Hari awoke slowly, her head hurt. She was so comfortable. Her face was on something soft and warm. She tried to stretch, but found there was something holding her in place.
She opened her eyes, all she saw was green, which was strange seeing as her whole room was red.
She green shifted, and she saw that the green was in fact a shirt. She sat up to look at who it was, and the world suddenly spun. Her head felt like it was about to explode. The memories of the night before came crashing down again, and Hari felt as her veins froze over with fear again. She had two days, two days to learn to fight a Dragon. She curled into a ball, shivering.
She felt hands on her shoulders, shaking her, but barely noticed over twisted knot in her gut. Drowning in the cold cold ice in her mind.
[Draco's POV]
Draco blinked, waking suddenly as the small girl next to him suddenly curled up into a ball and started shaking.
"Hari!" wait no that was useless,
He put his hands on her shoulders, trying to get her attention. She looked up at him, then collapsed. He managed to catch her before she fell off the bed onto the floor.
She looked up at him drowsily, holding her head...
#) I'm going to the hospital wing- (# She said as she stood up, but barely made it 10 steps before slumping to the floor.
He jumped out of bed, running to where she lay on the floor. She wasn't moving, he leaned over her, her breath was coming in short gasps. He picked her up, dashing out of the room.
In an empty hallway he took her right hand, making her touch her invisible bracelet, turning her back into herself. As he did, he felt how feeble her heartbeat was was.
His own pounding in his chest in fear, he sprinted to the hospital wing.
Bursting in the door, he ran to the back of the ward. "Madam Pompfrey!"
"Malfoy? What's-" She stopped as she saw Hari, picking her easily and placing her on a bed, immediately running diagnostic scans. "What you do to Hari!?"
"Nothing..." he managed to swallow his fear down, forcing an annoyed look onto his face. "I found Potter here lying on the ground in an empty corridor."
She nodded, "Expecto Patronum." A small bird burst out of the end of her wand, flying away. Shortly after, Severus appeared.
"Severus, finally!" The frazzled medi-witch said as the potions master swept into the room.
"What's happened?"
"I believe she was slipped two potions that didn't react well but I can't figure out which ones." The witch wrung her hands. "She's barely breathing!"
Severus nodded, whipping out his own wand, his face a mask of calmness. Draco watched from the corner of the ward he's been exiled to as the man muttered, tracing her still form. "potio inveniet..... venenum auxilium... nocumentum autem... quod provenit....."
• • •
Finally, after what seemed like tedious nerve wracking hours, he looked back up.
"Someone slipped her a dizzyness draught at supper last night, and she consumed a wit sharpening potion sometime between 8:30 and midnight last night. They reacted badly." He rummaged around in his pockets before pulling out a stoppered vial. He poured the contents into her mouth, and as Draco watched, she shifted slightly.
He made his way quickly over. She opened her eyes, blinking at the light. "Draco?"
"Hari!" He pulled her into a hug, before realizing where he was. "I mean... Potter! You're lucky I found you." He sneered. He looked up to see madam Pomfrey smiling at him.
"Don't even try that Mr Malfoy.... Don't worry, I won't tell anyone."
Hari seemed kind of off, but Draco didn't know what it was. She tried to stand, but Madam Pomfrey forced her back down into the bed.
"And just where do you think you're going?"
#) I need to speak to Fred and Cedric! (# She was fighting to get up, but Madam Pomfrey was easily holding her down. #) I need to speak to Fred Weasley and Cedric Digorry! It's important! (#
"I'll get them." Draco said, wanting her to relax. When she stopped fighting he turned and left the room.
He made his way quickly to the Great Hall, making his way over to the Hufflepuff table.
He leaned in next to Diggory. "You're wanted in the hospital wing."
Diggory nodded, grabbing his bag and leaving the hall. Draco made his way over to the Gryffindor table. They all stared at him as he approached.
"Hey Fred Weasley!"
"What do you want Malfoy?"
"You're wanted in the Hospital wing."
Whispers broke out as Weasley followed him out of the Hall.
"What's happened!?" Weasley asked once they were out of the hall
Draco didn't answer, he was very annoyed with Weasley for some reason.
"What's happened Malfoy?"
"Precious Potters gotten herself hurt and wanted to see you." It was hard to keep the bitterness out of his voice.
"Hari? What happened to Hari!?"
