Chapter Seven: Defence Against The Dark Arts
"Of course there had to be bloody leeches in the river." Emma mutters as Madam Amara, the school's nurse removes another leech from her leg with the wave of her wand.
Robin looks down at Emma in a worried manner, and in the next bed over, Regina is keeping a close eye on a still unconscious Killian.
"You're lucky it's not worse." Madam Amara says in a disapproving tone. "I don't know what they are thinking allowing students to serve their detention in a dark place like that. One day someone is going to come across a creature or a dark force they cannot defend themselves from and are going to end up dead. Take tonight for example, if Miss Swan hadn't been with Mr Jones he would have drowned."
Both Emma and Robin notice Regina tense at these words, but she doesn't say anything in response to Madam Amara. Professor Lucas has gone to see Headmaster Leopold, to explain what had occurred.
"Miss Swan you can leave whenever you are ready. Clearly Mr Jones here won't be waking any time soon. Don't worry Miss Mills I healed his bruise and concussion and mended his broken femur. He should be awake by tomorrow."
"I'll make sure to tell the others. I'm sure there are already whispers going around the school." Regina replies, finally standing and moving away from Killian.
Emma mirrors her actions, grabs her jacket, which is still a little bit wet. Muttering a drying charm under her breath, she flings the jacket back over her shoulders, and offers Robin a small smile.
"Shall we get back?" Robin asks Emma. "I'm sure Mary Margaret and David are worried about you, and are probably still awake waiting for us to get back, despite it being almost one in the morning."
Emma nods her agreement. "Yeah come on."
Emma begins to walk away with Regina reluctantly following them a couple of metres behind. Apparently Madam Amara wants everyone out in case Killian wakes and she clearly believes that having his friends around won't be the best idea, and considering it is the middle of the night and her being a nurse, she was more than likely convinced that everyone should be in bed anyway.
Once the three of them are out of the hospital wing, Regina clears her throat in an awkward manner. Emma and Robin turn to face the Slytherin brunette with curious expressions.
"I want to thank you for saving him Emma." Regina says, looking the most sincere Emma has ever seen her. "He's like a brother to me and I don't know what my life would be like without him in it. Thank you."
Emma nods. "You're welcome."
Emma looks up at Robin who is still eyeing Regina, only his expression is soft and kind. Regina's eyes meet Robin's and she offers him a sort-of friendly smile, before retreating away from them and heading in the direction of the Slytherin common room. Being one in the morning, everyone is in bed and the corridors are empty, so there would be no rumours that a Slytherin and a taken Gryffindor where making eyes at one another.
"You know it was very brave." Robin comments as they climb the grand staircase. "Do you think he would have done the same thing for you?"
Emma stops dead in her tracks, thankful that it is the middle of the night so there was no chance of a collision.
"I don't know." Emma replies honestly. "But nothing happened to me, so let's not think about it."
Robin nods, but it us clear to Emma he has more to say, but is holding back. Offering her a friendly smile, they continue their way up to the Gryffindor common room, ignoring a couple of seventh year prefects muttering about them under their breaths.
Sure enough when they both arrive back in the Gryffindor tower five minutes later, Emma finds she has barely stepped through the portrait hole when she is pulled into a fierce hug, and Mary Margaret's vanilla smell washes over her.
"Emma thank god you're okay." The brunette exclaims. "Everyone was so worried. We thought you had been seriously injured. When we heard that Jones had been hurt in your detention and you were with him at the time, we thought something had happened to you as well."
"I'm okay." Emma chuckles, as Mary Margaret releases her only for David to take her place.
"We didn't know that at the time Emma." David mumbles, before pulling back. "That forest is a dangerous place. Mary Margaret couldn't sleep because she was too busy thinking about both of you being in that place. So I stayed up with her and it was Hannah who told us what had happened when she came back off her patrol. Thank god it was Jones who got the injury."
"You saved him, didn't you?" Mary Margaret asks, as she gives Emma a questioning look. "Truly I thought you would have let him drown."
"Ha ha." Emma says sarcastically. "I might not stand him, but I would never let anyone die if I can help it."
