The Secret Between Us - Prt.2

Chapter Three.

Five hours.

The ministry has issued time turners; each can only go back five hours to undo or do something without affecting the timeline permanently.

Seven minutes.

After the heart pumps blood one last time, there is a seven minute window to bring that person back. Whether you're a healer, a wizard, doctor, or muggle; you have seven minutes to bring whom you've lost back to life.

A second.

It takes only a second for a piece of yourself to die along with whom you've lost.

In a mere second you feel this breeze hug tightly around your body, only for it to unexpectedly choke you.  You feel like you can't breathe, like the world is crumbling at your feet, and there is absolutely nothing you can do about it. You will want to crawl out of your own skin for help, but that will only make things worse since you will no longer feel safe.

This was how Harry felt at the moment as he waited for a healer to tell him something--anything about Draco.

He'd brought him to St. Mungo's as fast as he could. When a few Healers recognized the young auror with the H.I.T. wizard in his arms, they quickly took Draco towards the bed with his name on it. It was an up of working in the ministry; in case you were hurt you were covered with your own bed.

That had happened exactly forty hours ago. Harry had refused to leave the hospital for those hours. He was waiting in the main lobby for someone to tell him something.

He didn't care if it were good or bad news, he just needed some answers. 

He needed to see Draco. 

He needed to know if he was okay. 

He needed to know if he had lost the one person he vowed to devote his whole life to. 

He needed to know if the one person he thought he would never have to lose was gone...

He needed answers, and he didn't think he could go another hour without knowing what happened to his love. 

"You're making me dizzy here, Malfoy," Pansy muttered with a groan. "Sit down." 

"I'll sit down when they let me see Draco," Harry snapped, picking up his pace. 

Pansy and Blaise exchanged worried looks at each other. They'd arrived at the hospital only a couple of minutes ago, in hopes of shoving some food down his throat as they knew Draco would scold them when he woke up for not doing so. However, it was easier said than done.

They weren't able to get Harry to even acknowledge the food they'd bought; and judging by Harry's ragged appearance, he hadn't left since he got to the hospital. They would have to knock him out if they wanted him to leave the lobby.

"Mr. Malfoy-Potter?" 

Harry sharply turned around. "What!?" He snapped, suppressing the urge to draw out his wand and duel someone. 

A woman with golden hair and full lips wearing a set of bright green robes stood at the center of the entrance. She gave the man a threatening look, asking for him to calm down with her eyes. 

"Come with me, please." 

Harry didn't hesitate to go behind the round woman. He picked up his jacket and rushed towards her side. As they headed to the lifts, Harry asked the healer a thousand questions per minute. It wasn't until they were inside the lift, that the woman decided to answer his questions. 

"Why are we going to the fifth floor?"

The woman sighed, turning around to face Harry. "I believe it's better if you look at it yourself."

When the lift opened, Harry couldn't help but think of the first time he'd visited the hospital and come to the fifth floor. He remembered seeing the severe injuries of those staying in the fifth floor. Some of the patients were like the Longbottoms--long term residents with no hope of getting better any time soon, while others were like Katy Bell--residents for only a little bit that would hopefully be better after a few months. 

The healer guided Harry down the hall towards a closed off guard. At each side, there were only three beds, two empty, three with patients and one with a closed off curtain.

"We moved Mr. Malfoy here because he will have to be constantly monitored," explained the woman, guiding Harry towards the the very corner of the room that hosted the mysterious patient.  She used her wand to open the curtains. Harry's whole body froze when he saw the man laying in the small, rather uncomfortable bed. 

The woman turned around to inform Harry of Draco's current situation. "Mr. Malfoy-Potter, your husband was poisoned. We tried to reverse the effects, but the only way to do that was is if we inflicted him with Gormailth Gaunt's curse." 

"You put him in an internal slumber?"

"That is the case. I'm really sorry."

"Sorry?" Harry scoffed, trying his best to keep his voice steady. "Your acting as if he's dead. He's just asleep, you can--it's a curse, just lift it."

"Sir, there is no counter-curse, and if there was, his days would be counted."

"I don't care. You did this, undo it!" 

The woman dropped her gaze. "I'll give you some time to think it more thoroughly." She closed the curtains once again and left the man alone in hopes of doing so will calm him down and accept his current situation. 

Harry stood beside Draco's bed with a blank expression. His hands were by his side; lips curled downwards in a small pout; and brows arched a little, exposing the few wrinkles that he had on his forehead.

Harry felt a wave of sadness wash over him. He recognized the facial expression Draco had on his face; he had it whenever he had a bad nightmare.

"Who did this to you, love?"

Harry crawled towards Draco and balled himself up beside him. He closed his eyes, burying his face in the crook of the man's neck.

For the first time since he'd arrived at the hospital, Harry closed his eyes and calmed down. He inhaled Draco's cologne: a mixture of cool mist and pine. His scent hadn't changed over the years, making Harry feel at home whenever he was with him. 

He'd lost many people in his life; friends, parental figures, family members, and even enemies, each death hurting a little less than the next. He'd lost many loved ones in his life, and he had gown used to the pain, so why did it hurt thinking of a world without Draco in it?

Harry planted a light kiss on Draco's cheek. "I'll find a way to bring you back," he whispered. "I'll bring you back. I'll lift that curse, and I'll make whoever did this to you pay. I promise."