The Years of Blue [2]

Chapter 55: Saving Grace

I ended up spending half a week in the hospital wing, though I was never lonely. While Sam was discharged that first morning, Little Buchanan as I kept calling him, stayed with me longer, and we became chatting buddies over the stupidest things. Like saying cheers together before downing the most disgusting potion concoctions Madam Pomphrey prescribed.

My friends came to visit any chance they could. Ginny though, beat them to it, arriving first thing in the morning just as Sam was being discharged.

"I see you two have made up," she said, eyeing the two of us suspiciously.

"Oh don't get all emotional on us, Ginny," Sam joked at Ginny's less than emotional expression. She faulted into a grin that transferred onto Sam and my expression almost instantly.

"Come to whisk me out of here?" Sam asked, as Ginny came to stand between my bed and Sam's. She held a copy of the daily prophet in one arm and her book bag in the other.

"Yeah, actually. I heard through Dom that you got yourself sick overnight. He sent me over here to drag you to our essay workshop." Sam let out a groan that sent Madam Pomphry rushing, her pitter-patter feet racing.

"I'm alright!" Sam reassured the worried nurse, before getting called out for wasting Pomphrey's time.

Ginny took this time to sit on my bed and look down at me.

"How are you doing?" I managed a weak shrug from my pillows. "I heard down the grape vine that you and Jasper didn't end well."

"Is that all you heard?" I asked, watching Ginny to see if she knew what I meant.

"Well if you're talking about that massive hit to Malfoy's face earlier, then yes, I was there for that. Didn't need to hear about that from anyone." I grimaced but Ginny, similar to Sam, didn't seem that concerned.

"Was it as spectacular as Ava let on?" Sam asked curiously from her bed. She was sitting up, tying her sneakers in a fresh new pair of clothes Pomphrey had handed her. Ginny nodded readily.

"It made my night for sure."

"Really?" I asked, hoping to shift the subject off me. "I was pretty sure you speaking to that dark haired Ravenclaw made your night a little special." Ginny shot me a look while Sam pipped up at the comment.

"Michael!"

"You know about Michael?" I asked, feeling rather deflated. Sam gave me a stark look.

"Of course I know about him. He's dating one of the Clearwater girls. You know, the one that won't shut up in class?"

"I have no idea who you're talking about," I answered honestly, while Ginny was shaking her head at the entire conversation.

"That's enough the pair of you," she remarked, making us stop to look at her. She waved the newspaper in her hand like a paper boy. "I have something for the pair of you. The Slytherins have been raving about it over breakfast. Malfoy in the lead."

"I'd hate to look," I muttered, but Sam seemed more than willing. The front cover was of Hagrid and the article that followed did little to startle me. It was about Hagrid supposedly being a half giant, with his mother being a possible lethal killer until she disappeared.

"Lord, do you think Dumbledore's going to restrict Hagrid from classes?" Sam asked, wide eyed to Ginny. I watched Ginny's face go red, unhappy at Sam's reaction.

"You can't honestly believe this, can you? Hagrid is nothing but kind to everyone he meets!"

"I don't know him that well to care, if I'm being honest," Sam defended before turning to me. "What about you?"