Disclaimer: I do not own the characters. J.K. Rowling, Bloomsbury books, Scholastic books and Warner Brothers have that pleasure. I am merely borrowing them
Chapter Six: Crashing
Most disturbing had been the crimson stains on his lips; Potter's blood, no doubt. Snape leaned forward, eyes closed, head in hands, and continued to recall how Draco looked upon arrival to the hospital wing. Pallid skin in stark contrast to the jet black robes, right eye swollen shut, former gash on his forehead leaving a trail of caked blood down his face, platinum hair in disarray. His appearance was far removed from his usual, immaculate self. Madam Pomfrey interrupted his somber reverie.
"How much longer, do you think?" She could not sit still. She fluttered about, wringing her hands in agitation. Mental healing is not my forte, no, not at all. Thank dear Merlin for alienists.
Snape sat up, glancing at the sleeping Slytherin. He was now healed, clean, and wearing a fresh gown, for all appearances back to normal. He snorted. Normal. What is normal? Certainly not young Draco. "He will not sleep for much longer, Poppy. I daresay he may sleep another fifteen minutes to half an hour."
"The alienist will not be here in time, Severus. She won't be here for almost an hour! What are we going to do?" Her shrill voice and tremulous hands were proof of her escalating anxiety. Her huge brown eyes glanced to Draco's bunk in apprehension. He remained still, slumbering peacefully.
"No need to fret, Poppy. I will stay."
She visibly relaxed sitting beside him and taking a deep breath. "I am sorry, Severus. Physical injuries are what I do best. Broken bones, lifting hexes, it's all a snap to me. I just don't do well with other…illnesses." She sheepishly cast her eyes to the floor. "I have always thought mental illnesses were scary."
"Scary is what I do best, right?" Severus gave her a slight smile, attempting to ease the tension.
She smiled, reaching a hand to touch his arm lightly. "Thank you so much, Severus."
Their attention was drawn to the bunks. Harry was shifting positions, still dozing soundly. After Pomfrey had healed him he had been reluctant to stay in the ward for the night, afraid that Draco would attack him in his sleep. The mediwitch assured him that he would be safe, as Draco would be in the private room in the back as soon as it was prepared. Harry had then drank the blood-replenishing potion, laced with sleeping draught.
"Will Albus be returning?" Pomfrey shifted the topic of conversation.
"He is owling Lucius and then he will return." He heard the woman's gasp at mention of the elder Malfoy's name.
A house-elf bustled into the room announcing that the private chamber was ready. As Snape levitated Draco inside, Pomfrey disappeared into her office. She returned with a plate of glass, about the size of a dinner platter, perched on a stand. The mediwitch sat the glass on a long table outside the private chamber. Spelling it, she could now see inside the room. Draco lay motionless on the bed as the Potions Master stood beside him, gently arranging the blankets over his inert form. Few people knew that Snape was Draco's godfather, but Poppy did. He said he didn't want people to know, that they might think he would favor the boy as a result. She smiled to herself. The Head of House was notorious for favoring Draco and any other of his Slytherins. She quietly approached Snape.
"Severus, perhaps you should get a bite to eat before he awakens?"
*****
As Draco stirred his eyes opened and he blinked taking in his new surroundings. Where was he? He saw Snape sitting near the door. Sitting up quickly, his gray eyes widened in fear as he recalled having a potion forced down his throat. He covered his mouth with his shaky hand.
"Draco," the professor ventured. Snape did not move from where he was seated, hands on his knees.
"What is this? Are you going to torture me?" His breathing was fast and shallow, silver eyes darting around the room.
"Draco, no." He spoke very softly with an infinite patience. "You have been ill. We want to help you."
"We? WE? Who is this we?" He sprang from the bed and backed up against the wall, running his hands over the smooth surface as if searching for a secret passage. Something in the far corner caught his attention causing his hands to drop to his sides lifelessly. "Mother? What is this, Mother?" His wild eyes stared as his body trembled in fear. "No…no… Mummy, please!" Draco fisted his hands in his hair and dropped to his knees, face frozen in torment, whimpering and rocking himself.
Snape reached out as if to touch the boy and then thought better of it. He inched a little closer. "It's okay, Draco. You're going to be okay. Shhhh. I simply meant 'we' as those who care about you, myself included."
"What, Mother?" Draco's head snapped to the corner again.
~~~~~~~
Narcissa Malfoy's cold eyes glittered. "You worthless idiot!" she spat. "You've disgraced the family name again! How very stupid you are. I despise you! I wish you'd never been born!"
~~~~~~~
Draco sobbed, covering his ears in a futile attempt to still the internal dialogue. "No, Mummy, please!"
Staring sadly at the glass in front of them, Dumbledore and Pomfrey exchanged a pitying glance. The Headmaster sighed, "The poor child sees his mother in there."
In the private room, Snape gingerly reached out to cradle his distraught godson, pulling him gently to his chest. Draco clutched at his godfather's robes as a drowning man would a lifeline, leaning in and burying his face in the folds of the garment and taking in a few tremulous breaths. Snape slowly rocked his godson, remembering how soothing it had been to him as a baby. The crying stilled after a few moments and Snape felt Draco begin to relax when the boy's head suddenly swiveled to the corner again.
'"What? Mummy, I tried…Please don't say that." Drawing back from his godfather he began pulling at his hair. "I couldn't kill her, Mummy."
At the table outside the door, Pomfrey gasped, covering her mouth. Dumbledore leaned closer to the glass shaking his head.