Next day Emma finds that she sleeps in as late as she can for a Sunday. The dormitory is empty, and Mary Margaret, Ruby, Mulan Anastasia and Alice's beds are already made. Ana and Alice are known for sleeping in late on the weekends, so Emma knows it must have been really late for them to be up to.
Emma, Ana and Alice are friends but Ana and Alice hang around in a different friendship circle. Alice is dating a Ravenclaw student in their year, Cyrus and Ana is dating another Gryffindor student, Will Scarlet who too is friends with David and Will also didn't hang around with them at lunch, sticking with Ana, Alice and Cyrus.
Emma climbs out of her bed, dresses herself and uses the small bathroom to freshen up, not being bothered to go out of her way to use the Prefect one and with a wave of her wand, makes her bed. Once her hair is tied up in a loose ponytail, she leaves the dormitory and heads into the common room.
It is full of first year students, all studying for their first test of the year for Charms, which is very typical of Professor Mills to give them a test when only being back at school for one week. As far as Emma can tell, it will only be a written one, as none are practicing spells with their wands.
She leaves the common room as quick as she can, her stomach grumbling for food, but when she gets half way to the Great Hall, she finds herself stopped in her tracks by Hellar.
"There you are Miss Swan. I was just about to send Miss Blanchard to get you. Mr Jones is awake and we just need to confirm that your tale of events from last night is the same as him." Hellar says his tone slightly suspicious.
Emma eye's widen slightly. "Please sir, I'm not lying."
"I never said you were Miss Swan. It's just what Madam Amara wants. It's only double-checking."
Emma nods her understanding and Hellar dismisses her. With a growling stomach, she heads towards the hospital wing instead of the Great Hall. Once at her destination, she pushes the door ajar and enters.
Emma is met with five pairs of eyes and is taken aback. Greg and Tamara are there both sitting in two chairs beside the bed. Madam Amara is there to fussing over Killian, Ruby's grandmother is standing a bit away from the bed looking quite bored, whilst Killian is still tucked under the covers looking at her with a mixture of curiosity and surprise.
"Ah Miss Swan, finally." Madam Amara says, beckoning Emma forward. "We were beginning to think you had died in your sleep."
"Sorry, I was just tired." Emma replies looking down at Killian.
Killian is now looking away from her and seems to be having a conversation with Tamara just by staring at one another.
"Okay Miss Swan repeat your tale of events. We just need to make sure that Mr Jones's version is the same as yours." Madam Amara explains.
For a moment, Emma has a sinking feeling that Killian has given them all a different version of last night, but when she looks down at him again there is an honest look upon his handsome features.
"We were talking…" Emma begins, ignoring the shocked expressions on Greg and Tamara's faces. "I was a couple of meters ahead. I heard a slipping sound and few seconds later, J…Killian gave a pained shout. There was an awful snapping noise which was clearly his leg and then a loud splash. I knew he had slipped and fallen so I shot up red sparks, and with the light from my wand I could see he had landed in a river. I quickly climbed down the bank and pulled him from the water."
Madam Amara nods her head and gives Emma a smile. "Great, that was easy. Mr Jones said the exact same thing. Alright well let me just check the spots where the leeches had latched onto you and then you can go."
Emma nods and in an embarrassed manner whilst also ignoring the three Slytherin's, she sits on the next bed over and lifts her shirt a little to expose the bottom of her toned stomach. She can feel the heat of Killian's gaze on her as Madam Amara bends down, quickly checking the red patches of skin.
"They look alright. You're free to go. Miss Green and Mr Mendell you can go when you want." Madam Amara sighs, knowing that neither was leaving anytime soon.
Emma nods and begins walking back towards the exit hearing the murmurs start up between the three friends, and the sounds of Madam Amara and Professor Lucas retreating into the nurse's office.
Once Tamara is sure that Emma is completely gone she rounds on Killian, a mischievous smile on her face.
"Well, well, well you are stringing her along a lot quicker than I thought you would." Tamara exclaims, not too loudly so that the professors can hear her.
"It's off." Killian croaks his voice still slightly hoarse from his loud shouting last night.
