Chapter Ten

The Slytherin table was in shock the next morning when they awoke to find they only had no emeralds at the bottom of their hourglass, as they had all been taken away the night previous. Once word spread about what had happened, they were all gazing menacingly at Harry with occasional glances at Lupin as well. He could only guess what kind of story Malfoy actually told them.

"Be careful today, Harry," warned a very concerned Hermione.

Three people after him was one thing but 250 was something quite different. "Um ... okay."

He and Ron were sure to leave much earlier than normal to Herbology class to avoid as many Slytherins as possible in the hallway. They didn't even bother hiding the fact that their wands were in their hands and anyone that even looked like they might hex them would be in serious trouble.

The did manage to make it to the greenhouses without much fanfare, breathing easier when they spotted Professor Sprout setting out dragon-hide gloves and clear face-guards down the length of the tables.

"Ah, good. Mr. Potter, Mr. Weasley since you're early, grab a handful of gloves and set them out for me, would you please?"

This didn't bode well. Usually when the heavy gloves came out it meant there was a dangerous lesson ahead. They were done a few minutes later and took their traditional places as the class started filing in afterward.

"Today," Professor Sprout started off, "we will be milking the Neptunian Meat Eater. Can anyone tell me what we can use the secretions for?"

Neville, as always in Herbology, was the first with his hand up.

"Yes, Mr. Longbottom?"

"In diluted amounts it can be used as a household cleaner and magical pest repellant," answered Neville.

"Very good, five points for Gryffindor." She pulled on her gloves and donned the protective mask. "What Mr. Longbottom has not told you is that in it's raw form it will act as a very strong corrosive, hence the strong precautions we will be taking today. Suit up."

Everyone took out their protective coverings from underneath the table and donned them, clasping them closed, then proceeded to put on their gloves and protective masks.

Professor Sprout went to a locked door, produced her wand and with a mutter, the lock sprang open allowing access to the room beyond. "You will proceed in groups of four to retrieve a potted Neptunian. Be very careful of it's mouth extending from the top of the restraints. They can take off a limb if given enough time."

That was comforting, Harry thought.

He and Ron were part of the third group to retrieve their plant and set it on the table in front of them. The Neptunian Man Eater was red and purple in color with rounded protrusions along the length of the trunk that stuck up about a foot and a half in height. A large mouth-like appendage had developed at the top of the trunk and was restrained to keep it from moving around and taking large chunks out of any passers-by.

"To properly milk the Neptunian, you must hold your collector over a chosen pustule and poke it with the needle provided. The secretions will shoot out and you must be sure to collect all of the secretion, especially at first because there will be quite a jet." She paused. "Proceed."

Ron held up one of the collectors over the trunk of the plant and Harry poked it with the needle. "They both almost jumped back at the amount of black pus that shot out."

Ron looked a pale shade of green. "I shouldn't of eaten so much breakfast."

Malfoy laughed from down the table as Pansy Parkinson repeatedly stabbed at his plant, making the pus shoot out a number of times into his collector. "Kind of reminds me of your sister's face, Weasley."

Ron glared at Malfoy and Harry shot back. "Thinking about how much fun your going to have this afternoon shoveling Hippogriff dung, Malfoy? I know I am."

"Draco, you're spilling it," cried Pansy.

He straightened up his collector and overcompensated for it, slopping it onto his gloves. In response, several things happened at once: Pansy accidentally poked another pustule, Malfoy dropped the collector in a overexcited attempt to peel off his dragon-hide glove that was now covered in puss, he also spun around screaming in feigned agony and knocked his Neptunian Man Eater over in the process.

Everyone watched as it fell over and the pot shattered on the ground Pansy fell backward as she tried to get away and slipped in the splattered pus on the floor. The restraint that was holding the Neptunian shattered as well and it was thrashing around in a vain attempt to bite something. Pansy's shoe started steaming as the corrosive ate it's way through the sole, and Malfoy was no help as he was still waving his hand around and yelling for someone to get it off.

