Several images invaded my stunned mind. I could hear voices, but I couldn't move. How long have I been here? One day? One week? I have no idea.
Draco was suffering, who knows how many atrocities, and I here, without even having the strength to wake up. Only when I saw him being tortured through Voldemort's mind, could I understand the proportion of my feelings for him. As strong as I ever felt for anyone. I know I'm in trouble, it's a hundred times worse to love someone than to hate him, because there's always a chance that he'll hurt me a lot more, just because he loves him so much, than if he crucified me as his enemy. But now it is too late, however wrong it may seem, I feel that loving him has already become inevitable.
But does he love me? I know he "likes" me, but love is something totally different.
I really must be a fool. Of course, Draco would never risk his life twice for someone he didn't love. I feel like I'm getting a little paranoid about it, after all his feelings are very clear, even if he doesn't say it.
I heard sounds around me. Heavy steps on the wooden floor. I assumed they were Ron and Hermione.
For some time (I don't know how much), that I can hear what people say around me, but I still don't know why I couldn't wake up. But in the meantime, I have had strange glimpses, like a very large living room, or an elegant and well-decorated room. I found them to be things of my imagination, although I know that I am not very creative to imagine the many details of the rooms.
The steps stopped.
"He remains the same" sighed a voice that I recognized was from Hermione.
I felt a warm hand holding mine, at first I thought it was the girl's, but I soon realized that my hands were a little big to be hers.
"He's a little pale, don't you think?" asked Ron, his voice right next to me. I felt that the hands that held mine tightened a little. Wait, are those hands his?
"Try to spend two days passed out, without eating or drinking anything, and then see if you won't be as pale as he is" commented on another voice, which I recognized was from Jorge.
"Remo said he will soon wake up" said Hermione. "He said that recent events, such as you have lost your ear and Olho-Tonto have died, added to some emotional shock they made his mind protect itself like that."
"The question is: what emotional shock did he have?" asked Fred at the same time that I felt someone sitting at the foot of the bed I was in. Hear a few seconds of silence, where everyone probably wondered the same thing. "But, changing the subject, Gina is furious with you, bro, and now I understand why."
"Gina is an idiot, Harry is my best friend!"
"It may be, but that does not justify you staying twenty-three hours of your day by his bed." stated Jorge. "You look more like bride worried than the friend."
I cannot deny that the fact that I knew about this strange behavior by Ron impressed me a little. But I prefer not to give importance to that now, after all maybe he is just very worried about me.
"Ah, don't fill!" replied the angry redhead.
A few minutes passed and Fred and Jorge left leaving me alone with Ron and Hermione.
"Harry is strange, don't you think?" asked Mione a few minutes after the twins left, looking worried.
"Yes" the redhead agreed. "And he's hiding something from us."
"Yeah, I know" said the girl. Hear a few moments of silence. "Lupin did some tests on him, and found that his magic is behaving strangely, but since none of us are Healer here, we cannot say precisely what is wrong."
"It's really weird, isn't it? Harry saw something in the mind of You-know-Who disturbed him more than anything" commented Ron. "I mean, he had seen disturbing things before, but he had never passed out that is why. A few hours passed, and my mind wandered. I felt my body reassuring, it's like I had taken some potion for my nerves."
I opened my eyes and saw the late afternoon sun reflected on the bedroom ceiling. With blurred vision, I saw Ron sitting next to the bed carefully reading a small booklet. I groped the nightstand looking for my glasses, which caught the redhead's attention.
"Harry!" exclaimed him, got up and came to me. "Do you have any idea of the scare you gave us all?"
"Sorry... it was not my intention to worry anyone." I spoke with a hoarse voice. I coughed to clear my throat and started to feel sick. "Where are the others?"
"They're down there. Mom gave everyone tasks because of Gui and Fleur's wedding that will take place in a few days" said Ron, sitting next to me. "But, man, what happened? What did you see that made you look like that?"
Ron approached and touched my arm, as if to support him, but somehow I was surprised by his behavior.
