Different

falling

The Halloween feast was nothing special for Claire. Pansy had dragged Draco to sit next to her so Claire sat all alone, but she was used to that. What she wasn't used to was the pounding headache she had or the queasiness she felt. The second dinner was over Claire made her way to the dorms, curling up into a ball to try and get rid of the pain.

"Go to the Great Hall," the Slytherins prefect said not long after Claire got into her bed. Claire nodded, furrowing her eyebrows in confusion as she got up. The prefect didn't stay any longer, hurrying off to the other dorms.

"Hurry up!" Pansy spat, practically shoving Claire to leave. The worst part about being a Slytherin was having to share a room with Pansy and her friends, but Claire had gotten used to them. Claire shakily went down to the common room where, surprisingly, Draco was waiting for her.

"You don't look good," Draco noted as they walked out of the common room to the Great Hall.

"I don't feel good," Claire mumbled in response. "Ever since my thirteenth birthday I've gotten sick once a month. I don't know why."

"Odd," Draco muttered. Claire stumbled when a sudden burst of pain went through her head, causing Draco to grab her waist before she could fall.

"Thanks," Claire whispered, her cheeks red. Draco cleared his throat, retracting his arm quickly.

"No problem," Draco replied. "Maybe you could go see Madam Pomfrey."

Claire shook her head no at Draco's suggestion, wincing a little as she did so.

"I try to limit my social interactions to only those that are necessary and Madam Pomfrey is not necessary," Claire explained, thinking back to when her arm hurt after Draco got slashed by the hippogriff.

"If you're getting sick every month then it is necessary," Draco argued as they reached the Great Hall. A quick glance showed that it was mainly Gryffindors, showing that they had been there the longest.

"I'm gonna go see if Harry knows what happened," Claire said softly, her hands starting to shake at the amount of people in there. More and more students were making their way into the Great Hall, all of them looking confused.

"Have fun," Draco said sarcastically, a disgusted expression on his face. Claire sent him a disappointed look and made her way over to where Harry was sitting with Ron and Hermione.

"Are you okay?" Harry asked immediately when he saw her.

"A little sick, but I'm fine," Claire answered. Harry frowned and used his hand to check her forehead. Claire lightly slapped his hand away, a confused look on her face. "What are you, my mum?"

Ron sucked in a breath at this, reminding Claire that he was there. Her cheeks burned red and she suddenly stopped making eye contact.

"I'm not letting you get hurt," Harry whispered so his other friends couldn't hear.

"I'm fine," Claire lied, sending him a fake smile. "Do you know why we're here?"

"The Fat Lady got slashed by Sirius Black!" Hermione answered for Harry, looking very anxious. Claire's eyes grew wide with shock and worry.

"A-are yo-you su-sure it w-was S-Sirius Bla-Black?" Claire stammered out.

"Peeves said it was," Hermione said, sending Claire a small smile. "I'm sure everything is okay."

"T-thank you," Claire said, sending the trio a small wave and turning to hurry away.

"No you don't," Fred said, placing an arm over Claire's shoulders.