"Shhh I think she's waking up" Hermione's distinct voice was the first thing I heard as I opened my eyes slowly.
"Morning sunshine" Ron said, giving me a small smile.
"How are you feeling?" Hermione asked as I attempted to sit up, still unaware of my surroundings.
"Like I've been hit by a bus. What happened to me?"
"It was scary, you left the Three Broomsticks storming after that git Pansy Parkinson and then we got to you, you were floating, but you were screaming," Ron explained.
"What?"
"You don't remember anything?" Harry asked. I shook my head and he looked deflated.
"There was a necklace, that Pansy had, and it was cursed. You touched it and you.....well....Professor Snape said you're lucky to be alive."
"Why....why did Pansy have a cursed necklace?"
The three of them stayed silent, all of them avoiding my eyes. "What?" I asked, irritated.
"Well...you might not remember but when you were in the Three Broomsticks with Draco we saw him go to the bathroom, and then he came out a short while after followed by Pansy. We think he gave her the necklace." Harry scanned my face as my stomach dropped.
"What? Why would he give her a necklace?"
"That's what we're trying to find out."
I sat up in bed and took a long drink of water before saying "I....I remember her saying something to me, but it doesn't explain much. She said that Draco gave it to her because he's leaving me for her. But it doesn't make sense."
"No it doesn't, but we know Pansy wouldn't say anything about what she was up to if it was something bad, it's Draco we need the information from."
I rubbed my sore head. "Where is he?"
"We haven't seen him since it happened. He ran straight after you but couldn't get to you in time. He carried you to the hospital wing himself and then left straight away."
I looked down and I felt Harry grab my hand. "It's gonna be ok. We'll let you rest, Madam Pomfrey will be kicking us out any minute." The three of them stood up and headed off, leaving me alone with my thoughts.
~
"Miss Greewood, good to see you back! You missed the first Slug Club dinner but not to worry, there's going to be a party next week, before the Christmas holidays, I'm sure Harry can fill you in." Professor Slughorn said as soon as I entered the potions classroom on my first day back in lessons. I was kept in the hospital wing for a whole week, with various students and teachers coming to visit me, or rather to gawk at the fact that I somehow survived. The only person I wanted to see however, never once came to see me.
"Of course Professor I'll be there"
"Oh, and bring a date with you, I expect you'll be bringing the Malfoy boy? I've always preferred you with Mr Potter, quite the celebrity couple when you two were together, but each to their own."
I said nothing as I laid papers on the tables in the classroom. I didn't know what to think, or what to feel about Draco. I just wanted to know what he was doing, or what was on his mind, but I didn't even know where to begin.
I expected to see him in class, but his seat remained empty. Harry pulled me aside at one point. "He hasn't been in lessons for days. Apparently he's sat in the common room saying he's ill but won't go to the hospital wing. I think he's just avoiding seeing us."
I didn't say anything. I looked over at the Slytherin table to see Pansy Parkinson staring at me, shooting me a spiteful wave as I glared at her. "Want me to hex her?" Ron asked, his hand on his wand.
"It wouldn't solve anything" I shook my head and walked away, wanting the lesson over as soon as possible.
~
He was still not back in classes for the whole week, rumour had it that Snape was getting all of his class work sent to the common room so he didn't fall behind. Harry had snuck out a couple of evenings to try and see if he was sneaking about the castle, which I knew that he would be, but I still kept his secret and acted none the wiser.
"Hey Tori?" Harry asked when we were in the library one cold rainy afternoon.
"Yeah?"
"So you know Slughorns party tonight, did you find a date?"
"No, probably just going solo I guess."
"Well....maybe we could go together, as friends obviously"
"Sure, sounds good" Harry shot me a grateful smile. Even though we had once been together, I was so grateful to have Harry in my life, we always looked out for each other and seemed to always know what the other was thinking. He truly is one of the best people in my life.
~
"You look nice" Harry said as we left the common room to head down to Slughorn's office.
"Don't look so bad yourself"
"Thanks. Hey did you see we're playing Ravenclaw in the house cup next?"
The rest of the walk through the castle was mostly talking about quidditch, neither one of us wanting to talk about the boy that was on both of our minds.
"Harry my boy, and Miss Greenwood! You came together!"
"Hello Professor" Harry said, as he took two glasses off of a silver tray and handed one to me.
"You ok?" He asked as he noticed I was shifting around uneasily.
"Can we go and talk somewhere, with Hermione?"
"Of course....hey Hermione! Over here" he called her over and we sat behind a curtain, and I took a deep sigh as I began to tell them what was on my mind.
"Whats wrong Tori?" Hermione asked.
"I just...I feel guilty for enjoying myself, for living like life is normal, when it's not. It's really not."
"You're worried about him." Harry said.
"Why? He gave Pansy that necklace that cursed you! You could have died!" Hermione argued.
"But why did he give Pansy the necklace is what I want to know. I don't believe her for one minute when she says her and Draco were together.....what if the necklace was meant to go to someone else?" Harry said.
"Like who?" I asked as I finished my drink with one gulp.
"That's what I want to know. Pansy probably just got herself involved somehow and instead of doing what she was supposed to do she saw you as a target."
"Harry, Victoria, there are some people I want you to meet!" Slughorn called us over and we were pulled into the centre of the group.
"This boy here needs no introduction, Harry Potter, and this here is Victoria Greenwood, a potions genius. Here are some of the old Gryffindor Quidditch team, Harry here is a seeker, and Victoria is a chaser, both like their parents!" Harry slipped an arm around my waist protectively as Slughorn praised us, and we were swarmed by people that wanted to meet us.
That's when Filch dragged someone in, and as our eyes met the blood drained from my face.