The Villain's Redemption

The Good Samaritan

Anna instantly forgot about her vendetta with him and ran to his side. She touched his neck and felt his pulse. She attempted to bring him back to consciousness by shaking his shoulder gently.

"Malfoy? Draco! Wake up! Come on, wake up!" Anna desperately tried to make him respond, but Draco would not open his eyes. Anna felt her heart almost leaving her chest, but reminded herself to stay calm. There must be someone around. Aurors, teachers, students, ghosts. Someone who can help Anna carry Draco to the hospital wing for medical attention. "Help! Somebody!" Anna looked around in agony but there was none responding to her call for help. Recalling the basic first aid she had learned in summer camp, Anna quickly checked his breathing and heartbeat, which seemed normal. Weak but normal. "Grazie a Dio, sta respirando. Draco..." Anna pushed his ashy hair strands off his face and Draco softly opened his eyes. His grey orbs were looking straight into hers and Anna felt butterflies in her stomach. There was so much emotion in the way he looked at her. Anna reminded herself that Draco is the master of deception, so she averted her eyes. "Come on, I'll take you to the infirmary" Anna went to lift him but Draco grabbed her arm tightly.

"No"

"But you've fainted"

"No" Draco repeated and Anna frowned in his reaction, not understanding why he would turn medical attention away in the state he was.

"Let me at least get professor Snape. He's the head of your house, he'll make sure-"

"No!" Draco shouted widening his eyes. He attempted to lift himself up, but fell back down. "No one...no...one..." Anna groaned frustrated with his refusal to receive help from the teachers. She suspected that Draco had been up to something dodgy and that Harry was probably correct to assume he was plotting something, but it was no time and place for Anna to question that. Draco's well-being was her priority. At the end of the day, she could not let another human being stay unconscious and helpless.

"You are such a brat..." Anna murmured and opened her bag. She had an empty water bottle from that morning. She waved her wand swiftly, casting the spell that got her and Draco detention a couple of months ago. "Aguamenti! Here. Drink" Anna filled the empty bottle with water and gave it to Draco. He went to take it, but his grip was too weak and fell off his hands, spilling water on him and the floor. "I'm sorry, I didn't think! Aguamenti!" Anna casted the spell again and brought the bottle against Draco's chapped lips. With her free hand, Anna held Draco's head up, while he swallowed the water greedily, his Adam's apple bopping up and down. Some drops trailed down his cheeks, but Draco ignored them. He weakly pushed away the bottle from his lips and laid back down on the floor, closing his eyes. "What are you feeling? Do you have chest pains? Or difficulty to breathe?" Anna questioned. She suspected he fainted because of exhaustion and dehydration, but needed to check whether there were more things to look out for. Draco tangled his fingers around Anna's and she shivered in response.

"N-no. I'm...just..." Draco muttered before losing his consciousness once more.

"Draco? Not again...It's not my problem. Not my problem. Okay...what now?" Anna got up in desperation and rubbed her temples, not knowing what to do. It could take Draco a long time to recover and he was in need of rest. But where could she take him if he did not want anyone to know? He needed help, but he did not seem to want any. He wanted to stay hidden. What could Anna do? Anna paced back and forth, thinking of potential places when a door appeared on the wall next to her. She froze in her place for a few moments and then it clicked. It must be where Draco was going every time he was lurking in that corridor. And when he had taken Anna inside a broom closet, one that she had never seen before. Anna rushed to open the door and gasped in awe. It looked like a hotel room, but only had a double bed, bedside tables next to it and a small dining table with two chairs. That would definitely do, Anna thought and took Draco inside. This time he would not regain consciousness and therefore Anna had to be creative on how she would get him on the bed. Once she did, she took his shoes and tie off and opened two buttons off Draco's shirt to free his airway. Anna admired how peaceful he looked while sleeping. So beautiful, yet vulnerable. He had such an angelic face, it was hard to believe he would be so mean to everybody.