A/N: "xstar", I'd love to talk with you about grammar, so if you can please email me at jazzygeorgie72@yahoo.com. I tried to email you, but you aren't "Signed" so I couldn't.
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Drifting
Marissa laid her head on her arms. She finished her Transfiguration exam but her headache was killing her. It was so bad, she figured she might even have to leave early and go see Madam Pomfrey, who was still going strong in the hospital wing.
She rested for a moment with the sound of scratching quills sounding louder than normal. Feeling her headache getting
worse with every beat of her heart, she quietly slipped out the back (after passing a quick note to Janet explaining
what she was doing).
It was quiet in the halls and for that Marissa was thankful. She hooked her bag on her shoulder and brought her fingers up to her head, rubbing tiny circles around her temples as she walked down the stairs and towards the hospital wing.
She didn't hear the footsteps around the corner, but she certainly felt it when she ran into a large body then felt a pair of hand steady her shoulders.
"You ok?"
It was Devon. Having a free period he was on his way back to the library to meet a girl he was studying with.
"Headache. I'm going to Pomfrey," Marissa looked at him then blinked slowly. "I'll be fine…go back to…whatever you were doing."
"I'll walk you down," Devon placed a hand on her elbow and guided her down the stairs.
Briefly, as long as her brain let her, she wondered when Devon had become so protective of her. But, that thought was squashed when she finally saw the doors to the hospital wing.
"Thanks, but I'll be fine now. Go…," Marissa gave him a shove and he took a step back, holding the door open for her.
"Feel better," Devon said and she nodded slightly, heading down the aisle, meeting Madame Pomfrey halfway.
A few minutes later, Marissa was laying on a cot waiting for the potion from Madame Pomfrey, her eyes closed as the headache seemed to spread down her neck and to her shoulders. She wondered briefly if she had the flu as her whole body suddenly began to ache.
She vaguely remembered drinking something cold and bitter then felt a blanket being drawn up over her as she let sleep
help ease the pain of her aching head.
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Someone's hand was on her forehead and it was comforting to feel the warm touch. Her body ached and, if whoever was touching her head let go, she felt as if her head might fall off. Tentatively, she cracked open and eye and saw a pair of eyes exactly like hers.
"Dad," she croaked. "You should be teaching."
"You sound just like your mother did when she was sick in her sixth year. And its Saturday," he gave her a small smile. Her eyes shot open and she realized it hurt to do that so she let them flutter back closed, as her muddled mind tried to make sense of what he just said.
"What?" was all she could say, feeling his thumb stroke her forehead lightly.
"You've been in here for three days with the Wizard Flu. You're at St. Mungo's now," her father said in a quiet voice.
"What?" she asked more forcefully totally confused.
`When did they move me? I don't remember that…how sick am I?' she thought to herself, concentrating on the loving touch on her forehead.
"She's confused, Draco," she heard her mother's voice and just realized that her mother was holding her left hand, then felt her mum touch her cheek. Marissa opened her eyes and looked at the ceiling above her. Sure enough, it wasn't the one at school; this one was white and had gold stars moving around.
"You went into the hospital wing on Wednesday and when Madame Pomfrey found out it was the flu, you had to be moved here so you wouldn't infect anyone else that came into the wing. You've been asleep for three days…and don't worry about Quidditch; Calvin is filling in for you today," Ginny saw Marissa turn her head slightly and Draco dropped his hand.
She looked so pale and had circles under her eyes. They couldn't get her to eat, but managed to get her drink some potions to keep her nourishment up, all combined with a Muggle IV inserted into her arm.
For the first time Ginny could remember, she had taken three days off of work to sit by her daughter's bedside. Not counting the time she was given for having children, she hadn't had to take any days off for sick children, as they were surprising healthy. Draco had to teach and he wanted someone to be with her, so Ginny didn't hesitate. In the evening they let Devon come since he had already been exposed to her but kept the triplets at school and Harry had to insist that Brian stay back too. Hermione stopped in frequently since she worked at St. Mungo's and it was as Ginny was thanking Merlin that Marissa finally woke up that Hermione came in quietly.