Once again Draco was quiet, taunting the older boy was fun for some reason, it was entertaining to push his buttons and see the expected reaction.
What he hadn't anticipated was to be slammed into the wall. "What did you do!?"
"Me? Nothing... I just found her unconscious on the floor...."
Forgetting about Draco, Weasley dropped him, rushing towards the hospital wing.
Shaking his head, Draco returned to the Slytherin table.
[Fred's POV]
Running down the hallway, Fred caught up with pretty boy Diggory.
"Do you know what happened?" He asked.
"No, Malfoy just told me that I was wanted in the hospital wing. Do you know?"
"The jerk just told me that Hari was hurt, he didn't say how. I think he did something!"
"Hari's hurt!?"
They reached the hospital wing, pushing the door open.
Hari was in a corner bed, where madam Pomfrey was trying to forcing her to drink a calming draught.
"Hey, are you alright?" Fred sat down next to her.
#) I- yeah, yeah I'm fine. (#
"Why'd you send Malfoy for us?" Diggory asked
#) Well I wanted to find you myself, but Madam Pomfrey wouldn't let me, so she sent him. I needed some help from Fred and to tell you something. (#
Fred stood back to give them a moment.
"Alright." Diggory said.
#) Cedric, the first task, it's dragons. I saw them in the woods, they're huge. (#
Diggory nodded, "Why are you telling me this? Do the other champions know?"
#) Madam Maxime definitely did, and I saw Karkarof making his way there as I came back. So yes. You were the only one who didn't, it's only fair.... and you're my friend. (#
"Thank you. Do you know what we have to do?"
#) No, sorry. (#
"Don't apologize you just saved my neck."
Hari nodded, the two looked at each other awkwardly for a minute, before Diggory said "Thanks again, see you." and left.
Fred waited till Diggory had left before sitting on her bed. "How are you actually doing?"
The calm look melted off her face and she brought her knees up to her chest. #) I'm so scared. I'm fourteen for Merlin's sake. How am I supposed to fight a dragon. Especially with Ro- (# She froze, pressing her lips together.
"Without the pompous git that is my brother you mean? You don't need him. You have me, Forge, Ginny, and Hermione and anyone can help you, she can. Technically you have Neville too, but yeah."
#) Fred it's tomorrow! How am I supposed to be ready by tomorrow!? (#
"You could-" he stopped, turning as the door behind him opened.
It was Professor Moody, he made his way towards Hari. Fred noticed that she moved as far away from him as possible as he approached. Seeing this, he scooted closer to her.
"Weasley. If you would leave." Moody growled, his wooden leg thumping as he approached.
Fred felt Hari's arm interlock with his. He glanced to his right where she seemed to be trying to hide behind him.
"Sorry Professor, but I don't think Hari wants me to leave."
"Out Weasley." He growled.
"No Professor. Anything you want to say to Hari, you can say to me."
Moody let out a hoarse sharp laugh. "I like your spirit boy." Then he turned to Hari. "So. . . found out about the dragons, have you?"
Hari nodded anxiously.
"It's all right," said Moody, sitting down on a chair and stretching out his wooden leg with a groan. "Cheating's a traditional part of the Triwizard Tournament and always has been."
#) I didn't cheat, (# said Hari. #) I didn't mean to find out. (#
Moody grinned. "I wasn't accusing you, girl." Fred felt Hari flinch next to him, but didn't know why.
"I've been telling Dumbledore from the start," Moody continued." He can be as high-minded as he likes, but you can bet old Karkaroff and Maxime won't be. They'll have told their champions everything they can. They want to win. They want to beat Dumbledore. They'd like to prove he's only human."
Moody gave another harsh laugh, and his magical eye swiveled around so fast it made Fred feel queasy to watch it.
"So. . . got any ideas how you're going to get past your dragon yet?" said Moody.
#) No seeing as I'm stuck in the hospital wing. (# said Hari.
"Well, I'm not going to tell you," said Moody gruffly. "I don't show favoritism girl." Hari flinched next to him again, Fred looked at her, worried.
"I'm just going to give you some good, general advice." Moody said, "And the first bit is - play to your strengths."
#) I don't have any strengths. (#
"Excuse me!?" growled Moody.
#) I'm just a small deaf kid that no one likes. (#
"You've got strengths if I say you've got them." Moody said over her. "Think now. What are you best at?"