Author's Note: GASP! A new chapter so soon? YOU BET! xD Well guys, I guess this is one of the climaxes of the story. Some of the things unexplained in this chapter will be explained in later chapters, don't worry ^^ Although if I forget to do so, I apologize in advance D: My vacation is ending soon and I have loads of homework to catch up on (nooooo!) there's no telling when my next update will be, but I might successfully prepare one on my flight tomorrow~ Oh and here's a fun guessing game, which country do you think I'm from? :D first one who gets the right answer gets to have your name mentioned at some point in the story weeee~ It's kinda hard to guess though…at least I think it is…But that aside, it's time for chapter 27, enjoy!
Acceptance
Chapter 27
The Ultimatum
"Well, what are you waiting for, Potter? Are you going to take the potion or not?" Snape scoffed, making me tremble slightly. Just like Ron and Hermione said moments ago, I had to make the decision as soon as possible. Yeah, I was aware of that, I just didn't realize SOON was THIS SOON. Come to think of it though, I had already made the decision long ago, but kept changing my mind every few days. Damn me and my contrariness.
Unexpectedly, Madam Pomfrey burst out through the doors of the infirmary, panting and perspiring profusely. The sight of her was a shock to all of us standing outside. What made her so panicky? I soon got my answer when she began shouting frantically;
"ANY ONE OF YOU HAS A SEIZURE-CALMING POTION? ANYONE?"
Seriously? I would have thought the infirmary would contain a manifold of potions like that. So, either Hogwarts' infirmary sucks ass or they ran out of seizure-calming potions…but...run out? How'd they run out of that so quickly? Don't tell me…
The hysterical nurse caught sight of the astounded potions master and dashed towards him. Snape backed away and flinched when Madam Pomfrey began grasping at his cloak and shaking him vigorously, "You're a potion's master, tell me you have a seizure-calming potion right now! PLEASE!"
"Don't you nurses already have-"
"YES WE DID. BUT WE USED IT ALL ON OUR CURRENT PATIENT!"
"How did you use ALL of it-"
"WE FACED SOME COMPLICATIONS WE WERE NEVER FACED WITH BEFORE. I'LL EXPLAIN LATER! BUT NOW, POTION PLEASE!"
"Wait, who-"
"PROFESSOR SEVERUS SNAPE, YOU TELL ME THIS INSTANCE IF YOU HAVE A SEIZURE-CALMING POTION OR NOT!"
"Well…I probably have some down in my office, but it's going to take quite a while to get all the way down and up. Is it an emergency?"
"DOES THIS NOT LOOK LIKE AN EMERGENCY TO YOU, YOU BLUNDERING GREASY-HAIRED FOOL? MY PATIENT IS ON THE VERGE OF DEATH AND YOU-"
Just then, another nurse interrupted and pulled Madam Pomfrey back inside to stop internal bleeding or something along those lines. But holy shit…DYING? My eyes went wide and my vision was getting blurry; fogged by tears. How the hell did this happen? It was just a regular tummy ache, wasn't it? Before that, Draco was still perfectly normal, all happy and cheery until Lucius Malfoy came into the picture. How hard of a grip did the guy have? I didn't really have much time to think about that though, I was pretty preoccupied going into a deep state of panic for my poor baby. This shouldn't have happened! Wait no, it really was my fault. I shouldn't have let it happen…
Ron and Hermione rushed to my side just as I nearly fell over. Although my friends were sharing my sorrow and panic, this was still too much to handle in such a short period of time. Draco was dying somehow due to some unexpected complications, according to Madam Pomfrey at least. But I knew I had to be blamed as well. "Hang in there, Harry. Draco's going to be alright, you'll see!" Hermione reassured me. As much as I wanted to trust her, the shakiness in her voice, the trembling I could feel coming from both of my friends, my own trembling, Snape's state of shock and Madam Pomfrey's hysterical entrance convinced me otherwise. Was I really going to lose Draco…? No…I can't lose him!...NO!