"How's she doing?" Hermione whispered, stopping at the foot of the bed.
"Hey," Marissa said weakly, eyes still shut, willing her father's hand to resume holding her head onto her neck.
"How do you feel, Marissa?" Hermione looked through her chart, and then set it back in the holder, walking past Draco to the head of Marissa's bed.
"Awful. My head," Marissa kept her eyes closed and felt Hermione's cool hand touch her forehead.
"You're headache will go away in the next day or two. Does your head feel like it's going to fall off while the rest of you is just plain old sore?"
"Yeah." Marissa tried to smile but it hurt too much. She felt Hermione pull her hand away and heard her say something to Draco. A second later a cool cloth was on her head and Marissa felt herself falling back asleep, distantly hearing her mother talking to Hermione about things she couldn't understand…viruses, antibodies, antidotes? Feeling her father take her hand she let herself slip back into darkness where she was most comfortable.
Two hours later…
"She's not contagious anymore so he can come if he wants too," Ginny was saying and Marissa just lay still, the throbbing in her head a bit less, but too exhausted to turn to see who she was talking too.
"I'd still feel comfortable leaving the younger ones at school. They can see her Monday when we transfer her back to Hogwarts," Hermione said quietly and Marissa heard her light footsteps moving around the room and the tinkling of glass as she moved bottles on the counter.
"I'll go owl him now then," Harry said and Marissa heard him walk towards the door and heard the click of it opening and closing.
"Not too many people though. She's going to be very weak…wait…you know this! Why am I telling you?" Hermione laughed and Marissa heard her mother give a small laugh.
"Because I'm a parent first, not a healer. I'm wondering if I should bring her home for a few days. Let her get her strength back before she heads back to school. What do you think?"
"I think you should do what you want. She would have more time to sleep and relax at home to be sure. You'll have James and Jeremy or Brian bashing into the hospital wing numerous times a day if she went back there."
"Alright, we'll bring her home on Monday and keep her there for a few days. I have so much time I can take off, it won't be a problem."
"Will Draco be ok with that? He'll probably feel bad he isn't there with you," Hermione placed another cool cloth on Marissa's head and she sighed, happy that her head wasn't throbbing as badly as before but it still hurt to move.
"He was here all last night and this morning…he needs the break or he'll get too stressed. This really scared him, since he hasn't seen it before," Ginny said quietly, stroking Marissa's bare arm that rested on top of the covers.
"I could tell. He was pacing the room when I came in Thursday night and Brian said he actually didn't assign them any homework so he wouldn't have to grade it and take time away from Marissa."
Hermione sat down in the chair on the other side of Marissa and patted her arm.
"She'll be fine now. We know that because we see this every winter, but our husbands don't see it at all…lucky for them."
"So true. Draco hates not being able to control anything and not being able to do anything for Marissa, or any of the kids, upsets him. You know that…," Ginny let her voice trail off. Marissa heard her accio some water and felt a glass being held up to her lips. She actually managed a few sips then let her head sink back to the pillows, trying to stay awake to hear her mum and Hermione talk about her father.
"I remember when Pansy kept bothering us when we first started going out, he threatened to throw her over the balcony at the Great Hall; he'd never do it, but I'm not sure she was aware of that fact," Ginny smiled and Hermione laughed.
"He does have certain…flair…for dealing with situations that bother him. Remember when we found out we were pregnant with triplets and Draco went out and got drunk? That was the most Muggle thing I have ever seen him do," Hermione laughed even harder and saw her friend shake her head.
"Harry dragging him back into the flat was funny too; I guess that was payback for when Harry and Ron got drunk at the Yule Ball when you got engaged and Draco and I had to carry them back to the tower."
"Wasn't Neville drunk too?" Hermione asked wiping tears from her eyes from laughing so hard.
Marissa never heard her mother's answer as she drifted off into a light sleep, only partially aware of what was
going on around her. She vaguely remembered someone changing her sheets as they levitated her, her mother changed her
gown and she felt a bit refreshed after hearing cleaning charms being cast over her.
