Disclaimer: Disclaimer! HUH! What do I own here! Absolutely Nothing! SAY IT AGAIN! Well, I won't say it again, because all I own here is the plot. The characters belong to JK Rowling and the song belongs to Foofighters.
Run and tell all of the angels
This could take all night
Think I need a devil to help me get things right
After Malfoy left, I continued to look at the door. I was utterly confused about his behavior. He seemed as troubled and as disturbed about this as I was. This confused me even more because Malfoy never let his emotions show so plainly like that. But I suppose I would act like that if I had to repay an impossible task like that too.
Hook me up a new revolution
Cause this one is a lie
We sat around laughing and watched the last one die
I sighed and pulled to covers around me tighter, getting the chills. I took my time to look around the room, trying to distract myself. I looked at Luna. Her hair was sprawled out in all directions, her face pale everywhere but her cheeks, which were lightly colored a pink. She must have a very high fever. Madam Pomfrey was tending to her now. She put Luna in a sitting position and fed her a nasty looking potion. Luna stirred and Madam Pomfrey looked distraught. Poor Madam Pomfrey. She always has something to do.
I didn't focus on Luna much longer though, because Harry and Ron entered the Hospital Wing at that moment. They looked like they had just been woken up. Their hair was messed up more than usual and their eyes were red and watery. They came in and sat down in chairs on either side of my bed, staring ahead of them not seeming to notice me. After a moment of them looking into space Harry glanced in my direction.
"Ron! She's awake!" He said, his eyes widening. Harry's eyes always did fascinate me. They showed his emotion even if his face didn't. They always seemed to sparkle in kindness. But when he was angry they flashed like a lightning bolts; reminding me of his scar.
Ron jumped in his chair, his eyes popping slightly seeing that I was awake. He leaned forward and poked me in the cheek, his mouth hanging open as he did. "Wow, she's real!" He said jokingly.
I laughed slightly. Ron was always one to make sure I was happy. Even though we were in a lot of rows, we really did like to see each other laugh. Last year, when Ron and I had started dating for a while he was always making me laugh. After a while it got a little weird though. Ron was like a brother me, and I a sister to him. We decided to break it off before it got too serious or too weird. Unlike other couples that had sworn to stay friends and then became enemies, Ron and I continued to be the best of friends. It might have even brought us a little closer in the long run.
"How long have you been awake?" Harry asked leaning into his chair, visibly relaxing. He looked confused about something. At first I thought he was happy, then he seemed to be angry.
I raised my eyebrow studying him closely. "An hour maybe. What's wrong?"
Ron cursed under his breath. I shot him a glance and he rolled his eyes. "You always know when there's a problem..." he mumbled. Harry ignored him and turned away not looking me in the eye.
"Malfoy," Harry said, spitting his name out in disgust.
Oh, so Malfoy had been causing problems with them already? I just saw him walk out the door not five minutes before. He must have said something to them when he passed them in the hall. That stupid prat!
"What did he do this time?" I asked leaning into my pillow.
"Oh, just the usual. Says we're scum, that kind of stuff," Ron said making a violent gesture in the air. I ignored him, learning that it was the best thing to do in these cases. "And said something about you," he added in a hushed, hurried tone.
I sat straight up again and my pillow fell to the floor. Ron leaned over and got it for me. He dusted it off and fluffed it a bit before handing it back to me. "What did he say about me?"
"Just that you got what you deserved. He seemed really angry about something." I relaxed a little knowing that he hadn't said something about my summer. "He said something else about summer but I didn't hear him because Harry had pushed him into the wall by that point." Ron continued smiling mischievously to himself. "You should have seen it. Harry was about to punch his lights out, but then Snape had to come by and take points off us for almost hurting his favorite student."
Summer. The jerk had almost told them about my summer! How dare he? That little prat was going to be taught a lesson for messing with me! For once I was glad Harry had resorted to violence. I was constantly telling him to restrain from violence and think logically. I shivered wondering what would have happened if Malfoy told them about my summer. I was surprised that Ron and Harry hadn't really pried me too much about it actually.
I snapped out of my thoughts though when Harry started talking again. "What happened, Mione?" he asked in a very serious tone, gazing at me with puppy dog eyes silently begging me to tell him everything. Ron looked at me quizzically too, his lower lip sticking out jus the tiniest of bits. I sighed and looked down at my hands avoiding their gaze.
My hands were scratched deeply. My wrists were wrapped in a cast like I had broken them. I almost laughed thinking about how hard it would be to write notes again. I instantly felt guilty about it. I glanced over at Luna for a second.
Had Malfoy meant what he said, saying it was my entire fault? I asked myself. I didn't want to admit it to myself, but it was my fault. I had been foolish enough to leave her by herself in the forbidden forest. I left her in danger; I should have taken her with. I decided that I would tell Harry and Ron about our detention, for her sake.
