Achieving Light [Book 2 of Through Darkness and Light]

Chapter 10: Spy Attack

“I hate feeling fat.” This time, Draco really did roll his eyes, but he was careful to avert his gaze, keeping Harry from seeing. He kissed Harry’s forehead.

“You’re not fat…Madame Pomfrey wanted us in the infirmary. I think we get to find out what it is, Harry. We can stop calling the baby an ‘it’. Doesn’t that sound nice?”

“I’m not a little kid, Draco,” Harry retorted. “Don’t talk in that tone.”

Gritting his teeth and pleading to Merlin for patience, Draco sighed. “Alright, Harry. I’m…I’m sorry. Let’s just go see her, okay?”

With a muffled grunt, Harry pushed himself off the bed, standing heavily. “I don’t fit anything,” he complained again. Draco held up a pair of trousers.

“Did you trying an enlarging or stretching charm?”

Harry frowned. “No, I didn’t think of that,” he admitted. “I guess it might work…”

“It’s all we got for now…don’t worry. Just two more months, and we’ll be scot-free.”

Draco took Harry’s hand, and rubbed it with his thumb. Harry gave him a hesitant smile, then quickly redressed in baggy robes, before allowing Draco to lead him out the door.

The bulge that was Harry’s stomach protruded slightly, but the shifting of the robes hid the majority of it. Still, that didn’t stop a few students from pointing and whispering, before smiling at the couple, nor did it stop a few of the bolder girls from walking up and asking to touch Harry’s stomach.

“I feel like a freak show,” Harry muttered, as soon as another pair of girls moved on.

“Be glad. Most guys would kill for the attention we get from the ladies,” Draco grinned. Harry eyed him jealously.

“Bet you’d rather be with one of those pretty ladies, hm?” he asked sullenly. Draco frowned, snapping his gaze to Harry.

“Don’t be ridiculous, Harry. You’re my husband and I love you.”

“Now I’m ridiculous?”

Now Harry was just being irrational. Draco again gritted his teeth, and sucked in a deep, calming breath. “I didn’t say you were. I said your actions were. Relax.”

“Hmph.” Harry stormed off, and Draco had to speed up. He was still a few steps away from Harry when a sudden red light jetted out of nowhere, striking Harry from the side. Seeing his Inima collapse, Draco darted forward, his wand instantly drawn.

His panicked grey eyes caught nothing except the glimpse of a fleeing, cloaked figure, and he shot a stunner at the figure, missing by several feet. But Draco had more serious things to think about than following the person that had hexed Harry.

Draco all but fell at Harry’s side, noting the fetal position Harry had curled into, arms latched over his stomach. As students began to flock by the area, drawn by the sudden cry, Draco attempted to pull Harry’s arms away. “Harry!” he cried, catching sight of the gashes across the other’s midsection. A shocked gasp reached his ears, and Draco looked up, his face pale. “Somebody go get Madame Pomfrey,” he pleaded. A fourth year Hufflepuff nodded her head, and dashed off, as a sixth year Ravenclaw moved forward.

“Let’s start moving him there,” he said shakily. “Otherwise she won’t get here in time.” Seeing the wisdom of the boy’s words, despite his fear, Draco nodded. He stood, gently pulling Harry up with him, unable to gather him into his arms because of the recently added weight. Instead, he was forced to move at a much slower pace, as the Ravenclaw, Alex Heffley, helped him bear Harry’s stumbling weight.

A low moan came from Harry, as sweat beaded his forehead. “The baby,” he whispered. “Draco, help me…”

“I’m here, Harry, I’m here,” Draco murmured. He ignored the continued shouts of alarm from students all around, and barely registered the other students forming a protective circle around Harry and his entourage.

“Draco! We’re here,” Pansy gasped as she and Hermione ran up, followed by Blaise. Another student trailed behind them, obviously having run for them as soon as the attack had happened.

“And so is Pomfrey,” added Hermione. Sure enough, the Mediwitch shoved her way through the throng of students, instructing them to back off, as Draco propped Harry against a wall.

“Harry, I need you to move your arms,” she said gently, but firmly. Harry didn’t seem to hear her.

“The baby,” he kept repeating. “Help me…”

“We want to help you, Harry…move your arms!”

Harry curled into a tighter ball. “Don’t let them hurt it…”

Draco, panicking, grabbed Harry’s wrists and began to pry them away. Harry struggled at first, but Draco made him meet his eyes. “It’s alright, Harry…I’m here…I won’t let anyone hurt our baby,” he whispered soothingly.

"He wants it..." Harry whispered. Draco's eyes widened. "Death...he wants to steal my reasons to live...one by one..." His face became sallow and cold, and the eerie voice didn't sound like Harry at all. "One by one, he will lose all that he has to live for...and then he shall be mine..."

"Harry!" Draco snapped. "Death, leave him alone." Was no one else seeing this? Judging by the still scared expressions, he didn't think anyone had heard the exchange. A low chuckle sounded in his mind, and a lingering whisper rang out.

He shall be mine...

A greyish gleam flashed through Harry's eyes, then they once more became the brilliant green. "The baby," he whispered, his voice and appearance back to normal.

"It's okay, Harry...Madame Pomfrey's going to help..."

Slowly, Harry began to relax, and he let Draco peel away his arms, allowing Madame Pomfrey to inspect the wounds. Professor Snape pushed his way through the crowds as well, having been alerted by Blaise on the way over.

“I brought potions,” he stated, his brow furrowed.

“A cutting hex,” Madame Pomfrey murmured, ignoring him at first. “But not Sectumsempra. One meant to damage internal organs…”

As Snape knelt down beside her, inspecting the wounds, Draco met her eyes.

“Madame Pomfrey,” he began desperately. “The baby…is it…?” Had Death won?

She met his gaze with a grave expression.