Shifting in her bed she felt her hand hit something solid and out of reflex she reached out to feel someone's knee under her fingers. Opening her eyes she saw Brian sitting on the edge of her bed and she pulled her hand back, tucking it back under the covers. She closed her eyes briefly then opened them again and found him still there, watching her.
"Feeling better?" he asked in a quiet voice and she gave a small nod, noticing it only hurt slightly to do so. Being on her side she got a good look around the room. It was small, but she had it to herself. There was a cabinet and sink across the way, a door to the loo and a few chairs.
"Is it still Saturday?" Marissa asked, her voice cracking. She cleared her throat and glanced up at him. He looked tired and his dark hair was a bit messed up and for the first time she noticed the darkness out the window across from her bed.
"It is; a bit after dinner time," he stood up and threw himself in to the chair her mother had occupied hours before. Marissa closed her eyes, but was still awake. It just hurt to keep them open for any length of time.
"Where is everyone?" Marissa stretched out her legs and then curled herself back up again, opening her eyes to see him watching her carefully.
"Your parents are eating with Devon. My parents are home and the little ones are back at school, anxiously awaiting your return," he leaned forward with his elbows on his knees.
"I think mum is taking me home for a few days before I come back," Marissa started coughing and saw Brian stand up with a glass of water extended towards her. She felt so weak she wasn't sure she could even lift it and felt so stupid laying there helpless. She watched him reach towards the small table and drop a straw in the glass then he brought it to her mouth. She took a few long sips and sighed as the cool liquid helped her parched throat.
"Thanks. I can't move anything," Marissa closed her eyes again feeling her head begin to pound. "Everything hurts."
"That's what I hear," Brian said sympathetically perching himself back on the bed causing her to look at him again. She pulled her arm out of the blankets, and set it along her hip.
"You don't have to stay," Marissa said tiredly, not even having the energy to ask about Quidditch.
"Took me three days to get here; I'm not leaving anytime soon," he smiled and she gave a tired smile back.
"Why is it called Wizard Flu? I'm a witch and have it," Marissa said watching him smile, this time it reached his tired eyes.
"Probably because some bloke got it and spread it around…typical male," and he was happy that he made her laugh a bit. It was unnerving to him to see her so still, so pale and just so tired, but at least she was talking now.
It was awful for him when his father said he couldn't go and the reality of just how serious her sickness was hit him when, on Thursday, her father didn't assign any homework so he could be with her. Professor Malfoy never said why, but the majority of the class knew the real reason. It was the first time ever, Brian thought, that there wasn't a homework assignment to hand in.
He was thinking these thoughts watching her stare out the window and didn't realize he had picked up her hand and was running his thumb along the back of it, feeling her knuckles under the pad of his thumb. Her hand lightly gripped his then relaxed.
"Just go back to sleep; that's the best thing you can do right now," he said softly and watched her eyes close, her dark blond lashes resting against her cheeks.
"I think I will…sorry…," she mumbled and she felt him grip her hand.
"Don't be," he said firmly. And mustering all the strength she could, she squeezed his hand back and fell asleep before her grip even relaxed in his.
As her hand relaxed and Brian was sure she was sound asleep he slid off the bed and poured himself a glass of water. Watching her sleep was something he never thought he would be doing on a weekend, let alone at St. Mungo's. He had heard the Wizard Flu was going around; Professor McGonagall had actually made an announcement that it was moving through the school and up until Marissa, he only knew of six students who had contracted it and she made the seventh.
He had never really known how bad it was until he heard from James, that Wednesday evening, that his cousin was taken to St. Mungo's. After dinner Brian had Owl'd his mother to see how Marissa was. Much to his dismany, his mother had said she was sleeping and also contagious so he couldn't go see her. Since Devon had touched her helping her to the hospital wing he was allowed to go and visit.
It wasn't until later that night Brian had heard from Jillian that Marissa was indeed isolated. Kenny had added that only those who were treating her or were her parents could see her.
