Next Chapter! Sorry it took so long!

Emma awoke into a groggy stupor, remembering little of the past day. All she could see when she closed her eyes was cold whiteness. Though her vision was hazy, Emma deduced that she was in some kind of hospital, though it felt less impersonal and sterile than a hospital. She noticed jars filled with liquids of all colors and… was that… eyeballs? Emma rubbed her eyes and blinked furiously, not believing what she saw. Was she dreaming? Or was this what death looked like?

"Oh my dear! You're awake! Wonderful! I'm sure you're in a right lot of pain dear, so let's get you some medicine."

Emma's eyes followed a plump older woman as she came scurrying towards the bed Emma was lying down in, her hands holding a vial of green, nebulous liquid. In the few moments since Emma had woken up, she had been immobile except her eyes, but when this foreign woman began to make her swallow a disgusting, she reacted.

"Who are you and what are you trying to make me drink?" Emma yelled, in disbelief that this strange woman who she didn't know at all, was for all she knew, trying to make her drink something that could very well be poison from the way it smelled.

"Oh it's all right dear! I'm Poppy, the nurse here. I know this looks and smells right foul but that's usually a sign it'll make you feel much better, isn't it?" With a cheery grin, the nurse once again held the vial up to Emma's mouth, Emma, still weary, opening her mouth slightly and plugged her nose as the liquid began to trickle into her mouth. It tasted like tar, excrements and rotten things all at once. Emma, beginning to cough and gag, felt nauseated but held it in, for fear of having to drink another batch of that.

"Well done dear. Now you just go back to sleep and we'll deal with everything else later".

Before Emma had a chance to respond the good-natured woman bustled away. And so with no reading material or anything else to do, Emma slept, her aches and pains lessened thanks to the dreadful concoction.

The second time Emma awoke, she felt much revived, almost as if nothing had happened the day before. She rubbed the crusties from her eyes and took another look around the room. She noticed the nurse, whose name was Poppy she remembered, wrapping a bandage around a muscled left arm. Emma shifted to see her fellow patient, wondering if he knew where he was either. But no, Poppy, who was now attending to something on this boy's face, was completely blocking his visage from her view.

He seemed to be aware of her staring because while Poppy was looking at his arm for the second time, he tilted his head around Poppy's frizzy hair to see his admirer, not that she was admiring him…

His gaze was cold but nonetheless curious but once he saw her tattered clothes, his lips turned up into a sneer and the condescension was clear. She was obviously out of place, for the boy wore expertly tailored black robes and from what Emma could tell, expensive shoes, pants and shirt, and his grey and silver tie appeared just as regal.

Emma though grudgingly, thought he was attractive, if you were in to marble skin and hair almost as equally white. His jaw and mouth were firm, showing no signs laughter or smiles. He reminded her of a prep school boy; he appeared rich and haughty. When he sneered at her, Emma's curiosity turned into dislike and she glowered as he continued to sneer at her. When Poppy finished checking over his injuries she hurried over to Emma.

"How are you dear? All better? Did the medicine work?" Emma just nodded her head to all these questions, taken aback by Poppy's enthusiasm. As Poppy hovered about Emma checking every body part for other possible injury, it was Emma's turn to be scrutinized. The boy tried to make it look as if he wasn't inspecting her, so through hooded lids he tried to figure out why such a ratty tatty girl was sitting in Hogwarts' infirmary. Poppy's finished her work quickly and satisfied that nothing else was wrong with Emma, went off to get the headmaster and left Emma alone. Well not alone exactly but Emma refused to acknowledge someone who could be so condescending with just his eyes.

He was the first to speak, "So, who are you?"

Emma toyed with the idea of ignoring him but responded, "Emma, who are you?"

"Malfoy, Draco Malfoy. Of course you've probably heard the name."

Emma's eyes narrowed at his conceit, "No, sorry. I haven't."

"You must be from far away then, if you haven't heard of the Malfoys. Where are you from?"

"Manchester, it's not that far away, if we are indeed in Scotland."

Draco's pride appeared ruffled by her ignorance of his family but continued to question her.

"What school did you go to?"

"I didn't, I was home schooled."

"Well that's odd, I've never heard of parents teaching magic."

"Pardon me, magic? No, I've learned Mathematics, Geography, History, Science and the other subjects but magic?"

Draco laughed, "You're a funny one. Why aren't you wearing robes?"

It was Emma's turn to laugh, "Why are you wearing robes, it isn't even Halloween!"

