All Harry Potter Characters don't belong to me.
The Source - Chapter Twenty Two
"Speaking"
<Thinking>
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Draco was falling but he was too weak to scream. <I'm going to die,> he thought sadly.
Draco closed his eyes and was waiting for the impact with the ground. He heard a loud swishing sound and then he felt himself jerk to the side. He opened his eyes and looked up. It was Fawkes, and he had his claws on Draco's shoulder, taking him back to Hogwarts. Draco felt relieved that he was saved and then succumbed to darkness.
Fawkes had flown back to Hogwarts and set Draco down on the ground for Dumbledore and the other teachers to attend to. Fawkes then flew back away to save Harry.
After Gilding had seen Fawkes save Draco he released Harry from the suspending spell and flew away as quickly as he could. Harry was soon in control of his broom again and started flying after him.
Harry was throwing curses and hexes at Gilding but he always dodged them. Gilding turned his head around and disarmed Harry. He then laughed.
"This will be the end of you Potter." he shot a couple of spells but Harry dodged them all.
Gilding then started to do more dangerous spells and more frequently, Harry was beginning to get tired and was slowing down because he was still bleeding from some cuts.
When Gilding was aiming for a direct hit Fawkes pushed him off his broom. His wand fell from his hands and he was plummeting down to the ground. Harry started diving for him and when he was close enough to grabbing him Fawkes came and brushed Harry away.
"Fawkes, what are you doing? He's going to die if he falls to the ground," Harry yelled. He then reached for Gilding again but again, Fawkes brushed him away with its wing.
Harry was panicking. It was only about thirty or so metres till Gilding would splatter onto the ground and Fawkes was not letting him save Gilding.
When they were only a few more metres from the ground Harry had to pull up or he too would hit the ground, and so he did, and left Gilding for Fawkes to save or not save.
It was at the very last minute that Fawkes grabbed onto Gildings shoulders and stopped him from becoming a pancake. Harry sighed and instantly felt relieved. He and Fawkes flew back to Hogwarts where Gilding was dumped into a puddle of mud before Fawkes flew off.
Snape did a full body-binding spell on Gilding and Professor Flitwick levitated him back into the school.
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The hospital wing was bustling full of people. They were mostly students who had been stunned and were now awake but were moaning about their sore arms and legs. Ginny had returned just that morning and was left to attend to these students while Madam Pomfrey went to take care of Harry and Draco. They placed Harry and Draco back in their own rooms because the Hospital wing was just too noisy, so Ginny couldn't see if they were all right.
It wasn't until later that night that Ginny had gotten most of the students to stop whining and go to sleep. Madam Pomfrey had come back from treating Harry and Draco and looked very tired so she just retreated to her office. Ginny didn't want to bother Madam Pomfrey but was dying to know if Draco was all right. She had found out that he was hurt the most, where as Harry just had minor cuts.
Ginny made her way to the Head Boy's portrait and notice that it didn't automatically open when she said the password.
<Must still be broken,> she thought so instead she grabbed the frame and opened it a crack so that she could slip in.
Draco's room had been cleaned up and everything was back in its original position. Ginny saw that he was tucked into bed and his chest rising slightly with each breath. She was instantly relieved to know that he was still alive. Ginny had heard from Hermione that both Harry and Draco received cuts and bruises, but Draco had also had a knife placed near his neck.
Ginny made her way next to Draco and pulled the sheets back a little so she could inspect him. She lifted his arms a little and saw they had no cuts or bruises.
<Madame Pomfrey must have healed them.> She knew this but still felt a need to check herself. She covered his hands with the blanket again and then went to inspect his neck. She ran her hand along his neck and didn't even feel a scar. This was expected but she was still only satisfied now that she could personally see he was perfectly healed.
Ginny sat down in the chair next to Draco's bed and watched his chest moved up and down which symbolised he was breathing. But then it stopped. Ginny sat in the chair clutching the armrests waiting for his chest rise again, but it didn't. She flung up from her seat and was standing beside the bed within seconds. She then started to shake him, trying to wake him up.
"Malfoy, wake up," she said in a panicky voice. "Malfoy? Can you hear me? Wake up," she said more urgently. But still he didn't.
She checked to see if he was breathing but he wasn't. Ginny then pulled the covers away and checked to see if he had a pulse. There wasn't one.
"I have to get Madam Pomfrey," she said and then turned around to leave the room, but was suddenly stopped by something grabbing her hand. She whirled around quickly and saw Draco sitting up in his bed grinning.
