Solstice

Authors Note: Big thanks to my beta Catmint and all of my reviewers-you are much appreciated.

Chapter 30: After Effects

"Draco?"

He lay on his bed, his arms folded behind his head as he stared at the ceiling. He flicked his eyes in the direction of the voice. Crabbe and Goyle stood there.

"What?" he snarled at them.

They looked a bit startled. "It's time for dinner."

"Well, go, then. You don't need me there, unless of course you want me to tie bibs around your necks!"

They looked at each other, stunned by his outburst. "Aren't you coming?" Goyle asked tentatively.

"I'm not hungry."

They shuffled off, leaving Draco to focus on the ceiling once more.

Every so often, his anger at them surfaced. If they hadn't squealed to their parents about the time he and Hermione had been in Hagrid's hut together, his father most likely wouldn't have almost beaten him to death. His life might still be normal and he wouldn't have to put up with the golden trio and all the changes in his life. He sighed, wallowing in his foul mood.
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Back in the hospital wing, Snape gently stroked the dark hair away from the wet cloth. He had been sitting with Harry for at least an hour. A specialist from St. Mungo's had been brought in and, after scanning the boy, could find nothing wrong.

When Harry came to, he felt very groggy and slightly dizzy. There was a wonderfully cool cloth on his forehead and over his eyes. He took a deep breath and sighed. Snape's silky voice came out of the haze. "Harry, how are you feeling?"

He wished Snape wasn't there. He was glad the cloth was over his eyes and he didn't have to look at him.

"How do you think?" Harry responded angrily.

Snape sighed. "I'm sorry I caused this." He hadn't meant for Harry to have another attack, yet he was furious at him for once again breaking the rules.

Harry didn't know what to feel. A part of him was so angry that Snape had insulted his father and Sirius, but the other part of him, the part that made his stomach clench in knots, was scared to death wondering what was happening to him. "You just had to bring up Sirius again. You know how guilty I feel about his death, but you couldn't help lashing out at me that way."

Snape swallowed hard. He stared at the pale, dark-haired teen lying on the bed in front of him and was glad for the cloth that covered his eyes. He'd feel even worse if those green, accusing eyes were to bore into him. "Look, there is no excuse for what I said, but you have to take respons-"

Before he could explain, Harry interrupted him, raising his voice. "I don't want to hear what you have to say. You just couldn't resist getting to me by bashing Sirius and my father. Right now, that's all that matters."

"Harry." Snape's voice acquired a stern tone, but his hand was gentle as it touched his shoulder.

Harry pulled away. "Just leave me alone. You just make my head hurt worse," he mumbled.

There was silence for a moment. Then he heard the chair creak as Snape got up.

"When you are ready to listen, we'll talk again."

As soon as he heard the door shut he snorted. "That's not likely."

He tentatively pulled the cloth off his face. The dimmed light in the room still made him squint. The clip of footsteps brought his attention over to Madam Pomfrey as she entered. "How are you feeling? Any more pain?"

"No, it's gone again," he responded quietly.

"Thank goodness. You were unconscious for over three hours. Professor Dumbledore thought it best not to bring you back to consciousness but to let you rest."

He sat up.

"Oh no you don't. You need to lie back down. You aren't going anywhere for the next twenty four hours."

"But I'm okay now. I don't want to spend the entire weekend here. I have to practice Quidditch for the game next week." Harry looked at her anxiously, having no desire to spend the night in the hospital wing.

"Potter! Did you not hear what I said? You were unconscious for almost the whole afternoon. You will be spending the night here in this bed. If you do not do so willingly, I will bind you to it!" she stated matter-of-factly.

His eyes narrowed at her. "Fine." He lay back down. He would have gladly defied her, but he was afraid she would get Snape and he'd have to deal with him again.

She made him drink a smelly potion and then she left him alone again.

At times like this, he sorely missed Sirius. Sirius would know what to do and would help him find out what was wrong. His throat closed off after being hit by a painful bout of missing him. The terrible ache he had felt for so long after Sirius' death had started to die down a bit in this new year, but every so often something happened - a memory, a smell, a dog barking - that would bring back that terrible hollow ache. "Sirius, I wish I could talk to you," he whispered hoarsely.

