Miss Slytherin

Book 2: Chapter 16

Finley anticipated an accident like a broken arm, a cracked rib, or just a terrible high fever when she followed Harry and Ron to the Hospital wing. But when they arrived in the hospital wing she might as well be as petrified as she saw her best friend Hermione petrified on the hospital bed with look of pure horror in her face. Harry and Ron found their way towards the crying girl and hugged her for support, they were also shaken to see their friend at this state.

"We found her in the library," The mediwitch said as she fused over Hermione who was the recent victim of the petrified muggle borns. Guiding the devastated Slytherin towards the side of the bed, she saw that Hermione was holding the blurry mirror that she gave her before their fight.

"I'm so sorry Mione," she cried holding onto the petrified Gryffindor's frozen hand.

"We need to find out who the heir of Slytherin is, and fast," Harry said with all seriousness as he saw Finley cry. Placing a hand on her shaking shoulder.

Finley's now red puffy eyes looked towards Harry, tear streaks still wet and fresh tears still welling in her eyes. "We fought, I—"

"We'll find him, she'll be okay," Harry said, Ron nodding towards her.

"How can you both be so sure," she sniffs.

"We won't stop until we find him," Harry said as he hugged Finley closely as he gazed at Ron who was unsure if they will be able to solve this petrified mystery.

She was pressed in a hug, she was yet again vulnerable that day and this was through the fear of losing her best friend.

"Evans, you need to get out of here. You need to eat," a familiar voice had said. She was back in the hospital wing for the past three days, only having to leave when she needed to sleep and during her classes. But mostly, her time was spent in the hospital wing waiting for her best friend to respond, or a miracle to get her out of her petrified state.

"Come on," Draco had said tugging her robes from where she sat trying to get her to budge.

The three days that Finley was sitting in the hospital wing, none of the Slytherins knew where she was except for her best friends who always brought her food whenever she skips meals. Most often was Draco who always caught her in the hospital wing crying and would escort her back to the common room before curfew.

"Finley—"

"I feel like I really am a bad witch," she whispered to herself.

"You're not—"

"But I am!" She snaps at him as her tired eyes looked towards Draco in sadness, her hands clutched the collar of his shirt and they were shaking. She just looked so sad and tired, no one would've guessed that a girl like her was capable of looking so hopeless.

"I should've heard them out, I should've helped them with this Slytherin heir, I should've—" she rambled on but was stopped when Draco held her hand that was on his shirt.

"But you can't do anything now, things happened," Draco calmly said.

"I—"

"It wasn't your fault."

"It feels like it is," she frowned letting go of his shirt as she looked back to her friend who still had the terrified look on her face. The blurry mirror was still in her hand and no one was capable of pulling it out of her grasp.

"Let's put it this way, Granger wouldn't want you to starve yourself from something you had no control of," Draco said as he attempted to change the subject.

"But I should've—" he placed a finger on her lips and shushed.

"Hear that?" He asked looking around the room. Finley furrowed her eyes at him and began to look around as well.

"What am I suppose to hear?" She asked, now a playful grin made it's way to Draco's face.

"The peace and serenity without your pessimism," he laughed.

"I'm not playing around here Malfoy!" Finley only glared at him as she shoved him away from her, with a playful laugh he sat down next to her.

"I know," he said, now he pulled out a basket of food.

"Fancy having late lunch with me in that room we found?" He offered as he opened the basket revealing some turkey and pudding.

"I'm not hungry Draco—"

Draco scoffed, "Bullshit!"

He lowered his pride to speak with the Hufflepuff prefect to get her food. He skipped class just to see her and check if she ate, he even asked Potter if he knew where she was, and he is not leaving her side until he sees her eating. Zabini and Nott will have his ass on a platter if they don't see her eating anytime soon, and they were complete brats snapping at anyone in the common room when she was no where to be seen.

"It's either we eat here, or I take you some where we both know you'll like," Draco said.

"But—"

"I heard Madam Pomfrey bans students who haven't had their meals yet."

With one last look towards Hermione, she had no choice but to comply as she was dragged away from the hospital wing by Draco towards the seventh floor. Draco humoured her with stories of hexed students and potions accidents to find ways to brighten up the gloomy Finley.

"That's odd," Finley finally spoke as they arrived towards the wall where they found the door last Christmas. "Shouldn't there be a door here?" She asked Draco who only smiled at her.

"That's where you're wrong Evans, what we found last Christmas was the room of requirement."

"Room of what?"

"Room of requirement," he motioned for her to close her eyes.

"But—"

"Evans shut up!" Draco playfully snapped at her. He grabbed hold of her hand, "Now imagine a room where we can a enjoy the lunch, somewhere relaxing and..." he paused.

"And?"

"Sunny, imagine a room where it's always sunny."

Finley smiled, "You Git, if you wanted Sunny then we should've went to the greenhouses," she giggled. Draco smiled brightly at her reaction and thought she was prettier when she's smiling.

"Now where would be the fun in that?"

"Draco!"

Draco laughed as he nudged Finley's hand that was enclosed with his.

"Okay, now open your eyes."

Opening her eyes double doors appeared, still the same height the difference was the silver door frame. Still holding Draco's hand, they walked towards the door opening it.

"Wow," she awed as she saw sunlight and flowers, lots and lots of them.

The walls were filled with large windows that let in sunlight, the floors made into a pathway of stones and around them was just pure grass. She heard small chirps of birds and flowing water, everything was just nature.

"This is—"

"Magical," Draco finished as he too wandered his gaze around the indoor garden that the room of requirement has made for them. There was a fountain in the centre of the room, one that would resemble the fountain in the courtyard.

Finley rushed towards the small pond on the side of the room and saw small fishes swimming about. "They're magnificent!" She squealed as she touched the water.

The feel of the room was joyful and calming, she forgot what troubled her in the first place. She turned towards Draco who was examining the room full of plants and water. "Draco come see!" She called out pointing at the flowers that sang.

"Alright, but you need to promise that you will eat anything I give you," Draco conditioned as he placed the basket that he brought on a table a few feet away from the pond.

"Yes yes, hurry!" She giggled as she grabbed hold of his arm as they listened to the singing plants.

"I love this room," she softly said as she swayed to the melodious sound.

"Me too."