Harry pushed him aside and stepped on the neck of the Neptunian to hold it at bay as he grabbed a hold of Pansy's shoe and slipped it off her foot. He held her leg up with his free hand so she wouldn't inadvertently drop it back down in the pus as she scrambled away to safety.

Just as Harry was about to let go he heard Malfoy yell, "Potter, get your hands off my girlfriend.

Professor Sprout, who had pushed her way through the crowd to help, reached for his hand at the last second and missed. "NO!"

Malfoy had grabbed the back of Harry's robes and started to pull him away. It only took a second to for Harry to feel the burning at the base of his neck.

"AaaaarrRRGGGG!" he yelled in pain.

It felt as if his neck was quickly being burned to the bone when Professor sprout pulled him away and tossed him to the floor, clear of the spilled pus. "Longbottom, the Base, NOW!"

It seemed like an eternity until he felt cool liquid running along his neck and his back. Harry's vision swam in swift relief. "Weasley, Finnigan, take him to the Hospital Wing, and take this in case I missed a spot." She handed him a half empty bottle of the base, whatever that was. "Longbottom, make sure all of these plants get back to their shelves. Malfoy take your damn gloves off; you're coming with me to the headmaster's office."

Seamus and Ron hauled Harry up from underneath his shoulders and half-carried, half-dragged him down the hall and up the steps to the Hospital Wing. By the time they had burst through the double doors Harry had lost consciousness.

"Please Madam Pomfrey, just for a moment."

A cloudiness raised up from Harry's awareness at the sound of Hermione's voice. He started to call out for her, but realized he was laying face down on a very strange bed; it allowed an opening for most of his face at the head. And stranger still, was that he seemed to be strapped down so that he could not even move.

"'Mione?"

He heard footsteps drawing closer. "Mr. Potter don't try to move," said Madame Pomfrey. "You've been burned very badly and if you move you are going to have a very nasty scar for the rest of your days."

Harry tried to relax, but he was scared. "Hermione?"

"Lay underneath dear, while I change his bandages. It will distract him."

In a few seconds he saw a Hermione-shaped head beneath him. She was all but a blur as he didn't have his glasses on.

"Oh, Harry. How do you feel?"

He closed his eyes and felt has she caressed his face with the tips of her fingers.

Harry thought about it for a moment. "Actually I don't feel much of anything on my back and neck."

"That will be the topical nerve blocker I administered, Mr. Potter. Just try to relax while I change your bandages please."

"Hermione," he whispered. he watched as her face came closer and better in focus. "How bad is it?"

"I don't know. I haven't seen" she whispered back.

"Go look."

He watched as her figure disappeared. It wasn't a second before he heard her gasp and Madame Pomfrey's voice chiding her. "Miss Granger that is not how one behaves in the Hospital Wing, and here, put this over your mouth."

"Harry wants to know how bad his injuries are."

There was a long and definite pause and then some whispering that he couldn't overhear. Finally Hermione returned.

"She said you'll be fine in a couple of days, Harry."

He wasn't convinced. "Hermione?"

"Yes?"

Harry could hear the tone in her voice. She was hiding something.

"Come closer. I can't see you very well."

She neared and he could make out her features almost normal. Her eyes were red and tears were streaming down either side of her face. "Harry, you're going to be okay, alright?"

She was saved by the sound of the doors opening and footsteps approaching.

"Stay back."

"Poppy, I must speak with Harry."

Dumbledore. Harry was sure he heard someone else there.

"Here, put this over your mouth. You too, Remus."

They closed to the table and Harry heard Remus suck in his breath. Madame Pomfrey let her ire be known. "Is there anyone in this world that has a certain amount of tact in regard to patient etiquette?"

Dumbledore stepped around to the front of the table and conjured a chair and a mirror so that he could see Harry's face without stooping.

"Harry, how do you feel?"