On Thursday when he was eating breakfast, James said his dad had gone to see her and that she was still unconscious. Brian's level of concern skyrocketed. Being unconscious wasn't a good thing. James said Hermione had told his dad that it was the body's way of healing as it basically shut down what it could to fight off the flu. She had a high fever along with the aches and pains and was able to take liquids in something called an IV.
Brian became more unnerved when Potions class ended and no homework was assigned. He had gone to his father asking if he could go see her and Harry had been adamant about not allowing him. Brian understood why, but it didn't help his nerves that he was helpless just sitting at Hogwarts doing nothing. Harry had asked Calvin (with permission from their captain, Shane) to be the Seeker in the game against Hufflepuff that Saturday. FINALLY after the game on Saturday Brian heard he could go see her, because she had woken up without a fever.
Brian and Devon had floo'd over to St. Mungo's from Professor McGonagall's fireplace in the office and that is where he found himself now. He told the Malfoys he would sit with her while they ate as he wasn't hungry--- after seeing how sick she looked in the hospital bed. He was alarmed to see the IV still hooked up to her and Ginny had explained the way it was used on Muggles and that even with Magic you couldn't force someone to eat or drink. He saw seeing her bundled up on her side, her now short hair falling across her pale cheek and he could see how restless she was. She would shift in her sleep, then grimace as if it hurt, and it was during one of those restless moments that her hand had found his knee and she woke up.
He twirled the glass in his hand, looking up at the board above her bed with her name and the constantly changing information.
Marissa Ginevra Malfoy
Birthdate: January 24, 2000
Age: 15 years
Weight: 112 pounds
Temperature: 99F
Heartrate: 70 bpm
Blood pressure: 115/78
Brian noticed every once in awhile the heart rate would increase or decrease, along with the temperature. He wondered how happy she would be if she knew her weight was up there for the world to see, but he knew it was to give her the right amount of medicine. He leaned forward to set his glass down on the small table next to the bed and before he could stop himself he reached over and pushed her hair off her cheek, seeing a brief smile come to her lips as she stayed asleep. For a moment he froze, his hand resting on her shoulder before he realized what he did and threw himself back in the chair.
Burying his face in his hands he remembered a question Kirstin asked their mother over the holidays…
"How did you know you were in love with daddy?" Kirstin asked as she helped Hermione clean up the kitchen. Without missing a beat they magically cleaned up dinner as Hermione responded in a reminiscent voice.
"It took me awhile, but it really hit me at the beginning of our sixth year when I knew he was going to have to fight Voldemort again. The thought of…what could happen…terrified me and I could hardly concentrate on anything else."
"She kept following me around," Harry added from the kitchen table where he was finishing off a cup of coffee.
"Anyways," Hermione stuck her tongue out at Harry and he winked at her, then went back to his coffee and paper, "after trying to figure out if I should tell him how I felt I finally came to the conclusion I should, so that Spring I managed to get him alone to talk to him."
"Then she snogged me," Harry said and Brian let out a bark of laughter from his spot at the table where he was doing homework.
"As I recall it went both ways," Hermione said casting a `shut up will you' glare at Harry who got the hint and buried his nose in the paper. He looked at Brian and winked at his son who just rolled his eyes.
"Yes, well…anyway, Kirstin, we were really good friends before we became boy and girlfriend," Hermione finished cleaning and made herself a cup of coffee.
"I think Brian has a girlfriend," Kristin said abruptly like only an eleven year old can.
"I do?" Brian looked at her in apparent surprise and heard Hermione echo him with a "he does?"
"Why do you think that?" Brian asked his sister who looked at him in all seriousness.
"Well, I heard you talking about Marissa to Gabe the other day."
"So? We were talking about her being seeker and how she would compare to the Slytherin seeker," Brian said evenly.
"Just because he talks to or about a girl doesn't mean she is his girlfriend," Hermione said gently, trying to make her daughter understand.
"Well, that's not what Erin says," Kirstin argued and Brian sighed.
"I don't understand eleven year old logic; I'm going to my room," Brian grabbed his parchment and Charms homework and headed upstairs away from his sister.
