Chapter Four: The Hospital Wing
Arianwen was waiting in a small queue to enter her new Slytherin common room and dormitories. The other sixth years were waiting in line impatiently as the first years squeaked and squealed at the sight of their new term-time home.
"Come on! Hurry it up." Goyle shouted thuggishly, pushing his way through to get through the tapestry guarding their common room. Crabbe was right behind him, elbowing unsuspecting students out of the way painfully.
Blaise looked at Arianwen and rolled his eyes, motioning for her to follow him through the path of bodies that Crabbe and Goyle had forged. He led her over to a group of sofas and armchairs that surrounded a large fireplace, she was surprised to see that there was a roaring fire on the go considering it had only just turned the 1st September today. This is Scotland though, she reminded herself, feeling a bit home sick.
The other sixth year Slytherins all took seats around the fire and started chatting. Arianwen sat on a grand Brunswick green, camel backed sofa, long enough for four people. Blaise sat next to her and started telling her about his mother's new fiancé.
"Dracie!" Pansy squawked as soon as she spotted Draco relaxing in an armchair facing the fire. "We've got prefect duties, remember?" Draco clearly didn't remember as he looked utterly confused.
"What? I thought-" Pansy silenced him by putting a stubby finger on his lips, she sat on his lap seductively and whispered something in his ear. Draco raised his eyebrows as a wicked grin appeared on his face, he put his hands on her hips and pushed her off, standing quickly and started towards the boys dormitory. Pansy looked extremely smug, she turned and glared pointedly at Arianwen. The look really didn't become her, her pug-like features squashing even further; Arianwen couldn't help but curl her lip slightly, she didn't appreciate such blatant bitchiness.
Pansy rushed to grab Draco's hand before descending down to the boys dormitories.
"Prefect duties, eh?" Blaise drawled, the boys all laughed crudely.
Daphne Greengrass stood up and walked over to Arianwen, "sorry about Pansy, she gets a bit defensive over Draco." Arianwen was taken aback by the girl's politeness. She gave her a friendly smile and spoke again, "come on, we'll show you the dorm room if you like."
Ahh so Pansy is their supreme leader, it was the only explanation for Daphne's sudden friendliness now that Pansy was out of earshot. Arianwen glanced over to the other girls, they smiled back and her and beckoned her to go with them.
"Okay then, lets go." She accepted, returning a warm smile.
The girls all walked towards their private staircase, just before she descended, Arianwen glanced back at Blaise and shrugged, he smiled back knowingly.
They entered a large bright room, there were seven four-poster beds along the walls, leaving a large space in the centre of the room. The girls already seemed to have designated beds as they each went and sat on different beds automatically.
"Which bed is Pansy's?" It would probably be best if Arianwen didn't steal the girl's bed on her first day.
"Oh, Pansy has the bed by the window, so you can have that one." Tracey gestured towards a bed near a large oak wardrobe.
Arianwen pulled her trunk over to it and sat down, looking around slowly. She opened up her trunk and started unpacking a few things, placing them on her bedside table.
"Ooh," Daphne squealed, pointing to a large leather bound book in Arianwen's trunk, "is that a photo album?"
Arianwen laughed and pulled it out, "yeah do you wanna see?" The girls all gathered around her excitedly.
"Wait!" Kathleen interrupted, a grin spreading across her cute little round face, her smile creating dimples on each cheek, "I feel this is calling for pj's and hot chocolate." The rest of the girls cried out with excitement. Ariawen laughed, they really were a bunch of silly girls and secretly, she loved it.
An hour later, the sight in the sixth year girls dormitory was one that you might expect in a teen film. Arianwen was sitting on the floor in a white cotton nightie that had thin pink pinstripes running vertically down it, she had the album open on her lap and the other girls were lying around her, eating sweets, sipping their hot chocolates and giggling at Arianwen's pictures.
The album was currently open on the section with the pictures of Arianwen's friends. The girls were giggling over a picture of Arianwen and Gwyn at the age of fifteen, they'd been dating at the time and Gwyn kept kissing Arianwen on the cheek affectionately.
"Who is he?" Margaret asked breathily, staring at Gwyn, "Is he your boyfriend? He's gorgeous!" The other girls made noises of agreement.