"I... I don't remember. It was the first excuse I made up". Of course, I remembered perfectly, but just thinking about what Draco is suffering because of me, I feel dizzy again and my nausea gets worse.
"Harry, is everything okay?" asked the concerned redhead, putting his hand on my forehead to measure my temperature.
"I think so, I just feel a little sick" I replied. I am increasingly surprised by Ron's behavior towards me. He's fixing his eyes on mine in a way he's never done before. "Ron, why are you looking at me like that?"
"I don't know, Harry. I just wanted to know, why are your eyes so bright? And why is your skin so beautiful?" I opened my eyes with the redhead's questions. What the hell is going on with him? "By Merlin, Harry, I've been feeling weird around you since I saw you there at your uncles' house."
I couldn't help but shock myself. What do you mean my best friend is feeling weird around me? Why the hell is he finding my skin and eyes attractive? I could only stand and stun and feel stunned.
What is happening to people, that everyone is changing? First Duda and now Ron?
"Hmm... Ron I... I don't know..." I tried to talk more my nausea got worse and I had to take my hands to my mouth.
Ron, seeming to notice what I needed, quickly conjured up something like a basin. I pulled it out of his hand and vomited voraciously, even though my stomach was empty. Ron stood beside me, patting my back.
"Ron what... Harry!" Hermione quickly entered the room. Even though I was throwing up, I could see the girl's eyes fixed for a second on Ron, who was still patting me on the back, then coming back to me. "Glad you woke up, I've been so worried!"
When I finally managed to stop throwing up, I went to the bathroom to brush my teeth, before talking to them again.
"Here, Harry" Hermione extended a small package to me, which when I opened it, I discovered was a chocolate bar. "Lupin asked me to give it to you as soon as you woke up,"
Regardless of the fact that I had just brushed my teeth, I devoured the bar quickly. I never liked chocolate as much as I do now, not to mention that I was hungry.
"Harry, now that you're feeling better, could you tell us what..."
"I don't know Hermione." I cut the girl, but her look told me that she wouldn't believe anything, so I added. "I don't remember what I saw, I only know that he was torturing some diners, and the"n I felt dizzy and lost consciousness.
"But Harry, you seemed to have seen something that hurt you a lot and..."
"Hermione, I don't know what I saw, o.k.?" I cut it again.
"Okay, Harry, let's pretend we believe. But that's not all, you and Silly Eye talked about something before your transfer, and when you were done, you were so pale that you seemed to have seen a haunt! We know something happened, so..."
"Hermione" I said trying to maintain patience. I really wasn't in the mood for another one of your interrogations. "As I said that day on the train, there are things I don't want you to know. I'm so sorry."
"What does your conversation with Olho-Tonto have to do with the subject of that day on the train?" asked Ron.
"It has nothing to do!" I spoke frustrated. "But, just as I didn't want to tell you about it, don't want to tell you about it either"
"Harry, don't you trust us anymore?" asked Mione. "No matter what, we will always support you and be on your side, and you've been hiding a lot from us lately."
"This is not about trust, Mione. Of course I trust you! I trust you so much that you are the only people I have told you about Horcruxes!"
"So why don't you spill it right away, man?" asked Ron.
"I just can't. It's not just me, Ron, it also involves someone else, and... I don't think you would forgive me." I said the last part in a low voice.
"Did you do something wrong?" asked the girl. 'that we will understand and help you as always."
"I think you wouldn't understand" I spoke quickly looking at Ron. "But I'm going to think about it a little bit, and then decide whether to tell you or not. But stop pushing me."
"Well, it's something" sighed his friend. I knew that this matter was not over yet.
I spent the next few days throwing up and not stopping. The nausea had gotten so bad that nothing I ate stopped in my stomach. The only way to keep something in my stomach was to take the potion that Mrs. Weasley had given me, but his taste was disgusting.
On the morning of my birthday, Ron woke me up happy, and gave me his gift. That by some chance it was a little book just like the one he read the day I woke up from my fainting. The book was called twelve infallible ways to charm witches. I couldn't help laughing, because I knew that the book would have no use for me, since I am already enchanted by a wizard.
