12/29/2001

 

Hospital Wing

 

Typical hospital wing.  The matron here, Madame Pomfrey, can mend almost anything in an instant, though beds have been set up for prolonged stays.

 

 

Harry has no real recollection of the brief journey from the forest and into the castle. Once inside the hospital wing, he just collapses, broomstick and wand grasped tightly in his hands. Mind if he just lays here on the floor for a bit? Thanks, didn't think so. He's read in the papers that rogue dementors were roaming about.. but didn't think any would dare come so close to Hogwarts.

 

Cho collapses not too far from him, breathing in an exhausted fashion. The broom is finally released, clanging against the floor lightly, but the wand is still held as if she thinks the Dementors are going to walk right into the school. Well, they were bold enough to get as close as they were! The journey up the stairs is the part that Cho is having a hard time remembering, perhaps why her legs feel like they're burning. No more snitch practice at night in the Forbidden Forest!

 

Harry should have just seen if 'accio' would work on getting the snitch, but as per usual, he wasn't really thinking. Isn't that obvious? He would try to crawl over to wherever it is that Pomfrey keeps the blocks of chocolate, grab some and get out before a fuss is made, but he's not too keen on moving at this moment, how about you? The floor is nice and cool and maybe no one will notice two students laying there like doormats.

 

Cho ois that would have been a good idea. Of course, it might be charmed to repel spells of that nature so that someone (like, say... a Slytherin) wouldn't cheat. But if it would have worked, it would have saved them a lot of trouble. While she's perfectly happy just lying here, she tries to call out a few times, "Madam Pomfrey?" But all that really comes out is, "ma.. madam.. madam pomfrey?" in a rather thin, pathetic and too soft voice. Is she not here? Cho certainly isn't about to get up and go look for her... Maybe after a nice long nap though...

 

Harry wouldn't be surprised if simple spells like accio don't work on the snitch, but it couldn't hurt to try. Maybe the snitch will come back later on its own. He can't get up for Pomfrey, sorry, he's down for the count. Luckily Pomfrey seems to have a sixth sense about these sorts of things because it doesn't take her long to barrel into the room. A muffled shriek is heard, "Of all the! What on earth happened this time, oh it's YOU again Mr. Potter, and Miss Chang.. Well I never!" Despite the chastising, she's bustling into action, using simple spells of levitation to get the two students into beds. "The two of you look like you've seen death right in the eye." Dementors, but close enough.

 

Cho doesn't even try to sit up when Madam Pomfrey appears, looking up at her with one of those tired expressions. Luckily she gets them up onto beds, but the young infirmary helper, who seems to be an infirmary resident now, still clutches her wand tightly. She manages a soft, "sorry... madam.. pomfrey. snitch.. seeker.. dementors.." Did that make any sense? Probably not...

 

Harry remains out cold, hands still clasped tightly around his wand and broomstick as he's lifted onto a bed. Just ram some hot chocolate down his throat or something. He's not going to wake back up for a bit. Pomfrey's lips purse into a thin, tight line, turning white about the edges as she deciphers Cho's words to the best of her ability. Spinning on her heel, she opens up a cabinet across the room, breaking off chocolate from the huge block that's kept on hand. The pieces are handed to Cho, "Eat that, every bit." As for Harry, his is placed on the table next to his bed. She'll try to rouse him in a moment. "Once you've finished eating that, then you can tell me what happened. Dementors, of all the.. Dumbledore will not be happy, mark my words." She's going to have to send immediate word to the staff about this.

 

Cho wonders silently if they can conviently leave out exactly /where/ they ran into the dementors... Oh well. The chocolate is taken and slowly stuffed into her mouth. Chocolate remedies... why can't more things have such good tasting remedies? The work is slow, as her hands need to move after all, but after the first few bars it starts to come a bit more easily. "He going to be okay?" she asks a tad louder than before if still rather weak.

 

Pomfrey rolls her eyes, "This one will be. Where on earth were the Dementors at?" Harry is given a few more minutes before the nurse tries rousing him with 'ennerverate'. The boy grudgingly awakens, can't he just stay asleep? Please have a heart Madam Pomfrey? The nurse sternly points out the chocolate and simply says, "Eat it." He's all too familiar with the routine and the chocolate is eaten without any protest. Pardon his silence for a bit longer while the chocolate works its warmth.

 

She just had to ask where. Cho looks extremely sheepish as she pushes herself up to answer, "Uh... Forbidden Forest." She doesn't really have the will to lie about it right now, besides, its better they found out that the dementors were hanging around on the grounds and where exactly they are. Of course, she could have said /near/ the Forest and gotten the same basic effect. But, she sucks at being sneaky. "Draco Malfoy was with us too, but.. I don't think he made it all the way up the stairs." She isn't even sure if he started up the stairs. She's pretty sure he made it inside though. Didn't he?

 

Harry wasn't paying attention to Malfoy once he got up in the air. The git probably ran back to his common room. Still no verbal response is given, he just nods in agreement with Cho. Madam Pomfrey sucks in a sharp intake of breath and for a moment looks like she might launch into another chastising tirade. "You two stay put. Eat more chocolate shortly. I will go find Mr. Malfoy, as well as locate your heads of house. You're not to leave the hospital wing tonight." At least we get permission for more chocolate? Pomfrey sets out more chocolate before exiting the hospital wing. Harry looks upwards at the ceiling, ".. you okay?"

 

Cho flinches a little bit as she goes to fetch the heads of house. This is going to not be fun. But at least any lose of points will be distributed between three houses, so it should lighten the individual impact. She reaches over and grabs a bit more chocolate, inhaling another piece before she even attempts to answer Harry. "Yeah... feeling better. You?" She tries to sit up enough to see him well, and actually manages. And she's still not sporting her usual smile, and there's a small smear of chocolate on her lower lip.

 

Harry guesses it's to be expected. Maybe they'll forget that we weren’t supposed to be in the forest in light of the Dementors? Besides, it's all Malfoy's fault. He's not making an attempt to sit up, let alone reach for the chocolate just yet. ".. like I've been hit by a bus." One of those nice, big red double deckers. ".. gotta thank Professor Lupin for teaching me that spell again." It's not necessary as the man probably knows how appreciative Harry is over that. He lies still for a few minutes longer before forcing himself upright so he can eat more of the chocolate.

 

Cho manages a very weak smile and says, "Know the feeling." At least a bus is a Muggle artifact that the Wizardy world in general knows about, so she isn't lost by the phrase. As for Professor Lupin... "Maybe I should ask him to teach me..." Didn't even manage a silver spark, this one, but that's not expected. She's always been awful at any form of dueling or offensive spell. Though that particular spell is more defensive than offensive, it isn't in her range of easily learned spells.

 

Harry leans against the headboard of the bed, chewing thoughtfully at the chocolate. ".. Couldn't hurt... he taught me in my third year. It was hard to learn." Took him months to be able to pull it off properly. It's probably a good idea for the defense classes to learn the spell anyway.

 

Cho nods, "I remember." Vaguely, but she can recall the time that he performed the spell in their match against each other when Draco and his gang tried to sabotage it by dressing up as Dementors. "I hope that they can do something about them..." And she hopes they conveniently forget that the students were treading in forbidden grounds with the fact that if they hadn't, it may have taken longer to realize the Dementors were there.

 

Harry forgot you knew, forgive him for not being in a right frame of mind at the moment. ".. m'sure Dumbledore will come up with something.. sorry, forgot you knew.. Maybe now Malfoy'll stop teasing me about the Dementors." Particularly when the git looked ready to wet his britches out of fright. "... glad I didn't pass out down there."

 

"It's all right." Cho smiles a bit more this time, but still it's rather weak. She can forgive being in an odd frame of mind. She's still trying to recall if Draco made it into the castle... The time in the castle itself is a pale and fuzzy memory. She finally releases her death grip on her wand and sets it down on the table near the chocolate. "I'm glad you stayed conscious too. I... don't want to think about what would have happened."

 

Harry shudders, going sick at his stomach thinking of the possibility. He stops himself from mentioning he's already had a near miss with a Dementor's Kiss once before. So many secrets he has to keep. ".. I hope those things stay away from the school.."

 

Cho is propped up on one of the beds, a piece of chocolate being pushed rather quickly into her mouth to ward off any bad thoughts that she might start to have. She /really/ doesn't want to think back on what might have happened, and she didn't have a near miss. She wipes the chocolate smear off her lower lip and says, "I'm sure the Professors will do something about it or the Ministry."

 

*shuffle* *shuffle* Neville wanders in. He wasn't feeling very well... must be nerves from the fact he can't get his schoolwork done proper-like (must be fretting over potions)... and also in a bit of concern because well... he hasn't seen Potter  back in Gryffindor Tower. Anyways he'd come down on the vague notion of seeing Madam Pomfrey - not that she could help much with his general malaise - unless someone has perfected a potion that can make magically inept people turn into skilled wizards. Is... was... that Harry's voice he heard? He looks around, hand resting against doorjamb scanning the room, looking around timidly and worried-like.

