All This Time, You Were Missing From My Heart

Chapter Five

"Can you believe it? Double Potions, first thing in the school year! With the Slytherins, too!" Ron scowled, throwing his schedule down.

"At least Draco isn't against us anymore, so it won't be too bad," Harry shrugged. He pushed the food on his plate around. Everybody was looking at their schedules, so he quickly transfigured his breakfast before anyone saw.

"Look at this! All of the double classes are with the Slytherins! D.A.D.A., C.o.M.C, Herbology, and Divination!" Seamus glared at the pieces of paper McGonagall had given to them that morning. The entire Gryffindor table was scowling at the parchment. Apparently, every Gryffindor and Slytherin double class had been put together.

"Arithmancy is double with the Slytherins too," Hermione wrinkled her nose.

"Why would Slytherins be taking Arithmancy? Only smart people take that," Dean raised an eyebrow. The seventh years snickered.

"There's only three Slytherins in Arithmancy. Draco was in it, but he dropped out in third year because it was to hard for him," Hermione grinned.

"Joke material," Ron laughed, glancing over at the Slytherin table.

"Lay off him, guys. Get him in on the jokes; don't make him the target of them," Harry said solemnly.

"Sheesh, Harry. No need to go all glum on us," Seamus said cheerfully, slapping him on the back. He didn't notice Harry's grimace.

The Gryffindors kept talking, not noticing the silent Harry or the two pairs of eyes, consistently watching him.

"Hey, wait a second! Who is the D.A.D.A. teacher this year?" Ginny asked from beside Neville.

"I was wondering that to," Harry spoke quietly.

"Well, we've had, so far, a total idiot, a werewolf, three Death Eaters, and a half vampire as professors," Seamus listed off.

"And the best one, everyone's afraid of for no bloody reason," Ron scowled at the thought.

"This coming from the person who, when they found out, tried to avoid him like the plague?" Hermione scoffed at him.

"Hey, I had good reason to think that," Ron pouted at her. "But anyway, a lot of them aren't good like Remus."

"They should let him back. He's harmless with the Wolfsbane Potion!" Neville stuck up for the former teacher. He said this with such conviction, that the Gryffindors looked at him, surprised. "What?"

"Nothing. You just sounded like a true Gryffindor just then," Harry gave him a real smile.

***

Harry was off in his own world as he, Draco, Hermione, and Ron walked to the dungeons together.

"Harry? Harry!" Ron yelled in his ear, making him jump.

"What?" Harry yelped, rubbing his ear.

"We've been trying to talk to you. What's wrong with you?" Hermione asked the green-eyed teen.

"I just didn't get a lot of sleep last night, that's all," Harry answered her. Draco looked at him before shaking his head at the lie.

"Harry, you're really out of it! It's like you're on Mars!" Ron told him.

"Oh, whatever!"

"What's wrong, Harry?"

"Nothing's wrong!" Harry exclaimed. Draco pursed his lips together, but said nothing.

The other two Gryffindors looked at him in disbelief, but they dropped it.

***

"Today, class, we will be making the Numbness Potion, as somebody keeps stealing the ones in my private stores," Snape scowled at the seventh year Gryffindors. Keeping up with his spy act, he scowled at Draco as well. Everyone knew Draco'd been disowned for not taking the Dark Mark. Most hadn't believed it until Draco had gone around school, apologizing to everyone. Those who believed it was an act accepted him after word got around that the Terrific Trio had accepted him as part of their group.

Professor Snape began listing off ingredients just as Harry started to doze to the sound of his voice. He really hadn't gotten enough sleep the night before. Or for any of the nights since the Triwizard's Tournament.

"Mr. Potter, ten points from Gryffindor for sleeping in class!" Snape sneered, bring Harry out of his slight slumber. The Slytherins snickered and Draco looked at his friend with concern.

"Yes, Professor," Harry murmured, looking down.

"Go get your potion ingredients and be quick about it."

Harry stood up slowly, grasping at the edge of his desk. His knuckles turned white from holding on to it to hard.

"Professor, I think I might need to go to...Madame Pomfrey," Harry said quietly, before fainting. Snape caught him easily as he fell.

Snape sighed and barked," Granger, Weasley, Malfoy, come with me. Everyone else, continue making your potions. Points from anyone who is not working when I return."

Hermione looked about ready to cry and Ron was stoic, though his eyes voiced his concern as they left the classroom. Draco looked really worried about the unconscious Gryffindor in his godfather's arms. The four walked in silence to the Infirmary.

They arrived at the Hospital Wing minutes later, and the ex-Death Eater laid the Boy-Who-Lived on one of the beds.

Mme. Pomfrey bustled over and banished Harry's robes from him, leaving him in his too big jeans. There was nothing the five could see that was physically wrong.

"He just passed out?" Madame Pomfrey asked. At the nods, she continued, "There's nothing wrong physically with him."

"Take off the concealment charms," Draco spoke in a monotonous voice. "He put on concealment charms."

The other four looked at him before Madame Pomfrey waved her wand. They all gasped at the site of the famous teenager.

His ribs stuck out dangerously, his pale skin jutting up where there was bone. That was not the worst. Around his neck, there where finger marks, like someone had been choking him. There were bruises covering most of his chest and stomach. His face had bruises of every colour and there were scars and cuts everywhere, only the ones on his wrist self-inflicted.

"Dear lord," Madam Pomfrey waved her wand over the boy. "Aperio suus problema. Good lord. He's malnutritioned. He's got three broken ribs and a hairline fracture in his wrist. He hasn't slept regularly in months. And... oh dear god. Merlin help this poor child."

"Madame Pomfrey? What is it?" Hermione asked.

Pomfrey put her hand over her mouth, tears in her eyes.

"Poppy?" Snape asked, wondering what could have the harsh matron in tears.

"No. This is personal information. If Mr. Potter wants to tell someone, he can tell of his own free will," Madame Pomfrey brushed her tears away, waving her wand over the boy again. "Renovare suus sanitas."

His wrist was apparently swollen, because it got skinnier as she said the spell. The cuts healed and left scars, but all the bruises stayed. He stayed terribly skinny, and his ribs stuck out still.

"Granger, Weasley, Malfoy, go on to your next class. You will be updated on Mr. Potter's condition later," Professor Snape turned to them. Hermione was crying into Ron's shoulder, and he was just staring at Harry with a haunted look in his eyes. Ron nodded and steered Hermione back to the Gryffindor Common Room. Draco stood there for a moment more.

"I had no idea it was this bad. I would have made him come here sooner," Draco turned away, a few tears on his cheeks for his new friend. He left the Hospital Wing quickly.

"The Headmaster needs to be informed, and I have to get back to my class," Snape told the teary eyed medi-witch, hiding his trepidation for the young wizard.

She nodded at him, before asking, "I'll need some Numbness Potion for him."

As Severus Snape left the Hospital Wing, he knew who'd taken his potions and why. And he found that he didn't care; he did care, however, that Harry had needed it.

End Chapter Five