Second Opinions
December 18:
"Do I look as bad as I feel?" Tonks groaned as she failed to prop herself upright in the lumpy cot. Struggling beneath a mountain of sheets and blankets, she freed herself only to itch at her tight bandages.
Peering around the Hogwarts' infirmary sent a wave of nostalgia through her. Every nook and cranny was homey and familiar. Countless nights were spent recovering here in Madame Pomfrey's ward courtesy of her school day escapades.
"No I think you'll survive but you should not expect to win a beauty pageant any time soon." Kingsley Shacklebolt joked weakly as he regarded his colleague's bruised pallor with concern.
"How is the little girl?" Her quiet tone possessed an edge of anxiety.
"We've located her family and she has been reunited with them. Thankfully she does not remember anything as Fenrir had her under the Imperius spell. St. Mungo's gave her a clean bill of health." The towering bald man rose to his feet and began to pace along the window where sunlight filtered in cheerily.
"Did you get the bastard?" Her whisper was chilled by a barely controlled fury.
"No. But we will." Kingsley vowed darkly.
"I want to be there when you catch him." I'd like to be there for the execution. Touching her ribs gingerly she winced as if sharp needles injected themselves throughout her body.
He nodded and thoughtfully poured her a glass of pumpkin juice.
"Promise me you won't go after him by yourself." He looked sternly at her. The dark passenger of vengeance reflected back at him. Shacklebolt knew better than to take her silence as assent. "I couldn't allow yourself to be eaten by a mangy Deatheater. After all, that would mean I'd have train up a new partner. And Dawlish couldn't make a decent cup of tea if his life depended on it."
"Always knew you were a comedian, Shacklebolt. You could always partner up with Mad Eye, do you think he would look as fit in a miniskirt and pink hair?" She snorted
"We could all use something to laugh about these days." He grinned halfheartedly.
"So what happened after I blacked out? How did you find me in Knockturn Alley?" Tonks managed a few sips before setting her glass down.
"Actually…"
"Visiting hours are over." An unwelcome drawl interrupted their conversation.
"Who made you Nanny nursemaid?" Tonks scowled at the potions master's intrusion.
"Dumbledore did. I am in charge of this infirmary and of its patients until Madam Pomfrey arrives back at Hogwarts." Snape smirked as he deftly swiped a box of chocolate frogs out of his indignant charge's hands.
"Well I have to get back to the office and fill out some paperwork. Take care of yourself Tonks. If you break anything else, at least you're in a hospitable bed." Shacklebolt bade a hasty retreat and gave her a knowing glance. The door slammed abruptly as the auror made his way down the hall.
"Your bedside manner leaves much to be desired." Deprived of chocolate, Tonks looked around for her wand to accio her prize back to her lap She stirred her bowl of tasteless broth with annoyance, seasoning it with uncharitable thoughts of Nurse Snape performing bedpan duty.
"How relieved I am to hear that your near death experience has not curbed that extremely sharp Black tongue of yours." He proceeded to dump her 'get well' sweets into the rubbish bin. The sugar would interfere with the healing potions but he stubbornly refused to justify his actions to the ungrateful slip of baggage known as Nymphadora Tonks.
She obliged by morphing her tongue into a black serpentine tongue and flicked it out at him impudently before swiping a chocolate frog. My powers they're back hoorah!
"Such impeccable breeding." He quashed the fleeting desire to smile at her childishness nor would he wipe off that tantalizing bit of chocolate on her cheek.
"So what's the prognosis? Am I going to turn furry once a month?" The idea of being a ferocious beast once a month did not frighten her after all it was no different than her being on her monthlies.
"Fortunately he did not bite you while in wolf form so you will not transform. However you are required to stay abed until those muggle stitches heal up or until I can brew up an adequate elixir to counteract the chemicals in your blood preventing your wounds from closing properly. This also means following a strict diet… and taking your medicine." While his back was turned rummaging through the cabinets, she stuck her tongue at him once more for good measure. His lectures aggravated her as much now as they did in potions' class.
"So are you here to administer my poison or what?" She snapped expectantly at the flask of a noxious (puce ugh) tinted sludge that Snape set on the table with a flourish. Before her courage could fail her, she grabbed the flask and took a giant swig.
"While you could drink it, this mixture is meant to be taken externally." His arrogance was laced with a hint of wry amusement which quickly transformed to disgust as she coughed up the thick liquid all over his robes.
"Why you…" Choking on the vomit inducing taste in her mouth, she wondered if she could eke out enough strength to wrap her fingers around Snape's neck and squeeze. Hard. Sneaky Slitherin blighter!
"Perhaps it would be beneficial if you got some rest." Snape shuttered the windows with a concise flick of his wand and strode quickly to the exit. Scarcely had the infirmary doors shut as a flask was flung where his head would have been only moments ago. He who runs in battle can wage war another day.
A/N: The novocaine of time dulls the aching of this heart. The bruises are no longer tender and the cuts have ceased their old wounds have scarred but never shall they fade.
Hurt by Nine Inch Nails – Black No. 1 by Type O Negative
Drugstore by Stabbing Westward – Affliction by Econoline Crush
I'll Damage You by Razed in Black – Coma White by Marilyn Manson
Walking Wounded by Tea Party – I'm so Sick by Flyleaf
Infected by Bad Religion – Just Like a Pill by Pink