 

Harry nods his head, nibbling at the last bit of chocolate. "I guess they're all angered by being turned loose from Azkaban.. least that's my impression from what I've read in the papers." If one can actually believe anything the Prophet publishes. "I wonder if Malfoy went straight to his common room. Stupid git.. should have told him to come directly to the hospital wing." But he really wasn't up to saying anything beyond, let's get out of here.

 

Professor McGonagall had seen Mr. Longbottom in the hallway, but that was the least of her concerns. Madam Pomfrey had informed her of the dementors attack on a certain number of students, and she was wasting no time in getting to the hospital wing. In her hurry, she nearly knocks poor Mr. Longbottom over. "..Excuse me, please."

 

"I think we were both a little out of it when we were coming up here..." Is that a tone of concern in her voice? And it's genuine, believe it or not. Cho feels the whole thing is her fault. If she hadn't delayed Malfoy, he never would have tried to bait Harry, and this whole mess wouldn't have happened. "He probably didn't want to climb all the stairs. I know I didn't."

 

Neville is nearly knocked over, stumbling forward a few steps and towards the side where he catches hold of something before he goes sprawling. Still somewhat awkward, he's more than happy to stay there against the wall like the wallflower that he is. If Ms. McGonagall is here... well... things must be bad. He hovers in the background ignoring the faint smarting sensation of getting a shoe knocked against his heel, trying to spot Harry, by dint of tracing his voice.  What now....? he wonders as he worries on his lower lip. He knows how to stay out of the way at least.

 

Harry doesn't blame you for anything Cho. Malfoy would have baited him without anyone's assistance. "Yeah.." Or he went to go fall into pieces in privacy. We all know that Malfoy has too much pride and wouldn't want anyone to see him less than composed. "He'll be alright no matter what he says." Getting scared like that is good for Malfoy, it makes him realize he's human. He doesn't quite realize that Professor McGonagall is about to enter into the room.

 

Professor McGonagall's footsteps, accompanied by the tall woman herself, the expression on her face a mix of worry and concern. Well, here was young Mr. Potter in the hospital wing again! Dementors..? This situation was not something that she needed now. And did she hear a certain Mr. Malfoy's name being mentioned? She can only see two beds being occupied, but it's Miss Chang.She frowns as she approaches the two, clearing her throat to get their attention.

 

Cho nods at Harry's words. A touch of humanity certainly wouldn't hurt Draco. But then again, the Dementor's don't generally give people humanity (just the opposite in fact), so the chances of him coming out of this better for it are nil. She jumps a bit at the sound, glancing to see the Professor and any semblance of that smile she was weakly managing vanish. Now comes the bad part, "Professor," she manages a weak and a little thin greeting.

 

Neville will just stay out of the way.... maybe Madam Pomfrey can actually see him.... eventually. He gulps faintly. Maybe this isn't such a good place to be.

 

If it were possible for Harry to pale further, he would as McGonagall enters, clearing her throat. A weak smile is mustered, "... evening Professor." Nice weather we're having huh? Fancy a bit of chocolate with us? Oh come join the party Neville! You know you want to be in on this fun.

 

Professor McGonagall sighs slightly at the tired greetings from the two bedridden students. She is now very awre of what happened, but crosses her arms, not helping to pale a little bit as she speaks. "Potter...Chang..are you two..?" She can't quite form the question. "what happened?"

 

"We're not hurt.. Really." Cho quickly tosses in, glancing at Harry. "Just tired and.. drained." The younger Gryffindor took the brunt of it though. She was at least still conscious when Madam Pomfrey found them. "We were.. Draco Malfoy was with us...  He... The Snitch escaped and flew into the Forbidden Forest.. we went after it.. and... dementors... Harry got rid of them. We didn't get the Snitch back though.." The snitch is important next to dementors? Well, they decided to let the Snitch stay escaped more than risk another encounter.

 

Neville just twitches at the mention of Dementors..... O.o; but stays quiet otherwise, eyes wide

 

Harry shifts a bit uncomfortably, pulling up some blankets over himself. He opens his mouth to give his account, then closes it as Cho explains. What she said. ".. We're fine now.. Sorry about losing the snitch..I'm sure we'll find it again soon enough." Lovely set of priorities huh? Worried about losing a piece of school property over Dementors appearing.

 

Professor McGonagall pales considerably. Went into the forbidden forest to chase.. a snitch?! The snitch could be replaced. The act itself would risk losing points from the three houses... She blinks. "You aren't going anywhere to find that snitch. I'm sure Madam Hooch should be able to -" She cuts herself off midspeech.  "Have you eaten enough chocolate?" And again they mentioned Mr. Malfoy.. "And why isn't Malfoy here?" She shuts her mouth for a moment and looks around and notices Longbottom, then turns back around. She's proud of Harry for getting rid of them...but there are so many 'what of's' to consider. "You do realize that if those horrid reporters hear about this.." She frowns, not wanting to imagine  what the Daily Prophet would look like.

 

Cho looks a little sheepish at the question of why Malfoy isn't with them, "He didn't.. come all the way up here. We think he decided to go to his common room. Madam Pomfrey said she would find him." She isn't at all sure if this is true. The trip up to the Infirmary is all a blur. She was about exhausted enough to pass out. She made it though, and stayed consious, unlike Mr. Potter. There's a good amount of chocolate still set out for them, but she grabs another piece and eats it, perhaps just so she doesn't feel inclined to have to talk for a few more seconds. And she does not want to see the Prophet article either. She might just get a Howler if her name is mentioned...

 

Neville just fidgits uncomfortably in the background as he hears more about what Harry was doing. He suppresses an urge to moan about the fact that Harry might make their house lose points again.... maybe. ;_; Dementors in the forest.... does that mean the freakish things might come onto the grounds again?

 

But we chased 'em off, can't we get some points awarded rather than taken away? Hrm, then again maybe not. Harry nods to the professor, "Yes m'am.. We aren't sure. Malfoy might have gone back to his common room." Well if the Prophet catches wind o f this, we could always blame the Ministry for not foreseeing events such as those that have been occurring. They could have done a better job in regards to Azkaban after all. ".. Sorry Professor..." Hmph. Lucky you Cho. Howler nothing, his guardian is hiding right here in the castle and he'll catch it in person.

 

Professor McGonagall sighs. First of all, why is he apologizing? Oh, right. They were the ones to go after the snitch when they could have simply told a professor. Sure, there's no reason at all for there to be supervision in the castle..none at all.  She nods towards Miss Chang as the girl takes a bit of chocolate. She glances towards Harry, waiting for him to take a second piece. "..back to his common room?" o.o Students. Perhaps she would leave him to Snape.. she'd have to send a few owls.  "I'll tell Madam Pomfrey to check on him then." This could be the ministry's fault. They acted too late as usual, and the damage had already been set.  They dementors had been chased off, but that wouldn't present them from attacking again.

 

And here the whole reason her parents decided to let her stay during the holidays was because the school was so safe. They might just change their mind after tonight's events... Cho clears wipes off any chocolate residue from her lips, and says, "At least you know they're close by..." It's a weak attempt to point out that maybe this whole event has a good side to it. Of course it could also have had a very bad side, where Harry wasn't able to get them to leave, and the school found itself down three Seekers.

 

Sounds like Hufflepuff stands a chance at the Quiddich Cup at this rate. Neville can't quite hold back a faint whimper at the thought of it all.

 

Harry grabs another piece of chocolate. Well we already know Harry simply doesn't think in some situations. Just like his father. It must be in the genes. "He might have, we aren't sure." Good call Cho! "Right.. least this way we know they're about.. so something can be done.." He'll even volunteer to help as he's one of the few around the castle that knows the patronus charm!

 

Professor McGonagall also believes that even though it is a bit of advanced magic, the patronus charm should be implemented. "I hate to say this, but you are correct." Of course children would never think of the danger. If you escape within a hair of your life it's no big deal because you survived. He is rather like James. At least there weren't any dementors during _that_ era. "I /should/ take off points," she says, not even sure if she wants to anymore. As her duty as a professor, any thing shouldn't really go unpunished. "I could also reward points, but that would cancel out, wouldn't it?"  How terribly pathetic that seemed.  "Yes Potter, and excellent idea." She waits for him to finish his chocolate.

 

Yes, she could take off points, and at this point, Cho's honestly expecting it. Hufflepuff might just have the House Cup in one fell swoop, the other three reduced far enough to make the running feeble. But as Professor McGonagall says the second part, she lets out a soft sigh of relief, attemptedly covered up by another piece of quick chocolate.

 

Harry crams the chocolate into his mouth, basically to shut himself up. Well.. is it good that McGonagall won't take away points? There he goes again with his priorities skewed. Dementors again and he's worried about the snitch and losing Gryffindor more points. He just sits quietly for the moment, looking up at the head of Gryffindor House.