Draco cringed, leaning back and throwing his hands in front of his face in a protective gesture. "I know she's a Mudblood but I couldn't do it! I'm weak. I'm worthless. Please don't say you hate me. MUMMY, PLEASE!"
Snape's lips thinned. He was determined to drive 'that woman' from his godson's mind. "Draco, listen to me. It is just you and I in here. Listen to me, Draco." He took the boys' face in his hands forcing him to look into his godfather's eyes. "Look at me."
The boy's movement stopped. Lips trembling he looked into Snape's obsidian eyes, confusion evident in his own smoky gray ones. He reached up and touched Snape's hands with his own, tears cascading down his pale cheeks.
"Your mother is not here now."
Draco recoiled as if burned, his head snapping back to the corner. He pointed to where his eyes directed. "You're wrong. She's right there. You're trying to trick me." His nostrils flared and his head tilted. "What, Mother?"
~~~~~~
"He wants to kill you, my worthless son." Throwing her head back, the image of his mother laughed.
"Do not trust him. He is evil!" Her arm shot out toward him, transfiguring into a claw with long, sharp talons.
~~~~~~
He frantically scrambled to the opposite side of the room, his back to the corner, chest heaving. He pointed his shaking finger accusingly at Snape. "You want to kill me!"
"I'm not going to hurt you, Draco. Your mother is lying. I'm the one you need to trust."
"No! No! Get out! GET OUT!" He was clawing at his ears, drawing blood.
"Shhhh, Draco. Haven't I always treated you well?"
Draco seemed to consider this, slowly stilling his frantic movements. Tears blurred his vision. "I'm so tired." He grabbed his head in both hands. "My head hurts."
"It will be okay. It is just an aftereffect of the potion you took."
Draco's eyes flashed at the reminder. "You forced me! Mother's right!" Draco's lips curled into a sneer. He launched his body at the Potions Master, pushing them both back, Snape slamming into the wall. He frantically searched the professor's pockets.
Snape brought a hand up in a halting gesture. He knew that the others could see everything and would want to come to his aid. Now was not the time, as he needed Draco to trust him. "I'm unarmed, as you can see, Draco. I've told you I won't hurt you and I will not."
Draco sat back on his heels, cradling his head in his hands. He again began to pull at his hair, leaving a path of faint scarlet streaks from his bloodied fingers.
Snape reached a hand to him. "Draco, you can trust me. I won't hurt you."
"You forced me." The sobbing began anew.
"Yes. I did force you. I did because you were causing harm to yourself and to others. Under the same circumstances I would do the same thing. I will not lie to you."
Draco stopped all movement. "Please don't hurt me." His voice was barely above a whisper.
The anguish in his voice tore at Snape's heart. "I would never hurt you, Draco." The Potions Master slowly sat down on the floor, watching Draco watch him. It was time to tell him.
"An alienist will be here shortly to talk with you," Snape said evenly.
A panicked look crossed the young face. "An alienist? Ohnoohnoohnoohno." He began to rock again, hugging himself.
"Draco, it's okay. I'll be with you as long as you need me." He enveloped the boy in his arms.
*****
BOOM! The door to the wing slammed open, presenting Lucius Malfoy. The occupants inside the ward jumped, Harry nearly falling off his bunk. Dumbledore crossed the room quickly, taking long purposeful strides.
Mr. Malfoy was livid. I am tired of this old fool singling out my son. He strode toward the Headmaster. Utilizing his most haughty stare he began, "Well? Who has he hexed now? Hmm?" He spied the sight of Harry Potter on a bunk near the end of the hall. He smirked. "Potter." He turned to the Headmaster, gesturing to the boy on the bunk. "This hardly looks like it would require my immediate attention." He fisted his hands at his sides. "I demand an explanation!" High anger tinted his pale face.
"Lucius, please, come into Madam Pomfrey's office and I will explain everything." Dumbledore stood back, allowing the elder Malfoy to precede him. He then closed the door behind him.
*****
The mediwitch tore her eyes away from the glass. The two in the room had head the loud sounds and Snape was trying to calm Draco. She walked over to check on her other patient. He had fallen asleep again. She rearranged the blankets over him and was just making her way back to the desk when it happened again.
BOOM! The door to the office slammed open. "I demand to see my son, NOW!" thundered Mr. Malfoy.
"If you do not contain yourself I will not allow you to see him. He is rather…fragile at the moment and I will not have you upsetting him." Dumbledore voice was deceptively soft as crossed his arms over his chest in his most intimidating fashion.
The occupants of the small private chamber heard the commotion outside the door.
"Father?" said Draco.
"It would seem that your father has arrived," noted Snape dryly.
Next chapter: We learn that the Malfoys have a skeleton in the closet as a family secret is revealed
Author's Notes: An alienist is another, somewhat antiquated term for psychiatrist. The little thingies "~" represent what Draco sees in his hallucination.
Arafel2: Thanks for your encouraging review!
CuriousDreamWeaver: Thanks for reviewing! People have done depression stories time and again but haven't really touched on other mental illnesses much.
Daintress: You hit the nail on the head in your review!
Catmint: Thanks for reviewing! I decided to leave the ending where it was but took all of your other changes to heart! Thanks for being my beta!
SheWolfe7: Insane is absolutely correct! Glad you like it!
Ryo Akuinenn: Draco is simply "not himself"!
Shania Maxwell: Poor Draco, things will get worse for him before they get better.