"Harry?"

He had been so caught up in his thoughts he hadn't noticed Hermione sneak in.

"I've been so worried about you. Are you all right now? Madam Pomfrey wouldn't let Ron and me in." She sat down beside the bed in the chair Snape had vacated.

Harry looked so pale and so down. She took his hand and squeezed it.

He smiled wanly. "I'm okay now, but Pomfrey won't let me out until tomorrow."

"Well, that's good. She just wants to make sure you are all right."

Harry snorted angrily pulling his hand out of her grasp. "I knew you'd take her side."

Hermione raised an eyebrow. "Don't take your foul mood out on me!"

Harry didn't respond, just stared at the wall, his green eyes stormy.

"Would you rather I leave?" she asked pointedly, a note of irritation in her voice.

He grimaced. "No, it's just that..."

"Just what? These episodes you keep having that no one can figure out?"

"That too, but..."

"But what? For Merlin's sake, Harry, will you just say it?"

His eyes flashed back at her. "I wish Sirius was still alive. Maybe he could have figured out what is wrong with me since no one else can!"

"Oh Harry." Hermione's eyes clouded with compassion. She leant forward and put her arms around him. "I wish he was, too."

He hugged her back tightly; the warm human contact felt good.

"Ron and I spent time in the library reading through every book we could get our hands on to try and figure out what's wrong. I think we need to sneak into the Restricted Section."

He started to feel a little better. "Thanks," he murmured into her hair.

She squeezed him tightly to reassure him. After a minute, she let go and pulled back slightly. She kissed him on the cheek. "Don't worry."

The ache in his heart made him move closer to her. With his breathing rapid, he softly kissed her on the lips.

She looked at him, startled, her dark eyes wide with surprise.

"Errrr....sorry," he said in a soft tone.

She gave an embarrassed laugh. "I have no idea why you just did that." She sat back, regarding the dark-haired, green-eyed wizard before her. Then she added softly, "It felt nice."

His green eyes looked into hers and a small, mischievous smile formed on his lips. "Did it now?" He kissed her again.

She found her face growing warm and knew she was blushing.

What in the world was she doing kissing one of her best friends?

She smiled at him. "I'd better go before someone finds me here." She kissed him on the forehead. "I'll see you in the morning." She left with confused thoughts racing through her head.

Harry lay back on the pillows. What had just happened? He and Hermione had kissed. Ron would be hurt. He couldn't do that to his best friend, yet kissing Hermione had felt so good. He picked at the dinner Pomfrey had brought him then he lay down and fell into a dreamless sleep.
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Draco awoke the next morning with a splitting headache. The nightmare from hours ago was still fresh in his mind. They had died down in frequency from the time his father almost killed him, but they resurfaced every so often when he found himself upset. In a recurring nightmare, his father killed Snape in front of him. Even though there were times he was furious at Snape, the thought of him not being in his life anymore almost sent him into a panic attack. The dreams were torturous. He woke up practically hyperventilating, shaking and shivering. Every so often, he was physically sick. He had placed a silencing charm around his bed so the rest of the Slytherins wouldn't hear him.

Many mornings, Snape looked at him with worried eyes. He suspected that the nightmares had continued and had frequently pressed him to talk about them, but Draco always claimed he couldn't remember. He didn't want to tell Snape about the dreams where his father goaded him that Snape didn't really care about him, that he was just using him. He knew Snape wasn't doing that, but then moments like yesterday when he said that he constantly shamed him had hurt. Really hurt. But he couldn't tell him that without coming across like a wimp. Snape had, after all, apologized, but it didn't take away the hollow feeling in his heart.

Since it was Saturday, he had no classes, so after breakfast he had his detention with Weasley. He dreaded it. Then, later in the evening after dinner, he had an Occlumency lesson with Snape. It was going to be a rotten day.

With a patient look on his face, Lupin spoke: "A detention is a punishment, Draco. I'm sure you know that means you will be doing a task that isn't all that pleasant."

Lupin continued, "Molly Weasley has helped me out in assigning a task."

Ron groaned inwardly while Draco rolled his eyes.

"She needs the Lanplashem plants that Madam Hooch seeded last year moved. Therefore, new beds must be dug out, new soil put in, and mixed with various composts and manures..."

