Disclaimer: I am just a mere visitor in the sublime world constructed by the brilliant mind that is J.K Rowling. Anything that rings a bell is hers.

A/N: This chapter is dedicated to you, who stuck with Ky right through to the 56th chapter of the third book in the series. You're brilliant and I hope the world rewards you for being so! Happy reading!

Chapter 56

Ky's POV

The greasy strand of black stood out from its peers in uncharacteristic mutiny, flicked up by the unyielding wind that accosted it not five minutes ago, yet in the confines of the aseptic building not a whistle or a howl could be heard. That is not to say that the vicinity lay claim to silence, on the contrary there was a cacophony of sounds that both assaulted my ears yet comforted it at the same time for listening to each particular sound, amplified by its singularity, would quite plainly haunt me for many nights to come.

I concentrated on that single strand, ignoring the click clack of our heels on the pristine floors, the screams of agony and hastiness, authority and despair. The strand suddenly neared my nose and I stopped walking, holding out my right hand, watching as my French manicured tips met the soft pink fabric of her trench coat, the silver signet ring glittering on my index finger reflecting the sudden roar of green flames to our left.

Three figures emerged from the hearth, the two garbed in royal red dress robes pointing their wands at the third of a boy, no older than fourteen that floated between them.

The figure closest to us, a man with blonde hair darkened by perspiration met my gaze and I watched as his shoulders lifted slightly and some of the tiredness hurried from his features. The moans of pain from the boy floating ahead of him regained his attention and he hastened after his scarlet clad colleague.

I glanced forward to find onyx eyes transfixed on me, the strand hidden from view at the back of his head as the slightest arch of his brow displayed the request he need not voice. The brunette at his shoulder was less restrained in exhibiting her annoyance, her blue eyes wide and lips pursed as her pink heel met the white tile in a repetitive rhythm and I heeded her unannounced plead to hurry up.

The strand was to me again as its owner marched onwards, stopping at a large desk below a sign reading Fourth Floor: Spell Damage.

A young witch was manning the desk. I watched as her red lips spread apart in a welcoming smile, nodding her head in greeting and recognition as her green eyes twinkled with nostalgia. Her white and red dress robes sat snugly about her, as her straight black hair shook as she swept a few strands behind her right ear, adorning a single quaint emerald gem in its lobe.

His deep baritone was just as commanding in its soft tone as he relayed his request. The ex-Slytherin's eyes dimmed as she bit her bottom lip and flicked her wand, summoning sheets of parchment at which she perused intently.

The brunette at my shoulder stepped forward, even with her heels she was well below chin level and she rested her black gloved hands on the towering desk customary of reception areas, her nostrils flaring slightly as she struggled to keep her voice in check, "Theodore Nott. He should be here. He checked in last night. Maybe this morning. T-H-E-O-"

The witch ceased her perusal to give the brunette a patronizing look, "I know how to spell Theodore, Pansy. Actually, if you don't recall, I was the prefect that shepherded you frightened first years to the Dorms for the first time. I know what Theodore Nott looks like and I'm finishing a thirty six hour shift, I would have recognised him in a heartbeat."

"Thank you for your assistance Drusilla. I hope the internship goes well." Sev cut across the brunette's squeals and I glared at her, urgently and silently requesting she calm down. I doubt Parkinson would get into a fight with a fellow Slytherin, and the Snakes would rarely lose face about such things. Sev certainly seemed unfazed about Theo's absence but I could see his dark eyes dart about, furiously thinking about our next step. Sev's eyes narrowed momentarily on Pansy, obviously finding her behaviour uncharacteristic.

"I'll go and check with Matron Derwent, nothing ever gets past her." Drusilla smiled at Sev, giving Pansy an annoyed glance and walking off.

"Miss Parkinson."

We turned to the sharp voice to find a statuesque woman with bright ginger hair held up in a compact bun, she glanced at Sev, me and finally her brown eyes landed on Pansy. She placed her folder on the white marble of the reception desk and allowed us her full attention, "I'm happy to find you've decided to come in." She smiled at Sev, "I'm Healer Grint. Pansy made an appointment at the beginning of the year yet never showed up. I'm pleased to find that she has such support-"

"I'm not here for an appointment." Pansy snapped, turning away from the now familiar healer. Grint. I couldn't help smirking at the affronted woman, snapping out of my role at the memory of the highly strung therapist with a lack of morals. The woman looked at me insecurely, obviously confused at my grinning, after all this time channelling my inner Daphne, one old acquaintance had my act in shatters.

