Please Be There If I Remember

Chapter Thirteen: Conversations

I really need to stop waking up in the hospital wing, Draco thought, as the blurry signs of the sun flitting through the nearby window broke the first completely peaceful sleep he had had since losing his memory. Madam Pomfrey had strolled in from her office in the corner of the room when she saw him awake, and told him all about the different potions he would need to take daily. She waved her wand a few times over his figure, nodding her head and saying good under her breath, clearly relieved at something she detected.

Last night came back to him in a burst and he groaned slightly into his hands, realising that he was going to have to now walk back to the dorm and apologise to Theo. Sitting up out of bed, Madam Pomfrey tutted at his morning hair and absolute mortification dawned on Draco when he understood that he was going to have to walk back to the Slytherin common room looking like this.

"Please tell me you know how to apparate me through Hogwarts to my dorms," Draco whined. Madam Pomfrey huffed at his words and gazed at Draco with an exasperated but endearing look.

"It is impossible to apparate in and out of Hogwarts, Draco. And even if I could, I would never dream of it. So wish on, and get out of bed so I can fix the sheets. Again. I've seen enough of you in my hospital bed to last me for the rest of the year."

She had spoken the words like it was a bad thing, but Draco knew she was only worried for her patient.

"At least I gave you something to do," he responded haughtily with a self-satisfied smile that reached across his cheeks.

She sighed and thrust the vials of his new potions that he had to take into his hands. "That you did."

The blond laughed and stood up out of the bed, tucking the different bottles into his enlarged robe pocket. He once again thanked the mediwitch for all her work and left for the dreaded walk through the school to the dungeons.

It was still early in the morning—about seven, he confirmed after casting a tempus—so very few students were wandering the halls. Draco thanked the stars that it was a Saturday so he didn't have to worry about getting back to his dorm in time to get ready for class.

Making sure to get there as quickly as possible to hopefully avoid seeing any familiar faces when he was still in his pyjamas and his hair wasn't combed, he took the shortest route on the map that he still had from Madam Pomfrey when he first woke up.

It was kind of nice, he decided, as he travelled down barely used stairs and dusty walls. There were few paintings in the hallways, and the ones that were there were either old men sleeping or some kind of snake that was flicking its tongue at him or 'sunbathing' on rocks in the shadows. He rushed down the steps until he finally reached the short, stone staircase that led to the concrete wall into the Slytherin common room.

Draco studiously ignored the looks from his classmates at his bedraggled appearance, and half-walked, half-ran into his dorm, swiftly shutting the door behind him.

Blaise was sleeping in his bed, half of the curtains around him open like he was too lazy the night before to close them. The sheet was thrown over his head and Draco could hear light snores from under the blanket.

Theo was nowhere to be seen.

He sighed through his teeth, the sound gusting through the dorm and echoing blankly off the walls. Then he left for the bathroom to get ready for a tiring breakfast.

~*"*~

Draco did end up noticing Theo that morning in the Great Hall, but the boy made extra sure to stay as far away from him as he could, even daring to sit beside the loud fourth years so he was on the opposite side of the table as Draco.