Chapter 15
Falling, Money and Screams
Harry could feel himself spinning. He'd been falling for hours, and he couldn't stop.
Where was the ground?
He had been waiting for the pain to stop, but it hadn't.
What was happening?
Where was he?
Where was Ron...and Hermione...and Pansy?
He had been in Potions, and just started falling...
What had happened to them?
Were they falling in this unknown darkness too?
All of a sudden, he felt a hand in his, and opened his eyes, which he hadn't realized had been closed. All he could see was a flash of white, and heard a scream.
Where was he?
Pansy shut her eyes in disbelief.
Professor Dumbledore had just been in Harry's room, but had come out looking grim.
We must keep trying, he had said to Madame Pomfrey.
Why couldn't she help Harry?
She couldn't take it anymore.
She stood up and walked briskly over to Dumbledore.
"Professor? What's wrong with him? Can you help?" she said, trying not to be hysterical.
Professor Dumbledore stared down at her, his blue eyes no longer twinkling.
"Miss Parkinson, we are doing our best. You will hear of any changes in Harry's condition..."
"Yes, sir, I know, but what's wrong with him? You've told us that you're doing everything, but you haven't even explained the situation. What happened in Potions? Why is Harry lying in that room, the infirmary, near dead?" Her voice broke as the last two words passed her lips. The Headmaster looked sadly down at her.
"My dear, we don't know. We just don't know."
She let out a sob, which she muffled with the sleeve of her robe.
She felt a hand on her arm, which belonged to Hermione, with eyes full of tears. Pansy, who had never liked Hermione, felt a pang of sympathy.
She had only known Harry for a matter of weeks. Hermione had been a best friend of his for years.
"Oh, Hermione!" she cried out, and embraced her. Hermione stiffened, but loosened again and returned the hug.
Pansy pulled back with a red, wet face.
"What are we going to do?" she moaned as Ron approached them. He let out a shaky sigh.
"We'll just have to wait and see....just wait and see..." he said quietly, sitting down in an armchair and closing his eyes.
Meanwhile, Ginny had just stormed out of the Great Hall, steaming.
Where did he get his nerve?
How dare he approach her like that, being so smug...
But he was trying to help, said a little voice in her head.
"No he wasn't!" she said aloud as she approached the common room entrance.
"Who wasn't what?"
Oh no. She knew that voice.
Smug. Satisfied. Low. Laughing.
She turned around sharply.
"What do you want, Death Eater?" she said simply. He smirked at her.
"I was just wondering why you stalked off in such a hurry...angry at someone, Gin?" He leaned against the stone wall and she narrowed her eyes at him.
"Why do you care? Is it any matter to a Slytherin ass as to what I'm thinking and feeling? It's not like you could relate, seeing as though you're void of a heart or a soul..." she trailed, watching his expression change.
"Ginny, what in the world is the matter with you today? I mean, nasty words for a little girl to say, especially to someone so much bigger and stronger..."
Her heart raced. This was the thrill of the first conversation they'd had.
No!
She couldn't start idealizing about it being a flirty game again.
Well, it wasn't a game in the first place, for him...he had won, making a total fool out of her. She wasn't going to fall for that again.
"Oh...an underfed older Slytherin who I could whip to the ground in less than a second is bigger and stronger, Malfoy? You really think so?"
His eyebrows rose.
"Well, let's see, Ginny. Try to get me on the ground and we'll see who's more powerful."
His smile was evil. She opened her mouth in disgust, even though her heart was pounding a mile a minute at the though of wrestling him to the ground...
NO! She had to stop this.
He must have seen the look on her face, because his smile widened.
"Yes, yes.." he murmured, "I'll bet you anything, though money isn't an issue for me. What shall we bet, Little Gin Gin?"
Ginny opened her mouth to retort, but he beat her to it,
"Oh! Ok, let's bet...I'll give you a hundred galleons if you can get me to the ground, and if you can't, I let you off easy anyways, let you scamper off to your common room. Deal?"
She considered, then imitated his evil smirk.
"Deal."
He rubbed his hands together, "Let's see what you've got, Weasley."
He lunged at her.
She pulled away, grabbed the collar of his robes, and plunged down onto the ground, pulling him with her.
"Oh, so there!" she groaned triumphantly, "Malfoy, get off of me!"
He smiled, their faces inches apart.
"One hundred galleons for you..." he whispered, and her eyes widened.
Now she understood. Another ploy.
Before she could try to stand up, his lips were pressing hers.
She didn't even try to resist. She may have been stronger than Draco physically, but there was no way she was strong enough to pull away now....
Still in the hospital wing, Hermione sat in one of the armchairs between Pansy and Ron. What a day, she thought tiredly.
Before that day, Hermione had wondered why Harry had bothered getting involved with Pansy. Today, though, she saw the person that Harry could see. Sweet - sort of, and caring, and worried.
She was slumped beside Hermione, asleep. Hermione sighed.
Just as she thought she might nod off, she heard a scream from inside Harry's room. It awoke Pansy, and Ron went white.
That was Harry's scream.
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Guys, this story is from TWO YEARS AGO. My account got deleted awhile back and I lost 559 reviews for this story as well as my entire upload section. Therefore I have to re-type the chapters I had thankfully printed before it was deleted. My very first fanfiction, EVER. Be kind, you don't have to read it, I just like having it here. And it's true. THE first Harry/Pansy story on the net. :D
Ron's eyes widened. Harry's voice. Harry's....scream.
Did that mean he was awake? Alright? Safe?
Unlikely, he thought. His heart pounded furiously, and he began to sweat.
He had the feeling that something was seriously wrong, and that hearing Harry's scream meant that he was in pain...not safe. Not awake.
Oh, oh please....let him be ok...let him be alive....please.....