The Key (A Draco Malfoy Love Story)

Chapter 19: Never Accept A Drink From Slughorn

Amelia's P.O.V
What the hell?! I leave Harry and Ron alone for one hour and Ron ends up poisoned?! How?! Why?! Who?! Does stuff like this happen every year? How many times have Harry, Ron and Hermione had a near death experience? My guess is quite a lot, but seriously, how could Ron get poisoned in a school? A castle that has twenty massive locks/barriers on the doors and would be checked for anything dangerous first... what is going on in this school? First Katie Bell getting cursed by a necklace and now this? This school needs more security, jeez.

Harry lead Hermione and I through corridor after corridor after corridor until we reached the hospital wing, which was half way across the other side of the school, which we just ran to. All three of us burst into the hospital wing and rushed over to Ron who was laying neatly in a crisp white bed, his face was as pale as paper and there was bags under his eyes, he looked awful. Madam Pomfrey dashed over to him and started pouring odd colored liquids down his throat which would hopefully help him. Hermione and I took the seats on the right side of him while Harry took the one on the left, Hermione held onto Ron's limp hand and stared at him, how cute. I tapped my foot on the floor to get my stress out but it was obviously annoying Harry.

"Can you please stop tapping your foot?" He begged and I crosed my legs on the chair to stop myself.

"Sorry, that's just how I calm myself." I apologised, starting to fiddle with the hem of me sleeves instead.

"So how did this actually happen?" Hermione spoke up after a while, looking at Harry for an answer.

"Well, he ate some of the chocolates someone left on my bed, they were full of love potion, so he got dosed. So I took him to Slughorn to see is he could make an antidote, he did and Ron was cured. That is until Slughorn decided to have some of the new wine someone gave him, Ron drank it first and he was poisoned, but I gave him a bezoar just in time." Harry retold the story and both of us looked at him confused.

"Did Slughorn know it was poisoned?" Hermione asked, as if she was reading my mind.

"No, he didn't have a clue." Harry explained and Dumbledore, Mcgonagle, Snape and Slughorn entered the room and rushed over to Ron's bed side, all looking worried and utterly clueless.

"What exactly did cause him to be poisoned, Horace?" Dumbledore asked the potions master who held out a black bottle to him, which had a small red bow tied around it's neck. Other than that, there was no other decorations, no sign of what the lquid inside actually is or where it came from, there could be anything in there. Dumbledore opened the top of the bottle and smelled it's contents, only for a look of understanding to cross his face.

"This so called 'drink' has a strong essence of liquorice and cherry, the smell of poison." He said and Slughorn looked down at the floor, probably ashamed. We were interrupted by the hospital wing doors bursting open again, but this time it was definately not someone we wanted to see.

"Where is he?! Where is my Won-won?! Has he been asking for me?!" The annoying squeaky voice of Lavender Brown squealed as she ran over to us, only to have her glare at me for the prank, and Hermione for just being there.

"What are you doing here?!" She exclaimed at Hermione, giving her a death glare once she noticed who was holding Ron's hand.

"I could ask you the same question!" Hermione retorted, but only quieter.

"I happen to be his girlfriend!" Lavender said harshly, looking at no-one but Hermione, who was also doing the same.

"I happen to be his... friend." Hermione struggled to find the last word and Lavender snorted.

"Don't make me laugh! Neither of you have spoken for weeks! But now your back into the picture now he's all interesting!" Lavender scoffed and anger rose on Hermione's face.

"He's been poisoned! You daft bimbo! And for the record I've always found him interesting!" Hermione shot back, Lavender opened her mouth to say something, but Ron started mumbling in his unconcious state.

"See? He senses my presence! Don't worry Won-won, I'm here. I'm here." Lavender cooed to Ron who had other ideas about who he was speaking about.

"Her...minee...Hermione...Hermione." He muttered sleepily. A smirk grew on all Harry, Hermione and my faces, but Lavendr however looked as though she could cry. She choked back a sob and ran from the room crying.

"Oh to be young, and to feel Love's keen sting." Dumbledore said, looking at the place Lavender stood only minutes ago.

"Let's leave them be. Mr Weasley is well cared for." Dumbledore and all the others left at once, leaving only Harry, Hermione and I by his bedside.

"Well, that break-up came sooner than I thought." I told them and they smiled. The door suddenly opened for the fourth time this evening and I was brought into a bear hug by none other than Draco Malfoy.

"Thank god your alright! I asked where you were and someone said you were in here, I thought you were hurt." He told me im relief.

"I'm alright, it's Ron that's not." I replied after we pulled away and pointed over to the unconcious Ron lying in the hospital bed in front of me. On one side Hermione was smiling at us, on the other, Harry was glaring at Malfoy, probably for multiple reasons.

"What happened to Weasley?" Draco asked no-one in particular.

"He was poisoned." Hermione replied simply, looking at Ron again while stroking his hand. Draco opened his mouth to ask why but I cut across.

"Don't ask, it's a long story. Just never accept a drink from Slughorn." I told him, putting my hand up signalling for him to stop.

"Hopefully he'll be better soon though." Harry said, also to no-one in particular.