A/N: *Dodges flying objects*, I'm sorry?
Well, I know it doesn't cut it, but life just took over as it does. BUT hopefully it will not happen again, especially for that long.
SO, it is a short filler chapter, BUT that may or may not mean that another chapter should be up in the very near future.
I also am going to go back in and look over my first chapters, a lot has changed and I have become aware of some mistakes and errors in the writing, which is on me since this story does not have a beta. I apologise for any mistakes in this chapter but I really just wanted to get something out there to let you all know I'm still alive!
Disclaimer: don't own anything but Valerie (and her parents?) I actually don't know who Viktor's parents are so I guess I made them up in a way?
Warning - Suicidal thoughts and ideas, self harm.
-o0o-
Viktor stood frozen. The words hanging in the following silence.
"I think she tried to take her own life."
Viktor didn't know how long he stood there, seemingly oblivious to the world. Dimitri had staggered backwards after the words left Madame Pomfrey's mouth, his back hitting the cold stone of the castle wall behind him before he lost his footing and fell to the floor.
Poppy looked on with sympathy at the scene in front of her eyes, reaching out to squeeze Viktor's shoulder comfortingly and walked away to tend to other patients.
Having had no instruction not to see her, Viktor found no reason to remain on the opposite side of the curtain as his sister and pulled it open to just allow himself through, barely casting a glance to Dimitri.
The sight before him shocked him to the core.
His strong, confident little sister was not there, instead a frail body lay under the white sheets of the bed that were tucked up to her chin. Her skin looked translucent and pale whilst her blonde hair fanned out underneath her on the pillow, like a halo.
She was rather close to being an angel. Viktor couldn't stop the thought from making it's way to the front of his mind.
Viktor conjured a chair to sit next to Valerie in, but before he sat in it he walked closer to Valerie's bed and gently pulled down the sheet covering her.
He took in the white gown she was wearing that Madame Pomfrey must have changed her into and lowered the sheet a little more. Viktor's eyes were glassy with unshed tears. He never cried, not when any of his family died or when he was punished at Durmstrang in rather severe ways. No, he was crying, for the first time since he could remember, over the white bandages stained red that were wrapped around Valerie's forearms.
Viktor felt like he was suffocating, a heavy weight slammed into his chest. Seeing Valerie liked this made it all reality. Viktor would have never have thought his sister would do something like this in all their many, many, years.
Viktor gently tucked her arms back into her sides and quietly summoned her favorite red sweater dress, knowing she'd prefer her school sweater over the thin white gown the healer put her in. Closing his eyes and making sure the curtain behind him was closed properly he used magic to change her clothes, doing so quickly as to not let her get cold.
Another thought sprung to mind and Viktor muttered a quiet accio and the thick furs of Valerie's blanket were in his grasp. He gently spread the blanket over her petite form and continued to stand next to her, not moving himself or his eyes away from her for a second.
Being so absorbed in Valerie, he took no notice of the curtain being drawn back and Draco walking quietly through, pulling the cloth back to it's original position before shifting awkwardly on his feet thinking of what to say.
"Is she going to be okay?" Draco managed to find some words. He knew something bad had happened, no one but Viktor and Madame Pomfrey seemed to know, but he was sure that word would get around soon, the teachers would surely find out.
Viktor visibly flinched, from what Draco didn't know. A million questions ran through his mind and he was still waiting for the answer of his first. What happened? Who did this? Why? Would she really be okay?
Viktor's voice was thick with emotion, his accent heavy.
"Yes, she will be." She has to be.
Draco nodded his head, even though Viktor didn't see it, his eyes still hadn't left Valerie's weak form. Discovering his words again Draco's voice was loud in the quiet hall even though he barely spoke above a whisper, "What happened?"
Viktor noticeably stiffened before taking in a shuddering breath. Putting back on his mask of cold indifference he replied, "The Matron believes she tried to take her own life."
Those words were like a punch to the gut, all the air quickly left Draco's lungs. His mind went blank, all but the vivid question of why?.
The Malfoy heir's brows furrowed and he took in a shaky breath, "d-do they know why?"
Viktor hated the boy. That's all he was. He wasn't a man, he couldn't protect his sister. He wouldn't make her smile or happy. No one but her Tom could do that.
But Viktor knew that his twin was to be wed to the young Malfoy and acknowledged that he had the right to know of her health.
"They are waiting until Valerie wakes to question her about her reasonings. Though Igor and I have an idea of why, I am told to withhold even that from you in case isn't true."
Draco could understand Igor wanting to not give out any misleading reasonings, but knowing something was better than nothing, right?
Nodding his head although Viktor couldn't see it, having turned his attention back to his twin, Draco moved around to the other side of the bed, summoning a chair from the other side of the infirmary he took a seat and waited.
X
Days had passed, but Draco and Viktor took no notice. After two days and a night Madame Pomfrey tried to get the young men to leave, but stopped after a heated glare from Draco and a hostile argument with Viktor.
Both hadn't taken their eyes off of Valerie, too scared her frail form would give up in the second they looked away. They had both been fighting off sleep, but feeling their exhaustion trying to tempt them into sleeping they both resorted to pacing.
Hours continued to pass, and the pacing stopped. Both leaning forward in their chairs. Viktor's expression was stoic, hiding his inner turmoil.
Madame Pomfrey said the longer she's under, the less likely she is to wake.
Like clockwork, the Matron appeared, pulling the off white curtain closed behind her, she began her work assessing Valerie again.
"They say talking helps guide them back you know?"
Madame Pomfrey's voice broke through Viktor's panic. Not looking up, he couldn't help the venom in his words.
"And where are we guiding her from?" He snapped. Draco looked up towards the matron, looking for the same answer.
