FicWad

AN: First off a huge thank you to Jaybird who looked over this chapter for me! I'm hoping that I'll be updating sooner but Ican't make any promises because finals are coming up and I have a huge project to finish up for French class.



CRIPPLING NEWS





Severus shook Harry awake in the morning. He had been too tired to change and make it to a bed so he had ended up passed out on Severus' couch.



"Get yourself into a shower," Severus commanded. "You have classes today and Miss Parkinson is waiting for you outside my rooms."



"Can she have breakfast with us?" Harry stood and stretched.



"You are to dine in the Great Hall this morning," Severus told him. "Miss Parkinson will escort you. Make sure you take your Defense and Transfiguration materials."



"Right,"Harry muttered as he ambled off towards the bathroom.



One shower later Harry was much more awake and alone in the Potions Master's rooms. He dressed quickly and grabbed his books for his morning lessons. Pansy was still waiting for him outside Severus' rooms.



"Finally,"The blond Slytherin girl huffed. "Although I heard you got back late."



"I did," He confirmed for his curious friend. "The Centaurs are with us and I visited with Aragog as well."



Pansy nodded approvingly as they came up from the dungeons towards the Great Hall, "I think I'll eat at your table this morning Harry. You really need a secretary to handle everything your involved with."



"Did you volunteer yourself for the role?" Harry rolled his eyes.



"Well it's either me or Hermione and that girl has enough on her plate already," Pansy mock glared. "I already know that you have the homework for Professor Connelly. I think she's sweet on you." She giggled at his expression which turned to one of disgust.



"Yes I've done the homework," Harry said nothing about their Defense Professor's supposed crush on him.



Harry sat near Neville, Dean and Seamus. Hermione was in the library, not that that was unusual, and Ron was strangely missing. Harry didn't think too much of that since Ron had gotten a bit more studious and sometimes decided to eat in the kitchens or sleep in late and have Dobby give him a muffin and then eat abig lunch.



The Gryffindors welcomed Pansy to their table. Harry could tell that the Headmaster was staring in their direction but he kept his gaze away from the Head Table. He focused on joking with Dean and Seamus and answering some Defense questions for Neville. Parvati soon got Pansy talking about gossip, something Harry never bothered to get involved with. Pansy walked with the Gryffindors to their shared Advance NEWT Defense class that also had some Hufflepuffs and Ravenclaws.



"I'm surprised that all the Gryffindors made it into the Advanced NEWT class," Pansy whispered into his ear.



"The D.A. helped a lot from last year," Harry explained.



He waved to Susan and Hannah. Professor Connelly entered and collected their homework. She glanced over at Harry's and informed him quite loudly that he appeared to have done well. He could only shake his head and ignore Pansy who was smirking close by. Defense was practical that day. They went over the Disillusionment Charm which Harry and most of the others in class already could perform, and the Slicing Hex. It was strange that Ron wasn't in class at all, but when Professor Connelly had asked about it Hermione had mentioned that Ron hadn't been feeling well the night before.



When Transfiguration started Harry was much more worried about Ron. Hermione had mentioned that Ron was going to avoid the Infirmary and usually he would never miss McGonagall's class since she was their Head of House and that day they were only taking notes. Once the class finally let out he had Hermione get together a few of the Order members to meet up near the Room of Requirement. While Harry waited for her to return he took out the Marauders Map from his pocket and looked to see where Ron was. What he saw made him all the more worried.



Hermione came back with Pansy, Draco, Susan, Cho, Padma, and Neville.



"He's in the dungeons," Harry said. "Two levels below the Potions classroom."



"Nott then," Draco frowned in distaste. "He'll probably be hurt pretty bad. Anyone who doesn't think they can handle the sight of blood or bruises should stay here."



No one said anything. Draco and Pansy led the group down into the dungeons. The group fell silent. Harry took hold of Hermione's hand to keep her from fiddling with her wand.



The torches provided no light so Harry and the others used their wands to illuminate the area. When they reached the place where Harry had seen Ron no one was there. He pulled out the map and looked again.



"They must have put him under the Disillusionment Charm," Harry growled. "Join hands and spread out the width of the hall, we'll walk slowly and see if someone bumps into him."



The line of students moved forward fifteen feet before both Cho and Neville said they thought they had hit something. Hermione quickly cast several spells to see if Ron would appear. The Disillusionment Charm fell away and Ron's bloodied body appeared making Hermione and Padma gasp in shock.



"Susan, check to see if he's breathing, Draco more light!"Harry snapped out the commands.



"He's breathing but his pulse is weak and jumpy," Susan announced. "He's in bad shape. We need to get him to Madame Pomfrey right away."



