Chapter 10: Ms. Airhead Chang

Ron's dream turned out to involve Hermione getting married to Viktor Krum and Draco at the same time. "No wonder you woke up," Hermione laughed. She was still mad at Harry for what he had said and wasn't talking to him.

Hermione timidly walked up to Draco, who was sitting alone chewing a packet of sugar.

"Hey Draco?" she gently touched his shoulder. He jumped and turned around.

"Hi," he blushed a bit, "Here." He handed her another piece of torn paper. "I asked 'S' if he would send Harry a separate one. Maybe then he'll believe me."

Hermione folded up the paper. "I'll give it back later, I'd like to look at it a little, please?"

"Sure," Draco grunted. He put another sugar packet in his mouth and chewed a while.

"I got your letter and your dad's," Hermione sat down next to him. "And since this whole mess is kind of sorted out. I mean I'm still mad at Harry-"

"Why?" Draco turned his intense gray eyes on Hermione; "His dad wasn't trying to assassinate you all summer."

"You're dad said in the letter it wasn't your fault," Hermione said in a quiet voice, like she was talking to a cornered wild animal, "You didn't insult me. And I was wondering if you would go out with me again…Like, pretend that the whole assassination thing never happened."

Draco just stared at her for a minute and leaned slightly in towards her and at first Hermione thought he was going to kiss her until he collapsed on the floor.

"Oh my God!" Hermione jumped up, "RON!" Ron came running over. Hermione was slightly hysterical. "He-I-collapsed. I didn't do-he just-" She was crying now.

"It's okay, Hermione," Ron said, "He's still breathing. He's fine. HEY YOU!" He pointed to a Hufflepuff. "JUSTIN FINCH-FLETCHLEY!" Justin ran over. "Go get Madam Pomfrey, now!" Justin nodded his head and dashed up the stairs.

"Well, Weasley, what have we caused this time?" Snape towered over Ron who was kneeling next to Draco.

"He just-" Ron began.

"Passed out!" Hermione finished.

"Really?" Snape said in his oily voice. He knelt down to examine him. "If I didn't know better, I'd say he was poisoned." Hermoine gasped. "I don't think he'll die but… I hope Madam Pomfrey is coming to examine him?" At that moment Madam Pomfrey pushed through the gathering crowd, "Excuse me, excuse me." She examined Draco and looked at his food. "Oh dear," she muttered. In a slightly louder voice she said, "Someone owl his parents!"

Hermione had followed Madam Pomfrey up to the hospital wing along with Ron. "Professor Sprout, you are creating the antidote?" Madam Pomfrey asked anxiously.

"As we speak," Professor Sprout left, holding the door open for Lucius Malfoy.

He took Madam Pomfrey aside, " Narcissa will be here soon. I came straight from work.Can you tell me how long has he been in this state?"

"Sir, as far as we can tell, it has been about one and a half hours since Mr. Weasley came and got me. Good thing it's Sunday or those Ms. Granger and Mr. Weasley would be late for class. They've stayed with him all morning."

"Really," a small-amused smile crept across his faced. "Do we know what's wrong with Draco?"

"Well," Madam Pomfrey took a deep breath, "Now I just want you to know, Professor Snape and Professor Sprout are preparing an antidote-"

"Antidote?" Lucius' normally emotionless face had a shocked and worried expression.

"We believe it's a Komacritus Draught."

"How would that find its way into Hogwarts?" Lucius' face paled. "It's strictly advanced Dark Magic and most ingredients are Class A Non-tradeable Goods."

"We are working on an antidote and your son will be restored by tonight."

"That's good. May I see him?"

"Of course," Madam Pomfrey drew back the curtain. Draco's eyes had been closed and he was lying unnaturally still. He was flat on his back and gave off the appearance of being dead.

"Oh my God," Lucius gasped. He gently drew his hand across Draco's face. He turned to look at Madam Pomfrey and noticed Ron and Hermione standing on the other side of Draco. He gave a small smile, "Hello, Ron…Hermione." He reached into his pocket. Hermione gave a little gasp and took a step backwards. He handed her a small package. "Here." He tossed it to her. Hermione bent down to pick it up and quickly put it in her pocket.

"Where is HE?" A hysteric voice asked.

"This way," Madam Pomfrey led a disheveled looking Narcissa over to Draco.

"Is he…is he?" Narcissa gasped. Lucius put his arm around her, "Shh… no, he's fine…just," He paused, "Sleeping, I suppose you could put it that way."

"He should be back to normal by tonight. The antidote will be administered to him," Madam Pomfrey added in a comforting tone.

"What wrong with him?" Narcissa cried. Hermione and Ron just stared.

"It the Komacritus Draught. He's fine. He's just in an unconscious state and will remain in it until the antidote is given to him," Lucius clasped her tightly, "They're working on it, I promise."

"Madam Pomfrey," Ron said in a loud voice, "We…uh…need to go."

"Alright then, goodbye," Madam Pomfrey said, "I will let you know when he's awake."

"Ron," Hermioen said outside the hospital wing, "Do you think someone could have poisoned him on purpose?"

"You heard Malfoy," Ron said, "It's an advanced DARK magic potion. It was no accident; someone gave it to him intentionally."

