Chapter 17: One Fateful Night…

I woke up in the hospital wing; Wood was in a chair not far from my bed. I had no recollection of how I got there and that scared me. I watched Wood inhale and exhale rhythmically. I smiled at his serene expression. He looked so happy…well, at least close to happy.

I sat up slowly on the bed. The rustling of the sheets caused Oliver to jump. He looked around frantically and finally his gaze rested on me. He smiled at me lopsidedly and crossed over the distance separating my bed from his chair, dragging the chair behind him.

"Hello, beautiful girl," he whispered soothingly. "How are we feeling today?" He stroked my hair tenderly.

I smiled up at him sleepily. "I'm a little tired. What happened?" I stared straight into his deep, dark eyes.

"You mean, you don't remember?" He looked concerned, then glanced around for Madam Pomfrey. When he couldn't find the healer, he cleared his throat awkwardly. "Well, love, you've been out for a few days."

My eyes widened. "How many days are a few?"

Oliver winced. "About seven."

I sat bolt upright. "Were you here the whole time?"

"Of course. I wasn't going to leave you!" Oliver glowered at me. His look softened and he stroked my hair again. "I was too worried. McGonagall got me extensions on my work, so it's alright." He smiled softly. "I wanted to be here when you woke up."

I smiled and snuggled down onto the bed. I found Oliver's hand; a soft squeeze of reassurance sent warm shivers up my spine.

"So, what happened? Intense love-making?" I giggled.

Oliver sighed heavily. "I wish." His look was dark as he thought of the right words to say. "Ginger…You prophesized…the night that he's coming for you…"

I stared at him, my mouth undoubtedly hanging wide open. "Beg pardon?"

Oliver ran his free hand through his short, shaggy hair. "Yeah, it was bizarre. You said that someone who was supposed to be dead was going to take you away to him…" Oliver's eyes glazed over with concern. "I won't let you out of my sight…I promise." He kissed my fingertips.

It was well after dark. I kept tossing and turning on the bed in the infirmary. Madam Pomfrey wanted to keep me for a few days for observation. She thought it was just stress…Well, of course it's stress! I'm only going to die; and according to the man I love, it's going to happen soon.

After many hours of this, I got frustrated and threw back the covers. Wood was lying on the bed next to mine. He was sound asleep. I smiled at how cute he was. I reached onto a nearby table, groping for my wand, and sliding it safely into my sock. Then I slid my feet into my shoes. I hopped onto the floor and tiptoed out of the infirmary, down the corridor.

I heard footsteps, not that far down the stairs, heading toward the first floor. Intrigued, I followed the sound. I was just in time to see Professor Snape heading out onto the grounds. I glanced around the entranceway and followed at a safe distance out the door.

I watched from behind a nearby shrub as Snape immobilized a Whomping Willow and entered into a hole in the ground. My eyebrow raised in curiosity. What was the old professor doing?

I bit my lip and debated on whether to stay where I was and wait, or to follow the old windbag into the hole and see what he was up to. After a careful and well-thought deliberation, I decided it best to wait for Snape to return and see what I could gather from his trip to the mole people. So, I made myself comfortable behind my shrub and waited patiently.

After several hours and a few renditions of "99 Butter beers on the Wall," there was movement near the base of the Willow. I sat up straight and watched as Sirius Black helped Harry drag Ron Weasley, wounded, from out of the hole Snape had disappeared into. I covered my mouth with both hands to stifle my gasp. Next came Hermione Granger, a little fat man, Professor Lupin, and a petrified Snape.

I stared at the little man I didn't recognize. I tilted my head to the side, trying to place him. He looked so familiar to me. I'd seen the warty, fat man before. My nose wrinkled in frustration.

Then, at the sound of shouts, I was pulled out of my trance. Lupin was trembling and staring in the direction of the full moon. Black was near him; Harry and Hermione were watching on in horror. Then the little fat man shrunk; an Animagus. And I don't know what made me do it, but I grabbed the wand that I had thankfully thought to slide into my sock and took off at a run in the general direction the man was supposed to have gone.

I was on the edge of the Forbidden Forrest in a few moments, gasping for breath. There was no sign of man or beast in the mists of the dark wood. I squinted to see clearer and stepped bravely into the fog. Wood'll kill me if I get lost, was the last thing that crossed my mind as two furry arms grabbed me from behind and dragged me forcibly through the mists and into the night.

I was tossed against a tree: then there was a wormish voice yelling "Petrificous totalus!" and a blinding light. Itwas all I sawas I let loose my shriek of terror and fainted dead away.