Arianwen laughed, "that's Gwyn, we used to date a while ago but it didn't really work out so we're just friends now."
"Why did you break up? He's so hot! You two would have insane babies." Kathleen said earnestly.
The thought of having babies with Gwyn sent Arianwen into a fit of laughter, "Gwyn would be the funniest dad, he gives zero shits," waiting for her laughter to calm down a bit, Arianwen added, "he was amazing but I got a bit fed up with his wandering eye, he's a bit of a womaniser." The girls nodded in understanding.
"Such cute babies though!" Daphne insisted.
Arianwen laughed again and pretended to throw the album at her, Daphne took it and flipped to the next page. Her face widened in amusement, "No way!" The other girls looked over her shoulder at whichever picture she was staring at.
"Oh my god that's adorable!" Tracey squeaked. Arianwen shuffled closer to Daphne and looked at the open page. It was a picture of her and Blaise when they were little. Arianwen had fallen over in her garden and scraped her hand, she had tears streaming down her face and her lips were trembling. A young Blaise emerged from a flower bed, he was wearing some tiny tailored robes and looked incredibly adorable, his large chocolate eyes full of concern. Blaise then pulled out a lovely purple poppy that he'd picked from the garden and placed it in Arianwen's hair carefully. She stopped crying instantly and beamed at him adoringly, he took her hand and kissed the graze, then pulled her over to a cluster of daisies and they plopped down, making daisy chains happily.
"We have got to show him this!" Daphne leapt up with the album and ran upstairs to the common room, the other girls ran after her, leaving Arianwen chuckling on the floor.
She emerged into the common room to see Daphne throwing the album on Blaise's lap and saying, "look at this picture of you and Arianwen!"
The girls all sat down excitedly amongst the boys, Draco and Pansy had returned from the boys dormitories and Pansy was now seated on his lap, glaring at Arianwen possessively. She hadn't bothered to fix her appearance to hide the fact that they'd clearly just had sex. Her tie was hanging over her shoulders, undone, and the top three buttons of her blouse were open so that you could occasionally see her bra underneath. She looked Arianwen up and down bitchily as she entered, looking at her nightgown in disdain.
Blaise propped himself up against the arm of the sofa and looked and the picture before him. Arianwen planted herself next to him and snuggled up as he put his arm around her. Blaise looked at the picture fondly, he'd forgotten all about that scene. "How old are we here?"
"Um, I'd say about five" Blaise passed the album to Theodore to see, who passed it round to the other boys in turn, it ended with Draco. He looked down at the photo and then over at the two of them snuggled on the sofa together, Arianwen was gently squeezing Blaise's cheek in a playful manner. Blaise noted the distinct look of jealously on his friend's face, and pulled Arianwen's hand away from him. Blaise wasn't the only one who'd seen Draco's expression however, Pansy looked between the two, bitter jealously now evident on her own face.
Arianwen was blissfully unaware of all of this, she was explaining her friendship to the other girls, who were listening and making the appropriate cooing noises where necessary. "He's a keeper, ladies."
The girls giggled and Blaise, saying nothing, raised an eyebrow at Theodore, who smirked creepily.
"We didn't see each other for almost a decade after that," the girls made 'aww' noises and questioned why in unison.
"I'm not sure to be honest," Arianwen said looking confused, "do you remember, hun?" she often used terms of endearment when addressing Blaise.
"I think our parents must have had some fall out," Blaise said thoughtfully, "and then I met her again at one of those boring functions. Caught her trying to smuggle some cake onto the balcony,"
They all laughed, picturing a young, piggy Arianwen trying to sneak around while all the adults droned on about work and new Ministry policies. "Yeah you caught me and then you said you'd tell my father unless I let you eat it!"
Draco arose suddenly, forcing Pansy to jump up, screeching.
"Not that this isn't fun and all," he drawled sarcastically, "but I'm going to bed" and he skulked off to the dormitories moodily.
The others took this as their queue to leave and all started filtering out, wishing each other a good night's sleep as they went.
Arianwen sat up, stretching and yawning. She was definitely ready for some sleep.
