As It Was *Complete*

30. Its Not Exactly Hard

When she opened her eyes again, she was lying in a bed in the hospital wing. The same group of people were still surrounding her. Madame Pomfrey was running back and forward muttering to herself shoving vials down Astra's throat and using her wand on her wounds. Remus was helping bandage her wrists and face.

"What happened to her!" Snape demanded.

"Miss Armstrong?" McGonagall shouted.

"I didn't do it!" Sophie retorted. "I just found her like that."

Draco's head whipped round to her. "You found her? You found her and you left her?"

"I went to get you, baby?"

"You said you needed to tell me something. You didn't say you found my....Astra assaulted and bleeding to death. And you left her there?"

"You have thirty seconds to explain!" Snape roared as they all moved. He had Sophie by the scruff of the neck.

"We were walking and heard her bang the door and then she called for help. So I opened the door, realised it was her and thought that if I got you down here Draco, and then acted like I was finding her for the first time, you would think I was a hero and take me back and would have to love me," Sophie sobbed. "It...was...I mean it sounded like a good idea at the time."

"What?" Snape roared. Sirius and Remus were holding him back.

"Well it doesn't now," she defended.

"Draco, you better take your girlfriend out of here, before one of us tries to kill her!" Maddi warned.

"I am not going anywhere and she is most definitely NOT my girlfriend!" He spat.

"Drakey, baby!" Sophie took his face in her hands. "I was doing it for us." She pulled his face towards her, trying to kiss him. That hurt just as much as the cuts on Astra's body.

"Get off me!" Draco snapped pushing her away. "Monica get her out of here before she ends up in a bed of her own....or the morgue!" Monica sniffed again and pulled a now roaring Sophie away.

"How did you know Sophie was up to something Professor?" Hermione asked.

"Monica...she looked terribly guilty. And she was crying." Professor McGonagall cleared her throat. "I....may have used Legilimency on her."

"Smart thinking," Sirius offered.

"She has lost a lot of blood," Madame Pomfrey moaned. "She had lacerations all over her body. Those on her wrists are particularly nasty and will scar. That one on her neck too." She moved her wand over Astra's body. "I can't believe someone would do this to her."

"But who?" Pansy sniffed. Astra's eyesight was hazy but she could make out Hermione with her arm around Pansy of all people.

"Who did this to you darling?" Sirius said leaning down into the bed. Snape mirroring his actions on the other side of her.

Astra opened her mouth. "G....." she squeaked and tried again. Nothing came out this time but mumbles and gasps of air.

"Her neck laceration was deep. She will need to rest her voice and it may take a few hours to come back." Remus explained.

Astra felt helpless. But also sickened that she Goyle was walking around the school and could hurt someone else. Snape had his wand in his hand and she had an idea. She slowly lifted her arm and pointed to his wand.

"Your wand?" Snape asked.

"I sent your bag to our dorm," Theo said.

She reached out for Snape's wand. "You want my wand Astra?" She nodded. "Why?" She shook her head and pointed again, her hand trembling. Professor Snape looked unsure but then handed it to her.