In The End

Chapter 18 - Sectumsempra

Eliza sat a few seats down from Draco in the Great Hall. Since it was lunchtime, Draco and Eliza had to make a conscientious effort to refrain from exchanging too many longing looks with one another.

Draco seemed on edge lately. Eliza wasn't much better, of course. Easter break was approaching and they still hadn't perfected the vanishing cabinet. Draco was especially unnerved, as he feared for Eliza's safety.

Things were only made worse when Katie Bell, the student that Madam Rosmerta had chosen to deliver the package while under Draco's Imperius Curse, had unknowingly touched the cursed object inside the package and been harmed by it.

Harry Potter had immediately assumed it to be the work of Draco, which only made spending time together even more challenging. Harry watched Draco like a hawk. Draco felt incredibly aware that he was often followed.

Draco could sense Potter eyeing him suspiciously every now and then. Eliza, quite aware of the entire situation, started to dislike Harry more and more. He just didn't understand the danger he was putting everyone in.

Eliza barely hid her expression of shock when she saw Katie Bell walk timidly into the Great Hall. She had been in St Mungo's for a long while. Many thought she may never come back to Hogwarts.

Draco watched as Harry got up to speak to her. He couldn't make out what they were talking about, but he could fashion a guess. His doubts were confirmed when he saw Harry turn to glance at him.

He could sense danger and confrontation approaching. He quickly gave Eliza a look which she recognized as a sign that there would be trouble approaching.

Draco felt unsafe in the Great Hall. Before he knew it, he was striding briskly towards the bathrooms which were reserved for prefects only. 

Eliza watched anxiously as Harry followed Draco out of the Great Hall with an angry look on his face. 

When lunch was over and everyone had left the Great Hall, Eliza sat there, waiting. Draco had still not returned. She could not sit and wait any longer. She jumped up from the table and went looking for him.

She made her way down the corridor and almost slipped. She looked down to find that part of the corridor was covered in water. It appeared to be coming from the prefect's toilets.

Slowly, she opened the door, hearing the sounds of rushing water and seeing mist and dust wafting through the damp air. The bathroom was a mess.

Sinks were shattered and the stalls were smashed. There was water running from protruding pipes and rubble everywhere. The bathroom was flooding rapidly and her lungs felt tight.

Then she saw it. It was Professor Snape, hunched over a body lying in the water. She didn't need to come closer to know exactly who it was. Her eyes immediately felt a stinging sensation, but she tried her best to hide it. 

"Draco." She whispered, causing Snape to look up at her.

"Take him to the hospital wing, he will need some time to heal, but he'll make it," Snape said seriously.

Eliza nodded and bent down beside Draco. He looked up at her with glassy eyes. She slid her arm beneath his shoulder blade and gently helped him into an upright position.

After carefully slinging his arm over her shoulders, she helped him stand up. He let out a soft groan.

"The injuries are healed, but the body will remember the pain for a few hours," Snape said, before turning around and leaving.

Eliza helped Draco through the corridors and up to the hospital wing in complete silence. After Draco had been attended to, Eliza sat by his side and waited for an explanation.

Draco's voice sounded hoarse, almost like he hadn't had anything to drink in days.

"Potter followed me. He didn't even have to say anything to me. He knew I was the one that got Katie cursed. We started duelling and he used this spell I've never heard of. It felt as if someone had taken a knife and cut me all over. If it wasn't for Snape, I might have been gone." He said.

Eliza couldn't stop the tears as they forced their way out. She decided to throw caution to the wind and bent over Draco, giving him a desperate, passionate kiss.

"I'm so thankful you are okay." She said, her voice raspy.

"Merlin, that was quite a kiss. Maybe I should have near-death experiences more often." Draco smirked.

Eliza rolled her eyes and started getting up, but Draco gently grabbed her wrist.

"Stay with me a little while, yeah?" He asked gently.

She simply nodded and kissed him lightly, before sitting down again. Draco was thankful that she stayed. He knew she had class, which she despised missing for some unknown reason.

He knew that she really was relieved that he was okay. He was too. He now recalled how all he could think about as he lay there in that bathroom, was how he couldn't die because Eliza needed him. He refused to leave her alone.