"I'm going to the library to research it," Hermione said firmly, "What was it called again?"

"The Komentitius Draught or something like that," Ron answered uncertainly.

"Hey, Ron!" Harry came running down the hall, "Where have you been?"

"Bye, Ron," Hermione sniffed, "I'll be in the library." She quickly walked down the hall.

"Is she still mad at me?" Harry asked.

"Yup," Ron grunted.

"Why are you here?"

"Didn't you hear Harry someone poisoned Malfoy!" Ron exclaimed.

"Serves him right," Harry grumbled. "Who did it?"

"I don't know. All I know is that the person is unconscious until some antidote is given to him."

"So he could be like this forever?" Harry looked amazed.

"Yes," a voice behind them interrupted, "If the antidote is not given, my son will remain in a coma and eventually die." Lucius stood behind them with a grim look on his face, "Luckily, the antidote is almost ready."

Harry stared at Lucius and took a deep breath before asking, "Why are you trying to kill Hermione? You're not going to get away with it! Especially not here!"

"You honestly think I poisoned my own son," he glared at Harry, "And put my wife through all this trauma, so I could commit a HOMICIDE?"

"Of my friend," Harry grumbled.

"I'm not trying to kill her," Lucius said angrily, "If I was she would have been dead by now!"

"Yeah well, you'll have to forgive him, Mr. Malfoy," Ron said, "Harry's been having some judgmental problems lately."

"WHAT?" Harry yelped, "You were the one who got into that huge fight with DRACO!"

"That was weeks ago and I wasn't the one who made Hermione cry," Ron shot back, "Secondly, I not the one who wants Draco dead and I'm not the one who ditched his friends for Ms. Airhead Chang. At least Hermione's got something in her head!" Lucius stared at the two of them.

"SHE'S NOT AN AIRHEAD!" Harry yelled, "AND DON'T MAKE FUN OF MY GIRLFRIEND!" His face had turned bright red with anger.

"Oh, so it's fine for 'The Boy Who Lived' to make fun of other peoples' dates but not his?" Ron said, "That's not fair, Harry. You should think about how you treat people because lately I think you take your friends for granted."

"I do NOT!" Harry glared at Ron, "At least I have friends!"

"Smooth move, POTTER!" Ron spat that last part out, "I hope you like Cho because I don't think we're friends anymore. If you'll excuse me, I'll be in the library." He stormed away from Harry, leaving him standing beside Lucius.

"I'm going back in, excuse me," Lucius walked back in to the hospital wing.

Ron found Hermione sitting behind a pile of books. "Did you find much?" he asked.

Hermione looked up, "Not much else, except that it was sometimes used for kidnappings. Where's Harry?"

"We got in a fight," Ron pulled up a chair.

"What else is new?" Hermione grumbled.

"I think he's all stuck up because he has a girlfriend and I don't have one and we fight with your boyfriend," He quickly added, "Ex, that is. Sorry."

"That's okay," Hermione gave him a small smile. "Something's wrong!" She jerked her head up.

"Yeah, Harry's gone mental," Ron muttered.

"No! I mean what if Fleur's kidnapping, Dean acting strange and Draco's poisoning are all connected!" Hermione said. She pulled out a piece of parchment and a quill and scribbled on it furiously. Then she drew out a ripped piece of parchment. "Here! Look!" Ron took it and began to read it.

Friend,

I long to write more than this small warning but I can't or I will die. You will be hopeless without me. Beware two of the staff members; they aren't to be trusted at ALL! They kidnapped Fleur.

-S

"So we know Filch's definitely involved!" Ron cried triumphantly.

"How? We can't prove anything, yet, or maybe ever," Hermione reminded him, "I wish Draco were awake. We need him."

"Let's just try to get as far as we can," Ron said eagerly, "I know Filch is one of the people because, remember, he was Dean and he was tying up that huge bundle when he became his old self. That bundle had WHITE strings coming out of it."

"Yeah, that's good proof, but white strings?"

"Fleur's hair!" Ron hissed. "I know we can figure this out! We don't need Harry!"

"Alright," Hermione said reluctantly, "But it just won't be the same." She handed him a stack of books, "Look through these for anything about the Komacritus Draught and its properties. I'm going to ask the librarian if there are anymore books about it."

"All of them?" Ron squeaked looking at the massive pile.

"All of them." Hermione said firmly.

"Why the sudden interest in the Dark Arts, Ms. Granger?" The librarian eyed her suspiciously.

"Well, it's for Professor Lupin. We're doing extra credit," Hermione lied swiftly, maybe a little to swiftly because the librarian said angrily, "Well, I don't believe your nonsense one BIT! If Professor Lupin does not inform me DIRECTLY-" she added extra emphasis on this word, " of this 'extra credit', then you are not permitted to check out any of those books-"

"BUT-" Hermione interjected.

"No buts Ms. Granger or you will find yourself out in the corridor before you can say, Dumbledore enjoys eating socks! DO YOU HEAR ME?"

"Yes ma'am," Hermione said meekly and walked back to her seat. "Ron," She said sadly, "We'll have to use what we have."