Chapter 5: Thankful Thoughts
Madame Pomfrey came scurrying out of the small curtained office with a shocked expression as she saw Draco drop gently onto the bed. The blood had already found its way through the thick layers of bandages and was spreading quickly over the white of the cloth. Taking a pair of scissors she cut them away and found the many slashes across his pale skin. She cringed at the sight of the Dark Mark, but quickly started to order Hermione to fetch supplies. She ran to the open cupboard and searched for the selected items. Hurrying back she dropped them onto the tray and immediately awaited her next set of orders. Pulling on a pair of clean gloves then sterilizing the needle threaded it quickly knowing that if she faltered now it might become even more fatal. He had become a deathly white and the blood that was now coming sluggishly from the wound was making her feel nauseous adding to the worry she now felt as she watched Madame Pomfrey stitch each of the long gashes.
After a long session of heated disputes with Madame Pomfrey, Hermione had convinced her to let her stay and watch over Draco while he slept and that she would let her know if there were any improvements in his condition. He had lay still for many hours, his breathing became slow and often Hermione would hold her own breath waiting for the rise in Draco's chest before merely taking a breath of relief. Late during the night Hermione jumped as she felt a warm hand on her shoulder. As she turned up she found it was Dumbledore. "He will survive this Hermione, you will help him to. Even just the thought of the love that you share will give both of you the strength to go on even when you think you will not succeed."
"Thank you Dumbledore, it gives me strength even more-so to hear you say it." She glanced up into his eyes lost in their depth as she said so.
Dumbledore retreated to confer with Madame Pomfrey before giving her a warm smile as he left. Hermione no longer felt the utter despair she once had when she had looked at Draco's pale face. She clasped his hand tightly as if he were about to be pulled away. "I know you will survive, I just know it. Come on Draco you can fight this." She leaned forward and kissed his cold cheek, keeping his hand in a firm grasp rested on her other arm as sleep washed over her.
Hermione jumped as she felt Draco's hand move slightly in her own, she smiled as tears poured down her cheeks relief, grief, despair, hope and love pounding through her thoughts. Her heart leaped as she saw his eyes flicker slowly open. "Hermione" he choked sounding as if he were miles away. "Draco, I knew you could live through this, I knew it." She clasped his hands tightly and brushed the hair back from his forehead, she then leaned in and kissed him softly on the lips.
At that moment Madame Pomfrey came bustling through from her office, a strong smelling potion in her hand. "You count your lucky stars that Miss Granger found you, a couple more minutes and you'd be dead. Here drink this." As she reached in Hermione took the potion from her hands, glaring viscously at her Madame Pomfrey left them.
Hermione slowly coaxed Draco into a sitting position and helped him to slowly sip the potion. When that was done she fluffed his pillows and lay him comfortably in a slightly upright position. He smiled at her before groggily falling back into a deep slumber. Again she kissed him but this time left him. She walked quickly back to the dorms avoiding any of the eyes that followed her through the corridors before slinking quickly into her dormitory. She ran straight into her room and grabbed her favourite pair of muggle jeans and pink sweater. The ran herself a hot bath. She eased herself into the bathtub and soaking in the leisurely water. All the whilst she held the locket close to her heart.
Hermione emerged dressed fully in her muggle clothes and practically ran back to the hospital wing. She resumed her place beside Draco's bed whilst Madame Pomfrey performed numerous spells to heal and cover the scars that covered his arm.
"Hermione I really think that you should resume your classes." "No. You cannot make me leave him, I refuse." She said flatly and mumbling to herself Madame Pomfrey resumed her tasks. "Well if you won't leave I will speed up the healing process and that way both of you can leave. But mark my words you are going to have to watch him constantly and he will get tired easily for a while." She cautioned before performing the last spell which left her tired herself.
"When he wakes, come and see me and I shall let you know if you can leave, them I want you to come back every week until I am satisfied that he is fully healed, understood?" "Yes, thank you I know you would have done the same if you were in my position." Hermione smiled warmly. "I was in love once, and yes I would have too. Now remember to come and see me before you leave." She returned the gesture and pushed the tools tray away with her.
Hermione didn't have to wait long as Draco eyes opened once more and he smiled, the colour had retuned to his cheeks and he felt rejuvenated. "Hi Hermione, I'm sorry, I didn't mean to scare you like that..." Hermione pushed a finger to his lips before replacing it with her own. "I know you didn't. I love you too much to care, I'm just glad you're alright." "Hermione when I fainted I thought I was dead, when I woke I knew it because I saw an angel." "Draco, sorry to say my dearest but you're not dead which is too bad, cause I'm going to kill you. I nearly died myself when I found you. It scared me so much to think I would never see your eyes again, never kiss your lips, never hear your voice." "Hermione please don't it scares me too." He said gently and a tear formed in his eye.
"I can't stand it in here anymore, let me just get Madame Pomfrey so we can get out of here."
Madame Pomfrey gave him a throughout inspection before enabling the pair to leave. Hermione provided Draco with support as he became tired and weak from the long walk back to the dorm. Entering the common room she walked him to his bedroom and placed him lightly onto his bed. She removed his shoes cloak and tie, he had not changed since entering the hospital wing before pulling out a pair of his favourite boxers and leading him gently to the bathroom. He changed slowly and with great effort managed to walk back to his bed where Hermione lay fast asleep.