My smirk fell slightly at the realisation that Parkinson had sought the help of a therapist, even if she didn't go through with the meeting there was obviously some reason debilitating enough to force her hand into seeking such help. I glanced at the brunette, knowing I would read nothing but impatience and anxiety in her now as her blue eyes rove the room desperately in search of some sort of assistance, never one to rely on others to seek the truth and frantic to find Teddy's whereabouts.

Her explorative and erratic glances were futile though, the ward was well over maximum capacity, with every scarlet clad figure focusing on the patient at hand. I racked my brains, going over the details that were relayed to me an hour ago.

I barged through the door, clutching my knees for support as the air plunged in like poison, assaulting my lungs after its five stairs flight of starvation. I watched as what little blood remained on my fingertips smeared onto my bare knees and suddenly my body processed the fact that it was drenched and it erratically began shivering.

"Thornton." I looked up, her pale face; so much like Draco's had me straighten up, "Are you alright?"

I looked from her green eyes which shone with a modicum of concern and then to the bed. For some reason I knew she'd be here. It was like staring at a statue, a being without reflex and incapable of movement, I let Greengrass cover me in a coat that was warmed by her own body heat moments ago. I glanced at the blonde and she sighed, glancing back at Mi.

"What happened?" Greengrass' voice never faltered and conveyed no curiosity and I could tell even at this moment riddled with confusion she was merely being polite with her request. I walked to Mi's bed, sitting next to her as she stared ahead, transfixed with a spot some distance out of our window.

"What happened?" I turned to Greengrass, the same question yet voiced in drastically different ways. I was desperate to know what happened to Teddy. I was determined to find out what had broke both Draco and Mi and at the same time I was positively terrified that the news would break me as well.

"Theodore is in St Mungo's. His father found out about his involvement with a muggleborn, I'm not sure if he even knows it's Granger... I don't know the details except that he is in Mungo's."

I swallowed the venom and anger that projected to the faceless man that fathered my friend and looked up at the blonde, "Is he badly injured."

"I have no idea. I only found out when I reached Hogwarts. Blaise informed me, he was looking for Draco." Her face softened at the thought of Zabini, "I've never seen Blaise so... anyway." She lifted her chin, the singular moment of softness history, "I thought I should tell Granger considering that it has thankfully not been made public knowledge as yet."

I stopped listening to her articulate voice registering Draco's tears. It was bad. Whatever happened to Teddy resulted in such a reaction.

"Ky." I looked up, her green eyes coaxing me out of my reverie as she held her palm out to me, "I have a way for you to see him."

"How?" Mi's eyes were now trained on Greengrass as if she had been an active participant in this conversation all along.

I looked at her palm, in it lay a long strand of blonde and a short darker blade of hair, "I requested Professor Snape as a chaperone, he agreed and you will be leaving in an hour."

I shook my head, "Sev is busy. Draco's hurt. He's in the hospital wing and Sev went with him."

"What happened to him?" I was slightly surprised to find the shocked look on the usually expressionless girl.

"He was in a duel." I licked my lips, not wanting to go into details, "Who does the other belong to."

Greengrass however was deep in thought, I plucked the strands from her palms and she let them fall back into her lap, "This complicates things. I requested that Professor Snape escort Pansy and myself to Mungo's but if Draco is injured she'll not leave his side. Or at least it would not be believable that she has left his side, the real Pansy can stay with Draco under a visibility charm, but the polyjuice Pan-"

"Wait, Pansy?" I looked down at the brown strand in disgust, "Pansy!"

"Yes. Pansy." Her green eyes glinted steely at me, "She's been kind enough to help so maybe some appreciation would be nice. Granger?"

"Mi!" I stood up and ran after her as she shot to the door. Thanks to the many years of training I beat her to it and blocked her exit.

"MOVE!" She hurtled into me but I pushed her back. She whipped out her wand and I dodged a stunner.

"MI!"

"Move!" She screamed. "I don't need Snape or Parkinson or anyone! I'll just go! I'll go on my own!"

"Oh Smart move Granger! Run to Mungo's! Visit Theo! Give his father reason to finish what he started!"

Mi snapped around, "How DARE you!"

