Disclaimer: see Chapter One

Chapter Seventeen: Breathless

Seeing the fuming Gryffindor approach Draco gasped and acted on the first instinct of a true Slytherin, self-preservation. He leapt behind the Potions Master, clinging tightly to the darker man's robes from behind.

Ron took his wand out and called out to his enemy. "Come out from behind him and fight like a Wizard!"

Severus felt the yank on the back of his robes, which did nothing for the building pressure in his head. "What are you doing, boy?" he ground out through gritted teeth.

Albus stepped in front of the strangely conjoined pair, facing Ron. "Give me the wand now, Mr. Weasley."

It was as if a bucket of icy water was thrown over Ron's head as his anger was washed away, replaced by hurt and outrage. "How can you have me give up my wand? He's…He's evil!"

"That may be so," said Albus, ignoring the snort from Malfoy. "He's also unarmed." Albus pointed to where Draco's wand lay on the bedside table.

Ron scowled deeply but surrendered his wand to the headmaster who pocketed it.

Severus was beginning to see flashes of light. A migraine? Brilliant! Bloody brilliant! He reached for the footboard of the nearest bed and grasped it tightly as the pain intensified. The light in the room sliced right through his retina and into his brain and he closed his eyes.

Draco's attention was drawn to the handle of Severus' wand as the slender piece of wood poked from his pocket. The young blonde deftly withdrew it and surreptitiously placed it into his own pocket, smiling slyly.

Albus took Severus' arm and slowly moved him toward the bed and eased him to a sitting position. The older wizard called for Poppy to bring a migraine headache potion. While he waited for Poppy he dimmed the lights in the room.

Severus could see through his eyelids that the room's lights had been dimmed. He squinted his eyes open a tiny fraction. Seeing Albus he said, "Migraine… Need Poppy." His speech was very soft, fearing that moving his mouth too much would cause him further pain.

Ron stood by, arms folded across his chest. Out of the corner of his eye he saw Malfoy cross to the back of the room and slip out the back door. Looking around first, he then smiled and slipped away to follow.

Draco, of course, knew that the Gryffindor would follow. The redhead wouldn't give up a golden opportunity to soundly thrash his nemesis. Draco smirked as he heard the door open and saw Ron silhouetted against the light of the ward. Draco slid his hands into the pockets of his robes, grasping the pilfered wand tightly. Come on you silly Gryffindor, come out and play.

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Albus heard the bed creak as Remus sat up and he asked him to get Poppy. Remus obligingly left to check her office, but not finding her there he returned. "I'm not sure where she is, Albus."

"We need her. Severus has a bad migraine." Albus felt a strange building pressure in his chest. It's just nerves, I'm sure.

Remus glanced to Severus who had paled considerably and was now clenching the bed sheets with white knuckles. He noticed a pile of headache potion bottles on a nearby bed and brought them to where Albus stood.

Severus was grimacing, tears springing to his eyes. "Albus?" he moaned plaintively. I will not disgrace myself in front of the werewolf! I can't do that. His eyes tightly shut, he gritted his teeth hard as the bile rose in his throat.

"Poppy? POPPY?" Albus wasn't sure what he should do. Severus would occasionally get migraines that were very severe but he didn't know which medicine would help. Why were there so many? "Poppy?" Albus felt his heart clench painfully. Breathe deeply, you cannot let this get to you.

Remus could not drag his eyes from Severus. "Why don't we just give him one?"

"Which one?" snapped Albus. "There are about five different kinds here." Why can I not think clearly?

snapped Albus. "There are about five different kinds here."

"We could ask him." Remus pulled on Severus' arm to get his attention, causing the Potions Master to cry out loudly in pain as his head felt as if it would be wrenched from his body.

"Don't touch him!" Albus bellowed.

Remus drew back as if burned. "Let's just give him one then? What harm could it do? Maybe it would take the edge off enough for him to be able to tell us which one he usually takes?"

Albus agreed. "Let's give him this one. Willow bark is rather mild as a pain remedy."

Albus poured some of the potion and held the cup to Severus' mouth. He watched the Potions Master drink; his eyes still tightly shut.

Severus drank the potion thankful that Poppy had arrived and he felt the headache lessen to a degree. What is this odd taste? Willow bark? Severus' eyes opened wide and he grabbed Albus' robes. "Willow bark…" he managed to squeak out through his quickly swelling throat. He began to wheeze. "Allergic…get Poppy!" He fell back hard on the bed gasping for air. He felt his throat constrict painfully as his airway completely closed off. He clawed at his throat as his skin began to take on a bluish tinge.

Albus grabbed his chest as the pain began to feel like it was crushing him. "Remus, get Poppy! I don't care what you have to do just do it!" As Remus rushed to the fireplace Albus slowly sat down in a chair, his breathing becoming more difficult with each passing second. Calm yourself, Albus. Don't panic. Breathe deeply. You need to keep it together for Severus.

Remus threw some Floo powder in the hearth and called loudly for Poppy to return to the ward for an emergency.

