Undistinguished (H.P.)

Chapter 53: Repercussions

oOo

Draco's body was finally still, too still for Veronica's liking. 

Peeking around the doorframe into to the Hospital Wing was the only place Veronica stayed for the next few hours, not taking her eyes off of the pale boy laying helpless, wrapped tightly in the thin and crisp sheets. 

As the news spread around the school that Draco has been badly hurt, more and more people started walking past and going inside. 

She didn't mind her classmates seeing her linger outside of the Hospital Wing, they all basically ignored her anyway. 

If she wasn't so worried about Draco and conflicted over what she had just witnessed, Veronica may have been annoyed by the number of people who have never even spoken to the boy, but were now crowding around or slowly walking past just to get a glimpse at his frail body. 

Everyone seemed to have turned up at least once. Everyone except the Slytherins who liked to call themselves Draco's closest friends. 

The one thing that finally drew her from her thoughts, reminding her of where she was and why she really shouldn't be here was the cruel demanding voice pushing through the corridor. 

Fear flooded through her as the tall and daunting figures of Lucius and Narcissa Malfoy appeared, marching purposefully to the wooden doors she so happened to be standing right next to. 

They soared passed her, not even moving their piercing gaze from Madame Pomfrey, who also heard them approach and is now waiting for them by Draco's bedside. 

The medi-witch, shooed everyone away from the doorway, as she has done a few times already in the past few hours, except this time she shut the doors behind her, blocking people's view of the Malfoy family. 

With their source of entertainment now hidden away, the crowd slowly filtered away, probably already bored and looking for the next piece of hot gossip. 

But not Veronica. 

The Hufflepuff sighed deeply, realising she may not be able to put her head to rest tonight, so sunk to the floor. Cross-legged and leaning against the cold stone walls. 

She still couldn't understand what had happened. The image of Harry casting such a dangerous spell, the boy who held her so gently just the night before.

Despite her conflicting thoughts, she couldn't stop her cheeks from flushing bright as she remembered the way she felt after hearing her boyfriend say he loves her and taking their relationship to the next step. 

It's all the more heartbreaking that such a perfect night can be ruined in just a few hours, leaving her alone and cold in an empty corridor. 

Alone until the sound of footsteps echoed strongly, making her glance up as she makes eye contact with a furious-looking Professor Snape, the man looking even scarier from her view bunched up on the floor. 

The man barely acknowledged her presence, walking straight passed her and opening the doors to the Hospital Wing without knocking. 

"Severus, finally!" she heard, the voice of the Head of the Malfoy Household rumble out of the room, sending shivers through her as she shrunk even more into herself at the angry tone. 

The Potion's Master storms into the room, his cape dramatically flared out as he walked forwards, his entrance seemingly very elegant. Except for the fact he left the doors open behind him, allowing any sound to be heard from the vacant corridor. 

"Mr and Mrs Malfoy, I'm here to inform you of how this situation has come to be," he speaks perfectly, almost as if it was rehearsed beforehand. 

"Well, we're all ears. What happened to my son?!" The strong demand from Draco's mother is a  sharp difference from the timid image she usually portrays.