Chapter 14

There's Always a Reason for Treason

There were two parts of the Hospital Wing. The severe injuries section and the mild injuries. Both sections were full. Harry, Rathrold, Dean, Mark Evans and more were in the serious injuries part. Madam Pomfrey was very worried about Harry. Even though the spell wasn't as powerful as it would be by a fully trained witch, it could still have some long-term effects. Everybody refused to tell the teachers what had happened, most because they didn't want to get in trouble but before the Battle of the Houses had started, they all made a pact that whoever squealed to the teachers would be ignored for the rest of their time in Hogwarts and most probably beaten up. The teachers did of course use Veritaserum on the less injured students but thanks to Hermione's brilliant mind she had cast a secret spell on everyone the second they had walked into the Invisibility Barrier. She had said she didn't agree with the duel but it would be best if the teachers didn't know. Not only would her friends and her get in trouble but also it would ruin the schools reputation and may get it shut down. The teachers had been fervent to find out but eventually they let it go. Even the parents of some students couldn't drag it out of them.

"Harry?"

"Y'ello," he said to Roxanne, grinning hazily.

"Are you feeling better?" she asked him, holding his clammy hands.

He blinked.

"Is he any better?" asked Ron.

"No," sobbed Roxanne, burying her head in Harry's chest.

"Hey mate, how're you keepin'?"

No reply, Harry just looked around as if trying to tell where the question came from.

"I'm going to kill Pansy!" snarled Ron.

"I'm going to kill her first," growled Roxanne

She stomped out of the Wing, followed by Ron.

"She's in the Slytherin common room, you can't come in," said Roxanne to Ron. He frowned but went back to the Hospital Wing to Harry's side.

"PANSY!" roared Roxanne, swinging open the doors to the girl's dorm.

Pansy spun around.

"WHY DID YOU DO THAT TO HARRY?"

"He put the Crucio spell on Malfoy!" she said, fear in her eyes but her face remained brave.

"So why didn't you just use it back on him instead of PERMENANTLY DAMAGING HIS BRAIN!"

"I didn't! It doesn't…I didn't m-mean…"

"Well it has! Madam Pomfrey says there's only a small chance he will fully recover! ARE YOU HAPPY NOW?" she screamed, lunging at Pansy's throat. Her long nails dug into Pansy's skin, piercing it.

"Stop! You're hurting me!" she wept.

"Get off her!" her friend screamed, trying to tug Roxanne off.

Roxanne didn't budge. Blood trickled down her fingers and down her sleeves. She suddenly felt two large hands pull her back and throw her against the wall.

"Jesus Christ, Roxanne! What in the hell do you think you're doing?" bellowed Rathrold.

Her head had hit of the wall hard so she was in no state to reply. She heard someone argue then someone picked her up and take her to another room. They sat down and she opened her eyes and saw Draco leaning over her.

"Ow…my head," she moaned.

She could feel Malfoy's breath on her face. One of his arms was around the back of her neck, keeping her head up. And the other was stroking her cheek. He wiped her tears away so slowly and gently it was like he was savouring every second. He bent down lower and kissed Roxanne tenderly on the lips. Despite herself, she kissed back, then realised what she was doing.

"No! No no no no!" she cried, falling off Malfoy's laps. "What do you think your doing?"

"Um…kissing you," he said in an evident tone.

"Well don't – don't ever…"

"Don't you dare tell me you didn't enjoy that!" he said, standing up.

"I have to go. I c-cant discuss this. Not when Harry's in the hospital," she murmured, walking away. She couldn't believe what she had just done and new for certain she would be punished. Perhaps expelled. She wiped her lips distractedly and made her way to Harry.

Back up in the Hospital Wing, Harry was feeling much better. He was alone as it was school time. He had been in there for two weeks and finally he could remember things. At first it was just simple things like the alphabet and who was who. The Brain Replenishing potion Madam Pomfrey had given him was working a treat. He heard the door open and someone talk to Madam Pomfrey.

"Why aren't you in lessons?" she asked curiously.

"Seventh year's have the day off," said Cho's voice.

"Ok then. Harry, you have a visitor!" said Madam Pomfrey, opening the curtains. Cho walked in and took the seat next to Harry's bed.

"Hi. You feeling any better?" she asked caringly.

"Yeah. Way better."

"Guess that duel wasn't such a good idea after all!" she said, laughing nervously.

"Yeah it was!" said Harry, sitting up.

"Are you joking? Neville nearly died!"

"Well there were some minor…drawbacks. But that taught Malfoy not to mess around with Roxanne," he said triumphantly.

Cho shook her head dolefully.

"I hate to be the one to tell you this, Harry. But I've seen Roxanne and Malfoy walking hand in hand around the school!" she said, as if she knew this all the time.

