Underneath the Mistletoe

ChapterTwentyFive

Harry's POV
ThirdYear-DayFive

"Oh Harry! Are you sure you're alright?" Hermione's worried eyes widened in mild horror. "I mean clearly your not alright, silly of me to even ask. Obviously you wouldn't be here if you were alright, you wouldn't be in the hospital wing. I can't believe-"

Ron was grinning at Harry from the end of the bed, where he was standing, as Hermione endearingly rambled on trying to explain herself from her seat at Harry's feet.

"What she means to say," Ron interrupted saving her, "is that we were both worried for you when we heard you were in the infirmary."

Hermione threw him a grateful look "precisely."
He had just finished telling them everything. Well mostly everything, he'd conveniently left out the part about almost fainting and the part about holding Malfoy's hand. They had both listened with rapt and undivided attention and in that moment Harry had realized just how lucky he was to have such good friends. He wanted to tell Ron and Hermione how much they meant to him, how much he appreciated that they were always there to support him, but he couldn't find words that would do them justice.

"Harry, what was it you were doing wandering about the grounds anyway?" Ron asked puzzled.

They had apparently been so caught up in their arguing earlier that they hadn't heard him say he was going for a walk. This came as no surprise. "Trying to escape the both of you and your bloody arguing" Harry grimaced.

Ron and Hermione exchanged a look. "We weren't arguing" Hermione said tersely but Harry still caught her ashamed blush.
Harry chuckled "do you two even hear yourselves? You totally were."

Hermione blew out an exasperated breath "well it's not my fault Ronald has to resort to irritating those around him to entertain himself when he's bored."

"Excuse me?!" Ron exclaimed nostrils flaring and face pinkening as well.

"I'm just stating the truth" Hermione said in a matter of fact tone, that Harry knew only frustrated Ron further. Both of their tempers were rapidly rising as Hermione actually turned on the bed to face the redhead. Ron crossed his arms and widened his stance as if preparing himself for a fist fight. The sight made Harry want to laugh, however he knew it wouldn't fix the situation.
They were both glaring at each other furiously.

"That's not the truth, that's-"

"Don't be childish Ron" Hermione cut him off heatedly voice rising.

The boy started glaring daggers as he opened his mouth "you don't get to just go around acting as if you know everything! You don't get-"

The nurses office door burst open "what in Merlins beard is going on out here?!" She demanded. Her eyes landed on the trio and her eyebrows shot up into her hairline as she observed Ron's stance and Hermione's expression. Then she saw Harry amidst it all and some patient-healer instinct must have kicked in because she immediately adapter her no non sense persona and marched over.

"I should have known it was you three. Ms. Granger and Mr. Weasley I'm afraid you'll have to continue your plotting elsewhere and without Mr. Potter. He needs his rest and the two of you certainly are not helping with your spat. I trust you can both find your way out?"

Hermione lowered her face in shame at being scolded by a teacher "Yes Madam Pomfrey" she replied sheepishly and gave Harry a pressed lip smile before bee lining for the door. Ron took a little more time.
He leaned in closer as he got up and whispered in Harry's ear. "Madam Pomfreys reminded me, speaking of plotting, I may have put a spell on the mistletoe on the way here to trap students together until they, well you know-" he made a kissy face.
The two boys cracked up.

"Mr. Weasley?" The nurses face bore the first hints of impatience.
"Right Madam Pomfrey, leaving now" he gave her a charming smile that ghosted one Fred or George might have given. As Ron departed he turned around and gave Harry a mischievous grin. The door shut behind his friend and the nurse went back to her task of making a new batch of cold cleanser.
It was only then in the eerily silent room that Harry glanced over to his left and found an empty cot where Malfoy had been. In all the frenzy of Ron and Hermione's questions the other boy had left without him noticing.

Harry sighed and settled into the silence. Maybe this was another example of not appreciating what you had until it was gone.

-x-

Thankfully it didn't take Madam Pomfrey too much longer to prepar the cold cleanser.

"Alright bottoms up young man" she had handed him a small cup of a clear liquid that frothed up near the top to make what looked like sea foam.
Harry had intended to take it in one go but the moment the potion had touched his lips he'd jerked back. It wasn't horrible but he wouldn't go as far as to say that it was pleasant. In fact it was quite bitter and cold. It took a few tries to finish it off as Madam Pomfrey watched him swallow every last drop.

"Very good Mr. Potter, now this one" his tongue was numb from the last potion when she handed him the second one. It was a lovely looking thing. She'd given it to him in a small vial, this one was the colour purple like lavender flowers and bubbled a bit like pop.

"What's this?" Harry asked curiously. He'd never seen anything like it in any of his textbooks and he'd already taken the cold cleanser so what was it for?

"A heavy sleeping potion laced with the smelling components of Amorentia to keep patients from struggling"

Harry sniffed the potion, it smelt of treacle tart, broom polish, and... Hair gel?
The first two made sense(treacle tart being his favourite desert and broom polish for Quidditch) hair gel though? Where did that come from?

"Come on Mr. Potter. We haven't got all day."

Stealing himself Harry tilted his head back and downed it all in one go. From the first drop Harry's eyelids began to sag. By the time the entire potion had been consumed he was entering that stage between consciousness and sleep. Harry could feel heavy sleep washing over him the same way the tide rose up on a beach.

"Sleep well Mr. Potter"

-x-

SOOO the missing chapter?
Over winter break I prewrote chapters but in a dazed haste deleted them. That's why I didn't post last week(sorry!) I had to rewrite them.
So voila! Hope you enjoyed:)