Sorry for the short delay. How did everyone like the book? I was slightly disappointed to find that Draco didn't end up coming from a shadow and being a closet hero like Snape was, but other than that I adored it. I'm also a dork that has seen the 5th movie 5 times now. My friends think I've lost it.
But enough about me. On with the fanfiction! This chapter is slightly longer. It's more like my earlier, less-rushed chapters. I hope you like it!
Chapter 14: Making It Right
Harry paced in front of the hospital wing doors. He had been doing just this for the past four hours. That is how long Draco had been in there. Every few steps he would pause, scratch his head as if he were perplexed, and continue. A bored sigh broke him out of his pattern.
"Harry, can we at least go and grab some food from the kitchens? We missed dinner…" Ron was slouched against a wall with Hermione sitting politely next to him, trying not to let Harry see how bored she was.
"You two can go. I'm going to wait here until Snape comes back out." It was as if those were the magic words. Less than a minute later, Snape opened the door and gazed down at the three students as if he knew they would be there.
"He's fine. He needs rest. They'll discharge him tomorrow. You can see him then." Without so much as a backwards glance, he walked briskly down the corridor.
"I'm sick of not being able to see him every time he's in there. When I get injured, visitors are allowed… for the most part."
"Well, Harry, they must have their reasons." Hermione stated, hoping to calm Harry down.
"Yeah, to worry me to death."
"More like to keep you from worrying to death." Harry shot her a confused look. "Think about it, Harry. If you were to go in there, you would probably make such a big fuss over Draco that nobody would get any peace." Harry's look of confusion quickly morphed into a glare. "Sorry. You know it's true."
"Stop arguing." Ron said.
"Wow, Ron. It's not like you to be the mediator in an argument." Hermione said with a hint of surprise.
"No. Someone's coming."
As if on cue, Blaise and Pansy emerged from around a corner.
"Alright, Harry? Nice save today." Blaise said. "Thank Merlin he has you around, eh?"
For some reason, this statement made Harry angry.
"Yeah. Who knows what would have happened if you hadn't been there. Imagine if we had been playing Hufflepuff today? Draco would have been as good as dead…" Pansy's voice trailed off as she saw Harry trying to subdue his frustration and anger. "So… no visitors tonight, then?"
"Not me, anyway." Harry said, dejectedly.
Confusion was written all over both Slytherins' faces.
Ron decided to try to explain. "Harry's convinced Pomfrey is ganging up on him by never letting him see Draco when he's in there. Personally, I think he's gone a little mental if that's what…"
"MENTAL, HUH? IS THAT WHAT YOU THINK?"
All of the color in Ron's face was quickly washed away in panic.
"Why doesn't everyone just leave me alone? I don't want to see or talk to anyone right now. Is it so wrong to want to see him while he's in there? Is it so wrong to be worried? I'M THE ONE WHO CAUGHT HIM. I SAVED HIS LIFE AND YOU'RE ALL ACTING LIKE EVERYTHING IS FINE. What if it wasn't? Would you all be sitting here, joking around then?" Silence was his only response. "What if he had been paralyzed? What if there had been brain damage? What if…" His voice cracked painfully. "What if he died?"
"Harry…" Pansy started, but he was already down the corridor.
Pansy, Hermione, Blaise and Ron sat quietly by the lake the next day. They had nothing to say to each other. They all felt horrible for how they made Harry feel the day before. They didn't need conversation. Misery just loved company.
"Here you are. I've been looking all over! I thought you all got expelled for ganging up and beating up Nott and Flint. I haven't seen either of them yet, either." Draco flopped down beside Pansy. He was quickly embraced in a tight hug from her.
"How are you feeling? We've been worried."
"Fine, fine. Good as new actually. I probably wouldn't have been if Harry hadn't caught me. That's what Pomfrey told me, anyway." He looked around. "Where is he, anyway?"
Nobody answered for a few moments, then Hermione cleared her throat. "He was on edge all day yesterday after what happened. He was kind of snapping at everyone because Pomfrey and Snape wouldn't let him see you. We waited around for hours and then Pansy and Blaise tried to lighten the mood. He kind of…"
"He lost it and ran away afterwards." Ron finished for her. She sent a glare his way. "What? It's true. He went completely mental!"
"I can only imagine." Hermione transferred her glare meant for Ron to Draco. "What? He's not one to stay cool under certain circumstances. Listen, I'm going to go find him. Maybe seeing that I'm all right will cheer him up." He stood up.
"And if that fails, I'm sure you can think of another way to cheer him up." Blaise winked. This earned him a smack on the back of the head.
"Git." Draco laughed and walked away. The mood felt much lighter after that.
Draco had searched all around the castle for Harry. He wished he had the Marauder's Map more than ever.
Remembering what happened last time he went off to find Harry by himself, he put his guard up, searched the corridor he was in one last time, and made his way to Hagrid's Hut. Periodically he had checked the infirmary, and each time Pomfrey told him that she hadn't seen Harry since the day before. Draco was getting worried and hoped to Merlin that he was safe with Hagrid.
After a long walk Draco was feeling dizzy. He was sure that all of the exertion couldn't have been the best thing for him so soon after his injury, but he knocked on Hagrid's door without giving it another thought. Harry was all he could think about now.
Draco heard Hagrid's voice from inside the hut. "See, Harry? I told yeh they'd come lookin' for yeh, di'int I?" Draco felt his heart get lighter. Harry was safe.
Hagrid opened the door and his face transformed from a look of expecting to surprise. He turned to Harry. "Well, it's not who we thought it was." Harry grunted in response. "It's better!" With that, he yanked Draco from the front step and almost threw him at Harry.
"Hey…" Draco started, but Harry was already on his feet and clutching onto Draco for dear life. Draco laughed. "Miss me?"
"More than you could imagine." Came the muffled reply. Harry had buried his face in the crook of Draco's neck.
Draco slowly pulled away. "I've been looking for you everywhere. I was getting worried. I found the others. They were all a wreck. You'd think someone had died."
"Yeah, well what did you expect? They were probably all really worried about you."
Draco laughed. "Not me, you. Harry, they told me what happened last night. They feel really horribly about it."
"Ron called me mental."
"You?" Draco asked in mock-surprise. "Surely not you!" This was a test to see if Harry's mood had lightened.
It had clearly worked, as Harry laughed and ruffled the blonde's hair.
Please review. It makes me sad when you don't. Constructive criticism? Praise? (That's my favorite kind!) Ideas? Anything?
