𝑵𝑰𝑲𝑶𝑳𝑨 𝑷𝑶𝑻𝑻𝑬𝑹 ⭑ 𝑫𝑹𝑨𝑪𝑶 𝑴𝑨𝑳𝑭𝑶𝒀

SEVEN: Recovery

When I opened my eyes, I was in the hospital wing. Harry, Ron and Hermione all at my side. The golden egg sat on my side table.

"Y/n!" Harry exclaimed, jumping to his feet. Hermione and Ron's faces lit up too. "You're awake." I cleared my throat and raised myself against the backboard.

"How long was I out," I asked.

"All day," Hermione said, worry in her eyes. I nodded slowly, trying to recall everything that had happened, but my head was pounding.

"What.. What happened?" I muttered, rubbing my palm against my temple. They all shared a blank look.

"You don't remember?" Hermione asked. I nodded.

"I remember, sort of. But.. I mean, why?" I didn't know exactly what I was asking, but I was sure as hell confused.

"No one knows. You were underwater for so long we thought for sure you were.. you know. Then you burst into light like a bloody lumos charm," Ron explained. I frowned, still gathering the events in order.

"Like before.." Harry whispered, referring to the Patronus. I nodded slowly, and then suddenly remembered the venom. I started checking out my shoulder and hip but nothing was there, like I'd imagined it.

"Pheonix tears," Hermione explained. "Dumbledore brought Fawkes to you right away after you'd been pulled out of the water." I raised my eyebrows, astonished. I forgot how effective Phoenix's tears could be. I might have to get my own Phoenix one day. Hermione leaned closer to whisper something else to me then. "Draco was terribly worried the whole time, by the way. When you went under, he was yelling terribly at Dumbledore to call it off." I rolled my eyes. Now he cares. Why did he only seem to care when I was in danger? Madame Pomfrey dismissed us from the hospital wing after a final check up, and they walked me to the Slytherin common room, all of us gleaming proudly.

When I entered, a huge cheer exploded and everyone applauded. I gave a humble smile, not wanting to gloat as I didn't even know what had happened in the trial fully. Draco ran straight to me and grabbed my arms tightly. I flinched away from him, from by the shock. He frowned down at me.

"I thought you were.. I thought I'd lost you," he muttered. I gave him a half-smile, not really knowing how to feel.

"Well, I'm here," I said bluntly, shrugging a shoulder.

"Open it Potter!" Theo called at me, everyone's eyes now on me and the golden egg I was carrying beneath my arm. I laughed slightly, and Theo tapped a table hinting me to get up there. I walked away from Draco and got up onto the table with Theo's help.

"Okay.. Here goes.." I said, twisting the top of the egg hesitantly, and opened the egg. An agonising screech released from it, causing everyone to fall to their knees covering their ears. I fell from the table but Draco had jumped out and caught me before my fall. I quickly screwed the egg closed again, everyone lifting back to their feet. "What the fuck."

After the disappointing announcement from the golden egg, everyone went back to their business. I frowned slightly at the egg in my hands, making my way back to the dorm. People congratulating me as I pass.

***

The next day was very different from the last few weeks. Instead of scowling in the hallways they'd cheer for me. Instead of saying shitty comments, they were inviting me to join them. As much as most people would enjoy the attention, I much preferred my private little circle of people and being left alone. But I suppose it was better than hatred or false rumours.

What was strange to me was that nobody seemed to be concerned about the abnormal happenings that occurred in my trial. If it was spoken about it was only how impressive I did or how I really must be a 'chosen one'. People assumed I'd cast a spell for this to occur and somehow I was this powerful witch that the spell just amplified. Some students from religious families thought some higher God may have something to do with it. I of course knew neither of these could be true. I wasn't sure what happened yesterday, but no higher power was involved. Just pure luck. I'd been avoiding Draco as much as I could. I didn't want him to apologise just out of relief that I lived, or just the fact that he didn't feel like he could be mad at me anymore because nobody else was. It seemed Harry, Ron and Hermione had also made up, as they'd been together again a lot more since I'd woke up in the hospital bed.