When we were going down for breakfast, Gina's bedroom door opened and the redhead put her head out.
"Harry, can I talk to you for a moment?" she asked.
"Of course..." I responded by entering the room. Ron was going to follow me, but Hermione pulled him.
Ginny closed the door and locked it. I was startled to realize that the girl was wearing only the robe.
"Harry, I didn't have time to buy you any gifts, so I decided to give you something that I know you want for a long time" said the girl approaching.
"Hmm... Ginny, I appreciate it, but there really is no need for a gift..." I spoke quickly, and took a few steps back so that I leaned against the door.
"Don't be silly, Harry. You will need a souvenir of mine to take with you on this mission" she said. And he began to slowly pull the rope that tied his robe. "I promise that no one will know."
If that happened in the past, I would probably give in, but now, loving Draco, I don't feel the slightest desire for Gina. All I feel is a great desire to escape this embarrassing situation as quickly as possible.
I need to get out of here!
"Gina, I better get down. Ron and Mione must be waiting for me! And it's not okay for me to be in your room alone with you..."
"Don't worry Harry, I launch the Abaffiato at the door..."
"No, Gina... I do not want this. And I really need to get down!"
The girl finished pulling the robe from her robe. I looked at the embarrassed floor trying to avoid its nakedness.
Damn how am I going to escape this one?
"Gina, I... I like someone else!" I spoke at once, still without looking up.
"I know you're lying" said the girl, seeming to find it funny. "I know you like me, but you're just trying to be noble as always. And I respect that, Harry, I'm not asking us to resume dating, but to create a beautiful memory for both of us."
The girl came up to me and put her lips against mine. I held it by the shoulders and pushed it away, so that our eyes could meet.
"Gina, I said no!" I spoke calmly, I started to feel sick again, after all I was supposed to have taken the potion against nausea as soon as I went down. I really I'm liking someone else, by the way, not liking it, I'm in love by someone else.
The girl's eyes widened, which made me feel relieved that she realized I'm not kidding.
"You can't be serious!" exclaimed the redhead, and I gave thanks to Merlin when she left. Without seeming to care about her nakedness through the open robe, she took three steps back. "Please say it is a lie."
"I would say if it were, Gina, but it is not. I'm sorry, but I'm even in love with someone else."
The girl shot me with her eyes.
"Who is she?" asked finally.
I felt sick, I knew that at any moment I would have to run to throw up. I tried to open the door, and only then do I remember that Gina had locked it.
"I need to go out, open the door" I asked urgently, since my nausea was getting worse.
"I asked, who is the disgusting bitch!" said the girl almost screaming.
"Don't talk about him like that!" I spoke so stunned by nausea, that when I found myself I had already said.
The girl's eyes widened again and her hands covered her mouth by surprise.
"Him? You are in love with a man?"
The bedroom door opened wide, which would have been a relief if it hadn't been Ron who opened it. The boy was extremely red with the sight of Gina almost naked in front of me, while I covered my sick mouth. The girl quickly tried to cover herself. Hermione was right behind the redhead, probably trying to stop him from disturbing us, but when she saw the scene she was as shocked as it was.
I didn't have time to explain myself, I ran off the room, and quickly entered the bathroom before I vomited. I heard that Ron and Hermione had followed me.
"Ron, don't get involved in this!" said Hermione. - Harry was not to blame, it was a Gina plan! She had mentioned that she would do something like that, but I didn't believe she would have really courage. Ron."
As soon as I washed my mouth and turned around, I ran into the redhead, who didn't even have the decency to wait for me to leave the bathroom to talk to me. Although I understand, after all Gina is her little sister and picking us up in her room with her almost naked, she certainly must have made him draw many wrong conclusions.
"Calm down, Ron. I can explain..." I started.
"What did you do to my sister?" he asked. His extremely red ears, in a mixture of shame or anger.
"I didn't do anything!" I was happy to say. "I was a long way from her, you saw...Ron...-called Hermione trying to calm his friend.
