March 1997
Hogwarts
Hospital wing
Florence was organising the storage room in the infirmary, after checking on Katie Bell – who had finally woken up and seemed to have no permanent damage at all except from having no recollection of the day she was cursed – when someone interrupted her quiet afternoon.
"Madam Delacour!" shouted Harry.
Florence walked out of the small storage room, ready to give the boy an earful for shouting in the infirmary – but forgetting all about it the moment she saw them: Slughorn carried an unconscious Ronald Weasley in his arms.
"Oh, no! Here, professor," she said, helping him lay the boy on a clean bed, "What happened to him?"
"Ron was poisoned," Harry said in a trembling voice, reaching out to her a bottle of aged mead.
"Poisoned?" she took the bottle from him, unstoppering it and sniffing it, "Baneberry," she whispered, quickly identifying what had poisoned Weasley and starting to work on the boy, checking his vital signs, "Thank goodness you gave him a bezoar, professor," she glanced at Slughorn, "The amount of poison I can still find in his system is truly worrying."
"It... it wasn't I who g-gave Wemby the b-bezoar," Slughorn stammered, visibly very shook by that, "It was Harry."
She looked at the boy with a frown, "You did it?"
"Yes. I remember Prof. Snape once talked about them," Harry lied.
"Sure," Florence replied, unconvinced, knowing he had certainly read about it on Severus' potions book. But she didn't say anything, she had a patient to look after.
So she went to the storage room, picked up some vials and returned to Ronald's side, opening one white vial right under the boy's nose and a white smoke entered his nostrils.
"Have you told Dumbledore, Prof. Slughorn?" Florence asked.
"Y-yes. I did. What is that you just gave him?"
"That's Dittany, but in aerosol form," she explained.
"It's used when one splinches," added Harry.
"Yes," she looked at him, trying not to laugh at the boy's uncharacteristic need to demonstrate his knowledge, "In aerosol form, I can use it to repair lung and heart tissue, without needing to open the patient up to drip it onto the wound. Severus and I developed it a couple of years ago."
"Yes!" Slughorn exclaimed, "I remember reading about it and thinking that it was a brilliant idea."
The sound of steps in the corridor had them looking at the door, seeing Ginny Weasley, followed by Hermione, walk into the hospital wing, Dumbledore and Severus right behind them.
Ginny stopped beside her brother's bed, asking Harry how he was.
"How is the boy, Madam Delacour?" the headmaster asked.
"He'll survive. Thanks to Harry giving him a bezoar just in time," she said, looking at her husband.
Thanks to my book. Severus said through their bond, clearly unimpressed.
"Quick thinking, Harry," said Dumbledore, with a smile, "You must be proud of your student, Horace."
"Oh. Yes, yes. I am," said the teacher.
"Harry's actions were no doubt heroic, but we must wonder why were they necessary," Florence said, glancing at her husband. Was it Draco?
Severus just nodded, discreetly, confirming it had been yet another failed attempt of Draco's to kill Dumbledore.
"Yes," said Dumbledore agreeing with her reasoning, "Who gave you this bottle, Horace?"
"Madam Rosmerta herself. I asked for an idea of Christmas gift to you, headmaster, and she gave me this. I forgot I had bought it until today."
"It would have been delicious," Dumbledore uncorked and sniffed the bottle's contents, "If it weren't for the foul smell of poison."
He passed it to Severus, who reached the same conclusion as Florence: "Baneberry."
She nodded.
Suddenly the door was opened once again and Lavender Brown ran inside the hospital wing.
"Where is he? Where is my Won-Won?" then she stopped by the foot of the bed, angry at the sight of Hermione, "What's she doing here?"
Hermione rolled her eyes at the girl's jealousy, "I'm his friend, you idiot! He's been poisoned! He could've died!"
"Don't make me laugh!" scoffed Lavender, "You came up with an imaginary boyfriend as soon as we started dating! You're jealous!"
"James is NOT imaginary!" shouted Hermione.
Florence chuckled, "I'd fear for your sanity, Hermione, if you had imagined up that wicked boy," she winked at Hermione and then looked at a confused Lavender, "Miss Granger is dating my son, Miss Brown, and he's certainly not imaginary."
The girl looked surprised, "I-I didn't know..."
