I Only Wanted

A/N : I'm really getting into continuing chapters where the last one left off. You know, like a normal writer? J It's easier to keep my ideas in check. Ok, so let me try and explain how my thought process is going. For those who read "Cry", which is 99.9% of you, this is where that storyline comes in. Although, I've changed a few details and extended some scenes. But that’s what the people who reviewed "Cry" wanted and now I'm delivering. The base idea of "Cry" is going to be extended through a few chapters now. I'm not sure exactly how many as of yet. I'm making this up as I go. So, again, bare with me. Only this section of the story, meaning last chapter and up until where "Cry" left off, will have different P.O.V's. Let me know if you're liking those, cause it's making me a little more creative. Especially Draco's. Should be interesting down the line. And Snape and Lupin will be back soon. They'll have a brief appearance in this chapter, but I assure they will be back in full force when it comes time for Katie's intervention with the teachers. I also think I'm going to take some dialogue from "Cry". I really am partial to some of it and I don't think I can re-write the arguments that Katie has with Oliver.

    Ok, thanks again to all my reviewers and readers. You guys are the best!

    And there are going to be some lyrics sprinkled in upcoming chapters. Might be some in this one, not sure yet though. Mainly Coldplay songs. I adore them!

    Ok, go. READ!

****

    "It's going to be a long night, why don't you all go on back to the common room?" Professor McGonagall said as casually as she could.

    The group looked at her and back to Katie. They all eventually nodded in silent agreement and left knowing Katie wasn't going to wake up anytime soon. As soon as the group was gone, Madam Pomfrey came bustling over.

    "Albus, where is Severus? Shouldn't he have that potion ready by now?"

    "Oh you know Severus, Poppy. Always a perfectionist."

    "Well, don't act like we have all the time in the world with this girl. She's not well, Albus," Poppy said angrily, walking over to Katie's bed.

*

    Severus leaned over the cauldron watching it closely. Poppy had appeared in his fire many moments ago, requesting a very complicated potion to restore blood for some poor student up in the Hospital Wing. He hadn't been told who the student was, only that the student had evidently tried to take their life.

    "Stupid child," he muttered, pouring the potion into the phial to carry to the Hospital Wing.

    He swished his wand and cleaned up the lab station he had been working at and set off toward the Hospital Wing. His robes billowing behind him, he climbed staircase after staircase. As he approached the Hospital Wing, he passed a group of very solemn looking Gryffindors. 'The student must be in their house,' he thought. He also thought about yelling at them to get to their dorm room, but knew he had more important things to tend to. He walked into the Hospital Wing and came face to face with Albus Dumbledore and Minerva McGonagall.

    "Well, thank you for showing up, Severus," Minerva said tersely, and that confirmed his suspicions that the student must be a Gryffindor.

    Severus just glared at the older women. She knew damn well how he worked. He worked with precision and always produced perfection.

    "Well, where is Pomfrey?" he asked just as tersely as McGonagall had spoken, holding up the phial, "If its so urgent-"

    "I'm right here, Severus, and yes it is urgent!" Poppy said, voice muffled, coming from behind a curtain to his left.

    He pushed back the curtain and blanched at the sight before him. Katie Bell. Half dead in the bed before him.

*

    Minerva looked at Severus oddly as he stood, half hidden by the curtain. "Severus, what is wrong with you?"

    She noticed him snap back into reality, and disappear behind the curtain and quickly reappear without the phial.

    "Why didn't you tell me it was her!" he hissed at her.

    Minerva's glare softened. "We thought it best."

    "She's my best student. The only one I have with any promise. Merlin, why did she do it?" Severus said, looking to Albus and Minerva in turn.

    "I think only Miss. Bell can tell us that. And until she wakes, we won't know," Albus said.

    "Yes, and when the school gets wind of this, you better keep your students in line, Severus. It's no secret that they've been making her life hell this year," Minerva said angrily.

    "I've already had words with Marcus. Words, I may add, that got through to the boy. He's left her alone," Severus said, before turning to Albus, "Her grades didn't slip, Albus. In fact, her work improved. I had no idea she would do something like this."

