NIGHTINGALE ( draco malfoy! )

06. jeremiah's injury

CHAPTER SIX

MALIA AVERY NERVOUSLY SAT OUTSIDE the Hospital wing next to Daphne Greengrass. The two girls silently waited for Madam Pomfrey to let them see Jeremiah, who was brought there shortly after his fall at the Quidditch match.

     Daphne's cheeks were stained with tears and her eyes were red and swollen. As for Malia, it was more difficult for her to express her sadness. She was completely drained, all emotions she normally would have felt were gone.

     When the sound of footsteps began to echo through the quiet hallway, Malia Avery lifted her gaze to meet a tall figure advancing towards them. The closer it got, the clearer the figure became.

It was Draco.

     "You shouldn't be here." Malia spoke to the boy when he arrived next to them.

     "Why not?" Draco asked, furrowing his eyebrows.

     "Daphne told me that Jer had noticed I was gone during the match, and that you were gone, too. That's what caused him to lose focus and fall off his broom."

     "Oh." Draco spoke, leaning to the side to catch a glimpse of Daphne.

     "What..." Daphne sniffled, looking up at the two. "What were you two doing anyway?"

     As panic began to rise in her chest, Malia quickly came up with the easiest excuse she could think of, "I don't know where Draco was, but I was in...the library...um...studying."

     "Studying?" The girl asked, lifting her eyebrows. "Really?"

     "Yeah." Malia answered, this time more clearly. "Studying by myself....completely alone...in the library."

     "Uh huh." Daphne nodded, sighing and turning to the blonde boy. "What about you?"

     "I didn't feel well after breakfast so I went back up to the dorms." Draco answered quickly. "I've been there all day."

     "I was going to say, you don't look well, Draco." Daphne pointed out. "Probably because you didn't eat nearly anything at breakfast. I know you're naturally pale, but you look almost ghost like."

     Draco rolled his eyes, replying sarcastically, "Thank you, mother."

     A moment later, Madam Pomfrey appeared and called the the group into the room, "You may see him now, but you can't stay too long. He still has to rest."

     Daphne quickly entered into the hospital wing, walking over to the bed where Jeremiah lay. As for Malia, she turned to Draco and asked, "Are you coming?"

"No." Draco replied. "You're right, this would be a bad time. I'll talk to you later."

Nodding, Malia turned away from the boy and entered into the room. Almost as if on que, Jeremiah awakened, rubbing his eyes.