A/N: Hello everyone. Well, here's the next chapter. It's not much and it was actually hard to write. Well, read and enjoy.

Chapter 16

Healing Old Wounds

It's not that I can't live without you

It's just that I don't even want to try

Every night I dream about you

Ever since the day you said "goodbye"

If I wasn't such a fool

Right now I'd be holding you

There's nothing that I wouldn't do

Baby, if I only knew

The words to say

The road to take

To find a way back to your heart

What can I do

To get to you

To find a way back to your heart-

"Back to Your Heart"

Backstreet Boys

Alana got many visitors that day. All of her friends came to see her and brought presents for her recovery. Her parents came to visit her near five or so at night. Many tears were shed and many hugs were shared. After spending about an hour with their daughter, her parents left. Mia assured them that she'd stay until Alana was able to be up and around without problems. Just as he promised, Draco came back that afternoon and night to see her. They had dinner in the Hospital Wing together since he had brought some food from the Great Hall with him. Alana ate quietly, looking down at her food most of the time. Draco eyed her worriedly as he ate. She hadn't exactly been herself around him after she'd woken up. When he looked into her eyes, they were full of uncertainty and doubt. He was beginning to wonder if she still didn't trust him.

" Alana?" He asked, tentatively.

" Mhmm." She mumbled with her mouth full of potatoes.

" Are...um...are we...okay?" Draco asked, fumbling with his words.

Alana looked up at him in confusion. She reached for her glass of pumpkin juice, keeping her eyes on him as she took a few swigs.

" What do you mean by that?"

" Well, uh...what I mean is...that you seem kind of...stand-offish with me." Draco explained, awkwardly.

She looked at him, refusing the impulse to bite her lower lip. Alana had tried to act as normal as possible around him. Obviously, it hadn't been convincing enough. Draco waited for her answer as she began to pick nervously at her food.

" Everything is fine." She lied, giving him her best fake smile.

Alana knew it was wrong to lie to Draco, but she just didn't feel comfortable around him anymore. He needed to prove that he would never cheat on her. She didn't know how, but he would have to. Then, she noticed the doubtful expression on Draco's face and decided to change the subject.

" So...how were classes today?" She asked, semi-cheerily. " How much work do I have to catch up on?"

" We're almost done with exams. I'm supposed to bring up some of your essays and stuff tomorrow." He told her, obliging that she didn't want to talk about "them" right now. " But, you'll have to do some of the work in private sessions with the professors."

She merely nodded in response. Draco wanted to keep a conversation going so he put in to get her more hopeful, " Madame Pomfrey said that you could be out of here in a day or two, if you keep getting better at this rate. Isn't that great?"

" Yeah." Alana replied, half-heartily picking at the last of her choclate pudding. " How are the parties?"

" Boring without you." He answered, smiling at her fondly.

Alana looked up from her dinner at his statement. Draco just continued to smile back at her as he reached over and took one of her hands into his. She watched as he stroked it gently, feeling waves of comfort washing over her. Her eyes looked back up into his, locking intently on their endless gray depths. Then, gathering the courage to do so, Draco started to lean forward ever so slowly. Alana's breath caught in her throat as she felt his warm, intoxicating breath on her lips. Before their lips made contact, Alana turned her head to the side, and Draco's lips brushed against her cheek. He pulled away, looking at her in confusion.

Alana just stared back at him nervously. Her eyes glanced at him before settling over at her night stand. She didn't want to see that hurt look on his face.

" It's getting late. I should get some rest for tomorrow." Alana said more to herself than to him.

Draco nodded in a daze before flicking his wand at her plate on the bed tray and making it disappear. Then, he stood up and watched sadly as Alana settled back into her hospital bed. She pulled the sheets over herself and lied down. He gazed at her before running an uncertain hand through his hair and saying, wearily, " I guess I'll see you tomorrow."

" Okay." Alana answered, softly, avoiding his gaze.

Draco leaned down and cupped her chin with his index finger, bringing her eyes to his. He smiled warmly before kissing her forehead lightly.

" Sweet dreams, Love." He whispered.

" Sweet dreams, Draco." She replied, quietly.

" I love you, you know?"

That only earned a saddened gaze from Alana. She tried to keep her tears back as she nodded her head.

" I know."

He kissed her forehead again before walking towards the door. Alana watched as the door closed behind him. She turned and blew the candle on her night stand out, bathing the room in darkness as she laid down. Tears flowed from her closed eyes, and she cried herself to sleep that night.

The next day, Draco kept his word and brought her essays and other exam materials up to her. He left soon after, saying that he wouldn't distract her from her work. But, Alana could tell he was still hurt from last night. She tried to push Draco out of her mind as she wrote her essays for History of Magic, Charms, and Transfiguration. When noon came, Jezebel was the one who brought Alana lunch. She set her half-finished on the properties of wolf's bane for Potions as Jezebel pulled up her bed tray.

" I hear you're getting out of this dump tomorrow." Jezebel said, brightly, conjuring up plates and setting out the sandwiches she'd brought.

" Yeah, Madame Pomfrey said I could leave right after dinner." Alana replied, eyeing the food with ravenous hunger. " I guess I'm getting stronger much quicker since I'm awake."

" And how do you feel personally?" Jezebel inquired with a smirk.