Draco had blanched and looked positively horrified at the thought. "We can't do that!"

"And why can't you do that?" Lupin asked patiently. Draco was always a trying student and Lupin knew he hadn't won his respect yet.

"Well, because it's something a servant or a house elf should do, not a student!"

Lupin grinned slightly. "Do you see any servants around?"

Draco's eyes narrowed angrily. He opened his mouth to snarl:"Wait till my father finds out," but then snapped it shut, realizing that those words would never have an effect again. His gaze hit the floor.

Lupin sighed softly, regarding the furious teen. "Well, then it's up to you two. When you have finished digging the holes and mixing the soil, you will then move and replant the Lanplashems. I need you to be very careful with these plants. They are used in a variety of potions. Mixed with water and other potions they are highly effective. Even on their own they can create a deadly toxin that can make a wizard extremely ill. So when the time comes to handle the plants, you must wear these gloves and be extremely careful not to brush up against it. Understand?"

Both boys nodded miserably.

The site where they needed to work was just past Hagrid's cabin in a clearing. The ground was heavy and contained a large number of stones of various sizes. It was remarkably warm day and soon both boys were sweating and they removed their shirts. Ron noticed with barely contained amusement how uncomfortable and miserable Malfoy looked. With a house full of servants, he doubted he had ever had to lift a finger when it came to any kind of physical work.

The burning pains that crept through his arms and back made Draco inhale sharply. He hated this. He glanced over at Weasley, who didn't seem to have anywhere near the amount of trouble that he was having. No wonder, he grew up in a hovel and most likely had to help build it.

As Ron dug into the hard earth, he realized he'd feel this workout for days. He noticed Malfoy stop every so often and rub his arms and stretch his shoulders. Ron couldn't resist. "Poor Malfoy. No servant around to order to do the hard stuff for you."

Draco's eyes snapped up, filled with rage. "Shut up, Weasel. Unlike you, I didn't come from a hovel!"

Ron opened his mouth to respond, 'better a hovel full of loving people than a mansion full of indifference and beatings,' but remembering the state he had found him in after his first Occlumency lesson made him keep his mouth shut.

"What's the matter, Weasel? You can't deny it, can you?" Draco sneered, malevolence in his eyes.

Ron lifted his head proudly. "My house may not be a mansion like yours, but it's always a wonderful, warm place to go home to." He said the words quietly without malice.

For a moment, Draco's eyes clouded with pain before he responded with a hoarse, "Sod off, Weasel." He focused back on digging.

Ron sighed; he shouldn't have started the exchange 'Mione and Harry would be annoyed with him for provoking Malfoy. He felt a smidgen of guilt knowing full well that Malfoy would likely never return to the place he once called home. With a grunt, he bent down to dislodge yet another stone. "Do you miss it?" he asked quietly, trying to see what Harry and Hermione saw in Malfoy.

Draco stopped, startled by the question. "Miss what?" he asked haltingly.

"The mansion, the servants, your things."

Draco stared hard at the tall redhead. He bit back the scathing response he had formulated when he realized there was sincerity in Weasley's blue eyes.

"Sometimes," he responded sulkily.

Ron caught the glimpse of sadness in his stormy eyes. It softened him. "It must be hard having your life change so drastically."

Draco looked at Weasley again, trying to gauge if he was provoking him or just making a statement. He wasn't sure. His defenses were high, but he decided to not respond and went back to digging.

After an hour of digging, Ron straightened for a moment, wiping the sweat out of his eyes. He had to grudgingly admit that, aside from all the complaining at the onset, Malfoy pulled his fair share of work. It surprised him, in fact, as he tackled the dirt and rocks with furious energy. He wondered if it was Malfoy's way to let off some steam. He also noticed Malfoy's pale skin was getting quite a red glow. Ron was working partially under an old oak tree, so he had at least some shade.

"Err, Malfoy, you're getting really red. Maybe we should trade places so you can work in the shade a bit."

Draco sneered. "Not a chance, Weasley. You're not getting credit for all the work I did here by switching places."

Ron opened his mouth to retort but then wondered why he should bother. If Malfoy wanted to look like a fried mandrake root, so be it.

