Harry slowly became aware of the world around him there were soft hurried voices conversing back and forth somewhere above him. It sounded as if here were underwater, steadily rising to the surface as they became clearer by the second. They were briskly discussing something, it sounded stressful as their voices sounded strained and worried.
It took a further few seconds to realise that he was lying flat on a soft surface and he could smell disinfectant in the air. He put two and two together quickly and realised that he must have found his way to the hospital wing again. He couldn't quite remember why he was there as the last thing he could recall was that he was sitting in the potions labs. He assumed that he was there because of some kind of explosion.
Harry felt drained, absolutely exhausted. He felt as if he had been running a marathon for the past week without rest. He wasn't aware that you could feel that tired without actually being asleep. The voices around him were starting to grate on his nerves, he just wanted to drift back into dreamland but the voices above him and the smell of the hospital wing were distracting him from completing that task. He decided that he should let the rude people know how much he wanted to sleep so thought opening his eyes would be a good idea. Boy was he wrong.
It took all his strength fro him to pry his dry eyelids apart, and as soon as he had he dearly wished he had not. The bright white light of the ward seared his retinas and practically blinded him, he had to blink three or four times to get his vision back. Everything was a blur but the strenuous little act had brought the attention of the surrounding people to him. The gazed down on him and from the blurred figures they cut in Harry's poor eyesight they looked like Professors Snape and Dumbledore. Snape seemed to be as grumpy and sour as ever, probably annoyed that someone had blown up the lab and Dumbledore seemed to sag slightly.
Dumbledore was stood nearest to the head of the bed and he leaned forward to pick up Harry's glasses off the bedside table. He brought them up to Harry's face and as soon as they had been placed upon Harry's nose the world came into proper view. Harry could see Snape had a dour look on his face, he seemed as put out as he usually did but there was a hint on concern in his gaze. It shouldn't be taken the wrong way however as it wasn't a huge amount but as Harry rarely saw it cross the man's features it was obvious when it did arise.
Dumbledore was more obvious with his emotions, there was clear concern and worry written all over the man's features and body language. He looked as if he carried a huge burden, more so than usual.
Dumbledore bent to sit on the chair sitting next to Harry's bed. Harry went to follow him with his gaze but found that his head was incredibly heavy and it took a huge amount of energy to tilt his head slightly to the right. Harry was getting frustrated with his lack of energy; surely if he had been in a potions accident he would not still be feeling this awful. Dumbledore must have found confusion in Harry's gaze as he spoke up for the first time since Harry opened his eyes, "How are you feeling my boy?" His words were measured and the usual benevolence within his eyes was absent, something must be wrong.
Harry took in a breath to answer the professor's question but as he did so if felt as if someone had plunged a knife deep into his chest. He was taken aback by the sudden, intense pain and it took a few moment of slow, measured breathing to get relax himself once more.
"Well, that seems to answer the question. Obviously the boy is not well enough for idle chit chat." Now that was odd, there wasn't a curse to anything associated with the Potter name in those words, something terrible must have happened. Harry was suddenly struck with the terrible thought that he might have lost a limb of the feeling in his legs. After a mental check of all his facilities assured him that he had full use of his limbs he mentally calmed. He may not have had the energy to move any of his limbs, but he was sure he would be able to if he could.
Dumbledore started to speak once more, "Harry, do you remember much of what happened to you in the potions classroom?" At Harry's perplexed look Dumbledore continued, "You collapsed in Professor Snape's class Mr. Potter. You caused quite a commotion and as you seem to be recovering still we will leave you for now. The questioning can continue later this evening perhaps."
Dumbledore gave him a soft smile and rose gently from the seat beside the bed. Professor Snape continued to look as he usually did though the concern remained. He turned and moved behind the curtain that Harry had only now realised screened his bed from the rest of the hospital wing. Dumbledore bent slightly to grasp and squeeze a Harry's limp right hand smiling softly once more. He turned to leave and spoke softly as he left "Sleep well Harry."
It wasn't even a minute after the wizards had left before Harry felt his eyelids turn to lead and they closed leaving him to drift to dreamland once more.
The lights were low the next time Harry managed to pry his eyes open and this time there was only a gentle beep sounding that Harry must have missed the last time he was awake. The lights were low and there was a soft orange glow coming from the window next to Harry's bed. It cast a pleasant glow on the surrounding room, not that Harry could see much of it as although the curtain had been pulled back, he didn't have his glasses and everything was one big orange blur.
