A/N: OK, guys. I've got loads to do today, including some desperate last minute christmas shopping, writing on a bunch of cards, wrapping presents, and drawing an entire picture from scratch and framing it by tomorrow to give to my mum :sighs: so I can't make this as long as I'd like. But since some lovely people reviewed, I had to write something...

My eye is no better, no worse than yesterday. That's not particularly good, but I can still keep it open without too much pain, so that's something to be thankful for.

Don't own a thing.

Blue jeans.

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Sacrifices

Part ten - Questions

When Draco Malfoy opened his eyes, he became aware of two things. One, that he was feeling a whole lot better. Two, that Professor Snape was asleep in the chair beside his bed. He sat up and looked at him, unsure of what he should do. Let him sleep, wake him up? If he woke up then he would surely face a barage of questions. Questions that Draco didn't want to answer. Let him sleep, then. In the meantime, Draco tried to figure out the answer to a question of his own. What was Professor Snape doing beside here? He surely wouldn't have been there of his own accord. He supposed that Madam Pomfrey had told him to keep watch in case Draco... what? Went crazy again? Draco groaned inwardly. He'd made such a bloody fool of himself. Crying, being sick, passing out. Why didn't he just go to bloody class? None of this would have happened. He'd probably be - what? He didn't know what the time was, so he didn't know what he'd be doing. What he did know was that he would be in a better position than he was now. Another brilliant idea by Draco Malfoy.

After Draco had gone to sleep, Madam Pomfrey suggested that he go back to his class. Severus had refused. As much as he hated to admit it, he knew that his class was in good hands with Hermione Granger. No doubt she would be able to keep his class in order till the end of the lesson. Besides, he needed to be here when Malfoy woke up. He was through with trying to guess what was wrong with the boy. He wanted answers. Now. And so he stood, waiting for about fifteen minutes before Madam Pomfrey insisted he pulled over a chair. Afterall, she had said, they really had no idea of knowing when Malfoy would wake up. So he sat it the chair for half an hour, an hour, two, and all the while he brooded on what was wrong with the boy beside him. He weighed up all the points and tried to form a conclusion, but something seemed to be missing. He had a thought at one point that almost made sense. Almost fitted together, but there was still one piece that didn't quite match up. And so he continued to think. Continued till his eyes felt heavy, and his head began to droop of its own accord. He tried to stay awake. He hated the thought of Malfoy finding him sleeping when he woke up. Sleeping and off guard. But the hours dragged on, and the boy didn't move. Night pressed in, and still there was no movement. And so Severus Snape slept.

When he woke up it took a moment to get his bearings. He turned to the bed beside him and found blue-grey eyes staring back. He jumped in suprise, before regaining his composure and looking at the boy with an almost casual expression.

"How long have you been awake?"

"About an hour"

Snape was shocked. He was sure he had only just dozed off. Just a few moments ago. Apparently he was mistaken.

"Why didn't you wake me?"

The boy shrugged.

"What happened today, Malfoy?"

Draco had spent the most part of the hour trying to think of what to say. He had come up with an elaborate story. He'd left Madam Pomfrey and began walking toward class. He started feeling a little queasy, but thought nothing of it. He continued, and had just got to the door of the classroom, when - bam - the sickness hit him full-swing. Not only that, but he suddenly had a splitting heachache, Sick, feeling giddy, he realised he couldn't return to class, as much as he would have loved to go to potions. Afterall, he was really looking forward to it after doing so well that morning. He staggered back, with the intention of going back to the hospital wing. But by then he was disoriented. He lost his way and found himself outside. He was sick, then - he wasn't quite sure - perhaps he had been crying, but he didn't remember. He was still a little out-of-it. After that he couldn't remember a thing,

That was what he had planned on telling Snape. But now, looking into the stern face and dark, intense eyes, he found that the lie got caught in his throat.

"I..."

Oh Merlin, why couldn't he at least speak properly? Meanwhile Snape was still looking at him with that penetrating gaze. He wasn't going to let up, Draco realised, until he had answered his question.

"I... I guess I panicked, professor"

That was true. Snape continued looking at him.

"And why did you panic, Master Malfoy?"

Good question. One he couldn't answer without telling all. He couldn't do that. Not only because his father would find out. He couldn't tell him simply because he didn't want Snape to know. So what could he say, then? The half-thruth. It was better than a lie.

"I was embaressed about yesterday"

Snape looked at the boy with an incredulous expression.

"You don't honestly think that I would be stupid enough to believe that, do you?"

Draco didn't know what to say. He said nothing.

"First, Master Malfoy, you mess up a potion that I know you knew how to do - perfectly - then I hear about this sore arm of yours, which you assured me Madam Pomfrey had taken care of. Meanwhile, Madam Pomfrey seems to know absolutely nothing about it when I ask her. For a second I think that perhaps that's the reason you didn't want to use the Revelio Potion. But then I turn up the very next morning, and you take it and nothing. Nothing at all happens. Then I think that perhaps it really was nothing. That perhaps I had let my imagination get the better of me. But then I find you crying, sick on the ground outside. Then when I get you to Madam Pomfrey you go into hysterics and collapse into my arms. And I'm supposed the just discard all that because you say you got a little embaressed? Please, Malfoy, do not insult my intelligence. I want to know what is going on. Now."

Draco gulped. This was a lot worse than he'd imagined. Snape, meanwhile, was a little regretful when he saw the look of hurt flash in the boy's eyes. He really wasn't cut out for this.

"I'll go and get Madam Pomfrey to look at your hands. She wanted you to be awake before she gave you anything. She cleaned them up. There was a lot of blood, but the cuts are relatively minor" he said in a somewhat softer voice. As soft as he could manage to muster, anyway. The boy nodded, and Snape stood and left the room.

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That isn't where I wanted to end the chapter, but I really haven't got the time to write any more. If I don't write any more before Christmas, then MERRY CHRISTMAS! I hope you all have a great one... and don't drink too much... even though I know I will... and regret it sorely in the morning.