"What?" Greg asks in a shocked manner. "The bet…"
"It's off." Killian repeats firmly. "Look I'll give you the ten galleons anyway, Greg. But earlier yesterday she reminded me of my mother. Always looked down upon by people, her ex especially, and there was something behind her eyes that hit home with me. Fear, loneliness and I saw myself in her. I've always grown up with my parents but I've never felt loved. I was always second best to Liam and when he passed, father didn't want anything to do with me, and mother would always follow him not wanting to risk angering him."
Tamara's eyes widen. "Why do I have a feeling something is coming?"
Killian sighs. "I think I am still going to break down her walls that she has up though. I know it sounds crazy but there is a connection there. Not a romantic spark, just a genuine understanding of one another and I want to see whether I'm right or not. And you know me I always like to be right and hate being wrong."
Despite being shocked at Killian's words, and the fact that he did believe he could still break down Emma's walls without having a win to motivate him is shocking to Tamara. Meanwhile, Greg looks like he is going to be sick at the idea that Killian still wants to engage with the Gryffindor princess.
…
October comes fast, which also means the first Quidditch game of the year is drawing closer; Gryffindor vs. Ravenclaw. Emma has been training her team extra hard, which also helped take her mind off Killian, who is still frustrating in their lessons together. They may not have spoken as much since the night of the forbidden forest, but Emma had noticed that he has been more polite than he normally was, and hadn't been the ass she had always thought him to be.
On the day of the first Quidditch match, Emma arrives at her Defence against the Dark Arts lesson early, and has taken her seat already taken her seat before any other students have arrived. Today, they only had one class as after the lesson, she and the rest of the Gryffindor team would head down to the Quidditch stadium and suit up for their first match. A few minutes later, Killian finally comes in with the rest of the class and takes his usual seat next to her.
"Good morning everyone." De Vil says, as she stands in front of the class. "I know you are all abuzz with the upcoming match but today I need you to focus on your assignment which I am about to present to you. Now if you don't remember back in third year, we studied various creatures and worked with them. This year each pair will be given a creature, some pairs will have the same, and you are to give me a very detailed report on it, as well as get practical. For example, if you are given a Grindylow, you will have to present to me how to defend yourself from one."
Killian doesn't fail to notice Emma tensing beside him as De Vil explains to them that they will be studying boggarts. He has to admit as well even though he is determined to find out more about Emma, he isn't too keen on facing a creature that will show her his biggest fears. He may have been okay with telling Emma about his father, but he sure as hell does not want her to see what he fears the most.
The class goes quickly. Emma and Killian have agreed to write their own points about Boggarts, and at a later date they will share them with one another, and they have also agreed that the first time they face the boggart, they will face it alone, as their fears is private to them and being older than they were in third year, their boggart will be more than a hairy spider, or a snake.
It is emotional fear and things of a more serious nature.
After a few quick bites to eat, Emma and the rest of her team; David, Graham, Will, Frederick, Robin and Mulan wander down to the pitch carrying their brooms which they have taken from the broom-shed already.
"Just remember to play a nice clean game." Emma orders once they are all dressed in their Quidditch robes. "Also remember Ravenclaw are a soft team and are our friends. There will be no foul play. Score as many points as you can and I will try and catch the snitch."
Ten minutes later Emma is high in the air on her broom, scanning carefully around the stadium for the snitch. Below, the crowds of students either chant Gryffindor or Ravenclaw, whilst the Slytherin's make no noise at all. Eric is the Ravenclaw seeker, and Emma knows he is good he just wasn't as talented as she is.
"Nolan has the Quaffle and he passes it to Humbert, who then passes it to Chung, who scores. Ten points to Gryffindor. Ravenclaw now in possession as Tink shoots down the pitch only to be intercepted by a Bludger sent her way by Hood… and what is this? Swan is in a straight dive and I don't believe it. Emma Swan has caught the snitch. Gryffindor wins!" The commentator, Professor Hopper exclaims in surprise and amazement.
Emma grins wildly as she lands and holds the snitch up. Around her people are cheering as her team touch down beside her, congratulating Emma on her speedy catch. The Ravenclaw team are then there to everyone hugging one another. And for a brief moment, Emma finds herself wishing that all Quidditch games could end like this in a friendly manner, with everyone congratulating one another on a great game.
From above, Killian is watching, and despite being surrounded by his house, he too cracks a grin.
The whole school knows it, whether they would admit it or not.
Emma Swan is a bloody marvel