"How dare me! How dare me what? Speak the truth! You know that it would happen! He's hospitalised just for dating you, what do you think Trevor Nott would do when he finds out the very same muggleblorn visited him in the hospital? Oh and he WILL find out, you can rest assured of that fact!"

Greengrass' tall frame towered over Mi's and I protectively stepped in front of her, snapping her eyes to my face instead. "People don't know yet, but they WILL find out. We have very little time, hence the urgent appointment for Professor Snape to escort you there." Greengrass took a deep breath and her features softened, "You don't understand, nobody would be allowed to visit him in the hospital when word gets out what he had done. Now, Pansy and I can claim ignorance that we didn't know why he was there, just that he was and we visited."

"What he had done..." Mi's breath stroked my ear as her voice sent a shiver down my spine in its delicacy, "What he had done..." I turned to find Mi's eyes glisten with tears, her nostrils flared and lips trembling, "He did nothing wrong. He did nothing to deserve this."

She blinked and a tear rolled down her cheek and I reached up to wipe it, inexplicable hurt at the concentrated drop of pain that marred my best friend's cheek. Yet my hand froze as Greengrass beat me to it. One, long, slender pale arm outstretched before my face and easily brushed away the single tear.

"Of course he didn't. All he did was the single most pure and beautiful thing of all of life's gifts. He loved. And that can never be wrong." One lone finger traced Mi's face and bent, knuckle at her chin forcing it up slightly, "Chin up Granger. Now is not the time for tears. Now is the time for action. Or are you too afraid to act?"

It was probably that one question that had Mi down the dark chocolate colour potion I handed to her minutes after Greengrass had left, any thoughts of distrust she might have had for the Snakette when she was clear minded never voiced or questioned in her current state.

Mi may be the brightest witch I ever met, but she was still a Gryffindor, brave to the bone, she wasn't the least bit afraid of indulging in the illegal use of potion induced shapeshifting and even less fearful of lying to Sev. I toyed with the idea of telling him, but Daphne was adamant that we shouldn't, that it had little to do with trust and more to do with minimizing the risk of being found out, it was akin to treason helping Gryffindors and I didn't blame her for wanting it kept a secret.

So without any further questions I drank my caramel flavoured potion and changed into the clothes she left behind.

Being Daphne Greengrass however was more than just adorning the right garments, luckily I spent enough time with her to know her more common habits, hoping that Sev didn't know her in such a personal capacity that he would notice any mistakes on my part. Luckily I was right, he never once looked at me as if I was anyone but a sixth year student of his, however Mi did get a few unsure glances from him, but I could hardly fault her thespian abilities right now.

"Daphne?"

My shoulders stiffened momentarily, but luckily the long grey trench I was currently wearing didn't allow for much visibility and I slowly turned toward the voice, it was the blonde healer who had been rushing the boy from the floo earlier on. He had taken the time to freshen up and had made a quick job of it, I could smell the cologne he had attacked himself with and I let my nose crinkle slightly at it. That was after all what Daphne would do.

"It is you!" I let the man kiss my cheek, his lips dry against Daphne's porcelain skin and my eyes flickered to Sev who had been taking in the exchange with interest whilst Mi's eyes were trained on the door that Drusilla had walked out of in search of the Matron with more information. "It is such a pleasure to see you! It's been forever! I've been meaning to visit, but you know how it is when one returns from the Continent. Oh, how rude of me!" The blonde turned to Sev and Mi, the latter not paying him the slightest attention. "Healer Burke. Edward to Daphne's friend's of course." He smiled at Mi who still didn't flinch and his smile faltered.

I grasped his elbow and smiled, concentrating more on Sev than Pansy, not wanting to draw any attention to her, "Edward is an old family friend. He attended Durmstrang." I explained to Sev, who seemed to be inspecting if he knew the boy. Thank Godric for school crests and school loyalty, Edward Burke had been sporting the Durmstrang's signet ring on his right hand. Oh and for lucky guesses, old friend was a shot in the dark but it seemed a correct assumption for he nodded in agreement.

"I must say Daphne, it truly is a pleasure to see you here."