Being that he was in his room, he never heard Harry question his daughter about what Erin said. Kirstin just shrugged and said nonchalantly, "She thinks they secretly like each other but are afraid to say anything for whatever dumb reason that might be," and she flounced out of the room to the living room where her sisters were playing exploding snap.
"Eleven year old girls make no sense at all," Harry muttered, turning back to his paper.
"They make more sense than you can imagine. You just aren't mature enough to understand them," Hermione kidded and this time Harry rolled his eyes, wisely saying nothing.
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Marissa just realized, as she sat on her bed and stared at the calendar across from her bed, that today was Valentine's Day. She had gone to the hospital wing on the fifth, two days before James' 15th birthday and had come home yesterday, still feeling weak but the soreness was pretty much gone. She was also fairly certain that her head was going to remain attached to her body.
She had managed to shower by herself, but felt winded afterwards so she rested in her bed, her Charms book propped up
on her knees as she read through the homework she had missed. She had planned on going to the dance with Janet who had
been asked by Calvin. But, now she didn't even need to think about what she was going to wear because she was going
to miss it. Devon was going with a girl from his year, most of her cousins that she knew of were going and she was sure
that Brian was there seeing as he was one of the most popular boys in the student body.
The house was quiet as her father was at the dance, having managed to get back into his normal school routine after spending every evening with her either at the hospital or the house. Her mother was slated to go back to work tomorrow which would be Marissa's last day at home…a whole week of classes she had missed and she wasn't looking forward to making it up. She realized as she had lain in her bed yesterday, taking frequent naps, that she was going to try and find a cure for the flu; or some type of potion you could take so you WOULDN'T get it. Her mother said if she could do that, she'd be rich as no witch or wizard had been able to make one that worked.
She was doodling on her parchment, sketching out a picture of cupid when her mother walked in, in her healers robes.
"I need to run to the hospital. Someone is having triplets and they're very early; I promised this woman I would try and be there for her. Dad will be home in a few hours, will you be ok here? I can get Hermione or Aunt Samantha to come and stay," Ginny sat on the edge of her daughter's bed. Marissa waved a hand.
"I'll be fine, just doing Charms," she held up the book and Ginny smiled, remembering many nights of toiling over homework.
"You sure? I'll leave the floo open for the Potters and Aunt Samantha's family just in case," Ginny said, seeing her daughter nod her head and she was happy to see a pink hue to Marissa's cheeks again.
"Alright. By the way, I really do like your hair like that," Ginny touched a damp strand of Marissa's hair, liking how it fell in waves around her face.
"Thanks. It was all Cassandra though," Marissa self-consciously ran a hand through her hair.
"She has talent," Ginny stood up and saw the drawing of cupid on Marissa's parchment. "I'm sorry you missed the dance."
"Not a problem. I wasn't sure if I was going to go anyway."
"Did anyone ask you?"
"A few guys, but no one I really wanted to spend five hours with. I'm not too worried about it," Marissa answered. What bothered her the most was that she was stuck here and everyone else was out having fun. But, at least it wasn't the Yule Ball she was missing, then she would be upset.
"I'll check up on you when I can…dad should be home around ten I think he said…three hours of peace and quiet," Ginny kissed Marissa's head and left her to her homework.
Writing quickly and without any disturbances from other students she managed to finish her Charms and make a good dent in her Herbology reading in just under an hour. Feeling restless, she got out of bed and walked downstairs for a snack and settled herself back in her room, eating while she flipped through the wireless trying to find some interesting music to listen too. Finding a station that seemed to be playing a good mix of the latest songs, she grabbed her brush off her dresser and ran it through her damp hair, watching herself in the reflection.
She had lost some weight and color was coming back to her cheeks; she had no idea what she looked like when she arrived at the hospital or shortly afterwards, but she knew she was pale and looked awful, just from the snatches of conversation she had heard while drifting in and out of sleep.
Dropping her brush back on her dresser and humming along to a tune she turned around to head back to her bed and Herbology when she caught sight of Brian in her doorway.
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