Chapter eleven Disclaimer on opening note

It started as a low grade fever, about 99 degrees. Ruby slept a little more, but other then that nothing changed. Hermione still brought her missing homework and Snape would come at night with her antidote and potions lesson. Occasionally other teachers would stop by to comment on her work and if she had any questions.

"So how are you feeling," asked Lupin as he stopped by.

"As well as I can pretend," Ruby sighed. She had been studying her now very worn potions books.

"You can't tell me that you're still planning on taking your potions O.W.L.S.?" Ruby nodded. "You need to rest, I'll tell Dumbledore to make Snape go easier on you."

"No! Please don't. He isn't making me study."

"You don't need to defend him, Ruby. This isn't healthy for you."

"I need something to do. If I wasn't studying, I'd be reading. Well I finished the last novel that I had, so I'm studying. I don't want to sit around here feeling sorry for myself." Lupin looked at her and sighed. "Please, don't tell Professor Snape to lighten up on me. I don't want him to think I can't handle it. I can. And he has already lessened the work that I do."

Lupin thought hard on this. Ginny came in on this quiet scene and thought Ruby was in trouble.

"Should I come back later," she asked.

"Not at all, Miss Weasley," Lupin smiled. He turned his attention to Ruby. "Don't work too hard. Your health is more important."

"I know. Thank you, Professor."

Lupin walked out and Ginny joined Ruby.

"What was that all about," Ginny asked as she sat by Ruby's bed.

"Nothing. So what's going on?"

"The quidditch final is coming up."

"I can't get into quidditch."

"It's not for everyone I suppose. You finished Labyrinth?"

"Yeah, it was great. I could just see David Bowie as Jarth."

"Is he cute?"

"Gorgeous. Hot. He is just mmmmm." They both laughed. "You want to read it?"

"Huh, you mean your book?"

"No, my mind, yes my book, silly," Ruby laughed again then went into a coughing fit.

"You ok?"

"Yeah," she said as she cleared her throat. "Here, go ahead and read it."

"It will be a nice change, I suppose," Ginny said nervously.

"If you don't mind, I think I need a nap."

"Of course. And Oliver sends his apologies for not coming to visit lately."

"He's busy with N.E.W.T.S. and quidditch. I wouldn't want him to visit. He gets cranky when he's stressed."

"Well, see you later."

"No. no, no it's see ya later."

Ginny laughed and left. Ruby soon feel into a restless sleep.

Walls upon walls of mirrors were around her. It was like a fun house mirror maze. She hated funhouses. They freaked her out. She felt stupid in them and this one wasn't any different. She started to try and find her way out. It was easy for her to find the dead ends. Right, left, right, nothing seemed to work.

"I hate mirror mazes," she shouted, hoping someone would come in and get her out.

"I know," said a voice.

"Of course you would, so let me out!"

"Figure it out. It's just a Labyrinth. You know all about those, don't you?"

Ruby stopped and tried to get her bearings. She started to feel along the walls to find any hidden escape routes, but she just kept walking in a circle. Then she was running in a circle. She started to freak out. What if I'm trapped here forever? No one will be able to find me. She started hitting mirrors trying to break them. None of them broke.

"Don't use to much of your energy," the voice mocked.

"I hate you!"

"Oh, but hate is such a strong word for a little Gryffindor girl like you." She was crying now, thrashing out at the mirrors. "Oh, poor Ruby. I'll help you," the voice changed it's inflection from mocking to caring. She knew it to be the same voice, the one she had blindly trusted.

"STOP THIS!!!!"

"Wake up," a new voice called to her. She continued to thrash out as slowly the mirrors faded. She cried out as she woke. Madam Pompfrey was at the end of her bed, Dumbledore next to her. Snape had his hands on Ruby's shoulders. For a moment everything was screaming silence. No one moved, not even Snape. Then, Ruby started to cry. It was a constant cry, it would have to stop on its own, and the adults in the room seemed to understand this. Ruby felt hot, very hot and kicked the covers off of her. Madam Pompfrey took her temperature; 102.3.

As soon as her crying slowed, Snape gave her the antidote. She drank it, but keeping it down was difficult. She covered her mouth to help keep it down as her stomach turned with the sourness of her final tears. Dumbledore came on the other side of her and lightly rubbed her back with his hand.

"It's ok," he cooed. "Did you have a bad dream?" She nodded finally removing her hands from her mouth. "Well," he laughed, "I see I picked the wrong night to talk with you." He smiled.

"I'm cold," she whimpered. Dumbledore looked at Snape, then to Pompfrey.

"I'll get the cold clothes," Pompfrey said and left.

"Cold? But I'm cold. You should be warming me up," Ruby said as she gathered her covers around her. She looked at Snape, who got up and walked out. She turned to Dumbledore.

"Ruby," he began, "you have a very high fever. This is to be expected with the poison in your system. This is the worse part and, I will not lie to you, the deadliest. Now, we are hoping that the antidote and the cold clothes will help you get through it. Sleep will also help."

"What is it," they heard Draco's voice coming from the hall way. Draco Malfoy was escorted into the infirmary by Snape. "Mr. Malfoy," Snape said as he stood at the foot of Ruby's bed with Malfoy. "Look at her." Malfoy gave a brief glance then started away. "No, look. You did this Mr. Malfoy. You are the one who put Miss Kennedy in danger." Malfoy looked at Ruby with a dazed look. "Think before you act like in this manner again. One hundred points from Slytherin house." Malfoy and Ruby looked at Snape in surprise. "Now get back to your common room."

*So, Snape was mean. I have already had a comment that it's kinda uncharacteristic of Snape, but who else could get Malfoy to come to the infirmary. Ginny is learning to talk like a muggle; I thought that would be funny. Finally a longer chapter! Tell me what you think!