Padma and Cho conjured a stretcher and Hermione used Mobilcorpusto get Ron onto the stretcher. Pansy helped to levitate the stretcher while Harry took Susan's hand.



"If you have to, draw on my power to sustain Ron until we reach Madame Pomfrey," Harry told the Hufflepuff. "Hermione help with the stretcher and Draco keep up the light and make sure that no one gets in our way."



The group moved up out of the dungeons, twice they had to stop on the way to the Hospital Wing so Susan, who was taking extra courses from Madame Pomfrey, could stabilize Ron. Harry felt week in the knees when they reached the Hospital Wing and Susan was pale and shaking.



Madame Pomfrey gasped in shock but quickly had the students put the stretcher in one of the private rooms. Hermione went to get Professors Snape and McGonagall and the Headmaster. Pansy, Cho and Padma fetched mild energy restoratives from Madame Pomfrey's stores and made sure that Harry and Susan had sizable chunks of Honeydukes chocolate.



Professors Snape and McGonagall came rushing in, Hermione on their heels. Professor McGonagall stopped beside the two beds Susan and Harry were resting on while Professor Snape went immediately into the room where Madame Pomfrey was working to save Ron's life.



"The Headmaster is on his way," McGonagall said.



Dumbledore entered the Hospital Wing and spared none of the group a single glance as he went into the room to help Madame Pomfrey.



"Where did you find Mister Weasley?" The Head of Gryffindor asked.



"In the dungeons," Draco answered. "Someone had Disillusioned him but we uncovered him and put him on astretcher and brought him up to Madame Pomfrey."



"Susan saved his life, kept him going until we got here," Harry looked at the Hufflepuff girl with thanks and relief. "She had to borrow power from me a few different times but she kept him going."



"How do you feel Miss Bones?" McGonagall studied the Hufflepuff girl sitting on the bed beside Harry.



"Tired,"Susan answered truthfully. "I just want to return to my dorms and get some sleep."



"And you Mister Potter?" McGonagall turned to one of her favorite students.



"The same as Susan but I only have Care of Magical Creatures this afternoon," Harry said. "I should be able to make it."



"I have Herbology," Susan was still very pale.



"I think you should spend the afternoon in the infirmary Miss Bones," McGonagall told her. "Professor Sprout would insist. Mister Potter, if you feel up to it you can go to your afternoon class. I'm sure your friends will look after you."



"I have Herbology as well," Neville told Susan. "If you want I'll stay here with you so you aren't by yourself. Professor Sprout has given me permission to go in the greenhouses without supervision so we can do our assignment tomorrow."



Susan nodded her agreement.



Harry, Hermione, Cho, Padma, Draco and Pansy said goodbye to Susan and Neville. Cho went to Ancient Runes while Padma went to Herbology and the others went to Care of Magical Creatures.



"We need to post guards around the hospital for as long as Ron is in there," Harry whispered to Hermione. "I think that I'll skip some classes to stay with Ron. You'll take notes for me?"



"Of course," Hermione said.



Harry flashed his friend a happy grin. Hagrid called their attention with the new creatures he had to show them for the day. Surprisingly they weren't dangerous. They were to sketch them and have all their parts labeled for the next class. Harry begged off early and returned to the hospital wing. Ron was still in isolation but Dumbledore had left and Madame Pomfrey allowed him to stay.



"How long ago did Dumbledore leave?" Harry sat on the foot of Susan's bed Indian style.



"Ten minutes before you got here," Neville replied. "He looked really tired and Madame Pomfrey said that he had better take the potions she had given him and take it easy until tomorrow."



"She probably had to borrow energy from him," Susan said knowingly. "Usually it leaves the person lending the energy more drained then the Healer. It's strange that you feel as good as you do Harry."



Madame Pomfrey bustled out of her office, "Good you're still here Mr. Potter. Take the bed beside Miss Bones if you will."



Harry knew better than to argue with the Mediwitch so he hopped off Susan's bed and sat in the one he had rested in earlier. Madame Pomfrey pulled out her wand and began casting diagnostic spells.



"You should be feeling tired still Mr. Potter," Madame Pomfrey muttered. "And your core should show much more depletion than it does. Tell me Mr. Potter what sort of accidental magic did you do as a child?"



"Turned my teacher's hair blue a few different times," Harry thought back to his childhood. "Apparatedonto the school roof, made some glass at a zoo display disappear to set a snake free cause he wanted to see Brazil, healed broken bones, in third year I blew my aunt up like a balloon and in fifth year I lost my wand in an alley when theDementors were near by and cast the lumos spell to light up my wand."



"I see,"Madame Pomfrey frowned thoughtfully. "It might be that you are much more closely tied to your magic or it could merely be that you replenish your energy faster."



