Ginny followed Snape and Malfoy down a darkened street. They seemed to know where they were going, so she merely followed. The portkey journey here had been different, given that they had to travel such a long distance. Suddenly they turned into a house, that, to Ginny, appeared to be very plain. She had never seen muggle houses before, and wondered briefly how they could live so plainly. Malfoy knocked on the door, and it was almost immediately opened. A tall black-haired boy stood there, clearly concerned about something: his eyes were bloodshot from lack of sleep and probably also from crying and he simply looked bone weary. This had to be Adam. He sighed with relief when he glanced the young boy standing at the door, "Draco," he said, pulling Malfoy into a hug, which Ginny was surprised to see Malfoy return, "thank god you've come. I don't know what's wrong with her. Please help her," he said, and motioned them inside. He shook Snape's hand, "Mr. Snape, Kit will be so happy to see you when she wakes up," he said, then noticed Ginny, "And you are?" he asked, suddenly suspicious.
Ginny was about to answer when she felt Malfoy's presence beside her. He answered for her, coming to her side, "Adam, this is Ginny Weasley. Ginny is a healer. She can mend some of Kit's injuries so we can get her back to Hogwarts. She's safe, I assure you."
Adam looked relieved, "Hi, Ginny, my name is Adam Carson. If you can help Kit, I'll be forever grateful. She's this way," he said, walking down a hall. "I was terrified to go to the hospital." he said, "I wasn't sure if I could answer their questions." They walked into a room at the end of the hall. At the sight of the mangled girl on the bed, Snape went extremely pale, and Malfoy let out a stifled scream. Ginny noticed that Adam had begun to cry. She, too was shocked at what she saw. Ginny had no idea what could do this to a person, or who for that matter. Malfoy collapsed by the door and buried his head in his hands. Ginny would deal with him later, she moved to the bed, where Snape and Adam were hovering over Katherine's body. This poor girl had been cut badly by something and it appeared she had put up one hell of a fight in the process. Snape immediately moved out of her way, and Ginny pulled out her wand, muttering a few well chosen words. The wounds cleaned themselves and Ginny set about mending them as best she could. The broken arm was shattered, and Madam Pomfrey would have to fix it along with whatever head injuries Katherine had endured.
After a while she was finished, and looked up at Snape's and Adam's expectant faces. "I've done all I can. Her arm is shattered, I cannot fix that. Whatever head injuries she has has put her into a coma. Madam Pomfrey will have to fix that, also. I think we need to get her back to Hogwarts as soon as possible," she said.
Snape and Adam smiled their thanks and set about getting some things packed for Adam and Katherine to prepare for the journey. Ginny, not knowing what to do, walked over to Malfoy, who was still sitting on the floor, his head buried in his hands. She sat down next to him, and touched his arm. He flinched and pulled away. "I'm sorry," Ginny whispered, and made moves to get up.
He put an hand on her arm to stop her, "I can't talk right now, but when I can, I'll talk to you. I just need to be alone. I'm sorry, you don't need to be. This is in no way an insult towards you, believe me, I could not thank you enough for helping Kit. I just need to be alone," he said, looking into her eyes.
She smiled, "You are very welcome, Malfoy."
He looked at her, "Please, don't call me that. Call me Draco. I hate being a Malfoy."
"Ok, Draco."
Snape walked over to them, carrying Katherine. Ginny still wondered what his connection with all this was, but decided this was not the place to ask. "Come, you two, we're leaving. Miss Weasley, I thank you very much, as I am sure Mr. Malfoy and Mr. Carson do also."
"You're welcome, Professor," Ginny said, as Draco stood up. Holding his arm out to her, Draco helped her to her feet, giving her hand a small squeeze. They followed Snape and Adam out of the room and down the hall.
Ginny was about to answer when she felt Malfoy's presence beside her. He answered for her, coming to her side, "Adam, this is Ginny Weasley. Ginny is a healer. She can mend some of Kit's injuries so we can get her back to Hogwarts. She's safe, I assure you."
Adam looked relieved, "Hi, Ginny, my name is Adam Carson. If you can help Kit, I'll be forever grateful. She's this way," he said, walking down a hall. "I was terrified to go to the hospital." he said, "I wasn't sure if I could answer their questions." They walked into a room at the end of the hall. At the sight of the mangled girl on the bed, Snape went extremely pale, and Malfoy let out a stifled scream. Ginny noticed that Adam had begun to cry. She, too was shocked at what she saw. Ginny had no idea what could do this to a person, or who for that matter. Malfoy collapsed by the door and buried his head in his hands. Ginny would deal with him later, she moved to the bed, where Snape and Adam were hovering over Katherine's body. This poor girl had been cut badly by something and it appeared she had put up one hell of a fight in the process. Snape immediately moved out of her way, and Ginny pulled out her wand, muttering a few well chosen words. The wounds cleaned themselves and Ginny set about mending them as best she could. The broken arm was shattered, and Madam Pomfrey would have to fix it along with whatever head injuries Katherine had endured.
After a while she was finished, and looked up at Snape's and Adam's expectant faces. "I've done all I can. Her arm is shattered, I cannot fix that. Whatever head injuries she has has put her into a coma. Madam Pomfrey will have to fix that, also. I think we need to get her back to Hogwarts as soon as possible," she said.
Snape and Adam smiled their thanks and set about getting some things packed for Adam and Katherine to prepare for the journey. Ginny, not knowing what to do, walked over to Malfoy, who was still sitting on the floor, his head buried in his hands. She sat down next to him, and touched his arm. He flinched and pulled away. "I'm sorry," Ginny whispered, and made moves to get up.
He put an hand on her arm to stop her, "I can't talk right now, but when I can, I'll talk to you. I just need to be alone. I'm sorry, you don't need to be. This is in no way an insult towards you, believe me, I could not thank you enough for helping Kit. I just need to be alone," he said, looking into her eyes.
She smiled, "You are very welcome, Malfoy."
He looked at her, "Please, don't call me that. Call me Draco. I hate being a Malfoy."
"Ok, Draco."
Snape walked over to them, carrying Katherine. Ginny still wondered what his connection with all this was, but decided this was not the place to ask. "Come, you two, we're leaving. Miss Weasley, I thank you very much, as I am sure Mr. Malfoy and Mr. Carson do also."
"You're welcome, Professor," Ginny said, as Draco stood up. Holding his arm out to her, Draco helped her to her feet, giving her hand a small squeeze. They followed Snape and Adam out of the room and down the hall.
