A Magic Stronger Than Darkness ~ Book 1: Perfect Opposites

Chapter 20 ~ A Coward's Confession

Draco POV

I left Veronica in the hospital wing and headed straight to Potions. My mind kept flashing back to yesterday. Normally I was not one to be easily frightened, but when Veronica was taken back under the water by an unknown creature, the bloody hell had been scared out of me. Everyone on our boat and those nearby were anticipating for her to resurface, but after several agonizing minutes, nothing happened. Then a Ravenclaw yelled, "There's blood!", and I couldn't stand it. McGonagall was busy trying to calm Penelope down, and all the other students in the boat were sitting there like dunces. Veronica needed help, and I was tired of waiting. I had no choice but to throw off my coat and dive into the lake after my girlfriend.

The water was extremely murky, but about five yards away it was turning a deep crimson, growing darker in the center of a blood cloud that was steadily increasing in size. I swam closer, hoping that I would soon be able to see clearly, having little success. But as I entered the red tinted space, I noticed a shadow sinking slowly toward the sandy lakebed below. Veronica! A chill coursed through my body as I recognized the shape of the girl I cared for most. Determined to save her, I kicked myself forward as quickly as possible with all the power in my legs. When I reached my injured girlfriend, I tightly wrapped an arm around her waist and swam toward the surface, praying that I had got to her in time. There had to be some way of healing her. We're at Hogwarts for Merlin's sake!

Finnigan and McGonagall saw us emerge from under the waves and the pair helped me haul Veronica into the boat. I heaved myself over the side and I slid over to where they had laid her on some soft towels in the back of the boat. She had loads of cuts covering her collarbone, shoulders, and arms, and that was just what I could see at the moment. What could have possibly gotten a hold of her? "V-Ver-ron-n-nica-a?" I muttered through chattering teeth while I attempted to shake her awake.

Nothing happened, except that more tendrils of blood flowed freely out of the wounds and stained her clothes. I grabbed the hem of my own shirt and tore off a strip of the fabric, pressing it to her neck in an effort to stop some of the more significant bleeding. Her breath was faint and shallow, chest rapidly rising and falling though her lungs hardly seemed to expand. "C-come on, Veronica, y-you'll be ok-kay." I encouraged her. "Hold on..." I added, darting forward so I could kiss her forehead lightly.

When we had finally returned to Hogwarts, McGonagall and I rushed Veronica to the infirmary. Madame Pomfrey continuously stated that I needed to leave but I adamantly refused to do so. Instead, I stood next to Veronica's bedside watching to see if she would wake up. I needed her to wake up. Snape (who had been summoned to the hospital wing in order to help) and Pomfrey successfully stopped most of the bleeding, though the sheets below my girlfriend were already pink from what had seeped from her gashes and already started to soak into them. "Where did all of that blood come from?" I demanded, heart beating wildly in my chest as I watched them levitate Veronica off the bed so that they could discard the soiled sheets and replace the bedding with clean blankets.

Madame Pomfrey glanced up at me in annoyance. "There are cuts like these covering her entire body, Mr. Malfoy. We have closed or clotted most of the wounds but the rest will need to heal on their own." "Will she be alright?" pressed, feeling only slightly better about the ordeal than I had when Veronica had first disappeared into the lake. "She'll be fine, Mr. Malfoy. Although, if you do not stop breathing down my neck and go sit down quietly, I will personally place a sedation charm on you and have Professor Snape escort you to your dorm." The healing witch snapped. I blinked once and frowned at her, then went over to sit down in a nearby chair, following her commands even though I didn't like them in the least.

When they were all done and Veronica was sleeping soundly, Snape allowed me to spend almost the entire night at her bedside to keep an eye on her. Around 5:00 am this morning though, I was awoken by Madame Pomfrey, who said I needed to go shower and eat before I came back.