Hello everyone! I know it has been a while since I have last posted, and for that I apologize, but there have been some events that have rendered me busy. As you all know the Christmas season is busy to begin with. Try having your birthday six days after Christmas (New Years Eve) as well. Also add in working a lot, and the possible kidney infection and you have yourself a fun, busy couple of weeks! Yeah, the whole kidney infection thing, definitely not fun. Today is my last day of taking anti-biotics for it. Yay! And lucky for both you and I my work schedule has now slowed down and less hours. Which makes me a happy person as well as you, because I can work on my stories and put them up faster! Huzzah! I have finally started re-working on the sequel for this folks. Yes, there will be a sequel. Did you honestly think I could write only one story about this situation? If you thought yes, you don't know me. To make up for my absence this one is longer, I might try and crank another out before work today, we'll just have to see. So without further delaying here is the chapter! I do not own Harry Potter.
The soft creaking of a door sounded behind them. Narcissa looked on in horror and screamed loudly. She rushed over to her son lying on the floor in a pool of his own blood. Narcissa gently cradled his head in her arms and grabbed out her wand. She looked up sharply at her husband. "What have you done?!" She kissed in a whisper. Her voice sounded like venom, seeping into Lucius' very being. She stood and smacked him hard across the face with tears streaming down her face. With a flick of her wand Draco's body lifted off the ground and hovered about five feet in the air. He began to quickly float out of the room and down the hall. Narcissa rushed after him. Draco was brought to his bed while Narcissa pressed on his wounds to stop the bleeding. Once he was stable Narcissa took it upon herself to apparate both her and Draco to the outside perimeters of Hogwarts. She rushed Draco inside and brought him to the hospital wing.
Madam Pomfrey took one look at him and gasped. "What happened to him??"
Narcissa still had tears running down her cheeks as she barely choked out. "His father."
"Oh dear, the poor thing."
"Where is Severus?" She asked abruptly.
Madam Pomfrey looked at her. "Excuse me?"
"Where is Severus?!" Narcissa demanded in a shrill voice.
"Dumbledore requested that he spend the holidays at his home."
She nodded curtly and headed over to Draco's bedside. "Please my baby, stay safe." She kissed his brow softly and exited the room, intent on finding Snape.
As Draco looked at the wound in his side he knew he could just tell Lucius why he liked having Jess around. But he knew that, that would end up risking her well being. As his father's assault stopped Draco felt a great weight lift off of him. The Cruciatus curse gave the one subjected to it a sense of being compressed tightly. He was finally able to breathe but at the same time he was getting woozy.
He thought back to earlier in the day before Voldemort had come over, back when he was in the Leaky Cauldron. He was thinking about the gift he had gotten her and how he wanted to tell her it was from him, but he knew he couldn't. It was that luck had it that, that very same say Jess had walked in while Draco was there. He felt his heart skip a beat as he suddenly became nervous. What if she didn't like it, he had thought. There was only one way to find out though, by giving it to her. Draco discretely went over to her and knocked her over, taking that one moment to stash the necklace in her purse.
When she had told him that is was her birthday today, Draco found it ironic that Voldemort, the darkest wizard ever, shared her birthday. They were completely different. Voldemort was cold and cruel, is possible he was worse than Draco's father. For he even brought Lucius to fear. Voldemort was a tyrant that would kill as many people as he needed to get his way, without a second thought. Jess on the other hand was warm and kind. Her very being was beautiful inside and out. Her laugh was infectious and her smile melted hearts. Jess was a princess, sweet and gorgeous, helping out anyone she could, even if it might hurt her in the long run. It was this and more that made Draco realize that he liked her. Liked her? No, he loved her.
Draco couldn't deny it any longer. He loved her and he knew it. Everything about her he loved. From her looks, to her charming personality, to the way she walked, the way she talked. Form the top of her head to the tip of her toes he loved her. Draco also realized that not only did he want her, but he needed her. He needed her to be there for him. To comfort him and to help him through what he now had to do. Draco never asked anything from anyone, but now there was one thing he asked for, and that was Jess' love.
Narcissa ran down the length of a paved road in the dead of night. Her cloak rustled softly behind her as she quickly ran besides the dirty and dingy river in the very slums of London. Most of the buildings were missing windows or doors. Or the buildings had had boarded up, but she paid no attention to them as she continued running.
A faint pop sounded and another woman chased after her. "Narcissa! Cissy, you can't do this!" She yelled as she ran after her.
"I have made my choice Bella, and I'm sticking to it!" Narcissa replied while still running.
The woman named Bella caught up to her and grabbed her arm. "You can't tell anyone. We were told not to tell anyone about what the Dark Lord had planned."