 

Professor McGonagall's eye's flicker and rest on Harry's forehead for a moment, then lower into his eyes. "Is there anything you haven't been telling me, Potter?" .. First the boy's scar hurts, then this... she's not even that surprised anymore.  She would have to discuss the idea with Dumbledore, who would most probably agree with it. The situation was growing next to intolerable and she wondered if she dare ask 'What's next?'. She nods, watching the students take more chocolate, almost inwardly smiling. Chocolate can get to taste nasty if you eat too much of it.. but it was all for the best, really.

 

Cho follows the Professor's eyes to the boy's scar. That scar is so easy to forget when she just thinks of him as the Gryffindor Seeker and just Harry. But then of course the reminder is given (as it had been when they entered the forest itself) and she has to recall that he is 'The Harry Potter'. A person that most everyone raised in Wizard familes heard all about as they were growing up. She says nothing, since the question wasn't addressed to her, but she does look at him curiously.

 

Harry should have expected McGonagall to make that inquiry. He shakes his head, "No Professor. Nothing beyond headaches." A bit nervously, he raises a hand to flatten his hair over his forehead, hopefully hiding the scar from view. ".. no funny visions or anything." Well aside from what he normally he hears in the presence of Dementors.

 

Professor McGonagall hesitates a moment, before giving a small nod. Right. Just like Harry to downplay anything that might be deemed serious.  Noticing his movements, she apologizes quickly. "Sorry.." She doesn't often notice the scar except for when Harry has any headaches or any serious ailments..it's just, concern, that's all. Of course, she also remembers the first time she ever saw the scar, and she was tempted to smile slightly at the image of the sleeping baby. But that was the past. "If you're sure." She says firmly, before looking over to Miss Chang.

 

Cho looks away after Harry finishes, after he hides the scar from her view with his hair. She looks at the wall for a moment, silent, then she seems to realize that the Professor is looking at her and she glances back, offering a smile that is still quite weak compared to the ones she usually sports. "Though... I do think it odd that one of the Dementors had the snitch..." It may not be a important clue or anything, but thinking back (now that she isn't cowering in cold terror) she realizes that one of them /was/ holding it.

 

Harry is quite sure. And while he does downplay everything, he will come to someone as fast as he can if he gets any disturbing visions. ".. I'm sure Professor." He glances over at Cho, then nods, "One of them caught it while I was trying to get the snitch. It seemed like a leader of sorts as it was the last to leave." Of course this could mean absolutely nothing.

 

Professor McGonagall blinks at this piece of information. The dementors had the Snitch? It could have been a ploy...to get the students out into the forest and attack them while they were alone and unprotected... Minerva suddenly as a sick feeling in the pit of her stomach and steps back  to put her arm against the wall. It was a /planned/ attack then. "Why didn't you say that before?" If that’s the case, it just may as well be an extremely important fact. If it is true. How disturbing...how greatly disturbing. "I'm glad you told me."  No, no, she's quite all right. At least, let the students think that.

 

Cho glances over at Harry, eyes a little wider than usual, but not really giving away anything much, other than she's surprised by the reaction. "Of course, Professor. I just.. didn't think of it until now." Not surprising, since she's a little exhausted in the mind right now and at the time she hadn't really been looking at what was in their hands, more where their hands were going (as in, nearer to her). She did notice the presence of the snitch though, but it didn't register until later.

 

Harry ahs, ".. Didn't think it was important. Everything happened so fast.. and it's hard to think with them around." He idly picks at the sheets of his bed, "Never seen the snitch stray from the pitch like that before.." Okay, so he's slow on the uptake. It's not registering that it could have been a trap.

 

Professor McGonagall nods towards Cho. Of course..the situation must have been horrible. Wait, what did Harry just say? The Snitch strayed from the pitch? Good lord. It could just as well have been enchanted.  "Didn't think it was important?" she gasped, in somewhat disbelief. "Any other information you have, anything."

 

Cho tries to think, going back to the moment with an impartial and a mind and spirit that isn't currently chilled and horrified. She takes a few moments, then she says, "Harry had flown off after spotting the snitch and told us to wait there. There were two groups. One appeared in front of Harry, with the snitch, right? And the second appeared around us, Draco and me. It was like they were trying to box us in. They didn't try to cut him off from us though..." She's not in Ravenclaw for nothing, you know. "They easily could have."

 

Harry erps. Maybe he should just eat more chocolate and shut up. ".. I honestly can't think of anything else.. aside from what she said." Good thing Cho paid more attention then huh? But if anything comes to mind, he'll speak up about it.

 

Professor McGonagall leaned back against the wall. "Thank you, Miss Chang," she said faintly, then recovered herself to throw a stern look at Mr. Potter. "Going off on your own again..."  She sighs again, wondering when will Harry learn to think before he acts? The event may have seemed innocent at first...but the snitch leaving the pitch and following it into the forest? She wonders if she were that age would she have acted similarly.

 

Cho tries to think of anything else, but the memory is just too fogged with the horrible things she was being forced to experience, so she leaves it at that. "You're welcome. Maybe Draco can add something more..." But she doubts it. He looked almost as bad off as Harry was, and Harry passed out as soon as they got up here. And she won't say how Harry tried to make them stay outside the forest and go in by himself, but she refrains.

 

Harry is incapable of thinking before acting! It's in his blood! Besides, Cho's broom wasn't fast enough to go in and get it and get back out, Malfoy couldn't catch the snitch if it was taped to his broom and well.. okay, so he was taking charge again.  "Probably. .. Sorry Professor, I don't mean to." He just.. goes off on his own.

 

As if right on cue, Madam Pomfrey is the first one to enter the hospital wing, her lips pursed together into a tight line, bringing along a certain someone with her. Behind the nurse is a familiar figure, recognizable by that mop of white-blonde, which for once, isn't slicked back. It falls around his pale face, almost long enough to curl under his chin, but stopping just short of it. "I managed to find him." She states quite clearly, stopping in the door and waiting for Draco to step back. "I hope there's some chocolate left for Mr. Malfoy." The woman manages a bit of a faint smile, looking towards Professor McGonagall. Draco, however, busies himself with looking at the floor as he steps into the room. Oooo. Pretty patterns.

 

Professor McGonagall sighs at Harry's last comment, then glances towards the interruption. Madam Pomfrey is back...with...her eyes fall onto the Slytherin student. Thank god. "Thank you, Madam Pomfrey." She says faintly. "There should be enough.." she frowns as she glances at Harry and Cho. "Take another piece, you two."  She waits as Poppy escorts Mr. Malfoy to a bed and looks towards Harry again. "I know you don't mean to," Just like his father. "But you should try more. Even if it feels more natural. Try more."\

 

Cho looks towards the door as Madam Pomfrey appears and actually gasps at the sight of Draco. He looks worse than she vaguely remembers. They broke him! Hey, she's genuinely concerned here. He's the one who really didn't want to go into the forest after all. "Is he all right, Madam Pomfrey? Where did you find him?" And then she gets told to take more chocolate and she grabs one quickly to comply. They're already lucky to not have dozens and dozens of points missing from their respective houses, so she isn't going to argue. The chocolate certainly is a welcome remedy either way.

 

Harry looks over at the door. Well there's Malfoy. Ugh.. he doesn't want more chocolate.. He does try, and winds up doing what he thinks is the right thing <tm>.  It's so hard being him you know. He's never going to eat chocolate again willingly .. at least for a few weeks after this. Another piece is taken as he eyes Malfoy's entrance into the hospital wing. "Hey Malfoy."

 

Madam Pomfrey makes sure that she leads Draco to a bed where he sits on the edge stiffly, eyes still cast to the floor. Harry passed out, he's on the verge of doing so. The nurse makes sure he's comfortable to the best of her ability, considering that she can't even get a response from the pale young man. Giving up on that, Poppy makes her way over to retrieve some chocolate and Draco finally looks up at the sound of his name, his face expressionless, some of the white-blonde hair slipping over his blue eyes. "Hey, Potter." Looks like he isn't broken, because the words come out as a bored drawl. He hadn't even noticed you there. But then again, he wasn't even looking up, so.

 

Professor McGonagall shakes her head. "Where was he, Poppy?" She asks the nurse, who hands Malfoy some chocolates and instructs him to eat them. As she is distracted, Minerva frowns. Such a state he was in too. This simply couldn't be tolerated. "I'll have none of that," She said to Harry. "Let him eat some chocolates first before you begin socializing."  She's only remotely surprised at how civil the two seemed towards one another. Then again, any situation could bring opposites together. It almost reminded her of Sirius and Snape. But where was she..? Good. They were eating the chocolates. She wondered if they were aware by now that it was a trap, or should she not bother them with the details?

