Third Place - Angst

His mouth was completely dry, like he had never had any liquid past his lips before. His whole body hurt, as if a hundred bludgers and their beaters had worked him over for a few hours. Harry tried working moisture into his mouth, but it was like swallowing sand.

"Harry?"

"..mio.." Harry's words stuck in his dry mouth. But he knew that had to have been Hermione calling him. He heard rustling near him.

"Draco, please. He's awake, I'm not going to hurt him."

Harry's brow furrowed. Draco was here? And he wasn't letting Hermione come to him? He tried opening his eyes and succeeded in blinding himself to the dying rays of sunlight as they came in through the window. Now why would they have faced him towards an open window with the sun right outside of it? Harry squinted and tried to block out the light and see what was happening.

"If you do not back up, Ms. Granger, I will not be responsible for his actions."

Snape? Snape was here too? They must be far enough away because he didn't feel anything. Just making out the shapes through the blazing light, Harry saw what he assumed were Draco and Snape both standing in the doorway of his makeshift room in the infirmary. He couldn't see Hermione, but he did see a bit of what might be red or purple hair over Snape's shoulder. It was hard to see colors with so much sun in his face.

"If my patient is awake then I do hope you will allow my entrance?" Madame Pomfrey's unmistakably annoyed voice was heard a bit further away.

"Of course, with my supervision. Draco, let her through."

Three shapes approached his bed, getting clearer and clearer, until they materialized into a dark potions teacher, an exasperated medi-witch and a bloody Draco.

Bloody?

"Mr. Potter? Have you rejoined us?"

Harry felt when the two other Indagos came close, more than he could see them. He felt the urge to hold out his arms to them and ask that they come lay down with him. The desire to please did not like being hurt and confused and badly wanted their reassurance. He fought it back with the reserves he had from who only knew where.

"Yeah, 'm here. Could you move the sun?" he rasped out.

"Of course," Pomfrey said and quickly spelled the shutters closed, leaving dark spots floating before Harry's eyes. "Now, would you like some water? I am sure that you must be parched."

Harry nodded and a glass of water appeared at his lips. He greedily drank it down, but all too soon the glass was taken away. Harry couldn't help the small sound of distress at the loss of the cool liquid. A growl was heard right next to him and Harry felt better.

"Mr. Malfoy, too much water will make him sick!"

"Draco, give her back her arm," Snape said coolly.

Harry turned his head to look and saw Draco give a fierce glare at the medi-witch, which was returned full force, except that the lady's eyes were definitely nowhere near meeting the blonde's. Draco released the arm that held the glass of water and Pomfrey moved away to set it down at a table towards the end of the bed. As his head turned to follow her movements, Harry's body reminded him how much pain he was in. Another growl was heard. It was definitely human sounding, but not something that a person would ever make normally in a lifetime.

"Yes, Draco, I can smell it." At the sound of Snape's voice, Harry's eyes turned to him. Snape was giving Draco an irritated look. Much like the look he would give a student who had just asked a question that's answer had just been covered. Black eyes looked down to Harry.

"Where do you hurt, Harry?"

Harry was a bit nonplussed at hearing his first name from the potions teacher and at the non-nasty tone. He was also a bit surprised that Snape had known he was in pain, but then remembered the whole pheromone thing. He must have been leaking again. He answered dutifully. "Everywhere. All my muscles hurt, sir."

"Yes, I imagine they do." Snape pulled a vial out of his robes. Bending down he personally held it so that Harry was able to drink it. Harry never thought to question what it was, but Snape informed him anyway.

"That is a muscle relaxant and analgesic. It will eliminate the pain by morning. You will not move from this bed without Draco's or my help."

"Professor! I am perfectly capable of caring for my own patient in my own infirmary!" Madame Pomfrey hissed, affronted. Snape didn't even look at her but continued to study Harry.

"Yes, no doubt you can. But he will not be moved by anyone other than Mr. Malfoy or myself."

Madame Pomfrey spun on her heel and left. Her face was red and Harry could just make out the words "more than thirty years" before she disappeared. At the edge of the curtain, Harry could see Hermione and Ron peeking through. Catching his eye, they both smiled, faces full of worry and fear for him.

"Draco, come." Snape's voice brought Harry's attention back. The professor leaned down again and combed his fingers through Harry's hair before walking around the bed and deliberately brushing up against Draco. "We shall leave you to speak with your friends because I am not in the mood to relive the events and I am sure they are nearly bursting to inform you. We will return soon." With those words, Snape slipped through the curtains. Draco, who had yet to take his eyes off Harry, kneeled down and put his face near Harry's. The blonde placed his lips near Harry's ear and carefully licked the outer shell. Placing his nose closer, Draco began to inhale Harry's scent. After one more lick up the side of Harry's neck, Draco stood up and followed Snape out.