Madame Pomfrey came scurrying out of the small curtained office with a shocked expression as she saw Draco drop gently onto the bed. The blood had already found its way through the thick layers of bandages and was spreading quickly over the white of the cloth. Taking a pair of scissors she cut them away and found the many slashes across his pale skin. She cringed at the sight of the Dark Mark, but quickly started to order Hermione to fetch supplies. She ran to the open cupboard and searched for the selected items. Hurrying back she dropped them onto the tray and immediately awaited her next set of orders. Pulling on a pair of clean gloves then sterilizing the needle threaded it quickly knowing that if she faltered now it might become even more fatal. He had become a deathly white and the blood that was now coming sluggishly from the wound was making her feel nauseous adding to the worry she now felt as she watched Madame Pomfrey stitch each of the long gashes.
After a long session of heated disputes with Madame Pomfrey, Hermione had convinced her to let her stay and watch over Draco while he slept and that she would let her know if there were any improvements in his condition. He had lay still for many hours, his breathing became slow and often Hermione would hold her own breath waiting for the rise in Draco's chest before merely taking a breath of relief. Late during the night Hermione jumped as she felt a warm hand on her shoulder. As she turned up she found it was Dumbledore. "He will survive this Hermione, you will help him to. Even just the thought of the love that you share will give both of you the strength to go on even when you think you will not succeed."
"Thank you Dumbledore, it gives me strength even more-so to hear you say it." She glanced up into his eyes lost in their depth as she said so.
Dumbledore retreated to confer with Madame Pomfrey before giving her a warm smile as he left. Hermione no longer felt the utter despair she once had when she had looked at Draco's pale face. She clasped his hand tightly as if he were about to be pulled away. "I know you will survive, I just know it. Come on Draco you can fight this." She leaned forward and kissed his cold cheek, keeping his hand in a firm grasp rested on her other arm as sleep washed over her.
Hermione jumped as she felt Draco's hand move slightly in her own, she smiled as tears poured down her cheeks relief, grief, despair, hope and love pounding through her thoughts. Her heart leaped as she saw his eyes flicker slowly open. "Hermione" he choked sounding as if he were miles away. "Draco, I knew you could live through this, I knew it." She clasped his hands tightly and brushed the hair back from his forehead, she then leaned in and kissed him softly on the lips.
At that moment Madame Pomfrey came bustling through from her office, a strong smelling potion in her hand. "You count your lucky stars that Miss Granger found you, a couple more minutes and you'd be dead. Here drink this." As she reached in Hermione took the potion from her hands, glaring viscously at her Madame Pomfrey left them.
Hermione slowly coaxed Draco into a sitting position and helped him to slowly sip the potion. When that was done she fluffed his pillows and lay him comfortably in a slightly upright position. He smiled at her before groggily falling back into a deep slumber. Again she kissed him but this time left him. She walked quickly back to the dorms avoiding any of the eyes that followed her through the corridors before slinking quickly into her dormitory. She ran straight into her room and grabbed her favourite pair of muggle jeans and pink sweater. The ran herself a hot bath. She eased herself into the bathtub and soaking in the leisurely water. All the whilst she held the locket close to her heart.
Hermione emerged dressed fully in her muggle clothes and practically ran back to the hospital wing. She resumed her place beside Draco's bed whilst Madame Pomfrey performed numerous spells to heal and cover the scars that covered his arm.
"Hermione I really think that you should resume your classes." "No. You cannot make me leave him, I refuse." She said flatly and mumbling to herself Madame Pomfrey resumed her tasks. "Well if you won't leave I will speed up the healing process and that way both of you can leave. But mark my words you are going to have to watch him constantly and he will get tired easily for a while." She cautioned before performing the last spell which left her tired herself.
"When he wakes, come and see me and I shall let you know if you can leave, them I want you to come back every week until I am satisfied that he is fully healed, understood?" "Yes, thank you I know you would have done the same if you were in my position." Hermione smiled warmly. "I was in love once, and yes I would have too. Now remember to come and see me before you leave." She returned the gesture and pushed the tools tray away with her.
Hermione didn't have to wait long as Draco eyes opened once more and he smiled, the colour had retuned to his cheeks and he felt rejuvenated. "Hi Hermione, I'm sorry, I didn't mean to scare you like that..." Hermione pushed a finger to his lips before replacing it with her own. "I know you didn't. I love you too much to care, I'm just glad you're alright." "Hermione when I fainted I thought I was dead, when I woke I knew it because I saw an angel." "Draco, sorry to say my dearest but you're not dead which is too bad, cause I'm going to kill you. I nearly died myself when I found you. It scared me so much to think I would never see your eyes again, never kiss your lips, never hear your voice." "Hermione please don't it scares me too." He said gently and a tear formed in his eye.
"I can't stand it in here anymore, let me just get Madame Pomfrey so we can get out of here."
Madame Pomfrey gave him a throughout inspection before enabling the pair to leave. Hermione provided Draco with support as he became tired and weak from the long walk back to the dorm. Entering the common room she walked him to his bedroom and placed him lightly onto his bed. She removed his shoes cloak and tie, he had not changed since entering the hospital wing before pulling out a pair of his favourite boxers and leading him gently to the bathroom. He changed slowly and with great effort managed to walk back to his bed where Hermione lay fast asleep.