Hidden Under Darkness

Chapter 7

**Fairlight’s POV**

                    

I run down to the lake, pushing myself as hard as I can, taking pleasure in the pain in my chest and the spinning in my head. I collapse on the bank and hide my face in my arms. I feel completely lost and alone. I look up across the lake. The water is sparkling in the sunlight. In a few weeks it’ll be completely frozen over. Even now it’s icy.

Without even making a conscious decision, I run into the water, gasping at the cold. I dive under, submerging myself completely. It’s warmer under the water, but still very cold. I can feel my heart rate picking up, trying to pump warm blood to my organs. I close my eyes and inhale the cold water. Immediately my lungs scream out in protest. I have to fight the urge to stand up and cough the water out.

My vision starts to go fuzzy. My ears are ringing and my movements are sluggish and slow. I hear something in the distance, sort of like a drum thumping, and think maybe it’s my heart. Then I feel a rush of cold air. I try to open my eyes, but I can’t find the energy. My breathing is short and ragged, growing fainter. I feel as though someone is hitting me on the chest and then something warm touches my mouth.

I turn my head to the side and feel warm water stream out of my mouth. I start coughing and more water pours out. I become vaguely away of someone else’s breathing. It’s coming hard and fast. I cough and vomit more water up before flopping onto my back. My breathing is coming out in gasp and I’m trembling with cold. I turn my head towards the other breathing and see George leaning against a tree, his hair plastered to his head and his face flushed with cold.

“Are… You… Crazy?” he pants, “what do… You think… You were doing?”

I don’t reply. I turn my head away and try to sit up. I feel his arms around me, helping me and push him away. He scoops me up in his arms, holding me tightly to his chest. I want to fight him off, but my head spins and everything goes black…

                 

**George’s POV**

                     

“Fairlight, stay with me,” I say, but she’s out. I try to jog up to the castle, but she’s too heavy. I walk as quickly as I can, heading for the hospital wing. Her head bounces slightly on my shoulder. Her hair is sticking to her face, so I can barely see it. I trip into the hospital wing and Madame Pomfrey looks around, surprise covering her face when she sees us both dripping water everywhere.

“What happened?” she asks, motioning for me to lie her on a bed.

“Lake,” I gasp, “found her floating…”

“Has she coughed up any water?” Madame Pomfrey asks, bending over Fairlight.

“Loads,” I nod, sinking into the chair beside the bed. Madame Pomfrey pulls out her wand and waves it over Fairlight. Steam begins rising from her clothes as they dry.

“There’ll be more in there,” she mutters. She taps Fairlight’s chest with her wand. Fairlight coughs hard and a rush of water streams from her mouth. It’s like she swallowed half the lake.

After she’s finished coughing Madame Pomfrey wraps her in a blanket.

“Not much we can do,” she says, “except keep her warm.”

She looks over at me and raises her eyebrows.

“You can spend the night here too,” she says, throwing me some pyjamas and drawing the curtains around Fairlight’s bed. I pull the curtains around the bed next to her and change into the pyjamas. I look out the window. The sun is disappearing behind the horizon.