Chapter 11

The Love Potion..That Kills.

Hermione opened one of her eyes only to see darkness. She held her head as she struggled to sit up.

"Where am I," she asked outloud. Hoping somebody in the room could hear her, looking around the only visiable thing she saw was a dimmed down lamp. She felt for her wand but her hands were distracted by the silkiness of the blanket she was wrapped in. Wriggling around she soon came to the realisation that she was in the hospital wing. She heard faint whispers outside her door, weak and very confused she made her way there and was just about to put her hand on the doorknob when it swung open hitting her square in her face. She grabbed her head and stumbled backwards.

"Oh my god." Someone said, the voice sounding remotely familiar, whoever it was, levitated her up and placed her back on her bed. The lights flickered on and Hermione shut her eyes tightly as the sudden action gave her a mild headache. She opened them again out of curiousty and blinked the brightness away, her eyes stumbled open three people. Madam Pomfrey, Mcgonagall and...Malfoy.

"Knew he had something to do with this" She whispered outload again, not really meaning it.

Madam Pomfrey was the first too make a move as she took a wet cloth and damped Hermiones forehead. Mcgonagall moved in closer just after her.

"Are you alright Miss Granger? That was a nasty fall you took, well according to Mr Malfoy" She said.

"F...f...fall?" Hermione stumbled. Her face looking back and forth from each person in the room.

"Why yes, you were screaming for help and when Mr Malfoy finally burst the door open you ran out of your room and into the hall falling down the stairs. Mr Malfoy called me immediatly and Madam Pomfrey was summoned as well. Oh dear, we thought you might have been seriously hurt."

"What were you screaming at?" Malfoy asked silently, until then he had no intention too speak. Very confused at why he was so worried about Granger as soon as he found her. But, he also had a slight idea who might have done this, and wanted to know if she saw anything.

"Wha...someone was here, not here but when I got in my room, someone with a silver hand. It hit me and then threw me against the wall. I...I...I must have blacked out or something cause I don't remember anything else."

McGonagall's face sent shock waves through everyone, including Malfoy.

"Somebody was in..in your room, and they attacked you?

Hermione nodded, taking note of the seriousness in her voice.

Without another word she excused herself and ran out of the room, Madam Pomfrey scurried after her, throwing the wet cloth at Malfoy and ordering him to take care of Hermione until she returned. Malfoy reluctently agreed moving over to where Hermione sat, she was watching Malfoy very closely as he wet the cloth again and put it to her forehead.

She knew he had something too do with what happened. All part of his plan no doubt, she thought. But, who could have attacked me? Did he attack me? Why would he though? All these questions raced through her head, as she slapped his hand away. Malfoy stared at his hand and then angrily scowled at her.

"What was that for?"

"I don't trust you, there for I do not want you near me. Be gone."

Malfoy had the urge to rip Hermiones throat out, very violent, but she was starting to get on his nerves. He threw the cloth into the bowl and walked out of the hospital wing, just as Madam Pomfrey ran back in. He didn't say a thing to her, he just hurried back to the head common room, rushing to his room he slammed the door shut and put a silence charm on his walls. He then went to the bathroom and did the same thing. When he got back he saw a figure sitting in a chair near his desk. Malfoy walked over and sat down opposite it.

"I knew it was you. As soon as she said she saw a silver hand. What are you doing here?"

The figure looked up and smirked. "That's no way to talk to your dear old Father, is it Draco."

Draco nodded and looked emotionless at his father. "What did you do to her?"

"Are you worried about the filthy mudblood?"

"Please father don't disgust me. I am just wondering what got her to react the way she did. Did you torture her or something?"

"That would have been nice, but no. I did not. I put a love spell upon her."

Malfoy grotesquely looked at him and shuttered at the thought.

"A love spell?" He asked

"Yes. Pansy sent a letter telling me that you had been trying your little heart out to gather that foul Granger's attention but nothing provailed. She was, in a way, too smart for her own good. So I conjured up a very violent love spell and made her drink it. The effects are quite painful as the liqioud transfumes through her entire body. That's why she was screaming. By this time tomorrow night, she'll be all over you."

Lucius laughed at Draco's disgusted expression. Draco shot his head up, he had rarely ever heard his father laugh.

"I know what your thinking Draco, but don't think my laughter has changed my morals. I still expect you to carry out this plan, I have made it easy for you, our family is depending on you to succeed. Our lives are at stake, don't forget that. But know this. I am unable to help you any further. Good night Draco and sorry that you will not be joining your mother and I for Christmas. Take care.

With that said, he apparated out of Hogwarts. Draco groaned at his fathers reminded of what would happen if he failed. No-one liked to hear that his loved ones lives were at stake if he did not succeed in this plan. He's thoughts travelled back to what he's father had said about Granger.

"A love potion, why didn't I think of that," Malfoy whispered to nobody. He threw himself into bed and was out like a light. He had been spending many nights trying to devise ways to get to Hermione but she was persistant. She knew he had to have some kinda agenda. Father was right, she was too smart for her own good. But it seems that he got the long end of the stick this time. Well, he's father got the long end of the stick.

Back in the the hospital wing, Hermione was trying to figure out what was happening to her. She felt weak at one moment and the next she felt completely fine. Right now she felt like she was going to die. Her hands were sweaty, her head ached and everytime she tried to get up her body just completely collasped back down. She couldn't even call for Madam Pomfrey because all her words were whispers. She felt herself fall and tried to latch onto something but there was nothing there. The light got darker, her eyes burned with feirceness and she couldn't hold on any longer. Just as the sirens rang, she collasped unconcious.