Harry closed his eyes and came to grips with how much comfort the Superos touches had given him. They had made him feel safe and, even without the potion, Harry was sure his pain would have gone away with the tactile soothing.

"You alright, mate?"

Harry's eyes opened again to the sight of Ron and Hermione standing nervously at the end of his bed.

"Hi, guys." Harry gave them a smile. They both came to either side of him.

"Oh, Harry," Hermione murmured as she gave him a gentle hug before sitting in one of the chairs near his bed. "We were so worried."

"Yeah, you gave us a good scare there, Harry," Ron said with fear still lurking in his eyes. Harry felt bad for causing this much trouble for his friends again.

"I'm sorry," he said. "What happened? I remember we were headed for the Three Broomsticks and then Duncan and others showed up. I had this pain in my back..." Harry trailed off trying to remember more.

"The pain you felt was a dart." Hermione explained, anger starting to tint her eyes. "That ass, Duncan, cast a dart spell and hit you with a dragon tranquilizer!"

"Well, he got his," Ron muttered darkly.

"Why? What happened?" Harry asked.

Hermione took up the explanation again. "You were hit and collapsed. Madame Rosmerta came out at the commotion and Duncan and the others said that she should just leave you to die as a hero." Her eyes flashed and her jaw tightened at the memory of those words. "But then, all of a sudden, Draco was there. It was so fast. He was just there and began attacking those boys."

"Attacking?" Harry asked in confusion. Then he remembered the blood on the blonde and paled.

"Yes." Hermione nodded. "He was... It was like he was possessed. It was truly frightening. He picked up two of them at the same time and tossed them like they were paper. They both had broken legs after that. Then he went after Sam. Sam tried to run, and out of nowhere the ground split and caught his foot!"

"It was bloody insane, Harry." Ron's eyes were wide at the memory and he shook his head.

"While Sam was trying to free himself, Draco went after Duncan," Hermione said. She stopped and cast a haunted look at Ron. Ron looked down at Harry.

"Remember, Harry, what the Dagodine would do to the Natro lizard?" Ron asked. Harry's eyes widened and he nodded slowly.

"Yeah, well, he didn't get to the de-boning, but Nearly Headless Nick would be jealous of Duncan right now." Ron said quietly. Harry's mouth fell open in horror.

"He, he..." was all Harry could get out.

Ron shook his head slightly with his eyes closed. "It was awful, Harry. I never ever want to see something like that again."

"Duncan's...dead?" Harry whispered.

"No," Hermione answered. "They were able to reattach his head. But only just barely. There was a couple of lunching medi-wizards in the Broomsticks, luckily."

"There was so much blood," Ron murmured.

"Then he came to you, Harry," Hermione stated a bit too firmly, obviously trying to move on from the horrific description. "You were already out of it. But he came to you and we thought he was going to start tearing us apart. He carried you to the fireplace and flooed you here."

Hermione closed her eyes and when they opened again there were tears filling them. "Oh, Harry," she whispered. "It was so horrible. The tranquilizer was obviously too strong for your body and you started convulsing and vomiting." She placed her hand on Harry's and squeezed tight. "Madame Pomfrey was so worried. I thought... I thought this was it." The tears began falling fast down her pale cheeks.

"The whole time, Draco held you and wouldn't let you go." Ron picked up the story. "Then Snape burst in. He was like... I don't know. Almost as bad as Draco. It was Snape that got Draco to put you down. Then he started working with Pomfrey and sent us back and forth for different potions."

"Luckily," Hermione added after clearing her throat and regaining some of her composure, "Snape knows a lot about poisons and their antidotes. He was able to correctly deduce the remedy and it was administered in enough time."

"Then they both, Draco and Snape, just stayed near you and wouldn't let anyone come close to you." Ron's eyes were focused on the memory of the event. "Draco hasn't spoken a word since the whole thing started but Snape seems to know what he wants and is able to get him to do stuff. They just stayed right next to you and rubbed your arms and your hair and bleedin' growled whenever anyone came too close. Even Dumbledore!"

Harry looked between his two best friends, stunned. He didn't know how to take this. He remembered only bits and pieces of what happened in Hogsmeade, the voices, the confusion and pain. He also remembered the feeling he got when Draco had come near. Harry wasn't sure if he was ready to deal with that though.

"Draco hasn't said a word?" he asked.

Hermione shook her head. "No, I think he went into a blood frenzy and hasn't settled down yet."

"A what?" Ron asked. "Why don't you ever tell me these things?"

"We were both too worried to think about the whys, for awhile there, Ron," she said giving Ron an apologetic look. "A blood frenzy," Hermione said in her lecturing voice as she continued her explanation, "is a state where an Indago becomes completely animal. They no longer think in human terms. They just run off of instinct. It's the reason why the Malfoys and Snape have kept everything so hush hush." She turned to Harry. "Previous Dark wizards would use Dagodines and Indagos by whipping them into a blood frenzy and setting them on anyone they wanted out of the way. It was Draco that made the ground spilt and grab Sam's leg. Not only do Superos have inhuman strength, but they also have a connection to natural magic.

