Chapter 4: and even more surprises.

o000o

"Damn quacks…" muttered Malfoy under his breath.

He would have been here a lot earlier, most probably the night before, if not for the bumbling monkeys stopping him because of the bloody visiting hours even when he told them that he was a Malfoy and had donated almost half of their potion ingredients stock and a couple wings. Well… he might have threatened to curse their families as well but that's not the point. The point was that he needed to see Hermione. He might not be the most sentimental person but she meant a lot to him. Probably worth more than his life. What made him more irritated was when they told him that she needed rest after her last visitor, Ron-fucking-Weasley.

"Damn weasel…" he ground his teeth pushing past the door that lead towards the recovery wing.

After almost knocking down a young potion-maker ("watch where you're walking idiot!"), ignoring a woman asking for directions and almost getting hit by a swinging door, he finally reached room sixty-three, Margaret Carney ward. There, he was met with the sight of the tallest Weasley, newest keeper of the Wimbourne Wasps and the butt of every poor insult he could muster during his Hogwarts years, who was about to close the door when he saw him.

The two men's eyes stared at eachother, locked in a game of "silent challenge". Steel gray eyes met bright blue. Not one seemed to want to back down until an assistant healer finally found the perfect time to clear her throat. She was an extremely thin woman but her cough did seem to catch their attention.

She turned to Malfoy and asked in a bored voice, "Are you coming in or not?"

"Certainly," Draco answered his eyes never leaving Weasley's face, "as soon as this poor excuse of a quidditch player here lets me through. My, the Wasps' standard must be really low. Nowadays they would just take anyone tall enough to reach the hoops." He said to no one in particular.

Ron Weasley wouldn't budge an inch. Never in hell would he let that remark pass. Only Malfoy could push the right buttons. Even after all this time he never trusted him. No matter what Hermione said about him changing, that didn't erase the image of the smarmy brat who made him feel like shit at Hogwarts just because he couldn't afford a decent broomstick. He bored his eyes deeper, if it were possible, and stood his ground.

"Sir, will you let him in or not?" asked the assistant healer, "I need to re-bandage her in an hour and…"

"Don't worry, Weasley," interrupted Malfoy coolly, "I won't eat her alive."

"You better not Malfoy," Ron snarled, "if you value your life."

"As much as I'd like to stay and trade threats with you Weasley," he retorted sarcastically, "I'd rather go in and see my girlfriend" he said emphasizing his last word.

Ron could only clench his fists and grit his teeth as he walked away. He was not going to give in to Malfoy's mind games. He knew better than that. Besides, he already gave his word to Hermione to be "civil" to him. This was one of the times that made him re-think why he did that.

"Cocky little ferret," he muttered, glancing back at him before disappearing behind a wall.

Malfoy could only shake his head. Seven years he had been schooling with him and he can't even throw a decent insult. He smirked smugly as he opened the door to Hermione's room.

He didn't realize he was holding his breath until he came in and closed the door. He slowly turned around and looked at her broken body. The sight softened his hard stare and he walked towards her bed.

She definitely looked a lot better than she did two nights ago. She dislocated her shoulder, a bruised face and a few broken ribs. She also had scratches all over body. But everything was bandaged and healing. The healers ran tests to see if she were jinxed in any way but so far she had been negative. He just couldn't figure out who could do such a thing. And why. That was when he made a promise to himself that if he caught the bastard that did this he would—

He never finished that thought because her lids fluttered and opened and Draco saw the chestnut colored eyes that he fell in love with. Her stare seemed to make him uncomfortable though because it was filled with confusion and uncertainty.

"Who are you?" she asked in a small voice.

o000o

Ron could just as easily apparate out of St. Mungo's to his apartment but he stayed anyway. He walked across the other side of the floor and entered a less used doorway. He walked past the sign that said in gold embossed letters, "Janus Thickey Ward" and tried not to look at the person on the first bed who was having a fit about the people needing his autograph and that he shouldn't disappoint them. He walked faster and decided to make his visit as fast as possible.

At the farthest end of the ward, there was a lone bed with only a small window illuminating it. He determinedly strode in and looked at the face of the occupant of the bed. The person on the bed was steadily breathing. His indistinguishable jet-black hair stuck out messy as ever. His lids were closed but if they weren't they would have shown his brilliant green eyes that were once young and full of mirth. Now it seemed that he would never open those eyes again.

The healers may have given up on him but not Ron Weasley. He would never give up on his own best friend.

"Hang in there, Harry." He whispered.

o000o

A/N: and yet another short chapter... i guess this is just because i don't feel like continuing anymore. A few reviews would help ::wink wink::. But i mean really... if people don't think it's not worthy continuing then i guess i would have to stop. lol. j/k you guys...

anyways a preview for the next chappie:
why doesn't Hermione remember Draco??? and why is Harry in the Insane ward??? answers and more in the next chappie... probably gonna be posted in a few short weeks.. ;) or until my ego is boosted up again.