Disclaimer: Erg... The disclaimer is the hardest part of a fic to write...
Oh my effing god, I am almost twitching. Okay. So I woke up around noon and played video games for an hour. Then I realized that it was Saturday and the 6th HP bookhad been out since midnightand almost had a heart attack. lol. So my dad comes home and pretends he didn't get the book for me, which we preordered, and I flipped out. But I got it eventually and have been yelling at anyone who's been interrupted my reading. That's my story of the day. Woo. I can't believe there's only one book left... I was hyperventilating all through the first 5 chapters. Thought I'd share my joy with you all by posting another chapter of this.
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Chapter Nine - Remedy and Clarify
The four students landed in the middle of Dumbledore's office. Instantly, an array of people were on top of them.
"Oh my God, they're alright!"
"But, how did — "
"I knew we shouldn't have trusted — !"
"What the hell!"
"Quiet!"
There was silence.
Harry gazed dizzily around, putting a hand on his chest. Dumbledore was in front of him, his face a mask of worry. Ron was also there, Ginny clinging to his arm. They both looked sick. Moody, McGonagall and Remus Lupin, who had come back to teach Defense Against the Dark Arts, were also present.
"The Order," Harry murmured, having regained some of his senses. "Why didn't they show up?"
"We received the wrong location through our informative," Moody growled, frowning furiously. "We'll have to deal with him. We're sorry, Harry."
"Harry, we were so worried!" Ginny squeaked, coming over to him. From the looks of it she had been biting her lower lip the whole time he was gone.
"What happened mate?" Ron asked, color coming back to his face now that he saw Harry and Hermione were both alright.
"I think they should get cleaned up first before we hear any explanations," Lupin pointed out.
Harry shook his head. "I don't need to see Madame Pomfrey," he said, having forgotten about the wound on his arm.
"Yes you do. You all should," Dumbledore said, fatherlike. "You can tell us what happened after."
The two girls left first, no major injuries seen, but both looking a little weakened. Hermione turned shakily towards the door, Ron taking her arm and whispering comfortingly to her. Danielle made to go after her, but paused, going back to Harry and saying,
"Thank you." She bowed her head and hurried after the Gryffindors.
"No problem," Harry muttered.
"You too, Potter, Malfoy," McGonagall said to them, motioning to the door. Harry looked like he was going to protest, but a little nudge from Draco got him moving. Harry looked over at the boy. He definitely looked a little worse for the wear, and he had his hand pressed against his chest where the sword had been poised.
When they got outside Dumbledore's office, Harry asked, "Did you get hurt?"
Draco gazed down at his chest, removing his hand slowly. It was stained red. Harry heard himself gasp.
"Why didn't you say something?" he exclaimed. A thought coming to him, he looked down at his own chest. "Hey...That's why my chest hurts. Anyway, you need to get to the nurse, come on."
Draco shook his head, keeping his steady pace. Harry walked slowly beside him. He was vaguely aware that Ginny had exited the office sometime after them, but he was ignoring her for now.
"What's wrong?" he asked the Slytherin softly.
"I-I almost died," Draco choked out. "I've never really come close before, but just now, it was almost irrefutable. It scared me."
Harry looked pitifully over at him. He himself had faced death since his first year. Just because Draco was a Death Eater's son didn't mean that he had too.
"I'm sorry," Harry whispered, rubbing the spot on his arm where he knew the Dark Mark was. "If I could have fended off Voldemort from my mind — "
"He would have just killed us all anyway," Draco finished for him. "It's not your fault." He coughed, putting a hand back up to his chest.
"You shouldn't be walking with a wound like that in your chest!" Harry frowned.
"It's fine, it hardly scraped anything," Draco tried to tell him, but Harry would have none of that.
"Here," he said, putting Draco's arm over his own shoulders and supporting him. "At least until we get to the hospital wing."
"Alright," Draco sighed, letting his head hang forward and smiling for the first time all night.
oooOOooo
When they got to the infirmary, Hermione and Danielle had already been patched up, and they were sitting on the beds talking in low voices to Ron. Hermione looked up when Harry entered.
"Harry! Oh, Madame Pomfrey, Harry and Malfoy are hurt too!" she said.
Harry hardly had time to think as the ever diligent nurse came over, 'tsk'ing under her breath and helping the two of them to separate beds to get treated. Ginny stood beside Harry's bed.
"Are you alright?" the red head asked.
"Yeah, Ginny. Just's my arm. I've had worse," Harry grinned back.
"No, I mean...oh, never mind. I'm glad you and Hermione are okay."
"Thanks."
Ginny glanced around innocently, making sure no one was paying attention before sidling over to Harry and whispering, "So, are you going to make a move on Draco?"
