oOo

Draco's body was finally still, too still for Veronica's liking.

Peeking around the doorframe into to the Hospital Wing was the only place Veronica stayed for the next few hours, not taking her eyes off of the pale boy laying helpless, wrapped tightly in the thin and crisp sheets.

As the news spread around the school that Draco has been badly hurt, more and more people started walking past and going inside.

She didn't mind her classmates seeing her linger outside of the Hospital Wing, they all basically ignored her anyway.

If she wasn't so worried about Draco and conflicted over what she had just witnessed, Veronica may have been annoyed by the number of people who have never even spoken to the boy, but were now crowding around or slowly walking past just to get a glimpse at his frail body.

Everyone seemed to have turned up at least once. Everyone except the Slytherins who liked to call themselves Draco's closest friends.

The one thing that finally drew her from her thoughts, reminding her of where she was and why she really shouldn't be here was the cruel demanding voice pushing through the corridor.

Fear flooded through her as the tall and daunting figures of Lucius and Narcissa Malfoy appeared, marching purposefully to the wooden doors she so happened to be standing right next to.

They soared passed her, not even moving their piercing gaze from Madame Pomfrey, who also heard them approach and is now waiting for them by Draco's bedside.

The medi-witch, shooed everyone away from the doorway, as she has done a few times already in the past few hours, except this time she shut the doors behind her, blocking people's view of the Malfoy family.

With their source of entertainment now hidden away, the crowd slowly filtered away, probably already bored and looking for the next piece of hot gossip.

But not Veronica.

The Hufflepuff sighed deeply, realising she may not be able to put her head to rest tonight, so sunk to the floor. Cross-legged and leaning against the cold stone walls.

She still couldn't understand what had happened. The image of Harry casting such a dangerous spell, the boy who held her so gently just the night before.

Despite her conflicting thoughts, she couldn't stop her cheeks from flushing bright as she remembered the way she felt after hearing her boyfriend say he loves her and taking their relationship to the next step.

It's all the more heartbreaking that such a perfect night can be ruined in just a few hours, leaving her alone and cold in an empty corridor.

Alone until the sound of footsteps echoed strongly, making her glance up as she makes eye contact with a furious-looking Professor Snape, the man looking even scarier from her view bunched up on the floor.

The man barely acknowledged her presence, walking straight passed her and opening the doors to the Hospital Wing without knocking.

"Severus, finally!" she heard, the voice of the Head of the Malfoy Household rumble out of the room, sending shivers through her as she shrunk even more into herself at the angry tone.

The Potion's Master storms into the room, his cape dramatically flared out as he walked forwards, his entrance seemingly very elegant. Except for the fact he left the doors open behind him, allowing any sound to be heard from the vacant corridor.

"Mr and Mrs Malfoy, I'm here to inform you of how this situation has come to be," he speaks perfectly, almost as if it was rehearsed beforehand.

"Well, we're all ears. What happened to my son?!" The strong demand from Draco's mother is a sharp difference from the timid image she usually portrays.

The tense silence that followed was peculiar, to say the least.

Veronica, who was now pressed against the wall in the hopes that she was as close as possible without being seen, was curious as to why Snape had stopped speaking.

"For Merlin's sake, Severus! I haven't got all day, just say it!" Lucius Malfoy basically ordered.

Finally, Snape started, "It would seem Draco and Mr Potter were having a... disagreement when Mr Potter decided to use an unregistered and hereby forbidden spell on Draco."

A gasp and a sob that was obviously from Draco's mother stopped Snape briefly in his explanation but he carried on regardless, "luckily I turned up in time or you would be receiving much more ... disastrous news."

She could hear someone pacing up and down by this point, but still couldn't look in, fearing she would get caught.

"And what of, Potter?" Lucius asked, sounding as if he is physically holding back his disdain for Harry as he spits out the words.

"I was willing to give him a most severe punishment, but as always it would seem the Headmaster had ... other ideas," matching scoffs filled the room, "I have, for now, given Mr Potter detention every Saturday for the rest of the year."

That seems to be the breaking point for Narcissa who furiously exclaims "that's it?! Detention! Draco is seriously injured! He could've di-" she sobs and can't finish the rest of her sentence.

An awkward yet seemingly angry silence fills the room once again as the recipients of the news come to terms with what they have been told.

Professor Snape speaks up once again, "Madame Pomfrey, perhaps it would be best if we took a walk. To leave the Malfoy family alone for a little while." The woman agrees and they leave the room, turning the opposite direction to Veronica, so not noticing her presence.

"Enough is enough, boy. Wake up!" She hears the change in Lucius' tone from held back to extremely sour.

A thump soon followed his shout, sounding like something hitting the bed and soon enough a familiar mumble was heard as Draco is shaken awake.

"Hm? Wha- Father?!"

Veronica's heart breaks as she hears the difference between Draco's confused mumbles and his nervous greeting as she hears the sheets rustle quickly as if he was trying to sit up and straighten them out.

"Wh- What are you doing here?"

"Don't bother. I hope you know how disappointed we are in you, again!" Veronica is shocked at how thick Draco's father is laying it on.

"Father! I - I tried I - " Draco can't even finish his sentence before he's interrupted.

"Clearly not Draco. You let Potter knock you down. POTTER!" It sounds like Lucius is spitting at this point and Veronica can almost hear the Slytherin shaking in fear.

"He took me off guard - I wasn't prepared!" The poor boy is no match for the fury of his father and after just waking up after suffering a major blood loss and trauma his voice is weak.

"Do you not understand you need to be prepared at all times?! Has your aunt not taught you anything whilst I've been away?"

"Lucius!" Finally, Narcissa steps in, but instead of taking Draco's side, she is trying to guilt-trip her own son. "Listen, Draco. Your father and I need you to stay strong. You are the only one that can get our family back where we should be."

Draco must reply silently as she softly carries on, her condescending tone making Veronica scrunch her face up in disgust.

"Then you must understand that you can't be showing these weaknesses. Your father is right, Bellatrix taught you so much this summer. Why aren't you focusing on that?"

The young blond tries to argue once more, but he is quieter than ever now "I did - I almost managed to use the Cruciatus before he - "

"ALMOST, Draco! Almost isn't good enough! And now look where we are. You need to be faster and stronger than all of the filth at this school!"

Draco sighs softly, exhaustion finally peeking through "Yes father."

But Veronica doesn't stay to hear the end of that conversation, in fact as soon as she hears that bombshell, she takes off back to her common room.

oOo

A/N: I know its been way too long! I apologise but I'm trying to focus on University and exams are so HARD! :(

Also, I know Lucius isn't supposed to be out of Azkaban yet but let's just say he is? :/ its plot convenience and all that.