His hand was holding hers and he pulled a stunned Ginny back, closer to the bed.
Ginny's other hand had flown to cover her mouth.
"Surprise," Draco said while still grinning.
Ginny couldn't say anything and just started to cry. Tears were flowing down her cheeks and Draco lost the grin on his face. He stood from the bed and placed his hands on Ginny's shoulder.
"Hey, it was just a joke. Don't take it so seriously," he said gently, trying to stop her crying.
"That was not funny," Ginny managed to choke out, "I thought you were dead." And then she cried harder. Draco felt so guilty for making her cry and pulled her into a hug. He pressed his cheek against hers and spoke softly into her ear.
"I'm sorry, I'm really sorry," he said while rubbing her back to try and reduce her sobbing. Ginny had her arms wrapped around him and she used her hands to hit his back softly.
"You stupid git," she said through sobs, "It's not funny to play with death." And she hit him again. Draco smiled.
"Ok, ok, I won't do it ever again. I promise," he soothed into her ear, "Now don't cry. Shh…" and he held her tighter.
Ginny buried her face into his shoulder and was hugging him tightly to assure herself that he was not dead. After a while Ginny had calmed down and stopped crying. She realized that she was in Draco's embrace and pulled back quickly. Draco was taken back at her sudden reaction and felt empty after she had moved away.
Ginny had all these different emotions running through her and couldn't think of anything to say. She looked into Draco's eyes and saw his disappointment.
"You should get back in bed, Malfoy," she said softly, "You have to rest."
Draco stepped backwards, getting closer to the bed, and never removed his gaze from Ginny. When he sat down onto the bed, he lifted his feet up and Ginny tucked him in.
"How did you hide your pulse anyway?" Ginny asked.
"If I hold my breath, it just becomes very weak. It's always been like that," Draco said.
Ginny nodded. She would have found it if she wasn't panicking so much.
The sound of the portrait door creaking made Ginny look up and stand back, further away from Draco's side. Felicity walked in and saw Draco in bed while Ginny was standing awkwardly at the side.
Felicity remembered seeing Ginny in the hospital wing and recognised her as one of the Weasley's. All her Slytherin friends told her how pathetic they are.
"What are you doing here?" Felicity asked.
"Uh, I was sent to check up on Malfoy. And he's fine now, so I'd best be going," Ginny said and then hastily left the room.
Felicity watched as Ginny left and then went over to Draco.
"How are you feeling?" she asked sweetly and then kissed him passionately. Draco broke the kiss off early.
"What's wrong?" Felicity asked concerned.
"I'm just tired," Draco said.
Felicity nodded and sat on the chair next to his bed silently.
"Do you know her?" Draco asked. Felicity laughed.
"Not personally, but I know she's a Weasley. Embarrassing lot, aren't they, with the red hair and shabby clothes."
"Yeah," Draco said half-heartedly.
It wasn't long until Felicity left Draco's room to go back to her own room and Draco fell asleep that night with a smile on his face. Happy that Ginny had come back.
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The next morning Draco and Harry were called to meet Dumbledore in his office. Harry and Draco met each other in front of the statue and paused before going up.
"Are you alright, Malfoy?" Harry asked.
"Yeah, and you?" Draco asked back. Harry nodded.
"I'm good."
There was an awkward silence and then Draco extended his hand out towards Harry. Harry grasped Draco's hand and shook it. He knew it was Draco's way showing his gratitude and Harry also used it to show his own thanks. No words were needed; they both knew what each other meant.
They were both seated in front of Dumbledore's desk and waiting for their headmaster to arrive. Fawkes was perched on his stand and Draco went over to stroke his feathers.
"That's the second time you've saved me, Fawkes," Draco said to the bird. Harry also stood up and walked over to where Fawkes was.
"He also caught Gilding for us. Though it did seem like he was going to let him die," Harry said.
Draco looked at Harry weirdly and Harry explained how Fawkes reacted yesterday.
Dumbledore walking into his room just as Harry finished telling Draco what happened.
"Draco, Harry. Are you two feeling well today?" he asked them.
Draco and Harry both nodded.
"I am very sorry about the incident that happened yesterday. I have contacted the Order and notified them of Gilding's actions. They have taken him back to their head quarters and are attempting to find out whom he was working for. I know that this attack was aimed specifically at you Draco, and was wondering if you have any idea what he wanted?"
"All I know is that he said something about wanting a box my father left for me. I've looked into the box and there's nothing in it except some parchments and books, so I don't know what he wanted with it," Draco answered. Dumbledore nodded.