    "We thought if anyone would have noticed, it would have been you, Severus, what with her schedule this year" Albus said gently, "But we obviously underestimated Miss. Bell's acting abilities."

    Minerva noticed absently how devastated Severus looked. Something she hadn't expected. Although, he was never someone she could predict.

    "We'll have to make some sort of announcement tomorrow at breakfast, knowing how things get out so quickly in this school," she said diplomatically.

    "And we'll have to inform the rest of her professors also," Albus said, "Ah, Poppy, the potion has been administered then?"

    "Yes. I can watch her for the night. I'll inform you if there is any change," she said sadly, looking to each of the professors.

****

    At breakfast that morning, the small group of Gryffindors sat looking at their plates mournfully. None of them felt like eating, nor did any of them want to be in the Great Hall, fielding question from their fellow Gryffindors.

    "I can't stand this," Angelina said, eyes still looking bloodshot.

    Fred put his arm around her comfortingly. "Well, at least we don't have classes. We can go up there right after breakfast."

    Just then, Dumbledore stood and the Great Hall's chatter died away. "Thank you. I have a sad announcement to make. Seeing as how things get out rather quickly in this school," he said smiling slightly, "I figured I'd tell everyone the truth, so there will be no misunderstandings. Katie Bell tried to take her life last night. She is presently in the Hospital Wing. Madam Pomfrey informed me just a few moments ago, that her pulse is now stronger thanks to Professor Snape's potion, but she still has yet to wake. We hope that will change today. That is all, I suppose," he said, taking his seat.

*

    Cedric paled at Dumbledore's words. He knew something was wrong with her. He just knew it. He couldn't help but think about ways he could have prevented this. He stole a glance over at the Gryffindor table and noticed how devastated they all looked. He turned back around and just stared off into space, not noticing that someone was calling him for a few moments.

    "Cedric!" a girl in his year snapped.

    "What?"

    "Katie? Isn't she that girl that's tutoring you?" the girl asked.

    "Yeah. That’s her," he said smiling sadly, "I can't believe it. I knew something was wrong and I didn't want to push it and have her push me away. She's got a nasty temper."

    The girl laughed. "Oh, yeah, didn't she beat up Marcus Flint like twice this year?"

    "Well not exactly. But he did deserve what he got," Cedric said, looking over toward the Slytherin table, "I mean, look how happy he is because of what Dumbledore said. What a jerk."

*

    Draco sat there, Crabbe and Goyle on one side and Marcus on the other. He hated sitting next to Marcus, but being on the Quidditch Team meant he had to sit with the team. He was desperately trying to hide his emotions about Dumbledore's announcement. He had never been a very good actor, but he guessed this was as good a time as any to learn.

    "See, didn't I tell all of you? Stupid, weak Gryffindors. She can't even kill herself. Well, hopefully Gryffindor will be short a player for their game against Ravenclaw. That way, we'll still be in the lead," Marcus proclaimed proudly.

    Draco shoved his food around his plate angrily to avoid saying anything. His neck was still killing him and restraining his anger was making it worse.

    "What's wrong with you, Malfoy?" Bletchley, a Chaser for Slytherin, asked from across the table.

    "Not a damn bloody thing," Draco said throwing down his fork and leaving the Great Hall.

*

    Remus looked past Minerva and eyed Dumbledore.

    "Albus, why didn't you tell me about that?"

    "We're having a meeting later, Remus, to discuss it further. With all of her teachers," Minerva said kindly.

    "And with last night being a full moon, we couldn't very well come and fetch you Remus," Albus said wisely.

    Remus backed down, but quickly turned to Minerva. "Is she going to be alright?"

    Minerva looked at him, knowing he meant mentally more than physically. "I don't know, Remus. We can only hope for the best."

    "She figured me out. Did I tell you that? I had to do a section on werewolves and she wrote this beautiful paper about the prejudices held against werewolves and gave facts to prove which ones weren't true. And at the bottom she wrote, 'They also make great Professors.'," he said sadly, "She's a clever girl."

    Minerva smiled, patting Remus' arm. "That she is. I just don't know why she couldn't see how bad an idea all this was."

*

    Oliver, Percy, Fred, Lee, George, Harry, Ron, Angelina, Alicia, Hermione, and Paris made their way out of the Great Hall, intent on going to the Hospital Wing.