"So you managed to get the girls on side then?" Blaise questioned.
"Yeah pretty much," Arianwen stood up, tucking her photo album under her arm, "well apart from Pansy. She seems to hate me already!"
"Ah yes," Blaise chuckled, making his way over to the boys staircase, "its because Draco said that you're hot when you were being sorted and Pansy is pretty obsessed with him."
"Oh right," Arianwen said, feeling a little embarrassed and not knowing what else to say.
"Right, I'm off to bed. Goodnight." With a friendly peck on the cheek, Blaise headed down the staircase to his dormitory.
Arianwen lay awake that night, thinking about what Blaise had said. Draco thinks I'm hot…is that even a good thing? Shouldn't men think you're beautiful? If he thinks I'm hot then he must not respect me, she mused. Her father had always told her that she deserved to be treated like a princess and Arianwen couldn't picture one of the prince's from her fairytales wooing the princess by calling her 'hot'.
There was also the fact that he was happy to sleep around. Never mind, guys just ruin everything anyway, and with that thought, she drifted off to sleep.
Arianwen was tucking into a croissant when she heard a flat, low voice say "Gwydion," from behind her. She turned around to see a tall, dark haired man with a hooked nose and small, suspicious eyes.
"I am Professor Snape, the Head of Slytherin House." She smiled at him politely.
"The headmaster has made me aware that you don't have a timetable yet, so we must get you enrolled on your selected N.E.W.T courses as a matter of urgency. Which classes are you interested in?"
Arianwen had researched this over the summer, "I'd like to take Potions, Herbology, Defence Against the Dark Arts, Transfiguration, Arithmancy, Charms and Alchemy."
Professor Snape looked at her, students needed very good O.W.L scores to be able to take most of those classes.
"Do you know your O.W.L scores?" The other Slytherins were watching curiously, it was always interesting to find out the results of everyone's exams.
"Yes, Professor," she said, still smiling politely, "I had an O in Defense Against the Dark Arts, Herbology, Potions, History of Potion Making, Applied Transfiguration, History of Magic, and Care of Magical Creatures. I also achieved an E in Charms and Arithmancy."
Snape looked impressed, "you took Potions and History of Potion Making?"
"Yes, Potions was a core subject and I elected to take History of Potion Making to develop an understanding of the ingredients you can use and how to brew and combine them effectively." She sounded quite enthusiastic, Potions was her favourite subject after all.
Snape nodded slowly, he appreciated students that valued theoretical knowledge as much as practical experience, "and Applied Transfiguration, how did that differ to standard Transfiguration in St. Alban's?"
"It was a double award, sir. So I studied the fifth and sixth year syllabus' together. There is quite an emphasis on Transfiguration in Wales, you see."
Snape nodded again, it was refreshing to have a student that actually appeared to enjoy learning in his House, "you have the certification to prove these grades, I trust?"
Arianwen nodded and pulled a scroll from her school bag, she passed it to the professor to study. He unrolled it and checked each grade in turn, rolling the parchment back up, he waved his wand over a blank timetable and passed it to her.
"Very well, it all seems to be in order. You'll observe that I have put you in for Transfiguration with your fellow sixth year students, I shall have to speak to Professor McGonagall to get you moved up to the seventh year class, so you'll have to attend with your classmates for now."
"Wonderful, thank you Professor Snape. I was also wondering if I can pick up an extra curricular activity?"
She heard a snort from behind her and a girl muttered "what a nerd", presumably Pansy. Snape shot her a stern glare and said, "there is nothing wrong with wishing to expand one's mind, Miss Parkinson. Perhaps if you visited the library more often, you would be enrolled in more than four classes."
Arianwen couldn't hide the smirk on her face, when the Professor looked back to her, she felt as though they shared a mutual respect for one another.
"Which extra curricular activity would you like to partake in, Lady Gwydion?"
"Well I recently completed my final round of Mediwizard exams and am now a fully qualified Mediwitch, so I'd like to help the matron in the Hospital Wing, if I may?"