Madame Pomfrey just looked on with sympathy. She knew who the young girl was. Deciding it was the better choice, she answered them.
"She's healing. Her body also," Poppy proceeded to walk out. But the wavering voice of Viktor stopped her, her heart filling with pity for the brother.
"Where?"
Madame Pomfrey turned back to look at the pair, "Her own mind," she supplied softly, leaving the two to watch over Valerie.
X
"It might work you know," Draco broke the silence.
"And if it doesn't?"
"Well then you can say you tried everything."
X
Viktor moved towards the head of the bed, his hand shaking, though too little to see. He reached for his sisters silky hair, his fingers finding comfort buried in the blonde strands.
"Val?" He tried, "Valerie? Sister, you need to come back to me. To everyone, you'll be safe."
Viktor continued murmuring sweet nothings to his sister, trying to coax her awake.
Draco stood to the side, his expression blank as he continued to watch.
He could've sworn he saw her hand twitch.
Viktor kept whispering soothing words in Bulgarian, sometimes reverting back into english.
Valerie could hear murmurs. Almost as if she was under water. All the words blurred together. She didn't want to wake, she liked the soothing embrace of the darkness. It was quiet. Unlike her mind. The voices got too loud, she craved the peace and finality death offered. But she could feel, she still felt it all. It couldn't have worked.
She felt.
She felt the hand combing through her hair.
She felt a warmer and softer touch on her hand.
She felt her peaceful unconsciousness ebbing away.
She felt her eyelids loose their weight.
And she could feel the brightness of the light pierce her now open eyes.
X
Viktor was deep in his thoughts, since Valerie had been admitted he hadn't left her side. Not even Karkaroff's half hearted threats could get him to move. He couldn't form an opinion on Madame Pomfrey's idea. He couldn't fathom the fact that she believed that Valerie had tried to kill herself, but he understood in some devastating way, that she of all people should be able to find peace after her long years of pain.
He whispered soothing words to his sister, under Draco's persuasion, he needed to try, for Valerie. He hair felt soft and thick, and her body was cool.
She was so close to being gone forever.
Viktor looked down upon his sisters delicate by angular face, leaning in to press a comforting kiss to her pale forehead, but his eyes locked on her glazed over ones.
Breaking through his initial shock Viktor sputtered, trying to find his words, "Valerie? Val, can you hear me?"
Seeing the obvious panic in her eyes he hushed her softly, easing her distress. Viktor heard the sound of footsteps echoing away but focused his attention solely on Valerie.
"You're okay now Val, you're safe, I'm here with you, I need you to come back to me now."
Viktor smoothed her hair down, methodically pushing her hair back away from her forehead as he whispered lowly to her, trying to ease her out of her thoughts.
Valerie's eyes slowly focused in on his face, his deep voice pulling her out of her mind with his praise, "That's it Val, you're doing fine."
Valerie's eyes widened with distress and Viktor knew he could sense Madame Pomfrey coming near, Viktor soothed her worries about the stranger.
"It's just the Matron, she's been healing you, I'm right here with you Val."
The curtain pulled back to reveal Madame Pomfrey and Malfoy. The Matron's face clouded with concern. Meticulously she began her standard procedures with the use of her wand. Although Viktor knew nothing of his sister's healer, and while cautious of a Valerie being in a stranger's care, he knew he couldn't do much without damaging her wellbeing even more.
"Miss Krum, can you hear me?"
Valerie removed her gaze from her brother to look at Poppy. Brows furrowed in deep concern for her patient, Poppy's calculated look turned to the thick furs the frail girl was lying beneath.
Poppy's calm voiced soothed Valerie's hesitance, "I need to look at your wounds my dear."
Viktor stiffened and he could see Malfoy straightened from his position near the curtain.
Valerie shifted to a sitting position, looking to Viktor before leaning forward, inviting her brother to sit behind her. Viktor climbed behind Valerie and his sister leant back with a sigh that rattled her small frame.
With the utmost care, Madame Pomfrey gently folded the heavy blanket back before looking back up at Valerie's face. Upon her nod, Pomfrey carefully pulled Valerie's arms over the blanket before covering the girl's lap again.
Viktor held his breath, blinking back tears as he looked at his sister's arms wrapped thickly.
The curtain pulled back once again and Igor and Severus stepped through the former coming to Viktor's vacated seat and the latter opting to remain standing next to Draco.
Pomfrey's lips thinned, her dislike to the amount of people near her patient showing, but she continued her work. Rolling the sleeves of Valerie's sweater dress, the whole room stilled as Poppy slowly unwrapped the bandages.
Valerie stared blankly straight ahead. Why did they do this? Who 'saved' her? Didn't they want her to be at peace?
Viktor released a shuddering breath into his sister's blonde locks. The vivid red lines running right down his sisters forearms taunting him. He couldn't help it then, and he silently cried, he couldn't let his sister see his pain, he couldn't do that to her. Igor rose from his seat and placed a firm hand on Viktor's shoulder, silently showing his support.
Pomfrey quickly redressed the wounds before leaving, Draco following after receiving a nod from Snape indicating he too should take his leave.
Valerie sat silent in her brothers embrace, she could feel his shuddering breaths, and while regretting causing him this pain, she couldn't find it within herself to regret her actions.
Sensing the tension, Igor decided to speak, "Your parents are conversing with Headmaster Dumbledore, they will be here shortly."
Viktor breathed a sigh of relief at that, although he wanted to, he couldn't possibly take care of Valerie on his own.
They remained in their positions silently waiting. Valerie still hadn't taken her eyes off of whatever she was looking at in front of her, but no one found it within themselves to care. She was here, that was all that mattered.
X
Word Count - 2159