Draco just seemed perplexed at her answer. "Do you know what house you are to be placed in? If you had a say in it, I would say to pick Slytherin as we are the best, but I'm sorry to say the Sorting Hat will take care of that."

"A house? I'm going to get a house here? I haven't lived in a house since I lived with my par-ents." Emma's voice cracked at the word. Everything from the day before came crashing back into her head. Memories bombarded her, forcing her to relive the crash and her parents' death years ago. Emma's breath became short and her body began to heave and shake, choked sobs rushing forth from her body.

Draco just stared, mouth agape at the strange girl who had become emotional so suddenly. He didn't do well with crying females. Thankfully, a minute or so after she had burst into tears, Poppy and Professor Dumbledore rushed into the room and began to console her.

Poppy rushed to the rescue, "Here dear, drink this, it'll do a wonder for you."

Emma tried to refuse for fear of drinking another vile medicine but Poppy insisted profusely. Holding her hand out shakily, Emma took the vial and downed it in one gulp. The liquid was warm and sweet, almost honey like. Emma licked her lips and began to feel herself calm down. She glanced over at Draco who looked the same as he did five minutes ago, his face passive and unworried.

Emma looked up to see the ancient looking man smiling softly at her. He asked, "How have you been fairing?"

Emma's voice was raspy, but she managed to get out, "Fii-ne."

"Good," he smiled at her, "Now Emma I want you to tell us how you came to be here."

"I don't know how! I just ended up in this bed…" Emma began to complain but the grandfatherly man cut her off gently.

"No, no my dear. Not how you came to be in the infirmary, how you came to be at Hogwarts."

"Is Hogwarts here?"

"Yes. Now please recount your tale."

After Emma told them of the crash and her struggle to get in the building, she could see their faces were troubled. The Headmaster and the Nurse looked troubled but Draco's eyes bulged out of their sockets.

"She's… She's a muggle! Professor you can't possibly be thinking of letting her stay here. She'll contaminate us all!" Draco's face was no longer handsome as Emma saw the hate in his eyes.

"What's a muggle? I don't understand!"

"A person who has no magical abilities. That is, you are not a witch or a wizard." The headmaster replied as if he weren't speaking total bullocks.

Emma laughed warily, "Witches and wizards? Of course not. Are you insane, they don't even exist!"

The headmaster smiled sadly, "Perhaps it will be better to show you." Out of his iridescent silver cloak, Dumbledore drew a wooden wand, cleared his throat and said clearly, "Avis."

Hundreds of birds soared from his wand. They flew around the infirmary, calling to one another, dipping and diving, enjoying themselves completely. As soon as the birds came out of the wand, Emma shrieked and began pushing herself backwards into the backboard of the bed, covering herself with her blankets. After seconds, he whispered, "Finite Incantum" and all the birds disappeared so fast that Emma briefly thought they hadn't even existed.

Still trembling, Emma peeked out of her hiding place. "Why did you do that, how did you do that! Don't ever do that again!" Emma was scared out of her wits, she began to babble on and on about birds and magic.

"Poppy, I think it would be best if Emma had another dose of the Calming Drought."

"Right away sir." Poppy hurried off and came back within seconds with a second vial of the sweet potion. "Here you are dear, drink up." Poppy tipped the vial up to Emma's mouth and coaxed her into drinking and swallowing the liquid. Once again, Emma felt the potion take effect, her heartbeat slowed and she trembled only slightly.

"I did not mean to scare you Emma but now I think you understand. We are different, you and I. I am a wizard while it seems that you have no magic. You will be allowed to stay here until we get things sorted out. You must know this, you are the only one of your kind here, Hogwarts is a school for Witchcraft and Wizardry. Understand that during your stay here, some of the students will not be civil with you for they have had no interaction with non-magical people. However, I think you will find that most students will be very welcoming. Now then, get some rest while I take care of your housing arrangements. Do you have any belongings?" Emma shook her head. "Then I will take care of that as well. I will return later tomorrow morning to move you to your rooms."

Emma nodded feebly and fell for the second time that day, into a deep sleep.

"Oh and Draco?" The headmaster turned to address the fourth occupant of the room only to be greeted by air. Draco was gone. The headmaster frowned, "Poppy be sure to lock the doors, Draco has gone and I fear he will be telling the other students of our visitor. I don't want the students to bombard her." With that, the headmaster left the infirmary, deep in thought about the young woman and the potential trouble she might cause.