He glanced down, the long grey trench was hiding most of what I was wearing, which happened to be a short light grey dress that just about covered my derrière, with black stockings that kept my modesty in check, although they were the lacy kind that looked more like lingerie than anything else. Daphne had been relenting in her choice of outfit, forcing me to use her exact same ensemble saying that she had just seen Sev and he would have noticed if she changed. Why he would care in the slightest is beyond me. She wouldn't even relent on the knee length leather boots, thankfully I had both the dark grey scarf and trench coat to hide most of the much too sophisticated outfit, not that Burke wasn't trying his hardest to undress me with his eyes.

I stared at him until his eyes met mine again and he smiled, completely unabashed at being caught out and smiling a smile that I now found to be quite generic, "As lovely as it is to see you Daphne darling, what in Merlin's name are you doing in these hellish halls. Today of all days is a terrible day to visit, there was an attack in a muggle shopping mall," He gestured to the entrance to the Spell Damage wing nonchalantly, "I do hope Lady Greengrass is well."

"Mother is just fine." I stepped forward, touching his elbow again and smiling up at him, "I do believe you could help us though." I glanced at Sev and Mi, the latter who was all ears now, "A friend has taken ill, and it seems your staff have misplaced him," I laughed at the statement and his eyes danced in return, dreamily staring down at me, "You wouldn't know where he is by any chance? Or you wouldn't know how we could find him. I know I'm being such a bother asking-"

"Oh nonsense!" He laughed, "I'm pretty much a jack of all trades so I've been helping in all the wards today. What is he in for?"

"He's name is Theodore Nott." Pansy's voice articulated perfectly, "He should be in spell damage... he was..."

"Hurt. We're not sure how severely." I shrugged as Burke's eyes narrowed in thought.

"Well there's no friend of yours on this floor, mostly just muggles." I pursed my lips at the offhand statement; he obviously had the old pureblood views on muggles, probably why he was out here talking to us rather than in there being of any use. "Why don't you follow me down to reception, maybe we can find something there?"

He hooked his elbow into mine and I smiled to myself at he glanced down my dress which was well guarded by the scarf. It didn't stop him from brushing his elbow against my left breast and I sighed as he pulled me back to the corridor we just emerged from. As we were walking to the floo that would lead us to reception, an old wizard jumped in before us and Burke rolled his eyes. "We'll just cut through the first then."

We took the First Floor floo two at a time, no guesses who I was plastered to. I jumped out quickly when we arrived at our destination, enjoying free movement and walking swiftly towards the stairs before he can entrap me again. He did catch me, and luckily too considering I would have been trampled by a giant of a wizard without his helping, overly friendly hand.

"Balzibar! Watch it!" Burke snapped and the hulking man turned around, his royal red robes all I could see at present, I took a quick step back when I realised that his robes were not royal red like Burke's. They were in fact white... like every other healer on the floor.

I watched as Balzibar hopped out of the way of two mediwizards who were rushing in what appeared to be a carcass of some sort... what the fuck... every bed was occupied, moans and screams echoing throughout the Hall, healers, nurses and mediwizards were waving their wand desperately over bodies that whimpered and shook and I turned away, about to divulge my insides at the sight of another's that seemed to be hanging out.

"Sorry Burke! We're a bit packed! There was a werewolf attack down in Richmond! A whole pack ran rampage, damn Greyback. Good of SD to send some back up. I think Turnpike needs-"

"Burke!" We snapped around to find a tiny old man glowering up at us, "What the bleeding hell are you doing here! They're looking for you all over on SD! There's been another bleeding attack! The London Underground of all places! Move it lad!"

Burke wasn't given a chance to reply as he was ushered away, he was mouthing something and pointing towards the stairs, probably directions to the main reception area on the Ground Floor.

"You're in the bloody way! Move!" I jumped, backing up as a matron with a pair of hovering bodies before her bustled to the row of beds. There was practically no room to move and Sev pulled Mi out of the way of a mediwizard running with an arm towards its owner that was lying still in the cot near us.

"Oh fuck." I jumped as my hand made contact with a foot in my effort to back out of everyone's way, I seemed to have backed up into a cot and I shivered at the deathly cold texture that seeped across my palm. Fuck, I just touched a dead body.

"Theo!" Mi shrieked and I looked up from the foot to the face that Mi rushed to, there was no mistaking the dark brown head of hair which looked black in contrast to the uncharacteristically pale face. "Oh! Oh!" Mi began pushing the hair out of his face as if that would make his eyes open and I stilled at his unmoving chest. "THEO! Oh my-" Her tears snapped me out of my shock and surged forward, he can't be dead.