"No…no she wouldn't!"

"Sorry," she mumbled, holding his hand. "Maybe she thought you would never get better?"

He stared at her doubtfully, but something told Harry that Cho wasn't lying. She wouldn't lie. He looked around in distress while thinking; How could she! He put his head in his hands, trying not to imagine Roxanne kissing Malfoy.

"Oh Harry, I'm so sorry," said Cho, sitting next to him and hugging him.

"I never should have met her," he muttered darkly.

Cho stroked his messy, unkempt hair. This was going perfectly. She lifted his head up and gazed into his eyes.

"Just forget about her, Harry. She's not worth it," she whispered ardently. "Is she?"

"N-no. Definitely not," he replied, feeling the same he had last time he was this close to Cho. As she leaned in closer something told him to back away. Don't get yourself involved with her again, the little voice said. He ignored the irritating voice and pulled Cho's head closer, knowing he was mainly doing this to get back at Roxanne.

The next time Roxanne and Harry saw each other was at dinner the next day. Hermione had brought her over to help her with the potions homework.

"Don't bring her over here! She's a Slytherin," said Harry, glaring at Hermione.

"What?" asked Hermione, her mouth falling open.

"I don't want that traitor sitting next to me," he hissed.

He knows! Roxanne thought. Oh god…

"What are you on about Harry?" asked Hermione, looking dumbstruck.

"HER!" he yelled, pointing at Roxanne, "walking hand in hand with Malfoy!"

"I WAS NOT!" retorted Roxanne. That was definitely not true.

"Cho told me!"

"Cho? You believe Cho? You believe that…that slut?"

"Don't you dare call her a slut! She's way more faithful that you. You're the slut!" he growled.

"Harry, don't you get it? Cho was just saying that so you would dump Roxanne!" cried Hermione desperately.

"Doesn't matter anyway," said Roxanne, folding her arms, "you obviously don't trust me. So what good is that in a relationship? Consider yourself dumped so you can go out with Little Miss Lying Slut."

Harry goggled at Roxanne. She wasn't actually leaving him? He didn't mean that to happen! Roxanne walked out of the Hall and headed for the Slytherin Tower.

"ROXANNE WAIT!" yelled Harry, trying to catch up with her.

She stuck up her hand and made a rude gesture before disappearing behind a hidden tapestry.

He cried out in frustration and ran to his dorm.

"Harry? You ok mate?" asked Dean Thomas.

Harry ignored him and jumped into his bed. He put his head in the pillow and screamed. The pillow muffled the sound thankfully but it didn't make Harry feel any better.

That night he had the worst nightmares ever. He dreamt Lord Voldemort was torturing Roxanne. Cho was by his side, holding his hand and a snake was circling the scene, with Snape's head instead of a serpent head. Then the scene changed. A tall, robed man was standing in the middle of a circle of other masked men. Deatheaters. Harry noticed there were a lot of them missing. About nine maybe. He recognised Wormtail with his silver hand, looking up at his master with admiration. Lord Voldemort walked up to a couple. A man and woman, Harry figured, as the woman had long black hair.

"My most loyal advocates," whispered Lord Voldemort, he turned around and faced the other Deatheaters, "these," he waved his hand at the couple, "these two, my closest friends…have been locked away in Azkaban for twelve years. You thought Azkaban was now so heavily guarded it would be impossible to escape from, I knew better. I'm sure you are all very curious as to what happened to them?"

The Deatheaters nodded enthusiastically.

"After Harry Potter's death they themselves had a child, a girl," continued Vodlemort, "unfortunately they could only look after her for four years. The child's godparents took her in and looked after her. She is now sixteen and has grown into a fine young woman. But she has been corrupted by her godparent's kindness. And, the last thing I expected to happen, she fell in love with Harry Potter," he said Harry's name with utmost loathing in his voice. Harry suddenly realised who he was talking about. It was Roxanne!

A Deatheater stepped forward.

"But what about the prophecy? It clearly says that she will fall in love with–"

"I know that, Goyle. And she will, she is. Soon they will be ready and we will begin the Nupt –"

"But won't Potter try to stop it?" interrupted Goyle boldly.

"Don't interrupt me," he snarled. But obviously, he was in a very good mood as he did not punish Goyle. "He may. But sadly," he said, with sarcasm in his coarse voice, "he will not live to his seventeenth birthday. I will make sure of that."

"But master! He has managed to live every time he has encountered you. Maybe he will live again and –"

"Shut up you fool! How dare you doubt me! CRUCIO!"

Goyle collapsed onto his knees crying in torment and Harry felt a sharp, familiar pain in his forehead.