 

Oh good... he's not broken. Cho isn't very relieved though, as he still looks horrible, in a about to pass out way. She doesn't try to socialize with him, as she's currently trying to munch on her last piece of chocolate (good thing Wizards have wonderful potions or she might worry about her teeth rotting) and looks from one to the other. At least they aren't bickering like they were in the forest.

 

Later Harry might feel a bit of smugness at seeing Malfoy like this. Then again, there's nothing funny in facing Dementors and he hasn't any room to feel any sort of satisfaction. Still.. it's a good thing that Malfoy isn't broken. He supposes. He blinks a bit at the chastisement, then looks down at the bed. Whups. Oh c'mon Cho, that wasn't bickering. That was a civil conversation!

 

It was indeed a civil conversation. As civil as a conversation between Draco and Harry can get. He accepts the chocolate from Madam Pomfrey and looks at it for a moment, recalling the incident with the dementors two years ago. Right... this will get rid of that cold feeling, won't it? Well, he might as well. He pops the chocolate into his mouth and chews on it, looking back down at the floor. "He was at his common room, Professor." Replies Madam Pomfrey, "Looked a dreadful state when he answered the door and came with me down to the hospital wing." She leaves out the fact that she had to persuade him to take one step out, however. "If you need anything else, Professor, don't be afraid to ask. I have a few things left to do. I'll be in my office. If you'll excuse me." She expects McGonagall to release them when she sees fit to do so. And, with that, Madam Pomfrey exits into her office, closing the door behind herself.

 

Professor McGonagall is shocked that Mr. Malfoy made it all the way down to the dungeons. "And no one thought to tell you to come up here?" Or rather, "What on earth were you thinking, going back to your common room when you should have at least asked for help." Great another one who believes in self-sacrifice. Oh I'm fine, really. NOT. She frowns. "If I ask you how you are, I do not want to hear that you are 'fine'. We both know you really aren't. When you compose yourself, I would like to hear your interpretation of the incident." She hopes she doesn't sound too cold.  Or worse, Madam Pomfrey could burst out of her office any moment now. But she's not being too stressful on the students..they survived this much.

 

Sounded like bickering to Cho. She wouldn't have been at all surprised if that was what attracted the Dementors, but she is going to refrain from that comment, especially after the rather bad thoughts that Professor McGonagall put in her head about how the snitch left the pitch and just happened to lead them towards the Dementors in the first place. A rather odd occurrence, that is. The thought that the bickering lead them in the three Seekers' direction would actually be a lot nicer of a thought. She sympathetically looks down as the Professor says that to Draco. She is interested in hearing if Draco noticed anything she missed though, so she keeps both ears ready, even if her eyes are now focused on her hands.

 

Harry and Cho called it. The git scrambled to his common room. He pulls his glasses off, setting them in his lap as he rubs at his eyes. He does keep quiet and doesn't flinch or anything listening to McGonagall turning her attention on Malfoy. He's used to her sternness after this time. It still doesn't make her any less formidable.

 

Looks like that chocolate really works wonders, more than the shower did. He didn't feel like going straight to the hospital wing, he wanted to think, think about what he had seen while in the dementors presence, he wanted to be away from everyone else and if suffering with that cold, 'I'm gonna pass out' feeling was the only way to achieve that solitude, then so be it. Draco looks up, over towards the Professor with a rather level, slightly stony gaze. "I'm fine, now." Smart-ass. ~o~ "The snitch got out because I kicked the box. It was loosened by the bludgers." He's assuming that this is what she wants to know about, the dementors and how they wound up in the forest. "We tried to catch it, but it went into the forest. Potter offered to go in after it, but we came with him. The dementors surrounded us." A bit of a pause. "There was a deer or a stag of sorts. Potter told us to say this spell. It frightened the dementors away, then we left on our brooms. I went straight to the common room. I needed to be alone." Also, for one, he was in his quidditch gear and wanted out of it. For another, he forgot completely about the chocolate and its wonderful effects. Like he'll admit that out loud, though.

 

Professor McGonagall meets his stony gaze with an even fiercer one. Just wanted some time alone to be introspective? What about getting killed? Of course that never occurs to students. Self suffering does wonders. NOT. Ask Harry, he's been through enough.  "Let me get this straight," she says, trying to keep her voice from shaking. "You freed the snitch, and Potter-" Why am I not surprised. She shakes her head. But even if young Malfoy did release the snitch, the snitch speeding off into the hand of a dementor didn't make any sense.  Of course, it could have been bewitched for quite some time, or after the last time anyone used it.  It's so difficult to avoid getting into trouble, isn't it. First deatheaters, now dementors. 'Am I even sure that Hogwarts is the safest place to be?'. Well, of course it is. She stares down at Draco, wondering how he managed to keep himself calm and collected under her penetrating stare. After everything that he had been through.

 

Frightened them away isn't exactly what Cho would call it. More like they opted to leave. But that could just be because she was horribly terrified and cold and trying to grasp on to the happiest thoughts she could muster at the time and couldn't really picture then getting frightened of anything a couple of kids had to throw at them, especially when the charm didn't even produce a spark for neither Cho nor Draco. She adds after a second, "Harry also told us to think of something happy." She glances over at Draco, silently wondering what could ever make him happy.

 

Harry stares over in Malfoy's general direction as he hasn't placed his glasses back on and he can only see a fuzzy shape topped by blonde colors. Did Malfoy just.. admit.. it was his fault in so many words?  ".. Since neither Cho nor Malfoy know how to perform the Patronus charm.. it couldn't hurt to have them try it anyway. Besides.. the more of us trying to force happy thoughts at them, the better.. I didn't expect to be able to teach them how to do it that one time."

 

He could have put in that the kicking of the box was an accident, but Harry could just as easily provide evidence that it certainly wasn't something that wasn't unintentional and being as McGonagall is the head of Gryffindor, he already knows which side of the story would come out on top. He's not stupid. Ever wonder why the first person Draco tends to tell about things that go on is Professor Snape? Compared to facing the dementors, having McGonagall glare down at him is not a threat nor is it at all frightening, so he can hold his composure, keeping his gaze level still. If the Professor were to turn into a dementor, though, he may just break down and start crying like a little girl. His hands haven't seemed to of gotten over the shakes, at least, but he has them hidden in the arms of his robe to hide them from view. "..."

 

Professor McGonagall knows that Harry wouldn't have been able to teach it on the first try, but then arises the reason of why Harry knows the charm in the first place.  There are times when the Patronous charm can fail, and then she'd have three dead ... well, not dead... she shuddered, not wanting to think of what would have happened had things gone wrong. She directs her gaze back at Mr. Malfoy. "Very well then."

 

Well, if it'd had failed, Hufflepuff would certainly win the Quidditch Cup this year... If they didn't cancel the matches all together. Cho stays silent for a few more moments, looking between the three fellow people. When she does speak, she directs a question at the Professor, rather softly, "Professor, what do you think will be done about them?" She isn't really sure if now is the time to ask this, or if the question could even be given, but she'd probably feel better if she had an idea what is going to be done about them.

 

Hey Malfoy, the Dementors send their love! :P  All kidding side, Harry's not going to give the boy a hard time over this. He can't help but wonder what kind of lecture he may get from Sirius later. Truth be told, he'd rather be here at Hogwarts facing the dangers of the wizarding world than living at Number 4 Privet Drive. His glasses are placed on the bedside table as he leans back against the pillows. If the Patronus had failed, everyone would have to kiss themselves goodbye. He turns his head to look over in Cho's direction. ".. Good question. It'll be hard finding people to keep up a patronus." Also, who knows if the Dementors can become immune to it with continuous usage?

 

This conversation is losing his interest and he doesn't have anything to add that hasn't already been said. He looks down to the floor, again. All in all, Draco Malfoy doesn't care if he couldn't perform the patronus, his father may be a little disappointed about it, but at least there was someone who could, that saved them. Thank god. Does this mean he's in debt to Harry Potter, though? x.@; Urg. Thinking that, he'd rather be back in the Forbidden Forest with the dementors again, right now. But wait, he doesn't have to be honorable about it. Not at all. And, with that seeming to be the mental plan, he continues to sit at the edge of his bed in silence, hands shaking in his sleeves, almost like a little shiver from being cold.

 

Professor McGonagall feels rather ill at the thought that the Dementors could become immune to the patronus, which was also likely. It wasn't much of a defense shield either, if you actually thought about it. For now, it's the only defense we have. "...."  She glances at the Ravenclaw seeker, and then Harry. She's surprised by the question. Right now she's not even sure if she knows HOW to answer that question. But she had to give some form of an answer. What use wuld she be if she didn't know what was going to be done? "Something _will_ be done, of course." She detests being put on the spot and is quite flustered. The situation would be handles. Perhaps cancel Quidditch for a while, make sure no one left the castle,  Hogsmeade.. "The consequences may not rest well with you students, however."  Oh, but wouldn't that be the perfect situation or a dementor? She glances at Malfoy. "Instead of trying to make us feel sorry for you, just lay back." She frowns. So much for cooperation.