Narcissa broke free of her and continued running. "But I must guarantee my son's safety! You don't understand Bella, he's my only son."
"And he will not fail, which is why you shouldn't worry!" Bella yelled while continuing her chase.
"Then how do you explain tonight? Look what happened to my son!"
"Cissy, you're over reacting. Those are just a few cuts and bruises, nothing that couldn't be fixed quickly."
Narcissa's head snapped back as she continued running. "Over reacting?! My son had a gaping wound in his side from a dagger. Draco's head was spilt open above his eye. Bella, Lucius almost killed our own son!" She cried out in anguish, almost stopping and collapsing to her knees. But she pressed on, she had to get to Snape.
"Are you sure this is the right thing to do?" Bella asked with doubt evident in her voice.
"It is the only thing I can do for Draco." The pair soon arrived at an old worn down house and Narcissa knocked on the door. Bella cursed, trying to convince her that they should turn back.
"Cissy please, listen to your sister. Lets go back."
"No!" Narcissa barked as the door opened.
Snape looked at the pair in shock, as Narcissa's hood had fallen down and let him see her face. "Narcissa!" He opened the door wider to see her sister Bellatrix Lestrange.
"Severus, I need to speak with you." She replied urgently.
"But of course." He led the pair in and offered them drinks. Bellatrix took her sweet time drilling Snape as to where his allegiance aligned. "To the Dark Lord." He proposed as a toast and the sisters clinked their glasses against his. Narcissa bean telling Snape what had happened to Draco and where he was right now. Lastly, she mentioned the task that was burdened onto him.
"Draco should be proud and carry it as a great honor. And he has accepted it. Narcissa that should be enough proof to you that he wishes to do his masters will." Bellatrix urged her, not budging an inch in sympathy.
Narcissa begged Snape to somehow convince Voldemort that he didn't need Draco to do the task for him. That Draco was far too young. After all, he was only sixteen. He wasn't of proper legal age to do magic outside of school. What made Voldemort think he would succeed if he couldn't even do magic outside of Hogwarts, though try as she might Snape did not budge. Narcissa collapsed into a fit of tears that made Snape steady her and hand her more wine.
He pondered for a moment, thinking of what he could possibly do to ease Narcissa's pain and at the same time help Draco with his task. It took him a few moments before he was able to think of something. "There is one thing I can do to help Draco."
Narcissa perked up and looked over at Snape. Relief flashed over her worrisome face. "What is it Severus, what is it you can do?"
"An unbreakable vow."
Narcissa nodded, "would you swear to protect him Severus? Would you make the unbreakable vow?" She asked while grabbing both of his hands in hers.
Bellatrix laughed out of distrust in Snape. "Oh sure he'll try and protect Draco. If its convenient for him at the time that is! Don't trust him Narcissa. I still say he's waffling in loyalties." Bellatrix looked from her sister over to Snape, distrust as well as distaste in her eyes.
Narcissa didn't pay any attention to her sister. She was desperate. "Please Severus? Will you make the unbreakable vow? Draco is my only son. I can't have him unprotected while he has this task. If something were to happen to him, it would be the death of me." She looked up pitifully at Snape, as though her life was in the balance and was hanging on whatever answer he gave her.
Snape took one second to think it over. He looked back at Narcissa in her pitiful state. He did not give Bellatrix one glance that wasn't absolutely needed. "Yes Narcissa, I will make the unbreakable vow. Perhaps Bellatrix would consent to be our bonder."
Bellatrix had been laughing a few seconds prior. Her mouth then hung open in shock as Snape leaned down opposite of Narcissa and grasped her right hand. He looked up at Bellatrix reluctantly. "You'll need your wand for this."
Bellatrix growled slightly. She was still shocked that Snape agreed to her sister's plea. She stepped closer to them and grabbed out her wand. She was instructed to come closer to them by Snape. Bellatrix walked closer until she stood over them and placed the tip of her wand on their linked hands.
Narcissa opened her mouth to speak. "Will you, Severus, watch over my son Draco, as he attempts to fulfill the Dark Lord's wishes?"
"I will." Snape said in reply.
A thin flicker of flame came out form Bellatrix's wand and wound its way around Snape and Narcissa's linked hand like a hot wire. "And will you to the best of your ability protect him from harm?"
"I will." A second flicker of flame did the same thing but interlinked with the first, which made a glowing chain.
"And should you prove necessary, if it seems Draco will fail… Will you carry out the deed that the Dark Lord has ordered Draco to perform?"
After a moments silence Snape answered. "I will." A last flicker wound around the previously two existing flames around their clasped hands. It looked like a thick rope that was made out of fire.
