Author's Note: The '/' sign marks Draco's conscience speaking.

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~Pain in Two Different Ways~

Light swirled in around Draco as he heard soft murmuring somewhere in the distance. A familiar voice sounded like she was near hysterics.

"Oh I knew I shouldn't have left him alone!"

"It's not your fault, dear," an older woman's voice soothed.

"But I left him alone! I knew he was feeling awful! I didn't know it was this bad!"

"Calm down, Pansy, dear. He'll be alright. You're making yourself worry when we don't even know what is wrong yet."

"So how do you know he'll be alright?!"

The older woman stayed silent. Draco slowly peeked out from under his eyelids adjusting to the light. The Slytherin dungeons weren't nearly so bright when he awoke in the morning. Then again, what time was it? Hell, it could be next year for all he knew.

Draco continued to stare at Pansy and Madam Pomfrey unnoticed. Pansy looked like she was going to loose her mind any second with worry.

"So when are you going to know exactly what he has?!" Pansy practically shouted.

"Shh!" Pomfrey snapped. She didn't loose eye contact with the female Slytherin, "You'll wake him!"

"Sorry, but when?"

"Tomorrow."

'If the results don't come in till tomorrow,' Draco thought, 'then it just must be afternoon today... which is... Monday. Yeah, it's Monday.' Draco's back muscles were soar again and he wished anything for Harry to be there.

Pomfrey finally noticed the wide-awake Draco, "How are you feeling dear?"

"Draco!" Pansy yelled so loud that it made his head spin. She threw her arms around his neck and practically jumped onto his stomach.

"Get off, Pansy!" Draco yelled. His muscles started screaming in pain.

Pansy quickly let go and Pomfrey handed Draco another numbing potion. He swallowed it so fast not a drop touched his tongue. The burning sensation dulled to a pinprick in the back of his mind. This potion seemed stronger then the last one he took.

"Sorry, Draco!" Pansy squealed making him wince.

"Pansy, please," Pomfrey reasoned, "I know you're worried, but lower your voice."

Pansy nodded, "How are you feeling?"

"Like a hippogriff sat on me."

"Ouch."

The door burst open and a young Ravenclaw came in. Pomfrey quickly scurried over to him. His arm had a crooked piece of bone sticking out at a strange angle so obviously it was broken. This gave Pansy and Draco a little time alone.

"Do you really feel that bad?"

"Yes," Draco rolled his eyes.

"Excuse me for caring!"

"I didn't say anything!"

"You rolled your eyes!"

"Shut up, Parkinson! You're making my headache worse!"

"And to think I cared about a self-centered, egotistic git!"

"Well quit caring! Or at least stop yelling!"

"You're yelling too!"

"Only because you are!"

"Will you two keep it down!" Pomfrey barked from across the room.

Pansy's eyes narrowed and she tried to whisper, "I have been worrying about you all day! When you didn't show up for class, hell, I couldn't even begin to think about what could have happened! I found Harry in the hallway later and he told me you were here! He looked pretty worried to say the least and that made it worse for me! I come up here after my last class to be told you might have an unmarked disease and then when you wake up you start yelling!"

"I didn't start this!" Draco hissed.

"You rolled your eyes!"

"Not this again! Look, Parkinson, if it'll get you to shut up fine; I'm sorry! My head is already pounding! Stop making it worse!" Draco huffed. He was trying anything to get Pansy to stop yelling.

Pansy sighed and took a deep breath trying to control her anger remembering Draco was sick, "Look, I'm sorry too. I've just been really worried."

"I know... and... uh... thanks, but I'm fine."

"Madam Pomfrey says the results will be clear tomorrow."

"I know," Draco made his face go stiff. He was trying not to show that he was worried, very worried.

Pansy sighed, "Harry told me you collapsed in the hallway and that he brought you up here."

"I think so. I can't remember much of how I got here."