"Move aside." It was Sev, he tried pushing Mi off but like a magnet she just flew towards him again. I grabbed her by her weak elbows and held her easily in place, he can't be dead. Unlike every other occupant in the room he was unscratched, not a drop of blood, even atop his clothes. I watched as Sev muttered over him, much like he did with Draco earlier.

"He's still breathing but it's very shallow." I released Mi and turned around, desperately searching for help. I saw the Matron who had pushed me aside earlier on, shaking her head in disappointment as she flicked her wand and the sheet crawled over her patients face. I ran forward.

"We need help!" I grabbed her and her blue eyes widened as my fingers grasped her elbow, she didn't argue as I dragged her over to Theo's cot as Sev stepped back. Her blue eyes roved about the sheet, at his unmarred face and her frown deepened.

"Where is he hurt?" She asked, pulling off the sheets to find not a speck of blood about.

"We're not sure but he's breathing is extremely shallow and his heart rate is drastically low." Sev added as the matron summoned a chart.

Her brows rose and she clicked her tongue, "He's in the wrong ward! He's supposed to be in Spell Damage! Balzibar!" The hulking man turned his head, his wand still trained on the woman on the opposite cot, an ethereal gold glow about her body. "This boy is supposed to be in SD!"

"No Mam. I fetched him myself; SD was full so they sent him down here to get seen to! They said they'd send a healer down for him this morning."

"Well nobody has seen to him!" She growled, closing the chart with a snap, "It's just like SD! They toss all their cases down here-"

"WHAT DO YOU MEAN NOBODY HAS SEEN TO HIM!" Mi screamed and the Matron looked at her unfazed, probably having experienced her fair share of distraught family members, "Are you saying he's just been lying here-"

"Yes that's exactly what I'm saying! Specialist Healers my foot, they don't care about the patients. Look at this, they've not even found out the poor lads name." She took out her recitator and begun her check up and I took advantage of her distraction and read Theo's file.

He was admitted by an anonymous person and was yet to be identified. His file was practically empty.

"Matron Gill! Matron Gill! It's Jaqueline! She's going into septic shock and Healer McArthur is on break!" The nurse was a frantic mess, blood smeared across her robes and the Matron hurtled past us.

"WAIT!" Mi screamed, "YOU can't just leave him!"

She turned away from the erratic nurse to give Mi a half sympathetic look, "I have to go, I can't help him either, I can't even find what's wrong with him. He needs an SD healer..." She glanced around the chaotic room, "There's nobody to spare-"

"I'll go." Sev stepped forward, "You say he needs a healer from Spell Damage?"

"Yes. Fourth floor. Ask for Healer Poke." With that she pelted away across the room to the cot right in the corner.

"You girls wait here." I could just about hear his words as he surged for the corridor that held the floo's and I turned back to Mi who was muttering into Theo's ears, her tears falling across his cheek.

I touched his hand and it felt ice and I took in a deep breath, trying to think. He'd been lying here from last night... unattended... Godric. I turned, desperately searching for a pair of eyes that would help. All I found were white cloaked backs and sweat plastered heads and I bit my lip, knowing Sev was not going to have an easy time bringing a Healer down here when they had another crisis situation up there. Damn Voldemort, this whole Hospital was at its knees and it's all his fault.

"Ky! Ky!"

My head snapped around to find Mi fighting Theo down, his body was shaking erratically as if he was going into a seizure and his eyes flew open, plastered to the ceiling as he gasped for breath. I turned, grabbing the first person I saw.

"WE NEED HELP!" The man pushed me aside with one hand, his wand trained on the girl he was helping, continuously muttering enchantments as his black eyes widened at me threateningly.

"Ky?" I turned and my heart lifted at the sight of him.

"Vez!"

"What are you..." His golden eyes roved over me in confusion, I had no idea how he knew it was me, it must be that bond we shared. He had a boy in his arms; of course they would have been involved in the defence from the attacks today. A nurse scuttled towards him and took the boy easily, must have been a featherlight charm.

"Inferi attack. Not sure how severe." He didn't take his eyes off me as he spoke to the nurse and I didn't let her reply as I dragged him to Theo whose back was now arched as he clutched at his throat, Mi sobbing and trying to press him to the bed so she could aim her wand at him.