Once the task was done the two parted and unclasped hands. Bellatrix was still in shock as Snape issued them to the door. You could tell on Narcissa's face that she was semi-less worried. Yet a mother could never truly stop worrying about her son. Narcissa thought of Draco laying there in the hospital wing all alone. It broke her heart that she could not be there with him. The house elves were to bring Draco's trunk as well as anything else he needed to Hogwarts for her. Instead she was to go home and deal with the man she called her husband, just after he had almost killed their one and only son. She had no idea what had provoked that incident. Surely Draco couldn't have done something that severe to get such a rise out of him. Whatever it was she would not be able to figure it out now. She just prayed that the unbreakable vow would really keep Draco safe. She could not lose him at any costs. Draco meant the world to her, which was the same way Draco felt about someone else.
Draco spent the rest of his holiday vacation in the hospital wing. He didn't even wake up until a full day after he had been brought there by his mother. A day of the New Year had already passed by the time Draco opened his eyelids the morning of January seconds. He looked up to a white ceiling and groaned. Draco knew that ceiling oh to well. After a long struggle Draco tried to sit up in bed. Just as he was accomplishing the task he felt a searing pain go up his side and made him crumple back in bed.
Madam Pomfrey had rushed over as soon as she saw movement from the corner of her eye. "You won't be able to do that for a little while yet."
"How long have I been here?" He asked, avoiding eye contact.
"You were brought here two nights ago by your mother. You had both of us scared to death! What happened?"
Realizing that he couldn't keep ignoring her, Draco caved in and looked up at her. "I'd prefer not to go into it. The only thing you need to know is that I'm here."
"But how did you get that wound in your side?"
"I'm not discussing that with you or anyone else. Now when can I get out of here?"
"I don't expect if will be soon. You have a lot of recovering to do."
"What do you mean it won't be soon?! I have a reputation to keep intact. I have to be out of here by the time everyone else gets back." Draco replied rather impatiently. She just didn't understand did she? It anyone found him in here they'd find out that he was weak. That Draco Malfoy wasn't as tough as they thought he was.
"Well they come back on Sunday night, and today is Friday. If you do as I say I might be able to get you out of here on Sunday afternoon."
"Not maybe, have to. What can I do?"
Madam Pomfrey sighed. Boys could be so difficult sometimes. She walked away for a moment and returned with a breakfast tray. "Eat and don't try to sit up again. You're going to need all of your strength."
Draco simply nodded and began eating his food. As he ate Draco noticed something, he couldn't feel that much pain. Only when he tried to move could he feel it. Madam Pomfrey had probably given him a potion that numbed most of the pain. He had a feeling that he'd feel it soon enough. Once he finished breakfast Draco laid his head on his pillow, suddenly feeling exhausted. He figured his pumpkin juice was spiked with a sleeping draught. His eyelids grew heavy and before Draco knew what hit him, he was fast asleep.
Late Sunday morning Draco woke up. As he sat up he felt every possible muscle in his body ache and tremble. The sharp pain in his side was still there, acting as though it was still freshly open. His head throbbed as well from the restless and pain ridden night he had endured. Sure enough the numbing potion had rendered itself useless about mid afternoon Saturday. The gash in his forehead still twinged distastefully as if Draco needed a reminder it was there. He looked around the room for Madam Pomfrey, hoping beyond hope he could go.
The medi-wtich bustled in and went over to Draco. "I still think you need to stay here a few days more."
"That won't do. I have to get out of here today before everyone gets here." Draco stood his ground.
After a few moments she caved in. "Alright, but under a few terms."
"Alright." Draco was never one to accept terms without hearing them, but he knew better than to continue pushing his limits with Madam Pomfrey.
"Absolutely no Quidditch this entire week." She started off.
"No problem."
"No straining yourself and no all nighters. You need plenty of rest. And no picking fights, though you should never do that in the first place."
"Alright, anything else?"
"Yes as a matter of fact." She left the room and returned a few minutes later with two small bottles. "You'll need to take these. Just one spoonful once a day before you go to bed."
"Is there even enough in these to do that for a week?"
"You won't need to worry about it today since I'll have you take them now before you leave. I want you to some here Friday afternoon so I can see how the progress is going. One of these it to help with the pain, and the other will make sure the wounds won't break open any time. Now" she produced two small cups. "Drink these and then see if you can stand."
He reluctantly downed the liquids. A warm sensation ran through his body as he could feel both liquids run down his throat. Draco then slowly swung his legs over the side of the bed. He sat there for a moment, hoping that the potions would start to take effect. Gingerly Draco placed one foot on the ground. After a couple seconds he did the same with his other foot. He took a deep breath before pushing himself onto his feet. Every single muscle and joint in Draco's body ached in protest. He gritted his teeth to suppress the yell he wished to let out.
