - which is the longest chapter to date, anyway. YAY! So, I hope you guys liked this chapter. :)