Chap 11-
She opened her eyes again, groggily, and tried to focus her vision.
Late afternoon light flooded through the room. Voices came to her ears and
she distantly remembered waking the night before, but only for a short
time.
"Come to finish her off LaShadi? Well I'm not having it! You stay
away from her!" Snape growled.
"Dad, stop it! she just wants to talk." Pike said in response to his
fathers words.
"What's going on?" Airykkaa muttered, desperately trying to wake
herself up.
"Nothing dear." Snape said calmly, "Just get some rest."
Estelle merely stared at Snape, not with anger or guilt, but with an
eerie blankness. "I won't be long." she said, "I just need to have a
word." she said, sounding genuinely worried.
Before Snape could say anything, Airykkaa looked at her, "Then come
and speak," she said, looking around the room, "I have time." The kindness
in her voice unnerved Estelle. How could she be so kind after what had
been done?
Estelle walked over toward the small bed slowly, trying to grasp what
she was going to say, trying to find the words. when she reached the bed
she took in Airykkaa's full appearance. There were heavy, dark circles
under her eyes, and a weariness in her eyes. Her skin was incredibly pale,
but incredibly, she still held a smile, and pointed to the chair next to
the bed. 'Dear god.' Estelle thought, 'What have I done?'
Estelle sat in the chair, and looked at Airykkaa with the utmost
sincerity, "I know that the words will NEVER be enough for what I've
done..." she said, her voice trailing off with guilt once again, "but I am
so incredibly sorry." she finished, and hung her head as if the floor has
instantly become an object of extreme amusement.
"I know." Airykkaa said warmly, and then coughed violently, "Sorry
about that." she stifled.
"No, no, no." Estelle said, in shock and almost appalled that
Airykkaa was apologizing.
Airykkaa smiled, and Madame Pomfrey came to deliver another dose of
potion to Airykkaa, stunned at the sight of Estelle there, but she did not
say a word. "Thank you Madame." Airykkaa said, and Madame Pomfrey smiled
warmly and nodded.
"I didn't even know what I was doing until I heard Lee scream."
Estelle choked out.
Airykkaa reached out and put a hand on Estelle's shoulder, "Shhhh.
As far as I'm concerned, it never happened. Now help me with this
butterbeer, I cant drink another sip." she said, smiling at Estelle.
Estelle was flabbergasted. "Okay." she said hesitantly, and took the
large glass of butterbeer, remembering what happened last time she drank it
and then she remembered, it wasn't butterbeer last time, it was
butterpunch.
~~~*~~~*~~~*~~~*~~~*~~~
"I don't know what to do, I want to tell her..." Lee said, his voice trailing off quietly, "but every time I get the urge I..." Pike abruptly cut him off. "Turn into a massive pile of chicken shit?" Pike said with a curt smile. Normally Lee would have snapped, but this was Pike, his best friend, and Pike was right. He just looked at Pike and nodded. "Just say it." Pike said, reassuringly, "It's not like she's going to tell you to fuck off or anything." "Your enjoying this aren't you?" Lee said, slight agitation in his words. "Absolutely, it's not everyday that you're a total train wreck." Pike said with a dazzling white grin. At this Lee laughed slightly, not surprised. "Why is it that I can't even tell her how I feel?" he said, becoming distressed. "Because you love her, and you've never loved anyone else in your life, and maybe because your a total..." Pike began, but decided that it was best to stop, "Get over it and just tell her!" he shouted. Lee raised his scarlet eyes to Pikes hazel-green eyes, "You make it sound so easy." he said, and headed off toward Slytherin dormitories. Pike stared toward Estelle and Airykkaa, who were now conversing happily, putting everything behind them. He walked up to his sister and gave her a kiss on her forehead and a gentle hug, "Don't you fall to pieces on me too." he said, and then left the infirmary, following Lee, leaving Airykkaa and Estelle staring after him quizzically. "I have got to get out of here." Airykkaa muttered, "Madame Pomfrey?" she called towards the other side of the room. Footsteps could be heard coming closer, "Yes dear?" she said, her warm smile seemed to be permanently attached. "I really feel much better, and don't want to get too far behind in my classes." Airykkaa said sweetly, her voice like honey that would coerce the fiercest bee toward it's yearnings, "Is there any chance at all that I can go to my classes? Afterwards I'll come straight back here!" Madame Pomfrey considered momentarily, and although she did not want an ill student attending classes, she did not want a student to get too far behind either. "You'll stay the night here, and then you can go in the morning. I want you to check in before lunch, and come straight back after your last class. Understood?" she said, her voice stern and unwavering. "Yes Madame." Airykkaa replied, still sounding as sweet as ever. "Alright." Madame Pomfrey said, and then she abruptly turned to Snape, "You've raised her well, she's very sweet." she said, almost beaming. "Yes well, this one listens to reason." Snape said rather proudly, "She's always been sweet and kindhearted. Thinking of everyone around her before herself." he said, staring at Airykkaa who blushed furiously. "Daddy stop it!" Airykkaa squealed, her face turning the color of autumn wine. Madame Pomfrey giggled slightly, as did Estelle, much to Airykkaa's dismay. Snape's tone seemed to change all together, his mood lightened, and he turned to Estelle, "Well she still needs rest and I believe YOU still need supper." he said, motioning Estelle to go to the great hall. "See you tomorrow in Potions." she grinned to Airykkaa as she left, striding toward the great hall. Snape gave Airykkaa a gentle hug before turning to trail behind Estelle. Shortly after Madame Pomfrey came towards Airykkaa holding a great tray of delicious foods. The plates were heaped with many things and she suddenly realized how hungry she was. As she looked in the cup she sighed with relief, it contained pumpkin juice, and not more butterbeer. Airykkaa looked the tray over, small helpings of everything that she could want; Sausages, potatoes, plum pudding, a small fruit salad, a but of cranberry sauce, and warm fluffy biscuits. She took up a fork and knife and began to cut the sausages into small pieces. No sooner had she taken a bite than the infirmary doors opened once again, Crabbe and Goyle covered in tiny tentacles attached to their skin. Airykkaa allowed a small giggle, and continued to eat, highly amused by their wails and cries as Madame Pomfrey started fussing over them, pouring and dabbing various potions over the two huge Slytherins.
