Do I even have to say that I don't own Harry Potter, nor claim that I do? Then again, I suppose you wouldn't be here if you didn't already know that ;

CHAPTER TWO: Can't Breathe

The class gathered around Ginny's small form, that was laying there, spread-eagled on the floor.

'Out of the way! Evanesco!' barked Professor Snape almost instantly with a swish of his wand at Ginny's cauldron, and then pushing students aside to reach her. 'Lovegood!' he yelled, looking down at Luna who had her hand on Ginny's shoulder. 'Did you see Weasley add anything to her potion? Did she add the sipher essence?'

'Well, I - ' Luna croaked, making her chin double,'- I don't -'

'Answer at once, you foolish girl!' yelled Snape, towering over her.

'I didn't see, sir!' cried Luna, her bottom lip trembling. 'I swear I didn't see!'

Everyone could tell that Snape was absolutely furious - if there was anything he despised more, it was insolent students - and insolent students who faint.

The class flinched at every movement he made.

'Move back,' said Snape in a dangerous voice, as he knelt by Ginny's side. 'All of you - at least five feet away from her. Corner, get me that vial on the top right hand shelf labelled "A.A.S", and be quick with it!'

The group cleared a path as Micheal rushed over the grab the vial, and came back almost dropping it.

'BE CAREFUL!' Snape yelled, completely exasperated as he watched Micheal fumble. 'Give it to me - now I say!'

Micheal (with a very shaky hand) handed the val over to Professor Snape who wasted no time at all. He popped the cork off of the vial with his side teeth, carelessly spit it aside, and immediately waved the smoking vial about four inches from Ginny's nose.

Almost instantly, Ginny jerked awake and pulled a face. The class moved closer, still avidly watching. Ginny placed her hand over her forehead and tried to push herself up with the other, but felt a hand pressing her back down.

'I wouldn't move if I were you, Ms Weasley,' said a very unimpressed Snape. 'You were just issued a rather large blow from stimulated sipher essence.'

'W-what?' said Ginny, thoroughly confused and seeing stars. 'But I didn't -'

'Don't bother saving yourself the embarrassment,' said Snape getting up and retrieving the vial lid. 'Do you realise that if you are exposed to sipher essence in that form - and then faint - that if you are not awaken within one minute, you could die?'

'But sir, I didn't even -'

'Not another word Ms Weasley,' said Snape in his most dangerous voice. 'This is the kind of extremely foolish display I might expect from a first year - but you?'

Ginny's eyebrows were clearly arched with confusion. What was Snape talking about? She didn't even add any sipher essence - she didn't add anything at all ... but then why did she faint?

Luna's face appeared in font of Ginny's, and she grabbed her arm and lifted her from the floor. Ginny nodded gratefully.

'I suggest Ms Lovegood assist you to the Hospital Wing,' said Snape indifferently, gliding toward his desk and placing the vial back in its place. 'I want you back in here at 4:00 o'clock sharp. Don't show up, and don't expect the stay in this class much longer, am I understood?'

Ginny nodded, and Luna grabbed her arm once more, leading her out of the classroom.

Together, Ginny and Luna walked up and out of the dungeons. The long corridors very still and very quiet ...

'Ginny,' said Luna at last, her voice echoing within the old castle walls. 'What ... what happened to you?'

Ginny shook her head, not looking at Luna.

'I know you didn't faint because of that sipher essence.'

Ginny immediately looked over at Luna with wondering eyes.

'Y - you do?' she said, looking thoroughly surprised.

'Of course,' said Luna, as if it were the most obvious thing. 'I know you're not stupid, Ginny.

'What's going on?' Luna urged forward.

Ginny shook her head again and drew and deep, disappointed breath. 'God I wish I knew ... '

Luna glanced at Ginny with sympathetic eyes, and then looked away as they made their way up the changing staircases to the Hospital Wing.


'Goodness Ms Weasley!' shrieked a thoroughly shocked Madam Pomfrey, her headdress slightly lopsided. 'Fainting in Potions class! To think of how many times I've told Serverus that he needs to practice safer and more practical potion making! Forgetfulness Potion, honestly! I'll give him something he'll want to forget.'

Madam Pomfrey seized Ginny's arm (while 'tutting' quite vigorously) from Luna's hold and forced into one of the beds.

'B - but Madam Pomfrey, you don't understand,' said Ginny, shooting worried glances at Luna. 'I - ' (Madam Pomfrey pulled the blankets up to Ginny's chin) ' - I don't think - uhhg - will no one listen to me!'

'Please Madam Pomfrey,' said Luna, approaching Ginny's bedside, and finally grabbing the matron's attention. 'You're misunderstanding what Ginny is trying to say. It wasn't because of a potion that she fainted so suddenly.'

'Well then?' said Madam Pomfrey, her cheeks slightly pink from rushing about. She turned to Ginny. 'Why did you faint, Ms Weasley?'

'I - ' Ginny struggled to come up with a logical answer, ' - because - '

'Good Lord!' shrieked Madam Pomfrey, slapping her hands to her face, nearly shielding her wide matron-like eyes,'You're not pregnant are you?'

'W-what?' spat Ginny, very wide eyed and most embarrassed. 'NO! I - I, of course not!'

'Then what is it?' she urged on, though appearing thoroughly relieved that Ginny wasn't pregnant.

'Because - because ...I couldn't breathe ... I ... I couldn't stop coughing either, and I just ... suddenly became a bit dizzy, and then, well, you know ... ' Hearing herself say it, made her feel even sillier than before.

Madam Pomfrey stood still with her hands on her hips, tapping her foot on the hard stone floor. She turned to Luna.

'Ms Lovegood,' she said with a hint of coldness in her voice, 'thank you for bringing Ms Weasley here, you are no longer needed. If you'll please return to class ... '

Luna nodded without a word, but gave a very concerned look to Ginny. After a few moments she turned about and walked out the Hospital Wing, pulling out a copy of "The Quibbler"fromher robes, and a pencil from her ear.

'Ms Weasley,' said Madam Pomfrey after a long uncomfortable silence, 'I want you to tell me more about these symptoms. Have they occurred before?'

Ginny scratched her head. She so badly did not want to make a fuss out of a silly cold. It just wasn't worth the time of day, really.

'Just, well, you know,' she said in a attempted casual voice. 'Just a spot of coughing lately - mostly at night. You know, this is quite silly, it's just a cold, can I - '

'No.' said Madam Pomfrey quite flatly. 'You will tell me right now what has been going on. No one faints from a little cold.' She grabbed a bottle of skele-gro that was sitting on one of the tables, and began smacking it against her other free hand, as if it were a deadly weapon.

Ginny's underarms became sweaty.

'Coughing enough to vomit?' Madam Pomfrey inquired further, waving a suggestive hand. 'Vomiting to the point of bleeding? Hmm?'

Ginny was fighting a losing battle. She nodded, dejectedly.

"I see.' said Madam Pomfrey, with a stiff, non-expectant voice.

She then closed her eyes, in a "this is very serious" type way.

Ginny shivered under her covers.

A/N - I just wanted to thank my very first reviewers for being so kind and enjoying my first chapter. I hope you like this one as well - and though it may lack in your typical Harry Potter action, I can assure you that what is to come, is nothing less of a shock ... (big dramatic pause) ... I really need a day job ...