Spring was coming, and Draco and I both hated it.
Sunny, warm days made me uncomfortable. I much preferred the cold weather, which made everything misty and white. The awkward seasonal change between winter and spring was rather hideous- the castle grounds were riddled with mud puddles, and the weather oscillated nauseatingly between sunny and cloudy. Additionally, Draco and I fell in love in the winter. I found comfort in it.
Draco hated the spring because it meant his time was running out. Each day the weather grew warmer felt to him like we were creeping closer and closer to the fiery gates of Hell.
Now that winter had come to an end, Draco's vicious love for me had now escalated into a full-blown obsession.
Draco informed me that when Blaise confronted him with how he thought I was making him "soft", he had been so blinded by rage that he completely forgot his wand and lunged at him like an animal. "I couldn't let him speak of you that way," Draco said to me when I checked on him. "I don't care that he was drugged with truth serum."
"But you will speak to him again, won't you?" I asked hopefully, after explaining that it was all a scheme Pansy had arranged to drive us apart.
"Not in a million years."
"But Blaise is your friend-"
"Anyone who speaks ill of you is no friend of mine," Draco replied, looking sour, but his eyes speaking of sadness, "I only need you."
After hearing Draco say that, I decided not to tell him that Snape had offered to transfer me to Ilvermorny. If Draco knew I was thinking of leaving, it would destroy him. After all, he had become almost entirely dependent on me.
Draco began fetching me from the Hospital Wing when he needed my companionship in the Room of Requirement, where we-or rather, he- would frantically make love. He was careful not to scare me again after he choked me in the women's restroom, but he would do other things; restraining my hands, gripping my hair, tracing his teeth along the sensitive parts of my flesh. I learned that he liked it when I whimpered a little. It turned him on when I looked a little scared- but not too scared to where I'd ask to stop. Not that I would ever tell him to stop, anyway.
I realized that sex was something I could do that always made Draco feel better. No drug I gave him had the same effect. So I let him be rough with me, and get out his discontent and aggression in the form of passionate, biting sex. I didn't even say anything when he left the taste of cigarette ashes in my mouth.
I enjoyed it most of the time. But other times, I felt like I was watching myself from behind a screen. This didn't bother me, because I reminded myself that this was what Draco needed, and that I was keeping him from falling apart. It was my own sort of healing magic, and my cunt was the medicine.
He needed me at least once a day.
Draco began to disrupt my schedule in the Hospital Wing. To make up for the lost time I spent tending to him, I would return to assist Madam Pomfrey until curfew. This ended up working out, because that meant Madam Pomfrey could go off to have dinner while I monitored patients while sitting on an ice pack to alleviate my soreness. I spent most of April being sore.
It was a sunny Saturday morning when Ron Weasley returned to the Hospital Wing with a Quidditch injury.
"What happened?" Madam Pomfrey asked with disappointment. "You boys can never stay out of the Hospital Wing for longer than a few weeks, can you…"
Harry Potter was at Ron's side, who was limping as Madam Pomfrey eased him into a bed. They were both still dressed in their Quidditch uniforms. "Miscommunication during practice," Harry muttered, saying something about Cormac McLaggen under his breath.
"You were the one who told me to go left," Ron glared at Harry, then winced as Madam Pomfrey removed the shinguard from his left leg. "Right into the goalpost…"
"I didn't mean go left into the goalpost, you know that!" Harry argued. Madam Pomfrey shushed them both.
"Just a bad bruise," she declared after inspecting Ron's leg. "Erica, would you fetch the- oh, yes, thank you." I handed her the Bruisewort Balm that I had grabbed from the shelf while they were talking.
Ron looked at me. "Erica, do you think you could get me something sweet, please?" Ron Weasley had gotten quite comfortable around me while recovering from his poisoning. Ron was a patient who didn't complain much, as long as he had something to eat. He learned he could always count on me for a snack.
Harry lightly smacked the side of Ron's head. "It's just a bruise, you don't need a sweet."
"It's not a problem. I'll be right back," I smiled and went into Madam Pomfrey's office where she kept her peppermints and lollies. While I was sifting through the drawer for Ron's favorite flavor, I overheard Madam Pomfrey talk to the boys.
"I wanted to share some good news with you both," she said. "I think you're both due to hear something good, after all. Katherine Bell has recovered from her curse and will return to Hogwarts next week."
"Katie Bell?" Harry echoed, sounding excited and surprised. "Does...does she remember who cursed her-?"
"Mr. Potter, the girl has been through a lot. I doubt she remembers, and you would be wise not to ask. However, after a thorough inspection by me, I would have no issue clearing her for Quidditch."
Ron and Harry rejoiced at that.
I returned with a bright green lolly and handed it to Ron, who immediately stuffed it in his mouth and said a garbled "fanks, Erica".
"Mr. Weasley should stay here for an hour while the Balm settles in," Madam Pomfrey informed Harry.
Harry looked like he badly wanted to leave. "I-" Harry began, but Ron gave him a sad look.
"Don't abandon me here, mate," Ron begged.
"I'm not abandoning you," Harry said, but sounded hesitant. "Erica and Madam Pomfrey are here to keep you company!"
"Actually, Erica has to collect a delivery of potions from the owlery, and I have to sign medical reports," Madam Pomfrey said, giving Harry a look that said 'you-better-not-leave-your-best-friend-right-now-Mr.-Potter'. Harry dejectedly settled into the chair beside Ron's bed. I noticed there was a blank piece of parchment peeking out of the back of Harry's Quidditch robes. Harry likely has homework to do that he's putting off, and that's why he wants to leave.
"Just an hour," Harry said to Ron. "Then we're leaving."
When I returned to the Hospital Wing twenty minutes later with a parcel of blood replenishing potions, Harry and Ron were deep in conversation and didn't even notice me come in.
"I know Malfoy is up to something in the Room of Requirement," Harry said to Ron in a lowered voice. "I just don't know what he's doing!"
"It's not what he's doing, it's who he's doing. He's going in there to shag his girlfriend, obviously."
I silently moved to the corner of the room where the hospital bed curtains blocked me from view, and listened closely.
"You could be right," Harry replied, his voice still pensive. "But Malfoy is definitely plotting something. Erica could be in on it, too."
"What! There's no way. Erica is too nice to scheme with Malfoy. When I was recovering from the poison, she always gave me extra crackers."
"I don't think she's evil, either. But what if Malfoy is just using her, you know, as a diversion?"
Ron paused, considering that.
"Think about it," Harry continued, "She's a 5th year, he's a 6th year. That's already a huge scandal. And all that sneaking around the castle that Malfoy has been doing lately- people are likely writing that off as him going to see Erica. With everyone focusing on that, they won't look closely enough to uncover what he's really plotting."
"Blimey. If he's using that nice nurse as a cover up, he's more wicked than I thought," Ron replied. "'t's a shame Erica wasn't in a different house. Ginny said she really likes her."
I used my wand to make the Hospital Wing doors open and close again, making Ron and Harry stop talking. I stepped into view, pretending like I had just entered.
My voice wavered as I asked, "How are you doing, Ron?" and set down the box of potions.
Ron looked at me with guilty eyes. "Feeling much better now. Thanks."
I forced myself to put on a mask of content. "Glad to hear it. I'm going to take off now- but do go easy on that leg, alright?"
Ron and Harry said goodbye to me. As soon as I turned away from them, my smile snapped into a frown. A furious, smoldering frown that made my forehead ache.
Draco had some explaining to do.