"Now," continued Florence, "If you keep shouting in here, I'll have to make you leave."
Lavender just nodded and sat quietly beside Ronald's bed, murmuring an apology to Hermione.
"We'll be going now," said Dumbledore, "Mr Weasley is well-looked after," and he left, being followed by Severus.
Ronald spent four days in the infirmary and returned to his classes with no permanent damages.
April 1997
Florence and Madam Pomfrey agreed that Katie Bell had fully recovered and they both assured Dumbledore that the girl could resume attending her classes.
"Finally, our infirmary is empty once more!" celebrated Pomfrey, "Now that all that has ended, I can admit I worried about Miss Bell, Florence, If it weren't for you here, I don't think I'd have been able to save her by myself."
"We're lucky I'm a Parselmouth. If I weren't, she'd sure be dead, Poppy," Florence sighed, removing her white apron, "I'll be going, now. See you tomorrow!"
"See you, dear."
And Florence walked downstairs to the dungeons, being suddenly taken by a feeling that something was wrong with her husband.
Severus? She called him through their bond.
Come to my quarters quickly! He sounded worried.
So she ran.
Severus stood in his bedroom, beside his bed – where an unconscious Draco Malfoy lay on his back, his white shirt covered in dry blood stains.
Where are you, Florence? Severus asked, a hint of fear in his voice.
"I'm here!" he heard her saying from the living room.
"In the bedroom!" he shouted.
"I swear, Severus, if you pretended to be dying to get me to come here for a shag-" she stopped as she reached the bedroom door and saw the bloodied boy on the bed, "What the hell happened to him?" she shouted, shocked by the amount of blood on the boy's shirt, quickly going to his side and checking his vital signs.
Draco seemed stable, so she ripped his shirt apart and checked his injuries. He wasn't bleeding anymore, but the cuts needed cleaning and dressing.
"Severus," she frowned, realising that a spell had caused those wounds, "These are-"
"Sectumsempra injuries. Yes, I know," he nodded, "Harry's finally decided to test that on his enemy."
"Fucking stupid teenagers," she growled low, shaking her head, "Get me some pennywort ointment and, as soon as Draco wakes up, he'll need food and something strong for the pain. Do you have bromelain powder here?"
"Yes. I'll prepare a high dosage for him, and ask the kitchens for food."
"Yeah, do that," she sighed, as Severus left the room.
Oh, my dear. She thought as she looked at Draco, touching his bright blond hair. You have to learn to ask for help.
Then something caught her eye, a thin golden necklace around Draco's neck. Florence pulled it from behind his back, gasping once she saw what he had been carrying around his neck.
Elizabeth's ring!
She touched the beautiful flower crown ring and her eyes filled with tears: the ring he had given her daughter two years ago and Liz had given back to him a few months ago – the sweet boy had been walking around with that on his chest ever since.
She quickly hid it back under the boy's neck, before her husband returned, for he might recognise that ring as their daughter's.
Severus walked into the room when she was finishing cleaning Draco's wounds.
"Here's the ointment," he said.
"Thanks, Sev," Florence picked it up and began to apply it on the cuts.
"Food will soon arrive. I asked for fish and chips. His favourite."
She smiled, her husband could be angry with the young Malfoy, but he had a soft spot for the boy, it was undeniable.
Severus rolled his eyes, having sensed her thoughts, "Whatever, wife. I'll go to the living room to wait for the elves to bring the food," and he left the room again.
Draco slowly regained consciousness, feeling that there was someone rubbing something warm on his chest and belly – it wasn't uncomfortable or painful, but nice and soothing.
He blinked and tried to sit on the bed, wanting to see where he was and who was there with him; then his grey eyes fell on the woman beside the bed and he relaxed –although he quickly averted his gaze in shame.
"Good to see you're awake and have recognised me," Florence softly spoke, finishing applying the ointment on him, "Now, Draco, what do you think you're doing?"
"I-I'm doing what I have to do," he slowly replied, not looking at her.
"Draco. Severus will not let you kill Dumbledore."
Then the boy looked at her, needing to know: "H-how did you find out?"
"We know everything, dear. And we'll help you, whether you like it or not," Florence paused, "I told you years ago that we were both here for you – and we still are."
Draco stared at her silently for a moment and she watched the walls the boy had put up, and hidden behind, for the past ten months, slowly crumble as his facial expression turned into a pain-filled grimace and he started to cry.