Harry nearly fell out of the bed. "What!" he said sharply back.
Ginny shrugged. "I just figured...you two were acting so protective of each other in the hallway. Don't deny it!" She giggled.
"Hmph. Just so you know, Draco made the first move on me," Harry glowered.
Are we talking to Ginny about me again? Draco said cheerily in the Gryffindor's head. Soon she'll probably know more about us than we do.
Aren't you supposed to be in great pain or something? Harry asked pointedly.
Madame Pomfrey fixed me all up. Just a bit tired. But you should feel that, Draco quipped. His tone then softened. You alright?
Yeah, Harry replied. Are you going to tell Dumbledore that you're a Death Eater?
Probably not. What about the mark on your arm?
...Best leave that a secret for now. Harry had a suddenly distressing thought. Do you think Voldemort found out about it?
I hope not, Draco sighed.
Ginny poked Harry in the head. "Darn you, he's on the other side of the room! Talk out loud, it's creepy."
Harry laughed, the first real laugh he had all night. "Sorry, Gins."
"Don't call me Gins, it makes me sound like a liquor."
"Sorry."
Ginny smiled. "That's alright."
The smile faded as Dumbledore, followed by the rest of the Order that was there, entered the room.
"Ah, Mr. Potter, Mr. Malfoy, Miss Granger, Miss Fudge, I take it that you are all feeling somewhat better?"
They all nodded.
"Good, good. Then, I hope it's not troublesome for you to recall what has happened tonight?"
They shook their heads. Hermione, Draco, and Danielle had all been kidnaped in the same way; someone grabbed them and somehow managed to use some form of Disapparation. They had been thrown into separate cells and Voldemort had informed them about the sacrifice and how they were going to die. Harry then told how he had appeared, busted them out of their cells, got taken somewhere else by the silver portkey, and had to fend off Voldemort and a bunch of Death Eaters before coming back here.
When they finished, the Order was silent. Finally, Dumbledore said,
"I see. They have found a new way of transportation that Hogwarts does not seem equipped to stop. And they found a way to meddle with our new portkey. I'm afraid we need some catching up to do." He looked down at the students.
"I'm terribly sorry you four got dragged into this mess," he said. "But I am extremely glad that you got out. If that is all, then I think we should leave you to get some rest. It's still quite early in the morning. Miss Weasley, Mr. Weasley, you may stay a little longer with your friends, but please try to go back to your houses sometime this morning."
With that, he left. The rest of the Order trailed out as well, after making sure the kids were okay and muttering their thanks and apologies. Danielle rolled onto her side and fell asleep. Pretty soon the ward was quiet.
Harry turned to Hermione. "Hey 'Mione. Who handed me the portkey at the very end? I remember having lost it, and someone just shoved it in my face."
"That was Professor Snape, Harry," Hermione told him quietly. "Weren't you paying attention?"
Harry was almost stunned for a second before remembering that Snape worked as a double agent. "No, guess I wasn't..."
"Well, for what it's worth, I'm glad you went when you did, Harry," Ron said appreciatively. "If not, these three might be dead...Though, I wouldn't really care if they had killed Malfoy."
"That's real nice Weasley, thanks," Draco rolled his eyes sarcastically. "I'll be sure to invite you to my funeral if I ever do die."
"Everyone's gonna die eventually, Malfoy," Ginny told him, as if this was the most logical thing in the world. Which, if you think about it, is.
Draco looked flustered for a moment. "I know that, Weasley. I meant a death that was sooner than expected."
Ginny giggled and Harry said to Draco mentally, Just remember not to die sooner than expected while we're still connected... Better yet, not at all.
Aw, I didn't know you cared, Draco responded.
Of course I do. You know, when Voldemort said that you going to be the first to be sacrificed, I felt...horrible. There is no word to describe it. It felt like the life had been drained from me. But I know I didn't want you to die.
That's because you'd die too, Draco replied sensibly, but Harry looked over and saw that Draco's face had become red. Hermione noticed this too, and glanced between Draco and Harry questioningly.
Leave me alone, Potter, Draco muttered miserably, and flopped back on his bed and pulled the covers up til they reach his nose. Good night.
Good night.
Soon, Ron got up to leave, as Hermione had decided to get some rest as well, and took Ginny by the arm, telling her she could visit tomorrow.
Before she was dragged away, Ginny hissed at Harry, "If you do anything with Draco, tell me!"
"Shut up, Ginny!"
TBC...
Wee...boring chapter, yes.My explanations leave something to be desired, ha.Yay. Hugs to all you who actually look forward to the junk I write. Now I'm going to go read more of the Half Blood Prince...lalala.