Chapter Nine

While You Were Sleeping II

"Out like a log." Neville muttered, yawning widely to himself. He rubbed his gritty eyes and glanced blearily at Cho. She smiled back faintly, eyes dark with exhaustion and pain.

"At least someone's going to get a good night's sleep." She replied.

"Well, he got what he wanted." Neville shook his head. Healing finger bones seemed to have been an easier task than trying to put back together a larger and bigger bone in the leg. Cho had done her best, but the pain Damon must have felt… Neville shook his head again. His ears were still ringing from the screaming and the sobbing.

Cho imitated Neville's yawn. He looked about tiredly. "We need to get some sleep. We're going to have to tackle that beast." She said.

Neville nodded, feeling a slight rise of fear. They had gone up against it once and barely got away. What Cho was proposing was they go up against it again. Could they win? Neville cast a furtive glance at Cho. She was hurt, badly. She wasn't complaining, but Neville could see it. The small expressions of pain, the stiff movements, and the occasional gasps she tried hiding with yawns.

Looking at her, Neville felt a wave of anger. Not anger directed toward her, but toward himself. She had been able to heal his broken fingers and the cuts upon him, but he hadn't been able to do anything beyond cause her more pain. He didn't have the talent she did for healing and she was suffering because of it.

"We need some sleep." Neville echoed. He cast a glance to Damon, who was lying upon his back, most of his body seemingly not there. His previously broken leg was exposed, the invisible cloth covering his body tore away from the injured leg. The skin was blue and swollen, but the bone beneath was as healed as Cho could get it.

"We need our strength. We need our rest." Cho said. She looked tired and worn, but she didn't move. Instead she sat there, back as erect as she could get it and hands upon her lap, staring at nothing.

Neville moved toward her, gently taking her hand. "Come on, Cho." He said. "You need to sleep. You're exhausted and it'll only get worst. You won't be able to heal if you don't get your rest."

Cho looked at him, tears in her eyes. "I can barely move. My back hurts with every muscle I move." Her voice was hoarse with pain.

Neville cringed. He reached out and took her wand lying lax in her hand; she didn't even try to stop him. Neville sighed, looking down at the wand. "Do you want me to try again?" He asked softly.

Cho looked at him and hesitated. "Are you sure?" She asked.

Neville continued to look down at the wand. It was not his. It felt completely different, lighter, longer, and smoother. Another person's wand. Could he do it? Could he heal her? The last attempt had been a near disaster. How much pain could Cho bear? Neville looked up at Cho and saw her watching him. "Are you sure?" He echoed.

Cho nodded slowly. "Do it."

"It'll hurt." Neville warned.

"Do it."

"It might not work."

"Do it." There was determination in her voice. "I trust you." She whispered a moment later. Neville stared and then nodded, clenching the wand in his hand.

Taking a deep breath, Neville raised the wand and pointed it at Cho. She was strong and she was brave. But he didn't think he could stand her cries of pain. He felt a moment's hesitation a moment of shame at his own weakness.

"Sopor." He said. There was a flash of light and Cho let out a startled gasp of breath, she blinked her eyes and stared at Neville for a moment, then she slumped forward unconscious. Neville caught her, gently pulling her to the stone floor. He maneuvered her gently, lying her upon her front and using the wadded material of invisible cloth Cho had taken from Damon as a makeshift pillow.

Trust. Neville sighed, rubbing his weary eyes. She trusted him, but was it right to trust him. Was he able to go through with it? There were so many things that could go wrong. There were so many things that could happen. He was not a healer. What if something terrible really did happen? What could he do?

Panic began to rise in Neville. His hand shook as he set the wand down. Her trust was misplaced. She trusted him, but he didn't.

Neville closed his eyes and took another deep breath. He had to do this. Now wasn't the time for doubt, for second guessing, for trying to back out. He looked down at Cho, even in her sleep her face was strained with pain, her breathing shallow. She needed his help.

Neville pushed down his fear and his doubts. He would do this. He picked up the wand and carefully began untying Cho's bandages. Cho let out a gasp of pain as Neville pulled off he last piece of black cloth. He felt his stomach clench as he saw the damage beneath it. The skin was hot to the touch, redden, and seeping blood.

He couldn't imagine the pain Cho was in. He had to heal it. He had to make it better, get rid of the blood and cuts. Make her whole and make it so that the wounds didn't hurt her so much. She needed it. He had to do it. Neville repeated the words to himself. He had to do it. It was no longer about trying, he had to do it.

"Heal." Neville said, loudly and clearly, the wand pointed to Cho's back. Nothing happened. Neville frowned and focused upon the wound. The cut, the broken flesh, the body that was already trying to heal itself. "Heal." Cho let out a soft gasp of pain. Neville clenched his fists around the wand, gritting his teeth, and focusing everything upon the wound. "HEAL."

Cho's back arched and she let out a scream. Neville fell back as he saw blood begin pouring down her back, staring in horror he moved to stop the flow, but then saw something. The open wounds began to close, the flesh coming together. Neville stared in fascination.

He had done it. He had healed her. He let out a laugh and then glanced about sheepishly. Damon was still out and Cho was breathing regularly, her face softening into a peaceful sleep.

Grinning, Neville suddenly felt weary. As if all the strength had been drained from him, he suddenly felt his eyes growing heavy and his movements slow and clumsy. He tried shaking it off, there were still things he had to do. Slowly and laboriously, he took off all the bandages and patched up her robes.

It was done. She was healed.

He felt her shivering beneath his hands and realized that the Tower was getting colder. He spared at glance to Damon and saw he curled up, huddled in one of the corners. As he sat there he began to fill a chill in the air, one that hadn't been there before.

The day didn't seem to be changing. There was still the same light coming in from the narrow slit window high upon the wall. Maybe there weren't days where they were. Neville snorted. It didn't matter if the day never ended or if it was night. They were still trapped and they still didn't know where they were.

Neville picked up the wand, trying to remember a few severing spells. He pointed the wand at his robes and began cutting. It took a few moments to finish and product wasn't the best, but it would do what it needed. Neville shivered as he pulled the upper portion of his robes off. The chill air suddenly striking his skin and making his teeth chatter. The thin shirt he wore beneath his robes was no protection against the sudden cold.

Staring down at the cloth in his lap Neville tried thinking of the spells. His exhaustion was tugging that the edge of his consciousness and he felt a painful headache begin to start pounding. It was cloth to cloth. That shouldn't be too hard. It wasn't like turning a rat invisible or turning a creature into a pin cushion. Neville gripped the wand again and pointed it to the cloth, muttering his spell. After a moment he grinned, unfurling the long black blanket he had just created.

"Not bad for my first try." Neville remarked to himself. He turned to Cho and rolled her gently within it. She shifted in her sleep, but didn't wake.

Neville sat against the wall, closing his aching eyes. After a moment he opened them again and looked to the thick iron door. The monster was still out there, though it hadn't banged upon the door in the last few hours. It was still out there. He felt a small stir of nervousness and fear, but pushed it away. They had to deal with it. They had to get past it, somehow. Beyond it lay freedom. Hopefully.

"You need to sleep. You need to rest." Neville closed his eyes and folded his arms across his chest. Though he was exhausted beyond measure he continued to sit there. He shifted a few times and began counting backwards in his mind. One hundred…Sleep. Ninety-One…Sleep. Fifty-Three…Sleep. Twenty…Sleep. Seventeen…

Finally it came and always it was not peaceful.

XXX

Until Next Chapter!