"As soon as you left the room" she started to cry saying that you would prefer men than inter her!
I couldn't help feeling apprehensive about Gina's comment. However, I am also relieved that Ron seems to be more concerned with her tears than with the fact that I have caught her practically naked in front of me.
"She's just overreacting because I said I liked someone else." I told.
"Do you like someone else, Harry?" asked Hermione.
"No, of course not!" I was happy to say. "I just told her to give up what she was trying to of."
I preferred to lie to avoid starting another interrogation. I was glad to see that Ron's anger seemed to subside a little.
A few hours later, the episode in Gina's room seemed to have been forgotten by both friends, which was a great relief for me since I didn't feel comfortable talking about it.
We are sitting on the floor of Ron's room deciding which books to take with us on our trip. I started to feel sick again.
Damn, I'm tired of throwing up all the time. I've been like this for two weeks straight and don't know what the problem is, but I'm starting to worry. There were few occasions when I was sick, but it always got better in a day or two, and for some reason this is not happening now.
"What is it, Harry?" asked Hermione when he saw my expression.
"I'm sick again. I don't know what's wrong with me. I've been like this for weeks, and I'm starting to worry.
"Weeks? I thought it was since I got here, I had no idea it had been weeks." spoke the girl, clearly concerned. "Harry, we need to find out what the problem is! This could be some muggle disease!"
"Oh sure, and how do you suggest we find out about the problem? Is there a Healer around here?" I asked ironic.
"I'm sure I don't have anything that serious, to have to go to a hosp..."
With my hand in my mouth, I had to run to the bathroom again. Okay, maybe I really need to go to a hospital.
As soon as I returned to the room, Hermione took me seriously,
"You need to go to St. Mungos" said Mione decided.
"But..."
"How do you hope to defeat You-know-Who sick? Vomiting on top of him?" asked Ron.
"But the problem is that.."
"Harry, you go to the hospital, and that's it!" Hermione spoke, interrupting me.
"But it happens..."
"It is better to give up soon, colleague" said Ron.
"GIVE YOU TO CLOSE THE MOUTH AND HEAR ME?" I screamed without patience. "Can one of the two geniuses explain to me how I'm going to go to St. Mungi, when they know better than anyone that there are diners everywhere, eager to get their hands on me?"
The two were silent for a few moments, realizing that I was right.
"But you need to go to a hospital..." insisted Hermione. "We have to find a way to takebyou!"
"But, Mione, you know you can't simply leave A Toca. No one will agree to get Harry out of here, even if he had sarapintosis" said Ron. "And we can't do anything, Mom is watching us, you know. Even more now that she doesn't want to give any gaps so we can travel on the mission. There is no way we can get out..."
"Way, until there, bro..." said Fred entering the room. We were frightened by the sudden arrival of the twins. "but, they will need our help."
"How long have you been listening to the conversation?" asked Ron.
"Since we heard the beautiful voice of our friend, Harry, echoing down the hall" said Jorge. "And then we decided to take a look to find out the reason for the screams, and we heard something about, needing to take you to St. Mungos."
"We are willing to help, for Harry's sake, of course, and not because we are completely bored with this marriage mess" said Fred.
And then, with the help of the twins, we started planning a way to distract Mrs. Weasley, so I could go out with Ron and Hermione.
Fred would, by " accident", blow up a shit bomb on the other side of the house in the garden, where by chance, the wedding ceremony would be held, while Jorge would release a Detonator-Chamariz on the floor of the second floor, claiming to have dropped a box with objects from the store, also by " accident".
We would have enough distractions so that we can leave without them noticing. So we decided to do this in the morning, since today we would still celebrate my seventeen birthday. At dusk, we all gather in the garden for my birthday dinner. I was really happy with the arrival of Lupin, Tonks and Hagrid, I got some gifts, and then we ate the cake that Mrs. Weasley did it in the shape of a snitch.
