Third Place - Angst

"Enervate."

Harry's eye popped open and he began trying to grab purchase to stop his fall. He had to help Hermione and Ron!

"Harry! Harry, it's alright," an urgent voice whispered.

"You're safe, mate. You're in the infirmary," another whisper said.

Harry's stopped struggling and focused his eye on the stone ceiling above him. Then a bit of bushy hair and concerned eyes came into his view.

"Hermione?" Harry croaked.

"Shhh." Hermione put her finger to her lip in a shushing motion and looked away as if listening for something.

"It's okay," Ron murmured. Harry turned his head just a bit and saw his friend sitting on the edge of his bed.

"You guys alright?" Then a terrifying thought struck him. "Where's Draco?"

"It's okay, Harry. He's out of commission for a while longer," Hermione assured, patting his shoulder in comfort. "Nevertheless, he is lying not far away and a few of the faculty are right outside so we have to be quiet." But Harry was confused.

"Out of commission?" he asked in a whisper.

"Hermione hit him with a wicked stupefy," Ron explained.

"Oh," Harry relaxed. Then he tensed again in horror. "No, Hermione! You'll go to Azkaban! We have to get you out of here!" Harry started to sit up. Hermione helped him up but then held him in place. Harry's arm hurt and he had a headache. His left leg also throbbed. But he was bound and determined to save his friend.

"It doesn't matter, Harry. I did what I did and there is nothing more for it. Besides, I'd do it again in a heartbeat. But you're right, we do have to get you somewhere safe." Hermione's face was full of strength. Only a slight red mark showed where Draco had struck her on the cheek.

"I don't understand," Harry said shaking his head. "You guys are the ones that got hurt and Hermione, you got in-between me and Draco. He'll call the Aurors. I know Lucius will!"

"Harry, you were hurt far worse," Hermione said, stroking her hand down his cheek. "He pushed you down a flight of stairs. I couldn't reach you in time." Hermione's voice and posture showed how very much she blamed herself for that. "You had a broken leg, a broken arm, your skull was fractured and you had a severe concussion."

Harry felt each body part she named. He hadn't realized how bad off he had been. If he had cracked his head, he was lucky that he had been so close to the infirmary. Suddenly, his eyes opened in fright and he hesitatingly brought his hands to his abdomen. He couldn't ask. He just couldn't. He couldn't hear the words. His mouth trembled and his eyes beseeched Hermione to have the right answers again.

Hermione gave him a smile and cupped his cheek.

"It's alright, Harry," she whispered softly. "It's still there. Everything is fine."

Harry nearly collapsed in relief. He had only been aware of the new life inside of him for a minute amount of time, but he would have been devastated to have it taken away from him so suddenly.

"But you see, that is why we must get you somewhere protected," Hermione said sternly.

"Protected from what?" Harry asked.

"Harry!" Ron exclaimed, still in a whisper. "Draco chucked you down a flight of stairs! What the hell else do you think you need protecting from?"

"Oh, but he just didn't understand," Harry explained calmly. "He didn't know about, you know, the baby and all and why I was acting that way." His friends stared at him like he was about to get up and try to bite his own ear. "He didn't know about the scarf!" Harry justified desperately.

"Harry," Hermione said firmly, gripping his face between her hands. "Listen to me carefully now. Draco never gave you the chance to explain. He violently berated you for something he misinterpreted. He could have easily killed you-,"

"But he didn't," Harry argued.

"How close does he have to come, Harry?" Ron said angrily. "How much are you going to let him hurt you until you can't move anymore, or breathe." Harry watched him as he leaned closer. "How close does he have to come to hurting your kid? Are you going to just let that happen?"

Harry's eyes fell and he stared blindly at the hospital blanket.

"Harry," Hermione called gently. "You have to go somewhere that Draco can't get to you."

"Where is that?" Harry said in a hard voice. "Where do you think I can go that he can't?"

"You need to go to the person that can protect you from him," Hermione said.

"Who? Dumbledore?" Harry scoffed.

"She means Snape, mate," Ron said. "And I agree. Snape is the only one that'll stop Draco from getting to you. He'll keep the bastard away."