 

Wait, cancel Quidditch!? No! Let the dementors come! Anything but canceling quidditch! That's a happy thought in and of itself! Don't take it away! Ahem. But it's a good thing that isn't said out loud because Cho would say something that would likely make her sound... well... superficial. She does not like the sound of consequences though and reaches up to run a hand through her mused up long hair. At the Professors words to Malfoy, she glances over, a small frown appearing, "What's wrong with your hands?"

 

Harry flat out does not expect Malfoy to show gratitude towards him. Wouldn't the world spontaneously combust were that to happen? He blinks in surprise, "Consequences? What?" Quidditch /can't/ be cancelled for a second year running. He'll go stir crazy, you know he's impossible to keep locked up inside. He's right there with Cho. If that was said aloud, you can bet he'd be on his feet, protesting quite loudly. He sighs and glances towards the door. He wants to go find Ron and Hermione soon.

 

He looks up... and appears rather furious for a few moments. HIM? TRYING TO GARNER SYMPATHY?! That's the LAST thing Draco Malfoy wants at the moment (It's also the last thing he wants at a lot of other times.). Can't he think without someone believing that he wants people to feel sorry for himself? Can't he just look at the floor? Can't he fume in silence over things without those looks of pity? GRR! The fire leaves his eyes, though, he tightly clasps his hands together inside the robes. "I prefer sitting." THANK YOU VERY MUCH. "There's nothing wrong with my hands." He even goes as far hold his head up, high and proud, the white-blonde hair framing his sharp-featured face on either side. There'd even be a bit of a sneer, if he could manage it, but he'll settle for this. It's good enough.

 

Professor McGonagall frowns. Of course they never can appreciate whenever something is done in their best interests...then again, placing Harry with the Dursley's WAS in his best interest, and look how that fell through @.@ "...." Surely Harry doesn't remember that the Dementors came to quidditch matches themselves, or has he forgotten this little fact? At least, indoors, it would be easier to prevent them from entering. And she didn't say it was definitely going to happen, just a precautionary she was going to mention to Dumbledore. "You don't think that we'd let a serious matter like this be swept under the rug?" She's sick of it. And of course Mr. Malfoy has himself in one of his attitudes. Riiight... you're lucky I didn't take points away from your house. Just keep up that attitude, buddy. "Eat more chocolate." Her lips twitch angrily for a moment.

 

Cho certainly doubted he wanted sympathy. She can remember the look of disgust he gave her when she tried to be concerned with his well being. "Then why are they hidden." She says, not really toned as a question. She doesn't expect him to answer after all. She looks back at Professor McGonagall and says, "It shouldn't be swept away, Professor, we know that, it's just... We don't even know how long they've been there and they may have no intention of leaving the Forest..." It's a weak attempt to keep the thoughts away from taking away certain... privileges.

 

Harry shakes his head at Malfoy. Well that attitude is to be expected with the boy. No, Harry hasn't forgotten that the Dementors love flocking to large gatherings to feast upon human emotions like vultures fighting over carrion. ".. No Professor, I didn't think that at all.." He doesn't intercede on the conversation between Cho and Draco. If he does, it's sure to make things worse.

 

Would you just back off and leave him alone, woman? ~.~ Stop drawing attention to his hands! He can't hold that act of attitude for long, though, moving to take another slab of chocolate. And if you're REALLY observant, Cho, then maybe you'll notice why Draco had kept his hands hidden, for even now, they still shake as though he were suffering from the cold. Quickly, he pops the chocolate into his mouth, his hands, right afterwards, returning to hide inside the robes. "..."

 

Professor McGonagall looks towards Harry., then glances over at Cho. "You are right about that," She said, her voice still stern. "And believe me, it pains me to suggest this as well, but this is all for the safety of the students. They may as well be congregating in the forest-" oops. She didn't want to say THAT aloud. What IF they congregated in the forest? But the forest was forbidden anyway. She could always check it out for herself later on...but, no, no, time to focus on the students now. "Besides, Miss Chang, if that is true, you wouldn't be able to play quidditch anyway. At least for sometime now I must suspend it. And how many times must I reiterate that you must not go flying unsupervised?" this last part she directed towards Mr. Potter.

 

Cho looks away from the Professor as she actually says the no Quidditch thing. Siiiigh.  There goes her second best happy thought. Hopefully they'll get rid of the nasty creatures before the season starts. Please? It's the one hope that she can hold on to. She was really looking forward to facing both these two boys against a Snitch. Not in the forest next time though. And her eyes do follow to Draco and... what is up with his hands? She's going to lay off for now though, instead saying to the Professor. "Do you think Madam Pomfrey will have us stay here all night?"

 

Harry blanches at the chastisement before it changes to jaw dropping surprise, "What!? Cancel quidditch?? You can't Professor!" Well he knows he bloody well can't tell a teacher what they can or can't do, but it still doesn't stop his outburst. He honestly keeps forgetting that he's supposed to be supervised when out on the pitch practicing. But isn't that a moot point at the moment?

 

Che. Canceling quidditch. He's not really surprised, though slightly disappointed, but unlike Harry and Cho, all Draco does is let out a little bit of a sigh. Does this mean that Slytherin won't be able to mop the floor with the other houses for a while? By mop the floor, that also could mean 'beat the crap out of'. "..." Geez. Must be one of the first times, ever, that the blonde Slytherin doesn't have anything at all to say. One can be sure that the incident with the dementors will probably cow him for at least a little while. Give it about a week. He'll be back to normal, then will probably run around, blaming Potter for ruining their chances at being able to play Quidditch for the year.

 

Professor McGonagall is very tempted to lift her hand and smack herself in the forehead, of more disbelief than anything. "Have you children no priorities?"" Oh wait, of course they don't. "There is a method to things." Yeah, yeah, so Quidditch is one of your only happy pastimes.  But is flying a broom more important than your lives?  Sometimes she wonders how she manages to keep herself calm and stern in these situations. Her arms are resting at her sides, and she's eyeing each student carefully. She's sorry she said anything now, but..they asked.  "If you were supervised, none of you would have gone into that forest." The dementors were smart enough to see how gullible you all were. Oh bother.   She is very aware of what she can and cannot do, Mr. Potter, so be very careful. "I'm sure Madam Pomfrey will tell you when she sees fit." she says, in response to Cho's first question. "But you still seem pretty weak to me.

 

Yes. Flying a broom is... okay, no it's not. But it's still important! "Well, Professor McGonagall, it was right after Slytherin's team practice, that's why the snitch got loose, Draco was putting it away. Harry and me just happened to be there..." Cho's trying to make it sound like they weren't /really/ acting like bad kids. Yes, they were unsupervised and she's really not saying why she and Harry happened to be there. For one, she has no idea why Harry was, and for the other, well... another story.

 

Harry has priorities! It's just that.. quidditch is one of his only escapes! Oh hang it all! This isn't ruddy fair. Even if there was supervision, the Dementors would still be there. "... Professor.. the Dementors probably would have come onto the grounds proper even if we were supervised." Yeah! We weren't being bad kids!

 

Professor McGonagall didn't say that you were being bad kids. She's concerned for your safety, that's all, and no one wants to give her that much credit for it. x.x Frowning, she glances towards Madam Pomfrey's office door. "Besides, if they had come, that person would have prevented you from chasing after the snitch in the first place." She says with a frown. "I'm going to go talk with Madam Hooch. You just keep eating your chocolate. I shan't be too long." Besides, right now she is really feeling quite ill and could do with a remedy of sorts. She hasn't been herself for a few days and hopes that the students haven't noticed.

 

Oh. That's is stupid. He's being grouped with a mental Gryffindor and a love-sick Ravenclaw. Draco never even wanted to go into that forest in the first place, but winded up entering for whoever knows what reason. He never said a word about Quidditch being cancelled and yet, he's being treated as though he were. Wait till my father hears about this, thinks Draco bitterly. He just reaches out for another piece of chocolate. One more should be good enough. Then he'll leave. He's not going to stick around, after all.

 

Love-sick? Is that how he pictures her? But then if he pictures Harry as mental, maybe that's not such an insult. Cho does not reach for another chocolate, but she does sit up more and grab her wand, sticking it into the folds of her robes. If she's going to spend the night here, she's going to have to get comfortable. "Well, our teams are going to be really happy with us..." she muses softly, shaking her head. "And I hope the Prophet doesn't find out about this..." She's already going to have a fun time explaining this to her parents via owl-mail... She's not looking forward to telling her parents, unlike Draco.

 

Harry is NOT mental. He's perfectly sane, which is an amazing accomplishment given the circumstances of his life thus far. Feh, Draco, what's your daddy going to do? He probably had those Dementors come to the school! Who knows what sort of dirty business your daddy is into right now? It's fine by Harry if you don't stick around Malfoy. "It's not our fault Cho. It's not as if we actually /did/ anything. Sure we went into the forest.. but if we hadn't of gone in there, the Dementors would have gotten closer to the school. I'm sure the Prophet will find out. That Skeeter cow has her ways." He shoots a glance at Malfoy, you know what he's talking about.