"Potter, is the patient who I think it is?" Snape questioned, now looking fairly worried. I couldn't even bear to lift my head to reply him, so I simply nodded, although it was barely noticeable. I think Snape got the answer though. He placed a reassuring hand on my shoulder. We were both surprised that I didn't retract at his touch because it seemed very OOC for him to be comforting towards me. But just as suddenly as he placed his hand on my shoulder, he released me and lifted the bottle in his hands. My friends and I stopped moping for a brief moment, looking from our professor to the bottle in curiosity. That's when Snape beamed, "The ageing potion!"
Ron and I were still confused. Yeah, he's holding the ageing potion. So what? It's not the seizure-calming potion that Draco needs! Who gives a shit about the ageing potion anymore if Draco's not gonna live to even use it? But Hermione suddenly exclaimed, "Of course!"
"You know what this means, don't you miss Granger?"
"Yes, professor! I read about this during summer vacation last year. The ageing potion contains calming effects! Remarkably enough, the ingredients used for ageing potions and seizure-calming potions are unbelievably similar. With this ageing potion, we might just be able to save Draco!"
This new fact was like an angel's serenade to my ears. There was hope! "What are you waiting for, you greasy-haired git! Give the potion to the nurse!" I shouted at Snape, who looked like he was going to say "ten thousand points from Gryffindor" due to the rude name-calling. But he did nothing of the sort and simply nodded, running into the infirmary with the potion grasped firmly in his hand. I sank to my feet, once again, overcome with mixed emotions. It was only after I sent Snape in did I realize that I had already made a quick decision of returning Draco back to his normal age. Yes, it was the right thing to do but… I only did it because it was a matter of life and death! If I didn't give it to Draco, he would die for sure. With this potion, he might just survive…! …And…become a teenager again…
Ron bent down to my eye level and smiled, telling me Draco would live and that I made a wise choice to give him the potion. But was it really wise? Because it seemed like a rather rash decision to me…
"Mr. Potter, you must come in at once!" Madam Pomfrey stuck her head out the door once more. Shit, it better not be more so-called 'complications'… "Mr. Malfoy refuses to drink the potion! He won't listen to any of us, but YOU…I believe you can convince him to drink it. Come inside, quickly!"
Ah…Draco, you stubborn little poof…
I got up, wobbling a little as the blood rushed to my head once again. I was getting really dizzy and my head hurt after all the random shocks and unexpected surprises. I would seriously need a long break after all this is over. And by over, I meant Draco recovering…not dying…of course not dying…at least I hope not…
I rushed inside to witness probably the most dramatic scene in my life. Nurses were running around everywhere, handling all sorts of liquids and sponges and blood-stained cloth. Draco's screams of pain were ear-piercing. It hurt me to hear him in so much pain… The closer I got to his bed, the clearer I got to see how bad of a state he was in. A nurse was holding him down while another was injecting him with something while Madam Pomfrey was waiting for the right moment to give him the ageing potion. There was blood splattered all over the bedsheets and there was practically a waterfall of blood streaming down from Draco's mouth. He was coughing blood and heaving pitifully. Why did an innocent, adorable child have to suffer a fate like this?
"HARRY!" Draco yelled, reaching his arms towards me, still coughing large amounts of blood. I was panic stricken; he was losing a hell load of blood… "Hush, Draco, I'm here. Don't be scared! Look, I'm right here with you," I stated as calmly as I could. I even tried to smile, but I'm afraid it looked more like I was about to cry. I reassured the nurses with a calming look and sat on the bed next to Draco. Once again, I felt the same feeling I felt so many times before; time was stopping, stopping for us. Now everyone and everything else was out of sight, out of mind, out of our lives. We had each other, and that was that. I couldn't ask for anything more. Almost immediately after one of the nurses released her grip on Draco, he lunged forward into my arms, crying ever so loudly. I wasn't sure if the wet stain I felt was tears or blood, but it didn't matter. Now, I have to do my part before it's too late.
"Har-ry! Dra-Draco so s-scared! Dr-Drac-co gonna die r-right?"
"No no no don't say that, baby. You won't die, I won't let you!"
"But…b-blood…and…E-everywhere hurts…'s-specially Draco's t-tummy…"
"You're going to be okay…I love you, Draco…"
"Draco love Harry too!"
