Four Hearts, Two Pathways

I woke in a daze, the pain in my shoulder still vividly there, but not near as bad as it had been. My vision was blurry as I opened my eyes but I could make out the shape of my team and Madam Pomfrey, above me. “She’s awake,” someone mumbled.

Madam Pomfrey’s head swiftly turned to look at me as she checked my eyes and turned me on my side and prodded my shoulder, with every touch it burned but the look on her face was relief. “She’ll be alright, a torn shoulder and whiplash on the neck, bruises and cuts from the crash.” She nodded her head once and stroked my hair, “The vision will return in a little while, it’s just the effects of the pain relieving potion.”

I let out a small smile and a thumbs up, my team cheered. Madame Pomfrey said I could leave once my vision returned but I could only supervise practice for the following three days, and I’d have to check in with her every day until she said I didn’t have to anymore. She retired to her office and Left me with my teammates who were slowly starting to sharpen.

“How are you feeling?” Alys asked, her voice timid and worried regardless of Madame Pomfrey’s diagnosis.

I smiled, “I’m alright, did we win?” hey responded with enthusiastic yes’s. “Good, but don’t expect practice to be easy with me out for the next couple of days. I’ll be back in time for the next game I’m sure.”

Juniper’s voice rose, “Should I cancel the practice match with Ravenclaw next week?”

“No, no the school knows about it and will be disappointed. I’ll be back in time for it.” I said with confidence, but Juniper didn’t look too sure. I took a moment to look around and saw that the Hospital wing was otherwise empty. “Did Draco make it out okay?”

Wallace nodded, his strawberry blonde hair flopped in his eyes as he did. “He hopped off of the gurney the professors tried to put him on, then tried to follow us and you. Don’t know where he went after they didn’t let him in.”

Nigel and Zacharias nodded too, agreeing with Wallace’s summary. I raised my brows, “Draco Malfoy tried to come after me? That’s kind of him.”

Juniper scoffed, “He probably wanted to steal the Snitch out of your hand, even knocked out you wouldn’t let it go!”

We all chuckled and by now my vision had mostly returned. “I think I’m good to get up, help me?” Juniper got on my right side, the side with the screwy shoulder that Madame Pomfrey had put a sling on, and Trinity got on my left. They stood me up with the help but Nigel pushing me up from behind, just as a precaution.

I stood with ease and sighed in happiness, “I’m alright, come on,” my gaze shifted to the clock resting above the doorway then to my team, who were all still in their uniforms including myself. “Let’s get changed then get dinner, yeah?”

They smiled and agreed. We all quickly changed into our school robes and were soon seated at the Hufflepuff table with full plates sitting before us as we were constantly congratulated on the first win of the season. I filled my plate with mashed potatoes, roasted carrots, chicken and a biscuit. all covered in a delightful helping of rich gravy. My usual meal after a long day.

A first year came up to us and looked directly at me, “Here. It’s from all of the first years, we hope you heal up and win again!” I raised my brows and took the envelope she held out to me. I looked at her again and smiled, recognizing her as the girl I had helped with her acne.

When she left Trinity smiled brightly at me, “Well open it!”

I moved to open the envelope but it slipped out of my hands and floated above my face. Lips and eyes formed in the folds and it smiled at me before a choir of first year voices shouted, “Get well Sage!” Before the envelope dissolved into glitter and disappeared. I laughed and let a big smile spread itself on my cheeks as I shouted down the table a thank you to all of them.

I finished dinner before everyone else and felt myself grow restless, probably another side effect, so I excused myself for a walk alone. I left the Great Hall and let my feet go wherever they pleased, which was, as always, in the direction of the greenhouses. I came to the Greenhouse Office and knocked three times before entering. I raised my brows at what I saw. Professor Sprout was in the middle of what seemed like scolding Draco Malfoy.

“Oh, speaking of! Hello Sage,” she said. I waved awkwardly and stepped inside.

“Hello, I was just coming to ask if I could tend to the plants, I’m a bit restless.” I shifted uncomfortably under the smirk that she held.

“That’s fine, dear but it seems you’ve come at the best time possible.” She said with a kind but knowing smile.

I looked at her with confusion then at Draco, “I have?”

Professor Sprout nodded, “Yes, see your friend Draco here is failing my class, and you’re my best student.” Draco rolled his eyes at her and I raised my brows, knowing what she was getting at. “I’d like for you to tutor him, and you can start right now.”

“Professor,” I began but she cut me off with a dismissive wave and I knew I had no say in the situation. Draco and I were ushered into the last Greenhouse, given gloves and earmuffs and told to get to work. I turned to Draco to formally introduce myself but his gaze was locked on my arm in the sling. “It doesn’t hurt as much as you’d think.”

There was a flash of vulnerability in his eyes as they connected with my own before he crossed his arms and recovered what was his usual sass. “I don’t care.”

I nodded, “Alright, well what aren’t you understanding about the class?” I tried to change the subject and he raised a brow at me, but I could see it only held half of the effort he usually put into being mean and condescending.

“It’s not that I don't understand, Foxley, I’m not stupid. It’s that I don’t care to learn it.” He sat on a stool provided right beside some fragrant flowers that I knew would stick to him like glue if he got to close.

I moved beside him and put a hand on his shoulder, the shoulder that was getting too close to the flowers, “Ah, I wouldn’t move any closer to those.”

He raised a brow and eyed the pretty blue flowers, “And why not?” He put a finger out to them and once it got within an inch the petals closed around his gloved finger and latched on. He jumped up, startled and ripped the flower head from it’s vine but it still stayed on him. “Well don’t just stand there!”