The Secret War | Dramione

Chapter 5

Draco's vision blurred. There was a rush of color and sound, and he thought he saw the outline of a man on a winged horse. The man looked down at him briefly, then kicked the horse's side, and galloped down the corridor.

Draco felt himself moving, and realized someone had levitated him. There were screams, as students caught sight of him drifting down the halls, drops of blood trickling onto the floor after him. 

It seemed as though they were going in the direction of the hospital wing...

Soon, the sounds of hundreds of footsteps could be heard, as students rushed out of their dormitories and classrooms—news of Voldemort's attack spreading fast.

"Minister of Magic dead!" Peeves cackled, spinning into a fiendish loop above the hordes of students coming down the grand staircase, many of them already in their night clothes.

"Go to bed!" Filch shouted. He grabbed a broom from the cupboard behind him, and tried to swat a third year with it. "It'll be detention in the dungeons for the lot of you, you filthy brats!"

Draco suddenly became aware of Granger by his side, yelling at students to move out of the way as she and the Ravenclaws tried to get him to the hospital wing. It was then that he noticed how terribly cold he was, a bone chilling cold that contrasted with the warm, sticky liquid running down his stomach.

It was blood, he realized...

Minutes later, someone blasted a set of doors open, and he was thrust through them.

"My God," Madame Pomfrey breathed as she caught sight of him. "What's happened?"

They set him down on a bed, potions whizzed into the air, then Pomfrey's face loomed before his. She had a pair of scissors in her hands...she was going to cut his robes open.

No, he thought vaguely. He couldn't let her. Then they would all see...how would he explain?

He fought against her, and thinking he was mad with delirium, she stuffed a potion down his throat. 

"You should all wait outside," Hermione said, turning to the Ravenclaws standing behind her.

Roman Everley was white as a sheet, and he looked like he was going to be sick at the sight of so much blood.

"Come on mate," said his friend, putting a hand on his shoulder. "There's nothing we can do."

Hermione watched the Ravenclaws leave.

Madame Pomfrey cut Malfoy's robes open, then struggled with his shirt. 

Hermione twisted her hands nervously as she watched.

Suddenly, Madame Pomfrey looked at her, incredulous.

"Get Dumbledore."

"What's wrong?"

"I need the Headmaster at once," she insisted, a sudden edge in her voice.

Hermione nodded and rushed out of the infirmary.

She tore down the passages, crashing into students, a knot rising in her throat. Draco's injuries were severe, and she knew the more blood he lost, the harder it would be to heal him by magic.

"WHAT'S THAT OUTSIDE?!" a student screamed, as Hermione reached the entrance hall. 

It was Lavender Brown.

Everyone turned to face the windows.

The Hogwarts Guards pushed open the doors to the castle. A handful of students ventured outside, Hermione among them. A dark cloud had formed, and it was slowly obscuring the night sky. In a matter of moments, the stars were no longer visible. Hermione's breath caught, and everyone next to her stood frozen, unsure of what was happening. The dark mass rolled out like a fog, expanding as far as the eye could see.