Paper Cranes || Drarry

9. The Nightmare

"What do you think she's going to with to you?" Ron asked as they were marched up to the hospital wing. Ron and Ginny were walking with Harry's arms over both of their shoulders to get there, once everyone realized that he was in too much pain to move.

Harry was as wondering the same thing as Ron, but found that it was simply easier to just let himself focus on getting one foot in front of the other to avoid falling down again.

"Perhaps Harry will have to serve detention with Professor Sprout. I've noticed that her hands have been rather full with harvesting from the bubotober pus recently," Luna said.

Ron wrinkled his nose. "I don't think she'll make Harry help with that, I heard it can be a bit dangerous. Nah, she'll probably just make him serve detention for a month," he looked over at Harry. "Right, mate? You're probably going to be seeing a lot of the trophy room from now on, yeah?"

"Shut up, Ron," said Ginny.

Ron simply adjusted Harry's arm and grumbled.

He hoped he didn't have to polish trophies as a punishment, he didn't think he had it in him. Professor McGonagall would have mercy on him, right? After all, fights with Malfoy were frequent and not exactly unexpected by the staff at this point.

Once they neared the infirmary doors and followed McGonagall in, Harry was hit with the strong smell of the infirmary. He couldn't say that he had exactly missed the place for its overly bright and uncomfortably clean atmosphere.

"Ah, Minnie," Madam Pomfrey greeted, "what can I do for you?"

McGonagall threw a disapproving look behind her. "Mister Potter and Mister Malfoy are in need of medical attention. I'm afraid they've been in a terrible fight."

"Mister Potter," Pomfrey scolded, "was a month away from the Hospital Wing not enough for you?" Harry tried to look apologetic, but she didn't seem to even notice, as she was too busy ushering them towards neighboring beds.

Once he touched the sheets, Harry wanted to collapse into them and sleep for the next hundred years. Despite his fatigue, he was unable to get comfortable. His ribs ached every time he moved,and his palms were burning. They felt rather awkward from how he was positioning them towards the ceiling, but the pain from brushing against anything was not something he wanted to risk. If he were to look down, he knew he would see the angry red marks on his skin, stained with grass and mud.

He flicked his gaze over to Malfoy for a moment to see that he was being glared at. He had forgotten about his progress of coming to better terms with Malfoy with all of the excitement, and now they were back to square one of just pure hatred and animosity.

He turned his attention back to McGonagall.

"-and I will be asking everyone to leave the room while I discuss the terms of their punishments. You may visit your friends tomorrow once they have had their rest," she said, ignoring the groans of her students.

"Good luck, Harry," Ron said, sending him a thumbs up. It lifted his spirits by a fraction and he sent a reassuring smile back. He would see his friends tomorrow, when he would feel slightly better and be much more rested. He smiled as the rest of his friends waved at him, sighing forlornly as he watched the large doors close behind their retreating backs.

McGonagall turned back to them. "Poppy will tend to you two as we discuss your punishments."

Harry tried not to let the fear show on his face.

"You will be serving two weeks of detention with me," she informed, instantly quelling his initial worries. Detention with her wasn't so bad, even if it was for two weeks. Malfoy must have thought so as well, judging from the sigh he heard.