 

Shoot him as many dirty looks as you want, Potter. He's not even paying attention to you. Mental Gryffindor. Like the other two pieces before the one he holds now in his slightly shaking hand, Draco eats his last bit of chocolate for the evening. It's probably all he'll need to make the remainder of those feelings go away. "..." His hands disappear immediately back into the folds of his robes and he starts to rise from the bed, slipping off the end to stand at the foot of it, instead. I hope you're happy, Potter! Why, if you hadn't of decided to go into the forest, none of this would have happened.

 

"I know, but I have a feeling some of them won't feel the same way." Cho shakes her head, thinking about the looks she's likely going to get from her team. It /is/ better that they know the Dementors are there... and they might have done something horrible if they hadn't been the ones to find them. If Harry hadn't been there... well... bad. Then of course, Draco has to go and be a stubborn little jerk. "Draco! You can't just.." She pushes herself, swinging her legs over the side obviously planning to chase after him if she has to. "Please, Draco, just sit back down, you need rest. And more chocolate... and.. your hands..." She's trying to not make it sound like he's the worse off of all of them, but... c.c;

 

Harry IS NOT MENTAL >.< How are you so sure of that Malfoy? The Dementors could have been waiting to enter the Pitch. There's no telling what would have happened. Once again, he just doesn't say anything between Cho and Malfoy. It's better that way.

 

"SHUT UP AND LEAVE ME ALONE!" Oh. Well. Draco snapped. He doesn't want to be fussed over. He doesn't want people to tell him that he needs rest. He doesn't want people feeling sorry for him. The thing that he wants, more than anything, right now, is to be away from here, away from you people and somewhere where he can be alone. He came with Madam Pomfrey only because she reminded him of the chocolate. Now that he's gotten what he came for, that's enough. No more. He's leaving. "I don't need your pity." And with that, he moves away from the end of the bed and heads for the door, letting himself out and slamming the thing loudly behind himself.

 

Cho blinks from shock as she gets yelled out. She says nothing, eyes following him as he walks out and leaves. She even flinches a bit as he slams the door. She stays completely silent as she pushes herself back onto the bed and takes a deep breath. Yes, it seems that Draco does not want her pity and he's made it very clear. Not that it wasn't clear before, but now it's just been shoved into her face (and ears). Well, that went nicely...

 

Harry does sit up with an audible growl like noise as Malfoy snaps at Cho. "... He's lucky he walked out right quick. I'll give him what for later." For daring to snap at Miss Chang. She's only trying to help, granted Malfoy doesn't want help but there's no excuse for that! He glowers darkly at the door of the hospital wing as if daring the boy to come back inside.

 

Cho gives her head a shake, as if she's trying to get dust off or something similar. "No.. it's all right. I should have just left him alone." She takes a few breaths, trying not to let any sign of hurt show. She's not hurt, honest. (Well, maybe a little.) But she didn't really expect anything more from Malfoy than that. "So are you going to go back to your common room now that you have the chance?" She looks over and offers a rather pale smile.

 

Harry sighs softly, "don't worry about it. Malfoy would have found a reason to blow up no matter what." He reaches over to retrieve his glasses, placing them back on his face. "... maybe in a bit.. don't quite feel like walking just yet." As much as he doesn't like being stifled in here, the company isn't so bad and he is speaking the truth about not feeling up to walking.

 

Cho runs a hand through her hair, straightening it a bit more than it is now. It still doesn't look bad, even though it is a bit windblown from all the flying they'd done. She tries to find a non-Malfoy subject to throw out, and the best she can seem to come up with is a, "So... guess we're not going to get to have another practice with the snitch anytime soon. Admittedly, tonight wasn't what I had in mind, though I if it wasn't for the Dementors I rather would have liked to chase the snitch in a forest. It would be a great maneuverability practice."

 

Harry has no complaints about your hair. It looks quite nice to him actually, not that he was staring mind you. "Yeah.. the forest provides enough obstacles. It's not someplace you really want to be, night or day." Well this makes the third time he's been in there. "Great..... no Quidditch.. Maybe Professor McGonagall will change her mind.."

 

Cho smiles lightly, "Well, I don't particularly /want/ to go in that forest. Maybe another forest though." At the repeat of the no Quidditch she flinches again. She still feels it's all her fault. She was the one who kind of suggested going into the forest after all. "We can hope. Maybe they'll get rid of the Dementors before the season is supposed to start..."

 

Harry nods his head and says quite ruefully, "No Quidditch last year; that was all I could focus on over the summer was getting back here and playing." Thoughts of Quidditch and flying worked wonders as a mental block it did. "This is just great."

 

"I'm really sorry." Cho apologizes, though it isn't really her fault and part of her knows that. "There's still months left. Even if the season starts late, we could still get all the games in. The Cup would just have to be given a little later than usual." Damn Dementors have to go and ruin everything.

 

Harry waves his hands, "You don't have to apologize, and it’s not your fault. Malfoy was baiting me by letting the snitch loose. Hopefully they'll let us play again soon. Otherwise we could always drive them nuts by storming the Great Hall and improvising practice in there." It's an idle threat, but then again, would all four house teams be brave enough to do that as a protest of sorts?

 

Cho raises her eyebrows. That's an insane idea. But it's actually perfect. Her Ravenclaw brain starts to think in overdrive. "I wonder if there are other rooms that might be big enough to stage a practice in. There are so many rooms here, and some of them might be. We wouldn't have to use the Great Hall if we can request some kind of... indoor pitch for practice purpose. Too bad it's unlikely we'll find one big enough for the stands as well as the pitch itself. The games won't be able to be held inside, but if we had an indoor pitch set up it would certainly be advantageous."

 

Harry laughs.. "I can't believe I just said that.. it's something Fred and George would suggest. I was only kidding." But the idea sounds delightful. ".. I think the Great Hall is the largest room, unless there's another hidden chamber about that we don't know of. Which is quite possible." He's found quite a number of those.

 

Cho grins. She's heard of the twins, obviously. Never been a brunt of any of their mischievous jokes personally, but that doesn't mean she isn't amused. "Well, it wouldn't hurt to ask either way. The most they could do is say no. And as it is, unless the Dementors decide they don't like the forest we're not going to be playing for a while anyway, so no loss if we ask."

 

Harry can't help but keep chuckling at the very idea. "Or we don't ask, we just invade and claim we're protesting. Seems to work for muggles with some causes. But you're right, the worst they'll say is no." His expression sobers a bit, "They'll not stay around the forest long. I'm sure they'll flock to the next populated area..." An audible groan escapes. ".. I hope Dumbledore alerts the Ministry as soon as possible... I  wonder if this is the same group that's been terrorizing settlements."

 

Cho grins, laughing briefly. "Or we could claim to be... protesting. That could work and we'd at least get a few rounds of practice before they can stop us." At the last bit, she stops laughing though. "The nearest populated area, besides here, would be Hogsmeade..." That actually makes her pale.

 

Harry finds himself laughing again. "Let's do it. I'm sure the Gryffindor team is game for this." The laughter dies down immediately and he nods, "Yeah.. At least we know they're about.."

 

Prof Major comes into the Hospital Wing following Hegwid. A look of concern is on his face, and seeing that Harry is not alone in here, he quickly forces it to a more neutral expression. He still moves quickly to Harry's bedside.  "Harry?  What happened?" he asks.

 

The Ravenclaw team would likely be less forthcoming with the idea, but Cho is sure she can talk them into it. She looks a little bit pale, as if she just thought of something horrible, then she blinks as the Professor comes in and she sits up a little bit, but stays silent.

 

Hedwig soars into the room, landing on Harry's shoulder and ruffles her feathers proudly, even nipping at the boy's hair. Yeah, the Ravenclaw and Hufflepuff students may prove to be a bit reluctant. He was about to say something else but Hedwig's arrival surprises him, then the entrance of his godfather. "Ah.. errr..." Well he looks alright, still pale, but fine. Chocolate is still seen at the bedside tables. He clears his throat and scratches lightly at Hedwig, ".. We, that is, Cho, Malfoy and I had a bit of a run-in outside earlier.."

 

Prof Major says, "With WHO?" he inquires in a stern, concerned voice.  He moves closer to Harry to look him over.  Not that he has any medical experience, but he looks for an obvious damage or wounds.  He notices Cho for the first time, and gives her a nod. "Miss Chang, were you with him?" he asks even before Harry can answer.  He wants answers dammit, and now.

 

Cho smiles lightly at the affection showed between Harry and his owl, but then the Professor goes stern and concerned and... then turns his eyes on her. She nods quickly under the look, "Yes, Draco and me both." And though she doesn't know the reason this particular professor is so concerned with Harry's well being, she does notice it. Perhaps she'll think more on it later, but right now she just dismisses it as Harry being a favored student or something. He /is/ Harry Potter after all.

