Malfoy - A Draco Malfoy Story

Chapter 21

I practically sprinted to the Hospital Wing. Outside, throwing myself up the steep hills towards the castle, the cold air began to burn my lungs, leaving me gasping for oxygen by the time I had arrived.

The room itself was pretty empty, and only a few bluish medical curtains were pulled closed alongside the beds.
My trainers squeaked against the flagstone flooring as I entered further into the quiet room, a few hushed voices breaking the silence about two thirds of the way in.
Behind a curtain, I found Madame Pomphrey alongside Amos Diggory, who was anxiously perched on his sons bed.

My eyes then drifted to Cedric, who had already been treated by Madame Pomphrey, who had now turned to me, and was scowling.

Her thin lips parted in exasperation, revealing a frustrated, unwelcoming tone of voice, "And just what do you think you are doing here, Miss Cerise?"

"I-"

"Oh, Madame Pomphrey," Amos caught the beginning of my sentence mid air, "She's a family friend, it's absolutely fine."

Pomphrey huffed, clearly opposed to her authority being overridden. She collected her bandages and clothes up, and mumbled something to herself as she floated away from the bed, turning back around at the edge of the curtain as she gestured to the cup on Cedric's bed-side table, "Drink it." And with that she pushed passed the drawn curtains, her footsteps quickly fading.

I exchanged a smile with Amos, "Thank you, Mr. Diggory." 

"Oh, Amos, please." He corrected, standing up from the bed spread, "I'll give you two a minute to chat. I doubt you want me disturbing you."

I chuckled as he shuffled away from the bed, "don't be silly, you're by far the coolest adult I know." I smiled, a hearty guffaw escaping Mr. Diggory's mouth.

"Thank you, my dear, I appreciate that; though it is a complete lie."

"Alright, you got me, you're the second coolest." I grinned, it only widening as I heard him chuckling as he headed down the hallway away from our sectioned off area.

I sat down on the bed, my eyes locking with Cedric's.
"Hey." I said gently, actually addressing him for the first time since I had arrived.
He smirked, "Hi."
"How are you doing?" I asked, though I already knew the answer he was going to give.
The entire side of Cedric's face was red, scolded and blistered, yet it already looked a hell of a lot better than it had earlier. She may have often been bitter and snappish, but Madame Pomphrey was a miracle worker, especially with cuts, bruises and burns; those seemed to be her specialty. 

Cedric exchanged a wistful look with me at my question.

"...I'm better than I was." I raised my eyebrows at his response which was more positive than I had expected. He was usually so self critical, so I had to admit, I was impressed.

"You're looking better, for sure-"

"I came in second." He said forlornly. There it was.

"I was second." He repeated.

I paused a moment, looking over his defeated face, and his injury.

"Second is an amazing accomplishment, Cedric." I said earnestly. "...You could be dead, so second seems like you did okay to me." 
His eyes met mine again, and a smile had begun to spread across his lips, and then a chuckle escaped them.
That made me smile too.

"Remember, you still have 2 trials, I think you're gonna do great. And honestly, the crowd went way crazier over your performance than Harry or Krum's. Just don't almost die again, and I think you stand a good chance of coming in first."

He had perked up a little after that, and my chest warmed at the idea that I might have helped him feel better. It was always something I felt I didn't do a very good job at.

"...There's apparently a clue inside the egg that tells us how to pass the second task."
The sudden change in conversation topic had struck me by surprise, resulting in me taking a minute to register what Cedric had said.