Harry looked at his two friends in amazement. "Snape hates what we are. He wants nothing to do with either one of us." He shook his head. "He won't do it."

"I think he will," Hermione said earnestly. "If for no other reason than to further punish Malfoy."

"You've got nothing to lose for trying, Harry," Ron added.

"Ron, this is Snape we're talking about! How can you tell me to go to him for help?" Harry asked in disbelief.

"I'd rather see you with Snape, then dead, Harry." Ron eyes were solemn with sincerity. Harry knew then that his friends were completely serious. He sighed in defeat.

"Alright, I'll go to him."

"Good." Hermione stood up and checked around the corner of the curtain around Harry's bed. "Alright, they have moved into Pomfrey's office and Malfoy is still out. Can you walk?" Harry nodded. "Alright then. Let's go."

Harry stood up and put weight on his left leg. It still throbbed but was otherwise fine. Ron grabbed the twice damned black scarf from under the bed and handed it to Harry.

"Here, maybe giving this back will help." Harry nodded and followed his friends out.

As they made their way quietly towards the double doors, Harry couldn't help but look back and find Draco. The blonde lay on a bed not far from where Harry had been placed. In that state he did not even resemble the snarling danger that Harry had last witnessed. Instead, he looked as he always did when Harry would wake early next to him. Peaceful, relaxed, and waiting to open his eyes and say something completely inappropriate and wicked.

"Come on, Harry," Ron urged softly, noticing where Harry's gaze lie. Harry turned back and walked swiftly towards the stairs that would lead him to the dungeons and Snape.

Sooner than he wanted, Harry stood before the solid oak door that he hadn't seen since he had opened it for Draco that night. He shivered as he remembered the event that followed the next morning. Ron had told him on the way down the dungeon steps that Snape had been informed that Draco had been hospitalized but hadn't bothered to come and check on him.

"It's alright, Harry," Hermione said softly.

"Just give it a go, mate," Ron encouraged.

Nodding his head, Harry knocked on the door. They waited. Harry knocked again. Still nothing.

"Well, that was anti-climatic," Ron grumbled.

"Come on, he must be in the classroom." Hermione ushered both boys to the slightly open potions classroom. Through the crack in the door they could all see Snape at work, putting something slimy into a bubbling cauldron. His friends gave him encouraging nods and Harry quietly slipped into the room.

Harry moved silently towards the potion master. Just as he reached the second to front row student table, Snape spoke.

"What do you want, Potter?"

Harry froze. The scarf twisted in his hands behind is back. He didn't feel any particular need to abase himself in front of Snape, so he figured he was still out of range. Well, that was good, right?

"Well, Potter? Are you just going to stand there all day or will you surprise me by actually having a point to this dreary moment?" Snape drawled, still without looking up.

"Um, I, uh, came to give this back, sir." Harry held out the scarf. Black eyes, dark with annoyance, rose from his project and stared at the item in Harry's tight fist. They narrowed and then rose to meet Harry's.

"So you are the perpetrator of the theft. Am I also to assume that you are responsible for the other stolen items?" Snape asked in a typical snide tone.

Harry nodded. "Yes, sir."

Black eyes stared through Harry and then returned to their work. "Fine. You have reformed. Leave it on the table and ten points from Gryffindor."

Harry bit his lip but complied with the request. He set the scarf down and then waited, hand still on the scarf. Snape's eyes once again rose to his, this time with definite malice in them.

"Dismissed, Potter," he snarled.

"Sir, I have to ask you something," Harry began nervously. A dark brow rose in response and Harry swallowed hard and continued. "Did you know that Draco and I were in a, uh, altercation?"

Snape's lip curled. "Yes. Is that the only reason you are here, Potter? Fine, ten points from Gryffindor for fighting on the stairs. Ten points from Slytherin for losing. Now," Snape said, "if that is all, you may now vacate the area."

"Sir, Draco pushed me down a flight of stairs," Harry said in annoyance. "It wasn't exactly a fight and he didn't lose."

"So you have come to tattle tale, then, in revenge?"

"No!" Harry's voice was rising in irritation and frustration. "I came to ask for your help!"

Snape stared at Harry. Then carefully put down the quill he had been holding before folding his hands and resting his elbows on the table's surface.

