Draco didn't bother pretending he'd spent the night at home, but instead flew around on his broomstick, trying to think. For some reason, his mind worked best when he was in the air, and at that moment, he tried to make the most of it.
Astoria should not continue taking the poison, because if she did, she would die. The problem was that if she didn't, she would die too, and he was sure that the earl would destroy any trace of the potion as soon as the wedding took place. So, he had no time to waste. But he couldn't think of anything.
He became desperate. Once upon a time, the solution would have been within reach. He would have talked to his old teacher, Snape, and he would have taken care of everything. But Snape was dead, and he couldn't waste time thinking about what would have happened if he hadn't.
But there was another person who could help him, he remembered. Professor Slughorn had heard about that drug and had told him in detail about it. Maybe he could help them.
Draco turned his broom and headed towards the place where the professor had sent him his letter.
Since the end of the war, Slughorn had dared to live in a house of his own, albeit a very well protected one. Draco managed to find it after flying over the area for a while, and very carefully, he landed in the garden. Nothing happened, and that gave him confidence. He wanted to knock on the door, but found it open, and he dared to enter the house, very carefully.
"Professor Slughorn?" he called. "Professor Slughorn, I need to speak with you."
Then something hit him from behind, and before he could react, Draco found himself hanging upside down, spinning around.
"You better tell me who you are, young man, and don't even think about trying to lie to me," said Slughorn, from somewhere.
"Professor, I'm Draco Malfoy," he answered, still spinning in the air. "I need your help, it's urgent."
"My help? And how do I know I can trust you?"
"I don't mean to do anything to you, I swear," Draco shouted. He was getting dizzy. "A person is going to die, and you can prevent it. You have to listen to me!"
Slughorn stopped him and came a little closer to him.
"What are you saying, boy?"
"The potion I asked you about, the Dream of Death, he is using it, and she is going to die, sir, and I can't think of anyone else who-"
"Stop, stop," the teacher interrupted him. He decided to leave Draco on the ground, although he did not stop pointing his wand at him. "Let's go by parts, what are you talking about?"
Draco tried to regain his balance, and then began to speak. He told him everything, from the wedding plans to how the earl had poisoned Astoria. For once, Slughorn listened to him without interrupting him.
"...and yesterday he forced her to drink a much larger dose than she was used to, and now Astoria is as good as dead," Draco spoke quickly, trying to be as clear as possible. "And she will die, professor, if we don't do something. You are the only person who can help us, sir," he added, pleadingly. Slughorn looked at him in complete amazement.
"Boy, you have left me speechless," he admitted. "I do not know what to tell you. This matter is very worrying, but you are burdening me with a great responsibility. I don't know if I'm the best one for-"
"You're the only one who can do anything," Draco insisted. "Please! My parents don't believe me, and the earl is determined to kill her if necessary. I don't know who else to turn to!"
"Okay, okay," Slughorn relented, overwhelmed by the boy's insistent pleas. Deep down, his sensitive and proud character had overcome his misgivings. Knowing that he could be the hero of the story had pushed him to want to collaborate. "I will try to make an antidote to counteract the effect of the potion. But I need a sample of that poison. Any variation in its preparation could determine the components of the antidote."
"I'll get it for you as soon as it gets dark," Draco promised, relieved and grateful. "It is the only time in which the earl does not watch her."
"It would be much better if you got it sooner, but I can prepare the essential ingredients of the potion, and finish it when I know the details," the man agreed. Draco almost hugged him.
He promised that he would send the sample of the potion as soon as possible. After that, he returned home. Although he was still worried about Astoria, he now had hope. If Slughorn had agreed to help them, it meant that he believed him, and would do everything he could.
As he walked aimlessly down the corridor, he discovered that his mother was looking for him.
"Draco, I finally found you!" Narcissa exclaimed, very worried. "Something horrible has happened. The countess is dying!"
"What?" he asked, startled. Had Astoria's condition gotten worse since he left her?
"The earl told us with an owl. We have decided to move the wedding forward to tomorrow, because we don't know how long she will last."
"Tomorrow? And why not today?" Draco asked, forgetting for a moment about Slughorn's order.
"I don't know, honey, it was all so hasty..." Narcissa seemed worried. "Poor girl, let's hope she lasts long enough."
"I hope so too, mother," he stated, sincerely. Then an idea occurred to him so brilliant that he wondered why he hadn't thought of it before. "Mother, do you think I could ask professor Slughorn to be my best man?" Narcissa looked at him amazed.
