Disclaimer: Do not own Harry Potter.

Notes: Ok, ok, you can shoot me, kill me, flay me if you wish because the only reason I have for not updating is ‘writers block’ and suddenly an idea hit me while it’s 3.30am and I’m eating cold pizza.

Chapter 12

Blue.

Light blue.

Light blue eye’s that made her worry slightly.

They were old and worn, fearful and happy, eye’s that could tell if you were lying, his eyes.

The Headmaster.

Those were Hermione’s first thoughts in the fleeting seconds of her heavy lids opening. She felt his long white beard tickle the side of her face as he leaned in closer to her, inspecting her, his mouth opened and his voice sounded deep and hard. His voice almost crushing her making her feel as though her body was enclosed in lead.

He straightened his body and moved to the side his face full of worry causing extra creases around his sad eyes and as soon as he moved the face of a familiar witch came into view, Madam Pomferey’s own worried eyes invaded Hermione’s sights.

The healer gently lifted Hermione’s head up and brought a grey coloured vial to her dry chapped lips. This was the first time Hermione had taken notice of herself, her own pains, pain in her empty stomach, her head with the intense stabbing pains she could have sworn were really piercing her brain.

And even worse had to be the pain she had just become aware of. The grey potion smelled like cat litter that hadn’t been cleaned in weeks, her fathers unwashed socks, burnt rubber and something strange, the smell of something sweet but Hermione couldn’t figure it out in her semi dazed state.

The pain came as the potion past her lips and entered her mouth her eyes widened as the burning sensation awakened. Hermione could have sworn her gums were bleeding and her teeth were being ripped out. She tried to move her head away but found that try as she might her head wasn’t going to move half an inch, she tried to command her arms, her legs, her toes even but found her body was unmovable.

The pain only got worse as the disgusting stuff slipped down her throat causing tears to spring to her eyes. She felt a gentle hand on her calf, relieved to know that she could at least feel, the hand giving her a slight bit of comfort reminding her of her parents.

She remembered the way her father would be the one to hug her, how he would pat her on the back while muttering encouraging words, Hermione’s mother was never good at looking after people who were crying she was always unsure of what to do but Hermione knew that her mother loved her.

Finally the vial was taken away from her lips and her head placed back on to the pillow, Madam Pomferey waved her wand and a tissue appeared and wiped off all the drops that escaped.

Dumbledore continued to stand where he was with his hand still on her leg giving her that never ending warmth of having someone there.

Madam Pomferey came back and spoke with Hermione in low tones, thankfully unlike before her voice seemed to be at normal volumes and Hermione could clearly hear her.

“Miss Granger,” the old woman started, “I just gave you the strongest healing potion possible. You’ve been in a coma for over a week, your friends are fine, and you will be fine.” She spoke as though Hermione was a child, her words stood apart and were backed with a firmness making Hermione believe every word.

“You are not able to move a the moment, but don’t worry, I needed to make sure the poison doesn’t spread through your body too fast.”

Poison, that’s right, for a moment Hermione had forgotten everything and almost wished it had stayed that way as well as her mind brought the memories to the center of her brain.

She remembered it well, Lucius Malfoy touching her in way that made her sick, being told she was dying, her thoughts on death, the blood clots, seeing Dumbledore and then… nothing.

Hazel eyes widened as they darted towards the old man at the end of her bed, his face had changed in the time Hermione had looked away, now bearing a grave look.

Dumbledore’s awake. Her heart beat painfully inside her chest, he can save me.

-

The long blonde haired man sat at the Headmasters desk glaring at the chair across from him.

A nagging feeling of the ‘chat’ he and the Dark Lord would have if the Mudblood dies. Would he have to give up Draco? Lucius let out an ungentlemanly snort as he thought of his only son.

Such a try hard, by all rights Lucius liked, not loved, his son but he found himself hating the flaws, that the child he had helped bring into the world, and continuously pointing out the area’s where he had failed.

In a strange way he enjoyed watching his son’s face crumble when Lucius remarked on how he could never amount to anything because he was always second.

To Harry Potter.

And to a Mudblood.

Still he had given small encouragements to him as a child making Draco slowly build up his trust towards his father and then smashing it, tearing it, like when he got his grades after completing his first year.

Second best in his year was amazing, Lucius had only been third and fourth, but to come second to Granger of all people was worse than failing.

Lucius twisted his lips into a warped smirk as he recalled the way he mockingly praised Draco, ‘These marks are just what I’d expect from the heir to the Malfoy’s’ ‘I’ll let you choose anything you want.’ His smiling face, happy and unknowing of the mockery, his happy eyes all bright suddenly became shocked.

Lucius recalls how he placed his fingers at the top of the parchment and slowly, ever so slowly drinking in the pain from Draco’s face, the way he sneered at he young eleven year old boy.

He knows that night his son cried himself to sleep as he took his wife to bed.

He chuckles darkly, yes he was a bad man, a very dark and bad man and he knows he can have whoever he wants, as proved many times, and now he sets his sights, this time going for gold, on Hermione Granger.

If she doesn’t die that is.

-

Tap.

Tap, tap, tap, the rhythmic sound of wood on wood came faster and louder as Harry continued to rap his wand on his desk in the safety of the boys’ dorms.

Tap, tap, tap Harry watched, while tapping the wand, as his red haired friend paced on the brown carpeted floors his shoulders hunched forward and his blue eyes narrowed in concentration, something rarely shown in Ron. His hands making small motions sometimes making movements as to wave and wag his finger, the freckled boy stopped and turned to his sister who was sitting on Harry’s bed.

The carpet where Ron had been pacing showed signs of being worn down but would, with no surprise, become fluffy and clean by tomorrow morning after the house elves fix it.

Harry placed his wand on top of the desk and looked at the young girl sitting with her legs crossed on his red and gold bed. He saw her bright brown eyes looking dully into her lap while her face looked worn and tired.

It had been only an hour since they had gotten the news of their best friend waking in the hospital wing and were told, sternly, that if that wished to see her in a few hours then they better not make a fuss and try breaking into the school medical ward.

They had heard about Dumbledore being the only one who could help and the three of them wanted to do more research to see if they could find something, anything. Yet on the desk that Harry had been using to bash his wand against was covered with books and as soon as they had them… they had no idea what to do.

Ginny spoke up, her voice was strained as though she was trying to keep the truth away, “I wish Dumbledore was awake too. If he was then Hermione would have a better chance at-“ Her voice crackled before dying, the truth was always painful and this time the truth was:

Without Dumbledore, Hermione will die.

Without thinking both Harry and Ron rushed over to comfort Ginny whose eyes were overcome with tears. There was a slight bang as the chair Harry been sitting on just seconds ago crashed to the floor after being tipped from Harry’s speedy movement.

They felt for the first time in their lives, the helplessness of a child who was watching their friend die.

-

Hermione blinked her watery eyes and looked once more at the old man at the foot of her bed, unable to speak from the soreness of her throat she just mouthed the word, “Dumbledore” and closed her eyes hoping now she could be saved.

-

And the chapter is done yay.

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Jessica