The Crash

Part 10

We stayed in the tent the rest of the day, doing our best to not get soaked. Luna returned to the stream so she could get some more clean water and when she came back, she said that it was now overflowing its banks.

"When do you reckon this will lighten up?" I asked, leaning against Hermione. We had been curled up together for a while, just trying to stay warm.

"Hopefully overnight. But any chances of a fire are wrecked. There's no way there's a twig out there that hasn't gotten soaked." I sighed and leaned my head against hers.

"It's all so strange, isn't it?" She asked and I nodded.

"One minute we're tutors and the next we're lost in the woods." She shivered and I wrapped an arm around her waist to keep her warm.

"We'll be alright though. It's been two days. Hopefully by tomorrow morning Hogwarts will know that we didn't arrive and they'll send someone looking for us." Hermione looked through the mouth of the tent at the pouring rain.

"If this doesn't let up, even Dumbledore couldn't find us." I looked out at the rain, refusing to let it dampen my spirits.

"You've got to cheer up, 'Mione."

"Do I? I was nearly dead yesterday and now I just can't move. What do I have to cheer up for? I may never walk again, Harry. That potion fixed bones, not nerves." I sighed, not knowing what to say.

"There are potions to fix nerves." Malfoy said, walking over and sitting beside us. "They just didn't put any in the first aid kit. You'll be fine, Granger."

"But how do you know that?"

Malfoy met my gaze. "Because I have hope."

I smiled gratefully at him and he inclined his head.

"And if we don't get found, we'll die, so it won't matter if you walk again or not."

"Not helping, Draco!" Pansy called from where she was sitting with Luna. But that actually made Hermione chuckle.

"Very true. Why can't you say things like that, Harry?" I scoffed and pulled my arm away.

"Because I prefer to look at the survival side of things. While you two talk death, I'll go out and see if I can find more berries. Luna ran out."

"But it's storming!" Hermione said as she tried to pull me back down.

I shrugged as I stood, pulling my arm away. "A little rain never hurt me."

"What about that Quidditch match?" Malfoy asked, a teasing tone in his voice.

"It was the dementors!" I said indignantly as I walked out of the tent. I could hear the other's laughter behind me.

The rain made it difficult to see, what with it spattering my glasses and all, but I did my best to manage.

I shivered as the rain ran its cold fingers down my bare back, but refused to return to the tent without something.

I found a bush that had berries that looked like the ones Luna had gathered, half of them were missing so I knew I had the right one, and I grabbed a large leaf and piled them all in. Then I finally returned to the tent, a soaking mess.

"Happy now that you've got pneumonia?" Pansy asked as I set the leaf beside Luna.

"Happy now that you have food?" I retorted then walked back to Hermione. The pears were half gone, so we really needed the rain to lighten up.

****

That night, I slept near the mouth of the tent, as there wasn't much space anywhere else. Pansy had laid down beside Hermione, Luna beside her, and Malfoy was beside me. The food and first aid kit took up the rest of the already very small amount of available space.

As tired as I was, I couldn't sleep. I worried that something would happen and I wouldn't be awake to help.

The night before I slept mostly from fever, but, as I was now mostly healthy, I didn't have anything to help and I didn't want to resort to the poppies, as we may need them for something more important than my insomnia.

I heard a slight shuffle behind me and rolled over and saw Malfoy sitting up. He was scribbling on a small piece of parchment, a muggle pen in his hand. Had Hermione given it to him?

"Why are you awake?" He jumped at my voice, then looked over at me.

"I'm making a list of everything we may need, medicine wise. Maybe, when the rain clears up, I'll be able to find some of it in the forest."

I sat up and glanced out the tent, then back at Malfoy. I wasn't even sure how he could see. The moon was hidden behind the clouds and we didn't have any candles or lanterns. Or wands, for that matter.

"Smart choice." I said as I peered at the list. It was a ton of stuff that I didn't even know how to pronounce.

"Why are you still awake?" I shrugged.

"Can't sleep. Too much going on, I guess." Malfoy nodded.

"That's why I'm awake too." In the silence between us I could hear Hermione's slightly gasping breathing and Pansy's light snores.

"Why don't you just use the poppies?" I asked.

"Why don't you?"

"Touché."

I wasn't sure what to say to him. I had never really had a conversation that didn't involve insults or one of us saving the other, so I wasn't sure how to talk to him.

"Can I ask you something?" Malfoy nodded.

"We've had a feud since the moment we started Hogwarts, so how did that all change when the carriage crashed? I never pegged you as one to give up a fight." Malfoy chuckled.

"I'm not giving up a fight. I just...it's like you said. We're all each other have so we have to look out for one another, feuds aside."

I nodded, then decided I didn't have much else to say, so I laid back down. "

"Night Malfoy."

"Night Potter." Was it just me, or was there a smile in his voice?