Thank you to the wonderful beta of this story, AmbiguousGoldfish

Chapter Ten - Upside and Downside

"NOW!" Harry yelled before jumping off the dragon and plummeting feet first into the cold lake; the drop was greater than he had estimated as he hit the water hard, plunging like a stone into a freezing, green, reed-filled world, feeling the salt water sting as it covered his wounds that racked his body. Harry kicked and fought his way to the surface and emerged, panting, to see enormous ripples emanating in circles from the places Hermione, Ron and Draco had fallen.

Harry let out a big sigh of relief when he saw all three of them emerge, taking in a big gulp of air

Harry, Ron, Draco and Hermione struck out for the opposite shore. Thankfully the lake did not seem to be deep but it was more a question of fighting their way through reeds and mud than swimming, and at last they flopped, sodden, panting, and exhausted, onto slippery grass.

Hermione collapsed along with Ron and Draco, coughing and shuddering but Harry could have lain down and slept for a week. He staggered to his feet, drew out his wand and started casting the usual protective spells around the area.

"I can't believe we just did that," Draco spoke, his teeth chattering as Hermione handed him a new set of clean, dry clothes that she brought from Shell Cottage along with a bottle of dittany.

"There's no where to change?" Draco said as he looked around to see wide open spaces.

"You shy?" Ron asked, already unzipping his pants and sliding them off as Hermione handed him his clothes.

Once Harry was finished setting up the charms he joined the others, it was the first time he had been able to take a good look at them. All three had angry red burns all over their faces and arms.

Harry wasted no time in stripping the dress off and picking up the clothes that Hermione placed on the ground for him. Hermione had wrapped a blanket around herself and started to wiggle as she took her clothes off to replace them with the dry ones.

Draco couldn't help but to blush madly at what was happening. He averted his eyes and to his shock, he realised it wasn't because of Hermione, it was because of Harry. Once Harry took off the dress Draco got a good look at his muscles and he couldn't help the burning feeling that turned his cheeks to a bright red.

"I...I think I'll pass," Draco stuttered.

"If you don't change you are going to catch a cold and we can't afford you getting sick," Hermione said, taking off the blanket once she had finished changing her shirt and started to undo her belt.

Draco blushed even harder as he pulled his arms into the sleeves and slipped the shirt off before quickly putting on one of Ron's old shirts that Hermione brought for him.

"Hands," Hermione called once she finished changing, holding the bottle of dittany.

Both Harry and Ron held out their hands as Hermione took the eyedropper over them, squirting the potion into their hands. Both Harry and Ron rubbed their hands together before running their hands over their arms and faces, making sure to get the potion everywhere, feeling it sting as it healed the burns.

"Your turn," Hermione said, walking over to Draco who was in the middle of putting on a pair of pants.

"Can you...wait?" Draco said as he fought with the leg of the pants to accept him. .

Both Ron and Harry laughed at the effort.

"You need to get used to changing in front of her," Ron said as Harry pulled the cup out of the dress.

"Well, on the upside," said Ron as Hermione used the dittany on Draco, "we got the Horcrux. On the downside — "

"Downside?" Draco asked as he rubbed the potion on the burns that littered his face.

"What if You-Know-Who…" But before Ron could finish his thought Harry let out a scream, dropping the cup as he collapsed to the ground, his body twitching.

"What...What's happening?" Draco asked in panic, watching as Hermione quickly got down on her knees.

"It's him," Hermione spoke softly. "This happens sometimes, we don't have a choice but to wait for it to pass."

"Is...is he in pain?" Draco asked, concern colouring his face as he took a step closer, retrieving the cup that lay on the ground.

"We don't know," Ron spoke just as Harry eyes closed, his body going limp as his breathing evened out.

"Can you two set up the tent? We should get Harry settled for the night."

"What tent?" Draco asked as Ron grabbed Hermione's bag and started to dig through it.

Ron glanced at Draco and gestured to the cup he had picked up. "Put that in here so we don't lose it," he told the blonde. Draco handed it over, feeling a surge of relief flood his body as the cup left his possession. Ron gingerly placed the cup into the bag, careful to place it away from the area in which he was searching. After a few seconds he pulled out an old worn down tent.

"Come on. I'll show you how to set it up," Ron said leaving Hermione with Harry.