hapter 13: Awakening

Draco opened his eyes.

"Ah, good," a Healer said, smiling at him. "You're awake."

Draco blinked and looked around. He was in some sort of hospital. It wasn't the Wing at school. Am I at St. Mungo's? He asked himself.

He sat up and his head felt fuzzy. He leaned over the bed and threw up. Blood dripped from his mouth.

"Careful now, Love," the Healer said, easing him back down. "You suffered quite a shock."

Draco closed his eyes, feeling terribly nauseous. The healer left. A minute later, his parents and Professor Snape entered.

"Draco, thank Merlin!" Narcissa asked, taking his hand. "How are you feeling?"

"Sick."

"Draco, the Vampire that bit you, she's in confinement." Draco blinked, wondering what his mother was saying. "I'm so sorry, Draco. I couldn't imagine what betrayal you must be suffering."

"Octavia Gryffindor might be staked."

"Octavia? Why?"

"She attacked you."

Draco's eyes widened and he sat up again. "Not Octavia," he shouted, feeling his head reel, "Innocent. Augustan Mello." His head fell back on the pillow. "I was attacked by Augustan Mello," he said more calmly.

"Draco?"

"Octavia's innocent." He drifted back to sleep…

Draco learned the next day that he had been comatose for almost two weeks from a Healer. From Professor Snape, that Octavia was blamed even though she was valiantly protected by the Slytherin students, all vouching that she was asleep in your wardrobe when you were attacked.

"Of course, as most of them were in class during the attack, the validity of their claim was questionable," he said. "Unless you woke up and gave a testimony, Octavia would have been executed by the Ministry. Even though she's innocent, several members still want to kill her simply because she's—"

"Where is she?"

"Confined," Snape said.

"Where?" Draco asked.

"That's all I know."

Draco took a deep breath. "Who issued the order?"

"The Minister," Snape said.

"So the Dark Lord," Draco clarified.

"Yes."

"And the whole school knows about her now, right?"

"That is true. Why are you asking so many questions?"

"Because I promised to protect her," Draco said. He looked at his teacher. "I need to protect her—not just from Augustan, but from everyone." He turned to his teacher. "Professor, please. Help me."

Severus blinked. He sighed and nodded. "Are you my son or Lucius'?" Draco tilted his head to the side. "Sometimes I wonder. Fine," Severus said, crossing his arms. "I'll help you. Again."

"Thanks. What do you mean—you and my mother…didn't…"

"No!" Severus shouted. "No, you just have some traits that I used to have." Severus nodded. "I'll help you. But," he said, "Only on my condition."

"And if that's not enough?" Draco asked.

"Then blame whatever happens to her on me. I've put my life on the line more than once, what's one more time?"

Draco nodded. "Thanks, Professor."

Severus stood. "You'll be released from the Hospital tomorrow morning at eight o'clock," he said. "I'll collect you at seven fifty. Be ready by then." He left.

Draco looked at his clock. Four PM. Only sixteen hours before his acquittal. He fidgeted. I need to do something to keep me occupied until then, he thought.

Draco looked about him. A man was staring at him curiously. "What?" Draco asked.

"What you in for, kid?" he asked. Draco blinked; then smirked.

"Well…"

Draco dressed and watched the people outside. Marty, the guy next to him, who was, ironically, a wizard vacationing in Britain from America, was snoring loudly beside him.

Funny thing was, he was a newly turned werewolf. When Draco asked how he could be so calm, Marty shrugged and told him that Americans didn't care. No one there knew where the purebloods began or where the muggleborns ended. No one would care if a werewolf showed up to work one day.

Draco slung his bag over his shoulder.

At fifteen minutes till eight, he saw Severus walk through the entrance. Draco took his queue to sign out.

He walked down the stairs to the lobby. Severus was waiting. "Come on," he urged. "You're parents will be here in five minutes."

Draco jogged to catch up. Severus took hold of Draco's arm and they apparated to the ministry.

Entering the booth, Severus spoke to the telecom. Once the name tags were printed, they delve underground to the Ministry's main building.

"Professor," Draco began. Severus looked at him. "Do you know where you're going?"

Severus glanced away.

"You don't do you."

Severus ignored him. "Point me," he said.

"I beg your pardon?" Draco asked, confused. Severus turned to the right. Draco followed him, still confused and progressively getting irked.

This repeated several times until they arrived to the lower levels of the ministry.

Severus stopped at a silver door. Draco looked into the window. Octavia was curled into a ball in a far corner of the room.

He pointed his wand at the door. "Alohomora." The door did not budge. Draco tried various other spells. None worked. Pocketing his wand, he readied himself to ram the door.

Severus grabbed his arm; then he gripped the handle and turned. The door opened. "It's made of silver. That's all that's keeping her inside."

Draco never felt more like an idiot. He stepped inside. "Octavia?" She looked up and stared. "Are you ready to go?"

She lunged and embraced Draco.

"I hate to interrupt," Severus snapped, "but we're against the clock, here." He grabbed their shoulders and they all apparated back to the school.

Sorry it took so long to get back to it. Lately, fanfiction hasn't been a strong suit for me. Especially where this story was concerned. Sadly, the ending isn't as smooth as I originally planned it to be, but this is not the end. Not yet. It will be up before the end of this week, though.

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