Snape was extremely surprised by this, he thought she was going to ask to join the Frog Choir. "Certainly, yes. I am sure Madam Pomfrey would be grateful for your assistance. I won't add it to your timetable yet, she may have preferred days for you to help. I'll get one of the prefects to escort you there this evening." Snape looked around at the Slytherin table, "Malfoy will take you."
Draco nodded at the professor, attempting to avoid conversing with him. He knew Snape would want to question him about the mission the Dark Lord had assigned him when he took the Dark Mark a few months ago.
"There we are then, that's settled." Snape started to walk away, before turning back and adding, "oh and congratulations on becoming a member of the Slytherin House, I'm sure you'll be an asset to our success." He gave her a thin lipped smile and walked back to the teacher's table.
Arianwen looked over to Draco, trying to work out whether he minded having to escort her to the Hospital Wing that even. He seemed to sense her gaze upon him as he looked up, misinterpreting her morals, he shot her a seductive wink and smirked boyishly.
She looked away in disgust. Ucgh. What an idot.
Later that evening…
Arianwen looked around the entrance hall. Draco had said he'd meet her there after dinner but it was now ten past seven and he was still nowhere to be seen, he hadn't been at dinner either.
She felt a hand on her shoulder and turned around; Draco looked worn out, it looked as though he'd been running his hands through his hair as it'd gone a bit wild and disheveled. She was pleased to see that his demeanor had completely changed from the arrogance he'd displayed that morning.
"Sorry I'm late," he did look genuinely apologetic.
She smiled at him kindly and said softly, "that's alright. Thanks for agreeing to take me."
He hadn't really had a choice but he nodded anyway, and started leading her out into the grounds. It was a warm evening and the sun had just started to set, illuminating the sky with warm shades of dusky pink and amber.
Draco seemed quiet; he was staring straight in front of him, lost in calculated thoughts. Arianwen decided to strike up conversation, "so what have you been up to today? I haven't seen you since breakfast."
He looked at her with glazed eyes, before shaking his head and returning to the present moment, "oh uh…I was in the library," he waved his right hand casually, his left firmly planted in his pocket, "you know, research…"
She didn't know, but decided not to press it. He was allowed privacy if he wanted it.
They fell silent again, walking along a path that was leading to the quad, a large courtyard encasing two towers.
"Look," Arianwen started, "I just wanted to say sorry for what I said to Theodore," she paused again, biting her lip nervously, "about his father."
She saw his jaw tighten, his cool grey eyes fixed on the path in front of him. "What of it?" his was flat, not wanting to give away any emotion.
"Well," she was regretting her decision to bring up the topic, "I heard about your father," she spoke softly, "in Azkaban."
His jaw tightened again, accentuating its strong lines. He was leading her up a wide, winding staircase in the tower opposite the one housing the large clock face.
Draco remained silent for a while before speaking flatly, "its fine."
She reached and grabbed his left forearm to force him to stop walking, he winced slightly as he turned around to face her.
"No its not," she stepped up so they were on the same level, "I just felt like he was mocking me so I got all defensive. I really didn't mean to offend you." She was staring at him with wide-eyed innocence, her large green eyes looking genuinely upset by the situation.
He laughed exasperatedly, "I know you didn't, that's why I didn't say anything."
She carried on gazing at him with that terribly cute sad face. "I'm really sorry, I know it must be horrible for you."
He felt his stomach sink, it had ben hard. He looked down at her and felt himself smiling, she looked like an incredibly sad puppy that had been left on its own for the first time. "Stop looking at me like that!"
She pouted. "No seriously stop it, I can't be mad at that face!" He held his hand up, trying to mask her face from view.
"Then don't be mad!" She jumped up behind it playfully and they both started laughing.
"Right, come on. We're almost there." She felt her stomach whoosh as he placed a hand at the centre of her back, leading her up the stairs to the Hospital Wing on the fourth floor.
Draco pushed the doors to the Hospital Wing open for Arianwen, who stared around as she entered. It was a large, light room, lined with huge windows looking out onto the grounds. There were five or six hospital beds lining the two longest walls. It was incredibly busy. There must have been some incident involving a mass of first year students as they all seemed to be covered in a mixture of painful red boils, disgusting yellow puss, and oddly…sardines. One girl had even sprouted several sets of tiny, flapping wings.