"So," Pansy paused; a mischievous glint twinkling in her eye, "did anything *interesting* happen?"

"Besides that everyone thinks I am going to die?"

"Draco!" Pansy yelled.

Draco closed his eyes, "What?"

"No one thinks you are going to die!"

Draco decided if he wanted to keep his head from exploding he would have to change the subject, "So what did you mean?"

"I mean with Harry," Pansy whispered into his ear.

Draco went from a tint, light green, to a pale white, then to a deep red; half from anger, half from embarrassment, "Mind your own damn business, Parkinson!"

"So something *did* happen!" Pansy cooed.

"Nothing happened!" Draco shouted.

"If you two don't keep it down Ms. Parkinson will have to leave!" Pomfrey snapped.

"Yes!" Draco shouted back at her. He got no reply.

"Come on, Draco! Tell me what happened!" Pansy whined.

"No!" Draco hissed.

"Fine," Pansy huffed, "but if you don't, I'll tell the whole school about Friday."

Draco's eyes popped open, "You wouldn't?!!"

Pansy let a coy smile wrap around her lips, "Wouldn't I?"

Draco growled, "You would."

Pansy's smile continued to grow, "Yes I would. I am still a Slytherin like yourself and know how to get what I want."

"Damn you, Parkinson!" he hissed.

"I know, I know," Pansy shrugged off, "Go to hell and die bitch. Skip the threats and cut to the chase. What happened? And if I find out you lied I'll definitely tell the school."

"Bitch," Draco mumbled.

"True. Now stop stalling!"

Draco mumbled something too quiet to hear.

"You have a serious speech problem. Speak up!"

"Ikissedhimhappy?"

"Ok, now that I can hear you, space out your words."

"I. Kissed. Him. Happy?"

Pansy's eyes lit up with shear amusement, "I already knew that, and yes I am happy."

"You knew!"

"Yes."

"How?!!"

"Harry looked worried like I told you, but he also looked confused and a bit happy. I asked him about it and he told me."

"Just like that!"

"Well, I had to coax him a little."

Draco breathed a little, "You made me go through all of that and you knew!"

"I was just getting you back for calling me a bitch earlier."

"You son of a bitch!" Draco growled.

Pansy giggled, clearly enjoying his frustration.

"I hate you," he hissed.

Pansy smiled and chirped, "I know you do, Draky, dear, but who else is gonna put up with you?"

Draco grumbled something quite inaudible. Pansy raised an eyebrow waiting for a response.

The doors of the hospital wing pushed open and a slight wind floated through the room. A dark-haired boy appeared around it and came in looking directly at Draco.

Pansy looked up, "Hi, Harry."

Harry noticed her and immediately began to flush. Apparently the information given earlier still fresh on his mind.

"Hello, Pansy," Harry said, slowly walking over toward the bed. His movements were awkward and slightly off, almost nervous.

The room was almost completely silent, all except Madam Pomfrey and the slight whimpers of the Ravenclaw.

"So... uh," Pansy said a bit uncomfortable, "I have a Transfiguration essay to finish. So I'll be heading to the library. Feel better, Draco." Pansy leaned in close to his ear and whispered, "And be nice to Harry or I'll make a particular part of your body you're quite fond of burn off very slowly. He already looks like he could loose it anyway."

Pansy fluttered to the entrance and turned around. She flashed her bleach white teeth and strode off out into the hallway.

"So... uh... how are you feeling?" Harry looked down at his feet.

Draco took one look at the supposedly brave Gryffindor and thought, 'What has got him so nervous all of a sudden?'

/Duh dip shit, you!/

'I already fought with you last night! Shut up! God, I'm fighting with myself.'

"I have got to go to the psycho ward," Draco murmured.

"Excuse me?" Harry asked looking up, eyeing him straight on.

"What?" Draco was oblivious to the fact that he had spoken aloud.

"You said you had to go to a psycho ward."

"Forget it."