"And why would you be asking for help?" he asked silkily.

Harry faltered at the change in voice. He really didn't like being at this man's mercy without some sort of pheromone high causing him to ignore a lot of the man's scarier features. That voice could chill a heart to a standstill.

Harry took a deep breath and hoped that he wouldn't have to kill his friends for sending him on a fool's mission.

"I, uh..." Harry closed his eyes briefly and started again. "I had just been coming from the infirmary when Draco found me. I had just found out that the reason I have been stealing things from people was because I..." Harry stopped again. This was so much worse than blurting to Ron and not anywhere near funny. Harry looked right at Snape and blurted. "I was denning."

Snape didn't even bat an eyelash before he spoke. "Yes. And you are still avoiding the question. Why are you asking for my help?"

"Sir, Draco shoved me down a flight of stairs!"

"Now you are repeating yourself," came the smooth response. "I suggest you take yourself back to Madame Pomfrey and have that already overtaxed brain examined."

Harry took an earnest step forward. Snape's eye immediately darted downward to track the step, his shoulders tensing. Harry didn't feel any different and he saw Snape register that fact as well.

"Sir, I need your help because I am afraid that he might hurt me enough to hurt the..." Harry gestured loosely towards his abdomen. Snape's lip curled again in disgust.

"And while you are there, have her remove the..." Snape nastily mimicked Harry's gesture. "Because you are obviously too infantile yourself if you can not even pronounce the word." He stood up imposingly. "Now, if you are finished mewling remove yourself from this classroom before I assign you detention with Filch."

Harry stood still and stared in incomprehension at Snape's complete lack of concern. He decided to try another way. He took another step closer. The movement of Harry's feet again distracted Snape's attention.

"I told you to leave, Potter," he said threateningly. Harry shook his head.

"No, not until you listen to me."

"Have I been ignoring you?" Snape asked in mock confusion.

"I need your help. Draco almost killed me and my baby," Harry said, pronouncing the word slowly. "I have no idea how I feel about this baby yet. I just found out about it a few hours ago. But, I do know that I would never let it be harmed if I can stop it. But I can't stop it. If Draco wants to, he can throw me down as many stairs as he wants. Hell, he could probably just order me to get rid of it and I would probably do it." Harry began to understand his friends' fears as he spoke the words and took another step closer. Snape mirrored the action in reverse. "But, sir, you could stop him. You can get him to leave me alone and not hurt me anymore. Please."

"You are a fool, Potter," Snape said nastily. "You have always been a blind fool. Do you think I have any control over Draco when out of my presence? Do you think I can simply tell him what to do and he will obey?" Snape crossed his arms. "Draco is an adult Supero. Yes, he may be younger and more inexperienced than I, but he is still a very dangerous adversary. I may be able to bully him now. But do you think my edicts have any weight with him out of my vicinity?

"You were the one that ran off and decided to embrace your animal side. No thinking, no thought as to what it exactly entailed. Not even a show of outrage or fight. You gave in. You gave up."

"No! I did not give in!" Harry said in anger. "I decided to accept what I couldn't change. I did not give up, I just stopped fighting what I was. You are just too afraid of who and what you are, Snape! You are prejudiced against your own kind. The Deatheater in you just can't stand being impure!"

Snape's eyes glowed and Harry was glad he had stayed out of range when a faint silver streak began to appear on the potion master's cheekbones.

"And you haven't a brain in your head to know that you have courted and delighted in trouble. Did you think it was all going to be fun and games? Carnal pleasures and homework help? You are a subicio. You say you have accepted that, have you? You have accepted being the property of a dominant? You are right, Potter. Draco could very well order you to terminate the pregnancy and there is not one thing you can do about it. Yes, he can toss you down as many stairs as he wishes. He could make you sleep outside, eat off the floor or go about nude for his pleasure. It is his right and you have accepted this. Well then," Snape pointed towards the door. "Go forth and accept it. I want no part in it. You are right. I refuse to allow being dictated to by my body. I have a mind and a set life and I refuse to disturb either one for children playing games. Get out."

Harry stared hard at the older man. Then turned and walked back to the door and slipped through it quietly.

Indago - Chapter 45

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