"When I had first read that, I didn't understand what the book meant by 'natural'. But after today, I get it. Draco is able to tap in and use the magic around him. Nature itself. And what's more, he did it wandlessly. He, and Snape as well, would make a very strong weapon. Practically unstoppable."

"So, they kept it secret so they didn't become Voldemort's playthings?" Ron asked. "I could get why Snape wouldn't want that, but Malfoy? You'd think Lucius would have been more than happy to help."

"Yes, he would. But Lucius dotes on his only son. And more than anything, he prizes civility and breeding. Watching as his son was turned into a raving blood thirsty lunatic would have been abhorrent to him," Hermione stated. Ron nodded.

"Yeah, it was pretty abhorrent to me too," he muttered.

"Can I do that? I mean, go into a blood frenzy?" Harry asked hesitantly.

"No, Harry. Well, not as they do. You could do some major damage, but nothing as... violent as that."

"But, I can move the ground?"

Again, Hermione shook her head. "The books don't say that you have natural magic."

"That's not very even!" Ron said on his friend's behalf.

"Harry seems to have the ability to pick up any other kind of magic he wants. And is stronger magically, as well." Hermione stated. "We've seen that already. Now we know where the ability comes from."

"So, all the tricks and rabbits I pull out of my hat in the last moment is something that has to do with what I am?" Harry asked incredulously.

"Mmm hmm," Hermione agreed while nodding her head.

"So, do you think Malfoy will ever talk again?" Ron asked.

"Oh, he will. Once he calms down. The effect isn't normally long lasting."

Harry rolled his head on the pillow and moved his arms and legs a bit. They were already starting to feel better. The pain was almost gone, just twinging and mild soreness. He couldn't imagine what his body had gone through in the throws of the tranquilizer.

"So, what's going to happen now?" Harry asked. "I mean, the guys who did this and Draco? Is he going to Azkaban for this?" Harry felt quite a bit of discomfort at the thought of Draco going away. He had tried to protect Harry, was all. He shouldn't be punished for that, should he?

"The Aurors have already come and gone, Harry." Hermione explained gently. "Because of that law, Draco was within his rights to defend you. Even to the point of death, he had the right to do what he did."

"Well, good." Harry looked up and saw his friends giving him a strange look. He quickly added, "I mean, he did try to save me and all..." They still were looking at him. "Well, they snuck up from behind and so they got what they..." Harry trailed off. "Never mind." Hermione gave a small smile.

"We understand, Harry," she said quietly.

"Ah, are they finally gone?"

The three friends looked up as Madame Pomfrey came in to the curtain walled room. She looked about and began straightening Harry's bedcovers. "So, I finally have my infirmary back, do I?" She waved her wand over Harry and then felt his forehead. "And how are you feeling, Mr. Potter?"

"Much better. My body isn't hurting as much."

"Are you hungry?"

"No, not particularly," Harry said with a shake of his head.

"Well, I shall still have something brought up for you. I know you heal quickly, but I still want you here tonight and tomorrow to make sure there are no long term effects." Harry groaned at losing his entire weekend. "None of that, Mr. Potter. You are lucky to be alive."

"Yes, ma'am." Harry wiped the disgruntled look off his face.

"And you two," she said giving Ron and Hermione a stern look. "Off with you. You both have been here all day. Go get cleaned up and some food in your bellies. Mr. Potter can survive for the night without you."

Hermione stood up and they both gave Harry a hug. "I'm glad you're still with us, mate," Ron whispered before they both disappeared behind the curtains with waves and promises of early morning visits.

"Now, Mr. Potter. I would like you to rest tonight. Try to eat a bit and then sleep. I shall be right outside if you need me." Madame Pomfrey straightened the bed one last time and then left him alone.

Harry laid in bed and watched the room go from golden to bluish to yellow as the sun died and the torches became the only source of light. A tray with food appeared on the table, which moved a bit closer to his bed for him, but he didn't even bother to look at it. He really wasn't hungry.

Draco tore someone's head off today. Harry tried to picture what that must have looked like, but he really couldn't. He was reminded of one of Dudley's video games and wondered if Duncan's spine had come along with the head. He shuddered at that thought and decided that was just disgusting. He tried to feel bad for Duncan, but he couldn't. He knew he should, even if the boy had almost killed him today. But, instead he actually felt pride that Draco had fought for him.

Harry decided that he had better change his train of thought again. He just wasn't ready to deal with anything of an emotional level right now when it came to Draco or Snape. He was much happier just going moment to moment and letting his mind and his instincts battle it out. Cowardly? Maybe. But Harry tried not to feel guilty about it and closed his eyes to get some sleep.

Indago - Chapter 24

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