"Could I go to dinner in the Great Hall tonight?" Susan asked. "I won't overdo it."



"We'll see," Madame Pomfrey cast a few spells on Susan. "But for now I don't want you moving out of that bed."



"Madame Pomfrey," Harry called the nurse back before she could disappear back into her office or Ron's room.



"What is it Mr. Potter?" Madame Pomfrey came back over to his bed.



"I know that you've taken your Healers oath and everything," Harry began. "And I know that you know about my history before and during Hogwarts. There are some in the school who support the Dark Lord and want to hurt my friends, like they did to Ron. I was wondering if you would mind one or two students rotating in and out of the Hospital Wing to make sure that no one can get at Ron."



"Of course not," Madame Pomfrey assured the three. "That's a very noble thing to do, and in times like these necessary. I won't say anything to the Headmaster and if necessary I'll tell the Heads of House that some of their students have volunteered to help me look after Mr. Weasley. I'm not blind to the goings on in the castle Mr. Potter, and I'm well aware that the Headmaster isn't protecting you students as he should be. Rest assured if there is anything you need you can come to me and I'll see that you get it."



"Thank you Madame Pomfrey," Harry sighed in relief.



The Mediwitch entered Ron's room and shut the door softly behind her.



"Madame Pomfrey should be able to teach all of us basic healing skills that we might need in combat," Harry mused aloud. "And even give a few of our people specialized training."



"I know Mariettahas been getting lessons," Susan offered up the information.



Harry filed away that bit of information to pass along to Hermione later. The three passed the time by talking about the healing methods they knew about and useful plants they should cultivate from the greenhouses and Forbidden Forest. As dinner time approached several students came in.



"What are you guys doing here?" Neville asked.



"We're here for the dinner and evening shift," Cho smiled. "At least Luna and I are. Dobby offered to bring us dinner here."



"And we're here to take you lovely people down to the Great Hall for dinner," Seamus exaggerated a bow.



Madame Pomfrey came out from Ron's room upon hearing the noise. She spotted Cho and Luna with their books and smiled at the two girls. She did a quick scan on Susan and pronounced her well enough to leave as long as she took it easy. Cho and Luna moved onto the beds vacated by Susan and Harry.



Seamus and Dean began joking with Susan, Neville and Harry. When they reached the Great Hall many students from Gryffindor, Hufflepuff and Ravenclaw called out greetings while they received a few friendly waves from a divided Slytherin House. Dumbledore was absent from the Head Table and Professor McGonagall looked a bit sad and worried. Word spread quickly among the Gryffindors that Ron was going to make it. The Gryffindor House had been on edge earlier since word had spread that Madame Pomfrey wasn't sure. No one even knew if the Weasley family had been informed about their son and brother's condition.



"Hermione, I need to see you and Pansy," Harry whispered to the witch at his side. "After dinner if you're free."



Hermione pulled out her notebook which was linked to Pansy's and wrote down a quick message to the Slytherin. She waited for a few minutes and told Harry they were both free and that they should meet in the Room of Requirement. Harry waited until Pansy stood from the Slytherin Table and pulled Hermione away from her plate and out of the Great Hall. Pansy met them right outside and the three went together to the Room of Requirement.



Harry paced back and forth thinking of the Room being a comfortable sitting room with overstuffed couches and chairs beside a warm roaring fire. The door appeared and Harry ushered the girls inside. Harry stretched out on one of the couches, Hermione curled up in front of the fire on some cushions and Pansy sat in a chair, her legs hanging over one of the arms.



"What needs to be done now?" Pansy flipped off her shoes and reached for her bag.



"We need to organize our take over of the castle," Harry rolled over onto his side.



"What exactly needs to happen?" Pansy asked.



"We need one team down in the Chamber of Secrets to put up the wards that will override the ones Dumbledore has up," Harry listed off. "Another team to raid the Headmasters office to get the Sword of Gryffindor, the Sorting Hat and Fawkes, a third team to find Peeves and give him a few pranks and be prepared to set up traps as needed and provide plenty of distraction so no one notices the wards changing and the break-in and then another team to alert the rest of the Order."



"This is going to take a lot of coordination," Hermione took some notes. "And we need to set up the teams accordingly. I want to help with the warding and I think we should bring in a few outside people for help with that."



"Fred and George Weasley have to be in on the pranking," Pansy announced.



Hermione tapped her quill against the notebook, "Bill Weasley has to be on the warding team along with Cho and Luna. We could also use Fleur and Mrs. Longbottom."



"With your help Hermione I can make the portkeys to the Chamber," Harry said. "And we need a way to get past the gargoyle."



"I'll write Fred and George so they can come up with some distracting new pranks," Hermione offered.



