Chương 15: Are you serious?
I must look like a madman, banging on Astoria's door during a Saturday afternoon but I couldn't care less right now because Hermione's in a goddamned coma. After a good two minutes, she opens the door.
"For Merlin's sake! I need your help! What took so bloody long?" She glares at me, before Pansy comes around the corner, rubbing her eyes.
"Draco, what the actual fuck." She groans out and then glares at me; even half-asleep she looks intimidating.
"Why does Pansy look dead to the world?"
"Because we had a girl's night last night with Hermione. And we drank. A lot. I had a PepperUp Potion this afternoon when I got up but Pansy didn't, and then you banging on the door woke her up."
"With Hermione? And your apartment isn't in tatters?"
Astoria rolls her eyes."Morgana's mercy, I'm friends with an idiot."
"You knew that since you became friends with him." Pansy shouted from inside the apartment. Draco scoffed in indignance; Astoria continued. "Do you think Pansy would be like this', she gestures in Pansy's direction,' if Hermione hadn't stayed?"
"Yes?"
She looks at me with her, 'oh, for Merlin's sake' look. I do a double-take, and now that I've heard it, it does resemble that Pansy's hungover. Not to mention she's wearing a silk, Slytherin- green silver trimmed robe that Astoria keeps specifically for her and their girl's nights. And what seems to be like nothing else except a bathing suit underneath. Embarrassed a bit, I step back and flush.
"Sorry. But Hermione's unconscious and I need to finalize things at the office."
Astoria gapes."Hermione's unconscious?" Her eyes narrow and focus on the dried blood on my formerly crisp white shirt."Why didn't you say so, you daft idiot? And why is the blood on your shirt? Pans, there's PepperUp in the cupboard in the bathroom; you know which one. I'm heading to Hermione's."
"Whoa, whoa, whoa. Hold your horses; I'm coming too." Pansy looks fully awake now, and I'm surprised that she's this eager to come along.
"Why? You just wanna see her unconscious?" This time, Astoria actually slaps me; I step back in shock.
"What the hell?"
"Draco, are you fucking serious. Do you understand anything? Shit during girl's nights, mister. I don't know what you were doing every time you got drunk with Blaise in the Slytherin commons but We amended things with Hermione and we've started fresh. It's not like she just decided to forget it all, but she decided to leave it in the past!" She hisses in my face. "So drag your sorry arse down to your office, if you have things to do, and Pans and I will take care of Hermione."
During Astoria's rant, Pansy has changed into a white crop top and loose, high- waisted emerald green pants. Astoria glances down at her white button-down and black slacks.
"After I change."
***
After changing into a loose black v-neck and pair of whitewashed jeans and tearing my hair out of its severe bun, I grab Pansy and Apparate her to Hermione's. Striding to the bedroom, I rush in and see Hermione delicately laid out on the bed, her left forearm bleeding like hell. I stop and gasp in horror. Carved into her flesh is the awful word that is unfortunately familiar, seeing as though it was standard in the family vocabulary, but now tastes like poison on my tongue.
The edges of the letters are raised and it looks so painful. My eyes fill with tears.
I had heard about it, of course; people will whisper. But she must've had a glamour charm on it the night she came over, because I didn't see it.
And I would've noticed if there was a huge freakin scar on her arm.
Pansy nearly crashes into me, but she too spots the scar and claps her hand over her mouth, eyes brimming with tears just like mine. I can't imagine how much worse for her it must be; she heard about Hermione's horrifying experience at the Manor in full detail from Draco when he broke down in front of her one day. We had only become closer after school and thus I had only gleaned whispers from others.
Snapping out of it, I scramble to her side, where I see a hand- written note on her white bedside table. It has a list of ingredients and instructions; underneath that is a note saying that she ought to have a vial a day. Clearly this is a potion, specifically for internal healing. Potions is usually considered a forte of any Slytherin, considering that Snape was simultaneously Slytherin's head of house and the Potions Master at Hogwarts. I tell Pansy I'm going out to Diagon Alley to get the ingredients since she's too distraught to focus too much on anything and it'll distract me, because I always fare better if I have something to do. Silently, she nods, as she holds Hermione's hand. I head out.
***
I sit at Hermione's bedside, holding her limp hand while Astoria is out. I feel so guilty; knowing I caused her unnecessary torment over our years at Hogwarts. Will anyone else ever be so forgiving? Certainly not most; as the daughter of a former Death-Eater family and known supporters of blood-supremacy, I have not always experienced the good side of others.
But Hermione.
She's the most forgiving person I've ever seen, even if she's been tortured and taunted for everything I've ever believed in. And there, in her bedroom, is where I promise to myself: I will always do my best to be as forgiving to others as she has been to me.
Realizing I can't do anything useful sitting at her side, I squeeze her hand one more time and head out to set up her Potions things. No doubt Astoria will be back soon and the sooner we can get going, the better.
***
The list reads like a standard Ministry potion: lacewing flies, Gillywater, fluxweed plucked at full moon, unicorn hair with a few other ingredients. The only unusual thing is six Opaleye dragon scales; I suppose that's what gives it its gorgeous, rich color.
Grabbing everything on the list (and a few extra things I figure would be useful) I pay and head back as quickly as possible. Pansy has already set up all of Hermione's Potions kit; scales ready, cauldron empty under a low fire, basic ingredients laid out on a white tablecloth.
Hastily we get to work; cutting everything up and dumping it into the water that's now boiling inside the burning hot cauldron. As I add a few drops of Doxy venom, Pansy frowns.
"Astoria, there's no instructions here for Doxy venom."
"And?"
"Well, what are you doing?" I snort.
"Have you forgotten we're both basically master potioneers? I'm brewing something the potion, just not the potion. It'll be stronger and work faster. Better."
Pansy sighs."You could've at least told me. How do you know it won't go wrong?"
I grab her shoulders to have her face me.
"Pans, I hate to bring this up, but so you remember Ikar?"
Her eyes turn to steel and her lips transform into a thin, unforgiving line.
"Unfortunately."
"Remember how we brewed that potion? The mix of Sleeping and Calming draughts. And remember how it worked wonderfully? That's what I'm doing; the potion here is an Energy Restorative potion; the one I'm making is an Energy Restorative but it'll also help that nasty scar heal up. And encourage her system to help her wake up."
Pansy sighed.
"Alright, what do you need me to do."
***
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