Now he felt more rested though he was still far from energetic. He moved his head from side to side as his neck felt rather stiff and it was only now he realised he was really thirsty. Scratch that he was parched. In an attempt to find some kind of liquid to soothe his coarse throat he lifted his head slightly off the pillow. While it still drained him enormously to do so it was, this time, possible.
Someone was sitting in the chair that Dumbledore has occupied earlier in the day. They had moved in response to Harry lifting his head and bent over the table beside the bed. Harry found that although he could lift his head now it wasn't for a particularly long time and he found himself lowering his head back down and staring at the ceiling. His glasses were slipped gently over his eyes and he found himself looking into the face of Ginny Weasley.
She looked as though she had a lot on her mind. She was smiling at Harry but there was something behind her eyes that told him all was not well. Harry had the bad feeling that he was the cause of the worry. Feeling guilty for making people worry he tried to apologise and tried to clear his throat. He made to say sorry but all he managed was a small grunt. He then realised that trying to talk with a very dry throat was like rubbing sandpaper, not pleasant at all.
Licking his lips and swallowing hard he tried again, this time he managed a pathetic "S'ry…"
Ginny, seemingly able to understand jumped slightly and reached over for a cup with straw poking out of the top. She brought it to Harry's lips but when Harry eagerly leaned in to grasp the straw she pulled it back slightly to warn him, "Slowly, you don't want to make yourself sick." She said it with a tender smile and once again moved the straw close. Harry was eternally grateful to her and felt rather ashamed that she had to do this for him. He sipped the water gently and when he felt satisfied she took the cup away again.
Harry sighed and felt a twinge in his chest and whilst it was nothing like he had felt the first time he woke up it was rather uncomfortable. He winced slightly and he saw Ginny sit up slightly higher in the chair she had once again taken place in. Harry was feeling even more ashamed of himself by that point. Here he was lying useless in a hospital bed worrying everyone out of their minds. Again he made a move to apologise but was cut off almost immediately by Ginny saying "Don't be silly Harry, you've got nothing to be sorry for."
Harry realised he was fighting a losing battle here and decided that for now keeping his apologies to himself, however justified he felt they were, was a good idea. Instead he chose to find out more about why he was here. After all he still couldn't quite remember what had happened that had caused his hospitalisation. Gathering his strength his asked, "What…happened?..." He had to take breaths between words as his chest still felt like someone had wrapped it tightly, something else that made him uncomfortable.
Ginny sat up again and gathered her words before she spoke softly, "You were in potions four days ago and you collapsed. Don't you remember any of it Harry?" She looked even more concerned now but as she said those words his mind appeared to click into place. He could feel himself back in the potions classroom. He remembered feeling that tingly, tight sensation in his chest. He remembered not being able to breathe and the horrible pain spreading like wildfire like someone dragging a knife through his chest.
His breath hitched as he recalled every detail, he descended into panic once more as he worked himself up about his latest predicament. He thought back to the time after quidditch practice, when he almost didn't make it back to the common room. Maybe, he thought, if he had come to see Madam Pomfrey then this wouldn't have happened.
Seeing Harry's ever increasing distress Ginny leaned in and grasped Harry's hand in hers. She squeezed Harry come back into the present and calmed him down almost immediately. It really was amazing what affect she had on him. Harry refocused himself on the present and could hear the racing beep in the background that corresponded to the beat of his heart.
Hearing the racket the beeps were making Madam Pomfrey bustled her way out of her office and rushed to Harry's side. By this point Harry had calmed immensely and this seemed to relax the matron as she approached. She had stern words for Ginny however, "Miss Weasley would you please try not to stress my patient. Did I not make it clear to you that keeping Mr. Potter calm was a priority? What caused this episode?"
Ginny looked at her feet, nobody like to be chastised "I only explained what had happened. I tried to be a clam as possible."
"Never mind dear," an oddly appeasing Madam Pomfrey conceded, "He seems to be settled now. His heart rate is dropping but I think we will sedate him to prevent further events such as these. After all we can't risk it at the moment." She moved closer to the head of Harry's bed as she had stood at the foot previously.
Harry, not appreciating the fact that they were talking of him as if her weren't there spoke up, "What's…going on?" It took a bit of Harry's waning strength but Harry was glad he asked, she had to answer him now.
Pomfrey looked at him with sympathy in her eyes, "Not to worry Harry, you just go back to sleep. It's nothing to concern yourself with at the moment, just relax and we'll tell you when you can take the news in a more appropriate manner." There she was, the normal, no nonsense Madam Pomfrey.
She reached for her wand and before Harry knew it a spell had been cast that sent Harry drifting away once more to the world of dreams.