THE VISION THIEF - D. MALFOY

19. another trip to the hospital wing

I try to swat his arm away. "Stop it!" I tell him. He smirks. "Relax, I'm trying to get a better look." He says.

"Oh because you have so much knowledge of poison?" I mutter sarcastically.

"Not Poison, but Dark Magic, yes." He simply says. "Dark Magic?" I exclaim. He ignores me and has the audacity to lightly apply pressure to the wound. "Ow!" I shout and shove his arm, causing his smirk to only grow.

"It really hurts just by touching it?" He asks. "Yes." I scowl at him. He rolls his eyes. "What were you saying about Dark Magic?" I ask. He pulls away from me, and the warmth he gave off is instantly gone. "Well, think about it. Rookwood practices the dark arts. What are the odds the same knife wound you get ends up looking like -well that," he gestures towards my stomach, "it was probably cursed, or laced with poison. Some kind of Dark Magic I'm guessing." He explains.

I listen to his words and nod in understanding before another sharp pain strikes my side. "Why does this have to happen to me?" I groan. 

"Because you're reckless." He states.

"Yes, thank you, we've established that." I scowl at him. Malfoy smirks, "Just reminding you, Ashwood." He says.

"No need for reminders, I just want my old life back." I say, suddenly feeling rather overwhelmed. I never had to worry about stuff like this when I was just a regular, boring human. 

"What? The boring one?" He asks.

"It was hardly boring!" I defend, obviously lying. "Really? Life without magic? Furthermore, life without me?" He questions dramatically. "Don't get me started on life without you, Malfoy. I would cut off my right arm to have that back." I say, and that part, is slightly true. 

He scoffs. "Quit lying. I know you fancy our time together." He smirks. "Oh my god. Are you on drugs right now?" I question.

"Unfortunately, I am not." He frowns. What a typical response. I roll my eyes. "Of all people I had to get stuck with this year, it just had to be you," I mutter, a build up of annoyance and agitation suddenly weighing down on me. 

"What's got your knickers in a twist all of a sudden?" He snaps. 

I blink hard, and my lips part. I pause for a moment a think. "I - I have no idea," I mumble. I furrow my brows as I try to understand where that sudden feeling came from. I focus my eyes on the hospital bedsheets in front of me, but seconds later the hospital wing doors fly open and in rushes my worried looking aunt. 

"Emma! Is everything ok?" She exclaims in a concerned tone. 

"I don't know," I say honestly. Besides the shooting pain when I move, I feel relatively okay. And besides the abrupt rush of annoyance and negative feelings only a moment before, I feel fine. Something feels wrong however. In the back of my mind something is gnawing away at me, urging me to uncover the issue and figure out what is out of place. But, aside from the ghastly looking wound on my mid section, nothing should be bothering me this much. 

Without any warning, Madam Pomfrey pulls my shirt back up, exposing me to everyone in the room. I meet Malfoy's gaze and he quickly averts his eyes, looking anywhere but me. A sharp gasp is quick to fill the room, escaping Aunt Minerva. 

"What in the world?" she whispers, as she leans down to get a closer look at the horrific sight. 

"You guys are really freaking me out," I say, trying to ignore the anxious feeling rising in my chest. 

"Emma don't worry, we will figure this out," Minerva says in a reassuring tone, but her eyes betray her words. She looks afraid. Pomfrey pulls her to the side and whispers something in her ear. I look to Malfoy, wondering if he has any idea of what is going on, but he looks just as confused as I must look. 

"I know a woman who might be able to help. She's a seer, and a healer, I think she might know how to fix this," Aunt Minerva says to me. 

"Wh - when can we see her?"  I ask. 

"Tonight," she says. "I'll go alert her we are coming, we will travel by the Floo Network of course," she pauses briefly and turns to Malfoy. "Draco I assume you are coming?" She asks. 

He almost looks bewildered that she would even ask such a thing. I can tell his hasty decline and snide remark hangs off his lips, and he has to fight with his whole being to say the right thing. Based on the disciplinary look Minerva gives him, he quickly shuts his mouth and a deep, disappointed scowl etches itself across his features. 

"Yes," He says as begrudgingly as ever. 

"Wonderful!" She beams at him. "I'll need you to help Emmeline seeing as she is injured badly," she says. I sigh deeply. My luck had officially gone to shit. I couldn't escape Draco Malfoy no matter how hard I tried.