Elysia

Chapter Thirteen ~ The Aches

"Lung cancer panacis." I whispered, watching the scan as the tumour began to shrink so slowly I wasn't sure it was actually happening.

Slowly I went through each and every one of the cancers, all of which shrunk impossibly slowly. At this rate, it would take at least two days. That wouldn't be fats enough for some patients, I knew, but I would refine later, I was sure. The energy it took evidently was draining my consciousness.

"Elysia! Please wake up, please... I'm so sorry, you weren't lying... I was scared, I was scared... I'll join, I promise." sobbed Gerard, his arms wrapped tightly around me.

"S-stop..." I rasped, pushing him weakly around.

The growths were gone, I could feel it. I was so weak, though, so very weak. The spells and the healing had taken all of my strength that was clear. Gerard was in tears in front of me, struggling to wipe them away and reign in his anguish.

"You thought I was dead?" I laughed, pushing myself upright.

"You've been asleep three days. It's been two weeks since you came here." he replied, his voice heavily Scottish as he had his guard down.

"And you'll join?" I continued, smiling broadly.

"Of course I will. You- You really think there's a chance I'd be forgiven?" he continued, holding my hand now.

"I'll talk you through it."

"You don't know how much this means to me." he said in disbelief, shaking his head from side to side.

"I think I do."

"Voldemort wanted me to torture you. That's why I get to be here alone with you every morning. You're always so pale and weak, hidden beneath your blanket, that the other guards believe it too." he continued, looking guiltily up at me.

Shrugging as that loophole was closed, I grew more certain that this was the truth. It seemed too good to be true that the only sympathetic Death Eater in Hogwarts was my personal guard. He edged closer, holding both of my hands in a manner that made me suddenly uncomfortable.

"I beat you that night. I was one of the people that beat you... But, when I carried you back to the cell I pretended that I was only watching, I knew you were awake. And, I thought of the dry water, too. Because of those two ideas, Voldemort thought I'd be perfect as your torturer."

"I hated you for being his daughter, you see, I thought you were him. But now I know that you're wonderful, I knew the second that you saved your Dorm. That's why I thought of the dry water, and that's why I beat you. So that I could be here to protect you." his face drew closer to mine, brown eyes so close I could finally see the pupils.

"I forgive you." I assured him, nodding my head up and down.

With that he closed his eyes and laid his lips gently against mine, lasting half a second. It had the shyness of a school boy, more friendlily than loving. He nodded firmly and sat down again where Neville's apparition had sat previously, the kiss hadn't meant much to him, nor to me.

"I know that you've been hurting yourself to make cures." he said simply, gesturing to my sore belly.

"I- I had to, really, and I made an amazing cure." I replied, smiling meekly.

"There's one more thing I should tell you, Elysia." he continued, standing up and walking over to the door.

"Tell me." I said casually.

"They found a red panda, said it was yours. The little guy might know how to get to your Dorm, but he has other information. They've got him now, and I'm going to be helping in the memory extraction." he whispered, locking the door swiftly behind himself.