The Crash

Part 7

We managed to get a sort of camp set up. Hermione tried to help, but, in her current state, she couldn't do much except give instructions, so pretty much like normal.

Luna gathered berries and she and Pansy went around, looking for our luggage. Perhaps the clothes inside could help, not to mention Luna and Malfoy's wands.

When the sky became dark, I laid down on the ground, my T-Shirt rolled into a ball as a makeshift pillow.

It seemed so strange. How everything had changed in a day. One minute we were going to help the Illvermorny students and the next we were in a carriage crash in the middle of the woods. And who knew where we were? Were we still in England? Were we in Ireland? I knew we hadn't yet crossed the Atlantic Ocean, so that ruled out the possibility of us already being in America. Besides, the journey was scheduled to take longer.

As it was now Autumn, the night was freezing. Several of us tried to make a fire, but the only one who knew how was now unconscious and unable to move.

With my chest bare, I shivered in the cold but curled up in a ball, trying to conserve body heat. I remembered seeing it on a show Dudley used to watch about people who were stranded in the Mountains. I never actually watched them with him though, so I didn't have vast reservoirs of knowledge about how to survive in the elements.

I looked up at the sky, but saw nothing but clouds. By the heaviness of them I knew rain was on the way and dreaded the moment it came. Not only would it probably give us pneumonia, it would make it harder for people flying overhead to spot us.

I knew if it was a muggle plane they would probably assume we were just camping and keep flying, so I hoped that it would be Hogwarts or Illvermorny that came looking for us. At least they would know stranded students when they saw them.

Somehow I managed to fall asleep, and when I woke up it was barely dawn. The sky was still a dark grey, but I could vaguely see the pinks and reds of a sunrise through the clouds.

Malfoy came over to check my arm and announced that it was doing well.

"You're lucky. If Luna hadn't noticed it, you'd be dead by now. Infection isn't something to take lightly, you know." I nodded.

"Spare me the lecture, I've learned my lesson."

Once my arm was bandaged up again, I went over to Hermione. She stirred and actually smiled when she saw me.

I lifted the oxygen mask and let out a sigh of relief when I could hear her mostly steady, if not slightly shaky, breathing. I don't think I have ever appreciated magical healing more than right now.

"You're alive." I breathed out in relief. She nodded. "So are you."

I offered her my hand and she slowly sat up, her eyes still sparkling with pain. Her legs were still being mended and I imagined so were her ribs. Malfoy had said some were broken yesterday.

Just then, he came over and gave her a few sips of the purple and blue potions.

"You can't move. It will make your legs heal wrong. You were lucky that's all that was wrong. With your arms, I think they were just hurt because of the pressure. There were loads of bruises on them." Hermione nodded.

I stood then walked back to where I had been laying and grabbed my shirt. "You could keep it off, you know."

I turned around in surprise and found myself staring in confusion at Malfoy. He quickly blushed, then continued.

"I mean, that way we can keep an eye on your arm. And the fabric won't rub against it and irritate it."

I nodded and watched in amusement as Malfoy scratched the back of his head awkwardly then walked over to Pansy.

When I joined Hermione again, she was smirking at me.

"What?" I asked defensively. She rolled her eyes.

"He obviously likes you." I scoffed.

"You're delusional. Did being crushed by a carriage cut off the oxygen to your brain or something?" Hermione chuckled and shook her head.

"No. But it's clear to anyone with a brain. Think about it. Would the Malfoy we knew in First through Fifth year bother helping you?" I thought, then shook my head.

"He'd probably leave me for dead and save himself." Hermione nodded.

"Exactly." I raised an eyebrow.

"So?" Hermione groaned in exasperation.

"So, he bothered to take care of your arm and your head, so that means he has to care. And you took care of him back at the carriage site. Even if you don't want to admit it, you care about him too."

I looked over at Malfoy who was looking at Pansy's ankle. Sure, he was attractive, I'd always thought that. And sure, he had a nice smile and his eyes were pretty, but just because I had noticed those things didn't mean I liked him. Right?

"We've got to take care of each other out here 'Mione. That's the only reason he helped me and I helped him." Hermione frowned.

"No. There's something else there. I know it." I sighed, but decided not to further engage in the argument.