One Step Forward, Two Steps Back

A week later and Fallon sat with Draco on her bed as they studied Astronomy together. Fallon’s eyes sunk low in her face, disappointed that she couldn’t go to that class. She was still too sick to leave the wing, due to risk of further infection.

“Fallon dear, the results have come back. Would you like to hear them?” Madam Pomfrey asked politely. Fallon nodded but held up a finger to indicate she needed a moment.

She turned to Draco and said, “Leave, please Draco. I want to hear this by myself.”

“No, I’m staying,” he said back almost immediately, not even glancing up from his work.

“Please,” she begged pulling his work away from him.

“Why? Why do you want me to leave?” he asked. He leaned in closer and said, “If you give me one extremely good reason I will.”

“It’ll be easier for me. I’m used to being independent, it’s part of who I am. I know that you know that.” Fallon pursed her lips and gave Draco an uncertain look, not sure if he bought it or not.

“Will you tell me after?”

“Of course!” she said brightly. Draco just mumbled something incoherent and left just as Madam Pomfrey reached Fallon’s bedside. That’s when she noticed her gloomy face.

“What’s wrong?” she whispered to Madam Pomfrey.

“Are you ready for your test results?” she asked ignoring Fallon’s previous question.

“I’ve been ready all week,” Fallon stated turning in her bed to make it easier to look at Madam Pomfrey.

“I’m afraid it’s not good news, my dear.” Fallon cocked her head to the side.

“It isn’t?”

The healer shook her head and said, “It’s cancer.” Fallon’s heart sunk as she started to wring her hands together, a nervous habit of hers.

“I didn’t think wizards could get cancer,” she wavered, her throat starting to tighten. “Let me rephrase that,” she continued, “I didn’t think purebloods could. Didn’t they cure it?”

“You’re still a human being Miss Geneva, you’re still prone to disease. I’m sorry for you misfortune.”

“Misfortune?” Fallon couldn’t believe it, out of all the people in the world why her, why a wizard. “How did you know that you should check? I mean, I only got sick that night,” Fallon said quite softly trying to make sense of something, anything that was happening that moment.

“You came in with a bleeding hand dear,” Madam Pomfrey explained sitting on the edge of her bed beside her and grabbing her hand. “I gave you a potion to clot the blood faster, but it took a lot longer than it would on an average person. I tested for haemophilia first. But it came back negative, so I sent it to St. Mungo’s and they said they would take care of everything. I’m so terribly sorry Fallon, dear.” Fallon felt her hand get squeezed but soon every one of her senses dulled considerably.

“Can I come back in?” Draco called through the doors. Madam Pomfrey caught Fallon’s eye. She looked back for a second and then shook her head. Hastily, Madam Pomfrey went to the doors and opened them just a crack.

“Sorry Mr. Malfoy, but she seems to have fallen asleep. Please come back tomorrow,” she told Draco politely, but rudely slammed the door in his face.

Fallon sighed loudly, only for it to turn into a coughing fit. “You’ll start treatment tomorrow. Best eat now, for you won’t want to eat at all tomorrow.” Fallon just nodded sadly as Madam Pomfrey summoned a house elf for food. All Fallon did that night was force herself to eat and continued to do her homework in a drone-like daze.

“Fallooooon,” Aiden called bursting into the high-ceiling room, Draco trailing a few paces back. Fallon let a growl rumble in the back of her throat before they reached her bedside.

“Care to tell us what the results say?” Draco hinted, hoping to hear an answer. Fallon looked up gloomily through her lashes.

Fallon waited until Madam Pomfrey carefully walked over with her treatment before she announced, “Cancer.” And with that Madam Pomfrey pushed the two boys away towards the doors as Fallon quickly pulled the surrounding drapes around her bed. The boys shouts of protest sounded through the room and could be heard through the door, but minutes later the shouts died down into silence. Then the silence transformed into Fallon’s treatment instructions.

“You’re going to begin your treatment shortly. You will have to take a potion every half hour for three hours. Understand?” Fallon nodded curtly, anxious to get started and to get it over with. The nurse place a bed pan on her lap. “Just in case,” she stated checking her watch and handed her the first of seven potions. “And begin.”

An hour into treatment and Fallon laid on her back clutching her stomach, desperately trying not to throw-up. She’s already lasted an hour so she could last two more. Fallon groaned loudly as the pain in her stomach started to grow more harsh; an atomic bomb war going on in her organs.

“You’re doing well dear, better than anyone else could,” Madam Pomfrey comforted as she wiped Fallon’s sweat laden forehead. Fallon just grimaced up at the nurse as she rolled into a ball.

“Just two more hours, just two more hours, just two more hours,” she whispered constantly, squeezing her eyes shut and rocking slightly.

Three hours never felt so long to Fallon. She finally finished treatment but she felt like the equivalent to dying. She laid motionless in her bed as she listened to her nurse's bustling movements. All she could think about was how much she dreaded to do this all again next time.