Poppy was in the dungeons getting the last of the potions. When she heard the frantic summons she Flooed to the ward. Remus had returned to Severus' bedside and was pacing there looking lost. "What's happened here?" she demanded.

Remus held out the bottle and answered her in a rush. "He had a migraine! We gave him a potion then he said he was allergic!" Severus flopped on the bed making strange squeaking sounds as Albus reached out and clutched one of his hands tightly.

Poppy took one look at the bottle and rushed to a glass potion cabinet. Opening it with her wand she quickly withdrew a small vial and a hypodermic needle.

"What's that?" asked Remus, looking horrified.

"It will reverse the effect. It's an injectable potion. Now just hush up and let me do my job! I think you two have done enough for one day!" Poppy slowly drew up the golden fluid into the hypodermic syringe. She tapped out the bubbles that formed at the top and took Severus' free arm quickly pulling up his sleeve to find a vein. Severus was thrashing on the bed trying unsuccessfully to get air into his lungs. Poppy tried to inject the needle but could not do so while Severus' arm kept jerking. "Remus! Hold his arm still!"

Remus reached out and held Severus' tense arm down with both hands, trying not to stare at the Dark Mark. He had never been this close to it and didn't realize how awful it truly was. Remus had to look away as Poppy slid the needle into the now still arm. As he looked away he saw Albus, who was looking almost ashen, with one hand clutching Severus' free hand with his other hand still over his chest. "Albus?"

Albus felt his breathing begin to return to normal. Waving off Remus' concerns he put on his best smile and said, "I'm an old man, Remus. I need to rest sometimes." Albus glanced around the ward noticing that Ron and Draco were missing. Blast! "Remus, could you check on the boys? They don't seem to be here. Perhaps they stepped out back."

Remus looked around and checked the back room. "Oh boy." He then crossed to the back door.

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Ron stepped slowly out into the darkness surrounding the patio. His boot crunched on some old glass, likely from when the hippogriffs knocked over the jar of…better not to think of that. His eyes were having a problem adjusting to the darkness and the clouded night sky didn't help. He allowed the door to shut softly behind him. How he wished he had his wand.

"Lumos." The tip of the stolen wand glowed, showing Draco's smirking face. He could see the shock in his adversary's face. "Surprise!"

"Where did you get that?"

"I nicked it. Isn't that what Slytherins do?"

Ron took a step forward but stopped when the wand pointed toward him.

"Don't look so shocked, Weasel. I'm not going to kill you. I need to stay in the good graces of the staff here. Killing a precious Gryffindor simply wouldn't do."

"Then what are you going to do, maim me?"

Draco cocked his head to one side as if considering it. "No…I think that might not be the best course of action either." His gray eyes narrowed to mere slits as he changed the subject. "Why were you skulking around here in the middle of the night?"

"None of your sodding business, Malfoy." Ron crossed his arms over his chest.

Draco shrugged. "I guess it's not important. You're a liability to me because you know that I'm at Hogwarts. You'll just run off and tell the Golden Ones that I'm here and I can't let that happen." Ron started to protest but Draco put up his hand." Don't even try it, Weasel. Gryffindors are poor liars." Draco paced back and forth keeping the wand trained on Ron. "I can't kill you but you can't tell people that I'm here. I'm going to have to Obliviate your memory."

Ron was aghast. "Obliviate? That's a complex charm, not even taught in school."

"I have many skills not taught in the school, Weasel. Now just hold still for a minute."

The doorknob started to turn from the inside. Ron bolted for it just as Draco called out the charm. Ron was hit square in the back with the charm as it flashed from the wand. The young redhead collapsed to the ground in an undignified heap and Draco slid the wand into his pocket quickly.

Remus stepped out onto the patio seeing Ron's body lying on the grass near the patio. "Ron? Lumos." He ran over to Ron's unmoving form. "Draco! What did you do?"

Draco strode over. "I didn't do anything. He must've hit his head on the patio."

"Don't lie to me, boy!" Ron was not close enough to the patio to have hit his head.

Draco had heard those same words coming from his father numerous times. Heart racing he swallowed hard and began to stammer, "I…I…I…"

"Tell me what you did, Draco! Now!" Remus bellowed.

"He…he…he…" Draco grabbed his chest as he felt a panic attack begin.

"Damnit!" Remus looked again to who Ron was beginning to stir and then to Draco who was wheezing loudly as he tried to breathe. He conjured a paper bag and shoved it toward Draco. "Breathe into that." He then leaned over Ron who was trying to sit up. "Are you alright?"

Ron's head was spinning and he couldn't seem to focus his eyes. "My head feels funny."

"Let's get you in to see the mediwitch."

Draco's breathing was faster and more labored and he was becoming light-headed, but he used the bag as Remus had taught him before. The bag crumpled loudly with each breath in and out. They'll kick me out for sure! Where will I go? What will I do? He felt tears spring to his eyes.

Remus slid his arm under Ron's shoulder and hefted him to his feet. "Draco, come and open the door for us."

Draco stared, wild-eyed. Maybe I should run?

"Draco, get the door, now." Remus thought that being more forceful might spur the frightened child into action. "Now, Draco!"