Madam Pomfrey watched him closely. "Are you sure you want to do this?"
"I don't have much choice in the matter, I have to leave." He responded while slowly taking baby steps around the bed. With each footfall a new pain would rise up and try to make Draco surrender and crawl back in bed. Draco walked back around the bed and over to Madam Pomfrey who was holding the two containers he was supposed to take. "Now may I go? I've proven that I can walk."
"Every bit of me is regretting that I even gave you an option, but yes you may go."
Draco smirked and slowly made his way out of the hospital wing. His journey back to his room took three times as long as it normally did, which made sense between his walking speed which was no better than half of what it normally was and the few moments he had to lean against the wall and catch his breath. Once he reached the common room he began to long and agonizing task of climbing up the stairs up to his room. After what seemed like ages he opened the door to his room. To his pleasure, Draco noticed all of his belongings were there. He tucked the potions away so that Crabbe and Goyle wouldn't ask about them. Draco then made his way over to his welcoming bed. The instant he laid down Draco felt his eyelids droop. He had no idea that, that walk would exhaust him. How he was going to handle tomorrow he had no idea. With walking all over the large castle, Draco wished that he knew how to apparate and that people could apparate in Hogwarts. He felt his eyes close themselves as he drifted off into sleep.
The rest of the students arrived around dinner that night. Jess was glad to be back with all of her friends and back to the magical world she loved. Looking around the Great Hall she saw no sign of the vibrant haired Slytherin. That's funny; I didn't see him on the train either. Probably just didn't want to deal with Crabbe and Goyle, Jess mused to herself while putting food on her plate.
The night progressed with little action. Ron had come over and as if nothing happened, started talking to all three of them again, even Hermione. Jess shook her head and focused on her dinner. Harry's mind was else ware. Spending Christmas with the Weasley's had been the dose of fun he needed. Though he had missed Jess, he didn't as much as he thought he would, having Ginny there. He looked over at the redheaded girl sitting beside her boyfriend Dean Thomas. Now more than ever, the pairing of those two seemed just wrong. Why he thought that, Harry didn't know. He merely shrugged it off as Ron began talking.
About fifteen minutes later Jess rose from her seat. "I'm going to turn in early tonight. I'll see you guys tomorrow morning." She gave Harry a half hearted kiss on the cheek and left. Sighing softly, Jess ran a hand through her hair while walking. Something was off between her and Harry and she knew what it was. It was sad to say that early on in their relationship, Jess had seen it coming. Harry and Ginny were like Ron and Hermione. Ginny was only hiding her still strong feelings for Harry by dating someone else. And to Jess, the same thing was happening with Harry. After he got over Cho, Jess knew that those feelings would develop. She was just the next thing after Ginny, since after all Jess had been single. But Harry was so sincere and he really did care for Jess, and she knew it. "But just as a friend." Jess whispered to herself as she was now aimlessly wandering the halls of the school, not knowing what she was looking for. But subconsciously she did. After five minutes of silence and walking, Jess halted at the top of a staircase. Looking down it she knew where it led, the dungeon. That's where she had Potions class, with Draco. Draco? What does he have to do with this? She pondered while looking down the staircase. A small voice broke out from her subconscious and said everything. Jess looked around, immobile, frozen in her spot. Everything? She pushed her legs to move and unstuck her from her spot. "I need sleep more than I thought." Jess whispered to herself as she headed in the direction of her common room. Her mind was racing as to why when she was upset she looked for Malfoy. He's only make it worse, she told herself. That's all he ever does. Its his purpose in life to mess with people's heads and hurt their feelings. The journey to the Gryffindor common room seemed to take forever. By the time Jess climbed up the steps to the girl's dormitory's they felt like lead weights, weighing her down. She quickly grabbed a shower and then slipped into her pajamas. After all school was in the morning and she needed her sleep. But it didn't come easy. Her mind recycled thoughts of Harry and Draco over and over again until she was so mentally exhausted she nearly passed out and fell asleep.
You can tell something is going to happen, and soon can't you? I know you all are anticipating that moment. And of course, did you think Draco wouldn't be alright? Pssh, I love Draco to much to kill him. Unless its him dieing peacefully at the age of 103 or something. Anyways, the more reviews I see, the faster I will update! Lets try and get to 500 folks! We are almost there! Never thought I'd say that but its true! We should have some random party of something to celebrate! Dorky Harry Potter parties are my speciality, you should have been at my birthday if you ever wanted to attend one. hahahaha Anyways, Happy New Year! Since I forgot to say so, and please read and review!