"Slughorn? I didn't know you had such a good relationship with him."
"He helped me a lot to get over the NEWTS, and we've kept in touch ever since," he lied.
"If that is your choice... I don't think either your father or the earl would care," she said.
Draco smiled. At least Slughorn could have a chance to see Astoria and assess her situation. Now all that was left was to tell the teacher.
***
The day seemed endless. Draco didn't stop all day, pacing from one place to another. Every now and then he looked at the clock and cursed.
"Calm down, son. It's only a few hours," Lucius told him, looking at him amused. How easy it was for him to say it! He had nothing to fear!
But Draco felt an agony he had never experienced. Was the earl's urgent owl justified, or had he exaggerated the danger his daughter was in to bring forward the wedding? Kali had said that her worsening health had been on purpose, but what if the poison was winning the battle?
Would Astoria be able to hold out until the next day? And he? What would he do if she died? What would happen if they didn't arrive on time? The memory of Astoria, unconscious and cold, returned to his mind, distressing him. His chest ached at the thought that he could lose her.
As soon as he saw the sun begin to go down, he grabbed his broom and snuck away. It was earlier than ever when he reached the false sentry box and climbed the hidden stairs, arriving at Astoria's room.
Nothing had changed since the previous night, except that this time Kali had fallen asleep at the foot of the bed. It seemed like she had punished herself again. Draco tiptoed to the poison jar, and carefully filled the container he was to give to Slughorn.
He heard footsteps outside the room, and knew he had to leave as soon as possible, but he couldn't leave there without saying goodbye to Astoria.
The young woman's condition had not improved, and she remained pale and motionless. She looked so frail and weak that Draco felt a tightness in his chest as he thought about what might happen if the antidote wasn't ready in time. He sat down next to her and took her hand.
"In a few hours we are going to get married," he whispered, "and everything will be over. You have to hold on until then, do you hear me? Because if you don't, I... I don't know what I'm going to do if you die, Astoria, so don't die, okay?"
Draco felt so useless and helpless that he didn't know what to say. His eyes had clouded over.
"I wish I were in your place," he whispered. "I promise you that when you recover, I won't let them hurt you again. I won't allow it," he said, caressing her cold face. After a few seconds of hesitation, he leaned down and rested his forehead on hers. "I think... I think I've fallen in love with you. Don't ask me how, because I don't even know it myself, but I... I love you, Astoria... and I hope I can love you for a long time to come."
His tears fell on her eyelids as he leaned a little closer and kissed her softly on the lips. He would have given anything for her to move or react in any way, but Astoria was still unaware of everything that was happening around her.
Draco had to make a superhuman effort to get up and leave. As he went down the stairs, he realized that his heart was left behind.
***
He hurried to Slughorn's house and handed him the bottle with the drug.
"Very well, boy, there is still time to get it ready," said the professor. "How is the girl?"
"Unconscious. She shows no signs of reacting," he responded, with a lump in his throat. Slughorn glared at him.
"You really care about what happens to her, huh?" he commented, insightful.
"I don't like people dying," he defended himself, abruptly. "And even less so for something stupid like this."
Slughorn didn't comment further but got to work. He emptied the flask into a small cauldron and placed it near the fire.
"By the way, professor," Draco commented, watching him work. "I thought it would be a good idea for you to be my best man. That way, if something happens during the wedding, you could do something."
"I feel honored, son," declared the old professor, giving him a brief look. "I'll try to have the antidote ready by then."
"Do you need me to help you?" Draco asked, watching him go from one place to another.
"Of course not," replied the other. "I think I can handle myself very well when it comes to figuring out the ingredients of a potion."
"Well, I meant-"
"Boy, go to sleep, you need it," said Slughorn. "I don't need help, and you couldn't help me, and anyway, you need to rest. I recommend it to you; your dear countess's recovery will not be easy."
Under other circumstances, Draco would have responded badly to his professor's overflowing pride, but it was true that he was too tired, and deep down, there wasn't much he could do to help Slughorn. So, he returned to his room and tried to sleep, but it was completely impossible.
No matter how much he thought about Astoria, he always remembered her pale and cold, on the verge of death. Would she be able to recover? Would she go back to being the healthy, happy person she was? Would she finally be free of the earl's dark threat? Is there any chance that the two of them could be happy together?
And while Slughorn hastily prepared the miraculous antidote, he turned around and around, thinking...