They finished the beds, tugged in the soil, and mixed the various mulches and Thestral manures. Then they headed over to where the plants were in a bed alongside the forest.

Ron rubbed the screaming muscles in his shoulders. He glanced over at Malfoy and, once again, suppressed the grin that threatened. He no longer looked like the immaculate, pale, sneering, arrogant pureblood. His skin was red, his face flushed, dirt stuck to his body, the white-blond hair hung down his face in wet strands. His eyes never left the ground as they trudged along. He seemed lost in his thoughts or perhaps his anger at having to do this. Ron smiled inwardly; for a change, Malfoy looked quite pathetic. The urge to tell him so was strong after years of insults that Malfoy hurled his way. Ron sighed. Malfoy was trying to change and, much to his surprise, they had actually had a few civil moments since last Christmas. He didn't hate him quite as much as he used to. They both put on the gloves when they got to the plants, but it was too warm for the shirts so, very carefully, they removed the five foot high plants.

At one point, Malfoy slipped and ended up abruptly landing on his butt. He swore loudly and Ron leaned down and extended his hand to help him up. Draco hesitated for a moment. He didn't want to accept Weasley's help, but he was just too tired and sore to argue. He grabbed the offered hand hard only to be lifted halfway up and then dropped to the ground. He swore again. "Weasel, what do you ..." He stopped, realizing he held Weasley's glove in his hand; it must have slipped off.

"Bloody hell..." Ron exclaimed as he fell backwards, then a shriek welled up his throat as an incredible stinging pain burst through his back and shoulder. He realized with horror that he had fallen against one of the Lanplashem plants. He shakily got to his feet, panting as his body absorbed the toxins from the plant. He shivered uncontrollably as he blinked, rapidly trying to keep the tears of sheer agony from spilling over.

Draco winced as he struggled to his feet. "Weasley?"

Ron felt his body numb as paralysis set in his limbs and he fell to the ground. He could feel Malfoy's hand on his arm. He knew he was frantically calling him, but his frightened voice sounded miles away.

Draco didn't know what to do as Weasley's eyes shut and he shivered once more before becoming ominously still.

Panic set in. "He can't be dead, I'll get blamed, he can't be dead" kept running though his brain. He ran breathlessly towards Hogwarts. As Hagrid's hut materialized before his eyes, he pounded frantically on the door. Hagrid opened it immensely, surprised to find the blond Slytherin in a panic.

"Calm down, slow down. What are you on about, Malfoy?"

Draco took a deep breath and explained as calmly as he could what had happened.

Fear and worry clouded Hagrid's eyes. He lumbered off in the direction where Ron lay. Without hesitation, he leaned down, felt for a pulse, then scooped him up and ran towards Hogwarts.

Draco ran behind him. "Is he alive?" he asked frantically, knowing he wouldn't be able to keep up with the half-giant.

"Barely! Malfoy, wait a few minutes, then come to the hospital wing."

Draco stopped and let his shaking legs collapse him to the ground. He took some deep breaths until he calmed down and could walk normally again. He felt dizzy. He went back, put his shirt on and slowly, still winded, walked back to Hogwarts.

Hagrid tore into the hospital wing carrying Ron's limp body.

"Oh my word, what happened?"

"He fell against the Lanplashem plant."

Without a further word, Madam Pomfrey ran off and got a potion. She immediately lifted Ron's head and poured it down his throat while muttering a spell that helped him to swallow it.

Harry had leapt out of bed and was trying to get to Ron, but Hagrid held him back. "It's all right, 'Arry. We'll take care of 'im."

Seeing Ron looking so lifeless had caused tremors of fear to vibrate through Harry. He couldn't lose his best friend. "What happened?" he asked in a voice barely above a whisper.

"Well, from what I was able to get out of Malfoy, it was an accident. Ron was helping him up and the glove he had on slipped and he fell backwards onto the plant. Something like that. Malfoy was in a panic and wasn't making an 'ole lot of sense."

"Did you find Ron like that?"

"Malfoy came and got me. Ron was unconscious."

Madam Pomfrey explained further: "The plant causes paralysis and makes one very ill, but I got the antidote into him in time. He'll need more of it over the next few days, and then I'm sure he'll be all right."

