Unmasked

The Hospital Wing

Hermione, Ron, Pansy, and Blaise skidded around corners and sprinted through corridors to McGonagall's office. The group panted as they turned left into a hallway in which she stood halfway down, a group of other teachers surrounding her. Professors Flitwick, Snape, and Slughorn were with her as well. They seemed to be having a friendly discussion—Snape seemed mildly amused, while the other three were smiling.

McGonagall spotted the group running towards her and she stepped forwards, smile instantly erased. "What is it?" She demanded. "What's the matter?"

"It's Draco," puffed Pansy.

"What happened?" Snape prodded.

"Lucius," Hermione panted. "The Three Broomsticks."

"It's bad," said Ron. "Broken ribs, at the very least. He's bleeding quite a bit."

"He seems really shaken," Blaise said.

"Where's Potter?" McGonagall asked, sweeping the students with her as they and Snape headed back from where they had come.

"With Draco," said Hermione. "He carried him back from Hogsmeade."

"And you're sure it was Lucius?" Snape asked.

"Positive," said Ron. "We saw some of it before we had the chance to butt in."

"You interfered!" McGonagall screeched. The students cringed.

"Well, Harry, Hermione, and I did," Ron admitted. "Pansy and Blaise weren't there."

McGonagall whirled on the two Gryffindors. "You could've been hurt! It could have been so much worse!"

"We couldn't just leave him there!" Hermione screeched. "Professor, you should've seen Lucius. And Harry... we had to hold him back."

"I assumed you did," Snape drawled. They all gave him a look as they hurried along, to which he only smirked.

McGonagall turned her attention back to the students. "One of you, go find Dumbledore."

"I'll go," said Blaise. "Draco probably won't want to see me right away anyway..."

Hermione smiled sadly, and Blaise made a turn as the rest of them kept straight. They all knew that Draco and Blaise were friends... but they weren't overly close. He didn't know much about what was going on, nor did Draco want to tell him.

*

Harry ran into the hospital wing, searching it for signs of someone to help him. "Madam Pomfrey!" He lurched forwards, further into the aisle of beds. "Madam Pomfrey!"

The witch emerged, clearly startled, from a door off the side of the aisle. Her eyes widened at the sight of the unlikely pair. "Mister Potter... Merlin. What's happened to Mister Malfoy?"

"Please, I don't know what to do," Harry cried. "I don't know what's wrong with him, other than that his ribs are broken. I didn't see all of it..."

Madam Pomfrey threw curtains open around a bed on their left, and Harry laid Draco down on the bed. "All of what?"

"His F-father. He was beating h-him."

"Calm down, dear," she said. "He'll be okay. Take a seat." She pushed him gently into the chair beside Draco's bed. "Are you sure that's what happened? That's a very serious accusation."

"P-positive."

She was prodding around his ribs, and although now unconscious, Draco still winced and called out. "What did you see, dear?"

"I saw him being kicked in the head. Some of his hair got ripped out. I'm not, not exactly sure how he got the broken ribs," Harry sniffed. "Er... his Father was threatening to use the cruciatus curse on him again."