The Art of An Ending

Chapter Twenty-Three: A Very Odd Day

Erica left the hospital wing after a few days of bed rest, restored, at least, to a point of functionality by Severus and the new potions she was being administered daily. Draco and Pansy escorted her down to breakfast, not trusting Madam Pomfrey's judgement that she was healthy enough to go back to life as normal, and they chattered to her idly as they made their way down. Apparently, Ginny had argued with Dean, and they were close to breaking up.

"What about?" Erica frowned slightly. "It seems a little odd that they would be arguing. I thought they were doing pretty good."

"Apparently he said some pretty insensitive things when you collapsed at the match," Draco scowled. "About how you were clearly doing it for the attention."

"Because being ill is honestly so fun," Erica rolled her eyes. "Seriously, it's like everyone will believe the worst of me just because they're trying to justify their own begrudging hatred. I admit, I'm not the most likeable of people, but still..."

"Yeah, about your illness," Pansy said, eyebrows furrowed. "Is it the same thing that you had the summer of fifth year? You never really explained that one to us, though we just assumed that it was something magical, but if it's serious and you're not telling us what it really-"

"It's just stress," Erica held up a hand to silence her, internally wincing at how many lies she had to weave just to keep this one secret. "That's all. I'm trying to do too much and it's not doing my body or my mind any good. With some rest and the potions Sev gives me, I should be good as new in no time at all."

Draco and Pansy continued to look suspicious, and she was almost relieved when a voice behind them called, "Erica!", giving her an excuse to turn her back on her friends.

"Oh, hey, Luna."

"I went to the hospital wing to find you," Luna said, rummaging in her bag. "But they said you'd left..."

She thrust what appeared to be a green onion, a large spotted toadstool and a considerable amount of what looked like cat litter into Draco's hands, finally pulling out a rather grubby scroll of parchment that she handed to Erica.

"... I've been told to give you this."

It was a small roll of parchment, which Erica recognised at once as another invitation to a lesson with Dumbledore.

"Tonight," she told Draco and Pansy, once she had unrolled it. "Harry must have gotten the memory."

"Nice commentary last match!" Draco smirked to Luna, as she took back the green onion, the toadstool and the cat litter. Luna smiled vaguely.

"You're making fun of me, aren't you?" she asked. "Everyone said I was dreadful."

"No, I'm being very serious," said Draco earnestly now, his smirk soon widening into a proper grin. "I can't remember enjoying commentary more! What is this, by the way?" he added, holding the onion-like object up to eye-level.

"Oh, it's a Gurdyroot," she said, stuffing the cat litter and the toadstool back into her bag. "You can keep it if you like, I've got a few of them. They're really excellent for warding off Gulping Plimpies."

And she walked away, leaving Draco chortling, still clutching the Gurdyroot.

"You know, she's grown on me," he said as they set off again towards the Great Hall. "I know she's insane, but it's in a good-"

He stopped talking very suddenly. Harry was standing at the foot of the marble staircase looking thunderous, and for once it wasn't directed at Erica, but rather at Draco.

"Potter," Draco said cordially, before paling considerable when Harry's glare deepened.

"Come on," Pansy hissed to Erica, tugging on her arm, and they sped past, though not before they heard Harry say, "So it's like I meant nothing to you at all?"