Please vote if you enjoy! xx
Clara POV
*Edited*
I feel light fall onto my face, and sinking into my skin as consciousness returns to my body. I attempt to open my eyes, wincing at the bright light shining onto me and closing them again. A few attempts later I manage to open them. I blink a few times as my eyes focus. A window to my right shines light into the room. A fireplace to my left warms the room and has a few armchairs facing it, though one has been moved to my bedside. Under the large window is a bench, covered in bottles and medical equipment. The room is eerily silent. I push myself up onto my elbows and pain sprays down my body. I wince and take a deep breath as I move my legs to the side of the bed. The feeling of the sheets moving against them was enough to get my eyes watering. I held in the cry. I had to see Draco. Was he alright? Did the Grindylows get him? Them? What happened to the girl?
Slowly I lower my feet to the floor and push myself into sitting position. I wince again, feeling my skin burn with every movement I make. I lower myself onto my feet, clinging to the bed. I take a deep breath. I can do this. I can. I push myself up, taking my weight on my feet. My head spins and my insides burn as my legs give way. I scream as I fall onto my side. I start to shake. Sobbing I push my head up to see someone running up to me, picking me up and putting me back in bed, but I don't hear what they're saying. The moment my head hits the pillow I lose consciousness again.
I hear the quiet sound of muffled voices and my eyes flicker open slowly. I see a figure standing by the bench under the window, wearing white. The people talking are sitting by the fire. I turn my head a bit more to see someone sitting in the armchair next to my bed.
"Harry?" I croak, wincing as my eyes focus on his dark hair. He jumps looking around until his eyes land on mine.
"C-Clara?" He asks quietly, sitting up a bit and looking at me. I nod.
"Oh thank god!" He cries, jumping up and taking my hand while giving me a dysfunctional hug. I smile at him. A few other people rush over, as my eyes focus, I see Hermione and Ron behind Harry and Madame Pomphrey on the other side of my bed.
"Where am I?"
"A private room McGonagal arranged for you." Madame Pomphrey answers, giving me a smile and brushing her fingers over my forehead. "These three have barely left your side."
I turn to them, giving them a thankful look.
"We came in and you were on the floor a few days ago! Do you remember getting out of bed?" Hermione says. A few days? I swear that was only an hour ago!
"Days?" I ask timidly.
"You've been in and out for two weeks, Clara." Ron says, gruffly scratching the back of his head, "Dunno how the necklace did it, but some sort of poison got into your bloodstream. You almost died." Harry winces at the prospect.
"There has had to be someone watching you at all times- It's been awful," Hermione says, "There were a few moments where we thought we'd lose you." She sighs,
"Everyone's given you gifts, look!" Harry says, trying to change the subject. He motions to my left, where a small table is next to my bed.
"Help me up, will you?" I ask, and Harry lets me hold onto his arm while Madame Pomphrey gets me another pillow. I lean back against it, sitting up straighter now, and turn to see the table is covered in cards, flowers, and sweets. I smile, my cheeks burning. "They didn't have to..."
"No, they wanted to. You've been treated so badly by some of them, that now you've-" Harrys stops, looking down at my hand, "Almost died, they wanted to apologise."
I nod and reach over to the first card. It's from Ginny. Then the next, which has an attached parcel of some fudge, from the Weasleys, then a card and box of every-flavour-beans from the twins. The list goes on and on until I've read every card and opened every box and tried one of every sweet. I'm half asleep by the time I've finished.
"Tell everyone thank you..." I yawn, as Harry holds me up and they take the extra pillow away. I lay there for a moment, listening to them decide who's staying and who's going when I realise. I turn over,
"Is Draco alright?" I croak, and I see Harry's expression change. He shakes his head and sighs, walking out without another word. What in the world does that mean? Hermione is left with me, and she sit's by the fire and reads. I fall asleep and when I wake up again she hasn't moved. There is no light coming in the window now, just a dull blue glow from behind the curtains. The room is quiet and the fire glows red coals in the corner of my eye. Hermione is reading by the light of her wand, pinned behind her ear.
"'Mione? You're still here? It's dark!" I say, pushing myself up a bit. Hermione glances up at me and gives me one of those comforting smiles nurses give you,
"Ron hasn't shown up. Doesn't matter, though, these chairs are comfortable. How are you feeling?"
"Alright, I think." I shrug, lying back down. I sigh, "Hermione, is Draco alright?"
I hear Hermione shut her book and walk over to me. She sits down next to me on the chair.
"Yes, he's fine. Harry's just- He thinks Draco did it. Gave the cursed necklace to you. They've both been so hostile-" She stops, glancing at me, "He's come to see you, you know," She says softly, "When I'm watching you, I let him come in. He's not actually allowed in at all. He comes and sits here and looks at you. He's really worried."
I nod, smiling softly. So Draco is alright. He's come to see me.
"Hermione?"
"Yeah?"
"If he comes tonight, let him in, will you?" I ask and Hermione sighs.
"Alright."
xxx
Two nights and days pass and there are no visits from Draco. I don't get a letter, and I don't talk about him, either. The boys both tense up when I mention him, so I decided it's best if I don't. After three days, and I am able to sit up on my own, Madame Pomphrey allows people to come and see me. Ginny, the Twins, Lavander, McGonagal and Dumbledore all give me regular visits each day now. Lavander brings me gossip, Ginny brings me colouring pages, the twins bring me card games and rude jokes. They all have their own thing that they do with me. The twins recount their latest prank, and Lavender tells me who's dating who. Ginny and I talk about what's happening in Gryffindor and always brings me a few pieces of something home cooked from her mum, and when I refuse to take it, she tells me her mother gave her extra for me. Hermione brings me books and Ron and I discuss Quidditch, and Harry and I talk about our lives before this year. How he killed a basilisk, and how I used to watch the house elves cook.
Hermione and I are reading at midday a weeks after I woke up, a cool winter sun shining in the window and brightens the room. It's quite cold so I've been wrapped in a number of blankets and given soup.
I hear a muffled sound at the door. It grows louder and then I realise it's a voice. Two voices. Arguing.
"I just want to see her!"
"She's fine!"
"How do I know you're not just telling me that."
"Get out of here, Draco."
"I just want to see her, Potter, I'm not planning a murder."
"How do I know?! You've got to have a plan B now your first attempt has failed."
I wince. Draco and Harry. I sit myself up, slowly moving my legs over, so I can stand.
"Oh no you don't," Hermione says, walking over to me and putting my legs back under the blankets. "You can barely sit up on your own." More yelling echoes through the doorway. "I'll handle this."
Hermione gives me a look and walks over to the door, closing it behind her. I hear her yell at the boys, and then just a few mumbled words before Harry enters, looking flustered. Hermione follows him shortly. We don't speak about what happened.
xxx
I hear some low murmuring and click of a door closing. I attempt to open my eyes but sleep has weighed them down. I feel something touch my hand, and gently slip into it, holding it. I open my eyes, and, in the light of the moon that shines in the open window, I see Draco. He looks tired. Whether that's the light or real I don't know.
"Draco..." I whisper, smiling at him. He gasps and smiles back. I close my eyes again, lightly squeezing his hand before falling back to sleep.
xxx
Hello!
Please vote if you enjoyed!
I hope you are enjoying my story, and if you are worried about it ending, I thought I'd let you in on a secret-
I've made a trailer for the second book.
But you didn't hear it from me!
Taylor xxx