" Like I've been asleep for a hundred years." Alana replied, smiling at Jezebel's laugh. " I don't know. It just takes a lot of energy to do things, even simple tasks."

" Well, I hope you perk up soon. The Year's End Ball is next week." Jezebel told her, digging into her applesauce.

Then, she surveyed the melancholy look on Alana's face.

" I'm sorry, Alana." She said, quickly. " I didn't mean to upset you. I was just..."

" I know. It's okay." Alana remarked, brushing it off as if it were nothing. " It's not your fault."

" I should have thought before I spoke, though." Jezebel objected, shaking her head. " I have a bad habit of that. "

" Jez, really...it's alright." Alana assured her with a weak smile.

But, Jezebel could tell it wasn't alright. She knew that Alana was struggling within herself about Draco. Jezebel remembered clearly how much Alana had been hurt before all of this had happened. She remembered the Alana that wouldn't come out of her dorm and just slept her sorrows away. But, she also, remembered how Draco wouldn't quit trying to get her back and how he hadn't left her side for very long while she was in her coma. Jezebel knew that it would take a lot for Alana to finally be convinced that Draco loved her and only her.

The rest of the day flew by and before anybody knew it, it was Thursday night; the night Alana got released from the Hospital wing. The whole group had come to see her get out of the hospital bed for the first time in almost four weeks. Mia had helped her get dressed earlier and was now standing by her bed, ready to help her up. Alana looked at everyone and started to laugh at their eager faces.

" Geez, you all look like you're about to witness a miracle or something." She said, shaking her head.

" Well, if you really think about it, technically we are." Jezebel replied with a wink.

Draco stood nearby, watching Alana anxiously. Mia took one of Alana's arms as she started to push off of the bed. When she first stood up on her legs, Alana felt unsteady. Her legs felt like rubber; all wobbly and weak. She swayed slightly before balancing herself. After staying like that for a second, she nodded to her sister, who released her hesitantly. Slowly but surely, Alana walked forward as if it was her first time. She started towards the door, but in too much of a hurry and began to fall forward. Draco rushed over and caught her. Alana clutched onto his arm tightly as she straightened herself. When he looked at her, making sure she was okay, Alana started to blush. The girls giggled slightly, but not loud enough for her to hear.

" Um...Draco?"

" Yeah?" He asked her, looking at Alana in concern.

" You can let go of me now." She told him, quietly, trying to hide the deep profusion of pink on her cheeks.

His mouth from an "o" as he understood and released her. Mia and Draco helped her to her dorm, walking four steps behind her. Alana had insisted on walking by herself. They watched her like hawks, making sure that she didn't trip and fall. When they finally got there, Mia carries Alana's bag full of her books, papers, gifts, ect., while Draco and Alana stood at the door.

" I guess I'll see you tomorrow in classes." Alana murmured, turning to go in.

Draco caught her arm before she did, and Alana looked back at him with a slightly shocked expression.

" Alana, " Draco said, " I want you to know that I never loved anyone, but you. I know you're still recovering, but I hate it when you shut me out like this."

" I'm not..."

" It's okay, I understand." He interrupted, putting a hand to her cheek. " I know what happened between us is still eating away at you, but you need to understand that Pansy means nothing to me. She always will be nothing. It's you I love. It's you I dream about kissing and holding in my arms. It's you I will only ever make love to."

Alana looked deep into his eyes, searching for any signs of him lying to her. She could see nothing, but love and hope pouring from his stormy orbs. Draco looked at her pleadingly, waiting for a response. With that, Alana leaned in and brushed her lips over his lightly. She let them linger briefly before pulling away. Draco's eyes widened at her bold move, but his heart soared. Maybe there was still hope for them. Alana looked around nervously before bringing her eyes back to him.

" I need to go. Tomorrow will be stressful for me, and I need to be well-rested for my make-up exams." Alana explained.

" Okay, I'll see you tomorrow." He said, kissing her cheek affectionately.

As Alana turned to go into her room, Draco remembered something and said, " Alana, wait!"

Alana looked over her shoulder and raised an eyebrow as if to say "what?".

" Jez is having a party tomorrow night in the Room of Requirement for your recovery." Draco told her. " It would be bad for the guest of honor to show up without a date. Would you..."

" Yes." She answered, immediately.

He looked at her, stunned. It was then that Alana gave him the first warm, sincere smile he'd seen from her in the longest time. Draco smiled back at her, unable to hide his joy.

" Great!"

" Be by to pick me up at six o'clock sharp." Alana explained. " And don't be late. You know I hate to be kept waiting."

" Six o'clock." He assured her, turning to leave. " Sleep well, Love. I'll see you tomorrow."

" See you tomorrow. Sweet dreams, Draco." She said before going into her room and shutting the door behind her.

Draco hurried down the stairs and jumped off of the last step. Cleo, who was sitting on a nearby couch in the Common Room, looked at him with a raised eyebrow and asked, " What has you in such a good mood?"

" I have a date for tomorrow's party." He answered, smugly.

Cleo just shook her head and went back to reading her magazine, muttering something like " I don't know what she sees in him". Draco left the Ravenclaw Common Room and walked down towards the dungeons, happier than he had been in the longest time.

" I have a date with Alana Kaligaris." He thought.

A/N: I know, it was kind of slow, but the next chapter will be a lot better. Review please. I'm still not getting any.