"I don't feel anything, Sir."

Harry saw the blurred image nod. "Good. I have heard Misters Weasley, Longbottom, Malfoy, and Miss Parkinson's version of what happened. Will you share yours?"

"In a nutshell, Sir? Malfoy was goofing off and not paying attention to what he was doing, spilled his pus, knocked over the Neptunian, and generally being a pain in the arse." Harry paused. "Pansy slipped and got puss all over her shoe and panicked. I took it off and Malfoy yelled something about me grabbing his girlfriend as he stuck his glove, which was coated in pus, down my shirt ... Sir."

Dumbledore didn't miss a beat. "This is very important, Harry. Do you believe that he did so on purpose?"

Harry paused and swallowed. "I -- I don't know. I wasn't looking at him at the time."

"Thank you, Harry. Get some rest." He stood and the chair vanished. "Remus."

Lupin took a couple of steps. "I'll be back in a little bit, Harry."

The door closed and Hermione returned. "Professor Lupin is furious."

"Good." Harry blinked. "Maybe he'll bite Malfoy."

Hermione didn't laugh.

"There, all done." Pomfrey said. "Miss Granger, make sure he drinks all three of these potions. Every last drop, do you understand?"

She handed Hermione three different glasses with straws. "Yes, Ma'am."

Harry took the straw of the proffered first one and sucked the fluid into his mouth. After the first taste he almost spit it back out. "Tell me all three of them aren't the same."

Hermione smiled sweetly, he thought. "This one is for muscle regeneration, the next one is for skin regeneration and the last one is a sleeping draught."

He took another sip. "Muscle?"

"Neptunian pus works very quickly on human skin. If Neville and Professor Sprout didn't act as fast as they did the pus might have made it to your lungs."

"And?" asked Harry very quietly.

She set the glass on the ground and covered her mouth with both hands in a very heartening attempt not to cry. "You could have ... died, Harry."

He swallowed the bitter taste still in his mouth. "I'm not going anywhere, Hermione."

The doors slammed open and footsteps neared in rapid succession. "Oh, my baby!"

Hermione wiped away at her face and held the straw back up to his lips. "Drink."

Harry felt someone grasp his hand tightly. "Hermione, is he awake?" his mother asked.

Harry spat the straw out and then saw his mom and Sirius on either side of the bed, crouching down. Sirius looked like he was going to explode, his mother, like she was going to break down.

"Harry, baby, are you alright?"

He attempted a smile which was somewhat difficult with his face strapped to the bed. "Madam Pomfrey said I'll be okay in a couple of days."

He sipped again at the straw finishing the first potion, thank Merlin.

"I'll be back, Lily. I'm going to find out what's being done about this little shit-spawn of Malfoy's."

She only nodded at Sirius' harsh language which probably meant that she agreed a hundred percent about his description. Harry felt his mother's hand running through his hair in a soothing motion as he drank the second potion which was only mildly disgusting.

"Thank you for being here for him, Hermione," said Lily.

Harry spit out the straw. "She's always been there for me, Mum. That's one of the reasons I love her."

Hermione gasped and nearly dropped the glass. The door opened again and he heard Ron's voice this time. "Mrs. Black, Professor Dumbledore needs you. "

"Tell him I'm busy, Ron."

"Um ... It's Mr. Black. He's trying to get at Malfoy. He's really, really mad."

"Damn it," she cursed. "I'll be right back, Harry."

Before Ron could get there Hermione leaned in. "You love me, huh?"

Harry didn't even pause. "'Course I do. You're my girl."

She reached up and kissed him lightly on the lips. "And you're my guy."

"Hey, mate, Hermione." Ron bent down. "You should see Sirius. He's going ballistic on Malfoy. Said he was going to shove him back where he came from, up his father's arse."

Harry chuckled and then winced. "Don't make me laugh, it hurts."

Hermione interceded. "Finish your potions, Harry. Ron, he needs to get some sleep."