Vez didn't ask a question, he had Mi off him easily and I grabbed her, holding her to me as she sobbed, muttering continuously about not knowing what to do.

With just the placement of his large palm upon Theo's chest, the brunette's back slackened and he lay against the bed, Vez began chanting in a whisper and Theo's hands relinquished his neck and his body stilled.

Vez aimed his wand at his neck and a warm red glow hovered over Theo's neck as a recitatator floated above his naked chest. Vez never ceased his muttering and Mi's sobs slowly calmed to silent tears.

"Myocardial infarction due to constriction of his right coronary artery coupled with the pain resulted in his body going into distress. Fluids built up in his lungs lowering blood oxygen levels hence his inability to breathe and due to the rise in blood catecholamines his blood pressure rose to lethal levels. His liver seems to have suffered severe lacerations due to the ingestion of some kind of poison. Heart attack cause still unknown but there are traces of dark magic... this boy was tortured. Slowly and quite painstakingly in the fact that the effects were drawn out."His amber eyes found mine, "Trevor Nott. He found out about them?"

I didn't ask how he knew or cared that Theo and Mi were dating and my only response was a slow nod of my head.

"Is he... Is he-" Mi's croaked out, floundering for the right words.

"He's not okay. I've just knocked him out to calm him and to lessen the stress on his heart. You two shouldn't be here."

"I won't leave him!" Mi shouted and I hugged her tighter, looking at Vez desperately.

"Please, do something Vez!"

"Fine, I will see to him if you promise to leave right now. Go. You don't understand what you've done. There is a reason why even Malfoy is not here, no pureblood would help him for helping him would be akin to defying their very culture and beliefs and an outright defiance of the Dark Lord. That means someone is spying on his visitors, their ensuring they know who comes to his aid. Your eyes are darkening, you're changing back and it won't do him any favours for you two to be seen with him. I'll sort this out, but you two have to go. Now."

I nodded, pulling Mi away and towards the long corridor with the floo's. I trusted Vez. If anyone could help Theo it would be him. I turned to Mi and wiped her face as we waited by the Fourth floor floo for Sev. Just then I felt long fingers enclose my waist and I jumped at cold lips at my neck.

I turned, my hand already flung out in defence but it stilled as it was trapped in a steely grip. My breath quickened as I took in the deep black eyes and high cheekbones. It had been almost a year since I last saw him and the time unfortunately seemed to treat him well. He seemed fuller, larger in his black trench coat with rain stained droplets upon the shoulders. Even with Daphne's height I felt small and my heart trembled as his thin lips pulled into a wide smile.

"That's no way to greet your fiancé, now is it darling?" I could barely process his lips at my hand as he turned it, converting it from an act of violence to something perverse and my mind reverberated with the singular word... fiancé... oh Daphne.

His black eyes left mine and glanced at Mi, whose eyes were still unfocused and I sighed in relief at the fact that she had never met Bastian Blishwick and therefore was blissfully ignorant to the terror that descended us. He cocked his brow and I took a deep breath, trying to gather my wits about me.

"Why are you here?" His voice was soft yet commanding, much like Sev's yet with a threatening texture that had me straighten up in defence.

"Theodore Nott has been taken ill. I've just visited him."

He let go of my hand and straightened up, his eyes boring into mine as his smile fell, "You will not do so again. I'm sure you will understand once the rumour mill gets a hold of the full story. Disgusting little turd, never liked the boy. Trevor went much too easily on him, I offered my services but you know how old school Trevor Nott can be."

The smile reawakened on his lips and I thanked Godric Mi was too busy staring off at Theo's cot which was now shielded with curtains to listen to the conversation at hand.

I flinched as I felt his fingers slip past my trench and span my waist as he stepped closer to me in the pretence of allowing the newly emerged Healers more room to manoeuvre. I bit my lip and clenched my fist as he trailed a finger down my leg and hook at the hem of my dress, lifting it slightly...

"Blishwick."

Cashmere tickled my skin as the dress wafted back to its previous position and my lips stopped trembling as he stepped back, turning to the voice.

Sev's voice maybe levelled but his eyes were flickering flames of fire beneath the vein that pulsed in his forehead. He glanced at me, at the exact spot where Blishwick's finger was and his fury was palpable.

"Severus! Fancy seeing you here, I thought you were too busy with school to offer your services in tonight's many festivities. As you can see, it's been a busy day."

