A Serpent's Heart

Chapter 2. Rescue.

~ 5 Years later~

It was a Friday afternoon and it was crowded in the corridor, as everyone was trying to get back to their common room. The place was packed and I could barely put one foot in front of the other.

"Move it, mudblood!" I heard behind me. I turned around and saw Draco Malfoy and Crabbe and Goyle behind him. Of course it was Malfoy, who else could call random passers-by mudbloods?

"I am not a mudblood," I said, slightly offended.

Malfoy, who seemed to only be interested in the green apple he was eating, turned his gaze to me and looked at me as if he saw me for the first time. We had been in the same arithmancy class all year and since the beginning of my career at Hogwarts our classes had had astronomy together, so he should have seen me before, but never before had he looked at me this way. Maybe he had always thought I wàs a mudblood.

"I just don't brag about the fact that I'm a pure-blood," I continued.

"In that case, move it, pure-blood," Malfoy said and he smirked. I tried to step aside, so I wouldn't have to stand next to Malfoy anymore, and fortunately the crowd finally started moving, so Malfoy and his pals could pass.

~ A few days later~

It was a warm spring day and I had spent my afternoon in the library. I wanted to enjoy the last rays of sun before the night would fall. I was on my way to the exit of te castle, when I heard someone scream. It was coming from the bathroom on my right. Slightly concerned I took out my wand and entered the bathroom.

Around the corner I saw Harry Potter pointing his wand at someone I could not see. He looked as if he was attacking someone. "Expelliarmus!" I cried. Harry Potter's wand flew out of his hand. I came closer and I saw Malfoy on the floor, drenched in blood. Potter stared at me, then at Malfoy and then at me again. I realised what he had done and ran back to the corridor. I had to warn a teacher. I looked around. The only other person in the corridor was professor Snape.

"Professor! Help! Malfoy is injured!" I yelled. Snape instantly turned around and ran to the bathroom.

When Snape saw the two boys in the middle of a pool of water and blood, he spitefully whispered: "Potter." He kneeled beside Malfoy and pointed at me. "Miss Tacendi, go to the hospital wing and warn Madam Pomfrey!" He turned to Potter and I waited to hear what he would say to him, but Snape noticed I hadn't left yet and he said: "Now, please, miss Tacendi."

Professor Snape entered the hospital wing with Malfoy in his arms. He lay him on one of the beds. I could see he was still unconscious. Snape whispered something to Madam Pomfrey which I could not hear, and he left. I wanted to leave as well, but Madam Pomfrey said: "Could you please sit with mister Malfoy and warn me if he wakes up? I'm too busy to wait with him myself."

I nodded and sat down on the chair next to Malfoy's bed. I took a closer look at him. His clothes and blonde hair were still covered in blood, but the bleeding seemed to have stopped. He seemed to have difficulty breathing. Even though he was a mean troublemaker, I kind of felt sorry for him. Potter had hurt him badly, and I wondered why.

A girl came running into the room: it was Pansy Parkinson. She ran to Malfoy's bed and theatrically took his hand. "Oh, Draco!" she cried. She brushed her short, dark hair from her face and noticed me. She squinted and suspiciously but curiously asked: "What are you doing here?"

"I suppose I saved his life," I answered.

"Who did this?" she asked.

"Harry Potter, I disarmed him after I found them in a bathroom," I said, after some hesitation.

"Of course it was Potter," Pansy whispered hatefully.

"But now you're here I better go. You are to warn Madam Pomfrey when he wakes up," I said, and left the hospital wing. I had never been a big fan of Parkinson or Malfoy so I was glad I could leave.