The matron looked up when she heard Arianwen and Draco enter, she stopped dabbing a young boy with an ointment covered cloth and made her way over to them.
"Mr Malfoy," she greeted, nodding at him courteously.
"Good evening Madam Pomfrey," Draco replied politely, "Professor Snape asked me to accompany Lady Gwydion to your office, she's hear to assist you with your…" he looked around the room, sneering, "…patients."
"Ah yes." Madam Pomfrey said, her gaze now resting on Arianwen. "I had your old headmaster send over your certificates. A very impressive achievement for a witch of your age," she smiled and extended her hand to Arianwen. "I'm Madam Pomfrey, the matron here at Hogwarts."
Arianwen smiled brightly, "I'm Arianwen," she shook the matron's hand delicately. "I'd love to help out if I may? Of course, if it'll be a hindrance to you then I understand if you'd rather I didn't, but I promise I don't need constant supervision!"
Madam Pomfrey smiled at her motheringly, "yes dear, I've heard that you're quite capable. I could actually use some assistance this evening if you don't mind? Some of the Gryffindor boys decided it would be funny to hex the first years as they were being shown around the castle." Her face changed to complete irritation at the thought of the Gryffindor boys creating extra work for her.
"Poor dears." She said shaking her head.
"I'd love to help!" Arianwen said enthusiastically.
"Wonderful!" Madam Pomfrey clapped her hands together. "Perhaps if you start with the winged girl over there, I'll come and check on you later."
Arianwen nodded in agreement and Madam Pomfrey rushed back to the boy she'd been treating, his boils expanding rapidly.
Arianwen turned to Draco, "thanks for showing me the way, I should be able to find my own way back now."
"That's alright," he said smiling at her mischievously, "I'll stick around for a bit, gotta see the genius girl at work."
She shoved his arm playfully, "come on then."
He watched her as she greeted the young winged girl, she seemed to instantly warm to Arianwen and sat on the bed obediently while Arianwen examined her.
"Right then Hattie, I should be able to get this cleared up for you in a few minutes, I just need to put an apron on okay?"
"Okay!" The girl squeaked, smiling at Arianwen adoringly. She returned a few moments later with her hair pulled into a low bun, the shorter front sections framing her face loosely. She'd taken her robes off and pulled a white medic's apron over her school uniform, the chest emblazoned with the school crest.
Draco leant on the wall by the girl's bed, watching as Arianwen moved her wand over the wings slowly, muttering incantations under her breath. The first set of wings disappeared in an instant.
"There we are," Arianwen smiled gently at the girl, "one down, seven more to go."
The girl looked relieved and started to explain what had happened as Arianwen worked on the rest of the wings. By the time she'd finished, the little girl looked quite tearful, worried that she would be a target for the older students.
Arianwen sat next to her and rubbed her back in slow circular motions, "now now Hattie, don't worry. They were just being mean boys," Draco snorted, "but they'll be distracted with classes soon and if anyone tries to do this again, you just point them in my direction, okay?"
The girl nodded, sniffing. Arianwen pulled out her wand and produced a soft cotton handkerchief for her, the girl took it gratefully and blew her nose.
"Here," Arianwen said, picking up an empty tissue box from the side table nearest Hattie's bed. She pointed her wand at the box, then waived it jaggedly to the right, the box instantly transfigured into a large bar of milk chocolate, the girl gaped in awe. "Have a nibble on that, it'll make you feel better."
Arianwen was filling out the girl's chart after she left, her hair falling from behind her ear and into her face. She paused when she realised Draco was still watching her and looked up.
"Very good," he drawled, "she was practically fawning over you."
Arianwen smiled softly, "yes well, a little kindness goes a long way." Draco surveyed her, he didn't know what to make of this girl. She had gone from being innocent and cute to hungover and snappy, then changed to cool and almost superior…then back to innocent and cute. And now she's gone all warm and motherly, he thought confusedly.
Whichever way he looked at it, Draco had to admit that he was incredibly intrigued by Arianwen; he found himself wanting to know more about her. He could tell from her reaction to his cheap seduction tactics at breakfast, that she would be a tough nut to crack…but he was very willing to give it a go.