Accidental Affection

20 - Something Worth Fighting For

"Oh!" Molly exclaimed as she watched Draco fall.

Hermione sprung from her seat, crouching at his side. Her heart pounding as she muttered, "It's never been this bad." Grasping his shoulders, shaking him firmly, she yelled his name.

"What's happening?" Ginny asked.

"It's the dark mark, he said his aunt tweaked it. He's been experiencing pain since we escaped the manor, but he's never passed out. I don't understand!"

"Get him off the floor boys!" Mrs. Weasley calls out. "Come on! Bring him to the couch. Hurry! Be careful now!"

Bill, Charlie, and George work together, carrying the dead weight into the living room, dropping him onto the couch accidentally as Draco's body jerked suddenly.

Hermione's vision briefly scanned the room as if it held the answers her eyes caught sight of a lone figure standing in the archway leading back into the kitchen. "What are you doing here?" Hermione snapped.

"I, uh, heard screaming." Ron stood peering into the living area.

"Oh, so you thought Draco was hexing us all into oblivion and you had to come to save the day?"

"No. I was... is he okay?"

"Does he look okay?" Hermione responded before turning her attention back to Draco

Harry grasped Draco's arm, sliding up his sleeve, studying the dark mark. It crawled about his pale flesh, flaming red hot instead of the black and green he had grown to identify. Hermione's eyes lock upon the mark, its angry fury eating at Draco's soul. She had never seen it appear this way, something was happening and she hated not having the answers as to what. Harry stands, Ginny, coming up behind him, wrapping her arms about his waist. Hermione covered the mark, in the short few days she had noticed Draco always had his mark covered although she had never brought it up.

"Draco, it's okay, we're safe." She blinked forcefully, trying to clear her vision through the haziness of tears that refused to fall. "It's because of me." She shook her head.

"Oh dear, don't go blaming yourself." Mrs. Weasley placed a soft hand upon Hermione's shoulder. "He made the choice to help you. From what I hear Draco is an intelligent young man, I'm sure he was aware of the possible consequences. He was brave and still is, now you have to be brave for him too."

Sweat breaks upon Draco's forehead, his back arched upward as if being lifted by an invisible string at his hips, he lets out a short glass shattering scream before collapsing, suddenly eerily still.

"Is he..?" Fleur asks, holding tightly to Bill, who wrapped his arms around her shoulders.

Molly places her fingers firmly upon his neck, "No. His pulse is racing, but strong. I think he passed out from the pain." Summoning a rag and a bucket of cold water she placed it upon his head, dabbing gently.

"There's got to be something we can do," Ginny said.

"There might be," Harry answers his fiancé. All eyes look upon him, silently begging him to explain. "The Auror department had been working on finding a way to reverse the effects of the dark mark for those who have been found to be under the imperious curse and those who are in Azkaban. It's not been used yet, and the study of it had been put on hold since Voldemort's gone. It won't remove the mark, but they were hoping to just block the call so to say."

"Do it." Draco's voice came feeble and barely audible, one eye opened his breathing heavily labored.

"Draco, it's not tested yet! For all I know it could kill you."