star shopping ✰ d.m.

CHAPTER FOUR

When Arabella had caught up with Hagrid, he had been confused but didn't ask any questions. They rushed up to the hospital wing and briefly explained what had happened to Madam Pomfrey as Hagrid gently set Draco on a bed. Then, Hagrid had left to report the incident to Professor Dumbledore, but Arabella stayed and sat by Draco's side while Madam Pomfrey healed him. He didn't even seem to notice she was there until his arm had been bandaged. He was surprised but didn't tell her to leave, and he actually stopped moaning in pain. The two of them used the opportunity for Arabella to help explain a few things to Draco, one of them being how dangerous hippogriffs actually are. An hour later, Madam Pomfrey poked her head in.

"Miss Weasley," she said. Both teenagers looked up at her. "Mr. Malfoy needs his rest. Besides, you don't want to miss dinner. He should be out soon but if not, you can come back to visit tomorrow."

And so Arabella said goodbye to Draco and started to leave. On her way out, Madam Pomfrey stopped her and thanked her for calming him down. His groans had been rather loud and obnoxious.

Just after leaving the infirmary, Arabella almost ran into none other than Pansy Parkinson.

"What are you doing up here?" asked Pansy, looking at Arabella as if she were something nasty she had stepped in.

"Same as you, I assume," Arabella answered simply. "Draco's fine, but don't expect Madam Pomfrey to let you in. She's just kicked me out."

"As she should! You've probably been in there cursing him again, haven't you? Draco!" And she pushed her way past Arabella into the infirmary. Arabella rolled her eyes and made her way to the Great Hall.

"Where've you been?" Seamus asked as she sat down next to him.

"Somewhere," Arabella answered, not looking at him. "Don't worry about it."

"You've been in the hospital wing with Malfoy, haven't you?" Dean asked.

Arabella immediately clapped a hand over his mouth and looked around to make sure no one had heard him. "Keep your voice down! Anyone could hear you."

"So you have?"

"Possibly." After seeing the looks on her friends' faces, she rolled her eyes and continued. "Well, what better time to educate him on hippogriffs when he's lying in a hospital bed unable to do anything about it?" As Seamus and Dean exchanged concerned looks, Arabella noticed Ginny talking animatedly to a brown-haired Ravenclaw girl. "I see Ginny's made a friend."

"Yeah," Seamus confirmed. "Evelyn Cabot I think Ginny said her name was. I guess they have a class together. Apparently, they have the same birthday."

"Really? How do you know all this?"

"Because I haven't been sucking up to Malfoy for the past hour."

"All right, all right! No need to be so loud!"

The next day at lunch, Draco had been released from the hospital wing and was sitting with his friends at the Slytherin table, telling them all about how terribly his injury hurt and how he could have lost his arm. It was all so ridiculous, it was really starting to annoy Arabella.

"Listen to the idiot," said Ron, apparently feeling the same as his sister. "He's really laying it on thick, isn't he?"

"Yeah, but at least Hagrid didn't get fired," Harry said.