Harry's eyes swirled into Draco's. A look of concern washed over the green orbs. He, however, let it go.

"You never answered my question," Harry stated.

"What question?"

"How are you feeling?"

"The same; like shit."

Harry took out his wand and pointed it to a corner of the room, "Accio chair." A brown chair came whooshing to his command. Harry took a seat beside Draco.

Draco searched into Harry's eyes wondering what he was thinking. He wasn't fidgeting so much and looked rather calm now. In fact, Draco started to get lost in those deep jaded eyes. If only he knew how much someone could read him by his eyes.

A loud sound of glass breaking came from the other side of the room. Draco lifted his head in a start and scanned across from him. Madam Pomfrey was grumbling something under her breath as she started to clean up the mess she had created. The Ravenclaw boy was no where to be seen.

Draco thought things were getting a little strange and resorted back to his old self, "What are you doing here Pott... Harry?" Damn old habits were hard to break.

Harry looked slightly hurt at such a comment, "Don't you remember? I said I'd come back after classes."

Draco thought back. All he could remember were hands running over his back; Harry's hands. "Not hardly."

"Well... you were half asleep."

"Yeah I..." Draco stopped mid-sentence. Pain burst through his body ripping away at his nerves sending them into a fiery frenzy. Draco cried out in pain.

Harry's expression turned deathly afraid and worry shot through his veins, "Draco! Draco, are you alright?!!"

Draco squeezed his eyes tighter as the pain grew steadily worse. His head throbbed and began to take its own mind at pain. His brain seemed to enhance every feeling ten times worse. His muscles tensed and his body grew rigid. He squeezed his hands into fists bring them up toward his face and clenching his head.

"Madam Pomfrey!" Harry shouted loudly making Draco wince. His hearing became increasingly sensitive and every little noise seemed like a bomb exploding inside his head.

Pomfrey came out and took one look at Draco, "Oh Merlin!" She quickly turned around and headed to a backroom.

Sweat bullets ran down Draco's forehead stinging his eyes as drops dripped onto his eyelids. His loose blond hair became plastered to his forehead. Searing pain sliced through his body and he began to shake violently. His muscles gave a fierce jerk every now and then.

Harry was near panic. He was standing over Draco trying to calm his trembling. "Come on Draco, please be ok. You're going to be ok, you hear me?"

Draco couldn't really hear what was going on anymore. He just heard one long, loud sound inside his head which brought more pain. Draco couldn't help it anymore, the pain was too intense. He opened his mouth and screamed bloody murder.

Harry jumped at Draco's outburst. He was beyond panic, now he was near hysterics. Where was Pomfrey?!! Draco clamped his hands down to his sides clutching at the sheets beneath him until his knuckles turned pure white. Harry brushed the hair off Draco's forehead with his fingers.

"Draco. Draco, listen to me," Harry urged, "Calm down. Try to relax a little."

Draco's breathing became ragged and felt like his lungs were going to explode. He was fighting unconsciousness. Harry's voice mixed into his head. It sounded somewhere around him and he tried to answer, but all he managed to say with a very hoarse voice was, "P-Pain..."

Harry took one of Draco's hands which was a mistake. Draco's grip was deadly tight and began to squeeze the blood out of it. Harry winced but tried to ignore the death grip. Draco started to breathe in short, fast breaths.

"Draco, breathe! Slow down!" Harry begged, "Come on, Draco, please calm down."

Draco's breath slowed down to long gasps. His attention was clearly on Harry's voice.

"That's it, Draco. Just slow down. You're gonna be fine."

Pomfrey finally rushed over to Draco's bedside with a potion, "Harry, can you tilt his head upward. He needs to drink this."

Draco grew weak with the sudden burst of pain. His muscles were burning and his head was spinning. He felt something move under his neck and slowly raise his head. Another shot of pain seared through his body; it was too much. His body finally gave into the darkness and he passed out.