"Right. Well, I guess I'll be back later then."

Harry sucked on his straw and finished the second potion. "Does this mess up our plans for the weekends?"

Hermione shook her head and lifted the Sleeping Draught to his lips. "Not at all. You're supposed to get out of here on Saturday. Now drink up and get some sleep."

She shoved the third straw at his mouth, and before he was halfway through with the potion he was fast asleep.

~*~

"Poppy, you can kiss my Black Family Buttocks if you think I'm leaving Harry alone until I can speak to him."

Harry's vision cleared and the visage of Sirius Black, looking angry, still.

"Sirius Black, you will not speak to me in such a fashion. It wasn't that long ago I was removing hexes left and right from your unmentionables that were placed there by your reluctant one-night-stands." She said reproachfully. "You still owe me for not informing Dumbledore about your extra-curricular activities during your seventh year."

Sirius looked properly chastised.

"Hexes?" Harry asked to their surprise.

Their faces turned and Sirius frowned. "You didn't hear that, Harry. Your mother would tan my hide if she knew I was out catting around on her best friend."

Harry almost laughed. "You dated Mum's best friend."

Sirius shrugged. "It was seventh year. Everyone was supposed to be getting serious about their lives ..." Then he realized what he was saying. "Who cares about my sex life? How do you feel, Harry?"

It wasn't until then that he noticed he was sitting up properly in bed ... or at least propped up comfortably.

"Feel kind of twitchy."

Madam Pomfrey looked satisfied that Harry wasn't in any pain. "That'll be your muscles healing. Watch what you're holding in that left hand of yours for the next week until they get toned back up. Reformed muscles have a tendency to spasm at first on occasion."

Sirius grinned with a little mirth. "Maybe you can get a special someone to massage you through it, eh?"

Madam Pomfrey smacked him on the back of the head. "Don't put any of your perverted ideas into his head, Sirius Black."

He tried to look as innocent as the driven snow. "Poppy, you know you're the only person I want to share my perverted ideas with."

She rolled her eyes and hid a embarrassed smile then scurried off before he could taunt her any further.

"Where's Mum?"

Sirius straightened himself up. "She having lunch. First time she's been away from your bedside since she pulled me off of that little turd, Malfoy."

Harry remembered Dumbledore's visit. "So, did he get a month's detention in the Hippogriff stalls?" he asked hopefully.

His stepfather grinned from ear to ear. "Snapped his wand in half and sent him packing."

Harry almost hopped out of bed, but instead leaned forward suddenly and regretted it at once. His back muscles screamed in response to the sudden movement and his shoulder and arm jerked spasmodically. Sirius pushed him back into the pillows.

"Don't move so fast next time," he warned.

Harry grimaced at the pain but still got his question asked. "Dumbledore kicked him out?"

Sirius nodded. "Reluctantly. It was either that or have half of his staff quit."

"What?"

"Pomfrey, Sprout, Flitwick and Remus all threatened to walk if Malfoy spent another night at Hogwarts, but I don't think that's what finished him off."

Harry was curious. "Then what?"

"The stupid little git didn't even have the sense to fake being remorseful." He paused. "He was only mad about being blamed for 'saving his girlfriend from your unwanted advances.'"

Harry almost laughed. "Like I have a thing for Pansy Parkinson?"

Sirius nodded over to the bedside table and the stack of sweets, flowers, and well wishes. "She dropped off the flowers about thirty minutes ago. Skipped her lunch to do it too."

Harry eyed the exotic arrangement. "You're joking."

He held up his hand. "I swear by the Marauders Code."

Sirius only received a questioning look. "Oh, I keep forgetting, you don't know certain things. It means I wouldn't lie to my brother."

"I'm not your brother, Sirius."

"You're James' son. That's close enough for me."

He looked back at the flowers. "Better get rid of them before Hermione sees."

Sirius laughed. "Just tell her your mum brought them."

"Good idea."