Draco swallowed the lump in his throat and peered over his shoulder in the darkness. I guess it's better to stay here and deal with these wizards than to deal with those out there. Keeping the bag clamped over his mouth he approached the door and opened it.

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Poppy ran a hand over Severus' brow. This poor man has been through so much. The Potion Master's breathing was much better now and he no longer wheezed. "You're going to be fine, Severus."

Severus closed his eyes for a moment, deep in thought. How very strange my life is. Only a few short hours ago I prayed for death and now when I was handed the opportunity on a silver platter I fought to keep this miserable life. He glanced at Albus who looked rather ashen. "Albus, are you alright?"

Albus gave him a weak smile and squeezed the hand he still held so tightly. "I almost killed you, Severus. Please forgive me." Tears of regret spilled from his blue eyes, rolling freely down his cheeks.

Severus squeezed Albus' hand in return, stunned at seeing his mentor cry. "You were only trying to help. It was my foolish pride. I wouldn't let Poppy tell anyone that I'm allergic to Willow bark." He almost shook his head but changed his mind when the movement caused his head to begin to pound again. "I didn't want to appear weak."

"No, I'm at fault. I should've waited for Poppy." He leaned close to Severus. "It hurts me so much to see you in pain. I wanted to take it away. Please forgive me."

"Of course." Poppy gave him a second potion for his migraine and he lay back, reveling in the warmth and numbness that it provided.

The front door to the ward opened and two students came in, one clutching his stomach. Poppy quickly conjured a privacy barrier between the front of the ward and the back. She then went to assess her new patients.

As she clicked the door shut to the front area the back door to the ward opened and Remus lumbered in holding Ron upright, with Draco trailing behind looking sheepish, pulling the bag from his face.

Albus started to rise but Remus told him to stay put. He lowered Ron to bed he had recently vacated.

Albus turned his attention to Ron. "Are you alright, son?"

Ron blinked several times and stared at Dumbledore. "Uh…uh…Dad?"

Severus sat up and stared at the redhead. "Dad? Did he just say Dad?" His black eyes moved over to where Draco stood, his pale skin flushing to the roots of his hair. "What did you do?"

"I didn't want anyone else to know I was here. I've done memory charms before—"

"How did you Obliviate him without a wand?" asked Albus, staring pointedly at Draco over his spectacles.

"I… borrowed one." He glanced quickly to Severus.

Severus patted his pockets then rose and approached the young Slytherin. "MY wand? Draco Malfoy! How could you be so foolish as to perform such a complex charm with someone else's wand? You could cause the boy to be in St. Mungo's for life." He held out his hand and Draco slunk over timorously and placed it in his palm.

Ron's head snapped up. "What's St. Mungo's?"

"Don't worry about that, Ron. You'll be fine." Remus assured, patting his arm.

"I didn't want him to tell anyone I was here!" Draco whined to his former Head of House.

"I want to see a mirror," said Ron shakily. Albus turned and pulled a hand mirror out of the bedside table drawer. Ron peered into the mirror, touching his cheeks and his hair. "I don't know him at all! Who is this person?" As he continued to stare at the stranger's reflection his frustration mounted. He glared at Draco screaming, "You did this to me!" He sprang up and rushed the other boy, slamming the mirror over the side of his head and pushing them both back onto a nearby bed. The mirror shattered sending shards of glass over Draco's face. As the blonde tried to cover his face Ron let go of the mirror and tightly clutched the Slytherin's throat, squeezing with all his might.

"Stop!" Severus pulled at Ron's lithe body, trying to get his hands free from the smaller wizard's throat. Draco's face purpled and his eyes bulged.

Albus drew his wand and called to Severus to stand clear. He then cast a repelling charm on Ron to keep him from Draco. The redhead was pulled away by the charm and tried to return but could not get close again. It was as if an invisible barrier kept him from the Slytherin. Ron kept trying unsuccessfully as Albus and Severus assessed the boy lying on the bed. Draco was not conscious but they could hear his raspy breathing. Albus went to the other side of the barrier to get Poppy while Severus conjured a wet cloth to wipe the red streaks from the boy's face where the mirror had broken.

Ron continued to rage while Remus attempted to calm him.

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Lucius Malfoy stirred, his mind fogged with pain. He felt a hand under his neck lifting his head. A cup was placed to his lips and he drank the gritty potion welcoming any fluid. He faintly heard a woman's voice urging him to finish it all.

Lucius knew he had been very close to death and now he was being brought back. Why? Why would I be brought back, unless HE could think of worse things to do to me or to my family? My sister and Narcissa are dead. HE was eager enough to inform me of my wife's death when they returned from their excursion. Is Draco dead as well? My line has ended and it was all for nothing. He felt anger well up in him. I gave everything for HIM and this is how I am repaid?

The Healer bent near to her patient's ear, urging him to awaken. The darkest wizard currently alive was standing several meters away and expected her patient to respond. She gently tapped his pale cheeks.

Icy silver eyes opened as her patient asked one simple question. "Why?"

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