Short Change Hero

Chapter 29: Haunted

Chapter Twenty-Nine

Haunted

"I know if I'm haunting you,
You must be haunting me,
My wicked tongue,
Where will it be,
I know if I'm onto you,
You must be onto me..."

Haunted (Michael Diamond Remix) by Beyoncé

Thursday October 31st, 1996

Inside the Library

"As much as habitually enjoy our witty banter Granger," his words were soft and warm against her cheek. "Right now, I need you to listen and as difficult as it may be, I need you to refrain from asking questions... At least until we make it out of here..."

Hermione attempted to focus upon the situation around them while her head throbbed and bobbed forwards into the crook of his neck. His familiar scent for some reason made her feel safe, as did the warmth of him surrounding her. When she mustered a nod in acknowledgement, the warmth was gone along with the lingering aroma of his musky cologne. She then noted that something felt off.

Opening her eyes, Hermione was suddenly being shoved backwards while Malfoy was hit by a spell that was meant for her. She moved hastily as he stumbled backwards into her arms as she guided him to the ground. Frantically tearing open the buttons on his dress suit, she saw crimson pooling under his contrasting white shirt and seeping through the material.

"Draco, you're going to be alright," she whispered with a wince, "Just hold on..."

With one hand she pushed upon the cut, feeling the warm sticky blood upon her fingers and looked around for her wand. The throbbing in her head continued but she pushed it aside as she tried to take a deep breath in order to properly assess Draco's condition. Just as she was about to put pressure upon his wound with her other hand, his hand, reached up grabbing hold of her wrist.

"Don't..." He growled." I don't want your help."

"Stop it," she spat, "You're being ridiculous. You need help Draco. Unfortunately for you, I'm the only thing you've got. So just hold still..."

With an eye roll, Hermione looked around and spotted his wand on the on the other side of him next to the bookcase. Sighing aloud, she then leaned over Malfoy and grabbed his wand causing him to curse.

"Dammit Granger," he cursed through his teeth and tried to pull to his right away from her with a hiss but fell back down with a groan. "Be careful...- Is that MY wand?"

"Oh shut it Malfoy..." she huffed.

Opening his shirt, to see the drying blood against his pale skin, she pointed the wand towards the cut that rested just below the left side of his collarbone and muttered 'Tergeo'. The wand shakily syphoned the dried blood from his skin but since the wound was still open, blood continued to spill from the cut as she began to bite her bottom lip. She then recalled hearing about this one advanced healing spell in the hospital wing for healing deep cuts, but had never performed the spell herself.

"Well I've heard about a difficult healing spell..." she thought aloud with a stiff inhale. "I've never had the chance to practice it before but it's all I got."

With a deep breath, Hermione recalled how it was used in fourth year upon Harry's shoulder after the first tri-wizard tournament. It was a spell called 'Vulnera Sanentur' that was to be repeated three times with the wand pointed towards the cut and said a sing song voice.

With a huffed breath, she was about to do the spell when clouds of black smoke surrounded them swishing violently around them both. Closing her eyes, Hermione waited until it stopped and then she looked up to see none other than Theodore Nott wand pointed towards them. Malfoys wand now missing from her own hand she froze as the uneasy feeling she had gotten moments ago returned.