Everything was perfect until the arrival of the minister of magic who came to read Dumbledore's will. I was extremely angry that he refused to give me Godric Gryffindor's sword, which only made me sick again. As soon as he left, I went back to the garden and asked for Mrs. Weasley another dose of the motion against nausea.
Still feeling a little bad, I decided to retire early, and went up to the room I shared with Ron. The redhead would probably take time to climb, as he had a very interesting conversation with Hermione. I thanked Merlin for not touching the subject again about feeling" strange " close to me.
I opened my backpack, kept my gifts and pulled my pajamas. My eyes were fixed on the black cloak, which does not belong to me, and which for some reason I wanted to bring with me.
I took it out of my purse, got dressed and lay down holding the cloak:
Today was a very good day. But what I really wanted was to see Draco. And then, if I forgot the problem with Gina and the minister's unpleasant visit, yes I could say that I had a great birthday. But I know that would be impossible, so I have to be content to smell it on the cover, which even after washing, still contained its fragrance.
"Its smell is so good Draco..." I sighed.
I turned around hugging the cover, wondering what Draco must be doing right now. Had the Lord tortured him again? Just thinking about it my heart squeezes.
- Potter?
I sat down quickly. I'm sure I heard someone calling me. I looked around, but the room was empty.
- Potter, can you hear me?
I looked around again, I'm sure I recognize that voice.
"Draco?" I asked surprised, a wave of happiness invading me. "Are you here?"
I must have gone crazy. I learned in the second year that hearing voices is really not a good sign.
- Of course not, idiot! How do you think I could penetrate the protection surrounding this place?
I got up confused, now I'm sure I'm hearing Draco's voice.
"But if you are not here how can I hear you?" I asked still looking around.
- I don't know right. It must be something like Legilimence. In a second I was thinking about you, and in the next second I heard your voice in my head saying something about my smell... and then I closed my eyes and could see a room, if you can call that a room. Soon after called you, and you answered...- he said.
'But how? This is crazy..." I spoke shocked and sat down again.
- What is that next to you, Potter? Is it my cover?
"No... I mean, it is." I said blushing. 'But how do you know?"
- When I close my eyes I can see where you are! I was having strange glimpses when I thought of you during the day, I thought I was going crazy. And by the way, the Weasleys' house is not as small as I imagined.
I rolled my eyes.
"Haha, very funny."
- That was a compliment, close to what I really imagined was a compliment. But, enough small talk. Why don't you take a test to find out if you can see where I am too? Just close your eyes and think of me.
I closed my eyes, and I didn't even have to struggle to think about Draco. I soon saw a room that I recognized immediately. When I was passed out I had already seen him. It was an elegant and well-decorated room, and three times larger than the room I am in.
"Nice room."
- Thank you.
"This is really incredible, don't you think? We can talk whenever we want! It's like a phone, only through our minds!"
- I just wanted to understand what this is like possiblel. I had never heard of two people before who can talk through minds. I think I'm going to do some research in the library here at the mansion.
"I'm really happy to be able to talk to you." feline blushing. "I missed you."
- I realized, since I was smelling my cloak. Glad it served some use for you.
I'm sure I look like a tomato now. It is always like this, with a few, simple words from Draco and I crown like never before.
"Draco, are you okay?" I asked myself remembering the Lord torturing him "He are you still torturing yourself?"
Hear a brief silence.
- How do you know...?
"It doesn't matter how I know"
I spoke quickly.
"Just answer me."
- No, he only did that that night. But he still hasn't given up on finding out who betrayed him. I know it's only a matter of time before he realizes it was me.
"He won't notice!" I spoke quickly, I know I'm trying to convince myself more than he is. *I despaired of see that... I appreciate everything you did for me, but please don't help me anymore. I can't stand to see you suffering because of me.
"You saw that? As?"
"On another occasion I explain to you. - I spoke impatiently. But, now promise me that you will no longer risk your life to save me. "
- Can you assure me that you will not die in any of your recklessness and idiocy?
"You know I can't guarantee this..."
- So I'm sorry, I can't promise anything.
I sighed. Draco is really stubborn when he wants to. Doesn't he understand how much it hurts me to know that he is suffering because of me?