 

Harry errs and sits up a bit straighter, doing so carefully as to not disturb Hedwig. ".. Dementors.." gets mumbled in response as the professor moves in his direction. Can he have McGonagall looking at him sternly instead? ".. there was a group of them outside. Malfoy let the snitch out on purpose, it took off into the Forbidden Forest. I went after it, Cho and Malfoy followed me." He might as well just come clean up front. He looks up at the professor over the rims of his glasses.

 

Prof Major gets a VERY intense look in his pale eyes, Prof McG has NOTHING on him, and even Snape would back down from this look.  "You went, WHERE?" he booms, staring at Harry.  "You went INTO the Forest???" he says, answering his own question.   Tact, Sirius is all about tact.  "Are you INSANE?" he rails at the boy, his hands clutched at his sides.  "Who gives a bloody damn about the Snitch?!  IT is replaceable Harry, you are not!" he says, finally stopping to take a breath.

 

Cho cowers a little bit as the Professor yells at Harry. And she was worried about a Howler from her parents? She should have been worried about Professors getting upset. "It.. It wasn't Harry's fault. It.. he.. we.." Uh. She's not able to get much more out, because.. well.. She's not.

 

Hedwig gives a mighty screech in protest at the shouting and flies off towards a window, smacking Harry in the head on purpose with her wing. He winces and rubs at his head, then visibly quails under the Professor's verbal onslaught. "... I didn't think..." Once again that much was obvious. "How were we to know Dementors would be out there! I was going to fly after it.." He figured the air would be safer than the ground.

 

Professor McGonagall steps out of Madam Pomfrey's office. The yelling startled her out of a brief rest, and she had shouted a few choice words to Madam Pomfrey for allowing her to doze off like that even if it were an after affect of the potion she took. Wearily she saw that Harry and Cho were still in their beds, and Professor Major. So Harry's finally seen his godfather, she thought, shaking her head. She hovers near the door of Madam Pomfrey's office. "Has everyone been behaving in here?" Well that's a dumb thing to ask. And where is Dumbledore anyway? So many things to do..

 

Prof Major continues to berate Harry, just like a... relative or something.  "Harry, you as well as anyone should know WHO lurks in that blasted wood!  You should NEVER EVER be in that forest, I don't care if they are giving out  gold plated Firebolts! Do you understand me??" he growls, and then he glances at the pale face of Cho, and Harry. Oops.  Maybe that was a bit over the top.  Just then Minerva arrives, he turns to her, "Did you hear about this?" he asks, still agitated but obviously toned down a notch or two.

 

Oh, nothing bad's been going on Professor McGonagall. Unless you count Draco yelling at Cho and walking out and Cho and Harry plotting for the future of quidditch. Nope. Nothing bad at all. Cho sits up at the return of the Gryffindor head and says, "Yes, of course, Professor... but.. Draco decided to go back to his Common Room. Probably for the best." He'll... probably heal better away from.. well.. certain people. At Major's words she pales a bit more.

 

Harry jumps slightly as McGonagall returns. ".. Yes m'am." We're all in one piece, Harry didn't go after Malfoy.. Speaking of which, he points that out, "Malfoy went back to his common room." Okay, that was unnecessary, but he's now feeling sullen and quite grumpy and takes it out this way. But it also explains why he's behaving. No Malfoy to be shouting at. He continues to shrink back from the shouting not yet daring to shout back.

 

Professor McGonagall is taken aback by how everyone's turned on her so quickly. "Yes, Professor Major." She says after regaining that stern composure of hers. "And I've already gave them lectures." You know as well as I do that children refuse to listen. "There's not much we can do about that now. What we need to do is focus on what to do now." Meaning about the dementors, how to prevent against them. She's unsure at the moment whether to mention to Prof Major about her suspicions. she turns towards Cho and Harry sharply. "Did he take chocolate with him, at least?" And of course Mr. Malfoy  still has his attitude problem.  No, nothing's changed at all. She's just weary as has a bit of a headache. "....."

 

Prof Major nods in agreement with Prof McG, this in itself makes James roll in his grave, and  then he turns to Harry.  "I would strongly suggest that you listen to Prof McG and the rest of your advisors Harry, or perhaps we will have to take stronger measures..." he says, then looks back at Prof McG.  "Gryffindor may have to look for another Seeker if this continues...." he says with a dead seriousness to his deep voice as he slowly levels a look back at Harry.

 

Cho nods at the bit about the chocolate. She's not sure, but she thinks he grabbed a couple extra before he left. If not, he can probably bully some off of a Slytherin. She tried to stop him, but.. well.. As the Professor threatens Harry's position, her mouth opens a bit. But what can she really say? She's not even a Gryffindor, but she can empathize. She knows how she'd feel her Professor Flitwick had said that to her and it certainly wouldn't be a pleasent feeling.

 

Harry shakes his head, ".. I didn't see if he did or didn't." But let Malfoy do as he pleases about this. It's probably for the best and.. "What!?" Oh you did not just insinuate... Sirius did. The threat, or was that a promise, sinks in and he shuts his mouth before he utters something he may regret. He fumes inwardly.. It's not. his. fault.

 

Professor McGonagall pales slightly at Prof Major's statement, more of shock and surprise that it was he who offered the suggestion. But why should she be surprised? Worried about Harry's safety, of course. Her mouth a thin line she slowly nodded. "Well...we don't have to be that desperate yet. For now, Quidditch will be cancelled." She's decided to go herself to check the forests, but hasn't mentioned this to anyone. "what bothers me," She says, speaking more to Prof Major, "Is how the snitch went off into the forest in the first place. Now, Mr. Potter was not the one to release it, but he does not have his prioreties in order. If ...the dementors, are building a stronghold...we're aware of it."  She frowns again again. Here was the whole "doing what's best" argument again.  "But I will be taking all your brooms and locking where they are stored."  Another thought occured to her. "We should do a checking of all the other quidditch supplies as well..." Oh what a day.  She leans back against the door and closes her eyes.

 

Prof Major nods in agreement, and as Cho is looking at Prof McG in shock about the Cancelling of Quidditch, he shoots a look at Harry that belies his true feelings, /I am sooo... sorry,/ his tired eyes seems to say, /"I have to do this.../"

 

Harry groans audibly as McGonagall mentions Quidditch being cancelled again. At the next bit, his jaw.. drops.. and he's left staring at McGonagall, gaping like a fish. He stammers for a few minutes, unable to produce anything intelligible. Not his broom!  "..N.. NO!" Take his arm instead! "That's not necessary! I'll keep it up in my dorm, I won't go off into practice!"  Besides, what if another occasion for him to play hero arose? He might need the broom! Better yet, just leave the broom with Major..

 

Cho's jaw drops. It had been hanging open a bit at the threat to Harry, but now, it's dropped. No Quidditch. And now locking up their brooms! Cho's happens to be right over there on the floor of the infirmary. She used it to help get up the stairs after the "attack". She glances at Harry, giving him a 'there goes that idea' look. She doesn't notice the exchange between Major and Harry though.

 

Professor McGonagall glances at Professor Major, more of an 'I told you so' glance, about how they couldn't appreciate what was best for them... she hated doing it, really. she just had a million things on her mind at the moment, and what she really wanted to do was think of herself last. The forest would definitely have to be checked, perhaps after Professor Major was finished with Harry he'd check it with her.  But she was feeling very overcome with weariness; Madam Pomfrey's potion must not have worked.  Maybe she has something else.  She grabs the handle of the door behind her. "I'm really sorry, Potter, Chang." She addresses them again. "But I don't ever want you students to be in a situation like that again." Maybe she should have deducted some points after all.  She closes her eyes again. "I'm going into Madam Pomfrey's office for a few." At least, she hopes so. "Professor Major, if you can, please send owls out.  I did earlier, but haven't heard much." She is aware that Professor Major is fully capable of handling things. She wants to add to him not to get his personal feelings in the way, but she closes her mouth and goes into the office.

 

Prof Major nods to the departing Professor, then turns back to Harry and Cho, "I won't give you both the "it's for the best" speech.  We all know it will do no good.  Your actions have shown that.  No one wants to see Quidditch suspended, but these are dangerous times, and measures need to be taken.  Prof Kane suddenly gets a fleeting look of pain on his face, as if thinking, /Did _I_ just say  that??/  He gives the students a last stern look and moves toward the door of the Infirmary.  There is nothing more to say to Harry, he can't with Cho here, so he has to play the role of stern professor.  "I want no trouble from either of you, do I make myself clear?  I do not want to remove house points from either of you."  He pauses at the door, and then says, "Accio Broom!" and Cho's broom rises, and flies into his waiting hand.  He looks at Harry, and says, "I will have yours brought down from Gryffindor Tower...

