Fire and Ice

Fitful Sleeps

"Mmmmrgh, Dray..."

"Ssh, Ginny, I'm here, we're all here,"

"Draco..."

"What? No, Malfoy's not here, why would he be? It's me Harry, I'm here."

"No.... Draco... Dr..."

"What's she saying?"

"She keeps saying Draco, she's probably got a concussion or something."

"Yeah, mate, why would she being saying his name? Gin, it's me Ron, can you hear me? You're in the Hospital Wing, everything's gonna be fine."

"I don't think she has a concussion, Harry. Malfoy caught her so smoothly she didn't even touch the ground. He took most of the hit to be honest, but he looked unscathed."

"Whatever, Hermione, why else would she be saying his name?"

"Who else's name is she going to say?! He did save her, you know."

"Hermione, he's still...!"

"What, Ron? It's true. We all should thank him. Without... Draco, Ginny'd be dead."

"...Draco...come..."

"I think she wants Malfoy."

"Hermione, she's just had a bad fall, she doesn't want him, he's the last face she saw, that's probably why she keeps saying his name."

"Harry, she-"

"Drac..."

"Oh! She's sleep-talking!"

"Oh yeah- I forgot she used to sleep-talk! In The Burrow she used to keep half the house up at night."

"I really think we should leave her to rest. Clearly our talking about it isn't helping her; it looks like she's having a horrid fitful sleep."

"Fine, you two go, I'm gonna stay with her, though."

"Harry, mate..."

"Leave it, Ron, I'm staying."

"But Harry-"

"It's the least I can do."

"But-"

"Leave me alone!"

"Wha-?"

"Harry, Ginny didn't mean that to you, she's just sleep-talking!"

"Forget this, I'm going then. Clearly Ginny thinks I'm as cowardly as I do."

"Harry, it wasn't your-"

"Leave it, Hermione. I failed her. I failed Ginny."

"No, mate-"

"Leave it. She probably doesn't even want to see me again."

"Harry- why-"

"Come back, Harry-"

"NO! Do you think she didn't see me, frozen, not even trying to save her? You don't think she thinks I'm a monster, a monster for not even trying? To allow her to be caught by a Malfoy?!"

"Harry, she's stirring, please don't shout-"

"You're right. I'm leaving. If she wakes up, tell her... tell her I'm sorry."

"Harry-"

"Harry-"

"Oh, Harry. He's torturing himself. He always does this when he didn't save someone, even when it's not his fault- which it never is. He thinks he always has to be a hero."

"One of us should go after him."

"I think you should, Ron. I'll stay with Ginny. Madame Pomphrey only allows one visitor anyway."

"Okay. "

...

"Oh Ginny, what are we going to do with him?"

"Mmm."