I wiped a tear away. If Draco wasn't on the verge of death, this would be another one of those moments I enjoyed; Draco and I proclaiming our love for each other and giving loving hugs and…and…hell, this isn't the same…
"Listen, Dray…You need to drink the potion, alright?"
"Drac-Draco c-can't!"
"You have to! If you don't…I don't know what's going to happen. I don't want to lose you! Please, be a good boy, Draco…"
"Potion's going t-to hurt Draco's tum-tummy…"
"I know but, it's only temporary! After that, you're going to be okay, I promise! No more pain. You'll be happy, free, healthy and you can have anything you want!"
"A-anything…?"
"Yes…I promise…"
"E-even…even Harry…?"
I paused, touched by the fact that even in his state of pain and agony, he still wanted me…But, things were going to change after he wakes up upon drinking the potion…would he still want me then?
"Well…that's if you still want me when you wake up, Dray…"
"Of course Draco w-want Harry!"
"You see…things aren't as easy as you think. We all know that you're not supposed to be three years old. This potion will not only heal you, but also bring you back to your original age. And I have to tell you, Draco, at your normal age, you and I weren't really on close terms…"
"DRACO DON'T CARE! DRACO WON'T DRINK POTION UNLESS HARRY PROMISES TO BE WITH DRACO FOREVER!"
The nurses around us looked terribly stunned. Either they were in shock or in awe at what the young Malfoy said. Everyone knew Draco and I despised each other, at least, that's how it appeared to be on the outside when we were both teenagers. No one knew about my secret crush on him. But that didn't matter…I need to get Draco to drink the potion now before it's too late!
"Okay…Okay…I promise to be with you, Draco. But that's only if you remind me after you wake up, okay? You know I have a bad memory, don't you, Dray? You have to remind me…when you wake up…deal?"
"D-deal…"
"And…if it's possible…Remind me about all the good times we had…from the first day I found you at King's Cross till now. I'd really like to remember that. Can you do that for me?"
Draco looked confused for a moment, but struggled to give me a feeble nod and smile. He lifted his arms up to me again, and I hugged him…never wanting to let go…but I knew I had to…The day he wakes up after he drinks the potion…everything's going to change…who knows, we might never speak to each other again.
Then Draco drew back and opened his mouth. He was ready for the potion, but I wasn't. I waited for Madam Pomfrey to feed him, but instead, she handed me the potion, telling me it's best that I was the one doing it. I nodded and fed Draco with his life-saver. I closed my eyes, desperately trying to convince myself that this was just the same apple juice that Snape was giving him that day. It's not an ageing potion…Draco will recover but he will still stay this age! He will! He will! He will…
No…he won't…
I looked at him with tears streaming down my eyes. Draco had consumed the potion to the very last drop, just as he had promised me he would. "Don't cry, Harry…" He smiled, voice fading. I forced a smile, "Anything you say, Dray…"
With that, Draco was overcome with drowsiness and he fell asleep. The nurses got up and prepared to finish their work with their now sedated patient.
I got up and slowly left the bedside, the image of Draco's weak little body fading away. Goodbye for now, my baby Draco. Promise me, you'll live through this…
"Don't worry anymore, okay, Harry? Draco will be safe as long as Harry is here! Draco will drink potion if Harry wants, but if Harry don't want Draco to drink, then Draco won't drink!"
Thank you for being so understanding, Draco…I'm sorry I didn't protect you when I should have…I hope you can forgive me for letting bad things happen to you…I'm glad you were willing to listen to me and drank the potion…Thank you for keeping your word and making life easier for both of us…I just hope…all these memories won't be forgotten…
Maybe you won't remember, but I know I will…
The last promise you made to me was to remind me to be with you forever and retell our story to me. Heh…if you actually keep THIS promise, I'd be the happiest boy on earth… But I can't blame you if you don't remember…
I just hope you knew…
All this time…
I really…
Truly…
Deeply…
Loved you…
…I love you, Draco Malfoy…I really do…
So please…live...
…live for me…
Author's Note: Whoa wasn't that a long chapter? Hope you guys liked it! I shall begin working on the next chapter when I can. Stay tuned~ R&R!