Chapter 17 Enter Lucius Malfoy
Ginny ran up as fast as she could. Please, let him be alright, she pleaded over and over again.
When she reached the Hospital Wing, Dumbledore was already there. Apparently, he too, had apparated.
Dumbledore put out a hand. "Madam Pomfrey is attending to him in the emergency room. We should not go in. Let us wait."
After to Ginny what seemed like eternity, Madam Pomfrey emerged from the emergency room at last. She looked very worried. "Headmaster, I've stopped the bleeding. For now. But this injury is beyond me. We need to get the mediwizards from St. Mungo's. And quickly, because we might lose him anytime if we don't hurry."
Ginny felt her heart sank again. So he wasn't alright. She watched helplessly as Dumbledore went out of the Hospital Wing. "Madam Pomfrey, can I see him?" she looked at Poppy desperately. "No, Ginny....he....oh, alright, but only for a while. Ginny followed Madam Pomfrey to the emergency room.
Draco Malfoy was lying chest down on the surgical table, his eyes closed. His silver-blond hair fell over his pale face, which was now drenched with sweat. He looked so innocent, like an angel. A fallen angel, Ginny thought.
Her eyes travelled to his back, where the slash was. The bleeding had stopped, but the wound was turning black. "There was venom in it, Ginny" explained Madam Pomfrey. "Which is why we need the mediwizards. We have to draw the venom out before it poisons the boy's system."
Ginny sobbed. She felt so guilty. All the resentment for Malfoy went away as she stood there staring at him. He saved her, which is why he is dying now. It's all because of me.
"Will he be alright?"
"I don't know, Ginny. But Malfoy is a strong boy. He will be alright." But Ginny could sensed uncertainity in Poppy's voice.
Suddenly, a group of four mediwizards came shuffling into the emergency room. They were men in white robes. One of them, an old mediwizard whose beard length could very well challenge Dumbledore's own, took a look at Draco and frowned. "We need to act fast," he commanded. Ginny felt herself being pushed out of the emergency room by Poppy, and then the door slammed shut in her face.
"Ginny…" began Professor Dumbledore kindly.
"I want to stay here, Professor." Ginny stated determindly.
Her eyes stayed locked at the emergency room, beyond the door, where her first love was struggling for life.
The clock ticked on.
"If my son dies, Dumbledore, I swear on my ancestors' blood that you, and all the incompetent fools who worked here in this pathetic excuse of a school will die with him." Lucius Malfoy spat.
He had been promptly informed of Draco Malfoy's injury by Dumebldore. And he had swept angrily into the Hospital Wing, his expensive black robes falling elegantly around him.
Hagrid, who by this time, was also in the Hospital Wing, looked ready to lunge at Lucius for his remark. He hated Lucius Malfoy, for what he had tried to do to him and Buckbead before. But Hagrid, who had carried Draco himself to the Hospital Wing, was also very worried about the boy.
Ginny looked at Lucius Malfoy from one corner. It was truly amazing how much Draco resembled Lucius. They had the same silver-blond hair, the same aristocratic features and those eyes. They were an unmistakable Malfoy trait.
Ginny supposed that was how Draco would look like when he reached his father's age. Although Ginny wasn't sure she would like that. True, Lucius Malfoy had the aristocratic bearing, but he also inspired fear in the people around him, except for people like Dumbledore, Hagrid or Arthur Weasley, who disliked him, as much as Lucius held them in contempt. Lucius Malfoy frightened Ginny. She wondered what would he do if he found out…
"Your son would be fine, Lucius. We had the best mediwizards from St. Mungo's here……" trailed Dumbledore.
Lucius glared at him, before turning his eyes on Ginny. He paused, before he said slowly, his eyes giving her red hair the once over "And why, may I know is the Weasley here?"
"She was with Draco when he was hurt." Dumbledore stated.
Lucius Malfoy's eyes narrowed. "So, I presume, she was the cause of it."
"We don't know yet, Lucius" Dumbledore said warningly, and before he could stop Lucius, he had walked over to Ginny and stood in front of her, his dark figure looming over her small frame.
"Speak, Weasley" he commanded.
Ginny looked at Dumbldore, her eyes wide with fear and misery. "Tell us, Ginny, he is Draco's father, he has a right to know. From you." Dumbledore probed gently.
Ginny looked at Lucius. Although Lucius' face was impassive, she thought she saw a flicker of worry in his grey eyes. She looked down and told her story, with much difficulty. By the end, tears were flowing down her face, and she was sobbing very hard.
Lucius Malfoy looked at her with a mixture of anger and annoyance. He was the sort of man who had no patience with crying females.
At this moment, the emergency room was suddenly flung opened, and one by one, the mediwizards came strolling out, their faces weary. "Lucius" said the old mediwizard, who was the head of the team and apparently knew him.
"If my son dies……" Lucius began again.
"He will pull through, strong boy you've got there, Lucius. Much stronger than you, if you still remember what happened when you were his age" the mediwizard smiled at Lucius.
Lucius gave a snort, and tried to push past the mediwizard to go into the emergency room. But someone was faster. Ginny Weasley, hearing what the mediwizard said, rushed past Lucius, Dumbledore, Poppy and Hagrid into the emergency room, with them staring after her.
Ginny slowed down as she approached the operating table. Draco was still unconscious, and his chest was bandaged. But his facial muscles were more relaxed now, instead of contorted in pain.
Ginny reached out her hand to push a stray lock of silver-blond from his Draco's colorless face, and she felt fresh tears beginning to sting her eyes again. Suddenly, relief overcome her and she held up her hand to cover her nose and lips, sobbing. Sobbing like she never sobbed before. Sobbing with relief.
Lucius Malfoy stood at the door, witnessing the scene. His eyes narrowed viciously. He did not like what he just saw.
Author's Note: Lucius Malfoy is my favourite character. And Jason Issac played him to perfection in Chamber of Secrets. What do you think of this chapter? Are you enjoying my story so far? Some affirmation, please!
