Bad Medicine

Chapter Fifteen

Hermione actually watched the Quidditch match the next afternoon, since Harry, Ron, and Draco were all playing. The animosity between Draco and Harry seemed to have intensified and they yelled and banged into each other and made feinting dives to fool one another throughout the game. At one point, the Snitch hovered directly above them and it took a bellow from Angelina to stop them shouting at one another and pay attention. By then the Snitch had disappeared. Hermione sighed. Males.

She got rather bored watching the game itself and quite lost track of the points, although she was having a nice time watching Draco on his broom. It was a good thing he never got cold because the Quidditch pitch was covered with snow and Hermione was freezing huddled in a warm fur cloak with earmuffs.

Harry and Draco both hurtled forward and turned sharply. They went past the stands in a blur of red and green and then swung upwards. Draco seemed to be flying better than ever, pacing Harry. It would be a true race to see who caught it today--

"Look out!"

The cry came from a dozen throats and Draco spun through the air like a rag doll as the Bludger smashed into him from below. He hurtled to the ground as his broom spun off in another direction. Harry spun quicker than thought and tried to catch him, but it was too late. Draco slammed into the snow-covered ground.

Hermione couldn't even scream. She didn't remember running to the field, but she shoved aside everyone in her path until she collapsed on her knees beside Draco. There was blood on the snow. Harry knelt on Draco's other side. His green eyes met hers helplessly, until he was shoved aside by Pansy Parkinson.

"Get away from him, mudblood," she said venomously.

Hermione ignored her and touched the back of Draco's head gently and felt blood oozing from a wound on the back of his skull. She pressed her hand against the wound tightly, trying to staunch the bleeding. He was still as death and nearly as pale as the snow that cradled him.

"Where is Madam Pomfrey?" she asked hoarsely.

"Coming," Harry said.

Hermione leaned down until her lips brushed Draco's ear.

"Hold on, love," she begged softly. "Please hold on."

She heard a tiny sound and sat up in surprise.

Draco's grey eyes were open.

"Mi," he said quietly and smiled gently.

Hermione burst into tears. Thankfully, Madame Pomfrey arrived at that moment and bustled the onlookers aside, including Pansy and Hermione.

"Excellent work controlling the bleeding, Miss Granger," Pomfrey said matter of factly and cast a number of spells on Draco. Then she levitated him and marched him off the field to the hospital wing. Pansy gave Hermione a look of unadulterated venom and hurried after them. Hermione got to her feet and looked at Harry, who grinned widely.

"I'm not quite sure how you plan to explain that little scene," he said quietly, "but I'm certain it will be the talk of the school for awhile."

Hermione would have buried her face in her hands, but one of them was drenched in Draco's blood. She felt suddenly ill. Harry clapped an arm over her shoulders and they followed the crowd of onlookers off the field.

There was a hushed silence when Hermione and Harry entered the common room. Hermione felt a blush rise to her cheeks and suddenly knew how Harry felt whenever he was introduced to strangers. But these people were supposed to be her friends.

"Way to save Malfoy," Katie Bell said accusingly.

Anger squelched Hermione's embarrassment. "Would you rather I'd let him die?" she demanded hotly. Several "yeses" echoed in the room and Hermione glared around angrily. "Well, that's a bloody fine attitude! I hope if you're ever badly injured a crowd of onlookers don't stand around and let you bleed to death!"

"Helping is one thing," Fred Weasley said, "but you made it out of the stands and over to Draco like you Apparated."

"Rather looked like you were worried about the git," George added.

Hermione sighed. "I don't really care what it looked like. I would have done the same for you. You lot can stand around gossiping all you like. I'm going upstairs."

Ron stepped up. "Clear off!" he bellowed. "Listen to yourselves, why don't you? Hermione and Malfoy? How bloody ridiculous can you get? Think about it."

The other Gryffindors actually looked sheepish and Hermione shot Ron a grateful look, though it was tinged with guilt because she knew Ron stood up for her only because she didn't know the truth. She looked at Harry, who sighed.

"What's the big deal? The game was called, so we'll have to replay them next week. If Malfoy can't fly, they'll have to get another Seeker."

The talk instantly turned to Quidditch and Hermione quickly made her escape. She threw herself on the bed and buried her face in the pillow. She couldn't even go to the hospital wing to see if Draco was all right. Tears pricked her eyes.

"You're in love with him, aren't you?" someone asked behind her. She sat up to find Ginny Weasley sitting on Padma's bed watching her.

"What?" Hermione asked and rubbed the heel of her hand across her eyes.

"Draco Malfoy. You're in love with him."

Hermione wouldn't deny it. Ginny shook her head and sighed.

"I don't envy you. It's hard enough loving Harry, and he's not an arrogant, bigoted, wicked monster of pure evil."

"Thanks... I think."

Ginny nodded. "It's nearly time for supper."

"I'm not hungry."

"You should come down and try to pretend that everything is normal. Otherwise, you'll just be giving credence to the rumors."

Hermione rubbed her temples to dispel her growing headache, but knew Ginny was right.

Supper was sheer torture. Hermione felt a constant barrage of stares, although much of it was probably paranoia. Her food tasted like ashes, but she forced herself to eat it, struggling for normalcy. She glanced over at the Slytherin table and felt a pang of loss. Draco should be there, shooting her a hateful glare and a sneer that she would return with a suppressed smile.

She noted Pansy Parkinson's absence. The Slytherin snot was probably lingering at Draco's bedside, brushing his pale hair away from his perfect forehead and placing wet kisses on his lips. Jealousy nearly blinded her for a moment and she pushed her plate away. She couldn't take any more.

Harry took pity on her and accompanied her back to Gryffindor tower. Thankfully, Ron was in a serious discussion with Seamus and promised to join them later, so it was just her and Harry walking through the halls.

"He'll be fine," Harry said and shot her a worried glance.

Hermione shook her head miserably.

"This is the worst thing I've ever been through in my life," she admitted. "I'd rather take on another troll. Or a basilisk. Or You-Know-Who. I'd rather do just about anything than be in love with Draco Malfoy. I never wanted it to happen, but now that it has... I don't know. He's so different when we're alone."

"I should hope so," Harry muttered. "Otherwise I'd think you were crazy."

"Don't you already?"

"Well... yeah," Harry said supportively.

Hermione giggled. "I can always count on you to be honest."

She was lying in her bed an hour later, unable to sleep, when Ginny slipped in and tossed her a package.

"From Harry," she whispered and left.

Hermione sat up and opened the package. What she saw made her want to run to the boys' dorm and kiss Harry a dozen times.

It was his invisibility cloak.