"Do you have any idea of the pain I felt at see you torturing you?"
- Spleen, remember, it was / who was being tortured.
I shuddered with his cold way of speaking.
"Why do you do this to me? " I grumbled sighing.
- Because I...like of you, and I will not let you die if I can save you.
"I love you." The words came out and when I found out I had already said.
- Yeah, I know. I also.
My heart failed for a second. Did I hear what he said?
"Did you just say you love me too?" I asked happily.
- Yes, in my own way. And don't get used to it, I'm not much of a statement.
I smiled happily. Now it's a great birthday.
"You know, I..."
"Are you talking to yourself, man?" asked Ron into the room and scaring me.
"No." I responded by lying down.
He started walking around the room picking up his pajamas and keeping his things.
- Speaks seriously, the match head arrived?
"Shii... be quiet." I spoke for fear that Ron might hear you.
"But I am quiet." said Ron
"I wasn't talking to you, I was talking to... my stomach that snored again! I said I felt like an idiot.
- Are you serious? Stomach, Scar? Even you could make up a better excuse!
"Ron, you can't to hear?" I asked frowning and ignoring Malfoy's laughter.
"How do you think I could hear your stomach from here? " asked Rony laughing.
- Of course, only you can hear me, Potter! We are talking through our minds, remember?
"Yeah, you're right" I spoke lying down, ignoring Ron's confused look.
- Hey Potter, I just remembered, did you get better in your stomach? That day I went to visit you threw up, so I was worried.
I couldn't help smiling when I heard him say he cares. I don't want to worry you about my possible illness, so I decided to lie.
"Yes." I whispered that Ron would not listen.
"Good. So I'm really happy to talk to you, but it's kind of boring to talk when only I can talk without looking like a nut. So good night."
"Good night...I'm really happy to be able to talk to you. I responded by relaxing and pulling the cover over me.
"Thanks, man, I also like to talk to you." said Ron with red ears. I felt a huge urge to laugh, but I restrained myself.
But Malfoy did not, I could clearly hear his laughter.
- Does this fool really think you are talking to him?
"Hmm... how good Ron. Good evening" I spoke turning my back on him.
I closed my eyes, and when I was almost asleep I heard:
- By the way, happy birthday. You must be wondering how I know, right? While I was still seeing things, I saw a very cool cake in the shape of a bone, so I realized it was his birthday, I hope I got it right. "
"Thank you" I murmured happily.
Ron murmured something like Hmm, how is it?", but I ignored it and soon fell asleep When I woke up, I took a shower and got ready to leave. I soon put my invisibility cloak in feeling exceptionally happy my coat pocket. When I went down for breakfast, I saw that Hermione held a small bag of bills and Ron exchanged communicative looks with Fred. I realized that Gina was also looking at them both, and when our gaze met, the girl bowed her head in shame.
As soon as we finished breakfast, Ron, Hermione and I went to A Toca room and waited. We saw Fred heading for the gardens, while Jorge went up the stairs, winking at us.
A minute passed and nothing.
"Boys what are you doing standing there?" asked mr. Weasley approaching. "We have a lot of work to do and..."
BUM!
We all jump scared. That was our cue.
"What the hell.." exclaimed Mr. Weasley interrupted by another crash from the second floor. "Ron, come with me! You two see what you hear up there!"
That said he ran into the garden dragging Ron with him.
"No father... wait..." said Ron, but his father did not listen to him.
Mrs. Weasley ran up the stairs accompanied by Freur and Gina.
"Come on Harry, this is our chance!" said Hermione.
We went out to the front garden towards the gate.
"But what about Ron?" - I asked looking over my shoulder.
"He will have to stay behind, we cannot wait, this is our only chance!" having said that she pulled out her wand and touched the gate that opened. "Trouce the cover?"
I took the invisibility cloak and threw it over our heads. As soon as we passed the gate, I could see mr. and mrs. Weasley coming running towards us, probably noticing our plan.
The gate began to close, and thus invisible, we stopped.