 

Cho stares longingly at her broom, but then sits back on her bed and traps her hands under her arms. Perhaps a method to keep from grabbing her wand and getting her broom back. Her Comet may not be particularly impressive, but it's /her's/. She's had it for years! It's a sentimental thing. Harry'd understand at least. "Understood, Professor," she says stiffly. Please let the dementors get bored sucking the forest cold and move on somewhere else...

 

Harry's broom is on the floor near his bed too. Clinging tightly to it and his wand kinda helped on his way into the castle. It was something to hold onto. That broom means the world to him! A heavy sigh escapes. C'mon... have a heart.. you know Harry's going to find other ways of getting into trouble, or rather it finds him. A sinking feeling enters his stomach. This is so unfair.. It appears that this is becoming the word of the day. ".. mine's right here." He could lie, stay still and hope that his Firebolt isn't noticed right there. But curse that honesty streak he possesses. Pardon while he looks away. Here, just chop his arms off while you're at it. He's going to just sink down under the covers and be miserable.

 

Prof Major sees the pain in the st udent eyes, and they have no idea how close he is to tears himself, the strain and worry of this situation wearing on him, and he has no one to turn to.  He does not use a summoning spell to retrieve Harry's broom, instead he goes over to Harry to collect it by hand.  He places himself between Cho and Harry, blocking her view of his face.  As he takes the broom from Harry, he gives his hand a reassuring squeeze, and mouths, "I am so sorry," then turning he says, "Thank you Potter, I appreciate your honesty and maturity in this matter."

 

Cho glances away towards the wall as he takes away Potter's broom by hand. At least they can be miserable together. Death's kiss was threatening them just hours ago, and suddenly that doesn't look so bleak anymore (never does in hindsight though). Now all she can seem to think about is how she's been /grounded/. Stuck to rely on two feet firmly on the ground with no hope of one of the joyful events that she can indulge.

 

Who wants to be mature? Harry has a good mind to throw a tantrum of Dudley sized proportions. However he knows this does not work on the professors of Hogwarts and his godfather, despite him being who he is. At Major's gesture, he issues a noncommital grunt that sounds quite miserable. Amen to that Cho. Seems like the only time he can clear his mind is once he's up in the air. He could just cry ._.

 

Prof Major sighs heavily, his tall shoulders slooped downward as he turns and makes to leave the ward without another word or explanation.  Being the RESPONSIBLE one here really sucks.

 

And to think, Cho's supposed to be 17 in not too long a time and she'd rather have a Howler fly in via owl right this second then have the Professor walk out with her broom. She's able to keep from getting up or doing anything too childish though. "This is going to be a wonderful New Years." she mutters softly, in a dejected voice. She doesn't sound like she's about to cry, but... she certainly doesn't sound thrilled.

 

Harry glances up, watching Major leaving. He sighs and will have to go have a private talk with the man later. No kidding, he'd almost rather face another Dementor than have his broom taken away like this. ".. happy new year.." He's unable to muster up the urge to say, still things could be worse.

 

How so? This seems pretty bad right now! Oh wait, they could be dead. Or worse than dead. But still! Taking away a Seeker's broom is about the same! ... Only another Seeker would understand. Cho glances over at Harry and can't even manage a small smile this time. "Yeah... Thanks..." Too bad Draco wasn't here to get his broom taken away.

 

Harry is sure Draco's broom will get yanked away later too.. Once again, he echoes that this is just not fair. He is glad that Malfoy walked out so he's not about to see this. ".. can't believe they took our brooms..."

 

Cho sighs, looking over at him. "So much for protesting in the Great Hall, huh?" She obviously is having the same thoughts at this very second, though she wouldn't have minded Draco's presence as much. Even after he yelled at her, she still doesn't have the reasons to hate him that the Gryffindor does.

 

Harry grins weakly, "yeah.. so much for that. We could always find other ways of protest I'm sure.." When he feels up to the mischief. "Now what is there to do on the side? I'm sure next up they'll take away privileges outside.. I'm going to go nuts."

 

Cho manages a very small smile now, feeling a little more sympathy than before. If all else fails she /could/ go home until the new term starts up (though she'd rather not right now). Harry doesn't have that option. She doesn't know much about the family he stays with, but what she has heard... didn't sound pleasant. "You and everyone else I think... There are only so many games of Wizard's chess a person can play..."

 

Harry sighs and lays back, plopping a pillow over his face. "mmmemrrph.." What was that? The pillow is pulled back off, ".. Least I could work on my strategy until classes start back up." He could also get a head start on his studies too. But who wants to do that? He's certain that the Slytherins are going to find a way to make this whole fiasco out to be his fault.

 

Well, the fault lays in all three of their hands and the hands of those creepy Dementors as well. Draco released the snitch, Cho suggested they go in after it (or that's how she perceives her reaction to the snitch entering the forest), Harry actually took the next step and did. It's all on their shoulders, so if any one person gets blamed... well... Cho might just set them straight. "Yeah, but with all the students around... if we're /all/ stuck in doors... Things probably won't be very pleasant. I have a feeling I'm going to have a lot of work here in the Hospital Wing... when I stop being a resident that is." Not that she /minds/ working in this wing, she loves it! But she likes flying more... ._. "Well, maybe we'll get our brooms back by my birthday..."

 

Harry nods a bit. "I expect a lot of fights'll be breaking out. Ah, you ought to feel loads better in the morning. Chocolate helps speed things up, rest helps a lot too. I mean, after dealing with Dementors in the past I feel better a few hours later even after hearing my.." He falls silent, then amends, "what I hear when they get too close.. When is your birthday?" He's not sure.. and that isn't too rude to inquire is it?

 

Cho raises eyebrows at the bit about hearing something. She had heard that the Dementors gave this particular student some rather... unfortunate effects. The Slytherins had made sure everyone heard how they made him faint, and almost everyone saw that horrifying fall at the Quidditch game. She doesn't ask though, just nodding at the bit about the chocolate, "I feel better, but a night's sleep will probably help." And if she takes any offense to the question of her birthday, it doesn't show, she responds immediately, even smiling a bit, "The tenth of January. Here I was hoping for a new broom, but now I just want my old one back."

 

Cho raises eyebrows at the bit about hearing something. She had heard that the Dementors gave this particular student some rather... unfortunate effects. The Slytherins had made sure everyone heard how they made him faint, and almost everyone saw that horrifying fall at the Quidditch game. She doesn't ask though, just nodding at the bit about the chocolate, "I feel better, but a night's sleep will probably help." And if she takes any offense to the question of her birthday, it doesn't show, she responds immediately, even smiling a bit, "The tenth of January. Here I was hoping for a new broom, but now I just want my old one back."

 

Harry nods a bit, pulling his glasses back off, rubbing at the bridge of his nose. "No kidding.. Can't wait to hear what Ron and Hermione have to say about this." Hermione will probably give a lecture, he can hear it now.. and Ron will probably be simply outraged. Speaking of the two, he hasn't seen 'em recently. *sigh* "Maybe we'll get the brooms back at least soon enough.."

 

Cho nods. "I hope so." Her expression altered briefly as he mentioned his friends. He does have a few extremely good friends. A rarity, as far as she's concerned. She settles back into the bed and looks up at the ceiling, "I guess we should probably try to get some sleep..." She might actually manage fairly well tonight (sheer exhaustion, even with the chocolate pick me up), even if she'll likely have bad dreams. Dementors certainly don't inspire nice dreams after all...

 

Harry sits up long enough to deposit his glasses on the bedside table. His wand is slipped under his pillow just in case, and he lays back down with a slight flop. A light *fwump* noise is issue from the motion. "Yeah.. sleep sounds good." He can only hope he doesn't wake up at some point shouting in response to his dreams. Some nights he can make it through without waking up in a cold sweat, but others he finds himself suffering with nasty dreams and Voldemort's laughter ringing in his ears. A yawn is stifled as an arm is laid across his face.

 

Hopefully they'll both sleep soundly, but if they don't.. well.. Cho glances over towards the younger Seeker. It does feel a tad awkward to be sleeping so close to someone who isn't one of her fellow 6th year Ravenclaw girls, but it's something she can adjust to. She tilts her face back towards the ceiling and lets her eyelids close, blocking out some of the light left in the room, but still leaving a distinct red tint in her vision. "Guess I'll see you in the morning." the end is a bit dragged out, as she inherits that yawn. Bloody contagious yawning.

 

Harry is quite used to staying in the hospital wing. Mixed company doesn't bother him. Under normal circumstances he might be all flustered since this IS Cho we're talking about, but at the moment, he's too weary to feel that way. ".. 'night." It doesn't take him long to slip off into sleep after that. If only he could pass out this quickly most nights.

 

Cho can certainly second that 'if only!' Of course, her dreams aren't haunted by You-Know-Who and the connection that the two share, so perhaps her 'if only' is less drastic. She too eventually slips into sleep. Not as quickly as the young Gryffindor, but certainly not far behind.