"And now Harry you need to get some sleep," Pansy told the green eyed wizard. "Let us take care of the details for once."



Harry rolled his eyes and stood from the couch. Hermione closed her notebook and clutched it to her chest watching Harry with concern. The Gryffindor witch took out her wand and cast a revealing spell on Harry. He struggled to hold his glamour in place but Hermione was not fooled. She became more determined and cast a much more powerful revealing spell and he felt his glamour slip.



"Harry you look exhausted!" Hermione frowned. "You're going down to the dungeons to get some sleep if I have to drag you there myself to get Professor Snape to drug you!"



"I'll do it instead Hermione," Pansy's quiet voice cut between the two Gryffindors. "Harry you're coming with me."



The blond witch picked up her bag and linked arms with Harry, pulling him from the couch and out of the Room of Requirement. Pansy didn't speak as they headed down to the dungeons. She took Harry to a portrait he knew was not the entrance to the Slytherin Common Room. Her glare told him not to move and he knew it was pointless to argue with her. Pansy leaned in close to the portrait and spoke a phrase to it and it opened inward.



"Draco you better be decent," Pansy took Harry and pushed her in front of him.



"Merlin Harry you look awful," Draco looked up from where he was bent over a desk. "What's going on?"



"Harry's working too hard," Pansy perched on the edge of the giant bed. "So you're going to watch him and make sure that he gets a full night's sleep. The Professor is brewing tonight." Then Pansy turned on Harry who still stood near the open doorway. "And you are going to sleep, if you dare leave this room and I find out I'll let Granger drug you and keep you in the hospital wing."



The blond flung her hair over one shoulder and marched from the room, closing the portrait behind her with a bang. Harry sighed and walked over to the bed and sank down on it.



"One good night of sleep will get rid of those bags," Draco set aside his quill. "I have some spare pajamas you can borrow."



Draco pulled out a set of green pajamas and set them on the bed beside Harry. He studied the green eyed teen beside him and knew that Harry was carrying too much on his shoulders for one person to manage. He didn't even know how he did it sometimes, how he could just keep going like he did. Now wasn't the time for rebukes.



"You can have the bathroom first, it's through there," Draco pointed to the wooden door. "You don't have to worry about any of the others getting in here. Only Pansy knows the password along with Severus."



There were questions swimming in the green eyes but Harry merely nodded and picked up the set of pajamas that Draco had loaned him. A few minutes later Draco heard the shower running. He forced himself to return to his desk and the homework he was working on. It was going to be a long night.



When Harry finally emerged from the bathroom Draco was still wide awake and Pansy was sitting cross legged among the pillows on the large bed.



"Do you know anything about the old pureblood families?" Pansy asked.



"I know abit," Harry looked uncertain.



"Well usually it's custom for families such as the Malfoy's or Parkinson's to form an understanding or become engaged before leaving school or shortly after graduation," Pansy went on glancing over at Draco. "Now Draco and I are supposed to become engaged just before or after graduation but I've always known that Draco prefers the boys. I'm more than willing to bare heirs for both of you."



"Could you be any more blunt Pansy?" Draco glared at the honey blond witch.



Pansy brushed aside Draco's glare with an easy shrug, "I'm not going to sweeten the real world up for him Draco. In the old days it was permissible to marry more than one spouse, some still practice it. I see no reason why we can't enter into an arrangement of some kind that benefits all of us."



"Marriage?" Harry choked out. "I admit to being attracted to Draco but marriage?"



"Just think about it Harry," Pansy stood and crossed over the room to him, pecking him on the cheek. "There's no need to make adecision now."



Both men watched Pansy leave through the portrait entrance. Draco groaned and held his head in his hands.



"I apologize for her," Draco kept his gaze on the floor.



"It needed to be brought up," Harry disagreed. "For now no commitments, we can deal with this later."



"We should get this over with now," Draco disagreed. "I like you a lot Harry but we really have no idea if this has the potential to last."



"Then it's probably a good idea if we stop while we're ahead," Harry decided. "I admit that I like you as well but I have to devote everything to the war and after everything's over I'm not sure what I'll be doing as a job."



"I want to go into politics as we talked about earlier," Draco voiced his dream. "If we were together you'd always be in the spotlight one way or another. There's only one way to know for sure."



Harry was going to ask what Draco was talking about when the blond leaned forward and kissed him, forcing his tongue into Harry's mouth. The kiss lasted for a short while before Draco broke it off.



"It was nice I suppose," Harry said hesitantly.



"There wasn't much there for me either," Draco agreed. "I find you appealing but I think it's more that you're so mysterious and powerful."



"No one can deny your sex appeal Dray," Harry gave an easy smile. "Should we tell Pansy?"



Draco shook his head, "Let her figure it out for herself."