Florence pulled him into a hug, feeling his pain, letting him rest his head on her shoulder and sob.
"It's ok, Draco. Let it all out, you're not alone."
"But I feel alone," he whispered, his grey eyes finding her green ones, "I've been trying to talk to her... in my dreams, I see her," he touched his necklace, "But she... she ignores me, she closes her mind as soon as she sees me," he blinked and more tears fell.
"I know. She's hurt, Draco. And that girl can be very stubborn," Florence touched his face, "Focus on your survival for now, she's not going anywhere. At least not until the war is over."
He nodded.
And then Severus appeared at the door with a vial in one hand and a plate on the other, and he approached the bed.
"Here. Drink this, Draco."
The boy took the vial from his hands, drinking it without even asking what it was, his eyes fixed on the delicious-smelling plate the man was carrying.
"That vial contained bromelain. It'll help with your pain," explained Florence.
"I trust you two," Draco said, giving her the empty vial and looking at the man by her side. He knew Snape was waiting to give him the food as a form of torture.
"Is that... fish and chips?" he asked, licking his lips.
"Yes, I remember it's one of your favourites," Severus replied with a smile, still not making any movement to give Draco the plate, "Not that you've been deserving of getting it from me."
Draco grimaced, "You're right. I'm sorry, godfather. I-I've been nothing but a complete prat since the beginning of term." he let out a shaky breath, "But I had to... my mum..." his sobs restarted, so violent he struggled to let the words out as his body shook, "She would... she would be..."
"We know, Draco," Florence said, touching his hair as she would her own son's, "You'll eat now and sleep here," she looked at her husband.
Give him the food, Severus.
Let him wait for it just a little more, he's been acting like a little shit-
She arched an eyebrow at him, Are you judging a teenager for making shitty choices?
Severus narrowed his eyes at her, handing Draco the plate of fish and chips, which the boy grabbed as if it was the most precious thing and started eating with his eyes closed in delight.
"I'm starving," Draco admitted, "I've been too anxious and nauseated to eat anything lately..."
"I know," Florence smiled, "I scolded you for losing weight a couple of months ago, remember?"
"Yeah..." Draco hesitated for a moment, "There's something you should know... killing the headmaster is not the only thing I was tasked to do."
"We know you have to get death eaters into the castle," said Severus, "But that's impossible with all the protections and the aurors."
Draco was shaking his head as he ate, "I found a way... there's a vanishing cabinet in the room of requirement; its twin cabinet is in Borgin and Burkes. They form a passage."
Both Severus and Florence were surprised. But Severus said: "That thing has sat unused for at least sixteen years, Draco."
"Does it work?" she asked.
Draco swallowed another piece of fish and replied: "It was broken but... I fixed it. I successfully tested it two days ago," he paused, "But I don't want to use it! I don't want death eaters coming into the school and killing the students and..."
"No, neither do we," said Florence, glancing at her husband.
"That's why," continued Draco, "I tried to curse and poison Dumbledore. I thought that if I killed him, I wouldn't have to let death eaters into the castle..."
Severus asked: "Do you already know when that's going to happen?"
Draco finished his dinner and nodded, "June second."
"Alright," Florence touched his hair again, "We'll find a way to protect the students. Thanks for letting us know, dear."
"We'll let you sleep now," said Severus, "Go on with your plan as you wish, but remember what we said: you're not killing the Headmaster."
Draco let out a relieved breath and nodded, before lying down on his godfather's bed, closing his eyes and sleeping soundly, feeling safe – something he hadn't felt in a long time.
Florence closed the bedroom door and looked at her husband.
"You can't tell me you don't pity him, Severus."
"I do, Flor," he ran a hand through his hair, a tell-tale sign that he was feeling anxious, "But pity will do him no good now. Draco needs guidance and he has to accept to be guided."
"It seems he will now."
Severus nodded, wrapping an arm around her and walking to the table to eat.
Then Florence addressed what was weighing on their minds: "We need to tell Dumbledore the day-"
"The day I'll kill him," finished Severus, sitting in front of her.
She just nodded, feeling his sadness and frustration, but knowing that there was no way out – Severus had to either finish Draco's task or die.
And he was sure as hell not dying.