    "Guys, wait up!" Penelope said running over to them, "Are you going to visit Katie?"

    "Yeah," Percy said, hugging his girlfriend tightly, "Wanna come along?"

    "Of course," she said, grabbing Percy's hand in hers.

    The group trooped up to the Hospital Wing. Madam Pomfrey met them at the door.

    "I was just going to get the Headmaster," she said to the group.

    "Did Katie-" Oliver said hopefully, but Madam Pomfrey cut him off with a sad look and a shake of her head.

    "No dear, but you may visit with her if you like. I'll be back soon," she said leaving them in the doorway.

    Oliver ran a hand through his hair and walked over to Katie's bed, quietly followed by the rest of the group.

    "This is all my fault," he muttered.

    "It's no ones fault, Oliver. Don't flatter yourself," Penelope said.

    Oliver shook his head. "You don't know that. You don't fucking know that. I fought with her. Yelled at her. Asked her to stop doing something that was making her happy. I'm a prat. An absolute prat."

    Fred patted his shoulder. "That you did and that you are."

    Angelina smacked him hard. "Fred, this is no time-"

    "Oh and when is? She's not going to die. She's going to wake up and be fine. This was a mistake, a horrible mistake," Fred said, turning and walking from the room.

    "He's in denial," George offered, "He was talking about it all morning in the dorm. He doesn't get that she meant it this time. I'm just upset I didn't notice sooner."

    "Yeah, so am I," Lee said, looking almost as shaken as Percy did over the whole thing.

    Silence stretched out for many moments. Everyone lost in their own thoughts. Oliver pulled a nearby chair over and pulled it close beside Katie's bed. He reached out a hand and brushed a piece of hair away from her face, and tucked it behind her ear. A tear fell down his cheek and he wiped it away before anyone noticed.

    'I can do this, I can get through this. I have to be able to help Kate when she wakes up,' he thought, contenting himself with studying the bedside table beside him.

****

    After an hour, Madam Pomfrey shooed them away, promising that they were welcome back later and reasoning that there was nothing they could do for Katie right now. Slowly, over the next half an hour, Katie's teachers arrived. One by one. Once all eight of them were there, Dumbledore looked to all of them.

*

    "Now, I know this is an issue that has not been adequately dealt with. But we need to discuss how, in any way, that we can help this young lady," he said, his gaze staying on Remus and Severus a bit longer than the rest of the professors, "So, I am open to any suggestion you might have."

    The look on every professors face was one of concentration, except for Remus. He looked as if he knew what needed to be done.

    "Remus, a suggestion?" Dumbledore asked kindly.

    "I just think, if she'll allow me that is, that I could talk to her. I know what she's going through. I've been there," he said, sharing a knowing look with Dumbledore, whose eyes twinkled.

    "Yes, I believe you do Remus. Now, about classes. Minerva and I have discussed and agreed that no special treatment shall be given. But, I do believe we should pay Miss. Bell a little more attention in regards to her work."

    "Yes, it obvious that the child has low self-esteem. She thinks little of herself and thus sees no reason to continue on with life," Minerva said sadly.

    "Well, she must know she's talented magic wise. I mean to say, I asked her to tutor a student in a year higher than her and he's been passing his test with full marks with help," Professor Flitwick said.

    "And in Potions as well. I would not have recruited her for the Advanced class had she'd not shown promise," Severus said honestly.

    "There is no way that we can boost Miss. Bell's self-esteem. I believe her friends will be able to help her with that," Dumbledore said.

    "If she'll take them back. She could hate them, you know. If she really wanted to die- Well, they saved her life. Somehow I don't see how that can be a good deed in her eyes," Remus said poignantly.

    "Indeed," Dumbledore said pensively, "Well, we'll have to wait and see, and do what she will allow us to do."

    As the professors filled out of the Hospital Wing, Minerva and Dumbledore stayed behind. Minerva walked behind the curtain shielding Katie's room and jumped slightly, startled to see Katie struggling to sit up in bed.

    "Miss. Bell, do lie back," she said before walking out from behind the curtain, "Albus, she's awake."