Stronger for You

Chp. 24 For You

  Chapter Twenty-Four

“Sometimes, the only soul that can mend a broken heart is the one that broke it. For they are the ones holding all the pieces.” – Patti Roberts 

“Keep her in this carrier. It’s enchanted to keep her cool. There’re blankets, broth, and water in the side compartments and make sure to feed her every two hours. She must get to bed as soon as you are home.” Hannah instructs while we walk towards the train. I hold the carrier to my chest like a treasure. I could feel the heat of Jacky’s fever, steady as ever, through the air slits of the basket.

“Got it. If I need help, I have my mum or I’ll contact you.” I nod firmly. She smiles wearily before patting the carrier and hopping onto the train with some Hufflepuff third years. The D.A. had been assigned to sit with non-members of their houses as protection, maybe even talk some recruit. Blaise guaranteed more members from Slytherin ever since Snape had accused them of being the ghost.

“Come on.” Neville places his hand on my shoulder as we walk towards the middle of the train where we find an empty compartment. He secures our luggage on the racks while I set Jacky on the seat nearest the door, in case she started vomiting, I could get her to the loo quickly. Neville and I sit opposite to see her more clearly.

“She is going to be alright, right Neville?” I ask him tiredly. He leans his head back against the seat, his eyes already drooping.

“Yeah” My head taps the window as I nod off as well.

………………………………………………

Draco’s P.o.V.

If he tries to help me one more time, he is going to be killed. I can walk on my own! Just because I was sick, it did not mean I was debilitated.

I shake off his hand from my shoulder and glare at him balefully. He lowers his eyes from my face, as he has the last few days, and does not meet my glare once again.

“Blaise, what is up with you?” I demand, stifling another cough. He shrugs, mumbling unintelligibly. I sigh and rub the back of my neck. It’s coated in sweat. As is the rest of my body. This damn fever was going to kill me, along with this raging headache. I haven’t been able to eat, and I looked like a skeleton. Mother would be having a fit when she saw me. “What was that? I couldn’t quite hear.” I ask him firmly, calling up my authoritative tone. We slump into our compartment, coincidentally across from Ginny and Longbottom again.

“I just…er…well I heard that Tigress is sick.” He sighs at last. My headache now pounds like a cathedral bell in France and I lick my doubly chapped lips.

“It’s just a cold, right? Just a bug?” I ask. He shakes his head.

“Ginny doesn’t know. She’s distraught, really. I saw the poor creature yesterday…er…and she looked more near death than life.” I stand up unconsciously, already looking at their closed door.

“Mate, just leave ‘em be.” Theo sighs. I sneer at him and walk across to their compartment, sliding open the door. As I open my mouth to demand why I hadn’t been told, a soft sound reaches my ears. They were both out cold, snoring in deep slumber as if they hadn’t had sleep in ages. They looked like they hadn’t either. Dark bags hung under their eyes and their skin could use some colour.

Ginny was leaning against Longbottom, snoring like a cat ironically. Did they fancy each other? They have gotten quite close this year.

My thoughts darkened as I thought of Potter. Better Longbottom than him. Ginny shouldn’t be with a murderer. If I ever saw that scrawny git again, I would do something that the Dark Lord would either award me greatly for or kill me and my entire family for taking what was his.

Either way, Potter was a dead man.

A small cry of pain caught my attention. I turned my head to look at the enlarged wicker carrier sitting right next to me. I knelt down before it, peering inside.

This poor cat. I can feel her fever in waves, meeting my own little heat wave. Her emaciated body shivers and trembles; her limbs twitching. I let out a wheezing breath. My chest, already tight with sickness, constricted even further. I cover my mouth with my hands to smother a hacking cough.

After a moment, it resided and I brought my eyes back to the kitty. Her grey eyes were peering at me through leaking eyes bright with fever and dazed with delirium. She opens her mouth and a raspy mew comes out weakly. I understand her plaintive plea.

I quickly unlatch her cage and carefully grasp her middle, tugging her gently into the air. She was frightfully light. I stand up shakily and sit sideways on the seat, pushing aside the wicker and leaning against the wall of the compartment with my feet on the seat. Tigress struggles up from my lap, mewling pitifully. I pull her onto my chest, right over my heart, and form a cage with my arms around her. She calms down, pushing her head into the side of my jacket with a shiver. I breathe in shutteringly, licking my lips before pressing a kiss to the fur upon her head. As her shivering recedes, I do it a few more times.

When she relaxes her body, slumping it onto my chest, I use my fingers to stroke through her back fur. A weak purr started up in her body. She raises her eyes to mine and I was struck once more by the resemblance. “I don’t know how much longer I can go on Tigress. I miss her so much.” I find myself whispering, trapped in her gaze. A gaze that grew more wide and alert.

“Mew?” I smile slightly, feeling foolish but at the same time not for talking to a cat.

“She probably visited the Weasley house a time or two. J-” I pause and continue past the block in my throat. “Jacky, does that ring any bells?” I ask Tigress hopefully. Her claws dig into my shirt as she pulls herself closer, snuggling more deeply against my chest. I felt so powerful, with this little kitty on my chest. I held the world where she sat, and I was her only protector. She was mine.

“I did a stupid thing, Tigress. Such a stupid thing.” I breathe, wanting her to know. I feel the air like a winter storm on my skin, shivering like crazy. Only Tigress was warm; the only warmth I could feel.

“I’m not giving up, Tigress. I’ll find her again.” I promise. Tigress lets out a small snore before going silent once more. I lean my head back against the wall, aware of her steadily growing purrs and the warmth from her body to mine. I keep petting her, this echo of my Jaclyn, while she slept. I soon fell to sleep as well.