IMPERIO // Draco Malfoy X Reader

Chapter 26: Hogwarts, Hospital Wing

Things stayed uneasy for the rest of the week.

Theo almost disappeared entirely from your life for a while - you would only catch glances of him in the common room, and even then it would only be a split second before he disappeared again. You supposed you could go and find him if you tried, but you didn't really want to.

Not after he had hit Leo.

Leo was quieter now. He stuck closer to Blaise and Lyre and spoke less to everyone. He seemed distant in a way that you wouldn't expect from him - but then again these were strange times.

Strange times indeed.

Draco had disappeared entirely, unlike Theo. You didn't even see him in the Great Hall for meals anymore. According to Blaise he hadn't come back to the boys dorm since the night of the fight. No one knew where he was sleeping, or eating.

You hated that you were worried about him.

He really didn't deserve your worry. He obviously didn't care about any of you, so why should you care about him? He'd used you, taken advantage of your feelings. He'd insulted all your friends when they'd tried to help him. He was a terrible person.

Yet somehow, you found yourself thinking of that little boy from first year that had offered to be your friend. He was still in there, somewhere. You had seen it in the photographs that he kept above his bed.

If he would just let you help him...

A breeze drifted through the open window, bringing your attention back to the essay in front of you. If there was one positive from the fight with your friends, you were getting more schoolwork done now.

You sighed, picking up your quill again. You could smell the arrival of spring in the air. The return of the flowers and the sun didn't quite fit the mood, you thought, but when had nature ever taken a cue from your internal feelings?

At least the budding trees were nice to look at.

Your quill had just touched the parchment when the door to your dorm room swung open with a snap.

You turned around to see a flustered Pansy. She looked like she had just sprinted across the castle.

"What's going on?" You asked, setting your work aside. "Are you okay?"

Pansy's eyes were wide with panic, and her voice was shaky when she spoke. "Draco's in the hospital wing."

Your heart leapt into your throat.

"He got into a fight, in the girls bathroom on the second floor." Pansy said. "They said something about Harry Potter - he looks terrible, I don't know what Potter did, but there's so much blood-"

You were dashing out the door and stumbling down the stairs, your robes whipping out behind you. You could hear Pansy flattering along behind you, still hiccupy.

He was hurt. There was blood. He'd been fighting - why had he been fighting?

You tore out of the common room and into the corridor, taking the steps up from the dungeons two at a time. The hallways were mostly empty on a Sunday morning, and you were grateful. No one was going to see you running like a madman but the portraits on the walls.

Why was the hospital wing so far away from the dungeons?

You turned a corner, grabbing onto the edge of the wall to stabilize yourself in the turn. Pansy was panting behind you, and you could feel your own lungs complaining at the sudden activity, but you kept going.

The hospital wing was closer now. He was closer now. You had to get there.

Another corner, and you could hear a back and forth of rapid fire French a few feet it front of you. Leo and Lyre were hurrying in the same direction you were.

"Leo, Lyre." You breathed.

They turned around. You could see the concern in their eyes - something you were sure was reflecting in your own face as well.

A half step and you were jog-walking with them, Pansy in line now as well.

The hospital wing was around the next bend.

You rounded the next corner to see Blaise waiting outside the door, anxiously tapping his wand against his leg. He looked up when you came to a stop in front of him, his eyes softening when he looked at all of you.

Pansy was the first to speak. "Where's Theo?"

Blaise pursed his lips.

"Doesn't matter." You said, sitting down against the wall. "Has anyone seen him yet?"

"No one besides Snape." Blaise said. "And Pansy when they pulled him out of the bathroom."

"It looked so bad." Pansy said. "He was dripping red everywhere-"

"Well, Madam Pomfrey has him now." Lyre said. "She'll make sure he's alright." She almost looked like she didn't believe herself.

"I swear, if Potter doesn't get some kind of punishment for this..." Blaise said.

"He won't." Leo said. "You know he won't. He's the Chosen One, how could he do anything wrong?"

A bitter silence blew over the group. Leo was right, and you knew it.

"Why are we even here?" Lyre broke the silence. "He's not going to want to see us."

"It's not about if he wants to." You said. "I need to see him. I need to know if he's alright."

The door to the hospital wing opened and Snape stepped out. His eyes immediately latched on to the motley of his students outside the door.

Pansy was the first one to speak. "Professor is he-"

"Mr. Malfoy will make a full recovery." He said. "He should be back on his feet within a few days."

The lump in your throat lessened slightly.

"Professor," You began. "Do you think we could-"

"Madam Pomfrey strictly said that no visitors were to be allowed in until she deems Mr. Malfoy to be in a better state." Snape cut you off.

Your face fell.

Snape looked down at all of you, gathered outside the door. He must have seen the panic in your eyes, and the concern on your faces.

He walked away, leaving the door open.