The noise shot straight to Madam Pomfrey's room. The alarm was designed so incase a student was in need of medical attention while in the hospital wing. Madam Pomfrey could be notified immeditaly. This very alarm had hardly ever been used, so you could only imagine how scared she was when it went off. Rushing too Hermione, she felt her forehead for temperature. It was freezing cold. Hermione was still breathing which was a plus. But, her body was below normal temperature which meant only one thing. Shrieking, she turned to face a very scared and willful painting above Hermiones head.

"Gorikas. Go to Professor McGongals room and alert her immediatly. Hurry." Pomfrey said, rushing over to her medicine cabinet and pulling out various jars. She picked as many as she could up and ran back over to Hermione, one of the ones she left behind rolled off the counter and onto the floor.

Smashing.

Harry shot up. Ron was shaking him awake, Ginny was there as well. They looked drowned out and scared, he pulled on his glasses and questioned them with a look.

"Harry, you got to wake up." He screamed. "It's Hermione. Something happened to her."

Confused, but without questioning, he raced after Ron and Ginny who were running towards the hospital wing, bursting through the doors. Every teacher was there, including Snape all standing over a bed. Harry pushed his way through and shrieked at what he saw, Ginny screamed and covered her eyes. Hermione was as pale as a ghost. Her hair was wet and sticky and she looked close to death. Pomfrey was searching through all her potions trying to figure out what to do but it was hopeless. Dumbledore rushed in and everyone stepped aside. He held Hermiones head as he poured something into her mouth. It seemed to work cause her colour was coming back, the professors breathed a sigh of relief and that caught sight of Harry, Ginny and Ron.

"What are you three doing out of bed?" McGonagall shrieked.

"What's happening to her? Is she going to be okay? Who did this, I'll kill them." Ron exclaimed, pacing back and forth all the while staring wide-eyed at a almost lifeless Hermione.

"Quiet, Mr Weasley." McGongall ordered. Dumbeldore shook his head and stood up straight.

"No, Minerva. They deserve to know. Miss Granger has been poisoned. Whoever was in her room earlier on tonight did this too her. We do not know if she will be okay. The last person to be poisoned like this, died."

Ginny screamed again before fainting into Ron's arms. Harry looked from Dumbledore to Hermione.

"Are you saying that, Hermione could die?" He asked quietly.

"It's possible. But, we are more advanced in our potions these days and with a lot of investigating it is very likely we could find an antidote." Dumbeldore tried to reassure them, but the shock of his previous words were slowly and harshly fitting into their bodies.

"But, if you don't then she'll..." Harry didn't believe this was happening.

Not too Hermione. Snape cut in before he could finish.

"Potter. I have studied this type of Potion before and am well aware of what needs to be done. If you excuse me, I must be off. Dumbledore, I will notify you as soon as I come across the antidote."

With one swiff of his cape, Snape left.

"Wait, someone was in her room. When? Who? What did they do to her?" Harry finally gathered his senses and stuck into detective mode.

"We are not quite sure yet Mr Potter, but we are investigating the matter." McGonagall said, unreassuringly.

"I am confused. Is she going to live... or..or... is she going to... die." Ron cried out, trying hard not to fall over as Ginny was still passed out in his arms. Pomfrey saw this and immediantly levitated her too a bed. Ron muffled a silent thanks and then turned back to the Professors for his answer. They all looked at him nervously and then went there own way. McGonagall walked over to them.

"Mr Weasley. We do not know what is going to happen. All we can do is hope for the best and find the person responsible. It's very late and you have classes tomorrow. Maybe you should go back to bed."

Harry and Ron stared at her in astonishment. There best-friend was lying in a bed, feared to be dieing, and she wants us too sleep. They both shook their heads and took a seat next to Hermione. Ginny was awake now and she made her way over there. Sitting next to Harry, she took his hand and smiled. Harry smiled back at her. They sat there for hours just staring at Hermione and trying to take it in. All they could do is sit there and comfort each-other.

Days later, Harry and Ron were sitting in the same position as they were the first night they spent by Hermiones side. The room was filled with beautiful bouquets, most of them the flower she was named after. Harry and Ron could often be seen in the Hospital Wing. Ginny visited as well with Lavender and the Patil twins, but spent most of her time taking over Hermione's head duties and helping out Malfoy whenever she could.

Malfoy, of course, didn't like it one bit but he didn't protest for she did nearly all the work. He spent most of the meetings in thought. Not really understanding what was happening too Hermione. Ginny had explained it too him briefly. But, she was a little mum on the details.

There were rumours floating around everywhere. The most popular being Granger was pregnant with Potters child, which on a good day switched to her being pregnant with Weasley's child. All the insane ramblings of Parvati and Patil. One night, after a Prefect meeting, Ginny starting blurting it all out too him. Like, she needed someone to talk to and needed someone to hear what was happening to one of her closest friends. He listened, whole time pretending not too care. But, he was really interested in what she was saying. She realised half-way through who she was telling this too and ran out.

Malfoy watched her leave then collapsed in a sofa chair. He's father told him it was harmless. Well he did say it was violent, but he also said she'd be all over him by the next night. Which, without him complaining, she was not. She was dieing. He felt a tug in his stomach, he couldn't unerstand it. He felt just the way he felt when he thought that Hagrid had been killed. He..."cared". He was worried about Granger. He still hated her with every fiber of his being, but he didn't want her too die. He may have said it in the past, but he never meant it. If there was anybody in the world that he wanted dead.

It was Voldemort.

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