~~~*~~~*~~~*~~~*~~~*~~~
"I don't know what to do, I want to tell her..." Lee said, his voice trailing off quietly, "but every time I get the urge I..." Pike abruptly cut him off. "Turn into a massive pile of chicken shit?" Pike said with a curt smile. Normally Lee would have snapped, but this was Pike, his best friend, and Pike was right. He just looked at Pike and nodded. "Just say it." Pike said, reassuringly, "It's not like she's going to tell you to fuck off or anything." "Your enjoying this aren't you?" Lee said, slight agitation in his words. "Absolutely, it's not everyday that you're a total train wreck." Pike said with a dazzling white grin. At this Lee laughed slightly, not surprised. "Why is it that I can't even tell her how I feel?" he said, becoming distressed. "Because you love her, and you've never loved anyone else in your life, and maybe because your a total..." Pike began, but decided that it was best to stop, "Get over it and just tell her!" he shouted. Lee raised his scarlet eyes to Pikes hazel-green eyes, "You make it sound so easy." he said, and headed off toward Slytherin dormitories. Pike stared toward Estelle and Airykkaa, who were now conversing happily, putting everything behind them. He walked up to his sister and gave her a kiss on her forehead and a gentle hug, "Don't you fall to pieces on me too." he said, and then left the infirmary, following Lee, leaving Airykkaa and Estelle staring after him quizzically. "I have got to get out of here." Airykkaa muttered, "Madame Pomfrey?" she called towards the other side of the room. Footsteps could be heard coming closer, "Yes dear?" she said, her warm smile seemed to be permanently attached. "I really feel much better, and don't want to get too far behind in my classes." Airykkaa said sweetly, her voice like honey that would coerce the fiercest bee toward it's yearnings, "Is there any chance at all that I can go to my classes? Afterwards I'll come straight back here!" Madame Pomfrey considered momentarily, and although she did not want an ill student attending classes, she did not want a student to get too far behind either. "You'll stay the night here, and then you can go in the morning. I want you to check in before lunch, and come straight back after your last class. Understood?" she said, her voice stern and unwavering. "Yes Madame." Airykkaa replied, still sounding as sweet as ever. "Alright." Madame Pomfrey said, and then she abruptly turned to Snape, "You've raised her well, she's very sweet." she said, almost beaming. "Yes well, this one listens to reason." Snape said rather proudly, "She's always been sweet and kindhearted. Thinking of everyone around her before herself." he said, staring at Airykkaa who blushed furiously. "Daddy stop it!" Airykkaa squealed, her face turning the color of autumn wine. Madame Pomfrey giggled slightly, as did Estelle, much to Airykkaa's dismay. Snape's tone seemed to change all together, his mood lightened, and he turned to Estelle, "Well she still needs rest and I believe YOU still need supper." he said, motioning Estelle to go to the great hall. "See you tomorrow in Potions." she grinned to Airykkaa as she left, striding toward the great hall. Snape gave Airykkaa a gentle hug before turning to trail behind Estelle. Shortly after Madame Pomfrey came towards Airykkaa holding a great tray of delicious foods. The plates were heaped with many things and she suddenly realized how hungry she was. As she looked in the cup she sighed with relief, it contained pumpkin juice, and not more butterbeer. Airykkaa looked the tray over, small helpings of everything that she could want; Sausages, potatoes, plum pudding, a small fruit salad, a but of cranberry sauce, and warm fluffy biscuits. She took up a fork and knife and began to cut the sausages into small pieces. No sooner had she taken a bite than the infirmary doors opened once again, Crabbe and Goyle covered in tiny tentacles attached to their skin. Airykkaa allowed a small giggle, and continued to eat, highly amused by their wails and cries as Madame Pomfrey started fussing over them, pouring and dabbing various potions over the two huge Slytherins.