"Well, it's all over now so we can leave that all behind us. Because of this incident I have had to make special arrangements for your Auror training. I have been forced to consider cancelling…"
"Please don't," Harry yelled out, while Draco said,
"What!" Dumbledore smiled.
"Clam down, boys. I was saying that I was force to consider cancelling because there was trouble in finding a suitable and trustable instructor to teach you two. But now the perfect candidate has been found so your classes will not be cancelled."
Harry and Draco both relaxed.
"Who will be our new teacher?" Harry asked. Dumbledore smiled even more.
"You'll be really happy to hear, Harry, that it will be your Godfather, Sirius Black."
Fawkes screeched at that moment and made all three heads turned to look at him. Fawkes settled back down and they returned back to talking about Sirius.
"Sirius will be arriving in a few weeks so you can both have the free time to rest and perfect what you have already learned. I will notify you of when your classes will begin again," Dumbledore informed them.
Both of them nodded and Dumbledore gestured to them that they could leave now.
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Later that day Draco was walking past the Hospital Wing and the thought of Ginny automatically sprang into his mind. He paused outside the door and then chose to go inside and see if she was in there.
Indeed she was and he saw her using a very small cauldron to make a potion. He stood in the doorway of the backroom watching her make the potion and she was concentrating so hard that she didn't notice him standing there. Draco recognised the smell and concluded that is was his medicine. He watched as she picked up some fresh jasmine and was placing them in little by little.
"I don't recall Jasmine being one of the ingredients on the list," Draco said.
Ginny turned her head and saw Draco. At first her face was blank but then she smiled.
"It's just something extra that I add to make it taste better," she answered and returned her attention back to the little cauldron.
Draco stepped into the room and looked over Ginny's shoulder. "Then why didn't you add it onto the list so the Healer I hired could make it taste better too?" Ginny shook her head.
"Most professional Healers don't approve of adding unnecessary ingredients to make medicine taste better. Your Healer would disapprove of the list I gave you and make up one if his own, and then there would be trouble."
Draco just nodded at her reason. He was standing very close to Ginny and he could smell her hair. He recognised the smell now. It was Jasmine. He actually realized now that he rather liked the smell of it.
"How did you know I like the smell of Jasmine?" he asked. Ginny chuckled.
"You only realized you like it now?" she teased. Draco smiled.
"Exactly, I only realized it now, so how did you know before me?" he asked again. Ginny turned around to face him.
"Just the little things. Your after-shave has a hint of Jasmine in it. You requested your clothes and sheets to be cleaned with the 'Clenzo' spell and that leaves a slight Jasmine scent behind. Your mother packs your suitcase with scent packets, which contain Jasmine, and the bookmark you use is made with Jasmine scented paper. You've always like it, it's just you didn't notice."
Ginny turned back to the medicine and stirred it.
"And you deliberately gave Felicity Jasmine-scented shampoo," Draco said. Ginny smiled.
"I didn't deliberately give it to her. Another student gave it to her accidentally. But it has seemed to have worked to get your attention." she said. Draco smirked.
"So do you deliberately use Jasmine shampoo to get my attention?" he teased. Ginny laughed.
"Don't flatter yourself, Malfoy. I just happen to like Jasmine, too."
Draco felt a little disappointed but didn't show it. Ginny then turned around and gave him a vial of blue liquid.
"Here, this is your medicine," she said to him.
"What happened to the red, once a week one?" he asked.
"Oh, that one has side effects so I'm taking you off of it," she said factually.
"What kind of side affects?" Draco asked, concerned for himself. Ginny waved her hand.
"It's nothing big. It only makes your hair go red."
"What?" Draco yelled. He was frantically looking for a mirror and touching his hair. Ginny grabbed his arm and told him to calm down.
"It only happens if you consume it for a long period of time. It won't affect you if you've only taken it once." Draco relaxed but then became angry.
"And you were planning to give it to me anyway?" he cried incredulously. Ginny got defensive.
"Well you did yell at me you know. It sure made me angry enough to consider it," she huffed and then crossed her arms across her chest. Draco didn't want Ginny to get angry with him again so he let the incident drop.
"Alright, alright. We'll call it even then," he said. Ginny smiled.
"Good," she said cheerfully.
Draco shook his head in defeat but was just glad that Ginny was speaking to him civilly again.
End of Chapter Twenty Two. Thanks for reading and I Hope you Review.
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