I shakily began the story. It took a lot of energy. By the time I was about to tell them about what Dumbledore had said I was exhausted. I was interrupted on a regular basis by an angry Ron or an outraged Harry, but I told them that they needed to wait until the end for me to answer any of the questions. Ron would nod every once in a while, looking like he desperately wanted to ask a question. Harry would mumble to himself glaring at the corner of my bed.
"So what did Dumbledore have to say?" Harry asked impatiently after I had finished my story.
I'm looking to the sky to save me
Looking for a sign of life
Looking for something to help me burn out bright
I'm looking for complication
Looking cause I'm tired of lying
Make my way back home when I learn to fly
"You promise you won't get mad?" I asked. A lump had risen in my throat. I couldn't continue for much longer.
"Hermione, I'm not mad at you. This is not at all your fault. Any of this," he said waving his hand around to show his point. I thought a moment and then reluctantly agreed to tell what Dumbledore said.
"Well it's called the Goshawk...Curse. For me it is anyway," I said.
"Why curse?" Ron asked fearfully.
"It's a curse or a blessing depending on how you look at it. For Malfoy and I it would be a curse because we don't like each other. For others, who liked each other, I'm sure it would be a blessing. You see, Malfoy and I are now in a way connected."
"Connected?" Ron burst out and I was sure that Madame Pomfrey was going to come and shuffle them away but thankfully she looked up from her desk and glared.
"Shhh," I whispered pointing to her. They nodded and sat looking intently at me. "It's a wizarding law in a sort. If you save a wizards life..."
"Then that wizard has to save your life in return." Harry finished for me. I straightened up and looked at him beaming with pride and question.
"How did you know?" Harry never did as much research as I did. Although he was smart, even I hadn't heard of the curse until just that night. Harry never failed to surprise me. I couldn't tell him how proud of him I was at that moment.
"I'm connected to Pettigrew," he said sadly. A flashback of third year came into my head. Harry had stopped Sirius and Professor Lupin from killing Pettigrew. I never thought that Harry would somehow be connected to Pettigrew for it. I felt bad for Harry now. Harry and I were on the same boat. We both have people that may never return the favor to us.
"Um, what happens if they don't repay the favor?" Ron asked looking between the both of us. We just shrugged and got lost in thought about our own problems, not wanting to think of the consequences.
"Mr. Potter, Mr. Weasley, I would kindly ask you to leave Ms. Granger alone now. She needs her rest and so do you, quidittch tomorrow. I'm sure I'll be seeing the both of you tomorrow evening." Madame Pomfrey interrupted us. Harry and Ron smiled. They were the two people that were in the hospital wing the most. It seemed like once a week they were there for some reason or another.
They nodded and rose from their seats. "Goodnight, Hermione. Get better, we have loads to tell you," Ron said as he leaned over to kiss me on the cheek. Harry nodded and kissed me on the other cheek before the left.
I think I'm done nursing the patience
I can wait one night
I'd give it all away if you give me one last try
Madame Pomfrey scurried around the room tidying things as she went. I pretended to be asleep but I was really up wondering what had happened to my life.
I hadn't expected the summer I had, but it happened. Like a ton of bricks it had hit me. The only people who knew about my summer were Mr. and Mrs. Weasley (who were sworn to secrecy) Professor Dumbledore, and Malfoy.
That prat! Whenever I thought about it I would get this twist in my stomach. I wanted to hurt him so badly it hurt. I wanted him to be taught a lesson. Maybe this curse would teach him a lesson. He might grow up a bit. But, no, that was too wishful of thinking.
I was growing tired now. After a long talk with Ron and Harry and a sudden burst of anger toward Malfoy I was exhausted. I thought about gentler times. Times when there were no cares in the world. I couldn't remember a time. The only thing that seemed to calm me was the thought of the strong arms that had held me that stormy night in the summer.
I'm looking to the sky to save me
Looking for a sign of life
Looking for something to help me burn out bright
I'm looking for complication
Looking cause I'm tired of lying
Make my way back home when I learn to fly
Those arms were what kept me from losing all control. It was the scariest, saddest night of my life and a stranger unsuspectingly saves me by wrapping their arms around me. I couldn't see their face. I could smell them, feel them, and almost sense them, but I couldn't see their face...
That's what troubled me. I didn't know who they were. I promised myself that I would find that person though, and that's what kept me from doing something drastic. The only way I would ever be able to know who they were is if I felt those arms around me again, and the chances of that happening were slim to none and I knew it.
I looked around the room. The lights were off and the castle was a rest, not having any problems what so ever in the world, unlike me. I was just about to fall into a long awaited sleep when the door to the infirmary was flung open.
We'll live happily ever trapped if you just save my life
Run and tell the angels that everything is alright.
Fly along with me, I can't quite make it alone
Author's Note: Ok! There's one more chapter done before schedule! YaY! Anyway, I must be going. Need to get ready for prom! Actually I'm not going, but my best friend was asked to go so I'm helping her with her hair. Eeks that will be good. Anyway, you know what I want for a May Day present? A lot of reviews! Haha, please leave me a note!