Madam Pomfrey left for a moment, and when she came back, Snape followed a few moments later.

"Severus, I need more of this potion. I just had an emergency dose. I haven't had to use it eight years. Lanplashem is not something the students usually get into."

Snape examined Ron. "He's in for a rough time. I'll get right on it."

Before he left, he glanced over at Harry, who still had resentment shining out of his eyes. Snape looked at him and frowned.

Shortly after, Molly Weasley tore into the room. She shrieked, "Ronnie!" and immediately ran over to the pale, still teen.

Pomfrey explained, "He'll be all right. Apparently Mr. Malfoy got Hagrid to bring him in just in time."

Hagrid had let go of Harry and he sat down on the bed beside Ron, watching as Molly fussed over him.

Malfoy entered the wing, looking disheveled and most unlike himself. He felt very self-conscious as Harry and Madam Pomfrey and Weasley's mother all turned to look at him. He lifted his chin, daring them to blame him.

The Weasley matriarch jumped off the bed unexpectedly and wrapped her arms around him in a tight hug. "Thank you, Draco, for your quick action. You likely saved his life," she said with a sob.

Draco was flabbergasted and didn't know what to do with the upset woman who was squeezing the air out of him. He awkwardly patted her back. She let him go and turned her attention back to her son.

"Are you all right?" Harry asked, looking at him with a puzzled frown. He'd never seen Draco look so unlike a Malfoy.

He nodded but truthfully felt anything but all right. He had a headache, felt hot and flushed and slightly nauseous. He leaned against a cool stone wall, crossing his arms protectively around himself.

"Poppy, when you got a minute can you check over Malfoy? 'e's not looking too good."

Draco sneered in Hagrid's direction. "I'm fine."

His eyes made contact with Harry's again. "You're still in here?"

Harry looked pissed and nodded curtly. "I'm fine, but I'm not allowed to leave yet."

Snape ran down to his office and started pulling out potions. He was so occupied he didn't notice the light knock at his door and then the door opening.

"Severus? Not losing your hearing are you?" Tonks peered at him.

He jumped slightly, alarmed by her presence. "What do you want?"

She smirked gently. "Are you always this cheerful, or is it just special for me?"

He glared at her. "For your information, Mr. Weasley had a bad encounter with a Lanplashem plant and is currently lying unconscious in the hospital wing. Unlike you, I am attempting to help him recover!"

She paled. "Oh, poor Ron. Here let me help. I'm sorry, I didn't mean to be teasing you when the situation's so critical."

Snape's dark eyes looked confused. He hadn't realized that she had been teasing him. "No, I have it under control. I just need to find a blossom of the waddle plant to add to the potion. I had one here somewhere."

She bolted over to him, stubbing her toe on the shelf. She let out a muffled screech as she hopped on one foot, rubbing her toe with her hands. The jarring of the shelf knocked over a bottle of some pink, frothy liquid, which spilled down Snape's shirtfront.

He stood frozen for a moment, wondering how one small witch could even outhavoc the notorious Neville Longbottom. "You're not related to Longbottom, are you?"

She smiled at him. "No. Actually, I'm related to Draco. Why, Severus, I didn't know that you could tease."

He snarled at her, "I wasn't."

She grabbed a towel and walked up close in front of him, "I'm sorry, I'm a bit of klutz sometimes."

He snorted in affirmation. When she started brushing the liquid off his shirt, his heart sped up with alarm. No one, aside from Tonks, ever had the nerve to come so close and just touch him like that. His scowl alone kept even the friendliest of people out of his way. Not knowing exactly how to stop her, he stood unmoving, watching her wring out the cloth and smile up at him.

"There now, all better. Hmmm, now let's look for that ingredient."

She left his space again, wandering through his shelves of potions, never knowing the strange effect she had had on him. He suddenly remembered to breathe again. Shaking his head in confusion, he started looking over on the other side of the room.

When he found it, he thanked her for her help but insisted she leave him alone so he could brew the potion. Her presence was too disturbing and distracting when he had to concentrate.

She nodded wordlessly and left the room, throwing one quick glance back at the strange Potions Master, only to find his dark eyes following her out of the room. Once the door closed, she smiled softly to herself.