Sev didn't take the bait, his whole body conveying that he was not the least bit threatened by Blishwick and anything he might tell Voldemort. He turned to me, "Healer Poke will be down in half an hour. We should get a nurse to stay with him in the mean time."

"Oh a Healer is helping Theo right now." I gestured to the closed curtains nonchalantly, hoping Sev won't go and look. "He took pity on us and helped."

Blishwick scoffed, "Pity. Is that what you like people to feel for you." He shook his head, "Perhaps your training should start earlier than anticipated."

He smiled and I held my chin up, biting back words that were not Daphne's.

"Miss Greengrass. Miss Parkinson." Mi snapped around at the name, but her attention was still on the closed curtains, Sev nodded his head to the grate furthest on the left. The one we had come in through and I stepped forward, but a hand on my stomach stopped me.

"No goodbye?" His black eyes glinted as his lips pulled up into a smirk.

"Bye." I bit through my teeth and he laughed, lowering his head slightly as his lips touched mine and a sudden pain erupted in my stomach that had nothing to do with the disgust I was feeling at the kiss. I groaned from the pain but it was stifled by his lips and I clutched my stomach as the sensation never stopped when he let go.

He released my lips and tilted his head so his lips met my ear, "You pull a stunt like this one, one more time and you'd be lucky that's all you get. Or do you need a reminder of what really happens when you anger me." He pulled away, a large smile on his face as he tucked a strand about my ear. "Keep well darling."

"Miss Greengrass."

I scampered towards Sev, my hands shaking in restraint as the pain in my abdomen became background sensation to the pure fury I felt. Daphne? And Blishwick? This explains why Zabini and her broke up. It obviously was not a love match. Is that why those boys were following her around? Were they spying on her for Blishwick?

I held my stomach freely as I jumped out of the floo, knowing the action could just be interpreted as the sometime's nauseating feeling one get's whilst flooing. Mi was out the door in moments, I don't even know how she was holding it all together.

"Miss Greengrass."

I turned, letting my hand fall as the pain slowly subsided, I wouldn't be surprised if I lifted my dress and I saw stab wounds or something. "Professor Snape."

He flicked his wand and his office door closed softly and he walked back towards his desk but he never sat down, his eyes downcast, "I'm sorry."

I swallowed, never knowing Sev to apologise, "Whatever for Professor Snape?"

"For not being able to convince Daniel against this agreement. Your father feels his hands tied, and unfortunately Blishwick is very crafty in lock picking." He raised his head and his eyes found mine, dripping with sincerity, "If there was anything I could to do to help your situation. I would do it."

"Thank you Professor." I worried my bottom lip and his eyes narrowed, that wasn't a very Daphne thing to do. I better leave before I do something else, "I better go find Pansy."

"Yes. I do believe Mister Malfoy's injury has frazzled her nerves and left her quite emotional. She doesn't seem herself."

I nodded, walking to the door, my return to Hogwarts reminding me off all the drama that I left behind. As it truly been an hour? I stopped with my hand on the door knob and turned, "Thank you Professor Snape. You're a good man."

He shook his head, "No. I'm not. I won't deny however that the man that has lay claim to you is indeed a despicable, vile creature and I don't mean to scare you by saying this. Merely warn you to be vigilant, if he dare cross the line, you tell me. I've been very patient with him, employed restraint I did not think I was capable of for if there is one man I would very much like to put an end to it is Bastian Blishwick. He has done something unforgiving... he has already crossed a line that should have had him crippled by the very act of doing so." This was akin to an emotional outburst for Sev and he ceased talking, lowering into his seat and looking up at me. "I don't envy your father for the guilt he would soon be feeling, if I put Bane through such a thing I would never sleep peacefully again."

He stopped, his need to offer Daphne comfort loosening his tongue too much. He cleared his throat and forced out a smile, "Good evening Miss Greengrass."

I stood there, transfixed by his words. To hear Sev practically claim me as a daughter to a complete stranger, to see his love for me in his anger at Blishwick...

In this day of madness, of deathly duels and hospital visits and insane fiancés... this moment, this feeling, this ray in the darkness, was all I needed to straighten my back and smile, nodding my head at the Potion Master, "Good night Professor Snape. Thank you." For everything.

Feedback as always will be appreciated

Kalina